KABUL, Afghanistan  A day after a

in northern

, an official said on Saturday that at least 140 soldiers had been killed, making it the single deadliest known attack on an Afghan military base in the course of the long war.





Today, there was even a shortage of coffins, said the official, Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province, where the attack occurred. Citing information from army officials, Mr. Khairandish said 60 soldiers had also been wounded in the attack.





The soldiers, most of them unarmed, were shot while eating lunch or emerging from a Friday Prayer service at the headquarters of the Afghan Armys 209th Corps in Balkh by assailants in military uniforms who entered after another attacker had detonated explosives at a check post. The

claimed responsibility for the assault.





Most of those killed were in the mosque; some of them were in the dining facility, Mr. Khairandish said.





President Ashraf Ghani arrived in Balkh Province on Saturday to visit the army base.

-
News / National

by Staff reporter

NINE of Zanu-PF's 10 provinces have now unanimously called for the sacking of party national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere over allegations of creating parallel structures and plotting to unseat President Mugabe.Yesterday Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces met and resolved that Kasukuwere be fired while Matabeleland North is set to ratify the decision tomorrow.They join Mashonaland Central, Harare, Bulawayo, Midlands, Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East which have since recommended the ouster of Kasukuwere.In Matabeleland South, the provincial executive committee (PEC) met and came up with the resolution calling for Kasukuwere's expulsion before the provincial coordinating committee (PCC) met to endorse the decision.The PEC cited nine reasons why they wanted Kasukuwere fired ranging from creating parallel structures to corruption."Matabeleland South provincial executive committee has unanimously agreed on the matter of the national commissar Kasukuwere to be ousted from the party and Government."All members of the PEC were in support of the vote of no confidence for the following reasons, creation of parallel structures which disrupted the party and led to the removal of substantive chairpersons and failed to conduct elections."Gave direct instructions to individuals in provinces by-passing party leadership and protocol leading to indiscipline and insubordination by these members. Imposition of candidates in the Youth League to bolster his position in anticipation of a special congress. The members were no longer loyal to the party but to him," read the resolution.The PEC said Kasukuwere also led party affiliate organisations into disarray and failed to issue party membership cards with the intention of sabotaging the party."He advocated for the removal of the one centre of power [principle] when he incited his brother to publicly declare that they want to do away with party position of one centre of power. He handpicked beneficiaries of the Youth Fund and also brought aspiring candidates to constituencies before the party officialises any campaign and giving guidelines and directions. Corruption in residential stands programme where he sold land to barons,'' read the PEC report.Speaking after the province passed the resolution Politburo member, Kembo Mohadi said the PCC should defend its resolution with their blood."If you say you work for the people you should be prepared to die for them. Today you have made this resolution, it's your resolution and you should defend it with your blood. I know some of you here are thinking otherwise, that's treacherous, treasonous," said Mohadi.In Manicaland, the PCC meeting held yesterday claimed the scalp of the provincial chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge, who also suffered a vote of no confidence for failing to manage the affairs of the province, including alleged failure to rein in his wife Letina Undenge, who is the Women's League provincial chairperson.The party first held a tension filled PEC meeting at the Manicaland Provincial Administrator's boardroom, where the house unanimously agreed that Kasukuwere should be relieved of his duties.The PCC then met and Undenge was tasked to read the resolutions, unaware that a vote of no confidence on him would be pronounced thereafter.Said Undenge while reading the resolutions: "At its meeting on April 21, 2017, the Manicaland PCC passed a resolution that the political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, must be relieved of his post because he was undermining the President Robert Mugabe."He was creating parallel structures, fanning factionalism and defending those who are fighting President Mugabe, as well as protecting fired people like Cdes Sandi Moyo and Sarah Mahoka."Matabeleland North provincial chairman Richard Moyo said: "We are meeting on Sunday to hear the decision of the PEC as the PCC."We will be endorsing the decision by other provinces to remove Kasukuwere. As Matabeleland North, we are saying if he (Kasukuwere) has been setting up parallel structures, we support the decision by the provinces to remove him."The Mashonaland East PCC yesterday endorsed the decision by its provincial executive to fire Kasukuwere.The members said the decision was in solidarity with the resolution passed by Kasukuwere's home province of Mashonaland Central.Mashonaland East provincial chairman Bernard Makokove told the PCC meeting that: "Our leaders here said we have done a correct move. I want to say that I am prepared to put my neck on the block defending the decision taken by the Provincial Executive Committee."Zanu-PF Politburo member Sydney Sekeramayi said they were in support of the decision by the PEC.Said Sekeramayi: "Today you informed us of the decision that was passed by the Provincial Executive Committee and we supported that. It's good that when you meet like this we should always be together."Sekeramayi said the party should focus on building its structures at cell level since the next election would be polling station based.He said the party structures should be built now in preparation for President Mugabe's visit to the province on May 20.The visit would mark the first leg of President Mugabe's visits to all the country's 10 provincesZanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial spokesperson Kenneth Mutiwekuziva said there was no reason for them to continue supporting Kasukuwere when his home province had rejected him.The PCC meeting was attended by 15 legislators from the province, more than 10 Central Committee members and two Politburo members.
News / National

by Staff reporter

THE High Court has slashed an eight-year jail term of an HIV positive man who deliberately infected his girlfriend with the deadly virus after engaging in unprotected sex, to three years.Perfect Ngwenya of Blanket Mine tested HIV positive in June 2014 and was put on antiretroviral therapy. He however, hid the medication from his girlfriend until the woman stumbled on it three months later.Ngwenya pleaded not guilty to a charge of deliberate transmission of HIV, but was convicted by a Gwanda magistrate and sentenced to eight years in jail.However, three years of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour.Dissatisfied with the court's decision, Ngwenya through his lawyers, Shenje and Company, filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court challenging both conviction and sentence.Justice Nokuthula Moyo, who was sitting with Justice Martin Makonese during the criminal appeals court, confirmed the man's conviction. She upheld the appeal on sentence and substituted it with an effective two years in jail."There is unfortunately no case law on sentencing of offenders in HIV-related offences. The penalty provision is imprisonment for a period not exceeding 20 years as the offence is considered a serious one in nature," said the judge."Again the threshold given for a sentence not exceeding 20 years implies as well that the legislature considers that a long term of imprisonment is the appropriate penalty. This is rightly so considering that the deliberate infection of another with HIV changes their whole life in a drastic way and could even affect their life expectancy."Justice Moyo said Ngwenya's personal circumstances warranted the court to interfere with the sentence."The personal circumstances of the appellant (Ngwenya) are that he is a first offender, and he is on ART as well as that he has hypertension," she said.The judge said there was no misdirection on the conviction of Ngwenya."The conviction is confirmed and the sentence is set aside and substituted with three years in jail of which one year is suspended for five years on condition that the appellant does not within that period commit a similar offence," ruled the judge.Ngwenya, in his grounds of appeal, argued that the sentence was excessive and induced a sense of shock.He argued that the magistrate erred in convicting him in the absence of evidence to sustain the charge.Proven facts of the matter are that Ngwenya tested HIV positive on June 26 in 2014. The affair between him and the complainant had started in August 2013.The two engaged in unprotected sex on several occasions until the complainant stumbled on Ngwenya's antiretroviral drugs on September 4 in 2014.Ngwenya had not revealed his HIV status to his girlfriend.The court heard that the complainant had tested twice in 2012 prior to her relationship with Ngwenya and the results came out negative.A report was made leading to Ngwenya's arrest.
News / National

by Staff reporter

TWO Beitbridge men who were arrested for allegedly stealing a top-of-the-range vehicle worth about $30 000 in South Africa before smuggling it into the country through Beitbridge Border Post have approached the High Court seeking bail pending trial.Morris Ndou (35) of Dulivhadzimu suburb and David Mashava (28) of Lutumba area in the border town, through their lawyers Dube and Associates, filed an application for bail pending trial at the Bulawayo High Court citing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as the respondent.The two men who are facing charges of theft of a motor vehicle and smuggling appeared before a Zvishavane magistrate and they were denied bail and remanded in custody pending trial.Ndou and Mashava are denying the charges and argue that there are no compelling reasons to justify their continued detention at remand prison.In their grounds of appeal, the two applicants said they were only hired to drive the car to Harare."The first applicant (Ndou) was hired to take the allegedly stolen vehicle from Beitbridge to Harare for a payment of R3 000 and he then ordered second applicant (Mashava) to drive the car," said the lawyers."The applicants submit that they harbour no intention of absconding or evading justice. The applicants never resisted arrest and cooperated well with the police in their investigations and therefore with such conduct there is no risk of absconding."The two men are seeking an order compelling them to deposit $50 as bail and to continue residing at their given addresses pending the finalisation of the matter.As part of the bail conditions, the applicants are also offering to report at Beitbridge Police Station once a week as well as not interfere with state witnesses.Mr Thompson Hove, who is representing the State, opposed the bail application, arguing that there was no guarantee that the applicants would not abscond.He said granting them bail would not be in the interest of justice as they were likely to tamper with investigations."The investigations are still ongoing and it is submitted that the release of applicants might jeopardise investigations. The applicants are likely to abscond since they are facing a serious charge of theft of a motor vehicle and the state prays for the dismissal of the application," said Mr Hove.It is alleged that sometime in February this year, Ndou and Mashava went to a house in Lindela area of Johannesburg where they allegedly stole a Toyota Prado belonging to the complainant identified as Mr Latib Abdul Dawood.The matter was reported at Lindela Police Station under case number CR462/2/17.Ndou and Mashava allegedly drove the car to Beitbridge Border Post where they smuggled it into Zimbabwe.On March 29 this year at around 4PM, they were intercepted by police along the Zvishavane-Mbalabala road. On being quizzed by detectives, the two men failed to give satisfactory reasons leading to their arrest.
Thank God for the rain to wash the trash off the sidewalk. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Justice Department announced Friday that New York City continues to see gang murder after gang murder due to its soft on crime stance. The department also noted that the Big Apple is among the many American cities that is crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime, and concluded by stipulating, someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.

Okay. That last part was Travis Bickle. But the first two quotes really are from Americas federal law-enforcement agency:

DOJ says New York City is "soft on crime." pic.twitter.com/e9HjicW3HN  Brad Heath (@bradheath) April 21, 2017

There are a few things worth noting about this news release:

(1) New York City devotes fewer resources to violating the civil rights of its young black and brown residents these days. But since taking this soft stance, the city has seen its rates of homicide and violent crime remain near record lows.

(2) Sanctuary cities tend to be safer than those with draconian policies toward the undocumented.

(3) The fact that the DOJ announced its new measure in the tone of a Breitbart post is a tip-off that this whole thing is less about policy than it is about theater.

President Trump did sign an executive order, early in his presidency, that made noises about defunding sanctuary cities. But so far, the only action the Justice Department has taken on that front has been to threaten to deny grants to the small subset of sanctuary jurisdictions that bar individual police officers from sharing information about the immigration status of prisoners in their custody. That policy was put in place by the Obama administration last year. Jeff Sessionss DOJ has merely given such jurisdictions a hard deadline for compliance.

New York City could probably afford to flout the rule, if it wished to. The city received all of $4.3 million in Justice Department grants in 2016.
A Trump shruggie. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

President Donald Trump, instead of attending next weekends White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., will instead compete with it by hosting yet another campaign-style rally for himself. Trump tweeted the news himself on Saturday, saying the Pennsylvania rally would be BIG. The event will also mark Trumps 100th day in office, and according to a senior White House official who spoke with Politico, its purpose is to provide some counterprogramming to what is sure to be a barrage of negative media surrounding Trumps decidedly unproductive presidency. On track to not achieve a single one of his campaign-pledged accomplishments for the first 100 days, Trump called the metric a ridiculous standard on Friday.

The media is trying to make this about them when  respectively it has nothing to do with you guys. Its about focusing on the people, the unnamed White House official claimed to Politico, though that is surely also a shot at the WHCA dinner, which White House staff members will also be skipping.

In February, Trump announced that he would not be attending the dinner, making him the first president to skip the annual event  which presidents usually headline  since President Reagan abstained in 1981 while recovering from an assassination attempt. (He still gave a speech by phone.)

Several media organizations had already planned to skip or scale back their participation in this years dinner on account of Trumps toxic relationship with the press, but even after Trump bailed, the WHCA remained adamant that the tradition would continue regardless. They have lined up comedian and Daily Show contributor Hasan Minhaj to host Saturdays event, but even though Minhaj once called Trump White ISIS in a Daily Show segment and has joked that Trumps election was the 9/11 of white domestic terrorism, WHCA president Jeff Mason has insisted the organizations intent is not to roast the president in absentia.

Its highly unlikely that Trump will make it through Saturdays rally without roasting the media in some way, especially after watching all the critical 100-day-related coverage on Saturday. But aside from considering the media the enemy of the American people, Trump might also be skipping the event because he is probably the most thin-skinned president since at least Richard Nixon, and hes been targeted at the event before. Some have even theorized that President Obama and host Seth Myerss brutal roasting of Trump at the 2011 dinner were what made the reality-television star want to seriously run for president  though Trump has always maintained that he actually had a good time at the event and was flattered by the attention.
In your guts, you know hes nuts? Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Batty, says Maureen Dowd. Nut job, offers Gail Collins. Unhinged, delusional, deranged, sadistic, sexual predator  these are only a few of the labels slapped on Donald Trump by pundits, national-security chiefs, even U.S. senators.

Yet most members of one profession have been hiding in plain sight. Psychiatrists and psychologists operate under a norm  the so-called Goldwater Rule  that their professional organizations made up in 1973, forbidding them from diagnosing public figures they havent been able to evaluate in person. In the face of minimal trust at home and abroad in President Donald Trumps stability and his tenuous grasp of reality, a group of eminent professionals are daring to depart from the party line and declaring exception to the rule.

The Hippocratic oath to First Do No Harm  sworn to Apollo the physician  has been turned into a self-serving hypocritical oath, charges Dr. John Gartner, a psychologist and former faculty member at Johns Hopkins Medical School. The American Psychiatric Association looks out for the welfare of its members, to protect them from lawsuits. Theyre not worrying about whether 300 million Americans are vulnerable to the life-and-death actions taken by this abnormal president. And he and an increasing number of his colleagues are ready to declare that President Trump, whose actions are often described with neutral terms like unprecedented, is in fact dangerously ill. Does Trump need to lie to my face for me to know he lies all the time? asks Gartner. Now in private practice in New York City, he answers his own rhetorical question. He does lie to my face  every night. I watch TV!



This moment (which itself is unprecedented) led to an open town-hall meeting on Thursday, at Yale Medical School, to discuss the elephant in the room. Dr. Bandy X. Lee, a diminutive Yale psychiatry professor who organized the meeting, puts it this way: The Goldwater Rule is not absolute. We have a Duty to Warn, about a leader who is dangerous to the health and security of our patients. She has formed a coalition by that name, and it now comprises almost 800 mental-health professionals who are sufficiently alarmed that they feel the need to speak up about the mental-health status of the president. Gartner has posted a similar petition on the web, and it has attracted 41,000 signatures, a high proportion of them from mental-health practitioners. Anyone can look it up and sign it.

Yales Dr. Bandy Lee. Photo: Robert A Lisak/Yale School of Medicine

Duty to Warn is a term with some history. In 1974, a trial known as the Tarasoff case established the law  now in force in 38 states  saying that if a patient is in imminent danger of physically hurting someone, his or her doctor may break confidentiality and alert the likely victim or call the police. As for the Goldwater Rule itself, it is essentially a gag order, part of the code of ethics of the American Psychiatric Association. It was created in the years after the 1964 presidential election, when the fiery conservative Barry Goldwater won the Republican nomination. (Goldwater ran on anti-communist rhetoric suggesting that he just might start a nuclear war, on the slogan In Your Heart You Know Hes Right; Lyndon Johnsons counter-slogan was In Your Guts You Know Hes Nuts.) Press outlets, notably a magazine called Fact, asked psychiatrists and psychologists to diagnose Goldwater, and they did, enthusiastically and damningly. Goldwater sued Fact and won. The APA set down its rule a few years later.

It is only fair to point out that professional organizations governing mental-health practitioners still do not have a clean blotter. Only in 1968 was the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders rewritten, for its second edition, to drop the grievous classification of nonconformists, such as homosexuals, under sociopathic personality disorder. Two contract psychologists devised the CIAs enhanced interrogation program, acknowledged by President George W. Bush. The American Psychological Association has admitted that key officials secretly colluded with Department of Defense officials to loosen ethical guidelines motivated by the wish to curry favor with DoD. Only in 2006 did the APA strictly prohibit psychiatrists from participating in enhanced interrogations.

The event at Yale this week did not come about without controversy. It had been arranged jointly by Yales School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, and School of Public Health. All three dropped away before the big day. (Asked why, a spokesperson for the university says only, Eminent psychiatrists were invited to speak about whether there are other ethical rules that override [the rule] in ordinary practice.) The university upheld a commitment to free speech by giving Lee permission to hold an independent meeting in the auditorium of the medical school, but she was largely on her own. Im a pariah in my own department, Dr. Lee confided to me before the event.

But shes not one to back down. As a Korean-American girl growing up in gang territory in the Bronx, she saw kids caught in crossfire all the time. As an Asian girl in New York then, she recalls, I didnt belong anywhere, so I could go anywhere, and so she did, secretly volunteering in Harlem as a tutor for homeless children. After Yale Medical School and her residency (through Harvard), she studied the anthropology of violence in East Africa. There she had a revelation: Tribal warfare wasnt about gaining military superiority. We know from violence studies that its inequality  the shame of powerlessness  that pushes people to resort to violence. Years of working in maximum-security prisons have reinforced her belief that most inmates fight to preserve a sense of dignity and belonging. Despite the fact that it destroys their chances in life, they continue to resort to violence in order to belong to a subculture where their status is defined by violence.

Do Trumps middle-class supporters see him as a strong man who promises to revive the status they have lost? I asked her. Is their sense of belonging tied to Trump? She agreed. He is giving his fans a false sense of empowerment: Make America great again, reject outsiders who will take your jobs. But instead of elevating their status with real solutions, he is exploiting their psychology.

The Yale town meeting itself was, after the sponsoring departments pulled out, sparsely attended. It started late. Not many more than a dozen seats were filled, though about 60 viewers tuned in from around the country. (Harkness Auditorium holds 400.) But a special guest, via video monitor, piped in from his study in New York: Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, former Yale professor of psychiatry and author of the urtext about the ways Nazi doctors were perverted into killers. Hes 90. His full-lipped smile, evident at the start of his talk, went slack as he spoke.

He told the tiny audience he had an important concept to discuss: malignant normality. Lifton defines it as arrangements put forward as being normal when in fact they are dangerous and destructive. An extreme example on which he has done studies is that of German doctors who were assigned to Auschwitz. Their job was to be active in the mass killing. They were given perverted training to defeat their fears and shame and brainwash them into believing it was normal to gas Jews to death. (As, its worth noting, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad must do something similar to normalize the gassing of babies and women by their countrymen in his army.)

Dr. Judith Herman spoke next. Shes a renowned professor of psychiatry trained at Harvard and Cambridge and, after Trumps election, she wrote a letter to President Obama expressing alarm at the symptoms of mental instability she saw in the president-elect. Was there some way to insist on a neuropsychiatric evaluation, she wrote, before this man assumes the terrifying power of a U.S. president? Only two of her colleagues were willing to co-sign the letter, which went viral and was read at the Womens March on Washington.

Dr. James F. Gilligan, a senior clinical professor of psychiatry at NYU Medical School, was on next, and noted that, while speculative diagnoses of Trump have been made, one does not need a diagnosis to assess dangerousness. Anyone who doesnt flatter him extravagantly is meant to be destroyed. He engages in exploitation and violation of the rights of others, and sometimes goes as far as sadism, with no evidence of remorse. When you add all these elements, Gilligan observed, this is a class of people of whom Hitler is a member. Only at the end did Gartner introduce a note of gallows humor. Imagine tomorrows grandparents, he suggested, stuck in a refugee camp in icy Idaho, trying to warm their hands over a fire while asked to explain it all to the grandkids. Grandpa, you knew there was a dangerous man running our country  why didnt you say something?

Well, you see, in 1967 there was a lawsuit brought by a candidate for president called Barry Goldwater  



Wait, Grandpa  whats a lawsuit?

Chagrined, the grandfather tries to explain that a magazine had warned that Goldwater was unstable and had been sued.

Wait, Grandpa  whats a magazine?

After the session ended, Lifton spoke to me, and I asked whether he sees Trump as an abnormal personality. Trump creates his own extreme manipulation of reality, he explained. He insists that his spokesmen defend his false reality as normal. He then expects the rest of society to accept it  despite the lack of any evidence. Lifton is unexpectedly insouciant when he speaks, and you can see it in the bushel of white hair that still flops over his forehead and ears, plus that half-lipped smile. I pressed him to interpret the angry meltdown that seized President Trump when he was told, after the fact, that his closest campaign cohort, Jeff Sessions, had recused himself from the Justice Department investigation of Trumps Russian connections. Trumps version of reality did not include Sessions having done anything wrong, he explained, despite evidence of his reported contacts with the Russian ambassador. Trump himself, he explained, cannot bear the humiliation of being exposed as wrong, and is ultrasensitive about the Russian connection. Hes more than a little threatened by the idea of a full independent inquiry. A sudden influx of new information about his business holdings could create an explosive situation.

Can our institutions that guarantee a separation of powers survive such a manipulative presidency? Open institutions are still in effect, but hes doing his best to ignore them and break them down, says Lifton. Trump is a person bent on authoritarian behavior. He continued with a sobering quote from the contemporary poet Theodore Roethke: In a dark time, the eye begins to see.


Flying the so-called friendly skies. Photo: James Leynse/Getty Images

Just weeks after a United passenger was dragged off a plane for not giving up his seat, yet another video of a tense airplane incident has surfaced, this time of a flight attendant behaving badly.

The plane, which was en route from San Francisco to Dallas Friday afternoon, was still on the tarmac when one of the attendants abruptly took away a stroller from a woman who was traveling with two children. According to The Guardian, the employee forcefully took a childs buggy from a woman, hitting her with it and narrowly missing her child.

Passenger Surain Adyanthayas video, which has gone viral, shows the aftermath of the event, with the woman crying and asking for the stroller back while concerned passengers intervene. At one point, a man whod already confronted the flight attendants over the incident stands up and tells the flight attendant who took the stroller, Hey bud, hey bud, you do that to me and Ill knock you flat! The attendant, looking increasingly angry, replied, Hey, you stay out of this!



Heres the video of the event in question.

Within 20 minutes of the flight landing in Dallas around 7:45 p.m., American Airlines issued a statement:

We have seen the video and have already started an investigation to obtain the facts. What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident. We are making sure all of her familys needs are being met while she is in our care. After electing to take another flight, we are taking special care of her and her family and upgrading them to first class for the remainder of their international trip.



The actions of our team member captured here do not appear to reflect patience or empathy, two values necessary for customer care. In short, we are disappointed by these actions. The American team member has been removed from duty while we immediately investigate this incident.
In the wake of the recently organized Arctic Summit in Arkhangelsk and Rosneft getting drilling activities underway in the Laptev Sea, one cannot help but think that Russia is carrying out a comeback to the offshore Arctic region. Such a policy turn might seem counter-intuitive, as EU and US sanctions still restrict Western companies (with more sophisticated know-how) from participating in Russian Arctic projects, but even more importantly, this happens against the background of Russias Energy Minister A. Novak declaring that Russian producers in the Arctic need a crude price of at least 70 USD per barrel to be profitable. But how much of it is mere political posturing and what represents a genuine change for the better in Arctics fickle business climate? As it often happens, it is very difficult to say at first glance.

Rosneft, Russias primary oil operator (i.e. the only one apart from Gazproms oil subsidiary) in the Arctic, resumed its activities in the most northerly of seas, by drilling the Central-Olginskaya offshore well in the Laptev Sea. Rosneft also stated that it intends to resume drilling in the Barents Sea next year and in the Kara Sea within two years, thus committing itself to conduct drilling works across the entire Russian section of the Arctic. The political facet of such a move is evident  demonstrating that sanctions did not succeed in putting a crimp in Russias oil sector, whilst leaving the door open for Arctic projects in cooperation with ExxonMobil (expected to be revived in 2019) or Statoil (ongoing, albeit at a relatively slow pace). President Putin himself ordered the beginning of drilling operations at the Central-Olginskaya field, emphasizing Rosnefts role in developing the Arctics resources. Yet there is a twist of irony in that Rosneft boasts about being the only Russian company conducting drilling operations in the Arctic offshore, as apart from Gazprom no one else has the right to do so under the current legislation. Related: Oil Prices Fall Further As U.S. Rig Count Inches Higher

In view of this, it is interesting to see how the Arctic revival coincided with Russias Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment push for a liberalization of offshore license granting. Under the current legislation dating back to 2008, only state-owned Gazprom and Rosneft have the right to conduct drilling and exploration in Russias offshore zones, leaving even global majors like LukOil or Novatek out of bounds. The Natural Resources Minister S. Donskoy reiterated his vision that fields within Russias territorial waters, i.e. 12 nautical miles from the shore, be opened up to private companies. This would not solve the Arctic issue for Russia, as most really attractive fields and formations are further off into the sea (e.g.: the most recently discovered Pobeda field is 250 km from shore, whilst the 3.9 TCm Shtokman is 550 km away), yet it would present at least a ray of hope that Russias offshore will not be completely deprived of competition.

As of yet, however, there is only one producing oil field in the Russian sector of the Arctic offshore  the Prirazlomnoye field of Gazprom Neft, whose breakeven costs now hover around the 70 USD per barrel mark, mentioned by Russias Energy Minister. With crude prices, even for the new ARCO grade (24 API, sulfur content of 2.3% and low paraffin content), still some 15 USD from the desired level, the field has been producing at a loss for three years already. Russia is in no way alone in its hardships to give momentum to its Arctic projects  the Goliat field in Norway is estimated to be profitable only if prices do not fall below 90 USD per barrel for many years. Canada, in a joint movement with the White House, has banned Arctic offshore drilling altogether, which was not driven solely by environmental concerns, but by the recognition of the dearness of such an endeavor.

Thus, the latest flurry of action from Russias Arctic region contains several underlying messages. It is one of Rosneft, Russias most powerful oil company, the largest national oil company (NOC) of the world, conquering new frontiers. It is telling that the adjacent Vostochno-Taimyrskiy block was appraised by LukOil, yet its more bountiful continuation initially labelled Khatangsky block was awarded in December 2015 to Rosneft without any auctioning procedures by a government decree. Simultaneously, the Russian government demonstrates that it can endure financial losses by granting preferential terms to companies drilling in the Arctic (no export duties, preferential mineral extraction tax of 4.5-5%). Nevertheless, one should expect many U-turns in the Arctic and many unexpected twists  for instance, the Prirazlomnoye field, currently producing some 75,000 bpd has managed to find its customers in W-European countries like the Netherlands or United Kingdom, however, if production will go up, Russian companies ought to do some preliminary work so as not to oversaturate the European market and find buyers elsewhere, too. Related: Oil Crashes Into $40s As Hedge Funds Sell Off

Ironically, even if in the medium term oil prices surpass the 70 USD per barrel threshold, Arctic oil will still have a very serious competitor within Russia  namely, Arctic gas. Although many past mega-projects remain in the cold, such as the Shtokman gas field (reserves of 3.9 TCm), initially thought to supply LNG to the United States only to be caught flat-footed by the U.S. shale gas revival, others have enjoyed the firm backing of Russian authorities. One of such is the Yamal LNG project of Novatek, whose first cargo will most likely be delivered by October. Yamal LNG is exempted from export duties and property tax for the first 12 years, is subject to reduced profit tax and has seen massive government support in the form of multi-billion loans from state-owned banks and infrastructure development in Sabetta. If everything goes well, after the commissioning of Yamal LNG, Novatek will begin to bring online Arctic LNG-2, which would raise Russias Arctic LNG output capacity to 33.6 million tons annually (17.6 and 16 million tons, respectively). Although the now-producing Prirazlomnoye project has also been palpably backed by Russian authorities, new Arctic oil projects are unlikely to be prioritized over LNG projects, which are seen as a core element of Russias energy policy in the years to come.

By Victor Katona for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Political and economic developments in the European Union, Turkey and Russia are cumulatively aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin to become an ascending star in the international firmament. In an unexpected twist, the supporting actor in this dramatic ascent is Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former staunch critic of the Kremlin in the Syrian civil war who is now aligned with Putin in hostility towards the EU.

The rise of right-wing populism in the EU  Brexit, improved performance by Geert Wilders Party for Freedom in the 15 March Dutch general election, and the lead position of the National Fronts Marine Le Pen in French opinion polls  is a contributory element. Another is the refugee crisis which has widened the base of Europes rightwing parties. Though less severe now than in 2015, the present quiescent state of the refugee crisis depends on Erdogans good will. By closing Turkish borders with neighboring Greece, he drastically reduced the refugee influx into the EU. Equally, he could reverse his decision and revive the crisis.

At home, Erdogan is keen to turn himself into a modern-day sultan. After aborting an attempted military coup on 15 July, he declared a state of emergency and unleashed a massive crackdown on political opponents. This led to the purging of almost 100,000 employees in state institutions and the arrest of 40,000, including judges, senior civil servants, academics, journalists, and police and military officers.

After corralling the parliament to amend the constitution to replace parliamentary democracy with an executive presidency, he has urged voters to endorse the radical change in the April 16 referendum, arguing it is needed to avoid fragile coalition governments of the past and to give Turkey stability in order to meet security challenges in the future. His opponents fear an authoritarian, one-man rule by Erdogan.

His actions have unnerved Western leaders. By contrast, the Kremlin welcomes these in the context of an astonishing turnaround in relations with Ankara.

Following Turkeys downing of a Russian jet fighter in its airspace on November 15, 2015, Moscow imposed stiff economic sanctions on Ankara. As a result, annual bilateral trade plummeted from $38 billion to about $17 billion.

But in the aftermath of the attempted coup, Putin made a congratulatory call to Erdogan. Three weeks later, Erdogan met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him publicly, saying that his call meant a lot psychologically. Putin announced that Russian trade sanctions on Turkey would be lifted step by step.

Conversely, Erdogan was angered by EU and U.S. criticism over his crackdown on educational institutions, the judiciary and the media, including the jailing of 152 journalists. His Russia visit in August alarmed Western capitals. Since then, from the Western viewpoint, a stream of negative news, including two more meetings for the Turkish and Russian presidents, has continued.

After his talks with Putin in the Kremlin on March 10, Erdogan declared that alliances like NATO or allies that ignore Turkeys interests did not have the right to question what Turkey does to protect itself. He added that no one has the right to object to Ankaras measures in Syria or current negotiations with Russia on the purchase of an advanced S-400 anti-missile defense system. Erdogan indicated that his latest meeting with Putin had created an environment for facilitating further security cooperation with Moscow as well as in economic and military sectors.

Related: Oil Prices Fall Further As U.S. Rig Count Inches Higher

During his first presidency, 2000 to 2004, Putin urged the United States and other leading Western nations not to expand NATO eastward. His plea fell on deaf ears. In March 2004, NATO membership increased by seven, including the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania which abut the Russian border. In contrast, during the Cold War, a wide belt of socialist republics of Eastern and Central Europe existed between NATO and the Soviet Union.

Having regained the presidency in 2012, Putin embarked on a dual policy of active resistance to NATO expansion and weakening the alliance. Given this, Erdogans defiant tone would have been music to his ears. With 620,500 strong armed forces, Turkey ranks second in NATO after the Pentagons 1.379 million armed personnel.

On October 10, 2016, on the sidelines of a global energy conference in Istanbul, Erdogan advised Putin to resubmit a Russian bid long-range air missile defense systems for which Ankara had received bids from the United States and Europe. An earlier Russian bid had been rejected as too expensive. But after his March visit to Moscow, Erdogan revealed that Russia was offering a considerable discount.

The latest development disappointed Ankaras NATO allies, intent on containing the Kremlins influence. But Turkey was unmoved. In this field, we have three criteria which are price, technology transfer and time of delivery, explained Turkish Defense Minister Fikri I??k. As a sovereign state, we can cooperate with any country that fulfills these requirements.

It was his emphasis on Turkeys sovereignty that led Erdogan to cooperate with Putin to help consolidate a January ceasefire in Syria. The subsequent conference in the Kazakh capital of Astana saw Turkey abandoning the United States and bonding with Russia diplomatically to end the Syrian conflict.

This event enabled Putin, a proud nationalist, to rebut robustly U.S. President Barack Obamas disdain for Russia voiced after Moscows February 2014 annexation of Crimea: Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbors, not out of strength but out of weakness. By taking center stage at the Astana conference, with a NATO member as its ally, Russia showed that it was a superpower. Putins popularity at home soared to 82 percent in September even though the economy was expected to shrink by 1 percent in 2016 due to continued low prices for oil and gas, Russias main exports.

Related: Oil Prices Crash Below $50 On Oversupply Fears

Erdogans recent spats with Germany and the Netherlands on the issue of Turkish ministers being allowed to persuade gatherings of Turkish voters settled in these countries to vote yes in the referendum have also gone down well with the Kremlin.

The Turkish president continues to highlight his republics sovereignty if only to bolster his chance of winning the referendum. Opinion polls in Turkey are on the razors edge, with aye and nay voters tied at 43 percent. Hence, each of the EUs nearly 3 million Turkish voters counts.

By accusing German and Dutch governments of acting like Nazis by banning Turkish ministers addresses to fellow Turks in their cities on the grounds of security, Erdogan has destroyed much of the goodwill needed for Ankaras successful application to become a full EU member.

In 1963 Turkey became an associate member of the European Economic Community, the predecessor to the EU. Turkey signed a Customs Union agreement with the EU in 1995 and four years later was recognized as a candidate for full EU membership. Subsequent negotiations had run into periodic roadblocks even before Ankaras latest tensions with Berlin and Amsterdam.

As an adversary of EU expansion, Putin was pleased to see Turkeys chance of acquiring full EU membership rapidly diminish.

A lot depends on the result of the 16 April referendum. A yes vote would put 63-year-old Erdogan in virtual control of Turkish politics for the next decade or longer. Conversely, a no vote would be the most serious setback to his authority since he took power in 2003 and could trigger political rebellion against him  thus abruptly ending the recent Russian-Turkish honeymoon.

By Yale Global Online

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News / National

by Staff reporter

President Robert Mugabe has perfected the art of laying treason charges against anyone he feels is a threat to his throne, former politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire has said.This comes as Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere is under the cosh for allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe.Mavhaire - famed for challenging Mugabe to resign in 1997 - claimed the nonagenarian leader was using the same strategy to expel the combative Kasukuwere."What is happening to Kasukuwere is not new. Mugabe alleged us and (Joice) Mujuru were plotting to assassinate him. This is the only strategy Mugabe uses against his enemies. Previously, it was Morgan Tsvangirai, so to us this is not new," he said."Zanu-PF is now dying. We are going to see the expulsion of some senior members; this is the death of Zanu-PF. But people in Zanu-PF must not worry; life outside Zanu-PF is warmer. Also, the people of Zimbabwe must not worry about what is happening."At the moment, we must find solutions to rescue this country from the current economic problems," said Mavhaire, who was ruthlessly purged from the warring Zanu-PF in late 2014 together with Mujuru, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa on untested claims of plotting to oust and assassinate Mugabe.Previously, Tsvangirai escaped the gallows by a whisker after the State had preferred charges of treason against him, after the government claimed it had evidence that he wanted to assassinate Mugabe.The case collapsed in 2004 after a year-long trial in which the State was relying on questionable evidence from a grainy videotape that was secretly recorded by Ari Ben Menashe, a discredited Canadian-based political consultant.So many Mugabe foes were charged with treason, including war heroes like Lookout Masuku - who later died under house arrest - Dumiso Dabengwa, Welshman Ncube, Tsvangirai, PDP president Tendai Biti among others, a charge which the State could not sustain in court.Before her expulsion, Mujuru, along with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, were seen as leading candidates to succeed Mugabe.She had commanding respect of party's provincial structures.Mujuru's political star in Zanu-PF first dimmed publicly in 2008 when Mugabe conspiratorially suspected that her late husband - the revered former liberation struggle icon, General Solomon Mujuru - engineered his embarrassing trouncing in that year's polls to Tsvangirai.Mugabe and other Zanu-PF bigwigs claimed that the late Mujuru was behind the formation of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, an opposition party that is led by former Finance minister Simba Makoni.
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News / National

by Paul Ndou

The Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (ZIPP) national chairman Richard Chakwizira has fallen on hard times to the extent of failing to send his children to school Bulawayo24.com has learnt.Bulawayo24.com visited Chakwizira's homestead in Seke, Chatukuta village in Mashonaland East and spoke to his son Brandon Chakwizira who is eager to go back to school but is currently home due to financial constraints."I passed 6 O level subjects and was very eager to go for A level to do Sciences since l'm a scientists at heart and have won an award for being the second best in science competition."The challenge now my brother is cash my daddy is currently in South Africa where he works for ZIPP but is failing to pay for my fees just giving me empty promises yet time is running out," sobbed the boy.When contacted for comment ZIPP chairman confirmed he is facing financial problems but expressed hope it would soon be a thing of the past."Yes it is a true story but hopefully soon l will be able to send him back to school and pay for the two boys whom you allege to have seen," he said before hanging up the phone.It is astonishing to note that Chakwizira flies to Zimbabwe from South Africa and stays in expensive hotels on party business yet his two children one currently at Chirimamhunga Secondary a sibling to Brandon is in arrears of tuition fees.
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News / Religion

by Staff Reporter

A Chiweshe woman, 30, caused a stir when she 'attempted to eat' her own baby in front of congregants in a church in Harare, Kwayedza reported.Allegations are that a woman identified as Mary from Nzvimbo growth point in Chiweshe Mashonaland Central approached the house of Grace International Ministries led by prophet Sham Hungwe in Highfield Harare seeking deliverance.According to the publication other congregants rushed to rescue the child from the possessed mother.The woman spoke through the unknown spirit saying she was not meant to be married hence she wanted to eat the child."I said this woman was not supposed to be married who gave her this husband unfortunately today l am going to eat this child," said the alleged spirit from Mary.The woman started manifesting demanding to be removed from the church saying the church was burning her.When the whole episode was over Mary pleaded with the media not to publish the story as doing so would ruin her marriage.
Best Hair Dye for Men

Recover Your Natural Hair Color With These Top Dye Options

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.

With additions by Barret Wertz. Product photos from retailer site.

Maybe you're fighting the good fight against gray hair, or maybe you're just looking to spice things up and add a little excitement to your look. After all, sporting the same shade of hair year after year does become tiresome. Not to mention women have their own preference, just as do they with particular hair styles. So you've decided to bite the bullet and experiment with hair coloring for men.

But there's a problem: at the risk of being shamed by the bros, many men still wouldnt be caught dead getting their locks done in a professional hair salon. So where does this leave them? On the DIY path.

RELATED: How to Cut Your Own Hair

The answer lies in at-home hair dye products. Guys can spend a fraction of the cost on these coloring solutions and get the job done instantly right in the luxury of their bachelor pad. You might stumble upon some nice finds in the drugstore aisle or on Amazon, yet those with the extra coin to spend can gain more natural results from luxury brands. See what your wallet says first before coming to a decision.

Youll want to choose a subtle color that compliments your hair type. A dye with ash tones primarily works for most men, though experts recommend using a dye with warm tones if your hair features natural reddish tones, whereas the rest of the crowd can use dyes with cool tones. Once passed the checkout line, make entrance into your personal bathroom and follow the right steps.

How to Apply Hair Dye for Men

Hair-coloring is a straightforward process that requires nothing more than patience, and some courage of course. Start by stripping down to your briefs (or boxers). Reason for that is obvious  no drips on your wardrobe. Though if you insist on hiding your chest and back for lack of body hair trimming, sport a worn-down T-shirt. If it's an option, keep your hair dye product of choice in a bowl to prevent any spillage onto the sink or countertop. Proceed as follows:

Step 1 : Read instructions and mix the included products together to create dye composition

: Read instructions and mix the included products together to create dye composition Step 2 : Rub a thick layer of lotion across the outer line of your hairline to prevent dye bleeding

: Rub a thick layer of lotion across the outer line of your hairline to prevent dye bleeding Step 3 : Apply onto hair using brush application or shampoo in by rubbing into targeted areas

: Apply onto hair using brush application or shampoo in by rubbing into targeted areas Step 4 : Let formula sit in hair for suggested time frame (est. 5-15 minutes)

: Let formula sit in hair for suggested time frame (est. 5-15 minutes) Step 5: Hop in the shower and rinse out

Your hair length will determine how much of solution should be applied, granted most people tend to use the entire allocation since the solution cant be saved. Surface stains should be expected on the skin as well. Nothing you cant remove solo with a cotton ball and some isopropyl alcohol.

Men of all ethnicities and hair types are afforded numerous coloring options. And we combed through the gunk to narrow down some of the markets best hair dyes.

If you want to experiment a little, and opt for a dye that's a different shade than your natural hair color, then you're going to want to match that dye color to your skin. This might seem simple, but selecting the right hair dye color for your particular skin tone is surprisingly complicated, if only because so few men really know what their skin tone is to begin with. Are you pale or tanned? Dark or light skinned? You may think you have an idea, but if you only ever look at yourself in your bathroom mirror in the morning, say, then you've only seen yourself under one lighting condition.

So the first step is broadening your sample size. Use a mirror, or the selfie feature on your phone, or a trusted friend, and experiment with different lighting conditions: indoors, outdoors, direct light, indirect light.

You're going to want to play around with different formulas, to find the one that suits you best, but know that the dye will look different in your hair compared to how it looks on the model, which means a little trial and error should be expected.

Men with short hair have historically had some problems with hair dyes, as the majority seem to look best on longer locks. If you keep your hair close to your scalp, but still want to add some color to your graying hair, opt for a hair dye that is one or two shades lighter than your natural hair color.

Why, you may ask? It turns out that shorter hair provides less scalp coverage, and so the contrast between your dyed hair and the skin on your scalp can look odd. To combat that, we recommend selecting a lighter shade of hair dye.

Best Hair Dye for Men

Convenient and cost-friendly, hair dye kits spare you the cost of a professional hair-coloring treatment. They can earn you similar, if not the same results as that of what you would get from an overly-priced salon. Nonetheless, using them requires a bit of trial and error depending on ones hair style and the actual product. These are the heavy hitters to keep in mind.

Colorsmith Custom Hair Color for Men

Colorsmiths made-to-order, salon-grade hair color is individually crafted and each order comes with custom color, comb and application brush, easy-to-follow instructions, professional developer, two pairs of non-latex gloves, shampoo and conditioner, stain guard and stain remover, and maybe most importantly, access to a licensed colorist for help every step of the way.

From $23.95 at Colorsmith.co

Madison Reed Mr. Hair Dye for Men

If you have ever listened to a podcast, chances are you have heard about Madison Reed and its multi-dimensional color with 100% gray coverage. A woman-founded company originally structured to appeal to the needs of ladies, the brand broadened its approach by expanding to men with Madison Reed Mr. Could you use the OG Madison Reed to find your desired color? Absolutely, but with Mr., the colors, and the process in which you find them, cater to men, by making covering grays easy and facial hair friendly. However, if you are looking to go blonde or red, the womens site is still your best bet.

From $25 at Madison-Reed.com

Cleverman Custom Hair Color

Boasting that it has over 10,000 options to satisfy just about any hair color needs from gradual gray coverage to a quick fix of lackluster locks, Cleverman is the newest name in the game  but it is anything but a baby brand just finding its way. Founded by industry heavyweight Carlos Barreto, Cleverman puts all the business and beauty knowledge he learned from his more than 20 years of experience at Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola, and Revlon into the brand built just for guys. With impressively simple steps and directions, even attempts by the most novice users will end up in success.

From $9.95 at BeCleverman.com

True Sons Hair Dye Foam

This mens grooming service is disrupting the DIY haircare space with an innovative and more convenient solution to hair coloring. True Sons hair color system allows subscribers to select from a variety of shades (blonde to black) and at the frequency range they desire to keep natural color restored. Each offering features a sophisticated oxygen activated formula that targets grays to ensure fuller coverage. Its foamy texture also makes application far less messy. Those feeling insecure about doing the job themselves can find comfort using the sites stylist resource to gain instructions and tips on properly executing the task.

Starting at $29.99 per month at TrueSons.com

Cremo No Mess 2-In-1 Hair and Beard Color

Cremo has been a favorite of men in the shaving space for years, so its no surprise that such a trusted name would venture into a category requiring as much trust as at-home hair dye. Using premium barber grade dye that works for both beard hair and the hair on your head, this easy foam helps restore natural color for over a month. The box includes a pre-mixed color canister from one of six colors, foaming brush applicator, and a detailing tool. To apply, connect the applicator brush, shake, press the red button, and comb it in. Its actually that easy. Pro tip: This is permanent hair color, so if youre in doubt about your hair color or nervous about dying your hair at all, start a shade lighter.

From $11.10 at Walmart.com

Just For Men Easy Comb-In Color

Just For Men sells a no mix, no mess kit that can be gently combed in and rinsed out at will. The companys patented AirActiv technology favors oxygen over harsh ingredients such as ammonia or peroxide to preserve natural variations in your hair. This allows for the complex to automatically shut off at the target color without over-coloring. Oh yea, it accomplishes all of this in just 10 minutes.

$8.54 at Amazon.com

Clairol Natural Instincts For Men Haircolor M19

Infused with Aloe and Vitamin E to restore natural color, Clairols M19 formula promises healthy-looking locks, promoting a dark black shade that adds serious shimmer to the top of your mop. A non-permanent complex means itll gradually fade after 28 shampoos. Leave it on for 10 minutes and watch as the toughest of grays blend away.

$36.54 for 3 at Amazon.com

Just For Men Touch of Gray

Just For Men

Very few men not named George Clooney can pull off the salt-n-pepper look. If youre up for the challenge, make this version of Just For Men your hairstyling wingman. The no-mix formula provides partial gray coverage with a comb-in system that screws onto the pre-mixed tube for seamless application. Some reviewers saw results last up to six weeks, whereas some found reapplication best after the eight-week mark.

$26.97 for 3 at Amazon.com

Good Dye Young Semi-Permanent Hair Color

Gone are the days of men maintaining that their hair must remain a natural color. With Gen-Z working their way up in an all new working world, and millennials making themselves comfortable in creative seats within the C-suites, things like suits, offices, and regular working hours are a thing of the past. So it is no surprise that hair dye brands like Good Dye Young have skyrocketed in popularity. Vegan, sustainable, and harsh chemical- and cruelty-free, GDY tops our list if you want to take a walk on the wild side. From permanent hair dye and hair bleach to hair makeup  cleverly called Im Bored  that washes out in just a few shampoos, this brand founded by Paramores Hayley Williams is sure to be a go-to hair color for the next generation. Pro tip: Using dyes to achieve bright colored hair works best on blonde hair or bleached hair. Keep in mind, if not done per the instructions, sever hair damage might be the result.

$18 at GoodDyeYoung.com

Best Hair Dye for Black Hair

African American, Asian, Hispanic or even Middle Eastern  most men of ethnicity own different hair texture that range from thick hair to coarse hair to curly hair. This applies to all forms of body hair. Since hair texture is naturally known to be dry hair and more brittle amongst non-white males, its important to look at hair dyes specifically formulated to their hair DNA. Selections are rare and few, but still exist.

Just For Men Shampoo-In Color, Jet Black

Just For Men

No different than the other color variants of the brands original formula, Jet Black remains a popular option amongst African American men looking to fend off gray hair for its the closest looking to natural African hair color. Simply shampoo it into your scalp and rinse once color has been applied, repeating the process every month to keep dark shading consistent. Europeaners might want to consider the Real Black option to maintain dark brown or black hair.

$23.37 for 3 at Amazon.com

Discovery Naturals Black Hair, Beard, and Mustache Henna Dye

Free of pesticides, metal salts, peroxide, and preservatives, this organic powder is derived from Henna, a flowering plant with all-natural herbs that condition and color strands without damaging them. No itching. No swelling. Just a more natural way of covering gray. The kit comes complete with gloves, hair cap, application instructions, and enough solution for multiple dyeing sessions. Manly Guy also makes a variety of color options available that best suit your natural skin tone.

$16.95 at Amazon.com

SoftSheen-Carson Dark & Natural 5 Minute Shampoo-In Haircolor

The home for Black & African-American Haircare offers up its own collection that delivers a soft finish to hair for an all-natural look: no matter the color option. Each formula contains essential nutrients like aloe vera and honey to keep your mane fully hydrated and nourished for long stretches. While promoted as a 5-minute solution, color tends to settle the longer you leave the product in. Just dont go past the 15-minute mark. Choose from dark brown, jet black or natural black.

$9.64 at Amazon.com

Best Mustache and Beard Dye

As aging takes its course, grays inevitably migrate down from your mane to your face. It can strike as early as your 30s or sprout out at later stages in your life cycle. But for the man not yet sold on sporting the full-on Gandalf beard, facial hair dye is the key.

While not as organic or potent as some of the markets top anti-aging products, beard and mustache darkeners serve more as an aging camouflage composed to keep facial strands looking as naturally healthy and young. Here we have a handful of alternatives to help achieve a youthful-looking moneymaker.

RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye

Beard dye. Head. Eye brows. Pubic Hair. Here we have an all-purpose cream that keeps the body gray-free. Coloring looks completely natural and maintains a vibrant tint for up to six weeks till the next treatment is required. Its easy to apply and takes about 10 minutes to set in to gain the look you desire.

$8.99 at Amazon.com

Just For Men Mustache and Beard Dye Brush-In Color Gel

Just For Men

At this point, youve realized JFM creates an anti-gray solution for any and every situation. The companys color gel awakens your beard by feeding it protein, vitamin E, and aloe  nourishing it for a fuller, thicker appearance. Much of the products drawing appeal comes from its effective rate, which makes grays an afterthought in 5 minutes with the applicator brush. Reviews are generally positive, though many with sensitive skin claimed to have experienced some swelling or redness, so think about performing a patch test first before using it.

$35.75 for 3 at Amazon.com

Spray-On Hair Dyes

Yep, it's a thing. If youre newly graying, in a pinch or just a color commitment-phobe an anti-gray spray can give your roots a temporary boost. Todays products are formulated so that they dont rub off on your pillowcase or clothes. And they rinse out of your hair in just one wash so you really cant screw it up. But sorry guys, while these products have come a long way from going on like shoe polish when it comes to hair color, spraying it on your scalp wont believably cover a bald spot.

Cover Your Gray for Men

This anti-gray, easy to use aerosol spray allows you to hit those stray hairs and fresh regrowth without having to spray your whole head. Its a quick-dry spot treatment that blends easily with the rest of your locks for a natural look. As with any gray-hair solve, you never want to look like youre wearing a shiny helmet. To apply, give the can a shake and drape a towel over your shoulders just to be on the safe side.

$8.99 at Amazon.com

LOreal Paris Magic Root Cover Up

When it comes to super quick, DIY fixes for stray grays dont be afraid to borrow from the ladies. LOreal Paris Magic Root Cover Up wont sit on your scalp in a sticky, clumpy, gunky mess. And because it comes in a TSA-approved travel size, its perfect to leave in your dopp kit for last-minute fixes while on the road or at the gym.

$9.87 on Amazon.com

Toppik Hair Building Fibers

So not technically a hair dye, but certainly a hair dyers best friend, this little bottle has just what you need to make thinning hair of any color look more full, thick, and healthy. With nine colors ranging from black to white, these little fibers made of colored keratin protein instantly fill in thinning areas, conceal noticeable hair loss, and work well as a root touch-up between colorings.

$24.95 at Amazon.com

Hair Care Products

The hair and shower care products wont just warrant you fuller, healthier hair. They can also save your freshly dyed strands from graying out as long as they are sulfate-free. So when leaving dye jobs in the hands of a hairstylist, its on you keep that do in shape and consistently dyed. Most of the industrys top hair care brands are formulating shampoos, conditioners, and other hair care to enhance and protect color-treated hair. Dont be surprised to stumble upon some of these finds in your metropolitan salons, or Amazon more so.

RELATED: A Guide to Owning and Embracing Gray Hair

Macadamia Nourishing Repair Oil Spray

Macadamia

Hair lotions are a very niche product in the hair care space, but they work wonders for preserving hair color and moisture. Many hair stylists including Felix Fischer consider this option one a must-own since it keeps hair feeling silky and smooth," while protecting color from fading. Texture is light, so your locks wont feel weighed down throughout the day, plus the complex hosts thermal and UV-protected agents to prevent any sun damage to strands. Add humidity control to its list of awesome attributes as well.

$31.96 at Amazon.com

Just For Men Control GX Gray Reducing Shampoo

Just For Men

Expanding its line of hair coloring products, JFMs gone on to release the first-ever permanent gray reducing shampoo that cleans and revitalizes hair to permanently reduce grays. Make it part of your shower rotation by using it till settling on the right shade and swapping it out on occasion with personal favorites to provide the scalp some breathing room. A 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner is also sold on Amazon, which currently holds a #1 New Release badge in the shampoo category.

$8.29 at Amazon.com

If you take our advice, and do your homework before buying, you can find the right hair product for your needs, taking years off of your look and restoring your confidence. Ultimately, going gray is a choice.

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Voting in France's presidential election will kick off Sunday morning under the tragic auspices of yet another terror attack that hit Paris earlier in the week, heightening concerns centered on security issues in an already tight race with no clear front-runner.



The polls will open on Sunday at 8 a.m., and will close 12 hours later. If, as seems certain, no one receives 50% of the ballots, the top two contenders will face off two weeks later





Surveys indicate that 23% of voters plan to vote for centrist Emmanuel Macron, 22% support far-right Marine Le Pen, 20% support center-right Francois Fillon and 19% are for far-left Jean-Luc Melanchon. Supporters of Benoit Hamon, candidate of the ruling center-left Socialist Party, have lost nearly all hope of seeing their candidate make it to the May 7 runoff.





But anxieties about France's security situation were only exacerbated following a shooting on Thursday night on the Champs-Elysees shopping boulevard in central Paris, in which one policeman was killed and two others were wounded.



It is currently unclear how the event will affect the French election, but candidates have been jockeying for an advantage in the contest by emphasizing their security credentials throughout the campaign period.





































France was on edge Saturday on the eve of its most unpredictable presidential election in decades, which will take place under heightened security after the jihadist killing of a policeman.





The Islamic State-claimed slaying of the officer on Pariss Champs Elysees avenue thrust questions of security to the fore of campaigning after nine months of relative calm.





Nearly a quarter of voters are still undecided, and surveys showed until now the French to be more concerned about jobs and the economy than terrorism. But analysts warned Thursdays shooting could change that.









The top two vote getters in Sundays tight, four-way contest will head to a run-off on May 7. Authorities in Paris have offered additional guards for hundreds of polling stations in the capital, which will come on top of an already major security plan across the country.

An extra guard or reinforcement of staff will be provided to any polling station that needs it, Paris town hall official Colombe Brossel said.

























M s Le Pen, the far-Right candidate, blasted the mainstream naive Left and Right for failing to get tough on Islamism, calling for France to instantly reinstate border checks and expel foreigners who are on the watch lists of intelligence services. Francois Fillon, the mainstream conservative candidate, pledged an iron fist in the fight against Islamist totalitarianism  his priority if elected. We are at war, its either us or them, said the conservative, whose campaign has been weighed down by allegations he gave his British wife a fake job. M eanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, the independent centrist, whom critics dismiss as a soft touch, hit back at claims shutting borders and filling French prisons would solve the problem, saying: There's no such thing as zero risk. Anyone who pretends (otherwise) is both irresponsible and deceitful."









































nothing going on around the Korean Peninsula We can all pretend like there isand hope that cooler heads will prevail, but if history is any guide, when the militaries of multiple nations begin to mass troops at borders, it takes only a single, often seemingly inconsequential, catalyst to plunge the situation into all-out war. deployed some 150,000 troops military on high alert Thats exactly whats happening in North Korea today. Two weeks ago Chinato the North Korean border and put their entirein anticipation of a U.S. military strike on Kim Jong Un. Now we learn that Russia is rapidly deploying troop and equipment to their border with North Korea, as well.





Vladimir Putin is sending troops and equipment to Russias border with North Korea over fears the US is preparing to attack Kim Jong-un.









A video purports to show one of three trains loaded with military equipment moving towards the 11 mile-long land frontier between Russia and the repressive state. Another evidently highlights military helicopter movements towards the North Korean border and maneuvers across rough terrain by army combat vehicles. Other reports suggest there have been military moves by road as well.

There have been concerns that if a conflict breaks out Russia could face a humanitarian exodus from North Korea. But Putin has been warned, too, that in the event of a US strike on Kim Jong-uns nuclear facilities, contamination could swiftly reach Russia.

Railway trains loaded with military equipment moving towards Primorsky region via Khabarovsk have been noticed by locals, reported primemedia.ru in the Russian far East  linking the development to the North Korean crisis.





The movement of military equipment by different means of transport to southern areas is being observed across Primorsky region over the past week, said military veteran Stanislva Sinitsyn.





A few hundred thousands troops on the North Korean border, a U.S. Naval Strike Fleet awaiting orders from President Trump and constant threats of missile and nuclear tests from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un What could possibly go wrong?





Japan adds its might to US strike group heading to Korea



The USS Carl Vinson has company in the form of two Japanese destroyers as it steams toward the Korean Peninsula. The two ships joined the American strike force in a show of force as tensions in the region remain high and North Korea prepares for the 85th anniversary of founding of its army. Defense Ministry officials said the details of the joint US-Japan naval exercise are yet to be determined. The drill comes as an apparent show of force aimed at deterring North Korea, which will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its military next week. Though little is known about the naval exercise, the event was announced by the Japanese Navy earlier last week. Japan wants to dispatch several destroyers as the Carl Vinson enters the East China Sea, said one of the Japanese military sources, as cited by Reuters. The source added that the drills would involve helicopter landings on both American and Japanese ships as well as communications training.

Operation Gotham Shield: U.S. Gov't To "Simulate Nuke Blast Over Manhattan"

Something has aroused the interests of the American people... perhaps one too many coincidentally 'useful' event means government facilitators have jumped the shark? (via Google Trends)

a false flag watch is now active. Which is perhaps why, after discovering Project Gotham Shield, SHTFplan.com's Mac Slavo warns A general alert is out for something major in the near or immediate future. Hopefully, it is just another false alarm, instead of another false flag. Either way, danger is at hand. Given all that is going on in the world, it is downright eerie to discover that the federal government is once again staging mock disasters that draw disturbing parallels with current world events. In just a few days, during April 24-26th, Operation Gotham Shield will commence. It is a tabletop, joint agency exercise involving FEMA, Homeland Security and a myriad of law enforcement and military agencies. WMD, chemical and biological units will all be on hand as a response is tested for a simulated nuclear detonation over the United States foremost urban center, in the iconic and densely populated island of Manhattan and nearby shores of New Jersey. The potential for a more explosive false flag to spin out of control, by hijacking and converting the simulated actions, is all too real. This is closely related to the mechanism that many researchers believe was at work on the day of 9/11, nesting a false flag attack inside of a series of large-scale training operations which invoked emergency powers and simulated attacks in locations that were actually hit.



On April 18th thru May 5th, 2017, state, local, and federal organizations alike are planning for Operation Gotham Shield 2017  a major nuclear detonation drill in the New York-New Jersey area, along with the U.S.-Canadian border.

During this exercise, 4 nuclear devices, 2 of which are rendered safe during the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Vital Archer Exercise, and one successful 10kt detonation in the NYC/NJ area, along with one smaller detonation on the U.S./Canadian border are to take place.

Among the organizations involved are:  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)  U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)  U.S. Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO)  U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)  State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Management  State of New York Office of Emergency Management  City of New York Office of Emergency Management

The following document comes form The Nevada National Security Service. Their primary role with the government is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by supporting the stewardship of the nuclear deterrent, providing emergency response capability and training, and contributing to key nonproliferation and arms control initiatives.





Will anything catastrophic happen during or after that window of time? Will North Korea really attack the U.S. mainland? Will someone else do so, and blame their overseas enemies? No one who knows the answers to these questions is willing to talk. For now, all we can do is watch, wait and listen. Dont jump to fear and speculation, but dont lie down or look away either. These will be trying times.





































The U.S. power grid appears to have been hit with multiple power outages affecting San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. Officials report that business, traffic and day-to-day life has come to a standstill in San Francisco, reportedly the worst hit of the three major cities currently experiencing outages. Power companies in all three regions have yet to elaborate on the cause, though a fire at a substation was the original reason given by San Francisco officials.





A series of subsequent power outages in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City left commuters stranded and traffic backed up on Friday morning. Although the outages occurred around the same time, there is as of yet no evidence that they were connected by anything more than coincidence. The first outage occurred at around 7:20 a.m. in New York, when the power went down at the 7th Avenue and 53rd Street subway station, which sent a shockwave of significant delays out from the hub and into the rest of the subway system. By 11:30 a.m. the citys MTA confirmed that generators were running again in the station, although the New York subways were set to run delayed into the afternoon. Later in the morning, power outages were reported in Los Angeles International Airport, as well as in several other areas around the city.

The San Francisco Fire Department was responding to more than 100 calls for service in the Financial District and beyond, including 20 elevators with people stuck inside, but reported no immediate injuries. Everywhere, sirens blared as engines maneuvered along streets jammed with traffic. Traffic lights were out at scores of intersections, and cars were backing up on downtown streets as drivers grew frustrated and honked at each other.





secretive nuclear/EMP drill by the federal government The cause of the outage has not yet been made clear, though given the current geo-political climate it is not out of the question to suggest a cyber attack could be to blame. It has also been suggested that the current outages could be the result of a As we have previously reported, the entire national power grid has been mapped by adversaries of the United States and it is believed that sleep trojans or malware may exist within the computer systems that maintain the grid. our entire way of life has been left vulnerable In a 2016 report it was noted thatto saboteurs who could cause cascading blackouts across the United States for days or weeks at a time:












































































































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That might come as a surprise considering the company was one of several auto companies that pushed the Trump administration to revisit emissions standards earlier this year. But Fields told Business Insider that hitting the fuel efficiency standards on time is still very much its plan.

"Our intent is to meet the standard," CEO Mark Fields told Business Insider.

In 2011, the auto industry and the Obama Administration EPA agreed to the 54.5 mile per gallon target and the 2025 timeline as part of the updated CAFE standards. However, the original agreement included a midterm review where all parties would meet in 2018 and reassess whether or not the target was realistic based on current technology and the economic climate.

But in late 2016, Barack Obama locked in the emission standards, which meant no evaluation in 2018.

Fields said Ford pushed the Trump administration to reinstate the midterm review because implementing these standards should be a data-driven process where things like consumer demand and the state of the technology are taken into account.

I will just reiterate, that because we have asked for the reinstatement of the midterm review, which was the agreement when we agreed to the fuel economy requirements back in 2011, that doesn't change our approach to sustainability. The goals are still the same and our commitment is still the same. We just want to make sure its aligned with market realities, Fields said.

The automaker announced in 2015 it would spend $4.5 billion by 2020 to offer 13 new EV nameplates. The company has so far revealed several of the vehicles it plans to launch, including an F-150 hybrid, a Mustang hybrid, and a fully electric SUV with a range of 300 miles per charge.

But the auto giant is also expanding into new territory, mainly mobility services.

In September 2016, Ford bought Chariot, a shuttle service based in San Francisco, which will soon expand to more cities. The company is also working on level 4 autonomous vehicles, which it wants to use for a ride-hailing service. Ford aims to bring these vehicles to market by 2021.

But Fields said that all of these new areas of business are more than just a way to make money. These new ventures also help the company address sustainability problems facing the world today.

"We have to have one foot in today and one foot in tomorrow," Fields said. "And that one foot in today is making sure that we are running a responsible and profitable business, but also at the same time making the investment for tomorrow and a lot of those investments revolve around sustainable solutions."

In an effort to promote its push for sustainability, Ford partnered with Vice to present the documentary "The Third Industrial Revolution: A New Story for the Human Family" at this years Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

The film, which premieres April 22, features economist Jeremy Rifkin laying out a roadmap for how companies and consumers can address economic issues and climate change.

Fields said that he hopes the film sparks more conversation about the environmental issues at hand and is glad Ford could help bring the film to the festival.
The company's difficulties aren't even limited to a single continent. Earlier this year, long-simmering rumors about a unionization effort at Tesla's Fremont, Calif. factory broke into the open.

Thus far, Tesla has sort of gently opposed the potential effort, taking a "We're different from other automakers" position that stressed Tesla's startup-y DNA and Silicon Valley ethos about compensation, in which workers get stock options that could ultimately be far more valuable than wages.

But this week, Tesla is colliding with an actual union in Germany  the
We talked to the Millennium Challenge Corporation when we got here, we are trying to renegotiate the concession agreed. As you know the NDC government signed on to a compact as far as concession of ECG is concerned so we have been talking to the Millennium Challenge Corporation(MCC) on that matter and we are renegotiating the agreement in the sense to make sure that the concession agreement has majority Ghanaian ownership, Bawumia said an IMF spring meeting.

The agreement has gathered strong opposition from the Trades Union and The Public Utilities Workers Union who argue that the concession is not in the interest of Ghana.

Their key concern is that many ECG staff will be fired when ECG is privatized.

But Bawumia has assured the workers of ECG that no one will be laid off under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Power Compact II.
READ MORE: GRA warns financial institutions to halt charging VAT on financial services

It follows the passing of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act by Parliament in March

Many banks on Friday sent out messages informing their customers of the decision.

Ecobank said: Dear client, the VAT ACT as amended (Act,948, 2017) abolishes the 17.5% VAT on financial services. Accordingly, Ecobank has stopped charging VAT on transaction.

UMB said: Dear Valued Customer, as directed by the government, UMB will no longer charge VAT on financial services. Please call 0302633988 for more info.

Cal Bank said: "Dear Client, we have stopped charging VAT on transactions. This is because the 17.5% Tax on Financial Services (VAT Act 948, 2017) has been amended. Thank you."

The Mahama administration introduced the VAT on financial services in 2014 in a bid to rake in more revenue after it was struggling to meet revenue targets.
Saidu is pleading with court to compel his ex-wife, named Habiba, to refund some N400, 000 he spent on their wedding three years ago to enable him marry another wife.

He told court that he and Habiba got married in 2014 and that Habiba got tired of the union early this year and divorced him.

Saidu said that before the dissolution of the marriage, they had relocated to Abuja from Kaduna State but that Habiba sued him at a court in Kaduna.

My lord, I need the exact sum of N400, 000 to marry a new wife.

I dont want any amount less than that because the marriage did not last long and for the money I spent not to be a waste, I need full refund.

We were also blessed with a two-year-old boy. I want to have his custody.

I am not the one that said I am tired of the marriage but my ex-wife, so I need full refund of all my expenses during the wedding, Saidu pleaded.

Counsel to the respondent, Mr Abidan Aminu, noted that his client received the court summons with shock.

He told court that the marriage was dissolved by a Sharia Court in Kawo, Kaduna State last month.

The summons is coming less than a month when the court at Kawo granted my clients request on grounds of gross domestic violence visited on her.

The court also awarded the sum of N 70, 000 as compensation to be paid by my client to the plaintiff being the exact amount of dowry paid on her.

She had paid the money through the court.

I was also surprised to find out from the court in Kaduna that he refused to come and pick up the N70, 000 until we were served this summons in Abuja.

Another surprising thing is that he did not heed the advice of the court to appeal its judgment at the Sharia Court of Appeal in Kaduna and he failed to also seek legal knowledge on the issue. 

He urged the court to award Habiba N20, 000 as compensation for expenses and inconveniences caused to her by the actions of Saidu.

However, the Judge, Abdullahi Baba, in his ruling, struck out the case for lack of merit.

The judge said that the matter was filed at the court as a fresh matter and that was why it was entertained.

Baba advised Saidu to seek redress on the matter in the state where the divorce was granted.

You (plaintiff) are not supposed to bring this matter here since it started in another state.

I am certain that the judge of the Sharia Court in Kaduna would have told you in his judgment that you have a right to appeal within 30 days that the judgment was given.

If you are not clear with any language of the court, seek professional opinion.

I will advise you to go back to Kaduna where the matter started and appeal at the Sharia Court of appeal if you are not satisfied with the judgment given,  Baba ruled.
READ MORE: 6 beauty benefits of tomatoes

If you try to change your colour, you are mad. Apart from the physical madness, you can become mad from using some of the products, she said.

Its a [symptom of] very low esteem to say that I dont like my face; my man likes fair women so I have to change my colour at once it means you are mad.

She continued: So be proud of your skin because all these injections, they tell you, they are causing cancer, they are causing brain damage, kidney problems and all that. Why do you want to interfere with anything in your body just because you want to be fair?

READ MORE: 2 simple ways to treat oily skin at home

Urging dark-skinned women to be content with their skin colour, Boamponsem said they should treat their skin well to prevent it looking dull.

The reason why we are talking about skin is that, any colour of skin is beautiful if you look after it. If you have dark skin and youve allowed it to go dull, you think your colour is not nice but then if you treat your black [skin] well, it will shine, it will glow and at the age of 90, you can still look good.
The deceased, a native of Nkonya, was gunned down by some unidentified gunmen Friday and died at the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital where she was rushed, according to a Joy FM news report.

Meanwhile, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, has stepped up security in the area in a bid to prevent further killings and destruction of properties.

He said some personnel from the Military Southern Command have been deployed to the border between Nkonya and Alavanyo to ensure peace.

The latest incident comes on the back of a shooting incident at Nkonya on Wednesday, April 21, 2017.

Two persons were reported dead with one other injured following the incident that occurred in a bush between the Nkonya and Alavanyo communities in the Volta Region.

-- Nkonya, Alavanyo chiefs suspended--

The Volta Regional House of Chiefs suspended the Paramount Chiefs and Queen Mothers of Nkonya and Alavanyo indefinitely for their failure to maintain peace between the two traditional areas.

Nana Soglo Alloh IV, President of the House, told the Ghana News Agency that the Standing Committee of the House decided to sanction the chiefs following a meeting with the Regional Minister on Thursday.
He told Citi FM:The matter in Nkonya-Alavanyo is a very unfortunate one. It is something that has been going on for a very long time.

I believe very strongly that the chiefs and queen mothers of Nkonya Alavanyo should continue to seek peace.

I dont understand why after all these years of trying to resolve this issue, it should come up again. So if the Regional House of Chiefs are taking a decision of that nature, I think I am in support of them.

So that we understand that we understand that our chiefs are there to ensure that their subjects or citizens always live in peace. We cannot continue like that.

The Volta Regional House of Chiefs suspended the Paramount Chiefs and Queen Mothers of Nkonya and Alavanyo indefinitely for their failure to maintain peace between the two traditional areas.

The suspension comes on the back of a shooting incident at Nkonya on Wednesday, April 21, 2017.

Two persons have so far been reported dead with one other injured following the incident that occurred in a bush between the Nkonya and Alavanyo communities in the Volta Region.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 2 pm. Reports say some unknown assailants fired at five farmers from Nkonya-Ahinkro who were returning from their farm.

Nana Soglo Alloh IV, President of the House, told the Ghana News Agency that the Standing Committee of the House decided to sanction the chiefs following a meeting with the Regional Minister on Thursday.

He said the suspension is to ensure that the traditional leaders take responsibility for the actions of their subjects.
READ MORE:Campaign against ''galamsey" affects gold production in Ghana

We are confronted with the situation where all our water bodies are being destroyed by galamsey activities, so if our water bodies are being destroyed and we overlook it and decide to sing about the pleasures in life alone, then we have a problem. I think it is a must for us to play our part as musicians in the fight against us ungodly act, he said.

Citing pictures and multiple news reports from galamsey areas, the multiple award winner said: When you listen to radio and watch television and you hear and see the havoc galamsey has done to our vegetation, I think we should bow our heads in shame.

The Lands and Natural Resources Minister on Thursday begun a clampdown on galamseyers after a three-week ultimatum for them to vacate their mining site expired.

So far, over 500 excavators have been seized from the various illegal mining sites in the country.

READ MORE:Miners begin surrendering excavators as galamsey ultimatum nears
"It has to be majority Ghanaian owned. Secondly we have to have an assurance that there will be no lay-offs at ECG as a result of the concession and also it will be managed by Ghanaians. So those are the elements that we have insisted on and also we have gotten an understanding on these elements, he said.
Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs all left school before graduation to launch companies. Peter Thiel has given millions to young entrepreneurs willing to pursue their startups dreams instead of a diploma. Thesethough that's often not the case.

That hasn't stopped one university from broadening its offerings for budding entrepreneurs.

A new program at the University of California, Berkeley, wants to launch future tech leaders by teaching the wide variety of skills required of them in the real world. The Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (MET) Program

The program has already caught the attention of a top investment firm. Kleiner Perkins announced it will give an interview to every incoming MET student for its fellowship, which lets students

Michael Grimes, managing director at Morgan Stanley and one of Silicon Valley's most influential dealmakers, has been pitching Berkeley (his alma mater) on a program like this for years. Sitting in his office, which is decorated with certificates and trophies commemorating the IPOs he led for

"It looks like it is going to be the

Students have until May 1 to accept their invitations to join the inaugural class.

Part of the pitch for MET, which was largely inspired by the University of Pennsylvania's Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T), is that it offers a fast-track to C-suite roles in tech. Plenty of entrepreneurs study computer science and engineering in their undergraduate years, gain three to five years of work experience, and go on to earn their MBA. MET streamlines that path by teaching both disciplines at the same time.

Andy Chen, a partner at Kleiner Perkins who heads up the firm's Fellows Program and recruits heavily from UPenn's M&T program, is promising interviews to every incoming freshman at MET.

"You tend to find that the engineer that just doesn't understand life beyond code is operating at 50% capacity. To have a broader understanding of the business is super important, especially when you're the founder of a company or you're an early employee at a company," Chen says.
In 1987, Nevada's Yucca Mountain was designated as the place to store America's nuclear waste. Millions of dollars went into researching the mountain and developing facilities to hold nuclear waste for thousands of years. However, waste has never actually been stored there. Red tape, local officials, environmentalists, and other parties have all managed to place the plans on an indefinite delay. President Trump's budget calls for reviving the project. Here's how it would work.
Adekuoroye, whose address was not given, is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Friday Mameh, told the court that the accused committed the offences in 2016 in Lagos.

Mameh said that the accused obtained the sum from Mr Lanre Ogunleye on the pretext of investing it in a business for Ogunleye.

He said that the accused converted the money for his own use.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 285 (9) and 312 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Adekuoroye, however, pleaded innocence, and was granted bail by Magistrate O. O. Oshin in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in like sum.

Oshin ordered that the surety must be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment.
The airline in a statement issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah on Friday, warned that it would no longer condone members of the public endangering the lives of its workers.

It regretted that security agents had failed to halt the trend of members of the public invading airport facilities to attack airline workers.

On Thursday, the winglet of one of our aircraft, which was being towed within the very limited space at the ramp of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to position for departure, had a partial contact with the stabiliser of another of our aircraft.

 We subsequently declared the two aircraft unserviceable in line with our high safety standards.

We were, therefore, compelled to adjust our schedules to close the gaps created by the two aircraft, which were scheduled to do 14 sectors.

While we were trying to salvage the situation, some unruly passengers took the law into their own hands, preventing passengers from boarding and making it impossible for our aircraft to fly, it said.

According to the statement, in Abuja, a former top government official, whose flight returned to Abuja when it could not land in Enugu due to the closure of the airport at 7pm, refused to disembark and incited others to join him in doing so.

The airline said the aircraft was eventually detained overnight in Abuja.

It said, The action of the former federal lawmaker and other unruly passengers in our different stations worsened the already difficult schedule we were making effort to save.

Some flights we were prepared to operate despite the challenge we were facing, were eventually cancelled.

While we were making effort to resolve the challenge with the decision to commence our operations very early on Friday, a truck operated by Skyway Aviation Handling Company rammed into another of our aircraft at the Benin Airport and the aircraft was again declared unserviceable.

The airline said that the aircraft involved in the Benin incident was scheduled to do seven sectors, including the Abuja-Benin service.

It said: Given the development, we had no choice than to cancel our Abuja-Benin service and asked those who were willing to reschedule for Saturday to do so, while others should be immediately refunded.

Some passengers, who were to fly with us from Abuja to Benin, however, went violent. They attacked our staff in Abuja and almost killed our duty manager.

It took the intervention of Air Force personnel, who were reportedly called in by the airport authorities, to rescue our duty manager from the mob.

But that did not prevent the passengers from destroying our facilities. The menacing passengers also prevented others from boarding their own flights, thereby complicating the situation.

In Lagos, some other passengers attacked and almost killed our station manager. Also in Calabar, unruly passengers had an unchallenged day, preventing our aircraft from flying.

The airline said it was surprising all the attacks could take place at the nations airports, a high security environment, without any challenge from security agents.

The situation has, therefore, left us with no choice than to resort to our right of self-defence to prevent our staff from being killed.

We can no longer tolerate unruly passengers maiming our staff simply because we have chosen to provide service in a very challenging environment.

 Security agencies must, therefore, rise to the occasion before our staff, who are also peoples children and parents, are killed.
Mr Kola Olayinka, the airlines Regional Commercial Manager for West Africa, lauded the government in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Olayinka said that the airline had commenced flights to and from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, after the Airports timely runway repairs and re-opening.

He said that aviation services actually resumed a day earlier at the Abuja Airport, rather than on the April 19 date scheduled for the completion of repairs on the runway.

According to him, British Airways is very pleased that the international airport has reopened.

British Airways BA83, scheduled to depart Terminal 5 at Heathrow, London on April 19, arrived at Abuja at 4:48 a.m. on April 20, as the first BA flight, following the re-opening.

British Airways BA82 scheduled to depart Abuja Airport to London, left by 7:05 a.m., also on the same day.

British Airways will like to applaud the Minister of State (Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika, and his team, for the brilliant job done on the Abuja runway, he said.

Olayinka recalled that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja was previously shut for six weeks to enable the contractor to repair its runway.

He said that at this period, British Airways reaffirms its commitment as a trusted airline and aviation partner that will continue to be associated with constructive alliances for the positive growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria.
The presidents congratulatory message was issued in a statement by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Saturday in Abuja.

Buhari said: Petersides unanimous election is not only a personal honour and affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA, but also places Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) toward safer global maritime activities.

He acknowledged NIMASAs encouraging performance under Peterside, especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter-agency cooperation.

According to the president, Petersides new position provides him with an even bigger platform to forge ahead in doing the nation proud by meeting the objectives of AAMA.

While wishing the new Chairman of AAMA successful one-year tenure, he expressed confidence that within this period, the Federal Governments renewed focus on growing the Nigerian economy through increased maritime resources would be further enhanced.

ALSO READ:Dakuku Peterside slams Gov Wike for claiming Ikoyi loot belongs to Rivers

Dakuku Peterside emerged chairman of AAMA at the end of the 3rd Annual Conference of the continental organisation in Abuja on Friday.
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President Buhari set up a panel to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.

The panel is also to probe the recovery of millions of dollars by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos state.

CACOL also accused Buhari of planning to sweep the issue under the carpet and let the accused persons go free.

According to Daily Post, CACOLs Executive Director, Debo Adeniran said This is where it was of public knowledge that Lawal only sent his secretary to the senators when he was invited and when given the second opportunity, he went to obtain court injunction against Senate invitation.

It is our belief that if Babachir has any good defense for his action he would have been in a hurry to meet with the Senate committee to clear his name. But we think this is another chance for the AGF to redeem his image by proving critics wrong that he is capable of doing thorough job.

The body language we are getting from the FG of recent is of a government now buckling down to serious business. We trust that the Vice President, as a man of proven integrity himself, must have assembled a team he believed would midwife foolproof investigation and come up with impeccable findings.

The country is at the edge of a precipice and I dont think this government has the time to elongate keeping those who are not in same spirit with it in office.

Theres no need for the Yemi Osinbajos Panel since the agencies established by the Nigerian laws are available and capable of handling the cases at hand.

The trio of VP, CJN, NSA all have works of national importance to do; the VP for example has a lot of executive roles to play in supporting the President who is aged and cannot do much runnings around.

The AGF has a lot of work to do prosecuting cases for the FG, supervising the Anti-Corruption Agencies and other Law Enforcement bodies too and advising the executive on legal cum judicial issues.

The NSA on the other hand has a lot of security issues to monitor and tackle like the Boko Haram insurgency, Southern Kaduna killings, Militancy in NigerDelta, Ogun and Lagos States, Herdsmen invasion of several communities and several other security issues he needs to monitor and advise the FG on.

However, while we hopeful of a thorough job, we call on government not to delay in dispensing justice when the crimes are established by the first-instance detectors; in this case, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Crimes, ICPC for the former SGF and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for the former DG NIA.

The case of Ambassador Femi Oke is both an Economic and a Financial Crime, so his case is expected to be transferred to the EFCC.

Babachir Lawals case on the other hand should be handed to the ICPC because his case bothers on Conflict of Interest, nepotism and misappropriation of Funds.

The Presidency should not use bureaucracy of the panel to buy time for these suspected Criminals of the Federal Republic to perfect their strategies of evading justice nor give anyone a soft landing benefits.
With the arrival of spring the Taliban come out of hibernation and the war tempo in Afghanistan picks up. This year, however, what made headlines was the use of the most powerful nonnuclear bomb in the US arsenals. The bomb, called Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB) and also dubbed the Mother of All Bombs, was dropped over eastern Afghanistan on April 13th.

and Afghan officials, the aim of the attack was to destroy a network of caves and tunnels used by Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K). IS-K is a branch of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) and have pledged allegiance to its founder Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi. The terrorist group ISIS refers to Afghanistan as Khorasan, a name given to this region when the Arabs invaded the area in the 7th century CE. IS-K has established a foothold in Afghanistan since 2015. Its ranks have grown with disgruntled former Taliban and fighters from Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan and elsewhere. IS-K competes with the Taliban for influence in Afghanistan.





IS-K has carried out numerous attacks and other atrocities against military and civilian targets in Afghanistan. But they have also sustained losses due to Afghan and US forces operations including the recent MOAB attack in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. Although the

called it a tactical attack against a specific target, there are other reasons for the use of this bomb.





The world is still waiting to hear the Trump doctrine relative to the longest American war, Afghanistan. The US commander and Afghan officials are in favor of a US troop surge in Afghanistan again. Afghan officials have even been dangling a carrot to entice President Trump for more US involvement. Afghanistan has vast untapped exotic metals and other minerals. Among them is lithium, used extensively by the industrialized world, including the US. Afghanistan has been characterized as the Saudi Arabia of lithium. During a telephone conversation in December of 2016 between

was discussed. However, what makes this carrot difficult to obtain is the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. Infrastructure to facilitate any mining is nonexistent and building it is currently almost impossible. Most areas thought to contain lithium mines are under the Taliban control and they have steadily been gaining territory. Therefore, lithium diplomacy may not yield any immediate results.





Afghanistans problem is getting more and more difficult to understand and solve. Complicating factors are the inability of the Afghan government to bring about the reforms it has been promising, a high attrition rate of the security forces, the meddling of Russia and Iran by courting the Taliban, Russias desire to marginalize the US influence, the continued support of Pakistan for the Taliban and infighting among various factions of the Afghan government.

-
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. GEORGE DESALES MORSE, Petitioner-Appellant, v. NEVADA ATTORNEY GENERAL; PALMER, Respondents-Appellees. No. 15-15659 Decided: April 21, 2017

Before: GOULD and BERZON, Circuit Judges, and TUNHEIM,** Chief District Judge.

MEMORANDUM*

Petitioner George Morse appeals the denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. We affirm.

1. On direct appeal, the Nevada Supreme Court held Morse's confession properly admitted under Missouri v. Seibert, 542 U.S. 600 (2004), because the Miranda warning effectively apprised Morse of his rights before he confessed. The Nevada Supreme Court's adjudication of Morse's Seibert claim did not result [ ] in a decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law. 28 U.S.C.  2254(d)(1).

Under Justice Kennedy's controlling Seibert concurrence, see Reyes v. Lewis, 833 F.3d 1001, 1028 (9th Cir. 2016), [i]f the deliberate two-step strategy has been used, postwarning statements that are related to the substance of prewarning statements must be excluded unless curative measures are taken before the postwarning statement is made, Seibert, 542 U.S. at 622 (Kennedy, J., concurring in the judgment). Curative measures should be designed to ensure that a reasonable person in the suspect's situation would understand the import and effect of the Miranda warning and of the Miranda waiver. Id.; see also United States v. Williams, 435 F.3d 1148, 1157 (9th Cir. 2006) ([A] trial court must suppress postwarning confessions obtained during a deliberate two-step interrogation where the midstream Miranda warningin light of the objective facts and circumstancesdid not effectively apprise the suspect of his rights.).

The Nevada Supreme Court did not cite Kennedy's controlling concurrence in Seibert or address the deliberateness question it poses. But it did address the curative measures issue or its equivalent. In doing so, the state court considered appropriate factors for determining whether the Miranda warning, when given, enabled Morse to understand the import and effect of the Miranda warning and of the Miranda waiver. Seibert, 542 U.S. at 622 (Kennedy, J., concurring in the judgment); see also Reyes, 833 F.3d at 1027-28. Consistent with those factors, the Nevada Supreme Court analyzed the nature of the pre-warning and post-warning interrogations, contrasting their formality and the topics covered, and concluded that the Miranda warning, when given, was effective and provided Morse with a genuine choice whether to speak or remain silent.

We cannot conclude that, in doing so, the Nevada Supreme Court's decision was an unreasonable application of Seibert. The state court's opinion was not so lacking in justification that there was an error  beyond any possibility for fairminded disagreement. Harrington v. Richter, 562 U.S. 86, 103 (2011).

First, unlike in Seibert, Williams, and Reyes, the pre-warning interrogation was neither complete nor detailed. With some probing from Detective Smith, Morse conveyed in general terms that he had made a mistake, that he did not consider himself a big molester, and that he told his wife he was sorry for something he had done to his granddaughter. In contrast, in the post-warning interrogation Morse confessed in detail to the incident with his granddaughter.

Second, because the post-warning interrogation was considerably more comprehensive and detailed than the first, the content of the two interrogations overlapped only minimally. In both interrogations, the topic of molestation was raised, and Morse indicated that he regretted an incident with his granddaughter and that he had told his wife he was sorry in a phone call. Apart from that repetition, the second interrogation produced new information.

Third, it was reasonable to conclude that Detective Smith did not treat the post-warning interrogation as continuous with the first. She referred to the car ride conversation at the start of the post-warning interview, asking Morse to tell her what the phone call with his wife had been about, and reminding him that she had told him in the car that he was not a monster. Later in the conversation, Detective Smith twice more reminded Morse that she had told him in the earlier conversation that she did not think he was a monster. With these references, Detective Smith acknowledged that the car ride conversation took place. But, unlike in Seibert, the postwarning interview did not resemble [ ] a cross-examination on what Morse had said earlier, and Detective Smith did not confront[ ] [Morse] with [his] inadmissible prewarning statements and push[ ] [him] to acknowledge them. Seibert, 542 U.S. at 621 (Kennedy, J., concurring in the judgment). Additionally, as the Nevada Supreme Court stressed, the car conversation was informal and wide-ranging, while the postwarning interview was formal and directed.

Some factors weigh against finding the Miranda warning effective and therefore curative. Detective Smith conducted both interrogations, and both took place in a custodial setting after Morse was placed under arrest, albeit in different contexts and locations. The second interrogation also followed closely after the first. Moreover, the intervening neutral topics of conversation in the police car, although they may have served to relax Morse, may not have contributed to making the Miranda warning effective. As a result, were we reviewing the case de novo, we might well have concluded that the break in time and circumstances between the prewarning statement and the Miranda warning, was insufficient to ensure that Morse could distinguish the two contexts and appreciate that the interrogation ha[d] taken a new turn. Id. at 622. Likewise, at no point did Detective Smith warn Morse that his statements in the police car were likely inadmissible. See id. ([A]n additional warning that explains the likely inadmissibility of the prewarning custodial statement may be sufficient [as a curative measure].).

Nevertheless, under the deferential AEDPA standard, we cannot say that the record as a whole shows the Nevada Supreme Court unreasonably applied Seibert. See 28 U.S.C.  2254(d)(1). Accordingly, we affirm the district court's denial of Morse's habeas petition with respect to the Seibert claim.

2. The Nevada Supreme Court's determination that Morse's sentence does not violate the Eighth Amendment was likewise not an unreasonable application of [ ] clearly established Federal law. See id. Morse's sentencelife in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 yearswhile severe, is not grossly disproportionate to the grave crime of sexual assault of a minor. See Graham v. Florida, 560 U.S. 48, 60 (2010) (quoting Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 U.S. 957, 1001 (1991) (Kennedy, J., concurring in part and concurring in the judgment)); Ewing v. California, 538 U.S. 11, 23 (2003). No intra- or inter- jurisdictional comparison of sentences is required here because this is not the rare case in which a threshold comparison of the crime committed and the sentence imposed leads to an inference of gross disproportionality. Harmelin, 501 U.S. at 1005 (Kennedy, J., concurring in part and concurring in the judgment).

3. Finally, the Nevada Supreme Court's holding that the prosecution's late production of the sexual assault examination report did not violate Morse's due process rights was not an unreasonable application of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). See 28 U.S.C.  2254(d)(1). A Brady violation occurs only if: (1) the evidence is favorable to the accused; (2) the State suppressed the evidence; and (3) the evidence is material such that prejudice ensued. Strickler v. Greene, 527 U.S. 263, 281-82 (1999).

The sexual assault examination report was not favorable to Morse. The reported absence of evidence of physical trauma was consistent with the charged conduct. Moreover, the report's characterization of M.B. as advanced and cooperative, even if favorable to Morse, was not material, because a defense of consent by a three-year-old to sexual assault would have been unavailing.

AFFIRMED.

FOOTNOTES

. The length of time between the conversation in the police car and the interrogation at the police station is unclear. The District Court assumed the second started soon after Detective Smith and Morse arrived at the police station.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 gunmen stormed the senators house at Aiyetoro-Gbede, in the early hours of the said date, and opened fire from various directions.

NAN reports that the entire house was riddled with bullets, while two vehicles parked in the estate were damaged by the hoodlums.

Melaye, who was at home for the Easter holidays, however escaped unhurt.

The women, who were armed with placards and leaves, marched through the street leading to the senators house, before assembling at a nearby spot where their leaders delivered speeches.

The protesters, from the seven local government that make up Melayes Kogi West Senatorial District, carried placards some of which Touch Dino and face our wrath, Dont kill Dino Melaye and Dont kill the light, let it shine.

Mrs. Ikusemoro Jalo, one of the speakers, said that the solidarity protest was to affirm their support for the senator and condemn the recent attempt on his life.

We are mothers; we dont want him to be murdered. He is representing us the way we want. We are proud of him because he has made us proud, Jalo said.

She advised the senator not to be cowed by the recent attempt on his life, urging him to continue to fight for the rights of women, workers, pensioners, the oppressed and the repressed.

Another speaker, Mrs. Titi Kayode, said that assassination had never been part of politics in Okunland, and described those behind the said attempt on the senators life as enemies of peace and progress.

She called for a quick release of the report of the ongoing investigation into the incident, so that its perpetrators would be brought to justice.

Responding, Melaye expressed gratitude to the women for their support and prayers, saying that he narrowly escaped death on the day of the incident.

He cautioned politicians against politics of hatred and bitterness that was gradually gaining ground in Kogi especially in the past two years.

ALSO READ:Senator Dino Melaye escapes assassination attempt on his life

While noting that political rivalry was normal, he said that it should not be allowed to degenerate to assassination and violent attacks .
Akande, in a statement released to Pulse News on Saturday, April 22, 2017, said the panel will invite all relevant officials to shed light on various issue.

He said "The Presidential Committee ordered earlier this week by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe certain allegations against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke has commenced its work in earnest.

"President Buhari on Wednesday established the 3-man panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with Attorney-General & Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Rtd Major General Babagana Munguno as members, to investigate allegations of legal and due process violations made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

"In the discharge of its work, the panel is expected to invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases. It will also obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases. All its proceedings will however be in closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings.

"The panel which is expected to submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline, will conduct it's work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour."
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents, who monitored the elections, report that the protests were more pronounced in Benue Central Senatorial District, with Buruku and Gboko Local Government Areas worst hit.

Some of the protesters, who took over major roads in Buruku on Friday, expressed dissatisfaction over the manner some of the partys candidates for the local government polls emerged.

The protesters held placards some of which read No to Imposition of Candidates, This is not our change, We detest dictatorship, while another screamed Respect our views.

They accused the party leadership of imposing candidates, and expressed the fear that such candidates might lose the secondary elections.

NAN reports that the situation got rowdy in some areas with some angry party members attacking others believed to be loyal to the camp accused of imposing candidates.

Among those attacked was the partys chairmanship candidate for Buruku Local Government Council, Mrs. Justina Sorkaa, and a former commissioner in the state, Mrs. Awuese Torher.

Mr Sekav Iyortyom, a former commissioner and an APC leader in Bukuru, who reacted to the protests, however condemned the physical attack on Sorkaa amd Torher.

The attacks on party members was wrong. There are channels for resolving grievances, he said.

He called on security agencies to beef up their surveillance so as to fish out miscreants bent on causing trouble in the state.

NAN also reports that in Makurdi Local Government, five contestants to the chairmanship seat stormed the office of the Deputy Governor, Benson Abnoun, to protest the alleged imposition of Mrs. Justina Audu as the APC chairmanship candidate.

The aspirants  Christopher Abari, Emmanuel Fagah, Alex Ayayer, Dennis Udepuun and Anthony Dyegeh, said that they purchased forms for the contests and appeared for the screening exercise.

But, we were waiting for the primaries when Audu was declared the sole candidate.

We have been told that we were not successful in the screening exercise, but no one has told us what criteria was used that found us deficient, Abari, who spoke on behalf of others, told NAN.

He alleged that the ticket had been used to compensate one Akange Audu, husband to Justina, who contested and lost the APC governorship ticket in December 2014.

Reacting to the protests, Mr Alfred Berger, APC Publicity Secretary in Benue, said that no candidate was imposed on any constituency.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the agency, Mr Josiah Emerole, on Friday in Abuja.

He said the victims were on their way to different parts of Africa and Europe counties for various illicit businesses.

Emerole explained that 21 of the victims were intercepted in Kano state by operatives of NAPTIP, while 22 others were rescued by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Katsina state.

He said that NAPTIP was investigating the victims with a view to reuniting them with their families.

According to him, a suspect was caught along with the victims in Katsina.

The victims, who were rescued in Kano state, were intercepted at Kwanan Dangora, a link between Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states.

The spokesperson said preliminary investigations indicated that they were being trafficked to Europe before their interception.

Emerole stated that the victims consist of 19 males and two females whose ages range between 16 and 37 years.

He said that the victims were from Edo, Imo, Nasarawa, Kogi and Delta states.

He explained that other victims that the Nigeria Immigration Service handed over to NAPTIP were intercepted at Kwado village in Katsina State on their way to Morocco via Niger Republic.

He added that the group comprised 12 females and 10 males from Delta, River, Edo, Abia, Imo and Kogi States and were within the age bracket of eight to 38 years.

Emerole quoted the Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, commending operatives of agency and the Nigeria Immigration Service in the affected states for a job well done.

Okah-Donli described human trafficking as a crime against humanity and God.
Reports say the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo led panel grilled the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu for hours.

According to Daily Trust, Magu also presented evidence to justify the raid on the Ikoyi apartment.

A source also revealed that the evidence which the acting EFCC boss presented to the panel is weighty enough.

Another source, according to Daily Post, said The meeting with Magu was part of the assignment of the committee. He was asked questions on the operation and as expected he justified it.

The Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike claimed ownership of the money found in the Ikoyi apartment, adding that it was stolen during Rotimi Amaechis administration.
According to the former Governor, the government needs to ascertain the source of wealth of the former leaders of the country.

Kalu, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, also wondered why the former Presidents are being exempted from corruption probes.

According to Daily Post, the former Governor said It is time the president sets up board of Inquiry to probe former Presidents that have stolen from the country since 1999.

The unwritten law that exempts former heads of states from being probed can no longer be sustainable.

Since it has done more harm than good to the country, it should be rescinded.
However, the Belgian federal prosecutor "rules out any link" between the man questioned and the attack on the Champs Elysees, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office told AFP.

"The man was wanted in a drugs case. His home was searched but the man was not there," the spokesman added.

"Investigators discovered that he had searched on his computer for a trip to Paris on the Thalys train," the spokesman said.

"We therefore informed our French colleagues that this man was of interest to us in connection with the drugs case," he said.

With his name appearing on social media after Thursday's attack, the suspect turned himself into a police station in Antwerp where he was questioned, the spokesman said.

He was found to have an alibi because he was at his place of work, the spokesman said. Belgian media said he worked at a petrol station.

Belgium came under the spotlight again after the Islamic State group claimed on its propaganda agency Amaq that the Paris gunman, a 39-year-old Frenchman, is "Abu Yussef the Belgian and he is one of the Islamic State's fighters."

The prosecutor's spokesman said his colleagues are trying to determine if there really is a jihadist corresponding to that name.

Belgium first came under the spotlight after investigators said several men based in Brussels plotted and carried out the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. ABUBAKAR HUSSEIN AHMED, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ADOT agent of Stacey K Stanton; et al., Defendants-Appellees. No. 15-17136 Decided: April 21, 2017

Before: GOULD, CLIFTON, and HURWITZ, Circuit Judges.

MEMORANDUM*

Abubakar Hussein Ahmed appeals pro se from the district court's order dismissing his action brought under 42 U.S.C.  1983 and other federal statutes for failure to pay the filing fee after denying his application to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.  1291. We review for an abuse of discretion. Escobedo v. Applebees, 787 F.3d 1226, 1234 (9th Cir. 2015). We vacate and remand.

The district court abused its discretion in denying Ahmed's IFP application in light of the $400 filing fee and Ahmed's declaration showing a monthly income of only $425 and no assets. See id. (An affidavit in support of an IFP application is sufficient where it alleges that the affiant cannot pay the court costs and still afford the necessities of life.). Ahmed's filings before this court, however, suggest Ahmed may no longer be indigent. We therefore vacate the district court's dismissal and remand with instructions for the district court to permit Ahmed to either file another IFP application or to pay the filing fee.

We reject as without merit Ahmed's contentions that he was denied due process in the district court.

Ahmed's request for reimbursement of the filing fee on appeal, set forth in his opening brief, is denied.

VACATED and REMANDED.
It will be a test of the authorities' tolerance for peaceful protests, after days of running battles pitting riot police and pro-government vigilantes against protesters hurling stones and Molotov cocktails.

The last protests, on Thursday, descended into a night of riots and looting that left 12 people dead in Caracas.

After Saturday's show of silent defiance, the center-right opposition plans to return to a more confrontational strategy on Monday, when it is calling for Venezuelans to block roads in a bid to grind the country to a halt.

The two sides blame each other for the unrest.

The government accuses the opposition of hiring armed agitators to sow violence, while the opposition says it is the government using hired thugs and ordering the police and army to repress peaceful protests.

Vice President Tareck El Aissami accused the opposition of sponsoring a "spiral of terrorism" to trigger a coup.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles fired back that the government's "savage repression" was causing the violence.

Fourth week on edge

Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

Pressure on the socialist president has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry. But tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

The opposition is demanding elections to exit the crisis.

'Like a war'

Residents described terrifying scenes Thursday night and early Friday in the Caracas neighborhoods hit by riots and looting.

"It was like a war," said Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle.

"The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings."

Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials.

Eight were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot.

Videos shot by El Valle residents showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!"

As residents and workers cleaned up the destruction Friday, groups of people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage.

A man was also shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.
Trudeau was quoted saying he looked forward to seeing the pontiff.

"He is the religious leader for millions of Canadians, and our meeting will allow us to explore how Canada and the Holy See can further collaborate on a range of international issues."

The Vatican visit will be the final stop of a European tour that will take the Canadian leader to Brussels for a NATO summit on May 25.

"I look forward to next months meeting where we will reaffirm Canada's unwavering commitment to NATO, and take important steps to promote international peace and security, and a safer world for all," Trudeau said.

Canada's Senate recently lamented the North American country's low defense spending, which fall short of its NATO commitments.

Trudeau will then attend the Group of Seven summit in Sicily along with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States on May 26-27.


UBICACION, EXTENSION Y POBLACION



El departamento de Puno se encuentra ubicado en la zona sur oriental del Peru. Presenta una topografia accidentada con la mayoria de sus ciudades ubicadas en zonas altas de la sierra. Limita por el norte con Madre de Dios, por el sur con Tacna, por el este con Bolivia y por el oeste con Cusco, Arequipa y Moquegua

Tiene una extension de 72,382 kilometros cuadrados y una poblacion que se acerca al millon y medio de habitantes.

Posee un clima frio y semiseco con temperatura promedio anual de 9C , llegando hasta los 3 C durante el invierno.

Su capital es la ciudad de Puno, ubicada a orillas del lago Titicaca y sobre los 3,827 metros s.n.m. Entre las ciudades mas importantes figuran Juliaca, Ilave, Azangaro, Huancane, Lampa y Yunguyo.

BREVE RESENA HISTORICA



En la antiguedad, la meseta del Collao estuvo poblada por etnias aimaras (Lupaccas, Collas, Omasuyos, Pacajjes, kallahuayos y otros). Posteriormente se produjo la presencia de los quechuas, con la expansion del Tahuantinsuyo.

Algunos cronistas de la historia peruana, entre ellos Garcilaso de la Vega , han difundido la leyenda de Manco Capac y Mama Ocllo, quienes surgen de las aguas del lago Titicaca para fundar el Imperio de los Incas en el Cusco.

La cultura prehispanica mas importante y de mayor influencia en la zona fue Tiahuanaco. El historiador Riva Aguero postula (cada vez con mayor aceptacion de los estudiosos) que la desaparicion de esa cultura se produjo con la irrupcion violenta de grupos de aimaras venidos de las regiones costeras de Atacama y Coquimbo (en el actual Chile) los que pasaron a dominar el altiplano constituyendo pequenos "reinos" o senorios.

En la epoca del Virreynato, el tambo de "Punuy" ("dormir" en quechua, aludiendo al lugar de descanso casi obligado) fue el paso muy usado por los viajeros que se dirigian a Potosi y de los que venian de Rio de la Plata a Lima. El virrey Conde de Lemos en 1668, despues de mandar destruir el prospero pueblo de San Luis de Alva como una de las medidas para combatir a los ricos pero discolos hermanos Salcedo, dispuso el traslado de su poblacion y sedes de autoridades a Punuy (vocablo que con el tiempo derivo en "Puno") , senalando solares, tal como se acostumbraba hacer en el caso de la fundacion de ciudades espanolas.

ATRACTIVOS DE PUNO



Lago Titicaca. Es el lago navegable mas alto del mundo. Tiene una superficie de 8,560 km2 y una profundidad maxima de 227 metros y destaca ademas por la transparencia de sus aguas. Existen 36 islas, siendo las mas importantes Taquile y Amantani. Alberga gran cantidad de aves (como flamencos, huallatas, keles y tiquis), asi como variedades de peces (carachis, pejerreyes, truchas, suches e ispis, entre otros).

Isla flotante de Los Uros. Conjunto de grandes islotes flotantes de totoras, donde los habitantes continuan viviendo como sus antepasados de la etnia uros, uno de los pueblos mas antiguos de America, procurando mantener sus costumbres e idiosincrasia.

Isla Taquile. Sus habitantes se dedican a la agricultura y han desarrollado una original forma de turismo comunal mediante el cual sus habitantes comparten sus alimentos, vivienda, costumbre y tradiciones. Su artesania en tejidos ha sido declarada patrimonio cultural de la humanidad.

Isla Amantani. En sus cerros mas altos existen restos arqueologicos que fueron centros de adoracion y culto.

Chullpas de Sillustani. Zona arqueologica a 34 kilometros de la capital. Una de las necropolis mas importantes del mundo. Se levanta sobre los 4,000 metros s.n.m. en una explanada a la que rodea la hermosa laguna de Umayo. Las chullpas son gigantescos monumentos funerarios construidos por los collas; son edificaciones cuadrangulares y circulares que superan los 12 metros de altura.

La Catedral , terminada de construir en el siglo XVIII, resalta por la calidad de su estructura y sus tallados en piedra.

Arco Deustua. Edificacion en honor a los heroes de las Batallas de Junin y Ayacucho. Centro de reunion para despedir la Fiesta de la Candelaria.

Cerrito de Huajsapata, promontorio rocoso que domina la ciudad, en cuya cima existe un monumento a Manco Capac. Desde alli se aprecia toda la ciudad de Puno y el Lago Titicaca.

Otros atractivos son el Museo Municipal Dreyer, la Casa del Corregidor, la Casa de Conde de Lemos, los miradores del Puma y del condor, el Fuerte San Luis de Alba y el Santuario de Cancharani.

OTROS ATRACTIVOS



Chucuito, lugar rico en restos arqueologicos. Muchas de sus casas e iglesias aun conservan su pasado virreynal.

Juliaca, importante ciudad comercial del departamento. Entre sus atractivos se encuentran la iglesia virreynal de Santa Catalina., importante ciudad comercial del departamento. Entre sus atractivos se encuentran la iglesia virreynal de Santa Catalina.

Lampa, ciudad que mantiene intacto los rezagos coloniales. Destaca la iglesia virreynal de Santiago Apostol, en cuyo interior se encuentra una replica de " La Piedad " de Miguel Angel. Tambien puede visitarse la casa del pintor Victor Humareda, el criadero de chinchillas y las pinturas rupestres de Lensora.

Ilave, importante centro comerciales con dos interesantes iglesias virreynales. Todos los domingos se realiza una feria local.



Desaguadero. Ciudad fronteriza y puente internacional con Bolivia. Muy cerca se encuentran las pinturas rupestres de Pizacoma, con una antiguedad aproximada de 10 mil anos.

Pucara. Poblado donde se encuentra el Gran Templo Pucara y donde sus habitantes, prodigiosos artesanos y alfareros, fabrican los conocidos "toritos de Pucara".

Chimu y Ojerani, comunidades campesinas cuyos pobladores son expertos tejedores de balsas de totora.

Juli. Destacado centro turistico de la region, cuyas iglesias coloniales construidas por jesuitas y dominicos durante los primeros tramos de la dominacion hispanica, guardan valiosas obras de la pintura cusquena e italiana.

Pomata. Entre sus construcciones destacan las iglesias de Santiago Apostol y de Nuestra Senora del Rosario, construidas en los siglos XVII y XVIII en granito rosado y con altares en pan de oro.

Zepita. Poblacion con bellas iglesias como la de San Pedro, totalmente construida en piedra en el siglo XVIII.

Tinajani. Canon formado por dos grandes masas rocosas, ubicadas en Ayaviri. Le llaman el "bano del diablo", porque cuando llueve, desde el fondo se empieza a escuchar ruidos muy fuertes que causan temor.

Otros lugares a visitar son Taraco, Huancane, Vilquechico, Moho, Conima, Santa Rosa y Sandia en la selva alta y baja del departamento.
MUSCATINE  Iowa officials and agriculture leaders from across the country visited Muscatine on Friday, to cut a ribbon on a $50 million expansion at the Monsanto plant. Monsanto has also invested $24 million toward the maintenance of its facilities. The expansion and investment will lead to the addition of 50 new jobs.

The expansion will allow engineers to develop new formulations and products, especially those aimed at controlling herbicide-resistant weeds.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said Friday, "This is not just an economic impact." As a fourth generation Iowa farmer, Northey said farmers have been struggling with low yields due to herbicide-resistant weeds.

"These products are something farmers are already looking for," he said.

The expanded Muscatine plant has already produced the first of the new weed control products, called the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, formulated specifically to combat weeds resistant to the herbicide dicamba.

Monsanto Muscatine Plant Manager Shawn Schrader said the Muscatine plant is the first in the country to develop the new product, which can be used on crops like cotton, soybeans and corn.

"We think that there's a demand for this product today," Schrader said. "Farmers have a lot of tools in their toolbox today, but this is one more tool that they can use to really manage tough-to-control weeds, which have been a problem in the past couple years."

The new herbicide will be delivered to farmers this spring. Schrader said it has the potential to be used across more than 200 million acres of crops in the United States.

Muscatine Monsanto Engineer Wayne Mengel has been working on developing the Xtend Crop System for seven years. He said the production of the new herbicide and "dicamba-tolerant trait technologies" is groundbreaking.

"Monsanto has always been a pride factor for me," Mengel said. "I'm here making a good product for the farmer to make more food and it compliments the seed, and all around it's a good deal for everybody."

Mengel said past chemical formulations have had a problem with cross-contamination across fields of crops. The new trait technologies are aimed at stopping the contamination of "non-dicamba-resistant" traits in plants.

Vice President of Monsanto in North America, Lisa Safarian, said it was an intentional choice to develop the product in Iowa, as it is the country's top producer of corn and soybeans.

"It is no coincidence that we made this investment here," Safarian said. "The state of Iowa and Muscatine have been fabulous partners."

Safarian said the expansion of the Muscatine plant is "one big step" to meet the growing demand for food. She said Monsanto is working to double its yields of corn, soy, cotton and canola by the year 2030.

The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Monsanto plant was also a celebration of the past 55 years in Muscatine, Schrader said. "We've been here since 1961. (It's been) 55 years and we would love to be here for another 55 years."
"Fish on!"

A cry we heard many times as we swiftly floated down the cold Niagara River, fishing for huge steelhead and lake trout this past weekend.

We had chartered with Chris Cinelli on six previous excursions, either for those beautiful swimmers or smallmouth bass or walleye. He never disappointed before and today was no exception. Arguably the regions finest, learn more about Chris at http://www.cinellisniagarafishingguides.com/.

But what made this trip so exceptional was that my 34 year old son was aboard. We had fished together hundreds of times before, in both fresh and salt water, so I suppose I took his companionship for granted. He was always there, anxious to go. But last summer I wondered if we would ever fish together again.

In June, Bob suddenly went from strong and healthy to critically sick with Wegeners, an extremely rare autoimmune disease. I went to be with him in the Buffalo General hospital, where he stayed for two months, three weeks of it in a coma. Almost all organs were shutting down and he was given a 10 percent chance of surviving. At one point, I counted 17 tubes and wires coming and going from his motionless body. Family and friends gathered and prayed. I had never gone through anything as emotional.

Somehow, miraculously, he fought back, and today, after many months of recuperation and rehab, is functioning at 100 percent. Back to work, back to his comical, clever self, back to his passions: hunting and fishing. (Gee, wherever did he get that?)

Out on the river, Steelhead, which are actually large rainbow trout, live in the deep, cold waters of Lake Ontario and head upstream toward Niagara Falls in the early spring to spawn. While the fishing is always great, especially with the highly decorated Chris, the catching varies. A lot of a days success depends on the water clarity, which can vary quickly quite a lot. Clear water means more fish.

The water at 7:30 this morning was very low, as both the U.S. and Canadian power authorities draw water overnight from the Niagara above the falls into their reservoirs for later release through giant turbines to generate electricity. Shortly after we started fishing, about a mile downstream of the falls, they stopped drawing off water and the river began rising, almost 8 feet in elevation a few hours later.

You might think fish as big as these steelies take big bait. I did. But the bait Chris favors is a few BB-sized eggs (roe) from previously caught fish, wrapped in a small piece of hi-visibility red or yellow cheesecloth on a hook so small it would fit entirely on your thumbnail.

Fishing in 12 to 17 of water the hook is on a 2 leader below a long, thin barrel sinker. Careful attention must be paid to keeping your line taught, as these fish hit lightly. Big as they are, they typically dont put up the fight youd expect. But dont be fooled: once they get close enough to see the boat the fight begins as they dive for the boulders on the bottom or scream along on top, sometimes providing spectacular jumps.

A large net is needed to bring them aboard, as the 10 pound-test line would not allow lifting them out of the water. Often, after a photo is taken, the fish is returned to its breeding mission. That said, they make excellent table fare, being most similar in taste and texture to salmon. Daily personal limits are three steelhead with a 22 minimum.

We returned to the launching ramp after just a few hours of fishing due to cold wind and rain and coming lightning. As I watched Chris deftly fillet our catch of three keepers (we released nine others), I pondered just how lucky Bob was to be there. My eyes actually welled up with thanks and joy for the miracle of my favorite fishing pal -- my survivor, my son.

The message: life is fragile. Take nothing for granted, even thinking next weekend will always come. If youre considering taking someone dear to you fishing this weekend, or hunting mushrooms, or hiking, or maybe just to the park for a picnic or to fly a kite, well, just do it. What could be more important?
A presentation on an archaeological dig that was conducted in late 2016 in Davenport will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, at Singing Bird Nature Center, Black Hawk State Historic Site, 44 Avenue and 15th Street, Rock Island.

The presentation by John Hedden of the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist will be part of the regular meeting of the Quad-Cities Archaeological Society, but it is free and open to the public.

The dig at a site known as the Danish Brotherhood Hall, 4th Street and Western Avenue, uncovered numerous mid-19th century artifacts.

"The recovered artifact assemblage is one of the largest ... from an early urban context within the state of Iowa," Hedden said in an email.

The artifacts help document the lifeways of a mid-19th-century working-class neighborhood of Davenport.
Thumbs up to Bishop Martin Amos and welcome to his soon-to-be successor at the Catholic Diocese of Davenport, Monsignor Thomas Zinkula.

Amos came to a diocese in crisis in 2006, at the height of allegations of past sexual abuse. He helped steer the diocese through the bankruptcy and financial hardships that followed, while doing the important work of reaching out to survivors of abuse. Through it all, Amos remained steady.

The Diocese of Davenport is in a much better place because of his decade at its helm.

In will walk Zinkula on June 22, a lawyer, religious scholar and rector of St. Pius X Seminary in Dubuque. Zinkula immediately addressed issues such as priest shortages and burnout in his introductory comments. And did so with a certain sense of humor, particularly about how people tend to butcher his name. Zinkula looks to be up to the challenge of representing a religious community amid a changing political landscape.

"He's the right one, at the right time," Amos said of his replacement.

All signs support Amos' conclusion.

A shrug to Davenport's decision to again extend the time Rhythm City Casino has to remove its now-empty barge.

The platform has proven difficult to get rid of. A few takers have expressed interest and completing any deal will take time. But, at some point, the barge becomes a leash on which riverfront development is tethered.

Extending the time period makes sense. But there also has to be a drop-dead end date, too.

Thumbs up to Iowa Legislature for passing one of the few common-sense bills of the session.

The 2017 Legislature hasn't accomplished much on the positive end of the spectrum. School equity went nowhere. University funding was slashed. Weird culture war bills made it to the governor's desk.

Then there's the overhaul of Iowa's liquor laws. Included in the bill are provisions that finally level the playing field that, for too long, singled out liquor distillers to the benefit of beer and wine makers. It also maintains Iowa's generally solid three-tiered regulatory model.

Overall, the liquor overhaul represents a rare moment of consensus building in an otherwise hyper-partisan Capitol.

At least whiskey enthusiasts can say the glass is half full, anyway.
African American and Native American visions of the future of Lincoln Park and Citico Town will be publicly addressed by members of the coalition to save the two areas from development Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park. The park is on the north end of Central Avenue.

'Save Lincoln Park' and 'Save Citico Town & Mound' activists will make brief statements about the current status of the park, road proposal and mound site. They will also release their written resolution, "Historical Significance and Preservation of the Citico-Lincoln Park Site", at this outdoor gathering.

Lincoln Park, a formerly African American park, is now owned by Erlanger Hospital. It was also a major Muscogee (Native American) town in the 11th through 16th centuries.

The public is invited to attend.

For more information contact Tiffany Rankins at chatt.lincolnpark@gmail.com, Eric Atkins at eatkins04@gmail.com, tom kunesh at tom@kunesh.net, or Mark Gilliand at mark.gilliland11@gmail.com.
Most people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. But if CPR is preformed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest the survival rate can double or triple according to the American Heart Association.

During an active heart attack, blood flow is restricted to the heart, said Brian Hambek, Director of Spearfish Ambulance Service. CPR, or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, is a way of externally pushing blood in and out of the heart in hopes of keeping the heart and brain alive.

The average human body contains four to six minutes of reserve oxygen in the blood, which if circulated through the heart, should give a victim enough time until an ambulance gets there and starts more aggressive treatments, Hambek explained.

Most people may have had some past exposure to CPR procedure instruction, but according to Hambek, training and techniques have been recently updated.

The American Heart Association changed their guidelines in 2010 to allow for compression-only CPR, he said. People dont have to give breaths to a victim in order to initially help them.

Tammy McCoy, EMT with Sturgis Ambulance Service, teaches CPR classes for the City of Sturgis. Compressions are a lot more important than breaths, she said. The compression to ventilation rate guideline has increased from 80 to 100 compressions to 100 to 120.

CPR Training also helps people know what to look for as symptoms of cardiac arrest, said Hambek. These symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea, chest pain and unconsciousness.

An important advancement in CPR technology is the updated AED or Auto External Defibrillator.

Many public locations today have AEDs available onsite and in accessible positions.

AEDs have been around since the 1980s, said Hambek, but they have been improved so that the way they are designed, the success rate of usage is equal whether the person is trained to use it or not.

McCoy said most people are pretty open to using an AED after calling 911 during an emergency, especially when they understand how uncomplicated it is to operate. We have taught a hands-only course, going around to businesses and schools, and showed people that when you open the device, it walks you step-by-step with voice prompts. It will even analyze a heart rhythm to tell the helper what the victim needs, she said.

CPR/AED training is available either in an online section with a local hands-on class for the remaining portion, or an all-classroom format, also offered locally.

We get a tremendous amount of (ambulance) calls, where the victim is unresponsive and not breathing. Early CPR would really help before we can get there said Hambek.

His experience led him to assist South Dakota state lawmakers in introducing 2017 Senate Bill 140, which passed this year. The bill requires hands-only CPR training for every high school student prior to graduation. It only takes a local ambulance crew one 20-30 minute session to instruct students, he said.

"Thirty-five states already mandate training for graduation, so reach out to your local representative and encourage them to support this bill for South Dakota.

McCoy advises everyone to consider taking a CPR class and being prepared for the unexpected. You never know when something so simple can really make a difference, she said.
Ellsworth Air Force Base S.D. | Multiple B-1 bombers from Ellsworth will travel to Dayton, Ohio, for the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid which will include a high-speed flyover and the unveiling of the Ruptured Duck nose art.

The average Airman may not know too much about the names of the local bomb squadrons, but it should be understood that Ellsworths very own 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons were the same squadrons selected in 1942 from the 17th Bomber Group by Lt. Col. James Doolittle to attempt a dangerous mission now known as the Doolittle Raid.

The Raid was a daring plan to attack the Japanese homefront with hopes of raising the morale of allied troops who suffered multiple defeats at the hands of the seemingly invincible Japanese forces.

Although faced with adversity and unpredictable circumstances, such as launching from approximately 150 miles farther than they anticipated, they completed the mission and forever enshrined their names in history.

Several members of the 34th and 37th BS will continue to uphold and honor the legacy created those 75 years ago at various anniversary events.

Every day is a day to remember our heritage, said Capt. Devin Ivy, an instructor pilot assigned to the 34th BS. We set aside time during briefs to have short history lessons about the squadron, which helps put into perspective the impact the 34th has had in history.

The squadron hasnt just kept its name from the past, but also its innovative tendencies to get the mission done, Ivy said.

Innovative, that is the word I would use to describe our history as a bomb squadron, said Capt. Scott Cermenaro, a weapons system officer instructor assigned to the 34th BS. Just like the B-25s taking off from aircraft carriers, which was unheard of at the time, the B-1 is constantly being upgraded and enhanced from what was originally just supposed to be a low-level bomber, to now one of the most important aircraft we have at our disposal.

Not just anyone was selected to participate in the flights. Those selected were the best of the best, honoring the legacy of the selfless and heroic actions of the 80 members involved in the Doolittle Raid.

Awards and certificates are cool and everything, but this is an opportunity that will stick with me the rest of my life, said Capt. Michael Riddick, an instructor pilot assigned to the 34th BS. Being able to honor the sacrifices of the lost Raiders and help remind people of their story is a humbling experience.

Three quarters of a century have passed since the Raid, and only one living member remains, which gives each and every celebration even more meaning to the service members involved.

I met [Richard] Cole three years ago at an air show in Florida, said Capt. Bret Cunningham, an instructor pilot assigned to the 34th BS. It was such a humbling experience meeting a living piece of history. It really helps put the importance of what we do into perspective.

The Raiders legacy also reminds Ellsworth Airmen that freedom requires sacrifice. They launched knowing that safe landings were out of the question, but they went anyway without hesitation. This is a lesson that can be passed down to future generations about what it takes to be a hero, Cermenaro said.

The 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid will be commemorated with various events on April 17 and April 18. For more information, go to www.nationalmuseum.af.mil, www.wpafb.af.mil, www.facebook.com/WPAFB, or www.facebook.com/AFMuseum
PIERRE | A deadly motorcycle accident during the 2012 Sturgis rally didnt cause a second crash more than 90 minutes later at the same general spot, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The justices found in favor of the estate of Raymond Bennett, who died in the original crash.

The patrol stationed a trooper on a curve east of the scene to warn westbound traffic on S.D. Highway 44. But the patrol didnt post a trooper west of the scene to warn eastbound traffic.

Douglas Howard, riding his motorcycle in the eastbound lane, came upon the accident area more than an hour and a half later.

According to Howard, he was on his Harley-Davidson Road King around 4:40 p.m. that August day, traveling with friends from Custer to Johnson Siding during the annual Sturgis cycle rally. On Highway 44, just east of the intersection with U.S. Highway 385, Howard said he turned a blind corner and came upon a motorcycle accident that had slowed traffic.

Suddenly, he encountered a motor home that had stopped in the travel lane beside the accident scene. He couldn't swerve into the other lane because another vehicle was heading toward him.

I had nowhere to go but down fast and hard," Howard, of Black Hawk, said in an interview.

He slammed on his brakes. The bike flipped over, and he hit the ground and lost consciousness. Howard said he broke several bones including his skull, ribs and left collarbone, which now aches constantly, along with his left shoulder and upper back.

The accident, he said, set him back at least $30,000 in medical bills and lost income. Howard later sued the Bennett estate over his injuries.

Raymond Bennett, 64, a Minnesota resident, had come to the Black Hills to attend the 2012 Sturgis rally. He was drunk and driving too fast on Highway 44 that day and failed to navigate a corner, according to police reports and case documents.

He struck a delineator post after ending up in a ditch with his bike and died at the scene.

The justices decision Wednesday overturned a previous decision by Circuit Judge Heidi Linngren that favored Howard.

There is no evidence that Bennetts accident obstructed the highway. The Highway Patrol had secured the scene, and traffic was flowing in both directions. No other accidents had occurred prior to Howards, Justice Steven Zinter wrote.

Zinter continued: Finally, Howard conceded in his own deposition that he believed that the driver of the motorhome was distracted by the initial wreck and was 'just gawking at the situation.

The justices ordered summary judgment in favor of Bennetts estate.
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Guilherme Von Streber has been named Lee Universitys 2017 recipient of the Charles Paul Conn Award and was recognized by Lee President Dr. Paul Conn for this achievement during Honors Chapel.

The Department of Language and Literature is proud of Guilherme, said Dr. Jean Eledge, chairperson of the Department of Language & Literature at Lee. He is a promising scholar leaving us to enter graduate study in a PhD program in Interdisciplinary Hispanic Studies at Emory University, where we believe he will make important contributions to his field of study and will positively impact the programs and the people that he will engage in the process.

This award is given to a Lee senior who demonstrates the greatest promise of achievement in graduate or professional studies after graduating from Lee. Established in 1996, it is named after Lees 16th president. Each department may nominate one student for the award. From these nominees, a winner is selected by a faculty vote.

I am delighted to be this year's Charles Paul Conn Award recipient, said Mr. Von Streber. Receiving such a prestigious award is a way of honoring the professors who have intellectually formed me, the Department of Language and Literature, and my family for whom I am very thankful. I aspire to be a good representative of Lee University by always pursuing academic excellence at the graduate level.

During his time at Lee, Mr. Von Streber has served as president of Sigma Delta Pi and Leetinos, as well as been a member of the Modern Language Association, the Ekklesia-Association of Student Presidents and Campus Leaders, and the Diversity Council.

He has been a recipient of the Henry Crosby Scholarship, Honors Scholarship, John Nicholson Scholarship, Esther Blaska Scholarship, and he also received the Colombian Government Grant for teaching English.

Mr. Von Streber has presented at the Annual Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Conference on Latin and Iberian Studies, the Latin American Studies Symposium, and the TESOL Training Workshop. He is in the processes of translating a reflections book from Spanish to Portuguese for Lees Dr. Alexander Steffanell. Von Streber was also the manuscript assistant for the creation of ILPORs (Instituto da Lingua Portuguesa de Assuncao) Spanish to Portuguese dictionary.

Guilherme is a talented scholar with the rare ability to speak three native and two foreign languages, said Dr. Steffanell, Mr. Von Strebers faculty advisor and an associate professor of Spanish. He is a determined, hardworking, and honorable individual who shows seriousness and devotion to all academic challenges provided within our department. He exhibits a great deal of academic interdisciplinary excellence, a commendable intellectual curiosity, and an impressive tenacity to follow a line of academic research which will greatly help him in graduate school.

Mr. Von Streber will graduate from Lee magna cum laude this May with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. After being accepted into graduate programs at Emory University, Temple University, University of Florida-Gainsville, University of Georgia, Bowling Green State University, and Middle Tennessee State University, Mr. Von Streber has decided to pursue his Doctor of Philosophy at Emory University with a full-tuition scholarship this fall.
WASHINGTON | House Republicans are apparently ready for yet another attempt to snatch health insurance away from constituents who need it. Someone should remind Speaker Paul Ryan of a saying often attributed to his legendary predecessor, Sam Rayburn: "There's no education in the second kick of the mule."

Having failed miserably to win passage of an abomination of a bill  the American Health Care Act  Ryan and his minions are back with something even worse. A draft framework being circulated this week would pretend to keep the parts of Obamacare that people like, but allow the states to take these benefits away. We see what you're doing, folks.

This is getting silly. What part of "forget it" do Republicans not understand?

I realize there is great pressure to follow through on the GOP promise to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act. And I realize that President Trump, nearing the 100-day mark, sorely needs a legislative victory to tweet about. King Pyrrhus needed a win, too, but that didn't work out too well for him.

Republicans don't talk much about the practical reason for moving urgently on health care, which is to set the stage for so-called tax reform: They want to take money now used to subsidize health care for low-income Americans and give it to the wealthy in the form of big tax cuts. Again, we can see you.

I'm sure the crowds at GOP town halls will be understanding. Just be sure to check attendees at the door for tar and feathers.

The new proposal  brokered by Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., of the moderate Tuesday Group and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., of the far-right Freedom Caucus  is like a parody, as if life-or-death access to health care were fodder for a "Saturday Night Live" sketch.

Nominally, the "MacArthur Amendment" would retain the Essential Health Benefits standard imposed by the ACA, which requires insurance policies to cover eventualities such as hospitalization, maternity and emergency care  basically, all the things you'd ever need health insurance for.

The amendment would also appear to maintain the ACA's guarantees that everyone can buy health insurance, including those who have pre-existing conditions, and that parents can keep adult children on their policies until age 26. That all looks fine  but it's an illusion.

After specifying that these popular provisions will stay, the amendment then gives states the right to snatch them away. States would be able to obtain waivers exempting them from the Essential Health Benefits standards. They would also be able to obtain waivers from the pre-existing conditions requirement by creating a "high-risk pool" to provide coverage for those who are unwell.

There would no longer be a prohibition, however, against charging "high-risk" individuals more  so much more, in fact, that they would potentially be priced out of the market. We would go back to the pre-ACA situation in which serious illness could mean losing a home or filing for bankruptcy.

This may satisfy GOP ideological imperatives  Ayn Rand would be so proud  but it is atrocious policy, even if you put aside considerations such as compassion and community.

We live at a time of enormous economic dislocation. The manufacturing sector has shrunk dramatically, and now retail may be starting down the same path; long-lost jobs in industries such as coal mining are not coming back, no matter what Trump says. Workers need to be able to move to the places where jobs are being created  which means that health insurance should ideally be portable. But Republicans are heading in the other direction by trying to set up a system in which there are radically different health insurance rules in different states. In today's world, how does that make sense?

Unchanged from last month's failed bill are provisions that would strip massive amounts of money out of Medicaid, by far the nation's biggest source of payment for nursing home care. So Republicans might not want to show their faces anywhere near retirement communities.

The Affordable Care Act changed the way most people in this country think about health care. It did not, however, change the thinking of many House Republicans, who continue to believe individuals should be held financially liable for a genetic predisposition toward diabetes or a random cellular mutation that leads to cancer.

Another abject failure to repeal the ACA would be a terrible political outcome for Republicans. But far worse, looking ahead to the 2018 midterms, would be for Trump to sign this latest monstrosity into law.
We've all heard the tiresome and discouraging refrain: Washington, our beautiful capital city, is broken. Dysfunctional D.C. does not work. Even with majorities in both the House and the Senate, congressional Republicans could not pass a resolution commending Mother's Day.

But wait. We do have an actual example of the heeding of the people's voice and the prevailing of their will in our national government. Here is the evidence: Cellphone calls will continue to be banned on airline flights. This is one small step for sanity and civility, but it deserves to be celebrated.

You don't have to be a frequent flyer to know that American air travel has become increasingly miserable for the public. For paying passengers, there is the discomfort of ever less legroom and ever smaller seats. The luggage space shrinks, while the cost of it climbs. If farm animals were this crammed, the PETA people would be picketing. The continuing mistreatment of passengers must somewhere have been outlawed by the Geneva Conventions.

The flawed case for increasing the already high tension and stress of airline passengers  by encouraging your seatmate to invade your privacy by boasting interminably, in your ear, on his cellphone about the biggest deal east of Yorba Linda he's just about to close or how irresistible he was to that sweet young thing from accounting last night  was that cellphone use in the air no longer poses any safety problem of interfering with pilots' communications with ground control.

Bipartisanship, so sadly lacking from our national conversation, was temporarily revived by the possibility of cellphone calls in the air. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee spoke for both sides of the airplane's aisle: "Imagine 2 million passengers hurtling through space, trapped in 17-inch-wide seats, yapping their innermost thoughts. The Transportation Security Administration would have to hire three times as many air marshals to deal with the fistfights."

My libertarian friends may argue that this cellphone ban is just one more example of the federal government's encroaching on individual freedom and imposing a burdensome regulation on citizens and business. OK, put me down on the side of regulation, just the way I was when the feds imposed the ban on smoking on flights and when the federal government decreed that airplane wings, before attempted takeoff in subfreezing temperatures, would first be de-iced.

United Airlines  having ordered airport security guards in Chicago to forcibly remove a seated paying customer from a flight (because United had overbooked), which resulted in the passenger's suffering a concussion, a broken nose and the loss of two teeth  inflicted a damaging body blow on the commercial air travel industry. As was noted, United put the "hospital" back into "hospitality." One U.S. carrier that does treat its passengers with respect and professionalism and whose employees often seem even happy to see you is price-conscious Southwest Airlines. One customer went so far as to create a new slogan for Southwest in response to United's stupidity and cruelty: "Southwest: We beat the competition. Not you."

Admittedly, it's only a small victory in a big struggle. But the feds' decision to continue the ban on cellphone calls in flight is a win for common sense, civility and American peace of mind.
Lee University hosted Lee Day 2017, an annual 30-hour event geared toward prospective students and their families.

To wrap up the Lee Day festivities, seven students were awarded scholarships from the annual scholarship drawing.

Rachel Stock from Knoxville received a $5,000 scholarship. Hope Jones, also from Knoxville, received a $3,660 scholarship. Rebecca Lynn Cantrell, of Pinson Fork, Ky.; Michael Knots, of Chattanooga and Mackenzie Speakman, of Carroll, Ohio all received a $3,000 scholarship.

Two transfer students, Jodi Hagan, of Utica, Kentucky; and Hannah Wiggonton, of Callaway, Virginia; also received a $3,000 scholarship.
MISSOULA -- Unlike dogs, trout dont make healthy mutts.

Dont expect hybrid vigor when rainbow trout interbreed with cutthroats in Montanas high mountain streams. Despite the rainbows success as the most widely distributed game fish in the world, and the cutthroats remarkable ability to thrive through wildfires and landslides, their co-mingled offspring tend to be too dumb to live long.

That fact leaps out of analysis on one of the largest genetic data sets anywhere of Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout at the University of Montanas Conservation Genetics Lab. In a recently published paper, the researchers looked at what happened to native trout after decades of artificial stocking in lakes and rivers.

Climate change isnt going to get these populations in the long run, said lead study author Clint Muhlfeld of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Its immediate things that humans have done. We thought that if we provided cold water, the cutthroats were protected  we could prevent invasive trout from hybridizing. But our data clearly show cold water wont prevent rainbow trout invasion," he said. "Over 60 percent of our hybridized sites were in cold waters. And those are just little time bombs waiting for the right environmental conditions.

Heres the problem: Cutthroat trout spent millennia evolving traits that help them live in Rocky Mountain waterways. Like landlocked salmon, they swim from lakes, up rivers to the same little creeks where they were born to lay the next generation of eggs. They time that spawning to happen right after spring runoff, when the creek bottoms have been freshly scoured by floods of new gravel and nutrients from the melting snowpack.

When catastrophes like wildfire-triggered landslides dump tons of silt into those streams, cutthroat respond with a breeding frenzy to compensate.

Rainbows, in contrast, dont care where they spawn. And they lay their eggs just before runoff, making them vulnerable to obliteration in the floods. They benefit from the fact humans stocked them by the millions in same systems cutthroats depend on. And theyre genetically capable of interbreeding with the native trout.

Cutthroats have been here since the last glacial period, Muhlfeld said. Theyve proven themselves. Rainbows have only been here since the early 1900s, and they came from hatcheries. Theyre not facing flooding or wildfires or droughts. You put them out in the wild, and they dont survive as well.

Put them in the gene pool, and the problem spreads. The study found that adding 20 percent rainbow genetic material to a cutthroats DNA cut its reproductive success in half. The resulting cut-bow mutt fish dwindle over several generations and disappear.

Thanks to 20th century efforts to plant about 2 million rainbow trout in Montana lakes and rivers, many places have reached such a level of hybridization that little can reverse the trend. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park fish biologist Ladd Knotek said some places get managed for sport fishing conditions, while drainages with genetically pure cutthroat trout get special attention.

Around here, we have about 30 pure cutthroat populations isolated that cant be hybridized, Knotek said. We strategically leave barriers in place to protect the purity of those fish.

The problem isnt rivers like the Blackfoot or Flathead, where cut-bows mingle with brown, brook, rainbow and brook trout. Its in the isolated mountain creeks where purebred cutthroats have their genetic strongholds. Too many rainbows find their way up there, dilute the cutthroats survival traits, and provide nothing in return.

We know this thanks to new DNA analysis techniques pioneered in Missoula and applied to a massive database of fish genetics compiled over decades by local biologists.

The research brought together a generation of fish experts, including the University of Montanas conservation biology leader Fred Allendorf, David Schmetterling of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Ryan Kovach of the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center in West Glacier, Diane Whited at the Flathead Lake Biological Station and 10 others.

A lot of hybridization studies focus on small-scale, single-drainage projects, Muhlfeld said. This one looked at 17 river basins all across Montana, in all three continental drainages  the Missouri, the Upper Columbia and the Saskatchewan. And because its a long-term genetic monitoring program that the states been doing for decades, we can look at patterns across not only a broad geographic area, but through time as well. And thats where you see consistent patterns emerge.
HELENA  Donald Trump Jr. will be targeting more than just Montana's Republican voters on Friday and Saturday when he helps Greg Gianforte campaign for an open U.S. House seat.

A prairie dog hunt is also on the agenda for the four-city tour for President Donald Trump's son and Gianforte, a technology entrepreneur up against Democrat Rob Quist in the May 25 election for the seat vacated by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

"As good Montanans, we want to show good hospitality to people," Gianforte said. "What can be more fun than to spend an afternoon shooting the little rodents?"

Trump is lending Gianforte some star power to fuel his campaign after Republican congressional candidates had close calls in special elections in Kansas and Georgia. The president's son, an avid hunter and angler who last visited Montana in November, is looking to shore up support from the hunting-friendly state after his father won Montana by 20 percentage points over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Prairie dog hunting is a way for landowners to control the population of the rodents, classified as "agricultural pests" because of the damage they can do to crops. They are also a nongame species, meaning there are no hunting limits or hunting seasons. Killing them is a popular pastime among some hunters who looking to keep their shooting skills sharp during the offseason when they can't hunt wild animals like deer and elk.

The Humane Society of the United States condemned Trump's hunting plans, saying prairie dogs are an important species for the Great Plains because more than 100 other animals depend on the prairie dog either as food or move into the burrows they dig, said Lindsey Sterling Krank, the organization's director for its Prairie Dog Coalition.

Now is the time year when prairie dogs are still nursing their new offspring, meaning hunters who shoot lactating females are condemning the pups to starvation, Sterling Krank said.

"I would love to take Donald Trump Jr. out with a spotting scope and shoot the prairie dog with our cameras," Sterling Krank said. "Shooting a prairie dog colony is not a good conservation message."

Gianforte, whose campaign has focused on gun rights, dismissed the organization's concerns.

The Montana race is drawing increasing interest after the Georgia and Kansas elections, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has pledged to come to Montana next month to campaign for Quist, a popular musician who fronted the Mission Mountain Wood Band.

Gianforte, who is trying to rebound from last November's election loss to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, has already received a boost from outside spending from national Republican groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund.

"Clearly they've never shot a prairie dog," he said. "They don't know how much fun it is."

The Quist campaign did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment. The phone for Tina Olechowski, the campaign's spokeswoman, rang unanswered.
As high schools prepare for graduation ceremonies across Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock has signed a bill allowing Native American students to wear traditional regalia while marching to get their diplomas.

The bill signed Friday prohibits schools and government agencies from interfering with students who wish to wear eagle feathers, beads and other items of cultural significance.

In the past, some Native American students expressed disappointment and outrage after being told they couldn't wear beaded mortar boards at graduation.

Not all Montana schools banned the practice but it was left to school boards and campus officials to decide whether to allow Native American regalia.

The bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jen Gross of Billings and supported by the Legislature's Native American caucus sought to bring uniformity to the rules.
HELENA - Even though several legislators asked their colleagues to kill a gas tax increase, the House approved amendments on Friday to raise the gas tax by 4.5 cents a gallon to pay for road improvements.

The bill has been one of the most contentious this session, but enough Republicans advanced the bill after the tax increase was adjusted from 8 cents a gallon to 4.5 cents by the Senate.

After one more vote, the bill will head to the governors desk. The tax increase on gasoline will cap at 6.5 cents a gallon in 2023. The diesel tax increase will start at 1.5 cents in 2018 and cap at 2 cents in 2023.

Montanas gas tax has stayed at 27 cents a gallon for 24 years, which has delayed projects to repair dangerous roads and bridges.

The state uses a highway fund account to pay for highway construction and maintenance. For every $1 the state contributes from the highway fund, the state receives $7 in federal money. But the account has been overdrawn.

In 2015, the tax generated $294.2 million, but agencies spent $307.5 million. In December 2016, the Department of Transportation said it would delay 30 projects and Highway Patrol said it would lay off 27 troopers. A $10 million dollar federal refund was used to restart projects.

The sponsor, Rep. Frank Garner, R-Kalispell, said Montana is third in the nation for highway fatalities. He said if the bill passes, 100 projects across all 56 counties in the state will be funded to get Montanans working and make roads safer.

Its time for us to use this, along with the other good measures, to do something and not tell the good people of Montana we came and talked about it again, he said.

Rep. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton, said she didnt want to send home an 8-cent increase to the gas tax. She said after working with the sponsor and others involved to negotiate a lower tax, she could support the measure.

Its not a question of whether I vote for a gas tax, its whether I vote for something that makes it better for my people back home, she said. I believe its better for the people of Montana.

Most Democrats supported the amendments, saying the investment to improve highways would prevent accidents and fatalities. Rep. Bradley Hamlett, D-Cascade, said a 19-year-old woman in his community recently lost her life after hitting a pothole and losing control of her vehicle.

If there would have been better funding, that road would have gotten fixed two or three years ago, he said. Im willing to do it because Im going to be driving on better and safer roads.

Although the amendments passed 61-39, several Republicans stood in strong opposition to any increase in the gas tax, saying it would harm vulnerable Montanans and bail out inefficient agencies.

Rep. Theresa Manzella, R-Darby, said overspending and prioritization problems led to insufficient funds.

Instead of addressing those problems and inefficiencies in our government, our solution is to harness our citizens, the very people who sent us here to fight for them, she said. I pray that we can find a different solution than this.
BILLINGS - By the time 7:30 rolled around on a rainy, overcast evening in Billings, about 50 protesters had split up along either side of Mullowney Lane in front of the Red Lion Hotel and Convention Center for a protest timed with the arrival of Donald Trump Jr. in Billings to campaign for Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Greg Gianforte.

Occasionally delivering chants of "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Gianforte's got to go!" protesters waved signs expressing disapproval for President Donald Trump, support for Rob Quist and disapproval of Greg Gianforte.

Several protesters said they were from Billings. At least a handful came to the protest from a campaign fundraiser for Rob Quist that was held in downtown Billings earlier in the evening.

By 8:35 p.m. no protesters remained. Earlier, some had crossed over onto hotel property and were asked to return to the roadside, said Sgt. Shane Winden of the Billings Police Department. As of 8:30 p.m., Winden was not aware of any arrests.

For Billings resident Kirk Blee, the presence of the younger Trump, who helps manage the Trump Organization business with his brother Eric Trump, represented what he sees as abuse of the United States government by the Trump family in order to advance themselves financially.

"His daughter's making money off of this, he's making money off of this, his kids are making money off of this," Blee said. "He's just robbing the country blind. I don't really have much against Gianforte but he's aligning himself with a monster. It's disgusting. I can't believe this is happening in America."

Blee, a local property manager, said he views himself politically as an independent. Wearing a yellow rain jacket and holding a sign reading "Gianforte and Trump Make America Great Again=Billions In Tax Cuts For Them And Slogans And Ads for You," Blee said he had "not really" protested anything before.

"I just don't feel like I can't be out here," Blee said. "I don't like Trump at all. I've seen Gianforte's ads. He's just a rubber stamp for Trump. Gianforte...I don't share his beliefs but I thought he was a decent guy."

The president was also largely what brought out Molly Newrones, a lifelong Montanan who said the 2016 election caused her to disavow the Republican party.

"I considered myself a moderate Republican but I just feel like that went by the wayside this election," Newrones said. "I saw a man who inspired hate in a lot of people and behaves like a child and I just, I just don't think that should be anywhere in the White house and I don't think another millionaire needs to be in Congress."

Newrones held a sign saying "Tell Daddy Stop Wasting My Money With Trips To Mar-A-Lago."

"I think it's hard to call yourself a fiscal conservative if you think it's okay to spend taxpayer money to fly to Florida every single weekend," she said.

Amelia Marquez, vice president of the Montana State University Billings College Democrats, said she thought people were protesting because they care about the future.

"We feel as though people like Greg Gianforte and Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump are going to hurt future generations," she said. "I really hope that people stop and think for a second. Really look at the issues. Is this what I really align with? Is this what I've been taught to be for or against."
A Hamilton man charged with burglarizing and desecrating a Corvallis church in March pleaded guilty on all counts Thursday in Ravalli County District Court.

Matthew A. McClune, 25, accepted a plea bargain agreement that will defer the imposition of sentence for six years and require that he complete 120 hours of community service.

McClune will also be required to pay restitution for the damage he did to the Corvallis Methodist Church and write an apology letter.

The church on the south side of Corvallis was burglarized during the night of March 3.

Investigators found that a second floor window had been broken with a rock. A small smear of blood was found at the bottom edge of the window.

There was significant vandalism done to the interior of the church.

Paper and pamphlets were strewn across the foyer floor. Bibles were ripped and torn apart and a cross was removed from the wall.

The walls were marked with graffiti, including images of crosses, pentagrams and the numerals 666. Other markings referred to God being dead or that God will burn. There was also graffiti referring to a demon mistress and indicating some anger toward some type of judgment.

A guest book had profanity written in it.

McClune also broke into an office safe and stole a stereo, computer monitor, keyboard and mouse, as well as numerous checks.

The attention of investigators quickly turned toward McClune after church officials learned that one of the stolen checks had been processed at a local bank. The check was made payable to Matt McClure for $500. The words grounds keeping was written in the memo line.

McClune deposited $400 of that check into his bank account, received $100 in cash immediately and later withdrew another $300.

McClune was arrested at his Hamilton home on March 10. The missing computer, keyboard and mouse were recovered there.

According to charging documents, McClune admitted to breaking into the church after drinking heavily. He told investigators that he didnt remember tearing up the church or writing graffiti on the walls. He did say he was in a dark place mentally at the time.

McClune said he forged one check and threw the rest in a dumpster, but couldnt remember where the dumpster was located.

On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of burglary and misdemeanor counts of desecration of a place of worship, criminal mischief, forgery and two counts of theft.

Under terms of the plea agreement, the state will defer imposing sentence on the felony charge for six years. McClune is required to serve 30 days in jail, which he has already done.

On the misdemeanor counts, McClune was sentenced to 180 days in the detention center, all suspended.

McClune will also be required to complete 120 hours of community service and pay restitution in an amount determined at his sentencing hearing.

McClune was released from custody immediately after Thursdays hearing.
Donald Trump Jr. said it was unlikely that he would be willing to hit the campaign trail for someone from his own neighborhood back East.

But the son of President Donald J. Trump said that an invitation to come to Montana, from a man with whom hed spent a week in elk camp with last fall, was enough to get him on the airplane.

That man, Sen. Steve Daines, joined Trump Jr. Friday to urge the nearly 600 people who gathered at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds to get out and vote for Republican U.S. House candidate Greg Gianforte.

The rally was one of four over the course of two days for Gianforte, the Bozeman businessman seeking to replace Ryan Zinke, who resigned the states only seat in the U.S. House after being appointed Secretary of Interior.

Gianforte is challenged by Democrat Rob Quist, best known for his years with the Mission Mountain Wood Band. The Libertarian candidate is Iverness rancher Mark Wicks.

Outside the fairgrounds, along the street leading to the First Interstate Building, close to 150 people opposing the rally waved signs and shouted slogans at passing traffic.

Janice Lee of Corvallis said she decided to picket because she didnt believe the state should send another millionaire to Congress.

I dont really think were going to change anyones minds, but I think its important that theres more than one side to this, she said. They need to know that there are people who disagree.

Dan Bailey of Victor said he and a few friends stopped into a brewery just before the protest. Someone there asked them if they had come down from Missoula.

We live right here in the Bitterroot, said his fellow picketer, Annie Heuscher of Stevensville. We believe that Gianforte is a terrible match for Montana.  Hes a strong supporter of Donald Trump. He is attaching himself to someone who has done nothing.

Back at the rally, former Ravalli County commissioner Suzy Foss said she wishes the people outside would just come in and listen.

No one is willing to hear other points of view anymore, Foss said. Our government doesnt work anymore because no one is willing to listen to each other.

Standing at the back of crowd wearing his red "Montana Team Deplorable" T-shirt, Hamilton businessman Charles Donaldson agrees that political conversations anymore lack civility.

Donaldson said he was at the rally to hear what the candidate had to say. After 47 years in business, Donaldson said he likes the idea of having a businessman in Congress.

Businessmen want to accomplish something rather than make a job for themselves, he said. I identify with Republican businessmen.

Trump Jr. said his father is someone who has actually created jobs and knows how to talk to real Americans rather than talk at them.

So many Americans are tired of it, Trump Jr. said. They have had enough of being lied to. They have had enough of false promises.

In his time in office, Trump Jr. said his father has shown action, resolve and conviction in an effort to allow the country to assume its rightful place as the leader of the free world.

When were talking about the red line in Syria, Trump Jr. said. Tomahawk missiles seem to be a lot more effective than crayons.

Ravalli County Republican Central Committee Chair Terry Nelson said he thought it was a great honor that they chose Hamilton as one of the four cities for tour.

I think its sort of a nice reward for how we helped out the Republican Party in the state over the years, Nelson said.

Nelson pointed the leadership positions that Ravalli County state legislators hold, including majority leaders in both houses of the Legislature.

I believe they saw the importance of Ravalli County in the state of Montana, Nelson said. I think its a wonderful opportunity for the citizens to reap some of benefits of that by having an important person come here.

Dorinda Troutman of Hamilton said the rally and appearance of the presidents son didnt make a difference in her mind. She was one who joined the picketers.

I just wanted to make sure our representatives know that Ravalli County isnt all Republicans or that all of the people are conservative, she said

Troutman doesnt consider herself a Democrat. She said shes voted for candidates of both parties over the years.

I try to vote for local people who would be good for Ravalli County, Troutman said. I want them to know that there are other people to represent than just the ultraconservative voters. I may be strongly against this administration, but no matter who wins this election, they need to remember that there are other people who need to be represented.

At this point, Troutman said she doesnt believe people considered moderates are being represented.

After the rally ended, Lorraine Morgan of Hamilton walked over to take a seat next to the window.

I thought it was terrific, Morgan said. There were some really good issues brought up. I pretty much already had my mind made up, but this was kind of like an amen.
The Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) will have its annual Awards Dinner and Ceremony on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Walden Club.

The purpose of the dinner is to recognize outstanding cadets and students in the greater Chattanooga area. Four cadets will receive a Colonel William L. Ray Memorial Scholarship. Seven students who have received appointments to a service academy will be recognized. 18 cadets from the surrounding Junior ROTC units in Tennessee and Georgia and the ROTC unit at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will receive medals and certificates of achievement. Seven cadets who have received ROTC scholarships will be honored.

Since the establishment of the Colonel William L. Ray Scholarship in 1996, the Chattanooga Chapter has awarded 57 scholarships worth a total value of $75,300.
Guwahati : Politics in the trouble torn hills district Karbi Anglong in Assam on Friday had drastically changed while over hundred youths of 24 tribal organizations staged nude protest ahead of the polls of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).

The members of 24 tribal organizations had staged nude protest of no cloths at Diphu town in the hills district and demanded to change electoral rolls ahead of the council poll.

The protesters staged nude protest to draw attention of the government.

The protesters demanded that, only tribal voters should be allowed to exercise in the council.

The protesters said that, if allowing non-tribals to vote in the council poll then it will affect their interest.

'The reason for the protests because act and rules for the conduct of council elections have not been made, and because the obsolet and defective rules of 1951 are still used by the KAAC and state government, the non-tribal emigrants have taken away political power of the schedule tribes guaranteed by the constitution of India. So the schedule tribes who were covered with protective law are now politically naked. The political leaders who are in power in KAAC and in the state government are corrupting all public money and many of them are living in immoral life and showing off their riches at the cost of the poor schedule tribes shamelessly and nakedly. Since they are doing corruptions nakedly and shamelessly, we are doing this naked demonstration,'A the protesters said.

Later, police had dispersed the protests by detaining the protesters.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam police has summoned three officials of state excise department in connection with the multi-crore rupees BG bonded warehouse tax evasion scam.

A top CID official said that, the investigation agency has summoned to three excise officials named Amarendra Nath, Ajay Bayan and Bijoy Das and asked them to appear before the CID in Guwahati on April 24 next.

Earlier the CID sleuths had arrested liquor barron Rajesh Jalan and owner of the warehouse Bonti Gogoi Pegu in the connection with the multi-crore rupees scam.

The CID team had also interrogated several top government officials including two former commissioner of the department in connection with the scam.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Pokhara, Nepal: At least five persons killed and dozens other injured when a passenger bus met with an accident at Kagbeni of Mustang district on Saturday afternoon.

According to the police the ill-fated bus with registration number Na 5 Kha 6067, heading to Jomsom carrying pilgrims from Muktinath met with an accident at Kagbeni at around 12.20 pm on Saturday.

It is said that the bus was carrying 35 pilgrims to Muktinath. Though the details about the deceased are yet to ascertained, police have confirmed that two women and three men lost their lives in the incident site.

It is believed that the brake failure is the cause behind the fatal accident.
KATHMANDU, April 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that environment for elections has been created across the nation and election fever has gripped the country.

At a meeting with two American senators, Christopher Coons and Jeff Merkley, today, the Prime Minister told the American senators that Nepal would hold the local level elections in the slated time as Nepal was engrossed fully in local level elections for the implementation of the constitution, the PM's personal secretariat said.

During the meeting, the PM expressed continued support and goodwill from the international community in the elections adding that Nepalis have construed the polls as the celebrations.

PM Prachanda also lauded the assistance received from the United States for Nepal's socio-economic development.

During the meeting, discussions were held about the US-funded development projects in Nepal.

On the occasion, the US lawmakers praised women's participation in the leadership level in political and social sectors terming it an exemplary one in the world.

They also assured of US support for Nepal's overall development.

During the meeting, US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina B. Teplitz was also present. RSS
RATNAGAR, April 22: A 19-year-old woman, who was critically injured in a van-hit incident in Narayangadh at Chitwan district on Saturday noon, succumbed to injuries during the treatment.

The deceased is identified as the rider of the scooter (Na 36 Pa 5112), Barsha Acharya, of Patihani in Chitwan.

Doctors pronounced her dead as she was rushed to the Chitwan Medical College in Chitwan, according to the District Police Office, Chitwan.

The scooter was hit by the Narayangadh-bound van (Na 1 Cha 5422) coming from Bharatpur in Chitwan at around 12 pm.

The van driver absconded from the scene. Police impounded the van and have mounted a manhunt for the driver. RSS
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Giant panda Caocao. [Screenshot: CNTV]

Chinese researchers confirmed that Caocao, a female giant panda in captivity, has completed natural mating with a wild male companion on March 23, 2017, which marks the first such instance in the world and is regarded as a breakthrough in the country's panda breeding.

On March 27, researchers with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) reclaimed a voice recorder installed in the collar of Caocao, a subject of the organization's wild mating trial program. Caoao was released into the wild early in March, in a field monitor station in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Researcher recently announced that Caocao mated for 90 seconds with a wild male giant panda on March 23.

Previously a wild panda, Caocao was reportedly found injured and rescued by researchers in 2003, when the then cub was only months old.

The female bear has undergone wildlife training and possesses rich wildness survival experience. She has delivered cubs four times, giving birth to a total of six baby pandas.

According to Zhang Hemin, Deputy Director of the CCRCGP, China's captive panda breeding program has witnessed an increasing population for the species but how to enhance the pandas' genetic vitality and diversity under artificial propagation remains a challenge.

The center hopes that its captive-bred giant pandas released into the wild could mate with wild companions, thus bringing new blood into their existing group.

So far, China has 471 captive pandas, and most of them succeeded in mating via artificial intervention in the past years.
It appears that a decision Wednesday to cancel or postpone a planned appearance by Ann Coulter at UC Berkeley has been reversed, though an agreement seems to have been reached to put it off from Thursday, April 27 to Tuesday, May 2.

The neo-con-turned-alt-right pundit talked a big game on Twitter Wednesday about defying the university's decision to cancel a planned speaking event that was on the calendar for next Thursday, April 27, and claimed that reports of the cancellation were "fake news." Later in the day, as the Daily Californian reported, administrators were trying to push the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) to postpone the event until September.

Vice Chancellors Scott Biddy and Stephen Sutton told the student paper that they had to learn of the Coulter event "through the newspapers," and they say they need at least four weeks notice in order to secure a proper venue and plan for security needs. BCR and another group, BridgeUSA, invited Coulter to speak in late March.

On Thursday, though, Berkeleyside reported that the university, clearly under public pressure, had reversed its decision and would allow the Coulter event to forward on May 2, buying a little extra time to prepare. Coulter appears to have agreed to the new time and day, via Twitter, though BridgeUSA is still saying that's uncertain. The university mandated that the event take place from 1 to 3 pm and insisted there was no flexibility on the date. Says Chancellor Nicholas Dirks in a statement, "As the home of the Free Speech Movement, we fully support the right and ability of our students to host speakers of their choice, and we believe that exposing students to a diverse array of perspectives is an inherent and inseparable part of our educational mission.

Coulter insisted to the Hollywood Reporter yesterday that she would get her way and the event would go forward, saying that it's ridiculous that she'd be banned when "corrupt banana republic leaders like [Mexican President] Vicente Fox have the red carpet rolled out for them on the taxpayer's dime," referring to a speaking engagement Fox had on campus this week.

And though an arrest warrant for him from Berkeley police could could still be pending, white supremacist/separatist Nathan Damigo says he'll come back to Berkeley to support Ann Coulter. He may want to make sure that he doesn't get added to the list the Berkeley Police Department has of suspects wanted in connection to the mayhem of last Saturday, after that video went viral of him appearing to punch a woman in the face.

Bay Area leftist protest site IndyBay says: "Oh please do!"

Update: Coulter has rejected the rescheduling, and still insists she wants to come on April 27. Also, there's now a lawyer involved.



Previously: Ann Coulter's Berkeley Speech Cancelled Over Safety Concerns, Pundit Insists She's Coming Anyway
British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for Prime Minister's questions in London, Britain on April 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Tim Ireland)

British Prime Minister Theresa May has called a surprise early general election for June 8, claiming it's necessary for her government to negotiate Britain's departure from the European Union with a free hand and a strong mandate.

In other words: one that will not be disrupted by parliamentary procedure, the opposition of the Scottish Nationalists, the House of Lords, or other external political interference. However, the real reason lies within her own party.

The Tories only have a 17-seat working majority. This is split between hard-core Brexit supporters and those who want to minimize its impact. In fact, nobody has any idea about how Brexit negotiations will proceed, so May wants enough MPs behind her to deal with developments on her own terms.

May projects an image of a strong leader determined to represent the national interests against European obstinacy. However, the fate of Britain will by no means be decided by itself alone. Indeed, we are living in a period of turmoil in which today's EU may look quite different in two years' time.

One example is the French election. The first round concludes this Sunday. If either Le Pen or Melechon becomes president after the second round in June, this will represent a cataclysmic shift in the balance of power inside Europe far more profound than the Brexit vote.

The idea that Brexit has somehow elevated the status of Britain in the world is a farcical delusion, but it has gained deep-seated acceptance in the country. Myths can, and often do, acquire the power to move people. However, like a mirror once shattered, the shards of broken glass will be swept up and thrown away.

Theresa May is pretending that her "plan for Britain" will somehow become a reality, if only people vote for it. All that is required is strong leadership and determination and we can face down European opposition and get the best deal.

In Europe, everyone knows the EU must change, but there are those who want to make leaving the EU a painful process, in order to discourage others from a similar path. Nevertheless, Europe is riven by explosive internal contradictions.

There are huge economic disparities between North and South and East and West. The EU is dominated by German economic interests, which structure and reproduce inequity and injustice. The organization's policies serve the interest of employers rather than workers, and this exacerbates negative perceptions of migration and refugees.

Nationalist movements want to break up the EU while leftwing groups for social justice demand a new type of Europe. Their vision is one based on promoting the interests of the poor and the working class through State investment. However, the nationalist agenda is easier to grasp and is currently the rising trend.

Britain's opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn faces truly immense hurdles if it is to become the next government. Labour trails in the opinion polls by more than 20 percent. The media has consistently campaigned against Corbyn, most of his MPs have spent much of the last two years trying to sabotage his leadership, and Brexit has polarized working class communities.

So many of those who voted to leave the EU will support the Tories in the belief they are better champions of the national interest. Corbyn's first speech of the campaign revolved around a defense of the poor and the socially excluded, and sought to identify with the outsider and the underdog, one who can defy predictions and overturn the political balance of power.

Almost as soon as she announced the general election, May stated she would not participate in any television debate. This is probably a ploy. She changed her mind about Brexit, first campaigning to remain in the EU and then switching, claiming to be the agent of the people's will to leave.

She had previously said she would not call a snap election before 2020, but now she has done so. Hence, it's almost certain she will "change her mind" on the debate. That's what she does so well - changing her mind, although she dresses this up as a consequence of deep contemplation about the national interest.

Of course, if there were several leaders' debates that went into detail about ideas, economic and social policies, and political philosophy, this would play to Jeremy Corbyn's strengths. After all, in 2015 and 2016 Corbyn defied the odds by winning a series of television and radio debates with the other candidates for Labour leader.

These included were seasoned political debaters. They were resoundingly crushed because Corbyn's message represented an ideological and political alternative that spoke to the majority of Labour supporters and members with a message about social justice, equality, peace and progress.

In the meantime, May is cynically presenting the Tories as a party of the working class and of national unity. Yet, tensions about Brexit have led the Scottish Nationalists to call for independence. And in Ireland, a vote for the unification of the country may take place within the next 5 to 10 years. Either Scottish independence or Irish unification would mean the breakup of Britain.

Heiko Khoo is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/heikokhoo.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn
Palantir, the Silicon Valley data analysis company co-founded by Peter Thiel, was mentioned a lot during this past election cycle in relation to Thiel's support of President Trump and the company's well known relationships with the NSA, the CIA, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (It was noted back in December that with the new administration's crackdown on immigration, Palantir, and therefore Thiel, only stood to profit.) But now after BuzzFeed released a leaked video of Palantir CEO Alex Karp slamming Donald Trump back in 2015, they subsequently reported that Palantir never actually had a contract with the NSA, and stopped working for them at all two years ago. Further, though they've had a contractual relationship with the CIA for over a decade, Karp referred to the agency as a "recalcitrant" client in that 2015 video.

As BuzzFeed reporter William Alden, who obtained the video from a confidential source, explains, "When this video was filmed, Karp had no idea that Trump would become his most important customer [a year later]."

Though Karp, who co-founded Palantir with Thiel, publicly said he was supporting Hillary Clinton in the election, he has not made his views on Trump public. In the video, shot during a company "beer sync" in August 2015, Karp can be heard denouncing Trump's early campaign rhetoric about getting rid of immigrants, questioning Trump's abilities as a businessman, and criticizing his character generally.

"Ive had the rare opportunity to meet Trump, which I turned down  I mean, this is off the record  but like, I dont respect  like, I respect nothing about the dude," Karp says in the video. "Like, you could almost make up someone that I find  it would be hard to make up someone I find less appealing."

He suggests, if you assume Trump is worth about $20 billion and he inherited $50 million in the 1970s, "That's not a good return. So, like, even purely on the vulgar metric of, like, as a businessperson, and then as a person, and then as a bully  in any case, I don't care if you guys vote for him..."

Meanwhile, Palantir is trying to get a new contract with the US Army, already has one with the Marine Corps, as well as the CIA, FBI, and ICE, and we all know how President Trump takes criticism.

Palantir's data-mining software and consulting work were rumored to have played a role in the hunt for Osama bin Laden in 2011, and allegedly, according BuzzFeed's sources, the fact that this was publicized at all and that Palantir hasn't done anything to quash these rumors has caused friction between the company and the CIA.

Referring to pilot work that Palantir was doing for the NSA up until 2015, Karp also says in the video, referring to the CIA by an internal codename, "And weve walked away [from the CIA], or they walked away from us, at the NSA. Either way, Im happy about that.

But, he says, while the CIA "may not like us. Well, when the whole world is using Palantir they can still not like us. Theyll have no choice," implying that the CIA's contract will continue for the de facto reason that they're the only "big data" game in town.

Karp and Palantir have yet to comment on the video, and nor have the government agencies.



Previously: Peter Thiel Poised To Profit Off Trump's Promised Crackdown On Immigrants


A recent news report on an injured cyclist denied passage on the N Judah because she was carrying her (unfolded) bike received no small amount of attention this week, and now transit advocates are asking why bikes are unequivocally banned from Muni light rail vehicles at all.

As reported this Thursday by the Ex, cyclist Katherine Roberts "hit a metal plate that jutted open by the Muni tracks at Church and Duboce streets" at around 11:30 p.m. on April 11, and struck her head. Fearing the high cost of a San Francisco ambulance ride, she and fellow-rider Jym Dyer attempted to board an N Judah that had stopped nearby, bikes in tow.

Per the Ex:

She sported a black eye and a massive head bump, which she showed to the operator. She asked if he could give her and Dyer a ride to nearby UC San Francisco Parnassus. He said, Not with your bikes, I cant, Roberts recalled. Roberts and Dyer argued with the operator and an inspector. The inspector denied them a ride to the hospital four stops away, but later allowed Roberts to board the next train.

Streetsblog SF reports that

They both had folding bikes, which are permitted on Muni as long as they are folded. But the train was empty, and given her injuries and the crack on the head, it didnt occur to her to fold her bike. As soon as I showed the driver my injuries, I thought he would just say okay and drive the train, said Roberts. I was disoriented and weak and I wasnt really thinking oh, its really important for me to fold the bike right now!' The driver told them to get off the train and refused to move. He called over a fare inspector. The inspector forced them off the train and told them to call an ambulance if they needed help. But for some reason he also told them they could take the next train, which was right behind them (thats three N-Judahs bunched in a row, in case anyones counting). However, he still wouldnt let Dyer on with his bike, folded or not, because it is a larger, folding cargo bike model. Dyer had to ride his bike behind the train while Roberts-with cuts and a large bump growing on her head-was left alone with her now-folded bike.

According to Streetsblog, the driver also "came out of the cab to yell at Roberts to 'secure her bike' which had flopped over on the floor. 'I was weak. I had a concussion,' she said. 'The car was almost empty. I wasnt blocking anybody.'"

Speaking with the Ex, SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato is apologetic, to a point.

I agree that our staff on scene should have exercised more compassion to Ms. Roberts and engaged with her in a more courteous way...However, our protocol when it comes to medical emergencies is to call Central Control, which will then dispatch emergency services.

The incident has inspired Streetsblog to wonder "why are we banning bikes on late-night trains in the first place!" Noting that bikes are allowed on BART, the website says that "Nobodys arguing that full-sized bikes should be allowed during peak periods. But what would be the big deal if bikes were allowed, space permitting, during off hours?"

"If New York can handle bikes on its subway, and Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and many other cities can handle bikes on their Light Rail Vehicles, what makes Muni so special?"

Rachel Hyden, the Executive Director of the San Francisco Transit Riders, appears to agree. Her organization, which successfully pressured the SFMTA to allow all-door boarding in 2012, says the incident with Katherine is disheartening, both in terms of how she was treated and in light of the strict enforcement of an antiquated policy, especially in an emergency situation."

The SFTRU, she says.is supportive of a policy amendment that would allow bikes on LRVs, especially during off-peak hours.

As Hyden is the SFTRU's first executive director, and was hired just weeks ago, this seems like an ideal issue with which she can make her bones. I'd expect this discussion to continue until Muni either offers a legal reason they can't allow bikes on their vehicles or folds to the SFTRU's demands. This will be an interesting one to watch!

Related: Check Out The New Muni Trains That Will Begin Showing Up Next Year
Earlier this week there was quite a dustup online between the alt-right and the left regarding whether or not white supremacist/separatist Nathan Damigo was justified in assaulting a 95-pound woman during the street brawling that occurred following a rally and counter-protest last Saturday in Berkeley. Many pointed to a Reuters photo, taken by Stephen Lam that appeared to show the woman, 20-year-old Louise Rosealma of Ventura County, holding a glass bottle as a weapon, apparently taken moments before Damigo was seen punching her on the now infamous video. As often happens with Reddit and elsewhere on the internet, that bottle became, for some, an improvised incendiary device, with people claiming that Rosealma had filled the bottle with explosives, and Damigo was a hero for stopping her from launching the bottle into the crowd nearby. As best and objectively as they can, Snopes has now taken on the photo and video evidence, analyzed both, and concluded that yes, probably the photo is not doctored and Rosealma likely was wielding a glass bottle, however that bottle was empty and does not appear to have been an IED.

Also, they explain, that you can partly see Rosealma as she was hit a first time by Damigo, just off camera  which is the moment that seems to have been captured in Lam's photo. In that photo, she is still wearing a mask that partially covers her face, as well as a black hat, which has been knocked off by the time we see Damigo hitting her a second time. If you take it frame by frame, you can also see the green glass bottle in Rosealma's hand before she is hit the first time.

Rosealma has continued to deny that she was ever armed, or holding a bottle at any point, and activists on the left have tried to suggest that the photo was doctored to add in the bottle. Says Snopes, "Although Reuters has taken criticism for doctoring photos in the past, it is highly unlikely that the photograph of Rosealma was manipulated."

Also, Snopes confirms that the second "sucker punch" does indeed appear unprovoked, as Rosealma clearly has nothing in her hands as she's punched in the video.

They also found a video, which you can see below, in which someone who appears to be Rosealma is interviewed starting at the 3:30 mark, and this appears to have happened shortly before the scuffle took place with Damigo. She is still wearing the red and black mask. The interview asks whether she condones the use of explosives, and she says, "The revolution isnt f***in easy," she says. "I mean I got kneed in the face, pepper-sprayed in the eye, and some guy tried hitting my head against a rock and he was wearing a f***ing Make America Great Again hat."

In conclusion: She was probably holding a bottle, but did not get to use it as a weapon, and it was not an IED, and people need to stop having asinine rumbles in the street to express their political beliefs because that is not activism.

Previously: Woman Punched By White Supremacist In Berkeley Speaks Out
This week at SFist, we covered news that the Hall on Market Street would close in September, had word of Laundre, a cafe and laundromat in the works for the Mission, and discovered that you could make nachos from bugs, if you really wanted to. There was more food news elsewhere, and now, it's here:

In North Beach, The Boardroom is planning to move across the street to the former Capps Corner space, Hoodline writes. The longtime Italian restaurant left the Powell Street storefront vacant in 2015 when it closed after more than 50 years in business. The Boardroom won't move until after an earthquake retrofit is completed in the fall.

Oprah admitted to a particular indulgence this week: Flying in English muffins from Napa Valley's The Model Bakery. "My greatest extravagance is flying in English muffins from Napa Valley, Winfrey told PEOPLE. "Theres a specific English muffin made by these two women at this wonderful bakery in Napa Valley. I know its not a good carbon footprint to fly in your English muffins but  The muffins were on her holiday "Favorite Things" list in 2016, as the Chronicle recalls.

Sunflower has finally reopened its larger Valencia Street side, Capp Street Capp reports, and in fact it's been the case for a few weeks, I can confirm. The Vietnamese restaurant closed its Mission location, which has dining rooms on both Valencia and 16th, completely and abruptly in 2014. The 16th Street dining room has been open for more than a year.

Blue Bottle, which is still trying to move into the Lower Haight space formerly occupied by Bean There cafe, has obtained a continuance on a Conditional Use Authorization hearing, Hoodline reports, and even that has neighbors complaining about the growing local chain that's now considered formula retail in San Francisco.

Hoodline has the early word on a Southeast Asian-inspired pork slider restaurant, The Pork Exchange, that's on the way to the Tenderloin (the former Thai 4 You space on Ellis). Are sloppy joes like the ones they'll serve the next SF food trend? We'll wait and see  no opening date set.

The Castro Fountain, a long-delayed sibling to Cole Valley's Ice Cream Bar, is softly open according to Tablehopper. So far the retro-style ice cream parlor from owner Juliet Pries is selling its housemade ice cream and some bakes goods, and it's applied for a liquor license for boozy concoctions down the line. Check their Facebook for their soft opening hours.

The FiDi's International Food Court has a new player in Pushkin, a Russian, Ukrainian, and Central Asian food purveyor. Hoodline reports that Pushkin opened last month and is serving borscht, chicken dumplings, and pirojkis.

Eater reports that chef Dominique Crenn has hired former Quince chef de cuisine Jonny Black as executive chef at Atelier Crenn, giving up the reins to her personal, two-Michelin starred restaurant for the first time. "We need someone at the management level, someone that I can trust to really focus on bringing Atelier Crenn to the next level, Crenn told Eater. Its not that we are becoming more corporate. Meanwhile, the Chronicle took a look at the new Atelier Crenn interior and sampled a new 10-course dessert menu from pastry chef Juan Contreras.

Tablehopper has a pop-up rundown that includes a Barcelona-inspired menu headed to the bar Bloodhound. Champaneria Kharma, as the affair from chef Samantha Kharma will be called, is based on La Champaneria, a busy, standing-room-only Barcelona bar that serves free champagne with food.

Tablehopper also had news of Streamline, a coffee shop that's open in the Outer Sunset/Parkside. The corner space was formerly a restaurant and the new owner-partners have built it out with seating and a gallery space. They're pouring Nomadic ground coffee and making scones, muffins, and tartines.

Big Fish Little Fish, another poke place with one location in SoCal, has designs to open two San Francisco branches, one in Rincon Center, and one in the Westfield Center. Eater had the expansion news, and writes that their menu is focused on bowls such as "Shake Dat Tail, yellowtail with fixings and ponzu sauce. And look out, Sushirrito  Big Fish Little Fish serves "pokerritos," which appear to be similar.

Del Encanto, a Puerto Rican rooftop restaurant that opened recently with the SoMa Nightclub Calle 11, has closed per the Chronicle. The nightclub owner, Leticia Luna, and the chef, Christopher Caraballo, who previously ran the Puerto Rican food stand Borinquen Soul in Oakland, are parting ways, and Luna will reopen the restaurant with dishes from her former Castro Mexican restaurant, Leticia's.

The 1919-founded Italian food chain A.G. Ferrari is closing all its Bay Area stores.The Chronicle reports that the chain will close its four remaining locations  that number down from a high of 13. They'll continue to import Italian food products, but they'll emphasize national distribution instead of retail stores. "The environment today makes it incredibly difficult to operate a retail food establishment profitably, CEO Jarett Peppard told the Chronicle.Specialty food is just much more accessible than it ever has been.

Citing graffiti and vandalism, Genova shuttered its ravioli factory in Oakland  this after closing its popular Temescal deli last year. Inside Scoop had the story, which ends a 91-year chapter of Genova in Oakland.

Now open in the former Cafe Rouge space is Pompette: Inside Scoop says it's aesthetic is similar to Cafe Rouge, the butcher shop and restaurant hybrid of 20 years, and a key influence is Chez Panisse, where co-owner David Visick has cooked. The other co-owner, his wife Carmia Visick, is an alum of Stars and Zuni.

La La Land is taking over Le Colonial for a one-night-only promotion as "Seb's" on April 25 according to Eater. Seb's is a pop-up styled after a fictional business in the Academy Award-winning film, and it takes over Le Colonial's upstairs lounge only. The same promo is happening in other cities like LA, Chicago, and DC. Also, just looked over the press release and did not see any mention of chicken on a stick, so that's too bad.

Chef Carlos Altamirano is launching his, count 'em, seventh Peruvian restaurant, bringing this one to Lafayette. Altamirano hopes to openBarranco by summer according to Inside Scoop. His last opening was Paradita, a fast-casual restaurant, in Emeryville. At Barranco, expect Pisco and Peruvian rotisserie chicken, pollo a la brass.

Korean restaurant Fusebox is closing on Sunday per Inside Scoop. The five-year-old West Oakland warehouse district spot was particularly popular for its fried chicken, and had expanded last year into space next door.

Prosper, a restaurant inside the fourth floor of 747 Market Street, which houses an Equinox Gym, has closed in under 9 months. Hoodline describes the restaurant as high-end and health-conscious, and reporting the closure, relates it to other high-profile restaurants that couldn't make it work in the mid-Market area.

Takuya Japanese Style Hotdog and Bowl, a Japanese-style hot dog place in the Inner Sunset that the Chronicle explored last week, has closed according to Hoodline, although it looks like its San Mateo location is still up and running. The Inner Sunset storefront is now a poke place called Poke Origins, just as quick as that.

Eater jumped at news that chef Ron Siegel would be striking out on his own with Madcap. Siegel, an alum of Michael Mina, impressed most recently with a stint at Rancho Nicasio, where he ran the 47-seat Western room, a restaurant within a restaurant. The location for Madcap is San Anselmo, Eater reports.

The new Mosso apartment complex at 5th and Folsom will be home to Les Gourmands, reports Hoodline. A family bakery, Sylvain Chaillout will run it with his parents: expect brioches, pastry puffs, croissants, etc.

This Week In Reviews:

The Weekly's Pete Kane reviewed Media Noche, a Miami-Cuban fast-casual spot in the Mission. "Unless youre a joyless scold who hates being alive, you pretty much have to love all the tile work," he writes of the colorful place. "Media Noche earns four '100' emoji for evoking South Florida without going full Miami Vice pastel. Get the media noche sandwich or the ropa vieja bowl, he seems to suggest. "I would strongly recommend eating there at a time of day other than dinner," Kane concludes, as there isn't enough seating. "One of fast-casuals choke points tends to be that, when combined with alcohol and peoples natural inclination to linger at the table in parties larger than two, you might find yourself in suspended animation, holding food but without anywhere to eat it and trying hard not to hover passive-aggressively."

Kane also tried Old Kan Beer Co., the former Linden Street Brewing space. There, it's a balancing act: "To succeed at luring more people to a dead-end street in West Oakland thats flush against the train tracks, Old Kan has to achieve some semblance of destination status yet remain casual enough to merit repeat visits." As far as food, which is from James Syhabout , a chicken fried portobello mushroom sandwich is "killer." In the end, "Old Kan is a lovely spot, only a little rougher around the edges than Uptown Oaklands Drakes Dealership, and a bit more modest than Smokestack at Magnolia Brewing in the Dogpatch."

The Chronicle's Esther Mobley has a nuanced review of Parallel 37 in the Ritz-Carlton, which, by "playing it safe" for the hotel bar crowd, has kept itself "from becoming a cocktail destination." Camber Lay, who heads up the cocktail program, is boxed in by what Mobley pitches as a delicate balancing act, or hotel bar dilemma.

Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer reviewed Le Colonial, which "evokes a tropical French oasis in Vietnam during the 1920s" and has now been in the former Trader Vic's space for 19 years. "Le Colonial is a restaurant that is able to bridge the age divide, and it deserves to be as popular today as it was when it was new and trendy nearly 20 years ago," Bauer writes, noting that it was conspicuously empty despite improved food and service. Two-and-a-half stars.

Bauer's new restaurant review this week was of Rooh, which "follows in the steps of the recently opened Babu Ji and August 1 Five in offering highly personal interpretations of [Indian] cuisine." Chef Sujan Sarkar menu reflects the cookbook Modernist Cuisine  "He dehydrates butter into powder to garnish butter chicken, places edible bubbles filled with spiced passion fruit into pani puri shells, and punches up tuna tartare with tamarind gel and puffed black rice." Bauer is a fan, counseling diners to "go to Rooh to discover contemporary Indian cuisine at the hands of a master." Three stars.


This is just a brief update in the ongoing legal proceedings against Hot Cop of the Castro Christopher Kohrs relating to a hit-and-run incident in North Beach shortly after Thanksgiving 2015, which injured two men. As Castro denizen Michael Petrelis noted this week on Facebook, a civil case brought against Kohrs, the city and the police department by one of the victims was settled last month and completely dismissed on March 23, as you can see here in a court document  though the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed. Kohrs is still due back in court next month in the criminal case.

Kohrs, 40, who worked for the SFPD out of Park Station but was on medical leave at the time of the incident, was alleged to have been driving a Dodge Charger that struck the two men at 2:20 a.m. on November 29, 2015 at the intersection of Broadway and Montgomery Streets, and then fled the scene on foot. Surveillance footage released shortly thereafter seemed to show this occurring in the aftermath of the crash.

The collision caused serious injuries to Franco Vilchez, an Iraq War vet, and Victor Perez, and it was the case brought by Perez that was recently settled. At the time of the incident, friends said that Perez suffered a broken jaw and a broken leg, and Vilchez was the more seriously injured, with a broken neck, nose, eye socket, jaw, missing teeth, and brain hemorrhaging. It's unclear if a separate civil case brough by Vilchez is still pending.

Kohrs is reportedly due back in court for a hearing on the criminal charges against him on May 12, 2017. Kohrs apparently had two passengers with him in the car at the time who both confirmed he was the driver, and in December 2015 he pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of hit-and-run. Also at issue in the case was that Kohrs did not turn himself in until 10 hours after the crash occurred, when he then submitted to drug and alcohol testing.

As loyal readers will recall, the good looking Kohrs achieved viral and national fame after a gay fan created a Facebook fan page for him, and others in the Castro neighborhood began taking selfies with him and posting them online. He had recently begun doing some overtime outside his usual beat, doing patrols and directing traffic in the Castro, as he told SFist in an interview, during a period when two blocks of Castro Street were under heavy construction. Later that year he would strip down to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge at the Cafe, and within months he mysteriously decided to say goodbye to his celebrity, and asked that the Facebook fan page be removed.

It's unclear at what point he went on medical leave, but it would be over a year before he would make headlines again following the North Beach crash.

Previously: Surveillance Video From North Beach Crash Scene May Show 'Hot Cop' Running Away
Many millennials show an affinity for living close to their place of employment, and recreating, exercising and mingling in the same vicinity. Retirees often desire to rent or buy a pied-a-terre for a fun compliment to their suburban lifestyle. The closer you are to the heart of a city, the more expensive the price tag is to rent or buy into that convenient lifestyle. For the lucky ones, proximity to work might eliminate the need to own and maintain an automobile. But the cost of housing is daunting for everyone. Along with stiff prices, the sizes of residential units have been chopped, and so-called shoebox condos have been hitting the market in major cities around the world.

Cities like Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco offer stylish micro condos. All attempt to include amenities like a common media room, computer room or entertaining space, and an in-house gym. Some even have a shared gourmet kitchen. The downside is it can be difficult to secure a mortgage for this type of housing. Lenders, even B lenders, appear cautious about issuing mortgages for a property of less than 500 or 600 square feet.

Say "mini apartments" and you might first think of New York City. Over the years, plenty of illegal tiny units have been found, and they still exist, as is true in most large cities. A minimum requirement of 400 square feet for new apartments was established in the city in 1987. And though it is hard to conceive of, there is now a demand for even smaller units! One notable building project that received a waiver allowed for Carmel Place, a nine-story building with 55 micro apartments, to be erected in the Kips Bay neighborhood in 2015. The apartments range in size from 260 to 360 square feet. Twenty-two of the units are affordable, and the remainder are rented for around $3,000 a month.

Over the last decade, Seattle has seen an explosion of micro-units, more than any other U.S. city. It is a place vibrant with students and young professionals employed at giants like Amazon, Google and Microsoft. The city bustles with sports, outdoor activities -- in rain or shine -- and a vibrant food scene. Capitol Hill, Magnolia and Ballard are just a few of the long-established neighborhoods peppered with bars, restaurants and craft ice cream shops, donut shops and brew bars. Beginning in 2009, around 2,380 mini apartments were given the green light, and some developed like college dorms with community kitchen and bathroom facilities. There was a huge backlash, with homeowners protesting loudly in objection to the density. More stringent rules have since been enacted. Now, the minimum requirement is 220 square feet with its own kitchen and bathroom.

In all cases, what makes a tiny place workable is vigilant interior design. Each piece in a micro-unit must be the correct size and no larger. It is advisable to invest in dual-purpose furniture pieces, such as a coffee table that articulates into a dining table or a bookcase that can be spun around to reveal a bed. There is no room for clutter, and one must embrace the fact that life in one of these special places is very much like living on a boat. Being conservative with technology helps. Some do without a TV and rely on their laptops, or mount TVs on the wall to conserve precious space. And there is no need for book storage when one reads from an electronic device. Beds with storage drawers underneath and a sofa that converts into a bed are two other options. Precision is required to coax the most out of these mini homes.

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego based interior designer and author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at www.christinebrun.com.

COPYRIGHT 2017 CREATORS.COM
BALTIMORE  When the longtime organist at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Havre de Grace, Maryland, announced her retirement last fall, the leaders of the small 200-year-old congregation faced a bigger challenge than they knew.

Music  particularly the music of the organ  is central to the life of the church. Members say the instruments rich sounds complement their liturgy, inspire congregational singing and even seem to invite the Holy Spirit into their presence.

But a six-month search has turned up just one potential applicant. Church leaders are trying every new strategy they can think of to get things moving.

Were praying and trying to stay optimistic, but this we had no idea how challenging this would be, says parishioner Casi Tomarchio, a member of the search committee. There arent enough organists out there.

At a time when fewer Americans describe themselves as affiliated with any religious denomination, the ranks of those who play the instrument long considered a mainstay of Christian worship  the organ, and most specifically, the pipe organ  are thinning.

The shortage has hit less hard in major metropolitan areas, where historic cathedrals and churches with bigger budgets can invest the funds it takes to buy and maintain a serviceable organ and offer a musician full-time work.

But smaller congregations  including those in rural and suburban America  are feeling the pinch.

Most church organists stay in their positions for decades, but when they do retire, there frequently is no one to replace them. The shortage has been changing the sound of Christian worship in the United States.

In the major religious institutions, sacred music is alive and well, and there are plenty of musicians who are eager for those positions, says John Walker, a member of the organ faculty at the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute. But as the organ community grows somewhat smaller through attrition, with people aging out of the profession and fewer young people coming in, we have  well, I hate to say a crisis, but we have a very challenging situation facing us.

Few speak with the authority of Walker, an internationally known church and concert organist who has performed in major cathedrals and on some of the finest instruments in the world. But even he might be understating the point.

A 2015 survey by the American Guild of Organists confirmed the picture is bleak and getting worse.

The organization found that about 60 percent of its 16,000 members were 58 years of age or older. Just 11 percent were younger than 37.

More than half  58 percent  had played at the same religious institution for at least 31 years, while only 14 percent had done so for less than a decade.

Gordon Truitt is senior editor at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, which fosters the art of musical liturgy in the American Catholic Church, according to its website.

Theres a serious shortage, and its growing, Truitt said. For smaller churches in particular, its a huge concern.

Its also a concern in black churches.

J. Spencer Hammond is the former longtime organist and choir director at Douglas Memorial Community Church in Baltimore. The pipe organ long anchored hymn singing in African-American worship, he says. But fewer young people are learning it.

Its happening across the board, in all churches, he says.

Church music consultants say the shortage has a range of causes, many of them rooted in changes in the broader culture over the past several decades.

Diminishing church attendance has made it harder for congregations to pay highly trained organists. A decline in clergy has forced many to ask organists to take on pastoral duties unrelated to music, such as teaching in religious schools.

Meanwhile, cheaper, more portable and more easily accessible instruments such as drums, guitar and piano have grown in popularity.

Church musicians say these and other cultural pressures have diminished the appeal of the organ, an instrument that has always required intense study.

The tradition is not extinct. Pipe organ fans who want to experience its power may visit any of the 15 or so area institutions that have a top-quality instrument, a full-time organist and acoustically complementary architecture, Walker says.

Those include two Catholic churches: the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, with its massive, Ohio-made Schantz organ, and the Basilica of the Assumption, with its Roosevelt organ that dates to the late 1800s.

A third is the 10-year-old Andover organ at Christ Lutheran Church in the Inner Harbor. Boasting two consoles and more than 4,300 pipes, it has been featured on the cover of The American Organist, the official journal of the organists guild.

As an instrument, the organ is known for generating an impressive range of sonorities, its pipes capable of mimicking everything from a flute to an English horn. Musicians say its uniquely suited to support congregational singing because its use of air and vibration mimic the mechanics of the human voice.

Those qualities were audible at Christ Lutheran one recent Sunday as music director Daniel Aune played God Loved the World and Lift High the Cross. The sounds began gently, then swelled in the columned sanctuary and swirled down among the pews.

Ann Hunter has sung in the churchs choir since 1967.

A piano doesnt fill a space the way an organ does, and this is a mighty organ, said Hunter, who sings alto. I cant imagine doing a hymn processional down the aisle without an organ.

Aune, who is president of the organ guilds Baltimore chapter, says that power derives from the organs very structure.

With other instruments, [such as] a piano, the sounds can decay, but an organ is sustaining, he says. Because it is a vocal instrument  it requires air and has its own lungs  it encourages singing. It can breathe with you and has a sense of vocality.
RACINE, Wis.  Catholic churches are often named for saints, but for the parishioners of St. John Nepomuk the story of their namesake has always been a special one  so special that murals depicting the life and tragic death of the heroic priest grace the archway above the church's altar.

Now the paintings, which church leaders say date back more than 50 years, have received a much needed facelift, The Journal Times (http://bit.ly/2oKszDt ) reported.

Last year, church leaders commissioned Illinois-based Religious Arts Corp. and a Greek artist to recreate the paintings, which were damaged eight years ago as a result of a bad roof leak.

Alexandra Grammatikaki  who lives in Heraklion, on the island of Crete, just off the shores of mainland Greece  made four visits to the United States to work on the project between April and June of last year, spending time at the church in Racine and at the Rock Island studio of fellow Greek Jim Stathopoulos, the owner of Religious Arts Corp.

Her last visit, which ended last week, lasted about a month.

On Wednesday, she and Stathopoulos visited the church, 1903 Green St., to put the finishing touches onto the last of the murals.

While basically identical in form to the originals, the new paintings have more detail and color.

After drawing the images, Grammatikaki used a combination of acrylic, wax, milk, and chalk paints to make the images pop.

Gone are the days of toiling day and night on scaffolding to create such murals. For this project, Grammatikaki used large sheets of stretched and primed canvas on which to design and paint the images.

"If you see, it has a little shine to it," Stathopoulos said, pointing the painting of St. John Nepomuk and the river he was thrown into for keeping the seal of the confession. "The head is highlighted with jewels, the cross; the sleeves. There is a little detail on his robe, right above his feet. These are the little things that make a difference."

Now completed, the paintings, seven in total, will be seamlessly affixed to the wall. One of murals, a painting of the Lamb of God, has already been put up, and Stathopoulos said he expects to have the rest up by the first week in May.

"You don't see the lines," Stathopoulos said of the technique.

Seated on part of the metal frame of the scaffold, Stathopoulos chatted animatedly on Wednesday as he held the paint jar for Grammatikaki.

When the Rev. Steven Varghese, pastor of St. John Nepomuk and St. Joseph parishes, cautioned him to be careful, Stathopoulos laughed.

"This is my home. I get hurt when I am down there," he said. "I have all bruises from pews. Never here, Thank God, Thank God."

For Varghese, seeing the murals completed and ready to mount is a joyous time for both him and the wider church community.

"We have been looking at redoing these paintings for six years. So, when I spoke to the people . (they) were very generous," he said. "We are so happy that we can do this."
SIOUX CITY | As a young girl growing up in Treynor, Iowa, Jamie Jacobsen remembered falling in love with all of the film adaptations of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books.

"I saw all of the movies while assuming the books would simply be more of the same," she said, shaking her head. "Instead, I discovered the books were much denser and, perhaps, even more magical."

By the time she turned 12, Jacobsen read all seven of Rowling's fantastical novels, one after another. And then she read them all again.

"I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many times I've read these books," Jacobsen admitted. "Actually, I think I've lost count."

Jacobsen's interest in the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry continues to this day. Currently a Briar Cliff University English and sociology junior, she has presented a literary critique of Rowling's writings as part of the school's Academic Excellence program, held April 18 in the Atrium of Heelan Hall.

In preparing "Harry Potter & the Oppressed Minorities: A Race, Class and Gender Criticism," Jacobsen used a critical eye in examining a series that some may consider to be "kid's stuff."

However, she reasoned that Rowling was able to inject important sociological themes in what has become the best-selling book series in history.

"The books really stand up to critical scrutiny," she insisted.

OK, we have to ask it: Is Harry Potter a sexist, racist or snob?

"Well, it isn't as simple as that. The project was part of a literary criticism that I was taking. Originally, my professor wanted me to narrow the focus to one topic and to one Harry Potter book. I knew that wouldn't work because none of the characters were the same people in book one as they were in book seven. In addition, the themes of race, class and gender are referenced throughout the series so that you had to examine each aspect to get an overall impression."

But you're not the first critic to research this topic, right?

"No, there's actually been a surprising number of research papers that have tried to examine the gender culture of Harry Potter, for instance. The stories are, after all, told from the perspective of Harry. Would the series still be successful if it was shown through the eyes of (fellow Hogwart student) Hermione Granger? Is Hermione a good role model or is she a bossy know-it-all who must seek the approval of her male friends?

Well, is Hermione a good role model?

"I think so. More importantly, so does Harry. Hermione is presented as someone smart and strong and independent. She is also someone who happens to be muggle-born or someone with non-magical family members. This is how (Rowley) chose to handle racial issues. In this universe, characters could be pure-bloods, half-bloods, muggle-born or someone who is mixed. Once again, race didn't matter to Harry. He put a greater emphasis on friendship over blood."

But what about class? Class distinctions seem so important in British culture. Was it the same in the world of Harry Potter?

"Class distinctions were touched upon throughout the series even though Harry wasn't a party to it. In many way, Ron Weasley was presented as the typical boy in the series, especially early on. He was the character who had the inferiority complex and who felt he didn't measure up. Growing up poor had something to do with that. In Harry's eyes, a person's wealth meant very little."

Well, it seems like Harry Potter did pretty well in your analysis. Who will you be critiquing next?

"You know, I'm a big fan of William Shakespeare. I've read many of his sonnets, plays and poems. I'm anxious to see the sexual, cultural and racial politics at play in Shakespeare's time and how they apply in the age of feminism and Black Lives Matter."
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Police vehicles block the Champs Elysees shopping street in Paris, France, on April 20, 2017. One policeman was killed, and another severely injured in a shooting incident near the Champs Elysees shopping street in Paris. [Photo/Xinhua]

The armed man who shot dead a police officer in Paris' iconic Champs-Elysees avenue on Thursday did not show any sign of radicalization before the attack, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said on Friday.

"He was not on the security services' watch list and had shown no signs of radicalization despite his many years of imprisonment," Molins told reporters.

However, police found a note near his body which contained messages sympathetic to the extremist group Islamic State (IS), he added.

Molins also confirmed that a pump action shotgun and two knives were found in the shooter's car, which he had stopped alongside a stationary police van in the Champs-Elysees.

Investigation is underway to determine whether the shooter had accomplices, said Molins.

Identified as Karim Cheurfi, the 39-year-old gunman was known to police for armed attacks on law enforcement officers.

He served 14 years in prison for attempted murders, with two against police officers.

On Thursday evening, Cheurfi with an automatic riffle shot dead a policeman and severely wounded two others before being killed.

The IS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The stand of Bank of China at a financial industry expo in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Bank of China said it and payment technology company Mastercard Inc jointly launched a debit card that enables payments in 19 foreign currencies for Chinese cardholder. The move targets the expanding number of bank card users who need payment services overseas but are without a credit card.

Increasing number of students studying overseas, stay-at-home mothers and fathers, freelancers, as well as retireeswho have demands for payment services in other countries or shop on overseas online marketplacesare a rising force in the sector.

According to industry analysts, they are an increasing group of bank card users, and developing payment services targeting the segment is one of the latest trends for payment technologies providers.

Debit cards now account for 70 percent of all payment cards globally and are expected to grow to 72 percent by 2021, according to data from financial consultants Retail Banking Research.

Bryan Ma, product management director of Mastercard, said the number of applicants for international debit cards was rising fast, particularly among those who travel frequently and make big-ticket payment from time to time.

Ma said flexibility was a key reason behind the popularity of debit cards.

"For example, applicants for international debit cards do not need to provide income and assets ownership documents ... as required for credit card applicants," he said.

"The debit card is also activated immediately after the application is approved and can receive interest from credit deposits."

The maximum daily withdrawal amount for the international debit cardholders is $1,000 daily through overseas ATMs, and the cards enable cardholders to also make big-ticket payments, such as paying tuition in overseas markets.

A fast-growing number of outbound tourists and students from China are driving up overseas spending by nations.

According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the total spending of Chinese outbound tourists in 2016 was $261 billion. Overseas spending by Chinese outbound tourists has been growing in double digits since 2004.

Payment services and payment technologies providers have been competing heavily to win Chinese cardholders' favor.

Almost all market players have launched privileges and discounts for dining, accommodation, visa applications, flights, cruises and online shopping.

Mobile payments are one of the fastest-growing payment habits of Chinese consumers and mobile payment services providers are also expanding their footprint globallyenabling users to make payments through a touch of their phone keypads or through scanning QR codes.
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China and Russia agreed to boost their strategic partnership of comprehensive coordination during the three-day visit of top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang to Moscow.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), has been in Russia since April 18. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly between the two legislatures.

Zhang hailed the growing bilateral ties under the leadership of Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, noting the partnership has broader room and greater potential for development than ever before.

A complex international situation has underlined the significance of China-Russia friendship, Zhang said.

The priorities of the two countries' legislative bodies are to safeguard and promote bilateral ties, he added.

Putin said that sound Russia-China relations have seen an increase in economic and trade cooperation, more progress in major projects, vigorous cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation at the local level.

Putin expressed confidence in the prospect of Russia-China ties, saying the two legislative bodies shall maintain close ties.

In separate meetings with Valentina Matviyenko and Vyacheslav Volodin, the top leaders of the upper and lower houses of the Russian parliament, Zhang said China and Russia should support each other on issues mutual concern and that serve their core interests.

Zhang encouraged law makers from both countries to use the Belt and Road Initiative and Eurasian Economic Union as opportunities to strengthen ties.

He also called on both sides to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges and further coordinate in multinational organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, to safeguard international justice.

For their parts, Matviyenko and Volodin said Russia and China have enjoyed a closer friendship thanks to the high-level ties between the countries' legislative bodies.

Zhang co-chaired with Matviyenko and Volodin a session of the legislative bodies, where he called on both sides to share experiences, promote trade and seek an overall growth in relations.

During his stay in Moscow, Zhang also met with representatives of the Russia-China Friendly Association and congratulated the association on its 60th anniversary.

The Chinese official laid a wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers at Red Square in downtown Moscow, visited the Lenin Mausoleum and the offices of the widely known media group Russia Today.

Russia is the last leg of Zhang's four-nation trip that began on April 12 and took him to Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus.
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United Rentals, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities. The specialty segment rents specialty construction products, including trench safety equipment consists of trench shields, aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, slide rails, crossing plates, construction lasers, and line testing equipment for underground work; power and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment, such as portable diesel generators, electrical distribution equipment, and temperature control equipment; fluid solutions equipment for fluid containment, transfer, and treatment; and mobile storage equipment and modular office space. This segment serves construction companies involved in infrastructure projects, and municipalities and industrial companies. It also sells aerial lifts, reach forklifts, telehandlers, compressors, and generators; construction consumables, tools, small equipment, and safety supplies; and parts for equipment that is owned by its customers, as well as provides repair and maintenance services. The company sells used equipment through its sales force, brokers, website, directly to manufacturers, and at auctions. The company operates a network of 1,360 rental locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. United Rentals, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
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Chemical gas attack kills 7 in Syria's Aleppo on April 4. [Photo/Xinhua]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed that the alleged chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun town was fabricated, and a bunch of lies.

The president made the remarks during an interview he made with Russian media outlets, namely Ria Novosti and Sputnik, published on Friday, and released by state news agency SANA as well.

There was no toxic attack in Khan Sheikhoun town, Assad said, charging that the United States and the Western powers have prevented an investigation team from coming into Syria to look into the allegation, "because the team will find that all the narrative about what happened in Khan Sheikhoun was mere lies."

Two weeks ago, the U.S. launched 59 missiles on a Syrian air base in Homs province in central Syria, in retaliation to an alleged chemical attack launched by the Syrian air force on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, during which over 70 people were said to had been killed.

The Syrian government completely rejected the accusations, saying it is not in possession of chemical weapons and that there was no need to resort to such option as the Syrian army was advancing and using such tactic will do a big harm.

Asked about the Syrian air defenses, prior to the American strike against the Shayrat air base in Homs two weeks ago, Assad said the rebels' main target was the Syrian air defenses, noting that the country lost 50 percent of the air defense capacity during the war.

He noted, however, that negotiations are ongoing with Russia to buy new air defense systems.

"This is the case always, before and through the war, of course we have become in need for more weapons after the war, and this is part of the daily relations between the Syrian and Russian defense ministries," the president said.
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.




On May 1st, Dr. Norm Ducharme, James Law Professor of Large Animal Surgery at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, will be taking over as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists (CRES).

He will succeed Dr. Alan Nixon, professor of large animal surgery, who completed his three-year term as CMO. As CRES founding chief medical officer (CMO), Nixon was pivotal in the launch and building of this new practice. I am pleased to see CRES mature into an established specialty practice serving the downstate horse population, including their owners, trainers, and dedicated veterinarians, says Nixon. This could not have been accomplished without strong support from all facets of the College who worked tirelessly to ensure a successful launch. We owe the growth of the practice to the insight of the College administration, the CRES faculty, and wonderful staff.

Nixon will continue to oversee the establishment of a new state-of-the-art robotics-controlled imaging system. Dr. Nixon will be ending his current appointment May 1st, but will continue as a rotating surgeon in both Elmont and Ithaca.

Norm Ducharme has agreed to serve as the next CMO at CRES, reporting to and working closely with Dr. Meg Thompson, Assistant Dean of Hospital Operations, and Ms. Jill Nordberg, practice manager. Drs. Nixon and Ducharme have been surgical colleagues and worked shoulder to shoulder for many years and the transition should be very smooth.

Its a great honour and responsibility to take up the reins at CRES, says Ducharme, I look forward to working in close collaboration with the clinicians and staff there to deliver the best possible care to our equine patients in collaboration with the clients veterinarian.

Ducharme is a board certified large animal surgeon at Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA) and CRES, has dedicated much of his clinical and research effort to understanding the equine upper airway. His research has focused on methods of identifying and quantifying dynamic upper airway obstructions, defining the anatomical structures and their function, and developing surgical and other methods for treating equine upper airway diseases. He graduated from veterinary college at the University of Montreal in 1979 and completed his internship and residency at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He received his Master of Science degree from the University of Guelph and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in 1985. Ducharme was medical director at CUHA from 1990 to 2014. Ducharme served as president and chair of the board of the ACVS from 2005 to 2007 and was inducted in the University of Kentucky Hall of Fame for Equine research in 2016.

(Cornell)
Before Tim Tetrick was a world-renowned harness racing driver, he was a member of the FFA. On Thursday night (April 20), Tetrick returned to those roots when he visited the Allentown High School chapter of the organization, which was formerly known by its full name, Future Farmers of America.

Tetrick participated in FFA all four years at Fairfield High School in southern Illinois. He served as the groups vice president and received a college scholarship for agricultural business through his involvement with the organization, although he decided to pursue a career in racing.

I think FFA is a great thing, Tetrick said at Allentowns monthly chapter meeting. It helps introduce people to the agricultural world and it gives you a lot of opportunities. I had the opportunity to get my college education because of FFA if I wanted to go that way. I hooked on with the horses and so far its been a great career choice for me.

Ive been very fortunate. If I could do it again, I would probably go to school to get my education and have that part of my life. But I cant regret what these horses have given to me, and to my family, providing for us.

Among the benefits of FFA participation, Tetrick said, is meeting new people and learning to interact with others. The lessons he gleaned through FFA were helpful as Tetrick moved from an eighth-grade class with eight people to eventually living and racing in Chicago and later the New York metropolitan area.

I lived in Chicago for eight or nine years, Tetrick said, adding with a laugh, I remember showing up in Chicago with my cowboy boots and belt buckle and when I left I had regular clothes on.

When I first moved to the East Coast and I was racing at Yonkers and New York City, it was kind of the bright lights. It kind of scared me. But Ive been able to fit in wherever I go. People are what you take from them. Everybody has good moments. Im easy-going.

Allentown High School is home to one of the nations top FFA programs. The groups current president, Joanna Ricci, also comes from a family involved with Standardbred breeding and racing. She presented Tetrick with an FFA T-shirt at the conclusion of his talk.



Tim Tetrick posed for a photo with the Allentown High School FFA officers. Tim Tetrick posed for a photo with the Allentown High School FFA officers.

Prior to Tetrick speaking, the students watched a video detailing some of Tetricks numerous accomplishments on the racetrack. The 35-year-old Tetrick has already driven the winners of $178 million in purses, good for fifth most in harness racing history, and won 9,647 races, which is 15th best all time in North America.

Ive gotten to travel to Sweden, Australia, New Zealand with these horses, said Tetrick, a four-time Driver of the Year Award winner. It all starts with agriculture, whatever field youre in. I caught on with the Standardbred business because of my family and FFA and its been very good to me. Ive been very, very fortunate.

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.
Renewable energy bill

The Renewable Energy Bill, Engrossed Bill 5128 (ESB 5128), was delivered to Gov. Inslee on April 18 to sign. We adamantly encourage the governor to sign this bill. A similar bill, sent to Gov. Inslee in 2016 was vetoed. The governor has 20 days to sign.

ESB 5128 expands Washingtons Energy Independence Act to include biomass as green energy. Biomass, as many who work or have worked at KapStone Paper and Packaging Co. know, is known around here as hog fuel. It is burning waste to make energy.

Washington Initiative 937 (I-937), passed by voters in 2006 with 52 percent of the vote, requires electric utilities with 25,000 or more customers to use 15 percent of eligible green energy by 2020. Cowlitz PUD would have to meet this requirement.

The City of Spokane has a Waste to Energy plant that has been working since 1991. At the time it was built, the State of Washington invested $60 million to build this facility as an alternative to a landfill as Spokane sits on a sole-source aquifer.

In a press release from the Northwest Pulp & Paper Association, Mike Roberts, energy manager for KapStones Longview facility, says the measure would help ensure local utilities meet their renewable power goals while also maximizing the companys commitment to clean energy.

KapStone is proud of the investments it has made in its energy infrastructure and its efforts toward being more energy efficient, said Roberts. When you step back and take a look at this, everyone benefits from renewable energy  our mill, utilities, their customers and the greater community. We are especially grateful for the efforts of Sen. Takko who has championed the bill this session.

ESB 5128 was sponsored by Sens. Dean Takko, D-Longview, and Ann Rivers, R-La Center and the companion bill, HB 1519, was sponsored by Reps. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, and Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. The bill ESP 5128, received bipartisan support passing the Senate unanimously (49-0) and almost unanimous in the House (91-7). The representatives that voted no were Steve Bergquist, D-Renton; Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland; Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwilla; Strom Peterson, D-Edmunds; Gerry Pollet, D-North Seattle; Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island and Derek Stanford, D-Bothell.

This bill would help Spokane, all of rural Washington and most definitely Cowlitz County.

We on the editorial board believe that biomass is renewable. Wed prefer converting our garbage to energy instead of filling yet another landfill. We hope the governor does the right thing for his state and signs the bill.

Protect the dogs

Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law to protect tethered dogs. Up until now Washington State had no law against animal abuse or cruel treatment due to tethering.

This new law will give animal care and control agencies, like the Humane Society of Cowlitz County, the ability to remove dogs from tethered situations deemed unhealthy due to lack of cleanliness, lack of proper shelter or due to danger.

Many dogs across the state are tethered most, if not all, the time. Dogs tethered with chains, shock collars and other harsh means could now fall under this new tethering law. The executive director of the Whatcom County Humane Society testified for this bill citing an instance where the chain around a tethered dogs neck literally became embedded in the skin. The dog was rescued and has since recovered.

And, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, chaining a dog can contribute to aggressive behavior.

We read far too many animal cruelty stories and applaud Gov. Inslee for signing this bill into law.

Open negotiations

Gov. Inslee has been criticized for negotiating union contracts in secret, but secret negotiations are standard process in Washington State. Secret labor contract negotiations are not new. TDN has asked local school districts to be much more open when negotiating teacher contracts.

When public money is being spent negotiations should be public, not done in secret. Just recently the Pullman School District passed a resolution to do just that  openly negotiate labor contracts.

Politicians and school districts have resisted adopting an open negotiations policy. Detractors to the idea say negotiating labor contracts can be contentious and difficult, by adding an open, public element, it could be even tougher.

Proponents say open negotiations allow both parties to truly be heard by taxpayers. Union members, who pay dues, know their representation is presenting their case as they want and administrators get to show the public and their employees they are not unreasonable.

Our two neighboring states, Idaho and Oregon, allow negotiations to be open to the public. Contract negotiations with Washington State government employees and teachers should be open to the public too.

Well see if any other school districts follow Pullmans lead.
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The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative is expected to get another boost as senior officials of Switzerland, a leading world financial center, and the World Bank vowed to strengthen cooperation with China on the massive project.

Switzerland is looking to sharpen its edge as a financial center with a proactive role in the initiative, said Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer.

"The initiative stands as one of the most important infrastructure projects across the world, not for me but for my grandchildren," said Maurer.

He said he believed Switzerland has what it takes to support the huge ribbon of newly developed infrastructure that is well underway with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Such a massive trade and infrastructure project, which will take a generation to come true and yield its full benefits, "really drives us to aim high and plan big, with a long-term vision at least 20 or 30 years ahead', he said.

Maurer made the remarks on Wednesday while leading a high-level Swiss delegation with major figures from the country's flagship financial institutions on a visit to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Singapore and Hong Kong.

"Switzerland is always well-positioned to partner with China.  With so many countries coming to China seeking collaborations, how can we afford to be left behind?" Maurer said.

In a sign of the country's determination to get on board, President of the Swiss Federation Doris Leuthard has confirmed that she will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on May 14 and 15.

At least 28 heads of state and government will attend the forum, the highest-profile international meeting on the Belt and Road Initiative since President Xi Jinping proposed it in 2013.

Meanwhile, Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank, also praised the initiative on Thursday during a news conference of the 2017 IMF/World Bank annual spring meeting in Washington, DC.

Kim said the World Bank is working closely with the Chinese government on the initiative and will continue to do so.

"The initiative is an extremely important one for the Chinese government and also for us," said Kim, who also plans to attend the Belt and Road forum in May.

"Not only are we engaged, for example, in a major study with China right now on the drivers of China's future economic growth, but we're partnering with the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) already," he said.

"Our engagement both with the Chinese government and with Chinese efforts at development, both through their own bilateral cooperation, but also through AIIB, will only grow going into the future," said Kim.
Dismissing Vodafone's contention in the Rs 20,000-crore tax case, the Finance Ministry has decided to not offer any relief to the telecom giant in the controversial retrospective tax case and has prepared a reply to the company's rejoinder which would be sent after the approval of the Prime Minister.

Vodafone had sent the notice to the government invoking the bilateral investment treaty with Netherlands saying that the retrospective amendment was not in the spirit of the Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA). It asked the government to abandon or amend the retrospective amendments, or face arbitration proceedings.

In reply to the notice , the government had said that they had already refunded the money as per the Supreme Court order and that such the company's move was premature. Vodafone then sent a rejoinder to the government asking for an undertaking that the retrospective amendment would not apply to the company. If such an undertaking is not given to Vodafone it is clearly indicative that the retrospective amendment applies to them.

Under the terms of the amendment, Vodafone Group would have to pay about Rs 20,000 crore in capital gains tax, penalty and interest on its 2007 acquisition of Hutchison Essar. After the Supreme Court quashed the income tax department's demand for sending a tax notice to Vodafone earlier this year, the government refunded the tax of Rs 2,500 crore, along with the interest, Vodafone had deposited earlier. While issuing the refund on March 18, the department told Vodafone the demand might be revalidated after the Finance Bill was passed

"We did not agree with Vodafone the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on Vodafone has prepared reply of Vodafone's rejoinder. The reply will be sent to the Prime Minister's Office first. After approval of the PMO, it will be sent to Vodafone," a senior official said after the meeting of IMG.

The government had earlier formed the IMG to look into the arbitration notice send by the telecom major under the India-Netherlands (BIPA).

The government has already replied to the initial notice arguing that tax matters are not covered under the BIPA. Following which the British telecom major sent the rejoinder seeking an assurance that the retrospective tax amendments would not apply to acquisition of Hutchinson's stake in Hutch-Essar in 2007.

The notice to the rejoinder, which has been prepared by the IMG, will have to be approved by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had taken over the finance portfolio following the exit of Pranab Mukherjee.

Following amendment to the Income-Tax Act with retrospective effect, Vodafone may be asked to pay Rs 20,000 crore tax, interest and penalty for its 2007 acquisition despite wining the tax case in the Supreme Court.

Agencies
Turkey oppon appeals over referendum result at top court

Protesters call for the annulment of a referendum that approved a sweeping expansion of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan\'s powers.

AFP, Ankara :

Turkey's main opposition party launched a legal challenge at a top court on Friday to last-minute changes to voting rules in the referendum that saw President Recep Tayyip Erdogan win expanded powers.

The 'Yes' side won 51.4 percent of the vote in last Sunday's referendum on creating an executive presidency, axing the role of prime minister from 2019.

But there was controversy after the Supreme Election Board (YSK) made a last-minute decision to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp, which the opposition argues opened the way for fraud.

The Republican People's Party's (CHP) lawyer Atilla Kart formally lodged the petition with the Council of State on Friday afternoon, telling reporters the move was not "just for the 'No' voters" but for the protection of all voters' legal rights.

The Council of State, set up during the Ottoman empire, is Turkey's highest administrative court.

Kart added there were also 'No' voters among the unstamped ballot envelopes the YSK allowed, describing the situation as "complete lawlessness".

Earlier, CHP deputy leader Bulent Tezcan said the party would open a case calling for the cancellation of the YSK's decision to allow the rule change.

Together with the third largest pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and another opposition party not in parliament, the CHP called for the referendum to be annulled this week.

On Wednesday, 10 members of the YSK decided against annulling the vote, while only one voted in favour.

Tezcan earlier urged the results not to be finalised until the case was concluded. The results are expected to be confirmed on April 27 or 28.

"Whether citizens said 'Yes' or 'No', we will continue our legal fight until the end to protect the rights of the 49 million citizens who voted," Tezcan said.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim responded by saying it was "not the democratic way to go to court, to make complaints to fix the people's decision".

Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Yildirim said the CHP and others had the right to challenge but "there was nothing we could say about using this".

Yildirim added: "The people have made their decision.... Disagreeing with the people's decision suggests not believing in democracy as much as necessary." He described such efforts as "futile" and said there was "no point in wasting more of everyone's time".
Three alternative approaches for correcting student misbehaviour

Jim Paterson :

Three popular new ideas in education that might help resolve discipline issues are closely linked, experts say, and support each other in expansive school-wide plans or in smaller efforts to help a student struggling in the classroom.

Educators increasingly are looking for alternatives to removing students from class or school, and have turned to new approaches for classroom management. Beyond that, however, there is more attention being paid to changing student thinking through mindfulness, social and emotional learning (SEL), and restorative justice.

Melissa Schlinger, vice president of programs and practice for the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), one of the leading organizations supporting SEL, points out the approaches are all related-mindfulness, perhaps, being one part of the SEL skills that CASEL believes are critical. "Mindfulness is directly connected to the things we think that students need to succeed, and then we also believe learning social and emotional skills is a critical part of restorative justice," she says.

Peter Montminy, a Penn State professor and child clinical psychologist who specializes in mindfulness techniques, agrees. "They are very much connected-and they represent the best new thinking about improving behavior," he says.

Both also note that while there should be a school-wide or district commitment to these efforts and a structure for training and supporting administrators and teachers, the approaches can be undertaken on a smaller scale in the classroom.

Here's a quick primer on each with links to a lot of resources.

SEL

Schlinger says there is an increasing amount of research showing SEL helps improve behavior and school culture, particularly a University of Chicago review of 213 studies of school-based SEL programs that reported that:

"SEL programs yielded significant positive effects on targeted social-emotional competencies and attitudes about self, others, and school. They also enhanced students' behavioral adjustment in the form of increased prosocial behaviors and reduced conduct and internalizing problems, and improved academic performance on achievement tests and grades."

CASEL has just published a new review of tools for educators on its site with recommendations from schools who have implemented SEL awareness programs.

This exhaustive report spells out general policies to develop SEL programs and highlights resources for a host of information, including these specific guides.

Specific lesson plans are available from a number of sources, and this detailed report lists CASEL's five core competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision-making) and specific goals for each, many of which focus on behavior.

It is critical, Schlinger says, for students to improve their skills in these fundamental SEL abilities if educators want them to reduce conflict and improve behavior, particularly empathy, self-awareness, and conflict resolution, which allow students to be more aware of others and their own responses to situations.

Mindfulness

Montminy says new research increasingly shows mindfulness works in the classroom and some data specifically shows it improves behavior, which included a study that shows it reduces brain activity related to aggression. Other research shows that with students having behavior disorders "mindfulness training provides a treatment option that helps an individual focus and attend to conditions that give rise to maladaptive behavior." An elementary school and a nearby high school in Baltimore have reported fewer discipline problems, better attendance, and even better academic performance by providing mindfulness lessons, a specific time for mindfulness each day, and a mindfulness center rather than a detention room. University of California at Berkley research recommends a few moments of mindfulness to "calm emotions and focus attention" to help meet Common Core requirements and improve behavior.

Montminy suggests schools make certain that educators have an opportunity to learn and practice mindfulness, understanding that it can reduce stress, make their work more focused, and ensure that their responses to situations more thoughtful and effective. Then, he says they can develop ways to bring it to the classroom and to individual students. There are a host of techniques and training available for teachers, but he says it often simply involves pausing to be conscious of your current situation, particularly your emotions and feelings, and accepting them. He said stopping a moment before school or before class can relieve stress and allow teachers to handle behavior problems better, which teachers sometimes escalate and could handle more effectively. "The time that we most need to relax when we don't feel we have any time for it," he says. "It takes just a minute to notice what is going on around us and what is going on within us and that helps prepare us for classroom challenges."

UCLA and the University of Massachusetts have two leading mindfulness research centers with resources. Two good books on the subject are Mindfulness in Plain English and The Mindful Geek.

For students, Montminy suggests three lessons:

STOP (with a STOP sign on the wall, perhaps). Reminding students to stop and "push the pause button"; take a quiet, deep breath; observe what's going on around and within them; and proceed thoughtfully rather than emotionally react. Anchor Breaths. Students take time to become very aware of their breath moving in and out of the body as "an anchor to gently bring a wandering mind back to the present, just like an anchor keeps a boat in place."

Name It to Tame It. When distracted, have student pause and remind themselves they are thinking rather than participating, listening, or learning. "Let go of your distracting thoughts and return to focusing on what you need to do, here and now."

There are a number of other activities for students of all ages in this article and more at the Association for Mindfulness Education. Other good resources include: Learning to Breathe, The Mindful Teacher and this Huffington Post article highlighting approaches to engage students.

Montminy notes it takes practice for teachers or students to develop these skills, but even initial exploratory efforts will begin to help.

Restorative Justice

A recent report may provide the best research and description of restorative justice (RJ) programs, which can range from talks between teachers and students using RJ techniques to formal restorative conferencing that involves students, staff, and often community members, including family. The focus is on the root causes of the issue, according to Trevor Fronius, a senior researcher who directed the detailed survey of recent research for the education research firm WestEd.

In the school setting, it often serves as an alternative to traditional discipline, including removing students from class, suspension, or expulsion. He says it "establishes a voice for all involved but also makes offenders accountable for the harm caused, and requires a plan to repair and restore relationships." Fronius' research finds good results from the practice (though it suggests more thorough research needs to be done) in addressing school culture and the social-emotional growth of students.

His group found that programs must focus on ongoing staff training with adequate time and funding for an internal RJ coordinator at the school. "Buy-in is critical," he says, "when a school leader who champions RJ leaves, it often does not get sustained if the school hasn't committed to it."

This guide from the state of Illinois offers a thorough overview of restorative justice in schools. A variety of education groups collaborated on this report that provides specific approaches, including community conferencing, peer juries, peer mediation, and "informal restorative practices that focus on social-emotional learning." The San Francisco Unified School District also developed a comprehensive guide for its schools, which have been enthusiastic about adopting it, and this site, which serves schools in California, has information about implementing an RJ program.

One way teachers can introduce RJ into their classroom is by having their students at the start of the year write a "respect agreement" that spells out how they will treat each other as well as the teacher in positive way, which avoids having teacher develop rules and make students comply. If a student violates the respect agreement, the teacher reminds them and asks if they want to honor it. Ninety percent of the time, the student does, experts say, and the problem ends. If further action is required, they then would meet with the student and make them responsible.

(Jim Paterson has been a newspaper and magazine editor and an award-winning writer for The Washington Post, USA Today Weekend, the Christian Science Monitor, Parents magazine, and a number of national and regional publications).
Lack of teacher diversity contributing to education attainment gap

Richard Conklin :

A recently released study by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics found that economically disadvantaged black male students who had at least one black teacher in third, fourth, or fifth grade were far more likely to graduate high school. According to the study's researchers, having a teacher of the same race during these elementary school years "reduced the probability of dropping out of high school among low-income black males by seven percentage points, or 39%." This particular demographic was also 29 percent more likely to consider pursuing a post-secondary degree.

"We're seeing spending just one year with a teacher of the same race can move the dial on one of the most frustratingly persistent gaps in educational attainment - that of low-income black boys. It not only moves the dial, it moves the dial in a powerful way," said Nicholas Papageorge, a co-author of the study.

Past studies on the effects of teacher demographic representation tended to focus on short-term outcomes (e.g., standardized test performance, attendance, suspensions); however, this study takes a longitudinal look at the impact teachers of color can have on the educational trajectory of students of color. Researchers reviewed administrative data on roughly 100,000 black students in North Carolina public schools who enrolled in the third grade between 2001 and 2005 and tracked their progression through the remaining elementary and secondary grade levels.

Papageorge and his colleagues speculate that the "role model effect" may explain why black students attain higher levels of education when paired with black teachers. "Many of these kids can't imagine being an educated person and perhaps that's because they've never seen one that looks like them. Then, they get to spend a whole year with one. This one black teacher can change a student's entire future outlook," said Papageorge.

While one cause for this improvement in educational outcomes may be attributable to the positive influence that teachers of color have, the results may also be credited to the mitigation of implicit bias. Papageorge and his research team previously looked at the role implicit bias plays in white teachers' assessment of black students' abilities. That study found that white teachers were nearly 40 percent less likely to believe their black students would graduate high school. "A teacher telling a student they're not smart will weigh heavily on how that student feels about their future and perhaps the effort they put into doing well in school."

Implicit bias may also play a significant factor in the disproportionate levying of suspensions and expulsions on students of color. Although black children represent only 16 percent of the country's K?12 student population, they make up 34 percent of one-time suspensions and 43 percent of multiple out-of-school suspensions. A National Women's Law Center toolkit, which aims to address the issue of discriminatory school discipline policies and practices, cites similar statistics between the disparity by which girls of color are suspended in comparison with white girls. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, in the 2013-2014 school year, black girls were "5.5 times more likely to be suspended from school as white girls" and were "more likely than any other race or gender to be suspended more than once."

Suspensions can have immediate detrimental repercussions on student performance, attendance, and behavior as well as long-term consequences, for example, increased risk of dropping out of school or being caught up in the criminal justice system. Constance Lindsay and Cassandra Hart, co-authors of the previously mentioned studies, looked at whether race and gender matches between students and teachers impacted disciplinary outcomes. They found "clear evidence that elementary school students are less likely to be subjected to exclusionary discipline when their race matches that of their teacher." Black male students were the largest impacted group. When these students were assigned a black female or black male teacher, their likelihood of receiving suspension or expulsion decreased 15 and 18 percent, respectively.

One of the biggest obstacles to closing the educational attainment gap is the staggering lack of diversity among the teacher workforce. According to a DOE report, "[l]ess than one in five U.S. public school teachers-18 percent-are individuals of color, while approximately half-49 percent-of public elementary and secondary school students are individuals of color."

Some areas of the country are taking steps to develop a more diverse workforce. For instance, Seattle established a teacher training program for that expressed purpose. "Forty-one percent of [its graduates] are teachers of color-double the 20 percent diversity rate for all teachers who work in Seattle Public Schools, and four times the state rate of 10 percent," according The Seattle Times. Graduates of the program commit to teaching five years at a high-poverty school or in a special needs classroom. Despite the program's successful track record for increasing diversity, the price tag of the program may deter cash-strapped states and localities from adopting similar ones.

Seeing the positive influence that just one black teacher can have on a black student's life, Papageorge believes that school districts should consider the short-term solutions available to them. "I think we can take the teaching force we have and do some thoughtful reassignment coupled with some intentional hiring and get this going quickly. A lot of the stuff I work on is like, 'Oh here is a policy you might want to implement in 10 years,' but with this you can do it tomorrow," he said.

(Richard Conklin, Education World Editor).


BOGRA: Md. Asaduzzaman, Superintendent of Police, Bogra inspecting a drug-healing and rehabilitaton center at Dattabari area in the town on Friday morning which is managed by Bogra Community Policing.
Alumni, re-union held at IIUC

Chittagong Bureau :

Vice Chancellor of International Islamic University (IIUC) Prof Dr Azharul Islam said, IIUC stands such position that really proud for us. This was disclosed at an alumni and re-union of old students who were graduated from this university and represent the university in the society.

He empathies that this day is different for our memories because we get together with our Ambassador who hold the position in the society and work for the welfare of the Society and the nation. He urged the Graduates from this university to obtain the art and to acquire self-development.

He was addressing in 1st re-union of Computer Science and Engineering that was held on Friday at the permanent campus premises in Kumira.

Mehedi Hasan , Department of CSE presided over the function .Nurul Islam, Dean of Uttara University ,Science faculty attended as Special guest . Teachers department of CSE Amanullah,Asst. Professor Samsul Alam ,Abdullah -Hil -Kafi and the departmental head of CSE at Uttara University also spoke on the occasion university sources said.

The chief guest Azharul Islam said that before two decade we are in small shape now we, stand in full pleasure University with our beautiful located permanent Campus surrounding by hill and plain land that was really to fulfill our dream.

Special guest said that in near future the IIUC will stands the possition in South Asia and urged the students who passed from this university will hold their possion in their work place,vission and raise their voice to motivated them as pioneer in the society.


Five-day int'l workshop on productivity begins in city



A five-day international workshop will begin in the city today with a view to increasing productivity in industry and agriculture sectors in the Asia-Pacific countries.

Industries Ministry Senior Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan will inaugurate the workshop titled "Emerging Roles of Producers' Association and Farmers' Cooperatives" at FARS Hotel and Grand Resort, said a press release here on Saturday.

National Productivity Organisation (NPO) is organising the workshop in association with Japan based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), to develop skills of producers and farmers in the region.

A total of 26 representatives from Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Bangladesh will take part in the workshop.

The workshop will end on April 27.
Human capacity for achieving SDGs underscored

State Minister for Finance Abdul Mannan, among others, at a roundtable on \'SDGs and Voluntary National Review (VNR) in Bangladesh: Perspective Citizen Participation\' organised by different organisations including Asian Development Alliance at the Jatiya



Right based civil society organizations urged the government to put effective strategies and actions to increase human capacity locally in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They also opined that the human capacity would see a surge once the government strengthens its institutional capacity and provides platforms for inclusive growth, where civil society gets enough space to participate in the development process.

The observations were made on Saturday at a seminar held at National Press Club with the title "SDGs and Voluntary National Review (VNR) in Bangladesh: Perspective Citizen Participation".

Asian Development Alliance, EquityBD, SUPRO, Global Campaign against Poverty and SDG Watch Bangladesh jointly organized the seminar which was chaired by, Chairman of PKSF Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman.

State Minister of Finance and Planning Md. Abdul Mannan spoke on the occasion as the chief guest. Three SDG-related keynote papers were presented in the seminar.

Dr. Qazi Kohiquzzaman said the increased human capacity was imperative for sustainable development and the standard rate of investment in human development should be at least 17 percent of GDP.

But due to resource constraints, he said, the government was unable to make required investment. He, however, said a light of hope was seen in the vicinity as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her commitment for capacity building.

MA Mannan said the government needs strong institutions for economic and social development. The people from spheres should extend their helping hands to rebuild the nation at every front.
Dengue : Now an annual visitor

THE capital is yet again experiencing an early outbreak of dengue and untimely rains may be to blame. Like last year, Aedes mosquitoes, transmitter of the dengue virus, have bred early this year alarming authorities and city dwellers and health officials say there are chances their number would be larger, as per a report of a local daily said.



This year, there have been frequent rains during January and April before the start of monsoon. This outbreak comes after a record number of dengue cases last year and an outbreak of chikungunya last winter. Chikungunya is spread by the same mosquito. At least 126 people were infected with dengue between January 1 and April 19, a number of highest since 2000 for the same period, shows data from the Health Directorate.



In Bangladesh, most of the dengue cases are reported during June and October as intermittent rains and high temperature and humidity during the months create the ideal breeding conditions for Aedes. However, the authorities last year saw a new trend of early dengue infection. During January and April 2016, at least 71 dengue cases were reported in the capital. At least 14 of them died. The total number of dengue cases last year was 6,020, the highest since 2002.



Epidemiologists believe early rain could be a reason behind this early dengue cases. The Aedes prefer to breed in clean, stagnant water in containers following rain near households, roadsides ditches and other places. Earlier, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) recorded 19 cases of chikungunya during the last week of 2016 and the first week of this year.



Dengue and chikungunya have no specific treatment. The treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms, says the World Health Organization (WHO). Dengue, which causes flu-like illness, can be fatal at times. Chikungunya, on the other hand, is not fatal, but causes fever and severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. The joint pain may be prolonged to weeks, says WHO.



A survey by DGHS last year found at least one in five homes in the Dhaka South City Corporation had stagnant water in containers with mosquito larvae or pupae. The survey found mosquito larvae or pupae mostly in plastic barrels, buckets, clay pots, used or abandoned tyres, tubes and water tanks.



It is quite simple to think of a remedy for such mosquito borne diseases. At the micro-level households should not keep containers of water uncovered in their houses or allow stagnant water to collect in anyway. The government should spray anti mosquito medicine in a timely fashion to reduce the spread of mosquitoes. The spraying should be done in an effective manner by targeting localities near jheels and lakes and areas like slums where anomalies in water retention are most likely to occur. Proper insecticides should be used, not substandard ones, to ensure effective delivery. These are all tried and tested ways to combat the menace of mosquitoes. There are no other ways to do so.






Militants dodge cops

Five suicidal vests, five bombs, IEDs, liquids seized: Police hunting fled militants, locals in fear

Police recovered 17 plastic containers filled with chemicals inside the militant hideout in Jhenaidah on Saturday.

Md Joynal Abedin Khan with Delwar Kabir :

The militants, who took shelter in an abandoned house in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila, have fled from the hideout by dodging the surveillance of cops personnel.

The members of the security forces could not find any militant in the tin-roof house owned by one Abdullah at the end of the two-day 'Operation South Paw' in Porahati Village of Sadar Upazila on Saturday afternoon, said our local corresponded quoting Police.

The law enforcers found five bombs, each weighing five kilogrammes, four hand-made grenades, five suicidal vests, 20 kg chemicals, Improvise Explosives Devices (IEDs) pistol and militant books from the house, police said on Friday evening.

Police are hunting the fled militant in possible places in the district and its adjacent areas where they might have stayed in the guise of religious devotees and common people.

The local people in the area are passing days fearing militant's attack and Police harassment.

They are now alert about sheltering any unknown person and less familiar relatives.

The district administration meanwhile withdrew Section 144 imposed two days ago in the area, said Deputy Commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukder.

"A 400-member Police team led by CTTC personnel took part in the operation. The operation was suspended on Friday night due to inclement weather and insufficient light. It was,however, resumed on Saturday morning," said Deputy Inspector General (Khulna Range) of Police Didar Ahmmed in a press briefing at Thanthania village under Porahati union of Jhenaidah Sadar on Saturday afternoon.

"Some of the bombs have already been disposed. As many as 20 containers filled with liquid have been found. The 30-litre containers are marked Hydrogen peroxide. Some five suicide vests, 100 splinters, one 9:00 mm pistol, seven rounds of ammunitions, 16 militant books, huge electric circuits and eight bomb-like mines were also found," the DIG said.

The house which was used by militants as a hideout is owned by one 'Abdullah', who became Muslim five years ago, he said.

The Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit Additional Deputy Commissioner Sanwar Hossain said that the Neo-JMB, the revived edition of militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, was using the house as a 'bomb-making facility.'

"As many as 30 members from the counter-terrorism unit and bombs disposal unit took part in the operation with the police. We have used our equipment to dispose of the explosives," the police official said.

The CTTC Deputy Commissioner Mohibul Islam said, "The operation team did not find any militant in the hideout. "The militants might have fled, sensing our presence.

"A man named Abdullah lived in the building with his wife. But they were not there during the drive," Jhenaidah Police Superintendent Mizanr Rahman said.

"The house has two rooms. We are yet to collect the details of the homeowner," the SP said.

The filing of a case accusing the house owner and his wife and some unidentified men, in this connection was under processing, said Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Harendranath Sarker.

Abdur Razzaq, inhabitant of Sonalipara in the village, said, "Nirbas Islam, one of the terrorists who carried out the Gulshan attack, had been living there since March with a false identity. We are in fear of attack by the escaped militants," he said.

"The militants residing in an almost abandoned house managed to flee sensing the drive earlier," the local said.

Earlier on March 31, Police seized grenades, bombs and explosives, but could not find anyone militant in a hideout that was cordoned off for two days in Comilla.


Businessmen now run private varsities

M M Jasim :

Businessmen are now dominating the country's private university trustee boards, while educationists have little space to play their due role.

Consequently, the universities in the private sector virtually turned into business houses where quality education is yet to be earned, according to the regulatory body.

A survey has found that 16 of the 19-member trustee board of North South University (NSU) are businessmen.

In the case of Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB), such businessman members are 10 out of 11.

Like NSU and the IUB, the owners of private universities are businessmen. Some of them even made the universities their prime business centres.

University Grants Commission officials said at least 90 percent BoT members of the private universities are businessmen and politicians. They have no target to make the people educated but to do business. In the meantime, a good number of the universities faced closure due to many irregularities, including certificate business.

Such businessmen-dominated BoTs influence the Vice-Chancellors in the academic, administrative and other activities. That is why, the VCs cannot work independently to build world standard educated people, as some pointed out to this correspondent.

In this circumstance, educationists are deeply worried about the future of higher education at the private universities.

They also blamed the flawed Private University Act-2010 where the criterion for being scuh trustees is not defined.

Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury told The New Nation: "Businessmen established the universities and they are doing business."

Professor Choudhury also said that these businessmen take huge money from the funds of the universities.

Mohammed Farashuddin, former governor of Bangladesh Bank and Chairman of BoT of East West University, said, the government gives approval to the BoT. "The government should not give nod to a BoT who has no contribution to the education sector," he added.

UGC Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan also admitted to the fact that private university BoTs are businessmen-dominated. "Such dominance hampers the efforts to achieve quality higher education. Their prime objective is to do business. Unfortunately, many of them made the universities their main business institutions," he said.

The UGC Chief said the mentality of such BoT members has changed the philosophy of higher education.

"Who is eligible to be a member of such BoT is not clear in the Private University Act-2010. Taking advantage of the loopholes of the law, the businessmen occupied the BoTs of all private universities," Professor Mannan said.


42.4pc survivors still jobless

Staff Reporter :

Around 42.4 percent survivors of Rana Plaza claimed that they are jobless and 57.6 percent are engaged in various types of wage and self-employments, says a recent survey.

Out of the 1403 survivors surveyed, 34.8 percent were men and 65.2 percent women with majority (over 70 pc) aged below 30 years of age. In the case of families of deceased, respondents were mostly spouses, fathers or brothers.

Action Aid Bangladesh (AAB) conducted the 4th follow-up survey titled 'Unforgettable and Unforgivable: Rana Plaza' that was released on Saturday. At least 1,136 people, mostly garment workers, were killed and more than 2,500 injured after the building collapsed in Savar on April 24, 2013.

Those who are unemployed cited 48.1 percent physical weakness and 33.4 percent mental weakness as

the main reasons for being unemployed.

The employment rate has increased over the last five years, though the progress is still slow, says the survey, conducted on survivors and families of the deceased. The sample sizes were 1,403 and 607 for survivors and families of deceased.

In the survey, 13.1 percent said their condition is getting worse, while 74.5 percent of the respondents said their physical health was somewhat stable and 12.4 were completely stable. Of the 13.1 percent who reported that their condition is deteriorating in the current survey listed headache, pain in hand and leg, back pain as some of the major problems.

The trend of 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 surveys show that physical health status of the survivors is improving and in some cases, it is completely stable.

In terms of psychosocial health, 30.8 percent are still in trauma in comparison to 58.4 percent survivors last year.

At present 57.2 percent reported that they are more or less stable and 12.0 percent have recovered fully.

The survey shows that some 4.8 percent earn less than the minimum wage of Tk 5,300 while 42 percent of the survivors have an average monthly income of Tk 5,301-10,301 and 31.6 percent earn between Tk 10,301-15,300.

The situation has improved significantly since 2015 when 76 percent earned less than Tk 5,300.

Average expenditure for survivors is Tk 10,560 with major costs incurred for food, followed by house-rent, children's education and treatment.

Compared to the families of deceased, most survivors do not have any savings left of the financial support they received. In the last 10 months, 97 survivors received trainings, while 121 psychosocial counselling and 115 health support.

In terms of the future plan, 41.8 percent survivors who are currently unemployed opted to expand or start their own business and 26.2 percent had no plans.

Action Aid Bangladesh has worked closely with the survivors and families of the deceased since 2013. AAB provided emergency support during the rescue and developed a comprehensive database of survivors in 2013.

Since 2013, AAB has been using the database to periodically collect information to track the progress of the survivors and families of the deceased.

"It's unfortunate to see such a situation of this large number of workers. They're getting deeper into poverty," said Action Aid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir sharing her thoughts on the survey report.

Additional Research Director at Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem said there has been absence of coordinated efforts on compensation and rehabilitation issues.


Zubaida`s contributions recalled

A memorial meeting remembering Zubaida Gulshan Ara, a veteran Juvenile litterateur and an author of prose fiction, was held in the auditorium of Manik Mia Foundation at Ittefaq Bhaban organised by aSahitya Bangladesha on Saturday. The program

Staff Reporter :

Speakers in a memorial meeting on Saturday said political affiliation should not be a barrier to honouring a litterateur and poet for her contributions.

The discussion, organised by Sahittya Bangladesh to recall the contribution of litterateur Zubaida Gulshan Ara, was held at Manik Mia Foundation at Ittefaq Bhaban in city.

Professor Dr. Mahmud Shah Qureshi said Zubaida started writing while she was at class vii and continued it till death.

"Through her death we lost a very active litterateur, who inspired others

to love the country and to do something for it," he said.

Poet K.G Mostafa said Zubaida was an excellent personality who could make friendship with the people irrespective of class and religions

Journalist Syed Tosharaf Ali said due to lack of patronisation many potential writers and literary organisations cannot go ahead with their programme and plans.

Professor Asma Abbasi said, "Zubaida was a beautiful smiling person and I get inspiration from her in many works."

Eminent journalist Abdur Rahim was in the chair.

Lipi Monowar, Mukit Chowdhury and Zakir Abu Zafor also spoke on the life and works of litterateur Zubaida Gulshan Ara.

Writer Zubaida Gulshan Ara was born on April 22, 1942 and died on 19 March this year. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2005.

Zubaida Gulshan wrote 50 books. She served as the General Secretary of the literary organization "Sahittya Bangladesh." She was also the Chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy.


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10 counts of Wire Fraud

9 counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices

9 counts of obtaining information from a Protected Computer

8 counts of Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer

2 counts of Aggravated Identity Theft

Longest Ever Hacking-Related Sentence in the United States

"Today is a bad day for hackers around the world," said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. "As Mr. Seleznev has now learned, and others should take note  we are working closely with our law enforcement partners around the world to find, apprehend, and bring to justice those who use the internet to steal and destroy our peace of mind."



"Whether the victims are multi-national banks or small pizza joints, we are all victims when our day-to-day transactions result in millions of dollars ending up in the wrong hands," Hayes added.

Russian MP: Sentence "Passed by Man-Eaters;" My Son is innocent!

The son of a prominent Russian lawmaker was sentenced on Friday by a US federal court to 27 years in prison after being convicted of stealing millions of US credit card numbers and causing some $170 million in damages to businesses and individuals.This sentence is so far the longest sentence ever imposed in the United States for a hacking-related case. Roman Valeryevich Seleznev , 32, the son of a Russian Parliament member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), Valery Seleznev, was arrested in 2014 while attempting to board a flight in the Maldives and then extradited to the United States.Upon arrest, federal authorities retrieved a computer that contained over 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers.Seleznev, also went by the moniker 'Track2' online, was convicted in August 2016 of 38 charges related to stolen credit card details, which include:In federal court in Seattle, the government asked for a 30-year prison term for 38 counts, saying Seleznev not only helped grow the market for stolen credit card data but also "became one of the most revered point-of-sale [POS] hackers in the criminal underworld."Seleznev  and potentially other cyber criminals who are unknown to the authorities  developed a hacking scheme that used automated techniques to hack into POS machines in retailers and install malware to steal copies of credit card numbers.The lists of millions of stolen credit card numbers were then sold on various online "carding" websites and the dark web. Prosecutors said his hacking campaign hit more than 3,700 businesses.Before his sentencing, Seleznev asked US District Court Judge Richard Jones for leniency, urging the judge to consider his medical issues, the result of being caught and injured in 2011 terrorist bombing, in deciding his prison term.However, Jones told Seleznev that the Morocco bombing "was an invitation to right your wrongs and recognize you were given a second chance in life," but instead, you "amassed a fortune" at the expense of thousands of small business.Twenty-seven years in prison is an absolutely inappropriate sentence for cyber theft, Seleznev's defense attorney Igor Litvak stated on Friday.Seleznev's arrest in the Maldives and then extradition to the United States sparked an international dispute between American and Russian authorities. The Russian Foreign Ministry even characterized the extradition as a "kidnapping" and against all norms of international law.Russian MP Valery Seleznev, the father of Seleznev, said the sentence was "passed by man-eaters" and that his son was "abducted."The Roman MP added that his "son was tortured because being in jail in a foreign country after abduction is torture in itself. He is innocent."Mr. Seleznev also said that he viewed the 27-years-prison sentence as a life sentence because his son would never survive these much years in prison.
A few months short of four years ago, 19-year-old Cashton Arnold died when the top of a silver 2011 Kia Forte in which he was a passenger was sheared off after going under a semi trailer.

Driving the Kia in that Aug. 16, 2013 crash was Brady W. Wolfe of Cornell. Wolfe, 25, is charged with homicide by vehicle-use of a controlled substance, intentionally abusing a hazardous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wolfe returned to Chippewa County Court on Friday, after his case was put on hold in 2014 to await another court to rule in an unrelated case.

The case has been pending for quite awhile, Judge Steven Cray noted Friday.

It turns out it will be awhile longer before the case will be decided.

Assistant District Attorney Chad Verbeten said a plea agreement has not been reached.

I think we agree a trial date should be set and a trial will take three days, he said.

The 2013 fatal crash was on N. Hastings Way at Melby Street, in a portion of the city of Eau Claire thats in Chippewa County.

His case was held up for a Court of Appeals and eventually the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In the March 1 ruling, the states Supreme Court found that, under some circumstances, law enforcement agents without obtaining a warrant may take blood samples from an unconscious driver.

A blood draw was taken of Wolfe after he was placed in a medically-induced coma following the crash.

But defense attorney Sarah Mae Harless said the Supreme Court ruling didnt settle the matter, and motions will be filed about the taking of that blood draw.

Eau Claire Police said a keyboard dust cleaner bottle was found on the passenger floorboard of the Kia along with a balloon packaging wrapper near the drivers side door. A second can of keyboard dust cleaner was found in the cars glove compartment.

In a practice called huffing, keyboard dust cleaners are sprayed inside a balloon or bag and inhaled. In a legal brief, Harless said Wolfes blood test results showed no evidence he was huffing.
If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs.
This months screening will be curated by Rebecca Snedeker, who will be showing the Luisa Dantas film "Land of Opportunity" on Monday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Admission to the series is free, but a suggested $5 donation will go toward the cost of screening and curating costs.

Vermilionville presents the next entry in its free monthly cultural film series, Les Vues, which is held the last Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in their Performance Center.

The free film series is curated by filmmakers and enthusiasts, mostly from around the state and center around the curators interest and can range from features, documentaries, student film, shorts, animation, etc. Following the screenings will be an open discussion between the audience and the curator about the movie and how it applies on a local level.

This months screening will be curated by Rebecca Snedeker, who will be showing the Luisa Dantas film "Land of Opportunity" on Monday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Admission to the series is free, but a suggested $5 donation will go toward the cost of screening and curating costs.

ABOUT THE FILM

"Land of Opportunity" asks the question: What kind of cities do we want to inhabit in the 21st century? Through the eyes of urban planners, displaced residents, immigrant workers, developers, community activists, artists and public housing residents this question is asked, answered and asked again. But this is not just a situation that is happening somewhere else and to someone else, as the tagline points out: its happening to a city near you.

As cities all over the world struggle to recover from disaster, whether economic, natural or man-made, the filmmakers believe that the lessons of post-Katrina New Orleans have only become more urgent. They want to utilize the diverse stories theyve captured to galvanize and educate urban America around the core urban issues of urban redevelopment, immigration, and affordable housing.

The filmmakers aim to inspire nuanced discussions and support the work of organizations that cut across single-issue frameworks to build a broad-based and multi-racial movement for urban spatial justice.

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Rebecca Snedeker is the Clark Executive Director of the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South in the School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University. Prior to this position, she worked as an independent documentary filmmaker, writer, and program curator for twenty years, cultivating a body of work that supports human rights, creative expression, and environmental justice in her native city, New Orleans.

Snedeker co-authored Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas (University of California Press, 2013), a book of 22 imaginative maps and essays, with Rebecca Solnit. She has produced several feature documentaries that take place in New Orleans and the Gulf South, including By Invitation Only (PBS, 2007), Witness: Katrina (National Geographic Channel, 2010), and Land of Opportunity (ARTE, 2010) and contributed to many others, including Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans (PBS, 2007) and A Village Called Versailles (PBS, 2008).

Snedeker serves on the Steering Committee of New Day Films, a 40-year-old, filmmaker-owned film distribution company, and formerly served on the boards of the New Orleans Film Society, Patois: The New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, and Video Veracity.

She earned her BA degree from Wesleyan University in 1995, with honors in Studio Arts and a focus on Painting, and is the recipient of an Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Programming  Long Form, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Third Circuit Court of Appeal Candidate Candyce Perret now knows The IND will get to see at least portions of the lawsuits her ex-fiance filed against her, but she is holding onto hope we won't be able to publish what's in them till after the April 29 runoff.

Third Circuit Court of Appeal candidate Candyce Perret and her ex-fiance are both fighting to keep public records from the public. They won't succeed. Photo illustration

[Editor's Note: Read the update to this story here.]

New Orleans Civil District Court Judge Piper Griffin made it clear in Thursdays hearing that The Independent will prevail  at least in part  in its efforts to unseal three lawsuits filed against Third Circuit Court of Appeal candidate Candyce Gagnard Perret by her ex-fiance, New Orleans attorney John Houghtaling Jr.

In late March, this news organization filed a public records lawsuit against a sole defendant, Orleans Parish Civil District Court Dale N. Atkins, seeking to unseal legal actions Houghtaling filed against Perret in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Prior to its public records lawsuit, however, The IND received from a source a copy of the original 2005 petition, in which Houghtaling sought a restraining order against Perret, alleging she stalked, harassed, intimidated and defamed him and his new girlfriend. (We were able to confirm in the New Orleans courthouse this week that the 2005 suit is indeed under seal.)

Based on what we now know about the disturbing 2005 suit, The IND believes there is even more troubling information about this controversial candidate in these remaining sealed suits. Why else would she and Houghtaling  whom we assume also has something he wants to hide  fight so hard to keep the suits out of the public domain?

In her New Orleans courtroom this week, Judge Griffin ruled that Houghtaling and Perret do have standing in The IND's action and allowed them to intervene. That means Perret and Houghtaling may be subject to the obligations and enforcement provisions of the Louisiana public records statute, meaning they could be liable for The INDs attorneys fees, court costs and $100 a day penalties for each day they fail to turn over the public records.

The original defendant in the case, Clerk of Court Atkins, has not taken a position in the case; her attorney, Fred Herman, appeared in court to tell the judge his client is merely awaiting her decision.

By Monday at 3 p.m., Perret's and Houghtaling's respective attorneys (New Orleans lawyers James Williams and Keith Doley initially appeared in court March 23, in The INDs earlier attempt to unseal the records, on behalf of both Houghtaling and Perret but have since split their representation) must file their oppositions to The INDs public records suit seeking to unseal the actions. Doley and attorney Chris Gobert are now representing Perret, and Williams is legal counsel for Houghtaling. (Present for The Independent were Publisher Steve May and Editorial Director Leslie Turk.)

More important, however, was Griffins directive to the attorneys to review each of the three cases and create a redaction log, essentially making the case to the court for why they think portions of the suit should be shielded from public view. Thats also due by 3 p.m. Monday, at which time IND attorney Gary McGoffin will be allowed to review the suits and the proposed redactions, establishing the papers opposition to their claims of privacy.

McGoffins response to their redactions and to their opposition to unseal the suits is due to the court by Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Griffin set a hearing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, saying she will rule in the case at that time. That means voters may have at least some idea what's in those lawsuits before they go to the polls April 29 to decide between Perret and Susan Theall in this election. The parishes in the district include Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion. The race is for the eight years remaining on the term for the seat made vacant when Jimmy Genovese of Opelousas won election to the Louisiana Supreme Court over Marilyn Castle of Lafayette in November.

The IND believes the law is clearly on our side in this legal battle  we cite case law from the state Supreme Court decision in Copeland v Copeland, in which The Times-Picayune prevailed in its effort to unseal the divorce proceedings of the late Al Copeland. The decision notes in part:

Whenever there is doubt as to whether the public has the right of access to certain records, the doubt must be resolved in favor of the publics right to see. To allow otherwise would be an improper and arbitrary restriction on the publics constitutional rights. ... Although there may be some justification for sealing certain sensitive evidence in a proceeding, the parties have the burden of making a specific showing that their privacy interests outweigh the publics constitutional right of access to the record. The trial court, should it grant such relief, must ensure that its order is narrowly tailored to cause the least interference possible with the right of public access.

The irony in this latest public records effort is that it is Perret, by virtue of her decision to run for the Third Circuit Court of Appeal, who best makes the case for why we should prevail.

Voters have a constitutional right to access all of the information contained in these suits before deciding who should represent them on the appeals court. And experts we have consulted can find no legal privacy protections that outweigh the publics right to know.

Who is Candyce Perret? Can we trust her to be a judge? Other than her troubled past (read more here), so very little is known about her. Ask an attorney friend if he or she had ever even heard the name Candyce Perret before this election.

Its important to point out that Perret and Houghtaling, both of whom have been practicing since 1997, had various options available to them to settle their differences in a private setting, among which are arbitration, mediation or other privately signed and sealed documents (all Perret has disclosed thus far is that one of the cases is a "confidential settlement agreement"). Instead, they chose to go through the civil court system, with full knowledge that civil suit records are public records. Now they are fighting tooth and nail to avoid public scrutiny of their own decisions.

They cant have it both ways. We wont let them.
Hurricane Update: Fears arise that Gov. Ron DeSantis may reroute Hurricane Ian from Florida coast to Martha's Vineyard

Study: People who define themselves by what they stand against, are usually afraid to tell people what they stand for

Liz Cheney: Voters need to ask themselves, why they are so out of touch with their politicians

White House: IRS toy guns for children are now politically correct, mandatory

BREAKING: Biden's economic sanctions on the U.S. to be partially lifted prior to November election

GOP's new slogan for midterms: Make Dissent Patriotic Again

PSA: Due to high gas prices police departments will now be responding and making arrests via Zoom.

NYT: Roe vs Wade to be renamed the "Don't Say Fetus" law

Democrats insist on carrying unwanted presidency to term

Elon Musk went to bed thinking he owns Twitter. Then the mail-in ballots arrived at 2am...

Obama: "If you like your information you can keep your information"

Fact checkers reveal Biden handler not a real Easter bunny

Biden 2021: you'll save $0.16 on 4th of July BBQ!

Biden 2022: you'll save a ton of $$ if you don't eat this 4th of July!

Disney to buy Epstein Island for new theme park

The Biology Underground is like the Weather Underground, except they are real biologists and they've had to go underground

"Psssst. Hey you, kid. Ya wanna watch a Disney movie with me?"

"I am not suicidal," says COVID-19 after being contracted by Hillary Clinton

Trans-swimmer Lia Thomas's trophy is smaller than for male swimmers, and only 73% gold

Sources: U.S. now considers majority of U.S. citizens a threat to U.S.

BREAKING: Russian General claims he was beaten up outside Ukrainian bio lab by two Nazis who poured vodka and caviar over him and yelled "This is NATO Country!"

Global warming news: 100,000 Russian migrants fleeing climate change about to march into Ukraine

Future headline: Donald Trump to buy CNN for one dollar

Georgia Governor Stacy Abrams feels honored to be the new Supreme Court justice

President Biden: 'Vote for me or I'll shoot this foot'

Fact checkers give Pinocchio's speech four Bidens

Fauci: The only thing we have to fear, is a lack of fear itself!

Study: Most people have had sex more violent than January 6th

Facebook permanently bans Facebook from Facebook for violating Facebook community standards

New remake of the 1950's horror movie Them to be titled Them/They

Teachers Union: Idea that CRT is being taught in K-12 just a conspiracy theory by white supremacists trying to maintain their systemically racist police state

Xze/She/He who controls the past controls the future; Xze/She/He who controls the present controls the past

S ocialists vow to fight against Critical Socialism Theory

A more perfect Soviet Union: the Party pretends it unites us, and we pretend we are united

Biden solves border crisis with free direct flights from Central America to major metropolitan areas

Critical race theory: destroy the world of systemic racism, build a world of systemic race-baiting

In the future everyone will get canceled for fifteen minutes

Biden proposes bill to spend two trillion dollars on more money printing factories

Social unity: They pretend to hold elections and we pretend we voted

Immigrants to Texas and Florida from New York and California break down and cry when they realize all their sacrifices for a better tomorrow were based on lies

China anal swabs detect new 'silent but deadly' transmission of covid-19 variant

Social science breakthrough: 'White' is the new way of saying 'Bourgeois'

Biden administration swat teams make sweeping arrests of underground female-only track meets

'Green energy' to be renamed 'blackout energy' for easier comprehension of climate complexities

New children's game: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Science







Texas: Biden administration sends emergency wind turbines to help fight the blackouts

BREAKING: Biden signs executive order canceling the number 45

ATTENTION: It is your duty to report anyone who says this is no longer a free country. Fact-checking commissars are monitoring all state-approved social media platforms for your convenience

OUT: If you don't vote, you can't complain!

IN: If you didn't vote Democrat, you can't complain!

Social media justice: followers removed from pro-Trump accounts will be added to Biden's Twitter account

Fact check: a democratic election is the one in which votes are counted until Democrats win

JUST IN: China bans Twitter for being too totalitarian

Pelosi introduces new House rule to replace 'gender' terms like mother, daughter, father, son with the word 'comrade'; the only acceptable pronoun will also be 'comrade'





Sources: Biden transition team demands access to White House basement to begin renovations

BREAKING: President Trump pardons America for its past

Prime Minister Modi: to avoid accusations of racism India will change its name to Cleveland

Biden creates Antifascist Librarian Justice Committee; the first book scheduled for burning is Fahrenheit 451

Media study: 148% of Americans believe voter fraud doesn't exist

2020 Election forecast: if Joe Biden emerges from the basement on Election Day and sees his shadow, expect four more years of Trump

BREAKING: President Trump pardons Corn Pop

Toobin, though on administrative leave, is still pulling for Biden

Chinese whistleblower: Biden-20 was genetically engineered in a Wuhan lab

Nancy Pelosi sponsors a bill to create the office of removal of the President

New college humanities major: Critical Trump Studies

Opinion: Joe Biden is just an idea

CNN: Biden took a solid second place in the debate, while Trump only came next to last

Having ordered that all Californians switch to electric cars by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom follows up by mandating them to have electricity by 2035

Election 2020: Joe Biden pledges to a peaceful post-election transfer of power to George Soros

Out: Flatten the curve. In: Flatten the country.

Breaking: the Democrat Party has finished transitioning from being the party of JFK to being the party of Lee Harvey Oswald

Paradigm shift in Chromatics: Study shows Indigo (#3F00FF) mixed with Jamaic (#C0FF01) yields Black (#000000)

Study: the trouble with wokeism is eventually you run out of victims

Stacey Abrams refuses to concede to Harris; declares herself Biden's VP

Election 2020: Spunky former presidential candidate wins VP slot by a head

Churches in many states to hold services in opened up pubs and bars

Election 2020: Xi Jinping still undecided on vice president for Joe Biden

Reports: Republicans pounce on 'Republicans pounce' reports

Minneapolis launches online looting app to combat Covid-19

DNC study finds lockdowns no longer necessary as the economy is now being destroyed more effectively by looters and rioters

With America in lockdown, China offers to host Democrat primary

Bernie Sanders tests negative for President

In related news, Joe Biden follows other candidates in withdrawing from race and endorsing Joe Biden

New York Governor Cuomo shuts down all 'non-essential' business, surprised to find himself out of a job

Biden commits to picking a woman as running mate as long as she passes his sniff test

Joe Biden's coronavirus prevention tips: always rub hand sanitizer on young girls before sniffing and fondling them

Russian lawmakers warned that the American Democrats are meddling to re-elect Putin

Joe Biden promises lucrative board member jobs as door prizes to get people to his rallies

Democrats now worried they might even lose the illegal alien vote

Soleimani's remains FedExed back to Iran and now no one knows what happened to the box

BREAKING: massive search underway in Iran after Soleimani's boxed FedEx'd remains stolen off front porch

Liz Warren harshly critical of Biden's suggestion to coal miners that they should learn to code, offers to have them trained as romance novelists instead

Pelosi: "First we have to impeach Donald Trump before we can find out why we impeached him."

Schiff calls his Amazon Alexa to testify: 'She knows absolutely everything'

Iran answers to new Reagan statue in Berlin by erecting Obama statue at Tehran airport where he delivered pallets of cash

California accepts award for most progressive environmental policies; further progressive developments to be announced as blackouts permit

BREAKING: Romney DNA test reveals he is 1/1024th Republican

California Governor Gavin Newsom blames electricity blackouts on Ukrainian kulaks, vows revenge

Rat falling from White House ceiling fears for his life, begs reporters for protection, offers a tell-all memoir

Latest UN climate report shows this month so far has seen the scariest climate pronouncements on record

Climate science: there's no need for climate protests in China because China is already communist

Islamic clerics split on whether Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should be traveling around the world without an accompanying male relative

Dem candidates call for the Beatles' song 'Get Back' and the 'White Album' to be banned; surviving two white guys of the group must pay reparations

Bond's number is up: next 007 will be a black woman, played by Barack Obama

NYT: moon landing was one small step for Man, one giant leap for White Male Supremacy

HURRICANE WATCH: Tropical storm Barry has records sealed, once offshore expected to change name to Barack

Trump politicizes the 4th of July, declares it henceforth to be called the 45th of July, or July the Trumpth

Barack Obama critical of Trump for failing to insert 'I, me, my' into his 4th of July speech: "very unpresidential!"

Congressional Democrats: John Dean's testimony proves Trump is Nixon in disguise and must be impeached

Bernie Sanders admits to being a millionaire, promises to eat himself if nominated

International Women's Day observed, women only paid 73% of attention afforded to men

Democrats: anti-Semitism means never having to say you're sorry

AOC: aborting babies helps preserve the planet for the next generation

Bernie Sanders launches presidential campaign, promises to "build a great big beautiful Iron Curtain" around America if elected

West Virginia renames itself Eastern Kentucky to avoid further embarrassment from Virginia

BREAKING: Justice Ginsburg released from hospital after breaking 3 ribs at late night bar brawl in Adams Morgan

DNA news: Senator Warren tanking in latest totem polls

Orwell studies: 84% of academics believe problems raised in 1984 can be fixed with solutions from Animal Farm

Progress in gender justice: online dating industry issues recommendations for men to wear body cameras, bring attorneys as chaperones

Study: the only people who don't know what socialism is are the socialists

Poll: 1 in 3 #FightFor15 activists believe movement is related to lowering the age of consent across America

CNN expert: Kavanaugh confirmation will increase global warming by 3 degrees

Harry Reid comes forth to say Judge Kavanaugh didn't pay any taxes in high school

Hollywood to America: If you've got a flag on the Moon, you didn't plant that; some other country made that happen

Protest march in straight jackets against Trump ends in chaos as participants try but fail to free themselves

HEADLINES YOU WILL NEVER SEE: California Gov. Jerry Brown single-handedly stops wildfires in his state by issuing an immediate statewide ban on wildfires

San Francisco closes all Planned Parenthood clinics after sting operation catches employees using plastic straws

Vegan mother undergoes experimental surgery to force her breasts to produce almond milk

With none of his emails answered, frustrated Nigerian man commits suicide and leaves $100bn fortune to charity

California gives new meaning to strawman argument as caped Strawman battles supervillains in restaurants, bars, and fast food joints

Violence increases in Mexico as cartels switch from smuggling drugs to plastic straws to San Francisco

Obama proposes a Paris Economic Change agreement among nations to address how world will cope with future runaway economic warming

Stormy Daniels plans border visit to give migrant children freebies

San Francisco: man dumping off 20 lbs of human waste in plastic bag on street corner cited for using non-biodegradable plastic bag

BREAKING: ICE renamed Planned Citizenship, immediately absolving it of all criticism

Senate Democrats demand Supreme Court nominee not be unduly influenced by U.S. Constitution

BREAKING: In 2018, Obama and Biden can finally celebrate Recovery Summer

IG Report: the FBI broke the law, but since there was no criminal intent, no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case

Pelosi on Trump's MS-13 "animals" comments: "Four legs good, two legs bad"

Iran nuclear talks set to resume between the United States and John Kerry

Report: The Mueller investigation has finally determined that the lyrics to Louie Louie are not about Trump and Russian collusion

MARKETS: Demand for carbon credits spikes as Hamas seeks to undo damage to Earth's atmosphere caused by burning 10,000 tires on Gaza border

BREAKING: After state reassignment surgery Pennsylvania will henceforth be known as Transylvania

Experts: If we don't act now, unicorns will be extinct in just ten years. Children will ask, "Mommy, what's a unicorn?" Women and minorities will be forced to seek alternative hallucinations

Korean war must continue: Hawaiian federal judge declares Trump's peace effort unconstitutional

New York: feminists march on Broadway, demand the street be given new, non-misogynistic name

Experts: California's planned transition of all state jobs from citizens to illegal aliens by 2020 will help to avoid bankruptcy and save money for social programs for illegal aliens

Putin: If I didn't want Hillary to be president she would be dead

Doritos maker PepsiCo to introduce snack line for women; new Doritas chips will be 77% as big as Doritos and won't make any scary 'crunchy noises'

TMZ: Tooth Fairy accused of sexually assaulting millions of children, outs self as Transgendered Tooth Recovery Specialist

RUSSIA COLLUSION: Trump offers Putin to trade Rep. Maxine Waters for two unnamed members of the State Duma

Ikea founder dead at 91; his coffin arrived in a box with confusing instructions and took 3 hours to assemble

This Thanksgiving ex-president Obama continues with his tradition of apologizing to turkeys everywhere for the injustice they suffered since America's founding

Oslo, Norway: 2017 Nobel Peace Prize goes to advocacy group about which you'll forget immediately after reading this headline

Cambridge, MA, library to replace racist 'Cat in the Hat' with inclusive 'Che in a Beret'

Millions of men worldwide eagerly await broadcast of Hugh Hefner's funeral, solely for the articles

Bill Gates offers to pay for Trump's wall on condition he gets to install Windows

Bernie Sanders introduces single-payer public transportation bill to end America's unequal, unfair, and expensive private transportation system

DNC embroiled in controversy after official Twitter account accidentally 'likes' pictures of US Constitution and Bill of Rights

Hurricane Irma hits Cuba, causes millions of dollars worth of improvements to property and infrastructure

Climate study: extreme weather may be caused by unlicensed witches casting wrong spells in well-meaning effort to destroy Trump

Ex-president Obama declares Irma "Hurricane of Peace," urges not to jump to conclusions and succumb to stormophobia

CNN: Trump reverses Obama's executive order banning hurricanes

ISIS claims responsibility for a total solar eclipse over the lands of American crusaders and nonbelievers

When asked if they could point to North Korea on a map many college students didn't know what a map was

CNN: We must bring America into the 21st century by replacing the 18th century Constitution with 19th century poetry

Pelosi: 'We have to impeach the president in order to find out what we impeached him for'

BREAKING: As of Saturday July 8, 2017, all of Earth's ecosystems have shut down as per Prince Charles's super scientific pronouncement made 96 months ago. Everything is dead. All is lost. Life on Earth is no more.

DNC to pick new election slogan out of four finalists: 'Give us more government or everyone dies,' 'Vote for Democrats or everyone dies,' 'Impeach Trump or everyone dies,' 'Stop the fearmongering or everyone dies'

Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" is humanity's last chance to save the Earth before it ends five years ago

Experts: The more we embrace diversity the more everything is the same

BOMBSHELL: TMZ offers Kathy Griffin $5 mil to keep any future sex tape private

DEVELOPING: CNN, WaPo, NYT anonymous sources say Vladimir Putin may have ties to Russia

BREAKING: Manning and Snowden have come out with strong condemnation of Donald Trump leaking classified information to Russia

Gun store goes into lockdown over report an "active university professor" roving the grounds

Dozens injured at Ralph Lauren & Louis Vuitton headquarters after Ivanka calls in missile strikes on rival fashion houses

BOMBSHELL: Evidence proves Donald Trump conspired with his campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton

University ranked "very intolerant of free speech" fights the accusation by banning the study and all involved

Concerned that Russians don't consume enough alcohol in the month of March, Russia's Orthodox Church makes St. Patrick's Day official holiday

Grassroots group calls for "The Million Regulators March" on Washington, supported by all who fear the loss of their betters telling them what to do

Experts: Starbucks CEO Schultz's hiring of 10,000 Muslim refugees likely to blow up in his face

Will the groundprog be frightened by its own shadow and hide - or will there be another season of insane protests?

Trump signs executive order making California and New York national monuments; residents have two days to vacate

Women's March against fascism completed with 400,000 fewer deaths than anticipated

Feminist historians uncover ghastly concentration camps where so-called "housewives" were forced to live inauthentic lives slaving away in kitchens

Dictionary of the future: Global Warming was a popular computer simulation game, where the only way to win was not to play

"Anti-fascist" groups violently protest misspelling of their original name, "aren't-we-fascists"

Post-inauguration blues: millions of democrats distraught as the reality of having to find real jobs sets in

"Journalism is the continuation of war by other means" is exposed as a fake quote by mainstream media journalists

Congressional Democrats: "We cannot just simply replace Obamacare with freedom because then millions of Americans will suddenly become free"

Schoolchildren jailed for building only white snowmen

Obama's reckless attacks on Russia serve as recruitment tool to create more Russian hackers

Hillary: "I lost, so I'm going to follow our democratic traditions, poison the wells, and scorch the earth"

Children in Venezuela cook and eat their Christmas toys

Hillary: "I can hack Russia from my bathroom"

Hillary suggests to counter "fake news" with government newspaper called "Truth" ("Pravda" for Russian speakers)

BREAKING: Millions of uncounted votes found on Hillary's private voting machine in her Chappaqua bathroom

New York Times: Fidel Castro world's sexiest corpse

After years of trial and error, CIA finally succeeds with the "waiting it out" technique on Fidel Castro

Post-election shopping tip: look for the PoliticsFree label at your local grocer to make sure you don't buy from companies that don't want your business anymore

In Hillary's America, email server scrubs you

Obama transfers his Nobel Peace Prize to anti-Trump rioters

Democrats blame Hillary's criminal e-mail server for her loss, demand it face prison

Afraid of "dangerous" Trump presidency, protesters pre-emptively burn America down to the ground

Clinton Foundation in foreclosure as foreign donors demand refunds

Hillary Clinton blames YouTube video for unexpected and spontaneous voter uprising that prevented her inevitable move into the White House

Sudden rise in sea levels explained by disproportionately large tears shed by climate scientists in the aftermath of Trump's electoral victory

FBI director Comey delighted after receiving Nobel Prize for Speed Reading (650,000 emails in one week)

U.N. deploys troops to American college campuses in order to combat staggeringly low rape rates

Responding to Trump's surging poll numbers, Obama preemptively pardons himself for treason

Following hurricane Matthew's failure to devastate Florida, activists flock to the Sunshine State and destroy Trump signs manually

Tim Kaine takes credit for interrupting hurricane Matthew while debating weather in Florida

Study: Many non-voters still undecided on how they're not going to vote

The Evolution of Dissent: on November 8th the nation is to decide whether dissent will stop being racist and become sexist - or it will once again be patriotic as it was for 8 years under George W. Bush

Venezuela solves starvation problem by making it mandatory to buy food

Breaking: the Clinton Foundation set to investigate the FBI

Obama captures rare Pokemon while visiting Hiroshima

Movie news: 'The Big Friendly Giant Government' flops at box office; audiences say "It's creepy"

Barack Obama: "If I had a son, he'd look like Micah Johnson"

White House edits Orlando 911 transcript to say shooter pledged allegiance to NRA and Republican Party

President George Washington: 'Redcoats do not represent British Empire; King George promotes a distorted version of British colonialism'

Following Obama's 'Okie-Doke' speech, stock of Okie-Doke soars; NASDAQ: 'Obama best Okie-Doke salesman'

Weaponized baby formula threatens Planned Parenthood office; ACLU demands federal investigation of Gerber

Experts: melting Antarctic glacier could cause sale levels to rise up to 80% off select items by this weekend

Travel advisory: airlines now offering flights to front of TSA line

As Obama instructs his administration to get ready for presidential transition, Trump preemptively purchases 'T' keys for White House keyboards

John Kasich self-identifies as GOP primary winner, demands access to White House bathroom

Upcoming Trump/Kelly interview on FoxNews sponsored by 'Let's Make a Deal' and 'The Price is Right'

News from 2017: once the evacuation of Lena Dunham and 90% of other Hollywood celebrities to Canada is confirmed, Trump resigns from presidency: "My work here is done"

Non-presidential candidate Paul Ryan pledges not to run for president in new non-presidential non-ad campaign

Trump suggests creating 'Muslim database'; Obama symbolically protests by shredding White House guest logs beginning 2009

National Enquirer: John Kasich's real dad was the milkman, not mailman

National Enquirer: Bound delegates from Colorado, Wyoming found in Ted Cruzs basement

Iran breaks its pinky-swear promise not to support terrorism; US State Department vows rock-paper-scissors strategic response

Women across the country cheer as racist Democrat president on $20 bill is replaced by black pro-gun Republican

Federal Reserve solves budget crisis by writing itself a 20-trillion-dollar check

Widows, orphans claim responsibility for Brussels airport bombing

Che Guevara's son hopes Cuba's communism will rub off on US, proposes a long list of people the government should execute first

Susan Sarandon: "I don't vote with my vagina." Voters in line behind her still suspicious, use hand sanitizer

Campaign memo typo causes Hillary to court 'New Black Panties' vote

New Hampshire votes for socialist Sanders, changes state motto to "Live FOR Free or Die"

Martin O'Malley drops out of race after Iowa Caucus; nation shocked with revelation he has been running for president

Statisticians: one out of three Bernie Sanders supporters is just as dumb as the other two

Hillary campaign denies accusations of smoking-gun evidence in her emails, claims they contain only smoking-circumstantial-gun evidence

Obama stops short of firing US Congress upon realizing the difficulty of assembling another group of such tractable yes-men

In effort to contol wild passions for violent jihad, White House urges gun owners to keep their firearms covered in gun burkas

TV horror live: A Charlie Brown Christmas gets shot up on air by Mohammed cartoons

Democrats vow to burn the country down over Ted Cruz statement, 'The overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats'

Russia's trend to sign bombs dropped on ISIS with "This is for Paris" found response in Obama administration's trend to sign American bombs with "Return to sender"

University researchers of cultural appropriation quit upon discovery that their research is appropriation from a culture that created universities

Archeologists discover remains of what Barack Obama has described as unprecedented, un-American, and not-who-we-are immigration screening process in Ellis Island

Mizzou protests lead to declaring entire state a "safe space," changing Missouri motto to "The don't show me state"

Green energy fact: if we put all green energy subsidies together in one-dollar bills and burn them, we could generate more electricity than has been produced by subsidized green energy

State officials improve chances of healthcare payouts by replacing ObamaCare with state lottery

NASA's new mission to search for racism, sexism, and economic inequality in deep space suffers from race, gender, and class power struggles over multibillion-dollar budget

College progress enforcement squads issue schematic humor charts so students know if a joke may be spontaneously laughed at or if regulations require other action

ISIS opens suicide hotline for US teens depressed by climate change and other progressive doomsday scenarios

Virginia county to close schools after teacher asks students to write 'death to America' in Arabic

'Wear hijab to school day' ends with spontaneous female circumcision and stoning of a classmate during lunch break

ISIS releases new, even more barbaric video in an effort to regain mantle from Planned Parenthood

Impressed by Fox News stellar rating during GOP debates, CNN to use same formula on Democrat candidates asking tough, pointed questions about Republicans

Shocking new book explores pros and cons of socialism, discovers they are same people

Pope outraged by Planned Parenthood's "unfettered capitalism," demands equal redistribution of baby parts to each according to his need

John Kerry accepts Iran's "Golden Taquiyya" award, requests jalapenos on the side

Citizens of Pluto protest US government's surveillance of their planetoid and its moons with New Horizons space drone

John Kerry proposes 3-day waiting period for all terrorist nations trying to acquire nuclear weapons

Chicago Police trying to identify flag that caused nine murders and 53 injuries in the city this past weekend

Cuba opens to affordable medical tourism for Americans who can't afford Obamacare deductibles

State-funded research proves existence of Quantum Aggression Particles (Heterons) in Large Hadron Collider

Student job opportunities: make big bucks this summer as Hillarys Ordinary-American; all expenses paid, travel, free acting lessons

Experts debate whether Iranian negotiators broke John Kerry's leg or he did it himself to get out of negotiations

Junior Varsity takes Ramadi, advances to quarterfinals

US media to GOP pool of candidates: 'Knowing what we know now, would you have had anything to do with the founding of the United States?'

NY Mayor to hold peace talks with rats, apologize for previous Mayor's cowboy diplomacy

China launches cube-shaped space object with a message to aliens: "The inhabitants of Earth will steal your intellectual property, copy it, manufacture it in sweatshops with slave labor, and sell it back to you at ridiculously low prices"

Progressive scientists: Truth is a variable deduced by subtracting 'what is' from 'what ought to be'

Experts agree: Hillary Clinton best candidate to lessen percentage of Americans in top 1%

America's attempts at peace talks with the White House continue to be met with lies, stalling tactics, and bad faith

Starbucks new policy to talk race with customers prompts new hashtag #DontHoldUpTheLine

Hillary: DELETE is the new RESET

Charlie Hebdo receives Islamophobe 2015 award; the cartoonists could not be reached for comment due to their inexplicable, illogical deaths

Russia sends 'reset' button back to Hillary: 'You need it now more than we do'

Barack Obama finds out from CNN that Hillary Clinton spent four years being his Secretary of State

President Obama honors Leonard Nimoy by taking selfie in front of Starship Enterprise

Police: If Obama had a convenience store, it would look like Obama Express Food Market

Study finds stunning lack of racial, gender, and economic diversity among middle-class white males

NASA: We're 80% sure about being 20% sure about being 17% sure about being 38% sure about 2014 being the hottest year on record

People holding '$15 an Hour Now' posters sue Democratic party demanding raise to $15 an hour for rendered professional protesting services

Cuba-US normalization: US tourists flock to see Cuba before it looks like the US and Cubans flock to see the US before it looks like Cuba

White House describes attacks on Sony Pictures as 'spontaneous hacking in response to offensive video mocking Juche and its prophet'

CIA responds to Democrat calls for transparency by releasing the director's cut of The Making Of Obama's Birth Certificate

Obama: 'If I had a city, it would look like Ferguson'

Biden: 'If I had a Ferguson (hic), it would look like a city'

Obama signs executive order renaming 'looters' to 'undocumented shoppers'

Ethicists agree: two wrongs do make a right so long as Bush did it first

The aftermath of the 'War on Women 2014' finds a new 'Lost Generation' of disillusioned Democrat politicians, unable to cope with life out of office

White House: Republican takeover of the Senate is a clear mandate from the American people for President Obama to rule by executive orders

Nurse Kaci Hickox angrily tells reporters that she won't change her clocks for daylight savings time

Democratic Party leaders in panic after recent poll shows most Democratic voters think 'midterm' is when to end pregnancy

Desperate Democratic candidates plead with Obama to stop backing them and instead support their GOP opponents

Ebola Czar issues five-year plan with mandatory quotas of Ebola infections per each state based on voting preferences

Study: crony capitalism is to the free market what the Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity

Fun facts about world languages: the Left has more words for statism than the Eskimos have for snow

African countries to ban all flights from the United States because "Obama is incompetent, it scares us"

Nobel Peace Prize controversy: Hillary not nominated despite having done even less than Obama to deserve it

Obama: 'Ebola is the JV of viruses'

BREAKING: Secret Service foils Secret Service plot to protect Obama

Revised 1st Amendment: buy one speech, get the second free

Sharpton calls on white NFL players to beat their women in the interests of racial fairness

President Obama appoints his weekly approval poll as new national security adviser

Obama wags pen and phone at Putin; Europe offers support with powerful pens and phones from NATO members

White House pledges to embarrass ISIS back to the Stone Age with a barrage of fearsome Twitter messages and fatally ironic Instagram photos

Obama to fight ISIS with new federal Terrorist Regulatory Agency

Obama vows ISIS will never raise their flag over the eighteenth hole

Harry Reid: "Sometimes I say the wong thing"

Elian Gonzalez wishes he had come to the U.S. on a bus from Central America like all the other kids

Obama visits US-Mexican border, calls for a two-state solution

Obama draws "blue line" in Iraq after Putin took away his red crayon

"Hard Choices," a porno flick loosely based on Hillary Clinton's memoir and starring Hillary Hellfire as a drinking, whoring Secretary of State, wildly outsells the flabby, sagging original

Accusations of siding with the enemy leave Sgt. Bergdahl with only two options: pursue a doctorate at Berkley or become a Senator from Massachusetts

Jay Carney stuck in line behind Eric Shinseki to leave the White House; estimated wait time from 15 min to 6 weeks

100% of scientists agree that if man-made global warming were real, "the last people we'd want to help us is the Obama administration"

Jay Carney says he found out that Obama found out that he found out that Obama found out that he found out about the latest Obama administration scandal on the news

"Anarchy Now!" meeting turns into riot over points of order, bylaws, and whether or not 'kicking the #^@&*! ass' of the person trying to speak is or is not violence

Obama retaliates against Putin by prohibiting unionized federal employees from dating hot Russian girls online during work hours

Russian separatists in Ukraine riot over an offensive YouTube video showing the toppling of Lenin statues

"Free Speech Zones" confuse Obamaphone owners who roam streets in search of additional air minutes

Obamacare bolsters employment for professionals with skills to convert meth back into sudafed

Gloves finally off: Obama uses pen and phone to cancel Putin's Netflix account

Joe Biden to Russia: "We will bury you by turning more of Eastern Europe over to your control!"

In last-ditch effort to help Ukraine, Obama deploys Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow Coalition to Crimea

Al Sharpton: "Not even Putin can withstand our signature chanting, 'racist, sexist, anti-gay, Russian army go away'!"

Mardi Gras in North Korea: "Throw me some food!"

Obama's foreign policy works: "War, invasion, and conquest are signs of weakness; we've got Putin right where we want him"

US offers military solution to Ukraine crisis: "We will only fight countries that have LGBT military"

Putin annexes Brighton Beach to protect ethnic Russians in Brooklyn, Obama appeals to UN and EU for help

The 1980s: "Mr. Obama, we're just calling to ask if you want our foreign policy back. The 1970s are right here with us, and they're wondering, too."

In a stunning act of defiance, Obama courageously unfriends Putin on Facebook

MSNBC: Obama secures alliance with Austro-Hungarian Empire against Russias aggression in Ukraine

Study: springbreak is to STDs what April 15th is to accountants

Efforts to achieve moisture justice for California thwarted by unfair redistribution of snow in America

North Korean voters unanimous: "We are the 100%"

Leader of authoritarian gulag-site, The People's Cube, unanimously 're-elected' with 100% voter turnout

Super Bowl: Obama blames Fox News for Broncos' loss

Feminist author slams gay marriage: "a man needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle"

Beverly Hills campaign heats up between Henry Waxman and Marianne Williamson over the widening income gap between millionaires and billionaires in their district

Biden to lower $10,000-a-plate Dinner For The Homeless to $5,000 so more homeless can attend

Kim becomes world leader, feeds uncle to dogs; Obama eats dogs, becomes world leader, America cries uncle

North Korean leader executes own uncle for talking about Obamacare at family Christmas party

White House hires part-time schizophrenic Mandela sign interpreter to help sell Obamacare

Kim Jong Un executes own "crazy uncle" to keep him from ruining another family Christmas

OFA admits its advice for area activists to give Obamacare Talk at shooting ranges was a bad idea

President resolves Obamacare debacle with executive order declaring all Americans equally healthy

Obama to Iran: "If you like your nuclear program, you can keep your nuclear program"

Bovine community outraged by flatulence coming from Washington DC

Obama: "I'm not particularly ideological; I believe in a good pragmatic five-year plan"

Shocker: Obama had no knowledge he'd been reelected until he read about it in the local newspaper last week

Server problems at HealthCare.gov so bad, it now flashes 'Error 808' message

NSA marks National Best Friend Day with official announcement: "Government is your best friend; we know you like no one else, we're always there, we're always willing to listen"

Al Qaeda cancels attack on USA citing launch of Obamacare as devastating enough

The President's latest talking point on Obamacare: "I didn't build that"

Dizzy with success, Obama renames his wildly popular healthcare mandate to HillaryCare

Carney: huge ObamaCare deductibles won't look as bad come hyperinflation

Washington Redskins drop 'Washington' from their name as offensive to most Americans

Poll: 83% of Americans favor cowboy diplomacy over rodeo clown diplomacy

GOVERNMENT WARNING: If you were able to complete ObamaCare form online, it wasn't a legitimate gov't website; you should report online fraud and change all your passwords

Obama administration gets serious, threatens Syria with ObamaCare

Obama authorizes the use of Vice President Joe Biden's double-barrel shotgun to fire a couple of blasts at Syria

Sharpton: "British royals should have named baby 'Trayvon.' By choosing 'George' they sided with white Hispanic racist Zimmerman"

DNC launches 'Carlos Danger' action figure; proceeds to fund a charity helping survivors of the Republican War on Women

Nancy Pelosi extends abortion rights to the birds and the bees

Hubble discovers planetary drift to the left

Obama: 'If I had a daughter-in-law, she would look like Rachael Jeantel'

FISA court rubberstamps statement denying its portrayal as government's rubber stamp

Every time ObamaCare gets delayed, a Julia somewhere dies

GOP to Schumer: 'Force full implementation of ObamaCare before 2014 or Dems will never win another election'

Obama: 'If I had a son... no, wait, my daughter can now marry a woman!'

Janet Napolitano: TSA findings reveal that since none of the hijackers were babies, elderly, or Tea Partiers, 9/11 was not an act of terrorism

News Flash: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) can see Canada from South Dakota

Susan Rice: IRS actions against tea parties caused by anti-tax YouTube video that was insulting to their faith

Drudge Report reduces font to fit all White House scandals onto one page

Obama: the IRS is a constitutional right, just like the Second Amendment

White House: top Obama officials using secret email accounts a result of bad IT advice to avoid spam mail from Nigeria

Jay Carney to critics: 'Pinocchio never said anything inconsistent'

Obama: If I had a gay son, he'd look like Jason Collins

Gosnell's office in Benghazi raided by the IRS: mainstream media's worst cover-up challenge to date

IRS targeting pro-gay-marriage LGBT groups leads to gayest tax revolt in U.S. history

After Arlington Cemetery rejects offer to bury Boston bomber, Westboro Babtist Church steps up with premium front lawn plot

Boston: Obama Administration to reclassify marathon bombing as 'sportsplace violence'

Study: Success has many fathers but failure becomes a government program

US Media: Can Pope Francis possibly clear up Vatican bureaucracy and banking without blaming the previous administration?

Michelle Obama praises weekend rampage by Chicago teens as good way to burn calories and stay healthy

This Passover, Obama urges his subjects to paint lamb's blood above doors in order to avoid the Sequester



White House to American children: Sequester causes layoffs among hens that lay Easter eggs; union-wage Easter Bunnies to be replaced by Mexican Chupacabras

Time Mag names Hugo Chavez world's sexiest corpse

Boy, 8, pretends banana is gun, makes daring escape from school

Study: Free lunches overpriced, lack nutrition

Oscars 2013: Michelle Obama announces long-awaited merger of Hollywood and the State

Joe Salazar defends the right of women to be raped in gun-free environment: 'rapists and rapees should work together to prevent gun violence for the common good'

Dept. of Health and Human Services eliminates rape by reclassifying assailants as 'undocumented sex partners'

Kremlin puts out warning not to photoshop Putin riding meteor unless bare-chested

Deeming football too violent, Obama moves to introduce Super Drone Sundays instead

Japan offers to extend nuclear umbrella to cover U.S. should America suffer devastating attack on its own defense spending

Feminists organize one billion women to protest male oppression with one billion lap dances

Urban community protests Mayor Bloomberg's ban on extra-large pop singers owning assault weapons

Concerned with mounting death toll, Taliban offers to send peacekeeping advisers to Chicago

Karl Rove puts an end to Tea Party with new 'Republicans For Democrats' strategy aimed at losing elections

Answering public skepticism, President Obama authorizes unlimited drone attacks on all skeet targets throughout the country

Skeet Ulrich denies claims he had been shot by President but considers changing his name to 'Traps'

White House releases new exciting photos of Obama standing, sitting, looking thoughtful, and even breathing in and out

New York Times hacked by Chinese government, Paul Krugman's economic policies stolen

White House: when President shoots skeet, he donates the meat to food banks that feed the middle class

To prove he is serious, Obama eliminates armed guard protection for President, Vice-President, and their families; establishes Gun-Free Zones around them instead

State Dept to send 100,000 American college students to China as security for US debt obligations

Jay Carney: Al Qaeda is on the run, they're just running forward

President issues executive orders banning cliffs, ceilings, obstructions, statistics, and other notions that prevent us from moving forwards and upward

Fearing the worst, Obama Administration outlaws the fan to prevent it from being hit by certain objects

World ends; S&P soars

Riddle of universe solved; answer not understood

Meek inherit Earth, can't afford estate taxes

Greece abandons Euro; accountants find Greece has no Euros anyway

Wheel finally reinvented; axles to be gradually reinvented in 3rd quarter of 2013

Bigfoot found in Ohio, mysteriously not voting for Obama

As Santa's workshop files for bankruptcy, Fed offers bailout in exchange for control of 'naughty and nice' list

Freak flying pig accident causes bacon to fly off shelves

Obama: green economy likely to transform America into a leading third world country of the new millennium

Report: President Obama to visit the United States in the near future

Obama promises to create thousands more economically neutral jobs

Modernizing Islam: New York imam proposes to canonize Saul Alinsky as religion's latter day prophet

Imam Rauf's peaceful solution: 'Move Ground Zero a few blocks away from the mosque and no one gets hurt'

Study: Obama's threat to burn tax money in Washington 'recruitment bonanza' for Tea Parties

Study: no Social Security reform will be needed if gov't raises retirement age to at least 814 years

Obama attends church service, worships self

Obama proposes national 'Win The Future' lottery; proceeds of new WTF Powerball to finance more gov't spending

Historical revisionists: "Hey, you never know"

Vice President Biden: criticizing Egypt is un-pharaoh

Israelis to Egyptian rioters: "don't damage the pyramids, we will not rebuild"

Lake Superior renamed Lake Inferior in spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness

Al Gore: It's a shame that a family can be torn apart by something as simple as a pack of polar bears

Michael Moore: As long as there is anyone with money to shake down, this country is not broke

Obama's teleprompters unionize, demand collective bargaining rights

Obama calls new taxes 'spending reductions in tax code.' Elsewhere rapists tout 'consent reductions in sexual intercourse'

Obama's teleprompter unhappy with White House Twitter: "Too few words"

Obama's Regulation Reduction committee finds US Constitution to be expensive outdated framework inefficiently regulating federal gov't

Taking a page from the Reagan years, Obama announces new era of Perestroika and Glasnost

Responding to Oslo shootings, Obama declares Christianity "Religion of Peace," praises "moderate Christians," promises to send one into space

Republicans block Obama's $420 billion program to give American families free charms that ward off economic bad luck

White House to impose Chimney tax on Santa Claus

Obama decrees the economy is not soaring as much as previously decreeed

Conservative think tank introduces children to capitalism with pop-up picture book "The Road to Smurfdom"

Al Gore proposes to combat Global Warming by extracting silver linings from clouds in Earth's atmosphere

Obama refutes charges of him being unresponsive to people's suffering: "When you pray to God, do you always hear a response?"

Obama regrets the US government didn't provide his mother with free contraceptives when she was in college

Fluke to Congress: drill, baby, drill!

Planned Parenthood introduces Frequent Flucker reward card: 'Come again soon!'

Obama to tornado victims: 'We inherited this weather from the previous administration'

Obama congratulates Putin on Chicago-style election outcome

People's Cube gives itself Hero of Socialist Labor medal in recognition of continued expert advice provided to the Obama Administration helping to shape its foreign and domestic policies

Hamas: Israeli air defense unfair to 99% of our missiles, "only 1% allowed to reach Israel"

Democrat strategist: without government supervision, women would have never evolved into humans

Voters Without Borders oppose Texas new voter ID law

Enraged by accusation that they are doing Obama's bidding, media leaders demand instructions from White House on how to respond

Obama blames previous Olympics for failure to win at this Olympics

Official: China plans to land on Moon or at least on cheap knockoff thereof

Koran-Contra: Obama secretly arms Syrian rebels

Poll: Progressive slogan 'We should be more like Europe' most popular with members of American Nazi Party

Obama to Evangelicals: Jesus saves, I just spend

May Day: Anarchists plan, schedule, synchronize, and execute a coordinated campaign against all of the above

Midwestern farmers hooked on new erotic novel "50 Shades of Hay"

Study: 99% of Liberals give the rest a bad name

Obama meets with Jewish leaders, proposes deeper circumcisions for the rich

Historians: Before HOPE & CHANGE there was HEMP & CHOOM at ten bucks a bag

Cancer once again fails to cure Venezuela of its "President for Life"

Tragic spelling error causes Muslim protesters to burn local boob-tube factory

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu: due to energy conservation, the light at the end of the tunnel will be switched off

Obama Administration running food stamps across the border with Mexico in an operation code-named "Fat And Furious"

Pakistan explodes in protest over new Adobe Acrobat update; 17 local acrobats killed

White House: "Let them eat statistics"

Special Ops: if Benedict Arnold had a son, he would look like Barack Obama







AD GOES HERE
MOUNT VERNON  Its Friday night. For many people, it is a chance to relax after a busy week, a chance to get away from the pressures of the world and refocus and recharge. For several hundred people in and around Mount Vernon, Friday night means church.

Yes, church. For nearly a decade, Central Christian Church has offered a Friday night worship service, giving attendees the exact same experience as Sunday morning, just in a different time frame. Originally, church leaders were looking for options to ease a shortage of parking spaces on Sundays. Like many other congregations, the church began offering a Saturday night service. Even though Saturday attendance was good, Senior Pastor Jamie Allen says he discovered a way to reach even more people.

I first heard about this from a church in Idaho that had two services on Sunday morning and two on Friday evening. Thats where I got the idea, he said. At first after we decided to try it instead of Saturday night, the reaction was, huh? but after a while people really took to it."

Allen says about 335 of the churchs nearly 2,000 attendees come on Friday night, and they really seem to like the timing, because it works well in their schedules.

We found that on Saturday, people are out working in the yard or doing other things and they didnt want to change gears and go to church, but on Friday, theyll just come from work or school for our 6 p.m. service, he explained.

The Friday night service is a contemporary service with a praise band, just like two of the churchs Sunday services. The church also offers a Sunday morning traditional service.

Pat Vore and her husband, Tony, of Fairfield, have been regulars at the Friday night service since the beginning.

I like everything about going on Friday night, she said. If you go on Friday, it opens your weekend up for other things. It gives you options.

Vore said that many of the Friday night churchgoers work weekend shifts.

There a lot of people who, if they didnt come on Friday would not be able to go to church, she said. She added that occasionally, people who usually attend Sunday services will come on Friday night if they plan weekend travel or have other Sunday plans.

Allen said the Friday night service also gives other ministers an opportunity to worship without having to be responsible for all aspects of the service.

I really like that the service gives other pastors and ministry leaders a chance to worship on the weekend if they want to, he said. When you are in ministry, sometimes you do not feel as though you get a lot of opportunities to worship yourself. We have a lot of ministers who come and get to participate in worship.

Allen added that the church has actively marketed the Friday night service through announcements and advertisements in social media, newspapers and Christian radio stations.

We dont want to steal people away from other churches, but we understand that we are offering something that maybe other churches arent offering and if those people cannot attend their regular church, they can join us.

He said even after eight years, the Friday night service remains popular and said that several other churches have called to ask about starting their own Friday night gathering.

People like Friday night church. It works. Theres never a wrong time to worship God, he said.
CAIRO  U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, speaking Friday in Cairo, said it is past time for Housing and Urban Developments investigatory arm to release its findings following a probe of alleged mismanagement and misuse of federal funds by the past managers of the Alexander County Housing Authority.

Theyve had more than enough time to investigate this and the residents are upset and they should be, Durbin, D-Ill., said after a town hall meeting with residents. We ought to know whether or not there is any action that is going to be taken by HUD or the Department of Justice for mismanagement of this housing authority.

In a letter earlier this month, Durbin and Sen. Tammy Duckworth jointly asked David Montoya, the inspector general for HUD, to provide an update on the status of its open investigation by Monday. Durbin said he hasn't yet heard back from him or his office.

Before meeting with residents, Durbin met privately with Mayor Tyrone Coleman, City Councilwoman Connie Williams, state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, and the managers of the Jackson, Williamson, Saline and Mount Vernon housing authorities.

Durbin described that meeting as a brainstorming session. Two weeks ago, HUD officials announced that about 185 families  about 400 people  would have to relocate from the Elmwood and McBride apartment complexes in the city because they are no longer safe. HUD officials stated that attempts would be made to keep some people in Cairo who wanted to stay, but that because of a shortage of affordable housing in the city, that many people would have to move to places outside of Cairo.

Residents will be issued Tenant Protection Vouchers, and be provided with financial assistance for their relocation, HUD officials have promised. The vouchers will provide for subsidized rent in a privately owned home or apartment complex in any city in the country where there is a housing authority operating a (Section 8) Housing Choice Voucher program. With the vouchers, residents are required to pay 30 percent of their monthly income for combined rent and utilities.

But according to Durbin, Cairo isnt the only city in the region with a shortage of affordable private homes where vouchers are accepted. After meeting with the other housing authority directors, Durbin said, It turns out that they have limited numbers of properties available for Section 8, even if a person wanted to move.

The senator also said it is his understanding from the mayor and others that most people want to stay. He turned to one of the residents in attendance and asked what it is she wanted to do.

I still want to live in Cairo. Im not planning to move, said Kathie McAllister, who lives at McBride with her two children.

Durbin then turned the conversation to possible solutions to provide for alternative living options in Cairo. The goal, he said, is to allow everyone who wants to say the ability to use their vouchers within city limits once they move out of Elmwood and McBride.

Durbin said he learned city leaders are already working to identify homeowners and landlords who may be willing to rent to voucher holders. The homes must first be inspected and meet HUDs standards. This will be a new venture for Alexander County landlords as the local housing authority has never operated a voucher program that involves the private sector. The Menard County Housing Authority located just north of Springfield will be the voucher administrator for those issued under this emergency relocation, HUD has said.

Councilwoman Williams said city officials have been surveying the owners of available, vacant homes about their interest in participating in the program, and have thus far identified 35 to 40 potential homes that may qualify.

Williams said HUD has agreed to help host a landlord fair for anyone who might be interested in learning more, including about what they would have to do for their homes to qualify. One of the tricky aspects of this proposal is that HUD does not provide money to private landlords for any upgrades to units that may be required to pass inspection, meaning homeowners would have to front that investment if repairs are needed to meet minimum standards.

So were asking them to invest in their own properties with the promise that theyll have one year of Section 8 voucher to cover their investment, Durbin said. Landlords can rent to someone receiving a Housing Choice Voucher for multiple years and often do, but Durbin mentioned one year because that is the length of a typical lease.

Steven Tarver, a community activist who lives at Elmwood Place, asked Durbin if there was any way he could assist in getting a state of emergency declared for Cairo. This is a city thats valuable to the state of Illinois, he said. This is a major impact thats going to take hold of this city.

Durbin responded, Well, I can try that, but Ill be honest. Its hard, hard, hard with this new administration. The budget they came out with for this department, Housing and Urban Development, is not a very kind budget. It cuts. It doesnt add anything so I dont want to create any false hope here. Still, Durbin said his hope is to get some special help here, which I think is deserved.

Phelps added that hes working to secure emergency housing grants through the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Jerren Carlton, a resident of Cairo who works as a police officer, asked Durbin why HUD made its relocation announcement April 10 without first ironing out the details about alternative housing options within the city. I cant explain it, Durbin said.

Williams said a lot of people in town felt blindsided by HUDs announcement, as they were under the impression that federal housing officials were in Cairo for the past year trying to help the community. And its been crazy ever since, she said.

Chaos, added Mable Hollis, a Cairo citizen among those helping to identify potential available houses in town.

Durbin has been critical in recent months of President Donald Trumps lack of commitment to housing and other social services programs, and how that is affecting this situation in Cairo. But in an interview with the newspaper Friday, Durbin said he did not personally discuss the situation with former President Barack Obama, or make a specific request to HUD administrators for new housing in Cairo while Obama was in office.

Durbin and Obama have a long relationship as fellow Illinois Democrats  Obama has called Durbin his mentor in Congress  and the two visited Cairo together in 2004 while then-state Sen. Obama was campaigning for the U.S. senate seat he won that year. Durbin defended Obamas administration as it relates to the housing crisis in Cairo, saying it responded by placing it in federal receivership, removing the former ACHA managers and board members, and beginning an investigation. Though, others have been critical of how long it took HUD to respond despite its knowledge of the worsening situation.

Durbin said that after a year passed with HUD on the ground, it became apparent that nothing major had changed to improve the housing and these poor people were still suffering.

So under Trumps administration, HUD officials made a decision, he said. It wasnt the one I hoped for, but they made a decision. Durbin said he had hoped the decision would be for renovations of the existing complexes, or to build something new.

At Wednesdays meeting, Towanda Macon, a HUD administrator assigned to Cairo since February 2016, told residents that the ACHA, under her leadership, had applied for such a grant about a year ago, shortly after taking over the housing authority and while Obama was still in office. The ACHA was denied that grant funding, Macon said. Durbin said he was not made aware of that request for funding or the denial and had no knowledge of it. Bill Houlihan, a state director in Durbins office, said that he was aware of the grant and denial. Houlihan said that, as he understands it, the ACHA did not score well enough on its application to qualify it for the competitive grant funding. HUD considers numerous factors in allocating funds, including supportive economics and social structures, which likely hurt Cairos chances.

Macon has said that HUD only came to the decision it did after months of studying all of its options. She said that while she and others continue to search for alternative housing options in Cairo, it came to a point that, in the meantime, HUD has to start the process of moving people out to protect the health and safety of residents. Relocation vouchers are expected to be available to residents by the end of May.

Only about a dozen people attended the meeting with Durbin held at the ACHAs Connell F. Smith apartment complex. Because of an apparent snafu, residents did not know about the opportunity to meet with Durbin. The senator apologized numerous times to those who made it on last-minute notice for part of the meeting.

John Normoyle, an aide to the senator, said afterward that Durbins staff was under the impression that the HUD managers overseeing the ACHA were going to let residents know about the opportunity at Wednesdays tenant meeting, where there was a much larger crowd.

HUD spokesman Jereon Brown said HUD officials knew Durbin was coming, but that he personally did not know anything about a request that HUD take on the responsibility of informing the residents of the meeting. The HUD administrators based in Cairo also were not in attendance, as they had returned to their homes in Chicago and other places for the weekend.

Though the mix-up didnt appear to be intentional on the part of HUD or Durbin, it was odd given that only two days prior at the tenant meeting, Macon encouraged residents to reach out to their senators and ask for funding assistance for rehabilitation and new construction in Cairo, given that she had been denied for the grant. As earmarks for special district projects are no longer an option in Congress, Durbin said special priority funding would be HUD's discretion.

The back-and-forth highlights the fact that there are no easy answers for addressing the housing crisis in this deeply rooted and resilient but economically depressed town at the bottom tip of Illinois. Because of that, state and federal politicians and governmental leaders have resorted largely to deflecting and passing the buck.

In the meantime, Cairo city leaders and community activists are taking it upon themselves to do what they can to save their town from the corruption that threatens to destroy it.

Paul Lambert, who has lived at Elmwood for decades with his wife and son, said its time for HUD Secretary Ben Carson to pay a visit to Cairo and help sort out this mess.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the year Obama visited Cairo while running for U.S. Senate.
CARBONDALE  Sen. Dick Durbin on Friday fielded a wide array of questions from local constituents at a two-hour Town Hall in the Lesar Law School Auditorium on the SIU campus.

In his opening remarks, Durbin described a meeting he had Friday morning with Mayor Mike Henry, SIU President Randy Dunn, Ray Lang from Amtrak and Doug Kimmel of the Williamson County airport.

Durbin said he came away with the impression that if someone put a target on the map and said they wanted to nail southern Illinois with the proposed federal budget, they couldnt have done a better job.

The senator also said that on top of all of this is state budget impasse, which he likened to a self-imposed recession.

After criticizing proposed cuts to Amtrak, which Durbin said would have long-term negative impact on Southern Illinois University Carbondale's enrollment, and in other transportation, which would affect the ability of business like Cape Air to operate, the meeting settled into a more positive tone, as the senator described his efforts in passing and maintain the Affordable Care Act.

Durbin said his support of the act is grounded in personal experience.

If youve ever been a young father with a sick child and no insurance, you will never forget it as long as you live, he said. Durbin and his wife married when he was in law school in Washington, and had a daughter who had serious health conditions.

That experience, he said, propelled him toward the belief that health care is a right, not a privilege.

Citing the fact that Canada, Europe and most of the developed world have universal access to health care, Durbin said he would not support a repeal and replace movement that ended up with fewer people being covered, and cautioned that access to health care is not the same as affordability and quality in healthcare.

I can have access to a Mercedes without the ability to afford it, he said.

Durbin also debunked the argument that health care should be accessible across state lines, as there is no federal law prohibiting this. Laws that restrict the sale of insurance across state lines are determined by the states themselves.

Before the event, constituents wishing to ask questions wrote their names and questions on a piece of paper. After his opening remarks, Durbin drew names from a bucket and 18 people had the opportunity to pose their questions.

Issues raised in the forum covered a wide range of topics  perceived threats caused by proposed budget cuts, environmental concerns, veterans rights and balancing the budget.

Citizens opened with questions about the threat of climate change and the danger of that cutting funding to programs designed to mitigate its effects. Durbin countered by citing current efforts to retool Norfolk Naval base, necessary because of rising sea levels. The effects of climate change, Durbin said, imperils our ability to defend ourselves at home and around the world.

"It's a movement toward sustainable climate change treatment by the private sector in America," he said. "Many are investing in thoughtful ways to provide energy for the future.

Diane Hood, a board member for The Women's Center in Carbondale, and Chelsea OReilly, and employee of The Womens Center, both made emotional pleas to Durbin for his support in seeing that funding for services for the prevention of violence against women were not cut. Durbin said he recognized in the skinny budget proposed by the current administration, the non-defense side or the softer side of the budget takes a beating.

Durbin encouraged those in the audience to reach out to Republican lawmakers in the area to remind them how badly needed these services are.

You know my voting record, Durbin said in support of the services.

Durbin also encouraged SIUC administrators to follow in the footsteps of Delyte Morris who kept SIU one step ahead in the fight for human rights.

Durbin closed the evening by joking that he was please the audience hadnt pulled out any pitchforks.

This is what Democracy is supposed to be about, he said. A respectful exchange of ideas where we can disagree if we need to, that is what this country is all about.
ISP said rural roads and some state highways in Union, Johnson and Pope counties will be on the race route for the relay, which starts at McGee Hill in La Rue Pine Hills in rural Union County and finishes in Golconda. Along the route, there will be runners and extra vehicle traffic, which might cause traffic delays, police said.
CARTERVILLE  Southern Illinois parents are within a short distance of in-home, visiting programs that can help them enhance their parenting skills and provide safe, stimulating environments for their children.

One of those programs is the Shawnee Healthy Families, designed for first-time parents of young children. The program was created in 1994 and serves families in Jackson, Franklin, Perry and Williamson counties. Workers visit the homes of participating parents, once a week when the child is younger, and once a quarter if that family has chosen to stay in the program until that child turns 5 years old, according to program coordinator Jess Jobe.

The program is part of the Healthy Families America network, which aims to empower parents to raise children in healthy homes.

The parents they deal with are referred by federal nutrition program Women, Infants and Children, or WIC; their doctors; public health agencies; and some self-refer, meaning they have heard about the program and want to take advantage of its offering. The program is free; it is funded by a grant from the state. Because of the states budget crisis, the program is being supported by Shawnee Health Services, Jobe said.

In addition to Jobe, the program employs three family support workers, or home visitors.

Its a prevention program, so thats really important to note that these arent bad parents, Jobe said.

In her words, the program does help to reduce incidents of child abuse.

I think it does, Jobe said. It offers support that families need to have so they can be the best parent.

How the program works

The program is free and voluntary. In addition to the in-home support visits, the program offers group activities, developmental screenings for the child, help accessing community resources for the child and the occasional incentives, such as diapers and childrens books.

The program is a graduated use program, meaning the longer the parent stays with the program and the older the child becomes, the less time SHF spends with them.

Women who are pregnant are visited two to four times a month. When the child is born, his or her family is visited at least once a week for the first six months of the infants life. Parents who chose to stay with the program until their child is age 5 will be visited about once a quarter in later stages, Jobe said.

In the initial visits, the family support worker typically helps parents with such things as their sleep schedules and other adjustments.

Theyve not been down this road before where they really have to adjust their sleep habits, their life routine to babys, Jobe said. Their sleep is a big focus for us.

As the child becomes older, her parents are taught to read the babys cues and to see play as how they learn. She said few meetings are held at a table, but typically on the floor, which is where a baby will be. Parents also learn about baby-proofing their home, making it safe for the child.

They are also taught to read to their child; it's one way the child can develop language skills to be able to communicate more effectively with the parent, Jobe said.

And eventually, the program helps with things like potty training, which she noted can be challenging to parents.

Jobe said she didnt have any specifics, but said a pretty low number of her parents ever become involved in child-abuse investigations. On average, family support workers work with about 90 to 95 families a year, about 60 to 65 at a given time. Since the program started 23 years ago, she said staff has worked with about 2,500 families.

The program has been a great support for parents like Jennifer Baseden, a 22-year-old mother of two boys. She was referred to the program when she had her first son, now two. She credits her family support worker with first noticing that her son had some sort of speech delay; the worker, who took notes each visit, she said, noticed that her son wasn't talking or trying to talk or babbling.

They helped her to find testing for him, for which she is still awaiting results.

Though the program typically works with first-time parents, she was also given tips on how to better breastfeed her second son, who is now four months old, and to understand the impact of his acid reflux condition.

Without the help of the program, "Id probably be scared and probably a little lost and I know I would be confused, she said.

Anastasia Zachery, mother to a four-year-old son and 6-month-old daughter, said she joined the program right before giving birth to her son in 2012.

The 24-year-old Zachery said she and her fiance, Adam Webb, had recently arrived in Southern Illinois, where they didn't know anyone. She credits the program with being a support system in a time when she had none, eventually exposing her to other young mothers and even children her son's age.

She also said the program primarily helped her to better manage her time and take care of necessary paperwork in an expedient manner.

"It was very hard in the beginning," she said of the program. "It helped me better myself as a young mother."

Among a handful of programs offering in-home visits

While the Shawnee Healthy Families program caters to families with newborn and young children, there are other parent-education programs that also offer training to parents and that make in-home visits, Jobe said.

Those programs include Centerstones Early Heart Start Program; SIUs Southern Region Early Childhood Programs for age 0 to age 5; Unity Point School Districts Parents as Teachers Program; Carbondale Community High Schools Rebound program, which offers a class for parents; and Archway Services for Childrens T.I.K.E.S. Program (Teaching and Interacting with Kids for Educational Success).
The Herald has an unofficial policy that Community Columnists do not endorse candidates for office. If we did, the Herald would then allow the candidate for office(s) to be allowed the chance to reply to the Community Columnist. I can see where that would be a fair practice.

But now that the election is over, I will put on my commentators hat and give a few views on the past election. As I live in Lake Hallie, I am commenting on that election. First a synopsis of quotes from the Herald article of March 27 by Rod Stetzer, a man who has covered Hallie politics from Zealous Joles to Wayne Walkoviak. There will be a special place in heaven for Rod.

To recap, candidates for the Lake Hailie Village Board were on the record saying:

Allyson Gommer: The village needs a balanced approach to growth and economic development. To be successful, we need to cultivate strong and diverse community leadership that is inclusive, collaborative and connected, she said. We need to focus on the villages comprehensive plan and establish strategic partnerships among community stakeholders and other jurisdictions to realize goals.

Pete Lehmann: Lake Hallies retail area is an existing destination for shoppers. And the light industrial area has good access to the existing highway system. The village needs to be patient to recognize steady growth. Also Lehmann went on, water extensions in the village will be driven by requests of businesses and residences in existing subdivisions.

Gary Spilde: The villages roads are some of the best of the area, our road crew has done an excellent job of planning for upgrades to the roads and equipment needs with the funds available. In the last several years we have been able to update our equipment to the point I believe we have an up-to-date and reliable fleet.

Keith Velie: Maintaining a low tax rate is one of the villages pressing needs and would be one of the main drivers of the villages growth.

Wayne Walkoviak did not respond because he was running unopposed.

Well, the winners of the Lake Hallie Village Board races were: for village president, Wayne Walkoviak; for village trustee, Gary Spilde and Peter Lehmann.

So looking back, I have a few remarks for and about the candidates for elective office in Lake Hallie.

Allyson Gommer did pretty well for her first attempt at elective office. She came within 17 votes of defeating Pete Lehmann. I would encourage her to run again, but she must get her name out on more signs and perhaps go door-to-door.

Secondly, her quote in the Herald made her appear to be a technocrat. Ms. Gommer, I understand what you meant but only because it was in the language of management-speak that I learned in 30 years of public employment. Please try something less formal next time.

Keith Velie also needs to get more signs out and more information on himself. He may wish to understand that Lake Hallie for years has had very low taxes, so low in fact when it came time to upgrade the vehicle fleets or grant wage increases there was no money in the budget. A driver in village growth is not really low taxes but the ability to provide services.

Pete Lehmann prides himself on thrift and reuses his old campaign signs. Unfortunately they give the wrong day of the election and several said he was running for president on one side and trustee on the other. Perhaps that is why Pete did not receive his usual 350 votes. Petes unique water extension views also may not have helped him.

Gary Spilde has worked hard the past 2 years and was rewarded by the voters with a second term. Mr. Spilde also received the most votes of any of the folks running for village trustee. Yet as we and he all know, the villages side roads will need work in the near future.

Mr. Walkoviak did not have a challenger for village president. By and large the people I talk to generally feel that the village is moving forward. Perhaps the Herald will take a moment to interview Mr. Walkoviak and get his feeling on how things are going.

Have a great week.
COLUMBIA -- Benedict College will hold a ceremony to mark the official naming of the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Economics at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, at the Benjamin F. Payton Learning Resources Center Plaza on the college's main campus.

Tyrone Adam Burroughs, a Benedict College alumnus, donated the largest individual monetary gift to the college in its 147-year history.

Burroughs is chairman, president and CEO of First Choice, a global consumer products management firm founded in 1986. He has been widely recognized for his visionary leadership and pioneering innovations. He is also chairman of The Choice Group Inc., the parent company of subsidiaries including MG Capital Holdings Inc., 115 Union Ave. Development, The Burroughs Foundation Inc., Choice Real Estate Firm, Rizzo's Diner, The Pocket Bistro, G.O. Patterson Funeral Home and R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home, which handled funeral preparations for the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Burroughs, a member of numerous boards, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Benedict. He completed graduate work at the University of South Carolina and currently resides in Memphis, Tennessee.
DENMARK -- Tim Bowers, an author, entrepreneur and professional motivational speaker, will deliver the address at Denmark Technical College's 2017 Commencement on May 5.

The program will be held at 1 p.m. at the William L. McDuffie Student Services Center, and it is open to the public.

Bowers, who grew up in Allendale, said his experiences, including an absentee father, trouble with the law, almost becoming homeless and watching his mother struggle financially, gave him the motivation to succeed against all odds.

In 2006, he made the decision to attend Benedict College and went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. While at Benedict, he was elected senior vice president, and he became involved in various community service projects through his fraternity. In addition, he was awarded the prestigious David H. Swinton Presidential Service Award for his willingness to go above and beyond in service to the community.

With his degree, Bowers earned the distinction of being the first in his family to graduate college.

After graduation, he began working for a Fortune 500 company in sales, becoming a Top Performer Sales banker within the first year. At the age of 26, he started building his second business, Tim Bowers Speaks, working as the ambassador for his motivational brand Average to Awesome.

In 2017, Bowers published his first book, Average to Awesome: Transitioning From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, described as "an interactive, self-help guide for those who refuse to live a life of mediocrity." In addition, Bowers is a top ten finalist for Columbia Metropolitan Magazines Capital Young Professional Award.

Bowers lives by the mantra: You were not born to be average. You were born to leave a legacy worth remembering.

Denmark Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Students are learning and experiencing the inner workings of computer technology fields at an early age.

Kindergarten through second-grade students in the Gifted and Talented Program at Brookdale Elementary School took a trip to Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College on Friday for Technology Day.

The students alternated among four different workshops, each teaching them about computers, coding and how they could do it on their own.

We dont want to wait until the kids are in fifth, sixth, seventh, or even eighth grade to expose them to possibilities, District Five Advance Academics Coordinator Priscilla Hollington said. We want to foster creative thinking in them and creative problem solving so that they can explore.

The first workshop was called Whats Going On Inside of a Computer? The students got a chance to view the inside of a PC and learn what each component does to make it function properly.

OCtech Program Coordinator Ardelia Coward said the students were able to touch and feel the inner workings of a computers hardware.

In the second workshop, the students were able to see how animations are created by using a program called ALICE. They created different worlds and got to see actual animation programs.

Then, they went to the Programming Lab to complete sample programming activities using the website code.org.

Its like drag and drop programming so they wont have to worry about writing code, Coward said. They get to create different things and get to see the code.

In the final workshop, the students created binary bracelets.

They were introduced to the binary system and how computers take in information to do processes that can be as simple as reading the alphabet.

Each student created a bracelet to take home using the initial of their first name in eight white and green beads and pipe cleaners representing the 8-bit binary code correlating to individual letters of the alphabet.

Hollington said the early exposure through activities like these has already had an impact on the students critical thinking capabilities.

The way they approach problem solving has changed, she said. Their questions are just more targeted and its clear (that) its meaningful for them at their age.

Through experiences like this, the students learn early on what they are interested in or may want to pursue as they get older, Hollington said.

Theyre going to develop their passions, she said.

Discovering their interests early and having a set focus will benefit each student in the long run, she added.

Second grade Gifted and Talented Program teacher Dr. Mary Williams said it was a wonderful opportunity for the students to release their minds from normal schoolwork and allow them to be creative.

For those children who are already creative, this is just another tool that they can use in order to test those skills to say, Okay, this is something that I potentially want to do later on in life, Williams said.

This marks OCtechs third year holding Technology Day. Coward said the event has grown quickly.

The first year, we pretty much just did videos and had them do different activities on the computer, she said.

Last year, more than 120 students took part in OCtech Technology Day.

They are always engaged, Coward said of the students. They just love it.

Second grader Hayward Jean said he had fun learning the parts of a computer. In the future, he said he might want to make some games or make a Facebook for kids.

Scofie Piernas, another second grader, thanked OCtech for "letting us come here, because it is great to learn about technology.
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Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) will implement new procedures and laid out instructions related to listed companies with accumulated losses reaching 20 per cent or more of its share capital as of April 22, said a report, citing the kingdom's top bourse.

The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has announced the new framework for companies with three ranges of accumulated losses: 20-35 per cent, 35 per cent to less than 50 per cent, and 50 per cent or more, stated The Saudi Gazette in its report.

Under the new regulations, the company should immediately disclose to the public the total accumulated losses, its percentage of the capital, and the main reasons that caused the losses, said the report, citing the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Also Tadawul shall add a flag next to the companys name on the website indicating that the firm had reached accumulated losses.

In case the accumulated losses reaches 50 per cent of capital or more, according to article (150) of the companies law, the company should immediately announce the boards recommendation to the extraordinary general assembly of an increase or decrease of the capital, or a recommendation to dissolve the company before the prescribed date in its by-laws, stated the SPA report.

After restoring its position and upon receiving an external auditors report, the company should immediately disclose to the public the reduced accumulated losses and the steps taken to see that reduction through.

Accordingly, Tadawul shall delete the accumulated losses flag.

As per new rules, Tadawul said that if a companys accumulated losses plunge to another level of the three ranges the framework covers (20-35 per cent, 35 per cent to less than 50 percent, and 50 percent or more), steps 1, 2, 4, and 5 would be implemented again.

A companys shares will be delisted if the company is dissolved by the force of law or when the extraordinary general assembly decides to dissolve the company before the prescribed date in its by-laws, it added.
Shuaa Capital, a premier financial services firm in the UAE, said it has been selected as lead manager and underwriter for the proposed rights issue of leading Islamic insurance company Dar Al Takaful.



The Dubai Financial Market-listed Islamic insurer recently announced plans to raise Dh50 million ($13.6 million) through the rights issue.



Proceeds will be used to maintain Dar Al Takafuls capital requirements, strengthen its balance sheet and support its growth plans, it stated.



Dar Al Takaful will issue 50 million new shares at a price of Dh1.02, reflecting the nominal value of Dh1 per share.



The issue, which opened on April 20, has National Bank of Abu Dhabi acting as the receiving bank.



Chairman Abdul Aziz Al Bannai said: "With the enhanced capitalbase and meticulously planned expansion strategies, Dar Al Takaful aims to become the most successful insurance company working according to Shariah tenets in the UAE."



Jassim Alseddiqi, the chairman of Shuaa Capital, said: "We are pleased to underwrite the full rights issue of Dar Al Takaful. Dar Al Takafuls choice of Shuaa Capital to handle this mandate affirms our companys strong start to 2017. These truly are exciting times as we experience the return of the Shuaa legacy."



"We look forward to utilising our expertise to manage this important transaction for Dar Al Takaful," he noted.



Saleh Al Hashimi, the vice chairman and managing director of Dar Al Takaful, said: "Dar Al Takaful provides a comprehensive range of fully Sharia compliant Islamic insurance products and services and specialized solutions as well."



"When it comes to customer service, we benchmark ourselves with the best in the industry and the increasing number of customer accounts retained year after year is a testimony to the insurer's customer focused approach," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Asteco, a leading independent full-service real estate company in the Middle East, has added its first franchise in Saudi Arabia to its growing integrated network, taking the tally of franchises to 15 in the GCC.



Following the signing of the agreement with Astecos licensing division, Maather for Real Estate Management, the main real estate division of the Rabiah & Nasser Group (Ranco) - a leader in the Saudi construction, industrial and real estate industry - will now operate under the Asteco brand.



The signing ceremony, which took place yesterday at top real estate exhibition Cityscape Abu Dhabi, was attended by Asteco managing director, John Stevens; Asteco director of licensing, Sean McCauley; Raed Al Rabiah, managing director and Ahmed Al Bader, general manager of Maather for Real Estate Management.



Stevens said: Ranco has built a solid reputation over the last 60 years as reliable and trustworthy real estate company, with credentials second-to-none. Their extensive knowledge and business acumen makes them a natural fit for the Asteco franchise model and I look forward to working with the team on the international and domestic real estate Saudi market.



Ranco is recognised as one of the key driving forces behind Saudi Arabias positive urban development. Projects developed include residential and compound properties in Riyadh and Al Khobar, as well as commercial office complexes in Riyadh, Al Khobar and Jeddah.



Several government initiatives put in place to increase housing supply in Saudi Arabia through partnerships with the private sector in 2016 have resulted in a confident outlook for 2017, offsetting the reduction in both government and consumer spending. The introduction of Real Estate Investments Funds (REITs) is also expected to have a positive impact on the real estate industry in the Kingdom.



This new franchise subsidiary is in line with our group vision in residential development and complements our real estate property management portfolio, said Al Rabiah.



The backing of a real estate firm of Astecos standing and its plus 30 years of experience will undoubtedly play a major role in supporting us during the launch phase and beyond. The gravitas of the Asteco brand combined with our local knowledge and expertise means we can look forward to business growth and success in the future.



Astecos franchise model provides partners with a high value referrals service, access to Astecos market research and quarterly reports, dedicated intranet with a comprehensive range of resources, regular communication and updates, as well as use of the industry-leading real estate software and CRM platform.



As the only locally established, full service real estate business in the region offering a bespoke franchise opportunity, Asteco provides independent market analysis, design development consultancy and valuation services, sales and leasing services, as well as asset and property management services.  TradeArabia News Service
Binghatti Developers, an innovative Dubai-based property group, has been awarded the Best Architecture Company award at the regions premier real estate awards - Gulf Real Estate Awards.



The award was presented to Muhammad BinGhatti, the CEO and head of architecture, by Sultan Butti bin Mejren, the director general of Dubai Land Department at a recent ceremony held in Dubai, UAE.



Binghatti Developers was honoured in front of nearly 300 real estate leaders at the largest, most prestigious, real estate gathering in the region.



Showcasing Binghattis signature style in design and architecture, the developers portfolio includes nearly 30 projects in total. Ten new developments are still under construction throughout several areas of the UAE including a one-million-sq-ft commercial facility in Abu Dhabi.



The companys operations in Dubai focus on residential developments in Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Marina, Jumeriah Village Circle, Liwan, and Dubai Land Residence Complex.



The companys development portfolio is valued at more than Dh3 billion ($816 million) and features the Dh1-billion ($272 million) Swarovski Sparkle Towers project in Dubai Marina.



The company has bold plans for further expansion in the coming years with plans to launch multiple residential projects in Dubai.



On receiving the award, BinGhatti said: "We are absolutely thrilled to win the Best Architecture Company award in the 2017 Gulf Real Estate Awards. It is an incredible honour to be recognised for our efforts on a regional level by the esteemed Dubai Land Department."



"We work extremely hard on ensuring all our projects feature iconic architecture and we encourage people to discover the art of property. This is a testament to our commitment to architecture and real estate in the region and we look forward to developing more iconic projects in Dubai," he added.



Mark Hamill, the managing director of Awards International UAE, said: "Having a fully transparent awards process is essential for all our events - knowing youve beaten the best on merit alone does wonders for individuals and companies."



"Along with their award, our winners take home huge amounts of credibility when you take into account the high volume and quality of entries we received," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A northern Wyoming gas company is seeking permission to raise its rates, but until the case can be heard by regulators, the Office of the Consumer Advocate says the rates should be cut.

The gas company and the regulatory division are at odds over how much of the companys financial investment to serve consumers can be passed to customers via utility rates.

Its a question that regularly comes up for utilities, which have to seek approval from regulators before increasing or decreasing peoples utility bills. Rocky Mountain Power, an electricity provider, recently requested a rate reduction, as the cost of providing electricity was less than expected. Wyoming Gas, which serves a narrow region from Greybull in the north to around Thermopolis in the south, says its expenses have gone up since its last rate case in 2009.

The company filed a request to increase its gas rates by $473,219 per year. The Consumer Advocate argues the company should decrease its rates by $124,266 per year.

The dispute will ultimately be settled by the Wyoming Public Service Commission. In the time being, the Office of the Consumer Advocate is arguing that the company should temporarily be charging customers what the OCA has decided is fair.

Wyoming Gas offered a heated response to the Consumer Advocates motion for a reduction, arguing that there is no legal precedent to justify a temporary rate decrease before the full case is heard by the commission.

There is no legal basis for implementing temporary rates based on the OCAs single point of view, the company said in a statement.

The release went on to state that the Consumer Advocates motion for a temporary rate decrease had flawed and biased arguments.

Consumer Advocate Administrator Bryce Freeman disagrees.

The [Office of the Consumer Advocate] concluded that WGC is currently collecting revenues from its customers in excess of what is required to fairly compensate the company for the cost of delivering gas to its customers, he said in a statement.

Rate wrangling is par for the course when companies want to increase the cost of service they pass on to customers. As its name implies, the Office of the Consumer Advocate acts as a representative of the public in these hearings and has access to company financial reports and filings.

The last time Wyoming Gas had a rate case before the commission was in 2009. Since then, the economics have changed, the company argued.

The company also took issue with the additional financial burden of going through a rate case at all.

A rate filing costs Wyoming Gas Company and its customers a significant amount of resources, time and expenses, the company said in a statement. Wyoming Gas Company felt that considering the downturn in the energy industry and the effect on the local community, a rate application as ordered by the commission was ill-timed.

Electric and gas companies are not allowed to make a profit on the fuel they buy and deliver to customers. They can, however, make a return on investments made to meet customer demand. Those profits are strictly regulated by the Public Service Commission and reviewed by the independent investigative division of the commission, the Consumer Advocate.
So when they butt-stroked me to the head from an AK-47 and I was bleeding down the side of my face and they threw me back in the cell I could
PFLAG meets

April 23

The Casper community is invited to this months PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meeting on Sunday at the United Church of Christ, at 15th and Melrose. The business meeting will be from 5 to 5:25 p.m., potluck dinner from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and a program from 6 to 7 p.m. The months program will be on advocacy and its importance in the LGBTQ community. Questions or inquiries related to this event can be directed to Rob Johnston (259-5026) or Ruth Ann Leonard (265-5449).

Rotary talks Australia

On Monday, April 24, members pf the Casper Rotary Club, Deb and Gene Theriault and Jim Anderson, will present a program on Rotarys Australian Friendship Exchange, to Rotarians and guests, at a noon luncheon meeting of the Casper Rotary Club at the Ramkota Inn. The Rotary Friendship Exchange program provides a means through which Rotarians in one part of the world can experience life in another country or culture. Its goal is to advance international understanding and goodwill through person to person connections across national boundaries.

The Casper Rotary Club will be hosting Rotarians from Australia this spring. Later there will be a reciprocal trip to Australia.

NARFE social

April 25

Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association will have a no-host social meeting at noon on April 25 in the meeting room at the Casper Senior Center, 1831 E. Fourth St.

Gold prospectors meet

The Casper Chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. April 26 at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Enter through the east door. Members and guests are welcome. The speakers for this month are Mike and Marron Bingle-Davis. They are accomplished geologists and will give a lecture in regards to the geologic history of Wyoming with an emphasis on mineralization. A general club business meeting will follow this presentation. The club will also be holding a farewell party for past president and founder Rick Messina. For more information about the GPAA or the Casper chapter, or about prospecting in general, call Eric Weaner at 513-259-7902 or visit the clubs webpage at caspergpaa.org or email the club at caspergpaa@gmail.com.

Model railroaders host division meeting

The Central Wyoming Model Railroad Association will host the spring meeting of the Northern Wyoming Division of the Rocky Mountain Region NMRA at the clubhouse, 1356 N. Center St., at 10 a.m. May 6.

A couple of clinics are planned, as well as an afternoon operating session, where the HO layout will be turned into a single-tracked mainline resembling a trip from Denver to Billings via Casper. Interested people are invited to try out as engineers, brakemen or conductors and new operators will be trained.

A training session for operators will be held at the next meeting at 1 p.m. April 29 at the clubhouse.

The clubhouse is still open on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m., and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. The clubhouse is open to the public at no charge.

New trains include a Spirit of America, Thomas Kinkade Christmas Express and a Wells Fargo Express.

Consider holding a birthday party or other family gathering at the clubhouse. School and daycare groups are welcome as well. Call Nathan at 258-7869, Harry at 235-4950 or Homer at 266-6439 for information or scheduling.

Flycasters meet

May 10

The monthly meeting of the members of Wyoming Flycasters is held the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Izaak Walton League Lodge, 4205 Fort Caspar Road. Interested people are encouraged to come and consider joining. Annual membership fee is $30. Wyoming Flycasters is dedicated to educating and assisting new or old fly fisher men and women in Wyoming and conserving waters and habitat for Wyomings wildlife and fisheries.

Casper Charla meets

Would you like to practice conversational Spanish or help others learn? Come and join the Casper Charla. Te gustaria platicar en espanol? Ven y charla con nosotros! Todos son bienvenidos! Come and join us on the second Wednesday of each month this spring. The group meets at a different restaurant each month and partakes in food, drink and conversation. All levels of Spanish are welcome, from beginning to native speakers. Nos reunimos los miercoles en varios restaurantes en Casper. Ven por una copa, un antojito o simplemente una charlita. Wednesday, May 10, 5-7 p.m.: La Cocina.

Corvette Cruise and Dine every Tuesday

Cruise and Dines sponsored by the Central Wyoming Corvettes (a non-profit organization) are every Tuesday night through Nov. 7, 2017. Bring your corvette and meet at Whites Chevrolet at 6 p.m. and take a short cruise with several other Vettes to a local restaurant for dinner and share in the fun. Catch up with old friends or make new ones. Guest or new members are always welcome to join in the fun. See us on Facebook or visit our website.

Womens networking meets

The Heart Link Network is a womens networking event held monthly, every second Tuesday (May 9, June 13, July 11) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Ramada Plaza, 300 W. F St. The cost is $20 per person and the meal is included. Come enjoy the fellowship of women in business and showcase what you have to offer. For more information and to register for the event, please call Amy Lund at 262-7475 or visit www.82601.theheartlinknetwork.com.

Panhellenic

lunch May 13

The annual Panhellenic lunch, sponsored by the ladies of the Casper Alumnae Panhellenic organization, will be held at 11:30 a.m., on Saturday, May 13, at the Casper Country Club. Please come and meet old and new friends.

The National Panhellenic Council was established in 1902 and is comprised of 26 sororities on over 650 college and university campuses. Besides providing support and friendship, members have a life-long network of sisters around the world.

Philanthropy is an important part of membership. Together, the sororities raise over $5 million for charities, provide over $2.8 in scholarships for women and volunteer over 500,000 hours each year. Most, if not all of these groups are represented by women in Casper. The University of Wyoming has three NPC sororities.

The cost will $18 and there will be two menu choices. Please call Nancy at 237-3270 or Dyann at 258-7071 for more information or to make a reservation by May 5.

Constitution

Party meets

Reaching out to any members interested in liberty and who are good moral people. To get involved, come to a Constitution Party of Wyoming Natrona County gathering. The next meeting is 4 to 4:45 p.m. April 29 at the library (Crawford Room). Check us out at wyocp.com/natrona.

Central Wyoming Corvettes meets monthly

Central Wyoming Corvettes (a non-profit organization) meets monthly the second Thursday of every month (May 11, June 8, July 13, Aug. 10) at the Holiday Inn East restaurant with dinner at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. Come for the cars and stay for the people. This is a group of really fun great people who over the years have donated thousands back to the community by sponsoring fun car events. Guests or potential new members are always welcome. Come see what were all about, down to earth folks who have fun giving back to the community with really fast cars. See us on Facebook or visit our website.

Ice cream in the park

Central Wyoming Corvettes is hosting Ice Cream in the park on Saturday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Washington Park, and if you bring a Corvette, you will get a free ice cream cone. Stop by and have some fun even if you dont have a Corvette. Guests or new members are always welcome. See us on Facebook or visit our website.

Whites All Chevy Car Show, AutoCross

Central Wyoming Corvettes (a non-profit organization) is hosting The Whites all- Chevy Car Show at Whites Chevrolet on June 24, 2017. The car show will be open to all Chevys, not just Corvettes. Come join us. Vote for your favorite Chevy and your favorite Corvette. Registration starts at 9 a.m., the Car Show runs from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be fun for everyone for a small donation, and all proceeds go to local charities. The Shriners will be providing food and there will be multiple door prizes. Come out and see some wonderful Chevys and help us support great local organizations. Guests or new members are always welcome and we have a great time. Sunday, June 25, come join in the fun for a Low Speed AutoCross. This event will be open to Corvettes and the first eight non-Corvettes. The entry fee is $30 for each set of three races or $75 for the day. Registration starts at 8 a.m. with the first car out at 9 a.m. Helmets and closed toe shoes are required and all cars must pass technical inspection. If you want to drive fast and test your driving skills, join us for an autocross. See us on Facebook or visit our website.

Chili cook-off in May

Harley Owners Group Oil City Chapter 3533 presents the second annual chili cook-off open to the public and all ages from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 13 at Oil City Harley Davidson, 831 N. Glen Road. Admission is $5.

Civil Air Patrol meets

Civil Air Patrol meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Casper National Guard Armory, 5905 CY Ave. For more information, call 259-0855.

Stammtisch at Applebees

The Casper German Stammtisch meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays at Applebees. On the second Thursday of each month we will focus on speaking German. All ability levels are welcome, as long as they are eager to hear German.
Deadline soon for Beginning Experience

Beginning Experience of Wyoming is a weekend program that offers healing and renewal to divorced, widowed and separated men and women. It is a nonprofit, faith-based comprehensive program offered to all, regardless of religious preference. A Beginning Experience weekend offers support and direction to help resolve grief or anger that can follow the end of a marriage by divorce, separation or death. The next Beginning Experience weekend will be in Casper and starts at 7 p.m. April 28 and runs through around 4 p.m. April 30. The cost of the weekend is $150, which includes sleeping arrangements, meals and materials.

Scholarships are available. Registration deadline is April 26.

For more information, contact Curtis at 307-240-1232 or westcurtis2014@gmail.com, Diane at 262-4142 or Paulette at 267-6375.

Buddhists meet

David Vaughn is a Buddhist living in Casper who finds himself feeling more and more isolated and wishing that he had someone to share his Buddhist interests with. But there are no Buddhist temples here; no place for people who wish to share stories of Dharma or Karma, no place to learn and exchange meditational techniques, no place to meet people of like minds for friendship, conversation, companionship, or even romantic interest.

So Vaughn has decided to take matters into his own hands and do something about it. He proposes to establish a Casper Buddhist Fellowship, and set up a common meeting place where the Buddhists of Casper can congregate at regular intervals to practice our Buddhist customs; where Buddhists can go to and feel safe, mingle with other Buddhists, and experience all of those most wonderful things that the Buddhist religion has to offer.

Vaughn invites all who are interested to contact him at davidvaughn991@yahoo.com so that a dialogue might begin.

Saturday watercolor sessions

The schedule for the Saturday Morning Watercolor Sessions from 10 a.m. to noon for April at Art 321 is below. These are coordinated by Ellen Black, 265-6783. $10 per session.

April 22, practice session; April 29, building perspective, Dave Sneesby.

May 6, practice session; May 13, Matting and Framing Your Paintings; May 20, practice session; May 27, Techniques for Aerial Perspective.

June 3, practice session; June 10, Oriental Painting, Claudette Mowery; June 17, practice session; June 24, Big Brush Landscape.

Learn photo management

The Natrona County Library will offer a Photo Management class from 2 to 4 p.m., on Monday. A basic tutorial for managing photos will be provided, including how to transfer photos from removable media (cameras, phones, SD cards, etc.) to a computer, how to share photos on social media, tips for organizing photos, and what photo management programs are available. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Write Brain

Books training

Mercer Family Resource Center will host a Write Brain Books Training from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26, at Mercer Family Resource Center, 535 W. Yellowstone Hwy. The training is $30 and includes lunch. The founder of Write Brain Books will facilitate the training, and is for anyone who works with youth and look for a new way to incorporate literacy into his or her programming/instruction.

Write Brain Books are illustrated, wordless books that inspire kids of all ages to become published authors of their own storybooks, each receiving published, hardcover copies of their original tales. To register for the training, please contact Mercer Family Resource Center at 265-7366.

For more information on the Write Brain Books training, please contact Keri Owen, NCPC grant assistant, at 265-7366 or kowen@mercercasper.com.

DAV mobile

van in Casper

The DAV Mobile Service Office Van will make a visit to Casper on April 26 and again on May 4, parked at the Casper National Guard Armory, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

One of the various services DAV provides at no cost to veterans is the Mobile Service Office (MSO) Program. These offices-on-wheels travel to under-served communities across the country to help veterans and their families obtain the services and benefits they have earned. Staffed by highly trained DAV National Service Officers, the MSOs provide professional support throughout the claims and appeals process. When you come to one of the MSO locations, please bring your identification, Social Security number, and any other pertinent documentation regarding your military service. DAV membership is not required to utilize these free services. For more information about MSO stops in the area, please call Leroy Kenner, NSO Supervisor at (307) 433-2752.

Parkinsons exercise

Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinsons exercise program. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500. These classes are open to anyone with Parkinsons or caring for someone with Parkinsons.

Thursdays class is tailored for the individual with more advanced Parkinsons and focuses on improving endurance, safety and managing symptoms. We are open to all ages and can tailor the class to meet varying exercise needs. The cost of the class is $5. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon.

Better Breathers meet April 27

The next Better Breathers Club support group will meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Nerd Health and Wellness Center at Wyoming Medical Center, 1233 E. Second St.

Respiratory therapists will talk about pulmonary rehabilitation on breathing. Refreshments will be provided by Community Home Oxygen.

Designed by the American Lung Association, the Better Breathers Club is a support group for patients with chronic lung diseases and their caregivers. It offers tools and encouragement for managing COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung disorders. It is locally facilitated by the NERD Health and Wellness Center.

The club meets on the fourth Thursday of every month and offers presentations on exercise, breathing techniques, supplemental oxygen, general medication education, among other topics. For questions or to sign-up for the Better Breathers Club, call 577-2929.

Selling on eBay

The Natrona County Library will offer a Selling on eBay class from 10 a.m. to noon April 27 in the Tech Center. Learn about selling, shipping, feedback and how to handle transactions effectively and safely using eBay. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Landowner

solutions workshop

A casual learning conversation about country living issues will be held at 6 p.m. April 25 at the Glenrock Community Library, 506 S. Fourth St. Admission is free. Topics will include fighting weeds and animal health among others. Please pre-register so materials will be available. Contact Scott Cotton, UW Extension, 235-9400 or Scotton1@uwyo.edu.

Call for portraits at Art 321

This is an open call to all artists in the community, working in any medium, to exhibit their artwork in the Art 321Casper Artists Guild Portrait Exhibit in May. Please note that artwork needs to be delivered to Art 321 Gallery by April 28.

Learn about Airbnb

The Natrona County Library will offer an Airbnb class from 2 to 4 p.m. April 29. Learn how to navigate the site and create listings. Feel free to bring digital photos of the space you would like to list along with any other information about your listing to receive help with your first post. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

DAV info seminar

So many veterans feel confused about benefits and services theyve earned. Theres so much to know, and so many changes from one year to the next. Thats why local members of the nonprofit DAV (Disabled American Veterans) will present a veterans Information seminar from 6 to 9 p.m. May 3 at the Casper National Guard Armory, 5905 CY Ave. Like all DAV services, the seminar is free to all veterans and members of their families. In conjunction with the seminar, from 8 to 9 p.m., the NSOs will be providing claims assistance. For further information, please contact NSO Leroy Kenner Jr. at 307-433-2752.

McIntyre photo workshop May 5-6

If you love the photography of Suzette McIntyre now on display at Art 321 Gallery, you will be eager to sign up for her workshop coming in May. Convergent Photography is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, instructed by McIntyre. Participants need to bring a digital camera. Fee is $130 for members/ $170 non-members.

Job fair May 3

The Department of Workforce Services is holding a Youth Job & Career Fair with the intent of informing youth and young adults in Casper of job openings, career opportunities, and college or training options that are available to them in the Casper community.

Youth and young adults between ages 16 and 24 who want to jump-start their careers are encouraged to attend. Individuals should dress to impress and take copies of their resumes to the Agriculture Resources & Learning Center from 9 a.m. to noon on May 3.

The event aims to connect youth with a range of employment opportunities and help them explore the diversity of education and career options available to them in the future.

For more information, call 234-4591.

Felt scarf workshop at Nic

A felt scarf workshop will be held from noon to 3:30 p.m. May 13 at the Nicolaysen Art Museum, instructed by Tatiana Lushnikova. Fees are $40 for members, 30 for students with valid student ID, and $55 for non-members. Please pre-register and pay by May 8. Bring a friend and save $10 on your class fee. This class is recommended for high school students and older.

In this class, students will learn the process of wet felting and produce their own piece of handmade fiber art.

For more information, contact Zhanna at zgallegos@thenic.org or call 235-5247.

Corporate team building with (theater) murder

Casper Theater Company will be teaching teambuilding workshops.

After determining areas of emphasis designed to a specific business, the workshop will be steered in that direction.

For more information, visit www.caspertheatercompany.net, or Casper Theater Company on Facebook or call Casie at 247-6167, or Donna at 267-7243 to set up a time.

Teen Challenge spring groups

Smart Step Families: Putting two families together is never easy. The Smart Step Families, led by a Christian couple, will give answers and encouragement. Thursday evenings starting in March. Call Pastor Mark or Linda at 259-1081.

Insight: Discovering the path to Christian character, especially in the midst of stress. For more information, call Teen Challenge Wyoming at 258-5397. There are nine sessions to the class.

Professionals in Recovery: An ongoing Christian recovery group. For more information, call Gary at 267-7777.

Free to Grow: Helping people overcome disappointments and setbacks that have arrested or are presently hindering their emotional and spiritual development. Starts in February and meets on Thursdays. For more information, call Jane at 797-7271 or Judy at 251-5644. There are 12 sessions to the class.

Peacemaking: In this world of division and conflict, its important for Christians to stay grounded in what the Bible teaches about resolving differences with others in a God- honoring way. Sunday at 4 p.m. For more information, call Teen Challenge Wyoming at 258-5397. There are 12 sessions to the class.

Stepping into Freedom: A Christ-centered 12-step program that offers support for anyone struggling with a life controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism. There are 12 sessions to the class.

New ministry at HPCC

Family Life Ministry at Highland Park Community Church is offering premarital, marriage enrichment, and parenting workshops, seminars, retreats and conferences, empowering families to thrive through Gods love. Please visit the website for more information or to register, http://hpcc.church/FLM.

Dementia caregiver support

Wyoming Dementia Care offers five Alzheimers Caregiver Support groups each month. Caregivers of those with dementia-related illnesses and the loved ones they care for are welcome at any of the group sessions. Professional staff from Intermountain Home Companions will be on hand to offer separate activities and snacks for those who need care. There is no charge for Wyoming Dementia Cares support groups or for the respite care provided during the approximately one-hour sessions.

The morning support group sessions meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at Central Wyoming Senior Services, 1831 E. Fourth St. The afternoon support groups meet at 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Life Care Center of Casper, 4041 S. Poplar. The evening groups meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Meadow Wind Assisted Living, 3955 E. 12th St.

For information, email wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or call Dani Guerttman at 265-4678.

Family continues suicide support

Good Grief, Support will continue at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott, by request of attendees. Anyone who is grieving a suicide or death or considering suicide is encouraged to attend. Attendance, as well as the content, will be strictly confidential. The Fresh Start Cafe will be open, and you can eat during the meetings. This meeting place was offered by Dan Cantine of the 12-24 Club. You need not be a member to attend. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

New depression group begins

J.R.s Hunt for Life is offering See it Clearly, a free peer support group for people suffering from depression and other mental conditions that lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. The group is led by like-minded peers wishing to offer support. Anonymity and confidentiality is offered to all attending. Meetings are at 6:45 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 500 South Wolcott in the conference room on the second floor, (12-24 Club). Those who have considered or attempted taking their life or are struggling are welcome. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

Celebrate Recovery every Friday

Celebrate Recovery meets at 5:30 p.m. every Friday at Highland Park Community Church, just south of Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on East Second Street. A family meal starts the evening, followed by praise and worship. At 7 p.m., theres either a lesson from Celebrate Recoverys planned curriculum or a testimony by a person who has found recovery through Christ. Then, people go to gender-specific small groups until 8:30 p.m., when dessert and fellowship conclude the evening. Child care is available at no cost. For more information, contact Chris at 265-4073.

Here and Now: Dementia-focused monthly art class

Classes are every third Tuesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no charge. Here and Now is a program made possible through a collaboration between Wyoming Dementia Care and the Nicolaysen Art Museum. It is designed to provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and Alzheimers and their loved ones.

To register, contact Dani with Wyoming Dementia Care 265-4678, ext. 106, or at wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or Zhanna Gallegos at 235-5247 or at zgallegos@thenic.org.
Each year, hunters across Wyoming wait for results from their big game license applications. Depending on the species and area, a hunters chance of drawing his or her desired license could be 100 percent or as low as 1 or 2 percent.

But some licenses, even the most prized, are a guarantee. Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners each receive eight to donate to a worthy nonprofit of their choosing. Licenses are also given to hunters with disabilities and the National Bow Hunt. And 80 are apportioned each year to the Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt, a male-only shoot in Lander said to be the longest-running invitational hunt in the country.

The Wyoming Womens Foundation tried to obtain 80 licenses this year through legislation for the Wyoming Womens Antelope Hunt, but the bill proposing the licenses failed.

Some Equality State sportsmen are beginning to question how complimentary licenses are distributed, saying a public resource such as antelope licenses shouldnt be given to groups that cater to only one gender, race or other defining factor.

Lander One Shot organizers, on the other hand, say their hunt is steeped in decades of tradition and the proceeds go to local and regional conservation work.

And its those licenses  the ones given to groups and mandated by law  that Wyoming legislators will discuss Monday in Greybull at the upcoming Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee meeting.

We want an update on who gets them, what they do with them, what the value is of them to the state, said Rep. Jim Allen, R-Lander. Maybe there will be a bill drafted, maybe not.

Tradition

The Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt started in 1939 outside Lander as a way to honor the Shoshone tradition of shooting an antelope with one arrow, said Carl Asbell, board member and former president of the One Shot Club.

Since then, its grown to host dozens of well-connected male participants, including governors from about 30 states, actors such as Roy Rogers and Peter Fonda and almost 20 astronauts. Wyomings past 15 governors have also participated, including Gov. Matt Mead.

The bulk of the proceeds raised at the hunt go to Water for Wildlife, which builds water tanks for animals in Wyoming and 11 other states and South Africa. Money also goes to projects in Lander including the new Lander Community Center and restoration of the Middle fork of the Popo Agie River.

Generally, eight teams of three shoot in the contest, and the other 56 licenses are given to past shooters who come to the event.

Some of the licenses, such as the resident and nonresident ones in area 65, have extremely low drawing odds for the general public. The chance of a nonresident hunter drawing a tag in area 65, for example, is between 2 and 4 percent. Its because of the low odds that the Legislature voted to set aside licenses in 1979.

Jason Hunter, Lander wildlife supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said the tags are extras, and if the hunt didnt receive them, they wouldnt necessarily go into the pool of available licenses.

And without the tags, Asbell said, the hunt couldnt happen.

That would be the end of all three organizations, including Water for Wildlife, he said.

Equity

Groups like the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers arent opposed to events like the Lander One Shot  they just want to see parity in complimentary licenses, said Jessi Johnson, board member for the Wyoming chapter of the sportsmens group.

Wyoming Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers ask that if organizations receive and utilize complimentary licenses that we do so in a manner that is inclusive, holds with fair chase concepts and promotes good sportsmanship and wildlife stewardship to all levels of hunters regardless of tradition, be it men, women, or youth, Johnson said.

It is tradition that prevents women from participating in the Lander One Shot competition, Asbell said. Historically, members of the Shoshone tribe who participated in the hunts ceremonies required the hunt itself be only for men. Those participants have since changed over to new ones, and while Asbell isnt sure if the new tribal members still require only men hunt, the tradition of male tribal members hunting for food remains.

Its so strict, in fact, that if Wyoming elects another female governor, she would be asked to choose a man to shoot in her place, Asbell said. She would still be asked to co-host, however, and join the festivities surrounding the hunt.

There are a lot of women volunteers that are in our organization that help support our hunt and put the hunt festivities together, he said. Our executive director is a woman.

Allen, the Lander legislator, is also chairman of the Travel and Recreation Legislature committee that plans to discuss complimentary licenses. The committee will talk about the One Shot, he said, and also the other licenses offered.

But in terms of whether another group should receive licenses, Allen said: If somebody comes to us with an idea for a bill, theres a lot of filters I run through: Is it constitutional? Is it good for the constituents? What is the public benefit? The One Shot in my mind checked all those boxes.

Allen did not support legislation this year that would have given the womens antelope hunt 80 tags because the area near Ucross where the hunt takes place has a 100 percent success rate for licenses, he told the Star-Tribune in March.

Gov. Matt Meads spokesman, David Bush, said in an emailed statement that the governor supports both the One Shot and the Womens Hunt and will be following the legislative committees discussion.

For sportsmen like Johnson, its not about the state giving licenses to two hunts  its about not excluding any one group from a public resource like hunting licenses.

This is neither a women- or men- or organization-specific stance, she said. If you get state issued licenses, it should be fair and equal.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation should look into leadership problems at the Casper Police Department due to the potential criminal nature of some of the complaints, City Councilman and former police chief Chris Walsh requested in a letter to the citys top administrator Thursday.

In the letter, obtained by the Star-Tribune, Walsh lays out allegations that extend beyond those described by the Fraternal Order of Police in a recent survey of officers and a subsequent vote of no confidence against current Police Chief Jim Wetzel. Walsh wrote that since the survey became public in early April, people have spoken to him about matters not addressed in the survey.

Many of the complaints describe what could be categorized as a hostile work environment, while some allegations could have a criminal aspect, Walsh wrote. Due to the potential criminal nature of some of the complaints, I recommend making a request to the Wyoming Attorney Generals Office and request the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation conduct the investigation.

Walsh, who served as chief immediately before Wetzel, said Friday evening that the letter was a follow-up to his requests for investigation at a City Council meeting the day the survey became public.

I figured I should make it formal, he said.

Interim City Manager Liz Becher said she would not request an investigation from state agencies based on Walshs letter because the city manager is authorized to act only at the direction of a majority of Council members. But she revealed Friday that at least two internal investigations related to the police department have been underway for several months.

Walsh also expressed frustration that the letter had been given to the Star-Tribune before it could be discussed further. He said he hadnt received a response to the letter but that he hadnt expected one immediately.

I regret that this is in the news, he said. I wish the proper channels wouldve been followed and this wouldnt have been tried in the public.

Wetzel did not return a call for comment and has not returned reporters calls or emails for the past two days. Its unclear whether he was aware of the letter Friday evening.

After the survey became public, Wetzel told reporters he would work on improving communication within the department. He also described a clash of cultures as hes worked to make changes since becoming chief three years ago.

Becher confirmed that she had received the letter but had not carefully reviewed it. She said it appeared to match previous allegations made in the survey.

In her third day in the interim role, Becher said she was working to get up to speed on issues surrounding the police department. She replaced former City Manager V.H. McDonald, who announced his retirement days after the problems came to light.

Questions in letter

In his letter, Walsh outlined a series of specific allegations that he said could be considered criminal and should be investigated by outside law enforcement. He said that all his questions were based on conversations with others and that he had no firsthand knowledge of the situations. The allegations could not be independently verified by the Star-Tribune.

The questions Walsh outlined included whether:

the chief instructed officers to submit false state or federal grant applications;

the department hired officers or civilian employees even though they failed polygraph tests;

the chief committed perjury while speaking under oath in a deposition;

the department created or plans to create a program to access personal computers, without a warrant, through a link in the Casper Police Department website;

the department used a similar program to access files on computers within the police department.

Walsh also outlined a series of concerns that he said might constitute a hostile work environment, many of which were also mentioned in the survey. Specifically, he said any investigation should also address allegations of inconsistent hiring practices and favoritism as well as criticism that city management and human resources failed to follow up on or resolve complaints made about the department.

Assistant City Manager Tracey Belser, who oversees human resources, said department staff had worked to address all employee concerns brought to their attention and disputed the FOP surveys allegation that the city had ignored complaints.

Walsh specifically questioned what happened after a series of meetings between almost all of police command staff and McDonald during the spring of 2016 in which the officers outlined their concerns. The command staff later met with McDonald and Wetzel to discuss the concerns, but officers who were at the meeting said nothing ever came of their complaints. The meetings were also mentioned in two memos to the city from the Fraternal Order of Police.

The details of the meeting with (Police Department) Senior Staff and the City Manager, approximately one year ago, should be scrutinized, Walsh wrote. What did the memo detailing complaints state and were any substantive actions taken to correct the issues? What concerns me is that the complaints could have been handled correctly and HR was possibly not allowed to address the issues.

Walsh ended his letter by stating that an outside investigation would be in the best interest of the community and all involved.

The longer this issue lingers it can only further erode the public trust in the Police Department, the Senior Leadership of the City and the City Council, he wrote. Currently there are a lot of emotions surrounding this situation and facts are what must be evaluated. I believe the details of the complaints must be investigated. It is fair and proper to those who made the complaints and it is fair and proper to the Chief of Police.

Survey highlights problems

Wetzels leadership came under question in early April with the release of the survey, which described a toxic environment within the department. More than 20 current officers reported that they were actively searching for new jobs outside the department or contemplating leaving law enforcement altogether.

Those concerns, which prompted Walsh and Mayor Kenyne Humphrey to initially call for an investigation, were similar to those of seven current and former officers who spoke to the Star-Tribune. One said investigators and patrol officers were afraid to do their jobs aggressively out of concern they would be punished for small discrepancies or policies that didnt exist before.

On Monday, results of a no-confidence vote held by the Casper chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police became public. Sixty officers, amounting to two-thirds of the force, voted against Wetzels continued leadership. In a letter to Wetzel, the group called on the chief to resign.

That letter raised three areas of concern related to Wetzel: his hiring practices, his ethical leadership and practices and his failure to establish direction and vision for the department.

Wetzel was named police chief in 2014 by then-City Manager John Patterson. He had previously served as a sergeant.
THERMOPOLIS  Lawmakers and groups that work to exonerate wrongly convicted people clashed with the Wyoming Attorney Generals office Friday over legislation that would grant new trials to offenders when fresh, non-DNA evidence surfaces.

A bill in the 2017 legislative session aimed to create a new process that innocence groups said would make it easier for someone who was wrongly convicted to get a new trial. It passed the House unanimously. But it failed in a Senate committee when a representative from the Attorney Generals office objected to it.

The Joint Judiciary Committee, which met in Thermopolis, is trying to resurrect the bill in a way that satisfies both sides. The committee asked a representative from the Attorney General to work with Laramie Rep. Charles Pelkey, the sponsor of the 2017 bill, and members of innocence groups to hammer out a compromise before its next meeting in early June. Lawmakers hope they can introduce the bill again in next years session  and have it pass.

Wyoming has one of the most stringent laws in the United States when new non-DNA evidence comes to light, Michelle Feldman of the New York-based Innocence Project told members of the Joint Judiciary Committee on Friday in Thermopolis.

Defendants have only two years to ask a judge for a new trial. But that isnt a reasonable amount of time, Feldman said, because attorneys working for innocence groups can spend a decade researching a case, interviewing witnesses and poring over court documents before deciding whether they believe someone was wrongly convicted.

Pelkeys bill lifted the time restriction and specified legal standards for evidence that a judge can consider when reviewing a case and deciding whether to grant a new trial.

Concerns

But Chief Deputy Wyoming Attorney General John Knepper said the bill had problems. He said that the measure could lead to abuse by convicts who are actually guilty, with them incessantly requesting new trials and wasting judges time.

Knepper said there are avenues people can take for exoneration that dont require a new law.

People who are no longer in prison can seek to expunge the crime from their records. The governor can pardon innocent people. People can request a new trial based on inadequate legal representation. And they can request federal court review actions in a state court, Knepper said.

And there is the issue of plea bargains, Knepper said. When people plead guilty to crimes, they usually dont have trials. The result of that is there are few court transcripts of witnesses, police and others testifying in the original trial for a judge to review when weighing whether to order a new trial, he said. He said that a persons credibility can be at stake if they originally say theyre guilty in a plea deal, then recant later.

Dont plead guilty if youre innocent, he said. Thats what you should do.

But Feldman, of the Innocence Project, disputed a number of Kneppers assertions.

Im only aware of one pardon the governor has given, so I dont know if thats a viable avenue, she said.

Lawmakers dont have to worry about prisoners inundating judges with requests for a new trial since the bar is high as to what constitutes new evidence, she said.

The Wyoming bill that failed earlier this year is similar to one enacted nine years ago in Utah, Feldman said. There have been only 12 petitions for new trials since 2008, she said.

Worse-case scenarios?

Committee member Sen. Liisa Anselmi-Dalton also challenged Knepper.

When someone is innocent, they dont want to have to jump through hoops to expunge their record, the Rock Springs Democrat said. They dont have to jump through hoops hoping the governor will give them a pardon.

She told Knepper that a new trial would be based on new evidence, not on poor legal representation.

They have to have material, new evidence, said Anselmi-Dalton, who has a law degree from Duke University. Its a pretty high standard.

She said innocent people just want their lives back.

Why are we torturing them? she asked Knepper.

I dont believe in torturing anyone, Knepper said.

Pelkey, the Laramie Democrat who sponsored the bill that passed the House, also disagreed with Kneppers assertions.

Listening to John, its like someone trying to imagine worst-case scenarios, and virtually every incarnation of a bad outcome of a bill, he said. This bill was well-considered by this committee before I introduced it last session.

Knepper said there are compromises that can be made, such as no longer requiring people to send requests for new trials by certified mail when new evidence arises.

Knepper said the Attorney Generals Office must track myriad bills in the Legislature. Attorneys who work in the office are instructed not to get involved in most of them or attend committee meetings where they are vetted. Lawmakers usually ask the attorneys their opinion on the legislation, and an offhand comment becomes construed as the official opinion of Attorney General Peter Michael or Gov. Matt Mead, who appoints the attorney general.

We want to be very careful that we speak with one voice, he said.

Exonerated cases

Montana resident Troy Willoughby is the last person who was exonerated after non-DNA evidence came to light. Willoughby was convicted in 2010 in the 1984 killing of Lisa Ehlers in Sublette County. He served three years before being cleared of the murder. After Willoughbys first trial, a police report surfaced showing officers had met with him about a different matter around the time Ehlers was killed. The police report was not revealed at his original trial.

More recently, Andrew Johnson of Cheyenne was released from prison after being exonerated of sexual assault and aggravated burglary convictions. On Monday, Johnsons attorney filed suit against the city of Cheyenne, claiming its officers withheld evidence that led to his conviction and failed to properly investigate the case.

But Johnsons case would not apply to the bill because he was exonerated based on DNA evidence.
THERMOPOLIS  Wyoming law may change to allow more joint custody agreements of children between parents who have split, although some lawmakers warn that many noncustodial parents push for the arrangements only to reduce the child support they have to pay.

The Joint Judiciary Committee on Friday discussed child custody and child support at a meeting in Thermopolis. They ordered their nonpartisan staff to draft a bill that adds the option of joint custody  which is called shared custody in the legal world  to state law. They will discuss it over the upcoming months and decide whether to sponsor it in the 2018 legislative session.

Rep. Jared Olsen, a Cheyenne Republican, said that shared custody is a discussion among policymakers across the country, as more parents are entering into the agreements.

Right now there are 25 states with pending legislation on shared custody, he said.

Currently, one parent gets primary custody in most Wyoming divorces. The primary custodial parent usually has 70 percent of the time with the children.

The noncustodial parent gets about 30 percent  every other weekend, alternative holidays and about 60 days in the summer, said Sen. Tara Nethercott, a Cheyenne Republican who is an attorney outside the Legislature.

The Wyoming Supreme Court has determined shared custody is not favored in the law, Olsen said.

If parents want joint custody, the court has decided they must be communicating at a sufficient level to work out the best interests of the children, he said.

There are many joint custody agreements in Wyoming. But if a divorce is so contentious that it ends up in court, a judges shared custody order is frequently tossed out on appeal because the parents are not determined to be communicating sufficiently, Nethercott said.

Nethercott also said that there is competing research on the effects of custody arrangements on childrens well-being.

Some research points to the stability children gain from primarily living with one parent because theyre not constantly traveling between two homes, she said.

Other research concludes children are better off when they spend equal time and develop relationships with both parents, she said.

Some lawmakers expressed concerns about the financial effects of joint custody on women.

Sheridan Republican Sen. Dave Kinskey said that when he worked as an attorney, he knew some fathers fought for joint custody to reduce the amount of money they had to pay their ex-wives.

The fastest route to poverty in America is to be a single mother, he said.

Kinskey and other lawmakers agreed that if child custody statutes change, they need to look at child support laws as well.

Rock Springs Democratic Sen. Liisa Anselmi-Dalton said she opposed shared custody. She knows of situations in which the men remarry and their new wives pressure them to get joint custody so the couple can have more money, she said.

She suspects it occurs in families where women who are the noncustodial parent remarry as well.

Divorce can be ugly, she said.

These are people who are not very nice, she said. Theyre mean. Theyll take you for every dime you have.

A couple of fathers testified before the committee in favor of joint custody.

Wyoming is the Equality State, said Gillette resident Don Adams. Unfortunately, when it comes to shared custody, Wyoming gets a D-minus from one of the organizations that (studied) shared parenting across the country. Thats a shame.

Adams said there are positive impacts for fathers and for kids when they spend more time together.

It should be the norm, not the exception, he said.
LARAMIE  A University of Wyoming student claims campus police mistreated him, breaking his wrist and bruising him, by forcibly removing him from class while he was recovering from a seizure.

Police removed senior petroleum engineering student Garret VonKrosigk from class and hospitalized him for the protection of himself and others, university spokesman Chad Baldwin said.

The students complaints about the officers conduct will be reviewed by the UW Police Department, which is a normal practice, Baldwin said.

VonKrosigk was about to give a class presentation Wednesday when he felt the seizure coming on. He left the classroom and went to lie down on a couch in a hallway, he said.

Ive had seizures my whole life, he said. So Im kind of aware if somethings about to happen.

He awoke surrounded by emergency medical technicians and campus police, he said.

He said he initially couldnt remember his name, address or birth date, and remembers getting agitated and openly angry that the EMTs would not let him immediately return to class.

An EMT told him he could return to class if he could answer four questions, including his birth date and the presidents name, which he did, he said.

VonKrosigk said he could not remember receiving confirmation that he was cleared to leave.

But I do know that the EMTs backed off and let me go back to class, he said.

VonKrosigk said he rejoined his team and prepared to present as another team finished its presentation.

I wasnt disturbing the class or anything, he said. I was calm. I was complacent. Everything was fine. I was beginning to cool down.

Classmate Tayln Costello said one police officer and two EMTs entered the classroom, told VonKrosigk he would be arrested if he did not allow his vitals to be taken, then forcibly removed him from the classroom. VonKrosigk was kicking and screaming, she said.

We didnt see anything, but we heard him screaming for at least 10 minutes, Costello said.

VonKrosigk said he was tackled in the hallway.

I have a bruised-up face, my ears all bruised up and my whole body is sore, he said. I have a black eye. My wrist was broken, so its in a splint. And I have bruises from where the handcuffs were tightened. My shoulder is all sorts of messed up.

Baldwin said the responding officer was wearing a body camera and the footage obtained would be reviewed.

The health and safety of our students is our top priority, he said.
LARAMIE  A University of Wyoming student claims he was injured by police who took him out of a classroom.

Student Garret VonKrosigk told the Laramie Boomerang police took him out of a classroom after he suffered a seizure in the hallway. UW Director of Institutional Communications Chad Baldwin said the police fetched the student after he returned to his classroom before emergency personnel had cleared him.

He says under Wyoming Title 25, officials are allowed to temporarily detain or involuntarily hospitalize individuals who might be a threat to themselves or others.

VonKrosigk claims his removal was involuntary. VonKrosigk said emergency personnel told him he could go back to class if he could correctly answer four questions, which he remembers doing. He says he suffered a bruising and a broken wrist as a result.
The fence outside the famous hole in downtown Cheyenne identifies the property as the future home of the Cheyenne Childrens Museum.

Yet that is not going to happen. Instead, it appears the hole will be filled by a parking garage instead.

The parking will be used by residents of the to-be-restored, long-vacant historic Hynds Building located next to the hole.

The building has been vacant for more than 30 years because of the lack of parking, according to new owner David Hatch and economic development officials.

Its a long, sad story.

It began with a December 2004 fire in Marys Bakery that burned down that building and damaged others in the historic downtown Cheyenne district along Lincolnway.

The fire left a hole, an eyesore, in an area popular with tourists.

Various ideas were offered to fill the hole  a tiny industrial park or perhaps a recreational pocket park. Nothing stuck.

Then a group of citizens with higher aspirations developed the idea for the childrens museum. The museum board bought two-thirds of the hole property from a Kansas corporate owner. The city owns the other third.

The museum supporters raised $3 million in private donations for the $17 million estimated cost of the project.

Volunteers collected nearly 2,100 signatures to get on the November 2016 general election ballot for a four-year-temporary quarter-cent economic development sales tax.

Proceeds from the seventh penny tax would go for construction and maintenance of the museum.

Then Amy Surdam, the former president of the museum board who is credited as the visionary of the project, filed for mayor.

Her opponent, Marian Orr, opposed the tax vigorously.

So the childrens museum became a political issue in an election year.

Fate did not smile on the project.

Voters rejected the tax by a narrow margin  52.8 percent to 47.2 percent. A total of 21,297 people voted against the tax, while 19,031 people supported it.

And Surdam lost the mayors race to Orr.

Surdam, a nurse practitioner and an officer in the Wyoming Army National Guard, recently became director of the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission.

The museum supporters regrouped.

They want to capitalize on support for the project evidenced by the nearly 20,000 people who voted for the tax and are working quietly on fundraising.

They are proceeding with an alternate proposal likely to be a phased-in project rather than a finished one.

Their architect is working on the new plan, said Carolyn Veit, the current president, in a telephone interview recently.

They plan to sell the hole property to LEADS, the economic development agency for Cheyenne and Laramie County.

LEADS has the opportunity to make the most of the parking garage development for the proposed new hotel in the Hynds Building.

The board wishes Leads well in the development, Veit said, noting that the original goal of the museum supporters was to fill the ugly void on Lincolnway.

People had not talked much about the lack of parking for the museum until the tax was approved for vote and became a political issue, Veit noted. There were other complaints about the inappropriateness of a place for children in the downtown given its transient population. All told, the opposition to the project increased as the mayors campaign went on.

The museum board also has moved forward with the acquisition of property on ONeill Avenue in the West Edge downtown area as the new site for the museum.

The decision to change the location from the hole was made last fall, before the November election.

The new location will provide plenty of space for parking and outdoor activities as well.

Even if we are not ending up with the hole, we changed the conversation, Veit said. Were working hard to make the transition happen.
The Tucson-based rocket company Vector is hurtling ahead on all fronts as it moves to build out its Tucson factory and start commercial rocket launches as soon as next year.

Founded just last year, Vector is building small rockets to launch a growing class of micro-satellites into orbit.

The company was founded by a group of space veterans including CEO Jim Cantrell, an alumnus of Elon Musks SpaceX, and John Garvey, a veteran of space programs at Boeing and McDonnell Douglas who ran his own spacecraft company for 16 years before merging it with Vector.

In just the past month or so, the company has raised millions of dollars from investors, prepared to pick a builder for its planned rocket factory south of Tucson International Airport and has identified possible future launch sites including Cape Canaveral.

RAISING MONEY

Vector is looking to raise a total of around $50 million from investors to get the company going.

Most recently, Vector raised $4.5 million in capital in a bridge round of funding ahead of a Series A investment round of $15 million to $20 million, which is expected to close in a couple of months, Cantrell said.

The company had previously raised about $5 million through private investments and with space-vehicle research contracts from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

In all, Vector has received more than $10 million in funding from angel investors, strategic partners and high net worth individuals, with notable investments from the Space Angels Network, Tucsons Desert Angels, Arizona Technology Investors and Kanematsu Aerospace in Japan.

Cantrell said hes been pleased by the support from local angels, who pitched in about half the recent bridge round.

Curtis Gunn, chairman of the Desert Angels, said a number of the groups members invested a total of $575,000 as part of the round, the groups largest single investment this year to date. Angels are individuals accredited to make unregistered private-equity investments by virtue of their high net worth or income.

Desert Angels is excited to support Vector as the companys work and development is taking another step towards making Tucson a space exploration and space tourism hub, Gunn said in an email.

The recent round, Cantrell said, also included an investment in a so-called cryptocurrency  similar to bitcoin  called Nexus, from Kurrent Investment.

Not coincidentally, the company behind Nexus is trying to develop a satellite- and software- based currency exchange system, and it is led by Cantrells son, Colin.

The original idea behind Vector was to build a satellite-based system that would allow customers to use software to operate sensors, using a constellation of satellites as virtual machines.

That concept, called Galactic Sky is still in development as Vector perfects its launch business, Cantrell said.

That makes a good business  its a billion-dollar business by itself, he said.

After the Series A financing round, Vector will be looking to raise $10 to $20 million in a second round that should provide enough capital to get the company going on its own, Cantrell said.

ROCKET FACTORY

Vector has been busy planning its 70,000-square-foot rocket factory in Tucson since securing a lease with Pima County in December for the site at the countys Aerospace, Defense and Technology Business & Research Park.

The company, which has about 25 employees now, plans to add 40 to 80 people, mainly engineers and skilled workers like machinists, this year and expects to have 200 employees in Tucson in a few years, Cantrell said. Besides Tucson, the company has operations in Orange County and San Jose, California.

The lease deal came on the heels of a successful test of a new rocket engine Vector is developing with NASA.

More recently, in early April, Vector issued a request for notices of intent to bid on construction of the factory and headquarters building, which will cost an estimated $15 million.

The company plans to issue a formal request for proposals on Monday, Cantrell said.

The company is looking for a builder-financed deal with a leaseback arrangement, Cantrell said.

Groundbreaking is now planned for sometime in July or August, with completion expected in a year to 18 months, Cantrell said. Vector already is building rockets at its current site near downtown.

Vectors development, including the initial capacity of its factory, depends on the pace and success of its fundraising efforts, Cantrell said.

It is very much dependent on how quickly we can raise money, he said.

The company plans to start the new Tucson factory with two manufacturing cells, or self-contained assembly lines, capable of producing 25 rockets a year, Cantrell said, but that can be doubled up relatively easily when needed.

The key thing is, we dont know total flight rates, or how quickly well need to ramp up, Cantrell said.

The company already has more than 100 launch contracts in hand.

TESTING, RETESTING

Vector continues suborbital testing of its roughly 45-foot-long Vector-R rocket ahead of a potential orbital test next year, Cantrell said.

The next test flight is scheduled for May 3, after a test April 6 at the companys test site near the Mohave Desert was scrubbed when a sensor caused an automatic abort, Cantrell said.

Engineers quickly determined the rocket was functional but the company decided not to launch after high winds kicked up. But the rocket is fine, he said, adding that failures are part of the testing process.

We blew a lot of stuff up, trust me, he said.

Company officials recently traveled to the East Coast to scout future launch sites, including Cape Canaveral. Vector doesnt plan to launch from Tucson.

During a visit to Floridas Cape Canaveral in March, the company placed a mockup of its Vector-R rocket in the NASA Now exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center.

The company also announced in late March that it will conduct a suborbital test flight of the Vector-R rocket this summer in Camden County, Georgia, on the coast near the Florida border.
Tech Launch Arizona honored three people, a startup company and a key campus partner this week for helping further the agencys mission of bringing University of Arizona inventions to market.

TLAs fourth annual I-Squared Expo & Awards, held Tuesday at the Jim Click Hall of Champions at McKale Center, also featured a pitch session, allowing faculty startups to practice their business pitches in front of a TLA panel ahead of an upcoming event in Silicon Valley.

The expo featured exhibits of a number of UA technologies in development, including a living heart patch invented at the College of Medicine, a high-altitude inflatable antenna and a new tunable laser.

Honors awarded by TLA were:

Inventor of the Year, Physical Sciences: Douglas Loy , a professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Science and professor of materials science and engineering in the College of Engineering. A prolific inventor, Loy has 15 inventions to his name, ranging from fluorescent epoxies to sunscreens to antioxidants. He has participated in the TLAs National Science Foundation I-Corps program, which aims to increase the impact of university research by helping to move promising inventions toward commercialization.

, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Science and professor of materials science and engineering in the College of Engineering. A prolific inventor, Loy has 15 inventions to his name, ranging from fluorescent epoxies to sunscreens to antioxidants. He has participated in the TLAs National Science Foundation I-Corps program, which aims to increase the impact of university research by helping to move promising inventions toward commercialization. Inventor of the Year, Life Sciences: Vijay Gokhale , director of computational chemistry at the UA Bio5 Institutes drug discovery and development initiative. Gokhale has worked with TLA and a number of scientists as a co-inventor on multiple projects related to drug discovery.

, director of computational chemistry at the UA Bio5 Institutes drug discovery and development initiative. Gokhale has worked with TLA and a number of scientists as a co-inventor on multiple projects related to drug discovery. Startup of the Year: MetOxs Electrochemical (faculty members Jinhong Zhang, Dominic Gervasio, Moe Momayez; co-inventor and partner Abraham Jalbout). MetOxs has licensed several UA technologies to address environmental and energy issues in mining, including molten-salt metal extraction methods, heat recovery systems and corrosion sensors, as well as a spinoff developing a fly ash-based substitute for concrete.

(faculty members Jinhong Zhang, Dominic Gervasio, Moe Momayez; co-inventor and partner Abraham Jalbout). MetOxs has licensed several UA technologies to address environmental and energy issues in mining, including molten-salt metal extraction methods, heat recovery systems and corrosion sensors, as well as a spinoff developing a fly ash-based substitute for concrete. Campus Collaborator of the Year: McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship TLA said the top-rated McGuire Center has been an indispensable partner in the agencys NSF I-Corps program.

TLA said the top-rated McGuire Center has been an indispensable partner in the agencys NSF I-Corps program. Ecosystem Impact of the Year: Katina Koller, CEO of Northwire Inc.

As a volunteer TLA commercialization partner, Koller is an active participant in TLAs weekly round-table discussions and has served as a mentor for NSF I-Corps teams, a proactive supporter of TLA projects and an overall enthusiastic contributor to the TLA mission, the agency said.

BUSINESS PITCHES

Four of the startup companies on the expo were picked by TLA to deliver 10-minute business pitches to a panel and answer rapid-fire questions.

One representative from each of the companies will have expenses paid to travel with TLA to Silicon Valley in early May to make a pitch at TechCode, a global startup incubator TLA has partnered with to increase the reach and effectiveness of UA inventions and startups.
It was a dark and stormy stage.

Holmes & Watson, which Arizona Theatre Company opened Friday, began with cracks of thunder and flashes of lightning.

What followed was the most elaborate and riveting game of Whats My Line ever.

Heres what we loved about it:

The script: The Jeffrey Hatcher play  this ATC production is the world premiere  is tight and clever and full of suspense  and has enough red herrings to feed a family of 40.

Three men are locked up in an asylum isolated on a rocky island. They all claim to be Sherlock Holmes. Thats surprising, considering Holmes was supposed to have died three years before in a to-the-death struggle with his nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

Holmes sidekick, Watson, is summoned to determine which  if any  is the real detective. There are enough twists and turns to keep the audience off balance. And just enough humor to keep them laughing. Thats important  laughter is needed to balance the considerable amount of suspense.

The direction: This is the last play David Ira Goldstein will helm as ATCs artistic director. He is stepping down after 25 years with the company  an almost unheard of amount of time for someone in that position. He is going out on a very high note. Goldstein has shaped a play that moves swiftly, is often tense and is always riveting.

The acting: To a person, this cast was perfect. Philip Goodwins Dr. Evans, the head of the asylum, was stoic and precise  just what one would expect of a physician. Stephen DAmbrose took on several roles, giving each distinction. Noah Racey, James Michael Reilly and Remi Sandri played the Im Holmes characters. While they were vastly different, they all displayed characteristics that seem to define the calabash pipe-smoking detective. And they did this without that pipe or deerstalker hat.

R. Hamilton Wright shaped a Watson that had a warmth and a cleverness associated with the character, and Carrie Paffs Matron  she would bring Dr. Evans sherry and discipline any unseemly behavior with a stern look  had a Frau Blucher (from Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein) air about her. She was a hoot. This was a tight cast that worked together with purpose and enormous talent.

The scene setters: Jeffrey Elias Teeter created projected images that put the audience right in the heart of the action. Whether it was a train rushing into a station, spitting steam and squealing brakes, or sea-sick worthy waves on an angry sea, he added a dimension that made the play that much more thrilling  and visually intriguing. Don Darnutzers lighting design underscored the tension, John Ezells scenic design gave us a dark and dangerous-looking asylum worthy of the suspense, and Roberta Carlsons music set the mood

The rats: Thats right, rats. Three times a snow-white rat scurried across the back of the stage, underscoring the dank creepiness of the asylum  and no doubt giving Goldstein a certain amount of glee at the opportunity to insert one in the play (hes used rats to good effect in a few other plays hes directed; one almost stole the show in his 2011 production of The Mystery of Irma Vep).

Holmes & Watson is fun, lots of fun. This is the last play in ATCs 50th season. And its ending with a must-see.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some April 22 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.
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The holy hoboes of Holy Trinity Monastery are deciding whether to hit the road for good as the St. David religious community faces an order to shut its doors.

The decree comes from on high  from leadership within the Order of Saint Benedict, the religious order under which Holy Trinity was formed in 1974.

In February, the Abbot General D. Diego M. Rosa, the top leader of the Benedictine Congregation of Santa Maria of Monte Oliveto Maggiore in Italy, issued a decree closing the monastery and removing the Rev. Henri Capdeville as its prior.

With only a priest and two brothers at the monastery, the Benedictine Congregation decided to dissolve the religious community because there are an insufficient number of monks at Saint David to maintain a regular monastic life, wrote the Very Rev. Mark-Ephrem Nolan in an email. Nolan, a Benedictine monk from Northern Ireland, was appointed by the abbot general to communicate the decree in person.

Capdeville and the two brothers are not the only ones who call the estimated 150-acre property home. A handful of laypeople devoted to the Rule of Saint Benedict  called oblates  live on site, along with the self-proclaimed holy hoboes who park in the monasterys Monte Cassino RV Park each winter.

Those residents will be less affected than the three vowed religious men, according to the congregation.

Taking it to court

After Capdeville received the orders and refused to obey the decrees which the Congregation issued and to cooperate as required, the congregation took the matter to Cochise County Superior Court, wrote Nolan, whom the decrees appointed president of the monasterys corporation in lieu of Capdeville.

Capdeville requested that the congregation reconsider the decree and though it was modified, it remained mostly the same, said his attorney, Lisa Anne Smith of DeConcini McDonald Yetwin and Lacy PC.

Capdeville, 60, has lived at the monastery about 40 years. He said his sister and stepfather are buried there. This is his whole life.

It was too much for me, Capdeville said of the news. We came here with the idea that it would be a lifetime commitment to the monastery, and thats what we understood.

The congregations complaint of trespass filed with Superior Court requests the removal of Capdeville as the president of the monasterys corporation and requires that he leave the grounds and turn over keys, passwords and other useful information, court records show.

It also identifies three congregation-selected men to be appointed to the monastery corporation (including Nolan). The congregation argues that as the religious order under which the monastery operates, it has authority over the Arizona sanctuary.

The heart of the case revolves around Capdeville leaving and who owns the corporation and property, Smith said. The hearing for a preliminary injunction was Wednesday, April 5.

The court sided with the congregation, meaning Capdeville has to move out by the end of April. He has been reassigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey in Pecos, New Mexico, he said.

Although the case is still in Superior Court, Capdeville filed an appeal and requested a stay that, if granted, would allow him to remain on the property while the Arizona Court of Appeals reviews the case.

A community disrupted

Thelma Meyer, 84, has been wintering at Holy Trinity for 27 years. An oblate, she is also the self-declared RV host. For her, this might be the end of an era.

Her late husband built the outdoor Stations of the Cross and oversaw the construction of a building used as a central hub for the RVers. The family funded the project, with the monastery matching the donation.

But thats water under the bridge, Meyer said from her home in Iowa. She left the monastery in early April. That has done its duty ... It drew people there and brought a family of RVers there who wanted to work ... It felt like a little extended home for everybody. So it was just really fantastic that everyone could get together and do what needed to be done.

During peak snowbird season, oblate and monastery newsletter editor Tom McGuire estimated that around 20 people live on the grounds volunteering. McGuire, 77, and his wife, Florence, spend six months out of the year at the monastery in their RV.

RVers pay rent to work, doing upkeep for the monastery during their stays. Some come for the religious life. Others just like the property and the people.

The Olivetan Benedictines are committed to dialogue with the residential lay oblates to maintain their presence and the Catholic and Benedictine ethos of Holy Trinity,  Nolan wrote.

In a statement released after the April 5 hearing, the congregation also noted that while there will no longer be Benedictine monks or priests at the facility, the Olivetan Benedictines also are working to find a way to continue some Catholic liturgies for those in the area that have come to rely on the Monastery church.

Still, winter residents such as McGuire are waiting to decide if theyll return to St. David . Meyer thinks her years there might be over.

The future of the property seems uncertain, and they will miss their friends.

On a human level, its devastating to all of us that were a part of that community, McGuire said.

Downsizing religious life

Beyond daily services and monastic living, the property also hosts spiritual retreats, an annual festival, a book shop and thrift store. Bird-watchers flock to the avian sanctuary along the San Pedro River, and rows of pecan trees greet visitors entering the grounds. A 70-foot-tall Celtic cross looms over the property.

These are a few of the ways the self-sufficient monastery has supported itself over the years.

A lot of religious communities are in the process of downsizing, said Mary Gautier, a senior research associate at the Catholic Churchs Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. They are converting mother houses into assisted-living facilities and combining congregations. ... The very small monasteries have had to all but disappear.

The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, a Tucson monastery at 800 N. Country Club Road, announced its closure last fall. After more than 75 years in Tucson, the sisters will join the communitys larger congregation in Clyde, Missouri.

Gautier said that after World War I and World War II, American Catholicism saw a spike in young people interested in the priesthood and vowed religious life. Interest peaked in the late 1960s, meaning that many religious communities have aged as fewer new members join.

That leaves religious orders with the task of figuring out how to make use of excess property and care for aging members in a way that best supports the order.

Theyre trying to be good stewards, Gautier said, noting that when monks age, they are no longer able to care for a property as easily.

The property in St. David is now being overseen by Rick Valencia, a Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson deacon who lives in the area, said diocese spokeswoman Steff Koeneman, clarifying that the diocese does not currently own the property.

Valencia, who was appointed secretary and treasurer of the corporation in the decree, is just caring for the property on behalf of the Benedictine Congregation for the time being.
St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N. Wilmot Road, will host a meet-and-greet with volunteers for the church's service trips to Guatemala at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 23, according to press materials.
Tucson's Jewish community will recognize the 69th anniversary of Israel's independence and the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification with events beginning Friday, April 28.

Congregations around Tucson will celebrate Israel's statehood with special Shabbat services on Friday, April 28, according to press materials. Check with local congregations for more information.

As part of the commemoration, the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, will host the six-week course "Survival of a Nation: Exploring Israel through the Lens of the Six-Day War" starting 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 3.

The $99 fee covers all six courses and a textbook. Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin of Chabad Tucson and Oshrat Barel of the Weintraub Israel Center will teach the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute course.

To register or for more information visit chabadtucson.com/israelcourse.
When four illegal immigrants walked up to a man running a carne asada cart in Sells on Jan. 25 they were seeking help.

Instead, they ended up locked in a room while their captors demanded thousands of dollars in ransom.

They had walked across the border illegally on the Tohono Oodham Reservation, and the man with the cart, later identified by authorities as Francisco Ruelas Pena, said he knew someone who could help them, documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson show.

Ruelas Pena called Rosanna Manuel, 42, who drove them to a house in nearby Cowlic and held them for two days in a room that did not have electricity, plumbing or a bathroom.

The captives  two women and a man from Guatemala and a Mexican woman  were fed through a gap at the bottom of a locked door while their captors demanded they have family members send $6,000 for each of them, according to court records. A relative of one of the captives wired $200 to Manuels niece.

They begged to be released from the room and on Jan. 27 they broke down the door and escaped, court records show. Border Patrol agents arrested them walking in the desert east of Sells. They told the agents about their ordeal and identified Manuels blue SUV.

Agents arrested Manuel, who said she picked up the migrants and took them to her residence in Cowlic, court records show. Homeland Security Investigations agents searched the room where the migrants were held and found the door broken, as the captives had described.

Manuel pleaded guilty on March 17 to a felony human smuggling conspiracy charge. Per the plea agreement, Manuel will be sentenced to five years in prison. Ruelas Pena also was charged with human smuggling. He has pleaded not guilty.

Erik Breitzke, assistant special agent in charge for the HSI office in Sells, said he could not comment on the case while the prosecution unfolds, but he spoke in general terms about migrants taken hostage in Southern Arizona.

While crossing the border, migrants can get lost or separated from their guide when pursued by Border Patrol agents or other law enforcement, Breitzke said.

Theyre looking for civilization. Theyre looking for food and water, for people to help them, he said. But they can appear to hostage takers as walking bags of money.

In a second recent incident, a Honduran man and a Mexican man were walking through the desert near Sells when they were intercepted by the same armed mafia men who had demanded the payment in order for them to cross into the United States, according to a criminal complaint filed April 14 in federal court.

They were forced into a car and taken to a gray cinderblock house in Sells where they were tied to a chair and held at gunpoint inside the back room of the house until they paid $1,000 each.

The captives told authorities they were held by three men and a woman until one of the captives called his family and arranged their release through three $500 money orders that were cashed in Tucson, records show.

The captives were taken to a bus stop and their captors watched them get on a shuttle to Tucson. One of their captors took photos of them and threatened to kill their families if they reported the kidnapping to law enforcement, records show.

In a lineup, the captives identified Melissa Marquez, 30, and Rosa Marquez Duran, 26, as two of their captors. Marquez and Marquez Duran each were charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of transporting illegal immigrants.

The kidnapping charges against Marquez and Marquez Duran were dismissed April 27, court records show. The charges of transporting illegal immigrants will proceed.

Kidnapping migrants often is a crime of opportunity committed by people who are not professional smugglers, Breitzke said. Professionals depend on word-of-mouth referrals and must do a good job for their clients.

Authorities find out about kidnapping cases only when the illegal immigrants report the incidents, which means kidnappings near the border likely occur more often than authorities know, Breitzke said.

Aliens break laws, but in some ways that makes them more prone to victimization, he said.

Illegal immigrants may hesitate to contact law enforcement, which makes it easier for them to be extorted, he said. They are close to their goal and their relatives will pay to get them to their destination.

After escaping their captors, migrants sometimes flag down police, Brietzke said, or they will decide to go back home.

Sometimes they will just continue on their journey, he said.

In the past 10 years, migrants have faced more kidnapping, violence, and extortion as border enforcement ramped up, said Maryada Vallet, spokeswoman for Tucson-based humanitarian aid group No More Deaths.

With tougher border enforcement, the cost of crossing rose and cartels moved into the business of smuggling migrants, leading to harsher treatment of migrants, she said.

With the increase in Central Americans arriving at the border in recent years, volunteers heard stories from migrants about kidnappings south of the border, Vallet said.

Mexican news reports regularly show migrants, particularly those from Central America, reporting kidnappings as they travel toward the United States.

In November, a woman from the Mexican state of Nayarit broke her ankle when she leaped from a second-story window in Nogales, Sonora, to escape kidnappers who demanded $30,000 for her release, the Hermosillo newspaper El Imparcial reported.
Basis school network is planning to open a primary campus on Tucsons south side as part of an initiative to bring its challenging curriculum to underserved areas.

This is something thats been on the hearts and minds of the board and me as well, said Peter Bezanson, CEO of Basis.ed, the parent company for the nationally acclaimed Basis schools.

Basis Tucson South, one of two new campuses approved by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, would open in the fall of 2018 or 2019. The other campus, Phoenix South, is set to open this fall. In coming years, Basis plans to open a third school in north Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The proposed Tucson South school will be in the vicinity of the I-10/I-19 interchange, and is expected to serve about 300 students in kindergarten through third grade in its first year. The school would add fourth grade the following year.

Basis does not yet have a facility for the new school, Bezanson said. The network is working on building a donor base and finding just the right place.

The new school will be the fourth Basis campus in the Tucson area. Existing campuses are on the north side at River and Craycroft roads, in Oro Valley on North Oracle Road and in central Tucson near Speedway and Alvernon Way.

The Tucson South campus would serve a somewhat different target population than Basis Tucson Primary, according to the school proposal submitted to the state charter schools board. The area has more lower- to middle-income families compared to Basis Tucson Primary.

An analysis included in Basis proposal to the charter schools board says the population in the area of the new school has about 69 percent of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch  an indicator of poverty  and nearly 64 percent are Hispanic. At Basis Tucson Primary, 18 percent are Hispanic.

The academic program at the new school will be identical to that of the existing primary school, but Basis Tucson South Primary will be prepared to adapt its operation to the unique needs of the community in South Tucson, according to the proposal. Part of that includes creating individual language plans for students who are learning English.

Basis schools typically do not offer lunch or transportation, which are barriers to lower-income students. However, Bezanson said the three schools in underserved areas may take part in the National School Lunch Program.

Transportation is much trickier, he said. Basis could consider looking into philanthropy for help. Its something wed like to do if we can afford it.

The new school would draw students who are mostly within the Tucson Unified School Districts boundaries. TUSD schools in the proposed area include Borton Magnet, C.E. Rose PreK-8, Carrillo K-5 Magnet and Drachman Montessori K-8 Magnet.

Those are excellent schools, said Interim TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo. Basis will not have an easy time getting parents, who he says are already thoroughly happy with their district schools, to enroll there.

TUSD would be prepared for any enrollment decreases that may happen, Trujillo said, but he added the school district should not fear charter schools opening within its boundaries.

We need to dramatically improve our product, Trujillo said.
Two former Tucson police officers and an ex-Pima County sheriffs deputy are facing the loss of their peace officer certifications, officials say.

During a Wednesday meeting, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted to initiate proceedings against Randy W. Quinn, Steven S. Pupkoff and Michael A. Villarreal, said board spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.

The board will forward formal complaints to all three men, who will have an opportunity for an AZPOST hearing in front of an administrative law judge, Sierra said.

Randy W. Quinn

Quinn, 32, was fired by the Tucson Police Department in December after a months-long internal investigation revealed he ran illegal records checks using the law enforcement computer database, according to department and AZPOST records.

A woman complained to the department that Quinn was running license-plate checks on cars that visited her home, at the request of her ex-husband, who was friends with Quinn. When confronted by investigators, Quinn said he didnt remember doing that, but admitted to writing down license plate numbers of cars he saw violating traffic laws when he was off-duty in order to identify the car and catch the driver committing a traffic violation when he was on-duty, in order to meet his ticket quota.

Investigators said these curiosity checks were felonies and referred the case to the Pima County Attorneys Office for prosecution.

Because statements made during internal police investigations cant be used as evidence for criminal proceedings, the Attorneys Office declined to prosecute.

Quinn, who was hired by TPD in 2007, appealed his firing with the citys Civil Service Commission in March, but it ruled in favor of the department.

Steven S. Pupkoff

Pupkoff, 45, was arrested last June for an off-duty DUI, after he crashed into a parked car, according to AZPOST records.

A citizen who approached the car after the crash found Pupkoff slumped over the driver side vehicle with the motor still running and in drive, the records show.

The citizen notified the owner of the parked car about the crash, who in turn called 911 to report the crash. Officers who responded to the scene noted that Pupkoff was initially unresponsive, but eventually woke up and rolled down the window.

Officers immediately noticed signs and symptoms of impairment and he refused to perform field-sobriety and breathalyzer tests. He was taken to a hospital and arrested for a DUI, but still refused to submit to a blood test. After officers obtained a telephonic search warrant, the blood draw was completed, and results showed that Pupkoffs blood alcohol level was 0.20, more than twice the legal limit, according to AZPOST records.

Pupkoff, who was hired by TPD in 1992, pleaded guilty in March to extreme DUI and was ordered to pay $3,840, spend 10 days in jail and 11 months on unsupervised probation.

Michael A. Villarreal

Former sheriffs deputy Michael A. Villarreal was fired in November after telling a coworker that deputies had been dispatched to her home for reports of underage drinking, according an AZPOST case overview.

On Oct. 30, Villarreal was dispatched to a home for a house party with underage drinking, which he knew to be the home of a Sheriffs Department employee.

Before starting his shift, Villarreal, 29, knew that his coworker was going to be throwing a party and agreed to give her a heads up if any 911 calls came in regarding the party.

After he heard the 911 call, Villarreal called the woman on her cellphone and told her to get the party under control, before meeting with a supervisor and other deputies for a briefing on how to respond to the party.

Villarreal, who graduated from the law enforcement training academy last February, told investigators that before he heard the 911 call, he had no knowledge of any underage drinking at the party.

The woman, who works for the Sheriffs Department as a corrections officer, was cited for contributing to the delinquency of minors by knowingly providing them with alcohol.

The case was not referred for prosecution, but Pima County Consolidated Justice Court records indicate that she completed an adult diversion class in connection with the misdemeanor citation.

Villarreal was completely forthright with investigators and said he told his coworker about the 911 call because they previously worked as corrections officers together.

Despite the fact that Villarreal agreed it was a conflict of interest, a lapse in judgment and something he would never do again, he was terminated from the department on Nov. 18.
OPINION: "Let's keep our heads for the next few weeks. It could be chaotic, but we'll get through it. When the dust settles, we'll get to work figuring out if we still have a functioning democracy in Arizona," writes Curt Prendergast, the Star's opinion editor.
A new venue and an additional panelist mean there will be plenty of seats and more information to share during the Star panel discussion on Tucsons weather.

A look at Tucson weather: Whats happened, what to expect, set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, has moved into the ballroom of the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road.

The larger room means there are still reservations available for this free, timely discussion. In addition, a senior forecaster from the National Weather Service has joined the panel lineup.

With Tucsons temperature flirting with the century mark, the panelists will discuss some of the burning (pardon the pun) questions on many Tucsonans minds:

What does this heat trend bode for late spring and summer?

What impact might it have for the fire season?

What impact might be seen for the monsoon?

Panelists include:

Tom Beal , Arizona Daily Star science reporter, moderator.

, Arizona Daily Star science reporter, moderator. Mike Crimmins , an associate professor with the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona and a climate science extension specialist for Arizona Cooperative Extension. He compiles and interprets water and weather data for CLIMAS, the Climate Assessment of the Southwest.

, an associate professor with the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona and a climate science extension specialist for Arizona Cooperative Extension. He compiles and interprets water and weather data for CLIMAS, the Climate Assessment of the Southwest. John Glueck , National Weather Service Tucson senior forecaster and climate program leader.

, National Weather Service Tucson senior forecaster and climate program leader. KOLD-TV chief meteorologist Kevin Jeanes , whos on the First Alert weather team and gives daily forecasts and updates for television and the Stars weather page.

, whos on the First Alert weather team and gives daily forecasts and updates for television and the Stars weather page. Heidi Schewel, public affairs specialist with the Coronado National Forest.

Reserve your seat for this free discussion at tucson.com/weatherpanel
Spain

13 injured when ferry slams into breakwater

MADRID  A large ferry slammed bow-first into a breakwater in the Canary Islands, injuring 13 passengers, Spanish authorities said Saturday.

Manolo Vidal, a spokesman for Naviera Armas, the company that owns the ferry, said a loss of electrical power caused the accident Friday night as the boat was leaving the port of Puerta de la Luz on the island of Gran Canaria.

Mexico

2 top drug traffickers killed in Tamaulipas

MEXICO CITY  Two top drug traffickers were killed in pre-dawn shootouts Saturday with a federal force in the northern Mexico border state of Tamaulipas, authorities reported.

The Tamaulipas security spokesmans office says the men were killed in separate confrontations, which left highways littered with burned-out vehicles.

Julian Loisa Salinas, better known as Comandante Toro, was killed in the border city of Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas. Loisa Salinas reportedly led the Gulf cartel in Reynosa. Authorities have tried to capture him a number of times, leading to gun battles with his gang. In early April, two U.S. citizens were reported wounded in one such gunfight.

Also Saturday, the leader of the rival Zetas cartel in the Tamaulipas state capital of Ciudad Victoria was killed in a similar shootout farther south. He was tentatively identified as Francisco Pancho Carreon.

Philippines

4 militants

killed

in resort province

CEBU  After a massive manhunt, Philippine forces killed at least four suspected Muslim militants Saturday in a central resort province where troops had foiled possible kidnapping and bombing plots by extremists earlier this month, officials said.

Army troops and police killed ringleader Joselito Melloria in a gunbattle with about seven militants near Clarin town in Bohol province. Mellorias companions fled and three of them were later killed by troops, military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said.

Syria

Opposition: Airstrikes knock out hospital

An opposition war monitor and media platform say airstrikes have knocked out a medical center in Syrias rebel-held northern province.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturdays airstrikes seriously damaged the medical center in Abdin village in Idlib, putting it out of service. The Observatory said medical staff members were wounded in the attack but had no further details.

The activist-run Aleppo Today media group said the attack killed three of the medical staff and wounded others.
Help India!

Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, President, ZakatIndia.org

The Supreme Court of India recently offered to a suspended Muslim Maharashtra police constable the revocation of his suspension with the condition that he grows his beard only during the festivities. The man has declined the offer saying that in Islam there is no provision for a temporary beard on which the court expressed its inability to help.

Support TwoCircles



A bearded Sikh government employee in similar situation, however, has unconditional permission to grow the beard all the year round. Let us examine here various aspects of this conditional judicial offer in the light of the constitutional provisions, different faith mandates and international law.

Mandate of the Indian Constitution

Articles 15 of the Indian Constitution says that the State (legislature, judiciary and executive at all levels) shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion and no citizen shall, on grounds of religion, be subject to any disability, liability or restriction. Article 16 says that there shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State and no citizen shall, on grounds of religion, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of any employment or office under the State.

Article 25 mandates that all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.

Article 29 says that any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.

Article 51A(e) & (f) mandates it as every citizens duty to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

Mandate for beard in Judaism & Christianity

The rabbinical literature reflects that when God accepted the repentance of Adam he went into prostration and supplicated for the grant of the promised beauty. Immediately a wholesome beard appeared on his face for which Gabriel told him that it has been granted to you and your male offspring till the day of judgement.

Thus the beard became a part of the male anatomy which beautifies, gives respectability and adorns the man. The beard is a natural inherent part of the biological characteristics of the male gender of humanity. Its purpose is also to differentiate between the male and the female. Hence any unnatural alteration to the beard would be considered forbidden and unlawful.

In the Bible, thus, shaving of the beard is considered a sign of mourning and degradation (Job 1:20 & Ezek. 5:1ff.). To humiliate a man, it was the practice to forcibly shave half of the beard as in II Samuel 10:4, where the elders, because of this humiliation, were commanded to hide in Jericho until their beards grew again. Priests were forbidden to shave the edges of their beards (Lev. 21:5), and the the Levites, the sons of Zadok (Ezek. 44:15&20) were not allowed to shave their beards.

The Talmud regards the beard as the adornment of a mans face (BM 84a); Sennacherib was punished by having his beard shaved off (Sanh. 95b96a). Objection to the removal of the beard was on the ground that God gave it to man to distinguish him from woman; to shave it, was therefore an offense against nature (Abrabanel to Lev. 19.27).

In the Middle Ages the Rabbinical courts punished adulterers by cutting off their beards (C.M. Horowitz, Toratan shel Rishonim, 1 (1881), 29; 2 (1881), 18). The post of hazzan was only bestowed upon a man with a beard (Bah, OH 53). Kabbalists ascribed mystical powers to the beard. Isaac Luria refrained from touching his, lest he causes any hair to fall out (Baer Hetev, YD 181:5). With the spread of kabbalism to Eastern Europe, trimming the beard was prohibited by leading rabbinic authorities (Noda bi-Yhudah, Mahadura Tinyana, YD 80) and with the rise of Hasidism, the removal of the beard became tantamount to a formal break with scriptural tradition.

The Word of God speaks of a man needing to have a full, untrimmed beard that centers on the verse in Leviticus 19:27 which is translated by the New King James Version as: You shall not shavearound the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. (Leviticus 19:27 NKJV)

In the kabbalistic mysticism, the beard represents on earth the Beard of the Holy Ancient One on High, that is, the unfolding of the divine grace symbolized by the strands of the beard. In kabbalistic circles the beard is a sacred object and they would not remove even a single hair from their beard. Following that, all Hasidists wear long beards and sidelocks.

To shave or pull out part of the beard was a sign of grief (Jer 48:37-38), and to cut off someones beard was to insult him (2 Sam 20:4-5). In the Last Supper, there was one woman and ten men had beard.

It is dishonourable for a Gaelic man to have no facial hair. Among the Catti, a Germanic tribe, a young man was not allowed to shave or cut his hair. The Lombards derived their name from the great length of their beards: Longobards  Long beards. For his serious utterances, Otto the Great used to swear by his beard.

In recent times the heads of countries sporting beard include Belgiums Prime Minister Charles Michel, Spains Prime MinisterMariano Rajoy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani,Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Bruneis Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Saudi Arabian King Salman of Saudi Arabia and many others.

Mandate for beard in Islam

The Quran mentions the beard in the incident when Moses came back from his meeting with God, and found his people worshipping a golden calf. He then grabbed the beard of his brother Prophet Aron in anger demanding to know why had he not stopped the Israelites from taking the calf as a deity for worship. The brother Aron said, do not seize me by my beard (20.94).

This tradition of keeping the beard has continued throughout the serial prophetic editions. At the time of Prophet Mohammad also the growing of beard was considered normal and natural for a man, yet he specifically exhorted Lengthen your beards and cut the mustaches short. (Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.780 Narrated by Nafi Ibn Umar).

Whenever the Prophet performed ablution, he took a handful of water and putting it under his chin, made it go through his beard, saying: Thus did my Lord commanded me. (Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 145 narrated by Anas ibn Malik).

The Prophet said, There will emerge from the East some people who will recite the Quran but will renounce the religion and will never come back to it. The people asked, What will their signs be? He said,Their sign will be the habit of shaving of their beards. (Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri, Fateh Al-Bari, Page 322, Vol. 17  Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah, Volume 9, Book 93, no. 651).

Quran also clearly mandates adherence to what the Prophet did and said, O ye who believe! Obey God, and obey the Messenger. (4:59, 8:20, 8:24, 33.21). Take what the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you. And fear God who is strict in punishment. (59:7).

Also, Quran says, When the believers are called to God and His Prophet to accept and practice the law and commands of God and the Prophet that he may pass judgement upon them, their reply is We hear and obey. Such men shall surely prosper. (24:51)

Imam Muhammad writes in his book Kitabul Aathaar where he relates from Imam Abu Hanifa who relates from Hadhrat Haytham who relates from Ibn Umar that he (Ibn Umar) used to maintain at least one fist length of beard. Imam Muhammed says that this is what we follow and this was the decision of Imam Abu Hanifa. Therefore, according to Hanafies, to shorten the beard less than a fist length is haraam (absolutely forbidden) and on this is Ijma (concensus of juridical opinions). Imam Shafei in his Kitabul Umm states, To shave the beard is haraam. (Shari Minhaj dar Shara Fasl Aqueeqa).

The commentary of Imam Abu Zayeds book quotes Shekh Ahmad Nafarawi Maliki, to shave the beard is without doubt haraam according to all Imams. It is also mentioned in Tamheed which is a commentary of Muatta (Sunnan Imam Malik) that to shave the beard is haraam. The Hanbalies in the famous Al-Khaniea Hanbali Fatawa Kitab state that to grow the beard is essential and to shave it is haraam. Also the Hanbali books Sharahul Muntahaa and Sharr Manzoomatul Aadaab state that it is haraam.

According to scholars of Islam: To shave off the beard is unlawful (haraam) and one who shaves his beard is legally speaking an unrighteous fellow (Fasiq); hence, it is not permissible to appoint such a man as an Imam. (Shami Vol.1, p.523). Durre-Mukhtar states: No one has called it permissible to trim it (the beard) less than fist-length as is being done by some Muslims. (Vol. 2, p. 155). Also, It is forbidden (haraam) for a man to cut off anothers beard. (Vol. 5, p. 359).

Imam Ghazzali says: Know that the key to total bliss lies in following the Sunnah and in emulating the life of Prophet in all that issues from him, and in all his doings (Kitab al Arbain Addin, Cairo 1344, p. 89).

According to Takmela e Bahr al Raiq the daily recitation of a band of angels of God is Holy is the Being who adorned men with beards and women with braids (Vol. 3, p. 331).

Shaykh al-Bahaiy, al-Damad and Kashif al-Ghita are grand Shiite jurists, who have given rulings to the unlawfulness of the shaving of the beard, based on consensus, in their books Al-Itiqadat and Resalah al-Shar al-Muqaddas.

Mandate for beard in Sikhism

For a baptised or Amritdhari Sikh, it is mandatory to keep the hair uncut honouring and accepting the perfection of Gods creation. This command was issued by the tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh at Vaisakhi 1699.

There are various Shabads in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib which favour the keeping of hair. God is referred to as Kesva  having long hair. God is referred to as having hair which is Wondrous and Beautiful. (p98).

God is referred to as the beautifully-haired Lord: All wealth, and the eight miraculous spiritual powers are in the supremely sublime essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Those humble beings, with whom the beautifully-haired Lord is thoroughly pleased, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. (p203, 567).

Says the puritan Sikh, My mind is the dust of the feet of the Holy. I dust the Gurus Feet with my hair (p 1335). Call in the long-haired scholarly Saints of the Lord, to read the sermon of the Lord. (p 923).The Gurmukh (saintly person) attains the supreme, sanctified status. He meditates on the Lord with every hair of his body. Says he, O Nanak, the Gurmukh merges in Truth. (p941). God is found in all places, the forests and the meadows, the three worlds, and every hair (p966).

Bhai Gurdas Ji states (Vaar 28, Pauri 10) that acting according to the instructions of the Guru is the performance of the Sikh life.

Mandate under international law

On 19 March 2015 the Human Rights Council of UN General Assembly unanimously called upon (A/HRC/28/L4) all the states to take effective measures to ensure that the public functionaries, in the conduct of public duties, do not discriminate against an individual on the basis of religion or belief. It also called upon the states to foster religious freedom and pluralism by promoting the ability of members of all religious communities to manifest their religion.

Earlier, in the Minority Schools in Albania case, the Permanent Court of International Justice had ruled that within a State the nationals belonging to racial, religious or linguistic minorities shall be placed in every respect on a footing of perfect equality with the other nationals of the State.

Doesnt Supreme Court observation violate the Constitution ?

Yet, there are many Jews, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs who shave off their beard but this is not a yardstick of understanding whether or not their respective faiths mandate the growing of the beard.

Thus, the most honorable judges of our Supreme Court would surely and very kindly share with the people of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as to what are those scriptural mandates of Sikhism that, in their view, bestow upon the followers of the Sikh beard an extraordinary status that is denied to the Jewish, Christian and Muslim beard. Why the latter are offered the restricted permission to keep the beard only during festivities ? Does this not violate Article 15 of our Constitution that prohibits state discrimination among the citizens based on religion ?

Does this not violate Article 16 that prescribes equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment under the state ? Does this not violate Article 25 guaranteeing equal entitlement to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate ones religion ? Does it not violate Article 29 bestowing upon the citizens the right to conserve ones culture ?

Does it fully mesh with article 51A casting the duty upon every citizen of our motherland to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious and sectional diversities and to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture ? Does the SCs stated inability to help the Maharashtra constable squarely fit into the ruling of the Permanent Court of International Justice ? Does it respond to the call given by the Human Rights Council of UNGA ?
Help India!

By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

A day after UP Police arrested people from Bijnor for suspected ISIS links, a conversation with Bijnor SP Ajay Sahni revealed that more than 2,000 madrasas and mosques have been put under Police scanner.

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All Islamic bodies which will be watched carefully by the police are said to be situated in Western Uttar Pradesh, mostly around Bijnor.

On April 20, Faizan and Tanveer were arrested around 5 AM, while they were coming out of the mosque situated in Badapur town of Bijnor. Around half a dozen people were arrested from different parts of Bijnor, whose identities and names have not been revealed yet, out of which five people have been let go and only Mohd. Faizan has been put under custody. Faizan is accused of modulating and brainwashing young Muslim boys and helping them join the Islamic State (IS).

Talking with TwoCircles.net, SP Bijnor Ajay Sahni said, We are keeping religious bodies under a close scanner. Who comes there, who lives there and what is being preached there, were taking note of all the things.

Ridiculing whats being published in newspapers, Ajay Sahni said, We never said Madrasas nor Mosques. I was very clear from the start that we are keeping a close watch on religious bodies, be it a Mosque or Shrine.

Talking about the arrest of five people from the Bijnor, SP Sahni said, We let go four out of five arrested. The fifth one, the Faizan, is a dangerous terrorist and is deployed to brainwash and recruit terrorists for IS. He is on transit remand and will be charged soon.

The other five did not commit any crime yet, but they were influenced by the ideologies of the Faizan, so were watching them so that they shouldnt slip out, said SP Sahni.

Moreover, the local sources from Bijnor inform that Police has issued a warning to those released to not to talk to media, otherwise theyll have to face consequences.

SP Sahni denied this accusation and said, We never say to anyone to talk or not to talk to anyone. This is a democracy and this is peoples discretion.

However, he added, But I know those families will not talk to anyone, including media. They are not in such state.
Help India!

By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net

With the BJP at the verge of completing its first year in power in Assam, the number of people allegedly declared as foreigners and put in detention centres across the state has also seen an increasing trend.

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Presently, D voters are detained in separate barracks located within the jail premises of Goalpara (male), Kokrajhar (female), Silchar, Dibrugarh(male), Jorhat and Tezpur for both male and female inmates.

Before losing the elections in 2015, the Tarun Gogoi government had allotted 125 acres of land in the Goalpara district of Lower Assam for setting up a full-fledged foreigners detention centre for declared foreigners.

According to a report in Assam Tribune on April 30, 2016, there were about 489 detainees, which include 28 convicted Afghanistan nationals whereas the others are Bangladeshis and lodged in the six detention centre attached with the respective jails. This includes those declared foreigners by tribunals along with those convicted under various Sections of the law, including the Foreigners Act.

Assam based lawyer, Advocate A.S Tapader, who is pursuing cases of many people who have been declared as foreigners, feels that mostly, it is Muslims who are at the receiving end after the coming of BJP in power.

At his first public rally in Assam during the 2014 election campaign, Narendra Modi had said that Hindu Bangladeshis would be removed from camps and will be given citizenship. He kept that promise and enacted this. Certain class of foreigners are exempted as per 3-A, The Foreigners Amendment order 2016 (GSR 703 (E) dated 18/7/2017), and the Registration of Foreigners Amendment rules 2016 (GSR 327 (E) dated 18/3/2017), hence mostly Muslims are being picked up by The Border Police and being thrown in detention camps, he said.

Tapader also termed detaining of declared foreigner as a gross violation of human rights and has sent letters to various human rights organisations.

They are not given chance to get bail and fight their cases in courts. Border police have been given enormous power to pick and put declared foreigners in detention centres, he added.

According to another Guwahati-based lawyer Aman Wadud, the number of people puts in the detention centre as declared foreigners are increasing day by day.

Currently there are around 1,000 so-called foreigners detained in various detention centres in Assam. Till a month ago, Kokrajhar Central Jail which has a Detention centre for women had more than 125 women who have been declared as Foreigners, and Tezpur Detention centre had 75 women and more than 80 men who have been declared as Foreigner, he said.

Wadud further said, Except few, all are Indian citizens who have been declared as foreigners.Four of my clients are currently detained in all detention centres, I can say this with all conviction that they are Indian citizens, he added.

In 1998, Election Commission of India had got the electoral rolls prepared for Assam. At that time D was marked against the doubtful cases, who could not produce all the requisite proofs of Indian citizenship. In 2004, Gauhati High Court, ordered D-voters be sent to detention camps until cases are settled.

Till December 2016, out of 2,69,522 cases disposed of a total of 80,194 people have been declared as Foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunal.

Indian citizens are being charge sheeted as foreigners. Usually, there are mistakes of names or dates in documents even that becomes a reason for the authorities to declare people as for foreigners, Wadud explained. In 2012, the Assam government presented a white paper maintaining that more than 92% of the resolved cases of D-voters were that of genuine Indian nationals.

Adding to the problem, the Gauhati High Court order, in its judgment on 28/02/17 questioned legality of 48 lakhs residential certificates issued to married women particularly for the purpose of preparation of National Registration Certificate (NRC) has also affected 48 lakh people in Assam.

The strongly-worded order passed by the Gauhati High Court states that a Panchayat secretary-issued residency certificate  used as a link document  had no statutory sanctity and could at best be a private document. It added that the use of these documents was unconstitutional and that using them was against national interest.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): The current government is not letting the alternate media  organisations run by liberal media persons  grow, as they are critical of the establishment and stand by the marginalised, eminent journalists said here on Friday.

Speaking at the Jamia Milia Islamias event Ainaa 2017, themed The Other Side, veteran journalists spoke about the differences between working for corporate media houses and the free media spaces.

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Senior journalist and political editor of The Caravan magazine, Hartosh Singh Bal, said: The alternate media is getting into a resource crunch. This government is not going to allow its sustainability. Neither are the entrepreneurs looking into this sector.

One cannot be a journalist and work in the corporate or mainstream media, which is a disheartening situation. We all have grown very scared of the word liberal.

Seema Mustafa, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Citizen, an online news portal, also spoke on the same lines and said journalists of the present times will have to face many challenges.

Real journalism involves standing up for the marginalised, the victims, and at the same time standing by the Constitution of India. And one has to oppose everything that can come in the way to report them, including the government, Mustafa said.

Addressing scores of journalism students of Jamia Milia, Mustafa asked them to choose between mainstream media which has power and money, or real journalism  which is facing tough times.

Madhu Trehan, co-founder of digital media portal Newslaundry, also said the present government had been successful in managing the media.

This government is far more clever in cutting the press, even if you are mildly critical. It is frightening, she said.

The event was part of the annual media festival by the Department of Convergent Journalism in Jamia Milia.

The students also showcased their work on topics they said the mainstream media generally chooses to ignore.

Documentaries, projects and photographs produced by the students were also shown at the festival.
What Trump Faces.

It is strange of Donald Trump, that for a presidential candidate who made much of 'Putting-America-First,' during his campaign trail; as he reaches his 100-day milestone in office this week, he appears to have done anything but, saying only that 'North Korea is the problem. North Korea will be taken care of.'

Having already reneged on one of his key election promises, not to get the US involved in any more overseas conflicts, in the past 10 days alone he has dropped 59 missiles of a Syrian airbase, destroyed an ISIS Splinter group in their hide-out in the mountains of Afghanistan; both actions which will have consequences, as yet unknown.

Although by far his most dangerous action, he has sent a flotilla of ships, amongst them the USS Carl Vinson, a vessel with a crew of 6000, carrying 90 aircraft, capable of carrying 300 cruise missiles; to the eastern coast of North Korea.

China's Choice.

China, it must be said has been less than useful in putting the screws on the North. Considering it is their only ally they have consistently failed to curb the nuclear tests. Kim, in turn, has actively purged the pro-Chinese elements within his own government in his own ruthless fashion. As yet the North's nuclear capacity does not stretch to harming the West coast of America, one has to consider the immediate fate of some 25 million South Koreans living under a blanket of guns and bombs, not to mention the considerable threat of chemical weapons - a commodity he assures the world he has endless stockpiles of.

Kim's Choice.

Even as Kim-Jun ushered in the Day of the Sun, birthday of his grandfather Kim il-Sung in 1912 and his military might rumbled through Pyongyang's central square, he launched a failed missile towards the Sea of Japan, just as the US VP was arriving in Seoul, and somewhat close to the anchor point of the American task force.

Apart from the fact that Kim-Jung is most certainly now caught between a hard rock and an equally hard place for failure to now act against America will put him in a very bad light in his own country. The North-Korean regime has survived since 1953 in a fog of threats, bluster and rhetoric; both his grandfather and father survived on the hard-man act all their lives, building up a strong arsenal and a huge army, as much to use against their own people as any perceived foreign threat.To show weakness now and not take action against the hated enemy with 'Nuclear Justice,' would perhaps force the military to take matters into their own hands and overthrow him.

Not since 1962 and the Bay of Pigs stand-off between Russia and the USA, has the world faced such an imminent threat of Nuclear-Conflict. The president would do well to remember the advice of past military leaders from Alexander the Great to Napoleon Bonaparte,'Never fight a war on two fronts!' Donald Trump is putting the whole world on a knife-edge, facing the possibility of engaging in a fight on three: a prospect which is simply unimaginable.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced a snap election earlier this week to be held on the 8th June. But as we digest events, let us take a look at why she called for elections and what it essentially means.

The facts

On Tuesday morning (18th April) Theresa May announced that a general election would be called on the date specified above. The following day the Telegraph newspaper reported that Parliament backed the decision with 522 MPs voting in favour with just 13 against.

Why did May call an election?

There are a number of reasons. One key reason was to consolidate her support.

The Financial Times stated that "the opinion polls are so huge in the Conservatives favour right now". As a result, the opportunity to "win a landslide probably won't come again". The statistics do back this up too. Right now the 'Tories', according to a survey, have a 21 point lead over Labour. In addition, a new poll puts the Conservatives on 44 per cent and Labour at just 23 per cent. Inter connected to this is the state of its unpopular leader, Jeremy Corbyn. After defeating Owen Smith in re-election as Labour leader last year, the Independent newspaper (like many media outlets) stated that "Labour is further away from government than ever". It was further said that with re-election last year it would be "regrettable" as a result for the party in that it would "result in a free run for the Tories".

He has also been viewed as "incompetent", "unappealing" and essentially "incapable". It is as result of this that makes the call for an election such a sensible idea for the Conservative party. But there are other reasons to behind Theresa May's decision. It is clear that she needs a mandate. A constant criticism of the PM was that she was not elected by the public and therefore had no accountability.

This is crucial with the challenges that the country is facing. May even stated that clearly at the time, saying that the election was "the only way to guarantee certainty...for the years ahead", as stated on the New Statesman website. It was interesting in that this call for a mandate has occurred in the past, by none other than Theresa May herself.

She stated in August 2007 that the Prime Minister at the time, Gordon Brown, had "no democratic mandate" as he was not elected by the public.

Brexit

Above all else that is happening in British politics, this mandate was essential mainly for the Brexit negotiations. It is clear that if the exit from the EU is to occur and prove successful she not only needs support from Parliament but also from the General Public. This was demonstrated by the fact that she urged voters to "put their trust in me". This need for trust is important because there are already problems with the Brexit process. Having triggered Article 50, one key issue is the 'divorce bill'. The CNN reported that the EU wants the UK to "honour existing commitments, "even as it walks out the door".

This was mean that the UK would have to make financial commitments as it leaves. It is supposed to be around $63 billion. Furthermore, with regards to trade, Theresa May wants to negotiate a "clean break" with the EU and a new free trade deal at the same time. However, this has been vehemently rejected by EU officials who said that a future trading relationship will not even be talked about until "other issues" are settled. Even on the topic of migrants, although the UK wants changes to the current set up, "nothing is guaranteed".

Concluding thoughts

It is clear that problems lie ahead for Theresa May and the UK itself. It is because of this great Brexit struggle that awaits which clearly shows the importance of the election being called.

She not only needs the support from Parliament but also from the general public. The mandate that she would attain if re-elected will be crucial going forward as she attempts to take the UK out of the European Union.
Representatives for Xi Jinping say their President plans to lift Chinas 13-year-old embargo on beef coming from the U.S. They also mentioned that he would also be purchasing more grain and other agricultural goods from the United States. This relief comes with a package deal to improve the stakes that U.S. financial organizations hold in Chinas security and economic asset groups. This kind of opportunity with China comes after Presidents Trump and Xi had a meeting for two days in Florida at Trump's famous Mar-a-Lago resort last week.

Numerous features to the offers were already planned to be supplied to the U.S.

before Trump ever took his seat in the White House. Stock market professionals assert that this undeniably represents a victory intended for Trump's administration.

Things reflected from the summit

Several days ago, Trump tweeted that it was obviously an extraordinary honor to have the Chief Executive of China at his house and that a friendly companionship formed between him and the Asian political frontrunner. He further posted on Twitter, But when it comes to trade, only time tells what will happen with that."

Shortly after the Presidential Inauguration, Donald Trump threatened China with potentially imposing a 45 percent tax increase set on the country's imports and has utilized such vague rhetoric while accusing China of taking out substantial amounts of money and riches from the U.S.

in trades that often appeared to be one-sided. Trumps tax threat initially began to ignite a trade battle over commerce shortages totaling more than $300 billion that the United States obtained with China. According to experts specialized in international business, the campaign could have potentially destroyed the economies of both China and the U.S.

if implemented.

They firmly believed that if Trump wanted to tax all imports coming into the U.S. from China, the country could form a response by imposing their taxes too as well on American imports coming into their county.

Michael Plouffe, a specialist in international financial plans, told Yahoo News, The rhetoric that President Trump presents wont lead to positive financial gain. Plouffe also says that the politician's informal agreement between them makes certain situations less complicated for American supplier.

He also believes that competitions surrounding Chinas imports could also be a result most likely to happen from the conference that occurred last week in Mar-A-Lago.

Reactions to China lifting its U.S. meat ban

China offered to ease the embargo that has lasted for more than a decade following the summit. It no longer plans to target American beef products. Instead, the nation wishes to seek more investment options with the United States by opening more of its financial market to them.

Plouffe stated on Yahoo, I believe it's in both parties greatest interest to remove the distance they choose to have between each other. That most definitely would be a win.

Last Friday, after President Trump and Jinping met, U.S.

Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, stood alongside the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, Steve Mnuchin, and State Secretary Rex Tillerson and agreed to a policy intended to last 100 days for trading between the United States and China. The agreement foretells whether they will rebalance both exports and imports between each other.

Although Ross recognized it is a profoundly short amount of time for investment negotiations, Tillerson declared that Trump undermined China's need to consider more definite steps to get American workers during his 48-hour meeting with Xi Jinping. The Secretary of State stressed the benefits of reciprocating market access more frequently.

Jinping initially negotiated with Obama

The U.S. Department of Commerce requested for a brief review and confirmation of Chinas offer but havent been granted that yet. Donald Trump hasnt quite declared whether hes willing to accept any business propositions with China.

However, once again, these agreements being talked about now were in political plans to be implemented way before President Trump even met President Xi.

After Xi Jinping had negotiated with the former executive in chief, Barack Obama, Chinese suppliers were already willing to open up more to American investments through U.S. financing companies.

One of Xis representative during the summit even affirmed to Yahoo News, We wouldve been there already had Obama spent six more years in the White House.

China started lifting the ban from 2003 last September on some cattle products from the United States.

However, in a letter addressed to President Trump, The National Beef Association for Cattlemen mentioned to him that American meat remains locked within the embargo because the conditions that grant supplier's entry into the Chinese marketplace have yet to come to a resolution.

The only thing definite probably emerging from the summit in Mar-A-Lago at this point is Trump agreeing to travel to China to visit the country later on this year.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has accused Iran of provoking the states in the Middle East as the US administration contemplates the possibility of changing its policy towards Tehran.

Tillerson told reporters that the policy review announced on Tuesday will not only be considering whether Tehran respects agreement on Iran's nuclear program from 2015 but also it will investigate the conducting in that region. Tillerson believes that Tehran's attitude is harmful to American goals in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

Tillerson's attitude corresponds with the statement made by US Defense Minister Jim Mattis, who said during his visit to Arabia that Iranian influence would have to be overpowered in order to end the dispute in Yemen.

President Trump ordered an assessment regarding termination of nuclear sanctions. After the evaluation it would be clear whether that is "crucial to US national interests," Tillerson said.

Tillerson believes Tehran could become a threat just like North Korea

Although there are no indications that the Trump administration might have waived the deal, Tillerson warned that Tehran could become a threat like North Korea, which is also under observation for its nuclear ambitions.

In a letter to President of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan, Tillerson stated that Iran fulfills its obligations under the agreement made in 2015, but that there is a concern over Tehran's role in providing support to terrorism.

"There are many threats posed by Iran, and our comprehensive policy towards Iran requires solving all those threats," Tillerson told reporters at the State Department.

Tillerson said that the 2015 agreement between Iran and six other world countries, " did not achieve the goal of stopping Iran from becoming a nuclear force."

Iran has not yet commented on the Trump's administration revision, but Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned in November that Tehran will repent if the US nuclear agreement is violated.

The agreement ignored all the other threats

Tillerson added that one mistake in the drafting of the agreement was that all the other serious threats, that Iran was posing outside its nuclear program, were neglected. "That is why we must observe Iran in a comprehensive manner in the context of the threat for all regions of the world," he said.

"This agreement represents the same flawed approach from the past that has brought us to the threat posed by North Korea," Tillerson said.

The nuclear agreement, which was negotiated at the time of Barack Obama's administration, limited the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for interrupting economic sanctions imposed on Iran.

A new test of Trump's behavior under the nuclear agreement will be in May when he will have to decide whether to extend the abolition of sanctions for Iran signed by Obama. During the presidential campaign, Trump called it the "worst agreement ever" and said that he would revisit it as soon as he came to the office. Head of European Diplomacy Frederic Mogherini said he was convinced that the US would fully implement the deal. He announced it last month, after meeting with Trump's senior administration officials.
It was reported by several news media outlets that Russian Spy planes have flown close to the Alaskan coastline since Monday. The U.S. armed service reported that the planes were seen four nights in a row since the beginning of this week.

However, this is not the first reported incident, the earliest sighting this year happened back in February when military planes from Vladimir Putin's country were spotted cruising along the Eastern bank of the United States. The planes in February's incident were identified by the military as atomic Tu-95H bombers.

According to a report by the Cable News Network (CNN), the North American Aerospace Defense Command reported on Friday that the latest occurrences made it four times in this week alone.

Vladimir Putin sent bomber jets to Alaska

The news center also stated that after the recent sightings on Monday and Tuesday night, there was another sighting on Wednesday and the latest on Thursday. Late Wednesday night, two IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft were seen hovering along the Aleutian Island in northern Alaska, and the second sighting involved two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable Bear bombers. While they lingered along the coastline, they did not try to enter American waters, but stayed within the confines of international waters.

The Russian long-range rocket launchers were picked up on the U.S. Military radar. Also, Syria moved its military base closer to Russia, in an effort to be protected underneath the Russian umbrella should the United States decides to bomb the Bashar al-Assad regime again.

Is Russia getting ready to bomb the United States?

The political leaders in Washington reportedly are not taking the latest development as a threat against the United States of America.

But according to several reports from the U.S. capital, the U.S. government stated that Russia may be showing them that they can enter the American airspace and no one can actually stop them. However, it is reported that the situation is closely being watched by the United States Military and government officials in Washington.

The big question that everyone is asking right now, is whether or not Russia is getting ready to bomb the United States. Notably, just a few months ago, President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin were seemingly on friendly terms. However, the relationship soured after Trump bombarded Syria's military after scores of innocent civilian lives were lost as a result of a chemical attack that was blamed on the Assad regime.
Let's face it; we all knew that a trump presidency would be hard on America, but the newest report proves that Donald is headed for trouble. According to Occupy Democrats, Trump's lawyers appeared in court on Thursday to argue that it was illegal for people to protest against him, stating it violated his First Amendment rights.

Trump's attorney fights a losing battle

Trump's lawyer claimed that protesters violated Donald's first amendment rights by expressing their disdain for him during the 2016 campaign rally. Apparently, the protesters yelled while holding up offensive pictures of Trump during one of the now president's campaign rallies.

Trump thinks that these protesters shouldn't have been allowed to spew their hatred for him, at an event that held for his supporters. Even though their presence was not wanted, the judge noted that it would be rare that by attending his rally, they infringed on his first amendment rights.

The case

The case was brought up by three protesters who stated that they were forced from a 2016 March Trump event in Kentucky. Apparently, according to court documents, Trump asked his supporters to force the protesters out of the rally.

The protester alleged that Trump implied for his followers to use force to cast them out of the rally. Of course, Trump denied the claim, stating that he only wanted them to leave.

Trump claims he had the right to cast them out

Trump's camp said that his request for them to leave was protected under the first amendment rights. The judge on the case, David Hale, stroke down that ridiculous notion. The judge felt that Trump knew that his supporters would use violence against the protesters ---and could have encouraged it.

It looks like the lawsuit will continue and could become a huge headache for the president.

A lawsuit contending Donald Trump incited violence against a campaign rally protester is moving forward https://t.co/P6TxI9euf7 pic.twitter.com/MkOog0Oes7  act.tv (@actdottv) April 2, 2017

The judge refuses to throw out the case

Hale felt when Trump said for his supporters to "get those protesters outta here," it was a command.

His followers acted and forcibly removed them Also; Hale believed that Trump instructed his supporters not to hurt the protesters was a calculated move. Apparently, the president claims that statement proves he did nothing wrong.

Hale also rejected the notion that it was the protesters' fault for going to the event to protest Trump's then campaign.

The supporters who took it took far

One of the supporters, Matthew Heinbach, is a leader of a white nationalist group. He appeared in court without an attorney. He asked the judge to remove any reference to his organization and strike any implication explaining how Trump helped his cause.

Hale refused to throw that portion of the lawsuit out because he felt it explained what led to the encounter.

The lawsuit alleges that Heinbach has no tolerance for non-white people or Americans who oppose Trump's regime.

Protesters had a right to be there

It's clear that Trump's camp isn't sure what the first amendment actually say, so I'll explain why he will not win this lawsuit.

A politician cannot tell his supporters to attack protesters, even if he said it in jest. He will face the consequences for inciting violence, as well as the supporters will be held liable.

Donald Trump Could Face Lawsuit For Supporters Assault On Protester (WITH VIDEO) https://t.co/QEW7XjDPgM pic.twitter.com/ceAmNaODGh  Liberal America (@LibAmericaOrg) November 27, 2015

In America, it has never been okay for a man running for public office to order an attack on someone who challenges him.

Judge Hale's ruling sends a clear message that the court will not allow Trump to get away with taking the rights of Americans away.

The first amendment allows people to have the right to speak their mind and protest peacefully without fear that someone will incite violence to silence them.

It looks like Trump and his supporters could be in trouble. Sadly, this isn't the only time the president has been accused of inciting violence at his rallies.
trump has shelled out a lot of negative statements against china and Russia. Insults and military actions tensed up the relationship between the three superpowers and a single wrong move can start a hot war. In the event of Trump starting a war, how can the US win?

Pentagon will deploy massive amounts of jamming equipment

Almost all modern aircraft, missiles, and ICBMs rely on computers, GPS, and radar to locate targets. A strong and effective jamming system is Americas only hope. US airspace is inundated with surveillance systems and using jamming devices to temporarily delay enemy advance is Americas preliminary defense during a war.

Jamming is achieved not by reducing the enemys radar ability, but to overload it with all sorts of signals making it impossible for modern jets and missiles to locate their target. The US military relies heavily on the ALQ-99 jamming system, which has protected America since the 1970s.

Is the initial jamming system enough to defend America from sudden attacks?

The honest answer is 'maybe.' America has a vast area to defend which is why these jammers are carried by EA-18G Growlers, special jets made for electronic warfare. However, this jamming system is decades old and technological advances have made breakthroughs in both offensive and defensive technologies. It is prudent to assume that Russia has developed something that can override this system and may share it with China if war does break out.

Possible flash points where Trump can start war with China or Russia

Russia has been frequently sending its bombers close to the Alaskan border and is constantly being intercepted by US jet fighters. China is priming up its missile defense and air force as tension between North Korea and the US worsens. Japan has sent several warships to join the US naval contingent in Korea.

North Korea on the other hand, vows to make a "super-mighty preemptive strike" at the US, though it would most probably be an attack on South Korea.

Russia is strengthening its support of Assad, which the US wants to bomb due to threats of chemical weapons. With a quick-to-the-trigger attitude of Trump driving the countrys foreign policy, every single one of these areas are flash points that can trigger war.

Let us just hope that such an eventuality is confined to the realms of fiction. However, as Trump's foreign policy continues to alienate and confuse other countries, it is a sure fact that tension between the US, Russia, and China will not disappear.
"Days Of Our Lives" comings and goings reveal that a possibly dangerous new character will be headed to the NBC soap this week, and he may be up to no good. Actor Robb Derringer will appear as the character of Scooter, who is described as being a sex addict. Scooter is the husband of Nicole's new neighbor, Hillary, played by Jennifer Landon. Soap fans may remember Robb, who appeared on "General Hospital" as the character of Sloane from 2014-2015. He's also engaged to "Dancing With The Stars" judge, Carrie Ann Inaba.

Scooter could mean bad news for Nicole

Scooter's arc hasn't been confirmed, but it does seem that his sex addict background could lead to him causing some big trouble during his stint on "Days of Our Lives." Perhaps, he'll try to assault Nicole, who is currently hiding the secret that she's on the run after kidnapping Holly from Chloe, or he may even assault his own wife, Hillary, whom Nicole could help out of a bad marriage. As many viewers know, actress Ariane Zucker, who plays Nicole Walker, will soon be ending her 20-year run as Nicole, and her storyline is set to wrap up in the very near future. Perhaps Hillary and Scooter could have something to do with the reason that Nicole will soon be gone from Salem for good.

The drama is elevated in Salem

Meanwhile, "Days of Our Lives" fans watched last week as another new character entered the mix. Steve Johnson may have finally found his long lost son, Tripp, whose mother is the late Ava Vitali. Steve and Kayla hunted Tripp down and told him the big news. However, when Joey and Tripp met, there could be some major sibling rivalry between them.

Not only will the two be competing for Steve's attention, but if Tripp finds out that Joey is the person who murdered his mother, Ava, it's safe to say that the drama will be at an all-time high in Salem. All the while, adding to the drama is Deimos, who is still out to hurt that DiMera family, and Dario, who will confess his love to Abigail, making for a very awkward love square between him, Abby, Chad, and Gabi.

What are your thoughts on the latest "DOOL" comings and goings? Are you excited to see what this week will bring for your favorite characters? Watch "Days of Our Lives" weekdays on NBC.
Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen(center) is seen before a family photo with G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Washington DC, capital of the United States, April 21, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

WASHINGTON - Finance ministers from the Group of 20 leading economies have reached a broad consensus that free trade and open markets is better for promoting global economic growth, German senior officials said on Friday.

The general mood of the discussion was a broad agreement in the direction that "free trade is better for global growth and better for every national economy concerned as well," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Friday after wrapping up a meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors here.

"Protectionism would be damaging to the global economy and the concerned economies as well. There was a broad consensus," Schaeuble, whose country holds the G20 presidency this year, said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

"Almost everybody underscored the importance of open markets and free market access, so that was a consensus in the meeting," Jens Weidmann, president of the German central bank, said at the same press briefing.

Citing of discussions about current account balances during the meeting, Weidmann said, ministers agreed that the policy response would be "opening more markets" rather than raising trade barriers.

The task of the G20 finance ministers' meeting is to articulately discuss these issues in a way that's helpful to "get things moving to the right direction," Schaeuble said, noting that G20 policymakers have to do more to "make the economy more inclusive" and address negative effects of globalization.

"We need to tackle this, otherwise we'll see more protectionism," he added.

Weidmann also said the G20 should focus more on inclusive growth as the lack of structural reforms dampens growth prospects and "rising inequality puts the strain on potential growth."

"When the inequality rises, there is a risk of course of people increasingly becoming disenchanted with globalization," he said, adding reducing inequality with economies will remain at the top of the G20 agenda under the German presidency.

The IMF on Tuesday raised its forecast for global economic growth this year to 3.5 percent, but warned that inward-looking policies threaten global integration and the cooperative global economic order.

"Avoiding the damage from potential protectionist measures will require a renewed multilateral commitment to support trade, paired with national initiatives that can help workers adversely affected by a range of structural economic transformations including those due to trade," IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld told reporters.

The Group of 20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, speaks on Friday at a seminar on the role of the Special Drawing Right (SDR) in the international monetary system held in Washington during the 2017 IMF/World Bank annual spring meeting.

The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries' official reserves. The value of the SDR is based on a basket of five major currencies  the US dollar, euro, the Chinese renminbi (RMB), the Japanese yen, and pound sterling. The RMB was included in the basket starting Oct 1, 2016.Chen Weihua/China Daily
The organizing committee announces that the 2017 Cube Cup overseas Chinese singing contest is open to application from April 21 to May 15. More than 100 applications are expected for the preliminary contest scheduled for June 10 in Palo Alto, California. LIA ZHU / CHINA DAILY

The Water Cube Cup overseas Chinese singing contest is open to application in San Francisco Bay Area till May 15, announced the regional organizing committee on Thursday.

The contest, aimed to encourage young overseas Chinese to promote cultural exchanges between China and other countries, is sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of China's State Council, the Beijing municipal government and All-China Youth Federation.

Organized by the Beijing Native Association, the preliminary contest for San Francisco Bay Area is scheduled on June 10 at Sophia University in Palo Alto, California. The contest will be open to adult applicants this year.

The first two prize winners of the youth group and the first prize winner of the adult group will represent San Francisco to compete with participants from over 30 countries and regions in Beijing from July 20 to Aug 3.

The final contest and award presentation will be hosted in Beijing during Aug 4-8.

The participants should be overseas Chinese and the songs are in Chinese language, said He Konghua, chairwoman of the organizing committee of the San Francisco Bay Area.

"We expect more than 100 applicants this year," said He. "The San Francisco participants from last year have made remarkable progress and they were invited to perform at local events after returning from Beijing."

"It's a great opportunity to show off their talent, too," added He.

Initiated in 2011, the "Water Cube Cup" singing contest has so far attracted over 8,000 participants from more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
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HCM CITY  Eleven innovative tourism startups from Viet Nam have qualified for the Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) Startup Accelerator programme.

The announcement was made on Wednesday (April 19) by the Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) and Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).

The US-based Travel Startups Incubator screened applications based on their potential for investment and the quality of their business plans.

MBI experts performed additional due diligence, considering sustainability and other socio-economic criteria.

Finally, selections were verified in partnership with the Danang City Incubator (DNES).

More than 250 travel tech and traditional tourism startups submitted applications to the MIST programme.

Qualifying startups will advance to a MIST Startup Accelerator bootcamp from May 5-7, 2017 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, along with six innovative tourism startups from Cambodia and Myanmar.

MIST promotes sustainable tourism, giving innovative startups the potential to transform travel in one of the most dynamic regions on earth, said Jens Threanhart, executive director of MTCO.

Dominic Mellor, head of MBI, said, Were proud of this batch of startups. They are fueling the right kind of tourism growth that positively impacts the tourism experience and local communities.

Approximately half of all Startup Accelerator finalists, selected by mentors, will advance from the bootcamp to an investor showcase at the Mekong Tourism Forum in Luang Prabang on June 6.

Startups will present their business plans to media, investors and an expert judging panel. Four of them will be chosen to receive innovation grants of US$7,000-10,000 each. VNS

Inbox:

Vietnamese startups in the MIST competition include:

Bayo: assistance for travellers, helping them find the right travel information, suppliers, products and prices, with easy transactions with local suppliers.

Chameleon City: an on-demand chat-based service providing travel and lifestyle answers from local experts 24/7.

Dichung: promotion of low-impact rideshare transportation options, giving drivers the chance to trade free seats in their vehicles and working with taxi companies to develop vanpools.

Hue Free Walking Tour: operator of the first and only walking tour of Hue that also offers add-on historical tours and hands-on experiences for independent English-speaking travelers.

I Love Asia: women-led motorbike tours of Hoi An and Hue while supporting projects for disadvantaged communities in the cities in which they work.

Innaway: mediator between hotels and travelers, helping hotels maximise revenue and improve quality standards, and helping people travel smarter with better assistance and support.

Mimoza: 3D virtual tours of top travel destinations, allowing potential and current tourists, travel providers and students to use virtual and augmented reality systems to learn about hotels, heritage sites, restaurants and more.

Morning Rooms: Viet Nams largest budget hotel network, assisting economical tourists to find the right quality rooms at the price they need.

Oneclicktogo: an all-in-one trip planning website offering flight and hotel booking, guidebook recommendations and a review platform, working to create a powerful tech-based tourism ecosystem that brings Mekong tourism businesses to the global market.

Tugo: a technology-based tour operator and travel community, striving to offer low-cost and reliable packages and tours around the world.

Putaleng Legend: diverse ecotourism experiences, adventure trekking tours and authentic ethnic cultural tours through its sustainable ecolodge.
HA NOI  The construction ministry will study the legality of condotels and issue technical standards soon to ensure that the development of this new property product is on the right track.

The ministry stated this in a document sent to Viet Nam Real Estate Association in response to its proposals regarding the development of condotel, which, the association said, has recently emerged as an investment trend in the realty market.

Relevant regulations for mixed land use purposes and granting of house ownership will be considered to ensure that this new property product develops appropriately.

Property experts said that condotels, which appeared in Viet Nam around five years ago, have emerged as a hot investment trend in the past two years. However, their legality remains vague and has been hindering development.

An estimate by G5 Property Trading Floor Alliance showed that in 2016 alone, more than 12,000 condotels were put up for sale at the market.

Experts said the Government should urgently clarify the legality of condotels. It must address three issues: legality, infrastructure planning, and management mechanism.

The association has predicted that this segment will get busy in the future after regulations are in place as more projects will be constructed and will boost supply.

a Nang taking steps

The Peoples Committee of a Nang City has asked the municipal Department of Construction to work with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to develop management mechanisms for the construction and operation of condotels and tourist villas in the city.

Previously, the municipal Department of Construction in a document sent to the Peoples Committee said that condotels and tourist villas were springing up quickly in the city, especially in coastal areas, which pressured social and technical infrastructure.

The rights of buyers of condotels and tourists villas also remained unclear, which could carry risks.

According to Nguyen Van Nam, Deputy Director of a Nang Department of Construction, the early promulgation of regulations on condotels was necessary to protect relevant parties.

Nam added that responsibilities of developers, owners as well as ownership models must be clarified.

A condotel is a condominium operated as a hotel.  VNS
HA NOI  The rapid growth and increasing production of cement in Viet Nam raises questions of how to increase efficiency and minimise hazards to workers and the environment, said Swedish Ambassador to Viet Nam Pereric Hogberg at a Ha Noi workshop on Thursday.

The event, organised by the Embassy of Sweden in collaboration with the Viet Nam Ministry of Construction, was designed to discuss how the cement industry can enhance its packaging capabilities by adopting international technologies and solutions.

The current usage of KPK sacks in Viet Nam is estimated to cause economic losses due to leakage during the packaging and transportation process. This leakage means that cement producers regularly have to pack extra cement in every 50kg bag to ensure the correct amount reaches the final consumers. This leakage is also a threat to cement factory workers, construction site workers and the environment.

At the workshop, the leading Swedish packaging company, BillerudKorsnas, and Viet Nams largest private cement company, Vissai, signed a Letter of Intent concerning QuickFill Clean (QFC) cement paper sacks, positioning Vissai as a pioneer in adopting the eco-friendly packaging product for Viet Nams cement sector.

Vissai has studied and tested many types of cement sacks produced in many different countries for both the domestic and export market. However, BillerudKorsnas product is by far the most competitive in terms of technology as well as cost, said Vissais deputy general director Nguyen Tien at.

Mikael Stromback, business segment director of sack solutions at BillerudKorsnas said: This agreement marks an important milestone in our journey to bring sustainable packaging solutions to the Vietnamese market. We look forward to a long and fruitful cooperation.

With the emergence of new high-porous paper cement bags currently widely used in the world, cement leakage can be virtually eliminated, minimising economic losses, worker and environmental hazards. However, these new solutions also require changes in the handling of sacks throughout the supply chain.

The event also drew representatives from the Viet Nam National Cement Association, Viet Nam Federation of Civil Engineering Associations and other concerned ministries.  VNS
HCM CITY  Property prices in HCM City, especially of land, have been rising by 20-40 per cent every quarter in the last few quarters, according to CBRE Viet Nam.

Analysts warned the prices have risen unrealistically while demand is low, and expected them to gradually subside later this year.

According to real estate company Danh Khoi A Chau (DKRA), superb infrastructure in the east of the city in the form of the Sai Gon River Tunnel, the Thu Thiem bridge, the expansion of the Ha Noi Highway, and the metro route No 1 have caused land prices in District 2 and 9 to surge by five to 10 times in the last few years.

For example, in 2006 a square metre of land in An Phu-An Khanh Ward, District 2, cost VN8-20 million (US$350-880). Now the same land costs VN66-155 million ($2,900-6,825).

Land prices in Thu Thiem have skyrocketed from VN9-12 million to VN102-155 million.

In District 9, around 15 km from downtown, prices have increased three to five times in 10 years from VN3-6 million to VN18.5-32 million.

The housing market has also strengthened thanks to the development of infrastructure.

Real estate consultancy firm Jones Lang Lasalle said that in 2012-16 around 37,000 apartments were offered in the east, mainly along the under-construction metro line.

It expects another 40,200 to hit the market between now and 2020.

The western part of the city has also seen housing projects mushroom.

In 2015 the west only accounted for 18 per cent of the apartments to enter the market. But the number surged to 25 per cent last year and 35 per cent in the last quarter.

DKRA said the rapid growth in supply in the last three years, especially in 2015-16, have negatively impacted the market.

One of the fallouts has been the sharp rise in land prices. The company said prices have kept rising though demand has not been high, and this would affect the markets stability and scare buyers away.

Tran Khanh Quang, general director of Viet An Hoa Company, told Sai Gon Tiep Thi (Sai Gon Marketing) newspaper that property prices plunged 40-50 percent from their peak in 2007 but have bounced back strongly in the last two years, and are even higher than in 2007.

In around two months this upward trend would end, and the market would adjust in accordance with real demand.

Le Huu Nghia, director of property developer Le Thanh, said this is likely to be the last wave  in this cycle.

Demand is decreasing and the main buyers are speculators, and prices would eventually cool off, he added.

Duong Thuy Dung of CBRE Viet Nam said the apartment market would continue to grow this year though at a slower pace than in 2016.

She expected that from next year the market would see higher oversupply levels and lower prices.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang (R) receives newly-accredited UN Resident Co-ordinator and UN Development Programme Resident Representative in Viet Nam, Kamal Malhotra, in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  Viet Nam will continue to be an active and responsible member of the international community and the United Nations (UN) and engage more in UN peacekeeping operations and fulfill its role as a member of UN organisations such as the UN Economic and Social Council and the International Law Commission, said President Tran ai Quang.

While receiving newly-accredited UN Resident Co-ordinator and UN Development Programme Resident Representative in Viet Nam, Kamal Malhotra, in Ha Noi yesterday, Quang said Viet Nam supports efforts to reform the UN, including the One UN Initiative.

The State leader noted that Viet Nam treasures ties with the UN and considers the UN as one of its leading multilateral partners. He took this occasion to thank the UN for its assistance to Viet Nam during post-war reconstruction, national construction and development over the last four decades, helping the country obtain socio-economic achievements and accomplish the Millennium Development Goals.

For his part, Malhotra said Viet Nam is important to the UN and is one of the countries taking the lead in carrying out the One UN Initiative and strongly contributing to the initiatives success.

The UN is looking forward to Viet Nams approval of the Viet Nam-UN Joint Strategic Plan for 2017-2021, which is a master plan for about 20 UN organisations in and outside of Viet Nam, he noted.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Indian Secretary of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh in Ha Noi yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Van iep

HA NOI  Viet Nam and India should bolster investment ties in areas of Indias strength and Viet Nams demand, while minimising and generally removing trade obstacles, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told visiting Indian Secretary of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.

Receiving Singh in Ha Noi yesterday, Phuc expressed the hope two-way trade between Viet Nam and India will reach the targeted US$15 billion in 2020.

He noted that Viet Nam and India have enjoyed sound traditional relations and strong mutual trust. He also lauded Indias goodwill in providing Viet Nam with a preferential credit package, as also technical assistance in several areas where it was needed.

Viet Nam hopes that India will continue strengthening bilateral defence co-operation, the Government leader said, affirming that Viet Nam supports India in continuing its oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in Vietnamese seas.

Viet Nam also supports India in strengthening connectivity and links with the ASEAN in all fields, the PM said.

PCA Secretary-General

The PM also met yesterday with Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Hugo Hanz Siblesz. He said he highly valued the PCAs relations with Viet Nam and wished that these ties develop in a more extensive and effective manner.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be assigned responsibility for connections with the PCA, Phuc said, adding that Viet Nam welcomes the court of arbitration opening an office in the country.

He said this would intensify bilateral co-operation in a result-oriented fashion.

The PM noted that Viet Nam was exerting efforts to expand comprehensive co-operation with other countries, regions and organisations in the world. It hopes to receive the PCAs advice and assistance in related issues as well as in training legal personnel, he said.

CEO of Taiwans Pou Chen Group

Phuc also received Tsai Pei-Chun, the CEO of Taiwanese group Pou Chen Group. He believes that the firm will reap more success in its Viet Nam operations, the PM said.

He applauded the groups manufacturing of export-oriented products as well as its charitable activities in Viet Nam, especially those targeting the poor and natural disaster victims.

He also spoke highly of Pou Chens attention to training Vietnamese personnel so that they can hold important positions in the groups offices in the country.

The PM affirmed that the Vietnamese Government is committed to ensuring a stable macro-economy and providing the best possible conditions for all economic sectors to do business in the country.

He asked Pou Chen to expand operations in Vietnam, suggesting that it considers investing in agriculture, especially hi-tech agriculture, since Vietnam has great potential in this field.  VNS
HA NOI  Chairman of the Ha Noi Peoples Committee Nguyen uc Chung held a dialogue with local residents in ong Tam Commune in the citys My uc District on Saturday.

After the meeting, the local residents agreed to release all officials and policemen they had illegally detained.

At the dialogue, local residents emphasised eight major petitions out of the total 21 petitions they raised to the city authorities.

They however admitted their wrongful acts and law violations which they said were due to a lack of knowledge. They expressed their hope that relevant agencies and the chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee will excuse them for their wrongful acts and would not impose a criminal charge on them.

The residents asked the Peoples Committee of My uc District to stop disseminating information through loudspeakers that the Senh field belongs to the military before clearing up the relating matters. They also suggested the Viettel Telecom Group stop construction before the final conclusion is announced, and the municipal Chairman to directly instruct and handle the case.

They also affirmed and asked local authorities to acknowledge that all policemen and officials held at the commune had been well treated and protected.

On behalf of residents in ong Tam Commune, Bui Van Ky admitted that it was wrong to capture policemen and officials and expressed his hope that locals will be excused for their acts.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi e, 50, affirmed that local people had always followed the Party and States policies and hoped that the case would be solved completely with due consideration.

For his part, Chung said the city had issued a decision on April 20 to comprehensively inspect the management and use of the land for building Mieu Mon Airport in ong Tam Commune.

He pledged that he would personally announce the results after 45 days of inspection to ensure that all local residents would be consented. The inspection would involve different bodies including central agencies and would be supervised by National Assembly deputies and government inspectors, Chung said, requesting local residents to cooperate in providing documents and co-supervise the inspection.

The city has assigned local police to investigate the arrest of Le inh Kinh, a resident of ong Tam commune and strictly handle violations if there were any, Chung affirmed.

The Ha Noi Peoples Procuracy on April 21 annulled a decision on the arrest of Le inh Kinh, one of four local people captured on April 15.

During the talk, Chung handed over a decision to allocate VN1 billion (US$44,000) for building a 800m-long road connecting Senh and Mit fields in ong Tam Commune. VNS
HCM CITY  A class called I Can Say No at the Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in HCM Citys District 4 is teaching first graders how to handle inappropriate touching by adults and other children.

William Wong, lead trainer at EQ Cup, an organisation providing training for parents, teenagers and children to unleash their academic potential, says that children who say no to someone touching their body should be respected.

According to Vietnamese custom, relatives and strangers typically hug, touch or kiss children, but parents and relatives may feel ashamed if the child refuses.

During the class session last Friday, students learned about specific areas of the body that should not be touched. They were also taught skills that could help protect them against sexual abuse and acknowledge their feelings about being unsafe.

Pham Hoang Bach, a first grader at Nguyen Van Troi School, said that trainers encouraged the students to speak to their parents and tell them when they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Pham Thi Thuy Ha, the schools principal, told Viet Nam News that information about children being sexually abused has been published recently in the media.

Parents of the schools students are worried and have suggested that schools invite an expert to teach skills to protect their children. I agreed to do so because I think it is a good initiative, Ha added.

In previous years, only third to fifth graders learned about the issue, she said.

Kieu Tue Minh, a fifth grader at Nguyen Van Troi Primary School, said: It has been interesting to learn about gender and ways to protect myself.

Nguyen Minh Phuong, whose two daughters study at Nguyen Van Troi Primary School, said after a training session that she attended: I learned one more method to help my children have a deep understanding about this issue.

I always teach my daughters about their body parts and skills to prevent people from touching them, Phuong added.

At Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School in District 1, gender education is offered to all students at the school.

Nguyen Thi Thu Van, a first grade teacher at the school, told Giao Duc Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (HCM City Education) newspaper that students were not afraid of the teaching.

The schools leaders have also invited paediatricians to talk to students.

Van said that teaching gender issues and helping first graders distinguish body parts and skills to protect themselves were important, particularly as they enter puberty.

However, few primary schools in the city hold classes on this subject.

Phan Thi Yen, former principal of Truong Quyen Primary School, said the Ministry of Education had launched training programmes for fourth and fifth graders, but more teaching programmes were needed for first, second and third graders.

To Nhi A, lecturer in psychology at the HCM City College of Education, said that many primary school leaders had turned down offers by the trainers to speak at their schools about gender issues.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Ministry of Science and Technology and HCM City Peoples Committee on Friday signed a co-operative agreement on science and technology development for 2017-2020 period.

The ministry and Peoples Committee will work together on policies related to the establishment of venture funds and provision of loans and investment in innovative startups.

The Sai Gon Hi-Tech Park in HCM City and Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Ha Noi will cooperate in training hi-tech human resources and nurturing hi-tech enterprises.

As part of the agreement, the citys technological floor will be upgraded into a national one as part of the cooperation. Activities that are now assessing technological demand in the city will be sped up.

An ecosystem for innovative startups in the city will be developed, while activities for improving awareness about intellectual property of enterprises, universities and research institutes will be carried out.

Enterprises in the city will also benefit from a co-operative programme to reform their technologies, as it has become important to develop an integrated circuit industry in the city.

Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the citys Peoples Committee, said the co-operative programme would be an important foundation for the city to reach its targets and tasks issued by the Government.

It will effectively exploit the citys sources for sustainable and rapid development, Phong said.

Science and technology is one of the citys main nine service industries that contribute to economic development, he said.

The development of science and technology is the shortest way to raise the citys growth and competitiveness, and help it integrate globally, he added.

The city plans to allocate 2 per cent of total expenditures for development of science and technology, he said.

On the same day, the ministry also signed a cooperative agreement with Viet Nam National University-HCM City on science and technology development for the 2017-2020 period.

In the agreement, the two partners will carry out a science and technology programme for the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region and develop basic science programmes in physics, chemistry and ocean science. They will also provide assistance to enterprises in applying innovative technologies.

University students will also be assisted in their academic research.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said it would help the Viet Nam National University-HCM City to carry out a programme on preservation and sustainable use of sources of genes through 2025, and possibly up to 2030.  VNS
HA NOI  After a fire in a karaoke bar in Ha Nois Cau Giay district killed 13 people last November, local officials knew they had to do something to prevent such nightmarish scenes.

Dich Vong Hau Wards Peoples Committee decided to set up a team of cyclists to travel through the area spreading information on fire prevention, so that the tragic incident on Tran Thai Tong Street wouldnt be repeated.

Now, between 6.30am and 7pm every day, a group of young people ride bicycles around the district to remind locals of the importance of fire prevention.

With bicycles equipped with loudspeakers, they broadcast essential information on fire prevention to residents in every corner of the district.

They are also equipped with fire extinguishers to be ready to fight fires around the clock.

Since its establishment last December, the team has helped local firefighting police raise public awareness of fire prevention and control.

According to Chairman of Dich Vong Hau Ward Peoples Committee Nguyen Quang Thang, the deadly karaoke bar fire taught a painful lesson about the consequences of fire to authorities and local residents.

The volunteer firefighting team was established to strengthen local capacity in fire protection, he said.

Phan Thi Thu Ha, chief administrator of Cau Giay Districts Peoples Committee, told Kinh te va o thi (Economy and Urban Affairs) newspaper that everyday members of the team rode bicycles with loudspeakers to remind people to turn off electronic devices and close the valve of gas canisters for safety.

Their works has helped minimise the risk of fire, she said.

During Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, a fire occurred at a house in Nghia o District at about 7pm when its owner was away from home. After being informed of the fire, the team went to the house and forced open the door to get into the house and extinguish the fire.

A recent fire at a shop selling blankets and pillow on Xuan Thuy street was put out in quickly by the team. A representative from the Ha Noi Fire Prevention and Fighting Police said if the team had arrived five minutes later, the fire would have been catastrophic.

Head of the team, ao Duy Vuong, told An ninh TV (Public Security Television) that they had received a positive response from locals.

People were glad to be reminded of fire prevention tasks every day, he said.

Nguyen Thi Xuan Hong from Dich Vong Hau Ward said this way of spreading information was very effective.

Its like an alarm. Whatever we are doing, we will stop and check fire safety when hearing the reminder from their loudspeaker, she said.

Prevention is better than cure. I think it is really good to regularly remind residents of fire prevention, she added.

According to the Ha Noi Fire Prevention and Fighting Police, Ha Noi recorded 831 cases of fire in 2016, with 19 people dieing. - VNS
CEDAR FALLS  Separate proposals to expand the size of a new elementary school and reject bids for upgrades at an existing one will be considered Monday by the Board of Education.

The board meets at 7 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 220 Clay St.

Cedar Falls Community Schools originally bid an alternate for six more classrooms at Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School. The $659,000 additional cost wasnt accepted in January when Larsen Construction was awarded the contract, but officials left open the possibility of amending the agreement later.

In a board memo, Chief Financial Officer Doug Nefzger recommends adding the classrooms after outlining measures to cut costs for the building in other areas.

The net cost for these classrooms will never be less than now and our enrollment projections indicate the district will need the space within the next 10 years, he wrote. Savings are being found in a number of ways: Material changes for storm, sanitary sewer and water lines; changes in some heating/cooling units, lighting fixtures, and wall insulation; modifications to indoor frames and hardware, storm shelter window and shutter types; revising exterior metal panels on the gym and one of the brick colors for the building.

Combined, that would save $351,996, reducing the extra cost to $307,004. The board originally accepted a $175,000 bid for a second reinjection well in the geothermal heating and cooling system that may not be needed.

Previous experience with other projects indicates we will not need the second reinjection well, wrote Nefzger. If that proves true in this case, the net additional cost for the new classrooms would be lowered to $132,044.

Meanwhile, the lowest of four bids for remodeling and expansion of North Cedar Elementary School came in $2.53 million above the original building construction estimate, which amounts to 35.6 percent more. Base bids ranged from $9.65 million to $11.37 million. Nefzger recommends rejecting all bids.
CEDAR FALLS  The Final Thursday Reading Series will present writer Keith Lesmeister in a reading at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Hearst Center for the Arts.

Lesmeister is the author of We Couldve Been Happy Here, a collection of stories. This will be the last Final Thursday until fall.

Lesmeister received his M.F.A. from the Bennington Writing Seminars. He currently teaches at Northeast Iowa Community College.

Final Thursday Reading Series is held in Mae Latta Hall at the Hearst Center. This creative writers forum offers emerging authors a chance to meet regional authors while providing an opportunity for them to share their own work at an open mic. Open mic sign-up is at 7 p.m. Participants are invited to share their best five minutes of original poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction. The open mic begins at 7:15 p.m., and the featured author takes the stage at 8 p.m.

Moose Lodge plans events

WASHBURN  An Izaak Walton and Moose Lodge smelt fry is planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Moose Lodge 328, 6636 La Porte Road.

A dinner with roast beef or broasted pork chops is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Lodges annual smelt fry slated

DECORAH  Winneshiek Odd Fellows Lodge at 326 Washington St. will have its annual smelt fry from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Menu also includes potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, bread and beverage.

The public is welcome.

Honor Flight garage sale set

LA PORTE CITY  An Honor Flight garage sale is set for 3 to 7 p.m. May 5 and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 6 at the Compressed Air Building, 707 Highway 218 North.

People will be able to fill a bag with clothing for $5. There also will be home decor, small appliances and kitchen items, holiday decorations, shoes, purses, jewelry, bedding, books, CDs, DVDs, tools, collectibles and furniture.

All proceeds will go to the Cedar Valley Honor Flight.

Lions to serve soup supper

ALLISON  The Allison Lions Club will serve a soup supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday at North Butler Elementary School.

There will be seven soups to choose from, plus veggies, bread, ice cream and cake.

Donations will be collected.

During the meal, the Sugar Daddys Big Band will perform.

Supper, auction set for Friday

ELMA  The Elma Early Childhood Center will host its annual fundraiser spaghetti supper and auction Friday at the Elma Memorial Hall.

Serving will be from 4 to 7 p.m., with the Elma Area Community Foundation Awards Ceremony at 6:15 p.m. and auction starting at 6:30 p.m.

The nonprofit daycare is responsible for the Summer Wisdom and Wellness Program, 3 year old preschool program and child care for children 0-12. This year a portion of the proceeds will go to the newly created Elma Early Childhood Center fund through the Elma Area Community Foundation.

Dancers set to perform April 30

CEDAR FALLS  The Prairie Rose Middle Eastern Dance Troupe and the UNI Middle Eastern Dance Club will present Beauty and the Beats, a belly dance performance show, at 6 p.m. April 30 at the Cedar Falls Community Center, 528 Main St.

All are welcome, and admission to this family-friendly show is free. The show will feature group and solo performances in a variety of styles of Middle Eastern and fusion dance by dancers from around Iowa. There also is an associated dance workshop in the afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. at the UNI dance studio.

For more information on the show or workshop, contact Helen Harton at harton@uni.edu or 290-7262.

Schizophrenia is topic at meeting

WATERLOO  There will be a presentation about one familys experience with schizophrenia at the NAMI meeting May 2.

The meeting is set for 7 to 8 p.m. in the lower level at the First Congregational Church, 608 W. Fourth St.

Virginia Pillars, a pseudonym for the author of Broken Brain, Fortified Faith: Lessons of Hope Through a Childs Mental Illness, will speak about her journey, recovery, the RAISE study and support. She is a long-term NAMI volunteer as a teacher for the NAMI Family-to-Family class and facilitator for the Sharing and Caring support group.

NAMI Black Hawk County is dedicated to improving the lives of all people affected by mental illness. For more information, call 235-5263 or email namibh@qwestoffice.net.

Snowden House will host tea

WATERLOO  The Grout Museum Districts Snowden House, 306 Washington St., will host a Mothers Tea from 10 a.m. to noon May 13.

People also can learn about Victorian etiquette and partake in a low tea with treats.

The program is $8 for members and $10 for nonmembers. To register, go to www.gmdistrict.org/calendar or call 234-6357 for more information.
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Staying out of debt is easier said than done, I know. However, its something you can do, and its something you should be practicing everyday. As Christians, we are in this world, but we are
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.
LINCOLN  The fate of Gov. Pete Ricketts' proposed income and property tax cuts hung in the balance Friday as the Legislature launched an unusually big-picture discussion about the size of state government and the role of taxation in Nebraskans' well-being.

Lawmakers adjourned for the weekend with no clear sign of whether enough support exists to bring the package back for more debate in the coming weeks.

But a key sponsor vowed the issue isn't dead for the year.

"It will be coming back," said Revenue Chairman Jim Smith of Papillion, who helped shepherd the package of proposed cuts onto the legislative floor. "I believe I will have the votes when I'm ready for it."

On Friday, however, opponents of the plan appeared to hold the cards.

An attempt to boot the bill back to committee  usually a death blow to legislation if it succeeds  failed, but the 29 senators who voted to keep the package alive fell short of the 33 supporters Smith will need to secure additional time on the agenda and overcome a filibuster.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, one of several rural senators who are reluctant to support a plan without more significant cuts to property taxes, said he believes a compromise can be reached.

However, he said, "It's gonna be like moving a mountain."

Through three hours of debate granted by Speaker Jim Scheer of Norfolk, lawmakers engaged in sweeping discussion on tax policy while acknowledging no immediate action was likely to be taken.

"Today's a big day for Nebraska," Smith said. "It's been many, many years, maybe even a couple of decades, since we've been able to have this type of discussion on the floor of the Legislature."

Nebraska's taxes are driving away families and businesses, supporters argued, pointing to a 2014 study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Bureau of Business Research which concluded that the "overall burden" of taxes influences the state's economic growth.

Lowering income tax rates, one thing Ricketts' plan proposes to do, would lead to rapid job growth, according to the study, which was conducted on behalf of the Omaha and Lincoln chambers of commerce.

"If you think that our tax code doesn't play a role in acquiring talent, you're fooling yourself," said Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers, a supporter of the governor's plan.

Opponents pointed to other studies by Gallup and SRI International, which don't recommend income tax cuts as a means of growing the state's economy.

An SRI report last year, commissioned by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, called this state's economy "the envy of many other states" and noted Nebraska's gross domestic product had risen at nearly double the U.S. rate over the previous decade.

Omaha Sen. Burke Harr, a Revenue Committee member who led opposition to the bill, noted President Donald Trump is planning to propose his own tax cuts at the federal level which could force further changes in Nebraska.

"Do we want to waste time and energy this year knowing that we may have to do something (in the near future)?" Harr asked.

Other senators sparred with well-worn competing arguments about which taxpayers the governor's plan would benefit, how it would impact the state budget and whether it goes far enough to appease rural property taxpayers.

The proposal would trigger phased-in individual income tax cuts whenever state revenue is projected to grow by 3.5 percent in a given year. Government doesn't need to grow at that rate, Smith said.

Additional cuts would come to the state's corporate tax rate if projected revenue growth reaches 4 percent in a year. And an amendment proposed Friday would add $20 million to the state fund for property tax credits any year revenue might grow by 4.5 percent or more.

Actual revenues often fall short of those projections, and a tax cut in a down year could put the state in a budget bind, noted Lincoln Sen. Kate Bolz.

"Colleagues, this is not responsible fiscal management," she said.

Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks said the plan would grant sizable tax breaks to wealthy Nebraskans while leaving only a "crumb" for low-income people.

Hilgers said it strikes a fair balance between providing savings for taxpayers and maintaining state services, and that critics of the plan would complain even louder if more significant cuts were proposed.

"Every dollar matters," he said.

Rural senators, who have been the focus of the most furious lobbying efforts by both sides, were essentially split.

Sens. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft and John Lowe of Kearney were among those who spoke highly of parts of the bill aimed at revamping the state's method for valuing agricultural land and capping the rate at which aggregate farmland values can rise each year.

But Watermeier and Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson said they weren't quite ready to support the plan. Watermeier said its cuts are "10-to-1 income tax" and that he's working on an amendment to bring it closer to 10-to-1 for property tax cuts instead.

Smith called that characterization unfair, saying his own amendment to add money to the property tax credit fund brings the bill closer to 2-to-1 income tax cuts vs. property tax cuts.

Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who opposes the bill, watched much of the debate from his office but made a brief appearance to scoff at the entire morning's worth of exchanges.

"I can not take it any more," Chambers said. "These debates are not going to change anybody's mind ... and such discussions are a waste of my time."
ATLANTA, GA, April 22, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As a part of its ongoing mission to become the global franchisor of choice, Texas Chicken announced its first new restaurant opening in the Kingdom of Bahrain. With the latest grand opening on April 8th, Texas Chicken is growing its footprint in the Middle East alongside Ali Bin Rajab & Sons, the operating franchisee selected for the Bahraini expansion.



"We are proud to bring the Kingdom of Bahrain the quality and proven performance of one of the world's leading chicken chains" said Nasser Sayed, Country Operations manager and Managing Partner for Ali Bin Rajab & Sons. "The quick-service restaurant concept has been around for nearly 40 years in this region, and we see the 65-year heritage and reputation behind Texas Chicken as a key competitive advantage."



Officials from Texas Chicken echoed the excitement for this pioneering push into new Middle East territory. "High-quality, delicious, made-from scratch food is a cornerstone of the Texas Chicken brand experience," said Tony Moralejo, Executive Vice President of International Business and Global Development for the brand. "We look forward to giving the people of Bahrain many opportunities to enjoy the great chicken experiences guests love."



The new deal with Ali Bin Rajab & Sons is slated to include 5 total restaurants in the Kingdom of Bahrain by 2020. As an operator, the restaurant group has 20 years of experience in quick-service restaurants. All Bahraini Texas Chicken locations will feature the signature menu items that have given the brand its worldwide popularity, including hand-battered and double-breaded original and spicy fried chicken, scratch-made honey butter biscuits freshly baked throughout the day, and a variety of home-style sides.



"We look forward to what this new relationship will bring to our Middle East guests," continued Moralejo. "Bahrain is a thriving economy filled with people who recognize and appreciate the kind of quality Texas Chicken specializes in providing."



About Texas Chicken / Church's Chicken

Founded in San Antonio, TX in 1952 by George W. Church, Church's Chicken, along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside of the Americas, is one of the largest quick service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips , sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church's Chicken and Texas Chicken have more than 1,600 locations in 27 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information, visit http://www.churchs.com Headquarters: 980 Hammond Drive, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30328 (770)-350-3843 http://www.churchs.com. Follow Church's on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/churchschicken.



# # #




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.
Voter turnout 'steady' in Sioux Falls for Election Day, officials say

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Toppling in the J Dey murder case, a senior television journalist claimed in a phone conversation, gangster Chhota Rajan claimed responsibility for Deys murder. The journalist claimed that on July 1, 2011, he had received a call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as Nana (Chhota Rajan) and asked the journalist whether he would be recording the phone call. The journalist told him that he would take notes and that the news channel would decide on whether or not to air it.

Dey, a senior journalist with city tabloid Mid-Day, was shot dead on June 11, 2011. The CBI claims the murder took place at the behest of Rajan, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

A seized conversation, where gangster Chhota Rajan claims to have accepted responsibility for killing senior journalist J Dey, forms part of the evidence against him in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI. The assumed conversation took place between Rajan and a relative of now-deceased accused Vinod Asrani on August 4, 2011, less than a month after bike-borne assailants near his Powai residence shot Dey on June 2011. The conversation had also been part of the earlier charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Police against journalist Jigna Vora, another accused in the case. The CBI, in its present chargesheet, has claimed that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory has verified the authenticity of the intercepted communication. It states that the conversation proves Rajans involvement as his voice samples match the intercepts.

The dramatic J. Dey murder case earlier brought to the fore this nexus more clearly than all earlier occasions. Having covered the crime beat for around three decades, Dey had naturally developed affiliations in legitimate as well as illegitimate walks of life. Bootleggers, matka-den operators are regular paymasters of crime reporters residing in respective areas. Visionless and routine crime reporters thrive on their money and retire peacefully. Dey-like ambitious reporters aim high and possess heavy appetite. Their morals become flexible in the initial period of their career and later vanish. Switching of loyalties is not a great affair when it comes to money. It may not be as frequent in underworld as it is in journalism.

The police told the sessions court in Mumbai that journalist Jigna Vora, then an accused in J Dey murder case, had fuelled the dispute between gangster Chota Rajan and the slain journalist, which likely led to the killing. Crime Branch, which was investigating the Dey murder case, claimed that Vora was aware of the issues between Rajan and Dey, but Mumbai police could not produce any substantial evidences against Vora and finally she got bail. Since then the never ending saga on Deys murder is unfurled in episodes.

During J Dey murder investigations, media made police authorities life miserable and Home department was always on radar. To control media pressure, police traced all those reporters having spoken to Chota Rajan and any underworld criminal, based on their own published interviews and reports, caught them and called for investigations. They were harassed and warned, and thats how the story was twisted in many angles. Reporters gave lots of excuses, but police made smart stand stating their duty and arrested few one by one and asked them to give explanation in court. Thats how reporters came in switch before making any sort of statement about police and home department. In that series, Jigna became victim of circumstances, and got in police clutches, police department was very well aware that Jigna is not 100% at fault. But she was made scapegoat to control the nuisance of media, surprisingly when Jigna got arrested, no media came forward to protest against her. Rather J Dey news took back seat. Now all of sudden J Dey got news space.

The police claimed that Vora had called Chhota Rajan 36 times before J Deys murder. The chargesheet shows that there were only three calls between Chhota Rajan and Vora, all made for an interview that Rajan gave to The Asian Age. Vora had sent emails to Rajan containing the photographs and residential address of Dey and the registration number of his motorcycle. The charge sheet does not mention any such emails. Police requested Google to provide her inbox details but under privacy act Google refused to obey. Crime Branch officers told the media that Vora abruptly booked tickets to Sikkim on June 2011 and took off without a sanctioned leave, knowing well that Dey was to be murdered. Vora had travelled to Sikkim along with six friends. All tickets were booked in the first week of April. She had also given an advance notice of leave to her editor. But police didnt include these records in the chargesheet. The police claimed there was professional rivalry between Dey and Vora and that was her motive to get him killed. Dey wrote that Dawood had left Pakistan. Vora wrote that Dawood was hiding in Pakistan. Bizarrely, the police have used these two stories to argue that there was rivalry between the two journalists.

The smear campaign against Vora went to the extent of accusing her of being an extortionist. Nobody asked what resources or authority did a female reporter have to strike deals between two rival builders? Nobody asked the police for the evidence before publishing such claims. In the final chargesheet, the police have not mentioned a word on any such mediation activities. But the objective has already been achieved.

Now after so many years, the CFSL report received in May 2016 is part of the chargesheet, stating that the voice is the probable voice of the person (Rajan) matching with the specimen. The CBI had taken permission from the special MCOCA court to take a voice sample of Rajan, who is lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi since his deportation from Bali, Indonesia, in November last year. The chargesheet, however, does not have emails or other evidence on exchange of emails between Rajan and Vora, allegedly through which details of Dey were shared by her. Rajan had told journalists after the murder that Vora provided him with details of Deys motorcycle number, his photograph, address, etc. through emails. The CBIs claim is that Dey was killed by Rajan over the two books he was writing. In its chargesheet, the CBI has details of exchange between two publishers and Dey on his books. Now only God or Rajan or Dey can tell the truth, else this murder case will revolve with saga like daily soaps.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
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April 21, 2017

The Egyptian parliament is currently drafting a bill to amend a provision of the country's criminal code that allows for a pretrial detention of up to two years. The proposed draft law would put a six-month ceiling on pretrial detention, slashing the current legal limit to a quarter of the period permitted by the current law.

Public debate on what rights activists say is a much-needed amendment was sparked by the acquittal in mid-April of dual US-Egyptian citizen and founder of the Belady Foundation Aya Hegazy, her husband Mohamed Hassanein and six co-defendants in the notorious Belady Foundation case. They spent three years in pretrial detention after their arrest on May 1, 2014, in a police raid on their nongovernmental organization, which provided shelter and services for Cairos street children. They were charged with operating an unlicensed organization, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of children and inciting anti-government protests.

Despite the lack of evidence against them, the former detainees were held in custody for over 35 months  well beyond the two-year limit for pre-trial and provisional detention specified by Egyptian law.

While Hegazy and her husband have since been released, their acquittal after their prolonged detention has spotlighted the plight of thousands of political detainees who may be suffering a similar fate. It has also sounded the alarm on the Egyptian authorities increasing use of the punitive measure since June 2013 to silence activists, journalists and political dissidents, according to rights advocates.

Welcoming news of Hegazys acquittal, lawyer Hafez Abu Seada, the founder and chairman of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, The authorities have been using pretrial detention systematically and unconditionally as a punitive measure against government opponents for several years now.

He said, The measure has been used in place of the long-standing state of emergency, which was lifted in June 2012 after 31 years.

For more than three decades, Egypts security forces were given sweeping powers to arbitrarily arrest and detain suspects without charge and try them in special courts. In recent weeks, the government has reinstated the emergency law, which had been previously limited to the northern Sinai region, where the military is battling Islamist militants who are seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate. The state of emergency has been extended to other parts of the country since mid-April after twin church bombings on Palm Sunday claimed the lives of 47 people (mostly Christian worshippers attending Sunday mass) and injured dozens more in Alexandria and Tanta.

Abu Seada proposed that the government lower the legal limit of pretrial detention to six months with financial compensation for those who are acquitted. He also suggested the use of alternative measures such as house arrests, travel bans and probation measures against suspects awaiting trial.

Several local and international rights groups have also decried the rampant use of prolonged preventive detention that they say violates Egypts international human rights obligation. They say detention should only be used as a last resort and only if necessary, especially in the absence of well-founded charges.

According to a May 2016 report published by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) a Cairo-based nongovernmental rights organization, at least 1,464 people in four governorates were in custody pending trial (at the time of the reports release) for periods that exceeded the legal limit.

Those were just the cases that we were able to document; there are many more, Hoda Nasrallah, a lawyer and senior officer at the EIPR, told Al-Monitor. Pretrial detention should be used only under exceptional circumstances; however, since mid-2013, it has become common practice in Egypt and has been used by the judiciary as a tool of political repression to crush dissent, she said.

Under Egyptian law, the use of pretrial detention is restricted to defendants who have no permanent address or those who are unlikely to appear for trial. The measure can also be applied if investigators fear the evidence may be tampered with or destroyed, or if the defendants are perceived as posing a threat to national security.

Nasrallah complained that judges have ignored repeated calls by the EIPR and other rights organizations to release defendants on bail after they had completed the two-year limit specified by Article 143 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. She told Al-Monitor that the EIPR had sent letters to the president, the prime minister, the parliament speaker and the Constitutional Court requesting that the authorities amend the countrys Criminal Procedure Code to place tougher restrictions on pretrial detention. We have also urged the government to reform the judicial system so as to cut the criminal court backlog that delays justice for suspects, she said. Nasrallah noted that a controversial legal amendment introduced by former President Adly Mansour had removed the limit of pretrial detention for detainees who have been convicted and are appealing life and death sentences, possibly allowing for their indefinite detention.

With the state of emergency now back in place, Nasrallah said she can only expect a spike in arbitrary detentions in the coming months,

Other rights groups, including the quasi-official National Council for Human Rights (NHCR), have acknowledged the continued excessive use of pretrial and preventive detention during trials for nonviolent crimes. A report published in May 2015 by the NHCR put the number of pretrial detainees at 7,000, a vastly larger figure than that cited in the EIPR report.

Photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeids case is a flagrant example of the use, or rather misuse, of the measure to punish activists. Abu Zeid has been in custody for nearly four years now (nearly double the limit specified by the law). A family member told Al-Monitor his family has lost count of the number of times his trial has been adjourned.

Known to his fans as Shawkan, Abu Zeid was arrested on Aug. 14, 2013, and faces nine charges, including weapons possession, illegal assembly, murder and attempted murder in the Rabia al-Adawiya sit-in dispersal case  the violent dispersal by security forces of two pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest camps in Cairo that left at least 800 people dead and thousands injured. At least 700 co-defendants are being tried alongside Shawkan in the mass trial, the majority of whom are members and supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Shawkan, who was covering the protests as a freelance photographer for Demotix (a citizen journalists website and photo agency) when he was detained, has repeatedly denied the accusations leveled against him. Despite an online campaign calling for his release on health grounds (he is reportedly suffering from hepatitis C), his trial on March 8 was adjourned yet again to May 9.

Rights activists have welcomed the proposed limitation on pretrial detentions, but some remain skeptical that the amendment  if introduced  would make a real difference on the ground.

After all, some judges have adopted a selective approach in using pretrial detention, Nasrallah said, citing the example of police officers who have not been held accountable for malpractice. She recalled the case of Mahmoud Hussein who was detained for over two years following his arrest on Jan. 25, 2014, for no other crime than wearing a T-shirt with the slogan No to torture printed on it. While Hussein, 20, was released on March 24, 2016, the fate of many other detainees remains uncertain.

Its not about issuing a new law, Nasrallah said. Its about enforcement of existing laws, respecting human rights and ending the culture of impunity.
April 21, 2017

On April 20, Irans Guardian Council, the watchdog tasked with vetting electoral candidates, announced a list of six hopefuls who have been cleared to run in the May 19 presidential election.

Despite all the rumors, incumbent President Hassan Rouhani was approved to run for a second term. Meanwhile, Rouhanis first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, and former Minister of Mining and Industry Mostafa Hashemi-Taba are two other moderate Reformist candidates whose candidacies were approved.

Among the conservatives approved by the Guardian Council were Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam; Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; and former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mostafa Mir-Salim.

While conservative media outlets speculate that Jahangiri may stay until the end rather than withdrawing in favor of Rouhani, the Reformists and the moderates insist on the opposite.

Hossein Kamali, a prominent Reformist activist, said April 21 that Jahangiri nominated himself after a consultation with Rouhani. The issues about Jahangiris nomination that are being brought up by conservatives are not real. If his nomination is an indication [of the state] of the [Rouhani] government, the conservatives themselves have this very weakness as more [conservative] candidates registered to run for the election, said Kamali.

Moreover, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Reformist deputy speaker of parliament, stated April 21, Rouhani has more of a chance than other candidates [to win the election].

Meanwhile, Hashemi-Taba, whose candidacy was not taken seriously by Iranian media and who was not expected to get the Guardian Councils approval, has not clarified whether he will withdraw in favor of Rouhani, who is the main Reformist candidate. However, when Hashemi-Taba was registering to run in the election, he told reporters he had decided to run on an independent ticket. Nonetheless, he does not appear to have any chance of attracting a large number of votes.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Ghalibaf and Raisi are the main conservative candidates, with neither signaling his intention to stand aside. Rather, both recently announced their determination to stay in the race to the very end. One important part of the equation is the candidacy of conservative Mir-Salim, who has far more political experience than Ghalibaf or Raisi, but who has been ignored by the hard-liners. Indeed, the hard-liners are concerned that Mir-Salim would turn into a tacit ally of Rouhani during the campaigning, which is due to formally begin on April 28, and especially during the presidential debates. This dynamic occurred in the 2013 presidential vote, when conservative Ali Akbar Velayati turned into an ally of Rouhani, playing an important role in the defeat of the conservatives.

Another significant point that should not be overlooked is the disqualification of former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had defied Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis advice to not run in the election, and his former deputy, Hamid Baghaei. Some analysts believe that the votes for Ahmadinejad will be divided, as some of his supporters are expected to cast their ballots for the conservative candidates who are pursuing his policy of increasing the monthly cash handouts, while some new supporters of Ahmadinejad, who are backing him due to his attacks against the conservatives, are believed to now vote Reformist.

Meanwhile, the committee responsible for election advertisements on April 20 ordered state television to cancel the live broadcast of the presidential debates, saying they should be pre-recorded. In the hours after this announcement, hard-liners sought to portray Rouhani as welcoming it due to fear of a televised face-off with other candidates, claiming that the incumbent president is behind the cancellation of the live broadcast. However, Rouhani quickly announced his objection to the committees order and asked for a reconsideration of its decision. There is a chance of the move being overturned, given the protests of all candidates.
April 21, 2017

RAMALLAH, West Bank  Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ratified the first Palestinian Law for Education and Higher Education on April 6, after the Cabinet submitted it on March 7 to replace the applicable Arab laws in the Palestinian territories (the Jordanian law in the West Bank and the Egyptian law in the Gaza Strip).

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education hopes the new law will bring about a significant shift in the education system, promote educational development and boost the role of the local community and its institutions in this regard.

Minister of Education and Higher Education Sabri Saidam told Al-Monitor that he was happy the law had passed. He said, We are glad the law was ratified after six readings within the Cabinet and after all concerned parties  private and civil institutions  discussed it." He noted that he began working on this law the day he took office on Aug. 2, 2015.

The law includes 58 articles tackling all practical aspects and details of the education process. It will be enforced 30 days after its publication in the Palestinian Gazette.

Saidam said that the Education Ministry capitalized on the laws and experience of several international donors such as Ireland, Germany and Norway before drafting the law. The aim was to include the necessary notions and concepts to build an education process based on enrooting and developing knowledge, instead of opting for conventional education based on indoctrination. The new education system will be unified in Gaza and the West Bank.

The articles of the law tackle all issues related to the components of the education process such as setting clear educational objectives, specifying the Education Ministry tasks, enforcing compulsory education and imposing sanctions on violators, explaining the education stages from kindergarten to high school, approving of academic acceleration, putting measures and conditions for the licensing of private and foreign educational institutions, explaining the requirements of hiring teachers and establishing a code of conduct and an advisory board headed by the minister to offer recommendations and consultations to improve the educational process, curricula and extracurricular activities.

Saidam said Articles 26-27 of the law classifies teaching as a profession, describing teachers' responsibilities and duties. Those who want to become a teacher must obtain an occupational license from the Ministry of Education after completing a two-year training and receiving a good assessment.

The law also made way for academic acceleration, which allows smart and outstanding students to skip grades and be promoted directly to an upper grade or to enroll in university despite their young age. Article 13 states, Education must be accelerated and the years of study must be limited for certain students who show intellectual abilities above their age. This would allow them to be promoted to higher classes quickly or to move from one level to another, provided that they satisfy certain requirements and instructions determined by the minister.

Saidam said, Academic acceleration is the contemporary notion that we have sought to introduce since it enhances the scientific and educational abilities of outstanding students. Within a few years, some child prodigies might enroll in Palestinian universities.

The law also sheds light on the issue of dropping out of school and attempts to solve it by enforcing compulsory education. The school dropout rate reached 1.36% in 2016 and varied from grade to grade. In grade 4, the dropout rate reached 1.4%, while in grade 10 it was 3.2%, as per a survey published by the Education Ministry on Nov. 23, 2016.

Article 5 of the law stipulates education be at no cost in all governmental educational institutions and makes it compulsory until grade 10. Article 50 lays out punitive measures against the violators who would face a one-year prison sentence at most, pay a fine of maximum 1,000 Jordanian dinars ($1,409), or both. This applies to any guardian who does not enroll their child below the age of 16 in an educational institution or removes the child from the institution.

Compulsory education is not limited to elementary school students but also includes children in kindergarten. The new law stipulates that kindergarten is part of the general education cycle in the Palestinian territories, and parents are obliged to put their children in kindergarten a year before school (at no cost). For that reason, the ministry will establish kindergartens in public schools.

The law applies to all schools as per Article 2, be they public, private, foreign or community-based.

According to the statistics of the Education Ministry, there are roughly 2,914 schools in the Palestinian territories, including 2,194 in the West Bank and 720 in the Gaza Strip. There are 2,135 public schools, 353 UNRWA schools and 426 private schools included in this figure in both Gaza and the West Bank. Private kindergartens amount to 1,148 in the West Bank and 518 in the Gaza Strip.

Majida al-Masri, a member of the Palestinian Education Coalition, a group of civil associations and local unions that lobby to reach policies and legislation that ensure free, compulsory and good-quality education for Palestinian children, told Al-Monitor, Passing a law for education and higher education is an important achievement because the educational process has now been guaranteed and protected by the law as a mandatory right and organized profession.

Masri said that the most important step is to ensure the effective implementation of the law, noting that she was hoping wider-scale deliberations about the law would be held with the civil society before the ministry issued it, given the absence of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Although Saidam asserted that the law was shown to all social components, Masri disagreed with his statement and said, This is not true. Although we applaud this law, it still needs further scrutinizing in some legal aspects. We plan to work on this in the future because we believe in the importance of partnership in planning, monitoring and accountability in the educational process.

The law has now been ratified and the educational staff are eager to find out what the new school term in August will bring, since it will effectively put to the test the ministrys ability to implement the articles of the law and help assess the results.
April 21, 2017

There is a growing environment of fear, suspicion and anxiety on Turkish streets. Months of acrimonious campaigning ended April 16 with voters narrowly approving constitutional amendments that will greatly expand the presidency's power. Though the campaign is over, it cultivated seeds of ill will that have grown and spread, evoking hateful rhetoric against those who opposed the amendments.

Some strongly pro-government citizens are likening the campaign to war and the election's outcome to the victory of war, and even  incredibly  placing women among the spoils of war.

The week before the referendum, Istanbul City Municipality (IBB) worker Omer Akbayrak posted the following lines on his Facebook page:

Dear Friends! The Republican Peoples Party [CHP] has openly declared war and is doing all that it can [against us]. The attacks [the CHP] have started at the parliament with all their rhetoric and action now targets yes-sayers. On April 17, after we win the war, their wives and daughters are available as loot [and] as halal to [those who vote] yes.

IBB is controlled by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Akbayrak has since shut down his Facebook account. But this controversial post and his subsequent commentary about Islamic warfare rules and norms and women have generated an uproar in Turkey. Akbayrak ended his commentary by saying that according to Islamic law, after a war, the defeated army's women become the victors concubines, and he added that those details would be sorted after the victory. His post, less than five days before the referendum, generated such shock that within 48 hours an official investigation was launched against Akbayrak. He has been suspended from his position.

Although most Facebook commenters were critical of Akbayraks statement, quite a few applauded him as well. For example, one Twitter user wrote, Omer Akbayrak, my brother, whose freedom of expression has been curtailed, stand straight. This nation is with you. No one speaks up against those who want to run us [yes-sayers] into the sea, but speaking about the law of war, gets one suspended.

Several people on social media called for Akbayrak's immediate arrest. Hundreds of commenters on social media argued that the attitude he reflects is the expected result of senior leaders referring to naysayers as terrorists and traitors for weeks, and that it will only get worse.

There is also concern about the rise of radical militant Islam in Turkey. Some commenters have approached the matter with a bitter sense of humor. They ask whether Akbayrak will be joining the Islamic State (IS). Zaytung, a satirical Turkish website similar in tone to The Onion, wrote that after the Akbayrak fiasco, IBB now plans to decrease its hiring quota from among IS ranks. Despite IBB's prompt and firm action, several pessimistic tweets and posts said that, based on how previous cases of physical threats, sexual harassment and rape have been addressed, most of the public is convinced that in a few days Akbayrak will be reinstated to his position or maybe even promoted.

Akbayraks ferocious words are not the first nor will they be the last derogatory comments targeting women in Turkey, but they were a catalyst. Turkish women are increasingly demeaned and devalued as militarization and radicalization rises.

There is another crucial trend that is not discussed openly in Turkey. A professor of Islam and political science, who asked to remain anonymous to keep his job at a Turkish university, told Al-Monitor, Turkish Ikhwan [Muslim Brotherhood], politically represented by the AKP, is changing fast. Ikhwan in Turkey has been rather different than its versions in Syria or Egypt in two ways: First, [Turkey's Ikhwan] never boycotted elections. However difficult the times were, they remained in the race. The harsh treatment of secularists could not dissuade Turkish Ikhwanis struggle for legitimacy. They were receiving only a quite small percentage of the votes from the mid-1970s until the mid-1990s, but keenly used political channels and put up a good fight within the establishment. Since the mid-1990s, they have been able to acquire a majority of municipal, and then national, elected branches and slowly they have replaced the bureaucratic cadres with men of their own Islamic views."

He continued, "Second, they have not been violent or advocated violence. We have seen the Turkish Hezbollah at the end of the 1990s who had committed extremely violent acts, but Ikhwanis have always kept themselves clean. They have not advocated or engaged in violence against society. This is changing as a consequence of the rise of authoritarianism and full-scale involvement in Syria. Turkish involvement goes beyond military intervention and it has social aspects as well. This means their understanding of Islam is resembling more radical elements, along with advocating violence.

He was quite worried about the concubine rhetoric. We saw photos of wives, daughters, granddaughters of prominent figures [naysayers who were courageous enough to advocate against the constitutional amendments] being displayed as halal [permissible] loot for all those who said yes, or for the believers. This is not a joke. This is the first time in Turkey that Islamists declared their fellow citizens enemies and a democratic political process [referendum] as a war and called upon believers to consider the others as losers, and punish them as losers would be punished in accordance with Islamic law.

Not even one political figure stood up against this.

Are Akbayrak and his supporters on social media an isolated and marginal group? Or do they have wider support from silent groups as well?

Two recent events are telling in this regard. First, on April 19, a member of al-Qaeda wanted for a 2003 deadly attack in Istanbul was caught in Turkey. The suspect, whose name was kept out of the press, is a government-paid imam. Second, a well-known media figure and AKP supporter had called for the masses to be ready for another war after a victory on the referendum. Cem Kucuk appeared on television and called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to part ways with radical Islamists. His words were met with anger among Islamists in Turkey. Among the 30,000 Twitter comments (followed by lawsuits), several called on believers to take action. Both of these recent incidents provide clues about how deep and complex Islamist relations with the state have become in the past decade.

Turkish Ikhwan was moderate in the sense that it had not recommended violence against its own people, with the exception of alleged cases of blasphemy. On top of it, Akbayrak and the like are not challenging individual women directly. In radical Islamist rhetoric, women are seen as objects, not worthy of being considered individuals. Here, in the rhetoric of turning women into concubines, also lies the cruel wish to kill the men who dared say no, making their property, including women, the loot.

While this is the first public rhetoric about concubines in Turkey, sexual violence, particularly rape, is not new. A Kurdish female activist told Al-Monitor, We experienced horrible treatment in Diyarbakir prison after the 1980 coup. It was systematic and brutal. However, this is different. This is out in the open. It terrorizes randomly, and its victims could be any female. This instills perpetual fear in our hearts.

Al-Monitor asked respected senior Islamists from different religious groups about their views. It was a relief to hear that none of them condoned such words, let alone such actions. However, they had not openly disowned it; most of them said they didn't want to engage on the topic and denounce such rhetoric because it wasn't worth it.

The double standard in society is quite stark. Apparently it's worth taking on those who insult Islam, but not those who insult and threaten women.

For example, Barbaros Sansal, a prominent fashion designer and critic of the AKP, was extradited in January from Cyprus and jailed in Istanbul for months for just a few anti-AKP tweets that did not include a call for violence against individuals or groups. Sansal was attacked on social media by pro-AKP groups and physically attacked on the airport tarmac in front of cameras.

In the case of Akbayrak, there was a clear call for sexual violence against a specific group, and he has not even been taken into custody. No respected pro-AKP figure has spoken out against him. But Kucuks statement targeting Islamists put his life at risk. Apparently, his words were worth the engagement. How can anyone feel safe in Turkey with such hypocrisy?
A Cullman County inmate who walked away from a work release detail on Thursday was apprehended on Saturday in Belmont, Miss.

Christopher Williams was working at Haul Products in Cullman when he escaped, according to the Cullman County Sheriff's Office.

"We have been following leads on the suspect from almost the moment he walked off, and we were constantly getting tips on his location and in the end this suspect could not outrun the deputies actively in the field searching for him," Sheriff Matt Gentry said in a prepared statement.

Law enforcement officers in Mississippi assisted in the arrest.

Authorities didn't release what charges Williams was being held on in the Cullman County Jail, or what new charges he may face following his escape.
Not long after a lawsuit was filed against the Birmingham Board of Education, board members selected two Birmingham City Schools superintendent finalists during a contentious meeting Friday afternoon.

Lisa Herring, of Louisville, Kentucky, and Regina Thompson, of South Carolina, were chosen during the special meeting at the central office on Park Place North. A third candidate, Garrett L. Brundage of Georgia, was not chosen.

The superintendent seat became vacant after the board fired former superintendent Kelley Castlin-Gacutan without cause with a 6-3 vote in September.

Board members went through the first round of superintendent interviews this week. They originally received five candidates from the Alabama Association of School Boards, which served as the search firm. However, two of them, Ronnie A. Dotson, of Grayson, Kentucky and Timothy Gadson III, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, withdrew this week citing political climate.

Board President Wardine Alexander said after Friday's meeting that Thompson and Herring will return to the central office for additional interviews at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. They will also visit schools, meet with community and business leaders, and be introduced to Mayor William Bell and the City Council. The board's decision was based upon calculations from board members' responses of the interviews and a survey completed by Birmingham residents.

It took board members about an hour during the meeting to make the calculations. During that time, many in the audience talked to each other about their concerns about the selection process - one of them that none of the candidates are from Birmingham City Schools. Many were not sure what the board was doing during that hour.

Alexander told news organizations after the meeting that the board calculated the results in front of the public during the meeting for transparency's sake. She said the board wanted to settle apprehensions about the process.

"For our process, we wanted to be transparent," Alexander said. "This was our attempt to really want to be sure to do the scoring in front of the public so that everyone will know that this is transparent. This was a part of the plan that we had to ensure that we made the information public."

Alexander also expressed her confidence in the two candidates chosen even though they are not local educators. Herring currently serves as chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky. Thompson is the chief of teaching and learning at Richland County School District One in South Carolina.

"We feel AASB gave us a good slate of candidates based on the criteria that all nine of us provided to AASB. So we are excited to have these candidates come back in," Alexander said to the media after the meeting. "It's very important to us that we maintain the leadership of our district so that we can go ahead and get someone in place so we can continue with the business of teaching and learning."

A small group of concerned citizens gathered in front of the board after the meeting was adjourned. They held up signs demanding the restart the superintendent search for various reasons.

Not even a minute into a meeting, Ronald Jackson, with Citizens for Better Schools and Sustainable Communities, was escorted out of the meeting by security. Jackson stood up right when the meeting began at 5 p.m. and accused the board of violating the open meetings act by not properly notifying the community about the meeting. The act requires a governing body to post a notice of a meeting no less than 24 hours before the meeting begins.

Jackson accuses the board of not posting a notice until the day of the meeting.

"They are arrogant, stubborn and defiant of the Alabama meeting law," Jackson said. "These people are outlaws."

Alexander disagrees. She said the board did notify news organizations and the public by posting the notice on bulletin boards and other avenues they use to let the public know a meeting is happening.

But that wasn't the end of the allegations. Richard Franklin, President of the Birmingham American Federation of teachers filed a lawsuit against the board in Jefferson County Circuit Court late Friday. The lawsuit states the Birmingham school system violated state law by allegedly spending money for travel and other expenses of four out-of-state superintendent candidates without prior approval by the board, which requires a majority vote.

To help in the hiring of a new superintendent, the board created a search committee to set up the process for soliciting, screening, and selecting the new superintendent. On Dec. 13, the Search Committee asked for board approval to negotiate with AASB for that group's services in advertising the superintendent job, screening candidates, scheduling interviews, and other aspects of the superintendent search, according to the lawsuit. The search committee also asked the board to approve a timeline for the superintendent search.

That timeline called for posting the notice of vacancy by Jan. 9, AASB's presentation to the board of potential candidates by Feb. 28, and a final candidate to be selected on March 13. The committee asked the board to approve $6,000 to compensate AASB for services rendered in the search.

But the committee did not ask, and the board did not approve, any expenditure of funds related to the travel, food, and lodging of candidates for the superintendent position, the lawsuit states.

Though the board had communicated that interviews with candidates would be conducted via an internet conferencing program, four out-of-state candidates traveled to Birmingham to be interviewed in person using public money not approved by the board for travel, food and lodging, the lawsuit states.

Any changes in the search for a superintendent would have to be approved by the board in a meeting that complied with the Alabama Open Meetings Act, according to the lawsuit. The board has not approved any changes or expenditure of additional funds since the December meeting and the search has gone past the deadline, the lawsuit states.

"This indiscretion is yet another example of the haphazard, sloppy, and flawed nature of the board's approach to hiring a new superintendent for the Birmingham City School System," Franklin stated in a press release. "Since the beginning of this search, the timeline, process and expenditure of funds approved by the board have varied dramatically from those actually carried out. The Birmingham Board of Education ought to be a democratic and transparent institution, and we are committed to doing what is necessary to ensure it operates that way."

The lawsuit warns the board is at risk of repeating the "misuse of public funds" for the second round of interviews for the two finalists.

"Upon information and belief, two out-of-state candidates have been asked to return to Birmingham for a second in-person interview, and public funds will again be used to pay for travel, food, and lodging expenses," the lawsuit states.

BCS Spokeswoman Chanda Temple said the school board doesn't comment on continuing litigation.

The lawsuit states the board was recently cautioned about failing to approve expenditures of public funds in an 2014-15 audit by the State of Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

The expenditures involved compensation of a previous superintendent for accrued but unused sick days. The examiners noted specifically that "without official action taken by the Board, this expense which deviated from the contract and the board's policy is not considered as having been approved by the board."

The lawsuit states Franklin is a resident of Birmingham and is affected by the expenditure of funds not approved by the board.

"The misuse of public funds by a locally-elected governmental body such as the board has a detrimental effect on the education of children in the city of Birmingham, and erodes public trust and confidence in the Board," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit asks that a judge issue a declaratory judgment that the board's actions violate Alabama law and that the board must expressly approve any expenditure of public funds and that the board is "obligated to seek reimbursement of all Board funds expended without authorization."

The plaintiff also wants a judge to issue an order that directs the board to "immediately cease all unauthorized expenditure of public funds and that prohibits Defendants (the board) from expending any public funds for the travel, food, and lodging expenses of superintendent candidates in the future, unless such expenditure is expressly approved by the Board in a meeting in compliance with the Alabama Open Meetings Act."

Kent Faulk contributed to this report.

Lawsuit against Birmingham Board of Education by Anonymous c7cwi20 on Scribd
SaturdayShootings.jpg

Birmingham police officers responded just before 1 a.m. Saturday on a report of a woman shot at the city's Tom Brown Village public housing community. Once on the scene, they found the victim with a minor head injury but said it wasn't clear whether she had been shot.

Two people were wounded in an overnight Birmingham shooting, and a third person was injured in an unrelated domestic shooting just a short time later.

Birmingham police officers responded about midnight to an apartment complex in the 4300 block of Third Avenue South. When they arrived on the scene, they found a man and a woman both suffering from gunshot wounds, said Lt. Pete Williston.

The victims were taken to UAB Hospital. Their injuries weren't life-threatening, and no arrests had been made. The circumstances surrounding that shooting weren't immediately known.

Less than an hour later, about 12:50 a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 4100 block of Fifth Court North in Tom Brown Village on a report of a woman shot in the head. Once at the woman's apartment, they found the woman with a minor head wound but said it wasn't immediately clear whether she had been grazed by a bullet, injured by debris or struck. Police later determined she had been shot.

Her boyfriend, Williston said, had fired a shot into the front door. He had fled the scene, but was taken into custody later Saturday morning. The woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of her wound, but she was expected to be OK.
Suspended Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore will announce his future plans on the steps of the State Capitol on Wednesday.

At a press conference three days ago, Moore said he would reveal whether he would run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Luther Strange, who was appointed by former Gov. Robert Bentley to replace Jeff Sessions.

Moore interviewed with Bentley for the Senate vacancy before Bentley appointed Strange.

On Wednesday, a special Alabama Supreme Court upheld Moore's suspension from office for the remainder of his term without pay.

Last year, the Alabama Court of the Judiciary found that Moore violated judicial ethics because of an administrative order he sent to probate judges in January 2016 telling them that they still had to enforce Alabama's ban on same-sex marriage, even though the U.S. Supreme Court had legalized gay marriage in June 2015.

Moore testified that his administrative order was a "status report" on a pending Alabama Supreme Court case on same-sex marriage.

Moore said his prosecution, brought by the Judicial Inquiry Commission after an ethics complaint from the Southern Poverty Law Center, was politically motivated.

Moore, 70, is barred by age from seeking another term on the state Supreme Court.

The Court of the Judiciary removed Moore from the chief justice's office in 2003 for refusing to follow a federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument Moore had placed in the state judicial building.

Voters returned Moore to the chief justice's office in 2012. His term ends in 2019.

Moore lost races in the Republican primary for governor in 2006 and 2010.

The party primaries for the special election for the U.S. Senate seat are scheduled for Aug. 15. The general election is Dec. 12.

Strange, the former Alabama attorney general, and state Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, have announced they are seeking the seat.

Others have said they are considering entering the Republican primary. Among them are Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, Sens. Slade Blackwell and Trip Pittman and former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr.

Moore's announcement will be at 1:30 p.m.

This story was corrected at 11 a.m. on April 26 to correct Moore's age.
HEaring.jpg

From left, Cortez Mitchell, Amani Goodwin, Joseph Cowan and Cedric Cowan are escorted to the Morgan County Courthouse for a hearing in their capital murder cases.(File photo)

A defense attorney for one of four young people accused of randomly killing two men in Decatur took the stand to testify during an evidentiary hearing today.

Huntsville attorney Nick Heatherly represents Amani Goodwin, one of four young Decatur residents charged with capital murder in a string of robberies, shootings and killings that occurred in May 2015. Heatherly was called to testify Friday by attorneys for one of his client's co-defendants, Cortez Mitchell.

Goodwin and Mitchell are charged along with brothers Cedric and Joseph Cowan in a crime spree that included multiple days of robbing, shooting and killing people in Decatur. Joshua Davis and Antonio Hernandez-Lopez were fatally shot during the spree.

Heatherly was one of four witnesses who took the stand during an evidentiary hearing that lasted more than four hours. Mitchell's defense team is arguing their client's statements to police should not be admissible in court. Mitchell's statements pin the fatal shootings on the Cowan brothers and provide details about the crimes plus each suspect's role.

Mitchell's attorneys, Jacob Roberts and Joe Propst, argue the teen didn't clearly understand his Miranda Warning before speaking to a Decatur police detective. The attorneys also questioned witnesses about whether the detective, Mike Burleson, may have pressured Mitchell to speak to police or whether Burleson may have been intimidating toward Mitchell.

Despite hearing from Burleson, Heatherly and experts who testified about Mitchell's mental capacity, Morgan County Circuit Judge Jennifer Howell did not issue a ruling at the hearing. Howell said she will issue a written ruling.

Heatherly testified about seeing Mitchell looking "scared to death" on the day a Decatur police detective served the teen with a capital murder warrant at the Morgan County Jail.

Heatherly told the judge he was at the jail to visit his client, Goodwin, when he saw Mitchell looking "distraught, emotional and upset." Decatur police Detective Mike Burleson was there to serve Mitchell and the other defendants with warrants upgrading their charges from murder to capital murder.

Heatherly told the court he immediately pulled out his cellphone and sent a text to Tim Shelton, the attorney who at the time was representing Mitchell. Shelton no longer is a member of Mitchell's defense team. "I would want someone to contact me if my client was in that state," Heatherly testified, adding that was the first time he ever had taken such action.

Mitchell's attorneys were trying using Heatherly's testimony to bolster arguments that their client's statements to police should no be admissible in court.

Also testifying during the hearing was Tuscaloosa psychologist Dr. John Goff, who told the judge Mitchell's mental capacity is similar to that of a 12-year-old. Mitchell, who is now 18, was 16 at the time of the crime spree. Goff testified for the defense that Mitchell has an IQ of 70, meaning he is "intellectually disabled," the equivalent of "mental retardation." Goff told the court 98 percent of the population has a higher IQ than Mitchell.

Goff told the judge Mitchell's mental capacity would not have allowed him to retain information from the Miranda Warning long enough to process it and understand what the words meant. Mitchell would not really understand that legally he didn't have to talk to police, or that he had a right to have a family member or lawyer present for the interview.

Goff, who interviewed Mitchell and prepared a report for the court, testified specifically about the teen's language retention skills, saying Mitchell couldn't define words or phrases like interrogation, appoint, represent, afford or used against. Those words appear in the Miranda Warning. Mitchell only provided partial definitions of words like entitled or right, Goff testified.

Goff told the judge Mitchell, who was a 9th grader at Decatur High School when he was arrested, was unable to name the president, governor or sheriff.

Mitchell's taped interview with Detective Burleson was played during the hearing. Mitchell was unable to provide his own address when asked and had difficulty spelling his own name.

Goff also told the judge the detective read Mitchell the Miranda Warning "extremely rapidly," rather than making sure the teen understood each section of the document as they moved along.

"I don't think he had a clue as to what was going on there," Goff testified of Mitchell. "He is barely literate."

Morgan County Assistant District Attorney Paul Matthews called as a rebuttal witness Stefanie Underwood, a special education coordinator for Decatur City Schools.

Underwood testified that school evaluations of Mitchell determined his IQ was 82, putting it 12 points higher than Goff's assessment. Underwood told the judge Mitchell's intellect was found to be much higher than his classroom performance.

Underwood told the court the school's assessment uses pictures and symbols to assess a person's IQ, rather than using language, such as speaking and writing.

The Miranda Warning in question, however, as pointed out by Mitchell's attorneys, did not include pictures and symbols--it was read aloud to the teen.

In statements to police, Mitchell has identified Joseph Cowan as the one who fatally shot Hernandez-Lopez and Davis with a .380-caliber pistol. Mitchell said Cedric Cowan shot Hernandez with a .22-caliber rifle after the victim already was lying on the ground.

Joshua Davis and Antonio Hernandez-Lopez

When the alleged crimes occurred, Joseph Cowan was 20, Cedric Cowan and Mitchell each were 16, and Goodwin was 17. The crime spree began on May 13, 2015 with multiple robberies in the park behind Julian Harris Elementary School on McAuliffe Drive Southwest. Three teens were robbed of jewelry, mobile phones, car keys and wallets.

Hernandez-Lopez's body was found lying under the carport at his Albert Street Southwest home when police responded to a 911 call on May 15, two days after the Julian Harris robberies.

On May 16, officers discovered Davis' body in Wilson Morgan Park when a man reported finding it in a picnic area under the pavilion.
Many in Sevran disillusioned with French political class but prepared to mobilise should Le Pen reach the run-off.

Sevran, France  A few hundred feet away from Sevrans Beaudottes metro station is a wall of metal attached to a railing, without distinguishing features except for the posters on it.

Every one of Frances presidential candidates is there and, judging by the levels of damage, it is clear who the Paris suburbs vandals like least.

The far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pens poster is defaced, as is one featuring her conservative rival, Francois Fillon.

Leftist hopefuls, such as Jean-Luc Melenchon, Benoit Hamon and Philippe Poutou, appear to have been spared.

Sevran, with its 50,000 residents, is one of the poorest areas in France, and suffers from high levels of youth unemployment and educational attainment.

Much of its population descends from Frances former colonies in North Africa, West Africa, and Haiti.

Many are also Muslims, perhaps explaining the unpopularity of Le Pen.

However, elections are not determined by the numbers of posters that are defaced and voter indifference remains high in the area, particularly among the youth.

Many here voted for Francois Hollande, but that ended in big disillusionment for these people, says Mohamed Ghilli, referring to Frances incumbent president, who decided not to stand due to his low poll ratings.

The 36-year-old has spent his entire life in the area, and now leads Idee, an organisation that provides mentorship for youths in order to help them succeed in school and in their careers.

He tells Al Jazeera that candidates like Hollande had offered a lot during their campaigns but failed to deliver on their promises.

People are not expecting anything out of the (upcoming) elections and they know nothing will change, he said.

While the national rate of youth unemployment is just under 25 percent, in Sevran it stands at 40 percent.

That figure represents not only a failure of economic policy, but the opportunities the government gives to areas like Sevran, according to Ghilli.

There has never been in France a social policy of integration, he says.

They build ghettos; the level of education at schools is poor; the local universities are also mediocre, so when you get your degree from those places you end up unemployed.

This endemic lack of opportunity and absence of political will to change it means few are committed to participating in the upcoming vote, Ghilli says.

He says politicians have little motivation to change the current status quo.

Politicians know that the people in the suburbs dont vote and so its a vicious circle, so dont bother with policies to help, he says.

As long as the turnout in the banlieues [suburbs] remains low, politicians will not care much.

The Le Pen factor

The indifference described by Ghilli has its limits and comes in the form of the candidacy of Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen would be a big disaster for the people living here is a view echoed in Sevrans market, where talk of apathy and abstention is limited to the first round.

Dounia, a 23-year-old, says she will cast a blank ballot in the first round in protest against the lack of a suitable candidate.

Voting is a right and I want to be involved, she says. But Im voting blank because its always the same old story: each time we vote for someone, after the election they go back on their promises.

In a run-off, however, Dounia says she would vote for the other candidate to defeat Le Pen.

Who insults me less

Naima, a nurse of Algerian origin, agrees, but says she will vote for Melenchon in the first round due to pressure from her children.

Im voting for the one who insults me less, she says but with a big caveat: I dont really trust those in positions of power.  When they want power, its not for us; its for themselves.

For Yacine Hilmi, a CCTV engineer and a community organiser in Sevran, the election is far more important than just a question of picking the lesser of two evils.

The 33-year-old, who was born and raised in Sevran and is of Moroccan origin, says apathy, especially among youths, is understandable considering the scale of deprivation in the area.

The first priority for these youths is not the elections but to get a job or to be successful at school, he says.

Still, Hilmi says the youth, who have grown accustomed to a powerful FN and did not know it as a fringe party, need to appreciate the threat it poses.

I believe the stakes are high in these elections, he says.

They will shape the life of the people who live here but people dont realise it.

Voting is crucially important in these elections because there is a genuine risk that the far right will get into power and the people here are not aware of the impact that it would have on their lives.

Even if it comes down a run-off between Fillon, a conservative candidate who has few fans in Sevran, and Le Pen, Hilmis policy is to vote for anyone but the far-right leader.

Without hesitation, I would vote for Fillon.
Unfortunately, as of Earth Day 2017, capitalism is winning the war it has been waging against the planet.

During one of numerous failed attempts to establish himself as an environmentalist, New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman enthusiastically reported in 2010 that  in honour of Earth Day on April 22  the United States Navy had test-flown a fighter jet powered by a 50-50 blend of conventional jet fuel and camelina aviation biofuel made from pressed mustard seeds.

Armed with this and other bits of trivia, Friedman concluded that the US military was thus in fact on the front line of the battle for a clean Earth.

Never mind that, mustard seeds or not, the US Defense Department remains one of the top polluters on the planet.

To be sure, the neoliberal medias toxic alignment with military and corporate agendas produces lucrative returns for those involved.

And as long as the arms industry and other pillars of the international capitalist order remain healthy, the long-term health of Earth and its inhabitants matters little.

Eco-friendly veneers





As Earth Day comes around once again this April 22, the powers that be appear rather committed to staying on the self-destructive course.

Lest anyone get too depressed, however, there are plenty of cheery non-antidotes to environmental calamity to distract from impending auto-annihilation.

Conscience-easing mechanisms abound beyond those cute little mustard seeds that endearingly endow the business of imperial devastation with a veneer of eco-friendliness.

These range from pledges of corporate sustainability, to green branding strategies and marketing techniques to carbon footprint reduction ploys  by which, for example, purchasers of airline tickets and other high-polluting services can pay extra to magically forgive the environmental impact of their earthly activities.

In a recent email to me, US evolutionary biologist Rob Wallace, author of Big Farms Make Big Flu, addressed the farcical nature of capitalist remedies to the crisis.

OPINION: The case for collaborating on climate change

Business plans aimed at profiting off increasing environmental efficiencies would be laughable if they werent so damn dangerous, writes Wallace. For one thing, better  and cheaper  extraction, increasing efficiency per unit currency invested, selects for greater exploitation, often until a resource is exhausted.

Given that capitalism's underlying logic renders it inherently unsustainable in the long term, it would seem that the system itself is utterly illogical, at least from the point of view of, you know, the survival of humankind. by

Environmental destruction, Wallace explains, has been stitched into the fabric of capitalisms metaphysics from its very beginning, while the global evolution of capitalism has essentially been a process of stripping the biosphere bare.

Now, as the destruction of environments proceeds apace, whats still left becomes more valuable [and] the resulting competition turns only fiercer, pursued under the guise of saving the environment.

Max Ajl, a researcher in rural development at Cornell University, concurs that the history of capitalism has been a history of environmental spoliation, and many of the actual productive industries of capitalism rely on damaging the environment  for example the trillions [of dollars] tied up in the expectation of burning the worlds physical stock of hydrocarbons.

In an email to me, Ajl outlined two basic tendencies of capitalism, the first being to expand, or make larger the material base of production from which it draws a surplus.

The second, meanwhile, is to discount the future, precisely because by robbing from the future one can expand the material base of production in the present.

Given that capitalisms underlying logic renders it inherently unsustainable in the long term, it would seem that the system itself is utterly illogical, at least from the point of view of, you know, the survival of humankind.

War on nature





Luckily for those who would dispense with logic altogether, a godsend has arrived in the form of US President Donald Trump, whose claims to fame include having argued that climate change is a Chinese-orchestrated hoax.

The new head of state has wasted little time cultivating an environment in which reality is whatever Trump himself deems it to be at any given moment.

Regarding the potential fallout of the Trump presidency on the physical environment, Time Magazine noted on April 12 that, [s]ince taking office, Trump has moved to gut [Barack] Obamas signature climate change regulations, signed executive orders to aid the fossil fuel industry and installed a critic of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as its head.

Of course, not everyone is resigned to a world war on nature.

Ajl brings up indigenous movements against extraction, pollution, capitalist agri-business, mono-crop forestry, and other disruptive patterns  natural reactions, no doubt, to predatory and fundamentally existential threats.

OPINION: Gender equality  a game changer for nature

Granted, resistance to disruptive patterns can also be met with even more blatantly existential threats. In Honduras and other territories, environmental activism is often a death sentence.

For his part, Wallace reasons that a market that rewards efforts to destroy Earths remaining resources can be better resolved in favour of a civilisation that conserves the environments it consumes.

The upshot, he says, is that were down to ecosocialism or barbarism. There is no other way out of the [current] fix.

Unfortunately, as of Earth Day 2017, barbarism is winning.

Belen Fernandez is the author of The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work, published by Verso. She is a contributing editor at Jacobin magazine.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Calls increase for the repeal of controversial law allowing rapists to avoid punishment if they marry their victims.

Lebanese activists ramped up their campaign to scrap a controversial law allowing rapists who marry their victims to go free, with a dramatic installation on Saturday along Beiruts sunny seafront.

A proposal to scrap Article 522 of the penal code  which deals with rape, assault, kidnapping and forced marriage  was introduced last year and approved by a parliamentary committee in February.

It will go before parliament on May 15 and activists hope that MPs will vote to eliminate it.





On Saturday they urged Lebanese citizens to sign a petition to ramp up the pressure on legislators at an open-air exhibit.

Thirty-one wedding dresses made of white lace and wrapping paper hung limply from nooses between four palm trees along the Lebanese capitals corniche.

There are 31 days in a month and every single day, a woman may be raped and forced to marry her rapist, said Alia Awada, advocacy manager at Lebanese non-government organisation ABAAD.

We are trying as much as we can to shed light on this issue and tell parliament that the time has come for them to vote on cancelling Article 522.

Ghida Amin, an activist at the exhibit, told Al Jazeera that she hoped the growing discontent would push Lebanese authorities to completely abolish the controversial article.

Article 522, which also deals with the rape of minors, allows offenders to escape punishment by wedding their victims.

If a valid marriage contract exists between the perpetrator of one of these crimes  and the abused, the prosecution is suspended, it reads. If a verdict has been issued, the implementation is suspended.

Awada said: We called on all parliamentarians and decision-makers in the Lebanese state with this message: every Yes from you is a No to a rapist.

Stone age

Standing amid the fluttering wedding dresses, Minister for Womens Affairs Jean Oghassabian described the article as being from the Stone Age.

Its turn has come, its the second item on the agenda at an upcoming legislative session on May 15, said Oghassabian, who is also an MP, told AFP news agency.

Lebanese artist Mireille Honein, who designed the exhibition in Paris and brought it to her homeland this week, said she made the dresses out of white paper to highlight the ephemeral nature of marriage and of laws.

And I hung them up, because this type of law simply robs women of their essence, leaves them without an identity and suspends them in a life that does not suit them and is shameful for those imposing it on them, Honein said.

READ MORE: Critics urge repeal of Lebanon rape law

As a passers-by paused to look at the ghostly installation, volunteers from ABAAD invited them to sign a petition demanding parliament prioritise the articles elimination.

Silver-haired Rafiq Ajouri, who hails from a southern Lebanese village, was persuaded to sign while on his morning stroll along the corniche.

If I were to get raped, why wouldnt I get my rights? Id want people to stand beside me, he said.

But the elderly man, who has five sons and three daughters, hesitated when an ABAAD volunteer said women should be allowed the same liberties as men.

They can have their freedoms, but within limits. Why? Because theyre girls.
President Ashraf Ghani calls for an investigation into the deadliest ever Taliban attack on an Afghan military base.

Afghanistan is observing a national day of mourning on Sunday after scores of soldiers were killed by Taliban fighters disguised as fellow troops in the deadliest attack of its kind on an Afghan military base.

Afghan officials said the death toll jumped to 140 following Fridays assault on the army headquarters in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Another 160 people were wounded in the attack, Mohammad Ibrahim Khair Andesh, head of the provincial council, announced.

Taliban fighters attack Afghan army base, killing 140





The attack starkly highlighted the difficulty of the long struggle by the Afghan government and its international backers to defeat the Taliban insurgency.

After arriving in Mazar-i-Sharif to visit the base, President Ashraf Ghani ordered flags be flown at half-mast on Sunday in memory of the troops who died.

Ghani held an emergency meeting with senior security officials and called for a serious investigation into the attack.

In a statement online, he condemned the assault as cowardly and the work of infidels.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, made their way on to the base and opened fire on mostly unarmed soldiers eating and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.

They opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, and several detonated suicide vests packed with explosives.

Witnesses described a scene of confusion as soldiers were uncertain about the attackers true identity.

OPINION  Afghanistan: A pawn in major power rivalry?

It was a chaotic scene and I didnt know what to do, said one army officer wounded in the attack. There was gunfire and explosions everywhere.

The base is the headquarters of the Afghan National Armys 209th Corps, responsible for much of northern Afghanistan, including Kunduz, a province that has seen heavy fighting.

Al Jazeeras Rob McBride, reporting from Kabul, said the base was supposedly the most heavily defended camp in all of northern Afghanistan.

The attackers managed to get through three different checkpoints, and they seem to have also had passes for their vehicle and personal identity cards  which raises all sorts of concerns.

Taliban retribution

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Saturday the attack on the base was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

The US military command in Kabul said an American air strike had killed a commander, Quari Tayib, and eight other Taliban on April 17.

Mujahid said the attack on the base killed as many as 500 soldiers, including senior commanders.





Four of the attackers were Taliban sympathisers who had infiltrated the army and served for some time, Mujahid said.

The Afghan army did not respond to his comments.

The NATO-led military coalition deploys advisers to the base to train and assist Afghan forces, but coalition officials said no foreign troops had been hurt.

The attack on the 209th Corps today shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban, the commander of coalition forces, US General John Nicholson, said in a statement on Friday.

German forces have long led the international mission in northern Afghanistan.

In Berlin, military officials said the work of the mission on the base would be on hold for one or two days while the Afghan army investigated the attack, but it would resume.

The situation shows that we cannot stop supporting, training and advising our Afghan partners, a German Operations Command spokesman said.
Tensions run high as thousands descend on German city to protest against a key conference of anti-immigration AfD party.

More than 50,000 demonstrators are expected to descend on Cologne to protest against the politics of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as the party holds one of the most important conferences in its four-year history.

The AfD, known for its populist, anti-immigration stance, is hoping to enter parliament for the first time in Germanys general election on September 24.

About 4,000 police officers have been deployed to avert clashes on the citys streets between anti-AfD protesters and party supporters.

About 600 AfD delegates are expected to attend the conference.

The central city hotel, where the conference is being held, has made arrangements to allow staff members to stay overnight in the hotel to minimise problems with gaining entry to the venue.

OPINION: Angela Merkel is not the great progressive messiah

Hannelore Kraft, state premier of North-Rhine Westphalia, where the conference is taking place, and Green Party leader Cem Ozdemir were due to speak at an anti-AfD rally on Saturday.

The two-day conference comes just days after AfD leader Frauke Petry ruled herself out of spearheading the partys campaign for the September election.

Her move brought to a head a long-running internal party power struggle, which pitted Petry against the partys right-wingers.





The AfD delegates attending the conference are likely to sign off on the partys election manifesto but will have to set aside months of turmoil to agree on a team to lead the campaign.

Petry has placed a controversial motion before congress calling on the party to adopt a realpolitik approach, with the aim of transforming the AfD into a mainstream party open to coalition.

Founded in 2013 on a Eurosceptic platform, the AfD has railed against Chancellor Angela Merkels decision to let in more than one million refugees to Germany since 2015.

In May 2016, AfD backed an election manifesto that says Islam is not compatible with the German constitution and the party also supported a call to ban minarets on mosques and the full-face veil.

AfD made huge gains in a state election in September, receiving about 21 percent of votes in the northeastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region, beating Merkels party to take second place.

Anti-refugee rhetoric

Rising anti-refugee rhetoric has been matched by rising violence against refugees in Germany.

Germanys interior minister said in February that the country recorded more than 3,500 attacks in total against refugees, migrants and their shelters in 2016, amounting to nearly 10 acts of violence a day: a sharp rise on previous years.

OPINION: The end of German populist exceptionalism

But AfDs popularity has declined as the number of new refugee arrivals has dwindled, mainly due to border closures on the Balkan overland route and a European Union deal with Turkey to halt the flow.

All of Germanys mainstream parties have ruled out working with the AfD should it clear the 5 percent hurdle to representation in the election.

Opinion polls show the AfD at between 7 and 11 percent, a steep drop from the 15 percent support it drew only late last year.

Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan, reporting from Cologne, said it was questionable whether the AfD would make it into parliament in the upcoming elections.

In recent months theyve had internal divisions, which have hamstrung them a little bit, he said.

And the other thing is that as they have grown, opposition against them has also grown.

Our correspondent said that while the party as a whole has generally tried to avoid controversy, many individual AfD members have publicly taken positions that many find offensive.

OPINION: Control is the new core of Germanys refugee policy

The feeling among many critics is that individuals within the party are essentially neo-Nazis, and clearly in Germany thats a very sensitive issue, he said.

Some scuffles occurred on Saturday morning between protesters and police  most of whom are in full riot gear  as tensions were high in the city, which is regarded as widely liberal.

People are very angry that the AfD are here. They are determined to try to stop delegates reaching the hotel. Its going to be a very tense day, Al Jazeeras Brennan said.
Aya Hijazi, who spent nearly three years in an Egyptian prison, invited to the White House after returning to the US.

President Donald Trump has welcomed back to the United States Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian American charity worker released from jail in Egypt.

She was released from jail on Tuesday after nearly three years of detention on human trafficking charges widely dismissed as bogus by human rights groups.

We are very happy to have Aya back home and its a great honour to have her in the Oval Office, with her brother, Trump said, declining to answer questions about her case.

Hijazi was accompanied by her brother, Basel, as she met Trump in the Oval Office.

She was acquitted by a Cairo court on Sunday along with seven others who had worked with street children.

Hijazi, 30, and her Egyptian husband established the Belady foundation to aid street children in 2013, but were arrested in 2014.

She had been in custody for 33 months in violation of Egyptian law, which states that the maximum period for pretrial detention is 24 months.

READ MORE: Trump urged to mention Egypt prisoners as he meets Sisi

US officials had raised Hijazis case with Egypt soon after Trump took office on January 20, aides said.

Trump said he struck no deal for her release, but that he had raised the issue as he hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the White House at the beginning of this month.

He was here, I said I really would appreciate it if you could look into this and let her out, Trump told The Associated Press. I asked the government to let her out.

He made no public mention of her case at the time, and activists criticised the administration for glossing over Egypts poor human rights record while focusing on trade and military cooperation.

Pressed on how Trump managed to gain her release when President Barack Obama had not, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said he would leave it to others to look at the different strategies to see why the president was successful and Obama was not.

Since toppling President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013, Sisis government has cracked down on the opposition, killing hundreds of Brotherhood supporters and jailing thousands. Liberal and secular activists have also been arrested.
China has protested about a visit by Philippine military chiefs to a disputed island in the South China Sea, but Manila maintained on Saturday that it owns the territory where Filipino troops and villagers have lived for decades.

The public argument comes amid a thaw in once-frosty relations between the neighbours after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office last June and moved to rekindle Manilas friendship with Beijing, which has been strained by long-seething territorial disputes.

Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and military Chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano flew to the island, which Filipinos call Pag-asa, with dozens of journalists on Friday to inspect an eroded airstrip.

The Philippine government plans to reinforce and lengthen the facility and build a dock starting next month to accommodate ships with construction materials, Lorenzana said.

OPINION: Why China cares about the South China Sea

About $32m has been earmarked for the construction, including a fish port, solar power, water desalination plant, improved housing for soldiers and facilities for marine research and tourists.

Accompanied by military top brass, Lorenzana and Ano also met Filipino troops and villagers and took part in a flag-raising ceremony on Pag-asa, which is internationally known as Thitu and is called Zhongye Dao by China. Its the second-largest island in the South China Seas hotly contested Spratlys archipelago.





In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang expressed Chinas displeasure over the high-profile Philippine visits to the island, saying Beijing was gravely concerned about and dissatisfied by the island visits, adding that it has lodged representations with the Philippine side.

We hope that the Philippine side could cherish the hard-won sound momentum of development the bilateral relations are experiencing, faithfully follow the consensus reached between the two leaderships, maintain general peace and stability in the South China Sea, Lu said.

The Philippine government replied by saying that the island was part of an island municipality under its western province of Palawan, which faces the disputed waters.

Our visits there are part of the government mandate to ensure the safety, wellbeing, livelihood and personal security of our citizens there, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said in a statement.

During the trip to Pag-asa, Chinese forces tried to drive away two Philippine air force planes that carried Lorenzana, Ano and others as they flew near a Chinese man-made island called Subi, just 25km away.

South China Sea: Weapons systems installed on islands

Lorenzana said that their aircraft continued uninterrupted without any incident after Filipino pilots messaged back to the Chinese that they were flying over Philippine territory. The Chinese warned the Philippine aircraft that they were entering the periphery of Chinese installations and told to avoid miscalculation.

The Chinese navy has similarly warned US ships and aircraft to leave what Beijing claims as its territory, messages the Americans also ignored.

China claims virtually the entire sea and has aggressively tried to fortify its foothold by transforming in recent years seven mostly submerged reefs into island outposts, including Subi.

Three of the artificial islands were built with runways, along with buildings, towers, radars and more recently weapons systems, to the consternation of other Asian claimant governments and the United States, which insists on freedom of navigation in international waters.
ISIL, Syrias war and Irans regional role expected to top the agenda of Pentagon chiefs meeting with Qatars Emir.

The US defence secretary has met Qatars leader during a visit to the Gulf state, home to the largest American airbase in the Middle East.

James Mattis said Saturdays meeting in Doha with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani aimed to reinforce relationships between the two countries.

Relationships get better or weaker, and Im committed to making it better from our side, Mattis told the Emir.

Their talks were expected to focus on the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, the conflict in Syria, and the regional role of Iran, which Mattis has described as destabilising.

Mattis was also due to hold dicussions with Khaled al-Attiya, Qatars defence minister.

The visit to Doha is part of a regional tour that has included stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel. Mattis is scheduled to visit Djibouti on Sunday.

US relations with Gulf Arab states became increasingly frayed during the presidency of Barack Obama, whom leaders saw as too reluctant to intervene in the civil war in Syria and overly friendly with regional rival Iran.

Mattis, who commanded troops during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, said in Israel on Friday there was no doubt Syria has kept some chemical weapons and warned President Bashar al-Assads government not to use them.

Assad has said repeatedly that his forces turned over all chemical-weapon stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action.

Qatar plays a key role in regional politics and is home to the Al-Udeid airbase, which houses about 10,000 American troops.
Women on Waves says it is offering free, legal, medical abortions till nine weeks of pregnancy in international waters.

A Dutch sailing boat offering abortions has arrived in international waters off Mexicos west coast, according to the organisation which operates it.

The vessel, which operates often in defiance of some countries laws, took up position on Friday off Guerrero state on Mexicos southern Pacific coast.

Women on Waves, a non-profit group, said in an online statement that it was offering free legal medical abortions till nine weeks of pregnancy to women who needed them. It said its ship has all required permits and would receive women until Sunday.

It noted that Mexico permits abortions in cases of sexual violence. Abortion is limited in other cases to different degrees across the 31 Mexican states.

READ MORE: Abortion in Ireland  Its your uterus, your decision

In a media conference given in the Mexican coastal town of Ixtapa, Women on Waves president Rebecca Gomperts said access to safe abortions was a matter of social justice in Latin America, especially after the Zika crisis which increases the risk of birth deformities.

On board the Dutch boat, women are given abortion pills and remain under observation for a few hours before returning to shore on small vessels. The female crew does not perform surgical abortions.

The abortion pill, also known as a medical abortion, combines two medicines  mifepristone and misoprostol  that induce a miscarriage.

Recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a safe and effective way to terminate pregnancy, every year around 26 million women worldwide use this drug combination, the WHO says.

Botched abortions

According to the WHO, around 47,000 women die from botched abortions each year, accounting for almost 13 percent of maternal deaths worldwide.

Women who do not live in Mexico City, where abortion has been legal since 2007, along with women who cannot afford to travel to the capital risk their lives by having illegal and often unsafe abortions, rights groups say.





Its absurd that according to geography, where women live in Mexico determines  if they can access a legal and safe abortion, said Regina Tames, head of Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE), a Mexican womens rights group.

Tames said women in predominantly Catholic Mexico who want to end their pregnancies struggle to access a legal abortion because doctors are often unwilling to carry out the procedure or they have not been trained.

Access to abortion in cases of rape is really quite limited, Tames told Reuters news agency.

The Women on Waves group has previously sent its ship to waters off Guatemala, Ireland, Morocco, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

The boats last voyage in February to Guatemala sparked controversy after it was detained by Guatemalas army and expelled without carrying out a single pregnancy termination.

In October 2012, the Moroccan navy blocked the ship from entering the port of Smir.

Women on Waves said it had been invited to Morocco by a youth group called Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms to inform women about how to induce safe legal medical abortions, offer the necessary medication and start a discussion on legalising the practice in Morocco.
Voters head to the polls on Sunday in the first round of a closely contested election that could impact the rest of EU.

Voters in France will head to the polls on Sunday, in what will most probably be the first of a two-round election to choose a new president of the republic.

The election will be a closely fought contest, particularly between four of the 11 candidates in the race.

The fact that there are 11 candidates may prevent a decisive victory, with many analysts predicting that a vote of more than 50 percent, required for an outright win, is unlikely to be achieved by any of the leading contenders.

In the event that no candidate secures an absolute majority, a second round of voting  pitting the two top candidates against each other  will take place on May 7.

All projections stipulate a run-off between the 48-year-old leader of Frances far-right National Front (FN) Marine Le Pen and the young centrist independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, 39.

But the battle will not be easy, as both conservative party candidate Francois Fillon and leader of the far left Jean-Luc Melenchon are projected to do well in the first round.

The final result will be announced at 8pm on Sunday.

Opinion polls in France have repeatedly suggested that turnout in the first round will be low. Only about 65 percent of the electorate plan to vote, and up to 50 percent of the 47 million voters remain undecided on their vote.

The 30 percent who are planning to abstain would help set a record low turnout.

Pollsters say a low turnout favours Le Pen, whose supporters are the most determined to vote.

This years elections were marred by a shooting incident in central Paris, after an attacker opened fire on a police van on the Champs Elysees on Thursday night, killing one officer and seriously wounding two others.

READ MORE  French Election 2017: Who Ill vote for

It also comes within a year of the unexpected Brexit vote in the UK and the election of populist Donald Trump as president of the United States last November.

In France, the possibilities are no less dramatic with the steady advance of the far-right National Fronts Marine Le Pen.

Who will win?

According to pollsters, Le Pen, an anti-European Union candidate, is expected to reach the second round but ultimately lose to Emmanuel Macron.

A Le Pen victory would send shockwaves every bit as seismic as events in the UK and US, probably spelling the end of the EU in its current form.

Her victory would also test the countrys already strained relations with its sizeable Muslim community.





Macron, Le Pens main challenger and favourite to win, has campaigned on a pro-EU, pro-status quo, centrist outlook, hoping to secure support from those weary of the disruption an unknown quantity, such as Le Pen, may bring.

But Le Pen is not alone in promising major change.

Along with the conservative Francois Fillon, who is 63, the leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon, 65, favours a rapprochement with a Russian government increasingly at odds with the Western order.

Like Le Pen, Melenchon is a Eurosceptic who has promised a referendum on the countrys continued membership of the bloc.

While pro-EU, Benoit Hamon, the 49-year-old Socialist Party candidate, is no less radical. He has promised the eventual introduction of a basic income for all French citizens.

The other six candidates include a leftist economics teacher, an anti-American nationalist convinced that the EU is a CIA-backed plot, and a conspiracy theorist who has before called for a thermonuclear corridor between Earth and Mars.

None of them is expected to win more than 5 percent of the vote.
Al Jazeera asks French citizens on the streets of Paris and its suburbs about their thoughts on the impending election.

Paris, France  In less than a day, French citizens will begin the process of selecting their new president, in an election that could determine the future of the European Union and bring to power Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front (FN).

The latest polls suggest she trails centrist rival Emmanuel Macron by a couple of percentage points, but marginally leads the conservative Francois Fillon and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon.

If the results of the opinion polls reflect the ballots cast on Sunday, Le Pen would advance to the second round against Macron, where she is expected to be defeated by a decisive margin.

But polls have been wrong before and there is no guarantee either Macron or Le Pen will make the run-off vote on May 7.

Neither Fillon of The Republicans or Benoit Hamon of the Socialist Party was expected to win in their respective primaries, according to the polls.

On their campaign platforms, candidates are promising radically different policies on a vast number of issues.

Le Pen has promised to drastically cut immigration and review ties with the EU, while Melenchon has promised to reconsider Frances future relationship with the bloc.

Fillon is running on a manifesto of fiscal conservatism, pledging to drastically cut public spending, but his campaign has been dogged by corruption charges.

Macron has positioned himself as the centrist candidate, while Hamon, also a leftist, has promised to introduce a basic income for all nationals.

Add to the mix several minor candidates, who include the car mechanic turned left-wing leader Philippe Poutou, and more traditional conservatives such as Nicolas Dupont-Aignan.

They have little chance of winning, but can sap away support from the frontrunners in the first round.

Candidates will not only be battling each other for the presidency, but against voter apathy, with Ipsos putting the number of people who will abstain or cast blank ballots at 27 percent.

Al Jazeera took to the streets of the French capital, Paris, to find out who, if anyone, appealed most.

Osnate

Osnate, who lives in the suburb of Sevran, told Al Jazeera she had no clue who she would vote for, but would probably end up voting for one of the smaller right-wing candidates.

My daughter, who is more interested in politics than I am, is supporting Nicolas Dupont-Aignan.

We would rather support a small candidate than vote for the same people who dont bring us anything, whove been in power for over 30 years and who havent achieved much.

Dounia

Dounia, who also lives in Sevran, said she would cast a blank ballot in the first round.

Each time we vote for someone, after the election they turn their back on their policies, so Id rather vote blank, she said.

When asked if she would still abstain if Le Pen made the run-off, she responded: No, I would vote for the other candidate.

Carine

Carine says she will not vote for any candidate in the first round but is unsure whether she will also abstain in the run-off

I have no preference, I wont vote, I will cast a blank ballot instead, she told Al Jazeera, explaining her decision:

Politicians say different things during the campaign, but when they are elected they do the same thing.

Jagan and Steban

Both Jagan and Steban will vote for Melenchon because of his proximity to the youth.

Jagan told Al Jazeera: Melenchons programme is workable. He wants economic change, but is also aware of social issues and the environment.

Steban said Melenchon is different from the other candidates, and that the others would do things as they had always been done.

Patrice

Patrice said he backs Fillon in the first round for his economic policies despite being disappointed by corruption charges he faces.

If Fillon is knocked out in the first round, he said he would switch to supporting Macron.

The country is close to bankrupt and very important reforms need to be implemented, he said.

Fillon will reform the economy more drastically, while Macron will be slower to implement the changes that are needed.

Pauline

Pauline said she would vote for frontrunner Macron because he is the rational choice and that he is new.

She explained: Im left-leaning but not as left-leaning as Hamon.

Luce and Julien

Luce is a supporter of Melenchon, while Julien is undecided between Macron and Melenchon.

Explaining her choice, Luce told Al Jazeera: Melenchon is different from the others. Macron is in the centre, so he isnt very different.

[Melenchon] is more human and appears closer to ordinary people. He also cares about ecological issues and makes an effort to connect with the youth with his YouTube videos.

Julien said Macron was young and represented the youth and appealed to him because he was neither left or right.
The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party looks set to turn further right after its co-leader, who has struck a more moderate tone of late, suffered a defeat when delegates refused to discuss her motion to shift the party into the mainstream.

Support for the party, which attacks Chancellor Angela Merkel for having allowed more than a million migrants into Germany in the past two years, has tumbled in recent months after reaching the mid-teens in opinion polls last year.

Originally founded as an anti-euro party in 2013, the AfD is expected to enter the national parliament for the first time after Septembers election, but is treated as a pariah by established political parties, which refuse to work with it.





Its congress drew thousands of protesters to Cologne on Saturday.

Frauke Petry, the partys public face and under whose leadership the party has already shifted rightwards, shocked supporters on Wednesday by announcing that she would not lead the AfDs campaign for a Sept.ember 24 federal election.

She had ruffled feathers internally by proposing that the AfD signal its willingness to join coalitions after elections in 2021, rather than entrenching itself as a fundamental force of opposition whose role is largely provocative. Her foes within the party say that division is artificial

But delegates voted against discussing Petrys motion or another proposal in which she and others said the AfD should reject racist, anti-Semitic  and nationalist ideologies.

Instead, they stressed the need to show unity after months of bitter infighting that have helped drag down the partys poll ratings to less than 10 percent. Against her advice, they also voted to field a team of national candidates.

The AfD has been embroiled in a scandal since senior member Bjoern Hoecke called in January for a 180 degree turnaround in the way Germany seeks to atone for Nazi crimes. Petry got two-thirds of the executive board to vote in February in favour of expelling him and a party arbitration body must now decide.

Delegates in Cologne declined to discuss ending attempts to oust Hoecke, in the only apparent setback to Petrys opponents.

A racial radical right-wing position

Political scientist Hajo Funke told Reuters news agency that Petry had recently tried to steer the party on a more moderate course but had lost to more radical members like Hoecke and his supporters, leaving the door open to the AfD shifting further right.

That means the direction now is that they want to integrate positions such as those held by Hoecke and thats a racial radical right-wing position, Funke said, adding that would make it less attractive to voters.

Petry said the AfD had made a mistake in refusing to discuss her motion on its future direction because it was exactly this lack of strategy that was behind much of its historic internal strife.





Addressing the congress, Petrys co-leader Joerg Meuthen was applauded for saying the AfD would never form an alliance with those such as Merkel, Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz or the Greens, whose pro-migrant stances they believe are wrecking Germany.

Up to 15,000 protesters demonstrated against the AfDs meeting in Cologne, according to police. Two police officers were injured and a police car was set ablaze

In a fiery speech, economics professor Meuthen said Germans in his hometown were now few and far between and that without action, the irrevocable change of our homeland into a Muslim-dominated country is a mathematical certainty.

He insisted he was not xenophobic but was concerned about how migrants were changing Germany. Many of those who have arrived in Germany in the last two years are Muslims.

He likened the country to the Titanic.

Everybody is still in good spirits and theres a relaxed party mood above and below deck but its almost impossible for the huge ship to make the necessary change in direction anymore, Meuthen said.

People cant or dont want to imagine a collision with an iceberg but its already unavoidable.
More than 600 marches planned around the world on Saturday, with the main event to be held in Washington, DC.

Gatherings in New Zealand, Australia and Japan have kicked off the worldwide March for Science, a global movement defending the role of science in society and calling for evidence-based politics.

More than 600 pro-science satellite marches were planned around the world on Saturday, with the main event in the US capital Washington, DC expected to draw tens of thousands.

In New Zealand, hundreds of scientists and supporters marched in Dunedin, Queenstown, Christchurch, Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland in solidarity with their colleagues in the United States.

Recent policy changes in the United States and elsewhere have caused heightened worry among scientists, the organisers of March for Science New Zealand said.

#marchforscience in front of the Queensland parliament Brisbane. Society needs science to inform, invent, and innovate. No science no future pic.twitter.com/H5jTVen7n4  Niko Sunderhauf (@nikoSuenderhauf) April 22, 2017

Organisers in the US say the march is non-partisan and is not aimed against US President Donald Trump or any politician or party, though the Republican US leaders administration has certainly catalysed the movement, according to honorary national cochair Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular cellular biologist.

There seems to have become this disconnect between what science is and its value to society, she told reporters this week.

Fundamental basic science really underlies all of modern life these days. We have taken it so for granted.

Trump has vowed to slash budgets for research at top US agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency which could lose one-third of its staff if Congress approves the proposal.

Trumps head of the EPA, Oklahoma lawyer Scott Pruitt, also claimed last month that carbon dioxide is not the main driver of global warming, a position starkly at odds with the international scientific consensus on the matter.
US naval strike group set to arrive off peninsula amid concerns North Korea is preparing for a sixth nuclear test.

North Korea has once again threatened to launch full-out war with nuclear weapons, amid reports of the imminent arrival of an American naval strike group off the Korean Peninsula.

Tensions between the United States and the North have risen sharply in recent weeks as a series of North Korean missile tests have prompted dire warnings from President Donald Trumps administration about curtailing its nuclear weapons programme.

The USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan within days, American Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday, after mixed messages from the US over the warships whereabouts.

READ MORE: Rising Korea tensions  The view from Seoul

The strike group was supposedly heading towards North Korea last week amid concerns that the North is preparing for a sixth nuclear test, with North Korea threatening to hit back at any provocation.

But the US navy  which had earlier said the aircraft carrier would sail north from waters off Singapore as a prudent measure to deter North Korea  admitted on Tuesday that the ships were in fact sent away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

The aircraft carrier will arrive in a matter of days, Pence said after the location of the naval strike group became contentious.





US officials have repeatedly warned all options are on the table  including military strikes  to curb the Norths nuclear ambitions.

North Korea remained defiant in the face of the American show of force.

Now that we possess mighty nuclear power to protect ourselves from US nuclear threat, we will respond without the slightest hesitation to full-out war with full-out war and to nuclear war with our style of nuclear strike, and we will emerge victor in the final battle with the United States, the Norths foreign ministry said in a statement.

The North will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean Peoples Army on Tuesday and has marked important events in the past by launching missiles or conducting nuclear tests.

Tuesdays anniversary comes as the North finishes winter military drills and as South Korea and the US wrap up annual joint military exercises.

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said on Saturday in a commentary that North Korea would not hesitate to launch a pre-emptive strike if provoked.

OPINION: Will China intervene in North Korea?

The US has now gone seriously mad. It is mulling frightening the DPRK and achieving something with nuclear strategic bombers, nuclear carriers, etc, Rodong Sinmun said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea.

However, the army and people of the DPRK will never be browbeaten by such bluffing.

Under the situation where the US hurts the DPRK by force of arms, we have nothing to be bound to. The DPRK will answer to such war moves and provocations with pre-emptive strike of its own style and a great war of justice for national reunification.





Pence renewed US calls for China to use its unique position to bring North Korea to heel.

The steps were seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome, Pence said.

We do believe China can do more.

Tensions between North Korea and the US go back to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

However, the heat has been rising rapidly since Trump took office in January.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera recently, Sin Hong-chol, North Koreas deputy foreign minister, urged the US administration to look at the world with open eyes.

The time of dictating orders by brandishing the US military might has gone, he said.

If those businessmen in power in the US thought of intimidating us by any military or sanction threats  as the [Barack] Obama administration used to do and failed  they will soon find out such threats are useless.
Roman Seleznev, son of a Russian politician, handed the longest sentence ever imposed in the US for a cybercrime case.

A federal judge has handed down the longest sentence ever imposed in the United States for a cybercrime case to the son of a member of the Russian Parliament convicted of hacking into more than 500 US businesses and stealing millions of credit card numbers, which he then sold on special websites.

Roman Seleznev was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Friday and ordered to pay nearly $170m in restitution to the businesses and banks that were the victims of his scheme.

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a Russian Parliament member.

Prior to his sentencing, Roman Seleznev asked US district judge Richard Jones for leniency. He apologised to his victims and said he was remorseful for his crimes, and he urged the judge to consider his medical problems, the result of being wounded in a bombing in Morocco in 2011, in deciding his prison term.

I plead, pray and beg your honour for mercy, he said.

READ MORE: Russias soft warfare

But Jones told Seleznev that the bombing was an invitation to right your wrongs and recognise you were given a second chance in life. But instead, Jones said Seleznev amassed a fortune at the expense of hundreds of small business.

You were driven by one goal: greed, Jones said.





After sentencing, Seleznevs lawyer, Igor Litvak, read a hand-written statement from his client that said the long sentence was a political prosecution at a time of strained US-Russian relations.

This decision made by the United States government clearly demonstrates to the entire world that Im a political prisoner, Seleznev wrote.

I was kidnapped by the US. Now they want to send a message to the world using me as a pawn. This message that the US is sending today is not the right way to show Vladimir Putin of Russia, or any government in this world how justice works in a democracy.

Seleznev said he is a citizen of the Russian Federation and he said he wanted to send a message to that government: Please help me. I beg you.

US lawyer Annette Hayes said Seleznevs statement was troubling. He told the judge that he accepted responsibility and then sent his lawyer out claiming the case was political, she said.

He was treated with due process all along the way just as any US citizen would have been, she said.

Unprecedented prosecution

Seleznev was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and captured in 2014. US Secret Service agents, with the help of local police, arrested Seleznev in the Maldives as he and his girlfriend arrived at an airport on their way back to Russia.

The agents flew him to Guam, where he made his first court appearance, and then to Seattle, where he was placed in federal custody.

Russian authorities have condemned the arrest of Seleznev as an illegal kidnapping.

READ MORE: Two Russian spies indicted over massive Yahoo hack

The indictment grew to 40 counts in October 2014, and his trial was held last August. A jury found him guilty on 38 charges, including nine counts of hacking and 10 counts of wire fraud.

This is truly an unprecedented prosecution, Norman Barbosa, deputy US attorney, told the judge before sentencing.





For 15 years, Seleznev broke into the payment systems of hundreds of businesses. He had more than 2.9 million unique credit card numbers in his possession when he was arrested. His thefts resulted in about $170m in business losses.

That is a staggering amount, Barbosa said. It exceeds any loss amount this court has ever seen.

Seleznev was living like a mob boss and spent money on fast cars, expensive boats and luxury trips around the world, he said.

Prosecutors asked for a 30-year sentence to send a message to hackers around the world.

Never before has a criminal engaged in computer fraud of this magnitude been identified, captured and convicted by an American jury, prosecutors told the judge in a presentence memo.

Seleznevs life story

Litvak had urged the judge to consider Seleznevs life story in his decision.

Seleznevs parents divorced when he was two years old; his alcoholic mother died when he was 17; he suffered a severe head injury in a bombing in Morocco in 2011; and his wife divorced him while he was in a coma, Litvak told the judge.

Seleznev continues to suffer after-effects from the bombing, including seizures, Litvak said.

To prove his commitment to helping fight cybercrime, Seleznev recently arranged to give the US government four of his laptops and six flash drives, and he has met with officials to discuss hacker activities, Litvak said.

Prosecutors said his offer to help fight hackers came too late.

Botnet takedown

In another case involving an alleged Russian hacker, the US issued an indictment to Peter Levashov, who goes by several aliases. Levashov is accused of controlling one of the worlds top generators of spam and online extortion, officials said on Friday.

Levashov, 36, from Saint Petersburg, was arrested at Barcelonas El Prat Airport on April 7 by Spanish authorities acting on a US warrant. The US is now seeking his extradition.

A US federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment in the northeastern state of Connecticut on Thursday. The charges include fraud, identity theft and conspiracy.

OPINION: WikiLeaks CIA document dump will cause a ripple effect

Prosecutors accuse the purported hacker of controlling the Kelihos network of tens of thousands of infected computers, stealing personal data and renting the network out to others to send spam emails by the millions and extort ransoms.

The US justice department shut down the botnet on April 10.

Levashov has not been tied to alleged Russian interference in last years US presidential election.

But his operation allegedly depended on sending spam emails that allowed hackers to penetrate the computers of the Democratic Party to steal data.
Assessing the medias role in the outcome of the referendum. Plus, the dilemma of inclusion: covering the far right.

On The Listening Post this week: Turks vote Yes to expand presidential powers: we assess the role the media played in the outcome. Plus, the dilemma of inclusion: covering the far right.

Turkeys referendum: Did voters receive balanced coverage?

Of Presidents, Plebiscites and Populism. Turkeys constitutional referendum  if implemented  will grant President Erdogan sweeping powers. What role did the media play in the Yes campaign  and what does the vote mean for Turkeys democracy?

Contributors:

Gulseren Adakli, media scholar

Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief, Evrensel.

Borzou Daragahi, Middle East correspondent, Buzzfeed News

Mustafa Karoglu, columnist, Star Daily

On our radar:

Rumour became fact at Fox News this past week, with the departure of top-rated anchor Bill OReilly over sexual harassment allegations. On this story, the network has some spinning to do.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap election and she quickly ruled out taking part in TV debates, knowing that on the print side, the countrys mostly pro-Brexit press already has her back.

In Chechnya, journalists with Novaya Gazeta fear for their lives after a religious leader and his followers promised vengeance over a report on a purge of homosexuals.

Media and the far right: Who gets a platform?

Its been an introspective few months for media outlets and the journalists working for them. Among the questions theyve been asking themselves  given the rise of Donald Trump, right-wing, populist figures across Europe and as far east as the Philippines  are: why didnt we see this coming? And: how do we deal with these kinds of voices, long considered to be on the political fringes, now that theyre here?

Contributors:

Ash Sarkar, senior editor, Novara Media

Kyle Pope, editor-in-chief and publisher, Columbia Journalism Review

Bas Heijne, columnist, Nrc

Padraig Reidy, editor, Little Atoms
Jaxport CEO Eric Green said the $23.5 million grant marks a milestone in our initiatives to build the port of the future and move cargo in the most efficient and eco-friendly way possible.
Comparing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Irans former firebrand president, to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, may appear strange at first. However, these are the exact remarks made recently by Mohammad Mohajeri, an individual long involved in Irans state-run media.

As Gorbachev led the Soviet Union to its fall,

Ahmadinejad fragmented the ruling faction in Iran, he said.

With such a history, Ahmadinejad registering his candidacy for the May 19 presidential election rendered many headaches amongst the regimes senior ranks. This was in complete insubordination, if you will, to orders issued by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who on December 26 publicly called on Ahmadinejad to refrain from participating in these polls.

The emergence of Ahmadinejad was also a major element in disrupting any hope for unity amongst the ruling theocratic faction to rally behind a single candidate in this election.

A look at the history of this faction is necessary to gain a better understanding of the new developments importance.

Firstly, there are no such entities as political parties in todays Iran. Due to the intense theocracy imposed on the Iranian population, and the closed nature of this religious dictatorship, the ruling regime in Tehran even lacks any farcical political parties.

However, on the verge of each election (being a rivalry between current and former security and intelligence officials), small groups describing themselves as fronts, coalitions or associations, form around senior officials. The lower files are all members of the regimes security apparatus or Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commanders.

In 2005 Khamenei used the IRGC leverage to organize, or engineer, the presidential election to have a previously unknown individual, Ahmadinejad, selected as president. Around a dozen sporadic groups of Khameneis camp rallied behind his candidate and naming their alliance the Osul-Garayan, more commonly known as the principalists.

During his first term, Ahmadinejads relationship with Khamenei could be described as a puppet with his master.

Following the 2009 uprisings, however, Ahmadinejad realized how Khameneis position had significantly weakened and thus demanded more authority, seeking specifically to sack his minister of intelligence (a post traditionally appointed by the Supreme Leader no matter who the president is).

When his request was turned down, Ahmadinejad remained at home for 11 days (April 23  May 4, 2011) and literally refused to show up for work at the presidential compound.

This turn of events spelled the end of any hope of unity amongst the principalists and as a result, the Khamenei camp was unable to agree on a single candidate for the 2013 presidential election. To this end, Hassan Rouhani became president.

Four years later, as instructed by Khamenei, groups in his camp formed a new alliance dubbed the Popular Front of Islamic Revolutionary Forces, or Jamna, as known inside Iran. The intention was to rally behind the candidacy of a hardline cleric by the name of Ebrahim Raisi to prove he enjoys the necessary legitimacy inside the regimes establishment.

However, after Raisi announced his candidacy these groups and individuals turned their back and refused to express any support for the so-called Jamna coalition.

Saeed Jalili, the former leading nuclear negotiator, enjoying the support of a group known as the Perseverance Front, went silent and refused any support.

Members of the Motalefe Party (comprised of a group of pro-Khamenei bazaar merchants who for years were in charge of torture chambers in Tehran and Karaj, east of the capital) went their own way and placed forward their own independent candidate.

Another group by the name of Rahpuyan, consisting of plainclothes agents known for their role in attacking protesters and demonstrators, also announced their own candidate.

Finally, Ahmadinejad hammered the final nail in the coffin by registering his candidacy. The ruling faction can confidently be described as fragmented yet again.

Of course, this series of events cannot impact the election outcome that Khamenei has blueprinted. As always, he will be using the IRGC and resorting to widespread vote fraud to have his desired candidate selected as president.

However, what has taken place in Irans elections politics unveiled a fundamentalist weakness in this theocracy: Khamenei is facing major crises resulting from the deep fragmentation amongst the ruling minority. This is one of the most important reasons why he is considering Raisi, an individual with no record in political activities, as his establishments next president. In fact, has for the 20 years Raisi been actively involved in sending people to the gallows and was one of the highest ranking regime officials involved in the 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners.

Mohammad Amin is an analyst in Iranian affairs and fellow at the Paris-based Middle East Research Foundation. He tweets at @economieIran
Last week, Senator John McCain paid a visit to newly established centers of the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Albania, where he met Maryam Rajavi, President of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and Iranian exiles who until recently were living in concentration camp conditions at the former U.S. military base of Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Dozens of members of the exile community died in Iraq in recent years, as a result of Western failure to live up to promises of protection at a time when Tehrans influence over the Iraqi government and military grew steadily more entrenched and violent. Although the Obama administration was slow in responding to the situation, it deserves credit for helping to secure the removal of the exiles abroad.

That relocation has empowered the Iranian opposition, providing some of its senior most officials with stable bases of operations, where they can freely join with fellow activists and continue their advocacy for the cause of regime change in Tehran. McCains visit not only signals collaboration between Iranian opposition and the West, but serves to underscore the fact that these activists enjoy a large and growing collection of allies in Western democracies who recognize the potential for transformative change in the region spearheaded by native Iranians and their families in exile.

It is absolutely unsurprising, therefore, that the Iranian regime was quick to issue a hysterical response to McCains visit, levying long-debunked accusations of terrorism against the PMOI/MEK, as well as accusing the U.S. of pursuing obscene policies in the Middle East and declaring Washington would pay both for McCains visit and for other mistakes.

As baseless and inexcusable as Tehrans aggressive rhetoric is, there is good reason for the regime to be concerned about the current trajectory of U.S. policy. McCains visit followed several moves by both the White House and Congress to institute a more assertive U.S. policy vis-a-vis Iran. The Trump administration placed Iran on notice over its ballistic missile tests and ordered a review of designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization.

More recently, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee each put forward bills set to expand sanctions on the Islamic Republic and perhaps specifically target the IRGC, which currently faces few constraints while playing a leading role in the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars, and also in the domestic affairs of a variety of regional countries.

At the start of a week-long tour of the Middle East, Secretary of Defense James Mattis reaffirmed the administrations commitment to cooperation with allies like Saudi Arabia, who feel increasingly threatened by Iranian imperialism and the proliferation of IRGC-linked militant proxies. Mattis explicitly declared an Iranian hand can be seen at work in every Middle East crisis and he specifically called for the U.S. to counteract Iranian influence in Yemen, where Tehran backs Houthi rebels against the countrys recognized government.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reaffirmed Washington longstanding criticism of the Iran nuclear deal. Although recent reports indicate Iran generally abiding by the agreement, the White House remains worried about the possibility of cheating but is also more directly focused that even a fully enforced agreement will cause sanctions relief to be channeled into the hands of Iran-backed terrorist groups. In his remarks the past Wednesday, Tillerson focused not only on the nuclear deal, but also on what he called Irans alarming and ongoing provocations that export terror and violence.

The Trump administration acting against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action would be positively disastrous for the Iranian regime. The loss of modest but hard-earned economic gains would reinvigorate the dissident sentiments of the Iranian people and create a serious opening for the Iranian opposition to drive out the theocracy.

But the recent economic gains are not alone sufficient to stave off the simmering bitterness of a pro-democratic people whose uprising was quelled by the regime in 2009. Coordinated opposition to Irans foreign interventions could have an effect similar to the collapse of the JCPOA, especially if coupled with targeted sanctions against repressive hardline entities like the IRGC. This alone would expose Tehrans underlying weakness.

This provides good reason for Tehran to worry, first about the recent empowerment of the Iranian opposition and second, the end of the failed engagement policy with Tehran. And of course, Tehran should be particularly worried when these two trends overlap, as they did with McCains visit and as they very likely will throughout the Trump presidency.

Such an overlap should be consciously and eagerly embraced by U.S. policymakers and the American people. Irans anger over the contact between lawmakers and Iranian activists is indicative of an anxiety that can be exploited for the benefit of Western interests and the improvement of the lives of people living under the thumb of Irans religious dictatorship.

The U.S. is trekking the right path by reviewing the JCPOA, moving to blacklist the IRGC, and making Tehran comprehend its ongoing support of terrorism and repression of its own people will not be tolerated.

Once those measures reach their conclusion, Irans most hardline political elements will lose their influence, and its most repressive institutions will lack the resources needed to keep a restive population in check. Once these changes give rise to even greater anxieties among Irans mullahs, the international community will be able to bring effective political pressure to bear on the regime, so as to convince it to finally listen to the demands of its people and allow true reformists to enter the political process, including officials affiliated with the Iranian opposition.

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.
On March 26, CBS aired a 60 Minutes story on "Fake News." Within that story was a two minute plus segment with Mike Cernovich of www.DangerandPlay.com. Scott Pelley declared that Cernovich had published "stories with no basis in fact" that were "categorically false." Prominently featured was a story "by a retired anesthesiologist in Florida who never examined Hillary Clinton" that said "she has Parkinson's Disease." I am that anesthesiologist. And it's true that I have not examined Mrs. Clinton. But the diagnosis of Parkinson's is based in observation, not examination, and 60 Minutes wasn't interested in that fact.

60 Minutes carefully edited my name and website out of their broadcast presentation. But when the entire transcript of the interview was made public, my name was clearly present. One has to wonder why they felt it necessary to avoid naming the source of the story when I had gone public months before. Sean Hannity's producer found my cell phone number and called me while my wife and I were shopping at Costco, yet 60 Minutes made no attempt to contact me. It also appears that they didn't bother to examine anything other than the headline Cernovich added to my story.

After my first report on Hillary Clinton's obvious medical difficulties went viral, I published another sixteen posts expanding on the original story. Among those are two of particular importance: "How to Prove Me Wrong About Hillary's Parkinson's Disease" and "Differential Diagnosis of Hillary's Neurological Disorder." I also posted a video that discussed how "tinfoil hats are not permitted." Had 60 Minutes even looked at the thread on www.VidZette.com, they would have realized that, instead of me promoting "a bogus diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease," it was their story that was bogus.

One must ask why I tilted at this windmill. It was never my intention to get involved in the election other than contributing cash to a campaign. But a perfect storm of information and circumstances fell my way. Parkinson's patients and caregivers told me what they saw. A Parkinson's Disease researcher declared that Hillary demonstrated clear signs of the disease. A Secret Service source leaked that she had been ill for an extended period and the service had expended considerable sums to accommodate it. Finally, since I had been retired for three years, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) would be legally unable to audit and penalize my practice, thus destroying my life. This last point is crucial. Most practicing physicians are afraid of CMS. That is why I keep my sources confidential. The threat to them is too great otherwise.

Professional opinion on my work is not unanimous. One particularly literary neurologist declared that it was "a steaming crock of equine excrement." But while some disagreed, an equal or greater number agreed, including a neuropsychiatrist specializing in Parkinson's Disease. His professional assistance was crucial in developing the "Differential Diagnosis" document, which discusses alternative explanations for the signs she demonstrates. And demonstrate them she does. Many members of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons agree that she is most likely ill and that it is a neurological ailment.

Unlike Fake News that is simply manufactured, I am guilty of committing science. Looking at evidence (and more evidence), I proposed a hypothesis: Hillary Clinton has Parkinson's Disease. I published that hypothesis because its implications are of great consequence. Should she become president, we would have a chief executive who would suffer "Off" states where for extended periods she could not make decisions in a timely manner. If she was suffering from Parkinson's Dementia, we would not have a leader who could make rational decisions. The Wikileaks revelations supported this possibility. America cannot afford another Woodrow Wilson.

My hypothesis is like all scientific hypotheses. It is falsifiable. As I stated in the "Prove Me Wrong" video, it's actually quite simple to make me go away: provide a better explanation for the signs we see. Or provide real medical records for detailed examination the way John McCain's records were handled. A two-page whitewash won't do. And don't tell me there's nothing to see here the way the National Parkinson's Foundation did. The video record is too extensive.

By way of contrast, let us consider one other story. The New Republic published an article by Dr. Steven Beutler suggesting that President Trump has neurosyphilis. As an infectious disease specialist, he ought to be well qualified to offer an opinion. Unfortunately, he appears to have flunked out of his freshman class on Physical Diagnosis.

The first step in any medical diagnosis is a good history. And Dr. Beutler doesn't appear to be aware of any history whatever, other than the fact that Donald Trump was sexually promiscuous as a young man. He then spins this one fact into a web of supposed insomnia, dementia, and hair loss.

Any attentive medical student (or Navy enlisted man) would have learned that syphilis is a very easy disease to treat. It is also progressive. But Dr. Beutler completely neglects to note that the President's "insomnia" is a lifelong pattern common in high achievers -- he only sleeps about four hours per night. His "dementia" is simply decisions Beutler doesn't agree with. Those decisions led to building a massive fortune and a decisive Electoral College victory. Need I note that the President has more hair than I do?

"60 Minutes" conclusively demonstrated that they are Fake News. A program that for decades has been respected for careful reporting has become a shill for partisan interests. They manufactured a declaration that my reporting was "categorically false." And they did it without even a cursory glance at what I actually said. And now they are joined by the New Republic on the left. One has to ask "Why?"

The New Republic is easy to understand. They have Trump Derangement Syndrome. As for 60 Minutes, I can only speculate, but they led with the idea that the last election cycle was full of Fake News. But the only supposed "Fake News" they actually covered were two stories opposing Hillary Clinton posted by Mike Cernovich. No "Fake News" about Donald Trump was included. Could it be they are trying to immunize Hillary Clinton from these potent stories so she can run again?
Some politicians are charmers, such as Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and JFK. They have charisma, a personal attractiveness that makes them appealing to a wide swath of voters of all races, genders and ethnicities. Voters of their own party are absolutely sold; independents are enthralled and interested, and even a fair number of the opposite party can see themselves voting for the candidate. Charmers are always Democrats, since by definition, no purveyor of hard-hearted, business-oriented Republican positions can charm anyone.

Then there are politicians who base their candidacies on a mastery of the issues, logic, and personal competence. Although these candidates can often come across as stiff, overly measured, too cautious and uninspiring, their appeal is that they appear know whats going on, they understand the details and minutia, and they not only make sure they cross the ts and dot the is, they revel in it. Their competence and attention to the small stuff gives their supporters a tremendous level of confidence in them, a feeling that things will be handled.

Finally, there are the tough guys, the ones who wont take any guff from anyone, who will never be taken advantage of, who will show everyone whos the boss. The Chris Christies and Donald Trumps of the world fall into this category. This is a tricky category, because in order to be able to win the confidence of a majority of voters and prove to the always-skeptical liberal media that they are worthy, the tough-guy candidates must establish their bona fides regarding their mastery of the issues and knowledge of details very quickly and definitively, or else theyll be painted as being all-bluster-but-no-substance. In addition, tough cant be perceived as cold or unsympathetic; in order to be successful, tough can only be relentless and uncompromising in getting things  the right things  done.

This brings us to the wildly disparate views of Donald Trump. Rarely have the supporters and detractors of a president been separated by so wide a gulf. His detractors think hes patently unqualified and no amount or degree of favorable economic or foreign policy progress will ever convince them otherwise. To them, his personal transgressions alone disqualify him from even the most fleeting of serious consideration, and his subsequent daily demonstrations (to them) of his total lack of understanding of basic presidential governing principles only adds to their absolute conviction of his embarrassing unfitness for office. The word that best describes their feeling is 'horrified.' If there is a stronger, more descriptive word, then theyll use that.

Trump's most ardent supporters think his approach and style are exactly what has been missing from the ultra-cautious, overly-soft, pathetically politically-correct governance weve suffered under for far too long. His supporters  remember, enough to have won the Electoral College very, very convincingly  feel that America has veered so far off course economically, socially, militarily and judicially that only a "tough guy" can set it straight (or at the very least, stop the bleeding).

A descriptive phrase emerged from the campaign that perfectly sums up the Trump phenomenon:

His detractors take him literally but not seriously, while his supporters take him seriously but not literally.

The phrase emerged from longtime political correspondent Salena Zito, and its amazingly accurate.

Lets look at two recent examples of this:

The Look what happened in Sweden last night comment. On Feb. 18, 2017, while addressing a rally in Orlando, Trump uttered that phrase and the liberal media was quick to pounce. They shouted in unison that nothing specific or reportable happened in Sweden on Feb. 17 last night  and so they were quite satisfied with themselves for proving, yet again, that at best Trump has a very poor command of the facts and issues and at worst, he willfully and intentionally lies to mislead his audiences. Just the latest in a long string of such occurrences.

A perfect example of taking him literally but not seriously.

His supporters are quick to point out that they understood that Trump was not necessarily referring to last night Feb. 17, but instead, what was happening in Sweden as a result of the overwhelmingly unvetted immigration of Muslims and refugees, and how that was having a hugely negative impact on Swedish society and culture: the non-assimilation of >99% of those immigrants caused a huge increase in gun violence, rape, and property damage. The implications of Trumps comments are obvious to his supporters  that we must not allow a huge influx of that kind of immigration here, or well suffer the same consequences. These supporters take him seriously, but not literally. That Sweden has since suffered explicit acts of terrorism only adds to the credibility and legitimacy of Trumps underlying contention.

Obama wiretapped me at Trump Towers. From a literal standpoint, this will never be proven to be true. First of all, Obama would never allow his fingers to be caught in any sort of wiretapping or espionage cookie jar. Hes far too crafty a political operative and if any such action were conducted, Obama would have several layers of plausible deniability distance between himself and any wrongdoing. Obama wiretapped me at Trump Towers will never be proven to be literally true.

It doesnt have to be. From the very first non-denial denial (President Obama never ordered any wiretapping on Trump), the Obama Administration has been careful to parse, slice and dice their exact wording very carefully. Of course Obama never ordered any such thingpresidents dont do that. They nudge-nudge/wink-wink and let what needs to be done be done, but without their specific knowledge was what was operative. Since Trumps original allegation, the entire Susan Rice fandango has exploded, where we now know that the Democrats did something untoward, dishonest or unethical with regards to illicit intelligence-gathering on their Republican political opponents during the 2016 campaign. Trumps contention of being wiretapped is entirely correct, if wiretapping means the unlawful electronic collection of campaign information. Its inaccurate if its taken to mean that President Obama ordered a tap be put on Trumps phone so that Obama or someone from his administration could personally listen in.

Once again, its the perfect distinction between seriously vs. literally. Trumps opponents will never cede the point. His supporters understand it instinctively.

Liberal media double standards are alive and well, of course. When Obama said during the 2008 campaign that hed visited all 57 states, there was hardly a mention of it to be found anywhere. Even though every second-grader in the country knows there are 50 states, Obamas literal gaffe was ignored with an accommodation that no Republican would have been afforded. When Obama outright lied  quite intentionally, since he knew the ins and outs of his signature legacy achievement better than anyone  by saying, If you like your doctor and your plan, you can keep them, not a single damaging criticism of his literal lie was trumpeted by the liberal media.

Trump is a big picture corporate CEO. He envisions overall strategy but his subordinates execute the niggling details in his businesses. As head of the Trump conglomerate, he is not used to the media hanging on and parsing every word for nuance and implication on an hour-by-hour basis. Will he get better at this and not be trapped as often by the hostile minions at CNN and the New York Times? Perhaps a little, but never enough to satisfy them on his competence and mastery of the issues. Will the 60-odd million who voted against him ever be convinced or swayed? No.

But his supporters know the difference between literally and seriously. They take Trumps policy proposals seriously, even if what he said literally may not be precisely accurate to that exact moment or specific situation.

He has named the extremely competent Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to replace Antonin Scalia. He has re-authorized the Keystone XL pipeline. He has rolled back punitive, job-killing environmental regulations on businesses (regulations that didnt really help the environment, but served only to buy green votes). He has pressured big corporations (Lockheed, Boeing, Ford, Carrier, etc.) into reducing prices, keeping factories in America, and expanding their investment in this country. He has shown Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad (and all of our adversaries worldwide) that crimes against humanity and contrary to American national interests will not stand and that America will respond quickly and forcefully, without telegraphing its punches weeks in advance. He has redoubled our support for Israel. All this in under three months.

To his supporters, this is serious. To them, thats all that matters.
Fox news icon Bill OReilly, arguably the man who propelled Fox News into media dominance, has folded his tent under duress and slipped away under the cloud of multiple charges of sexual harassment. He is the latest conservative target of a liberal left that also targeted the likes of Herman Cain and even Donald Trump himself while excusing arguably the greatest sexual predator to hold a position of power, one William Jefferson Clinton.

Clinton could skate on multiple credible charges of sexual abuse and even a credible charge of rape by Juanita Broaddrick. The lefts argument then was that that was personal and as long as Clinton was doing a good job it was not any of our business. Well, sexual abuse of power is always our business, whether it is in the Oval Office or the corridors of a news conglomerate. At this point, the credibility of the charges against Bill OReilly are not known, but the lefts hypocrisy on this subject is.

Although an accused predator and arch-villain in the lefts cause celebre, the war on women, OReilly should also be remembered as the greatest advocate on behalf of Kate Steinle, a woman murdered at the hands of an illegal alien who should not have been here but was allowed to prey on Steinle in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. OReilly was a fierce advocate for Kates Law, blocked by former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a law to punish those illegals who prey on American citizens: as Bill OReilly said in his July 7, 2015 Talking Points Memo:

As The Factor reported last night, 32-year-old Kate Steinle was murdered walking with her father in San Francisco, allegedly by a criminal alien who had been deported five times and had seven felony convictions in the USA. That man, 45-year-old Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, is now charged with murder. He was arraigned today in a San Francisco courtroom. Talking Points said last night that the mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee, and the eleven city supervisors are directly responsible for Kate's death. That's because San Francisco is a sanctuary city that does not cooperate with the federal government, even on holding and identifying criminal aliens. Sanchez was in custody in San Francisco and the sheriff -- Ross Mirkarimi -- let him out, defying ICE officials.

OReilly persisted in his defense of this American womans right to live and not be murdered by an illegal alien predator under a policy supported by many of OReillys current accusers. As OReilly noted in his June 1, 2016 Talking Points Memo:

You may remember last July 32-year-old Kate Steinle was murdered in San Francisco. She was out for a walk with her father when an illegal alien felon convicted in the U.S.A. seven times deported five times shot her in the back. The man Mexican national Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez had been released from jail by the San Francisco Sheriff's Department. That despite the fact that ICE, Homeland Security, had asked San Francisco authorities to keep Sanchez incarcerated until they could pick him up. The Sheriff's Department said no. Backed by the San Francisco board of supervisors, which actually voted not to cooperate with the Feds on illegal alien crime. So, I proposed Kate's law whereby any convicted aggravated felon who defies deportation, that means comes back, could be immediately taken into custody by authorities and then sentenced by a judge to a mandatory five years in a Federal penitentiary. First offense, ten years second. That would give law enforcement a powerful tool to sweep dangerous foreign nationals here illegally off the streets of America. Yet, Congress would not pass Kate's law. The despicable Harry Reid blocked it in the Senate.

Bill OReilly was a major voice in exposing the criminal tragedy that is the concept of a sanctuary city, the policy that got Kate Steinle murdered by an illegal alien in San Francisco and Jamiel Shaw Jr. killed in Los angles, just two of many.

Being a sanctuary city is illegal as OReilly pointed out many time. State and local authorities cannot refuse to enforce federal law. Of course, who is going to call sanctuary cities to account when the President of the United States refuses to enforce our immigration laws. As Investors Business Daily has noted, President Obama himself ordered those in charge of border security to obey his executive orders on amnesty and not our immigration laws:

If President Obama, who has warned ICE agents of consequences if they do their job, had a son, he might look like Jamiel Shaw Jr., a young African-American killed by an illegal alien who shouldn't have been here. Shaw was a Los Angeles high school star dreaming of a good life ahead when he was gunned down on March 2, 2008, while walking home. He was picked at random, police said, possibly as part of a gang loyalty test for the illegal alien who shot him. The sanctuary policies that led to the murder of Shaw are now full-blown federal policies under Obama. "We're not in the business of deporting millions of people or of breaking up families," he says. We're also not in the business of deporting criminal illegal aliens President Obama was telling employees at Immigration and Customs Enforcement that they had better enforce his executive amnesty orders or else. Speaking at a Miami town hall meeting sponsored by MSNBC and Telemundo, Obama said "there may be (an) ICE official or Border Patrol agent not paying attention to our new directives. If somebody's working for ICE ... and they don't follow the policy, there's going to be consequences to it."

OReillys championing Kate Steinles case undoubtedly contributed to Donald Trumps victory based on the flood of illegal immigrants and the perils of an unsecured border and sanctuary cities. Whatever happens in his harassment case and wherever the truth may be found to lie, American women in the future will be able to walk the streets of major cities feeling a little bit safer. Kate Steinle will not have died in vain in part because Bill OReilly was looking out for her and others like her.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against a California-based nonprofit hospital chain because a Roman Catholic hospital declined to give a hysterectomy to a woman who said she identifies as male and was doing so in an attempt to assume a male physicality.

The lawsuit was filed against Dignity Health on behalf of Evan Minton, whom the Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California denied a hysterectomy last August. Minton was slated for the surgery two days hence, but the hospital canceled it after Minton told the hospital that she is a transgender man during a pre-operation checklist.

Although the health system sent Minton to a different Dignity Health hospital, the ACLU contends that the Catholic hospital committed sex discrimination under the state's Unruh Civil Rights Act.

Minton had the surgery a few days later at a Methodist hospital in the chain.

One would think this would zip up the case. But the ACLU clearly wants to create a legal precedent to force Catholic hospitals to perform what amounts to elective sterilizations, which violate the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) as well as the hospital's medical staff bylaws.

Dignity Health, which operates 39 hospitals and more than 400 care centers in California, Arizona, and Nevada, said in a statement that it would not reply to allegations because they have not been served with the complaint, according to KCRA.com.

The Minton case is similar to other ACLU lawsuits in California aimed at forcing Catholic hospitals to sterilize women who claimed that having to have it done elsewhere was a hardship.

The ACLU is also attempting to force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions. In April 2016, the ACLU lost a lawsuit against the Trinity health system in Michigan, whose pro-life doctors refuse to do abortions. Writing in National Review, Jane Clark Scharl dissected the ACLU's abandonment of the idea of "choice" when it comes to this particular topic:

This lawsuit wasn't about 'choice' at all; it was about ensuring that medical professionals can't act on their beliefs if they clash with assumptions that are politically in vogue. Rather than invoke the old mantra that abortion is between a woman and her doctor, the ACLU did the opposite, arguing that the government should be involved in decisions for abortion by stipulating that others participate in them.

So for the ACLU, the idea of "choice" is so yesterday. Now it's "do it our way, or else."

Robert Knight is a senior fellow for the American Civil Rights Union.
The FBI has arrested a doctor and his wife who ran a medical clinic where another doctor mutilated the genitals of little girls.

Dr. Fakhruddin Attar, 53, offered the use of his medical clinic to Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, the Detroit emergency room doctor who was charged last week with carrying out the procedure on two 7-year-old girls. In a complaint unsealed Friday charging the couple in the conspiracy, prosecutors offered new details about how they say the procedures were arranged and carried out. To help set them up, the complaint said, Attar exchanged more than 50 phone calls with a Minnesota number in the four months leading up to the evening of Feb. 3, when surveillance cameras captured him, his wife and Nagarwala arriving at Burhani Medical Clinic in Livonia, Mich.

Details of how the mutilations were carried out are sickening:

The girls were brought to Detroit from Minnesota for a special girls trip, one of them told investigators. After arriving at a hotel, the girls were taken to the doctor to get the germs out because our tummies hurt, she said, according to court filings. Both girls were instructed to keep what happened a secret, the complaint said. One girl told authorities that she was given a pad to wear in her underwear. The other said that after the procedure she could barely walk and felt pain down to her ankle. Her parents told investigators that they took their daughter to Nagarwala for a cleansing of extra skin. Attar told authorities that he opens his medical clinic after hours five or six times a year, on Friday evenings or Saturdays, so that Nagarwala can see girls between the ages of 6 and 9 for problems with their genitals, including treatment of genital rashes. He said his wife, 50-year-old Farida Attar, who works as the clinics office manager, stays in the examining room to hold their hands, according to court records.

Since Nagarwala's arrest, other girls have come forward to accuse the doctor - and their parents - of performing the mutilation.

That this unspeakable mutilation could take place in the heartland of the country under the noses of local authorities is incredible. That there's a very good chance that there is a network of doctors and clinics that carry out this barbaric "ritual" is frightening.

Are we to believe these local communities are completely unaware that these services are offered? My guess is that it's an open secret where parents can take their female children to be mutilated. That makes the denial by the local Muslim community ring hollow:

The Detroit Free Press reported that Shannon Smith, an attorney representing Nagarwala, said that the doctor removed the membrane from the girls vaginal parts as part of a custom practiced by a small sect of Indian Muslims known as the Dawoodi Bohra. Bohra clergy have banned genital mutilation of young girls, according to Jonah Blank, author of "Mullahs on the Mainframe: Islam and Modernity Among the Daudi Bohras." An organization representing the Dawoodi Bohra community in Detroit released a statement Friday saying that any violation of U.S. law is counter to instructions to our community members.

These revelations demand a nationwide investigation. It seems safe to say that this crime has not been a high priority for federal law enforcement. But robbing these little girls of their womanhood is not only a federal crime, but a crime against humanity. Whether the tragedy has happened to only a few dozen girls or - more likely - several hundred, the laws are already on the books to prevent it. It's past time to enforce those laws and stamp out this primitive and barbaric "custom."
What could possibly motivate Maxine Waters to claim twice that she never called for Donald Trump's impeachment when the video evidence is so compelling? It is one thing for conservative websites to call her out, but even MSNBC, the broadcast leader in Trump-hatred, is taking notice of the absolute falsity of her claim.

Yesterday, in an on-air discussion among Hallie Jackson, Craig Melvin, and Mark Murray, the California congresswoman was explicitly called out for her denial of reality:

JACKSON: "... pretty strong words from somebody else on the other side of the aisle. Maxine Waters, right? The congresswoman [indecipherable] during that interview with Craig Melvin earlier in the week here on this network, but she seemed to back tracked off those called to impeach President Trump. Here's what she said."

[clip starts]

WATERS: "Well I have not  I have not called for impeachment."

MELVIN: "You said, I'm going to fight every day until he's impeached. That's what you tweeted."

WATERS: "Yeah. But here is what I've said. Here is what I've said. I've said that we need the information. We need to connect the dots. We need the facts in order to do the impeachment."

[clip ends]

JACSKON: "So, Mark, she's become kind of a vocal voice for this impeachment call. And you heard what she just said. Is she splitting hairs?"

MURRAY: "More than splitting hairs, Hallie. Here's what she's actually tweeted in the past, saying that she's going to fight every day until he's impeached. Then you end up having another interview that she had where she said get ready for impeachment. And I believe we also have some sound of her using the 'I' word not too long ago."

[clip starts]

WATERS: "Impeach 45."

CROWD (chanting): "Impeach 45."

WATERS: "Impeach 45."

[clip ends]

MURRAY: "And, so, Hallie, you can be pretty clear that she has called for President Trump's impeachment there."

JACKSON: "I think that does clarify it, Mark, thank you."

(transcript via Grabien)

Yesterday, I speculated that there is some mental disability, possibly organic, at work. She does seem to actually believe herself. But I neglected to consider the possibility that she simply "miscalculated"  assuming that the media would be so anti-Trump that they would cover for her. And, so far as I know, neither the New York Times nor the Washington Post has yet noticed her counterfactual claim never to have called for impeachment.

But most people get their news from video feeds, either via television or computer, especially social media. If Waters expected the media to cover for her, she is plain stupid  when compelling video proves her claim to be absurd.

If it is Alzheimer's that is starting to afflict her memory, then I have compassion. There is no political aspect to this terrible disease, and the congresswoman deserves the excellent medical care to which her membership in Congress entitles her.

But unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer's, just as there is no cure for stupid. So it may not really matter all that much which is the source of her outrageous claims.
The Department of Justice informed 8 cities and counties as well as the state of California, warning them they would be subject to funding cuts if they don't comply with federal laws related to illegal immigration.

The funds at stake only amount to about $29 million - a small percentage of grant money doled out by the DoJ for law enforcement in those localities. But the federal government is leaving little doubt that they are serious about illegal immigration enforcement and that more cuts could come if there is continued non-compliance with federal law.

Reuters:

Those threatened were: the state of California; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Clark County, Nevada; New Orleans; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Cook County, Illinois, also received a warning, even though it did not get money from the Justice Department last year. The jurisdictions have until June 30 to provide evidence to the federal government that they are not violating any laws. At stake is roughly $29 million in law enforcement aid under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local governments pay for everything from forensics labs to drug courts. The grants in question are among the largest handed out under the program, collectively amounting to 11 percent of the $256 million distributed in the last fiscal year. In a statement, the Justice Department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities that are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime," even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicago's recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration. Several state and local officials responded with defiance to the threat. "New York is the safest big city in the country, with crime at record lows in large part because we have policies in place to encourage cooperation between NYPD and immigrant communities," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. In California, the state Senate approved a bill earlier this month to curb cooperation between police agencies and federal agents seeking to deport illegal immigrants. The measure is now in the state Assembly. "It has become abundantly clear that Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions and the Trump administration are basing their law enforcement policies on principles of white supremacy - not American values," California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday. A spokeswoman for the California Board of State and Community Corrections said some of the federal funding in question went to local communities after emergencies, including San Bernardino after a mass shooting there in 2015.

That's the major problem with cutting funds; the impact will fall on local communities and ordinary people who will be less safe because the politicians refuse to obey federal law. It's what will make congress hesitate to really cut into law enforcement funding for sanctuary cities.

And that's exactly what sanctuary cities are counting on.

So it's an open question whether Congress or the administration can find ways to punish sanctuary cities without impacting local law enforcement where it is needed. Would local residents who are affected by the cuts vote out their political leaders who are responsible? Not until the funding cuts become so painful that ordinary voters rise up and assert their will on local government.

The DoJ threats to cut funding is a good start, but will barely impact the problem. Defiance is likely to continue until the courts order sanctuary cities to comply.
Iran's mullahs will stop at nothing to get their hands on nuclear weapons to spread terror. Just look at how broad the evidence is.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in his letter to House speaker Paul Ryan on April 19 said that although Iran is meeting the terms of 2015 nuclear deal with Obama administration and five other world powers, "Iran remains a leading state sponsor of terror through many platforms and methods."

"Buying off" Iran with a flawed nuclear deal was not "a prudent way" to be deal with the Islamic Republic, Tillerson said.

Tillerson also said:

"This deal represents the same failed approach of the past that brought us to the current imminent threat we face from North Korea. The Trump administration has no intention of passing the buck to a future administration on Iran. The evidence is clear Iran's provocative actions threaten the United States, the region and the world."

In his press briefing, he touched on a number of issues with Iran, blasting the regime for meddling in the internal affairs of countries in the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and condemning its "alarming ongoing provocations" to destabilize countries in the region as the Trump administration launched a review of its policy toward Iran.

He said the U.S. would review the 2015 nuclear deal and, at same time, Iran's "behavior in the Middle East which undermines U.S. interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon."

His tough message for Iran was matched by those of U.S. secretary of defense Jim Mattis, who said on a visit to Saudi Arabia on April 19 that Iran's destabilizing influence would have to be overcome to end the conflict in Yemen.

As Secretary Tillerson pointed out in his press briefing, the deal has major flaws simply because the Obama administration was so focused on getting the deal signed and left the control mechanisms ineffective.

The Iranian regime's president, Hassan Rouhani, has said all along that with all its loopholes, the deal has provided the regime the capacity to advance its dubious nuclear activities under the nose of its U.N. nuclear watchdog.

A Weekly Standard piece on April 18 quoted Iranian officials as saying:

The nuclear deal enabled the country to make progress in developing advanced centrifuges, and broad production of some advanced models has already begun in the year since the deal was implemented, per Iranian media.

According to the report, a top proliferation expert said:

The nature of these activities indicates that Tehran is likely looking to develop the technology as part of a nuclear weapons program.

In the same piece, David Albright, founder of the Institute for Science and International Security said:

Unless of course the ultimate goal is nuclear weapons. Then the amount of money does not matter.

Rouhani recently said the deal enabled Iran to develop advanced uranium enrichment technology.

"Critics had been too pessimistic about the restrictions  on our nuclear industry," he said, according to comments published in Iranian media. "We opted for a shortest possible route, and less costly as well, to secure our nuclear rights in the international community; now we have IR-8 centrifuge machines and they receive injection of UF6," a uranium compound used during the enrichment process. The IR-8 is an advanced centrifuge that Albright described as 'a creative lemon,' likely to fail.

Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Iran Nuclear Agency and a member of the negotiating team that brokered the nuclear deal with the U.S. and five other world powers, was also quoted this month:

Iran had begun 'mass production' on another advanced centrifuge model, the IR-6, which has a higher upside.

...while...

"The IR-6 is more promising and one where Iran has pushed the envelope in the restrictions," Albright said.

Rouhani has mentioned in his memoirs, as Iran top nuclear negotiator under President Mohammad Khatami in 2003, that he was able to "trick" the European trio (U.K., France, and Germany) in the negotiations and get away with it.

As Secertary Tillerson noted similarities between the regime in Tehran and North Korea and the need to end the "strategic patience" policy with the latter country, his conclusion no doubt applies to the Iranian regime, too, if not more. The so-called strategic patience strategy has a life span of two decades, but the conflict with Iran and the carnage it has forced on the region and the world have lasted twice as long.

Tillerson did not leave out the Iranian regime's treatment of its own citizens and its human right abuses. He said:

Iran continues to have one of the world's worst human rights records and political opponents are regularly jailed or executed, reaching the agonizing low point of executing juveniles or other individuals whose punishment is not proportionate to their crime.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, in her rotating role as president of the U.N. Security Council, echoed Tillerson's comments on Iran's destabilizing role in the region. She told the Security Council:

If we are speaking honestly about conflict in the Middle East, we need to start with the chief culprit, Iran, and its partner militia, Hezb'allah.

Today, many in the world agree that the regime in Tehran should be contained before it is too late. However, a only right and durable solution will work. Many experts have offered their views and suggestions, but surely the one that will work is the one that aims at the heart of the problem. Top political analysts and Iranian experts know full well that the powerhouse in Iran is none other than Supreme Leader Khamenei's office and his establishment, a financial conglomerate with holdings of over $90 billion, protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The entire Iranian nuclear program rests on the IRGC, and so do the weapons factories, including, but not limited to, the controversial missile development program. It also includes recruiting, training, and dispatching terrorists under different names to other countries in the region. The IRGC has a double-layered task, in fact: the suppression of dissent at home and the export of terrorism abroad. To stop the mullahs in their tracks and limit the damage, there is only one viable solution, and that is to expel them from rule altogether.

Reza Shafiee is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
A couple of Sundays ago, Ecuador had a presidential election, and a leftist named Lenin Moreno defeated a center-right businessman, Guillermo Lasso.

It was so close that Mr. Lasso called for a recount, especially after some "irregularities" showed up.

So the left opted for the Gore gambit, or a partial recount of the votes (via Fausta's Blog).

Guess who won the partial recount! Who else but the leftist named after Lenin? Whom else did you expect when the incumbent president running the recount was committed to the leftist winning?

This is from the BBC:

Following a recount of almost 1.3 million votes in Ecuador, the electoral council has confirmed left-wing candidate Lenin Moreno as the winner of the presidential poll held on 2 April.

The recount slightly boosted Mr Moreno's margin over his conservative rival, Guillermo Lasso.

Mr. Lasso had demanded a full recount citing allegations of fraud but the national electoral council only agreed to a recount of 10% of the votes.

Mr. Moreno will be sworn in on 24 May.

As I was reading this story about the partial recount, it occurred to me that Ecuador could have used their own version of Bush v. Gore, the Supreme Court decision from 2000 that shut down partial recounts in Florida.

I appreciate the U.S. every day that I watch the left steal elections in Latin America.

God bless the USA and Bush v. Gore!

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
It is predictable, if not horrifying, that leftist-elitist Time magazine would print an article on the dangers of uranium falling into the wrong hands  and nowhere mention Bill and Hillary Clinton's role in enabling the Russians to lay claim to 20% of American uranium from mines in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Texas.

Did the editors at Time forget that it was Hillary's State Department who granted approval of the uranium sale to a Canadian firm middleman who then sold it in 2009 to the Russians in Kazakhstan  the world's second largest holder of uranium?

Was it sheer coincidence that at about the same time the Clinton Foundation received $145 million in donations from the Canadian company, Bill Clinton received a nice speaking fee of $500,000 from Putin and the Russians for enabling the deal?

Finally, the Clinton-enabled transfer of uranium from the U.S. to Kazakhstan (controlled by Putin since 2010) is actually underscored by the article that Putin released to Pravda on January 22, 2013. In open mockery  for it was the month Hillary was leaving the State Department  Putin taunted Hillary (and the Obama administration) before the entire world by announcing that Russia now controlled 46% of the world's uranium and the U.S. only 3%.

The headline, however, was doctored by the U.S. It did not read, as reported, "Russian Nuclear Energy Conquers the World," but rather (in the original Russian):

Putin's Open Mock of Hillary: "Russia Controls Energy Weapons"

Can it be that Time's interests are not to educate, enlighten, and warn Americans about terrorist dirty bomb threats to our country and to our soldiers abroad  but rather to conceal these threats from Americans? Does P.C. stand for "political censorship" of truth?

Enough said.
There are many reasons to believe that the Iranian regime would seek nuclear weapons despite the weak and porous agreement it signed with world powers in 2015. The latest manifestation of this reality is the revelations made by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which pertain to Tehran continuing its bomb-building efforts despite its explicit commitments to the international community.

According to the NCRI, the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (known by the Persian acronym SPND), the body responsible for designing nuclear bombs, has been continuing and expanding its work even after the nuclear agreement came into effect last year.

The existence of the SPND was first revealed by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in 2011 and was later placed under sanctions by the U.S. State Department for its role in developing Iran's illicit nuclear program.

The SPND comprises seven divisions, which are run by Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the Defense Ministry. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a secretive IRGC officer and the chief scientist behind Iran's nuclear program, heads the SPND.

The batch of information presented by the U.S. Representative Office of the NCRI shows that the SPND has been continuing its activities in a location that remains undisclosed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). METFAZ, the division of the SPND that oversees trigger and high-impact and non-conventional explosion tests, has also transferred its operations to another clandestine location.

This behavior is in line with Tehran's history of secrecy and evasiveness. Iran's nuclear program was first discovered and exposed by the NCRI in 2002. Since then, Iran has continued to evade scrutiny into its nuclear program in different ways, including limiting access by international inspectors to its facilities, creating a parallel nuclear program in secret.

The nuclear deal forged in 2015 failed to address all aspects of Iran's nuclear program and left many loopholes for Tehran to exploit. Proponents of the deal hoped that the mullahs ruling Iran would act in good nature and stay true to their pledge.

The disclosure of new information, which follows the latest remarks of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about Iran's increasingly hostile behavior, proves how misplaced those hopes were.

But this latest revelation is further proof that the Iranian regime in its entirety has no intention of moderating its behavior and becoming a peaceful member of the international community.

At the end of its conference, the NCRI reiterated four key steps needed to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear bomb-making capabilities.

First, a total halt of Iran's nuclear enrichment program, as was stipulated in previous U.N. Security Council resolutions. While Iran's hostile regime maintains the right to enrich uranium, it will always have a path to create atomic weapons and further destabilize the Middle East.

Second, the total dismantling of the weaponization program. If, as the Iranian regime claims, its nuclear program is peaceful in nature, there is no reason to maintain the SPND and its subordinate organizations, including METFAZ. They have no peaceful energy use whatsoever, and their only function is to facilitate the development of nuclear bombs.

Third, the IAEA must have airtight control over all the aspects of the regime's nuclear program and permanent, unhindered, and immediate access to all sites, including locations disclosed by the NCRI. International inspectors must also have access to, and interviews with, the key nuclear experts, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and his subordinates.

And fourth, Iran must come clean on all of it past activities and outstanding questions regarding the possible military dimensions (PMD) of its nuclear program. The previous administration let Iran off the hook on this issue, a fact that the mullahs have been taking advantage of to deny any bomb-making activities.

If there's one lesson to learn from the mullahs' four-decade rule, it's that rapprochement and strategic patience make for a failed game plan. A firm response to Iran's belligerence, on the other hand, can keep the mullahs in check and prevent them from expanding their nefarious activities.
Time magazine's report, titled "Turkish President Erdogan Claims Victory in 'Historic Decision' That Greatly Expands His Powers," includes this disturbing paragraph:

Roughly 100,000 people  including judges, teachers, academics, doctors, journalists, military officials and police  have lost their jobs in the government crackdown, and more than 40,000 have been arrested. Hundreds of media outlets and non-governmental organizations have been shut down.

The Turkish vote reinforces a longtime anti-religious freedom and anti-culture outlook in the country, as noted by the Armenian Times in its article "Turkey Removes Assyrian Sculpture, Continues Crackdown on Christians":

The Turkish government has been escalating its pressure on Christians and their cultural heritage. The Christian co-mayor of Mardin, Februniye Akyol, 28, was removed from her post by the Turkish government on Nov. 16, 2016, and replaced by the governor of the city, Mustafa Yaman. Born and christened Fabronia Benno, the former mayor hails from Tur Abdin, the heartland of Syriac Christians in southeastern Turkey. However, Benno had to run for office under her official Turkish name, Februniye Akyol, because of the institutionalized prohibitions by the Turkish government on non-Turkish languages. In 2014, she became the first Christian woman to lead one of Turkey's metropolitan municipalities. The Assyrian people, as well as Chaldeans and Syriac Christians, have inhabited the Middle East since the beginning of recorded history. The scholar Hannibal Travis wrote in his comprehensive article ''Native Christians Massacred  The Ottoman Genocide of the Assyrians during World War I," that: "The Assyrian homeland is in northern Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, where the ancient cities of Assur and Nineveh were built. For 300 years, Assyrian kings ruled the largest empire the world had yet known. The Assyrian Church of the East records that the Apostle Thomas himself converted the Assyrians to Christianity within a generation after the death of Christ. Christianity was 'well established and organized' in Mesopotamia by the third century CE."

So should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union?

It is now common knowledge among the nonelites that Islam, properly followed from its origins, denies religious freedom, as seen in the article "Freedom of Religion in Early Islam."

Worse still, here is the most dangerous verse in the Quran, because the verse is open-ended and can easily be applied to the world today:

9.29 Fight [q-t-l] against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

However, the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which became binding after the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), says in Article 10, Section One:

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or in private, to manifest religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

In addition to cultural values, allowing Turkey to join the Union would wreak havoc on immigration and jobs, just to name those two.

Short answer: No, Turkey should never be allowed to join the European Union. Simply stated, original Islam, and the version currently developing in Turkey, which closely follows original Islam, are incompatible with Western values.

James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People, where he has posted Thirty Sharia Laws and Free Speech in the Quran.
See also: Longtime close Hillary aide confirms physical symptoms of Trump Derangement Syndrome widespread among Beltway journalists

Once upon a time, David Brooks was considered the house conservative at the New York Times. But in his April 21 New York Times column, he put President Donald J. Trump on a list of "strong men" that includes Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and North Korea's Kim Jong-un. Mr. Brooks noted that Erdogan has "dismantle[d] democratic institutions and replace[d] them with majoritarian dictatorship." The Times columnist went on to assert: "While running for office, Donald Trump violated every norm of statesmanship built up over these many centuries[.]" Mr. Brooks, however, does not elaborate, explain, or elucidate the nature of the alleged violations.

But when it comes to discussion of President Trump, NeverTrumps like David Brooks feel no need to place their anti-Trump views on a foundation of fact. For Trump-haters, the truth is in the accusation. And so, comparing President Trump to Turkey's Erdogan, Mr. Brooks does not set forth the democratic institutions dismantled by Mr. Trump, nor does he provide evidence of the "majoritarian dictatorship" that was constructed during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. How could he, there being no such dismantling, no such dictatorship here?

Mr. Brooks recognizes "the collapse of liberal values at home," citing "fragile thugs who call themselves students [who] shout down and abuse speakers in a weekly basis." But are these illiberals to be found under the banner of Trumpism  or under the banner of the totalitarianism of left?

Mr. Brooks goes on to cite a study suggesting that only 57 percent of "young Americans" (age range not provided) are committed to democracy, compared to "91 percent in the 1930's[.]" What is the source of this declining commitment to democracy: student Republicans, or students influenced by leftist professors? Mr. Brooks does not say. For David Brooks, apparently, critical thinking about political trends does not require precise analysis; anti-Trump innuendo will do.

I challenge David Brooks to point to any instance of political repression attributable, today, to conservatives on college campuses. I challenge David Brooks  or any of the Trump-detesting columnists at The New York Times (and aren't they all?)  to explain how it is that if President Trump is the American version of Kim Jong-un, the New York Times is still publishing?

The threat to the American spirit of liberty is not to be found among conservatives, or in the corridors of today's White House. The threats to democracy, to free speech, to the free flow of information are to be found on the left side of the political divide, from neo-totalitarians who, like the execrable Howard Dean, would limit free speech to persons who agree with the political biases of leftists  with the encouragement of NeverTrumps in the media like David Brooks, who lack the ability to distinguish a duly elected American president from the brutal dictator of a totalitarian state.
The Washington Post's E.J. Dionne wrote an opinion article that lectures Donald Trump that he can't just do what he wants. A few of the examples Dionne gives are that Trump hasn't released his tax returns, that White House visitor logs will no longer be made public, that Trump spends a lot of time at his house in Florida, and that instead of telling the president of Turkey what Dionne wanted him to say, Trump congratulated that president for winning (heaven forbid).

None of the things Dionne cites in his article violates Trump's oath of office or the Constitution. Unlike Obama, Trump looks as though he will go through Congress to change or make laws. Obama seemed to have no inhibitions against changing, making, or ignoring laws when violating his oath and the Constitution. Separation of powers meant nothing to Obama.

I do not recall Dionne writing warnings to Obama or objecting when:

Obama continually changed tax provisions and other provisions of the ACA without going through Congress.

Obama illegally robbed low-income housing funds from Fannie and Freddie Mac to fill in shortfalls at Obamacare.

Obama couldn't get the DREAM Act passed through Congress so unilaterally implemented it anyway.

Obama and the Justice Department allowed sanctuary cities to ignore immigration but sued states like Arizona that wanted to enforce the laws of the land.

Obama allowed his secretary of state to continually violate security laws and personally corresponded with her on a non-secure server and pretending he didn't know.

Obama lifted the travel ban and other restrictions on Communist Cuba without going through Congress.

Obama agreed to a deal with the terrorist-sponsoring Iran without getting approval from Congress.

Obama agreed to the Paris climate accord without getting approval from Congress.

Obama refused to enforce immigration laws, clearly violating his oath of office.

Obama continually blocked pipelines that had cleared regulatory hurdles.

Obama had the EPA intentionally write regulations without going through Congress to bankrupt coal companies.

Obama and Michelle took separate jets to their family vacations.

Even Dionne's own Washington Post recognized how secretive the Obama administration was.

And PBS showed how Obama's people absolutely ignored and stymied FOIA requests.

So it is really rich and hypocritical when Dionne writes such a warning article 100 days into Trump's term when he never wrote a similar piece during Obama's 2,920-day term.

Something we can count on for Trump's four- to eight-year term is that WaPo, AP, NYT, LAT, USAT, and the major networks reporters will trash Trump every day, no matter what he does. Their agenda is the same as the Democrats' agenda, which is to destroy Trump.

The Media Research Center released a study that showed that 89% of the coverage of Trump has been negative since he was elected. It is a wonder that his approval ratings are around 40% (around 50% in Rasmussen, which the major news outlets somehow ignore) when almost all the coverage is negative.

Trump could allow all the homeless to stay at the White House and feed them every day, and the headline would be "Trump exploiting homeless to improve poll numbers."
President Trump, facing criticism for deporting exactly one "DREAMer" out of millions, wanted to reassure children of illegal aliens, some of them in their 30s, that he is not going to deport them.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Dreamers, a term used for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, should "rest easy" about his presidency because his administration is "not after the Dreamers, we are after the criminals." Trump campaigned for the presidency as a staunch opponent of illegal immigration, pledging to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama administration policy program that grants some young undocumented immigrants protection from deportation. "That is our policy," Trump told The Associated Press in an interview.

Trump's hypocrisy knows no bounds. Do you remember during the campaign how he pounded Jeb Bush for wanting to keep the "DREAMer" program? Do you remember how Trump said he wanted to end birthright citizenship? Well, by keeping the DREAMer program, not only does Trump keep birthright citizenship, but he expands it to not just babies born to illegals, but children of illegals brought to America.

Trump tells illegals to "rest easy." But who should not rest easy?

1) Citizens who want the government to follow the Constitution. The Constitution does not give the president the right to legalize an entire class of illegal aliens. Obama acted unconstitutionally when he did this, and Trump is acting unconstitutionally as he continues this illegal program.

2) Citizens whose jobs are taken by illegal "DREAMers."

3) College-bound students whose admission spots are taken by "DREAMers."

4) Taxpayers whose money goes to pay welfare for "DREAMers."

5) Citizens who are the victim of "DREAMer" criminals.

It makes zero sense to deport the parents of illegals but to allow their children to stay here. Trump promised to change this policy when he positioned himself as the toughest on illegal immigration, but now that he is president, he is as weak as Jeb Bush. At least Jeb Bush was honest about what he was going to do as president.

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.
In less than 24 hours, French voters will go to the polls to choose a new president. All campaigning was suspended on Friday both because of the terror attack in Paris on Thursday and election law which prevents any campaigning 48 hours before the vote.

The latest polls strongly suggest that anti-immigrant, anti-terrorism candidate Marine Le Pen has benefitted slightly from the attack in Paris that killed a policeman and wounded two others. Newsweek reports that she received about a 1 point boost while the 3 other major candidates fell back a bit. She seems to have cemented her position as one of the top two candidates who will move on to the second round of presidential voting on May 7.

But with a third of French voters undecided, might Le Pen experience the kind of surge of support that Donald Trump got in the last few days of the American presidential election campaign?

Fox News:

Newsweek found many voters saying in the run-up to Sunday's election that they were leaning towards Le Pen -- which would parallel the surge for Trump last year among undecided voters and supporters who chose to lay low. Andre Robert, 56, said her tough stance on terror convinced him. Im voting for the candidate wholl keep us safe. Marine gets me shaking, 65-year-old Monique Zaouchkevitch said, adding that she'd stayed out of politics until she heard Le Pen speak. Marine, shes close to the people. In another parallel to the U.S., some voters seemed to suffer from election fatigue and weren't blown away by any of the candidates. Gabriel Roberoir, a 61-year-old former public servant, called the election a circus, adding, I dont even know why any of them are running. Sunday's vote is the first round in the French elections, with the top two candidates advancing to a winner-take-all runoff on May 7. The high-stakes contest is viewed as something of a vote on the future of the European Union, with Le Pen calling for a referendum on France's membership in the bloc. Conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his parliamentary aide, also appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon. Campaigning by the 11 presidential candidates got off to a slow start, bogged down by corruption charges around once-top candidate Fillon before belatedly switching focus to France's biggest fear: a new attack. Le Pen has also echoed some of Trump's hard-line rhetoric on immigration, calling for hardening French borders to stanch what she describes as an out-of-control flow of immigrants. She has spoken of radical Muslims trying to supplant France's Judeo-Christian heritage and, among other measures, has called for foreigners suspected of extremism to be expelled from the country. Le Pen, a 48-year-old mother of three, has distanced herself from her father, National Front party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has been convicted of crimes related to anti-Semitism and mocked the Holocaust as a "detail" of history.

The stink of anti-Semitism on the National Front is still prevalant thanks to a media who never lets the voter forget who Le Pen's father was. But Le Pen has condemned her father's positions and most voters see her as her own candidate, unencumbered by her father's fringe past. But Le Pen committed a gaffe last month when she claimed that France had no part in rounding up Jews for Nazi Germany. In fact, Vichy France was very helpful to the Nazis in sending Jews to the death camps.

The worry for her supporters today is that she is overplaying her hand when it comes to terrorism:

But French political expert Bruno Cautres from the Cevipof think tank says the impact on voters will be minimal. I dont think it will change much at this late stage, Cautres told The Local. The campaign has been running for months now and most voters know the candidates they will vote for. Cautres accepted however it could reinforce those undecided voters who were tempted to vote for either Marine Le Pen or Francois Fillon. The danger for Marine Le Pen is that she could face a backlash if, as she has done in the past, she tries to make political gain so soon after the distressing killing of a French policeman. She cannot give the impression she is trying to profit from this, Cautres said. Candidates would have to show they are the ones who can unite French people and bring them together.

All the polls show Macron winning a runoff with Le Pen with ease. But it's still possible that Le Pen could square off against the Communist Jean-Luc Melenchon, in which case the polls show the contest too close to call. Both are anti-EU candidates, which appeals to a large swath of younger, working class voters. In fact, the anti-EU vote could very well add up to a strong plurality on Sunday.

The bottom line: Don't be surprised if Le Pen shocks the establishment with a bigger win in the first round of voting than expected.
Icebergs are not a rare sight off the east coast of Canada. Indeed, there is an area stretching from the coast of Labrador to the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland that has been nicknamed the Iceberg Alley for the sheer number of icebergs that floats into the vicinity during spring and early summer. But even longtime residents did a double take when an astonishingly big one ran aground near the village of Ferryland, this week.

The big chunk of ice towers 150 feet. Its the largest Iceberg Alley has ever seen.

Photo credit: Greg Lock/Reuters

Hundreds of chunks of ice break off from Baffin Island or Greenland and drift down this stretch of water every spring. This year, over 600 icebergs have already floated into the North Atlantic, compared to a total of 687 over the whole season last year. The year before, the Canadian Ice Service had counted 1,165.

Usually, one needs to take a boat ride or a paddle in a kayak along the coastline to watch them. But this particular chunk of ice floated too close to shore and got stuck, making Ferryland a popular tourist destination this weekend.

Experts say that the high number of icebergs this year is the result of increased global temperature as well as an unusually strong counter-clockwise winds that has drawn the icebergs south.

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Sources: Wired / www.newfoundlandlabrador.com
(ANSA) - Rome, April 21 - Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said Friday her administration had appealed to the regional administrative court (TAR) to quash a decree setting up an archaeological park around the Colosseum. Setting up the park, Raggi's council said, is "harmful to the interests of Roma Capitale". The mayor added: "it is unacceptable that there should be Serie A and Serie B zones in Rome". In February the selection process to appoint a general manager for the newly created Colosseum Archaeological Park was launched with an international call for applicants on the culture ministry's website - www.beniculturali.it.

The successful candidate will sign a four-year contract and have an annual salary of 145,000 euros, plus bonuses of up to 35,000 euros.

"This is the last, most prestigious, piece of the reform of the national museum system," said Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, who was behind plans to attract top international managers to Italy's most important museums.

In addition to the Colosseum itself, the archaeological park also includes the Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum and the Domus Aurea.


YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. No Armenian peacekeeper was injured in the Taliban attack on the Mazar-e Sharif base in Afghanistan.

Armenian peacekeepers continue their service in another base, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, spokesman of the Armenian defense minister, said on Facebook.

More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed or wounded in a Taliban attack on an army base on Friday, the defence ministry has confirmed. Fighting lasted for several hours near the city of Mazar-e Sharif in northern Balkh province. Insurgents targeted those leaving Friday prayers at the base's mosque and others in a canteen, the army said. The Taliban said in a statement they had carried out the attack, using suicide bombers to breach defences. Earlier estimates put the death toll as high as 134, but a statement from the defence ministry on Saturday gave a figure of about 100 killed or injured. At least 10 Taliban militants were killed in the fighting and one attacker was detained, BBC reported.
Despite being caught in conflicted emotions, while leaving her New York house, she stayed to her words and finally landed in Mumbai.

Priyanka Chopra waves through her fans at the airport. (Photo: Viral Bhayani)

Mumbai: Theres good news for Priyanka Chopras fans, their favourite star has returned from the US, and is back in the city.

She was spotted last night in an all-white casual attire at the airport.

A huge mob was present there at the airport to welcome the actress and catch a glimpse of her after almost a year.

Priyanka had made it quite evident through her social media posts, that shell be visiting India.

Despite being caught in conflicted emotions, while leaving her New York house, she stayed true to her words and finally landed Mumbai.

The actress was shooting for her television series Quantico in New York, along with her Hollywood film Baywatch, which has a worldwide release on May 26.

Priyanka, who also runs a production house with her mother, is expected to get more films under her banner.

Reportedly, PeeCee will be meeting her brand commitments and shoots, magazine shoots and much more things, during her month's stay in India.

Last seen in 'Ventilator,' the actress got the entire Hollywood gushing about her acting skills and the way she slew red carpets of prestigious award shows.

She was also seen on most of the popular talk shows in US, where she made our country really proud.

Here are the pictures of the gorgeous diva from the airport:
Ms Singh was expelled from the Congress on Friday for indulging in anti-party activities.

New Delhi: Former chairperson of the DCW and chief of Delhi Congress Mahila Morcha Barkha Shukla Singh on Saturday joined the BJP. Ms Singh is the third big name to change side after former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and Delhi Youth Congress chief Amit Malik joined the saffron party ahead of Sundays civic polls.

Ms Singh was expelled from the Congress on Friday for indulging in anti-party activities. After joining the BJP in the pre-sence of Union minister Vijay Goel and local unit in-charge Shyam Jaju, she lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modis policies.

When I was the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), I use to meet Muslim women who were suffering due to triple talaq. I wrote to Mr Modi three years ago, urging him to take up the triple talaq issue for protection of women. The way he has responded to it has satisfied me. But the Congress leadership asked me to leave this issue, said Ms Singh.

Ms Singh claimed that during the last five years, the Congress leadership has totally lost contact with the people. For long I was feeling suffocated in the party with no forum available to express my views which ultimately resulted in quitting the Congress. Like most people of the country, I have realised that the policies of Mr Modi of composite development for all fulfil the aspiration of the people and so I have decided to unconditionally join the BJP. I will work at the grassroots level in the BJP to ensure that the benefits of the Prime Ministers schemes reach the poorest of poor, Ms Singh added.
The incident caused panic among people and huge traffic jams on nearby roads.

Mumbai: A major fire broke out on one of the floors of the building housing Bank of India (BOI) headquarters at Fort, south Mumbai, Friday evening though no casualties or injuries were reported. Nearly 400 persons inside the building at the time the fire broke out managed to escape unhurt. The incident caused panic among people and huge traffic jams on nearby roads.

According to fire officials, the fire started at about 4.30 pm as smoke was seen emanating from the fourth floor of the Bank of India building. There were 400 people inside the building, including 80 employees on the fourth floor, when the fire broke out. However, all managed to come down unscathed.

A senior fire official said, The fire was brought under control within two hours and then, cooling operations were started. The fire fighting system of the building, which was operational, was used to alert people trapped in the premises. Five fire brigade tenders and three water tankers were rushed to the spot from Nariman Point station to douse the fire.
Over 200 transgenders and 300 social activists from Pune will join the strike, says Krishna Vidhate.

Pune: Members of Pune's transgender community have threatened to go on a hunger strike from May 2 if the government does not waive off the loan given to farmers.

Monali Vadval, a transgender from Pune, said, Some 216 farmers across the state committed suicide in the last 90 days, which means two to three farmers are committing suicide daily. They are reeling under pressure to return loans they had taken from banks or private moneylenders. Farmers have not been able to marry their daughters off and they do not have money to eat meals twice a day. But our government is insensitive towards their problems."

Stating that that the CM and his entire Cabinet should consider themselves transgenders if they fail to waive the loans by April 30, Krishna Vidhate, another transgender, said, We all know the government is insensitive towards transgender problems, but it should understand the problems being faced by farmers. We will send 1,001 letters to the CM requesting him to waive farm loans. We have already sent 450 letters. If our demand is not met, we will sit on a one-day hunger strike on May 2 at the Council Hall. Over 200 transgenders and 300 social activists from Pune will join the strike."

Vadval said, The Maharashtra government has the funds to waive the loans of businessmen. If it can waste taxpayer's money on schemes like Smart Cities, Digital India and so on, why can it not offer farm loan waivers? We hope that government does not prove itself a transgender.
Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, statement said.

Washington: Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by the previous Obama regime, has been asked to step down by the Trump administration to put its own leadership in place.

"Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement continued.

Murthy, 39, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this position said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will

always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

Murthy has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent- Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General. "(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," he wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Thomas said Uzbeki helped facilitate the attack on the exclusive Istanbul nightclub Reina in Istanbul on New Years Eve.

Washington: The United States disclosed on Friday a secret military ground operation that killed an Islamic State operative seen as a close associate of leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and linked to an attack on a Turkish nightclub that left 39 people dead.

Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, who was believed to be from Uzbekistan, was killed during the ground assault near Mayadin, Syria, on April 6, said Colonel John Thomas, a spokesman for the US militarys Central Command.

It was a ground operation. I think thats all were willing to say about that, Thomas said, declining further comment. He specified that Uzbeki did not die in an airstrike.

Thomas said Uzbeki helped facilitate the attack on the exclusive Istanbul nightclub Reina in Istanbul on New Years Eve. Islamic State claimed credit for the attack, saying it was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria.

The attacker opened fire with an automatic rifle, throwing stun grenades to allow himself to reload and shooting the wounded on the ground. Among those killed in the attack were Turks and visitors from several Arab nations, India and Canada.

We have clearly linked him with the New Years Eve Istanbul bombing, Thomas said.
'She's the strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France,' Trump said.

Washington: President Donald Trump waded into France's upcoming elections Friday, saying he believes an attack on police officers this week will help Marine Le Pen, the far-right presidential candidate.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump said that while he is not explicitly endorsing Le Pen, the attack played to her strengths.

"She's the strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview. "Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election."

US presidents typically avoid weighing in on specific candidates running in overseas election. But Trump suggested his opinion was no different from an average observer, saying, "Everybody is making predictions on who is going to win. I'm no different than you."

Sunday's vote is the first round in the French elections, with the top two candidates advancing to a winner-takes-all runoff on May 7. The high-stakes contest is viewed as something of a vote on the future of the European Union, with Le Pen calling for a referendum on France's membership in the bloc.

Le Pen has also echoed some of Trump's hard-line rhetoric on immigration, calling for hardening French borders to stanch what she describes as an out-of-control flow of immigrants.

Former President Barack Obama has also gotten involved in France's election, offering centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron his best wishes in a phone call Thursday, though he, too, stopped short of a full endorsement.

Macron's team released a video recording of the call, a highly unusual move as conversations among different countries' politicians are usually kept private.

A victory for Macron would be a vote of confidence in France staying in the EU. Obama, when he was in office, encouraged Britain not to leave, though it ultimately voted to do so anyway.

Trump backed Britain's decision to exit from the EU and has also predicted that other countries would make similar decisions. Yet during a White House news conference Thursday, the president said he believed in a strong Europe.

"A strong Europe is very, very important to me as president of the United States," he said.
Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balochistan since 2004.

Pakistani security officials inspect weapons after they were handed over by Baloch militants when they surrendered to Pakistani security forces in Quetta. (Photo: AFP)

Quetta: Around 500 Baloch rebel militants on Friday surrendered to Pakistans government as Islamabad pursues its development agenda linked to the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the southwest province.

Some 487 militants from four Baloch rebel organisations, including at least eight senior commanders, laid down their arms at an official ceremony in Quetta city.

The militants pledged their allegiance to the state of Pakistan at the ceremony, which was also attended by the provincial chief minister.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balochistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting.

A greater push towards peace and development by Pakistani authorities, including starting work on roads and infrastructure under the Chinese-assisted CPEC project -- which connects Balochistans deep sea port Gwadar to China -- has reduced the violence considerably.

These militants had killed my own son and brother but I have forgiven them. The state of Pakistan also forgives them and I welcome them to be part of Balochistans CPEC project, said Balochistan chief minister Sanaullah Zehri at the ceremony.

We will arrange employment for you. Nobody will be allowed to destroy peace in the province, he said.

Those who surrendered were members of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), United Baloch Army and Lashkar-e-Balochistan.

We were misled by Brahumdagh Bugti. We have now come to know that he works for India. Why should we fight in our own country for another country, said Sarbaz Baloch, former spokesman of BRA, who has been fighting for 15 years.

Bugti is an exiled Baloch leader based in Europe who has applied for asylum in India.

Baluchistan is the largest of Pakistans four provinces, but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.
In total, there were 10 attackers involved in the attack on the Afghan army corps, official statement said.

Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan): As many 140 Afghan soldiers were killed on Friday by Taliban attackers apparently disguised in military uniforms in what would be the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base, officials said.

One official in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the attack occurred, said on Saturday at least 140 soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the government has yet to release official casualty figures.

A US official in Washington on Friday had put the toll at more than 50 killed and wounded.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials. The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, they said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

The NATO-led military coalition deploys advisers to the base where the attack occurred to train and assist the Afghan forces but coalition officials said no international troops were involved in the attack.

The Western-backed Afghan government is locked in a prolonged war with Taliban insurgents and other militant groups.
by Nguyen Hung

The local Communist Party section told the parish to keep the church open to visitors. Parishioners are opposed to this because Chinese tourists are aggressive towards worshippers, cause degradation and undermine local cultural traditions. For Catholics, protecting the buildings sacredness is a duty.

Nha Trang (AsiaNews)  The diocese of Nha Trang and the town council are at loggerheads over the growing number of Chinese tourists who visit the cathedral and the surrounding area showing as little respect for the site as they are tight with their wallet.

In early April, the local section of the Communist Party wrote to the parish council asking them to keep the area open for foreign tourists. A copy of the letter was also sent to the local police and the Fatherland Front. However, the local clergy and parishioners complain that tourists by their behaviour desecrate the place of worship.

Nha Trang is a seaport and the capital of Khanh Hoa province, on Vietnams central coast. A report by the Provincial Tourism Board indicates that by the end of March the province had received two million visitors; this represents a 15 per cent increase over last year.

The Chinese are the main group. However, the type of visitors tends to be from the low-end of the market, downgrading the areas regional and international standing.

Lam Duy C heads the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association. For him, mass tourism tends to have heavy consequences. It causes environmental degradation and pollution, and has a negative impact on social relations, undermining local cultural traditions and communities.

For its part, the local diocesan committee responded to the demands of the authorities noting that mass tourism tends to affect negatively the dignity of religion.

Nguyen T, a local Catholic leader, explains that the cathedral has a code of conduct that requires visitors to dress properly, speak in a low voice, and not act disrespectfully towards worshipers or during Mass.

however, "They come to the shrine to show off their cameras and take pictures, she lamented. They talk and laugh loudly. Such behaviour negatively affects the church's sacredness and its parishioners."

Maria Nguyen wrote to Bishop Giuse Vo uc Minh, complaining about Chinese tourists, who in some cases even threaten worshippers as they pray.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Ms Mai, a local parishioner, said that "Chinese tourists come into the church, speak in a loud voice, go here and there. Some turn their back to the altar, put their chin on the table, and sit down."

For many parishioners, this is the wrong kind of tourism, and defending the places sacredness from inappropriate behaviours is a duty.

In its response, the local section of the Communist Party said that such rules and restrictions cannot be enforced because they would limit the flow of tourists. Not only do they harm the provinces economy, but they also undermine relations with China.

The standoff between the two side is still unresolved.
by Santosh Digal

The Sisters of Mother Teresa arrived in the capital of Port Blair in 1994. Four of them currently work on the archipelago, helping the sick and dying at their time of need as well as supporting the poor by funding their childrens education.

Port Blair (AsiaNews)  Four Missionaries of Charity (a congregation founded by St Teresa of Kolkata) are involved in charity work on the Andaman Islands, helping families in trouble and visiting them every day, bringing a word of comfort to the sick and dying and assisting them in their time of need, supporting the poor by paying school fees for their children.

One of them, Sister Rose Ann, 50, spoke to AsiaNews about her daily work in favour of local people. In particular, she noted that she and her sisters not only offer material help but also provide spiritual support because what counts is "experiencing Gods love."

The Sisters of Mother Teresa came to the Indian archipelago in 1994, in Port Blair. Today they have created two communities, one in the capital and another in Diglipur.

"We visit families every day, Sister Rose Ann said. We help Catholics in prayers. We make them understand the importance of the Holy Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation. We pay particular attention to families with difficulties and to their neighbours. We help them forgive and receive forgiveness, because this way they can experience Gods love."

In Diglipur, the Sisters run a home for the sick and dying. "This year we welcomed a man who became bedridden. With the Lords grace and loving care, he healed and resumed walking. He returned home a happy man."

At present, the facility accommodates ten men and four women. "We also have two unmarried parents and their six children. We are helping them to build a house. We give them material support and pay for the childrens education."

The Missionaries also have a mobile clinic to "treat the sick in distant villages. People come to us for medicines, and trust very much our care."

The Sisters also visit 13 Christian base communities. "We held a novena of prayer and prepared people for reconciliation."

In three other Catholic communities, the nuns organise centres "in which we encourage the faithful to devote themselves truly to Jesus' heart and to recite the Rosary in the family. We pray with them the rosary of Divine Mercy, listen to their problems and sustain them materially at all time. We teach catechism in the villages."

"Finally, said Sr Rose Ann, we visit hospitals, talk to the patients and pray with them for a quick recovery. We help them accept suffering as a gift from God."
Without naming it, a commentary published today slams China accusing it of " dancing to the tune of someone else. As China scales back coal imports from North Korea, fears grow. Pyongyang responds to US threats by warning that it is not afraid of war.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  As North Korea conducts more missile tests, the war of words escalates, not only with the United States but also with China.

Pyongyang issued a warning against Beijing of catastrophic consequences for bilateral relations in a commentary published by its official news agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The latter didn't directly mention China directly, but referred to "a country around the DPRK" (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), noting that China did not say a single word about the U.S. act of pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of a war.

Conversely, that country is talking rubbish that the DPRK has to reconsider the importance of relations with it and that it can help preserve security of the DPRK and offer necessary support and aid for its economic prosperity, claiming the latter will not be able to survive the strict 'economic sanctions' by someone."

The commentary goes onto to say, "If the country keeps applying economic sanctions on the DPRK while dancing to the tune of someone after misjudging the will of the DPRK, it may be applauded by the enemies of the DPRK, but it should get itself ready to face the catastrophic consequences in the relations with the DPRK".

For North Korea watchers, the commentary appears to be Pyongyang's response to Chinese experts and media who recently called for more sanctions against the North, including the suspension of oil exports, in case of its sixth nuclear test.

In February, China cut its coal imports from North Korea by 50 per cent in accordance with United Nations sanctions. Coal represents a third of North Koreas exports.

The North's foreign ministry said in a statement today that it was closely monitoring moves by the United States and that it was fully prepared to counter any "provocations". It vowed that North Korea "neither fears a war nor wants to avoid it".

In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Vice President Mike Pence have threatened to use every option, including military force, to stop North Koreas nuclear programme.
Disguised as soldiers, a Taliban commando penetrated an Afghan base in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. They attacked soldiers leaving the local mosque after Friday prayers. The base serves as headquarters for the Afghan National Armys 209th Corps. It also houses 70 NATO advisers and German soldiers.

Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  As many 140 Afghan people, mostly soldiers, were killed on Friday by a Taliban attack against an Afghan military base in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan.

The Afghan government has not yet issued an official statement on the number of victims, which could be higher, in what is the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base.

The attack was launched near a mosque on the base as soldiers were leaving Friday prayers. The number of attackers is still unclear, but ten terrorists have been reported killed.

Six attackers in two military vehicles told guards at the gates that they were carrying wounded soldiers and urgently needed to enter, army spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi said.

Once inside they headed for the mosque to attack soldiers leaving after prayer with rocket-propelled grenades and guns.

In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attackers set off an explosion, allowing suicide bombers with small arms to breach the bases defences. After this, Our fighters have inflicted heavy casualties on the Afghan army stationed there, he said.

The Mazar-i-Sharif base is in Balkh province, and serves as the headquarters for the Afghan National Armys 209th Corps, responsible for much of northern Afghanistan, including Kunduz province, a Taliban stronghold.

A number of German and other foreign soldiers are based in Mazar-i-Sharif, including about 70 who advise the corps headquarters as part of a NATO-led multinational mission to advise and train the Afghan security forces.

To our knowledge, no Germans were affected. Nor were any other soldiers in the multinational force harmed, said a spokesman for the German Operations Command.

The NATO command in Kabul called the attack murderous and reprehensible. US military spokesman John Thomas described the attack as a "significant" strike.
At first, the tattoo was a sign of oppression that was eventually claimed as a proof of faith. From the crusades to the present day, for pilgrims the tattoo is a permanent testament to their journey.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Getting a tattoo during the pilgrimage to the Holy Land goes back centuries, and is a physical testament to pilgrims faith.

Wassim Razzouk runs a small tattoo shop in Jerusalems Old City. On holidays, he moves to more spacious halls in local monasteries to cope with the influx of pilgrims. This Easter he moved into the basement of the St Mark Syriac Monastery. When he spoke to Middle East Eye, he had 30 customers.

Kareem Solomon, a 26-year-old Assyrian Christian who migrated to the UK from Iraq as a child, told the online news portal, "I'm Christian and I want others to know it."

Wassim Razzouk is part of a family with 700-year-old tattooing practice, passed down on the fathers side. It originally developed in Coptic Egypt and was brought to historic Palestine when the family immigrated some 450 years ago.

British and Australian soldiers stationed in British Palestine between 1920 and 1948 became the main clientele of Wassims grandfather, Yacoub Razzouk, in West Jerusalem.

As a result of the first Arab-Israeli war, Yacoub and his family were forced to abandon shop and home and flee to Jordan. Later, they settled in East Jerusalem, where they became the last Palestinian family to provide tattoos to pilgrims.

Last year, Wassim opened an official tattoo in the Old City. For him, his tattooing has reaffirmed his pride in not only his Christian identity, but also in his Palestinian roots.

Especially being from a minority [religious] community in Palestine, I feel honoured to be a custodian of a practice so deeply connected with our history in this region.

Originally, getting tattooed in the Holy Land was not a choice for Christians, but an oppressive imposition. In Roman times, they were sometimes arrested, marked and forced to work in gold, silver and lead mines.

Following the Muslim conquest of the region in 640 AD, Christians were tattooed with a cross on their inner right wrist so that authorities could more easily identify their religion and collect taxes levied on Christian communities.

Over time, Christians claimed this mark as a sign of their faith. Some churches, especially Coptic ones, began to offer tattoos as a service to the community.

Eventually, the tattooed cross had to be shown to enter the church as a safety precaution. For persecuted Christians, the tattooed cross became a symbol of closeness to the suffering of Jesus Christ.
Photo courtesy of VW.

A federal judge has ordered Volkswagen to pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty on April 21 under a deal negotiated with the U.S. government to resolve its diesel emission scandal.

In January, Volkswagen agreed to pay $1.5 billion in civil penalties. The company has also spend $11 billion to buy back cars and offer other compensation, reports the Los Angeles Times.

U.S. District Judge Sean Cox approved the settlement six weeks after the company pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges relating to nearly 600,000 diesel vehicles that included a cheat device that turned on pollution controls only during testing.
While electric aircraft have gained press notice, theyve lagged in market penetration, partly because buyers dont fully understand the potential for electric aircraft. I think it all comes down to peoples expectations. The most straightforward form of an electric airplane is one powered by batteries and batteries will always be a factor on the airplane, which is hindering endurance and performance, says TineTomazic,a developmental engineer for the Slovenian Pipistrel Aircraft. Pipistrel is a leading developer of light, efficient aircraft and has two electric models in its line.Tomazicpresented at the Sustainable Aviation Symposium this week in Redwood City, California, and we spoke with him for this recorded podcast.

Tomazic told AVweb that Pipistrel is looking at the type of missions electric aircraft can perform and for now, training and self-launching gliding are the two most obvious options. But he says electric flight is enabled in most parts of the world and regulatory barriers are slowly eroding. For the most part, anywhere you go, electric flight is enabled. One can register an airplane and use it for private purposes, as long as its non-commercial, he says, adding that the common belief that electric aircraft are illegal is not true. The FAA is a bit behind, but they have begun send out signals that they are more than willing to change that,Tomazicsaid, with regard to approvals for using electric aircraft in U.S. for training.

One of Pipistrels higher-profile projects is the four-seat Panthera, first unveiled at Aero Friedrichshafen in 2012. At the time, Pipistrel was projecting a certified aircraft in about three years. But an engine switch from the Lycoming IO-390 to the 540-series engine has delayed that and so has the final march to CS23, the global version of the FAR 23 revision.Tomazicsaid once the final rules are aligned worldwide, the Panthera should appear certified in U.S. in about two and a half years.
Wright Electric, a San Los Obispo-based startup, aims to make every short commercial flight electric within 20 years by building what co-founder Jeff Engler calls their electric 737. Wrights vision is a 150-seat, short-haul aircraft capable of serving routes under 300 miles. Engler told attendees at the Sustainable Aviation Symposium that Wright was inspired to reject energy density arguments by looking at data on the length of commercial flights around the world. While the energy density necessary to sustain commercial aircraft for long-haul flights is far beyond the reach of current battery technology, Engler told AVweb that roughly 30% of routes served by narrow-body jets are under 300 miles. Wright estimates that flying 300-mile routes will require a doubling of the power density available in todays batteries (400 Wh/kg needed vs. 190 Wh/kg available now), which they believe will be commercially available in the coming decades. Wrights airliner would carry about 60,000 pounds of batteries for a 300-mile flight.

While Boeing is much better equipped to embark on the task of building an electric airliner, Engler doesnt believe they will. The history of disruptive innovation is such that market leaders tend to have difficulty introducing technology that would cannibalize their existing portfolio, Engler says, citing Kodaks inability to lead the way in digital cameras as the canonical example. I would love to see Boeing throw some money at this, Engler told AVweb, but hes not holding his breath.
Humans love to look for stuff and, in fact, cant seem to stop once started. The quest for the next bright shiny object is probably coded into our DNA, a vestige from some primeval organism that slithered out of the muck not yet sentient enough to feel the burning need to fly airplanes, but just looking for something to eat.

And so this week comes a flurry of news reports on the latest aviation mystery of the ages: What happened to and where is Malaysian Flight MH370. Brace yourself, but it has been three years since that airplane, a Boeing 777, vanished on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.

After burning $160 million looking for it, Malaysia, Australia and China officially ended the search in January, still no more certain of where the airplane might be than when they started 34 months earlier. Now comes new information from drift modeling that claims to put the aircraft within a 9700-square mile area between 40 and 30.5 degrees south latitude, a little north of where the last search was centered. Thats in the southern Indian Ocean, west of Australia. While thats a more confined search area than has been swept in the past, its still the size of Vermont. Thats a lot of lawn mowing with a towed side-scan sonar.

Researchers arrived at this conclusion through drift studies using an actual 777 flaperon like the one recovered on La Reunion in 2015 and a half dozen replicated flaperons. Crunching the data, theyre more confident of a higher probability search datum. The relevant governments havent agreed to resume the search based on this data.

But should they? Well, theres should and theres will. My guess is that the latter will prevail because see above. Humans just naturally cant stop looking for stuff. Rationallynot that aviation is ever thatthe argument against resuming the search is pure cost-benefit. We search for and analyze air crashes for one reason: so we can discover the cause and prevent a recurrence. When investigators picked up the pieces of a Lockheed Electra that rained down on Tell City, Indiana, in 1960, they learned about whirl mode flutter in over elastic engine mounts. When they fished a crashed Comet out of the Mediterranean in 1954, they eventually learned that windows in pressurized aircraft needed to be rounded to prevent fatigue-caused stress failures. And the lessons list is a lot longer than that.

If you plotted a curve describing things learned from crashes it would have been a steep slope in the 1950s and 1960s, but its now almost flat simply because there are so few crashes to provide new data points. Jet transport aircraft are among the safest machines on the planet and the system in which they fly has evolved to equal that reliability, although we have yet to entirely stamp out human error. On the other hand, ranked against other jet transports, the 777 has a good to middling fatal accident rate at 0.24/1M departures. Of six hull losses, two were due to defects in the airplane, one a fuel distribution design issue, the other a fire caused by wiring and/or crew oxygen hose faults. (Neither of those involved fatalities.)

Just as theres no way to know if fixing those faults prevented recurrence of accidents, theres also no way to know if MH370 was lost due to a heretofore unseen defect. But is it worth expending another $150 million to find out? Wrong question. Someone will carry on the search, if not immediately, then eventually, curiosity being the irresistible force pushing against the moveable objectmoney.

In 1985, when Robert Ballard went after the Titanic, there was no scientific reason to do so. The ship hit an iceberg and sunk. The details may have been murky, but the cause wasnt. Unbeknownst at the time was that the U.S. Navy funded Ballard so he could develop technology to locate lost submarines. Before that, a private entity or two had conducted its own search. I suspect the same will be true with MH370 if the relevant governments abandon the search. Like the Titanic, the search would make great TV and no one can resist that.

Hey, That Guys A Pilot

Im sure youve seen Verizons overplayed and massively irritating mic-drop commercials. A month ago, they ran four times an hour on cable. The mic dropper is actor Thomas Middleditch, who has a starring role in HBOs Silicon Valley series. I havent seen it, but Ill add it to my playlist.

Middleditch is a new pilot and owns a DA40, I just learned in this New York Times interview. So at least one Millennial is interested flying and acted upon a lifelong ambition. Yay!

True to character, when asked if he texts and flies at the same time, Middleditchs answer? You can. Honestly, when everything is on autopilot, theres nothing else to do. Well, that oughta get a few safety nerds spun up. Id say maybe look outside once in a while, its fun to watch the world go by and might avoid making a hood ornament out of a J-3. Not that Im personally worried, of course.
At the Sustainable Aviation Symposium, AVweb spoke with Pipistrels modest Director of Research and Development, Tine Tomazic. Dr. Tomazic received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ljubljana and has been with Pipistrel for 16 years as an intern, test pilot and engineer. We spoke with Tine about what electric aircraft can (and cant) do, Pipistrels fast four-seater, the Pathera, and the most scared hes ever been in an airplane. Listen to our interview below.

Duration: 10:23 File Size: 10 MB download here /wp-content/uploads/podcast/Tomazic_Interview2.mp3
22 April 2017 10:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijan is ready to open a trading house in the UAE and appoint a trade representative there, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said.

He made the remarks at the 6th meeting of the Azerbaijan-UAE intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and technical cooperation in Dubai, reads a message of Azerbaijans Economy Ministry.

Speaking about trade relations between the two countries, Mustafayev noted that Azerbaijan can supply a number of agricultural products to the UAE  hazelnuts, tomatoes, persimmons, apples, sour and sweet cherries, cucumbers, tobacco, chocolate, grapes and others  as well as industrial products  aluminum plates, pipes and other goods.

He said Azerbaijan and the UAE successfully cooperate in agriculture, ICT, trade, investment, education and other areas.

Mustafayev noted that there is great potential to develop cooperation effectively using the existing opportunities.

In turn, UAE Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori supported the idea of exporting Azerbaijani products to his country and noted that he would also support the opening of Azerbaijans trading house in the UAE and the appointment of a trade representative.

The minister added that the UAE attaches special importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan.

After the meeting, the two sides signed a protocol that provides for expansion of cooperation in communications and high technologies, alternative energy, industry, culture, tourism, transportation, trade, investments, agriculture, environment and other areas.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
22 April 2017 10:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The United Arab Emirates has invested $778.1 million in the Azerbaijani economy so far, Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said at the 6th meeting of the Azerbaijan-UAE intergovernmental commission in Dubai.

The minister added that Azerbaijan has invested $284.4 million to the UAE, the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry said Apr. 21.

Mustafayev said 255 UAE companies operate in Azerbaijan.

He recalled that the Baku-Dubai and Baku-Sharjah flights are currently being operated, while there is also a plan to launch the Baku-Abu Dhabi flight.

The minister stressed that after simplifying the visa regime and introducing the ASAN Visa system, the number of tourists from the UAE visiting Azerbaijan in the past two years increased by 30 times.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of establishing new enterprises in Azerbaijan with participation of UAE investors, as well as making investments in industrial parks and zones of Azerbaijan.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was also discussed during the meeting. The UAE side once again stressed the unchanged position on the issue and support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

After the meeting, the two sides signed a protocol that provides for expansion of cooperation in communications and high technologies, alternative energy, industry, culture, tourism, transportation, trade, investments, agriculture, environment and other areas.

According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to almost $70 million in 2016, $11.6 million of which accounted for exports from Azerbaijan.

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE declined by 3 percent over the year. Nevertheless, exports from Azerbaijan to the UAE increased by over twofold in the same period.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
22 April 2017 11:18 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

A visa-free regime between Azerbaijan and the EU is possible, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Herbert Salber, who visited Azerbaijan, told Trend Apr. 21.

Before a visa-free regime is gained between the EU and Azerbaijan, a number of procedures and technical issues should be discussed, he said.

It is hard to say now when it will happen, but we are now at the very early stage of this consideration, he added.

Earlier, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Hikmat Hajiyev said that abolition of visas for Azerbaijani citizens is one of the topics of discussions between Baku and Brussels.

New agreement between the two sides will be comprehensive, Salber further said of the new Azerbaijan-EU agreement. It will include not only political issues, but also trade, energy, some other specific issues.

We are glad that the negotiations have been launched and we hope they could be concluded within this year, he said, adding this will build a solid basis for future cooperation between two sides.

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 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.

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22 April 2017 13:33 (UTC+04:00)

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has said his country attaches great importance to its relations with Azerbaijan in all areas. Kvirikashvili met with Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade. The Georgian prime minister hailed the role of religious leaders in the development of friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries.

Kvirikashvili said Muslims enjoy all freedoms and rights in Georgia. He also commended the establishment of the representative office of the Georgian patriarchy in Azerbaijan.

Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade said Azerbaijan is interested in developing and deepening relations with Georgia.

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22 April 2017 15:49 (UTC+04:00)

In accordance with the agreement on military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, live-fire joint tactical exercises of the Armed Forces of the two countries will be held for the period from 1st to 5th May, Azerbaijan`s Defence Ministry said.

A solemn ceremony of meeting the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Turkey took place at one of the air bases.

Officer of the military formation Colonel Munasib Babayev and Military Attache of Turkey to Azerbaijan, Brigadier General Zafer Ocak have met the Turkish military servicemen. After the military band performed the national anthems of the two countries, the Turkish soldiers went to the military unit, where they will be accommodated during the exercises.

At first, the participants laid flowers at Heydar Aliyev`s bust on the territory of the military unit, honored the memory of the national leader and martyrs who gave their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of the country with observing a minute of silence.

Emphasizing the importance of joint exercises, head of the Turkish delegation Colonel Hakan Acikgoz noted that the combat experience gained in the exercises will have been reflected on the further operational plans of both countries.

The main aim of the exercises is to improve coordination through the exchange of experience between the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as to achieve the interoperability of the military units of the two countries through joint headquarters planning, improving the readiness and capabilities of the units to conduct operations.

Joint exercises will involve armored vehicles, artillery systems and mortars, military and transport helicopters of the Air Force, as well as air defense units and anti-aircraft missile units equipped with modern defensive systems to protect groupings from the air.

During the preparatory period, a number of cultural events for the Turkish military personnel are planned to be held.

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22 April 2017 13:09 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The upcoming OPEC meeting may prove ineffective, says Valentin Zemlyansky, director for energy programs at the Center of World Economy and International Relations of the Ukraine National Academy of Sciences.

The measures taken earlier led to reduction in oil reserves by only 20 million barrels, while supply exceeds demand by more than 250 million barrels, he told Trend Apr. 21.

The expert said the US shale companies have already taken advantage of the OPECs decision, occupying the vacant niche in the global market.

Given this, an OPEC decision to extend the oil cut agreement could lead to further strengthening of the US oil producers positions, the expert said.

During a meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Nov. 30, 2016, OPEC members decided to cut oil production to 32.5 million barrels per day. Later, non-OPEC countries agreed to reduce the output by another 558,000 barrels per day during the meeting held Dec. 10, 2016.

Eleven non-OPEC countries  Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan  agreed to reduce the oil output.

OPEC and non-OPEC countries pledged to start implementing the deal from Jan. 1, 2017 for six months, extendable for another six months.

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22 April 2017 10:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The United States has so far failed to act in accordance with both the letter and spirit of the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, says Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, IRNA reported.

We will see if US prepared to live up to letter of JCPOA let alone spirit, Zarif wrote in a tweet on Friday.

Should I use my highlighter again? the Iranian Foreign Minister said, trying to refer to the US failure to fulfill its JCPOA commitments.

US President Donald Trump in a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday alleged that the Islamic Republic of Iran has failed to live up to the spirit of the 2015 nuclear agreement known also as the joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

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22 April 2017 10:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone conversation that Moscow regrets that Washington opposes a proposal to send inspectors to Syria to probe the alleged chemical attack in Idlib, Sputnik reported.

On Thursday, the OPCW rejected voted against the Russian and Iranian proposal on investigation of a suspected chemical weapons incident in Syrias Idlib.

"Lavrov expressed regret over the fact that at the OPCW the US opposed Russia's initiative to send inspectors to Syria to verify allegations of sarin use in Khan Shaykhunon April 4 and of the presence of poisonous substances on the Syrian Sha'irat airbase."

Lavrov and Tillerson agreed to study a possibility of launching an unbiased investigation into the Idlib incident under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) auspices, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The sides also discussed bilateral ties, including the controversy over the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the United States, the statement said.

On April 4, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces claimed that 80 people were killed and 200 injured in a suspected chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, putting the blame on the Syrian government. Damascus vehemently rejected the accusations and said militants and their allies were responsible.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Syrian Air Force hit a warehouse where militants stored chemical weapons, which were sent to Iraq. The Russian Foreign Ministry reminded that the Syrian government doesn't possess chemical weapons since mid-2014. Chemical weapons have been taken out of the country with US' help.

In response to the Khan Sheikhoun incident the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Shairat, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Homs. Russia described the attack as an aggression against a sovereign state.

In January 2016, the OPCW announced that all chemical weapons in Syria had been destroyed.

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Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 47F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 47F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
An 18-year-old male driver is alive after a vehicle crash thanks to some Good Samaritans.

The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m. on South Gulfview Boulevard in Clearwater.

Clearwater Police said a Nissan Rogue was headed north on Sand Key Bridge when the driver attempted to make a left turn onto South Gulfview Blvd.

Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to flip several times before crashing into the front a restaurantCesares at the Beach.

Car being towed from Cesare's Italian Cuisine on Clearwater Beach @BN9 pic.twitter.com/7nnF6cDyJQ  Katie Jones (@KJones821) April 22, 2017

Police said the vehicle caught fire and bystanders were able to pull the 18-year-old from the vehicle.

He was transported to a hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

One of the bystanders, Charles Frasch, was working at the nearby Floridian Beach Cafe when the crash occurred.

"We heard a loud screech and big bang and we ran outside, saw the car was flipped upside down," Frasch said. "Somebody has to do something, you can't just wait for people to show up. It's act now or not act at all."

Cesare's at the Beach owner Carlo Venditto said he was shocked to see the mangled SUV at his business.

"Disbelief, complete disbelief, I can not believe something like this happened," Venditto said

There was some outside damage but Venditto said he's grateful the crash didn't happen during peak hours and no one else was hurt.

"I'm sure somebody would've been hurt seriously because the area is used quite a bit and after 5 the patio fills up quite a way and it would've been dangerous , it would've been hurtful ," Venditto said.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
The St. Petersburg Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting from overnight.

Argument between two men leads to fatal shooting

Jay Powell, 29, shot and killed

Tyrone Walker, 35, accused of shooting

Police said the shooting occurred around 3:30 a.m. at a home on 14th Avenue and 12th Street South.

Officials said one man is dead and one suspect is in custody.

The victim has been identified as Jay Devonne Powell, 29, and the suspect identified as Tyrone Walker, 35.

Police said Walker was visiting a relative at the home when an armed man arrived. The two men got into a fight and Walker shot the other man.

According to officials, Walker called police and waited at the scene until investigators arrived.

The victim's name is not being released until officials notify his next of kin.

Police originally reported that Walker was being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, but have since said his charges are pending, including the firearm charge.

Walker has been released and will not be arrested at this time.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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The Houston man accused of leaving a decomposing body in his car at the Captain D's Restaurant in Porter earlier this year had been driving around with the body for days, court records indicate.

Brayan Rodriguez-Valtierra, 18, probably will have his first-degree murder charge presented to a Montgomery County grand jury soon, as the mandatory 90-day deadline for obtaining an indictment for felony charges is coming up May 10. Rodriguez-Valtierra is accused of killing Pete Figueroa, Jr., 67, who was found dead in a car registered to the suspect Feb. 7 at the East Montgomery County restaurant.

The two had lived together for about eight months in an apartment in the 13800 block of Ella Boulevard, investigators said, although neighbors told detectives they had not seen Figueroa since Feb. 3.

An autopsy showed Figueroa died of a shotgun blow to the face and was likely strangled. Forensic detectives preliminarily ruled he died on either Feb. 4 or 5, or about two or three days before he was discovered Feb. 7.

Captain D's Discovery

A witness told detectives he saw Rodriguez-Valtierra driving north on the U.S. 59 feeder in a white Nissan car that was on its rims, creating sparks across the road, early in the morning of Feb. 7. Rodriguez-Valtierra pulled over into the back of the Captain D's Restaurant in the 23800 block of U.S. 59, which is where the witness drove up to offer him a ride after seeing his car troubles.

Rodriguez-Valtierra accepted the witness' help and, after pulling some items from his Nissan, told the witness to drive him to a gas station at the intersection of FM 1314 and Texas 242. The witness told detectives that Rodriguez-Valtierra was acting odd during the trip, sometimes mumbling curse words under his breath.

Trying to console the man, the witness told him it was going to be OK and that the only problem was with the car. But the witness told detectives that's when Rodriguez-Valtierra admitted there was a body in the Nissan.

The witness told detectives that Rodriguez-Valtierra wiped off his fingerprints from the door handle as he exited the witness's vehicle minutes later.

After the witness called 911, detectives rolled up to the Captain D's Restaurant and found Rodriguez-Valtierra's car parked behind the restaurant. Looking through the car, they found Figueroa covered with clothing, a board and a roll of black upholstery fabric.

The car's windows were rolled down, detectives said, and they found what looked like a painter's mask stuffed between the driver's seat and center console. Days later as forensic detectives were searching the car, they found 21 fired shotgun pellets consistent with the pellets recovered from Figueroa's autopsy, court documents show.

They found pooled blood and a rope-like material that was fashioned into a noose, detectives said. The investigators also found a traffic citation issued by the Harris County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 21.

'Smelled like a dead rat'

Detectives began working backward, first starting their investigation at Rodriguez-Valtierra and Figueroa's apartment in Houston the day his body was found. They met with neighbors, who said they thought Rodriguez-Valtierra could have been Figueroa's cousin and confirmed the suspect drove a white Nissan car.

The detectives entered the apartment and found no one home. They did find, however, a six-pack of beer that had been left on the counter.

The detectives found this odd, thinking any person would immediately put the beer in the refrigerator, they said. Investigators thought something abrupt must have occurred in the apartment, although they found no signs of a struggle.

The next day, the detectives talked with Figueroa's daughter and nephew about Rodriguez-Valtierra and his relationship with Figueroa. They told detectives Figueroa oftentimes had problems with getting Rodriguez-Valtierra's portion of rent from him and said Rodriguez-Valtierra almost always had Figueroa's phone on him.

Figueroa's wallet and credit cards also were missing, detectives discovered. Despite this, Figueroa's cards were used to withdraw a total of $760 on Feb. 3 and 6.

Detectives looked at ATM surveillance footage from the transactions on Feb. 3 and 6 and found a person matched Rodriguez-Valtierra's description making the withdrawals. None of the photos matched Figueroa's description, court documents show.

Investigators also discovered Rodriguez-Valtierra had purchased a pay-as-you-go phone from a retail store in the 11100 block of Airline Drive in Houston Feb. 6. Detectives spoke with the salesperson at the store, who recalled Rodriguez-Valtierra smelling like a "dead rat" as he talked to her in the store.

The clerk told detectives Rodriguez-Valtierra asked if the pay-as-you-go phone would track him before the purchase.

Rodriguez-Valtierra was arrested in Liberty County Feb. 11 on the first-degree murder charge. He will be back in Judge Patty Maginnis's 435th state District Court for a hearing sometime in May. He is in the county jail with no bond.
As the president and CEO of McAlester (Okla.) Regional Health Center, I usually dont like seeing taxes go up. But I hope our state legislature passes the $1.50 increase in cigarette taxes.

Heres why: McAlester Regional Health Center is a key economic engine for our community. The current budget crisis threatens its viability.

Hospitals are required to serve anyone who visits an emergency room, including those who cant pay. This cost, combined with potential cuts to provider reimbursement rates from the state, makes it difficult for hospitals to stay afloat.

Hospitals employ my customers, neighbors and friends. Losing a hospital would be a terrible blow to our community.

Weve seen this impact throughout rural towns in Oklahoma. Besides the economic costs, it is life threatening. When there is no hospital you to have to drive long distances to receive emergency care, deliver a baby or get routine treatment.

Raising the cigarette tax would generate more than $184 million a year for our hospitals, mental health and the Department of Human Services. There is a common-sense solution, and 74 percent of Oklahomans support it.

Increasing the cigarette tax is also the most effective way to reduce smoking. Non-smoking employees miss work less and cost less to insure. Smoking-related diseases impact my hospitals bottom line, which is another reason I support policies that reduce smoking.

The states balance sheet is unacceptable. We must cut costs where we can, but we also need to bring in more money. The cigarette tax achieves both. It raises revenue for health care while reducing Oklahomas annual smoking-related health care costs of $1.62 billion.

Join me in encouraging our states leaders to raise the cigarette tax by $1.50 this year to fund health care and sustain local communities.

McAlester Regional Health Center is a 171-bed acute care public trust teaching hospital with a primary service area comprised of eight counties inSoutheast Oklahoma. The Hospital offers an array of clinics and outpatient programs, and serves as Southeast Oklahomas Level 3 Trauma and Level 2 Primary Stroke Center.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health Interim President and CEO Kevin Fusco is retiring, once again leaving the troubled health system without a leader, according to a Sun-Sentinel report.

Here are eight things to know:

1. Mr. Fusco plans to depart on May 26.

2. He was named to the role for the second time in December 2016, following former Interim CEO Pauline Grant's dismissal.

3. The board removed Ms. Grant after an independent counsel review showed potential violations of the anti-kickback statute.

4. Mr. Fusco had initially been named interim president and CEO of the public health system in January 2016, shortly after then-CEO Nabil El Sanadi, MD, was found dead in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

5. However, Mr. Fusco was demoted in March 2016, on the heels of complaints of administrative chaos that could threaten patient care and a lack of long-term physician contracts. He returned to his role as COO of the system.

6. In October 2016, Broward Health interviewed three finalists for the permanent CEO role. But it suspended its search indefinitely later in the same month after a report, prepared by the law firm Baker Donelson, revealed numerous issues at Broward Health.

7. The health system has also been embroiled in legal complications with the government as well as the Florida Attorney General's Office.

8. Earlier this year, the health system hired Kaufman Hall & Associates, a provider of strategic, capital, financial and transaction advisory services and software tools. The firm will assess Broward's finances and provide strategic guidance.

Mr. Fusco will help the board identify a replacement, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Nurses and technicians at Drexel Hill, Pa.-based Delaware County Memorial Hospital ratified a contract agreement with the hospital's owner, Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings, according to a Delaware County Daily Times report.

The workers, represented by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Health Professionals, reached a tentative agreement earlier this month. On Thursday, the workers voted 221-10 in favor of ratification, according to the report.

The three-year contract addresses staffing, wages and health insurance, among other issues. It includes annual minimum raises of 2 percent for nurses, while technicians are slated to receive an average raise of 7 percent in the first year of the contract and then 2 percent in each of the subsequent contract years, according to the report. The agreement also maintains health insurance plans and calls for a monthly meeting between hospital officials and nurses "to evaluate staffing conditions and ways to resolve recruitment and retention issues at the facility," the report states.

The contract is set to last through April 20, 2020.
North Shore Medical Center in Salem, Mass., part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare, is planning to close down its inpatient pediatric unit, according to a Salem News report. Hospital officials gave reasons for the closure at a Massachusetts Department of Public Health hearing on April 20.

One of the main reasons for the closing of the 24-bed inpatient pediatric unit is that very few patients stay overnight at the hospital anymore. David Roberts, MD, president of the medical center, told those in attendance that on average, two patients stay in the unit per day. Overall, the "inpatient pediatric census has dropped nearly 40 percent from 2014 to 2016," Salem News reports. Dr. Roberts also noted that the hospital will continue to provide pediatric care on an outpatient basis, as well as through the hospital's emergency department and network of pediatricians and family physicians.

However, nurses, pediatricians and local officials were unhappy with the medical center's plans. They expressed their concern regarding patient safety and access to care. With the closure of the unit, the community would be forced to travel further for inpatient pediatric services, increasing costs and stress for families.

Additionally, Jeanne Paolilli, RN, who has provided care in the pediatric inpatient unit for 36 years, said that the data Dr. Roberts presented is not an accurate reflection of inpatient pediatric numbers. This is because some children stay in the unit with an "inpatient status," while others stay under "observation status."

The move to close to unit comes on the heels of the medical center's plans to close its Union Hospital campus in Lynn, Mass., in October 2019.
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Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann has revealed the party will not stand candidates in three constituencies in the June 8 General Election.

Mr Swann said the party will not run in North Belfast, West Belfast or Foyle.

Meanwhile, the party confirmed former leader Tom Elliott will run for the Fermanagh & South Tyrone seat, and Danny Kinahan will once again run in South Antrim.

Following a meeting at the Park Avenue Hotel in Belfast on Saturday, Ulster Unionist Party leader, Robin Swann MLA, said:

"The General Election has been called and we have moved quickly to put Ulster Unionist Party candidates in the strongest possible position in advance of the General Election on June 8.

"Today, we have ratified Tom Elliott as our Westminster candidate in Fermanagh & South Tyrone and Danny Kinahan as our candidate in South Antrim. Both Tom and Danny have shown what a difference two Ulster Unionist MPs can make in Westminster. I want to see Tom and Danny returned to Westminster alongside other colleagues.

"For the purposes of this General Election, and only this election, we have also taken the unilateral decision to withdraw from the constituencies of North Belfast, West Belfast and Foyle."

Meanwhile, former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt could make a pitch for a Westminster seat, according to senior party sources.

In a surprise move, the UUP is considering running Mr Nesbitt in South Belfast and moving Danny Kennedy to Upper Bann.

Party insiders said they believed that their former leader would be a "very credible candidate" in South Belfast who would strongly appeal to both unionist and non-unionist voters.

Mr Nesbitt lives just outside the constituency, which is regarded as the most liberal in Northern Ireland.
The scene of the crash on the Lisburn Road

Witnesses described hearing an almighty bang as the Honda Civic crashed through the window of Russells in south Belfast

An elderly motorist and his passenger were treated for shock after their car slammed into a south Belfast shop and off-licence at the height of rush hour yesterday.

Eyewitnesses said that they had heard an "almighty bang" as the silver Honda Civic left the road and crashed through the window and into the aisles of Russell's on the busy Lisburn Road.

Ambulance crews and PSNI vehicles arrived at the scene just after 5pm, with a rapid response paramedic unit and one A&E crew sent to the incident.

Two people were treated at the roadside after the accident, but neither party required hospital treatment, a spokesman for the Ambulance Service told the Belfast Telegraph.

Police cordoned off the area outside the off-licence because the street had been showered with shards of glass and other debris from the impact.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage are believed to have been caused to both to the shop and the car, which was later towed away on a trailer lorry for examination.

Sources at the scene said that the car was a hired automatic, and that the elderly driver may have been unfamiliar driving such a vehicle.

Rush-hour traffic was initially affected by the incident, but returned to a normal flow after around 60 minutes.

As the damage assessment began and Russell's staff began a clean-up operation in the wreckage of the devastated shop, a spokesman said the company did not wish to make any comment on the smash.

He did, however, confirm that none of the store's employees had been injured.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is to be carried out in due course.
A Co Down father-of-three has been killed in a building site tragedy in Scotland.

Kilcoo lorry driver Conor Morgan was working at the site in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, when the accident happened on Wednesday morning.

Police and emergency services were called but Mr Morgan (45) died at the scene.

Family friend and chairman of Kilcoo GAA club Terry O'Hanlon described Mr Morgan - husband to Shirleen and dad to teenagers Gerard, Anthony and Jason - as a model family man.

He said: "Conor was a model father. His three sons were very close to him and he was fantastic when it came to the club, he left us to it and encouraged the boys to do their best.

"Conor played for the club up until his early 20s then his lorry driving started taking him away off to the continent and over to England and Scotland.

"The three boys are replicas of him. Jason plays for the under-14s, Anthony for the minors and under-16s and Gerard has just made it onto the senior panel.

"They were all very close to their dad and he really was a model family man, with his wife Shirleen doing great work for the club, too. It's an absolute tragedy for them and we're all just devastated.

"Conor was in the middle of building a new house for the family, so it's just a terrible thing to happen but we're all thinking of them and will do whatever we can."

A Facebook message posted by St Malachy's Parish Kilcoo said: "The entire community of Kilcoo is devastated to learn of the untimely and tragic death of Conor Morgan, we would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to his wife Shirleen, his sons Gerard, Anthony and Jason, his mother Brigid, brothers Patrick and Niall, sisters Mary Teresa, Pauline and Rita at this heartbreaking time."

Police Scotland said Mr Morgan's death was not being treated as suspicious, adding a post-mortem will be conducted to establish the exact cause of his death. It is the second tragedy to hit the area, following the death of Castlewellan teen Conall O'Hare on Tuesday.

Conall, who died days after celebrating his 18th birthday, will be buried today at St Patrick's Church, Bryansford.
Samantha Kirk surveys the damage to her home in Ballymena

A mum whose brother-in-law was viciously murdered in Ballymena 19 years ago says it is lucky her family didn't suffer more tragedy following a petrol bomb attack on her home.

Samantha Kirk (43) was speaking after her property at Alfred Street Place in the Harryville area of Ballymena came under attack at 3.45am yesterday.

Samantha, son Rico (11), daughter Samara (18) and ex-partner Jason Kirk (43) were in the house but escaped uninjured.

Mr Kirk, whose brother Stephen (25) was murdered in 1998, spotted the flames from the petrol bomb.

Although some damage was caused to the outside of the house the fire did not take hold inside and he was able to get everybody to safety.

The murder of Stephen (below) in the Sportsman's Bar, at the corner of Ballymoney and William Street, shocked the town in March 1998.

Mr Kirk died three days after being savagely attacked in the toilets.

As she spoke of her family's lucky escape in the blaze, Samantha said yesterday's incident brought back memories of the tragedy from almost two decades ago, and said they too could have died.

"Thankfully nobody was hurt, but if somebody throws a petrol bomb at a house it is attempted murder," she said.

Samantha added it was fortunate her ex-partner was there to raise the alarm.

He visits her house sometimes when she has to get up for work.

The stunned mum said she did not know why the family was targeted.

"I have not a clue why this happened. My son Reece's girlfriend's house was petrol bombed in October time in Ballykeel," she said.

"He would be here sometimes, or at my mum's or at the girlfriend's."

She did not know if the two petrol bomb attacks were linked.

Surveying the damage at her home yesterday, she added: "A bin box was burnt and then the gas tank was taken away by the police, the fire and the gas people, to stop it catching fire.

"There were four of us in the house. I was in my bed.

"I heard a bang but I never thought anything of it and my ex-partner, he was sitting in the living room, and he heard the bang and saw the flames and then he shouted up at me and I got the weans up.

"Thankfully there was not much damage inside the house, just a bit of glass. The blinds must have stopped it a bit."

Police appealed for anyone with information to contact detectives at Ballymena by calling 101, quoting reference 147 of 21/4/17.
Former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt could make a pitch for a Westminster seat, according to senior party sources.

In a surprise move, the UUP is considering running Mr Nesbitt in South Belfast and moving Danny Kennedy to Upper Bann.

Party insiders said they believed that their former leader would be a "very credible candidate" in South Belfast who would strongly appeal to both unionist and non-unionist voters.

Mr Nesbitt lives just outside the constituency, which is regarded as the most liberal in Northern Ireland.

Sitting SDLP MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell was re-elected in 2015 with just 24.5% of the vote, the lowest share of any candidate ever returned to the House of Commons.

Although the UUP also ran in the election, the DUP's Jonathan Bell came in just 900 votes behind Dr McDonnell (below).

A unionist unity candidate would be in a strong position to take the seat.

Until now speculation has centred on the DUP's Emma Little Pengelly, who lost her South Belfast Assembly seat last month, as the most likely agreed candidate to emerge from pact negotiations.

However, UUP sources last night said that Mr Nesbitt's name had emerged from its own internal discussions as the party's most likely candidate.

"Since Theresa May called the snap election on Easter Tuesday we have held a series of meetings and it has been agreed that Mike would be a very strong candidate in South Belfast," a UUP insider said.

"He already has associations with the constituency. There is a solid unionist vote in South Belfast and Mike could make gains beyond that too. He is capable of winning support among Alliance and nationalist voters."

The UUP has had a low profile in the constituency since the departure of former Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, and the DUP is the biggest party in South Belfast.

But Mr Nesbitt's broad appeal could make him the most dangerous unionist unity candidate for Dr McDonnell. Although he believes the Brexit referendum result must be implemented, the former UUP leader was a Remain supporter.

Mr Nesbitt's support for abortion to be permitted in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and rape could also strike a chord in a constituency with strongly liberal views on social issues.

If the former UUP leader was successful in any Westminster bid, he would have to resign his Strangford Assembly seat.

Until now it had been predicted that Mr Nesbitt would most likely go to the House of Lords, but sources said he wants to remain in elected politics.

Mr Nesbitt resigned as UUP leader seven weeks ago on the day of the Assembly election count. His personal pledge to give his second preference vote to the SDLP was blamed for losing the party votes.

Although former UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy lost his Assembly seat in Newry and Armagh last month, he was still expected to contest that constituency in June's Westminster election.

As the unionist unity candidate there in 2015, he secured 16,000 votes - 4,000 behind Sinn Fein's Mickey Brady.

UUP sources said there was no realistic prospective of a unionist taking Newry and Armagh from Sinn Fein so internal discussions had taken place about parachuting Mr Kennedy into neighbouring Upper Bann.

The party hierarchy had been keen to run him there in the 2010 Westminster election but he eventually opted to remain in Newry and Armagh.

However, UUP sources said there was a "very real possibility" that a move could be on the cards now. A traditional unionist and Orangeman, Mr Kennedy is firmly on the party's conservative wing.

Jo-Anne Dobson, who lost her Assembly seat last month, may also consider seeking the UUP Westminster nomination for Upper Bann.

However, regardless of whom the party selects, it seems very unlikely that the DUP would sacrifice its sitting MP David Simpson in any unionist pact.
A second man has been arrested following an "awful" nightclub acid attack that left two people partially blinded.

A second man has been arrested following an "awful" nightclub acid attack that left two people partially blinded.

The 24-year-old was arrested in north London on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, the Metropolitan Police said.

It comes after a 21-year-old was arrested earlier on Friday on the same charges, also in north London.

Police are still trying to trace the boyfriend of reality television star Ferne McCann after a corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument at Mangle in Dalston, east London.

A 22-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were both blinded in one eye in the attack in the early hours of Monday.

Police are appealing for the public's help in locating Arthur Collins, McCann's 25-year-old boyfriend.

She also issued a public plea for him to turn himself in.
It could be Long v Robinson -the title decider. In effect, a trilogy of contests between Alliance leader Naomi Long and a DUP candidate called Robinson appears to be on the cards.

Mrs Long is set for another battle with the DUP in the finely balanced constituency of East Belfast. She has signalled she is willing to stand again for the party after seizing the seat from Peter Robinson seven years ago in 2010.

But her candidature would have to be approved by the party's executive, which a spokesman said was not a foregone conclusion.

Former leader David Ford warned, however, that rival parties would find it difficult to justify a pact to prevent Mrs Long from victory

"Both DUP and UUP representatives are talking about a pact 'to maximise the number of MPs who will attend and work for their constituents at Westminster'. Clearly there is already a pact on language," he said.

That argument may have some sway in a constituency like Fermanagh-South Tyrone, where the contest will be with an abstentionist candidate from Sinn Fein.

But they will need to change their language if they are going to justify a pact against Alliance in East Belfast, given Mrs Long's record of attending Westminster as well as unionist MPs, and working at least as hard as any of them.

A party spokesman added about Mrs Long: "She's willing to put her name forward but it's a democratic party, so it has to be okayed by the wider party before anything is official."

Mrs Long said: "I am willing to stand if the party wish me to stand but that is in the hands of others.

"I have put the option on the table. In really polarised Westminster elections, Alliance does better in proportional representation Assembly elections. Everyone focuses on East Belfast, but there is also a four-way split in South Belfast and there is a chance for Alliance to come through there very strongly."

Two years ago the DUP's Gavin Robinson won back the seat boosted by a pan-unionist pact - although Mrs Long increased her own vote by 4,000.

The odds seemed stacked in Mr Robinson's favour given the cross-party pact the DUP had engaged in prior to the election, which saw other unionist candidates stand aside to afford him a clear run at victory.

But in his victory speech he struck a wrong note in criticising his defeated opponent.

"I am delighted that the last five long years are over, that a new day has dawned in East Belfast," he said.

"When people were offered the choice as to whether they wished to go forward or back, they chose forward.

"They chose forward with somebody they could trust.. rather than back to a party that are only interested in offering us a future if we share their view.

"And when people were offered the choice to vote for progress and the union over backward abstention, they chose the progress."

A strong turnout of 63% - up 4% from 2010 - appeared to favour the cross-unionist vote, and Conservative candidate Neil Wilson also put in a respectable showing with 1,121 votes.
A deadline for politicians to restore a power-sharing Executive at Stormont has been put back for a third time until the end of June.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire has dropped plans to bring the curtain down on negotiations in early May and move towards direct rule or fresh elections.

There had even been claims that if he opted for another Assembly poll - the third inside a year - it could take place on the same day as the general election.

But after separate talks yesterday between Mr Brokenshire, Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan and the five main Assembly parties, it emerged that his early May deadline has disappeared just like two earlier cut-off points.

Instead, the parties will be given a further three-week period to reach a deal - after the June 8 poll and as the marching season approaches its height.

Alliance leader Naomi Long said it appeared the talks are "dead in the water" despite a series of meetings planned for next week.

"It would be better for people in Northern Ireland, for public services and for business confidence, to get an agreement before the general election," she said.

"However, in real terms, I have to say that looks difficult because people are never in compromising mode when it comes to any election, let alone a general election which is shaping up to be quite a polarising one."

The Green Party's Northern Ireland leader Steven Agnew said: "It has always been the case that the real deadline was the end of June.

"This is when Northern Ireland drops off a budget cliff and funding for vital public services will run out, and thousands in the community and voluntary sector risk losing their jobs.

"At this point we will be faced with the option of having a functioning Northern Ireland Executive put through a budget in the Assembly, or the Westminster Government will need to step in to clean up the mess of the traditional parties.

"We should never cede power to a likely Tory Government in Westminster. It is long past the point where the traditional parties need to stop party political squabbles and put the people first."

Yesterday, Sinn Fein accused the Government of preferring no Assembly to one which opposes Brexit, saying it was treating local people who voted to stay in the EU like "collateral damage".

The charge was put directly to Mr Brokenshire by Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill.

Afterwards, she said: "I told him that the British Government have done nothing over the course of the last seven weeks to achieve an agreement.

"There is a growing belief among nationalists and people who voted to remain in the European Union that the British Government would prefer no local Assembly to one which stands against the Tories' reckless Brexit agenda.

"It's clear that the people of the north who voted to remain in the EU are regarded as saboteurs by Theresa May and her clique of Tory Brexiteers.

"We are no more than collateral damage.

"Theresa May needs to hear clearly from the people of the north that we don't want Brexit, we don't want a border and we don't want Tory cuts and austerity."

At the meetings, Mr Brokenshire outlined legislation he intends to table today allowing for rates to be collected, which will have to be fast-tracked to go through Parliament before it is dissolved on May 3.

The new date at the end of June is expected to be contained within emergency legislation due to be published today, clearing the way for the collection of rates.

Labour shadow Secretary of State Dave Anderson accused the Prime Minister of treating the people of Northern Ireland with contempt.

"They're being ignored by this government in exactly the same way as they were ignored pre-Brexit when people were saying to them: 'Are you really aware what you're doing?'" he said.

Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers, who headed a delegation which met business and civic leaders yesterday, said his party understood the negative impact the ongoing stalemate is having on business confidence and hampering efforts to attract foreign direct investment.

"We want to get back to work and we fully recognise the dangers of a prolonged period of rudderless rule by officials in the absence of a fully functioning Stormont," he said.

by noel mcadam
The three cows were being driven through Newry in the back of a Land Cruiser

This is the incredible moment when a motorist driving through Newry managed to capture a video of three cows crammed into the back of a Land Cruiser.

Tony Shields (35) filmed the bizarre rush-hour sight, intending to show it to his two-year-old son - and was staggered when the video went viral. The haulier from Cullyhanna in Co Armagh said that 200,000 people have viewed the video since he posted it on Wednesday.

"I was driving though Newry, saw this in front of me and I grabbed the phone," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "I knew it was a little bit unusual. My intention at the time was to send it to my wife to show my son as he's into cattle and young calves. Then I put it on Facebook and the next thing everyone's looking at it."

As the son of a farmer, Tony says he moves cattle himself from time to time - but he always uses a trailer.

He realised after posting the video that the 4x4 was owned by one of his neighbours who lives a few miles away from him in Cullyhanna.

"It's definitely not a very 21st century mode of transport and you don't see it all the time. But it's a very humane way of carrying them, more humane than having them in the trailer. I've never seen this myself - well, certainly not in the last 25 years or so."

A PSNI spokesman said it is "ill-advised but not illegal" to carry cattle in a car, saying it doesn't breach the offence of driving without due care and attention.
The medical centre in Abdin village, Idlib, Syria, is out of action, observers say

Missiles struck a hospital in Syria's northern rebel-held province, putting the facility built underground for protection out of service and killing a number of its staff, opposition activists said on Saturday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that air strikes had seriously damaged the medical centre in Abdin village, in Idlib. The activist-run Aleppo Today media group also reported on the air strikes.

But later the Observatory said missiles, likely fired from land, have also hit the underground centre, penetrating it and causing serious damage. Air strikes then followed, the Observatory said.

International medical charities said Syrian government forces target hospitals, clinics and ambulances in opposition-held areas. To protect against the targeting, many opposition-area medical facilities have set up their operations underground.

The attack against the Abdin medical centre caused fires and killed a person, the Observatory said. Rescue workers sifted through the rubble to find survivors, lifting nine medical staff as a search continued for four still missing.

The Aleppo Today group said three medical staff members were presumed killed.

According to Physicians for Human Rights, government and allied Russian forces have killed 727 medical workers in the course of the conflict.

The medical centre in Abdin is only a few miles north of Khan Sheikhoun, the town that was hit earlier this month with a chemical attack that left more than 80 people dead.

In Damascus on Saturday, Syrian President Bashar Assad said his war on terrorism would not cease as long as there is any terrorist "desecrating the sanctity of the Syrian soil".

He made the remarks as he presided over a meeting of the central committee of the ruling Syrian Arab Socialist Baath Party.

Assad said the US strikes against a Syrian military base in the country's centre following the Idlib chemical attack were in response to the "terrorists'" defeat in the central city of Hama's countryside, where they had launched an offensive.

Assad's government, which denied using chemical weapons in the Idlib attack, calls all armed opposition groups terrorists.
It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
At the annual F8 developer conference, held in San Jose, California, African developers shared the stage with Facebook and developers from around the world, showcasing products and services they have created for their local communities and the global market.

F8 hosts more than 4000 people in person and hundreds of thousands of people watching via Facebook Live for two days of new products, tools, interactive demos and speakers to help developers build, grow and monetise their apps.

This year, Facebook brought F8 to developers around the world through F8 Meetups hosted with tech hubs around the world. In Africa, it hosted F8 Meetups in Nairobi, Lagos, and Cape Town, where participants watched live streams of the sessions in San Francisco.

Were partnering with many African developers to launch products that not only meet the needs of their local markets, but which are also ready for the world stage, says Emeka Afigbo, Facebooks Head of Platform Partnerships for the Middle East and Africa. Events like F8 are a perfect opportunity for us to talk about how we will work with partners to do more with our platforms. As importantly, they are a forum for us to get feedback from our ecosystem and to showcase our partners work to the world.

African developers who featured in F8 sessions

Asoriba: A Ghanaian startup that has built software that enables churches to better manage member engagement, donations, and attendance. The company was featured in the Keynote for its work using Facebook Analytics.



A Ghanaian startup that has built software that enables churches to better manage member engagement, donations, and attendance. The company was featured in the Keynote for its work using Facebook Analytics. Rancard: A mobile solutions company based in Ghana. Its Rendezvous social recommendation system was featured in two sessions at F8.



A mobile solutions company based in Ghana. Its Rendezvous social recommendation system was featured in two sessions at F8. Pass.NG: An education startup from Nigeria that helps students practice for their university entrance exams.



An education startup from Nigeria that helps students practice for their university entrance exams. Truppr: A social fitness startup from Nigeria.



A social fitness startup from Nigeria. Afrinolly: An app that allows users to catch up with Nollywood content on their mobile phones. It is one of the first Nigerian companies to build the Facebook Surround 360 camera.



An app that allows users to catch up with Nollywood content on their mobile phones. It is one of the first Nigerian companies to build the Facebook Surround 360 camera. Quiz.ng: An online quiz platform based out of Nigeria.



An online quiz platform based out of Nigeria. Kudi.ai: Messenger Bot to send money for free to any bank, buy airtime and pay bills; first African bot to be featured on Messenger Blog.



Messenger Bot to send money for free to any bank, buy airtime and pay bills; first African bot to be featured on Messenger Blog. Kangpe: A health service from Nigeria that lets users ask real doctors their health questions.



A health service from Nigeria that lets users ask real doctors their health questions. Eneza Education: An educational app from Kenya.



An educational app from Kenya. Refunite: A service from Kenya that helps refugees to reunite with their families and loved ones.

African students, developers showcase talent

In attendance were two representatives each from the winners of Internet.orgs Innovation Challenge in Africa awards. These awards from Facebooks Internet.org recognised leading examples of ideas, apps, websites and/or online services that provide real value in the categories of education and economic empowerment.

Economic Empowerment Innovation Challenge Award Winner: Ghanas Esoko makes it easier for businesses, governments, NGOs and others to connect with farmers through its web and mobile apps.



Ghanas Esoko makes it easier for businesses, governments, NGOs and others to connect with farmers through its web and mobile apps. Economic Empowerment Impact Award Winner: mPedigree Goldkeys from Ghana is an anti-counterfeiting, tracking and tracing solution that uses consumers mobile phones as a verification tool.



mPedigree Goldkeys from Ghana is an anti-counterfeiting, tracking and tracing solution that uses consumers mobile phones as a verification tool. Economic Empowerment Impact Award Winner: Nigerias SaferMom provides pregnant and new mothers with simple tools to help make informed health decisions via SMS, voice services and its mobile app.



Nigerias SaferMom provides pregnant and new mothers with simple tools to help make informed health decisions via SMS, voice services and its mobile app. Education Innovation Challenge Award Winner: Founded in South Africa, Hyperion Development is a social enterprise that has built the first online course platform for computer science education.



Founded in South Africa, Hyperion Development is a social enterprise that has built the first online course platform for computer science education. Education Impact Award Winner: Launched in Ghana, Mutti by mPharma is a drug affordability service that enables patients to access high-quality medicine at lower prices with flexible payment terms through micro-payments.



Launched in Ghana, Mutti by mPharma is a drug affordability service that enables patients to access high-quality medicine at lower prices with flexible payment terms through micro-payments. Education Impact Award Winner: Nigerias Tuteria connects people seeking to learn with people around them who can teach.

Facebook also invited four graduate students from Carnegie Melon University Africa in Rwanda to attend after they won the CMU-Africa Messenger Bot Hackathon.

The universitys Aimable Rwema and Lenah Chacha developed BiasharaBot, which provides a platform for merchants and buyers to connect. The Hackathon showed me the importance of building a business or idea on a social media platform. Facebook is used by over a billion people worldwide, offering developers a huge market, says Rwema.

Their fellow students, Joshua Ocero and Davy Uwizera, created a farmbot that connects farmers (or cooperatives) with produce buyers.

Attending F8 is a great opportunity to mingle with Facebook developers from around the world. It is an opportunity to visit Silicon Valley, where peoples dreams become reality, says Ocero.

Launch of Developer Circles

A new programme for developers all over the world to connect, learn, and collaborate with other local developers was also announced. Developer Circles is a community-driven program that's free to join and open to any developer.

Each Developer Circle is led by members of the local community who act as leads for the circle, organising events offline and managing a local online Facebook community. Developer Circles are forums to share knowledge, collaborate, build new ideas and learn about the latest technologies from Facebook and other industry leaders. Lagos, Nigeria was the first place that Facebook piloted this global progamme.
Kinky Friedman, Cousin Nancy (Nancy Parker-Simons) and Tony Simons founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in '98. Friends Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, Spike Gillespie, Richard Pryor, Jerry Jeff Walker, Molly Ivins, Dwight Yoakam support the ranch. We primarily rescued dogs. Nancy, author of "The Road to Utopia: How Kinky, Tony & I Saved More Animals Than Noah" by UT Press '06 utopiarescue.com.  cousin nancy blog 2022 by Cousin Nancy All rights reserved.
April 21, 2017

When the news of the chemical attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun came in on April 4, Ali texted his close friend Taghi to come over after work. They had served together during the long and brutal 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, in which Iraq began dropping chemical bombs as early as 1981. Ali and Taghi, who asked that their last names not be published, were members of a battalion in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) when they were exposed to mustard gas and nerve agents. Today, Ali can walk for barely 10 minutes without having an asthma attack, has to sleep with an oxygen mask at night and has had over 40 surgeries on his eyes. Alis vital organs have been burning from the inside for the past 26 years. Despite working in the IRGC for another 10 years after the end of the war, he had to retire in his 40s, and he relies on his close friend to keep him abreast of the outside world. Taghi is now a captain in the IRGC.

The two men sat watching television all evening, flipping between the news of the chemical attack on Iranian state television, which blamed jihadi groups for the incident, and satellite TV stations based in London and New York, which squarely assigned fault to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. War is not just whats fought on the battlefields, Ali told Al-Monitor. Its as much about the public relations side of it all.

The two debated all night about which side was actually behind the attack, exchanging text messages in secret chats with their close senior friends in the IRGC via messaging apps that erase the chat logs after a designated time. Taghi knew that the IRGC and the Iranian government officially blamed the anti-Assad forces, but having had personal experience with chemical bombs, he and his friends knew that they couldnt stand behind Assad if it turned out that his regime had carried out the attack.

But as time went on and the reactions to the chemical strike became increasingly political, especially from the United States, Taghi and Ali sensed that something was amiss.

Taghi told Al-Monitor, I was near Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan when the civilians got gassed by chemical bombs in 1988. We rushed in to help transport the survivors to hospitals. Over 5,000 civilians died in that horrific attack, and I remember distinctly that for two months after the attack, the US government and Western press were loudly blaming Iran for the attack. Of course, it later became apparent that Saddam Husseins military gassed its own people, with chemicals supplied by the West.

He added, This is why I get suspicious when the United States and its Arab allies rush to scream that Assads forces were behind an attack like this in Syria before any independent investigation has been conducted.

On April 9, two days after the United States fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base in response to the chemical attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted a call for an impartial international inquiry into the April 4 incident. He noted, Having been the only recent victim of large-scale, systematic and frequent use of chemical weapons  perpetrated with impunity by Saddam Hussein through much of his eight-year war of aggression against Iran  the Islamic Republic of Iran is unshakable in its unequivocal condemnation of all uses of such heinous and illegal armaments, regardless of the perpetrator or the victim.

Vahid, a high-ranking official in the IRGC who asked that his last name not be published, told Al-Monitor, We remember when Iraq used chemical bombs all throughout the war on Iran, and the international community didnt even come to do an investigation for the first three years, as much as Irans leadership asked them to. Western powers and their media outlets were even accusing Iran of using chemical weapons during that time.

He added, When the United Nations finally did its first investigation in 1984, they concluded that Iraq had in fact used chemical weapons multiple times on Iranian soldiers and civilians. But the Security Council ignored those findings, as well as similar findings in 1986 and 1987. Our side kept being demonized, and we were the ones who had the chemical bombs being dropped on us, with the full knowledge of the international community. The chemical attacks continued until the very last days of the war.

Another senior official in the IRGC who works in Irans Syria policy and agreed to talk to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said, Look, we know what its like to be on the receiving end of these bombs. It has completely ruined the lives of many of our close friends we fought with during the war in the 1980s, as well as countless civilians in both Iran and Iraq. If it becomes apparent that Assad did use these bombs, trust me that there will be extreme pressure from within the [IRGC] to take a different course.

He added, But we also understand how the United States functions in these circumstances. The only way we can know for sure who was the perpetrator behind these attacks is to invite an impartial international investigation. Nothing in war is ever 100% clear in the immediate aftermath, especially when there are so many hands involved in a conflict. The fact that the United States and its allies dont even want an international investigation should raise many eyebrows.

Vahid said, We will unconditionally condemn Assad if the independent investigation proves that he was behind the attack, but we ask for the investigation first. After the long history we have had with Western powers lying about events in the Middle East in order to shift power back in their favor, we understandably dont trust their intelligence services until they are corroborated by an independent international investigation.

Back in Alis living room, the news is followed religiously, with constant flipping back and forth between domestic and international channels. Having fought a war, Ali knows how dirty the politics surrounding armed conflict can be. Its hard for him to trust any side.

Only time will tell, he said, staring at the television. But all I know is that the only ones who will suffer for the rest of their lives are the survivors. The politicians and policymakers will forget about the survivors in the weeks to come, as they go on with their business, playing with all of our lives. They profit from this. Its those poor survivors who have hell to look forward to. I dont wish what Ive been going through the past 26 years on anyone  He trailed off, shaking his head, muting the television and turning his attention to his tea.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Harrisburg on Saturday, April 29.

The President will be holding a rally at the New Holland Arena, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, at 7:30 p.m. Doors for the event will open at 4:30 p.m.

Those planning to attend are asked not to bring homemade signs, banners, professional cameras, tripods, selfie sticks, back packs, or large bags.

People can register for tickets to the event at https://www.donaldjtrump.com/schedule/register/harrisburg-pa2/.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he will hold a "big" rally in Pennsylvania next Saturday, April 29.

As of 1 p.m., details about the rally weren't yet available, but reports from CNN indicate the rally may be held in Harrisburg.
Labour senator and former drugs minister Aodhan O Riordain has called for the legalisation of cannabis in Ireland for recreational use in order to "cut the knees from under the drug gangs", writes Fiachra O Cionnaith.

Speaking at a Saturday morning health session at Labour's annual conference in Wexford this weekend, Mr O Riordain said the move is needed because of the widespread use of the drug across the country.

Comparing the dangers of cannabis use to alcohol use, he said despite the fact at least two people die of alcohol every week, it remains "a legal drug".

While accepting "cannabis is dangerous", he said there are genuine reasons why it should be legalised as the ongoing ban on it is helping drug gangs across the State.

The view was supported by former Labour TD Emmet Stagg, who said "the failure of prohibition has been an absolute failure".

Mr Stagg said "ruthless criminals" are selling cannabis and other drugs "on the back-streets with no regard for the product they provide", and that "standardisation, legislation and quality control" by the Government would address this issue.

However, the motion was opposed by fellow delegate Pat McDaid who said cannabis and other drugs remain a danger, adding jokingly: "It breaks my heart to disagree with Emmet Stagg, and I hope that [disagreeing with him] doesn't become addictive."

The motion to legalise cannabis for recreational use, which was put forward by Labour Youth, will be voted on at 1pm on Saturday.
Protests are taking place around the country today over the ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital at the St Vincent's site in Dublin.

Campaigners say ownership of the government-funded facility should not handed over to the Sisters of Charity.
Young immigrants brought to the US as children and now in the country illegally can "rest easy", President Donald Trump has said.

He told the "dreamers" they will not be targets for deportation under his immigration policies.

The president said his administration is "not after the dreamers, we are after the criminals".

Mr Trump, who took a hard line on immigration as a candidate, vowed to fulfil his promise to construct a wall along the US-Mexico border.

But he did not say funding must be included in a spending bill Congress has to pass by the end of next week to keep government running.

"I want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall," Mr Trump said in the Oval Office interview.

Asked whether he would sign legislation that does not include money for it, he said: "I just don't know yet."

Throughout the campaign, he firmly and repeatedly guaranteed that Mexico, not US taxpayers, would pay for the wall.

Eager to progress on other promises, Mr Trump said he would unveil a tax overhaul package next week - "Wednesday or shortly thereafter" - including a "massive" tax cut for individuals and corporations.

He would not detail rate proposals or how he planned to pay for the package but said cuts for Americans will be "bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever".

Congressional Republicans did not appear to have been briefed on the White House's plan.

Mr Trump spoke with the Associated Press ahead of his 100th day in office but said that marker was "artificial".

The White House is eager to tout progress on the agenda he promised for his first 100 days, despite setbacks including court bans on his immigration limits and a high-profile failure over health care law.

The president said he spent his first 100 days laying the "foundation" for progress later, including building relationships with foreign leaders.

He cited German chancellor Angela Merkel as a leader he was surprised to have strong chemistry with, given that he has been critical of her immigration policies.

As a candidate, Mr Trump criticised president Barack Obama for "illegal executive amnesties", including to spare from deportation young people brought to the US as children and now there illegally.

But after the election, he started speaking more favourably about these immigrants, popularly dubbed "dreamers." He said when it comes to them "this is a case of heart".

On foreign policy, Mr Trump said it was "possible" the US will withdraw from the nuclear accord with Iran forged by Mr Obama and five other world leaders.

He said he believes Iran's destabilising actions "all over the Middle East and beyond" are violating the spirit of the accord.

But the State Department this week certified that Tehran is complying with the tenets of the deal aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.

The president also appeared to side with his advisers' increasingly harder line on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Mr Assange's arrest was a priority for the Justice Department as it steps up efforts to prosecute people who leak classified information.

The president said he was not involved in the decision-making process regarding charging Mr Assange but the move would be "okay with me".

During the campaign, Mr Trump and his allies publicly delighted in WikiLeaks' release of stolen emails from a top adviser to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

- AP
Election stations opened on Saturday in French overseas territories that are voting first in France's unpredictable presidential election - one day earlier than on the mainland.

Opinion polls showed a tight race among four top contenders vying for the two places in the May 7 run-off which will decide who becomes the next head of state.

But the polls also showed the future of France was largely in the hands of the one out of three voters who were undecided - as a deadly attack on the Champs-Elysees avenue, Paris, clouded the last days of campaigning.

Political campaigning was banned from Saturday across France, and online, as polling centres opened in the far-flung Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and French Guiana, as well as in the Caribbean's Guadeloupe and elsewhere.

Unemployment and the economy topped voters' concerns as first-round ballots are cast for one of 11 candidates in the most nail-biting French elections in generations.

Security was also a prominent concern after a wave of extremist attacks on French soil, including Thursday's attack by a gunman who fatally shot a police officer in Paris before being killed by security forces.

Polls suggested far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, were in the lead.

However, conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his non-working parliamentary aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon.

The mad-dash campaigning of the last few weeks came to a premature end on Friday hours after the Champs-Elysees gun attack by 39-year-old Karim Cheurfi.

Three suspects close to the attacker remain in custody, Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre of the Paris prosecutor's office said on Saturday.

Le Pen and Fillon cancelled their last campaign events on Friday over security concerns. Macron did too, but also accused his rivals of trying to capitalise on the attack with their anti-immigration, tough-on-security messages.

On Saturday, flowers, candles and messages of solidarity with police adorned a makeshift memorial for the slain police officer, Xavier Jugele. Small groups of well-wishers continued to pay their respects at the site of the shooting.

Some believed French stoicism would prevent a lurch to the right, despite such predictions the shooting attack dominated newspaper headlines and the 24-hour television news cycle.

"These 48 hours are not going to change everything...Terrorism is now an everyday occurrence. It's permanent, 24 hours a day. So we're not afraid. If we're believers, believers in freedom, we must live with it," said Marise Moron, a retired doctor.

Others, fearful Le Pen has been strengthened by the instability, said they would shift their votes from fringe candidates and try to vote strategically to keep the far-right out of power.

"With an attack such as this one, I think the National Front will get a good score. Therefore, I'm going to change my intention and I'm going to cast a useful vote. Either Melanchon, or Macron," said physics teacher Omar Ilys, 44.

Workers on Saturday began setting up voting booths at polling stations across France. The two-round presidential election will take place on Sunday and May 7.

- AP
Missiles struck a hospital in Syria's northern rebel-held province, putting the facility built underground for protection out of service and killing a number of its staff, opposition activists said on Saturday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that air strikes had seriously damaged the medical centre in Abdin village, in Idlib. The activist-run Aleppo Today media group also reported on the air strikes.

But later the Observatory said missiles, likely fired from land, have also hit the underground centre, penetrating it and causing serious damage. Air strikes then followed, the Observatory said.

International medical charities said Syrian government forces target hospitals, clinics and ambulances in opposition-held areas. To protect against the targeting, many opposition-area medical facilities have set up their operations underground.

The attack against the Abdin medical centre caused fires and killed a person, the Observatory said. Rescue workers sifted through the rubble to find survivors, lifting nine medical staff as a search continued for four still missing.

The Aleppo Today group said three medical staff members were presumed killed.

According to Physicians for Human Rights, government and allied Russian forces have killed 727 medical workers in the course of the conflict.

The medical centre in Abdin is only a few miles north of Khan Sheikhoun, the town that was hit earlier this month with a chemical attack that left more than 80 people dead.

In Damascus on Saturday, Syrian President Bashar Assad said his war on terrorism would not cease as long as there is any terrorist "desecrating the sanctity of the Syrian soil".

He made the remarks as he presided over a meeting of the central committee of the ruling Syrian Arab Socialist Baath Party.

Assad said the US strikes against a Syrian military base in the country's centre following the Idlib chemical attack were in response to the "terrorists'" defeat in the central city of Hama's countryside, where they had launched an offensive.

Assad's government, which denied using chemical weapons in the Idlib attack, calls all armed opposition groups terrorists.
"President Bush runs well," I reported for the front page of the Herald. "He does not strain the heart whose every beat keeps Dan Quayle from the presidency."

Welcome, US Vice-President Mike Pence, the hope of the side! Twenty-five years ago when president George Bush Snr visited Sydney, this correspondent was ushered into his orbit just as he was completing several laps of jogging around the rugby field at Scots College.

Mr Pence and his family will visit Sydney on April 22 to meet Prime Minister Turnbull, towards the end of a 10-day trip to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Hawaii. Credit:AP

Meantime, here's a clue for how to get Sydney's undying loyalty. If, perchance, you choose to have a beer with Malcolm Turnbull at Kirribilli House this weekend and some Australian security boffin says they will shut down the Harbour Bridge for three hours, just so your convoy can get across in full security, say, very loudly, "No, I am told that is what the Howard government did for vice-president Dick Cheney in 2007 and it was the most unheard of, most un-Australian thing anyone had ever heard of. Just whack me on a Sydney ferry, and divert it momentarily. It will allow me to take one of the most spectacular boat trips in the world, and create lots less fuss."

We will thank you for it, ever afterwards. Enjoy your stay.

Adani is Turnbull's Workchoices

It was also around 2007, come to think of it, that TFF became aware just how electorally unpopular the Howard Government's Workchoices thingammy was. Mike Carlton and I only had to mention the word on 2UE and the lines would light up with anger, which proved to be a portent of things to come. For my money, I reckon the Adani coal mine is shaping up to be exactly that right now. Check your social media feed if you have one, and put in the word "Adani". People are, rightly, ropeable against it, and I can see buggerall passion the other way. I know, I know, but it's not just my feed. Try yours. If the Turnbull government continues to be seen to be putting bigger efforts into getting Adani up and running than into saving the Reef, I predict an electoral wipeout.
Friday was the first full day since the height of the Industrial Revolution that Britain did not burn coal to generate electricity, a development that officials and climate change activists celebrated as a watershed moment.

The accomplishment became official just before 11pm, when the 24-hour period ended.

The closed Tower Colliery near the village of Hirwaun in Glamorgan, South Wales in a file picture Credit:AP

Coal powered Britain into the industrial age and into the 21st century, contributing greatly to the "pea souper" fogs that were thought for decades to be a natural phenomenon of the British climate.

For many living in the mining towns up and down the country, it was not just the backbone of the economy but a way of life. But the industry has been in decline for some time. The last deep coal mine closed in December 2015, though open cast mining has continued.
Full-time telework for individual employees has not been considered as an alternative to decentralising agencies and divisions of the Australian Public Service, the commission says.

This is despite more and more people commuting to work from areas surrounding Canberra, including the south coast, Yass and Queanbeyan, a 2015 University of Canberra report found.

Telework, working from home or smart work, is in theory encouraged by the public service.

Australian Public Service commissioner John Lloyd said working from home arrangements were "widely used" and offered benefits to both employees and employers.
Brisbane restaurant owner Daniel Milos has been granted bail in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday morning, after being arrested during one of Queensland police's biggest cocaine operations.

One of the premises raided on Friday morning was Mr Milos' Italian restaurant Mariosarti in Toowong, with police also raiding 10 other addresses across the Gold Coast and Brisbane as part of a 14-month investigation.

Daniel Milos' supporters leave the court on Saturday. Credit:Toby Crockford

Five people were arrested on 33 drug-related charges and police expected further charges to be laid at a later date. Mr Milos was later charged with money laundering as well as possessing, trafficking and supplying dangerous drugs.

In court, Mr Milos appeared calm as he was brought into the dock, constantly looking at a small band of supporters in the courtroom.
On Saturday Qantas Domestic chief executive Andrew David said he had met with key stakeholders, including the local fishing industry and the environment and fisheries departments, and started discussions about the incident.

Qantas has said a toxic foam spill like what happened at Brisbane Airport on April 10 will not happen again. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Qantas has admitted responsibility for leaking a toxic firefighting foam into Brisbane's waterways but has not committed to any compensation for those affected by the spill.

"We're also very, very conscious of potential damage to the local fishing industry, we've met with key reps and we've been very very clear with them there if there is clear evidence of any commercial damage to come to them we will make that good," Mr David said.

He said Qantas needed to continue working to ascertain what damage was done by the spill and had not decided on if and what compensation could be issued.

"Now what we've got to do is work through with various authorities and understand the toxins and toxicity in the waterways and address that."

Mr David said the foam was leaked in the first instance due to a pipe leak.

"We absolutely acknowledge that the issue is ours, the spillage happened at Qantas facilities, we've addressed that issue, we've fixed it and made sure it won't happen again," he said.
Two men have been charged with more than 35 offences after a string of burglaries at homes and businesses across Brisbane during the last month.

It will be alleged the pair struck in Wakerley, Carina, Coorparoo, Virginia, Tingalpa, Wilston, Windsor, Alexandra Hills, Lawnton, Mango Hill, Nudgee, McDowell, Nundah, Everton Hills, Albany Creek, Toowong and Capalaba. Police said the duo also allegedly stole cars during the burglaries which were then used in several fuel drive-offs.

It will be alleged Polair tracked the two men in a stolen car as it drove dangerously through Stafford, before they were taken into custody after abandoning their vehicle. Credit:Marina Neil/Fairfax Media

After a public appeal for help with the investigation, police said Polair tracked the two men as they drove dangerously in a stolen car in Stafford on Friday. They were taken into custody just before midnight after abandoning their car.

A 26-year-old Ferny Grove was charged with seven counts of burglary, 14 counts of fraud, two counts of attempted fraud as well as one count each of stealing, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and receiving tainted property.
MILFORD  The mother of a slain Pennsylvania State Police trooper said Friday she doesnt hate her sons killer, but wants him held accountable.

Darla Dickson testified at the penalty phase of Eric Freins trial. She was one of several family members and close friends who filled in details about the life of Cpl. Bryon Dickson II, who was shot and killed in a September 2014 ambush at the police barracks.

A second trooper was left disabled in the attack that prosecutors say was motivated by Freins animus toward the government. He spent 48 days on the run before U.S. marshals captured him.

Dickson, 38, was a fun-loving prankster and devoted husband and father, his mother told the jury, which had already convicted Frein of first-degree murder, terrorism and other offenses and must now decide whether to sentence him to death or to life without parole.

I was proud to be his mom. So very proud of him, Darla Dickson said.

Jurors learned how Dickson loved tormenting his mother by bringing bugs into the house and how he left for Marine boot camp as the proverbial boy, persevered through a severe ankle injury and, on graduation day, there was a man, she said.

They learned how, as a young state police trooper, Dickson got a commendation for saving the life of a woman who swallowed a large number of pills after her husband fatally shot her son.

Freins lawyers, trying to keep him off death row, will present the bulk of their case next week.
When Lisa Cox suffered a brain haemorrhage more than a decade ago, it was science that brought her back from the brink of death and continues to keep her alive to this day.

Alternative facts and belief-driven voices have continued to threaten science across the world and when US President Donald Trump tried to silence scientists on issues impacting everyday citizens earlier this year, a worldwide movement was born.

More than a thousand people streamed through the Brisbane CBD on Saturday as part of the March For Science, which started in Washington DC and has since spread to more than 500 cities across the world.
Beijing: China is carrying out "routine" military drills on its border with North Korea to maintain combat readiness, China's Ministry of Defence says.

The statement was issued after reports from the United States that Chinese bombers were on high alert with "unusual levels" of activity.

There are renewed fears that North Korea could conduct a nuclear test on April 25, the 85th anniversary of the founding of its military. Last week the Chinese Ministry of Defence denied reports that it would mobilise 150,000 troops to the border, including medical teams, in preparation for any nuclear test by North Korea.

People's Daily, the Chinese government's official mouthpiece newspaper, said on Friday evening that reports that Chinese bombers were on high alert had been denied by the ministry of defence. But it also reported the Ministry of Defence had said it was carrying out a military drill on the border, timed with concern North Korea was preparing for its sixth nuclear test.
Berlin: Rosa Parks may have refused to move from her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, but the house where she took refuge has now made a move of its own - across the ocean all the way to Berlin.

Parks' refusal to be segregated triggered a wave of ultimately successful protests against racial discrimination and is often cited as the beginning of the American Civil Rights movement

Along with becoming a hero, Parks also became the target of relentless death threats in the South, leading her to relocate to Detroit, where she moved in with her brother Sylvester McCauley into a modest two-storey, white-shuttered house in South Deacon Street, sharing it with up to 16 other family members. Parks died in 2005.

That house, known as the Rosa Parks House, has now been rebuilt by American artist Ryan Mendoza, in his backyard in the ethnically diverse Berlin suburb of Wedding.
Police in the US state of New Mexico are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash involving a 76-year-old Melbourne man.

New Mexico state police Sergeant Cornell Evans says John Scully was on State Road 104, in a remote area in the northeast part of the state, when he lost control and crashed on Wednesday.

State road 104, New Mexico

The Toorak man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The only thing we know so far is he was with a tour group and he just ran off the road," Sergeant Evans said.
US Vice-President Mike Pence has arrived in Sydney, with his wife Karen and two daughters Audrey and Charlotte in tow, for his first official visit to Australia.

As the four Pences make their way around the city with his entourage of departmental advisors, Secret Service officers, communications staff and other personnel, all eyes are on Charlotte and Audrey.

Audrey, 22, the youngest of Mike Pence's three children (his son Michael is the oldest), describes herself as "politically independent, socially liberal". She has, however, also previously voted for her father.

An international affairs major at Boston's Northeastern University and an aspiring journalist, Audrey told Indianapolis television news station WTHR in 2013 that her father was proud of her for having independent political views, even though they may be at odds with his own.
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.
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...
One year after her departure from the reality competition series, Tyra Banks is making an unexpected return to Americas Next Top Model. The model/host recently spoke with TV Guide at the Freeform upfronts red carpet about what brought her back to the series. Find out what she had to say below.

Americas Next Top Model Host Tyra Banks Removes the Contestant Age Limit>>>

Americas Next Top Model found a new home on VH1 last season, where it was hosted for one season by Rita Ora. With that season, apparently, fans of the show and of Banks herself were quick to let her know how badly she was missed.

My fans on social media  and not just my fans, but the fans of the show  were very vocal to a point where I was like, Maybe it was a mistake for me to have walked away?' she said.

Banks had hosted the series for 22 seasons, so of course fans of the show would be hard to please if someone else were to take the torch. Much of the shows draw is in the way she carries herself on it, and of course, her many Tyra-isms, of which we all have our favorites. Tyra herself revealed which Tyra-ism she loved the most:

Hoe, but make it fashion is my all-time Tyra-ism, Banks said. There was one model that was looking very too sexy and I was like, Ok, pose sexy in the shot, but make it fashion.

Are you excited to see Tyra Banks return to Americas Next Top Model? Share your favorite Tyra-ism in the comments below!

Tyra Banks Replaces Nick Cannon as Host of Americas Got Talent>>>

Want more news? Like our Facebook page!

(Image courtesy of The CW)
Supernatural is entering the final five episodes of season 12, and with them will come a bunch of familiar faces. The Winchesters have a lot to deal with between Lucifers baby and the British Men of Letters, but theyll get some help from old friends and trouble from old enemies.

In the May 4 episode, Twigs and Twins and Tasha Banes, Sam and Dean help fellow Hunters Max and Alicia find their missing mother. Fans first met these two earlier this season in Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox. Alicia and Max are twins, the children of a Hunter (the late Asa Fox) and a good witch. They were a fun pair the first time around with an interesting backstory, and now they get to join the official list of Winchester friends.

Things will be less pleasant for the Winchester family in the May 11 episode, Theres Something About Mary, when Lady Toni Bevell returns. The psychotic member of the British Men of Letters shot and tortured Sam at the start of season 12, and with Mick Davies dead, shell be back to cause havoc. In the episode, Sam and Dean will learn that American Hunters are dying mysteriously, so they try to find Mary. But Mama Winchester is busy facing off with Lady Toni.

Finally, the most trusted and reliable ally of the Winchesters, Sheriff Jody Mills, will be back in the penultimate episode, the first half of the two-hour season 12 finale on May 18. That episode is sure to have some heated exchanges thanks to a photo tweeted by one of the shows producers, Jim Michaels. Fans who can zoom in and read the text on the script in the photo, from episode 22, can see that Dean is talking to his mom about the deal she made with Azazel. Thats digging up very old skeletons.

Final thoughts w/director John Showalter & @correagabe 1st AD Gabe Correa B4 we start shooting episode 22 of season 12 #SPNFamily @cw_spn pic.twitter.com/eHQL0Azi7k  Jim Michaels (@TheJimMichaels) April 4, 2017

Its certainly going to be a tough battle for Sam and Dean in these final episodes of season 12, fighting wars on two fronts. Hopefully Mary and Jody Mills can help out.

Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on the CW.

(Image courtesy of the CW)
Rachael Colling has joined the Stelrad Radiators brand specialists team, looking after a territory that covers the north east and Cumbria.

Commenting on her new role, Ms Colling said: I'm lucky enough to have a role based around the north of England, which is near my home and I get to travel throughout the north visiting many beautiful areas including the Lake District.
Cuba and Morocco re-establish diplomatic ties after 37 years

Published: April 22, 2017

Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, Cuba and Morocco has signed an agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties after a time period of 37 years. The two governments have also agreed to forge political, economic and cultural cooperation. The agreement to this effect was signed at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.

King Mohamed VI of Morocco has ordered the opening of a Moroccan embassy in Havana. Cuba is one of the few Latin American countries in which Morocco does not have any representation. It is expected that the relations between the countries would be restored after the exchange of ambassadors.

After Cubas diplomatic reestablishment with Morocco, Israel, South Korea and Somalia remain the only countries which do not have any ties with Cuba.

The decision to re-establish diplomatic ties has been made couple of weeks after King Mohammeds private visit to Cuba. The visit of King Mohammed VI is the first ever made by a Moroccan king to Cuba.

Background

Morocco severed its ties with Cuba in 1980 after Fidel Castro officially recognised Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Morocco claims the territory as its own.

The Cuba and Morocco relationship suffered several strains since 1960s due to Cubas decision to side with Algeria during the Morocco-Algerian military conflict of 1963 known as the Sand War. In 1970s, Cuba again decided to side with Algeria in its support for the independence of the Western Sahara from Morocco.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2017

Topics: Cuba  Cuba-Morocco  International  Morocco  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)

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Follow along for news throughout Election Day and race results as they come in.
The marketer of the brand of ice-creams and dairy products might approach the Bombay High Court over rival Hindustan Unilevers new advertisement, comparing the nutritional value of ice creams and frozen desserts, a source said.
The ambitious modernisation and expansion plan of the public sector steel major, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), was conceived in 2006, when Sushil Kumar Roongta was the chairman. By the time Chandra Sekhar Verma took charge in 2010, the economic meltdown had sent the steel market in a tizzy, and the expansion programme had to be revisited. It was in only 2015, under current chairman Prakash Kumar Singh, that the expansion of Rourkela and Burnpur plants were dedicated to the nation.
After achieving its target to become one of the top five players in the bus market, commercial vehicle major is aiming to become one of the top 10 M&HCV companies in the next 2-3 years. To support this, the company will invest around Rs 500-600 crore every year into development of products and capacity.
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JSW Infrastructure, one of the leading private port developers, is looking to raise Rs 1,000-1,500 crore to place private equity or strategic partners. It has lined up a capex of Rs 7,000 crore as it looks to reach a port capacity of 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2020, besides foraying into container handling. B V J K Sharma, joint managing director & chief executive officer of JSW Infrastructure, shares the plans with Jayajit Dash. Edited excerpts:
Drug firm on Saturday said the US health regulator has issued a warning letter to the company for its Vishakhapatnam facility.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued warning letter for the company's Unit-II at Vishakhapatnam, said in a BSE filing.

The company along with external consultants and subject matter experts is working to address the concerns of USFDA and is making all efforts to fully meet the compliance requirements, it added.

The company, however, did not provide details of the warning letter.

has responded to USFDA inspection observations with an appropriate remediation process to overcome the deficiencies observed, the company said.

"As part of our commitments, we have also provided periodic updates to the USFDA," it added.

In the import alert issued earlier, the regulator had exempted several products manufactured at the unit II in Visakhapatnam, Divis Laboratories said.

The regulator had earlier exempted 10 products, including Levetiracetam, Gabapentin, Lamotrigine, Capecitabine, Naproxen sodium and BOC core succinate, from the import alert.

"We will continue to supply these active ingredients to meet its obligations to our customers", it added.

The company will respond to this warning letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time, Divis Laboratories said.

Earlier on March 22, Divis Laboratories had said in a regulatory filing that the regulator had issued import alert for products made at Visakhapatnam unit citing violation of manufacturing norms and refusal of inspection.
CJI   74 : 10    , 13  ...  ,  , EWS    
BJP President Amit Shah on Friday hailed Hindutva ideologue V D as a " hero" and said his critics often ignore his contributions to the society and also literary works.

"I condemn all those who criticise and question his 'Rashtra Bhakti' (patriotism)," he said.

Shah was speaking after inaugurating the 29th Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sameelan here. The literary convention on Savarkar will go on for three days.

Paying rich tribute to the freedom fighter, a revered figure in Maharashtra, the BJP leader said those who question his integrity should first read his literary works and contributions to the nation and the society.

If his critics do so, they will realise how great a man Savarkar was, Shah said, adding he was a thinker, writer and freedom fighter - all rolled in one.

The literary meet, held only in Maharashtra, should be organised in other parts of the country too as Savarkar was a " hero" and not confined to just one state, Shah said.

There is a dire need to preserve and protect the literary works and thoughts of the patriot and propagate them among the young generation, he said.

Shah said successive Congress governments at the Centre had sidelined Savarkar and his works, but the BJP administration has given the honour he deserves.

Savarkar was a man with a vision and after the Hiroshima bombing, he had said the country should acquire nuclear power after it attained freedom, the BJP chief said.

Had we followed his teachings and paid heed to warnings, we would not have faced problems related to China, North-East and Bangladesh, Shah said.

Savarkar was a reformer who carried out various works for the betterment of the society, the BJP leader said.

The Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the freedom fighter was incarcerated, is now a place of pilgrimage and more important than any holy site, he said.

Savarkar was given the title 'Swatantraveer' by crores of citizens of the country, he said.
As scientists and others gear up for the March for Science on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged for a Swachh Bharat (clean India) on the occasion of .
Well-timed pulses from electrodes implanted in the brain can enhance memory in some people, scientists reported on Thursday, in the most rigorous demonstration to date of how a pacemaker-like approach might help reduce symptoms of dementia, head injuries and other conditions.
With the government expecting better delivery of its schemes and programmes on the ground as the 2019 Lok Sabha elections draw nearer, Prime Minister (PM) on Friday asked senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the country, including district magistrates of 599 of the 706 districts, to change their work ethic and mindsets.
On April 19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced at a press conference that red and blue beacon lights will be banned on all VIP vehicles from May 1. The only exception to this rule will be the beacons on emergency vehicles. The same evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in support of the ban, calling every Indian a VIP. PRAKASH SINGH, former chief of the Border Security Force and former director general of police, tells Manavi Kapur that it will take a lot more than just banning beacons to get rid of the VIP culture. Edited excerpts:
At least 14 persons were killed and 24 injured when a truck rammed into a group of villagers standing outside some shops in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district on Friday, police said.

The speeding truck hit an electric pole, before ramming into roadside shops on the Puthalapattu-Naidupeta Road in Yerpadu, about 30 km from the temple town of Tirupati.

Police said the accident occurred near Yerpadu police station. A group of villagers, including farmers, who had come to the police station were standing near the shops at the time of accident.

People from some villages had come to the police station to complain about illegal sand mining from Swarnamukhi river.

Tirupati Urban Superintendent of Police R. Jayalakshmi, who was present in the police station at the time of accident, said most of the casualties were due to electrocution. The injured were shifted to Ruia Hospital and Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati and CHC Hospital in Srikalahasti.

The condition of six of the injured is critical and they were being shifted to CMC Vellore and Chennai.

Jayalakshmi said a circle inspector, a sub-inspector of police and constable were among those injured.

She said the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle. The exact cause of the accident was under investigation.

The truck crushed 10 two-wheelers, two auto rickshaws and a police vehicle before hitting an electric pole and shops. Both the driver and cleaner escaped after the crash.

The government announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of those killed. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure best possible treatment to the injured.
Soon, those interested will be able to visit a museum in Prime Minister Narendra Modis birthplace, Vadnagar, if things go according to plan. A trip along the narrow bylanes of Vadnagar, the ancient capital of the Gujarat kingdom that the Puranas describe as a flourishing city, is set to become more interesting as tour operators work to create a Modi landmarks tour around the city.
Oncologists are unhappy with the reported government move to exclude beedis from the list of demerit goods under the goods and services tax (GST).
On April 19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced at a press conference that red and blue beacon lights will be banned on all VIP vehicles from May 1. The only exception to this rule will be beacons on emergency vehicles. The same evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in support of this ban, calling every Indian a VIP. Gopal Krishna Pillai, former home secretary of India, tells Manavi Kapur that this is a symbolic gesture, and its consequences remain to be seen. Edited Excerpts:



Is abolishing red beacons on official vehicles mere tokenism?

Its a symbolic gesture that is trying to say that we dont want privileges. But it remains to be seen how this will pan out. This is a first in a number of steps. Certain element of security is required and there the does not matter. How much of this VIP security machinery will be used throughout the country and across department is what matters. Even if, for instance, ministers give up security, we have to make sure they dont get stuck in traffic. For example, when P Chidambaram chose to give up his security escort vehicle, the police still had to ensure his vehicle got green lights throughout the route.
Oil marketing companies like Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation will soon go the e-commerce way as the government plans home delivery of petrol and diesel.
When Steven McMahan decided to make a run for it and escaped police custody from the hospital room he was in and headed across the field to the nearby Walmart, law enforcement was at a loss for any clothing description to give to searchers ... because, as the case was, McMahan had left all his clothes behind.

Formal charges have been filed against McMahan and another man involved in a pursuit and attempted assault on a sheriffs deputy.

McMahan, 36, of De Soto, is charged with a class A felony of assault in the first degree-special victim, felony armed criminal action, driving while revoked/suspended, felony resisting arrest by fleeing, failure to stop for a stop sign, felony escape from custody while under arrest for a felony and sexual misconduct in the first degree.

While being fingerprinted Thursday evening in an attempt to confirm his identity while being checked out at Washington County Memorial Hospital in Potosi, McMahan slipped out the room and ran from the facility. With two officers in chase, the suspect sprinted across a field and bolted into the nearby Walmart store.

There was a trooper and a deputy in the hospital room with this gentleman and we still didnt know his true identity, so we were fingerprinting him with a mobile finger print device the highway patrol has, explained Washington County Sheriff Zach Jacobsen. They had their back turned to him in the room and he jumped out of the hospital bed.

Jacobsen said McMahan ran from the hospital and through the parking lot. The deputy and the trooper ran after him as McMahan crossed the street and headed into the Walmart ... exposing himself to the workers and shoppers, including several children. He was apprehended moments later in the jewelry department.

Charges were filed concerning the pursuit, said Jacobsen. The first person we arrested (McMahan) had three warrants and the second person, Dexter Butler, 27, of Mineral Point, has a parole warrant with no bond, so he is going straight to prison.

Jacobsen said after they had arrested McMahan they had saturated the area looking for Butler, and officers saw a suspicious vehicle. It had two people in it and they followed it. They lost the passenger and it was believed Butler had ran from that vehicle as well - having already jumped and ran from a truck during a pursuit earlier in the day.

Another detective in the same area located another suspicious vehicle a few minutes later and in that vehicle in the back, in the cargo area, they found Butler hiding under a pile of clothes, said Jacobsen. They are both secured in our jail, so no more running.

The saga began Thursday afternoon when a police pursuit ensued in Washington County off Route E after a deputy attempted to pull over a truck.

Jacobsen said a deputy was on patrol eastbound on Route E when he saw a truck exit a salvage lot.

The deputy observed the plate on the front of the vehicle and when he looked in his rearview mirror it was a different plate on the rear of the vehicle, said Jacobsen. It was occupied by two males and he turned around and just followed the vehicle.

Jacobsen added the driver, later identified as McMahan, pulled the truck into another scrap yard right down the road and the deputy continued on and stopped in a driveway because he believed the driver was trying to avoid him.

A few seconds later the vehicle traveled in his direction, east on Route E, and the deputy at that point activated his emergency equipment to conduct a traffic stop with the vehicle for the license violation, explained Jacobsen. The vehicle immediately fled and failed to yield and reached speeds up to 85-95 mph.

Jacobsen said the truck went down Bell Fountain Road and then turned onto Cannon Mines Road. He added they then turned westbound on State Highway CC and upon reaching northbound Highway 21 the truck made a right to go northbound on Highway 21 and slid on the wet pavement.

The vehicle spun out and lost control at the intersection, spun around and was facing southbound on Highway 21 in the northbound lane, said Jacobsen. The deputy stopped his patrol vehicle, placed it in park and was going to (approach) the driver.

Jacobsen said the driver accelerated, striking the front of the deputys patrol car, and at that point both the McMahan and Butler jumped out of the truck and fled on foot.

According to a probable cause statement, the deputy ran after McMahan into the woods and after a short foot pursuit a struggle ensued while the deputy attempted to gain control. The deputy pulled out his Taser and fired it, striking McMahan in the middle back and administering the shock.

McMahan fell to the ground. He was secured in handcuffs and when asked his identity gave the officer a false name.

The sheriff said McMahan started exhibiting signs of a seizure after being taken into custody, so EMS was called to the scene immediately.

They transported him to Washington County Memorial Hospital - accompanied by a deputy - for treatment, said Jacobsen. He stressed there was minimal damage to the patrol car and it wasnt a severe impact, but it was an intentional impact.

He added the policy when a deputy is involved in an accident is to have the Missouri State Highway Patrol handle the investigation.

Later in the afternoon Jacobson reported Butler had been found and taken into custody.

McMahan is being held in the Washington County Jail on a $125,000 bond, and Butler is being held for further questioning before being sent to prison and the filing of his new charges.
With crop turning out to be a market-based product, one of the oldest public sector insurer, the Company (AIC), is facing a conflict of interest with its promoters  four public sector companies. AIC has floated tenders for appointment of consultants to formulate new business strategies for itself and reposition itself in the market.
Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal and H.E. Mr. Ignasius Jonan, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia met on 20th April, 2017 for the 1st India Indonesia Energy Forum, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. .

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The Energy Forum was preceded by 2nd Joint Working Group (JWG) on Oil and Gas, 4th Joint Working Group on Coal and 1st Joint Working Group on New and Renewable Energy. The reports of three Joint Working Groups were presented to two Ministers during the Energy Forum. .

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The 2nd JWG on Oil and Gas discussed policy framework of India and Indonesia, oil and gas infrastructure development, cooperation opportunities in capacity building and business opportunities in oil and gas sector in both countries. Representatives of major Indian companies in oil and gas sector such as ONCG Videsh Limited, Petronet LNG Limited, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) participated in the JWG. Indonesian companies such as PT Pertamina, PT Triputra, PT Nusantara Regas, Medco Energy and PT PGN were also represented. .

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The 4th JWG on Coal has five sessions dedicated to policy framework, coal resources development, capacity building, research and development and issues and concerns of private sector. Indian companies such as Coal India Limited, Adani Enterprises, Tata Power Company, PT Adani Global, PT Core Mineral Indonesia, PT BaramultiSuksessarana, PT Barasentosa Lestari and PT Jindal Overseas also participated in the JWG. .

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The 1st JWG on New and Renewable Energy was held through video-conferencing. The two sides discussed policy framework and investment opportunities in India and Indonesia. Both sides agreed to focus on Capacity building, Exchange of Scientific and Technological information and data, Transfer of Technology on Non-commercial basis in bio fuel and geothermal area, Development on Joint Research or Technical Projects on subject of Mutual interest, Encouragement and promotion of investment and Encouragement of policy Dialogue in solar park. .

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In his remarks, Shri Piyush Goyal appreciated the warm hospitality extended by his host and said that his interaction with Minister Ignasius Jonan was one of the most fruitful one. He said that the visit of President Joko Widodo to India in December 2016 has been instrumental in fast forwarding of Energy Forum. He said that two sides have agreed to explore cooperation in number of areas such as upgrading of refineries in Indonesia, relocation of gas-based plants from India to Indonesia, sharing of experience in use of LEDs and renewable energy in India, sharing the expertise of Indonesia in gasification of fuel oil, exploration of oil, gas and coal fields. Shri Goyal requested Minister Jonan to consider joining International Solar Alliance as Indonesia is solar-rich country. He also requested Minister Jonan to revisit changes in policy in coal sector and work visa. .

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In his remarks, Mr. Jonan said that Indonesia is important destination for investing especially in energy and infrastructure sector. Minister Jonan said that a team of 19 officials from oil and gas, coal and power sectors will be visiting India to look into several issues discussed during Energy Forum such as relocation of gas-based plants, large scale use of LEDs for energy conservation, visit to sophisticated oil refineries and to Indian Institute of Mines. .

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A Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia on cooperation in the field of Oil and Gas was signed on the occasion. The MOU seeks to establish a cooperative institutional framework to facilitate and to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of oil and gas sectors on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. .

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Apart from meeting, Shri Goyal and Mr. Jonan met H.E. Mr. Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister for Transport of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Arcandra Tahar, Deputy Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia and Mr. Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Chairman of Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). Shri Goyal also interacted with investors from Indonesia and attended an event organized in his honour where he met with the Indian community. .

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India is third largest importer of coal from Indonesia. Indias imports of coal from Indonesia amounted to US$ 3.5 billion in 2016. Several Indian companies have invested in coal mines in Indonesia. The bilateral trade between two countries stood at US$ 15.90 billion in 2015-16 with Indonesias export to India amounting to US$ 13.06 billion and Indias exports to Indonesia amounting to US$ 2.84 billion. There is an agreed understanding on both sides to increase the exports from India to Indonesia to improve the trade balance. .

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Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley held bilateral meeting with Finance Ministers of Indonesia and Australia in Washington D.C.; Discusses areas of mutual collaboration and commonality of their positions in various multilateral fora.

On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of World Bank and IMF, the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley held separate bilateral meetings with the Finance Ministers of Indonesia and Australia in Washington D.C. yesterday and discussed areas of mutual collaboration and commonality of their positions in various multilateral fora..

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Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) also held a separate meeting with the Moodys team in Washington D.C. He stressed that amidst the stagnant global trade, subdued investment, and heightened policy uncertainty, India is recording GDP growth upwards of 7%. Shri Das also elaborated the various steps taken by the Indian Government for boosting growth, generating employment and financial inclusion..

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The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley is currently on an official tour to Washington D.C., USA to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank and other associated meetings. He is accompanied by Dr. Urjit Patel, Governor RBI, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), M/o Finance, Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) and other officials..

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States that rich nations still have a big responsibility and obligation to use their resources to support multilateralism, to make institutions like the World Bank strong to be able to fund policies and programs for the growth and development of poorer nations..

The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that the rich nations still have a big responsibility and obligation to use their resources to support multilateralism, to make institutions like the World Bank strong to be able to fund policies and programs for the growth and development of poorer nations..

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The Finance Minister Sri Jaitley was addressing the gathering at the Development Committee Restricted Lunch Session in Washington D.C. yesterday. The Theme of the Session was Inequality. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley said that India has significantly stepped-up investment in electricity, roads, financial access and housing for the poor. He said that the Government has also taken a number of steps to ensure inclusive growth and using technological innovations in a big way for better targeting of Government services. .

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The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley is currently on an official tour to Washington D.C., USA to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank and other associated meetings. He is accompanied by Dr. Urjit Patel, Governor RBI, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), M/o Finance, Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) and other officials. .

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India condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable terrorist attack in Mazar-e-Sharif on 21 April resulting in loss of lives, including the brave personnel of the Afghan National Defence Forces. The Government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the Government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment. .

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The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders. India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be. .

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YSK/ MEA
Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said the country would welcome any effort by the Donald Trump administration to encourage New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve their differences.

Dar, who is in Washington to attend the annual Monetary Fund (IMF) conference, assured the community that "Pakistan's nuclear assets are as safe as those of the US".

Dar said that over half of the world's population lived in the region, which is directly affected by relations between India and Pakistan, particularly the Kashmir dispute, reported Dawn online.

"So, any effort to help improve this situation is welcome," said the minister.

Dar said a former US President Bill Clinton had also offered to help resolve dispute and Islamabad had welcomed that offer too.

The minister also defended Pakistan's decision to deny consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav: "It is a law, and commonly known, where there is a charge of treason or spying, consular access is not allowed."

Dar, however, said that legal consul was made available to Jadhav and there were "further steps" that a sentenced person can also take.

Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in Pakistan.

Dar said Pakistan also welcomed a recent statement by US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley, who had said that instead of waiting for a calamity to happen, the Trump administration would engage the two South Asia countries to defuse tensions between them.

The minister acknowledged that US-Pakistan relations had reached a stalemate but said that "we need to break this stalemate" as this relationship was important for both.

"We need to work together to resolve these differences. If there's any misunderstandings, those should be removed."

Responding to a question, Dar rejected former Afghan intelligence chief's Rahmatullah Nabil claim that Pakistan's nuclear assets were not safe and could end up in the hands of militants.

"Pakistan's command and control system as well as its nuclear security regime remain robust and are on a par with standards. There has never been a single nuclear security incident in the country," the minister said.

Dar said that the former Afghan intelligence chief's claims were "grossly misleading and mala fide and the world should ignore such claims".
China should open up its services sector to ease trade tensions with the US and bolster global trade, according to a senior official from the Monetary Fund.
At least 434 militants have layed down arms in Quetta, the capital city of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Friday.

The Geo TV said that a ceremony was held in Balochistan assembly to mark the inclusion of the militants in the national mainstream.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, senior army officers, provincial ministers and other government officials attended the ceremony, Xinhua news agency reported.

The militants belonged to different groups including Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Army, and different districts of the province.

Addressing the ceremony, Zehri said that the provincial government will provide all possible support to those laying down arms.

"It is our national and moral obligation," he said.

He said that extremist elements used innocent people of the province to kill other innocent people.

Balochistan government spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar said that so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.
Outpost! (210 Yale SE) presents challenging music for inquisitive and/or knowing audiences. Thats the only way to say it. Without the distraction of club accoutrements to embellish and augment artists (everything from lighting and loudness to liquor served), its really possible and inevitable to focus on the performance. With a tendency to book the best in modern jazz, world and art music, owner/operator Tom Guralinick really brings the possibility to fruition. Listeners can get a load of all that beauty and complexity manifesting on Friday, April 21. On that night, composer and percussionist Christopher Shultis will give his first recital in more than 20 years. A mostly loyal follower of the John Cage brand of postmodernism that helped fertilize a fruitful generation of academic composers and performers, Shultis holds a very lofty and well deserved position at the local university (Distinguished Professor Emeritus); he influenced countless numbers of students who went on to be integral parts or our towns scene (Raven Chacon, Jon Bartlit, Monica Demarco and Clint Dearborn come to mind but there are many more). For his return to the tricky world of art music performance, Shultis will be revealing broad swaths of his oeuvre, from work in the late 80s that was composed around the time Cage was briefly in residence at UNM to current work in collaboration with visual artist Hee Sook Kim. Ace percussionists Simone Mancuso and Scott Ney will assist Shultis. Really, definitely start here this week, listeners; the concert begins at 7:30pm and costs between $15-20 for entry to occur.
A new president needs to staff his administration with people who will be loyal to him. Donald Trump's problem is that he does not have enough loyalists to staff the White House, much less the entire executive branch.

Previous presidents have come to Washington after enough time in politics to develop concentric circles of loyalists who can take jobs at all levels of government. Just look at the people who stood ready to help the Bush family or the Clintons over the years.

Trump, who never held public office before winning the presidency, didn't have that. In addition, he campaigned with an abrasive style that alienated a significant portion of the Republican Party's political talent. Beyond that, Trump's way of running his business, even though it made him a billionaire, was small in scale -- in his Trump Tower office, he relied heavily on a tight circle of people who were either related to him or had been with him for a very long time.

Now, Trump's style has led to an acute staffing problem across the administration and also to high-profile infighting in the White House. The former means that Trump cannot assert full control over a massive federal bureaucracy that is already inclined to resist him. The latter has led to an almost comical situation in which the president has piled portfolio upon portfolio on trusted son-in-law Jared Kushner -- now commonly referred to as one of the most powerful men in Washington -- who had no preparation for the responsibility.

On the question of the federal bureaucracy, many Trump supporters are dismayed by the slowness with which he is hiring for the various government departments and agencies. According to a database compiled by the Partnership for Public Service and the Washington Post, out of 553 important positions that require Senate confirmation -- and that is by no means all the political appointments Trump has to make -- only 22 Trump nominees have been confirmed, while another 53 have either been formally nominated or are awaiting formal announcement of their nominations. That leaves 478 jobs with no nominee at all.

Even though that slow start across the bureaucracy is probably more consequential, the White House palace intrigue has received the lion's share of press attention. Lately, the spotlight has focused on friction between Kushner and top adviser Steve Bannon. And that, too, is partly a function of the lack-of-loyalists problem.

The president himself suggested that in a recent interview with the New York Post's Michael Goodwin. When Goodwin asked whether Trump still had confidence in 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."

It doesn't take a mind reader to interpret that as a vote of no confidence. Members of the Bannon coterie in the White House were said to be shocked.

Veterans of earlier White Houses faulted Bannon for not trying to build relationships with people who could be his allies in the West Wing. When trouble came, who would go to bat for him? But a bigger problem was revealed by Trump's observation that Bannon had only joined Trump late in the campaign.

In the China of Chairman Mao, veterans of the Long March held a special place; they had been with the Great Helmsman for the entire journey. The situation is much the same in any American political operation, where candidates value people who have been with them all the way. In TrumpWorld, that's nobody -- outside the president's family and a few assistants from Trump's company.

Trump named Bannon chief executive of the campaign on August 17, 2016. Even though Bannon's Breitbart News had supported Trump for longer, the president is right -- that is pretty late in a campaign that began in earnest more than a year and a half earlier. Bannon wasn't there for the Long March.

Of course, other top White House aides, like chief of staff Reince Priebus and spokesman Sean Spicer, were also latecomers, and they were never fully part of the campaign. Not surprisingly, there have been trust issues; no Long March loyalty for them, either.

Thus Trump's focus on the family. After dispatching sons Don and Eric to run the business, Trump formally brought daughter Ivanka and Kushner into the White House power structure. (The president sought and received a Justice Department opinion arguing that the White House is exempt from federal anti-nepotism law.)

And Trump began to pile jobs on Kushner. The Middle East peace portfolio. Point of contact for foreign leaders. Tackling the opioid crisis. Heading the Office of American Innovation. "No human being can do all that stuff," says a Republican White House veteran.

When Bill Clinton's White House went off the rails in the spring of 1993, Clinton tried to recover, barely more than 100 days in office, by hiring the veteran Republican political operator David Gergen. The addition helped smooth things a bit, in part because it showed Clinton was willing to reach outside his circle to help run the government.

Donald Trump will probably have to do that too. (Reach outside his circle, that is, not specifically hire Gergen, which would cause some Republicans to leap from tall buildings.) The president will have to entrust with power a new set of Republicans who weren't on the Long March and who aren't related to him by blood or marriage. It's coming, sooner or later.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
It has almost become routine in France: A terrorist attack shatters the rhythms of daily life, bringing bloodshed and anguish. The assailant turns out to be someone known to the authorities.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed that the alleged chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun town was fabricated, and a bunch of lies.

There was no toxic attack in Khan Sheikhoun town, Xinhua news agency quoted Assad as saying.

Charging that the US and the Western powers have prevented an investigation team from coming into Syria to look into the allegation, "because the team will find that all the narrative about what happened in Khan Sheikhoun was mere lies."

Two weeks ago, the US launched 59 missiles on a Syrian air base in Homs province in central Syria, in retaliation to an alleged chemical attack launched by the Syrian air force on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, during which over 70 people were said to had been killed.

The Syrian government completely rejected the accusations, saying it is not in possession of chemical weapons and that there was no need to resort to such option as the Syrian army was advancing and using such tactic will do a big harm.

Asked about the Syrian air defenses, prior to the American strike against the Shayrat air base in Homs two weeks ago, Assad said the rebels' main target was the Syrian air defenses, noting that the country lost 50 per cent of the air defense capacity during the war.

He noted, however, that negotiations are ongoing with Russia to buy new air defense systems.

"This is the case always, before and through the war, of course we have become in need for more weapons after the war, and this is part of the daily relations between the Syrian and Russian defense ministries," the president said.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) ousted leader T.T.V. Dinakaran was on Saturday given a set of questions by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police with a case involving bribing of an Election Commission official to get the party's 'two-leaves' symbol.

According to sources, Dinakaran has been given questionnaire and an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) is questionning him.

Dinakaran who went in with his lawyers, was later asked to come alone, as according to the police, the questioning has to be done without his lawyers.

The questionnaire includes queries about the money trail, his association with Sukesh Chandrashekhar, the middleman alleged to have struck deal for Rs. 50 crore to help Dinakaran's AIADMK faction keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol, how many times he met Sukesh and whether any meeting with the Election Commission of India officials took place, or not, etc.

According to sources, there is a possibility of cross questioning Sukesh and also both of them together.

On Thursday, a team of the Delhi Police Crime Branch reached Chennai and served a notice on Dinakaran and asked him to join the probe.

The Delhi Police had issued a lookout notice against Dinakaran on Tuesday.

The police had arrested and sent Sukesh Chandrashekhar to custody for allegedly striking a deal of Rs. 50 crore to help the Dinakaran faction to keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol.

The Crime Branch recovered approximately Rs. 1.3 crore and two luxury cars, a BMW and a Mercedes, from Chandrashekhar.

Chandrasekhar was picked up from the Hyatt hotel and was produced at the residence of Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry, who allowed the Delhi Police's plea to interrogate the accused for eight days.

Dinakaran was also named as an accused in the FIR, filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch.

Dinakaran's faction contested on the hat symbol for the R.K. Nagar assembly by-polls, after the Election Commission froze their two leaves symbol while acknowledging the split in the party.

The polling was later cancelled by the Election Commission.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
World number two Novak Djokovic, who slumped to a shocking quarter-final exit in the ongoing Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, has said his failure to adjust to the tricky light in the third set led to his loss against Belgium's David Goffin.

The Serb battled back from a set down to force a deciding set, which was eventually sealed by Goffin, who recorded his first ever win over Djokovic. The final score read 2-6, 6-3, 5-7 in favour of the Belgian.

Following the defeat, Djokovic said it was almost unplayable in the third set because the setting sun was affecting the ball toss on serve, with half the court was in the shade and the other was in sunlight.

"It was almost unplayable.I just got disturbed by that light. On 4-3 I lost that serve. On that side, it's kind of hard to find timing when somebody's kind of putting a flashlight directly in your eyes. Both of us struggled on that side. He managed to hold serve on 5-all from that side, which was a great effort from him. But I couldn't," Sport24 quoted Djokovic as saying.

Talking about his performance in the match, Djokovic said he made a slow start to the match because he was feeling extremely fatigued due to his previous two matches, both of which were three-set battles.

"I started slowly probably because I played two long matches. But I thought as the match progressed I was feeling okay. You know, I was physically fine. We had a lot of exchanges, a lot of rallies. David is playing very quick. He's a fast player. I thought I played very, very well for a set and a half, from the start of the second set," the 12-time Grand Slam winner said.

The defeat marks the continuation of Djokovic's poor start to the year as he failed to make it to the semi-finals in his last four tournament.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump's declaration that the United States had "no role" in Libya has raised doubts about whether a political compromise can still be reached with the help of Americans in the embattled oil-rich country, possibly opening the door to greater Russian involvement in the region.

Speaking at a joint press conference on Thursday, the U.S. President rejected a plea from the Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni for the U.S. to maintain its "very critical" role in the country and help build political consensus around the struggling U.N.-backed government in Tripoli.

"I do not see a role in Libya. I think the United States has right now enough roles. We are in a role everywhere," Trump said, adding that the U.S.'s priority in Libya and Iraq was to focus on counter-terrorism efforts to target the ISIS.

Analysts said it was not entirely clear whether the President was signalling a break from the U.S.'s strong support of the Tripoli government led by Fayez al-Sarraj, or whether he was simply stating that he did not envisage the U.S. taking an active military role in the country.

Trump's remarks were welcomed by an official, who represents Aguila Saleh Issa, the head of the Libyan house of representatives in Tobruk, in eastern Libya.

Ari Ben-Menashe, a security consultant based in Canada who has a $6m lobbying contract with Saleh Issa and has tried to convince the Trump administration to drop support for Sarraj, said the US president's remarks made clear that "the US is actively not intervening on behalf of al-Sarraj".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Members of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) in Germany held anti-Pakistan protests over the ongoing Baloch Genocide in Pakistan.

The demonstration was held in front of the Berlin Gate in an attempt to highlight the atrocities, war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by the Pakistani military forces against the Baloch community.

The protestors alleged that the Pakistani Army and other forces are busy in a brutal operation against natives in most of the parts of Balochistan province.

"29 people have been killed and 60 innocent civilians have been abducted by Pakistan security forces in the last one month in Balochistan. Ruthless Pakistani military, the ISI and MI are using barbaric military tactics to suppressing Baloch reservations over CPEC. We will be doing more demonstrations and protests all across the to highlight Pakistani atrocities as peaceful political activities in Balochistan is taboo," Hammal Haider, foreign spokesperson of Baloch National Movement told ANI.

Villages are being razed to ground by bombardment and people are forced to flee their home towns. As a result, around a million Balochs are displaced and living a miserable life in different parts of Karachi, interior Sindh, Panjab border and other areas.

Some have even sought refuge in Afghanistan and other countries of the to escape persecution.

A social media campaign was also launched to highlight the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Saturday restated the need to immediately dismantle the terrorist safe havens, while strongly condemning the on the Afghan Defence Forces that has reportedly claimed over a hundred lives.

"India condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable terrorist attack in Mazar-e-Sharif on 21 April resulting in loss of lives, including the brave personnel of the Afghan Defence Forces. The government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the Government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment," said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

The statement said that the terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders.

"India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be," it added.

The attack happened at about 1.30 pm on Friday at a mosque located onsite of Afghan Army's 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters in Balkh province.

Insurgents in army vehicles and reportedly wearing military uniforms penetrated multiple layers of security before launching a coordinated attack.
Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich each struck half-centuries as West Indies fought back in the final session to reach 244-7 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Sabina Park here last evening.

With several key players absent due to the Indian Premier League (IPL), the new-look Caribbean team struggled at first as they collapsed to 71-5 shortly after lunch after being asked to bat first.

However, Chase (63) and Dowrich (56) shared a 118-run partnership for the sixth wicket to save the blushes for their side on a wicket that got easier as the day wore on.

At stumps, bowlers Jason Holder and Devendra Bishoo remained unbeaten at 30 and 29 respectively, thus adding further steel to the home side's batting by stitching a crucial partnership of 55 for the eighth wicket.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers for his figures of three for 28 in his 19 overs while Yasir Shah bagged two wickets for his side.

Debutant Mohammad Abbas and Wahab Riaz also chipped in with a wicket each.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan's Shimizu Corporation has a history of over 200 years in building safe and reliable infrastructure, protecting these structures against natural disasters, and promoting the concept of environmental sustainability.

The Shimizu Corporation has acquired a global reputation of making the best use of its technology and knowhow, and this can be seen across South East Asia.

Indonesia is one of the countries in this region to benefit from the Shimizu Corporation experience.

Indonesian capital Jakarta has introduced the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Contact Project with the aim of reducing traffic jams. One of the outstanding features of the section in which the Shimizu Corporation is involved as part of a joint venture is the adoption of the Shield Tunnel Boring Method (STBM) to construct tunnels, a first for Indonesia.

Stations will be connected by two tunnels with an inner diameter of 6.05 meters. The implementation of the STBM in Phase 1 of the construction has completed its task by reaching its final destination.

Masanobu Sakamoto, Construction Manager, Shimizu Corporation, who shared the philosophy of the work culture in Japan and of his company, said, "All Japan is the slogan in exporting infrastructure to Asia and abroad, but I think that not only our company, but the presence of Japan can also be shown by carrying out this construction."

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo considers this project very important. In addition to a few visits to the site during construction, he witnessed the moment when the tunneling machine reached the Setiabudi underground station area.

Japanese technology is not only playing an important role in improving traffic conditions in Jakarta, but the innovative Japanese sanitary ware maker TOTO is creating a brand new exclusive showroom at the Technical Center in Bangkok.

Visitors can feel the touch of TOTO's latest technology and products through well-designed displays and interactive experiences.

This showroom was designed by leading architects and a design firm of Thailand.

Maythin Chantra-ou-Rai, Executive Director, Architects 49 Limited, said, "We found that the core value for TOTO products is innovation and comfort. All the users, developers, designers, that come in the future can visualize the space, the products in their own homes, products or their own developments."

Visitors can understand that TOTO's latest technological innovations, the internal functions and the mechanism of products. One of them is the advanced shower technology.

There are various variations in toilet products with highlights as Neorest and Washlet.

Visitors can also experience a combination of various lavatory and faucets.

Natsiri Pochanakul, Product Advisor, TOTO (THAILAND) CO., LTD, "Adjustable mock-ups with scale allow guests to understand the proper place and position to install the product."

Sanitary products seamlessly combine technology, comfort, and design to make everyday life more pleasant and convenient.

Hiroyuki Suzuki, President, TOTO (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said, "We hope that this can be a space where clients can come visit, touch and experience the products, as well as showing the world of our technology."

In a separate development, APAO 2017 - the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress was held in Singapore.

On display at the event were intraocular lenses made by Japanese company HOYA Surgical Optic that helps restore the visual accuracy of cataract patients.

HOYA Surgical Optic has developed wide range of optics and highly innovative lens materials, singularly focused on advanced intraocular lenses (or IOLs) which can be introduced into the eye through a tiny incision.

Also, with a unique pre-assembled delivery system, surgeons can insert the IOLs into the eyes easily.

HOYA Surgical Optics has become one of the fastest-growing IOL companies in the world.

Dr. D. Ramamurthy, Chairman, The Eye Foundation, India, said, "I believe that Hoya stands at the forefront of this area. I believe that this lens, to cataract surgery, we do not look it as a vision resurrective surgery, but as something which enhances the whole lifestyle of the patient toward the end. We view it as a significant step forward."

Mads Bjerre Andersen, Vice President, Global Sales, HOYA Surgical Optics, said, "We have a very strong product pipeline, which will bring benefits to the surgeons in the way he operates. For the patients, clear vision long-term benefits in our lens technology, that will definitely give us a lot of potential for our growth going forward in the Asian-Pacific region."

Thirty years of research and development and state-of-the-art technology at HOYA Surgical Optics benefits the cataract patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Police have arrested two people caught with 250 kilograms of cannabis near Kapasira village of Odisha's Boudh district.

The two accused have identified as Bhim Singh and Arjun Singh and belonged to Bihar.

Manamunda Police personnel alleged that the accused have been caught smuggling drugs from Boudh to Bihar.

Investigation is underway.

Further reports are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after actor Sathyaraj apologised for his 'abusive' statements over the River Cauvery made nine years ago, Pro-Kannada organisations on Saturday decided to withdraw their protests against the movie 'Baahubali 2'.

"We have nothing against the film. Our protest was demanding that Sathyaraj apologise. Now that he has apologised, we withdraw our protests as we had said earlier. We have no opposition to the movie's release," said Karnataka Rakshine Vaikeke head Vattal Nagraj.

"We have nothing against the film. Our protest was demanding that Sathyaraj apologise. Now that he has apologised, we withdraw our protests as we had said earlier. We have no opposition to the movie's release," said Nagraj.

The Kannada activists had called for a Bengaluru bandh and statewide ban on the release of the movie 'Baahubali 2'.

The film's director Rajamouli had also made a video appeal to the organisations not to stall the movie.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Skinny jeans or small sized clothes may fit the thin women well, but when it comes to mental health, things may not be the same for them.

A study reveals, skinny women are more likely be depressed, linking to low moods.

Researchers from Seoul National University of Medicine in South Korea conducted the study and revealed that both men and women are affected by negative thoughts about being too thin, unlike depression among obese people, which predominantly affects women.

The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, pointed out that depressed people may be more likely to lose weight, or it could be that being thin makes people depressed.

"It seems that the current ideal of thinness affects women more than their male counterparts and causes more psychological distress in women, which can, in turn, lead to depression," the authors stated.

The team analysed data from 183 different studies.

They found that obesity increased the risk for depression in both underweight and obese people.

The results showed that the opposite is true and malnutrition has a detrimental effect on people's mood as maintaining a healthy weight is essential for good mental health.

In clinical practice, medical care providers should pay attention to the mental health of people who are underweight, the authors further explained.

"This large study confirms that optimal nutrition is fundamentally important for physical and mental health. Both being underweight and obese is associated with an increased risk of depression," said Dr Agnes Ayton, vice-chairman of the eating disorders faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

"It is an important finding, as people with eating disorders often assume that losing weight will improve their happiness," Ayton added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the turbulent state in the Valley with soaring protests and clashes, the Congress has called on the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to sever all ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state government and make peace with the people.

"The honourable course for honourable CM of J&K is to snap the coalition with BJP and make peace with the people," Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said in a series of tweets, adding that if the path to peace means 'a spell of Governor's rule', then so be it.

1/2 The honourable course for honourable CM of J&K is to snap the coalition with BJP and make peace with the people  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 22, 2017

Growing clamour for Governor's rule in J&K. Glad more people have realised PDP-BJP government is a disaster.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 22, 2017

Meanwhile, reports are afoot that Mufti is expected to discuss the current crisis in the Valley when she meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23 in the capital.

Earlier this week, at least 100 Kashmiri students were injured during clashes with security forces in Kashmir over a weekend police raid on a college.

The violence which had shown hints of subsiding since the killing of Burhan Wani last year, resurfaced once again following the killing of eight people by police and paramilitary troops during clashes in an April 9 by-election.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 135 Afghan military personnel were killed and over 60 wounded in a deadly attack by the Taliban on an army corps base in Mazar-e-Sharif city in Balkh province. The toll is expected to rise, an official said on Saturday.

The attack was condemned by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NATO and Afghan CEO Abdullah Abdullah among others.

Taliban militants dressed as army men stormed the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city, during Friday prayers. Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces, Tolo news reported.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement said the attack was a retribution for the killings of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan, according to reports.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," said Indian Prime Minister Modi.

In a separate statement, India's External Affairs Ministry said the terror attack is "a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders".

It said that India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be.

A local official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.

Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said Taliban militants wearing Army uniforms stormed the compound during Friday prayers.

The militants entered the base in a military vehicle and began shooting at the soldiers as they prayed at a mosque in the base.

A spokesman said that 10 militants were killed by the forces.

Afghanistan CEO Abdullah Abdullah has condemned the "cowardly" attack".

"What Taliban did in Mazar today (Friday) was against all values," he said.

Former President Hamid Karzai tweeted: "I condemn in strongest terms the terrorist attack on our military base in Mazar-e-Sharif that killed and wounded many of our brave soldiers."

The NATO Resolute Support Mission also condemned the attack, calling it reprehensible.

General John Nicholson, Commander of NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the attack "shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban".

"All of us condemn such murderous and reprehensible actions."

The statement also reaffirmed the NATO's support to the Afghan forces.

"The Afghan National Defence and Security forces and the people of Afghanistan have my personal assurance that we will continue to stand with them. We support our valuable friends and partners in the fight against terrorism," it said.

The attack came just two days after Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi visited the base during a trip to Balkh.

It is the second major attack on an Afghan military installation in 2017.

The Taliban in March attacked Sardar Mohammad Daoud military hospital here killing at least 50 persons.

The attack is the deadliest in Afghanistan since July 2016, when two Islamic State suicide bombers killed 80 Hazara protesters.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 80 persons were killed and many injured when Taliban militants attacked an Afghan army base in Balkh province, the media reported on Saturday.

Most of the deceased in the Friday attack at 209 Shaheen Corps base, one of the largest military bases in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, were army personnel, Tolo News quoted army officials as saying.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Defence Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said militants wearing army uniforms stormed the compound during Friday prayers.

According to him, they entered the base in a military vehicle and began shooting at the soldiers as they prayed at a mosque in the compound.

A spokesman for the base said 10 militants were killed in the attack.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has reaffirmed its support to the Afghan forces.

"I strongly condemn today's (Friday) barbaric attack in Balkh Province," NATO Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Zimmermann said.

"NATO stands with our Afghan friends and partners as they continue their fight against terrorism," he said.

It is the second major attack on an Afghan military installation in 2017.

The Taliban in March attacked Sardar Mohammad Daoud military hospital here killing at least 50 persons.

--IANS

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India and Poland will seek to further boost their close ties during the three-day state visit of Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari here from April 26, that will also see the inking of some agreements.

Ansari, who is leading a high-powered delegation to Poland, will be accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari.

Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, will lead the official team. Four members of the Rajya Sabha will be part of the delegation, including Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, and D.P. Tripathi, spokesperson of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, is also part of the official team.

Since Poland does not have a post of Vice President, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo will be the main hostess to welcome Ansari and she will lead the Polish official delegation. It is an almost a unique precedent when the Polish Prime Minister will go out of her way to make a new protocol. It also shows the extent of Poland's cordiality towards India.

A few agreements between the two sides will be signed to strengthen the bilateral ties.

During his visit, Ansari will call on Polish President Andrzej Duda. The Polish President is likely to come on a state visit to India later this year.

He will also meet Stanislaw Karczewski, Speaker of the Senate who is the head of the Polish Upper House. Ansari is the head of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament in India.

Vice President Ansari will address the Economic Forum where Indian and Polish businessmen will participate. This seminar is being organised by the Polish Ministry of Economic Development. The main emphasis will be how to increase bilateral trade, which is nearing $2 billion at present.

On April 28, Ansari will be the main speaker at Warsaw University, where he will speak to the faculty members on the success of 'Seven Decades of Democracy in India'.

The same day he will inaugurate the new complex of the Indian Embassy. It took the Indian Foreign Ministry two decades to complete the project and now it is one of the most beautiful foreign missions in Warsaw.

Indian Ambassador Ajay Bisaria will host a dinner for the Indian community to interact with the Vice President. Over the years the Indian diaspora has increased to around 5,000 people and some 3,000 Indian students have enrolled in different Polish Universities and institutions in the last five years. The Indian community has full freedom to practise their religious beliefs. It has a Sikh Gurudwara and a Hindu temple too.

Traditionally India and Poland have been on the best of terms ever since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1954 after the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. It was Stalin's veto that did not allow Poland to establish relations with newly independent countries of the Third World, including India. Once they established normal diplomatic relations, their relationship remained strong.

In the past Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Morarji Desai had visited Poland as Prime Ministers and Presidents V.V. Giri, Giani Zail Singh, S.D. Sharma and Pratibha Patil too made state visits to Poland in their tenure.

High dignitaries Edward Gierek, Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski came as the First Secretary of the Polish Workers Party and Lech Walesa and Alexandar Kwasniewski as presidents of the Democratic Poland. In 2010, Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid a state visit.

Poland whole-heartedly supports India's full membership in the UN Security Council. Poland was one of the first few countries which supported the Indian role in creating Bangladesh in 1971 and the third country to recognise Bangladesh. There has been sufficient amount of defence cooperation in the last five decades between the countries.

(Surender Bhutani can be reached at suren84ind@gmail.com)

--IANS

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Just when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was hoping for success across the board from panchayats to parliament, the revival of the case against some of its leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case of 1992 has raised the possibility of revealing the party's communal face which it has recently been trying to hide.

The BJP may continue to win elections if only because the issues relating to the demolition are not of much consequence to today's voters. Even then, the possible indictment of some of the leaders, including former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti, cannot but dent the party's image and be an international embarrassment.

The reason is the seriousness of the charges against them such as the promotion of enmity between communities. These accusations not only show Advani and others in a poor light, including the Rajasthan Governor, Kalyan Singh, who was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister at the time of the demolition, but also draw attention to the fact that the BJP's rise was based on an act of criminality.

The ascent of no other party in modern history has taken place against such an inglorious background -- except that of the Nazis in Germany.

That the BJP has largely been able to overcome the shame of 1992 and also of 2002 when the Gujarat riots took place is evident from its electoral successes. A major reason for these victories is the weakness of its opponents.

The BJP is also fortunate that except for a few minor figures, many of those facing the trial have nothing to do with the government. Being virtually in retirement from public life, their arraignment, if it comes about, will have no immediate impact on the ruling dispensation.

At the same time, it will be possible to trace any incident involving the minorities -- such as the killing of the suspected beef-eater Mohammed Akhlaq and of Pehlu Khan, who was transporting cattle -- to the propagation of poisonous sentiments which led to the destruction of a protected monument, which Advani described as an "ocular provocation" for the Hindus.

Although the saffron brotherhood has always been known for its anti-Muslim and anti-Christian outlook, its diatribes of hate had rarely been as venomous as when the Babri masjid was destroyed in an act of vandalism which shook the "secular fabric" of the Constitution, according to the Supreme Court.

The demolition of the "disputed structure", as the saffronties like to call the Babri Masjid, and the Gujarat riots are the two landmark events in the BJP's history. The charges of criminal conspiracy against Advani in the first case means that present-day margdarshak or mentor will have to relive in the dock the "saddest day" of his life which was on December 6, 1992, when the mosque was brought down.

In the Gujarat riots case, however, the clean chit given to Narendra Modi by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Supreme Court has absolved the then Chief Minister of the state of any dubious role in the outbreak although the court's amicus curiae, Raju Ramachandran, questioned the exoneration.

However, what these indictments and absolutions show is not only the BJP's rocky road to present pre-eminence, but also the assaults on the "secular fabric" which have marked its journey.

Since the trial of the Babri case is expected to last for two years, the timing of the verdict will come disconcertingly close so far as the BJP is concerned to the holding of the next general election.

It is too early to say what impact the judgment will have on the political fortunes of the BJP and its opponents, but there is little doubt that a recital of what happened during the now nearly forgotten days of the movement to "liberate" the birthplace of Lord Ram will provide much ammunition to the BJP's critics of its recourse to crass communalism to mobilise the Hindu voters.

Since the BJP is now trying to put on a more sobre face -- in Atal Behari Vajpayee's time, it used to be called a mask -- the party cannot but squirm in discomfort as some of the vituperative utterances of stormy petrels of the time like Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Rithambara are reiterated.

In a way, the BJP's present legal-political difficulties are due to its pursuit of a path of which it was not too sure.

For instance, the party decided to play the religious-communal card after its dismal performance in the 1984 general election when it won only two seats. But it apparently had little idea of what lay in store after whipping up anti-Muslim sentiments in the 1990s with Advani's Rath Yatra, which was also dubbed the riot yatra because of the communal violence which marked it.

Unaware of the dangerous forces that have been unleashed, Advani and other senior leaders failed to control the saffron mob which gathered in front of the Babri Masjid in response to their call to free Ramjanmabhoomi from the clutches of the Muslim invaders. What the party gained in the electoral swings after the mosque's demolition, it may now lose in the legal roundabouts.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)

--IANS

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Actor Sanjay Dutt's comeback film "Bhoomi", directed by Omung Kumar, will release on September 22.

The film was earlier scheduled to release on August 4. However, the makers have pushed back the release date to September 22.

The new release date was confirmed by producers Bhushan Kumar and Sandeep Singh in a joint statement.

"Sanjay has given his best performance till date and I am glad that we are increasing the anticipation for the audiences," director Omung Kumar said.

Sanjay along with the cast and crew of the film is currently shooting for the climax here. He earlier shot in Agra and Chambal.

"

"We are extremely happy to have our film finally releasing on September 22 this year. Sanjay and our entire team found it an apt decision to shift the release date by a month as this would give us enough time to promote the fi"m," Bhushan said.

"Bhoomi" is an emotional and sensitive revenge drama that explores the relationship between a father and daughter.

--IANS

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Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan on Saturday visited the Western Naval Command here as part of his ongoing tour of India.

He interacted with its commander, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra and others and was given a conducted tour of the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Kochi.

Appreciating the strides being made by India in her indigenisation efforts, Sajjan highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada, the need for further cooperation, enhancing maritime and naval links and the visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Winnipeg here next month.

The discussions also explored continuing the current levels of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation against the backdrop of the current regional and global security environment which offer opportunities to the two countries to collaborate.

Sajjan's visit is a follow-up of the joint statement of April 2015 during the visit to Canada by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two countries are poised to enhance defence cooperation in the the fields of counter-terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace-keeping and naval cooperation.

HMCS Winnipeg is expected to visit India mid-May to carry out professional interaction and passage exercise with Indian Navy ships.

Sajjan, 46, was born in Bombeli village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district and had migrated to Canada in 1976 with his family. He is the first Sikh to serve as the Defence Minister of any other nation.

--IANS

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The Tamil Nadu government's attempt to cover the water stored in Vaigai Dam in Madurai with thermocol sheets to prevent evaporation shows the officials lack of knowledge about water cycle and ecology, said an environmental activist.

On Friday Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju inaugurated the programme to cover the vast sheet of Vaigai Dam water with thermocol sheets at an outlay of Rs 10 lakh.

According to an official in the Public Works Department (PWD), the idea was to spread the thermocol sheets on 200 sq metres of water surface on a trial basis to prevent water evaporation.

The official said the idea is to study the plan first and if the results are positive then the plan could be expanded.

However soon after the thermocol sheets taped together were laid on the water surface they reached the shores and some even broke.

"The plan shows the lack of scientific knowledge of the water cycle. Water evaporation is a natural process and is part of water cycle. Why should one try to prevent the natural process," G. Sundarrajan, an environment activist with Poovulagin Nambargal, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in environment area.

"Secondly thermocol is harmful if ingested. If fishes or birds eat the thermocol then it will cause major harm to them," he added.

He said floating thermocol in the water stored in a dam and expecting them to stay at one place is foolish.

Officials said the water stored in the dam is the main source of drinking water for Madurai city and preventing the 1.2 mcft (million cubic feet) evaporation loss per day is important.

--IANS

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The already strained relations between the two Communist parties in Kerala has taken a turn for the worse with a senior CPI leader hitting out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

CPI Idukki district secretary K.K. Sivaraman has said the Chief Minister's attitude of 'I am the state' does not augur well for the coalition.

Over the past few months, the CPI-M and CPI, the number one and two in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) have been sparring against each other over various issues, causing impediments in the smooth functioning of the state government.

Things reached a crescendo ever since Thursday when a group of revenue officials and a strong posse of police pulled down a 'cross' of a new generation Church - Spirit in Jesus- near the hill station of Munnar, after it was found that the cross was put up on usurped land by the church authorities.

Communist Party of India leader E. Chandrasekheran holds the revenue portfolio.

Vijayan at a public meeting on Thursday condemned the act of the officials of pulling down the cross, leaving the CPI angry.

At a meeting of these officials on Friday evening, Vijayan came down heavily on the district administration and asked them to do a clean job.

Reacting to the turn of events, CPI Idukki district secretary K.K. Sivaraman on Friday told the media that they are baffled at the manner in which the Chief Minister has reacted.

"We are at a loss and do not know why he spoke like this. He should realise that it's a coalition government that is in office in Kerala now and his attitude of 'I am the state' does not augur well," said Sivaraman.

The new development came at a time when the state secretaries of the two warring Communist parties was to meet. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, has been indefinitely postponed.

In Saturday's party organ of the CPI, the need for holding a discussion with Vijayan also has been made.

In a related development, the office bearers of the Spirit in Jesus church on Saturday told reporters in Thrissur that the place where the cross stood is not theirs.

"For the past 60 years this place located on a hill top near Munnar has been in the possession of a person named Maria Susai, who is a member of the church and the 'cross' has been there for ages. Two years back he came up with a request that since the cross has become old and worn out, he wished to put up a new one. We supported the move. We wish to announce that our church or our leader Tom Zachariah does not own any illegal land," said officials of the church.

"Maria Susai got this property from his ancestors who owned it, and in this area none have got title deeds. His application for title deed has been with the state government since 1994 and no action has been taken. We also wish to state that this place has been frequented by many devotees from various churches as 'biblically' it's quite well known in our faith that God's position has always been on a hill top," added the representatives of Spirit in Jesus.

Meanwhile, after the cross was pulled down on Thursday a wooden cross was spotted since Friday at the same place. From Saturday onwards a team of police officials has been posted on duty at the hill top.

--IANS

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Delhi Police on Saturday questioned sidelined AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials in a case related to the party's poll symbol.

Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed party chief V.K. Sasikala, appeared before the investigators after arriving in the national capital from Chennai in the afternoon.

Delhi Police had on April 20 issued summons directing him to appear before its Delhi Interstate Crime Branch on Saturday.

"Dinakaran is being questioned at the Crime Branch," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Madhur Verma told IANS.

The Delhi Police has booked Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials through a middleman, Sukesh Chandrasekar, to get a favourable verdict in the party's two leaves symbol case.

Police said that the duo struck a Rs 50-crore deal to try and bribe officials from the Election Commission.

The poll body has frozen the AIADMK's two leaves symbol with the two factions -- one belonging to now-sidelined party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and the other led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Police on Saturday questioned sidelined AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials in a case related to the party's poll symbol.

Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed party chief Sasikala, appeared before the investigators in Delhi in the afternoon after arriving from Chennai and was questioned till late night.

Investigators said that Dinakaran's personnel assistant was also interrogated over the issue and was asked if he knows the alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar who was arrested from a five-star hotel on April 16.

They further said that Dinakaran was questioned alone and also confronted with Chandrasekar to clarify their versions over the issue.

As part of investigation, the officers also go through the call records of the politician.

Dinakaran appeared before Delhi Police's interstate crime Branch office in Chanakyapuri in the capital's diplomatic enclave following its April 19 summons with Saturday deadline.

"Dinakaran reached at the Crime Branch office and was questioned over nine hours," said a Crime Branch official.

High drama was witnessed late on Wednesday night when a Dinakaran follower attempted self-immolation when police arrived at his Besant Nagar residence in Chennai to serve him summons.

The Delhi Police has booked Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials through Chandrasekar to get a favourable verdict in the party's two leaves symbol case.

Police have said that the duo struck a Rs 50 crore deal to try and bribe officials from the Election Commission.

The poll body has frozen the AIADMK's two leaves symbol with two factions -- one led by party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and the other by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will start an official visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, in an effort to break the ice after months of tensions.

During the upcoming visit, Sisi will meet King Salman, and the two leaders will tackle their different points and how to enhance their ties.

They will also discuss regional and international issues of common concern, especially combating terrorism, Xinhua news agency reported.

President al-Sisi met the Saudi king on March 30 on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Jordan, in which Salman invited Sisi to visit Saudi Arabia.

The invitation came days after Saudi state oil company Aramco resumed delivering Egypt petroleum products suspended last October, when Egypt voted for a Russian-drafted UN Security Council resolution on Syria that Saudi Arabia strongly opposed.

Then in January an Egyptian court ruling blocked the handover of two Red Sea islands, signed during a visit by Salman to Cairo last April, to Saudi.

Saudi Arabia supported Egypt with billions of dollars in aid after the ouster of the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

--IANS

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The presidential poll in France on Sunday will have a spill over effect on Italian as the country is also heading to general elections within months, said analysts.

Italian right-wing political groups could get a boost if France's euroskeptic National Front leader Marine Le Pen has a strong showing in the first round.

If moderate candidate Emmanuel Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boon for former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is seeking a political comeback, Xinhua news agency reported.

The vote in France is unlikely to be decisive and a second-round runoff is almost inevitable. Besides, the top four candidates -- conservative Francois Fillon, far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon, Le Pen and Macron -- are so close that it's almost impossible to predict the outcome, pollsters say.

Le Pen's success in the first round could help increase support in Italy for the anti-establishment, anti-euro Five-Star Movement led by comedian and activist Beppe Grillo, and especially for the Northern League, a separatist group that would like to revamp the ties between Italy and the European Union, an expert has said.

"If Le Pen and the National Front come in first on Sunday, it could energise the Northern League and encourage them to try to play a bigger role going forward," Alessandro Campi, a professor at the University of Perugia and the director of Italy's Institute of Politics, told Xinhua.

"On the other hand, if Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boost for Renzi."

Renzi, who is seeking a comeback in the upcoming elections, resigned in December after losing a referendum on proposed constitutional reforms.

According to Christian Blasberg, a contemporary history professor at Rome's LUISS University, a strong performance for Le Pen and her National Front could also send a strong signal in other ways.

"It is not really clear whether the anti-establishment wave that resulted in the Brexit vote (in Britain) and the victory of Donald Trump in the US is running out of speed or not," Blasberg told Xinhua.

"It seems like it may have paused in Europe now. But if Le Pen does well, it could show that this trend is still strong."

Gian Franco Gallo, a political analyst, said groups in Italy calling for the country to reject the euro could see their ranks grow if Le Pen and the National Front finish strong.

"It is likely that if the National Front does well, its high-profile criticisms of the euro currency will legitimise that view in the eyes of some," Gallo said.

Few analysts predict Le Pen will be elected President. Even if she makes it to the second round scheduled for May 7, the most likely scenario will be that backers of the defeated candidates will unite behind her rival.

That is what happened 15 years ago when Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, lost to Jacques Chirac by a big margin in the second round.

--IANS

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Google's self-driving car company Waymo has filed new claims in its lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the taxi-ride hailing company withheld information about LiDAR technology it is using in its development of self-driving cars.

According to a report in Tech Crunch, Waymo also claimed in its lawsuit filed on Friday that Uber participated in a "cover up" to keep its second, un-named design hidden from the court.

In January, Waymo filed a lawsuit against global ride-hailing app Uber for allegedly stealing trade secrets and technology from it.

The lawsuit, filed against Uber's self-driving vehicle unit Otto that it bought in 2016 for $680 million, argued that former Waymo manager Anthony Levandowski took information when he left the company and later co-founded Otto in January 2016.

However, earlier in April, Uber claimed that its "Light Detection and Ranging" (LiDAR) system, code-named Fuji, was not ready and therefore was not being used in its self-driving cars, which rely instead on commercial systems furnished by Velodyne.

Waymo argued that Uber worked on a second system that more closely copies Waymo's designs (Waymo's LiDAR relies on a single-lens system, while the Fuji is multi-lens).

In its post in January, Waymo said, "Recently, we uncovered evidence that Otto and Uber have taken and are using key parts of Waymo's self-driving technology."

"Today, we're taking legal action against Otto and its parent company Uber for misappropriating Waymo trade secrets and infringing our patents."

The company said that it found that six weeks before his resignation, Levandowski downloaded over 14,000 highly confidential and proprietary design files from Waymo's various hardware systems, including designs of Waymo's custom-built LiDAR and circuit board.

"To gain access to Waymo's design server, Levandowski searched for and installed specialised software onto his company-issued laptop. Once inside, he downloaded 9.7GB of Waymo's highly confidential files and trade secrets, including blueprints, design files and testing documentation," the company noted.

Levandowski copied the data to an external drive. He later wiped and reformatted the laptop in an attempt to erase forensic fingerprints.

"We discovered that other former Waymo employees, now at Otto and Uber, downloaded additional highly confidential information pertaining to our custom-built LiDAR, including supplier lists, manufacturing details and statements of work with highly technical information," the company said.

Waymo said that given the overwhelming facts that their technology was stolen, they had no choice but to defend their investment and development of this unique technology.

--IANS

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said he was confident that "good people" who left the AAP will return to its fold.

"I always regret when people leave," the Aam Aadmi Party leader told IANS.

"I have always said that I am always hopeful that good people who left us due to differences ... will return to our fold in the future."

Kejriwal declined to take any names, however, in the interview.

Among those who left AAP are Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan whose Swaraj India is also fighting Sunday's municipal polls. A handful who quit AAP joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

--IANS

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Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said on Saturday there is a growing clamour for Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Glad more people have realised PDP-BJP (Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata party) government is a disaster," Chidambaram said in his tweet.

"The honourable course for... CM of J&K (Mehbooba Mufti) is to snap the coalition with BJP and make peace with the people," he added.

"If that means a spell of Governor's rule, so be it," Chidambaram said.

The Kashmir Valley has been on the boil since the Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha by-election of April 9 when security forces shot dead eight protesters.

A re-poll on April 13 also saw violence including the killing of a youth in Srinagar.

--IANS

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The Gujarat Traders Federation on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for easing the rules and structure of the upcoming pan India tax regime of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The federation reached out to Prime Minister Modi through a letter which pointed out various hindrances towards ease of doing business that will occur once the GST is implemented.

"As we learn about the GST rules adopted by GST council, which are being published now and in public domain, from the very structure it seems that it defeats and violates the very concept of Ease of Doing Business," the letter read.

"We on behalf of honest small traders, small medium enterprises (SME) of India request you to kindly intervene into the matter and use your kind office to make the provisions and rules vide GST more simple and implementable."

--IANS

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Actress Kangana Ranaut says that she personally loves azaan and respect all the religious activities and places.

The actress, who seemed to be unaware about the Sonu Nigam-azaan controversy, was asked to comment on it and replied: "I can't speak for anyone but I personally love azaan. When I was shooting for 'Tanu Weds Manu' in Lucknow, I used to love the sound of it.

"I like all the religious activities and I go to every religious places be it mosque, temple, gurudwara or in church. But this is my personal opinion. But It doesn't mean that what he (Sonu Nigam) has said should not be considered. That's his opinion and he should be respected for that.

"I think that's the idea of bringing it to social media so that it can be discussed," added the actress while speaking during a press conference held for Liva excellence awards 2017 in Mumbai on Friday.

The National Award winning actress' future projects include the period drama "Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi"

Talking about the role's preparation, she said: "I am learning sword fighting and horse riding for the film. As of now, all things are going well. We will start shooting of the film in first week of June and we are announcing the project in first week of May in a big way."

"Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhasi" is directed by Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi who has directed several Telugu films such as "Vedam" and "Gautamiputra Satakarni".

The film has been written by K V Vijayendra Prasad writer of Baahubali.A

Kangana will also be seen in Hansal Mehta's "Simran" which is scheduled to release later this year.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly condemned a terrorist attack on an army base in Afghanistan that killed at least 135 soldiers.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," said Modi.

At least 135 Afghan soldiers were killed and 60 injured in the deadly attack by Taliban militants on an Afghan army base in Balkh province, an official said on Saturday.

Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces during Friday's attack on the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.

In a separate statement, the External Affairs Ministry said: "India condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable terrorist attack in Mazar-e-Sharif on April 21 resulting in loss of lives, including the brave personnel of the Afghan National Defence Forces."

It extended the government and the people of India's deepest condolences to the government and people of Afghanistan.

"The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders," the ministry statement said.

"India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be," it added.

--IANS

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Homo floresiensis, a species of tiny human discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003, most likely evolved from an ancestor in Africa and not from Homo erectus - an ancestor to modern humans - as has been widely believed, a study says.

The researchers believe that their findings, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, should help put to rest a hotly contested debate about the origin of Homo floresiensis.

"We can be 99 per cent sure it's not related to Homo erectus and nearly 100 per cent chance it isn't a malformed Homo sapiens," said Mike Lee of Australia's Flinders University and the South Australian Museum.

Homo floresiensis, dubbed "the hobbits" due to their small stature, were most likely a sister species of Homo habilis -- one of the earliest known species of human found in Africa 1.75 million years ago, the study said.

Data from the study concluded there was no evidence for the popular theory that Homo floresiensis evolved from the much larger Homo erectus, the only other early hominid known to have lived in the region with fossils discovered on the Indonesian mainland of Java.

"The analyses show that on the family tree, Homo floresiensis was likely a sister species of Homo habilis. It means these two shared a common ancestor," said study leader Debbie Argue of the Australian National University.

"It's possible that Homo floresiensis evolved in Africa and migrated, or the common ancestor moved from Africa then evolved into Homo floresiensis somewhere," Argue said.

Homo floresiensis is known to have lived on Flores until as recently as 54,000 years ago.

Where previous research had focused mostly on the skull and lower jaw, this study used 133 data points ranging across the skull, jaws, teeth, arms, legs and shoulders.

None of the data supported the theory that Homo floresiensis evolved from Homo erectus, Argue said.

"We looked at whether Homo floresiensis could be descended from Homo erectus," she said.

"We found that if you try and link them on the family tree, you get a very unsupported result. All the tests say it doesn't fit -- it's just not a viable theory," Argue said.

This was supported by the fact that in many features, such as the structure of the jaw, Homo floresiensis was more primitive than Homo erectus, she added.

--IANS

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Police on Saturday arrested Pradeep Yadav, a Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) legislator, sitting on dharna for the past week protesting against an upcoming Adani power plant in the state.

Police reached the dharna site in Godda district around 4.30 a.m. on Saturday and arrested the legislator.

An arrest warrant was issued last week against the legislator for allegedly inciting people against the Adani power plant.

"My agitation will continue even inside jail," Yadav told reporters.

Around 900 acres of land has been acquired in Godda district for the power plant. Adani is to set up a 1,600 MW power plant for electricity to be supplied to Bangladesh.

Some villagers are in favour of the plant while some are against it.

An Adani power plant supporter was thrashed by some unidentified persons in Jharkhand's Godda district on Friday, police said.

According to Police, people opposing the Adani power plant entered the house of Ranjan Mandal in Basantpur village of Godda district and thrashed him.

Mandal had led a procession favouring the power plant.

No arrests have been made in the case.

The opposition parties in the state have alleged that the land rate of Santhal Pargana region has been reduced to help Adani power.

--IANS

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North Korea seemingly made a subtle warning to China on Saturday of catastrophic consequences to their bilateral relations, as it asked Beijing not to step up sanctions.

The warning came in a commentary titled "Are you good at dancing to the tune of others", released by the state-owned KCNA news agency.

While the commentary did not mention China by name, Pyongyang expressed its criticism of "a country around North Korea", Efe news reported.

"The country is talking rubbish that North Korea has to reconsider the importance of relations with it and that it can help preserve security of Pyongyang and offer necessary support and aid for its economic prosperity, claiming the latter will not be able to survive the strict 'economic sanctions' by someone," the commentary said.

It added that if "the country" continues applying sanctions on Pyongyang, "it may be applauded by the enemies of North Korea, but it should get itself ready to face the catastrophic consequences" in bilateral relations.

In February, Beijing announced that it would not buy coal - North Korea's main export - from Pyongyang for the rest of the year in support of a UN resolution.

Official media in China has also suggested the possibility of suspending exports of hydrocarbons if North Korea conducts a new nuclear test.

--IANS

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Protesting in the national capital for over a month, Tamil Nadu farmers on Saturday drank their own urine to draw the Centre's attention to the drought in their state and other demands.

On Friday, they had collected their urine in plastic bottles and threatened to consume it if the Union government fails to respond to their demands, including a loan waiver, drought relief package and formation of a Cauvery river management board.

From wearing human skulls to conducting mock funerals and even stripping at Raisina Hill here, the farmers have been grabbing eyeballs for the last 40 days with their novel ways of protest.

A few days ago, these farmers met Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan who hails from Tamil Nadu. However, the two sides failed to reach a consensus on their demands.

--IANS

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In the midst of heightened posturing by North Korea over a potential thermonuclear war Saturday April 21 is the 113th birth anniversary of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a father of the first atomic bomb in 1945.

While an actual thermonuclear war may not come to be, Oppenheimer's remarkable clarity over the bomb's creation and justifiability of its use followed by philosophical ambiguity can all be traced to his passionate lifelong fascination for the Bhagwat Gita.

On his birth anniversary, perhaps the most quoted expression of his would be what he took from Krishna as telling Arjuna in the Gita: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

According to many scholars, Oppenheimer had internalized the core message of the Gita, a thumbed copy of which he famously kept handy by his work desk. He was known to gift its English translation to his friends and others. Oppenheimer learned Sanskrit in 1933 and first read the Gita in the original language.

James A. Hijiya, Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, in his remarkable work 'The Gita of J. Robert Oppenheimer' likens him to the great warrior of the Mahabharata, Arjuna. "For an uncertain soldier like Oppenheimer, nervously fashioning his own atomic 'arrow', Arjuna sets a good example. Arjuna is fighting to install his eldest brother, Yudhishthira, as ruler of the kingdom and emperor of the known world, and to thwart the pretensions of their cousin Duryodhana. Yudhishthira is a better man and ruler than Duryodhana, who is motivated by ferocious envy and has resorted to fraud and attempted murder of his cousins to gain the throne," Hijita writes.

"Krishna's message to Arjuna is clear: you must fight. To Oppenheimer the message would have seemed equally clear. If it was proper for Arjuna to kill his own friends and relatives in a squabble over the inheritance of a kingdom, then how could it be wrong for Oppenheimer to build a weapon to kill Germans and Japanese whose governments were trying to conquer the world," he asks.

Oppenheimer's engagement with the Gita was active during the conception and execution of the Manhattan Project from 1941 onward that created the world's first atomic bomb tested on July 16, 1945 at Trinity near Alamogordo in New Mexico. According to Hijiya, in April, 1945 during a memorial service for President Franklin Roosevelt, Oppenheimer quoted this from the book: "Man is a creature whose substance is faith. What his faith is, he is."

The Sanskrit verse in question that captured Oppenheimer's imagination in the aftermath of the successful test was "Kalo'smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho", which has been variously translated. While "Kal" has generally been interpreted as Time and therefore Time being the great destroyer of worlds, there is a fairly widespread interpretation in the Western scholarship about Kal being Death by its very implication. Hence the most popular transliteration as used by Oppenheimer, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Among the Indian scholars the more acceptable translation has been, "I am terrible time, the destroyer of all beings in all worlds."

Oppenheimer credited two other books, apart from the Gita, as having influenced him. They were Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Eliot's "Waste Land". However, by some consensus the Gita appeared to have impacted him at both rational/practical level as well as at much deeper philosophical level.

It has been argued by scholars such as Hijiya that Oppenheimer's approach to the atomic bomb was that of doing his duty as part of his dharma as prescribed in the Gita. Professor Hijiya describes it thus: "Just as Arjuna and Yudhishthira honored their elders by submitting to their decisions, even when those decisions were wrong, so did Oppenheimer yield to those he recognised as his political and military superiors. He was a scientist, so it was his duty to make judgments on scientific matters, like how to build the bomb. But when it came to politics and war, he refused to oppose decisions made by people seemingly more qualified than himself. He would not venture outside his dharma."

Oppenheimer's dispassionate, almost coldly detached acquiescence to the broader politics of the atomic bomb has been interpreted as a direct result of the way he digested the Gita. He saw it purely in terms of his duty as a scientist and perhaps nothing more.

Much has been written about whether Oppenheimer came to regret having pioneered the atomic bomb. There appears to be considerable agreement that he did not feel remorse in any manifest sort of way. Even during the first successful test in 1945 he was said to have thought of this line from the Gita: "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst into the sky that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One." This was notwithstanding his full understanding of the potential for death and destruction that the enormous power could and would unleash.

It was clear to those involved in the Manhattan project, particularly someone at its helm like Oppenheimer, that the eventual purpose of the bomb was to be deployed as a weapon very soon. It was in that context that the physicist's dependence on the Gita as his guide ought to be viewed.

((Mayank Chhaya is a Chicago based journalist. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on mcsix@outlook.com))

--IANS

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It is not easy for now to forge a united opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but a challenge to him will emerge in 2019, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says.

The Congress leader also said in an interview that the country's oldest political party cannot do without the Gandhis and that Vice President Rahul Gandhi "is coming up well".

Speaking on a variety of subjects, Dikshit, who ruled Delhi for 15 long years until 2013, also said she would never, ever join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Asked about talks among opposition parties to take on the BJP, Dikshit said there was a lot of talk on an "anti-communal agenda".

"I do hope it (opposition unity) works out. But it has to be worked out very carefully. People have to learn to accept each other," Dikshit told IANS, and added: "They at the moment are individualistic.

"In the interest of the country, this will be good. Nothing has come out substantially so far," she added.

Dikshit asserted that the Congress needed the Gandhi family's "unchallenged leadership" -- a reference to party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi.

"The Gandhi family has served the country and the Congress for decades. The Congress ruled India for 70 years ... because of the guidance of the Nehru-Gandhi family."

Several Congress leaders have quit the party in recent months, in Delhi and elsewhere. Most have blamed Rahul Gandhi for providing "poor leadership".

Asked if she could ever join the BJP, Dikshit shot back: "No question, not even in my next birth... Ideologically, we are very different."

Answering a query, Dikshit said promoting local leadership was important for the Congress.

"Indiraji (Indira Gandhi) and Rajivji (Rajiv Gandhi) used to bring up local leaders... Little changes here and there in attitude may help us," she said, in an oblique reference to problems within the Congress.

Dikshit, who was initially named the Chief Ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, said state unit chief Raj Babbar and General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad must own up for the Congress rout in the state.

The Congress won only seven of the 105 seats it contested in the 403-member assembly.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was not to blame for the debacle, Dikshit said the responsibility of Uttar Pradesh was given to others. "They should take it, the PCC president was there, there was General Secretary, there were others also."

She admitted that the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance "didn't work. That's a separate matter. In democratic politics, there is always a risk. It can work sometime, sometimes it doesn't work".

But she called for a proper introspection and the party should analyse the reasons for the defeat.

Dikshit insisted that the Congress will find a leader when the time comes to take on Modi.

Asked if she saw anyone in the Congress as a challenge to Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, she said: "The Congress itself is a challenge. Don't underestimate it."

Asked about an individual in the Congress who could challenge Modi, she replied: "Within the Congress... within the Congress, (there is) no challenge."

Asked if there was a leader of Modi's stature in the Congress, Dikshit said: "(Former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh did a very wonderful job. What is happening today, it was started and conceptualised by Manmohan Singh. When the time comes, we'll find a leader."

She said Rahul Gandhi was "coming up well. And he is taking on challenges... I am sure he will succeed at the end of it all".

Dikshit said the upcoming organisational polls in the Congress would bring "new blood and churn the whole system".

(Sidhartha Dutta can be contacted at sidhartha.d@ians.in)

--IANS

sid/ps/mr/sar

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US Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed the country's historic alliance with Australia, and urged China to enhance its efforts to pressure North Korea to curb its nuclear program.

Mike Pence on Saturday said during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the Donald Trump administration would work closely with Australia, China and other allies in the region to ramp up diplomatic and economic pressure on Pyongyang, Efe news reported.

He added that if China was unable to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the US and its allies would deal with North Korea instead, and said "all options are on the table".

His statements came amid an escalation in tensions between Washington and Pyongyang due to North Korea's latest ballistic missile tests, which prompted the US to send nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its strike group to the Korean Peninsula.

The USS Carl Vinson will arrive on the Korean Peninsula shortly, according to Pence.

Turnbull also called on China to show leadership and make a "stronger commitment to ensure North Korea stops this reckless and dangerous conduct", adding that "the eyes of the world are on Beijing".

Pence and Turnbull said they had discussed other issues including the South China Sea dispute in which at least five countries of the region are involved.

The US politician on Saturday met with Australia's Governor General Peter Cosgrove, and held meetings with opposition leader Bill Shorten, senior military officials and businessmen.

On Sunday, he is scheduled to visit Sydney with his wife and two children.

Australia is the last leg of Pence's 10-day Asia-Pacific tour which will conclude on Monday, when he will depart for Hawaii.

His visit to Australia is particularly significant because of the controversial telephone conversation between Trump and Turnbull early this year over a refugee deal signed by former US president Barack Obama.

Trump publicly described the deal, allowing resettlement of 1,259 refugees in the US, as "dumb".

Pence and Turnbull reiterated several times on Saturday the importance of the alliance and friendship between the two countries.

--IANS

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US Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday reaffirmed "the strong and historic" alliance with Australia and confirmed that it will honour a refugee deal that Washington made with Canberra.

Pence made the remarks here at a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the agreement would be honoured, subject to vetting, even if the US did not agree with it, Efe news reported.

"President (Donald) Trump has made it clear that we'll honour the agreement...that doesn't mean we admire the agreement," he said.

The deal, signed by former US President Barack Obama, calls for resettlement of up to 1,250 refugees in the US who are currently in Australian detention facilities on the islands of Manus and Nauru.

Shortly after taking office, Trump discussed the deal with Turnbull in a tense telephone conversation. He also took to Twitter to lambast the agreement, which he termed as "dumb".

Pence said the decision to go ahead with the deal was in honour of the important historic alliance between the US and Australia.

Beyond the refugee deal, Pence and Turnbull said they had discussed issues including the North Korea crisis, the situation in the South China Sea and the strengthening of bilateral trade between the two countries.

Pence, who arrived in Sydney late Friday, is on a three-day visit to Australia on the last leg of his Asia-Pacific tour.

"My presence here today - at the President's direction - it is about a reaffirmation of the strong ties in both our security and our prosperity," Pence said earlier on Saturday.

Pence was greeted by Australia's Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and is slated to meet with other senior officials, military personnel and leading businessmen from both countries.

He will conclude his 10-day Asia-Pacific tour on Monday, when he will depart for Hawaii.

During his visit he has sought to strengthen ties with US allies in the region following Trump's criticism of China and Japan during the presidential campaign.

--IANS

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Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for asking civil servants not to use social media for self-promotion or spend too much time online. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani hit back.

A day after Modi asked civil servants not to be glued to social media on their mobile phones, Gandhi tweeted on his official Twitter account: "Leading by example is clearly overrated." He attached an article in an English daily on Modi's comment.

Irani returned the fire with her tweet: "Look who is talking about being overrated."

Addressing a function on the Civil Services Day here on Friday, Modi said anonymity of the civil service had been a strength but this appears to be getting weaker.

Modi said he had banned mobiles in his meetings to prevent distraction.

He said social media should be used to improve systems and to connect better with the people.

--IANS

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Star South African batsman AB de Villiers and England pacer Tymal Mills are expected to return to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) line-up against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Sunday.

AB did not play RCB's last game against Gujarat Lions due to a back injury while Mills was also ruled out.

The South African was seen practicing on Saturday, coming ahead of skipper Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle, who joined the team in the second-half of their training session.

Mills also rolled his arms at the nets for quite some time.

"He is fit and is available for selection," an RCB official told IANS on the sidelines of the team's practice session.

AB has so far played three matches scoring 137 runs, RCB's highest while Mills has three scalps to his name from four outings.

--IANS

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North Korea said it is ready to respond to aggression from the US, amid the deployment of an American nuclear aircraft carrier in waters close to the Korean peninsula.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extremely dangerous phase due to the mad-cap nuclear war provocations of the US," the Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement reported by state-run news agency KCNA.

"The authorities of the Trump Administration are spouting a load of rubbish calling for browbeating North Korea," the statement said, adding that the US said it would deploy "a nuclear aircraft carrier and its strike groups in the waters off the Korean Peninsula."

Pyongyang said it will not be frightened by these threats and that its army is closely watching US maneuvers and waiting for an order to counter any threat immediately.

The statement added that North Korea is a peace-loving country but also a nuclear power that is unafraid of war and would not hesitate to exercise all options for a counter-attack.

Tension has been escalating on the Korean peninsula since the beginning of April after Washington hinted at a pre-emptive strike against Pyongyang, which was followed by a new missile test by North Korea on April 16, Efe news reported.

Two weeks ago, the US announced it had ordered the deployment of nuclear aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson on the Korean peninsula, a move that was interpreted as a warning against Pyongyang's arms development program.

However the carrier was at the time participating in joint exercises with Australia in the Indian Ocean.

It is now heading to the region and will carry out maneuvers in the waters of the Sea of Japan near the Korean peninsula.

Japan also sent two destroyers to participate in the maneuvers from April 25 to 28, while Seoul is also considering participating in these combined naval drills.

--IANS

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A snow leopard was rescued and released into the wild by a herdsman and police in China's Xinjiang Uygur region, the media reported on Saturday.

Aldalbek, the herdsman, informed the police after finding a leopard crouching beside his sheepfold in Qinghe county on April 15, Xinhua news agency reported.

Police confirmed it was an adult snow leopard with no obvious injuries. As it was too weak to move, the police transported the animal to the county forest police station.

Li Jiang, head of the police station, said it drank a little water and ate some meat and offal in the afternoon. The leopard regained its vitality the next day.

The police invited a veterinarian to check the health of the leopard on Monday. The vet said it was in good health and could be released, so on Tuesday it was set free.

Snow leopards are a Class A protected animal in China and are classified as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

They live in the Himalayas of central and south Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters. They have been spotted in China's Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan and Xinjiang.

The animal has rarely been seen in the wild this century due to loss of habitat and poaching.

According to official statistics released in 2015, there were an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild, in addition to around 650 in captivity worldwide.

--IANS

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Seasonal thunderstorm swept across various parts of the city and suburban areas disrupting train services and blocking major roads by uprooting trees on Saturday evening, officials said.

"Train services in the city's circular railway has completely disrupted after the storm. There was also a temporary disruption in Baraipur-Lakhikantapur line under the Sealdah south section as some trees fell on the over-head lines. However the services resumed after an hour," Ravi Mahapatra, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Railways told IANS.

"Our technicians are working to remove the obstacles from the tracks and overhead lines as soon as possible. The services at Sealdah North section is not affected," he said.

At Howrah, the other major railway station under South Eastern railways, a number of trains were delayed due to the storm.

"The sudden thunderstorm caused minor disruptions at Howrah as some trains in the Howrah-Kharagpur line were delayed. However no express trains got cancelled today," said S. Ghosh, Chief Public Relation Officer of South Eastern Railways.

Vehicle movement was affected in the city as the storm -- known as Norwester which is common in this part of India during this time -- felled trees on important arterial roads like Jessore Road, Harish Mukherjee Road, Lenin Sarani, Rashbehari Avenue and Judges Court Road.

There were long queues of vehicles on many roads even late into the night.

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump will make an important announcement about his awaited plan for tax reform next Wednesday.

"We'll be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform. The process has begun long ago but the reform will begin on Wednesday," Efe news service quoted Trump as saying.

Trump signed an executive order along with two memoranda about reviewing the taxation and financial regulatory policies of his predecessor in the White House, Barack Obama.

Trump has previously set other dates for releasing news about his plan for tax reform, something financial markets have eagerly anticipated for some time.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also mentioned the tax reform plan Friday during a conference at the White House, and said the government is "pretty close" to having it ready to announce.

The government originally set August as the deadline for getting congressional approval for tax reform, but Mnuchin warned Thursday that it will "take till the end of the year."

"The plan will pay for itself with growth," Mnuchin said on Thursday at a conference of the Institute of International Finance in Washington, in an attempt to calm concerns about the promised tax cuts adding to America's enormous national debt.

Mnuchin said the priorities of Trump's tax reform, which, he claimed will be the biggest since the decade of the 1980s, will be to simplify personal income taxes, provide tax cuts for the middle class and make companies more competitive.

--IANS

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Fresh after narrowly winning a referendum that gives him more powers in his current post, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to launch a new foreign policy initiative starting with a visit to India at the end of this month.

Erdogan, accompanied by the Turkish economy and trade ministers, will visit New Delhi on April 30 where he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"Erdogan will participate in Turkey-India Business Forum and will hold political talks with Indian leaders, particularly President Pranab Mukherjee," the report said.

"The agenda during the meeting is expected to be dominated by an improvement of bilateral economic and trade ties."

Erdogan last visited India in 2008 when he was his country's Prime Minister.

His talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be crucial in view of the crisis in Syria that includes the refugee problem and support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Following India, Erdogan will visit Sochi on May 3 where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Erdogan, who will discuss developments in Syria with Putin, will deliver the message that 'the conflict in Syria can be resolved if Russia adopts a constructive position and a political transition process can begin'," the report said.

Erdogan is likely to hold his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in the second half of May at the latter's invitation over telephone.

"The issues to be discussed at the White House include the extradition of Fethullah Gulen and restrictions on his followers in the US, developments in Syria, Turkey's sensitivities over the prospective role for the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in the upcoming Raqqa operation, as well as the countries' bilateral economic relationship," the Hurriyet Daily News report said.

Erdogan has blamed Turkish preacher and political activist Gulen, a former ally and now a US resident, for the botched coup attempt in July last year.

The Turkish President will also visit China where he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15 along with Putin and other regional leaders.

On May 25, he will attend a NATO summit in Brussels which "will also provide a good opportunity for Erdogan to hold bilateral meetings with some key European leaders", the report said.

--IANS

ab/vm

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When Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in New Delhi on April 30, he will find in his host, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, something of a kindred spirit. Both aspire for absolute power.

The April 16 referendum has removed constraints Erdogan was uncomfortable with. He will now be an executive President, a position from where he can manipulate whatever checks and balances may still be theoretically in place.

What Erdogan has achieved is unparalleled in Turkish history. He is well on the way to completely overhauling what the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, had diligently put together.

When Mahatma Gandhi held Maulana Mohammad Ali's hand in support of the Caliphate (Khilafat Movement) in Istanbul, the founder of modern Turkey was embarked on exactly the opposite: He was abolishing the Caliphate. It was an anachronism.

St. Sophia, the great Byzantine church in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), had been transformed into a mosque by the Ottoman Sultan. Ataturk reversed the decision. Christendom's most magnificent church would, were it to be retained as a mosque, hurt Europe in perpetuity. It is today a great Byzantine museum.

Ataturk saw modern Turkey's future in Europe. The Fez cap was banned. Turki script gave way to Roman letters. No head scarf for women except as a statement of fashion. Raki, distilled from aniseed (same as Ouzo in Greece, Pastisse in France and Arrack in Lebanon) became the unofficial national drink. It was Ataturk's favourite.

Ataturk's inspirational steps towards Europeanism notwithstanding, Ottoman Turkey's civic and social backwardness remained an obstacle in the way of its union with Europe. Diligently the nation set about improving its infrastructure, environment, laws to make it clubbable with Europe.

What Turkish leaders had not taken into account was European prejudice about the "Turk" from medieval times. Its desire to join the European Union was dodged and spurned. President Valery Giscard d'Estaing of France was the most blunt: "European civilisation is Christian civilisation." This became something of a muted European chorus.

On the Aegean Sea or Cyprus, Europe would singly or unitedly thwart any movement in Ankara's preferred direction. Even the most Kemalist of all Prime Ministers, Bulent Ecevit, was exasperated. Ecevit, Modi may like to know, was almost a self-taught Indologist. His translation of Tagore's "Geetanjali" is something of a Turkish masterpiece.

The modernism that Ataturk imposed on Turkey was not as shallow as the one in North Tehran under the Shah and Kabul during King Amanullah. But it had not radiated out of Istanbul and Ankara. Had Europe been sensitive enough, the modernism from the top would have taken root across all of Anatolia -- such was the momentum Ataturk had imparted to the "Turkey-in-Europe" project.

It was Western insensitivity to Muslim societies in general, the rampaging Islamophobia, which began to shake the secular citadels even in Muslim societies. Turkey under leaders like Ecevit, Suleyman Demirel, Turgut Ozal, and most certainly army generals like Kenen Everen, jealously guarded its secular constitution despite being a Muslim country, indeed, a deeply Muslim country until the West crossed some Red lines.

The televised occupation of Iraq, the two Intefadas, the manner in which post-9/11 anti-terror wars were fought from Afghanistan to each and every Muslim country began to affect public opinion even in a country which retained warm relations with Israel.

An anti-Western groundswell became unstoppable in Turkey when brutalities against Muslims in the Bosnian war, the four-year siege of Sarajevo were brought into every Turkish home live, mornings and evenings. The West forgot that Bosnia was once an Ottoman province. Sarajevo came from the word "Sarai", a resting place.

Little wonder the Refah Party under Necmettin Erbakan came to power. Erbakan was a diehard though closet Muslim Brotherhood member. The army dismissed the government -- Turkey's constitution would not tolerate even a trace of religiosity in public life.

Erbakan's principal disciples, Tayyip Erdogan and Abdullah Gul, reinvented the Refah as the Justice and Development (AK) party, taking great care to abide by the constitution.

Anti-Westernism was cleverly promoted without invoking Islam. For instance, when Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sought permission to ferry US troops to Iraq through Turkish territory, Prime Minister Erdogan tossed the issue to Parliament, which blocked permission. Israeli high-handedness against a Turkish humanitarian ship carrying succour for Palestinians led to a rupture with Tel Aviv -- an outcome hugely popular with the electorate.

When Greece, the mother of Western civilisation, was on its knees, in every sense of the term, every Turkish indicator placed the country favourably with every member of the European Union.

By the time of his third election victory Erdogan had performed the impossible: His popularity exceeded even Ataturk's at his height.

The Arab Spring provided the West with a carrot to dangle before him: He could become the democratic model for the Arab world. Some Turks began to nurse fanciful dreams. If there could be a commonwealth group of nations freed from Britain, why can't there be an Ottoman grouping? This raised Arab hackles.

During a meal at one of the world's fanciest restaurants on the Bosporus, the late Mehmet Birand, one of Turkey's most distinguished journalists, summed up the situation succinctly: "We were a docile ally of the West, swallowing our Turkish pride." Under Erdogan, "we are a proud dissident nation in the Western alliance".

The war in Syria brought out into the open the closet Muslim Brotherhood in Erdogan. He pleaded with Bashar al Assad to accommodate the Syrian Brothers into the Baath-dominated power structure. Assad's difficulties whetted appetites in Riyadh, Doha, Jerusalem, Ankara, Washington, Paris and London. This is the bubbling, overflowing cauldron -- the Syrian Civil war.

The attempted coup last summer by a section of the army and allegedly backed by the hugely influential, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen brought out the fighter in Erdogan. He was going to obviate all threats to his rule by ensuring an all-powerful Presidential system for himself. There is symbolism in the fact that this most powerful of leaders, not concealing his Brotherhood affiliations, has chosen Modi as an early interlocutor.

(A senior commentator on political and diplomatic affairs, Saeed Naqvi can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com. The views expressed are personal.)

--IANS

naqvi/mr/tb

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If you want to be happy, vote us back to power, Congress is planning to tell voters in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly elections.
Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal "fires one bullet at me" every day, Delhi Chief Minister has said.

This is Kejriwal's first direct attack against Baijal since he was appointed the Lt Governor of Delhi on December 31, 2016.

Noting that his government tries to coordinate on various issues related to the development of the national capital, both with the Lt Governor as well as the Centre, the Delhi chief minister said "the firing" has intensified just before the MCD polls.

"We have maintained a good relationship with him (Baijal). The new LG has worked for first three months (in coordination with us).

"We did not utter a word against him before the MCD elections but despite that he fires one bullet at me every day and on this, we are not speaking against him. Tell me what is our fault?" Kejriwal told PTI in an interview on Friday.

His remarks come in the wake of Baijal ordering recovery of Rs 97 crore from the AAP which was "splurged" on ads and cancellation of office allotment to the party which the Delhi chief minister termed as "politically motivated".

Kejriwal and former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had also been at loggerheads over the administrative control of Delhi.

"We are trying to cooperate with everybody (the Centre and the LG) so that there is development of Delhi, but the Lt Governor fires one bullet at me (every day)," Kejriwal said.

He also termed the report of Shunglu Committee as "politically motivated". The committee had pointed out "gross abuse of power" by the AAP government earlier this month.

Kejriwal also attacked the BJP, claiming that is an "undemocratic and unconstitutional" party whose only intention to "topple opposition parties' government, buy MLAs, break their parties, use the Lt Governor against them".
Merger talks between the two factions in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) are expected to move a step ahead with seven-member committees from each side scheduled to meet on Monday.

The AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction, led by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, has announced the setting up of a committee to oversee merger talks with the camp headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy.
Haryana School Education Department has promoted 1,177 Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) working in government schools to the post of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs).

Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that all TGTs who were eligible for promotion on January 1, 2017, have been promoted.

Cases for promotion of TGTs had been pending for the last eight years, he said.

The Education Department was going to carry out recruitment of teachers to meet the requirement in government schools, and pending cases of promotion were being disposed of, he said.

The department is trying to ensure that there is no shortage of teachers in government schools in the state, he added.

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Bangladesh is hopeful of forging regional cooperation through BIMSTEC after the failure of SAARC, a top aide of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today.

"In this context coming together in BIMSTEC is truly important. We already saw earlier SAARC with all our high hopes has not done much, and for the moment it is doubtful whether or not the next summit meeting will happen," International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi said at the opening of the BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT) meeting here at the Bay of Bengal grouping's headquarters.

He said Bangladesh hopes to make up through sub-regional cooperation including BIMSTEC after the failure of SAARC, bdnews24.Com reported.

"We have seen NAFTA may or may not survive. We see European Union under challenge. In Bangladesh we see much of the future in the sub-region. It is the sub-region we are focused on. We have BBIN, BCIM and BIMSTEC... This is where we see our future," Rizvi said, giving examples of the state of the regional groupings in the world.

The seven countries' grouping BIMSTEC connecting South Asia with the Southeast Asia received much attention after the last year's SAARC summit in Islamabad was postponed following tensions between India and Pakistan over terror attacks, the report said.

Some think tanks consider BIMSTEC as an alternative to SAARC as Pakistan is not part of this grouping, it said.

India's Research and Information System for Developing Countries, Bangladesh's Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bhutan's Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies, Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Nepal's Centre for Economic Development and Administration, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka and Thailand's Indian Studies Centre of Chulalongkorn University are the members of the BNPTT which was formed at the second summit in November 2008.

The grouping is promoting 14 priority sectors of development and common concerns including trade and investment, transport and communication, tourism and people- to-people contact.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted BIMSTEC leaders in Goa last year during the BRICS summit. Hasina had attended the meeting.

BIMSTEC Secretary General Sumith Nakandala said their intention was to help the BIMSTEC think tank network "effectively carry out duties for policy advocacy in all 14 priority areas".

Rizvi thanked the secretary general for "truly revitalising BIMSTEC and giving it extraordinary sense of direction and energy", the report said.

He also urged the think tanks to come up with big ideas that "excite leaders to action and give them vision".

Foreign ministry's director general for SAARC and BIMSTEC Tareq Ahmed said Bangladesh is the founding member of BIMSTEC and it very much committed to its agenda.

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BJP leader Avtar Singh Bhadana today moved a court here seeking prosecution of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allgedly giving false information in court in a civil defamation case filed against the Aam Aadmi Party leader.

In his complaint filed before Additional District Judge Surinder S Rathi, the BJP leader claimed that there were "material contradictions" in the written submission and subsequent proposed amendment to that written submission.

"This means that one among them was false and Kejriwal gave false evidence in judicial proceedings before the court and misled it," he said.

The court has put up the matter for consideration on April 27.

The former Congress MP from Faridabad in Haryana had earlier filed a civil defamation case against Kejriwal before Delhi High Court alleging that the AAP leader had tarnished his image by branding him as "corrupt".

He had sought Rs one crore in damages from the Aam Aadmi Party leader.

In his petition, Bhadana contended that Kejriwal had publicly made the defamatory statement on January 31, 2014.

Bhadana had contended in his plea that despite sending a legal notice to Kejriwal, the AAP leader has neither withdrawn his comments nor apologised for the same.

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Mumbai Indians' bowlers rose to the occasion after team's tough time with the bat as the hosts recorded their sixth win on the trot with a comfortable 14-run victory over Delhi Daredevils in an IPL match, here tonight.

Daredevils, believed to have one of the best attacks, restricted the hosts to 142 for eight but were terrible in run chase, managing only 128 for seven.

The visitors were gasping at 24 for six at one stage before a 91-run stand between South African pair of debutant Kagiso Rabada (44) and Chris Morris (52) raised their hopes. However, it only reduced the margin of defeat.

Kiwi paceman Mitchell McClenaghan (3/24) scalped three batsmen to rock the Delhi top and middle order and Jasprit Bumrah (2/21) broke the seventh-wicket stand between the South Africans to shape his side's win.

Delhi needed 30 runs off the final 12 balls but Bumrah and Hardik Pandya denied the rivals a memorable win after they made remarkable recovery through Rabada and Morris.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra returned exceptional figures 4-0-18-2 while Australian paceman Pat Cummins (2/20) also chipped in with two wickets in Daredevils' good bowling show.

It was a collective bowling effort from Daredevils with Rabada (1/30) and skipper Zaheer Khan also contributing in choking the Mumbai line-up which is full of devastating batsmen.

However, the batsmen could not complement the good work done by the bowlers and suffered their fourth loss in six matches.

Mumbai Indians on the other hand consolidated their position at the top with sixth win in a row.

Earlier, It was Hardik Pandya's 24 off 23 balls and West Indian Kieron Pollard's 26 off 29 balls that helped the home side to go beyond the 140 run mark after being 84/5 at one stage.

Mumbai managed to score only 32 runs in the last five overs as Daredevils skipper Zaheer made some good bowling changes.

Daredevils were also brilliant in the field as they managed to run out three Mumbai batsman including Hardik. For the visitors, Australian paceman Pat Cummins (2/20), South African Kagiso Rabada (1/30), who made his IPL debut, were impressive.

Openers Parthiv Patel and Jos Buttler stitched 37 for the first wicket in four overs. Buttler made his intentions clear as he hit a six off Chris Morris in the second over, followed by a boundary.

Buttler, the star of Mumbai's game against Kings XI Punjab, got a life on 11 after being dropped by wicket-keeper Rishab Pant on the last ball of the second over.

The Englishman then hammered Rabada for a maximum over the mid-wicket fence. However, in the same over, Rabada, clinched his first IPL wicket as he cleaned up Parthiv (8.

Buttler struck Zaheer for two boundaries in the fifth over. But Buttler's stay at the crease was cut short by a brilliant throw by Sanju Samson, who came from short cover to hit the stumps as Mumbai slumped to 47/2.

Buttler made 28 off 18 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours.

In the eight over, Cummins removed in-form Nitish Rana (8) as he gave a sitter to Corey Anderson at deep mid-wicket.

In the very next over, skipper Rohit Sharma (5) again fell to a leg spinner, this time Mishra as he was caught by Cummins at deep backward square leg.

In the 13th over, Mishra claimed his second wicket as he sent back Krunal Pandya for 17 as he edge to stumper Pant. Half of the Mumbai side was back to the pavilion on 84.

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Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters here today.

Sajjan interacted with Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, a Defence spokesperson said.

"The minister highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada and the need to further enhance cooperation between both nations. The discussions looked at continuing the current level of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation," he said.

The current Regional and Global Security environment and the opportunities it afforded both India and Canada to work together formed part of the talks, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Enhancement of maritime and naval cooperation and visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg were also discussed.

HMCS Winnipeg will visit India in mid May 2017 and will carry out professional interaction and Passage Exercise with Indian ships, the spokesperson said.

"The minister also visited the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi. He was taken on a conducted tour of the ship and expressed his deep appreciation of the strides being made by India in their indigenisation efforts," he said.

"India and Canada are poised to enhance defence cooperation in fields of counter terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace keeping and Naval cooperation," the spokesperson said.

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Prominent Chinese lawyer Xie Yang will not be allowed to pick his defence at his upcoming trial, his former attorney said, in a move rights groups called a breach of international standards.

Xie, who has worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by the ruling Communist party including defending Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, has been detained since July 2015.

He has claimed police have used "sleep deprivation, long interrogations, beatings, death threats, humiliations" on him while in custody, and the EU has voiced concern over his case.

"The court has designated a defence lawyer," Xie's former lawyer Chen Jiangang told AFP.

"Everything has been done according to the will of the judiciary -- not the interests of Xie and his family," Chen said.

The trial -- possibly on charges of "inciting subversion of state power" -- will be held Tuesday at the Changsha Intermediate People's Court in southern Hunan province, Chen added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a tightening of controls on civil society since assuming power in 2012, closing avenues for legal activism that had opened up in recent years.

While the government initially targeted political activists and human rights campaigners, it has increasingly turned its attention to the legal professionals who represent them.

"Since Xi came to power, we have seen more cases of lawyers being warned or blocked from representing high-profile human rights cases," Amnesty International China researcher Patrick Poon said.

"It's a self-contradictory practice and an insult to the lawyer originally representing the defendant," Poon said.

Xie was arrested during the so-called "709 crackdown" in the summer of 2015, which saw some 200 legal staff and activists detained.

Last year, Chinese courts--during televised trials--found six of the group guilty of serious crimes including "subverting state power" and "endangering national security".

Their punishments ranged from no additional jail time to seven years in prison, while others have been released on bail.

After his July 2015 arrest, Xie was initially held incommunicado for six months, and later moved to a detention centre.

In December, he was indicted on charges of "inciting subversion of state power" and "disrupting court order", according to US-based charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

Chen said he could not confirm whether those charges are the most recent, and Xie's new lawyer did not answer calls from AFP today.

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Former Law Minister Salman Khurshid today suggested an extended tenure for the Chief Justices of India "as the captain of the ship has to be around for longer".

Present at the event where Khurshid broached the idea, the incumbent CJI J S Khehar quipped: "My short answer to this question is that I am going to retire soon."



Both of them were attending the inaugural session of the two-day 'Engaging Asia Arbitration Summit' here.

After CJI had addressed the gathering, Khurshid, also a senior advocate, expressed his concern over the short tenure of judges in India.

"Judges are retiring all the time. Chief Justices in India are there for a very short period. I don't know if we will be able to find a solution to this now or in future. But the captain of the ship has to be around for longer," he said.

Khurshid also referred to constraints within which a judge has to function.

"There are constraints within which a judge has to operate, particularly in our country where there are constraints not only with requirement to law but but heavy load of work that the system has to respond to," he said.

The two-day seminar, which kicked off today, would discuss the potential of arbitration in Asia.

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India's concerns over H-1B visa related developments have been conveyed at the "highest quarters" in the US, Union IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad said on Wednesday.

The IT ecosystem is based upon "reciprocity" approach, and Indianeither creates boundaries nor appreciates boundaries, the minister said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Washington had met the Commerce Secretary of the US and conveyed the concerns.

"We are proud of the contribution of Indian IT companies in America and around the world. They have paid $22 billion as tax revenue in the last five years, they havecreated 400,000 jobs there, they have given value andcompetitive edge to nearly two-thirds of the fortune 500 companies," Prasad said.

He said the IT ecosystem is based up on reciprocity. "Indian human resource contributes to USA's economy andmany US companies also benefit here in Bengaluru and other parts of India who have Indian minds in creating their research products more competitively."



Prasad was speaking to reporters on the sidelines ofthe interactive meeting with IT /ESDM industry organised bythe Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

To a question about protectionist noises being heard from Europe and other parts of the world and government's approach towards this, he said, "We are reaching out. But what I'm very confident about is the talent ofIndian IT minds - that they will always keep the flag flying."



Earlier, addressing the meeting, Prasad said that today IT ecosystem is under some stress and pressure because of whatis happening in the US.

Stating that the IT sector needs to acknowledge its own real strengths, he said the Indian IT industry has created a new formof confidence in India's human resources.

He said, "The DNA of technology does not count in its boundaries, and as far as we in India are concerned, we neither create boundaries, nor we appreciate boundaries."



"Indian IT companies don't steal jobs, they createjobs, wherever they go whether it is America or any part ofthe world."



Noting that the Indian digital economy that includes communication, IT/ITES, e-commerce, digital payments is goingto be $1 trillion, the minister said he is seeing Indiaat the cusp of a big digital revolution.

"We missed the industrial revolution, we missedthe entrepreneur revolution and we don't want to miss the digital revolution. We want to become leader in that, that is our fundamental philosophy," he said.

Highlighting that in the last two years, 72 mobile manufacturing factories had started production in India, Prasad said 42 are mobiles and 30 are components likebattery and others.

He also said that the US-based iPhone maker Apple is againgoing to meet him in couple of days.

"They are very keen."



To a question by reporters on meeting withApple executives, he said they are going to meet him. What was important is that India is a huge market and Make in India was basically for making in India for Indian market and also exporting it outside, he said.

"A lot of big mobile phone manufacturing companieshave come, if Apple comes fine, they are welcome," headded.
A constable was seriously injured when he was attacked by his colleague after an argument between them over work rules.

Taking a strong note of the incident, police authorities have ordered a departmental probe into the matter.

The incident occurred yesterday when Head Constable Nepal Singh allowed an undertrial prisoner to "sit and talk" to his family members at Sadar Bazar police station.

Constable Surendra Singh objected to it, saying it was in violation of rules.

This led to an argument between two policemen. Flying into a rage, Nepal hit Surendra with a blunt object, injuring him seriously.

The constable was rushed to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

SP City Ashok Kumar today said a departmental probe has been ordered into the matter and the guilty would not be spared.

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Students of prominent city schools pledged for a green planet while environment awareness programmes were held in the Indian Museum and elsewhere on the occasion of 'Earth Day' today.

An estimated 150 students from various schools assembled at the Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM) to observe the day, organisers said.

The students drew paintings to promote consciousness on sustainable natural environment at the programme organised by The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

At the Indian Museum here, a workshop was organised where rural artisans showed how to make jewellery using palm leaves and natural fibre.

Students also sketched posters calling for Environment Literacy and attended a presentation 'Environment and Climate Literacy' at the Museum.

Earth Day Network-India, an NGO, organised a concert at Deshpriya Park where members of Bangla bands belted songs on the need to protect environment before a large crowd which braved rains.

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: A 18-year-old girl was crushed to death today by a 22-year-old man using a stone, who later surrendered before the police at Poompuhar in the district.

The accused Mathanraj, a fisherman by profession, surrendered before the police a few hours after the incident.

The victim was an engineering student from Chellanenthal village in Pudukottai district, police said and added that she was studying first year B.Tech in a college in Chennai.

According to police, the girl fell in love with Mathanraj, who stayed at Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai districtfor fishing.

After joining the engineering course, she had reportedly started avoiding him.

Mathanraj had subsequently gone through her Facebook profile and found that she had made some new friends, who were her college-mates. Also, he was under the impression that she was avoiding him due to her new friends.

She started from Chennai to her native place yesterday. Early this morning, he met the girl at Mayiladuthurai bus stand and persuaded her to go with him to Poompuhar.

During a chat at the Poompuhar beach when the girl reportedly told Mathanraj that she was not interested in him, he got furious and attacked her with a big stone.

She fell down in a pool of blood and died on the spot following which Mathanraj fled the scene.

On finding the girl's body in a pool of blood, fishermen who happened to pass through that stretch informed Poompuhar police.

Sirkazhi DSP Sekar, Poompuhar police inspector Singaravel and other officials rushed to the spot and sent the body to Sirkazhi GH for postmortem.

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Union minister on Saturday said the expansion of rail services would play a key role in country's growth.

He also asserted that the Centre and the states need to work together for this purpose.

Prabhu was speaking at a function at Chhattisgarh's Raipur railway station where he inaugurated various passenger facilities for stations falling under the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone.

"Prime Minister wants development of the country. For the purpose, we have decided to develop rail. Development of rail would lead to the development of the country.

"With the expansion of rail (services), India can move ahead," Prabhu said.

"Unless the Centre and the states will not work hand-in-hand, it will not be possible," he pointed out.

The union minister further underlined the need for the development of Chhattisgarh to make PM's 'Make in India' campaign a success.

"Presently rail projects worth around Rs 24,000 crore are underway in Chhattisgarh and in future many other major projects will be launched in the state which is rich in mineral resources.

"If we want to make the Prime Minister's initiative of Make in India a success, we need steel, iron ore, coal and other resources and these are in abundance in the state," he said.

"We have to develop Chhattisgarh for making 'Make in India' a success. Transportation of minerals will benefit both the state and railways. Besides, it will also create job opportunities for the youth," he said.

"An amount of Rs 3,676 crore will be invested in the financial year 2017-18 for rail projects in Chhattisgarh. Seven railway stations in the state will be revamped in such a way that they will have better facilities than airports," said the railway minister.

These stations will be revamped into iconic structures and will have better passenger amenities, he added.

He said the railway will have an agreement with the state government to provide e-marketing facility to the tribal population engaged in making artifacts.

The e-marketing facility will be provided through the IRCTC website so that the artisans can earn good return for their art, he added.

Similarly, Prabhu said,Railwayswill provide opportunity to self-help groups (SHGs) for providing local cuisines in trains through e-catering service.

As part of the Railways green initiative to create green cover along the track, as many as 5 crore trees (saplings) will be planted in Chhattisgarh, Prabhu said.

The Railway and the state government will also work to convert waste into energy.

Besides, the initiative has also been undertaken to revive water bodies that exist in the premises of railway lands, he added.

On the occasion,the union minister along with Chief Minister Raman Singh inaugurated two escalators towards Gudhiyari end of the Raipur station and two lifts for Platform 2/3 and 5/6.

They also inaugurated narrow gauge maintenance facilities at Kendri, three lift facilities on the platforms of Durg railway station, high-speed wi-fi facility in Durg railway station and Bilaspur railway station and the newly built foot-over-bridge at Dongargarh railway station through video conferencing.

Besides, they also laid foundation stone for the third line between Rajnandgaon-Nagpur section on Howrah-Mumbai Rail route in Nagpur Division under South East Central Railway (SECR).

The Railway minister also flagged-off Durg-Nizamuddin Humsafar Express (bi-weekly).

Chairman of Railway Board A K Mittal and other senior officials, MPs and MLAs were present for the function.
Nineteen devotees sustained burn injuries during the 'fire walking' ritual, held as part of the Mariamman temple festival here today, after they slipped and fell into the burning charcoal pit, police said.

The temple is located at Thenkudi in the district.

The accident occurred when one of the devotees fell into the pit and others behind him lost balance and fell on top of him.

The police and villagers managed to pull all of them out of the charcoal pit.

Three of the injured sustained serious burns, police said, adding that 11 persons were admitted to the government hospital here, while others were taken to a private hospital.

The 'fire walking' ritual was held as part of the annual temple festival in which devotees participate in large numbers to honour their vow to Goddess Mariamman.

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Madras High Court has issued notice to Home Secretary and DGP on a petition by a man seeking action against police who allegedly tortured and forced him to sign sale documents of his properties to a particular individual.

Justice T Raja, before whom a petition filed by one Saravanan came up for hearing, directed the Home Secretary, Director General of Police and Coimbatore City Police Commissioner to fie their reply within a period of two weeks.

The petitioner submitted that he was into the real estate business and was residing with his mother, wife and daughter in a rented house in White Well area in the city.

Saravanan said he had purchased several properties from 2009 to 2013. On February 22 last year, he was travelling with his friend on a motorbike when seven policemen intercepted them, took them in a police van and severely beat them, alleging that they had stolen jewels from a marriage hall.

He alleged that the Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramesh Krishna took them to the marriage hall, shot a video of them and made enquiries with the people there.

They were then taken to a lodge in Coimbatore, kept in illegal confinement, beaten and taken to his house, where all jewellery from his wife and daughter and documents were taken.

Saravanan said household material was thrown out of his residence and they were again taken to the lodge and kept in illegal custody for more than 10 days.

He submitted that he and his friend were tortured and police forced them to transfer the documents to people whom they referred and register it to one Shajahan.

The petitioner also alleged that police had threatened him that if he did not do so, they would slap a case under immoral trafficking act against his wife.

Police also registered a case against him that he killed aged women, Saravanan said.

The petitioner who shifted residence after being granted bail, said he had already given a complaint against all the police officials involved to the Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City.

As there was no action he moved the High Court to seek action on the erring officials, he said.

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Heavy rain has led to a flood-like situation in at least seven villages of South West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.

However, there has been no report of any loss of life.

The incessant rain since Friday has submerged houses, agricultural land besides damaging roads in seven low-lying areas of the district.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has directed district officials to provide relief to the affected families.

At least four families of Silkona village have been given shelter at a local school because of the flood-like situation, district deputy commissioner Cyril V Diengdoh told PTI.

Seven villages under Zikzak Community & Rural Development block, namely Silkona, Nandirchar, Beparipara, Hridaypur, Daspara, Patelipara and New Kalaichar were the worst-hit, he said.

Paddy fields in Mahendraganj area were submerged and BDOs and field staff were trying to assess the damage, he said.

The district Disaster Management Agency has deployed officials and 'gram sevaks' on the field for conducting actual ground assessment and set up relief camps, should the need arise.

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Actress and BJP MP has said she will take action against Bacchu Kadu, an independent MLA from Maharashtra, for his derogatory comments.

Kadu courted controversy last week with his comments over farmer suicides. " drinks everyday, but does she commit suicide?" he said, seeking to counter the claims that farmers commit suicide because of alcoholism.

"75 per cent MLAs, MPs, journalists drink... Even drinks heavily... But have they committed suicide?" he asked.

The actress said at an event here last night that at first she felt she should keep quiet.

"Initially I decided to keep quiet about this man's antics, because I didn't want to give him publicity. But then everyone close to me thought it was wrong to let him get away with it," Malini said.

"I will take action so that no one will do such a thing with me or any other celebrity again," she said.

The Lok Sabha member from Mathura, however, did not specify what action she intended to take against Kadu.

The actress also said she was happy with the Union Cabinet's decision to get rid of beacon lights on VIP vehicles.
Bicycle maker Hero Cycles has shown interest in setting up a Rs 400 crore cycle project near Sahnewal in Punjab.

The project will come up at the proposed 300-acre 'cycle valley' on the outskirts of Ludhiana.

Hero Cycles' Chairman Pankaj Munjal, who met Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today, shared a detailed report on the project, which includes technical and R&D centres and other critical industry facilities, according to a spokesperson in the Chief Minister's Office.

Munjal added the project would require about 100 acres of land and would lead to doubling of the people involved in the cycle industry from the current 4.5 lakh.

Singh said he was happy to welcome industry into the state for employment generation and economic development.

He added the new industrial policy his government was working on would give an impetus to development by streamlining the processes for investing in the state.

He also directed Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (PBIP) CEO Anirudh Tiwari to take the discussions forward with Hero.

Munjal is the latest leading industrialists who has evinced interest in investing in Punjab, said the spokesman.

Among the captains of industry who have personally conveyed their keenness to invest in Punjab are Anil Ambani, Mukesh Ambani and N Chandrasekaran.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra and Godrej Group are also looking at expanding their business in Punjab in a big way, the spokesman said.

The Chief Minister had earlier this month undertaken a three-day visit to Mumbai to meet leading industrialists as part of the state government's Invest Punjab programme.

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India and Indonesia have agreed to explore cooperation in areas like oil, coal, electricity and energy efficiency, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.

"Two sides have agreed to explore cooperation in number of areas such as upgrading of refineries in Indonesia, relocation of gas-based plants from India to Indonesia, sharing of experience in use of LEDs and renewable energy in India, sharing the expertise of Indonesia in gasification of fuel oil, exploration of oil, gas and coal fields," Goyal said.

Goyal and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Minister Ignasius Jonan met on April 20 during the first 'India Indonesia Energy Forum' held in Jakarta.

According to a statement, Goyal requested Jonan to consider joining International Solar Alliance as Indonesia is a solar-rich country. He also requested Jonan to revisit changes in policy in coal sector and work visa.

Jonan said Indonesia is an important destination for investing, especially in energy and infrastructure sector.

He added that a team of 19 officials from oil and gas, coal and power sectors will be visiting India to look into several issues discussed during the Energy Forum, including relocation of gas-based plants and large scale use of LEDs.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia) on cooperation in the field of oil and gas was signed on the occasion.

The MoU seeks to establish an institutional framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of oil and gas.

India is the third largest importer of coal from Indonesia. India's imports of coal from Indonesia amounted to $3.5 billion in 2016.

Several Indian companies have invested in coal mines in Indonesia. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $15.90 billion in 2015-16 with Indonesia's export to India amounting to $13.06 billion and India's exports to the country at $2.84 billion.
India-US ties have "matured" and become "stronger" over the last few decades, defying government changes in the two countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.

Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government was looking forward to working with the Trump administration to strengthen bilateral ties.

Stressing that the India-US relationship has bipartisan support in the two countries, he said, "In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship.

Jaitley yesterday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, in what was the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump administration.

"The India-US relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India," he said.

"I met the (US) Commerce Secretary yesterday. I will meet the (US) Treasury Secretary tomorrow. This would be the first contact at that level between the new Trump administration and government of India," he said.

During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary yesterday, Jaitley strongly raised India's concerns over the Trump administration's move to tighten the H-1B visa regime, highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in boosting the American economy.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its "abuse" and ensure that the visas are given to the "most-skilled or highest paid" petitioners, a decision that would impact India's USD 150 billion IT industry.

Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision.

Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived here On April 20, to attend the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.

"There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years (at the IMF/World Bank meetings). This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned," he said.

Speaking about India's growth story, he said, "In the last three years even in the midst of a slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to eight per cent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seems to be fairly well under control."



"The significant part of our economy today is that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned," he said.

"India has become one of the most open economies of the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest investments that any country has been attracting in the world.

"And it is a combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going," he said.

He said the environment for doing business has been considerably eased.

"India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform for cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite some time," he said.

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Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by the previous Obama regime, has been asked to step down by the Trump administration to put its own leadership in place.

"Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement continued.

Murthy, 39, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this position said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

Murthy has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent- Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," he wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Vivek Murthy, the first Indian- American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

"Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has discussed areas of collaboration with his Indonesian and Australian counterparts at bilateral meetings here.

Jaitley, who is in the US to attend the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank, discussed with the finance ministers of the two countries possible areas of mutual collaboration and commonality of their positions at various multilateral fora.

Jaitley is accompanied by RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian.

Das held a separate meeting with representatives of credit rating agency Moody's, an official statement said.

During the meeting, Das stressed that India is recording GDP growth of over 7 per cent at a time of stagnant global trade, subdued investment and heightened policy uncertainty.

Das also elaborated various steps taken by the Indian government for boosting growth, generating employment and financial inclusion.

The US-based agency has a 'Baa3' rating, a notch above the investment grade, on India with a positive outlook.

The Indian economy is estimated to have grown 7.1 per cent in 2016-17. As per the Economic Survey, growth will pick up to 6.75-7.5 per cent in the current financial year.

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Jo Wood, the former wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, has lashed out at EasyJet after being kicked off an overbooked flight from Spain to London.

Jo and her partner Paul Scarborough were booked to fly from Murcia in Spain to Gatwick in London earlier this week with the low-cost airline, when they discovered that EasyJet only had one seat for them both, reported Daily Mirror.

"I arrived at Murcia Airport, checked in, had no luggage, went through security and had my boarding pass. Just before we were about to go onto the plane, they pulled us aside. Because I was with my fella, and said 'one of you can get on and one of you has to stay'," Jo says.

"I said 'hold on a minute this is ridiculous, I bought my ticket three weeks ago, why should we stay?' We've bought our tickets. And they said they had overbooked.

"I reckon it's because we had no luggage, we were easy to take off. I was furious because I had to get back for work the next day. They didn't stand there and ask who would come off the flight! Nobody said that - they just took us aside."



Jo, 62, and her 53-year-old partner ended up paying to fly home on a later flight on Ryanair instead.

An EasyJet spokesman said, "We were sorry to hear of Miss Wood's experience and would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.

"While there was one seat available, we understand that she wanted to fly with her travel companion. We have been in contact with Miss Wood directly to apologise.

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The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition seeking appointment of a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu, holding that the Constitution provides for appointment of the same person as Governor of two states.

The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, rejected the writ petition filed by journalist and social activist V Anbazhagan.

The petition sought a court direction to the President and the Union Home Ministry to appoint a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu by implementing the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.

When the matter came up last week, the bench said, "Article 153 of the Constitution of India provides that there shall be a Governor for each state. The proviso makes it clear that nothing in that Article shall prevent the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more states."



Noting that appointment of a Governor is in the realm of powers of the office of the President of India, the bench said, "In view of the proviso to Article 153 of the Constitution of India, the interference of the court is not warranted."



Earlier, the petitioner had submitted that Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has been holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu for the past seven months and hence there was no "effective administration of the executive".

He also pointed out that as per Article 154 of the Constitution, the executive power of the state shall be vested with the Governor and it shall be exercised by him either directly or through the officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution.

Dismissing the petition, the bench further said, "In the writ petition or the documents appended thereto, there is not a whisper of how and in what manner the executive functions of the state of Tamil Nadu have been impaired by reason of appointment of CH Vidyasagar Rao, who is the Governor of the state of Maharashtra as well as the Governor of the state of Tamil Nadu.

"Our interference is therefore not warranted in view of the Constitutional Provision of Article 153 read with the proviso thereto," the bench said.

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Met department today forecast partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain, thunderstorm or duststorm for Patna tomorrow.

The Met department has made a similar forecast for Gaya and Purnea while Bhagalpur is expected to witness a partly cloudy sky tomorrow.

Among the four major cities of the state, Gaya recorded a maximum temperature of 35.6 degree celsius followed by Patna at 32.6 degree celsius, Bhagalpur at 30.5 and Purnea at 25.2 degree celsius, the official bulletin of Met department said.

While Patna and Gaya registered four degrees below their normal maximum temperture respectively, Purnea recorded 10 degree celsius below its normal temperature and Bhagalpur registered seven degrees below its normal maximum temperature.

The bulletin said that one or two places in north east and south east parts of the state registered very light to light rainfall in the past 24 hours while the weather remained generally dry in remaining parts of the state.

In the past 24 hours, Purnea received 50 mm of rainfall, the Met office said in a bulletin.

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Delhi Daredevils showed why their attack is touted as the best in this IPL as they restricted Mumbai Indians, full of devastating batsmen, to a modest 142 for eight, here today.

Daredevils bowlers dominated the proceedings from the word go after inviting the hosts to take first strike with leg-spinner Amit Mishra returning superb figures of 18 for two in four overs.

It was Hardik Pandya's 24 off 23 balls and West Indian Kieron Pollard's 26 off 29 balls that helped the home side to go beyond the 140 run mark after being 84/5 at one stage.

Mumbai managed to score only 32 runs in the last five overs as Dardevils skipper Zaheer Khan made some good bowling changes.

Daredevils were also brilliant in the field as they managed to run out three Mumbai batsman including Hardik. For the visitors, Australian paceman Pat Cummins (2/20), South African Kagiso Rabada (1/30), who made his IPL debut, were impressive.

Openers Parthiv Patel and Jos Buttler stitched 37 for the first wicket in four overs. Buttler made his intentions clear as he hit a six off Chris Morris in the second over, followed by a boundary.

Buttler, the star of Mumbai's game against Kings XI Punjab, got a life on 11 after being dropped by wicket-keeper Rishab Pant on the last ball of the second over.

The Englishman then hammered Rabada for a maximum over the mid-wicket fence. However, in the same over, Rabada, clinched his first IPL wicket as he cleaned up Parthiv (8.

Buttler struck Zaheer for two boundaries in the fifth over. But Buttler's stay at the crease was cut short by a brilliant throw by Sanju Samson, who came from short cover to hit the stumps as Mumbai slumped to 47/2.

Buttler made 28 off 18 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours.

In the eight over, Cummins removed in-form Nitish Rana (8) as he gave a sitter to Corry Anderson at deep mid-wicket.

In the very next over, skipper Rohit Sharma (5) again fell to a leg spinner, this time Mishra as he was caught by Cummins at deep backward square leg.

In the 13th over, Mishra claimed his second wicket as he sent back Krunal Pandya for 17 as he edge to stumper Pant. Half of the Mumbai side was back to the pavilion on 84.

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Koundanpalayam MLA V C Arukutty today called for a collective effort to help the farmers repay their loans and in this regard suggested opening of a separate account like the tsunami relief fund.

He also announced his contribution of Rs.50,000 towards the fund and urged the government to find a solution to the problem faced by farmers.

Addressing reporters here, the MLA, who belongs to the O Paneerselvam faction of the AIADMK, said since there was a groundswell of sympathy across Tamil Nadu for the farmers, people should come forward and donate to help them repay loans as was done to the victims of the tsunami, which hit Tamil Nadu a decade ago.

Arukutty appealed to students, traders and industries to contribute as much as they could so that a corpus can be created for the benefit of farmers.

When pointed out that it was the duty of the State government to waive the loans, he said the government also had a burden of Rs.Four lakh crore.

However, he said donations and an account in favour of the farmers, would help them tide over the worst-ever crisis they were facing.

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Moroccan and US forces are among nearly 1,300 troops from across the world taking part in a major military exercise in southern Morocco, the American embassy and military officials said.

Military personnel from Britain, France, Germany, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Spain and Tunisia are also taking part in the joint manoeuvres known as African Lion 2017.

The annual exercise began on Wednesday and runs until April 28 around the southern towns of Tifnit and Agadir. It includes land, air and naval elements.

They are led by the Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and sponsored by the US Africa Command.

The manoeuvres aim to improve the operational capacities of the US military and "interoperability" with its partners around the world, the US embassy in Rabat said in a statement.

American and Moroccan forces form the bulk of the troops taking part.

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Classes in colleges across the Kashmir Valley remained suspendedfor the fifth day on the trot as a precautionary measure in the wake of protests by students earlier this week against alleged high-handedness of security forces.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Khan, had yesterday issued orders to suspend the teaching work for the fifth day at a meeting wherein he reviewed the functioning of educational institutions in the Valley.

During the meeting, Khan asked principals of various colleges to ensure peaceful atmosphere in their institutions and prevent entry of outsiders.

He directed them to adopt a proactive approach in dealing with any untoward incident on campuses and focus on ensuring peaceful atmosphere in their institutions.

The administration had on Monday issued orders for the closure of Kashmir University, all colleges and higher secondary schools on Tuesday after students protested the alleged highhandedness of security forces against students of Degree College, Pulwama, last week.

The suspension of classes in colleges was later extended by another day.

On Wednesday, Khan issued directions to suspend the teaching work in all colleges of Kashmir division for two more days, even as classes had resumed in Kashmir University and higher secondary schools that day.

Students of many of these institutions across the Valley had held protests on Monday. While scores of students were injured in security forces' action at Pulwama on the weekend, Monday's clashes also left several injured.

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Homo floresiensis, a species of tiny human discovered on an Indonesian island in 2003, most likely evolved in Africa and not from a modern human ancestor as has been widely believed, a new study has found.

The study by The Australian National University (ANU) found Homo floresiensis, dubbed "the hobbits" due to their small stature, were most likely a sister species of Homo habilis - one of the earliest known species of human found in Africa 1.75 million years ago.

Data from the study concluded there was no evidence for the popular theory that Homo floresiensis evolved from the much larger Homo erectus, the only other early hominid known to have lived in the region with fossils discovered on the Indonesian mainland of Java.

The results should help put to rest a debate that has been hotly contested ever since Homo floresiensis was discovered, said study leader Debbie Argue of the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology.

"The analyses show that on the family tree, Homo floresiensis was likely a sister species of Homo habilis. It means these two shared a common ancestor," Argue said.

"It is possible that Homo floresiensis evolved in Africa and migrated, or the common ancestor moved from Africa then evolved into Homo floresiensis somewhere," she said.

Homo floresiensis is known to have lived on Indonesian island of Flores until as recently as 54,000 years ago.

Where previous research had focused mostly on the skull and lower jaw, the new study used 133 data points ranging across the skull, jaws, teeth, arms, legs and shoulders.

Argue said none of the data supported the theory that Homo floresiensis evolved from Homo erectus.

"We looked at whether Homo floresiensis could be descended from Homo erectus," she said.

"We found that if you try and link them on the family tree, you get a very unsupported result. All the tests say it doesn't fit - it is just not a viable theory," said Argue.

Argue said this was supported by the fact that in many features, such as the structure of the jaw, Homo floresiensis was more primitive than Homo erectus.

Argue said the analyses could also support the theory that Homo floresiensis could have branched off earlier in the timeline, more than 1.75 million years ago.

"If this was the case Homo floresiensis would have evolved before the earliest Homo habilis, which would make it very archaic indeed," she said.

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More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the country's defence ministry said today.

It is the latest in a string of deadly assaults against Afghan military sites, which underscores rising insecurity as Afghanistan braces for an intense spring fighting season.

The ministry did not give a breakdown of the casualties in the attack near Mazar-i-Sharif city yesterday, which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers at a mosque and dining facility.

The US military has said that "more than 50" Afghan soldiers were killed in the assault, while an Afghan army source who was on the base at the time put the death toll as high as 150, with dozens more wounded.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up in the raid, which was claimed by the Taliban late Friday. All were dressed in Afghan army uniforms and arrived in military vehicles, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding that no civilians were killed.

The defence ministry said Afghan forces had killed all the attackers, without specifying how many there were. Earlier it had said one of the assailants had been detained.

The military source at the base said there were at least 10 attackers, adding that the soldiers were "young recruits who had come for training".

The toll could change, the defence ministry said in a statement, adding it would provide more information once an investigation was completed.

Afghan officials have been known to minimise casualty figures in some major attacks on military sites, such as in early March when gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the country's largest military hospital in Kabul, killing dozens.

Afghan officials put the death toll in that attack at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 were killed in the brazen and savage assault.

General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, praised Afghan commandos for bringing the "atrocity to an end".

Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

According to US watchdog SIGAR, casualties among Afghan security forces soared by 35 percent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed.

The attack on the Kabul hospital in March came a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in the capital.

More than a third of Afghanistan is outside government control and many regions are fiercely contested by various insurgent groups, as Kabul's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed.

Nicholson in February told the US Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington that he needed "a few thousand" more troops to help train and assist the Afghan forces.

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The partners of the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers scandal were given bail pending further legal action over allegations they helped launder money related to a huge Brazilian bribery case.

Juergen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca were freed yesterday on bail of USD 500,000 each, their lawyer, Marlene Guerra, told AFP.

They had been detained since February 9 in relation to an investigation over the money-laundering allegations tied to the bribery affair in Brazil, known as the "Car Wash" case.

That had to do with kickbacks to Brazilian politicians paid by big Brazilian companies, among them construction giant Odebrecht, which has admitted to paying nearly USD 800 million in bribes to government officials and political parties to win public contracts on three continents.

That matter was not directly related to the Panama Papers affair, which involved a massive data leak from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that revealed the secretive offshore entities used by many of the world's wealthy to stash assets. Some of the offshore companies were used to evade taxes and launder money.

Mossack and Fonseca have been accused of running a "criminal organisation" permitting the laundering of assets related to "Car Wash."



Mossack Fonseca's representative in Brazil, Maria Mercedes Riano, is being detained in Panama. Brazilian prosecutors suspect she helped create offshore companies to facilitate bribe payments.

While Mossack Fonseca claim its Brazilian subsidiary acted with autonomy, Riano's lawyers argue that she was only following orders from headquarters in Panama.

Last week, Ramon Fonseca told AFP he considered himself a "political prisoner" and accused Panamanian prosecutors of psychological torture in a bid to coerce incriminating statements about "Car Wash."



He also said prosecutors were subjecting Riano to psychological pressure "so she testifies against us."



Until the Panama Papers scandal blew up, Fonseca was a close friend and adviser to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela.

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The German chief executive of Pakistan's cash-strapped national carrier PIA was today sacked amid corruption charges, media reports said.

According to a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) statement, Bernd Hildenbrand was ousted and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nayyar Hayat will take over as acting the CEO.

"This has approval of the competent authority," read the notification by PIA's chief human resource officer.

Hildenbrand, who on April 6 had gone on a 15-day leave, was put on the exit control list and barred from travelling abroad following the initiation of a probe into corruption charges against him.

"My conscience is clear. I haven't done anything wrong. There's no question of any corruption on my part," he said.

"Whatever I did was to the best of my ability and in the best interest of PIA. All major transactions were made with the approval of Board of Directors and according to the rules," 'The International' reported.

The decision to put Hildenbrand on exit control list came after the National Assembly was told that PIA had suffered losses of about Rs 180 crores on a premium service on the domestic route and also in connection with the airlines acquiring a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at an exorbitant price than the prevailing market rate.

Apparently the airline acquired a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at USD 8,000 per hour, while another airline had acquired the same type of plane at USD 4,000 per hour.

Hildenbrand was also barred from leaving the country in December 2016 after a controversy erupted when the national airline sold a flight-worthy aircraft (A-310) to a German museum at throwaway price.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack on a military base in northern Afghanistan.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i- sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," he said in a tweet.

Over 50 Afghan soldiers were killed when the Taliban attacked the base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday.

Th attack targeted soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility.

The Taliban had claimed responsibility for the operation.
A Russian soldier serving at a base in Armenia has been killed in a knife attack.

Regional prosecutor Karen Gabrielian said the soldier was attacked today at a store near the military base in the city of Gyumri. Local reports said a suspect has been arrested.

Russia's state agency RIA Novosti cited the military's southern command as saying that preliminary indications were the attack was sparked by a domestic dispute.

In 2015, tensions over Russia's military presence in Gyumri rose when a Russian soldier killed seven members of a local family. That soldier was sentenced to life in prison.

Gyumri is Armenia's second-largest city, after the capital of Yerevan, and once served as an outpost of the Russian czar. It suffered greatly after being hit by a 1988 earthquake.

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Two Saudis were among a mainly Qatari hunting party freed after a 16-month hostage ordeal in Iraq, Saudi media reported today.

The 26 hunters, initially believed to all be Qataris, were flown to Doha yesterday after being handed over to Iraqi authorities.

Jeddah-based newspaper Okaz named the two Saudis as Salem bin Abdulhadi al-Merri and Mohammed Abdullah al-Merri and said they were expected to be flown home to the kingdom today.

The official Saudi Press Agency agency also began referring to the hunting party as "Qatari and Saudi" today but did not give further details.

A foreign ministry spokesman was not immediately reachable for comment.

The hunting party, who are believed to have included one or more prominent members of the Qatari royal family, were kidnapped in southern Iraq in December 2015.

There was never any formal claim of responsibility but the abduction was widely linked to Shiite militias with ties to Tehran.

A source in Baghdad said the release of the hostages was part of a wider deal that also saw the evacuation of thousands of Shiite civilians from two government-held towns in northern Syria that had been besieged by rebels for more than two years.

Qatar has close ties with the rebels and jointly sponsored the evacuation deal with Iran.

The agreement also saw hundreds of civilians and fighters leave rebel-held areas near Damascus under siege by pro- government forces.

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Maharashtra government today effected transfers of several IAS officers.

Nitin Gadre (IAS 1989 batch) who was Enquiry Officer at General Administration Department, was posted as Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, an official release said here.

Valsa Nair Singh, (IAS 1991 batch), Principal Secretary Tourism and Culture, was appointed the Principal Secretary, Enquiry Officer, GAD, Civil Aviation and Excise.

S V R Srinivas, (IAS 1991 batch), Managing Director, SICOM, was appointed Officer On Special Duty, Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

Surendra Bagde (IAS 1993 batch), Secretary Social Welfare, was appointed General Manager, BEST. Mahesh Zagade (IAS 1993 batch), CEO, PMRDA, was posted as Divisional Commissioner of Nashik.

Dinesh Waghmare (IAS 1994 batch), Municipal Commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad, was appointed Secretary, Social Welfare.

K H Govindraj (IAS 1995 batch), Managing Director, MTDC was posted as MD, SICOM. C N Dalvi (IAS 1995 batch) Commissioner, Cooperation, was posted as Divisional Commissioner of Pune.

S Chokalingam (IAS 1996 batch) Divisional Commissioner, Pune was posted as Settlement Commissioner.

Eknath Dawale (IAS 1997 batch), Divisional Commissioner, Nashik, was posted as Secretary, Water Conservation and EGS.

R R Jadhav (IAS 1998) Tribal Commissioner, was posted as Dairy Commissioner. S P Kadu-Patil (IAS 1998 batch), Settlement Commissioner, was posted as Commissioner, Sugar.

J D Patil (IAS 1998 batch), General Manager, BEST, was posted as Commissioner, Cooperation.

R G Kulkarni (IAS 2000 batch) Dairy Commissioner, was posted as Tribal Commissioner.

Nidhi Pandey (IAS 2001 batch) Aurangabad Collector, was posted as CEO, Rajiv Gandhi Arogya Yojana Society, Mumbai.

Rajaram Mane (IAS 2001) Commissioner, Sports, was posted as Director General, Maharashtra Energy Development Agency.

S M Kendrekar (IAS 2002 batch) Joint Managing Director, CIDCO, was posted as Joint MD, MSEDCL, Aurangabad.

Vijay Zade (IAS 2002 batch) Buldhana Collector, was posted as the Commissioner, Sports.

Vijay Waghmare (IAS 2004 batch) Commissioner Skill Development, was posted as MD, MTDC.

Suresh Kakani (IAS 2004), Nanded Collector, was posted as MD, Maharashtra Airport Development Company.

Anil Kawde (IAS 2004) Ahmadnagar Collector, was posted as Inspector General of Registration, Pune. Pandurang Pole (IAS 2004 batch), Latur Collector, was posted as CEO, Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Pune.

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Police today arrested four smugglers at Phalka village here and seized Ashtadhatu idol of Goddess Radha valued at Rs 4.5 crore in the international market.

Acting on a tip off, a team of Jamalpur police station raided a house and seized the idol, Munger Superintendent of Police Ashish Bharti said.

An investigation has been initiated to unravel the racket, the SP said.

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A students' union leader of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya (UBKV) has been arrested in connection with the attack on journalists in its campus here, police said today.

Sahanur Alam, general secretary of the university's students union controlled by Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, was arrested last night.

Journalists lodged an FIR against 56 persons after they were attacked by students in the campus yesterday, police said.

Agitating UBKV students had gheraoed Dean of Agriculture Tapan Kumar Hath over date of an examination since April 20 and allegedly garlanded him with shoes, following which he fell ill.

When journalists reached the campus to cover the incident, the students attacked them and injured six.

Hath was still under treatment in MJN Hospital here while the six scribes were released from there today.

UBKV Vice-Chancellor Dr Chirantan Chattopadhyay today condemned the attack but said that outsiders, and not students, were involved in the attack.

The VC did not meet journalists nor received calls after the incident yesterday.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty today met the injured journalists in the hospital and denounced the attack on scribes.

Journalists took out a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate demanding arrest of the culprits.

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A 40-year-old man was killed and eight policemen were injured when members of a nomadic tribe attacked a police party which had gone to arrest him for allegedly poaching wild animals.

"The eight-member police team had gone to arrest Pusa last evening near Silaria village but members of his tribe attacked it, prompting the personnel to fire in the air," SP, Nagaur, Paris Deshmukh told PTI today.

Despite police firing in the air, the mob beat up the policemen with sticks. The personnel then opened fire in self-defence, which led to Pusa's death.

Circle Officer Dinesh Singh said Pusa, who was wanted in a case of animal poaching, suffered bullet injuries on the thigh and died of excessive bleeding.

He belonged to the Banbaagri tribe, which is notorious for poaching of wild animals.

At least eight policemen, including the SHO of the local police station, were also injured in the violence. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

"We have registered a case against some persons for attacking police and two of them were detained today," Singh said.

He said a separate case would be registered over the killing of the man if his family files a complaint.

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In a swipe at MNS president Raj Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said here that those who once opposed the celebration of Bihar foundation day in Mumbai had now "calmed down".

Addressing a function organised by Maithili Samanvay Samiti, he said Biharis had made a name for themselves in every nook and corner of the country with their knowledge and capabilities.

"People across the country can't get any work done without Biharis. They (Biharis) are not dependent on any one, nor are they a burden on anybody," Kumar said.

"Some people opposed celebration of Bihar foundation day here. Now they have calmed down," he said, without naming Raj Thackeray.

Kumar was apparently referring to Thackeray's tirade against Biharis in Mumbai for celebrating 100th Bihar foundation day in the city in 2012. Kumar had then said that he didn't need "visa" to come to Mumbai.

The political strength of MNS, which won 13 seats in Maharashtra Assembly in 2009, has waned considerably now. The party has at present only one MLA, while its tally in Mumbai municipal corporation has come down from 28 to 7.

The Bihar CM said he did not feel the need to advertise his achievements. The change in his state was being noticed through word of mouth publicity, he said.

"We don't ape anybody. Our development work gets noticed," the Janata Dal (United) leader said.

To ensure that development reaches the last person in the society, development of all sectors was needed, he said.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, for the first time, will meet farmers from the state protesting at Jantar Mantar tomorrow, according to official sources.

It is learnt the chief minister will advise the farmers to call off their protest when he meets them at 7.30 am.

Palaniswami, who arrived in the capital this evening, will also take part in a NITI Aayog meeting along with chief ministers of other states.

It is expected that Palaniswami will be meeting the farmers just before heading to Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Grabbing eyeballs with their novel way of protest, Tamil Nadu farmers today drank urine in another desperate bid to draw the Centre's attention towards their plight.

The farmers have been demanding a Rs-40,000 crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and setting up of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

Over the last 39 days, they have shaved their heads and half their moustaches and kept mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.

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Tamil Nadu Ch Vidyasagar Rao today called on his Karnataka counterpart Vajubhai Vala in Bengaluru today.

Rao, also the Maharashtra Governor, presented a Coffee Table Book -- 'The Flora of Raj Bhavan Chennai and Ooty' to the Governor on the occasion, a Raj Bhavan release said.

"The meeting was a courtesy call", it added.

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Two Jain Sadhvis on their way to Thane were killed -- one of them in wheelchair -- and three others were injured after being hit by a truck on Bhiwandi-Nashik bypass in Thane district early this morning.

Narpoli police said the mishap took place near Mankoli at around 5.30 am.

The victims were part of a group of Jain monks returning from a pilgrimage in Jharkhand.

The deceased were identified as Sadhvi Ranjana Hirachand Jain (52), resident of Thane, and Ratni (40), resident of Jharkhand, who was pushing her wheel-chair.

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The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said today, after days of mixed messages from Washington over the warship's whereabouts.

The strike group was supposedly steaming towards North Korea last week amid soaring tensions over the rogue state's apparent ramping up for a sixth nuclear test, with Pyongyang threatening to hit back at any provocation.

But the US Navy, which had earlier said the aircraft carrier would sail north from waters off Singapore as a "prudent measure" to deter the regime, admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

The aircraft carrier will arrive "in a matter of days", Pence, who is in Sydney, said, after the location of the naval strike group became contentious.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump had tweeted, while Pentagon chief Jim Mattis had said the Vinson was "on her way up".

"The authorities of the Trump administration are spouting a load of rubbish," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement released early today by Pyongyang's official KCNA agency.

America is "seeking to bring nuclear aircraft carrier strike groups one after another to the waters off the Korean Peninsula. Such intimidation and blackmail can never frighten the DPRK", he said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea.

Pence also renewed US calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel.

"The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more."



US officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table" including military strikes to curb the North's nuclear ambitions.

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A married woman was suspected to



have died of poisoning at Narayanpur in Howrah district, police said today.

The 18-year-old woman died last night.

Acting on a complaint by her father, police arrested her husband and parents-in-law.

The body was sent for post-mortem.

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Tirupati Urban Superintendent of Police R Jayalakshmi allegedly exchanged heated words with YSR Congress MLA Narayana Swamy when the latter and his followers, tried to gherao her at a government hospital in the temple town.

A purported video of the incident, which occurred late last night surfaced today.

"I am a uniformed officer. You are intimidating me and preventing me from discharging my duty," the woman IPS officer is purportedly seen shouting at the MLA, who came to the hospital to stage a protest over the road accident at Yerpedu that killed 13 persons yesterday afternoon.

The video showed the Gangadhara Nellore MLA from Chittoor district alleging that the accident appeared to be "managed" as the villagers were fighting the sand mafia in the region.

"What is that you are talking? I have been at the scene even before the accident and I have personally supervised the rescue operation. You have to talk in a just manner. You can't do politics over dead bodies," the furious SP told the MLA and asked him to leave the hospital, as seen in the video.

Amid the din, the MLA tried to accuse the police of a cover up over the accident, but the SP cut him short even as other senior police officers took the legislator away.

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Actor Zachary Quinto has been left devastated by the death of his "true prince", his beloved pet dog Noah.

The 39-year-old "Star Trek" actor paid a heartbreaking tribute to Noah, in which he told how the pooch made him a better person and thanked his canine companion for always being by his side.

He wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself and Noah: "Anyone who has ever truly known me in the last 14 years has known this true prince. Noah has been by my side through up and down. Thick and thin. Feast and famine. In loving him I learned to love myself more fully. He taught me compassion and patience and generosity... And oh how he made me laugh.

"He made friends wherever he went. His spirit was pure. His love was legend. I am a better person for having had him in my life. But tonight we had to let him go. Surrounded by love he went to sleep and may he forever rest in peace (sic).

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Sabcat said: So since you have observed this we as a community should turn our backs on the obvious rape culture that the Muslim community is introducing into western society.



Would you mind explaining your reasoning for this. Click to expand...

Muslims live across the street from me. Should I be worried?Your Pamela Geller/David Horowitz ******** is used by Neocons and Cruisemissile Liberals to justify bombing and sending mercenaries into targeted Muslim countries half way around the world! Where I live, the odds of a Muslim being involved in a sex crime are less than the general population.Now that I've dealt with your go-to tactic of topic diversion, you haven't addressed the subject I was talkiing about:1. Men as a general rule, feel a loss of prestige (real or imagined) if women start entering their profession for the first time.That feeling of loss can be expressed with open hostility..as in some of cases we had to deal with, or it can be held deep inside our psyche, as I noticed in cases where someone might ask me what I was doing lately/and I would reply:"I'm training a new guy at work," even though the "new guy" was actually a woman! Why did I use a male pronoun to start with in my answer? Even as the words came out of my mouth, I was wondering why I wasn't answering the question honestly.2.As we move up the chain of command in an organization hierarchy, the harassment and attempts at coercion and even outright sex crimes become more pronounced, because men in high position who give orders to subordinates, feel they have privileges they're not entitled to! So, even in our situation, a couple of executives who I would have thought were civiil and professional (at least in outward appearance) were the ones who were spending time qualifying, grooming, coercing and blackmailing female employees for sex!The average lout on the shop floor tended to be simple, direct and obvious with their harassment. Sometimes they were...or would claim not to be doing anything wrong. Many times the excuse would be: 'it was a joke' or 'I was just kidding around.' In these cases, the offender can be turned around if they really understand why their behaviour is not acceptable, but sometimes old habits are hard to change.Back to the upper crust: the celebrity sexual offenders we're hearing so much about lately..like Bill O'Reilley, you can bet are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the time, these ******** get away with it, and are able to their whole adult lives...just like Trump, Cosby, Clinton, Roger Ailes...add any name you like! But, why do they do this when the risks can be terminal to their careers? If they've got away with a crime once...and then twice, probably they're going to assume they are bulletproof because of the fact that people at the top of a hierarchy believe they are superior to the rest of us mere mortals and can talk their way or buy their way out of any problem!Considering that these are men who can afford(and no doubt often do) buy any sex they want from professional escorts and call girls, a lot of people ask "why doesn't an ******* like O'Reilly buy it, instead of taking the risk of coercing or raping female subordinates? And that's where the power dynamic really shows itself, and you realize just how much of sexual violence by predatory men is to show their power/ rather than care that much about sexual gratification.
Drug firm Divis Laboratories today said the US health regulator has issued a warning letter to the company for its Vishakhapatnam facility.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued warning letter for the company's Unit-II at Vishakhapatnam, Divis Laboratories said in a BSE filing.

The company along with external consultants and subject matter experts is working to address the concerns of USFDA and is making all efforts to fully meet the compliance requirements, it added.

The company, however, did not provide details of the warning letter.

Divis Laboratories has responded to USFDA inspection observations with an appropriate remediation process to overcome the deficiencies observed, the company said.

"As part of our commitments, we have also provided periodic updates to the USFDA," it added.

In the import alert issued earlier, the regulator had exempted several products manufactured at the unit II in Visakhapatnam, Divis Laboratories said.

The regulator had earlier exempted 10 products, including Levetiracetam, Gabapentin, Lamotrigine, Capecitabine, Naproxen sodium and BOC core succinate, from the import alert.

"We will continue to supply these active ingredients to meet its obligations to our customers", it added.

The company will respond to this warning letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time, Divis Laboratories said.

Earlier on March 22, Divis Laboratories had said in a regulatory filing that the regulator had issued import alert for products made at Visakhapatnam unit citing violation of manufacturing norms and refusal of inspection.
On Friday, President Donald Trump agreed with community and state officials and <a href=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/21/president-trump-approves-utah-disaster-declaration target=_blank>declared a major disaster</a> exists in the State of Utah. An official White House statement says President Trump has, ordered federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms and flooding from February 7 to February 27, 2017.

Over a period of several weeks, <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_7306a6b0-f0ba-11e6-9879-4f32bd9cd020.html target=_blank>multiple roads were damaged</a>, <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_75e67e50-effc-11e6-9459-f770217b66c8.html target=_blank>sewage systems became overwhelmed</a>, hundreds of roofs and basements were damaged, and <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_916877d2-fae2-11e6-b2b3-3b0022f47436.html target=_blank>large areas of farmland were marred</a> by heavy rains on top of saturated and frozen ground.

Infrastructure, such as roads, is very expensive to replace, said Kris J. Hamlet, director of the Division of Emergency Management in a press release from the State of Utah. We appreciate that this resource exists so our counties arent left with a significant and unexpected financial burden.

According to Joe Dougherty, public information officer for the Utah Division of Emergency Management, FEMA and state officials will likely establish a FEMA/State Joint Field Office. The Utah Division of Emergency Management will work closely with FEMA and local officials to bring disaster relief for public infrastructure in the impacted counties.

The presidential declaration <a href=https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/04/21/federal-aid-programs-state-utah target=_blank>releases federal money</a> to help community and state agencies pay for repairs on flood-damaged infrastructure that are not already covered by insurance or other federal agencies. Dougherty says FEMA covers 75 percent of the eligible costs to repair public infrastructure. In addition, the declaration also makes hazard mitigation assistance available, which allows the state to take actions to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from future natural hazards.

On April 6, <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_153d31e8-1bb7-11e7-92e8-472f896e26a8.html target=_blank>Utah Governor Gary Herbert appealed to President Trump</a> to <a href=https://site.utah.gov/dps-emergency/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/04/Herbert-Declaration-request-2017.pdf target=_blank>declare a major disaster</a> for Cache and Box Elder counties after the <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_fef4bfa0-ef42-11e6-9015-cf8610a5cbe6.html target=_blank>severe flooding in February</a>. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently validated Utahs estimates of nearly $6 million in damages to public infrastructure as a result of the unseasonable flooding.

With Fridays declaration, federal funding is now available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis, for emergency work. Those funds can also be available for the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storms and flooding.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

The city of <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_3c30408a-fa22-11e6-a314-1be58899dfc0.html target=_blank>Garland declared a state of emergency</a> on February 23rd after rising waters there damaged hundreds of homes, roads, businesses and large swaths of farmland. And on March 31st <a href=http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_2e90873c-166a-11e7-8acf-37e0fcac015e.html target=_blank>Gov. Herbert officially declared a state of emergency for the two counties</a>.

Robert J. Fenton, Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Nancy M. Casper as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Really? Why? I would somehow be LESS dead if I'm shot in the head by an American citizen than if i was shot in the head by a crazed sheep rancher from Australia here in the U.S. on vacation?

What...The...****???
FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA
Un internaute camerounais Archives

In a statement on Friday; a day after internet services were restored in the crisis-hit North West and South West regions, the special representative of the U.N Secretary-General for Central Africa said the internet restoration will reduce the tension in the Anglophone regions.

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Africa has said he was relieved to learn that President Paul Biya instructed that full internet services be restored in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.

I welcome this measure, which is in line with those recently announced by the government to address the demands of English-Speaking teachers and lawyers, Francois Lounceny Fall said in a statement.

Mr Fall who also heads the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) noted that the decision, which took effect from 20 April, will go a long way to help reduce tension and to create conditions conducive for the resolution of the crisis in the two regions.

He said that he counts on the Government of Cameroon to continue to promote appeasement and dialogue, and to take all other appropriate measures aimed at a speedy and lasting resolution of the crisis in order to strengthen unity, stability and prosperity in Cameroon.

The Special Representative of the UN scribe for Central Africa also expressed the wish that the Cameroonian people will maintain their spirit of patriotism and show restraint during this trying period, including by avoiding the use of the Internet to incite hatred or violence.

It should be recalled that during a four-day official visit to Cameroon last week, Mr Fall urged government to restore the internet which he described as an important tool for development, communication and collective development.

The UN envoy also called on the government to release all detainees of the Anglophone crisis, some of whom he met including Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla and radio broadcaster Mancho Bibixy.

He also met with Government officials, members of civil society, opposition leaders, members of the diplomatic corps and the UN system in a bit to seek lasting solutions to the crisis.
"Given the limited practical evidence about the degree to which telecommunications data has been useful in these types of matters, it is difficult to determine the strength of the case for access in these circumstances at this time," the response says.
(Photo: REUTERS / Sergio Moraes)People from the Baha'i religious community pose for a picture next to a giant painting created by Brazilian artist Siron Franco, as part of the "Five Years Too Many" protest campaign marking the five-year anniversary of the imprisonment of seven Iranian Baha'i leaders, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro May 5, 2013. The image represents that "Human beings should be free as birds," according to the artist. The Baha'i community in Brazil is protesting against the 2008 arrest of seven leaders of their religion in Iran for espionage, propaganda against the Islamic republic and the establishment of an illegal administration among other things, according to the organizers.

The Bahai community says that orders for the arrest of at least 25 Baha'is have been issued by certain authorities in Sana'a, Yemen, who are harassing the Yemeni Baha'is and pressuring them to recant their faith.

The community said that accusations the Baha'is are baseless and include showing kindness and displaying rectitude of conduct in order to attract people to their faith.

In an April 21 statement from New York the community said the accusations bear are strongly resemble those encountered by the Baha'is in Iran, noting that reports indicate the influence of Iranian authorities behind incidents transpiring in Yemen.

"We call upon the international community to unitedly denounce these alarming and ominous actions undertaken by specific authorities in Yemen, including the National Security and the Prosecutor's Office," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"We demand that they stop this recent wave of arrests and release the Baha'is in prison, who are in grave danger."

The recent events placed on the Yemeni Baha'i community include the 2013 arrest and ongoing court case of Hamed bin Haydara, as well as the mass arrest of over 60 participants, half of whom were Baha'is, at an educational gathering in 2016.

The community said that Kaiwan Qaderi, who was among those arrested, was detained for over eight months.

Just weeks ago, an employee of the Red Cross who is a Baha'i was arrested on 5 April in Sana'a simply because of his faith.

"Let us not stand by and allow a case of tyranny and injustice against a religious community to unfold," said Dugal.

Baha'i International said that immediately preceding the call for their arrest, on April 17, dozens of Baha'is received telephone calls between 10:30 p.m. and midnight and were told that they should appear in court the following morning.

Aware of recent efforts to persecute the Baha'is and given that no official court order had been presented to them, the Baha'is agreed to send several lawyers in their stead.

However, one Baha'i, Badi'u'llah Sana'i, a prominent civil engineer in Yemen followed the advice given to him at his workplace and appeared at court on 18 April.

He was immediately arrested, confirming the suspicion that the request for Baha'is to appear at court was a ploy for their arrest.

On April 19, two additional Baha'is, including Walid Ayyash, a member of a prominent Yemeni tribe, were arrested by authorities as they were driving from the city of Ibb on route to Hudaydah.

Their whereabouts are presently unknown and concerns are mounting as to their safety.

During a turbulent period of civil conflict in Yemen in recent years, the members of the Baha'i community have refused to side with any group and have endeavored to serve all people, said the statement.
In 2012, she secured an order from the ATO for the embassy to pay her unpaid super for the second period she worked there, but she says her former bosses refused to pay her for her first stint.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
The U.S.-South Korea alliance is not only based on security, but on the shared values of freedom, free markets, and a strong economic partnership, said Vice President Mike Pence.

Speaking to American and South Korean business people, investors, and owners during his recent trip to Asia, Mr. Pence noted that South Korea is now the United States sixth largest trading partner.

Americas high quality products and services have made tremendous impact on South Koreas way of life, he said. And South Koreas firms have made and continue to make significant contributions and investments in the American economy.

Last month marked the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement. Since KORUS went into effect, two-way trade in goods and services has grown by nearly $20 billion. The United States' goods and services exports have increased by more than 6 percent. Service exports have risen by nearly 30 percent to a record high of $21.6 billion. And today South Korea is one of the fastest growing sources of foreign direct investment in the United States.

But despite the strong economic ties between the United States and South Korea, the trade relationship is falling short, said Vice President Pence. Most concerning is the fact that the United States' trade deficit with South Korea has more than doubled since KORUS came into effect.

American businesses face too many barriers to entry, which tilts the playing field against American workers and American growth. President Trump has made it clear that the United States will pursue trade that is both free and fair, and that will be true of all trade relationships including KORUS, said Vice President Pence.

The United States is reviewing all of its trade agreements across the world to ensure that they benefit the U.S. economy as much as they benefit its trading partners. The goal is to ensure KORUS promotes a level playing field for both American and Korean businesses, and will maximize jobs and growth for the people of the United States and the people of South Korea.

A stronger American economy, said Vice President Pence, means a stronger economy for South Korea, and for all of our trading partners.
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.

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The United States Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Sohrab Soleimani, the former head of the Tehran Prison Organization, and the Organization itself for serious human rights abuses.

The sanctions are outside the scope of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and are fully consistent with U.S. commitments under the deal.

White House Spokesman Sean Spicer announced the move at a press briefing:

The individual who was designated for his role in abuses in Irans prison is the brother of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Irans IRGC Quds Force, who was himself previously designated under terrorism, counter-proliferation, and human rights authorities.

As the State Departments latest human rights report on Iran noted, there are many credible reports of security forces and prison personnel torturing and abusing detainees and prisoners. In a press statement, the Treasury Department observed that Evin Prison is one of Irans most notorious facilities, due to the detention of many prisoners of conscience and well-documented accounts of their mistreatment and abuse. Former prisoners of Evin Prison have reported harsh interrogations, forced confessions, psychological and physical torture, and denial of access to medical care.

The Treasury Department specifically pointed to an April 2014 incident at Evin, where dozens of security guards and senior prison officials severely beat political prisoners being held in Ward 350. The attack lasted several hours and over 30 prisoners were wounded or injuredSohrab Soleimani was the head of the Tehran Prisons Organization during this violent event.

He holds a leadership position within the State Prisons Organization.

The new designations by the Treasury Department, said John Smith, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, highlight our continued support for the Iranian people and demonstrate our commitment to hold the Government of Iran responsible for its continued repression of its own citizens.

White House Spokesperson Spicer noted that the sanctions against human rights abusers in Irans prisons come at a time when Iran continues to unjustly detain in its prisons various foreigners.

OFAC Director Smith said, We will continue to identify, call out, and sanction those who are responsible for serious human rights abuses in Iran.
President Donald Trump recently welcomed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the White House to discuss strengthening the Alliance, including through increased defense spending by Allies. In their meeting, the two leaders also discussed NATOs role in addressing international challenges involving peace and security, counterterrorism, and the situation in Syria.

President Trump noted NATO's long history as a "bulwark of international peace and security. Since 1949, the NATO member states have more than doubled, increasing from 12 to 28. "In the coming months and years, the President said, "Ill 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 NATO to focus on todays most pressing security and all of its challenges, including migration and terrorism.

President Trump also stressed the need for NATO members to invest in the Alliance. President Trump noted, 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 [Stoltenberg] and I agree that other member nations must satisfy their responsibility to contribute 2 percent of GDP to defense.

President Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO and to the enduring values that the United States and its allies proudly share. Montenegro moved one step closer to becoming the 29th NATO member after President Trump signed the protocol ratifying U.S. agreement to Montenegros accession to NATO on April 10. The Netherlands is the only remaining NATO member still completing its national process to ratify Montenegros accession.

President Trump emphasized that the Alliance must work together to resolve the situation in Syria and thanked NATO members and partners for their condemnation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads recent chemical weapons attack.

President Trump said, "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. Were 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."
Skoda may have just presented its Vision E electric concept at the Shanghai Auto Show but it wont be the Czech companys first EV for the road. Instead, that title will probably be taken by an electrified variant of the small Citigo.



Auto Express spoke to board member for technical development Christian Strube at the show and while he didnt specifically say the Citigo will be Skodas first EV, he all but confirmed the Vision E wont be its first electric production car.

We have said that the Vision E is our first car on MEB. And we have said that it is our first electric show car. But we havent said that it is our first production car, he said.

The Citigos sister car, the Volkswagen up! is already offered as an all-electric model in the form of the e-up! Soon, Seat will release an electric version of its Mii city car and it makes sense that an electric Skoda Citigo would be created to complete Volkswagen AGs trio of electric superminis.

Skodas first electrified model has already been confirmed as a plug-in hybrid version of the Superb for 2019 so it is probable that the electric Citigo will arrive shortly after.

PHOTO GALLERY
Tesla has been hit with a class action lawsuit that claims the companys Autopilot system is essentially unusable and demonstrably dangerous.



According to the suit filed in California, most of the Model S standard safety features remain inoperative months after customers have taken delivery of their car.

The filing goes on to say Tesla models have a dangerously defective Traffic Aware Cruise Control system and that the companys Enhanced Autopilot technology causes vehicles to behave erratically. Furthermore, it says owners have become beta testers of half-baked software.

While Teslas Autopilot system isnt always perfect, claims the company advertised vaporware to consumers might cause a few eyes to roll. Regardless, the lawsuit seeks a recall and buyback of affected vehicles as well as an order to prevent Tesla from continuing the unlawful, deceptive, fraudulent, and unfair business practices alleged in this complaint.

Of course, the suit is also asking for money to cover legal fees, restitution, damages, penalties, and interest  among other things.

Most companies dont comment on pending litigation but a Tesla spokesperson told Electrek This lawsuit is a disingenuous attempt to secure attorneys fees posing as a legitimate legal action, which is evidenced by the fact that the suit misrepresents many facts. The unnamed spokesperson added Many of the features this suit claims are unavailable are in fact available, with more updates coming every month.
Flying cars are a cornerstone of futurism but most models have been consigned to the dustbin of history.



Lilium Jet intends to be the company that turns fantasy into reality and the German firm is off to a good start as a prototype has successfully completed a series of test flights.

The two-seater prototype features an electric powertrain and 36 electric engines which are mounted to its wings via 12 moveable flaps. The flaps are pointed down during takeoff and gradually tilt into a horizontal position to provide forward thrust. When the flaps are fully horizontal, the prototype operates the same way as a conventional airplane.

This setup allows the Lilium Jet to takeoff and land like a helicopter but travel as fast as an airplane. In this particular application, the prototype has a maximum cruising speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and a range in excess of 300 km (186 miles).

The company says the jet will travel five times faster than a car even though the power consumption per km will be comparable to an electric vehicle. Of course, when an EV runs out of juice it doesnt fall from the sky. Lilium Jet has taken this into consideration and has designed the power cells so they will continue to deliver sufficient power for continued flight and a safe landing in the unlikely event that part of the battery configuration fails.

Lilium Jet eventually intents to build a five-seat model that can be used in urban environments. The company also envisions an Uber-style on-demand air transportation service where you can easily book a flight from a smartphone app.

Of course, Lilium Jet isnt alone as everyone from Airbus to PAL-V are showing flying cars this year.

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Photo: TransLink

A pair of cougars was spotted trotting along the SkyTrain line in Port Moody, Friday.

The wildcats triggered an intrusion alarm at Inlet Centre Station as they paced along the tracks.

Surveillance cameras captured images of the cats about 4:15 a.m., but they were gone when TransLink staff checked the line before morning service began on the Millennium Line.

Conservation officers were alerted.

A spokesman said animal encounters are more common on the Evergreen line, which runs through less populated parts of Metro Vancouver.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Contributed

The young man killed in a dirt bike accident above Bear Creek last week is being remembered as a man who loved the great outdoors.

The body of Dylan James Gordon Smith, 23, a native of Regina, was discovered last Thursday about seven kilometres into the bush by two other dirt bikers.

Smith is being described as a man who "fell in love with the outdoors at a young age."

"His favourite activities were mountain biking, dirt biking, travelling the world, and sleeping under the stars in his 'Hennessy Hammock.'

"His truck, 'Earl' took him anywhere he wanted to go. This allowed Dylan to spend his time building and fixing trails to ride, and allow other riders to enjoy. His salt of the earth attitude and genuine demeanour was appreciated by anyone that met him."

His obituary says his greatest wish for his grieving family and friends would be to find solace in nature wherever, and whenever you can.

Dylan Smith was found lying face up by himself in a mud bog with a creek running through it. His bike had him pinned to the ground.

The family expressed their appreciation for the assistance of first responders, the West Kelowna RCMP and volunteers and operators of the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue, who respectfully and painstakingly recovered Dylan.
Photo: CTV

A warning for dog owners in Vancouver after some dogs consumed discarded pieces of pizza stuffed with sewing needles.

The dangerous food was discovered at Strathcona Park, a popular Vancouver park.

One dog owner told CTV Vancouver she noticed a piece of string hanging from his mouth as he was about to swallow a piece of food.

"I pulled it out and it was a bundled up piece of pizza that had been sewn together," said DJ Larkin.

She threw the piece of pizza out, but came forward after hearing of a similar incident resulted in an injury to another dog.

Larkin said the other dog required surgery to have a needle removed from its throat.

"It's so upsetting," she said, "because it's a really popular park for East Van dog owners.

"I can't imagine any reason to do that except to intentionally injure an animal."

Larkin says she has reported the incidents to both the City of Vancouver and the SPCA. The city is investigating.

She adds she's no longer comfortable taking her dog to the park.

---files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: CTV

Police are investigating the possibility of an intentional criminal act or negligence in a fatal train derailment on Vancouver Island.

Three workers were killed and two remain in hospital after logging cars derailed in the tiny community of Woss.

RCMP combed the scene Friday, stretching two kilometres along the tracks.

If we determine ultimately that there is criminality, we will retain the lead in that investigation, senior investigator Dave Hall told CTV. If we believe its related to some other non-criminal incident, well turn that over to the correct authorities.

The victims were all employees of Western Forest Products.

A locomotive was not involved in the incident, and investigators are looking at whether a line of rail cars got loose and rolled through the hamlet.

The company closed operations on Friday in wake of the incident.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: Contributed

Emanda Tetreault is hoping someone will be able to save her life.

The 25-year-old single mom has stage 5 chronic kidney failure and is in desperate need of a kidney donor.

And the Vancouver resident has turned to social media in an effort to find that one person who can provide her with the gift of life.

I was diagnosed almost two years ago and was told that in order to stay alive I had to start dialysis. I have to do dialysis three times a week, for four hours at a time, she said.

I write you today with a great sense of urgency. It is my greatest wish to live to see my son grow up. I am O+ and must have someone with O+ or O- blood type.

Tetreault is asking people to be tested to see if they are a positive match.

Humbly, I am asking if you or anyone you know might be willing to be tested as a potential living donor, she said. I realize that donating a kidney is an incredibly generous act, as well as a major sacrifice. I wish that I did not have to ask anyone to make such a sacrifice, but I am incredibly grateful that this option exists. I need help. And I am not one to beg and ask everyone I know for this kind of help. But this is truly a life and death matter.

To learn more about the Living Donor Program, or are considering being tested, contact the Vancouver General Hospital Pre-Assessment Transplant Clinic at 1-855-875-5182 ext. 20517.
Photo: File photo

They have saved countless lives while risking their own and B.C.'s ground, air and marine search and rescue organizations are recognizing their more than 4,400 volunteers during National Volunteer Week April 2329.

The volunteers are represented by Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, the BC Search and Rescue Association and PEP Air.

Across British Columbia, SAR crews are standing by 24 hours a day.

SAR volunteers collectively respond to more than 2,000 incidents every year in B.C., saving many lives.

National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to recognize the tremendous contributions of search and rescue volunteers towards public safety in British Columbia, said Pat Quealey, CEO of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. We are proud to be part of the vibrant volunteer community across Canada, helping to make our communities safe and strong.

Chris Kelly, president of the BC Search and Rescue Association said BCs highly-skilled SAR volunteers devote more than 280,000 hours every year towards training and missions.

We are driven by a spirit of volunteerism and are pleased to dedicate our time and knowledge to helping the public, said Kelly.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Pope Francis on Saturday comforted the sister of an elderly French priest who was slain by Islamic militants in a church in Normandy as the pontiff paid tribute with a special prayer service to the courage of 20th- and 21st- century Christian martyrs.

Francis gripped the hands of Roselyne Hamel, whose brother, Rev. Jacques Hamel, 85, died when his throat was slit as he celebrated Mass on July 26, 2016.

He quietly spoke with her during the evening service in St. Bartholomew Basilica on Tiberina Island in Rome. He had just heard her tell fellow faithful in the church that her brother was killed by "two youths radicalized by a discourse of hate."

Francis said the legacy of modern-day martyrs "teaches us that with the strength of love, meekness, one can combat arrogance, violence, war, and with patience, achieve peace."

Next week Francis makes a two-trip pilgrimage to Egypt, a predominantly Muslim Arab nation where on April 9, on the Christian holy day of Palm Sunday, twin suicide bombings of Coptic churches killed 44 people.

In Saturday's service, Francis prayed that "persecuted Christians are protected and that peace soon comes to the world."

Departing from his prepared homily, Francis recounted how he was touched when last year, during a visit to a migrant detention facility in Lesbos, Greece, a Muslim father of three told him that his Christian wife had her throat slit when 'terrorists came ... and asked what our religion was.'"

Francis said the widower told him his wife was killed in front of him when she refused to toss away the cross she was wearing.

"She is looking down at us from heaven," the pope added.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Inspectors who visited Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital found that safety problems that thrust the facility into the national spotlight after the escape of two dangerous patients a year ago persist, including neglected patients.

And a survey of Western State Hospital staff, conducted as part of federal oversight in December and January, found that administrators make decisions that "adversely affect patient safety" and there was a lack of trained or qualified staff, fear of retaliation from managers and too much focus on bureaucracy over staff safety.

The survey and the consultants' report were obtained by The Associated Press from someone close to the hospital who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.

State officials say they are making progress, including hiring additional staff members, as they try to turn around the facility since the patients escaped in April 2016. They say correcting problems that have developed over decades will take time to resolve.

Dr. Joseph Wainer, a psychiatrist at the hospital, said the problems continue. He wrote a letter to the editor that recently appeared in the Tacoma, Washington, newspaper in which he alleged that management at the facility was traumatizing employees and patients.

"I see people who've been told that their perspective is ignorant, who have been ignored, shamed and intimidated into silence by an increasingly authoritarian leadership," he wrote.

Wainer told AP in an email this week that the hospital placed him "under investigation." Wainer said the investigation was "quite frightening" and "I still don't know exactly what they're suggesting I did wrong." Wainer said investigations are often used to "discredit and to intimidate both the person investigated and those who might question contemplating the executive leadership."

Kelly Stowe, a spokeswoman for the health department, said the agency couldn't confirm or deny an investigation because they don't comment on personnel actions. "What I can tell you is that we don't restrict an employee's right to free speech," she said
If it has to do with your home or your health, odds are it can be found at the Vernon Spring Home Show.

This the 19th year for the popular show that runs Saturday and Sunday at the Vernon curling rink.

Carmen Sieracki, with the home show, said the show is filled with home-related products, services, gadgets and all manner of goods.

There are definitely some unique things here. You've got to come check it out. There are so many things here I can't even name them all, said Sieracki.

Sieracki said the show is not just about home-service products.

It's all encompassing. Anything to do with the home and health we have it here, she said.


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Julia Child (Karen Janes Woditsch, left) is schooled in the delicate art of cooking scrambled eggs by Le Cordon Bleu instructor Chef Max Bugnard (Terry Hamilton) in France in the 1950s in the 2010 production of " To Master the Art" at TimeLine Theatre. (Photo by Laura Goetsch)

Julia Child made millions hungry with her cookbooks and television shows while she was alive. Even now, eight years after her death at age 91, there's still a keen appetite for all things Julia. Witness the revival, just announced for September 2013, of a play that retraced her early, fateful years in the kitchen.

"To Master the Art," a play by William Brown and Doug Frew, was given its world premiere in 2010 by TimeLine Theatre. Now, TimeLIne is working with the Chicago Commerical Collective to mount a limited run as part of Broadway in Chicago. The show is slated to open Sept. 10 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175, E. Chestnut Place.

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Look for more details on The Theater Loop blog written by my Tribune colleage, theater critic Chris Jones.

The original 2010 production was notable to me for two reasons: Karen Janes Woditsch captured the gawky energy and gritty determination of Julia Child; and there was - is - something incredibly delicious about a performance space perfumed with the aroma of shallots cooking in butter.

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"To Master the Art" opens with Child arriving in France after World War II. She was 36, newly-married and not at all sure where her true passions lay. It took a fateful bite of sole meuniere to reveal to her that food, that cooking, would be her life's work. Child would burst onto the American culinary scene in 1961 with "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and became a TV phenomenon two years later with her television series, "The French Chef."

This new production will not be part of TimeLine's subscription season, TimeLine officials note in a press release, but belongs to the fall season of Broadway in Chicago.
Chicago police and fire officials at the scene where two people were shot, one of them critically, in the 5100 block of West Madison Street the evening of April 21, 2017. (Peter Nickeas / Chicago Tribune)

Updated April 22, 2017 10:14am  The young Chicago police officer tried to restrain the woman late Friday as she pushed past two lines of crime scene tape that stretched across a block in the West Englewood neighborhood.

Her incoherent sobs soon turned into a repeated request.

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"Can I just see him?" she cried, looking toward a parked silver SUV with its doors open, surrounded by investigators.

"Trust me," the officer said, trying to usher her away with awkward grabs. "You don't want to see him like this. Do you want to sit in my car?"

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She didn't acknowledge the offer. The woman, wearing a puffy winter jacket on the chilly night, again pushed past the tape, only to be led away. She leaned against the officer's car and continued to bawl.

Inside the SUV was Hassan Sutton, 39, who had been fatally shot about 10:30 p.m. Friday while sitting in the driver's seat in the 5900 block of South Paulina Street, police said.

Sutton was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. He had lived in the 6100 block of South Carpenter Street, about a mile and a half from where he was shot.

Sutton was among two people killed and 11 others wounded in Chicago shootings Friday afternoon into Saturday morning.

Just two blocks away and around the same time of the Paulina Street shooting, an 18-year-old man was shot in the left leg in the 6000 block of South Hermitage Avenue. The man told police he was standing on the corner when someone in a passing Nissan Altima fired shots at him. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized. Police do not believe the shootings are connected.

A 63-year-old woman who lives on Paulina Street and goes by the name Dimples said she saw police cars with sirens blaring rushing toward the shooting scenes after she heard the "pow pow pow" of gunfire.

She ran over to the SUV near 59th Street and helped point it out to responding police. Dimples said she knew the man who was killed, giving his first name as Hassan, as well as another man who was in the car with him but was not shot. The second mad was "traumatized" by the shooting and picked up by his family, Dimples said.

Hassan lived in the neighborhood, which Dimples described as a close-knit community that holds yearly reunions in a nearby park. She said he and his friend were probably sitting in the car drinking beers as they often do.

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Dimples, who said she's lived on the block for decades, recalled last June when a 6-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet while sitting on her grandmother's porch in the 6000 block of Paulina Street.

"I just wonder when it's going to stop? When? When? When?"

More than two dozen friends and family members of the man shot gathered around the scene  cousins, aunts and one of his two sisters.

Relatives described Hassan as witty and playful, one of four siblings who grew up on the block.

In the other fatal attack Friday, an 18-year-old man was shot in the torso about 7:06 p.m. while standing in a building in the 6500 block of South King Drive in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood. The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the victim as Armani Horton. Horton was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Another man, 25, who was in the building was shot in the left leg and taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition.

In the most recent shooting, a 28-year-old man suffered a graze wound to the head after someone opened fire on his car about 6:20 a.m. in the 1600 block of North Kedvale Avenue in the Hermosa neighborhood. The man was pulling up to his home, about to park, when at least three bullets came flying through his tinted windows, according to witnesses. The man came into the home and alerted relatives about what happened before going to the hospital, his sister-in-law said. Family members gathered near the shot-up Kia sedan said they were grateful the man's two young children were not in the car with him.

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In other shootings:

 A 35-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man were shot in the 1200 block of North Mozart Drive about 2:25 a.m. in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, police said. The two were standing in a park when they heard shots and felt pain and took themselves to Stroger Hospital, where their conditions were stabilized. The man was shot in the left buttocks, and the woman was grazed in the left leg.

 Earlier, a 20-year-old man was shot in the right thigh about 1:25 a.m. while standing on the sidewalk in the 5000 block of West Grand Avenue in the Craigin neighborhood. Two men came up to him and fired shots, police said. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

 About 8:33 p.m., a 47-year-old man was shot in the leg and groin in the 2400 block of North Kildare Avenue in the Belmont Gardens neighborhood. A dark-colored Jeep pulled up alongside him, and four occupants yelled gang slogans before opening fire, police said.

The man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition.

 Earlier, about 7:10 p.m. in the 5100 block of West Madison Street in the South Austin neighborhood, a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were shot. The teen boy suffered wounds to the leg and chest, and was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital. The 19-year-old went in a private vehicle to Rush Oak Park Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right side, then was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was in serious condition, police said.

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The shooting scene was at the southeast corner of Madison Street and Leamington Avenue at a gas station. Firefighters from Engine 113 rendered aid with paramedics and remained behind for a few minutes after the ambulance left. A few minutes after the shooting, police learned of a second victim who walked into a nearby hospital. A sergeant blocked eastbound Madison traffic while westbound drivers slowed to gape.

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Police stopped a vehicle matching the description of a suspect vehicle on the Eisenhower Express near Racine Avenue, but it turned out not to be the right vehicle, authorities said.

 A teenage boy was shot about 3 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Emerald Avenue. The teen was involved in a fight and shot in the foot. He ran to the 8200 block of South Sangamon Street where paramedics were called, police said.

The boy was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was in good condition, police said.

 Earlier Friday, a 26-year-old man was shot near Princeton Park in the Roseland neighborhood.

According to preliminary information, shortly after 1:30 p.m, the man was walking with a friend in the 300 block of West 99th Place. Two people who were inside the park opened fire, striking the victim in a foot, said police.

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The victim was taken to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition, police said.

No one was in custody, and police were investigating.
Jeremy Scullark was fatally shot on the Dan Ryan Expressway near Chinatown. His friends and family held a vigil in his memory on April 21, 2017. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Carrying flowers, balloons and portraits, Jeremy Scullark's family marched up the shoulder of the Dan Ryan's Chinatown exit.

"The reason why we're here at this spot right now is because this is where my brother was brutally murdered in broad daylight at 5 p.m., right here," said Jenesis Scullark, Jeremy Scullark's younger sister.

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Jeremy Scullark, 28, was killed about 5:10 p.m. Wednesday in a shooting on the Dan Ryan Expressway ramp near Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue. His mother, father, fiancee and other relatives visited the scene Friday to pay tribute, voice their pain and call for the killer's capture.

"This is not who my brother was," Jenesis Scullark said.

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Another man was shot in the same attack. Illinois State Police have released few details, including any information on the age of the other victim.

Relatives placed bouquets and crosses around two large portraits of Jeremy Scullark. One showed him smiling widely while the other showed him on a beach in sunglasses, his girlfriend reflected in the glass.

Scullark grew up near downtown and attended De La Salle High School and Columbia College, his mother, Tracey, said. He was planning to marry his longtime girlfriend, Joy DeVaughn, next year in Thailand.

Cousin Dominique Taylor said Scullark was relaxed and enjoyed going to hookah shops. He enjoyed Chance the Rapper and Kanye West, Taylor said.

"He wasn't into all the street stuff," Taylor said.

Scullark was killed on his way home, DeVaughn said. He was an entrepreneur with a ride-share business, she said.

DeVaughn's sister, Patrice, said Scullark was "all around a good person with a very good heart."

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He often spent time with Patrice DeVaughn's 6-year-old son, and took him to a pumpkin patch and Lincoln Park Zoo's winter ZooLights. He was there when the boy was born, Patrice DeVaughn said.

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Tracey Scullark said her son was wise and often gave her advice. The last message he sent her, at 5:03 p.m. just before his death, encouraged her to focus on one thing at a time.

"That's the type of guy he was," Tracey Scullark said.

To start the vigil, Jeremy Scullark's great-aunt Emma McIntosh led the assembly in prayer.

"We thank you for all things, but most of all, Lord Jesus, we ask that you remove this element, that you stop this violence, that you put an end to this horrible, horrible condition that has plagued our neighborhoods here in Chicago," McIntosh said.

The family also prayed for answers.

"Let us find out who has no regard for human life and take them out of our element," McIntosh said. "They have no regard for human life and I tell (the person) who did this  look in the mirror and ask yourself, what made you lose all regard for human life?"
Tens of thousands of people participated in the March for Science Chicago on April 22, 2017, in downtown Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

An estimated 40,000 scientists and their supporters descended on Columbus Drive on Saturday to stand up for scientific research and the initiatives they feel are increasingly under siege by the policies of President Donald Trump's administration.

It was a peaceful gathering, without the loud chanting of recent city protests needling the Trump administration, including last weekend's Tax Day rally, which saw between 2,000 and 4,000 marchers. The March for Science Chicago had an almost cheerful quality to it; it seemed that for Earth Day, marchers wanted to celebrate the planet as well as advocate for its protection.

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A brass band whose members wore white lab coats blared "You Are My Sunshine" while stilt walkers in flashy costumes towered over them. Inflatable globe beach balls waltzed through the air, and a 6-year-old girl who caught one read aloud a message someone had scribbled on it. "There is no Planet B!" she cried, showing the globe to her mother.

While organizers said the march wasn't partisan, they said it was political, and intended to defend scientific research from attack, including proposed U.S. government budget cuts under President Donald Trump, such as a 20 percent cut from the National Institute of Health.

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Charles Cappell, a 70-year-old sociologist and retired Northern Illinois University professor, waved a 3-by-5-foot flag that displayed an image of Earth from space, an image he said represented unity, because everyone belongs to the same solar system.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 9 Supporters listen to speakers before the march portion of the March for Science Chicago on April 22, 2017. Participants walked from Grant Park to the Field Museum. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

"It seems absurd that we have to march for something as fundamental as science. But with the current administration, it seems you have to defend the basic facts of science," he said.

The protesters, marching in solidarity with more than 500 cities across the United States and the world, marched south on Columbus Drive before heading to the Museum Campus in the South Loop. After entering the campus, many protesters streamed pathways around, some sat on the sunny Great Ivy Lawn at the Field Museum, participating in games for the public, or simply drifted into the nearby museums.
A former data specialist at Chicago's famed Field Museum was sentenced to three years in federal prison Friday for stealing nearly $1 million from museum coffers and using it to fund a "lavish lifestyle," including luxury cars, jewelry and even to pay rent for a friend's South Side apartment.

An attorney for Caryn Benson had argued for as little as one year behind bars, saying the mother of two had never been in trouble with the law before and would be paying for her crime financially and emotionally for the rest of her life.

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But in handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang said that in stealing about $906,000 in membership fees and other proceeds over a six-year period, Benson abused the trust of a not-for-profit museum that could have used the money to boost the city's civic standing and add to its own scientific pursuits.

"This is an important Chicago institution," Chang said. "It makes important contributions to the city and to the world, not just through visitors but all the behind-the-scenes scientific and historical research that it performs."

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Museum officials wrote in a victim-impact letter that private donations have fallen off since Benson's conduct was exposed. The museum's chief marketing officer told the Tribune in 2015 that Benson had been stealing during a time that the museum was strapped for cash and had to lay off employees as it struggled to repay debts incurred by building projects.

Before Chang announced the sentence, he called Benson up to the lectern and invited her to address the court. Dressed in a black hooded jacket and blue jeans, Benson quietly shook her head.

"I'm sorry?" Chang asked.

"No," Benson said in a barely audible voice.

Benson, 39, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to one count of embezzlement. She admitted in a plea agreement with prosecutors that she had routinely pocketed cash payments that patrons made for memberships between June 2008 and April 2014. She also admitted to keeping cash paid by patrons for drink tickets at special events at the natural history museum over that same period.

Benson admitted in her plea agreement to stealing a total of about $400,000. But prosecutors argued that an internal museum audit found the actual amount she stole was $906,000. In the six-year period that the thefts occurred, more than $550,000 passed through her checking accounts even though her salary during that time totaled only about a combined $140,000, prosecutors alleged.

She used the money to buy fancy jewelry, including a four-carat diamond Joe Rodeo watch valued at $1,500, Gucci shoes and a handbag worth more than $1,400, and a $1,500 gold chain, according to FBI reports included with the filing. She also put the money toward the purchase of a Jaguar, which she later traded in for an Infiniti QX56, records show.

One employee reported to the museum's internal investigators that she had gone on a shopping spree with Benson and saw her with "wads of 20s," prosecutors said. Benson also paid thousands in rent for a friend's apartment in the York Terrace building on South Prairie Avenue, according to prosecutors.

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When she was confronted by the FBI in 2015, Benson said she had "started taking small amounts, but then she began taking more and more, to the point it eventually just got out of hand," court records show.

"She stole a lot of money that didn't belong to her and she used it to fund a lifestyle that she could not have otherwise afforded," Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgia Alexakis said in court Friday.

Benson's crimes have left a "cloud that now hangs over the museum" and affected not only donations but also employee morale and the museum's overall reputation, Alexakis said.

During the more than four-hour hearing, Benson's attorney, Anthony Sassan, argued that the government was relying on a flawed analysis in totaling the loss, at least half of which was allegedly in cash that is still unaccounted for. While Benson did purchase some items with stolen funds, records also showed her credit cards were maxed out, Sassan said. She rented her home and paid for cars on credit, not with cash, he said.

"We are talking about a half a million dollars in cash here," Sassan said. "Where is it? It doesn't add up."

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Benson's thefts were discovered by the museum during a restructuring of departments and an internal review of finances. Benson was immediately fired after she admitted to the scheme in April 2014.

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But the situation didn't come to light until December 2015 after the Field Museum disclosed it in a federally mandated tax report. The museum had kept quiet about the ongoing probe at the request of the FBI and U.S. attorney's office, Ray DeThorne, chief marketing officer, told the Tribune at the time.

"Yes, it's embarrassing somebody got away with it for seven years," DeThorne said. "But we've made sure it won't happen again."

Measures have since been put in place, including security cameras at cash transaction sites, to ensure something similar can not happen again, DeThorne said.

"We're pleased to have this matter resolved and behind us," a museum representative said Friday.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b
Reggie Catayong, 44, faces witness intimidation and drug charges after police say his apartment was searched and officers found drugs, cash and precious metals. Police say Catayong followed a Chicago officer from court and shouted Were going to get you! on April 20, 2017. (Chicago Police Department photos )

A North Park man who followed a Chicago police officer from court and shouted "We're going to get you!" had more than 20 pounds of marijuana, 1-1/2 gallons of liquid THC, numerous other drugs, more than $14,000 in cash, and 20 silver or gold bars at his Northwest Side home, police said.

Reggie Catayong, 44, of the 5100 block of North Troy Street, was arrested in the alley behind his home after the confrontation Thursday, according to police.

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Lincoln District tactical officers, who were tipped off about drugs at Catayong's home, later executed a search warrant there and found the drugs, cash and other valuables.

He faces charges of harassing a witness and numerous drug-related charges, and was ordered held without bail in a hearing midday Saturday.

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The officer had left Cook County Municipal Court, 2452 W. Belmont Ave., about 2 p.m. Thursday and was followed by Catayong to about 2800 W. Catalpa Ave., police said.

Catayong, riding in a car driven by someone else, shouted "We're going to get you!" at the officer as the two vehicles were in traffic, according to police.

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Officers were called to the scene and arrested Catayong in his alley, according to police.

When the tactical officers executed the search warrant, they found about 20 pounds of marijuana, about 200 ounces of liquid THC (the primary chemical that causes the marijuana high), about 13 ounces of narcotic mushrooms, 3 ounces of cocaine and almost 20 ounces of liquid steroids, according to a police spokesman.

Other drugs included 153 miscellaneous pills, 46 steroid pills and 17 MDMA or ecstasy pills.

Police confiscated a replica handgun and $14,333 in cash, 2 gold bars, 18 silver bars worth about $1,800 each, two gold pieces, 51 rare coins, 62 dollar coins, 26 half-dollar coins and 73 casino chips, according to police.

Catayong faces a felony charge of harassing a witness, as well as various felony drug charges regarding possession of marijuana, cocaine, other illegal drugs, and anabolic steroids, as well as felony hypodermic needle possession and misdemeanor possession of a replica firearm.

The driver of the car, Jack Artinian, 42, of the 2200 block of West Farwell Avenue, also is charged with felony harassing a witness and is being held in Cook County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail after appearing in court on Friday, according to police and jail records.

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The Chicago Tribune's William Lee contributed.
Illinois State Police investigate at the scene of a shooting on Interstate 88 in Oak Brook on April 21, 2017. (John Hector / Chicago Tribune )

A Florida truck driver was fatally shot Friday evening on the Reagan Memorial Tollway near Oak Brook.

Eduardo Munoz, 43, was shot about 4:05 p.m. on Interstate 88 in Oak Brook, according to a release from the Illinois State Police. Crews with the Oak Brook Fire Department were called to I-88, near the southbound ramp of Interstate 294, according to the department.

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Munoz was driving a red 2007 Volvo semitrailer truck east on I-88 when someone in another vehicle heading in the same direction shot at the truck, hitting him, according to the release.

Munoz pulled off the road onto the shoulder at milepost 138.5, just west of York Road, near Salt Creek, according to state police.

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Oak Brook ambulance crews took Munoz to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to police.

The DuPage County coroner's office confirmed the man's death and said that an autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.

Illnois State Police search Interstate 88 near Oak Brook following a fatal shooting on April 21, 2017. (WBBM-TV CBS-2 Chicago)

Police said they did not know why the person in the other vehicle fired at Munoz.

The far right lane of eastbound traffic and the the right shoulder were shut down for investigation following the shooting.
Noe Moreno, 43, right, faces afelony charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than age 9. He is suspected of being the man who kissed a 6-year-old girl on the mouth in a Logan Square store and putthe girls hand in his pocket, police said. Left is a surveillance photo police released of the suspect. (Chicago Police Department)

A Galewood man has been charged with sexual abuse after allegedly kissing a 6-year-old girl on the mouth in a Logan Square store and putting the girl's hand in his pocket, police said.

Noe Moreno, 43, faces a felony charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than age 9 in the incident about 9:30 p.m. April 15, at the store in the 3900 block of West Diversey Avenue, according to a news release from Chicago police.

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Police on Wednesday issued a community alert regarding the incident, then released surveillance photos Thursday of the man believed to have committed the abuse. Moreno, of the 2200 block of North Narragansett Avenue, was arrested by Shakespeare District officers about 8:15 p.m. Friday in the 2600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, according to police.

The girl was in the grocery store when the man went up to her and motioned her to approach him, police said. The man kissed her on the cheek and mouth, grabbed her hand and put it in his pants pocket, according to police.

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A family member who was with the girl confronted the man, who ran off.

Police had said the man they were looking for might go by the name "Noel" and was known to frequent the Logan Square area  where he was arrested.

Moreno was scheduled to appear in court Sunday, according to police.
Family and friends place flowers near the photo of Jeremy Scullark, 28, during a vigil on the median of the Dan Ryan expressway near the Cermak St. exit ramp on Friday, April 21, 2017, where Scullark was shot and killed two days before. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

An Englewood man fatally shot a man driving on a Dan Ryan Expressway ramp before making off with $600 cash, but was caught nearby by police, including an off-duty officer who saw part of the robbery in his rearview mirror, according to police reports.

Jeremiah Holt, 20, of the 7300 block of South Aberdeen Street, was ordered held without bail Saturday in the shooting death just after 5 p.m. Wednesday of Jeremy Scullark, 28, on the northbound Chinatown exit ramp from the Dan Ryan Expressway. Scullark's family on Friday held a vigil at the site of the shooting and said he was an entrepreneur.

Scullark, of Chicago, was shot along with the 19-year-old man he was giving a ride to, who is the brother of someone he knew, according to police reports.

The 19-year-old, who was treated and released from Mercy Hospital, told investigators that Scullark had picked him up at Roosevelt University and they eventually were headed to his home in Richton Park, but that they had first gone to a Verizon store in Indiana and a Western Union store on the South Side, according to police reports.

While Scullark, in his gold 2003 Mercedes-Benz, was on the exit ramp, Holt walked toward the car, then ran up to the drivers side of the car and shot several times, prosecutors said Saturday. Scullark turned to the right and hit two other vehicles, then got out of the driver's seat and tried to flee north, collapsing a few feet from the car, prosecutors said. The 19-year-old was hit in the elbow and ran away, prosecutors said.

The off-duty officer, who was stopped in traffic on the same exit ramp farther north, heard about seven gunshots, looked in his rearview mirror and saw Scullark fall to the ground, as the 19-year-old ran south on the ramp, according to the reports. Several other people saw Holt fire the shots, both into the car and after Scullark got out.

The officer saw Holt, who had a gun in his hand, quickly rummage through the drivers seat area of the Mercedes, then saw him run west toward Wentworth Avenue, according to a police report. The officer drove after Holt, calling 911 as he drove and requesting backup.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 Chicago police officers canvass the scene of a fatal shooting on an offramp near West Cermak Road and South Clark Street on April 19, 2017, in Chinatown. (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune)

As Holt ran, he dropped his gun and some cash, but picked them up, prosecutors said. Holt continued running and went into a business in the 2400 block of South Wentworth and hid his gun, a .40-caliber Taurus pistol with one live round left, under a file cabinet, according to one of the police reports. In that business, he also took off the hoodie he had been wearing, prosecutors said. Holt left the first business, ran to a second business and went inside briefly, then started running north on Wentworth again, prosecutors said.

The off-duty officer and two other officers arrested Holt in a gangway in the 200 block of West 23rd Street, and he was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital to be checked after his arrest, according to prosecutors and court records. The officers found about $616 on him.

Investigators were able to get videos from nearby businesses that show Holt before, during and after the shooting, according to one police report. One video showed him going into the business and hiding the gun.

Holt was interviewed by state police investigators and admitted on video to shooting Scullark and taking the money from Scullarks car, which he had known Scullark had, prosecutors said.

The Chicago Tribune's Elyssa Cherney and William Lee contributed.
People hold signs of poineering women in science in front the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the March for Science in Washington, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (Sait Serkan Gurbuz / AP)

WASHINGTON  The world saw brain power take a different form Saturday.

From the Washington Monument to Germany's Brandenburg Gate and even to Greenland, scientists, students and research advocates rallied on an often soggy Earth Day, conveying a global message about scientific freedom without political interference, the need for adequate spending for future breakthroughs and just the general value of scientific pursuits.

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They came in numbers that were mammoth if not quite astronomical.

"We didn't choose to be in this battle, but it has come to the point where we have to fight because the stakes are too great," said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann, who regularly clashes with politicians.

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President Donald Trump, in an Earth Day statement hours after the marches kicked off, said that "rigorous science depends not on ideology, but on a spirit of honest inquiry and robust debate."

Denis Hayes, who co-organized the first Earth Day 47 years ago, said the crowd he saw from the speaker's platform down the street from the White House was energized and "magical" in a rare way, similar to what he saw in the first Earth Day.

"For this kind of weather, this is an amazing crowd. You're not out there today unless you really care. This is not a walk in the park event," Hayes said of the event in the park.

Mann said that like other scientists, he would rather be in his lab, the field or teaching students. But driving his advocacy are officials who deny his research that shows rising global temperatures. When he went on stage, he got the biggest applause for his simple opening: "I am a climate scientist."

In Los Angeles, Danny Leserman, the 26-year-old director of digital media for the county's Democratic party, said "We used to look up to intelligence and aspire to learn more and do more with that intellectual curiosity. And we've gone from there to a society where ... our officials and representatives belittle science and they belittle intelligence. And we really need a culture change."

The rallies in more than 600 cities put scientists, who generally shy away from advocacy and whose work depends on objective experimentation, into a more public position.

Scientists said they were anxious about political and public rejection of established science such as climate change and the safety of vaccine immunizations.

"Scientists find it appalling that evidence has been crowded out by ideological assertions," said Rush Holt, a former physicist and Democratic congressman who runs the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "It is not just about Donald Trump, but there is also no question that marchers are saying 'when the shoe fits.'"

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Despite saying the march was not partisan, Holt acknowledged it was only dreamed up at the Women's March on Washington, a day after Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.

But the rallies were also about what science does for the world.

"Most people don't know how much funding for the sciences supports them in their lives every day. Every medical breakthrough, their food, clothing, our cellphones, our computers, all that is science-based," said Pati Vitt, a plant scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. "So if we stop funding scientific discoveries now, in 10 years, whatever we might have had won't be; we just won't have it."

In Washington, the sign that 9-year-old Sam Klimas of Parkersburg, West Virginia, held was red, handmade and personal: "Science saved my life." He had a form of brain cancer and has been healthy for eight years now.

Signs around the globe ranged from political ones  "Make America think again,"  to the somewhat nerdy "What Do Want? Evidence. When do want it? After peer review" to the downright obscure Star Trek and Star Wars references.

In Washington there was also a science fair feel, where lectures were given in tents and hands-on science tables for kids. University of Minnesota physicist James Kakalios explained the science behind Superman, Spider-man, the Fantastic Four and other superheroes.

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In London, physicists, astronomers, biologists and celebrities gathered for a march past the city's most celebrated research institutions. In Spain, hundreds assembled in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.

In Santa Fe, New Mexico, Kathryn Oakes Hall pinned a sign to the back of her T-shirt as she made her way to the march in Santa Fe: "Nine months pregnant, so mad I'm here."

But she marched anyway because she worried about her baby's future in a world that seems to consider science disposable. Her husband is an engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory, she studied anthropology, she even has a dog named Rocket.

Organizers portrayed the march as political but not partisan, promoting the understanding of science as well as defending it from various attacks, including proposed U.S. government budget cuts under Trump, such as a 20 percent slice of the National Institute of Health.

"It's not about the current administration. The truth is we should have been marching for science 30 years ago, 20 years, 10 years ago," said co-organizer and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg. "The current (political) situation took us from kind of ignoring science to blatantly attacking it. And that seems to be galvanizing people in a way it never has before. ... It's just sort of relentless attacks on science."

Ice photographer and filmmaker James Balog, who says he has watched trillions of tons of ice melt, told the Washington crowd: "We shall never, ever surrender."

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Associated Press writers Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky, Amanda Myers in Los Angeles and Markus Schreiber in Berlin contributed to this report.
For the second time in a week, authorities have charged a Detroit-area doctor with breaking a federal genital mutilation law, this time arresting a suburban physician and his wife for allegedly helping another doctor perform genital cutting on 7-year-old girls in a Livonia, Mich., clinic.

According to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday, while a doctor removed parts of the girls' genitals, the wife of the clinic owner held the girls' hands "in order to comfort them."

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Two months later, Dr. Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, both of Livonia, were arrested Friday morning at the Burhani Medical Clinic, where the alleged cuttings took place.

They're charged with conspiring to perform genital mutilation on minor girls by letting a doctor use their clinic to perform the procedure. Prosecutors say two Minnesota girls had their genitals mutilated in February by Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, who was charged last week in what is the nation's first federal prosecution of genital cutting. She was arrested April 12 and ordered jailed pending the outcome of her case involving the two Minnesota girls, though the FBI believes she has several more victims.

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All three defendants are part of a small, Indian-Muslim community known as the Dawoodi Bohra, which was at the center of an Australian genital cutting prosecution that sent three people to prison in 2015.

The Attars were arraigned Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court and will remain locked pending a detention hearing at 1 p.m. Wednesday, when a judge will decide whether to grant them bond or keep them behind bars. Both appeared in federal court in handcuffs and chains,

"It's frightening for them," Mary Chartier, Fakhruddin Attar's lawyer said afterward, adding that the couple was surprised by the arrest Friday. "Dr. Attar is not aware of or believe any crimes were committed at his clinic."

He wore an orange and white striped shirt, khaki pants and a taqiyah-style, white and gold hat. His wife wore a turquoise chador covering her head and shoulders, with a matching jilbab-style robe. Chartier said the timing of the arrest was "classic government game-playing," with the couple now required to spend the weekend in jail before a hearing on bond next week.

She said the couple retained her and Matt Newburg, Farida Attar's lawyer, after being previously questioned by the FBI.

The Attars have "no criminal history whatsoever," she said, adding that they're "certainly no flight risk," having gone about their lives as normal after Nagarwala was arrested.

Nagarwala, an emergency room doctor with the Henry Ford Health System, has been placed on leave. She is not accused of performing any genital mutilation at the hospital, but rather at a clinic in Livonia owned by Attar.

According to the complaint, Attar, an internist, has admitted to authorities that Nagarwala has used his clinic after hours to treat children ages 6-9 for problems with their genitals, including genital rashes, but that she only saw the patients "when the clinic is closed on Friday evenings or Saturdays." She never billed for the procedures nor documented them, the complaint said, noting multiple other young girls have told authorities that Nagarwala also performed gender mutilation on them.

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Nagarwala has claimed through her lawyer that she did not engage in any actual cutting, but rather that she removed a membrane from the genital area using a "scraper" and gave it to the parents to bury in the ground as part of a religious custom within the Dawoodi Bohra community. The parents have not been charged. One of the girls in Minnesota was temporarily removed from the home but is now back with her parents.

Chartier declined to speak in detail on the couple's religious beliefs but said to expect more will be revealed in court Wednesday.

"They do have a very strong religious belief," she said.

On Friday, an organization that oversees the Dawoodi Bohra community in Detroit issued this statement.

"The Dawoodi Bohras do not support the violation of any U.S. law, local, state or federal. We offer our assistance to the investigating authorities," the group, known as Anjuman-e-Najmi Detgroit, said in the statement. "Any violation of U.S. law is counter to instructions to our community members. It does not reflect the everyday lives of the Dawoodi Bohras in America."

The organizations, which operates out of a mosque in Farmington Hills, stressed that it has issued a written statement instructing its members not to practice genital mutilation because it is illegal in the U.S.

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"It is an important rule of the Dawoodi Bohras that we respect the laws of the land, wherever we live. This is precisely what we have done for several generations in America," the group stated. " It is unfortunate if anyone has not abided by the laws of the country ... We take our religion seriously but our culture is modern and forward-looking. We are proud that women from our community have high levels of educational attainment and enjoy successful, professional careers."

The complaint unsealed Friday offers a more-detailed look at the investigation, which relied on cell phone records, surveillance video and medical evidence to bring charges against three individuals who were all placed at the alleged scene of the crime. The case involves two Minnesota girls whose mothers brought them to Michigan in February for what the girls thought was a special girls weekend. Instead, prosecutors allege, they ended up at the Livonia clinic on Feb. 3, where they were underwent genital mutilation procedures.

A follow-up exam by a Minnesota doctor revealed that the girls' genitals had been altered. According to surveillance video outside the clinic, Nagarwala, Attar and Attar's wife were all there.

In addition to the surveillance video, authorities said they also have obtained phone records that show Attar was in regular communication with members of the same Indian Muslim community in Minnesota, making 50 phone calls in three-month period starting last fall.

Authorities said they also intercepted phone calls in which Attar's wife is heard telling one Michigan member of the religious community not to cooperate if investigators inquire about the procedures. She allegedly told that parent to "completely deny" allegations of genital mutilation and "to say that nothing happened."
MILWAUKEE  A California gaming company sued Milwaukee County Friday over its requirement that developers get a permit to have augmented-reality games like "Pokemon Go" played at its parks.



Irvine-based Candy Lab, Inc. asks in a federal lawsuit for the ordinance to be declared unconstitutional on free-speech grounds and for the court to prohibit Milwaukee County from ever enforcing the law.



A spokeswoman for Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, who signed the ordinance, said he can't comment on pending litigation.



The lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin is one of the first tests for how far state and local governments can go in trying to regulate virtual games.





Candy Lab is developing an augmented-reality game called "Texas Rope 'Em," a variation of Texas Hold 'Em, currently being tested in Milwaukee, Austin, London and other select cities. In the augmented reality version, gamers are directed to different stops to pick up cards and build a five-card hand to play against a computer-controlled dealer.



Just as in "Pokemon Go," virtual cards appear in the real world as the players use their smartphones to go to different spots.



Milwaukee County passed its ordinance in February in response to the large crowds "Pokemon Go" attracted to one of its parks along Lake Michigan. Officials said the sudden influx of people left the park trash-ridden and the county paying to clean up.



The ordinance requires that game developers apply for and obtain a permit like any other business or group that wants to host park events. Fees are due on a sliding-scale  anywhere from $100 to $1,000, depending on how much of the park will be used and how many people are expected to be there. The money is meant to help with the park's upkeep and the permits are supposed to help the county prepare for the volume of people, according to County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman, who authored the ordinance.



The lawsuit acknowledges that Candy Lab "is apparently already in violation of the ordinance" because it doesn't have a permit.

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The lawsuit contends that Milwaukee County's permitting process is vague and that, as a startup with a handful of investors, Candy Lab "cannot afford to undertake the process of researching the need to, and undertaking the effort to apply for, permits from municipal governments before publishing the very mobile applications that are the source of the company's revenue."
A 23-year-old man accused of shooting a taxi driver during an attempted armed robbery in Aurora has been charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer inside Kane County Jail.

Deonta Nabors, formerly of the 900 block of North Lavergne Avenue in Chicago, has been in custody since Jan. 13 at the jail, where records show his bail set at more than $2 million. The new charge, filed Friday in Kane County, is a class 2 felony.

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Early Thursday, officers ordered Nabors and his cellmate to put their hands through the cell door so officers could put handcuffs on them following a disturbance, said Kane County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Patrick Gengler.

The inmates refused to come out, and when officers went in to remove them, Nabors spit on them, Gengler said. Gengler said he did not have details about the disturbance.

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This is the second charge filed against Nabors since he has been at the jail.

On April 1, he was charged with restricting or obstructing, a class A misdemeanor, in connection with a March 24 incident. Gengler said officials discovered Nabors had moved out of his cell into a different one, which is not allowed. When officers tried to move him back into his assigned cell, he allegedly grabbed onto a nearby railing and wouldn't let go, Gengler said.

Officers pulled Nabors off the railing and put him down on the floor, then got him in a restraint chair and eventually back into his correct cell, Gengler said.

Early on Jan. 10, police found a 49-year-old taxi driver in his cab with a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening, in the 400 block of Grant Street. The driver had picked up a man minutes earlier at a gas station at North Avenue and Broadway Avenue, according to police.

Nabors was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm, attempted armed robbery involving the discharge of a firearm, attempted armed robbery involving the discharge of a firearm causing great bodily harm or death, and unlawful use or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He was also charged with obstructing identification, for allegations he lied about his identity to Aurora police during a traffic stop that led to his arrest the next day, police said.

Nabors is scheduled to appear in court May 11. The public defender's office, which court records indicate is assigned to represent Nabors, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Illinois Department of Corrections records indicate Nabors was on parole  with a projected discharge date of Nov. 29, 2017  when he was arrested.

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hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the leadership of the Aurora Township Democratic Party but went on to say that both factions of the organization involved in the lawsuit failed to follow its bylaws.

In the July 2016 complaint, Juan Thomas, who signed the lawsuit as chairman of the Aurora Township Democratic Central Committee, alleged that a meeting held earlier that year to elect committee officers was "illegal" and violated party rules, therefore those elected are "impostor officers." Township party officers were actually elected at a different meeting, according to the lawsuit.

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In a written response filed as part of the legal process, those accused of being "impostor officers" said Thomas filed the lawsuit "in direct retaliation for his hurt ego and defendants' likely support of candidates different from those supported by Juan Thomas in the (then) forthcoming municipal election in the City of Aurora, Illinois."

The suit named the officers selected during the challenged election: Kane County Board member Don Ishmael, former board member Brian Pollock, Georgina Poole, Mavis Bates, Greg Elsbree and Jesse Medina. Initially, state Sen. Linda Chapa LaVia was also named, along with County Board member Barbara Hernandez and East Aurora school board member Alex Arroyo, though they were later dropped from the lawsuit.

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During the past year, Thomas said the two factions have been meeting separately.

In the ruling, Circuit Judge David R. Akemann dismissed the case because he found the chairman  which the lawsuit alleges would be Thomas  cannot file a lawsuit on behalf of the organization, and the judge saw no evidence that members voted to allow the suit to be filed.

Though he dismissed the case, Akemann went on to write that he would not have granted what the lawsuit requested. Neither side followed the organization's bylaws when they held elections, he wrote.

Thomas said he agreed that neither side followed the bylaws, though he said they did follow the organization's customs. But, he said, he was "frustrated" with the ruling because he had the approval of his faction to file the lawsuit. That topic didn't come up during the legal process, he said.

"This idea that I filed the lawsuit without the authorization of the elected committeemen is, factually, not true," he said. "I was not doing this alone."

In their written response, Ishmael, Pollock, Poole, Bates, Elsbree, Medina and the attorney listed in the lawsuit, Ross Secler, described the clash as an "internal, political dispute and gamesmanship between elected and appointed precinct committeemen." They described the lawsuit as "truly frivolous" and "a meritless attempt to chill defendants' exercise of their political rights and participation."

"The actions of Juan Thomas are a direct affront to the overall integrity of the electoral process in Aurora Township, Kane County and the entire State of Illinois," they said in the written response.

Ishmael, who was selected party chairman during the challenged election, and Secler could not be reached for comment.

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Thomas proposed holding a new election to fill seats for the remainder of the current term  about one year  though he said no current elected officers from either faction should be allowed to run. He also said he would like to create a committee made up of members of both factions to review the organization's bylaws, some of which the ruling found were not in line with state law.

If the situation cannot be resolved, he said, he sees the two sides continuing to meet separately.

sfreishtat@tribpub.com

Twitter @srfreish
Participants in the March for Science, Geneva, head north on South Third Street Saturday to downtown Island Park. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News)

A few hundred people marched through downtown Geneva Saturday in the name of science.

"We want to show in a world that is increasingly ruled by feelings about things that facts really matter, especially with decision-making policies," organizer Gwendolyn Streitmatter said.

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The March for Science was peaceful, with many of approximately 300 participants carrying signs with messages voicing support for scientific research and funding. The nonpartisan event brought out a diverse group of people  scientists, students, educators and activists  and mirrored similar marches held in some 600 cities around the world, including one in Chicago attended by Aurora high school students and others in the estimated crowd of 40,000.

Streitmatter, of Geneva, led the way with a flag adorned with a photograph of the Earth while pushing her 16-month old daughter, Ellie, in a stroller. She said she organized the march on Facebook and while interest quickly grew, she hadn't expected to see such a large turnout for the Earth Day event.

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Streitmatter said there's a crucial need to show support for the scientific community at a time when President Donald Trump and his administration are dismissing the validity and contributions of scientific research and slashing funding to federal programs. The world needs safeguard and celebrate science, and "encourage curiosity and exploration which is the heart of the scientific approach," she said.

The demonstration began at the Geneva train station and followed South Third Street and State Street en route to Island Park. Geneva police stopped traffic while the procession crossed State Street as motorists honked their horns in support along the way.

St. Charles resident Patty Gawlys said she decided to participate because she is worried funding will be cut for health-related medical research. "Science is a matter of life and death," the hospital nurse said.

Karen Clasen, of Aurora, attended with her 7-year-old daughter, Gabriella. They held heart-shaped symbols of earth attached to Popsicle sticks.

"Science helped save my daughter's life," Clasen said, referring to the open heart surgery Gabriella had when she was nine days old. "She is here today thanks to modern medicine," she said.

Allie Chen, 18, a senior at St. Charles North High School, said as a student of environmental studies, she find it disturbing the president does not believe global warming is real.

"A demonstration likely won't change a person's opinion but it can start the conversation," Chen said.

Mary Espinosa said she is inspired that people across the globe are concerned enough to hold similar demonstrations. "The planet will be in trouble if (environmental protections are removed)," the Aurora woman said.

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St. Charles resident Kenny Williams is an information technology architect. "Science has been reduced to political banter when it should be on a different plain altogether," he said. "We need to keep evidenced-based science in the forefront of decision-making otherwise our whole planet is at risk.

"Our way of life as we know it would be changed. Countries that are close to sea level will have migratory population issues. We think immigration is an issue now; people potentially could be displaced by the millions from sea level rise as a direct effect of global climate change."

Williams came with his wife and three young children, ages 3 months, 3 and 7. The father said his generation might not be drastically impacted but those of future generations could be changed.

"I am a person that generally doesn't show up for a march. This is important to us," he said.

Trish McLaughlin, of Geneva, walked with a box over her head that read, "Escape the box of ignorance  Support Science."

"As a cancer survivor, research helped to save my life," she said.

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Aurora high school students Jo Balmuri and Myra Bajwa said they won't let the inspiration they felt Saturday at the March for Science in Chicago be just a one-day thing.

The Metea Valley High School student government members said what they saw and heard has motivated them to work even harder.

"We need to be more to make our school more environmentally friendly," Balmuri, a sophomore, said.

"Too many students and teachers don't know our school recycles," added freshman Bajwa.

Maria Curry, who works for Argonne National Laboratory, said she also drew inspiration from the speeches.

Curry, who will step down from the Indian Prairie District 204 School Board next month, said science is vital to people's everyday lives and the march is proof that many people don't want research and scientific methods dismissed by politicians.

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Naperville Sun reporter Suzanne Baker contributed to this report.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Federal officials have issued subpoenas to south suburban Markham seeking information about a company that has done extensive business with the city while donating to the mayor's campaign fund, as well as a company formerly represented by a municipal accountant who was involved with questionable deals, records show.

Grand jury subpoenas issued by prosecutors in December and January ordered Markham to turn over certain records related to Alsterda Cartage and Construction, as well as construction projects at 3062 W. 167th St. in Markham. The address is tied to Tower Contracting, an attorney for the company confirmed, as well as the now-defunct Castle Construction Corp.

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A 2016 Daily Southtown investigation found Alsterda and Tower Contracting each have received millions of dollars worth of business from the city and donated tens of thousands of dollars to longtime Mayor David Webb's campaign fund. At one point, Tower donated more than the legal limit for an election cycle, and Webb's campaign was fined, records show.

The grand jury subpoenas also sought information about Kat Remodeling Inc. and Kat Realty Investments Inc. A Securities and Exchange Commission subpoena sought city records showing contact information for Andre Webb. The subpoenas were sent to the city in December 2016, records show.

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Records show the registered agent for Kat Realty was Joseph Letke, the former municipal accountant who was accused by the SEC of working with the city of Harvey to defraud investors. He was found dead in late August of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Andre Webb was the registered agent and president for Kat Remodeling, records show.

David Webb's son is named Andre Webb. He is a former police officer who in late 2012 was charged with theft after prosecutors alleged he stole on the job. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and got two years' court supervision in late March. It's not clear if the mayor's son is the same Andre Webb affiliated with Kat Remodeling, but an address on Kat Remodeling papers filed with the state matches one for the mayor's son in public records.

Andre Webb did not respond to requests for comment. An attorney with the firm that represented the mayor's son said she did not know whether he was the subject of the subpoenas or whether he was the mayor's son.

This is not the first grand jury subpoena issued to Markham in recent years. In April 2015, federal prosecutors subpoenaed a Markham official related to the city's $1.7 million purchase of a roller rink from a company led by Markham's city attorney. The sale price was more than three times what a previous appraisal had estimated to be its value.

The Daily Southtown's 2016 investigation found that David Webb had raised more than $1 million since 2000 in a town of roughly 13,000 people, with much of the money coming from city vendors.

Webb, who did not return messages and an email seeking comment, did not run for re-election. Alsterda officials also did not return messages seeking comment.

The address on 167th street neighbors Tower's business address, and records show taxes on both properties were recently paid by the same person. Tower has listed 3062 W. 167th Street on campaign contributions, state records show.

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The attorney for Tower Contracting, Ken Cunniff, said he did not know why authorities were seeking records related to the address on 167th Street. He declined to comment on whether he thought the company's contributions to Webb's campaign were related to the subpoena.

"I believe that the people who worked with the city properly performed the work, and as a result I do not have any concerns," he said.

Daily Southtown reporter Matt McCall and Chicago Tribune reporter Steve Schmadeke contributed.

sfreishtat@tribpub.com

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @srfreish

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A fire last October all but leveled the famed Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, but a foundation plans to rebuild the dance hall. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

A nonprofit foundation that provides therapeutic dance programs for people such as seniors and those with disabilities is on a mission to not only rebuild the iconic Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, but has plans for a large performing arts center and dance studio on the property.

The Burr Ridge-based Dance of Life Foundation says it has so far raised $1.9 million for the ambitious project, called the Willowbrook Ballroom Arts, Educational, and Cultural Community Center, which will include a 51,000-square-foot civic facility that will house a grand ballroom, senior center, dance and music studios and meeting space.

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A separate 18,000-square-foot building would house a 750-seat theater for performing arts, dance and music productions, specialized children's programs and cultural programming, according to the foundation. One of the first productions that might be held there is a musical, now in the works, celebrating the Willowbrook's 95-year history, according to Michael Micek, the foundation's founder.

The Willowbrook, 8900 Archer Ave., sustained extensive damage in a fire last October, and the foundation is in the process of buying the six-acre property, according to Micek and Birute Jodwalis. She and her husband, Gediminas, have owned the renowned dance hall for more than 19 years and will work with the foundation on its project, Micek said Friday.

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The Willowbrook's large 60-by-100-foot dance floor will be rebuilt as it was before the fire, as well as the alpine exterior of the building, he said. Bricks recovered from the building will also be incorporated into the reconstruction, Micek said.

A fire last October all but leveled the famed Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, but a foundation plans to rebuild the dance hall. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

"It's an institution," he said of the Willowbrook. "It's part of Chicagoland history and part of dance history."

Micek said the Willowbrook was one of just five dance floors of similar size in the United States.

Demolition of what remains of the building is expected to start next month, with construction, pending approval by Willow Springs officials of the foundation's plans, beginning in the summer. Micek said construction of the exterior of the building could take up to a year, with another three to six months for interior build-out.

Micek is the studio owner and training director of Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Burr Ridge and has 32 years of experience as a dancer and teacher of dance, according to the foundation's website, www.danceoflifefoundation.com. Those interested in more information about the plans or donating can do so at the website, he said.

Contributions so far have come from individuals and corporate sponsors, and the foundation has a goal of raising another $1 million by Sept. 1 to begin construction, Micek said. The estimated cost for the entire project, which also includes a 10,000-square-foot dance studio, is $23 million, he said.

In this file photo, Birute Jodwalis, owner of the Willowbrook Ballroom, shows off an office that includes photos of performers who had played at the Willow Springs facility. (Mike Mantucca / Daily Southtown)

Micek said that hotels are interested in locating near the site, and that the arts and cultural center will create an estimated 500 jobs. The foundation expects the facility to attract 250,000 visitors in its first year of operation.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

If the plan to rebuild the Willowbrook is realized, it would be the second time the historic property has recovered from a devastating blaze.

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In 1921, John Verderbar built an outdoor dance hall and named it Oh Henry Park after its candy bar sponsor. In 1930, it burned to the ground and was rebuilt for a "staggering" $100,000 as the Oh Henry Ballroom. The investment, though steep by Great Depression standards, seemed smart, given the enormous popularity of dance. In the 1950s, extra dining and dancing rooms were added, including the Willowbrook Room restaurant.

Over the years, the Willowbrook played host to entertainers as varied as Count Basie, Artie Shaw, the Guess Who and the Village People.

The foundation is producing a musical about the Willowbrook, which it says will include scenes and dances from every decade of the ballroom's storied history. Micek said he hoped the show, "Dancing Through the Decades," could be the first production held at the planned performing arts center.

He said the foundation has been deluged with an "unbelievable" number of letters and emails from people who have memories of the Willowbrook, and all of them saying "it has to be rebuilt."

The Willowbrook Ballroom, at 8900 Archer Ave. in Willow Springs, sustained heavy damage in a fire on Oct. 28, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

A fire last October all but leveled the famed Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, but a foundation plans to rebuild the dance hall. (Gary Middendorf / Daily Southtown)

mnolan@tribpub.com

Twitter @mnolan_j
A Chicago man is facing felony weapon charges after Elmwood Park police said the man, an employee at a Walgreens store in the village, pursued a suspected shoplifter and fired shots at a vehicle over the weekend.

Police said Roman M. Dimoreno, 31, of the 5900 block of North Kimball Avenue, Chicago, has been charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm at a vehicle and aggravated and unlawful use of a weapon without a firearm owner's identification card. Police said they have checked area hospitals for injuries related to the shooting but as of Monday afternoon "all hospitals turned up negative results," according to police.

Police said officers responded to a report of shots fired at the business at 1:21 a.m. on Saturday. Dimoreno was working at Walgreens, 7200 W. North Ave., when police said a man entered the store and walked over to the liquor aisle. After the man picked up a bottle of liquor, the cashier told him that the store was not selling liquor at that hour, police said. The man then reportedly began running toward the exit, bottle in hand, police said.

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Police allege Dimoreno chased after the man as he fled outside of the store and into the parking lot. The man then reportedly entered a Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV that was waiting in the parking lot for him. As the SUV was leaving, Dimoreno allegedly fired twice at the vehicle as it was "moving at a high rate of speed" with a 9mm handgun, according to the police report.

Police said officers recovered two shell casings at the scene and the handgun Dimoreno allegedly used. The handgun was found "laying on the ground next to a garbage can" near the front entrance of the Walgreens, police allege.

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According to police, surveillance footage from the Walgreens reportedly shows Dimoreno "pointing a black handgun at the Chevy, which then fled the scene southbound through the parking lot." In a statement to police, Dimoreno alleges he shot at the vehicle because someone inside it had pointed a firearm at him, police said.

The man who reportedly stole the bottle of liquor and entered the SUV is described as a clean-shaven, bald man in his 40s. He was last seen wearing a green jacket with stain, a gray "skull cap," and black pants, police said.

Walgreens officials said they were looking into the incident and working with the Elmwood Park Police Department.

Andrew Mack, a spokesman for the village, said because the investigation is ongoing, he could not comment on whether the store employee was licensed to carry a firearm.

Walgreens officials said they have a policy that prohibits weapons in the workplace.

Dimoreno appeared in court on Sunday and was ordered held on $250,000 bond. He is expected to appear at the Maywood courthouse again on Thursday.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Elmwood Park Police Department at 708-453-2137.

Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A Chicago civil rights attorney, whose firm is litigating three lawsuits regarding separate police shootings in Zion, says a federal investigation should be initiated into the Police Department's policies involving use of force, especially against black people.

"Zion should be investigated by the Department of Justice. There's a clear pattern and practice by the police (of) using unjustified, excessive and lethal force," Chicago attorney Andrew M. Stroth said this week.

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Within the past two years, Zion police have been involved in the shooting deaths of Justus Howell and Charles Hollstein and the shooting of Devon Davidson.

Zion police officials declined to comment on the cases this week, citing the litigation. Zion Mayor Al Hill said Wednesday he is also unable to discuss the lawsuits.

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Both Howell and Hollstein died after being shot in April 2015 and January 2016, respectively. Davidson, who was shot the night of July 26, 2016, has since resolved the criminal case against him through a plea deal in Lake County Circuit Court. Police officials have previously described Davidson's wound from a 2016 shooting as "superficial" and said that he was treated and released from the hospital.

Video shows Devon Davidson, 25, being shot by Zion police on July 26, 2016. The city of Zion has agreed to pay him $75,000. (Zion Police Department) (Zion Police Department/Chicago Tribune)

The civil rights lawsuits, filed in federal district court in Chicago, name the city of Zion and several individual officers as defendants and claim the city has tacitly allowed police policies that encourage deadly force.

Stroth, managing partner with the Action Injury Law Group, said a police video of the Davidson shooting does not show officers responding to a threat.

"The video completely contradicts the narrative given by the police officer in the police report," Stroth said. "It clearly shows the use of excessive force. Devon Davidson is lucky to be alive. Thank God no major organ was hit, or Devon Davidson could have been another victim. "

Michael Masters, an executive with the New York-based Soufan Group, a consulting firm whose specialties include best practices in law enforcement policy, procedure and training, said his viewing of the Davidson shooting video led him to believe the training of the officers might not have been optimal.

"In terms of best practices with regard to pursuits and engagement, what I've seen in the video is not what best practice would dictate," Masters said.

Masters, who has served as the chief of staff of the Chicago Police Department and the executive director of the Department of Homeland Security for Cook County, said he came away with the conclusion that there is "an opportunity for improved training, policy and procedures" in Zion.

Surveillance video provided by the Lake County states attorneys office shows a Zion police officer fatally shooting Justus Howell on April 4, 2015. ((Chicago Tribune)/Chicago Tribune)

Stroth said Wednesday that attorneys working on the three cases for his firm have made settlement "demands" to the city, with a time limit, that would include both monetary components and certain reforms within the Police Department.

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He did not disclose further details about the proposed settlement.

"Our lawsuits are not just seeking money for the families," Stroth said, adding that "fundamental reform" of Zion police procedures is also being sought.

"There's a code of silence in Zion, just like there's a code of silence in Chicago," he said.

Stroth also said that police shootings in the city are disproportionate in terms of numbers and race. Davidson is black, as was Howell, while Hollstein was white.

According to police, Howell, a 17-year-old Waukegan resident, was shot by Zion police April 4, 2015, while he was running through a Zion neighborhood with a gun in his hand and ignoring police orders to stop.

The gun had already been fired once without striking anyone during an altercation over its possession between Howell and a Lindenhurst man before Howell was shot, according to investigators and witnesses.

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Stroth said his firm contends Howell was not holding the gun when he was shot.

On Jan. 6, 2016, Zion police fatally shot Hollstein, 38, who authorities said was wearing a homemade tactical-style vest and carrying a BB gun when he struggled with officers after a brief foot chase near a school. Officers initially confronted Hollstein because he was allegedly taking pictures of a school.

Police and prosecutors said Davidson was shot by a Zion officer during the course of a pursuit while he was driving drunk on a license already suspended for a previous DUI charge.

According to police reports, Zion officers attempted to stop Davidson for speeding after 11 p.m. July 26, but Davidson led police on a chase involving multiple squad cars at speeds of up to 65 mph in a 35 mph zone on 27th Street.

During the chase, Davidson's vehicle was eventually boxed in by police cars in the driveway of his mother's home in Zion when he allegedly backed his vehicle into a squad car and then turned it in the direction of, "but not directly at," an officer standing outside his squad car with his gun drawn, according to reports.

The officer then fired, striking Davidson, after which Davidson fled the scene in his car, drove several blocks, made a U-turn and returned to his mother's 27th Street home, where he was apprehended inside the house, according to prosecutors.

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Blood tests at the hospital measured Davidson's blood alcohol level at 0.20 percent, more than twice the legal limit for driving, officials said.

Davidson pleaded guilty in December to aggravated DUI related to the incident in which he was shot and was sentenced to 13 months in prison to be served at 50 percent.

He was given credit toward that sentence for the 141 days he spent in the Lake County Jail.

In exchange, prosecutors dismissed charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding and possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.

His defense attorney, James Schwarzbach, had been studying ballistics evidence related to the shooting in preparation for trial before the plea deal.

After having gone over the case with Davidson and viewing the video recording of the shooting, Schwarzbach said Davidson was "lucky" he was not more seriously wounded.

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"He was fortunate it did not invade his chest cavity and strike vital organs," Schwarzbach said.

Following separate investigations of each of the three cases by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, State's Attorney Michael Nerheim, after reviewing the task force reports and viewing available video footage, determined in each case that no charges would be brought against the officers involved.

Nerheim said his review of the evidence led him to the conclusion that the officers involved in the shootings had not committed a crime, which is the measure used in determining whether charges would be filed.

Masters said that, in general, not specifically in Zion, if police do not have a command of accepted best practices and tragedies do occur, the results affect and are unfair to the officers themselves, the individuals involved and their families, and the community as a whole.

"The officers have to deal with it every day for the rest of their lives, and so do the individuals (involved)," he said.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

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Supporters listen to speakers before the march portion of the March for Science Chicago on April 22, 2017. Participants walked from Grant Park to the Field Museum. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Jyotsna Balmuri and Myra Bajwa won't let the activism ignited by the March for Science in Chicago Saturday be just a one-day thing.

Inspired by the events that drew an estimated 40,000 people to the city's downtown, the Metea Valley High School student government members said what they saw and heard has motivated them to work even harder.

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"We need to be more to make our school more environmentally friendly," Balmuri, a sophomore, said.

"Too many students and teachers don't know our school recycles," added freshman Bajwa.

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The girls were among the thousands who carried signs and celebrated all forms of science and research during the Chicago event, which filled Columbus Drive from Balbo Avenue south to the city's museum campus. Similar marches were held in more than 500 cities around the world on Earth Day, organized to promote the understanding of science and defend it from various attacks, including U.S. government budget cuts.

Mark Winters, pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ of Naperville, who went to the March for Science Saturday with his daughter, said science and religion can co-exist. "We both need each other. The science community gives us the facts; the faith community gives us a moral base," he said. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)

The march puts scientists  who generally shy away from advocacy and whose work depends on objective experimentation  into a more public position. Many involved in the event said they're anxious about political and public rejection of established science, such as climate change and the safety of vaccines.

Maria Curry, who works for Argonne National Laboratory , said she drew inspiration from the speeches.

Curry, who will step down from the Indian Prairie District 204 School Board next month, said science is vital to people's everyday lives and the march is proof that many people don't want research and scientific methods dismissed by politicians.

While the march was supposed to be nonpartisan, many posters raised questions about policies promoted by President Donald Trump and his Cabinet.

Another target was U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam , R-Wheaton, with one marcher calling on others to call the congressman Monday.

Tens of thousands of people participated in the March for Science Chicago on April 22, 2017, in downtown Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Naperville resident Mark Winters, a minister who was accompanied by his daughter, said he marched to demonstrate that people of faith support science. His sign proclaimed, "Religion and science are not enemies."

"We both need each other. The science community gives us the facts; the faith community gives us a moral base," said the pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ of Naperville. Winters said he doesn't understand why science is a political issue.

In Chicago, the event began with a 10 a.m. rally at the corner of South Columbus Drive at East Jackson Drive followed by a march south to the museum campus, where the March for Science Expo was held until 3 p.m.

Naperville residents Cindy Blank and Kim-Char Meredith, who wore the pink pussy hats when participating in the Women's March in January, donned "brain caps" for the Saturday event crafted by friend Susan Rittenhouse, of Lisle.

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Blank said she and Meredith were marching in support of Rittenhouse, who works for the Environmental Protection Agency . The president's budget calls for gutting funding for the EPA and the Chicago office.

Pushing strollers or walking hand-in-hand with their kids, the Naperville chapter of Moms Against Gun Violence wanted to voice their concerns about cuts to federal science-based research.

Holly Blastic said studies on gun violence are needed to address the problem that's particularly significant in the City of Chicago.

The Associated Press contributed.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
Naperville will "vigorously defend" itself in a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging Naperville police officers allowed a woman to inappropriately touch and kiss a minor in the back seat of a squad car in 2014, a lawyer for the city said.

The lawsuit lists two unnamed police officers, the city of Naperville and the woman as defendants in the case. While the city has not yet seen the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Wednesday, it fought a civil case based on the same incident when it was filed in Will County Circuit Court, said Mike DiSanto, acting legal director for the city of Naperville.

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"We will stand with our police officers, and we will vigorously defend the city," DiSanto said.

The Will County lawsuit was filed in October 2015 and dismissed in October 2016.

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The federal suit alleges Naperville police officers on Oct. 31, 2014, detained a 13-year-old boy in the 200 block of Westbrook Circle without " 'reasonable suspicion' and/or legal cause." The boy was placed in the back seat of a squad car, and at some later point a woman was seated in the back seat with him, the suit said.

While there, the lawsuit said, the woman "undertook sexually suggestive and aggressive actions" toward the minor, including kissing him on the face and neck, "hugging him inappropriately, touching and rubbing him upon his inner thigh and genital area, and taking 'selfie' photographs of herself" and the minor with her cellphone, the lawsuit said.

The suit also alleges the boy was the only African-American child among a group gathered outside on Westbrook Circle and the only one to be detained by police.

Will County did not file criminal charges in connection with the incident, said Chuck Pelkie, director of public affairs for the Will County state's attorney's office.

ehegarty@tribpub.com
A Hobart man charged in the slaying of a Chesterton bartender had been charged years ago in California with making death threats and harrassing telephone calls, according to court records.

Christopher Mark Dillard, who was charged Friday with murder in the death of 24-year-old Nicole Gland, had been charged in California in 2000 with one count of criminal death threats and four counts of harassing by telephone, according to court records. The outcome of the case was unclear based on court records.

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Dillard, 50, of the 200 block of South Delaware Street, was arrested Thursday in connection Gland's killing. The Portage woman was found stabbed to death Wednesday morning in a Ford Escape behind the Chesterton bar where she was a bartender and Dillard was a bouncer, authorities said.

Felony murder charges against Dillard were announced by police at a press conference Friday afternoon. Dillard's first court date in Porter County has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, but he was not given bond, according to court records.

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In Lake County, Dillard also was sentenced to 30 days probation in a 2014 incident in which he was charged with disorderly conduct, records show.

In November 1999, Riverside County Sheriff's Department received a report from a woman who said she had been receiving sexually explicit phone calls from an unknown man since May of that year, who "would describe sex acts he wanted to perform on her and her daughter," the complaint in the case states. The daughter was 5 years old at the time, according to the complaint. Such calls persisted and the woman lived in "constant fear that the caller would make good on his threats," according to the complaint.

Sheriff's Department police there interviewed Dillard in December 1999 after employees at a Payless Shoe Store in Riverside County reported that they had been receiving "annoying phone calls" that were "sexual in nature," records show. The calls to the shoe store came from the same phone number as those placed to the other woman, according to the complaint.

"Dillard stated he no intentions to act on his threats" and "he made the calls to get a response only," he told police, according to the complaint.

It's unclear how that case ended. According to court records, Dillard did not show up to a hearing in February 2000, and an arrest warrant was filed. But Dillard did not have an active warrant with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department as of Friday.

Police in Hobart arrested Dillard on disorderly conduct charges in 2014 after he had a dispute with a neighbor over a weed whacker and juveniles squirting water at him, according to a police report.

An officer told Dillard, who "admitted to consuming several alcohol beverages" to stay inside and leave his neighbor alone for the rest of the night, according to a police report.

As the officer left, Dillard was heard yelling expletives at the neighbor, who was cleaning broken eggs off the property, and yelled "just wait until morning," the report states. The officer returned and arrested Dillard. He was sentenced to 30 days of probation in the incident, according to court records.

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Twitter @ruthyjacobs
INDIANAPOLIS  Indiana lawmakers reached agreements on several key priorities as the hours of this year's legislative session ticked down Friday night.

Republicans who dominate the Statehouse have a $32.3 billion budget bill crafted and announced Thursday that they have a road's funding plan locked down that will hike fuel taxes by 10 cents a gallon while imposing new vehicle fees. But both measures still need to be approved by both chambers and were among a crush of key bills that had yet to be brought up for final votes.

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A number of surprise provisions were included in the budget bill. A measure Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb had slipped into the budget bill authorizes his administration to purchase new lethal injection drugs while also preserving the anonymity of suppliers.

"Some of the drugs necessary to carry out an execution were either expired or approaching their expiration date," Department of Correction Commissioner Rob Carter said in a statement. "My staff has explored every option available to acquire the drugs ... but has not been successful."

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Indiana last executed someone in December 2009, and the state has 14 inmates on death row.

Many distributors won't sell drugs that could be used in executions to states unless their anonymity is protected, officials said. The measure bars the release of information that could reveal the identity of a manufacturer or distributor of the drugs. That prohibition also applies to attorneys seeking the information in civil and criminal trials. Courts have upheld similar secrecy laws in a handful of states.

Other language included in the budget would prevent Bloomington from going through with a planned annexation. It's the second year in a row lawmakers have weighed in on matters affecting the liberal-leaning city. Last year, the Legislature banned cities from prohibiting the use of plastic shopping bags after Bloomington considered the issue.

"This action represents an outrageous intrusion into our local democracy and a long-standing area of municipal authority," Mayor John Hamilton said in a statement. "It is a direct affront to the idea of home rule  a concept about which this legislature often speaks highly, but when it comes to action conveniently turns into lip service."

The proposed budget includes some wins for Holcomb and would boost spending on the state's preschool program for poor children by $9 million. That's a victory for the new governor, especially after Senate budget writer, Sen. Luke Kenley, initially offered just a $3 million increase, with an additional $1 million for an online preschool program.

"This important legislation gives more children in more counties the chance to start their educational journey on the right foot," Holcomb said. He added: "It will be a joy to sign this bill into law."

The proposed budget also creates a new fund with $15 million that Holcomb can spend as he sees fit on economic development programs, including his efforts to lure new direct flight routes to the airport in Indianapolis. Holcomb also got $5 million to fund the efforts of his newly anointed drug czar Jim McClelland, who is tasked with finding federal funding and grants, as well as developing a strategy for combating the state's opioid crisis.

Other pending measures include a bill to close a legal loophole Ricker's convenience stores are using to sell cold beer. Lawmakers also have to take up a bill that sets parameters for an as-of-yet selected test that will replace the state's much-maligned ISTEP exam that students must take.

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Late in the evening, a bill was sent to the governor that would overhaul Indiana's stringent vaping law, which created a monopoly and sparked an FBI investigation. Both chambers also gave final approval to a bill allowing epilepsy patients to use a marijuana-derived oil as medicine, as well as a measure permitting domestic violence victims to carry guns without a license so long as they have a restraining order.

The gun bill drew the ire of Democrats who say research shows a domestic violence victim's handgun could be used against them. Democratic Rep. Linda Lawson, a former police officer from Hammond, called the measure an "NRA bill" referring to the National Rifle Association, which pushed the measure.
Live updates: Election Day 2022 in Pueblo, Colorado

Follow the Chieftain's coverages of Colorado's 2022 election with live updates from before and after the polls close.
International students on the job hunt at the 3rd Career Fair for International Students in China at Peking University, Beijing, on April 22, 2017. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]

About 2,700 international students from more than 30 universities and scientific institutions such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Chinese Academy of Sciences attended the 3rd Career Fair for International Students in China at Peking University, Beijing, on April 22.

Organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), the career fair is in line with the country's Belt and Road Initiative and Talent Strategy.

The fair is the largest of its kind in China since the introduction of more favorable policies for outstanding international students who want to start their career in China.

More than 30 companies including CRRC, China Railway Construction International Group and Hainan Airlines Group were on the lookout for potential new recruits. More than 500 positions were on offer in a range of sectors from civil engineering and intelligent manufacturing to finance and law.
VILNIUS  Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Bronius Markauskas on Tuesday said he expects to speed up procedures for Lithuanian food exports to reach the Chinese market.

His comments came ahead of a visit to China by a delegation of Lithuanian meat and dairy producers.

Markauskas highlighted that the Chinese market is attractive to Lithuanian food producers due to its size. "The Chinese market is one of the most profitable, and, of course, largest," Markauskas told local media.

Last year, Lithuanian dairy producers received permissions to export their production to Chinese market and in recent months have sent trial products to China.

Markauskas emphasized efforts to increase exchanges with the Chinese side in order to help Lithuanian companies in accessing Chinese market.

In recent years, Lithuanian diplomats and officials have been trying to help food producers gain access to Chinese market amid efforts to diversify food exports.

In 2014, Lithuanian food producers, especially dairy and meat companies, were hard hit by Russia's embargo on food imports from the European Union. Russia was one of the main exports markets for Lithuanian food companies.
A farmer loads fruit boxes with avocados onto a truck at an orchard in the municipality of Uruapan, Michoacan State, Mexico. AFP

Chinese consumers are developing a taste for avocados and officials in Mexico, the world's largest producer, said China is a market ripe for growthas Mexico may be facing possible policy changes by the Trump administration that could affect avocado trade with the United States.

"Exports of avocados from Mexico to China have substantially increased in recent years. Although total volumes remain small, the growth rate is amazing," said Ramon Paz of the Association of Producers, Exporters and Packers of Avocados from Mexico.

"We exported 470 metric tons in the 2012-13 season and it jumped up to 11,000 tons in the 2015-16 season," he said.

Clement Mougenot, the research director at Daxue Consulting in China, said that Mexico's avocado trade with China will continue to increase.

"Volumes are growing year after year and we do not expect the trend to slow down for the next 5-10 years if the Mexican avocado association can work out a marketing strategy similar to New Zealand kiwis to help Chinese consumers develop a taste for the avocado in general," he added.

Most Mexican avocados are shipped by sea to China, according to Mougenot.

"It takes around 20 to 50 days through shipping and the cost through sea shipment is much lower than air shipment," he said.

"The main ports of entry are Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong."

While China's growth rate for avocados is increasing, there is some nervousness in the Mexican agriculture community as US President Donald Trump considers proposals like a 20 percent tariff on imports from Mexico. Association of Producers spokesman Paz said that the avocado trade between the US and Mexico would still thrive.

"We believe that even if tariffs were imposed on avocados from Mexico (to the US), we would continue exporting big volumes to this market, merely because there is no substitute to Mexico," he said.

"We are the only supplying country that can offer the huge amounts demanded in the US and the only one able to do it during the 52 weeks of the year," he said.

Paz said Mexico has a profitable market in the US, thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"We shipped 860,000 tons in the 2015-16 season and expect to ship around 800,000 tons in the current 2016-17 season. This represents around 80 percent of the US market consumption," Paz said.

Mougenot said that in China avocados are quite popular in big cities and that the market is developing, as consumers become more aware of the fruit. Despite their green color and taste, avocados are not a vegetable but a fruit or single-seeded berry.

"Restaurants and fast-food chains are also adding avocado to their menus," he said, noting that Yum China, the company behind Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC (the leading brand of fast food in China with 7,200 stores) have menu choices with avocado.

Mougenot said very little of avocado demand is met by local growers in China.
A bottle of Heineken beer is seen in ice in Singapore in this May 10, 2012 file photo. [Photo/Agenices]

Dutch premium brewer Heineken NV, a sponsor of the Formula One race in Shanghai, said it is bullish on attracting more Chinese consumers and revving up interests in its products, following its sponsorship.

Founded in Amsterdam 150 years ago, Heineken has grabbed pole position as one of the world's top brewers. As a long-term partner of Formula One, Heineken signed a seven-year contract with the organizers.

China accounts for 27 percent of the global beer market, and about 10 percent of the beer market in China is at the high-end segment, the company said.

Jacco van der Linden, managing director of Heineken China, said Heineken has been committed to developing this segment. With a growing middle-class pursuing high-quality lifestyles, the brand sees huge growth potential for its products in China.

The executive said an increasing number of Chinese consumers favor craft beer, which is positive news for the company. Last year, Heineken saw solid sales growth in China, and its performance is above the market average.

"The Formula One race has about 500 million fans globally and an increasing number of fans in China. This provides us with a great opportunity to turn the fans of Formula One into Heineken consumers," he said.

"As a fan myself, I massively enjoy watching the Formula One races. The circuit in Shanghai is far from downtown, and we would like to bring the race closer to more Chinese consumers, to the city, the streets and bars."

On the night of the Formula One event in Shanghai earlier this month, Heineken ran several light boxes advertising on iconic buildings in the city, and it launched a series of local marketing events at bars, supermarkets and on Tmall, a leading e-commerce platform of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Gianluca di Tondo, Heineken's senior global brand director, said in the past 15 years, the brand has changed its focus to emerging markets and aims to grab new opportunities.
A man uses his mobile phone in subway Line 4 in Beijing, Nov 13, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

Social media platforms are becoming preferred and effective channels for recruitment in the Chinese mainland, according to LinkedIn Corp, a US-based, Microsoft Corp-controlled professional online networking site with more than 500 million users worldwide.

LinkedIn made the observation at a seminar with human resources executives from more than 50 local and foreign companies on Friday.

"We found that the supply-demand relationship of talent has changed. In the past, people looked for jobs but now enterprises have to resort to every conceivable means to scramble for talent, especially in the highly competitive industries such as automobile and the internet," said Chen Ting, director of B2B marketing and marketing operations, LinkedIn China.

Cai Yanfang, talent branding director of Didi Chuxing, China's largest ride-sharing service, said the company found more than two in three jobseekers use social media.

In addition to applying for jobs online, jobseekers use online social media to research the latest developments in the employment market and reputation of prospective employers.

"The traditional method of a company accessing heaps of resumes (from headhunters) in search of the right candidate has become outdated. Nowadays, companies take the initiative to attract the right talent. So, they build the employer brand on social media and then find their potential candidates through such channels," Cai said.

Chen said latest statistics showed that in 2014 more than 10,000 China-based enterprises established a home page on LinkedIn, where users can know more about the company concerned, its management team, vacancies, and views of employees and clients.

"We often see that jobseekers communicate with current and ex-employees for insights and advice. That's the unique advantage of social platforms," Chen said.

She also said companies showcase their distinct features through carefully presented content on such social platforms.

For example, on Unilever's LinkedIn home page, they list notable ex-employees in addition to current staff.

"It shows the openness of the company. For jobseekers, they'll know different corporate cultures through such information and also see how the former employees are faring after they leave the company," Chen said.
An employee from China Mobile Ltd explains 5G technology at an exhibition hall in Beijing. WU GANG / XINHUA

Show boosted by higher revenue from telecoms services and demand for data

China Mobile Ltd, the world's biggest telecom carrier by subscribers, reported that its first-quarter net profit jumped 3.7 percent to 24.8 billion yuan ($3.60 billion), boosted by consumers' growing demand for data traffic and higher revenue from telecom services.

The Beijing-based company said that as more consumers upgrade to the 4G network, China Mobile's data traffic jumped 101 percent from a year earlier.

The company has more than 856 million users and 568 million of them are now 4G subscribers. It is competing fiercely with two smaller rivalsChina United Network Communications Ltd and China Telecom Corporation Ltdwhich have signed a deal to share 4G resources.

China Mobile's Q1 revenue also rose 3.7 percent to 184 billion yuan, with telecom services revenue surging 6.1 percent to 160.9 billion yuan.

Xiang Ligang, an analyst and founder of the telecom industry website cctime.com, said that China Mobile was increasingly relying on data traffic to boost revenue, as its voice calls and text services were being pressured by competition from free internet-based messaging services such as Tencent Holdings Ltd's WeChat.

"To ensure sustainable growth, China Mobile needs to boost operating efficiency, given that it is under mounting pressure from the government to cut charges for data traffic," Xiang said, adding the problem was challenging the three telecom carriers.

They have already rolled out plans that allow users to carry over unused data capacity from one month to the next, in response to a government request for lower mobile phone tariffs.

Following the Q1 results release, the carrier's shares slipped 0.36 percent to close at HK$83.85 ($10.78) in Hong Kong on Friday.

China Mobile said it is also ramping up resources to develop 5G networks, as part of its efforts to establish an edge in the next-generation communication technology. It plans to put 5G into trial operation in 2018, before commercializing the technology in 2020.

China Mobile Chairman Shang Bing said earlier that his group was aiming to have at least 10 billion internet-enabled connections by 2020, accounting for one-fifth of global connections.

"We will step up efforts to expand our presence in the connected car sector, as part of our efforts to double the number of connections we had in 2015," he said.
A man pays via WeChat app on his mobile phone in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province. [Photo/VCG]

BANGKOK - E-payment method has been growing dramatically in China, changing Chinese people's life and coming out with tourists to other countries, such as Thailand.

Thailand has been the hot destination for Chinese tourists in recent years and China the largest source of group visitors to Thailand.

WeChat Pay, one of the most popular payment methods in China, thus followed the steps of Chinese tourists into Thailand.

During the Songkran festival this year, which is the high season for Chinese tourists to visit Thailand, many Chinese tourists were seen use WeChat Pay in convenience stores, duty-free shops, restaurants and even massage parlors, no matter in Chiang Mai, Phuket or capital Bangkok.

"I don't need to take my wallet out, I don't need to wait for change, there is some discount and no commission, the payment method has so many advantages," said Liu, a woman from Beijing, while shopping in King Power's Bangkok Downtown Complex.

"That we have WeChat Pay here means we can get access to the huge population using WeChat, the most popular social media in China, and it will drive our sales to go up," said Kuang Wei, King Power's manager overseeing the international market.

Kuang said e-payment was introduced to the store at the beginning of 2016. Although only 20 percent to 30 percent of payments are paid by e-payment methods, e-payment is growing quickly as the store has many Chinese customers who are already used to use these methods to pay.

A Thai restaurant called Thevaros, where WeChat Pay was introduced 14 months ago, in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, told Xinhua that their revenue increased some 50 percent after introducing WeChat Pay.

When compared with traditional payments by credit or debit cards, Yin Jie, who is in charge of WeChat Pay's overseas service, said e-payment can help sellers to communicate with their customers and improve their service according to feedback from customers, which is a big advantage.

According to WeChat Pay, the transaction volume in Thailand grew dramatically during the Chinese lunar new year and Thai new year Songkran in 2017.

Yin told Xinhua that WeChat Pay's overseas service focus only on Chinese tourists now, as the service is available in 12 countries and regions such as South Korea, Japan, Canada, China's Taiwan.

"We may extend our service to the Thai market in the long term," Yin said.
Founder and CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks during a media tour of the Tesla Gigafactory, which will produce batteries for the electric carmaker, in Sparks, Nevada, July 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

BENGALURU, India  Tesla Inc founder and CEO Elon Musk said this week his latest company, Neuralink Corp, is working to link the human brain with a machine interface by creating micron-sized devices.

Neuralink is aiming to bring to the market a product that helps with certain severe brain injuries due to stroke, cancer lesion etc, in about four years, Musk said in an interview with website Wait But Why.

"If I were to communicate a concept to you, you would essentially engage in consensual telepathy," Musk said in the interview published on Thursday.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will create computers so sophisticated that humans will need to implant "neural laces" in their brains to keep up, Musk said at a tech conference last year.

"There are a bunch of concepts in your head that then your brain has to try to compress into this incredibly low data rate called speech or typing," Musk said in the latest interview.

"If you have two brain interfaces, you could actually do an uncompressed direct conceptual communication with another person."

The technology could take about eight to 10 years to become usable by people with no disability, Musk said.

He added that implementation would depend heavily on the timing of regulatory approval and how well the devices work on people with disabilities.

In March, The Wall Street Journal reported Musk had launched a company through which computers could participate in links with human brains.

Neuralink was registered in California as a "medical research" company last July, and he plans on funding the company mostly by himself.

Xinhua-Reuters
Premier Li Keqiang visits a shantytown home in Jinan, Shandong province, on Friday. Zhang Shirong, 77, has lived in the unheated house with her husband for 42 years. Liu Zhen / China News Service

Premier ensures residents efforts are underway to better their lives

Premier Li Keqiang called for rebuilding shantytowns to help improve local residents' welfare and make a stable and healthy real estate market, during a visit to Shandong province on Friday.

On the third day of his inspection of the province, Li visited the shantytown along Jingshiyilu Street in Huaiyin district of the provincial capital of Jinan. The area is part of Jinan's plan to renovate old towns this year, and more than 4,700 families will benefit from the renovation project.

Surrounded by skyscrapers, the area is crammed with shabby houses that have no access to heating or the sewer system. Shantytowns provide low-level housing in cities and efforts would be made to help residents lead new and better lives in multistoried buildings, the premier said.

Shantytown renovation, which is to remedy what historically had not be done in improving local people's welfare, is also an important way to achieve new-type urbanization and also to help build a healthy and stable real estate market, Li told local officials.

The premier stepped into the 32-square-meter house of Zhang Shirong, 77, who has lived there with her husband for 42 years. Zhang has to put on three or four quilts in the winter. She is afraid to burn coal after getting a carbon monoxide poisoning from a coal-fueled stove several years ago.

Wang Guilan, 87, had been living in a 19-sq-m shanty house for 56 years. Wang suffers from high blood pressure and heart disease, and her family was unable to afford a bigger apartment. She asked the premier when her family could move into a new home. Local officials said a date has been set for next year, and Li told Wang the promise will be kept.

On Friday, Li also visited researchers of crystalline materials, business startups as well as compilers of traditional cultural books at Shandong University.

The premier started his Shandong tour on Wednesday. On Thursday, Li visited Jinan Steel and Iron Group, a subsidiary of Shandong Steel Group.

As the company is cutting excess production capacity, more than 20,000 workers have to be transferred to other posts. The country will remember the workers' contribution, their legal rights will be ensured and no one will lose their job, Li told workers.
Although China has thoroughly ended its former reliance on the organs of executed prisoners as a source for transplant organs, rumors are still being spread, often to promote a political agenda, according to a foreign expert in the field.

Campbell Fraser, an organ trafficking researcher from Australia, said that such rumors are still being spread by the Falun Gong cult as well as that China harvested organs from cult members, but "there's no evidence of that whatsoever".

"So now this is like a proxy for a political campaign against the Chinese government," he said.

Fraser has followed global trends in organ trafficking for years and interviewed countless medical doctors, experts and Falun Gong practitioners.

"The people of the Falun Gong have no interest in transplantations, or in helping the patients. What they are interested in doing is trying to win global support for their campaign against China," he said.

Fraser called on the international medical and academic communities to disregard such lies, recognize China's reforms and actively include Chinese doctors and experts in the exchange of information and discussion to advance the science and better help patients worldwide.

"The international organ transplantation community is going to suffer if we don't have the benefit of Chinese expertise," he said.

Recognition and understanding for China's reforms in the field have increasingly grown overseas, said Wang Haibo, director of the China Organ Transplant Response System, which coordinates organ distribution and sharing.

In early February, a Chinese team led by Huang Jiefu, chairman of the China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, was invited to the Pontifical Academy Summit on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism at the Vatican, and the team briefed the gathering on the changes China has made.

In 2005, Huang, then vice-minister of health, first made known at a World Health Organization meeting on organ transplantations that more than 95 percent of transplanted organs used in China came from executed prisoners.

The Falun Gong seized on that information to attack China, Fraser said.

China introduced a series of measures to end the practice and in 2010 set up a public organ donation system. Five years later, it banned the use of organs harvested from executed prisoners.

Fraser said those changes were made, not because of international pressure, but "because the Chinese authorities are very keen to try and maximize the total number of organs that are available to help the patients".

By the end of last year, China had provided 9,996 organ donations since 2010, and by April 10, more than 174,000 Chinese had filed their consent to serving as organ donors, Wang said.

A recent survey, he added, found that more than 70 percent of the Chinese public supported organ donation.
China's grain output is expected to decline by 1 percent this year, and its agricultural trade deficit will decrease to about $35 billion, according to a new book compiled by a government think tank.

This year's grain output will drop to about 610 million metric tons, considering the national adjustments in plantation structure, according to the Green Book of Rural Area (2016-17), released on Friday by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Rural Development Institute.

Last year, the grain output fell by 0.8 percent to 616.2 million tons, the first decline since 2004. However, 2016 was still a good harvest year, with the second-highest output on record. Before 2016, grain yields increased for 12 consecutive years, from 469.5 million tons in 2004 to 621.4 million tons in 2015.

On the supply side, China's grain stock will remain high for a while, so the country will further reduce about 6,650 hectares of cornfields this year.

Li Guoxiang, a researcher at the Rural Development Institute of CASS and one of the main authors of the report, said the output reduction will not deplete food supplies in the short term.

Given the steady bumper harvests of the past 12 years, grain stocks are high and need to be downsized, thus the reduction policy, Li said.

Ye Xingqing, head of the Agricultural Economy Department of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said 2014 was a watershed year in China's food policy.

"Before 2014, the food policy mainly focused on increasing production," Ye said. "But since 2014, the policy has shifted to pursuing sustainable agricultural development and agricultural competitiveness by increasing transfer payment and fiscal support."

In the long term, such a policy shift will benefit farmers, analysts say.

"Grain output reduction may hold back increases in farmers' income, given the reduction in fields sown in the short run," Li said. "But in the long run, the policy change will benefit farmers" because China will increase transfer payment funds to the countryside and put more fiscal resources in its poverty-reduction campaign, both of which will raise farmers' incomes.

China's imports of agricultural goods declined by 4.5 percent to $111.6 billion in 2016, according to official statistics, and its annual trade deficit declined by 16.5 percent to $38.6 billion. That year, the country was 84.2 percent self-sufficient with grain, 6 percentage points higher than in 2015.

Since the high pressure to reduce agricultural output will directly influence the scale of grain imports, Li suggested that China's agricultural trade deficit will continue to fall this year.
China will continue to strengthen international cooperation for the peaceful use of outer space, a senior official said.

Zhang Yulin, deputy chief commander of China's manned space flight project, made the remarks on Thursday night during a reception for United Nation representatives after the successful launch of Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft.

"The launch of Tianzhou 1 is an important milestone in China's manned space program, and a firm step for humanity's exploration in space," he said. "For the next step, China will build a space station that will be an open, inclusive and innovative science platform."

China plans to launch the station's core module in 2019, and the whole station is set to be complete by 2022, Zhang added.

"Space exploration is fundamentally about the expansion of human living space," he said. "This goal cannot be achieved without support from the international community."

China is willing to cooperate with other nations and organizations in the fields of space station platform and technology, astronaut training, flight and space scientific research and application, and manned space flight technology, hoping that "China's space station, as well as the manned space program, will benefit mankind," he said.

Simonetta Di Pippo, director of the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, said she appreciated the generous and extensive support from China, who is a member of the UN Committee of Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

"China's opening up of its space station to international cooperation, especially for developing countries, is beneficial for mankind's sustainable development goals and maintaining the peaceful uses of outer space," she said.

Tebogo Seokolo, South Africa's permanent representative to the UN's Vienna-based international organizations, which includes UNOOSA, said China has made a positive impact on the peaceful uses of outer space and has helped developing countries to expand their space flight capabilities, so "everyone could benefit from the peaceful uses of outer space".

Ayesha Riyaz, Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations Office at Vienna, said the speed at which China is developing its space capability is "nothing short of amazing".

"Pakistan and China are cooperating very closely in space affairs, such as the training of Pakistan engineers and astronauts," she said. "China's willingness to share its fruits of manned space development with developing countries is highly appreciated. I am sure more fruitful cooperation will come."
Cui Dejun (right), a doctor specializing in digestive systems, checks an elderly woman in Changshun, Guizhou province, this month, as part of the province's poverty-alleviation efforts. Peng Nian / For China Daily

The top health department released a plan on Friday to ease the burden of disease in poor and remote areas.

The plan will cover about 20 million poverty-stricken people in 26 provincial regions, including Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Tibet, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Major illnesses like heart attacks, chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and severe diseases like cancer are three major targets in the plan.

Under the four-year plan, the commission will choose pilot hospitals and set protocol to ensure that every major illness has a certain treatment and standard fee.

Apart from improving medical treatment in pilot hospitals, priority will be given to poor patients who have those diseases.

A health card will be linked to every resident whose annual income is below the country's poverty threshold of 3,000 yuan ($436) in those regions. Annual health checks will be available to those with a card.

Moreover, the commission will encourage local health departments to assign "family doctors" to follow the health conditions of card holders with chronic diseases.

For poor families with patients suffering from serious diseases, the commission will cooperate with local social security and financial sectors to give extra support.

"Nearly half of China's poverty is a result of the burden of disease," said Wang Peian, vice-minister of the commission.

The commission has carried out surveys and will draft a guideline to help each region.

"Disease and poverty are two crucial elements that determine people's happiness. The plan will be an important step for the whole country to strive for prosperity," said Xia Gengsheng, an official from the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

China has lifted nearly 700 million people out of poverty during the past 30 years. It still had more than 55 million people living in poverty at the end of 2015, according to a white paper issued last year.
CHENGDU - Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has called for meticulous efforts to reduce poverty during a research tour of Tibetan areas of Sichuan province.

From Wednesday to Friday, Wang went to several counties in Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture to learn about poverty-relief progress there.

While acknowledging the province's achievements so far, Wang underlined the arduous tasks ahead and urged more targeted efforts.

The region should make full use of its natural and cultural resources to quicken development in agriculture, animal husbandry and tourism, he said.

China has set 2020 as the target year to complete building a "moderately prosperous society" in all aspects, and the hardest part is lifting all the rural population out of poverty.

China brought 12.4 million people in rural areas above the poverty line in 2016, and there are still around 43 million people living in poverty.
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) to continue international cultural exchanges and make new contributions to world peace and development.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a letter in reply to the ICCIC and Beijing Bailie University.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Rewi Alley, the founder of the Bailie schools and a social activist who helped build friendly relations between China and New Zealand. He lived and worked in China for 60 years.

Alley initiated the Gung Ho, short for Chinese Industrial Cooperatives movement, to organize unemployed workers and refugees for production to support the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The ICCIC, established by Alley, Soong Ching-ling and Edgar Snow, made great contributions to Chinese revolution and socialist construction, Xi said.

Beijing Bailie University has carried forward the spirit of vocational education championed by its former presidents, and cultivated a large group of talent for Chinese socialist modernization, Xi noted.

The president called on the ICCIC and the university to promote Alley's spirit and contribute to building a community of shared future for mankind.

Addressing a symposium to mark Alley's 120th birth anniversary on Friday, Vice President Li Yuanchao said the Chinese people are striving to realize the country's "two centenary goals" and the Chinese dream of great national rejuvenation.

China is willing to make concerted efforts with people around the world, including the people of New Zealand, on building a community of shared future for mankind, he said.

The symposium was held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The ICCIC, established in Hong Kong in 1939, has played an important role in helping Chinese resist against Japanese aggression. Beijing Bailie University, founded in 1983, originated from the Bailie school established by Alley in China.
The African museum of the Institute of African Studies. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Through cultural exchanges, China and Africa friendship is now in full bloom and gathering further pace. A journalist named Lovemore Chikova from the Herald magazine in Zimbabwe started his article with an amazing narrative of how the pupils at Jinhua Quibin Primary School in Zhejiang province, China, leap into the air in a typical African dance routine. He said that the sound of the African instruments ranging from the mbira from Zimbabwe to the West African specially designed congas and other African instrument were so loud and clear, making a visitor from Africa momentarily forget they are in far-away China; that is the power of cultural diversity. The wide-ranging and colorful cultural activities from the pupils made important contributions to promoting the all-around, balance and sustainable development of the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership as well as intercultural dialogue on an equal footing, and safeguard world cultural diversity. The primary school is the first school in China to completely embrace the teaching of African culture, making the school a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between Africa and China since it embarked on such a special programme in 2015.

I was also amazed the first time I came to the Institute of African Studies to see an African museum in an institute that is located in China; this made me believe that China-Africa cultural exchange is really gaining momentum and moving to the next level. As far as I know, in recent decades the Chinese have expanded their activities from trade and investment to cultural exchanges in more and more African nations, making the Chinese gradually learn more about Africa and its people. But the exchange is not equal. In contrast, opportunities for Chinese people to learn about Africa are relatively rare. People in China do not know much about African culture and art. Although China-Africa relations began centuries ago and intensified during the liberation struggle by African nations, and continue through the present day, there is still little awareness from the Chinese in terms of Africa culture. Nowadays, the friendship has been strengthening economic and political relations. But it is an African museum at the Institute of African Studies and institution like Jinhua Quibin primary school that ensures such friendship is expanded to other areas. The primary school and African museum have adopted a special type of education that focuses on African culture. The museum is the first of its kind to be established in a higher education institute and it specializes in foreign art. The collection of African artifacts is the largest collection of foreign art in terms of a higher education institute since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, thereby making Zhejiang Normal University, the university with the largest collection of African artefacts.

Looking at the museum from afar, you will see that the building itself is a piece of art spreading out right in front of your eyes. When entering the structure, you will find different artefacts displayed around, offering a different perspective. This is how traditional African landscape paintings should be experienced, through free shifts of perspective; China and Africa need an architecture for aesthetic appreciation and spiritual fulfillment.
Cui Yuying, deputy head of the State Council Information Office, delivers a speech at the showing of the movie Born in China in Chinese embassy in Washington DC, April 22, 2017. [Photo by Zhao Huanxin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Sino-US nature documentary Born in China best exemplifies the deepening cooperation in film-making and cultural exchanges between the two countries, an official said on Saturday.

Cui Yuying, deputy head of the State Council Information Office, said this while delivering a speech at the showing of the movie in Chinese embassy in Washington DC.

This is an important cultural exchange event between the two countries after Xi-Trump meeting at the Mar-a-Lago resort, she said.

Born in China was released in the US on April 21, one day before Earth Day. It features animals like pandas and golden monkeys to showcase China's unique wildlife and natural beauty.

Watching Born in China directed by Lu Chuan and his international team will enhance people's awareness of the importance and urgency of environmental protection, China's Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said at the event.

The documentary has been translated into more than 10 languages and later will be released in over 100 countries and regions.

The documentary is coproduced by Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group. Its Chinese version was released last August.
The Women of the World Festival will make its China debut in Beijing's Tianqiao Performing Arts Center this September.

The monthlong WOW event's extensive programs include exhibitions, performances, workshops and forums, which will celebrate women's achievements and explore the challenges that women are still facing today.

"When I launched the festival in 2010, I wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.

"Now, it has become the largest arts event for women in the world, which is far beyond what I have expected in the beginning," says Jude Kelly, artistic director of London's Southbank Centre, among Britain's largest cultural institutions. She was in Beijing to attend the opening ceremony at Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on April 15.

"Although the WOW festival started in London, it's not a British thing, it's a global thing. It belongs to China, belongs to Kathmandu, belongs to Pakistan and belongs to Australia, anywhere that the girls and women, boys and men want to gather to speak of what the future could look like and how to make that future happen," Kelly says.

So far, the festival has been held in 20 cities, including Melbourne and New York as well as the main venue in London, and over 20,000 people have attended the event.

In March 2016, the UK-China Workshop for Senior Arts Center and Theater Management was held at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center.
The ongoing exhibition on Chinese dance history at the University of Michigan (UM) in the midwest US city of Chicago not only illustrates postwar Chinese dancing, but also tells a different collection story.

The show, held at the UM Hatcher Graduate Library, draws from a wealth in the UM Chinese dance collection, which owes most to a Chinese dance researcher, and a librarian who is meanwhile a performing arts fan.

While the show Chinese Dance: National Movements in a Revolutionary Age, 1945-1965 presents China's dance culture and history in that specific time frame, the exhibits - photos, periodicals, books, performance programs, postcards and mimeographs, among others, mark an intensive and joint efforts over more than three years by Emily Wilcox and Liangyu Fu.

Wilcox, a UM assistant professor, is one of the researchers in the field of Chinese dance studies based in the United States. Over the past decade, She traveled to China for 11 times, visiting Chinese artists' homes, scanning 1,500 rare photos, and recording 300-hour-long interviews with Chinese dancers and choreographers.

It was a lunch chat in the fall of 2013 that gave the origin of the UM Chinese dance collection.

Fu proposed that they work together to create a Chinese dance collection in the library during the meal she invited Wilcox for.

Being then a newly come librarian for China studies, Fu was keen to add a distinction to the collections at the UM Asia Library. As a performing arts fan and someone fascinated by preserving ephemeral materials, Fu was thrilled to learn that Chinese dance is an emerging area for studies.

What's more, the area combines her personal interest with Wilcox's research.

At the same time, being a dancer herself, Wilcox was overjoyed with the idea of having a permanent home for the research materials she had collected for years.

Thanks to their joint efforts, the UM Chinese dance collection now archives more than 1,500 photos scanned from personal collections of leading Chinese dancers in the 1940s, the 1950s and the 1960s, as well as more than 1,000 books, periodicals, photo albums, performance programs, postcards, mimeographs and manuscripts related to Chinese dance during those times.

None of the individual dancers and choreographers Wilcox has selected for the archive hasn't had an impact on the history of Chinese dance. Prior to the creation of the UM collection, there was no well-documented history of their artistic careers in English.

According to her, a feeling of urgency prompted Wilcox to work to preserve as soon as possible their memories, as the Chinese artists were mostly in their seventies or eighties, and some passed away.
Morocco's leading TV channel, 2M, started airing a Chinese series dubbed into Arabic on Thursday.

The launching ceremony for the series A Happy Life was chaired by Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Mohammed Ghazali, secretary-general of Morocco's Ministry of Communication and Culture.

At the event, Wang Gengnian, director general of China Radio International, and Salim el-Sheikh, director general of 2M, signed an agreement on broadcasting Chinese series and movies on the Moroccan channel.

Wang said the agreement reinforces cooperation between Chinese and Moroccan media, which was in evidence at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and through visits exchanged by media officials from the two countries.

He stressed that CRI has established a strong and longstanding cooperation with various African media, which have aired over the years many Chinese series and movies in their local languages, and that these were warmly welcomed.

Wang vowed to set with Moroccan media another successful example of historical cultural exchange between the two countries.

El-Sheikh said the agreement builds another bridge between the two countries' cultures and that the Morrocan public will learn more about Chinese drama through these series and movies.

He said he hopes to boost relations between Moroccan and Chinese media.
Guests enjoy a calligraphy show at United Nations Chinese Language Day celebration in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 19.[Photo/Xinhua]

"If you can speak Chinese and can write Chinese characters, you can get to know China better," Stephen A. Orlins, an expert on US-China relations, said on Thursday.

Joining UN staff members celebrating the Chinese Language Day, Orlins, who is president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, made the remarks in Chinese at the UN headquarters in New York.

The UN Chinese Language Day has been observed annually on April 20 since 2010 to celebrate the language's overall contribution to the world and to encourage more people to take it up.

This year's celebration includes a calligraphy exhibition by Pang Zhonghua, a well-known pioneer of hard-nib calligraphy in China, martial arts performances and a showcase of cultural customs of the Qiang ethnic group mainly living in China's southwestern province of Sichuan.

The event also provided UN staff members with an opportunity to try Chinese calligraphy with traditional brush, ink and paper.

Martijn Dalhuijsen, a UN staff member who has been learning Chinese for four years, wrote the two characters of the word "China" on a piece of xuan paper, a specially made soft paper used for painting and calligraphy.

Dalhuijsen, who is from the Netherlands, said he has learned traditional Chinese calligraphy through the UN's Chinese language program, and gained a better understanding of Chinese culture in the process.
ZHAI HAIJUN/CHINA DAILY

Some recent media reports said a Chinese youth, whose family spent about 4 million yuan ($581,000) on his education in the United States over eight years, returned home only to realize he might not be able to earn that amount back because it was not easy for him to find a well-paying job.

So, is studying abroad still a worthwhile option for Chinese youths?

The answer differs from person to person, because to study abroad is a personal choice, and entails rational planning.

But education is more than just about economic returns. Education authorities must recognize this fact before reaching a conclusion from the above example (and similar cases) that China's brain drain can be checked.

Many Chinese families send their children to study abroad because they care more about the quality of education in developed countries than economic returns, even though the latter is also important.

Therefore, if China wants to check the outflow of young talentslet alone attract talents from abroad to its schoolsit should first intensify reforms to improve the quality of education in the country.

Statistics show that from the late 1970s, when China launched its reform and opening-up, to last year, about 4.58 million Chinese went to study abroad, and 3.22 million of them returned home.

But despite the high percentage of returnees, the "outflow" of students continues to intensify. According to the Ministry of Education, 545,000 Chinese went abroad to study in 2016, up 36.26 percent compared with the figure in 2012, with about 70 percent of them seeking bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees.

More students are returning from abroad mainly because of their falling academic and practical knowledge.

Ten years ago, most Chinese youths went abroad, mostly to developed countries, to seek college degrees, especially postgraduate degrees, and many of them chose to stay after graduation because the job market there could absorb them.

Nowadays, however, many Chinese students studying abroad are actually not "qualified"; they seek overseas degrees because their families "buy" them seats in cash-thirsty schools. No wonder it is difficult for such youths to find good jobs abroad or, after they return home, in China.

Official data show that 87 percent of the science and engineering graduates, talents that China needs the most, stay abroad, making China the largest "brain" exporter in the world.

In other words, real talents make up only a very small percentage of the returnees. And the high number of students returning from abroad does not necessarily mean that education, careers and the business environment in China have become more attractive compared with developed countries. So, one should not conclude that studying abroad is no longer worth it.

Good students still have a strong desire to pursue the best education in the world. In contrast, some wealthy families don't care whether their children are eligible to study abroad because they have the money to spare and want their children to just have the overseas study experience. But such graduates cannot win the recognition of the market or society.

Treating people according to their "identity", instead of their knowledge and capability, is an outdated concept. Some second-rate graduates from top universities in China may not be even half as good as an average graduate from an average school for the job market.

The education authorities must realize that even if studying abroad does not translate into good jobs at home, many Chinese parents are still willing to send their children overseas for higher education.

The outdated talent evaluation system and not-so-perfect quality of education in China are prompting parents to send their children to study abroad. And until the quality of education is improved and the academic environment changed, the brain drain will continue.

The author is a columnist for Beijing Youth Daily. The article was first published in the newspaper on April 19.
The Communist Party of China Central Committee has highlighted the role of a "key few" officials in advancing the education campaign on strict Party governance. The education campaign requires Party members to study the Party constitution, its code of conduct, as well as the speeches of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and become devoted Party members.

The campaign is important for strictly governing the Party and to ensure that its 88 million members maintain a high degree of ideological and political consistency with the central leadership.

The "key few" refer to leading officials at the central, provincial/ministerial and local levels. While the campaign covers every Party organization and member, the CPC focuses and relies on the "key few" to build a clean and principled political ecology.

Leading officials should strengthen their political capability and ideals, implement the Party's decisions and strictly observe political rules.

The top leadership has asked the "key few" to "shoulder the heaviest burden" and make the greatest efforts to advance reform and eradicate poverty, both fundamental to accomplishing the goal of building a moderately prosperous society by 2020.

They are also required to use their powers impartially and legally, and refrain from misusing or abusing them.

Many workshops have been organized to ensure the leading officials bear in mind the newly issued Party documents, such as the one on the norms of political life within the Party in the new era, and a regulation on intra-Party supervision. Both were approved at the Sixth Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee last year.

Regulating Party members and correcting their shortcomings requires long-term and persistent efforts. The leading officials have to fulfill their responsibilities in order to ensure the campaign is effectively implemented, its development supervised and perfunctory performance prevented.

History and reality both tell us that the key to solving China's problems lies in the CPC's effective governance, and the leading senior officials should make their best efforts to achieve that.

Exemplified by the "key few", the campaign has achieved results in addressing problems and plugging loopholes in the management of Party organizations.

If the "key few" high-ranking officials are slack in performing their duties or violate the law or Party disciplines, the result will not be just corrupt individuals; they might also lead a group of cadres astray and contaminate the political ecology of a department or locality.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Party's top anti-corruption body, has investigated more than 200 senior officials.

Last year alone, it punished 76 ministerial-level officials. Those who failed to exercise their duties or were negligent in regulating their subordinates also have been held accountable.

The CPC is institutionalizing the campaign to expand the sphere of intra-Party education from the "key few" to the 88 million Party members across the country, in order to build a Party that is strong, clean and devoted to the interests of the people.
The remains of a dugong, the apparent victim of dynamiting. Sri Lanka's Wildlife Conservation Department.

The reclusive dugong, the animal that seems to be everyone's friend, is falling victim to poor fishing practices

Channa Suraweera was shocked when the picture of a dead dugong jumped into his eyes for the first time.

Seeing the thick red vestige under its nose indicated how blood would have spurted through its nostrils, says Suraweera, an officer with the Wildlife Conservation Department in Sri Lanka.

"It must have been an extremely painful death. Three dugong deaths have been reported since the beginning of this year, all by Sri Lankan Navy."

The dugong, a medium-sized marine mammal, can be seen in aquariums around the world, their chubby face, gentle eyes and what seems like a permanent smile endearing them to millions. However, outside the haven that aquariums offer, in many waters that the creature used to call home dugongs have been hunted down to extinction or near extinction.

The waters of Sri Lanka are no exception, including the Gulf of Mannar, a large shallow bay between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka.

"Every two months or so we lose an animal," says Arjan Rajasuriya, of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Since January 2015, Rajasuriya, who is based in Sri Lanka, has been part of a project in which the United Nations Environment Program teams up with regional and international NGOs and the Sri Lankan government in an effort to protect the endangered species.

But if the dugong is to be protected properly a lot more needs to be learned about the animal, which is notorious for its reclusiveness.

Among the main goals of the program, known as the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project, is to map sea grass meadows, the sole habitat and source of food for the vegetarian marine mammal that lives in the shallow seawater off the coast.

"The dugong subsists on sea grass - no sea grass, no dugong," says Rajasuriya, who has been involved in protecting Sri Lanka's coast for more than 30 years and yet, astonishingly, has never seen a live dugong in the region.

"On the other hand, the existence of large patches of sea grass meadow, especially those with grazing signs, could be a strong indicator that there are dugongs around.
Tea pickers toil in the sun at Kahawatte Plantations in Ratnapura, in Sri Lanka's central highlands. [Photo provided by Vishwamithra Kadurugamuwa]

International organizations are behind a push to revitalize degraded land in the central highlands of Sri Lanka

Giri Kadurugamuwa climbs onto a mountain slope by the roadside and breaks off a big chunk from the exposed root of a tea tree. Without little apparent effort on his part the chunk falls off like a piece of dried biscuit.

"It's very brittle," says Kadurugamuwa, director of the Alliance for Sustainable Landscapes Management, an NGO dedicated to promoting the sustenance of biodiversity in managed landscapes.

For the past two years the alliance and an international NGO that specializes in ecologically sensitive farming, Rainforest Alliance, have been working on a land protection project in tea growing areas of central Sri Lanka. The work is supported by the United Nations Environment Program with financial backing from the Global Environment Facility, an independent funding body with a global reach.

They work with tea factories and estates, trying to reach smallholder farmers - tea growers with land less than about 4 hectares. Big tea plantations in Sri Lanka can consist of 15 estates or more, each covering hundreds of hectares.

Knowledge is passed by providing training for trainers. Well-trained staff from big plantation companies are expected to teach the smallholder farmers whose produce later feeds the rollers in the factories that the companies own.

Janaka Gunawardene is the manager of a tea factory in Ratnapura, in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The factory is part of a very big outfit, Kahawatte Plantations, which means it can always obtain leaves from its own vast area. However, the factory also buys a lot from small-growers to keep its own production lines busy. (Because the small growers lack the wherewithal to process leaves, they are forced to sell the raw material to factories.)

"Our company is the very first regional plantation company to get the Rainforest Certificate for sustainable land use since the commencement of the project in early 2015," says Gunawardene. "Although there are other tea estates in the region that have got the certificate since then, ours is the only one that has included the small growers in the project."

A key aim of the training is to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, one of the main causes of land degradation, which in turn leads to the brittleness of tree roots.

"A whole set of problems could arise and have already arisen with the overuse of chemicals for the past 30 years," Kadurugamuwa says. "Chemicals, intended for harmful insects and weeds that may overgrow the tea trees or compete with them for nutrients, inevitably kill everything else, from the good insects to birds and small animals that feed on the insects and grasses. As a result, mites have multiplied, as the curled-up tree leaves clearly indicate.

"Meanwhile, losing its grass cover entirely to chemical herbicide, the land becomes exposed. And big rainfall can wash away many nutrients from the soil. Even worse, after a number of years, many bad insects and noxious weeds will have developed tolerance toward the chemicals, leaving farmers with little choice but to adopt even stronger ones."
SYDNEY -- US Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson was steaming toward the Sea of Japan.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

USS Carl Vinson has continued to steam toward the Korean Peninsula, after confusion from the Trump administration earlier this week as to the location of the aircraft carrier.

Earlier on Saturday, the US Navy confirmed reports of a pilot ejecting from his F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while making an attempt to land on the aircraft carrier, which was at that time located in the Celebes Sea, just south of the Philippines.

Pence met with Turnbull and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop early in the day for talks, in which he told Turnbull "the (US) President wanted me to be here early in this administration to reaffirm the strong and historic alliance between the United States of America and Australia."
ASTANA -- China is ready to work together with Kyrgyzstan to achieve common prosperity by building the Silk Road Economic Belt, as agreed by the leaders of both sides, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

Wang made the remarks while meeting his Kyrgyz counterpart, Erlan Abdyldayev, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties 25 years ago, the two countries have witnessed the stable and healthy development of their bilateral relations, said Wang.

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev's successful visit to China earlier this year has further consolidated the friendship and trust between the leaders of the two countries, and during the visit they have also mapped out the future development of bilateral ties, said Wang.

Kyrgyzstan is an important partner in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and China is willing to work with the Kyrgyz side in this regard so as to bring about development for both countries, said Wang.

For his part, Abdyldayev said Kyrgyzstan cherishes its relations with China and the country firmly supports China's efforts to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The country is also willing to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Kyrgyzstan, he added.

The Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan was hit by a suicide attacker in August, with the lone assailant killed and five others injured.
HAVANA - Cuba and Morocco signed an agreement Friday to reestablish diplomatic ties after a gap of 37 years, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, the two governments agreed to reestablish ties as well as political, economic and cultural cooperation," said the agreement, signed by the two countries' envoys to the United Nations in New York.

Relations will be restored with ambassadors being exchanged. Morocco's King Mohamed VI has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana, one of the few Latin American capitals where Rabat was not represented to date.

Morocco cut ties with Havana in 1980 after Cuba recognized Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco claims the territory as its own.

King Mohamed VI traveled to Cuba earlier this month for a private family visit, but it is widely believed that he maintained diplomatic contacts with the Cuban government during his stay there.
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan - At least 135 Afghan military personnel were killed and over 60 others wounded in Taliban's attack on an army's corps base in northern province of Balkh on Friday, according to a provincial source on Saturday.

The source said anonymously that 10 attackers were involved in the deadly attack and the attackers stormed a dining hall and a nearby mosque where dozens of unarmed soldiers were holding Friday prayer in army's Corps 209 Shaheen.

"The attackers were disguised in army uniform. They arrived in two army jeeps and made their way after passing through the front gate," he said.

Seven attackers were shot dead by security forces following a four-hour exchange of fire, two terrorists detonated their explosive jackets while one was captured together with a suicide vest, said the source.

Further details of the incident are still forthcoming amid the absence of any official statement.

Afghan security forces' casualties have risen recently as they struggle against a surge in attacks across the country.

The Taliban insurgency has been on the rampage since the beginning of 2015, as the Afghan security forces assumed full responsibility of security from the United States and NATO troops.
US Vice President Mike Pence delivers remarks to the CEOs of Australian-based companies in Sydney, Australia, April 22, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

SYDNEY - US Vice President Mike Pence met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, as US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson steamed toward the Korean Peninsula.

"The (US) president wanted me to be here early in this administration to reaffirm the strong and historic alliance between the United States of America and Australia," Pence told Turnbull.

Pence thanked Turnbull for his support on the highly contentious situation on the Korean Peninsula.

"While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China" to bring pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Pence said.

Meanwhile, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group has continued to steam toward the Korean Peninsula, after confusion from the Trump administration earlier this week as to the location of the aircraft carrier.

Earlier Saturday, the US Navy confirmed reports of a pilot ejecting from his F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while making an attempt to land on the aircraft carrier, which was at that time located in the Celebes Sea, just south of the Philippines.

With the accident occurring some 3,800 km from Pyongyang, US Navy officials said that Carl Vinson should be arriving in the Korean Peninsula some time next week.
The significance of the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination is "being further highlighted", given the current complicated and frequently changing international situation, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said.

Zhang, while meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow during his trip to Russia from Tuesday to Thursday, said the relationship has showcased greater room for development and huge potential. Zhang is chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Putin said the relationship is in its best shape of all time and that exchanges at various levels are frequent, adding he is fully confident about the future of the ties.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday, during a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, that China and Russia should "further reinforce strategic cooperation". He also said the two countries should continue playing a constructive role in ensuring world peace and politically settling hot spot issues.

The senior diplomats of the two United Nations Security Council permanent members met at a time that tension lingers over the Korean Peninsula and Syria issues.

Wang said Beijing and Moscow "have maintained close coordination and cooperation on international and regional issues".

Wang also said that at a meeting on Thursday of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, China supported Russia's suggestions on the investigation of chemical weapons recently used in Syria.

Also, the two sides supported peaceful resolution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through dialogue, during discussion of a statement issued by the UN Security Council regarding Pyongyang's nuclear program, Wang added.

On Thursday, the Security Council condemned the latest missile test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and demanded that Pyongyang not conduct any more nuclear tests, Reuters reported.

At the meeting on Friday, the two sides further exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and agreed that the current phase is the key to the future development of the peninsula situation.

The two sides vowed to "strengthen communication and coordination, conduct joint efforts to manage and control the situation, and curb the inclination of taking a risk", according to an official release from the Foreign Ministry.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/22/2017 page1)
(Photo : PLAAF) H-6Ks armed with CJ-10K land attack cruise missiles.

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China has apparently placed units of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) "on high alert" for any "contingency" in North Korea, including an invasion of that country to eliminate its nuclear weapons making program.



U.S. intelligence services sources quoted by American media are saying they've detected an unusual level of activity by PLAAF attack and strategic bomber aircraft at a number of air bases close to China's border with North Korea, indicating a heightened state of readiness.



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The same officials, however, went out of their way to downplay perceptions China might be considering taking military action against North Korea or might just be putting on a show of force to intimidate the north and its leader, Kim Jong-un.



There's also the assessment this state of readiness might also be directed against the U.S. as a warning not to launch a pre-emptive strike against North Korea's nuclear weapons facilities.



U.S. intelligence is also seeing an "extraordinary number" of Chinese military aircraft being brought up to full readiness through intensified maintenance. One source said these new actions by the Chinese are assessed as part of an effort to "reduce the time to react to a North Korea contingency."



"Nobody thinks the Chinese are going to press North Korea militarily or bring the regime to its knees, but the strategy looks to China to find a political solution more than anything else," said a senior official quoted by American media.



The warplanes cited by American media were said to be land attack aircraft and bombers capable of carrying cruise missiles. This seems to indicate the PLAAF squadrons under high alert are those flying China's only attack aircraft, the Xian JH-7 two-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber.



The JH-7 is capable of carrying up to 9,000 kg of ordnance, including air-to-surface missiles; laser-guided bombs; satellite-guided bombs guided and unguided or "dumb" bombs.



China's only strategic bomber is the Xian H-6 twin engine jet bomber, the Chinese version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 twin-engine jet bomber. The latest version, the H-6K, is capable of carrying air-launched cruise missiles.



An H-6K can mount from four to seven KD-20; CJ-10K and CJ-20 land attack cruise missiles, which are all derivatives of the CJ-10 land-attack missile. The standard CJ-10 missile carries a 500 kg high-explosive warhead.



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Tagschina, People's Liberation Army Air Force, PLAAF, high alert, contingency, North Korea, Xian JH-7, Xian H-6 twin engine jet bomber, land attack cruise missiles
(Photo : USAF) AC-130J firing a laser.

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The U.S. Air Force has settled on the Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship (the latest version of this historic weapon) as the test bed for its first airborne combat laser.



The first Ghostrider entered service with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) this year. AFSOC received the first of its 32 Ghostriders in July 2015.



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The AC-130J is a modified MC-130J Commando II with advanced features that will enable it to provide ground forces with an expeditionary, direct-fire platform that's persistent, suited for urban operations and capable of delivering precision munitions against ground targets.



One of the newest weapons the Ghostrider will test will be the Air Force's first directed energy weapon, in this case a powerful high-energy laser.



AFSOC plans to add a laser to the AC-130J by 2020. This laser will generate a 120 kW beam, an output that will later be boosted to 180 kW or 200 kW. This powerful weapon will be used to destroy anti-aircraft missiles, boats, cars, and aircraft (including aerial drones).



The laser will be mounted on the port side of the Ghostrider in place of the 30 mm autocannon.



Reports in the defense community say the laser is "rapidly moving" to practical integration with an aircraft at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center in Massachusetts chartered to apply advanced technology to problems of national security.



"Without the slightest bang, whoosh, thump, explosion, or even aircraft engine hum, four key targets are permanently disabled," said Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, Commander, AFSOC.



"The enemy has no communications, no escape vehicle, no electrical power and no retaliatory" intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability. Minutes later, the team emerges from the compound, terrorist mastermind in hand. A successful raid."



"We're no longer talking about bulky chemical lasers, but streamlined electrical lasers," said Gen. Webb.



"These pioneering scientists have honed the ability to combine smaller lasers into a finely-tuned, exquisite single laser. Beam control seems to no longer be an issue. Nor is the cooling technology needed ... to keep the system operating."



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TagsU.S. Air Force, Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship, airborne combat laser, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, 120 kW beam, Lt. Gen. Brad Webb
(Photo : Getty Images) China is reportedly using hackers to target THAAD, a US missile defense system installed in South Korea.

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American cybersecurity firm FireEye told The Wall Street Journal that China has used hackers to target the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), US' missile defense system installed in South Korea.



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It revealed that it had detected a surge in attacks against South Korea targets from China and their activities have increased since February after Seoul revealed THAAD's deployment. Those attacks included a denial of service against the website of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which Seoul said has originated from Beijing.



According to the firm, "two cyberespionage groups that the firm linked to Beijing's military and intelligence agencies have launched a variety of attacks against South Korea's government, military defense companies, and a big conglomerate."



John Hultquist, FireEye's director of cyber-espionage, said that one of the groups called Tonto Team by FireEye is linked to China's military and based on the same area of China where North Korean hackers are known to be active. The other is dubbed as APT10 (or Stone Panda) by threat researchers and is believed to be the same group that launched espionage attacks against US companies trying to persuade the Trump administration on global trade, the Ars Technica reported.



Aside from these two, other so-called hacktivists-patriotic Chinese hackers, which are not directly associated with the government, have independently carried out their own attacks. The groups hid behind the names "Panda Intelligence Bureau" and the "Denounce Lotte Group," which is allegedly targeting South Korea's Lotte firm that paved way to the THAAD deployment through a land swap with the government.



They have also included "spear-phishing" emails with attachments containing malware and "watering hole" attacks that uses code to download malware onto websites frequently visited by military, government, and defense industry officials, according to Russia's Kaspersky Lab ZAO.



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TagsSouth Korea, china, THAAD, cyber espionage, cyber attacks, FireEye
(Photo : USAF) An F-35C drops a GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II laser guided bomb in a recent weapons delivery accuracy test.

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For all its sophistication, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter of the U.S. Air Force can't hit a moving ground target with a missile unless the pilot manually directs the missile onto the target.



A key first step towards solving this "moving target problem" was recently taken when a U.S. Air Force F-35C hit a moving small pick-up truck with an inert GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II laser guided bomb without the pilot guiding the bomb.



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The first-of-its-kind test of this specially designed smart bomb was also the first test of the "3F software configuration" that automated the targeting process and reduced pilot workload.



"The ability to hit a moving target is a key capability that we need in current close-air support fight, and the GBU-49 is a great solution for the F-35 and, frankly, for all of our legacy platforms to hit these moving targets," said Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, Director, F-35 Integration Office.



The GBU-49 has what's called a "lead-laser capability" meaning it doesn't need to rely on the electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) for targeting data. All this bomb needs is a laser spot on the moving target and the bomb itself will produce the lead necessary to hit the moving target.



On the other hand, the 3F software configuration incorporates new release logic called "Lead Point Compute" to enhance effectiveness against moving targets. Lead Point Compute delays the release point of the weapon to ensure the weapon has the available "kinematics" (the features or properties of motion in an object) to guide to and reach the target at its future location.



The system evaluates the speed and direction of the target against the altitude and speed of the aircraft to determine the exact release.



The test of the GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II guided by the 3F software configuration took place at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in the California desert.



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TagsLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, U.S. Air Force, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II laser guided bomb, Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 3F software configuration, electro-optical targeting system, Lead Point Compute
This summer, be prepared to say farewell to Channel 2's Jennifer Bauer. She's headed to the sunny shores of Florida.

Earlier in April, Miami's WTVJ-TV announced Mike Guerrieri would be their new vice president of creative services. Guerrieri occupies the same position at KPRC-TV and also happens to be Bauer's husband.
The Houston area didn't really have a winter this year and the temperatures were quite warm, so the summer is likely going to be a scorcher.

Sometimes, the temperatures are so hot that Texans tend to hibernate inside, but where's the fun in that? Thankfully, the great Lone Star State has a boat load of bodies of water for locals to cool off in. Story continues below>>
A.D., the newest member of the Splendora Police Department, marks the first K-9 officer in the force in more than a decade.

Chief Wally Wieghat said the Maliherd  a German shepherd and Belgian malinois mixed breed  will sniff out plenty of drugs and crime in East Montgomery County.

The dog, who was named A.D. for his "all day" energy level, is a $13,000 gift to the department from a charity operated by Splendora High School graduate and Minnesota Viking defensive end Brian Robison and K9s4COPs.

"This is a big shot in the arm for our agency," Wieghat said. "I am tremendously thankful for our department being the recipient of the dog, which will help us deal with the ever-increasing flow of narcotics through our city and with the ability to track suspects and find lost people."

While Splendora is made up of roughly 2-1/2 square miles, the town is a hub of activity with an interstate running through it.

"A while back, we had a traffic stop and we suspected narcotics was involved. However, we were unable to search the vehicle for the drugs and had to send the person on their way. We alerted other agencies about the vehicle and it was ultimately stopped by police in Louisiana, who found six kilos of cocaine and $90,000 inside," Wieghat said. "That's seizure money that could have remained in Splendora."

A.D. is assigned to work with Officer Ray Hardin, who has been with Splendora PD for just six months. The two partners started working together a couple of weeks ago and have about seven more weeks of intense training ahead at the Houston K-9 Academy.

According to Wieghat, the partnership between a K-9 officer and its handler goes well beyond work hours. A K-9 officer is with its handler 24 hours a day, seven days a week, living with the handler's family and participating in nearly every activity of the handler's life.

When asked how he was selected as the officer to work with A.D., Hardin said. "I like to be productive and go out and find narcotics. I think they picked me because of my drive for this job."

Wieghat said that the department plans to make A.D. available to local school districts to assist in locker searches for narcotics and other law enforcement agencies when the need arises.

In order to adequately care for A.D., the city of Splendora recently purchased a Chevy Tahoe that will be equipped with a cage to transport A.D. and door-poppers that allow Hardin to release the dog with the push of a button on his gear.

"That's essential in emergencies where the officer has to quickly respond," Wieghat said.

The city also has purchased gear for the dog to wear that will protect him from being stabbed or shot while subduing a suspect and a GPS tracker to help locate the dog while searching for suspects or lost persons in densely wooded areas. The city also funded the $15,000 to $20,000 in training for Hardin and A.D. at the Houston K-9 Academy. Wieghat said he is grateful for Mayor Dorothy Welch and the council's support for the program.

"It's money well spent, in my opinion. This K-9 is another law enforcement tool for us to use in our interactions with the public and the enforcement of laws," the chief said. "Hopefully this will make our community safer by helping us remove meth, marijuana, hashish, codeine, morphine and all other illegal substances from our streets and schools."
The defense attorney for a New Caney teenager accused of a double shooting in January says her client is innocent.

Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office arrested Nicholas Andrew Valverde, 17, on first-degree felony murder and second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges Jan. 19, days after Joshua Raymond Foland, 21, was shot and killed Jan. 15. Valverde also is accused of shooting another 20-year-old who survived.

Sheriff's detectives said Valverde was attempting to buy drugs from the 20-year-old when he shot Foland and the other victim at Valverde's home in the 25000 block of Lantern Lane in New Caney. But Valverde's defense attorney, Andrea Kolski, claims there is no DNA belonging to Valverde on the gun.

"There is no direct evidence linking Valverde to the offenses of murder or aggravated assault, and he has always maintained his innocence," Kolski said. "Instead of looking forward to his junior prom or worrying about curfew, he is fighting for his freedom. From the beginning, Valverde did everything he could to prove his innocence; he has cooperated with law enforcement, he provided statements, he provided his DNA voluntarily, and provided a detailed account of his whereabouts."

Kolski said the surviving shooting victim said Valverde was not the shooter, although detectives claim the victim implicated Valverde in an interview shortly after the shooting. Kolski also claims there's evidence of a third shooter present on the gun prosecutors believe Valverde used.

Assistant District Attorney Donna Berkey, who is prosecuting the case, said the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office is continuing its investigation and waiting for forensic testing to be completed.

"I am confident when all the evidence comes to light Nicholas will be set free, either at trial or before then, when the District Attorney's Office realizes they are prosecuting an innocent person," Kolski said.

A Montgomery County grand jury indicted Valverde on the two felony charges April 18. If convicted, the teen is facing up to life in prison.

He will be back in Judge Patty Maginnis' 435th state District Court for an information hearing May 2.
Piney Woods Elementary School first-graders created classroom bubbles depicting different environments. Brought forth by their teachers Angela Trimm, Brandee Lane and Eva Freeburn, the students took over the projects by researching and creating their chosen habitat.

Not only did first-graders enjoy the environments they created, they visited the other bubble atmospheres, too. First-grader Macie Morse, whose class developed a coral reef, said, "I really enjoyed walking through the different environments."

In January, Trimm and Lane attended the Staff Development for Educators for Texas First Grade Teachers conference in San Marcos. "We learned many invigorating ideas to keep students engaged in learning. One of the things we learned was how to create a classroom bubble," Lane said. The teachers looked ahead at the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to be covered for the remainder of the year and decided to use the giant, plastic bubbles to create environments. "Students are learning all about environments this six weeks in science, and we thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get them really involved in their learning," Lane said.

Sharing what they learned at the conference, fellow first-grade teacher Freeburn brought the information to her classroom, too.

First, students voted as a class for which environment they wanted to create. Second, they researched that environment and made crafts depicting that habitat. "This was such a great opportunity to flip the classroom and let the students lead in their learning," Trimm said. "The bubble habitat provides a way for students to develop a vocabulary from what they are seeing and doing. This way, it means something to them and they learn more as they discuss and work together rather than just listening," Trimm said.

Lastly, the students shared their habitats with each other and the whole school. Trimm's class created a coral reef, Lane's class created a tropical rain forest, and Freeburn's students developed a desert. The environments have been open all week for other classes to enjoy. When asked what her favorite part of creating the environment was, first-grader Morse replied, "Getting to pick which animal we wanted to research and create and also showing everyone else in the school what we created as a class."
Eureka O'Hara has officially entered "RuPaul's Drag Race" herstory. And she didn't even make it to the finale.

The self-described Elephant Queen from Tennessee wasn't in the bottom two and was proving to be one of this season's most consistently engaging queens.

But she was sent home this week after suffering an injury during a cheerleading challenge. O'Hara powered through a Kardashian musical skit -- on crutches, no less -- but RuPaul ultimately put safety first and sent Eureka home for surgery.

But there was a consolation. RuPaul gave O'Hara the first slot to compete on Season 10 next year.

Eureka O'Hara When: 9 p.m. Saturday (show after midnight) Where: South Beach, 810 Pacific Admission: Free before 10 p.m. with VIP text (text SOBE to 46786 at least a day prior), $15 after 10 p.m.; 713-529-7623 See More Collapse

HOMECOMING: 'Drag Race' star Farrah Moan performs in Houston

"I feel really good. I'm doing better than ever. I'm continuing to do my physical therapy every day," O'Hara says.

This is the second "Drag Race" injury to surface after the cheer challenge. Charlie Hides was partly hindered during a lip sync because of a cracked rib.

O'Hara says she's back to performing and takes the stage Saturday night at South Beach nightclub. She promises lots of energy.

"I love Texas. Honey, y'all love big drag, girl. And I'm the biggest drag there is."

Did you have any indication that RuPaul was considering sending you home?

It was a shock. I'm stunned that it happened that way. I was ready to compete. If I had to use the crutches every week I was gonna do it and figure it out. The last I had really talked with anyone was when I spoke with the doctor. They advised me to not do any physical activity. I had torn my ACL completely. I had to have emergency reconstructive surgery, which is why when Mama Ru talked to the doctor, she decided I had to leave. I had to get in as soon as possible, so I went home and had surgery.

The way she presented it to me was very respectful, and it was very loving. She was coming from a place of authenticity. I didn't truly break down until I turned around and saw my sisters breaking down for me. It was just a reassuring moment that I had a family and a sisterhood and that they cared about me.

What were you thinking was going to happen when everything came to a halt just before the elimination?

After the lip sync, I was like, 'Oh gosh, are they both going home? Or are they both staying? They said my name, and I was mortified and terrified. I was like, 'They're about to tell me I have to lip sync,' or 'Eureka, you're Farrah (Moan)'s best friend on the show so we're tagging you in to try to save her.' Or something like that. You never know. When I got the news, I was in such a state of shock. I completely blacked out. I don't remember a thing.

WORST LIP SYNC EVER: Charlie Hides talks cracked ribs and that disastrous display

How do you feel now about how everything unfolded?

It's changed completely. Once I went home, I felt defeated. I felt like my body gave out on me or that I had done something wrong. What could I have done better? Could I have taken better care of myself? I was out of work for four to five months. Through my healing process, through the experience and now that I'm getting active again  I understand more now than ever it's a path that I'm meant to lead. It's actually to my benefit. I'm gonna be blessed with having an opportunity to come back for a second season. A lot of girls would pay to get that. I respectfully know I deserve it. Ru's luckily given me a second chance, and I'm not gonna disrespect that by feeling any type of negative about it.

You injured yourself during the cheerleading challenge. Could you immediately tell it was serious?

I landed wrong in my cartwheel, and as soon as I landed, I heard my knee pop. In the moment, your adrenaline is going so much you don't really think about it. I knew when I felt it something had happened. After the fact, my knee was kind of numb, it was hurting a lot. The pain continued to get progressively worse throughout the next few challenges and days. I was trying to play it off. I didn't realize it was that bad, honestly. A member of that staff noticed it had swollen up twice its size. They were like, 'You have to go to the doctor.'

What will you take into Season 10 that you learned during your current run?

I think the biggest thing is I won't second guess myself in any manner. I learned a lot about myself since the show, watching the show. One of the biggest things is I've decided to be authentically me. I feel I was memorable even before this happened. Obviously, this will make me a legend in the herstory of crazy situations. Moreso, I'm gonna take respect into it. I'm gonna have a deeper love and understanding of the situation. And somewhat of an upper hand. I'm gonna be prepared more than ever.

BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE: You have to see this Houston drag queen's transformation into Pennywise

Your prickly relationship with Trinity Taylor was highlighted for dramatic effect. What's it like now?

Honestly, our relationship just consisted of competition. We didn't have a personal relationship. We competed in a few pageants together. She had won several times. I didn't like her attitude because she had won. We'd always had tension because of competition. And we're both high-driven, pageant girls that always seem to get in each other's path and then happened to randomly also both show up on the show. And the crazy thing is the producers had no idea we knew each other. It was fate in some weird way. It made the magic of it all that much better because it was naturally happening. I would say now we have more understanding and respect for each other as entertainers because of having to go through this experience together. Do we do holidays together? Well hell no.

What was your Snatch Game plan this season?

I don't know if I wanna tell because I might do it Season 10. You'll have to wait and see.

Who did you find yourself becoming friends with on the show?

Me and Farrah Moan clicked immediately. I don't really know why. Sometimes people just click. Me and Nina Bo'Nina Brown clicked very quickly as well. I have a very motherly nature about me, and she needed a little love. She's one of the funniest, most creative people I've ever met.

BODY BEAUTIFUL: Kimora Blac talks sewing and Melania Trump

Is there something you want viewers to know that maybe didn't come across during your time on the show?

I'm a very loving and nurturing person, and I care a lot about what I do, and I care a lot about people. I'm a fighter. I'm all about self-discovery, self-expression, body positivity. And if nothing else, love yourself, do you, be confident and fight through any struggle.
More than 1,000 Lake Houston area residents were expected at the Humble Civic Arena on Friday night for all-you-can-eat crawfish as the Humble Police Association hosted its annual Crawfish Festival.

Proceeds of the event go to scholarships for Humble Independent School District graduates through the Lone Star College Foundation. To date, the police association has given more than $500,000 in perpetual endowments to the foundation, according to Humble Police Sgt. Danny Lee.

"It's not really important for us, it's important for our community," Lee said Friday night as hundreds lined up for platters full of spicy crawfish, potatoes and corn on the cob. "All of the scholarships that are awarded through this event goes to any Humble ISD graduate. We're one of the biggest single donors that they've had."

Lee expected 1,100 to 1,200 crawfish-loving donors throughout the night, and Cajun Country Cookers expected to serve up 5,000 pounds of mudbugs. They brought 7,000 pounds, but Lee didn't expect all of it would get eaten Friday night.

Overhead for the event, Lee said, is high and the crawfish dinners basically pay for themselves. The big moneymakers are the live and silent auctions.

This year, live auction items included a Colt gold-engraved Texas Ranger 1911 .45 handgun, a piece of wood removed from the White House in the 1950 renovation and a Ruger 10-22 engraved with a tiger that came with an all-inclusive hog hunt for four. It also featured autographed items from celebrities like Reba McEntire, Nolan Ryan and Willie Nelson.

"We all work here, as far as officers," Lee said. "We make our living out of here and this is something that we need to do to give back to the community."
Two candidates are running against incumbent Kristin Tassin, the Position 4 trustee on the Fort Bend Independent School District.

Tassin, an attorney and Missouri City resident, is running for her second, three-year term and is opposed by Rodrigo Carreon, 48, a Fresno electrician, and Shirley Rose Gilliam, 54, principal at Wheatley High School in Houston and a Missouri City resident.

Voters will go to the polls May 6 to elect trustees for Positions 1, 4 and 5. Early voting will start April 24. Visit www.fortbendisd.com/domain/147 for information.

What are the two biggest challenges facing the school district? How will you as trustee help the district to meet them?

Carreon: 1. Improve student education:

A. Hire good skilled, trained and certified teachers willing to educate FBISD students on First Amendment rights and teachers who are bilingual.

B. Need to hire future principals who speak Spanish and English.

C. Fix FBISD rezoning plan to level the playing field by using Texas 6 as the dividing zone line for east side.

2. Improve FBISD Budget:

A. Need to rezone to fill many schools that are low in student capacity like Marshall High School and Willowridge High School.

B. Oppose new high school in Riverstone community area until new rezoning plan is approved."

Gilliam: "I do not believe the challenges we face in FBISD are different from any other district in the state. Discipline management and success of minority students and equality in educations are our challenges. We all know the achievement gap is a nationwide issue. But, we in FBISD are very proud of being a 'majority minority' school district. What are we doing to reduce discipline referrals of minorities and special education students? Equality in education and preparing ALL students in the district for success is key. Everyone believes in equal opportunity, but unfortunately every child is not afforded the same life opportunities. We clearly have issues in our schools where low socioeconomics is a contributing factor to attendance, learning, and behavior.

"Being an educator of 28 years, and an employee of FBISD for 25 of those years, I bring in practical experience and knowledge of programs to bridge gaps and build relationships. I 'know' how it feels to work inside the school. I know what happens when we have those tough decisions to make and when support is needed from the school board."

Tassin: "1. Attracting and retaining high quality teachers and principals with prevailing teacher shortages and state funding deficits. FBISD is faced with implementing an estimated $60 million per year in unfunded mandates from state and federal governments; educating a diverse population of students including those challenged with disabilities, poverty, and language barriers; and recruiting and retaining high quality teachers and principals in a fiercely competitive environment. Regulation and classroom demands on teachers continue to increase but funding does not. Currently, the state pays only 35 percent of the cost of education in FBISD while local taxpayers pay 65 percent. Under these funding pressures, FBISD has found ways to recently increase teacher and principal pay. We must continue to find ways to attract high quality talent into our classrooms for the benefit of our children.

2. Providing opportunities for every student to reach their full potential. FBISD educates children with differing abilities, from diverse backgrounds and with varying future paths. Since I was elected to the board in 2014, FBISD has reorganized special education and provided better and more inclusive opportunities, implemented the innovative EDGE program in two struggling schools, invested in a broad literacy program that helps more struggling students learn to read and are in the process of building a new Career & Technical Education Center to offer students more post-secondary options. While the board has made big strides in serving all students, there is much more to do to ensure we provide opportunities for every student to be successful.

Since becoming board president last May, some of the ways the board has overcome these challenges include:

Providing pay raises for teachers and principals

Development of a fiscally responsible plan to cut FBISD property taxes in 2017 while also increasing FBISD funding from the State by $11 million

Launching the One Voice for Texas Public Education initiative and successfully lobbying the Texas Legislature on behalf of FBISD students and teachers

Launching the effort for FBISD to become a District of Innovation, which the board approved in March 2017

Overhaul of delivery of Special Education services and creation of an innovative plan for an inclusive preschool model

Development of a plan to adopt a Board Strategic Plan, "Roadmap for Success," by summer 2017

Successfully conducted joint planning meetings with the cities of Sugar Land and Missouri City

Leading FBISD advocacy efforts by writing Op Eds in local and state-wide publications and by personally testifying before the Texas House and Senate education committees

If re-elected, I will continue these efforts and as well as developing other innovative ways to support FBIS students and teachers."

Do you support a tax ratification election in the fall? Do you support a 2018 bond election?

Carreon: I will support a tax ratification for public's final vote of approval, if passed by public vote. But, I favor a new rezoning planning plan first, before next bond election is offered.

Gilliam: "Trustees provide leadership and governance of our educational system which directly effects children, parents, taxpayers and Fort Bend employees. I have been the parent, the taxpayer and the employee. I represent the board, and I will support the taxpayers of FBISD. My decision to support or not to support will be decided after town hall meetings and research on my part. We must actively seek and listen to the voice of our community and be accountable to all. Without my communicating to residents and parents, I cannot commit to a 'yes or no' answer. I will listen to taxpayers and cast my vote accordingly."

Tassin: "I support a reduction in the tax rate, which may or may not require a TRE. The tax rate that is currently being proposed by FBISD will actually result in a tax reduction for FBISD constituents.

"FBISD's current board and administration have been good stewards of taxpayers' money and have worked diligently to manage and pay down debt, resulting in a AA& rating from Standard & Poor's and Moody's. Because of this, the board will be able to reduce FBISD's Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate, which is the tax rate used to pay off bond debt, by 4 pennies. FBISD is also proposing an increase to the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax rate by 2 pennies, resulting in an overall decrease in the tax rate by 2 pennies.

The 4 penny decrease to the I&S tax rate and the 2 penny increase in the M&O tax rate will net taxpayers a 2 penny reduction in their tax rate while gaining about $18 million into FBISD's General Fund. Among other things, this will allow FBISD to offer salaries at a level that teachers and principals deserve and competitively recruit high-quality teachers and principals who most directly impact student achievement.

My desire is that our facilities in Fort Bend ISD keep pace with our population growth and provide quality learning environments for our children. We have worked hard to ensure good use of our 2014 bond funds by putting in place a bond oversight committee staffed by members from the community. We will make history by becoming the first school district in Texas to issue Green Bonds to finance the environmentally-sustainable construction of our three newest elementary schools which will be LEED certified. With the 2014 Bond Program currently underway and since no bond proposal for 2018 has yet been presented, I believe it is premature to answer the question of what I will support next year. I will reserve judgment until the 2014 bond projects are complete, a review of the financial and educational impact of those projects is conducted, and all demographic and other data is presented for review and analysis by the board."

What one quality would you bring to the board that would help make you a good trustee to represent the residents?

Carreon: "Experience working with engineers, contractors and attorneys as part of my service on Fort Bend Freshwater Supply District No. 1. In 2007 I served on the bond committee for Fort Bend ISD."

Gilliam: "I bring to the BOT an educator's viewpoint with a doctorate degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University. For 25 years, I serviced Fort Bend Independent School District as a teacher and administrator. My experience includes Elkins and Willowridge on the east side and Kempner and Bush on the west side of Fort Bend County. I am a practitioner who understands how policy matters and how it allows educators to do what is best for students. I am eager to team with the present board in order to provide an educator viewpoint on work to be done to meet the established goals of FBISD. I believe we all plant seeds in order to help a community grow."

What one lesson have you learned as trustee in the last three years that will make you a better trustee in the next three years?

Tassin: "As a trustee, I am entrusted with the educational well-being of all students within FBISD. I have learned how to govern effectively in order to support achievement for all students, how to work effectively with a team of people with diverse viewpoints and personalities, and how to advocate effectively for what is best for the students and teachers in FBISD. These lessons not only make me a better trustee but also make me the best person to serve our students over the next three years."

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Carreon: Citizens and students are lacking in education to understand their First Amendment rights. I strongly support our First Amendment rights for students K-12 to learn and to be engaged in annual FBISD elections. So, for the first time FBISD needs to start offering teachers (government class) for training and certification to register students to vote. It only takes less then one hour for a teacher to be trained and certified by Fort Bend Election Department staff members. It is not enough for only high school principals to be trained and certified to register voters (students). It will be better for many teachers and/or just all government classroom teachers to be trained and certified to register voters (students) that can help improve and elect future good FBISD leadership by increasing voter turnouts to reach above 50 percent in future local city and FBISD elections.

Gilliam: "Believe in the Possibilities! Yes, every child can learn, but what are we doing to facilitate that learning? I believe in high expectations for all children. As a board member, I feel it is a moral duty to minimize distractions for personnel and focus on success. In addition, work to provide necessary support to all campuses so decisions can be made that will impact learning and ultimately improve instruction."

Tassin: "The job of a trustee is daunting, yet critical to the lives of the students we serve and the future of Texas as whole. I ask the voters to allow me the privilege of continuing to serve the students and families in FBISD."
Three men face federal wire fraud and money laundering counts in Del Rio, after charging victims an advance fee to provide fraudulent financing services and profiting by more than $5 million from their scheme, according to federal law enforcement authorities.

The two-count federal grand jury indictment, unsealed Friday afternoon, charges 56-year-old James Edward Cox of North Carolina, 49-year-old Kelly Ray Coronado of Del Rio; and, 53-year-old Gordon Richard Moskowitz of Florida. The indictment alleges the defendants created a high-investment scheme to obtain money from multiple victims under false pretenses.

From January 2010 to the beginning of this year, the defendants preyed on victims, the majority of whom operated international non-profits, by promising them large-scale financing in exchange for upfront payments, according to the indictment. It was announced by the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas Richard

Durbin, Jr. and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs in San Antonio.

The defendants represented themselves as sophisticated brokers of financial instruments and other high-yield securities according to the indictment They would tell victims they could have access to large swaths of international capital on a short-term basis or to high-level trading programs, if they paid the defendants an advance fee.

Fake businesses, advertisements and websites allegedy were created by the defendants to promote their scheme. They also established escrow and offshore bank accounts and additionally used aliases, burner phones and Internet Protocol proxies, according to the indictment.

Once a victim agreed to conduct business with the defendants, they would be asked to sign financing and escrow agreements. They would then take the victim's advance fee, but never provide any of the services offered, according to the authorities.

Cox and Moskowitz were arrested Friday by FBI special agents. Coronado was arrested Monday in Del Rio,.

All three defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also seeks criminal forfeiture of Cox and Coronado's residences, which were allegedly used to facilitate the crime.
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William Lewis Reece is accused of being a serial killer who has slain at least three women in two states.

And now, the Houston man is facing charges of killing a teenager in Oklahoma two decades ago. Texas Rangers say 57-year-old Reece confessed to strangling Tiffany Johnston, a 19-year-old newlywed, at a car wash in Bethany, Okla., in 1997.

Texas Ranger James Holland testified at a hearing on Friday that Reece told detectives about pulling into car wash after his oil filter came loose and was spraying oil on his horse trailer. While washing his trailer, Reece got Johnston wet, starting an argument, Holland testified.

REMEMBERING: Family, friends recall Laura Smither on anniversary of her death

Reece said he hit Johnston, grabbed her and threw her in his trailer, then sexually assaulted her, Holland testified. Afterward, Johnston hit Reece in the head with a horseshoe, Holland said, and then Reece choked her "until she was dead" with a rope in the trailer.

Reece is charged with first-degree murder in the case.

The case is just the latest to be brought against Reece, who authorities have tied to attacks on at least seven women, including four who ended up dead.

Reece has also been indicted in the disappearances and deaths of 17-year-old Jessica Cain, who went missing in 1997, and in the April 1997 death of Laura Kate Smither, 12, of Friendswood.

CLOSURE: Slain girl's father wants to meet with serial killer charged in daughter's death

Investigators also believe he is responsible for the death of Kelli Ann Cox, a 20-year-old student at the University of North Texas. Cox disappeared from Denton on July 15, 1997. Her remains, along with those of Cain, were found in Brazoria County last year.

Reece is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence for a separate kidnapping in 1997. His first parole eligibility date in Texas is Oct. 16, 2027, when Reece would be 68.

Scroll through the gallery above to see a rundown of the William Lewis Reece case and which serial killers are known to have a connection to Texas
Officers with the Violent Gang Task Force seized drugs, guns and $7,000 in cash Thursday while executing a search warrant at an East Side home where alleged gang members resided, police said.

Street Crimes Unit detectives assigned to the task force developed information that "documented" gang members in possession of crack cocaine were at a home in the 800 block of F Street, according to a statement from the San Antonio Police Department.
The first-ever March for Science is taking place in hundreds of cities across the country, rallying against what many see as an emerging disregard for the study of the natural world and the answers it provides.

The marches are taking place on Earth Day, no coincidence given the fact that President Donald Trump has taken a radically different stance on climate change than his predecessor.
Ivanka Trump has some friends in China, it would seem.

On the Chinese social media site Weibo, thousands of followers engage in flattery and praise of the first daughter, whom they often refer to as a "goddess."
As scientists take to the streets on Earth Day in a "global show of support for science," two scientists are calling the Trump administration's proposed border wall potentially "catastrophic" for endangered species.

Bob Dreher, the senior vice president of the Defenders of Wildlife's conservation programs told NBC News that a border wall "would cause incalculable damage to the integrity of wildlife populations on either side of the border."
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.
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Mumbai, April 21: Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, who has joined a social campaign to create awareness among the masses to save water on the eve of World Earth Day, says that from taking a shower to washing clothes, people can save water for the future.



The campaign titled Mission Blue' is by National Geographic in association with NGO Water Aid Foundation.



Being the face of the initiative, Farhan told IANS here on Friday: "We aim to create general awareness and empower people about water conservation. Though it sounds like a mission, little actions in our daily life can save a substantial amount of water for the future."



"For instance, instead of washing your car four days a week, how about doing it twice (a week)? Instead of washing clothes every day, we can do it every alternate day. These are the small things, but end of the week you will realise how much water you have saved."



"They have a website called missionblue.in where we have shown how many litres of water that we use while taking shower, brushing teeth and other basic things in daily life and that how much we can contribute to conserve water. It is very simple yet useful."



The actor was present here for the launch of the campaign on Friday.



Speaking on the campaign, Swati Mohan, Business Head India, National Geographic and FOX Networks Group, said: "Today, the water crisis around the world calls for much attention. In India alone, 76 million people lack access to safe water - a problem that is only going to get worse if no immediate action is taken. We are hopeful that this initiative will help enlighten people on what can be achieved by collective action."



Apart from Farhan's association, the campaign has taken a creative way to reach out to a wider audience by showing short films.



Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Hansal Mehta, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Madhur Bhandarkar made short films on water conservation that will be shown on National Geographic channel.
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Pedestrian hit, Pinetree Road -- A Mayfield Heights man, 67, escaped serious injury on April 13 after being pinned against a car while loading groceries into a trunk at Heinen's.

The driver, an Orange Village woman, 87, said she was not used to her 2017 Buick yet, resulting in "gas-brake pedal confusion."

The victim was treated at the scene for non-incapacitating injuries.

Car crash, South Woodland Road: A Moreland Hills man, 91, was taken to Hillcrest Hospital with possible injuries when his disabled car was rear-ended late on April 8.

The victim said his hazard lights were flashing on his 2011 Buick Lacrosse, which had a flat tire and an AAA truck en route at 11:49 p.m. to the 33000 block of South Woodland Road.

His car was hit by a Russell man, 66, driving a 2011 Toyota Sienna, who said he did not see the car ahead of him in time and hit it, sending the Buick off the roadway and into a mailbox.

Both cars had to be towed from the scene and the Russell man was cited for failing to maintain assured clear distance.

Drunk driving, seatbelt violation; Cedar Road: A Richmond Heights woman, 21, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving about 3:30 a.m. on April 9 after a caller reported an erratic driver on I-271 northbound, who then exited and started driving on the wrong side of Cedar Road.

Police caught up to the car between Lander Road and Gates Mills Boulevard and arrested the driver.

Driving under suspension, warrant served, auto towed; Lander Road and Hickory Nut Trail: A random vehicle registration check on a car approaching Lander Circle shortly after 6 p.m. on April 12 showed the owner had an active warrant as well as a suspended license. The Cleveland man, 34, was cited and taken to the police station to post bond on his warrant with the Morrow County Sheriff's Department.

Warrant served, Cedar and Brainard roads: An April 11 registration check on a car revealed that the driver had an outstanding warrant with the Geauga County Sheriff's Office. The Chardon woman, 39, was turned over to a deputy at the Metroparks Polo Fields in Moreland Hills.

Fraud, illegal use of credit cards, Concord Road: A resident reported April 10 that someone had fraudulently used one of his bank debit cards to buy Lenovo 17.3 Intel laptop. An investigation is pending.

Hit-skip, Pinetree Road: A Pepper Pike woman reported she was sitting in her parked 2009 Toyota Highlander in the lot at Heinen's grocery store around 7:30 p.m. on April 15 reported that a 2016 Lexus RX3 backed into her, then left the scene.

She took down the license plate and the suspect, a Mayfield Heights woman, 70, told police she thought she had hit the curb.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our

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With his tall, thin frame and tousled mop of dark brown hair, Boyan Slat looks more like a guitarist in an indie rock band than the founder and CEO of a foundation determined to clean up the world's oceans. Yet that mission was precisely what Slat, 22, wanted to talk about during a recent Skype interview from his nonprofit's headquarters in the Netherlands. The entity he started when he was just 17 is called The Ocean Cleanup. As the name implies, it is an audaciously bold attempt to fix a rather overwhelming problem: ridding the world's oceans of the trillions of pieces of plastic and other debris that now threaten the health of sea life and, if left unchecked, eventually humans as well. For Slat, the scope of his undertaking makes perfect sense. "Big problems require big solutions," says the college dropout who once studied aerospace engineering. "There is this notion that is quite popular in the environmental scene that every little bit helps, or 'Think global, act local.' I disagree with that. I think you have to start with how big the solution needs to be to solve the problem and then reason backward from there."

A Different Approach

The idea that acres of plastic and other garbage now litter our vast oceans isn't a new discovery, of course. Slat's idea of how to tackle the problem is. Rather than trying to round up discarded plastic using boats and nets  a solution that oceanic experts say could cost billions of dollars and take thousands of years  Slat's solution has the plastic coming to him. The Ocean Cleanup's technology uses long floating rubber barriers with nets below the surface that act as a sort of artificial coastline, passively catching and concentrating debris using the power of the ocean's natural currents. Once corralled into one location, boats can then transport the plastic from the ocean and it can eventually be sold as recycled material to, say, auto, furniture and consumer electronics manufacturers. If all this sounds complicated, it is  and Slat is the first to acknowledge it. "When I started, I thought I would likely fail, and I still might, but considering the scale of the problem, it was important to at least try," he says. More from iCONIC:

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How three Michigan students turned a class project into $3 million The Ocean Cleanup got its official start in 2013, and the following year Slat raised $2.2 million through a crowdfunding campaign that attracted 38,000 donors in 160 countries. Over the past two years, he's raised another $10 million in cash donations from entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, including Salesforce.com's CEO Marc Benioff, and in Europe. A new round of funding is now under way to raise the money needed to cover future testing. Though Slat says he's received money from the Dutch government, that's not the kind of funding he prefers. "Our testing cycles are faster than any government subsidy cycle, so it's not something we want to be reliant on," he adds. The testing of Slat's technology began in earnest last summer and will continue in various phases over the next several years. Last June The Ocean Cleanup reached an important milestone when it tested a 100-meter-long segment of the barrier for four months in the North Sea, about 14 miles off the coast of the Netherlands. Slat says the purpose was to see how the barrier fared in open ocean water as well as its durability during strong storms and turbulent waves. "We released a bit of plastic in front of the barrier to see how it did, but the real purpose was to see how the system did in the ocean," Slat explains. Later this year the next iteration of Slat's system will launch in the North Pacific Ocean. This pilot program will, for the first time, test how successful the barriers are in actually trapping the plastic. The barriers will be one- to two-kilometers in length (a little over a mile long) and will once again need to withstand the brutal conditions that can occur with extreme storms out on the ocean.

There is this notion ... in the environmental scene that every little bit helps, or 'Think global, act local.' I disagree with that. I think you have to start with how big the solution needs to be to solve the problem and then reason backward from there. Boyan Slat founder and CEO, The Ocean Cleanup

All of this is leading up to the ultimate test of Slat's concept in 2020. That's when a full-scale, 100-kilometer (about 62 miles) barrier will be deployed in what's known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This area is a collection of marine debris  including all that plastic  that's accumulated over many decades in the North Pacific Ocean that's located between the West Coast of North America and Japan. Internal estimates show that if the barriers are successful they can reduce the trash by more than 40 percent over 10 years. They can also be deployed elsewhere. There are five so-called garbage patches in the world, including those in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, but the Great Pacific is the largest, oceanographers say. Slat says the plan is to clean up the worst one first and then move on to the others. Slat says he's always been a bit of an inventor. As an only child, he spent a lot of time making things, including a chair when he was just two, and later his own zip line and tree house. When he was 12, he entered a contest where he launched 250 model rockets simultaneously because he says he "thought that was fun." At 16, he was on vacation diving in Greece and was shocked to see more plastic than fish in the water. "My first thought was why can't we clean this up," Slat says.

The Ocean Cleanup's technology uses long floating rubber barriers with nets below the surface that act as an artificial coastline, catching debris using the power of the ocean's natural currents. Source: The Ocean Cleanup
Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart David Orrell | CNBC

I mean, if Wal-Mart starts paying its cashiers $20 an hour, people are going to start shopping at places that don't have cashiers ... it's nice to raise people's wages, but you're going to put them out of work. John Tierney Contributing editor, City Journal

Wal-Mart's chief criticism is in the area of worker pay. In a study last year, the University of California-Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education estimated that an increase in pay to $15 per hour for Wal-Mart employees would mean an additional $4.95 billion in annual income for the company's nearly 1 million hourly employees. Additionally, a 2015 University of New Hampshire survey found that nearly three-quarters of those polled oppose a broad minimum wage mandate of $15 per hour. Echoing a frequent critique of the minimum wage policy, the survey found that five out of six economists believed it would have negative effects on youth employment levels. Supporters of a higher minimum wage, however, remain undeterred. "Wal-Mart's business model is pretty simple," said Amy Traub, an associate director of policy and research at equality advocacy group Demos, at a recent debate hosted by Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2) in New York. "The company pays its workers poverty wages. It offers few benefits, and it manipulates workers' hours and understaffs its stores," Traub said. "That low-wage business model serves one purpose: It's so the company can maximize profits that go to some of the wealthiest people on the planet." Other retailers have shown they can pay workers a living wage, offer good benefits and fair schedules, and still turn a profit, Traub added, citing Costco and grocer Trader Joe's as examples. She charged Wal-Mart with adding to the problem of stagnant working-class wages by wielding its "tremendous influence throughout the service sector." Author Nelson Lichtenstein, also a participant at the IQ2 debate, linked Wal-Mart's wage and business policies to the populist wave that's reshaped the political landscape. "I would say that part of the reason for the political turmoil we're in right now is that for many, many people in the white working class, the sense of predictability has fled from their lives, and Wal-Mart and other competitors who follow the 'Wal-Mart model' are responsible for that," Lichtenstein said. In order to ramp up its online presence and hold the line on costs, Wal-Mart recently said it would slash hundreds of jobs. In total, Wal-Mart has eliminated about 18,000 jobs since early last year, a company spokesman confirmed to CNBC.

Ashley Green, 31, talks to a Walmart personal shopper as she retrieves her online grocery pickup order at the chain's Franklin, Tenn., location. Sarah Halzack | The Washington Post | Getty Images

'Robot full-employment act' A few observers have questioned the impact of a higher minimum wage on job creation. In December, the White House Council of Economic Advisors compared employment data for all of the states that raised the minimum wage since the 2009 recession with those that didn't, and found "substantial wage increases with no discernible impact on employment levels or hours worked." Still, not everyone agrees a wage hike would a good idea for Wal-Mart, or serve as a cure-all for the battered retail sector's woes. "No one comes close to Wal-Mart in combating poverty," John Tierney, a contributing editor at Manhattan Institute's City Journal, said at the IQ2 debate, arguing the company is already doing its fair share and more. Richard Vedder, an economist and author of "The Wal-Mart Revolution," said at IQ2, "Wal-Mart lifted many Americans out of poverty by providing goods at lower prices; it has done so by paying billions of dollars, at least $6 billion every year, in federal income taxes, and more billions in sales and property taxes." Tierney and Vedder both argued that Wal-Mart actually doesn't make enough profit to raise its wages much higher without sacrificing its bargain prices. Given the rise of automation in retail, Tierney suggested that the demand for higher wages could hasten the demise of low-skilled jobs. "My reaction when I see these living-wage laws of $15 to $20 an hour, I think they should be renamed 'the robot full employment act,'" Tierney said. "I mean, if Wal-Mart starts paying its cashiers $20 an hour, people are going to start shopping at places that don't have cashiers ... it's nice to raise people's wages, but you're going to put them out of work."
"As many of you know, the SSDA's recalcitrant," Karp, using a Palantir codename for the CIA, said in the August 2015 meeting. "And we've walked away, or they walked away from us, at the NSA. Either way, I'm happy about that."

As of summer 2015, the Central Intelligence Agency, a signature client, was "recalcitrant" and didn't "like us," while Palantir's relationship with the National Security Agency had ended, Palantir CEO Alex Karp told staff in an internal video that was obtained by BuzzFeed News. The private remarks, made during a staff meeting, are at odds with a carefully crafted public image that has helped Palantir secure a $20 billion valuation and win business from a long list of corporations, nonprofits, and governments around the world.

Palantir Technologies , the Silicon Valley data company co-founded by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, has developed an almost mythical reputation for its work building tools for the U.S. intelligence community. But Palantir has had a far rockier relationship with the nation's top spy agencies than its image would let on, BuzzFeed News has learned.

The CIA, he said, "may not like us. Well, when the whole world is using Palantir they can still not like us. They'll have no choice." Suggesting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had also had friction with Palantir, he continued, "That's de facto how we got the FBI, and every other recalcitrant place."

Palantir's data-mining software has become ingrained at the CIA, according to people familiar with the company and the agency. But the relationship has also been marked by tension and even hostility, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said. One source of the tension, these people said, has been Palantir's failure to quash persistent publicity about its CIA business and about its supposed role in helping to track down Osama bin Laden.

More from BuzzFeed News:

Video shows Palantir CEO ridiculing Trump and slamming his immigration rhetoric

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Palantir was never so critical to the NSA, despite media reports over the years linking the two. Palantir performed some pilot work for the NSA, but this did not turn into a full-fledged contract, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. The NSA has plenty of its own computer talent, and Palantir's particular expertise fit awkwardly with the agency's mission of intercepting communications and electronic signals, the people said.

A Palantir spokesperson said the company couldn't comment on its relationships with intelligence agencies. Spokespeople for the CIA and the NSA declined to comment.

Palantir, founded in 2004, has authentic ties to the intelligence community. It got an early $2 million investment from the CIA's venture capital arm, called In-Q-Tel, which helped the young startup develop data-crunching software that was well suited to the CIA's brand of spycraft. Later, Palantir won significant business from the FBI and the Defense Intelligence Agency, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, the military's Special Operations Command, and other federal agencies, according to company documents. (Don't ask what "SSDA" stands for; even many Palantir insiders have forgotten the origin of the company's nickname for the CIA.)

Palantir has expanded into corporate work  Karp said in the video that it had a total of 400 "deployments," or jobs around the world  but it still relies on the federal government for a significant portion of its revenue. And it now has a significant connection to the White House. Thiel, its co-founder and chairman, prominently supported President Donald Trump's campaign and became an adviser to the President after the election. Karp, however, supported Hillary Clinton for president and said in the 2015 staff meeting that "it would be hard to make up someone I find less appealing" than Trump.

In a June 2016 lawsuit that it filed against the Army in an effort to be considered for a lucrative contract, Palantir said its government clients had "overwhelmingly praised" its software.

But in the August 2015 meeting, Karp described the relationship with the federal government as colder, while discussing Palantir's business more broadly. "I think France may be the country where they just like us  as opposed to the U.S. government, where they tolerate us because nothing else works," he said.

Palantir's relationship with the NSA, for one, has been limited, though it seems to loom large in the public imagination. A February report in The Intercept said Palantir had worked in the past to "facilitate, augment, and accelerate" an NSA tool called XKeyscore. In early 2015, TechCrunch reported that potential investors were circulating a document from two years earlier that listed the NSA as using Palantir software. TechCrunch didn't say whether that information originated from Palantir or from an outside broker  or whether it was still true.

The Palantir software, built with the CIA in mind, works better for managing HUMINT, or intelligence from human sources, than SIGINT, or intelligence from signals, which is the NSA's bread and butter, people familiar with it say. Even Palantir insiders say it's not surprising that the NSA relationship never took off.

The report that Palantir had a role in the bin Laden mission, though unconfirmed, has been repeated in numerous articles, sometimes as a "rumor," and always in nonspecific terms. The truth of the matter is a government secret and could not be determined.
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Since his Wall Street days, Jim Cramer has used one foolproof strategy to reward his portfolio after major earnings announcements. "On Monday, we hear from Kimberly-Clark and I've had the same view about this stock since my days at Goldman Sachs in the '80s. You buy Kimberly-Clark when it gets hit. This is a strategy that's never failed me, and I bet this time will be no different," the "Mad Money" host said. With the first round of the French election occurring on Sunday  and the biggest week of earnings approaching  Jim Cramer smells panic in the air. He recommended focusing on individual company reports that can help shed light on the true state of the global economy.

Getty Images

With that in mind, here are the stocks and events on Cramer's radar next week: Hasbro will report earnings alongside Kimberly-Clark on Monday, and Cramer said rival toymaker Mattel's weak Thursday earnings report should not drag Hasbro down. "Hasbro's developed a very different model from Mattel's. It's more experiential, and it does a huge amount of business selling Disney toys, and given that we've got a new 'Star Wars' movie later this year [and] maybe a couple of 'Star Wars' movies down the line, I bet it's a winner, not a loser like Mattel," Cramer said. Tuesday brings an onslaught of over 30 major earnings reports including Chipotle's , and the fast-casual chain is approaching the 18-month mark at which health-risk concerns begin to taper out. That is good news for the company moving forward, Cramer said. "However, the stock's already had a big run. I don't want you to chase. There are so many people who expect it to be a great quarter that we need to be sensitive to the idea that the improving news may actually cause a short term sell-off before the stock advances again," the "Mad Money" host advised. The earnings wave continues on Wednesday, with United Technologies , PepsiCo , and Twitter reporting, among others. Cramer knows there is a hidden market out there for Twitter, particularly among those with accounts, so he is curious to see what kind of reaction a weak quarter might get. "I say it's too risky, at least until we see those [earnings] numbers. Then we make a decision," he said. Southwest Airlines will report earnings before Thursday's bell, and Cramer says that having no overseas routes will be a boon to the stock. "Call me a buyer both before and after what I think is going to be a terrific report," Cramer said, adding that he owns the name for his charitable trust, ActionAlertsPlus.com. And with oil prices expected to head back to $47 from Friday's $49.50, Cramer says both Exxon Mobil and Chevron will be buys if they announce any good news on their earnings calls next Friday. "Hope for panic next week and take action when you get it with some of these great opportunities," Cramer said.

Bill Hinton | Getty Images

As cyberattacks grow in power and number, Proofpoint CEO Gary Steele sees them moving from targeting organizations to hacking individuals through email and social media. "We're all about protecting individuals and we've seen the threat landscape really move in that direction, where bad actors are targeting people, not infrastructure, these days," Steele told Cramer on Friday. "As a result of that, companies need to buy protection that Proofpoint provides," the CEO said. While cyberattackers are often very skilled at mimicking a company's email style in order to trick unassuming workers, Steele said Proofpoint serves as a formidable defense. "We employ a big team of threat researchers and data scientists, and through the innovation that we provide, we are very good at detecting these kinds of things," Steele told Cramer. Cramer also turned to a favorite technology play, Broadcom , to look ahead at any possibly takeover candidates for the smart and voracious acquirer. The "Mad Money" host came up with two ideas. First was Xilinx , a maker of programmable chips that shares its slice of the semiconductor space with Intel . "Why would Broadcom think to buy this one? First of all, it would give them more exposure to some very attractive end markets like communications, data centers, connected car, [and] aerospace, among others," Cramer said. Cramer also acknowledged the buzz around Broadcom possibly buying struggling Japanese electronics giant Toshiba , but said this cheaper buy is a riskier bet. "Given all of the consolidation in the semi space in recent years, there aren't that many attractive takeover candidates left, which is all the more reason for Broadcom to do the straightforward thing and buy Xilinx before someone else snaps it up instead. It wouldn't be cheap, but it would be worth it and no one could integrate this company or get more out of it than Broadcom can," he said.

George Soros Getty Images
every two to three years to maximize savings.

Not paying your bills on time can affect your auto insurance premiums more than having two DUIs. A recent Consumer Reports analysis found that a two-car couple with poor credit would pay an extra $2,090 per year in premiums on average compared with a similar couple with excellent credit. That is more than the extra $1,750 annually a two-car couple would pay if they had two violations for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (California and Massachusetts prohibit auto insurers from using credit scores when setting rates.)

Image Source | Getty Images

"Besides improving your credit score, it pays to shop around because the underwriting rules for every insurer are different," said Tobie Stanger, a senior editor at Consumer Reports. Even if you like your insurer, you can save money by checking rates every two to three years. "The more quotes you get, the better," Stanger said.

Car insurance is not a sexy topic and people don't like to spend a lot of time on it. But if you do your research, you can save a lot of money. Neil Richardson lead consumer advisor at The Zebra

Premiums are based on three basic questions, said Neil Richardson, lead consumer advisor at auto insurance comparison website The Zebra: Who are you? Where do you live? What do you drive? Some of those factors you can change, others not so much. For example, that two-car couple in Consumer Reports' analysis lowered their annual premiums by an average of $535 by getting married. Owning a home helps, too, lowering rates for the average two-car couple by $110 each year. "Car insurance is not a sexy topic and people don't like to spend a lot of time on it , " Richardson said. "But if you do your research, you can save a lot of money."

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence looks toward the north from an observation post inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, April 17, 2017.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honor a controversial refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as "dumb."

Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honoring it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement."

"We will honor this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," Pence said at Turnbull's harborside official residence in Sydney. Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centers seeking resettlement in the United States.

The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island where

violence between residents and inmates has flared.

Australia's relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement.

Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that had already taken him to South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula.

Pence also said an aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson, heading for waters off the Korean peninsula would be in the Sea of Japan within days.

He said Washington believed that a nuclear-free Korean peninsula could be achieved peacefully because of the Trump administration's new engagement with China.

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South Korea's Samsung Bioepis has won a U.S. FDA nod for a biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson 's Remicade, marking a first for the company in the U.S. and setting up a path to competition with the world's largest drug company and a similar product made by Pfizer .

Samsung Bioepis, a partnership with Biogen , won U.S. approval for Renflexis, which is a version of infliximab referred to as a biosimilar because it is not an exact chemical copy like a generic drug.

The biosimilar therapy is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms in patients with adult and pediatric Crohn's disease, adult ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, and for the treatment of adult plaque psoriasis.

"Through relentless process innovation and an uncompromising commitment to quality, we remain committed to advancing one of the industry's strongest biosimilar pipelines," Samsung Bioepis spoksman Mingi Hyun said in an email.

The FDA nod sets up a complex game of marketing with Merck handling sales of Remicade in Europe, while Samsung has a version called Flixabi approved by the European Medicines Agency last year that is marketed by Biogen in Europe.

But Merck will handle marketing for Renflexis in the U.S. and compete against another biosimilar of Remicade from Pfizer called Inflectra.

The musical chairs on marketing and sales underscore a growing effort to bring more biosimilars to the market in the U.S. akin to generics to bring down prices. That is an aim set forth in the Affordable Health Care Act known as Obamacare, which is the subject of repeal and replace legislation proposed by the Republican-led U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump.

In another aspect on biosimilars, the U.S. Supreme Court could decide by this summer on whether to keep a 180-day waiting period in place before makers of biologic drugs can launch sales after approvals.

The case pits Alcon , the generics arm of Swiss-based Novartis , against U.S.-based Amgen which makes autoimmune drug Neupogen to treat cancer.

--Reuters contributed to this article.
For a prominent brand with a long history, public relations crises are all but inevitable. That said, not all PR flaps are created equal  something to which United Airlines and Pepsi can surely attest after a rough week in the news.

Earlier this month, Pepsi created a stir with a spot featuring Kendall Jenner that many observers felt trivialized protest movements everywhere, which prompted the company to pull the ad. The crisis was overshadowed just days later, when a passenger on a United flight was forcibly removed from his seat for refusing to give it up to accommodate a few of United's employees.

With both scandals still fresh in the public's collective memory  and the source of an endless font of Internet ridicule  CNBC spoke with several crisis communicators to see what United and Pepsi could do to smooth the ruffled feathers of outraged consumers. The advice may also prove instructive to American Airlines, which on Friday found itself caught in the middle of a controversy stemming from an on-board altercation caught on video.

'Don't make it worse'



Beck Bamberger, founder of Bam Communications, said that Pepsi actually did a few things right in responding to the backlash, but could have done better.



"Pepsi did issue an immediate apology and yanked the ad, but a better crisis protocol is to detail what action you  the brand, CEO, whomever  will do moving forward, and then execute immediately on the action promised," she told CNBC.



Todd Mitchem, organizational change expert and author of the book "You, Disrupted," said that Pepsi's best bet was to put the whole affair in the rearview mirror.

"There's no need to make this worse by attempting damage control," he said, adding that the beverage giant should steer clear of political content.

Alex Slater, managing director of the Clyde Group public affairs firm, suggested Pepsi should "lay low and wait it out. People will move on to yelling about something else as soon as you stop feeding the fire and let them."
Ginette Petitpas Taylor, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance, and Stephen S. Poloz, governor of the Bank of Canada, on April 7 unveiled the commemorative bank note celebrating Canadas 150th anniversary of Confederation at the Bank of Canadas head office in Ottawa.

The fourth commemorative bank note in Canadas history, a polymer $10 note celebrating the 150th anniversary of Confederation, was revealed in a ceremony at the Bank of Canada in Ottawa on April 7.

The note is designed to showcase Canadas history, land and culture. Bank Governor Stephen Poloz added: This bank note is intended to captivate our imagination and instill pride in what we, as a nation, have accomplished. It celebrates the natural beauty and majesty of our land and some of the important parliamentarians who helped shape our great country.

The Bank of Canada called attention to the notes intricate design and unique qualities. For the first time, four people are depicted on the face of a Canadian note: Sir John A. Macdonald, Sir George-Etienne Cartier, Agnes Macphail, and James Gladstone (or Akay-na-muka  his Blackfoot name). Their busts are shown in front of Parliaments Hall of Honour, to symbolize that Canada has been shaped by the vision, courage and effort of people of different backgrounds.

Raised lines spark collector interest: Inside Coin World: Raised lines and die gouges can create curious effects on coins. This week's Inside Coin World has plenty on the topic.

The $10 note enters circulation June 1 carrying the first appearance each of a Canadian woman and an indigenous Canadian as Bank of Canada note portrait subjects. The design also incorporates Inuit and Metis cultural elements: in the window is a reproduction of the artwork Owls Bouquet by Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak; and the borders have an arrow sash pattern that is an important symbol of the Metis nation.

The back shows five different landscapes from various regions, meant to illustrate Canadas natural beauty and unique scenery: the Lions/Twin Sisters of Western Canada, a wheat field of the Prairie provinces, the Canadian Shield representing central Canada, Cape Bonavista in eastern Canada, and the Northern Lights in northern Canada.

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The note also has new security features, including a color-shifting representation of an arch found in the Memorial Chamber on Parliament Hill and three-dimensional maple leaves.

Forty million Canada 150 $10 notes will be issued; the notes should be widely available nationwide within a month of their release. They will circulate alongside the current polymer $10 note but do not replace it. The two notes can be used interchangeably in transactions.

A new regular-issue $10 note will be issued in late 2018 featuring the human rights icon Viola Desmond. Her portrait will be the first portrayal of a Canadian woman on a regularly circulating Bank of Canada note.

Canadas first commemorative note was issued in 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V; the second, issued in 1967, marked the centennial of Confederation; and the third, in 2015, commemorated Queen Elizabeth II becoming the longest-reigning sovereign in Canadas modern era.

Images and extensive information on the many security elements of the Canada 150 notes can be obtained by following the links on the Bank of Canada 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.
Channel programs News

Ingram Micro EVP: Consumption, Flows And Security Will Drive Business Buying Behavior

Michael Novinson

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Ingram Micro's Nimesh Dave said clients would soon move away from owning assets in favor of on-demand services while doubling down on data security.

The Irvine, Calif.-based distributor said widespread participation in cloud underpins the move toward a consumption-based economy and flows of information and commerce. The embrace of cloud computing  a $216 billion industry expected to grow by $140 billion this year  has created more applications for software and platforms, according to Dave, Ingram Micro's executive vice president of global cloud.

"Cloud will create infinite possibilities," Dave said Friday during Ingram Micro Cloud Summit 2017. "It will solve things we've never been able to solve before at a pace that is unprecedented."

[RELATED: Ingram Micro Cloud Execs: Large Infrastructure-as-a-Service Deals Have Finally Arrived in the Channel]

Businesses and consumers now operate in a mindset where they opt to fractionally use and reshare rather than buying outright, Dave told more than 1,300 Cloud Summit attendees at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix.

An example, Dave pointed to generational differences around automobile ownership, with millennials preferring to use cars as needed for a service rather than having to be responsible for insurance payments and upkeep. The mainstreaming of autonomous cars will make it even easier for people to use cars without owning them, Dave said.

"We will see within the next five years unprecedented amounts of capital and money freed up to be used in other places," Dave said. "Sharing will mean everything."

Clients of MicroAge tend to be most interested in consumption-based models around Infrastructure-as-a-Service as well as backup and disaster recovery, according to Wyatt Bowman, director of technical sales and professional services for the Tempe, Ariz.-based Ingram Micro partner, No. 161 on the CRN Solution Provider 500.

Customers enjoy having access to storage on-demand, Bowman said, and often seek to protect their data by having it housed in multiple locations.

Solution providers also tend to think of their engagements with customers as buy-and-sell transactions, Dave said. But Dave said the future of the market would be around flows of information and commerce.

Blue Apron is an example of a flow-based service, Dave said, with meals arriving each week at the front door of subscribers with all the ingredients they need and absolutely no waste. Flows tend to be stickier than transactions, Dave said, meaning they can be bent but are rarely stopped outright unless the channel partner does something extremely intrusive.

"In these flows, you keep what you want, and discard the things you don't need," Dave said. "Things are changing rapidly."

Flow-based professional and managed services have become increasingly popular around cloud, Bowman said, particularly as it relates to management and monitoring.

The embrace of consumption and flows means that bad actors will forgo stealing physical goods and will target personal or corporate data, Dave said. Cybersecurity is expected to be a $1 trillion market and will be driven by ransomware, Dave said, meaning the hacker will take data ransom, encrypt it and refuse to return it until the victim pays up.

"If you're not using cloud backups to back up your clouds, make sure you use them," Dave said. "You still need to back your data up somewhere else. Otherwise, you can't leave."

Another emerging threat is cyber warfare, which Dave said are pre-planned, pre-programmed attacks to go after government entities such as what the Democrats might have been subject to during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Security has risen to the top of the food chain in terms of what C-suite executives expect from a solution provider, Bowman said. MicroAge's clients tend to be particularly interested in protecting their data and security around their servers, Bowman said.

"Cloud technology, with ubiquitous access to everything we need, will change things permanently," Dave said. "It is doing something significant to the way we work and the way we behave."
Contributed photo / Hearst Connecticut Media

ANSONIA  The Rev. James M. Sullivan, pastor of the Church of the Assumption, has been appointed as the priest chaplain of the Connecticut Catholic Mens Conference, it was announced this week.

The 10th annual Catholic Mens Conference will take place on Saturday, Oct. 21, at Saint Paul Catholic High School in Bristol.
Connecticut is emerging as a shiny prize on the 2018 midterm election map.

A top national handicapper put the governors race into the toss-up category last week, with incumbent Democrat Dannel P. Malloy not seeking a third term.

Connecticuts is one of 10 gubernatorial contests that the University of Virginias Larry Sabato pegged as the most competitive in the country on his Crystal Ball website, on which the veteran prognosticator collaborates with colleague Kyle Kondik.

Its not clear to us that there are frontrunners on either side, Kondik told Hearst Connecticut Media on Thursday, It seems like almost potentially a cast of thousands on both sides.

Next years gubernatorial contest presents Republicans with perhaps their best chance to snap a Connecticut drought in statewide and congressional races that dates back to 2006.

Progress has been measured incrementally for the GOP during Malloys administration, with the party picking up seats in both chambers of the Legislature over the last six years. There is a tie in the state Senate for the first time since 1893, with each party controlling 18 seats. But Democrats hold the tie-breaker by virtue of the lieutenant governor being Senate president.

The first Democrat elected to lead the state since 1986, Malloy was recently rated as the most unpopular governor in his party in the nation by the nonpartisan polling service Morning Consult, with a 26 percent approval rating. Hes been maligned over budget deficits and a sluggish economic recovery. His decision to forgo a re-election grind, Kondik said, doesnt change the outlook on the race.

If the race is sort of contested on state level ground, then Democrats find themselves having to defend an unpopular incumbent, Kondik said.

In addition to a nearly 2-1 voter registration advantage for Democrats, history appears to be on their side. In each of the last three midterm elections, the party out of power in the White House has made gains.

I just think a lot of things have to fall into place for a Republican to win, and Im not sure having Donald Trump in the White House is going to be part of that equation, said Nathan Gonzales, editor of Inside Elections, a nonpartisan campaign analysis website in Washington, D.C.

Gonzales still had the race classified as leaning Democratic in his latest ratings on Friday.

More than a dozen people have expressed varying degrees of interest in being governor. There are mayors: Danbury Republican Mark Boughton, Middletown Democrat Dan Drew and Shelton Republican Mark Lauretti. Theres the state comptroller, Democrat Kevin Lembo, and the former U.S. comptroller general, Republican Dave Walker.

On the GOP side, theres Trumbulls first selectman, Tim Herbst, and Fairfield immigration lawyer Peter Lumaj, both whom ran for statewide office in 2014. The male-dominated field could get shaken up by House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, who is the first woman to leader of her caucus and is weighing a run.

And theres a Kennedy, second-term state Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Branford, who is taking a hard look at the race.

For the time being, I am going to leave it in lean Democrat,  said Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington, D.C. I want the field to sort itself out and then reassess.

Republicans can hang their hats on two key factors, however. Before Malloy, the previous four gubernatorial contests went to the GOP, with John G. Rowland and M. Jodi Rell. And even though Connecticut is sapphire blue, Republicans have defied the political odds in two other reliably Democratic Northeast states.

Someone like Charlie Baker in Massachusetts and Larry Hogan in Maryland  those are sort of the model for Republican gubernatorial candidates in blue states, Kondik said. I think Republicans would do themselves a favor if they found someone who is more middle-of-the-road and not tied to Trump.

nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
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A Connecticut grower of medical marijuana paid $300,000 for a litany of production failures, from selling cannabis before it was registered with state officials to allowing unauthorized personnel into supposedly secure cultivation rooms.

The same company, Curaleaf LLC of Simsbury, entered into a separate settlement for $10,000 after admitting that pesticides or organic solvents were used during the manufacture of cannabis plants grown for Connecticut dispensaries.

Another grower, Advanced Grow Labs of West Haven, mislabeled its marijuana-infused cookies, prompting a major change in its bakery operation and a $6,000 payment to the state Department of Consumer Protection.

Caring Nature, LLC, a Waterbury dispensary, allegedly balked at cooperating with state regulators and did not keep adequate business records, then later agreed to pay $5,000 to the DCP.

Five years after Connecticut approved the use of marijuana for patients with chronic, debilitating diseases and ailments, the program is showing some growing pains. In the two-and-a-half years that Connecticut-grown product has been available for registered patients through dispensaries, half a dozen alleged violations have been reported, investigated and settled, according to documents released by the DCP under the state Freedom of Information Act.

By far the biggest settlements were with Curaleaf, which was founded by Robert Birnbaum, of Greenwich. In a six-page agreement dated last August, the company admitted it did not package its cannabis in child-resistant bottles, that it twice sold marijuana prior to registering brand names with the DCP, that it did not submit advertisements for approval with the agency and encouraged recreational use in ads, and that it failed to have recall plans.

Nine cases in all

More Information Medical cannabis a growing concern Total patients statewide17,686 Fairfield County3,6346 Hartford County4,333 New Haven County4,131 New London County1,902 Litchfield County1,096 Middlesex County1,088 Tolland County856 Windham County646 Medical cannabis eligibility Adult patients are eligible if they have been certified by participating physicians to have cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord damage with intractable spasticity, epilepsy, cachexia, wasting syndrome, Crohn's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, Sickle Cell disease, post laminectomy syndrome with chronic radiculopathy, severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, complex regional pain syndrome, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, irreversible spinal cord injury, terminal illness requiring end-of-life care, and uncontrolled intractable seizure disorder. Patients under 18 can use liquid forms of the drug to treat cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, irreversible spinal cord injury, severe epilepsy, terminal illness and uncontrolled intractable seizure disorder. See More Collapse

The most-serious transgression was Curaleafs failure to register employees, and allowing unauthorized workers to the marijuana-growing areas of its building.

Birnbaum, in an interview last week, declined to comment on specifics, stressing that he retired from operating the facility before the breaches in state regulations occurred.

Im actually quite proud of the part Ive played, said Birnbaum, who obtained Connecticuts the first producer license, back in January of 2014. The growth of this industry has been very gratifying, and the pace of growth is only going to increase. You can see that whenever you visit a dispensary. There is a growing demand for it, and a community of patients.

Birnbaums voice remains on the Curaleaf answering machine and he retains a small share in the company. He referred questions to a New York public relations firm.

A spokesman for Curaleaf said Friday that the firm wants to comply with the regulations.

Curaleaf is fully committed to complying with all rules and regulations governing our operations, said the spokesman. When the state raised concerns, we took immediate steps to remediate the issues, and our license remains in good standing with the Department of Consumer Protection.

None of the investigations led to criminal charges or jeopardized the licenses of growers and dispensaries, which did not admit violations of the law or liability, according to the six redacted settlements provided to Hearst Connecticut Media. The DCP, which currently has three more incidents under investigation, said no tainted product reached consumers.

In all, $324,500 has been assessed from two dispensaries and two growers, including Advanced Grow Labs, which paid $6,000 following a March 1, 2016, report that said the company failed to maintain effective controls against diversion, theft or loss, did not keep accurate records and made deceptive public statements.

We had a self-reported mislabeling of edibles, said David Lipton, managing partner of the company. We have really good regulatory protocols. Nothing was stolen. We put out additional actions.

The entire corrective action for Advanced Grow Labs bakery operation was redacted in the documents released under the FOIA. Lipton signed the agreement on October 10, 2016.

Program is growing

Lipton estimates Advanced Grow Labs has harvested about 5,000 pounds of marijuana since the fall of 2014, when the first mature crop became available.

Were doing our part to get patients the medicine, he said. About half of the crops Advanced Grow Labs sells to dispensaries are traditional flowers, and half are other products including extracts for vaporizing, tinctures for swallowing and edibles.

He said the last few months in particular have indicated a sharp increase in patients, who now number 17,686.

Michelle Seagull, acting commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection, said Connecticuts strict regulations that require pharmacists to work in the nine dispensaries, combined with cooperation from the industry, makes the program a national leader.

We did a lot of work on the front end, she said.

We have the only true pharmaceutical model in the country, said Seagull, a lawyer who drafted the regulations following the enactment of the 2012 law creating the nations 17th medical-cannabis program. Now 29 states have medical-marijuana.

For the most part we have a tight model that everyone is taking seriously in a medical way, said Rodrick Marriott, director of the drug control program in the Department of Consumer protection. He said there is no evidence of theft or misappropriation of marijuana.

A little excessive

Mason Tvert, communications director for the Colorado-based Marijuana Policy Project, said the owners of Connecticut dispensaries and grow facilities have a lot invested.

These are some of the most tightly regulated businesses in the country, operated by people who are entirely interested and motivated in these rules, he said in a phone interview. Those few who break the rules are generally punished.

The settlements include $3,500 in fines for the Bethel-based Compassionate Care Center dispensary, including $1,500 for not obtaining permission from the DCP for alterations to their building, and $2,000 for a posting on social media that seemed to support recreational use of the drug.

Angela DAmico, owner of the dispensary, said her staff moved out an appliance from a former kitchen when they gained occupancy, and that a social media consultant improperly posted a video before she ordered it taken down an hour later.

Im very proud of what were doing, DAmico said. I wish more attention were paid to how well the patients are doing with the medication.

The Waterbury-based Caring Nature LLC dispensary paid $5,000 for failing to provide business information, including records of transactions.

David Sullivan owner of the dispensary, said last week that he was five days late in filing a lengthy report due to the DCP at the end of 2016.

I asked for an extension to prepare the report, but it was denied, he said in a phone interview. Sullivan described the $5,000 settlement a little excessive, but its the price you pay for being in Connecticut.
Live election coverage: PA polls closing, the counting begins

The nation is closely watching PA as it could decide the balance of power in Washington. Check back regularly for statewide coverage updates.
Theresa May (pictured) might be blighted by the toxic legacy of the previous Tory leader, David Cameron

Theresa May has one tremendous advantage over her predecessor, David Cameron. No one doubts the integrity of the Anglican vicar's daughter.

Even so, the danger is that she might become blighted by the toxic legacy of the previous Tory leader.

This is the result of a series of deeply worrying allegations about how Mr Cameron abused public office during his six years as Prime Minister.

Principal among these is the suggestion that the Conservatives 'bought' their 2015 General Election victory by breaking the law that limits how much candidates can spend. Already the Electoral Commission, which polices election campaign spending, has fined the party an unprecedented 70,000 for failing to declare or accurately report more than 275,000 of spending.

As part of a parallel investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said it may bring charges against up to 30  repeat, 30!  Conservative officials and MPs in connection with this alleged fraud. At least 12 police forces have sent files relating to the cases to the CPS.

Most dangerous of all, however, are the Mail's revelations of links between Cameron's inner circle of political cronies and the tax-dodging taxi firm Uber.

Yesterday, in the latest damning report, Guy Adams revealed that there is huge pressure for a full parliamentary inquiry to be held into this shady affair.

The public must be told the whole truth about how Cameron's chumocracy successfully lobbied in secret to make sure plans to regulate Uber were dropped. It is vital that we are also told about the operation then led by No 10 officials to cover up their own murky activities.

It is a morality tale for our times.

Since 1865, London taxi-drivers have had to serve a long apprenticeship to ensure they have 'the knowledge' to navigate their way around the capital.

But suddenly their livelihoods, and those of hackney carriage drivers in other British cities, have become threatened by the arrival of Uber, a cut-price rival which allows people to summon a minicab by using an app on their mobile phone.

The company was assisted in gaining a stronghold on the market after officials in Mr Cameron's No 10 team bullied then London Mayor Boris Johnson's City Hall into abandoning tough new regulations that would have hampered Uber.

The Mail has revealed that, at the time, Uber employed Rachel Whetstone, one of Mr Cameron's closest friends and the godmother of his late son Ivan, as its head of PR.

More than that, there is a well-founded suspicion that Uber managed to corrupt the process of government itself. The Competition And Markets Authority, an independent regulator responsible for protecting the public from unfair monopolies, also seems to have been pressured by government officials to support the tax-avoiding internet giant in its battle against traditional black cab drivers.

What's most disturbing is that there is evidence of a cover-up of all this in the Cameron administration, with officials in No 10 and at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills giving misleading responses when asked under Freedom of Information laws about their involvement on behalf of Uber.

Not surprisingly, following the Mail's revelations, the Information Commissioner has announced an investigation into whether government officials breached the Act to try to keep their lobbying secret. Deliberately destroying, hiding or altering requested information is a criminal offence.

David Cameron (pictured with George Osborne) was the Prime Minister between 2010 and 2016

Mr Cameron's cause has not been helped by the fact that his former Chancellor, George Osborne, now gets 650,000 a year for four days' work a month for a U.S. financial giant which is one of Uber's major backers. Ms Whetstone quit her 1 million-a-year PR role at Uber at the same time as the Information Commissioner's Office began its investigation.

None of these allegations affects Mrs May directly. However, they cause her a very serious dilemma.

Does she use the powers of her office to protect her predecessor as Prime Minister? Or does she order an inquiry and ensure justice is done  even though it may be hugely embarrassing to the Tory-led government that ran the country between 2010 and 2016, of which she was a senior member?

It would be understandable if she wanted to safeguard her party's reputation. But by not acting she would risk damaging her image as a politician of rectitude at the worst possible time  during an election campaign.

More problematic is that while she has the freedom to act over the Uber controversy, the election expenditure fraud issue is out of her control.

The scandal goes to the heart of how British democracy works.

It seems that Cameron's Tories, in their desperation to see off the threat of both Labour and Ukip, broke legal spending limits.

The party, too, stands accused of thwarting the police investigation and the party chairman, Patrick McLoughlin, has shown no signs of understanding how serious this business is.

Mrs May must make it crystal clear that the Conservative Party will co-operate fully with the police and other authorities. She should also make sure none of those implicated in the election fraud scandal is involved in the forthcoming campaign, either as a candidate or as a party official.

Take Craig Mackinlay, Tory MP for South Thanet. It is alleged that more than the legal limit of 15,000 was spent to help get him elected for the seat in 2015 ahead of his Ukip rival, Nigel Farage.

It is a principle of English law that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But I believe it would send out the wrong message if Mr Mackinlay was chosen to fight South Thanet again.

The Uber and election expenses scandals offer Theresa May a chance to consign to the past the culture of cronyism and sleaze which, it is now clear, besmirched the Cameron administrations.

The General Election means an early farewell to several MPs. The Commons will be a better place without George Osborne, but the departure of others is a cause for regret. Honest and immensely likeable, Labour's Alan Johnson made people feel better about British politics at a time when so many other politicians betrayed their trust. Labour would have done well to make him party leader (instead of Ed Miliband). It is also a pity to lose Gisela Stuart, a highly intelligent Labour MP and one of the unhailed stars of last year's Leave campaign.

The election is a big test for BBC 'impartiality'

I strongly support the BBC, but only on condition that it reports the news and current affairs impartially.

Yet too often it fails. For many years, its approach to the EU was hopelessly biased in favour of the Brussels Establishment, and I now fear it is being deeply unfair to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Yesterday, Nick Robinson, the veteran Westminster-watcher and presenter of Radio 4's Today programme, posted a Tweet that was critical of Mr Corbyn. He said he is 'long on passion and short on details. Story of his life'. This was out of order. I'm staggered that Robinson has not withdrawn his Tweet or that his bosses haven't told him to apologise.

Nick Robinson, the veteran Westminster-watcher and presenter of Radio 4's Today programme, posted a Tweet that was critical of Jeremy Corbyn

I sense a pattern here. A few months ago, political editor Laura Kuenssberg was censured by the BBC's governing body for inaccurately representing the Labour leader's views on a shoot-to-kill policy here in the aftermath of terror attacks in Paris. Subsequently, the BBC's director of news, James Harding, supported her, making it plain he disagreed with the regulator's ruling. To compound matters, Robinson said that after the referendum vote for Brexit, broadcasters' duty to 'broadly balance' the views of both sides of the argument had ended. He was accused of saying the BBC had no responsibility to be even-handed over Brexit.

I am a Tory and can't easily imagine circumstances where I would vote for Jeremy Corbyn. But if British democracy means anything, it means fair play during elections. Crucially, this must be adhered to by the BBC.
A week before Donna Penny started her first round of chemotherapy, her boyfriend got down on one knee and proposed.

Donna, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer at 35, later dreamed that she and Jason would get to renew their vows on their tenth anniversary.

But fast-forward eight years and Donna, now 44, from the Sunshine Coast, is no longer sure she has that much time. In fact, she's already two years past what she calls her 'expiry date'.

That's because, in 2013, the breast cancer returned, and it was terminal. Doctors told Donna she only had two years to live.

Donna, who has terminal cancer, and Jason Penny will get the chance to renew their vows after the My Wedding Wish charity donated a $25,000 ceremony

Jason proposed just a week before Donna started her first round of chemotherapy eight years ago. Pictured are couple on their wedding day with sons Kai, Aidan and Tyson

It was the first time she ever saw Jason break down.

When Donna and Jason first sat down together at the doctor's office in 2008 he had been 'Mr Positive', she told Daily Mail Australia.

'He said, "You'll be alright babe, we'll do it together and we'll do what we have to do,'" Donna recalled. 'He still loved me, even though he had a sick wife-to-be'.

Jason stayed true to his word, sticking by Donna's side through the double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and the highs of being in remission for five years.

After all they were in this together, through sickness and in health.

Donna (pictured this week) was 35 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008

And it's by her side, literally, that Jason has remained, always ready to snuggle with Donna when her fight becomes too much.

'He's just there for me, even when I'm angry,' she said. 'People see a very positive side to me but at home sometimes it's a very different story.'

'I can be quite moody and tired from the chemotherapy and he just says to me, "Do you need a cuddle?'"

'He's been there this whole time, being Mr Positive for me.'

It was just after her 40th birthday that Donna, of the Sunshine Coast, found that the cancer had returned and spread to her bones.

Donna's thoughts immediately turned to her little boy Kai, who was just 20 months old when she was first diagnosed nearly six years before.

'He's only known Mummy to be sick,' Donna said. 'Always going for treatments, scans and checkups.'

'I just felt sick, I felt numb. I thought about Kai having to grow up without a mummy. My focus was to say alive for as long as I could.'

Jason and Donna knew they would have to sit their son down and explain that she would soon be starting treatment and losing her hair again.

But when Donna went searching for books she could try to read to her little boy about the situation, she found nothing but 'doom, gloom, and disaster'.

Then one day, while Jason was driving Kai to school, he simply asked his father: 'Out of all the mummys in the world, why my mummy?'

It was a question that would inspire Donna to write the book 'Why My Mummy?' together with her son, explaining cancer in a way Kai could understand.

Donna (pictured with Jason and Kai) was in remission for five years before doctors told her the cancer returned and, this time, was terminal. They gave her two years to live

Donna (pictured with a friend last year) has gone through four rounds of chemotherapy and is two years past what she calls her original 'expiry date'

'Kids are not silly,' she said. 'They know something's going on. I believe in being honest.'

'Every time there's something on television, a new medicine or a breast cancer update, 10-year-old Kai always asks: "Is that going to make you better mum?'"

'That's so heartbreaking, but he's a little champion. He's the reason I'm still alive.'

And he is what is helping Donna get through her fourth round of chemotherapy, which she admits has been a 'horrible' experience.

'Nausea, diarrhea, being tired,' she said. 'And then I have a week of getting over it and a few days of being well before I have to go back to the treatment again.'

But one distraction that is also helping pass those harder days are Donna and Jason's upcoming vow renewal ceremony.

The celebration at the Sunshine Castle at Bli Bli is being donated by My Wedding Wish, a national charity that gifts weddings to couples affected by terminal illness.

It was Donna's friend Suzanne Riley, a marriage celebrant, that encouraged her to apply so that she could have the renewal ceremony she always dreamed of.

Lynette Maguire, the chairman and chief executive officer of My Wedding Wish, immediately accepted Donna's application.

'We were touched by her story and her zest for life,' Lynette told Daily Mail Australia.

Donna wrote a book with Kai after he asked Jason: 'Out of all the mummys in the world, why my mummy?' She wanted to create an honest explanation about cancer for children

Donna has always dreamed of having a vow renewal ceremony to celebrate her and Jason's 10-year anniversary, but is no longer sure she has that much time

'She seemed to not let anything get her way and was passionate about her life, her family, and her friends.'

And this time around Donna and Jason's June 1 ceremony will be all about family as she hopes to make more 'mummy memories' for Kai, who will be the best man along with his 18-year-old brother Tyson.

Donna's oldest son, 22-year-old Aidan Marett, will give her away while stepdaughter Ashley will be her bridesmaid.

The $25,000 ceremony has been donated from vendors around the Sunshine Coast, who have provided everything from a wedding dress to photographers and a cake.

Donna said she is most looking forward to a romantic night dedicated to celebrating life and friends - as well as a chance to wear her beautiful 'princess dress'.

'There's a side to cancer that makes you feel unattractive,' she said. 'You're bloated, you lost your hair and eyebrows, it's not a glamorous disease.'

'So I'm excited about getting pampered and having my hair and makeup done and feeling beautiful.'

So the couple plan to celebrate early, on June 1, with a ceremony that is all about family, friends and celebrating life

The cancer has since spread to Donna's adrenal gland and liver and she is taking the disease day by day.

'My oncologist, he doesn't have a crystal ball,' she said. 'People don't realise that with terminal breast cancer, you can be well one month and gone the next.'

'I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes with that pit in my stomach, wondering how long I've got.'

'I try not to think about it, but it's something I think about every day.'

But Donna is hoping her vow renewal ceremony will motivate those around her to follow their own dreams and do whatever they can to make them happen.

'I just want to inspire people to never give up and just to fight,' she said. 'And live the best life that you can.'

It's her own family that keeps Donna fighting through these hard days, getting a boost every time she sees Jason's face.

'I still look at him every morning,' she said. 'And think, "I am so lucky"'.
Jordan Bone is an internet sensation. Her video blogs offering fashion and make-up tips have hundreds of thousands of subscribers and her inspiring film, My Beautiful Struggle, has been seen by 22 million people on YouTube and Facebook.

Yet, for all her undoubted glamour, 27-year-old Jordan has been paralysed from the neck down ever since a horrific car crash left her life in ruins at the age of 15. Here, in her own words, is the inspiring story of how, brush stroke by brush stroke, she rebuilt it.

Hey, Tim. Wow, is that your car? A silver Citroen Saxo stops at the kerbside. The 17-year-old driver, a local lad whos just passed his test, invites us for a spin.

My friend Sarah and I share a look, thinking it might not be a good idea, but we step in anyway. It is May 2005 and the last time I will ever walk.

Jordan Bone (pictured left and right), from Kings Lynn, Norfolk, is an internet sensation. Her video blogs offering fashion and make-up tips have hundreds of thousands of subscribers

Tim spots some lads in a car behind: Lets lose them. The car gets faster, the music louder. I want to get out, but dont have the courage to beg. Were going to die, I think.

The last thing I remember is the screaming as the world turns over. Then silence. I hear voices from the roadside and feel an agonising pain in my neck.

Call an ambulance, I say with as much strength as I can manage from the upside-down car. Help me, I cant breathe! Undo the seat belt! Then I feel the sudden jolt of relief. My head snaps forward. Perhaps that was when my neck was broken.

I dont remember being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn after the crash, or the moment a doctor took my mum aside to tell her the worst. Jordan has broken her neck, he told her, his voice softening. She is tetraplegic and may need to lie on her back for the rest of her life.

Mum came in to see me, her eyes glistening. I dont care what the doctors say. Its all going to be OK.

I was taken to surgery, six holes were drilled into my skull and a metal halo screwed into the bone to keep my head secure. My life was in the balance. Id seen doctors and nurses huddled round. They seemed to have no idea what to do other than keep me stock-still.

I was in massive shock. I could not feel the white cotton sheets against my legs. I couldnt feel the breeze on my arms or the tight socks the nurses made me wear to prevent blood clots. My thoughts focused on the precious moments before I got into the car. The what ifs became mental torture and I cried a lot.

A week or so later, it was all action. A bed had become free at a specialist spinal injury ward in Sheffield. Mum packed my bags and set off by car. A couple of hours later, I was wheeled off to the helipad.

The sound of the engines was deafening. As the helicopter jerked into the sky, I felt like screaming  I felt sick and was terrified we would crash. Our landing was followed by a bustle of paramedics as I was taken into the new hospital. Mum was already there.

The consultants thought they could rebuild my neck with bone grafts. But there were risks  I may not survive the operation, my injury could be made worse or my vocal cords could be severed  no talking or singing ever again.

On the day of the op, I said to the surgeon: Lets get this right. If the operation is successful Ill be able to sit upright without the halo? He nodded. Lets do it  forget the risks, Im ready.

Six hours later, the recovery ward came into focus. I was in agonising pain. Because I was still 15, I could only have a childs dose of morphine. It wasnt nearly enough.

Soon afterwards, I set a goal of getting strong enough to sit in a wheelchair by July 1.

I needed something to focus on. Mum has always said that Im mentally strong. I guess Ive had to be. I never knew my dad.

Oh my God, Im not sitting in that! I looked over at the hideous big black wheelchair. Mum, seriously. Ill look like Frankenstein in that! Luckily for me, Mum knew what to say. Yes, its hideous, but you have to do this. It is your ticket to independence.

The 27-year-old Jordan has been paralysed from the neck down ever since a horrific car crash left her life in ruins at the age of 15

I felt thrilled to be upright, though the room spun and I was too weak to sit straight. I made the mistake of glancing into a mirror and was struck by the sight of a pale, sickly looking girl in a huge black wheelchair.

I burst into tears. But once my tears had dried, I concentrated on the feeling of movement and the new sights on the ward. Before I knew it, I was humming a song.

When my best friend Katie came to visit, she noticed my hair hadnt been highlighted. Mum had offered to get in a hairdresser, but I didnt feel I could look attractive again when I was tetraplegic. But a small glimmer of blonde made me feel more me and increased my confidence.

In August, the day I told my consultant I wanted to spend my birthday at home was another landmark.

I had two months to become strong enough to be home by October. Would I be ready? I had no idea.

I need to know I can go home. Please say yes  itll mean the world to me. The consultant nodded and I beamed.

I was going home for my 16th and I could get on with living my life.

My new occupational therapist was a glamorous woman with thick mascara and stylish hair. Words gushed out: Wow, you look fab!  I used to wear my mascara like that.

Jordan is pictured as a teenager before a car accident left her paralysed

What do you mean, used to? Why arent you wearing it now? Lets do it!

Excitement rose inside me. Make-up has always meant much more to me than vanity. It was a way of expressing my creativity and gaining confidence.

She stroked the creamy liquid on to my lashes and held up a mirror. I squealed with happiness. Youre a beautiful girl, Jordan, remember that. You can be tetraplegic and glamorous.

Another breakthrough came when I asked a nurse to put a fork between my thumb and forefinger to feed myself for the first time. I have very limited control of my arms but if I could hold a fork, why not mascara or lipstick? I sat at the nurses station all day, asking them to hand me the mascara applicator. I dropped it a hundred times, swearing as it left a black trail down my T-shirt. Each time I asked to have it put back in my hands, permanently balled into fists by my injury.

Finally I worked out a way to hold the applicator between my fingers and bent towards it, willing the mascara brush to touch my eyelashes. It took several days of black eyes, but the more I persevered, the more normal it looked.

This gave me more than hope; it gave me definition. In make-up terms, definition is sculpting the face, redesigning the natural look. My life had been formed into a new shape by my injury. Applying my own make-up was way more profound than making me look nicer. It was a way of redefining my expectations about myself, and perhaps other peoples.

We all face challenges. We can either overcome them, work round them or give up. You can define your own life by deciding what makes you happy and going for it. Think of me, a paralysed girl, trying to put on her own make-up.

I left hospital on October 21, 2005  three days before my birthday.

Jordan offers make-up and fashion advise YouTube and her popular channel has made her a star

Before the accident, I was a regular teenage girl, into singing, acting, fashion and make-up. I auditioned for the school musical each year and always got a good part. I loved being on stage.

Today, I mull over how parts of my life equate to my beauty routines; how we are prepping, priming, bettering and defining ourselves. In beauty terms, after the primer and foundation are applied, thats when I start the contouring, using shade and light to redesign my face.

Contouring is a process of building on what is there and improving it. Though I will never be cured, my abilities were slowly being reshaped, my strengths redesigned.

Re-entering my world was scary, not least because Mum had had the chat with me a few days earlier. Until then, I think I was deluded. Though I knew Id be in a wheelchair, I thought Id be able to manage by myself at home.

Mum explained I needed two carers every day and one at night. The thought of strangers moving me in the night and washing me every morning made me feel sick.

Id had enough of people pulling and prodding me. I yearned for privacy. I spent the rest of the day in silence. I couldnt imagine a life where I couldnt grab myself a snack, or pop to the shops. I concentrated on what meant the most to me, putting on my own make-up.

I had achieved so much. Id fought back from the brink of death, learnt to cope with almost complete paralysis, gone to the school prom, sat my exams and started a university course. I had also seen Tim, who lost control of his car and turned it over into a ditch, leaving me trapped inside, brought to justice, even if it was only a ban for 19 months.

Her inspiring film, My Beautiful Struggle, has been seen by 22 million people on YouTube and Facebook

Then the depression came, dragging me into darkness. I stopped fighting. I was reluctant to take antidepressants, until the doctor explained the medication was for an illness, just like insulin for diabetes.

My depression gradually lifted and I found an online community of interesting people  positive thinkers and meditation teachers.

I realised I could be one of them by making my own YouTube video. It was something I could do myself on my laptop. My vision of what I could become expanded.

The first time I dared speak online was May 20, 2010. I was 20 and as I set up the laptop, the room suddenly filled with sunshine and I knew that was my cue. Hi, everyone, hope youve all had a lovely day

I called it Super Sunshine, and its been viewed nearly 18,000 times. Who could have known that little broadcast, shot in my student room, would be the start of everything?

I soon realised I was constantly thinking of what I would say in my next video.

When applying eye make-up, shadows are as important as highlights. Through my depression and leaving home for uni, Id experienced life in the shadows. Those times enriched my recovery.

Then everything changed. My blog, Jordans Beautiful Life, went viral, becoming a bigger success than I ever imagined. This is what Id wanted so badly; succeeding in what I love and making a difference to other peoples lives through positive thinking and make-up.

My message is: Believe in yourself, and you will achieve.

I lost everything in that crash. But with determination I smashed through lifes challenges. Im now engaged to be married, have a new home designed around my needs, give talks and am invited to fashion events around the world.

I have even walked again  albeit using a pair of bionic legs.

And last year, I was part of a LOreal ad campaign alongside Helen Mirren. I couldnt believe it when Mum saw a huge cardboard cut-out of me in Superdrug.

It took perseverance to go beyond being the girl in the wheelchair, but it was worth every hardship.

Im not saying I wouldnt want a cure for spinal-cord injury, but I dont live my life in hope of it. That in itself is a huge achievement.

My Beautiful Struggle, by Jordan Bone, is published by Trapeze, priced 8.99. Offer price 7.49 until April 30. Order at mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640  p&p is free on orders over 15.
England is one of the worst places in Europe to get cancer, the boss of a major drugs company has warned.

Cancer patients are being denied NHS access to key medicines that are available in other countries, Ben Hickey said.

The UK general manager of Bristol-Myers Squibb blamed archaic and inflexible methods used by rationing watchdog NICE. And he claimed patients are needlessly suffering early deaths as a result.

England has survival rates 10 per cent lower than a group of our European neighbours

Mr Hickey warned that the gulf in cancer survival between England and other European countries is set to grow thanks to new rationing rules. Unfortunately it really is not a good place to be diagnosed with what is a devastating illness, he told the Daily Mail.

We have seen that from the adoption of innovative therapies, we have seen it in survival rates 10 per cent lower than a group of our European neighbours, we have seen it in the five-year survival in lung cancer being almost half what it is in Austria.

He said the situation is likely to get worse because the NHS this month introduced the ability to delay the introduction by up to three years of any drug which would cost the health system more than 20million a year. Survival rates for some cancers in Britain lag up to ten years behind those in the best Western European countries.

This is usually put down to late diagnosis, but a 2015 report by health researchers the IMS Institute showed the NHS in England spends less on new cancer treatments per patient than Scotland, Sweden, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the US.

Bristol Myers-Squibb has been in negotiations with NICE about its breakthrough lung cancer medicine, nivolumab. It is one of a new wave of immunotherapy treatments which teach the bodys immune system to attack tumours. In trials it was roughly 16 times more effective than chemotherapy for long-term treatment of advanced lung cancer.

Cancer survival rates in the UK are more than ten years behind other European countries

While 40,000 patients in other European countries including Scotland have been given the drug, NICE argues its 68,000 a year cost is too high, even with the confidential discount offered by the company.

Mr Hickey insisted nivolumab is cost effective and said he was hopeful NICE would change its mind. It is due to make a final decision on nivolumab for lung cancer in the coming weeks. He said the reason survival rates in England lag behind other nations is because NHS health officials view medicines as an expensive burden.

He added: We are still using an archaic model which is based on chemotherapy to evaluate innovative medicines such as immunotherapy. The flexibility doesnt exist.

Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, defended its methods and said companies have to price their drugs responsibly. He said it had recommended nivolumab for skin and kidney cancer, but there were uncertainties around its benefits in lung cancer.

NHS England said NHS cancer survival rates are at a record high.
Botox jabs are now being used to relieve the pain of shoulder arthritis.

British surgeons are injecting the toxin, loved by celebrities and millions of Britons for its ability to reduce lines in the face, into the shoulders of patients with rotator cuff arthropathy.

Some even report being pain-free after just a single jab.

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and four tendons that surround the joint. They keep the head of the upper arm bone, the humerus, inside the shallow shoulder socket.

British surgeons are injecting the toxin, loved by celebrities and millions of Britons for its ability to reduce lines in the face, into the shoulders of patients with arthritis

Although the cuff can be damaged by injury, most cases of rotator cuff arthropathy are the result of joint degeneration due to advancing age. It affects up to one in four people at some point in their lives, usually after the age of 50.

As we age, the blood supply to the tendons reduces and they become weaker. This can result in part of the shoulder blade rubbing against the tendons, leading to tears in the tissue and loss of full movement. Even raising an arm above the head can become impossible.

A study by orthopaedic surgeons at the University of Saarland Medical School in Germany found that 13 per cent of people in their 50s have evidence of tears, rising to 51 per cent of people in their 80s.

Initial treatment can include ice or heat packs, physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. But if the damage, or arthritis of the shoulder, is advanced, surgery may be an option.

Botox is usually associated with cosmetic surgery for reducing the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles, but it is used increasingly in medicine for a variety of conditions.

When Botox is injected into muscles, the toxin blocks the nerve signals that cause the tightening of muscle, leading to the tissue relaxing.

Chris Smith, a consultant shoulder and elbow surgeon at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, has been using Botox to treat patients with rotator cuff arthropathy. They are given a single jab into the supraspinatus muscle attached to the torn tendon. The patient then undergoes physiotherapy to mobilise the shoulder.

Rotator cuff tears are very common, especially after the age of 60, he says. This is usually caused by wear and tear, and one theory is that evolution has not caught up with our change in use of the shoulders since the time we used to walk on all fours.

When Botox is injected into muscles, the toxin blocks the nerve signals that cause the tightening of muscle, leading to the tissue relaxing

We now use our arms for a number of tasks above head height, which puts the tendon at risk of damage.

Although rotator cuff tears are common, not all patients have symptoms and its not clear why. One theory is that there is no pain when the tendon is completely torn because it is no longer attached to the bone.

It may be that when the tear is only partial, the pain occurs because there is increased strain on the tendon that remains attached to the bone.

Injecting Botox stops that muscle from moving. As it is unable to contract, it is hoped that this removes the strain from any remaining partially torn tendon.

Mr Smith has treated eight patients so far and describes the results as encouraging.

He says: If we find high levels of pain relief with the injections, then patients could avoid the need for surgery.

It would also lead to significant NHS savings because this treatment is 50 times cheaper than a joint replacement.
Kate Silverton, 46, is a BBC News presenter. The daughter of a taxi driver, she grew up in Essex and worked for a bank before becoming a journalist. She is married to a former Royal Marine and the couple have two young children.

What is your earliest memory?

Having my nappy changed on the kitchen table. I remember looking up at a distinctive light above the table  I can picture it now.

Kate Silverton is married to a former Royal Marine and the couple have two young children

What sort of child were you?

Adventurous and curious. I would climb out on to the roof at night and just sit there looking at the stars. Wilbur Smiths books inspired me to travel as a teenager, taking off around Europe and then travelling to Egypt, Zimbabwe and Namibia as well as living on a kibbutz in Israel, all before I was 20.

What are you scared of?

My only fear is of dying before my children are at an age when they can be self-sufficient.

What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you?

My father was diagnosed with stage four lung, liver and bone cancer in 2015. He deteriorated quickly and was admitted to a hospice. The worst day was when he asked me to take him to Dignitas to help him end his life because of the pain. I knew he was by then too frail for me or my family to be able to contemplate it.

What is your most treasured possession?

A Balinese stone carving of a man and a pregnant woman. We bought it when we were trying to conceive, and were having lots of unsuccessful IVF, and I desperately saw it as some sort of fertility symbol.

Have you ever had a nickname?

My dad used to call me boot nose. I am not sure why but I loved him for it. When we first met, my husband called me Silvers, which still makes me smile.

Have you ever cheated death?

I have come under fire in Iraq but the closest I have come to death was when I was presenting at Royal Ascot. After finishing work I ate a prawn salad  20 minutes later I had passed out in an alleyway. A specialist later told me I was seconds from death due to a severe allergy to shellfish. A lady walking past who had a nut allergy recognised the symptoms and administered adrenaline using her EpiPen. She saved my life.

What is the worst job youve done?

I used to clean the loos as a 13-year-old when I worked as a waitress at our local cafe. I earned a pound an hour.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

To the turn of the 20th century and I would join my heroine Gertrude Bell on her travels throughout Greater Syria and Arabia.

When did you last row?

The last time I really lost my temper was with our builders. We came home from holiday to find water pouring in from leaking roof on to the brand new wooden floor. That led to a pretty robust conversation  especially given that we had pointed out the hole before we left.

Whats one skill that everyone should have?

DIY. When my husband and I first started dating, he told me he did not do the Ds very well  dancing, DIY and driving. I tend to enjoy the Ds so that worked out OK.

FILMS, BOOKS, TV Last film you saw? I went with my husband to see Lion  he blubbed so much he had to leave the cinema. Last book you read? The Science Of Parenting by Dr Margot Sunderland. I am fascinated by brain development and how important it is to invest in the first three years of life. Last TV show you loved? Narcos  the US drama about the infamous drug cartels of Colombia. It is gritty and compelling. Advertisement

Whats the worst pain youve experienced?

Both my children presented themselves as OP [occiput posterior, known as back to back] during labour, which makes for a more difficult and painful birth. My daughter eventually turned but my son did not, so he was born sunny side up as the midwives say. I was vomiting with the pain.

Tell us a secret about yourself

I am a keen photographer. When we are lucky enough to visit Africa, my favourite continent, I love nothing better than sitting in peace and photographing the wildlife and the landscape.

Who would be your dream dinner date?

Bill Clinton, having met him twice. He spoke about subjects as diverse as astrophysics through to his childhood to his views on diplomacy and our relationship with Russia.

What song do you want at your funeral?

Born Free. I remember how much I cried for Elsa and then this music came on and my heart broke and soared at the same time. I had it playing at the birth of my children and I should like it played at my end.

Kate presents the news on BBC1
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

One of my favourite hobbies on Good Morning Britain is to make Susanna Reid corpse on air. I dont mean die, obviously. I mean make her laugh so uncontrollably shes incapable of speech.

Today, in a commercial break, we discussed Professor Stephen Hawkings revelation to me that hed spend his last day on Earth listening to Wagner with my family, sipping champagne in the summer sun.

How would you spend your last day? I asked Susanna.

'My 52nd birthday. If I could have scripted how it went, Id be having dinner at Madeo, my favourite restaurant in Los Angeles, and my all-time No 1 movie star and bucket list interviewee Jack Nicholson would walk in and sit down at the next table...'

Probably the same way, she replied. You?

I raised an eyebrow and flashed a Sid James smirk.

What does that mean? she asked.

Well, I dont want to die wondering... I joked.

Susanna looked bemused.

Wondering about what?

Put it this way, it has nothing to do with Wagner or champagne.

The penny finally dropped.

Then she stared open-mouthed at me for several seconds, slowly shaking her head, before bursting into explosive laughter.

As we went back on air, she was still giggling wildly.

We were just talking about I said.

THE WEATHER! she interrupted. Lets go to THE WEATHER.

THURSDAY, MATCH 30

My 52nd birthday. If I could have scripted how it went, Id be having dinner at Madeo, my favourite restaurant in Los Angeles, and my all-time No 1 movie star and bucket list interviewee Jack Nicholson would walk in and sit down at the next table.

Wed get talking, Id buy him a very expensive bottle of Barolo and hed end up agreeing to his first TV interview in over 40 years.

Well, tonight I was dining at Madeo and in came Nicholson, striding to the table next to mine.

I wish I could pretend I stayed cool and exchanged the aforementioned calm words with the great man. But no, I just stared at him like a trembling, over-excited labrador puppy, willing him to toss me even the simple tiny bone of a single raised eyebrow of acknowledgement.

He didnt. And eventually I left.

But at least I can now die knowing my tombstone will read: Here lies Piers Morgan. He once ate spaghetti bolognese two feet from Jack Nicholson.

FRIDAY, MARCH 31

At 6am, I put myself through a gruelling spinning session at the Soul Cycle gym in Beverly Hills used by Kim Kardashian and Charlize Theron.

I emerged dripping in sweat but bursting with energy and enthusiasm at the last screaming words of encouragement from my instructor: This is going to be THE GREATEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!

(Along with this comical piece of advice: Remember, guys, you can drink collagen too!)

Then I got in my Aston Martin Rapide and promptly pranged it into another car, causing 20,000-worth of damage.

To say this slightly dimmed my joy on this historic day is the understatement of the millennium.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

Emily model, actress and humanitarian Ratajkowski, who along with Chrissy my husbands John Legend Teigen is my favourite celebrity dimwit, has made her name by posting naked selfies on social media in the absurdly inappropriate name of feminism.

Now shes revealed her mother had slightly loftier aspirations for her little girl. My mum told people Id be a brain surgeon, Emily disclosed, because she didnt like the idea that I would think my appearance was the only thing I was going to be valued for.

God forbid any of us would draw that conclusion, Ms Ratajkowski!

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

I awoke at my Beverly Hills home to the devastating news that a lady Id never heard of named Ruby Tandoh has publicly rejected an invitation to appear on GMB.

She tweeted one of the shows producers to say: Hi, I know its just your job so no hard feelings but Piers Morgan is a sentient ham and frankly Id rather die.

Its bad enough having to endure this nonsense from hypocritical stars like Ewan Im incredibly fond of (child rapist) Roman Polanski McGregor.

But having to take it from someone who apparently came second in The Great British Bake Off is an indignity too far.

Ms Tandoh, Id no idea who you are until today. Im away so wouldnt have been there anyway, and Ive absolutely no desire to ever interview you.

So pipe down you ludicrous creature and learn how to make better cakes.

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

By coincidence, the new GBBO cast was unveiled today, without Mary Berry or presenters Mel and Sue. Which is a bit like re-launching the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger, Keith Richards or Charlie Watts.

Sandi Toksvig is one of the replacement hosts, a role she also fulfilled for me recently after I pulled out of the RTS Programme Awards following a campaign to oust me by shrieking anti-Trump liberals.

She told the audience: I think you can tell how much weve moved on when the least controversial choice for host is the foreign lesbian.

TUESDAY, APRIL 18

In my New Year predictions for this paper, I suggested Harper Beckham, five, would star in her own catwalk show at London Fashion Week, quoting father David as saying: It was entirely her idea and absolutely nothing to do with me and Victoria exploiting our young kids to promote Brand Beckham.

In the past week, the Beckhams officially registered Harpers name for commercial rights. Today, they released a video of her singing Happy Birthday to her mother. Having failed to promote Cruz, 12, as the new Justin Bieber, theyre clearly now trying to cash in on Harper as the new Shirley Temple.

Their parental shamelessness is literally beyond parody.
In an exclusive interview with Event Anna Friel reveals why she's ready to play a gay woman for the second time, and why she's never been easy to categorise as an actress

When she was only 17, Anna Friel shocked the nation with the first-ever lesbian kiss to be screened on UK primetime television.

Anna Friel, now 40, became an actress hellbent on challenging female stereotypes on stage and screen. She tells Event that she has already filmed her first lesbian scene in nearly two-and-a-half decades

Its now 23 years since she played the rebellious schoolgirl Beth Jordache in Channel 4s Brookside. I dont think I had any concept of how that kiss would change my life, she says, as overnight she became an object of desire for both men and women. For a very long time I was defined by that kiss. And I didnt want to be. I spent years turning down other lesbian roles because it felt like going back to Beth. But it did also make me want to take on parts that showed extreme sides of women. I tend to go for difficult, dangerous and damaged characters  Im always attracted to extremes.

Friel, now 40, became an actress hellbent on challenging female stereotypes on stage and screen. She has played everything from a needy stripper in Patrick Marbers Closer to charismatic call girl Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffanys and a Hungarian countess who performs unofficial autopsies in historical movie Bathory: Countess Of Blood.

Television viewers will be familiar with her as the mercenary Bella Wilfer in Charles Dickens Our Mutual Friend and the violent, unpredictable detective in the recent, critically acclaimed ITV drama Marcella. Next month she is back on our screens in Jimmy McGoverns new six-part BBC series Broken, for which she recently won the best international actress award at the Series Mania TV Festival in Paris.

Sometimes I wish I was drawn to nice Bridget Jones-style roles, she says with a wry smile, sitting in a west London studio with a cup of herbal tea, but it never really happens. And as Ive got older, parts seem to get more interesting. We are in a boom time for drama for women.

Friel tells Event that she has already filmed her first lesbian scene in nearly two-and-a-half decades. In the second series of Steven Soderberghs drama The Girlfriend Experience, due out next year, she will play a high-powered political executive who has a relationship with a female escort.

Anna Friels on-screen kiss with Nicola Stephenson in Brookside, 1994

Friel takes a deep breath before explaining her decision: I find it fascinating that my 11-year-old daughters generation will never even think theres an issue with being gay, straight, bisexual, whatever, but my own generation still sees a stigma in being a lesbian. The next generation is already educated and maybe this is something I started. Ive played enough heterosexual partners since Beth and now seems like a good time to go back.

Thanks to her Brookside role, Friel became one of the biggest names in British soap. But I didnt want to have the tag of being a soap actress, she says. At the time I didnt know whether I wanted to finish my A-levels and go to university or leap into acting full-time. But I did understand that if I wanted a career as an actress, I would have to leave Brookside.

I felt Id sacrificed a lot to play Beth. I was 16 when I started. Id had to deal with all the furore around the kiss  which was such a big deal it appeared in the montage at the London Olympics opening ceremony  and Id also given up a huge chunk of my teenage years to be on a set five days a week.

But the Channel 4 producers were furious with her decision to quit. It was pretty awful, she recalls. I was told that I was playing one of their most successful characters and why the hell did I want to walk away. When I did leave, I never got to say goodbye to anyone. I just had to go.

Turning 40 has given her a new confidence. She says she feels sexier than ever

Even as a teenager, Friel took her job very seriously. When I first met her, on the set of Brookside, she said she was able to cope with the fuss around the lesbian kiss because it was pushing the issue forward. And she has similar motives for returning to explore those sexual politics today.

I still think its more OK to portray male gay relationships on television than female, and this is pushing that boundary. My best girlfriend has just come out. She and her partner are both gorgeous and they constantly have men saying they could turn them [to heterosexuality], as if their sexuality is a choice. Theres also an assumption that one woman has the male role and the other has the female role. Thats not right.

Turning 40 has given her a new confidence. Her past relationships have included David Thewlis (the father of her daughter Gracie) and Rhys Ifans (for three years), plus Robbie Williams and Darren Day, and she says she feels sexier than ever.

Weve had Emily Watson [aged 50] in Apple Tree Yard, which was all about a mature womans sensuality, and I love the fact Helen Mirren [71] has broken the mould on what is sexy. There are now older women with kids and jobs who are seen as desirable.

For so long weve been held up to this idea that only a gorgeous teenagers body is sexy. But talent and maturity is sexy. Real is sexy. I feel far more sexy now than I did when I was 18. I dont look as good, there are lines and little bulges but I have confidence, wisdom, knowledge, and I dont care as much as I used to do. Im not perfect but I work hard to keep looking good, and what I am is very real. Ill take that over being 18 and perfect any day.

Anna with former partner David Thewlis and their daughter Gracie

Anna with Catherine McCormack and Rachel Weisz in Land Girls (2009)

Friel in the upcoming BBC drama Broken. She plays a downbeat single mother who works in a betting shop

She laughs at her tirade, aware that the words might come back to haunt her. Because The Girlfriend Experience does require a lot of nudity and Im abso-b*****-lutely terrified about it.

In my normal life I have no problems about nudity at all, she says. I did a few semi-naked magazine shoots in the Nineties but only as me. On screen its always different. Im incredibly protective of my characters, and the nudity clauses in my contracts are as thick as telephone books. I discuss all the decisions with the director and producers in minute detail because, to me, what my character shows, what my character wears is crucially important and its up to me to fight for them.

On Marcella there was this whole thing about her showing a bit of cleavage, unbuttoning her shirt a bit, and I wouldnt agree to it because this was a woman who had been devastated by her husband leaving her and she just would not do that. But in The Girlfriend Experience nudity and sex is the key to the role. And they want me to look real. Its terrifying. Ive definitely upped my hours at the gym.

Friel playing the lead in Marcella

In McGoverns Broken, however, Friel will appear at her most unglamorous, as a downbeat single mother who works in a betting shop. I dont wear any make-up, my face is bashed up because she gets into fights, the lighting is raw and I went into charity shops to get clothes for the part. Nothing I chose cost more than 4. Christina is a woman on the breadline struggling to feed her kids.

Broken is a series of stories about the struggles of working-class Britain, all linked by the character of a Catholic priest, Father Michael Kerrigan, played by Sean Bean. Filmed in Liverpool, Friels story focuses on the dilemmas faced by Christina, whose wages arent enough to support her three children and who is falling between the cracks in the social services system.

What do you do if you cant feed your kids, you cant afford a loan and you arent eligible for any benefits? Life is very tough for a lot of people out there. This is happening all over the country, but it takes someone like Jimmy to really explain things and make it feel personal through women like Christina. We have to work as a collective to make change. Life is always about trying to make things better.

Friel, who lives in Windsor, Berkshire, is the first to admit her life is a million miles away from Christinas. She does, however, believe in the power of drama to spark change, and she has her own unique way of preparing for a role. She starts by choosing a piece of clothing that defines the person she is about to play. For Marcella it was the oversized protective parka suggesting both grit and vulnerability; for Christina in Broken it was a pair of plastic flip-flops. Cheap, easy to put on, no defence against the elements, she says. They were absolutely my key into her.

The key into Friel herself is her northern background. She grew up in Rochdale, north of Manchester, the daughter of two teachers. No one in the family had any experience of performing but following after-school lessons at the Oldham Theatre Workshop she was given her first role, aged 13, in the Alan Bleasdale drama GBH, as the daughter of a headmaster played by Michael Palin.

The former Python star had an extraordinary effect on the young actress. He wrote to me every month for years afterwards, she says. After GBH my life returned to normal and I went back to school, but he still took an interest in me and always wrote me postcards, which I absolutely treasured. It made me feel Id had an impact, that someone in that world I wanted to be part of thought I was worth encouraging. Ive seen him over the years and I always tell him how thankful I am.

Palin wasnt her only guardian angel. Judi Dench helped her navigate the dazzling lights of New York when she appeared on Broadway aged of 21 in Closer. She was on Broadway at the same time and she just called me and said she was going to take me under her wing.

On the surface it seems as if Friels career progressed smoothly from teen soap star to successful actress of stage and screen, but in reality the journey was much tougher.

An initial brief success in New York with Closer left her feeling confused. Stars including Paul Newman and Al Pacino flocked to her dressing room to meet her. Jack Nicholson tried to date her but she rebuffed him by saying that he was old enough to be her grandad. Madonna took her out to dinner along with Friels grandmother, who called the Material Girl Radonna and asked her what she did for a living.

It was bizarre but nothing really happened with my career afterwards, she says. I realised that I was someone it was difficult to put into a box or a neat category.

In person, Friel appears to have changed little from the youthful Beth seen in Brookside. She makes no secret about how seriously she takes looking after herself. She is a long-time devotee of skin guru Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh and admits to regular vampire facials  a favoured treatment of Kim Kardashian  in which blood is taken from the arm, spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the red and white cells and reinjected into the face. The platelet-rich plasma is said to help the skin regenerate.

She is not, however, a fan of Botox. You have to be careful what you put in your face, she says. I want my face to move. But yes, Im not ashamed I really invest in the way I look.

Its all about what you eat, how you exercise and what you put into your body. I always consult my younger brother Michael [a doctor] because he tells me the science behind everything. Keep it simple and keep it pure.

Anna Friel appears to have changed little from the youthful Beth seen in Brookside. She makes no secret about how seriously she takes looking after herself

Her personal life is not quite so simple. Her relationship with Thewlis ended in 2010 and they now share custody of her daughter; work in America is only taken if mutually agreed. We have to juggle everything, she says. Thewlis  who recently married  and Friel remain on good terms. Life is complicated and things change all the time but you keep on making the best of what you have, she says.

With Thewlis newly married, you have to wonder why Friel has never walked up the aisle. Since splitting from Ifans in 2014 she has had a couple of long term relationships, which she has managed to keep under the radar which is nice because it takes a lot of pressure off. But she has never married.

She grins. It just hasnt happened. Ive had lots of great relationships and Ive never allowed myself to get obsessed by the fact Im not married. Maybe Ill get married when Im 50 or 60. I wouldnt rule it out. Ill just wait and see what happens.

Broken is coming soon on BBC1. The first series of The Girlfriend Experience is available on Amazon Instant Video
The Mentor

Theatre Royal Bath Until May 6 1hr 30mins

Rating:

What, you may well ask, has brought the great F Murray Abraham to a little theatre in Bath? An Oscar-winner in 1985 for his performance as Salieri  the fiendishly jealous, so-called patron saint of mediocrity who possibly murdered Mozart in the movie of Peter Shaffers Amadeus  hes been busy ever since on stages and on screens large and small, recently (and compellingly) as the uber-baddie in Homeland.

One can only suppose that he couldnt resist the title role of a play by German Daniel Kehlmann, whose work has beaten J K Rowling on the bestseller lists in Europe.

The Mentor has been translated by Christopher Hampton, whose version of Florian Zellers award-winning The Father also began at this address.

One can only suppose that Abraham couldnt resist the title role of a play by German Daniel Kehlmann, whose work has beaten J K Rowling on the bestseller lists in Europe

Its not hard to see why the role was so tempting. Weather is overrated, says Abrahams superbly nuanced Benjamin Rubin, the hilariously grouchy, spoilt, arrogant and yet insecure mentor who has been brought in (for 10,000) to discuss the latest work by Martin Wegner, who, like himself, has been feted as a dramatic wunderkind on the basis of his first play.

Most things, according to Rubin, are overrated. Including television (he wants the TV removed from his room) and whisky, if it isnt Speyside malt, about which he waxes lyrical at every opportunity. But most overrated of all, he says, is Wegners talent.

Its not hard to see why the role was so tempting. Weather is overrated, says Abrahams (above) superbly nuanced Benjamin Rubin, the grouchy, arrogant and yet insecure mentor

There is a misplaced apostrophe on page 57, he says, before getting to the point: that it is dreadful, worthless, and indeed unsalvageable. Of course, I could be wrong Im sorry, Im not wrong. To judge from the drivel he quotes, hes spot-on.

Over-confident Martin (excellent Daniel Weyman) is first incredulous, then genuinely shaken. Seeking solace, he asks his wife, Gina (Naomi Frederick), her opinion of the play that had prompted him to be acclaimed as the voice of his generation.

Sometimes you have a good descriptive talent, she says, evidently scraping the barrel, and then confesses that she should have been more honest at the time, and adds, since candour is now on the menu, that hes inadequate in the husband department, too, for not doing the dishes.

Kehlmanns subject is the artistic ego, the subjectivity of opinion and how much truth anyone really wants to hear. Above: Daniel Weyman and Naomi Frederick

Kehlmanns subject is the artistic ego, the subjectivity of opinion and how much truth anyone really wants to hear. Its delicious stuff, smart and funny.

The beautifully performed production unravels beneath the gently falling petals of a cherry blossom tree  a reminder that everything has its season and nothing lasts for ever.

Its anything but mediocre.

Guards At The Taj

Bush Theatre, London Until May 20, 1hr 20mins

Rating:

The Bush Theatre was born in 1972, a minute space with the audience of 80 seated on padded steps. Intimate in every sense, which was its charm and its challenge, to which so many young playwrights, actors and directors rose. Manuel Puigs Kiss Of The Spider Woman, with Simon Callow and Mark Rylance in 1985, was a typically ambitious landmark show.

Relocating to the old library around the corner in 2011, the Bush has gone from strength to strength and this week reopened with its main theatre expanded for an audience of 180, a brand new studio space, just a fraction smaller than the Seventies original, as well as a lovely terrace and a library for playtexts.

The opening show, by Rajiv Joseph, about the price of beauty, makes a bigger impact than it deserves thanks largely to Soutra Gilmours striking set of a long, rust-coloured wall and pools, and Jamie Lloyds gory, nightmarish staging of what might have been a slight and static two-hander.

Two imperial guards, the stressily respectful Humayun (Danny Ashok, above) and the blokey Babur (Darren Kuppan), are on duty as the final touches are made to the Taj Mahal

Set in Agra, in India, in 1648, two imperial guards, old friends, the stressily respectful Humayun (Danny Ashok) and the jokey, blokey Babur (Darren Kuppan), are on duty as the final touches are made to the Taj Mahal, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahans monument to house the tomb of his beloved wife. The guards are not allowed even to glance at this marvel behind them.

While the play poses interesting questions about the gulf between an appreciation of an object and a carelessness for human lives, had it been grounded in reality rather than the myth that the 20,000 labourers who built the Taj should have their hands chopped off to prevent the creation of anything more beautiful, it would have been a much sturdier construct.
Becoming Henry Moore

Henry Moore Foundation, Perry Green, Hertfordshire

Until October 22

Rating:

In the mid-Seventies, Henry Moores sculpture was earning him so much money that he became the highest taxpayer in Britain.

The canny Yorkshiremans response was to set up a charitable foundation in his name, on the site of his then home, in Perry Green village, Hertfordshire.

Moore died in 1986, since when his artistic reputation has plummeted. Hes remembered for the production line of huge, inoffensive bronzes that appear in civic squares across the world  his baubles for corporate plazas, as American sculptor Richard Serra contemptuously dubbed them.

In the mid-Seventies, Henry Moores sculpture was earning him so much money that he became the highest taxpayer in Britain. Above: Moores Reclining Figure, 1929

Now, however, to mark its 40th anniversary, the Henry Moore Foundation is staging an exhibition that aims to shift our opinion.

Focusing on his career up to 1930, the idea is to look beyond the conservative figure of later years and return to Moores beginnings, to remind us what a cutting-edge sculptor he once was.

A coal miners son, he was born in Castleford in 1898, the seventh of eight siblings. The show begins with his earliest surviving commission: a roll of honour he carved in oak in 1915 for Castleford Secondary School, listing its 91 former pupils serving in the First World War.

A coal miners son, Moore was born in Castleford in 1898. The show begins with his earliest surviving commission. Above: Drawing for relief on St James's Underground Building, 1928

In 1921 he moved south to study at the Royal College of Art. Of the Old Master paintings he saw in London, El Grecos seem to have made the biggest impression  a number of gouache copies Moore made show him captivated by the Spaniards oddly elongated figures.

It was sculpture, though, on which his heart was set. Under the influence of his teacher Leon Underwood and peers such as Jacob Epstein and Alexander Archipenko (works by all three of whom are on display), Moore rejected the classical tradition of realistic representation. He looked to non-Western sources for inspiration  such as the African, Assyrian and Native American pieces he saw in the British Museum.

The foundation occupies 70 acres of countryside, which visitors can walk around and where theyll encounter Moores later, larger works. Becoming Henry Moore, though, is held in its suite of indoor galleries.

This is an engaging show in which we find Moore striving for his voice, full of experiments until that point when he firmly established himself: in 1930. Above: Moore at work c. 1968

We see Moores first attempts at motifs, for which hed later become renowned: his reclining figures, for instance. Influenced by Mayan chacmool sculptures in Mexico, he made seven of these in the Twenties.

Five mother-and-child sculptures also appear  in various permutations. In one case, mother doesnt so much embrace her child as give him an awkward piggy-back.

This is an engaging show in which we find Moore striving for his artistic voice, full of experiments until that point when he firmly established himself: in 1930 he was invited to represent Britain at the prestigious Venice Art Biennale.

The idea is to look beyond the conservative figure of later years and return to Moores beginnings. Above: Alexander Archipenkos bronze Woman Combing Her Hair, 1915;

The trouble with before-they-were-famous shows, though, is that, however impressive the scholarship and however enjoyable the hunt for clues towards future excellence, theyre necessarily light on masterpieces. Only 1929s Reclining Figure, in Hornton stone, counts as one of those.

Theres also an elephant in the room. Namely the First World War, during which  in 1917  Moore was forced by mustard-gas poisoning at the Battle of Cambrai to return home. He was one of just 52 surviving soldiers from a 400-strong battalion.

In later life, he didnt like to discuss his wartime experiences, and Im not suggesting anything as banal as that his reclining figures were inspired by the prostrate casualties he saw. But to completely brush over the war  which forms a major chunk of the years under consideration and had a life-changing effect on countless others  seems more than a little remiss.

Imagine Moscow

Design Museum, Until June 4

Rating:

Its 100 years since the Russian Revolution and the Royal Academys exhibition of the art that it brought about is drawing the crowds on Londons Piccadilly.

A few miles to the west, the new Design Museum in Kensington is showing how the Revolution affected the world of design in its Imagine Moscow show.

This exhibition explores Moscow as it was imagined by a bold new generation of architects and designers in the Twenties and early Thirties.

Large-scale architectural drawings, presenting an idealistic vision of the Soviet capital that was never realised, can be seen alongside artwork, propaganda and publications from the period (pictured).

Each of the six projects presented in the exhibition introduces a theme that was relevant to the early Soviet Union: collectivisation, urban planning, aviation, communication, industrialisation, communal living and recreation. Featured projects include the Palace of the Soviets, planned to be the worlds tallest building, and Cloud Iron, a network of horizontal skyscrapers.
A notorious Hindu outfit has issued a warning to the natives of Kashmir and who are living in UP to face dire consequences if they do not leave UP immediately.

The incident was reported on Friday evening when Uttar Pradesh Navnirmaan Sena (UPNS) allegedly put up large hoardings at around five prominent places in the western UP.

The hoarding read 'Bhatriya sena par pathar maarne waale Kashmiriyon ka bahishkarKashmiriyon UP chhodo varna' (social boycott of Kashmir youth who pelt stones at the Indian Army. Leave UP or else).'

The hoarding reads 'Bhatriya sena par pathar maarne waale Kashmiriyon ka bahishkarKashmiriyon UP chhodo varna' (social boycott of Kashmir youth who pelt stones at the Indian Army. Leave UP or else).

The hoardings were put on the two main crossings the Meerut University and the Subharti Medial College and three other localities. '

It is to be mentioned that over 100 Kashmir youths (boys and girls) study in the Subharti Medical College - a renowned private medical college.

However, taking swift action, the district police on Saturday removed all the hoardings.

'An FIR has also been registered against Amit Jani, the self-styled head of the outfit. We are conducting raids to arrest him,' said Senior Superintendent of Police (Meerut) J Ravindra Gaur.

Jani is the same person who vandalised the statues of former UP chief minister Mayawati and Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshiram in Lucknow a few years ago.

Although the newly appointed chief minister at that time Akhilesh Yadav was quick enough to replace the statues in the next couple of hours, Jani stayed underground for over three months before being finally arrested in Meerut.

Meanwhile, the police also held a meeting with the Kashmir students on Saturday afternoon and have assured them of all kind of assistance and proper security.

'We have also deputed a few officers outside the college and given our mobile numbers to the students. They need not to worry, and can call us any time if they have the minutest of problem related to these hooligans,' said Gaur.

Meanwhile, the Hindu Yuva Vahini (an outfit associated with BJP) has seconded the stand of UPNS.

'They (Kashmir youth) are criminals and they can disturb the harmony of any place in India. It is better that they remain in Kashmir and the army should be given a free hand to deal with them,' said Rahul Yadav, district president of HYV, Meerut.

The hoarding incident comes to light a day after of another assault in Rajasthan this week.

Six Kashmiri students enrolled at the Mewar University in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan were allegedly thrashed by locals on Wednesday.

A Kashmir student at the Mewar University was quoted as saying: 'At least nine fellow students were beaten up with sticks and bats around 6pm on Wednesday near Gangrar town after locals got to know that we are from Kashmir.

'At least, 6 of them were injured.'
Avoiding making eye contact with someone or asking where they are originally from have been deemed as racist micro-aggressions in a newsletter issued by Oxford University.

The institution's Equality and Diversity Unit states these two common behaviours could potentially cause the listener 'mental ill-health'.

The Trinity term newsletter claims asking someone where they are 'originally' from implies that the questioner does not believe they are British.

If you avoid eye contact with people than you could be guilty of a 'racial micro-aggression' according to Oxford University's Equality and Diversity Unit

The Trinity term newsletter also mentions 'not speaking directly to people' and 'jokes drawing attention to someone's difference' as possible forms of everyday racism.

It says people doing these things are often 'well-meaning', but insists they are still reinforcing negative stereotypes and making people feel like they 'do not belong'.

But Professor Frank Furedi, author of What's Happened To The University, said the advice was 'Orwellian' and called on Oxford to 'wake up to reality'.

The advice on everyday racism on the news letter

He told MailOnline: 'To go from simply stating someone is racist based on what they say to assume they are unconsciously racist is a very Orwellian turn.

'Microaggressions empower the accuser to say that it doesn't matter what you intend by that look, I just know by the look of your eyes you are racist.

'It is a very insidious way of thinking. Universities used to understand the reality that humans are complex.

'It would be nice if Oxford could wake up to reality.'

Oxford University said the advice was part of an attempt to fight discrimination and encourage equality of opportunity.

Students at the university recently took part in a campaign called 'I, too, am Oxford', to raise awareness of unconscious racism.

At one college, Pembroke, students are advised by their representatives to report 'macro and microaggressions' to a welfare officer.

She will then deal with the issue by 'mediation with the other party' or 'through the harassment policy'.

Professor Furedi said giving advice on avoiding microaggressions happens at 'virtually every' university in the USA, but is fairly new to the UK.

The Trinity term newsletter also mentions 'not speaking directly to people' as a possible form of everyday racism. Pictured: The Equality and Diversity Unit's website

At one Oxford college, Pembroke, students are advised by their representatives to report micro-aggressions to a welfare officer

The Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Kent University urged British students to resist the trend, adding: 'A minority of students make it their own cause.

'But there are usually a lot of people who think it is stupid but they acquiesce to it and eventually the influence of these ideas becomes more prominent.'

Professor Furedi said the advice was 'Orwellian' and called on Oxford to 'wake up to reality'

An Oxford University spokesman told MailOnline: 'The Equality and Diversity Unit works with University bodies to ensure that the University's pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity.

'The newsletter is one way of advising and supporting staff towards achieving these aims.'

The row comes two months after a Cambridge college was accused of 'cultural misrepresentation' by students after serving 'Jamaican stew' and 'Tunisian rice'.

Students argued the dishes served at Pembroke College were not authentic to countries they were described to be from, The Sunday Times reported.

The original complainant said: 'I'm used to as a minority student being constantly invalidated when flagging up specific issues but if people feel their cultures are misrepresented they have the right to address this.

'Micro-aggressions are a reality of the everyday existence of many people of colour.'

The row comes two months after Pembroke College in Cambridge was accused of 'cultural misrepresentation' by students after serving 'Jamaican stew' and 'Tunisian rice'
A prairie dog hunt is on the agenda for Donald Trump Jr this weekend as he heads to Montana to help campaign for an open seat in the US House of Representatives.

The President's son is on a four-city tour of the state to help Greg Gianforte campaign for an open seat on the US House of Representatives.

Gianforte is a technology entrepreneur up against Democrat Rob Quist in the May 25 election for the seat vacated by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

But that's not all on the agenda for Donald Jr, he and Gianforte also have a prairie dog hunt planned for the weekend, angering many animal rights activists.

Donald Trump Jr has angered some animal rights activists as he plans for a weekend of campaigning and hunting across Montana

But that's not all on the agenda for Donald Jr, he and Gianforte also have a prairie dog hunt planned for the weekend

'As good Montanans, we want to show good hospitality to people,' Gianforte said. 'What can be more fun than to spend an afternoon shooting the little rodents?'

Trump is lending Gianforte some star power to fuel his campaign after Republican congressional candidates had close calls in special elections in Kansas and Georgia.

Gianforte, pictured in a photo from 2016, is a technology entrepreneur up against Democrat Rob Quist in the May 25 election for the seat vacated by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke

The president's son, an avid hunter and angler who last visited Montana in November, is looking to shore up support from the hunting-friendly state after his father won Montana by 20 percentage points over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Prairie dog hunting is a way for landowners to control the population of the rodents, classified as 'agricultural pests' because of the damage they can do to crops.

They are also a nongame species, meaning there are no hunting limits or hunting seasons. Killing them is a popular pastime among some hunters who looking to keep their shooting skills sharp during the offseason when they can't hunt wild animals like deer and elk.

However, prairie dogs are also listed as a species of concern by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks because their numbers have declined and because of threats like diseases.

Their numbers haven't dropped to the point that protective measures must be taken so that they're managed like other wildlife, though, agency spokesman Greg Lemon said.

'They are a species of concern but also a species not in need of management,' he said.

However, prairie dogs are also listed as a species of concern by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks because their numbers have declined and because of threats like diseases

The Humane Society of the United States condemned Trump's hunting plans, saying prairie dogs are an important species for the Great Plains.

More than 100 other animals depend on the prairie dog as food or move into the burrows they dig, said Lindsey Sterling Krank, the organization's director for its Prairie Dog Coalition.

Now is the time year when prairie dogs are still nursing their new offspring, meaning hunters who shoot lactating females are condemning the pups to starvation, Sterling Krank said.

'I would love to take Donald Trump Jr. out with a spotting scope and shoot the prairie dog with our cameras,' Sterling Krank said. 'Shooting a prairie dog colony is not a good conservation message.'

The Humane Society of the United States condemned Trump's hunting plans, saying prairie dogs are an important species for the Great Plains

Gianforte, whose campaign has focused on gun rights, dismissed the organization's concerns.

'Clearly they've never shot a prairie dog,' he said. 'They don't know how much fun it is.'

The Montana race is drawing increasing interest after the Georgia and Kansas elections, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has pledged to come to Montana next month to campaign for Quist, a popular musician who fronted the Mission Mountain Wood Band.

Gianforte, who is trying to rebound from last November's election loss to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, has already received a boost from outside spending from national Republican groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund.
A Navy SEAL who serves on SEAL Team One (whose logo is seen above) faces charges of producing and possessing child pornography

A Navy SEAL is facing charges of producing and possessing child pornography after video footage of him allegedly molesting a sleeping child was found on his cellular device, according to authorities.

Court documents filed March 31 allege that Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Kyle Seerden made videos of himself molesting a sleeping girl.

The investigation began at a Navy base in Virginia Beach after an adult woman claimed the 31-year-old Seerden sexually assaulted her.

NCIS agents allegedly discovered the videos on Seerden's phone.

Seerden is from Missouri and part of the California-based SEAL Team One.

He was arrested and detained in San Diego, California.

A judge has ordered that he be sent to Norfolk, where charges were filed.

Navy spokesman Lt. Zachary Keating says the unit is cooperating with authorities.

An attorney listed in court documents for Seerden in California did not respond to requests for comment.

US Marshals are currently in the process of transporting Seerden back to Virginia, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Seerden has been charged with four felonies.

If he is convicted of producing child pornography alone, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

In late January, a woman reported that she and Seerden went out drinking at a bar in Norfolk Virginia.

The woman told authorities that she remembers blacking out and once she woke up, she realized Seerden was on top of her in his hotel room.

She then reported Seerden to authorities.

Military investigators with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service received permission to probe Seerden's belongings, including his cell phone.

Investigators are reported to have found images that include a naked child and an aroused dog.

A more thorough investigation is said to have found dozens of videos and photographs, including one of a grown man masturbating next to a sleeping girl as he touches her in intimate areas.

While the man's face is not seen in the video, he is wearing a light blue shirt, according to court documents.

Photos with time stamps from the same day show Seerden in a light blue shirt reading a book to the victim and three other children.
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North Koreas military parades are an impressive sight that can also give away important information about the regimes capabilities and ambitions.

Its latest display of military hardware - to commemorate the 'Day of the Sun' on Saturday, April 15 - focused more on new missiles and less on tanks and artillery, suggesting it was trying to project the image of a country with advanced capabilities in warfare.

There has been a gradual decline in conventional weapons on display since 2012, Kim Jong Un's first parade as leader, and a move to showcase more sophisticated weapons such as ballistic missiles.

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North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un (pictured right) applauds during the military parade held on Saturday, April 15 to commemorate the 'Day of the Sun' in Pyongyang. The image was released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency

The parade took place in Kim Il Sung Square and showcased the militaristic nation's new hardware. According to Reuters, Jong Un is trying to project that North Korea has advanced capabilities in warfare

This graph shows the procession of new weapons displayed at military parades since October 2010

North Korea displayed two completely new kinds of intercontinental ballistic missile.

Canister launchers mounted on the back of trucks suggest Pyongyang is working towards a 'new concept' of ICBM, said Melissa Hanham, a senior research associate at the U.S.-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

'However, North Korea has a habit of showing off new concepts in parades before they ever test or launch them,' Hanham said. 'It is still early days for these missile designs.'

Intercontinental ballistic missiles are driven down a road during the military parade. Canister launchers are mounted on the back of trucks

The land-based variant of the Pukkuksong-1, called Pukkuksong-2, was also on display for the first time.

The missile was tested successfully last February. Its range is believed to be around 2,000km.

The tracked launcher it is mounted on could allow it to move off-road, making it difficult to monitor.

The 'Pukkuksong-2' (pictured) was revealed for the first time and is a land-based variant of the submarine-launched Pukkuksong-1. The land-based missile is believed to have a range of around 2,000km

The submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) called Pukkuksong-1s were also on show for the first time at a military parade.

It was successfully tested last August and believed to use solid fuel, with a range of around 900km.

Having the ability to fire a missile from a submarine could help North Korea evade the new THAAD anti-missile system currently being deployed in South Korea.

A navy truck carries the 'Pukkuksong-1' which was on show for the first time at a military parade. Its range is thought to be around 900km

A variation of a Scud missile, perhaps a KN-17, was mounted on a tracked launcher that appears to have control surfaces on its re-entry vehicle, or nose section, according to Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

This could indicate that North Korea is working on a maneuvering system, potentially allowing the North to target nearby ships.

One missile has not been seen at a parade before. Analysts have said that it could be a stretched version of the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, or a shorter type of North Koreas KN-08 ICBM.

The scud missile is pictured on top of a tracked launcher. According to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, the weapon displayed might indicate that North Korea is working on a maneuvering system

The missile pictured might be a stretched version of the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile or a shorter type of the KN-08 ICBM. It appeared for the first time in a North Korea military parade on April 15

The transporter used is a parade newcomer, but the canisters on top of the vehicle resemble the Russian KH-35 anti-ship cruise missile.

Its range of more than 100 km could pose a threat to opposing naval vessels.

'It makes it harder for those sea-based missile defense assets to get close to North Korea,' said Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

The transporters pictured also appeared for the first time on Saturday. Mounted on them are canisters that resemble the Russian KH-35 anti-ship cruise missile

After the heavy equipment and brigades of tightly-coordinated, goose-stepping soldiers pass by, thousands of North Korean civilians bring up the rear of the parade, carrying flags and walking alongside colorful floats.

Divided into work units, they had prepared for months for this day. As they move past Kim Jong Un's balcony, some are overcome with emotion and cry. Others look exhausted.
A small town police department posted a funny tweet about catching stoners celebrating 4/20.

The Wyoming, Minnesota police department tweeted a photo of an officer holding a net near a pile of salty snacks and video games to catch stoners.

They captioned the photo: 'Undercover #420 operations are in place. Discreet traps have been set up throughout the city today. #Happy420.'

To catch a stoner: The Wyoming, Minnesota police department posted a trap for 4/20 revellers

#Helpfulcops: Using marijuana for non-medical purposes is not legal in Minnesota

The tweet set Twitter ablaze and accumulated nearly 175,000 retweets on what is unofficially known as 'Weed Day.'

Three years ago Minnesota legalized marijuana for certain medical conditions. It is not legal for recreational use.

Later on, the department tweeted: 'We heard complaints about someone not having enough drugs for #420 so if you're a drug dealer hit us up so we can......connect. #helpfulcops.'

It's not the first time the department has joked about luring stoners with snacks. In 2016, they posted a photo of a box held up by a stick hovering over Doritos and Cheetos as a 'sting' operation.

The cops used the traction on Twitter to bring light to a serious issue. They pinned the tweet that read 'if you need help with substance abuse issues please contact us & we'll find resources. That does NOT mean jail time.'
Schools are paying more than 8,000 for a single window blind and 2,000 for a tap after being locked into exorbitant long-term contracts.

They are being forced to fork out huge premiums for items and services due to inflexible Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals.

These also include 2,000 for the installation of a sink and more than 400 for caretakers to fit noticeboards.

Schools are being forced to fork out huge premiums for items and services due to inflexible Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals

The growing debt burden means that getting rid of staff may be the only way for schools to satisfy government demands to make savings, according to the Times Educational Supplement.

PFI contracts took off under New Labour, with hundreds signed after Tony Blair came to power in 1997.

Under the schemes, private companies pay the upfront costs of public sector projects such as building new roads, schools, hospitals and prisons.

But the deals they sign with the Government allow them to make money for several decades from the projects.

Companies charge interest on repayments for the money they used to build the project. Schools also pay for services such as maintenance and security in yearly payments.

The PFI has resulted in schools paying several times more than items actually cost.

An investigation by the TES found that some are seeing more than 15 per cent of their budget swallowed up by PFI payments.

Anything that falls outside the contract, such as a school wanting to change the use of a room or get an additional fire extinguisher usually incurs extra charges.

This includes more than 8,000 for a single window blind and 2,000 for a tap after being locked into exorbitant long-term contracts

At Bristol Metropolitan Academy, a single blind for a room will end up costing 8,154 under PFI, according to the TES. Oasis Academy Brislington, also in the Bristol area, will pay 2,211 for an outdoor tap over the course of the contract.

Meanwhile, Newman Roman Catholic College in Oldham was charged 48 after security staff opened the school to allow pupils to visit the toilet. The same school had to pay more than 400 for the fitting of noticeboards.

Tim Gilson, head of Malmesbury School, in Wiltshire, said: We had some benching put in the canteen, along one wall, about 20 yards.

'We have to pay about 40 a month for the facilities management cost of that bench, on top of the cost of putting that bench in and all the materials. Its a monthly charge that continues for the length of the contract.

With 13 years left on its PFI contract, the secondary school will be charged 6,240 just for the management of the bench.

One teacher, who asked not to be named, said: Our school has an annual PFI bill of 132,478. We have been paying 88 a year for the installation of a new sink for 14 years.

With nine years left on the contract, that sink will cost 2,024. A TES analysis of the latest Treasury data for PFI projects shows that the total school bill for England will end up being more than 32billion over the life of the contracts. At least 22billion of this will have to be paid off over the next 25 years.

The National Audit Office, the Government spending watchdog, has launched a new investigation into the value for money in PFI deals. Schools are one area that is being examined.

The Department for Education said: We have recently consulted on a new, fairer national funding formula for schools, in which PFI costs are to be taken into consideration for the first time.
Shops and petrol stations may have to scrap free hole in the wall cash machines after losing a key court battle over business rates.

A tribunal ruled that cashpoints built into the front of outlets should have a separate business rates bill.

The ruling, upholding a previous decision from 2013, means retailers with free cash machines may be forced to close them or start charging for them. In many towns these ATMs in garages and shops are the only ones left as bank branches have shut.

A tribunal ruled cashpoints built in front of outlets should have a separate business rates bill

More than half a million firms have already been hit by steep rises in their business rates after the first revaluation in seven years kicked in at the start of this month.

The judgment by the Upper Tribunal, published on Thursday, follows a long-running case brought by a raft of businesses, including Sainsburys, Tesco and the Co-op, as well as ATM operator Cardtronics Europe. Retailers were incensed by the Governments 2013 decision to charge rates on hole in the wall cashpoints, which saw bills sent to thousands of stores the following year.

After losing the court battle, shops face having to pay an average of almost 2,800 more tax on cash machines as part of the business rates hikes, sparking fears many will no longer be able to afford offering cashpoints for free.

Retailers hopes of clawing back 200 million in rebates for past tax paid have also been dashed, and they face a 206 million bill for the next five years under the revaluation.

Retailers face a 206 million bill for the next five years under revaluation

Figures compiled by rents and rates specialists CVS showed the hefty hikes in business rates are costing retailers 39.3 million a year. The number of cash machines liable for business rates has surged from 3,140 in 2010 to 14,068 this year.

Almost one in six business rates appeals currently lodged  more than 196,000  relate to cash machines, according to CVS.

The Association of Convenience Stores wants to see local authorities use funds announced in the Budget to reduce the burden for retailers.

Its chief executive James Lowman said: Sadly this ruling will make it harder for retailers to offer free-to-use cash machines. This will have wide-ranging and damaging implications.

Nearly 200,000 business rates appeals currently lodged relate to cash machines

He added that the ruling shows what a mess the business rates system is in after the revaluation.

CVS described the move to charge rates on cash machines as a stealth tax and said it could deprive many communities of access to money.

A CVS spokesman said retailers are expected to lodge an appeal against the ruling but in the meantime there wont be any respite in tax liabilities which is going to hit small retailers and forecourts the hardest.

The Government faced a backlash from firms and its own MPs over its business rates revaluation. Although ministers said the majority of firms would see their rates fall or stay the same, about half a million face increases of up to 3,000 per cent.

After the outcry, Chancellor Philip Hammond introduced a 300 million relief fund to help those hardest hit.

The government has faced a backlash from MPs over the business rates revaluation

Customers may soon be able to get a bank account or mortgage using a cash machine.

A new type of ATM set to be introduced next year will allow you to talk to staff by video call, sign your name electronically and take a photo of yourself or documents.

US makers NCR said the devices would make banking easier and safer, but critics fear it could lead to even more traditional branches closing.
Kori Ali Muhammad, 39, shot and killed three people on the streets of downtown Fresno on Tuesday and was trying to murder as many white people as he could, authorities said

A California judge ordered a mental evaluation for the suspect in a racially motivated shooting rampage in Fresno after he entered a cramped courtroom yelling 'Let black people go.'

Kori Ali Muhammad, 39, was brought into the courtroom Friday and immediately shouted that natural disasters will increasingly hit the United States.

He then shouted twice during the minute-long hearing 'Let black people go,' and something similar to 'in reparations'.

Muhammad was supposed to be officially charged with first-degree murder in the killing of unarmed security guard Carl Williams.

Authorities have said that this was the first of four killings, and that Muhammad then killed three more people in the rampage, targeting white victims, before he was caught.

He was supposed to be charged with first degree murder, but county Judge Kent Hamlin (pictured) cancelled the hearing after his outbursts

Police have said that Muhammad told them that learning he was wanted for the Williams' killing prompted him to try to kill as many white people as possible before he was caught.

He shot three other white men at random Tuesday, police said, including a Pacific Gas & Electric utility worker sitting in a truck and two men who had come out of a Catholic Charities building.

Muhammad fired 17 rounds in less than two minutes, police said.

Following the outbursts in court, his appointed lawyer, Eric Christensen (pictured), then told the judge: 'I believe this gentleman may not be mentally competent to proceed'

Muhammad posted a number of photos on Facebook donning turbans and head jewelry and wearing pro-black clothing, and previously posted about his dislike of white people

Following the outbursts in court, his appointed lawyer, Eric Christensen, then told the judge: 'I believe this gentleman may not be mentally competent to proceed.'

Muhammad yelled again and the judge canceled the proceedings, setting bail at $2.6 million and ordering a mental evaluation for Muhammad. His arraignment is set for May 12.

Officers arrested him less than five minutes after the rampage began on Tuesday.

Pastors and church leaders in the Fresno area meet outside Catholic Charities in Fresno, California during a prayer walk vigil for the victims of Tuesday's shooting

Muhammad said Williams showed him disrespect while he was visiting a woman at Motel Six, according to police.

Prosecutors said they are waiting for investigators to finish compiling their case before filing charges related the other three victims.

Christensen after the court hearing declined comment about his client or the authorities' case.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer earlier this week called the acts 'unprovoked' and 'solely based on race'. They are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Dyer added that the killings had 'nothing to do with terrorism in spite of the statement he made.'

Dyer continued: 'These individuals who were chosen today did not do anything to deserve what they got.

'These were unprovoked attacks by an individual that was intent on carrying out homicides today. He did that.'
Allison Baden-Clay's parents have revealed they still struggle with the death of their daughter five years later, saying the pain 'does not go away'.

Priscilla Dickie and husband Geoffrey spoke to 9News at the first fundraising launch for the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation on Friday.

'It has been five years but the hurt and the pain doesn't go away with the loss of your daughter,' Ms Dickie said.

Scroll down for video

Allison Baden-Clay's parents have revealed they still struggle the death of their daughter five years later, saying the pain 'doesn't go away'

But she said her and her husband were 'very grateful' to the people that put so much time and effort into creating the foundation.

Mr Dickie said they felt it was time to speak about Allison after five years, and tell everyone what she was like.

'Even though she's not here today with us we miss her very much.

'She was a lovely girl, you've only got to ask anybody that had come in contact with her, and then of course with the girls, she nurtured them and made them do the right thing, and that's why they're so strong now.

'They're just getting on with life and are thriving.'

Mr Dickie (centre) said after five years they felt it was time to speak about Allison, and tell everyone what she was like. 'Even thought she's not here today with us we miss her very much'

Ms Dickie said: 'It has been five years but the hurt and the pain doesn't go away with the loss of your daughter'

Mr Dickie told The Courier-Mail earlier in the week his granddaughters were 'strong' and 'excelling at school' five years after her death.

Her husband gave an emotional tribute to Allison at a domestic violence fundraiser where he spoke about raising the three girls aged 15, 13 and ten.

'They are an example to us of the strength of young people. They are wonderful kids,' Mr Dickie said.

He was speaking at a luncheon held for the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation - which is a charity group created in the murdered mother's name to fight domestic and family violence.

The Dickies have been raising their late daughter's three children on the Gold Coast after she was killed by her husband, Gerard Baden-Clay.

Gerard Baden-Clay (pictured left) was convicted of murdering wife Allison (left) in 2014

Allison (pictured) was murdered by her husband in 2012 and was survived by her three young daughters

Baden-Clay, 46, was found guilty of murder after Allison's body was discovered on a Brisbane river bank in April 2012.

He is serving a life sentence after being convicted of her murder in 2014.

It was recently revealed Baden-Clay had demanded open communication with his three daughters.

The father wanted to send photos from prison as well as receive pictures and their report cards.

But his request was denied and a ban on any contact was upheld.

Allison's three young daughters (pictured above) at their mother's funeral in 2012

Baden-Clay pictured above with his three young daughters following Allison's death

Baden-Clay (pictured left in 2012 and right in 2014) was found to have scratch marks on his face following the death of his wife Allison

A friend of Allison's said Baden-Clay was in 'denial about what he's done' and shouldn't attempt to interfere in the lives of his children.

'He has no concept about what he has put those kids through and how he has impacted everybody,' the friend said.

'It's worrying that he thinks he has a right to be involved in these kids' lives. He just hasn't.'

His murder conviction was downgraded to manslaughter in 2015, before being reinstated by the High Court of Australia the following year.

Baden-Clay is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years before being eligible for parole.

He has been working in metal assembly inside Wolston Correctional Centre, southwest Brisbane.

Reports earlier this year said Baden-Clay was so fearful for his safety in Wolston, that he had been paying other prisoners to act as his own bodyguards.

Geoff Dickie spoke at a fundraiser luncheon for the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation (pictured)

Allison was put to rest in May 2012 after she was killed by her husband Gerard, who was present at the funeral
Google is to introduce an adblocker that will stop its rivals yet still allow the online giants own adverts to keep generating it 47 billion a year, it has been reported.

Adblocker tools are increasingly popular with internet users tired of interruptions from annoying pop-up and video promotions.

Now Google is preparing to launch its own version built-in to the companys popular web browser Chrome.

Google is to introduce an adblocker that will stop its rivals yet still allow the online giants own adverts to keep generating it 47 billion a year, it has been reported

Yet the tool  which could be switched on by default  will reportedly keep Googles own online adverts that generated the American firm more than 47 billion last year.

Google has declined to comment after sources told the Wall Street Journal the feature could be announced with weeks.

One quarter of British internet users are thought to already use adblockers.

And Google also pays these third-party ad-blockers large sums to approve promotional material from its own network, it was reported.

Daniel Gilbert, chief executive of marketing agency Brainlabs, told The Times: This is a clear move by Google to wipe out the ad-blockers because they pose a threat to Google.

If Google can tidy up the ad ecosystem in Chrome, then they are hoping that users wont feel the need to install an additional blocker, let alone pay for a service.

The Coalition for Better Ads recently released a list of online advert standards which deemed pop-ups and video ads with sounds as beneath a threshold of consumer acceptability.

Google could also choose to block all adverts on a site even if one or two breach the standards, the Wall Street Journal reported.

But the new feature could land the giant in trouble with competition watchdogs.

The EUs competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who is already investigating Google, reportedly said she would follow the new feature closely.

Adblocker tools are increasingly popular with internet users tired of interruptions from annoying pop-up and video promotions

Paul Armstrong, of consultancy company Here/Forth, told The Times said: While the move could lead to watchdog scrutiny, Google has a dominant position to protect as advertising remains its most significant revenue stream.

A Google spokesman said: We do not comment on rumour or speculation.

Weve been working closely with the Coalition for Better Ads and industry trades to explore a multitude of ways Google and other members of the Coalition could support the Better Ads Standards.

A Daily Mail investigation this month revealed Google was making money from content promoting self harm and eating disorders.

Adverts for brands including Amazon and Microsoft were found to be running alongside YouTube videos of people cutting themselves with razor blades, and talking about self-mutilation.

Google places adverts using automated technology rather than human judgment and hands the people who post the content up to 6.15 for every 1,000 views.

The Government and the BBC were among those to pull advertising from Googles YouTube platform last month after it emerged their adverts were being run alongside videos posted by extremist groups.
An asylum seeker allowed himself to be tortured with hot iron bars to support his bid to stay in the UK, judges have ruled.

He claimed five scars on his back were evidence of how he was badly treated by authorities in his native Sri Lanka.

But rejecting his claims, the Court of Appeal ruled that he probably consented to the torture in as part of a ruse called self-infliction by proxy or SIBP.

An asylum seeker allowed himself to be tortured with hot iron bars to support his appeal to stay in the UK. His claims were rejected by the Court of Appeal (pictured), who said his scars were a 'ruse'

It added that a cooperative and clandestine doctor might have put him under general anaesthetic while the heated iron rods were placed on him.

In a 22,000-word appeal ruling, one of the countrys most senior judges, Lord Justice Sales, questioned why the 35-year-old man had not experienced any significant infection as a result of the burning.

The judge said an earlier immigration tribunal which threw out the mans asylums claim was justified in highlighting the highly unusual type of scarring as a central implausibility in his account.

It also raised doubts about his relationship with the Tamil Tigers and his alleged detention and escape from the country.

The man arrived in the UK on a fake passport six years ago before claiming asylum. He is thought to have racked up enormous legal bills at taxpayers expense in his desperate bid to avoid deportation.

He claims that he was detained in the aftermath of a Tamil Tigers attack on Colombo airport in 2007 over possible links to the organisation.

Lord Justice Sales questioned the man's relationship with the Tamil Tigers and his alleged detention and escape from the country

His alleged torture occurred in August 2009, where it was claimed he felt intense pain from the first burn before falling unconscious while receiving other burns.In support of his torture claim, he produced a medical report from a professor that backed the theory.

The man also claimed he would face a real risk of persecution if deported because authorities would regard him as having been actively involved with the Tamil Tigers.

Dismissing his appeal, Lord Justice Sales said the earlier tribunal hearing  which rejected the asylum seekers claims  had conscientiously balanced the probabilities of infliction of the scarring by SIBP and by torture.

It was entitled to assess that SIBP was the only real possibility that could not be discounted, he added.

In a majority decision, Lord Justice Sales and another senior judge, Lord Justice Patten, rejected the challenge by the claimant, identified only by the initials KV.

It was not clear last night if he planned to make a final appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Ministry of Justice refused to confirm whether he is receiving legal aid.

The Home Office declined to say whether he is in custody pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
Speaker Paul Ryan also supported a US-EU deal as well as a deal with Britain

The US will strike a free trade deal with the European Union before it agrees one with Britain, it was claimed last night.

Unnamed Washington and European officials claimed the UK had been forced behind the EU in the queue to reach a deal with America.

If true, it would signal a dramatic U-turn on the part of the U.S. president, who has so far opposed negotiating with the EU as a bloc and tried instead to reach deals with separate countries - starting with Britain.

The US will strike a free trade deal with the European Union before it agrees one with Britain, it was claimed. It is believed Donald Trump softened his approach to the EU after meeting Angela Merkel, despite frosty body language

According to the Times, Mr Trump has softened his opposition to a US-EU deal after Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, convinced him that reaching agreement would be simpler than he thought.

Officials reportedly said Mr Trumps re-think was also influenced by his administrations failure to open talks with individual EU members apart from the UK.

It has reportedly led to a realisation in the White House that a trade deal with the EU, allowing for a tariff-free exchange of goods and services, would be more beneficial to the US than a post-Brexit deal with Britain.

Mrs Merkel is believed to have won over her White House host. A former White House advisor said: Mr Trump will want good trading terms with everybody in Europe, in or out of the EU'

Mrs Merkel is said to have told senior colleagues that Mr Trump misunderstood the basic facts about the EU and trade, asking her 10 times if he could work out a trade deal with Germany before finally getting the message he could negotiate only with the EU.

The suggestion that Mrs Merkel won over her White House host on anything may come as a surprise given their frosty body language and his apparent refusal at one point to shake hands for the cameras.

Washington insiders noted last night that the two goals - a deal with post-Brexit Britain and one with the EU - are not mutually incompatible.

Mr Trump will want good trading terms with everybody in Europe, in or out of the EU, said a former White House advisor.

He vociferously supported Britain coming out of the EU.

Hell not want to make Brexit look like a mistake.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, the most powerful Republican in Congress, made clear as much in a speech in London on Wednesday.

He said the US was ready to negotiate a new trade deal with Britain but also wanted a strong Europe.

The United States stands ready to forge a new trade agreement with Great Britain as soon as possible, so that we may further tap into the great potential between our people, he said in a speech at the Policy Exchange think tank.

Officials reportedly said Mr Trumps re-think was also influenced by his administrations failure to open talks with individual EU members apart from the UK

Mr Ryan supported an eventual EU/US trade deal but added: At the same time, we are committed to working with President Trump and your government to achieve a bilateral trade agreement between the United States and Britain.

If the EU becomes a bigger trade priority for the Trump administration than Britain, it will be an embarrassing blow to the diplomacy skills of Boris Johnson.

The foreign secretary met with Mr Trumps advisers in January and afterwards claimed Britain would be first in line for a deal.

His boast was aimed at refuting President Obamas warning a year ago that the UK would be at the back of the queue if it left the EU.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said last night that reports of the US favouring the EU over Britain was a devastating blow to Theresa Mays hard Brexit plans.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the US was ready to negotiate a new trade deal with Britain but also wanted a strong Europe

He called on the Prime Minister to make clear she will prioritise a trade deal with the EU over one with Mr Trump.

Talks on a US-EU trade deal first started in 1990 but negotiations on the so-called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) were shelved after Mr Trumps election victory.

They could now be revived or replaced with a new deal as TTIP has been criticised as too heavily favouring big business.

The EU is Americas biggest trading partner but the US suffers from a substantial trade deficit.

Last year, US exports to the union were worth 210 billion ($270 billion) - in the same period it exported 43 billion ($55 billion) in goods to the UK.

Cecilia Malmstrom, the EUs trade commissioner, is visiting Washington next week for informal talks with US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross.
By eck its not a sight youd expect to see among the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds.

But defying the countys often chilly climes is Britains most northerly commercial vineyard.

Ryedale Vineyards, at Westow, near Malton, produces nine different wines and a cider.

Ryedale Vineyards owner John Fletcher started producing wine in 2010. He plans to add another 4,000 vines this year

The six acres of vines were first planted at the main site in 2006 and a second site nearby in 2008. The first wines followed on in 2010.

Owner John Fletcher, who is expanding this year and planting 4,000 additional vines, said: We are the most northerly commercial producer on this scale.

Monks dating back thousands of years have tried to make wine further up the country - but nothing like the commercial scale we have accomplished.

Until recently, there were very few vineyards north of Watford - but they are popping up across the country now.

At our vineyard we literally cannot make it quick enough - people just buy it up as soon as we put it on sale.

Mr Fletcher's firm has scooped 25 awards including from the UK Vineyard Association

Mr Fletcher took over the vineyard from founders Stuart and Elizabeth Smith, who retired last year.

It produces six still red, white and rose wines, with names such as Yorkshires Lass and Shepherds Delight and selling for 10 a bottle. The other three are sparkling varieties retailing for 20.

As well as purchasing wine, visitors can also take a vineyard tour or even stay in bed and breakfast accommodation.

The surrounding area is steeped in culture. Castle Howard, which is nearby, was the setting for Brideshead Revisted - and the fictious Downton Abbey is supposedly near as well.

Two main types of grape are grown  both European varieties - rondo, for making red wine, and ortega, for white.

Ryedales success - which has seen it scoop 25 awards since 2012 including accolades from the International Wine Challenge and UK Vineyards Association - comes as the number of UK vineyards has now expanded to more than 500.

Although the majority are in southern England, where some vineyards have attracted the interest of French producers, 19 sites are in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The amount of British countryside planted with vines has nearly tripled since 2000 - making wine production one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the UK.

And a million more vines are due to be planted in England and Wales this year. Already, vineyards cover more than 5,000 acres.

The amount of British countryside planted with vines has nearly tripled since 2000 and now cover more than 5,000 acres

Mr Fletcher produces six red, still white and rose wines, with names such as Yorkshires Lass and Shepherds Delight, which cost 10 a bottle. Three sparkling varieties are also made

Mr Fletcher added: One hazard is wet weather but as the climate improves, we can assume that we can grow wine again like we did in Roman times.

Roman wine wasn't good, but it did have alcohol in it and it was preferable to drinking dirty water.

Most other vineyards in Yorkshire are small and do not operate on a commercial basis.

Umbrella body English Wine Producers said the number of new vines this year will be the largest number of vines ever planted in a single year in the UK.

A spokeswoman said: Most of the vines to be planted are those for sparkling wines, and are principally Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This years vine planting will yield another two million bottles of mainly sparkling wine, adding an estimated 50m to the industry.

The million plus new vines will in total cover an estimated 625 acres  the equivalent of planting up the whole of Londons Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens combined.

Industry body English Wine Producers said the number of new vines planted this year will be the largest ever in a single year in the UK'

English wines are proving popular overseas, exporting to a record 27 countries in 2016. Last month, Waitrose became the first supermarket to export English wine to China.

The chains selection for the Chinese market includes four sparkling wines - two whites and two roses, from Ridgeview in Sussex, Wiston Estate in West Sussex, and Camel Valley in Cornwall, as well as the Leckford Estate Brut, from Hampshire.

Britains oldest commercial vineyard is Hambledon, Hampshire, which was planted in 1954 with the help of Pol Roger, and occupies hillsides across a valley from the sports ground where the modern game of cricket was founded.

It is among the vineyards where French experts are bringing their skills to help improve British wines.

Winemaker Didier Pieson, a consultant to two Champagne houses as well as working at Hambledon, said: The chalk of Hampshire is similar to that in Champagne, allowing English sparkling wine to be made of equal quality.

The small increase in Britains average temperatures due to global warming  bringing the south on a par with parts of France - has helped wine production.

In 2015, five million bottles were made, slightly down on a record 6.3m the previous year. More than two thirds of English wine made is sparkling.
The farce over the Sir Edward Heath child abuse inquiry grew yesterday as it emerged that a member of an independent panel scrutinising the probe has been paid to help on the case.

Dr Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist who specialises in abuse and trauma, received 2,025 for advising Wiltshire Police about two individuals who have made allegations against the late Tory prime minister.

The force subsequently asked her to join a panel of four looking at all aspects of the Operation Conifer probe to help police chiefs consider the ongoing proportionality and justification for the investigation.

Sir Edward Heath (pictured left and right) was Prime Minister between 1970 and 1974. After losing the leadership of the Tory Party, he stayed on as an MP until 2001 and died in 2005

Critics questioned whether the panel, which has been used by Chief Constable Mike Veale to justify continuing with the probe, can be called independent when one of its members is being paid to work for the same inquiry.

Sir Edwards godson, Lincoln Seligman, said: If youre paid to work within the inquiry, you cant really have an independent view of the workings of the inquiry.

But yesterday Dr Hanson said: There has categorically been no conflict of interest in the roles I have been approached to undertake, and the manner in which I have undertaken them. Wiltshire Police said: Her two roles are quite distinct and at no time has there been a conflict.

Lincoln Seligman (pictured) has defended his late godfather and called for an end to the 'vindictive' investigation

The row comes a week after the force announced that the only two people arrested during Operation Conifer  which has lasted nearly two years  have been released with no further action.

It means that no one is likely to face any charges in the investigation dubbed a witch-hunt by critics. The Mail understands that the two people arrested did not know Sir Edward. They had never met him, or worked with him or in politics.

The investigation began in August 2015 when police made an extraordinary statement outside Sir Edwards former home in Salisbury appealing for victims to come forward.

Mr Veale says detectives were duty bound to investigate him because as PM from 1970 to 1974 he was one of the most powerful people in the world.

He has been quoted as saying he is convinced that Sir Edward was a paedophile.
More part time soldiers are at risk of dying during SAS selection training tests because they are not being adequately prepared by commanders, a military inquiry has found.

The highly critical report by the Defence Safety Authority followed the deaths of three SAS reservists who suffered heat exhaustion on a time trial mountain march in July 2013.

It found they were not sufficiently prepared for the test and were not ready to compete against full time comrades.

Army reservist Corporal James Dunsby, left, and Edward Maher, right, who died when they were on a test mountain march in 2013

According to the inquiry, part time soldiers remain vulnerable to a further incident until the Army clarifies the role of special forces reservists. It also said commanders incorrectly saw the tests as routine.

The order of service for Army reservist Lance Corporal Craig Roberts who collapsed during tragic SAS march

The report by the Ministry of Defences safety watchdog said the countrys special forces had a high threshold for risk, an unquestioning culture and no independent challenge.

Cpl James Dunsby, Trooper Edward Maher and L/Cpl Craig Roberts all collapsed and died during the test mountain march because they were not trained and conditioned to the right level, according to the watchdogs director general, Air Marshal Dick Garwood.

A 2015 inquest found a catalogue of very serious mistakes, and said the response to the reservists collapse was chaotic. But two years after the inquest, the safety watchdog said the MoD had been slow to learn its lessons.

It also said there had been further near miss cases due to heat exhaustion since the deaths in 2013.

Clare Stevens, lawyer for Cpl James Dunsbys father, said the findings point to serious failings. An MoD spokesman said: We are committed to doing all we can to ensure such a tragic event cannot happen again.
Dame Louise Casey, Whitehalls favoured troubleshooter for nearly two decades, stepped down from her government jobs yesterday.

Dame Louise, who was notorious for her intemperate language, was brought in by Tony Blair and then David Cameron to carry out a string of high-profile roles including tackling anti-social behaviour and fostering better racial integration.

However, her star waned last summer after the arrival in Downing Street of Theresa May, a Prime Minister thought to be less impressed with her talents.

Dame Louise was brought in to carry out a string of high-profile roles including tackling anti-social behaviour and fostering better racial integration

Dame Louises last major report for the Government, on social integration, is believed to have been delayed for several months before it was published last December.

The 52-year-old, who began her career as a benefits official, said she would leave the Civil Service for new opportunities in the voluntary sector and academia.

Her departure was accompanied by praise from Mr Blair, who tweeted: Congrats to Louise Casey for all her work in govt. Her passion & drive made a real difference to peoples lives. I wish her all the best.

Her long line of Whitehall jobs began in 1999 when Mr Blair plucked her from the housing charity Shelter to run his Rough Sleepers Unit.

She went on to head New Labours Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, which supervised Mr Blairs attempt to be tough on the causes of crime by handing out ASBO orders intended to restrain the behaviour of young troublemakers.

Dame Louise's long line of Whitehall positions began when Mr Blair plucked her from the housing charity Shelter to run his Rough Sleepers Unit.

Dame Louises unorthodox approach led her into controversy in 2005, at a time when she was leading the Respect Task Force, another organisation intended to combat anti-social behaviour.

The Daily Mail disclosed her foul-mouthed speech to an audience including senior police officers, in which she mocked ministers and defended binge drinking.

Choice moments included observations that I suppose you cant binge drink anymore because lots of people have said you cant do it. I know. I dont know who bloody made that up. Its nonsense.

She also said: Doing things sober is no way to get things done. Ive tried to explain that to ministers but they dont get it. Turn up in the morning p****d. You might cope a bit better, love.

She added: Excuse my language. I get lots of complaints about it. But you cant complain. Its an after dinner speech.

Dame Louise published a report on the Rotherham child abuse scandal in 2015 which confirmed the findings of earlier investigators that local officials had ignored evidence of crime carried out by Pakistanis for fear of being called racist.

Her role as director of the Troubled Families unit in the Communities Department tied her directly to one of Mr Camerons most expensive failures.

Dame Louise famously said: Doing things sober is no way to get things done'

The 1 billion scheme was meant to direct special help to 120,000 families said to be at the heart of crime and anti-social behaviour. It was supposed to end truancy, cut crime and get workless families into jobs.

An inquiry report last year said that local councils had swallowed up the money offered by the Government - 4,000 for each family whose lives they improved  but fixed their results by using families who were not actually troubled at all.

It said claims that the lives of families had been turned around were untrue.

One investigator said: It wasnt payment by results. It was make up the results as you go along. And cash the cheques.

Dame Louise, who is thought to have earned around 150,000 a year, said yesterday: It has been an incredible privilege to work at the heart of government on some of the most challenging and important areas of social policy including homelessness, poverty, protecting communities from crime and anti-social behaviour, child sexual exploitation, troubled families and social integration and exclusion.

I would like to thank everybody who I have worked with in this time for what we have achieved together in helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

While I am leaving the Civil Service, I am not leaving public service and will be pursuing a number of issues close to my heart.
The FBI has evidence which suggests that Russia tried to recruit aides close to President Donald Trump in order to infiltrate his election campaign, according to a report Friday.

US officials told CNN that the information which came to light prompted an investigation into contacts with Russian officials held by those in the Trump orbit, particularly Carter Page.

Page is a former foreign policy adviser to Trump, though campaign officials have insisted that he played a minor role.

That the claims are being made on CNN is only likely to intensify the President's conflict with the network he has called 'fake news' and lead to further accusations that it is acting as the opposition to Trump.

And they come against the background of a bitter and now nakedly partisan dispute over interactions with Russia between Republicans and the Democrats.

US officials told CNN that investigators are trying to determine whether Page may have been unwittingly used by Russian spies as an agent.

Page has denied collecting intelligence for Russia.

US officials told CNN that the information which came to light prompted an investigation into contacts with Russian officials held by those in the Trump orbit, particularly Carter Page (above)

On the contrary, he says he has shared whatever information he has about Russia with American intelligence agencies.

'My assumption throughout the last 26 years I've been going there has always been that any Russian person might share information with the Russian government... as I have similarly done with the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies in the past,' he told CNN.

Now the FBI reportedly has evidence which suggests that Russia tried to penetrate the inner workings of the Trump campaign through the candidate's close associates.

US officials told CNN that Page is one of a number of Trump advisers that are believed to have maintained contacts with Russians who are known to American and European intelligence agencies.

The FBI secured a court order in 2016 to secretly surveil Page's communications, as the agency investigates possible ties between the Donald Trump's (above) campaign and Russia

US intelligence officials reportedly grew suspicious over the 'scope and frequency' of the contacts, according to CNN.

Last week, Page refused in an interview to say who hired him to work on Trump's presidential campaign  and leaving open the possibility that he talked with Russian agents about easing U.S. sanctions if Trump were elected.

'Something may have come up in a conversation' last year when he was in Moscow to speak at the New Economic School,' he admitted Thursday.

But Page insisted there's no chance he or anyone linked to Trump will be convicted of a crime following a government probe into whether he acted as an agent for Russia in the months preceding the November election.

'That would be ridiculous. Absolutely not,' he said on ABC's 'Good Morning America' program.

Page, an oil industry consultant who advised the Trump campaign about foreign policy, said 'tons of false evidence' has been published suggesting that he had illicit contact with Russians who were recruiting him as a spy.

But he scurried away from questions about his legal predicament and his ties to the White House.

Page said he was confident that he had never discussed with Russians any information about hacked emails that may have proven decisive in November's presidential election.

'Not a word. Not once. Absolutely sure,' he said.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that state-sponsored Russian hackers were responsible for the hacks, which drove public opinion downward about both the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Page has not been charged with any crimes, and it is unclear whether the U.S. Justice Department might accuse him or others in connection with Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

But last week he acknowledged in a statement that he 'shared basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents' with Russian spy Victor Podobnyy.

The FBI secured a court order in 2016 to secretly surveil Page's communications, 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.

The judge was convinced there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of Russia, the Post said.
Footage has emerged of how police questioned a grieving 11-year-old boy who watched his mother and brother drown in Queensland floodwaters six years ago.

Jordan Rice, 13, died along with his mother in Toowoomba, in south-east Queensland, during the 2011 floods, which killed 35 people.

Jordan, his brother Blake, and mother Donna were trapped on the roof of their family's car at an intersection by rising floodwaters.

A secret video has revealed how police interrogated Blake Rice, 11 (pictured centre) who watched his mother and brother drown in Queensland floodwaters six years ago

Jake was 11-years-old when he lost his mother and brother in floodwaters near Toowoomba

Jordan with his mother Donna were both killed in the Queensland floods which devastated the region

An investigation into the accident blamed the mother for recklessly driving into floodwaters.

It also cleared the triple-0 worker who slammed the mother's decision to drive through the water and assigned the family the lowest priority for help.

But footage of a police interview with Blake Rice obtained by The Weekend Australian has shed new light on the accident and revealed how police questioned the young boy days after he watched his mother and brother drown.

Donna's partner and father of their sons, John Tyson, believes police blaming his late wife for the accident helped draw attention away from the triple-0 call taker.

Blake, who is now 17, said the family have spent six years trying to clear his mother's name.

'It's been six years of struggle, to prove what they already knew,' he told The Weekend Australian.

Jordan Rice, 13, died along with his mother in Toowoomba during the 2011 Queensland floods, which devastated the region and killed 35 people

The 2011 Queensland floods affected more than 200,000 Australians and killed 35 people

Blake was interviewed for almost an hour by a senior constable two weeks after the accident

Blake was interviewed for almost an hour by a senior constable two weeks after the accident.

In the words of the constable the purpose of the interview was to 'set the record straight.'

The video shows the young boy being questioned by the constable on how the accident occurred.

'The water was, like, oh, not that deep but Mum was gonna turn back and Jordan said "keep going" so she kept going,' Blake explained.

By the end of the interview Blake appears emotional. He curls up into the chair, with his arms folded.

Dangerous floodwaters in Toowoomba on January 10, 20011

The coffins of Donna Rice and her son Jordan are laid to rest after they were swept to their deaths when flash floods hit a Brisbane suburb in 2011

Blake mourns at the funeral of his mother Donna Maree Rice and older brother Jordan Rice

The constable continued to ask him questions, to which Blake was only responding 'yep.'

The constable's account of the interview was pivotal in the police findings that Blake's mother had recklessly driven into the floods, where she and her son died.

Blake's older brother Jordan was hailed a hero after sacrificing his life to save his little brother and received a posthumous award for bravery five years after his death.

When passerby attempted to rescue the trio, Jordan told them to take his 11-year-old brother first. Moments later Jordan, who couldn't swim, and his mother were swept away in the raging torrent.

Jordan's father John Tyson said his son's last words were 'take my brother first.'

Jordan's bravery made headlines around Australia.

Mr Tyson accepted the bravery award dedicated to his son from Queensland Governor Paul De Jersey at Government House last year.

Mr Tyson set up the Jordan Rice Foundation in 2013, which aims to help people cope with grief.

The foundation hopes to build a retreat for families who have lost a family member.

Brave Blake Rice wipes away a tear as he mourns the deaths of his mother Donna and brother Jordan in 2011
While many will be up at the crack of dawn on Tuesday to commemorate ANZAC Day, it will be hours more before the shops open.

Those who are planning on a big day may want to stock up on breakfast items by Monday to avoid being caught out, as most stores around the country will be closed until lunch time.

One big exception is RSL clubs, many of which will host a breakfast following the dawn service, and which can begin trading from 6am.

Many Australians will begin their ANZAC Day with a dawn service, but it could be hours before shops throughout the nation are open for business

SUPERMARKETS

Groceries will not be available from large retail outlets such as Woolworths or Coles on Tuesday before lunch time.

Woolworths and Coles stores around NSW and Victoria will open at 1pm, while stores in Tasmania open from 12.30pm.

Perth and Adelaide metropolitan supermarkets will not open at all, while some stores outside of the city centres will open from 12pm.

Woolworths will open as usual in the NT, close all day in QLD and open late throughout the rest of the country

In Queensland, both Woolworths and Coles are shut for the day, but some Woolworths stores open at 1pm.

Independent retailers are exempt from the extreme trading restrictions.

Most stores allowed to open will begin service at 1pm, but bakeries and convenience stores are allowed to trade all day.

The Northern Territory will trade as normal for Woolworths, with stores opening from 6am, but Coles will keep their doors shut until 1pm.

Smaller independent stores are permitted to open earlier in the day, so fresh bread will still be an option for those enjoying breakfast at home.

Coles customers will have to wait around to do their shopping, as stores around the country keep their doors shut until about lunch time, or don't open at all

LIQUOR

Dan Murphy's stores across the nation will open at 1pm, so those hoping to start their celebrations any earlier may want to hit the shops on Monday.

BWS will also open nationally from 1pm.

For those who intend to begin celebrating early, the RSL is likely your best bet, with many clubs selling breakfast and alcohol after the dawn service.

It's worth checking in first though - as while some clubs have a 24 hour trading license, others do not.

Many pubs around the country will start trading from midday, though pubs in Queensland are able to sell alcohol from 10am, as long as it's with a meal.

Some RSL's will be permitted to sell alcohol to their members and guests from 6am, while other venues in Queensland can begin serving alcohol from 10am, as long as it's with a meal

Cronulla RSL (pictured) will sell bacon and egg rolls to those coming from the dawn service, and also serve complimentary rum and milk

FOOD

Most fast food outlets and cafes are exempt from the trading restrictions on ANZAC Day in Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania.

While most shops in metropolitan Queensland are closed, food and grocery stores are exempt from the restrictions.

In the ACT and Northern Territory, there are no trading restrictions whatsoever, but many businesses opt to stay closed as a sign of respect.

Western Australians may struggle to find something to eat on the public holiday, with many cafe's declining to open on Tuesday.

Most cafes are exempt from trading restrictions, so coffee should be easily accessible for most Australians

RETAIL

Petrol stations, convenience stores and pharmacies around the nation will be open on Tuesday, meaning there's no need to stress if you're heading away to celebrate the day.

In NSW, Queensland and Victoria, businesses of all kinds are able to open, provided it is after 1pm. Tasmania opens for business half an hour earlier, with all trading restrictions lifted at 12.30pm.

In Adelaide, shoppers will have to manage their time well, as shops in CBD and tourist precincts are only able to trade between 12pm and 5pm.

Strangely enough, while you may struggle to purchase a jacket, you can purchase a house - real estate auctions are exempt from the trading restrictions.

Westfield will open after 1pm in NSW and Victoria, and will be closed all day in Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia.

In the Northern Territory and the ACT, there are no trading restrictions, so shops can trade as usual if they choose to.
WikiLeaks released more documents on Friday that detail CIA-developed malware that could turn Samsung TVs into recording devices. Pictured: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

The latest releases by WikiLeaks appear to include descriptions of CIA-developed malware that could turn Samsung TVs into recording devices.

Details about the British-made 'Extending' and the CIA's 'Weeping Angel,' both recently stolen from the CIA, were released by WikiLeaks on Friday.

The documents outline programs that can make certain Samsung TVs into recording devices via a USB drive placed in the televisions, The Hill reported.

The audio channels from the TVs would be rerouted from its microphone to the CIA.

Depending on the veracity of the documents, the initiative might have been developed jointly by Britain's MI5, which first developed the software, and the CIA.

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The British 'Extending' and American 'Weeping Angel' describe plans for turning certain Samsung TV models into recording devices (stock image)

The software differ in which Samsung models they are able to hack. Samsung's F8000 model was named in documents pertaining to 'Weeping Angel.'

The revelations come as Attorney General Jeff Sessions has vowed to go after WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who currently lives in London.

Both the CIA and the FBI think the latest information from WikiLeaks might have been leaked from the inside, CBS News reported.

Former acting CIA director Michael Morrell told CBS: 'We have to have better rules about need-to-know, and if you dont have a need to know you dont get access to the information.'

The Samsung F8000 series (pictured) was named in the 'Weeping Angel' documents as that which could be turned into a recording device

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has vowed to go after Assange following recent releases by WikiLeaks detailing the CIA's cyberespionage tools

The move from Sessions comes after WikiLeaks last month released nearly 8,000 documents that it says reveal secrets about the CIA's cyberespionage tools for breaking into computers, cellphones and even smart TVs.

It previously published 250,000 State Department cables and embarrassed the U.S. military with hundreds of thousands of logs from Iraq and Afghanistan.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo last week denounced the group as a 'hostile intelligence service' and a threat to U.S. national security.

The condemnation of WikiLeaks from Pompeo and Sessions differed sharply from President Donald Trump's past praise of the organization.

Before last year's election, Trump said he was happy to see WikiLeaks publish private, politically damaging emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, John Podesta.

He was less thrilled about the release of CIA tactics, which the White House said was different because it involved information about secretive national security tools.

Trump says he is not involved in that decision-making process, but would support Sessions if he charged Assange with a crime.
A seemingly modest brick house has left investors shocked after it sold for $2.35 million - $450,000 more than the asking price.

The five-bedroom home on Watts Road in Ryde, north of Sydney, held a reserve price of $1.9 million.

But following a competitive auction with almost fifteen potential buyers the sale price substantially increased.

The modest brick house in Ryde has shocked investors when it sold for $2.35 million

The five-bedroom home on Watts Road held a reserve price of $1.9 million

Other houses in the Lower North Shore area sell on average for $1.5 million but savvy marketing ensured interest would soar.

The home had also added an additional guest studio in the backyard, according to Nine.

Due to the saturated Sydney market a large number of investors are buying properties quickly.

Other nearby properties in the lower north area sell on average for $1.5 million

The home features a large family room with wide windows as well as a paved terrace.

With a spacious living room the five-bedroom house makes for the perfect family home.

The 796sqm block features original timber flooring and is close to Midway shops great schools and buses.

As a result of the saturated Sydney market investors are buying properties quickly
The nuclear threat from North Korea has dominated discussions between Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to Sydney.

Mr Turnbull warned the eyes of the world are on Beijing, calling for China to rein in North Korea during a press conference with U.S. Vice President on Saturday.

The Prime Minister told reporters in Sydney the 'reckless and dangerous regime puts the peace and stability of our region at risk'.

The nuclear threat from North Korea has dominated discussions between Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (left) and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (right), during his visit to Sydney

In a press conference on Saturday Mr Turnbull (right) warned the eyes of the world were on Beijing, as China had the leverage to influence North Korea to stop its 'reckless and dangerous trajectory'

Mr Turnbull said China has a leverage to influence North Korea.

'The eyes of the world are on Beijing,' Mr Turnbull said.

'It is self-evident that China has the opportunity and responsibility to stop this reckless and dangerous trajectory.'

North Korea's latest missile test fizzled last weekend, but it conducted two nuclear test explosions and 24 ballistic missile tests last year.

Mr Pence characterised North Korea as an 'urgent and most dangerous threat' to peace and security in the Asia Pacific.

'While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on the regime,' he said.

Mr Pence (left, shaking hands with Mr Turnbull) characterised North Korea as an 'urgent and most dangerous threat' to peace and security in the Asia Pacific

Mr Pence (left) said: 'If China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will'

Mr Pence echoed Mr Turnbull's calls for China to play an active role in pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs.

'If China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will,' Mr Pence said.

'We know that our security is the foundation of our prosperity.'

Mr Turnbull said he was quietly confident China would step up to the mark.

Mr Pence was also questioned about the refugee agreement between Australia and the US, after President Trump labelled it a 'dumb deal' on social media.

The pair also spoke about the refugee agreement between Australia and the US. Mr Pence (left) said: 'President Trump has made it clear we'll honour the agreement but it doesn't mean he admires it'

He said: 'The US intends to honour the refugee agreement. President Trump has made it clear we'll honour the agreement but it doesn't mean he admires it.'

Mr Pence said he had confirmed to Mr Turnbull the agreement was going ahead and they had already initiated the process subject to vetting procedures.

Mr Turnbull thanked Mr Pence for honouring the deal made by his predecessor Barack Obama.

'Whatever the reservations of the President are about the deal it speaks volumes about the United States. Thank you for that commitment and for restating that today,' Mr Turnbull said.

In an earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) and other Australian and U.S. government ministers Mr Pence (right) thanked Mr Turnbull for the warm welcome

The pair also had the opporunity to meet each other's respective families, with Mr Pence (left) commenting that his wife Karen was very taken with Mr Turnbull's granddaughter Alice
Ivanka Trump shared a photo of her oldest child jumping from the steps of the White House on Friday.

Five-year-old Arabella modeled for her mom's Instagram by leaping in a short sleeved blue dress with pink embroidery.

Ivanka captioned the snapshot: 'Springing into the weekend!'

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Ivanka posted the photo of Arabella, five, leaping off the steps of the White House Friday

Earlier Friday, Ivanka tweeted after the meeting with Aya Hijazi: 'Welcome home, Aya!'

Like her mom, Arabella has spent a fair amount of time with politicians.

On April 7, Arabella and her three-year-old brother Joseph serenaded the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mandarin during his visit to the Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Arabella started learning Mandarin when she was just 18-months-old.

Ivanka also took Arabella to the Supreme Court to teach her about the judicial system in February.

Earlier this year Ivanka took Arabella to the Supreme Court to learn about the judicial system

It was a different tone than her father had expressed about the judicial system. Earlier in February, the president tweeted 'Our legal system is broken,' when a federal judge rejected the travel ban.

On Friday, President Trump and the First Daughter greeted the American charity worker they helped free after she was wrongfully locked away in an Egyptian prison for three years.

Aya Hijazi, a dual US-Egyptian citizen, landed on American soil late Thursday night and just hours later she met with her new president and his trusted daughter on Friday morning.

Ivanka posted a photo of her welcoming Hijazi home hours before the photo of Arabella jumping.
A six-year-old boy who was flung out of a carnival ride south of Melbourne on Easter Monday has died in hospital.

Eugene Mahauariki, who died on Friday night, was on the Cha Cha ride at the Rye Carnival when he fell out of his seat and sustained serious head and foot injuries.

His grieving parents, father Stacey and mother Tammy, described him as a 'happy kind and caring boy' who 'loved nothing more than to dance'.

'While our hearts are broken, it is important to us that Eugene is remembered as we knew and loved him,' they said in a statement.

Eugene Mahauariki, 6, (pictured) died after sustaining critical head and foot injuries when he was was flung out of a carnival ride on Easter Monday

Eugene Mahauariki died at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne on Friday night, days after he was airlifted there from Rye in a critical condition following a fall from a carnival ride

'Eugene was loved by so many people and he brought us, his brother and four sisters, extended family, friends and community so much joy and happiness in his short life.

'He was an energetic boy and he loved nothing more than playing with his siblings and his beloved two dogs.

'We could not have been more proud of him and cannot imagine our world without him.

'We want to thank the staff at The Royal Children's Hospital who have cared for Eugene and thank everyone who has supported us over the past week.'

Grieving parents, father Stacey and mother Tammy, described Eugene as a 'happy kind and caring boy' who 'loved nothing more than to dance'

The six-year-old boy was flung out of his seat on The Cha Cha ride (pictured) at the Rye Carnival on Monday, leaving him in a critical condition. He died in hospital on Friday night

Witnesses to the incident say Eugene was flung from the ride (pictured) about five minutes in

A spokesperson for WorkSafe told Daily Mail Australia the organisation are continuing their investigation into the accident

Eugene was airlifted to the Melbourne hospital in a critical condition after his fall on Easter Monday.

Paramedics were called to the scene at about 5.15pm to assess a boy in a 'serious' condition who had fallen for head injuries, a spokesperson for Ambulance Victoria told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

It was earlier reported by 9 News Eugene had been hanging on to the side of one of the gondolas on the ride before he fell, though witnesses say he was thrown from his seat.

The ride seats 44, and is made up of small carriages which are lifted off the ground and spun around.

The boy arrived by air ambulance at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

Eugene left the Rye Carnival via air ambulance in a critical condition, and his parents say they 'cannot imagine our world without him' (pictured: another ride from the carnival)

A spokesperson for WorkSafe Victoria confirmed the organisation is continuing its investigation into the accident on Saturday.

Sean Lynch, who had attended the carnival told The Age on Monday the boy was riding the Cha Cha ride when he was thrown from his seat.

He told the Herald Sun the young boy's mother was distressed at the scene, which saw up to six ambulances and multiple paramedics work on the boy before he was taken away.

'I was about 30 metres away from her and I could see she was holding her hands on her head and looked so distraught  she was really upset,' he said

Daily Mail Australia has attempted to get in contact with the owners of the carnival, but has not yet received a response (pictured: another ride from the carnival)

Another parent, who had been on the ride with their own children said the boy was flung out of his seat about five minutes into the ride - which was 'the last of the day'.

'There appeared to be a number of carnival workers and relatives of workers on the ride,' they said.

'My heart is breaking for this young boy and his family. In the meantime, I'm having to try and help my kids deal with what they saw.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Wittingslow Carnivals, who are believed to run the Rye Carnival, for comment but have not received a response.
Some 140 Afghan soldiers have been killed by Taliban attackers apparently in what is believed to be the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base, officials said.

One official in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, where the attack occurred on Friday, said on Saturday many others had been wounded.

And other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

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Afghan National Army soldiers outside army base targeted by attackers in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif

The facility in Balkh province is home to the Afghan army's 209th Corps

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way on to the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers.

The attackers reportedly used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up and seven were killed in the assault which lasted several hours, the Afghan defence ministry said.

One of the assailants was detained.

Several military helicopters hovered over the base during Friday's attack and ambulances later took away the bodies of the victims.

The facility in Balkh province is home to the Afghan army's 209th Corps.

Some Afghan officials put the death toll as high as 140 people, although the country's government has yet to release official casualty figures

Soldiers arrive at the base which was under siege on Friday

A US official in Washington on Friday had put the toll at more than 50 killed and wounded.

But Afghan officials said the number of dead could be as many as 140, although the government has yet to release official casualty figures.

The NATO-led military coalition deploys advisers to the base where the attack occurred to train and assist the Afghan forces but coalition officials said no international troops were involved in the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in the north of the country.

General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, praised Afghan commandos for bringing the 'atrocity to an end'.

The Western-backed Afghan government is locked in a prolonged war with Taliban insurgents and other militant groups.

The latest deadly incident underscores rising insecurity in the war-torn country as it braces for an intense fighting season in the spring.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and non-existent 'ghost soldiers' on the payroll, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

US general John Nicholson praised Iraqi commandos for bringing the 'atrocity to an end'

If the death toll reported by some officials is correct the attack would be the deadliest of its kind in Afghanistan

The last major attack against a military site was in early March when ISIS gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the Sardar Daud Khan hospital - the country's largest military hospital - in Kabul, killing dozens.

Afghan officials put the death toll at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 were killed in the brazen and savage attack.

That assault came a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in the capital.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way on to the base before opening fire on soldiers

According to US watchdog SIGAR, casualties among Afghan security forces soared by 35 per cent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed.

In February General Nicholson told the US Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington that he needed 'a few thousand' more troops to help train and assist the Afghan forces.

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from NATO allies assisting a much larger Afghan force in the war against the Taliban and other Islamist militants.
A Tennessee teacher who spent over a month hiding in a cabin with his 15-year-old student subsisted on meager items as law enforcement was actively searching for him.

Tad Cummins, 50, was taken into custody Thursday morning by a SWAT team who surrounded the unfinished cabin in Cecilville, California where he was staying with missing teen Elizabeth Thomas.

According to an inventory of items confiscated from the cabin by the FBI, there were four bedrolls, two vacuum filters, coconut oil, and socks.

The FBI also confiscated beer cans and tissues.

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Tad Cummins (left) said he was 'glad' that his month-and-a-half flight from justice was over when he was arrested for allegedly kidnapping Elizabeth Thomas (right) Thursday

Cummins and Thomas subsisted on meager items during the course of their stay in the cabin

According to an inventory of items confiscated from the cabin by the FBI, there were four bedrolls, two vacuum filters, coconut oil, and socks. The FBI also confiscated beer cans and tissues

Saw this in cabin. What FBI investigators confiscated from Cabin where accused kidnapper and teacher Tad Cummins stayed w 15-year-old. pic.twitter.com/gCa2a0nGKJ  Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) April 22, 2017

The northern California caretaker who helped police arrest Cummins has spoken out to detail how he helped police arrest the fugitive.



Police got a tip about Cummins' whereabouts the previous night from the caretaker of the cabin, 29-year-old Griffin Barry.

Barry, who is originally from Nashville, said he let the couple stay in the cabin in exchange for work and realized who the two were when a neighbor showed him a picture of Thomas' missing person poster.

That's when it all came together for Barry and he called to tip off police. Looking back, he said there was something suspicious about the couple.

Griffin Barry, 29 (pictured), helped police arrest Cummins when he noticed him in a missing persons poster

Cummins continued to drive his Nissan Rogue the whole time, but removed the license plates

'She spoke very few words and he would try and like, talk for her a lot,' Barry told KRCR. 'He was likely clearly keeping her separate.'

Barry says the two first came through the area two weeks ago, looking for the Black Bear Ranch Commune, and were going by the names John and Joanna.

The couple, claiming to be 38 and 24 years old, had run out of gas and Cummins told a sad story about how they lost all of their possessions in a house fire in Colorado and didn't have any money left.

So Barry decided to be a Good Samaritan, and gave Cummins money, gas and directions to the commune.

'I put some gas in his car and gave him $40 dollars and said if it doesnt work come back Ill feed you, you know what I mean?' Barry, 29, told WKRN.

Cummins and Thomas did in fact make it to the commune, but the members there sensed something was off with the two and decided against letting them into the group.

Found: The pair were found in one of these cabins in a remote section of northern California after the shack's caretaker recognized Cummins' car. He called police on Wednesday

Barry let the couple stay in one of the unfinished cabins after they were turned down from a commune in the area

Above, investigators at the scene of the cabin on Friday

'I feel a little funny because there were all kinds of indications that there was something a little funny going on never occurred to me that she was 15 year old, they said she was 22, I thoughtyeah,' member Peter LaughingWolf said.

LaughingWolf said that after telling Cummins that they wouldn't be a good fit, he stormed off with Thomas.

'What really should have been a clue that something was wrong was that he got so angry when that was shared with them,' added LaughingWolf.

After getting kicked out of the commune, Cummins and Thomas returned to Cecilville on Tuesday, and Barry offered to let them sleep in one of his unfinished cabins in exchange for work.

'In my head I'm thinking he had a house fire and lost everything,' Barry said. 'I came out here on a prayer and people helped me out and got me on my feet and hopefully I can pass it on.'

Fled: The pair fled 2,500 miles over the course of their journey, cops said. Police said they didn't know if Thomas was willing to go with Cummins, but that it didn't matter, legally

Barry, right, appeared on Good Morning America Friday morning to detail how he helped police nab Cummins

Thomas' family appeared on Good Morning America on Friday, saying they had not yet been able to talk to her. Pictured bottom left is Elizabeth's father Anthony

THE PAIR'S FLIGHT FROM JUSTICE January 23: Tad Cummins is spotted kissing Elizabeth Thomas, his student at Culleoka High School, by another student. He denies the claim, saying that they are friends; she is taken out of his classes February 3: Cummins is reprimanded by the school principal after Elizabeth is found to have entered his classroom for around 30 minues February 6: Cummins is suspended c. March 9: He takes out a $4,500 loan on his car March 12: Cummins buys hair dye from Walmart in Columbia, TN March 13, 7:45am: Thomas is dropped off at Shoney's in Columbia by a friend March 13, 8am: Cummins is seen pumping gas in Columbia March 13, noon: Cummins and Elizabeth are seen together in Decatur, AL, around 70 miles from Columbia. He is fired from his job this same day March 15: Cummins and Thomas are seen buying food at a Walmart. They are sporting dyed hair. This is their last sighting for more than a month March 30: Tad Cummins' wife of 31 years, Jill, files for divorce April 19: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is contacted by caretaker Griffin Barry, who says the paid is staying on his property in Cecilville, California April 20: Police converge on the remote cabin, arrest Cummins and confirm that Elizabeth is safe Advertisement

Barry said he rarely interacted with Thomas during the couple's 36-hour stay at the property.

'He would talk for her a lot and kept her separate, you know,' Barry told WBIR. 'And a couple of times he always kept her in the car and he would be like 'she's asleep,' you know, and I'm like okay. I was kind of telling some people , you know, she never really looks at me and she's always talking for her. I was like, whatever, they're on hard times or something."

It wasn't until Wednesday night that he finally recognized Cummins and the girl, when a neighbor showed him a missing persons picture.

'Someone was showing me a picture, I was telling them you know and said 'That's the guy,"' he said. 'So we called 911 last night and we were calling that Tennessee Bureau of Investigation line or whatever so I guess the first sheriff got out here at about 2am.'

The neighbor reportedly got suspicious about the couple's car, a silver Nissan Rogue. It was the same car the couple went missing in, and the plate's had been removed.

After using the car's vehicle identification number to confirm it belonged to the ex-teacher, SWAT teams formed a perimeter around the cabin and waited for Cummins to walk out around 4am.

After a while, they brought in Barry to help speed up the process.

'I was driving by trying to flush him out. [Sheriff's deputies] were like, "honk the horn!"' Barry said. 'I'm glad I got to help.'

As Cummins was taken into custody, he reportedly remarked 'I'm glad this is over.'

Thomas was 'healthy' and 'unharmed' according to police, and had a mixed emotional reaction.

'It was an intense situation,' Lt Behr Tharsing, of the Siskiyou County Police, told Good Morning America on Friday. 'She was laughing, she was crying, she was kind of an emotional rollercoaster as you can imagine.'

Two loaded handguns were found in the cabin.

Last sighting: The pair's last sighting before the arrest was at an Oklahoma Walmart on March 15 (pictured). They had died their hair to help evade capture

Jason Whately, the attorney representing the Thomas family, believes that the pair had intended to keep driving northwest. Maps were found in Cummins' car for both San Francisco and Baltimore.

Both remain in Siskiyou County as of Friday morning. After an interview with police, Thomas is expected to be sent home to her family in Tennessee Friday morning. Her father, Anthony, told Good Morning America on Friday that the family still hasn't been able to speak to Elizabeth yet and that he believes she may have been brainwashed.

Cummins was set to appear in Siskiyou County court on Friday, but that appearance was cancelled. Instead, he has been put in federal custody and is being moved to Sacramento where a new hearing is scheduled for Monday.

He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor in Lawrence County, Tennessee. The aggravated kidnapping charge carries an eight to 12 year sentence.

In Siskiyou County, California, where the cabin is located, he may be charged with kidnapping and possession of stolen property, pending review by the county's district attorney.

And the US State Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee has also filed a federal charge of transportation of a minor across state lines with intent of having criminal sexual intercourse.

A criminal complaint released Friday has also revealed new details about Cummins.

It says that before leaving town, he refilled his Cialis prescription - a drug that treats erectile dysfunction. He also picked up KY Jelly, a personal lubricant, during a stop at Walmart in Oklahoma with Thomas.

That charge alone has a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison.

It could take several weeks for Cummins to be extradited to Tennessee, said US attorney Jack Smith.

Cummins, 50, who is married and has two daughters and grandchildren, allegedly abducted his former student on March 13 from her home near Columbia, Tennessee.

The two, who were thought to be in a sexual relationship, were last spotted two days later.

Their last confirmed sighting prior to the arrest was at a Walmart in Oklahoma, 700 miles away from home, after they had both dyed their hair.

Court papers filed recently in the girl's disappearance say she was afraid of the teacher and thought she would face repercussions at school if she resisted him.

When asked at a press conference if she had gone willingly, Gwyn said the question 'didn't matter'.

'At the end of the day she's 15 years old, she's 15 years old, she's a young girl that's with a grown man that's 50 years old.

'He needs to be held accountable for kidnapping this girl,' he said.

Speaking to DailyMail.com Thursday, Elizabeths relieved mother said: 'All I want to do now is hug and kiss her.'

Kimberly Thomas, 48, feared she might never see the 15-year-old girl again after she vanished more than five weeks ago with her married teacher.

'It's only been a little over a month but to us it has felt like forever,' Thomas told DailyMail.com.

'I just lost my mother, she died of an aneurysm. She never had high blood pressure before but this was terribly stressful for her. She never got to hear her granddaughter was OK.

'As for Mr Cummins, I don't even want to think about him right now. All I can think about is my daughter and the fact she is safe.'

Elizabeth lived with her father, Anthony Thomas, because Mrs Thomas has been prevented from having contact with her because of an ongoing abuse case that is yet to go to court.

However, the mother-of-ten, who only learned her daughter had been found from a news bulletin, says she will ask her attorney to see if they can get special permission to speak.

'The justice system has been very unfair to me throughout this ordeal. Nobody has told me anything. This is my daughter we are talking about,' she added.

Speaking to reporters last month, Jill Cummins, wife of the disgraced teacher, said that she had been close to Thomas before the pair ran away.

'She would come to him with her problems,' Jill said, adding that she and her husband - whom she is now divorcing - would sometimes take her to church.

'In fact, I called her our third daughter sometimes,' Jill said.
A four-year-old boy run over in a hospital car park while holding his fathers hand has been identified as Brax Aiden Kyle.

His heartbroken parents released a photograph of their 'darling Brax' and a short statement the day after he was killed.

An out-of-control Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel-drive hit him and two other people outside a medical centre at Berwick, in Melbournes east, on Friday.

In the photograph, Brax is seen sitting and beaming at the camera while wearing a Finding Nemo T-shirt.

'Our darling Brax was tragically killed in a car accident yesterday,' his parents' statement said.

'A private ceremony with intimate family is planned. Our family thank the community, extended family and friends for respecting our privacy and for all your love and support.'

Pictured: Brax Aidan Kyle, who was killed by an out-of-control car in a carpark outside a medical centre in Melbourne's East on Friday

Three pedestrians, including the boy, were struck by an out-of-control Toyota LandCruiser outside a medical centre at Berwick, in Melbourne's east on Friday.

A couple who had been driving behind the 4WD and tried to help save the child's life said the father told them it was his fault as they tried in vain to save the boy's life.

Bystanders have alleged the 56-year-old driver had been receiving dialysis treatment at nearby Casey Hospital prior to the crash.

Brax, four, was taken to hospital in a critical condition after the horror crash which saw an out of control car hit three people in the car park of a medical centre

Paramedics were called to the scene in Kangan Drive in Berwick just before midday

Authorities are investigation whether the driver from Pakenham fainted or became disoriented prior to the crash.

'I remember the dad saying 'it's my fault'. It's not his fault,' witness Sarah Smith said through tears.

Cameron and Sarah Smith were driving behind the LandCruiser when the crash happened and rushed to assist.

'He was in front of us and he started to veer off into oncoming traffic and he's gone airborne,' Mr Smith said.

Detective Sergeant Mark Amos said the vehicle was travelling along Kangan Drive towards Clyde Road around midday when it careered over a median strip into the car park of the Epworth Specialist Centre in Berwick,

'As he was negotiating a left-hand bend, the driver for some reason failed to take the bend,' he said, according to the ABC.

Brax's father, who was holding his hand during the horror crash, told witnesses he blamed himself for the accident

Witnesses who helped the four-year-old boy were distraught to learn that he had died

Bystanders have alleged the 56-year-old driver had been receiving dialysis treatment at nearby Casey Hospital prior to the crash (pictured)

'On entering that car park, he struck a small child pedestrian who was walking with his father, then that land cruiser has come to rest next to some parked cars.'

'Unfortunately as a result of that collision, the young child has died whilst trying to be saved and taken to hospital by air.

'The father's gone out with his son, holding his hand, doing what good dads do and this outcome's come up on them very, very suddenly.'

Meanwhile, a couple who had been driving behind the 4WD were 'absolutely hysterical' when they were told that the little boy they tried to save had died.

Cameron and Sarah Smith had stopped to help the boy and console his father after the child and two other adults were struck.

Aerial footage from the scene shows the aftermath of the incident in Berwick on Friday

'I remember the dad saying 'it's my fault'. It's not his fault,' Ms Smith said through tears.

Ten News reporter Katherine Firkin said the woman fell to the ground when she heard the news and her husband tried to console her.

'It was pretty dramatic and pretty horrendous,' Ms Firkin told news.com.au.

'The woman said she had children of her own, she was shaking and crying and couldn't believe something like this happened in broad daylight standing outside a medical centre,' Ms Firkin said.

Photos taken at the scene show the Toyota LandCruiser on its side with a smashed windscreen, next to a number of damaged parked cars.

A Victoria Ambulance spokesman said paramedics were called to the scene in Kangan Drive just before midday.

Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Two pit bulls attacked a California man and his Jack Russell terrier, shocking video shows.

The two larger dogs attacked John Brady's terrier, six-year-old Josh, and proceeded to attack him when he tried to save his pet on Tuesday, KTLA reported.

Video shows Brady, 52, being bitten by the 11-year-old pit bulls after saving his dog in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island.

Brady, a fisherman, at one point took out a pocket knife to slash at the pit bulls and save himself.

Scroll down for video

John Brady's six-year-old Jack Russell terrier, Josh, is recovering after he was mauled by two 11-year-old pit bulls in Avalon, California

Brady, pictured wearing sunglasses, was attacked and emerged with a piece of his calf ripped out after he stepped in to save Josh

Chaos reigned as the unidentified female owner of the pit bulls (pictured) tried to calm her dogs

The owner of the pit bulls, an unidentified woman, is seen in the video shot by Free Boogie trying to control her animals.

Eventually, Harbor Patrol officers pull the dogs off Brady.

He tearfully told KTLA: 'All I did is lift my dog off the ground and I was being chewed on instantly.'

He added: 'My dog, I just, thank god he's alive because I want to be with him now. He's my best friend in the world.'

Eventually, Harbor Patrol officers stepped in to get the dogs off of Brady. The pit bulls might be euthanized

A GoFundMe page for Josh has raised more than $4,000 as he recovers from his wounds

Brady was airlifted to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he remains in recovery.

Josh is also in recovery at a veterinarian. GoFundMe page for the little guy has raised more than $4,000.

He emerged with severe leg injuries including a ripped-out piece of his calf, CBS Local reported.

Brady could have grounds to file suit for negligence and his family has hired an attorney.

The pit bulls might be euthanized following the incident.
A female prison guard in New South Wales is being investigated and has been suspended over an alleged relationship with an inmate.

The woman, who works at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre in Kempsey, is said to have been having an 'illicit relationship' with a man awaiting trial for domestic violence-related offences.

Colleagues have branded the woman as 'idiot' and 'a deadset loser' in comments on social media, reported the Daily Telegraph.

A female prison guard from Mid North Coast Correctional Centre in Kempsey, New South Wales (pictured) is being investigated and has been suspended over an alleged relationship with an inmate

The woman is said to have been having an 'illicit relationship' with a man awaiting trial for domestic violence-related offences

Others are believed to have said she was bringing the name of dedicated officers into disrepute.

The woman is also alleged to have been smuggling unspecified items into the prison for the inmate.

She is said to have been communicating with the man in question using aliases in phone calls.

However, she is only under investigation for the alleged inappropriate relationship.

A spokesperson from Corrective Services NSW said the officer had been suspended pending the investigation.

It is the same prison where an officer was investigated for an illicit relationship with Kieran Loveridge, jailed for fatally punching Thomas Kelly in Kings Cross in 2012.
Caribbean authorities are making a fresh attempt to catch Australian citizen Oliver Gobat's killers as the third anniversary of his murder approaches.

Mr Gobat was a British hotelier, born on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia but raised in Surrey, England.

He was shot twice in the head before his Range Rover was set alight, presumably to destroy any forensic evidence.

Oliver Gobat (pictured) was shot twice in the head and his car was set alight in Saint Lucia in 2014

Mr Gobat's case has stalled for years and the refocus on finding his killer has given his family new hope.

The entrepreneur, who also held Australian citizenship, helped found a gym in Adelaide, Next Generation, and the Vodka Bar in the city's centre, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.

His mother, Helen Gobat, told the newspaper she still believed her son's killer could be brought to justice.

'We feel that it might just happen, even now, so late,' Ms Gobat said.

Pictured: The Range Rover Mr Gobat was found dead in. He was shot twice in the head before the car was set alight

Three years on, his murder remains unsolved, but the Saint Lucian Government is reopening his case (pictured with his girlfriend Sherlan Fontenella)

'We hope that we might get justice for Ollie as it is horrible thinking every day that no one has been caught.'

His girlfriend of four years, Sherlan Fontenelle, described Mr Gobat as 'larger than life' and 'the life of the party'

'As cliched as they sound, they described him perfectly though,' she said.

'I can't think of one dinner we've had where he didn't have everyone in stitches [of laughter] at some point.'

The new investigation is reportedly being pitched to Scotland Yard as opposed to Surrey Police as they have a wider range of resources.

A 2015 inquest into his death has revealed Mr Gobat received death threats in the run up to his murder

A 2015 inquest into his death has revealed Mr Gobat received death threats in the run up to his murder.

The inquest, being held in Working, Surrey, heard that Mr Gobat was helping to organise the 5.4million ($8million) takeover of The Landings, a luxury beach resort on St Lucia which had become insolvent.

But someone organised a 'smear campaign' against Mr Gobat, and the 38-year-old had received death threats - which he hid from his family.

His mother, Helen Gobat, said before his death he was 'the victim of a smear campaign'

Mother Helen Gobat told the hearing: 'He was the victim of a smear campaign.

'There was a blog set up called Pirates of the Caribbean. It was intended to damage his reputation.
An Australian man has died in the US after he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed on Wednesday.

John Scully, 76, was travelling on State Road 104 in the remote northeast of New Mexico when he was killed, police said.

The man from Toorak in Melbourne's inner-east was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Sydney Morning Herald.

John Scully, 76, was travelling on State Road 104 (pictured) in the remote northeast of New Mexico when he was killed, police said

Police said Mr Scully was going around a corner near Conchas Dam - about two hours from the state's capital Albuquerque - when he was thrown from his motorcycle.

He was taking part in a motorcycle tour with the EagleRider company at the time of the crash.

'The only thing we know so far is he was with a tour group and he just ran off the road,' Sergeant Cornell Evans said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it is assisting Mr Scully's family.

'DFAT is providing consular assistance, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, to the family of an Australian man who died in the United States of America,' a spokesperson said.

'Due to privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further information.'

Police are continuing to investigate the crash.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Australia's prime minister swept aside any lingering tensions Saturday over an Obama era agreement on the resettlement of refugees.

The pair joined forces to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea to scuttle its nuclear weapons and missile program.

Pence and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly praised the decades-long American-Australian alliance following a meeting in Sydney.

The American vice president passed along President Donald Trump's 'very best regards' and thanked Turnbull for calling on Beijing to be more assertive in the international effort to de-escalate Pyongyang's nuclear threat.

Meeting at the governor-general's residence with sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and the city's famed opera house, the two leaders appeared at pains to present a united front following an unusual period of strain between the longtime allies.

US Vice President Mike Pence, left, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, right, spoke in Sydney on Saturday and praised the alliance between the US and Australia

The visit with Pence, pictured with Turnbull and other Australian politicians, was widely considered an attempt to both smooth over relations between the two countries following a Trump Twitter spat and to strategize about North Korea

Pence is pictured receiving a book, 'Rendezvous with Destiny,' from Australian academic Michael Fullilove, left, as Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove, center, looks on. The book details Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 'five envoys' who assessed the upcoming global conflict - World War II - before the US formally became involved

The anxieties were sparked by a spat between Turnbull and Trump over a refugee resettlement deal struck by former President Barack Obama.

Pence said Saturday that the U.S. would honor the agreement even if the administration didn't agree with it.

Under the deal, the U.S. would take up to 1,250 refugees housed by Australia in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Trump's anger over the agreement led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president called the deal 'dumb.'

'President Trump has made it clear that we'll honor the agreement - that doesn't mean we admire the agreement,' Pence said during a joint news conference with Turnbull.

The prime minister, for his part, said that 'whatever the reservations of the president are,' the decision 'speaks volumes for the commitment, the integrity of President Trump, and your administration, sir, to honor that commitment.'

Pence and Governor General Cosgrove toast during a lunch reception for US military servicemen and women in Sydney

The pair speaks inside Sydney's Admiralty House during their meeting. Controversy emerged between the US and Australia over an Obama-era agreement to accept 1,250 refugees from Australian detention camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea

Pence speaks with Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, left, during the lunch reception for US military servicemen and women

The fallout over the deal has strained the typically cozy alliance between the U.S. and Australia.

A majority of Australians view Trump unfavorably, and some critics of him have urged Australia to distance itself from the U.S. in favor of stronger ties with China.

Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the U.S. is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

Pence's visit Down Under, part of his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim, was widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia.

Indeed, the vice president seemed determined to reassure Australia of its importance to the U.S., noting as he stood next to Turnbull on the shores of Sydney Harbour: 'It's always heartening to stand beside a friend, and I do so today.'

Pence speaks with a Marine, left and not facing the camera, during the reception. Donald Trump referred to the Obama-era refugee deal as 'dumb' in a January Tweet

Pence also met with Australia's opposition leader Bill Shorten, left, as part of his 10-day, four-country visit to the Pacific Rim

Both leaders also repeatedly cited the nations' long history of military cooperation.

Australia has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflict since World War I, and is one of the largest contributors to the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

Pence said his trip to Australia during the administration's first three months in office and Trump's plans to travel to Asia next fall represented 'a strong sign of our enduring commitment to the historic alliance between the people of the United States of America and the people of Australia.'

Pence and Turnbull said they were aligned in their opinion that China should use its leverage with North Korea to de-escalate the nuclear threat from Pyongyang.

Pence said the U.S. believes that it will be possible to achieve its objective of ending North Korea's nuclear program peacefully, largely with the help of China.

Turnbull echoed the sentiments, saying: 'The eyes of the world are on Beijing.'

Regarding the refugee deal, Pence said at a news conference: 'President Trump has made it clear that we'll honor the agreement - that doesn't mean we admire the agreement.' Pictured: Trump on April 22, 2017

Pence, pictured rubbing his face, also joined with Prime Minister Turnbull to urge China to do more to pressure North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program

Pence said that while the Trump administration had pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, it still considered its bilateral trade deal with Australia to be a 'model' and a 'win-win' for both countries.

The alliance was front-and-center for Pence in his meetings with top Australian officials, who repeatedly noted their military partnership for nearly a century.

Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, seated with Pence, said the relationship between the countries is as strong as it was since 'the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919.'

Pence was using the visit to make a number of cultural stops, joining with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the Australian Museum, observing exhibits on crocodiles and snakes and listening as one of the museum's managers offered a traditional Highlands welcome of Papua New Guinea.

On Sunday, Pence and his family were to tour Sydney's iconic Opera House, take a boat ride in the harbor and visit the city's Taronga Zoo.
An acclaimed Australian author fell pregnant at the age of 18 to her high school teachers husband, before running off to a convent to give birth.

As a bright and outgoing 15-year-old Mary-Rose MacColl caught the attention of one of her year 10 teachers at a catholic high school in Brisbane in the 1970s.

They became friends and the teacher, who didnt have children, would often invite Mary-Rose to her house.

Australian author Mary-Rose MacColl reveals how she became pregnant at the age of 18 to her high school teachers husband, before running off to a convent to give birth

It was here she was introduced to the teacher's husband, an army officer, and she often visited the couple and called them by their first names.

Mary-Rose left high school after completing year 10 and got a job at now-defunct Brisbane newspaper The Telegraph.

It was then, after she left school, that the friendship between her and the couple took a turn that changed her life - she became pregnant by her teacher's daughter.

'The beach, the night I drank too much. We did the naughty but nice things, as he called them,' she recalled of the night they had sex.

An excerpt from Ms MacColl's new book For a Girl: A True Story of Secrets, Motherhood and Hope, printed in the Sydney Morning Herald, picks up just as she discovered she was with child.

Mary-Rose had turned 18 a few months before, and with an old class mate decided to visit Sister Maureen, their former maths who had since left the order and married a widower with five children.

It was the same day she was expecting the results of a pregnancy test, and she rang her pharmacist on the way to and found out she had become pregnant.

'Look at you, you grand girls. I always knew you'd make good,' Maureen told Mary-Rose and her classmate, but she only felt small and ashamed.

Her teacher and her husband coaxed the news out of her and promised to fix it.

'I was shaking all over, wanting to disappear. The shame I felt. This was all my fault, I was sure. I burst into tears and told them. I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed,' she wrote.

Ms MacColl reveals the ordeal in her new book For a Girl: A True Story of Secrets, Motherhood and Hope

They contacted ex-army chaplain Father Bob who set her up in a Catholic home for pregnant girls she could stay in until the birth.

The husband told Mary-Rose she had described her as a 'nice girl', but she knew it was a joke.

'I was not a "nice" girl, we all knew, because I was already in trouble at school before my teacher and her husband met me. They'd helped me get out of trouble,' she said.

'I was lucky they'd done this. This was what I believed. It's what they told me.'

The young woman knew her parents would help her through her pregnancy, but felt she needed to protect her teacher's husband from a career-destroying scandal.

So Mary-Rose quit her cadetship, told her parents she had drunken sex at a party and didn't know who the father was, and set off for Melbourne.

She arrived at St Joseph's Convent in Grattan Street, Carlton, and was given her own room with a sink and met other girls in her situation.

The convent was at 103 Grattan Street, but all correspondence was sent to the non-existent 101 to protect the girls form being found out.

She believed it was all her fault and felt guilty throughout the ordeal

Soon after she turned 18 the friendship turned sexual and she became pregnant, choosing to run away to conceal the father's identity

Mary-Rose became friends with Jill, a nurse whose baby's father was an apprentice from her hometown in northern Victoria.

They sat up late smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee talking about what they would do when they got out - but never about their babies.

Catholic beliefs had moved on from when unwed mothers were considered unforgiven sinners who could only be redeemed by giving up their babies for adoption by Catholic families.

But she still saw that leftover attitude in some of older nuns, who were confused by the contrast between her intelligence and her 'sinful' behaviour.

Mary-Rose came to think of her baby as an inconvenience that was expanding her belly and making it hard to sleep.

'I didn't feel self-conscious or guilty, not then. If I felt bad, it was for what I'd done to my teacher... My only cause for shame was what I'd done to them, what I'd done to my teacher. I felt it was all my fault,' she said.

Mary-Rose MacColl's five books have placed in numerous awards including runner-up for the Australian/Vogel Literary Award and a Walkley Finalist.
This is the last picture of a paraglider before he plummeted to his death after his parachute 'folded in half'.

The incident happened on Saturday morning at around 10am in Queenstown on New Zealand's south island.

Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Mike Richards said the man landed on a roof of a building at Queenstown Primary School after launching from a gondola.

This is the last picture of a paraglider who died after his parachute 'folded in half' causing him to fall from great height and land on the roof of a school

A man has died after losing control of his paraglider and crashing into a building in a school

'He lost control and fell through trees and impacted the roof on a prefabricated school building,' he said.

Witness who were setting up for the Night Noodle Market held at the school described the harrowing incident, saying the man's parachute just 'folded in half'.

'He began flipping over and over again, seemingly out of control,' witness Mindy Hill told Stuff.

'Then his parachute just folded and he plummeted to the ground.'

Another said the man fell for about five seconds from a great height.

The incident happened on Saturday morning at around 10am in Queenstown on New Zealand's south island

It is understood the man was an independent recreational paraglider and was not a customer of local company G-Force Paragliding

Witness who were setting up for the Night Noodle Market (pictured) held at the school described the harrowing incident, saying the man's parachute just 'folded in half'

'We saw them making a loop, sort of, and then they fell in his paraglider,' the witness told Otago Daily Times.

'They dropped, with their back to the ground,' her friend said.

A woman believed to be the man's girlfriend arrived at the scene a short time after the crash.

'As you can imagine it was pretty awful when his girlfriend arrived,' a man told the New Zealand Herald.

'From what I heard he toppled head over heels and from what I can see he has landed on a building and then hit the ground.'

It is understood the man was an independent recreational paraglider and was not a customer of local company G-Force Paragliding.
Tragic: Alasdair Russell, 19, is said to have died in 'tragic circumstances'

A teenage male model who appeared in an advert alongside Naomi Campbell has been found dead just days before he was due to accomplish his dream of climbing Mount Everest.

Alasdair Russell, 19, is said to have died in 'tragic circumstances' only two weeks before he was due to attempt the world record for the youngest person to complete the fastest ascent of the world's highest mountain.

His body was found at an address near Miami, Florida, earlier this month and stateside police say they are investigating.

The accomplished teenager from the village of Shipbourne in Kent was already an established model in American and the UK but harboured ambitions of becoming an Olympic rower.

Mr Russell had already broken youth ascent records climbing Aconcagua and Alpamayo peaks in South America and was due to embark on his adventure in Nepal this week.

Mr Russell's mother has spoken of the loss and heartache at his death.

Speaking to The Times, mother Kathleen Russell, 55, said: 'Alasdair was a dreamer and the driving force in his life was to climb Everest.'

Russell's mother Kathleen Russell, 55, said: 'Alasdair was a dreamer and the driving force in his life was to climb Everest'

Mr Russell had broke youth ascent records climbing Aconcagua and Alpamayo peaks in South America and was due to embark on his adventure in Nepal this week

In his short career he starred in an advert with supermodel Naomi Campbell, and was booked for the Esprit Campaign, GQ Magazine

The accomplished teenager from the village of Shipbourne in Kent was already an established model in American and the UK but harboured ambitions of becoming an Olympic rower

She said: 'He was very artistic and loved the beautiful views, the feeling of being closer to heaven. It was really good for Alasdair. He loved life and he really liked pushing himself.'

However, Mr Russell was found dead on April 1 in Boca Raton, Florida, where his mother moved last year.

Broward sheriff's office said there was an active investigation into the teenager's death after his body was found at a property overlooking the ocean, 40 miles north of Miami.

Mr Russell left Britain after completing his A levels at Tonbridge School in Kent last summer, he enrolled on a cinematography degree at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles with ambitions to become an actor.

He was scouted by model agents DT Model Management who described him as a 'beautiful soul' who had gone too soon.

Tragic: Broward sheriff's office said there was an active investigation into the teenager's death after his body was found at a property overlooking the ocean, 40 miles north of Miami

A JustGiving page has been set up to raise money for a cancer charity in his memory by his sister Lindsay Russell who described him as 'funny, smart and beautiful'

In a touching tribute posted to Facebook, the representatives said Alasdair was charming and handsome who was their 'little Hugh Grant'.

They wrote: 'We only knew you a short time, but we will never forget the day you came into the agency.

'When Ricardo scouted you and brought you into the office, we all agreed to sign you at first sight! You were handsome, charismatic, fearless, and full of spunk. You reminded us of a little Hugh Grant with your charming demeanor.

'Our Hugh Grant': Mr Russell's American modelling agency described him as charismatic and full of life

'You always made us laugh whenever David would ask you to say Im Bond, James Bond in your cute British accent.

'As a college freshmen, your life was abundantly busy with classes, fraternity events, and modeling. You managed to balance it all. We had always thought you were wise beyond your years.

'You were so organized and so ambitious. You never complained once about any test shoot, casting, or job we sent you on.

'We believe your tenacity for life and adventure is what drew us all to you. You were always positive and spontaneous which transcended into your modeling career.'

In his short career he starred in an advert with supermodel Naomi Campbell, and was booked for the Esprit Campaign, GQ Magazine.

They added: 'We know your latest goal was to climb Mount Everest and that somewhere you are trekking that mountain with that signature playful grin on your face. We will miss you so much Alasdair. You are irreplaceable and someone we will hold dear to our hearts forever. Rest In Peace, our dear friend.'

A tribute published in The Times by parents of Kathleen and Graeme, read: 'Our much loved son and brother of Cameron and Lindsay, died in tragic circumstances on April 1, in Boca Raton, Florida.'

A JustGiving page has been set up by his sister Lindsay Russell who wrote: 'On Saturday April 1st due to tragic circumstances my family lost 19 year old Alasdair.

'He was funny, smart and beautiful and meant great deal to anyone who knew him.

'He had already climbed 2 mountains with 7000 meter peaks including Aconcagua and Alpamayo starting at the age of 14 to raise awareness for male cancer as this was a cause very close to his heart.

'Later on this month, he had planned to climb Mount Everest and he would've been the youngest British male to ever do a rapid ascent.

'My family and I are grateful for any donations you can give to go towards a cause that meant so much to Alasdair and to our family.'
A ferry crash that injured five people was caused by a power cut that prompted the engine to fail, it is believed.

The boat crashed into a pier on the holiday island of Gran Canaria after the voltage dropped for just two minutes, according to operating company Naviera Armas.

The company insists the outage would not have been a problem had the ferry been sailing on the open sea where there were no obstacles.

Video footage showed the ship - which was heading towards the neighbouring island of Tenerife with 140 passengers, 30 crew members and dozens of vehicles on board - adrift and at the mercy of the sea before it hit the concrete wall at the entrance to Luz Port in the Gran Canaria capital Las Palmas.

Five people have been taken to hospital after a ferry crashed off Gran Canaria. The car ferry smashed into a port wall in Las Palmas after an engine failure while five more were treated on scene

Five people were taken to hospital including one man who suffered a broken collarbone after falling to the ground during the collision, and another five received medical attention at the scene.

Most of those affected, who included a pregnant woman, suffered panic attacks. None were seriously injured.

It is thought some British holidaymakers were on board the vessel at the time, although the exact number is not known.

The incident, involving a car ferry called the Volcan de Tamasite which regularly covers the two-and-a-half-long route between the two islands, happened just before 8.30 on Friday.

WHAT WENT WRONG? An electricity failure stopped power to the engine, causing the ferry to hit the breakwater. According to operating company Naviera Armas, the drop in voltage happened for only two minutes. The company insists the power cut would not have caused any problems had the boat been on the open seas or in a safe anchorage. A spokesman told el Diario: 'If that voltage drop had occurred inside the bay or on the high seas nothing would have happened. 'Having the dock next to it was what caused the accident.' Advertisement

The ferry lost power as it was leaving port and crew attempts to stop the collision by getting the engines restarted and throwing down anchors failed.

The damaged port wall came down on two vehicles belonging to oil firm Onyx which were refuelling a nearby ship, causing an oil spill which last night/on Friday night led to an environmental emergency being declared.

Up to 200,000 litres of fuel was initially feared to have spilled, although port authority sources said they believed the situation could be brought under control without major environmental consequences because of sea currents.

Coastguards vessels were sent to inspect the scene on Friday night.

A police investigation was underway last night in conjunction with a separate investigation by the ferry's owner Naviera Armas.

Footage taken from inside the damaged vessel after the collision - and posted on social media - showed furious passengers arguing with crew who were trying to calm them down.

The incident, involving a car ferry called the Volcan de Tamasite which regularly covers the two-and-a-half-long route between the two islands, happened just before 8.30 on Friday

An Italian man could be overheard yelling about the lack of information while a Spaniard insisted: 'We want to get off' as he told a female crew member surrounded by angry passengers that there were children on board.

The passengers began to leave the ship around 10pm and many were put up in hotels overnight.

Passenger Gabriel Velazquez said afterwards: 'People were very nervous when they felt a loud bang and then things got out of hand because no-one really knew what was happening.'

Another added: 'There were people on the floor. One of the women working in the cafe ended up trapped when something fell on her and had to be helped out.'

In December 2008, a ferry carrying 172 holidaymakers ran aground off Tenerife.

The Fred Olsen catamaran Bonanza Express got into trouble as it reached the popular tourist port at Los Cristianos in the south of the island.

Up to 200,000 litres of fuel was initially feared to have spilled, although port authority sources said they believed the situation could be brought under control without major environmental consequences because of sea currents

The accident happened as the ship brought passengers back from a day trip to the nearby island of La Gomera.

In February 2013 five crew menbers were killed, and another three injured, after a lifeboat fell into the sea from a cruise ship tied up at the port of Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands.

The accident happened on the Majesty, operated by UK-based Thomson Cruises, during a routine safety drill.

The bow of the ferry involved in yesterday evening's/Friday evening's accident hit the port wall.

Work to repair the damaged 30-foot wall is expected to last around four months and cost millions of pounds.

The damaged ferry returned to the port after the incident with the help of two salvage tugs although its engines restarted after the spectacular collision.

Footage taken from inside the damaged vessel after the collision - and posted on social media - showed furious passengers arguing with crew who were trying to calm them down

Naviera Armas boasts on its website of being the most important shipping company in the Canary Islands.

It was established in 1941 and has used more than 50 vessels over the years.

It operates around half a dozen vessels named after volcanoes in the Canary Islands.

Volcan de Tamasite, the one involved in Friday's accident, can carry 1,500 passengers and 300 vehicles and operates at 23 knots.

It was put into service 13 years ago.
A French Muslim man had to be held back by security staff after he attempted to lunge at the mayor of Paris.

The man, who has been identified as former regional councillor Farod Smahi, had to be hauled away from Anne Hidalgo yesterday as she left the Marks & Spencer store where terrorist Karim Cheurfi was gunned down by police on Thursday night.

Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night.

The ISIS fanatic killed 37-year-old policeman Xavier Jugele as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Farod Smahi had to be hauled away from Anne Hidalgo as she left the Marks & Spencer store where terrorist Karim Cheurfi was gunned down by police on Thursday night

Mr Smahi accused Ms Hidalgo of only coming to the Champs Elysee as a publicity stunt and called her a 'criminal'

Cheurfi then tried to run away with his rifle and wounded a third officer before being gunned down near a Marks & Spencer store on the world-famous avenue.

Mr Smahi claimed that terrorism had not been discussed during debates for the upcoming Presidential election until Thursday's attack, and accused Ms Hidalgo of only coming to the Champs Elysee as a publicity stunt.

In particular, he vocally slammed France's controversial 'S-Card' system, which is designed to flag up individuals who pose a potential terror threat but has been widely criticised for its ineffectiveness.

He said, 'Not one candidate spoke about the dead in Nice, the Bataclan, and still it continues.

'But now, yesterday, they all opened their big mouths. It's because they're pandering to the Muslims of France.

'I was a Muslim, I'm not anymore. I'm ashamed.'

He vocally slammed France's controversial 'S-Card' system, which is designed to flag up individuals who pose a potential terror threat but has been widely criticised for its ineffectiveness

Mr Smahi claimed that terrorism had not been discussed during debates for the upcoming Presidential election until Thursday's attack

Mr Smahi labelled Ms Hidalgo - who has been mayor since 2014 - and other politicians as 'criminals' for pandering to Muslims and cosying up to countries that impose Sharia Law.

He added: They come here showing off, on the blood of a policeman who had his life taken, leaving a wife and a child.

'I accuse the governments, they are all responsible for all of these Muslims - and I'm a Muslim - who get their wives turbaned and then stare at our wives.

'These governments, these presidents who shake the hands of the Saudis, even though their women aren't allowed to drive.

'But now they can say, "I was at the Elysee". I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed.'

France goes to the polls tomorrow in the first round of its presidential elections, with the nation reeling from Thursday's attack.

ISIS immediately claimed responsibility for the incident and Cheurfi was known to the authorities because he had a long string of police-hating convictions.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo leaves flowers at the scene where policeman Xavier Jugele was fatally shot

Mr Smahi labelled Ms Hidalgo - who has been mayor since 2014 - and other politicians as 'criminals'

He was jailed for 20 years after trying to kill officers in 2001 but prosecutors tonight denied Cheurfi was on a security watch list and added he showed no signs of radicalisation before the attack.

French officials revealed that Cheurfi was detained in Meaux, 24 miles east of Paris, on February 23 this year, after it emerged he was trying to buy weapons 'to kill police'. He was let go in March due to lack of evidence.

French security services are under immense pressure as they face troubling questions as to how they failed to prevent him from carrying out the attack.

Details of Cheurfi's terrifying career as a determined criminal was outlined by Paris prosecutor Francois Molins during a press conference in the capital city on Friday evening.

Mr Molins said: 'Karim Cheurfi was known to the police and the judiciary. In the course of 2017, he sought to obtain weapons and made statements suggesting that he wanted to kill policemen.'

Referring to a commuter town north east of Paris, Mr Molins said: 'The prosecutor's office in Meaux opened a preliminary investigation on 13 January 2017.

Pictured (left and right) is the suspected ISIS gunman, who has been identified locally as 39-year-old Karim Cheurfi

'He was taken into custody on 23 February 2017 and his home was searched. He had hunting knives, masks from the film Scream and a GoPro camera.

'But these elements were not sufficient to provide proof that he wanted to carry out a threat of assassination. For example, he said the masks were for a local carnival.'

Mr Molins added: 'At that stage, no link with the radical Islamist movement was apparent. Nothing justified further investigations by my office.'

Cheurfi, who was born in France, was a recluse who blamed police for ruining his life, a friend of the family revealed today.

He did not attend formal mosque prayer services and became fascinated by jihadist propaganda via the internet, a confident of his mother claimed. He also drank alcohol and smoked cannabis.

Traffic officer Xavier Jugele (pictured), 37, died instantly with a shot to the head, while the other two were hurt before Cheurfi himself was gunned down by nearby armed police

'Karim did not pray, he drank alcohol and watched jihadist propaganda,' neighbour Hakim, 50, told MailOnline.

'He was not a good Muslim, he was a lost soul. He had no friends, no girlfriend, he never went out. He stayed at home all day watching stuff on the internet.'

Another neighbour added: 'Karim didn't go to the mosque. He just stayed at home. You never saw him.'

Hakim continued: 'Karim blamed the police for ruining his life. He fired (a pistol) at police during a burglary and got sentenced to 15 years prison.

'He was only 20 at the time. He hated the police, he said they had ruined his life. He was 'anti-cop'. He would swear at officers in the street, call them bastards. He didn't care.'

In January, it is understood that he used Amazon to buy two knives, a GoPro video camera  which sick jihadists use to film their atrocities  and sinister masks from the 1996 US horror film Scream.

But Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the items were not sufficient to provide proof that he wanted to carry out a threat of assassination. For example, he said the masks were for a local carnival, he said.
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Scientists worldwide took to the streets Saturday along with students, research advocates and celebrities to push back against what they say are mounting attacks on science - including research budget cuts by Donald Trump.

The March for Science, coinciding with Earth Day, was anchored in Washington and set to be mirrored in 500 other cities, and attracted support from celebrities including Bill Nye the Science Guy, Rosario Dawson, Grey's Anatomy star Kate Walsh and Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi.

Although officially non-partisan, it was dreamed up at the Women's March on Washington, which took place a day after Donald Trump's inauguration on January 21 - and signs across the world made it clear that his cuts on science were a cause of some ire.

The sign that nine-year-old Sam Klimas held at the DC rally was red, handmade and personal: 'Science saved my life.' He had a form of brain cancer and has been healthy for eight years now.

His mother, grandmother and brother traveled with him from Parkersburg, West Virginia. 'I have to do everything I can to oppose the policies of this administration,' said his grandmother, Susan Sharp.

Scroll down for video

People in cities across the US marched and rallied in support of science on Saturday, concerned by what they see as a growing opposition to science in the country. The main march was in Washington, DC march (pictured)

Celebrities supporting the event included Kate Walsh (left), star of Grey's Anatomy, who posted a supportive photo from what appeared to be a dressing room, and Rosario Dawson (right, with fans), who marched in New York

Although officially non-partisan, many protesters - such as this person in New York - made him a target for satirical jabs due to his proposed cuts on science funding

A protester is seen in front of the Washington Monument in DC, ahead of the central march. The event was described as a call to support and safeguard the scientific community

The Washington, DC march carried on despite inclement weather - perhaps ironically, since many of the signs were concerned with the effect of Donald Trump's policies on the climate

New York marchers are serenaded by Times Square entertainer The Naked Cowboy on Saturday. New York's signs were more overtly political, with many mocking Donald Trump's 'tiny hands' and making allusions to Hillary Clinton

The crowds - such as these, in New York outside a Trump hotel - were a mixture of actual scientists and science supporters. Many who attended the rallies attributed their survival from disease to science

Marches took place all over America. Here, protesters in Miami - many concerned about how Florida would be affected by rising tides caused by global warming - demanded change from the president

This group gathered in Denver, Ohio, for their march, which took them directly past the Ohio Statehouse

Bill Nye the Science Guy (pictured) appeared at the Washington, DC rally. Although Nye isn't a scientist, he's long been a representative of popular science. Researchers and fans of science also participated

Judy Twigg, a public health professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, was also aiming one of her signs at the president.

The sign showed the periodic table of chemical elements and said: 'You're out of your element Donny (Trump).'

For Twigg, who was wearing a T-shirt that said 'Science is not a liberal conspiracy,' research is a matter of life and death on issues such as polio and child mortality.

The march was to be joined by dozens of nonpartisan scientific professional societies in a turnout intended to combine political and how-to science demonstrations.

Marchers in Geneva, Switzerland carried signs that said, 'Science - A Candle in the Dark' and 'Science is the Answer.'

Protesters carry signs during a March for Science in Denver. One woman's placard reads 'Revenge of the nerds'

Analeigh Belisle of Fort Collins, Colo., holds a sign during a March for Science in Denver which reads 'I love scientists'

Demonstrators portraying Santa Claus and his elves protest the melting of polar ice caps in downtown Los Angeles

Two giant electric Humvees lead thousands of people in a march in downtown Los Angeles. They chanted 'Money for science and education, not for wars and climate alteration'

One man holding a sign which reads, 'Didn't die of small pox, polio or measles? Thank science,' passes Angels Flight in downtown Los Angeles

A man holds a naked Trump cut-out as he joined tens of thousands of demonstrators at the March for Science in downtown Los Angeles

One protester in Foley Square, New York, made his feelings very clear about the use of non-renewable energy

'Trump is toxic': A protester carries a sign during a rally calling for politicians to implement science based policies

Bill Nye announces the start of the March for Science, which was attended by tens of thousand of protestors who walked along Constitution Avenue, in Washington DC

Anne Herdman Royal wears a brain hat during the March for Science on Saturday, April 22, in Chattanooga, Tennesse

In Berlin, Germany, several thousand people participated in a march from the one of the city's universities to the Brandenburg Gate landmark.

One woman held a sign reading 'Fact is greater than fiction,' with images of popular scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Trump.

'We need to make more of our decision based on facts again and less on emotions,' said Meike Weltin, a doctorate student at an environmental institute near the capital.

In London, physicists, astronomers, biologists and celebrities gathered for a march past the city's most celebrated research institutions. Supporters carried signs showing images of a double helix and chemical symbols.

Among them was Peter Capaldi, star of British sci-fi series Doctor Who. He had also marched in the anti-Trump Women's March in London.

Foreign countries also hosted their own marches - in fact, as many as 500 cities were expected to join in the protests. Here, signs are held up in both English and French by people in Ottowa, Canada

Europe had its own protests too, including one in Vienna (left), the capital of Austria. Meanwhile, in Paris, France, a pair of protesters (right) dressed up as a curious creature with a quote about climate change by John Oliver taped to its head

Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi (center) joined the crowds at the London march. Capaldi had also been a member of the London Women's March on January 21

In Berlin, this woman held a poster with symbols of popular scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Trump that said 'Fact is greater than fiction' - one of a series of protesters targeting Trump for his research cuts and anti-climate change rhetoric

A woman with a poster attends with thousands of demonstrators the March for Science in Berlin. The march was dreamed up during the March for Women in Washington on January 22

Some science supporters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, also made reference to Trump in their signs - such as this one, which plays on Trump's infamous remark about 'grabbing' women by the 'p***y'

The Trump administration's remarks about 'alternative facts' proved a common theme on signs across the world - including here, in Dresden, Germany

The protest was putting scientists, who generally shy away from advocacy and whose work depends on objective experimentation, into a more public position.

Organizers portrayed the march as political but not partisan, promoting the understanding of science as well as defending it from various attacks.

Those attacks including proposed US government budget cuts under President Donald Trump, such as a 20 percent slice off the National Institute of Health.

Signs and banners readied for the Washington rally reflected anger, humor and obscure scientific references, such as a seven-year-old's 'No Taxation Without Taxonomy.' Taxonomy is the science of classifying animals, plants and other organisms.

Scientists involved in the march said they were anxious about political and public rejection of established science such as climate change and the safety of vaccine immunizations.

'Scientists find it appalling that evidence has been crowded out by ideological assertions,' said Rush Holt, a former physicist and Democratic congressman who runs the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

'It is not just about Donald Trump, but there is also no question that marchers are saying 'when the shoe fits.'

A march in Sitka, Alaska, focused on conservation. There has been concern that Donald Trump's EPA cuts and environmental policy will badly affect the country's wildlife

New Yorkers also joined in the march - with more anti-Trump signs. Trump has proposed a 20 percent slice off the National Institute of Health. However, protesters also wanted to raise awareness of the importance of science in general

Despite saying the march was not partisan, Holt acknowledged it was only dreamed up at the Women's March on Washington, which took place a day after Donald Trump's inauguration on January 21.

'It's not about the current administration. The truth is we should have been marching for science 30 years ago, 20 years, 10 years ago,' said co-organizer and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg.

'The current (political) situation took us from kind of ignoring science to blatantly attacking it. And that seems to be galvanizing people in a way it never has before... It's just sort of relentless attacks on science.'

'The scientific method was developed to be nonpartisan and objective,' Weinberg said. 'It should be embraced by both parties.'

Cell-ebrate science: Danielle Peltier, left, one of the organizers of the March for Science in Las Cruces, Mexico, chants along with other marchers

'Science today is technology tomorrow': Men, women and children march through the streets in New York holding banners

This man who was marching in New York made a sign reading 'I'm with her' - the same slogan used by Hillary Clinton supporters during the presidential campaign

Protesters both young and old marched through the streets of New York. One boy (left) held a sign reading 'Young Lungs Matter'

This science fan held a sign showing Schrodinger's cat - a famous thought experiment - as Donald Trump's hair

'This is the only orange Muppet I trust to tell me about science': A man holds up a sign while participating in the March for Science in San Francisco, California

A woman dressed as an astronaut holds up a sign mocking US President Donald Trump as thousands participate in the March for Science in San Francisco, California

Christine McEntee, executive director of the American Geophysical Union, a global professional organization of earth and space scientists, cited concerns by scientists and threats to research as a result of elections in the US and other countries.

Threats to science are heightened in Turkey and elsewhere in Europe, said McEntee, who planned to march with geophysical scientists in Vienna, Austria.

Dr Mona Hanna-Attisha, who exposed the dangerous lead levels in the drinking water and children's blood in Flint, Michigan, planned to march in Washington and speak to the crowd.

'It's risky, but that's when we make advancements when we take risks ... for our heart rates to go up, to be a little anxious and scared and uncomfortable,' she said before the event.

Thousands of demonstrators attended the March for Science in Berlin. Threats to science have been noted elsewhere in Europe, and concern among the planet's science community is high

Concerns were also being expressed on the other side of the planet, in Sydney, Australia

Scientists protest in Parliament Square, central London, during the March for Science
China must put more pressure on neighbour and ally North Korea, as fears grow over the country's nuclear threat, according to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull warned the eyes of the world are on Beijing, calling for China to rein in North Korea during a press conference with U.S. Vice President on Saturday.

'We are quietly confident, I would say, that China will step up to this challenge and responsibility.

'China has a leverage, an ability to influence North Korea that far exceeds any others.'

China must put more pressure on neighbour and ally North Korea, as fears grow over the country's nuclear threat, according to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (pictured at business forum in Sydney on Saturday)

The nuclear threat from North Korea has dominated discussions between Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (left) and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (right), during his visit to Sydney

North Korea's latest missile test fizzled last weekend, but it conducted two nuclear test explosions and 24 ballistic missile tests last year.

'It is self-evident that China has the opportunity and responsibility to stop this reckless and dangerous trajectory,' Mr Turnbull said

The Australian Prime Minister further added that China 'has a leverage, an ability to influence North Korea that far exceeds any others'.

Mr Pence characterised North Korea as an 'urgent and most dangerous threat' to peace and security in the Asia Pacific.

'While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on the regime,' he said.

Tensions between the US and the North have soared recently following a drumbeat of missile tests and fears that Pyongyang may be readying a sixth nuclear test.

Tensions between the US and the North have soared recently following a drumbeat of missile tests and fears that Pyongyang may be readying a sixth nuclear test (Pictured: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un)

In a press conference on Saturday Mr Turnbull (right) warned the eyes of the world were on Beijing, as China had the leverage to influence North Korea to stop its 'reckless and dangerous trajectory'

Mr Pence said a peaceful outcome with the Korean peninsula was still achievable because of warming ties between Beijing and Washington.

'We truly believe that, as our allies in the region and China bring that pressure to bear, there is a chance that we can achieve a historic objective of a nuclear-free Korea peninsula by peaceful means,' Mr Pence said.

'We are encouraged by the steps that China has taken so far,' he said at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull said it was 'self-evident' China was capable of applying more pressure ton North Korea, but dismissed questions whether Australia would be involved in any future regime.

'At this stage, the support we are providing is at the level of diplomacy [and] is of critical importance,' Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Pence (left, shaking hands with Mr Turnbull) characterised North Korea as an 'urgent and most dangerous threat' to peace and security in the Asia Pacific

Mr Pence (left) said: 'If China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will'

Mr Pence echoed Mr Turnbull's calls for China to play an active role in pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs.

'If China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will,' Mr Pence said.

'We know that our security is the foundation of our prosperity.'

Mr Pence echoed Mr Turnbull's calls for China to play an active role in pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs

The pair also spoke about the refugee agreement between Australia and the US. Mr Pence (left) said: 'President Trump has made it clear we'll honour the agreement but it doesn't mean he admires it'

Mr Pence also sought to clear the waters about the location of US supercarrier Carl Vinson that was supposedly steaming towards North Korea, saying it would arrive in the Sea of Japan 'in a matter of days'.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was expected to arrive in the Sea of Japan before the end of the month, Pence said.

The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the Vinson to 'sail north' from waters off Singapore, as a 'prudent measure' to deter the hermit regime.

But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent in the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

US Vice President Mike Pence said a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier will arrive in the Sea of Japan 'before the end of this month'

President Mike Pence (C-R) meets with the Australian opposition leader Bill Shorten (C-L) at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney

Mr Pence was also questioned about the refugee agreement between Australia and the US, after President Trump labelled it a 'dumb deal' on social media.

He said: 'The US intends to honour the refugee agreement. President Trump has made it clear we'll honour the agreement but it doesn't mean he admires it.'

Mr Pence said he had confirmed to Mr Turnbull the agreement was going ahead and they had already initiated the process subject to vetting procedures.

Mr Turnbull thanked Mr Pence for honouring the deal made by his predecessor Barack Obama.

'Whatever the reservations of the President are about the deal it speaks volumes about the United States. Thank you for that commitment and for restating that today,' Mr Turnbull said.

In an earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) and other Australian and U.S. government ministers Mr Pence (right) thanked Mr Turnbull for the warm welcome

The pair also had the opporunity to meet each other's respective families, with Mr Pence (left) commenting that his wife Karen was very taken with Mr Turnbull's granddaughter Alice
Kenneth Noye, now 69, was convicted of murder in April 2000 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years

Road rage killer Kenneth Noye is set to be approved for a move to a low security open prison within weeks after a High Court judge dramatically overturned a bid to keep him in closed custody.

Noye, now 69, was convicted of murder in April 2000 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years.

He has been given a Parole Board review in June with officials set to recommend that he should be allowed more freedom.

Noye stabbed 21-year-old electrician Stephen Cameron to death in a road-rage attack on the M25 in Kent in 1996.

After the killing he went on the run and was arrested in Spain two years later.

The victim's devastated father Ken Cameron has vowed to fight the move, telling the Mirror: 'He should stay where he is.'

In September 2015 the Parole Board declined to order his release, but recommended he be transferred to open conditions.

But the board's recommendation was rejected by the then justice secretary Michael Gove.

However in February this year High Court judge Mr Justice Lavender was asked to rule on whether the rejection decision was 'unlawful and irrational'.

Kenneth Noye stabbed 21-year-old electrician Stephen Cameron, pictured, to death in a road-rage attack on the M25 in Kent in 1996

The victim's father Ken Cameron, pictured above with his wife Toni, has vowed to fight Noye's bid for freedom

He said: 'It will be for the current Secretary of State to take a fresh decision whether or not to transfer the claimant to an open prison'.

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Noye, told the judge at a hearing in London that the tariff period had now been served, and the 'sole issue is the issue of risk'.

He argued 'the Secretary of State has failed to give proper or adequate weight to the recommendation of the Parole Board and is therefore unreasonable and contrary to law'.

The QC said the Parole Board panel 'concluded that the benefits of a move to open conditions outweighed the risk of such a move, and they found that the claimant's risk had significantly reduced' since the killing of Mr Cameron.

Noye's judicial review challenge has been contested by current Justice Secretary Liz Truss, who argues there was 'nothing irrational' in the decision taken.

Police are pictured searching the grounds of Kenneth Noye's home after he killed DC John Fordham in 1985. A jury found him not guilty of murder or manslaughter on the grounds of self-defence

In 1985 Noye stabbed police officer John Fordham 10 times. Police are pictured searching his home - Hollywood Cottage in Dartford

Tom Weisselberg QC, for the Justice Secretary, said Mr Gove had decided he would 'personally take the decision on transfer and would not leave the decision to his officials'.

He said: 'He was rightly concerned about a decision which would have the effect of undermining public confidence.'

In 1985 Noye stabbed police officer John Fordham 10 times. A jury found him not guilty of murder or manslaughter on the grounds of self-defence.

Mr Weisselberg submitted: 'The Secretary of State was entitled to consider that the claimant had made excessive use of violence, even where the jury acquitted him of murder, particularly in circumstances where his decision had the potential to put members of the public at risk.'

He argued: 'The Secretary of State was entitled to consider the risk to the public posed by the claimant and to decide that further work needed to be done by the claimant in closed conditions before a transfer to open conditions would be appropriate.'

In 2000, Noye, pictured left and right, admitted at trial that he had stabbed Mr Cameron to death - but he insisted it was self-defence. The jury convicted him of murder

The murder of Stephen Cameron triggered an international hunt for Noye who immediately went on the run - he had already served 14 years in jail for his part in the Brink's-Mat bullion robbery in 1983.

At Noye's eventual trial in 2000, he admitted that he had stabbed Mr Cameron to death but insisted that he had acted in self-defence.

However the jury convicted him of murder after a pathologist said Mr Cameron's injuries were consistent with murderous intent.

But just 15 years after he was locked up he was granted a parole hearing after officials said he was a model prisoner and should be considered for release.

It was revealed in February 2015 that Noye, who fled to Spain in a helicopter after the murder, was eligible for a parole hearing but the meetings were repeatedly delayed.

He was eventually denied parole in September that year, but officials recommended he be moved to an open prison, a move that was blocked by Mr Gove.

Stephen's parents Ken and Toni Cameron, from East Anglia, said in 2015 that the uncertainty of the parole board delays had put them through hell.

Then justice secretary Michael Gove, pictured left, rejected the Parole Board's ruling in 2015 that Noye should be moved to an open prison. The current Justice Secretary Liz Truss will have to make the same decision

Mr Cameron said: 'The last few months have been absolute agony for us. They delayed it in the Spring and we wondered why - then they put it back again. Why do they keep dragging their heels?

'We have been in complete limbo - we would rather know sooner than later. It's really affecting us. We're not getting any younger.

'We want this resolved - we're suffering all over again because of this.'

Ken Cameron warned that wealthy Noye would 'disappear' if he was allowed out on a 'shopping trip'.

Mr Cameron also previously told the Daily Mail: 'He'll always be a dangerous man. People will say anything when they are up for parole.

'Noye should never be allowed out of prison  he is an evil man and has never shown remorse.'
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An outraged bride was blocked from getting to her own wedding day by 50,000 enraged activists protesting against right-wing Alternative for Germany party members meeting in Cologne.

The woman was left baffled when two police officers on motorbikes stopped her as she walked down a cobbled street in her wedding dress and bouquet.

Her wedding was being held at the historical town hall next to the Afd's party conference at the Maritime Hotel in the city centre.

As 600 delegates began filing into the hotel, singing and chanting demonstrators attempted to block them from passing through security barricades, leading to violent scuffles with authorities.

Protesters clashed with 4,000 police officers in western Germany, leading to one man being arrested after an officer suffered an injury to the face.

An outraged bride was blocked from getting to her own wedding day by 50,000 enraged activists protesting against right-wing Alternative for Germany party members meeting in Cologne

The woman was stopped by two police officers on motorbikes as she walked down a cobbled street in her wedding dress and bouquet

Tens of thousands of protesters flood into the streets in Cologne's city centre to rally against Afd members meeting at a convention venue

German police drag one male protester along by the arms. He was arrested after an officer was struck in the face

German police on motorbikes guard wedding guests as they make their way to the town hall - just minutes away from the protesters

Police form a protective ring around the wedding attendees, who are ferried to the venue in rickshaws

Riot police stand guard right outside the entrance to the wedding venue as guests file inside

As the 600 delegates began filing into the congress venue, a hotel in the city centre, singing and chanting demonstrators attempted to block them from passing through security barricades, leading to scuffles with authorities

The two-day convention takes place days after AfD's co-leader Frauke Petry said she won't be her party's top candidate in the September general election amid reported fears the party is becoming a 'catch all for racists'.

The AfD had called for closing borders, restricting Islamic practices and fighting the ruling 'oligarchy' in its election campaign programme released on Thursday.

The AfD, now represented in 11 of Germany's 16 states, aims to sign off on a programme for its campaign that it hopes will pave the way for the party to enter the national parliament for the first time in its four-year history.

After weeks of bitter infighting, co-leader Frauke Petry, who is Germany's best-known nationalist politician, made the shock announcement Wednesday that she would not seek to lead the AfD's campaign.

The news left the party reeling and set the stage for a showdown between populist and more radical, hard-right forces.

The roads are completely blocked with flag-carrying demonstrators as the leftist rally gathers momentum in the afternoon

A scufle breaks out between one group of enraged leftist protesters and the police in the middle of the road

A police officer restrains a protester as a party delegate is escorted on his way to the Maritim Hotel

German police seem to have a violent altercation with one group of protesters in the middle of the street

Two officers pinned a man against a police van as they prepared to handcuff him

German police in riot gear face up against hoards of protesters carrying banners that read 'Smash fascism' at the rally

'(Petry) has been unable to stop the AfD, which began as a party of euro critics, from becoming more and more a catch-all for racists, right-wing nationalists and the far right,' Cologne's daily Stadt-Anzeiger said.

Founded in 2013 on a eurosceptic platform, the AfD seized on Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to let in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015, transforming the German political landscape.

But its fortunes have declined as the number of new arrivals has dwindled, and all of Germany's mainstream parties have ruled out working with it should it clear the five-percent hurdle to representation in the September 24 election.

Opinion polls show the AfD at between seven and 11 percent, a steep drop from the 15 percent support it drew only late last year.

Merkel is seeking a fourth term after nearly 12 years in power and her conservative Christian Democrats are currently leading the polls.

Fights broke out as leftist protesters descended on Cologne, while trying to block right-wing Alternative for Germany party members from entering their convention centre

Protesters carry a banner that reads 'Never let the fascists have the streets' during the rally

A leftist protester holds a sign that reads 'AFD IS WRONG' as he joins the droves of demonstrators on the streets

One demonstrator wears a baseball cap bearing a Swastika sign with a red line through it

About 4,000 police officers are on the ground to prevent a violent escalation of anti-populist rallies

Polling at around 11 per cent now, the four-year-old AfD aims to become the first party to the right of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc to enter the national parliament in September elections.

The AfD opposes all 'mainstream' political parties and what it regards as their allies in the media, arguing that Germany is ruled by a remote elite that is betraying ordinary citizens.

'The secret sovereign in Germany is a small, powerful political oligarchy which has emerged from the existing political parties' and has come to dominate the state, public education and media, argues a draft of its programme.

The AfD stressed its position that 'Islam is not part of Germany' - directly contradicting the message of its declared enemy, Merkel, to the country's estimated 4.5million Muslims.

It also demanded 'the immediate closure of borders to end the chaotic mass immigration,' said a party representative, and said it opposes family reunions for those granted refugee status.

Policemen take a break as they guard the federal congress in Cologne, western Germany

A banner that reads 'No Koelsch beer for Nazis' is strung up next to the Maritim Hotel

Demonstrators strung up the same sign on the side of a boat as they passed by the protests

German police stand guard in front of the Maritim Hotel where delegates are meeting

It demanded an official investigation into Merkel's decision to keep open national borders amid a mass influx of refugees and migrants that has brought one million asylum seekers since 2015.

'We want to pass on to coming generations a country that is still recognisable as our Germany,' said the AFD, bemoaning that 'Germany is losing its cultural identity because of a flawed notion of tolerance'.

Petry, a 41-year-old trained chemist who is pregnant with her fifth child, has aligned herself with kindred spirits across Europe, including far-right firebrand Marine Le Pen, one of the frontrunners for the first round of French elections Sunday.

But given the long shadow still cast by Germany's Nazi past, Petry has argued the AfD must make itself more palatable with a more moderate-sounding 'middle-class' platform she will put to a vote at the congress.

The stated goal is to become Germany's ruling party by 2021.

Denouncing 'provocations' by party officials, Petry has called for the ouster of an AfD state leader, Bjoern Hoecke, who in January sparked outrage by slamming Berlin's vast Holocaust memorial as a 'monument of shame'.

Although Hoecke has been barred from attending the congress, some delegates have said they will put forward a motion to keep him in the party.

Head of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany party, Frauke Petry gives a speech during the party congress in the Maritim Hotel in Cologne on Saturday

After weeks of bitter infighting, Petry made the shock announcement Wednesday that she would not seek to lead the AfD's campaign. The news set the stage for a showdown between populist and more radical, hard-right forces

Frauke Petry said she won't be her party's top candidate in the September general election amid reported fears the party is becoming a 'catch all for racists'. Pictured, talking to the media after the convention

The AfD stressed its position that 'Islam is not part of Germany' - directly contradicting the message of its declared enemy, Merkel, to the country's estimated 4.5million Muslims

Petry's chief rival, 76-year-old Alexander Gauland, a hardline defector from Merkel's CDU, has said he would back the initiative.

Analysts say the vast majority of the AfD's core supporters are far to the right of the political spectrum.

However they say there is little appetite among most German voters for radical change, particularly after the victories of Donald Trump in the United States and the Brexit camp in Britain.

'In terms of its voters, Petry's attempt to make the AfD a middle-class mainstream party is a very unrealistic strategy,' Robert Vehrkamp of the Bertelsmann Foundation think tank told Spiegel Online.

The news website said the party's inner turmoil also diminished the threat it posed to the establishment in Europe's top economy.

'While in the rest of Europe, opponents of immigration and the EU are on the march, the AfD is busy tearing itself apart,' it said.

'That is good news for the traditional parties and the defenders of liberal values in Germany - at least in its current state, no one needs to fear the AfD.'
A former Scotland Yard detective believes he has come up with the five most plausible theories to explain the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Murder detective Colin Sutton said a trafficking gang could have snatched her to replace a dead child or she could have been snatched by a paedophile.

But he theorised the 'most likely and credible scenario' for Maddie's disappearance was a targeted kidnap.

Madeleine McCann went missing from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May, 2007

Former Scotland Yard detective Colin Scott believes he has come up with the five most plausible theories to explain the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

Speaking to The Mirror, he questioned why traffickers didn't take one of Maddie's twin baby siblings instead  who would have no memory of their previous life and less physical identity.

DID MADDIE WANDER INTO A CAVE? A Portuguese investigator has claimed Maddie may have wandered into a warren of caves - and that they have never been searched. Paulo Pereira Cristovao told the Sunday Mirror the little girl could have been taken into caves in the beach town of Bergau, three miles away. He said he 'put himself in the shoes' of a kidnapper who didn't know the area, and decided that is the first place he would have gone. He said: 'As far as I know the police never went there, because you would need divers. 'I think sometimes  always  the best solution is the simple solution.' Advertisement

As the 10th anniversary of Maddie's disappearance approaches next month, the investigator has analysed multiple theories for a new book.

Madeleine was just three went missing from Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007, almost a decade ago.

He said those closest to Maddie, including her parents, would have been the first line of inquiry for police.

But he added he believed Portuguese police appeared make this their only line of investigation early on in the probe.

He said: 'By concentrating just on that scenario they may have missed tips or other lines that meant going down a completely different investigation route.'

He said: 'A trafficking ring is more likely than a lone paedophile or paedophile ring.'But unless the order was specifically for a young blonde girl, why her and not one of the twins?

'Has a young blonde girl died and their parents want to replace her? Or is there another reason for stealing to order?'

Kate McCann, holding Madeleine's soft toy, and Gerry McCann, pictured at the resort in Portugal in 2007

Madeleine McCann was three when she disappeared nearly ten years ago from her holiday flat on the Algarve as her parents ate with friends nearby

While cops initially believed Maddie could have wandered off and been killed, Sutton believes the tot would surely have taken her beloved toy 'Cuddle Cat' if she had walked out of the apartment.

He said: 'Incidents of children wandering off are much more common than a targeted or non-targeted abduction.

'However Cuddle Cat is a compelling fly in the ointment with this theory.'

He said it was highly unlikely that an opportunist had snatched her, saying that most predatory paedophiles are 'not interested in pre-school age children'.

He said: 'The chances of a predatory paedophile just happening across Madeleine and being able to abduct her without being detected are just so remote.

'I don't know of any other opportunistic abduction of a girl so young.'

And he also believes it is extremely unlikely that she was killed as part of a burglary gone wrong, as most burglars are drug addicts looking for something small they can easily sell.

He said: 'Junkies don't take three-year-old girls.'
A street sweeper has allegedly been bashed by a thug who stole his leaf blower and used it to smash up his truck.

A pair of council workers were using the street sweeper in western Sydneys Granville on Saturday morning when they man shone a laser pointer in the drivers face.

Police allege the man then punched his colleague in the head, causing him to drop the leaf blower, which the man used to strike the truck.

CCTV footage shows the two men working at 1.30 am, shortly before the alleged attack

The man then tried in vain to open one of the trucks doors.

Both men fled the scene in the truck and reported the incident to police, who arrested a 45-year-old man at the scene with of a blower and laser pointer.

One of the workers suffered minor injuries to his head from the assault.

The man was taken to Parramatta Police Station, where he was charged with robbery and malicious damage.

CCTV footage shows the two men working at 1.30 am, shortly before the alleged attack.

He was granted bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court next month.

The council workers were using the street sweeper in western Sydneys Granville on Saturday when the alleged assault unfolded
A South Australian man has taken his rage out on a camera crew after his house went up in flames on Saturday morning.

Two men have been left homeless after a suspected targeted attack caused up to $100,000 damage to their Elizabeth Downs home in Adelaide's north.

Police and fire investigators are trying to establish the cause of the blaze on Kenner Street, after the words 'get out you *******' were found written on a wall near the front door.

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A South Australian man has taken his rage out on a camera crew after his house went up in flames on Saturday morning

A resident of the home lashed out at a cameraman after it was revealed his neighbours were glad to see him go, according to 7 News.

'Come any closer and I'll f***ing thump you one, now f*** off,' the man said.

A neighbour told 7 News he had no sympathy for the men who have lost their home.

'I'm cheering they're gone, that's them solved, less stress for us, less panic,' he said.

Two men have been left homeless after a suspected targeted attack caused up to $100,000 damage to their Elizabeth Downs home in Adelaide's north

Police and fire investigators are trying to establish the cause of the blaze on Kenner Street, after the words 'get out you *******' were found written on a wall near the front door

Metropolitan Fire Service crews were called to the Elizabeth Downs home just after 9am.

A crew of 12 firefighters took around 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.

'They found that there was extensive damage to the kitchen area which has extended to include the roof and has caused some structural damage,' MFS worker Noel Dodd said.

No one was home at the time of the blaze.
Marine Le Pen's campaign co-ordinator has claimed that France could break into civil war, if the nation continues to be hit with terror attacks.

Thursday's murder of police officer Xavier Jugele by ISIS fanatic Karim Cheurfi is the latest in a long list of Islamist attacks in France.

And Jean Messiha told BBC Newsnight that a continuation of 'feeble' leadership will result in ISIS strengthening their grip within the country, allowing them to carry out even more attacks on a larger scale.

Ms Le Pen received a boost in the polls following the attack, with the first poll showing conducted entirely after Thursday's attack suggesting Le Pen was almost neck-and-neck with Macron.

Scroll down for video.

Marine Le Pen at a press conference in Paris. Experts believe that her poll ratings could be boosted by Thursday's terror attack

jean Messiha told BBC Newsnight that a continuation of 'feeble' leadership will result in ISIS strengthening their grip within the country, allowing them to carry out even more attacks on a larger scale

Mr Messiha added that if that happens, there will be mutiny within the country, with France already having been in a state of emergency since 2015 due to a spate of terror attack that have killed more than 230 people in the past two years.

He said: 'She [Le Pen] is the only one who can heal the division in this country because she is the only one to call for authority back in the streets of Paris and the state must use its authority to restore state power in the streets.'

'If the state is feeble, you will have massive terrorist attacks  more and more in quantity and deaths, and this time, there will be civil war.'

The leading candidates have clashed over how to keep citizens safe in the wake of the attack, as residents in overseas territories were pictured casting their votes.

Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night.

He killed 37-year-old policeman Xavier Jugele as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station on the French overseas archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

A municipal employee prepares ballot boxes on the eve of the first round of the French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station on April 22, 2017 in Remire Montjoly, French Guiana

Cheurfi then tried to run away with his rifle and wounded a third officer before being gunned down near a Marks & Spencer store on the world-famous avenue.

The first poll conducted entirely after Thursday's attack suggested Le Pen had gained some ground on Macron.

While he was still seen winning the first round with 24.5 percent, his score slipped half a percentage point while Le Pen's rose by one to 23 percent.

Conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, and the far left's Jean-Luc Melenchon were both down half a percentage point on 19 percent in the Odoxa poll for the newspaper Le Point.

Experts believe the atrocity could tip the scales in Le Pen's favour, ahead of Sunday's election.

Fredrik Erixon, director at the European Centre for International Political Economy, told CNBC: '[It could lead to] a greater performance of Marine Le Pen than otherwise would have been the case.

'It's difficult to see how this attack will not play into the hands of political forces that want this campaign to be focused only on issues around migration and terrorism.'

Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank, added: 'The Paris gunman attack may well swing support in her favor; and this may not be picked up by the polls in a timely manner.'

More than half of police officers in France had already said they were voting for Le Pen because of her strong anti-terror stance, according to an IFOP poll.

Le Pen yesterday called for foreign terror suspects to be kicked out the country despite the fact the ISIS gunman was French

Karim Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night

Mourners gather to leave flowers and notes for policeman Xavier Jugele who was shot dead

MAIN CONTENDERS IN FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Emmanuel Macron A former economy minister of Francois Hollande, the 39-year-old Centrist is the front-runner in the polls. He started a political movement called 'En Marche' that he presents as neither right-wing nor left-wing. The pro-European former investment banker is expected to become France's youngest-ever president because polls suggest if he reaches the run-off on May 7 he would defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Three surveys show Macron having a slight edge over Le Pen with 23-25 per cent against 22-23 per cent. Macron is married to his former French teacher Brigitte Trogneux, 20 years his senior, and has seven step-grandchildren. Marine Le Pen Le Pen is the candidate of her far-right National Front party. Bolstered by Donald Trump's victory as well as the Brexit result, she is campaigning on an anti-immigration, anti-Islam, nationalist plaform. Following the Champs-Elyees shooting she called for foreign terror suspects to be expelled immediately and said it was a 'ceaseless and merciless war' against France which required 'a presidency which acts and protects us'. She has also pledged to beef up law and order in her manifesto, with 15,000 more police officers, deporting foreign criminals and closing extremist mosques. A study released earlier this week revealed that 51 per cent of French police officers plan to vote for Le Pen in the upcoming polls. That is more than double the number of people who are backing Macron (16.5 per cent). According to the polls, she is currently on 22/23 per cent, but she is likely to be defeated in the second round by Macron. Francois Fillon The longtime No. 2 of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Fillon was initially installed as the favourite. However his campaign has been dogged by allegations that his Welsh wife and two oldest children improperly received public funds. He said he would step aside before performing a U-turn and he has since received a last-minute boost in the polls and is currently on 20 per cent. Fillon, who penned a pre-election book called 'Beating Islamic Totalitarianism', declared that 'the fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next president'. Vowing to 'destroy Islamic State', he added: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them.' Jean-Luc Melenchon Far-left firebrand Melenchon the 65-year-old is running for president for the second consecutive time after finishing in fourth place five years ago with 11 per cent of the vote. This year, Melenchon's debating skills, anti-capitalist rhetoric, pugnacity and grasp of social issues have seen him surge in the campaign's closing stages, with 19 per cent in the polls. Melenchon promises to tax the rich and spend heavily, to renegotiate France's role in the 28-nation EU and international trade pacts. He also wants to get rid of what he calls the 'presidential monarchy' by giving more power to parliament, and to stop France's use of nuclear power, the source of nearly 80 per cent of the country's electricity. If Melenchon makes it to the runoff, he is projected to beat both Le Pen and Fillon by comfortable margins although he is seen losing to Macron 41 per cent to 59 per cent. Benoit Hamon Hamon is polling in a distant fifth place ahead of Sunday's first-round election and has little chance of reaching the decisive May 7 run-off - a failure that could crush his Socialist party. He wants to legalise cannabis and tax the wealth generated by robots that take the jobs of humans. Advertisement

But the latest attack in the heart of Paris could send voters flocking to Le Pen, who has pledged to beef up law and order in her manifesto, with 15,000 more police officers, deporting foreign criminals and closing extremist mosques.

US President Donald Trump said today it would 'have a big effect on presidential election' as the French people 'will not take much more of this'.

Macron appealed to voters to keep a cool head in the wake of the attack.

He said: 'What our attackers want is death, symbolism, to sow panic (and) to disturb a democratic process, which is the presidential election.'

US President Donald Trump said today it would 'have a big effect on presidential election' as the French people 'will not take much more of this'

French police officers and forensic teams searched a vehicle which was close to the scene on the Champs-Elysees in Paris

The attacker emerged from a car and used an automatic weapon to shoot at officers at the centre of the Champs-Elysees

He tore into Le Pen, accusing her of lying with claims that previous attacks wouldn't have happened under her watch.

'She won't be able to protect our citizens,' Macron said of Le Pen.

He added: 'There's no such thing as zero risk. Anyone who pretends (otherwise) is both irresponsible and deceitful.'

France's Thatcherite candidate Francois Fillon has said 'we are at war...it's us or them' in the wake of the Champs-Elysees terror attack as voters are expected to flock to National Front leader Marine Le Pen in Sunday's presidential election.

Fillon, who penned a pre-election book called 'Beating Islamic Totalitarianism', declared that 'the fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next president'.

Vowing to 'destroy Islamic State', he added: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them.'

Socialist Benoit Hamon tweeted his 'full support' to police against terrorism.

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a Socialist, said Le Pen's National Front 'after each attack, seeks to exploit it and use it for purely political means.'

PARODY ELECTION POSTERS GO UP IN PARIS Posters campaigning for the various candidates ahead of the first round of presidential have been replaced with famous film characters and actors. Where the likes of Emmanuel Macron, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon had previously been staring back at pedestrians, there now stood the likenesses of Pinocchio, Donald Duck and John Goodman. Most of the posters came with a personalised message, hinting that the candidate was a liar, in the case of Pinnochio replacing Jean Lassall, or greedy like Scrooge McDuck, who replaced Melenchon. Posters campaigning for the various candidates ahead of the first round of presidential have been replaced with famous film characters and actors This picture of Scrooge McDuck (left) appeared on top of the image of far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon with the caption 'No false promises, I will keep everything to myself'. Meanwhile, Solidarity and Progress party candidate Jacques Cheminad was replaced by South Park's Eric Cartman (right), with the message 'I f*** you and I stay at the Elysee [Palace, where the President lives]' Candidate Jean Lassall was turned into famous liar Pinocchio (left), accompanied by the words ' Jiminy cricket was never my parliamentary assistant'. The Little Mermaid (right) is fixed over the official poster of Emmanuel Macron, and his poster reads 'While swimming. The presidential election 23 April to 7 May with the Little Mermaid' A poster with the face of John Goodman (left) is fixed over the official poster of election candidate for the Lutte Ouvriere (LO) party Nathalie Arthaud, playing on the actor's surname and saying 'for a nice president'. A poster with the face of French actor Francis Huster's character from The Dinner Game, Just LeBlanc (right), is set over Philippe Poutou Advertisement

Le Pen demanded EU flag be removed from TV studio

Such is Marine Le Pen's aversion to the European Union that the French far-right leader demanded the removal of its star-spangled flag from a TV studio before agreeing to a recent interview.

Her chief rival in the race for the French presidency, centrist Emmanuel Macron, pointedly waved an EU flag from the podium at a campaign rally the next day.

Love it or loathe it, the European Union has become a hot-button issue in the election, fanning fears far beyond France in the wake of Britain's Brexit vote that a 'Frexit' could doom the 60-year-old bloc.

The French far-right leader demanded the removal of its star-spangled flag from a TV studio before agreeing to a recent interview

'Rarely has the European issue held such a pre-eminent place on all the candidates' platforms as in this electoral campaign,' said analyst Pierre Vimont of the Carnegie Europe think tank.

In the five years since France's last presidential vote, Europe has seen a massive migrant crisis and a rise in populism, both contributing to the Brexit vote.

None of the four main French candidates can afford to be neutral on the EU, whether they portray it as the source of all woes or a guarantee of peace and stability.

Like Macron, conservative candidate Francois Fillon is bullish on Brussels, highlighting the Franco-German leadership axis and defending the euro.

Both candidates met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the campaign.

Arrayed on the other side are Le Pen, who advocates leaving the EU immediately, and hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who demands a renegotiation of key treaty provisions.

Emmanuel Macron is very pro-EU, and even pointedly waved an EU flag from the podium at a campaign rally

'Positions have hardened,' said Manuel Lafont Rapnouil of the European Council on Foreign Relations. 'Melenchon was very influenced by what happened to (Greek anti-austerity party) Syriza,' which gave in to European demands after months of crisis.

Syriza, the party of Greek premier Alexis Tsipras, endorsed Melenchon, saying he 'represents hope for change for France and Europe'.

Le Pen, on the other hand, 'is riding the wave of Brexit' and Donald Trump's surprise accession to the White House, he said.

The ideological underpinnings of the two candidates' eurosceptism are worlds apart, however.
These are the first pictures of a teenage neo-Nazi gunman who killed three people in an armed attack at a Russian intelligence agency.

Anton Konev, 18, stormed a FSB counterintelligence office - the main successor of the KGB - in the Far East Siberian city of Khabarovsk.

He killed an FSB employee and a visitor from a former Soviet state at the reception before police shot him dead.

The teenager was a member of a far-right group and encouraged 'hatred towards people of other ethnic identities,' sources claimed.

Neo-Nazi gunman Anton Konev (pictured), 18, stormed a FSB counterintelligence office in Khabarovsk, Russia, and killed two people

He killed an FSB employee (pictured) and a civilian from a former Soviet state who was at the office before police shot him dead

Earlier, he had gunned down an instructor at a local rifle club, and stolen two guns and a sawn-off shotgun. Pictured, armed police at the scene of the shooting

Earlier, he had gunned down an instructor at a local rifle club, and stolen two guns and a sawn-off shotgun.

Russian sources claimed he had a background as a neo-Nazi in the region where he staged his attack - despite Islamic State claiming responsibility for the attack.

He 'espoused hatred towards people of other ethnic identities', said one source.

The gunman was 'a native of Khabarovsk territory born in 1999 and there is the evidence of his affiliation with a neo-Nazi grouping', said an FSB spokesman.

The attacker did not have explosives on him.

He stole a Saiga carbine and two handguns as he killed the rifle club instructor, reported The Siberian Times.

The teenager (pictured) was a member of a far-right group and encouraged 'hatred towards people of other ethnic identities,' sources claimed

His social media photos show him posing with a rifle dressed in camouflage gear

A multiple murder investigation has been opened and Russian Investigative Committee (IC) chairman Alexander Bastrykin dispatched a team of 'highly expert investigators and detectives' to Khabarovsk to probe the crime.

The IC is responsible for investigating serious crime in Russia.

A spokeswoman also refuted claims that the attack was linked to ISIS.

'Investigators do not have any evidence that would confirm the attacker's links to an international terrorist organisation, which ostensibly claimed responsibility for the crime,' spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said.

Evidence so far points to 'the crime having been committed by an advocate of neo-Nazi outlooks, who espoused hatred towards people of other ethnic identities'.

Sources claim the teenager has no links to an international terrorist organisation - despite Islamic State claiming responsibility for the shooting

A multiple murder investigation has been opened and Russian Investigative Committee (IC) chairman Alexander Bastrykin dispatched a team of 'highly expert investigators and detectives' to Khabarovsk to probe the crime

The scene of the crime has been cordoned off as police investigate the attack

He is believed to have been a member of a far-right movement called Shtolts, reported RBC news agency, citing FSB sources.

'They consider themselves 'fighters for morality'. They also oppose illegal migration,' said the source.

The group has around 15 members aged 17 to 20.

The so-called Islamic State 'news outlet' Amaq issued a brief claim in Arabic saying 'IS fighter attacked a Russian Federal Intelligence office in Khabarovsk killing three of them [personnel] and wounding others.'

Security is high across Russia after 15 passengers died in a suicide bombing of the St Petersburg metro.

The suspected suicide bomber and his alleged accomplices were from Central Asia.
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Renowned photojournalist Eddie Adams, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of a Vietnamese general in Saigon executing a Viet Cong suspect, changed the way people viewed the horrors of war.

But the new book, 'Eddie Adams: Bigger Than The Frame', published by the University of Texas Press, attests to his desire to tell the stories of people from all walks of life.

'I actually become the person I am taking a picture of. If you are starving, I am starving, too,' Adams once said.

South Vietnamese national police chief Brig General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executes a Viet Cong officer with a single pistol shot in the head in Saigon, taken February 1, 1968. The next year Adams won a Pulitzer for this photo, 'Saigon Execution'

Here Adams stands among US soldiers in Vietnam while on assignment for the AP in 1966. He joined the AP four years prior

Marine Corps troops wait in line to have their head shaved in 1970. Adams considered himself a patriot and a Marine

Marine Corps recruit depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, in 1970. The depot has provided troops in every US war since 1915

Adams captured unidentified soldiers walking in Hoai Chau, Vietnam, on January 31, 1966 during the Vietnam War

An unidentified Viet Cong soldier killed during the Tet Offensive, a campaign of surprise attacks, in Cholon, Saigon, in 1968

This photo shows a starving baby in a Cambodian refugee camp near the Thai border in 1979. The Thai military barred entry

Leila Khaled, who successfully hijacked a Trans World airliner to Damascus, Syria, in 1969, totes a submachine gun at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon on November 29, 1970

The book presents a career-spanning selection of the photographers best work from the 1950s through the early 2000s.

In addition to Adams's substantive coverage of the Vietnam War, the book includes images of refugees, riots, celebrities and politicians.

Adams started out as a photographer for the Marines during the Korean War and, in 1962, joined the Associated Press. He later worked for Time and Parade magazines.

Jacqueline Kennedy accepts the flag that covered her husband's coffin at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in 1963

Servicemen lift President John F Kennedys casket off a caisson in front of the Capitol on November 24, 1963

Marilyn Monroe visits troops in Korea during a USO tour in February 1954. She entertained more than 100,000 troops

Human rights activist Malcolm X in New York in 1964. At this time, he had broken with the Nation of Islam and its leader

Riots in Newark, New Jersey, in July 1967. The six days of rioting and destruction left 26 dead and hundreds injured

A black man, his shirt stained with blood running down his face, is cornered in a doorway by club-wielding police on August 30, 1964, in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The man had been clubbed for refusing to move along

His series, 'Boat of No Smiles', about the Vietnamese boat people, influenced the US to admit 200,000 refugees at the end of the war.

With his work, Adams hoped to capture an immediate truth while expressing a larger truth.

'You shoot and you hope it's bigger than what's in the frame,' Adams said.

The Beatles at an undated press conference in New York. Adams took other photos of the band at a Central Park photo op

Musician Louis Armstrong in his dressing room at the International Hotel in Las Vegas on September 6, 1970

Zora Folley and Muhammad Ali during the World Boxing Association World Heavyweight Title match on March 22, 1967

Seventy-nine-year-old lion tamer Jules Jacot bumps heads with one of the 19 lions under his charge at the St Louis Zoo

Former Alabama governor George Wallace at the 1972 Democratic Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. Wallace survived an assassination attempt but remained in a wheelchair until his death

Marion Van Harken checking out at an unidentified grocery store in 1983. Adams photographed people from all walks of life

The book, 'Eddie Adams: Bigger Than The Frame', is the photojournalist's first career retrospective. This photo of an unidentified Israeli soldier in the Middle East was taken in 1970

He won more than 500 photojournalism awards during his lifetime and founded the prestigious Eddie Adams Workshop for emerging photographers.

In 2004, Adams died of Lou Gehrig's disease, not having seen his coverage of 13 wars published in a book.

Adams's photographic archive was donated by his widow, Alyssa Adams, to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin.
Maverick MP Bob Katter has been caught on camera confessing he doesn't want any Muslims in Australia  before backtracking immediately.

The politician was spotted at a NSW watering hole by a Sydney man who accused him of 'racist vibes' in a video uploaded to Facebook on Friday.

The Federal Member for Kennedy tells the man he 'doesn't want any Muslims coming here,' then changes his tune and storms off camera.

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Maverick MP Bob Katter declares he doesn't want any Muslims in Australia in the footage

'You don't like much, do you really?' the man says to Katter, who is the grandson of a Lebanese migrant.

'We're nice to you white blokes, I think we are,' Katter replies.

The man then grills him about his political ties, asking if he is 'in bed with One Nation.'

'I don't want any Muslims coming here,' Katter replies, before going back on his words by adding: 'I shouldn't say that.'

'You don't want any of them coming here at all do ya, Bob Katter?' says the man, drawing the politician's ire.

'That's not what I said', Katter says coldly, before closing in on him and accusing him of 'telling lies'.

The politician was spotted at a NSW watering hole by Sydney man who accused him of 'racist vibes'

In March, Katter has renewed his call for a Middle Eastern and North African ban following the London terror attacks

The man then tells the Independent MP to 'go f*** yourself, mate.'

The footage has sparked a debate on social media, with some commenters blasting the man for being rude but others commending him.

In March, Katter renewed his call for a Middle Eastern and North African ban following the London terror attacks.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Katter's office for comment.
North Korea's 'unofficial ambassador to the West' has warned Pyongyang could destroy the entire world with just three bombs.

Alejandro Cao de Benos, 43, is an honorary special delegate for the DRPKs Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.

Speaking to Spanish news site Infobae, Cao de Benos, who spends his time between Pyongyang and his Spanish hometown of Tarrogona, described the secretive communist state as a utopia.

Alejandro Cao de Benos has warned Pyongyang could destroy the entire world with just three bombs

He said: 'The people have a basic, secure life with dignity. They live in a very peaceful way, there is no social conflict, we don't have people sleeping in the street... it's another way of life, one in which we all work in a huge cooperative movement.'

But when asked about North Korea's military threat, his rhetoric became much more aggressive.

'No-one is going to touch Korea,' he said. 'If it is touched the people will defend it with guns and missiles. We have the thermonuclear bomb. With three of those the world is finished.'

Alejandro strongly denied claims that Kim Jong-un's government commits human rights abuses

The political activist, who is the first westerner to be granted North Korean citizenship, dismissed accusations of human rights abuses against Kim Jong-un's government as mere propaganda from Britain and the United States.

He said labour camps were strictly exclusive to criminals found guilty after a fair trial.

'If they are found guilty they don't go to prison to take drugs or learn how to be Pablo Escobar,' he said, referring to the notorious Colombian drug lord. 'In Korea there are labour camps where the criminal picks rice for the people or makes furniture for homes, which is delivered to the people.'
Saturday Kitchen host John Torode caused a stir when he told off guest chef Lisa Allen for 'double dipping' with the same spoon while cooking.

The Australian cooking whizz who recent assumed control of the BBC's flagship cooking show set audience tongues wagging after his unexpected outburst.

Torode became irate after he caught Lisa Allen tasting sauce from a spoon before cheekily attempting to put it back in the pan.

Saturday Kitchen causes a stir after host John Torode berates guest chef Lisa Allen for 'double dipping' with same spoon - sparking praise from viewers who agreed with his outburst

Interrupting Lisa mid-flow , John told her: 'No, don't do that! Get a fresh spoon you double dipper.'

Sheeping Lisa rushed over to the sink to rinse the spoon with water as John moaned about chefs who 'double dip' on Masterchef, where he judges.

He ranted: 'You're like all these people on Masterchef, the double dippers.

'They come in and you watch them as they taste it and put it back in.'

Embarrassed Lisa apologised about her cooking faux pas.

John then quipped: 'Don't worry! I'm just telling you off.'

Torode became irate after he caught Lisa Allen tasting sauce from a spoon before cheekily attempting to put it back in the pan

Interrupting Lisa mid-flow , John told her: 'No, don't do that! Get a fresh spoon you double dipper.'

Although Lisa didn't appear to be too bothered by the interruption, John's ticking off was met with appreciation from the audience who enjoyed his outburst.

One tweeted: 'Executive chef just double dipped on #SaturdayKitchen. That gives me little faith.'

Another wrote: 'Double dipping no, no, no. I don't even do that with my own food.'
Pauline Hanson's One Nation party has announced it plans to introduce 'crocodile ranches' and egg collection initiatives if it is elected to government.

The party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson announced on Friday it would take measures to protect people from the predators.

'In North Queensland, every time the flooding rains come, half of the crocodile eggs are drowned, and they just go to waste,' he said.

Pauline Hanson's (pictured) One Nation party announced it would introduce 'crocodile ranches' and egg collection initiatives if it was elected to government

Under the croc management plans, aggressive crocs would be relocated to a croc farm or 'humanely euthanised' (file picture)

'We want to work hand in glove with Indigenous communities to collect those eggs, and start crocodile farms throughout Queensland for commercial purposes so they can have their own businesses.'

He said dangerous or aggressive crocodiles would be relocated to a croc farm or 'humanely euthanised', Cairns Post reported.

But the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) wildlife officers rarely euthanise crocodiles unless they are highly aggressive towards humans.

Lee De Pauuw, 18, was drinking large amounts of cask wine when he leaped into a crocodile-infested river to impress a British backpacker

He leaped into the Johnstone River in Innisfail, Queensland in the early hours of Sunday morning in an attempt to win over tourist Sophie Paterson

Miss Paterson has since agreed to go on a date with him, however any romantic connection has been downplayed by the pair

It comes after a spate of crocodile attacks in recent weeks.

Cairns spear fisherman Warren Hughes, 35, was reported missing off the Queensland coast and police believe a four-and-half metre long crocodile killed him.

The croc was shot dead by rangers a few days later.

It is not clear if the croc is the same one that almost ripped a teenager's arm off that same week.

Lee De Pauuw, 18, was attacked by a huge saltwater croc after leaping into the Johnstone River, Innisfail to impress British tourist Sophie Paterson.

The croc management plans come after three local councils wrote to Environment Minister Steven Miles calling on the state government to do more to curb increasing numbers of crocs in populated areas.

Wildlife officers have been struggling to catch a crocodile that was spotted around a popular Cairns waterhole.

It is not clear if the croc that almost ripped De Paauw's arm off is the same one that killed Cairns spear fisherman Warren Hughes, 35

British backpacker Sophie Paterson (pictured), 24, dared a teenager to jump into crocodile-infested waters
Karim Cheurfi, pictured, spent a month in Algeria in breach of his parole - but when he got back he told a 'young magistrate' he had gone to the volatile North African state to get married

Champs-Elysees gunman Karim Cheurfi avoided being recalled to jail despite breaching his parole by travelling to Algeria - by convincinga 'young magistrate he went there to get married.

Cheurfi spent a month in the volatile North African state  the birth-place of French Islamist groups  in January 2017, at the same time as police were warned that the career criminal was seeking to buy weapons.

The gunman was arrested on his return to France. But charges were dropped he after convinced a young magistrate that he had wanted to get married, although he did not in fact tie the knot.

This disclosure, made by Prosecutor Francois Molins, Frances most senior investigating magistrate, was one of a number of police and intelligence service blunders that let Cheurfi free to kill and maim in the name of ISIS.

The man [Cheurfi], a confirmed bachelor, went to Algeria between the 15th January and the 14th February on the pretext of getting married, reported the Parisien newspaper today.

He was supposed to warn the legal authorities about his travel plans. The Meaux prosecutors office [legal authority] demanded that he be recalled to jail to complete his sentence.

[But] On the 7th April Karim Cheurfi was brought before a young magistrate who reminded him of his [prison release] obligations without ordering him to complete the rest of his prison sentence.

Despite having close family links to Algeria it remains unclear whether Cheurfi did cross the Mediterranean with plans to marry or whether for terrorist purposes.

Cheurfi killed and maim in the name of ISIS in Paris. Pictured are armed soldiers guarding the Notre-Dame cathedral in the city today

The police presence on the streets of the French capital has been heavy following the attack on the Champs-Elysees. Pictured are armed officers guarding the Place de la Republique

This policeman wore a rose on his uniform in support of his fellow French officers following the attack on the Champs-Elysees for which ISIS has claimed responsibility

Witnesses told police in January this year that hardened criminal Karim Cheufri was seeking to buy weapons. Pictured are two officers armed with guns guarding the Place de la Republique

A former colony with close links to France Algeria has been the breeding ground for countless French Islamist groups which sprang during the North African countrys brutal civil war of the 1990s.

The Armed Islamic Group (GIA) carried out a series of bombings in France in 1995 and 1996, including the July 1995 Paris metro attack that killed eight and wounded 80 - the first Islamist terror attacks in Europe.

Witnesses told police in January this year that the hardened criminal was seeking to buy weapons.

The 39-year-old loner had complained that police had ruined his life by locking him up for so many years.

A family friend said: He [Cheurfi] adored children, that was something he felt he had missed out, like half of his life was eaten up by prison.

He said: I dont have a kid, I dont have a wife. That plays on you psychologically.

He used to have friends, but after he landed in jail he was weird, closed off.

One policeman was killed and two others were injured during the attack on Champs-Elysees on Thursday night

Officers were pictured rushing to the scene on the Champs-Elysees following Thursday night's attack on the Champs-Elysees

Karim Cheufri targeted officers with a Kalashnikov machine gun on the Champs-Elysees on Thursday night. He was later shot dead

Hakim, another family friend added: Karim blamed the police for ruining his life.

He fired a pistol at police during robbery and got sentenced to 15 years prison.

He was only about 20 at the time. He hated police, he said they had ruined his life.

Cheurfi, 39, from Chelles, killed a policeman and wounded two others after targeting officers with a Kalashnikov machine gun on the Champs-Elysees on Thursday night. He was later shot dead.

Details of Cheurfis terrifying career as a determined criminal were outlined by Paris prosecutor Francois Molins during a press conference in the capital city on Friday evening.

Karim Cheurfi was known to the police and the judiciary, said Mr Molins. In the course of 2017, he sought to obtain weapons and made statements suggesting that he wanted to kill policemen.

Referring to a commuter town north east of Paris, Mr Molins said: The prosecutor's office in Meaux opened a preliminary investigation on 13 January 2017.

Police are on high alert in France following the shooting on the Champs-Elysees on Thursday night which left one officer dead and two others injured

Details of Cheurfis terrifying career as a determined criminal were outlined by officials at a press conference in Paris. Pictured are two police officers on patrol following Thursday night's shooting in the French capital

He was taken into custody on 23 February 2017 and his home was searched. He had hunting knives, masks from the film Scream and a GoPro camera.

But these elements were not sufficient to provide proof that he wanted to carry out a threat of assassination. For example, he said the masks were for a local carnival.

Mr Molins added: At that stage, no link with the radical Islamist movement was apparent. Nothing justified further investigations by my office.

'More terror attacks will bring civil war' warns far-right candidate Marine Le Pen ahead of election Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, pictured, has clashed with others standing in the presidential election over how to deal with Islamist terrorism By Paddy Dinham Marine Le Pen's campaign co-ordinator has claimed that France could break into civil war, if the nation continues to be hit with terror attacks. Thursday's murder of police officer Xavier Jugele by ISIS fanatic Karim Cheurfi is the latest in a long list of Islamist attacks in France. And Jean Messiha told BBC Newsnight that a continuation of 'feeble' leadership will result in ISIS strengthening their grip within the country, allowing them to carry out even more attacks on a larger scale. He added that if that happens, there will be mutiny within the country, with France already having been in a state of emergency since 2015 due to a spate of terror attack that have killed more than 230 people in the past two years. Mr Messiha said: 'She [Le Pen] is the only one who can heal the division in this country because she is the only one to call for authority back in the streets of Paris and the state must use its authority to restore state power in the streets.' The election co-ordinator for Marine Le Pen, pictured, said that if ISIS strengthens its grip on France there will be mutiny within the country 'If the state is feeble, you will have massive terrorist attacks  more and more in quantity and deaths, and this time, there will be civil war.' The leading candidates have clashed over how to keep citizens safe in the wake of the killing of a policeman by a suspected Islamist militant in an attack that rocked France's presidential election with just two days to go before voters go to the polls. Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night. He killed 37-year-old policeman Xavier Jugele as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Advertisement

Cheurfi was first arrested in 2001 after a road rage incident in Roissy-en-Brie, near Paris, involving an off duty security manager and his brother.

After a chase, Cheurfi shoot at them, wounding them seriously in the chest. In custody, Cheurfi took advantage of a moment of inattention of a custody officer, and tried to kill him with his own revolver.

Four years later, in 2005, Cheurfi was sentenced by judges sitting at the Val-de-Marne Assize Court to 15 years in prison.

Cheurfi was first arrested in 2001 after a road rage incident in Roissy-en-Brie, near Paris, involving an off duty security manager and his brother. He went on to attack the French capital on Thursday night, where a policeman is pictured patrolling following the horrifying incident

At times he was given periods of supervised release from his sentence, which was reduced by five years on appeal.

Despite this, Cheurfi was a notoriously disruptive prisoner who in November 2009 was given another 18 month sentence for attacking a cell mate.

He was also convicted of a number of offences including burglary while out on bail, and also broke his monitoring conditions by travelling to Algeria.

Cheurfi was finally released completely on October 14th 2015, but had to make regular appearances before a judge in Meaux.
Bill and Melinda Gates have been awarded the French Legion of Honor medal for their charity efforts.

The couple received France's highest national award from French President Francois Hollande in Paris on Friday.

They posed in front of the Elysee Palace with their medals - which recognise their philanthropic activities with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Microsoft founder, 61, gives $5billion a year to development aid through the foundation. Since 1994, he has donated billions of his staggering $85billion fortune.

Bill and Melinda Gates have been awarded the French Legion of Honor medal for their charity efforts

They posed in front of the Elysee Palace with the medals - which recognises their philanthropic activities with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

He has worked tirelessly to improve public health and encourage development in poor countries.

Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January 2000 and started the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

He remained as chairman and created the position of chief software architect for himself.

But in June 2006 he announced that he would be working part-time at Microsoft to focus on the charity and stepped down as chairman in 2014.

Since 1987, Gates has been included in the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people and was the wealthiest from 1995 to 2007 and again in 2009.

He is currently the richest person in the world.

In 2009, he and Warren Buffett founded The Giving Pledge - which encourages other billionaires to pledge to give at least half of their wealth to charity.

The couple received France's highest national award from French President Francois Hollande in Paris on Friday

The multi-billionaire Microsoft founder, 61, and his wife Melinda have worked tirelessly to improve public health and encourage development in poor countries

This week Gates told Theresa May not to slash Britain's foreign aid budget  claiming it would diminish the UK's global influence and mean many more lives lost in Africa.

He said the British people would be proud of the country's aid spending if they could see its impact first hand - 'uplifting countries, creating stability and preventing pandemics'.

In an article in the Guardian, he wrote: 'The big aid givers now are the US, Britain and Germany.

Gates gives $5billion a year to development aid through the foundation. Since 1994, he has donated billions of his 67billion fortune

'If those three back off, a lot of the ambitious things going on with malaria, agriculture and reproductive health simply would not get done.'

Gates' comments followed reports that some aid money had been spent on questionable projects, or not properly accounted for.

While he acknowledged that there is room for improvement, Gates said programs that vaccinate children, educate women and combat poverty should not be abandoned.

He argued instead that 122million children had lived since 1990 because of development aid.

'As someone who puts $5 billion a year toward development aid, I have a strong interest in making sure that money is well spent,' Gates said.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Western countries and drug companies pledged fresh support on Wednesday to wipe out diseases that blind, disable and disfigure millions of poor in tropical areas each year and urged new donors to join the fight.

Some 1.5 billion people, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, are infected with one of 18 neglected tropical diseases known as NTDs, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

One billion of them are receiving treatment, half of them children.

French minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay arrives at the Elysee Palace to attend the ceremony

This week Gates told Theresa May not to slash the country's foreign aid budget  claiming it would diminish Britain's influence in the world and mean many more lives lost in Africa

'The best thing with these diseases is not to debate whether they are neglected or not, but to proceed to make them history,' Bill Gates told a global partners' meeting held at WHO.

'We need a broader, deeper bench of investors... so that by 2030 we can achieve the goal of reaching 90 percent of the people who need treatment. I know this is achievable.'

Gates, who has supported the initiative for over a decade with $1 billion, pledged $335 million over the next 4 years, including $42 million to continue efforts to wipe out Guinea-worm disease.

The crippling disease, transmitted by contaminated water, can lead to a 100 cm long worm growing in the body.

'Guinea worm is one of our great success stories, even though we're not absolutely at zero, we are down to very small numbers. Thirty years ago over 3 million people in over 20 countries were afflicted,' Gates said.
Guy Verhofstadt called Theresa May an opportunist

The European parliament's Brexit coordinator has branded Theresa May a political opportunist over her decision to call an early general election.

Guy Verhofstadt said she is using the need to strengthen her hand for Brexit negotiations as an excuse for grabbing power.

He claimed the election represents 'an attempted power grab by the Conservative party, who wish to take advantage of a Labour party seemingly in disarray to secure another five years of power, before the reality of Brexit bites'.

The former Belgian prime minister wrote in The Observer that the idea Mrs May is calling a general election on Brexit in order to secure a better deal with the EU is 'nonsensical.'

He added: 'We can only conclude that many British politicians and the media still don't fathom how article 50 will work in practice. Will the election of more Tory MPs give Theresa May a greater chance of securing a better Brexit deal? For those sitting around the table in Brussels, this is an irrelevance.'

It comes as Theresa May today refused three times to rule out tax rises after the election  making clear voters will have to trust the Tories to do what is right.

Rally: Mrs May today in Dudley refused three times to rule out tax rises after the election

The European parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt has called Theresa May a political opportunist over her decision to call an early general election

Mrs May said the general election is the 'most important election for this country in my lifetime'

Mrs May said: 'At this election people will have a clear choice between a party that believes in keeping taxes down or a Labour party whose natural instinct is to raise taxes'

The Prime Minister repeatedly dodged questions about whether the party's manifesto will again include a 'tax lock' guaranteeing no increases to tax or national insurance during the next parliament.

Instead she insisted the Conservatives had a record of keeping taxes low for 'ordinary working people'  while Labour's 'instinct' was to raise the burden.

The evasive answers came as Mrs May upped her attack on Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon  branding the SNP leader a 'separatist' who wanted to tear the 'precious' United Kingdom apart.

Theresa May arriving in Dudley today

Speaking at a campaign rally at the Netherton Conservative Club in Dudley, Mrs May was asked three times whether she would keep the tax lock introduced by David Cameron in 2015.

But she dodged the question, instead pointing to her record on taxation, saying: 'At this election people will have a clear choice between a party that believes in keeping taxes down - we have taken 4million out of income tax altogether - or a Labour party whose natural instinct is to raise taxes.'

Mrs May also refused to say if she would carry on the triple lock protecting pensions.

She branded the election 'the most important election for this country in my lifetime' and said she wasn't complacent despite leading in the polls.

She added: 'Jeremy Corbyn said himself he had a 200/1 chance of winning the Labour leadership and look how that turned out.'

Chancellor Philip Hammond has hinted he would like to drop the promise of no tax rises because it ties his hands as he tries to gear the economy up for Brexit.

The apparent ditching of the tax lock has been seized on by Labour, who have accused the Tories of planning 'a tax bombshell' while the Liberal Democrats suggested they would hit 'white van man'.

And UKIP slammed her refusal to rule out tax rises as 'depressing news for the economy'.

On the campaign drive: Jeremy Corbyn talks to party members and activists as he canvasses for votes in Warrington

Addressing the crowd: Mr Corbyn gave a short speech where he said 'we're calling time on the Tory party'

The Prime Minister repeatedly dodged questions about whether the party's manifesto will again include a 'tax lock'

Dudley MEP Bill Etheridge said: 'Tax rises contract the economy, what are the government thinking about wanting to make life harder for people by taking more of their money?

The row came after Mrs May risked angering traditionalist Conservatives after she reaffirmed the Government's commitment to international aid spending while refusing to guarantee the 'triple lock' for pensioners.

Her announcement, during a campaign visit to her Maidenhead constituency on Friday, that she would stick by David Cameron's commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on international aid, was sharply criticised by some Tories.

Mrs May chose to speak in Dudley today because it is major target seat for the Tories as they try to capitalise on support for Brexit.

Twice as many people in Dudley voted Leave than Remain in the referendum last June.

The current MP is Labour's Ian Austin who beat the Tory candidate by 4,000 votes in 2015.

But Ukip picked up 11,000 votes there meaning that if their voters switch to the Tories as expected then the Conservatives could steal power.

Mrs May also refused to say if she would carry on the triple lock protecting pensions

The Prime Minister was greeted by a friendly crowd at Netherton Conservative Club in Dudley

A Conservative party supporter holds a sign as British Prime Minster Theresa May speaks

Polls suggest the Conservatives are likely to gain around 58 seats in Labour's North and Midlands heartlands due to the Brexit effect in the upcoming snap election on June 8.

Also today, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was canvassing in Warrington, Cheshire while his deputy Tom Watson was doing the same in West Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron will be speaking at Fabric nightclub in London.

Scottish party leaders hit the campaign trail for the local government and general elections on Saturday.

Meanwhile in Warrington: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was speaking to supporters on the campaign trail

In conversation: Mr Corbyn chatted to prospective voters on the streets of Warrington today

Mr Corbyn was today campaigning in the north-west after leaving London this morning

Manning the phones: Corbyn at the Unison offices in Manchester during Labour's election campaign

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon pushed for votes in Edinburgh's Stenhousemuir, while her rival, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, launched a campaign poster in the city.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale campaigned in South Queensferry, with Willie Rennie, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, hitting the streets of Dundee.

Meanwhile the SNP and Scottish Labour have confirmed they will have general election candidates in place next week.

The SNP has announced its 54 MPs will stand again, while candidates for the remaining five Scottish seats will be chosen by the end of the week.

It emerged today that some Ukip candidates may tell their party they don't want to contest pro-Brexit Tory MPs in a bid to see a successful and swift Brexit with Theresa May at the helm.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon pushed for votes in Edinburgh's Stenhousemuir, while her rival, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, launched a campaign poster in the city

The SNP has announced its 54 MPs will stand again, while candidates for the remaining five Scottish seats will be chosen by the end of the week

Leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon as she campaigns with John McNally in Stenhousemuir, Scotland

Jeremy Corbyn today Speaking to activists in Warrington, the invigorated Labour leader said: 'We are calling time on this Tory government. 'Our message is one of hope and opportunity - we embrace the whole community: that is the Labour way.' He also reiterated his policies of clamping down on corporate tax avoidance and introducing a 10 minimum wage. Advertisement

A source told MailOnline: 'We will put country over party, many of our members joined to achieve Brexit. Some of our members are anti-Tory but even they realise Theresa May offers the Brexit closest to what we want.'

Another added: 'If you take Jacob Rees-Mogg as an example, you're likely to get plenty of people who'd say: 'He's a good egg, we agree with him on most things, why do we want to oppose him?' '.

But a Ukip spokesman said today the party wants to contest all seats and only in certain instances where the candidate makes a case to their local branch will they step aside for a Conservative.

It has also been claimed that if Mrs May wins the election she will not opt for a major cabinet reshuffle. A number 10 source said she has 'zero appetite' for an overhaul.

On the move: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn looked relaxed as he left his house in Islington this morning

All smiles: Mr Corbyn shook hands with a civil enforcement officer outside his home
North Korea has threatened Australia with nuclear war in a blunt message reminding Malcolm Turnbull that the nation is in range of a catastrophic strike.

The rogue state warned Australia against cosying up to the US as Vice President Mike Pence visits - saying that following US moves in the region would be a 'suicidal act'.

North Korea's state news agency (KCNA) on Saturday warned Australia not to 'blindly and zealously toe' the US line, while also castigating Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

An agency spokesman said Ms Bishop has 'spouted a string of rubbish' against North Korea, which puts Australia at risk of a nuclear strike.

North Korea has threatened Australia with nuclear war in a blunt message reminding Malcolm Turnbull that the nation is in range of a catastrophic strike

Kim Jong-un's rogue state warned Australia against cosying up to the US - saying that following US moves in the region would be a 'suicidal act'

The warning comes as US Vice-President Mike Pence is in Australia, where his visit has been dominated by discussion on the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles programs

'If Australia persists in following the US moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and remains a shock brigade of the US master, this will be a suicidal act of coming within the range of the nuclear strike of the strategic force of the DPRK,' the report said.

'The Australian Foreign Minister had better think twice about the consequences to be entailed by her reckless tongue-lashing before flattering the US.

'It is hard to expect good words from the foreign minister of such a government. But if she is the foreign minister of a country, she should speak with elementary common sense about the essence of the situation.'

Earlier this week Ms Bishop said on the ABC's AM program that North Korea's nuclear weapons program posed a 'serious threat' to Australia, unless it was stopped by the international community.

The KCNA report said that what Ms Bishop had said 'can never be pardoned' as it was 'an act against peace' and North Korea's 'entirely just steps for self defence'.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on China to add more pressure to their neighbour as tensions soar following missile tests

Mr Pence joined forces with Mr Turnbull to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea

Intercontinental ballistic missiles were on display during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of North Korea's founding father Kim Il Sung last week

It said Australia was shielding a hostile US policy of nuclear threats and blackmail against North Korea, which was the root cause of the current crisis on on the Korean Peninsula.

The report also said Australia encouraged the US to opt for 'reckless and risky military actions'.

'The present government of Australia is blindly and zealously toeing the US line.'

The report said the situation on the Korean Peninsula was 'inching close to the brink of war in an evil cycle of increasing tensions'.

US Vice-President Mike Pence is in Australia, where his visit has been dominated by discussion on the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

Mr Pence said North Korea is an 'urgent and most dangerous' threat to peace and security in the Asia Pacific region.

U.S. Army soldiers have been conducting military exercises in Paju, near the border with North Korea

Mr Pence said the rogue state is an 'urgent and most dangerous' threat to peace and security in the Asia Pacific region

'While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on the regime,' he said during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday.

Mr Pence said warming ties between the US and China means a peaceful outcome on the Korean peninsula is still possible.

'We truly believe that, as our allies in the region and China bring that pressure to bear, there is a chance that we can achieve a historic objective of a nuclear-free Korea peninsula by peaceful means,' he said.

The US Vice President praised Mr Turnbull who also called on China to add more pressure to their eastern neighbour, as tensions soar following missile tests.

North Korea's state news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman castigating Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The spokesman said Ms Bishop 'spouted a string of rubbish' against North Korea

Fears are rising that Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test to commemorate the 85th anniversary of its military's founding on Tuesday

'We are quietly confident, I would say, that China will step up to this challenge and responsibility,' he said.

'China has a leverage, an ability to influence North Korea that far exceeds any others.'

North Korea's latest missile test fizzled last weekend, but it conducted two nuclear test explosions and 24 ballistic missile tests last year.

Fears are rising that Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test to commemorate the 85th anniversary of its military's founding on Tuesday.

'It is self-evident that China has the opportunity and responsibility to stop this reckless and dangerous trajectory,' Mr Turnbull said.
A prematurely born hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo has been providing regular doses of happiness for animal lovers.

And all the public affection for baby Fiona has also given an emotional lift to zoo workers after months of backlash over the fatal shooting there last May of Harambe, a gorilla who became a pop culture phenomenon in death.

Video updates, such as Fiona taking a bottle, splashing in a pool or learning to run, have drawn tens of millions of online views.

Thousands of people have bought TeamFiona T-shirts, and thousands more have eaten Fiona-themed bakery treats.

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Video updates of baby hippo Fiona (pictured) have drawn tens of millions of online views

Fiona's (pictured) celebrity status offers a welcome reprieve from the death of Harambe

Thousands of people have bought TeamFiona T-shirts and visited the zoo to see her in person

Fiona's story has even inspired a children's book. Missy Jones and Karen Jacobs Costello, paraeducators in Cold Spring, Ohio, created a tactile book about the hippo for students with visual impairments.

'Fiona! The Baby Hippo' follows the animal's early birth, her struggle for survival, through to her present celebrity status.

'Fiona is an inspiration,' Jones told Cincinnati.com. 'Everybody loves her, shes adorable. Children can relate to her and how shes overcome the obstacles shes faced.'

Since Bibi (pictured) delivered Fiona on January 24, millions have watched the baby on video

The Nile hippo was born on January 24 - more than a month early - and weighed just 29 pounds, far lower than the typical weight for a newborn.

She was the first Nile hippo to be born at the zoo in 75 years.

Zoo officials say zoos are increasingly using new ways for the public to see the animals and their care, such as the recent livestream of a giraffe giving birth in New York.
Chef Anthony Bourdain has called the pink and purple powdery beverage a 'perfect nexus of awfulness.'

It's the drink that has got people talking, but it seems that reactions to Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino have truly split the nation with one of the country's top chef's not mincing his words over the colorful drink.

Celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain has called the pink and purple powdery beverage a 'perfect nexus of awfulness.'

Speaking in an interview with Town & Country Magazine Mr Bourdain who is renowned for losing his temper and speaking his mind didn't hold back.

'Wow, that's like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns, and the colors pink and purple. Also a Frappuccino! It's the perfect nexus of awfulness. Just add pumpkin spice to that mix, and you can nuke the whole county,' he said.

All drinks aside, Mr Bourdain believes that when it comes to food, people are eating higher quality food than ever before. 'In general, I think we're eating better than in any time in dining history. We're eating more adventurously.'

The drink has divided opinion and taste buds across the nation. It is only available until Sunday

Meanwhile, Instagrammers have been going crazy for limited-edition Unicorn Frappuccino, with baristas at the coffee chain, less excited.

Shortly after it debuted on Wednesday, a video by Braden Burson went viral, showing the 19-year-old Colorado barista ranting that he's 'never been so stressed out in my entire life' and begging customers not to order it.

And he's not the only one. Dozens of Starbucks employees have taken to Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit to share their not-so-generous thoughts about the fruity concoction.

Please make it stop! Starbucks baristas are not all thrilled about the Unicorn Frappuccino

Waiting for the end: Several have taken to social media to rant

Put them out of their misery: Most are happy this particular Frappuccino is only available for a limited time

Why, oh why! They seem to be unhappy about the incredible rush of customers and having to make the complicated concotion

Clearly joking, one barista on Twitter attempted to dissuade customers from buying the drink by writing: 'It's literally a poison-infused abomination.'

'Today has been one hell of a day for us baristas,' wrote another on Wednesday, when the drink came out.

The issues the employees have with the Frappuccino appear to be twofold. The craze over the drink has created an incredible rush of customers, leading to frantic, busy shifts. And the drink itself is complicated to make, involving several ingredients that need to be added to the cup just so.

Colorado barista Burson, who deleted his video from Twitter after it started gaining national attention, said: 'If you love us as baristas, don't order it. It is so difficult to make, and people were coming in left and right, drive thru and in the front.'

Oh, poor you: Even non-baristas feel bad for those manning the machines

Don't, just don't: Some are encouraging people not to order the drink

The humanity! A few have shared pictures of incredibly large Frappuccino orders

Other baristas, and even several customers, shared similar sentiments.

'IF YOU LOVE YOUR BARISTA OR YOUR HEALTH DONT ORDER THE UNICORN,' wrote one. Added another: 'For every unicorn frappuccino you buy a barista dies... pls be nice.'

'I feel a deep sadness for every @Starbucks barista forced to make a Unicorn Frappuccino today,' shared a sympathetic soul.

It seems that Burson's rant, in particular, resonated with the teens, men, and women making the drink across the country.

'I don't normally do this as much as I want to,' he said at the start of the clip, which was filmed in his car. 'But today I need to rant just a little bit.'

Furious: Barista Braden Burson took to social media on Wednesday to complain about the stress he suffered as a result of the Unicorn Frappuccino release

'As most of you know, I work at Starbucks, and the new Unicorn Frappuccino came out today... So, the Unicorn Frappuccino came out on the internet a few weeks ago, and it has been the number one Frappuccino ever.

'Because it has been so popular online, everyone is like, 'Oh my gosh, I need to try it when it comes out.' Well today it came out, and I have to tell you, please don't get it!'

The Unicorn Frappuccino is a sweet and sour pink and blue swirled drink topped with what Starbucks calls 'fairy powder'.

Burson said in the video that a day of making the treat left him with sticky hands and residue from the drink stuck to his clothes and in his hair.

Raising his voice to a somewhat histrionic scream, Burson continued: 'I have never made so many Frappuccinos in my entire life, my hands are completely sticky, I have unicorn crap all in my hair and on my nose.

'I have never been so stressed out in my entire life. It has been insane,' he said.

And a straw for a horn! The brightly-colored drink is a mix of mango syrup and sour blue drizzle, and is also topped with whipped cream

He finishes his desperate plea by saying: 'For the love of god and everything that is good, don't get the Unicorn Frappucccino!'

Burson told The Associated Press that he didn't think his rant would get this much publicity and he didn't intend to 'downgrade' the drink.

'It's a great drink. But it is difficult to make when there are like 20 fraps all at once both front and drive thru,' he wrote in a Facebook message.

But while Burson did not expect his video to garner much attention, it quickly racked up thousands of views, prompting the Starbucks employee to remove the original clip just hours after posting it on social media.

Starbucks said in a statement Thursday that the popular reception of the drink has 'exceeded everyone's expectations.' It added that it is reaching out to Burson 'to talk about his experience and how to make it better.

Drink up fast! The news broke to great excitement and anticipation

So pumped! Social media users are very excited about the new item

Not impressed: Despite the picture-perfect appearance of the drink, some people seem to have had bad reactions to the super-sweet taste

Lover: However there are some who couldn't get enough of the sugary beverage

The drink, which is only available through Sunday, April 23, started earning buzz online even before Starbucks officially announced it, thanks to giddy baristas who couldn't keep the secret.

Official pictures showed a blended pink drink with a squiggled blue line running through. It's topped with whipped cream, which is sprinkled with pink and blue powder.

Starbucks says the specialty item is a mix of mango syrup and 'pleasantly sour' blue drizzle. In a press release, the brand explained that swirling the drink changes its color to purple, and the flavor evolves from sweet and fruity to tangy and tart.

And while Starbucks has said that the drink will only remain on the menu for a limited period, there is a slim chance that it could make a more permanent return in the future.
One Nation party bosses warned candidates to be careful about connecting with people on social media who might expose their secrets publicly.

The party's 'head office' account posted the directive to a private Facebook group for candidates in late January, and even blacklisted two former senior staffers it described as 'bad news'.

The post, which was ironically leaked to the Sunday Mail, told them not to be friends with anyone 'saying baloney things about us in the media'.

One Nation bosses warned candidates to be careful of connecting with people who might expose their secrets (leader Pauline Hanson pictured with Senator Malcolm Roberts)

'I have informed you all to only add friends and people you know and trust,' it read.

'Be careful, remove people you do not trust. They may leak things that you do not want out in the limelight.'

It included a screenshot of former One Nation Queensland president Ian Nelsons Facebook profile as an example of someone best avoided.

Former staffer Saraya Beric was also branded 'bad news' by the directive.

The party's 'head office' account posted to a private Facebook group for candidates in late January even blacklisted two former senior staffers described as 'bad news'

It included a screenshot of former One Nation Queensland president Ian Nelsons (L) Facebook profile as an example of someone best avoided

Both former senior figures criticised the current incarnation of the party, which has enjoyed a resurgence with its anti-Islam, anti-immigration polices.

They both appeared in controversial report on ABC's Four Corners, which slammed the party's internal working and leader Pauline Hanson's management style.

'It's a dictatorship, it's [an] absolute brutal dictatorship,' Mr Nelson, who was kicked out of the party last year, told the program.

Pauline Hanson stumps for candidates at an event ahead of the WA election in March

'A political party [is] supposed to be transparent, democratic, inclusive - and the party at the moment isn't any of those things.'

Ms Beric, who resigned in October, told the Sunday Mail she couldn't have 'sour grapes' as it was her choice to step down.

'It was not what I had envisaged for the party. I decided that I did not want to be part of the management any longer,' she said.
Panicked passengers fled in terror as a knifeman was arrested at Paris' Gare du Nord station just a day before the French presidential vote.

The drama happened on a day of unrest in the French capital, during which police released tear gas after being pelted with flares and other makeshift weapons in a pre-election riot.

Footage of the station arrest shows armed police surround the man, who was restrained on the ground.

Panicked passengers abandoned their luggage as they fled, and boarding of Eurostar services was briefly suspended this afternoon. Police sources say the arrested man is a 20-year-old from Mali.

Tensions are high across France following Thursday night's ISIS-inspired assassination of police officer Xavier Jugele by fanatic Karim Cheurfi at the Champs Elysee.

Today masked protesters hurled bottles and stones at legions of officers who flooded central Paris following the killing. A 200-strong mob hijacked a peaceful rally organised by left-wing unions and communists.

Voters will go to the polls tomorrow in the first round of the country's presidential election.

Police were seen leading a man away at the Gare du Nord station in Paris this afternoon

The alleged knifeman is seen here lying on the ground as armed police surround him and point their weapons at him

Describing the incident at Gare de Nord, a French police official said that a man carrying a knife walked into the station and was flagged to officers, who arrested him immediately before anyone could be harmed.

French TV network BFMTV reports that the man did not resist arrest, and a police source said he claimed he was carrying the knife because he was afraid for his life. He was not previously known to police.

Another police source added that the arrest caused a 'panic movement' with a number of travellers abandoning their luggage in the middle of the station.

One police source said that some people saw the man, a 20-year-old Malian, 'inside the station, knife in hand' and pointed him out to police, who detained him.

The station was briefly closed before reopening around 4pm. Boarding for Eurostar trains to London was also suspended for a short time, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

The Gare de Nord is one of the French capital's top transit hubs, serving the city's metro, suburban trains as well as intercity and high-speed trains like the Eurostar from London.

He was told to lie down and followed the orders before he was arrested.

The scene led panic among passengers who tried to flee the scene, a witness said, adding that trains have been delayed.

More police officers involved in the man, who was arrested before anyone was injured by the knifeman

Huge swathes of riot police in Paris had to deploy tear gas after being pelted with flares and other makeshift weapons in a pre-election riot

The planned march, just a day before the country goes to the polls in the first round of the leadership vote, turned ugly with citizens and police clashing, in violent scenes

It comes less than 48 hours after Thursday's murder of police officer Xavier Jugele by ISIS fanatic Karim Cheurfi.

Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night.

He killed the 37-year-old policeman as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

'ENOUGH POLICE KILLED AND BURNED' SAY WIVES IN PROTEST More than 100 wives and partners of police protested in Paris today against attacks on police following the assassination of an officer on the Champs Elysee. The Angry Police Wives group marched through the city two days after Xavier Jugele was shot twice in the head by ISIS sympathizer Karim Cheurfi. At the end of the pro-police demonstration, marchers released black balloons signifying police killed in the line of duty and pink balloons for the families they left behind. The Angry Police wives group took to the streets of Paris to protest this afternoon They carried placards with slogans including 'don't touch my cop' on today's march Some were carrying placards saying 'don't touch my cop', a twist on a well-known French anti-racism slogan. One placard also said "enough police officers killed and burned", referring not only to Mr Jugele's death but also a firebomb attack on a police car carrying four officers by suspected drug dealers in a poor suburb of Paris last October. Two of the officers were seriously wounded in the attack. The protest was held following Thursday's attack which claimed the life of Xavier Jugele The protest attracted hundreds of partners who work for the French police force Advertisement

Three police officers can be seen in the middle of the shot, attending to an incident on the station floor

Crowds gather following the arrest of a knife-wielding man at Gare du Nord railway station

Karim Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night

The first poll conducted entirely after Thursday's attack suggested National Front leader Marine Le Pen had gained some ground on frontrunner Emmanuel Macron.

While he was still seen winning the first round with 24.5 percent, his score slipped half a percentage point while Le Pen's rose by one to 23 percent.

Conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, and the far left's Jean-Luc Melenchon were both down half a percentage point on 19 percent in the Odoxa poll for the newspaper Le Point.

The leading candidates have clashed over how to keep citizens safe in the wake of the attack, as residents in overseas territories were pictured casting their votes.

Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night.

He killed the 37-year-old policeman as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

MAIN CONTENDERS IN FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Emmanuel Macron A former economy minister of Francois Hollande, the 39-year-old Centrist is the front-runner in the polls. He started a political movement called 'En Marche' that he presents as neither right-wing nor left-wing. The pro-European former investment banker is expected to become France's youngest-ever president because polls suggest if he reaches the run-off on May 7 he would defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Three surveys show Macron having a slight edge over Le Pen with 23-25 per cent against 22-23 per cent. Macron is married to his former French teacher Brigitte Trogneux, 20 years his senior, and has seven step-grandchildren. Marine Le Pen Le Pen is the candidate of her far-right National Front party. Bolstered by Donald Trump's victory as well as the Brexit result, she is campaigning on an anti-immigration, anti-Islam, nationalist plaform. Following the Champs-Elyees shooting she called for foreign terror suspects to be expelled immediately and said it was a 'ceaseless and merciless war' against France which required 'a presidency which acts and protects us'. She has also pledged to beef up law and order in her manifesto, with 15,000 more police officers, deporting foreign criminals and closing extremist mosques. A study released earlier this week revealed that 51 per cent of French police officers plan to vote for Le Pen in the upcoming polls. That is more than double the number of people who are backing Macron (16.5 per cent). According to the polls, she is currently on 22/23 per cent, but she is likely to be defeated in the second round by Macron. Francois Fillon The longtime No. 2 of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Fillon was initially installed as the favourite. However his campaign has been dogged by allegations that his Welsh wife and two oldest children improperly received public funds. He said he would step aside before performing a U-turn and he has since received a last-minute boost in the polls and is currently on 20 per cent. Fillon, who penned a pre-election book called 'Beating Islamic Totalitarianism', declared that 'the fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next president'. Vowing to 'destroy Islamic State', he added: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them.' Jean-Luc Melenchon Far-left firebrand Melenchon the 65-year-old is running for president for the second consecutive time after finishing in fourth place five years ago with 11 per cent of the vote. This year, Melenchon's debating skills, anti-capitalist rhetoric, pugnacity and grasp of social issues have seen him surge in the campaign's closing stages, with 19 per cent in the polls. Melenchon promises to tax the rich and spend heavily, to renegotiate France's role in the 28-nation EU and international trade pacts. He also wants to get rid of what he calls the 'presidential monarchy' by giving more power to parliament, and to stop France's use of nuclear power, the source of nearly 80 per cent of the country's electricity. If Melenchon makes it to the runoff, he is projected to beat both Le Pen and Fillon by comfortable margins although he is seen losing to Macron 41 per cent to 59 per cent. Benoit Hamon Hamon is polling in a distant fifth place ahead of Sunday's first-round election and has little chance of reaching the decisive May 7 run-off - a failure that could crush his Socialist party. He wants to legalise cannabis and tax the wealth generated by robots that take the jobs of humans. Advertisement

And experts agree Thursday's atrocity could tip the scales in Le Pen's favour, ahead of Sunday's election.

Fredrik Erixon, director at the European Centre for International Political Economy, told CNBC: '[It could lead to] a greater performance of Marine Le Pen than otherwise would have been the case.

'It's difficult to see how this attack will not play into the hands of political forces that want this campaign to be focused only on issues around migration and terrorism.'

Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank, added: 'The Paris gunman attack may well swing support in her favor; and this may not be picked up by the polls in a timely manner.'

More than half of police officers in France had already said they were voting for Le Pen because of her strong anti-terror stance, according to an IFOP poll.

But some voters, fearful that Le Pen has been strengthened by the instability, said they would shift their votes from fringe candidates to make sure to keep the far-right out of power.

'With an attack such as this one, I think the National Front will get a good result. Therefore I'll change my intention and cast a useful vote - either Melenchon or Macron,' said physics teacher Omar Ilys, 44.

Emmanuel Macron, considered to be the frontrunner for the French presidential election, pictured with his wife Brigitte yesterday

Polling stations have opened today in France's far-flung overseas territories for the country's unpredictable presidential election, as the 11 candidates in the race observed a ban on campaigning.

With voting beginning tomorrow on the French mainland, the government has mobilized more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

France's 10 percent unemployment and its lackluster economy top voters' concerns as first-round ballots are cast this weekend in the most nail-biting French election in generations.

Opinion polls showed a tight race among the four top contenders vying to get into the May presidential 7 runoff that will decide who becomes France's next head of state.

But the polls also showed that decision was largely in the hands of the one-in-three voters who are still undecided.

Masked protesters hurled bottles and stones at legions of officers who flooded central Paris after a colleague was gunned down in ISIS inspired assassination on the Champs Elysee
A terrified Chinese student was mauled by a cheetah while on a guided tour.

Smartphone footage captures the moment the adolescent cheetah approaches the tourist before suddenly leaping up trying to bite the girl's neck.

Park rangers leapt in to the pull big cat off the frightened girl who desperately tried to curl herself up into a ball.

Video footage captures the moment a terrified Chinese tourist was mauled by a cheetah in a South African big cat reserve. Exchange student Peggy Lio avoided serious injury

The attack took place in a big cat reserve in South Africa.

Attack victim Peggy Lio, an exchange student from Macau was left unhurt despite the cats lighting attack.

In 2016, shocking footage has emerged showing the moment a circus trainer was mauled by a lion during a live show in Egypt, leaving him with fatal injuries.

Park rangers leapt in to the pull big cat off the frightened girl who desperately tried to curl herself up into a ball

Attack victim Peggy Lio, an exchange student from Macau was left unhurt despite the cats lighting attack

Trainer Islam Shaheen, 35, was filmed motioning at a lion with a stick as another lion climbed up a ladder during the performance in Alexandria.

At that moment, a third lion launches a savage attack on the trainer, rearing up and biting him in the neck as watching children scream in terror.

Shaheen was rushed to Andalusian Salam hospital but died later from his injuries.
Senator Marco Rubio denied that he had anything to do with arranging a reported secret meeting between President Trump and two former presidents of Colombia.

Over the course of Easter weekend, Trump paraded around his Mar-a-Lago estate with wife Melania and most of his children, who flew into Florida for the holiday.

In between family time and Easter service, Trump had an undisclosed, informal meeting with former Colombian presidents Alvaro Uribe and Andres Pastrana, it was confirmed on Thursday.

Colombian media outlets have pointed the finger at the Florida senator for arranging the quick chat but he denied those accusations in an interview, it was revealed on Saturday.

Rubio said: 'No, I didn't have anything to do with that meeting. Im a big fan of President Uribe. I didnt even know he was in Florida. And beyond it, I would say to you, I dont see what the problem is.'

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Senator Marco Rubio denied he set up a reported secret meeting between President Trump and two former presidents of Colombia over the Easter weekend, it was revealed on Saturday

The White House confirmed on Thursday that Trump spoke briefly with the former two leaders at his Mar-a-Lago estate but quickly brushed it off as a quick hello

Speaking to CBS News, the 45-year-old politician continued: 'But my understanding is it wasnt even a meeting. My understanding is that President Uribe and the former President [Pastrana] happened to head over to the Mar-a-Lago and bump into the president while he was there.

'But I didnt even know President Uribe would be in Florida.'

According to the White House, the meeting was just a brief encounter with Trump as he walked by the two men.

A spokeswoman told the Miami Herald: 'They were there with a member from the club and briefly said hello when the president walked past them. There wasnt anything beyond a quick hello.'

But according to former President Pastrana, the meeting was more than that.

He tweeted last Friday evening, in which he tagged President Trump twice, he said: 'Thanks to @POTUS @realDonaldTrump for the cordial and very frank conversation about problems and prospects of Colombia and the region.'

The two former presidents oppose current Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who is scheduled to meet in person with Trump for the first time in May.

One of the main purposes of Santos' visit is to encourage the president to support a peace deal and uphold Obama's promise of $450milllion in foreign aid to his country, reported the Miami Herald.

It is speculated they met with president in hopes to deter him from supporting this plan, as Uribe and Pastrana have come out against the arrangement, along with Rubio who has voiced his dislike of the deal, according to MSNBC.

Former Colombian presidents Alvaro Uribe (left) and Andres Pastrana (right) were confirmed as the men that Trump spoke with. Pastrana thanked Trump in a tweet last Friday for his 'cordial and very frank conversation' about Colombian matters

Trump will meet next month with the current Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (pictured) for the first time in person. The two former Colombian presidents oppose him

The undisclosed meeting comes on the heels of the White House announcing that they would not be releasing the visitor logs of who meets with the president, it said last week Friday.

White House communications director Michael Dubke told Time that the decision was due to 'the grave national security risks and privacy concerns of the hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.'

White House press secretary Sean Spicer told DailyMail.com during Tuesday's press briefing that the administration wasn't quite prepared to announce how it would handle visitor log records.

'I think we should have an answer on our policy very shortly on that,' said Spicer.

The American Civil Liberties Union fumed in a statement from political director Faiz Shakir that 'we deserve to see government business conducted in transparent daylight.'

'The only reasonable conclusion is to believe the Trump administration has many things it is trying to hide,' Shakir added.

Just hours later after the announcement, Pastrana sent out his tweet about the 'secret' meeting.
Huge swathes of riot police in Paris had to deploy tear gas after being pelted with flares and other makeshift weapons in a pre-election riot.

The planned march, just a day before the country goes to the polls in the first round of the leadership vote, turned ugly with citizens and police clashing, in violent scenes.

Masked protesters hurled bottles and stones at legions of officers who flooded central Paris after a colleague was gunned down in ISIS inspired assassination on the Champs Elysee.

The 200-strong mob hijacked a peaceful rally organised by left-wing unions and communists.

Huge swathes of riot police in Paris had to deploy tear gas after being pelted with flares and other makeshift weapons in a pre-election riot

The planned march, just a day before the country goes to the polls in the first round of the leadership vote, turned ugly with citizens and police clashing, in violent scenes

Masked protesters hurled bottles and stones at legions of officers who flooded central Paris after a colleague was gunned down in ISIS inspired assassination on the Champs Elysee

Marching bands and flag waving activists had gathered at the famous Place de la Republique before settling off along the capital's streets.

But black-clad anarchists infiltrated the demonstration, launching their terrifying assault on the forces of law and order at the Place de la Bastille - the birth place of the French Revolution.

It comes after Marine Le Pen's campaign co-ordinator claimed that France could break into civil war, if the nation continues to be hit with terror attacks.

Thursday's murder of police officer Xavier Jugele by ISIS fanatic Karim Cheurfi is the latest in a long list of Islamist attacks in France.

Marching bands and flag waving activists had gathered at the famous Place de la Republique before settling off along the capital's streets

But black-clad anarchists infiltrated the demonstration, launching their terrifying assault on the forces of law and order

Riot police stood on the corner of a street after some of the order had begun to be restored

And Jean Messiha told BBC Newsnight that a continuation of 'feeble' leadership will result in ISIS strengthening their grip within the country, allowing them to carry out even more attacks on a larger scale.

He added that if that happens, there will be mutiny within the country, with France already having been in a state of emergency since 2015 due to a spate of terror attack that have killed more than 230 people in the past two years.

Mr Messiha said: 'She [Le Pen] is the only one who can heal the division in this country because she is the only one to call for authority back in the streets of Paris and the state must use its authority to restore state power in the streets.'

'If the state is feeble, you will have massive terrorist attacks  more and more in quantity and deaths, and this time, there will be civil war.'

Policemen take a minute of silence for their colleague killed on a terrorist attack on the Champs-Elysees

The crowd gathers in a circle around some flowers as the wellwishers pay their respects

A woman kisses a police officer after giving him flowers, during a demonstration in what was described as a march of support for all French security forces

The first poll conducted entirely after Thursday's attack suggested Le Pen had gained some ground on Macron.

While he was still seen winning the first round with 24.5 percent, his score slipped half a percentage point while Le Pen's rose by one to 23 percent.

Conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, and the far left's Jean-Luc Melenchon were both down half a percentage point on 19 percent in the Odoxa poll for the newspaper Le Point.

The leading candidates have clashed over how to keep citizens safe in the wake of the attack, as residents in overseas territories were pictured casting their votes.

Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night.

He killed 37-year-old policeman Xavier Jugele as he sat in a patrol van at a red light and hit another police officer in the chest, but he survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Marine Le Pen at a press conference in Paris. Experts believe that her poll ratings could be boosted by Thursday's terror attack

Jean Messiha told BBC Newsnight that a continuation of 'feeble' leadership will result in ISIS strengthening their grip within the country, allowing them to carry out even more attacks on a larger scale

Cheurfi then tried to run away with his rifle and wounded a third officer before being gunned down near a Marks & Spencer store on the world-famous avenue.

And experts agree the atrocity could tip the scales in Le Pen's favour, ahead of Sunday's election.

Fredrik Erixon, director at the European Centre for International Political Economy, told CNBC: '[It could lead to] a greater performance of Marine Le Pen than otherwise would have been the case.

'It's difficult to see how this attack will not play into the hands of political forces that want this campaign to be focused only on issues around migration and terrorism.'

Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank, added: 'The Paris gunman attack may well swing support in her favor; and this may not be picked up by the polls in a timely manner.'

More than half of police officers in France had already said they were voting for Le Pen because of her strong anti-terror stance, according to an IFOP poll.

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station on the French overseas archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

A municipal employee prepares ballot boxes on the eve of the first round of the French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station on April 22, 2017 in Remire Montjoly, French Guiana

Le Pen yesterday called for foreign terror suspects to be kicked out the country despite the fact the ISIS gunman was French

Karim Cheurfi, 39, drove his silver Audi on to the Champs Elysee, the most famous street in the French capital, and 'targeted' officers using a Kalashnikov on Thursday night

Mourners gather to leave flowers and notes for policeman Xavier Jugele who was shot dead

MAIN CONTENDERS IN FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Emmanuel Macron A former economy minister of Francois Hollande, the 39-year-old Centrist is the front-runner in the polls. He started a political movement called 'En Marche' that he presents as neither right-wing nor left-wing. The pro-European former investment banker is expected to become France's youngest-ever president because polls suggest if he reaches the run-off on May 7 he would defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Three surveys show Macron having a slight edge over Le Pen with 23-25 per cent against 22-23 per cent. Macron is married to his former French teacher Brigitte Trogneux, 20 years his senior, and has seven step-grandchildren. Marine Le Pen Le Pen is the candidate of her far-right National Front party. Bolstered by Donald Trump's victory as well as the Brexit result, she is campaigning on an anti-immigration, anti-Islam, nationalist plaform. Following the Champs-Elyees shooting she called for foreign terror suspects to be expelled immediately and said it was a 'ceaseless and merciless war' against France which required 'a presidency which acts and protects us'. She has also pledged to beef up law and order in her manifesto, with 15,000 more police officers, deporting foreign criminals and closing extremist mosques. A study released earlier this week revealed that 51 per cent of French police officers plan to vote for Le Pen in the upcoming polls. That is more than double the number of people who are backing Macron (16.5 per cent). According to the polls, she is currently on 22/23 per cent, but she is likely to be defeated in the second round by Macron. Francois Fillon The longtime No. 2 of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Fillon was initially installed as the favourite. However his campaign has been dogged by allegations that his Welsh wife and two oldest children improperly received public funds. He said he would step aside before performing a U-turn and he has since received a last-minute boost in the polls and is currently on 20 per cent. Fillon, who penned a pre-election book called 'Beating Islamic Totalitarianism', declared that 'the fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next president'. Vowing to 'destroy Islamic State', he added: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them.' Jean-Luc Melenchon Far-left firebrand Melenchon the 65-year-old is running for president for the second consecutive time after finishing in fourth place five years ago with 11 per cent of the vote. This year, Melenchon's debating skills, anti-capitalist rhetoric, pugnacity and grasp of social issues have seen him surge in the campaign's closing stages, with 19 per cent in the polls. Melenchon promises to tax the rich and spend heavily, to renegotiate France's role in the 28-nation EU and international trade pacts. He also wants to get rid of what he calls the 'presidential monarchy' by giving more power to parliament, and to stop France's use of nuclear power, the source of nearly 80 per cent of the country's electricity. If Melenchon makes it to the runoff, he is projected to beat both Le Pen and Fillon by comfortable margins although he is seen losing to Macron 41 per cent to 59 per cent. Benoit Hamon Hamon is polling in a distant fifth place ahead of Sunday's first-round election and has little chance of reaching the decisive May 7 run-off - a failure that could crush his Socialist party. He wants to legalise cannabis and tax the wealth generated by robots that take the jobs of humans. Advertisement

But the latest attack in the heart of Paris could send voters flocking to Le Pen, who has pledged to beef up law and order in her manifesto, with 15,000 more police officers, deporting foreign criminals and closing extremist mosques.

US President Donald Trump said today it would 'have a big effect on presidential election' as the French people 'will not take much more of this'.

Macron appealed to voters to keep a cool head in the wake of the attack.

He said: 'What our attackers want is death, symbolism, to sow panic (and) to disturb a democratic process, which is the presidential election.'

US President Donald Trump said today it would 'have a big effect on presidential election' as the French people 'will not take much more of this'

French police officers and forensic teams searched a vehicle which was close to the scene on the Champs-Elysees in Paris

The attacker emerged from a car and used an automatic weapon to shoot at officers at the centre of the Champs-Elysees

He tore into Le Pen, accusing her of lying with claims that previous attacks wouldn't have happened under her watch.

'She won't be able to protect our citizens,' Macron said of Le Pen.

He added: 'There's no such thing as zero risk. Anyone who pretends (otherwise) is both irresponsible and deceitful.'

France's Thatcherite candidate Francois Fillon has said 'we are at war...it's us or them' in the wake of the Champs-Elysees terror attack as voters are expected to flock to National Front leader Marine Le Pen in Sunday's presidential election.

Fillon, who penned a pre-election book called 'Beating Islamic Totalitarianism', declared that 'the fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next president'.

Vowing to 'destroy Islamic State', he added: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them.'

Socialist Benoit Hamon tweeted his 'full support' to police against terrorism.

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a Socialist, said Le Pen's National Front 'after each attack, seeks to exploit it and use it for purely political means.'
This is the chilling moment a man who murdered, burnt and buried a young father over a $3000 gun debt unveiled gruesome details about the slaying.

Aaron Raymond Craig, 46, was sentenced in the WA Supreme Court on Friday to life behind bars for murdering 25-year-old Bradley Hoddy and burying him in a pine forest in 2006.

Footage shows Craig telling investigators he and two accomplices abducted Mr Hoddy and drove him to a remote pine plantation in Mount Cooke.

Returning to the scene of the grisly crime, Craig said the man's skull opened up 'like a watermelon' after being clubbed with a plank of wood, reports 7 News.

This is the chilling moment Aaron Raymond Craig confesses to murdering, burning and burning Bradley Hoddy

Bradley Hoddy was bludgeoned and dumped in a pine forest in mid-2006 over a $3000 gun debt

'What do you think was going through his mind?' a detective asks Craig.

He replies: 'What was going through his mind was that he was going to get murdered.'

Craig says he only intended to scare the man into paying him and was shocked when one of the men shattered his skull with the wood.

Shaken by the attack, Craig walked away to compose himself  only to return and find Mr Hoddy's body engulfed in flames in a shallow grave. Distressingly, the victim was still clinging to life.

'He rose, he moved, from a lay down, he lifted himself up,' Craig said.

He told them they buried him and drove off. The body has never been found, however fresh information from Craig's former wife served as the breakthrough.

Craig was sentenced to least 19 years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of what Justice Michael Corboy called a 'very brutal and pre-meditated killing'.

Craig told investigators the man's skull opened up 'like a watermelon' after being clubbed with a plank of wood
The gangland killer dubbed 'Sydney's hardest man' during the violent drug wars of the 1980s has allegedly attempted to escape from hospital while his two guards were distracted.

As one of his guard dozed and another was immersed in his laptop, Arthur 'Neddy' Smith, 72, allegedly attempted to make a break from his bed at Randwick's Prince of Wales Hospital on Monday.

But Smith, who is one of the country's most notorious criminals, didn't get far - and was caught attempting to remove his intravenous drip by nurses, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Gangland killer Arthur 'Neddy' Smith, 72, has allegedly attempted to escape from hospital while his two guards were distracted

'Sydney's hardest man' was caught by nurses attempting to remove his intravenous drip at Randwick's Prince of Wales Hospital after one guard fell asleep, and another was on a laptop

Smith had been in hospital over a heart problem, but has battled Parkinson's for well over three decades.

He is currently serving two life sentences for murder at NSW's Long Bay jail.

It was confirmed that two officers had 'failed to keep watch' over Smith, a Corrective Services spokeswoman said.

However she denied Smith had been attempting to escape.

'It is alleged the inmate attempted to get out of his bed,' she said.

'The allegation is being taken seriously and the Governance and Continuous Improvement Division will interview the two officers as part of an investigation.'

She said if the allegation is proven, the two guards would be disciplined.

Smith (right), pictured with his former friend Graham 'Abo' Henry in prison, was the kingpin at the centre of Sydney's thriving drug trade in the 1980s

Smith has not been a free man since 1989 when he was caught trying to rob Botany Council as it deposited its $160,000 Christmas payroll and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Smith (pictured in prison with two of his grandchildren) is currently serving two life sentences for murder at NSW's Long Bay jail

Smith has not been a free man since 1989 when he was caught trying to rob Botany Council as it deposited its $160,000 Christmas payroll and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

A year after his arrest, while inside Sydney's Long Bay Prison, he was convicted of the 1987 road rage murder of truck driver Ronnie Flavell, who infuriated Smith just by flashing his lights at him.

Then in 1998 Smith was given his second life sentence for murdering brothel keeper Harvey Jones in 1983 before dumping his body in Botany Bay.

It's understood Smith will not face any additional charges over the alleged escape.
Frank Artiles, the Republican Senator for Miami, has resigned after calling colleagues the N-word

A Florida state senator - who resigned Friday after using a racial slur and vulgar language at colleagues - hired a former Hooters calendar girl and a Playboy model as consultants for his $1million campaign in November.

Former Republican Senator Frank Artiles paid Heather Thomas, a former Hooters calendar girl and waitress in Tallahassee, $2,000 between March and June of last year for consulting work on his campaign, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Artiles also hired Thomas's waitress friend and Playboy model, Brittney Singletary, was paid $1,500 for her work as a consultant, according to his campaign expense report. No detail was offered to explain their exact purpose.

David Custin, Artiles's political consultant, declined to comment on the consultants.

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Artiles hired Heather Thomas (left) and Brittney Singletary (right) as campaign consultants

Thomas listed no previous political experience on her October 2015 job application with former state Representative Irv Slosberg.

Slosberg, a Delray Beach Democrat who retired from the House last year, said he hired Thomas 'for a week or two' until he could find a full-time aide.

While Thomas was working for Slosberg, she posted an Instagram photo of herself in the office wearing a sleeveless sweaterdress.

'Selfies at work are never a good idea #floridahouseofrepresentatives,' Thomas captioned the photo.

After two weeks, Slosberg replaced Thomas and said he was not aware that Artiles hired her six months later.

Both Thomas and Singletary declined to comment.

Thomas temporarily worked with former state Representative Irv Slosberg in 2015. She posted this Instagram photo of herself in the office wearing a sleeveless sweaterdress

Singletary, Thomas's friend, is a waitress in Tallahassee and Playboy 'Miss Social' model

Artiles, who represented parts of Miami-Dade County, resigned Friday over comments he made earlier in the week while having drinks with African-American colleagues.

He used vulgarities in an alcohol-fueled tirade against Senator Audrey Gibson, including one particularly offensive to women.

Senator Perry Thurston intervened and Artiles used a variation of the 'n-word' and a vulgarity to describe Republican Senate President Joe Negron, according to the complaint filed Wednesday by Thurston.

Artiles apologized for the comments on the Senate floor on Wednesday, but Democrats said that wasn't enough.

Democratic Senate Leader Oscar Braynon, who is African-American, issued a statement saying Artiles did the right thing by resigning.

Audrey Gibson, Senator for Jacksonville, and Perry Thurston, the Fort Lauderdale Senator, said Artiles used the slur while talking about his colleagues

Gibson and Thurston say Artiles complained that Senate President Joe Negron (pictured) only got his job because 'six n******' in the Republican caucus elected him

'I take no pleasure in these unfortunate events. But I urge that we learn from them,' Braynon said. 'In our communities, our state, and our country, there should be a message of hope, of tolerance, of unity. We cannot afford the high cost words of divisiveness and cruelty leave in their wake.'

Artiles won his seat in November in a district that's politically competitive. He previously served in the state House from 2010 to 2016.

His resignation now gives Democrats a chance to gain a seat in the chamber, though Republicans still have a 24-15 majority even with his resignation.

'While I take full responsibility for using language that was vulgar and inappropriate, my family has fallen victim to a political process that can distort the truth for the sole purpose of political gain,' Artiles said.

Governor Rick Scott will have to set a date for a special election to replace him.

'In our communities, our state, and our country, there should be a message of hope, of tolerance, of unity. We cannot afford the high cost words of divisiveness and cruelty leave in their wake.'

Artiles won his seat in November in a district that's politically competitive. He previously served in the state House from 2010 to 2016. His resignation now gives Democrats a chance to gain a seat in the chamber, though Republicans still have a 24-15 majority even with his resignation.

Gov. Rick Scott will have to set a date for a special election to replace him.
Security guards who patrol the headquarters of tech giant Amazon in Seattle, Washington are criticizing the company saying Muslim workers are mistreated because it doesn't provide them anywhere to pray.

Amazon 'declared support' in January for a lawsuit against President Trump's order to put a temporary halt to immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, but Muslims working on the company's own premises are outraged at the treatment received at work and are planning a protest for May 1.

The company is accused of double-standards because it provides stand-alone prayer rooms for Amazon employees who work in high-tech jobs within the company, but appears to be less understanding to those further down the food chain.

Muslim security guards working at Amazon claim the firm is makes it difficult for them to pray

Followers of Islam are required to pray five times a day, but some workers have been told they are not allowed to use prayer roons

Those at the lower echelons of the organization say they are not provided with the same level of accommodation and those that do speak out against the unfair policies are later reprimanded.

The Service Employees International Union and three Muslim guards who work for Security Industry Specialists, the security contractor Amazon uses to guard its facility, say the guards are being refused the opportunity to pray five times daily while other religions are allowed to use prayer rooms.

Muslims employed by SIS say use of prayer rooms was not fully extended to lower-paid officers who patrolled the complex, even though it was mainly Muslims that made up the 800-strong security guard workforce.

Essag Hassan, a former SIS guard at Amazon, said he was let go because of his request to be allowed to pray on his work break.

A protest and march is planned for the start of May (file photo)

'I was fired and not given a reason why,' Hassan told PJMedia. 'I'm speaking out for all Muslim security workers and for workers of any religion. When you ask for a space to pray on your work break, that request should be treated with respect.'

Hassan believes that there has been a shift in attitudes against Muslims at Amazon.

Speaking to ThinkProgress one worker alleged that SIS employees are unable to access prayer rooms during the work day.

Devout Muslims typically pray five times a day as part of their religion.

SIS employees claim that Amazon forbids them from interacting with employees of Amazon when they are in prayer rooms.

Managers have encouraged them to pray elsewhere but quite often it is not convenient.

One worker for the security company working at Amazon claimed their prayer items had been walked on by another staff member and had been told to pray at a building some distance away

'Some employees are told, well, go to your car [to pray],' Ismahan Ismail, a former SIS employee who now works for Amazon, told ThinkProgress. 'Some don't even have a car.'

Others are instructed to go to the end of the Amazon's massive building to pray, several minutes walk away, it was alleged.

Further compounding the problem, often the prayer times do not coincide with what are just short 10-minute breaks that don't correspond with Muslim prayer times that alter daily.

'There's been issues regarding religious prayers, with some not being given a space to practice,' said Ismail. 'When I did speak up, I was actually retaliated against. I had someone step on my prayer items.'

Despite such seemingly valid clams of discrimination being airs, the CRO of SIS Tom Seltz says it is complete fabrication and maintains that SIS employees working at Amazon have always been given space to pray on their breaks.

'Before prayer rooms were introduced, employees generally used a vacant conference room or quiet room, when available,' Seltz wrote in an email. 'This has been the case for the past four years (since we've been at Amazon), and the recent addition of dedicated prayer rooms has just made access even easier.'

Next month, a strongly worded letter from Seattle Muslims will be delivered to Amazon alongside a rally outside the company's headquarters.

'Unlike other companies in locations with large Muslim populations, Amazon has not supported Muslim service workers requesting space to pray during their law-mandated work breaks,' an email to PJM read.

'Despite granting the high-earning tech workers conference rooms to pray in, there appears to be a double standard for the contracted security officers who protect the tech giant,' the SEIU email concluded.
A video appearing to show a fresh attack on Syria with Russian parachute bombs has emerged online.

Harrowing first hand footage captures the moment a bomb lands on the Syrian city of Al-Lataminah as a mushroom cloud of smoke bursts skywards.

A man recording the footage is heard praying for the souls of those near the blast.

Harrowing footage appearing to show a fresh Russian attack on Syria using parachute bombs has emerged online. The bomb landed in Al-Lataminah leaving children covered in debris

One frightened and injured toddler covered in debris with blood on his face and arms approaches a man for help. The person recording asks in Arabic where his father is while the little boy calls for his mother

Further footage shows the man making his way through the bomb zone amid chaos and crying children.

One person is seen running for their life carrying an injured child in their arms.

Babies are heard wailing as the man moves through the rubble before a bawling toddler with a bloody face covered head to toe in debris approaches him for help.

The man takes the child by the hand before asking him in Arabic: 'Where is your father?'

Though there is no date stamp on the heart wrenching footage, it is believed to have been a very recent attack.

Russia has been known to use parachute bombs in sustained attacks on Islamic State strongholds.

One person is seen running for their life carrying an injured child in their arms. Enormous mushroom clouds of smoke burst skywards leaving rubble strewn everywhere

Russia has been known to use parachute bombs in sustained attacks on Islamic State strongholds. Jets bombed the villages of Al-Lataminah as well as Kafr Zita and Morek

Russia have launched more than 70 airstrikes since their anti-Islamic State campaign began in September 2015. Jets bombed the villages of Al-Lataminah as well as Kafr Zita and Morek

Jets bombed the villages of Al-Lataminah as well as Kafr Zita and Morek.

Russia have launched more than 70 airstrikes since their anti-Islamic State campaign began in September 2015.
An air marshal on a transatlantic flight reportedly left their loaded gun in the plane's bathroom where it was discovered by a passenger.

The unidentified federal agent was flying on April 6 from Manchester, England, to JFK Airport aboard Delta flight 221 when the incident occurred.

A crew member returned the gun to the agent, who failed to report the mishap to management until days later, CNN reports.

An unidentified air marshal left their loaded gun in a bathroom aboard Delta flight 221

Despite the error, the newly-hired agent remains on active flight duty.

TSA would only confirm that it was aware of the incident and is reviewing the circumstances.

'She made a mistake because she wasn't given the appropriate tools to succeed,' an anonymous former air marshal told CNN, citing lack of on-the-job training.

John Casaretti, president of the Air Marshal Association and a former air marshal, told CNN that TSA needs to improve its training for newly-hired air marshals.

'These rare incidents must be thoroughly investigated and local managers should take appropriate corrective action,' said Casaretti. 'A field training officer program and thorough mentorship of new officers can reduce similar performance issues.'

The agent was flying on April 6 from Manchester, England, to JFK Airport when it occurred

This is not the first time an air marshal lost their gun.

In 2015, an agent left his gun in the bathroom stall at Newark Liberty International Airport, where it was later discovered by a janitor.

Almost a decade before, an air marshal dropped a clip of bullets on the floor of a Southwest Airlines flight before takeoff, NBC News reported in 2006.

The Federal Air Marshal Service, whose agents pose as ordinary passengers in order to protect the plane from potential threats, has a reported annual budget of $835million.
President Donald Trump marked his first visit to a military hospital with wife Melania Trump in order to award a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant.

Trump said he was so moved by the story of Sergeant 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded in Afghanistan on March 17, that he wanted to do the honor himself.

Melania stood by her husband's side at the visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, outside Washington, on Saturday.

Before pinning the award on Barrientos, Trump remarked: 'When I heard about this and I wanted to do it myself.'

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President Donald Trump marked his first visit to a military hospital with wife Melania on Saturday in order to award a Purple Heart to Army sergeant Alvaro Barrientos (pictured with his wife Tammy center) who was recently wounded in Afghanistan

Trump said he was so moved by the story of the sergeant that he wanted to do the honor personally. He awarded the man with the Purple Heart at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland

Trump kissed Barrientos's wife Tammy (right) on the cheek before he pinned he award on her husband

Melania stood by her husband's side as he pinned the Purple Heart onto Barrientos' shirt collar

The occasion marked Trump's first visit as president to the military hospital.

Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was wheeled into a hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy.

He was injured when an Afghan soldier opened fire inside a base in the Helmand province and wounded three U.S. soldiers, reported Reuters.

The commander of the U.S. military kissed Barrientos' wife before he bestowed the honorable award to the sergeant's left shirt collar.

The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action.

Besides Barrientos, Trump was expected to meet privately with about a dozen service members who are receiving care at the medical center.

Before leaving the White House, the president tweeted that he looked forward to 'seeing our bravest and greatest Americans.'

Melania looked casually elegant in a light beige cropped trench coat, black slacks and a teetering pair of dark pumps

Before leaving the White House, the president tweeted that he looked forward to 'seeing our bravest and greatest Americans'

Also on Saturday, Trump tweeted that he was looking forward to hosting a 'big' rally in Pennsylvania, as he closes out his first 100 days as President of the United States.

The billionaire businessman previously announced he would be skipping the annual White House Correspondents Dinner and his new rally will be held on the same night of the much anticipated event on April 29.

The excursion to Maryland allows Trump to escape from yet another protest held in Washington DC over his administration's environmental policy.

Scientists in the nation's capital took to the streets along with students, research advocates and celebrities to push back against what they say are mounting attacks on science - including research budget cuts by Trump.

The March for Science, coinciding with Earth Day, was anchored in Washington and set to be mirrored in 500 other cities, and attracted celebrities including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi.

A protester is seen in front of the Washington Monument in DC, ahead of the central march. The event was described as a call to support and safeguard the scientific community

Although officially non-partisan, many protesters - such as this person in New York - made him a target for satirical jabs due to his proposed cuts on science funding

In other news of scandals that seem to follow the president, he has come under fire for meeting in 'secret' with two former presidents of Colombia at his Mar-a-Lago estate over the Easter weekend.

In between family time and Easter service, Trump had an undisclosed, informal meeting with former Colombian presidents Alvaro Uribe and Andres Pastrana, it was confirmed by the White House on Thursday.

Colombian media outlets pointed the finger at Florida senator Marco Rubio for arranging the quick chat but he denied those accusations in an interview, it was revealed on Saturday.

Rubio said: 'No, I didn't have anything to do with that meeting. Im a big fan of President Uribe. I didnt even know he was in Florida. And beyond it, I would say to you, I dont see what the problem is.'

Senator Marco Rubio denied he set up a reported secret meeting between Trump and two former presidents of Colombia over the Easter weekend, it was revealed on Saturday

Former Colombian presidents Alvaro Uribe (left) and Andres Pastrana (right) were confirmed as the men that Trump spoke with. Pastrana thanked Trump in a tweet last Friday for his 'cordial and very frank conversation' about Colombian matters

According to the White House, the meeting was just a brief encounter with Trump as he walked by the two men.

A spokeswoman told the Miami Herald: 'They were there with a member from the club and briefly said hello when the president walked past them. There wasnt anything beyond a quick hello.'

Fears have grown about who has access to President Trump, as even the White House made it seem that members of the $200,000 membership resort could happen to have undisclosed talks with Trump.

The undisclosed meeting comes on the heels of the White House announcing that they would not be releasing the visitor logs of who meets with the president, it said last week Friday.

White House communications director Michael Dubke told Time that the decision was due to 'the grave national security risks and privacy concerns of the hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.'

White House press secretary Sean Spicer told DailyMail.com during Tuesday's press briefing that the administration wasn't quite prepared to announce how it would handle visitor log records.
President Donald Trump says he'll mark his 100th day in office with a 'BIG' rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump hits 100 days in office on April 29, a milestone the president has called 'ridiculous' on Twitter this week, despite laying out his own '100-day action plan to Make America Great Again' during the campaign.

He tweeted about the rally Saturday, saying that next week 'I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it!'

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that he's marking his 100th day in office with a rally

It's unclear what purpose Trump has in mind for the Pennsylvania rally. But the event will take place in the wake of his 'big' announcement on tax reform.

April 29 is also the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, which many attendees will have to cover.

Most presidents attend the event. Trump previously announced that he is boycotting this year's dinner to protest what he says is unfavorable coverage by the news media. His staff is also boycotting in a show of 'solidarity' with the president.

It is unclear why Trump has scheduled this rally, but it'll mark the first he's held in over a month

The rally will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg

Trump shakes hands with Sergeant 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos after awarding him with a Purple Heart on Saturday, as first lady Melania Trump (right) stands with Tammy Barrientos (second from right) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland

On Saturday, Trump decided to allow media coverage of the Purple Heart ceremony for Sergeant 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded March 17 in Afghanistan.

This is in sharp contrast to former President Barack Obama, who awarded the medals during his regular visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, but always did so behind closed doors.

Trump's campaign, who is funding the event, later announced that the rally will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.

The president spent a lot of time campaigning in Pennsylvania during the presidential campaign, and taking the state was an unexpected victory in defeating Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College in November.
Henna Hussain, 30, from Middlesborough, embezzled more than 10,000 from charity MAIN, which helps people with autism. She falsified emails from a charity trustee supposedly authorising her activities

A former charity manager who swindled her employers out of more than 10,000 was spared jail today.

Henna Hussain, 30, from Middlesborough, embezzled the money from charity MAIN, which helps people with autism.

Her three-month fraud severely affected the charity, but a Teesside Crown Court judge showed mercy, saying she was under pressure at the time of her first offence.

She started helping herself to cash from the charity's coffers in June last year, within two months of being promoted to manager.

She falsified emails from a charity trustee supposedly authorising her activities, and even made a bogus claim that she had paid 2,500 to Ofsted to stop the charity's closure.

A finance officer was shocked to discover cash was going missing, and was praised by a judge for her tenacity probing the discrepancies.

Hussain made excuses when asked for bank statements and claimed money was withdrawn for training or expenses, said prosecutor Emma Atkinson.

She never banked almost 1,000 from a fundraising event and put thousands more into her account.

She was suspended and resigned days after her deception came to light in September last year.

She wrote to ex-colleagues apologising, saying she needed help and that she 'couldn't see a way out'.

Robert Harris, chair of the trustees for the charity, told in a statement of the serious consequences of Hussain's scam on the 'financially vulnerable' charity and his own health.

The organisation had to rebuild trust in the fallout and reassure people that all money was used solely to support those affected by autism.

Hussain admitted fraud of a total of 10,331.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Richard Bennett, defending, said a psychiatric report revealed a background of 'significant difficulties'.

These included post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks for years and, about a year before the fraud, complaints of work-related stress.

Hussain was handed a 15-month jail term suspended for two years with 20 days' rehabilitation activity at Teesside Crown Court. Hussain admitted fraud of a total of 10,331

He said Hussain felt unable to cope and overworked, putting in 80 to 100 hours a week, with problems at home and large debts while looking after her mother and brother, but she bottled up her problems.

She referred herself to mental health services, was seen at the Roseberry Park hospital and was prescribed anti-depressants.

'That, I'm afraid, led to her, over the course of the summer, to become dishonest, to start to steal from her employer,' said Mr Bennett.

'That does not excuse in any way her behaviour but it perhaps might explain why this lady started to go off the rails in 2015 into 2016.'

He added the former care manager showed regret and remorse and did not blame the charity.

Judge Tony Briggs said Hussain continued offending in the face of inquiries, putting off the 'evil day' when she would be discovered and casting suspicion on others.

He said of the charity trustee and finance officer: 'Neither has any reason to reproach themselves. It seems to me that both acted perfectly properly.

'I don't doubt for a moment that the charity can survive and continue doing good and valuable work.

'Clearly this is a serious matter. It's a serious breach of trust.

'I don't doubt you do feel ashamed.'

He said she was normally a capable and intelligent person but had great family and financial responsibilities, was 'under considerable strain' and started taking money to ease the burden.

He gave her a 15-month jail term suspended for two years with 20 days' rehabilitation activity.
Pinki Singh said that a spirit 'dressed in red clothes' snatched her baby from her arms

A mother claimed she was possessed by a supernatural spirit when she drowned her four-month-old baby girl in a water drain in India.

Pinki Singh, 24, had taken her baby, named Lali, to a neighbours house and placed her in a water drain and left her to drown.

It was two days before her husband Mahendra Singh Jhakad, 32, found her body.

Mahendra said his wife was possessed by a spirit during her pregnancy almost a year ago.

He had even taken her to a local tantric to try and cure her.

But he said her condition got worse last month and then his baby daughter went missing.

He said: One minute my wife was lying down silent and when she jumped up, gained her senses, and started shouting and searching for our daughter.

'She then informed me that a spirit, dressed in red clothes, had snatched our baby from her arms and took her away.

'It was after that I called the police and launched a missing persons complaint.

Police arrived at the house in Pratap Nagar, north west India and began searching for the baby girl.

Lali was just four-months-old when she was left to drown in a water drain by her mother

But two days later when there was still no sign of the baby and officers eventually arrested Pinki.

She confessed her crime but claimed a supernatural power forced her to kill her baby girl.

Officer Islam Khan said: The accused initially said that a tall lady with long hair in red clothes snatched her baby from her and took her away.

'However, when we questioned others residents in the locality, no one claimed to have seen any woman carrying a baby.

It was when we searched a neighbours house, the baby was found dead inside a water drain.

Pinki Singh's husband Mahendra maintains that her wife is innocent and that a spirit took the baby - but he added that the family is 'willing to bear the consequences' if she's found guilty

'The neighbor used to leave his keys with the accused so his children could collect them after school.

'When we started probing the accused she confessed her crime and said a supernatural power had possessed her to kill her daughter.

Mahendra who is now looking after his seven-year-old surviving son, said: I had to pick my baby out of the drain. It was a devastating moment.

'My wife was not capable of this. A spirit took over her body. She's innocent but if the court finds her guilty we are ready to bear the consequences.

Pinki is currently in custody at the local police station but has not been charged yet.
A suspect arrested in Spain today has been linked to 9/11 ring leader Mohamed Atta

A terror suspect linked to 9/11 ringleader Mohamed Atta has been arrested in Spain.

The unnamed 43-year-old Egyptian was held in the town of Espinar around 40 miles north-west of Madrid.

Civil Guard officers are understood to have detained him during a dawn raid, on foot of a European arrest warrant for alleged membership of a terrorist organisation.

The suspect is said to have been investigated by German authorities over alleged links to a Hamburg-based terror cell smashed in April 2002, although local reports say he was subsequently released by authorities there.

He was expected to appear before a judge at an extradition hearing in Madrid late today.

According to US and German intelligence agencies, the Hamburg terror cell was formed by a group of radical Islamists based in the city that included students who ended up becoming key operatives in the 9/11 attacks.

Important members included Egyptian Mohamed Atta, who served as the hijacker-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, crashing the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre as part of the coordinated attacks.

A Spanish Ministry of Interior spokesman said the detention showed that 'once more, international cooperation in the fight against terrorism has proved key in neutralising potential threats to the security of Spain and its neighbours.'

Spain is understood to have swapped intelligence with Germany ahead of today's arrest.
A southwest Florida sheriff's deputy shot a man during a confrontation on Interstate 75 near Fort Myers.

The News-Press reports that the shooting happened early Saturday.

Lee County Undersheriff Carmine Marceno told reporters that the deputy had responded to a 911 call for service on the interstate when the suspect confronted her with a gun.

All lanes of southbound I-75 have been reopened in Fort Myers after a deputy-involved shooting early Saturday morning

The sheriff's office says a deputy was called to mile marker 139 around 3:30 a.m. Saturday. Deputies say she was met by an armed person who appeared to have a semi-automatic pistol.

The deputy shot him. Marceno did not release the name of the deputy or the suspect.

'At approximately 3:30 this morning the Lee County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call for service in the area of mile marker 139 on I-75,' Marceno said.

'Our deputy was immediately confronted by an armed subject with what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol. Our deputy, fearing for her life and safety, immediately engaged the threat, subsequently firing her firearm, striking the subject.'

The deputy fired her gun and hit the person

The suspect was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The deputy was not hurt.

Interstate 75 southbound in Fort Myers for several hours after the shooting but has since reopened.

Another officer-involved shooting occurred Tuesday in Estero, where a detective shot a man who tried to evade arrest and hit the officer with his vehicle.

Pictures courtesy of Fox4 News.
Actor Chris Pratt backtracked from comments he made in an interview about Hollywood's diversity problem.

In a recent interview with Men's Fitness, Pratt said he doesn't feel Hollywood does a good job representing the average 'blue-collar' American.

'I dont see personal stories that necessarily resonate with me, because theyre not my stories,' said Pratt. 'I think theres room for me to tell mine, and probably an audience that would be hungry for them. The voice of the average, blue-collar American isnt necessarily represented in Hollywood.'

Actor Chris Pratt apologized on Twitter Friday for telling Men's Magazine that Hollywood doesn't represent the average 'blue-collar' American

Pratt, who will be on the cover of the May issue of Men's Magazine, said he 'doesn't see personal stories that necessarily resonate with' him in Hollywood

Pratt's comments drew criticism on Twitter, with users noting that several recent movies, including Oscar winner 'Manchester By The Sea', have highlighted the struggles of working-class people.

He also starred as blue-collar musician Andy on the TV series 'Parks and Recreation' for seven seasons.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star realized his statement was incorrect and apologized Friday on Twitter.

Pratt's comments drew criticism on Twitter, with users noting that several recent movies have highlighted the struggles of working-class people

Another Twitter user reminded Pratt that he got his big break playing a blue-collar American

The 37-year-old actor has hinted that he had a less-than-privileged childhood and lived in a van in Maui after dropping out of college

Pratt starred as musician Andy on the TV series 'Parks and Recreation' for seven seasons

Pratt commented in the interview that he would like to bridge the political divide in America

Pratt also commented in the interview that he would like to bridge the divide in America caused by the polarizing nature of modern politics.

'I really feel theres common ground out there thats missed because we focus on the things that separate us,' he said. 'Youre either the red state or the blue state, the left or the right. Not everything is politics. And maybe thats something Id want to help bridge, because I dont feel represented by either side.'

Pratt, 37, revealed that he's already taking a step in that direction with a script based on his life.

The Washington native has hinted that he had a less-than-privileged childhood and lived in a van in Maui after dropping out of college.
Theresa May's hopes of winning a landslide Election victory suffered a major blow last night after her poll lead plummeted to 11 per cent amid the row over her tax and pension plans.

A Survation poll for The Mail on Sunday put the Conservatives on 40 per cent, followed by Labour on 29 per cent and the Lib Dems and Ukip level on 11 per cent.

It means Mrs Mays lead over Jeremy Corbyn has nearly halved in four days: a poll immediately after she called the Election gave the Tories a 21-point advantage.

A poll for the Mail on Sunday put the Conservatives on 40 per cent, followed by Labour on 29 per cent. It comes after backlash against the threat to drop pledges not to increase tax and to guarantee a minimum 2.5 per cent annual rise in pensions

Polling expert Professor John Curtice said the Survation figures would give Mrs May a Commons majority of 46, an improvement on her current working majority of 17, but way below some forecasts of a 140-seat majority.

The Conservative slump follows the threat to drop existing pledges not to increase tax and to guarantee a minimum 2.5 per cent annual rise in pensions.

The backlash was further fuelled by Mrs Mays surprise announcement that she will not abandon the Partys controversial promise to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid. The Mail on Sunday poll is the only one to have been conducted after all three stories broke, and shows voters are less likely to vote Tory as a result.

The Prime Minister spurned three opportunities yesterday to contradict claims that she will drop David Camerons 2015 Election pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT until 2020.

Put on the spot repeatedly at an election hustings in Dudley, West Midlands, she avoided giving a direct answer, merely stressing the Tories were a party of low taxation.

Mr Corbyn immediately promised to protect pensions. Chancellor Philip Hammond sparked a tax scare, saying it was self-evidently clear that the commitments in the 2015 manifesto strain the Governments ability to manage the economy flexibly

She said: People are going to have a very clear election choice between a Conservative Party which always has been and will continue to be a party that believes in lower taxes. Or Labour, whose natural instinct is to always raise taxes.

The Tory turmoil came after Mrs May refused to say she would stick to the so-called pensions triple lock when questioned in her Maidenhead constituency on Friday.

And Chancellor Philip Hammond sparked a tax scare, saying it was self-evidently clear that the commitments in the 2015 manifesto strain the Governments ability to manage the economy flexibly.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell immediately called Mr Hammonds statement a Tory tax bombshell, hijacking the Tories former slogan against Labour.

42 per cent said a Tory landslide would be good for Britain with 36 per cent against. Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt accused her of an attempted power grab

Tory MPs refused to comment publicly for fear of upsetting the partys chances of success on June 8. However, privately, they were deeply critical. It is an very untidy start to our campaign, said one. Someone needs to get hold of our message  and fast. This is not the way to win votes.

Former Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont said: I think Phillip Hammond is just trying to get some flexibility back into the system, although whether he was wise to say it is a different matter.

It is pretty ironic for Labour, of all people, to be using the tax bombshell line.

Senior Tory sources insisted no final decision had been made on the Partys manifesto stance on pensions and tax.

Labour and the Lib Dems seized on the confusion. Mr Corbyn immediately promised to protect pensions, and former Lib Dem Cabinet Minister Vince Cable said: Mr Hammond admitted taxes would have to rise, no doubt due to Mrs Mays hard Brexit that could leave a 100 billion black hole in the public finances.

'You cant have a strong economy and a hard Brexit.

Asked in the poll if Mrs Mays refusal to rule out ending the pensions guarantee would affect their vote, 28 per cent said they were less likely to vote Tory, against 17 per cent who were more likely.

Mr Hammonds refusal to rule out raising tax prompted a similar negative response.

And 34 per cent said refusing to cut overseas aid would make them less likely to vote Conservative. Only 13 per cent said they were more likely.

former Lib Dem Cabinet Minister Vince Cable said: 'You cant have a strong economy and a hard Brexit. Mrs May was yesterday branded a political opportunist by the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator over the snap Election

The tax row comes just weeks after Hammond was forced to scrap plans to increase national insurance for the self-employed amid uproar over the effect on white van man and the fact that it breached the 2015 manifesto vow on tax rises.

Despite the sharply reduced lead, voters appear relaxed by the prospect of a Tory landslide. A total of 42 per cent said it would be good for Britain with 36 per cent against.

There was more Tory confusion last night as Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen claimed a senior Government figure had told him the Party manifesto would include a commitment to scrap the controversial High Speed 2 train link to Birmingham. Downing Street sources denied the claim.

And Mrs May was yesterday branded a political opportunist by the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator over the snap Election.

Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt accused her of an attempted power grab... before the reality of Brexit bites.

Last night an Opinium poll, taken before the tax, pensions and overseas aid row, put the Tory lead at 19 points.
It had been a long night shift for the young American diplomat and, back at his London flat, at a time when most people were on their way to work, 29-year-old Tyler Kent collapsed gratefully into bed.

In the coming hours, sleep would be in short supply. First came a succession of demanding knocks on his door, which Kent declined to open  an obstinacy that only delayed the inevitable as it was knocked off its hinges by a hefty police inspector.

Five men rushed into the room, and found the startled diplomat in his pyjama bottoms, while in the bathroom, his distressed girlfriend was found in only a pyjama top.

Even today Maxwell Knight's name is still spoken with reverence in the corridors of MI5

And so began a sequence of events that would eventually put Kent, a cipher clerk at the American Embassy, in jail. After allowing the couple to get dressed, one of the five men started firing off questions. Was there anything in the flat that belonged to the embassy? Did he know one Anna Wolkoff? Was she a Soviet spy?

Kent must have known his denials would be hopeless. His inquisitors swiftly found some 1,500 duplicated secret documents stolen from the US Embassy; Kent was arrested and led away.

As they walked down to the waiting police car, the tall, broad-shouldered man leading the raid might have allowed himself the flicker of a smile. After all, he had just broken up a spy ring that threatened to prevent the United States from joining the war against Germany.

It had been a good mornings work for the man known by a single letter  M. Put simply, this was MI5s greatest spy master, whose pioneering skill in recruiting and handling a motley range of highly effective agents  who bravely penetrated and destroyed scores of fascist and communist cells and spy rings  helped to change the course of history.

It is no surprise, then, that even today, the name of Maxwell Knight is still spoken with reverence in the corridors of Thames House, headquarters of the home security service, MI5.

Knight was not only a spymaster. After he left MI5 in the early 1960s, he forged a highly successful career as a television naturalist and became the David Attenborough of his day.

He even appeared on Desert Island Discs, where he may have revealed his penchant for jazz, but never breathed a word about his many years in the shadows. The reason for him remaining there is simple enough: MI5 has kept its records about the activities of M and his agents firmly under lock and key  until now.

Finally, the files are being drip-fed to the National Archives in Kew, and it is now possible for a full picture to emerge of this enigmatic man with a beaky nose and ears a little too large.

The life of Knight has been captured in a major new biography called M, by Henry Hemming.

M's spies lived seemingly humdrum lives - which they used to their advantage. Eric Roberts (pictured) worked as a clerk for Westminster Bank but managed to infiltrate Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists

Through an exhaustive piecing-together of previously secret files, Hemming has not only assembled a full account of Knights activities but also reveals for the first time the identities of many of Knights agents. It is an exemplary piece of historical sleuthing, not least because MI5 zealously guards the identities of its agents long after they have died.

What is even more revelatory is the nature of Knights spies. For while Ian Flemings fictional M employed agents in the mould of James Bond, the real M used people who were decidedly unglamorous.

They were housewives and secretaries, bank clerks and lawyers, historians and cooks  people more at home in the suburbs than globetrotting with suitcases full of gadgets.

Take the case of Marjorie Mackie, a short, stout, middle-aged single mother from Essex, perhaps the antithesis of a Bond girl.

By trade, Miss Mackie was a demonstration chef, paid by food companies to prepare and promote their products in front of shoppers. On the surface, the ebullient Miss Mackie seemed the most unlikely candidate to infiltrate a shadowy cabal of British Nazi sympathisers called The Right Club, run by aristocratic Tory MP Archibald Ramsay.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, M suspected this highly anti-Semitic secret society might be hatching plans to act as a fifth column in the event of a German invasion, and was anxious to gather what intelligence he could. The reason he selected Miss Mackie was simple: she had once worked as the secretary in a previous movement run by Ramsay.

In September 1939, Mackie approached Ramsays wife, and asked  in the formal parlance of the 1930s  if they could renew their acquaintance. Seemingly unsuspecting, Mrs Ramsay met Miss Mackie over tea, and the MPs wife then proceeded to vent violently about the Freemasons and the Jews. Naturally, the mother from Essex nodded along as though she was in complete agreement.

A few weeks later, Miss Mackie was asked to join The Right Club and what she would soon learn was sensational. Not only was Ramsay hatching tentative plans for some sort of coup, but the club had managed to infiltrate its own agents into nearly every government department.

Marjorie Mackie (pictured) was a middle-aged single mother from Essex - but she helped change the course of history by helping to bring the US into the war

Over the next few weeks, Miss Mackie inveigled herself into the inner circle of the club, whose members even included the Duke of Wellington and Lord Redesdale, father of the famous Mitford girls. Crucially, Miss Mackie also met a White Russian emigree called Anna Wolkoff. Anna was in touch with an American cipher clerk called Tyler Kent, who had admitted to her that he was copying highly sensitive documents that had come across his desk.

This was an astonishingly important piece of intelligence, and it would eventually lead to the arrest and imprisonment of both Kent and Wolkoff.

Among the cables that Kent had copied were correspondence between Churchill and Roosevelt showing that the US President was willing to enter into a war against Nazi Germany long before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Had Kent and Wolkoff been able to publicise this information, the mood in America would have turned increasingly isolationist, and it is quite possible the United States would never have joined forces with Britain against the Nazis.

For good measure, Kents flat had also yielded a list detailing scores of British citizens who sympathised with the Nazis.

In her own way, Miss Mackie changed the course of the war, and with it, the whole tide of history.

But it was not just members of the far Right upon whom Ms motley band of agents spied. Throughout much of the 1930s, Knight and MI5 were extremely concerned with the threat posed by communism, seen as far more dangerous to the security of the United Kingdom than men in brown shirts goose-stepping around Bavaria.

The most successful of Knights penetration agents was a typist called Olga Gray, whose father had been the Northern Night Editor of the Daily Mail. A fan of the newly popular genre of spy novels, Gray had been flattered and excited when approached by a work colleague at a party in Birmingham and asked baldly if she wanted to work for the Secret Service.

Gray quickly agreed to meet a Captain King, who was of course Knight. She found him charismatic and was soon working for him by penetrating the Friends of the Soviet Union and, later, the Communist Party of Great Britain, where she even became secretary to its head, Harry Pollitt.

Although she was attractive, Knight later observed that Gray had attained that very enviable position where an agent becomes a piece of furniture.

But despite the enormous amounts of intelligence she provided to MI5, Gray found being an agent highly stressful, and she resigned from her double life in 1935.

A womanising former fascist with a weak heart, Jimmy Dickson didn't seem like the typical secret agen - but he was trusted by Maxwell Knight

However, as Gray would have known from the plotlines of so many espionage novels, a spy can never fully shake off their past. Two years later, Gray was contacted by a former communist colleague, Percy Glading, who told her that he needed her to run a safe house for a highly secret operation. Gray could have declined the offer, but instead she accepted it, covertly acting as a double agent, and immediately telling Knight about the approach.

By doing so, she was able to unmask and apprehend the members of a Soviet-backed spy ring in the Woolwich Arsenal, who were stealing military secrets and sending them to Moscow.

Although Grays mission had been a resounding coup for MI5, her work had taken its toll. She had liked and grown close to Glading and she saw her actions  even though for the good of her country  as being acts of betrayal on a more emotional level.

After testifying in court as Miss X against Glading during his trial, she parted company from M and moved to Canada.

Other agents controlled by M appeared to relish living double lives, perhaps because their real lives were so seemingly humdrum. Among them was Eric Roberts, who came from Cornwall and worked as a clerk for Westminster Bank.

As with so many of Ms menagerie of spies, the balding and portly Roberts was no James Bond, but it was the bank clerks sheer ordinariness that enabled him to infiltrate not only Sir Oswald Mosleys British Union of Fascists, but also The Right Club and the British Communist Party.

Roberts supplied Knight with vast amounts of intelligence but it was his work for MI5 during the war that proved to be exceptionally valuable.

Throughout much of the conflict, Roberts posed as a Gestapo officer called Jack King working undercover in Britain, and in this guise he approached numerous people whom MI5 suspected as being potentially treacherous.

Thanks to his efforts, which required a huge amount of deception and guile, Roberts was able to stop the Germans gaining an enormous amount of secrets concerning British technology.

Olga Gray's father had been the Northern Night Editor of the Daily Mail. She was flattered and excited when asked if she wanted to work for the Secret Service.

But even the seemingly unflappable Roberts found living a secret life traumatic.

Six years of work under conditions of constant anxiety and fear had made me suspicious of my own shadow and even of myself, he wrote later.

Another of Ms agents also had a seemingly dull life. His name was Jimmy Dickson, a civil servant at the Ministry of Labour. A chain-smoker with a weak heart, Dickson was a womanising former fascist who wrote pot-boiling thrillers in his spare time.

He seemed utterly unsuited to secret work, yet Dickson was trusted by Knight. And it was Dickson who spent years infiltrating British fascist movements with such success over a period of years that, eventually, he was able to produce an authoritative report showing why the British Union of Fascists was a hostile organisation  and why its members should be interned.

Sadly, as with so many of Ms agents, the stress of subterfuge proved too much, and after the war, Dickson left MI5 and much later turned to drink. Although he continued to write, the spark had by then gone.

And as for M himself, was his eventual fate any better than that of Dickson or his other agents? In some ways yes, as his career as a broadcaster was to make him a household name. But his personal life was tarnished by the death of his first wife in 1934. The cause was an overdose of prescribed barbiturates, more likely to have been accidental than deliberate.

As Knight consummated neither his first nor his subsequent two marriages, many have supposed him to have been gay. Although this is possible, there is simply no evidence to support it.

If he had such a secret, then like all good spymasters, he took it to his grave. His funeral in Piccadilly in 1968 drew many friends and colleagues from the natural history world. But his nephew would recall how there were also lots of men in brown felt hats who didnt really identify themselves.

It is only now that we can finally make them known to the world and take off our own hats in acknowledgment of the bravery of these very suburban spies.

 Henry Hemming, 2017
Hedge-fund manager Michael Treichl, 68, was arrested and interviewed by police after Grade I-listed Parnham House burned down. He told the Mail on Sunday he was intent on rebuilding his family home

The fierce flames which engulfed the historic Grade I-listed Parnham House last week may have died down, but an incendiary mystery remains amid the smouldering ashes of the Dorset mansion as police investigate an arson attack.

For the wealthy and respected Treichl family, who have spent years lovingly restoring the 16th-Century property after buying it in 2001, one question is perhaps most troubling  who could do such a terrible thing?

And in a turn of events that shocked the family and sleepy, rural community near Beaminster in equal measure, Michael Treichl, 68, a hedge-fund manager, was arrested and interviewed by police.

Today, to their huge relief, the family can reveal he has been released without any bail conditions. It is understood that evidence which police believed was suspicious has now been discounted  although the Treichls remain determined to help officers find the true culprit.

Last night, speaking for the first time about the fire, Mr Treichl told The Mail on Sunday: I am devastated at the loss of our home. The restoration of Parnham has been my lifes work and it is insane to think I could have destroyed it. I am now intent on rebuilding and restoring it.

It will come at an emotional and financial cost. Michael and his wife Emma, 54, reputedly spent 10 million restoring Parnham House after buying it two years into their marriage.

Michael and his wife Emma, 54, reputedly spent 10 million restoring Parnham House after buying it two years into their marriage. The Elizabethan mansion burned down last week

Michael, who belongs to a family of distinguished Austrian bankers, is himself a leading light in hedge fund Audley Capital Advisors LLP.

He would fly in and out of the estate by helicopter while Emma, a former Vogue model who grew up in London and the Bahamas, worked with Clarence House interior designer Robert Kime to turn it into a modern family home.

The project included building indoor and outdoor swimming pools, stables, a wet room, a gym, a flower room, a cinema, a grown-ups room, separate his and her bathrooms for the parents, a bedroom with en-suite for the nanny and generous rooms for each of their children  Max, 17, and Charlotte, 15  plus Emmas son and daughter Carlo, 21, and Sofia, 26, from her first marriage to Italian banker Stefano Marsaglia.

A passing milkman raised the alarm and fire crews were called to the blaze just after 4am on Saturday April 15. It took until Wednesday for the fire brigade to extinguish the flames

But the house also contained an extraordinary wealth of historic architectural detail, faithfully maintained by the Treichls. All this was lost last week.

It was a passing milkman who raised the alarm and fire crews were called to the blaze just after 4am on Saturday April 15. Such was the extent of the inferno that it took until Wednesday for the fire brigade to finally extinguish the flames.

As for the involvement of police, it is being said locally that a hoard of silver antiques and other valuables found piled outside an entrance raised suspicions.

A jerry can carrying as much as 25 litres of fuel was abandoned on the lawn, supporting the theory that arson may have been involved.

The family are still, understandably, in shock both at the loss of their home and at Mr Treichls arrest.

They have been advised by lawyers not to discuss the events of that night so as not to jeopardise an ongoing investigation.

However there are some who suspect the fire may have been caused by sophisticated thieves anxious not only to cover their tracks but to make it impossible to know whether treasures were lost in the blaze or stolen.

Emma Treichl said: Looking at the charred remains of our home was shocking, disturbing  it is still hard to put into words.' Pictured, what the house looked like before the fire

Fortuitously, the house was empty on the night of the fire. Mr Treichl was in London, while Emma was with Max and Charlotte with relatives in Provence  and only found out about the blaze in a phone call with her husband later that morning.

Michael was at Parnham the following day, looking at the burning wreckage, Emma recalled. He was gutted, very emotional. He could barely speak. I dont recall his exact words  he was sobbing. Distraught, Emma rushed home to be by his side.

Its strange  when this is happening you think about the things that you need. I did think to myself, when I was rushing to get to the airport, that Id ask the children to just bring my luggage later, she said.

Fortuitously, the house was empty on the night of the fire. Mr Treichl was in London, while Emma was with Max and Charlotte with relatives in Provence

But I realised that my luggage was everything I had left  which brought home what had happened in such sharp focus. It also made me realise that my family was safe, and thats all that matters.

However, nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her at Parnham.

Looking at the charred remains of our home was shocking, disturbing  it is still hard to put into words, she said. I saw the external walls, I saw the smoke and damage the fire had done, but I couldnt get terribly close to the building itself because it was unsafe. Eventually I was allowed by the fire service to get on a cherry picker above the building so I could see inside. It was like looking into a dolls house, without the roof. There was nothing there.

Along with personal possessions which make up the history of any family were irreplaceable items of historic and cultural value. As part of the restoration of the property, the Treichls had painstakingly searched for and recovered paintings and furniture which belonged at, or had a connection to, Parnham. But equally, priceless family heirlooms were also lost.

A collection of medieval armour amassed by one of Michaels relatives included a suit which survived the Turkish occupation of Vienna in 1529.

Another painting of a member of the wealthy Strode family, the original owners of the house, by English portrait painter Sir Thomas Lawrence is also presumed lost. Distressingly, the Treichls have lost their wedding photographs. Indeed, only their wine collection survived  preserved in the buildings ancient cellar.

Much of the significant cost of returning Parnham to its former splendour will be met by the family. Pictured, the landing area of the mansion before the fire

I havent really allowed myself to make a full tally of everything weve lost because its so enormous and so utterly comprehensive that I cant really start to calculate it, Emma says. Every single item has gone. The house just collapsed in on itself and only the exterior walls have, somehow, survived.

Whats most upsetting to lose are the things that have been passed down from generation to generation. Youre like custodians when you inherit these things and now weve broken that chain. It is this which will spur the family on to a new restoration project. They have already been in touch with English Heritage, who will help oversee any work.

Emma met Michael when she was representing an artist who had been commissioned to paint his portrait. She said: The cost of replacing something which is irreplaceable is unimaginable; its huge. Were working with English Heritage to find a way forward, but its a very long process'

But despite any potential insurance payout, much of the significant cost of returning Parnham to its former splendour will be met by the family. Were going to rebuild, absolutely, Emma said. Ive never once doubted that. We cant not do it. I have to keep thinking about the future; how were going to live our lives, how were going to move forward.

The whole complication of rebuilding and dealing with English Heritage will be much greater than the insurance claim itself.

The cost of replacing something which is irreplaceable is unimaginable; its huge. Were working with English Heritage to find a way forward, but its a very long process.

She added: I dont feel angry, I feel very sad. I dont want to think about it, its not a very healthy way to look at the circumstances, and the reality of now. Such a reality marks an extraordinary turn of events for a family who have led remarkably fortunate lives.

Emma met Michael when she was representing an artist who had been commissioned to paint his portrait. Worried the subject might fidget, Emma was invited along and speak to Michael during sittings. Ten sittings later, the couple had fallen in love.

Although not a country girl at heart, Emma agreed the couple would buy Parnham House for a reported 4 million with the aim of making it their family home. It was to become a monumental restoration project that would cost millions.

Parnham House was first owned by the Strode family, who lived there for 200 years. But even then it was overshadowed with tragedy. During the English Civil War, Sir John Strodes widow Lady Ann was killed while trying to protect the house from Roundheads under the authority of Thomas Fairfax.

Despite the familys wealth, Emma once revealed to Tatler magazine: Sometimes I have to really enjoy this because I dont know how long it will last. Im always afraid of what will happen'

In 1764 it passed to the Oglanders of Nunwell. But by the 1920s it was used as a country club before being requisitioned during the Second World War for use by the American military. In the grand hall, soldiers of the 16th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army drew up plans for the D-day landings, and Eisenhower even once dined there.

In the 1950s and 1960s it was transformed into a nursing home and was later used as a school for craftsmen training to be cabinetmakers.

The Treichls returned it to a family home, albeit one that required plenty of help. Staff included a butler with a second as backup for the weekends, a French cook, a secretary, two cleaners and a housekeeper.

Shooting trips for around 30 guests were regularly organised at weekends and an annual food festival was held in the grounds.

As well as amassing his own wealth, Michael is the son of a baroness and a banker and his brother Andreas is the chief executive officer of a leading Austrian bank.

Despite the familys wealth, Emma once revealed to Tatler magazine: Sometimes I have to really enjoy this because I dont know how long it will last.

Im always afraid of what will happen  not in a gloomy way, but I sense its not always going to be like this and I have to try to remember this bit now.

Her words have sadly become prophetic. It seems now that her memories, particularly of Parnham, may have to sustain the family for some time to come.
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Thousands of protesters dressed in white have marched into the west of Venezuela's capital today - an act likened to 'crossing the Berlin Wall'.

After three weeks of protests centred in the most wealthy areas of Caracas, today's march saw demonstrators march toward the city's slums.

Experts have previously said that under-fire President Nicolas Maduro will remain in power as long as Venezuelan's poorest citizens do not rise up.

Tens of thousands joined a rally in Venezuelan capital Caracas to honour victims of violence in a blood-soaked month of protests against the country's president

After three weeks of protests centred in the most wealthy areas of Caracas, today's march saw demonstrators march toward the city's slums

Lawmakers walk together with Venezuelan opposition leader and Governor of Miranda state Henrique Capriles (third right) and Lilian Tintori (second left), wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, as they take part in a rally to honour victims of violence

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference to pay homage to the 20 people killed in protests in the past month

Demonstrators - who have called for elections and measures to halt the economic freefall which has engulfed the South American nation - dressed in white in honour of the 20 protesters who have died in clashes with police in the past month.

The marchers in Caracas did not encounter any resistance from law enforcers, according to reports in Venezuela.

Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara likened the march toward some of the city's more humble neighborhoods as 'crossing the Berlin wall'.

A demonstrator holds a Venezuelan flag aloft during the protest over a wave of violence which has left 20 people dead over the past month

Opposition activists wore white as they joined the demonstration in memory of 20 people who died in clashes with police and by electrocution amid widespread protests

Opponents of the Venezuelan president have vowed to continue marching until elections are held

The silent protest saw opposition leaders march with their arms wrapped around each other, having vowed to continue protests until their call for elections are granted.

A dozen people died in unrest on Friday during overnight clashes and looting. Victims of violence in the past month have included protesters and bystanders struck by gunfire.

Most of yesterday's deaths took place in El Valle, a working class neighborhood near Caracas' biggest military base where opposition leaders say a group of people were hit with an electrical current while trying to loot a bakery protected by an electric fence.

Several businesses were wrecked during a night of looting in the Venezuelan capital on Friday, and authorities have come under fire over their response to widespread protests

A man walks down the aisle of a destroyed grocery store in Caracas today following a night of violence and looting as the national crisis deepens

People look for food outside a looted supermarket in the El Valle neighbourhood today following a night of violence in Caracas yesterday

Two days of massive protests on the streets of Caracas spilled into a violent night in several parts of the city, with residents in El Valle witnessing repetitive gunfire, street barricades set aflame and more than a dozen businesses looted.

Amid the confusion, mothers and newborn children had to be evacuated from a maternity hospital named after the late leader Hugo Chavez when it was swamped with tear gas.

Opposition leaders blamed the government for repressing protesters with tear gas but standing idly by as businesses were looted. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez pointed the finger at the opposition, saying armed groups controlled by them were responsible for the attack at the hospital.

'We reject and do not accept those irresponsible declarations,' said Henrique Capriles, a former presidential candidate who the government recently barred from running for public office.
Christopher Burton stumbled into hospital in Panama City where he was arrested for fraud

A British fraudster who ripped off thousands of investors in a so-called boiler room scam has been seriously wounded in a dramatic assassination attempt in Panama City.

Extraordinary footage shows Christopher Burton staggering to hospital after being shot three times as he sat in his car at traffic lights.

A motorbike drew up and the rider or passenger stood in front of his car and riddled his grey Ford Explorer with 11 bullets before speeding off.

Burton, who was hit in the arm and stomach, spent days fighting for his life.

During his hospital stay Burton, from Nottingham, lied to police about his identity. Suspicious officers later matched his fingerprints to Interpol records and discovered that he was wanted for alleged fraud in Spain. He was arrested as he lay in his hospital bed.

As soon as he was out of danger from his injuries, Burton was moved to prison and now awaits extradition to Spain on allegations of money laundering, falsification and fraud against justice administrations.

The shooting happened on March 16 in Punta Pacifica, one of the citys most exclusive areas. Police said the hitmen specifically targeted Burton.

In 2009, The Mail on Sunday named Burton  who has used the aliases Chris Kamyczek and David James  as the man behind a boiler room share fraud operating in Marbella. The scam involves cold-calling and pressuring investors with bogus offers of fabulous returns. Burtons Spanish operation, which offered shares in a Nevada oil prospecting company, cost British investors hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Since then he has been running a call centre for Privilege Wealth in Panama. Police suspect the shooting is linked to the business.

Burton's Ford Explorer SUV was riddled with bullets but he miraculously survived the attempt

Prosecutor Rafael Baloyes said: The crime seems to be a hired assassin settling scores. We are trying to discover the real activities of Burton and the Privilege Wealth call centre in order to connect them to the attempted murder.

He added: Burton identified himself to police as Noel Donohue and showed us his residence permit but we checked his ID and it was fake.

We got in touch with Interpol and they told us he was actually a British citizen who was wanted by Spanish police.

Panamas Foreign Ministry said the Spanish authorities were preparing an extradition claim. Privilege Wealth did not comment.
A jailed jihadi was put in segregation for plotting to behead prison guards  but a judge has ruled that the move breached his human rights.

Nadir Syed, 24, was placed in isolation at the top-security Woodhill jail after he led other Muslim inmates in chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great), banging on cell doors and threatening to decapitate warders.

Documents seen by The Mail on Sunday reveal that staff were warned not to be left alone with him to prevent the risk of hostage-taking, while Syed had also claimed he would radicalise the whole unit in another prison.

Prison officers have been warned about the dangers of possible radicalism in British prisons, although this Muslim inmate has not been suspected of any form of extremism or terrorism

Nadir Syed, 24, was placed in isolation at the top-security Woodhill Jail over fears he was trying to radicalise an entire unit and led fellow inmates to shout Allahu Akbar and threaten staff

But Syed, serving a life sentence for planning to behead a poppy-seller in a Lee Rigby-style attack, successfully sued the Ministry of Justice after he was placed in a unit by himself.

The astonishing revelation comes just two days after the Government announced a flagship policy to tackle radicalisation behind bars, with special prisons within prisons being set up this summer to hold the most dangerous extremists.

Ministers are taking the drastic step amid growing concern that hundreds of vulnerable inmates are at risk of having their minds warped by extremists and being turned into terrorists when they are released.

Last night Philip Davies, the Tory MP for Shipley who sits on the Justice Select Committee, said: Its all right for the judge respecting the human rights of the prisoner, but what about the human rights of the prison staff he was threatening to behead? The reason why so many people have lost faith in the justice system is because you get ridiculous decisions like that.

He added: I welcome the new separation centres for extremist prisoners because they often target other, more vulnerable prisoners and radicalise them. But there is a risk that extremist inmates will launch legal action against the new jails on human rights grounds, and a judge might rule in their favour and undermine the whole thing.

Syed, from Hounslow, West London, is serving life for plotting to behead a poppy-seller on Remembrance Sunday with a 12in kitchen knife, inspired by the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby on the streets of London four years ago. When he was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years last year, Syed was told he may never be released to protect the public.

But chillingly, he remains intent on carrying out a beheading, even while locked up in Britains most secure institutions.

According to court documents, the authorities claim that while he was on remand before his trial began, Syed had commented that, if he were convicted (as he was in December 2015), he would carry out the act that he was in prison for (that is, the act of preparing for an act of terrorism by acquiring a knife in order to kill, and behead, a person).

Police recovered this knife from Syed at the time of his arrest days before he planned to decapitate a poppy seller following the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby

Just weeks after he was found guilty of preparation of terrorist acts, he was heard making murderous threats at Category A Woodhill jail in Buckinghamshire. On the morning of January 7, 2016, there were reports that the claimant was part of a group of prisoners who were hitting cell doors, stating that officers oppressed Muslims, shouting Allahu Akbar and uttering threats of beheading, according to the High Court judgment.

When a guard entered Syeds cell, the prisoner said that if officers violated one [Muslim] brother, they violate all, making more threats to behead prison staff all morning.

He then tried to get one particular officer to come into his cell, which the judge concluded was an aggressive act and, indeed, reflects the same kind of hostility that had led to the act resulting in his conviction. Syed was put in a segregation cell shortly afterwards, and weeks later was placed in a secure wing called the Central Managing Challenging Behaviour Unit (CMCBSU), because of the threat he posed to guards, and because of the fear that he was inciting other inmates to attack warders.

Prison authorities want to keep Syed in a special unit at HMP Woodhill for the safety of staff, but he has appealed the decision to the High Court under Article 8 of the ECHR

A Prison Service assessment of him said: Mr Syed has a lot of intelligence stating that he has intentions to take staff hostage and behead them. He is also documented inciting others to disruptive behaviour and at HMP Belmarsh took part in this in the segregation unit, at the time he was also calling out this is jihad, and he threatened to radicalise the whole unit. Mr Syed presents a risk to others, especially staff and should be treated as such at all times. Staff are not to be alone with him to prevent the risk of hostage-taking.

How staff segregate dangerous inmates Currently, prisoners considered a risk can be held in segregation in their cells. About 60 of the countrys most dangerous criminals are taken out of main wings and locked up in Closed Supervision Centres, with little human contact. Others are put in less restrictive Managing Challenging Behaviour Strategy Units, where they are closely monitored but are allowed to mix with fellow inmates. Now the MoJ is creating three new Separation Centres for extremists deemed a threat to national security or who are trying to radicalise inmates. Advertisement

Despite the danger that he posed to staff, a High Court judge has ruled that Woodhill prison breached Syeds human rights by locking him in the CMCBSU.

His lawyers argued that restricting his ability to talk to other prisoners breached his right to respect for his private life under Article 8 of the controversial European Convention on Human Rights.

And Mr Justice Lewis agreed that Syeds confinement was unlawful because the prison authorities did not notify him beforehand that he was to be placed in the unit, and thereby give him an opportunity to respond. The detention was unlawful because it was procedurally flawed. In a ruling seen by this newspaper, the judge said: There has been an interference with the claimants right to respect for his private life and the interference was not justified.

The Ministry of Justice has refused to say if Syed is back at a normal cell at Woodhill. Last night a spokesman would say only: We are considering the implications of this judgment carefully, including whether to appeal.

Syeds case highlights the danger that jihadi prisoners pose in British jails. Of the 13,000 Muslim inmates in the countrys prisons, about 1,000 are either extremists or are vulnerable to radicalisation, a parliamentary report found last year.

Some of Britains most dangerous extremists are believed to have been radicalised while in custody. Westminster killer Khalid Masood, 52, is believed to have converted to Islam in prison and became radicalised. Richard Reid, 44, the Briton who was convicted in the US of trying to blow up an airliner with a bomb hidden in his shoe, is also believed to have converted to Islam while in prison.

The problem is deemed so serious that the Ministry of Justice has revealed it will open a prison within a prison in the maximum-security Frankland facility in County Durham in the coming weeks. It will be followed by two more in other jails.

Michael Adebolajo, 32, who killed Fusilier Rigby in South-East London in 2013, is in Frankland, as is Dhiren Barot, 45, who was convicted in 2006 of a plot to explode a radioactive dirty bomb in London. Experts believe other notorious extremists such as hate preacher Anjem Choudary, 50, the leader of the banned group Al-Muhajiroun, will be locked up at the new separation centre in Frankland.

Critics have described the jail within a jail as Britains answer to Guantanamo Bay, but the MoJ says the move is essential to protect other inmates from being radicalised.

The MoJ also said far-Right extremists will be put in the special centres with the jihadis. A briefing note says: Referral to a Separation Centre is non-discriminatory and may include Right-wing extremists or religious extremists.
Elite commandos have been training to storm an Islamic State chemical weapons factory in Britain as fears grow that jihadis returning from Syria or Iraq are poised to launch a deadly gas attack.

The crack troops staged the UKs biggest-ever chemical weapons exercise in recent years in a direct response to intelligence assessments that suggest terrorists will try to smuggle the deadly substances into the UK, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

More than 100 Royal Marines wearing the state-of-the-art protective equipment joined RAF chemical weapons experts and Ministry of Defence scientists on the two-week training mission, codenamed Exercise Toxic Dagger.

The crack troops staged the UKs biggest-ever chemical weapons exercise in recent years in a direct response to intelligence assessments that suggest terrorists will try to smuggle the deadly substances into the UK, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

The drill at Salisbury Plain culminated in an attack by the Green Berets on a simulated storage facility for sarin  the deadly nerve agent allegedly used by Syrian forces earlier this month.

Intelligence experts fear jihadis will bring sarin back to Britain from war-torn Syria, where it is said to be relatively easy to obtain after six years of civil war.

Earlier this month, huge bombs containing sarin were dropped on the village of Khan Sheikhoun, killing at least 86 people and injuring hundreds more.

Footage of children dying as gas seeped into their homes persuaded US President Donald Trump to launch 58 US Tomahawk cruise missiles at the airfield where the Syrian jets that allegedly dropped the sarin were based.

UK intelligence experts believe IS leaders in the Middle East are ordering dozens of British jihadis to leave Syria and Iraq and prepare to launch chemical weapons attacks in this country.

Horror: A father clutches two babies killed in the sarin attack at Khan Sheikhoun earlier this month

The Mail on Sunday understands the sarin is likely to be transported in liquid form and kept inside protective aluminium casings.

As sarin is odourless in its pure form, it is difficult for the security services to detect.

Sarin mixes easily with water and experts fear it could be used to pollute public supplies.

It also evaporates into a lethal vapour and can cause death within a minute if inhaled.

Concerns about just how easily IS fanatics could use sarin to cause a mass-casualty incident in Britain convinced military top brass to stage Toxic Dagger in February. Details about the exercise have only now been released by defence sources.

The exercise, held amid tight security, was led by troops from B Company, 40 Commando and chemical weapons specialists from 20 Wing RAF Regiment.

All photography was banned and troops were ordered not to pass on the latest intelligence on the chemical weapons threat to Britain.

But a Marine who completed the course said: The exercise culminated in a deliberate attack on a suspected chemical laboratory.

'There were numerous chemical attacks and Gas, gas, gas! was heard as the lead section confirmed the nerve agent was on the site. There were also huge casualties from a chemical mortar.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman would only comment: Our forces are highly trained to keep the UK safe and secure.
Jeremy Corbyn has announced a Labour government would seek to create four new UK-wide bank holidays to honour each of the patron saints as the UK has smallest number in Western Europe.

The Labour leader said the move would bring together England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while giving workers a well-deserved break.

Under the plan, it would mean there would be public holidays on St David's Day (March 1), St Patrick's Day (March 17), St George's Day (April 23) and St Andrew's Day (November 30).

Jeremy Corbyn has announced a Labour government would seek to create four new UK-wide bank holidays to honour each of the patron saints

Under the plan, it would mean there would be public holidays on St David's Day (March 1), St Patrick's Day (March 17), St George's Day (April 23) and St Andrew's Day (November 30). Above, a man celebrates St. David's Day during a parade in Cardiff, Wales

He said: 'The four nations that make up our great country have rarely been more divided due to the damaging and divisive policies of this Conservative Government.

'But where Theresa May divides, Labour will unite our four nations. A Labour government will make St George's Day - England's national day and Shakespeare's birthday - a public holiday, along with St David's Day, St Andrew's Day and St Patrick's Day.

'And we will ask for the support of the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland so that the same four holidays can be enjoyed across the United Kingdom.

The Labour leader said the move would bring together England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while giving workers a well-deserved break. Above people are seen celebrating St George's Day in Trafalgar Square, London

A man was seen donning a hat in central London as he celebrated St Patrick's Day last month

'These holidays will be a chance for workers to spend time with their families, in their communities and with their friends. But they will also be a chance to celebrate the national cultures of our proud nations.'

His counterpart in City Hall, Mayor Sadiq Khan, has called for greater celebrations an recognition of St George's Day ahead of April 23.

According to the Express, Mr Khan said he was proud to fly the flag above City Hall and others should follow suit.

He said: 'If I am honest when I was younger I didnt naturally see the St Georges flag as my own because when I was growing up we had the National Front and the British National Party and they sort of appropriated the flag.

'But what was great was the 1996 Euros  football coming home  where we had this great football festival where we re-appropriated the St Georges flag and it was the first time I ever really felt comfortable with it.

'Since then we have seen more and more decent English men and women proudly displaying it.'

He added that he hopes other councils will feel less nervous about flying the flag, following suit of the capital.

According to research from finance firm Mercer, the UK of the worst in the world when it comes to bank holiday provision.

While Colombia, in South America, and India both have 18 bank holidays a year, the UK trails behind with just eight bank holidays.

EU countries Spain and Finland have 14 and 15 bank holidays respectively, whereas Hungary and the Netherlands also have eight bank holidays.

Two years ago, former leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, announced the same pledge at a public meeting. Above he is seen celebrating St George's Day at Leadenhall Market, London

Susan Boyle was seen waving a flag as she celebrated St Andrew's Day several years ago

Two years ago, former leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, announced the same pledge at a public meeting in Cliffsend, South Thanet.

During the meeting, Mr Farage said: 'Surely it's only fair for us to have a day off to celebrate our own patron saints too? England has been denigrated to such a point that English culture isn't celebrated in the same way as the national cultures of Scotland and Ireland are.

'We'd like to see St George's Day and St David's Day become national days of celebration, both in recognition of the significance of the countries, and to boost consumer spending and tourism, which will make up for money lost from people having the day off.

'UKIP believes in Britain, and we celebrate Britishness. Let's all of us in the UK fly our flags with pride.'
The chance of getting a puncture has always been a headache for cyclists. But now the problem could be about to become a whole lot more serious  as boffins have invented a blow-up bike.

Engineers at Ford have designed the inflatable frame to make it easier to stow cycles in a car boot.

The bike has a traditional rigid steering column but the other parts of the frame  including the top tube, down tube and seat tube  are made from inflatable segments.

The chance of getting a puncture has always been a headache for cyclists. But now the problem could be about to become a whole lot more serious  as boffins have invented a blow-up bike

These segments consist of seven rubber tubes arranged in a petal shape enclosed in a larger tube made from Kevlar, which becomes rigid when the inner tubes are inflated.

Boffins insist that the Kevlar sheath  the same material used in bulletproof vests  would be tough enough to stop the inflatable sections from being punctured.

And as the frame does not touch the ground, they say it would be less likely to come into contact with sharp objects anyway.

Each section of inflatable tubing would be connected to the others by valves that allow air to pass between them.

When deflated, the bike can be folded and stored in a drawer in the car boot.

The seat, pedals, chain and wheels are the same as for any other bikes and are not inflatable.

Engineer Johannes Huennekens, part of Fords research team at its global headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, says: When inflated, the inflatable segment is sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the cyclist.

Engineers at Ford have designed the inflatable frame to make it easier to stow cycles in a car boot

The inflatable segment that extends between the seat and rear wheel may also be inflated to a lower pressure to tune the suspension characteristics of the frame.

This, they say, would give a more comfortable ride.

A built-in pump in the car can be used to inflate the frame until it is rigid, and a hand-pump or pressurised canisters of carbon dioxide could also be used to top up the bike should it need it while in use.

The plans, which have been filed as a patent, also suggest an electric motor could be fitted to help take some of the strain out of riding for those who want it.

In recent years, Ford  famous for its car production  has been trying to develop alternative modes of transport that can help people travel the last mile where cars cannot take them.

In 2015, it revealed designs for a collapsible bike made from parts of a car, including head rests, the spare wheel and the car jack. The latest idea, however, avoids the need for car owners to cannibalise their vehicle if they fancy going for a ride.

Fords Walter Pijls said finding alternatives for people who live in cities was a major area of research for the company. Our vision for the city of tomorrow includes solutions that put people first, saving time, money and making our cities easier to live in.
Parts of a North Korean rocket that crashed into the sea last year were made in Britain, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The discovery was made by United Nations scientists who carried out a forensic study of the wreckage recovered from the Sea of Japan in February 2016.

The UN also traced the sale of the equipment  listed in the UN report as 100 bar pressure transmitters  from the UK to North Korea.

Parts of a North Korean rocket that crashed into the sea last year were made in Britain, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

A UN report revealed the series of transactions which took place before the parts turned up in the rogue state, where they were added to the Unha-3 rocket.

It read: The pressure transmitters were manufactured in the UK. They were then sold by the manufacturers distributor in China to a Beijing-based company, which sold them on to Beijing Xinjianteng Century Technical Technology.

This firm was unable to provide the identity of the purchaser and indicated that the pressure transmitters had been sold in an electronics market.

The UN report did not name the UK manufacturer and it is understood the company was completely unaware its parts were being sold to North Korean.

The discovery was made by United Nations scientists who carried out a forensic study of the wreckage recovered from the Sea of Japan in February 2016

The country also sourced vital equipment for the same batch of rockets from the United States, Germany and Russia through a complex web of intermediaries and shell companies.

Until the UN report it had been thought that no British parts had been found in any North Korean weapons since 2012.
American Airlines was at the centre of a major storm last night after one of its staff snatched a childs buggy from a young mother on a plane  and hit her with it in the process.

Video taken moments after the confrontation onboard the flight from San Francisco to Dallas showed a row between crew, several passengers and the crying mother, who was cradling her child.

American Airlines was at the centre of a major storm last night after one of its staff snatched a childs buggy from a young mother on a plane  and hit her with it in the process

Footage shows a second employee saying Hit me! Come on, bring it on when challenged by a male passenger over the incident.

American Airlines said that it was deeply sorry for the pain we have caused  and suspended the employee involved in the row.

It upgraded the woman and her family to first-class for the rest of their trip.

The incident came two weeks after video of Dr David Dao, 69, being dragged along the floor of a United Airlines jet sparked outrage.
The NHS is failing to protect the mental health of children who suffer the tragic loss of a parent, charities are claiming  days after Princes Harry and William spoke of the devastating effect their mothers death had on them.

Around 100 children suffer the loss of a parent every day in Britain  but experts say there are almost no NHS services to help them.

The warnings come as a report in the British Medical Journal shows that children who experience a death in the family have a substantially increased risk of suicide in adolescence and young adulthood.

Young children who lose a parent are at greater risk of suicide a BMJ report has found

While surviving widows or widowers receive professional counselling, children are told to go home and get on with life, said Shelley Gilbert, founder of the charity Grief Encounter.

Theres simply no Government-funded specialist service for children who have suffered the death of a parent. Instead, we wait until things have gone wrong, she said. Children are told to get over it, get on with life and accept a parents death.

But the result is that a large number of children are left in the situation that Prince Harry talked about so powerfully.

They are forced to suppress their emotions, but more often than not that results in problems emerging later in life.

Dr Gilbert, who herself lost both parents in childhood, said: Some bereaved children become depressed or anxious teenagers or young adults. Some become suicidal.

For others, the fear, anxiety and loss they feel leads to destructive behaviour and young offending. She said hospitals with bereavement officers trained to help children were few and far between.

The Princes were famously made to go hunting hours after they learnt of their mothers death. Dr Gilbert said the attitude that children would get over it if they simply continued their normal lives still persisted  and was reflected in the lack of state-funded counselling services.

Both Prince William and Prince Harry spoke of the impact of losing their mother last week

She said: We know how to help these children, but there are no publicly funded organisations offering this help. So we force children to carry their pain around, unnecessarily, sometimes for their whole lives.

A spokesman for fellow charity Winstons Wish said: In general, theres nothing specific for children in terms of bereavement counselling, so it largely falls on the voluntary sector.

The BMJ study, which followed almost 550,000 Swedish children born between 1987 and 1991, found suicide rates in those who had seen a death in their immediate family were twice as high as normal.

Some areas of the UK, such as Hertfordshire, do have dedicated bereavement services for children, according to NHS England. A spokesman said: We recognise that losing a parent causes a child or young person enormous difficulty.

Anyone working with a child or young person who is bereaved should be aware of the impact this can cause and what to do, and there are useful resources available that can help.

Those children and young people with more complex problems may need further support from mental health services.
The Prime Minister's decision to call a snap poll did not just shock the nation  it also sent a shiver through Ministers who have recently fallen out with the Downing Street regime.

They fear that Theresa May will be emboldened by a landslide win to stamp her mark on her Cabinet by clearing out those Ministers who have lost her trust.

Although No 10 denies that Mrs May is considering a 'major' reshuffle  interpreted as a sign that the big three jobs of Chancellor, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary will remain unchanged  a number of senior Ministers are still sleeping uneasily.

Jeremy Hunt (pictured) is at risk if Prime Minister Theresa May decides to carry out a reshuffle

Among those at risk of the chop are Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid.

Most vulnerable are those Ministers who Mrs May's praetorian guard at No 10 regard as 'overhangs' from David Cameron's regime  such as Mr Hunt.

Although sources point to the long-running junior doctors dispute, the main black mark against the Health Secretary is that the Mayites regard him as a Cameron acolyte.

Education Secretary Justine Greening (pictured) has also annoyed Theresa May by being 'lukewarm' about the PM's flagship policy of expanding grammar schools

Mr Javid, who was tipped as a future leader when Mr Cameron was Prime Minister, has been blamed for the rows which blew up earlier this year over business rate hikes for small shops.

Education Secretary Justine Greening has also annoyed Mrs May by being 'lukewarm' about the PM's flagship policy of expanding grammar schools and is tipped to move to a different job.

Those tipped for promotion include Cabinet Office Minister Ben Gummer, 39, who has a pivotal role in Downing Street.
It's probably one of the biggest investments you'll ever make, typically forking out hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Yet almost a quarter of house hunters take, on average, just ten minutes or less to decide if they want to buy a property or not, according to new research by Zoopla.

And the average time taken to make a decision on the purchase while viewing a property in person is within 27 minutes  the same length of time as an episode of Coronation Street.

Quick sale: Almost a quarter of house hunters take, on average, just ten minutes or less to decide if they want to buy a property or not, according to new research by Zoopla

However, the average house hunter spends 75 hours over 15 weeks researching properties, including online and in estate agents, and they attend an average of eight viewings before they find the right property.

Wales residents take the longest, with buyers searching for an average of 83 hours (over 18 weeks), while the fastest property hunters are those in the East Midlands, who take 62 hours (over 12 weeks).

In comparison, buyers, on average, take three times as long choosing their sofa (88 minutes), and twice as long deliberating over a home appliance (59 minutes), as they do choosing the home itself.

HOUSE SALES DROP 40 PER CENT UK house sales were down 40.9 per cent year-on-year in March at 102,810 according to HM Revenue and Customs, but there is good reason to think it is just a statistical quirk. The plunge compared with a year earlier is likely to be due to the stamp duty hike for people buying second homes, including buy-to-let investors, which was imposed on April 1 2016. Estate agents reported seeing a rush of landlords snapping up properties last year before the deadline, prompting a one-off spike in sales. HMRC's report noted home sales figures for March 2016 had been 'unusually high'. However it also said non-tax changes, such as the EU referendum last summer, may also have caused changes in the property market. Advertisement

They also spend 89 minutes when mulling over buying a car, 71 minutes on a laptop or computer and 46 minutes on a smartphone.

Decisions on a designer handbag or shoes were more straightforward, taking 10 minutes and 16 minutes respectively.

House hunters in the East Midlands are the quickest decision makers, taking just 26 minutes, followed by those from Yorkshire and the Humber (28 minutes) and the West Midlands (30 minutes).

Buyers in the East of England take the longest to make their decision at 32 minutes.

Once they have made the decision though, they are not slow to act.

Fifty one per cent of prospective buyers said they made an offer on the same day they viewed the property and 45 per cent admitted that they knew they wanted to make an offer the minute they walked through the door.

Home comforts: Buyers, on average, take three times as long choosing their sofa, and twice as long selecting a home appliance, as they do choosing the home itself

Lawrence Hall, spokesperson for Zoopla said: 'The process of buying a home is a hugely emotive one and whilst a quick decision can help secure a property in a fast-moving market, it's essential to keep a strong head and do as much research online and with your local agent to help build knowledge prior to viewings and making an offer.'

The findings coincide with the launch of Zoopla's new above-the-line campaign launch this week, which shows how the property site can help buyers find a home, as told through the eyes of hermit crabs.
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The pictures that have made the Landscape Photographer of the Year: 10 Year Special Edition are special indeed.

The images include Crummock Water in Cumbria looking particularly serene and misty, a daredevil cyclist perched on an improbable finger of rock on the Isle of Skye and Rocquaine Bay in Guernsey being lashed by a brutal storm.

They are all pictures that have the power to move you.

The book is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Landscape Photographer of the Year award featuring winners from all categories and all overall winners from the past 10 years - a visually stunning compendium of the best of British landscape photography.

It captures the splendour of Britains rural and urban landscapes, from the Outer Hebrides to the Cornish coastline.

The book goes on sale on April 28, but AA Publishing has given MailOnline Travel 15 of the images so we can whet your appetite.

This amazing image by Tim Harvey - Rocquaine Bay During a Winter Storm - taken in Guernsey, Channel Islands, won the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View Category in 2011

This picture is called Mist And Reflections and was taken in Crummock Water, Cumbria. It made Tony Bennett Landscape Photographer of the Year in 2013 and was also the Overall Adult Winner

Chris Prescott took this snap - Danny MacAskill on the Inaccessible Pinnacle - on the Isle of Skye and the gong for Landscape Photographer of the Year - Living the View 2015 followed

Storm Brewing, by Fan Fu, taken in Tynemouth, wowed the judges and it won him Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View 2008

Simon Park's The Wave, taken in Douglas, Isle of Man, was so striking it was declared Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View Category Winner 2012

Tony Howell's Beech Tree Roots, taken in Avebury, Wiltshire, got the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Your View 2011 gong

Called The Humber Bridge, this picture by Duncan McMillan of the famous East Yorkshire structure disappearing into a cloud bank was the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Your View 2008 winner

Shelter From The Storm, taken in Loch Stack, Sutherland, Scotland, was the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View 2016 winner

Jon Gibbs' Storm over Scroby Sands Wind Farm, taken in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was Landscape Photographer of the Year - Adult Category Overall Winner 2007

Here you're looking at the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View 2013 Winner. It's called Windy Knoll and was taken by John Finney in Castleton, Derbyshire

It's one of the most photographed natural sights in Britain, but Bob McCallion's shot, Mystical Morning, captures Northern Ireland's Dark Hedges in a unique way. The image was Landscape Photographer of the Year - Living the View Category Winner 2013

Ian Taylor's The Ref's An Angel, taken in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, was the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Living the View 2015 winner

Pictures don't come much more dramatic than Demolition by Lesley Smith. It shows the Red Road Flats in Glasgow being taken down and was Landscape Photographer of the Year - Urban View Category Winner 2016

Paul Mitchell's South Gare, taken in Teesside, England, was the Landscape Photographer of the Year - Urban View Category Winner 2015

The Landscape Photographer of the Year - Classic View 2011 category contained this gem taken in Scotland by Peter Ribbeck, simply called Knapps Loch.

The book is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Landscape Photographer of the Year award featuring winners from all categories and all overall winners from the past 10 years - a visually stunning compendium of the best of British landscape photography
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Faces covered in dusty ash and elaborate gold pigment, these are the Hindu holy men who ceremonially 'die' when they take on their role.

Known as sadhus, they live reclusive lives in India and Nepal where they are considered to be dead unto themselves, and legally dead to the country of India. As a ritual, they may be required to attend their own funeral.

Omar Reda, 32, a Lebanese designer based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, captured these religious devotees in Nepal, in their traditional attire and intricate face paint.

Faces covered in dusty ash and elaborate gold pigment, these are the Hindu holy men who ceremonially 'die' when they take on their role. The man on the right has incorporated a mask into his attire

Mr Reda remarks: 'What attracted me about the Sadhus is the way they paint their faces. This ritual is called Tilak.

'The paintings come in different shapes and colour combinations to symbolise the deity they have chosen to devote themselves to.'

The ash represents their death to their worldly life, since they believe in the cycle of reincarnation.

Sadhus shun all home comforts for a life of austerity spent inside caves, forests and temples across India and Nepal.

Known as sadhus, they live reclusive lives in India and Nepal where they are considered to be dead unto themselves. In India, they are legally dead to the country of India. As a ritual, they may be required to attend their own funeral

Omar Reda, 32, a Lebanese designer based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, captured these religious devotees in their traditional attire

Mr Reda remarks of these fascinating people: 'What attracted me about the Sadhus is the way they paint their faces'

There are four to five million sadhus in India today - far less in Nepal - and they are widely respected for their holiness, while also feared by some who believe they have the power to inflict curses.

They frequently smoke cannabis which, although illegal for everyone else, is said to help them communicate with Shiva, one of the most popular Hindu gods.

Sadhus are nomadic and rely entirely on the generosity of others, who give them food in return for their blessings and prayers.

Of their colourful faces, Mr Reda concludes: 'Art plays a main role in how people worship their supreme power. It's been an essential part of the human evolution since the beginning of time.'

Mr Reda explains: 'The paintings come in different shapes and colour combinations to symbolize the deity they have chosen to devote themselves to'

The ash represents their death to their worldly life, since they believe in the cycle of reincarnation

Sadhus shun all home comforts for a life of asceticism spent inside caves, forests and temples across India and Nepal

They are widely respected for their holiness, while also feared by some who believe they have the power to inflict curses
Living in Shanghai makes New York seem provincial, says a transplanted U.S. professor, now running the Chinese offshoot of New York University.

It feels open to the world.

Professor Joanna Waley-Cohen, Provost of NYU Shanghai, thinks it has something to do with the sheer size of the place (population 25 million) and partly the infrastructure - subway system, ubiquitous wifi, even on the subway, well before New York got it.

Lofty skyline: Shanghai has more high-rise buildings than any other city except Chicago

I get her point. After a couple of days, I start thinking how, if I were in my early 20s, Id love to live here for a few months. It feels busy rather than crowded.

People hail from around the world, some working at Shanghai-based multi-national companies, their children attending the growing number of international schools, creating in turn a demand for young teachers who want exciting restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

New hotels are opening on the fashionable waterside street known as the Bund, including the Peace Hotel, and the magnificent Waldorf Astoria, formerly a private British gentlemens club.

Walking through the Waldorfs marble hallways, I see Chinese people curled up asleep in vast armchairs. Thats normal, my friends tell me. Dont stare.

Food for all tastebuds: In Shanghai Times Square - which Anne says is as busy on a Friday night as Oxford Street on Christmas Eve - the street stalls offer traditional noodles and dumplings

Its my third visit to Shanghai and this time theres a sense of being immersed in a determinedly 21st century city.

In fierce competition with Hong Kong and Beijing, Shanghai has more high-rise buildings than any other city in the world except Chicago. The shiny towers proclaim a dedication to global commerce that is echoed by the frenzied shoppers. What on earth would Chairman Mao make of it?

In Shanghai Times Square, as busy on a Friday night as Oxford Street on Christmas Eve, I am struck by the race to westernise, to build giant designer shops such as Ferragamo, Gucci and Hermes alongside the street stalls offering traditional noodles and dumplings.

Shanghai was once known as the Paris of the Orient, which explains why Im here to talk at the Shanghai International Literary Festival about how Parisian women survived in wartime France.

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The festival was started by Michelle Garnaut, an enterprising Australian restaurateur, whose glamorous rooftop restaurant, M On The Bund, has a dazzling terrace view of Pudong, a booming economic area on the opposite side of the Huangpu River.

The restaurants international flavour well suits this cosmopolitan city, constantly reinventing itself as a modern trading centre that is still proud of its past.

From the mid-19th century, Shanghai flourished as a centre of commerce between China and other parts of the world, mostly because of its favourable port location. Foreigners poured in.

First came Russian Jews fleeing pogroms, next White Russian exiles fleeing the revolution. A few off-beat chancers slipped in as well.

In the Twenties, the city was famous for its jazz bands and brothels frequented by American naval personnel. Wallis Simpson came to the city to try to patch up her first marriage.

Then, in the Thirties, Shanghai was the port of last resort as almost 20,000 desperate refugees fled from Nazi Europe.

After Japanese troops occupied the city, most Jews were forced into a sector for stateless refugees in the Hongkou district, which became known as the Shanghai Ghetto.

Life was tough for them and when the ghetto was liberated in 1945, most left to start new lives in Australia, the U.S. and Israel.

Today, this corner of the city is beginning to attract tourists, and city bigwigs are keen to cash in on such an unusual heritage site.

The old synagogue - a factory in Communist times - has been rebuilt and is called a museum to fit in with official Chinese policy towards religion. Only the down- at-heel gift shop, offering a few books with curled edges, betrays a Communist past.

The nearby houses are lived in by Chinese families who have been left behind by the economic boom in the rest of the city.

I see some pyjama-clad men, a Shanghai habit the local authorities wish to discourage.

A few have set up lacklustre commercial enterprises; shoe menders, tailors and a beauty parlour with a swatch card in the window offering various hair colours for dyeing. But none was busy.

Returning downtown, I walk along the Bund and dive into one of the many sophisticated bars for a cocktail.

Modern Shanghai has an undeniable vibrancy while clinging on to the remnants of its Twenties decadence. Thats a heady concoction.

Les Parisiennes: How The Women Of Paris Lived, Loved And Died In The 1940s (Orion), by Anne Sebba, will be published in paperback on June 8.
Ten years ago it was assumed that in-flight wi-fi would soon be commonplace.

It hasnt happened, but airlines are finally showing a keenness to wire up the skies with fast links.

This month British Airways rolls out the latest generation wi-fi across its long-haul network.

Get ready for lift off! This month British Airways rolls out the latest generation wi-fi across its long-haul network

Short-haul wi-fi will arrive later in the year when BA becomes the first airline to offer connectivity using Europes first-ever 4G in-flight network.

Passengers will be able to use their own devices to browse the internet, access email, check social media and stream video content from sites such as Netflix and YouTube.

Technology has also been introduced to simplify and speed up journeys through the airport, with the opening of the airlines first three automated self-boarding gates for UK domestic flights at Heathrow Terminal 5.

The gates will use facial recognition to allow customers to scan their boarding pass, before walking straight on to the aircraft.

Passengers will be able to use their own devices to browse the internet, access email, check social media and stream video content from sites such as Netflix and YouTube

The airline is also investing 400 million in Club World (long-haul business class).

From June, new catering will be introduced at Heathrow business lounges to improve food quality and extend breakfast service to 11am.

In the air from July, new linen, bigger pillows, a soft mattress topper and duvet will be supplied.

From September a new restaurant-style premium dining service will begin in Club World, with display trolleys allowing customers to select dishes from a choice of starters and desserts.

These changes will launch on flights between Heathrow and New Yorks John F. Kennedy, before being rolled out across the rest of the long-haul network during 2018.
The tourists on the duck bus raise a smile when our guide, dressed as a Salem witch, hands the steering wheel to my four-year-old daughter.

Theyre still grinning as Belle powers this amphibious sightseeing vehicle through the blue-brown of Bostons Charles River.

Our chatty witch continues with her patter... but Im not listening, my gaze glued instead on Bunker Hill Bridge, which were heading straight for.

Charming spot: A typical clapboard house and Neck lighthouse on Cape Cod

A nanosecond before I can scream STOP THE KID! WERE GOING TO HIT THE BRIDGE!, the witch calmly takes back the wheel. I exhale, and the tour continues.

Its five years since Ive holidayed with Uncle Sam, and it is, reassuringly, as quackers as ever.

Crossing the Pond for the first time with young children, Belle and her little sister Cleo, two, we quickly discounted 49 states for reasons including too much driving (Deep South), too damn far (Big Sur) and saving for later (Walt Disney World).

Step forward then Boston, Americas most walkable city, and her elegant weekend playground, Cape Cod.

Smaller than New York, this east coast metropolis can lay claim to a dazzling skyline of its own plus family-friendly museums galore and a slice of Americas intelligentsia, care of Harvard University.

We hadnt realised our stay at The Liberty, housed in the citys former Charles Street Jail, would be quite so entertaining, but with clink keys for room cards and prison-themed paraphernalia, it was doing porridge in style.

Jo made it to Harvard University campus with her family, where she said the 'students didnt blink at the sight of a toddler dancing in front of John Harvards bronze form'

Boston is a grown-up city and wed anticipated melt-downs with the children, but they didnt materialise.

Good timing, decent bribes (ice cream, pretzels, $1 punnets of grapes) and dovetailing an attraction for them with something we wanted to see worked a treat.

We made it to Harvard, where the students didnt blink at the sight of a toddler dancing in front of John Harvards bronze form.

Smaller than New York, this east coast metropolis can lay claim to a dazzling skyline of its own plus family-friendly museums galore

We even managed flat whites and apple juice in the cafe at the cerebral Coop, the historic students bookshop on Massachusetts Avenue.

Admittedly, Sleepy Hollow, the cemetery in upmarket Concord, east of Downtown, that is the resting place for famous literary names including Little Women writer Louisa May Alcott, might have pushed the family-friendly boundaries a little too far.

Little Women fans can indulge in Alcotts life, too. Her 19th Century home, Orchard House in Concord, is a roomy abode well worth the 20-mile trip out of Boston.

Back in the city, we towed the family line, racking up visits to the New England Aquarium (impressive, with very clever seals), the three-floor Boston Childrens Museum (role-play heaven) and the Legoland Discovery Center (headache-inducing).

A week of urban life proved a perfect precursor to Cape Cod, the curled finger of land four hours south, where immaculate houses and wide expanses of caramel sands reign.

Quaint spot: Provincetown in Massachusetts is the most celebrated tourist bolthole with a gay-friendly community to boot

From our base, a villa on the sporty Ocean Edge resort between Brewster and Namskaket, three days pin-balling between the Capes villages passed in a whirl.

Freeway 6, the main artery, flows to the peninsulas furthest point, Provincetown, the most celebrated tourist bolthole.

Known as P-Town, this gay-friendly community huddles around rainbow-flagged Main Street, awash with day spas and art shops.

The Museum of Natural History in Brewster provided the kids with stingrays to pat, and they loved the water-soaked walkway that leads out to the salt marshes.

First family trip to America conquered, there was an unexpected sense of relief on the flight back - not at the thought of going home but more that a big holiday with small people had gone so well. Next stop, Big Sur.
She's known for her 11 best-selling novels and presenting ABC's Cyberhate.

Now Tara Moss is turning her attention from TV hosting to real estate as she hopes to sell her property in Sydney's CBD.

The 43-year-old journalist and author has listed her trendy loft for $1.65million after failing to sell in 2012.

Listing: ABC host Tara Moss (pictured) is turning her attention from TV hosting to real estate as she hopes to sell her property in Sydney's CBD

Tara and husband Berndt Sellheim put their apartment on the market back in 2012 when they made the move from Sydney to the Blue Mountains, NSW.

It was going for $1.06million when it was first up for grabs, but failed to sell.

But five years on, the price has risen by $600,000 with potential homeowners showing interest in the two-bedroom apartment.

Stylish design: The 43-year-old journalist and author has listed her trendy loft for $1.65million after failing to sell in 2012

Modern: Tara and husband Berndt Sellheim put the apartment on the market for $1.06million in 2012 when they moved from Sydney to the Blue Mountains, but it failed to sell

Those not looking to buy can still rent the fabulous apartment - but at a steep price.

After the loft failed to sell in 2012, it was available for rent for $895 a week but now renters must pay $1,150 a week to stay.

The couple currently live in a more humble $585,000 property in Blackheath with their daughter Sapphira, six.

Expensive! The Bathurst Street 15th floor apartment is up for rent for a $1,150 a week

Tara Moss was born in Canada but moved to Australia in 1996 during her modelling career.

Since then, she has published 11 award-winning books, gained a diploma from the Australian College of Journalism and is currently hosting Cyberhate with Tara Moss on the ABC.

Tara is also a UNICEF Ambassador for Child Survival and has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2007.
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She's the golden girl of Australian television, best known as co-host of The Project.

And even though Carrie Bickmore is not in the running for the Gold Logie this year, she's sure to steal the spotlight with another memorable outfit at Sunday's ceremony.

From sophisticated lace and smooth satin to gorgeous cut-outs and sultry slits, the 36-year-old has experimented with almost every red carpet trend at the TV Week Logie Awards.

But it's not just style statements Carrie is known for, as she famously wore a beanie hat in her 2015 acceptance speech to share a very important message.

Scroll down for video

Golden girl! She may not be nominated for the Gold Logie this year, but Carrie Bickmore will no doubt make an impression on the red carpet at the TV Week Logie Awards on Sunday night. Pictured left in 2010, centre in 2015, and right in 2016

2009

Carrie attended the Logies in 2009 as one of the stars of Rove Live.

She was photographed on the red carpet with Ryan Shelton in a white mermaid-style ballgown with a layered tulle skirt that fanned out from the knees.

The strapless dress had silk ruffled panels over the front and Carrie accessorised with various jewellery in different metals.

She wore silver bracelets and earrings that she teamed with a titanium-look clutch purse.

Her blonde hair was slightly wavy and was pulled away from her face to show off her striking black smokey-eye makeup look.

Style evolution: Carrie attended the Logies in 2009 in a white mermaid-style ballgown with a layered tulle skirt that fanned out from the knees. Pictured with Ryan Shelton

2010

2010 was an important year at the Logies for Carrie as she was nominated for her first award, Most Popular New Female Talent, and won.

Keeping with the theme of the previous year, she wore another mermaid-style dress, this time in all black.

The bodice of the dress was corset-like with a deep sweetheart neckline, before the gown fanned out below the knee into flowing ruffles of tulle.

She accessorised flawlessly with a pair of silver statement earrings and a large silver ring.

Stunning: Keeping with the theme of the previous year, in 2010 Carrie wore another mermaid-style dress, this time in all black. She was also nominated for her first award, Most Popular New Female Talent, and won

2011

In a departure from the mermaid style, Carrie donned a flowing Grecian-style teal dress in 2011.

The high-neck was held back with various gold chains that fell across her arms and decorated the back of the dress.

She coordinated her accessories with gold earrings and a gold clutch purse.

Her blonde hair was swept back into a bridal-style bun and her makeup was kept soft and simple to let the dress shine.

New look: In a departure from the mermaid style, Carrie donned a flowing Grecian-style teal dress in 2011

2012

2012 was the year of the red dress at the Logies, but Carrie arguably did it the best with her simple yet elegant gown.

The strapless red silk dress fell to the floor and hugged Carrie's curves as it was cinched at the waist and held secure with a gold belt.

She matched this with a pair of chandelier-style earrings and red lipstick, while her blonde hair was loosely curled as it cascaded over her shoulders.

Carrie had two Logie nominations that year, as she was in the running for Most Popular Presenter and the Gold Logie Award.

Winning look: 2012 was the year of the red dress at the Logies, but Carrie did it the best with her simple yet elegant gown

2013

Carrie was a vision in pink in 2013, and she also showed off her shorter hairstyle.

The high-neck pink dress had lace trimmings around the bust and a lace panel in the left thigh.

The fitted dress showed off Carrie's slim waist, before loosening at the bottom and trailing on the floor.

She paired the dress with silver earrings and a beaded clutch bag. Her shorter hair was tightly curled and sat perfectly in place.

Carrie was again nominated for Most Popular Presenter and the Gold Logie Award, but lost out to Asher Keddie.

Glamorous: Carrie was a vision in pink at 2013's event in a lace-detailed gown, and she also showed off her shorter hairstyle

2014

Carrie stunned at the Logies in 2014 with a Paolo Sebastian ballgown featuring a gold skirt.

The bodice of the dress was a high-neck beaded lace design, which perfectly matched the accompanying floor-length skirt.

Her long blonde hair was loosely curled and her fringe was swept to the side.

Carrie was yet again nominated for the same two awards as the previous year.

Designer: Carrie stunned at the Logies in 2014 with a Paolo Sebastian ballgown featuring a gold skirt

2015

When Carrie attended the Logies in 2015, she finally won the coveted Gold Logie Award.

Absolutely nailing it in the style stakes, she stepped out on the red carpet in another Paolo Sebastian gown.

The plunging dress with striped mesh detail highlighted her figure, while her blonde locks were styled in loose waves and pinned to one side.

In her Gold Logie acceptance speech, Carrie captured the hearts of the nation by dedicating the award to her late husband Greg, who died of brain cancer in 2010.

She pulled a blue beanie and placed it on her head and spoke of her desire to raise awareness of the disease.

Last year, Carrie's charity Beanies For Brain Cancer reached its goal of raising a million dollars for brain cancer research.

Big year: 2015 was a milestone for Carrie at the Logies as she stunned on the red carpet in another Paolo Sebastian gown, won the Gold Logie and used her acceptance speech to raise awareness of brain cancer

2016

Last year's Logies look might be one of Carrie's most elegant yet.

She showed off her slim frame in a semi-sheer black beaded dress that cascaded down to the floor with an elegant train.

Carrie drew attention to her hourglass figure on the red carpet as she flashed a glimpse of her legs underneath the semi-sheer fabric.

She was again nominated for the Gold Logie but lost out to Waleed Aly, her co-host on The Project.

Wow! Last year's Logies look might be one of Carrie's best yet as she hit the red carpet in a semi-sheer black beaded dress
At the end of season four, President Francis 'Frank' Underwood declared a global war on terror to distract from controversy surrounding his campaign.

And it seems the ploy has worked, if new first-look photos of the upcoming fifth season are to be believed.

In one of the images, Frank, played by Kevin Spacey, 57, stands in front of wife Claire, played by Robin Wright, 51, and his long time aide Doug Stamper, played by Michael Kelly, 48.

Just dropped! New first-look photos of the upcoming fifth season of House of Cards appear to show Frank Underwood is back in complete control

The three, who are once again a united front, all have their hands over their hearts, indicating it may be during the pledge of allegiance or national anthem.

Meanwhile, the campaign seems to be back on track, as Frank is surrounded by loyal supporters who wait to shake his and his wife's hands at a rally.

Perhaps the odds have turned against his Republican challenger Will Conway, as he and wife Hanna, played by Joel Kinnaman and Dominique McElligott respectively, look quite distressed in another image.

It seems the Frank and Claire team, which was so shaky over the past two seasons due to personal struggles, is back in working order as well.

Carefree: Meanwhile, the campaign seems to be back on track, as Frank is surrounded by loyal supporters who wait to shake his and his wife's hands at a rally

Worried? Perhaps the odds have turned against his Republican challenger Will Conway, as he and wife Hanna, played by Joel Kinnaman and Dominique McElligott respectively, look quite distressed in another image

The power couple are pictured together in the White House, as they clink glasses in front of a glowing screen.

Of course they're not smiling, but instead exchanging intense glances.

A final image depicts Doug Stamper and LeAnn Harvey, played by Neve Campbell, standing together in what appears to be a corridor of the White House.

Watching Jeopardy? The power couple are pictured together in the White House, as they clink glasses in front of a glowing screen

The upcoming season also marks the first without original showrunner Beau Willimon.

Per Variety last February, Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese took over the job for the Netflix hit.

Season five is set to premiere on May 30th on the streaming service.

Kevin Spacey will also make an appearance on broadcast television this summer, as he is hosting the Tony awards on June 11th.
Bob Harper of The Biggest Loser says fate intervened in sparing his life two months ago, when he collapsed at the New York City gymnasium, BRICK.

'I was not supposed to die that day,' the TV trainer, 51, said in an upcoming episode of Rachael Ray. 'I was not supposed to die.'

The Nashville, Tennessee native, in a segment for the show, returned to the scene of the life-changing incident, joined by the doctor who was on hand that day to assist him with CPR and an AED amid the critical health crisis, neurologist Hazem Shoirah.

Scroll below for video

Tough time: The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper, 51, relives details of his life-threatening February 12 heart attack at the NYC gym BRICK

Harper said he was shaken in coming back to the Big Apple gym where he fell ill February 12.

He said, 'Its upsetting for me because this has always been the place that I love coming to, and now Im kind of afraid. And Im not used to feeling like that. Working out has defined me in so many ways, and things are just different - things are just different now.'

Shoirah's presence at the workout facility in itself was a twist of fate in Harper's favor, as it was the first time the doctor had been at that gym, for a charity function.

Opening up: Harper (far R) shared an emotional discussion with neurologist Hazem Shoirah (2nd from L) and a pair of Samaritans who were on hand when he fell ill more than two months ago

Moving forward: Harper, a physical fitness expert, admitted he's 'kind of afraid' to move forward as he had been, prior to the personal health crisis

Shoirah told Harper, 'I raced downstairs and I saw you on the floor with another person already administering chest compressions.'

'That just blows my mind,' said Harper, who doesn't recall anything from the incident. 'Im just so thankful that you guys just went into that action mode.'

Shoirah said that the physical symptoms Harper exhibited amid the heart attack - Harper 'was already blue' when he began treating him - left 'a lot of uncertainty about whether he would make it or not.'

Shoirah said that initially, the AED was not working due to an 'unshockable rhythm,' but eventually the procedure took in second and third tries prior to paramedics arriving.

Lifesaver: Shoirah (L), a neurologist, said that his initial attempts to revive Harper (R) via an AED were unsuccessful

Serious: Shoirah said Harper 'was already blue' when he began treating him, and the prognosis if he would live was hazy

Harper, whose relatives have batted heart diseases, said 'the dumbest thing [he's] ever done' was ignoring early signs his health could be on the downturn. He said: 'I had these dizzy spells early on, and I had just chose to overlook them. I wasnt listening to my body.'

Harper told the doctor, and two other people he said were on hand and assisted in recovery efforts, 'I'm just so thankful that you guys went into that action mode.'

Harper's segment airs on Rachael Ray April 28.

Calm before the storm: Harper was in good spirits at the Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard February 9, just three days before his traumatic heart attack
As a supermodel, she can wear almost anything and make it look great.

And on Friday, Doutzen Kroes mixed comfort and fashion as she stepped out for the Tiffany & Co. Celebrates The 2017 Blue Book Collection in New York.

The Victoria's Secret beauty made it a date night as husband Sunnery James came along for the evening.

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Pajama-inspired: On Friday, Doutzen Kroes, 32, mixed comfort and fashion as she stepped out for the Tiffany & Co. Celebrates The 2017 Blue Book Collection in New York

The 32-year-old wore a bright blue pantsuit, which hung loosely over her slim frame.

Doutzen added a pair of white shoes and accessorized simply with a pair of stud earrings.

The pretty blonde left her tresses natural and down. For make-up, the mother-of-two kept her look to a minimum. choosing to highlight her natural beauty with a pale lip and soft eye.

Her style: The supermodel wore a bright blue pantsuit, which hung loosely over her slim frame

Joining her for the night was husband of six years, Sunnery James.

The Dutch DJ, 38, was trendy in a pair of skinny jeans and a long, slim-fit T-shirt layered under a black blazer.

The couple surely enjoyed alone time, as their children, Phyllon, six, and daughter Myllena, two, were not present for the event.

Date night: Joining her for the night was husband of six years, Sunnery James, 38

Doutzen began her modeling career in 2003, and headed to New York from the Netherlands after graduating high school.

She auditioned for Victoria's Secret and became an Angel, having never heard of the lingerie company prior.

Over the course of her career, she has walked for major brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Bottega Veneta, and Donna Karan among others. She has also graced the covers of magazines such as Vogue and Glamour, and appeared in campaigns for Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana.
He attracted plenty of female attention on I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!

But after leaving the jungle last month, Kris Smith appears to have found himself a new 'girlfriend', Network Ten research executive Hannah Scott.

It comes after the father-of-one, 38, said he was 'trying to work things out' with his ex-girlfriend, model Maddy King, before his stint in the jungle.

Was it a rumble in the jungle? Kris Smith appears to be dating Network Ten employee Hannah Scott (R) after sharing a photo of the 'couple' on Instagram on Friday

On Friday, Kris shared a loved-up snap of the 'couple' on Instagram, with several friends congratulating them on going public.

Hannah has been working at Network Ten for two years as a research executive, and it is possible they met due to Kris' appearance on I'm A Celebrity earlier this year.

The brunette beauty appears to be in her mid twenties, having graduated with a media degree from the University Of Wollongong in 2011.

You beauty! Hannah appears to be in her mid twenties, having graduated with a media degree from the University Of Wollongong in 2011

Familiar with reality TV stars? Hannah is good friends with model and former reality TV star Sarah Lawther (left), who won Beauty And The Geek in 2011

According to her Instagram account, Hannah lives near Bondi and spends a lot of her time at the world-famous beach.

She is good friends with model and former reality TV star Sarah Lawther, who won Beauty And The Geek in 2011.

Hannah is also pals with blogger Pia Muehlenbeck, with the two spotted together on floating nightclub The Island earlier this year.

Did she get some Instagram tips from her? The brunette is also pals with lawyer turned blogger Pia Muehlenbeck (right)

Did they meet on I'm A Celebrity? Hannah has been working at Network Ten for the past two years as a Research Executive. Pictured at the Ten Christmas party last year

The brunette looks quite similar to Kris' former girlfriend, lingerie model Maddy King.

Kris and Maddy, 28, dated for four years before he confirmed they had split in October.

However, the Myer ambassador said he had been trying to work things out before appearing on I'm A Celebrity.

Kris also shares a six-year-old son Ethan with Dannii Minogue, who he dated for three-and-a-half years before breaking up in 2012.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Kris' representatives and Network Ten for comment.

Kris has a type! Hannah looks quite similar to Kris' former girlfriend, lingerie model Maddy King
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The TV Week Logie Awards will see the most famous and beautiful women in Australian media descend on Melbourne's Crown Palladium.

And while there isn't an award for 'best dressed', there is always plenty of competition on the red carpet for the most revealing and show-stopping looks.

From thigh-high leg splits and plunging necklines to sheer fabric and lace detailing, Daily Mail Australia looks back at some of the sexiest EVER Logies dresses.

Daring to bare! From thigh-high leg splits and plunging necklines to sheer fabric and lace detailing, Daily Mail Australia looks back at some of the sexiest EVER Logies dresses

Over the past 59 years of Logie Awards ceremonies, there have been many fleeting fashion trends - but elegance and sex appeal has always remained.

Taking from this year's street-style and high-fashion trends, there's likely to be ruffles, statement prints, floral appliques and bare shoulders seen on Sunday night.

As we look back on the hottest looks in Logies history, Jesinta Campbell's head-turning ensemble last year is the perfect place to start.

Jesinta Campbell: 2016

She's NOT shy! Former Miss Universe Australia Jesinta Campbell cut a daring figure in a revealing netted frock with a dark green bodysuit last year

The former Miss Universe Australia demanded attention as she sashayed her way down the red carpet last year.

Jesinta cut a daring figure in a revealing netted frock with a dark green Camilla and Marc bodysuit underneath.

She showed off her enviable model figure in the ensemble, which highlighted her pert derriere and trim pins.

Jessica Marais: 2016 and 2014

Daring to bare! Actress Jessica Marais wore a crochet netted gown with a plunging neckline at the 2016 Logie Awards

Also daring to bare, actress Jessica Marais wore a crochet netted gown with a plunging neckline that gave a glimpse of her assets in 2016.

Her svelte figure and back was also visible below a sheer panel at the back of the garment.

The Love Child actress arrived at the 2014 Logie Awards in a sleek metallic JAton couture gown, with her bust accentuated in the tight off-the-shoulder design.

Jessica was awarded a Silver Logie last year and is nominated for Gold this Sunday.

Chic! The Love Child actress arrived at the 2014 Logie Awards in a sleek metallic JAton couture gown

Carrie Bickmore: 2016 and 2015

Going for gold! Carrie Bickmore won the Gold Logie in 2015 - but The Project host also nailed it in the style stakes in a Paolo Sebastian gown

When Carrie Bickmore attended the Logies in 2015, The Project host won more than just the coveted Gold Logie.

Absolutely nailing it in the style stakes, she stepped out on the red carpet in beautiful Paolo Sebastian gown.

Her dress with striped mesh detail throughout highlighted her curves, while the plunging neckline flaunted her ample cleavage.

Last year, she also made quite an entrance in a tight black ensemble with sheer panels.

Stunner! Last year, Carrie also stunned in a tight black ensemble with sheer panels

Dannii Minogue, Megan Gale and Ksenija Lukich: 2016

Leggy display! Dannii Minogue (left), Megan Gale (centre) and Ksenija Lukich (right) all opted for thigh splits in 2016

Many celebrities choose to put their best foot (or leg) forward on the red carpet in high leg-split frocks.

Dannii Minogue made a bold entrance in an eye-catching semi-sheer gown that had intricate embellishments strategically covering her assets, posterior and upper thighs.

Megan Gale also flashed her statuesque legs in a red lace cold-shoulder gown. The 40-year-old showed off her model pins through her garment's thigh-high split.

E! Australia host Ksenija Lukich wore a Burberry number with a sheer skirt over a figure-hugging leotard. Working her best angles for the camera, she made sure to expose her legs at every opportunity.

Olympia Valance: 2016

Busting out! In 2016, Olympia Valance turned heads as she arrived for her second-ever Logies red carpet, dressed in a very low-cut lace gown

Olympia Valance turned heads as she arrived for her second-ever Logies red carpet last year, dressed in a very low-cut lace gown.

The J'Aton Couture designed piece hugged tightly around the Neighbours star's slender frame before dropping to the ground and forming a long train.

Jennifer Hawkins: 2015 and 2006

Double threat! Model Jennifer Hawkins arrived in a sleek black Alex Perry number in 2015, with the blonde beauty opting to show both her cleavage and legs

Australia's Next Top Model host Jennifer arrived in a sleek black Alex Perry number in 2015, with the blonde beauty opting to show both her cleavage and legs.

The long-sleeved number concealed her slender arms while a thigh-high slit along the front revealed her slim pins.

Proving her style hasn't changed dramatically in almost 10 years, Jennifer walked the Logies red carpet in 2006 in a plunging satin number.

Time hasn't aged her! Proving her style hasn't changed dramatically in almost 10 years, Jennifer walked the Logies red carpet in 2006 in a plunging satin number

Anna Bamford: 2015

Sheer beauty! Anna Bamford's Yeojin Bae frock featured daring cut-outs across the bust and thighs in 2015

Wonderland actress Anna Bamford certainly flashed some flesh in 2015 in a black gown with sheer mesh panels.

The Yeojin Bae frock with high neck featured daring cut-outs across the bust and thighs.

Samara Weaving: 2013

Red hot! Former Home And Away star Samara Weaving set the red carpet alight in 2013 wearing a seductive red lace gown by Steven Khalil

Former Home And Away star Samara Weaving set the red carpet alight in 2013 wearing a seductive red lace gown by Steven Khalil.

While forgoing a leg split in the floor-length gown, she revealed skin strategically within the semi-sheer lace embellished design.

Jessica Marais, Grant Denyer, Samuel Johnson, Peter Helliar, Rodger Corser and Waleed Aly are up for the coveted Gold Logie this year.

Sportsbet listed Waleed as the favourite as of Friday lunchtime, with Rodger as the betting underdog.

The TV Week Logie Awards will air Sunday night on Channel Nine
She was charged last month with allegedly trafficking amphetamine and cocaine using Craigslist.

And former reality TV star Georgia Tripos looked downcast as she went shopping in Melbourne on Saturday.

The 25-year-old took part in Richie Strahan's series of The Bachelor last year and is now facing criminal charges.

Something on her mind? Accused drug trafficker and former Bachelor contestant Georgia Tripos looked downcast while shopping in Melbourne on Saturday

Last month, 9News reported Georgia was charged with trafficking amphetamine and cocaine, allegedly running a drug syndicate with Kristiana Karakostas.

The friends, who were arrested at a Melbourne real estate agency they both worked at, are accused of selling the drugs online via website Craigslist.

Georgia was granted bail to live with her mother in Balwyn North, Melbourne and will next face court in July.

Last month, 9News reported Georgia was charged with trafficking amphetamine and cocaine, allegedly running a drug syndicate with Kristiana Karakostas

On Saturday, Georgia dressed casually while out shopping at Westfield Doncaster in Melbourne.

The self-described 'artist' wore a grey hoodie and leggings, looking tired and drained as she walked through the car park.

Georgia was later seen leaving the shops carrying a plastic bag.

Tired: The self-described 'artist' wore a grey hoodie and leggings, looking tired and drained as she walked through the car park

Stocking up? Georgia, 25, was later seen leaving the shops carrying a plastic bag

Georgia's appearance on the The Bachelor was controversial, as she criticised her fellow contestants after her eviction.

Furious that she had been overlooked by Richie while 'intruders' had stayed in the mansion, Georgia labelled them 'f**king skanks'.

But she would later tell News.com.au the show's producers had 'threatened' her and she believed the cameras were off.
She's been on the move non-stop since she returned from Costa Rica earlier in the week.

And it seems Heidi Klum isn't stopping any time soon, as she was spotted traipsing through LAX on Friday night towards a flight.

The 43-year-old stunner was dressed down in comfortable apparel for the excursion.

On the move! It seems Heidi Klum was spotted traipsing through LAX on Friday night towards a flight

On top she donned a black hoodie with a multicolored Gucci print emblazoned on the front.

Baggy white trousers ended at her ankles, while she rounded out the laid-back look with a pair of low-cut white sneakers.

Her caramel tresses were parted in the middle and cascaded down past both her shoulders.

Though it had clearly been a long day, the beauty still glowed thanks to some smoky eye shadow, light blush and pale rose lipstick.

Nothing fancy: Baggy white trousers ended at her ankles, while she rounded out the laid-back look with a pair of low-cut white sneakers

World class beauty: Though it had clearly been a long day, the beauty still glowed thanks to some smoky eye shadow, light blush and pale rose lipstick

The 5ft9in beauty seemed to be carrying at least two bags; a black shoulder bag, and a smaller leopard print purse.

She also carried a bottle of water in her right hand.

Earlier in the day, the mother of four was busy shooting a promo for her new line of lingerie.

Fully laden: The 5ft9in beauty seemed to be carrying at least two bags; a black shoulder bag, and a smaller leopard print purse

The Project Runway star posted a video of herself preparing for the job as she had bronzer applied liberally to her ample bosom.

Afterwards, Heidi bounced back and forth in matching panties with a white overcoat draping her shoulders.

Heidi had just returned from a romantic vacation with her 30-year-old beau Vito Schabel.

Eye-popping: Earlier in the day, the mother of four was busy shooting a promo for her new line of lingerie
Whether in her Modern Family role or in real life, she is known for her love of form-fitting looks.

And on Friday, Sofia Vergara, was spotted heading to a dinner celebration in West Hollywood, dressed in another tight ensemble.

The actress headed to Catch LA for her cousin Hernando Vergara's birthday.

Night out look: On Friday, Sofia Vergara, 44, was spotted heading to a dinner celebration in West Hollywood, dressed in a form-fitting ensemble

The 44-year-old tucked a pink tank top into a black leather pencil skirt.

The mom-of-one added a pair of matching blush colored platforms.

Sofia accessorized with multiple bracelets, rings, a necklace, and an animal print bag. She wore her long, brown locks down and styled straight.

Solid look: The actress tucked a pink tank top into a black leather pencil skirt

Coordinating: The mom-of-one added a pair of matching blush colored platforms

Group dinner: The Bent star took to Instagram to document her evening out

The Bent star took to Instagram to document her evening out.

In one photo, the beauty shared a group shot from her crew's table that night.

'Happy bday @nandogvergara we u!!!!, ' she wrote to her cousin Fernando.

She also posed for photos with two other close pals.

His night: The celebration was in honor of cousin Fernando Vergara's (far right) birthday

Her inner circle: The evening looked to be a good time spent it with close family and friends

The finishing touches: Sofia accessorized with multiple bracelets, rings, a necklace, and an animal print bag. She wore her long, brown locks down and styled straight

Sofia's night out was surely a much-needed break away from her packed schedule.

This year alone, the wife of Joe Manganiello will star in four films, including the animated flick, The Emoji Movie.

In an interview with People, the comedic talent opened up about her upcoming role, and the comparison she receives.

'I thought it was a great adventure and who doesn't like an emoji? I thought it was going to be a perfect role for me because people are always saying that I look like her!'
She was left heartbroken after Blake Garvey chose Sam Frost over her on the second season of The Bachelor.

But now Lisa Hyde is showing that success is the best revenge, having just announced that her indie sunglasses label Shevoke has been picked up by retail giant General Pants Co.

The 30-year-old eyewear entrepreneur started her line three years ago and initially sold her trendy designs at markets in Brisbane before finding Bachelor fame.

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From reality star to eyewear entrepreneur! The Former star of The Bachelor Lisa Hyde's indie sunglasses label Shevoke has been picked up by General Pants Co

Since leaving The Bachelor mansion in 2014, the Sydney-based Instagram model has racked up over 139k followers with an extra 58k on the Shevoke account.

Lisa spoke to Pedestrian.TV about how getting her heart broken by Bachelor Blake was great for business.

She said: 'Having appeared on The Bachelor really did help create the awareness of the brand. I've been able to share Shevoke on my social media accounts and get it out not only in Australia, but also internationally.'

The 30-year-old entrepreneur started her line three years ago before her appearance on The Bachelor shot her to fame

Lisa appeared on the 2014 season of The Bachelor where she was vying for Blake Garvey's heart

Lisa made the most of her famous connections- such as I'm A Celeb's Tegan Martin and Big Brother's Aisha Jade- to help promote her brand by modelling her collection on Instagram.

After beginning in a small warehouse in Brisbane, Lisa said the pace of her fast-growing company is moving quicker than she was prepared for.

She said: 'Already we have outgrown our current warehouse - there are boxes and sunglasses everywhere. I'm currently hiring and looking for a bigger warehouse.'

Business is booming! Lisa said: 'Already we have outgrown our current warehouse - there are boxes and sunglasses everywhere. I'm currently hiring and looking for a bigger warehouse'

Lisa was so busy with online orders that she revealed she nearly missed the email from General Pants opportunity all together

Lisa was so busy with online orders that she revealed she nearly missed the email from General Pants opportunity all together.

She said: 'One of the GP buyers contacted me through email and I was so overwhelmed with orders at the time that I missed the email.'

'Luckily a friend introduced me to a GP buyer at a festival and we were able to chat about the potential collaboration and yes, I feel like an absolute idiot for missing her email!'

Shevoke will hit General Pants stores on Monday April 24 as well as online.
He's been working hard to slim down and stay in shape.

And Jonah Hill has embraced an edgier sense of style since his lifestyle overhaul, cutting a stylish figure when he stepped out in New York City on Friday.

The A-list actor, 33, was rocking a navy bomber jacket with colourful, stripe detailing on the collar.

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Cool and casual: Jonah Hill has embraced an edgier sense of style since his lifestyle overhaul, cutting a stylish figure when he stepped out in New York City on Friday

Jonah sported white trainers with coordinating red bands, dark jeans and a beanie hat for extra warmth.

The Superbad star was listening to music as he strolled along, looking the picture of relaxation.

Jonah stopped off at a cafe, grabbing a quick drink to go during his casual day out.

Sportswear vibe: The A-list actor, 33, was rocking a navy bomber jacket with colourful, stripe detailing on the collar

The star appeared to relax the strict regime he placed himself on to maintain his slimline frame, as he clutched what looked like a beer bottle.

He had previously said that the part he found hardest about being healthy was giving up his beloved-yet-fattening beverage of choice.

Jonah embarked on a health kick to lose the 40 pounds he had to gain for War Dogs in 2015, in which he played Miles Teller's business partner.

One for the road: Jonah stopped off at a cafe, grabbing a quick drink to go during his casual day out

The star is known for physically adapting to different parts, but his appearance in War Dogs is thought to be the heaviest he's ever been.

The true story surrounds two young men who win a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan.

When he began filming in Burbank, California during April, Jonah was almost unrecognisable on set, looking much heavier than before.

Slimming down: Jonah had previously lost a whopping 40 pounds to star in 2011's Moneyball alongside Brad Pitt

Losing the weight: At the time, the actor said slimming down his 5ft. 7in, 250lbs frame was a sign of 'maturity'

Jonah had previously lost a whopping 40 pounds to star in 2011's Moneyball alongside Brad Pitt.

At the time, the actor said slimming down his 5ft. 7in, 250lbs frame was a sign of 'maturity.'

Being healthier came along with maturity,' he told Vulture in 2011. 'And it's hard, because a lot of times people want you to be the guy you were when they met you.

'And I love doing funny movies, but I want to mature, literally, in how I treat myself. I'm not living in a frat house with a bong plastered to the table.

'But all this stuff [points to his body] is just part of maturing in body and in mind. I just want to be a good man and to make my family proud. And, you know, I want to live a long time.'

Speaking out: 'Being healthier came along with maturity,' he told Vulture in 2011. 'And it's hard, because a lot of times people want you to be the guy you were when they met you'




She's often treating fans to a number of scantily-clad photos via her her social media channels.

But choosing to keep her seriously gym-honed physique under wraps for her latest outing in London, Louise Thompson donned a stylish all-black ensemble as she joined her beau Ryan Libbey at a Ministry of Sound event on Friday.

The reality star, 27, cut a stylish figure as she hid her chiselled abs underneath a ribbed black tee that she teamed with a cool leather skirt.

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Keeping her abs covered: Louise Thompson, 27, cut a stylish figure in an all-black ensemble while attending a Ministry of Sound event in London on Friday

Putting on a leggy display in her getup, Louise's mini skirt grazed her upper thighs and boasted a funky fringed hemline.

Louise clutched onto a matching handbag in one hand, that no doubt toted all of her essentials for her evening partying in the capital - and she threw a leather biker jacket over her shoulders.

The Made In Chelsea beauty teamed her attire with a chunky pair of platform heels and layered a pearl necklace with a long silver pendant around her neck.

She wore her lightened locks in tousled curls that fell past her shoulders and tucked one side of her tresses behind her ears to show off her statement earrings.

Date night: She had been joined by her beau of nearly a year Ryan Libbey - who was seen affectionately touching her leg as they posed for pictures inside

Leggy display: Louise teamed together a fringed leather miniskirt and ribbed black top with a pair of chunky white platform heels - she threw a biker jacket over her ensemble

Making sure to ooze glamour on her date night, Louise opted for a subtle make-up look - complete with kohl liner, a slick of rose pink lipstick across her lips and highlighter to accentuate her cheekbones.

Her boyfriend Ryan, meanwhile, cut a cool figure in a simple white t-shirt and jeans.

He and Louise put on an affectionate display as they enjoyed a drink inside, with Ryan placing a hand on his girlfriend's leg as they struck up a pose for the camera.

The duo were joined by Nicola Roberts, Vanessa White and Pixie Geldof at the bash.

Louise and Ryan have been dating for nearly a year now and fans have watched the pair's relationship play out onscreen on Made In Chelsea.

Oozing glamour: Louise opted for a subtle make-up look - complete with kohl liner, a slick of rose pink lipstick across her lips and highlighter to accentuate her cheekbones

Star-studded guest list: She was joined by Nicola Roberts, Vanessa White and Pixie Geldof (pictured L-R) at the event

Loved-up: The couple's appearance in the capital comes after they recently admitted they would 'love' to have a baby together

Early on in the E4 reality show's current series, the pair had been slightly rocked by newcomer James Sandford showing an interest in Louise - prompting him to come to blows with Ryan.

However, the pair have put the hiccup behind them and recently spoke about their hopes to have a baby together.

Discussing their excitement over news Binky Felstead is set to welcome a baby girl when she gives birth in a few weeks, Louise admitted it had made her think about having children herself.

She told MailOnline: 'Its made me think about kids more- I pick up on conversations about it and think about fertility and when the right time will be.'

Broody: Louise admitted her best friend and co-star Binky's pregnancy has made her think about having children of her own

The smitten couple (pictured above) joked: Our baby would either be very short or huge and muscly with a really defined jaw line'

Although she quickly added that it will be some time before she and beau Ryan think about babies for real.

'At the moment it's just a consideration, we'll move in together first.'

Ryan insisted: 'I see it in the future. I love babies and I'm obsessed with my baby niece.

'I love the idea of having a baby with Louise - but not now. We'll get a puppy first before making a... genetic being.'

Discussing what their baby would look like, Louise then joked: 'It would either be very short or huge and muscly,' as Ryan chimed in: 'With a really defined jaw line.'
She appeared in the hit horror film Halloween at the tender age of 20 and Jamie Lee Curtis is still a regular on the red carpet.

The actress, 58, stepped out at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday at a screening of the documentary Hondros which she and Jake Gyllenhaal have produced together.

The mum-of-two looked glamorous in a silk blouse and shiny blazer which showed off her svelte age-defying figure.

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Ageing fabulously: Jamie Lee Curtis, 58, looked svelte and toned at a screening of documentary Hondros at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Friday

The A Fish Called Wanda star sported a pair of velvet hound's tooth trousers and sexy snakeskin mules.

Her silver hair was styled into a boyish crop which highlighted Jamie's phenomenal bone structure.

The actress showed off a glowing tan and wore minimal make up, just brushing her lips with a pink gloss.

The team: Jamie and Jake posed for pictures with director Greg Campbell and producer Riva Marker at the glitzy event

Behind the camera for once: The Hollywood heartthrob is a producer of Hondros, which examines the life and death of journalist Chris Hondros who was killed in the civil war in Libya

Piercing stare: Jake showed off his Blue Steel gaze at the star-studded event. The star donned a casual ensemble of black blazer, grey t-shirt and black trousers

The actress was joined on the red carpet by her co-producer Jake. The Prince Of Persia star rocked a casual ensemble in black jeans, grey t-shirt and black blazer.

Jake showed off a full beard as he posed for pictures on the red carpet at the New York film festival.

Hondros is a documentary about a journalist who was killed reporting on a conflict.

Chris Hondros worked for Getty Images, photographing conflicts all over the world, and he was killed while covering the civil war in Libya in 2011.

Stunning: Jamie showed off her svelte figure in a silk blouse and figure-skimming blazer which she paired with velvet trousers and sexy snakeskin mules

Jamie opened up about the film which she said was an accurate portrayal of war.

She told Vanity Fair: 'It's a story of the harrowing parts of war, the beautiful stories of humanity that come from war stories, and the the gruesome, cold, truthful aspects of war.'

She launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the film and brought her friend Jake on board as an executive producer.

'There will always be humanity amidst absolute carnage and chaos and brutality,' she said. 'If we don't believe that, then we're lost.'

Elsewhere at the famous film festival, Stephen Dorff rocked a rumpled look at the Shorts Program: Disconnected screening, while Zachary Quinto attended the Aardvark premiere.

Film fan: Actor Stephen Dorff rocked a rumpled look at the Shorts Program: Disconnected screening on Friday

Casual style: Stephen cut a relaxed figure in black jeans, sweater and bomber jacket

Dapper: Zachary Quinto opted for a stylish plaid shirt and baby blue tie at the Aardvark premiere
He's the undisputed Queen Bee of Channel Nine's Today show.

So it was no surprise to see Karl Stefanovic leading the pack when he and his Today co-stars touched down at Melbourne Airport on Saturday ahead of the Logie Awards.

The 42-year-old arrived before Sonia Kruger, and Richard and Christian Wilkins, but his girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough was nowhere to be seen.

Here I am! Karl Stefanovic arrived at Melbourne Airport on Saturday without girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, ahead of Sunday's Logie Awards

Karl look stylish yet casual in a white shirt, which he left partly unbuttoned to show off his manly chest.

He added a pair of dark blue denim jeans with a large brown leather belt.

On his feet, the breakfast TV maven selected a pair of black ankle boots to strut around in.

Tough guy: Karl look stylish yet casual in a white shirt, which he left partly unbuttoned to show off his manly chest

Texting Jasmine? The 42-year-old appeared to be fixated on his mobile device

Suave and in charge! Karl looked cheerful and confident ahead of the ceremony, perhaps because Today is nominated for Best News Panel or a Current Affairs Program

Far behind Karl was Sonia, who channeled mid-2000s Mary Kate Olsen in loose, baggy pants, sneakers, sunglasses, and an oversized tote bag.

Richard trailed behind Sonia, channeling an '80 rock star vibe in an all black ensemble.

The 62-year-old sported black skinny jeans, a black blazer, edgy black boots, and classic sunglasses.

Nice to see you! Sonia Kruger looked pleased to see Richard Wilkins

Air kisses darling! Sonia and Richard gave each other a celebrity style welcome

Feeling confident? Sonia was positively beaming, possibly because she felt confident about Today's chances at the Logies

Fashion? The blonde sported loose, baggy pants, sneakers, sunglasses, and an oversized tote

Fan service! An adoring fan rushed over to snap a photo with superstar Richard

Determined to outdo his dad in the style stakes was Christian 'Prince' Wilkins.

The blonde beauty looked fabulous in a fur coat and matching camel coloured ankle boots.

In order to flaunt his wealth to onlookers, Christian ensured that he was wearing a number of clearly branded designer items.

The 21-year-old proudly sported a Gucci T-shirt and a Hermes belt.

What about me! Christian Wilkins looked determined to outdo his dad in the style stakes
She plays tough talking, action-loving Carrie in hit Homeland.

But Claire Danes showed off her softer side as she attended the Tiffany & Co celebrates the 2017 Blue Book Collection bash at St. Ann's Warehouse in New York on Friday.

The actress, 38, looked effortlessly fabulous in a simple bandeau gown.

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Glamorous: Claire Danes showed off her softer side as she attended the Tiffany & Co celebrates the 2017 Blue Book Collection bash at St. Ann's Warehouse in New York on Friday

Making the most of her slender waist, the strapless number skimmed her toned curves perfectly and featured a hint of white along the neckline.

Accentuating her stature, she added a pair of elegant strappy sandals and added a statement glitzy diamond necklace.

Rocking a bold red lip, she wore her blonde hair perfectly blow-dried as she posed for pictures.

The actress, 38, looked effortlessly fabulous in a simple bandeau gown

The talented actress posed alongside fellow star Reese Witherspoon, who stunned in an emerald strapless gown.

Released annually, the Tiffany & Co. Blue Book showcases the brand's best pieces and designers.

The first one was published in 1845, and this year's edition certainly won't disappoint fans of the prestigious label.

Making the most of her slender waist, the strapless number skimmed her toned curves perfectly and featured a hint of white along the neckline

Claire plays bipolar CIA operative Carrie Mathison in hit series Homeland, who becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil.

Seasons 7 and 8 of the drama will be due out in 2018 and 2019.

While on Ellen last month, the star admitted she'd like her character to have lighter responsibilities for at least one episode.

Glamorous: Accentuating her stature, Claire added a pair of elegant strappy sandals and added a statement glitzy diamond necklace

'I'm always hoping for a little relief for Carrie - it's pretty hard. There's a lot of reason to cry. I just would like her to be play Monopoly,' she joked.

Speaking about her choice to play the complex character in February, Claire told Marie Claire: 'My goal is always to do something that feels just beyond my reach, and Homeland continues to do that.

'Every season, they find new ways to scare me. The show is like a diamond that fell from the sky. Ill always feel slightly bludgeoned by it, but in the best way possible.'

Blondes unite! The talented actress posed alongside fellow star Reese Witherspoon, who stunned in an emerald strapless gown

And opening up about a recent two year break in her career, she described it as agonising, adding: 'It was a nightmare. I was in such agony. I had been so stimulated and energized, and I felt really robust and capable and eager. But I couldnt go back to the ingenue role or the limited secretary-type roles. I wanted to play someone who would move the story forward.'

Claire is also mother to four-year-old Cyrus, who she shares with Hugh Dancy.

The American actress married the English Hannibal star in 2009, and the couple reside in New York.
She's the Seven Year Switch star who once worked as an X-rated webcam model and spent time in rehab for a 'serious drinking problem'.

And now an old blog entry from Kaitlyn Isham has given some more insight into her victorious battle against the bottle.

The blog post, written when the vivacious blonde was 25, is titled 'All about Kait the Great!'

'I went to rehab!' Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham opened up about her drinking problems in an old blog post that recently resurfaced

It begins: 'Working a dead end job as a server with a degree in broadcasting and a serious drinking problem I thought what the f*ck am I doing with my life!?

'So I did the unthinkable  I went to rehab, got sober and bought a one-way ticket to Australia.'

It finished: 'With no job, no place to live and not knowing anybody this is bound to be the adventure of a lifetime and I'm looking forward to sharing with the world!'

'I did the unthinkable  I went to rehab, got sober and bought a one-way ticket to Australia,' she wrote

A photo recently surfaced of the 28-year-old smoking marijuana from a glass pipe, just days after sexually explicit webcam images were published online.

In a picture obtained by Daily Mail Australia, the racy university student can be seen holding the glass pipe close to her mouth with a lighter in the other hand.

In a statement, Kaitlyn said: 'This image is of me smoking marijuana which was both legal and tolerated where I resided in the US at the time.'

In a picture obtained by Daily Mail Australia, the 28-year-old university student can be seen holding the glass pipe close to her mouth with a lighter in the other hand

She continued: 'It was a long time ago. Cyber bullying is real and this is a stark reminder that images shared online in a private manner can be saved and used by other people in an attempt to embarrass and torment you.

'I am proud of the way I have turned my life around and the positive choices I make today. I am a good person and I will not be shamed by bullies.'

The photo of Kaitlyn holding the pipe was taken several years ago, when she was known as 'Silly_Mermaid' and 'Mermz' on an adult webcam site.

She works hard for the money! The reality star previously worked as a racy webcam model

Hardcore: Several of the images of Kaitlyn are extremely explicit, with one involving the use of a vacuum cleaner

It comes after Channel Seven confirmed sexually explicit images of Kaitlyn were being circulated on an American internet forum.

The pictures show Kaitlyn, who is from Florida, engaging acts of a sexual nature. One of her webcam performances involved the use of a vacuum cleaner.

A Seven spokesperson previously said the photos were part of 'social website activity which happened several years ago during a very low point in her life'.

Kaitlyn's brother, Eric Lind Isham, died aged 19 in a motorcycle crash in June 2010.

A Seven spokesperson previously said the photos were part of 'social website activity which happened several years ago during a very low point in her life'

Earlier this week, Daily Mail Australia obtained a Florida police report of an alleged domestic violence incident involving Kaitlyn and her stepfather Patrick Dabney in August 2011.

The offense report alleges Kaitlyn called 9-1-1 after she was 'punched in the face' by Mr Dabney at his home in Lake Worth, Palm Beach County.

It was claimed she was 'crying and visibly upset' with a 'bloody nose' when police arrived. Kaitlyn claimed the charges were later dropped.

Kaitlyn is currently on Seven Year Switch with her boyfriend, IT professional Mark.
He's one of Australia's biggest music exports.

And Cody Simpson looked to be enjoying his celebrity status as he made his way past adoring fans at LAX Airport on Friday.

The 20-year-old cut a cool figure in purple-tinted spectacles and a leather jacket draped over his shoulder, as he beamed for his waiting devotees.

The future's looking bright! Cody Simpson, 20, was in good spirits as he beamed for his waiting fans at LAX Airport on Friday

Cody cut an effortlessly stylish figure as he made his way through the terminal.

A black tank and unbuttoned shirt was teamed with a pair of lightwash jeans.

Draping a black leather jacket over one shoulder, Cody coordinated with distressed black ankle boots and purple-tinted spectacles.

A brown leather weekender bag carried the musician's belongings.

Looking good, Cody! The musician cut an effortlessly stylish figure as he made his way through the terminal

In style: A black tank and unbuttoned shirt was teamed with a pair of lightwash jeans

The Gold Coast native later made an appearance at the Earth x Global Gala in Dallas.

Sporting the same ensemble, Cody flashed the peace sign for the camera as he stopped for photos on the media wall.

The blonde hunk engaged with the audience as he then took to the microphone.

Details: Draping a black leather jacket over one shoulder, Cody coordinated with distressed black ankle boots and purple-tinted spectacles

On the go: A brown leather weekender bag carried his belongings

Meanwhile, Cody has come to headlines in recent years, not just for his musical talent but also his legion of female admirers.

He famously dated Victoria's Secret model Gigi Hadid, parting ways in May 2015.

The two previously broke up in May 2014, about a year after they first came out as an official couple.

In demand: The Gold Coast native later made an appearance at the Earth x Global Gala in Dallas

In profile: Sporting the same ensemble, Cody happily posed for photos in front of the media wall

The dancer and actor has also been linked to other stars including Kylie Jenner, Bella Thorne and busty blonde model Sierra Swartz.

Cody was discovered on YouTube, becoming signed to a record label at 13 years.

Previously based on Queensland's Gold Coast, the clan including his parents, little brother and rising star, sister Alli, 18, relocated to the States to further his career.

Cody, who now has his own record label, Coast House Records, is known for songs including Surfboard, Home to Mama and La Da Dee.

Having his say: The blonde hunk engaged with the audience as he then took to the microphone
She regularly shares updates about her five children on social media, but is often faced with criticism from some fans.

And Katie Price's latest photo of her youngest daughter Bunny saw her subject to yet more backlash, as it pictured the tot with lipstick smeared across her face.

The former glamour model, 38, had joked alongside her Instagram post on Friday: 'Oh dear I've caught Bunny with my make up again.'

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'Oh dear I've caught Bunny with my make up again': Katie Price, 38, found herself subject to more backlash after sharing a photo of daughter Bunny with lipstick smeared across her face

Little Bunny could be seen looking up at the camera guilty in Katie's snap, with her hair in sweet pigtails and a dark nude lipstick smeared messily across her face.

While Katie had clearly found the shot amusing and had meant to entertain her fans on the photo-sharing app, not all of them were amused.

One fan questioned why Bunny had been able to get her hands on Katie's make-up and penned: 'How about you put it out of her reach. Common sense but your blonde so you probably don't have any.'

Others, meanwhile, had warned Katie that the picture of her little girl could land her in hot water.

'That's you in trouble again': As the former glamour model faced more backlash, some of her fans had warned her that the snap of Bunny could land herself in hot water

One joked: 'That's you in trouble again lol #tooyoung for make up,' before reasoning: 'That's what girls do.'

While another said: 'Aww bless her watch u dont get slated by the trolls kids will be kids shes so cute x x.'

A third added: 'No doubt someones going to slate you for the whole makeup things! Screw them. Your kids are beautiful and do whatever they want!'

Another hit back at Katie's critics and wrote: 'Her child, her choice. You'll have your choice with your own children stop hating.'

'This is so cute': Endless others, meanwhile, were left amused by Bunny being smeared in lipstick and complimented Katie on how 'adorable' her youngest daughter is

'Her child, her choice': Others jumped to her defence and insisted she could post whatever she likes about her children

Endless other fans made sure to compliment Katie on how 'adorable' her daughter is, with many commenting on Bunny's 'beautiful' eyes.

It's not the first time Katie has caused a frenzy among her followers on Instagram, Katie's daughter Princess, 9, previously caused a stir when she was pictured online wearing her mother's make-up and more recently Katie had fans divided over her holiday snaps.

She had enjoyed a break in the Maldives with her family, but many had claimed that the photos of Princess, who Katie shares with ex-husband Peter Andre, had been 'too provocative'.

Like mother, like daughter: The former glamour model had previously come under fire for posting photos that fans claimed were 'too provocative' of daughter Princess, nine

Princess had appeared to mimic her mum and the way Katie poses herself.

However, Katie hit back at the comments about Princess earlier this month while appearing on Loose Women and insisted her daughter 'doesn't know what sexy is'.

Having her say, she said: 'She doesn't know what sexy is.

'People say theyre too sexy, if I said "Dont pose like that, its too sexy," she wouldnt know what I meant, because she doesnt know what sexy is.'

The TV personality then joked: 'She's just learnt from the best. The people saying she looks sexy, they should think about themselves.'

'She doesn't know what sexy is': Katie has since hit back at the negative comments and insisted Princess' posing is innocent

Katie said she believes commentators have one rule for girls and another for boys and her eleven-year-old son doesn't get the same treatment.

'They dont have a go at Junior. He likes to do the six-pack shots because thats what his dad does.'

'I can't say to Princess not to do it all sexy as she doesnt know what it means. They're jealous that she's a pretty girl.'
As a model, mother, dancer, fitness instructor and social media influencer, she's one of the busiest women in the public eye.

So Rachael Finch hardly has the time or desire to add critic magnet to the mix.

And on Saturday, the 28-year-old fired back at detractors who labeled her decision to part-time parent her daughter as being 'selfish', insisting they 'don't understand the intricacies' of her relationship with hubby Michael Miziner.

Hit back! Rachael Finch has hit back at critics of her part-time parenting arrangement that sees her have Friday-Sunday free every week while Violet, 3, stays with her grandmother

After announcing last year that her daughter Violet, 3, was looked after by her grandmother Irena from Friday-Sunday every week, fans were swift and savage with their assessment.

'Tbh I couldn't spend more than a few hours from my children. They are my blood, my love, my life. I don't understand why you do what you do,' one critic wrote underneath a picture on Rachael's Instagram page shared last year.

Added another: 'Why did she have a child if shes not going to be a fulltime parent? The odd night babysitting is great but every weekend, well thats just selfish.'

One year removed from the drama, the former Miss Universe Australia had more to say to her critics, telling Stellar: 'People only see the outside, they dont understand the intricacies of our relationship.'

The criticism: 'Why did she have a child if shes not going to be a fulltime parent? The odd night babysitting is great but every weekend, well thats just selfish,' said critics at the time

Intricate: 'People only see the outside, they dont understand the intricacies of our relationship,' the 28-year-old hit back this week, referencing her relationship with hubby Michael Miziner (L)

The brunette beauty also said that since the birth of adorable son Dominic in March, Irena can't look after both anyway, thus interrupting their formerly child-free weekends.

Hubby Michael, who she fell in love with on Dancing With The Stars, didn't understand the furor at all, insisting his mother 'loves' looking after Violet and gets annoyed when she can't see her for a few weeks.

It's not just parents online that Rachael has been struggling with of late, revealing to the publication that birthday parties have become a red flag due to parents who feed their kids sugar.

Not so free: The model also said that since the birth of son Dominic in March, the grandmother can't look after both, meaning the couple are not currently having child-free weekends

'For the first two-and-a-half years of her life Violet didnt know what sugar tasted like, and she still hasnt had lollies,' Rachael revealed.

She described the inconvenience of parents who didn't have items such as sushi at parties for their three-year-old kids, confessing she ensures adorable Violet is full before she arrives.

'Im with her and while I dont say no to everything, she understands its a treat when she has a tiny slice of birthday cake,' she reasoned.

Meanwhile, hubby Michael affords himself a naughty junk food treat every 365 days or so he revealed, confessing that he'd break the rules to eat a carbonara or pizza once or twice a year.

Red flag! Meanwhile, Rachael confessed that birthday parties have become a red flag while trying to avoid feeding her daughter sugar

That's how she does it! 'For the first two-and-a-half years of her life Violet didnt know what sugar tasted like, and she still hasnt had lollies,' Rachael revealed this week

Rachael also claimed to have ditched her once-fortnightly cheat meal of hot chips and ice cream because they made her feel sluggish.

The duo met on-set of Dancing With The Stars in 2010, with fate bundling them together as dance partners.

After revealing to Stellar she assumed dancer Michael was gay, she was pleasantly surprised to discover otherwise.

Three years later, the couple welcomed adorable, Violet into the world and three became four this year when Dominic was born in March.

Lovers! Rachael and Michael met on-set of Dancing With The Stars in 2010 and welcomed daughter Violet in 2013
His 'drunk' post-awards appearance on Today in 2009 has gone down in Logies folklore.

And in the wake of that event, Karl Stefanovic has reportedly declared he 'will not be getting p*****d' at this year's awards, which take place on Sunday night in Melbourne.

The 42-year-old spoke to The Herald Sun earlier this year to make the declaration, saying he would change his ways and be more accountable.

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Toning down his partying: Karl Stefanovic has reportedly declared he 'will not be getting p*****d' at this year's Logie Awards

'I am certainly growing up... I will always have a good time but I need to be more responsible,' he told the publication.

He added: 'I dont have to party all the time, I dont have to go out drinking all the time, I dont have to go to the Logies and get p----d every time because I can now enjoy other things in life.'

It comes after the Today Show star appeared worse for wear when he fronted up to hosting duties the morning after the 51st Logie Awards.

During the show he looked flushed and slurred his words, before confessing that he hadn't had any sleep.

Responsible: The 42-year-old said earlier this year that he would change his ways and be more accountable, according to The Herald Sun

The day after: It comes after the Today Show star appeared worse for wear when he fronted up to hosting duties the morning after the 51st Logie Awards

In a YouTube interview back in 2014 Karl opened up about the infamous bender, admitting he had gotten 'smashed' like any other year.

'We all get smashed at the Logies and go to work the next day; we'd done it for years and years,' he said.

'But this was the first Logies when stuff really started working on the internet,' he said.

'I remember seeing it on Today Tonight and going, 'Oh god'. I really was drunk, or at least I certainly looked and sounded drunk.'

Revelation: In 2014 Karl opened up about the infamous bender, admitting he had gotten 'smashed' like any other year.

Embarrassed? 'I remember seeing it on Today Tonight and going, 'Oh god'. I really was drunk, or at least I certainly looked and sounded drunk,' the presenter said afterwards

Continuing his controversial history at the awards show, the father-of-three took home the Gold trophy in 2011, as well as a statuette for Most Popular Presenter, using the opportunity to praise his then-wife Cassandra Thorburn's features.

'My beautiful wife Cass... she's got the best a**e Ive ever seen,' Karl said as the crowd laughed and Cassandra blushed.

And now, after his marriage break-down and rumoured new romance with shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough, all eyes are yet again expected to be on the channel nine star.

However, despite their recent getaway to Mexico Karl's new flame is said to not be hitting the red carpet with him according to the Herald Sun.

Instead the publication report he will be joined by fellow Today show presenter Ben Fordham.

Controversial speech: Continuing his history at the awards show, the father-of-three took home the statuette for Most Popular Presenter, using the opportunity to praise his then-wife Cassandra Thorburn's features
She's a successful radio presenter, television host, and reality star.

So it's no surprise that A-lister Chrissie Swan is preparing to attend Sunday's Logie Awards.

On Saturday, the 43-year-old took to Instagram to reveal some of her '#Logiesprep' secrets, which included a waxing session and some frozen food.

Wax on, wax off! Chrissie Swan took to social media to reveal her Logies prep secrets, one of which includes an upper lip wax

In one image, the former Big Brother star can be seen staring intensely into the camera whilst waxing her upper lip.

It's unclear if the selfie was taken from inside a professional beautician's salon, or if Chrissie had opted do the waxing herself from the privacy of her own bathroom.

In another image, also marked '#Logiesprep', Chrissie shows off a 1kg bag of frozen Potato Gems.

'Logies prep!' In another photo, Chrissie showed off a 1kg pack of frozen Potato Gems

The frozen treats appeared to be a smash hit with her followers, with many leaving comments with their own tips on how to best consume the potato snack.

'Yum in the air fryer then season with salt and a splash of vinegar lol!' wrote one.

Another commented: 'I hope you are deep frying those bad boys.'

Yummy! The gourmand regularly uses her social media page to showcase her favourite foods or dishes that's she's prepared for herself or her family

Watch out Gordon Ramsay! Some of her recent meals have included sausage rolls with tomato sauce, meatballs and spaghetti, pumpkin scones, and granny's corned beef

The gourmand regularly uses her social media page to showcase her favourite foods or dishes that's she's prepared for herself or her family.

Some of her recent meals have included sausage rolls with tomato sauce, meatballs and spaghetti, pumpkin scones, and granny's corned beef.

The Logies take place on Sunday night and will be live broadcast on Nine.
Her envy-inducing glowing complexion and incredible figure allows her to pass for a woman half her age.

And Andie MacDowell, 59, looked absolutely radiant as she posed backstage at the hit musical Groundhog Day at The August Wilson Theater in New York on Friday.

The timeless actress, who played the role of Rita in the adapted musical's flick from 1993, stunned in a plunging glittering silver dress as she enjoyed her evening.

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Eternal: Andie MacDowell, 59, stunned in a plunging glittering silver dress as she enjoyed her evening at the hit musical Groundhog Day at The August Wilson Theater in New York on Friday

The Four Weddings And A Funeral star looked incredible in the form-flattering number, which fell at a stylish midi-level.

Andie's garment boast a daringly low-cut neckline - teasing at her ample assets while the wrap detailing honed in on her trim waist.

Adding further focus to her flawless decolletage, the model opted for a dangling long necklace.

Her striking features were on full display as she scraped back her brunette locks and opted for a slick of make-up - which included perfectly placed highlighter.

Age-defying: The Four Weddings And A Funeral star looked incredible in the form-flattering number which she teamed with a long silver chain

Beautiful: Her timeless features were on full display as she scraped back her brunette locks and opted for a slick of make-up - which included perfectly placed highlighter

Andie proved to be in great spirits as she mingled with the cast backstage - in particular Andy Karl, who takes on the role of Phil in the musical.

The beauty - who raises son Justin, 30, and daughters Rainey, 26, and Sarah, 22, with first husband Paul Qualley - recently credited hiking with helping her to maintain her envy-inducing figure.

Talking about what she was grateful for at Thanksgiving, Andie told the New York Daily News: 'Im thankful that my a** still looks good at 58!

'Im thankful that Im still strong and I can still hike as well as any young person.'

Having a laugh: Andie proved to be in great spirits as she mingled with the cast backstage - in particular Andy Karl, who takes on the role of Phil in the musical.

Big fans! The musical's cast looked delighted to have the screen icon with them

And it would appear her rear hasn't gone unnoticed among her co-stars.

Andie also recently joked that her Four Weddings And A Funeral co-star Hugh Grant, 56, told her her bottom looked good in a jumpsuit.

Speaking at L'Oreal's Women of Worth Awards in New York City last month, Andie recalled: 'I'm into jumpsuits right now.

'You know why? Because I'm 58, and I think my bottom looks good in a jumpsuit. That's what Hugh told me about the jumpsuit I wore at the [Hollywood Film] awards.'

Andie is soon due to re-appear on the big screen, and has been filming the movie Granite Mountain with Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connolly.

'I'm still strong': The beauty - who raises son Justin, 30, and daughters Rainey, 26, and Sarah, 22, with first husband Paul Qualley - recently credited hiking with helping her to maintain her envy-inducing figure

'That's what he told me': Andie also recently joked that her Four Weddings And A Funeral co-star Hugh Grant, 56, told her her bottom looked good in a jumpsuit

The true story, which is scheduled to be released on September 22 2017, is inspired by the story of a firefighter who loses 19 members of his team of 20 in a wildfire in Prescott, Arizona, in June 2013.

The actress and the rest of the cast will be filming in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and several other cities in New Mexico through early September.

Andie also stars in another drama, Love After Love, which is currently in post-production.

Another inspiring story, Love After Love - due for release in 2017 - profiles a mother called Suzanne, who will be played by Andie, as she reunites and separates with her two grown sons over the course of many years.
She is usually preened to perfection.

But Joanna Krupa's glamorous appearance at Catch in West Hollywood on Friday night was overshadowed by an embarrassing wardrobe mishap.

The reality star, 37, was caught off guard by a gust of wind as she stepped out for dinner and ended up flashing her nude knickers at onlookers.

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Oops! Joanna Krupa, 37, suffered a major wardrobe mishap as she ended up flashing her nude knickers while stepping out for dinner at Catch in West Hollywood on Friday night

And it seems Joanna was blissfully unaware her dress had reached new heights, as she didn't appear to try and cover her modesty during the unfortunate moment.

Despite giving other restaurant-goers a good look at her lacy lingerie, Joanna had cut a chic figure for her dinner date with friends.

She flaunted her desirable frame in a navy mini dress that teased a glimpse of her ample assets thanks to its plunging neckline.

Blissfully unaware: The reality star didn't attempt to cover her modesty as she didn't seem to realise she had fallen victim to a gust of wind on her arrival to the eatery

The blonde beauty put on a leggy display in her thigh-skimming number and made sure to elongate her enviable pins further by sporting a pair of navy-hued court heels to complement her dress.

She kept her tresses in a sleek and straight style and finished off her glam ensemble with huge gold hoop earrings and a slick of pink lipstick on her lips.

Joanna's appearance in LA follows news she is gearing up for another exciting television project.

Unfortunate moment: It wasn't just her dress that Joanna had to contend with as her blonde tresses were seen being blown about too

The former model - who is married to Miami nightclub owner Romain Zago - will be taking part in a new TV drama called Alternate Reality.

The show will see Joanna and five other former Real Housewives stars move to Los Angeles in a bid to pursue acting.

The former Dancing With The Stars contestant had appeared on the Real Housewives of Miami for two series, joining in the show's second season, before it was cancelled in 2013.
She has catapulted to fame since starring on Love Island's second series.

And reflecting on her life from now to a year ago, Olivia Buckland has gushed she is 'eternally grateful' to her family and friends for sticking by her - even back when she had nothing.

The reality star posted a series of tweets on Saturday that revealed her previous financial woes that included finding herself in 'serious debt' and having to 'sell her sofa to live'.

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'Eternally grateful': Olivia Buckland was seen reflecting on her previous financial woes and appeared to thank her family, friends and fiance for always supporting her on Twitter in a series of tweets on Saturday

Comparing her former lifestyle to the lavish one she now leads, with fiance Alex Bowen by her side, Olivia explained: 'I'm so grateful for how I'm living and what I have now. Around a year ago I had to sell my sofa for money to live, I was in serious debt...

'I had credit cards and owed my family and was living on beans on toast most weeks! Even so I was still a happy bunny!'

She continued: 'I was happy because my family and friends always supported me and never judged me on what I didn't have.'

'Although I am eternally grateful and proud of myself, Nothing compares to having a loving family, a dedicated fiance & amazing friends,' she concluded.

'I had to sell my sofa to live': The reality star claimed she was in 'serious debt' but despite leading a lavish lifestyle now - she insisted 'nothing compares' to having her loved ones around her

Lovebirds: Olivia's post came after she recently enjoyed a blissful holiday with her fiance Alex Bowen in Spain

Since appearing on Love Island, Olivia has gone on to model, bring out her own fashion line in collaboration with Quiz Clothing as well as working alongside L'Switch - a luxury hair extension brand.

She has also had fans hooked on her relationship with Alex - who she met on the show - and the pair are currently preparing to tie the knot, following his proposal in New York at the end of December.

The duo have recently returned from a sun-drenched break in Spain and couldn't have looked more loved-up in a slew of bikini-clad photos she shared with her followers on Instagram.

She put on an incredibly titillating display with her hunky man as they frolicked in the searing temperatures overseas.

Love-up: The dup put on an incredibly titillating display as they shared a slew of scantily-clad photos to Instagram throughout their short break

Olivia lined her page on the photo-sharing app with a plethora of saucy snaps - including one which flaunted her enviably shapely derriere as she canoodled close to her inked-up beau.

The sexy snap saw Alex pull in Olivia close as she showcased some serious side-boob in a tiny white string two-piece.

'Das ma man. Making memories ,' she captioned the picture, before going on to display her tiny waist in a solo snap.

With a glass of bubbly in hand, the blonde bombshell sat at the edge of a yacht as she exhibited her flawless physique in a skimpy plunging keyhole - which showed off her own collection of tattoos.

'I'm sat on a yacht in Spain!': With a glass of bubbly in hand, the blonde bombshell gushed about her trip as she flaunted her enviable frame in a glam keyhole style bikini

'Catching them rays': Throughout her break, Olivia slipped into an array of revealing two-pieces to show off her killer abs and more than ample cleavage

'Feeling super lucky today Can't believe I'm sat on a yacht in Spain!' she captioned the sizzling snap.

She then made a bikini change as she continued to indulge on the mammoth boat, and said: 'Catching them rays whilst the boys work .'

Their trip overseas was thanks to Alex's latest modelling campaign with clothing brand Gym King where he teamed up with Big Brother star Alex Cannon on the shoot.

Prior to jetting off with her boyfriend, Olivia had revealed in the latest issue of Closer magazine, that she wants Love Island host 'party animal' Caroline Flack to attend her wedding to Alex - despite the TV presenter being accused by viewers of being flirty with her beau in the 2016 show's finale.

Olivia said: 'Caroline Flack needs to come to the wedding! She's a real party animal so we need her there. We're inviting all the Love Island producers too, as they made it happen.'

Tying the knot: She recently revealed that she's set the date for her wedding to fiance Alex

Olivia revealed she has started planning her dream day with former co-star and best pal Cara De La Hoyde - who won Love Island in 2016 alongside Nathan Massey, before confirming their split last week.

Olivia also divulged that Cara is set to be a bridesmaid on the big day, telling Closer: 'Of course Cara is going to be my bridesmaid.'

Olivia is keeping tight-lipped about details of the wedding, but admitted that it will be in the UK so the pair's friends and family don't miss out, and they will plan a 'fab honeymoon abroad' after.

The curvaceous reality TV star has finished filming Say Yes To The Dress, so fans will have a sneak preview of what her dress is like before the big day.

Exciting: Olivia is keeping tight-lipped about details of the wedding, but admitted that it will be in the UK so the pair's friends and family don't miss out, and they will plan a 'fab honeymoon abroad' after

Olivia and Alex announced their engagement during a New Year's Eve break in December, despite only being a couple for five months.

Hunky scaffolder and fitness model Alex ignored claims that the couple were only a "showmance" and popped the question after whisking Olivia away to a romantic trip to New York.

Olivia spoke excitedly about her upcoming nuptials, saying: 'I'm loving being engaged and calling him my fiance. I can't believe we're going to be husband and wife!

'I'm not worried it will change anything - we're meant to be together.'

Despite coming in second place to Nathan and Cara, the couple won over the hearts of the nation.
She has been working her way through the recent split from Lewis Bloor.

And Marnie Simpson certainly showed off her revenge body as she took to Instagram on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Geordie Shore star showed off her fabulous figure in a risque transparent top for a racy selfie.

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Racy: Marnie Simpson certainly showed off her revenge body as she took to Instagram on Saturday

Making the most of her slender physique, Marnie squeezed her curves into a black sheer crop top, covering her modesty with her hands.

Adding an edgy touch, she wore a pair of ripped skintight jeans to complete the ensemble.

And with a generous helping of self tan and her dyed raven hair, she posed up a storm for the likes.

Sheer delight! The 25-year-old Geordie Shore star showed off her fabulous figure in a risque transparent top for a racy selfie

Marnie has been candid about her sexuality, since coming out as bisexual last year.

And after the demise of her latest relationship, Marnie once again opened up as she revealed in a Twitter question and answer session that her romance with love rat Lewis Bloor could see her date women once again.

The reality star split with the former TOWIE cast member earlier this year amid claims he cheated with 'every Tom, Dick and Harry' and she is now adamant she is on the hunt for a new girlfriend rather than boyfriend.

Open and honest: Last week, Marnie once again opened up as she revealed in a Twitter question and answer session that her romance with love rat Lewis Bloor could see her date women once again

Marnie and Lewis' relationship came to a bitter end after it was revealed he cheated on his ex on several occasions.

After returning from a friendly trip to Dubai which ended in a blazing public row, Marnie later stated that if she were to tell all about her ex, he would be 'ruined'.

Writing in her column for Star, she said: 'Lets just say if people knew the truth of whats gone on and how Lewis has treated me, it would ruin him. But I couldnt do that to him, even though he deserves it. Karma will do my dirty work for me.'

Elaborating further on the shocking developments, she replied to a fan who asked if she liked guys or girls better with: 'After the last guy defo girls.' Despite Marnie's heartbreak, she went on to say: 'Ill keep going until I find Mr Right and get married and have kids.'

Slammed: Her comments come after she and Lewis were caught on camera in the midst of a blazing row in Dubai as Marnie accused her former beau of taking her bank card

Her comments come after she and Lewis were caught on camera in the midst of a blazing row in Dubai as Marnie accused her former beau of taking her bank card.

Admitting that she was mistaken in her accusation, she wrote of the incident: 'Wed been drinking all afternoon and had been arguing for a good hour.

'To clear things up, Lewis didnt steal my bank card. I thought hed taken it so I couldnt storm out of the hotel. I was so angry.'

'It was karma ten times over': Admitting that she was mistaken in her accusation, she wrote of the incident: 'Wed been drinking all afternoon and had been arguing for a good hour

In her column she touched upon the Twitter spat they had last week, after their return to the UK.

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.

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)

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.'

During a recent interview, Marnie lamented over her own cheating past and insisted her romance with Lewis has taught her a 'valuable lesson'.

Make or break: Despite Marnie revealing she and Lewis had 'salvaged a friendship' on their Dubai holiday, she has since claimed the trip made her realise their relationship was 'not worth fighting for'

Marnie and Lewis had split in February after footage emerged of him kissing another girl on Valentine's Day.

He later confessed to cheating on Marnie during a trip they had taken to Barcelona at the beginning of their relationship and she has since revealed that Lewis is the first person to have cheated on her.

Marnie, meanwhile, has been unfaithful in the past to former boyfriends and speaking about her messy split with Lewis, she claimed that it had been 'karma' for her previous wrongdoings.

In an interview with Daily Star, Marnie lamented: 'Lewis was my karma, but it was karma ten times over.

War of words: Their Twitter spat last week was ignited when Lewis tweeted about snapshots apparently showing Marnie getting close to her ex Aaron Chalmers while they were together

'That's fine, but I've learned a valuable lesson... 'I'll never ever do to anyone what Lewis did to me. Ever.'

Marnie went on to explain that she and Lewis are now completely over, after failing to rekindle their relationship during a make or break trip to Dubai.

She claimed that the break had made her realise that there 'was nothing left to fight for' when it came to Lewis.

While away, she had taken to Instagram to tell fans that she and Lewis had 'salvaged their friendship' on the getaway, but their holiday was left on a sour note after footage emerged of Marnie in an explosive row with her former boyfriend - accusing him of 'stealing her bank card'.

Happier times: The pair had embarked on a romance after starring alongside each other on Celebrity Big Brother in August last year - before splitting six months later

Lewis denied the claims and branded them 'absolutely ridiculous'.

Now, Marnie has claimed that there is more to her split with Lewis than meets eye.

Hinting that not everything that happened between them has been made public knowledge, she cryptically said: 'If I was honest about what happened between Lewis it would ruin him... But I am the bigger person.'

Fans of the duo saw Marnie and Lewis get together while starring on Celebrity Big Brother in August last year.

Serious: They had continued their love affair after the show and Marnie had even moved away from her hometown of Newcastle to live with Lewis in London

After just ten days in the Elstree compound, Lewis had claimed he was 'in love' with Marnie.

They were forced to defend their relationship against claims they were putting on a 'showmance' and had continued their love affair on the outside.

Marnie had even moved away from her hometown of Newcastle to live with Lewis in London.

Her latest comments come after Lewis appeared to make a dig at his ex-girlfriend while proving he is now moving on from their failed romance.

Pucker up! The former Celebrity Big Brother star was seen receiving a kiss from both Made In Chelsea's Daisy Robins and Love Island star Tina Stinnes as he attended the same showbiz party as Marnie on Wednesday night

While attending the same showbiz bash as Marnie on Wednesday night, Lewis shared a photo of himself sandwiched between reality beauties Daisy Robins (of Made In Chelsea fame) and Love Island's Tina Stinnes.

The girls were seen draped over Lewis and in one photo even planted a kiss on either of his cheeks.

Lewis suggested that he is keen to embrace single life again and teased alongside his snap of the trio: 'Summer's always funner.'
Ryan Murphy 'loved' 100-year-old Olivia De Havilland's statement about his FX anthology series Feud: Bette And Joan, in which Catherine Zeta-Jones plays her.

Gushing that 'she's amazing and everything that she says and does should be treasured,' the showrunner called Olivia 'forever a lady' to E! News.

Ryan, who's created Feud alongside Jaffe Cohen and Michael Zam, said: 'My favorite part of the quote was she said that she couldn't vouch for anything at the 63 Oscars because she couldn't remember it. I love that it was such a little blip in her life!'

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'Forever a lady': Ryan Murphy 'loved' 100-year-old Olivia De Havilland's statement about his FX anthology series Feud, in which she's played by Catherine Zeta-Jones

Olivia, who still lives in Paris as she did during the events of Feud, had responded to The Hollywood Reporter's email inquiring after her opinion of the series.

'Having not seen the show, I cannot make a valid comment about it,' the last living movie star character from Feud wrote about its overall faithfulness to the facts.

'However, in principle, I am opposed to any representation of personages who are no longer alive to judge the accuracy of any incident depicted as involving themselves.'

'I cannot make a valid comment': Olivia, who is pictured at the Cesar Awards in Paris in 2011, responded to The Hollywood Reporter 's email requesting comment on the show

She's also claimed: 'As to the 1963 Oscar ceremony, which took place over half a century ago, I regret to say that I have no memory of it whatsoever and therefore cannot vouch for its accuracy.'

Feud: Bette And Joan, the anthology's first season, paints Olivia - who allegedly nursed a decades-long rivalry with her own sister Joan Fontaine - as a steadfast ally to Bette Davis in her battle of wills against Joan Crawford.

On the recent fifth episode, Olivia is seen attending the 1963 Academy Awards on the arm of Bette, who's been played by Susan Sarandon.

The woman behind the woman: Feud: Bette And Joan, the anthology's first season, paints Olivia as a steadfast ally to Bette Davis in her battle of wills against Joan Crawford

Bette and Joan (Jessica Lange) had co-starred in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, but only the former got an Oscar nod, igniting the rancor of the latter.

The series portrays Joan as conniving with scathing gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Judy Davis) to campaign against Bette, ultimately enabling Anne Bancroft to win.

In a flourish of cruelty, Joan arranged to accept Anne's (Serinda Swan) Oscar for The Miracle Worker at the ceremony, given Anne was working on a play in New York.

Titans: Joan (Jessica Lange) and Bette (Susan Sarandon) had co-starred in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, but only the later got Oscar nod, igniting the rancor of the former

Olivia's entanglement in the Crawford-Davis saga came to a head when Bette and Joan were working on their next collaboration-to-be, Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte.

Joan ultimately bowed out of the film, citing illness - though, per the show, the true reason was Joan's bitterness at Bette's producing credit and consequent domineering attitude over the increasingly fraught production.

When she did leave, it was Olivia who slid into her place, and the resultant film, directed by Baby Jane's Robert Aldrich, went on to garner seven Oscar nominations.

Iconic: Olivia's arguably best-known for her performance as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in the 1939 film Gone With The Wind, based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell

Date night: On the recent fifth episode, Olivia is seen attending the 1963 Academy Awards on the arm of Bette, who lost Best Actress that night to Ann Bancroft for The Miracle Worker

A 10-episode season two of Feud will revolve about the tumultuous relationship between Charles, Prince Of Wales and his first wife Diana, Princess Of Wales.

Ryan indicated there's been quite the clamor for the Diana gig, telling E! News: 'I was shocked at how many people did want it. Diana has become sort of a Scarlett O'Hara thing where a lot of people have thrown their hat in the ring.'

The analogy's apt: season one of Feud alludes to the fact Bette Davis turned down the role of Scarlett, which wound up going to Vivien Leigh - who played it in Gone With The Wind opposite Olivia as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes.

Try to remember: The real Olivia's recent statement claimed of Oscar night 1963 that 'I have no memory of it whatsoever and therefore cannot vouch for its accuracy'

Ryan gossiped further that 'I'm just talking to a lot of people and lot of actors want to be Charles too. We're writing now and we're shooting it in the fall.'

As for what sort of actor he wants, he's keeping his options open: 'I'm looking at both known and unknown. I'm reading unknowns and I'm also meeting very famous established British actresses. Everything, everybody.'

He and Susan 'are talking about a show to do together,' and as for Jessica - who's won two Emmys and been nominated for two more for her work on Ryan's American Horror Story - 'we're always talking about stuff.'

The replacement: Olivia's entanglement in the Crawford-Davis saga came to a head when she replaced Joan to star opposite Bette in Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

With 'Jessica, it's always all about: "Well, what is it creatively and how is it interesting?" Jessica doesn't care if it's big or it's small, she cares if she gets to do something that's interesting to her at that time.'

He confided that 'she and I are obviously very close and we talk all the time and dish the dirt about everything. She's really the coolest person ever.'

Feud: Bette And Joan will be airing its first season finale this Sunday, with the next season expected to begin airing episodes next year.
Hundreds of supporters marched to show their defiance as fears of a post-truth age looms over academic institutions.

And Peter Capaldi, 59, showed his allegiance to the cause by turning up to march with scientists, astronomers and biologists in London on Saturday.

The Doctor Who actor appeared to be in high spirits as he gathered with other supporters outside the Natural History Museum.

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Support for science: Peter Capaldi, 59, showed his support at the March For Science demonstration in London on Saturday

Horsing around: The Doctor Who actor showed his fun side as he joked with crowds

Wearing a smart casual suit with a denim shirt layered underneath, the Tardis time traveller was all smiles as he thrilled fans by taking selfies with them.

With his signature wiry grey hair styled into curls, Peter demonstrated his support for scientists and experts to come to the UK following Brexit, an importance stressed by The Commons Science and Technology Committee this month.

It followed a host of warnings from influential figures in the scientific community that divorce from the continent could have a crippling impact on research and provoke an exodus of talent.

Scientific selfie: The actor thrilled fans by taking selfies with them

Part of the crowd: Peter posed with other supporters there to march

Peter's appearance in the march came after the highly-anticipated new series of Doctor Who finally made its debut on the BBC last Saturday.

The pilot episode went down a storm with fans, who immediately took to Twitter to praise the time lord's new openly gay sidekick, Bill Potts.

Avid followers of the show showered actress Pearl Mackie with compliments on the social media site after making her debut as a 'great, relatable character' - with some even calling her the 'best companion ever'.

Back with a bang: The highly-anticipated new series of Doctor Who made its debut on the BBC on Saturday night - with fans praising the new assistant Bill Potts (R)

She's a hit: Viewers showered actress Pearl Mackie with compliments on Twitter after making her debut as a 'relatable character' - with some even calling her the 'best companion ever'

After sixteen months since its last series, starring Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, the beloved sci-fi show made its return to television on Saturday night.

However despite the episode receiving high praise all round, it was his new assistant Bill Potts who seemed to capture the hearts of fans - replacing Victoria actress Jenna Coleman in the last series.

Fans took to Twitter in their hundreds to praise not only the actress and the character, but also the presentation of an assistant with same-sex romantic interest.

New girl in town: New openly gay assistant Bill Potts seemed to capture the hearts of fans on the first episode of the twelfth series

High praise: Fans took to Twitter in their hundreds to praise not only the actress and the character, but also the presentation of an assistant with same-sex romantic interest

One fan kicked off the praise by writing: 'I already like bill 100 times more than rose & amy combined,' as another added: 'I was dreading not liking Bill but she is a great, relatable character - well done @Pearlie_mack'

Another particularly enthusiastic fan joined the fray by commenting: 'BILL POTTS IS MY IDOL AND SPIRIT ANIMAL,' as another simply agreed: 'I approve of the new series and Bill.'

Clearly taken by the 29-year-old actress however, many even claimed she was the most likeable assistant of any series, writing: 'Bill is the best companion EVER.'

Others then showed their more playful sides by creating a selection of funny memes to commemorate the fact that Moffat had 'fianlly' got the assistant character right - with one featuring an image of actress Emma Stone weeping with joy.

Witty: Others then showed their more playful sides by creating a selection of funny memes to commemorate the fact that Moffat had 'fianlly' got the assistant character right (above)

Top dog: Clearly taken by the 29-year-old actress however, many even claimed she was the most likeable assistant of any series, writing: 'Bill is the best companion EVER'

Meanwhile others were quick to compliment both the character and the episode itself - which followed the Doctor as a university lecturer, who finds himself battling a shape-shifting water woman.

One wrote: 'New #DoctorWho then. Already love Bill. The shiny new trio work brilliantly. Looking forward to more!'

While further fans penned: 'Bloody loved the first episode! Can't wait to see how the series unfolds!!!' and 'Great season opener for #DoctorWho. Peter Capaldi brilliant. Shame he's leaving. Pearl Mackie very good.'

Pearl has garnered more attention than past assistants ahead of her first appearance, due to the fact her character Bill is the first openly gay sidekick to the timelord - a concept fans also praised on the site.

Back to its best: Others were quick to compliment both the character and the episode itself - which followed the Doctor as a university lecturer battling a shape-shifting water woman

Impressed: One fan penned: 'Great season opener for #DoctorWho. Peter Capaldi brilliant. Shame he's leaving. Pearl Mackie very good'

Many expressed their delight with show runner Steven Moffatt, who will bow out after series 12 along with Capaldi, writing in a gay character.

One tweeted: 'Handling a gay woman respectfully? what is this? is it real? i'm in shock,' while another added: 'There's literally tears streaming down my face over this gay representation right now.'

A further viewer chimed in: 'Excellent first episode of the new series. Pearl Mackie's Bill adding a welcome new dimension to a format that was growing tired.'

Meanwhile another affirmed it was the strongest part of the episode, writing: 'Bill Potts' sexuality was displayed exactly like a straight character and this is the thing I'm happiest about from that first ep #DoctorWho'

Doing it right: Many expressed their delight with show runner Steven Moffatt, who will bow out after series 12 along with Capaldi, writing in a gay character

Modern: Moffatt was very open about Bill's sexuality from the beginning - featuring a scene of her discussing what she likes in women

While the episode still focused on the usual time-and-space-hopping escapades of the Doctor, Moffatt was very open about Bill's sexuality from the beginning.

One early scene in the episode saw the sidekick discuss what she likes most in women - and describing a former object of her affection in the university canteen.

She told him honestly in the scene: 'There was this girl student, beautiful... eye contact - perversion. I gave her extra chips every time, extra chips like a reward for all the perversion.'

'About time': Earlier this week the 29-year-old rising star admitted to Good Morning Britain that she thinks it was 'about time' the show starred a gay assistant

Popular: She also admitted the sudden attention from the new role has 'been insane', and that she was 'grateful' when her phone died

LGBT characters have featured in the popular series before, including John Barrowman's Captain Jack and River Song, but Bill is the programme's first openly gay permanent companion.

Mackie alongside Moffat spoke about the show's return in a Youtube interview for Doctor Who: The Fan Show - admitting her casting was important to show diversity to audiences.

She said: 'I think it's crucial to have that kind of representation in mainstream TV, on shows that are aimed at children as well as adults.

'I think it's important for younger children to see someone like them or who may be experiencing similar feelings to them on TV, so they can see themselves within it.'

Doing her bit: Mackie spoke about the show's return in a Youtube interview for Doctor Who: The Fan Show - admitting her casting was important to show diversity to audiences

However, Peal added that actors could not be expected to represent minorities in their entirety, stating: 'I'm just here to play one character. My job is to play Bill, as truthfully as I can in all situations.

'And to think that I am representing all ethnic minorities or all gay people in the world is ridiculous. I don't think I should be expected to do that.'

Earlier this week the 29-year-old rising star admitted to Good Morning Britain that she thinks it was 'about time' the show starred a gay assistant.

She explained: 'The terminology, 'the official companion' is why she's the first gay companion. It's the terminology of that that's actually the first for Doctor Who. I mean, it's about time isn't it?'

Farewell: The series marks the final one for Peter Capaldi - who is set to pass on the famous baton at Christmas

New kid in town: Meanwhile Pearl replaces Victoria actress Jenna Coleman as the sidekick in the new series

However she went on to admit it had not been easy to deal with the sudden attention that comes with being the Doctor's assistant - a role played previously by the likes of Billie Piper and Jenna Coleman.

'It has been insane,' she said. 'That first day when I was first announced I got some friends round and then loads more people saw it, my friends were texting me, people calling, my Twitter count was going up.

'I was really grateful when my phone died actually. I was like, that is too much for me to deal with right now, I'm just going to put that away.'

A trailer for next week's episode showed that John Simm would make his return as the Time Lord's arch-nemesis The Master.
She's always been open about her weight struggles, and even once served as the official face of Jenny Craig.

But in a new column for Stellar magazine, Magda Szubanski has recalled a past incident where her confidence was tested after unflattering photos of her at the beach made their way into the media.

However, the after initially being rattled by the experience, the 56-year-old was able to shake the incident off and take a defiant stance against body shamers.

Flashback: , Magda Szubanski has recalled a past incident where her confidence was tested after unflattering photos of her at the beach made their way into the media

'You are not gonna shame me off the beach,' she wrote.

'Im gonna go down to Bondi, and Im gonna be a fat middle-aged lady, along with the supermodels and the muscle men.'

She finished: 'Im gonna wear my wet, clingy bathers, and theres not a freaking thing you can do about it.'

'Im gonna go down to Bondi, and Im gonna be a fat middle-aged lady, along with the supermodels and the muscle men,' wrote the defiant star

The Babe star recently shared a sweet snap to Instagram showing her family's Easter celebrations.

She said although she's not 'into organised religion,' she likes spending quality time with her family, including her mother Margaret, 92.

Magda recently shared her heartbreak over her mother's declining health.

'Mum and I spend a lot of time like this these days. Just sitting quietly holding hands.

Coming together: Babe star Magda recently shared a sweet snap to Instagram showing her family's Easter celebrations, including a shot of her mother, Margaret, 92, (top L)

'She's fading so fast. Good days and bad days,' the comedian wrote online.

'She's often not sure if I'm her mother or her sister or her daughter,'she said.

She also described the other daughters she sees visiting their parents at the age care facility as 'a secret army of carers'.

But Magda clarified: 'I'm not her full time carer but I do as much as I can. And (I) always fear it's not enough.'
Cindy Crawford shared her very first Harper's Bazaar cover on Instagram this week to help celebrate the magazine's 150 year anniversary.

The 51-year-old beauty was 21-years-old as the issue came out in June 1987.

With a yellow hat on and some wispy bangs, the brown-eyed stunner looked ready for a day at the beach.

Sweet flashback: Cindy Crawford shared her very first Harper's Bazaar cover on Instagram this week to help celebrate the magazine's 150 year anniversary.

Next Christie Brinkley shared her first cover.

The 63-year-old blonde looked radiant in a red halter dress, red lipstick and red and black earrings. She was in her twenties at the time.

She joked that the magazine hard turned 150 years old and not her.

Cute: Next Christie Brinkley shared her first cover. The 63-year-old blonde looked radiant in a red halter dress, red lipstick and red and black earrings

Newer: Gigi Hadid, 21, also shared one of her Harper's Bazaar covers. She was in a white and blue dress with her hard down as she had her hand on the face of a white horse

Gigi Hadid, 21, also shared one of her Harper's Bazaar covers.

She was in a white and blue dress with her hard down as she had her hand on the face of a white horse.

The girlfriend of Zayn Malik wrote in her caption: '150 years of Harper's Bazaar!!!!! Forever grateful for unforgettable moments this magazine has brought my life.'

Another: Kendall Jenner shared her cover too where she had flowers around her head

Kendall Jenner shared one of her covers too where she had flowers around her head. It is not known if it was her first cover or not.

Jenner was at Harper's BAZAAR 150th Anniversary party on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old model glittered in a sequinned gown which showed off just the right amount of flesh.

The event was hosted by jeweler Tiffany & Co at the The Rainbow Room in New York and made room for a host of stars.

Perfection! Jenner looked fantastic in a sequinned gown at the the Harper's BAZAAR 150th Anniversary bash in New York on Wednesday

Kendall's gorgeous gown featured a plunging neckline down to the navel and she adorned her neck with a metallic choker.

Her brunette locks were pinned up in a simple updo and she accessorized with chic drop earrings.

The Vogue beauty completed the look with some gold studded heels.

Leggy lady: Kendall turned heads in her ultra glam gown as she arrived for the star-studded evening

Her face in lights: Kendall proudly posted about her image plastered across a NYC icon on her big night

Icons: The party celebrated by beaming a host of iconic star's faces onto the Empire State

Lighting up the skyline: Elizabeth Taylor was another Hollywood icon to feature

Model of the moment: Kendall posed with Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey

Sitting pretty: Kendall worked her poses like a pro inside the party

And just in case she hadn't stolen the spotlight enough, Kendall proudly showed off a picture on her Instagram page as her face was beamed onto the iconic Empire State Building in NYC.

'Empire State Builing ft. Meeee,' she told her fans.

Kendall was joined by her mother Kris Jenner, 61, and the duo cozied up for a photo together on the red carpet.

Family affair: The catwalk beauty cuddled up to her mother Kris Jenner, 61

Pour it up: The brunette sipped from a wine glass as she got playful during the gathering

The KUWTK matriarch opted for a sheer embellished top which revealed her bra, along with smart black pants.

She draped a satin coat over her shoulders and sported simple black heels for evening glam.

Other A-list arrivals included model Doutzen Kroes, who looked fab in an off the shoulder black dress.

Gorgeous: Other A-list arrivals included model Doutzen Kroes, who looked fab in an off the shoulder black dress

Gimme Moore: Demi Moore rocked a long leather skirt, cinched tight around her svelte waist

Statuesque: It seems green was the color of the evening as Iman and Coco Rocha showed off stylish looks

Unique: Designer Tory Burch showed up in an intricate two-piece ensemble

Nice in neutrals: DJ and model Hannah Bronfman wore crushed velvet and some nude heels

Demi Moore rocked a long leather skirt, cinched tight around her svelte waist.

The non-aging Christie Brinkley meanwhile wore a black polka-dot dress, as her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook opted for a plunging red jumpsuit.

While she has no problem showing off her feminine flair, Kendall recently revealed she doesn't enjoy dressing up as much as her sisters and that she gets her tomboyish side from her father Caitlyn Jenner.

Timeless: The non-aging Christie Brinkley meanwhile wore a black polka-dot dress, as her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook opted for a plunging red jumpsuit

Ladies in black: Vera Wang and Alexandra Richards opted for classic evening looks

Fashion forward: DJ Mia Moretti stood out in a corset style top and tiered maxi skirt

Fashion posse: Editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar Glenda Bailey posed alongside Ralph Lauren

'I mean, I'm a girl and I like being a girl, but I've just never been into it like they have. I think I get that from my dad. I'd say I'm more of a Jenner than a Kardashian.' she told Harper's BAZAAR.

It seems as it's always been this way as Kendall admitted that she gravitated more toward boys than girls socially.

'I was a huge tomboy,' she said. 'I had a phase where I wore boys' clothes. I was always hanging out with guys. I've always connected with guys more.'

Hi! Demi and Christie looked delighted to see each other outside

Super: Iman's train made quite the entrance

Wow: The 5'10" Doutzen added a few more inches to her incredible frame via heels

Priyanka Chopra flashed a good deal of cleavage in a turtlenecked salmon-colored dress with flecks of gold patterning all over it.

The floor-length number was sleeveless, and the Bihar-born bombshell let her hair fall free over her shoulders.

At one point, she mugged for the cameras by closing her eyes and blowing a kiss.

Radiant! Priyanka Chopra flashed a good deal of cleavage in a turtlenecked salmon-colored dress with flecks of gold patterning all over it

Hello, gorgeous! The floor-length number was sleeveless, and the Bihar-born bombshell let her hair fall free over her shoulders

Controversial celebrity photographer Terry Richardson wore a lime green anorak vest over a grey hoodie over a powder blue button-down shirt over a black undershirt.

He put an arm around his partner Alex Bolotow, whose jacket was striped in several colors and was worn over a black sweater and black pants.

Alex, the father of Terry's twin boys Rex and Roman, posed leaning against her man's shoulder, her eyes closed as if she were snoozing.

Controversial celebrity photographer Terry Richardson posed with an arm around his partner Alex Bolotow, who is the mother of his twins Rex and Roman

The woman in black: Constance Jablonski wore a short-sleeved flowing spotted charcoal top over matching skintight trousers and black ankle-strap stilettos

Constance Jablonski wore a short-sleeved flowing spotted charcoal top over matching skintight trousers and black ankle-strap stilettos.

Meanwhile, designer Zac Posen wore a charcoal blazer over a midnight blue sweater, dark jeans and walnut brown dress shoes.

The Empire State Building had been illuminated in honor of the event with the image of a woman in a bra against pink and blue lights.

Simply stylish! Meanwhile, designer Zac Posen wore a charcoal blazer over a midnight blue sweater, dark jeans and walnut brown dress shoes

Another fashion designer in attendance was Christian Siriano, who posed alongside writer Janet Mock.

Christian wore head-to-toe black, with a glinting blazer flung over a T-shirt, jeans and dress shoes.

Janet's hair was gathered up into a bun, and she wore a black trenchcoat over a V-neck white top and black slacks.

Dynamic duo: Another fashion designer in attendance was Christian Siriano, who posed alongside writer Janet Mock

Party time: Guests were in understandably high spirits as they let their hair down at the event

Say cheese: Kit Keenan and Cynthia Rowley posed for photos after making their way inside the glamorous event

Banter: Kris Jenner shared a joke with a fellow guest on Wednesday evening

In good company: Harper's Bazaar style director Joanna Hillman (in blue) rubbed shoulders with an array of guests at the special event

Plenty to talk about: Coco Rocha and Alexandra Richard enjoyed a chat over a glass of champagne
Defined by railroads, gaming and ranching, the City of Elko was at a comfortable size in 1967 when its third quarter-century of incorporation began. During its first 50 years, the city had experienced two World Wars, an economic depression and the showbiz spotlight. Post-war construction expanded the business and residential districts east on Idaho Street and north past Cedar Street.

Sometimes change is not planned. In the case of Elko, growth was born from many individuals ideas or questions that challenged the status quo, purposefully or unintentionally. Because of them and the metamorphosis that took place, Elko left the cocoon of the past and began to emerge as a modern city of the late 20th century.

In 1966, a group of businessmen looked at the economic landscape of Elko and its future. Other than leaving town for higher education or a specialized trade school, graduates of Elko High School were left with few options. Other small cities in the West were able to sustain a community college, so why not Elko, they pondered.

An institution that offered vocational training was ideal for Elko, wrote Michael Marfisi, one of the founders of Elko Community College.

In the 1960s, the Elko economy was pretty grim at times. Especially in the winter when tourist stopped coming  Elko people lived off each other.

According to Marfisi, a ripple effect throughout the community was guaranteed to follow the addition of a college.

The economic impact was obvious. A college would bring teachers and students, he wrote. An academic hub would also be good for the arts, although most of us thought first of vocational training.

A renewed can-do spirit infused the town with the goal to establish a community college. The community wholeheartedly backed the project with the Give a Days Pay fundraiser. Residents were recruited to either teach or take classes in its early days. Candidate for governor Paul Laxalt voiced support for the college.

Despite little support from the state, a grassroots movement led by Robley Burns Jr., Mark Chilton, Dr. Hugh Collett, Fred Harris, Albert Huber, Mike Marfisi, Dr. Les Moren, Norman Glaser, Paul Sawyer, Carl Shuck, Mel Steninger, and William Wunderlich Jr. campaigned for funds and support.

Elko Community College held its first classes Sept. 25, 1967, in the old Grammar No. 1 building. Eight months later, reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes ensured the schools future with a donation of $125,000.

The next two decades saw the college flourish beyond original expectations and offering associates  and later bachelors  degrees in nursing, accounting, criminal justice, welding, diesel, computers, arts and general studies. By 1991, it was renamed Northern Nevada Community College to reflect its leadership of higher education in rural Nevada.

The 1970s saw an increase in developments surrounding the city, including the Spring Creek subdivision between Elko and Lamoille. The discovery of gold prompted the founding of Carlin Gold Co. and an increase in population. With the city beginning to expand beyond the railroad tracks, new concerns arose with regard to safety.

To hear it told by longtime residents, the railroad tracks were part of living in Elko. It was common to see cars totaled or hear of people or animals struck down by a train, day or night. The train whistles and rumbles of engines were so familiar that few people paid any attention.

Dan Bilbao Jr., manager of the Stockmens Hotel, remembered the day in the early 1970s that George and Theo Gund checked in as guests. While George drove to Jiggs to look in on his ranch, his wife Theo stepped onto Commercial Street and saw a horrifying sight.

His wife ventured out and she witnessed a young man run over by a train, Bilbao recalled. She was shocked.

Bilbao explained to her that it was a common occurrence due to the heavy train traffic. I said it was the kind of thing we were familiar with. She said, I think something should be done about that.

They walked to Dutch Stenovich Motors where they met the mayor of Elko, Leland Dutch Stenovich.

It was the initial conversation of Project Lifesaver, said Bilbao. We were so accustomed to it, people getting run over, sleeping on the tracks in the winter. She wanted to do something about it and did.

Named Project Lifesaver, the Federal Highway Act of 1973 offered federal funds to cities that wanted to relocate their railroad tracks. Chilton Engineering owner Mark Chilton, a former railroad engineer, was chosen to head the project that began with a spike-pulling ceremony on Southern Pacific Railroad tracks in front of the Stockmens on August 17, 1973.

On Nov. 11, 1983, the city celebrated the end of Project Lifesaver. The 10-year, $43 million infrastructure project saw the tracks pulled out of downtown Elko and a paved parking corridor put in its place. The former location of the Western Pacific Railroad tracks became Silver Street. The Union Pacific Railroad tracks were laid next to the Humboldt River with an Amtrak station, a sound wall built to the north of it, and three new bridges arched over it all.

The completion of the project was timed perfectly, as the next few years saw the biggest change to come to Elko yet: mining.

Mining of any kind was part of Nevadas Old West past. Ghost towns were shells of the boomtowns they once were. After the rise and fall of the Rio Tinto copper mine that operated from 1932 to 1948, many never consider minings resurgence in the mid-20th century.

The kind of gold in these hills would be mined differently. The old prospector was replaced by the geologist; the pan and pick axe with the haul pack; and dynamite with sophisticated drilling equipment. Rather than settle in crude mining camps, employees instead settled for a 30-45-minute commute from Elko to the mine site.

In the early 1960s, a quiet exploration by geologists John Livermore and Alan Coope of Newmont in the hills near Carlin revealed microscopic deposits of gold. They began drilling into the orebody in 1962. Three years later, the first gold bar was poured from the Carlin mine and by 1967 it produced 337,000 ounces.

The rising price of gold created a new interest in mining as it jumped from $36 to $160 between 1970 and 1975. By 1980, it skyrocketed to a peak price of $850. More deposits were discovered in the 1980s, with new mine sites opened by Newmont, Carlin Golds parent company. A joint venture by Freeport-McMorRan Inc. and Jerritt Canyon Gold opened a mine north of Elko, which was in full production by 1980.

Elko was quickly overwhelmed with employees and their families settling into the area. The influx was best seen at the schools where enrollment overflowed Grammar No. 2, Northside Elementary and Southside Elementary. Richard Harris, associate superintendent of finance for Elko County School District, saw an increase from 4,500 students countywide to 10,000 by 1989.

Harris credits the pay-as-you-go school tax championed by John Carpenter, Dean Rhoads and Chuck Knight for ensuring schools such as Elko Junior High, Mountain View Elementary, Sage Elementary and Spring Creek Elementary, Middle School and High School would be built without bond financing or debt.

U.S. Highway 40 was gradually transformed when construction began on Interstate 80 bypasses in 1979. Four overpasses were built with three exits leading into Elko. Traffic was significantly reduced on Idaho Street as drivers could simply speed past Elko on their way to Reno or Salt Lake City.

Commercial development had already expanded along Idaho Street to the east, as R.C. Red Ellis developed the Red Lion Inn and Casino. Next to it the Sunrise Shopping Center offered an Albertsons supermarket, JC Penneys and PennyWise. By the mid-1980s a second Red Lion, a Holiday Inn, and the East End Shopping Center stretched the town along old Highway 40, with room for expansion.

Thanks to the Interstate and subsequent construction boom, the city also expanded to the west. Another branch of retail opened on Mountain City Highway with a Safeway grocery near the airport and the Elko Junction Shopping Center at the I-80 exit.

Keeping track of the city and regions history was a passion for several longtime residents. The Northeastern Nevada Historical Society was established in 1956, and gathered support for a permanent location. A museum at the Elko City Park opened its doors April 6, 1968. A year later, Howard Hickson became the executive director, a position he would hold until 1993. The building underwent an expansion and gained national accreditation by the American Association of Museums.

The construction of a convention center and theater was another milestone for the city. On May 6, 1979, The Elko Convention Center and Auditorium allowed residents to tour the new facility that was designed to serve multiple purposes including hosting local functions, state conventions and music and theater productions.

The casinos continued to thrive in Elko, expanding to five until the Ranchinn closed in the early 1980s. To bring in more tourists the Red Lion started Casino Express in 1989, flying in gamblers to Elko from around the country. The venture proved successful in the coming years, as two jets brought guests three times a day to Elko.

Elkos leadership went through several changes in this time period. A court reporter and member of the Elko County School Board, Frank Weinrauch, defeated incumbent Frank Williams in 1967 for the office of mayor. After serving one term, he was defeated by Dutch Stenovich in 1971. George Corner, elected mayor in 1975, was one of many arriving to Elko to work in the mines in the late 1960s. Reelected four times  the second longest serving mayor in Elko history  Corner guided the city through the mining boom and major projects.

During the 1980s, Elko was still connected to its ranching and railroad past, but they were starting to be overshadowed by gold mining, especially among those new to the city. The Silver State Stampede and Elko County Fair were popular events that drew cowboys and ranchers together. Yet, it was another event spotlighting the cowboy way of life that would put Elko on the map in a different way.

In 1985, the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering showcased the poetry, prose and music of cowboys and ranch hands. Poets and musicians took to the stage and expressed their love of the range and the West, introducing a unique art form to the city. The popular event boosted the economy in late January and was named the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, bringing worldwide attention to Elko and its cowboy heritage.

The City of Elko was a little harder to define by the 1990s. The railroad wasnt as visible, but its train whistle served as a reminder of the towns origins. The gaming industry was beginning to rebound with the Casino Express flights. However, it was gold mining that was quickly putting its unmistakable mark on the city. The next 25 years would test the stamina of gold on Elko as the town, and the nation, would be rocked by political, economic and global changes.
Alex Jones has confirmed she will return to The One Show two days a week alongside co-host Matt Baker from Monday.

The new mother, who recently turned 40, explained it will be hard leaving her newborn son Edward Alun Burrell Thomson at home for the first time.

Although the BBC presenter is excited to slip back into her role on screen, she discussed how she will no doubt be 'feeling a little bit nervous'.

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'I'm feeling nervous': New mum Alex Jones will return to The One Show on Monday as she admitted it will be 'hard' leaving her newborn Teddy (pictured) at home for the first time

On Friday, the Welsh native looked fresh faced as she appeared in a video link carrying little Teddy.

Announcing her return, Alex said on The One Show: 'I'm coming back to The One Show on Monday.

'Matt, hopefully you'll look after me because I'll be feeling a bit nervous. Excited to see everybody, the whole team.'

Emotional goodbye: The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant made her last TV appearance on January 6, 2017 ahead of giving birth to her little boy

In her personal life, she has been enjoying every minute of being a mother and has shared a number of cosy family snaps.

The new mum admitted while she was excited to make her return, she will miss her little boy.

She added: 'It will be hard leaving little Ted, as every parent, I'm sure, understands.

Birthday girl: The new mum, who recently turned 40 (pictured at her party), is excited to slip back into her role but revealed she will be 'feeling a little bit nervous'

Family time: Alex posted the cosy snap of her heading home with her husband Charlie Thomson, mother in law and little Ted after a day out at the an art fair

'So yeah, I'll be back on Monday - two days to begin with. We'll see how we go!'

The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant made her last TV appearance on January 6, 2017 ahead of giving birth to her little boy.

In heart-warming scenes, the new mum couldn't contain her excitement when she announced Teddy had been born on a live telephone call to the show on January 26.

Alex tied the knot with the love of her life New Zealand insurance broker Charlie Thomson at Cardiff Castle in December 2015.
Jessica Simpson gave fans a generous view of her cleavage in an Instagram dispatch from a New York City summit for her eponymous billion-dollar brand.

She posed next to neon lettering of her name while wearing a black pantsuit that draped about the 36-year-old's hourglass frame.

Grasping a black leather purse spattered with floral designs in one hand, she placed the other at her side to emphasize her trim waistline.

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Her mother Tina at her side: Jessica Simpson gave fans a generous view of her cleavage in an Instagram dispatch from a New York City summit for her eponymous billion-dollar brand

Beside her, with one hand shoved in her pocket, stood her beaming mother Tina Simpson, who'd divorced Jessica's father Joe Simpson in 2013.

'I am so humbled and proud of our team's devotion to building the Jessica Simpson brand,' Jessica wrote in her caption. 'We couldn't do it without all of our hardworking partners! #12yearsgoingstrong @jessicasimpsonstyle'.

She'd given her location as the Manhattan headquarters of Sequential Brands Group, which per The Wall Street Journal nabbed a majority stake in her company in 2015.

Glamorous in grey: She'd been seen out and about in New York City on Thursday with her second and current husband Eric Johnson, whom she'd married in 2014

Jessica, who married her second and current husband Eric Johnson in 2014, had dished to New York Magazine in 2011 about the ideas behind her fashion empire.

'We try not to set trends, but you need your trending pieces in every delivery. But those go fast: What you really need is your basics for every type of person,' said she.

'When it comes to other celebrity brands, I think a lot of people do a great job, but it cant be all about them,' she'd explained. 'Everybody doesnt want to just look like the celebrity, because they cant. They just want one element of that style.'

Quartet: During their years-long engagement, Jessica and Eric welcomed a now four-year-old daughter called Maxwell and a now three-year-old son called Ace

During their years-long engagement, Jessica and Eric welcomed a now four-year-old daughter called Maxwell and a now three-year-old son called Ace.

Radar Online are quoting a source who's claimed that Jessica - whose last album Happy Christmas debuted in 2010 - may want to put her family in a reality show.

'Jess is super successful with her $1 billion clothing line and home-goods empire, but shes bored and wants to get back into show business; a new starring vehicle would be just the ticket,' alleged the person who spoke to Radar Online.
Ollie Locke was the first man to come out of the closet on British reality TV.

He sat atop a charcoal bean bag, looked best friend Binky Felstead in the eyes and said: 'I'm bi!'

'A lot of people didn't like that,' Ollie recalled, speaking exclusively to MailOnline. 'Some see being bisexual as a cop out, or greedy, or the easy path to take. But it should be celebrated. I didn't know what other word to use than bi. I now see myself as a gay man, but I will forever be trying to help the bisexual community.'

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'Sex is fabulous! But it's not the only thing gay men have to offer!' MIC star turned tech entrepreneur Ollie Locke reveals why he launched dating app Chappy... and admits he uses it himself

Ollie's position as a public figure, experiencing his own sexuality struggle under the media spotlight, has led him along a new path; and the Made In Chelsea veteran is now turning his hand to tech entrepreneurship.

'Now I'm taking everything I learnt from my own experience and using it to create a more positive space for people when it comes to online gay dating,' he explained, referring to his new business venture.

Ollie has launched an app - Chappy - which is, essentially, the anti-Grindr.

'In no way are we slagging off Grindr or saying that sex is bad! It's not, it's fabulous! But we are giving the gay community another option,' he elaborated.

Grindr, as a 'dating app' for gay and bisexual men, tends to veer toward the 'casual' approach when it comes to meeting a potential mate. And this is something Ollie wishes to dispel when it comes to the public image of gay dating.

Venture adverntue: Ollie's position as a public figure, experiencing his own sexuality struggle under the media spotlight, has led him along a new path; and the Made In Chelsea veteran is now turning his hand to tech entrepreneurship

'I hated the idea that the only place we, as gay guys, can meet someone is the same place that a 64-year-old man can send a picture of their d**k to an 18-year-old. It terrified me.

'Why is the only major dating platform based around sex? Surely that's not what we have fought for as a community! Sex is not the only thing on offer for gay men! What a sad state of affairs!'

On the flip side of this, Ollie's no fool; he realises that online platforms are where people go to meet people these days.

'I don't sleep, I don't have friends, I don't have sex!' Ollie's venture has taken over his life, he says

Coming out: Ollie sat atop a charcoal bean bag, looked best friend Binky Felstead in the eyes and said 'I'm bi!'

'No one can afford to go to bars anymore, or go out four nights a week looking for a boyfriend. I've been going to gay bars for the last 10 years but never met anyone. The chances of meeting anyone you want to be with at all is so slim, but in a bar it's even slimmer. People stay at home and use the apps now.'

Ollie dropped in that a pal of his told him recently that he 'met his boyfriend 1000 yards away'.

'This is because people don't want to say they met on Grindr (which is based on how near to someone you are in terms of distance). But we want people to happily admit that they met on Chappy,' he explained.

Ollie's venture - which he says has taken over his life ('I don't sleep, I don't have friends, I don't have sex') - has the backing of dating app maven Whitney Wolf, who famously left Tinder to set up Bumble.

Budding business: The app is based on the concept of Mr Right (for those who want a relationship), Mr Who Knows (for those who teeter on the edge of settling down and dating) and Mr Right Now

GBF: He also wants girls, who HAVE gay best friends, to encourage their friends to turn to the app in favour of unsavoury online options [pictured with co-star Steph Pratt]

'Jack Rogers (Ollie's friend and now business partner) and I decided we wanted to change things,' the 30-year-old recalled. 'We were at the bar on the top of the Ham Yard Hotel and we noticed Whitney was up there too. So we approached her.

'We told her that we share the same ethos. Within half an hour she'd turned round and said "I want to be your sister in this". We didn't think it was real. Within two weeks we were in Texas at the Bumble head office working with her.'

Cut to now; and Chappy has been live for about a month, and hit 1m swipes after three weeks of its launch which drew interest from the likes of Kim Kardashian's best friend Simon Huck.

Hopeless romantic: Ollie hopes his venture will help people find long-lasting love

Debut: Chappy has been live for about a month, and hit 1m swipes after three weeks of its launch

The app is based on the concept of Mr Right (for those who want a relationship), Mr Who Knows (for those who teeter on the edge of settling down and dating) and Mr Right Now.

'Mr Right Now is very much meant to be a date,' Ollie asserted. 'It's not meant to be a f**k! And actually, only 18 per cent of our users are on the Mr Right Now setting. Which shows that people are willing to find someone long-term.

'Chappy is about waking up on a Sunday morning with someone not going home with them for a s**g on Saturday night!'

Brief encounter: Ollie hit it off with Sam Faires of TOWIE fame while in the Celebrity Big Brother house three years ago

Former flames: On MIC he has dated fellow reality stars Gabriella Ellis [L], Chloe Green [R] and Ashley James before pursuing men

The infamous 'd**k pic' will be nowhere to be found on Chappy either; the app is linked in to its user's Facebook account, and so their profile photo will always be of their face. Headless torsos or questionably close up baguette-shaped blurs don't make it past the vetting restrictions.

Ollie would rather lose a scantily clad user than risk the legitimacy and rationale behind the app; he retains that the gay dating world can be unsafe and has garnered distrust. And he asserts that this venture isn't about making money - he wants to protect and inform.

Ill-fated: Ashley James and Ollie ended things following a tiff about Ollie's bisexuality

The ex files: Last season he dated and broke up with Nick Summerfield [pictured with Ollie and Rosie Fortescue] which ended with an ill-fated visit to a zoo

In fact, he's determined to be the nation's 'gay best friend' (as Matthew Wright once called him) and take the app further, launching blogs, a YouTube series and visiting universities to talk to students about LGBT issues.

He also wants girls, who HAVE gay best friends, to encourage their friends to turn to the app in favour of other unsavoury online options.

Ollie is where he is today greatly thanks to his time on Made In Chelsea. And on the series he has dated fellow reality stars Gabriella Ellis, Chloe Green and Ashley James before pursuing men. Last season he dated (and broke up with) Nick Summerfield, which ended with an ill-fated visit to a zoo.

While Chappy won't feature on MIC, Ollie is thankful the show has helped him and consequently others come to terms with their own sexual identities.

'Everyone's seen me put my sexuality on camera for the past six years,' he said. 'And an extraordinary amount of people have approached me because of it. One guy recently told me he helped his dad come out. A cab driver came out to me recently.'

And will Ollie - who is indeed single - use Chappy himself?

He also wants girls, who HAVE gay best friends, to encourage their friends to turn to the app in favour of unsavoury online options.

'Yes,' he said. 'Everyone always says I've done this app to sort out my own love life. Like I am so single that I'm approaching the founder of Bumble to find d**k. I hate that.

'I spent an awfully long time saying I couldn't be on an app because I was on TV - but I don't think that's the case with this.'

He insists that he wants to change any stigma around gay dating, and urges users of the app to 'look at the faces on there and say "can I imagine myself with that person?" and if the answer is yes, swipe right.'

'The way the gay community have come to see gay dating is not okay,' he concluded. 'It's vulgar, it's out-dated and immoral, and it's not right. People have fought and died for gay rights. And I want people to be proud to be on Chappy.'

Chappy can be found at this link.
Airline travel is best when wearing comfortable clothes.

And Kesha proved that theory correct arriving to LAX on Saturday.

The 30-year-old songstress looked relaxed in a skimpy pink slip that showcased her svelte figure while barely covering up with a floral robe.

Travel light: Kesha flashed the flesh as she arrived to LAX on Saturday

She arrived at the airport wearing a pink silky lingerie that hugged her ample bosom tightly.

Her legs were exposed as she donned a pair of cute pink high heeled sandals.

The robe looked silky as well and contained a beautiful intricate floral design.

The blonde bombshell carried a colorful clutch and retro style glasses.

Strut: She arrived at the airport wearing a pink silky lingerie that hugged her ample bosom tightly

Together: Kesha travelled with her boyfriend of three years, Brad Ashenfelte

Meanwhile, Kesha remains locked in a legal battle with producer Dr Luke, aka Lukasz Gottwald, with whom she signed a recording contract when she was 18.

She filed suit in 2014 asking to be released from her recording contract, claiming he had 'drugged and raped her.'

Dr Luke denies any and all claims of abuse and filed a countersuit for breach of contract and defamation.

Wrapped: The robe looked silky as well and contained a beautiful intricate floral design

In a hurry: The blonde bombshell carried a colorful clutch and retro style glasses

Last month a New York judge turned down Keshas attempt to break her contract, rejecting a motion to file an amended complaint.

The ruling from Judge Shirley Kornreich reiterates many of the points from the same judges earlier ruling, in April 2016.

Back then the judge dismissed her claims against the producer.
It began with Tom Hiddleston in The Night Manager  and now even revered Nobel Prize winners are getting in on the act.

A new television drama about the life of Albert Einstein shows the brilliant physicist engaged in a very intimate embrace with his secretary.

The shocking scene  shown in our exclusive pictures  comes just minutes into the first episode.

A new television drama about the life of Albert Einstein shows the brilliant physicist engaged in a very intimate embrace with his secretary. It carries uncanny echoes of Hiddlestons romp with co-star Elizabeth Debicki in the BBCs award-winning series The Night Manager last year

And it carries uncanny echoes of Hiddlestons romp with co-star Elizabeth Debicki in the BBCs award-winning series The Night Manager last year.

In the new ten-part series, called Genius, Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush plays Einstein, who is portrayed using his intellect to seduce women who cross his path.

When, during the opening sex scene, his secretary Betty Neumann  portrayed by Charity Wakefield  cries out Oh God, oh God!, the incorrigible boffin replies: God would most likely disapprove of this idea but I would convince him.

He then tries to persuade Betty to move in with him, even though he is happily married to his second wife Elsa.

In the new ten-part series, called Genius, Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush plays Einstein, who is portrayed using his intellect to seduce women who cross his path

Monogamy is not natural, he tells Betty. Its a construct of religious authority. I love Mozart and Bach, I love the Swiss Alps and the Baltic Sea. Why cant I love you and Elsa?

Producer Ken Biller said: Albert Einstein had many important women in his life and they play a central role in this series. I dont know if I would call him a womaniser because he didnt objectify women.

The drama shows that Einstein and second wife Elsa, played by Emily Watson, had an arrangement that allowed him to sleep with other women

'He loved women, he loved many women, and he had very set ideas about how he should conduct his life. He did not believe in monogamy, for instance. He thought it was a social construct.

The series, which also stars Johnny Flynn as a younger Einstein, paints a deeply unconventional picture of the scientist best known for his General Theory of Relativity, which explains that what we perceive as the force of gravity in fact arises from the curvature of space and time.

The drama shows that Einstein and second wife Elsa, played by Emily Watson, had an arrangement that allowed him to sleep with other women.

But Biller said: The series is very historically accurate. We know that during his marriage to Elsa he had many, many affairs and he had an arrangement which allowed that to happen. Its also a historical fact that he had an affair with Betty Neumann.

Einstein begins tonight at 9pm on the National Geographic channel.
They're adding to their family.

And Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor Oscar Isaac, 38, looked every bit the happy dad-to-be as he and his pregnant girlfriend, Elvira Lind, attended the premiere of her documentary Bobbi Jene in New York City on Friday.

It emerged last month that the couple were expecting their first child together after they were spotted with her growing bump on display.

Support: Oscar Isaac, 38, stepped out in a rare appearance with pregnant girlfriend Elvira Lind, 35, in New York on Friday

Isaac and Lind walked the red carpet together as part of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.

The festival is showcasing Bobbi Jene, which was directed by Lind.

It's the second time she's directed a documentary.

The documentary follows American dancer Bobbi Jene Smith as she moves back to the US after spending 10 years as the star of a famous Israeli dance company.

Together: The actor accompanied Lind to the premiere of Bobbi Jene, which Lind directed, in New York City on Friday

Movie star: Oscar kept it cool and casual in a black leather biker jacket over a simple grey sweater

Oscar kept it cool and casual in a black leather biker jacket over a simple grey sweater.

The actor rocked black pants and black shoes while sporting a nice unshaven look on his matinee idol face.

The Danish born Lind beamed as she dazzled in a black and white pinstriped sleeveless dress.

The soon-to-be mom sported blond bangs and cute biker boots.

Inspiration: Lind poses with the real life Billie Jene

The actor is notoriously private about his love life; so much so that in a December 2015 profile in GQ the only mention of the word 'girlfriend' is when the actor called the interviewer the next day to ask him to retract it.

Isaac only confirmed he was dating filmmaker Lind when they arrived at the Golden Globes together in January 2016.

The couple met in 2012, one month before he began shooting his critically acclaimed Inside Llewyn Davis.
He checked himself into rehab to 'battle his demons' last month, shortly after the birth of their first child together.

But despite their ups and downs over the last year, Stephanie Davis continued to voice her support for Jeremy McConnell on Saturday with a gushing Instagram post.

First posting a sweet throwback snap of their son Caben-Albi, the 24-year-old then shared a collage of the turbulent couple to her Instagram - declaring she is 'proud' of him for 'getting on the right track', as their little boy 'needs his daddy'.

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'Proud of you': Stephanie Davis continued to voice her support for Jeremy McConnell during his rehab stint on Saturday with a gushing Instagram post (above)

The pair, who met on Celebrity Big Brother last year, looked more loved-up than ever as they cuddled in the throwback shots, taken during happier times.

While they recently rekindled their romance after the birth of their son, their relationship was once again rocked when Jeremy was arrested on the grounds of assault last month - sparking his motivation to head to rehab.

Addressing their difficult few weeks, Stephanie vowed to support of her man in the caption of the post, writing defiantly: 'Proud of him for facing all of this.

'It's not been easy and one hell of a hard long road, but finally on the right track.'

'Pride and joy': Clearly feeling in a reflective mood, Stephanie had already reminisced over the first time she laid eyes on Caben in a throwback snap of him as a newborn earlier on Saturday

Admitting the pair were back on good terms, she continued: 'Missing my best friend. Can't wait till he's home. New lease of life, fresh start.'

She then followed the gushing post with the motivational hashtags: '#quesera #takesgutts #cabenneedshisdaddy #proudofubaby @jeremymcconnellcooke #nolookingback'

Clearly feeling in a reflective mood, Stephanie had already reminisced over the first time she laid eyes on Caben in a throwback snap of him as a newborn earlier on Saturday.

The photo shows a tiny Caben-Albi clutching his mother's finger as he sleeps peacefully.

Supportive: Admitting the pair were back on good terms after a fraught few weeks, she said beside the snap: 'Missing my best friend. Can't wait till he's home. New lease of life, fresh start'

Stephanie appeared to be nostalgic as she looked back on how small Caben-Albi was when he was first born.

The former CBB housemate gushed about her love for her firstborn, and called him her pride and joy.

Lamenting the fact that he was growing quickly, the actress captioned the photo:

'Can't believe how quick he is growing from when he was first born [sad face emoji] Would do anything to go back and do it all again.'

'Just my absolute pride and joy [heart emoji] Love him so so much [heart emoji]'

Better days: She is proving things are well and truly on the up with on-off love Jeremy McConnell, with whom she shares her son, as it has been claimed that she wants to marry him

Stephanie appeared to be nostalgic as she looked back on how small Caben-Albi was when he was first born.

Her relationship with Jeremy began when they starred together on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2016 before becoming embroiled in a toxic romance which ended in April a month before she announced she was expecting.

After persistently denying the paternity, Jeremy vowed to step up when he discovered he was the father although last month's assault arrest left fans aghast although kind-hearted Stephanie vowed to stand by the star.

While he has now headed to rehab, Stephanie persists in documenting life with Caben on social media, with Tuesday being no exception as they cosied up in the sweet snap while she wore a dressing gown ahead of the dip.

Shortly before her swimming session, sources revealed to The Sun that Stephanie was determined to marry recovering Jeremy as she believes the root of all their woes was drink and drugs.

'He's a nightmare, but he's my nightmare': Sources told The Sun the former Hollyoaks star wanted to wed her beau when he departs rehab, just hours before she shared an incredibly sweet snap with their son ahead of a swimming session

The insider said: 'Steph believes all the problems in their relationship were down to Jeremys drinking and drug-taking. Shes convinced that once he gets professional help, theyll be able to be happy again...

'As soon as Jeremy leaves rehab, she wants him to move to Liverpool where she can keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesnt slip back into old habits. After everything theyve been through.

'Steph is dreaming of a fairy-tale ending and that includes getting married. She believes a wedding would mark a fresh start and be the perfect chance to put the past behind them'.

Fuelling speculation: Stephanie had got fans talking after sharing a photo of a diamond ring on her finger

'I am not engaged': She was recently forced to deny rumours she and Jeremy are set to wed on Twitter

Last month, Stephanie had to deny rumours she and Jeremy were engaged, as fans began to speculate after she was pictured wearing a diamond ring on her finger.

Steph responded: 'I am not engaged guys. One day' (heart emoji) This weather is amazingggg but there's too many wasps and bees about #anxietycentral'

Over the weekend, she professed her love for Jeremy and was continuing her adoring assault on social media on Easter Sunday as she shared a snap of Caben while thanking his father for his nautical-style ensemble.

The actress took to Instagram to share the sweet image while wishing her 771,000 followers a Happy Easter on her four-month-old son's behalf.

Adorable: On Saturday, the stunning star sent a gushing message to Jeremy, shortly before delighting her fans with her sweet snaps of Caben in which she thanked Jeremy for buying an outfit for their son

On Saturday, the stunning star sent a gushing message to Jeremy, shortly before delighting her fans with her sweet snaps of Caben in which she thanked Jeremy for buying an outfit for their son.

She added a caption reading: 'Happy Easter Everyone... This is my first Easter! I got lots of eggs which my mummy is helping to eat.. hehe. I love my outfit off my daddy, it makes my eyes look extra blue! Thanks daddy! Hope you all have a great day'.

In her sweet snap the day before, Stephanie insisted she will 'stand by' her on/off boyfriend no matter what while publicly declaring her love for the Irish model in an emotional Instagram post.

She branded Jeremy a 'nightmare' in her tribute, but claimed he was 'her nightmare' as she brushed off their tumultuous past and looked ahead to their future as a couple.

'He is my soul mate and I love him': The former Hollyoaks star branded Jeremy a 'nightmare' in her tribute, but claimed he was 'her nightmare' as she brushed off their tumultuous past and looked ahead to their future as a couple

Taking to the photosharing site, Stephanie uploaded two photos of herself and Jeremy that had been taking during their time together in the CBB house. The duo are cuddling in one shot and looking adoringly at each other in the second.

Captioning her photo, Stephanie threw her support behind Jeremy - who is currently seeking treatment in rehab - and professed her undying love for the father of her child, Caben-Albi.

She penned: 'No matter what people say, no matter what people feel.. we have been though the most major ups and downs. He's been wrong, I've been wrong.. but I LOVE him.

'I met him un expectedly on cbb, but what you seen was TRUE LOVE!! When you go though that, with money and media, anyone in the industry would understand... ours was just played out in front of the nation.

'I will stand by him always and love him unconditionally': Stephanie is supporting Jeremy through his rehab stay after he voluntarily checked himself in to receive help for his issues

'He is my soul mate and I love him, you never give up on the one you love do you.... Jezz got a little lost, but who hasn't f**ked up in life??

'I know I have.... Just so happens ours is played through the media. And no we haven't been adults about it a lot, and it's been wild, but when your so in love with someone, passion gets the best of you! (sic)'

Stephanie continued: 'He's my rock my soul mate and I love him with ALL my heart!! Do you think we would put each other through this for fun?????? No... its because we match. And u seen us fall in love.

'And forever I will always love him. I'm proud [of] him! [It's] this change to get better, no matter what anyone says. I will stand by him always and love him unconditionally, he may seem a nightmare but [he's] my nightmare.

Family unit: The couple are parents to their three-month-old son Caben-Albi who was born in January earlier this year

'My best friend, my everything. Words couldn't describe the love I have for him! I love u baby and so proud of you. U will make Caben proud and can't wait for us to be a family again. I LOVE you!!!! Your baby, stephanie @jeremymcconnellcooke.'

Stephanie's tribute to Jeremy comes after the pair recently reunited following their bitter split last year.

He had confessed to cheating on Stephanie while they were together and shortly after their split, the starlet announced she was expecting Jeremy's baby.

At first, Jeremy contested Steph's paternity claims, but following Caben's birth in January earlier this year, he undertook a DNA test that proved he is the dad of Stephanie's little boy.

Supportive: Stephanie has insisted she is 'proud' of Jeremy for seeking treatment - his rehab stay came after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting her

Keen to form a relationship with his son and re-connect with Stephanie, Jeremy had reunited with his ex-girlfriend and later shared a photo of little Caben to his Instagram page, along with the caption: 'Happiest man alive, my new focus.'

However, his reunion with Stephanie was rocked by allegations that he assaulted her and Jeremy had been arrested.

Following his release, he sought help to battle his demons by checking himself into rehab.

'I just never handled fame': Jeremy shared a lengthy statement addressing his decision to check into rehab

Stephanie had told fans she was 'proud' of Jeremy for making the step to address his issues, while he posted a statement to social media explaining his reasons for seeking treatment.

Jeremy explained that he 'hasn't handled fame very well' and acknowledged he had 'let his family, friends and management down' with his behaviour.

The reality star insisted he is a 'good guy with a good heart' and claimed he is hoping to 'fix' his issues by taking the 'appropriate action'.

Penning her heartbreak: Stephanie has recalled her tumultuous history with Jeremy in a new song that includes the lyrics: 'Drowning out the pain cos you're not mine anymore, I was a chore but I adored you'

Stephanie, meanwhile, has recounted her heartbreak over her relationship with Jeremy in a new song.

Turning her attentions back to her music, the mum-of-one has penned a track to release the emotions she has of the last year.

The lyrics give a raw account of her feelings and include the lines: 'I've been missing spending time with your drinking and let me hear what you wanna say.. sipping on my liqueur cos it tastes so fine drowning out the pain cos you're not mine anymore, I was a chore but I adored you.'

Making reference to her latest music material on Twitter, Stephanie wrote: 'Started a new sound cloud. Songs to upload soon. Copyright enjoy :)'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about a Moscow-backed plan to investigate an alleged chemical attack in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced "regret" in a phone call with his US counterpart at Washington's opposition to a Moscow-backed plan to investigate an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

In the call with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson which "took place at US initiative," Lavrov raised the probe proposal made by Russia and Iran at the global chemical arms watchdog, the OPCW, said the Russian foreign ministry.

Western nations have accused the Syrian regime of carrying out the suspected April 4 air strike. But Moscow and Tehran, allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, have sought to clear Damascus of blame.

During the Friday call Lavrov notably "expressed regrets about the opposition of the United States at the (OPCW) to an initiative... to send inspectors to Syria to verify reports of the use of sarin gas in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun" which left 87 dead, including many children.

Lavrov and Tillerson "agreed to examine again a possibility of opening an objective probe into this incident under the auspices of the OPCW," the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said a ministry statement.

They also agreed to launch "as soon as possible a working group tasked with seeking solutions to tackle points of friction in bilateral relations", which are at their chilliest since the end of the Cold War.

The US State Department later released a brief statement saying Tillerson and Lavrov spoke to "follow up bilateral issues" and topics "including the OPCW investigation into Syria's use of chemical weapons on April 4."

Tillerson "reiterated his support for the OPCW's existing investigative mechanism," the statement said, without elaborating.

Ties between Moscow and Washington have been strained by the Ukraine crisis and the Syrian conflict, the Moscow statement said.

The OPCW on Thursday "overwhelmingly" rejected the Russian-Iranian move to launch a new investigation into the suspected chemical attack in Syria, delegates said, backing a probe already under way.

The draft decision put forward by Moscow and Tehran -- and obtained by AFP -- had called for a new OPCW probe "to establish whether chemical weapons were used in Khan Sheikhun and how they were delivered to the site of the reported incident".

But it ignored that the body, based in The Hague, is already investigating the attack on the rebel-held town in Idlib province.

The draft had also called for investigators to visit the Shayrat airbase -- bombed by the United States after the attack -- to "verify allegations concerning the storage of chemical weapons" there.
South Koreans protest outside the Chinese embassy in Seoul after China President Xi Jinping reportedly said Korea used to be part of China

Buffeted by the currents of diplomacy, South Korea is sometimes described as a "shrimp between two whales", and US president Donald Trump has touched nerves with remarks that the peninsula "used to be part of China".

The comments came after Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida.

As the pair discussed ways to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions amid mounting tensions, Trump told the Wall Street Journal, Xi "went into the history of China and Korea.

"And you know, you're talking about thousands of years... and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China," Trump went on.

Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally and Washington wants it to do more about the North's nuclear and missile programmes, while the US has a security alliance with Seoul and stations more than 28,000 troops in South to defend it.

The exact details of what Xi said and whether Trump accurately represented him are not known, but South Koreans are wary of Chinese expansionism, and politicians, historians and citizens have been outraged.

The Korean peninsula has been heavily influenced by China politically and culturally for centuries.

But while its ruling kingdoms sometimes paid tribute to their giant neighbour, South Korean historians stress they did not come under its territorial control, despite repeated invasions.

Seoul's foreign ministry spokesman countered: "The fact that Korea was not part of China for thousands of years... is a clear historical fact acknowledged by the international community."

- 'Dumbfounded' -

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang declined to confirm the details of Xi's wording, saying that: "The Korean people should not be worried about it."

But Seoul's major JoongAng Ilbo daily said South Koreans had been "dumbfounded" by the Chinese leader.

"If Trump really conveyed Xi's words correctly, it is nothing but a grave challenge to the identity of the Korean people," it said.

South Korean historians and activists rallied outside the Chinese embassy on Friday to protest against Xi's "absurd remarks", Yonhap news agency reported.

Seoul and Beijing are at loggerheads over the deployment of the US missile defence system THAAD to the South to guard against threats from the North, infuriating China, which sees it as weakening its own capabilities.

Beijing has imposed a series of moves including a ban on group tours to the South and suspensions of South Korean businesses in China, which are seen by Seoul as economic retaliation.

South Korea's top-selling Chosun newspaper turned on both leaders, castigating Xi for his "premodern expansionist view" and Trump for a lack of awareness of diplomatic sensitivities.

"The fact that Trump publicly disclosed such a remark (by Xi) demonstrates that he is completely ignorant about the history of the Korean peninsula," it said in an editorial Friday.

- Relations 'at their lowest' -

At a rally outside the Chinese embassy in Seoul, South Koreans protest against "absurd" comments that they came under China's territorial control

The row came after South Koreans were dismayed by the revelation that the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and a supporting battle group were still thousands of kilometres (miles) from the peninsula, despite the White House saying it was dispatching them to the area as tensions mounted with the North.

Trump had described the vessels as an "armada" and "very powerful" and the revelation drew jeers and disappointment.

"What Mr Trump said was very important for the national security of South Korea," conservative South Korean presidential candidate Hong Joon-Pyo told the Wall Street Journal.

"If that was a lie, then during Trump's term, South Korea will not trust whatever Trump says."

The series of missteps demonstrate lack of communications within Trump's nascent administration, said Bong Young-Shik, analyst at the Yonsei Universitys Institute for North Korean Studies.

"Trump is an outsider inexperienced with how Washington works... and the coordination among his White House, the State Department and the Pentagon seems to be poor for now," he told AFP.

Relations between Seoul and Beijing are "at their lowest for years", said Bong, and Trump's description of Xi's remark was likely to worsen them further, "whether he intended to or not".

Fears of potential Korean conflict have mounted in recent weeks with Pyongyang showing no sign of any willingness to abandon its nuclear and missile programmes, and the US saying that military action was an "option on the table".

The North has vast amounts of artillery deployed within striking range of Seoul, putting the South Korean capital at risk of devastation in even a conventional conflict.

The carrier controversy illustrated Trump's "unpredictable behaviour" that could lead to "disastrous events", the Kyunghyang daily said.

"We are worried whether the Trump administration... can properly handle a crisis on the Korean peninsula," it added. "The South Korean government should brace itself against the 'Trump Risk'."
US Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Australia's Governor General Peter Cosgrove toast each other during a lunch reception in Sydney

The US will honour a controversial agreement with Australia to take refugees from Pacific island detention centres, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday -- a deal Donald Trump had previously branded "dumb".

Pence also sought to clear the waters about the location of US supercarrier Carl Vinson that was supposedly steaming towards North Korea, saying it would arrive in the Sea of Japan "in a matter of days".

The vice president was in Sydney for talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on a trip aimed at mending fences following a surly phone conversation between Trump and Turnbull in January, which rattled a long-standing alliance between the two powers.

Trump reportedly exploded and cut short the telephone call when he was told about a deal to move some refugees from Pacific island camps to America.

"The United States intends to honour the agreement, subject to the results of the vetting processes that now apply to all refugees considered for admission to the United States of America," Pence said.

The US commitment to take the refugees was "a reflection of the enormous importance of the historical alliance between the United States and Australia... whatever reservations the president may have about the details."

But he added that that this "doesn't mean we admire the agreement".

Turnbull thanked Pence for the "very important" commitment.

US Vice President Mike Pence said a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier will arrive in the Sea of Japan "before the end of this month"

Pence also praised China's role in the escalating North Korean crisis but renewed calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel.

Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have soared recently following a series of missile launches amid fears that the North may be readying a sixth nuclear test.

"The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more."

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was expected to arrive in the Sea of Japan before the end of the month, Pence said.

The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the Vinson to "sail north" from waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure" to deter the hermit regime.

Trump and other officials followed up with comments that made it sound like the ships were steaming towards the region.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," said President Donald Trump, while Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her way up".

US Vice President Mike Pence (L) and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull renewed calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel

But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent in the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

Pence said Wednesday that the United States would counter any North Korean attack with an "overwhelming and effective" response.

His comments came after a senior North Korean official warned the regime had no intention of scaling down its missile programme, pledging weekly tests and threatening "all-out war" if the US took any action against it.

Trump's deputy visited South Korea and Japan before arriving in Australia to reassure allies fretting over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.
It would have been impossible for someone to have escaped the news last week detailing the use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants in eastern Afghanistan. Commonly known as the Mother of All Bombs, this device is touted as the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the American arsenal. It is so large and unwieldy that it has to be delivered by a C-130 Hercules plane  a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft  whose maximum airspeed is only 368 miles per hour. Imagine flying that over North Korea without getting shot down.

The MOAB is filled with a little more than 9 tons of H6 explosive, a castable formulation containing RDX, TNT (tri-nitrotoluene) and aluminum powder having approximately 1.35 times the explosive power as pure TNT. RDX is an old WWII explosive, officially 1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine, developed at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich in 1930 for use against German U-boats that were being built with thicker hulls. Their goal back then was an explosive more powerful than TNT and for security reasons, Britain termed the new material Research Department Explosive.

Since we are on the topic of WWII, one notably large bomb used near the end of that war was the Tallboy or earthquake bomb. Deployed by the RAF in 1944, it only contained five tons of explosive but was designed to hit the ground with a velocity of over 750 miles per hour due to its aerodynamic shape and could penetrate 16 feet of reinforced concrete. Effective against hardened structures which prior, smaller bombs had proved ineffective, it destroyed the manufacturing centers of the V-1 buzzbomb and V-2 missile which were deep underground. The static V-3 London gun planned for use against London in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France was also rendered useless by Tallboy bombing.

Other than the Minor Scale test conducted on June 27, 1985, by the United States Defense Nuclear Agency, involving the detonation of several thousand tons of conventional explosives to simulate the explosion of a small nuclear bomb, the largest explosion on record was the British Bang disposal of ordnance on Heligoland in 1947. This interesting case deserves mention because it was politically motivated as a demonstration by the victorious Allies as a warning to defeated Germany never to pick on Great Britain again.

Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea only 43 miles from Cuxhaven, a seaside town on Germanys coast. About twice the distance Santa Catalina Island is from California, Heligoland was once ruled by Great Britain. In WWII, the island was the home to the German submarine fleet complete with extensive coastal artillery, an air-raid shelter system and miles of bunker tunnels. The Luftwaffe built an airfield on the island that was one of the home bases for the London Blitz raids.

On December 3, 1939, Heligoland was bombed by the Allies for the first time but the attack failed to destroy its target of German warships at anchor. In early 1940, the Royal Navy lost three submarines at Heligoland: HMS Undine on 6 January, HMS Seahorse on 7 January and HMS Starfish on 9 January, all within three days of fighting.

This remained a sore point even after the war ended so in 1947 when England needed a safe place to dispose of thousands of tons of unexploded ammunition, Heligoland must have seemed an obvious choice. The code-name for the plan combined the British flair for understatement with the military taste for the literal-minded; it was to be called Operation Big Bang and was designed to make a big point to the Prussians.

By removing all of the population to the mainland, the entire island was stocked with 6,700 tons of high explosive that the Royal Navy detonated on April 18, 1947. Aerial footage shows the entire horizon erupting in a huge grey curtain of mud, sand and rock. Everything pertaining to Nazi rule on the island was wiped clean within seconds.

Next week: the third largest explosion in the world at Texas City.
Supporters of science and research gather to take part in the March for Science protest in Sydney

Thousands of people rallied in Australia and New Zealand Saturday in support of science, the first of more than 500 marches globally triggered by concern over the rise of "alternative facts".

The March for Science demonstrations come amid growing anxiety over what many see as a mounting political assault on facts and evidence and fears that research is being excluded from policy-making.

Vocal protesters in Sydney wearing white lab coats called on politicians to support the scientific community, carrying banners reading "without science, it's just fiction" and "we need thinkers not deniers".

Others held up slogans such as, "What do we want? Evidence-based science. When do we want it? After peer review."

The protests came as US Vice President Mike Pence was completing a three-day visit to Australia.

While American organisers have said the marches planned there are non-partisan, they admit the Republican administration under Donald Trump -- who has vowed to slash the research budgets of top US agencies -- "catalysed" the movement.

Fears that science is under political assault in Australia have likewise grown under its current conservative government and demonstrators also turned out in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities as well as Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.

"In this day and age, there's so much fake news and alternate facts going around that it's important to remember that science is what has built the society we know today," Parissa Zand, who was at the Sydney march with her molecular biologist mother, told AFP.

High-school science teacher Byrne La Ginestra said science had been getting a "bum-rap", adding that "we need to... teach people that science isn't a political agenda, it's just facts".

Canberra last year reversed a decision to cut hundreds of jobs from the national science body CSIRO after a public outcry. Others worry that the government is not doing enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which is under threat from climate change.

Brazil, Canada, many European nations, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria and South Korea are all also planning science marches.
Representatives of the collective "500 freres" announce to a cheering crowd the signing of an agreement with the government in Cayenne, French Guiana on April 21, 2017

Activists in French Guiana have lifted strikes that have crippled the territory for almost a month after the government in Paris pledged an aid package worth billions of euros.

A general strike by 37 unions has paralysed the French territory in South America with locals pressing for a "Marshall Plan" along the lines of the huge US economic support given to help western Europe to recover after World War II.

An AFP journalist said the government and the "Collective to Get Guiana Moving" spearheading the protests signed a deal in Cayenne late on Friday, just two days before France's presidential election.

Under the accord, the French government pledged to provide 2.1 billion euros ($2.25 billion) in aid to the territory, but did not give a precise timetable for its implementation.

The amount would be in addition to just over one billion euros in emergency funding agreed in early April but which the movement considered insufficient.

French Guiana

France's overseas territories minister Ericka Bareigts hailed the deal as "a defining day for the future of Guiana."

Blockades in the capital Cayenne began to be lifted on Friday.

Europe's Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, where the launch of an Arianespace rocket had been postponed, were kept in place but were lifted late Saturday.

"Operations will begin again on Monday," the space station managers said in a statement adding that postponed launches "would be rescheduled."

The Kourou space centre has become a symbol of economic disparity in Guiana and a focus for anger, given many locals have no electricity or running water and around one in four is jobless.

The protests caused the flow of fresh produce to slow to a dribble in the territory bordering Suriname and northern Brazil on the northeast coast of South America, some 7,000 kilometres (4,400 miles) from Paris.

Guiana, home to some 250,000 people, has been administered as a French region since the end of the 18th century and was also used as a place to send convicts for forced labour between 1852 and 1946.
US Vice President Mike Pence said a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier will arrive in the Sea of Japan "before the end of this month"

The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, after days of mixed messages from Washington over the warship's whereabouts.

The strike group was supposedly steaming towards North Korea last week amid soaring tensions over the rogue state's apparent ramping up for a sixth nuclear test, with Pyongyang threatening to hit back at any provocation.

But the US Navy, which had earlier said the aircraft carrier would sail north from waters off Singapore as a "prudent measure" to deter the regime, admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

The aircraft carrier will arrive "in a matter of days", Pence, who is in Sydney, said, after the location of the naval strike group became contentious.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump had tweeted, while Pentagon chief Jim Mattis had said the Vinson was "on her way up".

"The authorities of the Trump administration are spouting a load of rubbish," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement released early Saturday by Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency.

America is "seeking to bring nuclear aircraft carrier strike groups one after another to the waters off the Korean Peninsula. Such intimidation and blackmail can never frighten the DPRK", he said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea.

Pence also renewed US calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel.

"The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more."

US officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table" including military strikes to curb the North's nuclear ambitions.
Lebanese activists use an installation of wedding dresses by Lebanese artist Mireille Honein at Beirut's Corniche to ramp up their campaign to press parliament to scrap Article 522 of Lebanon's penal code which allows rapists to escape punishement

Lebanese activists ramped up their campaign to scrap a controversial law allowing rapists who marry their victims to go free, with a dramatic installation on Saturday along Beirut's sunny seaside.

A proposal to scrap Article 522 of the penal code -- which deals with rape, assault, kidnapping and forced marriage -- was introduced last year and approved by a parliamentary committee in February.

It will go before parliament on May 15 and activists hope that MPs will vote to eliminate it.

On Saturday they urged Lebanese citizens to sign a campaign to ramp up the pressure on legislators at an open-air exhibit.

Thirty-one wedding dresses made of white lace and wrapping paper hung limply from makeshift nooses between four palm trees along the Lebanese capital's corniche.

"There are 31 days in a month and every single day, a woman may be raped and forced to marry her rapist," said Alia Awada, advocacy manager at Lebanese non-government organisation ABAAD.

"We are trying as much as we can to shed light on this issue and tell parliament that the time has come for them to vote on cancelling Article 522."

The reviled article, which also deals with the rape of minors, allows offenders to escape punishment by wedding their victims.

"If a valid marriage contract exists between the perpetrator of one of these crimes... and the abused, the prosecution is suspended," it reads.

A Lebanese policeman guards an installation of wedding dresses by Lebanese artist Mireille Honein at Beirut's Corniche as ABAAD NGO ramps up pressure on Lebanon's reviled rape law

"If a verdict has been issued, the implementation is suspended."

Awada said: "We called on all parliamentarians and decision-makers in the Lebanese state with this message: every 'yes' from you is a 'no' to a rapist."

- 'Stone age' -

Standing amid the fluttering wedding dresses, Minister for Women's Affairs Jean Oghassabian described the article as being "from the stone age".

"Its turn has come, it's the second item on the agenda" at an upcoming legislative session on May 15, Oghassabian, who is also an MP, told AFP.

Lebanese artist Mireille Honein, who designed the exhibition in Paris and brought it to her homeland this week, said she made the dresses out of white paper "to highlight the ephemeral nature of marriage and of laws".

"And I hung them up, because this type of law simply robs women of their essence, leaves them without an identity and suspends them in a life that does not suit them and is shameful for those imposing it on them," Honein told AFP.

As passersby paused to look at the ghostly installation, volunteers from ABAAD invited them to sign a petition demanding parliament prioritise the article's elimination.

Silver-haired Rafiq Ajouri, who hails from a southern Lebanese village, was persuaded to sign on while on his morning stroll along the corniche.

"If I were to get raped, why wouldn't I get my rights? I'd want people to stand beside me," he said.

But the elderly man, who has five sons and three daughters, hesitated when an ABAAD volunteer said women should be allowed the same liberties as men.

"They can have their freedoms, but within limits. Why? Because they're girls."
Afghan security forces have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014

More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the defence ministry said Saturday, the latest in a string of deadly assaults against Afghan military sites.

The ministry did not give a breakdown of the casualties, many of whom were young recruits in training, in the hours-long attack near Mazar-i-Sharif city on Friday.

The US military has said that "more than 50" Afghan soldiers were killed, while an Afghan army source who was on the base at the time put the death toll as high as 150, with dozens more wounded.

"They entered the compound using two army trucks with machine guns on top of them. They opened fire on everyone. And then they entered the mosque and dining room, killing everyone indiscriminately," Mohammad Hussain, an army officer wounded in the attack, said as he was treated in hospital.

"Their leader came in and shouted 'aim for their heads'. I jumped out of the window, my friends were killed," one 19-year-old soldier, Mohammad Qurban, told AFP from hospital where he was being treated for hand and stomach injuries.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani flew to Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday to pay a "courtesy visit" to wounded soldiers, as grieving families reached the base to collect flag-draped coffins bearing their loved ones.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up in the raid, which was claimed by the Taliban late Friday and which underscores rising insecurity as Afghanistan braces for an intense spring fighting season.

The defence ministry said Afghan forces had killed all the attackers, who witnesses said were dressed in Afghan army uniforms. At least one survivor who spoke to AFP speculated the militants must have had inside help.

The toll could change, the ministry said, adding it would provide more information once an investigation was completed.

Afghan officials have been known to minimise casualty figures in some major attacks on military sites, such as in early March when gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the country's largest military hospital in Kabul, killing dozens.

Officials put the death toll in that attack at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 were killed in the brazen and savage assault.

- Military targets -

The attack on the Kabul hospital in March came a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in the capital.

Atiqullah Amarkhail, an Afghan military analyst and retired general, said Saturday that Afghan forces must develop a counter-strategy for such attacks.

"It is a total intelligence failure. It keeps happening again and again. It is a guerrilla war, the militants attack in small groups and cause big damage. We should learn and counter their tactics," he said.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

According to US watchdog SIGAR, casualties among Afghan security forces soared by 35 percent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed.

More than a third of Afghanistan is outside government control and many regions are fiercely contested by various insurgent groups, as Kabul's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed.

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from NATO allies assisting a much larger Afghan force in the war against the Taliban and other Islamist militants.

Earlier this month the US military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State group hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly a hundred militants, according to unverified figures from Afghan officials.

The attack triggered global shockwaves, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that is not considered as big a threat as the Taliban.
President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly stressed the importance of the DDR since he took power last year in a country scarred by conflict since the 2013 overthrow of former president Francois Bozize by a Muslim-dominated rebellion

The Central African Republic held unprecedented talks with armed groups this week seeking to speed up disarmament in a country struggling to turn the page on years of bloodshed, officials said Saturday.

For the first time since the disarmament process began, the government -- facing a resurgence of violence since last September -- sat down with representatives of 14 armed groups in Bangui on Thursday and Friday.

"General progress has been quite substantial," said Jean-Marc Tafani, head of the disarmament process for the UN peacekeeping mission in Central Africa, MINUSCA.

The national plan for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) "was drawn up with details of steps to implement the project," he added.

Responding to concerns that former fighters could escape unpunished under the process, Tafani said "people suspected of various crimes will be brought to justice," and "kept out of the DDR programme," although he noted that during this week's talks "certain groups said they were against this".

President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly stressed the importance of the DDR since he took power last year in a country scarred by conflict since the 2013 overthrow of former president Francois Bozize by a Muslim-dominated rebellion.

A counter-offensive by majority Christian militias left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

The nation breathed a sigh of relief in March 2016 when Touadera took office, with a mandate to lead the country through its transition to peace.

But Central Africa's war wounds have proved hard to heal, with swathes of the country still facing unrest.

Since November, violence has raged in the central Ouaka region, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured.

Due to the rise of violence, coupled with a shortfall in aid funding, the humanitarian situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse.

The UN says some 2.2 million people -- more than half the population -- remain in dire need of assistance.

While parts of the country remain wracked by violence, a military intervention in 2013 by France and MINUSCA restored relative calm to the capital Bangui.

But since France withdrew in October, and with the Central African army still under an international arms embargo, UN peacekeepers are now the sole functioning force on the ground.
ADEL, Iowa (AP) - A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for hacking to death his girlfriend, her teenage daughter and their landlord with a machete in central Iowa.

The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2q0fGVA ) that Carlos Hernandez-Ventura was sentenced Friday, a month after being found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder.

Prosecutors say Hernandez-Ventura used a machete on Oct. 29 to kill 34-year-old Lourdes Flor De Leake, 14-year-old Melany Barraza and 78-year-old Juan Jimenez Tejada at a home in Perry, about 30 miles northwest of Des Moines.

Hernandez-Ventura testified at trial that Leake's estranged husband ordered the deaths, but investigators say they found no evidence he was involved.

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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
SYDNEY (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence and Australia's prime minister brushed off any lingering hostility over a contentious refugee deal and joined forces on Saturday to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons program.

Pence and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly praised the decades-long American-Australian alliance following a meeting in Sydney, with the vice president thanking Turnbull for calling on Beijing to play a more active part in the international effort to de-escalate Pyongyang's nuclear threat.

The two leaders appeared at pains to present a united front following an unusual period of tension between the longtime allies that was sparked by a spat between Turnbull and President Donald Trump over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the Obama administration.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence waves as he gets into his car after arriving in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Pence said Saturday that the U.S. would honor the agreement even if it didn't agree with it. Under the deal, the U.S. would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump's anger over the agreement led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president called the deal "dumb."

"President Trump has made it clear that we'll honor the agreement - that doesn't mean we admire the agreement," Pence said during a joint press conference with Turnbull.

The fallout over the deal has strained the typically cozy alliance between the U.S. and Australia. A majority of Australians view Trump unfavorably, and some critics of him have urged Australia to distance itself from the U.S. in favor of stronger ties with China. Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the U.S. is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

Pence's visit Down Under, part of his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim, is widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia. Indeed, the vice president seemed determined to reassure Australia of its importance to the U.S., noting as he stood next to Turnbull on the shores of Sydney Harbour: "It's always heartening to stand beside a friend, and I do so today."

Both leaders also repeatedly cited the nations' long history of military cooperation. Australia has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflict since World War I, and is one of the largest contributors to the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

"I trust that my visit here today on my very first trip to the Asia Pacific as vice president of the United States and the president's plans to travel to this region this fall are a strong sign of our enduring commitment to the historic alliance between the people of the United States of America and the people of Australia," Pence said.

Pence and Turnbull said they were aligned in their opinion that China should use its leverage with North Korea to de-escalate the nuclear threat from Pyongyang. Pence said the U.S. believes that it will be possible to achieve its objective of ending North Korea's nuclear program peacefully, largely with the help of China.

Turnbull echoed the sentiments, saying: "The eyes of the world are on Beijing."

Earlier Saturday, Pence met with Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, who said the relationship between the countries is as strong as it was since "the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919." Cosgrove said the alliance that began during World War I started an "unbreakable relationship."

"We've been with you every step of the way," Cosgrove told Pence.

On Sunday, Pence will tour Sydney's iconic Opera House, take a boat ride along the harbor and visit a local zoo.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, and his wife Karen smile as they arrive in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, is greeted by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce after arriving in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, front left, his wife Karen and their daughters Audrey, back left, and Charlotte, back right, arrive in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, and his wife Karen wave as they arrive in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, waves with his wife Karen and their daughters Audrey, second right, and Charlotte, right, as they arrive in Sydney, Friday, April 21, 2017. Pence will meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday as part of his 10-day, four country trip to Asia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
PANAMA CITY (AP) - A court in Panama on Friday ordered the release on bail of two partners at a law firm involved in last year's "Panama Papers" scandal set off by the leak of thousands of documents related to offshore accounts.

Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca Mora of the Mossack-Fonseca firm were arrested in February in connection with a bribery scandal involving Brazil's state-run oil company, Petrobras.

The two are accused of money laundering for allegedly setting up offshore accounts to move bribes.

The court ordered their release after bail was paid, but that does not prevent the legal case against them from moving forward.

Fonseca has claimed they are the victims of "scapegoating."
WASHINGTON (AP) - The leader of a bipartisan good-government group, Zach Wamp, headed to the White House last week to ask whether President Donald Trump's "drain the swamp" slogan would ever be more than a throwaway campaign slogan. One of the president's closest aides, Steve Bannon, assured him it's a priority.

Bannon said he "agrees with the concept that Washington is rigged," said Wamp, a former Republican congressman. "He said he just needs to figure out what to do about it."

Yet within 48 hours of the visit, the White House announced the end of an Obama administration practice aimed at greater transparency in government: It would no longer release the names of visitors to the executive mansion.

FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2016 file photo, supporters of then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hold signs during a campaign rally in Springfield, Ohio. The Trump administration insists that "drain the swamp" is more than a throwaway catchphrase, yet in the last three months, the White House has become less transparent, hired scores of special interest players, raised money from lobbyists and taken no concrete steps to address campaign finance. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, file)

It was another step away from the goal of "drainage," curbing the outsized influence of Washington powerbrokers. Then, a filing this week showed that the president raised a record $107 million for his inauguration, much of it from companies and people who do business with the government.

Trump also has brought scores of special-interest players into government. And he has yet to push any proposals to tighten campaign finance or lobbying disclosure rules.

Trump's boldest anti-swamp move - a January executive order limiting the lobbying of outgoing officials - has already been undermined by a waiver he granted to at least one departing employee. The administration says it will never share information about when or why it makes those decisions, another change from the Obama era.

"What they do on 'drain the swamp' is very much to-be-determined," Wamp said. "I think - at least I hope - my stop there last week was a reminder that these things matter."

Bannon did not respond to requests for comment, and the White House says it considers Trump's early bureaucracy-slimming moves to be part of its drain-the-swamp work. At a rally last month in Louisville, Kentucky, Trump re-upped his vow: "We are going to drain the swamp of government corruption in Washington, D.C., and we are going to keep our promises, all of the promises that we made."

Indeed, "drain the swamp" is scrawled on one of chief strategist Bannon's white boards documenting those campaign pledges. Rep. Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican who wrote a book about the corrupting influence that fundraising has on Congress (titled, conveniently, "Drain the Swamp"), said Trump has "surrounded himself with people who want to find solutions." He is optimistic that the president will make good on his word but argues that a mile-long White House to-do list means it'll take time.

Democrats are skeptical Trump will ever deliver.

"There's a huge gap between what he's said going back to his campaign days, and what he's done," said Rep. John Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat who has introduced several bills aimed at reducing money in politics. "I don't at this point have any confidence that anything he said about accountability and transparency was anything more than a head fake."

Tackling corruption in Washington - a goal tied to increasing transparency and decreasing the influence of lobbyists and major donors - interests people of all political persuasions. A January NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 66 percent of Americans agree that "reducing the influence of lobbyists and big money in politics" is an "absolute priority for this year."

Wamp works with a Washington-based nonprofit called Issue One, which has collected 180 past and current public officials from both major parties in what it calls the "reformers caucus" and is pitching Capitol Hill on ways to change the way politicians raise money.

Issue One, like other good-government advocates, has been sharply critical of Trump's secrecy decisions. Yet Issue One also sees the unconventional president as a natural potential partner, particularly on campaign finance changes such as incentivizing small donors and making the Federal Election Commission enforce rules already on the books.

Trump raised a stunning $282 million from donors giving $200 or less to his 2016 campaign and a joint account with the Republican Party. Even a tweet urging lawmakers to take up the subjects of money in politics and lobbying would help, Wamp said. "His bully pulpit is like no other."

A CBS News poll just before Trump's inauguration found that just under half of Americans think he will be able to get big money out of politics in the next four years. In a twist, Democrats and Independents more so than Republicans had faith in Trump on that issue, according to the poll.

Meredith McGehee, a senior adviser at Issue One who has worked for decades on campaign finance proposals, said money in politics has always been a "third rail" topic because lawmakers want to preserve their seats by preserving the status quo on fundraising. That means not only spending countless hours dialing for dollars for their own campaign accounts but also for leadership accounts that get parceled out to help the rest of the party.

"It's an insider system, and Trump did not run on being an insider," McGehee said. Buck also makes that case in his book.

As Wamp said he put it to Bannon: "Trump would not be president if the stench from the swamp hadn't gotten so bad in the first place."

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AP polling editor Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

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Online: Trump promises interactive: http://interactives.ap.org/2017/trump-100-days/
In my previous article, I told about the raid and destruction of Williams Station along the Carson River by a band of renegade Paiute Indians from the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation on May 6, 1860. The Comstock Lode had just recently been discovered and the hundreds of people pouring into the area to participate in Nevadas new silver rush were terrified of the thought of a hostile Indian presence so near.

Once word of the attack reached Dayton, Silver City, Carson City and Virginia City, a major panic set in among the white population. Each community assembled a group of inexperienced volunteers to to mount a swift and bloody retaliation for the massacre. Unfortunately, the groups of volunteers numbering over 100 consisted mainly of untrained miners, storekeepers and even teenagers. They were poorly armed and ill equipped to mount any successful campaign against the much larger army of Paiute, Shoshone and Bannock Indians numbering over 700 warriors assembled at Pyramid Lake.

On May 9, 1860, the Comstock volunteers led by Major William Ormsby of Dayton, Thomas F. Condon Jr. of Genoa, Richard Watkins of Silver City and Archie McDonald of Virginia City set out on their campaign against the hostile Indians. Very few of the members had any military experience and there was no clear chain of command and no commanding officer was ever formally appointed.

On May 10, the group arrived at Williams Station and buried three of the victims of the recent massacre. After seeing first-hand the ruins of Williams Station and the gruesome seriousness of the situation, a vote was taken to determine whether to pursue the enemy or return home. All the members agreed to continue the campaign.

On May 11, the small army arrived at the Truckee River where Wadsworth is now located. At a log cabin on the bank of the river, they found five survivors of an earlier attack by the Paiutes. The Indians had claimed the men were hunting on tribal land. Three of their companions had been killed in the attack and the remaining five had found refuge and had been besieged in the log cabin. These five joined forces with the volunteers from the Comstock bringing the total number to 105.

On May 12, the untrained volunteer militia continued on toward Pyramid Lake in an ill advised effort retaliate for the Williams Station incident. The trail followed the Truckee River north to where the Indians were known to be holding a council to determine a course of action for grievances they had against the white settlers ravaging tribal lands.

The various groups comprising the campaign were poorly armed and lacked discipline. They thought attacking the Indians would be a cake walk. A number of the participants were urged on by feelings of heroism, patriotism, glory and martyrdom.

As the militia approached Pyramid Lake, the trail entered a long, narrow gorge where the Truckee river flowed between increasingly widening steep slopes and cliffs on either side. Further on, it formed a long meadow with a forest of Fremont Cottonwoods and other vegetation lining the river. As the whites passed into this lowland for about one and one half miles, they noticed a band of about one hundred Indians up on the rim of the narrow canyon ahead and to the right of them.

Major Ormsby sensed there was a battle eminent and gave the command for the troop to stop and cinch up their saddles. The Indians were still out of gunshot range, but one of the group named A.K. Elliott took several shots at them with a long range globe-sighted rifle with no apparent success.

The company mounted up and someone gave the order to charge up a narrow wash just east of the assembled line of Indian warriors and mount an attack. About thirty of the group dashed up the wash in pursuit of the enemy. When they reached the top of the plateau where the Indians had been spotted, they found no one in sight. It was as if the savages had melted from view.

Confused and disoriented, the militia soon saw another line of mounted Indians ahead of them just out of rifle range. By that time, the group realized they had made a grave mistake. Whether by design or by accident, they found they had been lured into a trap from which there was no escape. As the mounted Indians ahead of them approached, suddenly there appeared from every sagebrush and rock around the militiamen a swarm of enemy combatants.

Suddenly, the air was filled with bullets and the hissing sound of arrows. The whoops and yells of the warriors and the screams of the terrified whites signaled the battle was hopelessly lost. Those not killed outright tried desperately to calm frightened horses and make a quick retreat back down the wash to the cover of the vegetation along the river. The seventy or more members of the militia who had remained behind, seeing what was happening on the ridge above, made a quick retreat to the river and toward the southwest.

The escapees soon learned there was not to be an easy retreat. Chiquito Winnemucca and a sizable band of followers were soon joined by Numaga and his band to stop many of the whites from escaping the battlefield alive. Numaga briefly attempted to stand between the Winnemucca group and the whites to obtain a parley. Winnemucca and his yelling horde ignored the request and pressed on, determined to kill as many of the whites as possible before they escaped toward the south.

Occasionally, a few of the retreating whites formed again to make a stand against the advancing Indians. One member stood out as exceptionally valiant and was called by the Indians the White Brave. This was William Headly, who despite his valor, was ultimately killed. One by one the retreating militiamen were slain as they dashed through the sagebrush and among the cottonwoods lining the river. A last stand of sorts was made where the trail rose up a steep bank exiting the meadows. The retreat became a wild, panic stricken stampede.

The pursuing Indians soon learned it was much easier to kill the horses of the escapees, then attack the men who no longer had a means to escape. The individual stories of each of the escaping militiamen killed that day were too numerous and tragic to tell with any detail in this article. The death of Major William Ormsby is probably typical of many of those who lost their lives that day. In my next article in this series, I will provide details of Major Ormsbys death.
ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey's ruling party and the main opposition party kept up their fight Saturday over the results of the referendum on expanding the president's powers.

In a series of tweets Saturday, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag slammed the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for continuing to object to the results of the April 16 referendum due to voting irregularities, saying that judicial paths to reverse the ruling are shut.

The CHP fired back, saying he was threatening the judiciary in order to get them to rule against the party's case.

FILE- In this Tuesday, April 18, 2017 photo, supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, chant slogans during a protest outside Istanbul's Court House. In a series of tweets, Bozdag slammed the main opposition party on Saturday, April 22, 2017, for contesting the outcome of Sunday's referendum on expanding presidential powers and said there is no judicial path to reverse the ruling. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)

Unofficial results show the "yes" campaign for transforming Turkey's parliamentary government system into a presidential one garnered 51.4 percent of the vote. Official results by the electoral board are expected next week.

Bozdag said all decisions on electoral issues, including complaints and fraud allegations, are in the purview of Turkey's electoral board.

"Applications against the High Electoral Board's decisions cannot be taken to any court or authority, including the Council of State and the Constitutional Court," he tweeted. Bozdag said these judicial organs would "have no choice but to reject" such applications based on Turkish laws.

"No court can undo/change the decisions of the nation," he tweeted.

The opposition on Friday appealed to the Council of State - the nation's highest administrative court - seeking to overturn the electoral board's controversial decision validating unstamped ballot papers.

Earlier in the week, the electoral board rejected a request to annul the referendum by a 10-1 vote.

CHP lawmaker Levent Gok told reporters on Saturday that Bozdag's tweets mean the justice minister "put pressure on the judges, instructed them and threatened them." Gok called this "a top-down legal massacre," while promising to pursue a legal process to void the "questionable" referendum result.

International monitors say the electoral board's decision removed an important safeguard against fraud and was "contrary to Turkish law." The electoral board, however, published past rulings on the validity of unstamped ballots.

CHP officials said they would contest the ruling at the Constitutional Court and if necessary, the European Court of Human Rights.

FILE - In this April 16, 2016 file photo, Turkey's justice minister Bekir Bozdag waits for a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey. In a series of tweets, Bozdag slammed the main opposition party on Saturday, April 22, 2017, for contesting the outcome of Sunday's referendum on expanding presidential powers and said there is no judicial path to reverse the ruling. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)
Trump tells 'dreamers' to rest easy, targets criminals

WASHINGTON (AP) - Young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and now in the country illegally can "rest easy," President Donald Trump says, telling the "dreamers" they will not be targets for deportation under his immigration policies.

Trump, in a wide-ranging interview Friday with The Associated Press, said his administration is "not after the dreamers, we are after the criminals."

The president, who took a hard line on immigration as a candidate, vowed anew to fulfill his promise to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But he stopped short of demanding that funding for the project be included in a spending bill Congress must pass by the end of next week in order to keep the government running.

"I want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall," Trump said in the Oval Office interview. Asked whether he would sign legislation that does not include money for the project, he said, "I just don't know yet." Throughout the campaign, he had firmly and repeatedly guaranteed that Mexico, not U.S. taxpayers, would pay for the wall.

Eager to start making progress on other campaign promises, Trump said he would unveil a tax overhaul package next week - "Wednesday or shortly thereafter" - that would include a "massive" tax cut for both individuals and corporations. He would not provide details of rate proposals or how he planned to pay for the package but asserted the cuts for Americans will be "bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever."

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Afghan official: Gunmen attacked army base, 100 casualties

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Gunmen wearing army uniforms stormed a military compound in the Balkh province, killing or wounding more than 100 army personnel, an Afghan official said Saturday.

Daulat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense, said the attack a day earlier on a compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army left dozens of soldiers and other personnel dead or wounded.

Gunmen entered the compound with a military vehicle and began shooting at soldiers as they prayed in a mosque, he said.

Waziri said there were 10 attackers. Two carried out suicide attacks and eight other attackers were killed in the battle.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to media.

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Pence embraces US-Australia partnership after Trump spat

SYDNEY (AP) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Australia's prime minister swept aside any lingering tensions Saturday over an Obama era agreement on the resettlement of refugees, joining forces to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea to scuttle its nuclear weapons and missile program.

Pence and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly praised the decades-long American-Australian alliance following a meeting in Sydney, with the vice president passing along President Donald Trump's "very best regards" and thanking Turnbull for calling on Beijing to be more assertive in the international effort to de-escalate Pyongyang's nuclear threat.

Meeting at the governor-general's residence with sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and the city's famed opera house, the two leaders appeared at pains to present a united front following an unusual period of strain between the longtime allies. The anxieties were sparked by a spat between Turnbull and Trump over a refugee resettlement deal struck by former President Barack Obama.

Pence said Saturday that the U.S. would honor the agreement even if the administration didn't agree with it. Under the deal, the U.S. would take up to 1,250 refugees housed by Australia in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Trump's anger over the agreement led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president called the deal "dumb."

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Champs-Elysees gunman had long criminal record, praised IS

PARIS (AP) - The gunman who shot and killed a police officer on the famed Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote spent 14 years in prison, including for attacking other officers, Frances's anti-terrorism prosecutor said Friday - a lengthy criminal history that gave a jolt to an already nail-biting election and fueled growing security concerns.

Yet, despite an arrest as recently as February, the 39-year-old assailant, Karim Cheurfi, had shown no signs of radicalization, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said, and was released for lack of evidence of a threat.

That all changed Thursday when Cheurfi, a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the crowded boutique-lined boulevard synonymous with French glamour, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police.

Security forces found a note praising the Islamic State group at the scene of the attack, which apparently fell from the gunman's pocket. That, along with an unusually quick claim of responsibility by the Islamic State group were the only signs that he had entered the world of Islamic extremists, Molins said. Scraps of paper scrawled with the addresses of police stations and a satchel of weapons, munitions and the Muslim holy book were discovered in his car.

Thursday's shootings followed the arrest this week of two men in Marseille on suspicion of plotting an attack around Sunday's hotly contested first-round presidential vote, fueling France's worst fear: a terrorist attack as crowds gather at polling stations across the nation.

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Chinese jihadis' rise in Syria raises concerns at home

BEIRUT (AP) - Many don't speak Arabic and their role in Syria is little known to the outside world, but the Chinese fighters of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria are organized, battled-hardened and have been instrumental in ground offensives against President Bashar Assad's forces in the country's northern regions.

Thousands of Chinese jihadis have come to Syria since the country's civil war began in March 2011 to fight against government forces and their allies. Some have joined the al-Qaida's branch in the country previously known as Nusra Front. Others paid allegiance to the Islamic State group and a smaller number joined factions such as the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham.

But the majority of Chinese jihadis are with the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, whose vast majority are Chinese Muslims, particularly those from the Turkic-speaking Uighur majority native to Xinjiang in China. Their growing role in Syria has resulted in increased cooperation between Syrian and Chinese intelligence agencies who fear those same jihadis could one day return home and cause trouble there.

The Turkistan Islamic Party is the other name for the East Turkistan Islamic Movement that considers China's Xinjiang to be East Turkistan.

Like most jihadi groups in Syria, their aim is to remove Assad's secular government from power and replace it with strict Islamic rule. Their participation in the war, which has left nearly 400,000 people dead, comes at a time when the Chinese government is one of Assad's strongest international backers. Along with Russia, China has used its veto power at the U.N. Security Council on several occasions to prevent the imposition of international sanctions against its Arab ally.

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AP PHOTOS: A selection of pictures from the past week

Highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should see.

This week's gallery features images of North Korean soldiers saluting during a military parade to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung; Venezuelan protesters taking cover from police during anti-government demonstrations; A Flint police officer removing a resident from a town hall meeting related to the Michigan city's tainted water crisis.

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This gallery contains photos published April 15-21, 2017.

See the latest AP photo galleries: http://apne.ws/TXeCBN

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Parole denied for Brinks heist getaway driver Judith Clark

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A former Weather Underground radical who drove a getaway car in a bungled 1981 Brinks armored-car robbery that left three people dead was denied parole on Friday despite the fact Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised her behavior as a prisoner when he commuted her sentence last year.

Judith Clark has served 35 years of a 75-years-to-life sentence for the suburban New York heist, which led to the deaths of two police officers and a security guard. She won't be eligible for parole again until April 2019.

Cuomo, a Democrat, commuted Clark's sentence in December to make her eligible for parole, saying she had become a repentant, "impressive" and community-spirited prisoner. Before the commutation, Clark, who's 67, would not have been eligible for parole consideration until she was 106.

In announcing the commutation last year, Cuomo's office noted that Clark "received one of the longest sentences of her six co-defendants, the majority of whom are either deceased or no longer in custody" and "received the same sentence as one of the known shooters."

The Weather Underground was a 1960s group of increasingly violent anti-war activists. Clark called herself a freedom fighter, insisted on representing herself at trial and then refused to go to court, remaining in a cell.

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Venezuela opposition boss asks Wall Street to cut off Maduro

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The leader of Venezuela's rebellious congress has a message for the world's capitalists: Think twice before signing another check to President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Amid anti-Maduro protests roiling Venezuela, leading to 20 deaths and dozens of arrests the past three weeks, the opposition is trying to rally international opinion against his socialist government.

For his part, National Assembly President Julio Borges has sent more than a dozen letters to leading global banks warning them of the risk to their reputations and bottom line if they throw a lifeline to Maduro as he seeks to bolster an economy suffering widespread shortages of food and other goods while avoiding a default on foreign debt.

"The national government, through the central bank, is going to try to swap gold held as reserves for dollars to stay in power unconstitutionally," said one letter sent Thursday to John Cryan, the CEO of Deutsche Bank. "I have the obligation to warn you that by supporting such a gold swap you would be taking actions favoring a government that's been recognized as dictatorial by the international community."

The letters are intended to build on legislation recently passed by the opposition-controlled congress that nullifies any government debt issuances not explicitly approved by legislators, Borges said in an interview Friday.

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Hawaii bill giving equal access to fertility treatment dies

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii lawmakers killed a bill that sought equal access to fertility treatments for gay and lesbian couples and single women.

The decision came after health care lobbyists argued it was a bad idea to make insurers cover a fertility procedure for surrogate mothers that gay male couples rely on to have a child.

State Sen. Rosalyn Baker, the Senate's lead negotiator for the bill, suggested killing the bill at a committee hearing Friday.

"I'm not certain that it's ready for prime time, considering that we have no surrogacy laws on the books in the state of Hawaii, and I believe we need to address those," Baker said.

The bill had passed the House and Senate in different forms and was in a conference committee where negotiators from the House and Senate hash out their differences.

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Arkansas events show risk of ambitious execution schedule

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas' push to put eight men to death in less than two weeks has so far resulted in just one lethal injection, and legal experts say that shows the risks of pursuing the nation's most ambitious execution schedule since the death penalty was restored in 1976.

Ledell Lee was executed minutes before his death warrant was set to expire late Thursday. It was the first time since 2005 that Arkansas had put an inmate to death.

Three other planned executions were canceled this week because of court decisions. Another inmate scheduled for execution next week has received a stay. And three remaining lethal injections face similar hurdles.

"If I were in the state's shoes, I would be prepared for almost double the level of scrutiny," said Brian Gallini, a law professor at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

At the heart of Arkansas' plans is the sedative midazolam, one of three drugs used in lethal injections. The state is racing to carry out the executions before its supply of midazolam expires at the end of the month.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Lawmakers returning to Washington this coming week will find a familiar quagmire on health care legislation and a budget deadline dramatized by the prospect of a protracted battle between President Donald Trump and Democrats over his border wall.

Trump's GOP allies control Congress, but they've been unable to send him a single major bill as his presidency faces the symbolic 100-day mark on April 29 - the very day when the government, in a worst-case scenario, could shut down.

Feeling pressure to deliver results, Trump wants to revive a troubled health care measure from House Republicans to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Trump also hopes to use a $1 trillion catchall spending bill to salvage victories on his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, a multibillion-dollar down payment on a Pentagon buildup, and perhaps a crackdown on cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement by federal authorities.

In this photo taken Feb. 28, 2017, a flag flies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Lawmakers return to Washington this week to a familiar quagmire on health care legislation and a budget deadline dramatized by the prospect of a protracted battle between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats over his border wall. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Congress faces a midnight Friday deadline to avert a government shutdown. But negotiations on the spending measure, a huge pile of leftover business from last year that includes the budgets of almost every federal agency, have hit a rough patch.

Rank-and-file Republicans received few answers on a Saturday conference call by top House GOP leaders, who offered little detail and said deals remained elusive on both health care and the catchall spending measure, with no votes scheduled yet.

It's looking like a one- or two-week temporary measure will be needed to prevent a shutdown and buy time for more talks. Negotiations have faltered because of disputes over the border wall and health law subsidies to help low-income people afford health insurance.

Trump's Capitol Hill allies had been tempering expectations that the president will win much in the budget talks. Democratic support will be needed to pass the spending measure and Republicans fear taking the blame if the government shuts down on their watch.

"We have the leverage and they have the exposure," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California told fellow Democrats on a conference call Thursday, according to a senior Democratic aide. Pelosi wants the spending bill to give the cash-strapped government of Puerto Rico help with its Medicaid obligations, and Democrats are pressing for money for overseas famine relief, treatment for opioid abuse, and the extension of health benefits for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families.

An additional Democratic demand is for cost-sharing payments to insurance companies that help low-income people afford health policies under Obama's health law. The payments are a critical subsidy and the subject of a lawsuit by House Republicans. Trump has threatened to withhold the money to force Democrats to negotiate on health legislation.

Trump's presidential victory makes it "completely reasonable to ask and to insist that some of his priorities are funded," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said in an interview. "We are more than happy to talk to the Democrats about some of their priorities but we encourage them to recognize that they are a minority party."

Both the White House and Democrats have adopted hard-line positions on Trump's $1 billion request for a down payment on construction of the border wall, a central plank of last year's campaign. Talk of forcing Mexico to pay for it has largely been abandoned. But in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, Trump stopped short of demanding that money for the project be included in the must-pass spending bill.

Health care is on a separate track and facing trouble, too. The White House is pressing House Republicans to rally behind a revised bill so GOP leaders can schedule a vote this coming week that could let Trump fulfill a 100-days promise.

A quick vote, let alone approval, seems unlikely.

GOP leaders have shown no desire to revisit the issue until they're assured they have enough votes to succeed, a point House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., reiterated to lawmakers Saturday, according to participants in the call. An initial attempt in March ended in a legislative train wreck, stinging Trump and Ryan. The measure would have repealed much of Obama's 2010 overhaul and replaced it with fewer coverage requirements and less generous federal subsidies for many people.

As part of the White House drive to resuscitate the bill, members of Trump's team including Vice President Mike Pence and chief of staff Reince Priebus have made multiple calls to Republicans.

Two leaders of the House GOP's warring moderate and conservative factions devised a compromise during Congress' recess to let states get federal waivers to ignore some requirements of the health law. Those include one that now obligates insurers to cover specified services such as for mental health, and one that bars them from raising premiums on seriously ill patients.

But there are widespread doubts that the new attempt has achieved the support it needs.

Rep. Dan Donovan, R-N.Y., an opponent of the bill, said last week that "it doesn't cure the issues that I had concerns" about. The moderate said his objections included changes to Obama's law that would still leave people with excessive out-of-pocket costs.

The potential amendment was brokered by Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who heads the conservative House Freedom Caucus and Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., a leader of the moderate House Tuesday Group.

Ryan called off a March 24 House vote on the measure after realizing that objections by conservative and moderate Republicans would have assured its defeat. Democrats were uniformly against the legislation.
NEW YORK (AP) - New York City is betting on a plan to offer jobs to released jail inmates as a way to break the cycle of incarceration.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's $10 million-a-year "jails to jobs" initiative will guarantee all Rikers Island inmates serving sentences of a year or less a chance at short-term employment once they do their time. The jobs will last up to eight weeks, with hourly wages covered by taxpayer money rather than the pockets of the employers.

Supporters say transitional jobs are a good investment because research shows that inmates who get them are less likely to break the law again and go back to the notorious jail, where costs of housing each prisoner can top $200,000 a year.

In this Thursday, April 20, 2017 photo, Neftali Thomas Diaz, right, tries on donated work clothes with the help of his case manager David Rodriguez, at The Fortune Society in New York. At the Fortune Society, one of the social service nonprofits expected to partner with the city on the plan and a sponsor of Diaz, the mission is proving the critics wrong by training former state prison and jail inmates on how to land and keep jobs. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Critics say it wastes money by rewarding criminals.

In this Thursday, April 20, 2017 photo, Neftali Thomas Diaz tries on donated work clothes at The Fortune Society in New York. At the Fortune Society, one of the social service nonprofits expected to partner with the city on the plan and a sponsor of Diaz, the mission is proving the critics wrong by training former state prison and jail inmates on how to land and keep jobs. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

In this Thursday, April 20, 2017 photo, Neftali Thomas Diaz, left, talks with his case manager, David Rodriguez, at The Fortune Society in New York. New York City is betting that Diaz and other low-level offenders like him are right about the salvation in second-chance employment. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will spend $10 million a year on a "jails to jobs" initiative that will guarantee all Rikers inmates serving sentences of a year or less a chance at short-term employment once they do their time. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

In this Thursday, April 20, 2017 photo, Neftali Thomas Diaz talks with employment specialist Frederick Muldrow at The Fortune Society in New York. Diaz swears he's done with Rikers Island. After the second of two recent stints at the notorious New York City jail, the grand larceny convict entered a private jobs program. Once he's back on his feet with a paycheck, Diaz said, "I know I'm not ever going back there, ever." (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Thousands of Hungarians are attending a "peace march for the government, for Russia and against everything else" organized by the satiric Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party.

Saturday's protest is a sarcastic take on current events in Hungary, like the government's close ties to Russia and its campaign against the pro-migration policies of billionaire George Soros.

The government's battle with Soros has resulted in legislation that could shut down the Soros-founded Central European University in Budapest.

Supporters of the Hungarian satiricial Two-tailed Dog Party are carrying a flag depicting Russian president Vladimir Putin, right, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during their demonstration in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, April 22, 2017. Thousands of Hungarians are attending the "peace march for the government and for Russia and against everything else". (Balazs Mohai/MTI via AP)

Firmly tongue in cheek, party leader Gergo Kovacs told marchers while it's good Hungary hasn't adopted the euro it's a shame that Hungarians can't use the ailing Russian ruble.

Other slogans of the march through downtown Budapest included "No more of that nonsense called democracy" and "Enough already with the EU stuffing the country with money."
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - President Donald Trump on Saturday awarded a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant recently wounded in Afghanistan, the first of many Trump likely will award during his service as commander in chief of the U.S. military.

"When I heard about this ... I wanted to do it myself," Trump said during a brief ceremony at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, outside Washington. The medal went to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded in action on March 17 in Afghanistan during what is now America's longest war. The White House did not release Barrientos' hometown.

"Congratulations on behalf of Melania and myself and the entire nation. Tremendous," said Trump, mentioning his wife.

President Donald Trump, left, points after awarding a Purple Heart to U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Alvaro Barrientos, with first lady Melania Trump, right, and Tammy Barrientos, second from right, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

It was Trump's first visit as president to the military hospital.

Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was brought into a hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy.

Trump kissed Barrientos' wife before pinning the medal on the sergeant's left shirt collar, grasping Barrientos by the shoulders and then shaking his hand. The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action.

Besides Barrientos, Trump met privately with about a dozen service members who are receiving care at the medical center.

Before leaving the White House, the president tweeted that he looked forward to "seeing our bravest and greatest Americans."

Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony was in sharp contrast to former President Barack Obama, who awarded Purple Heart medals during his own regular visits to Walter Reed but always did so behind closed doors.

Trump was driven to Maryland instead of flying in the Marine One helicopter, the way presidents typically travel to Walter Reed, due to annual public tours of the White House south grounds and gardens that were taking place Saturday.

As the motorcade exited the complex, nearby sidewalks were lined with people who had come to Washington on Saturday, which is also Earth Day, to promote science and defend it from attack, including Trump's proposed budget cuts. Some held signs that said "Support Science" and "Science Saves Lives."

Later that evening, Trump and the first lady went to dinner at Trump's hotel near the White House. It's a favorite dining spot for Trump when he ventures outside the executive mansion.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

President Donald Trump holds U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos after awarding him a Purple Heart, as his wife Tammy Barrientos stands right, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump prepares to award a Purple Heart to U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, with first lady Melania Trump, right, and Tammy Barrientos, second from right, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Alvaro Barrientos, after awarding him with a Purple Heart , as first lady Melania Trump, right, stands with Tammy Barrientos second from right, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump, left, awards a Purple Heart to U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Alvaro Barrientos, with his wife Tammy Barrientos, right, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have played his last game for Manchester United.

The English Premier League club announced on Saturday that Ibrahimovic sustained "significant knee ligament damage" on Thursday in the Europa League quarterfinal victory over Anderlecht.

United didn't put a timeframe on the Swedish striker's recovery.

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves the field with an injury during the Europa League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester United and Anderlecht at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, England, Thursday, April 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

The 35-year-old Ibrahimovic had been offered a new contract for next season that was yet to be accepted.

Defender Marcos Rojo is also facing a lengthy layoff with knee ligament damage.

United says "both players require specialist opinions over the coming days. Estimations of time to full recovery will only be possible once definitive treatment plans have been decided after these consultations."

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is checked before being taken off with an injury during the Europa League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester United and Anderlecht at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, England, Thursday, April 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic sits on the pitch before being taken off with an injury during the Europa League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester United and Anderlecht at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, England, Thursday, April 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is checked before being taken off with an injury during the Europa League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester United and Anderlecht at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, England, Thursday, April 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
MUNICH (AP) - Bayern Munich was held for a second successive Bundesliga game, with the leader twice coming from behind against lowly Mainz to recover a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

It was another setback for Bayern following Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal exit at Real Madrid, but the German title still looks to be Bayern's for a fifth consecutive season.

Bayern duo Arjen Robben and Thiago Alcantara canceled out Bojan Krkic's second-minute opener and then Daniel Brosinski's penalty just before the break.

Bayern's Thiago celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern extended its advantage to nine points with four games remaining but Leipzig, which plays Schalke on Sunday, can still catch Carlo Ancelotti's defending champions.

Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach courtesy of Raphael Guerreiro's 87th-minute goal lifted Thomas Tuchel's side up to third, five points behind Leipzig.

RELEGATION SCRAP

Last-place Darmstadt dealt a blow to Hamburger SV's survival hopes by beating its fellow struggler 2-1. Hamburg is only a point above the bottom three. Wolfsburg is ahead of Hamburg only on goal difference after losing at Hertha Berlin 1-0.

Augsburg occupies the relegation playoff spot after a 3-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt. Next-from-last Ingolstadt is five points from safety after a 4-2 loss to Werder Bremen, despite leading 2-1 with nine minutes to go.

Mainz's Robin Quaison, top, and Bayern's Arjen Robben challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Mainz's Yoshinori Muto, left, and Bayern's Rafinha challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Rafinha, right, and Mainz's Robin Quaison challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Mainz's Daniel Brosinski, second left, celebrates with teammates after scoring from the penalty spot his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Thiago, right, and Mainz's Robin Quaison challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
A 118-run partnership between Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich rescued the West Indies on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan.

The hosts slipped to 71 for five before Chase (63) and wicketkeeper Dowrich (56) steadied the ship as the West Indies reached stumps on 244 for seven.

Day 1: Stumps - West Indies managed to recover well after the early loss of five wickets, hosting side is now at 244 for 7. #WIvPAK pic.twitter.com/1IrBjOdllL  Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 21, 2017

Kraigg Brathwaite fell in the second over when Mohammad Abbas had him caught at slip without scoring and it was 32 for three when Mohammad Amir removed Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope in quick succession.

Mohammad Amir was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers.

Vishaul Singh and Kieran Powell were then dismissed to leave the West Indies in disarray before Chase and Dowrich came together.

Chase struck a six and seven other boundaries in a fluent innings from 151 balls while Dowrich found the boundary nine times but both men fell with the score on 189.

It was then left to Jason Holder (30 not out) and Devendra Bishoo (23no) to compile an unbroken stand of 55 to take the hosts to the close.

Amir was the pick of the tourists attack with three for 28 from his 19 overs.
American pair Bud Cauley and Tony Finau share the lead at the halfway point of the Valero Texas Open.

Both men are tied on eight under as Cauley, who is chasing a first PGA Tour win, fired a six-under-par 66 while Finau went one better with a 65.

Cauley struck six birdies in his blemish-free round but Finaus card was more erratic, with an eagle, eight birdies and three bogeys keeping the scorers busy.

Bud Cauley shares the lead at the Valero Texas Open.

Round 2 is in the books.



1. Finau, -8

1. Cauley



3. Smith, -7

3. Estes

3. Chappell

3. Shelton



Full leaderboard:https://t.co/GjPAcms9NC pic.twitter.com/F2B6nr6T6V  PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2017

Australian Cameron Smith, who matched Finaus 65 as the lowest score of the day, Bob Estes and Kevin Chappell lead the chasing pack on seven under.

Scotlands Martin Laird is three shots off the lead after his 67 moved him to five under but it was a disappointing day for Graeme McDowell as he shot a two-over-par 74 to fall back to six off the lead, having started his round two behind overnight leader Branden Grace.

There were some high-profile names to miss the cut as Zach Johnson and Luke Donald will not be returning for the weekend while Ian Poulters failure to beat the even par cut-off means he loses his PGA Tour card.
RENO  We all like to keep things clean, and disinfectants help that happen. Unfortunately, one of the most widely used antimicrobial products in use since 1964, triclosan, is also one of the top 10 environmental contaminants in rivers  possibly disrupting the endocrine systems of wildlife and causing toxic effects to their reproduction and development.

Now, a new study at the University of Nevada, Reno has found a potential way to reduce the presence of the antimicrobial that is also linked to problems with antibiotic resistance.

The results are promising that we gained better understanding about how triclosan is degraded in the natural environment, and can potentially find a way of removing the contaminant from the environment and in the long term fighting the antibiotic resistance problem, Yu Frank Yang, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University, said.

Yang and his teams research on how to reduce the presence of triclosan in the environment was recognized among Emerging Investigator Series by the journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and published in the April edition as the inside front-cover story. The article describes how the triclosan, used for things like hand sanitizer, detergents, soaps and paints, can be degraded faster in the environment through a process with a combination of metal-reducing bacterium and natural organic matter.

While the nation is phasing out triclosan and finding replacements for the detergents, its pervasive in the environment and is persistent under certain environmental conditions, Yang said. Because of its persistence and lack of efficient removal processes in most water treatment plants, triclosan has been widely detected in natural waters, soils, sediments and biosolids.

Antibiotic resistance induced by antimicrobial or antibiotic agents is a global problem, if they are not degraded rapidly, then bacteria in the environment get exposure and develop resistant genes and then we cant fight it, Yang said. If we can completely understand the degradation of antimicrobial agent, we can provide a treatment process in engineered and natural environments.

The team tested the matrix of a bacteria strain mixed with the organic material to find the condition that degraded triclosan the fastest. Yangs research found a mixture that reduced the half-life of triclosan to about 10 hours. The overall outcome is determined by the concentration of organic material, microbial activities and the chemistry of the water.

Further study and development are needed, and we would like to fully understand the degradation pathways of emerging organohalides and work out cost-effective removal strategies, Yang said. Both are challenging tasks.

The journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts recognized Yang, who is also a member of the College of Sciences Global Water Center, for his work and honored him with the distinction of Emerging Investigator. His paper is part of their 2017 Emerging Investigator Series which highlights the best and brightest early career scientists in the environmental chemical sciences.

The journal website explains the Emerging Investigator distinction showcases the high quality research being carried out by researchers in the early stages of their independent careers. It highlights up-and-coming scientists who are internationally recognized for making outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

In early April, Yang and his group presented this project and other work in nine presentations at the American Chemical Societys 2017 spring meeting in San Francisco, California.

He was also selected in early April by the U.S. National Committee for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry as a 2017 Young Observer for the organizations General Assembly and Global Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this July.

He has been at the University of Nevada, Reno since September 2013 as an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The Dual Role of Organic Matter in the Anaerobic Degradation of Triclosan study was supported by the University of Nevada, Reno Startup Fund, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the China Scholarship Council for the support of Lin Wang, a member of the research team.
Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi has died at the age of 37 after being hit by a van while training.

Scarponi had returned home to Filottrano, in the province of Ancona, after finishing fourth in the Tour of the Alps in Trento on Friday afternoon.

Team Astana announced the riders death in a statement on Saturday morning, saying it was a tragedy too big to be written.

Michele Scarponi has died, aged 37, after being hit by a van while training.

This is a tragedy too big to be written. Here is the official press release of the Astana Pro Team https://t.co/TDNc6MkkD1 Ciao Michele.  Astana Qazaqstan Team (@AstanaQazTeam) April 22, 2017

Scarponi, who was awarded 2011 Giro dItalia victory when Alberto Contador was stripped of the title, won the opening stage of the Tour of the Alps last week and was slated to lead Astana at the 2017 Giro.

He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Astana paid tribute to a great champion and a special guy.

The team statement read: Michele died in the morning while he was training. This is a tragedy too big to be written.

Goodbye Michele. It seems impossible.

Addio Michele. Sembra impossibile. #Scarponi pic.twitter.com/kmSkTs7xNe  Tour of The Alps (@Tourof_TheAlps) April 22, 2017

Our athlete Michele Scarponi died this morning while he was training on his bike close to his home in Filottrano. Michele has been hit by a van on a crossroad.

Born on September 25th 1979, he left a wife and two kids.

Michele ended 4th in the Tour of Alps yesterday afternoon in Trento. Then he went home in Filottrano (Ancona) by car with his masseur and was home in the evening to his family.

We will miss this guy in the peleton, always with a smile ! RIP @MicheleScarponi https://t.co/KrJFx3MD63  Greg Van Avermaet (@GregVanAvermaet) April 22, 2017

This morning Michele went out on his bike for an early morning training and there the tragedy happened.

We left a great champion and a special guy, always smiling in every situation. He was a real milestone and a landmark for everyone in the Astana Pro Team.

The Astana Pro Team clings to the Michele family in this incredibly painful moment of sorrow and mourning.
Arsenal and Manchester City meet at Wembley on Sunday in the second FA Cup semi-final.

The clubs have not met in the competition since 1971 but are familiar foes outside the Premier League.

Here, we look at the meetings since the turn of the century.

Arsenal 3 Man City 0 (Community Shield, 2014)

(Nick Potts/PA)

Back at the scene of their FA Cup triumph, the Gunners tore into a lacklustre City side in the first half, taking control of the league champions with goals from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey. Substitute Olivier Giroud cracked home a third from 25 yards on the hour.

Arsenal 0 Man City 1 (League Cup, 2011)

(Adam Davy/Empics)

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero came off the bench to fire City into the semi-finals of the League Cup, slotting home with seven minutes left following a sweeping counter-attack.

Man City 3 Arsenal 0 (League Cup, 2009)

(Martin Rickett/PA)

Carlos Tevez, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Vladimir Weiss were on target as City maintained the dream of ending their 33-year trophy drought by beating Arsenal in a League Cup contest at Eastlands.

Man City 1 Arsenal 2 (League Cup, 2004)

(Martin Rickett/PA)

Arsene Wenger celebrated confirmation of a new contract which committed him to Arsenal until 2008 as goals from Robin van Persie and Daniel Karbassiyoon took the Gunners into the last 16. Robbie Fowler pulled one back for City.
Bernd Wiesberger will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Shenzhen International after posting a third-round 69.

The 31-year-old Austrian held a four-shot lead after round two was completed earlier on Saturday, having carded a seven-under-par 65 on Friday before storms brought a premature end to play for the second day running.

He saw his lead wiped out by Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, whose strong start included a hole in one at the par-three third.

Austria's Bernd Wiesberger

But Wiesberger kept his cool and, after collecting five birdies  albeit alongside two bogeys  in his third round, will go into Sunday three strokes ahead of Dylan Frittelli. The South African registered a third successive four-under-par 68 on Saturday.

Englands Ross Fisher was one of four players sharing third place on 11 under. Fisher fired 69 in his third round and was four shots off the pace alongside American David Lipsky (67) and South African pair George Coetzee (67) and Dean Burmester (68).

Two-time former Masters champion Bubba Watson was a stroke further back after a 70 and was joined by French pair Alexander Levy (64) and Bourdy (70), and Chinas Liu Yan-wei (66).

I didnt start off really well, Wiesberger told Europeantour.com. I hit a couple of crooked shots and left a couple of putts out there but then from when I holed the putt on seven I felt more comfortable and was rolling the ball a bit better.

I was in a similar position a couple of weeks ago in Malaysia and had a sloppier day, so Im happy with the way I bounced back and to shoot three under par is a decent score today.

The guys were coming at me hard early on today as well so Im expecting no less for tomorrow, so Im just trying to commit to my shots and enjoy it out there.
West Ham held Europa-League chasing Everton to a dull goalless Premier League draw at the London Stadium.

In a game of half-chances, Manuel Lanzinis goalbound second-half effort was the closest any of the two sides came to finding a goal.

With the share of the spoils, the point takes Everton above Arsenal into sixth-place but the Gunners have three games in-hand over their Merseyside rivals. Meanwhile, West Ham edged closer to safety as they remain in 13th place, seven off the drop zone.

An important point and it could have been more.#COYI #WHUEVE pic.twitter.com/c6xKuG0WBM  West Ham United (@WestHam) April 22, 2017

It was about stopping the service to Lukaku. Hes a major threat, scoring 24 goals. The next top goalscorer (for Everton) has four goals I think so it is about Lukaku. We stopped the service to him from (Ross) Barkley and (Kevin) Mirallas and when he was getting the ball, we tried to double him up.

(Im) disappointed about the performance this afternoon. (We were) far away from the level at every aspect of football. One positive thing, a clean sheet and we go home. We didnt bring intensity to the game, I think it was too slow. A lot of ball possession, too many players in the centre position of the midfield. (We) took too much time  in my opinion if you start a game like this, its always difficult to change.

Tweet of the match

 Amazingly, that's our first goalless draw in 42 matches this season in all competitions!#COYI #WHUEVE pic.twitter.com/0eKoQsHnAt  West Ham United (@WestHam) April 22, 2017

Star man  Arthur Masuaku

11: Better.



Masuaku twists, turns and crosses, Calleri leaps and his header is deflected out for a corner



[0-0] #COYI #WHUEVE  West Ham United (@WestHam) April 22, 2017

The left-back finally showcased his talent to the West Ham faithful after an inconsistent run of form since arriving from Olympiacos last summer. The Frenchman made penetrative runs forward and caused the Toffees problems.

Data point

Everton's Romelu Lukaku (left) and West Ham United's Winston Reid battle for the ball (Daniel Hambury/PA)

Romelu Lukaku was aiming to score for the 10th game in a row against West Ham but failed to register a single shot on target.

In with the crowd

Tributes to Ugo Ehiogu on screen prior to the Premier League match at London Stadium (Daniel Hambury/PA)

Prior to the game, both sets of fans applauded the life of Ugo Ehiogu, the Tottenham Under-23 coach who died on Friday, while Mark Noble received an award from Sir Trevor Brooking before kick-off. Hammers captain Noble, who was suspended, is one of only 19 players to reach 400 appearances for the club.

Player ratings

Adrian, Havard Nordtveit, Winston Reid, James Collins, Jose Fonte, Cheikhou Kouyate, Arthur Masuaku, Edimilson Fernandes, Jonathan Calleri, Andre Ayew, Manuel LanziniDiafra Sakho (for Calleri, 61 minutes), Aaron Cresswell (for Kouyate, 78 mins)

Maarten Stekelenburg, Mason Holgate, Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Gueye, Tom Davies, Kevin Mirallas, Ross Barkley, Romelu LukakuGareth Barry (for Davies, 45 minutes), Ademola Lookman (for Gueye, 45 minutes), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (for Mirallas, 71 minutes)

Whos up next?

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Everton's Romelu Lukaku react after the final whistleduring the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge (John Walton/PA)

Stoke v West Ham (Premier League, April 29)

Everton v Chelsea (Premier League, April 30)
Early voting has begun overseas in Frances most nail-biting election in generations.

The 11 candidates seeking to become the countrys next president have silenced their campaigns as required to give voters a period of reflection.

Opinion polls show a tight race among the four top contenders vying to get into the May 7 presidential run-off which will decide who becomes Frances next head of state.

Independent centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Trogneux arrive at their home in Le Touquet Paris Plage, northern France (Christophe Ena/AP)

But the polls also show that the decision is largely in the hands of the one in three French voters who are still undecided.

Polling has started in Frances far-flung overseas territories but will not begin until Sunday on the mainland.

Frances 10% unemployment, its lacklustre economy and security issues are the top concerns among voters. Political campaigning was banned from midnight Friday until the polls close at 8pm on Sunday.

Opinion polls suggest that far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, are in the lead.

However, conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations, appears to be closing the gap, as is far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

A worker prepares voting booths at a polling station in Lyon (Laurent Cipriani/AP)

Security is tight, with the government mobilising more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

Security is a prominent issue after a wave of extremist attacks on French soil, including a gunman who killed a Paris police officer on Thursday night before being shot dead by security forces. The gunman carried a note praising the Islamic State group.

Voters made their choices in the Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as well as in French Guiana in South America, the Caribbeans Guadeloupe and elsewhere. Voters abroad could also cast ballots in French embassies on Saturday.
Arthur Collins, the boyfriend of reality TV star Ferne McCann, has been charged in connection with an acid attack at an east London nightclub which left two revellers partially blinded and others disfigured.

The 24-year-old was arrested at an address in Rushden, Northamptonshire, on Saturday.

He was charged on Sunday with 14 counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and one count of throwing corrosive fluid on a person with intent to cause GBH, Scotland Yard said.

Collins, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, will appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday.

A second man, Andre Phoenix, 21, will appear at the same court charged with seven counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Twenty clubbers were doused with a corrosive substance during a night out at Mangle nightclub in Dalston on Easter Monday.

A 22-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were both blinded in one eye, while several other revellers received burns.

A 33-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were arrested and later released from custody.

Collins had been in a relationship with Ms McCann, best known for her appearances on The Only Way Is Essex and Im A Celebrity  Get Me Out Of Here!
Americas Kevin Chappell finally got to grips with the windy conditions at the Valero Texas Open to claim the outright lead on day three as he chases his first PGA Tour victory.

The 30-year-old, who has six runners-up finishes to his name, was just one shot off the lead after Friday but an outward 38 appeared to have left him struggling.

However, three birdies in his final five holes in a bogey-free back nine lifted him to the top of the leaderboard on eight under after a round of 71.

USA's Kevin Chappell (David Davies/PA)

Rd. 3 @ValeroTXOpen is complete

1. Chappell, -8

2. Grace, -7

2. Huh

4. Palmer, -6

4. Pettersson

4. Laird

4. Tway

4. Cauley

4. Finau

4. Smith pic.twitter.com/NL24cI6yig  PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2017

South Africas Branden Grace, a renowned good wind player, shot 70 to move to seven under alongside another American John Huh.

The group one shot further back included Ryan Palmer, who carded an impressive 68 on a testing day on the AT&T Oaks Course in San Antonio, and Scotlands Martin Laird after a 71.

Overnight joint leaders Tony Finau and Bud Cauley were also in that chasing pack having rallied late on in their rounds after difficult starts.

Both carded two-over 74s, still leaving them well-placed just two behind Chappell.
PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - The first round of France's presidential election may be too close to call when polls close on Sunday because initial projections will not be available as early as in the past, pollsters and their watchdog said on Friday.

Most polls see centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen qualifying on Sunday for a May 7 runoff, but conservative Francois Fillon and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon are not far behind and within the margin of error. Adding to the suspense, the first polling stations to close will do so later than in previous votes. That means pollsters may not have had time to calculate first projections from partial results before 8:00 PM (1800 GMT), when media are allowed to report results.

"The tighter it is, the longer we are going to wait to put something reliable out," Ifop's head of political studies Francois Kraus told Reuters, adding that only in a best-case scenario would the pollsters have a first estimate ready before 8:00 PM for media.

In previous elections, the first polling stations closed at 6:00 PM, but that has been pushed back to 7:00 in part because there were too many leaks of partial results on social media and foreign news outlets before the closure of all stations at 2000.

That means pollsters will only have an hour to collect partial results from the first polling stations to close, which are mostly in smaller towns, before they can run algorithms to estimate projections, Kraus said.

Better projections based on results from larger towns may not be available until 8:45 PM, he added.

With the later closure, anything circulating on the Internet before 8:00 PM purporting to reflect partial results would be probably be based only on rumour, the head of France's polling watchdog said.

Even after that, the smoke might not clear immediately, Matthias Guyomar told Reuters.

"Everything is possible. There may be big divergences (between scores) and so at 8:00 there'll be estimates. Or it may be tight and caution will prompt (pollsters) to hold off or give ranges," Guyomar said.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by John Irish)
By Dustin Volz

April 21 (Reuters) - A Russian national who was arrested earlier this month in Spain has been charged with criminal hacking offenses in relation to operating the Kelihos botnet in an eight-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Connecticut, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday.

Peter Yuryevich Levashov, 36, was indicted on Thursday by a grand jury in Bridgeport and charged with causing intentional damage to a protected computer and wire fraud, among other counts, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Last week the Justice Department announced it had launched an effort to take down the Kelihos botnet, which has infected computers that ran Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system, after Spanish authorities arrested Levashov while he was on vacation with his family in Barcelona.

The Kelihos botnet is a global network of tens of thousands of infected computers,

Levashov used Kelihos for years to distribute during any given 24-hour period more than 2,500 spam emails for various criminal schemes, including pump-and-dump stock fraud, password thefts and distribution of malware, including ransomware, the indictment alleges.

Levashov remains detained under an international arrest warrant. The Justice Department said it is seeking his extradition to the United States to face charges.

The Russian Embassy in Washington could not be reached for comment. It could not be determined if Levashov has retained a lawyer.

The Kelihos botnet has been a source of criminal activity targeting computer users worldwide since at least 2010, a Justice Department official told reporters last week. The botnet at times grew larger than 100,000 simultaneously infected devices, the official said.

Botnets are often rented out for multiple criminal uses as well.

Russian-state media service RT reported earlier this month that Levashov was arrested in relation to the U.S. government's belief that Moscow interfered in last year's U.S. presidential election to help Republican Donald Trump win.

The Justice Department official said, however, that the Kelihos case was not connected to election hacking, and the indictment makes no mention of it.

Levashov, who has long been considered the likely identity of an online persona known as Peter Severa, spent years listed as among the world's 10 most prolific computer spammers by Spamhaus, a spam-tracking group. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Additional reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Eric Walsh and Leslie Adler)
By Dan Levine and Mica Rosenberg

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK, April 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority nations faces its second challenge at a U.S. appeals court next month, and this time more Republican states are backing the measure, while one Democratic state attorney general dropped out of the legal fight this week.

Some legal experts say the states' realignment could signal that the changes made last month to Trump's original executive order have strengthened the government's case.

Sixteen Democratic state attorneys general and the District of Colombia on Thursday filed a "friend of the court" brief backing Hawaii in its bid to block the March 6 executive order, which two federal judges put on hold before it could be implemented. Hawaii and other states argue the ban violates the U.S. Constitution because it discriminates against Muslims.

But Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who opposed the original ban that Trump signed on Jan. 27, did not join Thursday's brief, which was filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Shapiro declined to comment.

On the other side, Texas, which had been alone in its support for the original January order, has gained the support of 14 Republican states urging that the ban go forward in a legal brief filed on April 10. Those states back the government's argument that the president has wide authority to implement immigration policy and that the ban is needed to prevent terrorist attacks.

Trump's original ban, which the president said was needed for national security to head off attacks by Islamist militants, applied to seven Muslim-majority nations and indefinitely banned the entry of all refugees from Syria. It was revised and narrowed after a flurry of legal challenges.

"The second executive order was much more carefully written than the first. Maybe when various states analyzed it they weren't as interested as joining," said Stephen Yale-Loehr an immigration expert at Cornell University Law School. However, he said, "amicus briefs sometimes are filed for political reasons."

Some judges pay close attention to amicus briefs, while others disregard them.

The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment.

Trump's January order was hastily implemented just days after his inauguration, leading to chaos and protests at airports and more than two dozen lawsuits. A federal judge in Seattle halted the order and the 9th circuit upheld that ruling.

The White House re-crafted the order to exclude legal permanent residents and removed Iraq from the list of targeted countries. Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are still included in the new order. The new ban also dropped language giving preference to refugees who are part of a persecuted religious minority in their country of citizenship.

The changes were meant to chip away at the plaintiffs' "standing" to sue, which requires that anyone bringing a lawsuit show they have been directly harmed by the action they are contesting.

But as soon as the second order was signed, states and civil rights groups went back to court, saying that it was still discriminatory.

Federal district judges in Maryland and Hawaii put the second order on hold before it could take effect on March 16.

The judge in Hawaii blocked the two central sections of the ban, on travel and refugees, while the Maryland judge only halted the travel portion.

Most of the focus is now on the Hawaii case, which is being heard by the 9th Circuit on May 15.

The 4th Circuit appeals court in Virginia is slated to hear arguments in the Maryland case on May 8.

Not all states have staked out a side in the fight. Pennsylvania now is among 18 states, including Michigan, Ohio, and New Jersey that have not taken sides on the issue, opting not to file any legal briefs. (Reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler)
ELKO  Trapping in Nevada may only go through a slight change once the legislative session is done.

Elko County Wildlife Advisory Board Chairman Bert Gurr told Elko County Commissioners he is satisfied with what happened with two trapping bills.

Senate Bill 364 and 365 were introduced March 20.

SB 365 would have required trappers to report on any profit obtained from trapping animals, but the bill died when it didnt make it out of committee.

SB 364 which concerns signage and the frequency of checking traps was amended April 13.

If passed, the bill will require signs be posted on public land where traps are being used. Trappers may register their traps with the Department of Wildlife when used on public land. Private property owners who use an unregistered trap must either register the trap or ensure their name and address is affixed to the trap before it is used on public land. Each trap will cost $5 to register.

The amendment deleted a risk to the safety of the public from the reasons a person may remove or disturb a trap.

The amendment also deleted that a trap must be visited at least once every 24 hours. Instead it retained the requirement that the Board of Wildlife Commissioners shall adopt regulations setting forth the required frequency of trap visitation, which must not exceed 96 hours.

Its an OK bill now, Gurr said.
PANAMA CITY, April 21 (Reuters) - A Panamanian court has granted bail to the two founders of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the Panama Papers scandal, in a case allegedly tied to a sprawling corruption scandal in Brazil.

Following their February arrest on charges of money laundering, Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca each paid $500,000 on Friday and will be set free later in the day, the attorney for the two lawyers, Guillermina McDonald, told Reuters.

McDonald said the court had ruled they two were not a flight risk since they had been cooperating with the investigation. Another lawyer from the firm, Edison Teano, was still being held, she said.

Mossack Fonseca emerged from obscurity in April 2016 with the Panama Papers, millions of documents stolen from the firm and leaked to the media that illustrated how the wealthy use offshore corporations to avoid taxes. Panama has not charged them in any matter related to the papers.

In the separate Brazil case, Mossack and Fonseca turned themselves in to authorities in February after Panamanian prosecutors said they had been linked to a sweeping three-year-old corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash. (Reporting by Elida Moreno; Writing by Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Mary Milliken)
BUENOS AIRES, April 21 (Reuters) - Buenos Aires is dropping out of the running to host the 2023 Pan American Games and will instead focus on a bid for the event four years later, the president of the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA), Gerardo Werthein, said on Friday.

Werthein said the Argentine capital, which will hold the Olympic Youth Games next year, was dropping its plans due to financial reasons, which leaves Chile's Santiago as the only city interested in hosting the quadrennial event in 2023.

Werthein said delaying the bid would also fit into Buenos Aires' plans for a possible Summer Olympics bid.

"I would like Argentina to present its Olympic candidacy for 2032, but for now Im only thinking about (the PanAm Games in) 2027," Werthein told reporters.

"The budget necessary to organise the Pan American Games was $650 million... Its too much for this moment in Argentina," he was quoted as saying by the leading national daily La Nacion.

The Pan American Games, which will next be held in Lima in 2019, have been staged twice in Argentina - in Buenos Aires in 1951 and Mar del Plata in 1995.

The last Games were held in Toronto in 2015.

(Reporting by Rex Gowar; Editing by Peter Rutherford; )
April 22 (Reuters) - Pakistan left-arm paceman Mohammad Amir claimed his first five-wicket haul since returning from a five-year ban on a rain-shortened second day of the first test against West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday.

Only 11.3 overs were bowled, with the home team advancing to 278 for nine wickets at a soggy Sabina Park.

Amir claimed the two wickets to fall, dismissing tail-enders Devendra Bishoo for 28 and Alzarri Joseph for a duck while captain Jason Holder remained unbeaten on 55 at stumps.

Amir (5-41) returned to the Pakistan test team last year after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Ed Osmond)
Joint opposition leader Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday said that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed him last morning that the debate on the Meethotamulla mishap will probably not be taken up in Parliament on Monday (24).

The MP told Daily Mirror, the debate will most probably be postponed owing to Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghes visit to India next week.Most of the ministers who should take part in the debate are scheduled to accompany the Prime Minister on his visit to India, he said.

However, he said they would request the Speaker to set another date for the debate, with the most likely date being May 3, the day the regular parliamentary sessions begin after the New Year break.

During the the time Parliament is on a break, the Speaker has no authority to convene Parliament. The sessions could however be convened after getting the permission of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe on Thursday agreed to the request made by the JO for a Parliamentary debate on the Meethotamulla garbage dump mishap.

According to Indian media, the Premier is scheduled to visit India on April 25 to set the agenda for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Sri Lanka that was scheduled to take place next month. (Lahiru Pothmulla)
Making progress in the fight against corruption is good for Sri Lanka, for Sri Lankans and for Sri Lankan businesses, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka James Dauris said.

Speaking on Corporate Governance: staying ahead of the risk of corruption, the High Commissioner said if corruption was tackled properly, it will be easier for Sri Lankan business to proper.

Get it right, at least get it better, and it will be easier for Sri Lankan businesses to prosper, will help companies and country alike to attract investment, and will enhance the countrys international reputation, he said.

He said he is proud of the work the High Commission has been doing, at the invitation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to share experience of tackling financial crime with practitioners in Sri Lanka.

We have had colleagues from our Serious Fraud Office working in Colombo with local agencies, sharing expertise and providing training that we hope will help to lead to successful prosecutions, he said.

The High Commissioner said in the 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index prepared by Transparency International, Sri Lanka is ranked 95 out of 175 countries, with a score of 36%.

India is ranked 79 with a score of 40%. The report comments that the years results highlight the link between corruption and inequality. In turn, Transparency International assesses, the interplay between corruption and inequality feeds political populism, he said.

He said the UK cant and dont claim to have beaten corruption but the country do take it seriously. We take the fight against it seriously, and we demand that companies with links to the UK take it seriously, he said.

In May 2016, the UK hosted the first Anti-Corruption Summit for heads of state and government  its purpose to step up global action to expose, punish and drive out corruption in all walks of life

It was good to have President Maithripala Sirisena representing Sri Lanka at the Summit, at which he said that Sri Lanka would be working towards making the public service corruption-free at all levels, and addressing corruption within the private sector.

These are laudable goals. The recent passing of the Right to Information Act provides a useful tool to help advance these goals, he said.
Join Sri Lanka in the Wings for Life Organised App Run on May 7, 2017 and find a cure for spinal cord injury.

Youll feel the excitement as you are chased by a Virtual Catcher Car and your name will appear on the Global Result List. Available for download now!

Lets hit the road together on May 7, 2017 with tens of thousands of runners worldwide and help find a cure for spinal cord injury, thanks to the Wings for Life World Run App. The 2017 edition of the app offers participants more options than ever and this year when you use it your name will appear on the Global Result List.

A unique aspect of the Wings for Life World Run is its moving finish line: the Catcher Car. At event locations in cities across six continents, a Catcher Car gives runners a head start on a pre-determined course and then begins a slow pursuit. Once a runner is caught, his or her race is finished. Using the Wings for Life World Run app on your phone enables you to run anywhere with a Virtual

Catcher Car.

Heres how it works: Download the Wings for Life World Run app, use it to train toward your personal goals and run wherever you wish - alone or with friends - on May 7, at exactly the same time as all the other runners around the globe.

The Virtual Catcher Car will give you a head start and then begin pursuit at the same slow pace as the real Catcher Cars at event locations around the world. When youre caught, youve reached your personal finish line. The app will show you the distance you achieved and make it easy to share your accomplishment.

Join the Wings for Life Organised App Run of Sri Lanka, which will be a 2.5km running loop around the historic Independence Square Memorial Ground at exactly 3:30 p.m. and run together with the app at the same time as the world. Thousand Wings for Life T-shirts will be available at the price of Rs.1000. Hundred percent of all proceedings and donations go directly to the non-profit Wings for Life Foundation, for life-changing spinal cord research.

Its time to sign up for the 2017 edition of the Wings for Life World Run on Sunday, May 7. Download the app at the App Store or Google Play or register to run at an event location by visitingwww.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.
The recent split judgment of the Pakistan Supreme Court, giving the country's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif breathing space by appointing a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the Panama Papers' claims of financial irregularities by him and his family, has changed the strategic scenario in the country.

The JIT comprises members of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Military Intelligence (MI) and the ISI.

It has been granted two months to complete its probe and submit its findings. Whether it does so or seeks an extension, time would tell. However, it has set a precedent which would only harm the nation and the political leadership in the days ahead. It would alter the strategic balance in the country and severely affect civil-military interface and India-Pakistan relations.

It is known in Pakistan that the deep state, comprising the ISI and the army, are the main power base, the political leadership being mere pawns in their hands. Sharif had hoped that by appointing General Qamar Bajwa as the new army chief, superseding others, he would be in the drivers seat, as it appeared that General Bajwa was a strong believer of democratic governance.

This now seems to change. Sharif and his government are already being sidelined by the deep state as events in recent times seem to indicate.

The announcement of the launch of the latest anti-terror operation, Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, spread across the country including Punjab, was made by the head of Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor, and not the government, which was only logical.

In a similar manner, the conduct of the military trial of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the supposed Indian spy, and the announcement of death sentence was done by the ISPR. In both cases, the government was left red-faced and struggled to handle the aftermath. Calls for consular access have been denied because the army is unwilling.

The Supreme Court order has only added fuel to the fire. The JIT has representatives of the ISI and MI as members. Officially, the head of the ISI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the army chief and is supposed to report directly to him. The reality is far from this.

The man you appointed now controls you and your government. Photo: Reuters

The Dawn newspaper of Pakistan officially commented that other than these two agencies (ISI and MI), all others report to the Prime Minister, hence possibly affecting the probe. The fact that two agencies report to the army chief implies that the final leverage would remain in his hands.

Nominating of a spy agency (ISI) which controls terror groups operating against India and Afghanistan, as also a military intelligence agency being part of a JIT investigating financial irregularities and purchase of properties abroad, beats all logic.

The probe is not on selling military secrets or terror funding or anti-national activities or spying, hence does not warrant involvement of military agencies. The only possible reason is the hold of the deep state in the country, as also its ability to influence the courts.

It should be remembered that setting up of military courts undermines belief and faith in their own judicial system and yet the Supreme Court maintained silence, without even challenging its formation.

This decision by the Supreme Court is a game-changer. Earlier, all other civilian agencies had refused to conduct the probe, stating that the investigation does not fall within their charter, except the ISI and MI, which were then not even remotely involved.

However, with this decision the army is clearly in the drivers seat. It can directly influence the probe, move it in the manner in which it wishes to, embarrass the Prime Minister if it so desires, as also threaten the very survival of the government and the party.

It can delay the final submission stating it needs more time, hence hold all cards till the time is right. The Prime Minister and his government are now pawns in the hands of the army chief, who now controls all the cards and is the de facto head of state.

Thus, civil-military relations in Pakistan are now tilting clearly in favour of the army. This would thus impact India-Pakistan relations. While presently relations between the two nations are at their lowest ebb, there was hope that the two Prime Ministers could meet on the sidelines of the SCO summit about two months away in Russia.

There were thoughts that it could herald a small shift in relations. Sharif came to power promising improvement in ties with India. Every step that he wanted to take was shot in the back by the deep state.

With limited time left for fresh elections, this could possibly be his last chance. However, with this judgment nothing can be expected. He would be compelled to sing the army tune, independence of thought having vanished into thin air.

The Pakistan Supreme Court, in one short and swift judgment, has altered the balance of power in the country as also adversely affected international relations. In the ultimate count, it would be most humiliating for a Prime Minister to present himself before junior staff members whenever summoned.

The opposition may keep calling for his resignation, which he can very well turn down, but the humiliation would remain. The only one left smiling at the end of the day is the army chief, who holds all aces up his sleeve, threatening to release them whenever he desires.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has, for the time being, survived the corruption allegations levied against him. The country's Supreme Court on April 20 ordered a new investigation which would seek testimony from Sharif and his two sons.

Sharif and his family have been under opposition and judicial spotlight following the Panama Papers scandal - a major international leak of documents last year (April 2016) from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The documents contain confidential attorney-client information for more than 2,14,488 offshore entities. The papers revealed how offshore companies are used to hoard assets and exposed multiple high-profile personalities across the world.

Immediately after the leaks, Icelands PM was forced to resign as the leaks pointed that his family sheltered assets offshore. CNN reported on April 4, 2016, that the documents refer to 12 current or former world leaders and 128 other politicians and public officials.

The Panama Papers put Sharif and his family in probably the worst crisis he has experienced in his political career. Sharif, in his long political career, has fought many legal battles but for the first time allegations have been based on reports by international journalists and not the opposition party in Pakistan.

For the last one year, Sharif and his family have witnessed a trail of accusations inside and outside the judicial domain. On April 3, 2016, the International Consortium of Journalists (ICJI) made public Mossack Fonseca documents on offshore entities, of which eight off-shore companies reportedly have links to Sharifs family.

The paper Dawn (April 3, 2016) reported that according to the documents available on the ICJI website, Sharifs children Maryam, Hassan and Hussain were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several companies.

The latest revelations revived the existing allegations of corruption against Sharif, and at the forefront of the battle is the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Sharif did defend himself and opened himself to a judicial probe in the matter.

Dawn (April 5, 2016) reported that he said my family was not involved in politics till much later, as such, even before I got into politics, we were an established business family.

Imran Khan's PTI has moved a petition seeking disqualification of Sharif from his office as well as the National Assembly. Photo: Reuters

Sharif, clarifying his position on May 16, 2016, on the floor of parliament said: I can say with surety that not a single penny went out of Pakistan.

Khan's PTI moved a petition seeking disqualification of Sharif from his office as well as the National Assembly. It also conducted protest rallies and invited thousands of supporters from all across the country to join the so-called Accountability Movement, seeking a fair trial on the charges levied against Sharif and his children.

In October 2016, the Supreme Court formed a larger five-bench to hear petitions filed by Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Jamhoori Watan Party, Jamaat-e-Islaami and others.

The Supreme Courts larger bench delivered the much awaited verdict on April 20, 2017. Interestingly, the 549-page Panama judgment starts with the mention of Mario Puzos novel The Godfather as follows:

The popular 1964 novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo recounted the violent tale of a mafia family and the epigraph selected by the author was fascinating - Behind every great fortune there is a crime (Balzac)."

The judgment talks of insufficient evidence of allegations against Sharif and his family and ordered a fresh probe. The text of the verdict as published in The News (April 20) outlines dissatisfaction on the responses by Sharif and his children: I am constrained to hold that I am not satisfied with the explanation offered by Respondent No. 1 (Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan) and his children regarding the mode and manner in which the said properties come in their possession and what were the sources of funds utilised for acquisition of the same."

The verdict is split 3-2 among the bench. Two judges ruled against Sharif, whereas the other three were in favour of the PM. The Supreme Court has ordered a constitution of a joint investigation team (JIT) which shall investigate the matter, collect all relevant records and material to relook into the assets and properties.

The JIT would involve members of Military Intelligence, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the case in the next 60 days. As reported by Daily Pakistan, Imran Khan, who started this whole movement against Sharif, congratulated the nation for a "historic ruling" as this has never happened in the history of Pakistan. He has demanded Sharifs resignation till the JIT probe is complete.

Sharif has managed to get temporary relief, but the fact is that for the next two months he will be on his toes. The Supreme Court did not clear his name and his position weakens significantly as a leader since he has been directed to appear before investigators.

He has little support in the present situation, with the opposition parties aligning against him. His progressive and inclusive message on the festival of Holi to minorities invited strong criticism from religious entities and he was accused of "blaspheming" against Islam.

His Holi message was seen as an effort to please New Delhi. The military has not been very happy with the PM due to his "softer" approach towards New Delhi. The JIT includes the representatives of the Military Intelligence and the ISI and it would not be incorrect to say that Nawazs fate would depend on what the military leadership wants.

Just two years ago in August 2014, Imran Khan and cleric Qadri led a massive protest rally against Sharif demanding his resignation. Sharif apparently crossed the "red lines" and was gently reminded through a "soft military coup".

In the current situation, if Sharif does fall in sync with the military, he is probably the best choice for the establishment as Imran Khans party has limited representation, with just 33 seats in the 342-member National Assembly.
ELKO  A handicap-accessible van was a welcome donation to the countys Get My Ride program.

Coordinator Abby Wheeler accepted the donation this week from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Gasper J. Salaz Post 2350.

It has a wheelchair lift in it, she said. This is going to allow us to take care of veterans who are disabled.

Her staff also is working on a program to transport Carlin, Wells and any other veterans in the county who need to get to Elko for medical services. The van gives Get My Ride another vehicle to help veterans access the care they need in the county.

We have a federal grant that is a pass-through through the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, and it is very specific to veterans trying to get to medical services, Wheeler said. We use it to do that for the entire county, plus allow veterans in the local area to ride our normal service at no charge. So we try to make it bigger than the grant.

VFW Adjutant Walt Goddard knows Wheeler through Rotary and he knew about the grant and how it helped veterans.

The van was donated to us for either our use or to find somebody who could use it, Goddard said. We dont have the people to man it, so we thought of Abby and the veterans transportation program, so we got the members together and voted on it.

Wheeler said Get My Ride was in need of a new vehicle, especially something smaller than the buses they normally use.

Youre not going to get a whole bus load of people typically; youre going to get a rider or two, she said about taking veterans to medical appointments. So this is kind of a good size, because youre not taking the great big buses and all their gas mileage and everything. Youre going to get something thats a little bit more compact. It will also get into some of the areas easier than a big bus.

Heather Oleson, operations manager with MV Transportation, said the van will be a lot nicer to drive then a bus in places like Elburz. MV operates the Get My Ride vehicles.

The service area for Get My Ride is Elko, Spring Creek, Ryndon and Osino. When it goes outside of that area, the service is operating on a different grant, Wheeler said.

The program will have to put stickers on the van and make sure it meets all the necessary requirements before it is put into use.

Wheeler said she was grateful to the VFW for the donation.

Theyve helped us with some other stuff, she said. Were trying to get this information out to the veterans. Walts been wonderful in assisting with that, trying to get information to outlying areas. Thats really hard when they dont always have radio or television access. Some of these remote areas are hard to reach with information.

To contact Get My Ride call 777-1428. The bus operates from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fare ranges from $1 to $5 per ride, depending on the pickup and delivery zone, stated thec ountys website.
Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, and international news to media organizations, professional, and news consumers through news agency and industry events. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon  Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma  Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited.

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Kilroy Realty Corporation (NYSE: KRC, the company, KRC) is a leading West Coast landlord and developer, with a major presence in San Diego, Greater Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Pacific Northwest. The company has earned global recognition for sustainability, building operations, innovation and design. As pioneers and innovators in the creation of a more sustainable real estate industry, the company's approach to modern business environments helps drive creativity, productivity and employee retention for some of the world's leading technology, entertainment, life science and business services companies. KRC is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) and member of the S&P MidCap 400 Index with more than seven decades of experience developing, acquiring and managing office and mixed-use projects. As of September 30, 2020, KRC's stabilized portfolio totaled approximately 14.3 million square feet of primarily office and life science space that was 92.2% occupied and 95.5% leased. The company also had 808 residential units in Hollywood and San Diego, which had a quarterly average occupancy of 85.0% and 37.5%, respectively. In addition, KRC had seven in-process development projects with an estimated total investment of $1.9 billion, totaling approximately 2.3 million square feet of office and life science space. The office and life science space was 90% leased.
Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Nevada recently hit a major milestone when for the first time in 10 years, its jobless rate fell to five percent as all sectors of the state reported job gains. For a straight 54 months, Nevadas job growth has outpaced the national job average. Add in a business-friendly environment and you can see not only why Nevada companies are thriving, but more are flocking here.

Considering how the state was especially hard hit by the recession, Nevadas economy has grown leaps and bounds. As Governor Sandoval recently lauded the positive job numbers, he also cautioned,  we must remain vigilant in our efforts to continue bringing high-wage, quality employment to the Silver State.

Yet there is much that can be done to continue this economic success and boost the nations economic bottom line as well.

With a paltry 1.9 percent growth reported at the end of last year, the nations economy hasnt had quite the stellar recovery as Nevada. So, its heartening to see President Trump and leaders in Congress focus on job creation, increased investment, and regulatory reform.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce supports a plan that encompasses each one of those goals  the House of Representatives tax reform bill will lower tax rates for individuals, small businesses and corporations, level the global playing field for American businesses, encourage new business formation, and end tax discrimination against domestic manufacturers and other businesses.

Small business is among the key drivers of job creation, accounting for about 65 percent of new jobs across the U.S. In Nevada, small businesses employ more than a third of the states private workforce, and account for fully 95 percent of all employers. To ensure the states economy achieves its full potential, Americas corporate tax rate must be lowered from the highest in the developed world  currently 35 percent versus a worldwide average of 22.5 percent.

Equally critical, the tax treatment for American imports and exports must be fair and balanced. While many of our global competitors exempt their exports from their value-added tax, there is no similar provision in the U.S. tax code. This means our global trading partners have an unfair tax advantage over American made goods.

Right now, if a company makes a product in the United States and sells the product overseas, it is required to pay taxes to the U.S. on the profits from the sale. But under a border adjustment  as outlined in the House blueprint  exporters would no longer be penalized for paying taxes for products sold to other countries. Yet if a foreign company sells a product in the United States that was produced overseas, it currently doesnt pay taxes to the U.S. on the value of the imported product. Under a border adjustment, foreign companies would no longer enjoy tax advantages when they sell products here.

Our elected leaders in Congress should work on tax reform that encourages business creation, the hiring of more American labor, and levels the playing field for U.S. enterprise.
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

Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

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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

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
Wyoming becomes 45th US State to recognize Armenian Genocide

In a letter dated April 21, 2017 and addressed to the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), Wyoming Governor Matthew H Mead has recognized the Armenian Genocide and praised the work of Armenian American grassroots, Asbarez reports. The atrocities of both the Armenian and Jewish Holocausts were unimaginable, reads Governor Meads letter, but it is important for all to remember  history must not repeat itself. The letter also recalls a meeting with senior ANCA-WR staff earlier this year, when Executive Director Elen Asatryan and Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan visited Cheyenne, adding that The work of the Armenian National Committee is inspiring. Referencing the upcoming April 23 commemoration in Denver, Governor Mead concludes his letter with, My thoughts are with you as you gather for the Colorado State Capitol Armenian Genocide Commemoration. We thank the Governor of the Great State of Wyoming for standing on the right side of history and adding his voice to the ongoing need to recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian. This recognition is a tribute to the memory of our ancestors and a celebration of the brave work of many Wyomingites who supported the national Near East Relief effort of building and operating 400 orphanages for over 132,000 Armenian children who survived the genocide. Last but not least, this recognition is a testament to the tireless work of our grassroots activists and dedicated staff, continued Hovsepian.
RICHMOND  The Daily Press took its battle with the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court over access to a statewide court records database to the justices of the state Supreme Court on Friday.

The newspaper is seeking the data under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to determine whether race plays a part in plea bargains in the states circuit courts. The position of the OES is that each of the states clerks  not the OES  is the custodian of the records.

The OES, which is the court administrator for the state, has turned over to the Daily Press the data from 50 clerks who agreed to release it, but withheld data from the 68 clerks who did not agree, even though the information is public (two of the 120 circuit courts, Fairfax County and Alexandria, do not use the case management system).

The Daily Press challenged the OES decision in Newport News Circuit Court asking that the FOIA be enforced. The court, however, refused to order OES to disclose the records over the objections of the clerks, so the Daily Press appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court.

Its, to me, bizarre that this information is out there and available to the public, even to ISIS, Daily Press attorney Hunter W. Sims Jr. told the justices Friday. Yet, he said, For some reason they dont want us to get it, and it seems like to me thats not just right.

Justice D. Arthur Kelsey asked, Well, why dont you sue the clerks? Sims said because the OES has the information, it is public and subject to FOIA release unless the law specifically exempts it.

According to a filing with the court, the OES said the nonconsenting clerks gave various reasons including disseminating bulk data could facilitate identity theft or violate privacy; that such requests must be made directly to clerks; and that expunged criminal records might be inadvertently disclosed.

Stuart A. Raphael, Virginias solicitor general, argued Friday that the law is clear that the clerks  not the OES  are the custodians of the records, which are not created or altered by OES.

OES is simply a trustee, he said. Raphael said that when information from one government entity is posted by another, the entity that originated it remains the custodian and decides whether it can be released.

Two justices asked expressed concern that by OES releasing the data that was sought by the newspaper, the door would open to releasing other, non-public data as well.

Sims disagreed. Nobodys trying to get judges emails, the system has not crashed after the 50 clerks made the information available, Sims said. He said the newspaper is only seeking records that are already public.

A friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Daily Press was filed by the Virginia Press Association; BH Media Group, which owns The Daily Progress and other Virginia newspapers; other newspaper companies; The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; and The Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

That brief argues that the material sent to the OES by the clerks is assembled into a distinct, new record that is a comprehensive, statewide database, that is unlike any record maintained by any clerk and that is not subject to any exclusion under the FOIA.

It is not known when the Supreme Court will rule.
So you want to be a hermit?

Sorry, that jobs taken  at least, the one that we reported on back in January is taken (Seeking a monastic existence?, Jan. 14).

Not only was the Austrian town of Saalfelden able to find its official hermit, but it had the luxury of choosing from among 50 international applicants.

All for a job that doesnt pay well. Or at all, as a matter of fact.

The job description entails greeting pilgrims to 350-year-old hermitage near Saalfelden. The last monk left last year, and town officials have been seeking a replacement.

They chose Stan Vanuytrecht, a former artillery officer, surveyor and a Roman Catholic deacon from Belgium, because he "emanates calm and comes across as steady," according to Mayor Erich Rohrmoser.

In addition to greeting tourists, the job requires the resident hermit to live without heat or on-site water. No wonder the town choose a calm and steady applicant, one capable of facing such rigors with equanimity.

At least its a short-lived gig. Mr. Vanuytrecht will serve only from April to November; after that, the cave-like hermitage becomes virtually uninhabitable.
Computer programmer Ben Hixon decided to run for the statehouse in response to the so-called religious freedom bill carried in the last session by incumbent Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper. While Freitas billed the legislation, vetoed by the governor, as expanding rights for those religiously opposed to gay marriage, Hixon took it personally, sparking him to action.

I am gay, so when he passes this bill that says I have to give my tax money and my partner has to give his tax money to government contractors and subsidized groups who can discriminate against me, that should offend every freedom-loving American, Hixon said. People are free to hate me, but I shouldnt have to pay them while they do it. That was the trigger.

The 34-year-old Culpeper resident recently announced his first candidacy for elected office in the District 30 House of Delegates election. Hixon is a Louisiana native who moved here last year from Seattle after his partner got a position at the Library of Congress Packard Campus on Mount Pony.

Hixon, who describes himself as a Liberaltarian, wants to help cast the Democratic Party in a new light and is not a fan of all of his partys standard positions.

The only way Democrats can survive, especially in rural areas like this, is with a new message, he said. The new message ought to be the Democratic Party is the party of freedom. We have to return to the core of the Democratic Party, the Civil Rights Movementits freedom.

The job of the government, Hixon said, it to maximize personal liberty. In order to do that, he added, the government needs to provide universal healthcare and education, the right to vote, clean air, clean water, electricity, broadband and food and housing assistance for those who cant afford it.

You cant be free and act on our own decisions if you dont have access to basic safety nets, he said.

Hixon supports free community college for all Virginians and is running on a platform that includes creating a two-year computer programming degree in the current community college system. He supports expanding Medicaid to include mental health and addiction treatment as well as burying rural power lines to to prevent prolonged power outages due to downed trees.

Hixon wants to eliminate the car tax and supports the overall system whereby people who earn a larger paycheck pay more taxes; he does not agree with a flat tax.

The candidate supports greater collaboration between home school parents and students and public school teachers and feels that students taught at home should be able to compete in public school sports, varying from the standard Democratic position.

Democrats, especially here in the trenches are fighting a losing struggle, weve become insular, less open to new ideas. Thats why Im running. We need to change that. We need to be more receptive to different ways of thinking and peoples personal freedoms, Hixon said.

Hes not for more gun control and feels citizens with mental illness who are not a threat to themselves or others should not automatically have their gun rights taken away. Hixon doesnt agree with requiring background checks at gun shows.

He thinks government should not over-regulate business, mentioning a bill that passed this year placing more restrictions on AirBNBs or state requirements, for example, that an interior decorator get a license. Hixon wants to do away with the state running liquor stores and supports unions.

He is also concerned about the opioid epidemic, saying some 52,000 died nationwide in 2015 from drug overdosesfour times as many as gun homicides.

I think progressives needs to leave guns alone and go after drugs, Hixon said. We need to tackle it as a community, educate each other on alternative coping mechanisms, on Good Samaritan laws where you can call police if your friend is overdosing and it doesnt matter what drugs you have on you, you wont go to jail. We need addiction treatments for everybody.

Hixon supports the decriminalization of marijuana, saying it could act as an alternative coping mechanism to heroin and would boost the economy. He was living in Seattle when Washington made weed legal.

It was amazing...small businesses popped up on every street corner almost overnight, said Hixon. It will increase freedom and create jobs. Its a win-win.

Hixon has a bachelors degree in computer programming from the City University of New York and about four years toward a doctorate in computer science at the University of Washington, where he worked as a National Science Foundation research fellow studying artificial intelligence.

If selected as the Democratic nominee and elected, the candidate promised to listen to his constituents and to be honest. Hixon noted that many Democrats are not willing to deviate from party position, but that he is.

I have a different perspective from most Democrats and I think thats the only way we can win this district, he said. We have to come off our high horses. I think this is how Hillary lost. She ran a completely negative campaign. When people see ads that say if you are considering voting for Trump then youre a bad person, unless you agree with me you are a bad personthat is not the right way. We have to accept people, new ideas and respect and acknowledge that people are free in this country. That is the only way Democrats can survive.
The election of Donald Trump made Democrat Annette Hyde want to run for political office for the first time in her life. She is a 58-year-old yoga teacher who moved from urban Fairfax to rural Madison County last year and is fired up about getting involved in government.

I am running for office because I care about women being able to do what they want to with their bodies. I care about public school money not being used for private school vouchers. I want to do away with gerrymandering, Hyde said, listing portions of her platform.

She is one of two local Democrats seeking the local party nomination to run in November for the District 30 House of Delegates seat currently held by first-term Republican Nick Freitas, of Culpeper.

Hyde recalled the events of Nov. 9, 2016.

I remember watching the returns on Election Night and when the states started going to Trump I lasted about 45 minutes and I could already tell what was going to happen. I went to bed that night with a sick feeling in my stomach, she said.

Hyde said she wants to bring common sense to the Virginia General Assembly instead of rigid ideology.

I consider myself a moderate. There are some progressive ideas I like, but that comes back to the common sense stuff, she said.

Hyde supports making community college more affordable and expanding opportunities for technical education and career training for students who are not college bound.

We need to invest in our people, she said. We are always going to need plumbers and electricians so I think there needs to be more emphasis on helping them to get the training for these really good jobs.

Hyde wants to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and supports equal pay for women. She supports raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2020 and opposes using public school vouchers for private schools due to her own personal experiences.

When I lived in Fairfax County for over 25 years my older son, who is 31, has bipolar disorder, he was diagnosed at age 8. If I had not been where I was, my son could not have gotten the education that he needed in the way that he needed it, Hyde said.

Allowing public funds to pay for a private education would take away from the public school system, she said.

On immigration, Hyde said the policies of the Trump administration are overboard in that they were only supposed to target violent criminals, not families.

We need something to help these people come out of the shadows and get them on their way to getting a green card. The problem is it takes so long, theres so much of a backlog and theres got to be some way to help them so they can stay here. The majority are hardworking, taxpaying parents who want the same things that the rest of us doto provide for their families to send their children to school and have a better life then they had, she said.

Hyde supports government investment in expanding high-speed internet in rural areas, saying counties and electrical utilities should come together to use existing power lines to further broadband connections. She advocates for a nonpartisan committee to draw nonpolitical voting district lines and is not intimidated by District 30 being historically Republican.

Freitas earned about 13,500 votes in the 2015 election for District 30including Culpeper, Orange and Madison countieswhile Hillary Clinton got more than 15,000 votes in the three counties in last years presidential election, Hyde said.

I think its doable for a Democrat to win this year because of the sentiment right now, she said. The energy in the three Democratic parties in the district is amazing. People at the meetings have doubled. With the national attention being on Virginia, with the sentiment in this area about what is going on, weve got a chance. I think weve got a pretty good chance.

Hyde grew up in suburban Dallas and worked in public relations for a bank after getting a bachelors degree in communications from the University of Texas at Arlington. She married young for the first time and divorced young and moved to Virginia in 1990 with her second husband who shes been married to for more than 30 years. The couple has two adult sons.

Hyde wants to bring a spirit of compromise to the statehouse.

Things are too partisan, she said. Everybody has valid ideassome are more valid than othersbut if we dont start having conversations with people who do not think like us and find some common ground we are never going to get anything done. This is where common sense needs to come in. We need to put things aside, sit in a common room and talk and find some kind of way of getting things done.
New York: Cognizant chief Francisco D'Souza saw only a marginal rise in his pay package at USD 12.03 million last year as his performance-linked cash incentive fell significantly.

The US-based firm, which has a large part of its 2.21 lakh-strong workforce in India, did not award any restricted stock units (RSU) to D'Souza in 2016 and the same would be given in the first quarter of this year.

In 2016, D'Souza received USD 8.25 million in compensation that included salary (USD 664,000), annual cash incentive (USD 450,000) and other components like PSU, as per a regulatory filing.

Coupled with RSUs worth USD 3.77 million that were to be awarded to D'Souza in the first quarter of 2017, his total package came to USD 12.03 million in 2016 compared to USD 11.95 million in the previous year.

Cognizant said the timing of annual RSU grants has been changed in order to "align with the timing of the company's other annual equity grants and other annual compensation decisions by the Compensation Committee".

D'Souza saw the annual cash component falling by 42 per cent to USD 450,000 in 2016 from USD 778,000 in the previous year. Cognizant  which competes with Indian IT players like TCS and Infosys  had posted a 4.3 per cent decline in net profit to USD 1.55 billion in 2016.

Its annual revenues stood at USD 13.49 billion, up by 8.6 per cent over previous year, after slashing its growth forecast thrice during the year.
Kolkata: Global body--Project Management Institute (PMI) today said that it was lobbying with Niti Aayog to recognise the role of project management professionals in executing any government projects.

"We are talking to Niti Aayog for involving project management professionals in government projects," PMI India managing director Raj Kalady told PTI. He said that the government was gradually recognizing importance of project management experts for proper and timely execution.

In case of e-governance projects, having PMI certified project manager is one of the 19 rules which each project should follow, Kalady said quoting a government advisory. Besides being a certifying body, PMI is also a global association engaged in advocating build project management capabilities.
New Delhi: Top industrialist Ratan Tata today praised the judicial process for its "professionalism and fairness", days after the NCLT rejected Cyrus Mistry's plea against Tata Sons.

Following the ouster of Mistry as Tata Sons Chairman in October last year, there has been lot of acrimony between him and the Tatas. Earlier this week, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) dismissed Mistry's petition against the group.

Against this backdrop, Ratan Tata has expressed his "appreciation to all those involved in the NCLT, and particularly the high integrity of the judicial process". Asserting that it is not about winning or losing, Tata said in a tweet, "it is all about the pride one gets in witnessing the high integrity of our judiciary, the fairness and the competence of everybody in the process".

He also said that fairness and justice, if upheld, will make the nation "great". "I can only express my greatest admiration for the professionalism and fairness of the legal process and express my appreciation to all concerned," Tata said.

Earlier this week, the NCLT dismissed the waiver application by the Mistry camp filed against Tata Sons. The petitions were filed by two firms belonging to Cyrus Mistry's family, and sought waiver of an eligibility condition for moving the forum against Tata Sons. After the dismissal of the plea by the NCLT, Mistry has moved the appellate tribunal, NCLAT.
New Delhi: Ramanathan Ramanan was yesterday appointed as the Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission under the Niti Aayog. Ramanan is at present working with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment in the rank of Additional Secretary to Government of India, on secondment basis from the TCS, initially for a period of two years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

He has been appointed to the post "without pay and allowances" but with the provision of entitlement for government accommodation at New Delhi and all other official expenses including travel etc. as admissible to an Additional Secretary rank officer in Government of India, it said.

The Atal Innovation Mission is the Centre's endeavour to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its objective is to serve as a platform for promotion of world-class innovation hubs, start-up businesses and other self-employment activities, particularly in technology driven areas.
Mumbai: Vijay Mallya, who faces extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom, laundered money before he left country on March 2 last year using a diplomatic passport he had held as a Rajya Sabha member, according to a report in The Times of India.

Country's premier anti-money laundering agency Enforcement Directorate that functions under department of revenue of Finance Ministry has shared a dossier with the UK authorities that show how Mallya siphoned off money from Indian banks to shell companies in the UK.

The dossier prepared by the ED was in addition to the documents prepared by the Central Bureau of Investigation that concluded that Mallya was wanted in India for cases related to criminal conspiracy and cheating.

Mallya had taken loans to start and run now grounded Kingfisher Airlines. The total amount that embattled liquor baron owes to a group of 17 banks now stands at Rs 9,000 crore that includes interest money also.

Indian authorities hope that Mallya routing illegal money to shell companies in the UK and banks accounts in country would make a strong case for his extradition in UK court.

According to repprts, founder of Kingfisher Airlines had taken a loan of Rs 900 crore from IDBI Bank. Besides, he took Rs 6,027 crore loan from a group of 17 banks led by largest public sector lender State Bank of India. The total debt on Mallya now stands at Rs 9,000 crore including interest money.
Washington: The US-India ties have significantly improved over the last few decades, becoming more "stronger" and "matured" that defied changes in the

governments in both the countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.

Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government is looking forward to working with the Trump Administration to strengthen the various dimensions of the bilateral ties.

Stressing that India-US relationship has bipartisan support in both the countries, he said, "In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship.

Jaitley yesterday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump Administration.

"The US-India relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India," he said.

"There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years. This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned," he said.

"I met the (US) Commerce Secretary yesterday. I will meet the (US) Treasury Secretary tomorrow. This would be the first contact at that level between the new Administration and the Government of India," he said.

During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary yesterday, Jaitley strongly raised India's concerns over the Trump administration's move to tighten the H-1B visa regime, highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in

boosting the American economy.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its "abuse" and ensure that the visas are given to the "most-skilled or highest paid" petitioners, a decision that would impact India's USD 150 billion IT industry.

Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision.

Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived here On April 20, to attend the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

In addition to his meetings and presentations at the annual Spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.

Speaking about India's growth story, he said, "In the last three years even in the midst of slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to eight per cent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seems to be fairly well under control."

"The significant part of our economy today is, that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned," he said.

"India has become one of the most open economies of the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest investments that any country has been attracting in the world.

"And it is combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going," he said.

He said the environment for doing business has considerably smoothened.

"India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform of cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite sometime," he said.
New Delhi: Making recommendations for reforms in agriculture and promoting digital payments are among the significant achievements of NITI Aayog over the last three years, an official statement said today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tomorrow chair the third meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council which will deliberate on the 15-year Vision Document to accelerate the country's economic development.

Government had set up NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) on January 1, 2015 to replace 65-year old socialist-era body, the Planning Commission. Listing out its significant achievements in the last three years, the Aayog said it has formulated a Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016 to both recognise the rights of the tenant and safeguard interest of landowners.

The government's think tank also said that a committee chaired by Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog has recommended scrapping of the Medical Council of India and suggested a new body for regulating medical education.

"The draft legislation for the proposed National Medical Commission has been submitted to the government for further necessary action," it said. The NITI Aayog had also constituted a committee of chief ministers on digital payments on November 30, 2016 with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as the Convener to promote transparency, financial inclusion and a healthy financial ecosystem nationwide.

The committee submitted its interim report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year. As part of the prime minister's focus on outcomes, NITI Aayog said it has come out with indices to measure incremental annual outcomes in critical social sectors like health, education and water to nudge states into competing with each other for better outcomes.

Other achievements listed by the Aayog includes rationalisation of existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) into 28 umbrella schemes which was based on recommendations of sub-group of chief ministers.
Mumbai: Supermodel Gigi Hadids visit to India has got everyone excited and rightly so. Hadid will be in Mumbai for the launch of her collection for a renowned brand is rumoured to be joined by our desi fashionista Sonam Kapoor.

According to reports, Sonams cousin Arjun and sister Rhea Kapoor are planning on taking the lady out for an exclusive dinner party after the launch that Anil Kapoor and Gigis mother Yolanda will be a part of.

A source told a popular daily, It will be a sit-down dinner of 40 people, which Rheas father, Anil will attend as will Gigis mother Yolanda. Apart from them, only young celebs from all walks of life will be invited. The invite list is very selective and Gigi will be introduced to the young glitterati of India at the dinner, where Sonam is also expected to join Hadid.

Sonam, who is currently shooting for her upcoming film Padman in Maheshwar, will fly down to Mumbai especially for the event.

What will happen when two fashionistas meet? We are excited to know!
The film is slated to releas eon May 19.

Mumbai: Actor Arjun Kapoor starrer Half Girlfriend is set to release in over 2,500 screens in India next month.

Also featuring Shraddha Kapoor, Half Girlfriend produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, Mohit Suri and Chetan Bhagat, is set to release on May 19. The film is distributed by Balaji and NZ Studios.

"We feel the film will definitely appeal to the younger generation and we are happy to bring this film to audiences in over 2500 screens," Shreyans Hirawat, Managing Director of NH Studioz, says in a statement here.

Helmed by Mohit Suri, the coming-of-age romantic film is based on a novel of the same name written by Chetan Bhagat.
Priyanka Chopra waves through her fans at the airport. (Photo: Viral Bhayani)

Mumbai: Theres good news for Priyanka Chopras fans, their favourite star has returned from the US, and is back in the city.

She was spotted last night in an all-white casual attire at the airport.

A huge mob was present there at the airport to welcome the actress and catch a glimpse of her after almost a year.

Priyanka had made it quite evident through her social media posts, that shell be visiting India.

Despite being caught in conflicted emotions, while leaving her New York house, she stayed true to her words and finally landed Mumbai.

The actress was shooting for her television series Quantico in New York, along with her Hollywood film Baywatch, which has a worldwide release on May 26.

Priyanka, who also runs a production house with her mother, is expected to get more films under her banner.

Reportedly, PeeCee will be meeting her brand commitments and shoots, magazine shoots and much more things, during her month's stay in India.

Last seen in 'Ventilator,' the actress got the entire Hollywood gushing about her acting skills and the way she slew red carpets of prestigious award shows.

She was also seen on most of the popular talk shows in US, where she made our country really proud.

Here are the pictures of the gorgeous diva from the airport:








Mumbai: After waiting for months, finally the first look of Farhan Akhtar-Gippy Grewal- Diana Penty starrer Lucknow Central is out.

Set within the confinement of a jail, the first look has an intense Gippy begrudgingly looking at Farhan. Honestly, the first look is dripped in intense drama and has got us all excited.

Producer Nikhil Advanis upcoming film Lucknow Central starring Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty in lead roles is all set to release this year on September 15.

Lucknow Central is a comedy which revolves around the life of a man and the circumstances that land him in jail. Directed by debutant Ranjit Tiwari, the film also stars Gippy Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Ronit Roy and Rajesh Sharma in crucial roles. Majority of the film will be shot in a jail set and the lead actor is rumoured to form a band within the confinement of the four walls of a jail.
Ranveer Singh and Katrina Kaif snapped outside Zoya Akhtar's residence last night.

Mumbai: The high-on-energy Ranveer Singh was spotted last night at filmmaker Zoya Akhtars residence.

However, what got us wondering is Ranveer Singh and Katrina Kaifs arrival at the filmmakers pad at the same time.

What we hear is that they landed up for a meeting together, which further leaves us speculating if is there any project featuring the two.

Was their simultaneous entrance really a coincidence, or did they two have a meeting with Zoya for some project?

Well, itll be interesting to see gully boy Ranveer Singh and Katrina Kaif in a film sooner or later!

They definitely make up for a fresh and interesting pair.

While Katrina looked easy breezy in her flowy gown, Ranveer was at his unique best, showing off his military colour co-ordination.

Take a look at these cool pictures from their late night visit at Zoyas residence:










Mumbai: Robert De Niro is among six people scheduled to receive honorary degrees at Brown University's commencement exercises.

The Ivy League school announced on Friday the Oscar-winning actor is being celebrated for the intensity he brings to each performance. De Niro will receive a doctor of fine arts degree during the school's May 28 ceremonies.

De Niro has been nominated seven times for an Academy Award, and won twice in 1975 for The Godfather: Part II and in 1981 for Raging Bull.

Others to receive honorary degrees are rapper and actor Daveed Diggs; teacher Donald Hood; businesswoman Indra Nooyi; business executive Richard Parsons; and poet Rosmarie Waldrop.

Brown does not have the traditional keynote speaker at commencement exercises, instead reserving that honour for members of the graduating class.
He described Sathyaraj's act as a self-respectless act done for money.

Mumbai: Veteran cinema star Kamal Haasan today praised his former colleague Sathyaraj for apologising over the remarks made during the Cauvery crisis, calling him a "great human being".

"Congrats Mr Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environment," he tweeted.

The actor-director quoted from his directorial venture Virumaandi to describe Sathyaraj as a great human being.

In the movie, the protagonist's wife tells him that a man who seeks forgiveness is a great human being.

Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattappa in SS Rajamouli's Baahubali had yesterday expressed regret over his comments made during the Cauvery dispute while appealing for the smooth release of the second part of the film in Karnataka next week.

His statement came following the demand of an apology from the actor by pro-Kannada outfits, who had threatened to stall the release of the film in the state.

They had taken strong objection to some of his remarks made in the light of the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Sathyaraj had said he had made the remarks nine years ago during a protest organised by the Tamil cinema industry against the 'attack' on Tamils in Karnataka over the Cauvery dispute.

Meanwhile, state BJP leader H Raja lashed out at Sathyaraj and Kamal Haasan, saying they were bothered only about money.

"Whether it is Kamal or Sathyaraj they are bothered only about money. Their love for Tamil and their Tamil sentiment is only skin deep," he tweeted.

He described Sathyaraj's act as a self-respectless act done for money.
Mumbai: Baahubali: The Beginning had reinvented the conventions of Indian action films, and much of the credit must go the films lead actors, Prabhas and Rana Daggubati.

Prabhas, who plays the eponymous warrior king in the film, has especially retained some souvenirs on his body. The high octane action sequences have left permanent injury marks on the actors body.

The second instalment of the film, Baahubali: The Conclusion, has also not been too kind on him. Though the actor was a lot more cautious while shooting for part two, Prabhas' dedication towards the scene got him injured again.

Prabhas had invested 5 years of his life into Baahubali and now both the injury marks will remain with the actor life long.

The actor is playing two characters in the film- Shivudu is lean (86 to 88 kgs) which has a minimum of body fat of 5 to 6 percent while Baahubali is bulky (105 kgs) and with 8 to 10 percent body fat.

When contacted, the actor's spokesperson said, "Prabhas did all the stunts by himself and had no body double for them. There were many difficult scenes were the team had to take extra precautions but sadly he got a few scars, the worst part is one of the scars is really deep and it will last for a long time."

Baahubali: The Conclusion is slated to release on April 28.
The man has been charged with abduction and rape as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. (Photo: Representational)

Kolkata: An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a cab driver inside a vehicle in southern part of the city, police said on Saturday.

The man lured the girl, a Class III student, with chocolate when she was playing in front of her house in Ballygunge Park area at about 7.30 pm Friday.

On hearing the girl screaming for help, a police patrol spotted the car in nearby Ballygunge Phari area and arrested the man who is a neighbour of the victim, a police official said.

Medical tests on the girl confirmed rape, he said.

The man has been charged with abduction and rape as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, he said.
Chennai: The Delhi crime branch team comprising assistant commissioner Sanjay Sherwat and inspector Narendra Shah served summons on TTV Dinakaran at his Adyar residence late Wednesday night in the case alleging his involvement in an attempt to bribe Election Commission officials to retrieve the 'two-leaves' symbol for his AIADMK faction.

The two officers flew in from Delhi by the evening flight and drove straight to TTV's house, reaching there at about 10.50 pm. They were with him for about 30 minutes during which they reportedly questioned him about the statements made by conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar nabbed from a Delhi hotel with Rs.1.35 crore allegedly obtained from TTV for bribing the EC officials. They served the summons on TTV for appearance for further questioning before leaving the place.

There was a minor commotion outside TTV's house when a loyalist, Ravichandran of Mylapore, doused himself with petrol and attempted to set a match. He was overpowered by some journalists present there and handed over to the police. TTV did not meet the media after the Delhi team's visit. He had earlier consulted his legal team on how to meet the Delhi case.
Hyderabad: If the Central government has its way, students from Kendriya Vidyalayas and CBSE- affiliated schools might be left with no option but to study Hindi compulsorily till Class 10. This rule will be applicable across India including Telangana.

A proposal to this effect was made by a parliamentary panel and it was approved by President Pranab Mukherjee.

He instructed human resource development ministry to form a policy in consultation with the state governments to make Hindi compulsory.

As a first step, Hindi should be made a compulsory subject up to Class 10 in all schools affiliated to CBSE and are run by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. The recommendations were made in the ninth report of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language.

Once the rule was enforced, if students studying CBSE schools in TS or AP select Telugu for regional language, they will have to mandatorily opt for Hindi instead of Sanskrit or a foreign language from Class 6 to Class 10.

Earlier, students had an option of choosing betw-een Hindi, Sanskrit or any other language as the third language from Class 6 to Class 8.

According to Vasudha Ashok, the principal of Panineeya Mahavidyala Public School at Dilsuk-hnagar, some of the students used to prefer Sanskrit for three years and reverting back to regional language and English from Class 9.

The situation in Kendriya Vidyalayas, however, is a bit different as their students do not have the option of studying any regional language. They just have English as the first language and Hindi as the second language from Class 1 to 5. From Class 6 to 8, they will have Sanskrit as third language. From Class 9, students could choose between Hindi or Sansk-rit as the second language. After the proposed changes, KV students wo-uld have to study English and Hindi compulsorily in Class 9 and 10.

While the Central Board recommended a three-language formula  English and any two Indian languages  to be expanded to Classes IX and X, the HRD ministry is yet to take a call on the suggestion.

Hindi not at the cost of Telugu: Experts

Experts on Wednesday said that there was no harm if students are made to learn Hindi, but they insisted it should not be at the cost of regional languages.

DAV Regional Director Seetha Kiran said that the governments decision to make Hindi compulsory would not make much of a difference to Telangana, where preference for Hindi is comparatively higher compared to other southern states.

In most CBSE schools, there are three to four sections with Hindi as the second language, while students selecting Telugu language do not cross more than a section in each class, she said.

Telugu University vice-chancellor Prof. S.V. Sat-yanarayana said there was no harm if the Centre seeks to promote Hindi. Learning English and Hindi languages are a must in present times. One cannot simply oppose the decision. However, the implementation should not come at the cost of regional language, he said.

Academic Anjali Razdan, principal with decades of teaching experience, said that government can promote any language, but it should not impose its decision on states.

Meanwhile, Devulapalli Prabhakar, the chairman of Official Language Commission, Telangana said that they will convey their feelings. We will try to see that interests of Telugu are protected because it is the official language of Telangana, he said
Chennai: The two factions of the AIADMK have reportedly finalised the merger deal, with O Panneerselvam returning as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. The current Chief Minister EK Palaniswami will replace VK Sasikala as party's general secretary.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the ruling AIADMK faction sealed the deal due to vulnerable state of the government. The merger is likely to be announced on Monday.

The merger deal has been sealed and formal talks will begin now between the senior leaders of both factions to finalise and announce the decision. Palaniswami will step down for Panneerselvam, and become the party chief. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, whose properties were raided by Income Tax officials, may be dropped from the cabinet. Former minister and MLA Senthil Balaji may be inducted along with one or two more faces from southern Tamil Nadu, a senior AIADMK leader told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, other leaders in the ruling faction have started to distance themselves from Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran.

The talks for the merger of the two factions began after Dhinakaran was booked for allegedly offering bribe to an Election Commission official in an attempt to get the party's poll symbol of 'two leaves' in a by-election to the R K Nagar Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu.

Both the factions of the AIADMK had on Friday formed committees to discuss the merger.

Panneerselvams panel, headed by former AIADMK minister KP Munuswamy, includes senior leaders Mafoi Pandiarajan and V Maitreyan.

Palanisamy has formed a seven-member committee, which will be headed by Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithiyalingam, and includes ministers C Sreenivasan, KA Sengottaiyan and D Jayakumar among others.

Hardening its stance for merger talks, the Panneerselvam camp had on Thursday demanded that the faction led by Palanisamy formally expel Sasikala and Dhinakaran, besides about 30 other members of their family from the party.

Following the cabinet's revolt against him early this week, Dhinakaran had said he was "stepping aside" in the interest of the party.

A top leader in the Panneerselvam camp, KP Munusamy, had on Thursday said the first demand was getting the resignation of Sasikala and Dinakaran and later their formal expulsion.

The Panneerselvam camp has also sought a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to former chief minister Jayalalithaa's death on December 5 last year.
Asserting that the Constitution is supreme, Owaisi said that Ravi Shankar's work is to implement those constitutional rights. (Photo: File)

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has termed as 'unfortunate' the statement of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who stated that the Centre have given Muslims 'proper sanctity'.

The AIMIM leader said it's not Ravi Shankar Prasad who has given Muslims proper sanctity but our Constitution.

"We gave them sanctity? Who are 'We'? It is the Constitution that has given rights, our rights are protected under that," Owaisi said.

Asserting that the Constitution is supreme, Owaisi said that Ravi Shankar's work is to implement those constitutional rights.

"In a democracy like India, we have got full freedom to choose our leaders. Ravi Shankar needs to understand that the Constitution is supreme," he added.

Union Minister for Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday asserted that Muslims do not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but still the government has given them 'proper sanctity'.

While addressing at the Hero Mindmine Summit, Prasad asked, "We have got thirteen chief ministers of our own. Have we witnessed any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?"
Chennai: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday left for Delhi to appear before the police in a case involving bribing of an Election Commission official to get the 'two-leaves' symbol for his faction.

On Thursday, a team of the Delhi Police Crime Branch reached Chennai and served a notice, asking him to join the probe.

The Delhi Police had issued a lookout notice against the leader on Tuesday.

The police had arrested and sent Sukesh Chandrashekhar to custody for allegedly striking a deal of Rs 50 crore to help the Dhinakaran faction to keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol.

The Crime Branch recovered approximately Rs. 1.3 crore and two luxury cars, a BMW and a Mercedes, from Chandrashekhar.

Chandrasekhar was arrested from the Hyatt hotel and was produced at the residence of Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry, who allowed the Delhi Police's plea to interrogate the accused for eight days.

Dhinakaran was also named as an accused in the FIR, filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch.

Dinakaran's faction contested on the hat symbol for the RK Nagar assembly by-polls, after the Election Commission froze their two leaves symbol while acknowledging the split in the party.

The polling was later cancelled by the Election Commission.
New Delhi: The former General Officer Commanding of Northern Command, Lt General HS Panag was recently called an anti-national for criticising the alleged use of a man as a human shield to protect Army officials from stone pelting in Kashmir's Budgam district.

Besides being called an anti-national, he received about 2,000 tweets, some of which contained threats to beat him up, according to a report in NDTV. Panag has served the state of Jammu & Kashmir for 40 years and yet he was questioned by the social media users for his take on the incident and knowledge of the state. He responded to each of the tweets.

"I used to have 40,000 followers, now I have 44,000," General HS Panag joked after making headlines in international media. Criticism of the nation cannot be seen as anti-national as there is a difference between hyper-nationalism and patriotism, said Lt General Panag. The Army needs to be questioned to grow through criticism, he added.

The Indian Army has never used a human shield in the past, noted the Lt General.

"This image will end up being the defining image of the Indian Army, just like the Napalm girl was for the Vietnam war," said Lt General Panag, in connection to the image of the naked child running away from Napalm bombing.

On April 9, the Army had allegedly used a human shield by tying a man to a jeep to avoid being pelted with stones by protestors in the Kashmir valley. The civilians were protesting over by-elections for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency. The video of the incident had gone viral.
Srinagar: Two militants, who opened fire on an army patrol, were killed by the security forces in an encounter on Saturday in the Budgam district of central Kashmir.

"Two militants have been killed in the gunfight with the security forces," a police official said.

A patrolling party of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles came under fire from the militants at village Hayatpora, 18 km from here, at around 6 pm, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides, a police official said.

The official said reinforcements were rushed to the village and an operation was launched to flush out the militants, during which two of them were killed.

One of the militants has been identified as Younis Maqbool Ganai, a resident of Patrigam area of Chadoora, while the identity of the other is being ascertained, the official said.

An AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition have been recovered from the encounter site, the official added.
Srinagar: The police in Jammu and Kashmir are searching for a group of hooligans involved in an attack on a nomad family and looting of the livestock it was moving with through the States Reasi district.

The hooligans calling themselves gau rakshaks allegedly attacked the family with iron rods and sticks, leaving five of its members including a 9-year-old girl injured. The attack took place in Reasis Talwara area during the intervening night of April 20 and 21, the officials said.

The police sources in winter capital Jammu said that the accused are members of a self-styled group of cow vigilante who were joined by a mob to attack the family. Counter FIRs have been lodged at the concerned police station and the police sources said that five of the accused have been identified.

Reasis SSP Tahir Sajjad Bhat, however, sought to downplay the incident saying it was a clear cut case of misunderstanding and that no cow vigilante group was involved in it.

A police official told this correspondent privately that the police are reluctant to lay their hands on the culprits as that could create a law and order problem in the area. Earlier reports had said that four of the five accused were arrested by the police after their identification.

The incident has evoked widespread anger among Muslim population of the region particularly nomad Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes who have urged the authorities to take the assailants to task. Various political, social and religious organisations have endorsed the demand.

The five members of the nomad family including 9-year-old girl Sammi Jaan were injured in the attack. The victims told the police that they were intercepted by a large group of gau rakshaks and attacked with iron rods and sticks. The assailants then took their entire flock including cattle, sheep and goats.

The police officials said that the livestock was recovered during police raids and has since been restored to the Bakerwal or goatherds family. The injured who have suffered multiple fractures were admitted to hospital and, according to the SSP, have since been discharged.

The victim family said that the assailants did not spare even the elderly and small children.

Notwithstanding the SSP Reasis seeking to shrug the incident off by calling it an outcome of some misunderstanding, the sources said that the family was attacked apparently because the livestock it was moving with included 16 cows.

But that is routine with the nomadic herder families called Bakerwalls which move from place to place with the change in season, said one of the officials. J&Ks DGP Shesh Paul Vaid, had earlier assured strict action against the accused.

A report from Reasi said that the police officials and the district authorities are trying their hard to sort the issue through persuasion as they do not want to see it flaring up in view of the existing tensions in Kashmir Valley and, therefore, have sought to play it down before the media.
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday rubbished reports of senior leader Kamal Nath quitting the party and accused the BJP of "spreading such rumours, malicious, negative insinuations and canards".

"The BJP is running a malicious, ugly whispering campaign to malign the seniormost Congress leaders... We completely reject any such malicious and negative insinuation that the BJP is spreading," Congress in-charge of the communications department Randeep Surjewala told reporters in New Delhi.

Asked about reports of Nath quitting the party, he said, "Instead of spreading such canards, the BJP should answer to the people of Delhi about corruption in the three civic bodies over the last 10 years."

Surjewala said the BJP had perhaps forgotten that Nath was not only the seniormost parliamentarian and one of the most experienced Congress leaders, but he was also the architect behind the re-crafting of the party's strategy and narrative during challenging times.

Whether it was 1977 to 1980, post-1989 to 2004 or as part of the government, Nath continued to serve the party as a worker, leader and the general secretary, he added.

On others quitting the party, the Congress leader said, "The mettle of a leader or a person committed to a political party is tested not when the party is in power but during challenging times.

"In today's challenging times, those friends who have left the party can find the best place for them in the BJP as that party is very prone to attracting defectors nowadays, who are bereft of any ideology, direction or commitment to their own party, which is like the second mother to any political person."
New Delhi: Former Congress leader Barkha Singh, on Saturday, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being expelled from Congress on Friday for attacking its Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken.

The disciplinary committee of Congress' Delhi unit removed her for indulging in "anti-party activities" days ahead of the municipal polls, where the party is hoping for a revival of fortunes after the 2015 assembly poll debacle.

Singh, who had on Thursday vowed not to quit the party, hit out at Rahul, saying the decision "proved" his "mental bankruptcy" and added that she will take legal recourse against it.

"The Congress is not the Gandhi family's property," Singh said, claiming she had no plans to join the BJP or any other party at this point.

She earlier accused Gandhi of not meeting party leaders and said he was "reluctant" to address "issues" within the organisation. She also levelled allegations of "misbehaviour" against Maken.

Singh, who had complained against "neglect" of women workers in ticket distribution for the April 23 civic polls, alleged that the party workers were "snubbed" and their grievances were not addressed.
Hyderabad: The quality of drugs has worsened, senior government doctors maintain, as the Telangana State Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation has failed to provide good quality of drugs to government hospitals. Doctors state that they have to face the anger of patients relatives and attendants which is adding to a lot of pressure on them. Doctors state that their skills are being questioned when the cases fail but no one is blaming the quality of medicines procured by the corporation.

The corporation has been procuring medicines and equipments for all government hospitals, area hospitals and public health centres of the state. A senior government doctor, on condition of anonymity, said, We are still procuring base-line medicines for the hospitals when there are higher versions and also second generation of antibiotics available. There must be independent qualified pharmacists who can judge the quality, efficacy and strength of medicine. Presently, the pharmacists are only doing the job of registration, filling the indent and supplying to various hospitals.

Their actual work of checking the quality of the medicine is not being done. Quality testing of drugs is a major demand of the Telananga Government Doctors Association who state that in the recent strike notice to the state government they pointed out the sub-standard quality of drugs. A senior government doctor said, We were hoping that the functioning of the corporation will improve after the formation of the new state but it has only worsened. The basic works of quality testing, procuring and supplying the medicines on time is not being carried out. It is important that the procurement of medicines must be entrusted to hospital superintendent.

The hospital administration claims that general equipments like cautery machines, operation tables, patients cots and boyles machine for anesthesia are procured and dumped in the hospitals even if not needed. A senior administrator said, These are bought in bulk and there is often a surplus but there is no mechanism to explain these facts to the corporation. The hospitals want that the medicines and essential equipments for diagnostics must be procured by the hospital so that they can bring according to their specifications.
New Delhi: AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran was questioned on Saturday by the police here over an alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the Two Leaves' party symbol and the related money trail.

It is learnt that an ACP ranked investigating officer quizzed Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK chief Sasikala.

"Dhinakaran is being asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh (Chandrasekar) and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. After this, there is a high possibility of cross-questioning of the two," a senior police official said.

The leader's personal assistant was also questioned about Dhinakaran's ties with Sukesh, with the latter also present.

Dhinakaran's lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the questioning by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which began at around 3 pm at its Chanakyapuri Inter-State Cell office amid tight security.

His call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes are also being examined, police said.

He had come under scanner after the arrest of alleged middleman Sukesh. Since then, Dhinakaran has maintained he does not know Sukesh and has never met him.

There was heavy security outside the office and media persons weren't allowed to enter the premises. Even local residents were asked to show identity cards before entering the area that houses the office.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been served summons by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

Dhinakaran, who was appointed as Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.

A powerful section of the ruling AIADMK (Amma) recently revolted against Sasikala-Dhinakaran leadership. The development came after Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded outster of Sasikala and Dhinakaran as a condition for the merger.

Dhinakaran later announced he would stay away from party affairs and that he could be removed only by Sasikala. Sasikala is at present serving a four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.
Revenue records will be updated across the state prior to the implementation of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos scheme, announced on Friday, of extending financial assistance to farmers of Rs 8,000 per acre per year.

Hyderabad: Revenue records will be updated across the state prior to the implementation of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos scheme, announced on Friday, of extending financial assistance to farmers of Rs 8,000 per acre per year. This is because a significant chunk of agricultural land has been put to non-agricultural use in districts due to the realty boom over the years. Revenue records continue to show them as agriculture land.

Mr Rao wants the benefit to reach farmers who are carrying out agriculture. To achieve this, the government will take up a year-long exercise to identify farm land and exclude non-agricultural land from the purview of the scheme. The conversion of agricultural lands for non-agricultural purposes is higher in villages surrounding cities, towns and district headquarters.

With the creation of 21 districts last October, the villages surrounding the new district headquarters witnessed a real estate boom. Illegal ventures have come up on farmlands in these villages. With no system in place in new districts to seek approvals from various government agencies for land conversions like in the case of GHMC and HMDA limits, the farmland was easily converted for non-agriculture use to cash in on the realty boom.

Revenue minister Mohd Mahmood Ali said, For this reason, the government planned the implementation of the scheme from next year so that we can use the time to update revenue records and identify genuine farmland. The CM wants genuine farmers who do farming to benefit. Orders have been issued to collectors and revenue officials to start the process at the earliest with a target to complete the exercise by this December-end.

The government will upload the list of eligible farmland on the website and seek suggestions/ objections if any. We will modify the list if the suggestions/ objections are found to be genuine, by taking up ground-level verification. A final list will be uploaded, which will enable those on it to be eligible to avail of the scheme, he added. Mr Rao said the amo-unt will be credited in the accounts of farmers on whose name the farm land is registered based on pattadar passbooks.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government is likely to set up a Social Media Regulatory Authority (SMRA) to exercise greater control over social media platforms. The CM has asked a former DGP to prepare draft regulations on this and identify legal experts who are good at addressing issues related to the social media. Legislative affairs minister Yanamala Ramakri-shnudu would play a key role in designing the draft of this authority, according to sources.

In fact, the Information Technology Act, 2000, categorically makes the netizens liable for punishment in the case of posting any incriminating or illegal content on social media. In fact, the law has gone even further and recognises the netizens providing content on social media as a content service provider and network service provider. Hence, they are intermediaries under the law, according to a cyber law expert in the city police commissionerate.

Our cyber law requires intermediaries, including users of social media, to exercise due diligence while they discharge their obligations under the law, he observed. In the Shreya Singhal case, the Supreme Court has held that the intermediaries are duty-bound to oblige when they are called upon by any order of the government to remove or disable access to any information as well as provide relevant connected information pertaining to identity of the offenders, according to high court advocate Chandu Srinivasa Rao. However, he felt that the idea of setting up SMRA is ill-conceived. Any illegal or criminal activity done by any person on social media leaves an electronic footprint which can always be used for the purposes of identifying the real person and prosecuting him for the legal consequences, Chandu Srinivasa Rao observed.

The state government is also in consultations with cyber law experts as to how to address the social media menace that the CM and his family members, in particular, are facing. Though the move for the setting up SMRA is in the initial stage, the government is bent upon doing its best to regulate the social media through all possible means.
Hyderabad: A High Court advocate has approached the State Human Rights Commission seeking an inquiry into the deaths of three women at the Koti Maternity Hospital. Advocate Y. Somaraju in his petition claimed that 11 women were operated at the Koti Maternity Hospital and the women who turned critical were shifted to Osmania Hospital for better treatment. Out of those who were shifted to Osmania, Jayamma, Sharada, Sujatha and Lalitha developed infection post surgery due to the negligence of doctors and died.

Enquiries at Osmania Hospital revealed that the women had developed fits and bleeding after the surgery and that could have led to the infection. Their families alleged that not even minimal safety precautions to contain the bleeding and infection were taken while they were being shifted to Osmania Hospital. Somaraju appealed to the commission to conduct an inquiry into the negligence of the doctors which led to the death of the women to give justice to their families.

We appeal to the commission to order the Medical Council of Indias Hyderabad branch and the principal secretary, medical and health services, Telangana to hold an inquiry and take action against those responsible, the petition said.
Hyderabad: The Telangana state government has sought exemption from service tax for the affordable housing segment under the GST regime.

It brought to the notice of the Centre the state governments plans to implement affordable housing schemes for the poor and lower-middle class and argued that the service tax under the GST regime will have a negative impact on the affordable housing segment.

The government has taken up the 2BHK housing scheme for the poor on priority basis. Already it has accorded approval for the construction of 2.70 lakh 2BHKs across the state including GHMC areas for which tenders have been invited and are in various stages of finalisation.

A fresh approval to construct 1,000 2BHKs in each of the Assembly constituencies except GHMC limits has been accorded.

The government has also lined up plans to construct affordable houses for the lower middle and middle classes in cities and towns.

Given this, the government wants the Centre to exempt service tax on affordable housing under the GST regime.

Finance minister Etela Rajender said, If service tax is imposed, it will impact the affordable housing segment. On the one hand the Centre and state governments are implementing 'housing for all' schemes and if service tax is imposed it will adversely affect these projects. Contractors will not come forward to take up works for affordable housing schemes.

He added that the government will raise the issue at the next meeting of the GST Council.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths security was upgraded and the state was put on alert on Saturday following Intelligence inputs that about two dozen terrorists posing as saffron-clad saints can target religious sites and other public places.

Officials said the terrorists  trained by Pakistans spy agency ISI  have entered UP via Nepal.

State DGP Sulkhan Singh told reporters that the police was equipped to deal with any situation.

The alert shared by the Madhya Pradesh police comes about a month after Mr Adityanath took over as UPs CM. It also comes two days after security agencies busted a suspected module of the terror outfit ISIS.

Following the alert, quick-reaction teams will escort the CM at all times and secure his residence and office.

The saffron-robed 44-year-old has been requested not to meet any visitor not frisked by security personnel. His residences entry has been further restricted. People will be thoroughly frisked before being allowed to participate in the daily Janata Darshan of the priest-politician.

We have been informed that these militants have learnt local dialects and accent, and can recite from scriptures, even the Gayatri Mantra for access to places that VIPs frequent, said a senior police official.

The police said that the ISIS suspects arrested recently from UP had been living in rented houses, posing as tilak-wearing Hindus.

Security was being upgraded at religious places  including Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura  and also at vital installations, including airports, bus and railway stations, besides the state Assembly and Lok Bhavan, UPs new seat of power.

Special security measures were being taken for the Gorakhnath temple of which the CM is the spiritual head. Special police teams with sniffer dogs and metal detectors were being deployed to regulate entry into the temple area.
The outfit leader Pazha Nedumaran alleged that no compensation has been given by the island nation government to the families of the victims. (Photo: Representational)

Rameswaram: Activists of Tamizhar Desiya Amaippu Saturday staged a demonstration here to condemn the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Addressing the protesters, the outfit leader Pazha Nedumaran alleged that nearly 700 fishermen from the state had already been killed by the Lankan Navy and no compensation has been given by the island nation government to the families of

the victims.

He urged the Centre to take immediate steps to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Hyderabad: Under attack from the Congress for some days, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday used choicest words for the president of the states prime opposition, the Congress.

Referring to TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddys recent statement claiming credit for the idea of farmer subsidy and accusing the state government of copying their ideas, Mr Rao said it is all about one having some akal (intelligence) to realise that it is not nakal (photocopy).

When I announced Rs 4,000 per acre free fertiliser scheme last week, Uttam said I copied (nakal) the Congress scheme. Even if we assume it to be true for a mom-ent, they should not make such claims public, for fear of public mockery. But the Congress leaders dont know that my scheme is not about just Rs 4,000 or fertilizers. My scheme is not for one crop but for two crops. The subsidy will be credited twice in May and October every year. Even after knowing this, if he calls me nakal, it shows he has no akal, Mr Rao remarked.

Referring to PCC president, Mr Rao said, A sannasi (a useless fellow) asks why cant the subsidy be implemented from now itself. My plan is to establish a foolproof system first by setting up farmers associations at various levels. It will take a few months for this. But the Congress leaders want the scheme to be implemented shabbily now itself.
Kejriwal's remarks come in the wake of Baijal ordering recovery of Rs 97 crore from the AAP which was "splurged" on ads and cancellation of office allotment to the party. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Lt Governor Anil Baijal "fires one bullet at me" every day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said.

This is Kejriwal's first direct attack against Baijal since he was appointed the Lt Governor of Delhi on December 31, 2016.

Noting that his government tries to coordinate on various issues related to the development of the national capital, both with the Lt Governor as well as the Centre, the Delhi chief minister said "the firing" has intensified just before

the MCD polls.

"We have maintained a good relationship with him (Baijal). The new LG has worked for first three months (in coordination with us). "We did not utter a word against him before the MCD elections but despite that he fires one bullet at me every day and on this, we are not speaking against him. Tell me what is our fault?" Kejriwal said in an interview on Friday.

His remarks come in the wake of Baijal ordering recovery of Rs 97 crore from the AAP which was "splurged" on ads and cancellation of office allotment to the party which the Delhi chief minister termed as "politically motivated".

Kejriwal and former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had also been at loggerheads over the administrative control of Delhi.

"We are trying to cooperate with everybody (the Centre and the LG) so that there is development of Delhi, but the Lt Governor fires one bullet at me (every day)," Kejriwal said.

He also termed the report of Shunglu Committee as "politically motivated". The committee had pointed out "gross abuse of power" by the AAP government earlier this month.

Kejriwal also attacked the BJP, claiming that is an "undemocratic and unconstitutional" party whose only intention to "topple opposition parties' government, buy MLAs, break their parties, use the Lt Governor against them".
Hyderabad: Senior Congress legislator Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Saturday challenged Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to take action against him for levelling corruption allegations on the government, if he has any guts.

Speaking at a press conference at the Assembly media room, Mr Venkata Reddy said that to his knowledge, corruption was rampant in the TRS government, more than in any government in the past.

The senior leader found fault with the Chief Minister telling his ministers at the TRS plenary to lodge complaints against anyone levelling corruption allegations.

Mr Venkata Reddy said that there were irregularities of about Rs 300 crore in the distribution of fish seedlings to irrigation tanks in the state. Similarly, in Haritha Haaram, Amrit scheme, irrigation tenders, Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha projects, there is large-scale corruption and I am ready to prove it, he said.

Its better that the Chief Minister says that there a few departments where there is no corruption instead of saying that there is no corruption in any department. I am ready to prove my allegations. Let the CM lodge a case against me and send me to jail, I am ready, Mr Venkata Reddy said.
Hyderabad: A section of TPCC leaders have requested the AICC to declare PCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy as the Congress candidate for the Chief Ministers post for the 2019 Assembly polls to take on TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Traditionally, the Congress does not announce the Chief Ministerial candidate before Assembly polls. The partys standard operating procedure has been that the Chief Minister or Congress Legislature Party leader would be elected by the legislators after the election results.

This approach had served the party well, since it stops any disgruntled member of the party or leaders from deserting the party for other greener pastures.

Even when a strong leader like the late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was at the helm of state party affairs, the Congress did not announce him the CM candidate. He was made the CM twice only after the results were declared.

However, before the recent Uttar Pradesh elections, former Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit was declared the partys Chief Ministerial candidate by the AICC. However, the Congress withdrew the decision striking an electoral alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

Now, TPCC leaders say that the party high command should have a rethink on the issue, based on the ground situation in Telangana and the peculiarities existing in the region.

There have been several instances of the Congress changing its PCC chiefs and CMs just months before elections. The party has kept the various groups happy by never announcing any leader would continue in a certain post for a specific time.

However, party leaders believe that the situation in the state has changed now, especially after the TRS came to power and its policy of encouraging mass political defections. They say that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao has been concentrating and poaching on other political parties and cadre in the state and admitting them into the TRS. They believe that the CM has already taken steps, including arranging finances, to face the next elections systematically.

Its common knowledge that political parties depend upon funding and without sufficient financial resources it will be difficult for a party leader to script poll strategy.

It is estimated that at least `500 crore is required to face Assembly polls in the state, if a party hopes to do well. Even assuming the candidates will pitch in to some extent, the party will still have to have huge funds at the disposal of its leader.

The Congress leaders say that the party at present faces a peculiar problem in Telangana since it is pitted against regional and sub-regional party bosses.

If the contest is between two national parties, the situation may be different but when Congress has to fight regional parties, the election turns into a fight between the individuals heading the parties.
Diplomacy is about strategy and perception. The first requires careful and deliberative planning as well as anticipation, both in the short term and the long term. The second is about working to ensure how other countries perceive us. If, in spite of all the strategic planning, the impression that a country projects is that it is weak-kneed and will bow down to threat and intimidation, then much of its strategy is also devalued. These ruminations are relevant in the context of recent developments in our relations with China. It is an important neighbour, and an emerging superpower with which we have significant bilateral relations that we should seek to strengthen further. This being said, the manner in which it has reacted to the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, requires us to reconsider our own response to China within the larger matrix of Indo-Chinese relations.

Reacting to the proposed visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month, the Chinese foreign office issued an official statement saying that this step will cause serious damage to bilateral ties, adding ominously that New Delhi must make a choice about whether it still intends to proceed with the visit. Such threatening statements continued throughout the visit. After it was over, the Chinese government assigned Chinese names to six areas in Arunachal Pradesh and reiterated its claim that the state was south Tibet and part of China. An authorised Chinese media outlet said, India will pay dearly if it continues the petty game of playing the Dalai Lama card. The Dalai Lama was provided refuge in India in 1959, 58 years ago. We have consistently told China that we see him as a religious leader, and that India does not question Chinas claim over Tibet. But, what has Chinas approach been? From our point of view, China is in illegal possession of Aksai Chin, which it occupied after the 1962 war.

Since 1993, it has been the clear understanding between both countries that neither side will interfere in the management of territories on either side of the roughly 4, 000 kms disputed line of actual control (LAC). Although we should have, we have not protested on Chinese movements in Aksai Chin. However, China publicly and emphatically continues to lay claim to Arunachal Pradesh that is an integral part of India. In fact, it has even advised us to exercise caution and restraint in our efforts to link Arunachal Pradesh to our national rail network! Moreover, China has invested heavily in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), which we claim as part of our territory, and is an area internationally accepted as a disputed area. In recent times it is building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through PoK, with investments running into billions of US dollars. But, our response to such direct provocations has been at best muted. In contrast, we appear deferential and accommodating when China protests our oil exploration in the South China Sea, which has not been declared internationally as a disputed area.

China has consistently followed a policy towards India of engagement with containment. We have welcomed it, but have never had a firm or consistent response to the policies of containment. For instance, when China announced that Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh will get stapled visas, we seemed to have been taken by surprise. Our response then could have been to announce stapled visas for Tibetans of Chinese origin. But once again, we lacked the guts to provide an appropriate riposte to an openly provocative action. There are other issues too, vital to our national interest, on which China has been decisively unhelpful. It is the one country that has placed a roadblock to our membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). It has also put a veto on the UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Masood Azhar. Chinas defence funding of Pakistan, including clandestinely supplying it with nuclear technology, is also well-documented. It is also no secret that China encourages when it wishes the rebel groups in the North-east against India. I think, therefore, the time has come for India to decide what the idiom of our response should be to Chinese behaviour. Should we, as we just demonstrated in Arunachal Pradesh, proceed with our resolve on what we believe to be in our national interest, irrespective of Chinas crude threats?

I think we should. This does not mean that we needlessly escalate differences to a crisis point. But it does mean that we are also prepared to stand up with dignity in the face of Chinese provocations, reiterate without prevarication what is in our national interest, and eschew our normal pattern of deferential responses. Such a change in our response would also require us to urgently give attention to our state of defence preparedness along the disputed boundary with China. China spends more than twice of what India does on its defence requirements. Yet, its defence expenditure, as a percentage of its GDP, is lower than that of India. The Chinese economy has grown at a faster pace, and its defence budget, although larger is more efficiently used. Arms imports have come down drastically. Russia and Ukraine are the only major outside suppliers of Chinas weaponry, most of which is now produced at lesser cost at home. In contrast, the state of our indigenous arms production is abysmal, and funds for vitally needed projects along the Indo-China border are perennially in short supply. In diplomacy, perceptions matter. The time has come for us to ensure that in Chinas perception we are not a nation that can easily be threatened or intimidated, or a country that will perpetually provide a muted response to Chinas openly hostile actions against our interests. Once this is adequately projected, there is no reason why we should not work, in our own national interest, to strengthen bilateral relations with a country, which is not only a neighbour we must live with, but also a major power with whom we have a wide and vital spectrum of interactions.
Kapil Sibal, senior advocate and Congress MP, questions the yardstick with which the BJP leaders hold the members of the Congress guilty in various cases while defending themselves after the Supreme Courts verdict on the Babri Masjid conspiracy charge. He speaks to Ashhar Khan on the issue in a freewheeling interview.

You have seen the judgment of the Supreme Court regarding the conspiracy charges in the Babri Masjid demolition case. What exactly has the court said?

The fact of the matter is that since 1992 the trial has hardly proceeded both at Rae Barielly and Lucknow. It is unfortunate that the judicial process has been so tardy that if this pace continued this trial would not have been over in the next 40 years. If it has taken 25 years for the trial to reach this stage when 800 witnesses are yet to be examined in Lucknow and only 150-odd have been examined from 2001 to 2017 you can imagine how much time it would take. Basically the bench was appalled at two things: the slow pace of the trial and why on a technicality should there be two separate trials when the chargesheet which the CBI had filed indicated that all of them must be tried together. This was a consolidated charge sheet in which the accused L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and others were all to be tried for criminal conspiracy along with other offences for which they were not being tried for in Rae Barielly.

So what happens next as far as the judicial process is concerned?

Now the Supreme Court has said that this trial must be over in the next two years. The judge should not adjourn the matter and if he does for any extraordinary reason then he has to record his reasons for that. The prosecution, that is, the CBI, has to produce witnesses and ensure that they attend court on a day-to-day basis. There will be no adjournments sought, and the Supreme Court has also said that in the event any party feels that the trial is not being conducted in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court then it can leave and liberty has been granted for any party to move the Supreme Court.

Some people who have been named are holding important positions in the government. Do you think they should resign on moral grounds?

See, that is something that the Prime Minister should address. Hes the one who keeps on talking about decriminalisation of politics; hes the one who talks about morality in politics. Unfortunately when it comes to his own ministers he has a temporary lapse of memory about what he has committed himself to do on earlier occasions. So I just hope that he does not have another lapse of memory and that he upholds what he publicly stated in respect to morality in politics and decriminalisation of politics.

The BJP and senior ministers of the Central government have said that if chargesheet was anything to go by there would not be many chief ministers of the Congress party left. Your thoughts?

We are not saying that the BJP minister or leaders should resign. We are saying that the Prime Minister should take a moral stand. The BJP and its ministers should be reminded that if that is the principle they hold on to how have they held leaders of the Congress party guilty even before a chargesheet is filed. Where is the chargesheet in the National Herald case? Where is the chargesheet in the alleged AgustaWestland diaries? How is it that the BJP holds our leaders guilty and takes this position when it comes to their leaders? I think the BJP and its leaders should determine for themselves and others what is the basis on which others should be held guilty and what is the basis on which their leaders should be held guilty. If there is no yardstick, then the BJP should state so. So the BJP leaders are only guilty when they have been convicted, but the Opposition are guilty even before a chargesheet has been filed!

Uma Bharti had said that there was no conspiracy and Ram Mandir is a matter of faith. In fact, she even wanted to visit Ayodhya after the judgment came but was stopped by the BJP leadership. How do you see such statements?

See, a prosecuting agency with evidence that they have collected over the years have come to a conclusion that this was a pre-planned conspiracy. All this is based on statements made and investigations conducted. So its not for us to comment. The matter now will have to be proved in a court of law. But every time there has been evidence collected against members of the RSS or its affiliates the witnesses turn hostile when the BJP comes to power. Now if the CBI collected non-existent evidence and falsely implicated people earlier then those CBI officials should be prosecuted. Also, if the CBI is now not moving forward and ensuring that witnesses turn hostile then it should be held accountable. So either prosecute the previous set of CBI officials or the present lot. The government should decide what the truth is. It cant be that evidence collected over the years is suddenly found to be non-existent or untrue. See the case of Kodnani is a travesty of justice. Why should the CBI be hand-in-glove with the political establishment? Its a very serious matter as witnesses who had given their statements under Section 164 are turning hostile.

BJP MP Vinay Katiyar has said that its the conspiracy of the CBI. Your comments?

Well, then the government should prosecute the CBI. If he says so, then the officials of the CBI are conspirators. When they are prosecuted they will come out with the truth as to who is the real conspirator.

Its been 25 years since the Babri Masjid was demolished and 15 years the Congress was in power at the Centre. Dont you think the Congress also had a part to play in the trial?

Remember, at the time when Justice Bhalla rendered that order sometime in 2001 the Congress was not in power but the BJP. In the state too the BJP was in power, so when an application was made for the consent of the state government to ensure that the trials are consolidated the BJP government denied it. Thereafter there have been non-Congress governments in the state. You know, one of the great machinations of this great party the BJP is to foist CBI cases against all Opposition leaders to ensure they get their way. You can see that happening even today. I cant say for sure but some Opposition leaders who were chief ministers ensured that the pace of the trial is slow again I cant say that for certain. But this had nothing to do with the Congress.
The attorney-general of India, Mukul Rohatgi, who is the governments chief legal adviser, has asked why there is so much noise over soldiers tying a man in Kashmir to the front of a military jeep as a human shield against protesters throwing stones at the vehicle. The recent report about a stone pelter tied to an Army vehicle, it helped contain stone pelters and saved the poll officials. Why so much noise, Mr Rohatgi said to a news channel, adding, every day people are dying. Its a surcharged atmosphere. The Army is dealing with terrorists not with protesters, so they will have to be dealt with... everyone should look at the Army with pride, they are doing a great job. Sitting in AC rooms you cant criticise Army. Please put yourself in Army position. I want to examine what he is saying from the legal point of view. As citizens we arrive at a contract with our government. We give it a monopoly over violence. This term comes from the German sociologist Max Weber, who studied India and its religions. The monopoly means the state is the only legitimate possessor of the power to physically harm someone.

That is why crimes such as murder, rape and so on are crimes against the state and the state prosecutes them. They cannot be negotiated out of court in a settlement. The state can demonstrate its willingness to do legal violence through such things as executing citizens for crimes, but it promises to always do so according to the law. All elected officials take an oath of office by which they solemnly swear not to break the constitution. The state, through its agents, having made this promise, then proceeds to use violence where it sees fit. In our part of the world, this can come frequently through crowd control. All Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are familiar with the term lathicharge. Our governments are convinced that the citizenry is often up to no good and must be controlled by force. It is not unusual for our state to open fire on its citizens. One of the turning points of the Vietnam war came in 1970 when students at a university in Ohio were fired at by the police and four were killed. This became a landmark event because it shocked Americans that their government would kill its own citizens. The popular music group Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young wrote a song on the event.

In our part of the world, of course, the government shooting dead citizens is a common thing. Just to give you a sample of what I mean, this is a news report from October 2016: Four people were left dead and as many as 40 were injured after police opened fire on a protest this morning, according to sources in the Chirudih village near Hazaribagh in Jharkhand. Residents have been protesting the acquisition of land by the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) for their coal mines. The public sector firm had proposed to start mining coal in the Karanpura valley, in the east Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, over an area of 47 square kilometers. I do not know how many people reading this will be familiar with the Hazaribagh killings because such things happen often in India. If it had been a terrorist attack on rich urban Indians, readers may have seen an item in the newspaper or on television but the state killing citizens who are protesting against the seizure of their land is not a big issue.

Most of the people the Indian army and Pakistan army kills are their own citizens. In India, the killing happens by the military and paramilitary in the Northeast, in Jammu and Kashmir and in the coal-rich belts populated by adivasis, a word that means original settlers or indigenous people. To return to Mr Rohatgi, what he is essentially saying is two things: all protesters, including stone throwers, are terrorists. Secondly, because they are terrorists, it is fine for the army to break the law in dealing with them. The army broke the law and the Indian governments commitments to its own citizens and to the world that it would not conduct itself in a particular way.

This violation, according to the governments legal adviser, is all right and those Indians who have air conditioners are not permitted to say anything. Presumably he does not use ACs and so is authorised to say whatever he wants. I am amazed this gentleman has been made attorney-general. He has not paid heed to what the Jammu and Kashmir government, of which the BJP is part, and retired generals have said about it. They have said it is an awful thing that will backfire on us. I think they are right. The Indian state breaks its contract with its citizens regularly and this is not a new thing. What is new here is that the casual bigotry and half-literate arguments of the drawing room are being peddled as the reason this contract is being broken. We are in a dark and dangerous period. Those of us who care for the Indian constitution worry.
Last year, a tiny piece of debris punched a gaping hole in the solar panel of Copernicus Sentinel-1A, an observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency, or ESA. [image : Gravity (2013)]

Decades' worth of man-made junk is cluttering up Earth's orbit, posing a threat to spaceflight and the satellites we rely on for weather reports, air travel and global communications.

More than 750,000 fragments larger than a centimeter are already thought to orbit Earth, and each one could badly damage or even destroy a satellite. Last year, a tiny piece of debris punched a gaping hole in the solar panel of Copernicus Sentinel-1A, an observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency, or ESA. A solar array brought back from the Hubble Telescope in 1993 showed hundreds of tiny holes caused by dust-sized debris.

Experts meeting in Germany this week said the problem could get worse as private companies such as SpaceX, Google, and Arlington, Virginia-based OneWeb send a flurry of new satellites into space over the coming years. They said steps should be taken to reduce space debris.

Getting all national space agencies and private companies to comply with international guidelines designed to prevent further junk in orbit would be the first step. At the moment those rules  which can be costly to implement  aren't legally binding.

ESA's director-general, Jan Woerner, told on Friday that so-called mega-constellations planned by private companies should have a maximum orbital lifetime of 25 years. After that, the satellite constellations would need to move out of the way, either by going into a so-called 'graveyard orbit' or returning to Earth.

That's because dead satellites pose a double danger: they can collide with other spacecraft or be hit by debris themselves, potentially breaking up into tiny pieces that become a hazard in their own right.

The nightmare scenario would be an ever-growing cascade of collisions resulting in what's called a Kessler syndrome  named after the NASA scientist who first warned about it four decades ago  that could render near-Earth orbits unusable to future generations.

"Without satellites, you don't have weather reports, live broadcasts from the other side of the planet, stock market, air travel, online shopping, sat-nav in your car," Rolf Densing, ESA's director of operations, said. "You might as well move into a museum if all the satellites are switched off." Even if future launches adhere to the guidelines, though, there's the question of what to do with all of the debris already in orbit.

"We have to clean the vacuum, which means we need a vacuum cleaner," Woerner said. Just how such a device would work is still unclear. Proposals include garbage-cleaning spacecraft armed with harpoons, nets, robotic arms and even lasers to fry really small bits of debris.

Luisa Innocenti, the head of ESA's "clean space" initiative, said a mission is already in the works to bring down a very large piece of debris.

"It's a very complex operation because nobody wants to fail," she said. "Nobody wants to hit the debris and create another cloud of debris."

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The report is based on a small number of interviews with people who have been arrested or cautioned for computer-based crimes.

The recent dumping of hacking tools on the dark web is not only a regular problem, but is soon becoming a global issue, explains a detailed report by the NCA. These leaked hacking tools are now getting into the hands of various hackers, who are on the prowl for unsuspecting victims. However, hackers are known to do such stuff for ages now, but the major cause of concern is that even youngsters are getting their hands on these tools. With such hacking utilities, young students are now turning into cyber criminals.

Free and easy-to-use hacking tools are helping many young people slip into a life of cyber-crime. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has detailed the "pathways" taken by people who become criminals. The report has stated that many have started getting involved with game cheat codes and mods on various websites and forums.

The report is based on a small number of interviews with people who have been arrested or cautioned for computer-based crimes. Of the various people who were interviewed, many were teenagers with an average age of around 17.

At the heart of the NCA's report is a simple but worrying conclusion: the internet is creating a new kind of criminal, reported BBC.

Initial Findings

 A number of UK teenagers who we assess as unlikely to be involved in traditional crime are becoming involved in cyber crime.

 To date there has been no socio-demographic bias amongst offenders or those on the periphery of criminality.

 Availability of low-level hacking tools encourages criminal behaviour.

 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears to be more prevalent amongst cyber criminals than the general populace though this remains unproven.

 Offenders begin to participate in gaming cheat websites and 'modding' (game modification) forums and progress to criminal hacking forums without considering consequences.

 Financial gain is not necessarily a priority for young offenders.

 Completing the challenge, sense of accomplishment, proving oneself to peers is a key motivation for those involved in cybercriminality.

 Offenders perceive the likelihood of encountering law enforcement as low.

 Cyber crime is not solitary and anti-social. Social relationships, albeit online, are key. Forum interaction and building of reputation drives young cyber criminals.

 Positive opportunities, role models, mentors can deter young people away from cyber crime.

 Targeted interventions at an early stage can steer pathways towards positive outcomes.

Younger kids who would not even dream of committing crimes are now involved in the online world, stealing data, vandalising websites and even taking down servers. In short  if you can win an online computer game by simply launching a cyber attack on your opponent, it is similarly simple to do the same to your school website or even government websites and companies that you dont like.

Kids probably do this for fun. Sometimes, even to get praises for the skills they have. However, to gain popularity and online friends, the young today are highly vulnerable and can become criminals without realising it. The report shocking revealed that some kids who were interviewed for similar crimes were as young as 12 years old. However, the reported that they are not motivated primarily for money, but early intervention can be very successful.

Factors defining the pathway leading to cyber-crime:

Low barriers to entry thanks to the wide availability of easy-to-use hacking tools

Easy access to illegal programs

A low risk of being caught

A perception that hacking was a victimless crime

The above factors are responsible for "an environment in which more young people are becoming involved in cyber-crime", the NCA said.

Mentors, role models, positive opportunities and similar options could help deter the young from committing cybercrime, the NCA added. Interventions by ex-offenders, computer professionals or police could also help divert younger people, it said.

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Modern surveillance systems are so advanced they no more need to see faces to recognise people.

Our neighbours recently installed an IP-based security camera. My wife and child were very impressed as they saw them remotely view live footage from their home. Everything looked safe, she smiled. But I wondered, is that footage safe too?, Altaf Halde, Managing Director, Kaspersky Lab South Asia, shared a hypothetical scenario.

Think about it. How many security cameras record your face on an average day? Cameras in your residence building, your office premises, public roads, ATMs, restaurants, and everywhere else that you practically step  have you ever wondered that your innocent footage could be fodder for crimes?

This prodded Altaf to dig deeper. And what he found was scary.

In the past few months, there have been innumerable cases where CCTV footage was compromised. Sometimes to mild, and sometimes to serious repercussions.

Last year, a website streamed live footage from 73,000 security cameras from the world over. Thousands of these were from India. Earlier this year, it was reported that 3 out of 5 security cameras at ATMs are unsecure.

Imagine if someone could just break into its stream and captured all those ATM PINs? A quick Google search could tell you how to hack into CCTV cameras, with video aids. If an Indian cosmetic surgeons camera footage was leaked, as it did in a popular Moscow clinic, it would be news for months and would perhaps end many careers.

So, what threat does surveillance pose?

Several, actually! Have you ever thought that while you use the CCTV footage to track criminals, criminals in turn, could be using your footage against you? If footage of a person, who doesnt want to be seen in certain places, reaches a criminal, he could be paying ransom money for the rest of his life, to keep that footage from surfacing, said Halde.

A porn actress recently suffered immensely due to such footage. Active image board users found the actresses social network profiles and contact information with the help of facial recognition services such as FindFace, and used it to bully her.

In India, the CCTV segment accounts for over 50 per cent electronic security equipment market. And this is expected to grow at a growth rate of over 20 per cent. With the advent of better cameras, we are seeing better quality images even in night vision cameras. IR cameras have further helped improving the quality. While this is great for us, it comes with its own threats.

Altaf had a lot more interesting things to say. Read on:

Modern surveillance systems are so advanced they no more need to see faces to recognise people. They can analyse the way one walks and behaves too! Although such sophisticated systems are used generally by the government, they do exist and hence, could reach anyone with the means and intent to use it. While the government essentially uses it for public safety, advanced merchants could use these to make big money.

The average IP-based cameras, the ones you and I use, come with almost zero security. Its extremely simple to hack into the system and steal footage. Each camera, to be available online, has its own little website that enables you to view it in another part of the world. This web interface comes with a full-fledged management console that helps you to change the angle of the footage, zoom in and even enable sound. This advanced console comes with risks. The footage from these can be easily traced by specialised search systems such as Shodan and Censys, said Halde.

So, does that mean you can do nothing to secure your cameras?

Fortunately, there is a lot. Start with telling your security system representative to prioritise security over convenience. Then, ensure you regularly update firmware and always strong passwords that you change regularly. Youll easily find how to do this, on the products website or in the user guide. But do not count a lot on your strong password. Vendors have been known to frequently delay firmware updates and vulnerability patches for months. Big companies too, have been guilty of this. The advantage with big names, however, is that they tend to respond better to the governments persistent calls for better user security.

Another important thing you can do is to disable unused features, especially cloud services. Many cameras today come with a default cloud setting that few use, but it exposes everyone to numerous threats. Cloud features offer tempting things  remote access to the footage via smartphone and storage for CCTV footage. But currently, their security level is tough to assess and hence makes it a dangerous thing.

You could even take more advanced precautions like enabling HTTPS access to the camera. Of course, in this case you are likely to use a self-issued certificate, which would provoke repeated browser alerts, but at least it is something. You could also tweak your home router to isolate your internal network from the outside; enabling exclusive access to only some select device functions. One more option is an intermediary device in the form of NAS storage. Even a basic IP camera comes with video surveillance software. Of course, in this case you should enable secure access as described above.

Did you know that almost every device has a webcam now?

And every webcam comes with numerous security threats. So what can you do? Basic precautions will work. Like, plug in your stand alone camera into the USB only when you need it. On your inbuilt laptop camera, tape the lens when not in use. If you think that looks tacky, you can buy cool lens covers for it that are available widely in the market.

For your smartphone, use a non-transparent cover for your rear camera and a tape over for the front. Of course, anti-virus for smartphones is no more a luxury, it is mandatory for security.

Many countries have strict regulations for cameras in public places. In Russia, for instance, an entryway is considered to be the property of the community. So camera installation requires approval of residents. But in India, the laws are fluid in this regard and almost everyone does what they please.

So be smart, be cautious. Sure, get those security cameras installed. They provide immense benefits, often warding off potential burglars and helping to identify one when the need arises. But before you do, make sure youve studied the systems, analysed all risks and taken all necessary precautions to avoid falling victim. In the unfortunate case that you do fall victim, remember that you always have legal recourse. Just remember it is a very complex area that leaves an immense lot to interpretation and even luck.

So be aware, be educated and remain secure. Your security systems needs more help than you think. And you must get it!

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Samsung recently unveiled flagship Galaxy S8 and S8+ went on sale in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Korea, and the company looks to resurrect its mobile business after the Note 7 fiasco. The pre-order numbers for the Galaxy S8 in Korea are encouraging for the company counting over a million units, while analysts are predicting global sales to reach at least 45 million units.

The company was expected to incorporate a dual camera setup on the rear panel of the device, but the rumours were put to rest when the company unveiled the device with the same 12MP dual pixel camera module found on the Galaxy S7. However, Samsung has tweaked the software powering the f/1.7 lens in an attempt to improve image processing.

Toms Guide recently posted a picture comparing the low-light photo quality of the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus. Overall the Galaxy S8 proved to be a tad higher in terms of the details and the low light pictures. Samsung's new device bested the iPhone 7 Plus in well-lit night time and low-light shots, offering richer colors, sharper subjects, and more detail in indoor and outdoor tests.

The iPhone 7 Plus was a clear winner when the front snapper was tested, exposing sharper selfie shots with vivid colors. It was tie when the 4K 30fps was tested, however S8s audio is said to be clearer than the iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple is said to be testing a new dual-lens camera system similar to the iPhone 7 Plus. If rumours are to be believed, the iPhone 8s front shooter will feature a new 3D-sensing system capable of the depth and location of subjects.

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Washington: Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by the previous Obama regime, has been asked to step down by the Trump administration to put its own leadership in place.

"Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement continued.

Murthy, 39, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this position said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will

always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

Murthy has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent- Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General. "(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," he wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011. (Photo: AFP)

New York: Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor Ayman al-Zawahiri as well as the slain terrorist's eleventh son Hamza is being protected by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and their most likely location of hiding is in Karachi.

According to a report by the New York based Newsweek, the Egyptian-born Zawahiri remains a key player in an attack threat to US that retired Marine Corps General John Kelly, the U.S. homeland security secretary, says is "worse today than what we experienced 16 years ago on 9/11."

The White House signaled a new, tougher approach to eliminating al-Zawahiri and his militant allies in early April with the appointment of Lisa Curtis, a well-known former CIA analyst, congressional staffer and foreign policy hawk in Washington, DC's think-tank circuit, to head the South Asia desk for the National Security Council.

The ISI has been protecting Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001, the Newsweek cited several authoritative sources as saying.

According to Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents Karachi would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans can't come and get him.

Riedel says that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011 as the city is heavily policed, is site of a major nuclear complex, also hosts Pakistani naval and air bases, where forces could quickly be scrambled to intercept American raiders.

He adds that bin Laden remains a popular figure among Karachi's millions of poor, devout Muslims, who could well emerge from their homes and shops to pin down the Americans.

According to the report, in the first week of January 2016, the Obama administration went after Zawahiri with a drone strike in Pakistan's remote Shawal Valley, which abuts the Afghan border in a Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) but he survived.

According to the Newsweek, a former top Pakistani official who maintains close ties with the Islamabad government would confirm only that al-Zawahiri is "in a large Pakistani city." adding that he was "100 percent" sure that bin Laden's 26-year-old son, Hamza, a rising power in Al-Qaeda, is also in the country under ISI protection.
New York: An India-born doctor and his wife were arrested and charged on Saturday for allegedly helping another Indian-origin doctor perform genital mutilations, a procedure that is criminalised in the United States, on minor girls.

Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, both of Michigan state were charged with conspiring to perform female genital mutilations (FGM) on minor girls out of Fakhruddin Attar's medical clinic in Livonia.

The Attars were arrested this morning. The charges come a week after Indian-origin doctor Jumana Nagarwala, 44, of Michigan, was charged with performing FGM on minor girls.

Ms Nagarwala and the Attars are believed to be the first people charged under federal US law, which criminalises FGM.

According to an online physician directory, Fakhruddin graduated from the Baroda Medical College in Gujarat, India in 1988.

The charges say that Ms Nagarwala used to perform the medical procedure on minor girls at Burhani Medical Clinic (BMC) in Michigan that was owned and operated by Fakhruddin. Fakhruddin's wife was employed at BMC as an officer manager.

The compliant against the Attars said that the couple arranged and assisted in the female genital mutilation of minor females performed by Nagarwala. While they allowed their clinic to be used by Nagarwala to perform the procedures, Farida assisted Ms Nagarwala during the female genital mutilation procedures.

Fakhruddin told federal agents this month that he has known Ms Nagarwala and she occasionally saw patients at his clinic even though she was not employed there.

He said Ms Nagarwala only saw the patients at BMC when the clinic was closed and that Farida used to be present in the examining room while Ms Nagarwala treated the minor girls.

The investigation revealed that several minor girls informed forensic personnel that Ms Nagarwala had performed procedures on their genitals and one minor girl said Farida had been present when Ms Nagarwala did the FGM procedures.

According to the complaint, some of the minor victims travelled interstate to have the procedure performed. The complaint alleges that the FGM procedure was performed on girls who were approximately six to eight years old.

The number of girls under 18 at risk for FGM in the US has quadrupled since 1997. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk of FGM in the US.

FGM has been a crime under federal law since 1996 and is punishable by up to five years in prison, however FGM is not a crime in 26 US states, including Michigan.

The complaint filed against Ms Nagarwala last week had said federal agents reviewed her telephone records and further investigation revealed that parents of two minor girls had travelled to Michigan.

The girls were later interviewed by a forensic expert and one of the girls said she was told she was coming to Detroit for a "special" girls trip, but after arriving at the hotel, she learned that she and the other girl had to go to the doctor because "our tummies hurt."

The girls had been taken to Ms Nagarwala, who performed the procedure on the girls.

The World Health Organisation said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated.

WHO said FGM, which is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15, is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Some legal experts say the states' realignment could signal that the changes made last month to Trump's original executive order have strengthened the government's case. (Photo: AP)

New York: President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority nations faces its second challenge at a US appeals court next month, and this time more Republican states are backing the measure, while one Democratic state attorney general dropped out of the legal fight this week.

Some legal experts say the states' realignment could signal that the changes made last month to Trump's original executive order have strengthened the government's case.

Sixteen Democratic state attorneys general and the District of Colombia on Thursday filed a "friend of the court" brief backing Hawaii in its bid to block the March 6 executive order, which two federal judges put on hold before it could be implemented. Hawaii and other states argue the ban violates the US Constitution because it discriminates against Muslims.

But Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who opposed the original ban that Trump signed on Jan. 27, did not join Thursday's brief, which was filed in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Shapiro declined to comment.

On the other side, Texas, which had been alone in its support for the original January order, has gained the support of 14 Republican states urging that the ban go forward in a legal brief filed on April 10. Those states back the government's argument that the president has wide authority to implement immigration policy and that the ban is needed to prevent terrorist attacks.

Trump's original ban, which the president said was needed for national security to head off attacks by Islamist militants, applied to seven Muslim-majority nations and indefinitely banned the entry of all refugees from Syria. It was revised and narrowed after a flurry of legal challenges.

"The second executive order was much more carefully written than the first. Maybe when various states analyzed it they weren't as interested as joining," said Stephen Yale-Loehr an immigration expert at Cornell University Law School. However, he said, "amicus briefs sometimes are filed for political reasons."

Some judges pay close attention to amicus briefs, while others disregard them.

The US Department of Justice declined to comment.

Trump's January order was hastily implemented just days after his inauguration, leading to chaos and protests at airports and more than two dozen lawsuits. A federal judge in Seattle halted the order and the 9th circuit upheld that ruling.

The White House re-crafted the order to exclude legal permanent residents and removed Iraq from the list of targeted countries. Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are still included in the new order. The new ban also dropped language giving preference to refugees who are part of a persecuted religious minority in their country of citizenship.

The changes were meant to chip away at the plaintiffs' "standing" to sue, which requires that anyone bringing a lawsuit show they have been directly harmed by the action they are contesting.

But as soon as the second order was signed, states and civil rights groups went back to court, saying that it was still discriminatory.

Federal district judges in Maryland and Hawaii put the second order on hold before it could take effect on March 16.
In February, the group sparked a controversy after it was detained by Guatemalas army. (Photo: via web)

Dutch sailing boat offering abortions, often in defiance of some countrys laws, arrived in international waters off Mexico on Saturday, the organisation crewing it said.

The Women on Waves vessel was expelled from near Guatemala in February without carrying out a single pregnancy termination. It had taken up position off Guerrero state, on Mexico Pacific coast.

The Women on Waves group said in an online statement that it was offering free legal medical abortions till nine weeks of pregnancy to women who needed them. It said its ship has all required permits and would receive women until Sunday.

It noted that Mexico permitted abortions in cases of sexual violence. Abortion is limited in other cases to different degrees across the 31 Mexican states.

The Dutch group has previously sent its ship to waters off Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain. Women on Waves aims to prevent unsafe abortions and make sure women have access to medical abortion.

On board the Dutch boat, women are given abortion pills and they remain under observation for a few hours before returning to shore on small vessels.
WikiLeaks has released another trove of secret CIA documents a day after the US justice department said it was considering criminal charges against the organisation and its founder Julian Assange.

The 31-page user guide for a CIA device called Weeping Angel was posted online on Saturday, the CBS News reported. The tool was able to turn Samsung televisions into surveillance tools - by way of activating the televisions built-in microphone to record audio.

The tool was co-developed by the CIA and the UKs MI5 intelligence agency, CNET had reported in March. Both the CIA and the FBI think the latest information from WikiLeaks might have been leaked from the inside, CBS News reported. US attorney general Jeff Sessions on Friday said that arresting Mr Asange was top priority and we are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks.

Meanwhile, Britian on Saturday said Swedens existing warrant to extradite Mr Assange over a sexual assault allegation would be the first consideration if the Australian were to leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London where he is currently holed up. The British authorities have stressed that the UK had an existing legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden under the European arrest warrant, the Guardian reported.
Many dont speak Arabic and their role in Syria is little known to the outside world, but the Chinese fighters of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria are organised, battled-hardened and have been instrumental in ground offensives against President Bashar Assads forces.

Thousands of Chinese jihadis have come to Syria since the countrys civil war began in March 2011 to fight against government forces and their allies. Some have joined the al- Qaidas branch in the country previously known as Nusra Front.

Others paid allegiance to the ISIS. But the majority of Chinese jihadis are with the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria. Their growing role in Syria has resulted in increased cooperation between Syrian and Chinese intelligence agencies who fear those same jihadis could one day return home and cause trouble there.
Karim Cheurfi, 39, was described as an oddball by his neighbours in the multi-ethnic suburb of Chelles east of Paris (Photo: AP)

Paris: The Champs Elysees shooter fits a pattern of many extremists inspired by Islamic State in France in recent years: a violent, unstable criminal not known for any religious conviction.

Karim Cheurfi, 39, was described as an oddball by his neighbours in the multi-ethnic suburb of Chelles east of Paris, about a 30-minute train ride from the centre of the City of Light.

Everyone knew him here, said one resident in the quiet area where Cheurfi lived with his mother. It was someone who had lost all reason, who was psychologically very damaged, said the resident, asking not to be named.

Another local man, Salim, described him as nuts and someone never seen at the local mosque, while fellow resident Abdel said Cheurfi had been influenced by his repeated experiences in prison.

He hated the police and France, 23-year-old Abdel said, yet he found it hard to believe he was linked to the Islamic State group, which claimed the attack a few hours after the shooting on Thursday evening.

Salim, who said he knew Cheurfis cousin, said the gunman could hardly use a remote controller for the television. Go on the internet and contact esh (Islamic State)? I cant see it.

After shooting a policeman dead with an automatic weapon and injuring two others on Thursday night, Cheurfi was killed in return fire. A hand-written note praising IS was found near his body.

Karim Cheurfi, 39

Serial offender

Cheurfi had a long criminal record that dates back to at least 2001 when he was involved in an accident southeast of Paris while driving a stolen car.

After being pursued by a police officer and his brother, he seriously wounded the two men after shooting with a revolver he was carrying.

Two days later, after being arrested, he grabbed the gun of a policeman while in custody and tried to kill him.

He received a 20-year jail term on three counts of attempted murder, reduced to 15 years on appeal in February 2005, but was released early from prison in 2013.

Three months later, he committed a violent robbery which culminated in another car chase with police.

In July 2014, he was sentenced to four years in prison, but the last two years were suspended. He was released in 2015.

At the time there was no sign he had been radicalised, his lawyer, Jean-Laurent Panier, said. It was someone very solitary and introverted. He talked very little, didnt even defend himself.

A police source said that after he was released in 2015, he slipped under the radar. We had a few things on him, but nothing massive, said the source, asking not to be named.

This changed in February of this year when he was arrested again, this time on suspicion of wanting to attack security forces. He was released the next day for lack of evidence.

Since March he was the subject of an investigation by French anti-terror police but had not been flagged as an S-File by the security forces -- the term used for extremists.

There are an estimated 10,000 people flagged as Islamic extremists in France and security forces say their resources enable them to monitor and mount surveillance of only a limited number.

On Tuesday, police arrested two men in the southern port city of Marseille with an arsenal of weapons and explosives.

The suspects, who met in prison and are suspected Islamic extremists, are thought to have been preparing an attack to disrupt Frances two-stage presidential election which gets underway this Sunday.

French authorities claim they have thwarted on average one plot every month since December 2015 when a wave of Islamist-inspired violence began.

In January 2015, gunmen targeted the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and a Jewish supermarket, which was followed by atrocities around Paris including at the Bataclan concert hall in November of the same year.

In July 2016, a self-radicalised extremist drove a truck through crowds watching fireworks in the southern city of Nice, killing 86.
A Baloch militant hands over his weapon and surrenders to Baluchistan province Chief Minister Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri in Quetta on April 21, 2017. (Photo:AFP)

Quetta: Around 500 Baloch rebel militants on Friday surrendered to Pakistans government as Islamabad pursues its development agenda linked to the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the southwest province.

Some 487 militants from four Baloch rebel organisations, including at least eight senior commanders, laid down their arms at an official ceremony in Quetta city.

The militants pledged their allegiance to the state of Pakistan at the ceremony, which was also attended by the provincial chief minister.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balochistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting.

A greater push towards peace and development by Pakistani authorities, including starting work on roads and infrastructure under the Chinese-assisted CPEC project -- which connects Balochistans deep sea port Gwadar to China -- has reduced the violence considerably.

These militants had killed my own son and brother but I have forgiven them. The state of Pakistan also forgives them and I welcome them to be part of Balochistans CPEC project, said Balochistan chief minister Sanaullah Zehri at the ceremony.

We will arrange employment for you. Nobody will be allowed to destroy peace in the province, he said.

Those who surrendered were members of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), United Baloch Army and Lashkar-e-Balochistan.

We were misled by Brahumdagh Bugti. We have now come to know that he works for India. Why should we fight in our own country for another country, said Sarbaz Baloch, former spokesman of BRA, who has been fighting for 15 years.

Bugti is an exiled Baloch leader based in Europe who has applied for asylum in India.

Baluchistan is the largest of Pakistans four provinces, but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.
One-Belt and One-Road (OBOR) also known as new Silk Road project (Photo: Representational Image)

Mumbai: China on Friday said it would like India to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) that seeks to link Asia with Europe, adding if concerns of sovereignty over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was a hurdle, they would be resolved.

India is an important partner of the Belt and Road Initiative. It was, remains and will be so in the future, Liu Jinsong, minister at the Embassy of China in India, said.

Without hesitation, the Chinese side sincerely invites the Indian side to join many BRI forums, including the Forum to be held next month, Liu said.

If this (concerns over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) is the only reason that affects Indian friends will to join the Belt and Road Initiative, this concern could be resolved, he said.

He was addressing a conference on The Belt and Road Initiative: Indias perspectives on Chinas ambitious plan for infrastructural connectivity in Asia, Africa and Europe, organised by Observer Research Foundation here.

Transportation is the basis of CPEC, and connectivity between China and Pakistan will unavoidably pass through PoK area, he said.

China has no intention to interfere in territorial and sovereignty disputes between India and its neighbours, he said, adding that Chinas position on the Kashmir issue has not changed either.

President Xi Jinping will host the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from May 14 to 15 in Beijing. Leaders of 28 countries and the UN Secretary-General will attend the Forum, he said.

Referring to the debate on whether India should join the Belt and Road Initiative, he said, India has always been on the Belt and Road, and cited travels of explorers from both the countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative is an inheritance, revival and upgrade of the ancient Silk Route, he said.

The two countries should resume common efforts and work to revive the Silk Route, he said.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which aims to provide financial support for infrastructure construction in countries along the BRI routes, he said.

India gave a positive response to Chinas proposal and held the second round of negotiation working group meeting in Mumbai. India contributed 8 billion US dollars and became the second largest shareholder at the AIIB, he said.

Over 40 countries have signed the BRI cooperation agreements with China. At the Forum next month, another over 40 countries and international organisations will discuss and sign cooperation agreements with China, he said.

China and India, each with over 1.3 billion people, are still not connected by railways, he said.

There are only 40-plus direct flights between the two countries each week, considerably less than 1,000 direct flights per week between China and South Korea, he said.

Liu also referred to reports of a 61-year-old postman journeying through the Nathula Pass to exchange mail bags every day for 25 years, calling him a civil envoy promoting China-India friendship and connectivity.
Afghan soldiers stand guard at the gate of a military compound after an attack by gunmen in Mazar-e- Sharif province north of kabul. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan Saturday "strongly condemned" the Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan that killed over 140 and injured dozens of people.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and the people of Afghanistan as well as to the bereaved families and pray for early recovery of the injured," the Foreign Office said.

The attack which took place on Friday is considered as one of the worst in the country. Over 140 Afghan soldiers were killed and dozens injured in the attack, according to Afghan defence ministry.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and the people of Afghanistan as well as to the bereaved families and pray for early recovery of the injured," the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan reiterates strong condemnation of terrorism in all forms and manifestations, it said.

"We reaffirm our continued commitment to work closely with the Afghan Government and the international community in the fight against the scourge of terrorism," it added.
The LHCBA presented their demand for the PM's resignation at a press conference, reports the Dawn. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on Saturday gave an ultimatum to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign within a week, or face a lawyers' movement bigger than the one that followed ex-chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry's ouster in 2007.

The warning came on the heels of The Supreme Court judgement in the Panamagate case that ordered formation of a Joint Investigation Committee (JIT) to carry a crimininal investigation against Sharif and his family regarding allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) have all demanded that Shrif resign following the criminal investigation.

The LHCBA presented their demand for the PM's resignation at a press conference, reports the Dawn.

"Throughout the world, public office holders implicated in the Panama [Papers] scandal have relinquished their posts, but the prime minister is adamant to stay in power," said LHCBA President Zulfiqar Chaudhry as he emphasised that the bar association's demand for PM's resignation was legitimate and fair.

"How can officers under the PM conduct a fair investigation into the PM's alleged corruption?" Chaudhry questioned.

The legal fraternity in Pakistan flexed its muscles back in 2007, when former military ruler Gen. (Retd) Pervez Musharraf ousted the then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The lawyers' movement that followed, gained enough momentum to result in the reinstatement of the deposed judiciary.
In a statement that could have far-reaching consequences, a former BJP MP on Friday claimed that it was he, and not senior party leaders L K Advani or Murli Manohar Joshi, who got the Babri mosque demolished.



Ram Vilas Vedanti, an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, said, Advani and Joshi were in fact trying to persuade kar sevaks to stop demolishing the structure.



Vedanti, a senior member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, said the late VHP chairman Ashok Singhal and the late mahant Avaidyanath, former BJP MP and guru of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, had asked kar sevaks to demolish the disputed structure at Ayodhya.



Vedanti also said the structure was a dilapidated temple and not a mosque as claimed by some. The CBIs claim is based on false testimony... We three (Vedanti, Singhal and Avaidyanath) instigated the kar sevaks, he said, adding that he was ready to face the consequences of his actions.



I am ready to be hanged for the Ram temple, he said.



Vedanti also demanded that the 67-acre plot, which was around the disputed area and had been acquired by the Centre, be handed over to the trust so that the temple construction work can begin. Now that the BJP is in power at the Centre and state, I hope the Ram temple will be constructed at Ayodhya, Vedanti said.



Muslims bring bricks to build temple

Members of a Muslim outfit were detained briefly when they tried to carry bricks inside the disputed site at Ayodhya for the construction of the Ram temple, DHNS reports from Lucknow. A source in the police department said members of the Muslim Kar Sevak Manch, who carried bricks and banners asking their community members to extend cooperation for the construction of the temple, sought entry into the complex on Thursday evening, but were stopped.

President of the outfit Azam Khan said they wanted to contribute to the construction of Ram Mandir. Khan, who had recently put up posters in Lucknow supporting the temples construction, was taken into custody a few days ago on charges of misbehaving with a senior police officer.


US President Donald Trump waded into France's upcoming elections today, saying he believes an attack on police officers this week will help Marine Le Pen, the far-right presidential candidate. In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump said that while he is not explicitly endorsing Le Pen, the attack played to her strengths.



"She's the strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview. "Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election."



US presidents typically avoid weighing in on specific candidates running in overseas election. But Trump suggested his opinion was no different from an average observer, saying, "Everybody is making predictions on who is going to win. I'm no different than you."



Sunday's vote is the first round in the French elections, with the top two candidates advancing to a winner-takes-all runoff on May 7. The high-stakes contest is viewed as something of a vote on the future of the European Union, with Le Pen calling for a referendum on France's membership in the bloc. Le Pen has also echoed some of Trump's hard-line rhetoric on immigration, calling for hardening French borders to stanch what she describes as an out-of-control flow of immigrants.



Former President Barack Obama has also gotten involved in France's election, offering centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron his best wishes in a phone call yesterday, though he, too, stopped short of a full endorsement. Macron's team released a video recording of the call, a highly unusual move as conversations among different countries' politicians are usually kept private.



A victory for Macron would be a vote of confidence in France staying in the EU. Obama, when he was in office, encouraged Britain not to leave, though it ultimately voted to do so anyway. Trump backed Britain's decision to exit from the EU and has also predicted that other countries would make similar decisions. Yet during a White House news conference Thursday, the president said he believed in a strong Europe. "A strong Europe is very, very important to me as president of the United States," he said.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the terror attack on a military base in northern Afghanistan. "Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i- sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," he said in a tweet.



Over 50 Afghan soldiers were killed when the Taliban attacked the base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday.



The attack targeted soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility. The Taliban had claimed responsibility for the operation.


The Special Investigation Team of the Goa Crime Branch has summoned former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday in connection with investigations into the illegal mining scam, after he skipped the summons earlier week.



Kamat has been asked to remain present before Special Investigation Team of Goa Crime Branch on Monday (April 24). He would be questioned in relation with the illegal mining activity which is being investigated by us," senior Crime Branch official told PTI today. This is the second summons issued to Kamat in connection with the case.



The veteran Congressman, who is named in the FIR filed by the Crime Branch in the case, was summoned on Tuesday (April 18) but had failed to appear before it claiming to be out of station. He was first questioned in the case by the SIT in February 2014.



According to the report of Justice (retd) M B Shah Commission, illegal mining to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore took place in Goa from 2005 to 2012, when the Supreme Court banned iron ore extraction in the state. A complaint was filed by the Mines and Geology Department in July 2013 seeking to fix criminal liability on those involved in the illegal mining as pointed out by various committees, including the Centre-appointed Shah Commission.



The Crime Branch then registered an FIR in August 2013 against those named in various reports (Shah Commission and other committees) including Kamat, former Mines and geology director Arvind Lolienkar and some other officials of the department, mining firms and others.



The FIR was registered under various IPC sections, including 120 (b) (conspiracy), 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, Mines and Minerals Development Act, Mineral Conservation and Development Rules and Goa Prevention of Illegal Mining Transportation, Storage of Minerals Rules 2004.



Based on the complaint, the SIT was formed by the then BJP government to probe the case. An apex court appointed Central Empowered Committee and State Legislative Assembly's Public Accounts Committee had also confirmed illegal mining in the state.
A Congress delegation met Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh and demanded a CBI probe into the lynching of Pehlu Khan in Alwar district, allegedly by cow vigilantes.



The delegation, led by Rajasthan PCC chief Sachin Pilot, met the governor and handed over a memorandum. "Pehlu Khan (55) was beaten to death on April 1 in Alwar by a mob of gau rakshaks and there should be a CBI probe into his death," the Congress leaders demanded.



While expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Pilot said that criminals are roaming scot-free under the BJP rule and their confidence is high just because the government is negligent.



"The functioning of police and the statement of the state home minister present bad examples," he said.

The PCC chief also expressed surprise over the silence of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on the issue. Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria had earlier said the people intercepted by cow vigilantes in Alwar did not have transit permit.



Others who were part of the delegation were Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Dudy, former Union minister Jitendra Singh, AICC secretary Zubair Khan, senior PCC vice president Gopal Shekhawat, former state minister Amaaduddin Ahmed Khan and Alwar district Congress chief Tikaram, besides other party leaders from Alwar
A 40-year-old man was killed and eight policemen were injured when members of a nomadic tribe attacked a police party which had gone to arrest him for allegedly poaching wild animals.



"The eight-member police team had gone to arrest Pusa last evening near Silaria village but members of his tribe attacked it, prompting the personnel to fire in the air," SP, Nagaur, Paris Deshmukh told PTI today. Despite police firing in the air, the mob beat up the policemen with sticks. The personnel then opened fire in self-defence, which led to Pusa's death.



Circle Officer Dinesh Singh said Pusa, who was wanted in a case of animal poaching, suffered bullet injuries on the thigh and died of excessive bleeding. He belonged to the Banbaagri tribe, which is notorious for poaching of wild animals.



At least eight policemen, including the SHO of the local police station, were also injured in the violence. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital.



"We have registered a case against some persons for attacking police and two of them were detained today," Singh said. He said a separate case would be registered over the killing of the man if his family files a complaint.
Veteran cinema star Kamal Haasan today praised his former colleague Sathyaraj for apologising over the remarks made during the Cauvery crisis, calling him a "great human being". "Congrats Mr Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environment," he tweeted. The actor-director quoted from his directorial venture "Virumaandi" to describe Sathyaraj as a "great human being".



In the movie, the protagonist's wife tells him that a man who seeks forgiveness is a "great human being". Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattappa in SS Rajamouli's "Baahubali" had yesterday expressed regret over his comments made during the Cauvery dispute while appealing for the smooth release of the second part of the film in Karnataka next week.



His statement came following the demand of an apology from the actor by pro-Kannada outfits, who had threatened to stall the release of the film in the state. They had taken strong objection to some of his remarks made in the light of the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.



Sathyaraj had said he had made the remarks nine years ago during a protest organised by the Tamil cinema industry against the 'attack' on Tamils in Karnataka over the Cauvery dispute. Meanwhile, state BJP leader H Raja lashed out at Sathyaraj and Kamal Haasan, saying they were "bothered only about money."



"Whether it is Kamal or Sathyaraj they are bothered only about money. Their love for Tamil and their Tamil sentiment is only skin deep," he tweeted. He described Sathyaraj's act as a "self-respectless act done for money."


Egyptian-born Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's notorious spy agency ISI, a US media report said.



"Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001," Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.



"His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the weekly said. This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor.



"Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine. "There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added.



"This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him," he said.



Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.



"If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said. According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016.



But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.



"The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine. The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room."



The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes.



One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said.



"Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg,'" the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.



"He may well have taken (another al-Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to set up yoga wellness centres in 40 districts of the state in the current financial year.





The chief minister has also asked officials to take permission from the central government for setting up wellness centres in 35 other districts, an official spokesman said while briefing on the presentation of the AYUSH department here last night.

The 40 yoga wellness centres will be set up in 23 ayurvedic, 7 Unani and 12 homoeopathic hospitals of the state this financial year, the spokesman said.



In his directives for the International Day of Yoga falling on June 21, the chief minister has said all necessary arrangements should be ensured well within time for the joint yoga display by 51,000 participants in Lucknow.

Aditynath said the new hospital building, administrative building and women's hostel of the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Varanasi be made fit for public use in the coming 100 days, the spokesman said.



During the presentation of the medical and health department, the chief minister called for ensuring proper treatment facilities even at village level.



"It is among the top priorities of the state government that good and effective medical facilities reach all the people in the state," he said, adding that a positive change needs to be seen in the medical and health services.



Stressing on the need for adequate medicines and number of doctors, he urged for taking steps for effective check and treatment of vector-borne diseases.



Adityanath also stressed on timely detection of dengue, Japanese and acute encephalitis, chikungunya and creating public awareness against these diseases, the spokesman said, adding that hygiene and availability of potable water could save people from these diseases.
Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters here today.



Sajjan interacted with Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, a Defence spokesperson said.



"The minister highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada and the need to further enhance cooperation between both nations. The discussions looked at continuing the current level of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation," he said.



The current Regional and Global Security environment and the opportunities it afforded both India and Canada to work together formed part of the talks, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Enhancement of maritime and naval cooperation and visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg were also discussed.



HMCS Winnipeg will visit India in mid May 2017 and will carry out professional interaction and Passage Exercise with Indian ships, the spokesperson said.



"The minister also visited the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi. He was taken on a conducted tour of the ship and expressed his deep appreciation of the strides being made by India in their indigenisation efforts," he said.



"India and Canada are poised to enhance defence cooperation in fields of counter terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace keeping and Naval cooperation," the spokesperson said.
Union minister Suresh Prabhu today said the expansion of rail services would play a key role in countrys growth.





He also asserted that the Centre and the states need to work together for this purpose. Prabhu was speaking at a function at Chhattisgarhs Raipur railway station where he inaugurated various passenger facilities for stations falling under the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone.



"Prime Minister wants development of the country. For the purpose, we have decided to develop rail. Development of rail would lead to the development of the country...with the expansion of rail (services), India can move ahead," Prabhu said.



"Unless the Centre and the states will not work hand-in-hand, it will not be possible," he pointed out.



The union minister further underlined the need for the development of Chhattisgarh to make PMs 'Make in India' campaign a success.



"Presently rail projects worth around Rs 24,000 crore are underway in Chhattisgarh and in future many other major projects will be launched in the state which is rich in mineral resources...If we want to make the Prime Minister's initiative of Make in India a success, we need steel, iron ore, coal and other resources and these are in abundance in the state," he said.



"We have to develop Chhattisgarh for making 'Make in India' a success. Transportation of minerals will benefit both the state and railways. Besides, it will also create job opportunities for the youth...an amount of Rs 3,676 crore will be invested in the financial year 2017-18 for rail projects in Chhattisgarh. Seven railway stations in the state will be revamped in such a way that they will have better facilities than airports," said the railway minister.



These stations will be revamped into iconic structures and will have better passenger amenities, he added. He said the railway will have an agreement with the state government to provide e-marketing facility to the tribal population engaged in making artefacts.



The e-marketing facility will be provided through the IRCTC website so that the artisans can earn a good return for their art, he added. Similarly, Prabhu said, Railways will provide an opportunity to self-help groups (SHGs) for providing local cuisines in trains through e-catering service. As part of the Railway's green initiative to create green cover along the track, as many as 5 crore trees (saplings) will be planted in Chhattisgarh, Prabhu said.



The Railway and the state government will also work to convert waste into energy.Besides, the initiative has also been undertaken to revive water bodies that exist in the premises of railway lands, he added.



On the occasion, the union minister along with Chief Minister Raman Singh inaugurated two escalators towards Gudhiyari end of the Raipur station and two lifts for Platform 2/3 and 5/6.They also inaugurated narrow gauge maintenance facilities at Kendri, three lift facilities on the platforms of Durg railway station, high-speed wi-fi facility in Durg railway station and Bilaspur railway station and the newly built foot-over-bridge at Dongargarh railway station through video conferencing.



Besides, they also laid the foundation stone for the third line between Rajnandgaon-Nagpur section on Howrah-Mumbai Rail route in Nagpur Division under South East Central Railway (SECR).The Railway minister also flagged-off Durg-Nizamuddin Humsafar Express (bi-weekly).



Chairman of Railway Board AK Mittal and other senior officials, MPs and MLAs were present for the function.
An alert was sounded across Uttar Pradesh and security was beefed up at all important religious and public places after intelligence agencies warned that terrorists, dressed as 'sadhus' (sage) could launch attacks in the state at religious places.



According to the police sources here on Saturday, the alert was sounded after intelligence inputs from Madhya Pradesh police.



Sources said that the MP police, in a letter to their UP counterpart, said that over a dozen ISI-trained terrorists, dressed as 'sadhus' planned to attack important religious places in the state.



''Security has been beefed up at all important religious tows, including Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi,'' said a senior police official here.



The intelligence agencies also said that the ISI had trained these terrorists in Hindu rituals so that no one could suspect them.




Tamil Nadu Minister for cooperatives Sellur K Raju, who inaugurated the unconventional method to conserve water in drought hit Tamil Nadu, saw the attempt go awry as the sheets flew in different directions in gusty winds in the river.





The minister later held discussions with PWD experts on ways to overcome the problem of wind and water flow, which led to the sheets drifting in various directions, officials said.





Water from the Vaigai dam flows through six water starved districts of south Tamil Nadu including Madurai, sivaganga, ramanathpuram theni and dindigul districts. On this technique, Raju merely said the "thermocol covering technology" was received from a "source."





Journalists, who were part of the team taken to the spot to demonstrate the 'technology', found there were not enough sheets to cover the water. The attempt to spread the sheet at different water levels also did not serve the purpose.





Raju said such methods are used abroad to reduce evaporation and that experts would also be consulted for these initiatives. He said the state Government had allocated Rs 10 lakh to try out different technolgoies to prevent water evaporation.





Madurai Collector K Veera Raghava Rao said different methods would be adopted or experimented to save water which is in 10-12 hectares of waterspread area in the Vaigai dam.





He said 1.2 Million Cubic Feet of water is lost due to evaporation every day. On use of thermocol, he said this was done as the material was non-polluting. But Rathnam, a scientist, differed, saying thermocol is non-biodegradable and can harm fish when they break into pieces.

An 'experiment' by PWD officials to try and cut water loss due to evaporation in Vaigai dam by covering a small portion of it with thermocol sheets came unstuck when parts of it were swept away by strong winds.
Two Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chadoora area of central Kashmirs Budgam district on Saturday evening.



Police sources said that on a specific tip off that militants were hiding in an orchard in Hayatpora area of Chadoora, 20 kms from here, a joint team of Armys 53-Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group (SOG) of J&K police laid a siege around the area on Tuesday evening.



As the security forces zeroed in, the hiding militants opened fire on the security forces, triggering a brief encounter in which two militants were killed, they said.



Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia while confirming the death of two militants, said two AK series rifles and one pistol was recovered from the encounter site.



Sources identified the slain militants as Younis Ganai, a local of Chadoora and Abu Ismail, a Pakistani militant. They were associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba. Younis had recently joined militant ranks and is son of a hardline Hurriyat leader Muhammad Maqbool Ganai, they said.



Reports said youth pelted stones and rocks at a security forces party which was rushing towards the encounter site at Nagam village, situated a couple of kilometers from the encounter site. Last month three civilians were killed and 17 others were injured in Chadoora after security forces had to open fire on protesters during an encounter.



However, a police officer said, in todays encounter the security forces were fully prepared and didnt give time to stone pelting mobs to assemble and rush towards the encounter site. It was a meticulously planned operation to ensure that there is no collateral damage, he said.



Stone pelting protests at the encounter sites has emerged as a major problem for security forces in Kashmir in the recent months forcing Army Chief Bipin Rawat to issue a warning in February that the civilian protesters obstructing encounters, would be treated as "over ground workers of terrorists" and dealt with "harshly."



Five civilian protesters have been killed since General Rawats warning at different encounter sites in Kashmir.




With merger talks coming up in a day or two, the two factions of the erstwhile AIADMK are ready with their demands.



They will mainly contend for the posts of chief minister and party general secretary, sources said.



Though the factions did not officially announce a date, party sources from both sides said their seven-member committees are likely to meet on Sunday or Monday.



The AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma team, constituted by O Panneerselvam, will be led by former minister K P Munusamy. The committee constituted by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamis AIADMK (Amma) will be headed by Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam.



Panneerselvams team is expected to ask for the two coveted posts, while the rival camp is likely to settle for a new deputy chief ministers post.



On Saturday, Panneerselvam said his committee would soon announce the date of the meeting. I am sure about a positive outcome, he said. However, he refused to disclose conditions his camp would put forward during the meeting. It will not be appropriate to discuss this with the media now, he said.


BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday urged his party cadre in Gujarat to look at forthcoming Assembly polls in the state as an opportunity to uproot Congress and throw it away.



The Congress dubbed us worthless. Now we have to ensure that they become invisible. This is an opportunity to uproot it, Shah said while addressing party cadres on the second day of two-day BJP state executive committee meet held in temple town of Somnath.



Defining ruling party as invincible, Shah said that BJP today ruled in 17 states of the country, covering almost 72 per cent of the national geography. The BJP was criticized and termed as a party of the affluent and limited to urban areas. The party that had 10 members once, today has over 10 crore members. For last three years, BJP has won everywhere it has contested, Shah added.



He also urged the party workers to continue the development journey. You should create an atmosphere so that Narendra Modi does not have to rush down to Gujarat.



Shah, who arrived in the temple town to attend the two-day party meet on the last day, attended religious ceremony at the Lord Somnath Mahadev temple. He also had a closed door meeting with the top BJP leaders in the state regarding the party strategy for upcoming state assembly elections. The partys executive meet had on its first day resolved to fulfill the prime ministers target of winning 150 plus seats in the state assembly.


Taking exception to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's statement that BJP-led government had given Muslims "sanctity", MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today said that rights were given by the Constitution, and not by the government.



"He said `Muslims don't vote for us, but we gave them sanctity'. Where did this 'we' come from? Governments come and go. Today it is their government and some other government will come (in future).



"But Ravi Shankar Prasad is law minister. I would like to tell him, don't use 'we'. It is the Constitution that gave us rights. You have not given us rights," Owaisi said.



It was the responsibility of the government to enforce these rights, the MIM chief said, speaking to reporters.



"This is democracy in India and not Saddam Hussein's democracy....Constitution is supreme and he needs to understand that," the Hyderabad MP said.



Prasad had said yesterday that Muslims do not vote for the BJP, but the government has given them "proper sanctity".



"We have got 13 chief ministers of our own. We are ruling the country. Have we victimised any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? Have we dismissed them? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?" Prasad had said.



Owaisi also alleged that the PDP-BJP government had failed to bring normalcy to Kashmir, and wondered how can the "hearts and minds" of Kashmiris be won if alleged incidents like security forces tying a local man to the front of a jeep and taking him around occurred.



"Despite 94 per cent people not voting, he comes out and gives his vote to a political party and you tie him up on a vehicle....What is the message you are sending? Stone-pelters have to be condemned... (but) how can you win hearts and minds?" Owaisi said.



The main theme of the all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Home Minister Rajnath Singh was winning hearts and minds, he said.



"I leave it to the wisdom of the people who are ruling Kashmir; if they feel this is appropriate, good luck to them," Owaisi said.


As much as the rave reviews written about the place, it was also the fragile-looking layout of the archipelago that made us include the Lofoten Islands (also Lofoten) in the drive-around itinerary for Norway. The Lofoten Islands are a small chain of islands in the Norwegian Sea, above the Arctic Circle, forming a curious, beak-shaped archipelago.



Officially, the territory of Lofoten comprises the southern tip of the island of Hinnya, about 60% of the island of Austvagy, and the islands of Gimsy, Flakstadya and Moskenesya. The far-flung islands of Vry and Rst are also considered a part of Lofoten. The road E10 runs right through Lofoten, from Hinnya to Moskenesya, the islands being inter-connected through bridges and a couple of undersea tunnels.



Driving in from the mainland, we began to sense a change in topography as we approached Lofoten, with peaks appearing sharper, the increasing presence of fjords, and views of open blue sea. We started to encounter a number of tunnels and passed the 6.3-km-long Srdal tunnel and the 3.3-km-long Sloverfjord undersea tunnel, before we reached Sandvika Fjord Camping site, near Kabelvag. We arrived late in the night, and the view we had in the morning  of jagged mountains with a dusting of snow being reflected in the clear waters of the lagoon  was something out of this world!



Go fish!



Fish has been important to Lofoten from time immemorial. The islands have been a centre of active fishing for more than 1,000 years, with fishermen from Norway and neighbouring areas congregating for one of the worlds largest seasonal fishing activity lasting from mid-February to April -end. The millions of northeast arctic cod migrating every year from the Barents Sea towards Lofoten to spawn, form the basis of this huge fishing activity.



Stockfish (split cod fish dried in open air) has been the main export from Lofoten. The particular climate of Lofoten enables the production of the highest quality, and hence the most expensive, stockfish. It is common to see cod fish set out to dry in almost all parts of Lofoten.



We examined the drying stock at close quarters near the fishing village of Eggum.

In the beginning of the 20th century, with the advent of the mechanisation of fishing boats, some of the traditional centres of fishing like Nusfjord and A declined, while some others like Henningsvr, Ballstad and Stamsund prospered. The now-empty village of Nusfjord has been carefully preserved as a tourist attraction.

A lot of fishing cabins (called rorbu cabins  generally painted in red), which were originally constructed to house the fishermen arriving annually from afar, have now been modified as tourist lodgings. These cabins, many of them sitting on waterfronts, on stilts, are quite popular with tourists.



The delightful fishing village of Henningsvr is something not to be missed during any visit to Lofoten. Henningsvr lies spread over 3-4 small islands, a little away from the coast. The 8-odd-km road from E10 to the village itself is a treat for the eyes because of curious rock formations in a turquoise-coloured sea, and you would want to stop every now and then for photography.



One reaches the village after negotiating two raised, single-lane bridges regulated by traffic light. And one needs to cover the small village, which practically sits on water, on foot as outside vehicles are made to stop at the parking lot at the entrance. The ethereal sight of the beautiful, mostly-white buildings of the village being reflected in the crystal-clear water of the lagoon at the centre, in the backdrop of the jagged mountains of the mainland, was out of this world!



Lofoten was closely connected with the Viking Age, and the Lofotr Viking Museum at Bostad strives to give its visitors a fairly good idea on the history and culture of the Vikings. The museum is a low-slung structure constructed as a replica of the Viking longhouse (Chieftains home) that was unearthed nearby.



There are a lot of other sights in Lofoten. The Kabelvag Church is the second-biggest wooden church in Norway. Then there is the Pebble Beach (at Eggum) thats fully covered with smooth rocks. A WWII German radar position, which has been well-preserved, lies nearby. The sandy beach of Ramberg is popular with tourists.



The last stop



As we entered the southern-most connected island of Lofoten, the Moskenesya, the terrain became more rugged and fragile. The road mostly clung perilously to the edge of the cliffs directly over the sea. We hopped across a few small islands to reach the beautiful village of Reine, which seems suspended in a small space between the mountains and the sea. We drove on to the village of A, which is the last point in Lofoten, with the road ending at a parking lot. We were sorry when it was time to take the long ferry ride from Moskenes to the mainland.



Lofoten presents one with so many vistas that are likely to remain with you forever  be it Henningsvaer, Kabelvag, Reine, or others. Lofoten is a heady combination of mountains, fjords, fish and clear blue seas.




Online ethnic store Craftsvilla is keen on increasing the representation of its in-house brands on the platform to have them contribute to 30% of its revenues in the next two to three months.



The company has based this target on the three brands it has launched in the recent past  Avanya, Jharonka and the latest addition Anuswara. Craftsvilla Chief Business Officer Manish Kalra said, All the three brands cater to different style requirements. While Avanya is a traditional daily wear brand, Jharonka is a premium hand-woven sarees brand and Anuswara is a modern daily wear brand, adding, Anuswara brings Indias unexplored crafts and rich heritage to the daily wear segment.



The company plans to launch two to three more brands in the next 12 months. Kalra said, Seeing how things go, we intend to take up the omni-channel approach to market our brands. Physical stores may be a good way to reach our customers, and build brand identity. Some of the brands may find homes in multi-brands format stores across the country, he indicated.



He further said that the company is consciously pivoting from a pure play marketplace model to a brand-based model. As we launch more brands, we should be able to apply our learning so far, and cater to more specific customer requirements, he said. The company has made its brands available on several ecommerce platforms apart from its own.



Craftsvilla is looking at achieving profitability this financial year, as it aims double-digit growth numbers, Kalra said.


Epigamia, the Greek yogurt brand of homegrown Drums Food International, has evinced plans to expand its retail presence over the next five years, even foraying into certain foreign markets.



Currently, Epigamia is sold through 4,000 touch-points across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad and Chennai. In the next five years, we are aiming to retail Epigamia through 40,000 stores, expanding our presence to 15 cities. Besides, were looking to tap the Middle East markets of the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, in the second half of this calendar year, followed by Southeast Asia next year, Drums Food International Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rohan Mirchandani told DH.



Greek yogurt is not new to India, where people have been consuming similar variants of hung curd for thousands of years. Drums Food International  which also set up ice cream brand Hokey Pokey prior to launching Epigamia in 2015  wanted to diversify into offering a natural, healthy, and protein-rich lifestyle product that could be consumed daily.



While ice cream is a seasonal favourite, yogurt is non-seasonal. Also, Dahi (curd) has always been seen as a sidekick for any meal, and we wanted to make it the hero, Mirchandani said.



Today, Epigamias portfolio contains eight variants of natural, mango, vanilla, honey banana, blueberry, green apple, strawberry and mulberry, within its 90 gm pack offering, while its snack pack range comprises cream and onion, jalapeno, mango and strawberry flavours. There are plans to add more flavours across either pack.



A pack of 90 gm yogurt holds 160 calories, and claims to contain the protein intake equivalent of 1.5 eggs or two cups of dal, apart from being 99% lactose-free. We are now working on innovations to expand the products refrigerated shelf life to 60 days, from the current 15 days, he said.



The company has its entire supply chain in India, while production takes place in Wada, near Mumbai. An in-house R&D team is involved in ensuring quality.



The size of the Indian dairy industry is $80 billion, of which, 15% is held by the curd and yogurt segment. Within this, yogurt alone is growing at 25% annually.



Last year, Drums Food International raised Series A funding of $6.6 million to push Epigamia. Over 1.5 million units of Epigamia were sold in March, with revenue growth of over 250% seen in the last 12 months.




GRT Jewellers has said that its Tambaram branch in Chennai has won a prize from the Government of India for promoting cashless transactions.



Following demonetisation, the Government of India had encouraged all merchants to promote cashless transactions across the country under a 100- day campaign titled Digidhan Yojana. The prize money of Rs 50 lakh, was dedicated to Swatch Ganga Abhiyan by the company. The prize, which was handed over by the Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, was received by MD of of the chain, G R Radhakrishnan.
Paytm, a FinTech startup run by One97 Communication and founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, is all set to become the second mobile Internet company to join the decacorn club in India once it completes Japans SoftBank Group funding of $1.5 billion.



As per sources familiar with the development, SoftBank will invest in Paytm by buying shares from existing investor SAIF Partners and Sharma. Besides bringing Snapdeal-owned payment firm Freecharge, SoftBank will also invest in Paytm taking its total valuation to $10 billion, said the source to DH. While unicorns are companies that quickly achieve a billion-dollar valuation, the term was coined by Cowboy Ventures founder Aileen Lee in 2013, a decacorn is a company that achieves a $10 billion valuation.



Paytm was valued at about $5 billion in August when the company raised $60 million from Mediatek. When Alibaba and Ant Financial purchased the combined stake of 4.3% from Reliance Capital, SVB (Saama Capital) and SAP Ventures, its valuation reached $6 billion.



Getting SoftBank on board as a large shareholder will help Paytm reduce the control of Alibaba and pre-empt possible government concerns about a Chinese firm having a strong hold on Paytm, say analysts.



Rajeev Banduni, co-founder and CEO of GrowthEnabler, said SoftBbanks fund infusion will be one of the largest investments by a single investor in an Indian startup. It will make SoftBank one of the largest shareholders in Paytm, the countrys top mobile wallet which also got payments bank licence, he said.



Banduni also pointed out that the SoftBank fund will also help Paytm keep away concerns of the government that it is a company having strong ties with China. Getting SoftBank on board as a large shareholder will help Paytm reduce the control of Chinas Alibaba Group Holding, he said.



SoftBank was in talks with Paytm last year to invest up to $150 million to $200 million in Freecharge, along with other investors. According to sources familiar with the development, an earlier assessment valued Freecharge at around $900 million to $1 billion. But the Freecharge valuation has come down now.

The Japanese investment company has a solid relationship with Alibaba with its initial investment of $20 million in the beginning which is worth more than $60 billion, when Alibaba listed its shares in 2014.



Paytm recently announced that its user base has crossed 200 million wallet users in February 2017, and that it registered a rise of 12% in its payments volume to Rs 5,000 crore during January 2017 compared with December. It is expected to translate to an annual run rate of $9 billion to $10 billion.



According to McKinsey Global Institute report, the active adoption of digital banking can raise GDP across developing economies by 6% by 2025, generating over 95 million jobs and $3.7 trillion.



Alibaba wants to replicate the Alipay success in China with its 400 million registered users as of February 2017, with its total volume of transaction went up from $70 billion up to $1.7 trillion in 2016. Paytm is also brought on board 5million offline merchants and POS which is also very important, said Banduni.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers on Sunday will go into a day-long huddle for finalising a roadmap for the rapid transformation of India under a new approach which will replace the now-extinct Five Year Plans.



Prepared by Niti Aayogs Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya, the roadmap will comprise a seven-year Strategy document and the three-year Action Agenda.



The Action Agenda, which will replace the Nehruvian era five-year plans, aims at increasing economic growth and employment generation. The 12th Five Year Plan ended on March 31.



The seven-year strategy document  spanning from 2017-18 to 2023-24  will seek to convert the longer-term vision on Indias growth story into implementable policy as a part of a National Development Agenda.



As the third meeting of the Niti Aayogs Governing Council gets underway, the PM and the chief ministers are to approve the Action Agenda for 2017-18 to 2019-20, which is being aligned to the predictability of financial resources during the 14th Finance Commission Award period, officials said.



As desired by Modi, the leaders will review the action taken during the earlier two meetings of the Governing Council held on February 8, 2015 and July 15, 2015, respectively.



There will be two presentations before the PM and the CMs. One will focus on doubling farmers income, and the other will discuss the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said Indian IT companies should look inward and explore $1 trillion business opportunity open up by Digital India initiatives.



Speaking at an interactive meeting with information technology (IT) and electronic system design and manufacturing (ESDM) industry, organised by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Prasad said whenever Indian IT companies go abroad, they dont steal jobs and instead they make jobs in the respective regions.



What I would request as minister is, its time for Indian IT companies to look inwards. India is creating $1-trillion market with new policy initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, Startup India, Stand-up India and Smart cities, he said.



He said India is at the cusp of a big digital revolution. Indian digital economy includes communication, IT/ITeS, ecommerce and digital payments. It is going to be $1 trillion, said the minister.



We missed the industrial revolution, we missed the entrepreneur revolution and we dont want to miss the digital revolution. We want to become the leader in that space, and it is our fundamental philosophy, he said. The minister said 42 mobile factories and 30 components manufacturers have started operations in India. On the protectionist noises being heard from around the world and the governments approach towards this, Prasad said, We are reaching out. But what I am very confident about is the talent of Indian IT minds  that they will always keep the flag flying.



We neither create boundaries nor do we appreciate boundaries. The IT ecosystem is based on reciprocity. Indian human resource contributes to the US economy and many US companies also benefit from India because of Indian minds, he said.



He also said India is proud of the contribution of Indian IT companies in America and around the world. They have paid $22 billion as tax revenue in the last five years, they have created four lakh jobs there, and they have given value and competitive edge to nearly two-thirds of the Fortune 500 companies, he said.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait on Saturday called upon the Congress party workers to work at grassroots level, understand the pulse of people to strengthen the party.



He was addressing the workers at a programme after Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) former chairman R Murthy took charge as the new president of the Mysuru City Congress unit, at the Congress Party office, near the city railway station.



Sait said, the party workers should bring the problems of the people to the notice of peoples representatives and get them addressed. The party workers should create awareness about the benefits extended by the government among the people to strengthen the party.



Without mentioning any names, Sait said, A few people left the party after enjoying all powers in the Congress. Now, they are indulged in blame game politics.



Former president of the city unit T S Ravishankar, leaders Shivamallu, corporator D Nagabhushan, MLAs Vasu and M K Somashekar, MLC Dharmasena, Shivanna, Manjula Manasa and A Siddaraju were present.






The driver of the truck that mowed down 14 protesters in Yerpedu in Chittoor district on Friday was drunk beyond the legal limit, investigators said.



The toll rose to 16, with the death of two of the injured, including Telugu TV channel reporter Balamurali, who was covering the protest against the sand mafia. The journalist succumbed at SVIMS hospital in Tirupati.



The alcohol level in driver Guravayyas blood sample was 287 mg/dl against the legal limit of 30 mg/dl.

Guravayya, who drove the truck laden with 25 tonnes of fertiliser from Maabubnagar, is said to have steered the vehicle for 17 hours without a break before losing control.



Sullurupet RTA (road traffic accident) authorities said the driver drove the 14-wheeler truck with a four-wheel commercial driving licence, which he got two years ago.



Preliminary investigation revealed that Guravayya (33) had consumed alcohol in Mahbubnagar on Thursday and had drunk some more at Kadapa on Friday morning, hours before ploughing the truck into protesters and bystanders.



Drunk, tired, says RTA

Guruvayya was drunk and tired, an RTA officer said, confirming that the truck purchased by T Ramesh of Nayudupet two months ago was in good condition.



He stepped on the accelerator instead of the break as he was arguing with the cleaner seated beside him. The truck hit the electric pole and then the crowd, the officer said.



The 14 people protesting before the Urban SP office at the Tirupati-Kalahasti road belonged to Munagalapalem village. They have been fighting against the sand mafia in the village for the past two months.



Families of the deceased expressed anger at Andhra Pradesh IT and Panchayat Raj Minister Nara Lokesh and former minister Bojjala Goapalkrishna Reddy, who were in Munagalapalem, for turning a blind eye to the sand mafia.



Lokesh told the victims kin that the government would give a further Rs 5 lakh in addition to the Rs 5 lakh compensation announced earlier.


Amid the precarious situation in Kashmir, a team of influential citizens led by former external affairs minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has called for a dialogue with all shades of opinion, including the separatists.



Indias heart is large enough and its Constitution flexible enough to accommodate the aspirations of all its citizens, the people of Jammu and Kashmir included, the group said in an emailed statement.



They said the recurrent violence, student protests and the video war on social media was disturbing for every right-thinking Indian, and called for calm, saying that peace cannot be achieved by violence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to ask BJP chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of 13 party ruled states on Sunday to focus on better delivery mechanism in key areas of governance.



As his government completes three years in office, Modi is keen that the BJP-ruled states accelerate various development plans on the ground. A similar exercise was held last August.



On his part, BJP chief Amit Shah is likely to sound out those chief ministers whose performance record is not seen as visible enough for the rank and file and the general public.



Acting on directive from Modi, Shah is keen that the BJP keeps up the momentum that it gained after the stunning victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls so that there is groundswell of support.



Modi and Shah will be discussing with the CMs and deputy CMs key issues including good governance and implementation of the Centre's pro-poor schemes.


India and Sri Lanka may next week give final shape to a deal for jointly developing the Trincomalee Port in the north-eastern region of the island nation.



Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will arrive here on Tuesday on a five-day visit. His meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to focus on Sri Lankas offer to India for developing the Trincomalee Port. Modi and Wickremesinghe are also expected to discuss Sri Lankas proposal for India and Japan to jointly develop a Liquefied Natural Gas terminal in Trincomalee, sources told DH.



Both the deals are likely to be signed during Modis visit to the island nation next month to attend the celebrations marking the International Day of Vesak or Buddha Purnima.



Modi and Wickremesinghe will also discuss ways to speed up negotiations on the much-awaited Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement.



Colombo has put forward the proposal to India for developing the Trincomalee Port to strike a balance between India and China to allay New Delhis concern over Beijings bid to expand its footprints and build strategic assets in and around Sri Lanka.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced that Kalena Agrahara lake off Bannerghatta Road will be restored by March 2018 under local area development (MP-LAD) funds.



A part of the cost will be shared by the state government. The Rajya Sabha MP, however, sought to avoid controversy by stating that her role was limited to the development project and does not include reclaiming the encroached land in keeping with the National Green Tribunal orders. I am not here to remove encroachment. I am here to make sure that the plan to develop the lake becomes a reality, she said.



The small lake is choking with sewage and may soon suffer the same fate as that of Bellandur lake and others in the city. BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said more than two acres of the 7.5-acre lake land has been encroached upon by several buildings. According to the official files, the roads abutting the lake, the compound wall of an apartment and many houses fall within the lake land, he said.



When a student who was present asked whether the BBMP will follow the NGT rule of insisting on a 75-metre buffer zone from the edge of the lake, Prasad said the Palike does not want to dwell on encroachment but to develop the remaining part of the lake.



MLA M Krishnappa requested the BBMP not to disturb the existing properties in the area. These are houses of people who saved every rupee to build a place for themselves. Most of them are poor farmers who have come here 30 years ago, long before these rules came into forces. The slums will be demolished but those living there will be rehabilitated, he said.



Earlier, Nirmala Sitharaman noted that the lake is a wetland area water body and no industry will be permitted to release affluents. The water will be emptied, the silt and the sludge in the lake bed will be removed and the inlets and outlet utilities will be developed, she said.



She said a detailed project report for the plan is yet to be prepared but added that development work will be completed by March 31, 2018. I want the resident welfare associations to work with the officials. People have to work proactively to ensure that only treated water is released into the lake, she said.



She said she would be able to provide Rs 1.5 crore and the state government has to share the rest of the cost.



Kolar village to be adopted



Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that she will adopt a village in Kolar district. However, she said the details will be announced on Sunday. It will be in addition to the works I have been doing in Mangaluru and Udupi as an MP of Karnataka, she said.



Nirmala to have office in city



Rajya Sabha member and Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Nirmala Sitharaman will set up her MPs office on Ali Askar Road in Bengaluru. The office, located at the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) building, will be inaugurated at 9 am by BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday. She will be available for interaction with the general public at least three days a month at the office, official sources said.



Project features



Clearing silt on lakebed

Constructing bunds

Real-time monitoring of water inflow

Outlet to allow flow of excess water to Gottigere

1-km walking path along the lake bordern Planting saplings in the open area




The city held many events to celebrate Earth Day 2017, promoting environment protection and sustainable lifestyles.



Lithium Urban Technologies and Mahindra Electric promoted electric vehicles in a Quit Smoking, Drive Electric yatra. Over a hundred vehicles, including many personal vehicles, took part in the yatra which was flagged off from Royal Orchid Hotel, HAL Airport Road. Bangalore Universitys Department of Geography celebrated World Earth Day by planting saplings in the campus. They cleared the campus of plastics and watered the plants.The Green Path, Malleswaram organised an organic millet fair inaugurated by freedom fighter H S Doreswamy and actor Shweta Prasad.


The residents of Indiranagar on Saturday held a candlelight protest against the commercialisaton of their locality.



The community said that in the last few days they have been reaching out to various authorities including the Excise commissioner and elected representatives seeking their intervention in curbing rapid commercialisation of the area, but their pleas had been unheard. The protesters formed a human chain along the 100 feet road.




Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said he would welcome unity among secular parties to fight communal forces in the state.



The statement comes a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he would personally meet JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and thank him for cooperating in the bypolls to the Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly seats. It also attains significance as the Assembly elections are due next year.



Parameshwara told reporters that there is nothing wrong in secular forces uniting.



I have no information regarding the efforts to form a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) at the national level. The recent meeting between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sent a message that secular forces should come together, he said.



Whether there would be a tie-up between the Congess and JD(S) for the polls, he said he was not aware of it.



I am not aware of this at present. But I, like the chief minister, wholeheartedly welcome unity among secular forces. The BJP has been talking about Mission 150 (target to win 150 Assembly seats). It is not possible to achieve this. The Congress will again win the next polls. The party is conducting a survey to identify candidates who could be fielded. Last time, the party conducted three surveys to choose the candidates, the state Congress chief said.



On whether the party presidents post would go to a leader from north Karnataka, Parameshwara said Basavaraj Rayareddy, a five-time MLA, is capable of occupying the post. But, he was quick to add that the decision would be left to the party high command.



There is speculation that Minister M B Patil may replace Parameshwara as president. Even MP K H Muniyappas name is doing the rounds.



In Shivamogga, Siddaramaiah ruled out an electoral tie-up for the Assembly polls. Instead, he favoured a national grand alliance of secular parties to take on the communal BJP. However, he did not comment on the post-poll tie-up.



He told reporters that there is no room for coalition politics in the state as the Congress is strong enough. Significantly, the JD(S) did not field any candidate against the Congress in the recent bypolls.




The Supreme Court was appalled to find a couple from Bengaluru fighting as many as 67 cases against each other.



A software engineer holding a US citizenship has filed 58 cases against his wife. For her part, the wife, now living in Bengaluru, has filed nine cases against him.



The cases cover a variety of charges, from dowry harassment and domestic violence to contempt of court. The couple are also sparring over visiting rights and child custody.



Married in May 2002 in Bengaluru, the couple went to the US, where they had a son in 2009. Subsequently, the relationship soured. The woman, an MBA, returned to her parental home with the child. The husband accused her of depriving him of his childs love, and filed a number of cases against her.



When a case relating to the custody of the eight-year-old came up before a bench here, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R Banumathi expressed shock over the sheer number of cases the couple had filed.





In my entire legal career, I have not seen such a high number of cases filed by a husband and wife against each other, Justice Joseph said. He recalled he had once heard about a couple filing 36 cases against each other.



Senior counsel Meenakshi Arora, appearing for the petitioner-husband, and advocates Sanjay M Nuli, Sunil Sastry and Abhinav R, representing the wife, admitted the couple were fighting 67 cases.


Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus was launched in May 2017 & runs on Android 7.0 OS. The Smartphone is available in more than three color options i.e.Maple Gold, Orchid Grey, Midnight Black, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue & has a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. Priced at Rs. 48900 the phone is available with 64 GB of internal storage.

The Smartphone is

powered by 2.3 GHz Octa core Exynos 8895 Processor. A 4 GB of RAM ensures phone runs smoothly even the most memory intensive applications & still shows no signs of lag. 64 GB of internal storage can be expanded to 512 GB via a microSD card.

The Phone comes with a large 3500 mAh battery to support it's 6.2 inch screen with Super AMOLED display having a resolution of 1440 x 2960 at 529 ppi. The screen is also protected by a durable Scratch Resistant glass.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus comes with a 12 megapixel rear Camera and 8 megapixel front Camera. The Smartphone is also loaded with Optical Image Stablization and has a low camera aperture of 1.7. It also supports Face Detection and high dynamic range(HDR) imaging.
GAAR is here, govt unlikely to delay it further

The long-delayed General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) that empowers taxmen to deal with incomes suspected to have been structured only to avoid paying taxes has come into effect from 1 April 2017 and the government is unlikely to delay its implementation any further.

Accordingly, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) will be exempt from GAAR for funds deployed before 1 April 2017. This provision of ''grandfathering'' the investments made prior to 1 April 2017 is aimed at removing lurking fears over retrospective taxation.

Sources also said that GAAR would be invoked only when ''the main purpose is to avoid tax''.

However, there is a fear of GAAR's retrospective applicability, particularly in cases of ''step transactions'' that spread over a few years  ie, if a transaction that has commenced in 2014 will complete only in 2019, then it may attract GAAR.

In a notification in June last year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had amended relevant rules clearly stating, ''GAAR would not apply to income earned / received by any person from transfer of investments made before April 1, 2017''.

The previous UPA government had propose implementation of GAAR to check widespread tax avoidance  to deter companies from aggressive tax planning by use of opaque low tax jurisdictions such as Mauritius.

It was initially included in the Income Tax Act in 2012 but implementation was postponed after opposition from foreign investors. GAAR, however, will be compatible with the amended tax treaties with Mauritius, Singapore and Cyprus.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley last year said that the government was committed to implement GAAR from 1 April 2017.

The government had, in May last year, amended the three-decade old double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius - India's largest foreign direct investment (FDI) source.

Under the amended treaty, India will levy capital gains tax on investments routed through Mauritius from 1 April this year, effectively clamping down on tax dodgers who used to route investments through `shell' or paper companies registered in the Southeast Asian nation.

Changes were approved in similar treaties with Cyprus and Singapore to plug tax leakages.

The taxes will be imposed at 50 per cent of the domestic rate of capital gains tax on foreign investments made from 1 April 2017 until 31 March 2019, and at full rate thereafter.

The courts had earlier ruled that saving of taxes through permissible instruments of tax planning is legitimate, but had held tax avoidance as illegal.
Oil producers likely to extend output cuts deal by 6 months

A technical committee of OPEC and non-OPEC members recommended that oil producers extend a global deal to cut oil supplies for another six months from June, in an effort to clear a glut of crude that has weighed on prices, Reuters quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producers originally agreed to cut production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) for six months from 1 January to support the market.

Compliance numbers were also reviewed at the meeting in Vienna on Friday that comprised of officials from countries monitoring adherence to agreed output levels, namely OPEC members Kuwait, Venezuela, Algeria and non-OPEC Russia and Oman.

Overall compliance with pledged cutbacks stood at 98 per cent in March, a Reuters source said. Two sources said the rate in March represented an increase from February's level.

Oil prices still declined on Friday, with Brent crude trading below $52 a barrel on concerns that increasing US production and high inventories would thwart the efforts by OPEC and its allies to curb supplies.

The committee's recommendation that the supply cut deal be extended was not a surprise, after oil ministers from top exporter Saudi Arabia and Kuwait gave a clear signal on Thursday that producers planned to prolong the accord.

Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said on Friday a decision on extending the pact had not yet been taken, but would be discussed with OPEC on 24 May. OPEC ministers plus their non-OPEC counterparts are scheduled to meet on 25 May.

The meeting also discussed OPEC's own compliance, which it put at 103 per cent, in line with figures published in OPEC's most recent monthly report.

The panel, which met at OPEC's Vienna headquarters, is the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) established in January to monitor adherence to supply cuts.

Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia is also a member of the JTC in its capacity as 2017 OPEC president.
The Donegal man who has been elected president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) says he wants to bring the presidency to teachers around the country.

West Donegal man John Boyle was elected the INTOs new president this week and begans his time in the role on Thursday.

Speaking the the Donegal Democrat, he said he was delighted that he had received the mandate from the membership of largest teachers' trade union in Ireland in the first contested election in the union in 37 years.

Mr Boyle attended Mullaghduff N.S., Scoil Naomh Duigh, Annagaire and Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola before he entered St. Patricks College of Education in 1983.

He is principal teacher at St. Colmcilles J.N.S., Knocklyon, Co. Dublin, one of Irelands largest schools. Before that he taught at Scoil Mhuire in Ballyboden for 14 years.

A member of the INTO throughout his career he was elected deputy president of the union a year ago.

It is a strong mandate and the members have spoken, he said of his election victory. The membership went for tried and trusted and I looking forward to getting started.

Members of his family from Donegal, including his father, were present at the INTO's annual conference in Belfast yesterday when he officially took the role.

Pay of members will be a priority, he said. My priorities in a nutshell would be to bring every teacher forward in terms of salary, he said.

The INTO represents about 7,000 primary and post-primary teachers in Northern Ireland and over 30,000 primary teachers here. In the North the union is dealing with an impasse with the administration regarding teachers pay and here there has been some progress on pay talks, Mr Boyle said.

We have managed to fast-track pay talks for a successor to the the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

South of the border the main priority is the equalisation of the salaries of teachers who graduated after 2011.

We have received far more new graduates and have extra teachers but pay equity for new teachers who graduated after 2011 is a massive issue.

Another major issue facing the union is the restoration of awards for principal teachers and deputies, especially for teaching principals.

The awards were agreed in 2008 by the government and that would be have been paid nine years later but it has not. It is a big issue in Donegal where there are a lot of teaching principals.

The union has secured managment payments for 1,250 teaching posts but the campaign must continue to increase those, he said, as a moratorium on such posts has seen more than 4,000 disappear.

This has happened at a time when the workload has increased on teachers - especially the demands for paperwork and accountability, planning documents and policy documents. This has happened at a time when management structures have been removed from schools. From September 1st, 1,250 management post for teachers will be coming on stream, so we have had some success, but we lost 4,000 positions and we hope to see them restored over a period of time.

Another aim he has for his 50-week term is to spend as much time as he can outside the capital getting the views of teachers around the country. I would like to bring the president to the members and not be office bound or Dublin-bound. I want to go and visit schools and hear the stories that teachers want told and I see myself as a vessel for communicating those stories.
Friday, May 5, 2017, will mark the 56th anniversary of astronaut Alan Shepard's historic spaceflight. Shepard was our first American in space. For those of us who can still remember that day, the image of his tiny Mercury space capsule atop a Redstone rocket is forever frozen in our minds.

I was only five years old at the time but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in my dad's barber shop sitting in a chair next to my dad as we watched the historic event on a little Admiral black and white television set. I recall my dad telling me that astronaut Shepard must be awful brave to be taking such a risk. Looking back, I can understand my dad's statement. The years before the Mercury program, NASA suffered a long series of disasters. Test rockets were blowing up one after the other on the launch pad. One can only imagine what was going through the mind of Shepard as the countdown reached T-minus 10.

Alan Shepard's brave and historic 15-minute flight in Freedom 7 put America in space, and then just eight years later, Americans were standing upon the surface of the moon. Shepard himself would later walk on the moon when he commanded the Apollo 14 mission in early 1971, less than 10 years after his Freedom 7 flight.

At the time many described astronaut Shepard as being a team player, dedicated, a visionary, a patriot. President John F. Kennedy and all Americans simply called it courage. We can honor astronaut Alan Shepard and his historic flight by making our dreams of a better tomorrow come true and taking advantage of the fruits of space exploration to improve life for people everywhere.

Ted Sobay

Ozark
Though it is the law in Alabama, not all parents of young children are putting them in a child safety seat. Even those who do are likely not doing it correctly.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, four out of five children are improperly restrained in their safety seat.

I have been a state trooper for almost 20 years, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Trooper Kevin Cook said Friday. Wearing a seat belt and having children in their proper child restraint is the law, and it will be enforced. Over the years, I have heard parents make excuses why their child was not in a child restraint; and I have heard excuses of why a child was not properly secured. To me, there is no excuse. When a parent informs me their child was not in a child restraint just because they were driving down a small portion of the road, well the majority of accidents occur less than 10 miles from that motorists destination.

According to Cook, a majority of the children injured in automobile accidents are injured due to the fact they are not properly restrained.

For a child under one year of age, that child should be in a rear-facing child seat, Cook said. Children up to six years old should be in a booster seat, and after the booster seat a child should use the seat belt. A child has to be seated in a seat that is appropriate for their age. That seat must also be installed properly, not just sitting in the back seat.

A child safety seat is designed to protect a child form being thrown out of the vehicle, or from hitting something in the vehicle, during an accident.

Parents need to realize their children are their responsibility, and parents must obey the law to ensure their childs safety, Cook said. A child being injured or killed in an automobile accident due to either a seat not being properly installed, or a child not being in a child seat at all, could turn deadly.

Dothan Police Lt. Scott Long is also concerned about the number of parents who do not properly install child passenger restraint seats.

Sometimes the injuries children receive in an automobile accident could have been avoided if the child would have been properly restrained, Long said. If a seat is not properly installed, that seat is basically useless if an accident occurs. When a child is not in a seat at all and an accident occurs, well, that child is more than likely to go through the windshield. Motorists believe a vehicle has to be traveling at a high rate of speed for an accident to become deadly. Not when it involves a child not being in a safety seat.

According to Long, several areas have been designated as certified child safety seat installation locations.

Anyone can stop by the Dothan Police Department or a Dothan Fire Department and have a child safety seat installed correctly, Long said. There are other law enforcement agencies as well that offer this service. We take children being in safety seats properly very serious. It is the law, just like wearing a seat belt is the law in Alabama. We are very strict on these laws. I also want to remind motorist we have a community that looks out for the safety of children. We receive calls regularly regarding a child not being properly restrained. Once that call is dispatched, officers will try their best to intercept that vehicle to check on that childs wellbeing and issue a citation.

Another growing concern for law enforcement is motorists improperly using a seat belt.

The majority of the vehicles used today have the shoulder and lap restraints, Cook said. The seat belts are made that way for a reason. It is designed to keep the entire body secure, not just the lap portion. In order for the seat belt to work properly, both sections must be used properly. Adjusting the shoulder portion of the belt to fit under the arm is not wearing a seat belt properly and will result in a seat belt violation. Yes, I have heard in many circumstances they are not comfortable, or they are wrinkling clothing, but it is the law, and it is enforced to help ensure motorists and their passengers safety. We dont enforce the law to target anyone, we enforce the laws to help motorists be safe while they travel our roadways.
There are performance optimizations from the next-gen AMD Vega GPU architecture in Microsoft's new Project Scorpio console. AMD's upcoming next-gen Vega GPU architecture is reportedly making an appearance in Xbox Project Scorpio.

According to the Project Scorpio website, the next version of the Microsoft Xbox is scheduled for release in late 2017, which is just in time for the holidays. Featuring a tremendous 6 Teraflops of graphical processing power, true 4K gaming and compatibility with Xbox One games and accessories, the Project Scorpio is one of Microsoft's most awaited products this year. We all know about the core specs of Project Scorpio but the details about Scorpio Engine SoC haven't revealed. However, now, we have first glimpses of what the SoC is made up of.

The base hardware designs that went into making the components and the blocks within Project Scorpio Engine SoC are heavily derived from AMD, and if reports are to be believed then the architectures are from AMD Vega. Project Scorpio's Radeon graphics boasts features from AMD's latest Polaris architecture. What's more attractive is the fact that some performance optimizations from AMD Vega architecture are also the part of Project Scorpio Engine design, as reported by Tweak Town.

However, some of the other features that PS4 Pro will boast, like double-rate FP16 processing, are not part of Scorpio Engine. According to Andrew Goossen, Technical Fellow, Graphics told Euro Gamer that performance optimizations from the next-gen AMD Vega GPU architecture made it into the Scorpio Engine's design. "It's a completely unique design... you wouldn't be able to buy this anywhere else and really, we created this is in conjunction with AMD and it is a nice unique part for Scorpio," Andrew said.

Xbox Project Scorpio is definitely going to be a big one for Microsoft and with AMD Vega GPU's architecture, it will be best. Project Scorpio's first-of-its-kind Vapor Chamber uses advanced liquid cooling to ensure console's Engine stays cool. The cooling system is aided by a supercharger-style Centrifugal Fan that rapidly pulls in and compresses air to deliver maximum cooling. And to maximize performance and minimize power consumption, Xbox Project Scorpio uses the Hovis Method - a cutting-edge digital power delivery system that tunes each console's voltage.

In short, Project Scorpio will have a true 4K Gaming, 6 Teraflop CPU, 2.3GHz Custom CPU, 1TB HDD Storage, 12GB GDDR5 Memory, 326 GB/s Memory Bandwidth and 4K UHD Blue-ray/DVD. AMD Vega is still going to be released and the rumor about the upcoming powerful GPU from AMD is running rampant on the internet.
While receiving the newly-accredited UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, Kamal Malhotra, in Hanoi on April 21, President Quang said Vietnam supports the efforts to reform the UN, including the One UN Initiative, and always actively takes part in the UNs endeavours to build a peaceful world of sustainable development.

The State leader noted that Vietnam treasures cooperative ties with the UN and considers the UN as one of the leading multilateral partner. He took this occasion to thank the UN for its precious assistance to Vietnam during the process of post-war reconstruction, national construction and development over the last four decades, thus helping the country obtain socio-economic achievements and successfully accomplish the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

President Tran Dai Quang (R) receives Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)



The year 2017 marks 40 years since Vietnam became a UN member and is also the first year of implementing the Vietnam-UN Joint Strategic Plan for 2017-2021, the President said, adding that this is a good occasion for both sides to review their cooperation over the past years and work out measures to enhance ties in the time ahead.

In the context of growing global challenges in security and development, multilateral forums, especially the UN, play an increasingly important role. Vietnam hopes the UN will continue upholding its role in maintaining international peace and security and supporting countries, including Vietnam, to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, he said.

As one of the countries seriously affected by climate change, Vietnam expects to strengthen cooperation with the UN in response to climate change and successfully implement the Paris Agreement, President Quang said, expressing his gratitude to the UN for inviting Vietnam to pilot an action plan on preparing for and responding to El Nino.

He told his guest that after 30 years of reform, Vietnam has attained numerous socio-economic development achievements and become a middle-income country. However, the country is also facing an array of challenges such as how to maintain stable growth, avoid the middle-income trap, protect the environment, and respond to climate change, and expects continued collaboration from the UN to address thsse challenges, thereby helping to promote peace, security and sustainable development in Vietnam and the region.

The President also asserted that Vietnam will create optimal conditions for UN agencies to operate and expressed his belief that with his experience, Malhotra will actively help to bring Vietnam-UN relations to a new level.

For his part, Malhotra said Vietnam is important to the UN and it is one of the countries taking the lead in carrying out the One UN Initiative and strongly contributing to thes initiatives success.

He lauded the countrys active and effective participation in and contributions to the UNs activities, including peacekeeping operations.

The UN is looking forwards to Vietnams signing and approval of the Vietnam-UN Joint Strategic Plan for 2017-2021, which is a master plan for about 20 UN organisations in and outside of Vietnam, he noted.

A prioritised issue in the plan is that the UN will support Vietnam to mitigate climate change impacts and the UN has also defined Vietnam as one of the 10 prioritised countries to have an action plan on preparing and responding to El Nino, Malhotra said.

The action plan is a good initiative and also a chance for Vietnam to call for financial aid and investment in responding to climate change, he said, adding that the UN also plans to help the country to increase its economys competitiveness in the region and the world./.
Google has been working on a plan to install an ad blocker onto its Chrome browser for both desktop and mobile versions, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.

It also has been considering a collaboration with Microsoft, Facebook and other firms to develop a set of standards that would determine which types of advertising to block from websites, according to AdAge. That effort presumably would aim at enhancing the consumer experience in a way that would not jeopardize ads from legitimate firms.

Google has been working closely with the Coalition for Better Ads and industry trade groups to explore a multitude of ways to support the Better Ads Standards, said a company spokesperson who declined to comment on the Chrome ad blocker rumor.

A group of major social media, advertising, trade and other groups last year formed the coalition to help standardize a set of protocols for eradicating malicious, fraudulent or annoying advertising from websites, while making sure consumers could see legitimate Web ads. Online advertising is the revenue lifeblood of many online firms, and the most attractive way for advertisers to reach their customers, particularly younger people.

Google and other companies in the Web search and browser arena have struggled to find ways to eradicate abusive advertising in recent years.

Ad Purge

Google earlier this year announced that it had removed more than 1.7 billion bad ads from its various websites in 2016  more than double the prior year totals.

Facing several major suits and investigations related to abusive advertising, Google launched a crackdown on advertising from payday loan operators trick-to-click ads, ads that injected malware, ads that peddled illegal pharmaceuticals, and other types of fraudulent or abusive advertisements.

Two-thirds of more than 1,000 ad-blocking consumers polled said they would remove the blocking tools if they were convinced the ads did not contain malware, would not slow down their browsers, and would neither block content nor unleash annoying music or video, the Interactive Advertising Bureau reported last year.

It was on the heels of that reports release that advertising firms, trade organizations, search engines, social media companies, traditional media companies and others  among them IAB, Facebook, Google, The Washington Post and News Corp.  formed the Coalition for Better Ads with the goal of improving consumers online advertising experience.

The coalition last month released Initial Better Ad Standards, a comprehensive report based on research involving 25,000 desktop and mobile Web consumers in North America and Europe.

The coalition ranked four types of desktop ads  pop-up ads, autoplaying video ads with sound, prestitial ads with countdown and large sticky ads  as falling below consumer standards.

The study showed a total of eight mobile ad types that fell below standards, including ads with density greater than 30 percent, flashing animated ads, full screen scroll-over ads, and postitial ads with countdown.

Security Matters

This is a good move by these organizations, as malicious ads have been a good way to drop ransomware and other threats on unsuspecting victims, said Jon Clay, global threat communications manager at Trend Micro.

There have also been a number of cases where third-party ad blockers have been used as a disguise for malicious apps, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The use of ad blockers raises a question of gatekeeping, however, Clay pointed out. Who would determine which ads would be allowed to display and which would not? One solution might be to allow the end user to be in charge of the types of ads allowed.

Although its not likely that installing ad blockers would harm Google enough to hurt the companys bottom line, it could make the return on posting to Google sites less attractive for publishers, noted Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter.

Its another illustration of the gulf between the interests of publishers and platform companies, he told the E-Commerce Times. Google, Facebook, et. al., are all concerned with a smoother user interface. If there is collateral damage to publishers, so what?

Microsoft, which reportedly has been working on ad-blocking software for Edge, declined our request to comment for this story, saying it does not comment on rumors and speculation.
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The European Investment Bank (EIB) has joined the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) as a technical partner.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has joined the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) as a technical partner. The GIF is a multi-donor platform set up by the World Bank Group to bridge the global infrastructure investment gap by leveraging private sector and institutional investor capital for complex infrastructure projects.

To meet the Sustainable Development Goals, mobilising private investment and other institutional resources is a must, but it is not enough, said EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudak at the signature of the agreement, held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington D.C. on Wednesday 20 April 2017. We all know that technical assistance to support project preparation and capacity building is key to the development of a pipeline of robust, economically sensible and sustainable infrastructure projects.

A concrete example of MDB collaboration

The EIB and other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) had already signed a collaboration agreement in 2014, with a view to ultimately joining the GIF. The EIB has been supportive of the Global Infrastructure Facility since its creation, said Hudak. We have been pleased to witness and to contribute informally to the development and implementation of the facility. The GIF started operations in 2015 with an initial capitalisation of USD 100 million.

As a technical partner, the EU bank aims to enhance its collaboration with other MDBs to support major infrastructure projects, bringing both knowledge and expertise. We will do our utmost to look for candidate projects in our portfolio to benefit from this facility and identify other ways or working alongside other technical partners, explained Hudak.

Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank Group Joaquim Levy said, "The Global Infrastructure Facility very much welcomes the European Investment Bank as an important new member. It is particularly important for the delivery of sustainable infrastructure to have a very strong and broad range of technical partners."

Want to know more about the GIF?




On Tuesday he released a statement saying: We hope that the new government in Ecuador can renew attempts to implement this (UN) decision.



He made the plea to the new government following elections earlier in April, which saw Lenin Moreno elected president.



Mr Moreno replaces Rafael Correa, who was in power for more than a decade, and was the individual who initially granted asylum to Mr Assange.
Patient transfer office moves to hospital

The office that handles transport for Manx patients is moving.

From Monday, the Department of Health and Social Care's Patient Transfers Service will be based at Noble's Hospital.

The service was previously at the Department's offices on Demesne Road, but will be based in the medical outpatients department on the ground floor of the east wing at Noble's.

The service will have the same phone number, and opening hours will be 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

The Patient Transfer Service arranges travel to hospitals in the UK for patients unable to undergo treatment on the Island.
Prince Harry's interview revealed what he wants to have in the future.. and he wants to have babies!

Prince William's younger brother admits that he's thinking of having babies during a talk with The Telegraph's Mad World podcast this week.

"Of course, I would love to have kids," Prince Henry of Wales told Bryony Gordon, the show's host.

Prince Harry was already seen spending time with kids. In fact, aside from being an uncle to Kate Middleton's two children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, he's also a godfather to his closest friend's kids.

Meghan Markle's boyfriend, according to ET, hoped to be a good father someday.

"I think the key to that is to be able to grow up, but also be able to stay in touch with your childhood side ... If that means going to someone's house, sitting there and playing PlayStation, kicking the a** of their son on CounterStrike, or Halo, or whatever it is, then I'll try and do that," Prince harry said.

Recently, rumors about his engagement have sparked after the "Suits" star has shut down her blog, The Tig. The blog has been established for three years, however, the "A Lot Like Love" actress has decided to close it for good without telling any reasons.

Another rumor suggests that Markle may attend the wedding of Pippa Middleton next month. With James Matthews' fiance's "no ring no bring" rule, does it mean that Harry will ask for the "Anti-Social" star's hand prior to Pippa's big day?

Meanwhile, Harry reportedly sought for a therapy after his mother's death. Princess Diana's accident happened a long time ago, however, Prince William's sibling admitted the trauma and loneliness he's gone through.

Do you think Prince Harry and Meghan will announce their engagement anytime? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has asked Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov to initiate the expatriation procedure for MP Andriy Artemenko via the State Migration Service of Ukraine, Spokesperson of Prosecutor General Larysa Sarhan has reported.

"The State Migration Service could ask the Ukrainian president to terminate Ukrainian citizenship of MP Artemenko after receiving the materials from the Prosecutor General's Office," Sarhan wrote on her Facebook page on Friday.

She said that during the investigation of a crime committed in violation of Article 111 of the Criminal Code (high treason) enough documents pointing that Artemenko was admitted to citizenship of Canada and has the passport of Canadian citizen.

Earlier independent MP of Ukraine Artemenko said that he rejected the Canadian ID, but he remained Canadian citizen.

"I do not have passports of other countries. I have a passport of Ukraine. I had a passport of Canada, which I was to suspend in 24 in line with Ukrainian legislation. I did it. I did it in public in 2014 before the election," he said in an interview with KP in Ukraine publication.

As reported, in February 2017 the New York City-based daily newspaper The New York Times reported that Artemenko presented his plan for ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the U.S. presidential administration. Under the plan, a referendum would be held on the question of leasing Ukraine's Crimea peninsula to the Russian Federation from 50 to 100 years, as well as the withdrawal of Russian occupation forces in eastern Ukraine.

Prosecutors investigate criminal proceedings against Artemenko for anti-state actions in cooperation with the Russian Federation.

On February 20, Oleh Liashko's Radical Party decided to expel deputy Artemenko from its team.

Artemenko is the initiator of the draft law on introducing amendments to the law on citizenship of Ukraine regarding dual citizenship.

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko said that Artemenko had documented to the prosecutor's office that he has Canadian citizenship, in addition to Ukrainian citizenship: "He said at one of the interrogations that he was a Canadian citizen." Surprisingly, on the investigator's request to confirm this, he said: "Of course, the next time I'll bring the documents." At the same time, Lutsenko showed journalists a copy of the Canadian passport of the parliamentarian.
Imagine being wrongfully charged and jailed after torture for 14 years, never knowing if you will ever walk free. This is Mohammed Aamir Khans harrowing story, of unspeakable injustice that stole the best years of his youth from him. But his story is, at the same time, one of endurance, love, and hope. In the three years I have known him, I found him a remarkably gentle person, free of bitterness and anger, and convinced about justice, democracy, and secular values.

In a deeply affecting book he has written with Nandita Haksar, Framed as a Terrorist: My 14-year Struggle to Prove My Innocence (Khan 2016), he describes how when he was 20, one late winter evening in February 1998 on a by-lane of Old Delhi close to his small home, he was picked up by policemen in plain clothes, and driven to a torture chamber. He recounts his days and nights of torturestripped naked, his legs stretched to extremes, boxed, kicked, subject to electric shocks, anti-Muslim abuse, and threats to frame his parents. He finally succumbs, and agrees to sign numerous blank sheets and diaries. As a result, he was charged in 19 cases of terror crimes, and accused of planting bombs in Delhi, Rohtak, Sonipat, and Ghaziabad.
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A group of Essex women are raising money for a cancer charity by taking part in a night time walk through London.

'The Golden Girls' are participating in the 20th annual MoonWalk , a 15.1 miles trek though the capital, organised by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.

On May 13, 15,000 people are expected to walk the route in decorated bras for the charity's flagship fundraising event.

Three of the 39 women from Essex involved in this year's fundraiser have recently been affected by breast cancer, with one of them still undergoing treatment.

Maria Dowding, 49, and Amanda Parker-Gamon, 51, have both just finished their cancer treatments , while their friend April Allpress, 48, is having chemotherapy as she battles an invasive ductal carcinoma.

Maria, from Ongar , April, from Ayrbridge and Amanda, from Chigwell, have all used scalp cooling equipment, which helps patients to retain their hair, and have praised the benefits of these machines.

Funding the cost of installing and maintaining these devices in hospitals across the UK is something Walk the Walk is very passionate about.

All three fighters were thrilled to realise that the scalp cooler that April is currently using has been donated by Walk the Walk, which makes doing the MoonWalk even more special for them.

Amanda said: "After the shock of discovering that I had breast cancer, the support and love of my wonderful Golden Girls meant that we have all joined together to turn this into a positive experience.

"I am really excited to be doing the MoonWalk and it is amazing the support that we are receiving today from so many people in West Essex."

Maria's daughter, TOWIE star Amber Dowding, will also be showing her support for her mum and friends by taking part in May.

The inspiring group of women have already smashed their target of 10,000, raising an incredible 11,292.67 .

In addition, the group held a pamper day fundraiser today (April 22) at Budworth Hall in Ongar.

"I am very proud to have the support of so many friends and family here in Ongar today - not just today but throughout my whole breast cancer journey their support has carried me through," said Maria.

"Our Golden Girls team and the MoonWalk have provided a goal of raising money and awareness to help overcome this terrible disease together."

Lorraine Burke, from Ongar, who helped to organise the pamper day, said: "A huge thank you to each and every person who came to our event in support of the charity.

"It was a brilliant day where we offered manicures, blow dry's, psychic readings among other things, in return for a donation.

"Breast cancer is a cause close to my heart, as three of my dear friends have all recently been affected by the disease."

You can donate to The Golden Girls' fundraising page here .
EURUSD could open at 1.04 or 1.10 on Monday Due To French Elections

The first round of the French Presidential Election Will Take Place On Sunday

As well as deciding who will go through to the next round, it will also tell us how reliable pre-election polls were.

Considering the risks of a Le Pen win in the French elections, the Euro has managed to put in a decent week ahead of round 1 of voting.

EURUSD opened the week at 1.06 and is currently trading around 100 pips higher at 1.07.

EURGBP has sold off heavily, but this is attributable to Sterlings reaction to Tuesdays announcement of a snap UK election.

The pair managed to hold important support at 0.83, which considering everything thrown at it, could be considered bullish.

However, the firmness of the Euro may be masking some of the risks ahead, and a new note out today from Deutsche Bank warns us there is a danger the markets are slightly underestimating the downside risks to the EUR.

What The First Round Of Voting Will Tell Us

The first round of the election is due on Sunday. Come Monday we will know which of the four front runners (Macron, Le Pen, Fillon and Melenchon) will make it through. According to the polls, there is currently very little between them.

One other important thing we will find out on Monday is the reliability of the polls so far. The first round will be what Deutsche Bank call the poll of the polls,

For a poll with so many undecideds, recent French election polls have tended to send a remarkably consistent and relatively stable message. If they turn out to be correct, this will give the pollsters even more credibility. However, if they turn out to be wrong, this will undermine the credibility of the polling for round 2, and inject additional uncertainties, that risk appetite variables, and the EUR, will not like.

First Round Risks to The Euro

The markets will not kindly to far right candidate Marine Le Pen making it through for obvious reasons. She has threatened to take France out of the single currency and to hold a referendum on French membership of the EU.

A less obvious risk is for either Melenchon or Fillon making it to the second round, as they are both shown to be lagging in the polls. This will show previous polls to be inaccurate and raise uncertainties.

Questions would also arise if any of the candidates out-perform the pre-election polls. If Le Pen makes it through to round 2, and also significantly out-performs previous polls, risk assets could get sell off significantly.

The worst possible outcome according to Deutsche Bank would be a for a Le Pen and Melenchon victory.

For Le Pen  Melenchon as round 1 winners, it would be a sign that more extreme political views are not being picked up in the polls, with all the uncertainty and risk negative consequences this implies for polls elsewhere in the EUR area and beyond. The prospective economic policies of the candidates will of course dominate the sharp negative EUR response.

Possible Euro responses

ING speculated today that EURUSD could trade 1.04 or 1.10 come Monday. This may explain the paring of positions in the likes of EURUSD over the last two days. On Thursday EURUSD traded as high as 1.077, but has been sold back to just below 1.07. Even strong Euro PMI data out this morning couldnt stop the decline.

A favorable outcome may prompt a rush back into the Euro next week. It isnt clear how much a weight the French elections have been on the single currency, but many traders have been cautious given the potential risks.

1.09 is still the 2017 high, so any rally above this point is a significant break-out, and would take price above the important 200 day moving average. On the downside 1.034 is the multi-year low made earlier this year.
Hello,



I am going to a Schengen country which requires me a visa (not Spain thou) , anyway, the requirements they told me (I am applying under with EU spouse category)



1) application form, available on their website

2) applicant's passport;

3) spouse EU original passport plus photocopy of it:

4) marriage certificate in original plus photocopy (if the marriage certificate was not issued in the UK, it must be translated in English and the original document must be legalized by the Consulate/High Commission of

the issuing country);



5) 1 recent (no more than 6 months old) passport-size colour photo;



6) fully paid return flight ticket (applicant and EU spouse to be on the same booking)



>details of Travel Insurance

> The visa is free of charge only if applicant travels with EU spouse.



If you are doing it via VFS, book your appointment at least 6 weeks before you travel, or earlier. Their available slot for EU spouse is very limited





But please check the embassy for their requirements, it may differ per country.

Hope this helps.
When did you start living together as partners, or if you are applying as the child of a person with limited leave as a partner of a settled person, then when did you start living with your parent? Click to expand...

Just putting the finishing touches to the FLR (M) application for my wife, and am just wondering what to put for question 6.7. The question reads:My wife got her spouse visa in November 2014, but she was here in the UK living with me since April 2014 (she was here as a "Family Visitor" from April to October, before returning back to Japan to apply for her spouse visa).Brain says to write "April 2014" but just wanted to check whether that's right, or whether I should be writing November.Many thanks for any thoughts you can offer.
Hi,



Does anyone have input on working at Repton School Dubai? If anyone can provide information or experiences that would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks!
We are moving to the French Riviera from Canada sometime in August/September. We have 3 kids under the age of 4. Any suggestions on places to live near Cannes/Nice? I've looked at many of the suggested places like Mougins, Valbonne, Biot, Opio, Vence, Antibes but many of these areas look very hilly and not great for kids to run free or ride their bike. I'm almost thinking there is no such place unless we move an hour away into the countryside or farther south along the Riviera. We need to be close to the international airport and international schools, preferably 30-45min drive. I would love to find a kid friendly town where it's safe for kids to walk, run and play without me having to hold their hands or confine them to a stroller. A place with playgrounds, athletic centers, aqua parks, etc. Any suggestions?
Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine for European Integration Olena Zerkal has said that any negotiations with participation of representatives of the United States and Russia on the future of Ukraine must be held with the involvement of Ukraine.

"Many things will depend on the person who will be selected as communicator not only with Russia, but with Europe by Trump's administration, as there is no such a person now. Of course, many things will depend on what the way of communications would be selected. I cannot say that I have always been a fan of the Nuland-Surkov format. I think that any talk on the future of Ukraine must be held with the involvement of Ukraine," Zerkal said on Channel 5 TV on Friday.

The diplomat said that Ukraine must be more active in presenting its interests.

"We must tell about our problems more loudly," she said.

BuzzFeed News reported referring to two European officials that the Trump administration is expected to appoint a new special envoy to communicate directly with Vladislav Surkov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin once known as the Kremlins "grey cardinal." The job of the new envoy, who has not yet been named, would be to negotiate over the fate of war-torn Ukraine.
Deep in West Texas, night still falls black, but now theres a glow to the northeast  the oil field.

From the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains, astronomers can see not only into deep space, but they also can observe the glaring lights of drilling rigs, gas flares and well completion operations in the Permian Basin, the states largest oil field.

Were getting light pollution out of all of this oil and gas activity, Stacy Locke, CEO, president and director of San Antonio-based Pioneer Energy Services, recently said in a speech at the American Association of Drilling Engineers national technical conference. Its just potentially going to be an enormous problem for the McDonald Observatory and we cant let that happen as an industry.

Its one of those gems that we need to protect.

Between 2010 and 2014, around 5,000 drilling permits were issued in Reeves, Culberson and Pecos counties, north of the observatory, during the states latest wave of oil drilling.

Together, Pioneer Energy, a San Antonio-based contract driller and oil field services company, and McDonald Observatory have been studying the sky glow problem for about a year and a half, testing lighting on drilling rigs that is still safe but doesnt send light skyward like a beacon.

Locke and Bill Wren, a special assistant to the superintendent at the McDonald Observatory, authored a recent paper on the topic for the Society of Petroleum Engineers, which was presented at the groups conference in Denver in March.

The fixes turned out to be relatively simple.

Pioneer outfitted one of its drilling rigs lights with shields, which were available from the light manufacturer, and created a sort of cap for the lights. Each time the rig was moved, the lights could be redirected and tested again. The company also tested LED lighting, which was more energy efficient and less costly. LEDs also better directed the light.

Much of the benefit came from simply re-aiming existing fixtures. Many oil field floodlights are aimed at the horizon, which sends about half of the light up into the sky and much of the rest of it straight into workers faces.

Its glare, right in your eyes, for a lot of employees, Locke said. Aiming lights down instead worked better to illuminate the worksite and created a safer environment by reducing glare.

Wren said that the first thing he was told when he stepped on a drilling rig was, 'Theres no way you can have enough light on an oil rig. Im not going to argue there. But you dont want it all in your eye. Its not going to be at the expense of anyones safety. We can do the lighting well and keep the skies dark at night.

The McDonald Observatory was established in 1932 north of Fort Davis, still a remote part of the state. Its Hobby-Eberly Telescope atop Mount Fowlkes is the largest in North America. There are two other research telescopes atop nearby Mount Locke at 6,791 feet. (Theres no relation between Stacy Locke and the local rancher, G.S. Locke, for whom the mountain was named.)

Preserving dark skies for the famous Texas observatory, run by the University of Texas at Austin, seems an easy enough cause. Everybody wants to get on board with it, Locke said. All Pioneers new drilling rigs will have light shields and LEDs, he said

The main problem is that few people know about it. The Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates the oil and gas industry, has no rules regarding light fixtures.

The Legislature passed a bill in 2011 requiring communities within 57 miles of the McDonald Observatory to regulate outdoor lighting. The law requires permits for the installation of new outdoor lights  though it grandfathers existing lights  and makes violations a Class C misdemeanor.

The territory covers seven counties  Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Culberson, Reeves, Pecos, Presidio and Brewster  and 28,000 square miles. Wren said its the largest dark sky reserve in the world.

The bill, which went into effect in January 2012, also allowed the counties within 5 miles of George Observatory at Stephen F. Austin State University to adopt lighting regulations.

But in the vastness of West Texas, enforcement or fines seem unlikely. Drilling and well completions often happen miles deep into a remote ranch.

In Reeves County in 2012, when Wren was speaking with county officials about the new rules, the county judge asked him, You will be up here to police this for us, wont you?

Its a huge county, Wren said. Theres no way to do it realistically. Theres hundreds and hundreds of facilities, and hundreds and hundreds of operators.

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.

The energy industry also works at a fast pace, often staying in one location for a couple of weeks before moving on to the next well. The lights for any individual location are there and gone, though sometimes gas flares remain behind to burn natural gas that cant be taken to market easily.

There are also new hotels and retail centers in West Texas. The research paper says its hard to figure out how much each light source contributes, but the cumulative effect is this: New economic activity and equipment at thousands of wells makes the sky glow more than it used to.

Wren said he wants to sound an alarm without sounding alarmist. Most energy companies  which had no idea such regulations existed  have wanted to help.

Our skies are still really dark at McDonald Observatory. Its obscenely dark out here, Wren said. But weve got this glow thats growing along our northeast horizon. It does stand to impact the quality of the research that we can do.

jhiller@express-news.net

Twitter: @Jennifer_Hiller
Oil dropped below $50 a barrel as investors lost faith that an extension of OPEC-led supply cuts will overcome growing U.S. production and ease a global glut.

Front-month futures in New York fell 6.7 percent this week, the biggest loss since early March.

While a number of exporters have reached an initial deal to extend the curbs past June, according to Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih, rising U.S. output is raising concern that those cuts will be undermined. OPEC and its allies have failed after three months of cuts to meet their goal of reducing global supplies below the five-year historical average, al-Falih said.

Oils rally has faltered after three straight weekly gains on expectations the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies will extend its supply reductions. Prices dropped 3.8 percent Wednesday after government data showed U.S. production rose for a ninth straight week, even as stockpiles continued to decline from a record. U.S. explorers added five oil rigs this week to cap the longest stretch of gains since 2011, Baker Hughes Inc. data show.

The drumbeat of bearish data continues to put pressure on the market, said Michael Cohen, head of energy commodities research at Barclays in New York. The bulls dont have much of a leg to stand on now.

West Texas Intermediate for June delivery dropped $1.09, or 2.2 percent, to $49.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Its the lowest close since March 29.

Brent for June settlement declined $1.03, or 1.9 percent, to $51.96 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices fell 7 percent this week. The global benchmark crude closed at a $2.34 premium to WTI.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said theres no fundamental evidence to justify this weeks selloff in oil prices. The bank finds the drop in U.S. crude supplies encouraging and expects the declines to accelerate through the second quarter amid OPEC cuts and demand growth, analysts including Damien Courvalin and Jeffrey Currie said in a report. Meanwhile, a midweek slide was driven by oil trading through its 50-day and 100-day moving averages, Goldman said.

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.

Gulf Cooperation Council countries agreed to push for an extension to the OPEC-led cuts in a meeting Wednesday, Oman Oil Minister Mohammed al Rumhy said in an interview in Abu Dhabi. The GCC comprises OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Oman and Bahrain. GCC states are participating in the current deal to cap output.

A meeting of a technical committee of OPEC and non-OPEC countries in Vienna concluded that a six-month extension of production cuts would be necessary, two delegates with knowledge of the matter said. The committee concluded that combined OPEC and non-OPEC compliance with the accord was 98 percent in March, an improvement from February, one delegate said.

OPEC will decide at a meeting on May 25 whether to prolong its pledged cuts into the second half of the year.

It all comes down to whether OPEC can deliver inventory cuts, Bill OGrady, chief market strategist at Confluence Investment Management in St. Louis, said by telephone. So far we havent seen a lot of evidence that theyre succeeding.
The Workforce Solutions Alamo CEO search committee has tentatively narrowed its list of applicants to four finalists, interim CEO Alan Miller said Friday after the agency board met in closed session.

The seven-member search committee will meet Tuesday to decide whether to continue with the four finalists or expand the search to other candidates, Miller said.

In February, the agency set a target date of June 1 for a new CEO. Were still shooting for that. But that may be pushed back a little bit. I dont think were too far off track, Miller said.

At the previous WSA board meeting in February, the agency set a goal of announcing a finalist from an initial round of more than 80 applicants during todays meeting. But there is no consensus yet among the search committee members, Miller said Friday.

To meet the June 1 target, the 25-member board must hold a special meeting in May to approve a finalist, Miller said. The next regular board meeting is set for June 16.

The agencys CEO vacancy was created in November when the previous CEO, Gail Hathaway, was fired by the board following a report by the Texas Workforce Commission that cited discrepancies in procurement procedures and allegations of a hostile workplace environment.

Hathaway defended herself against the charges during a Nov. 7 board meeting, saying her changes over a two-year period were making the agency more effective. But the board voted to go ahead with firing her.

In early April, Hathaway filed a lawsuit against the agency for up to $1 million for breach of contract, slander and emotional distress.

In the pending lawsuit, Hathaway blames her dismissal on false accusations made by an agency employee who since has left the agency.

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.

The lawsuit also states the organization could have avoided litigation had the board given her 14 days written notice or provided written reasons for her firing. Hathaway said in the lawsuit that neither of those things happened.

Miller said Friday he could not comment on the pending lawsuit.

Fridays WSA board meeting was the first held at its new headquarters in downtowns The Vistana building where the agency leases 16,352 square feet. The agency moved March 17 from the downtown Milam Building where it had operated since September 1996.

Workforce Solutions Alamos board and staff govern a network of service providers and contractors that match people with jobs. The agency also provides child care, career counseling, job-search workshops, training, job fairs and labor market information services.

dhendricks@express-news.net
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Leatherette booths embroidered with the Chile Verde logo, a full bar with color-shifting underlights, custom half-barrel chairs with the same Chile Verde stitchwork, handpainted murals in colors as vibrant as an HDR photo.

Is this a roadside cafe out by China Grove or a swanky new Mexican place downtown? It doesnt matter to the full house during an early weekday dinner. And even if the salsa comes in a fancy three-bay ceramic dish, Chile Verde has no problem downshifting for country-style tacos.

Tacos: It doesnt get much more animalistic than tripas, even in a nice room like this. Theyre sliced in tubes like rigatoni, then fried crispy with ridges of fat shining through.

Pretty? No. Delicious and true to the style? Yes. ($2.99)

If youre cumin-deficient, this is the carne a la mexicana for you. It surrounds every little nugget of grilled steak, every integrated bit of the pico de gallo. The cumin aura overwhelms everything it touches, even the fleeting caramelized sweetness of a well-grilled taco ($2.49).

Al pastor at Chile Verde feels like it was dusted in flour before it hit the plancha, creating a brick-red slurry of achiote and salt. The taste is fine; the textures all wrong ($2.49).

Programming note: Breakfast  and breakfast tacos  stop at 11:30 a.m.

Tortillas: Time to ask why taquerias insist on wrapping corn tortilla tacos in foil, even if youre not doing takeout. The foil turns the best tortillas soft and turns the not-so-best ones like these into a slushy mess. Curses; foiled again! Chile verdes flour tortillas, though handmade, are stiff and chalky and beset by rigor from the minute they land.

Salsa: The best part of dinner at Chile Verde is a trio of salsas with thick, resort-style chips in a yellow wicker basket. Theres a smoky chipotle-and-tomatillo red, a sweet and simmering salsa ranchera and a cool, mint-green salsa as cool and fresh as an avocado smoothie.

Location: 5102 Monaco Circle, 210-649-3938, chileverdesa.com

Rating: Once was enough

Follow the complete 365 Days of Tacos series at ExpressNews.com/Tacos. Get 365 Days of Tacos sent to your inbox. Sign up here

msutter@express-news.net

Twitter: @fedmanwalking
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A dilapidated historic Monte Vista home thats been a flashpoint for the pros and cons of historic restoration in San Antonio will finally receive the TLC it needs and requires under local law.

Rather then face legal action over the deteriorated condition of the house, owner Cappy Lawton has donated the property known as the Kelso House, on West Craig Place and Main Avenue next to his La Fonda on Main restaurant to a local nonprofit. The Power of Preservation Foundation (PoP) promises to raise the necessary funds to bring the old home back to life. The restoration will provide a kind of training ground for area craftsmen, students and DIYers who will help with aspects of the work.

I bought the house 12 years ago and naively thought I could restore it, Lawton said. But I dont believe it is economically feasible  the porch alone would cost $200,000 to really do it right  so it made sense to donate it to a nonprofit.

Lawton estimated the cost to restore the home at $1.2 million.

Ive put over half a million into it, and I could probably only get $700,000 to $800,000 out of it (after restoration), he said. Im not going to be out $1 million. I dont think its reasonable to expect me and my wife to do that, so this is a compromise.

Designed by renowned San Antonio architect Atlee B. Ayres for Judge Winchester Kelso, a prominent jurist, the two-story, corner-lot house has touches of the Beaux Arts style so popular in early 20th century homes in the neighborhood, and features Tudor gables and Craftsman roof proportions, according to Donald E. Everetts book San Antonios Monte Vista.

Its had a very storied past, and a lot of people have been very angry about how the building has been allowed to deteriorate, said Dolly Holmes, president of the Monte Vista Historical Association. And some have been upset with Cappy.

Lawton, well aware of the anger, donated the building to the PoP, a nonprofit that works closely with the citys Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), notably through the Rehabber Club. While altruistic, the donation protected Lawton from legal action.

Like other unused buildings in the city, the Kelso House was subject to the citys Vacant Building Ordinance, passed in 2015 and administrated by OHP, under which owners must register and upgrade their buildings to city codes or possibly face fines.

Ultimately, it had come down to either do this or face some kind of lawsuit, Lawton said. Its a strong ordinance, and I think its actually done a lot of good for the city. Am I getting screwed, and the city is screwing me? I dont want to say that. I dont want to paint a picture that I am some kind of victim.

But people asked me why I didnt restore it, and I asked them if theyd ever restored a house. Its very complicated and very expensive. Im embarrassed that the house has not been restored, but on the other hand, Ive restored three houses, and lost money on all of them. So, when the possibility of donating the house came up, I took it.

Dru Van Steenberg, president of PoP, said the organizations initial fundraising goal for the Kelso restoration is $250,000.

Thats just to stabilize the house, and then well go on from there, she said.

The restoration has a two-plus years timeline. Ultimately, said Van Steenberg, the Kelso House will be turned into office space and resold to generate funds for future restoration projects.

This is really very gratifying and exciting news, said Michael Guarino, chairman of the Historic and Design Review Commission. It could be the birth of a revolving fund like the one that has accounted for so much preservation work in Galveston.

In the meantime, the Kelso House will become a learning lab for hands-on education programs, using the resources of the Rehabber Club and the S.T.A.R. (Students Together Achieving Revitalization) Project, city initiatives that bring together do-it-yourselfers and students with craftsmen and contractors to revitalize historic buildings.

OHPs Rehabber Club, for example, will use the Kelso House to provide future courses and certifications for members to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to restore historic homes, according to Shanon Shea Miller, director of the OHP.

When it comes time to do window repair, for instance, well have a class where people can get certification in window repair, Miller said. It may take longer this way, but it will save on budget. And we plan to document the whole process and use it as an educational tool, through podcasts and YouTube videos, for example.

The Lawtons, Van Steenburg said, were introduced to PoP during discussions with the OHP about the future uses of the Kelso House.

OHPs Miller said the Vacant Building Ordinance worked the way it was supposed to in this case. Lawton did register the building with the city, but then didnt make necessary repairs to the exterior under city guidelines.

The ordinance was never about collecting fines or anything like that, Miller said. We try to work with property owners. We went the whole first year without filing any cases at all. This house was long vacant, and I think the ordinance played a positive role in encouraging the outcome.

Holmes said most of her Monte Vista neighbors think the donation was a good solution.

It just seemed as if it was an impasse, she said. The building was in such bad shape that nobody wanted to take it on. We were all just amazed when we heard this because it really does check off all the boxes. I think its a win for everybody.

NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Shanon Shea Millers name.

sbennett@express-news.net
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When their military service ended, they came home.

The five men had served in Korea, Vietnam and the twilight struggle of the Cold War. Over time, they drifted into obscurity in the country theyd defended.

Each of the men  Jerry Stephen Harris, Laird Earnest Orton Jr., Michael John Papinchak, Michael Wayne Topp and Ronald Stevenson  died alone in the Amarillo area in the past two years, their remains unclaimed.

On Friday, scores of people who never knew them gave them a final salute at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

My brother. I call him brother, retired soldier and Desert Storm veteran Benito Ace Acevedo, 62, of San Antonio, said of all five men just before the ceremony

These guys deserve it, said Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner, 66, of Amarillo. They went to war not knowing if they were coming back alive, and then, when they did come back, they came back to civilian life only to die all alone, all by themselves.

Little is known of Harris, Orton, Papinchak, Topp and Stevenson, but they were welcomed by a crowd of about 200 at Fort Sams assembly area, including members of the Alamo Silver Wings Airborne Association, volunteers from Wreaths Across America, Patriot Guard Riders and the posts Memorial Services Detachment, which provides final honors to veterans at the cemetery.

Like Acevedo, no one cared about how they lived or why they fell off the grid.

Its more that they served our country, and that means just everything to me, said Bea Hoeffner, 66, of San Antonio and a Wreaths Across America volunteer.

In my unit, we lost a lot of guys, and I couldnt remember their names, said Joe Rios, a 25th Infantry Division veteran of Vietnam who carried the remains of one of the men on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle from Amarillo.w

I dont know if it was PTSD or whatever that we suffered from, some of the horrific scenes that we saw, but I just  suppressed those memories, and I kind of regret that, added Rios, 68, of San Antonio. And now that Im retired, I have extra time, and its very gratifying to be able to do something like this.

The final salute occurred because three people who had never served in the military lived by one of its highest core values: refusing to leave a fallen comrade behind. Joel Carver, co-owner of A to D Mortuary Service in Amarillo, which has a contract with Potter County, had a list of 92 people whose cremated remains were in a basement vault at the courthouse.

He wondered if any had served in the armed forces  his own son is a Marine helicopter pilot. Carver got in touch with Judge Tanner, the custodian of the remains, and reached out to a San Antonio Military Medical Center volunteer named Joyce Earnest, the Texas coordinator for the Missing in America Project, a group that hopes to give final honors to an estimated 25,000 veterans nationwide whose remains have not been claimed.

I was driven to do it. I witnessed one (Missing in America Project) burial, and it touched me that there were veterans out there that could be buried but were sitting on shelves, said Earnest, 65, a retired AT&T service executive.

Carver, 59, now the Texas Panhandle representative for the Missing in America Project, said getting their first confirmation from the Veterans Affairs Department on one of the basement urns was like finding a lost loved one.

The veterans are to be placed in a section of Fort Sam for those whove been cremated, with the inscription You are not forgotten on their markers. Theyll join more than 170 other homeless veterans buried here since 2003 under the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program.

Statewide, the men interred Friday joined 20 others laid to rest across Texas under the Missing in America Project, which began in 2006 and has arranged for final honors for 3,115 veterans around the nation.

At the start of a somber ceremony that ran about an hour, 10 MacArthur High School JROTC cadets brought the urns of each man before the crowd, setting them on a table next to five folded American flags. An Army, Navy and Air Force honor guard stood before them.

Fort Sams Memorial Services Detachment fired three volleys, and a pair of buglers played echo taps in the distance.

Patriot Guard Rider Don Williams, a Vietnam veteran who carried Papinchaks remains on his Harley, wept throughout the ceremony.

How is it that when you pass away, that you have no one around to claim you? I mean, thats probably the emptiest feeling in the world, he said.

Williams, 69, had ridden 1,236 miles, counting the journey to Amarillo from his home in Hallettsville. He was struck by the reverence motorists showed as the two-mile caravan of cars and hundreds of motorcycles rode Thursday to San Antonio, escorted by police and sheriffs deputies.

People along the 485-mile route from Amarillo stood on overpasses, hands over their hearts. Others stopped their cars on shoulders and the median. Between Sweetwater and Menard, an elderly woman stood in a pasture with one hand over her heart and the other waiving an American flag.

You dont think that dont make you proud to be a veteran, to see that? sobbed Williams, an airman who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.

Harris was a Navy radioman seaman apprentice who served from 1977 to 1981. Specialist 4 Orton, a Vietnam veteran, soldiered in the Army from 1967 to 1969. Earnest said the VA told her that Papinchak, a senior airman from 1974 to 1977, was a Vietnam veteran.

Topp was an Air Force sergeant and Vietnam veteran who served from 1965 to 1969. Stevenson, the oldest of the five, was an airman third class from 1949 to 1953. He was a Korean War veteran.

Details surrounding their deaths are a mystery. Earnest, who confirmed their service records with the National Personnel Records Center in

St. Louis, didnt know much about their lives, but federal privacy law also prohibits disclosing personal information about them.

All died homeless or destitute, four of them in Potter County. Topp, whose remains were in a mortuary, died in Randall County, just south of Amarillo.

Of these five, I know they passed away from illnesses. There were no traumatic deaths, but most of them were in a hospital or some sort of hospice care. There could have been some that passed that were found on the street, said Earnest, whose husband, Tom, and three brothers served in the military.

I dont know.

Earnest, a San Antonio Honor Flight volunteer who is president of the Brooke Army Medical Center Retiree Activities Group and works Mondays as an unpaid clerk in one of the hospitals four trauma intensive care units, said this was her first homeless veteran burial.

But, she added, it will not be the last.

I am absolutely ecstatic that Im able to lay these veterans to rest in their final location where they deserve it, in their sacred ground, Earnest said. It just means so much to us to give them some peace.
AUSTIN - Attorney General Ken Paxton gave the Senate a boost Friday in its battle with the House over how best to fill a $2.5 billion revenue gap, saying that senators proposal to delay a transportation payment would likely be found constitutional in court.

Senate Finance Chair Jane Nelson had asked for the legal opinion after House leaders slammed that aspect of senators budget plan.

Legislative negotiators who will work on differences between the House and Senate spending plans can begin working to balance this budget with full confidence that this option is on the table, said Nelson, R-Flower Mound.

The wrangling over the issue, however, is far from over.

While the Senate option would have been squelched if Paxton had called it unconstitutional, his favorable opinion did nothing to sway House leaders who oppose it.

House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has likened the Senate maneuver to Enrons accounting tricks. House Appropriations Committee Chair John Zerwas, R-Richmond, said that Paxtons opinion doesnt allay concerns.

I dont think that changes our position, Zerwas told the Express-News. There clearly are more legitimate ways to finance our budget than spending money twice from state highway funds.

Both the House and Senate spending proposals would require about $2.5 billion more than is available in general revenue to pay for state services over the next two years.

The House wants to dip into the state savings account known as the rainy day fund to bridge the gap. The fund is expected to have $12 billion at the end of the next fiscal period, if left untouched.

But Senate leaders say their chamber doesnt want to take money from the rainy day fund for ongoing expenses.

The Senate instead wants to slightly delay the transfer of up to $2.5 billion thats constitutionally dedicated to transportation in the coming budget.

The delay would push the expense into the next fiscal cycle, which senators say would free up $2.5 billion for general spending in the 2018-19 budget.

Zerwas has said that the state constitution requires the tax funds for transportation to be deposited in the same fiscal year they are collected. But senators say the delay makes sense because Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar cant calculate the precise amount due to transportation until the fiscal year ends.

Paxton, in his nonbinding opinion, said if thats the case, a court likely would conclude that making the deposit a bit later would be acceptable.

Even while taking advantage of the extra $2.5 billion for general spending, however, senators still count the same amount as an expenditure for transportation. Thats what drives House leaders charge of double counting.

None of this changes the fact that the Senate is attempting to spend the same dollars twice, said Straus spokesman Jason Embry of Paxtons opinion.

By contrast, Zerwas said, the rainy day fund is intended to help us weather the economic times were in right now.

State revenues are tight because of a combination of factors, including the uncertain oil and gas industry and past legislative decisions to cut taxes and  with voter approval  dedicate up to $5 billion to the states snarled transportation system in the next two years.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Ambassador Tina Kaidanow will travel to Germany, Estonia, and Ukraine April 23-29 for discussions on a variety of international security issues, the U.S. Department of State has reported.

"In Estonia and Ukraine, Ambassador Kaidanow will meet with civilian and defense officials to discuss a wide range of political-military issues, including regional strategic priorities, security assistance, military-to-military cooperation, and related issues," the U.S. Department of State said on Friday.

According to the press release, Ambassador Kaidanow will consult with U.S. government officials from the U.S. European Command in Germany and other senior U.S. representatives in the region regarding ongoing U.S. efforts to strengthen NATO Allies through security cooperation and defense trade. She will also discuss security assistance programs overseen by the Department of State that strengthen the capabilities of partner nations in Europe contributing to coalition operations to defeat ISIS and promote security in Afghanistan.
KERRVILLE  Court proceedings Friday revealed the late Kerrville Councilman Gary Stork faced allegations of sexual misconduct from more than one complainant when he and his wife died last September in a suspected murder-suicide, which remains under investigation.

City Attorney Mike Hayes confirmed the existence of additional claims against Stork by an unspecified number of people at a hearing to decide if the city must release investigative records to Richard Ellison, attorney for Jane Doe, a young girl who reported Stork had fondled her and who sued Storks estate in January.

I need whats in this police file to get ready to plead my case, Ellison told state District Judge Keith Williams.

Williams ordered the city to produce the records  about 30 paper pages and five DVD recordings of witness interviews  which Ellison said he believes also will include a confession by Stork concerning the alleged groping of his client.

The police officer told the (girls) father that Stork admitted it, Ellison told Williams in arguing for access to the records. Hayes said the city has declined to release them due to privacy concerns for the other individuals who spoke to investigators and also to protect the city from liability.

These (other alleged) victims dont know this process is going on, Hayes said, citing a detectives repeated notations in the requested files that said, These victims dont want their names released.

Williams directed Hayes to redact their names from the police records and to turn them over to Ellison within two weeks.

It will be a separate issue if it will be admissible at trial when the lawsuit is heard, said Williams, who warned the attorneys about any inadvertent public release of sensitive information.

Hayes, Ellison and attorney Pat Pattillo, representing the estate, agreed to the arrangement during the hearing in the high-profile case that drew few spectators and lasted about 30 minutes.

The 13-year-old plaintiff claims in her suit that an intoxicated Stork  described as a trusted family friend  groped her during the citys July 4 celebrations at Louise Hays Park after asking her to sit on his lap.

From his courtroom seat, resident Jerry Wolff said hed been concerned about other possible abuse by Stork ever since local police disclosed the original complaint in the wake of the Sept. 25 discovery of Gary and Peggy Storks bodies at their home, each killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.

If Stork, a two-term councilman, had already confessed, Wolff asked after the hearing, Why was he allowed to continue to freely roam the streets of Kerrville?

The publics shock over the double homicide that involved an elected official was compounded when police revealed when announcing the deaths that Stork was the target of a criminal investigation into sex abuse claims.

A Kerr County grand jury convened two days later had been set to hear evidence concerning the complaints against Stork, but prosecutors decided not to pursue the case due to his death.

Amid the allegations, City Hall was closed for the Storks memorial services held at the Cailloux Theater and many city staffers were among the hundreds of mourners who attended.

The only other hearing spectator Friday was Robert White, husband of Kerrville Mayor Bonnie White. She had not been informed by city staff of the criminal probe of Stork that Kerrville police initiated around Aug. 1.

Mayor White is among those who have filed open records requests with the city for records on the Stork case. The city has sought guidance from the Texas Attorney Generals Office on how to respond.

I heard theres other victims, Robert White said as he left the courtroom. Thats my concern. Its good to hear the city attorney disclose it.

Angela Stork, who is the suit's named defendant as executor of her father's estate, has previously declined comment on the deaths of her parents, who were both 54.

Although the investigation into their deaths is ongoing, Kerr County Justice of the Peace Mitzi French ruled in February that Gary Storks death was a suicide, citing the totality of the evidence.

She made no determination on the manner of Peggy Storks death. Police have revealed few details of the investigation , saying they are awaiting the results of lab tests on evidence.

zeke@express-news.net
In the second officer-involved shooting in a week, a San Antonio Police Department officer shot a man to death after he allegedly charged him with a knife Thursday.

The man was identified Friday by the Bexar County medical examiners office as Ray Raymond Valdez, 55.

According to Police Chief William McManus, Valdez was assaulting his girlfriend about 8:40 p.m. at a parking lot in the 200 block of North Zarzamora Street.

This is what witnesses are telling us, McManus told reporters Thursday.

A Park Police officer, later identified as Cristobal Martinez, 32, was near the scene when he was flagged down by a witness, McManus said.

As the seven-year veteran approached the couple to intervene, Valdez pulled out a knife, witnesses told police.

His girlfriend struggled with him while trying to take away the knife, but Valdez ultimately broke free, McManus said.

When Valdez began charging at Martinez, he fired his Taser, witnesses said.

It was ineffective, McManus said. He resorted to the use of his firearm.

Martinez fired multiple shots at Valdez, possibly hitting him three times, McManus said.

From what were hearing, the officer did everything right, tried to intervene, the chief said, referencing the sequence of events.

It doesnt always happen that way. Sometimes you dont have the opportunity to use the Taser, but in this case he did, McManus said.

Martinez is on administrative duty pending the outcome of an investigation of the shooting, police said.

In the first officer-involved shooting of the week, Guadalupe Balderas, 57, was reportedly causing a disturbance in the 400 block of West Magnolia on April 15.

Officers found him wielding a combat-style knife and refusing to drop it, according to previous reports.

One officer fired his Taser, and moments later another officer  identified as Police Officer Joshua Vega, who graduated from the police academy in April 2016  fired multiple shots from his service weapon, McManus said.

Balderas was hit multiple times in the chest and taken to University Hospital.

He has since recovered and is now at the Bexar County Jail, held on three charges of aggravated assault against a public servant.

jbeltran@express-news.net

Staff Writer Josh Baugh contributed to this report.
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As crowds streamed through the gates of St. Mary's University for the annual Fiesta Oyster Bake on Friday, three first-time visitors struggled to open their oysters.

Mina Stein, 45, poked her knife at the encrusted shell, seeking an opening. Her friend Josie Brestle, 77, and Josies sister, Noelle Martinez, 70, had better luck.

Martinez, visiting from France, said the shells werent as clean as those in the family homeland of France, but she was still enjoying the experience.

That wasnt the case for Stein.

I'm not sure how to open this, she said, trying vainly to pry open the shell, as passersby gnawed on sausage and turkey legs. Finally, she handed it over to Brestle.

I'm not prepared for this. It's a challenge, she said. I'm going to get a chicken on a stick.

Brestle said in France they eat oysters with goose liver pate. They settled for scoops of cocktail sauce from small plastic tubs, as they sat at one of dozens of tables near the oyster booths, which offered the seafood delights baked, fried and raw.

Before the event started at 5 p.m. Friday, volunteers off-loaded oysters in burlap sacks that had been stored in a refrigerated truck from Port Lavaca. Some 100,000 oysters will be served at the two-day event, which continues today from noon to midnight at the university campus, One Camino Santa Maria.

Cooks, including Reuben Zuniga scooped a shovelful of oysters across a long stone barbecue grill, spreading them above a bed of smoldering mesquite charcoal. After a few minutes, he picked up the shovel again and transferred the cooked goodies onto a table where gloved volunteers packed the oysters into white buckets that cost 14 coupons, or $7, each.

There was plenty of other things to eat, too. The tantalizing aroma of caramel corn hung in the air as the sun started to dip toward the horizon.

Nearby, the West Side Horns entertained with a medley of rock-n-roll and R&B hits. Several stages are sprawled across the university campus, with areas dedicated to country, rock-n-roll, hip-hop, pop and Tejano. There were numerous kid-friendly activities, too.

Sponsored by the St. Marys University Alumni Association, the fundraiser became an official Fiesta event in 1982.

Second-year Oyster Bake chair Corinne Vela-Zapata said the Oyster Bake is the culmination of executive committee meetings that started in July 2016.

She said there are more than 35 student groups that have a booth at the festival. To secure a booth, a student group must give a presentation and provide financial statements to the committee. A portion of the proceeds go back to the student groups to support their events through the year.

You guys are the face of the future, Vela-Zapata said the committee tells the students. This is what we're here to do, build and establish educational legacies for students who want to come to St. Marys and its really a community of people.

vtdavis@express-news.net
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. We've rolled out video interviews with each candidate each weekday of the past three weeks in reverse ballot order.

To wrap up this video series, we focus on Napoleon Madrid. He did not respond to multiple requests from ExpressNews.com to set up a video interview.
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PARIS - The gunman who shot and killed a police officer on the famed Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote spent 14 years in prison, including for attacking other officers, France's anti-terrorism prosecutor said Friday - a lengthy criminal history that gave a jolt to an already nail-biting election and fueled growing security concerns.

Yet, despite an arrest as recently as February, the assailant, Karim Cheurfi, had shown no signs of radicalization, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said, and was released for lack of evidence of a threat.

That all changed Thursday when Cheurfi, 39, a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the crowded boutique-lined boulevard synonymous with French glamour, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police.

Security forces found a note praising the Islamic State group at the scene of the attack, which apparently fell from the gunman's pocket. That, along with an unusually quick claim of responsibility by ISIS were the only signs that he had entered the world of Islamic extremists, Molins said. Scraps of paper scrawled with the addresses of police stations and a satchel of weapons, munitions and the Muslim holy book were discovered in his car.

Thursday's shootings followed the arrest this week of two men in Marseille on suspicion of plotting an attack around Sunday's hotly contested first-round presidential vote, fueling France's worst fear: a terrorist attack as crowds gather at polling stations.

Polls suggest a tight race among the four top contenders, with far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen - who rails at France's Socialist government for being lax on crime - and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, in the lead.

The attack in Paris appeared a perfect fit for Le Pen and her criticism of authorities she accuses of being naive on terrorism. The outcome of the election was being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates like Le Pen.

U.S. President Donald Trump waded into the fray Friday, asserting that the attack will stoke Le Pen's chances.

"She's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said, noting that he was not specifically endorsing Le Pen.

"Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election," he said.
Final hearings of Ukraine versus Russia case in Intl Court of Justice could be held summer 2018  Deputy FM

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine for European Integration Olena Zerkal has said that the final hearings of Ukraine's lawsuit to punish Russia for involvement in terrorism and racial discrimination by United Nations' International Court of Justice could be held in summer 2018.

"This is next year. I think that our memorandum would be ready in six or eight months. Then the hearing will be next year, maybe in summer," she said Channel 5 TV on Friday.

The diplomat also said that Russia could ask for interim provisional measures, not waiting for the Ukrainian memorandum.

She also said that on May 12, the hearing of the court that would approve the schedule of the hearings would be held.
Dave Grohl's mother was worried Madonna would "snatch him up".

Dave Grohl

Virgina Hanlon Grohl has written a book called 'From Cradle to Stage' about the experience of raising a rock star son and revealed she never worried about him getting involved with drugs but did have an irrational fear that Dave, 48, would start dating Madonna when he was younger.

She told The Guardian: "I did worry about women. I don't know how to tell you this, it's so embarrassing, but my biggest fear was that Madonna would snatch him up."

Virginia also opened up about the suicide of Dave's Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain in 1994 at the age of just 27.

She said: "Somebody came in to tell me, and ... it was shocking but I wasn't surprised. Things were so bad and there had been a couple of other times ... I was worried about David ... losing a friend in such a horrible way, and losing a career. But I never thought he would be destroyed by it. He's such a positive person, and he has good stuff pouring out of him."

Kurt's mother Wendy did not contribute to the book because she is still "devastated" about the 2015 movie 'Montage of Heck' about her son.

Virginia explained that she felt "slapped in the face" and betrayed "by her portrayal as an uncaring, distant mother" but encouraged Virginia to share her own memories of Kurt in the tome.

Virginia also spoke to a number of other mothers of famous musicians for her book and was surprised by how positive Amy Winehouse's mother Janis was, despite the star's death after an alcohol and drugs battle in 2011.

She said: "I felt I must have been shaking my head. Can you really be that optimistic? And yet she is. She just has this life goes on theory ... She didn't talk about blaming ... they had to deal with this very unusual child. I don't know what they could have done, but they tried a lot of things."
Stephen Belafonte has claimed that Mel B is alienating him from their daughters.

Stephen Belafonte and Mel B

Mel, 41, has been granted a temporary restraining order against Stephen, 41, after she accused him of abusing her, getting their nanny pregnant and forcing her to take part in threesomes during their almost 10-year marriage but Stephen is asking the judge to give him visitation rights to their daughter Madison, five and Mel's 10-year-old child Angel.

According to court documents filed by Stephen and obtained by the Daily Mail, he said: "I am in fear that Petitioner [Mel B] is involving the children in the dispute and attempting to alienate me from the children and is using the temporary restraining order as a sword rather than a shield.

"Further, it is clear Angel misses [the] Respondent and desires to see him. On April 9 Respondent received a series of heart-wrenching text messages from Angel stating 'Hello Daddy, I love you, Daddy?, Daddy, Where are you'. Angel followed the last message with a crying emoji icon.

'Unfortunately, due to the temporary restraining order ... Respondent was unable to respond to Angel and let her know he loved her as well, that he was alright and missed her and Madison very much and that he could not wait to see them.

"Shockingly, [Mel] was made aware of this and did nothing."

Angel's father is actor Eddie Murphy but Stephen insisted Angel calls him Daddy and is asking for visitation rights to her along with Madison.

He added: "I miss our children and am sure they miss me dearly. I can only speculate that they must be wondering where I am or what has happened to me, as I am unaware what Petitioner has told them, if anything.

"Angel and Madison ... were well bonded with Respondent who treated both children with equal love, affection and care.

"To deny Angel and Respondent any contact and allow contact only between Madison and Respondent would be extremely detrimental to both children.

"Angel will feel excluded and rightfully confused by her inability to have contact with the only father she has known."
Sean Paul urged his fans to sing along with him during his gig in London on Friday (21.04.17) because he wasn't feeling "100 per cent".

Sean Paul

The 44-year-old rapper wowed the crowd at the O2 Forum Kentish Town with a 90-minute set, although he admitted his voice "ain't feeling it" and called on the audience to help him get through the show.

Speaking on stage, the musician said: "I don't know if you realise I'm not 100 per cent tonight my voice ain't feeling it. I want you to sing along with me."

The Jamaican artist took to the stage to perform his 2002 hit record 'Get Busy', as well as 'Give It Up To Me' and 'Like Glue'.

He also performed songs he has collaborated on with other artists including, 'Got 2 Luv U', which he joined forces with Alexis Jordan on in 2012, as well as the Beyonce duet 'Baby Boy'.

During his show, Sean thanked his supporters for remaining devoted to him throughout his career.

He said: "Thank you very much every day you've got down with Sean Paul."

Sean continued to belt out his more recent hits including his collaboration with Sia titled 'Cheap Thrills' and he delighted the crowd with his own rendition of Ed Sheeran's 2017 comeback single 'Shape of You'.

Prior to his cover version he said: "I think it's time to free it up. We like to freestyle."

Sean went on to sing 'Luv', 'No Lie', 'Punkie' and 'Tek Weh Yuh Heart' before returning to his 2002 hit 'I'm Still In Love with you' featuring Sasha.

The vocalist praised his mother Frances and revealed he has "the deepest feeling of love" for his parent, before he sang 'Rockabye', which he partnered with blonde-beauty Anne-Marie on.

He said: "The deepest feeling of love I have in my life is the feeling I have for my mummy."

Sean continued his set by singing 'Crick Neck', 'Gimme The Light' and his 2005 hit record 'We Be Burnin', as well as 'Trumpets' and his new 2017 record 'Phone Flash'.

Before introducing 'She Doesn't Mind', the star joked his manager was desperate to get him off of the stage, saying: "Ladies and gentlemen I've got a stage manager backstage and she said I've passed my time and I've got to go to the next city. Oh no. She said she doesn't mind."

Sean's set came to a close with 'Temperature' before he thanked the audience for belting out his songs with him and he also praised their "good" taste in music.

He said: "Thank you for singing along with me tonight. Y'all like good music."
On World Earth Day, Lenzing AG, globally leading producer of wood-based cellulose fibres, has showcased its new sustainability strategy. Lenzing has also donated $27,000 to the canopy project, Earth Day Network, for its ongoing tree planting programme. With this amount, Lenzing has completed Earth Day Networks target of raising $150,000 for Earth Day 2017.

"We are very grateful for Lenzing Group's generous donation," said Earth Day Network president Kathleen Rogers. "With the help of partners such as Lenzing, we are not just planting trees, we are also helping build sustainable communities in areas of the world most in need of reforestation."

The new sustainability strategy 'Naturally Positive' of the Lenzing Group is the result of the new Group strategy, sCore TEN adopted in the autumn of 2015. "The concept of sustainability is an integral feature of our Group strategy. This is because Lenzing is in the unique position to be able to operate a truly circular business model. We produce functional, aesthetic and emotional products by utilizing the raw material wood from CO2 and sunlight," said Stefan Doboczky, chief executive officer of the Lenzing Group. "At the end of their useful lives, our fibres are biodegradable and thus once again serve as the basis for new plant growth."

This approach is complemented by close cooperation with the value chain in order to jointly develop and implement systemic solutions. "That is why we closely work together with multi-stakeholder initiatives and actively support a range of NGOs devoted to propagating sustainability principles," said Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of the Lenzing Group. "With this in mind, we are pursuing a policy oriented towards the long term which features transparency and mutual trust with all our stakeholders."

This model of the circular economy pervades the entire Lenzing sustainability strategy. It is based on the three 'P' cornerstones, People  Planet  Profit. Crucial operational components include the sustainable procurement of wood and a responsible handling of water. The raw material wood is fully converted into valuable industrial raw materials and bioenergy at the biorefineries of the Lenzing Group. Largely closed chemical cycles ensure the environmentally compatible production of Lenzing fibres. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
For the year ended December 31, 2016, sales at Cleantech Solutions International slipped 40.1 per cent to $17.4 million as against $29.0 million in 2015. This decline came as the main source of revenue for the company is only its dyeing and finishing business, since its forged rolled rings and other businesses are reflected as discontinued operations.In 2016, gross profit totalled $2.5 million compared to gross profit of $6.5 million for 2015, while gross margin was 14.7 per cent during 2016 vis-a-vis 22 per cent in the previous year.

For the year ended December 31, 2016, sales at Cleantech Solutions International slipped 40.1 per cent to $17.4 million as against $29.0 million in 2015. This decline came as the main source of revenue for the company is only its dyeing and finishing business, since its forged rolled rings and other businesses are reflected as discontinued operations.#

However, operating expenses surged 77.4 per cent to $3.9 million in the period under review versus $2.2 million in the earlier year."The increase was primarily due to higher bad debt expense, higher professional fees in the form of stock-based compensation and an increase in research and development expenses for the development of new dyeing and finishing products," Cleantech observed.Loss from continuing operations was $1.4 million, or $1.17 loss per basic and diluted share, as against income from continuing operations of $3.0 million, or $3.04 per basic and diluted share in 2015. (AR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Former MP Mykola Martynenko has said that he is not planning to leave Ukraine and apply for political asylum in other countries.

"I won't apply for political asylum," he said at a court hearing in Kyiv on Saturday.

He also said that he has no relation to Austria's STEUERMANN.

He said that he believes that the petition of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) to arrest him with a UAH 300 million bail is inadequate.
Karan Johar's family drama Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham was definitely a major game-changer when it came to Indian cinema. The film boosted of a 'constellation' of stars and was a box-office blockbuster.

It brought back together two veteran actors- Big B and his wife Jaya Bachchan on screen, SRK-Kajol's cute antics and Kareena Kapoor's 'Pooh' made the film even more memorable.

But do you guys know that Aishwarya Rai would have played Anjali Sharma onscreen had Kajol turned down the role? Surprising, isn't it? But yes, that's cent percent true and this revelation was made by none other than KJo himself in his book, 'An Unsuitable Boy'.

Karan Johar Thought Kajol Would Reject Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham In his book KJo has admitted that he was not sure about Kajol's reply to star in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. There Were Rumours About Kajol Quitting Acting Post Marriage Back then, Kajol had just tied the knot with Ajay Devgn and speculations were rife that she might bid adieu to her acting career to concentrate on her family post marriage. KJo Was Mentally Prepared For Kajol's Rejection The filmmaker further added that he was mentally prepared that Kajol would say no to the film. He Was Considering Aishwarya Rai For Kajol's Role Of Anjali Sharma KJo further revealed that had Kajol turned down K3G, he would have approached Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the role. But Kajol Was Dying To Do KJo's Film Kajol actually surprised him by saying that she is game for the role as she just could not say no to him. Kajol added that, she would die if Karan Johar signed up another heroine for her role of Anjali Sharma.

In fact, Kajol almost become a lucky mascot for Karan Johar as the latter always made sure that she at least had a cameo in all his films if she wasn't playing the female lead.

But like they say nothing lasts forever in Bollywood. The once-besties now don't see eye-eye after a recent ugly fall-out. KJo even went to the extent of saying he will never forgive Kajol and she is out of his life. Now, that's quite sad as we won't get to see this stunning duo teaming up for a film anytime soon.

Meanwhile folks, do you think Ash would have played Anjali Sharma better than Kajol?
I Can't Speak For Anyone

"See I can't speak for anyone, but I personally love azaan! When we were shooting for Tanu Weds Manu in Lucknow, I loved the sound of it (azaan), I can only speak for myself!''

I Personally Love Azaan

''Whatever religious activity, may it be at the gurudwara, or Bhagavad Gita, or azaan, I personally like it a lot! And, I personally like going to places of worship like masjid, temple or church! We go for a Christmas Mass too!''

Sonu Nigam Should Be Respected For His Opinion

Again, I can only speak for myself, but that's not to say that what he's (Sonu Nigam) saying should not be considered, whatever he said is his opinion and he should be respected for that.''

It Should Be Discussed

''I think that's the idea of bringing it to social media, isn't it, so it should be discussed! Does that answer your question?"

What Happened Exactly?

Sonu Nigam grabbed the headlines when he tweeted this, ''God bless everyone. I'm not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India.''

Fatwa Against Sonu

A Maulvi also issued a fatwa against him claiming to award 10 Lakh rupees to the person who shaves Sonu's hair. TBut Sonu himself shaved his hair off and went bald.
The legal eagle is on Salman Khan's back since close to two decades now and the actor is running around courts across the country and fighting cases. While in some he has been acquitted, the others are still pending for a verdict.

The Jodhpur District and Sessions Court has asked Salman Khan to furnish a bail bond of Rs. 20,000 and ordered him to personally appear before it on July 6, 2017 in connection with the Arms Act case. The police department had filed a case against Salman in October 1998 for illegally keeping a .22 rifle and .32 revolver without proper documents and using them to poach two black bucks in Jodhpur's Kankani village.

The Rajasthan Government made an appeal to the session's court after he was acquitted by a CJM court in Jodhpur. "The court acquitted Salman Khan in the arms act case where the state government filed an appeal against this order. We received a notice of that appeal. The court has asked Salman Khan to personally appear before court on July 6. We have been asked to furnish a bail bond worth Rs. 20, 000," said Salman Khan's lawyer Hastmal Saraswat.
Nivin Pauly, the young crowd-puller is all set to essay the lead role in actress-director Geetu Mohandas's maiden Malayalam venture, Moothon. In a recent interview, Nivin opened up about how he is preparing for his role in Moothon.

Interestingly, the actor, who will be using Jeseri dialect in the movie, has been getting a special training on advanced acting techniques, for his role in the movie. Nivin Pauly has been trained by the renowned acting trainer Atul Moria.

According to Nivin Pauly, he has learned how to study a character in detail and assess it. The actor has also been specially trained on body languages, as a part of the preparations for his role in Moothon.

Nivin Pauly is highly excited about the Geetu Mohandas movie, which develops through the concept of magical realism and reality. The actor is extremely happy that he has received an opportunity to learn and prepare a lot for a movie.

Moothon, which depicts the story of a 14-year-old boy who comes to Mumbai in search of his elder brother, is scripted by director Geetu himself. The movie will be shot at the various locations of Lakshadweep and Mumbai.

Popular Bollywood film-maker Anurag Kashyap has co-written the dialogues of the movie. Geetu's husband, the National-award winning cinematographer Rajeev Ravi handles the direction of photography.
Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover's fight is known to all. Post fight, the comedians have parted ways. While a few reports suggest that Sunil might return to The Kapil Sharma Show, a few other reports say that Sunil has moved on and do not want to return to the show.

According to Spotboye reports Sunil Grover has rejected a show with 'Khiladi' Akshay Kumar. Also TOI reports suggest that Sunil is all set to start his own show. Read on to know more...

Akshay's New Show Apparently, Akshay Kumar has been finalised to play Maha Guru on a comedy show. The show will be aired on Star Plus. Apparently, Sunil was approached for the show, but he declined the offer. Krushna & Bharti Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh were also approached for the show. Although both of them have confirmed about their participation, they are yet to sign the dotted lines. Chandan Prabhakar There are also reports that Chandan Prabhakar was also offered the show. But, he is still thinking about the offer. Akshay To Play Mahaguru According to Spotboye report, Akshay will be playing the Maha Guru, while Krushna and Bharti will be the Gurus on the show. Both will have their respective teams who will compete with each other. Sunil To Make A Comeback With His Own Show! Sunil Grover, who is busy with live concerts and appearances on other Sony TV's show, is planning for a new show. A source close to Sunil has revealed to the leading daily that Sunil is planning for a celebrity-based show, but completely different from The Kapil Sharma Show. Sunil's Show To Have Chandan, Ali & Sugandha Apparently, the show will also have other The Kapil Sharma Show members - Chandan Prabhakar, Ali Asgar and Sugandha Mishra (who are not shooting for TKSS right now). The show will also have other talented artists. Sunil's New Show! It is said that the makers are in talks with Sony TV to air the show, but other rival channels are putting profitable offer to get the team on board. The Name Of Sunil's New Show... Like Kapil Sharma's show, Sunil Grover does not want his show to be named after him. Apparently, the show will go on air in June!

It has to be recalled that this is not the first time that the reports of Sunil's new show are popping up. Previously too, it was said that Sunil has teamed up with the creative of The Kapil Sharma Show - Preeti Simoes.

But Preeti, has denied the rumours saying, "There are no such developments. It's all a figment of some over active imagination."

Also, Sony TV is not ready to let Sunil go. Since Sunil is also bound with the bond, the channels are still trying to convince him to return to the show. He had appeared as Dr Mashoor Ghulati on the Indian Idol finale. Recently, he was also seen shooting in the same avatar with Ali Asgar (who is seen as his nurse) on Sony TV's other show Sabse Bada Kalakar.

The show had also said Sunil that if he returns to the show, his conversation with Kapil would be kept minimal.

There are also reports that Kapil has given up convincing Sunil.

The Kapil Sharma Show is completing its 100th episode and Kapil had thanked his whole team - who were and are with his (without taking names, Kapil thanked Sunil, Chandan and Ali).
Regulatory News:

Veolia (Paris:VIE), through its subsidiary CFSP, has been selected by Le Mans Metropole for the contract for its La Chauviniere wastewater treatment plant.

Worth a total of approximately 60 million, or 16.38 million for the construction of the new facilities by OTV-Veolia and 43.5 million for nine years' operation, this contract reflects the aim to build a truly circular economy around wastewater with the installation of an anaerobic digester and the introduction of various innovative processes.

Under the lead of CFSP, Veolia's local subsidiary, this new contract for the operation of the La Chauviniere wastewater treatment plant will result in OTV-Veolia establishing a multi-disciplinary team to design and build the new structures, including local architects Pieces Montees, and the engineering firm and assistant to the Program Manager Naldeo. A responsible consortium established to serve a project that will be environmentally, technically and economically efficient.

With Veolia, Le Mans Metropole is making a firm commitment to the circular economy and to transforming waste into a resource, conserving raw materials and helping combat climate change.

Work on the anaerobic digester will begin in 2018 for commissioning scheduled at the end of 2020. It will allow the La Chauviniere plant to produce energy in the form of biomethane from wastewater. The amount of gas the plant will inject into the local reticulated network will the equivalent to the gas consumed by one of the city's buses.

Already in 2018, Veolia will introduce innovations to help make the La Chauviniere plant a virtuous model committed to minimizing the energy consumed by the plant and its facilities, while also developing new technology. For example, the Alcion process converts CO 2 from the purification of biogas into sodium bicarbonate that can be used by the neighboring household waste energy recovery facility. This is a first at such a scale for this type of plant. Similarly, the removal of phosphorus in demand from agriculture will also be the subject of a specific R&D phase at the plant.

With cutting-edge digital tools, the La Chauviniere wastewater treatment plant will be entirely managed by an integrated "Hypervision 360" control center that will use all service data and information to continuously optimize operation and production. The municipal services of Le Mans Metropole will also have direct access to this data and will be able to track the KPIs transparently and in real time.

Involved for many years in the development of the Le Mans region, Veolia's subsidiary CFSP expects to hire 16 apprentices locally to join the water treatment plant's team. An integration clause will be systematically included in all sub-contractor contracts and 85% of these will be signed with companies in the surrounding area.

The plant will also be a key factor in advancing the population's ecological awareness through a new interactive educational visit. Finally, the La Sarthe river flowing past the plant will be the focus of another project to demonstrate how industry and nature can co-exist harmoniously.

"Working alongside Le Mans, we will make the La Chauviniere plant a real reference in the water treatment sector," saysFrederic Van Heems, Chief Executive Officer of Water for Veolia in France. "This plant illustrates what tomorrow's plants will be like, that is, firmly committed to the circular economy, benefiting from excellent service in the forefront of innovation, and delivering remarkable performance."

Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 163,000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them. In 2016, the Veolia group supplied 100 million people with drinking water and 61 million people with wastewater service, produced 54 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 30 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of 24.39 billion in 2016. www.veolia.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171008005053/en/

Contacts:

Veolia Group Media

Laurent Obadia Sandrine Guendoul

Stephane Galfre Marie Bouvet

33 (0)6 09 78 22 63

stephane.galfre@veolia.com

or

Investor & Analyst Relations

Ronald Wasylec, 33 (0)1 85 57 84 76

ronald.wasylec@veolia.com

or

Ariane de Lamaze, 33 (0)1 85 57 84 80

Ariane.de-lamaze@veolia.com

or

(USA)

Terri Anne Powers, +1-630-218-1627

terri.powers@veolia.com
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 13, 2017) - Nuri Telecom Company Limited ("Nuri") announced today that, following the take-up and payment of 49,866,773 common shares ("Apivio Shares") of Apivio Systems Inc. ("Apivio") pursuant to the previously announced takeover offer (the "Offer") by Nuri's wholly-owned subsidiary 1101324 B.C. Ltd. (the "Offeror"), the Offeror has today mailed a notice of compulsory acquisition (the "Notice of Compulsory Acquisition") to all remaining holders of Apivio Shares in accordance with the compulsory acquisition provisions in the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) ("BCBCA") (the "Compulsory Acquisition").

Under the terms of the Compulsory Acquisition, and subject to the terms of the BCBCA, the holders of all the remaining Apivio Shares not currently owned by the Offeror ("Remaining Shareholders") will be entitled to receive the same consideration per share as paid under the Offer, being $0.45 in cash per share. Further details are provided in the Notice of Compulsory Acquisition, filed under the Apivio profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

In order to receive payment for their shares, Remaining Shareholders must submit the letter of transmittal circulated with the Notice of Compulsory Acquisition along with all certificates representing their shares to Laurel Hill Advisory Group. The Offeror intends to pay the cash consideration for the remaining Apivio Shares on or about August 15, 2017. Remaining Shareholders are requested to complete and return the letter of transmittal before August 14, 2017.

Apivio Shares are expected to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange on or about June 16, 2017.

Shareholder Questions

If Remaining Shareholders have any questions regarding the Notice of Compulsory Acquisition or require assistance with depositing Remaining Shares, please call the Depositary, Laurel Hill Advisory Group , toll free in North America at 1-877-452-7184 (+1-416-304-0211 outside North America), or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com.

Advisors to the Offeror

The Offeror has engaged PI Financial Corp. to act as its financial advisor. Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP is acting as the legal advisor in connection with the Compulsory Acquisition.

Laurel Hill Advisory Group has been retained as Depositary for the Compulsory Acquisition. Remaining Shareholders may contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group by telephone at 1-877-452-7184 (Toll Free in North America) or 1-416-304-0211 (Collect Outside North America) or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com.

About Nuri

Nuri is a provider of next generation communication technology for the Internet of Things ("IoT") and the Smart Grid industry. Nuri is a global leader in providing end-to-end advanced metering infrastructure solutions that save consumers money and help utilities to run a network infrastructure that's proven, reliable, future-proof and fully standardized. Nuri's core product offering is a communication solution for smart meters, AiMiR, which provides automatic meter readings of electricity, water, gas and other measurements and delivers gathered data through a variety of networks in real time. AiMiR helps consumers and utility companies manage their resource consumption by providing real time information, accommodating their resource distribution to optimum levels for both short term and long term infrastructure needs.

To date, Nuri has deployed its communication systems to over two million households and businesses in 19 countries worldwide, and that number continues to grow each day through large-scale deployments in commercial, industrial, and residential markets. With a growing list of global customers, Nuri is expanding its customer base throughout Asia, Europe and Africa. Recently, Nuri has won US$79 million Soria projects in Norway and US$12 million ECG projects in Ghana.

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.

This news release does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities of the Offeror, Nuri or Apivio.

Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement

This news release contains certain forward-looking information (referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "scheduled", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", or similar words suggesting future events, circumstances or outcomes. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information concerning the payment for Remaining Shares deposited under the Notice of Compulsory Acquisition, including the timing thereof, and the delisting of Apivio Shares from the TSX Venture Exchange.

Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of management of Nuri as at the effective date of such statements. Although Nuri believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such things as changes in general economic conditions in Canada and elsewhere and new laws and regulations (domestic and foreign).

Having regard to the various risk factors, readers should not place undue reliance upon the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and such forward-looking statements should not be interpreted or regarded as guarantees of future outcomes.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and Nuri does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws in force in Canada. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Laurel Hill Advisory Group

1-877-452-7184 (Toll Free in North America)

1-416-304-0211 (Collect Outside North America)

assistance@laurelhill.com
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / May 16, 2017 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until July 3, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against PCM, Inc. (NasdaqGM: PCMI), if they purchased the Company's securities between June 17, 2015 and May 2, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

What You May Do

If you purchased securities of PCM and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com ). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by July 3, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

PCM and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On June 17, 2015, PCM publicly filed the financial statements of En Pointe, a company it had recently acquired. Then, on May 2, 2017, Seeking Alpha reported that in the course of litigation with En Pointe's prior owner, the Company had stated that "[a]udited financials provided by En Pointe, and filed with the SEC, materially overstated the profitability of the business"; thus, PCM's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On this news, the price of PCM's shares plummeted.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
One of deputy directors general of public joint-stock company Odesa Oil Refinery who was responsible for organization of the unlawful removal of fuel via the oil refinery has been detained in Boryspil, Kyiv region, Spokesperson of Ukrainian Prosecutor General Larysa Sarhan has reported.

She said that one of the top managers of Odesa Oil Refinery was detained on Friday under a ruling of Prymorsky district court of Odesa by officers of Prosecutor General's Office in Odesa region jointly with the officers of the National Police and Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) department in Odesa region.

"According to investigators, the unlawful removal of over 700,000 tonnes of light fuel in the form of re-exports via Laguna-Reni LLC was organized by this citizen. The fuel was in fact sold to shell companies in Ukraine under control of a criminal group without paying obligatory customs duties and taxes. Over UAH 2.1 billion was not paid to the national budget of Ukraine," she wrote on her Facebook page.

The detained person is suspected of committing a crime in violation of Part 1 of Article 255 (participation in a criminal group), Part 4 of Article 28 and Part 3 of Article 212 (tax evasion respect of an especially gross amount committed by a criminal group) and Article 366 (official forgery).

The pretrial investigation is underway.
IRW-PRESS: Marapharm Ventures Inc.: Marapharm Ventures Inc.: Meilensteine beim Bauobjekt in Nevada

Marapharm Ventures Inc.: Meilensteine beim Bauobjekt in Nevada

2. November 2017 Kelowna, BC - Marapharm Ventures Inc. "Marapharm" gibt bekannt, beim Bauobjekt in Las Vegas eine Reihe von kritischen Meilensteinen uberwunden zu haben. Die Rohbauten sind fertiggestellt, die Betonschalung ist erfolgt, die Gebaude wurden isoliert und es wurde mit den internen Rahmenkonstruktionen begonnen. Die Isolierung der Gebaude wurde doppelt so stark wie vorgeschrieben realisiert, um die Betriebskosten am Standort Nevada so gering wie moglich zu halten. Die Betonplatten wurden im Hinblick auf Heiz- und Kuhltechnologien nach dem neuesten Stand der Technik entwickelt, mit dem Ziel, die Betriebskosten zu senken, den wachsenden Standort zu begunstigen und die Nachfrage nach HLK-Anlagen zu senken.

Alle Ausrustungen und erste Materiallieferungen wurden in Auftrag gegeben; die Lieferung wird fur die kommenden Wochen erwartet, einschlielich der fuhrenden Industriebeleuchtung von der Solis-Tek Lighting Corp, kundenspezifischen rollenden Soma-Style Anbaubehaltern und Bodenmischungen von der Essential Agronomy aus Oregon fur den Anbau. Fur den Fertigungsbetrieb werden Regelkreis-Gewinnungsgerate von Extraction Tek installiert werden. Die Gesamtanlage wird von einem kundenspezifischen HLK-System aus einer Kombination von wassergekuhlten internen SURNA-Warmepumpen und Entfeuchtern profitieren. Die Versorgung erfolgt uber propangasbetriebene Motoren mit betriebseigener Warmetauschertechnologie italienischer Herstellung.

Unsere Gebaude entsprechen dem neuesten Stand der Technik und wurden kundenspezifisch konzipiert, damit sie im Hinblick auf die Redundanz unserer Tatigkeiten flexibel und ausbaubar sind und den Schutz der Ernteertrage gewahrleisten. Die Betriebskosten werden um 20% geringer geschatzt als bei einer konventionellen Anlage. Unsere Investitionen fur Infrastruktur und Ausstattung spiegeln unsere Entscheidungen fur das Beste vom Besten wider. Wir denken langfristig und diese Anlagen werden uns befahigen, ein Produkt der Spitzenqualitat zu schaffen, dass unseren Aktionaren hochste Renditeertrage einbringen wird", Linda Sampson, CEO bei Marapharm.

http://www.irw-press.at/prcom/images/messages/2017/41310/NR.LV.Fi nal_DEPRcom.001.png

WEITERE EINZELHEITEN

Auf der Webseite von Marapharm sind Fotos zu den Bauarbeiten verfugbar. Marapharm gab am 21. August 2017 bekannt, dass die Fertigstellung des Baus von 2 Startanlagen zum 31. Oktober 2017 erwartet wird. Dies hat sich bis voraussichtlich 30. November verschoben.

Marapharm gab am 10. Oktober 2017 bekannt, dass die Ausschreibung fur den Bau eines dritten Gebaudes mit 6.098 m2 (65.635 Quadratfu) sowie die Bauplane fur Oktober 2017 erwartet werden. Die Bauplane wurden fertiggestellt und wurden zur Ausschreibung bei den Anbietern freigegeben.

Marapharm gab am 18. September2017 den Start des Pflanzenwachstums bekannt. Mutterpflanzen werden um den 30. November 2017 von den vorlaufigen Anlagen zu den Anbaugebauden transferiert werden.

Wir mochten unsere Aktionare daran erinnern, dass wir am 17. November in Las Vegas, Nevada, einen Tag der Offenen Tur veranstalten. Melden Sie sich auf www.marapharm.com fur Ihre Einladung an.

UBER MARAPHARM VENTURES INC. www.marapharm.com

Marapharm ist ein an der Canadian Stock Exchange notiertes Unternehmen, das in erster Linie auf die Produktion von Cannabis fur medizinische Zwecke und als Genussmittel spezialisiert ist und Betriebsstatten in der kanadischen Provinz British Columbia besitzt. Seit 2016 konnte das Unternehmen seine Prasenz mit Produktionsstandorten in den wichtigsten US-Bundesstaaten Washington, Nevada und Kalifornien rasant ausbauen und bemuht sich aktiv um Expansionsmoglichkeiten rund um den Globus.

WEITERE INFORMATIONEN ERHALTEN SIE UBER: www.marapharm.com oder Linda Sampson, CEO, Tel. 778-583-4476, E-Mail info@marapharm.com SOZIALE MEDIEN: Facebook: facebook.com/marapharm Twitter: twitter.com/marapharm BORSEN: Die Aktien von Marapharm notieren in Kanada unter dem Borsenkurzel MDM an der CSE, in den USA unter dem Borsenkurzel MRPHF an der OTCQB sowie in Europa unter dem Borsenkurzel 2M0 an der Frankfurter Borse. Die Aktien von Marapharm werden auch an anderen renommierten europaischen Marktplatzen wie etwa Stuttgart, Tradegate, L & S, Quotnx, Dusseldorf, Munchen und Berlin gehandelt.

Weder CSE noch FWB oder OTCQB haben den Inhalt dieser Pressemeldung genehmigt noch abgelehnt. Weder CSE, noch FWB oder OTCQB ubernehmen Verantwortung fur die Angemessenheit oder Genauigkeit dieser Meldung.

ENGAGEMENT IN DER MARIHUANABRANCHE

Die guten Beziehungen zu an der kanadischen Borse (CSE) notierten Unternehmen bleiben aufrecht, solange diese die von den Regulierungsbehorden verlangten Auskunfte erteilen und die anwendbaren Lizenzierungsanforderungen sowie die rechtlichen Bestimmungen erfullen, die in dem Bundesstaat, in dem sie tatig sind, anwendbar sind.

ZUKUNFTSGERICHTETE AUSSAGEN:

Bestimmte Aussagen in dieser Pressemitteilung enthalten zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen. Durch den Gebrauch der Worter erwarten, fortsetzen, schatzen, rechnen mit, konnten, werden, planen, sollten, glauben und ahnlicher Ausdrucke sollen zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen kenntlich gemacht werden. Diese Aussagen unterliegen bekannten und unbekannten Risiken, Unsicherheiten und anderen Faktoren, aufgrund derer die eigentlichen Ergebnisse oder Ereignisse wesentlich von den in solchen zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen zum Ausdruck gebrachten Erwartungen abweichen konnten. Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen beruhen auf angemessenen Annahmen. Es kann trotzdem nicht gewahrleistet werden, dass sich solche Erwartungen als richtig erweisen werden. Den zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen in dieser Pressemitteilung sollte kein ungebuhrliches Vertrauen entgegengebracht werden.

Die Ausgangssprache (in der Regel Englisch), in der der Originaltext veroffentlicht wird, ist die offizielle, autorisierte und rechtsgultige Version. Diese Ubersetzung wird zur besseren Verstandigung mitgeliefert. Die deutschsprachige Fassung kann gekurzt oder zusammengefasst sein. Es wird keine Verantwortung oder Haftung: fur den Inhalt, fur die Richtigkeit, der Angemessenheit oder der Genauigkeit dieser Ubersetzung ubernommen. Aus Sicht des Ubersetzers stellt die Meldung keine Kauf- oder Verkaufsempfehlung dar! Bitte beachten Sie die englische Originalmeldung auf www.sedar.com , www.sec.gov , www.asx.com.au/ oder auf der Firmenwebsite!

Die englische Originalmeldung finden Sie unter folgendem Link: http://www.irw-press.at/press_html.aspx?messageID=41310 Die ubersetzte Meldung finden Sie unter folgendem Link: http://www.irw-press.at/press_html.aspx?messageID=41310&tr=1

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ISIN CA56575M1086

AXC0204 2017-11-02/13:12
Wasteless, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based Internet of Groceries startup, raised $400k in seed funding.

Backers included VC SOSV, Food Angels, Jonathan Ofir, and Winston Ltd.

The company, which has taken part in the latest cohort of Food-X accelerator by SOSV, intends to use the funds to complete the platform and create prototypes to be used in field trials.

Led by Ben Biron, Wasteless is advancing a machine learning powered tracking solution for grocery stores to offer customers dynamic pricing based on product expiration date. The solution combines item level RFID sensing, a dynamic pricing engine, and Electronic Shelf Labeling to let consumers choose how much they want to pay for a product based on its expiration date. Wasteless continuously monitors stock levels, if an item is almost out of stock, the store is alerted. If it has been on the shelf for too long, the price can be automatically reduced.

Wasteless, which is currently in trial with several retailers, has also offices in New York.

FinSMEs

22/04/2017
MJ Freeway, a Denver, CO-based provider of business management solutions and consulting services for the cannabis industry, raised $3m in Series B funding.

Backers included existing investors Roger McNamee and Tao Capital Partners.

The company, which has raised $11m in the Series B round, will use this funds for continued market expansion.

Founded in 2010 by Jessica Billingsley, COO, and Amy Poinsett, CEO, MJ Freeway provides cannabis businesses with a software and consulting solution, processing $5B in cannabis sales transactions and serving clients in 23 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The companys tracking software includes patent-pending inventory control and grow management applications to streamline workflow and increase efficiency while its Leaf Data Systems software solution enables governments to track cannabis plants from seed-to-sale and ensure patient, public, and product safety.

MJ Freeway also offers a complete suite of consulting services for cannabis businesses.

FinSMEs

21/04/2017
Ongo, a Myanmar-based mobile payments business, received a strategic investment from the National Bank of Canada.

National Bank Of Canada has become a new strategic shareholder acquiring a 22% shareholding. The terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Led by Michael Madden, Founder and Chairman, Ongo is the consumer facing brand of Ronoc Asia, a subsidiary of the emerging markets investment business Ronoc. It offers customers to use their smartphone to Cash-in (convert their cash into Emoney) and Cash-out at over two hundred cash agent locations around Yangon and access a suite of instant services including: Mobile top-up, P2P money transfer, B2B payments and Bill Payments.

Customers can also receive their payroll/salary direct to the E-wallet through Ongos Mobile Payroll Service.

The company currently employs over three hundred people in Yangon and is expected to grow to five hundred by year end.

The addition of NBC as a strategic investor will strengthen the companys capabilities and accelerate its timelines in Myanmar as well as expand to other markets in the region.

FinSMEs

22/04/2017
At a time when the banking industry is fighting against large corporate loan defaulters (promoters who has the ability to pay back but wouldnt do so), such as Kingfisher Airlines boss, Vijay Mallya, banks employee unions are planning a national campaign demanding action against wily promoters and quick recovery of dues.

The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) plans the campaign from 20 April and a morcha before Parliament in mid-September. In an interview with Firstpost, CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA, said both the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the government are to be blamed for the current situation. Venkatachalam said loan defaulters should be banned from holding public posts.

We have been demanding from the Election Commission that loan defaulters should be debarred from contesting elections or becoming ministers, etc. So far, decision is being avoided, Venkatachalam said.

Excerpts of the interview:

Is there any immediate trigger for your agitation?

The problem of bad loans has always been there. We have been fighting on this issue. But recently the RBI started forcing the banks to provide for all these bad loans without suggesting measures for recovery. So it is just to whitewash the balance sheets. So we felt that we must highlight this problem, as it is the single issue which is killing the banks. So we are reviving our campaign on bad loans.

How bad is the current industry situation?

One point is that the quantum of bad loans is alarmingly increasing. According to government and RBI, it is more than Rs 6 lakh crore. But if you take the restructured loans which are also bad loans but camouflaged as good loans, it is more than Rs 13 lakh crore of bad loans. This is highly unacceptable and may make the banks totally weak. Secondly, instead of taking tough actions to recover the bad loans, the attempt is only to somehow show reduced levels of bad loans by provisions and concessions. What we need is recovery of bad loans. They are trying to reduce the bad loan figures through cosmetic schemes.

Who are to be blamed for the current state of affairs?

In banking business, bad loans are unavoidable because some of the loans can go bad. But today taking loans and making it as bad has become an exquisite art and as a profession. How come, a loan given today becomes bad loan within 3 to 6 months? The problem of bad loan is a by-product of the present neo-liberal economic policies. It is also the result of increasing nexus between political authorities, greedy industrialists, and some corrupt top bankers.

But there have been several steps from the RBI and government to tackle bad loans?

They are repeated schemes and announcements from RBI, but unfortunately these are not going to help in recovery of bad loans. These are all measures to give concessions to the defaulters and remove these bad loans from the books of the banks. Unless stringent measures are taken against the defaulters, the loan cannot be recovered.

What should be done to tackle the bad loan mess?

Not all bad loans are bad. In the NPAs (non-performing assets) or bad loans, there are genuine bad loans too. Some loans have become bad due to genuine problems of the borrower. There are bad loans coming from education loans because jobs are not available. Similarly in the agriculture segment bad loans are there due to the crisis in that sector. But the bulk of bad loans in the system is due to deliberate corporate delinquency (wilful default). They take huge loans but deliberately default. Even RBI has defined it as willful default. Normally loan dues are civil cases. Banks file cases in civil courts on the defaulting company. It goes on for years. Company owner does not bother at all.

What should be the immediate steps against wilful dfualters?

We have been demanding the government to declare wilful default as a criminal offence and take criminal action on the owners and directors of these companies. Their names can be published. Why these are hidden. After all banks are giving loans from peoples money. Why such list should be hidden from them. At least, Parliament can be informed. Also, recovery laws can be given more teeth. More DRTs (debt recovery tribunals) are to be established. Fast track Courts for high volume loan dues can be started.

Is the intention to take action missing?

More than anything, intention to recover is required. Here, the idea is to write off the loans at the cost of public money.

What is your opinion on the Kingfisher case?

Government is to blamed for it (Kingfisher episode). RBI has to be blamed for it. In all the boards, RBI and government nominees are there. Loans are given with their knowledge. They know everything. See, there is no accountability at all. At lower level, for small branch managers, all harassments are there. Why not at the top? If we tighten accountability norms for big loans, things will improve. Government and RBI cannot escape their responsibility.

What is the role played by the political-corporate nexus in the build up of bad loans?

To a large extent, this nexus is the root cause. We have been demanding from the Election Commission that loan defaulters should be debarred from contesting elections or becoming ministers, etc. So far, decision is being avoided. Defaulters should not be allowed to hold public positions. Padmasri Award was given to Ramesh Gelly. He was responsible for the downfall of Global Trust Bank. Why it has not been withdrawn?
New Delhi: The Centre on Friday disapproved the decision of some petroleum dealers' associations to keep fuel outlets shut on Sundays from 14 May.

"The Petroleum Ministry does not approve or endorse the move by a section of petrol pump dealers to close down fuel stations on Sundays," Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee at a meeting in Srinagar, according to an official statement here.

Ministry sources have said that the threat to shut down pumps on Sundays will be dealt with according to measures necessary to maintain supplies of essential commodities as petroleum products come under this category.

The Ministry tweeted on Friday that customers will soon get petrol and diesel delivered at their home on pre-booking.

"Options being explored where petro products may be door delivered to consumers on pre booking," the Ministry said.

"This would help consumers avoid spending excessive time and long queues at fuel stations," it added.

Earlier this week, the Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers informed the media of their decision to shut fuel bunks every Sunday starting 14 May to protest the public sector oil companies' failure to hike dealer margins.

The decision will cover Haryana, Maharashtra and the entire southern region -- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala as well as Puducherry.

The dealers' body representatives told the media on Tuesday that their decision was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent call to save petrol and diesel.

The Petroleum Ministry in a tweet on Wednesday said: "Major dealers' federations have clarified that they don't endorse any closure of petrol pumps on any day."

It said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat had "appealed to People of India not to use fuel once a week and not to the dealers to close their pumps on Sundays".

All India Petroleum Dealers Association president Ajay Bansal said that the association, which has nearly 46,000 petrol pump owners as members, is not participating in the Sunday closure.

According to the government, around 3.5 crore people come to fuel stations every day, which annually transact around Rs 2,500 crore worth of business.
Purab Kohli's character in Noor, Ayan Bannerjee, is suave and charming  he's the sort of man who sweeps female protagonists off their feet the instant they talk to him. He has a bullet wound from a war, and is not afraid of poking fun at himself. The air of mystery and effortlessness that surrounds him will remind you of Rahul Khanna's Kabir Chaudhary from Wake Up Sid!

If you think Kohli's character seems too good to be true, you're right. What makes Ayan memorable are the shades of grey he exhibits during the course of the film, in which he stars opposite Sonakshi Sinha, who plays the titular role. In this conversation, the actor tells us about how he prepared for the role, the similarities between this character and the one he essayed in P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke and the Noor-Ayan equation.

Kohli's character in Noor is a front-line war photojournalist visiting Mumbai to exhibit some of his photographs. "For me, his is an exciting, high-risk profession. His backstory boasts of an iconic picture that he took while Saddam Husseins statue was being toppled in Baghdad. He comes into the story with that wing on his back," the actor explains. Sonakshi's character is enamoured by the lifestyle he leads and the job he does. "She finds Ayans character fascinating and sexy. That is what their chemistry is built on," he adds.

Kohli says that what drew him to Ayan's character is the importance he holds in the plot of the film and the interesting turn he brings about in it. He also remarks about Ayan's sex appeal and says, "Hes the sort of person you fall in love with when you see him. I enjoy his sexiness. Ive never played a character thats got this kind of energy before."

What relationship do Noor and Ayan share? "I think Ayan is attracted to Noor because of her simplicity, her innocence, which he probably had once. When he sees Noor, he wants that innocence back and wants to hold onto it," Kohli says. He describes their relationship as being intense, because they are very strongly attracted to each other. "I think a contrast and aspiration to be like each other, quite possibly, are reasons why they are attracted to each other," he explains. He says that it is the kind of relationship where you really want the other person, which can also be detrimental to yourself.

"The character came to me at an interesting time, you know. Ive moved on from P.O.W., and my character in this show had the heavy baggage of being in captivity for 17 years. There was an aspect of war in that show that I shot nine months ago, and in the midst of it, this character appears, who is also in a war zone," Kohli explains. He says that Sartaj, his character in P.O.W., and Ayan are very different; Ayan is "more of the world" on account of being well traveled, intelligent and educated, while Sartaj, a jawan in the army, is limited by his rural upbringing. "Sartaj is physically affected by it, whereas Ayan is only emotionally affected by it," he adds.

To prepare for the role, one of the things Kohli did was look at a lot of war photographs and try to imagine what kind of life one lives as a soldier or a child in the war zone. "Those images are very gruesome, and Ayan has seen them in person. He has several layers, and he functions with them," the actor says. He adds that his character is quite unlike other people, and looks at life differently. "Ayan is also a cynic," he says, "that is what Noor is really attracted to  to that dark side of him."

Kohli said that he had a few questions about the character, and wasn't sure about how director Sunhil Sippy was rounding him off, because when the actor spoke to Sippy for the first time, the latter was still in the process of writing Noor. "He just said stuff to me that made complete sense. The director and I were on the same page, which for me is a very important aspect. As an actor, you have your own vision of something and when your director has a different vision it just clashes," he adds.

Kohli says that he chose not to read the book that Noor is based on, Karachi, You're Killing Me! written by Saba Imtiaz, because he didn't want to create an impression of this film from having read a book and then have expectations. "After the film releases, perhaps I will feel like going to the book and exploring it," he says.



Purab Kohli will be seen next in Sense8, a sci-fi drama web series on Netflix, which is due to start streaming in May.
Great comedians are like fine wine. They mature and get better with age. That certainly was the case with George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, and Paul Mooney. For some, the bright lights of Hollywood are too much to resist: Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy come to mind. Other careers are cut tragically short: The one of a kind Bill Hicks was taken much too early by pancreatic cancer and Mitch Hedberg succumbed to his demons, dying of a drug overdose.

For a while, it seemed that Dave Chappelle was destined to be placed in the pantheon of those whose careers were taken before their time. But unlike Hicks, Chappelle wasn't ravaged by disease. And unlike Hedberg, the only demons Chappelle succumbed to were those that lived in his mind.

In 2005, Dave Chappelle did something unfathomable: He walked away from Chappelle Show, his ground breaking and record breaking show at Comedy Central at the height of his popularity. He reportedly turned down a 50 million dollar contract to do a third season. People were gobsmacked. Rumours that he'd had a nervous breakdown ran rampant. The truth was a lot more complicated: Chappelle had had enough of the limelight. He didn't want the fame. And he didn't need the money.

So, Chappelle went into self-imposed exile. He spent some time in Africa. He settled down in a small town. Got married. Stayed away for 12 long years. And comedy was all poorer for it. So naturally, fans went into a tizzy when Netflix announced they'd signed a $60 million contract to bring Dave Chappelle on board for three stand up specials.

I was excited too. Dave Chappelle's stand up specials were some of the funniest I'd ever seen. And I was eager to see get his perspective on this world of "alternative facts" and "fake news". Even the names of the specials  The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas  sounded promising. So, I was disappointed to find that Chappelle, although he displayed sparks of that old comic genius, was disappointingly out of touch.

First the good: Chappelle fares best when he makes himself the butt of the joke. He deftly exposes the ugliness and hypocrisy that human beings are capable of when he narrates of how he blew off a benefit organised by prominent African-Americans for the city of Flint, Michigan, which is dealing with a water crisis, just because his good friend Chris Rock invited him to the Oscars.

A bit about being called the N word by a group of young men while he's with his sister who is dressed in Muslim garb and then turning the tables on them ends with a punch line that will leave viewers in equal parts amused and outraged. My favourite bit though, was when Chappelle turned nostalgic: Narrating how the Care Bears left an entire generation disappointed who discovered that life simply wouldn't let them lock arms, stare at the problem and shoot love out of their chests to solve the problem.

Alas, these moments are few and far between. Time seems to have dulled not only his edge, but his instincts as well. There was, implausibly, not a word about the recent US election. And much like Eddie Murphy's stand-up special in the 1980s, Chappelle's act has always been stained with a certain amount of homophobia.

Making things worse, Chappelle has added an unhealthy dose of transphobia as well. Rather than playing to and then exposing the audience's prejudice, he seems to be egging them on. History will not look kindly upon Chappelle's views. His lack of empathy for "the other", coming from a member of a minority community is staggering. These two specials are a rather grievous blow to his image as a canny social satirist.

It makes me sad to say it, but Chappelle has let his fans down and hurt his legacy. Perhaps, he should have just stayed away.

The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas are streaming on Netflix.


On her way to interview Sunny Leone, Sonakshi Sinhas Noor, describes herself as "dunia ki sabse pointless journalist!" This is probably the only time in the film that Noor is completely honest about her professional failings. For someone who dreams of doing issue-based broadcast journalism, working for CNN and being the new Barkha Dutt on the block, Noor wouldnt know journalism if it slapped her in the face but, more on that later.

As a journalist, I am thankful that through its run time of 1 hour and 47 minutes, Noor doesnt ask anyone Aap kaisa mehsoos kar rahe hain?. And the word presstitute doesnt get mentioned even once. In the last few years, these two cliches seemed to have become synonymous with reportage of any kind in this country. The Sunhil Sippy film also introduces the audience to journalism in the age of social media  where a viral video can spark an important conversation. (Why Noor chooses to repeatedly say beep, while recording the video in her bedroom, instead of the actual expletive is one of the larger mysteries of the film.)

Noor is extremely relatable. She is a cub reporter who guzzles Old Monk (called Old Rum for some reason in the film) and beer; has boy problems; is broke; and, inhales junk food. #IWasNoor about 18 years ago. But this is where the similarities end. Consider this. Noor stumbles upon what she believes is an organ-harvesting scam. Its based on the testimony of a single source. She records two interviews on her phone, and shes done! She doesnt bother to fact check or even reach out to the accused. Noor is painfully ignorant of Journalism 101. Its a good thing CNN rejected her job application.

It gets worse. Noor takes this poorly researched and one-sided story to her editor, demanding that he runs it without delay. Then she takes off to spend the weekend with her boyfriend. When the story does break and puts the lives of her sources in danger, what does Noor do? She heads to London to drown her problems in pints of Guinness.

If this wasnt enough to make a real journalist #facepalm, Noor returns from London to re-report on the story. In the space of a song, she does her research and is ready to face the camera again. There is a mention that the organ-harvesting doctor is using a slum as his evil playground but its handled so superficially that it doesnt register. Journalism is a lot more than talking to a camera but Sippy & Co. wouldnt know that.

The sometimes a movie is just a movie defense doesnt really hold up. We live in a time when the credibility of journalism is at its lowest. Noor sets off to champion the profession but the films over-simplistic story-telling only further harms journalism. Stories that make a difference dont just fall in a reporters lap, and journalism is no walk in the park.

Noor is not the only Hindi film with a skewed representation of journalism. Through the years, Bollywood has looked at journalism through a very warped lens. Journalists in our films are either of the hard-nosed, swearing and smoking ilk like Meera Gaity in No One Killed Jessica, or crusaders like Seema Sahni of Mr India who will do anything to get a story, even sing and dance. Reporters in films like Peepli Live or Rann were byte-collecting vultures and every headline screams sansaani. Editors, whether they are from Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Page 3, Main Azaad Hoon or Noor, are always grumpy and cynical.

Theres good reason why journalists are annoyed by these broad brushstrokes that depict them and their profession in Hindi films. Bollywood is yet to give us a Spotlight, Zodiac, Almost Famous or even The Devil Wears Prada. Its time Bollywood went beyond the headlines and took a closer look at what journalists really do.
Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have detained one of the key suspects in the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) embezzlement case committed under the eye of businessman Serhiy Kurchenko in Sumy region.

"During the pretrial investigation law enforcers established that this person bought a shell company under an order of Kurchenko. Via several financial deals in 2012 and 2013 using this commercial structure the members of the criminal group headed by Kurchenko embezzled almost UAH 800 million of the National Bank of Ukraine," the press service of the SBU reported.

The pretrial investigation was opened under Part 1 of Article 255 (creation of a criminal group), Part 4 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 205 (sham business), Part 5 of Article 191 (misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion of property by abuse of official post committed in respect of an especially gross amount) and Part 2 of Article 366 (official forgery) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

As reported, Kyiv's Holosiyivsky District Court on July 14, 2016 remanded two ex-officials of the NBU, former deputy head of the NBU Oleksiy Tkachenko and former director of the NBU's banking oversight department Roman Yakovlev, to 60-day pretrial confinement, setting bail at UAH 20 million and UAH 10 million for the suspects.

They are suspected of violating Part 1, Article 255, Part 4, Article 28 and Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The two suspects embezzled NBU funds in the amount of UAH 787.396 million. The money had been provided to PSC Real Bank as a bailout loan. The document also says that Tkachenko and Yakovlev acted "as part of a criminal organization" with businessman Serhiy Kurchenko, former NBU governor Ihor Sorkin and former governor of Real Bank's board Volodymyr Agafonov.
Washington: India-US ties have significantly improved over the last few decades, becoming more "stronger" and "matured" and defying changes in governments in both the countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday.

Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government is looking forward to working with the Trump administration to strengthen the various dimensions of the bilateral ties.

Stressing that India-US relationship has bipartisan support in both the countries, he said, "In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship.

Jaitley on Friday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump administration.

"The US-India relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India," he said.

"There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years. This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned," he said.

"I met the (US) Commerce Secretary on Friday. I will meet the (US) treasury secretary on Sunday. This would be the first contact at that level between the new administration and the Government of India," he said.

During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary on Friday, Jaitley strongly raised India's concerns over the Trump administration's move to tighten the H-1B visa regime,

highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in boosting the American economy.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its "abuse" and ensure that the visas are given to the "most-skilled or highest paid" petitioners, a decision that would impact India's $150 billion IT industry.

Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision.

Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived here on 20 April, to attend the annual spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

In addition to his meetings and presentations at the annual spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.

Speaking about India's growth story, he said, "In the last three years even in the midst of slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to

eight percent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seem to be fairly well under control."

"The significant part of our economy today is, that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned," he said.

"India has become one of the most open economies in the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest

investments that any country has been attracting in the world.

"And it is the combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going," he said.

He said the environment for doing business has considerably smoothened.

"India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform of cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite some time," he said.
In October 2013, the Maharashtra government introduced the Manodhairya scheme which envisaged the provision of compensation as well as rehabilitation, counselling support, medical and legal aid to women who are survivors of violent crimes such as rape, acid attack, and assault.

On April 18, 2017, the Bombay High Court, while examining a case, explained that the Manodhairya Scheme, as well as other social welfare programmes, do not provide specific support for the children born of rape. The court stated that merely providing compensation to rape survivors is not sufficient, and efforts should be made to put a policy or scheme in place that would benefit the children of rape survivors as they should also be considered victims.

The division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Anuja Prabhudessai stated: The children of rape victims should be treated as victims and care should be taken to ensure that they are looked after well, get a good education and better facilities. The court also demanded to know if the state government was interested in increasing compensation to rape and acid attack victims under the Manodhairya scheme.

Currently, the Maharashtra government provides up to Rs 3 lakh as compensation to victims of crimes, including rape. The Maharashtra government has also formulated the Victim Compensation Scheme under section 357A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which came into effect in April 2014.

The bench was hearing a petition by Jaleel Shaikh, a Mumbai resident who approached the court to seek directions on the retroactive implementation of the Manodhairya Scheme to award compensation to women who survived rape, acid attack and other sexual offences before 2013.

Live Laws report on the matter reveals unthinkable circumstances for some survivors: A 4-year old whose sexual assault was so brutal that she had to undergo third degree vaginal reconstruction surgery a 15-year old who was raped in 2013, and thereafter, forced to marry her rapist, who later abandoned herneither of these victims have been compensated.

This judgment is progressive and seeks to broaden the perspective in which rape as a crime affects its victims. So far, the judiciary has interpreted rape as an offence that affects the corporeal body only, and this, in situ understanding of rape is both pedantic as well as dangerous.

The judiciary has time and again debated on the definition of rape, what its elements should be, the character of the victim and therefore, the crime of the rape in context of such character. However, there has practically been no discourse on the implications of rape, and the trajectory of victimhood.

Though the present case does not look at rape laws per se, what it does, and brilliantly so, is that it expands the definition of rape victims so as to include children born out of rape. These children are often unwanted as they are born out of a violent crime, and are more often than not, abandoned. Moreover, these children are more vulnerable to more violence. By including such children in the definition of victims of rape, what the court has recognised their identity that would have otherwise been invisibilised.

In the case "A" through her Father "F" Versus State Of UP Thru Prin. Secy., Med. & Health Ser. & Ors. (2015), the Allahabad High Court made a landmark pronouncement: Stating that a child born out of rape will have inheritance rights over the property of the the biological father. The judgment, adjudicating a matter where a 13-year-old was raped, impregnated and was unable to abort the child due to medical reasons, also discussed, at length, the rehabilitation of rape survivors and their children.

Justices Shabihul Hasnain and DK Upadhayaya noted that the victim of the crime was suffering from Rape Trauma Syndrome and needed to be integrated within mainstream society to lead a peaceful life where she could exercise her constitutionally guaranteed rights: Where combat veterans suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, rape survivors experience similar symptoms on a physical, behavioural and psychological level. Some of the symptoms are present immediately after the rape while other only appear at a later stage.

The case also noted that the child would be considered as an illegitimate child of the rape accused but will have the inheritance rights to his property, unless she/he is legally adopted by someone else. However, the Allahabad High Court stopped short of redefining the victimhood of the child born out of rape, and prescribed certain rights for such children.

In December, 2016, a bench of justices RK Gauba and Gita Mittal of the Delhi High Court held that a child born out of rape is unequivocally the victim of the crime and is liable to receive compensation, independent of any such relief awarded to the rape survivor. The court observed: We find that there is a complete vacuum in the consideration of compensation so far as the sexual offence resulting in the birth of a child is concerned. Such a child is clearly a victim of the act of the offender and entitled to compensation independent of the amount of compensation paid to his/her mother. Such award would require to include amount towards his/her maintenance and support.

The bench also noted that neither the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (Posco) nor the Victim Compensation Scheme prepared and enforced by the central government in terms of section 357A of the CrPC provide for such amount: ... These guidelines are general in nature and do not assist much in quantifying the amount of compensation. The Posco rules make no provision for a child born out of the sexual violence or the offence suffered by the child, who is not only a dependent of the victim, but the direct victim of the offence.

Enforcement of these instructions of the Bombay High Court could, in many ways, make the Maharashtra government more accountable towards the children of the invisibilised, and keep them from being further invisibilised.

The Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare Department is expected to appear at the next high court hearing to clarify on the compensation that will be given to the children of rape survivors and the scope of the Manodhairya Scheme.
Rajeev Chandra, my neighbour who is a business consultant, felt angry reading every day about the Chinese threats to India in some form or the other, following the Dalai Lamas recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh. He was wondering why these threats, one concrete manifestation of which has been to rename six places in South Tibet (our Arunachal Pradesh), are being given such prominent coverage in the Indian media. However, in the process he gave me an idea, which I shared with my friends on Facebook. I got an overwhelming response from my friends, among whom were senior civil servants, diplomats, military personnel, security experts, professors and senior journalists. In fact, one of them described it to be an innovative idea and another, a top-ranked scientist, termed it to be one of the greatest and most creative ideas I ever heard!

What was Rajeev's idea? Let me quote: If China goes around renaming parts of Arunachal, I have a great idea. We should rename Shantipath (the road in the heart of the diplomatic enclave) that runs in Delhi as the Dalai Lama Road so that China is forced to write its address like this: Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China, Dalai Lama Road, New Delhi.

This is worth pursuing because it has a great symbolic value and conveys a strong message to China. One remembers here French philosopher Jacques Derrida who had suggested in 1974 that naming is a taxonomic strategy, which is also a manifestation of power. It is true that naming or renaming of places, roads and buildings all over the world is a continuous trend; and invariably it is done by those who are in political power or who have got the courage to manifest that power without bothering about the possible adverse reactions.

China has played this naming and renaming game many a time by changing Peking to Beijing, Canton to Guangzhou, Nanking to Nanjing, Sian to Xian and Tientsin to Tianjin. The list is illustrative, not exhaustive. But in this case of Arunachal Pradesh, things are little different. It has changed names of the six places that are not under its administrative control. Hence, this renaming does not change anything on the ground. What it actually means is that China will continue to embarrass India on many fronts; it will also toughen its position on the vexed boundary issue with India.

Just look at the major irritants in the Sino-Indian front. We have an unresolved border. Despite many rounds of negotiations, a border settlement acceptable to both the countries eludes. And here Chinas posture is becoming tougher. The agreed principle  which, incidentally, emerged from Chinese premier Wen Jiabaos visit to India in 2005  that the settled population in the disputed border areas will not be disturbed in any eventual solution has been negated by China, which is now claiming Tawang, the holy city of the Buddhists in Arunachal Pradesh, as its own.

Secondly, China continues to encircle India by developing establishments and infrastructures in all the neighbouring countries of India (Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan) that have strong military implications. It is arming Pakistan with nuclear weapons and missiles, not to speak of other India-centric ammunitions. Unlike every other country that matters in the world, China overlooks Indias concerns over terrorism that is aided and abetted from Pakistani soil.

Thirdly, of late, China has been perilously interfering in Indias internal affairs by questioning Kashmirs status; it has not hesitated to introduce the practice of a separate stapled sheet in Indian passport while issuing visa to a Kashmiri. It has also denied visa to an Indian General just because he had served in Kashmir.

Fourthly, China is far from returning the Indian gesture during the 1950s of backing not only its ordinary membership of the United Nations but also the permanent membership in the UN Security Council, which, incidentally, was offered on a platter to India by the Western countries. Unlike the other four permanent members  the United States, Russia, France and Great Britain  China refuses to support noticeably Indias legitimate claim for being a permanent member. It has also singularly blocked Indias accession to the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Fifthly, Chinas growing economic interactions with India, something that friends of China in India highlight, have been so far been one-way, favouring essentially the Chinese. The balance of trade has been against India to the tune of nearly $53 billion (2015-16 estimate). Besides, the trade relationship is mostly uncomplimentary, with India essentially exporting precious raw material in general and iron ore in particular and China selling finished products. And this despite the fact that the raw materials that China imports from India are abundantly available in that country but which are being saved as strategic reserve. The imbalance has been further compounded by the increasingly dumping of Chinese goods in the Indian market. So much so that Indians are now flooded by the Diwali items and idols of Indian gods and goddesses, all made in China. Conversely, however, the Chinese authorities place many hurdles for the entry in their country of quality Indian products in the information technology, pharmaceutical and food processing sectors, even though China is not self sufficient in them and imports them from other markets. And yet, China would like India to sign a free trade agreement with India.

Sixthly, while China, thanks to its $3.51 trillion worth of foreign exchange reserves is investing in a huge way all over the world, particularly in the developing countries, it is not so inclined to do so in India. According to 2016-report, over the past 13 years, 142 Chinese companies have invested a total of $27 billion in India in sectors such as automotive parts and consumer electronics. But, during the same period, 139 Indian companies have invested $12 billion in China, largely in the software and IT services sector.

Viewed thus, in an increasingly unequal relationship with China, does it make any sense for India not to reciprocate the Chinese hostility, at least diplomatically? As it is, in 2003, the then prime minister AB Vajpayee had surrendered the little leverage that India had over Tibet. India had recognised Tibet to be a part of China through the India-China Treaty on Tibet, 1954. Its validity was, however, for eight years. That means that after 1962, India was not bound to regard Tibet as a part of China. The 1988 statement during Rajiv Gandhis visit was diplomatically worded in the sense that it talked of Tibet as an autonomous region of China, meaning that Indias view on Tibet could change if Beijing takes away Tibets autonomy. But Vajpayee, during his visit to China, agreed unconditionally that Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is part of the territory of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). And what is more important, such an agreement on Tibet was signed for the first time at the prime ministerial level.

How India should deal with a hostile China? Some time ago, I had argued in this forum that Gandhism could be a diplomatic tool. I will repeat the same even today. The main component of rising Chinese power is its economic strength, particularly its foreign exchange reserve, that is, dollars. And this, the Chinese have earned through export of their goods, which they produce cheaply by their cheap labour, in markets all over the world. So let us adopt the Gandhian tool of boycott of the Chinese goods in India. Let us pledge ourselves not to buy Chinese goods. It will have a salutary impact on the Chinese rulers.

Now, of course, one will add to this strategy another diplomatic tool  renaming Shantipath as the Dalai Lama Road  as suggested by my neighbour.
Srinagar: Perturbed by the reaction of the students, the Jammu and Kashmir government, on Saturday, chose to keep the college and universities shut across the Kashmir valley for the fifth day, after a student unrest ensued following police raids on Degree College in Pulwama on Saturday, last week, in which more than 65 students and 30 forces personnel were injured.

Kumar Rajiv Ranjan, Director School Education, Kashmir, said the colleges and higher secondary schools are closed by the order of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, not his. We dont pass the order to shut the educational institutes, it is the Divisional Commissioners office that does it, Ranjan told Firstpost on phone.

On Thursday, hundreds of students blocked the Srinagar-Bandipora road in north Kashmir which led to massive clashes between forces and protesting students. The students were raising anti-government slogans and seeking justice for the students who were injured in the Pulwama Degree college.

A girl student was also injured in the capital city of Srinagar and shifted to SMHS hospital during the student protests in downtown area of the city. Though police exhibited maximum restraint, many students were injured. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti later visited the students on Wednesday evening.

The protests and the subsequent clashes by the student community across the valley have shaken the establishment, who had failed to anticipate the anger among students after the videos on social media, showing forces shelling the college in Pulwama, went viral and were condemned by all sections of the society.

After the student protests engulfed the Kashmir valley, the state government attacked principal of the college in Pulwama, Abdul Hamid Sheikh. This decision did not gone well in the teaching community, and forced the teachers and professors to back the student protest.

Instead of taking against security forces they attacked the college principle, Roman Bashir, a student of Nawa Kadak Higher Secondary school, where a girl student was injured, told Firstpost on Friday.

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Khan, on Friday issued directions as a precautionary measure that there would be no teaching in colleges on 22 April, Saturday. An official spokesperson said teaching work in all the colleges of the Kashmir Division shall remain suspended on 22 April, 2017 as a precautionary measure.

However, the colleges and universities were supposed to reopen on Saturday, after a call given by Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) and Jammu and Kashmir Students Union who told the students to resume the class work after a successful display of resistance, unity and valor. The state government to shut them down as a precautionary measure.

The protests in solidarity with the students assaulted by forces at Pulwama Degree College was not only exemplary but a historic message put across the globe that the struggle of right to self-determination is deep rooted in the conscience of every man, woman and youth of Jammu and Kashmir, said a statement issued by the KUSU. It should be kept in mind that while resuming class work the students should make resistance against India a way of life and raise voice against the oppression whenever needed or necessary, the statement added.

Keeping in view the present prevailing situation across Kashmir valley, All J&K Students Union also requested students to join classes and appealed authorities to ensure the security of students, and demanded release of all arrested students.

It is because of these incidents there is deep political alienation among the youth of Kashmir. Moreover, we appeal the state government to take all those FIR's back if they have logged against any student across Kashmir Valley during clashes, a statement issued by AJKSU, said.

Interestingly the state government, had issued strict orders directing heads of educational institutes to reopen schools and colleges to bring back some semblance of normalcy in the Valley during the 2016 unrest, after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. The decision to reopen schools did not go down well with the arsonists then, who had burned down more then 35 schools across the towns and villages of south Kashmir.
The death of two youths from Kerala in the US operations against the Islamic State in Afghanistan in the last two months has not deterred the remaining 19 people from pursuing their radical path. They are among 21 youths from Kasargod and Palakkad districts, who were reported missing from the state almost a year ago. Family members of some of the youths later expressed suspicion that they might have joined the Islamic State.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the investigation of the case in August last year, confirmed that the youths, who included some women and children, had reached the Islamic State bastion in Afghanistan.

The family members have been forcing the youths to return after TK Hafeesudeen (24) from Padanna in Kasargod district was killed in a drone attack in Afghanistan in February this year. However, the youths are in no mood to change their mind even after a second casualty.

The second person, Murshid Muhammed, also from Padanna, was killed in the mega airstrike launched by the US Army in the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province last week. Ashfaq Majeed, who is among those in Afghanistan, informed his family members that Murshid had died while fighting Allah's cause.

Ashfaq's relative, B C Rehman, who communicated with the youth on a social media app Telegram, said that the casualties had made no effect on his resolve to devote the rest of his life to Allah. The chat between the two from 13 April to 19 April accessed by Firstpost revealed that none of the 19 youths, who remain in Afghanistan, were ready to return.

"Here (in Afghanistan) we are having a wonderful life. One more brother of ours got killed in the sake of Allah. We consider him to be a Shaheed and Allah knows best," Ashfaq replied when Rehman asked them during his chat on 13 April why they were continuing in the danger zone when they were being killed.

When Rehman asked Ashfaq to return to Kerala and live as a true Muslim sharing their wealth with the poor, he affirmed that they will never return.

"We will never meet again in this world. We can meet in heaven. We are waiting for our turn. We have love for life. But we do not want the kind of life that most people lead. This life has not have the value of even a feather a mosquito," Ashfaqq said.

He countered Rehman when he reminded him about the anguish of their parents and sibling asking what foolishness he was talking. "Have you not realised even now. For the sake of Allah."

When Rehman pointed out heaven is behind the feet of the mother, Ashfaq told him to remember that Allah had given the mother and therefore one should obey Allah first. He argued that heaven was not behind the feet of the mother alone.

"You are living among 'Murthadeengal and Musharikkukal' (Un-Islamic people and idol worshippers). You will not understand anything," Ashfaq said.

Ashfaq, who joined the 21-member group with his wife and child, said that his wife too was happy with the current life. He said that all the others in the group were also contented with their life in Afghanistan.

The family members had believed that the youths had chosen the radical path after they were influenced by the Salafist movement. However, Ashfaq had made it clear in his chat that they were following neither the Kerala nor Saudi Salafis, who support democracy.

When Rehman asked him about the group they follow, Ashfaq mentioned Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah. However, he did not explain it further.

Alsunna.org, a website on Islamic studies, described it as the group that rightfully follow the methodology of Prophet Muhammed. The site says that the group includes the companions and those who followed them in the essence of belief. They are the people referred to in the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah when he said what mean, the site said.

Rehman told Firstpost that he was surprised how Ashfaq had taken to the radical path. He said that the 30-year-old youth, who belonged to an affluent business family, was helping his father in his business in Mumbai when the radical thoughts dawned on him. He said he cannot believe that he will join the militants to kill people because he had no shown any destructive traits in his life. "I don't think Ashfaq can even kill a mosquito. He had everything he wanted in his life," Rehman said.

He said most people in the group from Kasargod were of the same nature. They all hailed from affluent families. Many of them were highly qualified individuals. A couple of them were doctors and a few engineers and nurses.

The youth, who crossed over to Aghanistan, included six women and two children. Two women, who were pregnant, gave birth while in Afghanistan. Intelligence sources had said that the youths from the state were living in a conflict-free engaged in activities related to their professional qualification.

Rehman does not believe that the two who were killed in the US operation may have died while fighting. They might have been killed accidently during the operation.

Meanwhile, reports said that a third youth from Kerala in Afghanistan has been killed in the US operation. Reports in a section of the media have identified Shajeer Mangalaserri Abdullah as the third victim. However, there is no official confirmation about the death.

A report in The Times of India said Shajeer was the suspected kingpin of the Islamic State module in Kerala. A graduate from National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NITC), he was an expert in information technology. He completed B. Tech in civil engineering in 2002 and left for UAE in 2004 after he landed a job there, the report said.

The NIA that has been probing the Islamic State-related cases believes that Shajeer is the amir (leader) of the Kerala module that was busted at Kanakamala in Kannur district a few months ago and he had close links with the leadership of the terror outfit in Afghanistan. Media reports said that after reaching Afghanistan, he was in touch with the family members and friends through Telegram app and was regularly posting Malayalam propaganda material on Facebook via an account with profile name Sameer Ali.

Shajeer was a supporter of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Party of India (PFI) before joining the Islamic State. He was active in the Facebook group 'SDPI Keralam' formed by the party cadres and sympathisers. However, he was never spotted at any events organized by the party.
How much agency do women have over their own wombs? Can they choose when or whether to get pregnant? Or choose not to bear children at all? Can they choose to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy? Or abort a foetus with congenital medical problems? And in todays context, can they choose to give birth to and cherish a baby immaterial of its gender?

The suggestion of the Maharashtra Government Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that sex determination should be made mandatory and that women should be held responsible for the safety of the female fetuses in their wombs has been ripped apart by activists, academics, social workers and others involved in trying to curb sex selective abortion. This is because they realise that, more often than not, the pregnant woman is the one who has least agency over her own womb.

Maharashtra has always had an ambivalent relationship with the whole issue of sex selective abortion. Way back in 1985, it was one of the first states to recognise the problem and take steps to curb it. This was when the Mumbai-based Forum Against Sex Determination and Sex Pre-selection (FASDSP) launched a campaign against sex determination in clinics. Amniocentesis, the only sex determination test available in those days, had been introduced to our 'son hungry' country in 1978 and within a few years, doctors across the country were offering it as a desirable intervention which would enable women to have therapeutic abortions, help them to create perfect and compact families and give relief to women who were anxious to have male children. According to Saheli, a Delhi-based NGO, nearly 78,000 female fetuses were aborted between 1978 and 1982.

In 1986, the Maharashtra Government appointed a committee to look into the issue. By then there were an estimated 1000 gynaecologists in Mumbai and of them 70 percent were private practitioners. A government sponsored sample study of 50 clinics in Mumbai done in this period revealed that most of them did amniocentesis for sex determination alone and in fact they promoted gender selection as a tool for population control. In my book Disappearing Daughters, I quoted a Mumbai doctor who declared to a newspaper correspondent: Emancipate the woman! Make her important. I hope their number decreases so that their status in society enhances'.

Today amniocentesis can still be used for sex selection. But the scan is by far the most widely used and misused medical diagnostic tool in this area. It is non-invasive and accurate and less messy.

Every pregnant woman who visits a doctor is required to have a scan to ensure the heath of the foetus in her womb. For gynaecologists the scan is a very important diagnostic tool which is used to ensure the health of the mother and the child in her womb. Since many genetically inherited diseases are gender related, diagnostic tests like amniocentesis, scanning and now the new DNA blood tests are all also used to detect the sex of the foetus.

If the doctors and scan operators stuck to just informing the parents about the health of the baby, there would be no problem. But over the last 30-odd years that these tests have been available, unscrupulous doctors, technicians and others have discovered that these tests can be used for making money. They are the ones who dont care two hoots about the health of the mother or the child in her womb. For them the woman who is brought to them for undergoing a sex determination test is just a conduit for milking the family for money.

The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was introduced in 1994. When sex determination became illegal, this underground industry gained in strength. As the PCPNDT Act put more checks and balances in place, these so-called medical professionals found other ways to escape the net. The cost of sex determination tests also went up as they had to be done in secret. The hapless woman would often be told that the child she carried in her womb was female, immaterial of its gender because then they could also perform the illegal abortion at a higher cost.

Today, all over the country, child sex ratios continue to plunge. In Maharashtra alone, the CSR dropped by around 30 points in just 10 years. There are reports that the mandatory inspection of sonography centres and maternity homes is just eyewash.

In March, just a few days before the PAC made its recommendations public, the police recovered the remains of 19 infants buried in an open plot next to a hospital in Sangli District. The hospital belonged to Babasaheb Khidrapure, a homeopath. The police were investigating the death of a young woman whose husband had had a sex selective test and abortion performed on her by Khidrapure. They found several foetuses stuffed into blue plastic bags scattered across the plot which was full of sewage and waste. They also found 40 bags of skeletons, umbilical cords and other remains. Their informers told them that foetuses which were less than two months old used to be destroyed in toilets using acid, while the older ones were buried. The well entrenched sex determination and abortion nexus obviously flourished with the blessings of the very government officials who were supposed to check it.

Swati, the 26-year-old woman who underwent the abortion, died. What could be worse than that? Without the services offered by this clinic, she would still be alive and so would the many babies killed and disposed of by the homeopath in such a callous manner.

The bottom line is that however aspirational it may be for families to have male children, without the active help of such unscrupulous members of the medical fraternity they would not be able to do it. Obviously no pregnant woman can perform a sonography on herself or read her own scan. In fact even families have to depend upon the sonographer or doctor to tell them the sex of the child. These people are supposed to be bound by law not to reveal the sex of the child. And yet they do so, often with the active connivance of the very authorities who are supposed to curb this illegal activity.

While researching Disappearing Daughters, I met so many women who had been coerced into producing only sons. They had undergone many abortions in the process, leaving them physical and emotional wrecks. Some were very well educated women  like the teacher in Chandigarh or the well-known woman politician in Bengaluru who both wept as they told me of the family pressure exerted on them to get sex selective abortions.

Others were ignorant and totally subjugated. I met a woman who had been bought as a wife from a tribal area in Gujarat. Her husband was a Patel farmer. Most of the girls in his community had already been eliminated even before they were born. The sex ratio was abysmal. So now he was forced to buy a tribal woman to cook and clean and produce male heirs for him. This domestic and sex slave of his had also been forced to undergo several sex selective abortions till she produced three healthy sons.

These women were all victims  not perpetrators. The perpetrators were the ones who  fueled by greed  exploited their wombs.

Can a government which cannot keep track of the hundreds of illegal scanning and abortions centres which have flourished over the years with such impunity hope to track and monitor women carrying female fetuses? We live in a country where unregistered sonography machines are operated from hole-in-the-wall clinics and a woman is shunted from centre to centre for the scan and abortion. In such a scenario, who will keep track of her, and more importantly, who will monitor her health?

We also live in a society where motherhood is considered sacred but maternal health is not a priority. As it is, most women are confused between safe and unsafe abortions. Often they dont even know that they are eligible to have legal abortions.

And the exploiters would like to keep these distinctions hazy because they provide more windows of opportunity.

Stringent punishment for those who break the law is the only solution. Victimising the victim will get us nowhere.
Lucknow: The new police chief of Uttar Pradesh, Sulkhan Singh, on Saturday vowed to crush goondagardi in the state and warned that even VIPs would not be spared. Singh said his priority would be ensuring unbiased policing.

"Those indulging in goondagardi and criminal activities will be dealt without mercy. They cannot escape. And even VIPs will not be spared," the 1980-batch IPS officer said without mincing words.

Anybody indulging in criminal activities wil not be spared, whether from ruling party or not, we have strict orders from UP CM: UP DGP pic.twitter.com/ApXDhKhpuE  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 22, 2017

Any 'gundagardi' will be acted upon, Uttar Pradesh police will work with total impartiality: UP DGP Sulkhan Singh pic.twitter.com/MkFVr6MvSr  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 22, 2017

He was talking to media persons after taking over as the UP Director General of Police from outgoing Javeed Ahmed, who was shunted to a less important post of DG PAC, in the first major reshuffle in the top police hierarchy by the Yogi Adityanath government Friday night.

Singh, the senior-most most IPS officer in the state, said there will be no compromise in ensuring security to the common man.

"Uniform action will be taken against any wrongdoer. There will be no bias, whosoever the culprit is or whatever political connection the person flaunts, he said, talking tough on the first day of assuming charge.

He said maximum FIRs will be filed and police will get full freedom to work without fear or pressure from any quarter.

Asked about his priorities, Singh said, "My effort will be ensuring unbiased policing and keeping the morale of the force high."

When it was pointed out to him that he did not have a long tenure as his superannuation was due later this year, Singh, known for bringing several reforms in police, said, "I have to prove my worth during this period. To another question pertaining to allegations of rampant corruption in the police machinery, he said, "Fair inquiry will be done in all cases."

"My top priority would be to make policing humane and courteous," the DGP said. Singh said policing should be impartial and the objective is to ensure relief to the common man.

"Police should avoid high-handedness as every citizen belongs to the state. No one is an outsider," he said. As DGP, Singh said his priority was the safety and security of women, who should feel safe even in the late hours.

In reply to a question, he said though he has come to know about IS sympathisers in the state through the media, he would look into this challenge also on a priority basis and asserted that the force was highly capable of dealing with any situation.

When asked about the sagging morale of the police force in view of over 100 cases of assault and killing of the men-in-khaki, Singh said that it was a contentious issue.

"But, definitely if there is any demoralisation in the force, I would address it on top priority," he said.

Singh, who enjoys an impeccable track record, was shunted to posts quite below the level of his seniority during the previous SP regime. During the BSP rule between 2007 and 2012, he had probed the police job scam during the SP government, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the CM (2003-2007).

His report indicted several IPS officers. In 2012, when SP came to the power again, he was sent to PTC, Unnao as a principal, a post far below his rank.

Another landmark in his career was prison reforms as IG jails. He has worked for human rights of prisoners and improving facilities for inmates.

With inputs from PTI
Starting today, petrol prices at retail outlets will increase by Rs 3 per litre after the state government of Maharashtra raised the value-added tax on the fuel by the said amount from Friday midnight. As a result, petrol will not cost at Rs 77.45 a litre to the consumers.

The existing tax rate of 26 percent plus Rs 6 will now increase to 26 percent plus Rs 9 per litre for Mumabi, Navi Mumbai and Thane, while it will be 25 percent plus Rs 9 a litre for the rest of the state, a Times of India report said quoting a dealer.

On the other hand, the state government spared from tweaking the VAT rate on diesel, which is current at 24 percent plus Rs 2 for Mumbai metropolitan region and 21 percent plus Rs 2 for the rest of the state.

Earlier this month, the government had cut the price of petrol by Rs 3.77 per litre and taht of diesel by Rs 2.91 a litre, the first change in rates in nearly three months.

Of late, lot of action has been taking place in the country's petrol and diesel segment. A fuel pump owners' body earlier this week said beginning 14 May, fuel outlets in eight states will be shut every Sunday following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to conserve oil.

"We had planned to shut our outlets on Sundays a few years back. But oil marketing companies had then requested us to reconsider our decision. Now we have decided to shut the outlets on Sundays," said Suresh Kumar, an executive committee member of the consortium of Indian petroleum dealers.

He said the association's decision was made in view of the Prime Minister's call during his recent Mann ki baat programme to conserve oil to save the environment. Kumar, also the vice-president of Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association, said nearly 20,000 outlets in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Haryana would be shut for 24 hours on Sundays, starting 14 May.

However, the oil ministry has denounced the decision of a section of petrol pump operators, mostly in South India, to keep outlets shut on Sundays, saying such a move will inconvenience the general public.

"@PetroleumMin neither endorses nor approves of move by a small section of dealers to keep their petrol pumps closed on Sundays," the ministry said in a series of tweets.

With PTI inputs
How seriously should India take the Chinese threat over Tibetan the Dalai Lamas recent visit to Tawang and other places in the frontier state of Arunachal? Is this just sabre-rattling by hardline editors of the state run Global Times, or should India take it more seriously, keeping in mind the fact that the press in China reflects the views of the Communist Party of China?

Analyst Alka Acharya, believes India must pay attention to what the Global Times is reiterating over and over again. "So long as India maintained the status quo and kept everything to do with the Dalai Lama at a non-official level, China was ok. There would be a strong reaction as happened during the Tibetan leader's visit to Tawang in 2009, but beyond that, Beijing let it pass." Earlier, Delhi was careful to maintain this protocol. Ministers in government did not attend the Dalai Lamas program. Last December, for the first time, the Dalai Lama was invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan for a function and met President Pranab Mukherjee.

Acharya said that this months travel by the Dalai Lama was qualitatively different. For one, the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu made the comment that Arunachal shares a border with Tibet, not China. He obviously implied that Tibet is not part of China. Whether Khandu did it with the blessings of the Centre or whipped it up himself is not known. But it is unlikely that a chief minister of a BJP-ruled state would be shooting from the hip on a sensitive issue like this, that too during the Dalai Lamas visit. This will be seen as Delhi going back on its commitment to a one China policy. Is India actually trying to reverse the policy which was in place since the 1950s? Unlikely, considering not even the US President, the mercurial Donald Trump has dared to do so. Soon after taking over as President, Trump put through a phone call to Taiwans president, but since then has been steadily retracting his steps. Since his meeting with President Xi Jinping, Donald Trump has been all praise for China, and appreciative of Chinese sanctions on North Korea.

Indias frustration with China stems from the fact that it has repeatedly batted for Pakistan at the UNSC, by quoting flimsy technical issues over slapping sanctions on Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Azhar Masood. The JEM is already a UN-sanctioned group, but Delhi had moved to include Masood in his personal capacity. What great difference that would make remains open to question. But the fact is that India is angry at this. The other issue is China repeatedly blocking New Delhis entry to the Nuclear Supplier Group, a position India had sought after signing a landmark civil nuclear agreement with the US.

Besides this, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which involved building infrastructure projects in PoK (which India claims as its own) has soured ties with China. New Delhi in turn wants to irritate Beijing. The Dalai Lama visit to Arunachal was one way of paying back China. Beijing hit back this week by announcing Chinese, Tibetan and English names to six areas in Arunachal. Justifying the move, a Chinese official said that these names reflect Chinas historical, cultural and administrative jurisdiction over the area. China claims the entire state of Arunchal as its own, and over the last ten years has been pitching hard for Tawang, the old monastery town, which it claims as part of South Tibet.

MEA spokeman Gopal Bagleys sharp retort to the Chinese move was to say at the weekly news briefing conference, "Assigning invented names to the towns of your neighbour does not make illegal territorial claims legal. Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be a part of India."

Both India and China have upped the ante. "If you want to push the envelope, China will do the same," said Acharya. She does not believe that Beijing will at the moment do anything drastic, but will incrementally keep pushing the envelope. Indias determination not to be part of Xi Jinpings pet one belt one road project, is somehow colouring its vision. Delhi cannot expect all its smaller neighbours to follow suit, considering China is willing to pour money into much needed infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the extended neighbourhood. "The CPEC is crippling Indias strategic imagination," said Alka Acharya.

Considering that Kashmir is on the boil and the Modi government is so far relying mainly on force to deal with the agitation, things may take a crucial turn in the Valley. China in the past had been patronising north-east militant groups, but had stopped doing so for over three decades. That tap can be opened again if necessary. India and China need to sit down and talk before things take an unprecedented turn. The mistaken notion that many within the ruling BJP believe that China respects only a strong leader needs to be dismissed.
Tamil Nadu is in the midst of the worst drought in 140 years but clearly there is no drought of ideas. With an eye on protecting the water from the evil eye of the sun at the Vaigai dam near Madurai, Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju, decided he would be a Kannagi with a difference.

Like the legendary Kannagi who took revenge on the Pandyan king of Madurai who had wrongfully put her husband to death, by cursing the city to go up in flames, Raju decided to take on the Sun God no less. His weapon: Sheets of thermocol. Spending a fortune  Rs 10 lakh, no less  to buy the several sheets of thermocol, Raju arrived at Vaigai dam on Friday to float those sheets on the water. The previous night, he must have imagined a sheet of white over the water, preventing the loss of even a drop of water. The plan was to spread the sheets over 200 sq.m of water surface, out of the 12 hectares of water-spread in the dam area.

Raju ban gaya scientist!

But Raju in his Physics class at school, had forgotten to read the chapter on wind velocity. The moment he set the sheets free, they took a life of their own and flew in all directions. His partner in the thermocol project, Madurai collector K Veeraraghava Rao now wiser from the failed experiment, says the correlation between wind velocity and thickness of thermocol sheets will be studied in the future. Raju and Rao  the modern-day Wright brothers from Madurai  now want to invest in heavier thermocol sheets to fulfill their flight of fancy. The ones used on Friday were just 2 cm thick.

But for those assembled at Vaigai dam, it turned out to be a comedy show with Tamil Nadu threatening to become 'Thermocol Nadu'. Raju had thought the sticky government tape will be good enough to hold together the thermocol sheets, just like the stickiness quotient of power has kept the AIADMK legislators together since February. But he had not calculated that once the expensive thermocol was out in the open, the wind will raid the reservoir and the thermocol sheets will run helter-skelter.

As Raju and Rao found their experiment going down the drain, concerns that thermocol which is made of polystyrene beads, would harm marine life were expressed. However, the two 'water scientists' felt that raising environmental concerns was a ploy to fish in troubled waters.

Science journals point out that experiments to prevent evaporation have been conducted with thermocol but they have been on ice or static water in farm ponds, not on running water in an open area. Now if the heavier thermocol also does not work, the AIADMK minister has declared that he wants to experiment more. He could look at the Los Angeles precedent where in August 2015, 96 million black plastic balls, called shade balls were dumped into the reservoir to prevent water loss through evaporation. While the experiment worked, it was found way too expensive than the water it saved.

Having blown away Rs 10 lakh from the public exchequer, money is not expected to be a factor in Raju's laboratory.

Intention-wise though, Raju's heart was in the right place. As MLA from Madurai, he wanted to ensure that the Vaigai dam that is the major source of water to Madurai district, is protected. But then it also proved that the media narrative is spot-on. This AIADMK government is truly bhagwaan bharose.

Even though Raju may claim political immunity by saying he was taking on the rising sun, the symbol of the Opposition DMK, his carelessness in dealing with public money has proved to be an embarrassment. With Raju's experiment ended in a watery grave, the O Panneerselvam camp would do well to put one fresh condition for merger talks. Give Raju the thermocol treatment and drop him from the cabinet.

The small mercy is that this kind of an experiment was not conducted in February, when all the AIADMK MLAs were locked inside the Golden Bay resort at Koovathur, 60 km from Chennai. Otherwise, an inspired VK Sasikala may have asked all AIADMK legislators to wear thermocol veshtis to ensure her support base does not evaporate.
Kyiv's Solimiansky district court has approved house arrest for two judges from Dnipro caught taking bribes.

"Deputy Head of the district court of Dnipro was awarded with 24-hour house arrest and her partner in crime  the judge of the same court  house arrest from 22:00 until 06:00," the press service of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) reported on Friday.

NABU detectives and prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) asked for tougher punishment  imprisonment with a bail option. However, the court did not approve this petition.

Earlier on April 19, 2017, NABU detectives jointly with SAPO prosecutors and officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) caught the above-mentioned persons red-handed. According to the investigators, the deputy head of the court in collusion with another judge of the same court demanded $30,000 from persons accused in a crime for not sentencing them to jail. The money was handed in several tranches.
Srinagar: Two militants holed-up in a house in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district were killed in a gunfight with security forces on Saturday, police said.

Police said security forces surrounded Hayatpora village in Chadoora tehsil of Budgam following specific information about presence of militants there.

"Two militants hiding inside a house in the village were killed in the gunfight and an AK-47 assault rifle and a pistol recovered from the spot," a police officer said.

No security personnel or civilian was injured in the operation, said the officer, adding that the operation was carried out with caution to ensure that there is no collateral damage
Mumbai: App-based car service provider Uber India has approached the Bombay High Court seeking Rs 12 crore in damages from taxi owners and drivers associations for harming its reputation and livelihood of drivers by protesting against the company.

In its suit, Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd also sought an injunction restraining the defendants from stopping Uber drivers to work, alleging that they were being "verbally abused, physically assaulted and threatened".

The suit names Sangharsh Tourist Chalak Malak Sangh, an association of taxi owners and drivers, Action Committee of Maharashtra against Ola and Uber, Mumbai Vikas Foundation, All Drivers Welfare Association and Maharashtra Tourist Permit Union.

"The defendants are deliberately, unlawfully and wrongfully resorting to violence and intimidation under the garb of strikes and protests in Mumbai and thereby restraining drivers associated with the plaintiff's mobile App from operating and pursuing livelihood," the suit said.

It further alleged that the defendants have been engaged in "actively inciting" drivers of Uber to go on strike and protest against the company.

"The defendants have been hampering the legitimate business of plaintiffs (Uber) by interfering in their operations quite extensively across the city of Mumbai. They have been indulging in threats to the driver partners of Uber, in the event they wilfully continue to drive using the Uber App," the suit alleged.

The suit referred to a protest held by the taxi owners and drivers associations at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in March this year when several Uber cars were allegedly damaged and their customers and drivers were threatened with dire consequences.

"The mobile devices (with Uber App) of the driver partners of Uber were forcibly snatched and their vehicles were damaged. The defendants even forced the passengers out of the vehicles where trips were being taken through the Uber App, verbally abused, physically assaulted and threatened the Driver Partners of dire consequences," the suit claims.

The company has also claimed that a total of 830 incidents have been reported wherein either the driver or the passengers have been harassed.

"As the magnitude of such protests are only increasing, the plaintiffs anticipate further losses. Hence the company seeks the court to grant injunction restraining the defendants from stopping Uber drivers to work," the suit said.

"The plaintiffs further seek a direction to the defendants to pay a sum of Rs 12.41 crores as damages to business, reputation and goodwill of Uber," the suit said.

The suit is likely to be heard by Justice S J Kathawalla in due course.
Charles Sobhraj, once counted among Asias biggest law breakers, is now trying his best to get on the right side of the law to walk out of Kathmandus largest prison.

The alleged serial killer, now 72 and probably tired of a life behind bars, has petitioned a court in Kathmandu that he should be released as per new guidelines of the Nepals Jail Manual that guarantees an automatic release of convicts over 72 years of age.

He has already spent a little over 14 years in solitary confinement in Nepals Central Prison.

Mummy, they cannot keep me here forever, I am being denied justice, Sobhraj told his mother-in-law and lawyer Shakuntala Thapa, during his twice-weekly telephonic calls from the prison on Wednesday, 12 April 2017.

Thapa, who sought answers from Sobhraj for Firstpost during the jail-monitored call, said her son-in-law was hopeful that the Nepalese government will look into his petition filed in April 2017, for release under the new guidelines of the Jail Manual.

I did not commit any murders, I am being convicted on the basis of some strange suspicion. I need help, said Sobhraj, who had once proudly claimed he could even smuggle out an elephant from Nepal. Immediately after that, in 2003, he was arrested from a casino in Kathmandu.

I will die with this double life sentence, Sobhraj said during his telephonic conversation, in an apparent reference to the September 2014, verdict at a court in Bhaktapur where he was convicted of murdering Canadian backpacker Laurent Carriere. Shobraj, a French citizen of Vietnamese and Indian parentage, is already serving a life sentence in Nepal for the murder of US tourist Connie Joe Bronzich on Kathmandu's outskirts in 1975. The bodies of Bronzich and her friend Carriere, both repeatedly stabbed and burnt beyond recognition, were found a few days apart in two different areas of Kathmandu.

I continue to claim through my petitions that I am innocent, I am innocent, I am innocent. I was not in Nepal when these bodies were found by the police but no one seems to believe me, said Sobhraj.

If released, Sobhraj has told jail officials that he would visit the centres of Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata and work there as a volunteer.

Asked if all the charges in all the countries he visited were untrue, Sobhraj fell silent. And then he told his mother-in-law: In India, the chargesheet did not say I was the murderer. I seek justice, nothing but justice from the court in Nepal.

I am dying here, I have serious health issues that need to be addressed but my petitions are routinely rejected, said Sobhraj.

It does not happen around the world, why doesn't the government pardon me and let me lead a normal life? Sobhraj asked Thapa.

Doctors in Kathmandu have tested Sobhraj and recommended an open heart surgery. The alleged serial killer is also diabetic and suffers from nerve disorders.

But barring his 27 year-old wife, Nihita, and her mother, there are none in the Himalayan nation backing his claims.

Nihita, who married the convict inside jail by exchanging garlands, says she will continue to wait for her husband. What else I can do? I can only wait, I rarely get to see him. And theres nothing I can or wish to say of him because theres a mindset about him across India and Nepal... I don't know if I will be able to get him free; he is not well, and is struggling, says Nihita.

She says her husband is in jail because of his perceived ability to evade justice, which in turn, earned him worldwide notoriety. He did not kill anyone in Nepal and the charges in Thailand and India were never proved, so what are we talking of here?

Nihita and her mother refused to comment on cases where Sobhraj escaped from jails in Greece, Afghanistan and India, including the incident at New Delhis maximum security Tihar prison where he drugged guards with sedative-laced sweets and made away.

Cops in Kathmandu say the murders were conclusively proved to be committed by Sobhraj and his accomplice from Thailand, Marie-Andree Leclerc, a Canadian medical secretary. By the time he entered Nepal from Thailand, he had already committed a few murders in Bangkok and its outskirts, says Biswalal Srestha, a cop who worked closely on the dual murders in Kathmandu.

Sobhraj is one of the biggest con men in the world, the law caught up with him eventually. He was a master operator. He has no chance to leave the prison in Nepal, says Srestha. He said he is not authorised to comment on the recent changes in the Jail Manual and if Sobhraj can use it to his benefit.

There are others who feel the case has all but dropped out of peoples minds in both India and Nepal. He is just a name, a faded memory. Sobhraj has fallen off the map, says Rakesh Thapa, a hotel manager in Kathmandu.

Probably it is because the case dates back to a little over half a century.

Very few documents pertaining to the 58-year-old case are with the Nepal Police, but those who probed the case claim Sobhraj came to Nepal after committing as many as five murders with an Indian, Ajay Chowdhury. The first victim, Teresa Knowlton from Seattle, was found dead in a pool, wearing a bikini. The others were Vitaji Hakim, a Jew, whose body was found burnt and discarded in Pattaya and Hakims girlfriend, Charmayne Carrou, who had come looking for him. Sobhraj and Chowdhury also murdered a Dutch couple whose bodies were found burnt and discarded.

Nepal was swept up in the flower power movement; hippies from all over the world flocked to Kathmandu, (so) it was very easy for Sobhraj and his friend to escape after the murders, says Srestha.

He was all over Asia, speaking seven languages, passing himself off as an Israeli scholar, a Lebanese textile merchant, and a thousand other things. He was a dangerous drug-and-rob man [sic].

But when he returned to Nepal in 2003, the murder of the Dutch couple in 1975 came back to haunt him. Crucial evidence was gathered by a Dutch diplomat, Knippenberg, aided with evidence that lay with Interpol. Sobhraj was given a life sentence in 2005.

Locals in Kathmandu say there was no grief when Sobhraj was convicted for life. He was never a saint. He had snuffed out many grass-smoking Western dropouts on the Hippie Trail. Sobhraj routinely fleeced these spiritually thirsty wanderers and murdered them, says Gokarna Awasthi, a senior journalist.

But Sobhrajs mother-in-law calls the charges a lot of bull because she says nothing was conclusively proved. He was in Nepal to complete a research project on water. Very conveniently, the police put him in prison, Thapa said of Sobhraj, who has been linked to a string of backpacker deaths across South and South East Asia in the '70s.

May I remind you that my son in law has never been convicted for murder, even in India, where he served a 21-year sentence in India for culpable homicide before his arrest in Nepal? It was fashionable for the cops to arrest him, says Thapa.

He is dying and this second jail sentence will all but kill him. If the new law says prisoners over 72 years must be released from jail, then the Nepalese government must release my son in law, says Thapa.

Thapa says the cops did not bring out any evidence, any witnesses during the trial in Nepal. They just prosecuted him, its absolutely wrong. This is a gross human rights violation.

Sources in Kathmandu say Sobhraj is lodged in Golghar (almost like the egg-shaped Andaa cell of Mumbais famous Arthur Road Jail) in Kathmandus Central Prison from the Dillibazar Jail where he was first lodged.

Interestingly, Golghar is a jail within the jail with seven cells  each cell for one inmate who is forced to sleep on the concrete floor.

Multan Theba, a political prisoner, who lived with Sobhraj in Golghar for four months, recently told a Nepalese newspaper how Sobhraj lived inside the prison. He directly came to us and said his mother-in-law was legal advisor to Baburam Bhattarai and promised me freedom if the Maoists come to power. He always praised the Maoists.

Sobhraj used to gym at midnight, he had filled sand in empty boxes of ghee wrapped up with cloth, for lifting weights; he also used water-filled drums for his weight training. He paid inmate leaders and earned their respect. Once, he had a lot of money. He would never use the common toilets, he would often claim his food and clothes come from France, he smoke foreign cigarettes.

He was a master chess player and would beat anyone hands down in just 10, maximum 15 moves.

Jail authorities say two books which Sobhraj always keeps with him are Maxim Gorkys Mother and Stephen Hawkings A Brief History of Time. They say there have been times when they have raided his cell, and recovered as many as three handsets and loads of pornographic magazines. He is super smart at 72. He often says he will not marry again, Nihita is his last wife, says a jail official, speaking on conditions of anonymity.

Sobhraj remains his usual self, flashy to the core.

Of late, has been telling jail attendants that he has four scripts ready for filmmakers in Mumbai, most revolving around the life of a gangster and that he has almost finished what he claims is the original and most definitive autobiography and is waiting for an international agent to hawk the same for an amount not less than Rs 4 crore.

He is confident of getting an agent soon, he is writing feverishly, says Thapa.

In Mumbai, actor Randeep Hooda, who portrayed Sobhraj in the movie, Main Aur Charles, once campaigned aggressively for his release in 2015. Hooda said he was convinced Sobhraj was innocent and wanted to start a campaign to free the alleged serial killer.

There were no takers.

In his solitary confinement, the Bikini Killer, once known as a handsome, charismatic occasional gem thief, leads a desolate life. He needs a literary agent, a film financier, and above all, his freedom.

Outside the jail, Thapa and Nihita wait for the next hearing, praying regularly at the altar of Nepals biggest temple of Lord Shiva at Pashupatinath. She believes miracles do happen, especially if you live in the land of the gods.
The Godrej India Culture Lab in Mumbai turned into an 'adda' of the feminist kind on Tuesday, 18 April 2017.

A panel discussion titled 'Whats Sex Got to Do With It' aimed to talk about feminism and sexuality, with journalist and documentary filmmaker Paromita Vohra who runs the website Agents of Ishq, US-Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy, disability rights activist Bishakha Datta and academic Geeta Patel among the panelists.

The panelists discussed a whole lot of topics, ranging from sex, feminism and how are our lives are influenced by it.

We got a chance to catch up with Geeta Patel, who is an associate professor of Middle Eastern, South Asian Languages and Cultures and Women, Gender and Sexuality. She has worked on how nationalism, gender, sexuality and grief in 20th-century Urdu poetic movements intertwine in her book Lyrical Movements, Historical Hauntings: Gender, Colonialism and Desire in Mirajis Urdu Poetry (Stanford University Press, 2002).

Excerpts from our interview:

Risky Business

Geeta spoke with us about her new book, Risky Bodies & Techno-Intimacy:

She then adds, "Actually a chapter on aravani kinara (the transgender community) is set in Mumbai, where I grew up and the other is on the film Fire when it was banned. People came to the streets to protest the ban. The film was stopped from being shown... People in Mumbai asked for the film to be shown and generally asked for a different kind of life where they would not be stopped from doing what they like. "

Languages Of Love

Since Patel specialises in poetry across Sanskrit, Urdu and Hindi, we asked if the portrayal of women and sexuality differs when it comes to different languages. She said, "Well, not really. South Asia is full of sexual poetry. Look at the Tamra Sangam. Bengali prose has a whole different set of sexual poetry. If you look at each language, the lexicon for sexuality might be different for every language, because different languages have different characters."

She adds, "But I must say, Urdu is a stunning language to listen to. Since Urdu is familiar to everyone, maybe through Bollywood films, Urdu gets assigned the most pleasurable poetry of desire. We all get our little lexicon of love from Urdu. I mean, haven't you?"

Feminism Through The Ages

We asked Patel about the history of feminism in India, and the religious traditions that are not very woman-friendly, like being forcefully isolated when you are on your period. She tells us, "Tradition is constituted at the moment when it becomes useful as a political device. So practices actually change a lot of times. I have to say one thing as a woman and as someone who has spent a lot of time in the village  if you do not have access to the temple and there were things that you couldn't do, it wasn't so bad. Because one of the things it let you out of is domestic work. But what I have an issue with is that gendered bodies are curtailed and power is organised through gendered bodies. People actually use gender as a way of establishing power."

Has the way women are treated in India changed for the better? Is it safer to talk about sexuality as a woman, in spaces like this panel? Patel is not so sure about that. "Women wrote sexual poetry through the ages. We have an idea that now we have more freedom to say things because it makes us feel better than everybody else. I say that we can certainly go back to the past and find a possibility for a future that we want. I don't think it is easy for women to talk about sexuality, it is definitely hard, but it has always been hard and women do take a stand."

She says about the history of feminism in India, "Other people have said this, but interestingly enough, the control of women's bodies and sending back women to the domestic (space) was something that comes out of a British practice. It is a British critique of Indian communities. The British critique was that we treat our women really badly; South Asians treat their women really badly. They don't know how to govern themselves, they don't know how to govern their women."

What about the current government's stance on curtailing the freedom of women? Patel explains in this video.

The Femi-Nazi Chronicles

While the feminism moment is gathering force in India, women shy away from being labeled as feminists. She says, "That is because women don't want to claim the best part of feminism. Feminism is not about shutting things down. Feminism is about claiming your pleasure. I'm the kind of person who wants to claim pleasure and desire and not only protest as a feminist."

As for the term 'Feminazi', hear what Geeta has to say, in this video:
The merger of the two factions of the AIADMK seems to be almost complete now as reports are saying that the factions have finally agreed upon a deal in which former chief minister O Panneerselvam will be reinstated as chief minister.

"The merger deal has been sealed and formal talks will begin now between the senior leaders of both factions to finalise and announce the decision. Palaniswamy will step down for Panneerselvam, and become the party chief. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, whose properties were raided by Income Tax officials, may be dropped from the cabinet. Former minister and MLA Senthil Balaji may be inducted along with one or two more faces from southern Tamil Nadu, The Indian Express quoted a senior AIADMK leader as saying.

The report further said that according to sources, the ruling faction decided to give up the post of chief minister because of the "vulnerable state of the government".

Meanwhile, AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran has left for Delhi to appear before the Crime Branch police in the case of alleged attempt to bribe Election Commission officials, reported The Hindu.

As signs of thaw emerged in the merger move, the factions led by Palaniswamy and the one by Panneerselvam had announced formation of their respective committees to hold discussions. Earlier on Friday, the Palaniswamy camp had constituted its committee led by Vaithilingam (which is likely to include some ministers) to hold talks with the Panneerselvam faction.

The developments came a day after the talks appeared to have hit a roadblock with the Panneerselvam camp seeking formal expulsion of Sasikala and Dinakaran from the party. It had also sought a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to former chief minister Jayalalithaa's death on 5 December last year.

Hardening its stance for talks, the OPS camp had also demanded that 30 members of the Sasiskala family be formally expelled from the party. The Panneerselvam camp had also demanded withdrawal of affidavits submitted to the Election Commission by the Palaniswami faction, declaring Sasikala and Dhinakaran as party General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary, respectively.

Dinakaran has maintained that he had already announced he would stay away from party affairs and that he could be removed only by Sasikala. Sasikala is at present serving a four year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.

With inputs from PTI
If Amit Shah wrote a book on how his BJP must conquer the south, the chapter on Tamil Nadu would have this headline: If you cant beat em, join em. Or, in case the BJP president didnt care for cliches, he might have taken the title from the Scottish proverb: Better bend than break.

Bend the BJP did  bend backwards actually  as it courted the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for a long while, especially after 2009. But this story of courting, largely a one-way affair, has been taking the kind of turns and twists that even the most inane of romance comedy writers would desist from.

Take for instance what happened on 27 September 2014.

On that day, a trial court in Bengaluru convicted AIADMKs leader Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case. Instead of mourning the verdict against a leader whom they had been assiduously wooing, singing her praise when the occasion demanded, the BJP leaders were overjoyed. They changed the tune of their song.

After her conviction, resignation and appointment of her trusted man O Panneerselvam (OPS) as the chief minister, the BJP leaders saw a gaping political void in Tamil Nadu which they wanted to fill in a hurry. They made a sudden discovery of her corruption and began to find faults with her government, though some of its central leaders made conciliatory noises, trying not to antagonise her in the long run.

But when, on 11 May 2015, the Karnataka High Court overturned the trial courts verdict and acquitted her, the BJP changed the tune of its song again. On 23 May, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first to congratulate her after she returned as the chief minister.

PM @narendramodi congratulates Jayalalithaa ji on taking oath as CM of Tamil Nadu and conveys his best wishes to her & her team.  PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 23, 2015

Not lagging behind, state BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan said the same day: Whatever may be Jayalaithaas past record, the court has given a big relief to makkal mudalvar (the peoples Chief Minister).

Once again, the party was back to pursuing Jayalalithaa in a big way.

Jayalalithaa allied with the BJP in 1998 only to dramatically withdraw her support, leading to the Vajpayee governments fall, then joined forces with the Congress and others in 1999, with the BJP again in 2004 and with the Third Front in 2009. She went solo in 2014.

BJPs performance in Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu (Total seats: 39)

Though the RSS has been spreading its wings significantly in Tamil Nadu, especially after the 1998 Coimbatore blasts and LK Advanis march there, the BJP hasnt met with matching electoral successes in the state. Jayalalithaas sweep of the Lok Sabha seats in 2014 was too much for the BJP to take. She held out the pan-India Modi wave and notched up a remarkable 37 of the 39 seats, conceding only one seat to BJP and another one to NDA ally PMK.

Why BJP is after AIADMK

The BJPs election managers were and still are painfully aware that Jayalalithaas recipe for success in 2014 was the same as that of Modi in the rest of the country: The Hindu vote plus the development plank.

Despite being the czarina of a Dravidian party supposedly rooted in rationalism, Jayalalithaa never made a secret of her deep belief in God and Hinduism and even in superstition. This, according to analysts, earned her the right wing Hindu votes from several castes including the powerful Gounders and Thevars, dominant in the western and southern parts of the state respectively.

That Jayalalithaa had nearly the same winning formula as Modi didnt dawn on the BJP leaders overnight in 2014. What they had only suspected for some time was confirmed. Not surprisingly, Modi had been extending his hand of friendship to her personally even earlier. Never forget that he flew from Ahmedabad to Chennai to attend her swearing-in ceremony in 2011.

After 2014, the BJP found to its dismay that it had no choice other than to partner with Jayalalithaa. The wooing intensified after Modi became the prime minister, but Jayalalithaa was averse to ally with the BJP for fear that it would slice into her own vote banks. Yet, an undeterred BJP was bent upon adding Jayalalithaas two leaves to its lotus.

Not only did her death on 5 December 2016 make no difference but it also made the wooing game even more desperate, even as RSS continued its effort to increase its footprint. It held a mammoth meeting of its Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in Coimbatore last month.

The party first cosied up to Jayalalithaas friend V Sasikala who seemed like the most natural inheritor of her legacy. On 6 December, Modi flew to Chennai and consoled Sasikala.

The split in the AIADMK, following a revolt by Pannerselvam and Sasikalas appointment of Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) as the chief minister, was an obvious cause of worry for the BJP. You cant have the party you want to partner with in fragments. The photo of Modi patting his hand on Sasikalas head told a story that a million TV bytes couldnt.

But it didnt take long for the BJP to change its perception of Sasikala from a natural heiress of Jayalalithaa to an obvious liability. It became pretty clear during the run-up to the RK Nagar by-election that Sasikala, who is now in a Bengaluru jail in the same disproportionate assets case that involved Jayalalithaa, was popular in the party but not among people. The I-T raids on a minister close to Sasikalas nephew TTV Dinakaran and the Delhi police case against him for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials to get the frozen two-leaves symbol for his faction pushed the party deeper into an abyss.

Why BJP backs OPS but not EPS

The exit of Sasikala, Dinkaran and their family from the AIADMK  well, almost  now leaves the OPS and EPS factions bickering over merger and power-sharing. OPS and EPS are not in any hurry to unite. The BJP is. From the BJPs point of view, a united AIADMK without the Sasikala family would be an ideal ally. Besides getting the much-needed votes in the upcoming presidential elections, the BJP would look forward to contesting upwards of ten seats as part of seat-sharing in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and winning most of them and improving its 2014 tally of just one seat.

And in the ongoing OPS vs EPS tussle, the BJP bets on the former because the party sees him  it believes that even people see him that way  as the natural successor to Jayalalithaa, who had trusted him twice with the chief ministers post.

The party is also confident that OPS would be more amenable to accommodating the saffron brigade in the state.

In BJPs calculations, people see EPS as an impostor thrust on the party by another imposter (Sasikala) who tried to hijack Jayalalithaas legacy and that the Chief Minister ditched the Sasikala family only after seeing which way the wind blew.

The BJP may be sure of its perceptions of EPS and OPS. But it cant be so sure of the future of an alliance with an OPS-led AIADMK in a state notorious for its byzantine politics, made complicated by myriad castes and small parties. But OPS is the BJPs best bet for now.

Author tweets @sprasadindia
Hitting out at Ram Madhav, the architect of the PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, the education minister in the coalition government  Syed Altaf Bukhari  said on Friday that the BJP general secretary is trying to legitimize the acts by armed forces in Kashmir which have been termed as illegal under international law.

Madhav, while speaking to CNN-News18, had justified the controversial video in which armed forces are seen using a Kashmiri man as shield in front of their jeep. I compliment the major for not allowing both these things to happenIf I were to blame anybody today for that scenario, it would be those who were responsible for failing to send reinforcements when the situation was critical and it was informed to the seniors. In a war and love, everything is fair. Madhav told CNN-News18.

Is it a war declared against Kashmiris who despite all odds casted their votes reaffirming their belief in democracy? Or it is a war declared to satiate the sanguine electoral interests of a particular political party in the country, Bukhari was quoted in a statement.

The PDP and BJP are seemingly on a war-path after Madhav defended human shield incident saying all is fair in love and war. Taking a strong exception Bukhari said one fails to understand against whom has Madhav declared war!

These statements smack of a hyper-nationalist environment in the country. Unfortunately, people with right-wing approach consider any support for human rights in Kashmir to be anti-national. Let Madhav be reminded that no civilised society can afford to use it's citizens as shields for military operations, said Bukhari, the close aid of the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

He also said modern nations operate under the presumption that in the case of an armed conflict, the State must do everything to ensure civilians are not hurt. However, Madhav seems to be justifying what is unjustifiable. Almost all general legal approaches consider human shields illegal both in domestic circumstances and international conflicts.

If Kashmiris are perceived as enemies and anti nationals why BJP agreed in principle for the agenda of alliance calling for dialogue with all stakeholders, good relations between India and Pakistan, maintaining status quo on Article 370, steps for revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), opening of new cross-LoC route, settlement of issues of refugees etc., Bukhari asked in his statement.

On the one hand Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modi compliments our chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and on the other hand BJP ministers and leaders act in contradiction to those compliments. It seems a difficult and vitiating scenario is being created to hamper her performance on the ground, Bukhari observed.

The differences in the PDP-BJP coalition government are spilling out into the open with the two parties indulging in the war of words over the deteriorating law and order situation in valley.

The separatists too have condemned Madhav's statement saying it was a historical fact that the "founders of RSS had met Mussolini and Hitler" and were inspired by these enemies of humanity.

Hitler and Mussolini killed people in gas chambers without any regret and today Ram Madav and somebody called Ganga by issuing nonsensical statements are proving their fascist credentials, said Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, while reacting to Madhav's statement that killing and terrorising Kashmiris was absolutely right thing to do.

Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani too hit out at Madhav for defending the forces saying human shield incident illustrates their national policy about Jammu and Kashmir'.

They have declared war and his statement stands testimony," said Geelani, while referring to the statement of Ram Madhav. It is a clear clean chit to forces to carry massacre in state, he added. Geelani said that it is red signal and carry perilous message for forces to go ahead with killings and serves an apparent threat to people.

The moderate faction of the Hurriyat conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that finally the cat is out of the bag and Madhavs statement condoning and complimenting the army for using a civilian as a human shield reflects the BJP's mindset and approach towards the people of Kashmir.

"Madhav's justification of this inhuman act as 'everything being fair in love and war' finally is an open admission by the Government of India that it considers itself at war with the people of Kashmir and will treat Kashmiris as such," Mirwaiz said in a statement.
Jammu: BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav, on Friday met with senior leader of ally PDP Haseeb Drabu in Jammu amid growing tension between the coalition partners, especially after certain controversial remarks by a BJP minister in the state.

Madhav also met the BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga, who later expressed regret for his recent comment "traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets".

The BJP's National General Secretary, who is visiting the state against the backdrop of deteriorating security situation in the Kashmir valley, also met Governor N N Vohra. Madhav and Avinash Rai Khanna, the BJP's national vice-president, held a meeting with PDP leader and Minister Haseeb Drabu for over one-and-a-half hours at the BJP headquarters. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the BJP's state chief Sat Sharma and party's organisation general secretary Ashok Kaul also attended the meeting.

Later, state police chief SP Vaid also joined the meeting at the BJP headquarters. "We held a meeting to discuss and review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Khanna told reporters. Sharma maintained that Madhav was visiting Jammu in connection with the forthcoming two-day visit of party chief Amit Shah here from 29 April.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the growing tension between the coalition partners over several issues, particularly the remarks made by some BJP leaders against stone-pelters of Kashmir. Ganga's recent remarks drew the ire of the PDP, which said there was a "conspiracy" to keep trouble brewing in the Valley which has been witnessing repeated clashes over the last several days.

"Such detestable remarks not only reflect the nauseous mentality of some extremist politicians in the state, but also expose the larger design of certain elements to provoke fresh trouble in Kashmir so that Kashmiris are pushed into perpetual educational and economic dis-empowerment," senior PDP leader Peerzada Mansoor said in a statement on Friday.

Ganga said he regretted his remarks, which he claimed were being "misinterpreted and misrepresented". "I deeply regret my remarks, he said in a televised statement while making a fervent appeal to everyone to maintain peace and harmony in the state.

PDP sources said that apart from Ganga's remarks, the party was also unhappy with Madhav's comments, where the minister complimented an Army officer for tying the man to the bonnet of a jeep to escape stone-pelting in a Kashmir village.

Taking strong exception to Madhav's remark, PDP leader and Minister Mohd Altaf Bukhari said the comment "seems to be a move aimed at legitimising a crime that is internationally-abhorred under covenants of human rights".

"One fails to understand against whom Madhav has declared war! Is it a war declared against Kashmiris who despite all odds caste their votes reaffirming their belief in democracy? Or is it a war declared to satiate the sanguine electoral interests of a particular political party in the country, Bukhari questioned.

The PDP is also alleging betrayal by the BJP in the legislative council elections, in which an associate member of the PDP in the Assembly voted in favour of the BJP candidate on assurance of a post. "Our coalition partner did not obey the coalition dharma," a PDP source said.

Not taking this lightly, the Mehbooba Mufti-led government sacked the Zanskar MLA Mohammad Baqir Rizvi from the post of Vice Chairman of the States Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board and withdrew the 'Minister of State' from him.

Reflecting the PDP's unhappiness, Yasri Reshi, an elected MLC of the party, did not attend the oath-taking ceremony of the MLCs on Thursday. In his meeting with the Governor, Madhav discussed the initiatives for bringing peace and normalcy in Kashmir.

"Madhav met the Governor and discussed security-related issues with him and the initiatives under consideration for hastening the developmental process and promoting peace and normalcy," a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.

"We are here to discuss arrangements for the forthcoming visit of Amit Shah from April 29, BJPs Khanna said. BJP MLA Vibodh Gupta said Shah had chosen to start an all-India tour with Jammu and Kashmir. It is an honour for us, he added.
Municipal corporation elections don't always assume national importance. But the way the chief players in elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are fighting it out, it seems national political discourse hinges on this very election.

The control of Delhi is important for the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for obvious reasons, as also for the Congress that ruled the capital not so long ago.

For BJP, Delhi seems to be the only exception to a wave that the party is currently enjoying. For AAP, Delhi is the key to its immediate raison detre, especially after its ignominious defeats in the Punjab and Goa Assembly elections.

And for the citizens reeling under life-threatening epidemics like dengue, chikungunya, swine flu, malaria, etc. at the turn of every season, its important who do they give the reins of the city to.

Election Date: Sunday, 23 April

Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD)

The union territory of Delhi is divided into three statutory urban regions: the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Cantonment Board.

Three MCDs North, South and East are governed by the three corporations, while the NDMC is the municipal council of the city of New Delhi which is governed by a council with a chairperson appointed by the central government, and includes the chief minister of Delhi.

The civic matters of the Delhi Cantonment area are looked after by the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB). The Delhi Cantonment Board functions directly under the control of the Ministry of Defence.

Even after delimitation of the wards the total number of wards remains at 272. While South MCD and North MCD have 104 wards each, East MCD has 64 wards.

Genesis:

MCD came into existence on the 7 April, 1958 under the Act of Parliament. Prior to that DMC (Delhi Municipal Committee) was the principal civic body of Delhi. The 1993 amendment of the Act brought about fundamental changes in composition, functions, governance and administration of the corporation.

The census data of 2011 is the basis of the delimitation exercise. Last delimitation exercise for municipal wards was done in 2007, when the one MCD was trifurcated into three MCDs. The number of wards have also increased from 136 to 272. The last delimitation exercise took place on the basis of 2001 census data and the average population per ward has been kept at 50,000.

Main political parties in fray

The major political parties in the fray are BJP, Congress, AAP, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the new Swaraj India the political front emerged out of socio-political movement Swaraj Abhiyan, a splinter group of AAP. For the last ten years, MCD has been ruled by BJP.

Party faces

BJP : Though Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari is leading the campaign, the de-facto face or brand leader is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP is expecting to sweep the election keeping Modi at the front.

: Though Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari is leading the campaign, the de-facto face or brand leader is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP is expecting to sweep the election keeping Modi at the front. Congress : Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken

: Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken AAP : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Swaraj India: Its national president Yogendra Yadav

Party position in three MCDs

North MCD: BJP has 59 councillors, Congress 29, the Bahujan Samaj Party 7, while others have 9 seats in the House.

BJP has 59 councillors, Congress 29, the Bahujan Samaj Party 7, while others have 9 seats in the House. South MCD: BJP leads the tally with 44 members, followed by 29 of Congress, five of the BSP while others have 26 seats in the House.

BJP leads the tally with 44 members, followed by 29 of Congress, five of the BSP while others have 26 seats in the House. East MCD: BJP - 39 seats, Congress - 19 and BSP - 3.

Key issues

The key issues in this election are corruption in MCDs, lack of cleanliness, accumulation of garbage on streets and colonies, choked drainage system, liquor vends at residential areas, pollution, inordinate delay in salaries to MCD workers, poor parking facilities and failure in deliverance.

Allegations-Counter Allegations



While, AAP has alleged that due to the BJP, the conditions of MCDs have deteriorated due to rampant corruption, the BJP has directly blamed the AAP government in Delhi for the condition stating it to be Kejriwals functioning.

Congress has blamed both the AAP and the BJP. Swaraj India has appealed the voters with the tagline Saaf Dil, Saaf Dilli (Clean heart, Clean Delhi) and has blamed all three major political parties  BJP, Congress and AAP  for the poor functioning of MCDs.

Race for the last lap

As the election campaigning has ended, now the parties and candidates are busy in closed-door meeting to chalk out plans for the D-day  on how to manage the booths and mobilise voters of respective localities.

Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav has written a letter to Kejriwal demanding resignation of the chief minister, if the party fails to secure even 137 seats (50 percent). AAP has claimed that it would bag 218 seats.
With campaigning for MCD elections ending Friday, all eyes are now on 23 April for turnout and 25 April for the results.

MCD elections have never generated so much interest. An opinion poll carried out by a certain agency predicts a BJP victory: Its another matter that the agency got all five states wrong in their exit polls. Who will win MCD elections? That's the million dollar question. Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure.

Caste and community-based identity politics is prevalent in India. In Delhi, while upper caste accounts for 40%, OBCs account for 24% of the population. Dalits account for 17% and Muslims 13% of the state population.

Migrants make up 40% of Delhis population. Of these, Purvanchalis are the most numerous, accounting for one-fourth of the population. In elections, social coalitions of like-minded groups are formed who then vote as a block.

However, this coalition is not fixed and changes with every election cycle. There is also an undercurrent of tension between locals and "outsiders".

Upper caste has traditionally voted for BJP. Dalits and Muslims vote for Congress. AAP has made a dent into upper caste vote bank of BJP, mainly Khatris and Banias (Vaishya), and the Congress' Dalit-Muslim vote bank. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal belongs to the Bania community. Manoj Tiwari is a Purvanchali and Ajay Maken is a Punjabi Khatri. A perfect cocktail of sorts.

Added to this is the layer of class and economic well-being. Upper class and upper middle class accounts for 31% of population. Poor and lower class make up 24% of the populous. Lower middle class voters, who are 45 percent of Delhi's population, could well decide the outcome. Upper class and upper middle class have historically voted for BJP while lower class and the poor for Congress. The Congress' vote somewhat shifted to BSP from 2000-2010 and completely shifted to AAP in 2015 polls.



Owing to the caste-ridden nature of Indian society, the middle class had traditionally been dominated by upper class. However, over the years, due to economic upliftment of different castes through various welfare schemes of government, this no longer holds true. The new middle class is composed of various caste groups and that is why it doesnt vote en-bloc.

Some upper caste members could fall under lower middle class category, while some Muslims-Dalits could be well off. Purvanchalis may not vote en-bloc for party based on identity politics. Purvanchalis living in slums may well consider which party can provide better roads, sanitation and water facilities, when voting.

The three municipal corporations under MCD also have different caste, class, and community representation. South Delhi Municipal Corporation broadly includes south Delhi, west Delhi and New Delhi Lok Sabha seats, excluding Delhi Cantonment. While Jats and Gujjars hold keys to power in south Delhi, Jats and Sikhs dominate west Delhi, which has a sizeable Purvanchali population. South Delhi is also home to majority of posh colonies of the city, while New Delhi essentially is composed of government offices and societies.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation broadly includes North West Delhi, Chandni Chowk and portion of North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat. Bulk of the Muslim, Dalits and Bania community reside in this area.

East Delhi Municipal Corporation, which broadly includes regions of east Delhi and North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, is dominated by Purvanchalis. As per my research, Purvanchalis and lower class have a dominating influence in 105 MCD seats, Punjabis dominate in 62 seats while 105 seats have a mixed representation.

In 2015, AAP was able to form an all-encompassing umbrella of poor, lower caste, lower class, class, lower middle class, minorities, Dalits and migrants through its social engineering efforts. The result: a plus 50% vote share and 95% seats.

AAP had in place both targeted messaging for each segment of voters and also an over-arching message. A fifty percent cut in electricity tariff and free water for the poor. Corruption-free governance, which appealed to all voters. The aam aadmi tag managed to develop for the party an affinity within the common man who had lost all say in the corridors of power. It remains to be seen whether AAP can hold onto this coalition of voters.

To sum up: The complex interplay of forces (caste, class, residential status, local, migrant) will impact voting preference, turnout and ultimately, determine the winner.

Amitabh Tiwari is an independent political commentator. He runs a popular blog on Indian politics and elections www.politicalbaba.com and can be reached at @politicalbaaba.

Follow all the live updates here
The 100 Season 4, Episode 9 spoilers, airdate: Clarke Deals With A Potential Unrest In DNR

When "The 100" Season 4 returns Jasper and Bellamy embark on a new adventure. After a long hiatus, The CW series resumes its run this week with all-new Episode 9. The highly anticipated episode is titled "DNR" and it sees Clarke dealing with an unexpected uprising when only six days are left for the dreaded catastrophe.

[Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for "The 100" Season 4, Episode 9 "DNR." Do not read further if you don't want to know more about it.]

According to the description of "The 100" Season 4, Episode 9, the show focuses on Clarke's struggle to maintain peace and order. Work of Jaha's discovery spreads and it is expected to cause an unrest. Clarke gets into action to prevent potential agitation. Meanwhile, Jasper and Bellamy head out on a new hunt.

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"Jasper (Devon Bostick) and Bellamy (Bob Morley) go on a quest. Meanwhile, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) struggles to keep the peace after word of Jaha's (Isaiah Washington) discovery spreads," reads the official synopsis for "The 100" Season 4, Episode 9 as on Spoiler TV. The episode titled "DNR" was written by Miranda Kwok and directed by Mairzee Almas.

The trailer for "The 100" Season 4, Episode 9 teases the impending apocalypse. Only six days are left for the dreaded catastrophe that will kill anyone who is outside the bunker. This means they are trapped inside the shelter and the radiation will kill anyone who leaves the chamber.

Meanwhile, Jasper seems to have lost all hope. In the clip, he expresses the will to die.

"That's just it," Jasper says in the clip. "We don't think it's the way to live." Scroll down to watch the trailer below. Meanwhile, Heavy has posted a gallery of pictures teasing the events from the upcoming episode.

"The 100" Season 4, Episode 9 airs April 26 at 10:00 p.m. ET on The CW. Stay tuned for more spoilers and updates.



Credit: YouTube.com/tvpromosdb

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New Delhi: On the eve of MCD polls, the Delhi BJP on Saturday filed a police complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his comments that voting for BJP would put the lives of the city's children at risk.

In the complaint, the party alleged that Kejriwal has "violated the Model Code of Conduct by posting offending

election material on his Facebook wall" and "campaigning beyond the prescribed time through his social media handles".

The complaint has been filed on the direction of Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari at the North Avenue police station.

The Delhi BJP also demanded that Kejriwal's Facebook account should be blocked.

On Thursday, Kejriwal had said that the people of Delhi would risk their children's lives if they voted for the BJP in the MCD polls, during a Facebook Live event.

"If you vote for the BJP and if your child falls prey to chikungunya or dengue, you are responsible for it. I can offer free treatment to your child in (the Delhi government) hospitals, but what led to him or her to contract dengue?

"If someone in your home falls ill then you are responsible because you voted for the party which is

synonymous to chikungunya, malaria, dengue and garbage," Kejriwal was quoted as saying.
MK Stalin, working president of the DMK, on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi-led government of trying to destroy India's unity and asked the Centre to give up efforts of sidelining non-Hindi speaking people.

In a video which was posted on his official Facebook page, the 64-year-old condemned the BJP government's efforts to make Hindi the official language of India. He said, "I must condemn these unceasing efforts of the central government under the BJP's leadership, which effectively try to relegate non-Hindi speaking citizens as second-class citizens in their own motherland."

The latest backlash by the DMK leader comes in the light of the President's nod to a proposal made by a parliamentary panel to have students of schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Kendriya Vidyalyas to compulsorily study Hindi till Std 10.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has also been instructed to form a policy in consultation with the state governments to make the language compulsory.

In the four-minute video, Stalin urges the Modi government to give up its efforts of sidelining non-Hindi speaking citizens.

He said, "Tamil Nadu has always stood against domination of an external language over its mother tongue and has stood the ground victorious right from 1938."

He invoked the Constitution of India, when he said, "This kind of re-titling goes against the letter and the spirit of the Constitution of India that was framed under the leadership of Dr Ambedkar and ensures equal rights to all the citizens in all dimensions."

He added, "By forcing Hindi onto its citizens  from primary school students to Parliament  the BJP government is betraying all non-Hindi speaking residents of the country, including future generations."

He added that the history of Tamil Nadu shows that the state has stood against the domination of an external language over its mother tongue.

This video is part of the the latest round of anti-Hindi protests which is threatening to flare up in Tamil Nadu after the Centre's reported move to replace English signs on national highways across the southern Indian state. The Dravidian parties have voiced severe criticism of the Centre's move alleging it was a clandestine move for "bringing Hindi hegemony through the backdoor in Tamil Nadu."

"This shows bringing Hindi hegemony through the backdoor in Tamil Nadu," Stalin had earlier said in a statement, adding, it showed the BJP-led Centre did not respect the sentiments of Tamils.

Watch full video here:

With inputs from agencies
By Barbara Goldberg

| NEW YORK

NEW YORK American Airlines on Saturday apologized to a female passenger and suspended an employee after a video showing an onboard clash over a baby stroller went viral, in the latest embarassment for a U.S. carrier over how it treated a customer.The clip, posted to Facebook on Friday by a bystander on the flight, shows a woman in tears with a young child in her arms, and a man emerging from his seat to confront a male flight attendant.Facebook user Surain Adyanthaya, who put the video on his page, said in his post that the flight attendant had forcefully taken the stroller from the woman, hitting her with it and just missing her child. "You do that to me and I'll knock you flat," the unidentified man tells the flight attendant.

The crew member then points his finger angrily and challenges the passenger to hit him. The video shows the man eventually returning to his seat.

American Airlines said in a statement it was investigating the incident, which took place before the plane took off on a flight from San Francisco to Dallas. "We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident," the airline said in a statement released early on Saturday.

The woman elected to take another flight and was upgraded to first class, the airline said.Less than two weeks ago, United Air Lines found itself in a public relations nightmare when a video appeared online showing a 69-year-old doctor being dragged off one of its flights to make room for a crew member, sparking international outrage and policy changes by the airline. (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Infosys, Tata and Cognizant quoted in a White House background briefing on H1B visas?

Thats right.

Exhaustive and sharply focused number crunching has gone into Trumps latest executive order calling for a sweeping review of the H1B visa. Indias top tech companies have been mentioned in a White House briefing where Administation officials made the American case about Indias top companies gaming the H1B lottery system to corner a lions share of visas.

Link: Full text of White House background briefing on H1B

Administration officials clarified that this does not amount to a criticism of these companies but of how the H1B program is run.

Every stakeholder in the H1B visa story of 2 decades has a view on the good, bad and ugly side of this temporary work permit and right now the view with the maximum voice share is Trumps crack team working overtime on the messaging of the H1B overhaul.

The crux of their argument is this: Just to illustrate a little bit more how the lottery works -- so some companies oftentimes are called outsourcing firms. You may know their names well, but like the top recipients of the H1B visa are companies like Tata, Infosys, Cognizant -- they will apply for a very large number of visas, more than they get, by putting extra tickets in the lottery raffle, if you will, and then theyll get the lions share of visas. Which is very different than I think how most people think of the H1B program -- they imagine it for more -- being for -- again, they would think of it as being for skilled domestic work, rather than contract work.

In other words, a small number of giant outsourcing companies flood the system with applications which naturally ups their chances of success. Take for example a start up which needs 2 H1B workers and puts in 2 applications - what chance does this company have when its up against a massive outsourcing gig that applies for 14,000 visas?

Responding to a follow up on why the Indian companies were singled out for mention, the White House response: No, I mean, these are the top three recipients of H1B visas. And those three companies are companies that have an average wage for H1B visas between $60,000 and $65,000. By contrast, the median Silicon Valley software engineers wage is probably around $150,000. So it just illustrates the point that I was walking you through about how H1B visas are awarded -- if you have contracting firms that are not skills employers, that oftentimes use workers for entry-level positions, and they capture the lions share of H1B visas. And that's all public record.

Top immigration attorney Cyrus Mehta told Firstpost that the definition of low wage is problematic on many fronts. Primarily, he feels that the criticism of low wages thats being bandied around is not accounting for regional differences. An employer has to pay the prevailing wage but if the position is junior and you pay the entry wage its okay. It is legal to pay that prevailing wage depending on which position you are hiring for.

"A techie in Wisconsin and a techie in Silicon Valley will not be earning the same, there will be a difference. Additionally, a very senior level H1B worker in Wisconsin may be earning less than a junior level person in Silicon Valley, he told Firstpost. Theyre not factoring in regional differences.

Mehta spoke in a long ranging discussion on H1B visas after the Trump executive order - you can catch that conversation here.

Mehtas point about wage levels and seniority did come up in the Q and A at the White House too.

In answer, officials whipped out an armoury of numbers and countered. Although the White House numbers do not answer Mehtas point, they certainly resonate for Trumps core vote base:

many people will be surprised to know that about 80 percent of H1B workers are paid less than the median wage in their fields. Only about 5 to 6 percent, depending on the year, of H1B workers command the highest wage tier recognized by the Department of Labor, there being four wage tiers. And the highest wage tier, for instance, in 2015, was only 5 percent of H1B workers.

So 80 percent receive less than the median wage, and only 10 percent receive the median wage. And so only 5 percent were categorized at the highest wage tier of the four wage tiers that are in place for the H1B guest worker visa. The result of that is that workers are often brought in well below market rates to replace American workers, again, sort of violating the principle of the program, which is supposed to be a means for bringing in skilled labor, and instead youre bringing in a lot of times workers who are actually less skilled and lower paid than the workers that theyre replacing, officials said.

Mehta explained that if median wage becomes the gold standard, then companies will have to start paying that median wage once it is written into law. And that's exactly what the Administration seems to be partially avoiding with their H1B actions so far - more administrative checks and less legislative overheads.

Remember that there are four wage tiers for H1B workers and depending on which city you are calculating for, the wage would change.

Trump has tasked another multi billionaire in his Cabinet - Commerce Secretary Wilbur Smith with the job of submitting a report within 220 days which means roughly around Thanksgiving time in America after which the Christmas season follows and its anyway a lean time for government folks. All that is if Ross takes all of 220 days to submit the report.

Knowing Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, dont be surprised if some of those recommendations come in well before the 220-day deadline, White House officials said.
By Sandor Peto

| BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST Thousands of Hungarians joined a rally mocking Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday, in the latest protest against what they call his attacks on democracy and human rights. Around 4,000-5,000 demonstrators walked with banners bearing heavily ironic slogans such as "we do not need elections". They chanted "down with press freedom" and "we do not need Brussels", as waves of laughter rippled through the crowd.The march through Budapest's centre was organised by the Two-Tailed Dog Party, a spoof party which last year encouraged voters to draw penises on ballot papers in a referendum on migrant quotas. Demonstrations have been mounted in the past three weeks against a new law that targets the Central European University, founded in Budapest by the Hungarian-born billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros.

The European Commission has threatened Hungary with legal action over the university law, which critics call an assault on academic freedom. Orban's opponents attack his Russia-friendly policies, and his government has drawn disapproval from some other European Union member states of its tough laws to keep out migrants.

Non-governmental organisations funded by Soros have been critical of the Hungarian premier's migration policies, and he has accused them of interfering in politics.His government has drafted legislation to force such organisations to publish data on their funding from abroad, a requirement critics say is modelled along similar Russian rules.

One year ahead of elections, Orban's right-wing Fidesz party has a firm lead in opinion polls.The demonstrations are expected to continue next week."The (ruling) Fidesz party is slowly dismantling democracy," said Laura Kelemen, a 17-year-old protester. (Additional reporting by Krisztina Fenyo; editing by Andrew Roche)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Steve Holland

| WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed back to the United States Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian-American charity worker whose release from jail in Egypt was sought by Trump when he met Egypt's president early this month.Trump and his aides had engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to gain her freedom after attempts by the previous Obama administration failed.She was released from jail on Tuesday after nearly three years of detention on human trafficking charges. Aides said Trump had personally requested her release in a meeting April 3 with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but had done so privately and made no public mention of her case.Hijazi, 30, sat next to Trump in the Oval Office for a meeting that also included Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, her husband, Jared Kushner, and Dina Powell, the top White House aide who accompanied her home on a U.S. military jet on Thursday. Ivanka Trump and Kushner are top advisers to the president.

"We are very happy to have Aya back home and its a great honor to have her in the Oval Office, with her brother," Trump said, declining to answer questions about her case. Hijazi was accompanied by her brother, Basel.Hijazi, an Egyptian who holds U.S. citizenship, was acquitted by a Cairo court on Sunday along with seven others who had worked with street children.

Hijazi, 30, was flown to Joint Base Andrews, the U.S. military airfield near Washington. She founded Belady, a non-governmental organization that promotes a better life for street children.She had been in custody for 33 months in violation of Egyptian law, which states that the maximum period for pretrial detention is 24 months.

U.S. officials had raised Hijazi's case with Egypt soon after Trump took office on Jan. 20, aides said.Pressed on how Trump managed to gain her release when President Barack Obama had not, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said he would leave it to others "to look at the different strategies to see why the president was successful" and Obama was not. Critics had accused the Obama administration of indifference to her case.Since toppling President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013, Sisi's government has cracked down on the opposition, killing hundreds of Brotherhood supporters and jailing thousands. The net has widened to include liberal and secular activists. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Zargham; Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Michelle Nichols

| UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday for the first time since both took office earlier this year and amid a U.S. push to cut funding to the world body and its agencies. Guterres met with Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, and then "had an opportunity to meet with President Trump," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "The secretary-general and the president agreed to meet again in the near future," Dujarric told reporters at the United Nations."In his meetings at the White House, the secretary-general felt he had had an interesting and constructive discussion on cooperation between the United States and the United Nations," he said.

U.N. Security Council ambassadors are due to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, diplomats said. The United States is president of the 15-member council for April. Trump has proposed a 28 percent budget cut for diplomacy and foreign aid, which includes an unspecified reduction in financial support for the United Nations and its agencies, as well as enforcement of a 25 percent cap on U.S. funding for peacekeeping operations.

The United States is the biggest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 percent of the $5.4 billion core budget and 28.5 percent of the $7.9 billion peacekeeping budget. These are assessed contributions agreed by the U.N. General Assembly.The United States currently owes the United Nations $896 million for its core budget, U.N. officials said. The United States is also reviewing peacekeeping missions as their mandates come up for renewal in a bid to cut costs.

U.N. agencies such as the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), the children's agency UNICEF, and the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), are funded by governments voluntarily.The State Department said this month it was ending funding for UNFPA, the international body's agency focused on family planning as well as maternal and child health in more than 150 countries. Guterres warned that the cut could have "devastating effects" on vulnerable women and girls.In 2016, the United States was the top contributor to the UNDP's core budget, with an $83 million donation; the leading donor to UNICEF's core budget in 2015 with $132 million; and the fourth-largest donor to the UNFPA, giving $75 million in core budget and earmarked contributions. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: US Surgeon General Vivek H Murthy, an Obama administration holdover, was asked to resign by the Trump administration, a media report said.

Murthy, an Indian-American, was replaced on Friday by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as Surgeon General, The New York Times reported. Trent-Adams would for now be in an acting role.

As of Friday evening, she had already replaced Murthy on the surgeon general's Twitter account, and her portrait had replaced his on the agency's Facebook page.

One of the first comments on that post asked, "Where is doctor Murthy?"

Alleigh Marre, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed Murthy's resignation in an emailed statement on Friday, saying he was asked to step down "after assisting in a smooth transition into the new (Donald) Trump administration."

Marre said Murthy will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service, The New York Times report said.

Admiral Trent-Adams might be the first surgeon general who is not a doctor. She is not the first nurse, though.

Richard Carmona, who served under President George W Bush, was a nurse and a physician, and he sometimes referred to himself as the first nurse to serve as surgeon general.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty.

There is a long history of surgeons general creating unwanted controversy for their political bosses; among the only ways that the government's top medics usually gain attention is when they leave office under a cloud, the NYT report added.
Sydney: US vice president Mike Pence on Saturday reaffirmed "the strong and historic" alliance with Australia and confirmed that it will honour a refugee deal that Washington made with Canberra.

Pence made the remarks here at a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the agreement would be honoured, subject to vetting, even if the US did not agree with it, Efe news reported.

"President (Donald) Trump has made it clear that we'll honour the agreement...that doesn't mean we admire the agreement," he said.

The deal, signed by former US president Barack Obama, calls for resettlement of up to 1,250 refugees in the US who are currently in Australian detention facilities on the islands of Manus and Nauru.

Shortly after taking office, Trump discussed the deal with Turnbull in a tense telephone conversation. He also took to Twitter to lambast the agreement, which he termed as "dumb".

Pence said the decision to go ahead with the deal was in honour of the important historic alliance between the US and Australia.

Beyond the refugee deal, Pence and Turnbull said they had discussed issues including the North Korea crisis, the situation in the South China Sea and the strengthening of bilateral trade between the two countries.

Pence, who arrived in Sydney late Friday, is on a three-day visit to Australia on the last leg of his Asia-Pacific tour.

"My presence here today - at the President's direction - it is about a reaffirmation of the strong ties in both our security and our prosperity," Pence said earlier on Saturday.

Pence was greeted by Australia's Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and is slated to meet with other senior officials, military personnel and leading businessmen from both countries.

He will conclude his 10-day Asia-Pacific tour on Monday, when he will depart for Hawaii.

During his visit he has sought to strengthen ties with US allies in the region following Trump's criticism of China and Japan during the presidential campaign.
(Xinhua) 09:43, April 22, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects Tieshan Port in Beihai City of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 19, 2017. Xi visited the south China region from Wednesday to Friday. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to capitalize on its advantages and play a bigger role in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Guangxi should make full use of its geographical location and the potential of coastlines, rivers and border areas to promote opening up, Xi said during a visit to the south China region from Wednesday to Friday.

At Tieshan Port in Guangxi's Beihai City, Xi learned about trade cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN countries through ports and the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone and spoke highly of the port's prospects.

Established in 2006, the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone comprises six cities: Nanning, Beihai, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, Yulin and Chongzuo. It has become increasingly important in connecting southwest and central China with southeast Asian countries.

As an important part of the economic zone, Tieshan Port saw a big boost in annual cargo handling capacity in recent years, from over 1 million tonnes to more than 20 million tonnes.

The president stressed the role of ports in the Maritime Silk Road development, urging sound management and operation of the ports at Beibu Gulf to make bigger contribution to Guangxi's development and the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Belt and Road Initiative accords with the will of the people, and we should advance opening up and development under the framework," he told workers at the port.

In Nanning, the president visited Alnan Aluminum Inc. and Nanning-Zhongguancun innovation demonstration base, where he described the importance of innovation in driving economic growth.

Innovation is the primary impetus for growth, and state-owned enterprises should lead the efforts to boost innovation, Xi said.

He called for more efficient government services and advanced technology support to foster an attractive system to encourage innovation.

Xi also visited a mangrove conservation area in the Beihai Golden Bay and a wetland park in Nanning, where he asked authorities to better safeguard the environment.

In a meeting with grass-roots representatives, Xi listened to their suggestions and expectations for the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, asking them to offer detailed and practical advice to central policymakers.

After being briefed on economic and social development in Guangxi, Xi urged local authorities to take further steps to advance industrial restructuring, transform growth models, improve innovation and deepen reform.

Xi stressed coordinated efforts to reduce poverty and strengthen ethnic unity, demanding targeted measures to lift more people out of poverty.
Toyota (NYSE:TM) unveiled a zero-emission truck that runs on hydrogen fuel cells. Toyota Motor North America Executive V.P. Bob Carter discussed how the truck works and its impact on the environment.

Were here to announce the next step in the development of hydrogen fuel cells and just behind me is our full-sized heavy duty Series 8 tractor trailer, said Carter.

Carter explained how the truck works, telling the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney, Its an electric vehicle first, but it actually produces the electricity thats needed on board. It takes pure hydrogen, converts it to electricity thats stored in the batteries to operate the vehicle.

He added: Its actually quiet running, but it produces zero emissions.

Carter predicts this could have a big impact on the environment considering the sizeable amount of truck traffic in and out of Americas ports.

And the reason Im at the port of entry today is that, as we know, this is an incredibly important port. Theres 42,000 cargo containers that move through this port every day. Theyre moved around by 16,000 largely diesel trucks. With zero emissions we think we can have an incredible impact on the environment surrounding the Port of Long Beach and perhaps eventually ports around the world.

According to Carter, it is not just a concept vehicle but will actually be hitting the roads this year.

Were going to actually work with the Port of Los Angeles. This truck will be moving cargo starting this summer. And again, weve developed this technology to really show the capabilities of this fuel cell technology which weve been running, weve been working on for 20 years.
Narrowing the gap between rich and poor is key to avoiding a destructive rise in populism, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Saturday as he laid out a plan to boost private investment in Africa.

"If we do nothing to change this, we can expect a rise in populist parties and demagogues, and a rise in instability around the world, with all its negative effects for sustainable growth", he said in a speech in Washington.

"We are seeing it already in some parts of the world," he said during the Global Infrastructure Forum at the Inter-American Development Bank. Schaeuble is among the officials attending the IMF and World Bank spring meetings this week.

He said Germany, which holds the presidency of the G20 group of nations, is pushing a plan to have African nations partner with certain G20 countries and international lenders, such as the World Bank, to attract outside investors to the continent.

The first stage of the proposal, dubbed "Compact with Africa," would focus on Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Ivory Coast.

"If we want to ensure long-term stability and security, we have to continue to reduce the gap in wealth between the rich countries and the poor countries of this world, especially on the African continent", Schaeuble said.

(Reporting by Gernot Heller; Editing by Paul Simao)
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Saturday warned against a hasty and uncoordinated rollback of financial regulation, saying such a move could jeopardize stability.

"Only a well-monitored and responsibly regulated financial sector will be resilient enough to provide a sound basis for sustainable growth," Schaeuble said in a speech to the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

"Therefore, we should remain committed to support the timely, full and consistent implementation of the agreed financial sector reforms," he told the International Monetary Fund's steering committee.

Schaeuble, who is among the financial officials attending the IMF and World Bank spring meetings this week, also reiterated the importance of trade and urged nations to resist protectionism.

"Trade has benefited the world economy enormously  pulling millions out of poverty, bringing prosperity and stability," he said.

"Turning back the clock on globalization could harm growth substantially. It would also destabilize emerging economies  some of which have already suffered from low commodity prices, volatile currencies and fluctuating capital flows in recent years."

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose measures to restrict imports, criticizing countries like Germany and China for running large trade surpluses with the United States and benefiting from weak currencies.

Zhou Xiaochuan, the head of the People's Bank of China, also urged IMFC members to embrace globalization and free trade.

"It is especially important to enhance the multilateral system of open and free trade and investment, jointly resist protectionism, and accelerate the liberalization of global trade and investment," he said in his IMFC speech.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Paul Simao)
Most consumers know Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA) as the plastic rectangle in their wallet that they can whip out in a moment's notice to make a purchase. Others might know that the Mastercard logo emblazoned on their credit and debit cards just represents the payment network used to move money from the issuing bank to the merchant's bank every time a purchase is made. However, even savvy investors might not know these five lesser-known facts about the payment network mega cap.

1. The Interbank Card Association and Master Charge

In 1966 a group of California banks including Wells Fargo, United California Bank, Crocker National Bank, and the Bank of California formed the Interbank Card Association (ICA). Soon thereafter the Marine Midland Bank and First National City Bank joined the ICA. The ICA introduced Master Charge: The Interbank Card in 1969. It was not until 1979 that the card was officially named Mastercard.

Image source: Pixabay.

2. Early international alliances and deals

In 1968, the ICA and Eurocard formed an alliance which basically allowed the Eurocard to be accepted on the ICA network and for Master Charge to be accepted on the Eurocard network. In 1972, the British Access card joined the coalition of payment networks, effectively giving the cards a reach across all of Europe and North America.

In 1992, Mastercard and Eurocard launched a joint venture, Maestro International. In 2002, Mastercard and Eurocard merged under the Mastercard umbrella. Mastercard acquired Access in 1996.

3. Mastercard's amazing post-IPO run

In 2006, Mastercard, which had been organized as a bank cooperative, went public with an IPO price of $39. When its 10-for-1 stock split in 2014 is considered, this means Mastercard's stock price has risen well over 2,000% since going public just a little more than ten years ago.

MA data by YCharts

4. Mastercard's antitrust lawsuits

Mastercard and Visa Inc (NYSE: V) have probably faced more antitrust litigation than any other duo of companies. ATM operators basically claimed that the companies fixed ATM access fees. Last November, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by Mastercard and Visa to dismiss the lawsuits. The case is still working its way through the court system.

Mastercard and Visa regularly face antitrust lawsuits. Image source: Pixabay.

In 2012, a federal court approved a record settlement of $5.7 billion to a 2005 lawsuit against Mastercard and Visa filed by a number of retailers. The litigation alleged the credit card companies conspired to fix fees charged to retailers for negotiating credit card transactions. Despite the record settlement, many merchants were not happy with the deal and have successfully appealed to have it overturned. This case is also pending.

In other countries around the globe, Mastercard and Visa have faced a number of similar lawsuits.

5. Mastercard's secret revenue generator

Most people have at least a glancing understanding of Mastercard's main revenue maker. Mastercard makes money every time a consumer uses the network to make a purchase. For every transaction, the company earns a transaction processing fee and a domestic assessment fee or cross border volume fee, dependent on whether the transaction was negotiated in the country of origin of the issuing bank. These revenue channels collectively represent more than 80% of Mastercard's revenues.

The remainder of Mastercard's revenue comes from what the company unceremoniously calls "Other Revenues" in its quarterly earning presentations. This revenue category represents a number of services and products Mastercard offers to its card-issuing banks including data analytics, loyalty and reward program management, fraud protection services, and consulting and research.

The kicker is that this umbrella of miscellaneous services is Mastercard's fastest growing revenue category; last quarter alone, the category accounted for $724 million in revenue, a 21% year over year increase.

The Foolish conclusion

Sometimes, much can be learned by studying a company's past. In Mastercard's case this is especially true. First, we learn that its focus on international growth began early in the company's life, when it first made alliances with Eurocard and Access in the late 1960s and early 1970s; the company's global effort continues to this day. Not only does its capable CEO Ajay Banga hail from India but some of the company's most innovative products are being offered in a variety of emerging markets. For instance, Mastercard has a deal with several African governments to link government-issued ID cards to national mobile wallets. Other recent deals include partnerships with the Bank of Ireland, a mobile platform for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and the First Bank of Nigeria.

Investors can also learn that one of Mastercard's unique threats is the large number of massive lawsuits brought against it by retailers, which could be an ongoing threat to the company and should be something that all shareholders keep a close eye on.

Perhaps, most importantly, Mastercard shareholders can learn that the credit card giant is quietly building sticky services that fall well outside of its clients' wheelhouses. Not only are these services rapidly growing revenue, but they make Mastercard's customers ever more reliant on the company, making it that much more difficult for a bank or financial institution to sever its ties to the payment network.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 3, 2017

Matthew Cochrane owns shares of Mastercard. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
(Xinhua) 09:52, April 22, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinpingon Thursday called on the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) to continue international cultural exchanges and make new contributions to world peace and development.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a letter in reply to the ICCIC and Beijing Bailie University.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Rewi Alley, the founder of the Bailie schools and a social activist who helped build friendly relations between China and New Zealand. He lived and worked in China for 60 years.

Alley initiated the Gung Ho, short for Chinese Industrial Cooperatives movement, to organize unemployed workers and refugees for production to support the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The ICCIC, established by Alley, Soong Ching-ling and Edgar Snow, made great contributions to Chinese revolution and socialist construction, Xi said.

Beijing Bailie University has carried forward the spirit of vocational education championed by its former presidents, and cultivated a large group of talent for Chinese socialist modernization, Xi noted.

The president called on the ICCIC and the university to promote Alley's spirit and contribute to building a community of shared future for mankind.

Addressing a symposium to mark Alley's 120th birth anniversary on Friday, Vice President Li Yuanchao said the Chinese people are striving to realize the country's "two centenary goals" and the Chinese dream of great national rejuvenation.

China is willing to make concerted efforts with people around the world, including the people of New Zealand, on building a community of shared future for mankind, he said.

The symposium was held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The ICCIC, established in Hong Kong in 1939, has played an important role in helping Chinese resist against Japanese aggression. Beijing Bailie University, founded in 1983, originated from the Bailie school established by Alley in China.
Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday trade imbalances cannot be fixed through exchange-rate adjustments alone, pushing back against Washington's calls to have more rigorous IMF scrutiny of currency moves.

Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called on the International Monetary Fund to enhance surveillance of its members' exchange rates and external imbalances, as large trade imbalances would hamper "free and fair" trade.

But Aso told the IMF's steering committee there were limits to using exchange-rate assessments to address current account imbalances for a country like Japan.

That is because the recent increases in Japan's current account surplus are driven largely by rising dividend payments and repatriation of revenues from overseas investments, instead of any boost to exports from a weak yen.

"In cases where 'excessive' imbalances exist, they should be addressed by a package of macroeconomic and structural policy measures," Aso said in a speech to the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

"Adjustment through changes in the exchange rate is not necessarily required," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized countries like Japan, Germany and China for running large trade surpluses with the United States and weakening their currencies to gain an unfair trade advantage.

Japanese policymakers fear the Trump administration may accuse the Bank of Japan of using ultra-loose monetary policy to weaken the yen and bind Tokyo's hands on currency intervention to address any unwelcome spike in the yen.

"With downside risks and uncertainty persisting, the stability of financial and exchange rate markets is especially important," Aso said.

"Excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications for economic and financial stability," he added, referring to language in the G20 agreement that Tokyo cites as giving it room to intervene in the currency market to stem sharp yen gains.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Paul Simao)
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) helped kick off first-quarter earnings season for the bank industry last week by reporting what is likely to be the only year-over-year decline in net income among banks in its peer group. That alone should disappoint shareholders, but even more troubling is the trend in the California-based bank's efficiency ratio.

Wells Fargo has long been known as one of the most efficient banks in the industry. But that's no longer the case. Its efficiency ratio in the first quarter came in at 62.7%. This is calculated by dividing a bank's noninterest expenses by its net revenue. It represents the percent of revenue a bank spends on operating expenses -- a low number is better than a high number.

The standard industry benchmark among big banks is an efficiency ratio of 60%, though highly efficient banks such as U.S. Bancorp come in much lower. For years, Wells Fargo fell squarely into the second camp, consistently reporting one of the lowest efficiency ratios among big banks. Its ratio in 2016 was 58.7%, which is 4 percentage points better than it was in the first quarter of this year.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

To be fair, costs at all major banks tend to be higher in the first quarter, as compensation expenses spike in the first three months of a year. This is because banks tend to pay out incentive bonuses and record retirement-eligible compensation costs during that stretch based on the prior year's performance.

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) offers a case in point. Its personnel expenses grew $300 million in the three months ended March 31, compared to the year-ago period. This is especially notable in Bank of America's case because it's in the process of trimming its annual expense base by $3 billion, which it hopes to have done by the end of 2018. The point is, even banks that are focused intently on cutting costs right now, as Bank of America is, see higher compensation expenses at the beginning of each year.

In Wells Fargo's case, it reported a nearly $800 million increase in its noninterest expenses, fueled principally by higher compensation-related costs.

Cost Category Q1 2017 (Millions) Q1 2016 (Millions) Change Salaries $4,261 $4,036 6% Commission and incentive compensation $2,725 $2,645 3% Employee benefits $1,686 $1,526 10%

Data source: Wells Fargo's Q1 2017 earnings release.

But what's important to appreciate is that the year-over-year comparison in Wells Fargo's efficiency ratio normalizes for these higher costs, as the bank faces the same headwinds every year. Suffice it to say, this is why the 4-percentage-point increase is troubling.

"I want to make it very clear that operating at this level is not acceptable," said CEO Tim Sloan on the bank's first-quarter conference call. "We are committed to improving our efficiency in addition to our current efficiency initiatives, which are expected to reduce expenses by $2 billion annually with those savings being reinvested in the business."

Although it's difficult to tie these expense increases directly to Wells Fargo's fake-account scandal, which erupted into public view last September, the incident provides important context, as it's likely to not only bolster a variety of expense categories for the foreseeable future, but also weigh on revenue, which acts as an additional catalyst to drive up the bank's efficiency ratio. For Wells Fargo's investors, in turn, the sooner it can put that scandal in the rearview mirror, the better.

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Russia has told the United States it regrets Washington's opposition to letting its inspectors take part in an investigation into a chemical weapons attack in Syria earlier this month, the foreign ministry said on Friday.

It said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the two sides agreed to consider one more time an "objective investigation into the incident" under the aegis of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The U.S. State Department said that during the call Tillerson reiterated to Lavrov his support for the OPCW's existing investigative mechanism. They also discussed a range of issues, including those covered during Tillerson's April 11-12 visit to Moscow, the department said in a statement.

The United States accused the Syrian army of carrying out the April 4 attack in which scores of people died from poison gas, and it responded by launching cruise missiles against a Syrian air base.

Russia has defended its ally Damascus and blamed the incident on rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The episode added to a long list of disputes between the two countries and has dashed Russian hopes that ties might improve with Donald Trump in the White House. Trump said last week that relations with Moscow "may be at an all-time low."

Referring to another irritant in the relationship, the Russian ministry said Lavrov called on Tillerson to hand back "Russian diplomatic property in the USA unlawfully confiscated by the Barack Obama administration."

Former President Obama expelled 35 suspected Russian spies in December and ordered the Russians to depart two countryside vacation retreats outside Washington and New York that he said were linked to espionage. .

The ministry said the parties had agreed to launch a working group soon "to seek ways to get rid of irritants in bilateral relations."

(writing by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Cynthia Osterman)
The U.S. Department of Justice threatened on Friday to cut some funding to California as well as eight cities and counties across the United States, escalating a Trump administration crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

President Donald Trump has vowed to strip federal funds from dozens of state and local governments that do not fully cooperate with U.S. immigration agents, arguing they endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation illegal immigrants who are arrested for crimes.

"Sanctuary cities" in general offer safe harbor to illegal immigrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Many of these localities say they do not have the funding or space to hold immigrants until federal agents can take custody of them.

Those threatened were: the state of California; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Clark County, Nevada; New Orleans; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Cook County, Illinois, also received a warning, even though it did not get money from the Justice Department last year.

The jurisdictions have until June 30 to provide evidence to the federal government that they are not violating any laws.

At stake is roughly $29 million in law enforcement aid under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local governments pay for everything from forensics labs to drug courts.

The grants in question are among the largest handed out under the program, collectively amounting to 11 percent of the $256 million distributed in the last fiscal year.

In a statement, the Justice Department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities that are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime," even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicago's recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration.

Several state and local officials responded with defiance to the threat.

"New York is the safest big city in the country, with crime at record lows in large part because we have policies in place to encourage cooperation between NYPD and immigrant communities," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

In California, the state Senate approved a bill earlier this month to curb cooperation between police agencies and federal agents seeking to deport illegal immigrants. The measure is now in the state Assembly.

"It has become abundantly clear that Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions and the Trump administration are basing their law enforcement policies on principles of white supremacy - not American values," California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday.

A spokeswoman for the California Board of State and Community Corrections said some of the federal funding in question went to local communities after emergencies, including San Bernardino after a mass shooting there in 2015.

Officials in Philadelphia, Milwaukee County and Cook County said they believed they were complying with immigration laws.

"Milwaukee County has its challenges but they are not caused by illegal immigration. My far greater concern is the proactive dissemination of misinformation, fear, and intolerance," said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele.

The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union, told Trump in a meeting last month that they were concerned the cuts could threaten public safety.

(Reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley and Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg and Joseph Ax in New York, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Tom James in Seattle, Chris Kenning in Chicago and Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler and Paul Tait)
Arkansas has executed convicted murderer Liddell Lee, marking the first execution in that state since 2005. And Governor Asa Hutchinson is intent on executing seven more inmates on death row before the states supply of lethal injection medications expires at the end of the month.

Don William Davis was scheduled to be executed several days ago, but the U.S. Supreme Court let stand an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling that temporarily prevents the execution, as well as that of another death row inmate, Bruce Ward. Lawyers for both men had argued that their clients were too mentally impaired to face capital punishment.

I dont believe Mr. Lee should have been executed or that anyone else should ever beneither by a state, nor by the federal government.

Is that because I believe that wrongly-convicted individuals could be executed? The Innocence Project has certainly proven that innocent people are sent to death row. But that isnt my chief reason for opposing the death penalty.

Is my opposition to capital punishment because of the fact that even a person who has committed almost unthinkable acts still might find God and prove that good can overcome evil? I do believe that redemption is possible, no matter how heinous a persons past. But that isnt my chief reason for opposing the death penalty, either.

See, Im not looking, chiefly, to save them ; Im looking to save the rest of us.

I oppose the death penalty because I know, for sure, deep in my heart and mind, that a society that seeks to restore the spiritual lives of those who senselessly snuff out other innocent lives is a far more powerful society in which to live and to raise ones children. I know for certain that, in not giving up on those who seem to be lost causes, we preserve our ability to resurrect the best parts of ourselves and our loved ones. In taking the stance

that there is not one human being who is clearly beyond the power of human empathy and Gods love we harness those forces for the good of all of us.

I am certain that somehow, at some point, and for some very real reason that I promise you I could uncover in one meeting, Governor Hutchinson (whom I have never met) lost his faith that human beings can ennoble themselves by refusing the easy path of retribution, thereby strengthening and purifying themselves to do Gods work in many, many domains.

How about it, Governor? Give me one hour, on any day and I will meet you in your office.

See, when we give up on one man, even a reprehensible man like Liddell Lee, we give up on every man, and we give up on ourselves. We risk losing our power as agents of a Higher Power. And that is an incalculably high price to pay for vengeance.
The Florida state senator who resigned this week after using a racial slur previously hired a former Hooters "calendar girl" and a Playboy model with no political experience to be consultants for his political action committee.

The PAC for Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles, a Republican, hired the women last year and paid them a total $3,500, The Miami Herald reported Saturday, based on state records.

The women who worked for Artiles' Veterans for Conservative Principals PAC are identified as former Hooters model Heather Thomas and former Playboy model Brittney Singletary, who received $2,000 and $1,500, respectively.

Artiles' political consultant, David Custin, reportedly declined to answer the paper's questions. Singletary said she did fundraising for the PAC, and Thomas declined to comment.

Artiles resigned Friday after he used vulgarities and a variation of the "n-word" in a barroom conversation with two black colleagues earlier in the week.

Artiles submitted a resignation letter to Republican Senate President Joe Negron and issued a separate statement.

"I clearly made comments that were hurtful, unacceptable and inappropriate," Artiles said in the statement.

Negron said the resignation was the right thing to do, and he dropped an investigation into the incident.

"All of us are accountable for our actions and our comments, so I think it's an appropriate resignation," Negron said.

The Florida Legislative Black Caucus filed a complaint about the incident on Wednesday and asked that Artiles be removed from office.

The matter began Monday night during a private conversation with Sens. Audrey Gibson and Perry Thurston at the Governors Club, a members-only establishment near the Capitol.

Artiles used vulgarities in talking with Gibson, including one particularly offensive to women. Sen. Perry Thurston intervened and Artiles, a Cuban-American from the Miami area, used a variation of the "n-word" and used a vulgarity to describe Negron, according to the complaint filed Wednesday by Thurston.

Artiles apologized for the comments on the Senate floor on Wednesday, but Democrats said that wasn't enough.

Democratic Senate Leader Oscar Braynon, who is African-American, issued a statement saying Artiles did the right thing by resigning.

"I take no pleasure in these unfortunate events. But I urge that we learn from them," Braynon said.

Artiles won his seat in November in a district that's politically competitive. He previously served in the state House from 2010 to 2016. His resignation now gives Democrats a chance to gain a seat in the chamber, though Republicans still have a 24-15 majority even with his resignation.

"While I take full responsibility for using language that was vulgar and inappropriate, my family has fallen victim to a political process that can distort the truth for the sole purpose of political gain," Artiles said.

Gov. Rick Scott will have to set a date for a special election to replace him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in an exclusive Fox News interview that the world cannot allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu theorized to Sean Hannity about what the outcome would be in a confrontation where an Islamist terror state has nuclear weapons. He warned of irreparable damage and said we cannot allow that to happen."

ISIS MOVES ITS CAPITAL IN SYRIA

If we are resolute in our policies, we can make sure that doesnt happen, he said on Hannity.

Netanyahu made the comment a day after President Trump ripped into the deal struck by Iran, the U.S. and other world powers in 2015 and said "it shouldn't have been signed." Yet he pointedly stopped sort of telegraphing whether or not the U.S. would stay in.

"They are not living up to the spirit of the agreement, I can tell you that," Trump said of the Iranians, though he did not mention any specific violations. Earlier this week, the administration certified to Congress than Iran was complying  at least technically  with the terms of the deal, clearing the way for Iran to continue enjoying sanctions relief in the near term.

Under the deal, brokered during the Obama administration, Iran agreed roll back key aspects of its nuclear program in exchange for relief from certain economic sanctions. Critics have said it's unfathomable that the U.S. would grant sanctions relief to Tehran even as it continues testing ballistic missiles, violating human rights and supporting extremist groups elsewhere in the Middle East.

Netanahu told Hannity that his problem with Iran is not merely that it will violate the deal. He said if Iran does not violate the deal, in 12 years, it will walks into unimpeded enrichment of uranium.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
President Trump on Saturday presented a Purple Heart medal to an Army sergeant during a visit to nearby Walter Reed National Medical Center, in suburban Maryland.

Looking forward to seeing our bravest and greatest Americans!, Trump tweeted before visiting the premier military rehabilitation facility with first lady Melania Trump.

VA retaliation against whistleblower: doctor kept in empty room

The soldier who received the Purple Heart -- awarded in the name of the president to military members wounded or killed while serving -- is Army Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrietos.

Barrietos suffered a serve leg injury while serving in Afghanistan. His wife, Tammy, attended the ceremony Saturday.

Trump thanked Barrietos and said that when he heard Barrietos would receive the medal he went to Walter Reed because I wanted to do this myself.

The medal is the oldest, continuous military award, dating back on 1917.
Donald Trumps legal team was trying to distance the president from international businessman Carter Page in the aftermath of the 2016 White House race, amid mounting questions about Russia influencing the outcome, according to a letter obtained by Fox News.

Attorney Don McGahn told Page in a December 2016 letter to immediately cease saying he is a Trump adviser and to stop suggesting he was more than a short-lived advisory council member who never actually met with the president-elect.

Pages communications were being wiretapped by the FBI at least since last summer because the federal government had reason to believe he was acting as a Russian agent, as first reported by The Washington Post.

Ex-Trump adviser Page rips 'false narrative' on Russia collusion

The U.S. intelligence community says Russia meddled in the race, in which Trump upset Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton but found no evidence of vote tampering.

FBI Director James Comey recently acknowledged the agency has been investigating the issue.

And top congressional committees are also expected to intensify their probes as members return from break to Washington next week  three days after Fox News obtained the letter.

You were merely one of the many people named to a foreign policy advisory committee in March of 2016 -- a committee that met one time, McGhan, now White House counsel, also wrote in his letter to Page. You never met Mr. Trump, nor did you ever advise Mr. Trump about anything. You are thus not an advisor to Mr. Trump in any sense of the word.

Page is an international financier who specializes in Russias oil and gas markets and once worked in Moscow.

He has acknowledged being among those who talked with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at last summers Republican National Committee convention, where Trump won the GOP presidential nomination.

Fox News' John Roberts contributed to this report.
An exhibition named "The Forbidden City -- Life in the Court of Chinese Emperors" is open to public on Friday in Tampere, southwestern Finland.

This is the first time that the Chinese historical relics preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum are exhibited in the Nordic region.

The Chinese red is the predominant color in the exhibition venues, which are decorated with Chinese elements such as lanterns, pattern dragons, wood carvings, and columns. The exquisite illustrations, photos and cultural relics bring a shocking visual experience to the audience.

The relics on show include Emperor Qianlong's throne and robe, Emperor Kangxi's helmet and cotton amour, as well as some other antiques and art crafts, such as incense burner tables, screens and Four Treasures of the Study .

Marjo-Riitta Saloniemi, exhibition manager of the Museum Center Vapriikki in Tampere, told Xinhua that it is the first time that the Chinese historical relics of the Beijing Palace Museum are exhibited in Finland, and also the first time in the Nordic region.

In addition to Finnish local residents, visitors from Sweden, Estonia and other neighboring countries are also expected to come to visit the exhibition.

Vice president of the Beijing Palace Museum Song Jirong, said even though the exhibition is not as large as the previous ones held in major European countries, the over 100 pieces and sets of artworks are exquisite objects selected from the previous exhibitions, with some being displayed abroad for the first time.
A federal judge on Friday seemed reluctant to issue another nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying two courts already have halted the bid to stop immigration from six predominantly Muslim counties.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said at a hearing in the nation's capital that blocking the executive order might be an "academic exercise" given similar rulings from courts in Hawaii and Maryland.

Chutkan heard arguments from Iranian-American and Muslim groups that say Iranians have faced unusual delays and disruptions in visa processing even while the ban is on hold. They want a more sweeping injunction than those imposed by other courts, one that seeks in part to resume the normal visa application process.

But Chutkan expressed concern that ordering consular officials to issue visas "would take the court into areas where the court is not supposed to act."

Justice Department lawyers disputed the challengers' claims and said the court should not second-guess the president's foreign policy decisions.

After a two-hour hearing, Chutkan asked both sides for additional briefing on the practical implications of ruling in the case.

The organizations challenging the ban include the Pars Equality Center, the Iranian American Bar Association, the National Iranian American Council and the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans. The lawsuit includes more than a dozen people who claim the order is harming students, interfering with business travel and separating couples and families.

The case is unusual because Chutkan earlier this week allowed witnesses to testify in court about the effects of the travel ban, the first time a judge has permitted live testimony in a case challenging the order.

Representing the Iranian-American groups, lawyer Cyrus Mehri said no other court in the country has the "robust record" that shows the harm caused by the ban.

"We've had ongoing harm of visas being cancelled and they're still not being reinstituted," Mehri said.

Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii last month blocked the vast majority of the ban, which would restrict immigration of people from six predominantly Muslim countries  Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Trump administration is appealing both rulings.

The revised travel ban issued in March is narrower than an earlier one from January that was blocked by a federal judge in Washington state. It temporarily bars new visas for citizens of the six countries and suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad Readler argued that the ban targets countries, not religious groups, and said the court should not undermine the president's power to protect national security.

"It's not a dispute with the Iranian people, it's a problem with the Iranian government," Readler said.

But Chutkan said those arguments are undercut by comments Trump and his advisers made during the election campaign and after indicating a desire to focus on Muslims.

Any decision in the Washington, D.C., case to block the travel ban would take effect only if the other two orders were reversed. But it also could be broader if it covers part of the order affecting visa procedures.

Chutkan suggested the portion relating to the visa process seems to rely on other sections already halted by another court.

Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei said there was no evidence to suggest visa delays for some Iranians had anything to do with the travel ban. He warned the court against issuing an order that would amount to "global micromanagement of the State Department's consular posts and offices."
A jury found a Milwaukee man guilty Friday in the stabbing deaths of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter after the prosecutor ripped into his claim that an intruder killed them and returned to set the victims' home on fire.

Patrick Fowler, 33, was convicted of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide Friday in the deaths of 28-year-old Jessica Ellenberger and her daughter, Madyson Marshel. Ellenberger was stabbed 26 times and her throat was slit. Madyson, who had recovered from cancer surgery not long before her death, was stabbed twice.

Fowler testified Thursday that someone else was responsible for the March 2016 killings. He said he was hiding in the bathroom when he heard Ellenberger scream followed by the girl crying out. He said his own fear kept him from intervening and that he didn't call police before fleeing because he didn't think anyone would believe him.

"I kneeled down by Jessica. I held her and prayed for them," Fowler testified.

The testimony contrasted sharply with the taped confession Fowler gave detectives after his arrest in Arkansas. He told them that he repeatedly stabbed Ellenberger because he felt disrespected, killed her daughter next as she screamed out "Mommy!" and then used the child's coloring books to set the fire. He and Ellenberger had been dating for about a month.

Fowler testified that the confession, which was played for the jury, was false.

He is scheduled to be sentenced May 5 and faces life in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Lonski said in his closing argument Friday that Fowler's claims of a "bogeyman" were absurd. He described Fowler's testimony as sickening.

Lonski said the "spectacle of the child murderer crying on the witness stand while giving phony testimony" was capped by a defense attorney bringing Fowler a tissue.

"Thank you for not vomiting," the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Calvin Malone said in his closing that his client's fear warped his judgment, froze his reflexes and led to the mistakes he made in not intervening to stop the attack or call police afterward.

"The situation became so overwhelming, he could not explain what happened," Malone said.
Two men suffered extensive cuts this week trying to break out of a Virginia jail protected by barbed wire fences, according to a report.

Clayton Musselman, 28, and Frank Arthur, 35, scaled two razor wire fences at the Henrico County Jail East Tuesday night, but not a third, The Richmond Times Dispatch reported.

BOUNCE HOUSE PARTY SHOOTING: 2 CHILDREN, 1 ADULT HURT

The botched escape left the pair bloodied and exhausted, according to the paper. They were taken to a hospital.

Arthur mapped out the escape plan, but left it behind in his cell, the paper reported.

OREGON MAN ACCUSED OF LIGHTING DENNY'S CUSTOMER ON FIRE IS ARRESTED

They used a bench to scale the fences. They also tried to use their jackets as a shield from the razor-wire without much success.

Col. Alisa Gregory of the Henrico County Sheriff's Office said guards saw Musselman and Arthur trying to escape on surveillance cameras.

The cameras have motion sensors, so when one came on at nine at night, it's either a deer or somethings not right," Henrico deputy Anna Burton told WTVR-TV.

Arthur was behind bars awaiting trial on meth manufacturing charges.

Musselman was serving a three-year jail sentence for grand larceny.

They are expected to face escape charges.
American Airlines on Friday responded quickly to a video that shows a sobbing mother with baby in arm after a confrontation with a male member of the flight crew.

WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

The initial reported confrontation was not in the video, but a passenger on the flight out of San Francisco said the employee violently took a stroller from a lady with a baby and hit her, just missing the child. The airline announced the worker was removed from duty.

The woman in the video appears shaken and barely can catch her breath.

A male passenger is seen getting up from his seat. He can be heard saying he wanted to know the workers name.

Later, this unidentified passenger confronts the flight attendant, telling him, "You do that to me and I'll knock you flat." The flight attendant responds with, "Hit me. Bring it on."

The flight landed at about 7:45 p.m. at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. American Airlines issued the statement minutes after the plane landed.

The airline apparently learned from the recent United Airlines fiasco, and acted quickly. The womans seat was upgraded to first class, and she was put on another flight.

The airline's statement added, We have seen the video and have already started an investigation to obtain the facts. What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident. We are making sure all of her family's needs are being met while she is in our care.

Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants union, which represents American Airlines workers, said in a statement that tight schedules, overcrowded planes, shrinking seats and limited overhead bin space have made it difficult for flight attendants to board passengers.

"All of these factors are related to corporate decisions beyond the control of passengers and flight attendants," Ross said.

The incident comes less than two weeks after video of a man being violently dragged off a United Express flight sparked widespread outrage."American doesn't want to become the next United, but then, United didn't want to become the next United," said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group. "No airline wants to be seen as being anti-consumer or anti-passenger."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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New York City is betting on a plan to offer jobs to released jail inmates as a way to break the cycle of incarceration.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's $10 million-a-year "jails to jobs" initiative will guarantee all Rikers Island inmates serving sentences of a year or less a chance at short-term employment once they do their time. The jobs will last up to eight weeks, with hourly wages covered by taxpayer money rather than the pockets of the employers.

Supporters say transitional jobs are a good investment because research shows that inmates who get them are less likely to break the law again and go back to the notorious jail, where costs of housing each prisoner can top $200,000 a year.

Critics say it wastes money by rewarding criminals.
A 15-year-old Tennessee student who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher and taken to California is back home, a lawyer for the girl's family says.

The girl is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma, lawyer Jason Whatley said in a statement Friday.

"There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning," Whatley said.

He said the girl is in a safe location with friends and family and is now resting.

Authorities credit the caretaker of a remote northern California property for helping police find her and arrest her alleged abductor, fired teacher Tad Cummins. After Griffin Barry became suspicious of two people he initially thought were in distress, his tip led police to the teacher accused of kidnapping his student and taking her on a 2,500-mile cross-country journey.

Barry said the pair told him their names were John and Joanna and they needed money for food, gas and a place to stay, ABC News Good Morning America reported Friday (http://abcn.ws/2pKHq16). But Barry, 29, said he became suspicious when the older man tried to keep the teen away.

"The girl wasn't really looking at me or anything and he was always dominating the conversation. That kind of clues people in," Barry said.

After seeing a photo of Cummins in an Amber Alert, Barry said he made the connection and called authorities.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office sent a tactical unit to the cabin Thursday morning. Cummins was arrested after he came out the cabin with the girl walking behind him, the sheriff's office said.

Cummins was cooperative with law enforcement, Siskiyou Sheriff Jon E. Lopey told the Associated Press. He said the girl was at times "laughing, crying and acting stoic" after police found her at the remote cabin.

"These two had a relationship to the extent where she didn't exhibit any anger toward him. I didn't observe any emotional distress," he said. "She didn't act like a rescued person would act," showing no signs of elation, he said. She appeared fine physically, Lopey said, and there were no signs of trauma.

In the cabin, he said, was a single sleeping pad and clothing along with the two loaded guns  a 9mm and a .380 compact pistol.

Lopey said the two had previously been at a commune called Black Bear Ranch, but "didn't get along" with commune residents and ended up leaving. The sheriff said the two had stopped in Berkeley first and that's how they found out about the commune.

The AP is not naming the girl or her family members because she is an alleged victim of a sex crime.

Cummins faces federal and state charges.

Before leaving with the girl, Cummins had been suspended from teaching and police were zeroing in on him, questioning his relationship with the girl.

Cummins was fired about a month after being suspended  a day after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert about the teen.

After taking out a loan for $4,500, the records say, the teacher took the money and two handguns and wrote a note to his wife saying he needed to go to Virginia Beach or the Washington, D.C., area to clear his head.

But instead of going to the beach, police say he picked up the student in Columbia, Tennessee, in his wife's car on the morning of March 13. The girl's disappearance triggered a six-week law enforcement manhunt.

"It is believed based on the investigation to date, as set forth herein, that Cummins, age 50, and victim, age 15, are involved in a sexual relationship and traveled in interstate commerce to continue their relationship and to engage in unlawful sexual activity," the criminal complaint against Cummins says.

Cummins, the federal complaint says, is charged with taking a minor across states lines to have sex.

The girl's father has told news media he believes his daughter was brainwashed.

Cummins also faces state charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor. If convicted of the federal charge, he faces at least 10 years in prison, acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith said.

Before disappearing, Cummins was investigated by the school system when another student reported seeing the then-married teacher kiss the girl at the Culleoka Unit School. Culleoka is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Nashville near the Alabama state line.

__

Associated Press writer Kristin J. Bender in San Francisco contributed to this report.
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President Donald Trump plans to visit wounded service members at a military hospital outside Washington.

It will be Trump's first visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Trump tweeted Saturday that he was looking forward to "seeing our bravest and greatest Americans."

First lady Melania Trump was expected to join the president.

Trump planned to meet with about a dozen service members who are receiving care at the hospital. He's also expected to award at least one Purple Heart, the U.S. military's decoration given to those wounded or killed in action.
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Police used tear gas to disperse an opposition protest in Burkina Faso's capital, as tensions increase ahead of a vote this week on whether the country's longtime president can seek another term.

Thousands of people who say 27 years in power is long enough for President Blaise Compaore gathered in a square in the capital of Ouagadougou on Tuesday.

The parliament votes Thursday on a bill that calls for a constitutional amendment to increase term limits. The measure looks likely to pass after the ruling party received support from a smaller party.

The protest was largely peaceful until some began pushing against the barricades and threatened to move toward the parliament. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, which had mostly gone home by the afternoon.
A pilot was forced to eject from a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while attempting to land aboard the USS Carl Vinson as the carrier steamed north toward the Korean Peninsula on Friday, according to the U.S. Navy.

Crews quickly rescued the unnamed pilot who wasn't hurt, the officials said. The Carl Vinson was in the Celebes Sea at the time, south of the Philippines.

NORTH KOREA: 'SUPER-MIGHTY PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE' WILL REDUCE UNITED STATES TO ASHES

The single-seat jet, from the VFA-137 Kestrels squadron, was conducting "routine flight operations" before it crashed, according to a statement from the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet. It did not specify exactly when the pilot ejected, and the cause of the crash was unclear.

'THE SWORD STANDS READY': PENCE WARNS NORTH KOREA

Navy officials have said the Carl Vinson, intended as a show of force to North Korea, will arrive in the region next week. The carrier has been making its way from Singapore to the Sea of Japan since last week, making stops in Asia along the way.

Top U.S. officials have described the deployment as a message to North Korea as it conducts missile tests, and may be planning a nuclear test.

"The incident is currently under investigation. The pilot is being assessed by the medical team on board USS Carl Vinson and there are no apparent injuries at this time," the 7th Fleet added.

The United States periodically sends aircraft carrier strike groups to waters near the Korean Peninsula to project power. The Carl Vinson took part last month in the U.S.-South Korea war games.

The Carl Vinson is accompanied by two guided-missile destroyers and a cruiser with Aegis combat systems to track and intercept missiles.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than 100 people may be dead, with dozens more hurt, after gunmen disguised as members of the army stormed a military compound in the Balkh province in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday providing updated numbers.

The attackers, in two separate military vehicles, had told guards at the gates that they were carrying wounded soldiers and therefore immediately needed to enter the site, according to Reuters.

FORMER AFGHAN PRESIDENT: MOAB DROP WAS AN ATROCITY

The gunmen then entered the compound, manned by members of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army, and soon began shooting at soldiers as they prayed in a mosque on the grounds, said a spokesman for the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense.

Reports conflicted on the death toll, but at least two sources within the army corps and a provincial security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media, told The Associated Press more than 130 people were killed and at least 80 others were wounded. The defense ministry had said Friday night that eight soldiers were killed and 11 others were wounded in its initial reports.

ISIS MOVES ITS CAPITAL IN SYRIA

There were 10 attackers, including the two who carried out the suicide attacks, Gen. Daulat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense, said. Eight others were killed in a gun battle with soldiers.



It wasnt immediately known if there were any coalition forces located at the base, according to Col. John J. Thomas, the U.S. Central Command spokesman, but he noted that there were no coalition casualties. Thomas said that Afghan civilians were likely working at the base along with the soldiers.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Afzel Hadid, head of provincial council in Balkh, told The Associated Press that more than 100 people, both army personnel and others present at the time inside the army crops, were killed in the attack. "The exact number is still not verified, but for sure we know more than 100 were killed in the attack."

President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday traveled to the base and strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace. "The attackers are infidels," Ghani was quoted as saying in the tweet.

Ghani announced that Sunday would be a day of national mourning, with memorial services across the country's mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-mast, in a statement issued by the Presidential Palace.

In March, an attack on a military hospital in the capital Kabul killed 50 people. The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for that attack. According to officials, five attackers were involved, including one suicide bomber who detonated an explosives belt and four gunmen who stormed the building.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(Xinhua) 10:13, April 22, 2017

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) speaks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Sadat)

Facing new opportunities and challenges, the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should promote all-round cooperation in areas of politics, security, economy and people-to-people exchanges, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Friday.

Cooperation is vital for the SCO to remain a strong and reliable supporter for the stability and development of its member states, said Wang at an SCO foreign ministers meeting held in the capital city of Kazakhstan.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the SCO charter, which represents the Shanghai Spirit of equal treatment, win-win cooperation and open and inclusive attitudes, creating a brand new model for international relations, said Wang.

The SCO is an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai in 2001. It groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Since its establishment, the SCO has maintained a robust momentum of development and strongly protected the security and development interests of its member states, demonstrating its unique strategic value, said the top Chinese diplomat.

In June 2016, India and Pakistansigned the SCO's Memorandum of Obligations, kick-starting the process of their accession to the group. The two South Asian countries were expected to get full membership at a SCO Summit in Astana later this year.

After the expansion, the SCO will become a regional group covering the widest land area with the biggest population in the world, said Wang.

Wang said the member states should firmly support each other with solidarity and coordination, strengthen the construction of regional anti-terrorism organizations, and further lift the level of trade and investment facilitation and freedom.

Wang also urged more extensive people-to-people exchanges among member states.

During the meeting, other foreign ministers fully acknowledged the key role played by the SCO in maintaining regional stability and boosting development.

The ministers also signed a preparatory paper for the upcoming Astana summit.
With one day before France officially heads to the polls for the first round of its presidential elections, candidate Marine Le Pen -- who has built her campaign on the populist anger that helped President Trump get elected -- is seeing a similar boost in support.

An opinion poll released Friday by Odoxa shows her nearly neck-and-neck with centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, a jump in the past week. Analysts point out that the latest attack in Paris, which killed a police officer and left three other people wounded Thursday, may have contributed to her surge in support.

HOW FRANCE'S ELECTION COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON UNITED STATES

Still, the race is far from decided. As many as one-third of voters had not settled on a candidate this week, Newsweek reported. President Trump said he believed the Champs-Elysees attack would help Le Pen, while former President Barack Obama offered Macron his best wishes in a phone call Thursday. Both Trump and Obama stopped short of full endorsements.

Election stations opened Saturday in French overseas territories voting first -- one day earlier than on the mainland.

Newsweek found many voters across France saying they were leaning toward Le Pen -- which would parallel the surge for Trump last year among undecided voters and supporters who chose to lay low.

'COULD LE PEN WIN?' A GUIDE TO THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Andre Robert, 56, said her tough stance on terror convinced him. Im voting for the candidate wholl keep us safe.

Marine gets me shaking, 65-year-old Monique Zaouchkevitch said, adding that she'd stayed out of politics until she heard Le Pen speak. Marine, shes close to the people.

In another parallel to the U.S., some voters seemed to suffer from election fatigue and weren't blown away by any of the candidates. Gabriel Roberoir, a 61-year-old former public servant, called the election a circus, adding, I dont even know why any of them are running.

Sunday's vote is the first round in the French elections, with the top two candidates advancing to a winner-take-all runoff on May 7. The high-stakes contest is viewed as something of a vote on the future of the European Union, with Le Pen calling for a referendum on France's membership in the bloc.

In a sign of how tense the country has become, a man holding a knife caused widespread panic Saturday at Paris' Gare du Nord train station. He was arrested and no one was hurt.

Conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his parliamentary aide, also appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon. Campaigning by the 11 presidential candidates got off to a slow start, bogged down by corruption charges around once-top candidate Fillon before belatedly switching focus to France's biggest fear: a new attack.

Le Pen has also echoed some of Trump's hard-line rhetoric on immigration, calling for hardening French borders to stanch what she describes as an out-of-control flow of immigrants.

She has spoken of radical Muslims trying to supplant France's Judeo-Christian heritage and, among other measures, has called for foreigners suspected of extremism to be expelled from the country.

Le Pen, a 48-year-old mother of three, has distanced herself from her father, National Front party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has been convicted of crimes related to anti-Semitism and mocked the Holocaust as a "detail" of history.

Nevertheless, earlier this month she denied the French state was responsible for the roundup of Jews during World War II, drawing condemnation from other presidential candidates and Israel's Foreign Ministry.

A victory for Macron would be a vote of confidence in France staying in the EU. Obama, when he was in office, encouraged Britain not to leave, though it ultimately voted to do so anyway.

Trump backed Britain's decision to exit from the EU and has also predicted that other countries would make similar decisions. Yet during a White House news conference Thursday, the president said he believed in a strong Europe.

"A strong Europe is very, very important to me as president of the United States," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A top ex-cop believes Madeleine McCann could have been taken by people traffickers at the demand of grieving parents to replace their own dead child.

Former Scotland Yard detective Colin Sutton says the most likely and credible scenario for Maddies disappearance is a targeted kidnap  once those closely linked to the tot have been ruled out.

MAN DIES AFTER RIDING DISNEY'S THUNDER MOUNTAIN

Speaking to the Mirror, he questioned why traffickers wouldnt have taken one of Maddies twin baby siblings instead  who would have no memory of their previous life and less physical identity.

He said: A trafficking ring is more likely than a lone pedophile or pedophile ring.

But unless the order was specifically for a young blonde girl, why her and not one of the twins?

Has a young blonde girl died and their parents want to replace her? Or is there another reason for stealing to order?

FLORIDA BOY, 8, CRUSHED TO DEATH BY LARGE TV

The former Met murder detective said a trafficking gang could have been watching the apartment so they were aware of the familys routine.

As the 10th anniversary of Maddies disappearance approaches, the top cop analysed what he believes are the five possible ways she could have gone missing.

Sutton said those close to Maddie  her parents and their friends  would be his first port of call as a detective.

But he said Portuguese cops appeared make this their only line of investigation early on in the probe.

He said: By concentrating just on that scenario they may have missed tips or other lines that meant going down a completely different investigation route.

While cops initially believed Maddie could have wandered off and been killed, Sutton believes the tot would surely have taken her beloved toy "Cuddle Cat" if she had walked out of the apartment.

He said: "Incidents of children wandering off are much more common than a targeted or non-targeted abduction.

"However Cuddle Cat is a compelling fly in the ointment with this theory."

Click for more from The Sun.
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Vice President Mike Pence and Australia's prime minister brushed off any lingering hostility over a contentious refugee deal and joined forces on Saturday to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons program.

Pence and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly praised the decades-long American-Australian alliance following a meeting in Sydney, with the vice president thanking Turnbull for calling on Beijing to play a more active part in the international effort to de-escalate Pyongyang's nuclear threat.

The two leaders appeared at pains to present a united front following an unusual period of tension between the longtime allies that was sparked by a spat between Turnbull and President Donald Trump over a refugee resettlement deal struck by the Obama administration.

Pence said Saturday that the U.S. would honor the agreement even if it didn't agree with it. Under the deal, the U.S. would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump's anger over the agreement led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president called the deal "dumb."

"President Trump has made it clear that we'll honor the agreement  that doesn't mean we admire the agreement," Pence said during a joint press conference with Turnbull.

The fallout over the deal has strained the typically cozy alliance between the U.S. and Australia. A majority of Australians view Trump unfavorably, and some critics of him have urged Australia to distance itself from the U.S. in favor of stronger ties with China. Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the U.S. is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

Pence's visit Down Under, part of his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim, is widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia. Indeed, the vice president seemed determined to reassure Australia of its importance to the U.S., noting as he stood next to Turnbull on the shores of Sydney Harbour: "It's always heartening to stand beside a friend, and I do so today."

Both leaders also repeatedly cited the nations' long history of military cooperation. Australia has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflict since World War I, and is one of the largest contributors to the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

"I trust that my visit here today on my very first trip to the Asia Pacific as vice president of the United States and the president's plans to travel to this region this fall are a strong sign of our enduring commitment to the historic alliance between the people of the United States of America and the people of Australia," Pence said.

Pence and Turnbull said they were aligned in their opinion that China should use its leverage with North Korea to de-escalate the nuclear threat from Pyongyang. Pence said the U.S. believes that it will be possible to achieve its objective of ending North Korea's nuclear program peacefully, largely with the help of China.

Turnbull echoed the sentiments, saying: "The eyes of the world are on Beijing."

Earlier Saturday, Pence met with Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, who said the relationship between the countries is as strong as it was since "the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919." Cosgrove said the alliance that began during World War I started an "unbreakable relationship."

"We've been with you every step of the way," Cosgrove told Pence.

On Sunday, Pence will tour Sydney's iconic Opera House, take a boat ride along the harbor and visit a local zoo.
A man with a knife has been arrested by police at Paris' Gare du Nord station, sending a brief ripple of concern over social media a day before the French presidential vote. No one was injured.

A French police official told The Associated Press that a man carrying a knife walked into the station and was flagged to police, who arrested him immediately. Video online shows heavily armed police surrounding a prone man as travelers hurried past.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly.

The Gare de Nord is one of the French capital's top transit hubs, serving the city's metro, suburban trains as well as intercity and high-speed trains like the Eurostar from London.
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Pope Francis has comforted the sister of an elderly French priest who was slain by Islamic militants in a church in Normandy as the pontiff paid tribute to the courage of modern-day Christian martyrs.

Francis gripped the hands of Roselyne Hamel, whose brother, Rev. Jacques Hamel, 85, died when his throat was slit as he celebrated Mass on July 26, 2016.

Francis quietly spoke with Hamel during a service Saturday evening in St. Bartholomew Basilica on Tiber Island in Rome. He had just heard her tell fellow faithful in the church that her brother was killed by "two youths radicalized by a discourse of hate."

In his homily, Francis also hailed the suffering of refugees, lamenting that "international accords seem more important than human rights."
A Russian soldier serving at a base in Armenia has been killed in a knife attack.

Regional prosecutor Karen Gabrielian said the soldier was attacked Saturday at a store near the military base in the city of Gyumri. Local news reports said a suspect has been arrested.

Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti cited the military's southern command as saying that preliminary indications were the attack was sparked by a domestic dispute.

In 2015, tensions over Russia's military presence in Gyumri rose when a Russian soldier killed seven members of a local family. That soldier was sentenced to life in prison.

Gyumri is Armenia's second-largest city, after the capital of Yerevan, and once served as an outpost of the Russian czar. It suffered greatly after being hit by a 1988 earthquake.
A woman in her 30s, dressed neatly in a casual dress but looking a little tired, stands next to her lawyer as he explains in the mostly empty Fredericksburg Circuit Courtroom how she violated her probation by failing a drug test.

Holding up a sandwich baggie containing brown plastic bottles, the lawyer says the woman had a prescription for pain medication.

Judge Gordon Willis sighs and wonders aloud if the doctor knows the woman has a substance abuse problem, which landed her in court in the first place. Shaking his head, the judge points out that she has illegal drug possession convictions, but still can get a prescription for Oxycontin.

Were trying not to have your client die, Willis says before revoking the womans probation and sending her to jail.

The scene is not uncommon in Fredericksburg courtrooms, or others across the state and nation, where abuse of opioidsespecially heroin and Fentanylhas spiked in recent years, along with deaths caused by the addictive narcotics.

In many cases, the users problem started with a legitimate prescription from a doctor to control pain from an injury or medical procedure, then spiraled into dependency and eventually addiction as the patient continued to take the drugs. Many addicts then turn to heroin as a cheaper, and more readily available, alternative.

While more emphasis has been focused in recent years on dealing with the growing use of illicit and prescribed opioids, abusers are still dying at alarming rates.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 33,000 people died of opioid overdoses in 2015. The CDC also says opioid overdose deaths quadrupled in the United States between 1999 and 2015.

In 2016, some 42 people died in Fredericksburg and Stafford and Spotsylvania counties after overdosing on opioids, according to the Virginia Attorney Generals office.

So far in Fredericksburg this year, five people have died after overdosing on opioids. There were five fatal opioid-related deaths in the city during the previous two years combined.

Those numbers back up a high opioid-death rate for Fredericksburg on a website created by Virginias attorney general. The citys 2015 heroin-death rate was second in the state only to Richmond.

The websitehardesthitva.comshows that in 2015 the heroin death rate per 100,000 residents in Fredericksburg stood at 8.29, only slightly lower than Richmonds rate of 8.95.

Fredericksburgs prescription opioid death rate stood at 6.10 in 2015, according to the website. The highest death rate locally was in Orange County at 13.13 per 100,000.

The opioid death rates are high, but not close to the worst areas in Virginia. In that category, Southwest Virginia dwarfs other areas in the state.

The opioid epidemic is just scary, awful, Fredericksburg police spokeswoman Sarah Kirkpatrick said.

In an attempt to deal with the issue, just more than a year ago officers with the Fredericksburg Police Department started using Narcan, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses, Kirkpatrick said. Officers used the drug 12 times on overdose victims in 2016 and three times so far this year.

Each time, Narcan has worked, she said.

State Attorney General Mark Herring said in a recent interview that he was really struck by what he heard of the opioid problem in law-enforcement circles after taking office in 2014.

He said the crisis requires multiple approaches, including enforcement and education. The website, which includes a video of people whose lives have been impacted by opioid use, uses those approaches, he said.

The roots are in the medicine cabinet  not the street, Herring said. Just because [opioids] have been prescribed by a doctor doesnt mean theyre safe.

Herring said the medical community recognizes the problem and is adjusting pain management approaches by finding alternatives to opioids and improving how personal histories of patients are compiled. Medical schools, he added, are also emphasizing the risks that come with opioids.

A 2016 Food and Drug Administration report in The New England Journal of Medicine looked at how the medical community must adjust to stem the tide of addiction and overdose deaths.

The doctors who authored the report wrote that the medical community must comprehensively review our portfolio of activities, reassess our strategy, and take aggressive actions when there is good reason to believe that doing so will make a positive difference.

The doctors said the FDA, with help from the National Academy of Medicine, would be launching a broad reexamination of our approach  to help us develop a regulatory framework for opioid review, approval, and monitoring that balances individual need for pain control with considerations of the broader public health consequences of abuse and misuses.

The doctors also wrote that the FDA is working with the pharmaceutical industry and the National Institutes of Health to develop alternatives to opioids and to refine guidelines for opioid use. The U.S. Surgeon General is working with the clinical community to curb inappropriate opioid prescriptions.

State and federal authorities are also attempting to address the opioid problem. U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Friday that Virginia will receive $10 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to combat opioid addiction.

Virginia lawmakers this year approved several opioid-focused bills, including one that requires all such prescriptions to be transmitted electronically by 2020.

Herring said another issue with the opioid problem is the stereotyping of drug users.

The truth is, this could happen to anyone, he said. Heroin doesnt care.

Along with enforcement and education, the attorney general said there need to be more resources made available to those who get hooked. That has been a common complaint he has heard and one thing that drove his office to create the opioid-focused website, which provides a list of resources for addicts.

Were not going to stop until we get this problem turned around, he said.
Republican Congressman Rob Wittman fielded his first question of the day from a lady in jeans and a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words: A womans place is in the revolution.

Kim Wyman, whose outfit stood out among the more formal attire at the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce event, introduced herself as a Democrat who used to lose her mind over military spendingor, as she put it, more planes, more tanks, more guns. But she added: With a husband who works for the Navy, its amazing how quickly your opinion on military spending changes, especially when your incomes based on it.

Still, she challenged Wittmans support for increasing the U.S. Navys fleet to 355 ships from 274, saying the focus should be on new technology instead. Were getting to a point where we can do more damage to an enemy for less money with the weapons were developing, Wyman, an antiques dealer from Spotsylvania County, said from her table at the Fredericksburg Country Club.

Wittman told her she had a great point on technology, though he maintained his stance on ships. In his earlier remarks to the mostly agreeable audience, he said: Just having a United States ship off the coast of a nation that doesnt want to act right sends a message.

The 8 a.m. appearance at the local Chamber of Commerce event was the first in a string of stops by Wittman Tuesday, ending with a legislative update to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors at 7 p.m. His campaign invited The Free LanceStar to tag along in an effort to showcase the 1st District congressmans interactions with constituents.

Wittman, whose district includes Stafford, Fredericksburg, part of Spotsylvania County and all of the Northern Neck, has been criticized by those who oppose President Donald Trump and the Republican Party for declining to host or accept invites to in-person town halls since Trump took office.

And photos on his Facebook page documenting Tuesdays appearancesincluding a picture of the congressman with a person in a GEICO gecko costumeonly added fuel to the fire. Wittmans stops that day included GEICO, the Fredericksburg Area Builders Association headquarters and an in-door play center owned by a Marine Corps veteran.

Instead of meeting in staged PR events about you, you should have held town hall meetings about us, someone posted under a picture of Wittman at the Chamber of Commerce event, where the congressman was presented with an award. This is the second recess you have taken the easy way around meeting your constituents directly.

Wittman, who knew many of the chamber events attendees by name, touched on topics such as health care and treatment of veterans. A man who identified himself as a small-business guy expressed concern about health care costs, saying hes paying $30,000 more this year for the exact same benefits his employees received last year.

Wittman replied that hes pretty adamant the failed health care proposal backed by Trump would not make things better. I got called to the White House several times  and was in a very passionate discussion with the president, he said with a laugh.

He said hes confident Congress will take the time to make sure that we get this right and that his goals include reducing costs and making sure that access is there.

The next question came from a man who asked, When are we going to stand by our veterans? Wittman, citing problems at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, said the agencys employees should have in their hearts the desire to serve veterans.

Wyman, the Democrat, spoke up again, countering that issues there center on resources, not heart. And to say that is a discredit to people who work for the federal government in that field, she said.

Wittman replied that he wants to hold employees accountable for misconduct. Anybody there that is purposely misleading, purposely falsifying records, they dont have in their heart doing whats right for the veterans. Those are the folks that ought to be held accountable and ought to be let go based on their performance, he said to applause.

Holding them accountable still doesnt fix the problem of veterans having access to services, Wyman responded after the applause died down. It has to go beyond that. Sorry, Ill be quiet now.

Wyman, who joked that she felt like a pilgrim in an unholy land, said she thinks Wittman should host a town hall, but said she can understand why he wont because no one wants to be screamed at for two hours.

But he needs to reach out, as does the president, she said.

In an interview, however, Wittman said he does not have plans for a public town hall. Asked why he has not held one, he said: I try to do it in ways to where we believe that we can maximize how we interact with folks. I think some of the best ways are being able to go in front of folks, spend a significant amount of time where you can answer questions in depth.

Around 2,000 people typically listen to his telephone town halls, during which he answers questions from constituents over the phone, he said. He said he plans to have more of those telephone sessions and post recordings of them on his Facebook page.

Wittman also took questions during all of his stops Tuesday.

After the Chamber of Commerce meeting, he dropped by Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site) to meet with senior citizens who benefit from the Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging. Fredericksburg resident Ernestine Scott, 70, asked him about budget cuts that would hurt older Americans.

The National Association of Areas on Aging says Trumps budget proposal puts vulnerable older Americans at risk by eliminating funding for programs that help seniors find jobs and live independently.

Wittman told Scott that he disagrees with certain aspects of the presidents proposal, adding: Believe me, I will be keeping in mind all the issues and how it affects folks here as to how that budget comes together.

But Scott, who lives with her daughter, didnt buy it. A lot of talk, she told a reporter.

Scott, who said she was a cashier at a 7Eleven in Las Vegas for 15 years, said she and other senior citizens meet three days a week for meals and activities through the local Agency on Aging.

I go to church, and I come here, she said. Its fulfilling for me to be around people and to meet people.

Wittman also dropped by KDz Kidz World, an indoor play center off U.S. 1 in Stafford, to visit with owner Ian Dennywho this year accepted a veteran-owned business of the year award. The congressmans press person took pictures of a shoe-less Wittman in an inflatable bounce house, where children swung from a small zip line.

Thats awesome, sir, Denny told Wittman later.

Wittman also chatted with customers, including Stafford resident JoAnn Nadeau, 57. Nadeau, who had been there three hours with her two grandchildren, said she asked Wittman what he thought of Trump. Shes a Trump supporter, but did not say so until later because she wanted an honest answer.

Nadeau said Wittman told her people should give Trump a chance and that the president has done a lot since hes been in office. The retired civil servant liked that answer, though she said she did acknowledge to Wittman that the president can be irrational at times.

He said, We need to take his cellphone away on the weekend so he doesnt tweet so much. 

Wittman ended his long day with a friendly exchange with Stafford supervisors, and board Chairman Paul Milde remarked afterward: Well, that was nice.

But the atmosphere was different about 35 miles away, where more than 150 people attended a town hall meeting put on by 1st District constituents. Wittman declined to attend, and the organizers made sure to accentuate his absence.

Congressman Wittman, are you available? a moderator asked at Patriot High School in Prince William County.

After about 13 seconds of silence, the crowd cheered as a woman placed a cardboard cutout of the congressman behind an empty podium.

Im sure the congressman will be very receptive to all of your questions, the moderator said.
(Global Times) 10:48, April 22, 2017

China urged Japan to "make a clean break with militarism" after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine and dozens of Japanese politicians visited on Friday.

China has always firmly opposed these kinds of acts by Japanese politicians, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a news briefing.

"We always oppose Japanese politicians' wrong moves [in visiting the Yasukuni Shrine]," Lu said. "Japan should face up to its history of aggression and make a clean break with militarism."

Japan should abide by the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries and earnestly implement the four-point principled agreement reached in late 2014, said Lu.

He also urged the Japanese side to obtain the trust of neighboring countries and the international community through concrete actions.

The Yasukuni Shrine honors millions of mostly Japanese war dead, but is regarded by some as a symbol of Japan's past militarism for also enshrining senior World War II military and political figures convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal.

China and the two Koreas consider the shrine a painful reminder of Japanese colonialism and invasion during the early 20th century.

South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday that the visits and offerings were "deeply worrying and regrettable."

According to Japanese national television station NHK, 95 members of parliament paid their respects en masse on Friday, including Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi, who usually visits during the shrine's twice-yearly festivals and on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender.

Health Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki sent a ritual offering, like Abe, but neither was expected to visit, NHK noted.

There was no sign that Defense Minister Tomomi Inada, who is reluctant to admit Japan's wartime aggression, had visited or made an offering at the shrine.

Abe has avoided the shrine since going in 2013. That visit sparked fury from its Asian neighbors and even earned a diplomatic rebuke from close ally the US.
Donald Pfanz isnt a horn-tooter.

But thousands of people will be reminded of an idea he expressed 30 years ago today.

Pfanz, an author and National Park Service historian then at Petersburg National Battlefield, penned a letter on April 22, 1987, that birthed a movement.

Disturbed by development threats to the Chantilly battlefield in Fairfax County, where Union Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny was killed on Sept. 1, 1862, Pfanz met with his ex-boss at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Isnt there some way we could form a group to go out and save battlefields? he recalls asking Robert K. Krick. Krick was skeptical.

But Pfanz forged ahead and wrote historian Brian Pohanka, an Alexandria resident active in Civil War re-enacting and as an editor for TimeLife Books. Pohanka partnered with activists Ed Wenzel and Clark Bud Hall, and their campaign preserved what is todays Ox Hill Battlefield Park at Chantilly.

More significantly, Pfanzs two-page letter spawned one of the two parents of todays national Civil War Trust, a 50,000-members nonprofit based in Washington.

The trust and its predecessors succeeded beyond anything he or his associates dreamed, preserving 44,648 acres on American battlefields in 21 statesincluding, recently, some Revolutionary War sites.

Don not only saw the need to amass strength within a goal-oriented business structure, he suggested that like minds urgently come together before all was lost, Virginia historian Clark B. Bud Hall said Friday. Truly, Dons implemented vision made it happen. Those of us who care about saving our precious Civil War battlefields owe him a debt that can never be repaid.

In July 1987, Pfanz and others met in a Fredericksburg restaurant overlooking the Rappahannock River. Out of that meeting came the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, the first national organization dedicated to saving and protecting Civil War battlefields. A year and a half later, the tiny nonprofit notched its first save: 8.5 acres of at Port Republicscene of a stunning victory by Confederate commander Thomas J. Stonewall Jacksonin the Shenandoah Valley.

You could search far and wide and not find a letter that has had as much impact as Don Pfanzs letter to Brian Pohanka suggesting that something needed to be done to protect Civil War battlefields, historian Bob Zeller said Friday. It was the wellspring of a movement that in the past 30 years has saved more than 70 square miles of historic land at 132 battlefields.

Pfanz, the son of renowned Gettysburg historian and author Harry Pfanz, retired in 2013 from the Park Service and lives in the Fredericksburg area. He is working on a couple of books on Civil War topics.
Connie Kincheloe has received the Virginia Foundation for Community College Educations 12th Annual Chancellors Award for Leadership in Philanthropy.

Germanna Community College nominated her for the award, which was given at a luncheon ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia on Tuesday, April 18.

Hosted by the foundation, the event honors leading philanthropists from each of Virginias 23 community colleges as well as the statewide foundation. This years class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of more than $10 million dollars to Virginias Community Colleges.

Kincheloe, a longtime member of the Germanna Community College Educational Foundation and former chairwoman of Virginias State Board of Community Colleges, was also honored as the Germanna Educational Foundation 2017 Philanthropist of the Year. That award was presented Nov. 18 at an event in Culpeper.

Connie always has the greater good in mind, seeking to open new doorways for countless students, GCC President David Sam has said. Even when some students did not believe in themselves, she has always believed in them, and has taken action to help them find and achieve their dreams.

GCCEF Board member Joe Daniel praised Kincheloe for her care for others. She cares about people. She cares about students across the commonwealth. She cares whether people are able to achieve their life goals, he said.

Kincheloe has also played an important role in developing new partnerships within Germannas service area through her work as a member of the Culpeper Regional Hospital Board of Trustees, University of Virginia Medical Center Operating Board, and Virginia Hospital Association Board.
King George County officials said monthly water samples taken April 14 from Oakland Park Waterworksthe public water system that last month was under alertshowed no evidence of bacteria.

It appears that we may never know how the E. coli entered the system, said Christopher Werle, chairman of the King George County Service Authority, which owns the Oakland Park system and eight others in the county.

Oakland Park Waterworks services about 330 customers, including Sealston Elementary School, the King George Industrial Park and Oakland Park subdivision. From March 2429, customers were told it wasnt safe to drink the water without boiling it or treating it with purification tablets.

Water samples from two homes in the Oakland Park subdivision showed levels of E. coli, which usually means theres been sewage or animal waste contamination.

Werle said E. coli contamination usually is found in shallow private wells with little to no monitoring or safeguards. It rarely occurs in public water systems because they are closed systems that are carefully monitored.

E. coli does not just appear on its own, Werle said. It must somehow be introduced into the system.

The most logical source for entry is the source water, which in this case is the Potomac aquifer, which provides water for about 3 million people in Virginia. Samples taken at Oakland Park wells, storage tanks and filters were all negative, so the source water was ruled out, Werle said.

The two locations that tested positive for bacterial contamination were on cul-de-sacs on opposite ends of Oakland Park subdivision. Nothing was detected between those two places.

That in and of itself is somewhat perplexing, Werle wrote in an email.

He said Service Authority officials have considered several causes, all which he said seem highly unlikely. Someone may have tapped into a water main and forced contaminated water into the system at high pressure. Or, there could have been a cross-connection from a private well that wasnt fully disconnected from the public system.

The utility staff has found no evidence of either scenario.

Samples could have been contaminated while being drawn or taken to the lab. But not having a positive E. coli test in 25 years, while clearly good news, makes the situation all the more perplexing, Werle said.

The Service Authority will continue adding more chlorine to the water as an extra safeguard. The chemical element is used to destroy germs in drinking water and pools because it provides residualslow levels that remain in the system after the initial application.

Typically, the utility uses chlorine at the rate of 0.4 to 0.6 parts per million, but will bump up Oakland Parks chlorine residual to 1 part per million for the foreseeable future.

At that level, any coliform bacteria that somehow entered the system would be killed in less than 60 seconds, Werle said.
SATURDAY 8 A.M.: About 4,000 homes and businesses remain without power in the Northern Neck Saturday morning because of the storm. Dominion Virginia Power reports about 3,200 customers without power in the region, while the Northern Neck Electric Co-operative reports another 800 in the Colonial Beach and Warsaw areas.

The Virginia Department of Transportation crews worked overnight clearing downed trees and limbs from roads in the region. State Route 205, the main road into Colonial Beach, was reopened near Ninth Street shortly before 4 a.m., VDOT said.

FRIDAY NIGHT: A powerful storm stalled traffic and caused some damage parts of King George and Westmoreland counties Friday evening, police said, but no injuries had been reported late into the night.

King George Sheriffs spokeswoman Kecia Wharton said downed trees and low-hanging powers lines closed at least parts of major roads in the eastern end of King George. There were also unconfirmed reports of damage in Colonial Beach.

Among the affected roads were U.S. 301 and state routes 206 and 205, which runs from King George into Colonial Beach. U.S. 301 was closed to larger vehicles.

Everything is kind of a mess in those areas, Wharton said Friday night.

Wharton said a number of residents reported seeing funnel clouds, but no tornado had been confirmed as of late Friday.

Powerful winds apparently overturned a tractor-trailer on U.S. 301 near Ridge Road, the Sheriffs Office said, while a tree fell on a womans car on Poplar Neck Road. Wharton said trapped drivers in both vehicles were removed safely and were not injured.

There were also reports of damage to buildings, but the extent of the damage was unclear late Friday.
THE April 1 opening of Crows Nest Natural Area Preserve was a great event for the people of Stafford County and the world. The preservation of this 2,872-acre fragile ecosystem was an extraordinary effort that took over 15 years of negotiations.

Among the many important biological attributes contained within Crows Nest are 2,200 acres of mature hardwood forest, including two forest types that are recognized as globally rare by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreations Natural Heritage Program. There are 750 acres of tidal and nontidal wetlands on the Crows Nest peninsula that account for 60 percent of all the marshes in Stafford County, and represent some of the best examples of diverse and intact wetland habitats in the Potomac River drainage, along with 21 miles of stream, riparian and wetland buffer.

A partnership to buy Crows Nest came from a variety of funding sources, including VDCR , Stafford County, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Aquatic Resources Trust fund of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The Nature Conservancy, and the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.

The individuals who originally understood the importance and had the vision to save the peninsula are many.

Individuals from VDCR such as Johnny Mitchell, Tom Smith, Larry Smith, Joe Maroon and Gary Fleming came to Crows Nest and understood the biological importance of the peninsula. Local government officials such as Kandy Hilliard and Ferris Belman came to Crows Nest in the 1990s to see its extraordinary beauty and were early proponents to save the peninsula. Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis (now deceased) was one of the first to visit Crows Nest and push for protection in the late 1990s.

In 2000, the Trust for Crows Nest was formed and began raising money to fund maintenance of the preserve. The descendants of the Daniel family, the original owners of Crows Nest in the 1800ssuch as Raleigh and Travers Danielprovided funds and support in the early days.

I remember the endless hours of educational opportunities that Bill Micks of the Virginia Outdoor Center and I and planned, with canoe outings with teachers to learn about Crows Nest. I also remember Alma Withers, Norris Dickard, and Paul Gilbert of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust who helped get things off the ground. The Virginia and Maryland native plant societies helped do plant inventories of the property. I remember Anne Little of the Save Crows Nest organization collecting money in a basket at a local fire department event. Local media and The Washington Post provided great coverage of Crows Nest over the years, too.

There were several attempts to secure a purchase contract with the owners of Crows Nest; at least three failed. Efforts to preserve Crows Nest had several hopeful but unsuccessful attempts until 2006, when Paul Milde got busy and worked to negotiate a sale and to come up with the money to buy Crows Nest. Paul was the lead and sole representative in all meetings with Kamel Tabarra, who represented the landowner at that time. Thanks to Supervisors Milde, Jack R. Cavalier, Mark Dudenhefer, Robert C. Gibbons and George H. Schwartz, the Stafford board passed a resolution in December 2007 that authorized approval of an agreement to buy part of the Crows Nest property, with an option to purchase the remainder. This became a reality in 2008 with the first acquisition. In 2009, VDCR and Stafford County added 1,110 acres to the Crows Nest Natural Area Preserve, bringing the total area of Virginias 54th state natural area preserve to 2,872 acres.

The list of local people who worked hard in the early days to save Crows Nest are too great to fully mention. I wish to give my thanks to all for a dream come true. Thank you.

More information about the preserve, including its times of operation, can be found at dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-area-preserves/crowsnest.

Hal Wiggins, an environmental scientist, is retired from the Army Corps of Engineers. He lives in Spotsylvania, and has advocated saving Crows Nest since the early 1990s.
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(China Daily) 10:56, April 22, 2017

Photos of the polluted pools went viral on Tuesday. [Photo: Xinhua]

China has launched a thorough investigation into the pollution of soil throughout the country and will release the final results to the public later, top environmental protection officials said on Friday.

"I can declare today that the Ministry of Environmental Protection will treat all soil polluting cases with no tolerance once we have found them," Tian Weiyong, head of the Environmental Inspection Bureau under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, said on Friday, after an NGO discovered two untreated sewage pits filled with hazardous industrial waste.

Photos of the polluted pools, provided by the Chongqing Liangjiang Voluntary Service Center, went viral on Tuesday. The pits were found in Dacheng county of Langfang, Hebei province, and in Tianjin's Jinghai district.

The ministry launched an investigation with the Hebei government immediately after the photos were shown online. According to the Langfang government, several officials of Dacheng county in charge of environmental protection have been suspended from their posts, and the local government has invited experts to work on a plan for restoration of the area.

The polluted pits were found in Dacheng county of Langfang, Hebei province, and in Tianjin's Jinghai district. [Photo: Xinhua]

Restoration will be completed by the end of September, the local government vowed.

A preliminary local investigation found that the sewage had strong acidic qualities, which was caused by waste from acid-washing at steel and iron plants and electroplating factories, said Yan Jingjun, deputy head of the ministry's Environmental Inspection Bureau. Yan is in charge of the joint investigation teams with Hebei and Tianjin.

"But all the pits are located at deserted land that is far away from residential areas, and no villagers nearby drink underground water," Yan said.

As for the pits in Tianjin, the ministry said the municipality solved the pollution in 14 out of 18 similar pits in Jinghai district since 2014, and plans to deal with the remaining four pits.

"Actions of pouring hazardous waste into the pools has broken the law and will be dealt with seriously," said Tian, the inspection bureau head.

Staff members of the Dacheng county environmental protection bureau's monitoring station collect a water sample on Thursday from a polluted pit in Langfang, Hebei province.[Photo: China Daily/Deng Jia]

"We are extremely open to all kinds of NGOs, the public and the media helping to provide oversight, so we can improve our environment," he added.

According to China's Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law adopted in 2008, discharging noxious sewage water and other waste into wells, pits, cracks and caves is forbidden.

Discharging pollutants into pits and wells has been defined as a crime of contaminating the environment based on a judicial interpretation released in 2013 by the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Poor to receive help to relieve the burden of disease

The top health department released a plan on Friday to ease the burden of disease in poor and remote areas.

The plan will cover about 20 million poverty-stricken people in 26 provincial regions, including Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Tibet, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Major illnesses like heart attacks, chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and severe diseases like cancer are three major targets in the plan.

Under the four-year plan, the commission will choose pilot hospitals and set protocol to ensure that every major illness has a certain treatment and standard fee.

Apart from improving medical treatment in pilot hospitals, priority will be given to poor patients who have those diseases.

A health card will be linked to every resident whose annual income is below the country's poverty threshold of 3,000 yuan ($436) in those regions. Annual health checks will be available to those with a card.

Moreover, the commission will encourage local health departments to assign "family doctors" to follow the health conditions of card holders with chronic diseases.

For poor families with patients suffering from serious diseases, the commission will cooperate with local social security and financial sectors to give extra support.

"Nearly half of China's poverty is a result of the burden of disease," said Wang Peian, vice-minister of the commission.

The commission has carried out surveys and will draft a guideline to help each region.

"Disease and poverty are two crucial elements that determine people's happiness. The plan will be an important step for the whole country to strive for prosperity," said Xia Gengsheng, an official from the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

China has lifted nearly 700 million people out of poverty during the past 30 years. It still had more than 55 million people living in poverty at the end of 2015, according to a white paper issued last year.
Young farmers have been urged to embrace social media to promote agriculture and counter negative publicity in the media.

Attendees of the Agri Forum at the NFYFC convention heard about the potential of social media to inform the general public and promote the British brand.

AHDB chief executive Jane King said young farmers have an important role to play in this respect to help counter the negative attention the agricultural industry receives on a daily basis.

See also: News, photos and video from YFC AGM 2017

Keyboard warriors

She dismissed suggestions that organisations such as AHDB should provide keyboard warriors to defend the industry, adding that responding to every attack is neither sustainable nor helpful.

Why dont we talk about things before they become negative issues? Social media is the number one weapon we can use in a constructive and thoughtful way, she said.

The whole industry needs to own issues that attract attention, such as calf hutches or use of antibiotics.

I dont think a set of keyboard warriors is the answer. What people want more than anything is to know there is a real person at the end of the keyboard, she added.

Lets use platforms to put authentic messages out there. If the public learns more about agriculture on a daily basis they will understand it.

Integrity and passion

Alexia Robinson, founder of British Food Fortnight, agreed, saying: Keyboard warriors are a default mechanism and are fake. If we engage as a community we will do it with integrity and passion.

Social media guru Simon Haley said having the right strategy was key to success, as without this social media had the potential to be a huge waste of time.

Getting a message direct to the right people is easier than you think. Lets be clever about how we use analytics to target certain sectors, he said. The information needed is provided by these platforms.

Facebook has been around since 2013, its not a fad anymore. If your audience is on snapchat, why wouldnt you be there?

Top 5 tips for marketing yourself
U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to arrive in Sea of Japan by end of this month

(Xinhua) 12:06, April 22, 2017

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan by the end of this month.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Tracy Davis reaches out to pet a goat during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday, April 21, 2017. GAZETTE STAFF/CAROL LOLLIS

Maggie D'Amour takes a minute to say hello to a goat during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday, April 21, 2017. GAZETTE STAFF/CAROL LOLLIS

Caitlin Lavin, above, makes a furry friend during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday. At left, Amy Lapointe takes a break with the kids, who see fit to chew her hair and give kisses. The class is one of several in a series that is raising funds for the Easthampton Community Center, the Easthampton Farmers Market and Dakin Humane Society.

Gael Humphrey and her goat friend during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday, April 21, 2017. GAZETTE STAFF/CAROL LOLLIS

Stephanie Luyssaert laughs as a goat snuggles on Caitlin Lavin's back during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday, April 21, 2017. GAZETTE STAFF/CAROL LOLLIS

From left, Cristina Fernandez and Melissa Baker watch as Karly Nickerson balances a goat on her back during a goat yoga class in Easthampton on Friday, April 21, 2017. GAZETTE STAFF/CAROL LOLLIS

EASTHAMPTON  Seven young goats wandered throughout the room, climbing on yoga students in childs pose, sniffing feet and  at times  chewing hair.

Audrey Blaisdell, co-owner of Valley Hot Yoga in Northampton, said she used many downward-facing positions designed to entice the goats to climb aboard, like plank, table pose and cobra.

It forces us not to take ourselves too seriously, Blaisdell said about the giggles-inducing class. Its hysterical and lovely.

From a table pose, Blaisdell instructed the group to put their left arm up and left leg back. Laughter filled the room as goats sniffed the outstretched fingers and toes. Some got out of position to take photos of their goat-laden friends.

So-called goat yoga has become a trend across the globe, and Valley Hot Yoga and Sage Meadow Farm teamed up to make it happen in Easthampton. In doing so, they raised $1,500 for charity.

The funds will go to support the Easthampton Community Center, the Easthampton Farmers Market and Dakin Humane Society. This past month, there have been three goat yoga classes for $25 per person at the Keystone Building in Easthampton. Blaisdell said the classes sold out fairly quickly.

Sage Meadow Farm, owned by City Councilor Joe McCoy and his husband Stan McCoy, brought in seven young goats, their ages ranging from one month to only a few weeks. Their company makes goat milk soaps that are sold at local markets and grocery stores. Soap sales at the events added another $100 to the donations.

Naturally, goats like to jump on things, said Joe McCoy, who has been raising goats for five years.

Goats are very social  very playful, he said at the Friday event.

Jane Lapointe, who participated in the class Friday with her daughter Amy, said a goat hopping on her back felt almost like a little massage.

It was cute  almost therapeutic, Ashley Lamoureux, of Northfield, said. Yoga gets put on the back burner and you just want to play with the goats.

Stephanie Luyssaert, of Palmer, attended a class last month. She said on Friday, the goats were more mischievous  sniffing purses and shoes lined up against the wall, trying to eat notepads and chew on sweaters.

Blaisdell said no class has been the same. I never know what to expect, she said.

As the session came to a close, Blaisdell said now pretend to be in savasana. Some people laid on their mats as goats walked over their bodies. Others tried to pick up the goats and pet them.

Three people walked around on pee patrol with a roll of paper towels, just in case. The crew had a couple accidents to clean up, including a goat urinating on someones shoe.

More goat yoga classes are tentatively planned for May 14 and May 20, but details may depend on the size of the goats. McCoy said they grow relatively quickly and the kids might be too big for the classes next month.

For those who would just like to pet the goats, McCoy said he will be bringing them to the Easthampton Farmers Market on May 13 at 50 Payson Ave.
Ginger Plantier, a good friend of Joanne "Jo" Ringer, the Easthampton woman who went missing seven weeks ago, talks to the media following a press conference called by Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless on Friday, April 21, 2017, at Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams. Capeless said that Ringer's deceased husband, Chad Reidy of Clarksburg, is considered the sole suspect in her disappearance. GAZETTE STAFF / KEVIN GUTTING

During a press conference on Friday, April 21, 2017, at Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams, Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless said that Chad Reidy, the deceased husband of Joanne "Jo" Ringer, the Easthampton woman who went missing seven weeks ago, is considered the sole suspect in her disappearance. GAZETTE STAFF / KEVIN GUTTING

During a press conference on Friday, April 21, 2017, at Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams, Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless said that Chad Reidy, the deceased husband of Joanne "Jo" Ringer, the Easthampton woman who went missing seven weeks ago, is considered the sole suspect in her disappearance. GAZETTE STAFF / KEVIN GUTTING

Savanah Ringer, 19, of Easthampton, daughter of Joanne "Jo" Ringer, who went missing seven weeks ago, talks to the media following a press conference called by Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless on Friday, April 21, 2017, at Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams. Capeless said that Joanne Ringer's deceased husband, Chad Reidy of Clarksburg, is considered the sole suspect in her disappearance. GAZETTE STAFF / KEVIN GUTTING

NORTH ADAMS - Chad Reidy, the deceased husband of an Easthampton woman who went missing seven weeks ago, is considered the sole suspect in what Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said investigators have from the beginning considered a homicide case.

Meanwhile, Capeless said, investigators are looking for the publics help in locating Jo Ringer, a 39-year-old woman who has been missing since March 2, the day she failed to show up for her first day of work as a taxi driver in Easthampton.

Based upon the circumstance of not only the disappearance but other information we have received, we have decided that (Reidy) is the focus of this, Capeless said at a Friday press conference. Returning Jo Ringer to her family is the most important thing we can do.

Capeless declined to comment on allegations published in a Friday Gazette story, which quoted several close friends and Ringers daughter as saying that Ringer complained of violent abuse at the hands of Reidy before she went missing. Ringer told those people her husband had punched her, choked her, pointed a gun to her head and threatened to make her disappear.

One friend, Erik Brown of Easthampton, said that Ringer told him, If anything happens to me, Chad did it.

On April 7, Reidy was found dead inside his garage of apparent suicide.

Capeless declined to answer questions about that and other information received by investigators, and rebuffed complaints by some of those close to Ringer that authorities were withholding information that could help locate Ringer.

We are trying to maintain information in order to preserve the integrity of and to aid the investigation, not to keep it from the public, Capeless said.

Upon learning that investigators have focused on a possible homicide from the start, Ringers daughter, Savanah, said: Its heartbreaking, but at the same time Id rather have closure than nothing at all. Id rather know what happened than not know at all.

On Friday, Capeless said, We have kept hope that Joanne Ringer would be found alive. But seven weeks have passed since her disappearance and she has made no contact with family or friends, particularly her 19-year-old daughter Savanah. And animals that she loved were left without care at home.

Authorities, aided at times by the Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue Team, have searched for Ringer on the property and surrounding woods at Reidy and Ringers house in Clarksburg, and in the woods between Easthampton and Northampton.

Capeless discouraged members of the public from conducting their own searches for Ringer, instead urging anyone who has information about her to contact authorities. Capeless named turkey hunters as being potentially helpful when turkey season begins next week.

The investigation is being led by the Massachusetts State Police working with the Berkshire District Attorneys Office. Other agencies assisting in the case include the Northampton and Easthampton police departments.

Also on Friday, a woman with whom Reidy was previously romantically involved before marrying Ringer pleaded not guilty to three counts of misleading a police.

Easthampton resident Laura Reilly, 42, made serial misstatements to investigators to mislead them, all at Reidys behest, First Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello said during her arraignment. She was released on $1,500 bail. (See accompanying story)

Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren reads April 21, 2017 from her book "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class" at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. GAZETTE STAFF/SARAH CROSBY

Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks April 21, 2017 about her book "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class" at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. GAZETTE STAFF/SARAH CROSBY

Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks April 21, 2017 about her book "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class" at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. GAZETTE STAFF/SARAH CROSBY

Crowd members raise their hands and cheer while Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks April 21, 2017 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. GAZETTE STAFF/SARAH CROSBY

Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren reads April 21, 2017 from her book "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class" at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. GAZETTE STAFF/SARAH CROSBY

SOUTH HADLEY  For Sen. Elizabeth Warren, this is the moment the country is being tested.

Its a moment about what kind of people we are, what kind of country we are going to build  Its like a test of character and this is what I believe, she told her roughly 1,100-person audience Friday. A country is not the character of its president. The character of a country is the character of its people.

If democracy is not working, it is as if democracy became a spectator sport  something one tunes into every four years, Warren said.

The world changed when Donald Trump got elected, she said. But lets be clear, the world changed the day of the Womens March.

Warren stopped at Mount Holyoke College Friday night as part of her book tour promoting the release of her newest work This Fight is Our Fight: The Battle to Save Americas Middle Class.

Over an hour and a half, Warren read excerpts from her book and answered questions from the audience about health care, the art of dialogue and how to give hope to younger generations.

Reading an excerpt from her book, Warren told the tale of a visitor to her D.C. office by a man named Mike from Douglas, Massachusetts.

The man, Warren said, spoke to her about his diagnosis of early onset Alzheimers and urged her to fight.

The story was like a spear thrust between my ribs, reminding me that everything we do in Washington matters to real people, Warren read. People who never plan to ask for help, but need it right now.

After the reading, Warren told the crowd that Mike was in attendance prompting a hearty round of applause and a standing ovation.

Her work, she said, was a book of stories as well as the American economy from 1935 to present.

There is a lot of tough stuff in this book, she said. The book is written out of optimism  optimism that we can make a difference.

The first to ask a question was a school psychologist from Maine, who was also the mother of a Mount Holyoke student. The woman asked Warren what she would say to give students of all races hope.

We have to decide what kind of a people we are and what kind of country we are going to build going forward, Warren said.

America, she said, was built by people of all colors, languages and ideas.

For our differences, we werent made weak. For our differences, we were made stronger, Warren said. Youre not only welcome here  you are loved here  and the rest of us are in this fight because we believe your fight is our fight and our fight is your fight.

The fight that is going on in Washington right now is truly a fight over who government works for and that really means a fight. Not just over economics, its a fight over values  about who we see ourselves as and what we value.

A budget is not a numbers document, Warren said. A budget is a values document.

For those feeling overwhelmed but wanting to stay engaged, Warren had three steps.

One, she said, was join something.

Two voices are more than twice as strong as one, she said.

Dont just talk to yourself, recruit, Warren urged as a second point.

Third, she said, commit to doing something everyday.

For Amherst resident and Mount Holyoke College alum Jenna Perchak, Warrens remarks about the character of the country resonated.

I think sometimes Im almost a little bit embarrassed by the decision that we as a collective made, Perchak said. Its nice to hear that it doesnt necessarily represent all of us.

Fellow alum Charisse Pickorn added it was a poetic way of saying not my president.

Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.
On The Water: You might need a bigger boat for Transpac 2023
Earth Day. I wonder why it isnt the most important, most well-known and most widely observed holiday in the world? Why isnt it the central commitment of every religious and spiritual person? What can be more important than the sustaining of the very systems of life we depend on  all that we refer to as creation?

Religion, for me, is the process of understanding how we are related to everything  to Ultimate Reality/God, to the cosmos, the universe, the living Earth, all others, and to ourselves. At its best, religion is the human process of aiming to live in right relations (relations of justice, equity, harmony, peace). For me, the most important parts of religious traditions teach, encourage and enable us to live in right relations. As I study and learn from many religious traditions, Im not at all surprised that everywhere I find teachings and commandments about taking care of the Earth, one of the ultimate expressions of right relations.

Indigenous teachings from around the world are prime examples. Common to most are a profound experience of embeddedness in a geographical place and its ecosystem. To be embedded in the web of relations of a given place is to understand responsibility for the health and vitality of the whole system. Therefore indigenous spiritual practices and rituals are grounded in awareness of, gratitude for, and care of the whole living system of relations.

In Hinduism, the Earth is home, source of all we need. The great rivers of the Ganges plains are referred to as mothers, sources of life. From these foundations, reverence for life becomes paramount. The practice of ahimsa, nonviolence, aims toward not harming any other life. Likewise in Buddhist perspectives: Everything is part of everything else. As human beings we are literally made of the Earth  we share atoms and molecules with everything else. What affects any part affects all parts. One of the most important aims of Buddhism is to alleviate suffering of all sentient beings  all parts of the living Earth. Chinese perspectives are similar: Confucianism sees human life embedded in and dependent upon "nature." Taoist practices recognize that chi or our very breath and life energy depends upon the chi of all the other living things.

The monotheistic traditions also have clear instructions for care of the Earth. In the Hebrew scriptures, read by Jews and Christians, commandments such as the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee acknowledge Gods ownership of the earth. According to Islamic scholar Talal Al-Khatib, the Qu'ran contains over 750 references to ecology and how those principles can be applied to caring for the environment.

Pope Francis was explicit in his interpretation of the responsibility of Christians for care of the Earth in his 2015 letter Laudato Si ("Care for Our Common Home"), in which he connected human actions to global warming, and called for commitment to a sustainable environment as a moral imperative. The Dalai Lama agreed, and endorsed the popes pronouncement.

We could so easily gather together for Earth Day. It could be a shared religious observance. Earth care, and sustaining the living systems we depend on  air, water, soils, biological diversity  can and should be shared spiritual practices among all people of faith and commitment, every day. What is stopping us?
April 29, 1937  April 21, 2017

Harriet Elizabeth Heath Light was born April 29, 1937, in Portland, Oregon.

Her parents, William G. Heath and Evelyn A. Nelson Heath, settled in Vernonia, where they operated a successful gas station and shop.

She graduated from Vernonia High School in 1955 and headed to Oregon State College in Corvallis, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Home Economics in 1959.

It is at OSC that she met the love of her life, Richard Eugene Light. They were married in lovely ceremony in Vernonia on September 20, 1959.

Harriet and Richard were adventurous souls and camped, backpacked, and rafted much of the western United States. She particularly loved their trip rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

They spent several Christmas vacations camping on the shores of Baja Mexico, decorating cactus with seashells for their holiday tree.

The wild and scenic section of the Rogue River was also a favorite that they rafted numerous times with family and friends. They also enjoyed landsailing on the Alvord desert in southeastern Oregon.

The pair owned a Portland pizza and sandwich shop for over twenty years.

Harriet also spent her time leading 4H clubs and volunteering in her children's schools.

Later in life, Harriet would care for Richard as he battled Alzheimer's for twelve years.

An avid reader, you could not find a time that she didn't have a new book or sharing her delicious cooking with family.

She is survived by her sister Carolyn Ladd of Terrebonne; sons Larry (Karen) Light of Portland and their children Christopher, Joanne, Emmaly, and Joshua, and Terry (Ann) Light of Dundee and their children Ian and Hailey.

At her request, there will be no service. She preferred that a small donation be made to the Mennonite Village Foundation. Family will gather to remember and celebrate Harriet's life at a later time.

Condolences may be posted online at www.fisherfuneralhome.com.
Faced with the prospect of rising costs and flat funding levels from the state, the Oregon State University Board of Trustees voted on Friday to raise tuition and fees despite an outcry from students who say theyre being priced out of higher education.

The trustees met by conference call to continue their discussion of the proposal, which had to be tabled when their March 17 meeting was disrupted by protesters.

Tuition will climb 4 percent for resident undergraduates in 2017-18, from $8,715 to $9,075 a year. For nonresident undergrads the cost will go up 2 percent, from $27,195 to $27,735 annually. Student fees also will rise by 4 percent, or $23.59 per term.

Resident undergrads at OSUs Cascades campus in Bend will also see a 4 percent tuition increase, as will students taking classes online through the Ecampus program.

One-fourth of the tuition increase will be set aside for financial aid to needy students.

Oregons seven public universities have asked the Legislature for a $100 million increase in state support over the next two years, saying that much is needed to maintain current service levels in the face of rising costs. But lawmakers are wrestling with a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, making the prospects for a state funding boost bleak.

Some state schools have reacted with even higher tuition increases, such as a 10.6 percent hike at the University of Oregon.

The vote to raise tuition was 14-1, with the boards lone student member, Brett Morgan, dissenting. Morgan, who has repeatedly testified before the Legislature seeking more financial support for higher education, said he couldnt justify voting for the tuition increase even though he believes it may be necessary to maintain OSUs current service levels.

Im feeling a tug in multiple directions at once, he said.

Several board members expressed sympathy with testimony taken at the March meeting about the financial strains felt by students after years of rising tuition rates. But they also talked about the need to ensure that the quality of an OSU education is not eroded by inadequate funding.

I believe we have to be balanced and not only think about our current students, but we have to be future-looking and think about the students that are to come, Rani Borkar said.

Others voiced concerns that the 4 percent increase might be too low, forcing the university to raise rates again in the near future.

My fear is well be back here a year from now facing even more tuition increases, Patty Bedient said. Right now, even with a 4 percent increase, were facing a $20 million (funding) gap.

Paul Kelly, who sat on the Oregon State Board of Higher Education before joining the OSU Board of Trustees, argued that the time has come to move past a traditional funding model that relies too heavily on state support, which continues to lag far behind the need.

This will be my 10th year in a row of participating in a vote to raise tuition at public universities, including Oregon State, he said. Ten years in, I find myself extremely pessimistic about any further help from the state.

Kelly urged the board to start thinking about new ways to raise revenue and cut costs. OSU President Ed Ray, who holds a nonvoting seat on the board, endorsed that idea and said the trustees could consider the matter at their annual retreat in the fall.
Baku, Azerbaijan



Trend:



The Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association has been created in Azerbaijan. The association was presented to public in Baku on Apr. 22.



Opening the event, the associations Chairman Elshan Rahimov noted that the political will of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev plays an important role in the formation of the friendly relations existing between Azerbaijan and Arab countries.



Rahimov said that high-level reciprocal visits in recent years between Azerbaijan and Arab countries, expansion of cooperation between businesses, increasing tourist flow to Azerbaijan create favorable conditions for the development of relations.



He emphasized that the decision to create the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association and its state registration are timed to President Ilham Aliyevs initiative that 2017 has been declared the Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan, and Bakus hosting the Islamic Solidarity Games in May.



Rahimov also noted that the aim of establishment of the Association, in which, along with Azerbaijani businessmen, entrepreneurs from Arab countries will also be represented, is the strengthening of economic

partnership between Azerbaijan and Arab countries through the promotion of mutual trade and investment, development of friendly relations between the states.



For this, the Association intends to use various methods, including: ensuring dialogue between potential business partners, analyzing and informing about investment prospects, preparing business projects, assessing the business environment, organizing educational work among businessmen on advantages and benefits, organizing specialized exhibitions, business forums, business events, reciprocal visits.



The Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab countries Public Association by establishing close cooperation with similar organizations, especially with the Turkish-Arab Association for Economic and Strategic Cooperation, will provide its members with an even wider range of services, he added.



Rahimov stressed that the current economic conditions increase competition between the countries in terms of attracting investments and expanding trade ties.



He noted that from this point of view, the goals set by the Azerbaijani president are taken as a basis in attracting investments to the country, adding that the newly created organization will make efforts to become a party to this process.



He also noted that close contacts will be established with representatives of business circles of Arab countries that have rich financial resources, and said that the organization will play the role of a business platform.



In the end, Rahimov invited entrepreneurs and representatives of business circles to join the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association.



We will build our activities on the principles of high professionalism and justify the trust of the members of the association, he said.



Then, the Chairman of the Turkish-Arab Association for Economic and Strategic Cooperation Muhammed Al Adil said that Azerbaijan, being a brotherly country, is a very important part of the Turkic world.



He noted that the time has come to build new bridges between Azerbaijan and the Arab world.



We intend to promote all the opportunities of Azerbaijan, in particular its business, investment, tourism opportunities in the Arab countries, he said. I therefore congratulate you on the creation of the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association. This will be a very important and strategic cooperation for us.



He went to add that Azerbaijan causes interest in the Arab world, first of all, that is due to the existence of common history and culture.



Secondly, during the Soviet period, Azerbaijan was kept away from the Arab countries, we lived in complete estrangement, he said. Now we must strive to further expand the ties between our peoples. From this point of view, the creation of the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association will be a great start.



A memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association and Turkish-Arab Association for Economic and Strategic Cooperation was also signed at the event.
This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.

Corvallis Police Department

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

DUII: 2:21 a.m., Northwest Jackson Avenue and 23rd Street. An officer charged Saul Alberto Egan Gonzalez, 30, no address listed, with DUII following a traffic stop. Gonzalez reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.17 percent. He was booked into the Benton County Jail.

THURSDAY, APRIL 20

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: 8:18 a.m., 200 block Southwest Tunison Avenue. A man reported that the door to a residence he owned was damaged and showed signs of an attempted break-in. The officer responding reported that there was no evidence of an actual break-in.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

VEHICLE THEFT: 7:30 p.m., 900 NW Fourth St. A representative of Kiefer Nissan reported that someone stole a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 from the car lot. Officers responding reported finding two piles of broken glass and evidence that someone broke into one vehicle in order to get to the Dodge Ram.

Benton County Sheriff's Office

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

IDENTITY THEFT: 10:52 a.m., 300 block Northwest 53rd Street. A woman reported that she received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service to tell her that her Social Security number was used to gain employment. The IRS did not disclose any other information.

FIREARM THEFT: 3:56 p.m., 31000 block Fern Road, Philomath. A Philomath man reported that sometime in the last month a Ruger .380 automatic handgun went missing from the center console of his pickup.
Chrysler Voyager:Hyundai Trajet:Thronen statt sitzen, reisen statt rasen

Foto: Werksfoto

Groraumlimousinen sind optimal fur Familien mit kleinen Kindern - Immer mehr altere Kaufer suchen das Praktische und das Besondere - Der Chrysler Voyager und der Hyundai Trajet prasentieren sich

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Heidrun und Willy Schnapp waren begeistert, als sie von ihrem sechswochigen USA-Urlaub zuruckkamen. Die Freude des Rentner-Ehepaars wurde nicht nur ausgelost durch die freundlichen Menschen und die grandiose Natur, die sie in den Nationalparks erleben konnten; auch der Mietwagen, mit dem sie diese Reise erlebten, war Grund fur die gute Laune.

"Wir waren schon nach kurzer Zeit von der Bequemlichkeit und dem Fahrkomfort unseres Voyager-Vans positiv angetan", erklart Heidrun Schnapp. "Und weil die Sitze so hoch sind, war das Ein- und Aussteigen selbst fur Willy ein Kinderspiel, obwohl er ja manchmal Probleme mit seinem Rucken hatte. Die vielen verschiedenen Matratzen - Omal waren die Betten im Motel weich, Omal harter - ist man ja nicht mehr so gewohnt mit fast siebzig Jahren."

Nun, etliche Wochen nach dem Urlaub haben sich die Schnapps immer noch nicht an ihren alten Pkw gewohnt. Zu unbequem ist ihnen nun das Ein- und Aussteigen, zu schlecht die Ubersicht nach vorn auf das Verkehrsgeschehen. Und so steht ihr Entschluss fest: Ein Minivan muss her. Es muss ja nicht unbedingt ein Chrysler Voyager sein. Er sollte aber die geschatzten Vorteile wie die hohe Sitzposition, die gute Ubersicht uber das Verkehrsgeschehen und den variablen Innenraum bieten.

Willy Schnapp wunscht sich einen durchzugsstarken und sparsamen Turbodiesel als Antriebsquelle, wahrend Heidrun Schnapp vor allem an einem Automatikgetriebe gelegen ist.

Der Chrysler Voyager, der eigentliche Segment-Begrunder der Minivans in Europa, bietet nicht ganz das Passende. Die Version 2.5 CRD fur 28 650 Euro mit dem modernen, 142 PS starken Vierzylinder-Common-Rail-Diesel gibt es nur mit Funfgang-Schaltgetriebe. Der 3.3-Liter-Sechszylinder-Benziner verfugt zwar schon serienmaig uber Automatik, legt allerdings auch den entsprechenden Durst an den Tag. Sein Grundpreis betragt 38 100 Euro. Insgesamt ist der Voyager in seiner vierten Generation interessant fur all diejenigen, die viel Raum und Komfort suchen. Wem der Platz nicht reicht, der greift zum Grand Voyager mit langerem Radstand.

Auch der langjahrige Bestseller Renault Espace ist mit normalem und langem Radstand lieferbar. Seine Turbodiesel-Versionen sind zwar nicht mit Automatik lieferbar, dafur die Benziner. Zu den Starken des Espace gehort die gute Ausstattung samt Seitenairbags, ABS und Klimaanlage. Schwachen sind das weiche Fahrwerk, weiche Sitze und das hohe Preis-Niveau.

Echte Alternativen kommen da aus Korea. Der Hyundai Trajet prasentiert sich in der Einstiegsversion als 2.0-Liter-Benziner mit 136 PS fur 21 490 Euro. Klimaanlage, ABS und elektrische Fensterheber gibt's serienmaig. Sieben Sitzplatze und ein Raumangebot auf Chrysler-Voyager-Niveau sind ebenfalls Standard. Die Diesel-Fraktion uberzeugt der 2.0 CRDI, ein moderner Common-Rail-Diesel mit 113 PS; Grundpreis: 23 590 Euro. Der Trajet ist recht ubersichtlich, aber leider mit der indirekten Lenkung und der weichen Federung im Kurvenverhalten behabig.

Wie mageschneidert fur die Schnapps zeigt sich der Kia Carnival, ebenfalls aus koreanischer Fertigung. Seine Diesel-Version namens 2.9 CRDI leistet 144 PS, kostet 22 850 Euro und ist gegen Aufpreis auch mit einer Viergang-Automatik lieferbar. ABS, zwei Airbags, elektrische Fensterheber und Zentralverriegelung sind serienmaig. Wurzelholz-Imitat im Armaturenbrett und in der Mittelkonsole verbreitet einen Hauch von Luxus. Der viel zu groe Wendekreis ist ein Schwachpunkt des ansonsten sehr reellen Angebots.

Viel flacher und windschnittiger als die Konkurrenz kommt der Honda Stream daher. Obwohl Siebensitzer, ist er eher ein Zwitter zwischen Kombi und Minivan. Diesel sind zur Zeit nicht im Programm; den Anfang macht der 1.7-Liter fur 19 414 Euro. Der 2.0-Vierzylinder mit 156 PS beschleunigt schon fast sportlich und erreicht 205 km/h. Solide Verarbeitung, kultivierte, drehfreudige Motoren und perfekt abgestimmte, leicht gangige Getriebe sind typische Honda-Starken. Der Mangel an praktischen Ablagen sowie die ziemlich kratzempfindlichen Stodampfer konnen da den positiven Eindruck nur wenig schmalern.

Foto: Hyundai

Foto: Werksfoto Chrysler Voyager: Der Klassiker und Segment-Begrunder uberzeugt durch Komfort und bequeme Bedienung.

Foto: Hyundai Hyundai Trajet: Der Koreaner bietet gute Verarbeitung und praktische Variabilitat zum gunstigen Preis. zuruck

weiter
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received former President of the Republic of Austria Heinz Fischer.

President Ilham Aliyev and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer recalled their reciprocal visits.

The head of state and the former Austrian President hailed the successful implementation of the agreements, which had been reached at the highest level.

They emphasized the symbolic meaning of today's meeting as it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The dynamic development of Azerbaijan-Austria bilateral relations in a variety of fields over these years was hailed at the meeting.

They also discussed the issues relating to priorities of the Austrian chairmanship in OSCE.
Samsung, Google teams up to offer Play Music as default music app on Samsung devices News oi -Rohit Samsung has teamed up with Google to feature Google Play Music as the default music app on Samsung devices.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are amazing Android smartphones. The new Galaxy devices feature brilliant infinity displays, amazing designs and top-notch hardware. Besides, Samsung has also worked very hard to offer a lag-free Android experience by improving on speed and performance of company's infamous TouchWiz UI.

If you already own the latest the Galaxy S8, then you must have noticed that the handset does not feature Samsung's in-house music app. Instead, it comes with Google's Play Music as the default music application.

Google on his blog post made the announcement saying, "We have teamed up with Samsung, the world's largest Android smartphone maker, in a partnership to make it even easier and faster for Samsung customers to get the right music no matter where they are or what they're doing."

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 tipped to have Dual-Camera setup

The blog also reads that with the launch of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+, Google Play Music will be the default music player and music service on new Samsung phones and tablets globally. Google is also collaborating with Samsung to create special features in Google Play Music for Samsung customers.

Moreover, the new Samsung phones and tablets will now come with a free three-month trial of Google Play Music. And with a subscription, you'll get ad-free and on-demand access to Google's library of music, which comprises of more than 40 million songs and thousands of playlists tailored for different occasions.

And last but not the least, Samsung users will also get access to YouTube Red, depending upon the region a user is purchasing the handset.

Source: Google Blog Post

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How cool is the Vive VR headset?

This VR headset washes away the real world where you are staying currently and takes you to a virtual world giving you a fantastic experience.

Also Read: HTC One A9 Nougat update is now available in India

It comes with extraordinary features such as SteamVR Tracking, stunning graphics, an 110 field of view, intuitive controls and HD haptic feedback which helps in providing an unparalleled sense of immersion.

What are the requirements to use this headset?

If you are planning on buying this device, then you have to invest on high-end PC as well. According to the company, the PC should have minimum specs to run the Vive that includes either a Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or an AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics card which is coupled with 4GB of RAM or more than that.

What is the price of this product?

The HTC Vive VR headset is priced at Rs. 92,990 in Amazon India. One can pre-order this VR headset from today itself. This high price which is almost close to Rs 1 lakh may not be a good deal in an emerging market like our country.

Also Read: HTC U with edge sense is set to launch on May 16

The same HTC Vive Consumer Edition is priced at $799 which roughly comes to Rs. 54,675 in the US.

Ships with other Vive accessories

The Vive VR headset is developed in collaboration with Valve. This device ships along with some most required accessories such as one head-mounted VR headset, a pair of Vive base stations along with a couple of wireless controllers, a Vive Link Box and Vive ear buds.
iPhone 8 may come with a rear-facing fingerprint scanner News oi -Chandrika You should take this rumor with a pinch of salt

A few days ago, the schematic diagrams of the alleged iPhone 8 surfaced online. The drawings allowed us to take a good look at the front and rear part of the device. If we go by those images, the upcoming iPhone will sport a vertically arranged rear dual-camera setup along with a Touch ID button on its back.

Yesterday, another post came up on the Chinese micro-blogging site, Weibo, which contain images of the 3D model of the iPhone 8's rear casing. As seen from the image, the 10th anniversary edition iPhone will have something common with the Samsung Galaxy S8. We know that while Samsung wanted to place the fingerprint scanner under the Galaxy S8 display, it was not able to do it for some technical issues.

Apple may start trial assembly in Bengaluru next month

Now, apparently, Apple is facing the same problem as it has positioned the touch ID button in the middle of its rear part, away from the dual-camera setup. However, in the case of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the biometric reader is located right next to the camera lens.

As per an analyst, this technology is not bringing enough profit and the company doesn't want to take help from a third party. The analyst also added that the iPhone maker would never turn it over to a third party manufacturer.

It is also said that the 3D sensor for the front camera with face-detection technology is working not properly. So, a rear facing touch ID button makes sense.

Nonetheless, we have to wait till September to know the authenticity of these rumors.

Source

Via

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Nokia 7, Nokia 8, Nokia 9 is expected to be launched in July News oi -Samden Sherpa Nokia is betting big on Android.

Nokia has re-entered the smartphone world with a bang. And while the brand is seeking to return to its former glory, the company seems to have many products in its pipeline for 2017.

Only a few days back we reported that the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will be launched in India in May. Now a new report has just appeared online which suggests that HMD Global is reportedly gearing up to release high-end variants of its handsets. According to various reports, the phones that HMD Global will be launching in the coming days are the Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and Nokia 9.

SEE ALSO: Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and Nokia 3310 will be released in India in May

However, we still do not any word or official announcement from the company, but the same report also notes that three models are expected to be launched in July or the first week of August. Other reports suggest that the devices could hit the store shelves by the end of the third quarter.

Besides, if these devices are launched it will take some time for them to reach India.

Nokia 7 Nokia 7 is expected to feature a metallic unibody design and come with full HD display with 1,080x1,920p resolution. The smartphone has already been reported to be testing Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. The handset is expected to run Android Nougat operating system. It is also expected to feature a camera by Carl Zeiss optics, with a changed back design. Nokia 7 is touted to come with a fingerprint sensor and fast charging technology. Nokia 8 Nokia 8 is expected to sport a display bigger than the Nokia 7. According to recent leaks, this phone is expected to come with 5.7-inch Quad HD display and have the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. The device is expected to come with 22-megapixel OIS + EIS main camera and a 12MP front sensor. Nokia 8 is reported to use Carl Zeiss lenses for its cameras and the phone might feature 64GB or 128GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot, and 6GB RAM. SEE ALSO: Nokia 6 now receiving Android 7.1.1 Nougat update Nokia 8 is also expected to come with Android Nougat pre-installed. While some reports have stated that the phone would be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 chipset like the Nokia 7 but more recent rumors hint at Snapdragon 835 processor. Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 are touted to be mid-ranger products from the company. Nokia 9 Many reports have suggested that Nokia 9 will be the company's flagship device. And this phone is expected to take on the likes of Apple and Samsung. While expectations are high, Nokia 9 according to the leaks and renders that we have seen so far will sport a 5.5-inch QHD OLED display with a 1,440x2,560 resolution and an aspect ratio of 18:9. SEE ALSO: Nokia phones' May release confirmed; Nokia 3310 will have huge buyer interest Further, the smartphone should come with an IP68 standard making it water-and-dust resistant. Nokia 9 will have a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner, and an OZO audio. It may have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, an Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS, a 6GB RAM, a 64GB/128GB internal memory (with microSD card slot). As for the cameras, the Nokia 9 is expected to feature an impressive 22-megapixel dual-camera system on the back with PDAF and Zeiss optics. The front should get a 12MP sensor. The smartphone will reportedly come with a huge 3800mAh battery and Quick Charge 4.0 technology.

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Matrix launches 'Summer Offers on Prepaid SIM card News oi -Priyanka The company has recently launched a new travel app

Matrix Cellular has come up with 'Summer Offers' on prepaid SIM cards for travelers planning to visit USA, UK, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia this season.

Matrix is offering plans at Rs. 2999 for countries such as USA, UK, Europe & Australia and at Rs. 999 only for Singapore, Thailand & Malaysia along 5GB data. The plans also offer unlimited data, free calls to India, free local calls and incoming calls. Apart from this one can also buy family add on prepaid SIM cards for their kids for as low as Rs. 499 only

"Going by the statistics, there is an exponential increase in the number of people who go for foreign vacations during summer holidays," said Dugal, Director, Matrix Cellular.

BSNL plans to launch unlimited offnet plan

"Our special prepaid family plans this summer holiday is another milestone in our relentless pursuit of keeping our customers stay connected across the globe with convenient and cost-effective solutions," he added.

Meanwhile, the company has recently launched a new travel app.

The new 'Matrix Travel Companion App' is a one- stop source which covers brands like international shopping discounts and shopping VAT reclaims, ticket, hotel and apartment booking, ticket booking for attractions, restaurant reservations, ride bookings, travel insurance, prepaid cards and reloading forex on prepaid cards among other.

The company is also aiming at getting 1 million subscribers on its app by the end of 2017. The App is offering the convenience to book a SIM card, get foreign currency and foreign Currency debit card (which one can even reload while traveling).

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Timex plans to launch next range of smartwatches in Nov - Dec News oi -Priyanka The Timex IQ+ Move looks like traditional watches with a regular analog round-shaped dial and leather straps. It can track all day activities such as steps, distance, calories, and sleep.

Watch manufacturer Timex which has recently launched IQ+ Move in India is now planning to launch its next range of smartwatches in November - December.

"We are going to launch another family of smartwatches in November - December during Diwali," Anupam Mathur, Head- Sales & Marketing told GizBot.

The IQ+ Move is the second generation of the Timex Connected Collection, the first being the Timex Metropolitan+, which was launched last year.

The Timex IQ+ Move looks like traditional watches with a regular analog round-shaped dial and leather straps. It can track all day activities such as steps, distance, calories, and sleep.

The TIMEX IQ+ Move comes in two styles - one variant has a Silver Tone Case, White Dial with Gold Tone Accents and Brown Leather Strap while the other comes with a Gray Silicone Strap and a Gray Finish Case, Black Dial with Blue Accents. The watches are water resistant to 50 meters.

On producing smartwatches in India, at the company's plant in Baddi Himachal Pradesh, he said,"we have a huge manufacturing plant in Baddi but as the volume gains traction in India for smartwatches we will set up the manufacturing plant. " Adding that we are producing two million watches in our plant.

Matrix launches 'Summer Offers' on Prepaid SIM card

He said, "currently all smartwatches are imported from our factory in the Philippines."

"Major revenue comes from West, South, and North where the adoption of smartwatches is the highest," Anupam replied when asked about from which part of the country, they are getting more revenue.

Meanwhile, the company is also expecting 30 percent sales from watches with smart features by 2020, PTI reported.

According to a report, Anupam says "Consumers are evolving and their needs are changing... even from a traditional watch perspective, our customers will want a watch which is analog but has some smart features. By 2020, at least 30 percent of our sales will come from watches with smart features."

The company, which had reported a turnover of Rs 135 crore in 2015-16, is aiming at 20 per cent year-on-year growth, Mathur said.

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We've gone election crazy - there ate local elections on May 4 and a surprise bonus General Election on June 8.

Here's some interesting aspects of UK elections to get you through the next 50 days.

Related: Watch Richard Graham explain why he's standing again

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now

1. Its always on a Thursday  (nearly). But it doesnt have to be.

The last UK general election not held on a Thursday was in 1931. But an election can be held on any day of the week. The Electoral Commission has recently suggested holding elections at the weekend to improve turn out. One theory is that when Friday was payday elections were held on Thursday to ensure that people werent too drunk to go and vote.

2. We have a simple 'First Past the Post system to elect MPs and councillors. But not to elect MEPs (remember them? We wont have one for much longer) or Police and Crime Commissioners. To win, a candidate just needs more votes than any other candidate  and although that is expressed as a majority, it quite often isnt an actual majority of votes cast.

What happens in a tie? If a result is close then recounts will be ordered and another one. If its definite that two candidates (or more, possibly) have tied exactly with most votes, the returning officer will decide the result by lot. That could be pulling names form a hat, or the shortest match or tossing a coin. The returning officer gets to decide. (We think Rock Paper Scissors, best of three, would be our choice.)

3. Elections are run and counted by local councils. In Gloucestershire we have a two-tier system, so they are run by the district councils. (Cheltenham Borough, Gloucester City, Tewkesbury Borough, Cotswold District, Stroud District and Forest of Dean District). General Election? District council. County council? District council. District Council? District Council. Massive nationwide referendum with far-reaching consequences? District Council. The

yll be really good at it by now.

4. You can vote if youre drunk. But not really, really drunk. Polling station staff cant turn you away if youre drunk- but if you appear incapable of actually making a vote you might be asked some questions to prove youre not  and if you are incapable you might be asked to come back when sober - or soberer.

5. Elections cost a lot of money. A general election costs around 115m across the country - about 30m for the cost of distributing candidates mailings and about 85m to carry out voting and counting. With 650 constituencies that is an average cost of just under 177,000.

6. In England parliamentary constituencies tend to have between 70,000 and 80,000 registered electors. So geographically they can be very different sizes. Compare Cheltenham or Gloucester, relatively compact urban constituencies, to the rolling broad acres of The Cotswolds, which stretches the length of Gloucestershire - and is almost 45 per cent of the county's area.

Nationally, the UKs smallest constituency Islington North would fit into its largest, Ross, Skye and Lochaber 1632 times, even though Islington North has 16,000 more voters.

7. The Queen can vote. But doesnt. Given that whichever government is elected is her government, its not thought right that she goes down to the polling station.

8. But if she did she could take a corgi. Dogs arent banned from polling stations as long as they dont disrupt voting. If you take two or more dogs, polling station staff can be asked to look after them while you vote.

9. Which you dont have to do with an X. While thats the official guidance when youve got that stubby pencil in your hand, you can make pretty much any mark as long as the voters intention is clear on a ballot paper.
At the latest workshop of the Synergy Scientific Discussions Club of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS), Professor of the BHOS Petroleum Engineering Department, the Clubs Scientific Coordinator Fuad Veliyev presented his new Requiem Poem. The event gathered the Higher Schools Rector Elmar Gasimov, Vice-President of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences academician Ibrahim Guliyev, Editor-in-Chief of Azerbaijan magazine Intigam Gasimzada and other guests.

Greeting the participants, the Rector Elmar Gasimov extended his congratulations to Fuad Veliyev and wished every success in the future. He emphasized that Fuad Valiyev is a true citizen of his country who cares about history, culture and moral values of the Azerbaijani people. Speaking about the professors writing, Elmar Gasimov said, Fuad muallim is an excellent example of modern scientist and teacher, who is not only capable to teach his students engineering subjects, but also can equip them with knowledge in arts and literature.

Then the workshop participants discussed a film, which was shown as visual presentation of the Requiem Poem. They spoke about importance and value of Fuad Veliyevs book and said that the author managed to touch upon the most serious challenges facing the modern world. The poem, they emphasized, reflects the professors thoughts about good and evil, history and its lessons, and everyones responsibility for the future. Sharing their opinions, the speakers paid tribute not only to the active social positioning of Fuad Veliyev, but also to his poetic talent. In their view, the film presenting the book is a sincere and unique artistic appeal of the author to his contemporaries, especially to young generation.

Talking about many-year teaching, research and creative activities carried out by Fuad Veliyev, the workshop attendants said that he set a good example for his students. The speakers expressed their gratitude to the professor and BHOS management for arranging such an interesting the event.

The Synergy Scientific Discussions Clubs activities aims at informing students, teachers, young scientists, and specialists on new achievements, challenges and perspectives in various sciences, encouraging them in scientific and research work and helping them to improve their discussion and presentation skills. At the Club workshops, local and foreign experts deliver lectures; round table discussions and students presentation are also arranged. The Higher School teachers and students as well as all interested people are welcome to attend the workshops.
Responding to criticism that he can't be trusted to protect abortion rights, Democratic candidate for governor Tom Perriello on Thursday said Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam backed "the most anti-choice president" in American history by voting twice for Republican George W. Bush.

"I'm very proud of having supported always the foundations of Roe v. Wade, the constitutional right to choose," Perriello said in an interview after a campaign appearance in Chesterfield County.

"It's true I'm the only Democrat in the race that's done that. When Ralph Northam was supporting, twice, the most anti-choice president in the history of the United States, I was working to try to push back against the political power of the religious right with every fiber of my being."

With few major policy differences between them  apart from Perriello's opposition to two pipeline projects Northam doesn't oppose but hasn't quite endorsed  the tightly contested June 13 Democratic primary is being fought largely over who has the best record of standing up for progressive principles, reproductive choice chief among them, and whose blemishes are worse.

From the beginning of his campaign, Perriello, a former congressman and progressive activist, has faced pressure to explain his 2009 vote for the Stupak-Pitts amendment, which would have prohibited federal funding for abortion coverage in the government-subsidized insurance plans being considered under the Affordable Care Act. On a press call Thursday morning, Northam campaign surrogates used Perriello's Stupak vote to question his sincerity on abortion rights, while pitching the lieutenant governor - a former state senator and one of only a handful of physicians in state politics - as the candidate most committed to the pro-choice cause.

On Friday, Northam's campaign said he has always been pro-choice and called the Perriello campaign's focus on his votes for Bush a "flailing attempt to change the conversation from Tom's questionable record on reproductive rights."

"The fact is, this election isn't about who the lieutenant governor voted for 17 years ago," said Northam spokeswoman Ofirah Yheskel. "It's about what the candidates did while representing the people of Virginia."

Before his election to Congress in 2008, Perriello was involved with a progressive Catholic group, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, that sought, among other things, to de-emphasize opposition to abortion as a defining issue for Catholic voters.

Northam has said his support for Bush, a pro-life Republican who selected Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court, was "wrong," while stressing that the votes occurred when he was a largely apolitical doctor who hadn't run for office. Many social conservatives hope the court will overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that upheld abortion as a constitutional right.

The possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade has gained new life after President Donald Trump's victory and the confirmation of Trump-nominated Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, returning the court to what is expected to be a 5-4 conservative majority. Gorsuch said in his confirmation hearing that he considers Roe v. Wade a legal precedent that has been "reaffirmed" in multiple other cases.

Perriello has repeatedly apologized for his Stupak vote.

When the Stupak issue was raised in front of an audience of nearly 200 at Thursday's liberal Women of Chesterfield County event at Manchester Middle School, Perriello said the vote was an attempt to keep a promise to constituents in his conservative, mostly rural 5th District that he would ensure the health care overhaul was consistent with the Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer funding for abortions.

"It was a bad pledge and a bad vote," Perriello said, going on to promise he sees abortion as a "fundamental right" that should be accessible to all women regardless of class or race.

On the press call with Northam backers, Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, a prominent abortion-right group, praised Northam as a leader of the 2012 General Assembly fight against a bill to require women to undergo a fetal ultrasound before an abortion. Keene said she was "appalled" by Perriello's attempts to downplay the significance of Northam's role, noting that she was there and "Tom wasn't."

"In fact, I've never seen Tom Perriello in Richmond and I wouldn't have recognized him if he walked in the room until about three months ago," Keene said.

Keene dismissed Northam's votes for Bush in 2000 and 2004 as "smoke and mirrors" pushed by the Perriello campaign. She also took a swipe at U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent and former presidential contender who has endorsed Perriello, over Sanders' recent suggestion that the Democratic Party be more open to candidates who are not 100 percent pro-choice as it looks to rebuild losing the White House to Trump.

"To negate that, to minimize that as a role in achieving full equality and economic justice means they are asking women to step aside," Keene said.

To bolster his pro-choice bonafides, Perriello, who voted against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood during his one term in Congress representing the 5th District, has promised to push for a state constitutional amendment to "safeguard reproductive choice." That would be a tall order given that if he is elected governor he likely will face a House of Delegates with a Republican majority similar to the one that this year voted to designate the Roe v. Wade anniversary a "Day of Tears."

Sonjia Smith, a Charlottesville philanthropist who jump-started Perriello's campaign with a $500,000 contribution on Day One, recently defended Perriello's position on reproductive rights in an op-ed for the Roanoke Times, while acknowledging she "wasn't happy" with his Stupak vote.

"I am proud of his growth and his willingness to listen, and I know how committed he is to defending and expanding reproductive autonomy and access as governor," Smith wrote.

Both Democrats have promised to carry on Gov. Terry McAuliffe's legacy of vetoing bills passed by the GOP-controlled legislature aimed at curtailing abortion.

Republican gubernatorial front-runner Ed Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and political consultant, has said he would restore stricter regulations on abortion clinics that McAuliffe repealed. Gillespie also says he would sign a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks except when the mother's life is at risk and in cases of rape or incest.

"I would like to see abortion be banned because I think it is the taking of an innocent human life. It is not the law of the land today," Gillespie said at a candidate forum early this month.

At the same event, one of Gillespie's GOP rivals, Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, said he would ban late-term abortions with no exceptions because "it's not the baby's fault." State Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, the other candidate seeking the GOP nomination, has also vowed to be a pro-life governor.

Both parties will choose their nominees in June 13 primaries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan was admitted to the Finance Committee of the World Customs Organization (WCO).

The decision was made at a conference of customs services heads of the European region of the WCO, said Azerbaijans State Customs Committee in a message.

According to the message, Azerbaijan was represented at the event by Chairman of the State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev. As it was noted, the decision was made taking into account that after a few months the term of the countrys membership in the WCO Policy Commission expires.

Then the conference participants discussed the candidatures for the posts of the WCO secretary general and deputy secretary general.

During the conference, Aydin Aliyev noted that some members of the WCO abuse their preferences; there are cases of dishonesty towards other members.

The chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan stressed that this issue should be resolved once and for all.

During the conference, Aliyev also expressed his attitude towards the admission of Kosovo to the WCO. He recalled that this issue was raised back in 2012 at the 199th and 120th sessions of the Customs Cooperation Council at the WCO General Staff. The Azerbaijani side, during these sessions, drew attention to the fact that this issue cant be discussed.

Aliyev once again reminded that Azerbaijan and several other countries faced the problem of territorial integrity. He noted that the WCO cant be an arena for solving political issues.

He went on to say that Azerbaijan doesnt recognize the independence of Kosovo and unilaterally recognized independence is contrary to international law.

According to him, the WCO are facing other issues that need to be addressed.

Aliyev said that at the meetings of the organization established for countries cooperation on customs issues, attention shouldnt be given to political issues. Moreover, the decision on Kosovos admission to the WCO was discussed in 2012, and then this decision wasnt adopted. Considering that this decision is still in force, the Azerbaijani side thinks that it is inappropriate to consider this issue again.
The message from all of us, was simply this: We are all in, said Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Darrell Steinberg, recounting his meeting with public agencies, elected leaders and representatives from industry stakeholders discussing the plan to begin testing and deploying autonomous vehicles (AV) on city streets and freeways.Gathered at the Golden 1 Center in downtown on April 19, Steinberg along with U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive announced their vision for why AV deployment makes sense for Sacramento. Steinberg and Matsui met last December with state Sen. Richard Pan and others to announce the citys interest in developing a testing hub for self-driving vehicles and the creation of a working group to explore how to make this happen.Four months later the coalition that was formed, the Autonomous Transportation Open Standards Lab (ATOS), presented a vision for the citys leadership on autonomous vehicles to car manufacturers, transportation network companies, policy experts and regional agencies.ATOS, the consortium of policymakers from local, state and federal government as well as representatives from private industry, is hoping to develop an open standards lab and a protocol that achieves the delicate balance between ensuring that this technology is both safe and at the same time, ensure a regulatory environment where we are not stifling innovation, said Steinberg.This organization is the first in the United States dedicated to speed the development of autonomous vehicle technology, wrote Ranadive in a Medium post . We are creating the HTTP of autonomous vehicles  an open source platform that ensures city governments and private companies have a standardized and interoperable platform to build upon.The first standard that will always take precedence is safety, Steinberg told. This technology has the potential to radically lessen the chance of serious injuries or fatalities caused by vehicle crashes. Citing that 94 percent of crashes are caused by human error, he said there is a tremendous opportunity that Sacramento can take advantage of.Additionally Steinberg does not want to see the technology exclusively benefiting the wealthy. As the technology progresses, explained the mayor, we need to ensure that we don't forget that as we scale this technology, that we are cognizant of serving communities and neighborhoods that have limited mobility options.Sacramento has started creating a reference architecture, said Ranadive at the event. "We are creating a stack of what we need to do in order to make the city able to accommodate autonomous vehicles."Developing a set of protocols in the capital city can also create a bridge to help state policymakers and regulators adapt and amend their own views of how to regulate this new industry, Steinberg said.Among the factors that make Sacramento a desirable destination for AV testing  including the area's temperate weather, proximity to Silicon Valley and diverse population  Steinberg, Matsui and Ranadive highlighted three: The physical size of the city and its downtown grid create an ideal testing environment, the city is home to state regulators and policymakers, and there is widespread support.Steinberg referred to Sacramento as the "Goldilocks" of cities, saying, Its not too big, its not too small." Sacramento is the perfect petri dish to not only test this new technology, but show how it can be brought to scale.The city is rapidly expanding its technological repertoire. Verizon recently chose Sacramento to help pilot its 5G network . The city also announced its a lead contender for a $44 million investment in renewable energy technology by Volkswagen to compensate for the company's 2015 emissions scandal. Both these projects demonstrate that others are seeing Sacramento as a place to test new technology, said Steinberg.Having the state Capitol "at our backdoor" is perphaps the greatest draw for AV manufacturers, according to Matsui. [Sacramento] has never taken advantage of its physical proximity to the center of state and national policymaking, said Steinberg. We are within walking distance to policymakers and regulatory bodies.As all the players get on board for turning the city into an epicenter for AV testing and deployment, there remain questions about liability and insurance. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Matsui is in a unique position to help guide the city through any federal regulatory hurdles. We want to be first, and we want to be best, she said. This is not a pipe dreamRanadive even issued the Kings Challenge for the city. He is hoping to see 40 to 50 people (including himself, Matsui and Steinberg) driven in an AV to the first Kings game of the 2017-2018 season, which will begin in late October.As a short-term goal that is great, said Steinberg. But he would like to see some serious progress within the next five years. He hopes the city can take advantage of the technology and see at least one if not more [public agencies] employing this technology.Were not afraid to be audacious.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22

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.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Baku will host the first Azerbaijani-Arab business forum in October, said Elshan Rahimov, chairman of the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab countries Public Association.

Rahimov made the remarks during the ceremony dedicated to the presentation of the Public Association.

He said that more than 300 entrepreneurs from Arab countries will participate in the forum. Rahimov added that the Association plans to hold such events annually.

Attraction of investments and expansion of trade in the current economic situation contributes to increased competition between states, he said.

Rahimov noted that guided by certain goals of the head of state on attracting foreign investments, the new organization will make efforts to become a part of this process, establish close contacts with businesses of Arab countries that have big financial resources.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

A mission of Azerbaijani businessmen will visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in July to establish business ties, Chairman of the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association Elshan Rahimov said at a ceremony dedicated to the presentation of this organization.

He said that the missions visits, which will be organized by the public association, will not be limited to these three countries, and it is also planned to visit other Arab countries in the future.

We have no plans to hold forums within the framework of these visits, Rahimov said. In this case, our task is to organize meetings with representatives of chambers of commerce and business circles of Arab countries.

In general, we want not only to attract the attention of Arab investors to Azerbaijan, but also to ensure our entrepreneurs access to the Arab countries, he added. At the state level, good relations have been established between Azerbaijan and the Arab countries, but our task is to establish direct contacts with the businessmen of these countries.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistans Turkmengas State Concern is inviting consulting companies to partake in the construction project of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, said the countrys Oil and Gas Complex in a message Apr. 22.

Construction of the Turkmen section of TAPI was launched on Dec. 13, 2015. The pipelines annual capacity will be 33 billion cubic meters. TAPIs total length will be 1,814 kilometers.

The Turkmengas State Concern is recalling that previously, the Turkmen government earlier applied for loans of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in order to pay the cost of construction of TAPIs Turkmen section (214 km) and auxiliary facilities, and intends to use a part of these funds to make payments under the contract for consulting services.

The services include construction supervision and professional technical supervision over the construction of facilities during the entire period of construction of the TAPI gas pipelines Turkmen section.

Bidders must submit a package of information about the company, the main type of its activities and seniority in business, financial opportunities and reserve capacities, organizational structure, general qualifications and the number of key personnel.

The company must have experience in providing similar services, including in the Central Asian region (supervision practice, technical and managerial capabilities, detailed description of similar tasks, experience in similar conditions, brochures).

Bids should be sent until May 20, 2017, to: Oil and Gas Complex of Turkmenistan, 56 Archabil Avenue, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 744036.

Phone: +993 12 403 201, +993 12 403 260.

Fax: +993 12 403 254.

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
However, political views will likely be evident regardless of how restricted my social media is or how unbiased I try to write. In reading this column, I find hope. Publications almost always lean left or right, and most seem to embrace this societal label. However, when a newspaper is openly stating that they try to balance their writers right down the middle, I feel myself become more comfortable in my career path. Of course, my style and interests align with my political views. Of course, I try to be as professional as possible, especially as a young journalist. And of course, I do not want to be profiled trying to get a job.
NORWALK  Genesis Mosquera is on the fence as to where she should continue her education when she finishes up her associates degree at Norwalk Community College this December.

Just a month or so ago the decision as to where to attend a four-year school may have been much simpler for Mosquera, a 24-year-old general studies major. But as the state of New York moves forward with its plan to offer free tuition for state college and university students its added a layer of complexity for her and other students in the area who are making decisions about their educational futures.

Should prospective students in Norwalk and greater Fairfield County who are already settled here, including Mosquera who moved to Stamford from New York about four years ago, stay in Connecticut  where state colleges and universities are seeing tuition rates rise  or pack up and move 30 minutes down the road across state lines to take advantage of the new opportunity?

I thought about the opportunity  of moving back, Mosquera said. A lot of students were thinking the same way.

New York state legislators approved earlier this month Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos proposal to offer free tuition at the states colleges and universities, in what has been touted as a groundbreaking move.

Under the program, dubbed the Excelsior Scholarship, nearly 80 percent of families and individuals making up to $125,000 per year would qualify to attend college tuition-free at CUNY and SUNY two- and four-year colleges in New York, according to the governors office.

More Information Connecticut State Colleges and Universities in-state tuition hikes 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 Community Colleges $4,172 $4,276 $4,384 Regional Universities $10,079 $10,482 $10,901 Charter Oak State College $7,611 $7,915 $8,234 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities in-state tuition hikes 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 Community Colleges: $4,172 $4,276 $4,384 Regional Universities: $10,079 $10,482 $10,901 Charter Oak State College: $7,611 $7,915 $8,234 See More Collapse

The program is slated to be phased in over three years beginning this fall for New York residents making up to $100,000 per year. New Yorkers making up to $110,000 annually will be eligible in 2018 and those making up to $125,000 will be eligible the year after.

Students in the program must be enrolled in college full-time and average at least 30 credits per academic year, including summer and winter sessions. Students are also required to maintain a minimum GPA that keeps them in line with successful completion of their program.

In what some may argue is the biggest catch, students who receive free tuition must have lived in the state for at least one year and will be required to remain living and working in New York for as many years after graduation as the program they received free tuition for.

After digging into some of the requirements to qualify for New Yorks free tuition, Mosquera expressed some doubt and thought, maybe not.

What keeps me uneasy, she said, is although its a good idea, what if I find a better opportunity in a different state after graduation? Would that free tuition turn into a loan?

Despite quibbles over the details, Mosquera said she has heard of many students in the area eyeing the opportunity for its appeal.

Mosqueras classmate at NCC, Nardia Pryce, offered a more cynical view.

There is probably a catch to it, said Pryce, a 19-year-old liberal arts major from Bridgeport.

People might feel compelled to take advantage of it just to do the free tuition, she added. But the thing is youre not guaranteed you will find that job. Suppose you get a position in Michigan, youd have to pay back that money? To me it doesn't really make any sense.

Pryce said although she also moved to Connecticut from New York, she wouldnt consider going back just for the promise of free tuition.

Doing so, she said, would require finding housing in New York, where areas of the state closest to Fairfield County tend to have high living expenses. It would also require finding a job and investing the year of life just to qualify.

Youd be saving money one way just to spend it another, she said.

David Levinson, president of NCC and vice president of Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, doesnt foresee New Yorks offering to cause any major brain drain from the area.

I don't see that as happening, Levinson said. I cant say it's based on any empirical fact. I think that we still provide affordable options in Connecticut.

Though he supports the idea of offering free pre-K through 14 education and said the plan sounds like a good idea on the surface, he questioned how true it really is.

I think the issue with the free tuition is how is that going to be operationalized? he said.

He added that he still sees a lot of advantages for students staying in the Nutmeg State.

He said there are resources available to allow many students to attend college essentially tuition-free at NCC.

Besides the over $10 million in state and federal financial aid, Levinson said the school offers over $1 million of aid from the NCC Foundation. There is also the LEAP Transfer Scholarship that provides at least partial funding for students who have earned 3.5 GPA for their associate degree at NCC to move on to a four-year institution.

Students can graduate from NCC without incurring debt, Levinson said. We have opportunities here.

Leaders of the states system of public colleges and universities though announced earlier this year an increase in-state tuition in each of the next two school years by 4 percent  or $403  to $10,482 for its four universities and by 2.5 percent  or $104 to $4,276 for its 12 community colleges.

Levinson said that hike isn't great but is hopefully something we can plan for.

I just think that we are quite honestly being a little bit more honest and upfront here in terms of what's going on in the state and higher education, Levinson said, during what he described as a challenging time.

As to whether Connecticut is moving in the direction of offering free state tuition any time soon, Levinson said he hasnt heard of anything in the works, but that he does hope for the best with New Yorks offering.

I think we can all learn from good experiments and good initiatives but, he said, the hoopla is what concerns me and could be very distracting.

Whether the program will be appealing enough to lure prospective area students out of state, remains to be seen.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

An OSCE-organized a three-day course on best practices in developing a national strategy for solar energy concluded at the Turkmen State Energy Institute in the city of Mary, Turkmenistan, the OSCE said in a message.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in co-operation with the Turkmen State Energy Institute, organized the course to strengthen the scientific and research capacity of the national stakeholders in the area of solar energy production.

The seminar brought together officials from the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economy and Development, the Institute of Solar Energy of the Academy of Science of Turkmenistan, students and professors from the Turkmen State Energy Institute and representatives of other relevant institutions.

The OSCE Ministerial Council, back in 2006, determined to support the further development and use of new and renewable sources of energy, said Ambassador Natalya Drozd, head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. This event highlighted the importance of using solar energy for a greener future and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is committed to providing support to the efforts of Turkmenistans government in the area of renewable energy.

She focused on the assessment of solar resources and the methodology of developing a national road map for solar energy. The seminar also provided recommendations for further action to develop strategies for the future of solar energy. The participants exchanged views on energy policy and economic and social aspects of solar energy production.

In addition to the seminar, the Centre organized a lecture on best practices in energy and consumption for the teaching staff and students of the Turkmen State Energy Institute.

The lecture also discussed national priorities of energy production and international practices of cost-effective energy consumption. The lecture was broadcast by teleconference for professors and students of the International University of Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen State Institute of Transport and Communication.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Ashgabat hosted a seminar on issues of Turkmenistans relations with the European Union, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Apr. 22.

The seminar was organized with the participation of EU Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian.

The seminar was focused on the priorities of foreign policy and development in Turkmenistan and the EUs participation in the following areas: political, security and economic issues. Such topics as the development of private sector, establishment of Ombudsman Institute, issues of education, sustainable development of agriculture and others were discussed during the seminar.

The results of the seminar will be summarized in order to prepare conclusions and recommendations for strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation and will serve as material for the current mid-term review of EU assistance for development in the region and for the review of the EU Strategy for Central Asia, says the message.
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When Sony recently announced that Xperia X Concept builds will soon come to an end, it said "the next step will be to launch a community similar to the InTouch community for our upcoming Xperia XZ Premium."

It lead us (and many others) to believe that the XZ Premium will take over the Concept program. However, that's not the case. In a new post, Sony has clarified the "misunderstandings" caused by the previous announcement.

The new post is basically a Q&A where-in the Japanese company clearly answers the question "Will there be a new concept software?" by saying "The Concept for Android is not planned for another device." So there you have it, Sony's Concept for Android program has been wrapped up, at least for now.

Source | Via
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Haiti - FLASH : US Immigration Service recommends the end of TPS





James McCamen, Acting Director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), issued a recommendation to end the Temporary Protection Program in January 2018, benefiting nearly 60,000 Haitians allowed to remain in the United States https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20679-haiti-flash-nearly-60-000-haitians-fear-that-trump-will-not-renew-the-tps.html



Let's recall that the Obama administration first offered the TPS to Haitians following the devastating earthquake of 2010. This protection has been extended several times and the last period in progress, expires on July 22, 2017.



In his letter, McCament points out that the conditions in Haiti have improved enough to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. He proposes an extension until January 2018 to allow for an "period of orderly transition", and considers that this program should not be extended beyond that.



However, the final decision on the Haitians fate rests with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Secretary John Kelly, which has not yet made that decision, according to spokesman David Lapan.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20679-haiti-flash-nearly-60-000-haitians-fear-that-trump-will-not-renew-the-tps.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 22

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Moscow hosted a round table discussions dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and Russia, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Apr. 22.

Turkmenistans Ambassador in Russia Batyr Niyazliev noted the strategic nature of the Turkmen-Russian partnership.

He said that this was confirmed during the visit of Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Russia in November 2016 and his negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the meeting, Director of CIS Department at Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Sternik noted the proximity of the positions of Turkmenistan and Russia on regional and international issues that allows the two countries to fruitfully cooperate within the authoritative international organizations.

More than 100 agreements covering all areas of cooperation were signed between the two countries. The Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation dated Apr. 23, 2002, is the basic document.

Russian business is working on the Turkmen market, in such areas as supply of machinery and equipment, telecommunications, oil and gas complex.
Published on 2017/04/22 | Source

Added episode 12 captures for the Korean drama "Radiant Office" (2017)

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Directed by Jeong Ji-in, Park Sang-hoon-III

Written by Jeong Hee-hyeon

Network : MBC

With Go Ah-sung, Ha Seok-jin, Lee Dong-hwi, Kim Dong-wook, Lee Ho-won, Kim Byung-choon,...

16 episodes - Wed, Thu 22:00

Synopsis

An abrasive marketing director and a female temporary contract worker at the same furniture company. She faces repeat rejection in her job search until despair drives her to attempt suicide. At the hospital, she learns she has a terminal condition, but then, finally succeeds in getting hired. With nothing to lose, she tackles her job and her life with a perspective.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/03/15

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Published on 2017/04/22 | Source

Added the upcoming Korean-Chinese movie "Murder At Honeymoon Hotel"'s page to HanCinema database

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"Murder At Honeymoon Hotel" (2017)

Directed by Chun Byung-cheol

With Kim Young-min, Zhang Jingchu, Peter Ho, Simon Yam,...

"The Honeymoon Hotel Murder" is a collaboration between Korea and China.

Synopsis

Woodaz is a bellboy who decided that he and his wife would spend their honeymoon in the president suite of the hotel where he works at. However, the manager doesn't keep his promise and gives away the room to Pei, a popular actress. Woodaz goes up to the room to talk to the actress for help, keeping his promise with his wife but ends up witnessing a murder and becoming the suspect. While he's running from the police, unexpected things keep happening at the hotel...

Release date in Korea : 2017/04/27
How Lawmakers can Deal with Annoying Citizens

This was the year when we learned how "annoying" the public can be to government agencies, what with their constant demands for transparency, sunshine, and access to government records.

In fact, some state agencies were so annoyed that they sought help from the legislature, which responded with a bill to limit the rights of "vexatious records requesters." That bill (HB1518) is still alive, but fortunately the latest version requires a decision from a court before stripping government watchdogs of their rights.

The funny thing is that if anyone is entitled to feel "vexed" by the state's transparency laws (and process), it's the public. According to Civil Beat, state and city officials have regularly tried to hide records or withhold them by charging ridiculously high fees to the person requesting them.

The Grassroot Institute frequently requests public documents, and our researchers could share a few stories about the tactics agencies use to delay or avoid a response. When we worked with Judicial Watch to gain a copy of the Native Hawaiian Roll -- a public voter list -- we even had to go to court to get the records released.

Ironically, there's a shockingly simple solution that would make everyone happy: just be more transparent.

It's perfect. Requesters would get the documents they want and state workers could be spared the stress of coming up with reasons to avoid handing them over. In fact, if agencies were more open in their operations, some of those requests wouldn't even be necessary.

There's even a proposal already in place at the legislature. HB165 (now headed to a Conference Committee) would modernize the existing Sunshine Law by requiring electronic posting of public agency meeting notices and minutes and making board packets available for public inspection.

It's an important step forward for transparency in Hawaii and a common sense way to reduce the work associated with records requests. After all, there's no need to make a request when something's already online.

Of course, several state agencies oppose HB165 and have testified about why they would find it difficult to comply with the bill. It's almost as if they prefer being "vexed."

Still, we hope that the legislature will embrace greater openness in government and take advantage of the internet to make more records publicly available. They could even think of it as a public health service. Because all that stress and vexation can't be good for our state workers.

E hana kakou (Let's work together!),

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D.

President/CEO

Background:
A UK law firm handling dozens of complaints by Iranian nationals who have had their bank accounts in Britain closed because of their nationality says closures continue despite the lifting of economic sanctions, PressTV reported.

Blackstone Solicitors that represents a number of Iranians has reported a continuation in such closures since US President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, the Guardian reported on Friday.

Iranians living in Britain often have to expend great efforts when opening a bank account and many who already have accounts have complained about their accounts being closed, the report said.

Some banks refuse to provide reasons why they close accounts of Iranian nationals, while others mention sanctions against the country as the main problem.

Blackstone Solicitors said the bank accounts of Iranians were being closed despite the removal of economic sanctions after the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, which are the US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany started implementing the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on January 16, 2016.

In February, President Donald Trump undermined the multilateral deal by introducing a new round of sanctions against Iran following the countrys successful test-launch of a ballistic missile, which Washington said was a breach of the JCPOA.

And Iranians living legally in Britain are still being punished by the countrys banks which do business with the United States.

In the past two or three months more people have come to us to instruct us to act on their behalf because of their bank account closures, Rokhsareh Vahid, head of the Iran desk at Blackstone Solicitors, told the Guardian. In total we have more than 60 cases involving Iranians who have sued banks over racial discrimination.

Vahid said her firm had secured compensation in most of the cases of racial discrimination against Iranians. I only recall one case which was not successful, she said. A lot of such settlements include non-disclosure agreements, so we wont be able to publicize them.
New Kingston Fashion is a bespoke tailoring company based in Hong Kong. Currently on a tour of Europe and New York, the mens fashion experts will be offering their services to customers in Helsinki from 23-26 April.

The firm was founded by two brothers in 1982 and has been serving the European and US markets for many years. Renowned for their commitment to excellence and quality, New Kingston Fashion offers a comprehensive made-to-measure service and thousands of carefully sourced fabrics from around Europe.

Customers looking to buy a suit will first receive a consultation. New Kingston Fashion places a strong emphasis on making sure that suits are the perfect fit, which means that more than one fitting is often required. Up to 25 measurements may be taken to ensure that everything is just right.

Next, customers can select the right fabric and style for their suit. Whether you are looking for a reasonably priced outfit or something a bit more special, there will be something for everyone. Many of the available fabrics are made exclusively in Italian and English mills, with brands including Ermenegildo Zegna, Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, Loro Piana, Vitale Barberis Canonico and Harris Tweed.

New Kingston Fashions specialist Hong Kong tailors will then make the suits in four to five weeks, after which they are packaged and sent out to customers directly. Of course, its also possible to place orders online. Shoppers from Finland or anywhere else in the world can simply visit the companys website and create their dream suit there.

The demand for bespoke tailoring is so great that New Kingston Fashion also has a team of four traveling tailors that base themselves in different locations around Europe and the US. Just get in touch with the company by email if you wish to find out if one of their tailors is in your city. If so, they will be happy to take new orders and provide customers with fitting and alteration services.

New Kingston Fashion will be at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Helsinki from April 23 to 26. They will also be visiting Belgrade, Budapest, Stockholm, Oslo and New York City in the coming weeks. Check their website for details.

Dan Anderson  HT

Image: New Kingston Fashion
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Iranian security forces have thwarted a number of attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on the country over the past year, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said.



The minister has said that terrorists attempted to plant 30 bombs in the country over the last Iranian calendar year (starting March 20), IRNA news agency reported.



However, the security forces foiled the terrorists attempts to carry out the attacks, he added.



He further praised the efforts made aimed at providing security in the country, adding that Iran nowadays enjoys stable security.



The official did not provide further information on the details of the counter-terrorism operations.



Earlier in March, the so-called Islamic State terrorist group (IS aka ISIS/ISIL) released a 36-minute video in Persian language threatening to attack Iran.



Iranian security officials had earlier announced that they tackled some terrorist groups linked to the IS and other extremist groups inside the country but they did not publicize the number of anti-terrorism operations.
A man who claimed he had been falsely accused of shoplifting spat at a security guard who had stopped him.

Avtandil Gutsaev (43) then back-slapped the security man as he walked away from him.

The defendant had been arrested on suspicion of theft and charged but later returned to the shopping centre.

Judge Anne Watkin adjourned the matter to see if Gutsaev was suitable for community service.

The defendant, of Moreen Walk, Sandyford, admitted before Dun Laoghaire District Court to assaulting a security guard at Dundrum Town Centre on May 26, 2015.

Swiped

A garda witness said Gutsaev spat at the security guard's back.

He then back-slapped or swiped at him as he tried to leave the shopping centre.

There had been an earlier allegation of shoplifting, and Gutsaev was arrested and charged. The security guard he assaulted had been involved in that matter.

The court heard that, after Gutsaev was released by gardai, he came back to the shopping centre.

The allegation of theft, which Gutsaev denied, was later withdrawn.

Gardai said Gutsaev has eight previous convictions, mostly for theft-related matters, but has not been in trouble since 2010.

Father-of-four Gutsaev is originally from Russia but has lived in Ireland for 16 years.
Vera Twomey leaves Dublin Airport with her daughters prescription for medical cannabis, which was confiscated

The ban on medicinal cannabis in Ireland is "the lowest form of cruelty", says a mother who had legally prescribed drugs for her daughter confiscated at Dublin Airport.

Vera Twomey arrived at the airport yesterday carrying a three-month supply of THC medicine, which contains cannabis, that had been prescribed for her daughter Ava (7) by a consultant in Barcelona.

Vera travelled to the Spanish city to gain access to the medicinal cannabis under prescription to treat her daughter's seizures.

Cruelty

Ava suffers from Dravet syndrome, which can cause her to have hundreds of seizures each month, despite the use of conventional medications.

"The medicine was taken away from me when I arrived," Vera said.

"I told the customs officials I had it. The officials were sympathetic but the ban in Ireland on this medicine is the lowest form of cruelty.

"If I was a parent in Spain, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, or in 30 states of the US, I would be allowed to give my daughter this medication."

She travelled to Barcelona to see a specialist, who had examined Ava's medical files and assessed her on Skype.

She was joined by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny and Independent MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, who accompanied her as a public show of support.

They made a video before the flight back to Dublin about the purpose of the trip and posted it on Facebook.

"I did no wrong. I wasn't going to hide it and come through the airport like some sleeveen. I told the officials I had the medication," Vera said.

She is continuing to use a herbal treatment for Ava, which had much better results than medicines approved in Ireland.

Mr Kenny said Health Minister Simon Harris has forced families like Vera's into desperate measures in order to access medicinal cannabis.

The TD said that it was terrible that the Government and Mr Harris had forced her into taking the trip.

"It's ludicrous that, in the 21st century, this is happening, where people like Vera Twomey have to travel abroad to gain access to vital medication for their loved ones," he said.

Expose

"In this case people have been propelled to expose bad laws in order to make good laws for the greater good.

"The bill which I put forward, Cannabis For Medicinal Use 2016, which got cross-party support last December, would give broad-based access to cannabis for medicinal use, on the recommendation of a doctor.

"People suffering from illness such as chronic pain, MS, intractable epilepsy and other conditions could benefit tremendously from using medicinal cannabis in helping to alleviate some of their symptoms and pain."

However, the legislation planned by Mr Harris is "extremely restrictive", he added.
A Sinn Fein councillor has quit the party, claiming she has experienced bullying, hostility and aggression.

The resignation of Sorcha O'Neill, a representative for Naas, Co Kildare, has sent shock waves through the organisation following accusations that her complaints were ignored by the party hierarchy.

Five other party activists in the Kildare area have also quit.

"When you have members coming to you saying they're losing sleep and are distraught, we came to a decision that it was just best to leave the party because it was so unhealthy," Ms O'Neill said.

It is the latest in a series of controversies to result in members leaving the party.

In Cork, two councillors have resigned, along with former TD Sandra McLellan who alleged she was bullied out of her position by party colleagues.

Sources said the new row involving Ms O'Neill was linked to unelected representatives asserting substantial influence on local decisions.

Ms O'Neill, who attracted 1,622 first-preference votes in 2014, told Kildare FM that she felt "intimidated" and that people had suggested her work ethic was "less than desirable".

"There's not one thing. It's a culture that has come up and it's not something that you can talk out of," she said.

"These are personalities that don't see anything wrong in what they're doing. I have myself tried to reason with certain members."

CONCERNS

Ms O'Neill said she raised "multiple concerns" with Sinn Fein's head office over recent years but failed to get any more than a "casual response".

"I would have hoped something more solid would have come out of it," she said.

A spokesperson for Sinn Fein said Ms O'Neill's statement had "come as a surprise" to them. The party said she should "reflect on her position".

"She was a dedicated and capable member of our team and on the council," the spokesperson said.

"If there are issues in the constituency we will look at them, but Sorcha is a valued member of Sinn Fein and we would hope she will reconsider her position.

"We acknowledge that there are difficulties present in the area which we are working to address."

The statement concluded by wishing Ms O'Neill the best in the future.

Sinn Fein has also had problems in Wicklow, where councillors have rowed over who should be the local group leader.

Three councillors were stripped of the party whip after failing to support councillor Michael O'Connor's nomination for chairman of Wicklow County Council and Nicola Lawless as deputy chairperson.

Councillors John Snell, Gerry O'Neill and Oliver O'Brien are seeking a full hearing involving the party's ruling body, the Ard Chomhairle. They are unhappy with the manner in which councillor Lawless was appointed.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Irans First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri has said that Tehran and Tbilisi share common viewpoints on regional and international issues, highlighting the key role of North-South corridor in the regional cooperation.



Addressing a joint press conference with visiting Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Tehran April 22, Jahangiri said that the ground for expansion of economic, political and cultural cooperation between the two countries has been paved, IRNA news agency reported.



Briefing reporters about the topics of discussion during his meeting with Georgian Premier Giorgi Kvirikashvili this morning, Jahangiri said that the most important topic was the issue of linking the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea through the north-south transportation corridor.



According to the official, the issue of the synchronizing the power grids of Russia, Georgia and Iran was also discussed during the meeting.



Jahangiri further touched upon the banking ties and called for the expansion of cooperation in the banking sector.

The sides also inked three MoUs on cooperation in the fields of sports, agriculture, IT during the meeting today.



Giorgi Kvirikashvili has arrived in Tehran to discuss the issues of mututal interest with high-ranking Iranian officials.



The visit comes following Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarifs regional tour to the three countries of Turkmenistan, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan over the past week.
An Irish priest based in Paris has compared the "resilience" of the French to those who lived through the Troubles in the North.

Fr Aidan Troy, who famously led a group of Catholic schoolgirls through violent Loyalist protests in Belfast in 2001, said attacks like that on Thursday in the French Capital had become a familiar occurrence.

"I left Belfast over eight years ago having lived among brave and resilient people of different outlooks and aspirations whom I admire and will never forget," he said.

"Here in Paris, the people will not give up living and working in as normal a way as possible."

Cried

Fr Troy, of St Joseph's Catholic Church, said there was a sense of uncertainty and fear in the air.

"In the streets people stood in small groups trying to piece together yet another attack," he said.

"Tired children cried - all they wanted was to get to bed.

"Armed police and soldiers were to be seen in the nearby metro station and at every street corner.

"This has become a familiar sight."

Fr Troy added that it was business as usual in Paris yesterday.

"I saw a city rally and begin a new day with courage and resolve," he said.

"Restaurants opened, shops began to sell. I cycled to a school for an Easter celebration at a nearby church.

"Over 300 children, of all religions and none, took part. They were supported by parents and teachers. Police ensured our safety."
A Russian contract serviceman was stabbed to death in Armenia, the Russian Southern Military Districts press service said on Saturday, TASS reported.

"On April 22 at about 17.00 hours local time, a contract serviceman of the Russian military base in Armenia has been assaulted by a civilian not far from the base location. The soldier died at the scene from a stab wound. The attacker on the Russian serviceman has been detained by police of the city of Gyumri," the statement said.

The Southern Military Districts command are investigating the case alongside Armenian police, the press service said. "According to preliminary information, it was a voluntary manslaughter," it added.

Earlier, Armenias police said that a Russian soldier was killed in the city of Gyumri on Saturday.

Gyumris ambulance station said that at about 17.30 local time (13.30 GMT) a call came that a man in Russian military uniform was lying breathless near a shop in Kursk Square. Upon arriving at the scene, paramedics declared him dead. The investigation is underway, police said. A suspect has been detained.

Armenia hosts the 102nd Russian Military Base under the interstate treaty signed in 1995. The treaty was amended in 2010 to extend the bases stay in Armenia from 25 years to 49, or to 2044. The base is headquartered in the countrys northwest city of Gyumri.
AP: Moore wins Maryland governor race

The Associated Press is calling the Maryland governor's race in favor of Democrat Wes Moore over GOP challenger Dan Cox.
At least eight people were killed in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal after clashes between local gangs fighting for control over sandpits, Sputnik reported citing local media.

According to the Hindustan Times newspaper, two rival groups clashed over control of dry river beds that are part of the illegal sand-mining industry in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. The death toll likely to rise as more bodies were seen lying in the surrounding area.

Following the incident, two of the main local parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress, accused each other of not being able to tackle criminal groups in the region.

Illegal sand-mining is one of the most thriving forms of criminal activities in the region, with at least 80 sandpits operating in the Birbhum district alone. The local authorities estimate the annual turnover of the industry at $10 million.
Five people suspected of links to a terrorist group were detained as a result of police searches carried out in the Brussels region, the Belgian federal prosecutor said, Sputnik reported.

"Overall, five people were taken in for a hearing," the prosecutor said in a statement quoted by Le Figaro on Friday, adding that the detained "are suspected of having participated in the activities of a terrorist group."

The prosecutor did not give any further details amid an ongoing investigation, but specified that the four searches carried out in Molenbeek, Ganshoren and Roosdaal municipalities were not related to the Paris shooting on Thursday night that led to the death of one police officer.

"[This case] is totally distinct from the files relating to the attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, in Brussels/Zaventem on March 22, 2016, or this past April 20 attack in Paris," the federal prosecutor said.

A total of 32 people died in two bombings at the Brussels Zaventem airport and at a metro station on March 22, 2016. In November 2015, 130 people were killed and over 360 were injured in a series of coordinated attacks in Paris. The Islamic State (ISIL, also known as Daesh) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Daesh has also reportedly claimed responsibility for the Thursday night shooting in Paris. However, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said on Friday that the attacker, identified as 39-year-old Karim Cheurfi, appeared to have no links to any extremist group, even though he had four previous convictions.
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At least 50 Afghan soldiers have been killed in an attack by Taliban insurgents on a military base in northern Balkh province, military officials say, BBC reported.

Reports say the number of casualties is far higher than the eight deaths initially reported.

The military say that Friday's attack took place near a mosque at the base, located in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The Taliban said in a statement that they launched the attack.

The Taliban fighters wore army uniforms and drove through military checkpoints before launching the raid, a military spokesman said.

An army commander told the AFP news agency that gunfire at the base could still be heard late on Friday and at least one of several attackers had blown himself up.

US military spokesman John Thomas told Reuters that Friday's attack was a "significant" strike, probably involving more than 50 casualties.

He said the attack was centred around a mosque and a dining area of the camp.

The base at Mazar-e-Sharif is home to the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps, responsible for providing security to most of northern Afghanistan, including Kunduz province - which has seen heavy recent fighting.

Several German and other foreign soldiers are reported to be garrisoned there.

Last month about 50 people were reported to have died when militants believed to be from the group known as Islamic State targeted patients and staff at a military hospital in Kabul with guns, grenades and knives.

Also in March the Taliban said they had captured the crucial south Afghan district of Sangin after a year-long battle.
Big-screen veterans like Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah are showing up in sweet romantic short films online. Actors like Kalki Koechlin, Manoj Bajpayee, and Nimrat Kaur are featuring in dark shorts with gnarly scripts. Some are just five minutes long; the longest is 16. Heres a look at some of the A-list web shorts now out there.

In Kheer, released on Valentines Day, 2017, Anupam Khers character, Nanu, faces a barrage of questions when his grandkids discover him making kheer for a lady friend. Directed by Surya Balakrishnan.

In Khujli (2017), a middle-aged dad played by Jackie Shroff discovers handcuffs in his sons room and realises that his wife, played by Neena Gupta, has been reading Fifty Shades of Grey. They decide to experiment in the bedroom, with touching and rather funny results.

Naked (2017) sees an actor shoot an intimate scene that goes viral on the internet as a sex clip. As she talks to a young journalist, the film explores online abuse, and unlikely friendships.Featuring Kalki Koechlin and Ritabhari Chakraborty. Directed by Rakesh Kumar.

Chutney (2016): Shorn of make-up and glamour, a very different Tisca Chopra plays a homemaker from Ghaziabad who goes slightly unhinged when she sees her husband flirting repeatedly with an attractive young neighbour. Also featuring Adil Hussain.

Ouch (2016): Manoj Bajpayee plays a married man having an affair with married woman. He dreams of divorcing his wife and starting a new life, but gets a rude awakening. Watch it for Bajpayees comic timing. Directed by Neeraj Pandey.

Hear No Evil (2016): A disturbing look at an alcoholic womans (Dimple Kapadia) relationship with her rebellious son. Directed by Pranav Adarsh.

India Tomorrow (2016): A moving film just six minutes long, showing a sex worker arguing about stocks with her stockbroker client. Directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Interior Cafe Night (2016): A 13-minute short about second chances. What happens when a cafe owner (Naseeruddin Shah) runs into a long-lost love (Shernaz Patel) after 30 years.Directed by Adhiraj Bose.

Kriti (2016): A psychological thriller about a mentally ill person opening up about his new love to his psychiatrist. Whats real and whats not? Featuring Manoj Bajpayee and Radhika Apte. Directed by Shirish Kunder.

Taandav (2016): A dark comedy about a cop (Manoj Bajpayee) torn between good and evil. Watch it for the dance sequence by Bajpayee. Directed by Devasish Makhija.

Ahalya (2015): A modern retelling of the myth from the Ramayana. Featuring Soumitra Chatterjee, and Radhika Apte. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh.

Elayichi (2015): In this brilliant 5-minute short, Nimrat Kaur plays an irritable but lonely woman whose husband refuses to leave her, even after death. Directed by Devasish Makhija.

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Women-centric films often find themselves in trouble right before the release, and actor Shabana Azmi says that this is because of gender inequality in society. The latest example of this is Alankrita Shrivastavas Lipstick Under My Burkha, which was refused certification by the Central Board of Film Certification  the reason given was that the film was lady orientated.

What does that even mean? asks Shabana. [The film] is about women expressing their sexuality. If women express sexuality, it seems that society will crumble and fall down. Such restrictions on women exist everywhere.

Shabana says, In society, the kind of strictures that are being sought to be put on women need to be broken. You cannot have a healthy society unless women and men get equal opportunities.

The actor will be seen in Aparna Sens next film, titled Sonata, which is a story about three unmarried women and also stars Lilette Dubey.

Asked if she feels that the film industry, like society, also practises gender-based discrimination, Shabana says that although a lot has changed for the better, we still have a long way to go. The process has begun, she adds. A lot of female actors are demanding and getting as much money as men. That (money earned by actors) is determined by commerce. If you have a Shah Rukh Khan film, who the heroine is, matters only a little bit. But if you have Priyanka Chopra film, chances are that she will have to do the film with someone not of [her] stature.

Speaking of support for gender equality from male actors, Shabana says, I feel its important for actors to support women-centric films. I credit Shah Rukh. He did Dear Zindagi, in which Alia had the bigger role. This also speaks of your confidence.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Audrey Truschkes research will radically change your view of Aurangzeb(1618-1707), who is invariably presented as the most despotic medieval ruler of all time whether in the accounts of official tour guides at Agra Fort, or of historians across the political spectrum. Employing various historical sources, the author has argued that Aurangzeb was a tolerant emperor who argued for religious freedom, and to an extent even advocated secular policy in matters of governance. Indeed, he did few extreme things during his long rule. In Truschkes words, Aurangzeb was man of his time. To single him out as a despot label him a bigot is a gross misrepresentation. We can only do justice to his life if things are viewed in context.

Unfortunately, the practice of looking at history in context is either selectively used or completely ignored in Indian historiography. Some of the heroes of Indian history, including Shivaji and Rana Pratap, are often viewed as heroic simply because they fought the Mughals. How would they appear if we examined their position with regard to untouchability or the system of sati? In our passion for hero worship, we choose not to raise uncomfortable questions. Such extreme representations of Mughal rule was, according to Truschke, the handiwork of colonial scholarship in which Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan have been the worst victims. Sadly, the Hindu Right has chosen to treat these ideas like they are the gospel. Apparently, Aurangzeb met Shivaji only once and finding him quite uncivilized in his manners, asked him to leave his court.

During Aurangzebs era, we learn Hindu participation rose by nearly 50 percent at the elite levels of the Mughal state. Hindus comprised 31.6% of the Mughal nobility  an almost unprecedented percentage during the entire Mughal era. This dramatic increase was a result of the substantial influx of Marathas, who executed Aurangzebs ambition to expand Mughal rule in the south. Aurangzeb did not pursue a particularly anti-Hindu agenda as is generally believed, and his decision to impose jiziya was actually driven by the demands of statecraft. In those days, Hindus were known by their regional, sectarian and caste identities (for example, Rajput, Maratha, brahmin, Vaishnava). In 1691, he donated land for the Balaji temple. In 1698, he gifted rent-free land to Rang Bhatt, a brahmin, in central India. He came out with a farman not to harass brahmins in Benaras so they could pray for the longevity of Mughal rule. In the late 1650s, he granted land at Shatrunjaya, Girnar and Mount Abu, all Jain pilgrimage destinations in Gujarat.

Documents also indicate he was quite secular in his orders for the limited public observance of religious holidays. They applied to all major religions, and were driven by public safety and decency. He constrained festivities on Nauruz, the Persian New Year, and the major Muslim holidays of Eid-Al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha. He also curbed the revelry associated with the Hindu festivals of Holi and Diwali apart from various Muslim celebrations. Theft and other crimes marred religious ceremonies in Mughal India, such as the penchant of Holi revellers in Gujarat to steal wood to make large fires. He cracked down on this practice in the mid- 1660s along with the use of obscene language during both Holi and Diwali. However, as numerous European travellers and Hindu writers as late as the 1690s mentioned, he allowed the festivals themselves to be observed.

Audrey Truschke (Courtesy Penguin Random House)

There is also no evidence of his government pursuing a policy of the widespread conversion of Hindus or other non-Muslims. Relatively few Hindus converted to Islam in Aurangzebs India, according to the regular news bulletins that arrived at the royal court. Aurangzeb also did not prohibit satirical poetry.

In the popular consciousness, Aurangzeb is the destroyer of many temples. According to Truschke, more often, he protected Hindu temples and passed orders for their safety and good maintenance. He did destroy a few dozen but this, apparently, was not because of his hatred for Hinduism, but owing to issues of statecraft. Like his predecessors, he followed Islamic law in granting protections to non-Muslim religious leaders and institutions because, since the eighth century, Muslim rulers counted Hindus as dhimmis, a protected class under Islamic law, who were entitled to certain rights and state defences. Truschke writes that Mughal rulers gave their subjects great leeway, compared to the draconian measures followed by European sovereigns of the time.

Mughal princes, including the young Aurangzeb, studied the Quran and other Islamic religious texts, religious biographies, Turkish literature, the art of calligraphy and Persian classics. These Persian works shaped the ethics and values of Mughal princes, especially their ideas about justice, adab, akhlaq and kingship. Aurangzeb may well have been exposed to Persian translations of Sanskrit texts, such as the Mahabharat and Ramayana, whose translations were sponsored by Akbar. In addition, like other Mughal princes, he learnt practical instruction in swords, daggers, muskets, military strategy, and administrative skills.

Read more: Aurangzeb and the battles of the present

We also learn that his elder brother Dara Shukoh was always ahead of him in intellectual and philosophical pursuits. But Aurangzeb spent his twenties and thirties proving himself on the battlefield, acquiring administrative abilities and gaining a formidable reputation, which helped him to conquer the throne. Dara Shukoh is the big What if? of Indian history: What if liberal Dara had become the sixth Mughal king? Could Dara have pre-emptively averted Indias brutal Partition in 1947? The author seems to be less optimistic. The fact remains that Dara Shukoh was ill-prepared to counter Aurangzebs alliances, tactical skills, and political acumen, and was not competent enough to govern or preserve the Mughal kingdom, which eventually collapsed owing to the superior abilities of the emerging colonial power.

In this age of the uncritical reading of history, Audrey Truschkes work is of great value to those who aspire to be objective in their understanding of history and historical figures.

Dr Rehman teaches at Jamia Millia Central University, New Delhi. He is the editor of the forthcoming volume, Rise of Saffron Power( Routledge)
The IMF on Saturday said the impact of demonetisation in India has abated but insisted on quickly replacing the defunct currency in order to restore missing transactions and also to support the peoples capacity to spend.

We are seeing signs that the impact of demonetisation has abated. Some estimates point to about 75 per cent of the cash has been replaced in the economy. And recent indicators such as industrial production and PMI have also recovered nicely, Kenneth Kang, deputy director, Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, told reporters.

Kang said the financial body in general support the Indian governments efforts to combat the illicit financial flows, and to produce the share of the informal economy.

That being said, since cash is such an important element in the Indian economy, it is very important to as quickly as possible replace this currency in order to restore missing transactions, but also to support to the households capacity to spend, Kang said in response to a question.

Demonetisation, he said, came as a surprise.

In our forecast we did reflect the temporary dislocation associated with the scheme. We had lowered our forecast by almost a full percentage point compared to the October we owe for growth this year. And about a half a per cent for growth next year, he said.

Changyong Rhee, Director, IMF Asia and Pacific department, noted that demonetisation had some negative impact on growth, but it is expected to gradually dissipate in 2017.

Thus our growth is projected to rebound to 7.2 per cent in 2017, and 7.7 per cent in 2018, in fiscal-year basis. India remains as the fastest growing large emerging economies in Asia and in the world, he said.
In the autumn of 2015 I visited the Valley of Kashmir. Militancy was down, and there were few soldiers on the streets of Srinagar. One could drive around the city and its environs quite freely without being stopped.

On that trip, I found students fired with the idea of azadi, freedom. However, older Kashmiris sought a modus vivendi with the Republic of India, albeit on terms honourable to themselves. They hoped that the Government of the new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, would provide them with the kind of dignity and autonomy they had long aspired for. They took seriously Modis promise of non-sectarian development, and recalled that it was a former BJP Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had insisted that within the broad contours of humanity, any solution to Kashmir was possible. On a more practical level, they expected that Modis government would expedite relief to those who had lost their homes in the horrific floods of 2014.

It turned out that this dawn too was a false one. Within a year Kashmir was plunged anew into turmoil, following the killing of the Hizbul leader Burhan Wani. Wani died in July 2016; for weeks afterwards, protesters and police battled it out across the Valley.

In November 2016, by which the time the violence had subsided, a Kashmiri civil society organisation, Lehar, held consultations in different cities of India. I attended the meeting in Bengaluru, where I heard the former RAW chief A. S. Dulat remark that the situation was even worse than it had been in 1989-90. Many young Kashmiris, he said, had a do or die attitude. But many others knew that this would in the end lead nowhere, for the Indian State was simply not going to let go of Kashmir. Eventually, said Dulat, this anger would taper off, and then it had to be seriously addressed by the political class in New Delhi.

But it was not. I have spoken of the hopes that many Kashmiris had in Narendra Modi after he became Prime Minister. These hopes have been tragically belied. On Kashmir at least the Prime Minister has shown no leadership whatsoever. He has committed a series of errors that have worked to Indias detriment in Kashmir. The first was to not ensure prompt relief for the victims of the 2014 flood. The second was not to grant an immediate audience to the elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, when she came to New Delhi seeking help following the protests of autumn 2016. The final error was not to grant an audience to the senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha after he had taken a group of citizens to the Valley in December 2016.

Kashmiri protesters shout slogans during a protest outside Jamia Masjid, Kashmir's grand mosque in Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi / Hindustan Times)

If lack of adequate flood relief showed incompetence and indifference, the refusal to meet Yashwant Sinha and his colleagues displayed arrogance. If the Prime Minister would not even meet a senior leader of his own party seeking to build bridges in Kashmir, how could one expect him or his government to have concern for the aam admi in the Valley?

The Prime Minister did not meet the group of eminent citizens who visited Kashmir twice in late 2016. I wonder if his office read the reports the group prepared. They revealed a deep sense of hurt and alienation among Kashmiris of all ages and factions. Kashmiris asked why the pellet guns which blinded their youth were not used in the case of the Jat and Patidar agitations, which were far more violent and led to the destruction of far more property. They asked why the President and Prime Minister of India attended the last rites of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, but not the last rites of the J&K Chief Minister.

There is a near complete lack of faith, observed Sinha and his colleagues, in anything that the government of India says or promises because of a history of broken commitments. Even among those who say that they see a future with India, there is anger that India has not done enough to keep the Kashmiris with it.

The government of Indias attitude towards Kashmir and Kashmiris has alternated between apathy and arrogance. Meanwhile, among a vocal and influential section of Indian civil society, there is a vindictive attitude towards Kashmir and Kashmiris. In the early 1990s, Islamic militants forced the Kashmiri Pandits to flee their homeland. That purging remains a shameful episode in modern Kashmiri history, for which the likes of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have scarcely expressed any remorse. That said, must young Kashmiris who were not even born when the Pandits were expelled, be made to pay for that expulsion? The cyber-warriors of Hindutva insist that they must. And it appears that the government in New Delhi is listening to them.

The hostile attitude of an influential section of the Indian mainstream was manifest most recently in the debate over the use by an army unit of a Kashmiri young man as a human shield. A decorated war hero, a Lieutenant-General who had himself been in charge of the Northern Command, was viciously trolled for suggesting that this act was not in the best traditions of the Army he had so honourably served. The Attorney-General of India went so far as to suggest that only people living in air-conditioned rooms could ever criticise the Army (I am presuming that the A-Gs own office in Lutyens Delhi makes do with a fan).

I have much sympathy with the Army, which in Kashmir especially is made to carry the can for the failures of the political class. But in this particular case a particular officer seems to have acted egregiously. And those in the frontlines (where there are no air-conditioners at all) will pay the price. As a CRPF officer quoted in The Hindu put it: The Army is confined to their camps when not participating in operations, but we have to interact with the public on a daily basis. The video has undone whatever outreach we managed in the past. We criticise the Naxals for using villagers as human shields during encounters with security forces  how are we different then?

The Indian case in and for Kashmir was made fragile in the past by the rigging of elections. And it is made fragile in the present by the rising tide of jingoism, which insists that the government of India and the Indian Army have never made a mistake in Kashmir, indeed can never make a mistake in Kashmir.

Ramachandra Guhas books include Gandhi Before India

@Ram_Guha

The views expressed are personal

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Nainital: The first day of the two day state working committee meeting of the BJP being held at the Nainital Club saw passing of political resolutions on Saturday where the party gave thumbs up to the reforms and anti-corruption drive launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The political resolutions welcomed and ratified the various reforms being carried out by the central and the state government such as removal of red beacon lights, GST Act, homes to the poor under the PM housing scheme, the Lokayukta Act, passport service centres at Nainital and Haldwani, opening of 100 Jan Aushadhi Kendras. The working committee also gave thumbs up to Uttarakhand governments action against illegal slaughterhouses and the action in the NH-74 scam.

Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat praised the work being done by the Centre and said that his government was committed to transparency and corruption free government.

BJP state president Ajay Bhatt said that the government presented the Lokayukta and the Annual Transfer acts, which showed its commitment to transparency. He also praised the Centre for its order to remove the red beacon lights, demonetisation and the initiation of Rishikesh Karnprayag railway line. He also said that after the Congress Mukt Bharat, BJP would strive for BJP Yukt Bharat at the booth level.

Talking to HT at the sidelines of the working committee meeting, BJP spokesperson Munna Singh Chauhan said that this time, the working committee theme was Lakshya Antyodaya as envisaged by party ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay. This year is being celebrated by the BJP as the Gareeb Kalyan Varsh and the working committee meeting is also focusing on schemes related to poverty eradication, he said. He pointed out that the office bearers of the BJP have been asked to help at least one poor person so as to bring happiness in his or her life.

The meeting also decided that the booth level management would be among the top priorities of the party. The BJP leaders also called for starting work for winning the 2019 Lok sabha elections as well as the panchayat elections in the state.

The BJP state working committee meeting was attended by party national co-secretary Shiv Prakash, former CMs Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Vijay Bahuguna, and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union MoS Ajay Tamta, state ministers Prakash Pant, Yashpal Arya, Satpal Maharaj, Subodh Uniyal, Madan Kaushik, Dhan Singh Rawat and Rekha Arya.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday filed a complaint against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, for violating model code of conduct. The BJP in its complaint to Delhi police accused Kejriwal of posting offensive material through a Facebook live programme.

Delhi police said they had received the complaint and were looking into it. Till late Saturday night, police had not registered an FIR.

In a Facebook live programme on Saturday afternoon, the Delhi CM asked Delhities to vote for his party and said that voting for the BJP would mean putting at risk their kids and family member.

Dont put your kids at stake due to your love for BJP. Dont put your family members at stake when you go to vote tomorrow. If they fall sick and suffer then you will be responsible for it, he said in his address on social media.

Dont vote to make Kejriwal or AAP win. Vote to clean the city. We have to make the city clean. I am not able to do anything. I call BJP people, the mayors and commissioners to clean the city but they dont do anything, he said.

Within hours of the chief minister posting his address, a member of Delhis BJP legal team filed a complaint with the station house officer of North Avenue police station demanding action for threatening voters and violating the code of conduct by campaigning beyond the deadline. The chief minister and convener of AAP said that in case residents voted for the BJP they will suffer dengue and chikungunya(sic), reads a part of the complaint.

Demanding action, the complainant has asked police to ensure that the chief ministers Facebook account is closed.

AAPs Delhi in-charge Ashish Talwar said that BJPs entire campaign was centered around Kejriwal.

Their campaign against him has failed. BJPs campaign was bereft of credibility and issues and this complaint is another desperate attempt to stay in the news, he said.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, later, supported Kejriwals statement.

If we are electing the BJP that spreads garbage everywhere, then you will have to take responsibility of children falling sick, he said.

One bullet a day

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal fired one bullet at me every day. This is Kejriwals first direct attack against Baijal since he was appointed the Lt Governor of Delhi on December 31, 2016.

Noting that his government tries to coordinate on various issues related to the development of the national capital, both with the Lt Governor as well as the Centre, the Delhichief minister said the firing has intensified just before the MCD polls.
The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Partys plea to use second-generation EVMs with paper trail in the April 23 civic polls.

Justice AK Pathak declined AAPs plea saying, It would not be possible to give any such direction, as it would amount to interference in the election process. The plea is dismissed.

The AAP and its candidate Mohammad Tahir Hussain had approached the high court for using second generation EVMs attached with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in the elections to the Capitals three municipal corporations. The State Election Commission has opposed the plea, saying the petition was filed to stall the election. The Election Commission maintains that EVMs cant be tampered with.

The VVPAT is connected with EVMs and dispenses paper proof so that voters can verify that their vote has been cast correctly. After the elections in five state assemblies this year, the AAP has been claiming that EVMs without VVPAT can be tampered with.

On March 25 AAP had submitted to the Election Commission (EC) seeking verifications of votes cast using EVMs in the Punjab assembly elections. Following the partys claims about possible tampering, the EC had said the party should introspect on its performance instead of blaming the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

On April 14 also, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that the EVMs could be tampered with. I am an engineer from IIT, I can tell you 10 ways to tamper with EVMs, he said in an interview. He also said that the EC should defer the Delhi civic polls by a month or two if it cannot equip all electronic voting machines (EVM) with paper trails.

However, with no change in either the civic polls schedule or the voting machines being used for MCD polls, the chief minister said during an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times that the EVM fight will continue even if the party wins in the municipal elections.
Macedonias economy is stable despite all the challenges of the political crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have said, MIA reported.

Macedonias economy this year is expected to record a growth of nearly 3%, it has been noted at the Spring Meetings in Washington, where a Macedonian delegation - led by Finance Minister Kiril Minoski - is also in attendance.

All relevant financial institutions have noted that despite the prolonged political crisis, the economy is producing positive results. The year 2016 was wrapped up with a GDP growth, revenue collection is satisfactory and it continues to mark progress in the first half of 2017, budgetary deficit is within the frameworks defined by the Maastricht Criteria. Thus, the general conclusion is that almost all macroeconomic fundaments of the economic policy in Macedonia are sound and that Macedonia  despite all of the circumstances  is demonstrating positive results, said Minister Minoski.

According to Dimitar Bogov, IMF and the World Bank have based their forecasts about the Macedonian economy on the well-founded grounds of the economy.

The IMF and the World Bank predict that Macedonias economy will continue to grow and according to them, growth is going to be registered at nearly 3%. It comes as a result of the sound fundaments of the Macedonian economy. Still, it is less than the capability of the economy to prosper, and the reason lies in the unfavorable domestic political surrounding, stated the Governor of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia (NBRM).

Infrastructure projects yield positive results for the development of Macedonias economy, it was stressed in meetings of the Macedonian delegation with top IMF officials.

FinMin Minoski said Corridor 10 would be completed in June 2017. Negotiations are underway with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for funding of Corridor 8 sections, namely a highway section from Kicevo to Gostivar and a railroad connection from Kriva Palanka to the Deve Bair border crossing.

These are projects that are vital from a strategic point of view because they provide access to alternative ports from Macedonia, ensure GDP growth in the short-term, while in the long run they provide better conditions for running businesses in Macedonia, stated Minister Minoski.

The World Bank and the EBRD in Macedonia support projects estimated at billion and a half euros, most of which are infrastructural projects.

Interlocutors at the meetings also discussed projects implemented with the Council of Europe Development Bank in the sectors of healthcare and education. They include the construction of a clinical center in Skopje and a clinic in Stip.

The Macedonian delegation at the Spring Meetings in Washington with officials of the IMF and the World Bank discussed ways to support the private sector in Macedonia, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises.
A 30-year-old man died after falling into a seven-foot pit allegedly dug by the BSES to lay cables for installing street lamps in south Delhis Sangam Vihar late on Friday night. police said.

The pit was left unattended by labourers and contractor, who did not even put a warning sign. The area around the pit was neither barricaded nor covered with warning tapes, said police.

On Saturday morning, a passer-by saw the man lying upside down in the ditch and raised an alarm. Some locals took out the man from the pit and rushed him to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital in Malviya Nagar. Doctors declared the man dead on arrival.

The hospital authorities informed the Neb Sarai police about the death around 7.30 am on Saturday.

The deceased, Ravi Kumar, lived with his family in L-block in Sangam Vihar. He was a driver at a private company in Saket. His family comprises his father Munna Lal, mother Madhu, wife Neetu and two sons, Jatin,6, and Aryan, 4.

In an unfortunate incident in Sangam Vihar, a person died last night, apparently after falling in a pit dug by a contractor to lay cables. Our condolences are with the family of the deceased. We are cooperating with the police. Our internal accident enquiry committee is investigating the case, said a BSES spokesperson.

A police officer said Kumar was returning home after work when he accidentally fell into the pit. Prima facie it appears the area was dark and Kumar failed to locate the pit. He fell into the ditch on his head and fell unconscious. As the area was isolated, nobody saw Kumar falling or came to his rescue, the officer said.

Kumars family members, the officer said, were searching for him in the locality when he did not return home in the night and was not responding to their phone calls. One of the neighbours informed them that Kumar had fallen into the pit and was taken to hospital. Kumars body was handed over to his family members after the autopsy.

A case of death due to negligence was registered against unknown persons at the Neb Sarai police station. Investigators said they will approach BSES and collect details about the contractor. The contractors role will be examined, the officer added.
Tamil Nadu farmers at Jantar Mantar did not go ahead with their plan to drink urine as announced on Friday. The farmers, who were advised by the police not to go ahead with the protest as planned, said they will meet Tamil Nadu chief minister on Sunday to discuss their demands.

The farmers, who have come to be known for their bizarre protests in the Capital, were unusually calm on Saturday morning. Camped at their protest site, with the skulls and urine bottles, the farmers looked clouded with uncertainty. Their leader, P Ayyakkannu, had been called in by the deputy commissioner of police, to discuss their proposed protest idea. Ayyakkannu later said that the DCP had advised them against drinking their own urine.

However, he said that they will collect the urine in a bucket and send it back to Tamil Nadu with a representative.

We may not be allowed to drink the urine. But we are within our rights to collect it in a bucket... We did not get water or justice in Delhi (as the government has not formed a Cauvery Management Board, or paid heed to their other demands). So we will take our urine back home... We have no water there, said P Ayyakkannu, the state president of the National South Indian Rivers Linking Farmers Association and the leader of the group of farmers at Jantar Mantar.

Two farmers however, sneaked a couple of sips in. This is do or die. We know our health can get affected by drinking urine. But what are our choices?, said one of the farmers who had chosen to take a sip of his own urine in protest.

Though the morning began on calm and uncertain terms, by afternoon the farmers tried to jump over barricades.

The protesting farmers collect their urine in a bucket. (HT Photo)

The farmers earlier promised to go a step further by eating faeces on Sunday if the government continued to ignore their demands. They now maintain that they will decide the future course of action after meeting with Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is expected to visit the farmers on Sunday morning.

The farmers have been at Jantar Mantar for almost 40 days now, and have been asking the Centre to waive off their loans from nationalised banks, as the state government and the Madras High Court had done with the co-operative banks.

Their other demands also include revised drought relief packages, fixed profitable prices for their produce, interlinking of the rivers and the formation of a Cauvery Management Board. The farmers have suffered due to drought and subsequent cyclone.

The farmers had earlier conducting a flogging where a man dressed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi whipped them. (Mohd Zakir/HT FILE)

The farmers have met multiple political leaders, including finance minister Arun Jaitley, water resources minister Uma Bharti, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, and others. They also met Pon Radhakrishnan, minister of state for road transport and highways, who is also the only elected BJP MP from Tamil Nadu.

The farmers had decided to wait for two days after meeting the MoS, as he had offered to talk to Jaitley on their behalf.

The minister had reportedly assured the farmers that he would talk to finance minister about their plight and try to come up with a solution by May 15. According to the farmers who met the minister, Radhakrishnan had said that he will try to get all loan collections and payments postponed for a year.

He had also assured the farmers that any attempt to seize property, will also be suspended during this time. Ayyakkannu said that the minister had assured them of help in getting new loans, but was non-committal on the other demands, like the interlinking of rivers and setting up of a Cauvery Management Board.

However, the farmers resumed their protest on Saturday, as they were not given any of the assurances in writing.

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This MCD polls, one in every five wards has at least two people with the same name contesting. Hindustan Times, after going through the complete list of candidates of the 272 wards across the three corporations, found out that 56 wards have at least two people with the same name contesting in Sundays election. Voting for the 272 wards across the city will be held on Sunday.

In east Delhis Brahm Puri, three Raj Kumars are vying for the councillor seat  one is a BJP candidate, another has been nominated by CPI, while the third is an Independent. In south civic bodys Manglapuri, BJPs Krishan Kumar Godara is competing against Independent Krishan Mohan Pandey and Congress Maya Devi will figure on the ballot with an independent candidate also named Maya. In the same ward, two Independent candidates named Vijay will also be competing.

Political pundits say this is not a unique phenomenon and is used by political parties to cut votes of their opponents.

Sanjay Kumar, director at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, said this is a negative strategy used by rival political parties.

These candidates with similar names are proxy candidates. They are used to cut votes. Now people with similar names are plotted as a dummy candidate to create some sort of confusion so that votes for a candidate, usually from an established political party, get divided.

According to him, in smaller election, where the number of votes is less, this strategy becomes effective.

In north Delhis Kadipur, Congress Neetu Singh is fighting against two other Independent candidates named Neetu.

When HT caught up with the Congress candidate on Friday, she was busy with last minute campaigning. It might be so. We are not aware of it. We are pushing hard in the final couple of hours to reach as many voters as possible, one of her aides said, when asked about her two namesake competitors.

Even after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the AAP candidate for the West Delhi seat, Jarnail Singh, had alleged that two other candidates sharing his name had cost him the seat as it confused the voters.

Although Singh lost to BJPs Pravesh Verma by a margin of 2,68,586 votes, he claimed that the other two Jarnail Singhs  who together bagged 90,682 votes  queered the pitch for him. The two Jarnail Singhs, one with the symbol of a shuttlecock and another with the torch symbol, bagged 84,722 and 5,960 votes, respectively.

Parties, however, are aware of this strategy and have been asking candidates to make their serial number clear to voters of their respective wards. A Delhi BJP spokesperson, Harish Khurana, said all party candidates have been sensitised on how to tackle the confusion because of these namesakes.

We have been guiding all candidates to clearly mention their serial number in every poster and pamphlet so that there remains no confusion regarding who the people are voting for. I have personally suffered due to this. My father, Madan Lal Khurana, had a namesake in a Lok Sabha election who took away 16,000 votes with a tree sign, Khurana said.

The partys Subhash Nagar candidate Gagan Deep Sahni says another Gagan Sahni is contesting as an Independent with a cauliflower sign.

I am popularly known as Gagan Sahni and the other parties have used that by fielding this dummy candidate. I have asked voters to not get confused and vote for the right man with the correct symbol and serial number, Sahni said.

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Over 56,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel will man polling booths and keep guard in the city when Delhi votes in the municipal elections on Sunday.

The paramilitary personnel will be deployed at the 13,022 polling booths while Delhi Police will be keep an eye on mischief mongers in surrounding areas. An additional 20,000 home guards will be deployed to ensure law and order in the city on that day.

A total of 4,748 polling booths have been marked as sensitive or hyper-sensitive. A senior police officer said personnel will be deployed in civil clothes in and around the sensitive and hyper sensitive polling booths.

These booths were identified on parameters that included the number of cases registered in the area, demographic composition and the history of areas during previous elections, said the officer. The booths were marked as sensitive in consultation with the election commission.

South district tops the list with 585 sensitive booths and with 114, Shahdara district is at the bottom of the list. South-East district has 382 hyper-sensitive booths booths, the highest whereas North-West district has the lowest with 15.

Some prominent hyper-sensitive booths are located in Tughalakabad, Jamia Nagar, Sangam Vihar in South-East Delhi, Seemapuri in Shahdara, Seelampur in North-East Delhi, Adarsh Nagar, Bharat Nagar in North-West Delhi, Karol Bagh, Patel, Chandni Mahal in Central Delhi and Najafgarh, Mundka, Sultanpuri, Nangloi in Outer Delhi, the officials added.

Our staff have been briefed and we have held multiple meetings with the returning officers. We have been acting against criminals over the past few weeks, said Dependra Pathak, Delhi Polices chief spokesperson.

Over the last four weeks, the police recovered 50,419 illegal liquor bottles, most of them meant to be distributed ahead of the polls, said the officer. Under the Excise Act, police registered 267 cases in this period and arrested 254 persons. A total of 49 vehicles used in related crimes were seized from them.

Police said they registered 265 cases under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. We seized 625 posters, 358 banners and 273 hoardings after receiving complaints of defacement, said a senior police officer.
A suspected smuggler was arrested from Delhis Nizamuddin area with 30 semi-automatic pistols, a carbine and cartridges, police said on Saturday, the second arms haul in as many days just ahead of municipal polls in the capital

The arms were allegedly being smuggled in for use by criminals during Sundays polls, police said.

Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell), said the smuggler arrested on Friday night was identified as Rajpal Singh from Madhya Pradesh.

Singh was caught from the Nizamuddin area by our team following information that he would be in the area to deliver a consignment of arms and ammunition to his contact, Yadav said.

According to Yadav, the price of the seized carbine in grey market is between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh whereas one semi-automatic pistols is sold between Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000, depending upon its quality.

The weapons seized by us are not of good quality but made in illegal firearms manufacturing units in Madhya Pradesh. Singh has been involved in smuggling and supplying arms and ammunition to criminals in Delhi and its adjoining states for the past some years, said Yadav.

The police are now looking for the person who was to receive the consignment from Singh. Yadav said that they have already identified the person and their teams were conducting raids in Delhi-NCR to jab him.

On Thursday, another arms smuggler from Uttar Pradesh, identified only as Tayyab, was arrested from Delhis Harkesh Nagar with 20 semi-automatic pistols, which were also meant for criminals in Delhi.

Though common earlier, violence during elections have come down significantly in recent times after the Election Commission introduced several measures to clean up the countrys democratic process.
Security has been tightened in Delhi for Sundays municipal elections to prevent any violence of law and order during polling. Police personnel have been deployed across the city to check misuse of firearms, money and liquor to influence voters.

Amid intelligence inputs that some anti-social elements may cause disruption and involve in violence during polling, Delhi Police will deploy 56,000 paramilitary personnel and homeguard jawans, besides 33,000 Delhi Police personnel from 13 districts and other units to guard polling booths.

Police personnel will be armed with sophisticated weapons and anti-riot gear during the poll across 13,022 booths to keep an eye on trouble makers.

A total of 4,748 polling booths have been marked as sensitive and hyper-sensitive. A senior police officer said personnel will be deployed in civil clothes in and around the sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths.

According to police records, there are 3,284 sensitive and 1,464 hyper-sensitive booths, identified on parameters that include the number of cases registered in the area, demographic composition and the history of areas during previous polls. The booths were marked as sensitive in consultation with the election commission.

A senior officer said one head constable and three constables will be deployed at each sensitive booth. One head constable assisted by six constables will guard each of the 1,464 hyper sensitive booths . One head constable assisted by a constable will man the remaining booths.

They will be supervised by assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors. Home guard jawans and paramilitary personnel will also guard the polling booths.

Surveillance have been mounted over criminal elements and muscle men. Special vigil is being kept at the border check posts to check smuggling of liquor, trafficking of illegal fire arms, besides transportation of currency, said Dependra Pathak, chief spokesperson of Delhi Police.

Delhi police officers are working in tandem with their counterparts in Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to keep a check on criminals and their movements during polling. Senior police officers are constantly reviewing the security needs and chalking out plans for peaceful conduct of elections.

The staff on election duty have been briefed about the duties they are required to perform to make it a peaceful and violence-free election. All polling booths identified as critical and hypercritical will have a two-layer security, one with state police and the other with Central para military forces, said a senior officer.

South district tops with 585 sensitive booths and with 114, Shahdara district is at the bottom of the list. South-East district has 382 hyper-sensitive booths, the highest, whereas North-West district has the lowest with 15.

Some prominent hyper-sensitive booths are located in Tughalakabad, Jamia Nagar, Sangam Vihar in South-East Delhi, Seemapuri in Shahdara, Seelampur in North-East Delhi, Adarsh Nagar, Bharat Nagar in North-West Delhi, Karol Bagh, Patel, Chandni Mahal in Central Delhi and Najafgarh, he added.
Delhi University professor Abha Mittal, as a teacher, wants to contribute towards making a better society.

Mittal, also a first time candidate during Sundays municipal corporation elections, said she would want the same thing as a politician  a better society.

On Sunday, Mittal will be one of only five candidates to hold a PhD degree and contest the civic body polls. Around 2,537 candidates are in fray for the elections.

A Swaraj India candidate, Mittal on Sunday will have company from Aam Aadmi Partys Rakesh Kumar Garg, Bahujan Samaj Partys Suman and two independent candidates, all PhD holders, who will contest Sundays poll from different wards.

According to data released by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), out of 2,315 candidates, only 0.21% have a doctorate degree.

As per HTs analysis of recently concluded Assembly elections in five states, the education of a candidate contributed majorly to his/her chances of winning. Candidates with a doctorate degree, for example, won nearly one fifth of their races, while the poorly educated fared much worse in the Assembly elections in Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

As an economist I have worked on issues, but only on paper. Now, if elected, I will be able to put my knowledge to practical use that will directly impact people. I think academics and politicians have similar jobs, to solve the problems of people, Mittal said.

AAPs Garg, on the other hand, said he wanted to change the perception that politics is only for those with money and muscle power. Garg, who holds a PhD in Chemistry, left his job as a school teacher to become a full time social activist during Anna Hazares movement against corruption and then became a founder member of AAP.

People think only those with connections, money and muscle power come into politics. But we need more educated people, he said.

BSPs Sonam, who completed her PhD in Ambedkar, Gandhi and Premchand, said her inspiration was BR Ambedkar. I worked as a researcher for a decade, but found politics as my true calling. Educated people need to come to politics if they want to change things. Baba Saheb was highly educated and so were many other politicians, she said. She has previously contested the Delhi 2015 Assembly elections.

BJP, which is eyeing a consecutive third term to rule the civic bodies, has the fielded the most number of candidates with a graduate degree and above.

Out of the 260 candidates fielded by the party, 101 (38.8%) hold a graduate degree and above. BJP has fielded 53 graduates, 29 postgraduates and 19 graduate professionals, as per data from ADR.

AAP comes a close second with 38.4% of its candidates holding at least a graduate degree.

AAP, which won the 2015 Delhi assembly elections with a landslide majority, has fielded 60 graduates, 22 postgraduates, 13 graduate professionals and one doctorate. The data is based on 250 AAP candidates.

Congress has 33.9 % candidates holding at least a graduate degree. The party has fielded 53 graduates, 11 graduate professionals, 22 postgraduates and one doctorate.

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Haryana School Education Department has promoted 1,177 Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) working in government schools to the post of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs).

Education minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that all TGTs who were eligible for promotion on January 1, 2017, have been promoted.

Cases for promotion of TGTs had been pending for the last eight years, he said.

The Education Department was going to carry out recruitment of teachers to meet the requirement in government schools, and pending cases of promotion were being disposed of, he said.

The department is trying to ensure that there is no shortage of teachers in government schools in the state, he added.
The Central Board of Secondary Educations (CBSE) Joint Entrance Examination Main (JEE Main) unit is expected to release the results of the JEE Main Paper 1 on its official website by Thursday.

According to the information bulletin for the exam, JEE (Main) Paper 1 score and rank and the list of top 2,20,000 candidates eligible for JEE (Advanced) will be declared by April 27.

The score shall comprise the marks obtained in Paper 1 along with the status of those who qualify for appearing in JEE (Advanced), provided they fulfil other eligibility conditions. The rank shall comprise All India Rank (AIR) and All India category rank.

Only the AIR is used for admissions through Central Seat Allocation Board to National Institute of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), Centrally Funded Technical Institute (CFTI), self-financed institutes (SFIs), and other institutes.

Candidates score or rank card will be not be sent to them personally and they should download it from the JEE (Main) website after they are released.

Merit among candidates obtaining equal marks will be decided in the order as mentioned below:

Rank list for admission to BE/BTech (in institutions other than IITs)

Resolution by marks obtained in mathematics in JEE (Main) 2017. Candidate obtaining higher marks will be given better rank.

Resolution by marks obtained in physics in the JEE (Main) 2017. Candidate obtaining higher marks will be given better rank.

Resolution by finding the ratio of positive marks and negative marks. Candidate with a higher absolute value of the ratio will be given better rank.

If the resolution is not possible after these criteria, candidates will be given the same rank.

The answer keys and images of OMR sheets of Paper 1 exam (both online and offline) were released recently on the official website.

Note: Visit the official website of JEE (Main) 2017 for latest details and updates.

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Gurgaons groundwater condition is critical and it could lead to a disaster, warned Swatantra Kumar, chairperson of the National Green Tribunal, in the city on Saturday.

He said cities should not destroy water bodies as they are directly linked to groundwater, which is the primary source of sustenance for many and is depleting at an alarming rate.Speaking on the sidelines of an event at NorthCap University in Sector 23 A, Kumar said groundwater extraction should be banned from critical areas.

Kumar said that man-made disasters like the one at Bangalores Bellandur Lake should be avoided. The lake caught fire in February this year because of some chemical reaction.

Bangalore had 368 water bodies, which was equivalent to 90 acres of land. However, the number of water bodies, as of today, is down to 120, Kumar said, adding that a disaster isnt too far off unless urgent measures are undertaken to preserve and restore the aquifers.

Addressing the event which was organised to mark Earth Day, he voiced alarm over groundwater depletion. He said groundwater is under threat because of undue extraction and presence of high level of pollutants in it.

The city has been experiencing a crisis as the pollutants in big rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna continues to pollute the ground water. He said the situation is alarming.

Read I Gurgaon: Hudas main water pipeline bursts, fresh crisis looms

Projects such as inter linking of rivers should be undertaken to provide some relief to residents in drought-prone areas of the country, he said while attending a moot court competition at the university.

According to the CGWA report, Gurgaon is one of the 162 areas which have been notified across the country for the regulation of groundwater development.

The district was notified as an over-exploited zone in 2008 after there was a steep decline in the level of groundwater.

Groundwater extraction in the area is more than 312% and the groundwater table in Gurgaon has been depleting at an alarming rate  14.16 metres between 2005 and 2014. Regulation has been deemed necessary to restore groundwater to normal levels.

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The minute-repeater, which chimes the time on demand to the nearest minute, is the king of horological complications. The grande sonnerie (grand strike), which automatically strikes the quarters and hours in passing and sounds the hours on demand, embodies a higher echelon in terms of both complexity and refinement and can rightfully be called the emperor. While it takes a good deal of expertise to develop them and make them operate, by far the most important aspect is how they sound and that the music they produce is rich, audible and vibrant. Nor does the challenge stop there. When striking models are in action, any inadvertent handling of the watch can force and damage the mechanism. The latest innovations are thus strongly geared towards to securing these watches that are often worth more than half a million euros. The idea is to avoid an ill-informed or clumsy wearer making the fatal error of setting the watch to time while it is striking.

Amping up security



Greubel Forsey has made this the keystone of one of the years most exceptional watches: its Grande Sonnerie. This striking model with its self-winding Grande Sonnerie mechanism, its cathedral gongs, its 24-second tourbillon and its superlative finishing, stems from a development drive shared with Vacheron Constantin. The Geneva-based brand is presenting its own interpretation of the movement, without cathedral gongs, without an automatic winding mechanism, without a tourbillon, yet no less expensive: the Symphonia Grande Sonnerie 1860. While the striking mechanisms are complex, they are also extremely thick. Another field of endeavor lies in trying to slim them down. As the cases get progressively broader, some brands choose to spread out instead of stacking up. Bulgari set a record that still stands with its Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater : the 40mm titanium case is a mere 6.85mm thick and its caliber a mere 3.12mm  20% less than the previous record holder.





Reinventing transmission



Another way of innovating is to change everything, which is what Breguet decided to do with its Tradition 7087. Its hammers strike the gongs vertically in order to set up a sound wave along the same plane as the sapphire watch glass. Its gold gongs are shaped according to the note they are to play. The strike governor (regulator), which dictates the rhythm of operations, is magnetic. Finally, its case is fitted with a gold resonance membrane. The latter principle  which involved creating a surface that naturally amplifies the sound within the confined space of a case  was also chosen by Audemars Piguet for its Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie.





Transcending technology

If one were to award a top prize for useful innovation, it would definitely go to Chopard. After 15,000 hours of development, the brand presented its first minute-repeater to mark the 20th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture. Equipped with seven security devices, it takes no risks. For the very first time, a watch strikes the time on sapphire gongs, with this material generally used for watch glasses replacing the traditional steel used for gongs. The latter are machined from the same single block of sapphire crystal as the watch glass of which they form a natural extension. The large resulting surface vibrates like a loudspeaker. The seamlessly joined gongs and glasses thus enable the sound wave to be propagated across a homogenous environment, without any interruption or loss. The sound is warm and quite literally crystal-clear. All the details had to be carefully thought through, and above all the technical means had to be found to machine this glass/gong, a process that took three years. It is precisely these amounts of R&D time that explain the correspondingly stratospheric prices prevailing in this category.




The Haryana urban development corporations (Hudas) master water pipeline burst yet again near Rajiv Chowk early on Saturday affecting supply in areas on the left of the National Highway (NH-8) such as Sector 39, 47, 46, 32 and others. The pipeline was believed to have burst during the ongoing construction of the underpass at Rajiv Chowk.

A Huda official said a police complaint will be filed against the contractor engaged by the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).

The Huda stopped water supply from the plant as word of the leak reached them.

The water pipeline was damaged during digging, in a manner similar to the ruptures earlier South City I and Sector 17-C. After we got word of the damage to the pipeline, we immediately warned the operator at plant to stop supply. We understand that sectors such as 37, 39, 47, 49 and others have been badly hit by the disruption in water supply. We will double up efforts and try to restore normal supply at the earliest, Virender Singh Malik, sub-divisional officer (SDO), Huda, said.

Gawar Construction, the contractor, did not respond to calls and text messages.

Meanwhile, a senior NHAI official said that necessary action will be taken against the contractor for taking adequate measures to safeguard the pipeline.

Read I Gurgaon: Senior citizens in Block E affected by poor water supply to Sector 21

Dinesh Yadav, general manager, Gurgaon range, NHAI, said, We have not received any such complaint, but will take necessary action (against the contractor) if we do.

Sudhir Yadav, a resident of Sector 47, said, We are already dealing with slow and erratic water supply problem. We have no idea about the extent of damage to the pipeline and if it is, indeed, significant, then we fear the supply situation only getting worse. With the groundwater supply slow and erratic, we have to depend on private tanker operators to meet our day-to-day needs.

Many parts of the city has been battling acute water supply crisis over the past couple of weeks.

Earlier, on April 6, Gawar Construction damaged the water line of Unitech near Signature Tower affecting supply to South City-I.

The NHAI is widening the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and constructing underpasses at Rajiv Chowk, Iffco Chowk and Signature Tower as well as a flyover at Hero Honda Chowk.

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Police in Gwalior late Friday arrested three persons including the brother-in-law of a nine-year-old girl for allegedly raping her over the last few weeks.

The survivors 32-year-old sister was also arrested for abetting the crime. A search is on for two others who were named by the survivor and who are absconding. The accused have also been booked under provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012.

According to police, after the girls parents died a few years ago, she was living with her sister and 35-year-old brother-in-law in Maharajpura area of Gwalior.

On March 31, a resident of the area called the Child Line to complain that the girl was being physically tortured in his neighbours house. A Child Line team rescued the girl with the help of police and shifted her to Matrichaya shelter home.

At the shelter home, she told the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) about how she was being sexually exploited for last few weeks. After her medical examination, police swung into action and lodged a case of rape against the five accused,

Read more: 18-yr-old woman run over by train while trying to escape rape bid in MP

Sexual violence and increasing crime against women have become major concerns in Madhya Pradesh. In August last year, a three-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a Gwalior school. The girl, a nursery student, later identified the suspects from photographs following which police caught them. In February this year, a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a toilet of a school in Jabalpur district.

According to the fresh data submitted in the ongoing assembly session, 11 women were raped daily and six gang-raped every week in the state on an average during last one year. Over half of the rape victims were minors according to the data. The latest figures presented in the state assembly for last six months coupled with figures submitted to the House in July last year show that between February 1, 2016 and mid-February 2017, 4279 women were raped and 248 gang-raped in MP. Of 4279 rape victims, 2260 are minors.
India on Saturday strongly condemned the terror attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, saying it is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle safe havens sustaining terrorism from outside that countrys borders.

The external affairs ministry, in a statement, said India remained steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism.

As many as 140 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated attack by Taliban attackers on the army base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders, the MEA said, in an apparent reference to the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

It said the government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment.

India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they maybe, the statement said.

One official in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the attack occurred, said on Saturday that at least 140 soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

The Afghan government has yet to release official casualty figures.
AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran is all set to appear before the Delhi Police in connection with a bribery case on Saturday.

News agency ANI reported that the former deputy general secretary of the party had already reached the Chennai airport around 8.15 am, and was expected to board a flight to the national capital shortly. He didnt offer comment, stating that he would speak to the media upon his return.

Dinakaran is accused of bribing an Election Commission official to get the two leaves symbol allotted to the AIADMK (Amma) faction, of which he was the deputy general secretary. An FIR was lodged against the politician after the official, Sukesh Chander, was arrested from a five-star hotel on April 16. Two luxury cars and cash amounting to Rs 1.3 crore were recovered from his possession. On April 19, a Delhi Police team visited Chennai to serve a notice stipulating Dinakarans participation in the probe.

The ruling AIADMK party had split into two factions  the AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK (Puratchi Thalavi Amma)  following the death of founder J Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year. The days that followed found both the sides waging a desperate battle to secure the original partys two leaves symbol. However, the Election Commission eventually disallowed either faction from bearing it.

Dinakarans political fortunes has been heading south ever since. Even as the two factions attempted to forge a merger recently, AIADMK (Puratchi Thalavi Amma) leader O Panneerselvam demanded that both jailed AIADMK (Amma) general secretary VK Sasikala and her nephew, Dinakaran, be taken out of the equation. The other faction, led by chief minister E Palanisamy, gave in.

Dinakaran stepped down from his post on Wednesday.

The Panneerselvam faction, however, was not completely convinced. It demanded written proof of the duos ouster from the party on Thursday, stating that the modalities of the merger can be discussed only after that.
AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran was on Saturday questioned by the Delhi police over an alleged attempt to bribe an EC official for retaining the two leaves party symbol and the related money trail.

It is learnt that an ACP ranked investigating officer quizzed Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK chief Sasikala.

Dinakaran is being asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh (Chandrasekar) and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. After this, there is high possibility of cross-questioning of the two, a senior police official said.

Dinakarans lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the questioning by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which began at around 3 PM at its Chanakyapuri Inter State Cell office amid tight security.

His call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes are also being examined, police said.

He had come under scanner after the arrest of alleged middleman Sukesh. Since then, Dinakaran has maintained he does not know Sukesh and has never met him.

There was heavy security outside the office and mediapersons werent allowed to enter the premises. Even local residents were asked to show identity cards before entering the area that houses the office.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been served summons by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

Dinakaran, who was appointed as deputy general secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.

A powerful section of the ruling AIADMK (Amma) recently revolted against Sasikala-Dinakaran leadership. The development came after Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded ouster of Sasikala and Dinakaran as a condition for the merger.

Dinakaran later announced he would stay away from party affairs and that he could be removed only by Sasikala.

Sasikala is at present serving a four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.
More than 50 killed as Taliban target Afghan Army camp in Mazar-e-Sharif

Taliban gunmen wearing Afghan military uniforms launched an attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan Friday killing more than 50 soldiers, officials said. Afghan commandos were deployed during the attack which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers as they attended mosque and ate a meal. Two of the ten attackers blew themselves up while seven were killed and one was detained. US General John Nicholson, commander of NATOs Resolute Support operation, said in a separate statement that the attack targeted soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility of the 209th Corps of the Afghan army.

Read the full story here.

Supreme Court questions Centre for making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN cards

The Supreme Court questioned on Friday the governments decision to link peoples Aadhaar unique identification with their permanent account number (PAN), which is necessary to file income tax returns and make high-value transactions. The top court had earlier ruled that Aadhaar, a biometric-based 12-digit unique identity number, wouldnt be necessary for a host of services and welfare schemes, other than government benefits such as food under the public distribution scheme. How have you made Aadhaar mandatory despite our order saying it is optional? Dont you have any other way to tackle fake identities? a bench headed by Justice AK Sikri asked, and agreed to hear a petition challenging the governments move.

Read the full story here.

Debilitating: Indian techies, IT firms fret as Trump orders H-1B visa review

President Donald Trumps executive order on H1-B visas has prompted thousands of foreign workers already in the United States or applying for visas to work there to re-think their plans. Companies who send them also face huge uncertainty. The concerns are particularly acute in India, where IT firms like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd are top beneficiaries of the H-1B visa programme, using it to send computer engineers to service clients in the United States, their largest overseas market.

Read the full story here.

PM Modi on economic reforms: No lack of political will, perhaps there is extra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday his government does not lack political will to push economic reforms, signalling the possibility of a fresh round of business-friendly measures after winning a string of emboldening election victories. The Modi government has cleared several reforms legislation over the past two years. It scrapped about 1,200 outdated laws, pushed through a Goods and Services Tax, wrote a new bankruptcy code, sold shares in state-run firms and opened up the market to more foreign investment. But Modi has largely stayed away from politically difficult reforms such as overhauling laws governing land acquisition and labour.

Read the full story here.

Tamil Nadu farmers to drink urine, eat faeces at Delhis Jantar Mantar

The protest by Tamil Nadu farmers at Jantar Mantar is set to go from curious to revolting as the protesters vowed to drink their urine on Saturday if the government did not pay heed to their demands. Determined to get heard, they also said that if they are still ignored by the Centre, they will be forced to eat human faeces on Sunday. The farmers have been grabbing headlines for their unique methods of protest since they arrived in Delhi over 38 days ago.

Read the full story here.

China hits back, says it has lawful right to standardise names in Arunachal

China on Friday asserted that it was its lawful right to standardise official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh, while its state-run media warned that India will pay dearly if it continues to play the Dalai Lama card. Relevant names have been used by ethnic Momba and Tibetan Chinese who have lived here for generations. So it is a fact that cannot be changed. To standardise these names and publicise them is a legitimate measure based on our lawful right, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

Read the full story here.

Nepal-China military exercise curtailed by Indian pressure, says Chinese media

Nepal was forced to scale down its first military exercise with China because of purported pressure from India, Chinese state media reported on Friday. It was said the two countries initially planned to hold a battalion-scale military exercise. However, facing a strong opposition from India, Nepal had to compress the size of the military exercise and change the venue to a military school, state-run Global Times tabloid reported.

Read the full story here.

I provoked kar sevaks to demolish Babri masjid, Advani was trying to stop them: Vedanti

Ayodhya Former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti on Friday said it was he and not senior leader LK Advani who provoked kar sevaks to demolish the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Addressing the media in Ayodhya, Vedanti claimed the CBI had presented wrong facts before the Supreme Court. When the mosque was being razed, Ashok Singhal, Mahant Avaidyanath and I exhorted the kar sevaks to bring the structure down, Vedanti said. While we were inciting the mob, Joshi, Advani and Vijayraje Scindia were trying to stop the kar sevaks, he said.

Read the full story here.

15 killed, 16 injured as truck ploughs into crowd in Andhras Chittoor

At least 15 people were killed and about 16 injured on Friday when a truck driver lost control and hit an electric pole before ploughing the vehicle into a group of protesters, cars and shops at Yerpedu, about 25 km away from Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. While six persons were crushed to death under the trucks wheels, others died of electrocution and the resultant fire, triggered by the mishap.

Read the full story here.

Obama returns to public life next week. Will he take on Trump?

Former US president Barack Obama is ending his self-imposed exile from public life with a series of events next week. His office announced on Friday he was travelling to his adopted hometown of Chicago on Monday for a conversation on community organising and civic engagement with young leaders at the University of Chicago. He has other events coming up including a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in May, where he will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to The New York Times. His speeches will be scrutinised for overt and covert swipes at his successor.

Read the full story here.

Messaging app Confide that White House officials reportedly use not secure, says lawsuit

Confide, a popular encrypted messaging app said to be used by White House officials, does not keep communications confidential as its maker promises, a proposed class-action lawsuit charges. According to a complaint filed on Thursday with the federal court in Manhattan, Confide Inc cannot assure app users of the unequivocal confidentiality it advertises because messages can be saved on screenshots, and do not self-destruct once read.

Read the full story here.

IPL 2017: Gujarat Lions roar as Suresh Rainas 84 mauls Kolkata Knight Riders

Robin Uthappa (72) and Sunil Narine (42) helped Kolkata Knight Riders score 187/5 against Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 match. In reply, GL reached the target with 10 balls to spare as Suresh Raina scored a 46-ball 84.

Read the full story here.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday at 6 PM in Delhi to discuss the contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, it is learnt.

The issue related to SYL canal is on top of the agenda of CM who will also participate in NITI Ayog Summit on April 23, government sources said, pointing out that the chief minister sought appointment with the PM to apprise him about Haryanas stand on the river water-sharing dispute with the neighbouring Punjab.

The decision to meet Modi comes close on the heels of Punjab and Haryana reiterating their stated positions in separate meetings held by the Centre in New Delhi on the SYL Canal issue on Thursday. While Punjab demanded that a tribunal be set up for re-assessment of water in the Ravi-Beas basin as the state had no water to spare, Haryana had urged the Centre to construct the remaining portion of the SYL Canal in Punjab territory at the earliest to carry its share of river waters.
Leader of BJP legislature party Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday fired yet another salvo at RJD chief Lalu Prasad, alleging that he also used Mumbai-based AB Exports Pvt Ltd, as a front company to acquire prime residential property in one of the posh localities of Delhi, for his family members.

The former deputy chief minister-cum-finance minister said it was surprising why five diamond and gold traders of Mumbai contributed Rs 5 crore in interest free loan (1 crore each) to AB Exports, for the purchase of 800 sq metre property, D-1088, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, in 2007-08.

Maintaining that AB Exports was also used as a shell company, on the pattern of Delight Marketing and AK Infosystem, for purchasing properties only to be acquired by Prasads family along with assets later, Modi said the quid pro quo behind the deals must be investigated to unravel the truth.

He said he was unable to figure out why the original promoter Ashok Kumar Banthia would hand over the company, whose asset is now valued at Rs 55 crore, to Prasads son and deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (who owns almost 98% of the shares) at a throwaway consideration of Rs 4-5 lakh.

In the instant case, he said, Prasads daughters, Ragini Lalu and Chanda Yadav, are directors. Now, nearly 60 crore is being spent to construct a four-storey building. What is the source of the money being funnelled for the construction, when company did not transact any business or recorded any turnover in the last 15 years?

Modi also questioned why several companies belonging to former corporate affairs minister Prem Chand Gupta and Prasads family shared the same address - D-1088, New Friends Colony, New Delhi. It will be interesting to find the trail (and reasons) behind the handing over (to Prasads family) of companies belonging to Gupta, Om Prakash Katyal (AK Infosystem) and Banthia, whose combined present day worth of assets added to more than Rs 1,000 crore, he said.

Bihar chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh had, on Friday, said that no evidence of any irregularity has been established during the scrutiny of documents related to the purchase of excavated soil by Patna Zoo from the site of a mall, which Modi claimed belong to Prasads family.

Modi responded by saying, we started digging for a scam in the supply of soil without tender. We ended up discovering a mall. The state government can initiate an inquiry into the deals and takeover of companies, along with huge assets, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Modi had raised the issue of Rs 90 lakh soil purchase scam on April 4, which, he alleged, had been done to benefit Prasads sonsTej Pratap and Tejashwi Prasad Yadavwho owned the two acre land from where the soil was generated in the process of creating basement for the upcoming Mall on Patnas Bailey Road.

RJD spokesman Shakti Singh Yadav was quick to rebut Modi, saying that he should now shut up and apologize for levelling unsubstantiated allegations in the light of no scam certificate from the chief secretary. But Modi was not willing to relent.

What else could have the CS done to prove true to the government which appointed him? I will keep on raising the issues and force chief minister Nitish Kumar to break his silence. Prasad is owner of the dubiously sourced property over Rs 100 crores, which he must explain, Modi said.

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A day after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad said he would soon meet the AICC chief for a stronger opposition unity against the BJP.

Prasad told reporters in Patna on Friday that he had received an invite from the AICC chief to meet her next week. Nitish Kumar, who is also the president of Janata Dal (United), a partner of RJD in Bihars ruling Grand Alliance (GA), had met Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday and called for the need for the opposition unity ahead of presidential polls due in July.

Prasad welcomed the Congress chiefs gesture and said it could go a long way in containing radicalisation and communalisation of politics.

The RJD chief said a Bihar-like grand alliance was required at the national level to check the BJPs political surge.

Many in the RJD described the proposed meeting as a much-needed morale booster for beleaguered Prasad, whose family has been under siege by the BJP over recent controversies arising out of construction of a massive shopping mall being built by his family on the state capitals outskirts.

Leaders of other GA constituents also said the Congress presidents initiative could be the beginning of an exercise to find ways to forge an opposition unity at the national level ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Senior JD(U) leader and former minister Shyam Rajak claimed that the BJP was unnerved by Gandhis meeting with Nitish Kumar, as it knew that a Bihar model of mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) could dent the BJP.

We are looking to broaden the ambit of alliance at the national level. In Bihar, BJP was contained at 53 assembly seats. It got a thumping majority at the Centre, despite opposition parties getting more than 52% votes. We are insisting on the Bihar model nationwide, said Rajak.

Other JD(U) leaders, including partys general secretary KC Tyagi, said Nitish Kumars talk with Gandhi mainly veered around the upcoming presidential polls and the Bihar CM had urged her to take the lead in mustering support of all opposition parties to put up a candidate in the elections.

If all opposition parties join hands, we could pose a serious challenge to the candidate fielded by the BJP for the Presidents post, they said, adding that the UP polls, which saw NDA winning 325 out of 403 seats, had definitely dealt a serious blow to the opposition.

Senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav, however, dismissed the Congress initiative to cobble up unity among the opposition parties as unworkable as long as people are with the BJP.

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Press photographer Dar Yasin was out on a regular assignment on Thursday in Srinagar, covering a student protest against security forces when he noticed Khusboo Jan, profusely bleeding.

Khusboo, a class 12 student, was one of scores of high-school girls demonstrating in the Nawakadal area of Srinagar when a stone hit her on the forehead and cracked open her skull.

Blood gushed out, splattering her white school uniform and hijab, as she collapsed. Her friends panicked: There was no one to help them, only hostile-looking policemen and a battery of presspeople.

But Yasin knew what he had to do. The Associated Press staffer tossed his camera aside, leapt to Khusboo and scooped her in his arms and rushed to get her a cab to the nearest hospital .

This image  of Yasin running with the girl in his arms  was captured by another young photojournalist and has gone viral, striking a chord with hundreds of Kashmiris.

Many are comparing Yasin with Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak, who was captured in a now-iconic photograph picking up a young boy and running to safety after a bomb hit a convoy of buses.

For millions, the photo  clicked earlier this week -- brought home the horrors of war but also rekindled hope in humanity. Many on social media say Yasin has done the same for them in a region where human bonds have been eroded by decades of insurgency.

I told the girls friends that I have two daughters and this girl is just like one of them. If you are the father of two girls or if you are a father of any child, you cannot just see anyones child helplessly suffering like that, says Yasin, whose daughters are aged 7 and 10.

A Kashmiri student throws a stone during a protest in Srinagar last week. (REUTERS)

The 43-year-old has covered Kashmir since 2002 and received at least 15 international and national awards for his work. He says he picked up the girl when he realised no one was around to help her. Looking back, I feel happy that I helped her. Pictures will keep coming, he says. The story has a happy ending: The girl got to the hospital in time, was treated and is now stable.

Yasin says in a conflict zone, photographers are often faced with such a dilemma: Of whether to take pictures or keep the camera aside for some time and help the wounded. He brushes aside praise for thinking about the girl first, and not his photography.

I am not the first one to have done this. I can tell you there are so many guys on the field in Kashmir who would have done the same what I did that day, Yasin adds.

The image was captured by young Srinagar-based photojournalist Faisal Khan. Dar Yasin handed the camera to someone else, lifted he girl and began running. My first instinct was to assist him, but then I realised I should capture this moment in a picture, Khan tells Hindustan Times.

We got a cab to stop, put Khusboo and some of her friends in it and they were taken to SMHS hospital, Khan says, adding that the incident was a lesson for him on how to react in a tough situation.

Who caused the injury is still unclear: Police say the stone that hit Khusboo came from miscreants and students, locals say otherwise.

Khans picture has been widely appreciated by Kashmiris, who are hailing Yasins act as immensely humanitarian and responsible. Senior journalist Yusuf Jameel tweeted Khans picture, commenting: Proud of you colleagues. This is a commitment to embrace and embed social responsibility into our personal and professional values.

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Alibaba's Ant Financial Acquires helloPay to Boost Brand Presence in SE Asia

Alipay Payment Service (Photo : Getty Images)

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group continues with its brand expansion in Southeast Asia as Ant Financial, Alibaba's payment affiliate, acquired helloPay Group, a Singapore-based payment service, Reuters reported.



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Ant said in a statement on Wednesday, April 19, that helloPay will be rebranded as Alipay in some markets such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. HelloPay is a payment subsidiary of Lazada, which was acquired by Alibaba for $1 billion last year.



Although rebranded, helloPay service will continue to operate independently from Alipay's existing app. Alipay is China's most popular payment app, with more than 450 million users.



Ant did not provide details about the financial terms of the acquisition deal, the report said.



To boost Alipay, Ant Financial has invested in a number of payment firms in Asia, but the helloPay's acquisition is its first venture into rebranding a company under its name.



The move is also part of Ant's effort to improve brand recognition in markets where helloPay operates, according to the report.



Last week, Ant also announced a partnership with Indonesia's Elang Mahkota Teknologi (Emtek) to introduce a mobile payments service.



Earlier this year, the Alibaba affiliate also announced plans to invest in Filipino payment firm Mynt.



This week, Ant outplayed Euronet Worldwide Inc. in a bidding war for MoneyGram International Inc, valued at $1.2 billion.



Together with Ant's recent investments in Asia, MoneyGram would play an essential role in the company's goal to expand its payments infrastructure beyond China and enable Alibaba to expand its e-commerce business into other markets.



Based on figures released in the 2016 deal, Alibaba owns nearly two-thirds shares in Lazada, with an option to buy the remaining stakes from its shareholders 12 to 18 months after the deal closes.



Ant said that helloPay will begin operating under the Alipay brand starting on April 19.



HelloPay was launched by Lazada as the payment service for its e-commerce platform in 2014.


A mob of 200 people attacked a nomadic family in Jammus Reasi district on suspicions of cattle smuggling, police said on Saturday.

Reasi senior superintendent of police Tahir Sajjad Bhat told Hindustan Times two people were injured in the assault on Thursday but news agency IANS reported that five people were beaten up, including a nine-year-old girl.

Police said the nomads were crossing a stretch in Reasis Talwara with a large number of goat, sheep and cattle, when they were attacked by a group of suspected vigilantes.

Large numbers of nomadic tribes usually travel across the border state at this time of the year with a large number of animals in tow, most of them sheep and horses.

An FIR has been lodged. We have arrested persons involved in the attack on the nomad family moving with their livestock  cattle, sheep and goats on April 20 night, a senior police officer told IANS.

Television channels reported that cow vigilante groups were involved in the incident and had thrashed the nomads with iron rods but police refuted the claim. It was a clear cut case of misunderstanding and no cow vigilante group was involved in it, said the SSP. The injured were discharged from hospital on Friday.

The cow is considered holy by many Hindus and has been at the centre of a growing nationwide debate over meat consumption.

Many states, including Jammu and Kashmir, have banned cow slaughter and smuggling but in recent months, vigilante groups have mushroomed across the country that target anyone suspected of eating beef or carrying cattle for slaughter. Critics say the groups are illegal and single out Dalit and Muslim communities.

Cow protectors grabbed headlines after a Muslim dairy farmer was lynched by alleged cow protectors in Rajasthans Alwar earlier this month.

In Jammu and Kashmir too, bovine-related violence has been on the rise, especially in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region that is a BJP stronghold. In 2015, Jammus Udhampur was rocked with protests after over a petrol bomb attack on a Srinagar-bound truck, allegedly by right-wing activists who suspected cattle was being transported.

(With agency inputs)

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A 17-year-old girl, who was gang-raped at an MLA hostel in Nagpur earlier this month, tried to commit suicide on Friday evening amid mounting pressure on her to withdraw complaint against the accused.

Timely intervention by family members, however, prevented her from taking her life by hanging herself from a ceiling fan, police said on Saturday.

Maharashtra State Womens Commission member Neeta Thakre after meeting the girl said she was being pressurised to withdraw complaint against the two accused--her employer and a youth.

She did not specify who was exerting pressure on the minor girl.

According to an FIR filed over the rape, the girl was gang-raped by the two in the high-security MLA hostel between April 14 and 17.

Accused Manoj Bhagat (44) and Rajat Bhadre (19) were arrested by the police under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act . A kidnapping charge was also slapped on the duo.

Police said Bhagat had booked a room in the MLA hostel to commit the crime. It was, however, not clear how he could book the room at the hostel where accommodation is given only to legislators, MPs, government officials and accredited journalists. Others can get room there only on the recommendation of MLAs or MPs.

After the news of the rape went viral on social media on Thursday.

The news of a gang rape at MLA hostel went viral on social media on Thursday, Maharashtra minister of state for PWD Pravin Pote called for an inquiry.

State Womens Commission chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also spoke to the city police commissioner and sought details about the incident.

Commissions member Neeta Thakre even visited the Gittikhadan police station to ask cops to take necessary steps to ensure justice to the victim.

According to the city police, the survivor worked at a shop Bhagat owned in an upscale west Nagpur locality.

Bhagat convinced girls parents to let her accompany his family who were ostensibly going for a vacation in Bhopal. But instead of taking her to Bhopal, he took the girl to the MLA hostel.

He later even called Bhadre, the so-called beau of the girl, there and allowed him to exploit her.

A day after Bhagat dropped the victim to her house, Bhadre went there in an inebriated condition and asked girls parents to ask her where she had been for four days.

In the, meantime, amid the commotion the girl ran away from her home, prompting her parents to lodge a police complaint.

During questioning, Bhadre spilt the beans.

Later, the girl was rescued by the city police on her way to Agra with Bhagat.
Amit Jani, president of UP Navnirman Sena, was arrested late on Saturday night in Meerut. Police teams were on the lookout for him after the organisation displayed about 8-10 controversial hoardings in the city asking Kashmiris to leave the state.

SSP J Ravindra Gaur said that Jani was caught while he was trying to leave town. He will be presented in court on Sunday to seek remand.

A complaint accusing Jani of spreading hatred was lodged at Partapur police station on Thursday night. Soon after, Jani disappeared and a decision was taken to send out teams to locate and arrest him.

Earlier, while speaking to HT, Sena president Jani had claimed that his organisation would not tolerate attacks on army jawans by stone pelters in the militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.
Jashodaben Modi, wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, exhorted community leaders to come forward and impart education to girls to facilitate a holistic development of the society.

Jasodhaben, who made a brief stopover here on way to Begusarai in north Bihar, was interacting with members of Bihar Rajya Tailik-Sahu Sabha here. The Sabha had organised a programme to felicitate her on her arrival from Gujarat.

In a short speech, tinged with a typical Gujarati accent, Jashodaben, who was on her maiden visit to Bihar, said she wished girls from the community (Teli-Sahu) came forward and did their bit for development of the society. She also hailed Bihar and its people.

She also called upon the people to follow the ideals of Bhama Shah, a 16th century general, minister and a close aide of the then Mewar ruler Maharana Pratap. She was on her way to attend a birth anniversary function of Bhama Shah.

Jashodabens brother, Praveen Chandra Modi alias Ashok Modi, who is accompanying her on the Bihar visit, described his sister as an embodiment of sacrifice and austerity. He said,PM Modi is serving the nation and the people are with him.

Earlier, a host of leaders of the Sabha welcomed Jashodaben on her arrival and offered her bouquets of flowers and shawls to felicitate her.

Vice presidents of the sabha, Sunil Kumar and Dharmendra Sahu, said she would inaugurate a state-level programme to mark the birth anniversary of Bhama Shah at Begusarai and unveil his statue there. On her way back, she would attend a programme of the Sabha in Patna on April 24.

A couple of days ago, Jashodaben had visited temples at Mathura in UP and offered her prayers there. Last week, she was in Telangana to inaugurate a statue of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and offered prayers at a local Naag temple there.

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Two Muslim leaders, party to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit case, accused the district administration of having allowed a sadhu with a trident to enter the disputed shrine in violation of Supreme Court directions.

However, the district administration said the sadhu was only carrying a replica of a trishul (trident) and such religious symbols were allowed.

Senior VHP leader Ram Vilas Vedanti, a former BJP MP, along with a Hindu cleric - Abhay Chaitnya, who was carrying a trishul, was allowed to enter the makeshift shrine on Saturday afternoon, the Muslim leaders alleged.

A Supreme Court bench has in an order banned symbolic religious activities at the disputed site, so the Faizabad administration that had allowed a person with his religious symbol, and the symbol is a weapon, the Supreme Courts order has been violated, said Khaliq Ahmad Khan a party to the case said.

He said as per the court order only one priest was allowed to offer worship to the deity.

Haji Mahboob, another person who is a party to the case, alleged that the district administration by allowing a Sadhu armed with trishul inside the disputed premises had breached security norms.

He said even pens, paper, belts, wallets, bags, watches etc were not allowed.

Mahboob said he had spoken to Faizabad District Magistrate about the issue and would make a formal complaint on Sunday.

However, district officials said that religious symbols were allowed.

Yes, we allowed the sadhu with trishul to enter the premises because the trident was his religious symbol and such kind of religious symbols are allowed, Anil Kumar ADM (Law and Order), Faizabad said.

Faizabad Divisional Commissioner SP Mishra said, It was not a trishul but a small replica.
A group of Tamil Nadu farmers on Saturday stopped just short of drinking urine as part of an ongoing agitation at Delhis Jantar Mantar to demand drought relief funds and waiver of agricultural loans from the central government.

Although the agitators had vowed to drink urine and eat faeces over the weekend if their demands were not met, they reconsidered their stomach-churning strategy after the Delhi Police intervened. Instead, the farmers decided to collect the urine in a bucket and send it back to Tamil Nadu.

We may not be allowed to drink urine, but its within our rights to collect it in a bucket. As we got neither water nor justice in Delhi, we will take our urine back home. We have no water there, said P Ayyakkannu, state president of the National South Indian Rivers Linking Farmers Association, who is leading the protest.

However, a couple of farmers had sneaked in a few sips before the police could intervene. They can arrest us if they want, but we will continue agitating, said one of the protesters.

The farmers said the future course of their agitation largely hinges on the outcome of a meeting with Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palanisamy on Sunday morning.

On Wednesday, the farmers had agreed to wait patiently for two days, to give the government and ministers some time to get the affairs in order. The decision had come after the farmers met Pon Radhakrishnan, minister of state for road transport and highways, who is the only elected BJP MP from Tamil Nadu.

The minister had allegedly assured the farmers that he would talk to finance minister about their plight and try to come up with a solution by May 15. According to the farmers who met the minister, Radhakrishnan had said that he will try to get all loan collections and payments postponed for a year. He had also assured the farmers that any attempt to seize property, will also be suspended during this time. Ayyakkannu said that the minister had assured them of help in getting new loans, but was non-committal on the other demands, like the interlinking of rivers and setting up of a Cauvery Management Board.

However, protesting farmers at Jantar Mantar claimed they were being forced by the central government to resort to such measures. I know it is humiliating to eat and drink our own waste. But, should the government not be ashamed of forcing us farmers to use such desperate measures? If only Modi would meet with us and hear us out, said 65-year-old Palanichamy, who has been protesting at the site since day one.

The farmers have been demanding intervention by Centre to write off their loans from nationalised banks, a revised drought relief package and resolve the alleged drying up of the Tamil Nadu leg of the Kaveri river. The state government and the Madras High Court have already waived their loans from co-operative banks.
This nondescript village is among one of the numerous villages which is on the verge of becoming a ghost village owing to lack of basic facilities and job options.

The village, which has a population of nearly 100 people, hit the headlines earlier this week after a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Mahesh Negi in a letter to chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat claimed that 17-year-old Sarita Bisht of this village had died due to starvation.

For the last four days the village has been witness to movement of officials and politicians promising every possible help to the family of the girl.

The district administration and the government have denied that the girl died due to starvation and held responsible a mysterious neuro problem.

Read: BJP MLA reports Uttarakhands first starvation death, govt begins fire fight

Amid claims and counter claims, this correspondent took a day-long journey to know the truth. It is a 10-km treacherous trek into the mountains through rocky terrain, where one has to cross seven-eight rivers and streams and negotiate upwards before entering into the village.

A penchant smell comes from a muddy house that belongs to the Bisht family. Barring mother Janaki and youngest 13-year-old girl Neetu, the remaining three members are also suffering from a neuro disorder - Friedrichs Ataxia.

Janakis two sons Diwan Singh and Har Singh and brother-in-law Arjun are now suffering from this disease which proves to be fatal in the long run and does not have a cure.

All the members of the family are suffering from Friedrichs Ataxia except for the mother, Janaki. (HT Photo)

Janakis sons present a pathetic picture due to the stench from their clothes on account of not bathing. Their body is covered by flies due to the faeces and dirt that sometimes clings to their clothes as they sometimes tend to defecate on the spot where they sit as body movement is difficult.

You can keep giving them (boys) food and they will keep eating Janaki says with sadness in her eyes.

The mother cooks food in the morning for the family and feeds the boys. After that she has to go out to work in the fields, tend to the cows and work as a labourer under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), due to which the children are left alone and no one cares for them.

On being asked whether her daughter Sarita died of starvation on April 15, Janki does not give a definite answer.

We had grains at home, but I am the only person responsible for the care of the family and cannot cook all the time. Sarita had been completely bedridden for the past two months and could not move an inch and was defecating on the bed. I had no way to care for them all the time as I have to go to the fields and work for livehlihood, she said.

Saritas grandfather Lal Singh died last year. Lal Singhs daughter also died due to the same disease three months ago. Though Lal Singh did not show any symptoms of the disease, his son Khushal Singh who is Saritas father is also suspected to have died from the same disease last year.

Recently, Janki Devis brother-in-law Arjun who used to work as a truck driver in Delhi started showing the same symptoms and returned to the village.

The Disease: Frieidreichs Ataxia

Deputy chief medical officer Almora district Yogesh Purohit visited the family to assess the condition of the boys of the Bisht family. He said the mysterious gluttony and neuro muscular disorder was diagnosed as Neuro Motor Impairment or Frieidreichs Ataxia by the specialists at the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT), Dehradun in 2014.

Frieidreichs Ataxia The disease is named after German physician Nikolaus Friedreich who identified it in the 1860s. A hereditary disease, it causes progressive damage to the nervous system. It is characterised by stumbling, change in gait, falling, slurring of speech and inability to move and fatigue. It also leads to thinning of the spinal cord and partial loss of the myelin sheath that transmits nerve impulses. Around 20% of patients develop glucose intolerance or diabetes leading to immense hunger. The incidence of this disease in the United States is 1 in 50,000 persons, but the number of those suffering in India is not known.

According to the doctor, the boys were examined under the National Child Health Programme in their village in 2014 and then sent to the Almora government hospital.

They were also sent to the HIHT in March, May and August, 2014 where a panel of specialists declared that they were suffering from Neuro Motor Impairment or Friedreichs Ataxia.

The disease was brought to light by German Physician Nikolaus Friedreich in 1860s and has been named after him.

The disease is charecterised by stumbling, change in gait, falling, slurring of speech and inability to move with fatigue.

It leads to thinning of the spinal cord and partial loss of the Myline sheath that transmits nerve impulses.

Around 20%of the patients develop glucose intolerance or diabetes leading to immense hunger.

What Next?

The economic status of the Bisht family is abysmal. Janki Devis father-in-law Lal Singh Bisht was a former soldier who used to get pension from the Indian army, which has not been stopped after his death.

She receives Rs 1,000 per month as widow pension.

After Saritas death, the district administration approved Rs 1,000 per month handicapped pension for the eldest son and Rs 500 handicapped allowance for the younger son who is a minor.

The total pension amount for the family would increase to Rs 3,000 per month after two years when the younger son turns 18.

The boys uncle, Arjun Singh, will also be given handicapped pension of Rs 1,000 per month.
A tiger which was partially paralysed after being shot by poachers in Betul earlier this month, died during treatment at Van Vihar national park centre here on Saturday.

This is the second tiger death in the state in last two days and eighth this year.

Sanjeev Jha, divisional forest officer (DFO) Betul told HT that all the five poachers accused of shooting the tiger have been arrested. He said three Korku tribals were arrested from Kumhartek area in Betul on April 14 with the joint efforts of forest officials, officials of forest departments Special Task Force (STF) and police.

The remaining two were arrested on Friday from Maharashtra. After questioning them, we have recovered the weapon from the place where they had hidden it, he said.

The poachers allegedly used a muzzle loading gun to shoot the big cat.

On April 7, the three-year tiger was found injured and immobile in Betuls Rathipur area. After local villagers informed forest officials, the tiger was rescued by a team from Satpura Tiger Reserve and shifted to Bhopals Van Vihar National Park which has a well-equipped wildlife rescue centre.

An x-ray revealed a round bullet in its abdomen, which was taken out after a surgery. The gunshot injuries had partially paralysed the tigers hind legs. Despite the best efforts of the veterinary doctors at Van Vihar, the tiger did not respond to treatment.

Read more: Paralysed tiger battling for life in Bhopal

A senior official in the STF told HT that vintage and locally made muzzle loading guns are mainly found in South Madhya Pradesh, North Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, especially among the Korku and Gond tribals. This clue helped us a lot in nabbing the suspects and then arresting them, he said, In muzzle loading guns, different sizes of round pellets are used to kill different kind of wild animals. Bigger the animal, bigger the size of the pellet used, he said

This is the second tiger death in MP in last two days. On Friday, a year-old tiger was found dead in Kanha-Pench corridor in Balaghat districts Katangi forest area. Ashok Kumar, divisional forest officer Balaghat said the carcass was found at a watering hole in Katangi area in the Kanha Pench corridor.

The tiger was perhaps ailing for sometime as it had lot of round worms in its belly. I think the mother abandoned the weakened tiger and it finally died of starvation and ailments. But exact reason will be clear after the post mortem, he said.

Since January 2016, MP has lost 38 tigers. Last year the state recorded nearly one-third of the tiger deaths in the country, the highest for any state. Of 97 tiger deaths reported in the country in 2016, the highest since 2001, 30 were reported from MP.

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Job opportunities abroad plummeted in 2016, recruitment and remittances data show, projecting an employment crisis brought on by upheaval in the oil economies of Gulf countries and rising protectionism in the West.

The year saw a 33% fall in Indians getting jobs in the six Gulf countries  the destination for 90% of Indians emigrating for blue-collar jobs.

It also saw the rise of political and economic conservatism, with nations such as the United States and Australia deciding to put up protectionist curbs in skilled sectors such as software.

The crisis in Gulf is something that affects us in more ways than one. The workers here send most of their earnings back home, said a diplomat from a Gulf country, pointing to an effect reflected in private remittances to India.

The World Bank said on Friday that India saw an 8.9% drop in money sent back by its citizens from other countries in 2016, a sharp decline compared to the 1% dip in the previous year.

India saw $69.6 billion in remittance from 2014, which dipped to $68.9bn in 2015 before falling to $62.7bn last year. The back-to-back decline is a first in three decades, the World Bank report said.

VANISHING JOBS Gulf: 33% dip in jobs for Indians compared to last year, 50% drop in Saudi alone. US: 86% of H-1B visas issued for workers in computer space go to Indians; figure might be scaled down to 60% or less, says Assocham UK: 60% of skilled foreign worker visas are held by Indians who are facing problems after salary thresholds for different visas were raised. Under new rules, a provision under which Indian tech firms take their workers to UK will be discontinued. Australia : 457 category visa, meant for foreign skilled workers up to 4 years, has been abolished. Indians constitute almost 30% of these visa holders. Singapore: 25 employees or more necessitate that the employer must advertise a vacancy for 2 weeks before seeking an employment pass for an international worker. Indian firms are finding it tough to hire Indians because of the hire-local policy.

I lost two jobs in past two years in Saudi and then I headed home and waiting for dues to be settled, said Satheesh Kurup from Kerala.

In 2016, 165,356 people found jobs in Saudi Arabia, almost half of the 306,642 people who got employment in 2015.

With oil prices hitting below $40 per barrel this was bound to happen. But we doing our best to ensure anyone who lost his or her job is assisted, the diplomat posted in a Gulf country said. He requested to not be identified for this story since he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

Closed doors in West

In addition to the problems in the Gulf, the rising anti-globalisation sentiment in the West is seen dealing a one-two punch to foreign job prospects.

Companies in United States have been seen paring back plans to hire Indians through the H1-B visa scheme after the election of Donald Trump who rode on, among others, a promise to protect the employment opportunities for Americans.

On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order to overhaul the H-1B program. One of the bills calls for a minimum wage of $130,000 against the current $60,000 for those being brought in on the visa category.

The higher ceiling will close the wage benefit the H1-B programme gave to US firms when they hired Indian workers, who typically draw significantly lower salaries than American workers at comparable levels.

According to industry body ASSOCHAM, nearly 86% of H-1B visas issued for workers in the technology sector goes to Indians and this figure could be scaled down to about 60% or less.

Currently there are four Bills in the US Congress about curbs on H-1B visas. We are engaged (in a dialogue) with the US at very high level regarding this... We are making all efforts (through diplomatic channels) to ensure these Bills are not passed, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said in the Rajya Sabha in March.

Australia too tightened its visa rules for foreign workers, abolishing a scheme primarily used by Indians.

While the Indian government is engaging their counterparts in most countries that have tightened work visa rules, prospect seems bleak.

The government should always look at ways to promote legal immigration. If one destination is hit, there will be others, and they need to be explored and found out and proper legal mechanism for immigration should be arrived at with the host country, said S Irudayarajan of Central for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram and a former consultant for the government on immigration.

In addition to the policies of the destination countries, some Indian rules too have contributed to jobs abroad becoming difficult.

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PATNA Two traders, including a BJP activist , were killed and two others were injured in separate incidents in Bihar between late Friday and Saturday afternoon, causing the leadership of the BJP, the principal opposition party, to described the situation as symptomatic of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

BJP activist and medicine trader Dinesh Sharma was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne assailants at Pachpatra village in Saran district of north Bihar, late night on Friday.

The incident took place when Sharma, a resident of Sheikhpura, was returning home from Revealganj Bazaar, after closing his shop. He was the seventh BJP activist to be killed in the last five months in Saran district, police said.

The BJP was quick to term the incident as the return of jungle raj in state, an allusion to the rule of RJDs Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi (1990-2005), when the law and order situation in Bihar had come into question. Is there any public order in the state? asked BJP MP from Maharajganj Janardan Singh Sigriwal.

In another incident, unidentified miscreants gunned down a dairy farm owner Subhash Yadav near Jirayan river (Gobindpur) falling under Bind police station of Nalanda district in south central Bihar.

Police said that this incident too took place late night on Friday night, when Yadav was returning home. The criminals intercepted him and pumped six bullets into his body from close range. He died on the spot. The cause of his murder is yet to be ascertained, said Nalanda SP Kumar Ashish.

A case had been registered against unidentified persons, he said.

A third incident took place in Siwan district of north Bihar, on Saturday. Armed miscreants opened fire on a cement trader Rabindra Rai at Srinagar locality under Muffasil police station of the district, injuring him and a truck driver who was passing by.

Rai was referred to Gorakhpur hospital while the truck driver was shifted to the Patna Medical college and Hospital. The police have taken some people into custody in connection with the firing, which was blamed on old enmity. Police force has been deployed in sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident, said Siwan SP Saurabh Sah.

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Cosmetics Store in Hong Kong (Photo : Getty Images)

Several companies selling imported cosmetics and skincare products, especially foreign brands, are confused about the Chinese government's requirements to have their products tested on animals.



According to a CNBC report, China requires cosmetics companies to submit their products to be tested in government labs before they can be approved for sale to Chinese consumers.



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According to Euromonitor, the companies are faced with either submitting their products to the testing or losing access to China's cosmetics market, which was worth $29 billion last year.



The report said that the regulation covers all firms, including major foreign brands such as Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Shiseido and Procter & Gamble.



Although most of these companies have not commented on the regulation, some companies stated online that they do not conduct animal testing and said that exceptions can be made.



Estee Lauder said in a statement on its website that it "does not test on animals and we never ask others to do so on our behalf. If a regulatory body demands it for its safety or regulatory assessment, an exception can be made."



Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that based on their 2013 study, it is estimated that about 300,000 animals were used by companies testing products as a result of China's mandatory regulations. She said that one of the tests resulted in the death of an animal.



Experts said that China is not familiar with alternative ways to test the safety of beauty products such as using 3-D tissue models.



"They're just completely behind the curve in learning about the new science," Erin Hill, president of U.S.-based Institute of In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), said.



Hill is now helping the Chinese government by training scientists in new methods. IIVS has also partnered with some companies, including foreign brands in China, on how to use non-animal testing procedures.



But last year, the government accepted the data collected using non-animal test method called the 3T3 phototoxicity assay, a procedure that determines the safety of a chemical after it has been exposed to light. The government has not declared if the test is now in use.



However, animal testing requirements can now be waived in some provinces where products like soap and lotion are locally manufactured.



L'Oreal said on its website that it has taken advantage of this non-animal testing method on their shampoo and body wash.



Because animal testing has been banned in some countries such as Australia, India, Israel and those in Europe, China is being pressured to adopt the methods. The U.S. has long ceased from using the method in its standard practice.



In addition, Chinese firms selling beauty products, especially in countries that do not allow animal testing, may have to submit their products to non-animal methods to ensure their safety.


Uttar Pradesh police tightened security in all districts on Saturday following intelligence inputs that anti-national elements dressed like Hindu saints were planning to carry out spectacular attacks at prominent religious sites and public places in the state.

The inputs said the 17-18 men had been trained by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence in Hindu religious practices, and might try to blend into the local populace before carrying out strikes.

A group of 17-18 anti-national elements, trained in Hindu rituals, is planning a spectacular incident at prominent religious sites and other sensitive spots in the guise of sadhus, the letter issued by UP police read.

The alert comes roughly a month after Hindu hardline leader Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of the state, and two days after UPs anti-terrorist squad busted a suspected terror module along with sleuths from five other states.

New UP director general of police, Sulkhan Singh, who took over on Saturday, said he wont be able to comment immediately on a specific issue. But, I can assure you that we are capable of neutralising any threat, Singh told HT.

A senior official said police tightened security in crowded places as well as important pilgrimages such as Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi. Besides, he said, additional security personnel were deployed at Taj Mahal in Agra, the high court in Allahabad and its Lucknow bench, the assembly and secretariat buildings and other important government offices in Lucknow.

Later in the evening, the state ATS IG Aseem Arun told ANI that the hype is unnecessary and that the security agencies are always on alert.

The MP police letter referred to a 2016 incident in which eight suspected members of the banned Students Islamic Movement if India (Simi) had also assumed the guise of Hindus to escape attention. The men were killed after escaping from a jail in Madhya Pradesh last year.

The document also cited the example of Gaus Mohammad, a suspected terrorist who was found living under a Hindu name, Karan Khatri, in Lucknow in March. In February, intelligence agencies in the state were tipped off about four dozen terrorists sneaking into UP through the porous border with Nepal, read the letter.

Some of these people, intelligence agencies believe, were specially trained by the ISI to fox security forces attention by their saffron clothes and knowledge of Hindu scriptures and practices.

In the past as well, we have information about ISIs Operation Krishna India in which the agency would send its agents in the guise of Hindus saints, the letter added.

Meanwhile, a Lucknow court allowed eight-day police remand of the two suspected terrorists Ahtesham-ul-Haq and Mohammad Faizan to UPs anti terrorist squad (ATS) .
New Uttar Pradesh police chief Sulkhan Singh on Saturday vowed to take action against anyone indulging in vigilantism in the name of gau raksha and said he has the backing of chief minister Yogi Adityanath to crack down on lawbreakers.

Singh took charge as the director general of police (DGP) on Saturday, a day after the Adityanath government transferred former police chief Javeed Ahmed and posted him as director general of the Provincial Armed Constabulary.

Singhs appointment came in the backdrop of mounting criticism of the forces alleged moral policing in the name of cracking down on people accused of stalking women. There were also allegations of police laxity in tackling growing incidence of vigilantism by self-styled cow protectors.

Action will be taken on anyone indulging in vigilantism in the name of gau raksha or anything else, no one has the right to intervene, Singh, a 1980 batch IPS officer, told reporters.

The police will get a free hand in controlling crime and maintaining law and order with firmness and tact.

Singh said his priority would be ensuring unbiased policing.

Those indulging in gundagardi and criminal activities will be dealt without mercy. Even VIPs will not be spared, said Singh.

Singh said he has Adityanaths instructions to act against all those who disobey law, whosoever they might be, apparently a reference to criticism that police were going slow on members of the ruling BJP and affiliated groups, who are accused of harassing couples they accuse of indecent behaviour.

Yogi Adityanath had formed the so-called anti-Romeo squads to tackle growing crime against women.

The personnel on duty for anti-Romeo squads will act and take action only on people with objectionable behavior, he said.

Singh said he will try to ensure that police isnt overburdened but added that corrupt cops will face the music.

Singh is likely to have a brief stint as the state police head as he is set to retire in September.

Before the recent assembly polls, the BJP had petitioned the Election Commission to remove Javeed Ahmed, alleging that he was working at the behest of the then Samajwadi Party government.

With agency inputs

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In what could be a setback for the West Bengal government, Nitin Gadkari, the union minister of road transport and highways on Friday announced to take back a portion of National Highway 10 being maintained by the state public works department. The 100-km road connecting West Bengal and Sikkim has strategic and military importance and is the lifeline for Sikkim.

The responsibility for this 52-km stretch that is being taken back was handed over to the state PWD only in June 2016.

Read: Gadkari wants more powers to NHAI, unhappy with project progress

Its maintenance will now be handed over to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

Sikkim that has no rail connections is critically dependent on this road that connects it with West Bengal. It is considered the lifeline of the state. (HT Photo)

The 52-km stretch of the NH 10 (formally known as NH 31A) is loctaed in West Bengals Darjeeling district and extends from the Coronation Bridge to Rangpo along West Bengal-Sikkim border. It was handed over to the state PWD only on June 7 2016 by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Till then the BRO had been maintaining it for last 47 years.

Gadkari, who is touring Sikkim since Thursday told the media on Friday that he was unhappy with the West Bengal PWDs role in maintaining this road that is of strategic importance.

I have ordered the takeover and we will sign the documents after going back to Delhi, Gadkari said. There are problems in the state PWD in maintaining national highway connecting Sikkim, he said.

NHIDCL is fully owned by the union ministry of road transport & highways. The company promotes, surveys, establishes, designs, builds, operates, maintains and upgrades national highways and strategic roads including interconnecting roads in parts of the country which share international boundaries with neighbouring countries.

The road needs regular maintenance as landslides are common in this area, especially in the rainy season. (HT Photo)

Sikkim which has no rail connectivity shares its boundary with China, Nepal and Bhutan.

The 44-km-long stretch of NH10 that is inside Sikkim is still maintained by the BRO, though an agreement has already been reached to hand over that portion too to the NHIDCL.

Read: Bihar govt slams NHAI for poor condition of NH roads

The NH 10 is the lifeline of Sikkim. It remains closed for some days during monsoon due to landslides.

Reacting to the decision to take back the maintenance of the stretch, Ajay Singh the executive engineer of West Bengal State PWD division 9 said, I am not aware about the development.

Aroop Biswas, the West Bengal PWD minister, was busy in a meeting.

The decision to hand over the maintenance of the 52-km-long stretch to the West Bengal government was taken by the Centre on April 9, 2015.

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A delegation of bishops from Catholic churches of Uttar Pradesh met chief minister Yogi Adityanath here on Friday and requested him to ensure safety of their places of worship.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of a recent incident in which right-wing Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) activists brought a prayer service at a church in Dathauli area of Maharajganj district to a halt, alleging that the pastor was converting Hindus to Christianity.

The HYV, set up by CM Yogi Adityanath in 2002, had also filed a complaint against the pastor Yohannan Adam.

We requested the chief minister to ensure the safety and security of our places of worship, and the freedom to worship without fear, said Fr Gerald John Mathias, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, after the meeting.

Bishop Fr Mathias said that certain issues related to schools and local administration were also taken up during the meeting, which lasted for about 15 minutes.

Our meeting with the CM was a courtesy call. It was a cordial meeting. We offered our hearty congratulations and best wishes on his elevation to the position of the chief minister of UP, and assured him of our prayers for the success of his service as the CM of the biggest state of the country, he said.

Fr Mathias claimed that the chief minister asked them to continue their services to the poor and the needy in various fields, including education, and practice their faith without fear.

The CM assured us of strict action against those who take law into their own hands, he said.

Right wing organisations have been at loggerheads with Christian missionaries, accusing them of converting people to their faith through coercion and allurement. Several Hindu groups have conducted ghar wapsi (return to Hinduism) of such people.

Earlier this year, HYV activists had attacked the Full Gospel Church in Gorakhpur, accusing its priests of religious conversion.

The delegation also included Archbishop Albert DSouza of Agra, Bishop Thomas T of Gorakhpur, Bishop John Vadakel of Bijnor, Bishop Raphy Manjaly of Allahabad, Bishop Ignatius DSouza of Bareilly and Bishop Eugene Joseph of Varanasi.
The Hindu Yuva Vahini wants Azamgarh in eastern Uttar Pradesh renamed as Aryamgarh.

A poster put up at the venue of a Hindu Yuva Vahini state office bearers meet in Azamgarh earlier this month referred to the district as Aryamgarh.

The HYV is a right-wing outfit floated by Yogi Adityanath, the UP chief minister, in 2002.

Hindu Yuva Vahini state coordinator Rakesh Rai, Varanasi division coordinator Ambarish Singh Bhola and office bearers from other regions attended the meeting in Azamgarh on April 16.

For us, Azamgarh is Aryamgarh. Even Maharajji (Yogi Adityanath) called Azamgarh Aryamgarh in his many public speeches in the past, a HYV memeber said.

Rakesh Rai told HT on the phone, Azamgarh is the land of sage Durvasa. His hermitage was based near the confluence of the Tamsa and the Majhuee rivers in Phulpur area. Many of his contemporary sages used to meditate in pockets along the rivers. Therefore, we want it (the district) to be renamed as Aryamgarh. The HYV had been raising the demand for a decade, said Rai, who has been given additional charge of executive president of the organisation. Rai said Aryamgarh became Azamgarh a few centuries ago. It should get back its original name, he demanded.

Supporting this view, Ambarish Singh Bhola said: For us, Azamgarh is Aryamgarh. Even Maharajji (Yogi Adityanath) called Azamgarh Aryamgarh in his many public speeches in the past. Our office bearers, workers and volunteers all write Aryamgarh, not Azamgarh.

Asked if the outfit had plans to raise their demand before the CM, Bhola said he was aware of the demand. On their part, HYV members have started referring to Azamgarh as Aryamgarh.

History says the town was founded by Nawab Azam in 1665 and was named after him.

Bhola said that HYV office bearers meet discussed the strategy to strengthen the organisation and carry its agenda forward across the state.

We formed a plan to keep opportunists away from the outfit. The HYV has also plans to keep a vigil on the people who are no way connected with it but are using its name for their vested interests, Bhola said.

Complaints will be registered against such elements as soon as they are traced, he said.

Azamgarh is also the parliamentary constituency of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Read more:

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Of the 1,074 trees that will be cut to make way for the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ metro project , 136 have already been cut so far.

But, not a single tree has been transplanted or replaced.

The Maharashtra (Urban Areas) and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, says three new saplings must be planted within 30 days of a tree being cut, or the tree can be transplanted in another spot.

Activists, however, have pointed out that neither one has been done by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) anywhere in the city. The details came to light after they were shared by MMRC, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query by the Mumbai-based NGO, Watchdog Foundation.

HT reported last month the civic bodys tree authority allowed MMRC to cut 1,074 trees and transplant 1,727 trees  a total of 2,811 trees will be affected  for the construction of 27 stations for the project.

While the cutting of trees was stopped on February 9 after the Bombay high court imposed an interim stay, acting on two PILs filed by residents, MMRCs RTI response showed that its plan to replace the trees and what it may actually do are quite different.

In its RTI response, MMRC revealed the four locations and the exact area  8.6 hectare (ha) at Aarey Colony, 8 ha in Mandala, Mankhurd, 8 ha in Wadala and on an open land next to the World Trade Centre building in Cuffe Parade.

However, Zoru Bathena, one of the petitioners in the Bombay HC matter said MMRC officials told him transplantations will only be done at Aarey Colony, Goregaon.

After we told MMRC that except Aarey, the other locations did not have any space for transplanted trees, senior officers told us it would take place only at Aarey along with new plantations, he said.

As a responsible corporation that claims they have a responsibility towards the environment, MMRCs actions on the ground prove otherwise. An international consultant has been appointed at a huge cost (Rs 1 crore) for tree plantation and transplantation purposes. This is being spent from the tax payers money, but it seems the services are not utilised at all, said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation.

Despite repeated attempts to reach MMRC officials, they remained unavailable for a comment.

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The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will hand over a part of its plot at Dahisar for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to build a car depot for the proposed Metro -7 corridor (Andheri East to Dahisar East).

According to an official, the AAI and MMRDA will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on April 24 to formalise the handing over of 40 acres near the toll naka at Dahisar to MMRDA.

The plot houses a high-frequency receiving station of AAI. According to a source, the station is a crucial base that ensures uninterrupted communications for the smooth movement of aircraft.

AAI had agreed to shift its operations and give MMRDA the plot. Now we are formalising it and are going to sign an MoU on the April 24. It is a big step in the project, said Pravin Darade, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

Darade said that in exchange for the 40 acres, MMRDA has given them land at Gorai to set up a receiving station. Once they shift their station, they will vacate the plot in Dahisar, he added.

Locating and securing a plot to construct a car depot for the citys Metro rail projects has been a challenge.

Metro corridors, including the operational Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor, the proposed Metro-II (first planned as Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd) and Metro-III (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ), all had problems in securing land for car depots. A senior MMRDA official said, The car depot is the nerve centre for any metro project. Even if you build an entire corridor and get the best bogies, unless a depot is finalised and constructed, operations cannot commence.

The construction of the 16.5-km corridor is progressing rapidly and has moved into the second stage.

The MMRDA will soon float bids for the procurement of bogies for the corridor. Metro-7 is expected to cost Rs6,208 crore.

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Egyptian Eman Ahmed, 36, who was once considered the heaviest woman in the world, weighing more than 500 kg, surprised doctors by losing 250 kg in just two months.

Eman has done miraculously well. We didnt expect such results. We had estimated that it would take her six months to lose 200 kg, said Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, surgeon at Saifee Hospital.

Photographs shot on April 18, show 242-kg Eman Ahmed sitting in a wheelchair for a long period of time, something that was impossible for her three months ago, say doctors.

Emans weight loss has dramatically improved her health. Her heart, kidneys and lungs are functioning better and her water retention levels are also under control, he added.

Most of Emans obesity-related problems such as severe hypothyroidism, lymphoedema, right-sided heart failure, severe obstructive respiratory disease, renal failure and congestive liver problems are under control, although she is still on medication for those

This case had a 99-percent risk rate. We took it up as a humanitarian cause as we could not bear to see Eman so helpless. Now, we have given her a chance to live, he added.

We will weigh her in three to four weeks and are hoping her weight will drop below the 200-kg mark. She is a fighter, he said.
At least 16,000 affordable homes may come up in central Mumbai, as the redevelopment of the Bombay Development Department (BDD) chawls began after decades of delay on Saturday.

One of Indias biggest urban renewal schemes, the revamp will cost Rs 16,000 crore and is spread across a staggering 92.86 acres across central Mumbai. The project was inaugurated at a ceremony by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The BDD chawls were regarded a goldmine by the erstwhile government, hence they did not take any decision regarding its redevelopment, Fadnavis said, blaming the 21-year delay on vested interests, while highlighting how his own government tweaked the rules to ensure the existing residents get the maximum benefits. There are vested interests whose only aim was to hand over this land to private builders. However, I did not allow that to happen and changed rules, like according it a special project status so the maximum benefits are passed on to the residents, Fadnavis said.

We will use 68 % of the existing land to rehabilitate the existing residents, and the remaining 32 % will be sale apartments that will fund this project. The existing residents living in 160 square feet houses will now get 500 square feet ones, the CM said.

The state government has appointed the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) as the nodal agency  a decision many resident associations had opposed.

In the first phase, chawls in Naigaon and Lower Parel will be revamped by firms such as Larsen & Toubro and Shapoorji Pallonji respectively. Work on both began on Saturday.

There was some opposition to the the project, but the police detained those protesting until the function was over.

The BDD chawls were constructed by the British between 1920 and 1925. Nearly a century later, these chawls are highly dilapidated, with leaks and falling slabs. The Public Works Department (PWD), which owns them have not been successful in maintaining them, as the residents pay just Rs100 as rent every month.

The state expects to generate at least 16,000 affordable houses through this revamp which would be sold through a computerised lottery system.

Experts called the revamp a step in the right direction. Considering the scale, this is a very challenging project and hopefully will create a some sort of precedent for future redevelopment schemes.

This will also create a huge stock of affordable houses in the heart of the city, said Shubhankar Mitra, head, strategic consultant (West), Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) India, a real estate consultancy firm.

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Ruling that no breach of noise pollution norms in the city will be tolerated, no matter what the occasion, the Bombay high court on Friday issued show-cause notices of contempt against the senior police inspector of the Mahim police station, and assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Mahim division, for using loudspeakers inside the police station compound during the Mahim Dargah Urus (Mahim Fair) in December.

Justice Abhay S Oka and justice AK Menon observed that the Mahim polices conduct was a gross breach of the high courts judgments and orders and that it was a fit case for taking action against the police officers who should have been the implementing authority for noise norms.

The bench directed the state to inform the court of the action it proposes to take against these officers over the violations. The court also dismissed the polices argument that it had a valid license for the use of the loudspeakers saying that the permission that was granted to the police was not for use of loudspeakers within the police station compound, but only to allow the procession to be taken through a particular route.

HT was the first to report the incident on December 13 last year that the inaugural procession at the Mahim Fair was as loud as 117.3 decibel (dB) (between 2.15pm and 3pm)  which is equivalent to the sound of a rock drilling machine. Incidentally, the sandal (procession) was carried out by the Mumbai police, the enforcement authority against noise pollution violations, near Mahim police station, a Silence Zone.

The observation was made by city-based non-governmental organisation Awaaz Foundation, which followed up the matter with a contempt plea filed against the Mahim police.

It is very important that the police, as the implementation authority designated under the noise rules, are impeccable in following rules themselves, said Sumaira Abdulali, petitioner and convener, NGO Awaaz Foundation. HT reported the violation at the Mahim police station immediately after it happened, drawing attention to problems citizens face while trying to get the police to act against noise. The news report was mentioned during the first hearing of our contempt petition.

The court also junked the arguments of the government pleader that the polices decision to allow for use of the loudspeakers was justified since they had secured the permission for the use of the same between 2pm and 10pm on that day, and also the fact that it had been tradition to celebrate the ten-day long festival of Urus and organise the inaugural procession at the police station since 1923.

The court said that no tradition or authority can allow for, or validate the breach of noise pollution norms in the city. Does tradition give the right to the police to violate rules? Does it mean that since you are the police, you can violate noise norms even when the said area is demarcated as a silent zone? the bench said.

The police however, argued that the decibel metres used by Abdulali were inept at recording minimum and maximum sound limits and thus, must not be relied upon.

The court, however, dismissed the argument and noted that the police on its own part had not taken any steps to record decibel level of the noise inside the station compound, and that after Abdulalis complaint; the police had perfunctorily recorded the noise levels from only outside the police station compound.

HC has now directed the two officers to respond to the notices by June 9 this year, and the state to file its reply by May 3 this year.

Officials from the Mumbai police had told HT at the time that if legal norms were violated action would be taken against violators, irrespective of who they might be. We would not like to comment as the matter is sub judice, said Pramajit Singh Dahiya, deputy commissioner of police, zone 5.
Trump Orders Probe to Find Out If Steel Imports, Including Those from China, Threaten National Security

US Investigation on Steel Imports (Photo : Getty Images)

The U.S. government has launched an extensive investigation Wednesday, April 19, to determine if steel imports, including those from China, threaten national security, the USA Today reported.



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The probe would also give U.S. President Donald Trump legal power to prevent steel imports from any country, the report said.



U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said that steel imports in the first quarter increased by 19.6 percent, which had "a very serious impact on the domestic industry."



Ross added that Chinese steel imports account for about 26 percent of the U.S. market.



On Thursday, April 20, Trump signed a memorandum ordering Ross to speed up the investigation as he said that his administration would "fight for American workers and American-made steel, and that's beginning immediately."



According to the report, the new investigation on steel imports could have bigger results than the investigation being conducted on unfair trade practices.



"Maintaining the production of American steel is extremely important to our national security and our defense industrial base," Trump told reporters. "Steel is critical to both our economy and our military. This is not an area where we can afford to become dependent on foreign countries."



Legal basis for investigation



The report said that the legal basis for the investigation is Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which was used in 2001 by former President George W. Bush when the government conducted an investigation into iron ore and semi-finished steel imports. But the Bush administration did not take any action on the issue.



Although the law says that the Secretary of Commerce has 270 days to finish the investigation, Trump wants it done in only 50 days.



While the Trade Expansion Act is focused on protecting industries vital to national security, Trump wants the probe to focus on the impact of steel imports to American workers and the federal tax revenues.



Experts said that making national security as a basis for the probe has given Trump extensive legal powers, under both U.S. and international law.



Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said that the U.S. may have stretched the definition of the World Trade Organization's exemptions on national security-related trade restrictions.



"This is not a defense-motivated order. This is a commercially oriented order," Hufbauer said. "The Pentagon, on its own initiative, has never asked for restraints on steel."



Ross, however, said that the two issues are related. He cited, as an example, a case that if the U.S. needs to support its war effort, they would need skilled American workers to produce complex alloys to be used for forging steel armor.



Other legal moves



In addition to the Section 232 investigation, Trump has also signed several executive orders aimed at unfair trade practices such as dumping. In 152 cases, the Commerce Department has imposed penalties, while 25 more cases are pending.



Ross said that the legal remedies were not enough.



"The problem with those countervailing duty and anti-dumping cases is that they're very limited in nature, to a very, very specific product from one specific country," Ross said.



"It doesn't solve the whole problem," Ross added. "So we're groping here to see whether the facts warrant a more comprehensive solution to deal with a wide range of steel products from a wide range of countries."



Trump said that the dumping problem is a worldwide issue, and he was not worried if the action would hurt China-U.S. relations, even at a time when the U.S. needs China's help to put pressure on North Korea.


Two men allegedly assaulted, kidnapped and tried to extort money from a Rajesh Jaiswal, a 30-year-old taxi driver, whose taxi hit their bike near Maratha Mandir on Monday night. However, Jaiswal had a lucky break when his kidnappers forgot to lock the door and simply bolted it from the inside, enabling him to flee.

The accused were arrested the next day.

Jaiswal, was driving his black-and-yellow taxi when the two suddenly veered into his lane. The taxi gently struck the rear end of the bike. The two men  Lalit Ugri, 22, and Vansh Shellar, 26  got off the bike and began assaulting Jaiswal. They also demanded money from him. As Jaiswal didnt have much money on him, he called a friend for help. Ugri spoke to Jaiswals friend and asked him to bring Rs5,000, said an officer from Nagpada police station.

While Jaiswals friend was on his way, the two men took Jaiswal to an empty flat in Worli owned by Ugris aunt. Jaiswal drove Ugri there in his taxi while Shellar followed them on the bike.

At the flat, Ugri and Shellar again assaulted Jaiswal and demanded money. When he couldnt give them anything, they snatched his mobile phone, took Rs1,300 from his pocket and locked him inside a room. Meanwhile, the drivers friend searched for them near Maratha Mandir, said the police.

That night, Ugri and Shellar went to bed in the same room they had locked Jaiswal in. When they fell asleep, Jaiswal took his chance, unlatched the door and escaped in his taxi.

He went to his friends residence in Agripada and later reported the incident at Nagpada police station. After he lodged a complaint against the two, the police asked Jaiswal to call them to Worli naka on the pretext of giving them money. When they arrived, the police promptly arrested them.

1 Rajesh Jaiswal hits the rear end of the bike driven by Lalit Ugri and Vansh Shellar after they veer into his lane

Jaiswals friend had Ugris number so we asked him to call them and tell him that they were ready to give him money. They came near Worli Naka and we nabbed them, added the officer.

The police recovered Jaiswals mobile phone and money. They later found that Ugri had earlier also been arrested for bike theft.

The police booked the two men under sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 384 (punishment for extortion), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and remanded them in judicial custody.

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In Mumbai: 41-year-old loses control of car, kills passerby

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In a case that brings back memories of the Pallavi Purkayastha rape and murder case, a watchman was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to rape and murder a 50-year-old woman in a posh society in Andheris Four Bungalows area.

The arrested accused, Raja Shebu, who is in his 20s, was employed as a temporary watchman at the building in absence of regular guard. Around 5pm on Thursday, Shebu, a native of West Bengal, under the influence of alcohol, went up to the womans flat with the cable operator.

After the cable operator left, Shebu noticed that the woman was alone at home. He tried to strike a conversation with her and started touching her inappropriately. When she raised an alarm, Shebu forced himself on her and tried to rape the 50-year-old. As the woman screamed for help, he punched and slapped her.

When he could not stop her screams, he picked up a knife that was lying around and stabbed her twice in the stomach. The womans 85-year-old mother, who is a paralysis patient, was in the house and she, too, raised an alarm. Shebu tried to strangle her as well.

On hearing the mother-daughters screams, their relatives, who own the other flats on the floor, came rushing. One of the elderly men even caught Shebu, who assaulted the man and escaped.

However, the relatives chased Shebu and also alerted the police. Shebu was finally caught by a mob, which thrashed him and handed him over to the police.

The police said the woman has been admitted in the ICU of Cooper Hospital and her intestine has been injured. Senior police inspector Bharat Gaikwad of Amboli police station said, We have arrested him [Shebu] and charged him for rape, criminal trespass and attempt to murder.
A day after the security guard of a posh colony in Mumbai was held for attempting to rape and murder a 50-year-old woman, police admitted that they are yet to trace the watchman who was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2014 for the murder of Mumbai lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha, after he jumped parole last year.

A senior official of the Mumbai police crime branch told Hindustan Times on Saturday that they were still trying to trace convict Sajjad Mogul with the help of the Nashik police. However, he admitted that they neither have any leads, nor information about his whereabouts.

Mogul, who was lodged in Nashik Central Jail, may be hiding in his hometown, Jammu and Kashmir, or could have even fled the country, said police.

Sources said Mogul had applied for parole on the grounds that his mother was unwell. He was granted parole in February 2016 on the condition that he would report to a local police station in Jammu and Kashmir. However, when he did not report to the police even by the end of May, the prison department filed a case at the Nashik Road police station. The case was transferred to Jammu and Kashmir.

The day of the murder Sajjad Mogul, who worked as a watchman in Pallavi Purkayasthas building, tripped her electricity meter deliberately. She called an electrician, who Sajjad accompanied to her house. Once inside the house, he took the keys to her flat. He used these keys to enter her flat and tried to force himself on her. Pallavi put up a fight. Enraged,Sajjad stabbed her and then fled.

After jumping parole, Mogul stayed with a friend in Oshiwara in Andheri (West) and worked as a security guard in the area before fleeing the city.

Investigations revealed that he had spent four days at his native place, Uri in Baramulla district. A special team of the Nashik police were deployed to the area, but failed to trace him.

Pallavi, the daughter of a Delhi-based IAS officer, was murdered in her 16th-floor apartment in Wadalas Himalayan Heights on August 9, 2012. Her body was found by her live-in partner Avik Sengupta. Mogul was arrested the next day.

Sengupta had deposed before the court in connection with the case. However, he died of an illness on November 14, 2013.

The Mumbai crime branch filed a 434-page charge sheet against Mogul on October 30, 2012. Police said he tried to rape Pallavi, and murdered her after she rejected his advances.

Moguls bloodstained clothes, the knife used in the murder, the post-mortem report, call records of five cellular service providers, chemical analysis and the DNA report of his hair, skin and blood samples established his role in the crime.

Sessions judge Vrushali Joshi, had found Mogul guilty of the murder. She observed that the crime did not fall in the rarest of the rare category and sentenced him to life in jail.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra had the highest number of parole absconders in 2015  152 . Police, however, managed to arrest only 28 of the convicts.

After Mogul jumped parole, Maharashtras home department proposed that people in jail for crimes such rape, terrorism, kidnapping, smuggling narcotics, mutiny against the state, and those serving life terms will not be eligible for parole.
The Mumbai crime branch on Thursday busted a racket in which children were sent to Europe on fake documents and arrested three people. They work as cameramen and hair stylist in the film industry and claimed to have worked with famous producers.

They were arrested at Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport before they could board a flight to France with four children from Punjab aged between 14 and 16 years.

A crime branch team will soon visit Punjab to arrest a man who they suspect helped the trio. According to sources, he convinced parents to send their children to Europe at an early age so that they could apply for citizenship on turning 18 and he charged each family Rs2 lakh.

The gang, in total charged Rs10 lakh from each childs parents to send their kid to Europe on fake documents. These children would, after turning 18, apply for citizenship in the country they had been living in.

The arrested accused  Arif Shafi Farooque, 38, Rajesh Pawar, 47, and Fatima Farid Ahmed, 48,  worked as a cameraman, assistant cameraman and hair stylist, respectively.

We found the activities of Pawar, Ahmed and Farooque suspicious and they were with four boys. Once our informant confirmed that they were taking children to France illegally, we immediately nabbed them, said an officer from the anti-robbery and dacoity squad of the Mumbai crime branch .

Initially, they claimed the four children were their sons. But when we searched them, we recovered the visas and fake documents. During interrogation they revealed that the mastermind was Farooque, said additional commissioner of police (crime branch), KMM Prasanna.

The childrens fake documents had been prepared using the accuseds surname, said a crime branch officer. he added that the trio also confessed to have taken 15 children to Europe earlier.

After reaching France, the accused used to leave the children there and after returning to India destroy their fake documents, added an officer.
Three men were held for robbing two currency exchange firms of Rs1.5 crore at Mumbai Central on Friday. Police recovered Rs1 crore and an SUV bought with the stolen loot.

The accused  Bhagwant Singh, 23; Jaswant Singh, 26; and Gautam Lakhani, 21  are from Rajasthan, said police. Singh works at a Vile Parle-based currency exchange firm, which asked the police to register a robbery case last month after cash went missing. The other firm had also approached the police with a similar complaint.

Investigations revealed that Singh and his friends were responsible for the crimes.

Police said the accused fled from one location to another to evade arrest. They admitted to fleeing from Gujarat to Rajasthan and then Punjab, said an official.

The accused bought a car with the loot. They were on their way to Mumbai to exchange the rest of the currency. We laid a trap and arrested them, he added.

The accused were produced in court and remanded in police custody till Sunday.
The 50-year-old woman, who was allegedly attacked by a security guard in a posh colony in Mumbais Andheri area, is out of danger, police said on Saturday.

The woman was stabbed twice in her stomach by the guard in her flat in Four Bungalows area. She was taken to Cooper Hospital where she was operated upon on Thursday.

The doctors have informed us that she is out of danger. But she will be kept there till she recovers completely, a woman police officer, who is investigating the case, said.

After a medical test was conducted on the women, doctors suggested prima facie it looked like there was an attempt to rape her but added that the final report is awaited.

Raja Shebu, who is in his 20s and was employed as a temporary watchman at the building in absence of the regular guard, went to the womans flat with a cable operator around 5pm on Thursday. After the operator left, he demanded the woman to give him her phone number and started touching her inappropriately.

As the woman pushed him away and screamed, he slapped and punched her and even tore her clothes. She, however, continued to scream after which he picked up a knife and stabbed her twice in her stomach. The womans 85-year-old mother, who is a paralysis patient, was in the house at the time of the attack. She, too, raised an alarm and Shebu tried to strangle her as well.

Their relatives, who own the other flats on the floor, came rushing on hearing their screams. One of the elderly relatives even caught Shebu but he assaulted the man and escaped. They then chased the guard and also alerted the police. Shebu was finally caught by a mob that thrashed him and handed him over to the police.

Police said they recovered the blood-stained kitchen knife that was used by Shebu to stab the woman. They have also collected the blood-soaked clothes of Shebu and as well as that of the woman. His mobile phone has been seized as well. They will be sent to Kalina Forensic Laboratory to glean evidence, they added.

Shebu was also taken for a medical test.

Police are also trying to find close circuit television cameras in the vicinity to gather evidence as the building has no CCTVs. They, however, said they have ample evidence, several witnesses and eyewitnesses to pin Shebus role in the crime.

The police said they will soon record the statements of the relatives and few men, who chased Shebu and helped them nab him. The womans mother will be made an eyewitness in the case, they added.

He is from West Bengal. He was a temporary watchman as their watchman had gone to (his) village. But, we will find out if he has more crime against women cases on him which will make our case stronger, the officer investigating the case said when asked if Shebu has a prior criminal record.

Police are also checking his background and whether he worked anywhere else in the city.
The Gautam Budh Nagar administration cracked down on tax evading transport vehicles arriving from Sambhal district on Friday night.

A team of officials led by district magistrate NP Singh, intercepted a convoy of trucks carrying food grains, when they were heading to New Delhi.

An amount of Rs 20 lakh was levied as fine on the 17 trucks, which were caught overloaded with goods and also evaded trading tax and mandi tax among others, while transporting goods from Sambhal to New Delhi.

According to Singh, he received a tip-off from an informer about the arrival of trucks at Greater Noida border area. After receiving the information, we directed the additional district magistrate, officials of transport and agriculture departments, and police personnel to reach Pari chowk at 12am and set up a check post for the trucks arriving from Kasna. We then conducted an inspection of a convoy of trucks, said Singh.

According to the district magistrate, police and officials inspected a total of 17 trucks, which were part of the convoy arriving from Sambhal.

Out of the 17 trucks, nine were found loaded with goods beyond the permissible weight limit. We fined them with a total of Rs 1,00,000. Another 12 trucks were carrying wheat grains were without paying trade tax worth Rs 10,00,000 and mandi tax worth Rs 9,00,000. We fined them as well. Through this action, the state government will receive a total tax amount of Rs 20 lakh, Singh said.

All the 17 trucks have been seized by the police and according to sources, they belong to a person named Nadeem Akhtar, a native of Sambhal.

We are coordinating with the Sambhal police to find out more details about Akhtar, who seems to be the owner of the trucks, said Avnish Dixit, station house officer, Kasna police station.
Kanchen Verma, the newly appointed vice chairperson of the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) said that she would stress on induction of technology and will ensure that online systems and information are available to root out practices which lead to corruption.

The 2005 batch IAS officer took charge as the GDA vice chairperson on Saturday.

Verma said that it will be her endeavour to implement best practices in work, which will also include upgrading of the GDA website and reducing dependence on manual systems. She said that the best practices, based on the inputs from other states, would also be followed.

The best practices will hold good for any institution. We will stress for removal of dependency of manual systems. We will also ensure that information is readily available on the website and we will try to put in more information in public domain. Technology is also helpful in making systems more transparent, Verma said.

She was speaking about the corruption in the system. Recently, the state government has given a go ahead for the CAG audit of the development authority.

Technological interventions largely help in framing timelines, which provide guaranteed services. We will also take up the help of citizens charter and provide time bound delivery of services, she added.

During past several years, the development authority had tried to improve up on online information sharing, but the residents feel that a lot needs to be done to improve performance and transparency. A couple of years ago, the authority had also started the customer grievance redressal cell, which was aimed to take up complaints of residents.

The authority has also reintroduced the biometric attendance system and shared the details of employees and officers with the state government.
Punjab Shiv Sena and other Hindu outfits took part in a protest against the failure of police to solve the murder of Amit Sharma, district publicity manager of Shri Hindu Takht, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants near Shri Durga Mata Mandir on January 14. The protest was staged at Clock Tower on Friday.

Shiv Sena leaders said they will reject security cover as a mark of protest on Saturday. They added that police were clueless about the killers even after 100 days of the murder.

The leaders further said they had informed police that Amit Sharmas murder was linked to debit and credit card fraud as evident from the cards recovered from his wallet which proved that he knew those who were responsible for the fraud.

Earlier, Shiv Sena had decided to present a specimen of an ATM machine to police commissioner Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh to mark their dissatisfaction with the investigation, but they dropped the idea at the last moment and took the protest route.

On Thursday, Shiv Sena leaders submitted a memorandum to Congress MLAs Surinder Dawar, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sanjay Talwar to raise the issue. Shiv Sena Punjab chief Rajiv Tandon said the murder was being presented as the handiwork of a terrorist outfit but Sharma was murdered due to personal enmity.

He added that they will meet director general of police Suresh Arora regarding the murder and police investigation.

He added that a week before his death, Sharma had received threats from the members of a gang involved in credit and debit card scams.

He further said the Shiv Sena will intensify protests across Punjab if police did not solve the case soon.
Politics comes naturally to Sikh religious affairs. But the unceremonious removal of the acting jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib  one of the five high priests  fits into the pattern of the hire and fire policy religiously practised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at the bidding of its political bosses. It has raised fresh questions on the erosion in the autonomy, or whatever is left of it, of the apex Sikh religious body that has growingly come to be seen as a subservient extension counter of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

An outspoken Giani Gurmukh Singh earned the SGPCs wrath for his carps and charges against his fellow clergymen over the politically stage-managed pardon to the godman of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda who was ostracised for his alleged blasphemous act in 2007.

Things came to a head last week when Giani defiantly distanced himself from the Akal Takht jathedars move on handing down religious punishment to political leaders, mostly Akalis, for seeking the controversial deras support in the recent assembly elections.

He apparently crossed the red lines when he openly accused former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal of forcing the Sikh clergy to accept the dera chiefs written apology in 2015. On political cue, the SGPC swiftly cracked the whip against the renegade jathedar lest he emerge a rallying figure for dissenters on the religious turf.

DUBIOUS DERA DEAL AND DOMINO EFFECT

The action against Giani underscores the continuing ferment in the Sikh clergy and also puts the spotlight on the politicisation of the SGPC, the root cause of disquiet in the Sikh community and scholars.

Religion and politics overlap in the Panthic matrix but undercurrents of the dera deal backlash refuse to die down even after the Sikhs vented their ire against the Akalis in the assembly polls.

Notwithstanding the pretensions of aloofness from the SGPC and the Akal Takht, its an open secret that the Badals, when in power, had orchestrated an Akal Takht-stamped apology to dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim without the latter presenting himself before the Sikh clergymen as mandated by the Sikh maryada.

The political move backfired on the religious front in the ways the Akalis had scarcely imagined. It sparked a wave of Sikh anger, triggered an unprecedented revolt in the clergy, and even led to the appointment of parallel jathedars by fundamentalists. A beleaguered Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh managed to cling on and was forced to rescind the pardon edict, but not without a serious dent to the exalted position he holds.

But the most disastrous consequence for the Akalis was a chain of desecrations of Guru Granth Sahib since 2015  a corollary of the dubious dera deal that lent credence to charge against the Akalis for brazenly misusing both the SGPC and high priests for political ends. The proof of political machinations, if any was needed at all, was evident in the deras unequivocal support to the Akalis, a poll-eve gambit engineered by Sukhbir that, however, failed to save them from the worst-ever drubbing.

REVERSAL OF ROLES

Badal, as chief minister, is credited for building an array of Sikh memorials, but his legacy stands accused of diminishing the Sikh institutions. The Akalis have totally politicised the SGPC and turned Sikh priests into hand maidens, says Gupreet Singh of Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, echoing the sentiments of independent Sikh scholars and bodies.

Others such as Kanwarpal Singh of Dal Khalsa point to a disconcerting reversal of roles: The SGPC was established as a guiding light for the Akali Dal, but it is now subservient to political masters.

Ruing that the SGPCs politically motivated actions have lowered the Akal Takhts aura, scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian calls for involving the Sikh community beyond Punjab, including the diaspora, on larger Panthic issues.

CRISIS OF CREDIBILITY

Undeniably, the SGPC, though flush with a Rs 1,100-crore budget, is running short on credibility. Under question is its opaque functioning and arbitrary decision-making on the appointment of Sikh clergymen and their politically influenced hukamnamas (edicts). Before Gurmukh Singhs ouster, his predecessor Balwant Singh Nandgarh was sacked in 2015 after he protested the amendments to the Akal Takht-approved Nanakshahi calendar at the behest of Sikh deras aligned with the Akalis.

In recent times, the SGPC has taken to temporary appointments of clergy as acting jathedars and that too from the lower priestly class that being on its pay-roll is deemed more pliable. Such is the crisis of credibility that it has been finding it hard to get credible and pious faces for elevation as head priests.

Axing of another head priest is unlikely to stem the rot. De-politicisation of the SGPC may be asking for too much. But, the mini Parliament of Sikhs can hardly ignore the growing clamour for reforms and transparency in the appointment of high priests and ensuring their independence. Thats the least the SGPC can do to redeem itself and the faith of the faithful.

(ramesh.vinayak@hindustantimes.com)

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More Chinese Bombers Poise for War as North Korea Nuclear Tests Loom

38North footage shows that North Korea is in a tactical rest. (Photo : Twitter)

U.S. intelligence released reports that Beijing prepared more bombers and heightened alert as North Korea announced that they will be conducting more nuclear tests on April 22.



No tests happened and China lowered the alert level right after.



China has put pressure on North Korea to cease testing since President Xi Jinping's meeting with President Donald Trump in Florida this month.



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A senior U.S. official said that the intentions of North Korea are hard to interpret at the moment.



A report released by the Johns Hopkins University monitoring project, 38 North, indicated that North Korea is in standby mode for the time being. Footage of army personnel playing volleyball was seen.



The report stated, "Regardless, the Punggye-Ri nuclear test site appears able to conduct a sixth nuclear test at any time once the order is received from Pyongyang."



It added that possible explanations for the most recent developments are that the site and associated preparations for a sixth nuclear test have transitioned to a "standby" status, with personnel being allowed some downtime for recreation.



The site of the nuclear testing, Punggye-ri, is located in a mountainous region in the northeast. This is the same site were previous five successful nuclear tests were held.



The tests were conducted in 2006, 2009, 2013 and in January and Sept. 2016.



Intelligence specialists Joseph S. Bermudez Jr, Jack Liu and Frank Pabian said that the pause in military activity from North Korea is tactical and strategic.



"Pyongyang has initiated a tactical pause in activity at the test site as part of an overall deception plan, delaying the sixth nuclear test until a time when a detonation would achieve the greatest political advantage," the report stated.



North Korea's submarine base in the east coast tried to launch a KN-17 or a scud missile. The launch failed.


After a local resident filed a complaint regarding deficiency in services by Honda Cars India Limited and its authorised company for destroying the stereo in his car, the district consumer disputes redressal forum, Chandigarh, directed the car company, as well as Joshi Automotive Pvt Limited, to replace the stereo with a new one and to pay a compensation of 50,000.

Prashant Johar, resident of Sector 15, Chandigarh, said the complainant in the case had purchased a Honda Accord (CH-01-AR-0998) from Joshi Automatives,Industrial Area, Chandigarh, on March 19, 2013.

It was said that in June 2014, there was a fault in the volume button of the stereo in his car, which was reported to the service manager of Joshi Automatives and the same was attended to. But again in November 2014, the complainant reported the issue regarding the stereo volume control button not working properly. It was further alleged that automotive company assured the complainant that the volume button would be replaced, but resultantly they removed the stereo from the car.

It was assured that the stereo would be replaced within one month, but after repeated follow up and visits, the same was fitted in the car of the complainant on January 10, 2015. Instead of fixing the problem, the complainant was repeatedly harassed and was told the stereo was sent to Nasik for repair to the stereo vendor.

The Sector-15 resident also told the forum that the primary display of the car of the complainant is till date not fitted and the secondary display has been left hanging loose in the car. Despite repeatedly contacting the officials of the automotives company since May 2015, as well as those of Honda Pvt Ltd, over email, he received no response.

It is pleaded that due to pathetic look of the interior of the car due to the removal of it screens and stereo console, as well as due to noise produced by vibration of the hanging screen and other loose components in the dashboard of the car, the complainant had to face embarrassment on his outings with his friends and family members.

The respondents submitted an affidavit of Jaswinder Singh, service adviser, and while admitting the factual matrix of the case, stated that the vehicle of the complainant was attended to most efficiently and effectively and the problem so mentioned was followed up.

The forum observed that the complainant after spending an amount of 18.8 lakh on the car for his comfort cannot be left on the mercy of callous attitude of the unscrupulous manufacturers and also dealers, which are not fully equipped with well trained technicians/mechanics.

It further added that both the respondents were found grossly deficient in providing proper service to the complainant thereby directing them to replace the stereo with screen display with a new one and install the same in the car of the complainant in a proper working order to the entire satisfaction of the complainant, within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order.

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Beyond the news | SGPC needs reforms to redeem itself

Politics comes naturally to Sikh religious affairs. But the unceremonious removal of the acting jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib  one of the five high priests  fits into the pattern of the hire and fire policy religiously practised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at the bidding of its political bosses. It has raised fresh questions. Read More

A village in Hoshiarpur where biogas trumps LPG

Making food for the family is now an inexpensive task for most women of Lambra village in Hoshiarpur district. They do not have to think twice before starting to preparing something special for their family as they have shunned the costly liquified petroleum gas. Read More

AAP to start Punjab Yatra from May 1 to identify peoples issues

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will start Punjab Yatra to identify issues of public importance which will be raised in the next session of Punjab Assembly. Read More

How a man was duped of Rs 10 lakh by a Facebook friend

Rajesh Singh, a businessman in Chandigarh, told the cops that Smith Walter of London on Facebook told him that he was a scientist and needed help. The two had exchanged email IDs and Whatsapp numbers via Facebook messenger. Read More

Captains power @ Rs 5/unit promise to give Rs 3,200-crore shocker to exchequer

Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singhs populist announcement of providing electricity at Rs 5 per unit to all consumers (domestic, commercial and industry) in Punjab will put an additional burden of Rs 3,200 crore on the state exchequer. Read More

In pictures | Dust storm, rain lash region

A gallery of shots from across the region that shows how winds and light rain affected life. Click for pics

For more stories, visit www.punjab.ht and follow us on Twitter and Facebook
From red beacons to rats creating a ruckus in city courts, here is a roundup of all the tricity has been talking about:

Lal battis go for all

Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision that no one will get beacons on cars may have annoyed some of the affected bureaucrats and political leaders but everyone else is jubilant. Beacons was a big issue in the city after the administrator VP Singh Badnore had issued a fresh list of those entitled to red, blue and amber lights on their vehicles. Many unhappy on being excluded from the elite list scrambled to the governor with requests. Some were allowed, and others were being considered. And in comes this order, which bars even the administrator and the judges from having the beacon, a huge status symbol. Some officers have promptly removed the beacons while some others want to relish their last few moments with their prized possession.

Poor in the city

How many people in Chandigarh are below poverty line? The issue came up last week in the Rajya Sabha. And it was quite surprising to note that 21.8% in Chandigarh live below the poverty line. This translates to nearly 2.35-lakh people.

An eyecatcher at Sukhna Lake

A display screen installed atop the police post at the entry to Sukhna Lake. (HT Photo)

Adisplay screen has been installed atop the police post at the entry to Sukhna Lake. An eyecatcher at night, it flashes messages on water conservation and environment, exhorting citizens to keep the city clean and green. Put up by the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, it also displays the temperature and humidity levels.

Ban creates space for visitors

How severely the Supreme Courts liquor ban has affected the Sector 35 market of Chandigarh is so vividly visible. Just drive down the area and you will find visitors parking their cars wherever its convenient to them. Before the ban, there would be no space for parking and the contractor would invariably flash the parking full board at you, especially on weekends. Now, even weekends are a car drivers delight.

Rats in courts

Its not just the parking problem that the new district courts building in Sector 43 is struggling with. Lately rats have been creating ruckus in the courts without any fear of the law! The other day, a female staffer screamed which attracted attention of many. She had been bitten by a rat. Hope some solution is found out before the rodents sneak into crucial files.

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The lawyers of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh courts boycotted work on Friday afternoon in response to the nationwide protest call given by Bar Council of India against the proposed amendments in the Advocates Act 1961.

Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) chairman Jai Vir Yadav said the protest was successful and lawyers did not participate in hearings between 2pm and 4pm.

Representations were given to sub-divisional magistrates (SDM) and deputy commissioners.

A group of bar council members also met Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore and handed over a memorandum against the Law Commission of India proposal, he said.

The members of Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) also brunt copies of the proposed amendments.

The lawyers are opposing drastic changes suggested by the Law Commission of India in Advocates Act 1961 following a July 2016 direction from the Supreme Court.

The 118-page report of the commission has recommended that litigants, who suffer due to misconduct by lawyers and strikes, be allowed to seek compensation.

Compensation of up to Rs 2 lakh can be awarded to the person aggrieved by misconduct.
Joint Students Action Committee (JSAC), which comprises left-wing students bodies of Panjab University, including Students for Society (SFS), held a protest for over three and a half hours outside the vice-chancellors office at the varsity on Friday, seeking rollback of fee hike.

The protest ended after the acting dean university instructions, Prof Rajat Sandhir, who is also a senator, assured them that they would be invited for April 27 meeting where senators are meeting student leaders and V-C would be requested to hold an open house meeting with them.

The university is going through its worst financial crisis and had recently hiked its tuition fee substantially.

From 10.30am onwards, the members of the SFS started moving from class to class in the Arts Block and made students to boycott classes. By 11.30am, students gathered outside the vice-chancellors office.

Despite other parties refusing to support them due to stone pelting on April 11, when all were together, SFS managed a crowd of around 100. Students raised slogans against the vice-chancellor and for called for rollback of fee hike.

Jagjit Kaur, SFS leader, sang revolutionary songs. Amritpal Singh, another SFS leader, said, We have seen what happens to peaceful protest. In 2014, we sat on hunger strike against fee hike but no one listened to us. Nine students were booked for molesting woman police personnel. He added that they wanted to make education affordable to children of farmers and labourers.

After half an hour, dean students welfare, Prof Emanual Nahar and acting dean university instructions, Prof Rajat Sandhir, came to talk to students but they pressed to meet the vice-chancellor. Students questioned them on i-card checking at the gates, alleged police high handedness and attendance shortage. There was hooting too. A student questioned why outsiders couldnt come and protest at the varsity when it was a public place. The talks failed while students continued to raise slogans. They were told that V-C was not in the town.

When Prof Sandhir came for the second time, SFS supporters demanded that they should be allowed to sit in the shade. They were told to take their protest to a space in the nearby park where NSUI students were sitting but they refused. They continued to sit for more than 3.5 hours on road under the sun.

When Prof Sandhir came for the third time he managed to broker peace and the protest was wrapped. The SFS supporters were told that there was hearing in apex court on April 24 and a meeting with Punjab government on April 25 and also a meeting with UGC on April 26.

They were also invited for talks on April 27 when a group of 10 senators are meeting all students parties.
A resident of Sector 23, Chandigarh was duped of Rs 10.7 lakh as he tried to help a Facebook friend.

Rajesh Singh, a businessman, in his complaint to the police has said that he came in contact with one Smith Walter of London on Facebook in September 2016. Singh said that Walter had told him that he was a scientist and working with Britannia Pharmaceuticals limited. The two had shared their email ids and Whatsapp numbers on Facebook messenger.

Singh alleged that Walter had asked him to procure some herbs that are used in cancer and HIV medicines. Walter told him about one Rajesh Sharma, who has a farm in Maharashtra and supplies herbs, and had shared with Singh the contact details of Sharma through email, as well as Whatsapp.

Walter had asked Singh to purchase two bottles of Akinos Herbal oil sample from Rajesh and the same were to be handed over to Walters company's delegate named Johnson Mark (a Nigerian) who was coming to India on October 9.

Also Read | How Flipkart got conned by a Punjab gang via easy return policy

Singh called up Rajesh and asked for the sample for which he asked Singh to deposit Rs 70,000 in Sharma trading private limited account before he (Sharma) sends them two samples of 35 gram each Akinos Herbal seed.

After he received the first sample, again on the email, Singh was asked to arrange for supply of 600 pieces of the same herbal product to Britannia Pharmaceuticals limited. Singh on October 9 met Johnson Mark who checked the samples in Delhi.

Singh, on Sharmas insistence, had deposited Rs 5 lakh twice as Sharma had raised the bill of Rs 1 crore to supply the same.

Also Read | Facebook friend booked for raping girl in Patiala

But despite having made the payment, the consignment was not delivered, so Singh went to Maharashtra to take delivery, but he found that there was no office at the address provided and all the contact numbers were switched off. Later, Walter had even blocked Singh's Facebook account so he was unable to send him any message.

Singh in October 2016 registered complaint at the cyber cell, Chandigarh, that conducted a preliminary inquiry and on Friday a case registered under Section 420 (cheating) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) at Sector-17 police station. During the investigations it was found that Britannia Pharmaceuticals limited is a fake company.
The home departments alleged lapses came as a breather for former Congress minister Yogendra Sao on Friday after the state advisory board declined to extend the period of Saos preventive detention citing three-day delay in his production.

The state government had on January 20 invoked provisions of the Jharkhand Crime Control Act (JCCA) against Sao taking him under preventive detention. The governments decision attained finality after the state advisory board approved Saos detention for a period of three months which ended on April 18.

Sao, currently lodged in Jayaprakash Narayan Central Jail in Hazaribag, was charged with running and promoting an extremist group  Jharkhand Tiger Group.

Chief minister Raghubar Das, also holding the home ministry portfolio, had approved Hazaribag deputy commissioners recommendation for imposing CCA against Sao, who was allegedly involved in several criminal cases of serious nature.

On Friday, Sao was produced before the state advisory board comprising three members headed by a sitting high court judge for extension of the period of preventive detention. But, the board declined to extend Saos detention citing the three-day delay in Saos production before it.

Saos preventive detention for three months ended on April 18, but he was not produced before the board on that day. In fact, he was produced three days later on April 21. This broke the continuity of his detention period which did not exist after April 18. The board, therefore, cant extend the detention once it is over, said a member of the advisory board.

The administration concerned cant feign ignorance because they must be knowing when the period of detention ends. The entire sequence of events indicates that the government doesnt want to extend Saos preventive detention, said advocate Sameer Saurabh of the high court.

The government had invoked CCA against Sao on the ground that Sao was running an extremist group and was involved in several cases of kidnapping, extortion and murder, and therefore, his release would be a threat to society at large. It was also alleged that Sao had been instigating villagers under Hazaribag district to agitate against a Nav Ratna company, which created law and order problem.

In September last year, Sao and her legislator wife Nirmala Devi had allegedly provoked villagers to attack a police team when it reached Barkagaon block in Hazaribag district to arrest Nirmala Devi who was sitting on a dharna. The police team, however, had to open fire in which four villagers were killed. Later, the police booked the couple and arrested them.

The state advisory boards order paved the way for the release of Sao, who had secured bail in all criminal cases lodged against him.

The government in November, 2015, had also attempted to invoke CCA against Sao, but the state advisory board disapproved it declaring the grounds of detention as insufficient.

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Sundarin Paharin, 25, could not believe her eyes when she saw Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das reaching her home as a delivery boy with a 35-kg packet of rice on Thursday afternoon. She was bemused when the chief minister asked her for a glass of water after delivering the rice packet to her.

Paharin was the first beneficiary of the state governments recently launched Food Post scheme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in her Surajbera village in Pakur districts Littipara block, around 400 km from Jharkhand capital Ranchi.

Das, who was in Santhal Pargana on Thursday to launch government schemes worth Rs 280.67 crore, kicked off the scheme at the village by delivering the food packet at her doorstep. The CM told her that she would receive such packet every month at her doorstep and her family would not have to make rounds of dealers and the block.

Over 24,000 families of Pahariya tribe of Santhal Paragana will be linked to the scheme soon, Das told the villagers.

The Jharkhand government on April 3 started its ambitious food post scheme to provide food at the doorsteps of 70,000 vulnerable tribal families of the state, which are enrolled under the National Food Security Act (NFSA)

The scheme is the first-of-its-kind in India, and through this, the state government seeks to provide food to PVTG families with the help of special messengers, who will deliver food packets to these tribal households.

NFSA was launched in Jharkhand on September 25, 2015 and covers more than 2.63 crore people out of the states 3.29 crore population. Under the scheme, PVTGs are entitled to 35 kg of free ration per month.

PVTGs live in jungles and hills because of which they have not been able to reap benefits of NFSA.

Sundarin Paharin said: We have to walk around 12 km to reach the block headquarters for free ration. At times, we have to return emptyhanded. The scheme will save our time and money.

As per a survey conducted in villages with PVTG population, families of the Soriya Paharaiya, an endangered PVTG, have to spend up to Rs 300 to access their free ration in blocks.

As per the Supreme Court order dated November 28, 2001, ration distribution should be available free of cost every month to all PVTG families at a nearest point. Unfortunately, the so-called nearest points for many of the PVTGs means travelling up to 50-60 km, said Balram, a Right to Food activist, who had carried out the survey.

The government has set a target to cover all districts of Jharkhand under the drive by the end of April.

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A 25-year-old man died after being brutally assaulted by a mob for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl and then burying her neck-deep in sand, police said on Saturday.

In what appears to be the first major incident of mob justice in Jharkhand this year, the accused was dragged out of his house early on Friday and assaulted with sticks, belts, slippers and stones until he lost consciousness. He died on the way to a hospital the same afternoon.

The incident occurred at Sukhsari village in Chandil block, around 100 km from Ranchi.

According to villagers, Jawahar Lohar had abducted the girl and raped her repeatedly in his thatched hut. He then partially buried her in sand to prevent her from escaping. The minor is being treated at a local government hospital, and police are still awaiting medical confirmation of her alleged rape.

The villagers say they found the girl at Jawahar Lohars house around 3 am. He was critically injured in the mob assault that followed, said Adikant, officer in-charge of the Chandil police station. No arrest has been made in the case yet, he added.

Sunil Kispotta, national secretary of the All Indian Human Rights Association, said people should not be allowed to mete out vigilante justice under any circumstances. Rapists deserve to be punished, but we cannot endorse such extremism. Only courts have the right to deliver judgments, and we certainly dont need jungle laws to curb crime, he said.

Mob justice is highly prevalent in the rural areas of tribal-dominated Jharkhand, and many petty criminals have been lynched for offences as minor as stealing mobile phones. However, most of the people who die at the hands of irate mobs are accused of sexual crimes.

Three men in their twenties were lynched by villagers at Swaria village in Jharkhands Gumla district for allegedly molesting a local girl on February 16, 2013. Similarly, 50-year-old Radha Mohan Munda of Saraikela-Kharsawan district was beaten to death by a mob after allegedly attempting to rape a 35-year-old woman in August 2014.

According to police records, the state has witnessed at least five such incidents since 2012.

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Pro-Kannada outfits called off their protest against the release of Baahubali 2 on Friday after actor Sathyaraj expressed regret over his controversial remarks made during the Cauvery row nine years ago.

We accept the regret expressed by Sathyaraj and have decided to drop our protests. We have also withdrawn the call for Bengaluru bandh on April 28, Vatal Nagaraj, who was spearheading Kannada Okoota, an umbrella organisation of Kannada bodies, told reporters.

Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) stage a protest against the statewide release of SS Rajamoulis film Baahubali film starring actor Sathyaraj in Bangalore on 21 March. (AFP)

The announcement comes a day after Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattappa in the movie, apologised. The decision by the outfits paves the way for the release of the second part of the epic fantasy, which the outfits had threatened to stall if their demand of an unconditional apology from Sathyaraj was not met.

The controversy began after a video, in which Sathyaraj made the alleged anti-Kannada comments in the context of the Cauvery river water row, surfaced a fortnight ago and went viral. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are locked in a bitter row over the sharing of Cauvery waters.

Nagaraj said the Kannada outfits had no grouse against director S S Rajamouli or the film, but were outraged over cheap comments made against Kannadigas and the state by Sathyaraj. He said since Sathyaraj had expressed regret, they did not want to press the issue or stretch the protest any further.

The controversy began after a video, in which Sathyaraj made the alleged anti-Kannada comments in the context of the Cauvery river water row, surfaced a fortnight ago and went viral. (ActorSathyaraj/Facebook)

Nagaraj, however, warned that if Sathyaraj tried to provoke Kannadigas again, his movies will not be allowed to release in Karnataka. Nagaraj said there were reports that Kannada films were not being allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu. If these reports are true, we will stop the screening of Tamil films and Tamil TV channels, he said.

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President and Kannada activist Sa Ra Govindu said he had verified with the South Indian film chamber about reports that Kannada films were not being allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu and he was told that they were not correct. Rajamouli had also made a video appeal, saying the film should not be dragged into the matter as the comments were made nine years ago.

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The Egyptian president will meet with the President of the DRC today before heading to Riyadh

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is scheduled to meet with Joseph Kabila, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Cairo Saturday, and to travel to Saudi Arabia Sunday for talks with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdel-Aziz, state news agency MENA reported.

El-Sisi will meet with Kabila in Cairos Ittihadiya Palace and the two leaders are expected to hold a press conference afterwards.

On Sunday, El-Sisi will fly to Saudi Arabia for talks with the Saudi royal upon an invitation extended by King Salman earlier this month when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Arab League Summit held in Jordan.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Egypt grew last year when a mutual agreement to transfer ownership of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia met with protests and lawsuits in Egypt.

Some reports have suggested that the two countries also differ on stances towards a resolution the Syrian civil war.

There has been speculation that the alleged row over Syria stems from Riyadh's conviction that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad must be removed to put an end to the country's six-year civil war, while Cairo advocates a political solution that denies Islamist militants any future role in Syria.

However, officials from both countries have repeatedly emphasised close ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, denying the existence of tensions or disagreements.

Relations between the two countries seemed to warm up recently Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco decided in March to resume oil shipments to Egypt following a six months suspension.

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M Pushpa is a class 3 student at a panchayat union primary school in Kandhadu, a sleepy village tucked away in Tamil Nadus Villupuram district. And yet, when she parts her lips to speak, it is in English that would make even the Queen go wide-eyed with appreciation.

Ask the girl who her language tutor is, and she will introduce you to 36-year-old Annapurna Mohan  a novel educator and a darling of students and parents alike.

So, what distinguishes Annapurna from the others in her profession? For starters, consider the long string of degrees  BCA, MBA (HR), MA (Eng) M.Sc (Math) and B.Ed  that make her a trifle overqualified for a primary teachers job. Then look at the way she dotes on the 25 students in her class, who have all mastered the English language at a tender age. Lastly, check out her workplace.

A peek into her classroom shows how Annapurnas teaching style differs drastically from her colleagues in the school. While the walls of other classrooms remain dull and dreary, hers are plastered with cheerful sketches and portraits painted by young artists under her tutelage. The students sit on colourful plastic chairs, and are taught through audio-visual aids such as CD players and a smartboard.

I spent quite a bit from my own pocket to do up the room. As I wanted to create a good ambience for my students, I pledged my jewellery to acquire a loan of Rs 1.6 lakh, she says, adding that the headmaster neither permitted nor objected to her project of bringing her students on a par with those being educated in expensive private schools.

A view of Annapurnas classroom, refurbished with her own funds. (File photo/ Facebook)

Her techniques seem to be working: Annapurnas students can speak better English than any of their counterparts in neighbouring schools. They have gained a lot of confidence too, says Annapurna, who has posted many videos and photographs of her classroom activities on her Facebook page. The online exposure has done her good  she is getting rave reviews, and complete strangers are coming forward to endorse her teaching methods. A regional television channel even aired a segment on Annapurna and her students, turning them into local celebrities.

However, Annapurna is also apprehensive about the fate that would befall her students after they pass out of Class 3 and re-enter the world of rote learning. In my classroom, I follow the phonetics method of teaching English. I shudder to think what will happen to them when they are sucked back into the regular education system, which is fast becoming obsolete, he says.

Annapurna first became interested in this novel method of teaching when the Tamil Nadu government organised a training session for teachers a few years ago. Sadly, not many teachers seemed inclined to teach English to their children the way the British do. They are too set in their own ways, she says. I have been looking at ways to ensure that students continue to learn English the way I have taught them to. However, there really isnt much I can do when so much lies beyond my purview.

The teacher admits to have entertained the thought of calling it quits on a couple of occasions. However, just like a village doctor who is willing to continue working for patients who cannot afford to pay in fat cheques, she trudges on for the sake of social betterment. Annapurna says that the smiles she gets from her students and their parents are payment enough.

They (the parents) dont know English, or how well their wards are doing. They only seem happy in the knowledge that the education I provide will help the children secure admission in good matriculation schools, the teacher says.

Annapurna says that if matters of education were left to her, she would change the way English is taught across government schools  providing their students with a level playing field to compete with those from more privileged educational institutions. Who knows, she says. Even this may become reality someday.

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Sunil Grover has stayed true to his word and refused to return to the Kapil Sharma Show in any capacity following his public brawl with the shows host Kapil Sharma.

After several vague Twitter exchanges, clarifications, and apologies, it is now being said that Grover is ready to debut his own show, and like the Kapil Sharma Show, it will also feature celebrities.

A Times of India report claims to have more details about the new show. It says that while celebrities will be involved, the makers will try to differentiate it from Kapils show. Sunil Grovers name wont be in the title, as he is not very comfortable with the idea.

Guests will include celebrities, and other talent like musicians and comedians. And Ali Asgar, Chandan Prabhakar and Sugandha Mishra will also be joining the programme.

While Grover is in talks with Sony to air the show, he is fielding offers from rival channels as well.

And the biggest revelation? The show will premiere in June.

Kapil and Sunil had a falling out after Sharma allegedly attacked him on a flight after verbally abusing and humiliating him in a drunken brawl in March.

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As many 140 Afghan soldiers were killed on Friday by Taliban attackers apparently disguised in military uniforms in what would be the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base, officials said.

One official in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the attack occurred, said on Saturday at least 140 soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the government has yet to release official casualty figures.

A US official in Washington on Friday had put the toll at more than 50 killed and wounded.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials. The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, they said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

The NATO-led military coalition deploys advisers to the base where the attack occurred to train and assist the Afghan forces but coalition officials said no international troops were involved in the attack.

The Western-backed Afghan government is locked in a prolonged war with Taliban insurgents and other militant groups.

Military sites targeted

Several military helicopters hovered over the base during Fridays attack and ambulances later took away the bodies of the victims, an AFP correspondent said.

The facility in Balkh province is home to the Afghan armys 209th Corps.

The last major attack against a military site was in early March when gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the Sardar Daud Khan hospital  the countrys largest military hospital  in Kabul, killing dozens.

Afghan officials put the death toll at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 were killed in the brazen and savage attack.

Afghan security personnel arrive at the site of an ongoing attack on an army compound in Dihdadi District of Balkh province on April 21, 2017. (AFP)

The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the operation  hours after the more powerful Taliban denied responsibility for the raid.

That assault came a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in the capital.

More than a third of Afghanistan is outside government control and many regions are fiercely contested by various insurgent groups, as Kabuls repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed.

Earlier this month the US military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State group hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly a hundred militants.

The attack triggered global shockwaves, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that is not considered as big a threat as the resurgent Taliban.
American Airlines on Saturday apologized to a female passenger and suspended an employee after a video showing an onboard clash over a baby stroller went viral, in the latest embarrassment for a US carrier over how it treated a customer.

The clip, posted on Facebook on Friday by a bystander aboard the flight, shows a woman in tears with a young child in her arms, and a man emerging from his seat to confront a male flight attendant who apparently wrested the stroller from the woman.

Facebook user Surain Adyanthaya, who posted the video, wrote that the flight attendant had forcefully taken the stroller, hitting the woman with it and just missing her child. That sequence of events did not appear on the clip.

What it shows is the unidentified man standing up and yelling at the flight attendant: You do that to me and Ill knock you flat.

The crew member then points his finger angrily and challenges the passenger to hit him. The video shows the man eventually returning to his seat.

American Airlines said in a statement it was investigating the incident, which took place before the plane took off on a flight from San Francisco to Dallas.

We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident, the airline said in a statement released early on Saturday.

The woman elected to take another flight and was upgraded to first class, said American Airlines.

The treatment of passengers by the airline industry returned as a national issue after a video appeared online two weeks ago showing a 69-year-old passenger being dragged off a United Airlines flight to make room for a crew member. The fracas sparked international outrage and policy changes by the airline.

A passenger who posted a description of the latest incident on the website Reddit wrote that the flight attendant early on called for security to intervene in his dispute with the woman.

Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants union, which represents American Airlines workers, said in a statement that tight schedules, overcrowded planes, shrinking seats and limited overhead bin space have made it difficult for flight attendants to board passengers.

All of these factors are related to corporate decisions beyond the control of passengers and flight attendants, Ross said.
Afghan soldier Zabihullah was chatting with an army comrade at their military base in northern Afghanistan when gunfire interrupted their quiet Friday afternoon.

I asked my friend what was happening, and he said, relax, it must be one of us.

It wasnt. It was the Taliban.

Dressed in army uniforms, at least 10 Taliban attackers had breached the military headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif, eventually killing more than 140 soldiers, according to the latest estimates by officials.

When they started hitting other soldiers, we understood that it was a terrorist attack, Zabihullah told Reuters from his hospital bed, wounded by an explosion. The soldiers were dropping like sparrows hit by a shotgun.

The attack, which is likely the deadliest yet on an Afghan military base, represents a major blow to the countrys struggling security forces as they prepare for what is expected to be a year of bloody fighting against the Taliban, as well as other smaller militant groups like Islamic State.

The base is the headquarters for the Afghan National Armys 209th Corps and also hosts foreign troops from the NATO-led mission to advise and train Afghan forces. No international troops were caught up in the attack, according to coalition officials.

The incident raised immediate questions over how such a mass killing could occur in a heavily defended headquarters frequented by foreign soldiers.

In the early afternoon on Friday, two army vehicles bearing men in Afghan army uniforms rolled up to the bases gate, claiming to have wounded soldiers in need of urgent medical care.

Two guards at the first checkpoint waved them through, according to Ahmad Saboor, a soldier who was on guard duty further inside the base that day.

At the second checkpoint, the guards told the men in the trucks they had to leave their weapons behind, as is standard procedure at the bases, Saboor said.

After a brief argument, the attackers shot and killed the two guards and sped toward the third and final checkpoint, which they hit with a rocket-propelled grenade before racing into the base itself.

The first vehicle had a light machine gun mounted on it and started firing at dozens of soldiers and officers coming out of the mosque, Saboor recalled. The second vehicle went towards the dining hall and started shooting.

Wielding machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, the attackers sprayed heavy fire into groups of soldiers gathered to eat at a dining hall and leaving afternoon prayers at the mosque. Several other attackers detonated suicide vests packed with explosives.

Photos circulating online showed the inside of the mosque pock-marked with bullet holes and strewn with shattered glass.

I had just finished my prayers and was outside the mosque when an army pickup sped towards us, said another wounded officer, who asked not to be named as his family had not been notified.

I stood still and did not know whether to run or stay, then a gunman from the back of the truck opened fire with a machine gun and hit the side of my abdomen and my left leg.

Other unarmed soldiers were dropping dead and wounded around him.

One of the attackers blew himself up, and others went and took up positions in a small room next to the mosque, he said.

The confusion in the base was compounded by the fact that the attackers wore army uniforms.

At first there was a call on the radio not to shoot because they thought it could have been a misunderstanding, said the guard Saboor, who reported that some base officials initially thought it might have been a disagreement between soldiers.

Afghan commandos from elsewhere on the base arrived and engaged the attackers, eventually killing or capturing all of them, Zabihullah said.

A Taliban spokesman said at least four of the attackers were longtime members of the army who worked with the insurgent group.

Afghan officials are investigating that claim, but Zabihullah said he had no doubt that the gunmen had inside help.

Security is so tight that even soldiers without IDs are not allowed to get in, he said.
A Dutch sailing boat offering abortions, often in defiance of some countrys laws, arrived in international waters off Mexico on Friday, the organisation crewing it said.

The Women on Waves vessel was expelled from near Guatemala in February without carrying out a single pregnancy termination.

It had taken up position off Guerrero state, on Mexicos Pacific coast.

The Women on Waves group said in an online statement that it was offering free legal medical abortions till 9 weeks of pregnancy to women who needed them.

It said its ship has all required permits and would receive women until Sunday.

It noted that Mexico permitted abortions in cases of sexual violence. Abortion is limited in other cases to different degrees across the 31 Mexican states.

The Dutch group has previously sent its ship to waters off Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

In a media conference given in the Mexican coastal town of Ixtapa, Women on Waves president Rebecca Gomperts said access to safe abortions was a matter of social justice in Latin America, especially after the Zika crisis which increases the risk of birth deformities.
Hundreds of global protest marches in the name of science kicked off in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday, ahead of large crowds expected across the US.

Tens of thousands of scientists are this weekend rallying around the world in a rebuke of Donald Trumps dismissal of climate science and attempts to cut large areas of scientific research.

More than 600 marches, largely concentrated in the US, Europe, South America and Australia, began amid warnings from organisers that science is under attack from the Trump administration.

Placards demanded science not silence, declared there is no plan b, and offered support from florists for research-based legislation, showing the crowd was not restricted to those in scientific community.

Chants asked what people wanted? Science, the marches bellowed. When? Following peer review.

Wellington in New Zealand, was one of the first marches to start, with protesters gathering on the waterfront and waving signs calling for action. Similar crowds gathered in Auckland.

In Sydney, hundreds gathered at Martin Place in the centre of the city and walked to Hyde Park. Speakers included Dr Angela Maharaj , lecturer at the University of New South Wales Climate Change Research Centre, and former Liberal party leader, Dr John Hewson , who told the crowd politicians ignorance of climate change was an embarrassment beyond belief.

Supporters of science and research gather to take part in the March for Science protest in Sydney on April 22, 2017. (AFP)

Anti-tobacco campaigner Professor Simon Chapman , science writer Dr Jonica Newby , and writer and feminist Eva Cox, were also scheduled to speak.

Australian scientists and supporters flocked to 12 national events , including Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, and Melbourne.

It is very important that the March for Science is a community-led march; its a statement that is coming from the community, professor Stuart Khan, an organiser of the Sydney march, told the ABC.

Its not led by the academics, its not led by eminent scientists because its not about them, its about the community saying: This is what is important to us.

Scientists protest in Parliament Square, central London, during the March for Science, Saturday, April 22, 2017. (AP Photo)

In Melbourne, immunologist and nobel laureate Prof Peter Doherty called for a price on carbon.

A preview of his speech on Friday said there were major threats to the global culture of science in todays world.

Why? A clear understanding of what is happening with, for example, the atmosphere, oceans and climate creates irreconcilable problems for powerful vested interests, particularly in the fossil fuel and coastal real estate sectors.

Small crowds also gathered in Tokyo and South Koreas second biggest city of Busan.

The marches, which take place on Earth Day, come one week before the Peoples Climate March, a series of large-scale climate change events that will be more overtly political.

The March for Science and the Peoples Climate March go hand-in-hand, said Dr Geoffrey Supran, an expert in renewable energy at Harvard University.

Because attacks on science dont just hurt scientists, they hurt scientists ability to protect the people, and climate change epitomises that. When politicians cater to fossil fuel interests by denying the basic realities of climate science and pursuing anti-science climate policy, they endanger the jobs, justice, and livelihoods of ordinary people everywhere.

People stand together holding placards during the March for Science day in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo)

The global March for Science movement was not specifically directed at Trump, but he has proved to be a catalysing force, honorary national co-chair of the group, Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular cellular biologist said last week.

There seems to have become this disconnect between what science is and its value to society, she said.

Fundamental, basic science really underlies all of modern life these days. We have taken it so for granted.

In the US, the main march in Washington DC will see thousands of protesters converge on the national mall decrying attempts to slash funding for basic government research into cancer, climate change, forensics and other areas.

Scientists have also been perturbed by the Trump administrations attempts to sideline or ignore research and by repeated gaffes by key Trump appointees, such as Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who denied that carbon dioxide is a key driver of global warming.

Protesters hold placards and banners as they participate in the March for Science rally on Earth Day, in central Sydney. (REUTERS)

Ayana Johnson, a marine biologist and march organiser, said Trumps policies have been horrifying but added that the hundreds of companion marches around the world showed there is a global trend of anti-intellectualism where politicians reject evidence-based policymaking in favour of playing to voters base emotions.

Some scientists have criticised their colleagues for throwing themselves into the political fray by openly touting the benefits of science in front of the White House.

But Bill Nye, a well-known science communicator in the US, said scientists are in a dangerous place and must speak out.

Science has always been political but we dont want science to be partisan, he told the Guardian. Objective truths have become set aside and diminished and lawmakers are acting like a strong belief in something is as valid as careful peer review.
An India-born doctor and his wife were arrested and charged with helping another Indian-origin doctor perform genital mutilations on minor girls, a procedure criminalised in the United States.

Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife Farida Attar, 50, from Michigan state were charged with conspiring with Jumana Nagarwala, 44, to perform female genital mutilations (FGM) out of Fakhruddins medical clinic in Livonia.

The Attars were arrested on Friday while Nagarwala was arrested last week and charged with performing the procedure on six- to eight-year olds.



Read: Indian-origin doctor in US arrested for child genital mutilation

Nagarwala, Fakhruddin and Farida are believed to be the first people charged under federal US law, which criminalises FGM.

According to an online physician directory, Fakhruddin graduated from the Baroda Medical College in Gujarat, India in 1988.

The charges say that Nagarwala used to perform the medical procedure on minor girls at Burhani Medical Clinic (BMC) in Michigan owned and operated by Fakhruddin.

Fakhruddins wife was employed at the BMC as an officer manager.

A complaint against the Attars said the couple arranged and assisted in the mutilation, allowing their clinic to be used by Nagarwala.

Fakhruddin told federal agents this month that he had known Nagarwala and she occasionally saw patients at his clinic even though she was not employed there. He said Nagarwala only saw the patients at BMC when the clinic was closed and that Farida used to be present in the examining room while Nagarwala treated the minor girls.

Several minor girls informed forensic personnel that Nagarwala had performed the procedure on their genitals while one minor girl said Farida had been present when Nagarwala did the deed.

According to the complaint, some of the minor victims travelled interstate to have the procedure performed.

The number of girls under 18 at risk for FGM in the US has quadrupled since 1997. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk of FGM in the US. FGM has been a crime under federal law since 1996 and is punishable by up to five years in prison, however it is not a crime in 26 US states, including Michigan.

Read: INDIAS DARK SECRET

The complaint filed against Nagarwala last week had said federal agents reviewed her telephone records and further investigation revealed that parents of two minor girls had travelled to Michigan.

The girls were later interviewed by a forensic expert during which one of the girls said she was told she was coming to Detroit for a special girls trip, but after arriving at the hotel she learned that she and the other girl had to go to the doctor because our tummies hurt.

The World Health Organisation said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
US surgeon general Vivek Murthy, who was dismissed on Friday by the Donald Trump administration, has said being picked for the job was a uniquely American story for the grandson of a poor farmer from India.

Murthy was named Americas top doctor by President Barack Obama in 2014, making him the first Indian American chosen for the post, one among many growing achievements of a tiny but economically powerful ethnic community.

US surgeon general Vivek Murthy, who was dismissed on Friday by the Donald Trump administration as it transitions to a new leadership, has said being picked for the job was a uniquely American story for the grandson of a poor farmer from India.

Murthy was named Americas top doctor by President Barack Obama in 2014, making him the first Indian American ever named to the post, one among may growing achievement of a tiny but economically powerful ethnic community.

The US health and human services said in a statement on Friday he had been asked to resign from his duties as surgeon general after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump Administration  (and stood) relieved of his duties.

Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, a nurse by training and currently deputy surgeon general, was named to serve as the acting surgeon general and assume leadership of the US public health service commissioned corps.

In a post on Facebook, Murthy said. For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story.

I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve, he added.

It wasnt clear if the reference to his family arriving as immigrants was an indirect swipe at the Trump administration that has seemed to be both riding and stoking a wave of anti-immigrant feelings sweeping through the country.

Murthy went on to recount his goals and achievements as surgeon general and said he had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, (but) I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served.

Murthys exit was the second of an Indian American in a high-profile position in the federal government following that of Preet Bharara, who was among several US attorneys asked to resign by Trump in March.

But Trump has named several Indian Americans to senior positions, including Nikki Haley as ambassador to the UN, a cabinet-level post that is a first for the community, Seema Verma at the human and health services and Ajit Pai as head of the Federal Communications Commission.

It wasnt clear till hours after the announcement if there was more to the decision to remove Murthy, whose appointment was opposed aggressively by the gun lobby spearheaded by the powerful National Rifle Association for pro-gun control views.

Murthys parents are originally from Karnataka. Now 39, he came to the United States with his family at the age of three and grew up in Florida. He studied biomedical sciences at Harvard and medicine at Yale.

Murthy became an early supporter of Obama, starting a group of doctors supporting Obama in 2007-2008, which later became Doctors for America, a non-profit. His nomination as surgeon general was opposed by Republicans and took 10 months.
Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency has been sheltering al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in the port city of Karachi after he survived a drone strike in a remote area near the Afghan border last year, according to a media report.

Egyptian-born Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, has been protected by the ISI since US forces evicted al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001, Newsweek quoted several authoritative sources as saying.

His most likely location, the sources said, is Karachi. Like everything about his location, theres no positive proof, said Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents.

There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (the Pakistani garrison town where Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011), that point in that direction, Riedel said.

This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him.

In the first week of January 2016, the Obama administration carried out a drone strike to target Zawahiri in the remote Shawal Valley in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Areas, multiple sources told Newsweek.

An unnamed senior militant leader in the region said Zawahiri survived but five of his security guards were killed. The drone hit next to the room where Dr Zawahiri was staying, the militant leader said. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe.

Zawahiri had left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room, the militant leader said.

The militant leader further said Zawahiri had vowed that he would never be captured alive. He has a desperate last wish for one last big attack against America before folding his eyes, the militant leader added.

Zawahiri had been in Pakistans lawless semi-autonomous tribal region since 2005, according to the forthcoming book, The Exile: The Stunning Inside Story of Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda in Flight, by British journalists Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy.

Married to a local Pashtun girl, (Zawahiri) had been given a new home, a large mud-brick compound up in the hills at Damadola, according to the book.

Riedel said Karachi was an ideal hideout for Zawahiri because it would be a very hard place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that killed bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

Unlike the sleepy garrison town of Abbottabad, the city of 26 million has a major nuclear complex and hosts naval and air bases, from where forces could quickly be scrambled to intercept foreign raiders.

If (Zawahiri) was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him, said Riedel, who now heads the Brooking Institutions Intelligence Project in Washington. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult.

In July 2015, Zawahiri was in Shawal Valley, often with one of his three wives and his top assistant, Saif al-Adel, a former bomb expert and colonel in the Egyptian special forces, according to the militant leader.

An Afghan Taliban leader said Zawahiri, now 66 and frail, had survived several drone strikes since 2001 but is worried and sad about the overall situation of Islamic groups.

One of the Talibans former ministers said Zawahiri and al-Qaeda are no longer welcome in areas controlled by the Taliban because the group is engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as a threat to world peace.

Closed out of the tribal areas, Zawahiri was moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg, the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the Taliban leader. Zawahiri may have taken al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the American embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him.

A former top Pakistani official who maintains close ties with the Islamabad government would confirm only that Zawahiri is in a large Pakistani city.

Karachi makes sense as a sanctuarythe official said, given its sympathies for militant Islam, congested 19th-century streets and large military presence. The official said he was 100 percent sure bin Ladens 26-year-old son, Hamza, a rising power in al-Qaeda, is also in Pakistan under ISI protection.

The report said that if Pakistani political leaders cannot, or refuse to, bring the ISI under control and turn over al-Zawahiri, Hamza bin Laden and other militant figures, Washington could go nuclear on Pakistandiplomatically speakingby declaring it a state sponsor of terrorism.

American experts believe al-Qaeda remains a potent force with the ambition and capability to launch another spectacular attack against the US. Riedel pointed to a 2014 plot by al-Qaeda to place sympathisers on a Pakistani frigate, hijack it and use it to attack American naval ships in the Indian Ocean, or maybe Indian ships, or maybe both.

An unnamed Western diplomat said al-Qaeda remains interested a carrying out attacks related to airlines.
The law aims to regulate the construction of nuclear power projects and comes ahead of building the first nuclear reactor in Egypt

Egypt energy and environment committee of Egypt's parliament will discuss Wednesday a new law aimed at regulating the construction of nuclear power stations in the country.

The 19-article draft law, which was revised by the State Council's department of legislation, was sent by the cabinet to parliament Saturday.

According to the committee's chairman, Talaat El-Sewedi, the committee will begin discussing the draft law, which is the first of its kind in Egypt, Wednesday.

The discussion of the draft law comes after a 16-member Egyptian parliamentary delegation visited Moscow two weeks ago.

The delegation from the energy and environment committee, headed by El-Sewedi, held talks with Russia's state-owned nuclear energy giant Rosatom, the company that will construct Egypt's first nuclear power station at El-Dabaa, 130 kilometres northwest of Cairo.

The delegation also visited a giant Russian nuclear reactor in St Petersburg to verify that the highest-level of risk-free operation of such reactors will be strictly observed.

El-Sewedi told reporters that the draft law aims at creating "the executive authority on the supervision of the construction of nuclear power station projects."

"This authority will be in charge of supervising the construction of nuclear power projects in Egypt," said El-Sewedi, indicating that "the draft law gives the authority all powers necessary to do its job in a flexible and economic way." "For example," said El-Sewedi, "all equipment and tools to be imported by this authority will be exempted from custom duties."

Informed sources said the new authority will take charge of supervising the construction of the new El-Dabaa project.

The draft law states that the new executive authority will coordinate closely with the Nuclear Power Stations Authority and the Nuclear and Radiation Control Authority.

"The new executive authority, which will be affiliated to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy, is to be exclusively tasked with supervising the construction of nuclear power stations in terms of selecting contractors, reviewing the progress of construction works, the experimental operation of these projects and issuing firsthand reports on them," said the draft law's explanatory note.

The draft law states that the board of the new executive authority will include representatives from the ministries of electricity, defence, interior, finance, planning, telecommunication, military production, environment, affiliated provincial governors, the state council, and the Nuclear Power Authority and Nuclear and Radiation Control Authority.

Representatives from General Intelligence and the Administrative Control Authority will be also allowed to attend the meetings of the new executive authority as "observers without having voting powers."

The board will have a four-year renewable term of life.

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Scientists in the US have created the most detailed digital map to track the changing racial diversity of every neighbourhood in the country.

Researchers from University of Cincinnati (UC) in the US applied NASA map making techniques to 20 years of data collected by the US Census Bureau to build one of the most detailed racial-diversity maps ever created.

They take advantage of NASA land-cover grids made up of 30-square-metre blocks. Using this grid system, they can more precisely group people where they actually live by recognising lakes, parks, factories and otherwise uninhabitable areas.

Researchers combined land-cover mapping techniques with cumbersome volumes of federal data collected every 10 years in the census.

The zoomable map shows at a glance how the racial composition of neighbourhoods changed between 1990 and 2010, researchers said.

This combination image shows racial diversity maps of the Chicago area for 1990, 2000, and 2010. (journals.plos.org)

People do not realise that the US is a diverse country but at the same time is still very segregated, said Tomasz Stepinski, professor at UC.

The maps can tell us much more about racial composition and can be used by everyone. They do not require expert knowledge to understand the result, so I think maps can be used by a broader community, said Anna Dmowska of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland.

The maps allow users to create their own smaller study area and then glean data from it. In some cities, they tell the story of recent immigration in America, Stepinski said.

For example, the maps demonstrate the influx of Asian immigrants in San Francisco over the last 20 years. Many of these newcomers are Southeast Asians who were drawn to the area by the Silicon Valley boom, he said.

If you put the population geography together with an understanding of the social meaning of that road, you can tell a pretty powerful story about what segregation means, said Jeffrey Timberlake, an associate professor at UC.

The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
The Kashmir issue is the main stumbling block to peace in South Asia, Pakistans finance minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said on Saturday, underlining that it is the responsibility of the global community to work on the flash issue of the region.

I think for regional peace, the global community has a responsibility to work on the flash issue of the region. It is outstanding for decades. And I would not go into details...but each one of you are privy to what has been happening in the last few months, Dar told a Washington audience that primarily comprised of Pakistani-Americans, officials and diplomats at top US think-tank Heritage Foundation.

If we can resolve the (Kashmir) issue, the region can really see a lot of peace, it can save a lot of defence spending which can be diverted to social sector investment and it could be the real connectivity, which the region deserves, said Dar, who is here to attend the annual Spring Meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

Noting that half of the world population lives in the region, the Pakistan finance minister said Kashmir issue is the main stumbling block to peace in the region.

We hope that peaceful solution to the problem is there, he said.

Underlining that the Nawaz Sharif government has turned around the countrys economy, Dar said Pakistan has set an ambitious target of becoming a member of G-20 by 2030.

Speaking on Afghanistan, Dar regretted that some countries are questioning Pakistans intentions on the peace process in the war-torn country.

Gone are the days that there could be any second thoughts. Pakistan has been very consistent and is making serious efforts to resolve the issue. We are happy to be partner with the global community to resolve the issue, he said.

Pakistan, he said, is still suffering from the remnants of the Afghan war.

Pakistans nuclear weapons, he said, is necessary for the regional peace.

The equilibrium in power, because of the few wars between the two countries of the region. Our government believes in peace and have best relationship with the neighbours, he said.

Responding to a question, Dar said Pakistans nuclear command and control system is very robust and is absolutely safe.

International agencies are satisfied with the safety of Pakistans nuclear installations. There has not been a single incident in the history of Pakistan, he said.

Pakistans nukes are safe and secure as it could be anywhere in the world...I can easily say as safe as the United States of America, he said.

Dar claimed that US President Donald Trump in his conversation with the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shari was positively inclined or encouraged rather the two countries to sort out the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan welcomes any friend to resolve the issue, he said.

There is a common sense to the idea (of US mediation in Kashmir). The solution to the problem is going to help over half of the population of the world which lives in the region, he reiterated.

The finance minister said that Pakistan would not give consular access to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadav, who has been given death sentence by a Pakistani Court on charges of spying.

Whatever has happened is in accordance with the law and the constitution of Pakistan, he said.
The partners of the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers scandal were given bail Friday pending further legal action over allegations they helped launder money related to a huge Brazilian bribery case.

Juergen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca were freed on bail of $500,000 each, their lawyer, Marlene Guerra, told AFP.

They had been detained since February 9 in relation to an investigation over the money-laundering allegations tied to the bribery affair in Brazil, known as the Car Wash case.

That had to do with kickbacks to Brazilian politicians paid by big Brazilian companies, among them construction giant Odebrecht, which has admitted to paying nearly $800 million in bribes to government officials and political parties to win public contracts on three continents.

That matter was not directly related to the Panama Papers affair, which involved a massive data leak from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that revealed the secretive offshore entities used by many of the worlds wealthy to stash assets. Some of the offshore companies were used to evade taxes and launder money.

Mossack and Fonseca have been accused of running a criminal organization permitting the laundering of assets related to Car Wash.

Mossack Fonsecas representative in Brazil, Maria Mercedes Riano, is being detained in Panama. Brazilian prosecutors suspect she helped create offshore companies to facilitate bribe payments.

While Mossack Fonseca claim its Brazilian subsidiary acted with autonomy, Rianos lawyers argue that she was only following orders from headquarters in Panama.

Last week, Ramon Fonseca told AFP he considered himself a political prisoner and accused Panamanian prosecutors of psychological torture in a bid to coerce incriminating statements about Car Wash.

He also said prosecutors were subjecting Riano to psychological pressure so she testifies against us.

Until the Panama Papers scandal blew up, Fonseca was a close friend and adviser to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela.
President Donald Trump on Friday promised a big announcement about tax reform next week and ordered an administration review of Obama-era tax rules written to discourage US companies from relocating overseas to cut their tax bills.

Well be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform. The process has begun long ago, but it really formally begins on Wednesday, Trump said during a visit to the US Treasury Department.

First reported in an Associated Press interview with Trump, the news came as a surprise to lobbyists and congressional aides who had no idea what Trumps announcement might include.

In February, Trump promised to release a phenomenal tax plan within a few weeks, without offering details. But none emerged.

A White House official said the impending announcement could come later than Wednesday, adding: The president was saying what weve been saying all along, that he wants to do tax reform as quickly as possible while still doing it right.

Trumps latest comments got a warm reception from the Republican tax chief in the House of Representatives.

I appreciate the presidents leadership and strong commitment to comprehensive tax reform, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady said in a statement.

Brady added that the panels Republican members are ready to work with President Trump and his team.

During the 2016 election campaign, Trump initially issued a plan that proposed deep cuts in tax rates for individuals and corporations, a reduction in the number of tax brackets to four from seven, repeal of the estate tax, an offshore profits repatriation tax holiday for multi-nationals and a cap on the deductibility of business interest. He later revised the number of tax brackets to three.

The plan partly resembled one developed by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Trump on Friday also signed an executive order directing the Treasury to review tax-related regulations adopted over the past 18 months under former President Barack Obama.

Asked if that would include rules against tax-driven foreign corporate deals known as inversions, Mnuchin said: Its one of the significant things and one of the things we would be looking at.

Trump and Republicans in Congress view tax reform as the best vehicle for eliminating what they say are tax incentives for U.S. companies to move their headquarters, manufacturing facilities and jobs overseas.

(Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and David Alexander; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Alistair Bell)
US surgeon general Vivek H Murthy was on Friday dismissed by the Trump administration, and replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams.

Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, it further read.

Murthy, an Obama administration holdover, was the 19th surgeon general and the first Indian American to head the corps.

Thank you America for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been humbled and honored to serve as your #SurgeonGeneral. https://t.co/i15l9efWUb  Vivek Murthy (@vivek_murthy) April 22, 2017

His deputy, Trent-Adams, who took over as acting surgeon general, is one of the first nurses to serve in the position.

By Friday evening, Trent-Adams had already replaced Murthy on the surgeon generals official Twitter account and Facebook page.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty.

Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign.

He was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthys parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

In his Facebook Post, he said it was an honour and privilege to work as the surgeon general.

For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve, he posted.

As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands... While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served, he also wrote.
The Victorian era is known for its prudery about sex but things were a bit different for the elite, or so it seems  at least if one goes by a 19th century sex toy carefully carved from the tusk of an elephant shot in India that is going under the hammer in Ireland.

Of the hundreds of items being auctioned over the weekend in Oldcastle, County Meath, the phallus-shaped piece of erotica has tickled the fancy of many, and the auctioneers hope bids will reach a climax way beyond the guide price set at 500 euros to 800 euros.

The item has been put up for auction by a well-known Anglo-Irish family, auctioneer Damien Matthews told The Irish Times, a leading daily from Dublin. Its provenance is said to date to the mid-19th century.

Matthews said: It is a beautiful pieceA family member found it in a drawer, and he put it in the auction for fun really. We believe the ivory dates back to the 1840s. This fellow, the original owner, was in India in the 1840s, where he shot himself an elephant, and brought the tusk home.

The piece was later carved in China between 1899 and 1901, where the man went to fight in the Boxer Uprising, a violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising. The level of detail in the lifelike carving is incredible, he added.

The item is identified as Lot 475 in the auctioneers catalogue, and described as an antique carved ivory ladies companion in scarlet lined leather upholstered carry box with inset bevelled glass panel.

Matthews said: The Chinese were famous for carving ivory, and the quality of carving is so good, I think that is where he would have had to have had it done. He would not have known that he was coming home, and would have wanted his wife to have this.

This was a very enlightened family, and this would have been a very loving gift from a husband to wife. You can see that because the level of detail is incredible, down to the folds of the skin. Theres a heart carved at the base of it, where her finger would have been, and a receptacle in which she could keep a lock of his hair.

The man returned to Ireland, where the box was subsequently custom-made.

This piece is a great rarityYouve got to remember in Victorian times, the amount of people that could afford to indulge or create something like this was tiny. Ninety-nine per cent of the country were trying to get by, so there were perhaps 400 or 500 families in the country with those kind of means. Its not just a piece of erotica  its a work of art, and a fascinating piece of social history, Matthews told the daily.

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China has launched its first cargo spacecraft, taking another step towards its goal of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022.

According to Chinese state media, the spacecraft can carry six tonnes of goods, two tonnes of fuel and can fly unmanned for three months.

The Tianzhou-1, which took off from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in Chinas southern Hainan province, is docking with an orbiting space lab -- Tiangong-2. Watch the live video of the docking here:

China's 1st cargo spacecraft #Tianzhou1 docks with #Tiangong2, testing technologies needed for operating space stat https://t.co/YICYRJuwYD  China Xinhua News (@XHNews) April 22, 2017
Kendrick Lamar is notoriously media-shy, which is why we should pay special attention to his new 45-minute interview with Zane Lowe.

The conversation has some light-hearted moments, like when Kendrick tells the story of when his dad and Top Dawg reunited in the studio for the first time, but for the most part it is serious exposition on the conception of DAMN. in relation to To Pimp a Butterfly, how he altered his course after Donald Trump won the election, and how he stays motivatedmoreso than everdespite all his success.

This interview reaffirms Kendrick Lamar as a quiet, contemplative, calculating, and deeply passionate artist. Watch it in full and read 15 of its most enlightening quotes below.

Hes not interested in how people react to his music on the internet

As soon as I [finish] mastering, I just turn that thing [off] and I try not to listen to it or see the actual response for a while. Because Ive been attached to this piece of art for the last year and some change. I dont want even to hear it. I just want to give it to the people and let them live with it and breath it. And then when I come back on that stage, thats when I want to feel it. Thats when I want to see your reaction. Because I cant see your reaction on the internet.

He plans out his records before he records them

Prior to me going in and recording the record, everything is probably 80% pre-meditated first before I actually put the words over the reference track or go to the studio and lay down vocals. Everything for me is about execution. I can go in with a thousand ideas but if Im not executing it right it doesnt feel like home to me.

He factors in longevity when making music

I like to put a lot of different things and wordplays and messages in my music because I want it to live further than two weeks. Further than the attention span of how we all was as kids. We take it, we listen to it, and move on. But I want it to live for the next 20 years. You have to listen to it over and over again to understand the direction and the message I put it on there. The execution of it. I want you to do that. I want to challenge the way you think and the way you take in music. Thats what excites me.

Jay Z was one of his biggest early influences

My boy Dave will tell you, I was in his garage and all my ad-libs sounded like Jay Z. My words, my flow. With Jay Z, I wanted to have the conversational type of wordplay and aspect of things. He just felt like he was natural and he was fluent with it.

Tupac is still the golden standard

No matter how many times I come into my own Kendrick Lamar, which I felt Ive done over the years, I will always have that sense of reaching a certain standard as far as empathy and compassion towards a record the same way Pac approached music. It will always be in the back of my head to never forget that. No matter how big the hit record gets, no matter how big the album gets always have that compassion. And thats why his memory and his legacy in my music will never leave.

He is incredibly motivated

(On being the greatest rapper alive:) I got to. Im so passionate about hip hop, man. I love it to a point that I cant even describe it. And when I heard these artists say they are the best coming up, I said, Im not doing it to have a good song or one good rap or a good hook or a good bridge. I want to keep doing it every time. Period. And to do it every time, you have to challenge yourself, and confirm to yourself, not anybody else, that you are the best. No can take that away from me. Thats my drive and thats my hunger that I will always have.

Hes a thinker

I sit and I think all day.

DAMN. & To Pimp a Butterfly compliment one another

To Pimp a Butterfly would be the idea of the thought of changing the world and how we worked and approached things. DAMN. would be the idea I cant change the world until I change myself. So when you listen to records like PRIDE., HUMBLE., LUST., LOVE., these are all just human emotions and me looking in the mirror and coming to grips with them. Thinking of the idea of the word itself and combine them in two records. I would hope the listener can take heed and grab something from both of them two ideas and carry out their day to the best potential of themselves they see.

He recorded a lot of songs about the election

I have a lot of records [about the election]. Just off of pure frustration. Just off the simple wow-factor of whats going on. What happens is, I have these records, and there are certain things in these songs that I may pull pieces from to make sure that its covered.

But the album isnt *about* Trump.

I wanted more self-evaluation and discipline because  whats going on now  were not focusing on him. Whats going on now: we focusing on self.

Him and Mike WiLL Made-it have been waiting years to collaborate

We been in the studio for a loooong time. Longer than you guys would know. But we never made records. We always say to each other, one day we gonna make them records. We gonna make them joints. And we always say, timing. Thats our thing. Timing is everything.

He had Kid Capri record an insane amount of takes

Kid Capri was one of first ideas I had for this record. I wanted it to feel like just the raw elements of hip hop. Whether Im using some 808s or whether Im using boom bap drums. The initial thought was having him on some real trappy 808s shit, something Id never heard from him. I got in the studio, man, and I had him do like a thousand takes. He knocked them shits out.

Hes a big Rihanna fan

Ive always wanted to work Rihanna. I love everything about her. Her artistry, how she represents women to not only be themselves but to express themselves the way she expresses herself through music and how she carries herself shes a vibe itself.

His meeting with Barack Obama caused him to reevaluate his concept of change.

What I took from that experience was the idea of knowing that its gonna take more than just 8 years to make a change. A lot of times, being a kid when he was elected, not a kid just a younger adult, we get the ideawell, I got the idea that shit was going to do a 360 like that. So me have a conversation with him and him sitting me down, he says, Change doesnt start while Im here, it starts once we leave the space that were in That was the experience, that was something that I always hold dear, just knowing that in the moment of time, I have to think further than this year or last year. You gotta prep yourself for the next decade of what youre going to do thats going to result in change.

His dad and Top Dawg flipped out when they got together in the studio for the first time

About a year after I met Top Dawg, I met him when I was sixteen, my Pops came to the studio after Id been locked in with him for a minute and we got a relationship now, bring my Pops through. He heard I was dealing with Top Dawg but my Pops personally dont know him as Top Dawg. The industry know him as Top Dawg. Before he was Top Dawg, he was another name. So when he walked in that room and he seen that Top Dawg was this guy, he flipped. Still til this day they laugh and they laugh and they trip out and they tell the same story over and over to each other.

Kendrick Lamar
Andy Jacobsohn

A Texas Senate committee narrowly approved Kelcy Warren's nomination to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission on Thursday, despite months of environmental protests and marches against his company, the developer of the Dakota Access and Trans-Pecos pipelines.

All three Democrats on the Senate's Nominations Committee voted against the appointment; four Republicans voted in favor. Warren must win a two-thirds majority in the Republican-controlled Senate to be confirmed.
Related Pentagon chief warns Syria against using chemical weapons

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis met Qatar's emir Saturday during a visit to the oil-rich Gulf state, home to the largest US air base in the Middle East.

The visit to Doha is part of a regional tour that has included stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. Mattis is scheduled to visit Djibouti on Sunday.

The Pentagon chief met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and was also due to hold talks with Defence Minister Khaled Al-Attiya during his brief visit to Qatar, which aims to improve ties with US President Donald Trump's administration.

Talks were expected to focus on the fight against the Islamic State group, the Syrian crisis, and the regional role of Iran, which Mattis has described as "destabilising".

Washington's ties to Gulf states became increasingly frayed during the administration of president Barack Obama, whom leaders saw as too reluctant to intervene in the civil war in Syria and overly friendly with regional rival Iran.

Mattis, who commanded troops during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, said in Israel on Friday that there was "no doubt" Syria has kept some chemical weapons and warned President Bashar al-Assad's regime not to use them.

A small but strategic state in the Gulf, Qatar plays a key role in regional politics.

It is home to the Al-Udeid air base which houses around 10,000 US troops.

A longtime supporter of Syrian rebel groups, Qatar was also a key negotiator in brokering a recent deal to evacuate thousands of Syrians from besieged towns.

Rival Iran, an ally of Assad, played a crucial role in the evacuation deal, which according to sources in Baghdad included the release of a Qatari hunting party kidnapped in southern Iraq in 2015.

Washington has previously accused Doha of not doing enough to fight extremist organisations such as the Islamic State group. Qatar has denied the accusations.

The two countries have close economic ties, with national carrier Qatar Airways announcing in October the acquisition of up to 100 Boeing aircraft worth $18.6 billion (17.3 billion euros).

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PANAMA CITY - A court in Panama last week ordered the release on bail of two partners at a law firm involved in last year's "Panama Papers" scandal set off by the leak of thousands of documents related to offshore accounts.

Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca Mora of the Mossack-Fonseca firm were arrested in February in connection with a bribery scandal involving Brazil's oil company, Petrobras. The two are accused of money laundering for allegedly setting up offshore accounts to move bribes.
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WASHINGTON - The world's major economies are united in their belief that free trade delivers healthy economic growth.

But they also agree that more needs to be done for those left behind, and the new Trump administration is letting it be known that it intends to make sure that America's trade deals are fair for U.S. workers.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Friday that if more isn't done, "we will see more protectionism and countries retreating from globalization."

Schaeuble spoke with reporters Friday at the conclusion of two days of talks among finance ministers and central bank presidents from the Group of 20 major world economies. Germany is chairing the G-20 this year.

The G-20 discussions were being held in conjunction with meetings of the 189-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending organization, the World Bank.

In comments prepared for the IMF meeting, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the United States wanted to see the IMF "more robustly fulfill its surveillance mandate," which includes monitoring the currency policies of IMF member nations to make sure they do not manipulate their currencies to gain trade advantages.

On Wall Street Friday, stocks slumped as financial and health care companies moved lower. Industrial companies rose as stocks continued the up-and-down pattern they've been stuck in for the last month.
Suspects broke into a Family Dollar in northwest Houston early Saturday morning, according to Houston police.

When police arrived at the store around 4 a.m. on West 43rd and Rosslyn, they found a side door busted open in the shopping strip.

The door led to an empty unit, which the suspects used to bust through the wall of the Family Dollar store.

Officers believe the suspects stole cigarettes and other items from the store. Police are unsure of how many suspects were involved, but plan to review video surveillance from the store.
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Get ready for solar eclipse mania. Destinations in the path of the Aug. 21 eclipse, which will be visible in the U.S. along a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina, are going wild with plans for festivals, concerts and viewing parties

Hotels in Casper, Wyo., are charging five times their usual rates. Rooms at Idaho's Sun Valley Resort have been booked for years.

An eclipse tour in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park sold out in 10 minutes. The Smokies are among 20 National Park sites that will experience the total solar eclipse, from sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina to Wyoming's Grand Tetons. "We are expecting record visitation," said NPS spokesman Jeffrey Olson.

Hopkinsville, Ky., population 32,000, and Carbondale, Ill., population 23,000, expect 50,000 visitors each. The destinations, 140 miles apart, will experience about 2 minutes and 40 seconds of total darkness, among eclipse sites with the longest duration. Events in the region include an "Eclipse Con" festival, concerts and tailgate parties.

South Carolina's Clemson University also expects 50,000 people at a campus event that will feature astronomers and other experts. Twenty thousand people will gather in the Ochocho National Forest for Oregon Eclipse 2017, with music, yoga, theater, art installations and more. Wind River Reservation in Wyoming hosts "bring back the sun" ceremonies.

A Pink Floyd Tribute band plans a "Dark Side of the Moon" concert in Jefferson City, Mo. The South Carolina Philharmonic in Columbia offers "Star Wars Musiclipse." Sylva, N.C., has a "Moonlight Madness" run.

Eclipse chasers

Sharon Hahs and her husband, Billy, have chased 14 eclipses around the world from Mongolia to South Africa. They'll see this one from a family farm in Missouri, not far from their St. Louis home.

"There is nothing else in our universe that looks like a total solar eclipse," said Hahs. "The air gets cool. You have 360-degree dusk. Nature sounds really happen: the cock crows, birds get quiet. We even had a horse cross our viewing area to return to the stable."

Michael Allen of Southampton, England, is a "keen amateur astronomer" who considers the eclipse "a once in a lifetime opportunity." He can't travel alone because he has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, so his brother Nick is accompanying him on a three-day tour to Nashville with eclipse-viewing at the Kentucky border.

Jack Bohannon of Anchorage, Alaska, plans to see the eclipse in Nebraska as the "culmination of a summerlong RV trip" with family. "We were originally going to book an RV park in the eclipse path in Wyoming, but everywhere was full," he said.

Hotels

In small or remote destinations, hotels and campsites in the path of totality are completely sold out. But bigger cities still have openings. As of March 25, Nashville hotels were only 54 percent booked.

Don't assume lodging is sold out because a travel booking site says so. Call hotels directly to ask.

Many hotels are offering eclipse packages. Nashville's Loews Vanderbilt package includes eclipse viewing glasses, commemorative T-shirt, Uber gift card and bar credit. Hotel Jackson in Jackson Hole, Wyo., has an "eclipse concierge" to help guests plan their $699-a-night stay.

Consumers in Oregon have complained about hotels canceling reservations they made long ago, claiming rebranding or new ownership, then charging much higher rates for rebooking.

Location and weather

As the moon moves in front of the sun, daylight will yield to darkness from Oregon to South Carolina along a path 60 to 70 miles wide. The path of totality will also cut across broad swaths of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, along with corners of Kansas, Georgia and North Carolina, and a tiny chip of Iowa. Totality will first hit Oregon around 10:15 a.m. Pacific time. South Carolina will experience the final moments of total darkness at 2:49 p.m. Eastern time.

Some spectators are heading to mountains and forests to experience the eclipse in a natural setting.

"Think of an eclipse as an incredible, short night," with "a rapid sunset and then sunrise," said Sara Morris, an ornithologist and biology professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. "Birds go back to roost. Animals that are active during the day will stop foraging and put themselves in a place of safety."

Destinations that offer easy highway access have an advantage in bad weather: You can drive elsewhere to seek clear skies. "Clouds are the enemy of eclipse chasers," said Hahs. "If one can move, one should."

The driest section of the eclipse path is from eastern Oregon to western Nebraska but "even the driest places on Earth experience clouds, fog and rain," said Brady Phillips at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is developing an online weather map for the eclipse.

Safety

When the sun is completely blocked by the moon, its rays can't hurt your eyes. But the period before and after totality is dangerous - even when it seems dark - because viewing even a sliver of the sun as it slips in and out of view can damage retinas. Sunglasses are useless. Viewing through telescopes or cameras without proper filters is also unsafe before and after totality.

So be sure to buy eclipse glasses, but don't spend a lot: $1 glasses with paper filters are fine.
The Harris County Toll Road Authority is expected to start Phase II of the Texas 249 expansion in Harris County ahead of schedule.

Dale Hilliard, HCTRA project engineer, said plans for the next phase have been submitted to stakeholders, such as Lone Star College-Tomball, the Texas Department of Transportation, and the City of Tomball.

Stakeholders were to provide feedback by Aug. 22, so the entire package can be submitted to the Harris County Commissioners Court on Aug. 23.

We will request for the commissioners court to advertise for construction, Hilliard said.

The first advertisement for plans on Phase II will be Sept. 2, with bid openings later that month and the bid award expected in early October.

While the Harris County segments are projected to go to bid soon, the Montgomery County segments are still in the design phase.

James Baker, director of transportation Houston region, for Halff Engineers, said the progress of Phase 2 A in Montgomery County, between Spring Creek and FM 1774 in Pinehurst is moving along as planned.

This is their starter tollroad, Baker said. Its probably an ideal project because Harris County is building all that infrastructure up to Spring Creek, and then the Texas Department of Transportation is carrying it north of us, so this was the perfect project for them to get into the business of project development for tollroads.

The first Montgomery County segment, which will pick up at Spring Creek and continue to FM 1774 in Pinehurst, is projected to cost about $30 million.

Phase I of the Tomball ToJllway, which is roughly 6.7 miles long $73 million to bJuild.

Phase II, which is considerably shorter at 1.6 miles, is projected at $130 million, because of the overpass construction that will span over Brown Road, Zion Road and over Spring Creek, as Jwell as the construction that will be needed on the access roads.

The project, Hilliard said, will be divided into three phases, with the first starting at FM 2920 and will have a minimal impact on the current traffic pattern.

The first phase of the project will involve reconstruction of southbound frontage roads between FM 2920 and Spring Creek.

Our biggest issue will be with Lone Star College-Tomball, Hilliard said.

LSC-Tomball, is losing its south entrance to the campus, but will gain a connector ramp from the new construction that will replace that entrance.

John Fishero, vice-president Administrative Services at LSC-Tomball and former chairman of the Transportation Committee for the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, said despite losing the driveway, the college has maintained a good relationship with HCTRA throughout the design phase.

Working with HCTRA has been a good experience and theyve done everything they can to bed good neighbors, he said.

The second phase will begin after construction of the southbound frontage roads are complete, and will shift the southbound traffic from Texas 249, to the new frontage road, Hilliard said.

The traffic will shift back to the old configuration once motorists pass over Spring Creek into Montgomery County.

The final phase of the project shifts all traffic to the proper lanes, and allows construction of the main lanes of Texas 249, and include the reconstruction of the Spring Creek Bridge connecting to Montgomery County.

Montgomery County will begin construction about eight months after we do, Hilliard said. Everything should finish about the same time.

The entire Phase II project is expected to take 27 months, with each of the three phases projected about nine months each.

Bryan Kirk is a freelance writer and can be reached at bry.kirk@gmail.com.
GLEN FLORA - My photographer friend Peter Brown and I were too late on Wednesday afternoon to rub the nose of Ed Scheller's pet alligator. Nearly 50 years too late, actually. We were too late to sit at the old bar and have a beer at Scheller's Place. That's the country beer joint where Alligator - that's what Scheller called him - lay in repose near the wood-burning stove in winter while beer-drinkers played dominoes, caught up on the news and told tales of life along the Lower Colorado that occasionally were true. Ed and his wife Florence - known as "Dick" - started the business in 1950.

Leon Hale's many fans will recall that Scheller's Place occupies all of chapter two in his book, "Turn Right at the Second Bridge." He mentioned it in a Facebook posting last weekend, mentioned Alligator and Ed Scheller and Dick's sister, Frances "Pud" Joines, the no-nonsense woman who helped run the place. After reading Leon's Facebook reminiscence, I called him.

"Let's drive down there," I urged. He thought about it but finally decided an afternoon trek from Winedale to this Wharton County village 50 miles southwest of Houston was probably too much for a 94-year-old. Although Peter and I would have loved the company, it's probably for the best. Alligator's long gone and so is Scheller. So are Dick and Pud. And so is their community gathering place on Glen Flora's main street (pretty much its only street). Ghosts and echoes inhabit the high-ceilinged brick building that Leon fondly remembers.

Fond memories

Like many small Texas towns barely hanging on a century or so after their founding, the little farming community midway between Wharton and Egypt was an ambitious place in its early years. A group of Pennsylvania Dutch investors laid out Glen Flora in 1900 and named it for a nearby plantation. The investors, looking to grow sugar cane, were drawn by the rich river soil, proximity to the navigable Colorado and the newly laid Cane Belt Railroad from Eagle Lake to Bay City. Sugar cane would eventually play out, but cotton and vegetable crops kept the little town prosperous for decades.

"It started going downhill in the '50s," Tom Joines told us Wednesday afternoon as we stood in the middle of Bridge Street. "Back when I was growing up, I'd say between three and four hundred people lived here. We had a carnival that came through here every year, had a school. All these downtown buildings were occupied."

Joines - Pud Joines was his great-aunt - has lived in Glen Flora his whole life. He was a farmer until the late 1970s, when he left the rice field for the oil field. He has fond memories of Scheller's Place and his great-aunt. "Somebody got outta line, she could get salty pretty quick," he said.

He also remembers how she could cook, as did Leon. "Mrs. Scheller (Dick) and Pud serve a meal meant for a man who has spent the day following a mule in a cotton patch," he wrote.

Leon recalled going into Scheller's thinking he'd have a hamburger but then sitting down to "steak cooked to fork-cutting tenderness in rich gravy. Black-eyed peas with big sweet onions and hot tomato relish. Enough mashed potatoes to fill a dishpan. Hot corn bread and Jersey butter. All this is washed down with home-churned buttermilk that has a soporific effect on the consumer, causing him to walk short-stepped and humped over, like a stove-up bronc rider, out back of Scheller's Place to stretch in the shade of a big oak and wonder what the poor folks are doing today."

Curiosities on display

Scheller's regulars got used to seeing strange and interesting artifacts Ed Scheller collected and displayed on shelves along the wall opposite the heavy old bar. One was a local woman's appendix, pickled in alcohol.

"None of the regular customers considered this to be in poor taste," Leon wrote. "After all, as one of the domino players pointed out to me, it's a handsome appendix and was removed by the most skillful and expensive of surgeons."

They also got used to an alligator 6 feet long from snout to tail in a somnolent state near the wood-burning stove. Ed Scheller raised the gator from a baby. By day, Alligator soaked himself in a long metal water tray under the live oaks out back. At night, he slept in a section of comfortable wooden pipe Scheller had built for him.

"In winter, on chilly evenings when other citizens of Glen Flora go out and wrap their hydrants against the possibility of a freeze, Ed would go out and wrap Alligator up," Leon wrote. "Tuck him all snug and tight into his wooden pipe."

One night when a really cold freeze hit the Gulf Coast, Ed forgot. The next morning, in Leon's words, "Alligator was exceptionally stiff."

A distraught Ed carried him home like a mother clutching a child to her breast and laid him like a board by the fire. Kept him there for days, then weeks.

"I kept hoping he'd thaw out," Ed told Leon. "But he never did."

On the market

Scheller's Place went the way of the gator in 1980. Trish Winkles, who runs an antique store called the Glen Flora Emporium in a venerable mercantile building across the street, hated to see the Scheller's Place building deteriorate - originally a pharmacy, it was built in 1912 - so she and her first husband bought it at a tax auction in 1985. They did some necessary repairs but couldn't decide what to do with it. Nearly 30 years later, she and her second husband opened a restaurant on the first floor and rented out the spacious apartment upstairs. They called the restaurant Scheller's Place.

Sharon Joines, Tom's wife, recalls that Winkles' cooking was a match for Pud's. Her steaks, seafood, pastries and crusty, hot bread with butter attracted a loyal following for lunch and dinner. There was only one problem: Winkles and her husband, who held down a day job at the South Texas Nuclear Plant in nearby Bay City, were working nearly 24 hours a day. After three years in business, they closed for good on Christmas Day, 2012.

The sturdy, brick building, with its large, inviting apartment upstairs and its old bar downstairs, is on the market. Winkles says she's had three couples look at it so far, but no one's made an offer. The lookers have been city folks drawn to Glen Flora's peace and quiet. They imagine living upstairs and running a restaurant downstairs.

"I would love to see it as a restaurant," Winkles says, hoping that diners and day-trippers also would drop by her antique store and flea market across the street.

I didn't mention it to Winkles, but I know a fellow who would love to have it. "If I were 30 years younger, I'd buy that building and try to turn it back into my favorite country saloon in Texas," Leon mentioned the other day. "I did a lot of work in that place. I called it work anyway."
Texas Equusearch is looking for a woman who was last seen earlier this month in the Texas Medical Center area.

Melanie Sue Voss, 31, was last seen in the early morning hours on April 3 sitting on a park bench.
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A federal judge in Houston put Harris County on notice Friday that the scope of accessibility violations at local polling places could be so vast that a special master may be needed to sort them out.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett said he is considering an independent review of the county's 765 polling locations to ensure they are accessible to disabled voters.

The revelation, which could have far-reaching consequences for the county's voting system, came to light during a routine hearing Friday in a civil rights suit filed several months before the November general election.

"We're talking about something that really needs an intensive review," the judge told the teams of lawyers in the courtroom. "There's no blanket order I can give. We're going to have to look at almost each of these sites or on a site-by-site basis."

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit last year, accusing Harris County of violating the constitutional mandate that voting sites comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Among the violations cited in the lawsuit - in a county with more than 400,000 people with disabilities - are a lack of appropriate parking, ramps, sidewalks, entry ways, voting space and other mandatory accommodations.

The judge's remarks drew praise from disability rights advocates.

"Bringing in a special master is monumental because you're saying there is a problem and it needs to be watched," said Toby Cole, a Houston attorney who has closely watched the case. "It would be a significant move to make sure that the rights of people with disabilities are protected, and voting is probably the most fundamental of those rights."

Robert Soard, first assistant to the Harris County Attorney, said after the hearing that it would be premature to comment about the prospect of a special master overseeing accessibility of voting sites.

The appointment of a special master to oversee a government entity would bring independent oversight and scrutiny to the system.

Special masters have been used in Texas recently to address institutional problems within Child Protective Services and foster care, and to oversee violations decades ago in the state prison system.

Under consideration

Bennett, who has served on the federal bench since 2015, asked the attorneys Friday to return with specific details about the range of problems at local voting sites.

"It may be we're talking about a large-scale review of polling locations," he said. "That can't be the best use of the court's time."

Elizabeth Johnson, the lead attorney on the case for the Justice Department, said she anticipates a need for temporary fixes at polling sites - such as adding traffic cones or temporary ramps - rather than permanent fixes.

In some cases, for example, the angle of temporary ramps is dangerously steep, in violation of federal guidelines, she said.

Lawyer Laura Beckman Hedge with the Harris County Attorney's Office suggested the judge might first rule on the county's motion to dismiss the case altogether, explaining that disability advocates weren't burning up the phone lines or knocking at the door requesting the fixes.

She argued that the justice department does not have standing to bring the case if no one locally is complaining about the county's voting sites.

Bennett said he would set a hearing within two or three months. In the meantime, he said would take the question of a special master and the county's motion for dismissal under consideration.

'Barrier to access'

Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, who oversees local elections, said the lawsuit is frivolous, politically motivated and centered on insignificant technicalities at sites the county doesn't own.

"When the DOJ brought this lawsuit they had zero people who were complaining," he said. "To the best of my knowledge, we don't know of anyone who had an issue."

Among the locations the Justice Department cited was the multiservice center at West Gray, which Stanart said was supposedly in violation "because if you were a 6 -foot blind person who came in the back door, your head would brush a limb."

In another case, Stanart said, a handicapped parking spot had stripes painted, but the handicap sign wasn't in the right place.

"Do they think these voters are idiots?" he said.

Stanart said his office picks the best location to serve voters in each precinct and believes, overall, that the county is largely in compliance.

Lex Frieden, a professor of rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine who helped President George H.W. Bush with early drafts of the Americans with Disabilities Act, said he thinks the county should be proactive about fixing problems or amenable to making the changes the Justice Department has identified.

"I'm mystified about the defensiveness of the county," said Frieden, who uses a wheelchair.

Cole, who is quadriplegic, said disabled voters may feel embarrassed to ask volunteers for help. He recalled an election a few years ago when in order to cast his vote he had to "pop a wheelie" to enter the back door of a small church that didn't have a ramp.

"What would normally be a minor inconvenience for anybody else is a barrier to access," he said. "You just want to have the same opportunity as everybody else to show up at your polling place."
Moroccan and US forces are among nearly 1,300 troops from across the world taking part in a major military exercise in southern Morocco, the American embassy and military officials said.

Military personnel from Britain, France, Germany, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Spain and Tunisia are also taking part in the joint manoeuvres known as African Lion 2017.

The annual exercise began on Wednesday and runs until April 28 around the southern towns of Tifnit and Agadir. It includes land, air and naval elements.

They are led by the Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and sponsored by the US Africa Command.

The manoeuvres aim to improve the operational capacities of the US military and "interoperability" with its partners around the world, the US embassy in Rabat said in a statement.

American and Moroccan forces form the bulk of the troops taking part.

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SAN ANTONIO - When their military service ended, they came home.

The five men had served in Korea, Vietnam and the twilight struggle of the Cold War. Over time, they drifted into obscurity in the country they'd defended.

Each of the men - Jerry Stephen Harris, Laird Earnest Orton Jr., Michael John Papinchak, Michael Wayne Topp and Ronald Stevenson - died alone in the Amarillo area in the past two years, their remains unclaimed.

On Friday, scores of people who never knew the veterans gave them a final salute at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

"My brother. I call him brother," retired soldier and Desert Storm veteran Benito "Ace" Acevedo, 62, of San Antonio, said of all five men just before the ceremony

"These guys deserve it," said Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner, 66, of Amarillo. "They went to war not knowing if they were coming back alive, and then, when they did come back, they came back to civilian life only to die all alone, all by themselves."

Little is known of Harris, Orton, Papinchak, Topp and Stevenson, but they were welcomed by a crowd of about 200 at Fort Sam's assembly area, including members of the Alamo Silver Wings Airborne Association, volunteers from Wreaths Across America, Patriot Guard Riders and the post's Memorial Services Detachment, which provides final honors to veterans at the cemetery.

Like Acevedo, no one cared about how they lived or why they fell off the grid.

"It's more that they served our country and that means just everything to me," said Bea Hoeffner, 66, of San Antonio and a Wreaths Across America volunteer.

"In my unit we lost a lot of guys, and I couldn't remember their names," said Joe Rios, a 25th Infantry Division veteran of Vietnam who carried the remains of one of the men on his Harley Davidson motorcycle from Amarillo.

"I don't know if it was PTSD or whatever that we suffered from, some of the horrific scenes that we saw, but I just  suppressed those memories, and I kind of regret that," added Rios, 68, of San Antonio. "And now that I'm retired, I have extra time and it's very gratifying to be able to do something like this."

The final salute occurred because three people who had never served in the military lived by one of its highest core values - refusing to leave a fallen comrade behind. Joel Carver, co-owner of A to D Mortuary Service in Amarillo, which has a contract with Potter County, had a list of 92 people whose cremated remains were in a basement vault at the courthouse.

He wondered if any had served in the armed forces - his own son is a Marine helicopter pilot. Carver got in touch with Tanner, the custodian of the remains, and reached out to a San Antonio Military Medical Center volunteer named Joyce Earnest, the Texas coordinator for the Missing in America Project, a group that hopes to give final honors to an estimated 25,000 veterans nationwide whose remains have not been claimed.

"I was driven to do it. I witnessed one (Missing in America Project) burial and it touched me that there were veterans out there that could be buried but were sitting on shelves," said Earnest, 65, a retired AT&T service executive.

The veterans are to be placed in a section of Fort Sam for those who have been cremated, with the inscription "You are not forgotten" on their markers. They'll join more than 170 other homeless veterans buried here since 2003 under the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program.

Statewide, the men interred Friday joined 20 others laid to rest across Texas under the Missing in America Project, which began in 2006 and has arranged for final honors for 3,115 veterans around the nation.
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Voters soon could decide whether to close Houston's traditional pension plans to new employees after political activists submitted a petition to City Hall to force a referendum this November.

The petition further complicates Mayor Sylvester Turner's efforts to pass a pension reform bill, which already had hit a hurdle in the state Senate this week on precisely the same issue of whether new hires should be put into "defined contribution" plans similar to 401(k)s instead of one of the city's three employee pension systems.

The petition, which began circulating at college campuses, grocery stores and elsewhere in February, calls for a public vote to require a shift to defined contribution plans for all city workers hired after the start of 2018.

Under traditional pension plans, the city promises employees specific payments based on their years of service and salaries and makes up for market losses by putting in more money. Defined contribution plans are those in which the city and employee set money aside in an account that rises and falls with the market.

Windi Grimes, a public pension critic and donor to the Megaphone political action committee that sponsored the petition drive, said the group submitted 35,000 signatures to the city secretary's office Thursday. That easily would clear the 20,000 signatures required by law to trigger a charter referendum, provided City Secretary Anna Russell verifies the names.

Grimes, who also works with Texans for Local Control, a political group that wants Houston, not the Texas Legislature, to control city pensions, had described the petition effort as an "insurance policy" in case the Legislature does not move to defined contribution plans for new city employees.

Turner and the city's unions oppose defined contribution plans, saying that approach is insufficient to protect workers' retirement benefits.

"We look forward to a full and thorough debate on the merits of the proposal," Grimes said. "We only submitted these signatures because it is still unclear if the Legislature will be able to pass a true long-term solution, and waiting any longer would have been too close to the deadline to make sure the petitions qualify for the upcoming ballot."

Petition effort a 'sham'

Turner said Friday that he had not seen the petition language and knew only what he had read from a statement issued by Houston Police Officers Union president Ray Hunt, who called the effort a "sham." Hunt detailed how he and other union leaders had recorded paid petition circulators suggesting people could sign for family members who were not present.

The mayor is focused instead on Austin, where a bill to reform Houston's pension systems appeared to stall this week.

The measure incorporates a plan Turner negotiated with the fire, police and municipal employee pension systems that is aimed at capping skyrocketing pension costs and erasing an $8 billion debt partly caused by the city's failure to fully fund its share of the retirement plans. The plan would cut benefits, prohibit the city from continuing to underfund the pensions and seeks to eliminate the debt over 30 years.

Because the pension systems are controlled by state statute, the city must get lawmakers to sign off on the deal.

Houston Republican Sen. Joan Huffman ended weeks of negotiations with city officials, union leaders and conservatives over whether and how to incorporate defined contributions plans by releasing a new draft of the pension bill Wednesday. It said the city and workers could agree to move to a defined contribution plan, but did not require that change.

In response, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, another Houston Republican, said he would propose an amendment to ensure the result of any city charter change to defined contribution plans would be binding. That wording is necessary, he and others said, because some lawyers say amending the city charter alone would be insufficient, since Houston's pensions are controlled by state statute.

"I'm just trying to stay on a public policy position I've had for over a decade," Bettencourt said, adding that he is not working with Megaphone or Texans for Local Control and that he already had filed a separate bill mirroring the language of his amendment.

'That's a tough vote'

The Houston reform bill had been expected to reach a Senate vote Thursday, but Bettencourt's amendment created an impasse: some bill supporters, led by the chamber's Democrats, were unwilling to let the item come to a vote, fearing they lacked the votes to torpedo Bettencourt's proposal.

"If he brings it up, (Huffman) says she won't accept it, but she's going to need about five or six Republicans to go with us to block it," said Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston. "That's a tough vote for them."

Turner accused Bettencourt of seeking to kill the pension reform proposal for political gain.

"Quite frankly, what he wants is not a pension resolution. It seems like he's asking for a re-vote of the mayoral race in 2015, and that's unfortunate because he's not putting Houston first," Turner said. Bettencourt in 2015 supported mayoral runner-up Bill King, who has spent months publicly criticizing Turner's pension reform plan and calling for a switch to defined contribution plans for new city workers.

"I don't care whether you're Democrat, Republican, conservative or liberal, what's in the best interest of Houstonians is the pension reform solution that we've put forth that has a strong consensus," Turner said.

Bettencourt said his stance is about policy, not politics, and said there were votes aligned against Turner's pension proposal before he started pushing his amendment.

Conservative activists reinforce the partisanship of the issue.

The Kingwood Tea Party, for instance, last week called for an "emphatic no" on Huffman's latest draft, saying GOP senators who support the measure would be funding the "Houston Democrat Political Machine." The ultra-conservative Empower Texans group also views the bill as too "union friendly."

Huffman said she sees no easy fix for the standoff in the Senate, with just five weeks left in the legislative session.

"I'll continue to try to get something out of here that's a good bill," she said, "but it's going to be kind of a wait and see situation - until we run out of time."
AUSTIN -- Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday gave the Texas Senate a big win in its ongoing budget war with the House.

Just before 5 p.m., Paxton issued an opinion validating as legal a Senate plan to delay the transfer of $2.5 billion into a state highway fund by a month, a maneuver House leaders had contended was illegal. Instead of transferring the cash in August, the Senate proposed to transfer the money in September.

"Nothing in the constitutional provision prevents the deposit from occurring as soon as possible in the next fiscal year or spells out consequences for such a delay in the deposit," read the opinion signed by Paxton.

BUDGET DRAMA: House asks AG to declare Texas Senate budget plan illegal

At issue was a four-word phrase in the Texas Constitution that directs the Texas comptroller to deposit the $2.5 billion for highway funding "in that state fiscal year" when the revenue was collected as taxes.

Paxton ruled that a delayed transfer of those funds would comply with the constitutional provision, saying a strictly literal reading of the provision "would make compliance with it impossible." He said the courts likely would require "substantial compliance" to adhere to the intent of the legislation.

Budget negotiations between the Senate and House are expected to begin next week. A two-year budget must be approved before the Legislature adjourns in late May.

The Senate's chief budget writer, Jane Nelson, applauded Paxton's decision.

"This Attorney General opinion confirms that the . . . transfer considered in the Senate is constitutional," she said. "Now, the conferees on Senate Bill 1 can begin working to balance this budget with full confidence that this option is on the table."

BUDGET BATTLE: Tea party groups blast Texas House over sanctuary cities, budget

Nelson last week sought a legal opinion from Paxton to validate the Senate plan to delay the transfer of the highway funds, which allowed the chamber to balance its budget.

House Speaker Joe Straus and Rep. John Zerwas, the House's budget czar, had blasted the Senate plan to delay the transfer as "clearly and unambiguously" violating the state Constitution and earlier this week asked Paxton to toss the Senate plan.

"None of this changes the fact that the Senate is attempting to spend the same dollars twice," said Jason Embry, the House speaker's spokesman.

Because the Senate plan would delay the transfer for a month -- from August 2019 until September 2019, into the next fiscal year -- the House leaders complained that the Senate was "cooking the books."

APPROVED: Texas House approves its budget plan 131-16 after 15 hours

Senate leaders have accused House budget-writers of using improper accounting tricks to balance their version of the budget, as well, for delaying a $1.9 billion payment for public schools into the next two-year cycle. The House plan also would tap the state's Rainy Day Fund, a savings account, for $2,5 billion in a move the Senate has said it will reject.

Since Paxton's rulings do not carry the force of law, legislative leaders earlier predicted that the issue could end up in court -- with just over a month left before the legislative session ends. There was no immediate indication Friday that the House planned to pursue the matter further.

Several times in recent years, both the Senate and House have relied on accounting maneuvers to balance the budget. In recent weeks, however, House and Senate leaders increasingly have been at odds publicly over budget issues -- and leaders in both chambers have said the proposed maneuvers promise to be the single most contentious issue in final budget talks.
We've heard of Congress holding a joint session, but this is ridiculous.

Advocates in the District of Columbia were arrested Thursday as they handed out free marijuana cigarettes - or joints - to anyone over the age of 21 who had a congressional ID.

The District government allows possession of marijuana, but the advocates, a group called DCMJ, were campaigning against federal prohibition. That campaign has some momentum here in Texas. Over the past year, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and officials at Dallas City Hall have stopped the arrest and prosecution of misdemeanor marijuana possession. In the state Capitol, a House committee recently passed along bipartisan lines a bill to decriminalize low-level marijuana offenses. We're waiting for the Calendars Committee, which includes Houston's state Rep. Sarah Davis, a Republican, to schedule a floor vote.

From Alaska to Washington, Texas to California, a grassroots movement is working to end a 40-year-old war on drugs that has spent untold billions in taxpayer dollars throwing non-violent offenders in jail without making a dent in rates of drug use. There's just one man standing in their way - U.S. Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III.

The nation's top lawman looks ready to restart an expensive and ineffective war on drugs, and he doesn't plan to stop there.

A new report released last week by the Brennan Center for Justice documents how Sessions is reversing a bipartisan consensus on data-driven, Smart-on-Crime policies that ensure taxpayer dollars aren't wasted in the criminal justice system.

In the Texas Capitol, Democrats and Republicans routinely work together to roll back problematic programs like civil asset forfeiture and mass incarceration, both of which Sessions supports. Texas' U.S. Sen. John Cornyn reached across the aisle with Democrats last year to reform harsh federal policies like mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug crimes. His Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act was backed by law enforcement organizations but was personally blocked by Sessions.

A bipartisan congressional delegation even visited Houston on Thursday to study our city's community-police relations. Sessions went to El Paso, which has less crime than our city, and called it a war zone.

Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, all know a criminal justice system that cares more about severe punishments than effective crime prevention and rehabilitation is just an expensive way to get worse results. After spending years writing about Texas' success with Smart-on-Crime policies and the failures of a 40-year-old war on drugs, we have just one question for Attorney General Sessions: What, sir, are you smoking?
Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell, about three years ago, had police officers boot from chambers a councilmember in the middle of her speech excoriating an unconstitutional redistricting scheme.

Voters can serve up a healthy dose of poetic justice by replacing Isbell with that councilmember - Pat Van Houte.

Early voting begins Monday and ends Tuesday, May 2. Election Day is Saturday, May 6.

Of the five candidates who met with the Chronicle editorial board - two declined - only Van Houte was willing to bluntly and accurately diagnose the challenges facing Harris County's second-largest city. Legacies of favoritism, opacity and, yes, discrimination continue to hamper progress at Pasadena's City Hall. A petrochemical boom is driving growth all across east Harris County, yet Pasadena remains constrained by a political leadership that, as Judge Lee H. Rosenthal wrote in her recent opinion, has denied equal opportunity to all of its citizens.

Plenty of Pasadena residents certainly won't enjoy reading Rosenthal's words. Every other mayoral candidate preferred to pick up the pom-poms and cheer on the city's blue-skies future. But discrimination is like a cancer that can fester beneath the friendly surface of civil society, from a road plan that ignores Hispanic neighborhoods to a redistricting scheme intentionally designed to disenfranchise Hispanic voters. Structural discrimination won't go away by ignoring it. Pasadena needs a mayor who is willing to confront these challenges. Chemotherapy is never pleasant.

Van Houte has a record of standing up for the hard fight during her eight years on City Council - and like so much of Pasadena politics, it all began with street construction.

Back in 2006, Van Houte was part of a successful campaign opposing a road expansion project through her neighborhood. That activism led her to represent the northeast District D at Pasadena City Hall. Van Houte, 60, eventually worked with other representatives to block an infrastructure bond that failed to properly address dilapidated northside neighborhoods. Mayor Isbell responded by shoving an unconstitutional redistricting scheme down Council's throat and trying to silence his opponents. Nevertheless, Van Houte persisted. She was forced out of a City Council meeting and saw her seat redistricted away, but that didn't stop Van Houte from winning her current at-large position.

Now she wants to replace the term-limited Isbell and run a city government that's open to all of Pasadena instead of merely the well-connected. This means fairness in contracting, competitive bidding, soliciting community input and promoting transparency. Van Houte also said that she wants to reinstate a public transit circulator for senior citizens that the city had stopped funding.

She hasn't raised a lot of money - Van Houte declines donations from city contractors - and her personality is more cautious librarian than charismatic populist. But there's no doubt that Van Houte as mayor would be a fresh start for a city that deserves better than its current bad press.

Voters should also take a good look at John "J.R." Moon, who has served for 10 years as a trustee for San Jacinto College. Moon, 58 is a certified public accountant and former chief financial officer at Moody Bank, and currently works as a commercial real estate agent. He's an all-smiles chamber of commerce type who has a firm grasp on the meat-and-potatoes issues of education and economic growth. Moon provides an outsider perspective that Pasadena needs and the resume to get the job done.

Johnny Isbell has been a part of Pasadena politics for 40 years. Voters should go with a candidate who isn't afraid to break with the past and focus on the qualities that make Pasadena a great place to live.
We don't like going back on our word - it's all we've got, and we do our best to give it to you straight. But new circumstances surrounding school finance in Texas, particularly as they apply to the Houston Independent School District, require us to take back an earlier recommendation we made to allow HISD to "purchase attendance credits."

The arcane ballot language may have you already scratching your head. It sheds little light on the issue, but bear with us. This issue is important to Houston's students and your tax bill.

In November, we urged HISD voters to cast ballots AGAINST purchasing attendance credits, and voters agreed.

Now, HISD voters are being asked to come back to the polls on May 6 to respond to the same question, and no doubt are wondering why.

The answer is dizzyingly complex, but the choice is simple. In November we urged you to hold your nose and vote AGAINST on Proposition 1. On May 6, we urge you to hold your nose and vote FOR. Early voting begins Monday and ends May 2.

As in November, May voters have to decide between two lousy choices - either authorize HISD to write a big check to the state government every year for the foreseeable future, or give away a huge chunk of Houston's tax base forever.

Last November, we recommended voting AGAINST writing the big check, opting instead to have the state shift some of our most valuable commercial properties - like the Galleria - to the tax base of a "property-poor" school district. In vain, perhaps, we hoped such an election outcome would get the attention of some big property owners and maybe, just maybe, that of our state lawmakers.

The way the state funds public education and its increasing reliance on local property taxes remains a morass. Under current state law, the boost in HISD tax revenue from rising property values require it to send some of those local tax dollars to the state for distribution to districts considered property-poor. So no matter how HISD voters cast their ballots, that unfortunately will not change. What has changed since November, however, is the size of payment HISD will owe the state. Under an arrangement with the Texas Education Agency that requires HISD to put the question to voters again, the payment has shrunk by more than half to about $77.5 million - significantly less than the estimated $162 million the district was facing in November. Future payments have been reduced as well.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers finally are talking about overhauling the zany machine we use to finance our schools. It needs to be overhauled, as the Texas Supreme Court asserted last year, even as it found the financing system to be constitutional.

At the heart of the problem is a financing trick that the state uses to shortchange schools. In districts that experience fast growth in property value, the trick works this way: As property values rise locally, taxpayers pay more. But the higher taxes ultimately don't benefit local districts or even poorer districts because the state then turns around and sends less funding to those districts.

A bill now under consideration in the Texas House addresses school funding. It's a meaningful effort that would bring more dollars to districts, but the conversation about school funding suffers the same shortsightedness that has dogged the Legislature for decades.

Still, the hope for reform remains, and meanwhile, HISD voters are stuck with the bad choice. Whatever the outcome May 6, HISD - which serves primarily disadvantaged students - loses funding for teachers and the classroom.

If AGAINST voters prevail, the district will lose future tax collections on detached properties. This matters in particular because some of those tax revenues are used to pay back the district's bond debt. As more and more commercial properties are detached, a larger percentage of the responsibility to fund public education would shift to homeowners and remaining business owners.

A FOR vote won't fix school finance. But it makes the best of a bad situation.
Allies support each other

Regarding "Turkey's travails" (Page A16, Wednesday), Turkey respects the free will of the Americans and the results of the 2016 presidential election; the Turkish nation expects the same from the U.S. That's what allies are for.

Referendums are not new to Turkish democracy. The April 16th Constitutional Amendments Referendum was the seventh where nearly 50 million people voted, including Turks living abroad, with a 85.32 percent turnout, the highest in Europe. The result was 51.41 percent in favor of the amendments.

Questioning the decision of the Turkish nation is disrespectful and discriminatory. Results with a close margin do not give the right to the third parties to belittle 25 million "yes" voters and applaud 23 million "no" voters. We do not recall the Brexit vote with a 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent result and the final say of the Brits being disrespected.

The editorial's call for intervention through sanctions with a hope to design Turkey's domestic politics is also scandalous. Against unfair criticism, Turkey remains a key NATO ally for nearly 65 years.

Instead of misconstruing the outcome of an ally's democratic referendum, focus more on ways to strengthen Trans-Atlantic ties, mitigate the worrying climate of xenophobia in Europe and security threats unfolding around the world.

Ferhat Alkan, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey, Houston

Jeopardizing the future

Regarding "Lunch stigma" (Page A13, Monday), what do children learn when they watch a school lunch being scraped into the garbage because they can't pay for it? Two things: the school doesn't care if they're hungry, and it's OK to waste food. Are those the lessons we want them to learn?

Regardless of their parents' fitness, children need regular meals. New Mexico is experimenting with a program that will provide lunch for all students. Maybe Texas can learn from our neighbor state.

The middle school in my neighborhood has ads encouraging students to order school supplies. Why doesn't the district, with its size and purchasing power, just purchase the school supplies - paper, pens and pencils and other school necessities - for the students? School is their workplace.

Penny-pinching in education, at all levels, is shortchanging our children's and our state's future.

Nancy Perich Daly, Houston
Recent debates about how to best reform the state's child welfare system have put the backlog of children awaiting foster care placement in the spotlight. As we learned earlier this month, too many children are having to sleep in Child Protective Services offices because there is a critical shortage of foster families across the state. Despite this, many agencies that recruit and license foster parents have little desire to work with gays and lesbians who are interested in opening their homes to children who are in state custody. And legislative proposals that aim to give faith-based groups a "religious liberty" protection in their work with vulnerable children will just make things worse.

House Bill 3859, authored by Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee, would allow faith-based groups to deny a placement if it's against their religious beliefs, as the Texas Tribune reported last month. The discrimination the legislation promotes alone is unconscionable. More tragic, it needlessly inflicts harm on fragile children who need stable, supportive and loving foster homes.

Gay and lesbian foster and adoptive parents make exceptional parents, and research overwhelmingly suggests that children raised by gays and lesbians are just as healthy, happy and successful as children raised by straight parents. In many cases, potential gay and lesbian foster parents have dealt with stigma and discrimination related to their own identity that is very similar to the stigma and discrimination that comes with being a foster youth. These mutual experiences can create a home environment that is affirming, sensitive and empathic.

In addition, gay and lesbian foster parents are much more likely to take youth into their homes who have historically been more difficult to place, including teens of color, LGBTQ youth and large sibling groups. More than half of children who are adopted by gays and lesbians have special needs and nearly 60 percent of gays and lesbians adopt or foster across race.

Perhaps there is no group of youth in the state's foster care system more adversely affected by the shortage of gay and lesbian foster parents than LGBTQ youth. LGBTQ youth are disproportionately overrepresented in the foster care system; exactly how many teens in the state's foster care system identify as LGBTQ is an imprecise figure, but an estimated 18-20 percent of teens in the nation's foster care system are LGBTQ youth.

Although many LGBTQ youth enter the foster care system as a result of the maltreatment they experience at home, many are subject to further maltreatment and instability once placed in foster care that isn't well-aligned with their needs. Many of the obstacles that LGBTQ youth in the foster care system encounter can be attributed to the rejection that they experience from foster parents whose religious and ideological convictions are at odds with providing accepting and affirming care. Frank's proposal condones this emotional neglect. In many cases, gay and lesbian families are especially equipped to provide the affirming and competent care that LGBTQ youth need to feel safe, accepted and stable in their placements.

It is estimated that nearly half of all gay and lesbian adults desire to be parents at some point. At a time when the state is under fire for its inadequate foster care system, it should not ignore such a large, untapped resource. Intentional efforts should be made to recruit more gay and lesbian families. Frank's bill, instead, adds obstacles, which lawmakers should not support.

McCormick, MSW PhD, is an assistant professor of Social Work at St. Edward's University in Austin. He teaches courses in child welfare, trauma and family therapy.
Seven years ago this month, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded. Eleven men lost their lives and crude oil rushed into the Gulf for 87 long days. Wildlife from sea turtles to whales, shorebirds to oysters, corals to plankton were all harmed. Last year, the federal government determined that collectively these injuries could "best be described as an injury to the entire ecosystem of the northern Gulf of Mexico."

The shocking images and horrifying headlines of 2010 have faded somewhat from our consciousness. Many Gulf Coast residents are likely under the impression that restoration efforts wrapped up years ago - or at least are well underway. But the reality is that Gulf restoration is just getting started - seven years after the spill.

The first restoration dollars from BP's 2016 settlement arrive this month. Every year until 2031, Texas will receive approximately $37 million. This money is the result of BP's Oil Pollution Act fines and Clean Water Act civil penalties - and is separate from the economic damages.

In total, we estimate that between all the settlements paid by all the parties, the Gulf states will receive more than $16 billion that can be used for restoration. Only a quarter of this money has already been allocated; the rest is yet to come.

This the biggest opportunity for ecosystem restoration that we have ever had in the United States, and it is critical that we invest these funds in smart projects that increase the number of fish in the sea and birds in the air while helping keep communities safe from storms. The National Wildlife Federation's new report, "Making the Most of Restoration: Priorities for a Recovering Gulf," recommends 50 projects that will collectively create real benefits for the Gulf of Mexico.

The report prioritizes restoring the Gulf's estuaries, places like Galveston Bay. These systems, where saltwater mixes with fresh, are among the most important natural habitats in the world. They serve as spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for nearly all the species of fish and shellfish we like to catch and eat.

Helping wildlife by restoring the Gulf makes economic sense. Recreational saltwater fishing is a portion of Texas' outdoor economy that generates a billion dollars in revenue annually. Coastal tourism is responsible for a quarter of the travel dollars spent in Texas. There's no question these dollars flowing to the state would decrease significantly if the coast didn't have as many fish to catch, or birds to watch. Birds, in particular, are facing threats: A recent report found that more than one-third of North American bird species are in need of urgent conservation action.

Making this vision of a restored Gulf a reality rests in the hands of the state and federal decision-makers who administer the different oil-spill funds. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees have made thoughtful investments in critical planning efforts and strategic restoration projects. Building on this, we were also pleased that the RESTORE Council's new comprehensive plan committed to facilitating coordination between the different funding streams and that it emphasized the need for sound science to guide project selection.

In Texas, the science is clear about one of the coast's most pressing threats: As Texas' population booms, its estuaries are not likely to get the freshwater they need to support robust populations of fish and shellfish, particularly during droughts. Our report highlights a number of creative ways we can protect or restore the delicate balance of fresh and saltwater on the coast.

Right now, we can seize this unprecedented opportunity to ensure a bright future for the Gulf of Mexico. The national news likely won't cover the seventh anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon. The next time the TV crews come back to the Gulf, I hope they can focus on the men and women working to restore their home - the scientists, political leaders, construction workers, engineers, anglers and beachgoers pulling together to make a difference - and not another oil spill.

O'Mara (@Collin_OMara) is president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation.

Send letters to the editor: Viewpoints c/o Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, Texas 77210 or viewpoints@chron.com.

We welcome and encourage letters and emails from readers. Letters must include name, address and telephone numbers for verification purposes only. All letters are subject to editing.
Russian operatives tried to infiltrate Donald Trump's presidential campaign through his advisers, including foreign policy aide Carter Page, CNN reported Saturday.

CNN said this emerged through FBI intelligence gathering, which triggered an investigation into any possible coordination between Trump campaign operatives and Russian officials.

US officials told the news network that it was unclear whether Page, who is being scrutinized as part of a wider probe over Russian efforts to influence the 2016 elections, was aware that Moscow was trying to use him.

A Russian agent namely would likely have concealed his or her true role or identity while speaking with Page, who himself has vigorously denied any possible collusion with Moscow.

Page gave a speech critical of US policy toward Russia at a top Moscow university last year that caught the FBI's attention and raised concerns that he was maintaining contact with Russian operatives and was being influenced by them.

But Page is just one of several Trump advisers that US and European intelligence revealed had been in touch with Russian officials and other Russian agents frequently and extensively enough to raise suspicions, according to CNN.

Federal prosecutors say that Page met in 2013 with Victor Podobnyy, who turned out to be a Russian operative living in New York. The FBI thus had Page on its radar for at least four years.

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Venezuelans marched in silence Saturday against President Nicolas Maduro, a test of his government's tolerance for peaceful protests after three weeks of violent unrest that has left 20 people dead.

Dressed in white, protesters marched to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats nationwide in a quiet show of condemnation of the leftist leader's government.

In Caracas, the police and national guard were out in force along major roads and around the headquarters of the conference of bishops.

"I'm sure they'll meet us with the usual (tear) gas, which is how they preach peace," said 71-year-old protester Hector Urbina.

The center-right opposition accuses the government of repressing peaceful protests and sending armed thugs to attack them.

It blames Maduro for the unraveling of oil giant Venezuela's once-booming economy, which has left the country mired in shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Some protesters silently prayed, others carried Christian-themed banners or images.

"I'm not afraid," said protester Jessica Muchacho, 33.

"We've got nothing left to lose. The government's already taken everything, all possibility of living our lives with dignity."

The opposition plans to return to a more confrontational strategy on Monday, when it is calling for Venezuelans to block roads in a bid to grind the country to a halt.

That is the sort of protest that has repeatedly descended into violent unrest all month, as police fire tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to break up demonstrators, who fight back with stones and Molotov cocktails.

The last protests, on Thursday, descended into a night of clashes, riots and looting that left 12 people dead in Caracas. More pockets of violence erupted Friday night.

The two sides blame each other for the unrest.

Vice President Tareck El Aissami accused the opposition of sponsoring a "spiral of terrorism" to trigger a coup.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles fired back that the government's "savage repression" was causing the violence.

Maduro, the heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999, says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

Pressure on the socialist president has been mounting since 2014, when prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports started to plunge.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry. But tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

The opposition is demanding elections to exit the crisis.

The secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro -- one of Maduro's harshest critics -- accused the government of "cowardice."

"When the political leadership gives the order to open fire on its own people, that's a very strong signal of cowardice and weakness," he told AFP.

Residents described terrifying scenes Thursday night and early Friday in the Caracas neighborhoods hit by unrest.

"It was like a war," said Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle.

"The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings."

Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials.

As residents and workers cleaned up the destruction Friday, groups of people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage.

A man was also shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

In recent days, unrest has erupted in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities -- most of which were seeing new marches Saturday.

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As President Donald Trump barrels toward his 100th day in office, the administration is returning to the primary ethos of his campaign: Just win.

Really, any win will do, as long as the veneer of progress comes with it. But the problem for Trump and congressional Republicans is that theyre still far off from winning on any number of legislative fronts. If anything, Trumps desire to achieve a flurry of victories next week risks several high-profile setbacks.

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The White Houses primary focus still appears to be the revival of health care reform discussions, with administration officials pushing forcefully for a vote on refined Obamacare repeal and replace language in the upcoming week. But House GOP aides, themselves highly eager to get something out of their chamber, acknowledged that theyre not yet at the point of whipping votes  there isnt even legislative text to consider.

President Donald Trump is expected to drop a major tax reform next week. Photo: Getty

The White House continued to tout what it framed as solid progress, suggesting on Friday that Senate Republicans were also entertaining health care legislation. But Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who was rumored to be in discussions with House conservatives, said no such talks had taken place, and a top Senate GOP aide threw cold water on the idea that theyd have their own bill.

Were not drafting anything, the aide said. Were looking at and reviewing the language of the House bill, but nothing beyond that.

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As health care reform remained in limbo, Trump also announced he would drop a major tax reform plan next week, saying it would include massive cuts. But as Reuters reported, the news came as a surprise to lobbyists and congressional aides who had no idea what Trumps announcement might include. Indeed, few Republicans on the Hill expect tax reform to happen anytime soon, not only because it is predicated on health cares passage but also because Trump has not embraced leaderships border adjustment proposal.

SCOOP: Trump #tax plan likely will NOT include controversial border adjustment plan, senior official tells Bloomberg's @JenniferJJacobs  Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) April 21, 2017

Once hopeful for a bill being passed by August, Republicans now expect that action will take place well beyond then.

The one accomplishment that Trump and Congress actually need before the first 100 days ends is a government funding bill. But even that feat may be more modest than Republicans had hoped. A senior GOP aide told The Huffington Post on Friday that the possibility that Congress would have to pass a short-term funding bill next week to extend current spending, instead of a larger omnibus bill that would fund new priorities, was not insubstantial.

Congress has already passed multiple continuing resolutions to extend a government funding deadline that first began in October. In December, Trump implored Republicans to pass another CR so they could write a more conservative funding bill. Another short-term funding bill would mean Congress still needs more time, even after these extensions. And even if Republicans were able to get an omnibus spending bill done next week, it would likely include few wins for Republicans.

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The administration hopes to use the government funding bill to secure money for the presidents infamous border wall. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has offered Democrats $1 in disputed Obamacare subsidy funding for health insurance companies for every $1 in wall funding. But both Democratic and GOP aides told HuffPost this week that they expected money to go only toward border security and not physical wall construction. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-N.Y.) office scoffed at Mulvaneys offer.

The White House gambit to hold hostage health care for millions of Americans, in order to force American taxpayers to foot the bill for a wall that the President said would be paid for by Mexico is a complete non-starter, said Schumers spokesman, Matt House. The U.S. government is supposed to take care of its citizens and, according to the President, Mexico is supposed to pay for the wall. If the administration would drop their 11th hour demand for a wall that Democrats, and a good number of Republicans oppose, Congressional leaders could quickly reach a deal.

And so, the White House is staring down the possibility that it could hit the 100-day mark in the midst of a government shutdown  or, less severe, with few legislative accomplishments for the president to champion. Trump seemed to brush off the severity of the latter when he spoke to reporters on Friday afternoon.

It doesnt matter if its next week, he said of health care. Next week doesnt matter.

But its clear that the possibility of a bare legislative cupboard is bothering Trump. He has bemoaned the arbitrary nature of the 100-day mark and preemptively criticized the media for its coverage of it. And hes continued spending copious amounts of time holding public signing ceremonies for executive orders.

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Those orders, however, are largely if not wholly symbolic, often just directing federal agencies to review current practices and then eventually draft a memo to Trump recommending changes.

The Buy American order that Trump signed this week, for instance, directs federal agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of the governments current efforts to favor U.S. firms in the procurement process  in which the government spends hundreds of billions per year buying goods and services from private companies. Then, the agencies will make recommendations to the secretary of Commerce within 150 days, and the secretary will write a report for the president.
Eric Gaillard / Reuters

Before Thursday night, the contest to become the next President of the French Fifth Republic was already an unprecedented four-way race. The support in the opinion polls for each of the candidates was within the margin for error, making commentary about who had "inched ahead" or "slipped behind" almost meaningless.

Compounding this uncertainty was an unparalleled number of "don't knows" - excluded from most top-line polling figures - making the result of the first round of the Presidential election this coming Sunday even more unpredictable.

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Then, on Thursday evening, as the candidates were participating in the final television debate, Paris suffered another terrorist attack, throwing even more uncertainty and confusion into the mix. What's more, unlike in the UK, where opinion polls can be carried out throughout an election campaign, polling is banned for the final stages of French Presidential elections, making analysis of the effect of the terrorist attack even more difficult.

Sunday's vote will determine which two of the eleven candidates standing to be the next French President will go through to the final round, which will be held on Sunday 7 May. And there is a big chance that the result might well be yet another upset in global politics, as voters once again switch from the established parties and candidates to insurgent alternatives.

If, as is still widely predicted, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron make it to the second round of the presidential election, neither the Socialists nor the Republicans (or their forebears) will be on the ballot paper for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic. When traditional parties of government are displaced by new parties or parties previously consigned to the fringes of politics, the mould of politics is truly being broken.

Le Pen looks likely to win a place in the run-off, especially after Thursday night's attack, and polls suggest she will win between 37% and 47% of the vote, depending on who her opponent is.

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Compared to her father Jean-Marie Le Pen's 18% in 2002, Ms Le Pen is likely to land a blow for 'right wing populism' even if, as expected, she ultimately fails to win the presidency. While her social platform is clearly of the authoritarian right, Le Pen's economic message of higher government spending is somewhat more left wing, albeit through a nationalist perspective.

And it is not just on the right where the forces of populism are advancing across the Channel. Benoit Hamon, the Socialist candidate from the party of the incumbent president Francois Hollande, was recently dislodged as the standard bearer of the left by Jean-Luc Melenchon, a radical hard-left firebrand standing on a platform of a referendum to leave the EU, higher taxes including a top rate income tax of 100%, and an industrial strategy that would make Jeremy Corbyn blush.

Even the pro-European, federalist former banker Emmanuel Macron - the favourite to win the Presidential election - represents his own breakaway movement, En Marche! He has a radical reform agenda that some describe as a form of centrist populism.

While each instance varies in some respect, common themes can be identified across the burgeoning populist support in France and elsewhere, such as the votes for Donald Trump and Brexit. Like them, support for Marine Le Pen is stronger among white voters and those with fewer educational qualifications. And like Trump swing voters and Brexit voters, her support is also correlated with low income levels.

A different story emerges on voters' age, however. While Brexit and Trump support was strongest among over 65s, this age cohort is not Le Pen's strongest. And while younger voters are least likely to back her, many do and her support among the young has attracted much attention.

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Digging deeper beyond the headline polling numbers reveals more about what is happening. In my Legatum Institute guide to the French election, James Kanagasooriam and Claudia Chwalisz of Populus found an "enthusiasm gap" between the candidates. They factored in the percentage of that candidate's supporters who say they will not change their mind about who they are voting for.

This analysis suggested Le Pen's vote in the first round would be 29% (5% higher than her headline number) and Fillon's 20.6% (2.1% higher). Crucially, it also reduced Macron's vote by 1.5%. This leaves little more than 1% difference between Macron and Fillon, suggesting a tight race for second place. And following the terrorist attack, there is now a greater chance that voters will be swayed towards Francois FIllon, a former Prime MInister, as a "safe pair of hands".

And if it's a Le Pen-Fillon run-off, there's a good chance that the far right leader will win. Back in 2002, voters on the left supported Jacques Chirac over her father, giving him a crushing 82% victory. But she is seen as a more mainstream politician than her father, and Fillon is seen as a Thatcherite hard-liner, which will put off many voters on the left.

Whatever the result, it is worth following the results, because it could have a big impact on Brexit negotiations. While Le Pen has spoken of wanting to rebuild relations with the UK and Melenchon says the Brexit voted "must be respected" by organising an exit "without a spirit of vengeance or punishment", victory for one of these strongly eurosceptic candidates would be a bigger crisis for the EU than Brexit was.

A Fillon or Macron victory, however, would represent less of a threat to the status quo in Brussels. While they are both less sympathetic to Britain's withdrawal from the EU, their election would result in greater political stability, making the Brexit negotiations less complex.

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But if Le Pen or Melenchon does win, it will make the Brexit vote and Trump victories of 2016 look almost insubstantial.
Voter turnout "steady" in Reno County Tuesday, election officials said

Cool, damp weather may have delayed some voters from voting early, but traffic at the polls picked up during the day.
MClA President Jamie Birge with senior Amber Coombs, whose story he used to demonstrate the power and potential in a liberal arts education in his inaugural address. A hug from his predecessor, Mary Grant. Lisa Birge greets her husband as he heads for the stage. Birge expounded on the opportunities inherent in higher education and in a liberal arts education in particular. Mary Birge gives the benediction for her brother. Greeting guests on the lawn of the Church Street Center. PreviousNext

MCLA Makes It Official With Inauguration of President Birge



Birge takes the oath of his office from Susan Gold, chairman of the board of trustees. See more photos here. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  James F. "Jamie" Birge hadn't intended to become a college president.

After interviewing dozens of presidents of colleges large and small, private and public, for his dissertation in leadership studies, he came away with the impression it was too difficult, too demanding and fraught with financial pressures.

"Why would anyone want to do that job?" he joked on Friday afternoon as he gave his inaugural address as the 12th president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. "After finishing my dissertation I decided there was no way in hell I wanted to be a college president. ...

"Alas, life has an odd way of directing us to an outcome we don't anticipate or want," he continued. It was opportunity that set him on the path to North Adams when he stepped in as interim president at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia in 2006.

"I discovered that the role of president is much more life giving than anyone who hasn't been a president can realize

... although at times challenging and discouraging, provides multiple opportunities for contributing to the common purpose of educating women and men for a changing world."

A third of MCLA students come from families making less than $30,000 a year, and about the same number qualify for Pell Grants. The college is among the highest nationally in graduating Pell students at the same rate as other students, making the institution a significant player in breaking the cycle of poverty and a stepping stone a high-wage, high-quality jobs.

Birge used the example of Amber Coombe, who did not want to make the poor choices her older sisters had and who became the first in her family to attend college. Her hard work and help through scholarships has set her on a different path and a larger goal  after teaching history and pursuing a master's, she envisions a future run for the U.S. Senate to work on education policy reform.

"Although this is Amber's story, it's our story, too, in many ways," he said. "The part of Amber's story we own, and should own, is the sense of commitment we bring to students at MCLA  donors, staff, trustees  are uniformly focused on creating an environment where students can succeed."

Birge was selected as successor to Mary Grant in late 2015 in a second search after the trustees' initial choice bowed out months earlier. He stepped into the leadership post of the 120-year-old college a year ago after nearly seven years as president of Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire.

A graduate of Lee High School, he received his degrees from Westfield State University, Plymouth (N.H.) State University and Gonzaga Unversity in Washington and has worked in various capacities at both public and private institutions over his 30-year career.

Friday's event in MCLA's Church Street Center featured representatives from colleges and universities around New England, including neighboring Berkshire colleges Williams (about twice as old as MCLA) and Berkshire Community College (half as old), trustees of the college and local and state elected officials.

Birge's wife of 30 years, Lisa, was in attendance with two of their daughters, Caitlin and Siobhan, while the third, Margaret, watched the livestream from her studies in Greece. Both of his sisters participated in the ceremony, with his twin, Elizabeth Birge, an associate professor at William Paterson University, giving the invocation and Mary Katherine Birge, associate professor at Mount St. Mary's University, giving the benediction.

Elizabeth Birge recalled how they grew up as Wildcats, often taking on the Blue Devils in sports, and marching in the Fall Foliage Festival Parade.

"Education is our family business," she said, as both their parents were educators and seven cousins are teachers. "In our eyes, education is the highest and most noble profession one can aspire to."

She wanted to the crowd to know her brother as she did, "a warm and genuine man who's quick to laugh at himself, who's motivated by justice and eager to add to the excellence for which your institution is known."

Mary Birge asked the college community to join her in blessing her brother: "May the gift of leadership awaken in you as a vocation, keep you mindful of the providence that calls you to serve, as high over the mountain the eagle spreads it wings, may your perspective be larger than the view of the foothills."

Also speaking were were Lloyd Astmann, former trustee chairman of Franklin Pierce University, who gave the inaugural address; state Sen. Adam Hinds and state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi; Jondavid "JD" Chesloff, vice chairman of the trustees; public union leaders Charles Cianfarini (APA), Elizabeth Manns (AFSCME) and professor Michael Birch (MSCA) and Cheryl Boillat, president of the Alumni Association;

Student trustee Brianne O'Rourke said Birge's support of students was "evident on a daily basis." Mayor Richard Alcombright said he had expressed to Birge how important the relationship was between city and college and was "thrilled to call Jamie a true partner in this most valued campus community relationship, but most importantly, however, I am able to call Jamie my friend."

Trustee Mohan Boodram gave the welcome and introduced the speakers and Chair Susan Gold gave the investiture. Both had chaired the search that selected Birge as a candidate. Daniel Trombley, chairman of the MCLA Foundation board, and Student Government Association President Timothy Williams presented the presidential medallion, although Williams had some trouble affixing the piece.

"It probably should be hard to put on, it's heavy in many ways," Birge laughed afterwards.

Grant, a popular president during her dozen years at the college, returned for the investiture from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where she is chancellor. She spoke of the history and mission of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, on which both she and Birge are board members.

"Students are at the heart of everything in COPLAC schools, and they're the heart of MCLA," she said. "Let the students be your true north and you will never go wrong."
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As Isis swept the Levant like a rash in 2014, its fighters wrought destruction, not just on human life, but on cultural life too. The ancient sites of Palmyra, Ninevah and Nimrud were among those vandalised because they deviated from Isiss vision for an ultra-conservative Islamic state.

Artists around the world were shocked by images of defaced statues and mutilated paintings. For one, the wholesale destruction of culture was disturbing enough to motivate him to take a risk few other artists would.

Piers Secunda is a British painter-cum-sculptor who decided to travel to the Kurdish frontlines of Iraq to bring the noise of the world into his studio. Instead of painting what he saw, Secunda took highly detailed casts of bullet holes shot out by Isis guns. On his return to the UK, the moulds were laid into other casts based on ancient artworks, creating the unsettling impression they have been shot at. The resulting 13 works, currently on display at the Jaeckel Gallery in New York, are a unique metaphor on the cultural vandalism perpetrated by Isis.

In destroying these early pieces of culture, theyre disassembling and dismantling our genetic cultural DNA, Secunda tells The Independent. Theyre deleting history.

Conversely, Secunda believes the most significant work an artist can create is something which produces a statement about the world or creates a record of it. Ive always felt I was unable to make a statement because theres always somebody in the world somewhere else who knows better, he says. So I felt quite clearly that the thing that I could contribute was a record.

Secundas casts are made entirely from paint, which he says felt limiting to use just on canvas. I wanted a more organic system of painting, where the material could continue to grow, Secunda says. I wanted to take the paint for a walk and see what more I could do with it. Bullet holes were a natural extension of previous work, in which he sometimes destroyed paint models didnt like in order to reuse the material in new projects.

Bullet holes riddle a cast of Assyrian boats (Secunda) (Supplied)

Having a long-standing interest in geopolitical violence  and previously casting cast bullet holes in Jamaica and Afghanistan  Secunda was moved to take his work to a new level. Through a friend, Secunda made contact with the Kurdish PUK government and arranged to visit the war-torn region of northern Iraq in late 2015. He went to Kirkuk and travelled with Peshmerga soldiers to the recently liberated nearby villages of Tel Arabaa and Abu Hamed.

In Tel Arabaa, a school had been occupied by Isis and used as an ammunition dump, making it an important target for the Peshmerga. They told me how they shot from one direction towards Isis, which meant the single building that remained was damaged on one face by Isis bullets and on another face by their bullet damage, Secunda says. And therefore, if I worked on that particular part of the building, I would be moulding Isis bullet holes.

It takes up to 10 minutes to make a mould, for which Secunda employs a substance called Alginate, commonly used by dentists. The result is a record which as accurate as it could possibly be, he says. He collected 30 moulds in total, varying in size from around an inch to four inches.

As Secunda worked, just metres from unexploded mortar rounds, the rotten smell from the nearby corpses of Isis fighters drifted into his nose.

Piers Secunda works on casting a hole made by an Isis bullet in northern Iraq, 2015 (Secunda) (Supplied)

He made around 15 casts in Tel Arabaa before travelling onto the centuries-old settlement of Abu Hamed. As Secunda worked on other bullet holes, he was disturbed by an explosion from the road his party had travelled on, prompting an early leave. A smoking crater marked the tarmac as the group drove to a frontline Peshmerga base, where poorly armed troops faced off against Isis fighters 150 metres away.

On returning to the UK, Secunda created moulds of a number of ancient Assyrian and Mesopotamian artworks to perforate with the bullet holes. He also chose art from further afield, in order to demonstrate the far-reaching shockwaves of Isis extremism. The decision to use a cast of St George proved especially prescient -- a church of the same name in Egypt was bombed by Isis earlier this month.

The bust of St George slaying the dragon (Secunda) (Supplied)

Creating the final pieces was extremely challenging. Secunda explains: When you interact with a figurative work to make a hole through it, you can quite easily eradicate anything about it which makes it interesting or understandable. So I had to be pretty careful where I placed the holes.

I noticed if I left an eye exposed it still had some human or animal content left  there was something there you could emotionally touch as a human. If I put the bullet holes in the wrong places, if the composition of them looked contrived and didnt heighten the intensity of the image, it really killed it off.

Despite the unusual task Secunda carried out, his project was well received by the people most affected by the violence he seeks to document.

A winemaker is shown in its original form and defaced (Secunda) (Supplied)

As theyve learned of what Im doing, everyone in Kurdistan, and in the Kurdish Regional Government in Washington, have been very enthusiastic, he says. They understand it shows people see some of the damage they wouldnt see unless they go there.

Dr Mohammed Shareef, lecturer in Middle Eastern Politics at the University of Exeter, says the project is not only expressive of an ongoing tragedy" but would also "act as an important record for the future, to remind people of the industrial scale destruction of Kurdish culture occurring at this important moment in time.

He adds: I strongly believe the Kurdish people, myself included, are grateful that these atrocities are being recorded for a Western audience, that otherwise never get to see it in such detail.

A response any artist would be proud of, no doubt. But why did Secunda take so much risk to create his work? He explains: Hearing continually about what Isis were doing  destroying some of the most important ancient sites in the Middle East  on this industrial scale was probably as significant as anything else you could experience in a lifetime in terms of destruction.

Therefore, it had to be recorded. I couldnt not do it.
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Air pollution's impact on people's lives is huge: a recent study concluded that its impact on wellbeing is similar to the loss of a partner. It has also been linked to a range of health impacts, from heart problems to lung conditions, including smaller lung sizes in children, and to premature births  as well as, tentatively, to dementia in the elderly and mental illness in children.

Levels of pollution in the air are dangerously high in the UK, as they have been for years. Almost half of the UK's local authorities breach legal limits for air quality, whilst Marylebone Road in London has the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Europe. The problem is particularly bad in cities, where congestion, construction and heavily-built up areas allow pollutants to build up and up.

Theresa May last week acknowledged air pollution as a major health issue, saying in a letter to physicians that it was the fourth biggest public health risk, after cancer, obesity and heart disease. But her Government has twice lost court cases over illegally high levels of air pollution and been ordered by top judges to draw up stronger air quality plans: first in April 2015 when she was home secretary, and most recently last November.

New research into air pollution has found the scale of the problem is much worse than first thought (Getty) (Getty Images)

However, even the Prime Ministers acceptance of its effect on public health was not as bold as it seemed. According to Frank Kelly, professor of environmental health and director of the Environmental Research Group at Kings College, it is second only to smoking in its health impacts; others say it is the biggest environmental risk factor for health. And despite the Prime Ministers recognition of the scale of the problem, the Governments proposals for tackling it so far appear cautious, and insufficient for tackling the scale of the problem.

Defra has yet to release an updated plan for bringing pollution levels below legal levels: the High Court gave it a July deadline for finalised plans, with the deadline for proposals to be published for consultation on 24 April only a week away. New developments such as the third runway at Heathrow and extra road building across the country may add to the problem. And last week May said she would not penalise drivers of old diesel cars  some of the worst polluters on the street.

Cyclists bear the brunt of lax rules on air pollution (Getty) (Getty Images)

The clean air zones announced by the Government last year for the five most polluted cities  London, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton  will encourage more efficient buses, taxi and lorries. However, they wont affect private cars, one of the biggest sources of air pollution: in London they are responsible for a third of emissions of the harmful particulate PM2.5. Last February the leaders of these cities wrote to the prime minister asking for urgent action, including greater regulatory powers for councils, and called the 3m in air quality funding woefully inadequate.

In London, the Mayor Sadiq Khan was elected on a platform of tackling the issue and has already brought forward plans which will charge more polluting vehicles and widen the current congestion charge area in the centre where these charges will apply.

But Khan has also approved the building of a new 1bn road tunnel, Silvertown, which will bring more fumes to the already polluted east end of the city. Compare this investment to the 875m committed to improve air quality  much of it to upgrade taxis and buses to zero emission and hybrid models  and 770m for cyclists.

Campaigners are taking a proposal for a terminal for luxury cruise liners, approved by Greenwich Council, to the European Court: they say ships will emit harmful NOx gases equivalent to 700 idling HGVs as they run diesel generators to power their hoteling facilities throughout the summer months.

Air quality managers for Londons City Hall forecast that even with the citys existing plans for tackling the issue, air pollution will still be above legal limits in 2020.

The Government has taken some steps to encourage electric cars, with a 40m fund to help Bristol, Nottingham, Milton Keynes and London encourage their use. But these cars are no panacea: electric cars may be a route to reducing emissions, but they still produce harmful particulate air pollution, tiny particles small enough to get into the lungs and blood stream, from the wear of tyres and brakes and by disturbing existing dust on roads.

Meanwhile the Government is backing a third runway at Heathrow, which is expected to make it harder to achieve air quality improvements nearby. And in Chancellor Philip Hammonds autumn statement he announced an extra 1bn for road-building  on top of a 15bn programme announced in 2014  which is likely to increase pollution caused by cars.

Air travel is one of the worst sectors for creating pollutants (Getty) (Getty Images)

Nottingham has taken some of the boldest steps to improve air quality, bringing in a workplace car parking levy which taxes employers that provide parking to employees. It came thanks to powers all local authorities have, but which no others have used yet. This has earned the city more than 9m a year, which it has ploughed back into public transport including an extension of its tram network. As a result Nottingham is one of the only major cities where car use has decreased  when it is increasing nationally  and the city has also seen a remarkable 33 per cent reduction in carbon emissions since 2005.

Tackling car usage is crucial for reducing air pollution, and in other countries even more innovative schemes are under way that Mays Government could look to as it works out how to bring air pollution levels within legal limits. In Paris last December, there was a spike in air pollution in the city centre, so officials made public transport free for a period and barred half of the citys cars from the road (odd and even numbered registration plates were each temporarily banned in turn, to make it fair). By contrast, in London drivers were simply urged to turn off their engines when not moving to cut pollution.

And Paris isnt alone in its efforts: Madrid held a test run over Christmas of plans for pedestrianising large parts of its city centre, and Oslo plans to ban all private cars in its city centre by 2020. Various countries are mulling bans on the sale of cars powered by fossil fuels: Norways coalition and the Netherlands parliament have both discussed a ban for 2025, and Germanys federal council last year passed a resolution calling for an EU-wide ban by 2030  a move supported by Swedens environment minister.

Barcelona has started introducing super blocks in the city, where no through traffic will be allowed and priority will be given to local residents, pedestrians, and cyclists. Former junctions will be turned into public space  one has already been turned into a playground. One super block already introduced has reduced traffic inside it by 40 per cent  a similar scheme in Walthamstow, London, also saw significant reductions in car usage. And Estonias capital, Tallinn, went so far as to make public transport free for its citizens in 2013.

Every year in the UK, we collectively lose 340, 000 years of our lives to air pollution. Can we afford a half-hearted approach to tackling it?
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Chardonnay is a truly unique white wine. Its grape is one of the most diverse and also most widely planted grapes across the map. Although it really stands out in the limestone-rich soils found in Champagne and Burgundy  not surprising, given it hails from the Burgundy village of Maconnais  it is truly unique because it can flourish in a wide range of climates and a huge variety of soils, showcasing the specific terroir, the flavours of the environment where it is grown. This quality white also has a great ability to age gracefully  just think of a premium Mersault, with notes of honey, nuts and butter.

In cool climates such as Champagne and Chablis, the wines are beautifully steely, light to medium in body with high lemon acidity and notes of barely ripe green fruit, greengage and plum. In more moderate conditions Chardonnay releases extra citrus and stone fruit, while in hot climates, bigger flavours of tropical fruit  banana, mango, passion fruit and pineapple  come forward. When the weather heats up, the acidity of the wine decreases as the alcohol increases.

Because chardonnay is relatively neutral in taste, not aromatic like sauvignon blanc, it can also suit many different techniques in the winery. It is often fermented and/or aged in oak to add tannin, butter-rich, toast and nutty flavours.

Recommended 15 best malbec wines

A rounded, oily, creamier style can be achieved by softening the tart malic acid, which is found in apples, into smooth, lactic acid, found in milk, in a process known as malolactic fermentation. Ageing on the wines lees  the dead yeast cells  is another technique used to add complexity and body. Little or no use of such techniques will keep the flavours sharp and precise with a lighter-mouth feel.

From saline-sharp styles to creamy and exotic, chardonnay is superbly food friendly. Lighter, unoaked styles pair well with sushi, shellfish, goats cheese, grilled fish and chicken, while fuller-bodied and oak-aged styles work with cream-based dishes, veal and meatier fish, pates, pumpkin ravioli and nutty cheddar cheese. Depending on the use of oak, and on age, vintage and price, there will inevitably be some crossover in the food pairings but dressed up or dressed down, theres a chardonnay to suit the dish.

From the ABC brigade  Anything but chardonnay  to the faithful lovers of only one style or region, this selection will rev up your taste buds.

2014 Varner Wines, Foxglove Chardonnay

From Californias Central Coast, this excellent-value wine is juicy and fresh with tropical notes of pineapple and yellow stone fruit, with hints of orange and white florals against an icy steel minerality. The two opposing forces are kept in check. No malolactic fermentation or oak keeps the taste pure, lean and precise.

18, stannarywine.com

2012 Michel Gahier, Chardonnay La Fauquette Arbois (sous-voile)

Sous-voile, or under the veil, is a winemaking technique, popular in Frances Jura region, where the wine is deliberately oxidised in half-filled barrels that are not topped up, allowing oxygen to seep in. As in sherry-making, a veil of yeast grows over the surface, protecting the wine from further oxidation but leaving deliciously intense characteristics of salted nuts and spice. The deep flavours of the 2012 harvest are effortlessly kept fresh and beautifully balanced. An ideal partner to the regions aged Comte cheese.

28.99, LesCavesdePyrene.co.uk. Call 01483 554750

2013 Ivo Varbanov, Clair de Lune, Bulgaria

Winemaker Ivo Varbanovs chardonnay is an ode to Debussys Clair de Lune as well as to lovers of oak. The wine is fermented in Bulgarian oak, by the former concert pianist, giving heavier flavours of spice and toast than you would get from French. Pale golden in colour, herbal and citrus on the nose. From front to back, the palate takes you from lemon to rich and juicy stone fruit, honey blossom and warm ginger, nutty spice, crunchy apple acidity and a rounded, creamy finish. The oak keeps things interesting  giving depth and balance to the fruit.

14.95, bbr.com. Call 0800 280 2440

2015 Les Cretes Chardonnay

For Burgundy lovers, this Italian chardonnay from the mountainous Valle dAosta has an exotic fruit core, refreshing acidity, and a well-rounded, smooth finish. Steel-fermented with only six months on lees, this medium-bodied Chardonnay, rich and pure on the palate, will take you from starter through to the cheese course.

24, LesCavesdePyrene.co.uk. Call 01483 554750

2013 Petit Chablis, Domaine des Hates

The Petit Chablis appellation lies on the edge of the town of Chablis. Often overlooked for creating wines with high acidity and tart flavours in favour of higher-ranked appellations in the region, young winemaker Pierrick Laroche has created a something of a niche for his wines. The vines are grown high on the chalky, contouring slopes, creating an intense, stony minerality on the palate, dry with balanced, refreshing acidity and a scintillating, saline finish. Light, pared-back hints of honeysuckle and floral peep through but the draw is all in the crisp, nervy energy. Enjoy chilled with egg-based dishes, including omelettes and quiche, as well as oysters or grilled sardines. Avoid too much spice.

16 on special offer until 30 April, stannarywine.com. Call 0207 582 6865

2014 Schnabel Morillon

Weingut Schnabel grows its Morillon  the local name for Chardonnay in southern Styria  on vines at 550-metres altitude on the craggy island of Sausal. This Austrian family of five has a vehement commitment to forgo all chemical and technical manipulation, using only the best raw material and natural practices. All their whites are made in the orange style  white grapes undergoing extended skin contact during maceration, the same procedure for making red wine. The 2014 Morillon is wild fermented in open vats, aged for one year and bottled with no fining or filtration. Honey-yellow in the glass, with intense aromas of herbal and orange citrus, peach stone fruit, bitter pith, walnut, hazelnut and dried herbs on the palate. At only 11.5 per cent ABV, the intense flavours are very light and beautifully refined. The herbal, savoury finish is dry, delicious, very moreish and will elevate any dish.

32, sout. LesCavesdePyrene.co.uk. Call 01483 554750

2016 Arnaud Aucoeur Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais Blanc

Packing fuller flavours than other mineral-driven Chardonnays due to the use of old vines, the delicate orchard fruit flavours of Arnaud Aucoeurs Beaujolais Blanc are magnified, paired with bracingly fresh acidity and no oak, keeping the finish mineral-pure and arrow-straight. This will cut through many seafood dishes, including crab, mussels and oysters.

12.50, Yapp Brothers, yapp.co.uk. Call 01747 860423

2015 Jean Durup Pere et Fils, Les Valery Chablis

Dip your toe into Chablis with this fine and affordable example. Durups trademark style is unoaked, pure and terroir-driven. A classic nose of wet stones, honeysuckle, green fruit and steel in youth. Light and lean on the taste buds, with citrus, apple, pear and seaside salinity, this will enhance the flavours of shellfish, seafood and fish and chips, but the wines hallmark acidity will also cut through the richness of scallops and wash-rind cheeses such as Stinking Bishop, Epoisses and Taleggio.

16.50, tanners-wines.co.uk. Call 01743 234 455

2012 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

For those already well acquainted, Chablis Grand Cru can often taste like a still version of champagne, with which it shares a great ability to stay fresh with age. This 2012 vintage, from one of the regions best producers, has layered aromas of sun-ripened citrus fruit, honey, brioche and toasted hazelnut. Aged without oak to keep the flavours pure and fresh and the acidic structure tight. More mature chablis can enhance the creaminess of dishes such as foie gras; steamed lobster dipped in melted butter; mushrooms cooked in butter, parsley and wild garlic; roasted quail; cream-based fish and chicken dishes, and black truffles over rich polenta.

40, marksandspencer.com
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A special committee set up to discuss Irish abortion laws has voted in favour of changing the constitutional clause which effectively criminalises abortion  but stopped short of repealing the law entirely.

The Eighth Amendment to the Irish constitution protects the right to life of the unborn, and termination is illegal in Ireland in all but the most exceptional circumstances, where there is a real and substantial risk to the mothers life.

The campaign to reform Irelands abortion laws has been gathering steam, which are most restrictive of any country in Europe, and the Irish government agreed last year to consult on the future of the Eighth Amendment.

99 members of the public were randomly chosen to take part in the Citizens Assembly, which has been meeting regularly to discuss abortion in Ireland since October last year, and will make a formal recommendation to the Irish government on the legislation.

Today, the Assembly voted in a series of ballots to amend, rather than repeal, the Eighth Amendment.

The first ballot asked the Assembly whether the Irish government should retain the Amendment in its current form, which was overwhelmingly voted down, by 79 votes to 12.

However, the members of the committee also overwhelmingly recommended that there should be a referendum on Irish abortion laws.

However, in a later round of voting, on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment entirely, the Assembly voted 50 to 39 in favour of the option to amend, with two of the 91 citizens abstaining.

Pro-choice campaigners reacted with disappointment that the Assembly would not recommend that the government repeal the law entirely.

The London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign said: We are disappointed that after six months of deliberations  which included the heartfelt testimony of women forced to travel for abortions  that the Citizens' Assembly has opted against recommending the Repeal of the Eighth Amendment.

"However, we are heartened that 87 per cent of members did vote for some form of constitutional change  proving the majority believe the Eighth is not fit for purpose.

"Since the Assembly first sat in November, 1600 women have travelled from Ireland to Britain for terminations.

"It remains to be seen what final recommendations will come from this process. But the London Irish Abortion Rights Campaign urges the Citizens' Assembly to keep these women in mind, when casting further votes.

"We are concerned that assembly members have not been given an opportunity to vote on a woman's right to reproductive autonomy. An exception based framework which allows abortion only in certain cases such as in cases of rape, will ensure the continued exportation of our women to Britain and further afield.

Others have expressed concern that the wording of the ballots were prejudicial to the process.

Colm OGorman, Director of Amnesty In Ireland, tweeted that he was gravely concerned last session has introduced and inflated uncertainty [regarding the] repeal option at this stage before critical vote.

The next round of voting will ask: How do you think Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution should be changed?
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You know how annoying it is when youre trying to have a conversation with someone and they keep on getting texts and emails. Theyre just too popular. Its a bit like that with Laura Kipnis. Except the opposite. The difference is each of the messages is a new threat of further litigation. She probably has a lawsuit app that pings her alerts or notifications. I suggest a new ringtone: the sound made by a gavel striking a hard surface would do it. Or possibly a chop chop sound. Because she has been sticking her neck out even further than usual.

She was always arresting (previous works include Against Love and Men), now she is more on-the-verge-of-being-arrested. She is the Socrates of our day. A martyr to freedom of speech. Or maybe freedom to have sex with students (other peoples freedom anyway, she says shes not particularly enticed). Sitting in the Pain Quotidien on Bryant Park, in the shadow of that temple to learning that is the New York Public Library on 42nd Street, she doesnt seem too worried. The press has very good lawyers, she says, who are adamant that opinion is protected.

She has written a book about sexual paranoia on the American campus, Unwanted Advances. Which happens to be rather brilliant. She puts me in mind of a kick-ass black belt kung-fu fighter, who stalks about actively looking for trouble. You know you cant write that, dont you? she says. About the lawsuits.

The essayist refuses to accept the simplicity of debates around campus sex

I wont if you dont want me to, I say. She hates to stop people doing anything. How about if you just dont know anything about it? No names or anything. She makes a mouth-zipping gesture. So just for the benefit of any potential grand inquisitors planning to subpoena or grill me, as they have done Kipnis, or impound my computer, I know nothing. Well, almost nothing. Unwanted Advances mentions the case of one David Barnett, a philosopher who interceded on behalf of a student of his, Ben (a pseudonym), who had been subjected to disciplinary intervention under the so-called Title IX protocol. He wrote a reasoned 37-page document setting out exactly why and how the investigators had got it all wrong. For which he was summarily sacked and drummed out of town. I couldnt help thinking that Kipnis was doing a Barnett, going in to bat on behalf of someone else and was liable to suffer the same fate. There was a happy ending to that story, she says. He invented this gizmo called PopSockets. You stick it on the back of your phone. You can find it on YouTube. Hes dancing with it. It turned out to be his lucky day when he got fired.

I hope you have a PopSockets, I say. This book is my PopSockets, she says. Laura Kipnis is a professor at Northwestern University in Chicago. The flawed hero of Unwanted Advances is Peter Ludlow, a philosopher at Northwestern. Or ex-philosopher at Northwestern. Now in exile in Mexico, officially disgraced. According to Kipnis, he is more sinned against than sinning. But his fate is a barometer of a shift in the cultural climate. Kipnis maintains that when she was a student, students often had sex with professors. Probably not a great idea, but nobody suffered too much, she suggests. Not much more than having sex with anyone. Being naked, exposed, and physically handled by another human, she writes, can be destabilising and not always pleasant, especially when the other human is drunk, clumsy, and/or a complete stranger.

The fiction that women dont have sex, sex is done to them does women no favours, argues Kipnis (Creative Commons)

But the zeitgeist changed. Students (notably female ones) became  according to current mores  victims of professorial predators rather than willing participants. Ludlow hadnt noticed. Then he got hit by a double-barrelled accusation. Its complicated (when isnt it?), but this is the gist, somewhere between farce and tragedy.

Episode 1

They dont even have sex. They (it is agreed) end up on the same bed together, but they have their clothes on, and there may not even be any touching. There may (or may not) be a pillow between them. On one side of the bed, we have Professor Peter Ludlow, divorced, laidback, charming, who calls everyone Dude; on the other Eunice Cho (the name Kipnis gives her, not her real name), an undergraduate formerly enrolled in Ludlows Philosophy of Cyberspace class, struggling with grades and finances.

Technically, they spend the night together, the night of 10 February 2012, having spent the evening together at art galleries and bars. She says that she ends up trying to commit suicide, throwing herself in the waters of Lake Michigan, and it is all his fault. He, the great professor/predator/groper. Who is therefore guilty of sexual harassment and subject to investigation under Title IX, a catch-all hazy provision which has expanded to become a snoopers charter.

Kipnis was drawn into the case. And Eunice Chos account fell apart in her eyes when she claimed that the guilty professor had been forcing her to drink. In her long experience, she says, no student has ever had to be forced to have a drink. Another weak spot in Chos case: she throws herself into the lake, but then just casually gets out again, seemingly from embarrassment, and doesnt notice the ice that other sources say is there. This is the middle of winter after all. In Chicago. Its freezing. She then proceeds to stroll about wet, for the next hour or so, or so she says. Physiologically improbable. Enter Joan Slavin. Slavin is one of the new breed of university detectives sniffing out professorial misconduct. A Title IX investigator, a bureaucrat now set up as moral judge and jury. She seems to have a priori assumption that everything the accuser says is correct, and the accused is therefore guilty according to the preponderance of evidence. Evidence?  writes Kipnis scathingly. There was none.

Episode 2

Involving a 25-year-old woman called (in Kipnis) Nola Hartley. A promising graduate student. This time there was actual sex. But it was a long-term relationship. Ludlow was in love. They both were, at some point (she says not, all her texts and emails say otherwise). She ultimately jilts him, he is heartbroken. Years go by and she then decides, retrospectively, in 2014, after the Cho case goes public, that somewhere along the line she must have been raped.

She is encouraged in this assertion by various shadowy figures, the sinister Professor X who perhaps has it in for Ludlow on account of also being involved with Hartley; Heidi Lockwood, a roving crusader for sexual justice, backing up the victim or survivor; and finally a lawyer called Patricia Bobb, hired by the university, who latches on to and reinforces the poor-little-grad-student theory. Cue protests by outraged students denouncing the evil professoriate and pseudo-judicial tribunals in which the defendant hardly has any idea what he is even being charged with. Slavin is back, sharpening her axe. Which then duly falls.

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. 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Meanwhile, Northwestern is forking out huge sums in lawyers fees and compensation to aggrieved women. Kipnis, as you can tell by now, doesnt buy into any of the above. To her way of thinking, Ludlow is himself the victim of a compelling narrative, one by which we have become bewitched. Witch being the operative word here since he is the victim of a witch hunt comparable, she says, to McCarthyism back in the 1950s. The predatory professor is the Red under the bed of our day, or rather in it, or at least on it.

Jean-Paul Sartre once said sex is consensual rape. But what if there is no such thing as consensual, and its just sensual combined with a con? Then all you have left is rape. All women, in this dominant narrative, have become persecuted damsels in distress, actually or potentially. And, says Kipnis, thereby disabled, disempowered, rendered vulnerable and defenceless, victims or survivors in their own minds. Sexual assault is real (and she has had her share of close shaves) but rape culture tends to conflate rape and every other shade of bad behaviour.

Kipnis argues that the fiction according to which women dont have sex, sex is done to them does women no favours, it is only a return to the most traditional conceptions of female sexuality. Women need to be free to have sexual adventures and make mistakes and not always blame somebody else. Kipnis advocates more self-defence classes and less consumption of alcohol. But here comes the twist in the tale. When Kipnis takes on the role of commentator, writing a 5000-word essay for The Chronicle of Higher Education, in February 2015, to some extent rooting for the disgraced rapist Ludlow, and decrying the infantilisation of students, she becomes herself the target of the very same Title IX investigators she was writing about.

Emma Sulkowicz (left), a student at Columbia University, carries a mattress in protest of the universitys lack of action after she reported being raped (Getty) (Getty Images)

The same protestors now start marching against her too (dragging mattresses around  symbolising sexual assault). Students denounce her to the campus police for creating a hostile or chilling environment. But the thing about Kipnis is this: she can take it. Her father taught her to fight in the backyard when she was a kid, to take on the neighbourhood bully. But, Dad, she said, I cant fight, Im a girl. Yes, you can, he said. Youre bigger than he is. She reminds me of Camille Paglia, but more reasoned, and unlike Paglia she hasnt actually hit me (yet). Moreover she stands on the strong ground of freedom of speech and intellectual endeavour. She refuses to be censored or shut down. In the post-Cartesian post-Freudian realm in which there is no distinction between body and mind and everything is pervaded by sexuality and professors cannot therefore behave like brains in vats, the real risk of the vulnerable-woman narrative is a new closing of the American mind.

If we are risk-averse, we are by the same token averse to exploration and inquiry and debate and discussion. By sheer coincidence, I happened to be reading Infidel and Heretic by Ayaan Hirsi Ali at the same time as Unwanted Advances and it struck me how the campus is becoming akin to the highly regulated, oppressive echo chamber of Sharia law, in which women have to be protected but are thereby controlled and muzzled. Kipnis is a bit of a heretic among feminists. Its not just the American campus either.

In South Africa students pontificate in kangaroo courts about the sexual misconduct of other students. JM Coetzees Booker-prize winning novel Disgrace (1999), in which the protagonist has a disastrous affair with a woman student, still haunts the academic mind. At Pembroke College, Oxford, Jeff Ketland was sacked in 2014 (then reinstated, then sacked again) when his ex-girlfriend, who had been stalking him, committed suicide and her more recent boyfriend pointed the finger of blame at him. Ketland believes he was stitched up and his life destroyed by a group of activists and their mantra of male power and wickedness and female victimhood and vulnerability.

My own experience of the intellectual fear factor in England is the shock and horror of some students when I propose reading the libertine works of the Marquis de Sade (Justine, The 120 Days of Sodom, Philosophy in the Bedroom), as if I was actually being a sadist. (Sade is no longer on my reading list.) In Milan Kunderas novel The Joke (1967), set in Soviet-era Czechoslovakia, the hero is sent down the mines on account of a funny postcard. I was giving a PowerPoint lecture once when the power went down. Oh look, said the helpful woman student in the front row, indicating a disconnected connector, your little thing just dropped off. Be fair  how could I help saying, there you speak to my deepest anxiety. It got a laugh, but two weeks later I get the inevitable complaint, via my own head of department: inappropriate behaviour or discourse or something.

Im with Kipnis here  let it be inappropriate, to hell with appropriate. Kipnis offered me some sound advice. Dont have sex with your students. If only on pragmatic grounds. She knew of multiple cases where even sex/romance with an ex-student is turned into an actionable offence. Intergenerational sex is now taboo. I had been speaking to Professor Harold Bloom and his wife at Yale just the day before, and they protested that some of their best friends (they mentioned the case of Paul de Man, for example) were professors and graduate students who had fallen in love and got married, and they were very happily married too.

I dont want to sound like too much of a killjoy here, but the fact is that for too long the campus has been perceived as a working model of the Fourier-inspired utopia of the phalanstery, a vast pleasure dome in which all desires are completely satisfied all the time. Its an image of the orgy. No wonder if everyone is, in reality, dissatisfied. I want to make a modest proposal. I want a zero tolerance policy, on campus and possibly off too, where sex is concerned. And you can throw in drinking and wild parties too. Ban them all. I want a new era of Prohibition. The total prohibition of everything, basically, oh yes, except for reading and writing. A zen campus: 100 per cent zerotic, calm and tranquil.

Let it be a beacon of enlightened contemplation to the rest of the world. No touching. No kissing for sure. And possibly no teaching either. I see a future in which there is no more teaching and students, rather like driverless vehicles, will be entirely autonomous and self-steering. The sacking of professors is simply a sign of what is to come. The problem of the professor/student hook-up is that it is built on a double deception. Rather as in the case (short-lived, inevitably) of Arthur Miller (professorial) and Marilyn Monroe (would-be student), the wisdom of age is ostensibly educating the unformed mind of youth. But old people arent automatically wise and young people arent all blonde airheads either. Its a stupid mythology. Kipnis had one further piece of advice for me, from her deep well of experience. Dont send any emails to anyone either.

OK, I said. No emails.

And whatever you do

Yes? 

Dont write any articles.

Oh-oh.

Andy Martin is the author of Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make Me (Bantam Press, RRP 18.99). He teaches at the University of Cambridge. Follow him @andymartinink

Unwanted Advances by Laura Kipnis is out now, published by HarperCollins

You can download an audio recording here of the debate at NYU Institute for the Humanities between Kipnis and Professor Shamus Khan of Columbia, a sociologist involved in a study of sexual behaviour of students, who wrote a critical review of her book in Public Books
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Thousands of scientists from around the world are marching to protest over what they term Donald Trumps rejection of science.

Participants in the March for Science, coinciding with Earth Day, are turning out in at least 500 cities, with the largest number in Washington DC.

The protests, which was inspired by the Womens March which took place in cities around the globe the day after Mr Trumps inauguration, are designed to highlight the way Mr Trump has apparently dismissed science on everything from climate chance to the safety of vaccine immunisations.

Andrew Rosenberg, director of the Centre for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told The Independent the Trump administrations stance on science was even more extreme than that of George W Bush, one of whose first acts as president was to turn his back on the Kyoto Treaty.

Its not just on climate change - its on issues of public safety, things that impact child development, he said. We have never seen things as bad as this.

The organisers point out that Mr Trump has rolled back most of the environmental protections enacted by Barack Obama, introduced to try and cut emissions of carbon dioxide. The Republican president has cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency and is planning to reduce the grant to the National Institute of Health by 20 per cent.

 Neil deGrasse Tyson says science deniers in power are a profound threat to democracy

Scientists find it appalling that evidence has been crowded out by ideological assertions, Rush Holt, a former physicist and Democratic congressman who runs the American Association for the Advancement of Science, told the Associated Press.

It is not just about Donald Trump, but there is also no question that marchers are saying when the shoe fits.

Mona Hanna-Attisha, who exposed the dangerous lead levels in the drinking water and childrens blood in Flint, Michigan, planned to march in Washington and speak to the crowd.

Its risky, but that's when we make advancements when we take risksfor our heart rates to go up, to be a little anxious and scared and uncomfortable, she said before the event.

Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said he was travelling to Washington to show solidarity with American climate scientists who he said were under attack from from politicians, companies and lobbyists.

Climate scientists perform a vital public service in analysing and documenting the risks to families and businesses from climate change impacts in the United States and across the world, he said.

The intensity of attacks on climate scientists and their work has increased since January as the Trump administration has targeted them for cuts in federal spending.
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Almost two thirds of Britons are living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution, new analysis has revealed.

Nearly 40 million citizens live in towns and cities where the levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are above legal limits set by the EU.

The study commissioned by the Labour Party raises fresh concerns over the public health impact of air pollution, after a string of findings linked poor air quality to disease and early death.

Recommended Tory government may shelve plan to tackle air pollution crisis

Sue Hayman, the Shadow Environment Secretary, called the levels of air pollution a national crisis.

Labour will not allow the Tories to use the snap general election or Brexit to kick this issue into the long grass, or water down standards that would put millions of UK adults and children at risk, she told The Guardian.

Her party said it would introduce a number of clean air zones across the UK and fight to close loopholes in car emissions tests if elected.

The new data reveals 59 per cent of people in the UK are living amid illegal pollution levels. Towns and cities including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Burnley, Leeds and Sheffield all breach NO2 limits, as do many areas of London.

In the capital alone, NO2 pollution, which is caused mostly by diesel vehicles, is responsible for 5,900 early deaths each year.

The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Show all 10 1 /10 The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Ukraine The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Bulgaria Rex Features The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Belarus The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Russia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Armenia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Bosnia and Herzegovina REUTERS The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Georgia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Hungary DigitalGlobe The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths China The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Moldova

Under the EUs legally-binding Air Quality Directive, levels of NO2 should not exceed 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

The news came as government ministers made a last-minute bid to delay a High Court deadline for submitting revised proposals for tackling air pollution.

The Government had been ordered to produce tougher measures by 4.00pm on Monday after their initial plan was dismissed by judges on the grounds it was so weak that it was unlawful.

At 7.00pm on Friday, ministers requested a lengthy delay that would allow them to hold off putting forward new plans until after the 8 June general election.

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: We are firmly committed to improving the UKs air quality and cutting harmful emissions. We are seeking an extension to comply with pre-election propriety rules.

But Greenpeace UK said there was no excuse for further delaying the publication of the plan.

Ministers have had months to come up with a robust plan to tackle illegal air pollution, a spokesperson said.
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The UKs first 24 hours without using coal as part of its energy mix has been hailed a watershed moment.

For the first time since the industrial revolution, the country fulfilled all of its energy needs without using coal for a full day. It is bound to happen more frequently, the National Grid said.

Around half of energy came from natural gas and about a quarter came from nuclear plants, according to Grid Watch. Wind, biomass and imported energy made up the difference.

A combination of factors, including warmer weather which led consumers to reduce their energy use, made it possible, a National Grid spokeswoman told The Independent.

Last year the Government pledged to phase out all coal power plants by 2025.

Older power plants have also closed in recent years and solar and wind energy are providing a growing proportion of electricity to homes and the industrial sector.

According to an analysis by Carbon Brief, the UK generated more electricity from wind than from coal in 2016. It reported coal generation collapsed last year, contributing just 9.2 per cent of the energy mix, while wind made up 11.5 per cent.

The National Grids energy control room said it had ran without coal for up to 19 hours on 20 April but Friday was the first time they managed a full 24 hours since the worlds first centralised public coal-fired generator opened in 1882 at Holborn Viaduct, in London.

A spokeswoman from the National Grid said: More power generation stations are shutting down and this mean Britains energy mix is more diversified, which is a good thing for the country.

We are expecting to be repeating this more frequently as we head towards ending our reliance on coal.

She added the National Grid was unable to predict when another day without coal would happen again since its role is to balance energy supply and demand on a day-to-day and minute-by-minute basis.

Hannah Martin, head of energy at Greenpeace, said the first day without coal was a watershed in the energy transition.

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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 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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

Gareth Redmond-King, Head of Climate and Energy at WWF, said the day was a significant milestone in our march towards a green economic revolution.

He said renewable energy accounted for a quarter of electricity in the UK, a proportion which is higher in Scotland, and that the UKs environmental good and services sector supported an estimated 400,000 full-time jobs.

But Mr Redmond-King said getting rid of coal in the energy mix was not enough to meet the UKs international commitments to tackle climate change.

We havent made anything like the same progress on decarbonising buildings and transport, he said. Whoever forms the next government after the general election, they must prioritise a plan for reducing emissions from all sectors  which shows how the UK will continue to develop these changes and guarantee an environmentally clean and economically successful future for the UK.

This comes amid concerns over the Governments ability to deliver a clean air plan to tackle illegal pollution levels in UK cities due to rules restricting the activities of the civil service during an election period.

After a legal challenge by environmental lawyers Client Earth last year, the Government was ordered by the High Court to produce a draft of a new national air quality plan by 24 April.
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The Government has rejected calls to outlaw company bosses from forcing female employees to wear high heels at work.

Heels became a hot topic in Britain after receptionist Nicola Thorp was sent home without pay from finance firm PwC in December 2015 for wearing flat shoes.

She started an online petition that gathered more than 152,400 signatures and triggered a debate in Parliament.

But the Government said laws in place were already "adequate" to deal with discrimination on gender grounds  a decision that Ms Thorp called "a cop-out"

The London temp turned up at PwC in flat shoes, but was told she had to have a two to four inch heel.

The Government has now called on all employers with dress codes to review them and consider whether they remain relevant and lawful.

It accepted that awareness among workers and their bosses is patchy and some employers knowingly flout the law.

The Government Equalities Office plans to produce guidelines in the summer on dress codes to make the law clearer.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA 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

An investigation by Commons committees found that women workers have been told to dye their hair, have manicures and wear revealing clothes by their bosses.

Maria Miller, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, said: Equality legislation is not sufficient to achieve equality in practice.

This petition, and the committees' inquiry, have reinforced the need for effective enforcement of legislation and for employers and employees to be aware of their obligations and rights.

We welcome the commitments made by the Government to increasing awareness of those rights, and hope that the next Government will monitor how this changes women's experiences of the workplace.

MPs had been told how women in heels were expected to climb ladders, move furniture and walk for great distances, while others were told to unbutton their blouses to entice male customers when they investigated the issue.

The Government rejected calls by the committees for changes to tribunal rules and more in-depth monitoring of failed discrimination claims.

Helen Jones, who chairs the Petitions Committee, said: This petition, and our inquiry, have already done a great deal to improve public awareness of the law.

It is nevertheless very welcome that the Government has accepted our recommendation that it should be doing much more to improve understanding among employers and employees alike, to prevent discriminatory practices in the workplace.

I very much hope that the next Government will honour the commitments made in the response to our report.
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A former judge at the European Court of Justice has slammed the invincible ignorance of Brexit-backing ministers who believe they can free the UK from the courts influence.

Professor Sir David Edward told The Independent he was astonished at what he called misleading promises of autonomy from the court, made by Brexiteer politicians.

Theresa May is expected to make stripping the court of its power in the UK an election pledge when the Conservative manifesto is published, but Sir Davids outburst follows new Brexit negotiating guidelines from the EU which show the bloc will demand the court keeps a role in Britain.

His words also come alongside those of other academic and political experts underlining how difficult it will be for the Government to maintain its hard-line stance towards removing the courts role in British life.

As the Government moves towards Brexit talks, former judge Sir David said severing ties with Europes highest court in Luxembourg will not be as simple as Leave means Leave.

He said he was astonished by the invincible ignorance of many ministers, calling claims that Britain will be able to achieve autonomy from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) misleading if it later plans to trade with EU member states.

You can escape the jurisdiction of the ECJ, but you have got to comply with EU standards if you are going to export into the EU, he told The Independent.

And who decides what these standards are ultimately if theres a problem? Its the ECJ.

 Brexit Secretary David Davis admits deal with 'exact same benefits' is not a promise

Going further, former QC Sir David warned that anti-EU politicians, who for years have lambasted the European Court, will also turn their guns on British courts and judges, or anyone who disagrees with the way Brexit was being conducted.

The professor emeritus at the University of Edinburgh School of Law said the ECJ was not stuffed with European judges who imposed their will on the unwilling British people.

He added: A great number of cases we decided were brought by British people precisely in order to be able to trade freely."

Since Ms May made freeing the UK of the ECJ a key promise in her Tory conference speech last year, cracks have begun to appear in the Governments approach.

She later said: We will not have truly left the European Union if we are not in control of our own laws.

But when Brexit Secretary David Davis revealed his Great Repeal Bill in March, he had to admit that European case law would still have to be taken into account in British courts for years to come.

The Tories signalled that wriggling free of the court's jurisdiction could feature in their manifesto, despite the new guidelines that are now emerging from Brussels.

The draft negotiating directives state that any Brexit deal should safeguard the status and rights derived from Union law at the withdrawal date, including those the enjoyment of which will intervene at a later date, such as rights related to old-age pensions.

The document goes on to say those rights should be protected for the lifetime of the EU citizens living in the UK, before adding: In these cases, the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union (and the supervisory role of the Commission) should be maintained.

The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg (Rex)

Agreeing to the provision could mean that if the UK Government breaches an EU citizens rights after Brexit in relation to state pension payments, for example, the individual might call on the Luxembourg court to remedy the issue.

President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani has gone on to say that any Brexit deal that did not protect EU citizens rights would be vetoed by the body he leads.

University of Oxford law professor Paul Craig agreed that maintaining pure sovereign authority after Brexit will have difficulties.

Recommended European judges uphold stripping UK citizenship from terror suspects

When we leave the EU, all rights and obligations cease. However, the reality is any UK business that wishes to do business in Europe will in effect have to comply with the relevant rules, so the idea we have some pure sovereign regulatory authority in the UK will simply not be true, he said.

Ms May rejected the idea of staying in the single market in January, stating it would mean accepting a role for the ECJ that would see it still having direct legal authority in our country.

However, she has signalled some support for a transitional period and a phased process of implementation of any Brexit deal.

Catherine Barnard, a professor of EU law at the University of Cambridge, said she believed the Prime Minister finds herself in a political bind  forced to appease hard Brexiteers by being as uncompromising in her language as she can.

Politically, [Ms May] has got to say Britain will be free from the ECJ because that is what the hard Brexiteers in the Government want. But in reality, two years is just not enough time to replicate the EU institutions, Prof Barnard said.

What will happen is there will be a divorce so she can say we have left, and then there will be transitional arrangements, which will mean from air safety to plant variety, it may well be that we will continue to use the EU bodies because we can't just set up those 50 or so bodies in that time. This means there may still be a role for the ECJ.

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

She also pointed to what she believed was a recent softening in government language, as cabinet members come to recognise the gargantuan exercise that lies ahead of them.

Henri de Waele, European law professor at Nijmegen and Antwerp universities, said he expected further softening in the Governments stance towards the ECJ as it realised the benefits of staying connected.

Even the UK Government will recognise there are certain parts of the ECJ that we still want to subscribe to and, despite it being in contradiction to earlier promises, they will have to accept some share of the jurisdiction with the court, he said.

Politically that would be a very hard sell, but I could imagine over the next two years the UK Government would still have the common sense to see a certain interest or a particular need not to disconnect completely  but then if you do not disconnect completely, its almost impossible to avoid ECJ jurisdiction.

The ECJ was seized upon in the run-up to the 23 June referendum as one of the main reason's Britain needed to take back control. Michael Gove, one of the leaders of the Leave campaign, argued EU institutions were responsible for imposing undesirable laws on the British public and many maligned the ECJ as an example of faceless, undemocratic bureaucracy.

Claude Labour, MEP and chair of the European Parliaments influential Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, said it was time to be honest with the British public about the ECJ's value.

Most people would not have been explained what the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is  they wont have had a handle on where the ECJ is useful to them, where it has improved their rights.

They will have just seen it as some kind of interfering control from the outside and unfortunately, that continual denigration of it has created a situation where it has now become this symbolic thing that has to be removed, he said.

A Government spokesman said: The Government has been clear that in leaving the EU we will bring an end to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the UK and return powers from Brussels to the UK.

This means that it will be UK law, not EU law, that is supreme and Parliament will be free to change the law where it decides it is right to do so.
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The European Parliaments Brexit chief has accused Theresa May of a power grab motivated by opportunism after the Prime Minister decided to call an early general election.

Guy Verhofstadt, the Parliaments Brexit coordinator, dismissed Ms Mays claim that an election was needed to enable her to secure a better deal with the EU as nonsensical.

What has been billed as a Brexit election is an attempted power grab by the Tories, who wish to take advantage of a Labour party in seeming disarray to secure another five years of power before the reality of Brexit bites, Mr Verhofstadt wrote in The Observer.

Recommended EU demands UK pay Brexit divorce bill in euros not pounds

Will the election of more Tory MPs give May a greater chance of securing a better Brexit deal? For those sitting around the table in Brussels, this is an irrelevance.

It appears this election is being driven by the opportunism of the party in government, rather than by the people they represent.

The former Belgian prime minister said Ms Mays tough negotiating red lines and her lack of room for manoeuvre had alienated figures in Brussels and made a trade deal less likely.

Confirming her decision to call for an early election, Ms May claimed that every vote for the Conservatives would make me stronger when I negotiate for Britain with the European Union.

Mr Verhofstadt dismissed the claim as nonsensical.

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

We can only conclude that many British politicians and the media still dont fathom how article 50 will work, he added.

As with the referendum, which many European leaders saw as a Tory cat fight that got out of control, I have little doubt many on the continent see this election as again motivated by the internal machinations of the Tory party.

The Belgian MEP also appeared to pour cold water on the likelihood of a transitional period during which Britain would retain access to the single market while it attempted to negotiate a trade deal with the EU.

European leaders are preparing for customs controls to be introduced from Brexit day in March 2019, he said.

And he accused UK government ministers of being engulfed by a fog of surrealism.

Mr Verhofstadts article is likely to ruffle feathers in Downing Street ahead of key talks next week between Ms May and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the timeline for the two-year negotiation process that will conclude with Britain leaving the EU in 2019.
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The Prime Minister has refused to explain her partys tax policy, casting confusion over whether the Tories will keep their pledge not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance.

Asked three times during a campaign appearance in the Black Country whether she would rule out tax rises, Theresa May would only talk of the Conservatives low-tax instinct.

The Prime Minister also dodged a question about whether her party would keep a so-called triple lock on pensions in place.

Her comments come after her Chancellor Philip Hammond said on a trip to the US that the 2015 policy not to raise the main taxes made it more difficult to manage the economy.

Asked on the campaign trail whether she would rule out tax rises, she said: Lets be very clear on the issue of taxation.

At this election people are going to have a very clear choice: they will have a choice between a Conservative party which always has been, is, and will continue to be a party that believes in lower taxes, in keeping taxes down for ordinary working people  or the choice is a Labour party whose natural instinct is always to raise taxes.

Asked again, she said: What Im saying is that when people come to vote they will have a choice between two parties: between the strong and stable leadership that will be in the national interest doing the right thing for Britain under the Conservatives or a weak and unstable coalition of chaos led by Jeremy Corbyn.

A Conservative party who has always been and will continue to be a lower tax party or a Labour party whose natural instinct is always to raise taxes.

Ms May stayed strictly on-message during her short address to voters in Dudley, repeating the words strong and stable 12 times during the speech and a further half-dozen times during an ensuing Q&A session.

The Government U-turned on its Budget proposal to raise national insurance on self-employed workers last month after critics pointed out that the policy broke the 2015 manifesto pledge.

David Camerons former director of strategic communications revealed in 2016 that the pledge was cooked-up on the hoof and suggested that it was one of the dumbest economic policies anyone could make.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

As well as the tax lock, the Conservatives are also currently bound to meet strict deficit targets, and protect huge areas of public spending, including pensions, under the triple lock policy.

Taken together the Government has previously sought to balance the books by making sharp welfare cuts but has struggled to get ones that save significant amounts of money through Parliament. David Cameron was forced into a retreat on cuts to tax credits and disability benefits.
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The Chancellor has hinted that he will drop the Conservatives flagship pledge not to raise taxes in the next Parliament.

Philip Hammond is currently bound by a promise made in the 2015 Tory manifesto not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance.

But Mr Hammond said on Friday that the pledge made it harder to properly manage the economy, strongly suggesting that it would not be repeated in Junes Tory manifesto.

Recommended Thousands of families to lose 16 per cent of income after NI rise

The Chancellor was recently embroiled in a Budget row about the pledge after he moved to raise NI for self-employed workers. Government spokespeople initially claimed the policy didnt break the manifesto promise, but the policy was quickly dropped after a backlash.

Speaking in Washington DC on Friday Mr Hammond said: Im a Conservative. I didnt come into politics because I believe in higher taxes. Im not in the business of having an ideological desire to raise taxes.

But we need to manage the economy sensibly and sustainably. We need to get the fiscal accounts back into shape. It was self-evidently clear that the commitments that were made in the 2015 manifesto did and do today constrain the ability to manage the economy flexibly.

He later added: "We are and will always be the low-tax party. And Labour will always be the high tax party.

Labour seized on the admission, with campaign chief Andrew Gwynne said the Chancellor was dropping the pledge due to his own economic failure.

The MP said: Should the Tories win the next election, is that theres a tax bombshell  a Tory tax bombshell  on the way, and you can bet your bottom dollar it will be hardworking low- to middle-earning families that will feel the pain because its those families that have felt the pain over the last seven years while there have been massive tax giveaways to those at the very top.

David Camerons former director of strategic communications revealed in 2016 that the pledge was cooked-up on the hoof and suggested that it was one of the dumbest economic policies anyone could make.

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

As well as the tax lock, the Conservatives are also currently bound to meet strict deficit targets, and protect huge areas of public spending, including pensions, under the triple lock policy.

Taken together the Government has previously sought to balance the books by making sharp welfare cuts but has struggled to get ones that save significant amounts of money through Parliament. David Cameron was forced into a retreat on cuts to tax credits and disability benefits.
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A federal air marshal on a New York bound flight reportedly left her loaded gun in the cabin toilet where it was discovered by a passenger.

The US agent was flying from Manchester, UK, to John F Kennedy airport on a Delta flight when the incident occurred.

The weapon was handed in to a crew member who returned it to the agent, however she failed to report the slip up to her superiors until several days later, according to the New York Times.

Despite the error, the agent was reportedly placed on another flight just days later.

Air marshal sources told CNN the agent was hired recently and should have been put on leave after the incident.

"She made a mistake because she wasn't given the appropriate tools to succeed," one former air marshal said, pointing to a lack of on-the-job training.

Air Marshal Association president John Casaretti said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must improve on training for new hires.

"These rare incidents must be thoroughly investigated and local managers should take appropriate corrective action. A field training officer program and thorough mentorship of new officers can reduce similar performance issues, he said.

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

"Air marshals work in punishing conditions, labour under poor leadership and have seen their law enforcement functions curtailed by an administration that lacks vision. The problem is not the air marshals, it's the TSA.

Both the TSA and Delta were contacted by The Independent for comment.
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American Airlines has suspended a flight attendant after he challenged a passenger to a fight at the front of an aircraft cabin.

During the boarding of the Friday afternoon flight AA591 from San Francisco airport to Dallas-Fort Worth, it appears that the staff member hurt a mother of twins as he removed her stroller for storage in the hold.

The ensuing events were filmed by Surain Adyanthaya, a passenger sitting several rows back. He uploaded the footage to Facebook, and wrote: OMG! AA Flight attendant violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby on my flight, hitting her and just missing the baby.

Then he tried to fight a passenger who stood up for her.

In the footage, the mother is seen standing in the crew area holding a baby, sobbing and asking for her stroller back.

A large male passenger then stands up and demands the name of the employee involved in the stroller incident. He returns to his seat, then returns when the staff member re-appears through the cabin door. The passenger shouts: Hey bud  you do that to me and Ill knock you flat.

As the captain looks on from the flight-deck door, the employee says: Try it. Hit me.

The captain orders the passenger to sit down, and then follows the staff member out of the cabin door.

Once the footage began to be shared on social media, American Airlines responded with a statement coded crisis-alert, saying: The actions of our team member captured here do not appear to reflect patience or empathy, two values necessary for customer care. In short, we are disappointed by these actions.

 United Airlines removes couple travelling to their wedding from plane despite 'plenty of empty seats'

The airline said the employee has been removed from duty pending an investigation.

American Airlines is desperate to avoid creating a similar PR catastrophe to United, whose chief executive described a passenger being dragged violently from the seat he had paid for as being re-accommodated.

The statement from American said: We have seen the video and have already started an investigation to obtain the facts. What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident.

The airline said the passenger had been switched to a different flight and would be upgraded to First Class for her entire journey, which is believed to be to Europe.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The incident occurred at a big US airport on a Friday afternoon, when queues are long, planes are full and stress is high  not a great time for either passengers or employees.

Once again, though, it appears that staff working for a giant US airline may have failed to observe the most basic element of service: dont harm the passengers.

But it appears from the footage as though the large man who threatened to floor the staff member was allowed to remain on board. That may surprise a lot of airline employees, since American Airlines warns passengers whose conduct is disorderly, abusive or violent can expect to be offloaded.

The flight eventually departed 90 minutes behind schedule.
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Donald Trumps administration has refused to allow US oil company ExxonMobil to drill for oil in Russia.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the government would not be allowing the oil giant to bypass sanctions on Russia that forbid US firms from working with their Russian counterparts.

The Treasury Department will not be issuing waivers to US companies, including Exxon, authorising drilling prohibited by current Russian sanctions, Mr Mnuchin said in a statement, adding that he had consulted Mr Trump before making the decision.

Exxon had applied for an exemption from the sanctions in order to allow it to continue a joint venture with PAO Rosneft, a huge Russian state oil company.

In response to the ruling the firm said they understood the decision. The application for the licence was in order to meet contractual obligations in Russia, it added.

Exxon signed a deal with Rosneft in 2011 to conduct drilling operations in the Black Sea and the Kara Sea in Siberia, where there are thought to be huge untapped oil fields.

Other agreements followed but the co-operation was halted in 2014 when the US and EU imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

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

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was Exxons chief executive before being appointed to the State Department.

Mr Tillerson has recused himself from all government business relating to Exxon and sold all his stock in the company.

Mr Trump and his team have come under intense pressure over their alleged links with Russia. The US Presidents former national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign in February after it emerged he had discussed Russian sanctions with Sergey Kislyak, Moscows ambassador to the US, before taking office  something Mr Flynn had previously denied.

The FBI and a number of congressional committees are currently investigating allegations that members of Mr Trumps team colluded with Russian officials to try to influence the outcome of the US presidential election. Mr Trump has consistently dismissed the claims.
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The US has confirmed it will honour a refugee deal with Australia to resettle 1,250 asylum seekers that President Donald Trump previously described as dumb.

Vice President Mike Pence said the deal would be subject to vetting and that recognising it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement".

"We will honour this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," he told a joint news conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama last year, the US would resettle refugees held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

In return, Australia agreed to resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers. However, refugee charities said they were concerned the measures would mean few asylum seekers would actually be resettled.

"What still isn't clear is how many people will have this opportunity, and that clarity must be provided," said Graham Thom, refugee coordinator at Amnesty International Australia.

Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and has sent troops to fight alongside the US military in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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

However the relationship was put in jeopardy when Mr Trump lambasted Mr Turnbull over the arrangement, labelling it a "dumb" deal.

Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after the real estate mogul took office made headlines around the world, with reports Mr Trump had called it the worst call by far that day.

Mr Turnbull acknowledged US reluctance, but said Mr Trumps commitment speaks volumes and said the call ended courteously.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
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An American-Israeli teenager suspected of making more than 200 bomb threats against mainly Jewish institutions in the US has been charged.

Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, who was arrested by Israeli police in March, was charged in Florida and Georgia with making threatening communications, making threats related to explosives and cyberstalking.

The alleged offences date back to August 2015 in connection to threats made against primary schools and homes in Georgia.

Recommended Teenager arrested and held over bomb hoax calls to schools

The calls he is alleged to have made were extremely menacing, according to the FBI, with one bomb threat claiming that in a short time, a large number of Jew children are going to have their heads blown off from the schrapnel.

Kadar, who has dual citizenship and lives in Israel, is said by his American-born mother to be autistic and to have a brain tumour, which she believes could explain his alleged behaviour. She told NBC News she is shocked and horrified at the allegations.

Hes autistic. He cant control it. He cant think straight she said, claiming he was home-schooled after he was unable to function in school due to a brain tumour.

Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, could face extradition to the US after he was charged with making bomb threats and related offences (AFP/Getty)

His father, who is Israeli, said: To all the Jews in America, I want to say clearly, we are very, very sorry, from the bottom of our hearts.

Both parents were filmed in silhouette to protect their identities. His name had been withheld by Israeli authorities pending a formal indictment.

Kadars lawyer has told reporters that while the teenager has a high IQ, he has the emotional intelligence of a five-year-old.

Over the course of two years, Kader is accused of having threatened multiple Jewish community centres and schools in Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand, as well as airports and specific commercial airlines.

According to the Georgia complaint, the calls forced thousands of children to be evacuated from various schools.

Today's charges into these violent threats to Jewish community centres and others represent this department's commitment to fighting all forms of violent crime, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

These threats of violence instilled terror in Jewish and other communities across this country and our investigation into these acts as possible hate crimes continues.

The FBI said it had issued more than 100 subpoenas and search warrants to various internet providers in order to track down the source of the malicious phone calls.

They allege that Kadar disguised his voice through text-to-voice services or with a spoofing app and used the term bloodbath repeatedly in his calls while repeatedly referring to a bomb.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The bureau also claims that Kadar repeatedly searched for news reports into the bomb hoaxes, and that they were able to deduce that IP addresses in Israel were connected with the calls.

A joint FBI-Israeli investigation began last Autumn, and also involved authorities in Australia and New Zealand.

Authorities believe that Kadar kept meticulous records of his activities and organised the threats he allegedly made by date and location on a USB drive on his computer.

Threats were made over the two year period to Jewish community centres in states including New York, Alabama, Ohio, Illinois and Texas, although Kadar is charged only in relation to threats made in Florida and Georgia.

Kadar is currently being detained in Israel and faces charges there for the same threats. The Department of Justice said it could not say with certainty whether Kadar will be extradited to the United States to face charges.
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Undercover police in Michigan can no longer legally engage in sexual intercourse with sex workers they are investigating, according to a new state senate bill.

The bill makes it possible for these law enforcement officers to be prosecuted if the officer engaged in sexual penetration while in the course of his or her duties.

It is not a common tactic used by undercover police, according to local and state officials.

The exemption from prosecution for undercover police officers was meant to protect officers as they embarked on sting investigations of prostitution rings, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Unanimously approved, the bill was sponsored by Republican State Senator Judy Emmons who told the Detroit Free Press that Michigan has the dubious distinction of being the last state in the nation to have this law in our books.

The last state to end such an exemption was Hawaii in 2014.

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

Ms Emmons said: How do you debate this? I don't know how anyone could come out and argue against this. The bill is part of an effort of the state to provide more protection for human trafficking victims.

In many states however, prostitutes  even if they are actually human trafficking victims  still do not actually have to engage in a sex act to be arrested for solicitation.

International human rights lawyer and advocate for victims of human trafficking Mary Katherine Burke told The Independent said she does not understand why it took so long for the state to pass the law, but considers it a win for victims' advocates.

Ms Burke said she has heard several stories of victims being bought by police.

I've heard of stories of adult sex workers being detained by law enforcement and having them offer to release the sex worker without arresting or charging if the sex worker performs some sort of act... and then arresting the sex worker on prostitution charges anyway, she said.

When police engage in sex with these victims while investigating them it is antithetical to the whole idea of victim services, said Ms Burke.
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United Airlines is to introduce a customer satisfaction-based pay scheme in the wake of the violent ejection of a doctor from one of its planes.

The company's chief executive, Oscar Munoz, will not ascend to the role of chairman in 2018 after his contract was amended following the incident, which was captured on video.

Millions watched footage of Dr David Dao, 69, being dragged bloodied and screaming from his seat on a United flight which the airline said was needed by one of its employees. It sparked calls for a boycott and even parody adverts from rival companies.

Recommended United Airlines removes couple travelling to their wedding

Mr Munoz was forced to apologise and promised a thorough review of what had happened.

United Continental Holdings Inc have reportedly filed plans for a targeted compensation plan for executives that would make sure employees' incentive opportunities for 2017 are directly and meaningfully tied to progress in improving the customer experience.

In a reversal of his earlier employment agreement, Mr Munoz has opted to leave future determinations related to the chairman position to the discretion of the board, United said in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

 United Airlines passenger is dragged off plane because airline overbooked

Leaders of the US Senate Commerce Committee sent a letter to the airline in the wake of the incident, asking about the airlines policy for bumping passengers off oversold flights. They also asked about Dr Dao in particular, and the reasons given for his removal.

The senators instructed United to reply by Thursday, but Mr Munoz wrote to the committee on Friday asking for an extension. He promised a full response by 27 April.

We are in the process of gathering the full set of facts about this incident and finalising a thorough review of our policy, he wrote. We look forward to sharing the full results of this ongoing review and the immediate, concrete actions we will take to better serve our customers with the committee.
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Donald Trump has revealed where he will spend the 100th day of his presidency  announcing plans for a "BIG rally" in Pennsylvania.

The Republican businessman said the event would held next next Saturday, the same day as the White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington, which he is boycotting.

The rally will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Centre in Harrisburg. Pennsylvania was one of the crucial battleground states that Mr Trump won on his way to securing the White House.

I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it, he said on Twitter.

Pundits have already started to score Mr Trumps first 100 days, a period given huge importance for any presidency and period when an incoming administration looks to score some fast wins.

Barack Obama was able to pass two major pieces of legislation in his first 100 days, including a major financial boost to the staggering economy and a move to help ensure fair pay for women.

 Trump repeatedly calls Paul Ryan 'Ron'

Mr Trumps 100th day falls on 29 April. His first weeks in office were undoubtedly rocky: an executive order to block the entry of citizens from six Muslim-majority countries was blocked by the courts and his national security advisor, Mike Flynn, was obliged to stand down after it was revealed he lied about a conversation with a Russian diplomat.

His attempt to find a replacement for Obamacare failed to secure enough support among Republicans on Capitol Hill.

However, since then, things appear to have calmed a little. Mr Trump has managed to get his pick for the Supreme Court, Neil Grouch, confirmed and has overseen an immigration crackdown as part of an order to tighten regulations on migrants.

He responded to an alleged chemical attack by Syrias President Bashar al-Assad with what was generally seen as moderate, proportional military action.

The President has also earned praise from his supporters for the blunt message he has delivered to North Korea over its nuclear missile programme.

This week, Mr Trump appeared to dampen down expectations of how he will be judged.

No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including SC), media will kill, he said on Twitter.
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Donald Trump's son has come under fire after he accepted an invitation to shoot prairie dogs as part of a weekend of campaigning in Montana.

As he hits the campaign trail with Greg Gianforte, the Republican congressional candidate in the state, Donald Trump Jr will attend the fun prairie dog hunt.

"As good Montanans, we want to show good hospitality to people. What can be more fun than to spend an afternoon shooting the little rodents?, Mr Gianforte said.

Mr Trump Jnr is an avid hunter and has previously been photographed next to slain big game animals including a water buffalo and a cheetah.

But animal protection charity The Humane Society has condemned the excursion, which is scheduled during the prairie dogs's peak breeding season, meaning some of Mr Trump Jnrs targets could be pregnant.

Other females will still be nursing their offspring and the hunt could lead pups to starvation, warned Lindsey Sterling Krank, the Prairie Dog Coalition director.

"I would love to take Donald Trump Jr out with a spotting scope and shoot the prairie dog with our cameras. Shooting a prairie dog colony is not a good conservation message, she said.

The charity said shooting prairie dogs served no purpose other than being a target practice for hunters to keep their skills sharp.

In using high-powered weapons to kill prairie dogs, the animals can seem to explode or have body parts severed and sent flying, the charity said.

Prairie dogs are listed as a species of concern by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Park.

The Humane Society said the species has declined by more than 95 per cent because of poisoning and shooting, loss of habitat to development, intensive agriculture, and disease.

The grassland animal is not a game species, which means there are no hunting limits or hunting seasons. Shooting prairie dogs is however a popular pastime in the hunting-friendly state and some landowners say it is a way to control the population, sometimes called agricultural pest.

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

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Park spokesman Greg Lemon said the numbers of prairie dogs have not dropped to the point that protective measures have to be taken and the species continues to be managed like other wildlife.

But Mr Gianforte, who has made gun rights one of the focus of his campaign, dismissed the organisations concerns.

"Clearly they've never shot a prairie dog. They don't know how much fun it is, he said.

The Montana race has attracted attention after the Republican congressional candidates had close calls in elections in Kansas and Georgia.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders pledged to come to Montana next month to campaign for the Democrat candidate Rob Quist ahead of the 25 May election.

Donald Trump won Montana with 20 points over Hillary Clinton in last years election.
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Immigrants who were brought into the US as children and are currently living there illegally can rest easy, Donald Trump has said.

The US President ended speculation that he might scrap the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows the children of irregular migrants, known in the US as dreamers, to study and work legally.

But despite although he is known for his anti-immigration stance, Mr Trump said his administration is "not after the dreamers, we are after the criminals."

There are currently around 770,000 people enrolled in the DACA program, which is open to immigrants who can prove they arrived in the US before the age of 16.

In previous interviews, the President had refused to confirm the status of the dreamers, while in January, an apparently authentic draft of an executive order scrapping the scheme was leaked to the press.

However, not all those enrolled on the DACA program feel able to rest easy just yet.

 Trump doesn't say who will pay for Mexico wall, only that it's coming

Juan Escalante, a 28-year-old who came to the U.S. from Venezuela at age 11, told The Chicago Tribune he was "not comforted by the president's words" because "he has said he will treat us with 'heart' and to 'rest easy,' and it just seems so general."

However, Mr Trump said he was keen to push on with other flagship immigration policies, such as the expansion of a border wall with Mexico.

"I want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall"

New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Show all 27 1 /27 New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People gather for evening prayer at a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 02: Yemeni business owner Musa closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty

Pressed on how the wall would ultimately be funded, the President was less forthcoming.

On the campaign trail, he repeatedly told voters that Mexico, not US taxpayers, would pay for the wall.

More recently, the Trump administration has signalled that it would ask Congress for the money, claiming the US taxpayer would be reimbursed by Mexico at a later date.

It had been thought the Trump administration would try to get $1.5 billion (1.2 billion) for the wall through Congress as part of a spending bill for federal agencies that has to pass by 28 April.

However, the Democrats may be able to scupper this plan, if they block a federal funding bill, triggering a complete government shutdown.
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Russian intelligence services attempted to use Donald Trumps advisers to influence his election campaign, a report has claimed amid investigations into links with Moscow.

Carter Page is among those targeted according to information gathered by the FBI, CNN reported.

Mr Page, an American oil industry consultant who acted as a foreign policy adviser from the Trump campaign, denied the claim and said he helped US services.

My assumption throughout the last 26 years Ive been going there has always been that any Russian person might share information with the Russian government... as I have similarly done with the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies in the past, he added.

Intelligence officials told CNN Mr Page may have been unaware of the alleged scheme and talked with Russian agents unknowingly.

Court documents said he previously met with a spy called Victor Podobnyy in 2013, who attempted to recruit Mr Page and was later charged as part of ta Russian spy ring.

 Rex Tillerson: US have "low level of trust" with Russia

Documents on the energy industry were handed over but Mr Page said he shared only basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents.

He has also visited Russia several times, interacting with officials the FBI believe act on behalf of the Kremlin and delivering a university lecture in 2016 where he accused US of condescending and hostile policies towards Russia.

Recommended Trump team spoke to Russia envoy about closer links before election

On returning to the US, Mr Page was among the Trump campaign advisers meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

The FBI later got a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) to monitor Mr Pages communications.

Officials from Mr Trumps campaign said there was no indication Mr Page attended national security meetings at Trump Tower and played only a junior role.

CNNs report claimed Russia attempted to infiltrate Mr Trumps campaign by using backdoor channels to his inner circle, with US and European intelligence finding several advisers had been in contact with known Russian agents.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters

It came after the Kremlin rejected a Reuters investigation alleging that a think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin drew up a plan to swing the presidential election in Mr Trumps favour.

The Moscow-based Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS) dismissed claims it was part of a Russian influence campaign as fantasies.

Mr Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, attacked the use of anonymous sources while dismissing the allegations, originating from current and former American officials citing RISS documents.

Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the US election, while Mr Trump has also rejected a report by his own intelligence agencies on the campaign.

Barack Obamas administration concluded that Russia mounted a fake news drive and launched cyber attacks against Democratic Party groups and Hillary Clintons campaign.

Ongoing congressional and FBI investigations into Russian interference have so far produced no public evidence that Mr Trumps associates colluded with the Russian effort to change the outcome of the election.
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The US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee has invited former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates to testify as it restarts its investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

After stalling over the committee chairman's ties to Donald Trump's White House and disagreements over who should testify, the bipartisan committee has sent two letters inviting a number of FBI, NSA and Obama administration officials, including Yates, to appear behind closed doors on May 2.

The planned hearings are the first the committee has announced since its chairman, Republican Representative Devin Nunes, recused himself from the Russia investigation on April 6 after receiving information at the White House about surveillance that swept up some information about members of Trump's transition team.

 Jeremy Bash implies Sally Yates had revelations for House Intel & Nunes cancelled her public hearing

Echoing Trump, Nunes suggested that Obama's administration had handled that information incorrectly.

Nunes remains the committee's chairman.

FBI director James Comey and NSA director Michael Rogers testified in a public hearing on March 20. At that hearing, Comey confirmed for the first time that the FBI was investigating possible ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia as Moscow sought to influence the election.

Nunes was a supporter of Trump's campaign and a member of his transition team. His decision two days after the public hearing to hold a press conference about the information and discuss it with Trump before disclosing it to Democrats raised questions about whether he could lead a credible investigation.

Committee Democrats also were angered when Nunes scrapped a scheduled public hearing with Yates. A planned closed hearing with Comey and Rogers also was put off.

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

The House panel is examining whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump's favour, 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.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is conducting a separate, similar investigation.

Senate investigators currently are interviewing analysts and intelligence agents who prepared public and classified reports in January that concluded that Russia had interfered in last year's election on Trump's behalf, an official familiar with the congressional activity said.

At this point they are a long way from scheduling interviews or hearings with any principal witnesses from either the Obama or Trump administrations, the official said.

Reuters
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The US Surgeon General who upset Americas powerful gun lobby and who supports Obamacare has been dismissed by the Trump administration.

UK-born Vivek Murthy, appointed by former President Barack Obama as the operational head of the US Public Health for the uniformed services, was effectively made to resign and been temporarily replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is a nurse by profession.

In a statement, the Department of Health and Human Services said: Today, Dr Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump Administration.

Dr Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, the statement continued, adding that Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation.

No explanation was offered as to why he was asked to step down.

Dr Murthy, a graduate of both Harvard and Yale Universities, had been Surgeon General since 2014 and his sudden departure has reportedly surprised colleagues in the department.

He upset the powerful gun lobby when he called gun violence a health threat to the United States. As a result of intense opposition from the National Rifle Association, the White House delayed his appointment in 2014.

And he has made clear his support for the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, which currently provides health insurance for millions of poorer Americans and which President Donald Trump is currently working to repeal and replace.

 Kellyanne Conway completely baffled that Democrats won't help to destroy Obamacare

Dr Murthy is co-founder and president of Doctors for America, formerly known as Doctors for Obama, an organisation of 16,000 doctors and medical students whose goal is improving health-care access.

He said in a statement, which he shared on Facebook: For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve.

Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come. Our journey for a stronger, healthier America continues.

Adding that he had hoped to do more to help our nation with its biggest health challenges, he issued a warning on the dangers of demonising drug users.

We will only be successful in addressing addiction  and other illnesses  when we recognise the humanity within each of us. People are more than their disease. All of us are more than our worst mistakes. We must ensure our nation always reflects a fundamental value: every life matters.

Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Show all 28 1 /28 Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Bob Moran for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' KAL for The Economist Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian

His replacement, Ms Trent Adams, holds a PhD as well as her two nursing degree and will now take charge of communicating healthcare research and policy decisions with the American public. She is believed to be the first Surgeon General who isn't a doctor by profession.

There is a history in the US of surgeons general creating unwanted controversy for their former bosses after they leave office.

Dr Richard Carmona blasted George W Bush's administration after he was not asked to serve a second four-year term, accusing White House officials of repeatedly trying to weaken or suppress important public health reports for political reasons..
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Investigators searching for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 are confident that they have found the planes most likely final resting place.

The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)  the countrys national science agency  believes the wreckage is in an area 25,000 sq km north of the original 120,000 sq km search zone.

The Boeing 777 jet vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Despite a huge multinational search operation, the plane's final resting place has still not been confirmed.

In December 2016, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau identified the new area and claimed it was highly likely that the wreckage of the jet is there. However, the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia said there was not enough evidence to begin a new search.

Now, though, the CSIRO has confirmed that the new area is indeed likely to be the final location of MH370.

Government officials from the three countries have previously said they will re-open the search if credible new information is uncovered.

An initial, huge search area of the Indian Ocean south-west of Australia was identified in 2014, and investigators spent more than two years scouring it with specialist sonar, video cameras and sensors without finding any trace of the jet.

MH370 debris - in pictures Show all 7 1 /7 MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French police officers carry a piece of debris from a plane in Saint-Andre, Reunion Island. AP MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Police carry a piece of debris from an unidentified aircraft found in the coastal area of Saint-Andre de la Reunion, in the east of the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion AFP PHOTO / YANNICK PITOUYANNICK PITOU/AFP/Getty Images MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris The plane part is being taken to France for further investigation Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French gendarmes and police inspect a large piece of plane debris which was found on the beach in Saint-Andre, on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French gendarmes and police inspect a large piece of plane debris which was found on the beach in Saint-Andre, on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Johnny Begue, a member of a local shore cleaning association, in Saint-Andre, French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, holds the remain of a suitcase found the day before on the same site Getty Images MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Searches continued on Friday for other possible MH370 debris along beaches on the island of Reunion AP

Experts had few clues as to the planes fate until a wing flaperon was found on a beach on Reunion Island, off the east coast of Africa, in July 2015. Analysis confirmed the wing part was almost certainly from MH370.

The new research, published by the CSIRO on Friday, involved using a Boeing 777 flaperon that was damaged to make it identical to the one found on La Reunion. Scientists carried out a series of tests to see how the part drifted through the ocean.

Dr David Griffin, who led the research, said the study added an extra level of assurance to the findings from our earlier drift modelling work.

It indicates that the most likely location of MH370 is in the new search area, he said.

We cannot be absolutely certain, but that is where all the evidence we have points us, and this new work leaves us more confident in our findings.

Knowing how the flaperon, and the other parts of MH370 that have been found, respond to wind and waves is just as important as knowing the currents of the Indian Ocean.
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More Nato fighter jets are being scrambled to monitor and intercept Russian planes than at any time since the end of the Cold War as tensions continue to rise.

Around 780 deployments were made from European military bases last year in response to Russian aircraft, compared to just 410 in 2015.

British planes have been scrambled in numerous operations involving the RAF, which has pilots in the Quick Reaction Alert force ready to launch 24-hours a day.

Incidents have seen Russian bomber planes approach the UK several times, including when Blackjack bombers spent more than five hours skirting British airspace in February.

Russian planes are not known to have violated international regulations or entered any EU nations sovereign airspace, flying instead into identification zones in international airspace that are monitored for security.

A typical response sees fighter jets launched by the nearest country to visually identify the foreign aircraft and ascertain whether it is a threat, frequently flying alongside until the Russian plane breaks away and turns back.

A further 90 alerts were sparked by non-Russian planes in 2016, such as commercial flights that lost contact with air traffic control, according to officials at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where the US Air Forces in Europe are headquartered.

 NATO intercept Russian bombers

It brings the total number of deployments to 870 in the year, which saw Nato increase its air policing missions after noting a steady increase in Russian military air activity.

Officials at Ramstein told Germanys DPA news agency that the rising number of jets being scrambled was partly due to the Turkish Air Force stepping up its operations under Nato command and launching operations along the Syrian border.

Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet after it crossed the boundary for 17 seconds during a bombing mission in 2015, although the Kremlin claimed it had not violated Turkish airspace.

Nato was among the bodies working to defuse tensions following the attack, which was the first time a member state had shot down a Russian or Soviet plane since 1952.

The number of Russian planes intercepted in Eastern Europe fell slightly last year, with the Lithuanian ministry of defence saying there were 110 deployments in 2016, compared to 160 the previous year.

However, the number is still more than double that seen before the Ukrainian conflict, which has driven worsening relations between Russia and the EU over the Kremlins military intervention and annexation of Crimea.

Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Show all 5 1 /5 Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian aircraft goes down in Kizildag region of Turkey's Hatay province, close to the Syrian border Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian aircraft goes down in Kizildag region of Turkey's Hatay province, close to the Syrian border Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian aircraft goes down in Kizildag region of Turkey's Hatay province, close to the Syrian border Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian aircraft goes down in Kizildag region of Turkey's Hatay province, close to the Syrian border Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets Russian aircraft goes down in Kizildag region of Turkey's Hatay province, close to the Syrian border

The figures were revealed after Russian planes approached the Alaskan coast for four nights in a row this week, sparking two intercepts and two monitoring operations.

The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) told The Independent two Tu-95 Bear bombers were intercepted on Monday and Thursday, and monitored on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, an IL-38 Russian maritime patrol aircraft appeared and was watched.

US Air Force First Lt Lauren Hill, a spokesperson for Norad, said the latest incident on Thursday saw two American F-22 Raptor stealth fighters and two Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets scrambled.

They were launched to intercept two Russian bear bombers off the coast of Alaska at around 7pm local time (2am BST) and visually identify the foreign aircraft.

They were always in the 200-mile radius that is the Alaskan Air Identification Zone but at no time did they enter sovereign North American airspace, which is 12 miles from land, First Lt Hill said.

All four flights were conducted safely and professionally.

An RAF Typhoon shadows Russian navy vessels as they pass through the English Channel (MoD)

Incidents have not been seen in the same level of intensity by the US since 2014, but Norad is understood not to consider the Russian behaviour abnormal.

Before last week, the most recent previous incident seeing Russian aircraft intercepted by American forces was in 2015.

That saw a pair of Russian bombers fly just 40 miles off the coast of California and around Alaska on 4 July, when a pilot relayed the message: Good morning, American pilots. We are here to greet you on your Fourth of July Independence Day.

A Russian intelligence ship, the Viktor Leonov, has recently been spotted off the US coast and two months ago, Russian aircraft had several encounters with the USS Porter as it sailed in the Black Sea.

US-Russian relations have soured in the wake of Mr Trumps vow to improve ties with Moscow, following mounting tensions over Syria and Ukraine.

The two conflicts, seeing Vladimir Putin back his allies Bashar al-Assad and the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, have also increased tensions between Russia and the EU.

Amid increased military deployments and rival drills, both Nato members and Russia have accused each other of warmongering amid fears over a new arms race.

In Natos latest air exercise, codenamed Ramstein Alloy, fighter jets from the Baltic air policing mission, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Norway and the US will practice intercepts over Lithuania on Tuesday.
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More than 1,000 refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, as charities battling to stem the record number of deaths increasingly come under attack.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recorded at least 1,073 people dead or missing on the treacherous passage between Libya and Italy  a grim benchmark that was not reached until the end of May last year.

At least 150 are children, Unicef said, while warning that the real figure is likely to be far higher because unaccompanied minors deaths frequently go unreported.

Such is the danger of death that asylum seekers embarking on flimsy dinghies have been known to write phone numbers in marker pen on life jackets, so loved ones can be notified if their body is recovered.

More than 8,300 migrants were rescued over the Easter weekend alone, with some of those taken to safety telling aid workers around 100 of their fellow passengers had died during the voyage.

Many dinghies have capsized, seeing up to 170 people crammed on board drown, while others have been found dead in boats after being suffocated, dying of hypothermia or starving while drifting at sea.

Smugglers are pushing more and more boats into the Mediterranean as the weather improves and amid rumours of a crackdown by the Libyan coastguard, which is being bolstered by Italian funding and equipment.

 Italian coastguard rescues thousands of refugees off coast of Libya

The unprecedented crisis has sparked intervention by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who have launched their own rescue ships equipped with medical staff and supplies to bolster efforts by the EUs Operation Sophia.

Initially welcomed by European authorities, their growing role in the Mediterranean has been met with increasing suspicion by right-wing politicians and groups now accusing them of colluding with smugglers.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), whose staff work on two rescue ships, dismissed the claims as baseless.

Stefano Argenziano, the groups operations manager for migration, said it rejects any accusation of cooperation with ruthless Libyan smugglers, who have turned a humanitarian crisis into a lucrative business helping fuel the countrys ongoing war.

Its a ludicrous accusation thats diverting attention from the real problem, he told The Independent.

The real problem is that people are dying. Theres a gap in assistance and were starting to wonder whether this is part of a deliberate plan to step the migration flowa deadly deterrent.

Mr Argenziano said interventions by EU assets, excepting the Italian coastguard, were often very little and very late and condemned the continents refusal to provide other routes to safety.

In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby being taken on to MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos all images by Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby among refugees on a boat carrying 185 people off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Migrants and refugees sleeping after being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos ship Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A crew from MSF's Bourbon Argos ship rescuing a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya, at sunrise Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A woman in a stretcher being lifted onto MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden

Search and rescue is not the problem, but it is not the solution either, he added.

It is a necessity to save lives unless politicians can produce a safe and legal alternative.

Following the closure of the refugee route over the Aegean Sea using the controversial EU-Turkey deal last year, cooperation has been ramping up with the fragile Libyan Government of National Accord.

Italy signed an agreement backed by the EU to reduce boat crossings over the Central Mediterranean in February but it was later suspended by the justice ministry in Tripoli and remains in limbo.

Rome agreed to supply the countrys coastguard, which is itself accused of killing and abusing migrants, with 10 new boats alongside millions of euros in funding for migration initiatives.

International organisations believe the ultimate aim  transferring responsibility for rescues to Libya and holding migrants in detention centres there  is not viable amid the ongoing conflict and the widespread enslavement, capture, torture and extortion of asylum seekers.

Rob MacGillivray, the director of Save the Childrens search and rescue programme, said pushing boats back to shore from international waters would be illegal.

A dead man in a life jacket floats in the Mediterranean Sea after a boat disaster off the coast of Libya on 16 April (Reuters)

Its not going to stop crossings and even if it did, all that would happen and the routes would shift to Algeria, Tunisia or Egypt for example, he added, rejecting accusations of NGOs colluding with smugglers.

Safety is not the smugglers first priority and they will use whatever floats to send people across the Mediterranean.

If search and rescue providers were to finish work tomorrow, would the people smugglers just fade into the background?

In 2015, operations were mainly undertaken by Italian law-enforcement, EUNAVFOR Med or Frontex vessels. NGO vessels were involved in less than 5 per cent of incidents.

But they are now deployed to respond to around half of missions by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Rome, which also draws on military, coastguard and commercial ships.

A cursory internet search reveals countless blogs accusing NGOs of colluding in illegal people smuggling, while numerous conspiracy theories have arisen over what far-right commentators label the invasion of Europe.

The latest politician to push for the Central Mediterranean route to be closed is Wolfgang Sobotka, the Austrian interior minister.

NGO Proactiva Open Arms conducts a rescue operation in the Mediterranean (Getty)

A rescue in the open sea cannot be a ticket to Europe, because it hands organised traffickers every argument to persuade people to escape for economic reasons, he told Germanys DPA news agency.

[Stopping crossings] is the only way to end the tragic and senseless deaths in the Mediterranean.

Mr Sobotoka, from the right-wing Austrian Peoples Party, claimed his country could put up borders in the event of any influx, saying the numbers seen in 2015 must not be repeated.

The government in Vienna is one of several to have implemented a limit on asylum seekers, with calls to halve the current annual cap of 17,000.

In Italy, the chief prosecutor in the Sicilian city of Catania has formed a task force on claims of links between NGOs and smugglers.

Carmelo Zuccaro admitted he had no proof and the public prosecutor decided not to investigate, but a fact finding mission was launched by the Italian parliament.

Frontex, the EU border agency, has also raised concern over smugglers alleged use of rescue vessels.

Migrants rest on the Moas ship Phoenix after being rescued off the Libyan coast, as the ship makes its way towards the Italian island of Sicily on 18 April (Reuters)

A confidential report leaked in December claimed migrants were given clear indications before departure on the precise direction to be followed in order to reach the NGOs boats and accused charities of warning rescued asylum seekers not to cooperate with Italian authorities.

Another report released by Frontex in February claimed search and rescue operations near the Libyan coast unintentionally help criminals achieve their objectives at minimum cost, strengthen their business model by increasing the chances of success.

It recognised that rescues were needed to comply with international legal obligations and said safe and legal routes were needed for refugees, but alleged sailing close to Libyan territorial waters acted as a pull factor.

The Malta-based charity Moas (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) pointed out that boat crossings increased even when Italy stopped its Mare Nostrum operation, while a recent Oxford University study found rescues have little or no effect on the number of arrivals.

A representative said migrants were being increasingly used by politicians in Europe to fuel the rise of nationalism, adding: The migration phenomenon is not going away, and focusing only on patrolling the EU's borders is definitely not the solution.

With almost 37,000 asylum seekers arriving in Italy so far this year, mainly from Guinea, Nigeria and other African nations, the crisis shows no sign of slowing.

Sophie Beau, the co-founder of rescue charity SOS Mediterranee, said NGOs were being forced to act by the failure of European states, who should be increasing capacity themselves.

NGOs are being blamed for our presence, when authorities should be blamed for their absence, she added.

Theres a humanitarian tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes at the door of Europe and we cannot just remain blind.
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The British Government says it is alarmed by Russias ban on Jehovahs Witnesses and has launched an appeal for Vladimir Putin to uphold religious freedom.

Baroness Anelay said a ruling by the Russian Supreme Court effectively criminalises the peaceful worship of 175,000 Russian citizens" and contravenes rights enshrined in the countrys own constitution.

I am alarmed by the decision of Russias Supreme Court to recognise the Jehovahs Witnesses as extremists, the Foreign Office minister added. The UK calls on the Russian government to uphold its international commitment to freedom of religion.

The Jehovahs Witnesses plan to appeal Thursdays ruling, which came after six days of hearings attended by hundreds of supporters.

We are greatly disappointed by this development and deeply concerned about how this will affect our religious activity, said spokesman Yaroslav Sivulskiy. We hope that our legal rights and protections as a peaceful religious group will be fully restored as soon as possible.

Jehovahs Witnesses gather in a house in the village of Vorokhobino, north of Moscow, where they meet for services (James Hill/New York Times)

The case could be taken to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled a previous attempted ban on Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia unlawful in 2010.

The Supreme Court was deciding on a claim lodged by the Russian ministry of justice to liquidate the groups administrative centre near St Petersburg and 395 local organisations. Its decision will come into effect within 30 days unless an appeal is lodged, when it will be delayed until the resolution of the case.

The Supreme Court has ruled to sustain the claim of Russia's ministry of justice and deem the 'Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' organisation extremist, eliminate it and ban its activity in Russia, said judge Yuri Ivanenko. The property of the Jehovah's Witnesses organisation is to be confiscated to the state revenue.

A lawyer for the justice ministry, Svetlana Borisova, told the court adherents pose a threat to the rights of the citizens, public order and public security.

Jehovah's Witnesses, who are known for door-to-door preaching and handing out literature, reject some of mainstream Christianity's core beliefs and have more than 8.3 million members around the world.

Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images

The US-based group has generated controversy for stances including its rejection of blood transfusions and opposition to military service, facing court proceedings in several countries.

Jehovahs Witnesses first registered as a religious group in Russia in 1991 and registered again in 1999, but have been targeted repeatedly by authorities in a wide-ranging crackdown on religious freedom.

Russia changed its legal definition of extremism in 2006, removing requirements for violence or hatred but stating the incitement of ... religious discord as criteria, leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses with the same legal status as Isis or Nazis.

The group's international website was blocked in Russia two years ago over alleged extremism, with its Bibles banned the following year, while a local chairman was jailed for two years on charges of possessing extremist literature in 2010.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was among the international bodies condemning a state sponsored campaign of harassment and mistreatment of Jehovahs Witnesses it said dated back to the 1990s in Russia. It listed police searches, assaults, arson attacks, vandalism, seizures and raids on places of worship, as well as the arrest of several members and criminal investigations.

The Russian Orthodox Church, which enjoys close ties with the Kremlin and the patronage of Mr Putin, is the countrys largest religion, with followers representing around 41 per cent of the population.

Other Christian denominations also make up a significant proportion, as do atheists, Muslims and spiritual movements including neopaganism.
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Thousands of people took to the streets of London for one of hundreds of Marches for Science that have been organised around the world.

Created as a celebration of progress and a call for government policies to protect and encourage research and take into account scientific expertise, marchers wound their way through the capitals streets before joining a rally in Parliament Square.

Across the globe, similar marches took place in Australia, the US and Europe with big turnouts in Sydney, Brisbane, Edinburgh and a huge crowd expected in Washington DC.

The global protest also corresponded with Earth Day and protesters used the opportunity to call for more ambitious climate action in line with scientific recommendations to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C.

While experts are publishing alarming papers on the impact of climate change, from the melting of the ice-caps and the dying Great Barrier Reef to 2016 being the hottest year on record, the US President has sent chilling messages to scientists.

Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has signed executive orders to slash environmental regulations and pledged to dig out more fossil fuels. It remains uncertain as to whether the US will continue to abide by the Paris Agreement under his presidency.

In London, thousands of protesters walked from the the iconic steps of the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, passing the Royal Society before ending at Parliament Square.

The marchers also held a minutes silence to mark the one-month anniversary of the Westminster attack.

The March For Science organiser in London, Story Sylwester, said: From the foundation of the Royal Society and the Royal Greenwich Observatory in the 17th century, to more modern institutions such as the British Library, the Francis Crick Institute and the Wellcome Trust, London has long been a bedrock of scientific inquiry.

The London March for Science is an opportunity for scientists and science enthusiasts to come together and defend the scientific integrity, inquiry and curiosity they love.

Protesters also called on the government to preserve diverse research partnerships in the UK amid fears Brexit will have a significant impact on research funding and collaboration with European institutions.

Marching in London, Jen Nelson, a PhD student in chemistry at the University of Cambridge, told The Independent: We think its important that science continues to be at the forefront of key decisions in policy as well as everyday life, and that expert opinions are still respected.

My lab is heavily funded by the EU, and in light of the referendum result we want to ensure science funding and international collaboration remain a priority for our government.

Pandora Batra, a member of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, said: This is important because science is the reason we are able to live the lives we do and I do not want my future to be determine by un-informed policy decision.

The Cosmic Shambles Network, which celebrates curiosity and science, will aim to continue to keep the message of the march alive by providing debates and resources.

Kenneth Kimmell, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the fact scientists were ready to leave their labs and take to the streets showed the seriousness of the situation.

Mr Kimmell said there was an unprecedented attack on science, scientists and evidence-based policymaking is underway in the US federal government.

We have learned  the hard way  that we cant take respect for facts and science for granted and a large and growing fact-based community is rising up, he said.

As the demonstrations are likely to show, an enormous number of people understand what is stake. The greatest attack on science in memory may wind up spurring the greatest mobilisation of scientists, and allies far and wide, we have ever seen.
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The United States has disclosed a secret military ground operation in Syria that killed an Isis operative seen as a close associate of leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and linked to an attack on a Turkish nightclub that left 39 people dead.

Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, who was believed to be from Uzbekistan, was killed during the ground assault near Mayadin on 6 April, said Colonel John Thomas, a spokesman for the US military's Central Command.

It was a ground operation. I think that's all we're willing to say about that, Cnl Thomas said, declining further comment. He specified that Uzbeki did not die in an airstrike.

Cnl Thomas said Uzbeki helped facilitate the attack on the exclusive Istanbul nightclub Reina in Istanbul on New Year's Eve. Isis claimed credit for the attack, saying it was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria.

The attacker opened fire with an automatic rifle, throwing stun grenades to allow himself to reload and shooting the wounded on the ground. Among those killed in the attack were Turks and visitors from several Arab nations, India and Canada.

We have clearly linked him with the New Year's Eve Istanbul bombing, Cnl Thomas said.

Reuters
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Polling stations for the first round of the French presidential elections have opened amid high tensions and tight security following the latest terrorist incident in Paris.

The latest polls show a surge in support for both the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and far-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon, with a total of eleven candidates battling to go through to the run-off.

Nationalist Ms Le Pen and independent centrist Emmanuel Macron remain favourites for the final round, but this election is regarded as one of the most unpredictable in recent history because of fears over Islamist terrorism coupled with a 10 per cent unemployment rate and a faltering economy.

Centre-right candidate Francois Fillon, a former Prime Minister whose early campaigning was damaged by corruption allegations that his wife was paid but did no work as his parliamentary aide, appeared to be closing the gap, along with socialist stalwart Mr Melenchon.

With fears of possible further terrorist attacks, the French Government has mobilised more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

It is likely to be a close call between the top four candidates to get into the two-horse run-off on 7 May, with Fillon and Melenchon polling just two to three points behind Le Pen and Macron, meaning the decision could rest in the hands of the third of voters who have yet to make up their minds.

The French go to the polls with Fridays terrorist incident fresh in their minds after a gunman carrying a note in support of Isis killed a Paris police officer Thursday before he was shot dead by security forces.

Polling stations opened in the Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as well as French Guyana in South America, the Caribbean's Guadeloupe and elsewhere. Voters abroad could also cast ballots in French embassies, with polls across France opening on Sunday.

Political campaigning is banned this weekend until the polls close across France and online.

 Marine Le Pen pledges to expel 'foreign extremists'

Ms Le Pen and Mr Fillon cancelled their final campaign events on Friday in the wake of the gun attack by Karim Cherufi, 39, but this did not stop Mr Macron from accusing the pair of trying to capitalise on terrorism with their hard-hitting anti-immigration messages and pledges to get tough over security.

Former investment banker and economics minister Mr Macron said that following the attack, it was vital that the French people summoned a spirit of responsibility in what is an extreme period and reach a measured response to a tragic event which has left our country in grief.

He pledged that if elected, he would create a special unit that would work around the clock to tackle Isis, calling the fight against terrorism a moral challenge  a challenge for civilisation.

Ms Le Pen accused successive French governments of being too soft on extremism, and demanded the immediate expulsion of any foreigners with links to extremism or who are deemed to pose a risk to national security.

The Islamist, Salafist ideology has no right to be in France and should be banned. Preachers of hate should be expelled and their mosques closed, she said.

Mr Fillon said: For years I have been warning that we are confronting an Islamic totalitarianism: in other words, an ideology that is radical, organised and expansionist  Whose goal is to destroy our civilisation and crush all enemies from south-east Asia right up to west Africa.

Messages from both said France was at war with radical Islam, which they described as expansionist, organised and barbaric.

Tensions threatened to boil over once again in Paris when a knife-wielding man caused widespread panic this afternoon at the Gare du Nord train station, although he was arrested without anyone being hurt.

Well-wishers paid their respects on Saturday at the site of the shooting which has become a shrine of flowers, candles and messages of solidarity for the slain police officer, Xavier Jugele.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The attack dominated French headlines as the polls opened, but some liberals said they believed French stoicism will prevent an anticipated late lurch towards Ms Le Pen.

These 48 hours are not going to change everything ... Terrorism is now an everyday occurrence. It's permanent, 24 hours a day. So we're not afraid. If we're believers in freedom, we must live with it, said Marise Moron, a retired doctor.

I'm not going to let myself be influenced by people who are trying to frighten us, Paris resident Anne-Marie Redouin said near the heavily-guarded Eiffel Tower.

Recommended Hundreds protest against Marine Le Pen in final week of election

Others, fearful that Ms Le Pen has been strengthened by the instability, said they would shift their votes from fringe candidates in the hope of keeping the far-right out of power.

With an attack such as this one, I think the National Front will get a good result. Therefore I'll change my intention and cast a useful vote  either Melenchon or Macron, said physics teacher Omar Ilys, 44.

The French pick for President could resonate far beyond the countrys own shores, with implications for the UN, the Syrian war and refugee crisis and world trade.

Crucially, the election is also widely viewed as a ballot on the future of the European Union, following the imminent departure of the UK. Both Ms Le Pen and Mr Melenchon would like to pull France out of the 28-nation bloc and its shared Euro currency  a so-called Frexit.

Police in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris the day after a gunman opened fire on officers on the Champs-Elysees (Getty Images)

A French exit could sound the death knell for the EU, the euro and the whole idea of European unity that was borne out of the bloodshed of World War II. France is a founding member of the EU and its main driver, along with former rival Germany.

Financial markets appear jittery over a possible Frexit, but Le Pen's team is downplaying possible apocalyptic scenarios and arguing that the euro is headed for an inevitable break-up in any event.

If Ms Le Pen or Mr Melenchon take a spot in the runoff from either of the more centrist candidates, it will be seen as another major triumph for the wave of anti-establishment populism reflected in the choices for Brexit and for Donald Trump.

Recommended Euro steady as caution dominates ahead of French election vote

Mr Trump tweeted that the latest terrorist atrocity would have a big effect on the election outcome, claiming: The people of France will not take much more of this.

Many French workers who have lost out through globalisation have expressed discontent at the established parties and are attracted by the promise of a change from the status quo, whether from the far-right or the far-left.

Both Mr Macron and Mr Fillon are committed to European unity and have pledged to reform employment laws, with Mr Macron claiming he will counteract the protectionist policies of Mr Trump.

In common with Mr Trump and his "put America first" mantra, Ms Le Pen and Mr Melenchon have blamed free trade pacts for killing French jobs and have pledged to renegotiate them.

The count will begin on Sunday evening when polls have closed across mainland France.

Additional reporting from agencies
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If on the way to the polling station in six weeks time you notice people wrestling with themselves, tearing out their hair and twisting their own arm behind their neck, they will be the Blairites.

See if you can identify the subgroups. Some of them will be Kammites. Like Oliver Kamm, the Times leader-writer, who has decided to vote for Meg Hillier, his Labour MP, because she is a non-Corbynite who voted against Article 50. They will be engaged in an urgent discussion with themselves, pointing out that, no matter how sensible their local MP is, every vote for Labour will be recorded as a vote for a party led by Jeremy Corbyn, and will take the party further away from the humiliation necessary for rebuilding.

Others will be Godfreyans. Kate Godfrey was Labour candidate in Stafford in 2015, but she joined the Liberal Democrats at the end of last year. Many Blairites think Europe is the main question, and wish that Labour had adopted Tim Farrons policy of absolute opposition to Brexit.

The third category are the Hodgesians, named after Dan Hodges, the Mail on Sunday columnist, who will be voting Conservative  And Im not going to think twice. He may not, but there will be others who will, and who will agonise about giving Theresa May too much power. They are the ones who flinched when the Prime Minister told the nation on Tuesday, every vote for the Conservatives will make me stronger. Admittedly she went on, after the briefest of pauses, ... when I negotiate for Britain with the European Union, but there was a chill in the air.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA 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

And everyone knows that the purpose of this election is not to decide who will win, but how much she will win by. Well, nearly everyone. I had half-a-dozen out of the 250 entries in my election sweepstake predicting a Labour majority or a hung parliament. But everyone else, including the people around Jeremy Corbyn, expect Labour to lose and are starting to plan accordingly.

For those around Corbyn, the priority is to ensure that he stays on as leader after defeat, or that he is replaced by a fellow member of the faction. Hence the desperate attempts going on behind the scenes as you read this article to try to secure selection as Labour candidates in safe seats for Corbyn supporters.

This is a political venture on a knife-edge, because most local Labour parties are not controlled by Corbynites and Labours National Executive is split down the middle, meaning that it cannot be guaranteed to impose Corbynite candidates from above. Which matters because the number of Corbynite MPs is so close to the minimum that will be needed to nominate a Corbynite successor.

Bear with me, because there are numbers in the next bit, but the key to politics is being able to count. There are 26 MPs and MEPs who supported Corbyn in last years leadership election who could support him next time. That is 11 per cent of the total, whereas if Corbyn were to resign, a candidate would need to be nominated by 15 per cent. That is why the leaders faction want to change the party rules to reduce the threshold to 5 per cent  the so-called McDonnell amendment, even though John McDonnell insists he doesnt want to be leader.

 Mark Steel: If Labour wins we could pay-per-view Jeremy Corbyn meeting Donald Trump and fund the NHS

It has been suggested that Corbyn might stay on as leader after an election defeat, in order to try to get the rule change through this autumns Labour Party conference. However, it is not clear that the Corbynites would have a majority of the votes in Brighton  the non-Corbynites have organised well to secure most delegates. And in any case if there is a challenge to Corbyn this year, as there is bound to be after an election defeat, it would be fought under the existing rules.

So Corbyn would either have to stay and fight, or his supporters would have to try to find someone else who could secure the backing of 15 per cent of MPs. I doubt if Corbyn would want to fight another leadership election. More importantly, I doubt if he could win it. His supporters rallied to him last year because they felt the challenge was too soon  that it was unfair because it didnt give him a chance to prove himself. But the general election is his chance, and if he fails a lot of his support will fall away. A poll of Labour members last month found that 68 per cent thought he should stand down if he loses the next election  at the time they thought it would be in 2020, but I think, especially after the shock of actual defeat, much of his support will evaporate.

Which brings us to plan C. If Labour is heavily defeated on 8 June, the number of MPs needed to reach the 15 per cent threshold would fall. If the number of Labour MPs, 232 at the last election, fell to 150, any candidate would need the support of 26 MPs and MEPs to stand (because there are, until 2019, 20 Labour MEPs). In other words, precisely the number who supported Corbyn in his second leadership campaign.

Naturally, Corbynites tend to be in safe Labour seats, so a catastrophic defeat for the party wont affect most of them. Cat Smith would probably lose Lancaster and Fleetwood, and Clive Lewis might lose Norwich South, although he is semi-detached from the Corbynites anyway and would like to be leader himself. That is why it is so important for Corbyns supporters that they manage to get two or three of their own into the last-minute safe-ish seats that are now vacant.

Then, after the election, Corbyn can return to his place at the far end of the furthest back bench in the Commons and let Angela Rayner, shadow Education Secretary, or Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow Business Secretary, stand as the factions candidate against Lisa Nandy, Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna and Dan Jarvis. Or whoever else performs well in the beauty contest of the Labour campaign over the next six weeks.

The good news for Kammites, perhaps, is that the paradox of this election is that the more Labour MPs who are returned, although this might appear to endorse Corbynism, the harder it would be for the Corbynites to retain the leadership.
A special committee set up to deliberate on Ireland's abortion regime has voted for the constitutional rules to be changed.

The Citizens' Assembly, a randomly selected group of 99 members of the public and chaired by Supreme Court Judge Mary Laffoy, is meeting to discuss the contentious issue for the last time this weekend.

At the heart of their work is examining the eighth amendment to the Constitution which gives equal right to life to the mother and to the unborn child.

In the first of a series of votes by members on whether to advise constitutional reform the assembly voted 87% in favour of change.

A series of other votes are being held over the course of the weekend to determine what specific changes the assembly will recommend.

Since 2014, a pregnancy can be terminated under the Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Act if there is a risk to a woman's life, including from suicide.

The procedure can involve a medical or surgical termination or an early delivery by induction or Caesarean section to deliver the baby.

But there are growing campaigns for women to be allowed access to abortion if their unborn child is diagnosed with a fatal foetal abnormality or in cases of rape and incest.

Figures from the Health Service Executive showed 26 terminations were carried out under the legislation in 2014 and the same number again in 2015.

In both years, 14 arose from a risk to the life of the mother from physical illness, three in relation to suicide and nine following emergencies arising from physical illness.
The report will also look at the impact on Ireland of a potential post-Brexit free trade deal between the EU and UK. Photo: Bloomberg

A major study providing a detailed profile of the trading relationships between Ireland and other EU member states with the UK is being commissioned by the Government to feed into its Brexit preparations.

The report will also look at the impact on Ireland of a potential post-Brexit free trade deal between the EU and UK.

The study, which is expected to be published in December, will look at the existing levels and patterns of trade between Ireland and the UK, and the UK and other EU states. It will also set out the quantitative impact on Ireland's trade with the UK in a range of post-Brexit scenarios One of these will be a free trade agreement between London and EU states.

The study, using existing research, will "profile the composition of trade and investment of Ireland and a range of EU member states with the UK, and provide an evidence base to inform Ireland's policy positions as part of the wider negotiation on the UK's future relationship with the EU," said the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation which has issued a tender. "The work will also inform national approaches to formulating and delivering enterprise policy, particularly responses to the UK's exit."

The study's authors will also have to identify Irish trade policy options and make recommendations. The report will be provided for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation led Brexit Trade and Investment Group (BTIG).

It provides a forum for examination of trade and investment policy implications arising from the UK's exit from the Single Market and, potentially, from the Customs Union.

Although it is chaired by the Department of Jobs, there are also representatives from the Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Agriculture, Food & the Marine, Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs & Trade, and the Revenue Commissioners.
Traders work at their desks in front of the German share price index, DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

Stocks around Europe eased back at the end of the week as investor uncertainty surrounding the outcome of tomorrow's French election took hold. Victory for the far-right candidate could put the European project in jeopardy if her campaign pledges are to be believed.

Mainstay Medical, the Irish-listed firm that focuses on relieving lower back pain, was the day's biggest winner in Dublin. The company gained 6.3pc over the course of the day to boost the share price to 15.10

The ISEQ overall index of Irish shares closed the week up 0.32pc or 21.75, at 6,739.31.

Other notable performers of the day were building company Abbey (+4.2pc), hotel group Datalex (+3.7pc), along with financial firm IFG, which rose 1.9pc.

Oil and gas explorer Petroneft was the day's biggest laggard, with a loss of 6.6pc after global oil prices dipped as concerns about a supply glut resurfaced. Irish food companies also eased back yesterday, with both Glanbia and Kerry Group down by over 1pc. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index closed little changed at 378.12 in London. France's CAC 40 Index fell 0.4pc, trimming an earlier drop of as much as 1pc. The latest Opinionway poll showed support for independent candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right contestant Marine Le Pen was stable at 23pc and 22pc, respectively. The European regional benchmark saw a weekly drop of 0.6pc, its steepest since late January.

Danone dropped as much as 2.9pc after reporting the third consecutive quarterly drop in volume and including its $10bn takeover of WhiteWave Foods in its organic growth for the year. European equities are still priced for a slight valuation premium linked to recent acceleration in global-growth momentum, and aren't reflecting an "obvious political risk discount," Deutsche Bank strategists including Sebastian Raedler wrote in a note.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg
Tim Martin, chairman and founder of JD Wetherspoon which is to open a new Dublin pub

An Bord Pleanala has given the green light to British pub giant JD Wetherspoon for a new outlet in the Camden Street area of Dublin.

The appeals board has granted planning permission for the 4m development at Camden Hall that also includes a 98-bedroom hotel.

The decision comes in spite of local concerns that the pub would be part of a continuing trend "to completely alcoholise Camden Street".

The board ruling represents a comprehensive planning victory for JD Wetherspoon as the ruling omits a planning condition imposed by Dublin City Council seeking to curtail the size of the pub.

The City Council ruled that a 244 sq m 'dining area' and courtyard with tables and chairs should be omitted from the plan.

However, this has been overturned on appeal. Wetherspoon already operates five pubs here - four in Dublin and one in Cork.

A spokesman for the UK-based Wetherspoon yesterday described the ruling as "great news" stating that the project will lead to the creation of 200 jobs.

He said that the firm hopes to commence work on the project "sooner rather than later".

Wetherspoon lodged a map showing that there are already 12 bars on Camden Street/Wexford Street.

Local appellant, Barry Chambers told An Bord Pleanala that allowing "large-scale drinking" at another pub in the area "would be seriously detrimental to the residential amenity and character of the area".

In a rebuttal to Mr Chambers' appeal, Wetherspoons said that to imply that the proposal includes a super-pub "is disingenuous, misleading and clearly not the case".
A major clash is expected at the annual general meeting of the Irish League of Credit Unions this weekend over the use of a 95m fund.

Multiple motions have been tabled calling for the suspension of payments into the league bail-out fund.

A number of credit unions affiliated to the league are opposed to the use of money from the fund to pay for a new payments system for credit unions and to support plans to develop systems to allow credit unions to offer mortgages.

The fund, called the Savings Protection Scheme (SPS), was set up to rescue credit unions that get into trouble.

It is funded by an annual levy on the 339 credit unions affiliated to the league in the Republic, and is understood to amount to 95m.

The board of the league, headed up by outgoing president Brian McCrory, is understood to see the fund as overcapitalised. It wants to use 3m of the money to further develop an electronic payments system for member credit.

There are also board plans to put 1.5m of the SPS funds to support plans for the movement to develop systems to allow the locally-owned lenders to offer mortgages.

But motions from the ASTI, Killarney, Inchicore and District, Core, and Drogheda credit unions call for payments from credit unions into the SPS fund to be suspended, according to the agenda, seen by the Irish Independent.

Some of these credit unions have their own payments system and are not in favour of rescue funds created by a levy on all league members being used to support mortgage plans or the league's Credit Union Service Organisation for Payments (Cusop) arm.

Cusop aims to allow credit union members to have payments from a bank, employer or social welfare office paid directly into their credit union account by electronic transfer.

The fact that five credit unions have submitted motions opposing the funds from the Savings Protection Scheme being used to support the electronic payment plan or mortgage plans will be seen as a rebuff to the league board and its officials.

Another motion calls on the league board to investigate why most of the movement's three million members are not borrowing.

Lending levels at the State's 286 active credit unions have collapsed in the past few years.

A report by DCU academic Dr Ciaran Mac an Bhaird to be presented to the AGM says that if credit unions become significant players in the mortgage market there would be increased consumer competition and choice.

The annual general meeting in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin is also set to select a new president from votes by 1,000 delegates.
The first round of the French elections takes centre stage tomorrow and investors around the world will be watching closely. The key concern is whether the far-right and Eurosceptic candidate Marine Le Pen - who has promised to renegotiate France's relationship with the European Union and call a 'Frexit' referendum within six months - will become the next president.

A victory by Le Pen is not altogether improbable. She is running neck-and-neck with Emmanuel Macron, an independent, and the current four-way race opens up several possibilities about who she may face in a second round.

While her polling gap versus Macron is large in the second round, and seems hard to close in just two weeks, Le Pen could have a better shot versus some opponents such as Francois Fillon of the centre-right Republicans and the Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon. But not all investors are equally worried about the outcome. Bond investors are seemingly very concerned about the risk of a Le Pen victory and the tail risk that France exits the EU and adopts a new currency; equity investors are showing more relaxed attitudes.

The simplest way to spot the tension in the fixed-income market is to look at the difference in yields between French and German 10-year bonds, which has widened from 30 basis points in early November to around 70 basis points currently. The spread has clearly correlated with the performance of extremist candidates and is now at the highest since the European debt crisis.

We have also seen this concern expressed in money flow data. Japanese investors sold $15bn of French bonds in February, the largest monthly sale on record as political risks emerged in earnest.

Moreover, pricing of short-dated German bunds, which now have yields much lower than even European money market rates, suggests that redenomination risk is playing a role in investor behaviour.

The spread between older French credit-default swap contracts and newer contracts tells a similar story.

Equity investors seem more relaxed. The CAC 40 Index of French stocks trading close to multi-month highs and investor surveys point to "overweight" positions among institutional investors in European equity markets.

US buying of European stocks through exchange-traded funds has seen some of the strongest flows since 2015 of late. Although the nominal amounts are not huge, at around $2bn (1.8bn) in recent weeks, they should be viewed as a proxy for broader flows happening outside the ETF space.

Even during the periods of elevated tension caused by French election polling and the rise of far-right and far-left candidates in mid-February and early April, it was hard to see any material weakness in European equity indexes outside some pressure in bank stocks.

So, what is going on? There are at least three narratives to explain the relative resilience of equities.

First, equity investors learned in 2016 not to panic in the face of political risk. That was the lesson both from the experience around the UK Brexit vote and Donald Trump's election victory in the United States. Some equity investors have even concluded that populism may be a bullish force.

Second, equity investors are supposed to be risk-tolerant. After all, owning stocks is about getting paid a risk premium for providing long-term capital.

In contrast, conservative fixed-income investors are looking for risk-free returns, and many developed-market bond managers can't tolerate tail risk, even if it is remote.

This could be a key factor behind the seeming divergence between fixed-income and equities in relation to European political risk.

Third, we observed during the euro crisis that equity markets can be very sensitive to systemic tension.

European funding market stresses repeatedly drove equities sharply lower from 2010 through 2012. But the tension around the French election has been muted. While French government bonds have sold off, there has been little evidence of stress in money markets, perhaps because of the European Central Bank's more liberal attitude towards liquidity provision compared with the pre-long-term refinancing operation, or LTRO, days.

Regardless of the specific reasons, the recent discrepancy between fixed-income and equity market behaviour creates an interesting potential asymmetry as the election unfolds. (The four leading candidates all head into the final hours of campaigning with a chance of qualifying for a run-off on May 7.)

In the market negative scenario, meaning either a Le Pen or Melenchon winning, we could see significant adverse equity market moves, as investors will have to price in bigger risk premiums.

This assumes that the "populism is bullish" argument is not going to dominate in the case of France.

That's likely to be the case eventually as political instability in the very core of the eurozone should create systemic tension in the entire currency bloc, especially if it becomes clear that a Frexit referendum will actually take place. As such, fixed-income markets will hardly be immune in such a scenario. (Bloomberg)
Volkswagen will pay a $4.3bn (4bn) penalty for misleading US regulators and customers about its diesel engines' emissions after a federal judge approved the company's plea deal, moving the carmaker closer to resolving one of the biggest scandals in automotive history.

The criminal penalty approved by US District Judge Sean Cox in Detroit yesterday, constituting $2.8bn (2.6bn) of the overall penalty, was part of a plea deal the company reached this year, requiring VW to plead guilty and submit to three years of probation.

Larry Thompson, who prosecuted Enron while at the US Justice Department and most recently was chief counsel at PepsiCo, will be installed as independent monitor to ensure compliance, prosecutors said.

The approval of the sentence turns the final page on the criminal probe of the company in the US. VW admitted in September 2015 that it had rigged as many as 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide with so-called defeat devices to cheat on emissions tests.

The company has set aside $22.6bn (21bn) to cover cheating-related expenses, with the largest share going to compensate consumers who sued in the US

The company isn't out of the woods. Still pending are investor lawsuits in the US and Germany and consumer suits in Germany and the UK.

There are also criminal investigations in Germany and the US, where seven executives have been charged. Prosecutors around the world are pressing forward with probes into the actions of others.

VW spokesman Nicolai Laude said yesterday that some of the executives who have been charged are still employed by the company and some are no longer there. He declined to specify numbers or why some left, citing privacy rules. (Bloomberg)
Kieran Rose stepped down from the board this week Picture: Steve Humphreys

The gay rights charity Glen, which has been at the centre of a storm of controversy over its finances, has reported a number of deficits since 2010, despite generous funding.

An analysis of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network's accounts between 2010 and 2015 also shows that its administrative expenses, including staff salaries, accounted for an average of 85pc of its costs over the same period.

The cost of projects run by Glen amounted to an average of almost 15pc of its expenditure during this time.

It comes as the Charity Regulator John Farrelly is investigating its finances following a voluntary disclosure by its outgoing chief Aine Duggan.

Kieran Rose, one of the charity's co-founders, stepped down from the board this week. This followed confirmation that the charity backed his Seanad campaign with support of 11,500, a sum later paid back.

The board, which met on Thursday night, yesterday announced that former senator Jillian van Turnhout was appointed to carry out a comprehensive review of the organisation from Monday.

A spokeswoman said: "Jillian has a wide range of experience of governance of not-for-profit organisations. She is widely respected for her independence and integrity. She will report to the board within a period of six weeks."

She will look at corporate governance and compliance issues as well as advise the board on strategic decisions regarding the charity's future.

Pay

Ms Turnhout said: "My experience with similar organisations will be of assistance in this regard."

The accounts show that the total spend on pay packages for staff went up in 2015, despite Glen having one less worker and a higher deficit that year than in 2014.

The highest deficit recorded by Glen in its annual income and expenditure account over the six years was the 201,924 reported in 2010. The charity reported a surplus of 113,669 in 2013 but ran a deficit again in the following two years.

The combined expenditure of wages and salaries, social security and pension costs makes up most of the administrative costs. Glen's most recently published accounts - for 2015 - show that remuneration costs for staff increased that year, despite the organisation having one less worker.

Aggregate, pay, social security and pension costs for the average of eight staff employed by Glen in 2015 came to some 439,147.

The average pay package in 2015 was almost 54,900, though one staff member is recorded as being paid between 60,000 and 70,000.

The average pay in 2014 was just over 48,000. The board did not respond to questions about its finances, which were put by the Irish Independent.

The HSE was due to fund Glen with around 200,000 in grants for 2017, but has held off on the payment until the Charity Regulator reports.

Meanwhile, the Social Democrats have broken their silence on the controversy. The party's general secretary Brian Sheehan was the executive director for almost nine years between December 2007 and October 2016.

A statement from the party said it was "committed to closer regulation of the charity sector".

A spokeswoman for the Social Democrats said: "The current issues relating to Glen are appropriately a matter for the Board of Glen and the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA)."

The spokeswoman also noted that the Dail's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) "may in due course decide if it is appropriate to consider the matter".

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy is a member of the PAC.
Elizabeth was born April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street in central London when Calvin Coolidge was U.S. President and Joseph Stalin had just taken control in the Soviet Union. She became queen in 1952 at 25.

Artillery gun salutes in London's Hyde Park and at the Tower of London will mark the occasion although the queen, who normally spends her birthday privately, has no formal engagements planned.

Despite her age, she regularly carries out official duties although she has cut back on the number of engagements in recent years, passing these onto other members of the Windsor family such as to her son and heir Prince Charles and grandsons, Princes William and Harry.

Polls show she remains very popular among Britons, and royal aides say there is little prospect of her abdicating.

Asked if she was well during a trip to Northern Ireland last year, she quipped "Well, I'm still alive."

The queen has an official birthday in June, which is publicly marked with a large parade of soldiers through central London, known as Trooping the Color.
The Government is being urged to investigate an epilepsy drug taken by pregnant women after a report revealed more than 4,000 children were born with malformations since 1967.

Pregnant women who took the drug Valproate were four times more likely to give birth to a baby with birth defects, according to a preliminary study by French health authorities which revealed the medication is responsible for "severe malformations" in a number of children. Valproate has been licensed in Ireland since 1983 for use in epilepsy and bipolar disorder.

The FACS (Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome) Forum estimates the drug has affected at least 400 children with birth defects and developmental issues in Ireland.

Joan O'Donnell, Forum chairperson, said: "The Government urgently needs to identify the scale of the problem, to assess the often complex needs of the families affected, and to put in place appropriate pathways for the diagnosis and treatment of Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome."

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is actively participating in a Europe-wide review of Valproate-containing medicines used in the treatment of women and girls who are pregnant or capable of having children.

The drug's manufacturer, Sanofi, said as scientific knowledge on the risks associated with the use of sodium Valproate, particularly during pregnancy, had increased it had been "totally transparent with health authorities".
Pictured are Dr John Duddy out going President, IMO and Dr. Ann Hogan, President, IMO. Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography.

The president of the Irish Medical Organisation has said that 'fake news' is playing a role in declining vaccine uptake in Ireland.

Dr. Ann Hogan was making her inaugural speech as President of the IMO at the organisations AGM in Galway today.

She expressed her concern at declining take up rates for vaccines in Ireland.

Dr. Hogan expressed deep concern at the impact of social media campaigns and fake news about 'non-existent' risks from vaccinations: Uptake rates for the HPV vaccine amongst young girls are declining to a worrying extent on the back of fake news stories about non-existent risks from vaccinations.

"As a result, we are putting the future health of young women at risk of cervical cancer and other ailments.

The uptake of the MMR vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella has recovered in recent years and now stands at around 91.3pc nationally.

The vaccine was at the centre of an unfounded scare in the late 1990s when it was wrongly linked to autism. Figures show, however, that uptake is as high as around 97.6pc in the south east.

However, there remains pockets of deprived areas where the rate of vaccination is lower.

In recent years a number of catch-up campaigns have had to be rolled out to administer it to teenagers who missed out on the protection as infants.

Measles remains a highly infectious viral illness that can cause serious complications.

Anyone can get measles if un-vaccinated or they haven't had it before, although it's most common in young children. The infection clears in around seven to 10 days.
Dr John Duddy, outgoing president of the IMO, and Dr Ann Hogan, IMO president, at the organisations annual meeting yesterday. Photo: Shane ONeill Photography

The after-hours service offered by family doctors will collapse if free GP visits are extended to the entire population, medics have warned.

Dr Ken Egan, who is spokesman for GP co-ops which provide cover in the evenings and overnight, said the demands on the service were already leaving them potentially unsafe.

"GPs are under pressure until around 1am in the morning," he said. They may also have to face into their own day's work in their surgeries the next day.

He said they were being swamped by patients after-hours, including the under-sixes who had free GP visits.

"There are not enough GPs to service the co-ops," he warned. The co-ops are now under review by the HSE.

Dr Egan, a Mayo GP, was speaking at the annual meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in the wake of reports that the Dail Committee on the Future of Healthcare, which is drawing up a 10-year plan for the health service, is set to recommend that free GP care for all should be available in five years.

Outgoing IMO president Dr John Duddy warned that the proposal was likely unachievable and based on the current shortage of GPs unrealistic.

Explosion

He said the other proposals to legislate in order to oblige hospitals to perform within set times were impractical. "You can't even begin to deliver on this proposal without an explosion in theatre capacity in this country," the trainee neurosurgeon said.

"Even if all operating theatres were opened and fully staffed next week, it could not happen.

"There simply isn't the physical space in operating theatres or surgical wards to cater for all the patients who would require surgery in this time-frame.

"If hospitals are fined or punished for failing to meet this target, it will have a negative impact on the whole hospital. This kind of target-driven culture will not help patients, and could ultimately harm them."

"Crisis" was no longer adequate to describe the health service and words such as disaster or catastrophic were more appropriate, he told the gathering of doctors in Galway.

"When there are 602 patients waiting on trolleys for a hospital bed, does the word crisis even go far enough?" he asked.

"Does it convey the misery and suffering of patients waiting on trolleys for inpatient care?"

Meanwhile, Dr Trevor Duffy, a rheumatologist, said he was getting more queries from patients who were in pain about medicinal cannabis products.

He warned against expectations about the products and said the fear was that if a scheme for their use here was proposed, drug companies would hike up the prices.

Dublin psychiatrist Dr Matthew Sadlier said he deplored the system of paper files which still persisted in hospitals.

It can mean that patients who are in mental distress have their care delayed because of the inefficiencies in physically transporting these files.
Health Minister Simon Harris today called for "cool heads" as he waded into the row which threatens the future of a new national maternity hospital.

The minister was attempting to quell the controversy which has led to St Vincent's Healthcare Group to review its offer of a site at its Dublin campus for the new hospital.

Asked if he intends to meet the group, he said will allow its board to meet to discuss the issue next week.

The row erupted over the decision to give ownership of the new maternity hospital to the Sisters of Charity, the religious order who own the campus where the St Vincent's public and private hospitals are located.

The plan is to re-locate the maternity hospital to a new 300m building to be constructed at St Vincent's campus in Elm Park, two miles away.

Following criticism of the decision to give ownership to the order, and comments by the minister, the St Vincent's board is now reviewing the offer of the site , despite an application for planning permission to build the new hospitals being already lodged.

Addressing the annual meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation today the minister said that he is very committed to the project and there is no "plan B " to build it elsewhere.

"After years of failing to progress the building of a new National Maternity Hospital and failing women and infants by leaving them in out of date, inadequate and not fit for purpose hospital facilities, late last year the two voluntary hospitals, Holles St and St Vincents reached an agreement on how they would work together to deliver this new state of the art hospital, and in line with international best practice, co-located with an acute adult hospital.

"It is a new National Maternity Hospital that women and infants in this country desperately need.

"I know reaching that agreement wasnt easy and I am very grateful to both hospitals for having achieved that. Central to that agreement is the decision by St Vincents Healthcare Group to give the State, free of charge, a site in the middle of their campus in Elm Park, co-located with their public adult acute hospital.

"Now I, as Minister for Health have to make that agreement and the hospital to be built on that site,work for public health policy, the taxpayer and the State.

"We have all heard the concerns and opinions that very many people have expressed over recent days. This has been difficult for all stakeholders and I know that St Vincents want time to reflect on this and indeed to reflect on some of the things I have said. I respect that. But heres the thing.

"We need to build this new hospital. It is not good enough for women have to put up with delivering their babies in Holles St, which the Master, Dr Rhona Mahony, very clearly says is a hospital facility which is not fit for purpose."

He said the international norm is to co-locate maternity hospitals with acute adult hospitals. And whilst much commentary this week has been about bricks and mortar  it is about so much more than that. Its about access to theatres, to intensive care facilities, to high dependency units, to consultants.

" Its about two hospitals working together to meet the full spectrum of needs of women and infants. Its about empowering doctors to make clinical decisions. Its about making sure that no doctor finds themselves at three in the morning in the National Maternity Hospital with a woman needing emergency care and waiting and wondering how and when they will get to an acute adult hospital."

He added:"I am very committed to this project and I will work with all stakeholders to ensure that we do build this hospital. Yes, it's complicated, and we must work together to address concerns that some people have expressed."
The parents of Siobhan Phillips are to issue High Court proceedings against An Garda Siochana and the State in a bid to get answers about the circumstances leading up to a gun attack by her partner in which a garda was murdered and she was left for dead.

Sean and Norma Phillips have also called for a public inquiry following revelations about the handling of a prosecution against their daughter's attacker Adrian Crevan Mackin.

The Irish Independent understands the family hope the release of documents as part of a discovery process will shed light on the relationship between gardai and Crevan Mackin.

The move comes in the wake of an RTE documentary which raised questions about why Crevan Mackin was not subjected to weapons charges despite admitting to weapons possession during an interrogation.

Crevan Mackin seriously injured Ms Phillips and murdered Garda Tony Golden before turning the gun on himself in October 2015. The attack happened after Ms Phillips complained to gardai about a horrific beating she suffered at the hands of her partner.

The shooting occurred when Gda Golden accompanied her as she visited her home near Omeath, Co Louth, to retrieve belongings.

The killer's family has claimed he was a garda informant and has questioned why he was freed on bail after he was arrested for buying weapons online.

Despite admitting in interviews to firearms and explosives offences, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions did not direct he be charged for these. Instead it was directed he be charged with IRA membership, which he had denied.

The RTE programme also carried claims Crevan Mackin was sent to Portlaoise Prison to "spy" on the Real IRA. But he was later released on reduced bail after republicans refused him access to their wing.

The lawsuit against the force and the State was confirmed yesterday in a statement issued by the family's law firm, Madden & Finucane.

Solicitor Katie McAllister said the firm had also been instructed to write to Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald seeking a public inquiry.

"These revelations raise issues of significant public importance and require an investigation at the highest level," she said.

In a statement, Ms Fitzgerald did not address the family's call for a public inquiry.

Instead the Tanaiste said an ongoing investigation by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) must be allowed to take its course.

Among other issues, GSOC is examining the extent and nature of the interaction between gardai and Crevan Mackin.
A mother who travelled to Spain to obtain medicinal cannabis for her daughter said she was "severely disappointed" when it was confiscated by customs officials yesterday.

Vera Twomey arrived at Dublin Airport carrying a three-month supply of THC medicine, which contains cannabis, which had been prescribed for her daughter Ava by a medical consultant in Barcelona.

The Co Cork mother travelled to Barcelona to gain access to the medicinal cannabis for Ava's seizures.

Ms Twomey's seven-year-old daughter suffers from Dravet Syndrome which can cause her to have hundreds of seizures each month, despite the use of conventional medications.

"The medicine was taken away from me when I arrived," she told the Irish Independent.

"I told the customs officials I had it. The officials were sympathetic but the ban in Ireland on this medicine is the lowest form of cruelty.

"If I was a parent in Spain, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, or in 30 states of the US, I would be allowed to give my daughter this medication," she added.

She travelled with Dublin TD Gino Kenny and MEP Luke Ming Flanagan who accompanied her as a public show of support. They made a video before the flight and posted it on Facebook.

"I did no wrong. I wasn't going to hide it and come through the airport like some sleveen. I told the officials I had the medication," she said.

She is continuing to use a herbal treatment for Ava which had much better results than medicines approved in Ireland, she said.

Mr Kenny said Health Minister Simon Harris has forced families like Ms Twomey's into desperate measures in order to access medicinal cannabis.

"It's ludicrous that in the 21st century this is happening where people like Vera Twomey have to travel abroad to gain access to vital medication for their loved one," he said.
Feelings are running high - that's for sure. Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition to block the state from granting sole ownership of the proposed National Maternity Hospital to the Sisters of Charity, the order that owns the St Vincent's Hospital site in Dublin's Ballsbridge where the new hospital is set to land.

So vehement is the opposition that the board of St Vincent's Healthcare Group yesterday said it was reviewing the status of the whole project.

Calls are being made for a clear divide between church and state on matters regarding health. Questions are being asked as to why any religious order should take ownership of the state-funded hospital, much less a maternity hospital where procedures sometimes need to take place that run counter to Catholic teachings.

Survivors of abuse at Magdalene Laundries are justifiably outraged because the Sisters of Charity have so far paid out only 2m of the 5m they are due to pay in redress.

There can be no excuse for this order not to pay its due. If the state can exert influence in this regard, it must.

However, I am not sure if any direct connection can be drawn between this obligation and the hospital deal in question.

And as to the role played by religious orders in the healthcare system? Well, this is also a very valid concern but it's hard to argue with historical fact here: the Sisters of Charity owns the Vincent's site and it owns Vincent's Hospital as a whole and there you have it. The board of Vincent's includes two nuns. This is a fact.

Read More

Should the state have tried to buy the land at Vincent's rather than simply occupying it? Well I think yes it probably should have. But it did not and - as appears to have been largely forgotten now - the nature of this controversial deal was hashed out a full year ago in the media as well as the boardroom. The deal was agreed last autumn. And now here we are.

There's no doubt that it's a bit worrying when people like Peter Boylan, a former master of Holles Street, express concern about undue religious influence on the new hospital, but perhaps his is not the only voice that deserves to be heard here.

There is one thing that should not be forgotten in all of this - we need a new maternity hospital. Women deserve nothing less.

Anyone who has ever attended Holles Street - and it's been nearly 15 years since I last did so - will testify to the place being utterly unfit for purpose. It's like an old boarding school, leaking and creaking in precisely the manner you would expect a building of its age to be (it dates back to 1894). The term Dickensian is almost flattering, especially if you don't manage to secure a private bed.

Moreover it is terribly over-crowded - I recuperated from giving birth there with eight other women in a public ward, in a bed less than a foot from a large bin. Keen to have a shower the day after my Caesarean, I slipped on what I believe was someone else's blood in the bathroom and had to be rescued from the floor. Yes the nurses were kind and yes the medical staff seemed perfectly competent. But did it feel like a safe place for a newborn and a person recovering from surgery? It did not.

Rhona Mahony, the Master of Holles Street, knows all of this all too well.

She knows exactly how important it is that Irish women and their infants get decent first-world care at this highly vulnerable time in their lives.

And a brand new hospital - where every woman gets her own room and where there is immediate access to a full service hospital - will give them that.

If Mahony has niggling doubts about the deal agreed, she wasn't showing any of them when she spoke to RTE's Sean O'Rourke last week.

Instead she said a triple lock had been agreed to protect the independence of the hospital management at the Vincent's site. She said the nuns would not be running the hospital which she said would be "completely independent". She said all the services currently provided in Holles Street would be provided in the new facility.

Personally I still want to know exactly what the state has agreed with the Sisters of Charity and what a "triple lock" (which sounds good) truly means. I believe the public deserves full clarity on the precise terms of the deal that will result in a hospital taxpayers are paying for.

This may of course all be overridden should St Vincent's change its mind.

But if the project proceeds I am inclined to trust that Rhona Mahony and her team of medics - backed by their triple lock - will put the interests of women and their babies ahead of the interests of an owner with a Catholic ethos.

Because, faced with the choice of entrusting Irish women's care in pregnancy to a dangerous looking crumbly old hospital, or to a shiny new one over which there are some unproven - and emphatically denied - concerns about ethos, I would tend to give the NMH team the benefit of the doubt.
Cabinet ministers tend to keep their heads down over the Easter break. Some take refuge in their constituencies; others find a foreign hideaway.

And there's always a couple of unfortunates like Richard Bruton, who has to go to union conferences, and Simon Harris, who is having a 'crisis as usual' week.

But Shane Ross decided to take the novel approach of getting down to the Ring of Kerry, ahead of the summer influx of visitors looking for 'Star Wars Island'.

Naturally with the risk of strike action he didn't get the Bus Eireann tour, instead getting the most qualified local guides possible: the Healy-Raes.

It comes after weeks of barbs in Leinster House suggesting Mr Ross knows little about what happens outside the M50. In recent months he has been accused of bringing rural Ireland "to a complete standstill" and putting in place policies that ensure "local businesses are being starved of customers".

There is a widely held belief the Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister is out of his depth when it comes to rural affairs. He lacks the common touch that communities who elect people like the Healy-Raes expect, and that can lead to resentment - whether justified or not.

"What I'm finding here is a very, very strong feeling that Dublin is getting too much," he told Jerry O'Sullivan on Radio Kerry, sounding like he had been dropped from outer space. Mr Ross said that while he heard what TDs say in the Dail, "we're not out and about in the areas that feel neglected".

"We are sometimes a little bit too distant in Dublin," he added.

Over the course of his two days, Mr Ross took part in a raft of meetings including with vintners who are opposing his plans to strengthen drink-driving laws. He took a spin on the wild country roads and even dropped in on hotelier Frances Brennan in Kenmare because he's "a hero of the tourism industry".

But commendable as his tour was, isn't it worrying that almost a year into his ministry Mr Ross needed an education in rural Ireland?

Issues such as broadband and Brexit are now high on the Government agenda, but many towns are equally concerned about the closure of banks and post offices. Each shop front that remains shuttered is another nail in the coffin of a small village.

Michael Healy-Rae told the Irish Independent he still had no doubt that if the recent bus strike was in Dublin there would "be more of an anxiety about it".

"The attitude was 'that's a problem for the rest of the country'," he said.

But the poll-topper reckoned it was good for the minister "to see the situation first hand". "He was left with an appreciation of how vast the constituency is."

Ireland has about 100,000km of road though, so Mr Ross will have to come down from his Ivory Tower a bit more often if he's to get a full understanding for the life outside the capital.

He might think he's the last of the Jedi - but for many in rural Ireland he's still a phantom menace.
Nick Munier's Temple Bar restaurant is off the menu to diners after closing its doors.

After two years in business, 'Avenue by Nick Munier' will finish trading in a shock move that has taken many by surprise.

The decision to shut the doors of the popular eatery in Crow Street, Dublin, only happened earlier this week and customers who had bookings in the restaurant were contacted directly to inform them of the impending closure.

"We are sorry to inform you that unfortunately from Saturday the 22nd of April, we will no longer be trading," the email read.

"Unfortunately we have been left with no option but to close. Both Nick and Alanna (manager) would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to you and wish to extend our sincere thanks for all your support of the business to date."

It is not yet known if the closure is temporary or permanent and no further information is known about the circumstances surrounding it.

When contacted about the news, Mr Munier confirmed he was closing the doors of the Michelin-recommended restaurant and it will cease trading after service today.

In a statement, he said that he wanted to extend his "heartfelt thanks" to his dynamic team of young chefs "led by Felipe Armonia along with his dedicated front-of-house staff".

"Both Nick, Felipe and general manager Alanna Feeney also wish to thank their regular customers - many of whom they now consider friends - whose unbridled support and loyalty since day one has been much appreciated," added the statement.

A well-known figure on the restaurant industry scene, Mr Munier previously set up Pichet on Trinity Street before moving on following a buyout deal in 2014.

The restaurateur and artist previously worked as a judge on RTE's 'MasterChef' series alongside celebrity chef Dylan McGrath from 2011 to 2013, when they also did a celebrity version of the show.

He first found fame as the affable maitre d' on Marco Pierre White's flagship show on ITV, 'Hell's Kitchen'. He moved to Ireland more than 10 years ago and went on to work in restaurants like Peacock Alley and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud.
Mindfulness only has significant benefits for women, says study Photo: Depositphotos

The concept of mindfulness has gained momentum in recent years as people struggle with increasingly stressful lives.

It promotes the idea of focusing non judgementally on the present moment rather than the past or future, which can prove pretty difficult when we're surrounded by distractions.

Advocates learn how to be more mindful with the help of courses, CDs, and books.

However, a new study suggests that the practice may be much more beneficial to women than men.

A research group at Brown University in the US assessed a group of students - 41 male and 36 female - over the course of 12 weeks.

They all took a course in mindfulness - engaging in more than 41 hours - but the researchers found that while the women experienced a significant change in their mental state, the benefits to the male group were much less evident.

Although it's difficult to pin down a reason for the differences the researchers suggest is may be due to women's higher tendency to spend time reflecting on things.

Men are more inclined to ignore worries and are therefore more likely to be focused on the present. The practice of mindfulness, therefore, may not be so productive.

In fact, it actually made the men feel a little worse than when they had started.

That was the surprising part, said Dr Willoughby Britton, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior and of behavioral and social sciences at Brown.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a widespread phenomenon that researchers hadn't bothered to investigate, she added.
The search is on to find the young writer who will follow in the footsteps of Dundalk student Erin Carr who was the 2016 winner of a competition for young travel writers held in conjunction with the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing, which takes place in Lismore, Co Waterford.

Erin is a 5th year student at Dundalk Grammar School and her prize winning piece called Escapism was selected from over 500 entries. Her teacher Orna O'Reilly attended the festival to accept the award on Erin's behalf.

This year, young writers are now invited to write an 800-word short story about their favourite air journey and where it has taken them on their travels.

The competition is now open for entries to students aged between 13 and 18, the closing date for entries is May 20 and submissions can be made via www.lismoreimmrama.com
The government's failure to provide timely assessment and intervention for children who require occupational therapy (OT) in Louth has been criticised by a local TD.

Gerry Adams made the criticism after he received a response to a parliamentary question on OT assessment which confirms 4,186 children on the waiting list across the State and 711 on the Louth waiting list.

He said the figures were 'disgusting' and the State has 'ample resources to address this problem'.

The Sinn Fein leader said: 'Early diagnosis and intervention is essential to enable these children to get the supports they need to achieve to the best of their ability both at school and in their general lives.

'The Government is presiding over a system in which children with queried disabilities are waiting two years for initial assessment and a further two years for therapy.

'The truth is that many children caught up in this rotten system will be left school before any support is forthcoming. What are their life chances following years of denied assistance?

'I have spoken to numerous parents of children who are on the waiting list for OT assessment. These children have largely been referred for assessment by their schools, so an obvious need has been identified by teachers.

'It is an absolute shame on this government, and all government TDs, that there are 179 children under five years old and 532 between the ages of five and 18 in County Louth who have not even been assessed, much less received any necessary therapy.

'I have spoken to parents who have gone without meals themselves in order to procure private OT assessments for their kids, when faced with a two year waiting list.

'Yet, even with a diagnosis of dyspraxia or dyslexia or autism or one of any number of disabilities, the HSE requires all children to be assessed within the public system in order to obtain follow up therapy.

The Government and the Minister for Health must urgently direct resources to address these waiting lists. It is time to sort out the recruitment issues which mean that these children go without'.
A man who drove dangerously at a Garda checkpoint which included members of the armed Regional Supportive Unit (RSU) has been banned from driving for eight years after a Garda inspector refused to accept a plea to the lesser charge of careless driving.

Thomas Traynor, (44), 10 Oriel Cove, Clogherhead was before Judge John Coughlan last week charged with four counts of dangerous driving at Port, Reynoldstown, Cruisetown and Labanstown on January 18 2016.

Solicitor Conor MacGuill said there was no point in saying that his client's driving was good. Inspector Yvonne Murphy said the case had been before Judge Flann Brennan previously and he had refused to reduce it to careless driving.

Mr MacGuill said in those circumstances, his client would offer a plea to one of the dangerous driving charges, but Inspector Murphy pointed out that the DPP had directed on four charges of dangerous driving.

She said that during the incident, Traynor had driven at speed towards a checkpoint and a Garda had to take evasive action 'otherwise he would have been knocked down and seriously injured'.

She added the Gardai involved were in court and 'the pursuit was so dangerous; it was an horrendous case of dangerous driving'.

The solicitor handed a report into the court and Judge Coughlan said he wanted an explanation for Traynor's driving.

Mr MacGuill said: 'He became unnecessarily alarmed at the presence of a checkpoint. He might be more prone to alarm than other people and there are internal and external reasons for that.

'He can't justify his driving. He became alarmed and behaved like this'. Mr MacGuill said his client is not working, though his partner has a responsible job.

Judge Coughlan said: 'What about a disqualification for a substantial period? He can't be driving like this, he's not 16 in a stolen car for a bit of craic.'.

Mr MacGuill said: 'This was not a bit of craic; there was no accident'. Inspector Murphy said she would only accept pleas to all the dangerous driving charges.

The judge said he felt he had to disqualify Traynor for 'the safety of the Gardai, himself and the public'.

He added: 'This man - I accept he is not in good form but he can't be driving a car. I think it's a way forward if there is a plea to all four charges'.

The case was adjourned for a short time and Mr MacGuill said his client would need some time to organise things in light of a disqualification.

Judge Coughlan indicated he had a ban of eight years in mind, but the solicitor said he thought it was 'disproportionate', though he reminded the court Traynor is entitled to apply to get his licence back after a certain amount of the disqualification is served.

The judge imposed bans totalling eight years, which will start two weeks to the day of the court case, and allowed Traynor to appeal in his own bond of 100.
Adam and Rachel Mellon at a fundraising event in aid of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland in The Marshes Shopping Centre

The local 'Yes Orkambui' campaign celebrated the news that the life changing drug will now be prescribed to children and adults battling the condition.

Health Minister Simon Harris confirmed last week that following negotiations with the pharmaceutical company Vertex, an agreement had been reached to make the drugs known as Orkambi and Kalydeco available.

A national campaign spearheaded by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland had long called for the drug to be prescribed to Irish patients.

Locally, Maire and Iain Gallagher, from Ravensdale, who campaigned on behalf of their son Cathal (10) who has cystic fibrosis, widely welcomed the news.

'We had actually been watching the Dail debate, when we saw Minister Harris coming out, and it was expected he was to give an announcement on the drug's availability,' said Ian.

'It was fantastic news, something that we as parents had fought so hard for. It will be a game changer for Cathal, a life saver really as it will give him the opportunity to grow up with better health.'

He added his hopes that Cathal could begin on the drug as soon as possible, now that an agreement has been reached to provide it to patients across Ireland.

Having constantly battled with the affects of the condition when he was younger Cathal is now 'dong very well, and even completed his first 5k recently,' said his proud dad.

Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 1,200 children and adults in Ireland.

A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

Welcoming the news, Dundalk TD Peter Fitzpatrick said: 'Cystic fibrosis patients in Louth are set to benefit from this new deal between the Health Service Executive and pharmaceutical company, Vertex, which will see Orkambi and Kalydeco made available from next month.'

He added: 'The HSE are now working to finalise the contractual terms to make sure we have the best and most robust deal possible for CF patients and the healthcare service overall.

The local TD described it as a 'landmark decision for CF patients and their families. The HSE and Vertex have reached an agreement in principle on the commercial terms for the supply to Irish patients of Orkambi for patients aged 12 years an older and for Kalydeco for patients aged 2 to 5 years and for other treatments and age cohorts following market authorisation in Europe.'

'This is great news for CF patients here in Louth/East Meath. I know that this has been a particularly difficult time for all cystic fibrosis patients and their families and hopefully this announcement gives them some degree of relief and certainty.'

Speaking of the announcement, Minister Harris said, 'I was very pleased to be in a position to bring this news to CF patients and their families this week. I hope that it will help to finally put people's minds at rest, knowing that the drugs their family and friends need will be available to them from the beginning of next month.'
A man who admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a horse was ordered to pay 1,000 in costs and a 2,000 donation to the ISPCA.

Michael Connolly, Tinakilly House, Rathnew, appeared in Wicklow District Court last week. Charges were brought by the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine.

ISPCA chief inspector Conor Dowling told the court that he went to lands beside Tinakilly House on April 23, 2015.

He saw a chestnut gelding which was in very poor condition and suffering from rain scald and cracked hooves. It was later discovered that the animal also had worms.

The court heard that this was 'cruelty by reason of neglect'.

Connolly told Mr Dowling that this horse had turned up on the land, likely dumped over the winter around January time.

He admitted that he did not contact the gardai or the local county council and the horse had not received any veterinary care.

However, a subsequent microchip scan revealed that the animal was chipped and that there was a connection to the lands from where it was removed.

The court heard last Tuesday that the horse was owned by Connolly's brother, James Connolly, who was not in the jurisdiction last week. The court heard that James Connolly is understood to be in Spain.

The court also heard that the brothers had arranged that if one of them was away, the other would look after the horse.

There were other horses on the same lands who were not in poor condition. The court heard that Connolly's father owns the land, which is adjacent to the family home.

Defence counsel Justin McQuaid said that the horses are kept for the playing of polo.

'My client's father was contacted and asked to remedy the situation, not Michael,' said Mr McQuaid.

After the ISPCA inspection, the horse was removed and placed in the care of the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, where it made a full recovery.

Photographs were produced of the animal before and after being placed in care.

'What's amazing about these photographs is the difference two months makes,' said Judge David Kennedy. 'They look like two different horses'.

Mr McQuaid said that his client is to do his final exams at the end of this month in King's Inns. He said that Michael Connolly was the one who had been amenable and contactable with regard to the matter.

Judge David Kennedy dismissed the matter with the benefit of the probation act, with the condition that Connolly make the payments outlined.

'People have a legal responsibility to provide fully for the welfare of animals in their care,' said Conor Dowling of the ISPCA after the court proceedings. 'If it is suspected that somebody has failed in this regard, ISPCA Inspectors can and will instigate legal proceedings. I would like to thank the IHWT on this joint rescue that resulted in a wonderful outcome for this horse who has been fully rehabilitated.'

To report animal welfare concerns to the ISPCA, contact the National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 1890 515 515.
A separate account of the treatment of the Irish prisoners was given by a survivor from Arklow interviewed by the Irish Times following his release from an SS camp in 1945.

In an article published on May 17, 1945, under the headling, 'Irishman's Story of Horror Camps,' the newspaper said the experiences of 32 citizens of Eire, all merchant seamen, in an SS camp in Germany, where five of them died, were described to its reporter by one of the survivors William English, of Arklow, 'who has just arrived in Dublin after his liberation'.

Mr English said the camp was at Bremen Farge, outside Bremen, and that the camp commandant - named Schaubecker - a month ago shot 16 prisoners after announcing that he knew he would be shot or hanged by the Allied armies, and he 'would take as many as he could with him.'

Mr English saw a naked Belgian prisoner beaten to death with rubber hose for attempting to escape.

A Pole was shot in the thigh while trying to escape, and the SS guards rubbed salt into the wound and beat him with electric cable.

He walked from the end of the camp to the hospital, but a Russian doctor, also a prisoner, was refused permission to attend him, and gangrene set in.

The doctor said it would be more merciful to shoot the man. The guard did so. Next morning a French prisoner who refused information was shot.

A Russian prisoner was thrown into the camp refuse heap and Schaubecker forced some of the muck from the heap into his throat with a wire before throwing him back on the heap.

He was struck with a rifle butt on the head and killed. His body was left for three days on the heap.

The five Irish citizens who died in the camp were:

W.H. KNOX, Dun Laoghaire;

Owen CORR, of Rush, Co Dublin;

Gerald O'HARA, Ballina, Co Mayo;

Patrick BREEN, Blackwater, Co Wexford, and

Thomas MURPHY, of Dublin.

Mr English said that he was a seaman on the Blue Star liner, Africa Star, and in January, 1941, while they were bound from South America to London, they were intercepted by the German surface raider, Steinmark, which took the liner's crew aboard and then sank her.

The men were taken to Bordeaux and sent to Germany to camp Stalag XB, 10B Sandbostel.

The prisoners whose homes were in Eire were segregated and questioned by German intelligence officers and urged to work for Germany.

They all refused.

In September, 1941, about 50 Irishmen, all seamen, were taken to Marlag, Nilag Nord, another camp, and 32 of them were sent to Bremen Labour Exchange.

They were brought to a factory and again refused to work.

Their guards suggested to them that, being Irish, they ought to work against Britain in the war.

They were taken to Hamburg and asked to work on German ships, but again refused, and they were returned to Bremen Farge.

In the camp they worked 12 hours a day, mostly at carrying rail tracks. Russian girls, aged from 16 to 18, were doing the same kind of work. In Bremen Jewish girls of from 15 to 18 worked in demolition squads.

Mr English said that, apart from the effort to get them to work for Germans, the prisoners from Eire got no special treatment as citizens of a neutral State.

They repeatedly wrote to Mr Warnock when he was Eire's representative in Berlin, but received no answer and did not know if the letters had reached him.

On August 18th last, Mr C.C. Cremin, the new representative of Eire in Berlin, visited them at the camp, and their treatment improved. He made every effort to get them sent home.

After 26 months they were put on a train for Flensburg, but were forced back because Allied planes had destroyed a bridge on the route, and a repatriation ship, which they had expected to meet in a Swedish port, sailed without them.

They were sent to the camp at Marlag Nilag Nord, which was captured in April by a Guards armoured regiment.

Former county and Wexford borough councillor Padge Reck said he believed that the two Wexford men who survived the labour camps, Thomas Cooney and James Furlong, were captured when their 'liberty ship' was seized by a German surface raider.

He said the liberty ships were considered neutral and following a campaign led by James Joyce, the two Wexford men were released, only to be captured again when the Swedish ship they had been transferred to, was intercepted by the German navy.

The names of the 27 men, who came out of the camp alive, among them the two from Wexford and five from Wickow are:

William ENGLISH and C. BYRNE, Arklow;

Valentine HARRIS, Pearse House, Dublin;

J.J. MOFFAT, Rosses Point;

Bernard GOULDING, Skibbereen;

Harry CALLAN, Derry;

Noel J. LACEY, Howth;

Richard FLYNN, Tramore;

Thomas COONEY, New Ross;

Edward CONDON, Passage West, Co. Cork;

William KELLY and J.J. RYAN, Waterford;

Patrick REILLY and Patrick KAVANAGH, Wicklow;

I.C. RYAN, Tramore;

T.C. BRYCE, formerly of Clontarf, Dublin, who lived in Australia before the war broke out;

Thomas KING, formerly of Clifden, now living in Newcastle;

Peter LYDON, Tralee;

P.J. O'Brien, Armagh, now of London;

Michael LOWRY, formerly of Galway, domiciled in Scotland;

J. O'BRIEN, of Kinsale, living in Wales;

James GORMAN, Clogher Head;

P.J. O'CONNOR, Carlingford;

Michael O'DWYER, Cork;

Robert ROSEMAN, Bray;

James FURLONG, Wexford.

William KNOTT, Ringsend, Dublin.
Shandrum Ceili Band members will launch their debut album, 'The Dawn', in Buttevant Church on May 6 at 8.30pm. This is a free event and open to everyone.

The eagerly awaited CD takes its name from one of the reels which features on the album.

Between them, the musicians have almost 200 years of experience in playing traditional Irish music and have won dozens of medals at all levels in Fleadh, Scor, and Siansa Gael Linn. Indeed, many of them are set dancers themselves, some even winning titles at All-Ireland level, thereby understanding the dancers' need for lively rhythmic music. The band has a dedicated following across the country and beyond.

The initial Shandrum Ceili Band was in existence from the 1950s to the 1970s and, with their blessing, the current band was established in December 2014.

The band is based in North Cork but can regularly appear in almost any county playing for set dancers.

They entered the history books in 2015 for being one of the only bands ever to win an All-Ireland Senior Ceili Band title in their first year competing. They went on the following year to do it again, making them the only band from Cork to win it twice.

Band leader Alan Finn said: "People were asking us at ceilis where they could buy our music. We had nothing to offer them. We also had requests on Social Media from the Irish Diaspora. Finally, we decided to answer the challenge and record the CD. Once we started it felt like exactly the right decision".

The CD will be available to buy at the launch and from the band themselves at various events in the future. It's now available to pre-order from their website, TheShandrum.com, and can be shipped anywhere in the world.
A letter circulated by Charleville Credit Union to members regarding the breakdown in merger talks with Clonmel Credit Union and the part played by the Central Bank in this result, and in its attitude to Charleville, has created a deal of unrest outside of and within the membership of the credit union.

The letter, signed by the chairman of Charleville Credit Union Pat Savage, states the following:

'As you are aware, Charleville Credit Union has had its challenges. Following the property crash in 2009/10 the Central Bank required us to write down the value of our property assets and subsequently placed severe restrictions on the business. Restrictions not only on the value of loans we can offer members but also the level of investments we can make with our members' reserve funds.

'These restrictions have now been in place for over seven years and they place a significant burden on our ability to grow and strengthen your credit union business.

'Fortunately for Charleville Credit Union, a team of very committed volunteer board members have worked tirelessly to assist the management team in dealing with the legacy issues. Over the last seven years we have made huge inroads in addressing our loan book issues and trying to rebuild the business.

'Charleville Credit Union also continues to have the financial support of the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) Savings Protection Scheme Fund ... Despite these supports and the improvements made by your Board and Management team the full extent of the Central Bank restrictions remain in place and will soon make our business model unsustainable.

'In looking at ways we could address this situation we considered mergers with other local credit unions. Unfortunately, this process wasn't straightforward as the Central Bank would only countenance amalgamations with credit unions over a certain size.

'Clonmel Credit Union was deemed to be acceptable and both credit unions carried out a comprehensive due diligence examination on each other's business. Both sides were satisfied that the case for combining the two entities was robust and offered benefits [for] members on both sides.'

Mr Savage, continuing, said that this was disappointing or the Board of Management given the limited options that the ongoing Central Bank restrictions give the Charleville business and calls on the Central Bank to lift, or at the very least, ease the restrictions on the business has been refused to date. The Central Bank has also refused to allow the branch from having an annual general meeting to update members and that was the reason for the letter.

'We have worked as hard as we can to get to this point but we cannot create a sustainable business under the restrictions placed upon us,' wrote Mr Savage. 'We are proud of the loyalty displayed by our members and now call upon all the members to give voice to this loyalty, to use whatever influence you may have to demand fair play for Charleville Credit Union.'

A letter has been written to local press signed by Ian Doyle and Sr. M Celestine denouncing the actions of the Central Bank regarding Charleville Credit Union.

An extract from a long letter states:

'Bigger sinners were written down by the Central Bank, who themselves were not without plenty guilt.

'It beggars belief that the same institution can now wave the baton of reprimand on Charleville Credit Union to the point that such action can seriously impact on our town'.
Team Millstreet is calling on residents, community groups and businesses to come out and support a special clean-up effort in their local area on this Saturday morning.

Millstreet Tidy Town Association is co-ordinating the Team Millstreet Clean-Up, meeting in the Town Square at 9.45am and continuing to 1pm. The organisers will provide pickers, bags and gloves in a great opportunity to give back positively to their beautiful town.

Everybody is welcome, including kids, schools, business and community groups to get involved. refreshments will be served afterwards in Millstreet GAA Community Hall.

Keeping Millstreet litter free is a shared responsibility for all and paints a positive picture of the town to regular visitors.

Of course, Millstreet will be again entering the National Tidy Towns, the competition involves participating towns being rated on all aspects of their local environment. It has been running since 1958 and each year attracts more than 700 communities who compete for a cash award and the title of Ireland's tidiest town.

Millstreet marked the 1916 Easter Rising and those involved in the War of Independence at an impressive ceremony in the Town Square on Easter Sunday.

A special monument committee involving a cross section of the community have worked tirelessly towards enhancing the symbol of the War of Independence. The monument was officially launched in 1927 by Minister for Home Affairs Austin Stack and refurbishment in recent years.

Boosted by ideal weather conditions, Millstreet Pipe Band led a parade to the Town Square where, at the monument, Siobhain Ni hEalaithe laid a wreath to acknowledge those who sacrificed their lives for independence and particularly five natives from the greater Millstreet region.

Adding to the occasion were the Cobh Animation Group depicting Cumann na mBan.

Amongst those commemorated at the monument is Captain Con Murphy who in 1921 became the first volunteer of Oglaigh na hEireann to die before a firing squad since the 1916 executions.

Also commemorated are Paddy McCarthy, killed by the Black and Tans; Mikie Dineen, fatally wounded by the crown forces in Ivale; Bernard Moynihan, killed by the Black and Tans near Rathcoole, and Michael Twohig, murdered on the railway track near Shananuck.

The deeds of the five martyrs and those who fought in the 1916 Rising were acknowledged by speakers at the Millstreet commemoration, presided over by Tom Meaney.

The tricolour was raised by Con Foley under the bugle playing of John Dineen, followed by a reading of the proclamation by Cait Buckley, with a decade of the rosary recited by Aoife Foley.

An oration delivered by historian Ryle Dwyer recalled the deeds of national and local figures who are fittingly acknowledged at the 90th annual staging since the Millstreet monument was erected.

Also remembered at the commemoration were the late Donnacha Murphy and Paddy Dineen, who continuously supported the annual gathering. Thanks were expressed by Chairman Jerry Lehane to all those who assisted towards the commemoration.

The Millstreet commemoration was initiated in the mid 1920s where survivors from the War of Independence convened to erect a fitting memorial to their colleagues. The monument was sculptured by Kryle Holland and the proposed inscription was initially checked by Maire Nic Shuibhne, sister of the former Lord Mayor of Cork Terence McSweeney.

Cullen poet Domhnall O Conchubhair composed the poetry and the monument was unveiled in 1927. Though renovated in 1983, the monument deteriorated in subsequent years before the present Millstreet National Monuments Committee took on the refurbishment task and maintained it as a key focal point in Millstreet Town.
Charlotte Rampling as Veronica Ford and Jim Broadbent as Anthony Tony Webster in The Sense of an Ending

We are all unreliable narrators of the past.

At the mercy of our vanity, we repeatedly embellish small triumphs till they become glittering false memories and ruthlessly edit down humiliating failures to tolerable footnotes in our personal history.

Elegantly adapted from Julian Barnes' 2011 Booker Prize-winning novel by award-winning British playwright Nick Payne, The Sense Of An Ending is a delicately calibrated drama about a retired father, whose cosy suburban bubble is burst by evidence of a misdeed from his university days.

The past catches up with us all eventually.

In director Ritesh Batra's elegiac film, this ticking time bomb detonates with devastating force, driving a quietly spoken, unassuming man to stalk an old flame he wronged 50 years earlier.

The narrative oscillates between the two timeframes, piecing together fragmented details into a mosaic of regret and atonement.

Oscar winner Jim Broadbent is the film's emotional core, delivering a subtle, nuanced performance that radiates calm when events around him seem to be spiralling out of control.

He meticulously exposes chinks in his character's brittle armour.

When he plaintively informs his ex-wife (Harriet Walter), 'I'm not an entirely redundant member of this family yet', his sadness and self-pity are palpable.

Anthony Webster (Broadbent) spends lazy days behind the counter of his vintage camera shop and long lunch breaks with ex-wife Margaret (Walter), with whom he is on amicable terms.

Their daughter Susie (Michelle Dockery) is heavily pregnant and Anthony attends antenatal classes in place of her partner.

Out of the blue, he receives a letter from a solicitor to inform him that Sarah Ford (Emily Mortimer), mother of his one-time girlfriend Veronica (Charlotte Rampling), has left him a treasure in her will.

The bequest turns out to be the diary of his school chum Adrian Finn (Joe Alwyn), who committed suicide at university after he became one point of a messy love triangle with Anthony and Veronica.

Reluctantly, Anthony harks back to his adolescence when he fell head over heels for the young Veronica (Freya Mavor) and holidayed with her family.

'You can pee into the basin at night if you wish,' jokes Veronica's father David (James Wilby), showing young Anthony (Billy Howle) around his room.

Frustrated by Veronica's cool detachment and her reluctance to commit, Anthony yearns for reassurance.

'Does it have to head somewhere, our relationship?' responds Veronica, sowing the seeds of jealousy and rejection that will sprout bitter, poisonous fruit.

The Sense Of An Ending is constructed on the solid foundation of Barnes' novel.

The impetuosity of hormone-addled youth in flashbacks contrasts with the weary resignation of retirement, laced with gentle humour, like when one of elderly Anthony's friends gleefully asserts that Facebook 'is a boon for us widowers'.

The steady tick tock of time heals most wounds, but selective reminisce is a wonderful balm.
Over 20,000 has been raised from the annual Lenten Lunches for the Drogheda Homeless Aid.

The lunches were held each Wednesday in Lent at the St Peter's Church of Ireland Hall, with all donations accepted.

The programme finished with a special 'thank you' lunch for the 40 or so volunteers and a presentation of the funds they helped to raise for Drogheda Homeless Aid.

And what a fantastic collective achievement it has been with a total of 20,015 being raised for some of the town's most vulnerable citizens.

Clive Bagnall, Honorary Treasurer of St Peters (C of I) Lenten Lunches, paid tribute to the volunteers saying that without them the lunches just could not happen. He said that the project attracted cash sponsorship to the tune of 7,500 and the other 12,500 came from sales of the lunches at a minimum of 6 each. "As ever we are deeply indebted to our sponsors, both food and cash, who have given so generously, but this year I want to pay a special tribute to the pool of 40 plus cross community volunteers,' he added.

Each Luncheon requires a minimum of 25 volunteers to assist in the preparation and running of the lunches

Lenten Lunches organiser Pamela Bagnall said: "Drogheda Homeless Aid do outstanding work within our community, providing succour and support not only to the homeless but also preventive support and assistance to those in danger of becoming homeless."
Major changes are on the way to Laytown and Bettystown with car parking improvements allied to planned pay parking and a traffic light system under the railway bridge in Laytown.

Details of the new look for the coastal areas were revealed at the Municipal District meeting in Duleek.

The main emphasis was on seeking a solution to the chronic parking in Laytown - which sees the main car park choked with cars all day long, while local shoppers have no where to pull in, much to the anger of traders.

As part of a 140,000 plan to help the situation, engineers came up with four options for parking in the area.

1. Extend the existing car park. It was decided this was the best and quickest option. It will rise to 102 spaces, with proper marking and the removal of the bottle bins.

2. Create a new car park at the former landfill/dump, Cllr Sharon Keogan was very vocal in her support of such a move, feeling it was a chance missed to solve the whole issue. 'We are putting a sticker plaster' on the problem,' she added. She wanted to keep the 140,000 earmarked and add to it next year to 'do the job properly'.

'Residents and retailers have their hearts broken with people parking and leaving their cars.'

But it was claimed the EPA served notice on the council some years ago in relation to the dump and the bill to clean it up would be 1m.

3. On road parking opposite the old dump site, as presently occurs. However, the area will be properly marked to allow for some parking here.

4. The lands west of the station. These have been under discussion with the landowner and are seen as a long term solution.

Engineers carried out a survey of passengers last year and found that the train station car park - that only takes about 14 cars - fills up first of all by 8.30am.

The car park across the road is full by 8.45am and stays full until 5.45pm.

The area around the shops also fills around 9am, the same as the verge near the bridge.

In total, they feel there's a need for 136 spaces for commuters and the present plan is for 155 spaces to be created.

They also found that 70% of people use a car to get to the station, with 21% walking and 4 to 5% using a bike or bus.

They also asked commuters if they'd pay for parking in the area with 68% saying no, 28% stating they'd pay 10 and 4% saying they'd pay 15 to 20 for parking.

Cllr Sharon Tolan said she'd like to see a long term plan in place, allowing the present car park to be used by shoppers and visitors.

Engineer Pat Shortt said doing up the car park means it will be ready to revert back to use as an amenity for the area in the future.

Cathaoirleach Tom Kelly described the plan as 'horrific' and 'one of the worst things he had seen' presented to the council.

With Irish Rail upgrading the service to Drogheda, he wanted a long term plan.

He also urged that bus times be co-ordinated with train times

It is planned to go ahead with the project this year.
More than 330 of Beaumont Hospital's staff attended the first Gala Ball for many years in the Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel.

The event provided a great social opportunity for the hospital's hard working staff and was also run as a fundraiser to generate the funding needed to replace the current ED trolleys with new height adjustable ones which will make it much easier for patients to access.

A fabulous 30,000 was raised on the night from personal donations from staff, from corporate sponsorship and a 20K donation provided by Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

Marty Whelan was MC for the evening and the crowd danced into the small hours to the music of band, Switch, followed by a DJ.

Paddy Delaney, MD of Beaumont Hospital Foundation said: 'Huge thanks to the many local business and individuals who supported us by providing raffle prizes. It was a fantastic evening, a great success and hopefully it can become an annual event for Beaumont Hospital.'
A special fundraising rally around Ireland for Haiti ended at Swords Castle, last week as driver, Ronnie Foreman and his trusty navigator and wife, Norma drove into the Castle to meet the Mayor of Fingal.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) was waiting to greet the rallying couple who had begun their epic journey in Lisburn and travelled along the north-west coast and on to Galway, Limerick and Cork before heading for the Mansion House in Dublin and on to the finish line at Swords Castle.

Ronnie Foreman is the Northern Ireland Ambassador for Haven and took on the challenge to raise money and awareness for that charity's work in Haiti.

Welcoming Ronnie and Norma to Swords, the Mayor of Fingal said: 'I'm delighted to welcome Rally for Haiti here today. Particular welcome to our Rally Driver Ronnie Foreman and his trusty Navigator, his wife Norma. A really big welcome to the HAVEN Partnership volunteers in the back-up car, and congratulations on organising this fantastic five-day Rally Sprint around the whole island of Ireland, to bring a great cause to the public's attention.'

He added: 'The generosity of the Irish nation is legendary and the generosity of volunteers such as all of you, is at the heart of all our voluntary efforts, and we're rightly proud of everyone who is wiling to go the extra mile for our brothers and sisters who are in need.'
Those on low incomes in Fingal and locals who want a second shot at college are being encouraged to apply for 380 million in grants being made available to this category of student, nationwide.

Independent Alliance councillor, Cllr Tony Murphy is encouraging locals who fit the criteria to avail of the grants, recently announced by Minister Katherine Zappone and aimed at making college more accessible to all.

Cllr Tony Murphy has welcomed the additional funding and has encouraged all students to take time to consider the supports which are available and come forward and use them.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone said of the funding: 'It is only right that everyone should have an equal chance to avail of third level education - no matter what their financial circumstances.

'The announcement of grant changes is an opportunity to break down barriers which prevent many people from entering college.

'All students - no matter what their income or age - should examine the grants available and begin planning their applications for the 2017/18 college year.'

The grant application process is also opening up earlier than usual to allow students across the country extra time to consider options and submit their forms.

Information on the application process for the grants can be accessed through www.susi.ie
The council is to evaluate the skills pool available in Fingal and how the skill sets of its citizens might inform its economic and community development policies over the next few years.

The Fingal Skills Strategy is being developed under the Fingal Local Economic and Community Plan 2016 to 2021.

In a report given to councillors this month, council chief executive, Paul Reid advised that an advisory committee has been set up within the council to oversee the development of the Fingal Skills Strategy and tender documents have been published on the Office of Government Procurement website with the deadline for tenders set as April 19.

According to the council, this exercise will examine sectors within which job growth is expected in the coming seven years, and devise a strategy to ensure that the appropriate mix of skills is available in order to realise this growth.

The council chief executive said that the Census would show a lot of tech skills and professionally qualified workers in the county and the council would have to take that into account when developing its future economic strategies.

Reflecting on an economic initiative that is thriving within the council, the chief executive Paul Reid reported high occupancy rates in each of the local authority's enterprise centres.

Occupancy rates at the council's three enterprise centres at the end of March were 95% for BEAT in Balbriggan, 93% for the Drinan Enterprise Centre and 88% for BASE in Swords.

The annual draft financial statements for 2016 have shown that a surplus was generated by all three enterprise centres over the year. The chief executive's report states that 'council support for the activities of the Enterprise Centres in its capacity as the landlord is a key factor in the achievement of the surplus'.

The report states: 'The high levels of occupancy in the centres during 2016 and strict adherence to good financial controls are also important factors in the achievement of the surplus.

'This is the third year in a row that all three enterprise centres have generated surpluses.'

Balbriggan Enterprise and Training Centre, along with the provision of enterprise space to start - ups, the three centres combined also have 10 training rooms.
Skerries RNLI and the local Coast Guard worked together to bring home two adults and two dogs safe after they became stranded on rocks by the rising tide in Loughshinny.

The local Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly before 9pm on Sunday evening, having received a 999 call from two people who had been cut off by the tide. The lifeboat was launched with volunteer Eoin Grimes at the Helm and crewed by Paddy Dillon, Emma Wilson and Peter Kennedy.

The crew made their way directly to Loughshinny harbour and began a search of the immediate area. They spotted the casualty on the rocks using the light on a mobile phone to signal for help. The casualties were taken on board the lifeboat and dropped back to the harbour where they were met by volunteers from Skerries Coast Guard unit.

Conditions at the time were moderate with a force three to four Northerly wind.

Speaking about the call out, Niall McGrotty, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Skerries RNLI said: 'We'd like to remind everyone making the most of the coast in the good weather to always check the tides and forecast for the area and to carry a means of calling for help.'

At 20:30 on Sunday, April 9 the Irish Coast Guard's National Maritime Operations Centre received a 999 call from a member of the public. The caller reported that they and a companion were stranded on shoreline rocks near Loughshinny harbour and required assistance. The Coast Guard immediately tasked Skerries Coast Guard Unit and the Skerries lifeboat to the scene.

With darkness falling rapidly, the Skerries Coast Guard team arrived on scene within minutes of tasking and quickly sighted the stranded pair on the rocks of the Drumanagh headland. The two were safely plucked from the rocks by the Skerries Lifeboat and transferred to Loughshinny harbour. Skerries Coast Guard personnel on scene at the harbour provided medical assistance to the two who were suffering only mild hypothermia and thankfully did not require any further treatment from their ordeal.

Commenting on the incident, Vanessa Gaffney Officer in Charge said: 'In this incident, the two adults rescued were visitors to the area and were unfamiliar with the local tidal conditions. Unfortunately whilst out on an evening walk exploring the shoreline in the area of Drumanagh headland they found themselves cut off by the incoming spring tide. Thankfully, they recognised the danger they were in and immediately dialled 112 and requested assistance from the Coast Guard.

'By raising the alarm straight away, the Coast Guard were able to swiftly deploy the various rescue teams to the scene. We would always advise persons to exercise care when out on the shoreline, particularly in unfamiliar areas. At this time of year, spring tides can result in larger areas of the shoreline being exposed at low tide, however these will quickly flood and can catch out unsuspecting visitors.'
Residents affected by the development of a new runway at Dublin Airport should be involved at the outset of building a new regime governing noise control at Irish Airports, according to a local TD.

That new regime puts a unit within the Irish Aviation Authority the responsibility for noise control at airports and also potentially gives that unit the power to overturn restrictions on night-flying imposed by planning conditions on the new runway.

Those planning conditions have been the main source of dispute between the daa who want to overturn the restrictions and residents, who insist they must stay in place to mitigate the impact on the new runway on their lives.

Deputy Clare Daly has quizzed Minister for Transport, Shane Ross in the Dail on the issue and asked 'whether the Minister has given any further consideration to the possibility of residents, particularly a representative of the Dublin Airport Stakeholders Forum, being involved in that process upfront and early on, and whether he has had any recent discussions with the DAA on that and where we are with it'.

Minister Ross promised there would be robust consultation requirements with all key stakeholders, including local residents' under the new regime.

He said: 'Before any decisions are made about aircraft noise management, there will be an opportunity for all stakeholders to have their views taken into consideration by the competent authority to be appointed in accordance with the regulation.'

Minister Ross admitted that setting up the new regime is 'taking far too long' and said he would be happy to 'arrange a meeting with a community representative from the forum group and the IAA in the coming weeks' on the issue.

Deputy Daly said it was important that residents were involved in the process at the earliest stage possible because they had 'expertise' that should be tapped into.

she said: 'The key point is that there is a unique expertise which people who live in the area but also who depend on the airport for their livelihood and who have a unique aviation expertise can bring to the table, that organisations such as the DAA cannot.'

Deputy Daly said: 'The communities around Dublin airport are beginning to look a bit like a war zone.' She said development works were underway for the runway and local communities were worried.

Minister Ross said the 320 million runway project 'must ultimately go ahead' but insisted that should happen with 'minimal discomfort for local people'.

He moved to reassure residents that their voices will be heard in the new regime on noise control and the debate over those controversial planning conditions, saying: 'The public must be assured that they have been given a fair hearing.'
A Wexford man whose life has been blighted by cancer is calling on people to help those who are suffering to travel to Lourdes.

William Berry, from Corish Park, and his wife Margaret lost their 30-year-old daughter Mary to cervical cancer in July 2015.

He described the upheaval that occurred in their lives when his youngest child left behind a loving family including two young children.

'It's not easy to lay your child to rest.

'When we go to be at night our bodies rest, but our minds never sleep,' he said.

Just two years previously, his other daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

When doctors told her that removing the tumour would result in her requiring a wheelchair, she decided not to have the operation.

'She received treatment in St Luke's Hospital in Dublin and now in recovery,' said William.

Before losing his youngest daughter, William promised her that he would do something to help those affected by cancer.

Her final wish has encouraged him to support for the Ferns Diocesan Lourdes Draw, which helps sick pilgrims to travel to Lourdes.

Tickets for the Lourdes Draw are currently on sale through the Ferns Diocesen committee.

Ninety invalids will travel on the 49th Ferns Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Fr Denis Brennan, when it takes place from May 17 to 22.

If you are interested in travelling with the Pilgrimage, please contact O'Leary Travel, Enniscorthy, on at 053 9233178.
An emotional Claire Merrigan from Riverchapel said she can't believe the campaign to get approval of funding for the cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi is over.

She was watching Oireachtas TV last week when Minister for Health Simon Harris announced that agreement had been reached with the manufacturer to provide the life-prolonging drug to Irish patients. 'I was screaming crying, and grabbed Mason and swung him around,' she said. 'It was such a relief. I just can't believe it has happened.'

Her son Mason, who has CF, is not currently eligible for the drug as he is five-years old, and the drug is approved in Europe for patients over 12, but is hoped the rules will change by the end of this year so it can be given to six-year-olds.
Eco restaurant in Gorey was exceptionally busy recently, as supporters of Gorey Community School student Emer O'Doherty's efforts to raise funds for Operation Smile turned out in huge numbers.

Half of the day's profits from in-house diners and from take-aways were donated to the overseas charity through the Dine to Help initiative, which is run on selected Tuesdays.

'The event went really well,' said Emer. 'We raised 2,000, which is more than enough for 11 children's surgeries. That's 11 children's lives completely changed.' She thanked the team at Eco for all their work on the day, and all who supported such a worthy cause
There was lots for culture vultures to enjoy all over Kerry on Monday as the county played host to several events as part of the new national Cruinniu na Casca festival.

The festival - which follows on from the success of a similarly themed event during the 2016 Rising Centenary celebrations - involved free creative and cultural events all over Ireland including concerts, food tastings, talks, film screenings and family activities.

Dreamed up by Creative Ireland and presented by RTE, Cruinniu na Casca - which means "a meeting at Easter" - was organised to create a new national day of culture and creativity.

According to the organisers their aim was to "celebrate culture and creativity in contemporary Irish society" and while this year's event was mainly based in Dublin it is hoped to greatly expand its reach and scope in the coming years.

In Kerry the day began in north Kerry where Listowel Writers Week hosted a literary walk along the banks of the Feale with walkers treated to readings from the works of Kerry best loved authors.

Later there was a captivating light art and music event in Dingle organised by Other Voices and local artist Aine Ni Chiobhain.

In Tralee the Kerry County Museum hosted a concert by Piana Express and storytelling while over in Siamsa Tire there were a host of family events including sculpture for children and a 'Bold as Brass' interactive workshop introducing kids to musical instruments.

Meanwhile in Killarney Muckross Schoolhouse hosted a concert and workshops with musicians Ger Wolfe and Jimmy Crowley.
Kerry-based financial services firm Monex has announced a new college sponsorship programme for Killarney students.

This Wednesday, April 19, Monex Financial Services will launch the new scholarship programme which has been created to support Killarney Leaving Cert students to pursue third -level studies at the Cork University Business School (CUBS) in University College Cork. Students from the three Killarney secondary schools are eligible to apply and successful applicants could receive funding of up to 3,000 per year.

The scholarship programme will be promoted to Killarney students by each school's career guidance team.

Frank Murphy, owner and founder of Monex said he was proud to be able to support students in their studies at CUBS where he has been a visiting Adjunct Professor for several years.

"Over the last number of years I've had the pleasure of delivering lectures to the CUBS student body and engaging with the Faculty in my role as adjunct Professor. I'm very impressed not only with the educational standard and syllabus in respect of current business trends but also the interest displayed for the students' well-being. UCC is my alma mater so perhaps I am possibly a little biased," he said.

Ciaran Murphy, Dean of Cork University Business School welcomed the introduction of the scholarship programme. "Our students and, indeed, faculty are extremely fortunate that Frank Murphy, has so willingly agreed to offer his vast experience and expertise to them. We have all benefited from his wisdom, practical advice and generosity of spirit," he said.

"We truly value and appreciate the relationship with Monex and look forward to welcoming students from the schools in Killarney as they embark on their studies with us in Cork University Business School," said Mr Murphy.

Killarney's secondary schools also welcomed the news. "Killarney Community College has a long-established tradition of educational endeavours with UCC and this further enforces the relationship," said KCC Principal Stella Loughnane.

Principal of St Brendan's College Sean Coffey echoed her sentiments. "This support funding can make a major difference to a student moving away from home to begin university life," he said.

Sponsorship will be awarded based on need and merit and applications will open from mid August 2017 and remain open until October 18 when CAO offer season ends.
En route to Tralee Mansfields car suffered a puncture in Castleisland. She took the opportunity to visit the local church where she prayed and lit candles

Mansfield is interviewed by Bill OHerlihy for RTE at The Brandon Hotel. During this interview Mansfield learned that her planned performance had been cancelled

This Sunday marks fifty years to the day since the controversial visit of Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield to Tralee.

It was a visit which caused consternation among the clergy and which saw Irish society's Catholic attitudes and the church's overbearing dominance over the public generate headlines across the globe.

In early 1967 Kerry's tourist market was beginning to grow but it was still dominated by B&Bs. Upmarket hotels were starting to appear and the Brandon in Tralee - which opened in 1966 - was one of the first.

In a bid to drum up publicity for the new hotel the owners asked then manager Paddy de Faoite to get in touch with Sam Brody, the manager of fading Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield who was in the middle of a cabaret tour in the UK.

That UK tour - for which Mansfield was charging an 3,000 a night fee - had proved a flop with tiny crowds attending the working men's club she was playing each night.

When the Brandon offered 1,000 pounds for a six song, half an hour set Mansfield and her entourage jumped at the opportunity and agreed to the Tralee gig which was to be the only show she would perform in Ireland.

The sum may not seem a lot now but at the time the average house cost about 2,000 so it was a very hefty sum for what was effectively half an hours work, especially after her tour had flopped so spectacularly in England.

Mansfield's star may have faded in the US and UK but in 1960's Ireland news that the buxom sex symbol was coming to these shores was tremendously exciting and fans clamoured to get their hands on the 10 Shilling tickets.

News of Mansfield's looming visit reached the notoriously conservative and domineering Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland John Charles McQuaid on Monday April 17, 1967. He immediately set about stopping this affront to Catholic decency.

The following morning the aged Bishop of Kerry 82-year-old Dr Denis Moynihan woke to a letter from McQuaid instructing him, in no uncertain terms, to ensure Mansfield did not perform in Tralee.

Caught somewhat by surprise by McQuaid's livid missive Bishop Moynihan wrote back to the Archbishop to explain that the clergy in Kerry had only learned of the planned show after Masses ended the previous Sunday and, as a result, they had missed the chance to denounce the event from their pulpits. Bishop Moynihan promised his Diocese would do all in its power to stop the show.

The church in Kerry immediately launched a very public campaign calling on the God fearing men and women of Tralee to boycott the performance by Mansfield, whom they dubbed a "Goddess of Lust."

While many Tralee people didn't care one way or the other a vocal minority were vehemently opposed to the show and students at the local Vocational School were even told they would be expelled if they attended the cabaret.

Predictably the Church campaign attracted huge media attention and it featured on front pages all over the US and Europe.

As a result by the time Mansfield flew into Ireland the following weekend the global media were massed in Tralee and at Shannon Airport waiting for her.

For her part Mansfield was not for turning and on stepping off the plane in Shannon she insisted, in front of the numerous waiting reporters, that she was going to perform as planned.

Later, in a bid to prove she wasn't the lustful devil woman portrayed by the church, Mansfield, a religious woman, took the opportunity to light candles in Castleisland Church when her car suffered a puncture outside the town while she was en-route to Tralee.

Mansfield may have been determined to perform but the church were equally determined that the people of Kerry would not be exposed to such awful debauchery.

Unfortunately for Mansfield and the Brandon the show had been booked for a Sunday night and this provided the opportunity for the church to condemn the show from the pulpit at masses the morning before the show.

Priests across Kerry did this in barnstorming fashion, ordering their congregations to stay away. In Tralee Parish Priest Monsignor John Lane called on the people not to "besmirch the name of our town for the sake of filthy gain."

Mansfield's show was, according to the church "an attack on our decency and everything we hold dear."

"If you worship Christ in the morning you can't play with the Devil in the evening," said a fiery statement from Bishop Moynihan that was read at every Mass in the diocese.

The Bishop's call did not seem to have the desired effect as when Mansfield arrived in Tralee a massive crowd was waiting to catch a glimpse of her outside The Brandon Hotel.

However the church outcry did impact where it mattered most and at this stage the owners of the Brandon were desperate to find a way out.

Mansfield was told that the band booked to support her had gotten lost on the way down from Dublin - along with all the equipment and music sheets they needed - and as a result the show couldn't go ahead.

However during a TV interview with Bill O'Herlihy, she learned for the first time that the hotel had cancelled the concert due to the adverse publicity it had attracted.

On camera, sitting next to Mansfield, Billy Clifford persisted with the story about the 'lost' band but O'Herlihy produced a statement from the hotel that had been read at masses confirming the cancellation was due to bad publicity.

That, as they say, was that. The show was cancelled and rather than Mansfield the people of Tralee were treated to a show by the Jack and the Jackpots Showband instead.

The 'lost' band excuse had gotten the hotel off the hook and helped Mansfield save face but in reality the Church had triumphed.

Mansfield, took it all in her stride and when asked about the furore later in Bristol she described the people of Tralee as 'sweet' and thanked them for their welcome.

Sadly just six weeks later - aged just 34 - mother of five Mansfield was dead, killed in an horrific car crash on the way to another cabaret.
The sharp decline in numbers of those studying for the priesthood has huge implications for the future shape of ministry, Bishop Denis Brennan told last week's annual Mass of Chrism in Saint Aidan's Cathedral.

He said one of the biggest challenges facing the Irish church at the moment is the shortage of candidates coming forward to priesthood and religious life. Past scandals, he said, had 'poisoned the well'.

The decline in those taking vocations, he said, impacts on the present by undermining and sapping morale.

'The effect of this should not be underestimated. I know farmers and business people, who when they realise that none of the family are interested in continuing on the farm or in the business scale back, and even sell up.

'They lose heart, they see no point in continuing when it becomes obvious that nobody is going to come after them. This realisation can take its toll in priesthood and religious life too,' said the bishop.

He said we keep reading articles entitled 'The Last Priests in Ireland' and 'Priests under Pressure' and we see communities that always had a resident priest now being served from a distance by hard-pressed, hard-working priests, who are often getting on in years.

'Much has been written and said about why priesthood and religious life have lost their attraction, about why they are not on the agenda for young people today, or indeed for their families.

'Priesthood and religious life need a context, a context of faith and practice, a context where they are understood, valued, and supported,' he said.

Bishop Brennan said it's a cliche now to talk about how Ireland has changed in recent years and commenting on the findings of the 2016 census that 10 per cent of people indicated they had no religion, he said it should come as no surprise that this cultural change should impact on the life of the church.

'The scandals have had an impact too, they have poisoned the well, but this cultural shift had begun before the scandals broke. They didn't cause it but they certainly didn't help, especially in the negative way they allowed priesthood and religious life to be portrayed,' he said.

Bishop Brennan said the cumulative effect of all this is that many church people are unsure about the future.

'In the face of this uncertainty we need to remember that we are not the first generation of Christians to be anxious about the future, to wonder what will happen to us, to the faith we cherish, and what we are called to do by God in the midst of our uncertainty.'

He said that in the Year of Consecrated Life the Pope has asked us to do three things:

 To look to the past with gratitude.

 To live in the present with enthusiasm.

 To embrace the future with hope.

'Looking to the past should not be in the words of the Holy Father "an exercise in archaeology" but an opportunity "to give thanks for a journey which for all its light and shadow, has been a time of grace, marked by the presence of the Spirit",' said the bishop.

Bishop Brennan said speaking of new things the Bishop's Conference is at the moment setting up a National Vocations Office in Maynooth.

Its mission will be;

 Build a culture in Ireland where vocations to the priesthood are talked about, prayed for, and encouraged.

 Promote the call to Diocesan priesthood.

 Animate and coordinate Diocesan Vocations initiatives.

It is envisaged that this office will work in cooperation with Vocations Ireland, the office which promotes vocations to the Religious Life.

'It has been said that the vocations crisis of those called is also a crisis of those calling. If no one calls, how can anyone respond?'
Seventeen of the 20 refugee families allocated to Wexford have arrived in Ireland.

Members of New Ross Borough Municipal District were told last Wednesday at their monthly meeting that the remaining three families are expected to arrive in the country in the coming weeks.

Ten families will be housed in the Wexford district, eight families in both Enniscorthy and New Ross and six in Gorey. Cllr Michael Whelan wondered if there would be clusters of families and Mr O'Gorman of the council said there would be because the families would need access to services. 'They won't be in one street but they will be in the town', he said.
Carlow Civil Defence team receive their prize from Minister Paul Kehoe, who is accompanied by representatives of Wexford County Council, and members of the Dept of Defence and Civil Defence Branch Training

The county council hosted a very successful regional Civil Defence competition at Curracloe recently with teams put through a series of gruelling and taxing exercises throughout the day.

Teams from Carlow, Dublin, Cork South and Waterford joined Wexford's Civil Defence team in exercises which were designed to test each team's abilities to respond to staged incidents involving multiple casualties.

Elements included foot drill, missing person search, communications and two casualty/first aid scenarios, with team members challenged to manage the accident scene, treat and rescue casualties and triage casualties for transportation.

The missing persons search competition tested the teams search capabilities in the challenging but ideal environment of the Raven forest with two missing casualties to be located. Teams were required to plan the search, deploy search teams and setup a communications system to manage the search teams.

The final events of the day were fun team challenges consisting of a sack race with four people in each sack and the use of three-person skis. These exercises were highly popular with the partaking teams and provided much enjoyment for the many attending spectators - but they were definitely not for the faint-hearted!

Wexford Civil Defence volunteers provided the staff and equipment to run the day's events, with their hard-working welfare team providing food and refreshments for over 120 people on the day. Food was prepared in Wexford Civil Defence Headquarters in Ardcavan and served on site from the Wexford Civil Defence mobile catering trailer, while the Army provided tents for the registration and food serving.

The day's activities were followed by a prize giving dinner at the Ferrycarrig Hotel. Among those attending were Minister Paul Kehoe, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council Councillor Cllr Paddy Kavanagh and Mayor of Wexford Cllr Frank Staples,

The Department of Defence was represented by Stephen Hall while the Civil Defence Branch Training Section was represented by Roisin McGuire, College Principal and a number of staff members.

Carlow Civil Defence proved to be worthy winners in the combined services element of the competition, while Waterford Civil Defence was victorious in the foot drill element. Minister Paul Kehoe presented the prizes to the winning team.
A Road Safety Authority (RSA) proposal to bring in a NCT-like test for "fast" tractors with speeds of over 40kph has been described as "nanny state-ism at its best by Councillor Keith Henry.

Councillors Keith Henry and Joe Queenan both put forward motions on the contentious issue at this month's County Council meeting.

The RSA maintains that the EU directive governing the legislation (2014/45/EU) is targeted solely at tractors used for commercial road haulage purposes.

Cllr Henry called on the Council to ask Transport Minister Shane Ross to oppose the proposal.

Cllr Queenan also called on the Minister to use the opt-out clause with the EU regarding the NCT for tractors.

"Tractors are included in very few accidents," said Cllr Henry.

"I don't see why there needs to be a Directive implemented. MEPs have a lot of questions to answer in they voted on this issue. I contacted the RSE about this and as usual there seems to be confusion - what defines 'haulage'?" he asked. "It's over-regulation. The considerations as to how much it's going to cost should be made," he added.

"My fear is that this is only the thin end of the wedge," said Cllr Queenan.

"The amount of paperwork now involved to get a few pound, you'd need a full time secretary. We may as well be writing to Russia as write to the Minister," he said.

Cllr Dara Mulvey said there were certain farmers for whom their tractor was their only mode of transport.

Cllr Margaret Gormley described the proposal as "a money-making racket."

"It'd be more on Minister Ross' line to repair the roads and not be enforcing this. Once they get this in, every tractor will have to be NCT'd," she said. "I hope that the farming community will come to the assistance of farmers in rural areas," she added.

Cllr Michael Clarke disagreed, saying some of those 'fast' tractors could weigh up to 50 tonne and he'd be wary of this Council to make it policy to be against NCTs.

"These heavy tractors that pull heavy machinery should be NCT'd. It's worth having some checks and balances," he said.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Hubert Keaney agreed.

The motion was amended to ask the Minister to oppose NCTs for tractors less than 125 horse power. It was passed by nine votes for, with six abstentions.
Councillor Jerry Lundy has asked if this year's Town and Village Renewal Scheme could be extended to rural townlands.

The Government last week announced 20million for the 2017 scheme.

"A good few Community Groups said they needed extra time to apply," Cllr Lundy told the April Council meeting.

"If funding could be spread to outlying townlands and areas such as Banada, Aclare, Cloonacool, Bellaghy and other villages, it would give them an opportunity to apply. Even a small part of the cake would go a long way," he said.

He had asked the Council for a report on the scheme and on the Revitalising Rural Ireland Scheme.

Council Official Margaret McConnell outlined that the 2016 Town and Village Renewal Scheme is ongoing and each Local Authority received 380,000.

It's currently being rolled out in Enniscrone, Tubbercurry, Ballisodare and Grange.

"Investment in job creation has been disproportionately made in urban areas. Young people from here had to leave, there is pressure on housing," said Cllr Lundy.

"The Government needs to make it attractive for people to live in rural townlands as well as villages," he said.

"The IDA needs to step up its efforts to attract jobs to rural areas. We've had too many reports and not enough investment. One of the great projects was decentralisation but unfortunately these jobs are not in Tubbercurry any longer.

"We've heard from the new Minister Simon Coveney. He talked about people commuting in their cars for four hours.

"We need to turn the plan the other way and let people come to the West. Those two modern office blocks in Tubbercurry are still vacant," he added.

Cllr Seamus Kilgannon said the Council needed to make sure the Town and Village Renewal Scheme was "spread fairly" and said groups in the town didn't qualify for CLAR funding.

"All of us have a duty to promote the West," he said. Cllr Sinead Maguire said she hoped there would be more input from locals into the scheme.

The Council will now consider specific priorities in Sligo towns and villages for the Scheme.
Canadian descendants of a family who fled Sligo during the Famine returned last weekend to retrace their last journey on Irish soil.

Rose Marie and Terry Stanley walked the Famine Trail from the Caves of Keash to Sligo Quay on Saturday to mark the 170th anniversary since their forefathers, Patrick and Sarah Kaveney and their six children left Cross on the 5th of April 1847.

They were joined by eight Canadian family members, their Ward cousins from Keash and the Keaveneys from Dublin. On their arrival at the Quay the group were honoured at a civic reception at City Hall hosted by Mayor of Sligo Municipal District Cllr Marie Casserly.

Rose Marie expressed her appreciation to the Mayor and spoke of the impact of the walk together with the unexpected gift of finding the family's Sligo roots and connecting with cousins here in Ireland. She committed to returning in 2021 to walk the Famine Trail again.

While here Rose Marie will present a play called 'EMIGRANT' based of the epic journey of her ancestors, Patrick Kaveney and Sarah McDonagh. It will be presented in Cliffoney Hall on Thursday, 20th April at 8.30 pm, and in White Hall Keash on Saturday 22nd April again at 8.30pm. In Cliffoney Anne Hoey and Frank Kielty will assist the presentation.

Patrick and Sarah,their six children and 172 other emigrants from Lord Palmerston's estates sailed on board the Carricks of Whitehaven to Quebec.

The ship ran into a late winter storm and was shipwrecked on 28th April 1847, in the Gulf of St Lawrence, just off the coast of Cap des Rosiers, Canada. Only 48 survived, including Patrick and Sarah together with their son Martin, but their five daughters perished.
Sligo County Council say it is now compliant with its obligations regarding employing those with disabilities.

A statement said in 2016, the it undertook a detailed review of all its HR and medical records to ensure that all relevant employees with Disabilities within the meaning of the Disability Act of 2005 were included in the return to the National Disability Authority.

As a result, the % of employees with disabilities stands at 3.89%, which is in compliance with the legal requirement. The Disability Federation of Ireland said it was bitterly disappointed to see the Council employing the lowest number of people with disabilities of any local authority in Ireland. in 2015 with a figure of 1.2%, well below the legal requirement of 3%. IT Sligo was 3.5%.
The tremors were felt in Delhi and surrounding areas of Ghaziabad and Gurugram and even in Lucknow.
Bonnie, Babette, Morah and Lottie Ryan at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2017 at The Marker Hotel, Dublin. Photo: Brian McEvoy

It was something of a 'Dancing with the Stars' reunion at the 16th annual Peter Mark VIP Style Awards.

Champion Aidan O'Mahony arrived with his date - Dayl Cronin - looking rather bronzed.

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"I was never into fake tan or bronzer before the show," he said. "But I was told I had to wear it with this suit ... possibly by Hughie."

And Dayl picked up the award for Most Stylish Man.

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Teresa Mannion and Thalia Heffernan also walked the red carpet outside the Marker Hotel. Thalia's dress was handmade by one of her boyfriend Ryan McShane's friends. "It's got 20,000 diamante glued on to it," she said. "I'm not really one for all the glamour usually, but I've gone beyond glamour for tonight."

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Host Darren Kennedy mingled with guests including Claudine Keane, Kathryn Thomas and weather Wonder Woman Jean Byrne.

Xpose's Ruth O'Neill picked up the award for Most Stylish newcomer and blogger Suzanne Jackson picked up the award for Most Stylish woman. Pippa O'Connor got the nod for Look of the Year while Don O'Neill picked up the Favourite Designer gong.

Panto queen Adele King arrived with Mrs Brown's Boys star Rory Cowan, in a glittering black two-piece she bought in upmarket New York store Bergman Dorf.

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Morah Ryan bought her silk dress from Asos, while her daughter Lottie arrived in a Umit Kutluk creation.

There was lots of see through sheer with TV3's Sinead Desmond arriving in a dress with a see-through top finished with strategically placed flowers.

"These petals better stay in place," she told Karen Koster who flitted about the foyer interviewing guests. Later guests danced at Copper Face Jacks.
Nastase has recently attracted controversy with a comment about Serena Williams pregnancy as well.

Johanna Konta managed to win her Fed Cup play-off tie against Romanias Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-3, but not after the behaviour of former Grand Slam champion Ilie Nastase threw the match into disarray.

With Konta leading 6-2 1-2 in the second rubber in Constanta, Nastase became embroiled in a row apparently about noise from the crowd.

The 70-year-old former world number one was reportedly heard to say to the umpire: Whats your f***ing problem?. He then appeared to call Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong and Konta f***ing bitches.

Nastase was sent off the court by tie referee Andreas Egli and, after taking a seat in the stands, was then escorted back to the locker room  Simona Halep, who had beaten Heather Watson in the opening rubber, explained to the crowd what had happened and appealed for calm before play briefly resumed.

But Konta was visibly upset and, after playing the next game in tears and dropping serve to go 1-3 behind, the players left the court.

Having been escorted from the court, Nastase was then filmed asking Press Association reporter Eleanor Crooks: Why are you filming me? Crooks responded: Because its my job, before Nastase added, You dont have a job, youre stupid.

Earlier Nastase had launched into an astonishing rant at Crooks, calling her stupid for reporting his apparently racist comment about Serena Williams pregnancy.

Romanias captain was unhappy after his comments were reported about Williams baby, which is due in the autumn. Lets see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?, he was heard to say on Friday.

On Saturday morning before play started, Nastase stormed into the press centre at the Tenis Club IDU to seek out the British media, with Crooks the only member of the British media present at that moment.

Why did you write that? He said to Crooks. Youre stupid, youre stupid.

Since the conclusion of the second rubber, the ITF released this statement, confirming Nastase will play no further part in the tie.

The match between Romania and Britain is currently level at 1-1 after Kontas victory, but has taken on a sour taste after Nastases behaviour.
South Korean Air Force soldiers cover a F-4E Phantom fighter jet as a US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet takes off in the background during the Max Thunder Air Exercise at a US air base in Gunsan, South Korea. Photo: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

North Korea's neighbours continued to amass substantial amounts of military hardware in the region yesterday as tensions escalated ahead of a major military anniversary for Kim Jong-un's regime next week.

There were reports of increased activity from Chinese bombers and Russia deploying troops to its Far East, while South Korea was put on heightened alert ahead of 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

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With regional analysts fearing that the North's defiant young dictator will order another missile or nuclear test to mark the occasion, South Korea announced it was placing its forces in a state of heightened alert.

The build-up of tension comes as a US aircraft carrier navy group continued to move towards Korean waters, amid reports that the heads of the Five Eyes intelligence agencies - the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand - were to hold its annual meeting in a secluded New Zealand mountain resort.

US officials said Chinese bombers had been put on "high alert" in order to react to a potential crisis on the Korean peninsula, several reports said.

The steps would bring the aircraft up to "full readiness through intensified maintenance", and would "reduce the time to react to a North Korea contingency", reported CNN, citing a US defence official.

The move was swiftly denied by Beijing.

It comes after US President Donald Trump cryptically told the media on Thursday that "some very unusual moves have been made over the last two or three hours" by the Chinese.

Mr Trump also said he was confident Chinese President Xi Jinping would "try very hard" to pressure North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Observers believe Mr Trump's confrontational stance towards North Korea is aimed at pressuring China into reining in its wayward neighbour.

He tweeted yesterday: "China is very much the economic lifeline to North Korea so, while nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will."

Chinese media has suggested in recent weeks that Beijing could halt the supply of crude oil to North Korea, a move that would put huge pressure on Mr Kim's regime.

But an influential Chinese newspaper said yesterday that China cannot force North Korea to give up its weapons without help from other nations.

The state-run 'China Daily' said: "No party can fulfil the mission single-handedly. Washington must be aware of the limitations to Beijing's abilities, and refrain from assuming that the matter can be consigned entirely to Beijing alone."

Fears are growing in the region that any provocation from Pyongyang could prompt a strong response from Mr Trump, whose administration has declared on multiple occasions that the era of "strategic patience" was over.

The Kremlin refused to discuss reports that Russian military hardware and troops were being moved towards the border with North Korea.

Residents and local media in Russia's Far East reported large military convoys travelling in the direction of the North Korean border since the weekend.

A video published by local news site DVHab.ru showed a train carrying 12 tracked vehicles, including Tor surface to air missile systems, travelling through Khabarovsk in the direction of Vladivostok.

Earlier reports in South Korean media that China had sent 150,000 troops to its border with North Korea were dismissed by Beijing last week.

Beijing fears any potential conflict in the region would result in pro-US troops on its border, and also cause a huge refugee crisis in its north-east.

South Korean officials said it was prepared if Pyongyang provoked hostilities amid the escalating tensions.

"It is a situation where a lot of exercise equipment is amassed in North Korea and also a lot of strategic assets are situated on the Korean peninsula because of the South Korea-US military drills," said a spokesman in Seoul.

"We are closely watching the situation and will not be letting our guards down." ( Daily Telegraph London)
Britain's Princes William and Harry have admitted they failed to talk to each other enough about the death of their mother and that not doing so only made matters worse.

Speaking candidly about the trauma they endured as children when their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in Paris, the princes urged people to be more open with their emotions.

William and Harry acknowledged in a video with William's wife Kate, released yesterday as part of their campaign to tackle mental health, that they had bottled up their feelings about Diana's death in 1997 rather than sharing them.

In the video for their charity Heads Together, Prince William states: "We've been brought closer because of the circumstances. We know we are uniquely bonded because of what we've been through, but even Harry and I over the years have not talked enough about our mother."

At this point Prince Harry interjects: "No, never enough," before adding: "I always thought to myself 'what's the point of bringing up the past, what's the point of bringing up something that's only going to make you sad? It ain't going to change it. It ain't going to bring her back'." But Prince Harry goes on to say that he had been wrong and that this attitude had only hindered his ability to cope with what had happened. "When you think like that it can be really damaging," he said.

In a six-and-a-half minute video, filmed on Wednesday outside their home in Kensington Palace, the three young royals reflected on the Heads Together campaign they have worked on for nearly a year. They each spoke of their motivations for taking part in the mental health drive, with Kate reflecting on motherhood, William on his experience of male suicide through his work as an air ambulance pilot, and Harry on veterans.

On Monday, Prince Harry revealed in an interview with the 'Daily Telegraph', that he had sought counselling after failing to properly address his grief over his mother's death. He told how he had endured two years of "total chaos" after burying his head in the sand, and later said he felt he was "just doing my bit" by opening up. ( Daily Telegraph London)
Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, left, and the Mayor of the 8th arrondissement of Paris Jeanne Dhauteserre lay flowers as they pay their respects to Xavier Jugele, the policeman killed Picture: AFP/Getty

Investigators are trying to find out whether the man who shot dead a policeman in Paris had accomplices, a prosecutor said, adding that he had shown no previous signs of radicalisation despite a long prison record.

The gunman, identified as Karim Cheurfi, opened fire on a police vehicle parked on the Champs Elysees in Paris late on Thursday, killing one officer and injuring two others before being shot dead.

The attack, which was claimed by Isil, overshadowed the last day of campaigning for Sunday's presidential election first round.

Cheurfi (39), a French national who lived with his mother in the eastern Paris suburb of Chelles, had spent some 14 years in prison from 2001 for crimes including gun attacks on law enforcement officers.

"The investigations will now focus on determining...the potential help that he may have benefited from," Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins told a news conference on Friday.

"He was not on the security watch list and had shown no signs of radicalisation despite his many years in prison."

But Mr Molins confirmed police had found a note with handwritten messages defending Isil near his body, addresses of police establishments in his car and a Koran.

Police believe he had "opened fire on the officers in the knowledge he would be killed by them", a source close to the investigation said.

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As well as the assault rifle used in the attack, a pump action shotgun and knives were in his car, Mr Molins said. Three of his family have been placed in detention, the French interior ministry said.

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Cheurfi served 10 years in prison after firing on two plainclothes officers in 2001 as they tried to apprehend him in a stolen car. While in detention, he shot and wounded a prison officer after seizing his gun.

Released on probation in 2015 from a further two-year jail term imposed for lesser offences, Cheurfi was arrested again in February after threatening to kill police officers - but released for lack of evidence.

Before that arrest he had travelled to Algeria for about a month despite probation conditions forbidding him to leave the country, Mr Molins said, adding that the judge had opted not to send Cheurfi back to prison.

Mr Molins made no comment on other potential suspects. A French interior ministry spokesman initially confirmed yesterday that a second man was being sought, based on information from Belgian security services.

"It's too early to say how or whether he was connected to what happened on the Champs Elysees," ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said. "There are a certain number of leads to check. We are not ruling anything out."

A potential second suspect was identified as Youssouf El Osri in a document seen by Reuters. Belgian security officials had warned French counterparts before the attack that El Osri was a "very dangerous individual en route to France" aboard the Thalys high-speed train.

The warning was circulated more widely among French security services in the hour following the Champs Elysees attack. Mr Brandet later told BFM TV that a man with that name had turned himself in at a police station in Antwerp and was no longer being searched for in France.

Isil, which has hundreds of French-speaking fighters, claimed responsibility for the Champs Elysees shooting soon afterwards, in a statement identifying the attacker as "Abu Yousif al-Belgiki (the Belgian)".

El Osri's connection with either the downed assailant or the man named by Isil remained unclear yesterday.

"We don't understand why Isil has identified the wrong person," said a police source. "What does seem clear is that Isil was planning something."
Karim Cheurfi was a deeply troubled, introverted and "psychologically fragile character" but appeared unlikely to get involved in Islamist extremism, according to his former lawyer.

Jean-Laurent Panier, who defended the suspected Champs-Elysee gunman in a theft trial, said he showed "no sign that he belonged to any movement, or of radicalisation".

Mr Panier added: "He was very solitary, someone who was particularly isolated. He lived with his mother and had contact with his father, and there was a family that tried to support him but felt powerless."

Cheurfi had a long criminal record and spent more than a decade in prison for attempted murder.

The lawyer painted a picture of a naive man, who took part in a theft and was "left to face the music" when his accomplices fled.

"I never got a sense that this was someone who would be radicalised," Mr Panier said.

A 39-year-old French national, Cheurfi had been under preliminary investigation for terrorism since March.

He had been questioned in February over threats to kill police officers but allowed to go free.

He was not on the police "S" watchlist of known terror suspects although he appeared on the counter-terrorist services' radar last December, according to 'Le Monde', slightly earlier than previously thought.

At the time, police were tipped off that he wanted to "kill police officers to avenge Muslims killed in Syria", said the newspaper citing security forces. He was also seeking weapons and a way of contacting an Isil contact in Iraq or Syria. A judicial inquiry was opened in Meaux but this was not terror-related.
A demonstrator throws a molotov cocktail during clashes with riot police while rallying against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, April 20, 2017. Photo: Reuters

At least 12 people have been killed following looting and violence in Venezuela's capital amid a spiralling political crisis in the South American country.

The Public Ministry confirmed the deaths yesterday and said another six were hurt.

Most of the deaths took place in El Valle, where opposition leaders say 13 people were hit with an electrical current while trying to loot a bakery protected by an electric fence.

Earlier yesterday, officials reported that a young Venezuelan man returning home late from work on Thursday had been fatally shot when he got caught in the middle of late-night street clashes that engulfed several working-class neighbourhoods in Caracas.

Melvin Guitan died in a poor neighbourhood in eastern Caracas amid the almost-daily, increasingly violent protests against President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelan social media was ablaze late into the night with grainy mobile phone videos of light-armoured vehicles ploughing down dark streets to control pockets of protesters who set up burning barricades in several neighbourhoods.

At least five people were injured in one disturbance a short distance from Caracas' main military base.

Amid the confusion, mothers and newborn children had to be evacuated from a maternity hospital when it was swamped with tear gas. But while anti-government protesters accused riot police of being behind the attack, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said armed groups hired by Mr Maduro's opponents were to blame.

Vicente Paez, a local councilman, said Mr Guitan was an employee of a Caracas-area city governed by an opposition mayor and did not join the protests.

It was not clear who shot him and there was no immediate comment from authorities.

The outburst of violence followed a second straight day of major demonstrations on Thursday that saw tens of thousands of Venezuelans flood into the streets to demand elections and denounce what they consider a dictatorial government.
Christian Bale, left, and Sibi Blazic attends the special screening of "The Promise" at The Paris Theatre. Photo: AP

The makers of 'The Promise', a Hollywood film about the Armenian genocide, knew their movie would not go down well in Turkey, where you can be prosecuted for talking about the mass killing.

What they did not expect was tens of thousands of negative reviews from people claiming to have seen the film before it was even released.

The film, starring Christian Bale, appears to be the target of a campaign by Turkish cyber trolls who hope to destroy its reputation before it is released.

The film has more than 120,000 reviews on Imdb.com, the online movie ranking website. That is almost double the number of reviews for 'Beauty and the Beast', a global hit that was released last month.

The online attack appears to have been directed partly from Incisozluk, a Turkish forum where digital trolling campaigns are often marshalled.

The site urged its followers to give 'The Promise' one star out of 10 on Imdb, the lowest rating possible. "This a lesson that you don't f*** with Turks. We'll kick your a**! This is just a start," wrote one user.

"F***ing liars made a movie about so-called Armenian genocide," wrote another. "Please if you have a membership vote one star."

The campaign seems to have worked, but also triggered a backlash from Armenians and other supporters of the film. Out of the 126,000 ratings on the site 63,000 of them are 10 stars and 61,000 are one star.

The $100m (93m) movie was bankrolled by Kerkor Kerkorian, an Armenian-American businessman who was determined to spread awareness of the genocide. It is directed by Terry George, who also directed 'Hotel Rwanda' about the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

'The Promise' stars Bale as an American reporter and Oscar Isaac as a young Armenian medical student. Around 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by Turkish soldiers and mobs in the final days of the Ottoman empire. ( Daily Telegraph London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Barron Trump waves while standing with US First Lady Melania Trump and US President Donald Trump during the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House April 17, 2017 in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as U.S. first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron listen at the 139th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 17, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. President Donald Trump with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, U.S., after Easter weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

U.S. President Donald Trump with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron (L) arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, U.S., after Easter weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

U.S. President Donald Trump with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, U.S., after Easter weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

U.S. President Donald Trump with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, U.S., after Easter weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

US President Donald Trump returns a salute as he steps from Marine One to board Air Force One as he departs Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque.

Donald Trump has a dangerous mental illness and is not fit to lead the US, a group of psychiatrists has warned during a conference at Yale University.

Mental health experts claimed the President was paranoid and delusional, and said it was their ethical responsibility to warn the American public about the dangers Mr Trumps psychological state poses to the country.

Speaking at the conference at Yales School of Medicine on Thursday, one of the mental health professionals, Dr John Gartner, a practising psychotherapist who advised psychiatric residents at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, said: We have an ethical responsibility to warn the public about Donald Trump's dangerous mental illness.

Dr Gartner, who is also a founding member of Duty to Warn, an organisation of several dozen mental health professionals who think Mr Trump is mentally unfit to be president, said the President's statement about having the largest crowd at an inauguration was just one of many that served as warnings of a larger problem.

Worse than just being a liar or a narcissist, in addition he is paranoid, delusional and grandiose thinking and he proved that to the country the first day he was President. If Donald Trump really believes he had the largest crowd size in history, thats delusional, he added.

Chairing the event, Dr Bandy Lee, assistant clinical professor in the Yale Department of Psychiatry, said: As some prominent psychiatrists have noted, [Trumps mental health] is the elephant in the room. I think the public is really starting to catch on and widely talk about this now.

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James Gilligan, a psychiatrist and professor at New York University, told the conference he had worked some of the most dangerous people in society, including murderers and rapists  but that he was convinced by the dangerousness of Mr Trump.

Ive worked with some of the most dangerous people our society produces, directing mental health programmes in prisons, he said.

Ive worked with murderers and rapists. I can recognise dangerousness from a mile away. You dont have to be an expert on dangerousness or spend fifty years studying it like I have in order to know how dangerous this man is.

Dr Gartner started an online petition earlier this year on calling for Mr Trump to be removed from office, which claims that he is psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President. The petition has so far garnered more than 41,000 signatures.

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It states: We, the undersigned mental health professionals (please state your degree), believe in our professional judgment that Donald Trump manifests a serious mental illness that renders him psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President of the United States.

And we respectfully request he be removed from office, according to article 4 of the 25th amendment to the Constitution, which states that the president will be replaced if he is 'unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office'."

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The claims made in the conference have drawn criticism from some in the psychiatric establishment, who say they violate the American Psychiatric Associations Goldwater rule, which states psychiatrists are not to give professional opinions on people they have not personally examined.

They have also been condemned by Republicans, including Connecticut Republican Party Chairman JR Romano, who accused the group of throwing ethical standards out the window because they cannot accept the election results.

Responding to the criticism, Dr Gartner said: This notion that you need to personally interview someone to form a diagnosis actually doesnt make a whole lotta sense. For one thing, research shows that the psychiatric interview is the least statistical reliable way to make a diagnosis.

A spokesperson for Yale University told The Independent the panel at the conference abided by the Goldwater rule during the discussions, but that the organiser was "troubled" by the "silencing of debate".

The panel at Yale School of Medicine abided by the Goldwater rule'. Eminent psychiatrists were invited to speak about whether there are other ethical rules that override it, as in ordinary practise," said the spokesperson.

"The organiser, Dr Bandy Lee, agrees with the Goldwater rule but is troubled by its recent expansion (as of March 16, 2017) and the silencing of debate. She hopes that the public and politicians will understand that mental health issues are not to be used as a weapon, just as other health issues are not.

"Dr Gartner was invited as an activist and was not on the actual panel. The organiser emphasises that the event was independently organised and did not represent the views of Yale University or Yale School of Medicine.

The doctors have said that even if it is in breach of tradition ethical standards of psychiatry, it was necessary to break their silence on the matter because they feared too much is at stake.

It is not the first time Mr Trump's mental health has been called into question. In February, Duty to Warn, which consists of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, signed an open letter warning that his mental state makes him incapable of serving safely as president.

The letter warned that the Presidents tendency to distort reality to fit his personal myth of greatness and attack those who challenge him with facts was likely to increase in a position of power.

(Independent.co.uk)
Marches took place at cities across the world (AP)

Scientists have joined students and research advocates in a series of rallies across the world to push back against what they say are mounting attacks on science.

The March for Science, coinciding with Earth Day, is to take place in more than 500 locations across the world, with a central rally taking place in Washington DC.

Protesters in Geneva carried signs which read: "Science - A Candle in the Dark" and "Science is the Answer".

In Berlin, several thousand people participated in a march from the one of the city's universities to the Brandenburg Gate landmark.

Meike Weltin, a doctorate student at an environmental institute near the capital, said: "We need to make more of our decision based on facts again and less on emotions."

The protest puts scientists, whose work depends on objective experimentation, into a more public position.

Organisers portrayed the march as political but not partisan, promoting the understanding of science as well as defending it from various attacks, including proposed US government budget cuts under President Donald Trump, such as a 20% cut at the National Institute of Health.

Signs and banners readied for the Washington rally reflected anger, humour and scientific references, such as a seven-year-old's "No Taxation Without Taxonomy".

Taxonomy is the science of classifying animals, plants and other organisms.

The sign which nine-year-old Sam Klimas held was handmade and personal: "Science saved my life." He had a form of brain cancer and has been healthy for eight years now.

His mother, grandmother and brother travelled with him from Parkersburg, West Virginia.

His grandmother, Susan Sharp, said: "I have to do everything I can to oppose the policies of this administration."

Scientists involved in the march said they are anxious about political and public rejection of established science such as climate change and the safety of vaccine immunisations.

Rush Holt, a former physicist and Democratic congressman who runs the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said: "Scientists find it appalling that evidence has been crowded out by ideological assertions.

"It is not just about Donald Trump, but there is also no question that marchers are saying 'when the shoe fits...'"

Judy Twigg, a public health professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, had a message for the US leader with one of her signs.

It showed the periodic table of chemical elements and said: "You're out of your element Donny (Trump)." For Ms Twigg, who was wearing a T-shirt that read "Science is not a liberal conspiracy", research is a matter of life and death on issues such as polio and child mortality.

Despite saying the march was not partisan, Mr Holt acknowledged it was only dreamed up at the Women's March on Washington, a day after Mr Trump's inauguration on January 20.

Co-organiser and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg said: "It's not about the current administration. The truth is we should have been marching for science 30 years ago, 20 years, 10 years ago.

"The current (political) situation took us from kind of ignoring science to blatantly attacking it. And that seems to be galvanizing people in a way it never has before. ... It's just sort of relentless attacks on science.

"The scientific method was developed to be non-partisan and objective. It should be embraced by both parties."

Christine McEntee, executive director of the American Geophysical Union, a global professional organisation of earth and space scientists, cited concerns by scientists and threats to research as a result of elections in the US and other countries.

Threats to science are heightened in Turkey and elsewhere in Europe, said Ms McEntee, who planned to march with geophysical scientists in Vienna, Austria.

Dr Mona Hanna-Attisha, who exposed the dangerous lead levels in the drinking water and children's blood in Flint, Michigan, planned to march in Washington and speak to the crowd.

Before the event, she said: "It's risky, but that's when we make advancements, when we take risks ... for our heart rates to go up, to be a little anxious and scared and uncomfortable."
Donald Trump vowed to fight illegal immigration and build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border (AP)

US president Donald Trump has pledged to mark his 100th day in office with a "BIG" rally in Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump hits the milestone on April 29 - next Saturday.

He said on Twitter that next week "I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it!"

April 29 is also the date of the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington.

Most presidents attend the event. Mr Trump previously announced that he is boycotting this year's dinner in protest over what he says is unfavourable coverage by the news media.

His staff are also boycotting in a show of "solidarity" with the president.

Mr Trump's campaign team later announced that the rally will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Centre in Harrisburg.
US vice president Mike Pence has said America will honour a refugee resettlement deal with Australia that Donald Trump once described as "dumb".

Mr Pence told reporters he had reassured Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull that the US would hold up its share of the agreement struck by the Obama administration, even if the US did not "admire" the deal.

In January, US president Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull clashed over the agreement that strained ties between the countries.

Under the deal, the US would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Mr Pence, in Australia to talk about the state of the US-Australia alliance and lay out the new administration's priorities for the region, met Mr Turnbull and senior ministers in Sydney during his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim.

"I bring greetings this morning from the President of the United States," Mr Pence told Mr Turnbull ahead of their meeting.

"I spoke to him first thing and he wanted me to pass along his very best regards to you. And the president wanted me to - early in this administration - to reaffirm the strong and historical alliance between the United States and Australia."

Mr Pence's visit Down Under is widely viewed as an effort to smooth relations with Australia in the wake of the highly-publicised argument between Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump.

After taking office Mr Trump was infuriated to learn that the previous Obama administration had agreed to a refugee resettlement deal with Australia where America would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Mr Trump's anger led to a tense phone call with Mr Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb".

The fall-out has strained the typically cosy alliance between the US and Australia.

A majority of Australians view Mr Trump unfavourably and some critics of the president have urged Australia to distance itself from the US in favour of stronger ties with China.

Mr Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the US is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

The affection Australia and the US usually share for each other is rooted in decades of co-operation on defence, intelligence and trade.

Australia has fought alongside the US in every major conflict since the First World War, and is one of the largest contributors to the US-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

The country is also part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing programme with the US, Canada, Britain and New Zealand.

Earlier, Mr Pence met Australia's governor general Peter Cosgrove, who said the relationship between the countries was as strong as it was since "the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919".

Mr Cosgrove said the alliance started an "unbreakable relationship", telling Mr Pence: "We've been with you every step of the way."

Mr Pence was also meeting foreign minister Julie Bishop and the leader of the opposition party, Bill Shorten.

On Sunday, he will tour Sydney's Opera House and visit a zoo.

AP
History tells us that Republicans are taking on too much this week

It seems like forever and a day since Congress could walk and chew gum at the same time.

That's a lesson that President Donald Trump and his advisers are struggling to grasp, even those he plucked from Capitol Hill to occupy key posts.

In the week ahead, lawmakers already face an immediate Friday deadline of keeping federal agencies funded through the remainder of the year. Yet Trump's advisers continue to toss big items into the mix that they would like to see accomplished, giving the appearance of a frenzied search for wins ahead of Saturday's symbolically important 100th day of the new presidency.

Some Trump advisers have pushed for a vote this week on health-care legislation, even though there are no signs that ongoing talks between moderate and conservative Republicans have produced a real breakthrough.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Trump declared in an interview Friday with the Associated Press that on Wednesday he would unveil his administration's proposal for a massive overhaul of the tax code. It would result, he said, in the biggest "tax cut ever," despite ongoing gridlock in Congress over competing tax proposals - in a process that started more than six years ago.

Any one of these items would be a big enough lift in an era when Congress regularly struggles with the most basic of tasks. Mix them altogether over a couple days, and it's the legislative equivalent of trying to pull the pin on three grenades at once. If you're not careful, all three might blow up in your face.

The model of strategic chaos - creating many different targets and never taking on much bloodshed - worked well in the campaign, particularly in a sprawling GOP primary when, at any given moment, Trump faced 15 or more opponents.

But in governance, it doesn't work. Congress needs focus, not flurry.

The volatility has Democrats shaking their heads, knowing full well from their own experience when they last controlled Congress and the White House the peril of trying to do too many things all at once.

"Floating the possibility that the House could vote on this amended health care bill next week is irresponsible when the government could shut down on April 29," Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), a member of House Democratic leadership, said in a statement. "The focus must be on keeping the government funded - the most basic legislative responsibility we have."

There's a good chance that the week ahead becomes a lot of sound and fury but not much productivity. The talk of legislation to revise the 2010 Affordable Care Act could fade as negotiations continue well into the spring, and no one is sure what Trump might spell out on his tax proposals.

Also, given the time constraints, most insiders expect Congress to do what it does best in times of crisis - buy more time - by approving a stopgap bill to keep the federal government funded at current levels for an additional week or two to hammer out full spending levels for the rest of 2017.

Such a low-octane finish to a week that begins with such promise would be the latest example of how difficult it is to try to pull off more than one big thing at a time.

In 2009, after they passed a massive stimulus bill, congressional Democrats began driving toward approving the ACA, but House Democrats also tried to pass a bill to rein in climate change, including a very complicated system of trading for carbon credits.

The same panel instructed with crafting most of the health law, the Energy and Commerce Committee, pushed through the cap-and-trade legislation, passing it in June 2009. The full House passed the climate bill, after a bitter fight between moderate and liberal Democrats, but the Senate never took up the legislation.

The Energy and Commerce committee finally moved onto health care but did not finish until the last day of the summer session. The full House headed out into the fateful August 2009 recess, where Democrats faced angry constituents, creating more delays for many more months in passing the ACA.

The Senate had its own version of juggling too many issues. In early 2013, Democrats pushed legislation almost simultaneously for strict background checks on gun purchases and an overhaul of immigration laws. Both proposals went through the Judiciary Committee, and both were politically sensitive for the half dozen or so Democrats from conservative states.

Eventually, Democrats pulled the gun bill and focused on immigration. They passed it in June 2013, only to see it never considered in the House.

Some Democrats believe, in retrospect, that a narrower focus would have been the better path to follow.

Now, Republicans face battles on several fronts. The initial try at repealing the ACA blew up a month ago. Partly at the urging of Vice President Mike Pence, the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the moderate Tuesday Group have resumed talks about salvaging that effort. House GOP leaders appear tepid about the effort - and less involved than during the first go-round.

Traveling in London last week, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters that they were "negotiating sort of finishing touches" on the legislation and that it was going to "take us a little time" to finish up.

Pence is a trusted former House member, but he was never known as a dealmaker.

In recent days, Mick Mulvaney, the former House member who is now Trump's budget director, has taken a high profile in government funding talks. Democrats are angry at his recent demands for funding to meet Trump's promise of building a wall along the Mexico border, and the spat has created enough tension that Democrats feel that they have leverage in the talks.

If past is prologue, House leaders face an uphill task getting a majority of votes from their side of the aisle for a government funding bill, and Senate Democrats have already guaranteed they will filibuster any spending bill with funding for the wall.

That sets up what many consider an inevitable scenario in which Ryan will have to make a push for the more conservative position, just to show his right flank that he's fighting for them, leading to eventual failure and a bipartisan compromise putting off any threat of a government shutdown until the fall.

All of that is hard enough - with or without other demands to overhaul the health-care industry and the entire tax code.

washington-report

Washington Post News Service (DC)

4/22/2017 11:05:30 AM Central Daylight Time
Jyotsna Chandola a.k.a Khushi Bharadwaj of Sasural Simar Kaa is enjoying her trip to Europe and her pictures are proof that theirs is a perfect fairy tale. They definitely are living the relationship goals.

The actress is now in Salzburg, Austria and the pictures are mesmerizing. Posing for a picture, Jyotsna is standing right on the Love Lock bridge with Nitesh and we wonder how much in love can one be? Jyotsna and Nitesh are the perfect example of love does exists and romance never dies even after marriage.

They both are celebrating their 2nd marriage anniversary (21st April) in Austria. She says, "I am in love with my hubby and he pampers me still as if we got married last month only. This trip is the best gift I could ever get. I recommend marriage to everyone. Marriage is meeting of souls. One must get married timely. The knid of security, love and abundance I got is outstanding!

Stay blessed guys!
Image: Screen Grab from YouTube

Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): At least eight Afghan soldiers were killed in a suicide attack carried out by militants, local Khaama Press reported.

The casualties took place in the Balkh Province of Afghanistan.

Following the attack, the Taliban has shouldered responsibility.

The attack, which was launched on the 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan army, also injured 10 others.

The incident, which started on Friday afternoon, continued for several hours before the militants were shot dead by army-men.


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1. On The 100th Episode Of His Show, Kapil Sharma Thanked His Entire Team Including Those Who Werent There

On the 100th episode of his show, Kapil Sharma took a minute to thank his entire team for their contribution. Not only did he thank those present on the sets then, but also thanked those werent a part of the show.

2. Kangana Ranaut Voices Her Opinion On Sonu Nigam-Azaan Row And What She Says Makes Sense

Twitter

See I cant speak for anyone, but I personally love azaan! When we were shooting for Tanu Weds Manu in Lucknow, I loved the sound of it (azaan), I can only speak for myself! Whatever religious activity, may it be at the gurudwara, or Bhagavad Gita, or azaan, I personally like it a lot! And, I personally like going to places of worship like masjid, temple or church! We go for a Christmas Mass too, she said during a media interaction.

3. Chris Pratt Had A Super Fun Interaction With Kenny Sebastian And We Cant Stop Gushing Over Him

From learning Hindi, to rapping on butter chicken and also reacting on the Jhoom Jhoom Baba cut of Guardians of Galaxy trailer, Chris Pratt has won us over with his fun interaction with comedian Kenny Sebastian.

4. After Saying Goodbye To New York City, Priyanka Chopra Returns Home And Thanks Fans For A Warm Welcome!

Today, the actress returned to her Mumbai home after almost a month, and as expected, she got a huge welcome at the airport from her fans as well as media.

5. This Ryan Reynolds Fan Got A Butt Tattoo Of His Name Done And The Actor Is Simply Speechless!

If Ryan Reynolds didnt know until now who his biggest fan was we think now he does know it. His super-fan Dustin declared on Twitter that if the actor would like his tweet, he would get a tattoo of his name on the butt. And guess what? Ryan called his bluff and did exactly what his fan wanted  he liked the tweet.
An Afghan Army base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif was turned into a killing field on Friday after Taliban gunmen wearing military uniforms launched an attack, killing, "At least 140 soldiers."

afp

According to reports, Afghan commandos were deployed during the attack which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers as they attended mosque and ate a meal. Two of the ten attackers blew themselves up while seven were killed and one was detained.

"More than 50 Afghan soldiers have been killed," a US military spokesman told AFP.

afp

US General John Nicholson, the commander of NATO's Resolute Support operation, said in a separate statement that the attack targeted, "Soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility," of the 209th Corps of the Afghan army.

afp

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from NATO allies assisting a much larger Afghan force in the war against the Taliban and other Islamist militants. Afghan defence ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri said gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms had launched the assault on the army compound on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

"In total, there were 10 attackers involved in the attack on the Afghan army corps. Seven of them were killed, two blew themselves up, and one was detained by Afghan forces," Waziri told AFP.

ap

In a statement, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the operation. The Taliban are preparing to launch their traditional spring offensive, although the lull in the fighting season was only partial this year.

ap

US-led NATO troops have been at war in Afghanistan since 2001, after the ousting of the Taliban regime for refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

Efforts to negotiate a lasting peace settlement between Kabul and the Taliban have repeatedly fallen through. More than a third of the country is beyond the control of the Afghan government and many regions are fiercely contested by various groups.

Earlier, this month the US military dropped its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, dubbed the "Mother of All Bombs", in combat for the first time, killing 96 jihadists in IS hideouts in eastern Afghanistan.
Supreme Court Chief Justice J S Khehar set an example for others by implementing the Centre's decision to curb VIP culture by banning the use of red beacon atop official cars irrespective of the Constitutional post held by the person.

bccl

While official cars of the CJI and some other judges entered the SC premises on Thursday without the red beacon, other judges probably waited for the May 1 deadline.

Also Read: The Laal Batti Is Dead, But It'll Take More Than That To Kill India's VIP Culture

Many SC judges welcomed the move by the Centre to do away with the red beacon. But some of them flagged another important issue - time has come for the government to do away with traffic blockades resorted to by police for VVIP movements.

bccl/representational image

Former CJI and present Governor of Kerala, Justice P Sathasivam, said he had acted promptly and removed the red beacon atop his official car on Wednesday evening itself. "I have ordered the removal of beacons atop all official and private cars used by the Raj Bhavan," he told Times of India.

More than three years ago, a Supreme Court judge dealing with a PIL alleging rampant misuse of red beacons atop vehicles had set the ball rolling by expressing strongly against the 'Lal Batti' culture despite the Congress-led UPA government strongly defending the use of red beacon atop official vehicles of high constitutional dignitaries.

Also Read: PM Modi Finally Ends The Era Of VIP Culture, Bans 'Lal Batti' On Vehicles

Justice G S Singhvi had authored the judgement for a two-judge bench and agreed with amicus curiae Harish Salve that "use of signs and symbols of authority, such as red lights, is contrary to the constitutional ethos and the basic feature of republicanism".

bccl/representational image

However, the bench headed by Justice Singhvi was persuaded by then-solicitor general Mohan Parasaran and then additional solicitor general Sidharth Luthra that the term 'high dignitaries' used in Rule 108(1)(proviso iii) of Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, was meant to respect the intention of framers of the Constitution to treat those occupying constitutional positions as a special category and that there was no reason for the SC to exclude them from the ambit of the term 'high dignitaries'.

The SC in its 2013 judgement had taken strong exception to the state governments expanding the list of high dignitaries to allow a large number of persons other than 'high dignitaries' to sport red beacon atop their vehicles.

"There has been an abysmal failure on the part of the authorities concerned and agencies of various state governments and the UTs to check misuse of vehicles with red lights on their top."
In a country where rivers are revered as sacred entities, Ganga flows across the gangetic plains as the holiest of the holy rivers since the time immemorial. However, we have not been able to keep this life-giving river clean. Various governments have come and gone with promises to clean the river, which is considered to be a mother by millions of Indians, but all of them have failed so far. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his office in 2014, he marked cleaning of Ganga as one of the tip priorities that he had. Now when BJP is ruling most of the states through which Ganga flows, all eyes are on the government to do some serious work and make the river pollution-free.

Reuters

In March 2017, Ganga and Yamuna were designated as living entities in a judgement by the Uttarakhand High Court. From henceforth on, they are to be treated with the same respect and dignity that is accorded to human beings. Crores of rupees have been pumped to clean the river, but much of those efforts have been washed away in vain.

Also read: Rivers Ganga And Yamuna Are Now Living Entities With Legal Rights, Here's What It Means

Reuters

Finally, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, has decided to raise one Composite Ecological Task Force (CETF) battalion Territorial Army for National Mission for Clean Ganga. According to official documents, accessed through the heNational Mission for clean Ganga website, the government has already allocated an amount of Rs 167 crores for this purpose.

Previously, a regular battalion of Territorial Army was raised for deployment of the Namami Gange programme, however, that was de-commissioned in February 2017.

What does this project involve?

1. To raise this battalion as a pilot project.

2. That will be responsible for the tasks and activities related to resurrecting the Ganga.

Reuters

3. The battalion will be responsible for monitoring ecological and environmental projects related to the holy river, and also raise public awareness through campaigns.

What will the battalion be responsible for?

1. Plant trees and check soil erosion.

Reuters

2. Manage public awareness campaigns.

3. Patrol sensitive river areas for the protection of biodiversity.

4. Keep a tab on the river pollution levels.

Reuters

5. Assist the government in enforcing pollution control measures.

6. Support local civil administration and police in manging the Ghats.

7. Provide support and assistance if and when there is a flood or natural disaster in the region.

Reuters

It is important to note that PM Narendra Modi had promised to spend Rs 20,000 crore over five years under the Namami Gange Mission. However little has improved the wellbeing of this river.

Past efforts to clean the ganga that failed

1. The Ganga Action Plan phase one, the first one of its kind was started in 1986 failed arguably because of a lack of vision. When the infrastructure was put into place, it was meant for only 175 tanneries in Kanpur and could treat only a maximum of 9 MLD tannery effluents. Since then, however, the number of tanneries has doubled, as has the toxic wastewater generated daily.

2. In December, last year, a consortium of seven IITs told the National Green Tribunal that Multiplicity of authorities, lack of assistance from state governments and dearth of monitoring has led to the failure of cleaning Ganga.

Let us hope that the dedication and the descipline of the Indian Army bring the holy Ganga back to life.
In a powerful display humanity, a Associated Press photographer Dar Yasin, dropped his camera to save the life of an 18-year-old girl who was injured during the incessant stone pelting in Kashmir.

This image  of Yasin running with the girl in his arms has now gone viral.

Facebook/Faisal Khan

According to an HT report, Dar Yasin was out on a regular day's assignment on Thursday in Srinagar, when he spotted Khusboo Jan profusely bleeding after being hit.

As she collapsed on the spot, her friends panicked, and were desperately calling out for help. However, none of the onlookers budged.

That's when Dar Yasin chose humanity over career. He picked up the girl and rushed her to the nearest hospital.

The picture was posted on Facebook by another photojournalist named Faisal Khan.

I told the girls friends that I have two daughters and this girl is just like one of them. If you are the father of two girls or if you are a father of any child, you cannot just see anyones child helplessly suffering like that, the HT quoted Yasin as saying.

He added, "I am not the first one to have done this. I can tell you there are so many guys on the field in Kashmir who would have done the same what I did that day."

Many have even compared Yasins picture to that of the of Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak, who was captured running with a young boy in his arms to escape bombing.

These two images tell us why we should salute Kashmir's @daryasin and Syria's @AbdHabak , who put down their cameras and helped victims  pic.twitter.com/pwbOMGHXvU  Athar Parvaiz (@AtharParvaiz) 21 April 2017

We salute the spirit of these journalist, who even in the middle of a crisis, are showing the world the true meaning of compassion!
It's true when they say that fathers would do anything for their daughters. When it comes to saving the life of a daughter, how far would a father go? Perhaps as far as Sachindra Singh did, when his 17-month-old daughter had to undergo a liver transplant, and he volunteered.

When Ashvi was born, the Raipur-based Singh family was elated to have a girl in the family. Sachindra especially wanted to have a girl child and his wish came true.

Betiyaan beton se zyaada naam roshan karti hain, he says.

However, things changed when a month after her birth, her health began to deteriorate. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a rare disorder that happens in infants and disturbs the functions of the bile in the body.

It was a major shock for us when she was diagnosed. She went through one surgery when she was only about six months. We took her to Nagpur to get a surgery done and she was fine until a year after that. Things got worse a year later and we were told she required a transplant, Singh tells us.

It is difficult of course for any parent to have an infant, who is still coping with the world to go through a disorder that could affect her entire life.

We came to Mumbai for treatment in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and were told that she would require a transplant. We could not wait for a cadaver donation, and we already had several complications. My elder brother and I matched for Ashvi. While my elder brother also volunteered, but we decided to have a part of my liver given to her, shared Singh.

Singhs 17-month-old went through a hemorrhage and bleeding in the lungs too during the process of her treatment. She had an infection spread through her body leading to bleeding in the lungs and a brain hemorrhage only sixth day after her transplant in January 2017.

The infection delayed the transplant by almost three months only to get her fit and infection free for it.

She had tubes all over her body, making it difficult to even watch her at times. There were times when I would feel low and break down, but my family was there for me through this and believed in the miracle when I could not, an emotional Singh tells us.

He informed that because of the hemorrhage, she had a total memory loss, and is now learning to recognize her parents, and understanding motor skills just like a new born baby. She is re doing all of that again, he said.

A recovering Ashvi smiles for the camera

15-20% part of Singhs liver was transplanted into Ashvi, making her one of the youngest organ recipients in the country.

My daughter is a fighter. At an age of almost 18 months she survived something what most people, unfortunately, do not, and also grabbing headlines, I cannot imagine what she would do when she grows up! Singh joked.

One can donate organs while alive as well. It is a myth that one can only donate organs when they die. I learnt this only after donating my liver. It is one of the best feelings  to give another chance at life to anyone; theres nothing more fulfilling, he concludes.
In a shocking case, a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving vehicle in the southern part of the Kolkata's Gariahat area.

bccl/representational image

According to the police, the men lured the girl into the vehicle with chocolate. Once she was inside the vehicle they took turns to gang rape the girl, a police officer said. Investigators said one person has been detained for his alleged involvement in the incident.

bccl/representational image

Police have also seized the vehicle in which the crime was committed.

"We are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. The girl has been sent for medical tests," he said.
Since taking office, the US President, Donald Trump has undone many steps taken by his predecessor and one of the country's most popular Presidents Barack Obama. In its latest decision, the trump administration has dismissed Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General.

facebook/Vivek Murthy

According to reports, Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

"Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014. It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

bccl

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

bccl

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
In a visit to his native village of Bambeli in Hoshiarpur district, in Punjab, Canada's Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan made sure to spend some quality time with near and dear ones.

Twitter/Hajit Sajjan

After a grand welcome by the villagers, Sajjan chose to spend the night at his childhood home. According to a Hindustan Times report, slept on a manji (woven cot) on the terrace with his security officer from Canada!

His cousin Jasbir Singh told HT that he was even keen on visiting the fields but couldnt because of security reasons.

Whilst savouring chai and pakoras with his friends and relatives, Sajjan also relived some of his fond childhood memories.

Twitter/Harjit Sajjan

Owing to unprecedented rush, the Canadian High Commission staff did not allow Sajjan to attend a felicitation ceremony in the community hall.

A village sarpanch Paramjit Singh told HT, Sajjan apologised for not being able to take part in the event and meet people.

Sajjans father Kundan Singh extended his heartfelt thanks to people who welcomed his son. Harjit was overwhelmed by the affection shown by the people. He wanted to stay here longer but due to a tight schedule, he had to leave early, reports HT.
One of the world powers that has been noticeably absent from the multi-faced conflict in Syria is China. This is because of Beijing other than blocking some UNSC resolution against Syria, the country has kept a distance from the civil war.

But China has a problem, which is increasingly becoming a concern for the country. The Chinese fighters of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria are an organised, and battled-hardened group which has been growing in numbers.

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Thousands of Chinese jihadis have come to Syria since the country's civil war began in March 2011 to fight against government forces and their allies. Some have joined the al-Qaida's branch in the country previously known as Nusra Front. Others paid allegiance to the Islamic State group and a smaller number joined factions such as the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham.

But the majority of Chinese jihadis are with the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, whose vast majority are Chinese Muslims, particularly those from the Turkic-speaking Uighur majority native to Xinjiang in China. Their growing role in Syria has resulted in increased cooperation between Syrian and Chinese intelligence agencies who fear those same jihadis could one day return home and cause trouble there.

The Turkistan Islamic Party is the other name for the East Turkistan Islamic Movement that considers China's Xinjiang to be East Turkistan.

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Like most jihadi groups in Syria, their aim is to remove Assad's secular government from power and replace it with strict Islamic rule. Their participation in the war, which has left nearly 400,000 people dead, comes at a time when the Chinese government is one of Assad's strongest international backers. Along with Russia, China has used its veto power at the UN Security Council on several occasions to prevent the imposition of international sanctions against its Arab ally.

Beijing has blamed violence back at home and against Chinese targets around the world on Islamic militants with foreign connections seeking an independent state in Xinjiang. The government says some of them are fleeing the country to join the Jihad, although critics say the Uighurs are discriminated against and economically marginalised in their homeland and are merely seeking to escape repressive rule by the majority Han Chinese.

Abu Dardaa al-Shami, a member of the now-defunct extremist Jund al-Aqsa group, said the TIP has the best "Inghemasiyoun," Arabic for "those who immerse themselves." The Inghemasiyoun have been used by extremist groups such as IS and al-Qaida's affiliate now known as Fatah al-Sham Front. Their role is to infiltrate their targets, unleash mayhem and fight to the death before a major ground offensive begins.

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"They are the lions of ground offensives," said al-Shami, who fought on several occasions alongside TIP fighters in northern Syria.

Xie Xiaoyuan, China's envoy to Syria, told reporters in November that the two countries have had normal military exchanges focused on humanitarian issues, although Chinese officials have repeatedly rejected the possibility of sending troops or weapons.

In the last year, however, Chinese and Syrian officials have begun holding regular, once-a-month high-level meetings to share intelligence o militant movements in Syria, according to a person familiar with the matter. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to reveal military secrets.

"These people not only fight alongside international terrorist forces in Syria, but also they will possibly return to China posing threat to China's national security," said Li Wei, terrorism expert at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations and Director of the CICIR Institute of Security and Arms Control Studies.

Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said there are about 5,000 Chinese fighters in Syria, most of them with the TIP fighters in northern Syria who along with their families make about 20,000. Li, the terrorism expert, said Abdurrahman's numbers are way too high, adding that he believes the number are about 300 Chinese fighters in Syria who brought with them about 700 family members.

reuters/representational image

"As the control of the passage along the borders between Turkey and Syria is being tightened, it is becoming more difficult for them to smuggle into Syria," Li said.

Syrian opposition activists and pro-government media outlets say dozens of TIP fighters have carried out suicide attacks against government forces and their allies and for the past two years have led battles mostly in the north of the country.

The suicide attackers include one known as Shahid Allah al-Turkistani. He was shown in a video released by TIP taken from a drone of an attack in which he blew himself up in the vehicle he was driving near Aleppo late last year, allegedly killing dozens of pro-government gunmen.

In 2015, members of the group spearheaded an attack on the northwestern province of Idlib and captured the strategic town of Jisr al-Shughour on the edge of Assad's stronghold of Latakia region. They reportedly damaged a church in the town and raised their black flag on top of it.

In late 2016, TIP was a main force to briefly break a government siege on the then rebel-held eastern parts of the northern city of Aleppo.

The role of the Chinese jihadis in Syria was a topic that Assad spoke about last month in an interview with Chinese PHOENIX TV, saying "they know your country more than the others, so they can do more harm in your country than others."

afp/representational image

Unlike other rebel groups, TIP is a very secretive organization and they live among themselves, according to activists in northern Syria. They are active in parts of Idlib and in the strategic town of Jisr al-Shughour, as well as the Kurdish Mountains in the western province of Latakia.

Abdul-Hakim Ramadan, a doctor who was active in Idlib province, said one of his teams was trying to enter a northwestern village to vaccinate children when TIP fighters prevented them from entering, saying only Chinese can go into the area.

Ramadan said unlike other fighters who have come to Syria, the Chinese have not merged into local communities and the language has been a major barrier.
It's something that many of us may have suspected for a long time now: is Donald Trump crazy?

Well, 35 psychiatrists who came together for a conference at Yale University, strongly believe so. According to them, President Trump suffers from a "dangerous mental disorder."

They say that it includes antisocial personality disorder and extreme narcissism.

The group of mental health experts defended their claim saying it was their 'ethical responsibility' to warn the American public about the 'dangers' Trump poses to the country.

At the conference James Gilligan, a psychiatrist and professor at New York University said, Ive worked with murderers and rapists. I can recognise dangerousness from a mile away," and that he was convinced about Trump's mental status.

According to reports, Dr Gartner says that Trump is "psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President."

This issue is not whether Donald Trump is mentally ill but whether hes dangerous." @HaraMarano reports from @Yale: https://t.co/7a0eTSUZT8  Psychology Today (@PsychToday) 21 April 2017

He has also started an online petition calling for his removal from office, and it already has 41,000 signatures.

Harvard psychiatrist Judith Herman says that signs of Trump's mental instabilities are so obvious that an expert analysis is not even needed. She even wrote a letter to Barack Obama expressing concern over the mental health of the president-elect.

Now, that's alarming!

In a hilarious Last Week Tonight episode, John Oilver unleashed a barrage of criticisms on Donald Trump before he got elected as the President. In it he called Donald Trump a "litigious serial liar, a "bullshit artist" and a "baby with evil, small fingers".
While Pakistan is continuing atrocities against the people of Balochistan who are seeking separation, the locals, at the same time, are giving up violence in hope of peace in the region. According to reports, as many as 434 militants belonging to different banned outfits have surrendered in the region.

afp

Reports suggest that militants, who handed over their arms to authorities, belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province.

Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said on the occasion that those wanting to return to normal life were welcome to do so after surrendering.

afp

"Anyone laying down their arms would be welcomed," he said.

afp

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that for long foreign agencies had used innocent people in the province, misleading and instigating them.

afp

Sher Mohammad, a key commander of the proscribed BLA, said they had been deceived by "anti-Pakistan" elements.

afp

A senior provincial official said so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.

afp

Pakistan says its borders with Afghanistan and Iran in Balochistan are being used to instigate and train people to carry out subversive activities in the country.
After Liberation, U.S. To Give Control Of Raqqa To Rebels, Not Syrian Government





The Syrian city of Raqqa  the stronghold of terror group ISIS  will be governed by a civilian council with the support of U.S. troops following its liberation from terrorists. Their refusal to return the city to the Syrian government will only worsen the nations six-year-long civil war.



By Whitney Webb

April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Mint Press " - DAMASCUS While the public justification for the presence of United States troops in Syria has long been focused on fighting the terror group Daesh (ISIS), the recent actions of the U.S. and its allies within Syria continue to suggest that fighting terrorism is merely a cover for a very different type of operation, one that seeks to keep Syria fragmented and destabilized long after any terrorists are defeated.

On Tuesday, the U.S.-allied militias that have been encircling Raqqa  the de facto stronghold of Daesh  announced that they had formed a civilian council to govern Raqqa after its capture from Daesh militants. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed militia that comprises a large number of Syrian Kurds, claim to have spent six months setting up the council, with a preparatory committee having met with the people and important tribal figures of Raqqa city to find out their opinions on how to govern it, Middle East Eye reported .

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SDF spokesman Talal Selo stated that some towns near Raqqa had already been turned over to the council following a successful operation to drive out Daesh forces.

The U.S. military had previously hinted that power would be given to rebel groups following Raqqas liberation when the head of U.S. Central Command General Joseph Votel told the Senate in early March that military officials anticipated that Americas allies will need assistance preventing their [Daeshs] return and establishing Syrian-led peacekeeping efforts after a successful operation.

Considering that the Syrian government is far from being one of Americas allies, Votels statement implied that the U.S.-backed militias would be given control of Raqqa and the surrounding area, despite the implications this would have for Syrian sovereignty and further destabilization in the war-torn country.

As MintPress previously reported , Votel also told senators that conventional U.S. forces would be required to stabilize the region once ISIS fighters are flushed from Raqqa, meaning that the current U.S. troop build-up around Raqqa is by no means a temporary deployment, but rather the foundation for creating a standing army.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not been surprised as to what the U.S.-backed operation to remove Daesh from Raqqa would bring.

Last week, Assad told Agence France-Presse :

We support whoever wants to liberate any city from the terrorists, but that doesnt mean to be liberated from terrorists and being occupied by American forces, for example, or by another proxy, or other terrorists. So, its not clear who is going to liberate Raqa. Is it really Syrian forces that are going to hand it over to the Syrian army? Is it going to be in cooperation with the Syrian army? Its not clear yet.

Given that the Trump administrations current position involves the removal of Assad from power, keeping Raqqa out of the Syrian governments control via a U.S.-backed militia seems like a clear attempt to force Assads hand.

While Assad had previously stated that the countrys civil war would likely conclude this year  barring foreign intervention  a U.S.-military-supported rogue government in Raqqa would prevent the Syrian government from reacquiring its territory. Any attempts by the Syrian Army to take back Raqqa from the SDF and U.S. military could allow U.S. officials to demonize Assad and take stronger actions to remove him from power.

However, the U.S. plan is unlikely to go smoothly, given the Kurds dominant presence in the SDF. Turkey, Syrias northern neighbor, will probably not be happy to see a Kurdish-majority group gain governing power over a region near its border, as the Turkish government has long considered Syrian Kurdish militias, including those backed by the U.S., to be terrorist groups. Turkey has repeatedly bombed U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds for this very reason .
Arresting Julian Assange is a Priority, Says US Attorney General



Justice department stepping up efforts to prosecute Wikileaks founder as CNN reports that charges have been drawn up



By David Smith in Washington



The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is now a priority for the US, attorney general Jeff Sessions has said.

Hours later it was reported by CNN that authorities have prepared charges against Assange, who is currently holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Donald Trump lavished praise on the anti-secrecy website during the presidential election campaign - I love WikiLeaks, he once told a rally - but his administration has struck a different tone.

Asked whether it was a priority for the justice department to arrest Assange once and for all, Sessions told a press conference in El Paso, Texas on Thursday: We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks. This is a matter thats gone beyond anything Im aware of. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number of leaks and some of them are quite serious.

He added: So yes, it is a priority. Weve already begun to step up our efforts and whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.

Citing unnamed officials, CNN reported that prosecutors have struggled with whether the Australian is protected from prosecution from the first amendment, but now believe they have found a path forward. A spokesman for the justice department declined to comment.

Barry Pollack, Assanges lawyer, denied any knowledge of imminent prosecution. Weve had no communication with the Department of Justice and they have not indicated to me that they have brought any charges against Mr Assange, he told CNN. Theyve been unwilling to have any discussion at all, despite our repeated requests, that they let us know what Mr Assanges status is in any pending investigations. Theres no reason why Wikileaks should be treated differently from any other publisher.

US authorities has been investigating Assange and WikiLeaks since at least 2010 when it released, in cooperation with publications including the Guardian , more than a quarter of a million classified cables from US embassies leaked by US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

Republican politicians expressed fury at the time, accusing Assange of treason, and Trump himself told an interviewer: I think its disgraceful, I think there should be like death penalty or something.

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All that changed during the election when WikiLeaks published emails acquired via Russian-backed hackers from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign. Trump and his associates seized on the revelations, citing them with relish during speeches, prompting accusations of cynical opportunism.

Now in power, their attitude seems to have reverted to Republican orthodoxy. In a speech last week in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said: Its time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia.

He added: Julian Assange has no first amendment freedoms. Hes sitting in an embassy in London. Hes not a US citizen.

But US authorities cannot touch Assange while he remains in the Ecuadorian embassy in Britain, seeking to avoid an arrest warrant on rape allegations in Sweden. Socialist candidate Lenin Moreno, who won the recent election in Ecuador, has promised not to extradite Assange.
Why Not a Probe of Israel-gate?



Special Report: As Official Washington fumes about Russia-gate, Israels far more significant political-influence-and-propaganda campaigns are ignored. No one dares suggest a probe of Israel-gate, says Robert Parry.



By Robert Parry

April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The other day, I asked a longtime Democratic Party insider who is working on the Russia-gate investigation which country interfered more in U.S. politics, Russia or Israel. Without a moments hesitation, he replied, Israel, of course.

Which underscores my concern about the hysteria raging across Official Washington about Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign: There is no proportionality applied to the question of foreign interference in U.S. politics. If there were, we would have a far more substantive investigation of Israel-gate.

The problem is that if anyone mentions the truth about Israels clout, the person is immediately smeared as anti-Semitic and targeted by Israels extraordinarily sophisticated lobby and its many media/political allies for vilification and marginalization.

So, the open secret of Israeli influence is studiously ignored, even as presidential candidates prostrate themselves before the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both appeared before AIPAC in 2016, with Clinton promising to take the U.S.-Israeli relationship to the next level  whatever that meant  and Trump vowing not to pander and then pandering like crazy.

Congress is no different. It has given Israels controversial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a record-tying three invitations to address joint sessions of Congress (matching the number of times British Prime Minister Winston Churchill appeared). We then witnessed the Republicans and Democrats competing to see how often their members could bounce up and down and who could cheer Netanyahu the loudest, even when the Israeli prime minister was instructing the Congress to follow his position on Iran rather than President Obamas.

Israeli officials and AIPAC also coordinate their strategies to maximize political influence, which is derived in large part by who gets the lobbys largesse and who doesnt. On the rare occasion when members of Congress step out of line  and take a stand that offends Israeli leaders  they can expect a well-funded opponent in their next race, a tactic that dates back decades.

Well-respected members, such as Rep. Paul Findley and Sen. Charles Percy (both Republicans from Illinois), were early victims of the Israeli lobbys wrath when they opened channels of communication with the Palestine Liberation Organization in the cause of seeking peace. Findley was targeted and defeated in 1982; Percy in 1984.

Findley recounted his experience in a 1985 book, They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israels Lobby, in which Findley called the lobby the 700-pound gorilla in Washington. The book was harshly criticized in a New York Times review by Adam Clymer, who called it an angry, one-sided book that seems often to be little more than a stringing together of stray incidents.

Enforced Silence

Since then, there have been fewer and fewer members of Congress or other American politicians who have dared to speak out, judging that  when it comes to the Israeli lobby  discretion is the better part of valor. Today, many U.S. pols grovel before the Israeli government seeking a sign of favor from Prime Minister Netanyahu, almost like Medieval kings courting the blessings of the Pope at the Vatican.

During the 2008 campaign, then-Sen. Barack Obama, whom Netanyahu viewed with suspicion, traveled to Israel to demonstrate sympathy for Israelis within rocket-range of Gaza while steering clear of showing much empathy for the Palestinians.

In 2012, Republican nominee Mitt Romney tried to exploit the tense Obama-Netanyahu relationship by stopping in Israel to win a tacit endorsement from Netanyahu. The 2016 campaign was no exception with both Clinton and Trump stressing their love of Israel in their appearances before AIPAC.

Money, of course, has become the lifeblood of American politics  and American supporters of Israel have been particularly strategic in how they have exploited that reality.

One of Israels most devoted advocates, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, has poured millions of dollars in dark money into political candidates and groups that support Israels interests. Adelson, who has advocated dropping a nuclear bomb inside Iran to coerce its government, is a Trump favorite having donated a record $5 million to Trumps inaugural celebration.

Of course, many Israel-connected political donations are much smaller but no less influential. A quarter century ago, I was told how an aide to a Democratic foreign policy chairman, who faced a surprisingly tough race after redistricting, turned to the head of AIPAC for help and, almost overnight, donations were pouring in from all over the country. The chairman was most thankful.

The October Surprise Mystery

Israels involvement in U.S. politics also can be covert. For instance, the evidence is now overwhelming that the Israeli government of right-wing Prime Minister Menachem Begin played a key role in helping Ronald Reagans campaign in 1980 strike a deal with Iran to frustrate President Jimmy Carters efforts to free 52 American hostages before Election Day.

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Begin despised Carter for the Camp David Accords that forced Israel to give back the Sinai to Egypt. Begin also believed that Carter was too sympathetic to the Palestinians and  if he won a second term  would conspire with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to impose a two-state solution on Israel.

Begins contempt for Carter was not even a secret. In a 1991 book, The Last Option, senior Israeli intelligence and foreign policy official David Kimche explained Begins motive for dreading Carters reelection. Kimche said Israeli officials had gotten wind of collusion between Carter and Sadat to force Israel to abandon her refusal to withdraw from territories occupied in 1967, including Jerusalem, and to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Kimche continued, This plan prepared behind Israels back and without her knowledge must rank as a unique attempt in United Statess diplomatic history of short-changing a friend and ally by deceit and manipulation.

But Begin recognized that the scheme required Carter winning a second term in 1980 when, Kimche wrote, he would be free to compel Israel to accept a settlement of the Palestinian problem on his and Egyptian terms, without having to fear the backlash of the American Jewish lobby.

In a 1992 memoir, Profits of War, former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe also noted that Begin and other Likud leaders held Carter in contempt.

Begin loathed Carter for the peace agreement forced upon him at Camp David, Ben-Menashe wrote. As Begin saw it, the agreement took away Sinai from Israel, did not create a comprehensive peace, and left the Palestinian issue hanging on Israels back.

So, in order to buy time for Israel to change the facts on the ground by moving Jewish settlers into the West Bank, Begin felt Carters reelection had to be prevented. A different president also presumably would give Israel a freer hand to deal with problems on its northern border with Lebanon.

Ben-Menashe was among a couple of dozen government officials and intelligence operatives who described how Reagans campaign, mostly through future CIA Director William Casey and past CIA Director George H.W. Bush, struck a deal in 1980 with senior Iranians who got promises of arms via Israel in exchange for keeping the hostages through the election and thus humiliating Carter. (The hostages were finally released on Jan. 20, 1981, after Reagan was sworn in as President.)

Discrediting History

Though the evidence of the so-called October Surprise deal is far stronger than the current case for believing that Russia colluded with the Trump campaign, Official Washington and the mainstream U.S. media have refused to accept it, deeming it a conspiracy theory.

One of the reasons for the hostility directed against the 1980 case was the link to Israel, which did not want its hand in manipulating the election of a U.S. president to become an accepted part of American history. So, for instance, the Israeli government went to great lengths to discredit Ben-Menashe after he began to speak with reporters and to give testimony to the U.S. Congress.

When I was a Newsweek correspondent and first interviewed Ben-Menashe in 1990, the Israeli government initially insisted that he was an impostor, that he had no connection to Israeli intelligence.

However, when I obtained documentary evidence of Ben-Menashes work for a military intelligence unit, the Israelis admitted that they had lied but then insisted that he was just a low-level translator, a claim that was further contradicted by other documents showing that he had traveled widely around the world on missions to obtain weapons for the Israel-to-Iran arms pipeline.

Nevertheless, the Israeli government along with sympathetic American reporters and members of the U.S. Congress managed to shut down any serious investigation into the 1980 operation, which was, in effect, the prequel to Reagans Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal of 1984-86. Thus, U.S. history was miswritten. [For more details, see Robert Parrys Americas Stolen Narrative ; Secrecy & Privilege ; and Trick or Treason . ]

Looking back over the history of U.S.-Israeli relations, it is clear that Israel exercised significant influence over U.S. presidents since its founding in 1948 , but the rise of Israels right-wing Likud Party in the 1970s  led by former Jewish terrorists Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir  marked a time when Israel shed any inhibitions about interfering directly in U.S. politics.

Much as Begin and Shamir engaged in terror attacks on British officials and Palestinian civilians during Israels founding era, the Likudniks who held power in 1980 believed that the Zionist cause trumped normal restraints on their actions. In other words, the ends justified the means.

In the 1980s, Israel also mounted spying operations aimed at the U.S. government, including those of intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard , who fed highly sensitive documents to Israel and  after being caught and spending almost three decades in prison  was paroled and welcomed as a hero inside Israel.

A History of Interference

But it is true that foreign interference in U.S. politics is as old as the American Republic. In the 1790s, French agents  working with the Jeffersonians  tried to rally Americans behind Frances cause in its conflict with Great Britain. In part to frustrate the French operation, the Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts.

In the Twentieth Century, Great Britain undertook covert influence operations to ensure U.S. support in its conflicts with Germany, while German agents unsuccessfully sought the opposite.

So, the attempts by erstwhile allies and sometimes adversaries to move U.S. foreign policy in one direction or another is nothing new, and the U.S. government engages in similar operations in countries all over the world, both overtly and covertly.

It was the CIAs job for decades to use propaganda and dirty tricks to ensure that pro-U.S. politicians were elected or put in power in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, pretty much everywhere the U.S. government perceived some interest. After the U.S. intelligence scandals of the 1970s, however, some of that responsibility was passed to other organizations, such as the U.S.-funded National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

NED, USAID and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) finance activists, journalists and other operatives to undermine political leaders who are deemed to be obstacles to U.S. foreign policy desires.

In particular, NED has been at the center of efforts to flip elections to U.S.-backed candidates, such as in Nicaragua in 1990, or to sponsor color revolutions, which typically organize around some color as the symbol for mass demonstrations. Ukraine  on Russias border  has been the target of two such operations, the Orange Revolution in 2004, which helped install anti-Russian President Viktor Yushchenko, and the Maidan ouster of elected pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

NED president Carl Gershman, a neoconservative who has run NED since its founding in 1983, openly declared that Ukraine was the biggest prize in September 2013  just months before the Maidan protests  as well as calling it an important step toward ousting Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2016, Gershman called directly for regime change in Russia.

The Neoconservatives

Another key issue related to Israeli influence inside the United States is the role of the neocons, a political movement that emerged in the 1970s as a number of hawkish Democrats migrated to the Republican Party as a home for more aggressive policies to protect Israel and take on the Soviet Union and Arab states.

In some European circles, the neocons are described as Israels American agents, which may somewhat overstate the direct linkage between Israel and the neocons although a central tenet of neocon thinking is that there must be no daylight between the U.S. and Israel. The neocons say U.S. politicians must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel even if that means the Americans sidling up to the Israelis rather than any movement the other way.

Since the mid-1990s, American neocons have worked closely with Benjamin Netanyahu. Several prominent neocons (including former Assistant Defense Secretary Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, David Wurmser, Meyrav Wurmser and Robert Loewenberg) advised Netanyahus 1996 campaign and urged a new strategy for securing the realm. Essentially, the idea was to replace negotiations with the Palestinians and Arab states with regime change for governments that were viewed as troublesome to Israel, including Iraq and Syria.

By 1998, the Project for the New American Century (led by neocons William Kristol and Robert Kagan) was pressuring President Bill Clinton to invade Iraq, a plan that was finally put in motion in 2003 under President George W. Bush.

But the follow-on plans to go after Syria and Iran were delayed because the Iraq War turned into a bloody mess, killing some 4,500 American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Bush could not turn to phase two until near the end of his presidency and then was frustrated by a U.S. intelligence estimate concluding that Iran was not working on a nuclear bomb (which was to be the pretext for a bombing campaign).

Bush also could pursue regime change in Syria only as a proxy effort of subversion, rather than a full-scale U.S. invasion. President Barack Obama escalated the Syrian proxy war in 2011 with the support of Israel and its strange-bedfellow allies in Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni-ruled Gulf States, which hated Syrias government because it was allied with Shiite-ruled Iran  and Sunnis and Shiites have been enemies since the Seventh Century. Israel insists that the U.S. take the Sunni side, even if that puts the U.S. in bed with Al Qaeda .

But Obama dragged his heels on a larger U.S. military intervention in Syria and angered Netanyahu further by negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program rather than bomb-bomb-bombing Iran.

Showing the Love

Obamas perceived half-hearted commitment to Israeli interests explained Romneys campaign 2012 trip to seek Netanyahus blessings. Even after winning a second term, Obama sought to appease Netanyahu by undertaking a three-day trip to Israel in 2013 to show his love.

Still, in 2015, when Obama pressed ahead with the Iran nuclear agreement, Netanyahu went over the Presidents head directly to Congress where he was warmly received, although the Israeli prime minister ultimately failed to sink the Iran deal.

In Campaign 2016, both Clinton and Trump wore their love for Israel on their sleeves, Clinton promising to take the relationship to the next level (a phrase that young couples often use when deciding to go from heavy petting to intercourse). Trump reminded AIPAC that he had a Jewish grandchild and vowed to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Both also bristled with hatred toward Iran, repeating the popular falsehood that Iran is the principal source of terrorism when it is Saudi Arabia and other Sunni sheikdoms that have been the financial and military supporters of Al Qaeda and Islamic State, the terror groups most threatening to Europe and the United States.

By contrast to Israels long history of playing games with U.S. politics, the Russian government stands accused of trying to undermine the U.S. political process recently by hacking into emails of the Democratic National Committee  revealing the DNCs improper opposition to Sen. Bernie Sanderss campaign  and of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta  disclosing the contents of Clintons paid speeches to Wall Street and pay-to-play aspects of the Clinton Foundation  and sharing that information with the American people via WikiLeaks.

Although WikiLeaks denies getting the two batches of emails from the Russians, the U.S. intelligence community says it has high confidence in its conclusions about Russian meddling and the mainstream U.S. media treats the allegations as flat-fact.

The U.S. intelligence community also has accused the Russian government of raising doubts in the minds of Americans about their political system by having RT, the Russian-sponsored news network, hold debates for third-party candidates (who were excluded from the two-party Republican-Democratic debates) and by having RT report on protests such as Occupy Wall Street and issues such as fracking.

The major U.S. news media and Congress seem to agree that the only remaining question is whether evidence can be adduced showing that the Trump campaign colluded in this Russian operation. For that purpose, a number of people associated with the Trump campaign are to be hauled before Congress and made to testify on whether or not they are Russian agents.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post, The New York Times and other establishment-approved outlets are working with major technology companies on how to marginalize independent news sources and to purge Russian propaganda (often conflated with fake news) from the Internet.

It seems that no extreme is too extreme to protect the American people from the insidious Russians and their Russia-gate schemes to sow doubt about the U.S. political process. But God forbid if anyone were to suggest an investigation of Israel-gate.

Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his latest book, Americas Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com ).
What's Worse? Trump Dropping 'Mother of All Bombs' or That 70% of Americans Approve





Widespread support comes despite the lack of information from the Pentagon about damage from the "Mother of All Bombs" in Afghanistan



By Deirdre Fulton

April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Despite the lack of information from the Pentagon about President Donald Trump's deployment on April 13 of the "Mother of All Bombs" in Afghanistanor its aftermathclose to 70 percent of American voters say they "strongly" or "somewhat" support the bombing, according to a new poll.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday that "he does not intend to discuss damage estimates from last week's use of the military's most powerful non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State stronghold in Afghanistan," the Associated Press reported .

An Afghan official said this week that the bombing killed 96 Islamic State [ISIS] militants, though "the official provided no proof of the deaths or information on how officials reached the number of 96," as the New York Times notes . There have been no confirmed reports of civilian casualties.

The Times further reported on Tuesday:

It was unclear whether any Afghan or coalition forces have made it to the bombing site five days after the attack. The senior Afghan security official said the day after the bombing that Afghan commandos had done so and, after clearing the site, had handed it over to American military forensic teams. [Zabihullah] Zmarai, the provincial council member, said local officials in Achin told him that neither Afghan nor American forces had arrived at the site. A spokesman for the Afghan commandos, Jawid Salim, agreed. "It is not true that the members of U.S. forensic are at the scene of bombingno one is there," he said. "We are in the area and we see everything."

According to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday, security forces are blocking both journalists and local residents from accessing the site. The outlet reported:

The blast triggered shockwaves which residents said they felt miles away. It was said by the Afghan defence ministry to have killed at least 95 militants, including some IS commanders and foreign fighters, but no civilians. The statement could not be independently verified, with reporters including AFP correspondents turned away from the site again Wednesday even though there was no sign of fighting in the immediate area. Ahmad Jan, a resident of Achin who fled IS fighting and moved with his family to the provincial capital Jalalabad long before the bomb was dropped, told AFP he had no idea whether his house or relatives survived the attack. "No one can go there, they have completely blocked the area. I don't know if my house is destroyed. They have not even shown any dead bodies to anyone," he said.

Ali M. Latifi, a writer based in Kabul, Afghanistan, offered this first-hand account in Thursday's New York Times:

Two hills obstructed view of the bombed area. American helicopters flew overhead. Three hours passed but we weren't allowed to proceed further. Officials spoke cheerfully of resounding success and precision of the operation. Yet every time we sought permission to visit the bombed area, they found excuses to keep us away: "The operation is ongoing!" "There are still Daesh" Islamic State"fighters on the loose!" "There are land mines!" and finally, "The area is being cleared!" No civilians were hurt!" No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter

"In the end, 'Madar-e Bamb-Ha' [the Dari translation for 'Mother of All Bombs'] became the star of a grotesque reality television show," she wrote. "We know how much it weighs, what it costs, its impact, its model number, and its code name. We know nothing about the people it killed except they are supposed to be nameless, faceless, cave-dwelling Islamic State fighters. It was a loud blast, followed by a loud silence. It is yet another bomb to fall on Afghan soil, and the future of my homeland remains as uncertain as ever."

But that uncertainty is not reflected in the United States, where respondents to a Politico/Morning Consult survey seem to have been swayed by Trump and the military's latest display of "shock and awe."

"As you may know, the United States recently dropped the military's largest non-nuclear bomb on a cave complex suspected to be controlled by ISIS, in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Department of Defense," the 1,992 registered voters were asked. "Knowing this, do you support or oppose the military dropping the largest non-nuclear bomb on an ISIS cave complex in Afghanistan?"

Forty-three percent said they strongly supported the action, while 26 percent said they were "somewhat" behind the bombing. Just eight percent said they strongly opposed it.

The results lend credence to author and analyst Phyllis Bennis' call, published this week, "to integrate opposition to these wars into the very core of the movements already rising so powerfully against racism, for women's and LGBTQ rights, for climate and economic justice, for Native rights, for immigrant rights and refugee protections, for Palestinian rights, and much more."

"We'll need new strategies, new tactics," she wrote, "but we continue to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Our country is waging war against peoples across the globe, indeed waging war against the earth itself. But we are still here, challenging those wars alongside those who guard the earth, who protect the water, who defend the rights of those most at risk."

Indeed, wrote Seelai Popal, Ali A. Olomi, and Laila Rashidie on Thursday, it is time "for people of conscience in the U.S. to step forward and demand an end to the murder of the Afghan people and the poisoning of our land. The terrorism waged by the U.S. and its allies in the name of the 'war on terror' far outstrips the violence of those they claim to fight. It is time for the global community to demand that all militaries stop using our people and our lands as the testing grounds for war and weaponry. It is time to end the occupation of Afghanistan."

This article was first published at Common Dreams
Trump Versus Trump on Undeclared Mideast Wars

By Bill Walker

April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " The Monitor " - In 2013, Donald Trump had a clear policy on the Syrian Civil War: stay out. He posted often about the futility of Obamas attacks. A few of the tamer tweets:

Obama wants to unilaterally put a no-fly zone in Syria to protect Al Qaeda Islamists Syria is NOT our problem. (May 29, 2013  2:58 p.m.)

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. (June 15, 2013  8:33 p.m.)

What will we get for bombing Syria besides more debt and a possible long-term conflict? Obama needs Congressional approval. (Aug. 29, 2013  2:14 p.m.)

Now in 2017, Citizen Trump has disappeared. In his place is President Trump, whose foreign policy is indistinguishable from Obamas (or for that matter, the Bushes or Clintons). There is no concern for legal details such as congressional declarations of war or even resolutions. Missiles are launched as flippantly as tweets.

Currently, the United States supports many moderate terror groups in Syria. Simultaneously, we are bombing ISIS and firing cruise missiles at a Bashar Assad-controlled, possibly Russian-manned airfield. U.S. weapons are killing civilians all over Syria, while preventing any one faction from gaining enough strength to end the conflict.

One of the many U.S.-backed moderate terror groups is the Assyrian Syriac Military Council  yes, those Assyrians, the ones who conquered Babylon. The ethnic hatreds in this war were old in 2500 B.C. But Trump (he has a Very Good Brain) will be able to solve all the Middle Easts problems. He will Make Assyria Great Again. The Donald: I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me.

The Syrian Civil War has killed more than 400,000 people so far. A few of them were killed by poison gas. No one knows for sure how many. In 2013 it was loudly announced that Assad had used nerve gas. Then it turned out that maybe the nerve gas was launched by U.S.-backed rebels. Just to make sure, the Russians turned Assads armories upside down and shook them until any old stocks of chemical weapons fell out.

Trump launched 59 missiles less than 72 hours after media reports of a chemical attack. It is not at all clear that Assad is the guilty party. Assads forces would have nothing to gain from attacking a minor town with a tiny amount of sarin. Maybe conventional bombs from the Syrian air force hit a gas bomb in a rebel armory. Maybe there is an even more Byzantine origin. This is the Middle East; there are so many intelligence agency players that getting the facts about any incident is unlikely.

But we do know that Trumps actions were illegal under the U.S. Constitution. It has become fashionable to scoff at the Constitution; certainly previous administrations have. (The last time Congress bothered to declare a war was in 1943, against the minor Axis powers). Those in both political parties who call the Constitution a scrap of paper should consider the example of the Swiss. They still limit the war power of their president to defensive action only, and they have stayed out of war for more than 200 years.

We also know that our bombs and cruise missiles kill civilians. Every time we send a message by bombing some random village or airfield, ordinary people die. American politicians assume that those people will never be able to hit back because their countries have no WMDs.

In the 21st century, everyone with an internet connection has WMDs. The recipes for sarin and VX are available to anyone with a grudge. So are the protocols to make Ebola/flu hybrid viruses, explosives to blow dams from fishing boats and toy drones to deliver weapons (as ISIS has discovered).

Every ancient, pointless ethno-religious conflict we join adds another risk of blowback against American children.

Citizen Trump was right: The U.S. gains nothing from Mideast war and has everything to lose. All U.S. citizens, regardless of party, must support Citizen Trump against President Trump and restore the constitutional checks on use of military force.

Launching missiles should be harder than launching tweets.

(Bill Walker works for M2S in Plainfield. He has written about Swiss civil defense for Antiwar.com.)
DHS Head to America: Shut Up, Be Terrified, and Do What Youre Told



Secretary John Kelly wants you to know that the problem is you, not them.



By Scott Shackford

April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Reason " - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly has heard all of that criticism from Americans who are upset at the way his employees treat them and other people, and he has a response for all of you ingrates: Shut up.

If you've ever dealt with surly Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff who treat you as though you work for them and not the other way around, such behavior goes all the way to the top. In a wide-ranging speech designed to reinforce President Donald Trump's attitude that America is under siege, Kelly spoke told an audience at George Washington University and pretty much told them that without the aggressive approaches of the DHS we'd all be murdered by drug cartels and terrorist groups. So can it with the criticism.

The whole speech is watchable here at C-Span for the so-inclined. His speech was essentially a combination of every single post-9/11 security state speech combined with every single '80s and '90s drug warrior panic speech. The media responses are highlighting his defensiveness to criticism. Via The Hill :

Personnel are "often ridiculed and insulted by public officials, and frequently convicted in the court of public opinion on unfounded allegations testified to by street lawyers and spokespersons," Kelly said. "If lawmakers do not like the laws they've passed and we are charged to enforce  then they should have the courage and skill to change the laws. Otherwise they should shut up and support the men and women on the front lines," Kelly said, to a burst of applause in the auditorium.

These comments came toward the end of his prepared speech, so it's useful to provide some context with the other things he talked about. He described the way Americans are treated by TSA when we travel as "a little bit of an inconvenience." He was not being sarcastic. He still believes that marijuana is a "gateway drug" and said so. He added that DHS will continue to force federal law on marijuana as long as it's against federal law, regardless of whatever the states may want. So keep that in mind if you're thinking of bringing some on a flight to anywhere. He also, incidentally, made a big deal that DHS employees swear an oath to defend the Constitution, which is notable inasmuch as there is no sign that the DHS has any respect for the Fourth Amendment whatsoever when it comes to searching Americans anywhere near the nation's borders .

Even further, a good chunk of his speech was full of fearmongering about drug cartels and recent increases in drug-related deaths to emphasize the rhetoric that our nation is under attack. He says at one point more people are dying from drugs than died during World War I, but his idea of dealing with increasing drug deaths is a "comprehensive plan to reduce drug demand." The problem is us, not them, you see. They have to figure out how to stop us from wanting to use drugs.

Kelly has a very typical cognitive dissonance issue we see a lot with law-and-order types. He insists that his people are enforcing the law, true enough. But his comments also make it very, very clear that he supports the drug war, though he does acknowledge at some point that America "can't arrest our way" out of the drug problem.

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But who are the biggest opponents to changes in drug laws to maybe stop arresting people? Time and time again it's law enforcement lobbyists , whether we're talking about police, prosecutors, or prison representatives, who oppose any and all attempts to scale back their authorities to arrest and imprison people. The same folks who say "We're just enforcing the law" will fight tooth-and-nail any effort to crank back those laws. There's a tremendous amount of grant money and funding involved in "enforcing the law." They have strong incentives not to permit changes.

Similarly, Kelly therefore has every incentive to exaggerate the threats America faces, because his budgets depend on it, and President Trump is looking to spend, spend, spend on DHS and border security. In his speech he tries to suggest that DHS's budget has been cut to the bone. Though DHS's discretionary budget was cut during the sequester in 2008, DHS budgets and spending have been inching upward year after year (Check out this chart and read the text below to see which DHS agencies have been seeing the biggest boosts).

Kelly and his agents have every reason in the world to scare Americans into total compliance, every reason to insist that the drug war and terrorism is a constant threat, and every reason to suspect every traveler coming into the country could be a threat, and every reason to treat us as though we citizens are merely subjects of government authority. This also means that many of the domestic terror threats he mentions having prevented in his speech were frequently the result of undercover FBI stings that frequently are encouraging people to act out so that they can bust them, and it's not clear (and will never be clear) how many of these men would have actually done anything had undercover agents not been helping them along.

And the security theater driving the TSA's searches has long been exposed as ineffective, insulting, and incomprehensible. Their failures in catching actual threats compared to the inane overreactions they have to perfectly harmless objects are well known, and the result has been to actually dumb down procedures and make searches even more invasive rather than more effective.

Hey, Kelly, want to know why people hate you and your employees? Watch this video from ReasonTV. This is what you're telling Americans and lawmakers they should support:
Home Would China Strike North Korea? By Finian Cunningham April 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - The "extraordinary" mobilization of bomber aircraft was reportedly acknowledged by China's foreign ministry, giving no further details. The general assumption is that China is taking a defensive position in case the US administration of President Donald Trump follows through on its repeated threats of carrying out pre-emptive strikes on North Korea's nuclear facilities. Traditionally an ally of the communist government in Pyongyang, Beijing is widely assumed to be protecting its junior partner by flexing a deterrence force against the US. China has openly urged the US to not take unilateral military action against North Korea over the latter's controversial nuclear program. Beijing has been calling for a diplomatic solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, a crisis which seems to be intensifying following a dire warning this week from US Vice President Mike Pence that the "sword is ready," which was met with reciprocal threats from North Korea that it would "reduce the US to ashes." Despite calls for diplomacy from China, it is also clear that Beijing is becoming exasperated with North Korea, known formally as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. China is perplexed by what it sees as the North Korean regime of Kim Jong-Un forming an "epicenter of instability" on its borders. Earlier this month, there was even an editorial carried by Chinese state-run media warning that China might be forced to launch its own military strikes on North Korea if it comes down to the "bottom line" of preserving stability and security in the region. China certainly has strong historic ties with North Korea. It sided with the country during the Korean War (1950-1953) and probably salvaged the North from defeat by the US and its South Korean ally. China is also a vital trading partner for North Korea, helping it to cope with decades of Western-imposed economic sanctions. However, the once-strategic relationship has soured in recent years. China's President Xi Jinping has never met North Korea's Kim Jong-Un since the latter came to power nearly six years ago. It is increasingly evidently, too, that Beijing and Pyongyang are not on the same page when it comes to the nuclear issue. While North Korea asserts that it will never give up its pursuit of nuclear weapons and missile technology, Beijing has officially repudiated this path for Pyongyang, contending that the international community will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea. It is also apparent that China's global strategic interests are being hampered by its association with North Korea, which is portrayed as a pariah state in the Western media. One can safely assume that China views a sound economic partnership with the US as much more important than being in hock to North Korea. Chinese leader Xi Jinping appears to have developed a close personal relationship with his American counterpart, Donald Trump. Since their friendly dinner at Trump's Florida beach resort earlier this month, the two leaders have shared several phone calls. The Trump administration has exerted pressure on China to get tough on North Korea and Beijing seems to be obliging, having recently slapped sanctions on North Korea's coal imports and commercial air travel. The Trump administration is reportedly offering China concessions on trade in exchange for its cooperation to rein in North Korea. Trump's sudden turnaround in declaring that China is "not a currency manipulator," in contrast to what he had repeatedly claimed in the past, seems to be a sign of tactical tango. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter This week as news of China's military mobilization was emerging, Trump sounded confident. He enigmatically told reporters: "As far as North Korea is concerned, we are in very good shape. I respect [President Xi Jinping] very much, and I think hes working very hard Some very unusual moves have been made over the past two or three hours and I really have confidence that the president will try very hard." It's a fair bet that, in the scale of things, China views its future economic relationship with the US as more crucial than past "ideological" ties with North Korea. For China, it wants a stable North Korea that causes Beijing no aggravation with others. At the moment, North Korea is acting incorrigibly in the opposite way, from China's point of view. Beijing also does not want a full-blown conflict to erupt as would happen if the US were to preemptively strike Pyongyang. In the latter scenario, the North would retaliate by hitting South Korea and possibly Japan, with untold consequences. An attack by the US could also lead to regime change in Pyongyang, with the installation by the American forces of a regime that is subordinate to Washington and hostile to China. China would henceforth lose its North Korea "buffer zone." Rather than waiting to respond to events, it may be speculated that China is preparing to take the initiative. Given the reported mobilization of Chinese military forces and the aforementioned threats from Beijing of launching its own strikes on North Korea, one can envisage two scenarios. Firstly, in the event of a US pre-emptive strike that decapitates the North Korean leadership, China's forces would be ready to immediately move across the Yalu River to fill the ensuing power vacuum. Such a move would prevent massive refugee dislocation into China's territory, and it would allow Beijing to shore up a new regime in North Korea according to its political interests, not Washington's. A second, a more far-reaching scenario is that China views the present situation as being so unstable and prone to eventual war that it seizes the moment by taking military action against North Korea before the US does. All such contingencies are fraught with immense danger as well as legal and moral hazards. But in light of the huge strategic interests at stake for China, the notion of an unprecedented action based on instincts of self-preservation is not inconceivable. The dilemma for China arises from its seeming acceptance of the false premises put forward by the US on dealing with the Korean Peninsula. If the crisis is viewed narrowly, and erroneously, as stemming solely or largely from North Korea's recalcitrance and its desire to develop nuclear weapons, then ultimately the solution begged by this logic is to neutralize North Korea. But such a narrative is flawed. North Korea and its nuclear weapons are not the primary problem. They are but symptomatic of the underlying cause of US aggression. As former US State Department official Lawrence Wilkerson, among others, has pointed out, Washington has repeatedly betrayed commitments to resolve the Korean crisis through dialogue and political concessions. In the past, China has urged the resumption of multi-party regional talks which the US abandoned during the George W. Bush administration. China has also proposed a mutual de-escalation of military forces on the Peninsula by North Korea and the US. One wonders, though, has the calculus now shifted in Beijing to the point where it is considering "taking care" of the North Korea problem in a drastic way? The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page
Conflict in Syria isnt civil. All anti-government forces are US-supported terrorists (under various jihadist Al Qaeda affiliated labels). Names of different groups dont matter.

Theyre all cut out of the same cloth. They cant exist without foreign support. State actors bear full responsibility for turning Syria into a charnel house.

After over six years of war, hundreds of thousands are dead, mostly defenseless men, women, children, the elderly and infirm  millions internally or externally displaced.

Their struggle is ours. The same goes for their counterparts in other US war theaters  victims of imperial viciousness.

What country will America attack next? How many more millions will die or suffer unspeakable human misery? How long will it take before full-blown tyranny rules the United States, fantasy democracy dispensed with altogether.

On April 20 in Damascus, independent journalists visiting Assads political and media advisor Bouthiana Shaaban explained that

terrorist(s) (are) terrorist(s) and notrebel(s).

Falsely characterizing them is part of the Wests great deception, manufacturing false legitimacy for pure evil.

(T)he main problem lies in the misleading (anti-Syria) media, (creating) a wall which separates the Western citizen from the reality of events on the ground, Shaaban explained.

The April 4 false flag CW attack in Khan Sheikhoun and Trumps April 7 aggression, striking Syrias Shayrat airbase, are two of the latest examples.

Assad had nothing to do with the attack, killing scores including dozens of children, injuring many others.

Russia and Iran called for an independent unbiased investigation into what happened, involving OPCW experts and others from Russia, Western countries and regional ones.

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According to Sergey Lavrov, efforts to block the Russian/Iranian proposal indicate those who are taking such attempts have unclean conscience.

Evidence (is) multiplying that this was an orchestrated event(T)here are too many discrepancies in the (official Western) version. Their officials are blocking steps that could help establish the truth about what happened.

Separately, Lavrov said its

evidentthatfalse information about the Khan Sheikhoun incident is part of the longstandingregime change plan. Im sure that we must prevent it, he stressed.

Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced Trumps Khan Sheikhoun attack as an act of aggression against a sovereign nation.

On Thursday, Russias Armaments Non-Proliferation and Control Department director Mikhail Ulyanov explained

no steps (so far) havebeen takento investigate the April 4 CW incident.

Blaming Damascus for happened is groundless, he stressed. He blasted Britain and Washington for claiming Syrian culpability is absolutely certain.

We heard them say the same things ahead of Bush/Cheney/Blairs 2003 Iraq invasion.

Assad said his government formally asked UN authorities to send a delegation in order to investigate what happened in Khan Sheikhoun.

Of course till this moment they didnt send (any) because the West and the US blocked any delegation from coming  wanting hard truths about what happened suppressed, proving Syria had nothing to do with what happened.

OPCW British nationals said samples from Khan Sheikhoun indicated sarin or a similar toxin was used in the April 4 attack  despite not visiting the site first hand, invalidating their claim.

What happened was a state-sponsored false flag, Assad stressed  to blame his government and justify Trumps aggression.

On April 16, he tweeted:

Our military is building and is rapidly becoming stronger than ever before. Frankly, we have no choice!

Is he planning to unleash it more aggressively on humanity than already  to justify the unjustifiable at a time Americas only enemies are invented ones?
The Nigeria Police on Friday paraded suspects arrested in connection with the brutal killings of innocent persons and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira, in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State on March 20th .

Police spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, had swiftly deployed Police Special Tactical Force and an high powered investigation team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the gruesome killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The preliminary investigation and the operations embarked upon by the joint Police team revealed that one Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, a gang leader of a vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate was responsible for the senseless killings of seventeen (17) innocent persons at Zaki Biam and for killing in cold blood of about fifty (50) people in other locations in Benue State. He is also responsible for so many kidnappings, armed robberies and cultists violence leading to loss of lives and properties in other parts of Benue State. Further investigation revealed that he is also responsible for killing of Mr. Deneen Igbana (late) the Special Adviser on Security to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police ordered the Special Police teams already on ground in Benue State to immediately embark on manhunt for Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his gang members and bring them to justice. This joint operations comprising the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and the Department of State Service for the arrest of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his vicious criminal gang is currently ongoing in Benue State. In the dogged pursuit of the operations the Nineteen (19) suspects listed below were arrested for conspiracy and other various criminal roles they played in the killings of innocent persons and other violent crimes carried out by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State. They are currently in Police custody. During interrogation they admitted to be cohorts of the wanted suspect Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and have facilitated the commission of some of the offences linked to him at different times in Benue and other neighbouring States. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation accordingly.

i. Tordue Kaaor M

ii. Hiikenter Orbunde M

iii. Vincent Asemave M

iv. David Terhembe M

v. Dalhatu Abdullahi M

vi. Iortember Orkuma M

vii. Manasseh Ikyar M

viii. Nengene Ikyar M

ix. Joshua Ioraonya M

x. Joseph John M

xi. akowakwahve M

xii. Terwase Sabastine M

xiii. Sunday Utza M

xiv. Umsughaondo Gbaga M

xv. Swem Utiu M

xvi. Terwase John M

xvii. Mbadon Mbati F

xviii. Tame Buumbu F

xix. Godwin Iorhundu M

RECOVERY OF CACHE OF WEAPONS, WHICH INCLUDES LMG, SMG, HAND-GRENADES EXPLOSIVES AND ASSORTED ARMS AND AMMUNITION.

The below listed weapons and exhibits were discovered and recovered in a secret underground armory of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana by the joint team of Police personnel, the Military and the DSS during joint assault on Ghanas hideout in the Forest in a location in Benue State. The principal suspect (Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana) and his gang abandoned their hideout and narrowly escaped further into the forest as a result of the superior firepower of the joint operation teams.

EXHIBITS RECOVERED:

i. Three (3) AK 47 Rifles

ii. Three (3) FN Rifles

iii. One (1) G3 Rifle

iv. One (1) LMG

v. One (1) SMG

vi. One (1) Double-Barrel Gun

vii. One (1) Mark 4 Rifle

viii. Four (4) Single-Barrel Guns

ix. Four (4) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols

x. Five (5) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols

xi. Thirty (36) Hand-Grenades

xii. Two (2) Short Gun Local

Magazines:

i. One hundred and forty one (141) Ak47 Magazines

ii. Twenty (20) FN Magazines

iii. Eighteen (18) 6x G3 Magazines

iv. Three (3) Mark 4 Magazines

v. One (1) Spear

Ammunition:

i. Five hundred and thirty six ( 536) rounds of 7.62 mm NATO

ii. Four hundred and sixty- six (466) rounds of 7.62 mm

iii. Four hundred and sixty four (464) rounds of Special

iv. Twenty nine (29) rounds of 9mm Ball

v. One hundred and nineteen (119) rounds of 5.56mm 118

vi. One (1) round of 12.7 mm

vii. Five hundred and thirty three (533) cartridges for Double-Barrel Guns

viii. Twelve (12) Canisters Teargas

ix. Fifty (50) rounds of Air-rifle ammunition

OTHER ITEMS:

i. Two (2) bottles of perfume

ii. One (1) Knife

iii. One (1) Plier

iv. One (1) SMG Magazine

v. Six (6) Beretta Magazine
A woman was arrested by the Police for allegedly burning her 9-year-old son for being forgetful, reports CBS Miami.

The report says, Pembroke Pines police and Broward Sheriffs investigators on Monday checked out a tip from a child abuse hotline. While talking with 32-year-old Tamecha Jean, they reportedly learned that she became infuriated when her son came home from school without some paperwork, so she burned him in the chest with a hot iron.

Jean was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse. During her first appearance, her court-appointed attorney told the judge shes a long-time resident who has a job and asked for a low bond.

Judge what Im going to be asking for is a $1,500 bond, he said.

Prosecutors suggested the judge impose a significantly higher bond.

Even with ties to the community, job, and her ability to post bond, Im sorry, the violence alleged, in this case, is just so aggravating that it completely outweighs any mitigating factors, your honor. Im going to be requesting a $20,000 bond, said prosecutor Eric Linder.

Judge Christopher Pole took everything into consideration and decided that Jean should be released on her own recognizance.
British Airways has commended the Nigerian government on the timely completion of the repairs on the Abuja airport runway.

Mr Kola Olayinka, the airlines Regional Commercial Manager for West Africa, lauded the government in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Olayinka said that the airline had commenced flights to and from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, after the Airports timely runway repairs and re-opening.

He said that aviation services actually resumed a day earlier at the Abuja Airport, rather than on the April 19 date scheduled for the completion of repairs on the runway.

According to him, British Airways is very pleased that the international airport has reopened.

British Airways BA83, scheduled to depart Terminal 5 at Heathrow, London on April 19, arrived at Abuja at 4:48 a.m. on April 20, as the first BA flight, following the re-opening.

British Airways BA82 scheduled to depart Abuja Airport to London, left by 7:05 a.m., also on the same day.

British Airways will like to applaud the Minister of State (Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika, and his team, for the brilliant job done on the Abuja runway, he said.

NAN
Following the outbreak of Meningitis and mealeaes in some part of the country, the Federal Government has directed chief executives of its tertiary hospitals to be proactive in responding to outbreak of diseases in the country.

The directive came amid efforts to battle the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis in five states in the North-East.

The government also urged the public to notify the Federal Ministry of Health on any disease outbreak so as to enable the ministry to deploy response teams immediately and checkmate the spread of the disease.

A statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Health, Boade Akinola, said the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, issued the directive during a meeting with the heads of the Federal Governments tertiary health institutions.

He said the meeting was convened to chart a way forward in case of any disease outbreak in the country.

Adewole said, I should start with global health security. As we might be aware, we have been dealing with series of outbreaks over the last one year. We started with Lassa fever, we moved on to cholera, there were pockets of measles and now we are dealing with meningitis.

The outbreak of meningitis in Zamfara State actually started late November 2016, but we did not know until February, which is unfortunate. If we got to know early, we would have deployed the vaccines available to us, created awareness and taken charge of the situation early enough. But since we did not know, we lost valuable time to respond to the outbreak.

Speaking further on the strategies of the federal hospitals to support the primary and secondary health care centres in the states, the minister urged all the Federal Government tertiary hospitals to adopt secondary and primary health facilities, equip them and ensure they work well.

According to him, during emergencies, medical personnel in federal hospitals must support the state, primary and general hospitals.

We cannot pretend that what is happening outside our tertiary health centres do not concern us, and this is one reason why we must interact with primary and secondary health facilities in the states; otherwise, we would spend valuable time treating diarrhoea and vomit instead of looking after the complex cases that we ought to do, he said.

In his remarks, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said that the NCDC had already dispatched response teams and presently working with the state governments in the affected areas of Sokoto and Zamfara states.

He added that the team was working on early detection and treatment.

Ihekweazu urged the chief executives of tertiary hospitals to work closely with the leadership of the state governments in managing the outbreak.

He added that the NCDC was working hard to prevent the outbreak of cholera as the raining season had begun in some parts of the country.
In the build up to the 2015 general elections, the former President Goodluck Jonathan authorised the withdrawal of a whopping N67.2 billion in cash money from the Central Bank of Nigeria between November 2014 and February 2015 for special services, accordingmto reports from the PREMIUM TIMES. Sources said even more curious large withdrawals were made from the bank during the period but we were unable to obtain documents to authenticate the claims. But highly classified documents obtained by this newspaper, Friday, showed that at least N67.2 billion were withdrawn in cash from the banks in two tranches. Insiders at the CBN said the huge cash were carted away in bullion vans. One of the withdrawals was made through a memo which originated from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, allegedly based on Mr. Jonathans instruction. The second memo was generated by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. NAPIMS is in charge of the Federal Governments investments in the petroleum industry.

The first memo, dated November 2014, contained a request for the withdrawal of $47 million cash out of N10 billion earmarked for release for an unbudgeted special services.

In the memo with reference number: NSA/366/S and titled: Request for Funds for Special Services, an official from Mr. Dasukis office had drawn the CBN governors attention to a previous discussion and requested the release of the said funds by the bank.

The balance from the N10 billion, the memo directed, was to be paid out in Euro, while a certain Director of Finance and Administration with the name S.A Salisu, was authorised to sign and receive the haul of U.S dollars and Euro in cash, on behalf of the NSAs office.

Further to our discussion, you are pleased requested to provide the sum of forty seven million United States Dollars (USD47, 000,000.00) cash out of the Ten Billion Naira (N10, 000,000,000.00) and the balance in Euro to this office for special services, the memo read in part.

Mr. S. A. Salisu, director finance and administration is, hereby authorised to sign and collect the amount. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem, the memo said.

It remains unknown what the special services, for which the funds were removed, are.

Our sources claim they were spent on electioneering-related matters. But that could not be independently verified Saturday.

The second memo, raised by NAPIMS, and dated February 25, 2015 conveyed an instruction to the director, Banking and Payment System Department of the CBN to urgently pay in cash, the sum of $289,202,382 (N57.2 billion) to the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.

Upon receipt of this mandate, please pay urgently the under-listed beneficiary the cash amount indicated, the memo said.

Please debit CBN/JVCC Foreign Account No. 000000011658360 with the JP Morgan Chase, New York and advise (sic) as soon as the payment is made..

The payment instruction in favour of the NIA was signed by one Okonkwo Godwin, General Manager, Finance, NAPIMS, with staff No. 18526, on February 25, 2015.

But sources from the CBN, who cannot be named because they were not authorised to speak on the issue said the funds were taken away at night with bullion vans under heavy security cover.

When contacted, CBNs Director, Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Muazu, declined comment on the report.

Mr. Muazu said he did not have authority to speak to the media about the status of the bank customers transaction details.

However, a senior official, who asked not to be named, as he had no permission to speak on the issue in his official capacity, said the bank has details of the transaction.

My brother, the report is true, he told PREMIUM TIMES. Every detail is on point. But, since they claimed the withdrawal was for security services, anything could have been referred to as such. Nobody knows.

Mr. Jonathan could not be reached for comments. One of his former spokespersons said he no longer speak for the former President. Another said he was busy and could not speak on the matter.

They all requested anonymity, saying they dont want to be associated with issues they know nothing about.

The withdrawals of the huge cash is a violation of Nigerias Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, which the former president Mr. Jonathan personally assented to.

According to Part 1, Section 1 of the law, No person or body corporate shall, except in a transaction through a financial institution, make or accept cash payment of a sum exceeding- (a) N5,000,000.00 or its equivalent, in the case of an individual; or (b)N10,000,000.00 or its equivalent in the case of a body corporate.

Section 16 (d) of the Acts says anyone who makes or accepts cash payments exceeding the amount authorized under this Act shall upon conviction be liable to a forfeiture of 25% of the excess above the limits placed in section 1 of the Act.
Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, on Saturday paid N700,000 as hospital bill for a 22-year-old orphan and nursing mother, who was being detained at the hospital.

Oyo-Ita, came in contact with Miss Blessing Clement, who could not pay her maternity bills, while visiting the couple that gave birth to quintuplets at the National Hospital, Abuja.

She said that she would take care of all the bills that Clement had incurred during her stay at the hospital and the woman immediately broke down in tears.

Wipe your tears and stop crying I am going to pay all your bills and make sure you go home with your baby.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Clement, an orphan, gave birth to a baby boy since February and has been held in the National Hospital because she could not pay her bills.

NAN also reports that the baby who is in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit was delivered at six months through a caesarean section.

Clement, who described the kind gesture of the Head of Service as a miracle, said she was overwhelmed with joy as she would finally be released from the hospital.

She said that there was no end in sight to her predicament as all hope was lost because of her inability to pay the bill.

However, the father of her baby has been soliciting support from various churches but has not been able to raise the amount needed.

She added that a huge load has been taken off her shoulder, praying that Oyo-Itas pocket will never run dry and sorrow will be far from her household.

NAN reports that the father of the baby was not present at the hospital at the time of the event.

Clement told NAN that her parents died long ago and she was living in an uncompleted building with her younger ones and husband.

Mrs Maryann Umejiagu, Matron on duty at the maternity ward, said that Clements baby was delivered at six months due to life threatening complications during the pregnancy.

Umejiagu tol NAN that she was always having high blood pressure due to the pregnancy which is medically known as Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)

She also said that the baby and mother are fine and would have long been discharged but were being kept in the hospital because they could not paid their bills.

The Matron added that God has used the Head of Service to salvage the situation and they would be discharged without further delay.

Source: NAN
Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun popularly known as Dagrin is no doubt one of the best lyricist to come out of Nigeria. The news of his sudden death at the peak of his career came as a rude shock to many people.Today, April 22,marks six years since Dagrin passed on and in this article,we take a brief look at the life and times of the late Pon Pon Pon Crooner.

1. The late rapper was born Olaitan Olaonipekun to Mr. and Mrs. Olaniyi Abolaji Olaonipekun on 21, October 1987.He was the fourth child in a family of nine.

2. He attended Meiran community primary school, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community high school and Egbado College.

3.He had a music store located at Meiran bus stop, House of Nelly sounds store where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.

4. He was a Yoruba lyricist; just like the older but less popular Lord of Ajasa and he got the nickname Barack OGrin from the remix song he did with General Pype titled Champion.

5.Dagrins album, CEO, was the most successful rap album of 2009, and one of the most successful hip-hop CDS of all time in the history of Nigeria music industry.The tragically prophetic song titled If I die was recorded on February 5th 2010 and was the last song he recorded before he passed away.

6.His first international show was billed to hold at Indigo, 02 in London April 30th 2010, but he passed away before the date.The late rapper had three nominations at the 2010 Hip Hop World Awards and won one award for Best rap Album.

7.He featured on over 30 songs for different Nigerian artistes that turned out hits i.e Y-Q, Kenny Saint Brown, Jazzman Olofin, 9ice, Dipp, Ajuju, e.t.c

8.He died eight days after his car ran into a parked lorry in front of Alakara Police station, Mushin on Wednesday April 14, 2010.He was admitted at Luth on Thursday April 15th 2010 and the resident doctors went on strike at 12am that same day.

9.He was only 22 years when he passed on 22 April,2010.He continued to receive more airplay on radio, television and gain more popularity after his death.

10.His Twitter ID was @Dagrinfimile, Facebook was Dagrin fimilejo. He had 4,930 friends on Facebook.
Two notorious kidnappers have been killed by the Niger Police Commands Special Anti-Cattle Rustling Team on Friday, the deceased had been terrorising the people of Suleja, Tafa, Paiko and Gurara local government areas of the state.

In a statement released by the DSP Bala Elkana, the command Public Relations Officer in Minna.

He said that the squad raided a cattle rustlers hideout at Nkuchi, Paiko Local Government Area .

Elkana said during the operation, which lasted for several hours, two of the hoodlums shot dead while one of them was arrested.

One AK47 Rifle with 5 rounds of live ammunition and 13 empty shells were recovered.

Also the commands Anti-Robbery Squad, in collaboration with the IGP Special Tactical Squad, arrested 5 suspects at Injita Village, Munya Local Government Area in their hideout.

Elkana said one of suspects from Kaduna State was a notorious gun runner and was arrested in the process of selling one AK47 rifle to three other suspects.

He said items recovered from them included one locally made SMG gun with six rounds of live ammunition, two revolver locally made guns with four live cartridges, three locally-made single barrelled-gun and a Dane gun.

The PRO said the suspects confessed to have kidnapped a four-year old pupil and collected N10 million as ransom from the victims family.

NAN
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday described as painful, the death of a prominent Kano businessman and community leader, Alhaji Audu Adahama.

A former customs officer, Adahama died at 78 and was survived by four children, including the Special Assistant to the President on Youth, Nasiru Adahama.

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President has sent a condolence message to the family, the government and the people of the state.

The message was said to have been delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) in Kano on Saturday.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, has been congratulated by President Muhammadu Buhari on his election as the new Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrators (AAMA).

Mr. Peterside was elected at the end of the Third Annual Conference of the continental organization in Abuja on Friday.

In a statement by Femi Adesina, his special adviser on media and publicity, the President noted that Mr. Petersides unanimous election was not only a personal honour and affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA, but that it also placed Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) towards safer global maritime activities.

President Buhari believes that given NIMASAs encouraging performance under Dr. Peterside especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter-agency cooperation, he has no doubt that his new position provides him with an even bigger platform to forge ahead in doing the nation proud by meeting the objectives of AAMA, the statement said.

The President, while wishing the new Chairman of AAMA a successful one-year tenure, expressed confidence that within the period, the Federal Governments renewed focus on growing the Nigerian economy through increased maritime resources would be further enhanced.

Source: ( Premium Times )
Former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, has joined his voice with those mourning the death of the Pioneer General Manager of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Onuorah Nzekwu who passed away at age 89.

He said Nzekwu contributed immensely to making the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) what it is today.

We cannot easily forget his contributions to the development of the Agency from its beginning to present day.

He contributed in making NAN a great institution. His pioneering efforts made NAN to present objective, reliable and untailored reports.

As an editor of Daily Times (1976 to 1980), I witnessed the change in pattern of news gathering and dissemination by the Agency in its formative years.

We were used to getting stories from the colonial masters perspective from the foreign News Agencies, he said.

Momoh, presently, Pro-Chancellor, University of Jos, said Nzekwu led NAN to change news to Nigerian and African perspectives.

Nzekwu pioneered the Agency to give us news from the Nigerian and African perspectives. News gathering and dissemination pattern changed, he said.

A traditional ruler in Anambra State, Igwe Victor Awogu, said Nzekwu`s death was a big blow to the country.

Awogu, the Atamanya of Ossamalla, Ogbaru Local Government, said he worked under Nzekwu at the Federal Ministry of Information and News Agency of Nigeria.

As young men, he took us as his children, managed us very well accommodated our behaviours. His passing away is a big blow and may his soul rest in perfect peace, he said.

Joseph Onuora Nzekwu was born on February 19, 1928 was a Nigerian prolific writer and editor from Onitsha.

He passed away on April on 21, 2017.
(April 21, 2017)- Drivers and teams with the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series powered by Torque Builders Inc. have been working hard throughout the off season to get their equipment ready to kick-off an exciting 2017 campaign. There will be new names in the field and familiar faces steering different equipment. Bill Pickford  who along with Richard Warnes and Randy Hollingsworth make-up the OMRS team of officials  says its going to be a great year for the popular open wheel tour.

Across the board, everyone in the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series family is looking forward to the new season, Pickford said. We have a busy schedule  with events at Peterborough, Sunset and Flamboro  again this year and even though the first green flag is about a month away, our drivers are hungry to flex their muscles and get back on the track.

Defending series champion John Baker Jr. has been burning the midnight oil, reworking his 2016 title winning piece. The popular speedster  best known by the abbreviated handle JBJ  says that by the time hes finished, only the centre section of last years car will remain. Hell be replacing the front and rear clips and suspension. Therell be a different engine, clutch and transmission. Baker happily reports that the car will still be orange and carry his traditional #63.

At his shop just outside of Stirling, Ontario Randy Hollingsworth and his crew are hard at work getting a pair of cars ready for action. Hollingsworth says the #62W driven by his granddaughter Willow Barberstock had a twist of about an inch from front-to-back in the frame that needed to be straightened. The engine is being freshened and a new body being installed. The car is also getting a new paint scheme and theyre installing new drop spindles to lower the ride height. His own car will get a new body and fresh valve springs on the engine.

Warnes Racing is busy getting three cars and engines ready at their shop in Newcastle, Ontario. Rick Warnes is finishing-off a new car for the #90, that will return to its familiar purple. Former series champion Rob Warnes will be making a few updates and will have a new body on the #90 and the machine that carried the #98 in 2016 will have a driver for several events. Brad Stevenson has a brand-new piece for the new campaign and Josh Gruntz will be making a return to the OMRS ranks in 2017.

2017 Ontario Modifieds Racing Series schedule

Saturday, May 20th: Sunset Speedway  Spring Velocity

Saturday, May 27th: Peterborough Speedway

Saturday, June 10th: Peterborough Speedway

Test a Mod Day, 11:00 to 2:00

OMRS Racing, 6:00

Saturday, June 24th: Peterborough Speedway

Saturday, July 1st: Flamboro Speedway  Canada Day Special

Saturday, July 15th: Peterborough Speedway

Saturday, July 22nd: Peterborough Speedway

Saturday, August 5th: Flamboro Speedway

Saturday, August 19th: Peterborough Speedway

Toonie Admission/Fan Appreciation Night

Saturday, August 26th: Peterborough Speedway

Saturday, September 23rd: Sunset Speedway  Fall Velocity

Qualifying heats

Sunday, September 24th: Sunset Speedway  Fall Velocity

Last chance qualifying and feature

Fans can find full series details at www.facebook.com/OMRS. The 2017 Ontario Modifieds Racing Series season is supported by Clarke Motorsports Communications.

Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports

613.968.6410
But why aren't there any claims?
Willis Towers Watson has announced a series of senior appointments across its global FINEX business, the companys financial, executive and professional risk specialty group.London-based Jeremy Wall has been named chairman of global FINEX and head of the business for all regions outside North America. He will lead the business direction and strategy across Great Britain, Western Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australasia, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East.Appointed as global head of FINEX financial institutions is Allison Barrett, who will take charge of the development and strategic direction of FINEX products and service offerings to its financial institutions portfolio. She will also lead a team of specialists across the globe.Jonathan Brooks has been named global head of FINEX client insight & innovation, operational strategy and market services. Based in London, he will also serve on the global FINEX leadership team, where he will contribute to the business strategy across all lines of business and geographies.Other executives taking up new roles are Olivia Cooper, FINEX Great Britain regional leader; Anthony Dagostino, global head of cyber risk; and Ken Ross, member of the global FINEX leadership team.
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Haley holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations top decision-making body for April, and she plans to use the meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question and Tehrans role in Yemen and Syria, as well as its support for Hezbollah. She sees these topics as central to the actualization of peace in the Middle East.

After the February meeting Haley said, Incredibly, the UN Department of Political Affairs has an entire department devoted to Palestinian affairs. There is no division devoted to the worlds number one state sponsor of terror, Iran.

This past week, the Trump administration aimed sharp criticism at Iran, following previous warnings to Syria and North Korea. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tore into the 2015 nuclear agreement between the P5+1+EU and Iran on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that curbs Irans nuclear program, on Wednesday. He stated that it only delays the day Iran will get a nuclear weapon and completely ignored its other actions.

It will be difficult to get the 15-member Security Council to change its focus. The U.S. and five other world powers joined Iran in signing the 2015 deal, and in a message to Congress late Tuesday, Tillerson acknowledged that Iran has delivered so far on its end of the deal. Still, the U.S. will review whether to reimpose economic sanctions that were eased under the accord, he said. However, if the U.S. decides to breach the accord, it would cause conflict with global powers, including European allies, China and Russia, who support it. Meanwhile, U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, are angered by the deal.

Israel has been viewed with a critical focus over the years by The Security Council. Arab nations, including those who are U.S. allies in the region, will resist a shift in that focus.

Monthly reports on the Palestinian question have been received since 2000, and they have held a debate on the topic each quarter since 2010. Quarterly reports on Israels expansion of housing settlements are now required under a resolution. Former President Barack Obama allowed the council to pass that measure by having the U.S. abstain rather than exercise its veto power during the closing weeks of his administration.

The UNs special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov of Bulgaria, will present Thursdays report.

Haleys message may be lost under the questions about President Trumps approach to Iran.

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington said, The Trump administration needs a grand plan on how to curb Irans influence, and right now I dont see a plan.

Suzanne Maloney, a senior fellow at Brookings Institute in Washington stated that the U.S. seeks to portray Iran as a criminal enterprise, not just as another bad country but as a rogue state that is engaged in horrible crimes across the region, and added, We are moving from a position of accommodation to one of confrontation across multiple fronts. Maloney said further, Building a broad consensus is tough.

On his tour of the Middle East, Defense Secretary James Mattis, said Wednesday in Riyadh, that the U.S. will reinforce Saudi Arabias resistance to Irans mischief and make you more effective with your military.

Although Haley has the leadership role this month, any resolution condemning Irans regional influence is unlikely to pass because Tehran holds an alliance with Russia, who holds veto power in the Security Council.
The Citizens Assembly will meet this weekend for the final time to discuss the Eight Amendment of the Constitution.

The 95 members of the assembly, who have been meeting since last October, will vote today on their recommendations on whether to retain, repeal or reform the current legislation on abortion.

The programme for this weekend will focus on reaching recommendations to be included in a ballot that will be put to members of the Citizens Assembly.

They will focus on the precise wording on such ballot and voting on it.

The Assembly has heard over four weekends on the topic of the Eight Amendment, where experts from both sides of the abortion issue have been sharing their opinions on the current legislation.

Voting in any ballot set to take place today will be in secret and the counting of the papers will be overseen by John Fitzpatrick, the former Returning Officer for Co Dublin and his team.

It is intended that the results of the ballot will be announced as soon as the votes have been counted and verified and this announcement will be done by the chair in the public session.

Following this weekends vote, a report will be prepared by the chairperson of the Citizens Assembly for the Oireachtas, which is due to be published by the end of June this year at the latest.
Health Minister Simon Harris has been urged to "publish all the deals and all the side deals" with a religious order involved in the mother and baby homes scandal over the building of the new national maternity hospital, writes political correspondent Fiachra O Cionnaith.

Labour TD and former tanaiste Joan Burton called for the immediate move as she lashed out at Mr Harris being "hapless, helpless and hopeless" over his response to what happened and for failing the women of Ireland.

In a hard-hitting speech during an emergency debate on three motions in response to last night's revelations the Sisters of Charity are considering scrapping the national maternity hospital plan, Ms Burton said "secret deals" with the church have no role to play in modern Ireland.

Warning public trust has been shattered by what has emerged this week, she said no one has been re-assured by the Government's response and that what happens now will be central to a deal "that will last the next 100 years".

"We have a history of secret deals with the church in this country. Remember the [controversial 2002 redress scheme] deal with Michael Woods and Bertie Ahern. Who came off best in that.

"The Minister has been hapless, helpless and hopeless. This is not good enough. Publish the deal, all the deals and all the side deals," she said.

Her view was repeated by Labour's health spokesperson Alan Kelly, who said the current situation is a "disgrace" and "GUBU" - a reference to the phrase "grotesque, unbelievable bizarre and unprecedented" used to describe a series of Irish political scandals in the 1980s.

Mr Kelly said it is wrong that a maternity hospital would be "handed over" to a religious order involved in the abuse of women and babies.

"In any other western society can you imagine this happening? But this is happening, in Ireland in 2017," he said.

Mr Kelly said the religious order's ongoing failure to repay millions or euro owed to abuse victims as part of the controversial 2002 redress scheme is not unrelated from the national maternity hospital scandal as it "shows what they really thought, what they really think".

Asking "where are the Independent ministers on this", he said Ireland "cannot allow this to happen, and we will not allow this to happen".

"The religious order is considering reviewing the deal. Fine. Compulsory purchase it," he said, adding he found it "bizarre" that Mr Harris is defending the deal now as he was heavily critical of the religious order in 2014 during a Dail public accounts committee meeting which heard it was using St Vincent's public hospital as collateral on other projects.

During the same debate Labour Women chair Sinead Ahern said religious orders must have no involvement in the new national maternity hospital, and reminded delegates of Savita Halappanavar, saying doctors "may be afraid of giving full medical records because there's a statue of the virgin Mary there".

All three emergency motions were passed unanimously by Labour's delegates. They included:

- conference rejects the proposed ownership and governance arrangements of the national maternity hospital on St Vincents campus as unsatisfactory and unacceptable (Dublin West, Mulhuddart branch)

- conference calls on the government to immediately reverse this decision and to ensure secular independent state ownership and management of our national maternity hospital and all further stage funded healthcare infrastructure (Labour women)

- conference moves that the entire St Vincent's site and the folio of properties currently owned by the St Vincent's healthcare group be taken into public ownership (Tipperary, Ardarra/D ODonnell branch)
US vice president Mike Pence has said America will honour a refugee resettlement deal with Australia that Donald Trump once described as "dumb".

Mr Pence told reporters he had reassured Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull that the US would hold up its share of the agreement struck by the Obama administration, even if the US did not "admire" the deal.

In January, US president Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull clashed over the agreement that strained ties between the countries.

Under the deal, the US would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Mr Pence, in Australia to talk about the state of the US-Australia alliance and lay out the new administration's priorities for the region, met Mr Turnbull and senior ministers in Sydney during his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim.

"I bring greetings this morning from the President of the United States," Mr Pence told Mr Turnbull ahead of their meeting.

"I spoke to him first thing and he wanted me to pass along his very best regards to you. And the president wanted me to - early in this administration - to reaffirm the strong and historical alliance between the United States and Australia."

Mr Pence's visit Down Under is widely viewed as an effort to smooth relations with Australia in the wake of the highly-publicised argument between Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump.

After taking office Mr Trump was infuriated to learn that the previous Obama administration had agreed to a refugee resettlement deal with Australia where America would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Mr Trump's anger led to a tense phone call with Mr Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb".

The fall-out has strained the typically cosy alliance between the US and Australia.

A majority of Australians view Mr Trump unfavourably and some critics of the president have urged Australia to distance itself from the US in favour of stronger ties with China.

Mr Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the US is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

The affection Australia and the US usually share for each other is rooted in decades of co-operation on defence, intelligence and trade.

Australia has fought alongside the US in every major conflict since the First World War, and is one of the largest contributors to the US-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

The country is also part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing programme with the US, Canada, Britain and New Zealand.

Earlier, Mr Pence met Australia's governor general Peter Cosgrove, who said the relationship between the countries was as strong as it was since "the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919".

Mr Cosgrove said the alliance started an "unbreakable relationship", telling Mr Pence: "We've been with you every step of the way."

Mr Pence was also meeting foreign minister Julie Bishop and the leader of the opposition party, Bill Shorten.

On Sunday, he will tour Sydney's Opera House and visit a zoo.
The appeals board has granted planning permission for the project which includes a 98-bedroom hotel despite concerns on the part of local residents that it would be part of a continuing trend to completely alcoholise Camden Street.

The board ruling represents a comprehensive planning victory for Wetherspoon as the decision omits a planning condition imposed by Dublin City Council seeking to curtail the size of the pub.

The City Council ruled that a 244sq m dining area and courtyard with tables and chairs be omitted from the plan. However, this has been overturned on appeal.

Already, Wetherspoon operates five pubs here  four in Dublin and one in Cork. It is understood that the development will lead to the creation of 200 jobs.

Local resident and appellant Barry Chambers told Bord Pleanala that allowing another pub in the area, not to mention the large-scale drinking establishment being proposed would be seriously detrimental to the residential amenity and character of the area.

Mr Chambers was one of a number of residents to oppose the plan. In his appeal, he said: Drink-fuelled, ever-increasing noise, nuisance, and anti- social behaviour  ranging from the benign to the very serious which goes hand- in-hand with the drinking culture  has already, regrettably, started to change the character of the area for the worse.

Mr Chambers said that the introduction of a super-pub selling cheap alcohol, into the melting pot, does not bear thinking.

In response, Wetherspoon said that to imply that the proposal includes a super-pub is disingenuous, misleading and clearly not the case.

The company said that the proposal is not intended as a late-night destination, with the latest expected opening hours to be at 12.30am at the weekends.
Rennicks has announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its Irish road- traffic sign business, Rennicks Sign Manufacturing, to UK rival Morelock Signs for an undisclosed sum. The company cited a drop in demand.

The move will result in the production activities of both companies being consolidated into Morelocks business in the UKs west midlands factory. This will mean around 13 employees will be made redundant at Rennicks manufacturing site in Kilbride, Dublin.

At the same time, 18 employees will transfer to the new business and Morelock will continue to trade under the Rennicks brand in Ireland.

The broader Rennicks Group will continue to trade via its other entities. From its Dublin base, the group also services the high-volume UK car industry with vehicle registration plate components. Rennicks (UK) Ltd, meanwhile, was set up in the mid-1980s to serve the UKs roads infrastructure market, and has a sales and distribution centre in Cheshire.

That business and a similar one in South Africa have driven group growth in recent years and they will continue to be developed.

Around 85% of the groups revenues are now achieved overseas.

Regarding the sale of the domestic Irish road sign business, Rennicks group managing director Michael Flanagan said: For the past five years, we have seen a decline in the demand for domestic traffic sign production as the pace of developing new motorways has dramatically reduced.

By the end of 2012, Transport Infrastructure Ireland completed the very extensive expansion of Irelands motorway network over the previous decade.

Major improvements were also made to the key inter-urban, national primary and national secondary routes and the company benefited from that decade of very significant government investment in the roads infrastructure network.
The comedian, who is best-known for his alter-ego as a Dublin matriarch, waited on tables before he found fame and had an unfortunate run-in with the then-British prime minister.

He told The Graham Norton Show: I once almost killed Margaret Thatcher. It was a big lunch at Dublin Castle and I was working the top table.

We were rushing to serve everyone before the event was on the 1pm news and, with just a few minutes to go, Mrs Thatcher asked for some fresh strawberries.

I served her and she then asked for some caster sugar. I rushed to get it and with only seconds to spare, I poured some on the fruit.

While the news was going out, I watched as she put a spoonful in her mouth and at that moment realised the bag I was holding was a bag of salt. Her face said it all! Only she and I knew about it and it was never mentioned.

OCarroll, whose comedy creation now has her own chat show called All Round To Mrs Browns, also offered up details of a close encounter with singer James Blunt.

The Youre Beautiful singer was the surprise musical guest on the first episode of the new series and the pair shared a passionate on-screen kiss.

OCarroll said: I leaned in mouthing words to the song he was singing and he kissed me. With tongues!

My wife asked me if I was embarrassed and I said, No. It was very nice. Hes a good kisser!

Showing Norton how he slips into character, he said: Mrs Brown has the walk of someone waiting for a hip operation with a touch of Norman Wisdom.
Sterling fell to a days low, yesterday, after the weaker-than-expected figures. Retail sales volumes contracted 1.4% in the first quarter after rising 0.8% in the last three months of 2016, Britains Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It was the biggest quarterly decline since the first quarter of 2010, and is likely to reinforce the view among many economists that household spending  the main driver of the UK economy  is now slowing sharply.

That may prove a concern for UK prime minister Theresa May, who earlier this week unexpectedly called for an early national election, in an effort to strengthen her mandate for the next two years of negotiating Brexit.

Families are facing the fastest rise in living costs for over three years and they are reining in their spending rapidly, said Richard Lim, chief executive of the Retail Economics consultancy.

Retail sales data are not a precise guide to household consumption, but analysts said yesterdays figures were an unpromising signal for the UK economy, corroborating other surveys that show inflation taking a toll on household finances.

The ONS said falling retail sales were likely to shave around 0.1 percentage points off first quarter economic growth in Britain  the first negative contribution from the sector since the last quarter of 2010.

Meanwhile, the eurozone economy bounded into the second quarter with strong broad-based growth, according to a survey showing businesses increased activity at the fastest rate for six years as new orders stayed robust.

Signs the bloc is on a sustainable growth path, along with inflationary pressures, will be welcomed by the European Central Bank, which has struggled for years to achieve either, despite ultra-loose monetary policy. Consumer confidence is also improving.

IHS Markits Flash Composite Purchasing Managers Index, seen as a good guide to growth, climbed to 56.7 from Marchs 56.4, its highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 indicates growth. Markit said the latest PMI data, if maintained, pointed to second-quarter economic growth of 0.7%, well above the 0.4% predicted in a Reuters poll this week.

Earlier data from Germany showed its private sector grew at a slower pace this month as services shifted into a lower gear but factory activity remained high, suggesting Europes biggest economy is carrying its upswing into the second quarter. French activity confounded expectations in April by growing at the fastest pace in nearly six years, showing no signs of cooling ahead of the most uncertain presidential vote in years.

Reuters
Mary T OMahony said pre-natal alcohol exposure can cause irreversible damage to the developing fetal brain. Despite the potentially dire consequences, there was unfortunately a large element of denial about the prevalence of FAS, she said. Previously, Adrienne Foran, a consultant paediatrician at the Rotunda Hospital, told a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children that the issue of FAS was the elephant in the room.

Ireland featured among five countries with the highest prevalence rates of FAS in a review published in The Lancet journal in January. Other countries included South Africa, Italy, Croatia, and Belarus. There are an estimated 40,000 people in Ireland living with FAS.

Dr OMahony, who was addressing the AGM of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in Galway, said the study also found that one in 67 women who consume alcohol during pregnancy give birth to a baby with FAS  yet four in five Irish women expecting their first baby take a drink during pregnancy. Babies born with FAS had visible signs of abnormalities and could be recognised at birth, she said.

However, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) were not readily identified and may not be spotted until preschool or school age.

There are no distinguishing characteristics for FASD, said Dr OMahony. It is only as children go through the educational system that they become obvious, things like attention deficit, memory deficit, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, poor problem-solving skills, difficulties with abstract concepts such as maths and poor social skills.

Dr OMahony said FASD had a huge societal impact.

Children with FASD fill our foster care places, adults with FAS fill our jails, and many people are misdiagnosed, she said.

Other countries ran public campaigns warning of drinking during pregnancy and similar action is required here, she said, as well as screening and interventions.

Dr OMahony said that the prevention of pre-natal alcohol exposure required a response from both Government and society.

We need to bring about a change in social norms so that drinking in pregnancy will be as unacceptable as drink-driving, she said.

A motion calling on the IMO to encourage doctors to educate and empower women to abstain from alcohol throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding to prevent FAS and FASD was passed at the conference.

The conference continues today, with Health Minister Simon Harris due to attend in the afternoon.
Ken Egan, a Mayo-based GP, said co-ops were already getting flooded by the under sixes since the extension of free GP care to this age cohort in 2015.

He said private patients went to the doctor about three times a year, but visits would double if free care came in for all.

If I opened up a grocery store in Eyre Square and started giving out food for free, there would be queues in minutes. The same will happen if everyone gets free GP care, Dr Egan said.

He said they were already finding it difficult to staff the red-eye shift (midnight to 8am). The number of patients attending out of hours, particularly on the east coast, where people come home from work and the creche says your kid isnt well , was leading to choc-a-bloc waiting rooms.

Doctors were working excessive hours and patient safety was compromised, said Dr Egan.

The proposal to extend free GP care is reported to be among the recommendations of a cross-party Oireachtas Committee examining the future of healthcare.

John Duddy, outgoing Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) president, said the proposal was unrealistic and likely unachievable based on current staffing and funding in the primary care setting.

Dr Duddy was addressing the IMO AGM in Galway, where doctors voted in favour of a motion urging the Future Healthcare Committee to consider the costs of health service provision and the funding model required to deliver an equitable health service.

Consultant psychiatrist Matt Sadlier said that if the committee produced a purely aspirational document, then I will really think they have failed in their function.

Doctors also voted in favour of a motion calling for an amendment to the 2007 Medical Practitioners Act to allow changes such as in-camera fitness-to-practice hearings.

Ray Wally, a GP in North Dublin inner city, said the act, as formulated, meant doctors were guilty until proven innocent.

Cathal O Suilliobhain, a GP in addiction services in Dublin, said he had personal experience of complaints being lodged against him and said it was incredibly stressful even when you know its rubbish and you know it will be dismissed.

Dr Wally said a former colleague had committed suicide while a complaint loomed over him.

David OGorman, a retired consultant dermatologist from Galway, said some complaints are of such a ridiculous nature that I would welcome them being heard in public.

A separate motion calling for the State to provide an unambiguous definition of a child was also passed.

Dr Sadlier pointed out that you can get married at 16, but under the Mental Health Act, you are a child if you are under 18.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan jailed Joao Victor Da Silva Mota, aged 18, of The Grove, Gort, for four months, fined him 2,250 and banned him from driving for four years for a spate of road offences on March 9 at Main St, Corofin, Co Clare.

The offences related to the accused having a false driving licence, no driving licence, no insurance, showing a false date of birth, and failing to produce a valid passport.

Judge Durcan referred to a terrorist shooting dead a policeman in Paris on Thursday and said: The day is gone where people think they can float around the country with false documents.

Garda Seamus Gleeson told the court that after being found with a false Portuguese drivers licence, Mr Da Silva Motas case had been referred to the Department of Justice but there was no move to deport him. At the time of arrest, Da Silva Mota was here illegally.

On hearing the department had made no move to deport him, Judge Durcan said: God help Ireland.

Someone who comes here from outside and obtains a false driving licence should be deported but the people who run the Department of Justice disagree, he said.

I just dont understand the attitude of the department in relation to people who come in here on the basis of false ID documents; who parade around the country on the basis of false documents  that is a false driving licence; fly around without insurance, as it is based on falsehoods  that such persons are not deported.

Solicitor for Mr Da Silva Mota, Daragh Hassett said his client has made moves to regularise this status.

Mr Da Silva Mota was freed on bail after meeting bond conditions to appeal the jail term, fines, and driving ban to the circuit court.
Cork Airport has confirmed that on April 4, a drone encroached on airspace at 10.15pm, delaying the landing of an incoming flight for around 10 minutes.

Several days later, another drone was spotted on the outer edges of the airports 5km no drone zone exclusion area.

No flights were affected on that occasion as the drone was further out but it did breach the exclusion zone, a spokesman said.

These two incidents were followed by another on Thursday morning last, when two flights had to be instructed to maintain a holding pattern away from the airport while the authorities dealt with a drone close to flight paths.

The airport was shut to flights for 35 minutes and later flights were instructed to approach with extra caution as the drone had not been captured.

The spokesman said all three incidents had been reported to the gardai and were now the subject of criminal investigations.

We havent had a problem with drones until lately so we would hope that its someone who simply hasnt realised there are regulations in place for the use of drones and that its illegal to breach them, he said.

If we can get that message out to everyone who buys a drone and impress on them how seriously the gardai and airport management take this, hopefully, it wont happen again.

People have to realise that their activities have a knock-on effect on the operation of the airport, that theyre disrupting flights and breaking the law.

The Irish Aviation Authority warned that anyone breaching the regulations could be fined up to 1,250 and jailed for a year in the district court, rising to 125,000 and three years jail in the higher courts.

It added: The individual could [also] be charged under the normal criminal and civil provisions relating to reckless endangerment and other provisions relating to the general protection of life and property within the state.

"In the event of serious damage causing loss of life, charges for manslaughter or the various degrees of murder would be possible.
The Teachers Union of Ireland Annual Congress, held in Cork, heard threats of industrial action unless members demands about the Teaching Councils Droichead programme are met.

Originally an induction and probation programme, Droichead was established to formalise the mentoring of newly qualified teachers by their colleagues.

Last March the Teaching Council announced its revised policy for the Droichead programme, which states that the scheme is a non-evaluative professional induction process  meaning school staff will not be required to evaluate their newly qualified colleagues.

The TUI argued that new teachers were already assessed by external inspectors.

However, David Duffy, education research officer with the TUI, said while the union welcomes the removal of the probation aspect of Droichead, concerns remain that the programme is time-consuming for teachers and is under-resourced.

The remaining issue is resourcing  effectively time.

If were asking one colleague to formally support another, and informally this has always happened, it doesnt just happen by accident and requires time, he said.

Were seeking from the Department [of Education] clear resources, particularly in the context of time, as to how and when can this get done.

If those resources can be provided then it absolutely has the basis of being a very good induction model, he said.

Asked if the extra resources sought amount to extra payments to teachers mentoring colleagues through the scheme, Mr Duffy emphasised it was a time issue.

They key factor here is about time. Its about making sure the induction support team in a school have the time to meet with an incoming teacher, that the incoming teacher has the opportunity to view what is happening in other classes to see what works well.

The key factor here that we will continue to pursue with the department is about time for meetings, time to view what happens in other classes, time to talk about what Im doing well, or struggling with that I might want extra support in, he said.
Virtually every nook and cranny on the Italian peninsula is used to grow grapes and has been since at least the third century BCE. Each year Italy competes with France on who has made the most wine, with Spain also in the running. Currently Italy is in the lead (according to figures from 2015) at 49 million hectolitres which is around 7 billion bottles made from 377 known grape varieties (France has just 204 named varieties).

Most of us know the wines of the north and centre (Valpolicella, Soave, Barolo, Chianti, Montepulciano dAbruzzo), but learning a little more about the South will be hugely rewarding. Like the rest of the country Southern Italy has a bewildering range of Demoninazione (DOP), sometimes with just a small handful of producers. Dont be put off by unfamiliar names and in general if an importer has taken the trouble to source wine from one of these regions there is usually a quality reason, as obscure wine remains a difficult sell in brand-conscious Ireland.

Southern Italy is hot but never forget how many mountains there are in Italy so freshness is rarely a problem and there are also many fascinating white wines with new grape varieties to learn such as Greco di Tufo and Falanghina (Campania), Fiano, Inzolia and Grillo (Sicily) to name just a few. For reds you need to know about Nero di Troia, Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera (Puglia), Gaglioppo and Aglianico (Campania and Basilicata), Nero dAvola, Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (Sicily) and of course Primitivo which is grown throughout the south and is better known as Zinfandel (although the clones would generally differ from those grown in the US).

All my selections are reds from mainland Southern Italy including a couple of bargain wines from Sicily. Not many importers source from Southern Italy so Liberty Wines are to be praised for their impressive selection. Liberty sell well in restaurants in Munster and elsewhere and you should also find some of these wines in the likes of Ely and LAtitude 51.

BEST VALUE UNDER 15

The Fire Tree Nero dAvola Appassimento, Sicily - 6.99

Stockist: Aldi

The new Fire Tree range from Aldi is named for the trees around Mount Etna that catch on fire during eruptions. There is a crisp simple Vermentino and a Sauv Blanc-Pinot Grigio and this cherry and bright fruit wine. Given our taxes this almost costs negative money  chill a little and serve with spicy pizza.

The Fire Tree Reserva, Sicily - 9.99

zzzWineApr22a_large.jpg[/timgcapb

Stockist: Aldi

No grape varieties are given for this but Im guessing it is either pure Nero dAvola or a blend with Primitivo. Rich and chocolate tinged aromas with ripe black fruits and lingering black cherry on the palate and a hint of mocha on the finish. Well worth a tenner and probably more.

Le Vigne di Sammarco Salice Salentino 2014, Puglia, Italy - 14.30

Stockist: Wines Direct www.winesdirect.ie

If you have had one wine from Southern Italy it is probably a Salice Salentino as wines from this region have been around since the 1990s (Candidos version with the map label is the best known). This has a lighter touch than others from the region but still has lovely depth and earthy ripe fruits with lingering black cherries.

BEST VALUE OVER 15

Pipoli Aglianico del Vulture 2014, Basilicata, Italy - 16.95

Stockists: World Wide Wines, Vintry, Mitchell & Sons, Baggot St. Wines, Corkscrew.

Aglianico from Basilicata can be unyielding in youth and ages well but even when tannic it has an exuberant amaro fruitiness. Some red but mainly darker fruit aromas, game touches, ripe and bright, blackberry-fruity and fresh with fennel and chocolate touches on the finish.

Tufarello Nero di Troia, Puglia, Italy - 15.99

Stockists: McHughs, World Wide Wines, Drinkstore, Greenman, Corkscrew, Blackrock Cellar.

Nero di Troia is really only grown in Northern Puglia near Bari and due to its tannins is usually blended. This is made by fine Abruzzo producer Farnese whose wines are generally worth seeking out. Aromas of dark fruits, liquorice and prunes, full and ripe on the palate with liquorice and herbal-juniper hints and a bitter chocolate kick on the finish.

Colacino Savuto, Calabria, Italy - 15.99

Stockists: World Wide Wines, Corkscrew, Greenman, Blackrock Cellar, Wineonline.ie

This is a blend of Calabrian grapes  namely Avino (also known as Maglicco Dolce) with Greco Nero and another Magliocco which is probably Gaglioppo (used in DOC Ciro). Bright ruby red colour, cherry and red currant aromas, fruity palate with good acidity and freshness and a structured cherry skin finish.
Whats your background?

I studied Interior Architecture and Architectural Design before heading overseas to Venice and London to practice architecture and interior architecture.

After returning to Ireland nearly three years ago, I set up my own design studio with co-founder and friend Elaine Regan. We then went on to set up House/EDIT, an Irish-based online interiors platform, which we launched last autumn.

Artwork can be the central point of a rooms decor, or use a structural feature, like this steel support, above, as a style statement, says Price.

We live on the west coast of Ireland, which we love, but from a commercial perspective, we are a little demographically challenged in the work that we do.

Brainstorming in the studio one day we thought: why not take our knowledge and use it to help and inspire others? House/EDIT was born. Fast forward six months and the traffic to our site is increasing and there appears to be a genuine appetite for what we do.

We are taking on less studio work to allow us time to focus on what we think is the future in interior design consumption. We will always be designers at heart, but see a need to adapt to a technology-driven generation.

Whats a typical work day like for you?

No day is ever the same  our work at House/EDIT is so varied. We could be working on a studio project, content planning for our website or putting together a marketing plan. Most days kick off with a brain-storming session with Elaine to see where we are and where we need to get to, followed by allocation of design and website work.

Tell us about a recent or a favourite design or project that you have worked on?

We have just concluded our first round of Insiders Secrets events where we collaborated with some of Irelands leading industry experts to give people a fun and informative day out. We were overwhelmed by how well it was received.

Claire Price and Elaine Regan: Creatively when we are putting a scheme together in the studio, we often draw inspiration from art pieces.

Whats your design style?

My home is an eclectic mix of ultra-modern, mid-century and vintage. At heart, I think mid-century modern style is timeless  a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair or the Eames lounge chair  we will still be admiring these classics in years to come.

What/Who inspires your work?

My work ethic is inspired by my mother and was instilled from an early age.

Creatively when we are putting a scheme together in the studio, we often draw inspiration from art pieces. Ultimately, I think I draw inspiration from the idea that we have the ability to improve someone elses sense of well-being by improving their living environment, be they clients or our House/EDIT audience. Thats the driving factor behind everything we do.

Wallpaper adds tone.

Whats your favourite trend at the moment (if you have any)?

Trends tend to come and go quite quickly, so at House/EDIT we dont get too caught up with them. We are seeing a lot of pattern and texture mixes this year, which can be great if youre looking to re-accessorise your living area or bedroom.

Whats your most treasured possession?

A small wooden bead box that my grandmother gave me when I was a child.

Who would be your favourite designer, or style inspiration?

Architect and furniture designer, India Mahdavi who is well known for the design of Sketch restaurant in Mayfair. My favourite artists at the moment are Australian Michael Bond and Irish artists Daniel Henson and Lola Donoghue.

Room Revival: Inexpensive items such as framed prints allow you to switch up the decor of a room quickly and cheaply.

What would be a dream project/design for you to work on?

A project that gives us free rein!

Have you any design tips for us?

Artwork and accessories are what finish a space, so its important to budget to this. Also, experimenting and having fun is what its about. Its not the end of the world if the paint you chose doesnt look as expected, it can be easily changed.
My husband has arranged a surprise trip to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. Right now, were en route to the airport. Certain major details have leaked out along the way, so at this point in time, I know were flying to Edinburgh and that my eldest daughter, sons and girlfriends are joining us there but beyond that, it all goes a bit... hazy.

So it would be more truthful to say that right now, Im in a state of half-surprise, or to put it more truthfully stilI - that Im in a state of foreboding: Im nervous of hazy, in the context of my loved ones and planning.

If you just tell me where were staying, I cajole, I will still be surprised.

No you wont, he says.

I will be a quarter-surprised, I say, but importantly, much more relaxed.

Oh ye of little faith, he says, enigmatically.

Just tell her, Dad, my daughter says, its her birthday.

Wouldnt you prefer me more relaxed? I say.

Were staying in the Links Hotel, he says.

The Links Hotel is just around the corner from our eldest daughter, he tells me, right by the Meadows and our sons and girlfriends are staying there too. But, for the sake of surprise, I am not to Google it.

We enter the Departure Hall and proceed through customs.

This feels a bit like groundhog day, I say; Im only just back from a work trip, which started in Budapest and ended in Vienna.

Lucky for some, he says.

Work trips are weird though, I say, its bizarre travelling when everything has been organised for you, right down to the tiniest detail.

You mean like now, my husband says.

Sort of, I say, except sometimes its easy to confuse travelling with you with a panic attack.

Well, so far, my husband says, things have gone very smoothly.

We were given travel wallets when we got to the airport, I say, with boarding cards and detailed itineraries in them. And throughout the whole trip, taxis and coaches kept suddenly appearing like magic. Our boarding gate has opened. My husband is on his phone.

Thinking about it, I say, Im not sure that kind of thing would be good for you on a regular basis.

What kind of thing? my husband says distractedly.

Business trips, I say, where everything is so... facilitated. I mean by the end, it was kind of infantilising. I just followed the group around everywhere like a helpless toddler. Id have followed them straight into the jaws of...

Sorry, he says, looking down at his phone, then up again, Im just checking something.

It was a very soothing experience, I continue, but on balance, I dont think it would be good to get used to it - leaving all the planning and organising to someone else, I mean. It might lull you into a false sense of security and then one day, like I said, you might follow them straight into the jaws of

Checking what, Dad? my daughter says.

Nothing, he says, its just a bit confusing, thats all.

Whats a bit confusing? my daughter says.

Besides, I say, its so lovely to be travelling with family and not a group of strangers. Theres nothing like being with your own people. And maybe a little bit of edge is good for you. Very occasionally. 

Its easy, I note, to hold forth on edge when you know you are staying in The Links Hotel which Google informs me, boasts four stars and a very modern new look, creating an immaculate, warm and welcoming ambience.

Dad, my daughter says, whats a bit confusing?

The hotel booking, he says, leaving the boarding queue and galloping round the corner with the phone at his ear, Ive just checked online and there are two hotels called The Links - one in Edinburgh, and one in Northumberland.

Wheres Northumberland? my daughter asks me.

Google it, I say.

It says on my phone its 67 miles away from Edinburgh, she says.

The flight is boarding.

Where the hell is Dad? my daughter says.

I wish I could find the answer to that on Google, I say.

My husband returns, panting. We are the last to board. He looks pale and his forehead is beaded with sweat.

Problem solved? I say.

He joins my daughter who is standing behind me in the queue. I turn round just in time to catch him mouthing, Northumberland, at my daughter.

Ive had to cancel the booking, he says, and they wont transfer us to The Links in Edinburgh.

So what hotel are we staying in tonight? my daughter asks.

The one called, Jaws of Disaster, I say.
Today

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tomorrow

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 70F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
The Taliban Suicide Attackers yesterday attacked the Afghan soldiers on an army base in northern Afghanistan. Today the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the attack by tweeting on Twitter.

PM Modi tweeted "Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones,"

It is said that in the incident that took place yesterday the more than 50 soldiers lost their life. The investigation of the matter is going on and further news of it is awaited.

Also Read:

Dinakaran to reach Delhi to appear in front of the police

Afghan soldiers attacked by Taliban suicide attackers at Army Base

Delhi court set to hear National Herald matter today
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Before Camp Verde Community Library opened its new 17,000square-foot facility last November, Library Director Kathy Hellman led a tour of the facility and pondered the possibility that musicians might one day play in there  not in a room somewhere, closed off from the public, but among the books.

Cant you just see it? Hellman said as she looked down from the second floor balcony.



In July, the building was still very much in process, dusty and open to the elements. The buildings eventual appearance could not easily be imagined. Despite Hellmans encouragement, picturing musicians in the stacks took some effort.

What was only an idea has since become a regular feature: On Thursday, April 13, the library celebrated the second Music in the Stacks performance featuring Larry and Leslie Latour from Rimrock, Mike McReynolds from Camp Verde, Jo Berger from Prescott and Ron McClain from Cottonwood.

According to Adult Programs Library Specialist Carson Ralston, the rotating-artist event is intended to showcase both local and national musicians who regularly entertain in Northern Arizona. The concerts are performed in the librarys Fireside Room, repeating the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Hellman said the idea for Music in the Stacks came together when local musician Gary Simpkins, who organizes and plays a similar event at Thanks a Latte, approached her with an idea for a rotating musician series.

It went right along with what I was hoping to do, Hellman said. To me, its just an amazing opp to offer another kind of program to the community . By doing it on Thursday were not competing with Thanks a Latte. Were complementing it, and it gives promotion to local musicians.

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According to Hellman, one musician has already been approached about playing a gig elsewhere as a result of exposure during Music in the Stacks  an occurrence she hopes to see repeated again and again. Hellman added that Music in the Stacks is part of an ongoing effort to take advantage of all kinds of artistic opportunities [the facility] offers, establishing the library as a destination for viewing art, interacting with art in a way that Camp Verde residents might not otherwise experience.

Hellman is gearing up to increase the amount of visual art displayed on the librarys walls. The move is pending approval of a display policy, which Hellman will discuss with the Camp Verde Town Council prior to enacting.

We want a gallery-type situation where every three or four months we switch out the display, Hellman said. Were getting it set up so there are specific places where art can be displayed. In addition to being displayed, Hellman wants to hold a reception each time a new artist comes in.
Loan income increase lifts Surrey Bancorp profit

Surrey Bancorp reported on Friday a 23.4 percent increase in first-quarter net income to $903,000.

The Mount Airy bank had 23 cents in diluted earnings, up 4 cents from a year ago.

Part of the profit increase came from having a $186,663 recovery in its loan portfolio, compared with taking a $75,814 loan-loss provision a year ago. The provision is a key financial metric because it has a direct affect on the bottom line.

Loan income rose 10 percent to $2.88 million. Fee income was up 15.4 percent to $622,000.

Total assets were $282.2 million on March 31.

Richard Craver

BNCs directors declare

dividend of 5 cents a share

The board of directors of BNC Bancorp has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 5 cents a share.

The dividend is payable May 26 to shareholders registered as of May 12.

The High Point bank is in the process of being sold for $1.9 billion to Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. of Nashville.

The banks have received all regulatory approvals. The banks project closing the deal by late June or early July.

It would allow Pinnacle to move closer to becoming a Top 50 bank with nearly $19 billion in total assets.

BNC has three branches in Forsyth County and 20 in the Triad.

Richard Craver

Profit struggles ding pay

of top executive at Lowes

The chief executive of Mooresville-based Lowes Cos. saw his pay fall last year amid slow profits that have also prompted the home-improvement retailer to slash thousands of jobs.

Robert Niblock, 54, made $12.67 million in 2016, down from $13.16 million in 2015, according to a securities filing Friday.

Niblocks pay included a $1.3 million base salary, combined with stock awards, stock options, a bonus and other compensation.

The companys board of directors also nominated Niblock to maintain the roles of chairman and chief executive, adding that he is in the best interest of Lowes at this time.

Lowes compensation committee said it did not increase Niblocks base salary for 2017.

Earlier this year, Lowes laid off 2,400 full-time employees, mostly at the store level, as part of an overhaul of its staffing model. The next month, the company laid off more than 500 full-time corporate employees, including 430 in its headquarters in Mooresville and 70 support staffers in Wilkesboro, as a way to boost profitability. Last October, the retailer also laid off about 95 people in its information-technology department.

Lowes, the nations second biggest home-improvement retailer behind Home Depot, has struggled to improve its profitability as customer traffic slowed.

The Charlotte Observer

U.S. rejects Exxon Mobils

request to drill in Russia

Washington  The Trump administration has denied a request from Exxon Mobil to waive U.S. sanctions against Russia and allow it to resume oil drilling around the Black Sea.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the administration will not be issuing waivers to U.S. companies, including Exxon, authorizing drilling prohibited by current Russian sanctions.

Exxon said it understood the decision, while suggesting that the outcome will merely help European oil companies.

The decision comes just two days after it was reported that Exxon was seeking a waiver to resume a joint venture with Rosneft, a Russian state-owned oil company. Exxon said it filed the request in 2015.
Q. Do you believe in once saved, always saved?

Answer: I am probably not the best one to answer your question. (I am not comfortable with the theological language or concepts underlying your question. It is based on the notion that humans are by nature depraved and are saved from Gods judgment by the death of Jesus.)

I certainly recognize mans inhumanity to man, but I believe this comes from free decisions rather than from being lost. Luther, Calvin, and most of the Protestant Reformers believed in election and predestination. One was either chosen to be saved or to be damned.

Salvation was a gift of God to his elect, and his saving grace was both irresistible and everlasting. One could do nothing to earn this salvation, and one could do nothing to lose it. All was a part of Gods predestined will.

John Wesley, the father of Methodism, rejected predestination and affirmed human free will. He understood salvation to be a free gift, but insisted the gift must be appropriated by faith. For him, justification was the forgiveness of past sins and restoration to the favor of God. He also insisted that we should grow in faith and obedience until we reach perfection or sanctification. He warned that even when we reach that state, we might backslide, because according to him, we are every moment pleasing or displeasing to God. So, there are two traditions: predestination affirms or supports once saved, always saved, eternal perseverance. The second says that we must be faithful and obedient, and there is no assurance of once saved, always saved.

Q: Can you explain the difference between single and double predestination?

Answer: Single predestination teaches that out of the mass of humanity, all of whom because of their sin deserve damnation, God has predestined some to salvation, leaving the rest to damnation. Double predestination affirms that from all eternity, God predestined some to salvation and predestined the rest to damnation. The results are basically the same, but the problem with double predestination is that it seems to attribute good and evil to God.

It is important to note that predestination, so popular with the Protestant Reformers, denies free will. Some try to maintain that predestination does not violate free will. The argument is that human nature is depraved and we freely follow our nature.

So the question becomes: Do we sin because of sinful nature, or do we develop a sinful nature because we sin?

Logically it is difficult to avoid predestination if we believe in a God who is all knowing and all powerful. If God foreknows the future with infallible certainty, then what he foreknows must come to pass. Ask yourself: If God knows I will have chicken for dinner, could I have ham? The answer seems obvious since God could not err.

Most churches tend to shy away from the idea of predestination, yet, we pray, Thy will be done.
Updated at 11:34 a.m.

GREENSBORO  Police have identified the man who killed late Thursday night on the campus of N.C. A&T.

According to a news release, Vic Kimeko D. James, 25, was not a student at the university.

Police are continuing to investigate.

James' death was the third homicide in Greensboro on Thursday.

Updated at 4:48 a.m.

GREENSBORO  A man who was shot on the campus of N.C. A&T and later died from his injuries was the third homicide on Thursday.

Police have not identified the man and do not know if he was a student at the school. At a news conference, N.C. A&T Police Chief Charles Wilson said the campus is safe and no one is in danger.

About 11:30 p.m., police were called to Pride Hall, 410 S. Benbow St., after a female visitor notified campus security that she was approached by a man with a handgun in the parking lot. After a brief fight, the man's gun fired, according to a Greensboro police news release.

The woman suffered minor injuries.

Police later found a man inside a car in the dormitory's parking lot with a gunshot wound. Capt. Nathaniel Davis, commander of the Greensboro police criminal investigations division, said the man was taken by ambulance to Moses Cone Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Davis did not know how many times the man had been shot or a motive in the shooting.

The homicide was the third homicide of Thursday, Davis said.

About 4:20 p.m., James Will Johnson, 28, of 1114 Vance St. arrived at Cone by private vehicle with a gunshot wound and was later pronounced dead. About 8:45 p.m., police found Larry Wayne Pratt, 37, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head in the 3100 block of Utah Place, according to the release.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Davis said there is no evidence that the three homicides are connected.

Anyone with information about these homicides is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000.

Posted 12:44 a.m.

GREENSBORO  A man shot on the campus of N.C. A&T late Thursday has died.

Police were called about 11:30 p.m. to the Pride Hall dormitory and found the man in the parking lot, said Lt. S.A. Morton with Greensboro police. Police did not say if the man killed was a student at the university.

The man was taken by ambulance to Moses Cone Hospital where he later died.

Greensboro police and campus police are investigating.

No further details were immediately available.
The U.S. used to be a world leader in all areas of science, but now other countries are investing much more money in science. Our government needs to support its researchers. Gloria Muday Director of the Center for Molecular Signaling at Wake Forest University

There is no planet B.

Once the worlds resources are dried up, theyre not coming back, said Susan Fahrbach, biology department chairperson at Wake Forest University.

We have to take care of this beautiful planet that we have before its too late, said Fahrbach, also a professor of developmental neuroscience. Certain aspects are not sustainable and the only way to interface with reality is scientific investigation.

Fahrbach, who lives in Winston-Salem, will be one of the thousands of marchers expected in Washington, D.C.

Following in the footsteps of the January Womens March, more than 500 science marches are planned around the world.

According to organizers, the goal of the march is to celebrate science in a political climate that is dismissive of climate change and acknowledge the vital role science plays in daily life.

The unprecedented gathering treats science as an all-inclusive term that encompasses climate change proponents to computer scientists.

Its a march for science, not by scientists so were hoping for a very large turnout from people from all walks of life, said Fahrback, whose husband, a retired theater professor, plans to participate. We all need science.

At least eight North Carolina cities will hold rallies, including Greensboro, Raleigh, Asheville, Charlotte, Wilmington, Beaufort, Washington and Morganton.

The international series of marches coincides with Earth Day, an observance established in 1970 to celebrate environmental protection and recognized by 193 countries.

Wake Forest professor of biology Gloria Muday said she hopes Saturday will be a chance to celebrate the earth and preservation efforts, reinforcing the importance of scientific advancements.

Are you using your cell phone? Have you taken a prescription medication lately? said Muday, who will be attending the march in the nations capital. Science makes our world a better place. Its about thinking for the future, not tomorrow.

Preceding this afternoons Washington, D.C., march, a teach-in on the National Mall will include speeches and training with scientists and civic organizers.

Bill Nye the Science Guy is set to be one of the headline speakers and marchers in D.C. alongside Mona Hanna-Attisha, the doctor who helped expose lead poisoning in Flint, Mich., and Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular biologist who helped develop the technique for making insulin.

The U.S. used to be a world leader in all areas of science, but now other countries are investing much more money in science, said Muday, director of the Center for Molecular Signaling. Our government needs to support its researchers.

On March 28, Trump signed an executive order to roll back climate change protections and halt attempts at curbing American carbon dioxide emissions. Trump also proposed to slash the Environmental Protection Agencys budget by 31 percent, according to the New York Times.

NASA data shows the average surface temperature has risen about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century. The past five years have been the hottest on record, Muday said.

We have strong, indisputable data in support of climate change, the safety of genetically modified foods and the importance of preserving our planet, she said. This should be a bipartisan matter.

Much of her research focuses on how plants can survive and provide food and oxygen in light of an ever-changing climate, she said, as high temperatures kill pollen.

Fahrback said many of her colleagues who work in climate change or atmospheric fields have faced more roadblocks and have been denied funds when they needed it most.

She hopes the march will circle back to the idea that science doesnt have a political party.

Presidents come and go, but the real hallmark of the U.S. has been a strong consistent support for science, so it would be a shame to lose that, Fahrback said.

Muday said in recent years she has seen a decline in the number of grants awarded.

While the grant success rate used to be about one in four, many of the panels she has seen recently turn down 93 percent of grant requests, she said.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper asked Charlottean John Lassiter to step down as chairman of North Carolinas Economic Development Partnership board after he helped dilute the governors influence on the board.

Lassiter announced Tuesday that hell resign at the end of the month as chairman of the partnership, the private-public group that oversees the states economic development efforts. In a letter, he said he wanted to focus on his legal staffing business.

But Cooper adviser Ken Eudy said Friday he asked Lassiter, a Republican, to step down in January after the chairman engineered a change to the groups bylaws in December.

Lassiter said the board changed the bylaws to bring the board into line with its statutory authority.

The governor has nine appointments to the 17-member board. Before December, he could change those appointees at any time. Now Cooper can remove members only for misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance. Because terms are staggered, that means he wont have named a majority of the board until his final months in office.

It was clearly a hijacking of the board, Eudy said Friday.

Asked about the circumstances of his decision, Lassiter said, The timing was right for me to step away and focus on my family and growing business.

The goal was to build a high-performing and sustainable organization to attract jobs and capital investment in our state, he added. We were able to do just that.

The move reflects Coopers continued tensions not only with the Republican-controlled General Assembly but with appointees of his Republican predecessor, Pat McCrory.

Decembers move by the partnership board came days after legislators passed laws to limit Coopers authority in other areas, including hiring.

The partnership is an independent non-profit created in 2014 in hopes of streamlining job recruitment, which had been done by the Commerce Department.

At the time, Lassiter said the existing system was noncompetitive against other states. Critics said the change wasnt needed. The new organization took economic development out of the hands of the Commerce secretary, whos appointed by the governor.

This year the partnership is getting $21.4 million in state money. Its unclear when Cooper will name a new chairman to replace Lassiter, whose term was due to expire in 2018. Like other board members hes not paid.

Eudy said Lassiter refused a request to step down in January. Then he was asked in March and in April.

By then, Lassiter had tried to extend the contract of Chris Chung, the partnerships executive director. His contract now runs until January 2018. In his resignation letter, Lassiter called Chung the brightest star in business recruitment in the country.

Eudy alluded to the proposed extension Monday in a letter to the partnership board.

The governors office informed Mr. Lassiter that it was not a good management practice for a departing chairman to negotiate a contract extension, he wrote. Mr. Lassiter remains adamant that he should negotiate Mr. Chungs contract extension before his imminent departure.

In an interview, Eudy said, This is not about Chris or his performance.

We like Chris and look forward to continue working with him Its bad management for an outgoing chairman to negotiate a contract that he will leave with the new chairman and the rest of the board. Its just a bad management practice and he knows better.
GREENSBOROThese days, you can breathe easier in the Triad.

Our air quality is improving partly because, like the rest of the nation, strict emission standards have put the squeeze on the worst pollutants, according to the American Lung Associations annual State of the Air report.

But pollution is by no means under control nationwide, the report says, with 4 in 10 Americans living with some degree of unhealthy pollution.

But North Carolina is doing much better than it had been. Cleaner cars and industry have steadily reduced air pollution in many areas during the past two decades.

Duke Energy was once a major air polluter. In the Triad, the company has installed expensive scrubbers at its Belews Creek Steam Station to remove dust particles from its smokestacks or converted other plants to natural gas.

Like most Southeastern states, North Carolina shows

strong evidence of the progress made on air quality thanks to the Clean Air Act, the group said in a news release.

Still, the report cautions that the nation must continue to limit pollution from coal-fired power plants, retain clean vehicle standards and reduce emissions from oil and gas operations. The Lung Association said that budget cuts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and proposed changes in other regulations could be a step backward.

The Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point area had the fewest days of high-level ozone pollution since the group started producing reports 18 years ago, the Lung Association said.

The Triad was also one of the cleanest cities for short-term particle days  spikes in pollution that can last for hours to several days and can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Guilford County earned a B grade for high-ozone days in the 2013-15 measuring period.

By comparison, Forsyth County rated a C for high-ozone days  but thats a dramatic improvement over the F it received a year ago. Forsyth also received an A with no high-particle pollution days.

In North Carolina, the cleanest cities for ozone air pollution were Greenville-Washington, Hickory-Lenoir, New Bern-Morehead City and Wilmington.

Forsyth, Guilford and Rockingham counties were among the states cleanest for short-term particle pollution.

Rockingham received a C in high-ozone days with three days measured during the 2013-15 period.

Los Angeles-Long Beach topped the list of most ozone-polluted cities while Bakersfield, Calif., was the worst for short-term particle pollution.

According to the report, one nationwide problem is continued spikes in short-term particle pollution. More than 125 million Americans live in 204 counties where they are exposed to high levels of either ozone or short-term or year-round particle pollution.

Overall the news is good, however, as pollution has dropped dramatically since 1970 despite great increases in population, energy use and traffic.
Sometimes things come along in life in ways that seem entirely unconnected. Then suddenly, you see them in a new light that makes you think maybe they are all part of the same lesson.

That happens to me sometimes. Maybe it happens to you, too?

Recently, a reader in Kansas wrote to say: Dear Sharon: During the Lenten season, I like to write notes to family and friends, and though I only know you through your columns, I feel like you are a friend.

For several years, I tried giving up chocolate, sweets, etc. (for Lent) but never felt it brought me any closer to the Lord. So I changed to sending a note each day of the 40 days of Lent, mostly telling folks how they have added to my life and therefore to my Lenten walk with the Lord .... I am 80 years old and appreciate your work. God bless you and your family.

We all should get a note like that once in a while. It made me grin like a mule eating briars.

The grin turned to tears a short while later when I learned that a dear friend had lost her 20-year battle with cancer.

I met Dianne Walton some 30 years ago through her husband, Tom, the editor who hired me for my first newspaper job in Monterey, Calif. We became doubly connected, as their daughter, Sheila, was a student in my husbands chemistry class at Monterey High School.

After Sheila graduated, Tom and Dianne moved back to their home state, Ohio, where Tom became editor at the Toledo Blade. But we still kept in touch. Ill never forget the kind words they wrote when my husband died from colon cancer.

Years later, when I remarried and moved to Las Vegas, Tom and Dianne came to visit us.

Dianne was in remission, after having been ill for years with ovarian cancer, followed by breast cancer, followed by lung cancer. Through it all, she never lost her sense of humor or her little girl-like love of life.

I remember telling her, as we sat on the patio marveling at the desert sunset, how happy I was to see her looking so well.

You had me worried, I said. Youve come a long way.

Well, she said laughing, I guess I fooled a lot of folks!

Last week, when Tom wrote to tell me of her passing, I was stunned. Some people are so much alive, they make you think theyll live forever. And then when they die, as we all will one day, it comes as such a shock.

I wanted to attend Diannes service, but couldnt make it. Tom sent me the program in which he and their son and daughter shared memories of Dianne. He also emailed the column he wrote about her.

I wish you couldve read them.

There are gifts that come with loss. I learned that clearly in losing my first husband. One of the great gifts in a prolonged illness is the chance to say and hear all that needs to be said.

The program for Diannes service, the things her children said about her, the beautiful column Tom wrote  theyre all things Dianne wouldve loved.

Too often at memorial services I find myself wishing that the departed could hear what is said about them, could know how much they meant to those they left behind. I take comfort in believing somehow, they do.

In Diannes case, I am certain she knew how much she was loved. Her husband, children and grandchildren, her family and countless friends made sure of it. They didnt wait until it was too late to let her know.

Which brings me to that note from a reader. Its a lovely idea, dont you think, writing 40 notes for the 40 days of Lent?

But heres my thought: Why wait for Lent, or worse, for a funeral, to let somehow know how much they mean to us?

Do it now. Today. Tomorrow. Every day. While we can. While theres time. And if were lucky, maybe someone will do it for us.

Always give love the final say.
This weeks event: A new book by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign," says the campaign was doomed from the start.

Carroll Leggett: 5. Hillary Clinton was well qualified to be president but she was not a good candidate. There was little about her that was endearing. However, it was not preordained that she would lose. That is a silly notion. The turning point was the ill-advised announcement by the FBI that they would be looking further into the email matter -- a classic red herring. Her chances for victory slipped away at that point.

Stephen Flynn: 1. Mistakes? All campaigns make mistakes. A book on mistakes after the election? Nope, don't think so. Hillary voters don't care; 45's backers don't believe anything the media puts out.

Joe Favorule: 0. She got the most votes, only losing the election because of the Electoral College and the FBI director. Now we should all be reading books on how to build bomb shelters. It seems its only a matter of time before the current administration and North Korea begin lobbing nuclear bombs at each other.

JoAnn Dunn: 8. Last night I watched an interview with the authors of Shattered. They described numerous mistakes made by the Clinton campaign, but in my view the majority of Americans were fed up with the corruption in Washington.

The biggest mistake the Democrats made was not realizing that the thousands of people who stood in long lines to fill arenas for Trumps rallies would all be sure to go vote in November. There was little enthusiasm for a Clinton rerun, and many of the people inter-viewed following the election said they didnt even go to vote.

Suzanne Carroll: 5. Couldve, wouldve, shouldve. Its water under the bridge now. Our nation is facing much bigger issues now and President Knucklehead still doesnt seem to have a clue.

Linda Petrou: From the excerpts that have been online so far, this appears to be a very interesting book. It seems to me that for the last several presidential elections, reporters have gone undercover to follow one campaign or another, holding back good information to use in their books. Information that, if it had been reported at the time, might have made a difference in the election. From what I have read so far, it appears that these two reporters knew for some time that the Clinton campaign was in bad shape and that they probably would lose. But it was not reported because they wanted to continue the impression that Clinton was unbeatable. I have problems holding information so that someone could profit off of it in a book. However, what I have read so far just reinforces my belief all along that the Clinton campaign was flawed and that Trump would win.

Jim Monroe: 2. Rehashing history is something that is more interesting in an instance where perhaps most of America was surprised at the result. The general attitude that Secretary Clinton was above the rules cost her many of the voters who were disgusted with either candidate.

President Trump had a plan and had the people to execute it. Secretary Clinton felt that she could do whatever she wanted and not lose.

There will be many more books written and studies done about the 2016 election.

Clint Johnson: 2. Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million people, leading me to believe this book's writers have no idea what they are talking about.

I wouldn't buy this book based on such a stupid assertion that she was destined to lose when all of the polls showed her winning right through Election Day. She lost the electoral vote because she constantly told voters how unlikable Trump was instead of convincing voters she had anything positive to offer them. Indeed, she repeatedly called 35 million people deplorable and promised tens of thousands of coal miners in Democratic states that she would put them out of jobs and into job training for some other kind of jobs that she didn't specify.

She laughed off revelations that she didn't like Sen. Bernie Sanders' voters, and she put forth a ridiculous story that she destroyed 30,000 emails about yoga classes. Why anyone voted for her after the glimpse into her campaign thanks to Wikileaks is beyond my comprehension.

I was forced to vote for Trump because of her promises to change the nature of the Supreme Court, but Trump won only by the skin of his teeth. No, don't believe this book. She could have won -- and that is what scares me to this day.

Mike Walker: 8. The Democrats and Clinton Inc. rigged the primaries and nominated an inferior candidate with a history of unethical behavior and poor judgment. Clinton and her minions loftily spurned warnings from local party professionals about taking heartland voters for granted and that cost her the election.

Clinton blames the email flap and alleged Russian meddling for her loss. What she care-fully ignores is that the emails, hacked or otherwise, furnished a truer picture of the Clintons. Yes, FBI Director James Comey's letter was revealed at a critical time, but the truth, which the Clintons fear, doesn't operate on a set timetable.

John Harrison: 8. Much of what Allen and Parnes say in their inquest on the Clinton campaign was apparent long before the election. Hence the Sanders mutiny, which ex-posed many of Clinton's vulnerabilities.

The Clinton mystique could not overcome the decades of baggage. Entanglements with Wall Street; a private email server; the Clinton Foundation; and a failure to connect with the working class and to understand the anxieties of deplorables that denied her authenticity as an advocate for working people, who (especially women) in the end deserted her.

Perhaps most surprising is how little she seems to have learned from 2008 about managing campaigns, their dysfunctional infighting and the disconnect between the campaign and the grassroots. Yes, Clinton was a flawed candidate: But as we are now finding out, probably infinitely less flawed and self-obsessed than the eventual winner.

Hayes McNeill: 0. We look for simple answers to complicated questions, and the authors of Shattered offer up a few. But instant history seldom satisfies or prevails.

This loss had complex causes, some of which are still inadequately understood or as-sessed. Significant among them is the Trump campaign's collusion with Russian malicious manipulation of our election, a rank, stinking onion we've only just begun to unpeel.

Linda Hill: 5. A new book by two writers who had exclusive access to Hillary and Bill Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign claims that Hillary's campaign was doomed from the start. They also say that the signs were there all along. Huh? This while the rest of the media was busy convincing the public that Hillary had the election in the bag?

According to an article in USA Today, there are three glaring reasons that Hillary lost the election. In my opinion, the one that really jumped off the page was that the Clintons are Teflon; nothing sticks to them. The authors claim that email/server debacle was one of the real problems. Adding to the bugaboo, Hillary had Bill telling her that it didn't matter. Teflon.

There will most probably be more books, more conversation, and more spin doctors dissecting every bit of the election. More head-scratching and chest-beating will follow. The bottom line is that the election is over. Hillary lost. Let the Clintons go quietly into the sunset.
JOE ESKRIDGE SR., Lewisville

We are welcoming

I grew up in Winston-Salem and enjoy wonderful memories of the same. I remember a city of mostly white and black residents getting along and working through the civil rights struggles of the early 1960s. Certainly, being Caucasian, my perspective was different from my African-American friends and neighbors who witnessed that struggle. We all survived. I knew we would and mainly because my view was shaped by my sweet black other mother who helped raise me while helping my mother with cleaning and cooking due to her serious asthma and hay fever.

Schools were integrated while I was in high school along with all the other venues previously segregated. I rarely saw immigrants around the city and not very many when attending college.

Over the years, that has radically changed. Even moving a short distance out of the city, my neighborhood now is white, African-American, Hispanic, Cuban-American, Indian and Korean  and that in less than a quarter of a mile encompassing two cut-de-sacs. I see the very same thing daily in Winston-Salem including more nationalities than previously mentioned.

Aside from the rhetoric constantly bombarding us through the media, would someone please explain to me where Winston-Salem and the rest of this country, by the majority, is not welcoming?

While I do believe we need to continue growth locally and nationally with legal immigration, I also believe we as a people have been quite welcoming during my over-60 years of observation, whether legal or illegal.

******

ROBYN MIXON, Winston-Salem

Easter morning gift

Thank you for the Easter morning gift of Anne Adkins column, I just had to tell you this ... With all the bad news in the world, it can be a daunting task to remember hope. Grateful thanks to Anne for her story of coming back from a long siege of grief to knowing her Creator has restored her.

I love her last line; it is one I shall strive to remember throughout the year: It is Easter morning, the time of resurrection, and I just had to tell you this.

***

STEVE RAPP, Winston-Salem

The real heroes

In John Raileys April 2 column, Can Sen. Richard Burr become the hero the Russian issue needs?, he suggests Sen. Burr will be a hero if he leads a fair, thorough and nonpartisan investigation of the Trump-Russia connection.

A hero? Really? Isnt that Sen. Burrs responsibility as a senator and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee? Doesnt he owe all Americans that?

In my opinion, the hero designation is better given to the single mother who works several low-paying jobs to provide for her children or the immigrant who labors in work no one else will do to provide for the rest of us or members of the LGBTQ community who face daily discrimination and disrespect but contribute meaningfully to our society or the mentally ill individual who struggles daily to function.

Lets demand more of our elected officials and acknowledge more the real heroes among us.

When You Write

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If you would like a photo of yourself included with your letter, send it to us as a .jpg file.

For more guidelines and advice on writing letters, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter.

The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number.
Building on momentum, Kansas State University extends campaign to raise $1.4 billion by 2020

Friday, April 21, 2017

MANHATTAN  At the Kansas State University Foundation's board of trustees spring meeting April 21, Kansas State University President Richard Myers announced that the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign has surpassed its $1 billion goal ahead of schedule, and that a new goal has been set: $1.4 billion by 2020.

Myers said that the decision to extend the campaign was based on the extraordinary success of the effort thus far.



"Years ago, when we were first discussing the campaign goal, leaders at K-State and the KSU Foundation made the bold decision to pursue a $1 billion goal," said Myers, who also serves as a campaign co-chair. "Over time, we've come to realize that we shouldn't underestimate the K-State family. We've proven that we can achieve more than we ever thought possible. After careful deliberation, the KSU Foundation leadership, board of directors, Campaign Steering Committee and I made the decision to extend the campaign."



Funds raised through the campaign will continue to support students, faculty, facility enhancements and program support, and will propel Kansas State University toward becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025. Three signature drivers will lead the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign forward:



 The land-grant mission of providing an accessible and affordable education to the people of Kansas and beyond.



 Centers of excellence and interdisciplinary programs  areas where Kansas State University has a competitive advantage and the potential to change the world.



 Substantially increasing the endowment for the future of the university through estate-planning gifts.



"We are inspired by the generosity of the K-State family, which is vital now more than ever," said Greg Willems, president and CEO of the KSU Foundation. "To live up to the original spirit of the university's land-grant mission, we must remain laser-focused on access and affordability. We rely ever more on support from K-State alumni and friends to meet the needs facing the university and to make college education possible for those who desire it."



"The success of the campaign to date and the decision to extend it is because of the amazing generosity of K-State's philanthropists and the hard work of hundreds of campaign volunteers, said Rand Berney, campaign co-chair and chair of the KSU Foundation board of directors. "We sincerely thank all of the volunteers and donors who have invested their time, talent and treasure to benefit K-State faculty, students and programs today and for future generations. We invite all who want to help K-State reach new heights to join the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign."



Philanthropic contributions to Kansas State University are coordinated by the KSU Foundation, the official fundraising organization of the institution and a separate 501(c)(3). The foundation staff works with university partners to build lifelong relationships with alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students through involvement and investment in the university.






KEARNEY  The 14th-annual NTV Blood Drive with the American Red Cross returns to Grand Island, Kearney and Hastings on May 1.

Every May since 2004, donors have participated, adding up to almost 1,900 pints of blood collected. This year, the Red Cross and NTV hope to collect more than 200 pints.

The blood drive will be from noon to 6 p.m. at Kearney eFree, the YWCA in Grand Island and at the Evangelical Free Church in Hastings.

To schedule an appointment, use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) and use the sponsor code NTV. Everyone who comes out to give blood will receive a free Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last.
There is a lack of understanding in society of the nature of sexual crimes and the effects they have on their victims. There are so many myths surrounding sexual crime that cause us to minimize its significance. Victims are blamed for the sexual assault rather than questioning the behavior of the rapist.

Victims who report crimes are put on the stand and told to recount the most intimate, frightening, devastating, violent crime that could possibly be committed against them aside from murder, and do so in front of the perpetrator. If victims dont report the crime right away, then they are portrayed as liars who just changed their mind about a sexual encounter.

If victims do not act as we outsiders think they should, we assume it didnt really happen. If a victim does not resist during the assault then it couldnt be rape. If the victims are pretty or dress in a provocative manner, then it must be their fault.

Women are told to watch what they wear and how they walk and to guard their drinks against drugs to avoid being assaulted. To make matters worse, when a defendant is convicted, the sentence does not always match the crime.

Buffalo County District Judge Bill Wrights recent sentence for an individual convicted of sexual assault was another example of how the courts view rape. He put the blame back on the victim, a 12-year-old girl. The judge minimized the crime against the child and in so doing minimized sexual assault in general.

Rape is rape. It is time that society stands up and calls it what it is. The myths surrounding sexual assault will continue to prevail, and the problem will grow until we change our attitudes and demand justice for the victims.

Delilah Gillming, Kearney
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People participate in the March for Science on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, part of a global gathering to promote and advocate for science on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
This frame grab from video provided by the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media, shows buses carrying opposition fighters leaving Zabadani, near Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April. 19, 2017, heading toward the northern rebel-held Idlib province. Syria's military media says the evacuation and transfer of thousands of Syrians from four besieged areas has resumed. Logo in Arabic reads, "Millitary Media." (Syrian Central Military Media, via AP)
People interested in finding work as teachers in further education in Kilkenny, or existing teachers hoping to climb the career ladder, are invited to attend the inaugural Education Programmes Open Day at the WIT Arena from 10am-1pm this Saturday, April 22.

Waterford Institute of Technologys Department of Education runs a number of programmes that have Teaching Council recognition and attracts students from far and wide on its variety of courses for educators.

As well as a suite of undergraduate programmes, WIT has a set of unique level 8 and level 9 programmes delivered through flexible and blended learning; some are block delivered and others run in Dublin and Cork as well as Waterford.

Helen Murphy, the Head of the Department of Education welcomes people in education or interested in education to come along to find out which course can help them to reach their personal or professional development goals.

Our programmes are flexible, responsive and connect teaching with practice. We have been working with adult learners for over 30 years and have a long history of supporting adult education. We offer programmes from NFQ Level 6 up to NFQ Level 9. For detailed information on the event and individual programmes see www.wit.ie/teaching, she says.

Course options vary from those for aspiring leaders in education at primary and secondary level to programmes for those wishing to pursue a career in adult or further education.

The need for tutors working in adult and further education to possess a recognised third level qualification in pedagogy has been set out in the National Strategy for Further Education and Training (SOLAS, 2014), Murphy explains.

The current portfolio of Education Programmes spans undergraduate programmes from Higher Certificate to Honours Degree level and a postgraduate portfolio that includes a range of Masters Programmes in; (i) teaching and learning in further and higher education; (ii) management of education and (iii) adult education, further education, community development and adult literacy.
Fourteen volunteers from Vhi volunteered to teach Junior Achievement programmes in five schools in Kilkenny across the 2016/2017 school year.

The Junior Achievement programmes are taught to a wide range of students  from senior infants in primary school to fourth year students at second level  and cover a range of topics including science, maths, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, communication and practical life skills.

Through hands-on, interactive activities, students learn about the world of work and how their town and community operate.

Primary school programmes included the Core Media-sponsored Our City programme which introduces the students to how cities are planned through interactive activities, whereby students get to build their very own city in their classroom. Students then get to make important decisions about a restaurant that they will open in their city and also create advertisements for a new ice cream parlour.

Secondary school programmes include the Metlfe Finance Your Future module which is designed to enable students to understand how to manage their own personal finances and to draw a direct correlation between education and career choices and success in the world of work.

With the support of partners like Vhi we are able to connect students with the world outside their classrooms in a way which is both meaningful and educational, said Denise Power, area manager of Junior Achievement Ireland South East Office.

 Helping students to connect what they do in school with the world around them to ensure they see the relevance of their studies in their everyday lives is a very important aspect of their development and one in which we are delighted that Vhi has invested its resources and expertise.

Therese Bourke of Vhi says the company was delighted to continue its strong support of Junior Achievement Ireland to help deliver this activity in local Kilkenny schools.

Year-on-year, our staff volunteer to participate and we genuinely feel that they benefit almost as much as pupils, she said.

 We are very proud to support our local schools and look forward to partnering with Junior Achievement Ireland to continue this very beneficial activity.
Question: We just found out that my daughter is getting a scholarship that will cover a lot of her college costs, so it looks as if we wont need as much money from her 529 as we were expecting. Can we withdraw money from the 529 for other reasons without penalty?

Answer: Thats great news about the scholarship! You generally have to pay a 10% penalty on the earnings portion of 529 withdrawals that are not used for eligible college costs. But you can withdraw up to the amount of the scholarship without having to pay the penalty. There is no clear guidance from the IRS about the timing of the withdrawal, so Brian Boswell of Savingforcollege.com (opens in new tab) generally recommends taking the withdrawal in the year you receive the scholarship to avoid potential problems later.

Youll still have to pay taxes on the earnings withdrawn if they arent used for eligible education expenses. When you withdraw money from a 529, earnings and contributions are withdrawn proportionately. See the qualified tuition program section of IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education (opens in new tab), for more information.

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Your daughter may still have plenty of expenses eligible for withdrawals that are both penalty-free and tax-free. You can use 529 money tax-free for tuition, fees, required books, supplies, and room and board. As long as shes attending college at least half-time, you can even tap the 529 tax-free for the cost of an off-campus apartment and groceries, up to the amount the college specifies as the room and board figure in its cost of attendance for federal financial aid purposes (the cost is usually listed on the colleges Web site, or ask the financial aid office). Keep receipts with your tax records. The cost of a computer, printer, related equipment and internet access also counts if used primarily by the student. See New Rules for Tax-Free Spending From Your 529 College-Savings Plan for more information.

Also, if you think your daughter might go to graduate school, you can leave the money in the account until she has to pay those bills (theres no age limit for using 529 money). Or you can transfer the balance to another eligible family member -- her siblings, first cousins, nieces or nephews, her own children, or even her parents  who can use it tax-free for eligible college costs. See How to Transfer Money Between 529 College-Savings Accounts for more information.
(Adds quote from Barrick executive, details of plan)

By Maximilian Heath

BUENOS AIRES, April 21 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp and its new Chinese partner presented a $500 million plan on Friday to make safety and environmental improvements to the Veladero gold mine in Argentina after a third cyanide spill in 18 months, a company executive said.

Argentina told Barrick earlier this month it had to overhaul environmental and operating processes at the mine following the latest spill on March 28. "We've got a plan over two years to invest half a billion dollars to develop Veladero operations," Barrick Chief Operating Officer Richard Williams told reporters after meeting government officials in Buenos Aires.

Local authorities say the company needs to make improvements in pipelines and in its control and monitoring systems as well as expand its leach processing facility.

Barrick will submit the technical plan next week, Williams said. "The leach pad is going to be extended and developed and improved. So it's going to be re-engineered."

Argentina's Energy and Mining Minister Juan Jose Aranguren said that analyzing the plan would take about two weeks and approval would depend on guarantees of investment by Barrick aimed at improving safety at the mine.

Barrick, the world's largest gold miner, has been temporarily restricted from adding cyanide to the mine's gold processing facility in Veladero, although other operations continue.

Alberto Hensel, mining minister of San Juan province where the facility is located, told local radio he hoped the sale of 50 percent of the mine to China's Shandong Gold Mining Co announced this month would improve its operations. "What we know about Shandong is that it is a company that has extensive experience meeting the highest environmental standards, which we believe will contribute to the improvement of the Veladero mine," Hensel told radio station Radio Sarmiento in San Juan on Thursday evening.

The Toronto-based company, which counts Veladero as one of its five core mines, says no material impact was expected on the mine's projected 2017 production.

The provincial government, which rejected a first work plan from Barrick on April 5, is still evaluating a potential fine for the company for the March 28 incident. Hensel said penalties could surpass the $9.8 million the company was fined for a 2015 spill. A fine has not yet been applied for a September 2016 incident in which solution containing cyanide flowed over a berm.

(Reporting by Maximiliano Rizzi and Maximilian Heath; Writing by Hugh Bronstein and Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Trott)
WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that the Trump administration's tax reform plan would produce some "short term issues" when viewed under traditional "static" budget analysis rules.

His comments during an interview by International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde suggested that the plan would not be revenue-neutral and would increase deficits in the short term.

Mnuchin said that the tax plan would pay for itself when viewed through a "dynamic scoring" analysis, which accounts for the increased tax revenues that would be produced by higher growth prompted by the tax changes.

"We're looking for reforms that will pay for themselves with growth," Mnuchin said. "Under dynamic scoring, this will pay for itself, under static scoring, there'll be short term issues."

Mnuchin also said the tax plan would be aimed at helping the middle class to "get more money in their pockets" and would be much simpler.

"The tax code is way, way, way too complicated. We want to create a system where the average American can file a tax code on a big postcard," Mnuchin said.

(Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Diane Craft)
(Adds comment on housing, debt, business investment)

By Andrea Hopkins

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said on Saturday he was happy that Ontario has brought in new measures to tackle the Toronto housing market, saying a foreign buyers tax should help dampen demand and impact the psychology of speculators.

"I'm happy that there are measures, it's a risk we've been highlighting," Poloz told reporters on the sidelines of the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund.

"How will they work? Well, some of them are similar to what happened in Vancouver, (that) seems to have had some effect on the Vancouver market, we are still monitoring that, so I have every reason to believe they will make a contribution," he said.

Ontario's provincial government last week introduced a 15 percent tax on property purchases by foreign buyers as part of 16 measures designed to cool the red-hot housing market in Toronto, the nation's largest city. A 33 percent increase in prices in Toronto in the year to March, on top of a doubling in prices since 2009, had prompted an outcry of concern about a possible bubble despite multiple moves by the federal government to tighten mortgage rules.

Poloz said prices in Toronto had become divorced from fundamentals, and there were signs that some form of speculative demand had taken over based on an extrapolated expectation of continued price gains.

"I think you are actually playing with, or trying to influence, psychology more than fundamentals. Some of those things (Ontario measures) were about fundamentals, so there are many things going on," Poloz said.

"So it's kind of hard to predict how those measures will affect how people think about those expectations."

Still, he reiterated that the quality of mortgage debt has been improving as the government tightened mortgage lending rules in recent years, building a cushion or resiliency into financial positions.

With trade and protectionism at the top of the agenda at the IMF and Group of 20 meetings in Washington, Poloz said uncertainty remains high and policymakers need to be mindful of an extra layer of geopolitical risk that has been more prominent in the last year or two.

Asked about a recent move to bump up the bank's forecasts for Canadian economic growth, Poloz said experiencing serial disappointments "teaches you to be cautious," but a positive surprise is at some point inevitable.

He also said that while there has definitely been an improvement in investment sentiment, the level of planned investment has not gone up.

(Reporting by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
* Washington will honour controversial refugee deal - Pence

* Up to 1,250 asylum seekers to resettle in United States

* Australia to take Latin American refugees in return

* U.S. President Trump called resettlement plan a "dumb" deal

(Adds bullet points)

By Colin Packham and Roberta Rampton

SYDNEY, April 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honour a controversial refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as "dumb".

Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honouring it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement".

"We will honour this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," Pence said at Turnbull's harbourside official residence in Sydney.

Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and has sent troops to fight alongside the U.S. military in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Nauru.

In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centres seeking resettlement in the United States.

The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on PNG's Manus Island where violence between residents and inmates has flared recently. Asylum-seeker advocates welcomed the U.S. commitment, although they remained concerned that "extreme vetting" could see fewer than 1,250 resettled in the United States.

"What still isn't clear is how many people will have this opportunity, and that clarity must be provided," said Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator at Amnesty International Australia.

"The violence on Manus Island last weekend only further demonstrates that the Australian government needs to give a clear commitment that no refugee or person seeking asylum will be left behind in Papua New Guinea or Nauru," he said.

Australia's relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement, which Trump labelled a "dumb" deal. Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after Trump took office made headlines around the world.

Turnbull acknowledged Trump's reluctance, but said the U.S. commitment was a measure of Trump's new U.S. administration.

"It speaks volumes for the commitment, the integrity of President Trump," he said.

Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that included meetings with political and business leaders in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Colin Packham; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Townsend Spring Festival features Appalachian history and culture





Old Timers Day in Townsend, TN. Image by Jeaneane Payne.



TOWNSEND, TN  The foothills of the Smoky Mountains will come to life with bluegrass music, arts and crafts, time honored traditions and Appalachian cooking at the annual Townsend in the Smokies Spring Festival and Old Timers Day.



Scheduled for May 5-6, 2017 at the Smoky Mountain Visitors Center the festival will provide an atmosphere where family and friends of all ages can partake in time-honored Appalachian traditions at the free community event. Parking is $8 per day with proceeds benefiting the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department. Two-day parking passes are available online at www.smokymountains.org for $10 or for $12 on site Friday.



For everyones convenience, a free shuttle service will provide transportation to and from the different Townsend sites participating in the weekends festivities from 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. both days.



The spring festival provides an opportunity for our community to share the areas history and heritage with families, friends and visitors. We all cherish our traditions, and there is no better way to celebrate them than to showcase them during the beautiful spring weather at the festival, said Jim McBride, festival chair.



An event for all ages, the spring festival will center around traditional and contemporary bluegrass and mountain music; along with clogging and square dancing; art and craft booths; numerous Appalachian demonstrations; old-fashioned kids games; and Southern food, such as fried pies and kettle corn.



In addition to all that will be taking place at the Smoky Mountain Visitors Center in Townsend, other sites throughout Townsend will host a variety of activities for locals and visitors to enjoy over the weekend. These include a ride up Rich Mountain Road on May 6 at 2 p.m. as part of Jeepisms birthday celebration, the Tennessee Pottery Festival at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center on May 6 and the Nawger Nob Arts & Crafts Fair, May 6-7.



Festival-goers can also take the opportunity to enjoy an interactive walking tour featuring a full-sized engine, coal and water tank at the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum, as well as a unique shopping experience at Townsends downtown  Trillium Cove.



Whether you are searching for an Appalachian piece of artwork for your home, hungry for some delicious barbeque or just looking to enjoy the many bluegrass performances, there is just about something for everyone to enjoy at this special two-day event.



Music and Dancing

On Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until after 9 p.m., musical performances are scheduled on stage inviting locals and visitors to bring lawn chairs from home and sit back, relax and enjoy the toe-tapping, mountain tunes. Bluegrass music will also resonate from impromptu jam sessions in all areas of the festival grounds. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy an evening square dance on Saturday at 8:10 p.m.



A tradition of the annual spring festival is to highlight and showcase music with Appalachian roots. This years festival will present the unique sounds and musical talent of bands, including Notchy Creek, Jay Tipton Band, Carolina Bluegrass, Hot Water, Wilson Family, Blackberry Jam, High Point Quartet, Steve Jordan Band, Jones Brothers, Mike Clemmer, Gravel Road, Lost in Tyme, Saving Grass, Muleskinners, Blue Streaks, Appalachian Drive, and Raven Welch.



Arts, Crafts and Appalachian Demonstrations

The festival grounds will showcase numerous art and craft booths, and local artisans will be demonstrating their talents while visitors watch. Among the many unique demonstrations will be cornmeal making, antique farm equipment and cars as well as oil painting demonstrations, rug hooking and woodcarving.



In addition, visitors will have the chance to experience the areas natural history at the Cades Cove Preservation and walk through a replica of an old Appalachian church. The church replica at this years festival will be sponsored by CHilhowee Area Ministries (CHARM).



Storytelling and Local Authors

Local storytellers will educate and entertain visitors of all ages at this years spring festival, delighting them with mountain stories that will paint a picture of Appalachian heritage.



The spring festivals featured authors are Dr. Lin Stepp and Roy Oliver. Stepp, author of Daddys Girl and Oliver, author of Last Man from Tremont, will hold signings on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.



Pets are no longer permitted on the festival grounds; and this will be strictly enforced for the health and safety of both people and pets.



Festival sponsors include Premier Sponsor: Dogwood Cabins; Silver Sponsors: Big Meadow Campground & RV, Great Smoky Mountains Association; Friends Sponsors: Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop, Carriage House Restaurant, Keep Blount Beautiful; Media Sponsors: The Daily Times, WATE-TV.



For more information on the Townsend in the Smokies Spring Festival and Old Timers Day, including updates on the schedule, please call the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134 or visit smokymountains.org.

Published April 21, 2017










WGU launches Bachelors in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance





NASHVILLE  To help meet the increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals in todays workforce, Western Governors University (WGU), parent university of WGU Tennessee, is now offering a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (BSCSIA) degree program. This new program, which includes important industry certifications, will prepare students to use knowledge and experience in risk management and digital forensics to safeguard infrastructure and secure data through continuity planning and disaster recovery operations.



Cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly important industry, especially in Tennessee, where the need for technology expertise continues to grow, said Dr. Kimberly K. Estep, chancellor of WGU Tennessee. The program will equip our students with the skills they need to address the growing security challenges facing businesses today.



Offered through WGUs College of Information Technology, the BSCSIA was created in collaboration with industry and academic experts, ensuring that the coursework is relevant for todays cybersecurity needs. Students can apply now and begin their BSCSIA program as early as June 1, 2017.



Coursework in WGUs BSCSIA includes IT fundamentals, training in using software analysis techniques, web engineering, cloud management, and networking strategies to prevent, detect, and mitigate cyberattacks. This program also features nationally recognized, high-demand certifications in the field of cybersecurity from CompTIA, ISACA, Certified Internet Webmaster, and more, which BSCSIA students can earn at no additional charge.



There is huge demand nationally for those who can navigate the increasingly important field of cybersecurity, said WGU College of Information Technology National Director Myles Vogel. Upon completion of WGUs new BSCSIA degree program, graduates will be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and capabilities they need to succeed in the cybersecurity industry.



The BSCSIA, like all WGU programs, is online and competency-based, allowing working professionals to study and learn on their own schedules and advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course materials. WGUs affordable tuition of about $6,000 per year and flexible learning model make it possible for busy adult students to earn an accredited degree that includes industry certifications on a busy schedule.



WGU Tennessee is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Tennesseans access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Tennessee and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Tennessee is open to all qualified Tennessee residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.



Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).



In addition to WGU Tennessee, there are five other WGU state-based, state-endorsed universities: WGU Indiana, established in June 2010; WGU Washington, established in April 2011; WGU Texas, established in August 2011; WGU Missouri, established in February 2013; and WGU Nevada, established in June 2015.



For more information, visit the WGU Tennessee website at tennessee.wgu.eduu. Published April 21, 2017










North Korea has said it is closely monitoring moves by the United States and fully prepared to counter any "provocations."

The North's foreign ministry said in a statement, released by the Korean Central News Agency on Saturday, that Pyongyang will never be intimidated by the recent U.S. actions, including the dispatch of a nuclear aircraft carrier strike group to waters off the Korean Peninsula.



"Recently, the authorities of the Trump administration are spouting a load of rubbish calling for browbeating the DPRK by force of arms every day. They are crying out for settling the issue with the help of someone, seeking to bring nuclear aircraft carrier strike groups one after another to the waters off the Korean Peninsula," said the statement dated Friday. DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name.

"Such intimidation and blackmail can never frighten the DPRK. ... The invincible revolutionary Paektusan army, closely following the maneuvers of the U.S., is waiting for an order only after rounding off its full preparedness to counter them immediately," said the statement written in English.

The ministry said the North is determined to "go to the end," stressing its "access to a powerful nuclear deterrent to protect itself from the U.S. nuclear threat."












U.S. President Donald Trump was referring to "some things that were helpful" in resolving the problem of North Korea when he said a day earlier that "very unusual moves" have been made with regard to the issue, his spokesman said Friday.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer, however, provided no further specifics.

"The president, obviously, is privy to a lot of information. He's not going to share everything he knows, but there's some things that he saw that were helpful with respect to that subject," Spicer said during an off-camera press gaggle.

Asked to be more specific, Spicer said, "I cannot. I'm not privy. No."

Trump made the remark during a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the White House, praising Chinese President Xi Jinping for trying hard to rein in the North.












Apr. 10 file photo shows aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it transits to homeport at Naval Air Station North Island, California. / AFP-Yonhap



Carl Vinson wasn't headed to Korean peninsula

By Ko Dong-hwan

A U.S. Navy strike group  led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson  was thousands of miles from the Korean Peninsula at the weekend despite widespread belief it would be there to deter North Korea, according to news reports Tuesday.

The ships were not heading directly to the peninsula as originally reported. Instead, the group is taking part in scheduled exercises with Australia, Defense News said.

On Saturday, the strike group was about 3,500 miles from Korea, passing through the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, according to the outlet. The Washington Post said the group was in the Indian Ocean later in the day, a direction opposite to Korea.

The group would participate in naval exercises with the Australian navy south of Singapore and is expected to arrive off the Korean Peninsula at the end of this month, according to CNN.

It was believed the group was heading to waters off Korea amid fears Pyongyang could conduct a nuclear test at the weekend to mark the anniversary of the birth of national founder Kim Il-sung, grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.

U.S. officials had earlier said the ships were scheduled to participate in exercises with Australia, but were redirected to waters off Korea, an unusually massive show of force designed to warn Pyongyang against additional provocations.

It was unclear why the U.S. decided to let the ships participate in the exercises rather than head to Korea. U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Dave Benham said on Apr. 9 that a U.S. Navy strike group, led by the nuclear-powered carrier, was being deployed to waters close to the peninsula to rein in North Korea's increasing nuclear threats.

Chinese media seized on the news that the ships were not where everyone assumed.

"Tricked badly!" the Global Times said Tuesday on its social media account. "None of the U.S. aircraft carriers that South Korea is desperately waiting for has come!"
The White House said Friday it is well aware that Korea has been "independent for thousands of years," after President Donald Trump quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as claiming, falsely, that Korea used to be part of China.



"We generally do not comment on the details of what is said between the President and other leaders. We know well that Korea has been independent for thousands of years," Michael Anton, deputy assistant to the president for strategic communications, told Yonhap News Agency.



In an interview with the Wall Street Journal earlier this month, Trump talked about his discussions with Xi during their first summit meetings in Florida that Trump hoped to use to get China to exercise more of its influence over North Korea to rein in the provocative regime.



Trump said that after he urged Xi to rein in the North, Xi "went into the history of China and Korea."



"And you know, you're talking about thousands of years ... and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China. And after listening for 10 minutes, I realized that it's not so easy," Trump said during the interview.



Even if Trump was simply relying what Xi told him, the comment still sparked concern and outrage among South Koreans not only because they not only saw Xi's claim as an attempt to undermine Korean sovereignty but also because Trump could be misunderstanding history.



Friday's White House comment was seen as an effort to calm such concern. (Yonhap)




Just recently, the hit K-pop boy group, Big Bang, has celebrated 10 years of being in the industry. It can also be clearly seen that Big Bang is still a pretty hot and popular K-pop group.

However, all of that might come to a temporary stop as the required military enlistment would soon befall all of them. There is no doubt that Big Bang is one of the most recognizable K-pop icons of all time, having T.O.P., Daesung, Taeyen, G-Dragon and Seungri as its members.

This is because they have continuously topped the charts every now and then. But because of the need for them to eventually enlist in the military; they soon need to face a slowdown in their careers, specifically for G-Dragon.

Just recently, G-Dragon, the leader of Big Bang, has talked out what he expects in his upcoming military enlistment. According to Celebeat, G-Dragon says that if their country needs their service, they will undoubtedly answer to the call of duty.

However, they still don't know as to whom the government will call to enlist, or when the enlistment will be. But he says that there is no need for their fans to worry about them, because they can make it.

T.O.P, the oldest member of the group has already enlisted in the military last February. As of now, G-Dragon shows the he is already prepared to serve the military. He also shows no sign of worrying because he is pretty sure that he can overcome all of the challenges.

However, he says that he still can't help but to feel worried, not because of their enlistment in the military, but because of the comeback that he has to face. G-Dragon specifically says that the future is uncertain, and they still don't know what the future lies for them.

Hopefully, everything will be well for Big Bang after all of them has undergone the needed military training.
PRESS RELEASE

Syrian President Assad: The Entire Chemical Weapons Charge Was a False Flag, a Lie

April 21, 2017 (EIRNS)Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that "the attack on Shairat airport was a false flag, was a lie," in an interview with Sputnik published yesterday. Assad said that the physical evidence on the ground is incontrovertible: not only did Syria not launch a chemical weapon attack on Khan Shaykhun, but they did not even inadvertently bomb an ISIS chemical weapons depot on that site, as Russia originally hypothesized. The entire incident was concocted, from top to bottom, to justify a return to a policy of regime change against Syria.

"We formally sent a letter to the United Nations, we asked them in that letter to send a delegation in order to investigate what happened in Khan Shaykhun. Of course till this moment they didnt send [anyone], because the West and the United States blocked any delegation from coming, because if they come, they will find that all their narratives about what happened in Khan Shaykhun and then the attack on Shairat airport was a false flag, was a lie... So, for us, there was no gas attack and no gas depot, it was a false flag play just to justify the attack on the Shairat base. Thats what happened,"

Assad said.

Assad stated that the Syrian army did carry out an air attack in the province of Idlib on April 4, but six hours earlier than the incident reported by western media. And there is zero evidence of chemical weapons in that area, before or after.

"The attack was already prepared, and they didnt want to listen, they didnt want to investigate; they only wanted to launch the attack. We believe it was a false flag for one reason and a simple reason: if there was gas leakage or an attack, and youre talking about 60 dead in that city, how could the city continue its life normally? They didnt evacuate the city.... "Even if you look at the pictures, you can see that the rescuersthe presumable rescuerswere rescuing people without masks, without gloves, and they were moving freely. How? This is against all the specifications of the sarin gas that they talked about. You can fake this image, its very easy. So, you cannot just base your judgment on images and videos, especially made by al-Qaeda."

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Igor Konashenko on April 20 made a similar argument to point to the fraud being perpetrated. "In the past two weeks, not a single OPCW [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] representative was seen there," at the site of the supposed attack in Syria.

"Where do these samples come from [that the OPCW claims prove there was a sarin gas attack]? Who of the OPCW members was able to study them so fast, while standard procedures stipulate a complex research which requires time, as we can see in the case of mustard gas use in Aleppo."

Konashenko ironically went after

"the charlatans from the White Helmets organization [who] were hustling and bustling inside sarin clouds with no protective gear on?... Although independent experts do not believe that anyone could have remained unharmed in a sarin gas attack, nevertheless, maybe Mr. Uzumcu [the head of the OPCW] has created his own periodic table of elements, instead of Mendeleev's one,

Konashenko stated.
PRESS RELEASE

Mattis on Middle East Tour Issues Provocations Against Syria, Iran

April 21, 2017 (EIRNS)Secretary of Defense James Mattis, on a tour of the Middle East that has already taken him to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel and that will wrap up in Qatar and Djibouti, has been issuing provocative statements about Iran and Syria. In Riyadh, both he and Saudi Defense Minister Prince Mohamed bin Salman talked about containing Irans "mischief." During one availability with the news media in Riyadh, Mattis was asked about pushing a peace deal for Yemen and how close the Saudis were to thinking that way. Mattis replied that the problem isnt the Saudis but the Iranians. "

[W]e watch Irans impact across the region from the militia they maintain, Lebanese Hezbollah that they support in Lebanon. That militia is also contributing thousands of fighters. And of course, Irans got its own military inside Syria, continuing to hold Assad in power. Everywhere you look, if there is trouble in the region, you find Iran,"

he said.

"So right now, what were seeing is the nations in the region and others elsewhere trying to checkmate Iran and the amount of disruption, the amount of instability they can cause."

Earlier, Mattis had claimed that Yemens Houthi rebels are firing "Iranian-supplied missiles" into Saudi Arabia.

Upon arriving in Tel Aviv, Mattis claimed that the Syrian government of Bashar al Assad had retained some amount of its chemical weapons arsenal. "The bottom line is, I can say authoritatively they have retained some [chemical weapons]," he claimed. "Its a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and its going to have to be taken up diplomatically." Just the day before, a senior Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that "a few tons of chemical weapons" remained in the hands of Assads forces. This is not a new position stated by the Israelis, but may have been issued to help state the stage for Mattis visit. On April 6, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israels Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that he was "100 percent certain" that the supposed chemical weapons attack was "directly ordered and planned by Assad," though he failed to explain how he reached that conclusion.
#mine collapse Ministry to check 35 mines over recent collapse case South Korea will carry out special inspections into 35 mines across the country that are deemed to have relatively high chances of accidents by the end of this year in the wake of ...
PRESS RELEASE

Call for Congress To Act on Glass-Steagall Introduced into Pennsylvania General Assembly

April 21, 2017 (EIRNS)Yesterday, eleven Democratic members of the Pennsylvania lower chamber introduced House Resolution 268, calling for Congress to enact Glass Steagall, and additional measures for the economy. The bill, referred to the Commerce Committee April 20, states that its intent is

"Urging the Congress of the United States to support efforts to reinstate the separation of commercial and investment banking functions previously in effect under the Glass-Steagall Act and support efforts to return to national banking policies to repair our nations infrastructure."

The eleven lawmakers represent major urban centers in the state, whose industrial base has been decimated by decades of casino economics. Of the eleven, five are from the Philadelphia area, three from Pittsburgh, and the other three from Bethlehem, Wilkes-Barre and Reading.
PRESS RELEASE

President Trump To Talk with U.S. Astronauts on Space Station Monday

April 21, 2017 (EIRNS)NASA and the Department of Education, on behalf of the White House, are both mobilized "to encourage classrooms throughout America to tune-in" live, when President Trump calls NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on April 24, to congratulate her as she breaks the American record for most total days in space, besting NASA astronaut Jeff Williams record of 534 days.

NASA will be broadcasting the call live on NASA Television, from NASAs Ustream and YouTube websites, and on its Facebook page, and is making NASA "STEM on Station" materials available for classroom use.

Trumps daughter Ivanka and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will join the President in the Oval Office for the call; NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, who arrived yesterday for his first stay on the ISS, will join Whitson on the call.

Whitson, a 57-year-old Iowan, had her third stay aboard the ISS extended for another three months on April 5. By the time she returns to Earth in September she will have clocked at least 663 days of total spaceflight time. She is currently the Commander of the ISS crew, making her the first woman to command the space station twice (she also headed the mission during her second six-month stay in 2007-2008). And with her eighth spacewalk on March 30 (seven hours-plus long), she set the record for most spacewalks conducted by a female astronaut, totaling 53 hours and 22 minutes working out-and-about in space in a spacesuit.

The decision to use the White House call to the ISS to excite young Americans about the space frontier, coheres with President Trumps earlier speech promoting NASA and evoking Kennedys space program. He also noted on April 18, in a speech at Snap-On Tools headquarters in Wisconsin, that the United States needs the NASA space program psychologically:
The following is a transcript of remarks at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes by Times editor-in-chief Davan Maharaj on Friday night.

Thank you and welcome to the 37th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. It is wonderful to see so many familiar faces  and new faces  in the audience tonight.

I want to give special thanks to USC, and my personal thanks to Tom Sayles and to President Nikias. They have given the Book Prizes and Festival of Books a perfect home on this beautiful campus.

Live coverage: Festival of Books schedule, panels, participants and more 

Over the years at the Book Prizes, Ive enjoyed sharing some of the highlights of past festivals and the exemplary work of our reporters at The Times.

Youll perhaps remember our tribute to past winners, including the late Terry Pratchett with his most memorable cat. Or our stunning video of the Space Shuttle Endeavour maneuvering its way through the streets of Los Angeles.

We have had our fun. And we deserve to celebrate what we have accomplished here. I do mean all of us  for this is truly a group effort. By the end of this weekend, more than 150,000 people will have joined in our annual celebration of the written word.

We find that the written word  the cornerstone of our ambitions, our hopes and our dreams  is under siege.  Davan Maharaj

Tonight, however, I hope you will understand if my comments are more serious. Ill try not to go all Meryl Streep on you.

I believe that the current political, social and cultural environment in this country presents a challenge to all of us  as writers, as journalists, as purveyors of truth.

For today, we find that the written word  the cornerstone of our ambitions, our hopes and our dreams  is under siege.

How did it become possible that facts could not only be disputed, but manipulated, bent and maligned?

How could truth  our common ground for debate, dissent and accord  become so devalued?

How could the most revered institutions of our country  institutions that our founding fathers committed themselves to securing  become the object of such contempt?

After more than 35 years in journalism, I could never have imagined that one day I would be standing here, standing up for the core values of our profession as editors and writers, and the vital importance of truth.

Perhaps like many of you, I had believed that progress was inevitable.

We had elected our first African American president. The Supreme Court had legalized same-sex marriage. We even had a smash-hit rap musical about Alexander Hamilton on Broadway.

We live in the age of trolls, sowing discord and spreading lies.  Maharaj

Now we see  to our dismay  that we are in a different era, where we must reexamine all that we held to be self-evident.

We live in the age of trolls, sowing discord and spreading lies. Alternative facts inspire acts of hate and retribution. Allegations of fake news threaten to undermine what we have fought for. Science itself is under attack.

Such hostility is a threat not just to journalists and writers and editors like us. It is a threat to anyone who trusts us, who turns to us for help in understanding the world.

It is up to us to tell the stories of those who might otherwise become background characters on the world stage: people who are hated and ignored simply because no one has heard what they have to say, or what their everyday experiences are like.

This includes the transgender teen in North Carolina, the Dreamer in East L.A., the migrant worker in the Midwest, the hijab-wearing Latina Muslim, the Southside family trying to make a life in Chicago, the congregation attempting to shield their most vulnerable neighbors.

Their struggles must be our call to arms  to be their voice, their champions and advocates.

Whether we call ourselves novelists or poets, artists or journalists, young adult authors or historians, we must be relentless in our efforts to expose hypocrisy, speak truth to power and capture in our prose and our poetry the facts of our world today.

For the forces we are up against will not disappear overnight. This is going to be a long effort. It will take time. And it will define us for years to come.

Im confident that we will prevail.

There is precedent for this. We merely need to go back to the 1950s, a time  not unlike the present  when it seemed inconceivable that the values and principles that we treasured  freedom of speech, democracy in action  could ever be threatened.

But of course they were. Names were named, careers were ruined, and institutions established to defend the powerless turned on the powerless.

As Yeats memorably wrote, in admittedly different circumstances, The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

Yet even when some of the greatest writers, artists and intellectuals in America were being suppressed, their work prevailed. Just consider the reporting of Rachel Carson, the dramas of Dalton Trumbo, the passion of James Baldwin .

So let us be brazen in our expression, forthright and assured, for one day our work will be judged. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next year. But there will be a time when future generations look to us for inspiration.

We can also borrow a page from someone in the audience tonight  Rueben Martinez, our honoree for innovation. Well learn more about Ruebens work later, but for now, lets just marvel at the fact  yes, a fact  that a barber from Santa Ana was inspired by the hunger for truth in his own community.

When Rueben began providing books at his shop on Third Street, wisdom came from the writings of Sandra Cisneros, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Luis Valdez. And through their pages, Rueben became a voice for his community.

Thats an important lesson for all of us, a lesson that makes this evening  this weekend  so exciting to me.

There is more wisdom in our work and in our commitment to the truth than in any 3 a.m. tweetstorm.

As Rueben reminds us, the best way to fight ignorance and prejudice is with the written word. And as writers, journalists or purveyors of truth, we have no other choice.

To all of the authors, editors  and readers  here tonight, let us not stand aside, but continue to fight and teach, educate and inspire, not just with our words but by the examples of our lives and our unyielding commitment to one another  and unyielding commitment to the truth.
Book editor Carolyn Kellogg: My picks for Saturday at the Festival of Books

The book prizes are tonight, and, with Tig Notaro hosting, they will be our most fun yet. Theres still time to get tickets

Im Carolyn Kellogg, book editor of the Los Angeles Times, and for me, the book festival is an amazing time of year when we get to celebrate reading and meet authors face-to-face. And as someone whos been involved with planning it for months, I have to say I love every panel and speaker equally.

That said, I want to highlight a couple of panels at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. You may still be able to get tickets to some; if theyre sold out, theres a chance youll still get a seat if you wait in the standby line.

Saturday

As I write, its the one-year anniversary of Princes death. The vastness of his brilliance is something that Ben Greenman tries to come to grips with in Dig If You Will the Picture: Funk, Sex, God and Genius in the Music of Prince, published last week. Hell be on the panel And the Beat Goes On on Saturday at noon with Simon Reynolds, whose latest book is Shock and Awe: Glam Rock and Its Legacy, from the Seventies to the Twenty-first Century, and Tony Fletcher, author of In the Midnight Hour: The Life and Soul of Wilson Pickett. It will be moderated by The Times Jessica Gelt, a reporter with a rock-n-roll secret.

Also on Saturday at noon: Nonfiction: The Future Is Female featuring feminists from three generations. Lindy West, whose book is Shrill, is a millennial; the latest from Rebecca Solnit, a baby boomer, is The Mother of All Questions; and Betty Fussell, who is in her 80s, is a James Beard award-winning food writer (her new book is Eat Live Love Die) who decided, as a 21-year-old bride, that housewifery wasnt enough. It will be moderated by Joy Press, The Times former book and pop culture editor (I think shes Gen X  which would make it four generations).

The festival is full of smart people, but if you want to spend an hour in the company of the absolute smartest of the bunch, dont miss Nonfiction: Science and Our World on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Its panelists include Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at Caltech whose new book is The Big Picture, Lawrence Weschler, who will be talking about his latest book, Waves Passing in the Night: Walter Murch in the Land of the Astrophysicists, and Bruce Watson, an L.A. Times book prize finalist for his biography of light, titled Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age, all moderated by The Times Alan Zarembo.

Rigoberto Gonzalez (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

As book editor here, Ive noticed that the books coming out of New York publishing dont reflect the city I live in. At 4:30 p.m., Ill be moderating a panel with two of our critics at large  Adriana Ramirez and Rigoberto Gonzalez  along with Rueben Martinez, recipient of our Innovators Award. During the panel, titled Listen up, New York: Latino Readers & Writers Have Something to Say, Ill be asking about what publishing could learn from Latino writers and readers. Please bring your questions, complaints  and ideas.
Los Angeles International Airport is the second busiest airport in the nation, but when it comes to customer satisfaction, well, lets just say it doesnt rank that high.

LAX placed 86th in the world, according to the latest survey of 19 million travelers around the world by the Skytrax World Airport Awards.

LAX officials hope to improve the airports standing with customers by launching a three-month pilot program that allows travelers to notify cleaning crews about a dirty bathroom via a smartphone text.

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Weve heard our guests loud and clear that our restroom facilities are a high priority, Deborah Flint, chief executive of Los Angeles World Airports, said in a statement.

Travelers can notify a cleaning crew by texting LAX4U and the location number of the bathroom or by scanning a barcode posted on the bathroom wall. Travelers will get a response from the maintenance crew, acknowledging the alert.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
Facing furor after a United passenger was dragged off a sold-out plane, the chief executive for the carriers parent company has agreed not to take on the added role next year of chairman of the board.

Under a previous employment agreement, United Continental Holdings chief executive Oscar Munoz was scheduled to become chairman of the board next year, in addition to retaining his current position.

But in documents filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Munoz has agreed not to take on the chairmanship role, a post now held by Robert Milton.

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In another filing with the SEC, the company says it wants to ensure that Mr. Munoz is able to more exclusively focus on his role as chief executive officer. The board also believes that an independent chairman of the board can effectively manage the relationship between the board and the chief executive officer.

The documents dont specifically say that the changes are the result of pressure upon Munoz after a passenger, Dr. David Dao, was dragged off a sold-out plane in Chicago on April 9, in a scene that has become a worldwide viral video. Dao suffered a concussion and broken nose and lost two teeth. The carrier asked Dao and three other passengers to give up their seats to make room for United employees, but Dao refused.

A section in the SEC documents about employee compensation said the management and the board take recent events extremely seriously and are working to more closely tie future compensation incentives to improving the customer experience.

Executive bonuses were previously tied primarily to financial and operating goals, according to the documents.

Munoz, who took his current position in September 2015, last year earned a base salary of $1.25 million, plus stock awards and equity payments for a total compensation package of $18.7 million. The additional post of chairman was not expected to increase his salary, United officials said.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.

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T.I. is known for his hits like Big Things Poppin and Whatever You Like that keep the party going. Born Clifford Harris Jr., the 36-year-old rapper has also found success in film and reality television over his 16-year career.

But after 2016s string of fatal police shootings, T.I. seized the socially conscious movement, speaking out against the injustices he sees against the black community.

Last December, the rapper released Us or Else: Letter to the System, a politically charged album dedicated to issues such as police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. And on Monday, BET will premiere his short film, which takes a not-so-subtle look at what happens to a community in the face of tragedy.

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The Times spoke with T.I. about this new phase of his career.

Tell me about the inspiration for your short film.

The film in itself was for supporting the project that we put out entitled Us or Else. The thing that inspired the EP was the string of shootings that happened last summer with the exclamation points being Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.

Something struck a chord and said to me, youve got to do something. You have to create some sort of dialogue to try and push forward or institute some progression. I thought about people like Harry Belafonte or Minister [Louis] Farrakhan or Quincy Jones or John Lewis.

Do you think that artists have a responsibility to speak out against injustice?

I cant say that I feel that artists are obligated or that they have a responsibility. But I will say if you do feel something organically inside of you sincerely, that says this isnt right  then I think they should step out and do so, if they are educated and sincere and passionate about creating some change. But if they are not, if it does not come from a sincere place, if they are not passionate about it, then they should not speak upon it.

Hip-hops roots are in fighting oppression. Does the hip-hop community have a greater responsibility to use their platform for justice?

I think that hip-hop was born in the heart of the underserved community and it spoke to the plight of the people that lived in this underserved community. Because it was born from that and derived from that, I think the source of it should always be being a voice for the voiceless or providing inspiration, even if its something lighthearted and entertaining, to take your mind off the things that go on.

We always have been sort of the hood reporters, if you will, to tell people who may not get a chance to go to the community or may not have quite as vivid of an understanding of what goes on in the community. I think that should never change.

This is me doing what I can, paying my respects to the need in the community.  T.I.

How do your own experiences compare with some of the issues addressed in the short film.

The things that have happened to me paled in comparison to the things that [happened] to people like Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner.

Im a black man that came through the ghetto that had to make his way up the ranks. Its unconventional for a person like me to make it to where I am so of course Ive experienced it. But the things Ive experienced, they didnt cost me my life.

Do you see yourself doing more in the social justice realm?

I dedicate this part of my career to the Us or Else movement and I feel that the short film is there to create dialogue. After Us or Else, Im going to get back to a more conventional T.I. album. I didnt expect a lot of commercial success. But its something that will live forever.

This is me doing what I can, paying my respects to the need in the community.

makeda.easter@latimes.com

@makedaeaster
If theres one thing guests at the April 21 Los Angeles Ballet Gala could agree on, its the importance of ballet  not just for all types of serious dancers, but also for the cultural life of the city.

Ballet technique is like a dictionary, said Bruno Tonioli, a judge on TVs Dancing With the Stars. If you dont have a rich dictionary, you dont have words, and if you dont have words, youre unable to express yourself. For any serious dancer, a knowledge of ballet is indispensable.

Whats really great is that weve been teaching [ballet] on So You Think You Can Dance,  added show co-creator Nigel Lythgoe. So now, the street kids are suddenly realizing how important it is. They are learning they can control far more with a strong core.

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From left, Los Angeles Ballet artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary and So You Think You Can Dance co-creator Nigel Lythgoe attend the 2017 Los Angeles Ballet Gala at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills on April 21. (Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging)

Descendants star Sofia Carson was among those in attendance. Supporting the arts and supporting the ballet is instrumental to our culture and important to this city, she said. Its a beautiful part of living in Los Angeles.

As a fashion aside, this years host of the Radio Disney Music Awards looked chic in her shoulder-baring David Koma frock and strappy black Valentino heels. Fashion is a big part of who I am. I love fashion.

The event: Held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the gala honored former California Gov. Gray Davis and former First Lady Sharon Davis as well as noted film producer Lawrence Bender (An Inconvenient Truth, Hacksaw Ridge and Pulp Fiction).

As the evenings centerpiece, Los Angeles Ballet dancers performed excerpts from Who Cares?, choreographer George Balanchines homage to Broadway, set to the music of George Gershwin.

From left, Ryan Kavanaugh and event co-chair Leslie Kavanaugh and Jack Kavanaugh arrive for the Los Angeles Ballet Gala. (Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging)

The crowd: Los Angeles Ballet artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary along with executive director Julie Whittaker thanked the audience for its support, following welcome remarks by the nights emcee, Mark L. Walberg of Antiques Roadshow and co-chairs Leslie Kavanaugh and Kirsten Sarkisian.

Also, among those appearing onstage were Ghada Irani and her husband, former Occidental Petroleum Corp. Chief Executive Ray Irani.

From left, former Gov. Gray Davis, Sharon Davis, producer Lawrence Bender and Los Angeles Ballet artistic directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen arrive for the Los Angeles Ballet Gala at the Beverly Wilshire on April 21. (Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging)

The numbers: The gala raised nearly $1 million for the Los Angeles Ballets dance performances and educational outreach programs. Tickets for the 240 guests began at $500 each, tables ranged up to $100,000 and a silent auction and after-dinner appeal brought in additional contributions.

Offered, among other things, to guests was a chance to jump the line at the evenings end and be the first to have the hotel valet deliver their car. Two guests jumped at the opportunity, paying $2,500 each.

Sofia Carson is among the guests who attended the Los Angeles Ballet Gala in Beverly Hills. (Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging)

Ellen Olivier is the founder of Society News LA.
The 110 Freeway reopened Friday evening after being shut down for about an hour when a person threatened to jump from an overpass.

Northbound and southbound lanes were shut for about an hour as authorities tried to speak with the person.

Authorities were able to take the person into custody about 6:30 p.m., said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison.

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The incident, which was first reported at 5:18 p.m., came at the height of the Friday evening rush hour in downtown L.A., close to major interchanges that connect to the 101 and 10 freeways. Traffic backed up throughout the area.

The California Highway Patrol reopened the 110 Freeway at 6:38 p.m.

ron.lin@latimes.com

@ronlin

UPDATES:

7:05 p.m.: This article was updated with the resolution of the incident.

This article was originally published at 6:15 p.m.
Leticia Aceves remembers the fear of that first drive alone.

She was pregnant and in the country illegally with no drivers license, and little grasp of English or Californias traffic laws. She had a doctors appointment, so she drove her Volkswagen on side streets and avoided Highway 49  the towns main road hoping it would lessen her chances of being pulled over by police.

I was shaking all the way from my house to the doctors appointment, said Aceves, 52.

Two years ago, driving got less stressful for Aceves and 850,000 other Californians who received drivers licenses through a landmark state law meant to help immigrants living in the country illegally become more integrated into society.

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Over the last decade, California has taken several steps to bring immigrants without legal status into the mainstream, including healthcare for the young and financial aid for college students.

But none of them has changed lives so profoundly and quickly as the drivers licenses. Being able to drive without fear of arrests has given them access to more jobs and made them more confident drivers, they say. Aceves now drives as many as 50 miles a day for her burgeoning house-cleaning business.

Leticia Aceves driving through the streets in Auburn. (Max Whittaker / For The TImes)

But President Trumps crackdown on immigration has spawned anxiety among those license-holders, many of whom worry that the cards will be used to identify them as being here illegally and lead to their deportations. That has prompted some to avoid getting the licenses, despite assurances from the Department of Motor Vehicles that it will not share information with immigration officials.

The decision to give drivers licenses to immigrants here illegally was hotly debated, and it took more than a decade to get the law passed. Critics continue to argue that it has legitimized illegal immigration, and it remains unclear whether it will face new challenges by the Trump administration.

The licenses are designed for people who cannot show proof of legal resident status in the United States, but their use is limited to driving. They cant be used to board airplanes or cross an international border.

Still, the licenses have been life-altering for tens of thousands of Californians. Manuel Mesa remembers well the anxiety that came with driving illegally. He and his family always worried about being pulled over by police, which happened a few times.

One time they put my wife in the back of a patrol car, they made me take off my shoes, handcuffed me and searched my car, he said. He was eventually let go without arrest, he added.

When Mesa got a drivers license in 2015, he became more inclined to challenge police if he felt his rights were being violated. He also said learning traffic laws in preparation for the exam made him more confident behind the wheel.

I want to get a drivers license because its important to have. ... But Im afraid to go to the DMV because I might get snatched up.  Carlos, 64, who declined to give his last name

In my mind, it was a very important document, he said, not least because it gave him some breathing space when dealing with police.

More important, the license helped him get a better job. Mesa applied for a commercial drivers license and now works as a big-rig driver, hauling wood, computers, foods and other products.

Dolores Garcia, 27, entered the U.S. illegally eight years ago. She got a job and an apartment but had to take the bus to and from work every day.

That changed when she got her license two years ago. Emboldened, she decided to buy a car and relished not having to worry.

But Trumps election has renewed some of those fears. Despite reassurance from state officials, Garcia said she worries Immigration officials might have access to DMV files and that could make her more vulnerable to deportation.

Two months ago, she heard rumors that ICE agents were going to the homes of people who had received drivers licenses. She said now her boyfriend is afraid to apply for a license.

Jessica Gonzalez, a DMV spokeswoman, said that although the department makes databases available to law enforcement entities, that information would not include the legal status of license holders.

She added that state laws forbid cops from discriminating based on a person showing an AB-60 license. ICE spokeswoman Lori Haley said investigators could use information from the DMV in the course of criminal investigations, but that ICE does not use data from the DMV to identify immigration enforcement targets.

Earlier this month, though, the American Civil Liberties Union released documents that it contends show that Vermonts Department of Motor Vehicles coordinated with ICE last year.

The record included emails between ICE and the Vermont DMV in which immigration agents asked that the legal status of certain drivers be checked, said James Lyall, executive director of the ACLU of Vermont.

Vermont is one of 12 states and the District of Columbia that have some way for unauthorized immigrants to obtain a drivers license.

The Trust Act in California offers a measure of protection, said Daniel Sharp, the legal director at the Central American Resource Center  a community organization that helps immigrants get licenses among other programs. That law makes it harder for state and local law enforcement officials to hold immigrants who have committed minor crimes for pickup by ICE agents. In this climate of fear, Sharp said, its unlikely that immigrants who have waited this long will apply for a license.

Selling strawberries outside his brown van in MacArthur Park, 64-year-old Carlos, who declined to give his last name because he feared being deported, said its too risky to apply for a license.

I want to get a drivers license because its important to have, Carlos said. I would just feel a lot more safer. But Im afraid to go to the DMV because I might get snatched up.

Proponents of the law argue that licensing immigrants in the U.S. illegally has made roads safer, because those with licenses have to pass a driving test and an eye exam. A recent study by Stanford researchers showed that hit-and-run cases were increasing at a slower rate because licensed drivers are less likely to flee the scene of a crime.

But critics such as Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation say issuing the licenses to such immigrants legitimizes their presence in the country and makes it easier for them to stay in the country.

Even though this license looks different and has specific limitations, Von Spakovsky said, it makes it easier for them to use this government-issued ID for many illegal purposes, such as applying for government benefits or registering to vote.

Before she got her license, Aceves said driving was always tinged with anxiety about being stopped by police. This became an even bigger issue as her house-cleaning business grew and shed have to drive up to 50 miles a day.

In 2013, Aceves lobbied hard for the passage of the drivers license bill, calling lawmakers and making her case in the halls of power. When it became law, she was ecstatic. She helped organize a weekly study group so prospective drivers could take practice tests and ask questions.

On a recent Saturday, Aceves and her husband were in Sacramento visiting their 25-year-old daughter Sahmed, who is getting married in the fall and needed to find a wedding dress.

Before her mom had a license, Sahmed said, she would never have driven to Sacramento alone.

I found my dress, and then the bridesmaids got their dresses, Sahmed said. It was a perfect day.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com

@boreskes

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Cecilia Alvear, a longtime television journalist and former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists who crusaded for greater opportunities for young Latino journalists throughout her career, died Friday at her home in Santa Monica after battling breast cancer. She was 77.

Alvear had bounced around local Los Angeles news stations until 1982, when NBC hired her to run its Mexico City bureau. She remained at the network until her retirement in 2007.

During that time Alvear covered wars and revolutions in El Salvador and Nicaragua, and produced multiple interviews with Cuban President Fidel Castro, said George Lewis, her partner of 23 years.

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She would go into war zones and she would always insist on being with the camera crews because she felt that if she was sending those guys into danger she needed to share that with them, Lewis said. So she was always right close to the action.

Alvear broke into journalism in the 1970s in an era when women had difficulty landing hard-news assignments. Often, she was the first or only Latina or woman in the newsroom.

When she went to KNBC, someone was holding a beauty contest for the women in the department where she worked and the women decided to rebel,  Lewis said. And Cecilia was part of that rebellion.

When she did push for equality, Alvear was never strident, instead employing a more low-key approach, slowly working to change peoples minds and open doors for women and minorities, said Lewis, who met Alvear when he was working for NBC in Los Angeles.

She was a relentless campaigner for more diversity in newsrooms, Lewis said. Later in life, as her prominence grew, she pushed for scholarships and training programs for young journalists, particularly young Latino journalists.

Anne-Marie OConnor, a former L.A. Times reporter who, along with Alvear, covered many Latin countries in the revolutionary era of the 1980s. She called Alvear a true pioneer as a professional woman in journalism.

I met Cecilia in 1982 when she was sent, as an NBC producer at the height of the Cold War, to run the war coverage of NBC in Latin America, OConnor said. At the time it was rare to even meet a female producer, much less an Ecuadorian-born Latina who spoke English with an accent. Cecilia broke the mold.

Alvear was born on the island of San Cristobal in the Galapagos on Nov. 5, 1939, and though her family moved to Ecuadors mainland when she was 3, Alvear maintained a close connection to the islands. Her father had been a governor, and she was treated as something of a celebrity when she returned, Lewis said.

She would often return to visit the elementary school her father had established, hauling computers to the classrooms. Lewis said Alvear later established a computer lab at the school.

The second of five sisters, Alvear came to the U.S. in 1965, green card in hand, ready to make a fortune, Lewis said. Instead she found work in a congressmans office until he became a production assistant at NBC in 1971.

She never earned a college degree, but completed a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University from 1988 to 1989.

Alvear was on assignment in Mexico in 1994 when she got a call from her doctor, urging her to return as soon as possible, she said in a 2010 interview for ThinkCure, a nonprofit that raises money for cancer research. When she got back to the states, she learned she had breast cancer.

Alvear asked to pursue the most aggressive course of treatment available. They take out your own stem cells, they subject you to heavy doses of chemo and then they reinfuse the stem cells, she said in the 2010 interview.

I had been reading that one of the things that help people stand these challenges is love and the support of friends and family, and I certainly had that, she said

Her co-workers held blood drives for her, she said. We just have to keep going and trying to find a cure, she said.

Alvears cancer had been in remission for 18 years, but returned in 2012, Lewis said.

She died in her home while in hospice care. She is survived by Lewis; four sisters, Alexandra, Magdalena, Montserrat and Rocio, and two half-brothers, Eduardo and Alfredo.

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.

UPDATES:

6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Anne-Marie OConnor.

This article was originally published at 4:45 p.m.
Books on police shootings of black men, the history of the plummeting numbers of Californias Native Americans and the tale of how Adolf Hitler led the Nazi party to power were among the honorees of the 37th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes.

The awards were presented Friday night at USC, hosted by comedian Tig Notaro, just before the opening of the two-day L.A. Times Festival of Books, which will bring together more than 400 authors speaking at events on Saturday and Sunday.

Among the honorees was first-time author Wesley Lowery, who won the Christopher Isherwood prize for autobiographical prose.

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Updates from the L.A. Times Festival of Books 

As a reporter for the Washington Post, Lowery wrote about the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and subsequent shootings of black men by police across the country and the protests known as the Black Lives Matter movement that followed. Lowery was previously a reporter for the Los Angeles Times.

A Times review said his book, They Cant Kill Us All, read like an anatomy of a national uprising in the wake of extraordinary black pain  a forced reconciliation with an already deep distrust of the police by black America and a justice system that is meant to protect and serve us all.

In the moment we live in now, its important to remember a saying I picked up from one of the young people I write about in this book, Lowery said Friday night. He says, very often, that to tell the truth in public is an act of protest.

The 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Svetlana Alexievich, won for her latest book, Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets, recounting what ordinary men and women went through during the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of a new Russia.

Two honorees delved into dark moments of history. Volker Ullrichs Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939 covers how the Nazi leader was able to use a combination of political savvy and ruthlessness to come to power. Benjamin Madleys An American Genocide tells the story of how Californias native population plunged from 150,000 to 30,000 within a generation of the Gold Rush, and who did the killing.

Other winners delved into journeys of discovery.

For young adult literature, The Lie Tree, by Frances Hardinge, told the tale of a young woman unable to resist investigating her scientist fathers slaying. In the mystery/thriller category, the award went to Bill Beverlys Dodgers, a coming-of-age fictional story of a young L.A. gang member sent by his uncle to kill a witness hiding in Wisconsin.

Its wonderful to be back in this city, Beverly said. Its the city I dreamed of when I was a kid, despite my parents telling me  or maybe because of my parents telling me  that it was full of crazy people.

Nathan Hill won the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction for The Nix, about a college professor who uncovers buried family secrets when his mother, who abandoned her family when he was a boy, is accused of committing an absurd crime.

This is the first acceptance speech Ive given for anything, Hill said. He thanked the Book Awards for bringing him to California while its still part of the country, and his wife, who spent a decade reading his novel in the order he wrote it, a few pages at a time.

Adam Hasletts novel, Imagine Me Gone, was honored in the fiction category, telling the story of what happens when a woman must decide between marrying a man she discovers suffers from depression or leaving him  and how far someone will go to save a family member. Imagine Me Gone was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

And honored in the science and technology category was Patient H.M., in which author Luke Dittrich investigates the past of his grandfather, described as a brilliant yet morally complex surgeon who conducted relentless experimentation, and performed a radical new version of the lobotomy that left a 27-year-old factory worker, Henry Molaison, unable to create long-term memories.

In his opening remarks, Times Editor and Publisher Davan Maharaj said the responsibility of writers is to be relentless, expose hypocrisy, speak truth to power and to capture in our prose and poetry the state of the world.

Let us be brazen in our expression, forthright and assured, for one day, our work will be judged, Maharaj said. There will be a time when future generations look to us for inspiration.

The list of winners:

Christopher Isherwood prize for Autobiographical Prose: Wesley Lowery, They Cant Kill Us All

Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction: Nathan Hill, The Nix

Current Interest: Svetlana Alexievich, Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets

Mystery/Thriller: Bill Beverly, Dodgers

Poetry: Rosmarie Waldrop, Gap Gardening: Selected Poems

Robert Kirsch Award for Lifetime Achievement: Thomas McGuane, whose books include The Sporting Club, Ninety-Two in the Shade and Driving on the Rim

Biography: Volker Ullrich, Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939

History: Benjamin Madley, An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873

Young Adult Literature: Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree

Graphic Novel/Comics: Nick Drnaso, Beverly

Science & Technology: Luke Dittrich for Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets

Fiction: Adam Haslett, Imagine Me Gone

Innovators Award: Rueben Martinez

ron.lin@latimes.com

@ronlin

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Prosecutors in the Inland Empire say a federal prison guard has pleaded guilty to kicking a handcuffed inmate in the head and lying about it.

Cynthia Flores, 34, was convicted Friday in Riverside.

Federal prosecutors say Flores worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was supervising inmates at a womens prison camp in Victorville in June 2013 when she initiated a physical altercation with an inmate.

Another jail guard handcuffed the woman, and Flores kicked her in the head, prosecutors say.

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Prosecutors say Flores lied and said the inmate had attacked her, and failed to disclose that she used any force.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors recommended Flores serve no more than 18 months behind bars.

Flores attorney did not immediately respond Friday afternoon to a request for comment.
A San Diego County Superior Court judge violated ethics rules when he made remarks to lawyers and litigants about their appearance and ethnicity in his first years on the bench, a special panel of judges concluded in a report released Friday.

In the 90-page report, a three-judge panel appointed by the state Commission on Judicial Performance said Judge Gary Kreep committed willful misconduct, prejudicial misconduct and improper actions.

But the panel disagreed with commission lawyers who had brought ethics charges against the one-time conservative legal activist that his comments to some women amounted to sexual harassment.

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They also credited him with changing his behavior after complaints from some lawyers in the San Diego city attorneys office and warnings from top administrators on the Superior Court bench.

Yet the panel also rejected Kreeps contention in his formal written response to the charges that the complaints against him were the product of a harassment and intimidation campaign because of his right-leaning political history.

Kreep was elected to the bench in 2012 in an upset win. He had built a lengthy legal career in part by taking on conservative legal causes, including filing birther lawsuits challenging President Obamas legitimacy by contending he was not a U.S. citizen.

Although Kreeps lawyer did not press the harassment argument in the eight-day hearing on the charges in February, the panel wrote there was little support for it in any event.

To the extent he was referring to the complaints of inappropriate behavior, our report validates most (but not all) of the complaints, the report said.

And the judges said that Kreep was tone deaf to how some of his comments could offend people and did not move quickly enough to correct them.

Although he worked diligently on his assigned cases, participated in judicial education opportunities, and volunteered for community outreach, he nevertheless delegated, delayed or ignored some of his most pressing ethical responsibilities, the report said. He had a sincere desire to connect with people and to help them in the courtroom, but his approach was improper for a judicial officer.

The report now goes to the 11-member Commission on Judicial Performance, which will decide whether to adopt the findings and conclusions of the three-judge panel. The commission then will decide what discipline may be warranted.

That can range from a private letter of advice or admonishment to public censure or, in rare cases, removal from the bench.

Kreep declined to comment on the report. His lawyer, James Murphy, did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.

The accusations the commission brought against Kreep included that he made misrepresentations on his campaign website in 2012, violated campaign finance and disclosure rules, and campaigned against Obamas 2012 reelection while running for judge by signing three fundraising letters as the head of the U.S. Justice Foundation, a legal group he founded.

Judicial ethics rules  or canons  prohibit judges and judicial candidates from endorsing or opposing candidates for office.

Kreep had already settled a complaint with the state Fair Political Practices Commission over those charges, but that did not make him ineligible for judicial discipline.

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
A Navy SEAL stationed in San Diego filmed himself molesting a sleeping girl, raped a woman in Virginia and kept a stash of child porn on his cellphone that included footage involving an infant having sex with a dog, according to allegations unsealed in federal court in Virginia Beach, Va.

Arrested in San Diego by federal marshals more than two weeks ago, SEAL Team One Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Kyle Seerden, 31, faces felony child pornography and child sex assault charges in Virginia following an investigation by Naval Criminal Investigative Services Norfolk field office.

Agents investigating the reported rape of an unconscious Virginia woman uncovered the child sex crimes.

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Identified as Jane Doe in court documents, the woman accused Seerden of raping her Jan. 27 after she blacked out after drinking with Seerden in his hotel room aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek  Fort Story, where he was on a temporary assignment.

Its unclear where the assault took place, officials say. Court documents indicate that the family did not live in Virginia. The Navy lists Seerdens home of record in Missouri. He enlisted in 2005. Court records show that federal magistrate William V. Gallo in San Diego held a detention hearing for Seerden on April 13, the same day an extradition warrant was issued. More detailed documents remain sealed by court order. Seerdens criminal defense attorney, Gerard Jeffrey Wasson, has not returned a call placed Friday morning seeking comment. If convicted, the mandatory minimum sentence for the charges is 15 years in prison. Petty Officer First Class Seerden is an active-duty service member assigned to a Naval Special Warfare unit. NSW is cooperating with the investigative authorities, said Lt. Zachary Keating, spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group One. When asked whether Navy commanders were administratively moving to strip Seerden of his coveted trident insignia and the honor of being called a SEAL, Keating declined comment. Along with scrapping a SEALs security clearance, thats a step special warfare commanders often take because it is not considered a form of punishment under military law. In disclosure forms Seerden filed in federal court, the SEAL claimed to be divorced and without children. He said he earns $6,000 per month in the Navy, has $10,000 in the bank, owns both a car and a motorcycle and took a $20,000 stake in a silver investment. The Navy has been marred by other criminal scandals of late. On March 24, a military judge found Chief Special Warfare Operator Stephen Varanko III guilty of sexual harassment and battery stemming from an adulterous relationship. He was a SEAL assigned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek  Fort Story. Navy SEAL Petty Officer Second Class Theo Andrew Krah was arrested June 15 in connection with the beating and stabbing death of a man following an altercation on the Santa Monica Pier. Krah was stationed in San Diego.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

Prine writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune

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A 15-year-old Tennessee student who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning, her attorney said.

The girl is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma, lawyer Jason Whatley said in a statement Friday.

He said the girl is in a safe location with friends and family and is now resting.

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Authorities credit the caretaker of a remote property in far Northern California with helping police find her and arrest her alleged abductor, fired teacher Tad Cummins. After Griffin Barry became suspicious of two people he initially thought were in distress, his tip led police to the teacher accused of kidnapping the girl and taking her on a 2,500-mile cross-country journey.

Authorities had been hunting for Cummins on allegations of sexual conduct with a minor and kidnapping.

Barry said the pair told him their names were John and Joanna and they needed money for food, gas and a place to stay, ABCs News Good Morning America reported Friday. But Barry, 29, said he became suspicious when the older man tried to keep the teen away.

The girl wasnt really looking at me or anything and he was always dominating the conversation. That kind of clues people in, Barry said.

After seeing a photo of Cummins in an Amber Alert, Barry said he made the connection and called authorities.

The Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office sent a tactical unit to the cabin Thursday morning. Cummins was arrested after he came out the cabin with the girl walking behind him, the sheriffs office said.

Cummins was cooperative with law enforcement, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon E. Lopey told the Associated Press. He said the girl was at times laughing, crying and acting stoic after police found her at the remote cabin.

These two had a relationship to the extent where she didnt exhibit any anger toward him. I didnt observe any emotional distress, he said. She didnt act like a rescued person would act, showing no signs of elation, he said. She appeared fine physically, Lopey said, and there were no signs of trauma.

In the cabin, he said, was a single sleeping pad and clothing along with the two loaded guns  a 9-millimeter and a .380-caliber compact pistol.

Lopey said the two had previously been at a commune called Black Bear Ranch, but didnt get along with commune residents and ended up leaving. The sheriff said the two had stopped in Berkeley first and thats how they found out about the commune.

Although the girl was identified in some earlier reports, the Los Angeles Times is not naming her or her family members because she is the alleged victim of a sex crime.

Cummins faces federal and state charges.

Before leaving with the girl, Cummins had been suspended from teaching and police were zeroing in on him, questioning his relationship with the girl.

Cummins was fired about a month after being suspended  a day after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert about the teen.

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Born almost dirt-poor in Russias Far East, Roman Valerevich Seleznev still turned himself into a multi-millionaire by being one of the best in his field. That field, however, was stealing and selling credit card data.

On Friday, in a Seattle federal courtroom, before a judge sentenced Seleznev to 27 years in prison, his attorney and prosecutors recounted his remarkable rise  and fall.

His entire life was a series of tragic events, said his New York attorney, Igor Litvak.

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Seleznevs parents divorced when he was 2, and he and his mother lived in small Vladivostok apartment with four other families. His mother died of alcohol poisoning when he was 17.

As a teen he began to make money by hacking computers, but got robbed and tortured by home invaders. When attempting to reunite with his father in Morocco in 2011, a portion of Seleznevs skull was blown off in a Marrakesh terrorist bombing in which 20 others died.

He went on to become what investigators and prosecutors described as perhaps the most successful hacker theyve encountered, which may explain the stocky, lightly bearded Russians often amused smile.

As prosecutors put it in charging papers after his arrest, Seleznev became one of the most revered point-of-sale hackers in the criminal underworld  a market maker whose automated vending sites and tutorials helped grow the market for stolen card data.

Prosecutors added: This prosecution is unprecedented. Never before has a criminal engaged in computer fraud of this magnitude been identified, captured, and convicted by an American jury.

That happened here in August when Seleznev was convicted of 38 counts of stealing and selling credit card data. Prosecutors said he operated a Russian server that he used to install malware on point-of-sale computer systems. The malware would copy the card data and send it to other Seleznev servers in Ukraine and McLean, Va.

Seleznev ultimately confessed and apologized, and his attorney argued that he had cooperated with prosecutors to provide valuable information and names regarding global cyberthefts. But prosecutors said his help was not useful to their investigation; the Justice Department clearly felt it had made a big dent in Russian cyberhacking. In court, a prosecutor described Seleznev as a Tony Soprano-style mob boss.

Igor Litvak, attorney for Russian hacker Roman Seleznev, says Seleznevs life has been a series of tragedies. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

His arrest came July 5, 2014, as he was heading back to Russia after a vacation. He, his girlfriend and their child were passing through security at Male International Airport in the Maldives, which has no extradition treaty with the U.S.

Seleznev was asked to step out of the line and then handed off to U.S. agents, whod been tracking his faint trail for almost a decade. He was quickly flown to Guam for a hearing. Four flights later, detoured by a hurricane and slowed by two planes with mechanical trouble, he landed in Seattle.

The Russian government was irate. Officials, including Seleznevs father, Valery, a member of Russias lower house of parliament and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, likened the arrest to the extraordinary rendition flights that have been used by the U.S. to kidnap and transport suspected terrorists to black sites  secret prisons  overseas.

FBI Director James B. Comey calls such takedowns legal tactics in the war against computer thieves. Its too easy for those criminals to think that I can sit in my basement halfway around the world and steal everything that matters to an American, he told 60 Minutes. We want them looking over their shoulders when theyre sitting at a keyboard.

The U.S. also legally eavesdrops on prison conversations, as Seleznev and his father found out after an international phone call last August. Speaking in Russian, Seleznevs father asked, What can we discuss, your escape plan or what?

They went on to chat about tampering with a witness and delaying a hearing by staging a medical emergency, according to prosecutors and a transcript of the call.

His father said he had found some magicians who were ready to create a miracle leading to a fake illness and his sons hospitalization. But with the feds tipped off, the plan never took off.

To carry out his crimes, Seleznev used the aliases Track2 and Bulba, and created automated vending websites where criminals could obtain stolen data, investigators determined.

The data was sold and resold through the underworld. Testimony at Seleznevs trial revealed that 3,700 financial institutions lost more than $169 million from the scheme, though officials speculated it could be billions. Seleznev, the onetime needy kid from Vladivostok, made millions.

In just two years of reaching across the seas to electronically break into banks, restaurants and credit card companies, he made $17 million, investigators said.

He scored tens of millions more in his nearly 25 years of hacking, they figured, but could not trace all his sales and income. He owned two properties in Bali and regularly jetted back and forth to Russia. He bought American muscle cars and took lavish vacations, prosecutors said.

American Express, MasterCard and Visa alone say his electronic entries resulted in a collective loss of at least $35 million. But Seleznev sought the little fish, too. Among the 2 million credit card numbers downloaded and then sold on the black market through Seleznevs operation in recent years, many were obtained by cyberattacks at small businesses including bakeries and dozens of West Cost pizza parlors from Los Angeles to Seattle.

Seleznevs legal problems are not over. The U.S. is seeking forfeiture of $17 million of his assets. He faces racketeering and conspiracy charges for his alleged cyberheists in Nevada, and is charged in Georgia with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and four counts of wire fraud.

Before his sentencing Friday, Seleznev sent a letter to the court, seeking compassion and recalling his childhood: Most of the time I was home alone and work hard. I learn myself about computer technology. I have great skill at young age and it was clear I could do great things with my life.

Times change, said Seattle U.S. Atty. Annette L. Hayes. Today is a bad day for hackers around the world, she noted. The notion that the internet is a Wild West where anything goes is a thing of the past.

Anderson is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

8:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with more information about Ramon Valerevich Seleznevs criminal history and quotes from Igor Litvak and Annette L. Hayes.

This article was originally published at 4:25 p.m.
Voters in France go to the polls Sunday in the first round of balloting for their next president, a choice not only between candidates but between visions of the nations future. The outcome obviously will matter to France, but its also vital to the rest of Europe and to the United States.

Will France remain part of a united Europe  or will it pull back into itself, dealing a terrible blow along the way to the European Union? Will public disgust with acts of terrorism  most recently Thursdays deadly attack on police on the Champs-Elysees  secure the presidency for Marine Le Pen, the leader of the repugnant National Front party who has denounced Islamist globalization and who has called for limiting immigration to no more than 10,000 people a year?

Le Pen, the daughter of the racist, anti-Semitic right-wing figure Jean-Marie Le Pen, is one of five major candidates for president and hopes to ride the same populist and nationalist wave that produced the Brexit vote in Britain and the election of President Trump in the United States. She tells crowds that the French have been dispossessed of their patriotism. They are suffering in silence from not being allowed to love their country. (Its not that different from: Make France Great Again.)

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The outcome obviously will matter to France, but its also vital to the rest of Europe and to the United States.

The other candidates are Emmanuel Macron, a centrist former investment banker who served as economy minister for President Francois Hollande; Benoit Hamon, a socialist and former education minister; leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon of the France Unbowed movement; and Francois Fillon, a conservative former prime minister who was once a front-runner but who was formally charged last month with having arranged taxpayer-funded jobs for his wife and two of his children that they never performed.

If, as seems certain, no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote on Sunday, the top two finishers will compete in a runoff May 7. Its possible that the runoff will feature a contest between candidates of the extreme right and the extreme left  Le Pen and Melenchon, who nevertheless share an aversion to the European Union of which France is a cornerstone.

Although Le Pen has pledged to renegotiate the terms of Frances membership in the EU and insists she doesnt want chaos, its clear that her idea of European unity bears no resemblance to the current union. The EU  an audacious experiment to build a politically and economically integrated Europe after World War II  already has been shaken by the decision of British voters last year to withdraw from the union. But Britain was never as central to the EU as France was; Britain retained its own currency, for example, and never adopted the euro. France is a linchpin of the EU; its departure likely would wreck the union.

Melenchon, the leftist candidate who is running on an anti-austerity platform, regards the EU as a bastion of neoliberal economics and would have France remain in the union only if a democratic reconstruction of European treaties were negotiated. Hamon advocates changes in EU monetary policy and more democratic accountability. Fillon supports the EU, but objects to the unions policy of free movement across the borders of member nations. Of all the major candidates, Macron is the most enthusiastic about Frances role in the EU. He has said that we need Europe because Europe makes us bigger, because Europe makes us stronger.

The outcome of the French election also has grave implications for the United States. President Obama was correct when he said, in the aftermath of Brexit, that the EU has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond and that the EU has been an indispensable partner of the U.S.

The collapse of the EU would be a victory for the far right, a threat to peace in Europe, a catastrophe for desperate immigrants, and a repudiation of liberalism, integration and cooperation in favor of narrow-minded nationalism.

Asked recently about a Le Pen victory, Trump said merely that hed never met her, adding: Its going to be a very interesting election.

Interesting is an understatement. This is a crucial election, for France, for Europe and for the United States. We hope that, this time anyway, voters reject the politics of fear, division and nationalism.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
Ex-Fox News host Bill OReilly will reportedly earn $25 million after being fired Wednesday amid revelations that he or his employer paid out millions to keep multiple sexual harassment accusations against him under wraps.

But thats not the only good news for OReilly, according to several Times letter writers: If President Trumps victory is any indication, they say, the politically incorrect-and-proud commentator, who insists he has done nothing wrong and is merely an easy target for would-be accusers, may have a future in government.

Here is some pep talk for OReilly from our letter writers, along with other remarks on the hosts exit.

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Albert Obregon of Sunland echoes several other letter writers by encouraging OReilly to set his sights high:

Now that OReilly is out of a job, he should seriously consider running for president. With his fame and fortune and an extensive history of sexual harassment accusations against him, by todays standards OReilly is highly qualified for the job.

OReilly has made bigoted statements about minorities. He is obviously ready to occupy the Oval Office.  Albert Obregon, Sunland

President Trump, OReillys friend and supporter, has proudly stated his own manner with women, as captured by a recording from 2005: When youre a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab em by the....

Also like Trump, OReilly has made bigoted statements about minorities. He is obviously ready to occupy the Oval Office after the current president.

Culver City resident Herb Schiff notes that OReilly has company:

OReilly, ex-Fox News chief Roger Ailes and former Today Show host Billy Bush, who was talking with Trump in the 2005 recording, all get the boot, and Trump gets the presidency. What a country.

Ted Lux of Playa del Rey comments on OReillys earnings:

OReilly gets fired for alleged sexual harassment and is set to receive $25 million on his way out. Seems fair and right to me.

I wonder what homeless people think.

Big Bear City resident Dan Dreblow offers the perspective of a Fox News viewer:

Now that OReilly has apparently joined the likes of President Clinton and Tiger Woods, we can all react with disgust.

The good news is that Tucker Carlson will move into OReillys former time slot on Fox News. Carlson is a man that never raises his voice and is extremely knowledgeable and gives compelling arguments.

I congratulate Fox News for taking decisive action, but I would have been more impressed if this action would have been taken without the pressure that resulted from a New York Times report on payouts to OReillys accusers.

Regardless, I will continue to be a loyal Fox News viewer.

Dan Kimber of Montrose thanks a higher power:

OReilly has been fired from Fox News despite a ringing endorsement from the alleged groper in chief, who said his friend probably did nothing wrong and should not have settled with his accusers.

There is a God.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro  who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents  Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook

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Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place  including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta  protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown  tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants  known as Dreamers  who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats  joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies  were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook

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Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one  a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast  the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history  the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many  if any  of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values  not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook

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Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook

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Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook

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Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis  but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook

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Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook

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Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday.  Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance  you know, some of them called it a performance  I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook

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Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018  This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18



On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who  the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook

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Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook

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Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book  Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week  served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it  theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election  and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook

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In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017  the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook

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Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook

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Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook

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Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook

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Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children  a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook

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Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook

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After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook

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Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook

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Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook

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Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series  attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with  was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage  sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.  reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters  just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control  a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side  to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook

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Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size  were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost
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.


Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 4:11 p.m. Final thoughts from this reporter... After the official marching part of the March for Science was over, some attendees headed over to the science expo at Pershing Square, which was kind of like a big science fair. The event was scheduled to go until 4 p.m., but by 2:45 p.m. most of the people running the booths were feeling pretty done. It was hot out there! Along the way, I met some Caltech graduate students teaching kids how to make solar panels with sunscreen and blackberries: the blackberry juice absorbs sunlight, while the titanium dioxide in the sunscreen converts the suns photons to electrons. Then, I almost stepped over Artur Prejna, a clinical lab technician who spent the day letting people sign his lab coat, because he was slumped against a wall. It was clearly time for this science reporter to head home. But, what did I learn? Mostly, that scientists trust in the scientific method and the peer review process, and they think you should too. Science has helped us combat so many of humanitys greatest threats, and it holds the promise of helping us even more in the fight against cancer, Alzheimers and climate change. Also, having a solid working knowledge of the periodic table is a major plus when making signs. READ THE FULL STORY >



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April 22, 2017, 2:38 p.m. Deer head prop turns, er, heads at the march (Javier Panzar / Los Angeles Times) There were several eccentric costumes at Saturdays march. But few props turned heads quite like Mike Glorias deer head. He found the cervine specimen at an estate sale in Hollywood a couple of weeks back with no intent of it becoming a political prop. But when the retired 58-year-old electrician saw the science march was approaching, he figured that he had found the perfect place to bring it. This is what happens if we defund science, he said walking across 1st Street toward City Hall. Animals die off. Gloria carefully weaved between protesters making sure that an errant antler didnt take out a strangers eye. This is about science, right? he said. Well, science and the wilderness are connected. Just love animals.



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April 22, 2017, 2:11 p.m. Heres what Earth Day looked like in Los Angeles in 1970 (George Fry / Los Angeles Times) Designed as an environmental teach-in day, 20 million Americans participated in the original Earth Day  with events in numerous communities and on school campuses. This photo, by retired Los Angeles Times photographer George Fry, accompanied a story by Times writer Ed Meagher that reported: Earth Day was marked in Los Angeles Wednesday by a host of antipollution programs and a notable absence of smog. As the Air Pollution Control District reported barely marginal smog readings, thousands of Southland students and their elders heaped abuse upon all forms of environmental pollution. They deployed it in speeches, exhibits, demonstrations and stunts on high school and college campuses.  Read more



National

April 22, 2017, 1:45 p.m. Op-Ed: Trumps anti-science budget will be a disaster for the nations bottom line (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) In its approach to scientific research, President Trumps budget can be accurately described as a mugging. Ive watched this happen before, up-close and personal. It does not end well. In 1979, President Carter set an ambitious but achievable goal to get 20% of the nations energy from renewable sources by the year 2000. I then headed the federal Solar Energy Research Institute, which spearheaded the Manhattan Project to Harness the Sun. In the late 1970s, the United States had more PhDs in the solar field, filed more solar patents and made more commercial solar modules than the rest of the world combined. In its first year, the Reagan administration slashed the solar institutes staff by 40%, reduced its budget by 80% and abruptly terminated all of its 1,000-plus university research contracts (including shutting down work by two professors who later won Nobel Prizes). The firings were so wantonly brutal that many of the researchers were driven into other fields. The consequences have been huge. In 2016, solar energy was the United States largest source of new electricity-generating capacity, contributing roughly 40% of the total from all sources. The U.S. solar industry now employs 260,000 people, more than three times as many workers as the coal industry. Most of them install and maintain photovoltaic panels that convert free, nonpolluting sunlight into power. But nearly all the solar modules these workers install are being developed and manufactured abroad. The U.S. makes just 5% of the worlds solar panels. The U.S. ought to own the solar electric industry. By rights, we ought to be exporting solar technology, not importing it. Our second-tier status, in a field that we once absolutely dominated, is a direct consequence of budget decisions made by President Reagans Office of Management and Budget, and a go-along Congress. Adjusted for inflation, the budget of the solar institute (since renamed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory) did not recover to its 1979 level until 2008. Science research cant be revved up and down like an engine and succeed. If you pull the funding out from under a field of inquiry, it will stall and fall behind at best. Now the Trump science budget proposes to make Reagans mistake all over again, across many more fields. Denis Hayes, president and chief executive of the Bullitt Foundation, was the convener of the first Earth Day. Read more

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April 22, 2017, 1:31 p.m. Coffee bar and the shave ice man: Some only-in-L.A. moments at the march And they all, strangely enough, involve food.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 1:14 p.m. A nearly naked Trump shows up at the March for Science We see you.



National

April 22, 2017, 1:09 p.m. Washington

Meanwhile in Washington ...

Scientists and their supporters took to the streets of Washington and other cities around the world Saturday, with many expressing worries about a diminishing role for fact-based research under the Trump administration. Waving signs with slogans like Science is Real and Ask for Evidence! the marchers gathered at the base of the Washington Monument. The crowd swelled by the thousands even as a light rain turned to a downpour. Organizers encouraged participants to wear work gear such as their lab coats, or to dress as a science hero. Nancy Davis of Baltimore came wearing Revolutionary War-era regalia as Benjamin Franklin. She said her chemist sister approved of the tribute to the Founding Father and part-time electricity experimenter. Marcher Jeanne Walton an eighth-grade science teacher in York, Pa., said she worried about the effects of some current political rhetoric on her young students. Im watching science being denied and undermined, said Walton, who was marching with her son, Trey, a mechanical engineering major at Temple University in Philadelphia. Were replacing facts with propaganda. Read more



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 12:53 p.m. Fake or real scientists: A few of each show up at the march Kimberly Prado, left, and Morgan Hatch donned the lab coats they wear to work for the L.A. March for Science. (Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times) Spend a few minutes taking in the crowd at the March for Science L.A. and a few trends emerge. There are a lot of planetary models, a lot of signs that say Im with Her pointing to Mother Earth, and a whole lot of white coats. Im a sucker for tools of the trade (after 18 years working as a journalist I still cant believe I get to carry around a reporters pad for work  so official!), so I wanted to know if the white coats were real. As it turned out, most of them were. Mark Schweikart and wife Maddy St. Michael. (Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times) Morgan Hatch, 28, of Long Beach wears his for his job working for a biosensor company. Kimberly Prado wears hers when she works in the hematology lab of the college she attends. And those doctors for social justice  theyve earned theirs. But, there were a few fakers in the crowd too. Mark Schweikart, shown at right with his wife, Maddy St. Michael, works for a company that makes telescope accessories. But the white coat was more than a prop  it was a show of solidarity with scientists.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 12:24 p.m. Can you guess what this sign means? If not, dont feel bad. No one here at the march could figure it out either. But I asked. Turns out, its hexadecimal code for RESIST. Right on, nerds!



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 12:14 p.m. Spotted: Polar bear dragging his own melting ice (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) And Kathy Griffin turns up the heat with her simple, but to-the-point sign. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Follow me on Twitter @GenaroMolina47 for more scenes from the march.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 11:47 a.m. Trump supporters are out too, but marchers are ignoring them Overheard at the march: Keep going. Dont pay any attention to them. About two dozen Trump supporters gathered in front of the L.A. Police Department, across the street from City Hall, to voice their support for the president. Many waved American flags and held up signs that read, Put America First and Stop Your Hate. With several police officers standing between the two groups, the Trump supporters chanted, U-S-A, U-S-A! as the marchers passed in front of them at the corner of 1st and Spring streets. But the two groups were mostly peaceful and police did not report any major problems or arrests.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 11:34 a.m. Two electric Hummers lead the L.A. March for Science On any other day, I guess this would be strange. (Javier Panzar / Los Angeles Times) But look at this crowd.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 11:13 a.m. The rally is done. And L.A. marchers are headed for City Hall (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) SEE MORE PHOTOS >



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 11:09 a.m. Rep. Brad Sherman and businessman Tom Steyer get the crowds pumped up

We as a species tried to go without science for 1,000 years. We called it the Dark Ages. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) There is a force in our land. There is a force coming out of Washington, D.C., called the Trump administration that is out to deny truth and bury science. Tom Steyer



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 10:49 a.m. When its at least 80 degrees outside at a march The National Weather Service predicts today will be sunny with a light wind and a high near 86 degrees.



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 10:40 a.m. Shes a Mexican American scientist, not a murderer, rapist or drug dealer. Today is her first march

She felt attacked by Trump: because her parents are immigrants from Mexico, because of Trumps comments about assaulting women, and because her research lab is funded in part by federal grants. Im outraged, Im upset. We need to be out here. Dr. Jeniffer Hernandez



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 10:31 a.m. Celebrity seismologist Lucy Jones: We march because reality matters

Below is an op-ed written by seismologist Lucy Jones. This is not a protest march. We march to proclaim what we believe is a fundamental tenet of human life: Reality matters. Science is not a set of facts or even techniques and procedures. Science is a process for understanding the nature of the world. Scientists begin from the assumption that there is an objective reality, independent of our hopes and desires. We try to understand the nature of that reality through observations and experiments. We get ideas and make models from those observations and from those models, make predictions of what will happen in the future. We test the predictions against reality to see if we are right. And then, because we know that the easiest person to fool is oneself, we take our research  our intellectual offspring, the prized result of our hard work  and put it in the hands of colleagues, or even a competitor, and ask them to tear it apart, find the flaws and tell us what we did wrong. RELATED: Lucy Jones is leaving her job - to shake up more than just earthquakes > The process doesnt always work  people make mistakes or actively commit fraud. But the system is set up to make it difficult to keep fraud going. Peer review can be so difficult emotionally that many new PhDs decide theyd rather pursue a career that doesnt involve research. This is an unfortunate downside of sciences effort to find out what is undeniably true. And society needs the truth. Read more



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 10:28 a.m. Here are some of the best signs at the march The organizers of todays March for Science in Los Angeles insisted that the event was nonpartisan. But it featured many of the trappings of a political march  signs, chants and speakers riling up the crowd. Here are just a few of the most interesting of those signs spotted in the crowd: These signs that bring in Star Wars references and give a shoutout to Albert Einstein. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) This sign, made by Melissa Arredondo, a PhD student who is just trying to feed herself. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) This sign for cat-lovers that bluntly offers a few words of advice. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) This sign that offers up some elemental suggestions for making America great again. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) This sign as told from a four-legged point of view. (David McNew / For the Times) This sign using one of Trumps favorite sayings. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) And this sign stating the obvious. (David McNew / For the Times) MORE PHOTOS >



Los Angeles

April 22, 2017, 10:20 a.m. Why even the introverts are outside with people today (Javier Panzar / Los Angeles Times) Daniel Blackburn, a software engineer from Irvine, said he is worried the U.S. under President Trump will fall behind on combating climate change through research or policy. We are losing out on valuable time we need to actually take action. Daniel Blackburn, science marcher Blackburn is channeling his newfound activism into local politics. He said he has been calling his local Congresswoman, Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine), repeatedly, but he hasnt gotten past interns or voicemail. Walters is one of seven congressional Republicans in California who represent districts that Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and that Democrats are targeting for defeat in 2018. Blackburn is keeping a close eye on that race. There is a lot of anger at her, he said.
A proposed bill introduced by State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) that would require California secondary schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. passed its first legislative hurdle.

The Senate Education Committee passed SB 328 on Wednesday.

In Glendale and Burbank, most middle and high schools begin the day at 8 a.m.

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Every school district around the country from every demographic and socioeconomic level that has moved teenage school start time later has seen a measurable, positive result for student achievement and student public health, Portantino said in a statement, adding that he was pleased the committee made its decision on this data and not rhetoric.

The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
A residential street next to the Golden State (5) Freeway in Burbank is being improved so the neighborhood will be safer and an adjacent soundwall will be less garish.

The City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to convert a 0.3-mile section of Leland Way from Broadway to the north into a one-way street, add two multiuse bicycle lanes and landscaping to the soundwall, which Caltrans built as part of a widening project on the 5 Freeway.

The estimated cost of the improvements is about $750,000 and will be paid for using Measure R funds provided by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to the citys senior city planner, Roy Choi.

The projects final design will be shown to residents sometime this fall, Choi said, adding that if they agree with the plans, construction should begin in spring 2018.

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City staff members have been working with residents in the neighborhood since 2014 to make improvements to Leland, where many residents complained about motorists drag racing. After the soundwall was built, residents expressed concerns about graffiti.

Choi said the city has about 37 feet of space to work with on Leland. Eight feet of the street next to houses will be used as a parking lane and the next 10 feet will be designated for driving.

There will be two 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes  one northbound and other southbound  installed that will be separated from the driving lane by a 2-foot buffer with collapsible pylons. Choi said the fire department requires there to be 20 feet of space on the street for emergency vehicles to use.

David Kriske, the citys assistant community development director of transportation, said that the bicycles would be mainly used by residents who live nearby and want a safe area to use with their children, whether it be for walking or riding a bike.

On the remaining 9 feet, there will be planters for trees, bushes and other foliage that will beautify the soundwall.

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Councilman David Gordon voted against the improvements, saying he had concerns about the slimmer-than-usual parking lane, and he feared that people getting out of their vehicles may be struck by oncoming traffic.

Additionally, Gordon said he did not like the idea of having bicyclists and pedestrians using the same lane. He suggested having a curb instead of bike lanes.

We have 10 feet of travel lanes against 8 feet of parking in a lot of places, Kriske said. This is not out of the ordinary for Burbank. It has the wonderful side effect, we think, that cars wont be able to go fast because [the lane] will be tight and [theyll travel] slower.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) recently honored two women with local ties as Women of the Year for 2017.

For many years, Burbank resident Karen Volpei-Gussow, a Realtor with Keller Williams World Media Center, has volunteered on numerous boards and special committees. She is currently on the boards of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, City of Burbank Heritage Commission, Burbank Arts for All, Burbank on Parade, Burbank Business Partners, and the Keller Williams Agent Leadership Council.

Volpei-Gussow serves on committees for the Providence St. Joseph Foundation Emergency Service Campaign, Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley, Burbank Temporary Aid Center and Family Service Agency of Burbank.

Her past community involvement includes ambassador chair for the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, docent at the Burbank Historical Societys Gordon R. Howard Museum and board member of both the Kids Community Dental Clinic and the Burbank Assn. of Realtors Community Service Foundation.

Volpei-Gussow was named Realtor of the Year by the Burbank Assn. of Realtors in 2012 and named Community Leader of the Year at the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valleys gala dinner in 2013.

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Betty Porto is co-owner of Portos Bakery & Cafe, which has locations in Burbank, Glendale, Downey and Buena Park.

The success of the Porto family stems from humble beginnings in Manzanillo, Cuba. After Fidel Castros violent revolution erupted in Cuba in the 1950s, Raul Sr. and his wife, Rosa, requested permission to leave the country. As they waited for approval, both Raul Sr. and Rosa were dismissed from their jobs.

To support their three children  Betty, Raul Jr. and Margarita  Rosa, a talented baker, refined her recipes and started selling her cakes to neighbors and friends.

The Porto familys request to leave the country was eventually approved, and they entered the United States in the early 1970s. Once here, they opened a bakery in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles that quickly flourished, and Betty Porto, in addition to her siblings, was there to lend a helping hand.

Betty Porto attended John Marshall High School in Los Angeles and simultaneously worked at the familys bakery.

Upon graduating from high school, Betty Porto earned a bachelors degree and a masters degree in political science from CSU Los Angeles, and UCLA, respectively.

She said her goal was to attend law school, but she changed her mind after spending time with her family at the bakery, and she said she wanted to support her parents, keeping in mind all the sacrifices they had made to give her a better life.

Over the years, Betty Porto and her siblings became increasingly involved in the community by supporting many organizations, including Glendale Healthy Kids, American Red Cross, Glendale police and fire departments, and the Alex Theatre.

For the past seven years, Betty Porto, a La Canada Flintridge resident, has been a supporter of Union Rescue Mission, donating the remaining food from Portos Bakery & Cafe at the end of each day.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam
As the Laguna Beach Police Department has faced an uptick in calls for service and in certain crimes the past two years, it has added staff and expanded crime prevention programs, officials say.

Police Chief Laura Farinella and several staff members spoke to about 50 people who attended a State of the Police Department address Thursday night at the Womans Club of Laguna Beach. The event, which Farinella hopes to present every two years, provided a look at the departments accomplishments and challenges in 2015 and 2016.

When Farinella submitted a three-year strategic plan for the department shortly after she was hired in 2015, one of the items at the top of her wish list was more staff.

In 2008, the department had 49 sworn officers and 36 civilian staff members. By 2016, the numbers had risen to 52 officers and 43 civilians, according to department data.

Laguna Beach, like other communities nearby, faced an uptick in crime in 2015-16.

Last year, Laguna saw an 18% rise in reports of violent crimes  homicide, rape, robbery and assault likely to cause serious injury. The increase was driven mostly by 12 rapes (an increase of four from the previous year) and 15 robberies (an increase of seven). Laguna has not had a homicide since 2012.

There has been a definite increase in our workload since 2014, Farinella said Thursday.

Farinellas strategic plan called for two police officers to fill a foot patrol dedicated to the citys downtown area, plus a jail supervisor and an additional dispatcher. Those positions have been added.

The number of aggravated assaults declined from 28 in 2015 to 25 last year, which the department attributes to adding more officers to patrol downtown on foot.

An additional community outreach officer was added to the ranks, as well as two full-time beach patrol officers to help combat an increase in calls for service at the beach. Those positions were paid for as part of Measure LL, which was passed by local voters in 2016, according to the department.

We have a year-round workload, which is driving our need for those additional full-time employees, Farinella said. We are continuously challenged with the best way to serve both the residential and visitor communities in unique and different ways.

Property crimes, which make up the majority of crimes committed in Laguna Beach, increased about 11% in 2016, driven by 82 burglaries (up by 23) and 436 thefts (an increase of 31).

In recent years, thieves have taken to smashing windows to get into businesses, police said. The department has reached out to business owners, reminding them to remove valuable items from their store windows when theyre closed.

Officials attributed a 21% reduction in drunk driving arrests from 2015 to 2016 to installing loading zones along Coast Highway for easy access to ride services and educating bar and restaurant patrons through the Know Your Limit campaign.

We cant arrest our way out of a situation, Farinella said. We need to educate.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Holding signs reading Justice 4 Whittier Law School, We want answers and Where is the money? dozens of Whittier Law School students rallied at Whittier College on Friday to protest college administrators decision to close the law school.

Our goal was to make sure our voices were heard and let the board of trustees know were not going to give up, first-year Whittier Law student Jamila Ha said. Were going to keep fighting because we believe in our school and we believe in our students.

Whittier Law, which was founded in 1966 and moved to Costa Mesa in 1997, is part of Whittier College in Whittier. Last week, the college board voted to stop accepting new students at the law school this fall. The plan is to cease operations once all current students have graduated.

Whittier College spokeswoman Ana Lilia Barraza said the college greeted the protesting students Friday and respects their right to hold a peaceful demonstration.

Our goal is to have more information for them soon as to next steps in this process, Barraza wrote in an email.

Many Whittier Law students first heard about the boards decision during an on-campus meeting Wednesday but came away frustrated at the lack of specifics, said Kristina Edrington, a third-year student and president of the schools Student Bar Assn.

The fact that they made the decision without a plan in place for the students that are going to remain is so unacceptable and so outrageous, she said Friday.

Whittier College President Sharon Herzberger said the top priority will be to help students complete their degrees. A plan addressing that will be developed in the next two months or so, according to college officials.

We realize how difficult this decision is and the impact it will have on people, some of whom have worked there for a long time, Herzberger said in an interview this week. Frankly, we know how difficult it is for students who chose this as their law school.

Earlier this week, some Whittier Law faculty members unsuccessfully sought a temporary restraining order in an effort to delay the boards decision.

The announcement happened in a very sudden, shocking and irresponsible way from the perspective of a lot of stakeholders, said Hanna Chandoo, a Whittier Law alumna and an attorney with Stris & Maher LLP.

Chandoo, one of the attorneys who filed for the restraining order, said she and others are still exploring potential legal options.

Interested and affected constituencies are looking to use the legal process and the legal system as a way to hold the college accountable for a decision that is entirely self-serving and, from the perspective of students and faculty, shameless in the way it was delivered, she said.

Whittier College officials declined to comment about the legal matters.

College officials have said the decision to close the school arose from concerns with how many students were graduating, passing the bar exam and finding employment in the legal profession.

In July 2015, 38% of Whittier Law graduates who took the California bar exam for the first time passed it, compared with a 59.7% rate for first-timers statewide.

About 30% of 2016 Whittier Law School graduates were hired in full-time, long-term attorney positions, according to preliminary data from the American Bar Assn.

In late January, Whittier College finalized an agreement to sell the law schools 14-acre campus at 3333 Harbor Blvd. for $35 million.

Whittier College has a lease for the land until June 2018 with the option of extending for two more years, according to Barraza.

She declined to identify who bought the land, and the Daily Pilot was unable to verify its new ownership.

Costa Mesa city spokesman Tony Dodero said Friday that the city hasnt yet been contacted about possible plans for the property.

In court documents, law school faculty members alleged that Whittier College netted nearly $13 million from the sale and pledged the money would be reinvested in the school.

Barraza said the decision to sell the property was not related to the decision to close the school.

We had all tried to be less emotional about it, but every single one of my professors cried.  Jamila Ha, a first-year Whittier Law student

Since the news broke of the planned closure, students at the school have struggled to cope, especially with finals around the corner, Edrington and Ha said.

We had all tried to be less emotional about it, but every single one of my professors cried, Ha said. I spent a lot of the day crying about it because its a terrible situation. The students are scared. The students dont know what to do.

Edrington said students are disheartened.

We have a beautiful facility, fantastic faculty, fantastic administrators, staff and students, and yet, when you walk through the doors you just dont know what the future holds for anyone thats standing there, she said. And that weighs really heavily on students.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) recently honored three women with local ties as Women of the Year for 2017.

Glendale resident Phyllis Kim, a court interpreter in Korean in Los Angeles, received a bachelors degree and interpretation and translation certificate from UCLA.

For years, Kim has been active with the Korean American Forum of California, which is dedicated to bringing attention and recognition to the comfort women of World War II. From 1932 until the end of World War II, more than 200,000 women and girls throughout Asia  many of them kidnapped, threatened or lured from their homes under false pretenses  were forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Armed Forces of Japan.

Kim continues to raise awareness about comfort women and also works toward receiving a formal recognition and an apology from Japan for its past war crimes of sexual slavery by its military, and to prevent wartime crimes against women as well as children.

Through the dedicated efforts of Kim and the Korean American Forum of California, a comfort-women statue was installed in Glendale.

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Lena Kortoshian of La Crescenta attended CSU Northridge, where she earned a bachelors degree in mathematics and a masters degree in leadership and policy studies.

Her career in education began in 1986, when she was working as an instructional assistant at an elementary school and a middle school in the Glendale Unified School District.

Since then, she has served in many capacities, including as a mathematics teacher at Glendale and Clark Magnet high schools, assistant principal of Herbert Hoover High School and a mathematics administrator at the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Kortoshian has also served as assistant principal and associate principal of Clark Magnet High School, and is currently the schools principal.

Kortoshian served as a volunteer math tutor with the Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools, a nonprofit organization that addresses both the educational and social needs of immigrant children in public schools, and she continues to tutor students after school.

She is also a member of the board of regents of Prelacy Armenian Schools, a board which is appointed by the Prelate and Executive Council of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

Over the years, Kortoshian has received recognition for her contributions to the community, such as the Armenian American Chamber of Commerces Friend of the Armenian Community Award.

Betty Porto is co-owner of Portos Bakery & Cafe, which has locations in Burbank, Glendale, Downey and Buena Park.

The success of the Porto family stems from humble beginnings in Manzanillo, Cuba. After Fidel Castros violent revolution erupted in Cuba in the 1950s, Raul Sr. and his wife, Rosa, requested permission to leave the country. As they waited for approval, both Raul Sr. and Rosa were dismissed from their jobs.

To support their three children  Betty, Raul Jr., and Margarita  Rosa, a talented baker, refined her recipes and started selling her cakes to neighbors and friends.

The Porto familys request to leave the country was eventually approved, and they entered the United States in the early 1970s. Once here, they opened a bakery in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles that quickly flourished, and Betty Porto, in addition to her siblings, was there to lend a helping hand.

Betty Porto attended John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, and simultaneously worked at the familys bakery.

Upon graduating from high school, Betty Porto earned a bachelors degree and a masters degree in political science from CSU Los Angeles, and UCLA, respectively.

She said her goal was to attend law school, but she changed her mind after spending time with her family at the bakery, and she said she wanted to support her parents, who had sacrificed so much for their children.

Over the years, Betty Porto and her siblings became increasingly involved in the community by supporting many organizations, including Glendale Healthy Kids, American Red Cross, Glendale police and fire departments, and the Alex Theatre.

For the past seven years, Betty Porto, a La Canada Flintridge resident, has been a supporter of Union Rescue Mission, donating the remaining food from Portos Bakery & Cafe at the end of each day.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam
Designed as an environmental teach-in day, 20 million Americans participated in the original Earth Day -- with events in numerous communities and on school campuses.

This photo, by retired Los Angeles Times photographer George Fry, accompanied a story by Times writer Ed Meagher that reported:

Earth Day was marked in Los Angeles Wednesday by a host of antipollution programs and a notable absence of smog.

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As the Air Pollution Control District reported barely marginal smog readings, thousands of Southland students and their elders heaped abuse upon all forms of environmental pollution.

They deployed it in speeches, exhibits, demonstrations and stunts on high school and college campuses.

Some 60 students at Miraleste High School in Palos Verdes observed Earth Day by arriving at school on horseback instead of driving their cars.

Daylong programs were held at USC, UCLA, Caltech, San Fernando Valley State College, Cal Poly, UC. Irvine, Pasadena City College and others

Santa Monica High School students donned surgical masks and ceremoniously buried an automobile engine. Other engines were buried on a number of campuses, including at USC, where the Tommy Trojan statue wore a gas mask.

Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated every year. The Earth Day Network now coordinates the international observance.

This post was originally published on April 21, 2011.

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
Mukhta Mollah deftly smooths the red fabric and guides it through a whirling sewing machine. She sews side seams on womens blouses bound for America. Eight hours a day or longer in this hot and sweaty factory. Six days a week.

On this day, like every workday, she will try to reach a target of 1,000 blouses.

Seamstresses sit all around her in rows that stretch across this factory floor crowded with 350 workers. Fluorescent lights buzz and blink overhead. Enormous fans nosily push around the stagnant air, which carries the familiar scent of new clothes.

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It takes Mollah less than 30 seconds to complete her part of the blouse. A helper snips the thread ends and piles the garments into a bin to take to the next station. Mollah has long grown accustomed to the mind-numbing repetition, the unrelenting din, the glare, the heat.

She knows that she wont get rich; she sends nearly half of her $20-a-week wages home to her family. But shes grateful that the salary, no matter how small, gave her the means to escape her home village and the fate of her schoolgirl friends.

All of them were married before age 16. All have children of their own. All have moved in with their husbands families and must get permission from their mothers-in-law to leave the house.

For them, its a cage, said Mollah, 19. My life is much better than theirs because they have no freedom. When I go back to my village and see my friends, they ask me, Can you take us with you?

Bangladeshs garment industry has earned a reputation for harsh and sometimes lethal working conditions. An eight-story factory collapsed last April, crushing more than 1,100 workers. Six months earlier, a factory fire killed 112 people who could not flee because their bosses had locked the doors to keep them working.

Despite the horrific industrial accidents and accusations of labor abuses  such as forced workweeks of 80 hours  the picture of the underpaid and over-exploited garment worker gets more complicated when compared with other options available to women in this poor, traditional Muslim society. About 5,600 factories in Bangladesh employ more than 4 million people; 90% of the workers are female.

Its not as dramatic of a transformation as a college education or launching a career, said Sajeda Amin, a sociologist and demographer who has studied the societal impact of the garment industry for the nonprofit Population Council in New York. But these jobs, she said, have opened a new pathway for teenage girls to make the transition from childhood to adulthood with a measure of independence.

Even labor activists in Bangladesh and the United States who chronicle cases of workers being intimidated and forced to work long hours agree that the garment industry has given young women opportunities to move from the margins to the center of society.

Its fantastic that they have this common industry that has put women to work, said Charles Kernaghan, director of the Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights, based in Pittsburgh. Recent street protests in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, by garment workers helped nudge the minimum wage to $68 a month, which he said equates to 33 cents an hour. The industry, Kernaghan said, must do more to provide a decent living wage and respect workers rights.

The garment industry in Bangladesh is second only to Chinas. It draws workers largely from rural areas such as the tiny village of two dozen houses near the Indian border where Mollah grew up with three sisters. The eldest worked for two years in a garment factory before returning home to marry.

When their father, a rice farmer, fell ill and was unable to work, Mollah willingly took the factory job to help the family. She was 15 at the time, a year older than the legal minimum age for a factory worker.

Its lunchtime at Beauty Garments Pvt. Ltd., and Mollah spills out the door with most of the other 350 workers for the hourlong break. She meets up with three other young women  her roommates  as they are walking to their apartment.

All of them wear fashionable loose pants and tunics, called shalwar kameez, rather than the traditional flowing sari, making it easier for them to step over mounds of rubble and dirt piled alongside a deep trench in the road opened for sewer-line repairs.

Their two-bedroom flat is two blocks away; it is in a concrete structure with metal bars and shutters on the windows, but no glass panes.

The four live in a 10-foot-by-12-foot room, with a ceiling fan and a bare light bulb. Two sleep on a double bed, two on a pad on the concrete floor. The women switch places every other week and split the $45-a-month rent.

The second bedroom is occupied by a young married couple, who also work at the factory, and their 6-year-old daughter.

All share a squat toilet, a porcelain-lined hole in the floor, and a common kitchen with a low stool and two gas burners that sit on the floor. They cook in the kitchen and eat in their room. A refrigerator stands near the kitchen door, but the four women cannot use it because it is owned by the young couple. Their water comes from a community spigot 20 steps outside their front door.

Mollah and her roommates show off their apartment with pride, even though road dust blows through the windows, forcing them to keep their clothes bundled in bags. The paint is peeling, but the floor is meticulously clean. Floral pattern curtains cover the windows iron grating.

Kanchi Hazi, the more outgoing of the roommates who constantly makes the others laugh, said she considers the sleeping arrangements luxurious compared with those at the small house she shared with her parents, six sisters and two brothers.

The 24-year-old with a gap-toothed smile left her home village seven years ago to take this factory job. She sews pockets on blouses and works as many hours as she can get.

I like it here, she said, arms akimbo, with fists on her hips. I make my own decisions. I can earn money and help my family.

With overtime, she makes $78 a month and sends half of it home. Her father, a day laborer, cannot always find work. Every few months, she makes the three-hour bus ride home to visit her family. She gets mixed reactions from villagers.

Some adults praise her, she said, because Im the only wage earner in the family. Others scold her for taking a job in a factory where men and women work together. Its just not a proper place for a young, unmarried woman to be, they lecture.

But when she steps off the bus, younger village girls dance around her. They see me as a role model, Hazi said. I can do whatever I want. I can enjoy myself. I have freedom.

As more women earn money, this shift in economic clout is gnawing at the foundations of one of Bangladeshs stubbornly enduring traditions. An estimated 60% of girls here marry before 18, the legal age for marriage. Theres evidence that girls lie about their age to registrars, and theres little enforcement of laws against underage marriages. Most marriages are arranged by parents, who engage in a related practice that also violates the law but is rarely enforced: paying a dowry.

The dowry system skews toward marrying off daughters early, said Amin, the Population Council demographer who was born and raised in Bangladesh.

Weve been able to show very clearly that theres a premium on young girls in terms of how they are valued in looks and malleability, Amin said. The older your daughter is, the more her worth goes down and you have to compensate with a larger dowry.

Garment factory jobs have begun to undercut this long-standing custom, as parents  sometimes the daughters also speak up for themselves  challenge how much, if any, dowry is required when the bride-to-be earns a steady salary.

These women arent rejecting arranged marriages, Amin said. They want to get married, but later. They want to bear children, but at the right time.

As the garment industry has grown and matured, so has its workforce, which now has seamstresses in their 30s and 40s.

Today, about half of the female factory workers are married, joining a permanent urban migration that swelled the size of Dhaka, Chittagong and other cities. These working women tend to have smaller families, often just one or two children, which has helped Bangladesh slow the growth of its population, now at 160 million. Many of them live in Dhakas fast-growing slums, raising families in shanties without running water or sanitation.

Six mornings a week, the streets around Beauty Garments and other factories are awash with women in brightly colored outfits walking briskly to make it to their workstations by 8 a.m.

Thats quite a change from the 1970s, before the garment industry took hold here. Unmarried women were not allowed out in public without an escort, to protect them and their families honor. Young women had no reason to leave the home, unless it was to work in nearby farm fields. Over time, the factory jobs have given women a legitimate reason to be seen on the street.

The four roommates love their autonomy, they said, especially their ability to come and go as they please. All of them expect to get married, but have no immediate plans to do so.

Mollah said her father is healthy again and has returned to his rice fields. The family no longer depends on money from her, but she has stayed on to pay for the education of her younger sister, who has a stuttering problem.

I dont see it as a sacrifice, Mollah said, pushing fabric through her sewing machine that she expertly controls with a foot on a pedal. I really care for my sister. If she gets a good education, she will not have a problem getting a husband.

Mollah hopes to stay at the factory for another four years to master her sewing skills and save some money. She likes her city life but will defer to her mother and father on her future: I leave the decision to my parents when to get married.

Kenneth R. Weiss is a former Los Angeles Times reporter who was a co-winner of a Pulitzer Prize for a series on the worlds distressed oceans. The reporting in Bangladesh was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
More than 100 Afghan soldiers, many having just finished prayers, were killed when militants disguised in army uniforms infiltrated a base in northern Afghanistan and opened fire, Afghan defense officials said Saturday.

The attack, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility, was one of the deadliest to strike Afghan forces in years and illustrated the continuing lethality of an insurgency now in its 16th year.

The Taliban said that 10 assailants carried out the Friday afternoon attack, which aimed to avenge the deaths of two of its top officials in northern Afghanistan at the hands of Afghan forces.

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An Afghan provincial military official said the death toll could be as high as 140.

Some of the attackers posed as wounded soldiers and joined an army convoy as it drove to the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, said the official, who requested anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak to the media.

Other attackers also posed as soldiers and already had infiltrated the Afghan armys 209th Corps in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province and long known as one of the safest major cities in Afghanistan.

The assailants approached a mosque inside the compound as soldiers were leaving the weekly Friday prayer, as well as a nearby dining hall, the official said. The facilities both were filled with hundreds of soldiers, most unarmed.

The militants sprayed the base with gunfire before being shot and killed by Afghan commandos from the elite Crisis Response Unit.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited the base Saturday and condemned the attack, calling the assailants infidels.

The Afghan defense ministry said its forces were engaged in heavy fighting against militants in northern Afghanistan and had reeled off a string of recent victories. Afghan soldiers and police will extend these operations until the terrorists are finished, the ministry said in a statement.

The U.S.-led military coalition said Saturday it had carried out an airstrike April 19 in the northern province of Kunduz that killed a senior Taliban official and eight other Taliban fighters. The U.S. military has increased its campaign of airstrikes in northern and eastern Afghanistan in recent months targeting the Taliban and followers of Islamic State, the militant organization based in Iraq and Syria.

The attack on Afghan soldiers followed a raid last month on the countrys main military hospital in Kabul, the capital, that left 50 people dead. Islamic States regional affiliate claimed responsibility for that attack, but officials still are investigating the claim.

Special correspondent Faizy reported from Kabul and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia

ALSO

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Why Russia might be working with its Cold War enemy, the Taliban
After the backlash during the 2016 US Presidential Elections, Facebook focuses its efforts on preventing fake news from proliferating on its website. However, it is actually more complicated than it sounds as thousand of fake news articles and websites are popping up all the time.

According to a report from BBC, Facebook has launched a brand new resource that actually gives users different tips on how to spot fake or false news items. Users from over 14 countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy, the UK, Philippines, Brazil, Taiwan, Brazil, and France will be seeing a new pop-up on their news feeds that will link to the company's new resource page.

The resource page shows some basic tips on how to immediately spot false news reports and steps on how to directly report it to Facebook. One of the tips calls on users to immediately check a website's "about" page to make sure that they are a legitimate source for news. It also advises users to always check the website URL to make sure that it isn't a fake or cloned site with a slightly tweaked name of a credible publication.

According to Fortune, Facebook actually launched several other campaigns in the past few months to stop fake news. Some of the campaigns include a revamp of how "trending topics" are shown on people's feeds and a brand new "disputed" tag that is prominently shown on posts that have been found to be false.

The company has been seeking the help of third-party groups such as academics, non-profit organizations, researchers, and journalist to help it figure out how to go about solving the problem. Facebook has reportedly partnered with Craigslist's founder, Craig Newmark, to launch a $14 million initiative to regain their user's trust in news reports posted on their website.
Chinese electronic company, Xiaomi, has unveiled its latest new product, the 360-degree camera Mi Panoramic. The new device is now available in China for the price of 1,699 - or around US$250. So far, the camera is only currently available in the region, no word yet about its international shipping.

The Xiaomi Mi Panoramic will come with two 16 megapixels fisheye lenses each sporting a 190-degree field of view using the Sony's IMX206 imaging sensor, according to Android Central. It is capable of producing 7K (6912 x 3456) photos captured by the two lenses thanks to the Ambarella A12 image signal processor. It can also capture 2456 x 1728 and 2304 x 1152 resolution videos at 30 frame rates per second and 60, respectively.

Xiaomi Mi Panoramic can also be used under extreme sport conditions, much like the popular sporting gear GoPro. The camera is equipped with a 6-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) system that reduces the shaking effect on the finished recorded video, giving it a smooth quality, Android Authority reported.

The device will run using a 1,600mAh (Milliampere per hour) battery life under its hood and it is compatible with Quick Charge 2.0. Xiaomi Mi Panoramic is able to stay light up and filming for 3.5K resolution (3200 x 1800) for around 75 minutes. The camera is also sporting an IP67-rating, which means it is both dust and water-resistant.

Xiaomi's Mi Panoramic has the functionality to connect to the internet using its built-in WiFi connectivity. It supports MicroSD card for up to 128 GB and has two different capture modes like time-lapse and loop recording. Lastly, device is is measured at 78 x 67.4 x 24 mm and weights 108g.

The Xiaomi Mi Panoramic is not necessarily the company's release to compete with the popular GoPro hero. It was previously reported that the Chinese tech giant already launched its very own action camera last year under the Yi sub-brand called Yi M1.
In an effort to curb crimes rising from hate speech and fake news, Germany approves a bill to penalize social media firms if they fail to comply. Advocates of freedom of speech have expressed concerns about this latest development.

Politicians in Germany worry that the proliferation of fake news especially about issues regarding the refugees may influence the public opinion. September is their national election.

In a statement, Justice Minister Heiko Maas said that there should be only a little tolerance for criminal "rabble-rousing" on social networks. He emphasized the huge importance of freedom of expression in the country's democracy. "However, freedom of expression ends where criminal law begins," he added according to a report by Reuters.

The German government has approved a draft law that will fine erring networks up to $53 million. The head of the Digital Society Association, Volker Tripp, accuses the German government of passing a law that could hurt the freedom of speech. "It is the wrong approach to make social networks into a content police," he said. The association represents consumers, digital companies, and journalists.

Maas said that he will push similar rules to be implemented at a European level. In a survey conducted by the government, social media firms have not totally deleted contents that were deemed criminal in nature. Facebook deleted only 39 percent, while Twitter is only at one percent. This is in spite of the code of conduct signed in 2015 pledging to delete hate speech within 24 hours. However, YouTube is reported to manage to remove 99 percent.

In Germany, there are 29 million Facebook active users. A spokesperson told BBC that the network is working very hard to remove illegal content in their platform. The company is also determined to work with others to solve the problem. Other social media platforms like Google, Twitter and Snapchat have yet to comment on this new law.
Apr 22, 2017, 3:53am ET

Volvo hints at 20-series models

The 20-series cars would slot at the very bottom of the Volvo lineup.

Volvo's lineup could grow to include a new cluster of entry-level cars, one of the company's top executives has revealed.

"It's pretty straightforward: The 90 is the biggest, and the 40 is the smallest. And when there is a 20, it will be a smaller one," said Lex Kerssemakers, the head of Volvo's U.S. division, in an interview with Car & Driver.

While not an official announcement, Kerssemaker's comments suggest Volvo is at least thinking about downsizing in the coming years. It's far too early to provide concrete details such as what the 20-series cars will be powered by and what they'll look like. However, the Swedish company's modular approach to building cars suggests the smaller models will ride on the same CMA platform as the upcoming 40-series models.

We don't know when the 20-series cars will arrive. However, it might be a while before we see a XC20 or a V20 Cross Country in a Volvo showrooms.

The company has plenty of cars that are arguably more important to launch in the coming years. The first-ever XC40 will debut before the end of the year, followed by replacements for the V40 and the S40. A brand-new assembly plant in Charleston, South Carolina, will build the next-generation S60, and a V60 will follow shortly after. Finally, Volvo's first full-electric model will enter production in 2019 on the outskirts of Shanghai, China.

With that product map in mind, Volvo's 20-series cars might not arrive until early next decade -- assuming they're approved for production.
Doug Eadline raised his slide rule in a show of solidarity with fellow scientists.

"That's what got us to the moon," the Bethlehem resident said of the once-common computing device.

Chants of "Save science! Save the future!" were called out from the crowd of several hundred gathered Saturday at Bethlehem's Payrow Plaza, a local demonstration as part of the worldwide March for Science.

The events promoting the understanding of science and defending it from attacks -- such as proposed U.S. government budget cuts -- were held on Earth Day, and many of the local participants shared concerns about climate change and the perceived dearth of scientific knowledge among the general population.

The main March for Science is happening in Washington, D.C. but satellite marches are happening across the world.https://t.co/2J27NqutET pic.twitter.com/6P2jU0izzF  NPR (@NPR) April 22, 2017

"I believe it's a culmination of the dumbing down of our society," said John Barone, of Coopersburg. He carried with him a sign that said "Science ... Making America Great Since 1776," a reminder that Benjamin Franklin was a scientist as well as statesman.

Eadline, a Bethlehem resident with the slide rule, said he does high-performance computing for the "rocket scientists" in government agencies or universities who are facing reductions in funding.

"I have an obligation to support science for everyone, for the planet," he said.

Several signs and demonstrators specifically referred to the policies of President Donald Trump. On Saturday, the president, in an Earth Day statement hours after the marches kicked off, said that "rigorous science depends not on ideology, but on a spirit of honest inquiry and robust debate."

Trump has referred to climate change as a hoax.

Organizers portrayed the march as political but not partisan, promoting the understanding of science as well as defending it from various attacks, including proposed U.S. government budget cuts under Trump, such as a 20 percent slice of the National Institute of Health.

"I'm just so upset with what's happening to the EPA and the things the Trump administration has done that are going to harm the planet," said Dan Miller, of Coopersburg, as he walked through the rally with a sign: "Good planets are hard to find."

Just a few months earlier, Payrow Plaza was the local site of another international rally, that one focusing on women's rights.

Penny Hutcheson and her daughter Rachel, of Nazareth, were in Washington, D.C., for the Women's March in January but chose to participate closer to home this time.

"Change has to start locally," Penny Hutcheson said. Rachel stood nearby, wearing an inflatable T-rex suit -- Penny called her "She-Rex" -- with a sign that said "This fossil rejects being your fuel."

"Ever since the election, we realized we can't be complacent," Penny said. "We can't sit in our comfort zone and let our country and our planet be destroyed."

The March for Science has spread from pole-to-polehttps://t.co/vhOLdNUvaW pic.twitter.com/Km5aM78XSs  Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) April 22, 2017

Tyler Lane and Matthew Solliday, both of Bethlehem, used the rally as a chance to teach a visual lesson. Tyler wore garbage all over himself -- including milk containers, plastic bags, tin cans and more -- and asked others what part of it was not recyclable.

The answer was a single styrofoam cup. Most people got it wrong, they said.

Sam Kaufmann, the president of Liberty High School's Young Democrats, stood near the road with a sign that said simply: "Citation needed."

"I'm trying to make positive signs that aren't bashing Trump," he said. "It should be a positive message. ... We want leaders who pay attention to facts and evidence."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Your boss is putting increasing pressure on you and irritated customers are directing their misguided anger at you.

Your emotions are welling up and you want to know how to keep from blowing your lid.

There's a class at Northampton Community College that seeks to help the myriad of workers who have found themselves in that position.

Ann Raines, who is an associate director for the college's Center for Business and Industry Leadership Development program, said the one-day continuing education class is part of an ongoing annual program to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day, which is April 26 this year.

Being aware of your emotions, regulating them and having the proper motivation can help you keep control in the workplace, according to an expert. (John Best illustration | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)

Raines said administrative professionals, which may include secretaries, assistants, receptionists or office managers, often bear a lot of the burden when dealing with disgruntled customers and clients. This year's class is booked.

"Administrative professionals have so much on their shoulders," Raines said. "They're often the front line in providing good service to customers."

Whether you are an administrative professional or any other worker, sooner or later you are going to find yourself getting emotional at work, Raines said.

Self-awareness, self-regulation and self-motivation are critical in developing one's emotional intelligence, according to Raines.

To keep one's cool in the workplace, a person must first recognize and acknowledge that he or she is getting angry, sad or having some other emotional reaction, Raines said.

"Being aware and OK with the fact that you are being emotional puts you in the position to deal with those emotions," Raines said.

Having a game plan in place before you get upset is key to controlling emotions in a productive way, she said.

Workers should write out a personal mission statement that details their goals. Then when an emotional situation arises, they can ask themselves if getting angry or yelling helps them toward those goals, Raines advises.

"You need to create a focus outside of the emotion," Raines said. "Focus on what your desired outcome is."

Having a stressful job can make getting up for work difficult, but finding the proper motivation can turn a job from drudgery to a rewarding experience, according to Raines.

"You might say to yourself, 'It's not that I get yelled at a lot at work, it's that I solve a lot of problems at work,'" Raines said.

If workers can be aware of their emotions, have a focused mission in place and develop the proper motivation, managing emotions can be a much easier task, Raines said.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
A bill has been introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate that would increase fines for littering and dumping.

State Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Northampton/Monroe, has reintroduced legislation to reduce littering across Pennsylvania by increasing fines for the offense.

"If you drive around the highways and drive around some rural areas, you see garbage everywhere," Scavello said.

Scavello said he hopes the proposed law, Senate Bill 431, will act as a deterrent rather than be a means of collecting more money for the state.

"This isn't meant to be a revenue generator," Scavello said. "I feel if we make the penalty strong enough, we can prevent someone from throwing garbage out of their window."

Currently, fines for littering range from $50 to $300 for a first-time offense and $300 to $1,000 for second and subsequent offenses.

The proposed legislation would increase fines based on weight and volume up to $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for subsequent offenses.

Under the proposed legislation, for the first offense of littering five pounds or less, the fine -- $50 to $300 -- would remain the same. Subsequent offenses would carry a fine from $100 to $500.

For littering more than five pounds but less than 100 pounds, or 25 cubic feet, the fine would be increased from $300 to $500 for the first offense. Subsequent offenses would go to $500 to $1,000.

For littering more than 100 pounds, or more than 25 cubic feet, for the first offense the fine would be $500 to $1,000. The fines would be from $1,000 to $2,000 for subsequent offenses.

There would be heavier penalties for littering in an agricultural security area.

Agricultural security areas are designated places with 250 or more acres used for the agricultural production of crops and livestock, which receive special benefits and protections from the state.

Fines in those areas would range from $600 to $1,500.

Lower Mount Bethel Township resident Karen Brewer said she encourages those who find it normal to throw garbage out their car windows, rather than keep a plastic bag in their cars for their litter, to think twice about what they are doing.

Brewer said she walks the streets of her community and picks up about 25 bags of garbage each year. She is particularly distressed that the litter is often alcoholic containers, which have presumably been thrown from cars, she said.

Brewer asks people to take responsibility in keeping the roadside free of garbage. For those who choose to pick up litter, she advises they wear bright-colored clothing, wear gloves, long pants and stay off to the side of the road.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
Blairstown Township has a population of about 6,000 people, not counting the through-hikers.

The rural Warren County town nestled in the shadow of the Delaware Water Gap on Saturday celebrated its designation as New Jersey's first Appalachian Trail Community.

The title, applied by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, is anticipated to help bolster local tourism and economic activity while promoting conservation of the 2,190-mile trail from Georgia to Maine.

Saturday's event included a designation ceremony and street fair, showing off local businesses. With the new label, hikers will hopefully stop in town for amenities like laundry, food or perhaps a brief respite from the trail.

"I hike a lot around here," said Gwen Conway, a 24-year-old from Cranford, after she signed up as a volunteer to help maintain trailways at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference booth.

"New Jersey doesn't get a lot of credit," she said. "I'm excited because it's really beautiful around here."

Blairstown is about 880 miles from the Appalachian Trail's northern terminus at Mt. Katahdin in Maine, and a little less than 1,300 miles from the southern end at Georgia's Springer Mountain.

The AT enters New Jersey from the west via the Interstate 80 bridge through the Delaware Water Gap and runs 72 miles to Abram S. Hewitt State Forest in Passaic County, stopping at High Point along the way.

The trail community designation -- which was officially announced late last year -- also applies to the Warren County townships that border Blairstown: Knowlton, Hardwick, Hope and Frelinghuysen.

"These towns and cities are considered assets by all that use the A.T., and many of these towns act as good friends and neighbors to the Trail," the conservancy says on its website, listing 40 communities in all -- Blairstown is the 41st. "As a visitor on the Trail, you can enjoy special events and promotions in these designated areas."

There are five trail communities in Pennsylvania, including nearby Delaware Water Gap and the Lehigh Valley borough of Wind Gap, which was granted the title two years ago.

Economic impacts won't be immediate, but officials are hopeful. Last winter, Wind Gap Council President Dave Hess said he hadn't heard much chatter in town since receiving the designation, but said "I do see hikers down on Broadway," the borough's main street.

Still, local officials say that having a New Jersey community recognized as a friendly stop for hikers will be helpful.

"What a beautiful sight. We are in New Jersey!" state Sen. Steve Oroho exclaimed to cheers during Saturday's ceremony at Blair Academy. "Everyone thinks you have to go west to get these nice trails. ... Yeah, go to West New Jersey!"

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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Cameras are to be used to catch drivers who illegally stop in restricted areas outside Leicester Rail Station

Since last month, it has been illegal to pull up on the stretch of London Road between Station Street and just before Conduit Street.

The measure was designed to improve safety following the tragic death of cyclist Sam Boulton.

It has been policed by patrols of civil enforcement officers and four 70 fines have been issued for infractions.

Private hire vehicles are subject to the ban, which covers a bus clearway, but not hackney cabs.

The council said it could not fine hackney cabs for stopping in the bus clearway because they are legally defined in the same way as buses.

The council said it is progressing with plans for a 2 million segregated cycle lane up London Road as far as Victoria Park.
Parents of students attending Mountrath Community School and all other neighbouring school are invited to attend a public talk in the school next week.

Known by some as The Governor, John Lonergan was the face of the Irish Prison Service for many years.

As Governor of Mountjoy Prison he got to know people in a way few of us do.

Since leaving the Prison Service, Mr Lonergan has given much time working with students at second and third level and speaking to parents.

For parents he presents a talk titled "Parenting, the challenges and the rewards."

This talk lasts about one hour and is a reflective and awareness raising look at parenting.

John Lonergan will address parents in Mountrath Community School on Tuesday 25th of April at 7.30pm.

Parents of children attending Mountrath Community School and all neighbouring schools are encouraged to attend the presentation.

For more check out

www.johnlonergan.ie
Over 130,000 was raised by Tesco stores across the country on Friday, April 7 in support of Temple Streets Great Irish Bake.

Tesco colleagues and customers baked, bought, ate and sold an abundance of culinary creations to help raise some much-needed dough for the childrens hospital, with stores in Leitrim alone raising over 1,750 to support the little heroes of Temple Street.

Money raised will go towards the cost of constructing a new state of the art Ultrasound System and the purchase of new equipment for the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at the hospital.

Denise Fitzgerald, CEO of Temple Street Fundraising said: Temple Street has some of the best doctors and nurses in the world but without specialist facilities and equipment it is simply not enough. The effort put in by Tesco colleagues across the country was amazing and will really make a difference. All their hard work will help us purchase vital equipment such as a new state of the art Ultrasound System which is vital for putting IV lines in infants and premature babies safely.

We are also able to purchase new equipment for the Ear, Nose and Throat Department which will ensure that we can open a second examination room and this will greatly reduce waiting times for our patients. On behalf of all the patients in Temple Street I would like to say a huge thanks to the customers and Tesco colleagues who helped make the event such a huge success.

Each year Temple Street Childrens University Hospital treats over 145,000 children from across the country and operates the busiest A&E department in Europe. For thousands of children, Temple Street is the only hospital in Ireland they can be treated in. Through the charity partner programme, Tesco colleagues and customers can help little people from all over Ireland get better and be real life heroes to children attending the hospital.
Recent crime figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have shown that burlary figures for the Sligo/Letirim Garda Division continued to fall at the end of last year.

According to figures obtained by Deputy Tony McLoughlin burglary and related offences fell by 12.5% in the year on year comparisons between quarter 4 2015 and 2016.

The Fine Gael Deputy added that a proposed Bail Bill will also help t strengthen the fight against crime.

As part of Fine Gaels response to crime, one of our major objectives is to focus on the key area of strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders," he told the Leitrim Observer.

The Governments Bail (Amendment) Bill will ensure stricter bail terms for repeat serious offenders and will strengthen Garda powers to deal with breaches of bail.

The new legislation will improve the operation of the Bail system and make the law as effective as possible in protecting the public against crimes committed by persons on bail while also safeguarding the rights of the individual."

The new Bill specifically provides that the courts must have regard to persistent serious offending by an applicant for bail; it expands the conditions which a court may impose when granting bail, including a conditions requiring an accused person not to have contact with the victim of the alleged offence or any member of the victims family and the imposition of a curfew.

The Bail Bill has provision which include the use of electronic monitoring as a possible bail condition.

In addition, the Bill will give the Garda Siochana new powers of arrest without warrant for a breach of bail conditions where it is necessary to arrest the person immediately to prevent absconding or to prevent harm, interference or intimidation to the victim or a witness.
The fine people of Leitrim are well used to slagging, comments and stupid questions about this beautiful county of ours.



Anyone who has gone to college will know what it is like when people ask you if Leitrim is in Northern Ireland.

Others will tell you they have never before met someone from Lovely Leitrim. There are even some people who dont believe this fantastic county even exists.



And outside of Ireland, don't even try explaining where you are from - if it isn't Dublin, Kerry of Galway then it doesn't register.



But according to a recent viral article from Lovin.ie the best way to piss off a Leitrim person is to simply ask "When's that second set of traffic lights coming in?"

Urban dwellers really get hung up on our lack of traffic lights, those who grew up with their lives dictated to by the stop/go colours just do not understand how we go about our days (quite happily) without having to be told when to stop and go - we just know!



So what pisses off our neighbours?

In Cavan you just need to bluntly ask "Ya wouldn't lend us a Euro, would ya?" to really get their steam rising.

In Donegal try mentioning, "There'd be nicer scenery down the south of the country, I'd say and take cover for their reaction.



Our Northern neighbours in Fermanagh do not like to be asked "Is that beside Monaghan?"

Longford is another forgotten county, just tell them "It looks like such a gorgeous little county. I mean, whenever I pass by it on the Sligo to Dublin train." And run!

Roscommon often get brow beaten over "How did the Marriage Equality vote go?"  let's not forget South Leitrim was also part of that referendum vote.



And the home county of the famous Irish poet William Butler Yeats get really pissed off when their only claim to fame is a few members of Westlife.

Try shouting "Giz a few bars of Westlife, there and then maybe run back to Leitrim!

What do people say about Leitrim that annoys you?
Campaigns, of course, are already up and running across the country for the May 4th local elections, but Theresa Mays announcement has given even greater impetus to Lib Dem activists across the country.

Heres a round-up of some of todays action via Twitter  please let us know about any other team action photos in the comments field below!:

Caroline Pidgeon was up in Cambridge lending her support to Julian Huppert in his campaign to regain the citys parliamentary seat and also to Rod Cantrill in his bid to be the first Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough:

Fantastic day supporting the wonderful @julianhuppert and @RodForMayor in Cambridge with @kateparminter -I hope they are both elected. pic.twitter.com/vI55ncQKNt  Caroline Pidgeon (@CarolinePidgeon) April 22, 2017

Jane Dodds and the team have been out in Montgomeryshire:





Layla Moran in OXWAB has been briefing a batch of new volunteers:

.@laylamoran is speaking to new members who have never canvassed before, giving a canvassing masterclass and running through what to expect. pic.twitter.com/jCC0XIcnio  Oxfordshire Lib Dems (@LibDemsOxon) April 22, 2017



Clare Pierce and team have been out canvassing for Dawn Barnes in Hornsey and Wood Green:



Joshua Dixon also tweets good news about the strength of Dawns campaign:

And now even more @HaringeyLibDems out for @Dawn_Barnes! The response has been amazing  pic.twitter.com/Rs3TWNOLP4  Joshua Dixon (@JoshDixonTweets) April 22, 2017



Carole Ford and associate was out in the heart of Glasgow finding unprompted support for Jo Swinson:

Lib Dem campaigning in Byres Road. Unprompted support for Jo Swinson  very, very positive. #LibDemFightback pic.twitter.com/oPIkVjttXj  Carole Ford (@CaroleFord1) April 22, 2017



There was standing room only at Ed Daveys campaign launch:



Tom Brake tweeted a photograph of a very fulsome team about to go out in Carshalton and Wallington:

Sutton"s Lib Dem team about to head out for a day of campaigning on hard Brexit,Tory school cuts and threats to St Helier Hospital pic.twitter.com/xtH1uiGdEm  Tom Brake MP (@thomasbrake) April 22, 2017



Vince Cable and team took advantage of the sunny afternoon to pioneer outside stuffing!:

A glorious afternoon for volunteering in the Twickenham Sunshine under the watchful lens of @Channel4News pic.twitter.com/84bwbbPwgy  Vince Cable (@vincecable) April 22, 2017



And Claire Young was out in Thornbury and Yate:

What a beautiful day to be out campaigning in Yate and Thornbury pic.twitter.com/MtXLLwPgB7  Cllr Claire Young (@ClaireforTAY) April 22, 2017

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
Every so often, the right wing talk shows come up with something a liberal wants to hear.

Sharp, witty, self-deprecating, a pleasure to interview, a polished media performer. Who said this about our Tim?

None other than Julia Hartley-Brewer on Talk Radio, chatting to Guido Fawkes owner Paul Staines about the lack of leaders debates in the forthcoming General Election. She even started to say that he was likeable but then apparently thought better of it.

Staines said that it wasnt Corbyn May was bothered about, it was Tim Farron. Hartley-Brewer then came out with the compliments above.

She also said that the Lib Dems, even though she disagreed with us, have a very consistent message on wanting to stay in the EU.

You can listen to the whole exchange here.

Tim asked Theresa May exactly what she was scared of at PMQs on Wednesday:

This election can change the direction of our country, from the consequences of a potential hard Brexit outside the single market to the future of our NHS and social care, our schools and our environment. The British public deserve to hear the party leaders set out their plans and debate them publicly, but the Prime Minister has refused to take part in televised leaders debates. Back in 1992, when she and I were both candidates, we debated publicly, forcefully and amicably. Indeed, she called out the then incumbent for not showing up for some of those debates. Why will she not debate those issues publicly now? What is she scared of?

In response, May tried her You and that nasty Corbyn and that nasty Sturgeon are going to gang up on us all line which is ridiculous under any circumstance, but even more so when you consider how far ahead the Tories are in the polls. It certainly doesnt have the potency it had in 2015.

* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.
St Stephens Hall, Houses of Parliament  some rights reserved by UK Parliament

Despite understandable security measures, it is still easy to visit the Houses of Parliament and watch the proceedings.

I went there this week. You basically present yourself at the Cromwell Green entrance, which is halfway along the building by the big statue of Oliver Cromwell. At the gate, they tend to ask you why you want to come in  but you just have to say I want to go to the public gallery of the House of Commons (or Lords) and theyll let you in (having checked that the queues are not too long). You then get given a green card and are seen by a policeman who gives you a little briefing. You then go through the inevitable airport security check and you are in.

Its worth noting that it is your right as a citizen to enter Parliament and ask to see your MP at the central lobby. You are advised to book an appointment with your MP for such a meeting, but you dont have to. Of course, he or she might not be in Parliament if you turn up unannounced, but all UK residents have a right to walk into parliament for such a purpose or to watch proceedings.

Once you are in you do have a surprising amount of freedom to linger and wander through the place, without any shooing along from officials. There are officials and security guards around, but it is really quite surprising how free you are to mooch about and admire the various paintings, plaques, ceilings etc. You get to stroll through Westminster Hall, which is magnificent and the most historic part of the present Parliamentary buildings. Charles I was tried there.

You eventually arrive at St Stephens Hall, which is used now as a corridor or waiting room, but in its own right is a most magnificent room. On this site was St Stephens Chapel, which was used as the Commons chamber until 1834. The historical murals are outstanding. Its a good place for people spotting, as many of the great and good walk up the corridor to get to the chambers and committee rooms. In half an hour this week I spotted: Bill Gates (Yes! Bill Gates!), the Home Secretary, Eric Pickles and various Labour MPs. Dr Liam Fox walked back and forwards down the corridor about five times over the period, perhaps indicating that he has a lot of time on his hands.

Having rested on the comfortable benches and admired the murals, you are eventually given a pass for the gallery, having signed a pledge not to create a disturbance therein.

Some very nice people usher you up the steps and remove anything which might do any harm to our elected representatives or other people in the gallery, like sharp instruments or, in my case, a hardback book (?).

You are then sat in the Commons chamber with only a multi-million pound piece of perspex between you and.well it happened to be Treasury Minister David Gauke speaking from the dispatch box when I got in there.

Witnessing some of the less enthralling moments of the Commons is all part of ones education as a citizen, I think.

Dear old Gauky had the unenviable task of getting approval for a report to the EU telling them that we are trying very hard to make our economy converge with other EU countries economies, even though were leaving the EU. I kid you not. Peter Dowd replied for Labour with an excellent speech  if you read it. Unfortunately he read it very badly  making what I think is called a fluff about twice a sentence. Oh dear.

I then witnessed an adjournment debate. This was a debate on the need for justice for the Ballydugan Four led by Jim Shannon MP.

We were then asked to stand in the public gallery as Madam Deputy Speaker declared the session terminated, and the grand golden mace was ceremonially removed from its position at the dispatch box.

Yes, this is all a bit arcane. But it is only right that citizens see Parliament at first hand, if they can spare the time and expense to get to London.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
THE SMALL, pastoral parish of Kilcornan is in celebratory mood this week, as one of its very own will represent Limerick at the prestigious Rose of Tralee festival this August.

NUIG student Kayleigh Maher, 23, was one of 14 local ladies who took to the stage last Saturday night, at Bunratty Castle Hotel, in a bid to become the next Limerick Rose.

The Kilcornan native recalled feeling so surprised and delighted when her name was called out.

Before the winner was announced, I wasnt even thinking about myself. I was thinking: Which one of the girls is going to get it? I did not think that I was going to get it, so surprised.

Kayleigh succeeds last years Limerick Rose, Marie Hennessy and has secured her place in the famous dome in Tralee, alongside 64 national and international Roses.

Ms Maher, a student teacher on placement at Crescent College Comprehensive, attended Kilcornan national school, Shountrade national school in Adare, and Laurel Hill Secondary School. She graduated from Mary Immaculate College with a BA in English and Media, before undertaking an MA in Education.

Described by many as determined and driven, Kayleigh wishes to pursue a career in English teaching, after teaching children in Vietnam last sum-mer. Kayleigh, daughter of John and Una, is the youngest of three siblings. She has two brothers; father-of-three Shane, and Ruairi.

And behind every success story is a bit of drama, as for two weeks, Kayleigh was unable to find the perfect outfit.

The wardrobe nightmare began three weeks ago, she said, when a dress she purchased online wasnt working out.

After purchasing a skirt in Brown Thomas, she was unable to find a matching top until last Wednesday morning.

When she discovered that the top was a size too big, she turned to her mothers friend Anne Gleeson in Pallaskenry to help resize the top.

The dilemma was compounded even more, as she had committed to see Ed Sheeran perform in Dublin the following day, and was not going to be back in Limerick until Friday evening.

Anne came to the rescue and texted Kayleigh on Thursday morning, saying that she had fixed the top.

But I think I was very calm at the end, because I was getting excited about Ed Sheeran! she enthused.

Meanwhile, her mum Una was freaking out.

There were parcels arriving in the house for two weeks, all from different online shops, just to try and find the right outfit! she laughed.

The outcome was a clear success, as Kayleighs stylish attire matched a warm personality that resonated well with the judges, who had been involved with the Tralee festival in previous years.

Her proud mum said that they are still reeling in from the shock and are getting great support from the parish.

It is a tremendous experience, and she is very lucky to have this opportunity. And we are all very proud of her, she added.

Kayleigh commended the other 13 contestants, with whom she toured around the city and county as part of the Limerick Rose preparations.

We are all best friends, and we only know each other three weeks, and all of a sudden, it feels like we know each other three years. It is very cliche, but it is so true.

Gillian Downes, chairperson of Kilcornan Community Council, said that Kayleighs success has put the parish on the map, and that they intend to celebrate her selection in the coming weeks.

We were absolutely delighted when we heard that she had won. It is a great boost to the place. The Mahers are a big family and they do a lot for the community, and they are involved with a lot in the parish.

So, it is great to have a local girl as the new Rose. It wasnt a surprise to know that she had won. Kayleigh is very independent, she is driven and she knows what she wants. She is a great, and she is determined.

Cllr Emmett OBrien said: I wish to congratulate Kayleigh on her great achievement. It's a very proud occasion for her and her family and I know she will represent Kilcornan and Limerick greatly.

Kayleigh was sponsored by her godafther Jim OReillys business, FundAssist.

The new Clare Rose is Aoife Murphy, of Sixmilebridge, a recent graduate of University of Limerick.
THE POPULATION of Limerick city has risen by just 1,213 people in the past five years, with an increase of 2,153 people in the county.

The preliminary Census figures for 2016 show that the population of the city rose from 57,106 in 2011 to 58,106 last year, or an increase of 2.1%

In the county, the population stands at 136,856  up from 134,703 in 2011, or 1.6%.

Combined, the population of Limerick city and county now stands at 195,175.

In county Limerick there are 620 more males than females, and in the city there are 1,041 more females than males.

In contrast to Limericks slow growth, Galway city saw a population increase of 4.2%, faster than the surrounding county at 2.4%, while Cork city grew by 5.4% compared with Cork county at 4.4%.

Waterford City has seen growth of 3.5% compared with only 1.4% for the county.

In terms of the political landscape, nationally there were 25 constituencies with more than 30,000 people per TD and an additional 11 constituencies where the number of people per TD was in the range 29,000 to 30,000.

However, the constituency of Limerick County, with 27,948 people, had the lowest population per TD in the country in April 2016.

The population per TD for the country as a whole in April 2016 was 30,138, with the population of Limerick city per TD standing at 29,338.

In the city, the electoral area of Galvone B witnessed the eighth greatest loss in population nationwide, down 24.8%, or an actual decrease of 218 people residing there.

The electoral division of Roxborough saw its population fall by 6.6%, while Castleconnells increased by 5.4%.

The fastest growing constituency was Fingal which increased by 10,596 persons or 7.5 per cent over the five years.

The average age of Limericks population in April 2016 was 37.7 years, compared to 36.5 years in April 2011.

The rate of divorce and separation continues to rise in Limerick, with 8,723 people divorced/separated in the county, a rate of 4.5%, compared to the national rate of 4.7%.

Some 77,313 people in Limerick stated that they could speak Irish, compared to 81,420 in April 2011.

Within this figure, 1,795 spoke Irish daily outside the education system, while 4,540 spoke Irish weekly outside the education system.

The report shows that 1,659 Irish Travellers resided in county Limerick in April 2016, an increase of 9.6% since 2011.

Monaghan, at 96.4%, had the highest proportion of Travellers living in permanent housing.

In contrast, 22.2% of Travellers in Limerick lived in temporary accommodation.

Broadband access in Limerick households increased to 46,590 dwellings in April 2016, an increase of 13% since April 2011.

Nearly eight per cent of Limerick's population stated that they have no religion, in comparison to 8.6% in Munster and 9.8% in the State.

The number of Muslims in the State increased by 14,200 over the five years.

The overall results of the Census, completed on Sunday, April 24, 2016, show that Irelands population stood at 4,761,865 in April 2016, an increase of 3.8% since April 2011.

The total number of non-Irish nationals has fallen slightly to 535,475, or 11.6% of the population, the first decline since the introduction of this question in 2002.

The number of people with dual-Irish nationality has increased by 48,879 to 104,784 people since April 2011.

The recent publication is the first of a series of 13 reports on Census 2016 due to be published this year.
HE stirred it up and he laid it on. Gok Wan came to Newcastle West and served up a fast-paced medley of saucy and outrageous banter and quick-witted off-the-cuff remarks and the audience of 300 women and two men roared their approval, wanting more.

This the first event we have ever done that is dry, he announced, surprise ringing in his voice. We looked out the windows of the marquee at the walls of the Desmond Hall. Sure enough, there was no rain.

But no. This was no reference to weather. The OPW which controls the Desmond Castle complex had ruled that no wine would be allowed with the brunch/lunch. Are you all gagging? Gok teased his audience.

Why dont we forget about the fashion and go over and get hammered?

But the wine could wait. What the women, and the two men, wanted was Goks help. And he dished it out at full tilt, urging women to tear up some of the dos and donts of the accepted style bible.

If you have red hair and you want to wear red, wear it, he exclaimed.

And again; It doesnt matter what you wear. Its how you feel.

You are the person in control of your own style and nobody, including me, should tell you what to wear, he encouraged.

But when it came right down to it, he had plenty to say about body shapes, about working the shoulder line, the waist line and the face to create harmony, about glasses, petite sizes and being top heavy.

And he had a story as well as wise words for the older woman who is all too often advised to cut her hair and lower her hemline when she hits 60.

It is a bit of a shame that women are put into so many small boxes in how they look, Gok said.

Every womans heart rose a little. Whats not to love with this man, they sighed.

The promised in-show make-over didnt happen however. The woman who was to get the Gok treatment pulled out at the last minute but the master of crowds managed to pull a couple of mini-ones out of the bag instead.

The two men got their moment in the limelight too.

What is that? Am I looking in a mirror? Gok gasped looking at his look-alike, Gok 2, otherwise known as Francis, all the way from the Philippines but now living in Co Mayo.

The other man, from Killarney, was also given the thumbs up for his style and needed little persuading to model for the entire audience to see.

To think all of this fashion happens right here in this town, Gok said in admiration after the first of two catwalk displays from local boutiques and shops.

We wanted to give you guys a huge platform to truly celebrate fashion in your area, he added.

Never stop what you are doing. It is important to keep the High Street alive.

Earlier, the chairman of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Cllr John Sheahan also paid tribute to the local businesses.

Newcastle West has become a fashion hub. That didnt happen by accident but by the enthusiasm, the hard work and dedication of boutique owners and fashion houses, he said.

And he praised their initiative in bringing Gok to town. It was a great coup for us. he said, adding that the council was delighted to be supporting the event.

But Gok had special words of praise for Flo Flanagan, of the Newcastle West Business Association who had spearheaded the event.

She is brazen, she is bold and determined and genuinely the hardest worker I have ever seen, he said. Every single town needs a Flo Flanagan.

And the crowd cheered. Later came the after-glow: Newcastle West had pulled off something spectacular and had ignited an appetite for more in the future.
LIMERICK City and County Council remains in talks over the future uses of the Horizon Mall/Parkway Valley site at the Dublin Road.

But the local authority has ruled out including the area on the derelict sites register, despite a request from Solidarity councillor Paul Keller.

Both he and fellow City East member Cllr Seighin O Ceallaigh had seperate questions on the future uses of the site, which was earmarked for a shopping centre, at this weeks meeting.

Cllr O Ceallaigh, Sinn Fein, asked what the current situation is with regards to the latest development of the site, which was once earmarked for a 100m shopping centre, including Limericks first Marks and Spencer.

In a written reply from economic director Pat Daly, he was told: All previous planning permission on the Horizon Mall site have expired. There are ongoing discussions with the promoters of the site to consider the possible reuses [...] in keeping with the County Development Plan and the City Development Plan.

Mr Daly said it was not yet appropriate to consider including the site  which has lain idle since 2008  on the derelict sites register.

Cllr Keller said: Its an eyesore at one of the key entrances to our city, and its something which is not nice to look at, nor particularly welcoming to tourists.

The Solidarity member lives in Castletroy View, the housing estate which bounds the Horizon Mall site, which was once known as the Parkway Valley shopping centre.

The site is owned by Capital Assets, which purchased the land from Belfast based developer Suneil Sharma last summer. Its bid to extend retail permission on the site for a year was rejected.
A TUNE by the Bee Gees is interspersed through a conceptual piece by top rated dancer Jasna Vinovrski at Dance Limerick.

Staying Alive, taking its title from the song of the same name, is a quirky piece by the artist, who grew up in Zagreb.

Vinovrski is the second Aerowaves 2016 artist to visit Dance Limerick in as many weeks after former Daghdha dancer Laura Dannequin, both part of a network of dance presenters considered to be among the most promising choreographers on the European scene.

In Staying Alive  described as a delightfully modest, smartly conceived, topical solo Vinovrski questions order and control, using an iPad as an agent of that control. Reflecting on the debate around migration, it questions how the administrative structure of the law, and its control of the migration process, has been perpetuated and affected by the production of knowledge and discourse around the subject.

We are really looking forward to welcoming Jasna Vinovrski to Dance Limerick, said director Jenny Traynor.

Staying Alive is an absorbing piece, dealing with weighty issues but playing on the lyrics of the famous Bee Gees song, reflecting in a way the absurdity but also the seriousness of the level of influence technology has in our lives.

Jasna  like Laura Dannequin who performed here recently  was an Aerowaves Artist in 2016. This is a real achievement for a dance artist as its an independent, internationally recognised mark of excellence among the dance community. All told, Staying Alive should be a fascinating experience for Limerick audiences.

Staying Alive takes place in Dance Limerick on April 25 at 8pm. Tickets 14/12 from www.dancelimerick.ie or on the door.
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Beaches are not just for adults and children, our pet dogs love nothing more than to feel the sand between their paws and catch a ball in the foam of the sea.

Last week, Lincolnshire Live revealed the Lincolnshire beaches where dogs are banned from May 1 to September 30 - and the fines owners can expect if they do not comply with dog control orders which are in force to stop problems caused by dogs in public places.

And while there are a number of Lincolnshire beaches which ban dogs at the height of the main summer season, there are still some which allow pets all year round.

Skegness

Skegness welcomes everyone - including dogs.

Pooches are allowed on the southern part of the beach, known as South Bracing.

It is a section off South Parade, near Festival Car Park through Lagoon Walk, up to the beach chalets.

This section is very popular with dog walkers all the way up to Gibraltar Point.

Sutton on Sea

Like with Skegness, dogs are allowed on the section of beach which is away from the main centre and attractions.

Dogs are welcome on the beach in Sutton on Sea from the Promenade to The Pullover, in the Furlong Road area.

And they are also allowed from an area at the end of the man central beach in the direction of Trusthorpe.

Mablethorpe

This popular holiday town may have a big section of beach which bans dogs but there are still places where they can be walked on the sand.

Dog owners can go on the beach with their pets from the Queen's Park area and walk in the direction of Trusthorpe and Sutton on Sea for a leisurely stroll.

Dogs can also go on the north section, from the Dunes Complex following North Promenade which tends to be less populated with holidaymakers from May to September.

Ingoldmells

Dogs are welcome on the sandy Ingoldmells South beach all year round.

It is a fairly developed area and is close to Fantasy Island.

It also benefits from public toilets nearby, cafes and shops.

Moggs Eye - Huttoft

A popular spot for our four-legged friends as there are no dog restrictions in place on this section of Lincolnshire's coastline.

It is quiet and beautiful here, and has the added benefit of a car park which leads direectly to the beach.

It also has public toilet facilities nearby.

Saltfleetby Theddlethorpe Dunes

Nature lovers rate this beach highly - and there are no dog restrictions in place.

It is an unspoilt landscape of salt marshland and sands.



It is a designated National Nature Reserve which supports a range of habitats found in the mudflats, freshwater marshes and sand dunes.

The marshes behind the beach are one of only a few location in the UK where the natterjack toad can be found.



The beach here is vast . It seems the tide never fully comes in here and it is always a fair walk to the waters edge.

This area of Lincolnshire's coastline never gets busy with people, even in the height of the summer.

Chapel St Leonards

Dogs are only banned from the central beach area, either side of the main pullover.

So take your pet on the quieter sections away from the centre. Local rules on ensuring dogs are kept on leads are in place.

Anderby Creek

Dogs are only banned 270 metres south from the main pullover so you can take your pet on any other section unrestricted.

AND any Lincolnshire beach allows dogs when...

You visit out of the restriction zone.

Dogs are only restricted on the main busy beaches between May 1 and September 30.

If you bring your dog to any beach at any other time, you can do so freely as the restrictions are not in place.

East Lindsey District Council enforces dog control orders on Lincolnshire beaches to stop problems caused by dogs in public places.

As well as being banned from beaches at certain times, the order also makes it an offence not to remove dog faeces from public roads and footpaths and any other land where the public have the right to access, such as enclosed children's play areas.

It is also an offence not to place a dog on a lead when requested by an appropriately authorised officer.

A fixed penalty notice of 75 can be given to anyone who fails to comply with the order.

And anyone who fails to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice may be prosecuted.

Anyone who commits an offence under the Dog Control Order could be fined up to 1,000 on conviction at magistrates court.
Heres all you need to know about second U.S. stamp for Henry David Thoreau

Apr 30, 2021, 5 AM

A 5 commemorative stamp honoring Thoreau was issued July 12, 1967, to mark the 150th anniversary of the writers birth in Concord, Mass.

Artist Sam Weber previously created the illustration for the nondenominated (93) Flannery OConnor 3-ounce-rate forever stamp (Scott 5003) issued by the U.S. Postal Service June 5, 2015, as part of the Literary Arts series.

The Henry David Thoreau forever stamp will be issued May 23 with an 11 a.m. ceremony at the Walden Pond State Reservation Visitors Center.

The black first-day cancel for the new Thoreau stamp has a pictorial design featuring maple leaves, in tribute to the writers emphasis on natural settings in Walden and other works.

A similar digital color postmark will be used on some of the uncacheted first-day covers for the Thoreau issue sold by the Postal Service.

The Henry David Thoreau stamp is being issued in a pane of 20 with decorative selvage across the top that reproduces Thoreaus signature. A press sheet of nine panes also is being offered.

By Michael Baadke

A new forever stamp commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of writer, philosopher, and abolitionist Henry David Thoreau will be issued May 23.

Thoreau is known as the author of the essay Civil Disobedience, published in 1849, and the book Walden, published in 1854.

The nondenominated (49) stamp will be welcomed with an 11 a.m. first-day ceremony at Walden Pond State Reservation Visitors Center, 915 Walden St., Concord, Mass.

The United States Postal Service advises those wishing to attend to RSVP online.

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The ceremony is free and open to the public, and will include actor, environmentalist, and Walden Woods Project board member Ed Begley Jr., Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy, Select Board Town of Concord Chair Michael Lawson, and USPS General Counsel and Executive Vice President Thomas J. Marshall.

The stamp is offset-printed in panes of 20 by Banknote Corporation of America, one of the two security printers contracted to print stamps for the Postal Service.

The print quantity of 12 million stamps is fairly low compared to recent forever commemoratives. The Dorothy Height forever stamp issued Feb. 1, for example, was printed in a quantity of 35 million, and the Mississippi Statehood forever stamp issued March 27 was printed in a quantity of 25 million.

Along with the 20-stamp pane, collectors will have an opportunity to purchase a die-cut press sheet of the Thoreau stamp consisting of nine panes (180 stamps) for the $88.20 face value.

Even though the stamp itself has a horizontal orientation, the pane of 20 is perfectly square, according to technical details provided by the Postal Service, measuring 7 inches by 7 inches. The press sheet measures 22 inches by 22 inches.

The pane has a large decorative margin above the stamp block that includes Thoreaus full name in white uppercase letters, and his signature, as Henry D. Thoreau, in a dark shade of red.

The stamp design by USPS art director Greg Breeding features an oil-on-panel portrait of Thoreau by artist Sam Weber at left, based on an 1856 daguerreotype by Benjamin Maxham. The portrait is offset by Thoreaus signature (last name only) in white at right, all against a dark background.

Along the bottom of the stamp is the inscription Henry David Thoreau Forever USA, and a branch of sumac leaves.

Thoreau was born in Concord July 12, 1817, and attended Harvard University, graduating in 1837. After brief excursions into teaching and the familys pencil business, Thoreau struck a close friendship with poet Ralph Waldo Emerson and followed a path of his own as a poet and essayist. The two men were leading figures in the philosophical movement known as transcendentalism.

Deeply opposed to slavery and disdaining government directives, Thoreau wrote Resistance to Civil Government after spending a night in jail for refusing to pay a mandatory poll tax. The essay later came to be known as Civil Disobedience.

Beginning in July 1845, he lived for more than two years in a small house he built himself on property owned by Emerson at Walden Pond. His reflections on living alone, farming, and communing with nature were told in Walden, his most famous work.

Though he lived in or near Concord most of his life, Thoreau also traveled and wrote about his experiences, and continued his denunciation of the government that tolerated and upheld the institution of slavery.

Thoreau suffered the effects of tuberculosis for much of his adult life, and died at age 44 on May 6, 1862, following an extended illness.

Considering his anti-government perspective, there is some small irony, perhaps, in the U.S. Postal Service  a government agency  celebrating Thoreau on a postage stamp.

For my part, I could easily do without the post-office, Thoreau wrote in Walden. I think that there are very few important communications made through it. To speak critically, I never received more than one or two letters in my life  I wrote this some years ago  that were worth the postage.

The Postal Service is considerably more complimentary of its chosen stamp subject, stating, With his personal example of simple living, his criticism of materialism and the questions he raises about the place of the individual in society and humanitys role in the natural world, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) continues to inspire readers.

The new stamp is, in fact, the second from the United States to honor Thoreau. The first, a 5 commemorative issued July 12, 1967, marked the 150th anniversary of Thoreaus birth. Its portrait of the writer was created by a prominent artist, Leonard Baskin (1922-2000), as his first and only stamp illustration.

Weber, the artist for the new stamp, previously created the illustration for the nondenominated (93) Flannery OConnor 3-ounce-rate forever stamp issued June 5, 2015.

The OConnor stamp was part of the Literary Arts commemorative series, but the new Thoreau stamp is not.

According to information provided by the Postal Service, Weber also created artwork for a set of five forever stamps showing different sharks, which is planned for later this year. An issue date has not been announced for the Sharks set.

The Postal Service will offer pictorial first-day cancels in black and in color for the Thoreau stamp.

Both postmark designs show individual leaves from trees at left and right, with the name Henry David Thoreau in the center.

The postmarks will be struck on stamps affixed to uncacheted first-day covers offered for sale by the Postal Service, and the black postmark will be provided in response to requests from collectors. Collectors can also obtain the color postmark for a fee, following specific Postal Service guidelines.

Technical details and first-day cancel ordering information for the Henry David Thoreau forever stamp are provided below.

Nondenominated (49) Henry David Thoreau forever stamp

FIRST DAY May 23, 2017; city Concord, Mass., and nationwide.

DESIGN: artist Sam Weber, Brooklyn, N.Y.; designer, typographer, and art director Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, Va.; modelers Sandra Lane and Michelle Finn.

PRINTING: process offset with microprinting; printer and processor Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, N.C.; press Alprinta 74; inks cyan, magenta, yellow, black and Pantone Matching System 7591 sienna; paper phosphor tagged, block tagging; gum self-adhesive; print quantity 12 million stamps; format panes of 20, from 180-subject cylinders; size 1.42 inches by 0.84 inches (image); 1.56 inches by 0.98 inches (overall); 7.25 inches by 7.25 inches (full pane); 22 inches by 22 inches (press sheet); plate numbers B followed by five single digits; marginal markings plate numbers in two corners of pane (front); 2016 USPS, USPS logo, pane position diagram, bar code 475100 in two corners, promotional text (back); USPS item No. 475104.

First-day cancel ordering information

Standard ordering instructions apply. Collectors requesting first-day cancels are encouraged to purchase their own stamps and affix them to envelopes. The first-day cover envelopes should be addressed for return (a removable label may be used), and mailed in a larger envelope addressed to FDOI-Henry David Thoreau Stamp, USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services, 8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64144-9900.

Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by July 23.

The Postal Services uncacheted Henry David Thoreau first-day cover is item 475116 at 93. USPS item numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linns 2017 U.S. Stamp Program.
May 3, 2021, 5 AM

Each day of Finlandia 2017 will feature a different theme, with stamp collector and jeweler Agathon Faberge being honored on the opening day, May 24. A souvenir sheet pictures Faberge and some rarities of Finnish philately.

By Denise McCarty

The 100th anniversary of Finlands independence will be celebrated at the Finlandia 2017 philatelic exhibition to take place May 24-28 in Tampere, Finland.

Collectors from more than 40 countries will participate in this exhibition, being held under Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA) patronage and with International Federation of Philately (FIP) recognition.

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Tampere Hall is the main venue for the exhibition. It will house the dealer bourse, the competitive exhibits and several invited exhibits. Among the highlights is what is considered to be the most important item of Finnish philately: a cover franked with four pairs of the 1856 5-kopeck oval (Scott 1), from the collection of Gustaf Douglas.

The Finnish Postal Museum, part of the museum center in Tampere, will host an exhibit of items from the royal collection of Queen Elizabeth II in conjunction with Finlandia 2017.

Each day of the exhibition will have its own theme: jeweler and philatelist Agathon Faberge (May 24), Finlands independence 100th anniversary (May 25), Tampere (May 26), the Moomins and families (May 27), and the postal museum and Postcrossing (May 28).

Finlands post office, Posti, will issue several stamps at Finlandia 2017, including a booklet with a souvenir sheet honoring the exhibition and Faberge (1876-1951). The sheet contains a single stamp picturing Faberge and some of the rarities of Finnish philately. More philatelic items are shown on two labels in the sheet.

For more information, visit the Finlandia 2017 website. The website of the postal museum is here.
Scientists and science supporters around the world are gathering today (April 22) in Washington, D.C., and in more than 500 cities around the United States and the world, to stand up for the integrity of science and to voice concerns about science policies under the current White House administration.

The march, which coincides with Earth Day, will represent a range of scientific interests, with particular emphasis on the need to mitigate climate change and protect the environment. In Washington, a series of teach-ins will begin at 9 a.m. ET on the grounds around the Washington Monument. The march itself is scheduled to get underway at 2 p.m. ET, starting on Constitution Avenue NW at 15th Street and ending at Union Square. [In Photos: The Best Signs from the 2017 March for Science]

Live Science reporters will be covering the marches in Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu. Follow along for live updates throughout the day.

Earth Day Network is also carrying a livestream of the March for Science, with live coverage set to begin at 10 a.m. ET. The day's program will include speeches, training sessions with scientists and civic organizers and musical performances.

1:45 a.m. ET -- About 700 people attended the Honolulu march. Heidi Shimada, a nuclear medicine technician at Castle Medical Center in nearby Kailua, said that she's marching to because she is concerned about people doubting scientific facts, and because she wants to overcome some current views of scientists. "I'm marching to to show the public that scientists get out there -- there's a stereotype that we just stay in our labs and don't get involved."

Heidi Shimada works as nuclear medicine technician in Hawaii. (Image credit: Karen Rowan/LiveScience)

1:15 a.m. ET -- Pre-nursing student Michelle Holewa joined in the protest in Honolulu today, wearing a dinosaur costume, with a message.

Michelle Holewa donned a T. rex costume for today's March for Science in Honolulu. (Image credit: Karen Rowan/LiveScience)

11:04 p.m. ET -- The crowd in the Honolulu march has erupted into a chant: "What does a scientist look like? This is what a scientist looks like." Patricia Fryer, a professor of geology at the University of Hawaii, and her daughter Katherine Fryer, who has conducted oceanic research, said they are marching because they are very concerned about the current public discussion about what is and isn't scientific research.

10:34 p.m. ET -- LiveScience editor Karen Rowan is reporting from Honolulu, where the March for Science just began, at about 4:30 p.m. local time. "Hawaii is isolated, but we're really vulnerable to the effects of climate change," said Gerry Cobian, a graduate student in botany at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "We're marching because scientists want people to recognize the importance of science in society."

Kanade Cobian is a chemist. "I'm marching because the people I talk to don't realize how much the budget cuts will impact science," she said.

Gerry and Kanade Corbian, both scientists, at the March for Science in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Image credit: Karen Rowan/LiveScience)

7:45 p.m. ET - Not to be outdone, researchers in Antarctica took to Twitter to support the global March for Science. Renuka Badhe, Executive Secretary of the European Polar Board, shared a photo of scientists at Neumayer Station in Antarctica holding a sign with the following quote from Marie Curie: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

See more

6:25 p.m. ET - Marches are still taking place, but here's our look back on the day's events: Tens of Thousands Protest 'Alternative Facts' at March for Science

3:08 p.m. ET - Our correspondent Mike Wall is reporting live from the March for Science in San Francisco. He snapped this photo of participants attending a pre-march talk near the Ferry Building.

People listen to a pre-march talk near the Ferry Building ahead of the March for Science in San Francisco. (Image credit: Mike Wall/Live Science)

2:52 p.m. ET - Our correspondent Calla Cofield is on the ground in downtown Los Angeles, where 50,000 people signed up to participate in the march online, though she reports that event organizers are estimating that more are actually in attendance.

2:47 p.m. ET - In Washington, D.C., Space.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik caught up with Kat Fanning, a librarian student at the Pratt Institute and a research fellow at the American Museum of Natural History, both in New York City. Fanning said she's participating today "because it's important to show up to things. If you don't, you don't get your voice heard."

Tariq also reports that marchers are chanting: "Hey hey! Ho ho! Alternative facts have got to go!" Others are chanting: "Science! Not hate! Science makes America great!"

2:38 p.m. ET - Meanwhile, in New York City, the NYPD is estimating that 40,000 people took part in the March for Science. Our correspondent Hanneke Weitering was reporting live from the streets of Manhattan.

Participants march through the streets of Manhattan during the March for Science in New York City. (Image credit: Hanneke Weitering/Live Science)

2:02 p.m. ET - The march is now underway in Washington, D.C. Participants will be making their way along Constitution Avenue NW toward Union Square.

1:46 p.m. ET - Pope Francis tweeted a message calling for people to protect the planet. The March for Science organizers projected the tweet on the main stage during the rally.

See more

1:45 p.m. ET - Christiana Figueres, Mission2020 convener, closes out the speakers at the rally.

"We actually are at one of the most daunting crossroads in the evolution of human history. We're at the point where we must decide, are we going to ignore science or are we going to rise to the call of history and forge a new life on Earth paradigm? This life on Earth paradigm is where nature and humanity support each other. Can we do that? This is where energy is forever reneable and accessible to all. Can we do that? This is where transportation is clean and shared and smart. Can we do that? This is where the land is restored and is again producing the food that we need to provide the food security for those who don't have it today. Can we do that?" Figueres asked the crowd.

"For many years, I had a recurring dream. I had a dream of seven little pairs of eyes  black eyes always  that looked at me and asked me: What did you do? I want to tell you that that question I have understood is not a question to me. It's a question to all of us. All of us alive today. What did you do? And the answer, must be that we worked together to answer that question in one way not that we did everything that we thought was possible, but that we did everything that we knew is necessary, because in that difference lies the future of mankind."

1:36 p.m. ET - Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer and co-founder of Prodea Systems, recounts her personal journey with science.

"The language of science knows no race, no gender, no religion. It doesn't discriminate based on where you live or based on whether you're poor or wealthy. The apple falls from the tree under the same laws," and in the same way no matter where you are in the world," Ansari said.

1:13 p.m. ET - Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania, speaks at the rally about his role in pioneering scientific understanding of historic climate change.

"I was initially reluctant to be at the center of a fractious public debate on human-caused climate change, but I eventually came to embrace that role. Here we are at a crossroads," Mann said. "Never before have we needed science more to deal with the changing climate. All of us who care about science and our planet must now make our voices heard. And indeed, the entire world is listening."

1:03 p.m. ET - NASA astronaut Leland Melvin is speaking about his appreciation for science, particularly after gazing back at the planet from space during one of his space shuttle missions in February 2008.

"Let's work together as one team on this spaceship we call Earth," Melvin told the crowd on the National Mall.

12:41 p.m. ET - Mari Copeny, an 8-year-old from Flint, Michigan, who is nicknamed "Little Miss Flint, speaks to the crowd about the importance of science.

"Listen to me," Copeny said. "When we don't believe in science, and especially when our government doesn't believe in science, kids get hurt. That's what happened in Flint. For the sake of Flint kids and for all over this Earth, I march for science."

12:06 p.m. ET - Bill Nye takes the stage!

Bill Nye speaks during the rally before the March for Science in Washington, D.C. (Image credit: Jeanna Bryner/Live Science)

"We are marching today to remind people everywhere our lawmakers especially of the significance of science for our health and prosperity," Nye told the crowd in Washington, D.C.

"The framers of the Constitution of the United States, which has become a model for constitutional governments everywhere, include Article 1, Section 8, which refers to promoting the progress of science and useful arts. Its intent is to motivate innovators and drive the ecnomy by means of just laws. They knew that without the progress of useful arts and engineering, our economy would falter," Nye said.

"Yet today, we have a great many lawmakers, not just here but around the world, deliberately ignoring and actively suppressing science. Their inclination is misguided and in no one's best interest.

"Science must shape policy. Science is universal. Science brings out the best in us. With an informed, optimistic view of the future, we can  dare I say it  save the world."

11:59 a.m. ET - "We have so much to do over the coming years, so when you go back home, stay involved," said Sheril Kirshenbaum, executive director of ScienceDebate. "That means visiting your local schools, community centers, libraries, telling your story, sharing why science is so crucial to who we are, how we live. And please, take time to listen."

Marchers brave the rain to participate in the March for Science in Washington, D.C. (Image credit: Mindy Weisberger/Live Science)

11:30 a.m. ET - Astronomer Nancy Roman, who was one of the first female executives at NASA, made an appearance at the D.C. event. Roman's role in planning the Hubble Space Telescope earned her the nickname "Mother Hubble."

11:04 a.m. ET - We're collecting photos from the various marches around the country (and around the world). Check out these snapshots from the 2017 March for Science.

11:00 a.m. ET - "I want us all to know, let's fight cynicism, let's lift each other up and let's go solve the hardest problems in the world together," Megan Smith, former Chief Technology Officer of the United States serving under President Barack Obama, said at the March for Science in Washington, D.C. "Let's make sure we get this government to lift up and support science and technology funding."

10:24 a.m. ET - Live Science Managing Editor Jeanna Bryner captured this photo of marchers filing onto the National Mall this morning in Washington, D.C.

Marchers file onto the National Mall for the March for Science in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 2017. (Image credit: Jeanna Bryner/Live Science)

10:12 a.m. ET - Musician and March for Science co-host Questlove is now addressing the crowd. "I love science," Questlove said. "We need science to turn the present into the future."

10:10 a.m. ET - "We are gathered here today to fight for science. We are gathered to fight for education, to fight for knowledge, and to fight for planet Earth," Cara Santa Maria, host of "Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria," said this morning at the March for Science in Washington, D.C.

10:07 a.m. ET - Derek Muller, creator of the YouTube channel "Veritasium" and co-host of the March for Science, kicks off the day's programs in Washington, D.C.

"We have to accept science in its entirety. I am here today because I embrace all of science, not just out of some blind belief, not just because it appeals to me, but because it's fundamentally based on rigorously, testable, verifiable evidence," Muller said. "I think we are all better off when we base our decisions on evidence, rather than hope, opinion and belief."

9:20 a.m. ET - "We at the Oceanographic Society have many stories to tell about the ocean, to celebrate the ocean and its creatures and to protect the ocean and its creatures," Julie Pullen, Councilor for Physical Oceanography at The Oceanographic Society and an associate professor of ocean engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, said at the AAAS pre-rally event.

9:05 a.m. ET - "Three things that I can try to extract from the cacophony around the march: The people are saying science is useful and relevant and exciting and just too important to people's lives to be downgraded and dismissed," Rush Holt, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS), said this morning during a pre-rally event at AAAS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

"They're also saying, if you want science to thrive and we all know everyone should want science to thrive then you have to defend the conditions under which science will thrive: free exchange of ideas, freedom to travel and collaboration, diversity of research perspectives, adequate support and I dont mean just federal fiscal monetary support, yes that, but also societal support." He added that if conditions like these are maintained science pays society back in a great way.

"All over the world, people are saying public policy, public debate, public decisions should be based on evidence  evidence that has been vetted by science. That is the most reliable way to get good public policy."

"I havent seen anything like this in my long association with science going back a half a century. It is the first time ive seen this many scientists saying we should step out of the laboratory and into the public square. That in itself makes this march a success," Holt said.

8:30 a.m. ET - A pre-march rally is being held at the headquarters of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in D.C., from 8:30-9:30 a.m. ET. Speakers from the American Physical Society, the Oceanographic Society, the American Geophysical Union, the Association for Reserach in Vision and Ophthalmology and the Opical Society will describe why their organizations are supporting the March for Science. You can watch a livestream of the pre-march rally:

Original article on Live Science.
Rebecca Skloot's best-selling book about the woman whose cells changed modern medicine is now an original film produced by HBO, starring Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks and Renee Elise Goldsberry as Henrietta Lacks.

The original HBO movie "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," based on the nonfiction book by journalist Rebecca Skloot and starring Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks, Henrietta's youngest daughter, premieres tomorrow (April 22) at 8 p.m. (local time). While the film will certainly introduce Lacks' story to a wider audience, the medical research community is already well-acquainted with her "immortal" cells, which have contributed to important discoveries for over half a century.

Lacks, an African-American woman born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951, and cells sampled from one of her tumors astonished scientists by reproducing indefinitely in the lab  something that no other cells were known to do.

Her unusual cells formed what became known as the HeLa cell line; after she died, they were widely distributed within the scientific community  without her family's knowledge  and were instrumental in groundbreaking biomedical research, contributing to the discovery of the polio vaccine and to treatments for cancer. But for decades, even as Lacks' children and loved ones mourned her death, they were unaware that some of her cells lived on, and didnt know that her cells were being used in medical research. [HBO Unveils Trailer for 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks']

Skloot began investigating Lacks' story in 1999 as a graduate student, following the trail blazed by HeLa cells through modern medicine. She uncovered previously unexplored details about Lacks' life, and revealed how Lacks' family was affected by her death  and by the discovery years later of the HeLa cell line.

Recently, Skloot spoke with Live Science about her involvement with the HBO film adaptation and about Lacks enduring story, which  like her unusual cells  appears to have a life of its own.

This Q&A has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Live Science: What was your role in the process of adapting your book to the HBO movie?

Rebecca Skloot: I'm a consultant on the film  so are some of the members of the Lacks family  and I've been involved from the beginning. I've read drafts of the script, offered feedback on it as it evolved, helped with research and developing characters along the way.

One of the reasons I was comfortable doing the movie with HBO in the first place was they were open to having me and the family involved. I thought it was really important that the story stick as close to the facts as possible without being overly fictionalized. Part of the story of Henrietta and her family is the misinformation that was put into world  with the family not involved, her name incorrect, various stories that weren't true. I didn't want the movie to add to that, to fictionalize in a way that would add to lack of clarity about who she was and what her legacy was.

HBO really wanted to get it right. We talked with actors  several members of the family and I spent time with Oprah. I provided audio tapes from my research process so the actors could listen to characters for their scenes. And during filming, me and over one dozen Lacks' family members visited various locations on set, and they would let us watch.

This is one of the only known photos of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in Baltimore, Maryland in 1951, when she was 31 years old. (Image credit: Alamy)

Live Science: Are there parts of Henrietta's story that emerge more clearly in the film, because it's a more visual medium?

Skloot: There are things movies can do that books can't do, and vice versa. There's a lot in the book that couldn't be in the film  I had 400 pages to flesh out the whole story  but the things you can show on a page are definitely different than what you can show on the screen.

One thing about film is how much can be conveyed in a split second between two characters where nothing is said  or just a facial expression on a really good actor  and the emotions that can evoke. There are things in a movie that visually would convey a very powerful message, that would take me many pages to convey in a book, and would feel very different. I didn't want the movie to be a Cliffs Notes version of the book  my hope was that it would be a companion piece, that it and the book would exist in a way that added to each other. And together, they paint this really rich picture.

Live Science: Did you see yourself as a character in the story when you were writing it, and did that change when you became involved with the film adaptation?

Skloot: I was very resistant to putting myself in the book at all! Eventually I realized that the book is about a lot of different things, and one of them is the ethics of journalism and telling people's stories. In the book, I tell the history of all the other journalists who came along, and the impact that their reporting had on the family  and in doing that I realized it would be dishonest if I left myself out.

And I very intentionally left out everything personal about myself  I was just "Rebecca the reporter," so it's a very one-dimensional character. In the movie that doesn't work  a character can't be one-dimensional in a movie. That's one of the places where I think the movie does add quite a bit. It's really showing what does it mean to have a white reporter and a black woman who is being written about  what does it mean that the reporter is white, how does that play out? In the course of working on the book, I really saw that I was privileged, that I could walk into a room and ask questions in ways that didn't exist for Deborah [Henrietta Lacks' daughter].

That taught me about race in America. You can see that in the movie, you can see gears clicking in "Rebecca's" head, and you can see her putting the pieces together about race without saying anything about it; it's a really good visualization of something that is an undercurrent in the book.

There are really important stories that have been untold that relate to race in this country that need to be told. And in doing so, they show how we got to where we are today, and that telling stories is an important part of moving forward  acknowledging the past and what's happened, and moving forward from that.

Rose Byrne as Rebecca Skloot and Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks, in a scene from the HBO film. (Image credit: Copyright 2017 Home Box Office, Inc.)

Live Science: What are the biggest challenges for telling science stories, and what makes people sit up and pay attention?

Skloot: I think it's the same challenge as telling any story  you have to make it clear what stakes there are, and there has to be tension and characters. And the added challenge is that you have to explain the science clearly. Showing science is the best way to get people to learn it, but it's also very hard. There are some scenes in the book where Deborah's learning about science from a scientist or from something happening around her, and those are the places where I tried to infuse the actual scientific information. My goal is that people get to the end of the scene, and they go, "Oh my god, I learned something about DNA, but I don't really know where I did that."

Live Science: The question "Who was Henrietta Lacks?" resonated with you long before you started writing her story. Nearly 20 years later, are there still any lingering questions that you have?

Skloot: The movie feels like an important moment of closure for me, the last thing that I felt needed to happen.

A lot of Henrietta was lost to history; there were such few traces of her. I spent years dreaming of finding a trunkful of letters from her, and none of that existed. I was able to build that into the book  I think you get a sense of who she was as a person, but of course there's a side of me that said, "If only I could have sat down with her for 20 minutes." Given what information existed, that's a closed chapter. I'm very excited to see the Lacks family taking the story forward. It's their story, they should be carrying it into the future.

Original article on Live Science.
Marching on Washington

(Image credit: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

Scientists and science allies are gathering today (April 22) in Washington, D.C., and in hundreds of cities around the world, for the 2017 March for Science. Marchers are voicing support for scientists and safeguards to the scientific community. [See live updates from the March for Science]

Here are some scenes from the 2017 March for Science.

Earth is melting

(Image credit: Hanneke Weitering/Live Science)

People called attention to the reality of climate change during the March for Science in New York City.

Frizzle 2020

(Image credit: Laura Geggel/Live Science)

Would you vote for Ms. Frizzle? This woman showed her support for science (and "The Magic School Bus") in New York City.

Silicon Valley science

(Image credit: Rachael Rettner/Live Science)

Two kids hold a sign of a giant beaker with real smoke coming out at the March for Science in Silicon Valley.

Build spaceships

(Image credit: Tariq Malik/Live Science)

Paige Campbell (left), 20, a meteorology and astrophysics student at Pennsylvania State University and Madison Littin (right), 20, a meteorology student, both took one of three buses from State College, Pennsylvania, to Washington, D.C. to take part in the March for Science.

Fighting for biodiversity

(Image credit: Collette Adkins)

Collette Adkins (right), a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, brought her two kids to the March for Science in Washington, D.C.

Science not silence

(Image credit: Laura Geggel/Live Science)

The March for Science in New York City ended in Times Square. The NYPD estimates 40,000 people participated in the march.

Science is real

(Image credit: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

Many kids took part in the March for Science in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere around the world.a

Politicians need science

(Image credit: Jeanna Bryner/Live Science)

The marchers protested against policies enacted by the Trump administration that disregard science.

The Science Guy

(Image credit: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

Bill Nye joined the March for Science in Washington, D.C.

Half lives matter

(Image credit: Mike Wall/Live Science)

Marchers in San Francisco turned out to emphasize the importance of science and to support scientists in the U.S. and around the world.
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Anthony Bourdain admits it: He hates unicorns, both mythical and drinkable.

Bourdain, the celebrity chef with the acid wit and no restraints on what he'll say, lashed out at the new Starbucks pink and purple beverage.

"Wow, that's like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns, and the colors pink and purple. Also a Frappuccino! It's the perfect nexus of awfulness. Just add pumpkin spice to that mix, and you can nuke the whole county," Bourdain told Town & Country Magazine.

COLORFUL UNICORN: Starbucks names new drink after mythical creature

And, based on the social media reaction, baristas aren't crazy about the drink named after the mythical horse with a horn either.

The new novelty drink has caused a crush of customers to some Starbucks anxious to order the brightly swirled drink. But, baristas find it complicated and messy to make. That leads to crazy busy shifts.

Shortly after it debuted on Wednesday, a video by Braden Burson went viral, showing the 19-year-old Colorado barista ranting that he's 'never been so stressed out in my entire life' and begging customers not to order it.

UNICORN HAPPY: Internet excited over Starbucks' new colorful offering

Baristas took to Twitter, Instagram and Reddit to express their, um, disdain for the colorful drink.

"Ordering a Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino is a great way to get your daily dose of barista spit," tweeted Tim (@Playing_Dad).

Any Unicorn Frappuccino drinkers can only hope he's joking.

Scroll through the gallery to see some baristas' reactions to the new Starbucks offering
An employee counts yuan banknotes at a bank in Huaibei, Anhui province, June 22, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Outstanding loans to China's small businesses continued to grow in the first quarter, official data showed on Friday.

Outstanding loans to small businesses had totaled 21.9 trillion yuan ($3.2 trillion) at the end of March, up 17 percent from a year ago, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement.

The growth was faster than that recorded by bigger businesses, the central bank said.

Small business loans account for nearly one third of total outstanding loans, 1.7 percentage points higher than a year ago.

The government is encouraging banks to support small businesses, which often have difficulty obtaining bank loans.

The banking regulator has differential regulatory policies to improve the coverage of loans for small businesses and reduce their financing costs.
A 3-year-old boy died after a grape lodged in his throat while watching television with his grandmother, according to Laredo police.

Zoe Lamar Castillo was pronounced dead Thursday at a San Antonio hospital, where he had been in intensive care since Monday.

First responders were dispatched to reports of a child choking on a grape at 1:23 p.m. Monday in the 2100 block of Okane Street. Castillo was in the care of his grandmother. She stated she had given him grapes.

The relative realized that the child was choking on the grape, said Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman.

She pat him on the back trying to dislodge the grape. After several failed attempts, she picked up Castillo and ran to the neighbors home seeking help.

The neighbor called 911 and started performing CPR on Castillo. The neighbor was able to dislodge the grape from the childs throat. An injured person report was filed.

Paramedics rushed Castillo to Laredo Medical Center. Emergency room personnel stabilized him and prepared him for transport via ambulance to a San Antonio hospital.

This case shows an example that ... since were heading into the summer months, its important for people to learn how to do the Heimlich maneuver, especially if they have grade-school children at home, Baeza said.

Knowing the Heimlich maneuver can mean the difference between life and death, he said.

According to The Guardian, grapes are the third most common cause of death among children who die in food-related choking incidents. Parents and guardians are encouraged to chop up soft fruits into quarters before giving them to children.
Two days after a raid at a Splendora property on FM 2090 just west of Tram Road, federal authorities are releasing more details about the three men taken into custody and what was found on the property.

An anonymous tip on Wednesday led police to a purported business in Splendora where possible human trafficking was taking place, Splendora Chief Wally Wieghat said in earlier reports. Later in the day, federal investigators with Homeland Security and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raided the property and found eight people inside the building, along with stolen guns and a stolen vehicle.

Of the eight, three were taken into custody by federal authorities. On Friday, federal charges were filed against the three Mexican nationals who were allegedly holding five illegal aliens against their will at the Splendora property.

According to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal complaint was filed against Luis Cesar Avalos-Hernandez, 32, Alvaro Cruz-Suarez, 27, and Giovanni Arrelola-Villalobos, 21, all of Mexico. The trio is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy on April 25. All three are charged with conspiring to transport and harbor illegal aliens in the United States.

According to the charges, the five others were found inside a back bedroom without access to their shoes, according to the charges.

"Two of the aliens claimed to have been walking through the brush in Texas near the Mexican border for several days before being picked up in a white pickup truck, according to the complaint. Cruz-Suarez allegedly drove that vehicle with Avalos-Hernandez as passenger. The charges further indicate that Cruz-Suarez, Avalos-Hernandez and Arrelola-Villalobos all guarded the aliens at the Splendora residence. Avalos-Hernandez allegedly took their shoes, while Arrelola-Villalobos confiscated a cellphone and threatened at least one alien with a rifle, according to the charges," the ICE statement continues.

All eight persons reportedly are citizens and nationals of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador and were illegally in the United States.

"They were administratively arrested and transported to the Houston Immigration Service Processing Center for additional checks and further investigation," the statement continues. "At the time of the arrests, authorities seized three firearms, a stolen rifle, miscellaneous documents, and a ledger of names, dollar amounts and locations. A white pickup truck was also found at the residence, which authorities determined was reported stolen in October 2016."
More than 1,000 people and 26 chefs answered the call Thursday for Shelterhouses largest fundraiser.

We have an incredibly generous community, said Shelterhouse Board Member Nena Meath, about the continued community support and growth of the event.

This was not at all what I expected, said Frank Ferguson of Midland. I am blown away.

Ferguson received tickets from his friend for the Chefs for Shelterhouse event. He said he wanted to attend for many years.

I kept hearing about it. Wow, this is more than I expected, said Ferguson of the crowded room with a huge supply of various foods and silent auction items.

Meath said last year there were 125 donated items for the auction and this year, there were more than 180 donated items.

Jim Fitterling, who is the president and chief operating officer of The Dow Chemical Co., was honorary chair along with Alex Lee. Fitterling said the individual donors deserve a huge thank you for helping make the event so successful.

This is a fantastic organization and Shelterhouse provides services to the community that no other can provide, he added.

We could not do what we do without community support, said Shelterhouse Executive Director Janine Ouderkirk.

Hope resident Steve Friend said Shelterhouse does amazing work and he has been attending the event on and off for about eight years.

This is fantastic, Friend said, hoping that the organization raises enough money to move to a larger housing area for the people who need it.

As for the food, there was savory, sweet, comfort and even exotic foods. One person ate tongue and thought it was delicious.

It doesnt matter, this is good, said Gladwin resident Marie Smith. Wow, really, Im eating tongue?

There were also plenty of sweet treats, too. Gourmet cupcakes, ice cream, pie and more.

Ouderkirk said in 2016 there were about 700 people attending and 18 chefs. This year there were more than 1,000 people and 26 chefs.

Our community comes together to make sure Shelterhouse continues to exist, Ouderkirk said.

Midland Police Detective Tonya Laubscher attended for the first time. She said she sees victims of domestic violence and sexual assault often.

I think its huge and the support is overwhelming, Laubscher said of the event.

Returning for an eighth year, Shari at the Willard Hilltons Raisa Dragomirova said it is a function that is so good for the community and for area restaurants. Working with Dragomirova was Alana Longsdorf.

Im pretty excited to be a part of this, Longsdorf said.

First year attendees, Timbers Bar and Grill, of Saginaw, were also excited to be a part of the event.

They asked and we said yes, said Timbers owner George Anderson. We have heard about it before.

Anderson was accompanied with chef Matt Hoffmann, who prepared a chicken stirfry and stuffed mushrooms remained busy for the three-hour event.

The event was also the first for Kathi Spence, director of the Dow Corning Foundation. She and her husband, Herb, were happy to attend.

Were just glad it is there, we know there are people who need it, Herb said of Shelterhouse.

This is a popular event, good food and good people, he said.

Jacqueline Leapheart, of Adoption Option Inc., said it was an important event because many people need help. She also noted that her organization and Shelterhouse do many similar things and take part in similar trainings.

Shelterhouse received more than 2,500 crisis calls in 2016 and they were there to answer each of them. Ouderkirk said that is because they had an amazing community backing them up.

To learn more about Shelterhouse, visit www.shelterhousemidland.org
Queen Sea Big Shark's lead vocalist Fu Han ventures into photography while riding a recent wave of renewed popularity for her style of rock

798 Art Zone, the hottest place to explore the contemporary art scene in the capital, is fully packed with weekend tourists. In one corner of the zone, dressed in retro high-rise black pants, white blouse and black winklepickers, Fu Han sips her iced coffee.

The lead vocalist of the indie rock band Queen Sea Big Shark, Fu is sharing laughs with the three other band members, guitarist Cao Pu, bassist Wang Jinghan and drummer Xiao Wu - when her cellphone isn't buzzing.

"If I knew we could do it (as a band) for 12 years, I wouldn't have done it in the beginning," giggles Fu. "Fortunately, playing music is still fun."

Clockwise from top: Fu Han, lead vocalist of the indie rock band Queen Sea Big Shark; the photo titled Mysteries; the band gave a live show in Qingdao, Shandong last year; a photo titled Star of the Ocean by Fu Han; members of the band at Houhai Lake in Beijing. Photos by Zou Hong / China Daily and Provided to China Daily

Queen Sea Big Shark, founded in 2005, is one of the capital's most popular rock bands. With its wild spirit, trendy music that blends rock, electronic and the retro sounds of the 1970s and 1980s, the band has been a fixture at Beijing's live music venues and at outdoor music festivals around the country for over a decade.

In March 2016, the band released its third full-length album, Beijing Surfers' Adventure, under Modern Sky, one of the country's largest indie record companies. Last year the rockers also kicked off a 12-city national tour.

On April 15, they released a documentary, Queen Sea Big Shark: Beijing Surfers' Adventure, at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) in 798 Art Zone. The band also gave an unplugged performance after the screening.

The documentary follows the production of the album and latest tour, with stops in cities the band visited for the first time, including Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Lhasa, capital of China's Tibet autonomous region.

"A young man drove for 500 kilometers to see us in Urumqi along with his mother and sister," recalls the guitarist Cao. "I had to take the oxygen during the performance in Lhasa for hight attitude sickness."

The new album, which combines jazz, hip-hop and indie music elements, took the band six years to finish.

After that, the band members spent three months traveling independently, without any contact.

"I went to a music festival in Texas (United States), the others went to Indonesia, the Philippines and the Grand Canyon," says Fu. "We did it intentionally because we wanted to have some time 'alone'."

"We have known each other for many years. We are so close like families. We agreed that it's good to separate for a while," adds Fu.

Their trips and separated days inspired them to write songs, including Bling Bling Bling, Beijing Surfers and Drifting on the Earth for the new album.

Timed with the screening, Fu launched her photography exhibition Playing on the Earth. 80 photos were taken by Fu and selected from over 3,000 photos from 2008 to 2016.

The ongoing exhibition at UCCA continues through May 30.

"I started my passion for photography from taking pictures of myself. Then I realized that photography is not just about documenting everyday life but also about self-expression," Fu says.

In her photos, Fu started focusing on her friends, including the band members, audiences, and the places she traveled.

Among the images displayed is a girl in blue tight skirt and a rooster-shape headgear looking into the mirror. The photo, titled Mysteries, was taken in 2013 by Fu when she was in New York taking in a Halloween party.

Another photo, of a skinny girl sitting on a motorbike, captures a high school classmate of Fu.

"She is the coolest person I have ever seen. She rode that motorbike from Beijing to Lhasa to be a volunteer teacher. She also traveled to Inner Mongolia to live on the grassland alone for a year," says Fu. "She has no desire for material things. She enjoys the freedom and lives her life at her own pace."

"It seems to be a luxury to be oneself and stay true to oneself," Fu adds. "She is my idol."

The interview was constantly interrupted by fans, who wanted pictures, autographs and chats.

"My 2-year-old daughter enjoys your songs very much. I took her to your show in Beijing's Star Live last December. She likes listening to the song Beijing Surfers, before she goes to bed every night," says a woman, who claims have been a band fan since she was a university student. She watched Queen Sea Big Shark's performance for the first time at the Strawberry Music Festival.

"It feels good to see these people, who have been with us for years," say Fu, giving the woman a big hug.

Born in Beijing, the 30-something Fu was born to a pianist mother and a doctor father. She attempted to learn piano but failed.

"I was not a quiet girl. I was very naughty and couldn't sit down for hours to practice playing the piano. Thankfully, my parents are open-minded and they are very supportive of my choice," say Fu.

With a bachelor's degree in architecture from Beijing University of Technology and a maste'sr degree in graphic design from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Fu was influenced by the indie rock bands in the capital then, including Joyside and PK14. She founded Queen Sea Big Shark with guitarist Cao, her classmate Beijing University of Technology.

Then Cao introduced the other two members of the band.

All the band members are Beijing natives and they often hang out around Beijing's Houhai Lake, once a peaceful, scenic spot that's become a tourist site.

"We just wanted to have fun with music and didn't plan anything," says Fu.

In 2007, the band released its self-titled album under the Modern Sky label, which featured Chinese and English lyrics.

Besides the dance rock tunes, the band members also won fans' attention for their stage presence, especially the lead vocalist, who reflects her fashion sense in her stage outfits.

"I designed my stage clothes by myself. I collects cloth pieces, fabrics and accessories," says Fu, who also designs posters and album covers for the band.

In 2009, Queen Sea Big Shark embarked on a tour in the US, opening for famous acts such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

In 2010, the band released its second album, Wave, which has strong electronic beats. A year later, they performed at Summer Sonic in Osaka, Japan.

"In the past, we just had dozens in audiences to our shows but now we perform in front to hundreds of thousands of people. The change of the country's indie music landscape is also obvious. People are open to different types of music," Fu says.

In 2016, the band initiated a concert called Young Friends Concert, inviting their musician friends, including bands like Carsick Cars and Youth.

"We want to make this concert a series, which aims at introducing original Chinese indie rock bands," says Fu. "We want to do something for people like us."

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/22/2017 page19)
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Sophie Blitz, 8, loves performing magic tricks. On Friday, she celebrated her biggest one yet, persuading the city of Houston to complete the unfinished sidewalk along her route to school and conjuring the mayor himself to appear on her street.

The chain of events began earlier this year when Sophie's mother said it was not safe to ride her bicycle in the street where the sidewalk was missing along Cortlandt in the Heights.

When Sophie asked if her parents could buy a new sidewalk, her mother explained how citizens pay taxes to the city for improvements like sidewalks. Well, Sophie asked, who's in charge of the city?

And so began Sophie's correspondence, carried out the old-fashioned way, with stamps and envelopes. On March 3, Mayor Sylvester Turner's office received a typed letter with a second-grader's signature asking the mayor to fix the problem.

"I can also show you where it is so maybe you could come to my house," Sophie wrote, adding an enticement: She would take him to the neighborhood gelato shop.

"If you want to ride your bike, bring your bike. Do you have a bike? Or my mom can drive us there," she offered. "What day would be best for you?  My sister has piano lessons on Wednesdays so no Wednesdays."

The mayor replied with a hand-signed letter of his own saying he had forwarded her request to Public Works and describing the city's 311 helpline. The letter, however, did not mention anything about a visit.

Sophie wrote back that she was happy that a new sidewalk had been poured in one day. Ever persistent, the little constituent added that she was "very, very, very super excited to go out to get gelato with you." The mayor responded just this Tuesday that, unfortunately, his busy schedule wouldn't permit a visit.

Then on Friday afternoon - perhaps after Sophie cast a magic spell - Turner arrived at the Blitz family bungalow, no bike in tow.

Sophie and her 5-year-old sister, Annie, greeted the mayor with a handmade butterfly and thank-you notes. One of them featured a stick-figure portrait of Sophie and the mayor, who grinned and noted that it depicted him with more hair than he has in reality.

Turner shook the girls' hands then chatted with their parents, as Sophie clasped her hands behind her back and Annie bounced on her heels. The purple pom-pom on Sophie's hairband matched the mayor's purple dress shirt and tie - coincidence, perhaps, or maybe magic.

About 10 minutes later, the party left the Blitzes' house and walked one block north to the newly finished sidewalk. Turner turned to Sophie.

"What do you think, is it nice?" he asked.

"This is a very persuasive constituent," he told reporters.

One strip of freshly laid concrete awaited Sophie and Turner, who together pressed in an orange plastic board with bumps to help people in wheelchairs traverse the ramp.

"Keep the letters coming, because we do read them," Turner said. "You can be young and you can have an impact. You don't have to be my age. You're never too young to be very powerful."

As the group trooped to the gelato shop, neighbor Christa Nichols waved and shouted, "Sophie, thank you for writing your letter!"

"She's our official Cortlandt politician," said another neighbor, Michelle Jovanelly. "I would vote for her."

At the Gelazzi ice cream shop, both sisters used the occasion as an excuse to order two scoops each - chocolate and Oreo for Sophie, rasberry and lemon for Annie. The mayor stuck with a single scoop of plain vanilla. His staff and the girls' parents, Dawn and Mitch Blitz, exchanged offers to pay the tab. In the end, as in so much of politics, it wasn't clear who ended up footing the bill.

The girls munched happily as they sat on either side of Turner in the row of plush red seats bought from the Astrodome.

"I've never seen Sophie so quiet," said the store's co-owner, Leigh Rubino, who has known the family for three years, since the shop opened. "If Sophie has something to say, she'll let you know."
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Samuel Galbraith came so close to freedom, he could almost taste it.

Galbraith, a 47-year-old native of San Patricio County, has been scheduled for release from Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel Louisiana on Sunday.

But, the state rescinded his parole on Friday, saying the mother of his victim wasn't properly notified about the parole hearing in November, negating the release.

FAST START: 2017 has already seen dozens of shocking crimes

Galbraith pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated rape in 2000 just days before his trial was set to begin in Vernon Parish on allegations he abducted Karen Hill, a 21 year-old convenience store clerk, and took her to a wooded area in the Kisatchie National Forest near the Fort Polk military base in 1988.

After raping her, authorities said Galbraith, formerly of Aransas Pass, Texas, tied her to a tree and then shot her once in the left eye with a .22-caliber handgun. Her body was discovered the following day.

Police didn't arrest Galbraith until 1997 after authorities said they were able to link DNA evidence from the crime scene to Galbraith. He was sentenced to 71 years in prison.

GRUESOME FACT: Police say man rode around with victim's body for several days

Sheryl Ranatza, a chairwoman for the state's parole board, told The Advocate that a letter notifying Hill's mother, Jessie McWilliams, of the parole hearing was sent to the wrong address.

Galbraith will get a new hearing, but this time Hill's mother and the Vernon Parish District Attorney will participate.

Scroll through the gallery to see the most shocking crimes of 2017 so far
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Thursday, April 20

11:26 a.m.  A Lee Township woman, 27, was arrested for drug possession and three probation violation warrants. Drug possession charges are being requested against a Midland Township man, 27.

3:15 p.m.  A deputy is investigating a sexual assault involving a girl, age 14, in Coleman.

7:08 p.m.  A Warren Township woman, 46, reported receiving a check in the mail. The check was a scam, and was shredded.

7:39 p.m.  A jacket, sunglasses and a flashlight, valued at a total of $250, were stolen from an unlocked vehicle while it was parked at an Ingersoll Township address.

10:31 p.m.  Deputies investigated a report of an assault in Lee Township.

10:37 p.m.  A Mills Township man reported his neighbors dog attacked his goats. He and his neighbor argued. At the scene, deputies arrested the neighbor, a 43-year-old man, on a child support warrant.
Simply put, we are failing people with mental illness and the Texas taxpayers who contribute to their care. But we can change that.

Lets be clear: Incarceration and punishment dont treat mental illness any more than they treat diabetes or cancer. Yet jails in Texas and across the nation are serving as our largest mental health institutions.

JPS Health Network is Tarrant Countys publicly supported health care system, offering services in an acute care hospital and more than 40 primary and specialty clinics. In addition to being our communitys only Level 1 trauma center, we operate the only psychiatric emergency center, as well as inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services. We experience about 8,200 behavioral health patient encounters every month, with about 1,500 of those in the psychiatric emergency center.

This is not just a Texas issue. A 2015 study by Mental Health America revealed people with mental illness account for more than half of the populations in county jails across the country.

In Texas, thats 38,000 people who suffer from mental illness and repeatedly end up in jail. Many are accused of nonviolent offenses because their illness may trigger behavior outside of accepted norms.

Often law enforcement has to arrest them because no viable treatment options are available. Texas is spending $650 million annually in local justice system costs for only 38,000 people whose mental illness and substance use disorders are inadequately treated, according to the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, or MMHPI.

At the Tarrant County Jail, MHMR of Tarrant County provides mental health screening and treatment for inmates to the tune of $2.3 million a year.

The Harris County Jail, where more than a quarter of the 9,000 or so inmates take medication for mental illness, can treat almost 250 inmates a day in its Mental Health Unit.

Such services arent available for many counties and are often nonexistent for municipal jails.

Broader, more proactive strategies are required to reduce those entering the criminal justice system with mental illness. However, diversion is not a practical solution when inpatient and community-based care options for Texans with mental illness are inadequate.

People who are evaluated as not competent (known as forsenic patients) to stand trial stay in jail until a state hospital bed is available. As many as 400 forensic patients may be waiting in jail rather than receiving restorative care due to the lack of available state hospital beds and funding for local competency-restoration options.

The picture is equally bleak for those who need access to state hospital beds because of a civil commitment. In 2014, the number of state hospital beds occupied by forensic patients surpassed the number used by civilly committed patients.

With lengths of stays four to five times longer for forensic patients, this trend will all but eliminate access to state hospital beds for those committed through the civil process.

The states 2015 study found an unmet state hospital bed need of 570, with an additional 607 beds needed to keep up with population growth over the next 10 years. On any given day, eight to 10 people in our community are waiting for a bed at the state hospital.

As if our overuse of jails and the lack of inpatient beds are not challenging enough, our efforts are going to continue to be thwarted unless we address our states inadequate behavioral health workforce.

According to an analysis reported in the Hogg Foundations Mental Health Workforce in Texas Policy Brief, 206 of 254 Texas counties were designated as full or partial mental health professional shortage areas, with 185 Texas counties not having a single psychiatrist in 2015.

That left more than 3 million Texans in counties without access to a psychiatrist. MMHPI identified Texas has having only 76 psychiatrists per million residents, compared to the national average of 129 psychiatrists per million residents.

Recent bills in the Texas Legislature to create loan repayment programs for psychiatric residents are a great start, but they arent enough. We must fund additional psychiatry residency slots, enhance the ability to use technology to deliver care, create reciprocity for psychiatrists licensed in other states, and find incentives to retain those who complete medical school and/or a residency in our great state.

Texas needs to stop spending tax dollars on incarceration and start investing where those dollars can make a real difference  jail diversion programs, inpatient beds and expanded psychiatric residency programs.

Robert Earley is president and CEO of JPS Health Network, Tarrant Countys publicly supported health care system. A former state legislator, he serves on the board of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.
Description

Please join us on Saturday, April 22nd as the Roosevelt Institute at Hofstra University proudly hosts a screening of the exclusive documentary, Tickling Giants. The screening will start at 6:00pm in the Axinn Library Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater.

Watch the trailer here.

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE!

About the film:

In the midst of the Egyptian Arab Spring, Bassem Youssef creates the satirical show, "Al Bernameg," which quickly becomes the most viewed television program in the Middle East, with 30 million viewers per episode. But, in a country where free speech is not settled law, his show becomes as controversial as it is popular. Despite increasing danger, Bassem employs comedy, not violence, to comment on hypocrisy in media, politics, and religion. Tickling Giants follows the "Al Bernameg" team as they discover democracy is not easily won.

We were personally contacted by Sara Taksler, a Senior Producer of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and we were given a grant to screen the independent movie about Bassem Youssef, the Egyptian Jon Stewart, and his fight to bring satire to The Middle East. Tickling Giants is a very funny film about free speech and what happens to a country when power is abused. The goal for Tickling Giants is to kick-off a dialogue about how people can find creative, non-violent ways to be heard when they see an abuse of power. This story couldnt be more relevant in our own country, right now.

Here is also an interview with Bassem Youssef on The Late Show with Stephen Colbart

Directions to the Axinn Library Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater:

The Guthart Cultural Center Theater is located on the first floor of the Axinn Library, the only 10 story building located on the south side of Hofstra's campus.

Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4 West (Hempstead Turnpike). Hofstra is less than a mile to the west. At the third traffic light from the Meadowbrook, turn right onto North Campus. At second STOP sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center and continue straight ahead. Cross over pedestrian bridge (Unispan) to the base of the Axinn Library. Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater is on the left.
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When US Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived in Qatar yesterday, the countrys attention was focused on the return of roughly two dozen Qatari citizens who were held hostage in Iraq, including members of the royal family. Despite the allegation that tens of millions of dollars had been paid by Qatar to violent extremist groups and possibly terrorists as part of the exchange, the US ambassador to Doha welcomed the hostages return as truly a blessed Friday, highlighting the fraught nature of Americas relations with the tiny Gulf nation.

The Qatari hostages were captured during a hunting expedition in southern Iraq in Dec. 2015. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shiite militia and US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, was widely suspected of holding them.

According to several news outlets, the release of the Qatari hostages was linked to the exchange of populations between two Shiite villages in Syria and two Sunni ones, as well as the release of hundreds of prisoners yesterday from Syrian jails. Sources close to the deal told Agence France-Press (AFP) that al Qaedas former Syrian branch was involved, agreeing to release Lebanese fighters from its control. This is likely a reference to some of the Lebanese Hezbollah operatives who were held by the group. The role of an al Qaeda-linked Syrian group in the exchange was confirmed by Sunni jihadist sources on social media.

The Telegram channel for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a recently-formed umbrella group that is dominated by the group formerly known as Al Nusrah Front, announced yesterday that the first phase of the prisoner swap with the Iranian enemy had been completed. Ebaa News Agency, the propaganda arm for HTS, reported that 15 buses carrying 500 mujahideen from al-Zabadani, Serghaya, and Damascuss eastern mountain had arrived with their families, while 46 buses carrying the residents and militants of Kefraya and al-Foua went toward areas of regime control. Ebaa added that the swap deal involves more than 1500 prisoners held by Bashar al Assads criminal regime, and the introduction of food and medical aid in the besieged areas near Damascus. Ebaas announcement in Arabic can be seen below.

Kefraya and al-Fouah are two predominately Shiite towns in the northern province of Idlib, which was overrun by an al Qaeda-led coalition in early 2015. The fighting in the two towns has long been linked to the situation in al-Zabadani, a town in southern Syria that is close to the border with Lebanon. The insurgencys Sunni jihadists have used Kefraya and al-Foua as leverage in their conflict with the Assad regime and its Iranian-backed Shiite allies. Ahrar al-Sham, one of al Qaedas closest battlefield partners, has helped negotiate previous prisoner and civilian exchanges. Ahrar al-Sham has received funding from Qatars government, according to American and regional officials cited by the New York Times.

HTS Ebaa posted a series of photos and a video celebrating the arrival of Sunni civilians and jihadists in northern Syria after they were freed from al-Zabadani and other besieged areas in the south. Some of the photos can be seen below.

In a separate statement released via Telegram, Ebaa trumpeted the arrival of four buses carrying 120 detainees who were released from the prisons of the [Assad] regime under the terms of swap agreement with the Iranian enemy. Ebaa also claimed that more than 750 detainees from the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus and Idlib would be released as part of the deal.

There are additional indications that the release of Qatars hostages was linked to the swap agreement in Syria.

Negotiations over the Qatari hostages reportedly took place both in Doha and in Beirut, the home of Lebanese Hezbollah. As part of those talks, Al-Monitor reported that Doha hosted negotiators for Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as HTS, the aforementioned al Qaeda-led joint venture. One of the individuals hosted in Doha for the talks, according to several sources cited by Al-Monitor, was Hussam al-Shafii, who was described as HTS political chief and spokesperson for al Qaedas Syrian arm. Earlier this month, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the prisoner and civilian swap was negotiated under Qatari supervision.

However, Qatars diplomatic victory was marred by reports that a multi-million dollar ransom was paid to a US-designated terrorist group and al Qaedas joint venture in Syria, even though Qatar routinely denied such claims.

On Apr. 19, The Guardian reported that Qatari officials arrived in Baghdad with large bags they refused to be searched. The paper cited senior Iraqi officials who it said believed the bags to be carrying millions of dollars in ransom money for Kataib Hezbollah, Ahrar al-Sham, and HTS.

Then, the Associated Press reported yesterday that an individual involved in the talks said Qatar had paid tens of millions of dollars to Shiite groups, HTS, and Ahrar al-Sham. Similarly, the New York Times cited a senior Iraqi official who asserted that Qatar paid millions of dollars as part of the deal to Kataib Hezbollah, a militia that has claimed credit for killing US service members in Iraq.

Qatar has negotiated numerous hostage deals with al Qaeda and in many of those instances, Doha has been accused of paying multi-million dollar ransoms to the group. Western and Middle Eastern government officials have raised concerns about some of these unsavory deals in the past. According to the Wall Street Journal, Qatar has previously admitted Syria-based al Qaeda officials into its territory for official meetings. In addition, Qatar has yet to visibly pursue legal action against even a single UN-designated individual accused of funding al Qaedas Syrian branch.

However, the new US administration has yet to indicate whether it will take a firm stand against alleged Qatari ransom payments, which have purportedly enriched Sunni jihadists and now Shiite terrorist groups that have taken American lives. Mattiss arrival in Qatar within hours of the countrys emir meeting freed members of the royal family on the tarmac may increase the pressure on Washington to finally confront this thorny issue.

Hayat Tahrir al Shams Ebaa News Agency released these photos of men from al-Zabadani getting off buses in northern Syria:

David Andrew Weinberg is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He specializes on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
A gunman opened fire at the local office of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) in the city of Khabarovsk yesterday. At least two people were killed. Depending on which source you consult, the shooter was either a far right neo-Nazi, or a jihadist loyal to the Islamic State.

Amaq News Agency, the so-called caliphates main propaganda arm, quickly claimed credit for the shooting. The statement can be seen above. Citing a security source, Amaq reported that an Islamic State fighter had assaulted the Russian intelligence office in Khabarovsk, killing three people and wounding others.

However, the Russian government contradicted Amaqs claim. TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported that information about the gunman points to his being a member of a neo-Nazi group.

The shooter was identified as A.V. Konev  a resident of the Khabarovsk region who was born in 1999, according to TASS. He was killed by security forces.

The FSB said that two people, a FSB officer and a visitor from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), were killed  not three as reported by Amaq. A third visitor also suffered wounds. But this discrepancy over casualties is minor, especially when compared to the different motivations for the killings offered by Amaq and the FSB.

As FDDs Long War Journal has reported in the past, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to verify jihadist claims after operations are conducted inside Russia. Independent reporting is often limited and the Russian government tends to be less than forthcoming when identifying perpetrators.

In March 2016, for instance, the Islamic States Caucasus Province claimed responsibility for two attacks in Dagestan, saying that its jihadists had detonated two explosive devices on Russian Army vehicles in the area of Kaspiysk in eastern Dagestan. Russian officials blamed members of a gang and said they were investigating whether this group had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization. [See FDDs Long War Journal report: Islamic State claims 2 attacks on Russian forces in Dagestan.]

The Russians also did not immediately credit the jihadists with an Aug. 2016 attack on police in Balashikha, which is east of Moscow. Amaq quickly released a claim of responsibility after that shooting. Leaving little doubt about the identity of the perpetrators, Amaq also disseminated a short video of two jihadists swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. [See FDDs Long War Journal report: Jihadists who attacked Russian police appear in Islamic State video.]

Without more information about the shooter in Khabarovsk, a city in Russias far east, it is impossible to adjudicate between the competing claims. The location of the attack is far away from Chechnya and Dagestan, where the Islamic States Caucasus Province is known to operate. Still, it is possible that the organization had a young recruit in Khabarovsk and was in contact with him online or in some other fashion.

Abu Bakr al Baghdadis organization does not claim all terrorist attacks.

For example, no group has claimed responsibility for the April 3 bombing at a subway station in St. Petersburg. Russian officials have identified the bomber as a 22 year-old Russian citizen, Akbarjon Jalilov, an ethnic Uzbek who was born in Kyrgyzstan. Ten or more individuals of Central Asian origin were arrested during the investigation that followed. According to RT, which is controlled by the Russian government, a Russian court found that the metro bombing was financed by an international terrorist group from Turkey.

Still, the Russians havent definitively identified the group responsible for the St. Petersburg bombing. Sixteen people were killed and dozens more wounded in the explosion.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Kabul : More than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the country's defence ministry said today.

"The majority of our soldiers were offering Friday prayers" at the time of the assault, the ministry said in a statement, adding that "over 100 Afghan army forces were martyred and wounded". PTI
By Ross Kerber

BOSTON (Reuters) - Officials of the California Public Employees' Retirement System said Friday they are voting against nine of 15 Wells Fargo & Co directors up for election at the bank's annual meeting next week, citing the bank's phony-account scandal.

Leaders of the largest U.S. state pension system, known as Calpers, said in an email it is voting about 13.9 million shares against the bank nominees, including its chairman, Stephen Sanger, ahead of the bank's April 25 meeting in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

"We believe these directors failed in their oversight responsibilities during the retail banking controversy at the company," Calpers said in a statement posted on its website.

In addition, Calpers noted some Wells Fargo (WFC.N) director nominees have tenures of 12 years or more, "which we believe could compromise director independence."

The comments underscore the challenge facing the country's third-largest bank, which has struggled to move past revelations that thousands of employees created as many as 2 million accounts in customers' names without permission in order to hit lofty sales targets.

Wells Fargo's board and management have said steps already taken to fix problems and punish employees responsible for sales abuses show there is now strong oversight and that directors nominated deserve to be elected.

While the board has gained support from its largest investor, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, it also faces a recommendation to vote against 12 directors by leading proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services.

Among its other votes, Calpers said it is voting "against" the ratification of bank auditor KPMG. Calpers said it has "concerns over a potential lapse of internal controls during the extended period of abusive sales tactics at the company."

Calpers also said the company should explore auditor rotation to ensure a fresh perspective.

(Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Bill Trott)
LAWRENCE Prosecutors with the Essex County District Attorney's Office are awaiting extradition of Luis Rodriguez from Texas. The Lowell Sun reported that Rodriguez was arrested in Sulphur Springs Thursday night, just days after he allegedly shot and killed Aracelys Valdez Deleon, 40, as she left a Lowell nightclub with another man Easter Sunday night.

The man she was with was also shot but he survived.

In a Hopkins County, Texas courtroom, Rodriguez indicated he would not waive extradition to Massachusetts so local prosecutors will petition for a Governor's Warrant. That could take up to 90 days. He is being held without the right to bail on a charge of being a fugitive from justice.

Police said apparently there was a fight inside the La Cava nightclub in Lowell that night. They don't know if Rodriguez and Deleon were involved, but they believe that Rodriguez waited outside the club and when Deleon and her male companion crossed Union Street and he shot both of them. Police said nine shots were fired, and both victims were hit multiple times.

According to the Sun, videos which appear to show Deleon lying on the pavement after the shooting appeared online. People could be seen trying to help a woman who appeared to be Deleon and the male victim. Police could be seen arriving at the incident scene.
SPRINGFIELD -- Assistant District Attorney Max Bennett told a judge that Pedro Vasquez knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights when he spoke to police after he was arrested for the close-range shooting of ex-girlfriend Yahaira Hernandez in her car.

Defense lawyer Calvin C. Carr told Hampden Superior Court Judge John A. Agostini it is clear from the videotape of police giving Vasquez his Miranda warnings that Vasquez did not understand his rights.

Carr, at a multi-day evidentiary hearing this week, attempted to show Vasquez didn't understand English enough for the English reading of the Miranda rights. He said the police officer tasked with translating the rights into Spanish for Vasquez garbled the translation so Vasquez didn't understand his rights in Spanish either.

Agostini took Carr's motion to suppress Vasquez's statement to police under advisement. The judge has the video of the police interview to view himself.

Agostini said he will have the lawyers back in front of him for final arguments on the motions after he views all the evidence submitted to him.

The other motion Agostini heard this week was Carr's motion to suppress identifications of Vasquez made by three family members of Hernandez.

Hernandez, 30, of Springfield, was found shot to death in her SUV shortly before 6 a.m. Jan. 5, 2015, in the city's Forest Park neighborhood. The SUV was parked near the Scott Street entrance to White Street Elementary School.

Vasquez, 42, had been involved with Hernandez but the relationship had ended.

There is a surveillance video that provides information about the killing but does not show the shooter. Hernandez was shot in the back of the head from the rear seat of the car.

Three of Hernandez's relatives, played the tape by police the night of the shooting, said the voice they heard on the audio portion was that of Vasquez. Carr sought to prove the relatives had made up their minds Vasquez did the shooting before hearing the tape.

In Vasquez's statement to police when he was arrested, he does not admit to any crime, but gives details of his activities that the prosecution can seek to show are not true.

Thomas Kennedy, a Springfield police lieutenant at the time of the shooting, testified that when he began the interview with Vasquez he had Officer Alex Ortiz help with the Spanish translation "out of an abundance of caution."

He said he read each line of the Miranda warnings in English, then Ortiz read them in Spanish. Much of the conversation with Vasquez during the 70-minute interrogation was in English, Kennedy said.

Carr called as his main witness Michael O'Laughlin, an expert on language issues, who testified for most of Thursday and several hours Friday.

That included more than three hours of cross-examination by Bennett. By the time O'Laughlin was finished testifying, almost every word spoken during the Miranda rights -- in Spanish and English -- was repeatedly examined.

O'Laughlin said he watched the video of the Miranda warnings several times and "it's quite clear the Spanish instructions are not correct."

"Officer Ortiz wasn't competent as an interpreter here," O'Laughlin said.

Vasquez is not literate in English, O'Laughlin said. He said he tested Vasquez and found his literacy in Spanish is very low. Vasquez reads Spanish with great difficulty, O'Laughlin said.

Bennett asked, "There's no way to be certain someone isn't gaming their way through your tests?" O'Laughlin said he can be sure to "a reasonable degree of certainty."
litesxxx.jpg

(The Republican)

This story has been updated to reflect that attorney Tasha Marshall represented Daquan Harris and attorney Stephanie Woods represented Anthony Brimage.

SPRINGFIELD - Two Springfield men are being held on $5,000 bail after allegedly luring a gay man to a home in Forest Park and then kidnapping and attempting to rob him.

Anthony Brimage, 21, and Daquan Harris, 22, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Springfield District Court to kidnapping, assault and battery, threatening to commit a crime and unarmed robbery. Warrants were issued when the men failed to show up for arraignment in March; both were arrested last weekend.

Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski requested that both men be held on $5,000 bail, citing the details of the alleged kidnapping and each defendant's criminal history.

The charges were filed after a 46-year-old Milford, Connecticut, man told police he connected with Harris using the gay dating app Grindr and agreed to meet in Springfield on Dec. 22, according to Szafranski and a police report filed in court.

After arriving at a home on Fern Street, the victim was ordered down into the cellar and confronted by two men. Both dropped their pants and indicated he should perform oral sex on them and pay them, the report said.

When he refused, he was assaulted and forced to drive with Harris to an ATM to withdraw money; on the way, he jumped out of the car and called for help, causing Harris to abandon the vehicle and take off running, the report said.

Harris's lawyer said the charges stemmed from a soured relationship between her client and the alleged victim.

"It was a lovers' quarrel," attorney Tasha Marshall said, adding the two men first met in August.

The alleged victim "was pushing for more than (Harris) was willing to offer," Marshall said, adding the allegations are "all lies."

Harris wanted to turn himself in on April 14, but thought the court was closed due to the Easter holiday, Marshall said.

Defense lawyer Stephanie Woods, representing Brimage, said her client played no role in the alleged kidnapping and attempted robbery.

"He has no idea who the alleged victim is," she added.

Judge William Boyle granted the prosecutor's bail request and ordered both defendants held for bail violations in earlier cases, effectively jailing them for 90 days.

Both men are due back in court for pretrial hearings next month.
When Gerard Boniello, the managing partner at Omnium Protection Group, strolled through the New England Cannabis Convention last year as an attendee, recreational marijuana hadn't yet been legalized in Massachusetts and the medical marijuana program was still slowly getting off the ground.

But sensing an opportunity, Boniello returned to the convention this year, complete with a booth promoting his Waltham-based security firm.

"We're trying to be the go-to security company for the cannabis industry," Boniello said as crowds milled inside the Hynes Convention Center on a rainy Saturday.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and it's still a cash-based industry. And Boniello argues that puts pot shops, medical dispensaries and their delivery employees at risk.

"We want to fill that void," he said.

Having large amounts of cash on-site, not to mention high-value product, increases the likelihood of a robbery, Boniello said.

His 75-person firm offers a range of services, he said, including armed and unarmed guards or escorts, in uniform or in suits and ties.

"It depends on the facility and location," Boniello said.

His firm provided security for "American Hustle," which was partly filmed in Worcester and starred Christian Bale.

Omnium wasn't the only security firm at the Hynes Convention Center. American Alarm and Communications Inc., based in Arlington, Mass., had its own booth.

David Oles, an integrated systems consultant for American Alarm, said they put in fire alarm systems that detect smoke and heat, perimeter and interior motion sensors, entry and exit door controls, digital video surveillance and secure internet monitoring.

In business since 1971, the company got involved with the marijuana industry after Massachusetts voters legalized medical use in 2012.

"We saw an opportunity early on," Oles said.

The brochure at his table notes five out of six New England states have decriminalized marijuana, and now the substance is legal in Massachusetts and Maine.

"The security and life safety standards for marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries are not only strict, they are constantly evolving," the brochure says. "You need a security expert to keep your business in compliance with the law, and technology that won't harm your crops."

Massachusetts has 10 medical marijuana dispensaries, and retail pot shops aren't set to open until sometime in 2018.

The marijuana business remains a new industry. But based on the various vendors and crowds at the New England Cannabis Convention, it's already pulling companies toward branching out and offering services that they didn't think about a decade ago.

"It's a good place to go," Oles said.
SOUTH HADLEY -- Progressive leader Elizabeth Warren said America can once again become a land of opportunity for ordinary people, but that it's going to take a fight.

The Democratic U.S. Senator delivered her message of left-wing populism to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd at Mount Holyoke College Friday night. Warren's latest book, "This Fight is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class," was released earlier this week.

From 1935 to 1980, America "invested in opportunity" and created a stable middle class, but in recent decades, most resources have gone to the top ten percent, she said. Since then, spending on education, infrastructure, and research have plummeted in favor of an economy that "works for the millionaires and billionaires."

As for President Donald Trump, he has "delivered one gut punch after another to working families across this country."

Warren told stories from her book ("Mike," a man with early-onset Alzheimer's who asked her to fight for medical research; "Gina" a Walmart worker who despairs of her economic future) and said what happens in Washington matters to real people.

Warren said Alzheimer's presents "a perfect example" of the need for more research funding in the federal budget. In 2016, Americans "spent $236 billion on Alzheimer's care," but the National Institutes of Health spent only a tiny portion of that on scientists trying to understand and cure the disease.

"By 2050, Alzheimer's spending alone could bankrupt Medicare," said Warren. She said Trump's budget cuts for basic medical research will end up costing more in the long run.

Women's rights "are not up for grabs," Warren said.

She told of attending the women's march in Boston, and witnessing a massive crowd, including "women wearing pussy hats, men pushing strollers," and a child riding on her father's shoulders with a sign saying "I fight like a girl."

Warren was introduced Friday night by Mount Holyoke College acting president Sonya Stevens, who compared Warren with Frances Perkins, an alumna who served as U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933-1945. Perkins helped craft and implement many of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" policies.

Warren and Perkins share "something of the fighting spirit," said Stevens.

Democrats, now the minority party with a Republican president and GOP majorities in the House and Senate, will need that spirit if they hope to turn things around in the 2018 mid-term elections.

Kirsten Hughes, chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, said in an email Friday that Warren's book tour won't help her prospects outside of the liberal left.

"Sen. Warren's stock is sinking fast in Massachusetts, but it will take more than a book tour of liberal enclaves to reverse her rising negatives. From the typical DC tactic of asking for another term but refusing to commit to serving it out; to her vote against more funding to fight the opioid crisis, she's dug herself a deep hole. More appearances in front of friendly audiences won't solve her problems with regular voters," said Hughes.

Warren said she is not launching a 2020 presidential bid, but will run to retain her Senate seat in 2018. She said she plans to do so with "optimism, hope, and fiery determination."
More than degrees or particular skill sets, were looking for obsessive, self-motivated people who have done one or two things in their lives that most people would consider exceptional or very interesting. As a product used globally, were very motivated to hire team members who are representative of different and diverse backgrounds and experiences, including but not limited to diversity of ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, culture, and socioeconomics.

https://resume.submittable.com/submit/46961/senior-director-of-marketing
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...
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images. U.S. stock futures were higher this morning, with Wall Street on track for a positive June, quarter, and first six months of the year.

IN THE NEWS TODAY

World finance leaders gather on President Donald Trump's home turf today to try to nudge his still-evolving policies away from protectionism and show broad support for open trade and global integration. (Reuters)

Trump plans to sign today a directive asking for a speedy investigation into whether imports of foreign-made steel are hurting U.S. national security. (Reuters)

GOP leaders on Capitol Hill appear willing to extend the government shutdown deadline that's looming a week from tomorrow. The delay would give lawmakers more time to reach a compromise on a spending bill. (CNBC)

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was looking at ways to pressure North Korea over its nuclear program, as Pyongyang said America "should not mess with us." (Reuters)

Exxon Mobil (XOM) has applied to the Treasury Department for a waiver from U.S. sanctions on Russia in a bid to resume its venture with state oil giant Rosneft forged in 2012 by then-CEO Rex Tillerson. (WSJ)

General Motors (GM) said Venezuelan authorities illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights. (Reuters)

United (UAL) plans to testify at an upcoming House committee hearing in the wake of a United passenger being dragged off an April 9 flight to Chicago, to make room for crew members. (Reuters)

Fox News has forced out top-rated host Bill O'Reilly after the disclosure of a series of sexual harassment allegations and an internal investigation that turned up even more. (NY Times)

Today marks marijuana culture's high holiday, 4/20 , when college students gather at 4:20 p.m. in clouds of smoke on campus quads and when pot shops in legal weed states thank their customers with discounts. (AP)

STOCKS TO WATCH

Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google unit is expected to introduce an ad-blocking feature in its popular Chrome web browser, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Story continues

Qualcomm (QCOM) reported earnings and revenue that exceed expectations. The chipmaker's stock was rising in premarket trading despite conservative current guidance and concerns over a legal dispute with Apple (AAPL).

EBay (EBAY) slightly beat estimates on earnings and matched on earnings. The e-commerce firm warned it faces tough competition from Amazon (AMZN) and other online retailers.

CSX (CSX) beat estimates on quarterly earnings and revenue. The railroad operator was helped by the ongoing recovery in shipments of coal.

Alcoa (AA) is closing its New York headquarters as well as seven other offices, in an effort to trim costs by $5 million dollars per year.

U.S. Bancorp (USB) plans to launch a new premium credit card in May, becoming the latest entry in a rapidly expanding market.

WATERCOOLER

Apple is pledging to end its reliance on mining and one day make its products from only renewable resources or recycled material. Separately, Apple is making its own artificial sweat in order to test products. (CNBC)





More From CNBC


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Misuse of antibiotics is the reason for accelerating antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development.

Resistance to antibiotics may result in longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased mortality.

Infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhea are becoming harder to treat due to resistance.

Antibiotic resistance may occur to anyone irrespective of any age, in any country.

Use only antibiotics that are prescribed by a health care professional.

Prevent infections by regularly washing the hands, preparing hygienic food and avoiding close contact with sick people.

Ensure that vaccinations are up to date.

Do not share or use leftover antibiotics.

Pavel Dibrov et al, Development of a novel rationally designed antibiotic to inhibit a nontraditional bacterial target, Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (2017). DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2016-0505

The research paper revealed that the bacteria might share a unique respiratory sodium pump (NQR) which would supply the energy vital to the bacteria's survival.The new drug may inhibit the function of NQR Pump and also the production and growth of Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.The drug is highly targeted and may only impact the bacterial cells with NQR pumps and is considered to be safe for the normal healthy cells.Around 20 different pathogenic bacteria contain NQR; this may be a possibility to avoid multidrug resistance through NQR inhibition which could be a potential breakthrough in antibiotic resistance.It is to be noted that only two antibiotics are being approved by the US FDA Approval since 2009, since traditional targets are limited.St. Boniface Hospital Executive Director of Research and University of Manitoba, professor of physiology and pathophysiology Dr. Grant Pierce, said, "New drugs are not being approved because they share the same target to which the bacteria are developing resistance. We have not only defined a new and effective target, but we have also designed a drug to attack it without affecting normal cells.""The first pathogen our research team studied (Chlamydia trachomatis) has confirmed that NQR is a good target, and it is shared by many bacteria in need of a more effective antibiotic."Dr. Pavel Dibrov, lead author, professor, University of Manitoba Faculty of Science, said, "The results from our collaboration are tremendously exciting.""We are currently designing PEG-2S variations and hope to tailor PEG-based antimicrobials to each specific NQR-containing pathogenic bacterium."Dr. Ghassan Bkaily and Dr. Pedro D'Orleans-Juste, said, "Antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance to superbugs is a priority research direction in pharmacology. The quality and findings of this study may be instrumental in our efforts to develop new drugs and technologies that effectively address this global health alarm recently raised by the World Health Organization."Dr. Digvir Jayas, Vice President and Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba, also applauded the research collaboration that resulted in the new breakthrough."Solving the complex and evolving challenges of antibiotic resistance will put new tools in the hands of caregivers around the globe."Prof Evelina Tacconelli, Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Tubingen and a major contributor to the development of the WHO list, said, "New antibiotics targeting this priority list of pathogens will help to reduce deaths due to resistant infections around the world.""Waiting any longer will cause further public health problems and dramatically impact on patient care."Antibiotics are drugs that are used to fight against bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance may occur when the bacteria changes in response to the use of such medicines.Source: Medindia
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Jens Christian Nielsen, Sietske Grijseels, Sylvain Prigent, Boyang Ji, Jacques Dainat, Kristian Fog Nielsen, Jens Christian Frisvad, Mhairi Workman, Jens Nielsen. Global analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters reveals vast potential of secondary metabolite production in Penicillium species. Nature Microbiology, 2017; 2: 17044 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.44

The first antibiotic which was discovered to treat bacterial infections was Penicillin, obtained from the fungi. On the verge of developing new antibiotics, the research team had sequenced the genomes of nine different types of Penicillium species.The research findings were amazing:Jens Christian Nielsen, PhD student at the Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, said, "We found that the fungi have enormous, previously untapped, potential for the production of new antibiotics and other bioactive compounds, such as cancer medicines."The research team scanned the genomes of 24 different kinds of fungi to find the genes responsible for producing a number of bioactive compounds.The immense potential of fungi in developing a variety of natural and bioactive chemicals can be used for producing new pharmaceuticals.The scientists were able to predict the chemical products of the pathways in around 90 cases. In accordance to this, they followed the production of an antibiotic called yanuthone. They even identified a new fungi which was able to produce the compound. Some of these species may also produce a new version of the drug.The fungi not only showed potential in producing new antibiotics but, however, helped to enable more efficient production of the existing ones.Jens Christian Nielsen, described that "It's important to find new antibiotics in order to give physicians a broad palette of antibiotics, existing ones as well as new ones, to use in treatment. This will make it harder for bacteria to develop resistance."The author also added that the previous efforts to find new antibiotics were mainly focused on bacteria. Since fungi are difficult to study, we know very little about them. However, they are capable of developing the bioactive substances naturally and may also help to protect themselves and survive in a competitive environment. This is the reason to develop research on fungi.Further research on comparing hundreds of genes may help in the continuous evaluation of bioactive drugs. However, it is impossible to say on how long it would take to launch the antibiotic drugs in the market.Jens Christian Nielsen, said, "Governments need to act. The pharmaceutical industry doesn't want to spend money on new antibiotics, it's not lucrative. This is why our governments have to step in and, for instance, support clinical studies. Their support would make it easier to reach the market, especially for smaller companies. This could fuel production."Source: Medindia
A sign of the Pakistan Stock Exchange is seen on its building in Karachi, Pakistan January 11, 2016. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/Files

By Syed Raza Hassan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on Saturday announced it had ordered an investigation into brokers suspected of market manipulation on Pakistan's stock exchange.

It did not name the brokers, but issued a strongly worded statement describing their tactics to manipulate prices on the Pakistan Stock Exchange over several years.

"These securities brokers deliberately interfered with the workings of the market to defraud investors," it said in a statement.

It said the brokers entered bids and offers with the prior intent of cancelling them before trade execution, commonly known as "spoofing", to create the false appearance of market activity.

The benchmark KSE100 is up 3.97 percent in 2017, closing at 49708 on Friday.

Last month the first meeting of the exchanges reconstituted board of directors was held, with four seats occupied by a Chinese consortium that holds 40 per cent equity in the bourse, after completion of a divestment.

Last year the bourse was restored to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, giving it a wider range of potential investors than as a Frontier Market.

(Writing by Kay Johnson; editing by Andrew Roche)
By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday promised a big announcement about tax reform next week and ordered an administration review of Obama-era tax rules written to discourage U.S. companies from relocating overseas to cut their tax bills.

"We'll be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform. The process has begun long ago, but it really formally begins on Wednesday," Trump said during a visit to the U.S. Treasury Department.

First reported in an Associated Press interview with Trump, the news came as a surprise to lobbyists and congressional aides who had no idea what Trump's announcement might include.

In February, Trump promised to release a "phenomenal" tax plan within a few weeks, without offering details. But none emerged.

A White House official said the impending announcement could come later than Wednesday, adding: "The president was saying what we've been saying all along, that he wants to do tax reform as quickly as possible while still doing it right."

Trump's latest comments got a warm reception from the Republican tax chief in the House of Representatives.

"I appreciate the president's leadership and strong commitment to comprehensive tax reform," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady said in a statement.

Brady added that the panel's Republican members "are ready to work with President Trump and his team."

During the 2016 election campaign, Trump issued a plan that proposed deep cuts in tax rates for individuals and corporations, a reduction in the number of tax brackets to four from seven, repeal of the estate tax, an offshore profits repatriation tax holiday for multinationals and a cap on the deductibility of business interest.

The plan partly resembled one developed by House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump now appears not to be wedded to either his campaign plan or Ryans plan.

Trump on Friday also signed an executive order directing the Treasury to review tax-related regulations adopted over the past 18 months under former President Barack Obama.

Story continues

Asked if that would include rules against tax-driven foreign corporate deals known as inversions, Mnuchin said: "It's one of the significant things and one of the things we would be looking at."

Trump and Republicans in Congress view tax reform as the best vehicle for eliminating what they say are tax incentives for U.S. companies to move their headquarters, manufacturing facilities and jobs overseas.

(Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and David Alexander; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Alistair Bell)
Overfishing is, in some sense, a rational reaction to increasing market needs for fish. Most people consume approximately twice as much fish as they did 50 years ago and there are four times as many people on earth as there were at the!-->
Federal Reserve Board Chairperson Janet Yellen (2nd, L) joins (L-R) African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs Anthony Mothae Maruping, Argentina's Central Bank Chairman Federico Sturzenegger and Argentina's Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne, posing with ministers and bank governors for a family photo during the IMF and World Bank's 2017 Annual Spring Meetings, in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Theiler

By Francesco Canepa and Gernot Heller

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global economic leaders on Friday continued downplaying possible friction with the Trump administration over currencies, trade and other potentially contentious issues, even while acknowledging that much about the U.S. president's plans remains unclear.

On a day when Donald Trump himself seemed focused on domestic matters - promising a new U.S. tax plan next week and announcing reviews of financial regulations - world officials gathered just blocks from the White House said there was "broad consensus" with the new president's advisers over the need to keep economic borders open and coordinate on global financial regulation.

"Almost everybody underscored the importance of open markets and free market access," German central bank governor Jens Weidmann said following meetings among finance ministers from the world's top 20 economic powers, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "That was the consensus."

His remarks come as finance and economic officials attending meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank took heart in an improving world economy, but also spoke of the sudden raft of political issues that could put that progress at risk.

Trump's tough talk on trade and seeming suspicion of "globalist" groups like the IMF cast a shadow over the start of this week's session. Similarly, the French elections on Sunday have been frequently cited as the sort of event that could reverse the euro zone's tentative economic progress.

A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH WASHINGTON

The Trump risk, at least for now, seems to have diminished.

Germany currently chairs the Group of 20, an organization that under the administration of President Barack Obama had become a central forum for working out economic issues among the world's largest economies.

Officials here this week have said Mnuchin and other administration officials seemed ready to continue work on issues like financial regulation, while avoiding overt clashes on issues like the value of China's currency or Germany's large trade surplus with the United States.

Story continues

The Trump administration had previously threatened to impose measures to restrict imports, and verbally attacked Germany for running a large surplus by exploiting a weak euro.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said earlier on Friday neither topic was discussed in Washington and that he had seen a relaxation in the dispute with the United States over trade.

Steel, of which Germany is a large producer, has become a point of contention.

Speaking at a separate G20 event in Germany, the country's economy minister, Brigitte Zypries, said a Trump-announced U.S. probe into whether imports of foreign-made steel were hurting national security pointed toward "unwelcome protectionist tendencies." She said she would discuss the global steel market with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by telephone next week.

But Schaeuble overall said he believed a "non-confrontational solution" to economic issues would be reached when financial leaders of the world's 20 top economies meet again in Hamburg in July.

British Chancellor Philip Hammond said he thought the U.S. and U.K. could go further, and strike a bilateral trade deal, while Japanese and other officials said they did not expect any sharp or disruptive moves from Trump.

Officials also said Trump's intention to roll back some of the financial rules put into place since the 2008 financial crisis won't damage the world financial system. Trump's talk of deregulation has unnerved European regulators, but Weidmann said he was confident there would be no "regulatory race to the bottom."

(Additional reporting by David Lawder; Writing by Howard Schneider; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines Oscar Munoz introduces a new international business class dubbed United Polaris in New York, U.S. June 2, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTX2FDLK

By Alana Wise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) said on Friday Chief Executive Oscar Munoz will not become chairman in 2018, under an amendment to his employment agreement approved after an uproar over the treatment of a passenger.

In a reversal of his earlier employment agreement, Munoz has opted to leave "future determinations related to the Chairman position to the discretion of the Board," United said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

The company also said it would revise its 2017 executive compensation to more directly tie incentives to improvements in customer satisfaction. In 2016, Munoz made $18.72 million.

"United's management and the Board take recent events extremely seriously, and are in the process of developing targeted compensation program design adjustments to ensure that employees' incentive opportunities for 2017 are directly and meaningfully tied to progress in improving the customer experience," the filing said.

Earlier this month, a United passenger, Dr. David Dao, was dragged from his seat off a parked plane at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport bound for Louisville, Kentucky, to make room for crew members.

The scene was captured on video by fellow passengers and showed Dao bloodied and disheveled in the incident.

Dao's attorney said his 69-year-old client had incurred a significant concussion, broken his nose and lost two front teeth in the altercation with airport security, and said Dao would likely sue the airline.

Munoz, a former railroad executive who took over United in 2015, had already been pressured by activist investors to improve the airline's performance, including in customer relations. In April 2016, United agreed with a group of investors to install airline industry veteran Robert Milton as non-executive chairman.

In initial statements following the incident, Munoz and United did not apologize to Dao for the way he had been treated, instead describing him as "disruptive and belligerent."

Story continues

Before being hauled from the flight, Dao, who emigrated from Vietnam in the 1970s, repeatedly accused the airline of discriminating against him for being ethnic Chinese, according to fellow passenger Tyler Bridges who was traveling back home from Japan.

The incident, and the company's response, sparked global outrage. Social media users across the United States, Vietnam and China called for a boycott of the carrier.

United said on Friday it had asked a U.S. Senate panel for an extra week to answer detailed questions about the incident. Munoz wrote that he was "personally committed to putting proof behind our promise" in United's commitment to reforms.

Committee leaders said in a joint statement that getting answers about what happened and how to prevent a recurrence was a "priority" and any further delay was "unacceptable."

(Reporting by Alana Wise; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Richard Chang)
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

Although the US on April 8 first signaled the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier would head to the Korean Peninsula, the US Navy has again publicly indicated the carrier is nowhere near its intended destination.

The Navy said on Friday that a US Navy F/A-18E pilot safely ejected from his plane, with no apparent injuries, in the Celebes Sea, near Indonesia. That's more than 2,400 miles away from Pyongyang, or roughly three days' travel time for the Vinson.

vinson location

"The president said that we have an armada going toward the peninsula," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said at a briefing on Wednesday, referring to President Donald Trump's statement last week that he was sending an "armada" to North Korea.

"That's a fact," Spicer said. "It happened. It is happening, rather."

While the US Navy told Business Insider that the Vinson would eventually head to the Korean Peninsula, the confusion about the timing of events has led some to question the Trump administration's resolve.

South Korea's conservative candidate for president for its May election, Hong Joon-pyo, told The Wall Street Journal of the carrier mix-up: "What Mr. Trump said was very important for the national security of South Korea. If that was a lie, then during Trump's term, South Korea will not trust whatever Trump says."

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They ate lobster salad and lamb chops, with baked Alaska for dessert. The dinner-table conversation veered from hunting and music to the Supreme Court. There was also a White House tour - led by their host, President Donald Trump.

And, of course, they documented every magical moment.

Trump's Wednesday-night dinner guests - Sarah Palin and conservative musicians Ted Nugent and Kid Rock - popped up in pictures after their visit to the White House, becoming quite a topic of conversation.

One photo in particular has drawn attention - the one in which the three high-profile visitors are seen posing in front of the official portrait of Hillary Clinton, when she was a first lady.

In the picture, Palin, Nugent and Rock appear to be mocking Clinton, who has been the subject of sharp criticism and sometimes crude insults from the trio.

The photo, posted on Palin's Facebook page without a caption, has ricocheted around social media, thrilling Clinton haters and upsetting others who have called it "disrespectful" and "straight up classless." Some in the latter camp have referred to Palin and her rock-star friends as "the redneck holy trinity."

"What a bunch of disrespectful idiots," one person wrote beneath the photo. "You call yourselves proud Americans and behave like 3rd graders in the White House. I don't care if you like her or not. You are disrespectful."

Even Paul Begala, a former White House counselor to President Bill Clinton, had something to say about it.

"It's a white trash Mount Rushmore," the CNN pundit said Thursday on Anderson Cooper's show. "I love it. Look at them. That's just perfect."

Then he tweeted about his televised remarks:

Perhaps I meant it as a compliment.

Being respectful. A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Apr 20, 2017 at 12:22pm PDT

---

A post on Palin's blog noted that Trump invited her to dinner and told her to bring some friends.

"It was the highest honor to have great Americans who are independent, hardworking, patriotic, and unafraid share commonsense solutions at the White House," according to the blog post, "BEHIND THE SCENES: Photos From An Awesome Evening At The White House."

She added: "Asked why I invited Kid Rock and Ted Nugent I joked, 'Because Jesus was booked.'"

As The Washington Post's Emily Heil reported, Nugent and Kid Rock (Robert James Ritchie) were among the few "celebrities" to support Trump on the campaign trail. Nugent is an outspoken Obama critic and has regularly slammed Trump's presidential rival, Hillary Clinton.

Nugent told the Detroit Free Press it was his wife's idea to take the photo in front of Clinton's portrait.

"She said, 'You guys have to stop here; I've got to get a picture of this,'" he told the newspaper. "Ever the thoughtful wife, yeah. And I guess that it's made its rounds.

"That's another thing about it. Getting to that ----kicker term - nobody said, 'You can't do this and you can't talk about that, you can't go here and you can't touch that.' It was a damned free-for-all. The president had faith that we knew how to conduct ourselves, regardless of what someone might have printed in Creem magazine about the Motor City Madman."

According to the New York Times:

---

Mr. Nugent said one member of the group - he wouldn't say who - asked the three to extend their middle fingers beneath the portrait. "I politely declined," he said. "Let the juxtaposition speak for itself."

---

On Palin's Facebook page, some of her supporters cheered the photo.

"Awesome....and the expressions are as appropriate as they are priceless!" one person wrote.

"Plain looks Great w Killary the Global Socialist Queen in the background," wrote another.

"Why the hell is that picture even still up. That would be the first thing I burn in the fireplace," another person wrote.

Still, the criticism kept coming.

Among those chiming in, with an Instagram subtweet: Obama's former White House photographer.

Pete Souza, who often uses his archival photographs to compare his old boss with Trump, posted a photo Thursday showing Obama sitting with former White House chief of staff Bill Daley under an official portrait of Ronald Reagan.

The caption: "Being respectful."

On CNN, after making his "white-trash Mount Rushmore" remark, Begala went to say that he does admire Palin.

"She has spoken out when she has been the target of really vicious sexism from the left - and good for her," Begala said Thursday. "She has defended her children when they have been attacked."

"So it's kind of unfortunate that she's buddying up with Nugent, who . . . has said the most vile things about Hillary you can say," he added. "And I think when those things had been said about Sarah Palin - and they have, it was outrageous then - I wish she would hold her friends to the same standard."
BAD AXE  A DTE Energy president has made some guarantees in exchange for a yes vote in the upcoming May 2 referendum that will determine the fate of what could be DTEs final wind park in Huron County.

If they do vote yes, and allow us to continue the development thats been approved by the (Huron County Board of Commissioners), this is the last wind farm that DTE Energy will seek approval for and development here in the county, said Trevor F. Lauer, president and chief operating officer of DTE Electric.

DTE has proposed 70 turbines for the Filion area.

He also promised that the Filion park will be the first in the state to test technology that would eliminate constant blinking red lights at night.

The technology would allow the lights to flash only when there is a plane approaching.

If this farm is approved, we will install that technology on those turbines.

Lauer said the technology, which is costly, works best when installed onto a new turbine.

When the appropriate time comes the retrofit existing turbines that are owned by DTE, Lauer said, DTE will consider retrofitting existing turbines.

The technology is currently being tested at a Wyoming wind farm, he added.

Lauer did not know the exact cost per turbine of the technology.

DTE plans to retire eight of its coal-fired plants by 2023, Lauer said.

Renewable energy assets will replace them.

Although DTE has expanded its commercial solar operations, Lauer said the energy company has no plans for such development in Huron County.

Huron County has the most desirable wind characteristics in the state, Lauer said, but there are plenty of other places that are conducive to solar development.

As Lauer spoke from DTEs Huron Renewable Energy Center, dozens of protesters had gathered outside on the side of Van Dyke Road to encourage a no vote for the May referendum.

You need to listen and pay attention to what people are saying, he said. Everybody has a right to a viewpoint.

Added Lauer: Youve got a very vocal minority that tends to sway people, and you have largely a silent majority that supports it. And I understand that dynamic. And we respect that.

Lauer expects a close vote May 2.

Do I want win? The answer is yes, I absolutely want to win. We recognize that its going to be a close vote, he said.

Regardless of what happens, were always going to be a great partner for Huron County, Lauer added. Weve been here for 100 years, so we will maintain our turbines to the highest possible specifications, and we will continue outstanding relationships with our land owners.

Voters in county-zoned townships will vote on whether to allow DTE to develop a wind farm spanning four townships. It includes 16,900 acres in Lincoln Townshiop, 4,100 in Sigel Township, 2,500 in Bloomfield Township and 2,000 in Dwight Township.

The 16 county-zoned townships are: Bingham, Bloomfield, Brookfield, Dwight, Fairhaven, Gore, Grant, Hume, Lincoln, McKinley, Rubicon, Sebewaing, Sheridan, Sherman, Sigel and Winsor townships.
To the editor:

Enough is enough, Huron County Wind Resistance. Enough believing the so called "Huron County Wind Resistance" group?

Let's ask, who really is this group? Their Facebook page says, "managed by and for the people of Huron County." Not so fast! Fact is, their own Facebook post dated March 18 at 5:23 p.m. under their own registered name, states they are out of "Delta Ohio." Looks like someone made a huge oops!

A friend and myself screenshot this page and contacted them on their Facebook page with this evidence, asking to prove otherwise, along with "Which Huron County resident do we have the privilege of speaking (to)?"

Now it got interesting.

There was no response. However, within minutes, we and our questions were instantly removed for their page, plus every post either of us have ever responded to (professionally presented with facts) were deleted and we have been banned from posting again.

It's obvious to me that they got caught  they are not from this area and will continue to lie while still begging for donations. This also proves they don't like being confronted with facts and will delete and hide all, to support their hidden identity and agendas.

Their own post states, "the corruption must end in Huron County?" I ask, who is really attempting to corrupt who? The five vocal Meade residents have lied enough to us all! They are associated with Kevon Martis, the Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition (IICC) director, and Joshua Nolan (IICC's attorney).

Paul A. Holz

Lincoln Township
In the wake of increased airstrikes and pressure applied from three directions by U.S.-backed Syrian forces, the Islamic State has essentially moved its so-called capital in Syria, U.S. defense officials told Fox News.

ISIS is now centered in Deir ez-Zur, roughly 90 miles southeast of Raqqa, the officials said.

U.S. military drones have watched hundreds of ISIS bureaucrats leaving Raqqa in the past two months forthe city of al-Mayadin, located further down the Euphrates River from Deir el-Zour, where U.S. Central Command announced that it killed mid-level ISIS "operative" Abdurakhmon Uzbeki.

The looming battle for Raqqa is imminent but the ISIS government is no longer there, according to officials.

Now that Turkey's constitutional referendum has been completed, U.S. military officials hope to forge ahead with a more aggressive plan to assault Raqqa in the near future.

A major sticking point of NATO-ally Turkey is the use of Syrian Kurdish fighters of the YPG which for years the Pentagon has called the best fighters on the ground against ISIS. Turkey has claimed the YPG is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, a group labeled a terrorist organization by Ankara and Washington.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, head of the U.S.-led coalition based in Baghdad, said last month that Syrian Kurdish fighters would participate in "in some form or fashion" in the operation to retake Raqqa.

Ideally, the Pentagon would like to have Kurdish fighters surround Raqqa, in much the same way that Shia-militia forces have surrounded Mosul next door in Iraq. In Syria, American military commanders have said they'd like a local Arab force to assault Raqqa.

Questions remain about the hold force necessary to keep the peace after ISIS is uprooted from Raqqa. Much will be determined by the civilians in Raqqa held captive starting in 2014, about who is able to run the city moving forward.

There are other looming questions about whether the Pentagon will supply heavy weapons to the Kurdish fighters over objections from Turkey. The speed at which fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) can get into Raqqa depends on their access to heavy weapons, according to U.S. officials.

While there is an Arab component to the SDF, American officials admit there are not enough of them.

Last week on a visit to the United States, Turkey's Minister of Defense Fikri ISIK visited Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in the Pentagon before the referendum vote.

Ahead of their meeting, both ISIK and Mattis ignored shouted questions from a reporter about the role Syrian Kurdish fighters would play in the upcoming Raqqa battle.

In a sign of the increasing American role on the ground in Syria, last month an artillery battery with about 400 U.S. Marines was inserted outside Raqqa to shell the ISIS capital with artillery rounds.

The Marines later supported a U.S.-led air assault, when hundreds of Syrian fighters, along with some U.S.-backed special operations forces, were inserted in Tabqa located some 30 miles west of Raqqa, home to a strategic airfield and dam.

The U.S. military announced late last month the Tabqa airfield had been successfully recaptured from ISIS. The battle for the dam continues.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell is fighting to avoid the closure of an

Environmental Protection Agency lab

that's been in Ann Arbor since 1971.

Dingell, D-Dearborn, sent President Donald Trump a letter this week concerning his administration's $48 million in proposed cuts to the EPA's Federal Vehicle and Fuel Standards and Certification Program.

Those cuts, if implemented, could result in closure of the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory at 2565 Plymouth Road, and the lab does critical work to reduce vehicle emissions and ensure the country remains at the forefront of innovation in an important field, Dingell argues.

"Although Congress has the final say on all spending matters, I urge you to reconsider this misguided idea in any final budget proposal you submit to Congress," she wrote in the April 19 letter sent to the White House.

"Work at this lab is conducted by highly trained and experienced staff with backgrounds in engineering, chemistry, toxicology, law, and economics," she continued. "Their research, testing, analysis and technological studies provide critical background for the establishment and monitoring of both cafe and emission standards. Policy makers like me depend on their work, as do consumers who are being protected by these environmental regulations."

A spokesperson for the EPA wasn't able to comment on how the Ann Arbor lab might be affected or how many jobs could be eliminated.

Dingell's letter comes ahead of the March for Science taking place Saturday, April 22, across many cities, including Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

Trump's budget plan proposes to cut the EPA's overall funding by 31 percent, a reduction of $2.6 billion, and completely eliminates the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and closes the EPA's regional office in Chicago that oversees the environmental programs throughout Michigan.

Trump's budget plan states, "The budget for EPA reflects the success of environmental protection efforts, a focus on core legal requirements, the important role of the states in implementing the nation's environmental laws, and the president's priority to ease the burden of unnecessary federal regulations that impose significant costs for workers and consumers without justifiable environmental benefits. This would result in approximately 3,200 fewer positions at the agency. EPA would primarily support states and tribes in their important role protecting air, land, and water in the 21st century."

Dingell argues fuel-economy standards provide real benefits to industry, the consumer and the environment.

"Consumers are demanding more fuel-efficient vehicles from the automakers and companies have made real strides to improve fuel economy while still designing cars that people want to buy. Strong standards like we have in place today will save consumers money at the pump, reduce carbon emissions and drive innovation in the industry," she wrote to Trump.

"The Ann Arbor lab also does important work to reduce vehicle emissions," she continued. "The EPA's work on vehicle engine and fuel-economy testing is critical to ensure that the intent of legislation and regulation on emissions standards and CAFE is met and that the benefits of these programs become a reality. Yet all of these gains could be eliminated if EPA stopped their critical work in this area. We should all be working together to improve and strengthen our fuel economy programs rather than gutting the EPA's budget which does so much important work in this area. The geographical location of this lab is also important to note, given its proximity to major research facilities of every domestic automaker."

Dingell said she believes it's important to understand the lab's work and analysis, which is why she requested a visit to the lab and meetings with its team this week. She said she was denied access to the facility.

"This is extremely troubling and raises serious questions about executive branch closing access to government facilities and preventing members of Congress from conducting necessary oversight," she wrote to Trump. "While I intend to respect the request not to tour the lab this week, it is my intention to visit the lab during the congressional recess in May. It is essential that members of Congress have access to federal government facilities, especially those within their districts."

Dingell told Trump she hopes her denied access to the EPA lab in Ann Arbor is a one-time issue and not part of a broader trend of shutting down access to members of Congress and the constituents they represent.

"Cutting EPA's fuel-economy and vehicle-emissions budget would create uncertainty, cost jobs, and could potentially allow other nations to gain a competitive edge in this critically important work," she wrote. "Please reject this misguided proposal in any final budget proposal submitted to Congress."

On Friday, April 21, Dingell attended a press conference at Elizabeth Park in Trenton where she and state Reps. Darrin Camilleri, Abdullah Hammoud, Cara Clemente and Frank Liberati came together to reject Trump's proposed cuts to programs that protect the environment and the Great Lakes.

"Those of us who live in Michigan know that the Great Lakes are a way of life- they are vital for clean water, jobs, and our economy," Dingell said.

"The earth is not ours, we just borrow it from future generations, and cutting funding from crucial programs that protect the environment and public health jeopardizes the critical work that has been done to clean up and protect these waters for generations to come. Protecting the environment is not a partisan issue, it is an American issue that impacts us all."

According to a study by the University of Michigan that Dingell cited this week, there were more than 1.5 million U.S. jobs, including 525,000 in Michigan, connected to the Great Lakes in 2011.
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - Police have released a surveillance photo of a man wanted in connection with a bank robbery that occurred Friday, April 21 at Comerica Bank in Pittsfield Township.

Officers arrived on scene around 3 p.m. Friday in the 2700 block of Carpenter Road and determined a lone suspect had robbed the bank of an undisclosed amount of money by presenting a threatening demand note.

According to police, the suspect is described as a white male, standing 6-foot-1 with a thin build.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Pittsfield Township Police Detective Bureau at 734-822-4950, or to call the confidential tip line at 734-822-4958.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- "What do we want? Evidence-based science!"

"When do we want it? After peer review!"

Those chants rang out as several thousand people participated in the Ann Arbor March for Science on Saturday, April 22, gathering on the University of Michigan campus for a rally before marching through the streets of downtown.

It was one of many similar marches happening around the world on Earth Day to celebrate science and to call on political leaders to support science, including when it comes to funding research and government agencies, and making policy decisions related to climate change and environmental protection.

Those who participated in the Ann Arbor march carried signs with messages such as "There is no planet B" and "Science is not a liberal conspiracy."

50 signs spotted at the Ann Arbor March for Science

State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, who spoke during the rally, estimated there were easily more than 10,000 people there, possibly as many as 15,000.

"I think this is about as many people as came out to the Women's March in Ann Arbor," Rabhi said, referring to the Jan. 21 march that drew more than 11,000. "This is amazing, and a beautiful day. The earth is smiling upon us."

Following the rally on UM's Central Campus Diag, marchers spilled into the streets and stopped traffic as they made their way up the middle of State Street to Liberty Street and over to Fifth Avenue where the large crowd gathered in the intersection in front of the federal building.

There were bagpipes playing, bubbles blowing, drums beating and people chanting messages in support of facts and science.

"Hey-hey! Ho-ho! Alternate facts have got to go!" some marchers chanted, followed with the message: "This is what democracy looks like!"

Dan Ezekiel, a recently retired Ann Arbor science teacher who serves on the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, was one of the speakers at the rally on the Diag. He said he's concerned about the direction the country might be headed under President Donald Trump.

"I think the new administration doesn't seem to understand how integral science is to many needs in our society," he said. "They're talking about defunding basic research and medical research, environmental protection. Those are very scary trends and we need to make sure to emphasize how vital science is to our wellbeing as people and as a country."

James D'Amour, political chairman for the Sierra Club's Huron Valley Group, also participated in the march.

"I'm here to support the environment, I'm here to stand up for science, and the local Sierra Club stands up for all of the elements of the March for Science," D'Amour said, raising concerns about the deep cuts Trump is proposing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "He's trying to eviscerate the agency. They're in talk of the closure of the Chicago regional office."

D'Amour worries cuts to the EPA could potentially hurt Ann Arbor's chances of getting an EPA Superfund cleanup of the toxic plume of 1,4-dioxane spreading through the area's groundwater toward the Huron River, though he said he's cautiously optimistic the Superfund program will be spared.

Scott Pruitt, the new EPA administrator, said in March he intends to defend at least some pieces of the EPA, including the Superfund program.

"That being said, we can't take anything for granted right now," D'Amour said as he marched on Saturday, raising concerns about Trump's plans to eliminate funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

"I haven't seen anything like this," he said.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell also is raising concerns about the potential closure of an EPA vehicle emissions lab in Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor resident Diane Giannola, a former molecular biologist, marched on Saturday with a sign reading: "Didn't die of an infection? Thank a scientist!"

"I'm out here because science is truth, and people need to understand that science is here for all of us," she said. "It's a nonpartisan issue. It's something that everybody should believe in."

Giannola said she's concerned about Trump's attacks on clean air and water and the impacts of peeling back environmental regulations.

Trump sent out a tweet Saturday afternoon, saying: "Today on Earth Day, we celebrate our beautiful forests, lakes and land. We stand committed to preserving the natural beauty of our nation."

In addition to the March for Science in Ann Arbor, another March for Science was taking place in Ypsilanti on Saturday.

Some Ann Arborites and UM professors also made the trip to Washington, D.C., for the March for Science taking place in the nation's capital.
ORCHARD LAKE, MI - Two restaurant owners face more than 100 felony charges stemming from allegations they significantly under reported their income and stole more than $100,000 in sales tax paid by customers.

Dong Hyun Chang and his wife Christina Sang Chang, through their business Sushi Samurai Inc., 4143 Orchard Lake Road, are accused of failing to report or account for $2.5 million in income tax filings from 2012 to 2016, according to Attorney General Bill Schuette's office.

Dong Chang, 46, and Christina Chang, 51, were arrested Thursday, April 20, and arraigned in 48th District Court in Oakland County's Bloomfield Hills.

The charges came after a join investigation by the attorney general's office and the Michigan Department of Treasury, according to a statement from Schuette's office.

Sushi Samurai's records were far higher than those reported to the state, the inquiry revealed, and the owners were allegedly using "zapper" software to delete sales from "point of sale records," usually a cash register.

"If the allegations are true, these individuals intentionally possessed illegal software to steal from the State of Michigan for nothing more it seems than personal greed," Schuette said in the statement. "No one is above the law and those who believe they are will continue to face the consequences."

The two allegedly embezzled more than $170,000 in sales tax receipts alone.

They are charged with one count each of embezzling more than $100,000, conspiracy to embezzle more than $100,000, and possession of an "automated sales suppression device." Further, they are accused of 59 counts of filing false monthly sales tax returns and five counts of filing false joint income tax returns.

Embezzlement, the most serious offense, is punishable by a maximum prison penalty of 20 years and a large fine.

The two were being held on a $1 million bond. If released, they must surrender their passports and wear GPS tracking devices.

According to the restaurant's website, "Chef Dong" became interested in "food craft" while a child in Korea. He moved to New York in the early 1990s to open a restaurant and later moved with his wife to Michigan to be closer to family.

The Changs' attorney told the Detroit Free Press he would not comment.
WYOMING, MI - An altercation between two Kelloggsville High School students that left one injured was investigated and forwarded to the Kent County Prosecutor's Office Juvenile Division, according Wyoming Police Captain Kim Koster Friday, April 21.

Koster said a student was pushed to the ground by another in an incident that happened after school Monday, April 17, and the prosecutor's office would determine if charges would be filed.

She said she was limited as to what she could say regarding the incident because they are juveniles and it is an open case. She said photographs were taken of the student's injuries and several witnesses were interviewed.

The student pushed, Jenni Fenstemaker, shared her story on Facebook. She told MLive a male student "slammed her from behind" knocking her face first into the street behind the school, located at 23 Jean St. SW

She said her mother took her to Spectrum Health where she was treated and released for facial injuries from hitting the pavement. She said she believed the actions were spurred by an incident at an earlier school assembly in which the student got into a verbal dispute with her friend.

"My biggest concern is that I don't want all these kids that watched him do this to me thinking it is okay," said Fenstemaker, 17, about putting her thoughts on Facebook.

But Kelloggsville officials said one student was suspended for 10 days on April 18 for pushing another to the ground because the act violates Board of Education policy regarding matters pertaining to the safety of others.

The school district did not identify the 11th graders by name or gender in a press release but did say one of the students involved had been using "social media to promote false facts about the situation."

However, no information was provided regarding the facts they deemed false.

"Police are currently handling the slanderous statements,'' according to the district's press release.

The district did explain that the suspended student was at school for a very short time later in the week after school to finish a state mandated assessment and was immediately removed from the premises when done.

"Kelloggsville Public Schools wants to assure its students, parents and community that a safe, welcoming environment, in which to learn, is a top priority."

Captain Koster encouraged parents to to speak with their children about resolving conflicts peacefully.

"Violence is not the answer," she said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Police say a person is in custody for the shooting death of a 54-year-old man found on the ground in Southwest Grand Rapids.

Police on Friday, April 21 identified the shooting victim as Barry Roger Cooper.

Grand Rapids police said one person is in custody on warrants for open murder and felony firearm.

The person is expected to be arraigned Saturday, April 22 in Grand Rapids District Court.

Cooper was found about 12:20 p.m. April 19 in the 600 block of Letellier Street SW. The cause of death initially was not known, but an autopsy showed the person had been shot.

He was found not breathing, with blood on his face.


 :     ,   ,   

  ,        , -     28         .
Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya speaks during a news conference about the new Kingfisher Airlines service between London and Bangalore in southern India, in London September 4, 2008. Photo: REUTERS

Days after Vijay Mallya was arrested, and given bail, in London in a loan case related to the Kingfisher default, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today expressed confidence that the liquor baron will be extradited to India.

"Our agencies have a good case against him," Jaitley told CNBC-TV18's Malvika Jain in an exclusive interview from the sidelines of the Spring Meeting of the IMF - World Bank in Washington.

He said that the process that India has followed in the case is not just political and that there was a judicial process in the UK -- which will decide whether or not to order his extradition -- but maintained that he was hopeful the correct decision will be taken.

"The UK is known for its fairness and civility in its administration of laws, etc, and I do not think they can even countenance a situation where anybody who has duped the banks or who has broken the law then finds London to be a new haven," he said.

Mallya's arrest came after India entered into a detailed process to get the industrialist to face a host of charges from money laundering to tax evasion to loan default.

The Indian government raised the issue with UK Prime Minister Theresa May when she visited New Delhi in November last year. On February 8, Indian authorities formally appealed to the UK government for the controversial tycoons extradition.

Mallya left India in March last year in the wake of a nearly Rs 10,000 crore debt default that had befallen his troubled Kingfisher Airlines.

Jaitley also said Mallya's arrest sends a strong message to other offenders: "You have a government and a system in India which will not countenance the fact that you commit a crime in India and merely by skipping through the geographical boundaries of India, you think you can escape the law."

How will the extradition process pan out?

Mallya was arrested on April 18 but was granted bail within hours. However, the court in the hearing the court said that he cannot apply for travel documents and instructed him to not make an attempt to leave England. The court has retained his passport until further orders. He will also have to stay in Hertfordshire and keep his cell phone on round the clock.

But, Mallya can appeal to higher courts in UK and Article 9 of the India-UK extradition treaty gives him the provision to challenge a decision claiming that the allegations are untrue.
business US FDA issues warning letter to Visakhapatnam unit-II of Divi's Lab In a setback for Divi's Lab, the US FDA has issued a warning letter for the company's unit-II at Visakhapatnam. Ekta Batra has more details.
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,
When terrorism raises its head, governments often take steps that are supposed to make us safer  banning tiny knives from airplanes, putting metal detectors at stadium entrances, issuing "orange" alerts. Skeptics dismiss these measures as "security theater." They're a show, not a genuine obstacle to terrorists.

The Trump administration, obsessed with imagery, has adapted this approach to national security. The president tweets bellicose warnings to North Korea. The vice president goes to South Korea to don a bomber jacket and stare implacably across the Demilitarized Zone. An aircraft carrier steams toward the Sea of Japan  or rather, Trump claims it's doing so even as it heads the opposite direction, thousands of miles away.

Anyone who heard Donald Trump brag about his choice for defense secretary knows that half the appeal of James Mattis was his nickname, "Mad Dog," which the president used every chance he got. Had Mattis been known as Peewee or Mouse, he would have been passed over.

With all the noise and spectacle, this presidency often seems less like an attempt at governance and more like a rehearsal for a Broadway musical. It's just not clear whether it will be a comedy or a tragedy.

Some of the props are real. When the military dropped the biggest conventional bomb in the U.S. arsenal on an Islamic State position in Afghanistan, it came as a surprise. But you know the Pentagon had Trump at "mother of all bombs." Once he heard about it, he had to use it.

The problem is that these gestures are no substitute for strategies. This sortie was meant to highlight our power in a way no one could miss. But what happens if you drop your biggest bomb and it doesn't win the war?

Those on the other side conclude that they can take the worst you can inflict. The rest of the world sees the same thing. It's known as shooting your bolt.

The most important question in fighting a war is often, "Then what?" It's one of many questions Trump doesn't spend hours contemplating. He certainly didn't let it delay his missile strike on a Syrian air base, which was supposed to punish President Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons.

That attack sent a couple of signals. The first is that if Assad resorts again to chemical weapons, the U.S. may respond with military force. The second is that if the Syrian dictator uses other methods  as he has done in killing some 100,000 civilians  he has nothing to worry about.

Assad can take a hint. In the week after the missile strike, according to the Voice of America, the Syrian Network for Human Rights noted an increase in his use of cluster munitions, incendiary weapons and barrel bombs, which killed at least 98 civilians, 24 of them children.

The 22,000-pound bomb that hit a network of caves used by the Islamic State in Afghanistan was said to have killed 96 enemy fighters while causing no civilian casualties. The latter claim invites skepticism. George W. Bush and Barack Obama both declined to use this weapon because of its indiscriminate effects.

Bush considered it for taking out Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. In the end, the danger to innocent bystanders was deemed so great that it was left on the shelf  until now. Trump clearly thinks that worrying about civilian casualties makes you look weak.

But indifference to collateral damage doesn't mean he will succeed in Afghanistan or Syria. One huge conventional bomb, or two or five, won't defeat the Islamic State  which isn't even our chief enemy in Afghanistan. And deploying it against the Taliban, who have a wider and deeper presence, would doubtless spawn more terrorists than it would kill.

The missile strike and the giant bomb drop both amount to an admission of impotence. We can't win in Syria without dispatching a large number of ground troops, and so far Trump is not willing to do that. We haven't won in Afghanistan even with large numbers of ground troops.

Trump's loud but ineffectual tactics confirm to Assad and the Islamic State that winning matters more to them than it does to us. The North Koreans likewise understand that he has no good options for imposing his will.

They are all likely to realize that behind the act is a void. Trump blusters and bombs because he doesn't know what else to do.

Steve Chapman blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman. Follow him on Twitter @SteveChapman13 or at www.facebook.com/stevechapman13. To find out more about Chapman, visit www.creators.com.
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Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

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Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
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RSVP Lunch Bunch meets bi-monthly on the last Thursday of the month. A special program of interest is scheduled at a different restaurant for the volunteers to get to know each other and enjoy a great lunch.

We will meet at noon Thursday, April 27, at the Hale County Senior Citizens, 12th Street and Smyth. Due to our special program, the time and location have changed to allow more space for the public to attend.
The Plainview/Hale County Crime Stoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $350 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crimes:

--On April 4, someone entered 204 Ash and took a Sanyo 42-inch TV.
The jobless rate for Hale County rose from 6.2 percent in February to 6.6 in March as the workforce grew faster than available jobs.

Briscoe County also saw its jobless rate increase, from 5.2 to 5.5 percent, which Floyd County remained stable at 6.7 percent.

The unemployment rate fell for Castro County (from 4.0 to 3.7), Lamb County (7.1 to 6.4) and Swisher County (5.1 to 5.0), according to numbers released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission.

The civilian labor force in those counties, as well as for most of the South Plains, went up in March while the employment numbers were steady, and thats going to impact the unemployment rate, explains Danny Soliz of Lubbock, director of business development for South Plains Workforce Solutions. Some of that can be attributed to the hiring freezes imposed on federal and state levels.

He said the regions economy remains sound.

If you look at the numbers, our labor force is increasing, Soliz said. That means people are moving into the area because of job opportunities.

His agency participating in a work fair Tuesday that drew 71 employers looking for workers.

In some cases, those looking for work didnt have the job skills the employers need, Soliz said. And sometimes, the hourly wage is not want the job seeker wants. Theres a mismatch, which can be the reason for folks not getting the jobs that are available.

Some of the increase in the workforce can be attributed to those whose unemployment benefits have run out and now they are seeking employment. Others are actively seeking work as a requirement to continue receiving unemployment benefits.

While some national retailers are closing stores in Plainview and Lubbock, such as RadioShack and Payless Shoe Source, he said the impact on jobless numbers will be minimal. In many cases, RadioShacks are being converted into Sprint stores, and Payless stores have very few full-time employees, Soliz said. Gander Mountain in Lubbock has announced plans to close, and Soliz said his agency will be assisting the displaced workers.

We offer training opportunities in those cases, and many will use it to their advantage, Soliz said.

The March report shows that there are 295 more jobs in Hale County than in the February report, notes Dr. Charles Starnes, professor of business at Wayland Baptist University. Thats good news. It appears that 364 more people entered the labor force to vie for those 295 more jobs. Thats why the unemployment rate rose from 6.2 to 6.6 percent. The increase in jobs and the increase in the labor force are good signs that the Plainview economy is waking up after a long winters nap!

I note that every countys report shows a similar result of increased labor force and greater number of jobs, Starnes adds. Consolidating the six-county region results in a labor force increase of 921 with an increase in jobs of 871. The areas consolidated unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.0 percent.

Statewide, the Texas economy expanded in March with the addition of 9,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs. Texas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.0 percent in March, up slightly from 4.9 percent in February.

It is true that we experienced a slight rise in the current unemployment rate over the last reporting period, observed Mike Fox, executive director of the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corp. However, on the positive side for the second month in a row we are seeing an increase in the local labor force which experienced decreases over a long period of time going back to when the Cargill plant closed in 2012.

Additionally on the positive side we added 295 jobs from the last reporting period. So the report reflects mixed results. There are employment opportunities for our local workers on the horizon as proposed wind farm and commercial construction projects become a reality. The EDC continues to seek our new industrial prospects as well as assist our existing companies grow and expand.

The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the months lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 3.5 percent, followed by the College Station-Bryan and Austin-Round Rock MSAs with a rate of 3.6 percent. The Lubbock and Midland MSAs each registered a rate of 4.0 percent for March.
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He may have been 7,000 miles away during his wife's pregnancy but that didn't keep Navy corpsman Wesley Bedwell out of the maternity photos.

Bedwell and wife Nicole have become a viral sensation thanks to some quick thinking on the part of Mabank photographer Traci Lynn Fugitt. She was able to cut the distance between the corpsman and his wife by Photohopping him fully dressed in uniform reaching out to his pregnant wife.

FAMILY TRIALS: Keri Young gave birth to her daughter so the baby's organs could be harvested

"Nicole had expressed how upsetting it was that he was deployed, and asked that we do something to have in in the portraits," Fugitt said via email. "Wesley posed like he was reaching for her, a popular pose that I usually do with the Dad present."

What really makes the photo pop, though, is the contrast of backgrounds between husband and wife.

"While I could have used Photoshop to add him into the bluebonnets, we decided that putting the pictures side by side really presented the difference between the two locations," Fugitt said. "It really told the story we wanted together. Wesley is stationed in Japan and Nicole is in East Texas, but they waited for (their daughter) Pyper together."

BABY NEWS: Two KHOU reporters announce their pregnancies on Twitter

Fugitt said Pyper was born at 6 a.m. on April 13, more than a week before her expected April 22 due date.

Luckily, Bedwell was able to make it home in time for Pyper's birth. Fugitt said he'll stay in America until April 28, giving him more time to be with his wife and newborn daughter.

"When we took the photos, we didn't realize how big of an impact it would have on the world around us," Fugitt said. "It's still overwhelming thinking of where this photos hoot has gone and touched so many lives."

Click through the slideshow above to see images from the photo shoot.
Lake Placid Land Conservancy was awarded a capital grant from the Open Space Institute supporting its acquisition of a 100-acre community forest preserve in Wilmington that will include about two miles of trails. Members of the Board of Trustees of the Lake Placid Land Conservancy, the Barkeater Trails Alliance, and conservancy staff gather to celebrate the closing, from left, Matt McNamara, Georgia Jones, John Rosenthal, Jeffrey Graff, Scott Avery, Liz Clarke, and Gregory Fetters.
Albany

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued 154 line-item vetoes of legislative additions to the state budget on Thursday night, marking a final step in the state budget process.

Cuomo's office said those vetoes include 13 reappropriations for items that had previously been fully paid out; 75 items that are more than seven years old for which no state funding has been disbursed over the most recent seven-year period; 58 appropriations related to functions the administration says already receive adequate funding within state agency operations; and eight appropriations that the administration deemed to be unconstitutional because the purpose of a reappropriation was changed.

In some instances, changes to reappropriations deemed unconstitutional included the deletion of language that gives the governor's budget director sign-off on certain spending.

Such executive powers were the source of friction during budget negotiations, though ultimately a deal was struck on who gets what power when it comes to making mid-year changes to the budget in the event of federal funding cuts. Under the deal, if there are federal cuts to Medicaid or other spending, the state Division of Budget  which Cuomo oversees  will propose a revision plan to the Legislature, and state lawmakers would then get 90 days to pass an alternative plan.

If lawmakers fail to agree on an alternative cost-cutting scheme, DOB's plan would take effect.

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10

The full list of vetoes is below:

2017 Budget Line Item Vetoes by Matthew Hamilton on Scribd
After a year of anticipation, the Supreme Court heard oral argument this week in a case involving religious liberty, federalism and original intent. The justices did so despite a recent development that changed the dynamics of the dispute.

On April 13, a week before the argument in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia vs. Comer, the new governor of Missouri announced a policy change that would allow state aid to flow to houses of worship.

This created uncertainty as to whether Trinity Lutheran has a claim for the court to decide.

Before that, Missouri state policy didn't allow tax dollars to be used to improve church properties. Its constitution, like those of 38 other states, prohibits government aid to churches (and other houses of worship). That's a good rule for both church and state, consistent with our country's fundamental commitment to religious liberty.

Churches are organized specifically for religious purposes, such as worship, teaching and spreading the faith. They are the quintessential expressions of religion.

A fundamental value of our constitutional tradition is to avoid government funding of religion and allow religion to flourish on its own.

By drawing a bright line to keep the institutions of government separate from churches, Missouri recognized for nearly 200 years the special status of churches and showed respect for religion.

Trinity Lutheran Church sued when it was denied a chance to participate in a small, discretionary funding program aimed at reducing landfill waste by encouraging the use of scrap tire material for playground surfaces.

Missouri designed the environmental program consistent with state policy to avoid funding religion. Trinity Lutheran argued that the court should force Missouri to ignore its own state constitution and spend tax dollars to improve the church's property.

Far from a mark of discrimination against religion, this bright-line rule reflects a core concern for religious liberty  keeping government out of religion. The founders were familiar with the perils of using taxation to support religion. Avoiding tax support for churches and ministers was a key focus in the fights for disestablishment of religion.

The court should reject arguments that a state must fund a church's capital improvements because the program's goals are environmental, not religious, and because the building materials are not inherently religious. Surely, the state does not have to build churches, even if it uses "secular" building materials.

Even if a church seeks to divide its property into religious and secular areas to gain access to a grant, the government should not be required to adopt a policy that encourages such arrangements and requires the state to verify them.

The notion that the state's line-drawing is in any way hostile to religion flies in the face of history and common sense. To avoid unconstitutionally funding religion or unnecessarily meddling in church affairs, Missouri has in the past wisely chosen to prohibit state funding of churches altogether.

Questions from the justices at oral argument of the case show just how hard it is to find a workable and constitutional line that is not a bright-line prohibition on aid to churches.

Holly Hollman is general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and filed an amicus brief in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia vs. Comer
Washington

Barack Obama's extended post-presidential vacation is about to end. After spending weeks in French Polynesia, Obama will return to Chicago on Monday for his first public event as a former president.

His self-imposed silence since Inauguration Day will end with a series of events over the next four weeks. A Monday event with students at the University of Chicago will be followed by an awards ceremony in Boston; a series of public remarks and private paid speeches in the U.S. and Europe; and an appearance at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany with Angela Merkel.

Obama's supporters, who have been waiting eagerly for the former president to respond to his successor's accusations and policy reversals, are likely to be disappointed.

Those closest to Obama say he does not intend to confront Trump directly on immigration, health care, or foreign policy during any of his events.
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The blighted Crestmont Village apartments where tenants suffered with leaky roofs, rodents and raw sewage gurgling up from the ground finally will be torn down Saturday.

Community advocates say the demolition and another planned soon are part of an effort to bring quality, affordable housing to the South Acres community.

BACKGROUND: City boards up Crestmont Village apartments

"It means a lot," said Charles Cave, a public transit safety manager who is president of the Crestmont Park Civic Association. "It means the beginning of transforming a tremendous eyesore and hazard to the community into, hopefully, a new, vibrant housing project that will improve and enhance the community."

Preliminary plans call for construction of new apartments for seniors on the seven-acre site at 5638 Selinsky Road.

Next door, at 5602 Selinsky, the Hurricane Ike-ravaged Crestmont West apartments will also be torn down and rebuilt as The Pointe at Crestmont, with 192 new units funded by public loans and tax credits.

BOOMING: See the huge new development that keeps growing around ExxonMobil's campus in Spring

A few blocks south, the behemoth Park Texas Apartments is set for an upgrade of its 587 units.

Cave said he is looking forward to the revival of "good, quality, affordable housing" in the southeast Houston community.

Crestmont Village became a symbol of Houston's housing neglect in September 2015 when Centerpoint Energy shut off power for 15 days for non-payment at the all-bills-paid complex.

The situation quickly evolved into a community crisis, leaving people already living in derelict conditions without essential services. The issue galvanized community activists, social services agencies and the city, which had sued complex owners two years earlier for operating a nuisance.

History of problems

The problems plaguing Crestmont Village had come to public attention even earlier.

Denise Vaknin and Abraham Vaknin purchased the property in early 2011 under the corporation name Village Crestmont Houston.

A television news report in March 2012 documented apartments with mold, backed-up sewage, rats and other unsafe living conditions.

FORCE OF NATURE: Revisiting Houston's Tax Day Floods one year later

After receiving more than 200 calls from residents requesting services, the city sought a court order in June 2013 to force the owners to bring the crumbling complex up to code. The temporary injunction was effective for most of 2014, but the decaying apartments remained in disrepair. A judge signed a permanent injunction in June 2015.

Then the lights went out. The city stepped in, paid the power bill and went back to court to seek a final order to shut down Crestmont Village.

The last 200 residents moved out by October 2015.

The same month, a state district judge condemned the property and approved demolition.

By that time, the city had shelled out about $605,000 on Crestmont Village, but razing the place would not come immediately.

Late last year, the Houston City Council approved spending another $348,000 to demolish the complex. According to the Harris County Appraisal District, the property has 18 building and all are "unsound."

Looking ahead

A city announcement about Saturday's tear-down described Crestmont Village as housing "previously plagued by dangerous living conditions, squatters and illegal activity."

Mayor Sylvester Turner said he refused renovation recommendations because "the people in the community have been waiting a while" for the complex to meet its end with a wrecking crew.

"It will eliminate an eyesore," he said in a news conference this week. "It was the subject of a lot of media attention because of the deplorable living conditions."

Even when the complex is razed, its impact on residents will continue in litigation.

In February, six ex-tenants sued the former owners, claiming that the "implied warranty of habitability" was breached by landlords leasing uninhabitable units and "failing to  make repairs and maintain the premises."

The lawsuit, which requests class-action status, seeks more than $1 million on behalf of at least 100 people believed to have rented apartments from March 2011 through October 2015.

The six former tenants - Alicia Johnson, Johnny Johnson, Annette Williams, Clinton Menefee, Essie Jones and Virginia Cezair - contend that they and others sustained economic damages and mental anguish through the landlords' alleged deceptive trade practices and fraud.

This month, the former landlords filed an initial response denying all of the lawsuit's allegations.

The lawsuit was amended Friday to add the current owner, Selinsky Palms Apartments, which purchased the property in October 2015, as a defendant. State and city records indicate the new owners are planning to build a complex for seniors.
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In the second officer-involved shooting in a week, a San Antonio Police Department officer shot a man to death after he allegedly charged him with a knife Thursday.

The man was identified Friday by the Bexar County Medical Examiner as Ray Raymond Valdez, 55.

According to SAPD Chief William McManus shortly after the shooting, Valdez was assaulting his girlfriend at about 8:40 p.m. at a parking lot in the 200 block of North Zarzamora.

This is what witnesses are telling us, McManus told reporters Thursday.

A Park Police officer, later identified as Cristobal Martinez, 32, was near the scene when he was flagged down by a witness, McManus said.

RELATED: TEA investigating more than 150 improper student-teacher relationships in 2016-17 school year

As the 7-year veteran approached the couple to intervene, Valdez pulled out a knife, witnesses told police.

His girlfriend struggled with him while trying to take away the knife, but Valdez ultimately broke free, McManus said.

When Valdez began charging at Martinez, he fired his Taser, witnesses said.

It was ineffective, McManus said. He resorted to the use of his firearm.

Martinez fired multiple shots at Valdez, hitting him possibly three times, McManus said.

From what were hearing the officer did everything right, tried to intervene, McManus said, referencing the sequence of events.

It doesnt always happen that way. Sometimes you dont have the opportunity to use the Taser, but in this case he did, McManus said.

Martinez is on administrative duty pending the outcome of the shooting investigation, police said.

In the first officer-involved shooting of the week, Guadalupe Balderas, 57, was reportedly causing a disturbance in the 400 block of West Magnolia on April 15.

RELATED: Police: Combat knife-wielding man shot by officer identified, taken from hospital to jail

Officers found him wielding a combat-style knife and was refusing to drop it, according to previous reports.

One officer fired his Taser, and moments later the other officer  identified as officer Joshua Vega who graduated from the police academy in April 2016  fired multiple shots from his service weapon, McManus said.

Balderas was hit multiple times in the chest and taken to University Hospital.

He has since recovered and is now at the Bexar County Jail, held on three charges of aggravated assault against a public servant.

Staff writer Josh Baugh contributed to this story.

jbeltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @JBfromSA
Just in time for prom season and summer break, Midland County high schoolers are getting a dose of reality from first responders who hope they will make good, safe choices.

The S.K.I.D. program, which stands for Stop Kids Impaired Driving, is set to take place at 1:15 p.m. Monday at the Meridian Early College High School.

This will be the fourth time the program has been conducted in the county by Amanda Oster.

I read about it in a 9-1-1 magazine when I worked at central dispatch, said Oster, president of the Midland County Sheriffs Office Community Awareness Team. The first time she ran the program was in 2006, also at Meridian. Since then, she has organized the program at H.H. Dow High as well.

S.K.I.D. is a live action melodrama which simulates a fatal, alcohol-related traffic crash. The idea is to educate high schools about the tragic consequences of drinking and driving, as well as impaired driving via texting.

The graphic dramatization features wrecked vehicles, victims portrayed by students, audio recordings of 9-1-1 calls and all the first responders who would typically be on scene.

This years list participants includes the Midland County Sheriffs Office, Mid-Michigan Medical Center EMS, Chief Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Dennis Wagner, St. Marys of Michigan FlightCare, the Jerome, Lincoln, Edenville and Hope township fire departments, Midland County Prosecutor J. Dee Brooks, Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Directors and Beehrs Towing.

Recent research on adolescent brain development confirms that young people are less likely to weigh the risks and consequences of their actions on their own, a media release about the event states. For this reason, the S.K.I.D. program is especially effective in helping young drivers to witness firsthand the outcomes of drinking and driving, and to reinforce laws and community norms that prohibit these dangerous behaviors.

Im hoping it lasts them a lifetime, Oster said of the lesson. Not only dont drink and drive, but dont get into a vehicle with a drunk driver, and dont be distracted by texting or social media apps while driving.

Oster said she is still in contact with Meridian students who participated in the program two years ago.

Theyre just making great choices, she said, adding students at other schools have asked if the program will occur at their schools. They want to see the program.

Oster hopes to bring the program to Midland High next year.
Boyd Barnes Bradfield, who along with his partners developed the area north of Loop 1604 known as Stone Oak, died April 9 at 82.

After moving frequently for his fathers job growing up, the family settled in San Antonio. Bradfield attended Brackenridge High School, where he met his future wife.

Marrying in 1954, he at first worked for West Bend Cookware as a salesman, and sold encyclopedias door-to-door.

Applying at Stop-N-Go convenience stores after tiring of the travel, Bradfield was hired as a clerk.

He knew he could move up really fast and he did, his daughter Kristy Bradfield Petlin said.

Eventually becoming the vice president of the corporation, Bradfield moved to Houston while his family stayed in San Antonio.

Living in Houston during the week, Bradfield made sure he was in San Antonio by early Friday evening.

Anything that was happening, he was there for, Petlin said. He did that for nine years.

It was during his time with Stop-N-Go that Bradfield became interested in commercial real estate.

He scouted out their new locations all over the country, Petlin said. It intrigued him; he learned all about where you want to put a store based on the surronding development.

More Information Boyd Barnes Bradfield Born: Dec. 16, 1934, Shreveport, Louisiana Died: April 9, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Louise and Jack Bradfield; a grandson. Survived by: Wife Joyce Bradfield; daughter Kristy Bradfield Petlin and son-in-law Alan; son Jay Bradfield and daughter-in -law Suzi Dull; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a brother. Services: Memorial was Monday. See More Collapse

Retiring from Stop-N-Go at 45, Bradfield became a full time developer, which lead to his involvement with Stone Oak developer Dan Parman.

On board with Parmans idea, Bradfield approached friends Paul Markey and Bernard Lifshutz for financing and the four formed a partnership.

People thought they were crazy, Petlin said. Loop 1604 was a two-lane road; there was a stop sign at Blanco Road.

By the time the Texas real estate market crashed in the 1980s, the partners had established the water and utility infrastructure.

They owned a whole lot of property that nobody wanted for a long time, Petlin said. But as soon as the market picked up  they were so far ahead because the infrastructure was already there.

Bradfield and his wife built a home in Hollywood Park in the 1980s, on property that overlooked Loop 1604 and Stone Oak.

My dad could watch Stone Oak being developed, Petlin said. He loved that.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
It's been a while since the head of a state agency resigned over ethical questions, but it happened this week. Given that the allegations involved were not that rare, it probably should happen more often.

Sherry Cook, the head of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, resigned Monday. She faced growing criticism of her approval of thousands of dollars in travel expenses and questionable ties to industry officials.
A HOUGHTON PARK woman has accused her three friends of snatching her boyfriend.

Tembelisha Mombo opened up at the Harare Civil court seeking for a peace order against her three former friends Linda Chukucha, Talent and Loveness Jaure.

She accused them of calling her a pr0stitute and snatching her boyfriend.

They are just cruel your worship and thats why they snatched my boyfriend.

The three of them came to my home and confronted me, insulting and calling me names saying that I am a pr0stitute and I am not worthy having Tanaka.

They are also in the habit of spreading false rumors concerning my life to the whole neighbourhood.

One of them, Linda, called my boyfriend telling him lies saying that I am HIV positive and my intention was to infect him also.

I did not do anything wrong against them but they are just jealous of me.

In response the three denied the allegations saying that Tanaka is Lindas boyfriend.

She is lying your worship, we did not insult her and she is the one who snatched my boyfriend.

We were once friends but because of her behaviour, we parted ways, said Linda.

She is the one who snatched Lindas boyfriend your worship, she is just a liar.

I am opposed to her application, why does she want peace between us while she snatched someones boyfriend.

We did not do anything wrong to her but she is just a prostitute and thats the truth, added Talent.

Presiding magistrate Lazini Ncube granted the peace order in Tembelishas favour.

Breaking News via Email
St. Marys School in Irish-town, Clonmel was a hive of activity recently for the visit of 50 people from Clonmels twin town of Peoria in Illinois, United States.

The visitors, led by Mayor James Dillon and group Leader Jim Spears, were in Clonmel for the annual Skype Trivia Quiz between Careys Bar and Jimmys Bar in Peoria.

St. Marys is twinned with St. Phlomenas School in Peoria and there are many exchange projects between the schools.

As a result of a fundraising event in Peoria, Mayor Dillon presented nine ipads to St. Mary's to enhance communication between the schools.

Proceeds of the quiz, which was organised by the Clonmel Bianconi Twinning Committee, were also presented to the school principal Eoin Morrissey by committee chairperson Ted Boyle.

The presentation took place in bright sunshine in front of all the school pupils in the school yard.

Eoin Morrissey expressed sincere gratitude for the presentations. Pupils presented hurleys and sliothars for St. Philomenas and also a signed Tipperary hurling jersey to Jim Spears. A copy of the Proclamation was presented to Mayor Dillon.

All agreed that the visit will further strengthen the links between the schools.

During the visit to the town Mayor Dillon, on behalf of the Friends of Clonmel, also made a generous donation to Banna Chluain Meala, in honour of Leo and Joanna Jordan of Peoria, who started the town twinning along with former Mayor of Clonmel, Vera Hewitt.
Saturday, April 22, 2017 by: Tracey Watson Tags: 23andMe , genes , genetic profile , genetic testing This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) A company called 23andMe, which provides do-it-yourself home genetic testing kits for assessing your risk for at least 10 diseases, has just been granted permission by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start selling such tests directly to the public for $199 a pop.

The testing kits promise to determine your chances at the genetic lotto for conditions ranging from celiac disease and Gaucher disease type 1, to Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers. Implied in the testing is the fake science narrative that genetics alone can determine your health outcome.

The process of taking the tests is relatively simple. Customers select their choice of tests from an online selection. A saliva collection kit is then dispatched and received by the client within three to five days. After spitting in the tube provided with the kit, the client registers the barcode on the tube and mails it back to the laboratory in the included prepaid package. Lab technicians extract DNA from the sample and check it for genetic markers, and within eight weeks the client has the answer to whether or not they are genetically predisposed to a certain condition.

In the past, Americans wanting this type of information were obliged to visit a medical professional to obtain it. They were also often compelled to receive genetic counseling first, which would equip them to emotionally cope with the results. 23andMe clients will not have to undergo genetic counseling, though such services are available.

23andMe already offers another genetic testing service whereby people can determine if they carry genetic mutations for conditions like cystic fibrosis that must be present in both parents to potentially affect their future children. The FDA granted permission for that type of DIY testing back in 2015.

Genetic testing results wildly misunderstood by consumers and even doctors

These types of tests raise concerns for many.

For one thing, test results in no way guarantee that a person will or will not get a certain disease, and this can be hard for them to understand.

If people know what they are purchasing and understand the results, then I support such tests, said Dr. Gail P. Jarvik, the University of Washingtons head of medical genetics. Many of these tests indicate risk of getting disease, not the certainty of getting it. That, she added, can be a challenging concept to communicate.

And, as noted by CBS News, not all gene variations are equal, in that some raise the risk of a certain disease in a big way, while others have little or no effect.

Even if doctors are given the same information about testing, they say different things with the information, said Dr. David Agus, director of USCs Westside Cancer Center. So some doctors or companies may say its higher risk and some lower risk with the same genetic defect. And at the same time theres no federal oversight.

These types of tests have also proven to be unreliable in the past, with some people being told incorrectly that they did not have to worry about developing a certain disease, while others were wrongly informed that they had an elevated risk profile.

There is also the fact that the medical community has no idea what effect most genetic mutations actually have; this makes it very difficult to advise people about which ones matter and what their likely effect will be.

The New York Times notes that in addition to the specific disease testing information the client has requested, 23andMe also supplies additional information like how much a person is likely to weigh. Someone presented with the information that they are genetically predisposed to being overweight is not likely to exert themselves to maintain a healthy size.

And thats the problem with genetic testing in general: A great deal of the control over our health prospects rests in our own hands, and being told were genetically predisposed to certain conditions undermines the desire to live a healthy life and avoid such diseases in the first place.

Follow more news about genetics and health at GeneticLunacy.com.

Sources:

NYTimes.com

23andMe.com

CBSNews.com
The bizarre-looking naked mole rat may be the butt of jokes, but its strangeness includes a host of seemingly miraculous health "superpowers" like not getting too old and being practically impervious to cancer.

Well, add another superpower to the mix. Apparently, the naked mole rat can live without oxygen for a whopping 18 minutes.

According to a report from New Scientist, researchers placed the naked mole rat in a chamber that contains just 5 percent of oxygen. This amount is alarmingly low with less than a quarter of what's usually found in the air. Neither mice nor humans can survive such conditions, but it's no problem for naked mole rats. In fact, the researchers even stopped the experiment after five hours.

So they upped the ante, placing the creatures in a chamber that contains pure nitrogen and no oxygen at all. Amazingly, the naked mole rats survived for 18 minutes. While they ceased breathing after a few minutes, their hearts continued to beat and they revived when placed back into normal conditions with air.

Without oxygen, mice will die in around a minute and humans will probably die in less than ten minutes.

So what is it about naked mole rats that allow them the luxury - or more likely, the necessity - of surviving in low and no oxygen conditions?

Part of the reason why they are able to cope is their bodies minimize the need for it. These little creatures stay at the same temperature as their burrows so as not to burn too much energy heating their bodies as well as very low metabolism. Their metabolism is also a bit different in that they use the simple sugar fructose.

"You and me and all the other animals in the world use a sugar called glucose, and glucose is really good," lead author Thomas Park of University of Illinois at Chicago explained to Gizmodo. "The downside in glucose is that it requires the use of oxygen, so when you take oxygen away, the glucose pathway is kind of screwed. What the naked mole rat can do is up-regulate its fructose pathway when it goes into oxygen deprivation. It's not as effective as the glucose pathway, but the trick is, it works without oxygen."

When the oxygen around them are low, naked mole rats release sugar fructose into the bloodstream, which is able to keep critical systems in the body functioning.

Call it another trick of the naked mole rats. When it comes down to it, this may be the species holding the key to near immortality.

The study was published in the journal Science.
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A 15-year-old Tennessee student who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher and taken to California is back home, a lawyer for the girl's family said Friday.

The girl is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma, lawyer Jason Whatley said in a press release.

"There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning," Whatley said.

He said the girl is in a safe location with friends and family and is now resting.

Authorities credit the caretaker of a remote northern California property for helping police find her and arrest her alleged abductor, fired teacher Tad Cummins. After Griffin Barry became suspicious of two people he initially thought were in distress, his tip led police to the teacher accused of kidnapping his student and taking her on a 2,500-mile cross-country journey.

Barry said the pair told him their names were John and Joanna and they needed money for food, gas and a place to stay, ABC News Good Morning America reported Friday. But Barry, 29, said he became suspicious when the older man tried to keep the teen away.

"The girl wasn't really looking at me or anything and he was always dominating the conversation. That kind of clues people in," Barry said.

After seeing a photo of Cummins in an Amber Alert, Barry said he made the connection and called authorities.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office sent a tactical unit to the cabin Thursday morning. Cummins was arrested after he came out the cabin with the girl walking behind him, the sheriff's office said.

Cummins was cooperative with law enforcement, Siskiyou Sheriff Jon E. Lopey told the Associated Press. He said the girl was at times "laughing, crying and acting stoic" after police found her at the remote cabin.

"These two had a relationship to the extent where she didn't exhibit any anger toward him. I didn't observe any emotional distress," he said. "She didn't act like a rescued person would act," showing no signs of elation, he said. She appeared fine physically, Lopey said, and there were no signs of trauma.

In the cabin, he said, was a single sleeping pad and clothing along with the two loaded guns  a 9mm and a .380 compact pistol.

Lopey said the two had previously been at a commune called Black Bear Ranch, but "didn't get along" with commune residents and ended up leaving. The sheriff said the two had stopped in Berkeley first and that's how they found out about the commune.

The Associated Press is not naming the girl or her family members because she is an alleged victim of a sex crime.

Cummins faces federal and state charges.

Before leaving with the girl, Cummins had been suspended from teaching and police were zeroing in on him, questioning his relationship with the girl.

Cummins was fired about a month after being suspended  a day after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert about the teen.

After taking out a loan for $4,500, the records say, the teacher took the money and two handguns and wrote a note to his wife saying he needed to go to Virginia Beach or the D.C. area to clear his head.

But instead of going to the beach, police say he picked up the student in Columbia, Tennessee, in his wife's silver Nissan Rogue on the morning of March 13, triggering a six-week police manhunt.

"It is believed based on the investigation to date, as set forth herein, that Cummins, age 50, and victim, age 15, are involved in a sexual relationship and traveled in interstate commerce to continue their relationship and to engage in unlawful sexual activity," the criminal complaint against Cummins says.

Cummins, the federal complaint says, is charged with taking a minor across states lines to have sex.

The girl's father has told news media he believes his daughter was brainwashed.

Cummins also faces state charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor. If convicted of the federal charge, he faces at least 10 years in prison, acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith said.

Before disappearing, Cummins was investigated by the school system when another student reported seeing the then-married teacher kiss the girl at the Culleoka Unit School. Culleoka is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Nashville near the Alabama state line.

Associated Press writer Kristin Bender in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Tearful family members are pleading for information that could help solve the massacre of eight people in Ohio a year ago, in a video released Friday.

Geneva Rhoden, who lost two sons, three grandchildren and a nephew, said she is begging anyone with information to step up.

"If there's someone out there that knows anything about what happened, would they please, please come forward and tell what happened," Rhoden said in the video released at family members' request by the Ohio Attorney General's Office, which is leading the investigation. "There has to be someone."

Rhoden said she has trouble sleeping and finds it difficult to be in public, often leaving stores on shopping trips when memories of things she bought for her family members overwhelm her.

The reward in the case is stuck at just $10,000, small compared to rewards offered in other high-profile killings in Ohio and elsewhere. Investigators have suggested people are reluctant to make donations because of the alleged criminal activity by one of Rhoden's sons, Christopher Rhoden Sr.

The attorney general's office has said Christopher Rhoden was operating a large-scale marijuana operation on his property.

His sister, Teresa Grebing, appeared to address this issue when she said her brothers were good people who would help anyone.

She said people afraid to come forward should just leave a tip. Southern Ohio Crime Stoppers, which offered the reward, uses an anonymous reporting system.

"I hope and pray that somebody out there comes forward," Grebing said in the video. "Please, please, please come forward. Please end this nightmare that we are living."

Saturday marks a year since of the discovery of the bodies of seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family found shot to death at four homes near Piketon, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) south of Columbus.

In addition to Christopher Rhoden Sr., the other victims were his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; and their three children, 20-year-old Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden; 16-year-old Christopher Rhoden Jr.; and 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden.

Also killed were 20-year-old Hannah Gilley, who was Frankie Rhoden's fiancee; a cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden; and Kenneth Rhoden, 44, Christopher Rhoden Sr.'s brother. An infant, another baby and a child weren't harmed.
Thousands of scientists from across Massachusetts arrived in Boston for the national March for Science.

Marchers gathered on the Boston Common at 1 p.m. for a rally Saturday. The goal of todays event was to celebrate the discovery, understanding, and sharing of scientific knowledge.

I dont think people always realized how important science is and everything that it does do, said demonstrator Kelsey McDonald.

Not only scientists, but also science lovers packed Boston Common today. Among those participating are scientists and researchers from Harvard University, MIT, Clark University, UMass-Lowell and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Its very heartening to see so many people out here considering its cold and damp, Valarie Charboneau of Ashland, New Hampshire added

Organizers believe publicly funded and communicated science should be a pillar of human freedom. They also added another goal of todays event was to make science accessible to everyone. Former NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman expressed this sentiment when she spoke at the rally.

Im an aerospace engineer so Im a rocket scientist and the contribution to the economy, the new jobs we need to create, we need everybody, Newman stated.

Some marchers say they're defending science against various attacks, including proposed budget cuts by President Donald Trump.

The President tweeted messages of support on Earth day which read, Today on Earth Day, we celebrate our beautiful forests, lakes and land. We stand committed to preserving the natural beauty of our nation. I am committed to keeping our air and water clean but always remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter!

He did not mention anything about the rallies.
Thousands of people gathered in downtown Chicago on Saturday to join the March for Science event, one of hundreds of rallies around the world advocating for the scientific community.

Scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the citys Grant Park, crowds were so large by 12 p.m. that Chicago police issued a request that anyone planning to attend, but had not yet arrived, refrain from joining the event. [[420155603, C]]

Authorities estimated that more than 40,000 people were in attendance, exceeding organizers' expectations for the rally, which coincided with Earth Day and was one of more than 500 planned worldwide.

Described as non-partisan in nature, the mission of the event was in part to safeguard the scientific process, and research funding as well as to publicly celebrate science and encourage curiosity and exploration. [[420152043, C]]

We stand for evidence-based policies that are built on an ethical approach to science, reads a description of the event on Facebook. We promote an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible science that aims to serve all communities. We seeks to utilize that foundation to inspire curiosity, to encourage exploration, and to provide a platform for those seeking to build a better science. This is the time for us to come together as one community, take a stand, and lead a new conversation.

The event began with a rally, followed by a march at 11 a.m. from S. Columbus Dr and E Jackson Dr in the citys Loop to the Field Museum, where a science expo began at 12 p.m.
More than seven decades after he perished on the first day of WWII, 24-year-old Michael Galajdik has finally come home to Illinois.

Galajdik died in Pearl Harbor aboard the U.S.S. Oklahoma in December of 1941. But his body was never identified.

Until now.

Im glad I finally got to fulfill my Mas wish, said Galajdiks nephew George Sternisha of Crest Hill. This is what she wanted.

After the torpedoed Oklahoma rolled over in Pearl Harbor, a few dozen crew members were rescued by workers who were able to cut holes in the hull. But the giant ships story is one of the most haunting in the annals of the Navy. Taps on the hull gave clues to where other crew members were trapped. But those taps ceased after three days.

Its a heartbreaking part of the 69-year-old Sternishas family lore which has spanned decades, births, and deaths. After the attack, the bodies of the sailors and marines had been entombed in the capsized Oklahoma for some two years. When their remains were finally recovered they were eventually buried in 45 mass graves in a Honolulu cemetery.

In all, 429 sailors and marines died. Of the 388 unidentified crew from the Oklahoma, 18 were from Illinois. Two years ago the Department of Defense launched a major effort to disinter all of the unidentified crew from the Oklahoma to apply modern science in hopes of getting positive I.D.s.

They were separated to like body parts, for the most part, says Rear Admiral Michael Franken, director of the Defense Departments POW/MIA Accounting Agency told NBC 5 at the time the project was launched. Our task will be to disinter about five graves a week over the course of the next six months, then in the span of five years, make those identifications.

Sternisha and his sister both submitted samples to the Navy lab to help in the efforts to identify their uncle. And in February, he received the phone call he had imagined his entire life: the body of his uncle had been found.

This week, the Navy flew Sternisha to Honolulu to personally bring his uncle home. The family already has a plot and headstone at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Will County, where he will be buried with full military honors, on Saturday.

I know that they are really trying, Sternisha said today, standing on a tarmac at OHare where his uncles flag draped coffin had just arrived. When they say they leave no one behind, believe it!

Its the final chapter of a haunting story which began in early 1942, when Sternishas mother, Galajdiks sister, received a telegram informing her that his body could not be positively identified, but that he had most certainly perished. It was his mothers dream, he said, that her brothers body would somehow be found.

She always prayed, and talked a little bit about it, he said. This is her wish come true.
A wanted murder suspect from Baltimore was arrested in Vernon on Friday.

There was heavy police presence near Terrace Drive at on Park West Drive during the afternoon. Vernon police were contacted by the Baltimore City Police Department about a suspect possibly being inside one of the apartments on Park West Drive.

Police said they were able to arrest Andrew Nurse, 27, who was charged with first degree murder in Baltimore. Nurse was charged with the murder of William Lee Lesane on March 11.

Investigators from Baltimore came up to help Vernon and state police to identify and apprehend Nurse.

"We had information earlier today that he was there we surrounded the apartment to make sure he didnt leave while we prepared to take him into custody," Vernon Police Chief William Meier said. "We were fortunate that he surrendered peacefully potentially an armed and dangerous individual here."

Baltimore City Police said Nurse will be transported back to Maryland after the extradition proceedings are complete.

Nurse has an outstanding warrant from Connecticut charging him with violation of probation. The suspect was also allegedly violating a protective order by having contact with a woman in Vernon.

In addition to murder charges in Maryland, the 27-year-old is being charged in Connecticut with violation of probation, violation of protective order and fugitive from justice.

He is being held in Vernon on bonds totaling $4,025,000.
Competition in the airline business is cutthroat, but in a region that includes three airports in New York, one in Boston and another in Providence, the airport business is competitive, too.

Thats part of the motivation behind an open letter that Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) Executive Director Kevin Dillon wrote to customers.

Dillon wrote on the CAA website, An airport needs passenger volume to convince airlines to start new routes, and passengers need the airport to offer the routes they want before they use that particular airport. Furthermore, if an existing route is not being adequately utilized, an airline can quickly decide to pull the service.

In particular, Bradley now features routes with non-stop service to Dublin, Edinburgh, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In the case of Aer Lingus, the state has promised millions in guarantees if its flights to Europe do not hit revenue targets.

Dillon said hes confident those seats will be filled during peak tourism season over the summer. Its the less frequent travel periods hes concerned about.

"We need to make sure that in the lean winter months, it's the business community supports that flight, Dillon said.

Bradleys primary competition is Bostons Logan Airport and New York's LaGuardia and JFK airports.

On the question of convenience, Dillon said in his letter Bradley cant be matched for customers in the region.

He wrote, Time and peace of mind may not have a quantifiable value, but they are surely valuable. The time that it took you to drive to JFK was costly. The anxiety you felt trying to find parking and navigating security at Logan was equally burdensome. The ease of using Bradley can be occasionally overlooked, but it should never be taken for granted.

Governor Dannel Malloy, who has strongly favored and encouraged more long-haul and international flights said Dillons efforts arent a warning that the flights wont be successful. He said theyre just good marketing.

Look, parking is easier and cheaper at Bradley and its much easier to get in and out of Bradley compared to LaGuardia, Logan or JFK. I think thats really what hes saying, Malloy said.

Dillon said he hopes the demand keeps up, as thats the difference between a busy airport, or a quiet one.

"We want every seat here filled because if we can fill every seat that means we're going to get more seats and that's good for the economy."
Police said a homeowner shot two people trying to burglarize a Dallas home early Friday morning. [[420058013,C]]

Dallas police said they responded to a burglary call in the 14600 block of Lasater Road at about 4 a.m.

Police said they found one of the suspected burglars on the ground and transported the person to Baylor University Medical Center in unknown condition.

The second suspected burglar fled the scene, according to police. A K-9 unit and a police helicopter assisted officers in the search.

Authorities said the homeowner was not injured.

No further details have been released.
A man accused of shooting two people on Easter Sunday in Lawrence, Massachusetts, leaving one dead, has been arrested in Texas.

Forty-year-old Aracelys Valdez Deleon of Lowell and an unidentified 25-year-old Lawrence man prosecutors called her companion were shot around 8 p.m. outside the La Cava nightclub. The man survived, but Valdez Deleon was pronounced dead after being airlifted to Lawrence General Hospital.

On Friday, the Essex County District Attorney's Office announced that 24-year-old Luis Rodriguez of Haverhill had been arrested overnight in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Rodriguez faces charges including murder, assault and battery with a firearm and illegal firearm possession. He was ordered held without bail after being arraigned as a fugitive from justice at the Hopkins County Law Enforcement Facility in Texas.

According to the district attorney's office, Rodriguez has indicated that he will not waive extradition. The district attorney will seek a governor's warrant to enforce his return to Massachusetts, a process that can take as long as three months.

It was not immediately clear if Rodriguez had an attorney.
California health officials are fining Redwood City-based Sequoia Hospital $47,452 for erroneously removing a patients ovaries last year.

The Peninsula facility is one of 14 hospitals facing 17 penalties issued by the California Department of Public Health on Thursday. Accused of not complying with licensing requirements that caused, or were likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients, the hospitals are being made to shell out a total fine of $1,135,980.

Including Sequoia, the Bay Area houses four of these hospitals: California Pacific Medical Center-St. Lukes Campus Hospital and Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco; and Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

According to the CDPH, doctors at Sequoia were supposed to surgically remove the patients uterus, fallopian tubes and appendix. But the procedure was entered incorrectly in the hospital's surgery log, leading to the removal of her ovaries. The report does not specify whether the womans ovaries were taken out instead of or along with the uterus, fallopian tubes and appendix, but says the patient will require lifelong estrogen replacement therapy as a result of the misstep.

Meanwhile, a St. Lukes patient felt dizzy and fell off her bed, but was not put through hourly neurological checks as prescribed, the CDPH found. The woman hit her head and died despite undergoing emergency brain surgery, and the hospital is facing a $47,452 penalty.

Kaiser is being fined $147,025 for two separate incidents, both of which led to the deaths of patients in 2015 and 2016.

In the first, a dialysis patient suffered massive blood less and cardiac arrest when his femoral catheter got disconnected from his bloodline, both of which were under a blanket. In the second, the patient experienced acute respiratory failure after a tracheostomy tube cuff valve was mistakenly left inflated. The mismanagement of the tracheostomy  described by the CDPH as a surgical procedure to create an opening through the neck into the trachea  led to the patient dying.

At Queen of the Valley, three separate incidents in 2013 in which hospital staff didnt track patients symptoms and administered incorrect treatment, resulted in two deaths while the third patient is left in a vegetative state. The CDPH has levied a $225,000 fine on the Napa hospital for its mistakes.

Other hospitals on the CDPH list are LAC/Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance; Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara; Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield; Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs; and Sutter Davis Hospital in Davis.

The CDPH says regulations adopted in 2014 allow the agency to issue up to $75,000 in fines for a hospital's first administrative penalty, up to $100,000 for the second, and up to $125,000 for the third and every following violation within three years. Penalized hospitals are required to put forth a plan of correction, and have 10 days to appeal the fine.
A man charged with fatally stabbing a Florida restaurant worker and former Florida State mascot in a fight over gumbo spices has been found guilty of second-degree murder.

Caleb Joshua Halley was found guilty Thursday in the 2015 death. He faces up to life in prison for the crime.

Panama City police say 33-year-old Halley was working at Buddy's Seafood Market when he and a co-worker, 26-year-old Orlando Thompson, began arguing about how much spice to add to the restaurant's gumbo. Authorities say Thompson slashed Halley across the torso. He died two days later. The two had also been roommates at one point.

According to the police, Halley portrayed Florida State mascot "Chief Osceola" from 2004 to 2007.

The News Herald reports family members of both men wept when the verdict was read.
NBC 6 and Telemundo 51 teamed up with Comcast and NBCUniversal employees for the annual Comcast Cares Day Saturday.

Employees worked side-by-side with community volunteers on projects in Miami-Dade and Broward.

One project had volunteers filling teacher's supply boxes with pencils and hygiene products.

"It's so important because a lot of teacher spend their own personal money making sure their students have supplies they need, so this way we are able to give them those supplies," said Elyssa Linares.

On #EarthDay we are giving back with #ComcastCaresDay More on what the team accomplished in Miami-Dade and Broward tonight @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/R81tzteaXH  Melissa Adan (@MelissaNBC6) April 22, 2017

The Miami-Dade event also included paint in the park, support our veterans and tools for schools projects at Athalie Range Park.

[[ 420154264, C]]

"I'm here volunteering and I'm going to be painting a mural on the school to make it look beautiful," said Comcast volunteer Matthew Nickerson.

City of Miami Annette Eisenberg Community Center and its surrounding park in Little Haiti were transformed with some color.

"We're bringing families together to make sure that the community here is supported and looks great and that students want to come here to this local park," Michelle Vidal said.

Hundreds of volunteers also helped beautify and clean the park.

NBC 6 Takes Part in Comcast Cares Day

This annual day of service is taking part all across the country and the world by Comcast employees.

"I'm glad to make other kids communities amazing," Nickerson said.

In Broward, volunteers gave Margate STEM Middle School a makeover for the 1,000 students and educators who spend each weekday there.

More than 100,000 employees around the world volunteered - with more than 10,000 Comcasters taking part in over 100 projects across Florida.
Hours before he fell to his death while battling a fire in Queens, FDNY firefighter William Tolley had gone to the cupcake shop next door to the firehouse to ask about getting cupcakes in the shape of a cross for an upcoming communion.

He spoke to the owner of Mahalo Bakery, Sunita Shiwdin, at about 12:30 p.m. and told her he'd back.

He never returned.

Tolley -- "Billy," as Shiwdin knew him -- was a frequent visitor at the bakery, and always kind and great with kids, including her nephew who was often in the store, she said.

"He was like, 'Do you want to go in the truck, buddy?'" she recalled Tolley telling her nephew. "He was just so nice and caring and very affectionate toward children. That's the Billy I know."

It's not clear whose communion he was preparing for, but Shiwdin now wishes she'd stopped and talked with him more Thursday.

"It's unbelievable that he went to work, and he didn't come home to his wife and his daughter," said firehouse neighbor Donna Nielsen.

The 14-year veteran of the FDNY who lived in Bethpage, Long Island, died Thursday after falling several stories while containing an apartment fire in Ridgewood. He was working on ventilating the apartment building when he fell five stories to the ground below.

Fire marshals says unattended incense left in the bedroom of a second-floor apartment caused the fire.

Tolley, who was a senior firefighter at Ladder 135/Engine 286, leaves behind a wife and an 8-year-old daughter, Isabella Tolley. The FDNY Foundation, which is affiliated with the department, has set up an educational fund for Isabella.

Tolley was the 1,147th FDNY firefighter to die in the line of duty.

Anyone who puts on a uniform like that and goes out there and is willing to protect people, not even just their family but people they dont know, theyre heroes, said Jack Rewkowski, Tolleys neighbor on Long Island.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Tolley's death is a "terrible tragedy for the department."

A bunting ceremony at Ladder 135 was held in Tolley's honor Friday evening. The ceremony was a somber one, with firefighters and residents holding back tears as the black and purple bunting was placed over the entrance to the firehouse.

William Aaron, a firefighter at Ladder 135, was at the ceremony. Holding back tears, he said he and Tolley called each other Willie. He said the late firefighter loved his family, the band he was in and "this job, which we take for granted every damn day. We don't realize how dangerous it can be at times. But he loved it and he loved it like it was his own brother."

Flags were at half-staff across New York City, and neighbors showed up at the firehouse throughout the day to drop off flowers and pay their respects. One woman who didn't speak English fluently was emotional and crying as she kept saying "hero."

Members of the FDNY parked their fire trucks along overpasses of the Long Island Expressway Friday afternoon as a procession was underway to move Tolley's body from Manhattan to Bethpage, where residents and firefighters had gathered along a thoroughfare to honor their neighbor as his body was taken to a funeral home.

"He was a true gentleman," said Owen Magee, who worked with Tolley at the Hicksville Fire Department, one of the two Long Island fire departments where Tolley volunteered for some 20 years.

Tolley played the drums in a death metal band he founded 25 years ago with his friend Chris Pervelis, called Internal Bleeding. He loved to talk and needle his bandmates and everyone else in earshot, said Pervelis, who called him a brother. The two friends spoke every morning at 8:55, a cherished routine that came to an abrupt and unexpected end Friday.

"I rolled around this morning and I couldn't handle it," said Pervelis. "I feel like my insides have been ripped out."

The wake for Tolley will be held at Chapey and Sons Funeral Home in Bethpage next Tuesday and Wednesday. Funeral services will be held at St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage next Thursday morning.
Convicted church shooter Dylann Roof has been transferred to death row at Terre Haute Federal Prison in Indiana  the facility that houses male inmates awaiting execution under the federal government, NBC News reported.

Roof, the first person to be convicted of a federal hate crime and sentenced to the death penalty, was removed from custody in Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday and transferred to Terre Haute, prison records show.

Terre Haute, a medium-security prison where inmates are put to death by lethal injection, currently houses 1,338 inmates.

In January, a jury sentenced the self-proclaimed white supremacist to death for killing nine black worshipers in June 2015 at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston during a Bible study. The 23-year-old told FBI agents that he was trying to start a race war.
Delaware's early childhood programs have been named the beneficiaries of a $7.65 million, 5-year grant.

Media outlets report Gov. John Carney and Secretary of Education Susan Bunting announced the grant Thursday during a visit to the Latin American Community Center's early childhood center in Wilmington. Known as the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, officials say the funds will support the expansion of high quality early childhood education to more of the state's youngest learners.

A similar grant awarded in January 2015 benefited programs statewide. The new grant will focus on Kent and Sussex counties, which have a continued need for high-quality infant and toddler care.

Grant money will also be used to provide health services for low-income families.
President Donald Trump will visit Pennsylvania for a rally next Saturday to mark his 100th day in office, he announced on Twitter.

The White House's official schedule confirmed his appearance in Harrisburg a short time after he tweeted about it Saturday afternoon.

The event will be 7:30 p.m., April 29, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in the New Holland Arena in the state capital. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets will be limited to two per person and are available here.

Next Saturday night I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2017

The event will cap what is expected to be a momentous end to a big week for the Trump administration and Congress, which returns to Capitol Hill on Monday. Trump and some of his top officials have promised to unveil a large-scale tax reform package Wednesday.
A San Diego-based nonprofit organization that trains U.S. military veterans with job skills for manufacturing careers is not only giving vets a fresh start  its helping them find their purpose again.

Its been a blast, all around, said U.S. Marine veteran Brian Riley, referring to his courses and certifications received from the nonprofit school, Workshops for Warriors (WFW). And kind of give back a purpose again. [This is] breathing a spot of fresh life back into my plans.

Founded in 2008, WFW is a state-licensed, free, nonprofit school that helps train, certify and place U.S. military veterans, wounded warriors and transitioning service members into advanced manufacturing careers. Vets can take courses and obtain nationally-recognized credentials in 62 trades including welding and machining and CAD/CAM programming.

On Friday, the school held its spring graduation ceremony for 57 veterans who had completed programs. A Marine Color Guard marked the milestone.

The graduating class included Riley, an amputee who proudly walked across the stage to receive his certification in machining. The vet is a two-time graduate of WFW; in May 2016, he earned his certification in welding.

For Riley, the school has been instrumental to helping him back on his feet as he transitioned from being an active duty service member to life as a civilian.

Riley said he served as a reconnaissance man in the Marines. While deployed in Afghanistan, he was wounded by a gunshot. The bullet left the young service member with a permanent injury that eventually led to the amputation of his left leg below his knee.

He was discharged in 2012.

While recovering in San Diego, Riley worried about where his new life would take him. Luckily, in a military town like San Diego, he didnt have to look too far for a little bit of help.

There are a lot of friendly veteran organizations out here in San Diego, he said.

Soon, he found WFW and began taking courses in the trades that were of interest to him.

Riley said he sought to learn something that would pave the path for gainful employment.

Something where it feels like youre contributing to society, he told NBC 7.

Hes grateful to the nonprofit for helping him on his way to just that.

A small portion of the graduation ceremony held on April 21 by the nonprofit, Workshops For Warriors, in San Diego. The school helps train, certify and place veterans and wounded warriors into careers in advanced manufacturing.

For veterans moving into civilian life like Riley, the transition can be tough. Riley said that sometimes, service members only have about a week to prepare for the major life change.

Like anything new, it can be scary and difficult.

For some guys, thats going to be the first time that theyve had to worry about paying rent, the electric bill, life insurance, he explained. Thats a lot to take in in seven days.

Riley said the WFW courses include both longtime veterans and recently-discharged vets. He said the longtime vets are often able to help the new civilians during that tough time, which, in a way, builds a camaraderie much like those days as active duty service members.

Im really glad for the opportunity, he added.

Each semester at WFW runs for 16 weeks. The nonprofit said more than 350 U.S. veterans have been trained and certified through its courses. In 2015, the WFW said 94 percent of its graduates were able to get jobs in the manufacturing field after completing the schools programs.

New classes for WFW's summer session begin on May 1. To learn more about the nonprofit, click here.
Visitors to Wymondham Abbeys Christmas fair will be able to treat their children to a magic show and fun baking workshop while they browse more than 60 stalls.

Visitors to Wymondham Abbeys Christmas fair will be able to treat their children to a magic show and fun baking workshop while they browse more than 60 stalls.

Salvation Armys new Christmas Appeal in Norfolk The Salvation Army has launched their new Christmas appeal across Norfolk which, this year, has evolved from the much-loved Toys and Tins appeal. Read more

Are we storing up treasures on earth? Rising prices affect us all, and Anna Heydon urges us to spare a thought for those who will be struggling with the cost of living this winter. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Covid leaf memorial at Norwich church St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19 Read more

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk begins a new chapter Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) celebrated the beginning of a new chapter this week, as the new chair of trustees Chris Tomlinson led his first annual meeting. Read more

Lowestoft Christians launch on-line bible helps app The Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth branch of Good News for Everyone (GNFE), formerly the Gideons, have introduced a new mobile phone app called On-line Bible Helps. Read more

Addicts' rehabilitation centre plan for Drayton Hall Christian addiction charity Teen Challenge London is planning to turn Drayton Hall near Norwich into its headquarters and a rehabilitation centre for men, after it was gifted the freehold of the hall by its owner, the Lind Trust. Read more

The power of positive protest Philip Young encourages us to take a stand for what we believe, and has just written to Therese Coffey regarding climate change and the forthcoming COP 27. He explains why we should be prepared to protest. Read more

Norwich church celebrates with cribs and trees Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December. Read more

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more

Quiet Waters in Bungay offers healing retreat Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Read more

Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more

Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Indian firms are betting big on technology to not just increase productivity but also to keep employees engaged. Human resource technology budgets are increasing throughout the Asia-Pacific market, says the Sierra-Cedar 2016-17 HR Systems Survey.

According to the survey, which studied 1,528 organisations representing a total workforce of 20.6 million employees, 56 per cent of all Asia-Pacific organisations are planning to increase their HR technology spending this year. Notably, 64 per cent of the Indian firms surveyed said they would increase their spending on HR technology.

No one can deny that we are in an age of continuous change when it comes to both enterprise and personal technology environments. For India, fast-paced technological changes are coinciding with economic and cultural changes, making the topic of HR Technology central to business outcomes. Companies are therefore increasing their spending on HR tech, said Stacey Harris, vice-president (research and analytics), Sierra-Cedar.

Indian companies are shifting to cloud-based HR systems and are also investing in emerging areas like analytics, mobile and social technologies.

Technology is being adopted at a fast pace in all walks of life and the HR sector is not alien to it. Though companies from IT/ITES, financial services, and pharma stand out in spending on HR tech, companies from all sectors are increasing their spending on HR tech now, said Achal Khanna, CEO, Society of Human Resources Managements (SHRM) Indian chapter.

According to him, the employee has become the core in HR policy for companies. New-age employees are mostly tech-savvy youngsters. Companies are looking towards HR tech to not just keep these young employees engaged but also increase their skills, abilities and aid their career and overall growth, Khanna noted.

HYDERABAD: Indian firms are betting big on technology to not just increase productivity but also to keep employees engaged. Human resource technology budgets are increasing throughout the Asia-Pacific market, says the Sierra-Cedar 2016-17 HR Systems Survey. According to the survey, which studied 1,528 organisations representing a total workforce of 20.6 million employees, 56 per cent of all Asia-Pacific organisations are planning to increase their HR technology spending this year. Notably, 64 per cent of the Indian firms surveyed said they would increase their spending on HR technology. No one can deny that we are in an age of continuous change when it comes to both enterprise and personal technology environments. For India, fast-paced technological changes are coinciding with economic and cultural changes, making the topic of HR Technology central to business outcomes. Companies are therefore increasing their spending on HR tech, said Stacey Harris, vice-president (research and analytics), Sierra-Cedar. Indian companies are shifting to cloud-based HR systems and are also investing in emerging areas like analytics, mobile and social technologies. Technology is being adopted at a fast pace in all walks of life and the HR sector is not alien to it. Though companies from IT/ITES, financial services, and pharma stand out in spending on HR tech, companies from all sectors are increasing their spending on HR tech now, said Achal Khanna, CEO, Society of Human Resources Managements (SHRM) Indian chapter. According to him, the employee has become the core in HR policy for companies. New-age employees are mostly tech-savvy youngsters. Companies are looking towards HR tech to not just keep these young employees engaged but also increase their skills, abilities and aid their career and overall growth, Khanna noted.
V Nilesh By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Osmania University might be completing 100 years of its existence but when it comes to its kitchens, modern approach, labour welfare, fire safety or labour laws, nothing seems to apply. In about 10 mess kitchens in Osmania University where firewood is still being used as cooking fuel, the cooks - for a monthly salary of `9,000 - take the risk of getting grievously injured in fire accidents everyday.



A visit to one of these kitchens made it amply clear the kind of risk the cooks take everyday, as they shove wood into furnace while cooking, work in kitchens having black greasy walls with no fire extinguishers and poor ventilation.

Cook at Osmania University sweating due

to the fumes exhumed by the burning

wood, in Hyderabad on Friday | r satish babu

All this is done, three times a day. Minor burn injuries are common among the cooks. Kitchens turn into furnaces in afternoons due to extreme temperatures released by burning wood.



Burning firewood as fuel is also a health hazard. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), exposure to pollution from burning wood increases risk of pneumonia, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.



Syed Ameer, who has been working as a cook since more than a decade says, I have problem of sinusitis and have been taking treatment for that. The smoke from burning wood keeps aggravating the issue. I have problem in eyes as they burn due to exposure to smoke.



S Lakshman, another cook says, The utensils which get damaged are not replaced quickly. Sometimes if there is small whole in the cooking utensil, oil leaks into the furnace and suddenly a ball of fire emerges. We try to cover it by dough but it does not stick for too long. LPG is used for dosas stoves. However, flame gets out from the stove and sometimes burns our stomach. We complained many times but to no use.



Praveen, another cook says, There is no support from university if someone gets injured. Around a month ago, a woman cook in ladies hostel got her hand crushed in grinder while making dosa. While she received no compensation or medical support from the university, she did not even receive salary as she was home recuperating.



Women work as support in the mess kitchens work for 11-12 hours for just around `6,000 per month. As part of their daily work they have to even peel around 4-5 kilos of red chilies everyday and grind them which leaves their hands burning. They also have to grind spices to make masala for curries. All this just because the university does not want to spend more money on buying ready made chili powder.



Principals of colleges and the wardens deal with hostels and messes. When contacted, arts college, principal, prof T Krishna Rao, principal of arts college said, If government provides money to modernise the mess kitchens, the university will do it. An official from Ladies Hostels, said, The university finds it costly to use LPG for cooking. There is no mechanism for providing compensation to someone if they get injured in kitchen.

HYDERABAD: Osmania University might be completing 100 years of its existence but when it comes to its kitchens, modern approach, labour welfare, fire safety or labour laws, nothing seems to apply. In about 10 mess kitchens in Osmania University where firewood is still being used as cooking fuel, the cooks - for a monthly salary of `9,000 - take the risk of getting grievously injured in fire accidents everyday. A visit to one of these kitchens made it amply clear the kind of risk the cooks take everyday, as they shove wood into furnace while cooking, work in kitchens having black greasy walls with no fire extinguishers and poor ventilation. Cook at Osmania University sweating due to the fumes exhumed by the burning wood, in Hyderabad on Friday | r satish babuAll this is done, three times a day. Minor burn injuries are common among the cooks. Kitchens turn into furnaces in afternoons due to extreme temperatures released by burning wood. Burning firewood as fuel is also a health hazard. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), exposure to pollution from burning wood increases risk of pneumonia, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Syed Ameer, who has been working as a cook since more than a decade says, I have problem of sinusitis and have been taking treatment for that. The smoke from burning wood keeps aggravating the issue. I have problem in eyes as they burn due to exposure to smoke. S Lakshman, another cook says, The utensils which get damaged are not replaced quickly. Sometimes if there is small whole in the cooking utensil, oil leaks into the furnace and suddenly a ball of fire emerges. We try to cover it by dough but it does not stick for too long. LPG is used for dosas stoves. However, flame gets out from the stove and sometimes burns our stomach. We complained many times but to no use. Praveen, another cook says, There is no support from university if someone gets injured. Around a month ago, a woman cook in ladies hostel got her hand crushed in grinder while making dosa. While she received no compensation or medical support from the university, she did not even receive salary as she was home recuperating. Women work as support in the mess kitchens work for 11-12 hours for just around `6,000 per month. As part of their daily work they have to even peel around 4-5 kilos of red chilies everyday and grind them which leaves their hands burning. They also have to grind spices to make masala for curries. All this just because the university does not want to spend more money on buying ready made chili powder. Principals of colleges and the wardens deal with hostels and messes. When contacted, arts college, principal, prof T Krishna Rao, principal of arts college said, If government provides money to modernise the mess kitchens, the university will do it. An official from Ladies Hostels, said, The university finds it costly to use LPG for cooking. There is no mechanism for providing compensation to someone if they get injured in kitchen.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Kannada activists, who had decided to stall the release of Baahubali 2 in Karnataka because of the remarks one of the actors made against Kannadigas, have decided not to do so after the actor apologised.

The bandh call by pro Kannada organisations on April 28 has also been withdrawn. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said "Sathyaraj has apologised in public. So, we have decided to stop this here and withdrawn the bandh call."

Nine years ago, Sathyaraj had referred to Kannadigas in derogatory terms with reference to sharing of Cauvery water. However, Vatal Nagaraj warned the actor not to take issues related to Karnataka lightly and not make any inflammatory statements in the future.

"In such a case, we will ensure that all his films are banned permanently here," he said. President of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) Sa Ra Govind said that reports of Kannada films being pulled out of theatres in Tamil Nadu due to this issue were untrue. "It is true that some films have been pulled out, but that was because the films were not doing well" he said.

BENGALURU: Kannada activists, who had decided to stall the release of Baahubali 2 in Karnataka because of the remarks one of the actors made against Kannadigas, have decided not to do so after the actor apologised. The bandh call by pro Kannada organisations on April 28 has also been withdrawn. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said "Sathyaraj has apologised in public. So, we have decided to stop this here and withdrawn the bandh call." Nine years ago, Sathyaraj had referred to Kannadigas in derogatory terms with reference to sharing of Cauvery water. However, Vatal Nagaraj warned the actor not to take issues related to Karnataka lightly and not make any inflammatory statements in the future. "In such a case, we will ensure that all his films are banned permanently here," he said. President of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) Sa Ra Govind said that reports of Kannada films being pulled out of theatres in Tamil Nadu due to this issue were untrue. "It is true that some films have been pulled out, but that was because the films were not doing well" he said.
K Sudha By

Express News Service

A new-look Kalaivanar Arangam is opening its doors for the 22nd European Union Festival in India, this evening. The Minister for Information and Publicity, Kadambur Raju, has been roped in to inaugurate the event, in the presence of chief guest Joao da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal to India. Other dignitaries at the event include C Senthil Rajan, Director of the Directorate of Film Festivals, New Delhi, Achim Fabig, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chennai and members of the film fraternity.

E Thangaraj, Secretary, Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, organisers of the event along with the Delegation of the European Union to India, Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan and Alliance Francaise of Madras, believes this to be a significant moment in the citys cinemascape. It was the wish of the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the last edition of Chennai International film festival have its opening ceremony at a venue in memory of the late comedian N S Krishnan, he says. But it could not be readied in time due to unforeseen circumstances, But her interest has paved the way for the organising of film festivals in the city that are on par with the best in the world. Thangaraj expects a substantial number of people coming in. The city has many die-hard fans of European cinema who will no doubt be part of this event. The festival, which will go on till May 4, will see the first screening this evening. The film in question, The Portugese Falcon, is an action-adventure film that received critical acclaim.

A new-look Kalaivanar Arangam is opening its doors for the 22nd European Union Festival in India, this evening. The Minister for Information and Publicity, Kadambur Raju, has been roped in to inaugurate the event, in the presence of chief guest Joao da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal to India. Other dignitaries at the event include C Senthil Rajan, Director of the Directorate of Film Festivals, New Delhi, Achim Fabig, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chennai and members of the film fraternity. E Thangaraj, Secretary, Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, organisers of the event along with the Delegation of the European Union to India, Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan and Alliance Francaise of Madras, believes this to be a significant moment in the citys cinemascape. It was the wish of the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the last edition of Chennai International film festival have its opening ceremony at a venue in memory of the late comedian N S Krishnan, he says. But it could not be readied in time due to unforeseen circumstances, But her interest has paved the way for the organising of film festivals in the city that are on par with the best in the world. Thangaraj expects a substantial number of people coming in. The city has many die-hard fans of European cinema who will no doubt be part of this event. The festival, which will go on till May 4, will see the first screening this evening. The film in question, The Portugese Falcon, is an action-adventure film that received critical acclaim.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: After getting an advisory over possible terror strikes in and around prominent religious sites across the State, Uttar Pradesh police beefed up security at all important installations across the districts on Saturday. As per the inputs provided by neighbouring Madhya Pradesh police, suspected terror elements in the guise of saints and seers may target religious places in the State in the near future.

After getting the intelligence inputs from MP police, security wing of UP police swung into action to send an alert across all IGs zone, DIGs range, SSPs and ASP Raliways. Moreover, all the intelligence units and Anti-terrorism Squads have also been put on high alert since Friday night.

While the state police administration has got into action mode collecting all possible details of the terror threat allegedly looming large over UP from all the possible quarters, new DGP Sulkhan Singh, who took over on Saturday morning, reviewed the security situation of the state.

We are in a position to neutralise any such threat, said the DGP adding that the security agencies of the state were put on high alert after receiving inputs from in neighbouring MP police.

It is believed that over a dozen saffron clad terror suspects trained in Hindu religious rituals by Pakistans ISI have been pushed into UP to carry out attacks at different places," said a senior police official adding that the police machinery was keeping a tight vigil on social media besides other places to thwart any such misadventure.

Possibility of such elements blended with local populace cannot be ruled out. The district police chiefs have been asked to carry out intense combing operations in restaurants, hotels, parks, cinema halls and public places across the state, he stated. Even Army intelligence has also been put on alert.

Recently, intelligence inputs over PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath being on terror hit list were received by the UP cops. Subsequently, their security was tightened. However, the latest information inputs have come two days after the UP ATS arrested four terror suspects - two from UP and one each from Mumbai and Jalandhar - in a joint operation in coordination with police of five states including Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.

In the wake of the latest the information, the police sources said that security of the places of religious importance at Varanasi, Mathura and Ayodhya was tightened. Even the additional security was beefed up at Taj Mahal in Agra along with government and judicial installations across the state.

While the letter of MP police mentions Gaus Mohammad, a suspected terrorist who was found living as Karan Khatri in Kanpur in March. The letter also mentions that the state intelligence agencies in February were tipped off about four dozen terrorists sneaking into UP through Nepal. It also speaks about eight suspected Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) men who were living in guise of Hindu and were subsequently killed after escaping from an MP jail last year. Operation Krishna India also finds a reference in the MP police letter.



LUCKNOW: After getting an advisory over possible terror strikes in and around prominent religious sites across the State, Uttar Pradesh police beefed up security at all important installations across the districts on Saturday. As per the inputs provided by neighbouring Madhya Pradesh police, suspected terror elements in the guise of saints and seers may target religious places in the State in the near future. After getting the intelligence inputs from MP police, security wing of UP police swung into action to send an alert across all IGs zone, DIGs range, SSPs and ASP Raliways. Moreover, all the intelligence units and Anti-terrorism Squads have also been put on high alert since Friday night. While the state police administration has got into action mode collecting all possible details of the terror threat allegedly looming large over UP from all the possible quarters, new DGP Sulkhan Singh, who took over on Saturday morning, reviewed the security situation of the state. We are in a position to neutralise any such threat, said the DGP adding that the security agencies of the state were put on high alert after receiving inputs from in neighbouring MP police. It is believed that over a dozen saffron clad terror suspects trained in Hindu religious rituals by Pakistans ISI have been pushed into UP to carry out attacks at different places," said a senior police official adding that the police machinery was keeping a tight vigil on social media besides other places to thwart any such misadventure. Possibility of such elements blended with local populace cannot be ruled out. The district police chiefs have been asked to carry out intense combing operations in restaurants, hotels, parks, cinema halls and public places across the state, he stated. Even Army intelligence has also been put on alert. Recently, intelligence inputs over PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath being on terror hit list were received by the UP cops. Subsequently, their security was tightened. However, the latest information inputs have come two days after the UP ATS arrested four terror suspects - two from UP and one each from Mumbai and Jalandhar - in a joint operation in coordination with police of five states including Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. In the wake of the latest the information, the police sources said that security of the places of religious importance at Varanasi, Mathura and Ayodhya was tightened. Even the additional security was beefed up at Taj Mahal in Agra along with government and judicial installations across the state. While the letter of MP police mentions Gaus Mohammad, a suspected terrorist who was found living as Karan Khatri in Kanpur in March. The letter also mentions that the state intelligence agencies in February were tipped off about four dozen terrorists sneaking into UP through Nepal. It also speaks about eight suspected Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) men who were living in guise of Hindu and were subsequently killed after escaping from an MP jail last year. Operation Krishna India also finds a reference in the MP police letter.
By ANI

LUCKNOW: The new police chief of Uttar Pradesh, Sulkhan Singh, today vowed to crush "goondagardi" and warned that no one will be allowed to take law in their hands in the name of cow vigilantism or protection from eve-teasing.

"Those indulging in 'goondagardi' and criminal activities will be dealt with without mercy. They cannot escape and even VIPs will not be spared," the 1980-batch IPS officer who took over charge of DGP of the state today said.

"No one has the right to interfere in the name of gau raksha or eve-teasing at public places or any such basis...and if someone does vigilantism, police will take strict action...

we ask people to give us information if they come across such things. We will also ensure that we neither ask for their names nor make them public," he said.

"We will not allow anyone to indulge in forceful behaviour as it leads to hatred in society and it will not be allowed," Singh said in response to a question.

To a query on anti-Romeo squads, Singh said it was not a drive and would continue on a regular basis as policing.

"The policemen deployed in it will be briefed directly by the SPs...they will work undercover to monitor objectionable behaviour in public place...questioning and interrogation is not part of this...the staff will be clearly briefed about what action they have to take," he said.

Singh, the senior-most IPS officer in the state, said there will be no compromise in ensuring security of the common man.

He took over from Javeed Ahmed who was shunted to a less important post of DG PAC.

"Uniform action will be taken against any wrong doer.

There will be no bias, whosoever the culprit is or whatever political connection the person flaunts," he said.

Asked about some persons associated with the ruling party allegedly taking the law in their hands, he said, "The CM has clearly instructed that the police should work in an unbiased manner and act against all, be it from ruling party or anyone else, and I want to assure that all those indulging in goonda and criminal activities will be dealt with as per the law."

When asked about reported inputs from the MP Police about suspected terrorists attempting to strike in the state, Singh said though he had no insider inputs about the same as of now, but state intelligence agencies, including the STF and the ATS, were always active.

"They have their network and will work on the inputs...I want to assure that there will be no laxity on this front," he said.

Spelling out his priorities as the DGP, he said maximum FIRs would be filed and the police would get full freedom to work without fear or pressure from any quarter.

Singh, who has an image of being an upright officer, said, "My effort will be to ensure unbiased policing and keeping the morale of the force high."

To another question pertaining to allegations of rampant corruption in the police machinery, he said, "Fair inquiry will be held in all cases."

"My top priority would be to make policing humane and courteous," the DGP said.

Singh said policing should be impartial and objective to ensure relief to the common man.

"Police should avoid high-handedness as every citizen belongs to the state. No one is an outsider," he said.

Asked about the sagging morale of the police force in view of over 100 cases of assaults and killings of the men-inkhaki, Singh said it was a contentious issue. "But, definitely if there is any demoralisation in the force, I would address it on top priority," he said.

To a question on attacks on policemen in the recent past, he said policing is a risky job and the personnel overcome it with their training and tact and act against the outlaws.

As the DGP, he said his another priority was the safety and security of girls and women who should feel safe even at late hours.

In reply to a question, he said though he has come to know about IS sympathisers in the state through media, he would also look into this challenge on priority basis and asserted that the force he was heading was highly capable of dealing with any situation.

To a question, he said it was essential that the policemen get fixed working hours and a day's off in a week for optimum performance and health which is also followed the world over.

LUCKNOW: The new police chief of Uttar Pradesh, Sulkhan Singh, today vowed to crush "goondagardi" and warned that no one will be allowed to take law in their hands in the name of cow vigilantism or protection from eve-teasing. "Those indulging in 'goondagardi' and criminal activities will be dealt with without mercy. They cannot escape and even VIPs will not be spared," the 1980-batch IPS officer who took over charge of DGP of the state today said. "No one has the right to interfere in the name of gau raksha or eve-teasing at public places or any such basis...and if someone does vigilantism, police will take strict action... we ask people to give us information if they come across such things. We will also ensure that we neither ask for their names nor make them public," he said. "We will not allow anyone to indulge in forceful behaviour as it leads to hatred in society and it will not be allowed," Singh said in response to a question. To a query on anti-Romeo squads, Singh said it was not a drive and would continue on a regular basis as policing. "The policemen deployed in it will be briefed directly by the SPs...they will work undercover to monitor objectionable behaviour in public place...questioning and interrogation is not part of this...the staff will be clearly briefed about what action they have to take," he said. Singh, the senior-most IPS officer in the state, said there will be no compromise in ensuring security of the common man. He took over from Javeed Ahmed who was shunted to a less important post of DG PAC. "Uniform action will be taken against any wrong doer. There will be no bias, whosoever the culprit is or whatever political connection the person flaunts," he said. Asked about some persons associated with the ruling party allegedly taking the law in their hands, he said, "The CM has clearly instructed that the police should work in an unbiased manner and act against all, be it from ruling party or anyone else, and I want to assure that all those indulging in goonda and criminal activities will be dealt with as per the law." When asked about reported inputs from the MP Police about suspected terrorists attempting to strike in the state, Singh said though he had no insider inputs about the same as of now, but state intelligence agencies, including the STF and the ATS, were always active. "They have their network and will work on the inputs...I want to assure that there will be no laxity on this front," he said. Spelling out his priorities as the DGP, he said maximum FIRs would be filed and the police would get full freedom to work without fear or pressure from any quarter. Singh, who has an image of being an upright officer, said, "My effort will be to ensure unbiased policing and keeping the morale of the force high." To another question pertaining to allegations of rampant corruption in the police machinery, he said, "Fair inquiry will be held in all cases." "My top priority would be to make policing humane and courteous," the DGP said. Singh said policing should be impartial and objective to ensure relief to the common man. "Police should avoid high-handedness as every citizen belongs to the state. No one is an outsider," he said. Asked about the sagging morale of the police force in view of over 100 cases of assaults and killings of the men-inkhaki, Singh said it was a contentious issue. "But, definitely if there is any demoralisation in the force, I would address it on top priority," he said. To a question on attacks on policemen in the recent past, he said policing is a risky job and the personnel overcome it with their training and tact and act against the outlaws. As the DGP, he said his another priority was the safety and security of girls and women who should feel safe even at late hours. In reply to a question, he said though he has come to know about IS sympathisers in the state through media, he would also look into this challenge on priority basis and asserted that the force he was heading was highly capable of dealing with any situation. To a question, he said it was essential that the policemen get fixed working hours and a day's off in a week for optimum performance and health which is also followed the world over.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: In a bid to put an end to cartelisation by cement manufacturing companies in the State, the builders Joint Action Committee, which includes APREDA, CREDAI and CRBA, has decided to import cement from Sri Lanka, China and Bangladesh in protest against the abnormal hike of cement prices by the manufacturers.

Importing cement from the eastern countries will help in reducing the per bag price by about `30, which will eventually benefit the consumers as construction prices will come down, the builders argued.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, JAC member Ch Sudhakar said, We have decided to import cement as the manufacturing firms have abnormally hiked the prices by over 60 per cent without any reason. Cartelisation without a reason has become a regular phenomenon and hence we have decided to find an alternative for it, he added.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had directed cabinet ministers to form a sub-committee and have a dialogue with cement manufacturing firms on Monday.

We will see the outcome of the meeting. Even if there is a positive response, we will keep channels of import open for the future also, said APREDA president GSS Prasad.

CRBA member V Subba Rao said,The realty sector is already in a slump after demonetisation. Now, the price hike will have a negative impact on the sector.

VIJAYAWADA: In a bid to put an end to cartelisation by cement manufacturing companies in the State, the builders Joint Action Committee, which includes APREDA, CREDAI and CRBA, has decided to import cement from Sri Lanka, China and Bangladesh in protest against the abnormal hike of cement prices by the manufacturers. Importing cement from the eastern countries will help in reducing the per bag price by about `30, which will eventually benefit the consumers as construction prices will come down, the builders argued. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, JAC member Ch Sudhakar said, We have decided to import cement as the manufacturing firms have abnormally hiked the prices by over 60 per cent without any reason. Cartelisation without a reason has become a regular phenomenon and hence we have decided to find an alternative for it, he added. It may be recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had directed cabinet ministers to form a sub-committee and have a dialogue with cement manufacturing firms on Monday. We will see the outcome of the meeting. Even if there is a positive response, we will keep channels of import open for the future also, said APREDA president GSS Prasad. CRBA member V Subba Rao said,The realty sector is already in a slump after demonetisation. Now, the price hike will have a negative impact on the sector.
By Express News Service

JAGATSINGHPUR: A BJP delegation, led by State party chief Basanta Panda, met the Bangladeshi woman and five others, who were assaulted by villagers for trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar during his recent visit. The team went to Kalikuda village under Kunjkothi panchayat on Friday.

The affected villagers have threatened hunger strike if the accused are not arrested. Apparently, even after five days of the incident, police are yet to arrest the accused. The party leaders alleged that Japa panchayat Sarpanch Tapan Gochayat and Kunjkothi panchayat Sarpanchs relative Bishnu Charan Swain hired goons to attack the woman Parbati Sasmal and villagers Niranjan Swain, Pinu Swain, Dukhiram Sasamal, Jamuna Mandal and Basanti Jena for trying to hand over a letter to the Prime Minister over harassment being meted out to her in the village. They had been to Bhubaneswar on Saturday to meet Modi during his road show.

Sources said police have registered FIRs against Gochayat and Swain but are unable to arrest them as they are supporters of the ruling BJD. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi families in the village have not stepped out of their houses for the last five days as the rival villagers have allegedly threatened them of dire consequences if the police cases against Gochayat and Swain are not withdrawn. Kalikuda village is home to 100 families of Bangladesh origin. Neither are the male members of these families, most of them daily wagers, going out in search of work nor are their children visiting the village school. The panicked villagers on Friday met SP J N Pankaj and threatened to sit on hunger strike in front of the police station if the accused are not arrested within two days.

After super-cyclone when cashew plantations were completely damaged in Dhobei and Khurant forests under Japa and Kunjkothi panchayats respectively, the affected people of both the panchayats, including Bangladeshi infiltrators of Kalikuda village, were allotted 4.60 acres of government land by the local administration for cultivation. A dispute arose recently when the Bangladeshi infiltrators of Kalikuda under Kunjkothi panchayat harvested cashew crop without informing the villagers of Japa.

Subsequently, they restricted entry of the infiltrators into the land for cultivation and grazing livestock. On April 6, however, Parbati took her goats to graze in the land following which the villagers attacked her and threatened to ostracise her. They also restricted entry of her children to the village school.

State BJP chief Basant said the accused should be arrested at the earliest and the State Government should give compensation to all the six affected families.

JAGATSINGHPUR: A BJP delegation, led by State party chief Basanta Panda, met the Bangladeshi woman and five others, who were assaulted by villagers for trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar during his recent visit. The team went to Kalikuda village under Kunjkothi panchayat on Friday. The affected villagers have threatened hunger strike if the accused are not arrested. Apparently, even after five days of the incident, police are yet to arrest the accused. The party leaders alleged that Japa panchayat Sarpanch Tapan Gochayat and Kunjkothi panchayat Sarpanchs relative Bishnu Charan Swain hired goons to attack the woman Parbati Sasmal and villagers Niranjan Swain, Pinu Swain, Dukhiram Sasamal, Jamuna Mandal and Basanti Jena for trying to hand over a letter to the Prime Minister over harassment being meted out to her in the village. They had been to Bhubaneswar on Saturday to meet Modi during his road show. Sources said police have registered FIRs against Gochayat and Swain but are unable to arrest them as they are supporters of the ruling BJD. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi families in the village have not stepped out of their houses for the last five days as the rival villagers have allegedly threatened them of dire consequences if the police cases against Gochayat and Swain are not withdrawn. Kalikuda village is home to 100 families of Bangladesh origin. Neither are the male members of these families, most of them daily wagers, going out in search of work nor are their children visiting the village school. The panicked villagers on Friday met SP J N Pankaj and threatened to sit on hunger strike in front of the police station if the accused are not arrested within two days. After super-cyclone when cashew plantations were completely damaged in Dhobei and Khurant forests under Japa and Kunjkothi panchayats respectively, the affected people of both the panchayats, including Bangladeshi infiltrators of Kalikuda village, were allotted 4.60 acres of government land by the local administration for cultivation. A dispute arose recently when the Bangladeshi infiltrators of Kalikuda under Kunjkothi panchayat harvested cashew crop without informing the villagers of Japa. Subsequently, they restricted entry of the infiltrators into the land for cultivation and grazing livestock. On April 6, however, Parbati took her goats to graze in the land following which the villagers attacked her and threatened to ostracise her. They also restricted entry of her children to the village school. State BJP chief Basant said the accused should be arrested at the earliest and the State Government should give compensation to all the six affected families.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran was questioned for close to five hours on Saturday by the inter-state crime branch of Delhi police for his alleged attempt to bribe Election Commission of India officials.

According to police sources, a questionnaire was given to the leader and was subjected to further grilling. The questions were focused on the money trail and his relation with Sukesh Chandrashekar arrested earlier by police in relation with the case. Sources claimed that Dinakaran's lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the questioning by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which began at around 3 PM at its Chanakyapuri Inter State Cell office amid tight security. Sources added that during course of interrogation, his call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSs were also being examined.

WATCH: 'Two leaves' bribery row: Dinakaran leaves for Delhi to appear for questioning

Questioning is underway and will be summoned again if required. Investigation is on, said Joint Commissioner of Police Praveer Rajan.

Amid heavy security cover Dhinakaran, his personal assistant Balkrishan and one more associate Malik are also being questioned by the police, sources said.

Earlier this week, the deputy general secretary of the party was summoned by the Delhi police to join investigations. As per reports Dhinakarans lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the interrogation at the Crime branch cell.

"Dhinakaran is being asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh (Chandrasekar) and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. After this, there is high possibility of cross-questioning of the two, his call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes are also being examined," a senior police official said.

Dhinakaran had come under scanner after the arrest of Chandrashekar , who according to the police acted as a middle man in the case. The Delhi police allegedly have documentary evidence of phone call between Chandrashekhar and Dinakaran in which the latter talks about attempts to bribe the Election Commission. Some documents and identity cards have also been recovered in connection with the crime form the middleman.

A team of Delhi police officials left for Chennai earlier to serve the summons to Dinakaran, Sukesh the middle man is under eight day police custody.

Dhinakaran, was appointed as Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.

NEW DELHI: AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran was questioned for close to five hours on Saturday by the inter-state crime branch of Delhi police for his alleged attempt to bribe Election Commission of India officials. According to police sources, a questionnaire was given to the leader and was subjected to further grilling. The questions were focused on the money trail and his relation with Sukesh Chandrashekar arrested earlier by police in relation with the case. Sources claimed that Dinakaran's lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the questioning by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which began at around 3 PM at its Chanakyapuri Inter State Cell office amid tight security. Sources added that during course of interrogation, his call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSs were also being examined. WATCH: 'Two leaves' bribery row: Dinakaran leaves for Delhi to appear for questioning Questioning is underway and will be summoned again if required. Investigation is on, said Joint Commissioner of Police Praveer Rajan. Amid heavy security cover Dhinakaran, his personal assistant Balkrishan and one more associate Malik are also being questioned by the police, sources said. Earlier this week, the deputy general secretary of the party was summoned by the Delhi police to join investigations. As per reports Dhinakarans lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the interrogation at the Crime branch cell. "Dhinakaran is being asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh (Chandrasekar) and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. After this, there is high possibility of cross-questioning of the two, his call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes are also being examined," a senior police official said. Dhinakaran had come under scanner after the arrest of Chandrashekar , who according to the police acted as a middle man in the case. The Delhi police allegedly have documentary evidence of phone call between Chandrashekhar and Dinakaran in which the latter talks about attempts to bribe the Election Commission. Some documents and identity cards have also been recovered in connection with the crime form the middleman. A team of Delhi police officials left for Chennai earlier to serve the summons to Dinakaran, Sukesh the middle man is under eight day police custody. Dhinakaran, was appointed as Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.
Kaushik Kannan By

Express News Service

MADURAI: From world-famous scientists to school children conducting science experiments, none would have thought of such an innovative solution to solve our water crisis as Co-operatives Minister Sellur K Raju did. When the minister and officials invited media to witness the breakthrough technique to reduce water evaporation from the Vaigai Dam, little did they know of what was in store.

It was only after travelling 67 km from Madurai to the spot that the scribes were told the plan was to cover the entire water surface with sheets of thermocol taped together! The minister flamboyantly picked up a few sheets and tried to place them over water. Unfortunately, he did not expect the strong wind to tear his water-shield to shreds. Later, a coracle was sent to place the sheets. Again, unfortunately, the sheets returned to the banks before the men who went to place them.

It was sold as a unique technique to reduce evaporation from the Vaigai dam to mediapersons. Curious in view of the biggest drought in TN since 140 years, journalists travelled nearly 67 km from Madurai to the location to witness it.

Co-operatives Minister Sellur K Raju, his party cadre and officials crowded around the waterside to address the journalists. The grand plan, they said, was to use thermocol, taped together, to cover the lakes surface and prevent water from evaporating. Simple.

Even as murmurs arose of how there wasnt enough thermocol to cover the water surface, the beaming minister picked up a few sheets and placed it over the water. As wind would have it, Rajus water-covers were blown away, some shredded into pieces. Undeterred, Raju pulled up his socks - in this case his dhoti - and entered the water to place the sheets back. But the thermocol sheets refused to behave and were washed ashore.

That was when someone proposed a fresh idea, to carry the sheets on a coracle deeper into the waters and place them there. But the thermocol returned to the shore faster than the coracle did. Officials and the minister then held impromptu discussions on how the sheets could be coaxed into staying over the waters.

Later, the minister explained that the government had allotted `10 lakh to experiment on methods to save water in the dam from evaporation.

Such methods are being used in foreign countries, he claimed. We would be carrying out several methods like thermocol sheets, placing plastic balls and plastic plates to reduce evaporation on a trial basis, said Collector K Veera Raghava Rao. Rao also claimed that thermocol sheets would not cause any pollution as they would be removed during the night, on a daily basis. But experts say the sheets could be dangerous for fish and any form aquatic life.

When left in water, thermocol breaks into small globules that fish and birds may mistake for food. Being a non-biodegradable material, it could cause harm to aquatic life and river bed, experts added.

MADURAI: From world-famous scientists to school children conducting science experiments, none would have thought of such an innovative solution to solve our water crisis as Co-operatives Minister Sellur K Raju did. When the minister and officials invited media to witness the breakthrough technique to reduce water evaporation from the Vaigai Dam, little did they know of what was in store. It was only after travelling 67 km from Madurai to the spot that the scribes were told the plan was to cover the entire water surface with sheets of thermocol taped together! The minister flamboyantly picked up a few sheets and tried to place them over water. Unfortunately, he did not expect the strong wind to tear his water-shield to shreds. Later, a coracle was sent to place the sheets. Again, unfortunately, the sheets returned to the banks before the men who went to place them. It was sold as a unique technique to reduce evaporation from the Vaigai dam to mediapersons. Curious in view of the biggest drought in TN since 140 years, journalists travelled nearly 67 km from Madurai to the location to witness it. Co-operatives Minister Sellur K Raju, his party cadre and officials crowded around the waterside to address the journalists. The grand plan, they said, was to use thermocol, taped together, to cover the lakes surface and prevent water from evaporating. Simple. Even as murmurs arose of how there wasnt enough thermocol to cover the water surface, the beaming minister picked up a few sheets and placed it over the water. As wind would have it, Rajus water-covers were blown away, some shredded into pieces. Undeterred, Raju pulled up his socks - in this case his dhoti - and entered the water to place the sheets back. But the thermocol sheets refused to behave and were washed ashore. That was when someone proposed a fresh idea, to carry the sheets on a coracle deeper into the waters and place them there. But the thermocol returned to the shore faster than the coracle did. Officials and the minister then held impromptu discussions on how the sheets could be coaxed into staying over the waters. Later, the minister explained that the government had allotted `10 lakh to experiment on methods to save water in the dam from evaporation. Such methods are being used in foreign countries, he claimed. We would be carrying out several methods like thermocol sheets, placing plastic balls and plastic plates to reduce evaporation on a trial basis, said Collector K Veera Raghava Rao. Rao also claimed that thermocol sheets would not cause any pollution as they would be removed during the night, on a daily basis. But experts say the sheets could be dangerous for fish and any form aquatic life. When left in water, thermocol breaks into small globules that fish and birds may mistake for food. Being a non-biodegradable material, it could cause harm to aquatic life and river bed, experts added.
By PTI

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition seeking appointment of a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu, holding that the Constitution provides for appointment of the same person as Governor of two states.

The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, rejected the writ petition filed by journalist and social activist V Anbazhagan.

The petition sought a court direction to the President and the Union Home Ministry to appoint a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu by implementing the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.

When the matter came up last week, the bench said, "Article 153 of the Constitution of India provides that there shall be a Governor for each state. The proviso makes it clear that nothing in that Article shall prevent the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more states."

Noting that appointment of a Governor is in the realm of powers of the office of the President of India, the bench said, "In view of the proviso to Article 153 of the Constitution of India, the interference of the court is not warranted."

Earlier, the petitioner had submitted that Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has been holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu for the past seven months and hence there was no "effective administration of the executive".

He also pointed out that as per Article 154 of the Constitution, the executive power of the state shall be vested with the Governor and it shall be exercised by him either directly or through the officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution.

Dismissing the petition, the bench further said, "In the writ petition or the documents appended thereto, there is not a whisper of how and in what manner the executive functions of the state of Tamil Nadu have been impaired by reason of appointment of CH Vidyasagar Rao, who is the Governor of the state of Maharashtra as well as the Governor of the state of Tamil Nadu.

"Our interference is therefore not warranted in view of the Constitutional Provision of Article 153 read with the proviso thereto," the bench said.

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition seeking appointment of a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu, holding that the Constitution provides for appointment of the same person as Governor of two states. The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, rejected the writ petition filed by journalist and social activist V Anbazhagan. The petition sought a court direction to the President and the Union Home Ministry to appoint a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu by implementing the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission. When the matter came up last week, the bench said, "Article 153 of the Constitution of India provides that there shall be a Governor for each state. The proviso makes it clear that nothing in that Article shall prevent the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more states." Noting that appointment of a Governor is in the realm of powers of the office of the President of India, the bench said, "In view of the proviso to Article 153 of the Constitution of India, the interference of the court is not warranted." Earlier, the petitioner had submitted that Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has been holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu for the past seven months and hence there was no "effective administration of the executive". He also pointed out that as per Article 154 of the Constitution, the executive power of the state shall be vested with the Governor and it shall be exercised by him either directly or through the officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Dismissing the petition, the bench further said, "In the writ petition or the documents appended thereto, there is not a whisper of how and in what manner the executive functions of the state of Tamil Nadu have been impaired by reason of appointment of CH Vidyasagar Rao, who is the Governor of the state of Maharashtra as well as the Governor of the state of Tamil Nadu. "Our interference is therefore not warranted in view of the Constitutional Provision of Article 153 read with the proviso thereto," the bench said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: After sitting in the silent hunger protest for two days, the Tamil Nadu farmers have once again shown their wrath against the government by drinking urine on Saturday.

The farmers who are protesting for the past 40 days said that they might call off the protest after meeting the Union minister Pon Radha Krishnan. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who is visiting the national capital on Sunday, might meet the farmers.

Minister told us that he will waive off the loan of all the farmers but he did not say anything about Cauvery water Management and relief amount of Rs 40,000 for the farmers said P.Ayyakannu, the farmer who is heading the protest at Jantar Mantar.

The revolting farmers led a protest by storing their urine in bottles and said they will drink the urine as a part of their protest. But as soon, the cops reached the spot and stopped the farmers by doing so. Later, the P. Ayyakannu, who is leading the protest dropped the idea of urine protest and promised to the Delhi police that they will not do such protest again.

However, two of the farmers consumed the human waste and said It is the Central government which is solely responsible for this. They made us to do such harsh measures by not listening to us. And what we can do, we people dont have water, whole Tamil Nadu state is facing problem in getting water. If center will not consider us then ultimately, we have to drink our own urine only to mitigate our thirst said the farmer.

If our CM will promise us to fulfill our demands we will call off this movement and will return back to our hometown, said the protesting farmers.

NEW DELHI: After sitting in the silent hunger protest for two days, the Tamil Nadu farmers have once again shown their wrath against the government by drinking urine on Saturday. The farmers who are protesting for the past 40 days said that they might call off the protest after meeting the Union minister Pon Radha Krishnan. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who is visiting the national capital on Sunday, might meet the farmers. Minister told us that he will waive off the loan of all the farmers but he did not say anything about Cauvery water Management and relief amount of Rs 40,000 for the farmers said P.Ayyakannu, the farmer who is heading the protest at Jantar Mantar. The revolting farmers led a protest by storing their urine in bottles and said they will drink the urine as a part of their protest. But as soon, the cops reached the spot and stopped the farmers by doing so. Later, the P. Ayyakannu, who is leading the protest dropped the idea of urine protest and promised to the Delhi police that they will not do such protest again. However, two of the farmers consumed the human waste and said It is the Central government which is solely responsible for this. They made us to do such harsh measures by not listening to us. And what we can do, we people dont have water, whole Tamil Nadu state is facing problem in getting water. If center will not consider us then ultimately, we have to drink our own urine only to mitigate our thirst said the farmer. If our CM will promise us to fulfill our demands we will call off this movement and will return back to our hometown, said the protesting farmers.
By Associated Press

PARIS: The gunman who shot and killed a police officer on the famed Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote spent 14 years in prison, including for attacking other officers, Frances's anti-terrorism prosecutor said Friday  a lengthy criminal history that gave a jolt to an already nail-biting election and fueled growing security concerns.

Yet, despite an arrest as recently as February, the 39-year-old assailant, Karim Cheurfi, had shown no signs of radicalization, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said, and was released for lack of evidence of a threat.

That all changed Thursday when Cheurfi, a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the crowded boutique-lined boulevard synonymous with French glamour, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police.

Security forces found a note praising the Islamic State group at the scene of the attack, which apparently fell from the gunman's pocket. That, along with an unusually quick claim of responsibility by the Islamic State group were the only signs that he had entered the world of Islamic extremists, Molins said. Scraps of paper scrawled with the addresses of police stations and a satchel of weapons, munitions and the Muslim holy book were discovered in his car.

Thursday's shootings followed the arrest this week of two men in Marseille on suspicion of plotting an attack around Sunday's hotly contested first-round presidential vote, fueling France's worst fear: a terrorist attack as crowds gather at polling stations across the nation.

Polls suggest a tight race among the four top contenders, with far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen  who rails at France's Socialist government for being lax on crime  and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, in the lead.

However, conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his parliamentary aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon.

The attack in Paris appeared a perfect fit for Le Pen and her barbed criticism of authorities she accuses of being naive on terrorism. The outcome of the election was being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates like Le Pen.

U.S. President Donald Trump waded into the fray Friday, asserting in an interview with The Associated Press that the attack will stoke Le Pen's chances.

"She's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview, noting that he was not specifically endorsing the far-right candidate.

"Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election," he said.

Le Pen, who wants France to exit the EU, says her first move if elected will be to regain control of the nation's borders, something she says is a critical component of sovereignty and a way to end what she calls a "sieve" for terrorists.

France is part of a treaty for a borderless Europe, allowing travelers to freely come and go.

Le Pen has hammered at the security issue, and on Friday she demanded the government immediately re-establish border controls. Bernard Cazeneuve, the Socialist prime minister, accused Le Pen of electoral opportunism in the face of a tragedy. He noted that Le Pen's National Front party voted against an anti-terrorism law in 2014 and, in 2015, against a law that beefed up resources for French intelligence services.

Campaigning by the 11 presidential candidates got off to a slow start, bogged down by corruption charges around once-top candidate Fillon before belatedly switching focus to France's biggest fear: a new attack.

The French president will be chosen in a runoff of the top two candidates on May 7.

Sunday's vote is being held under a state of emergency, in place since terror attacks in 2015. Security is tight, with some 50,000 police and gendarmes joining 7,000 soldiers deployed around the nation for the vote. However, it was unclear whether Thursday's deadly assault would sway or dissuade the legions of undecided voters.

"Nothing must hamper this democratic moment, essential for our country," Cazeneuve said after a high-level meeting Friday that reviewed the government's security plans.

But Molins, the prosecutor for terrorism cases in France, underscored the challenge of defeating an enemy hiding within.

"This last dramatic event shows, I believe, that we must remain humble" despite the extraordinary mobilization of anti-terrorism forces, he said.

The attack appeared to fit a pattern of European extremists targeting security forces and symbols of state to discredit, take vengeance on or destabilize society. It recalled recent attacks on French soldiers providing security at prominent locations around Paris: at the Louvre museum in February and at Paris' Orly airport last month.

Whether voters will cast a ballot for security, normalcy or not at all is up for grabs. But pollsters are doubtful the attack will sway the vote.

"People unfortunately have grown accustomed to such violence," said Emmanuel Riviere of the Kantar Public consultancy firm.

"What could have an impact is if the candidates try to use the attack" for political gain, he said. "They would pay a heavy price for that."

The slain policeman was identified as Xavier Jugele by a French association of LGBT police officers. Its president, Mickael Bucheron, told AP he would have celebrated his 38th birthday at the beginning of May.

Jugele was among the officers who responded to the gun-and-bomb attack on Paris' Bataclan concert hall on Nov. 13, 2015, among a wave of assaults that night. He returned to the concert venue for its reopening a year later with a concert by Sting.

On Friday, police officers gathered at the spot where their colleague was killed to lay flowers and say farewell.

"This is the moment of paying respect, solidarity and support," said Dennis Jacob of the Alternative Police Union. "To express our sadness and anger facing this new attack in which one of our own has died for France, serving the French population."

PARIS: The gunman who shot and killed a police officer on the famed Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote spent 14 years in prison, including for attacking other officers, Frances's anti-terrorism prosecutor said Friday  a lengthy criminal history that gave a jolt to an already nail-biting election and fueled growing security concerns. Yet, despite an arrest as recently as February, the 39-year-old assailant, Karim Cheurfi, had shown no signs of radicalization, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said, and was released for lack of evidence of a threat. That all changed Thursday when Cheurfi, a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the crowded boutique-lined boulevard synonymous with French glamour, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police. Security forces found a note praising the Islamic State group at the scene of the attack, which apparently fell from the gunman's pocket. That, along with an unusually quick claim of responsibility by the Islamic State group were the only signs that he had entered the world of Islamic extremists, Molins said. Scraps of paper scrawled with the addresses of police stations and a satchel of weapons, munitions and the Muslim holy book were discovered in his car. Thursday's shootings followed the arrest this week of two men in Marseille on suspicion of plotting an attack around Sunday's hotly contested first-round presidential vote, fueling France's worst fear: a terrorist attack as crowds gather at polling stations across the nation. Polls suggest a tight race among the four top contenders, with far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen  who rails at France's Socialist government for being lax on crime  and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, in the lead. However, conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his parliamentary aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon. The attack in Paris appeared a perfect fit for Le Pen and her barbed criticism of authorities she accuses of being naive on terrorism. The outcome of the election was being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates like Le Pen. U.S. President Donald Trump waded into the fray Friday, asserting in an interview with The Associated Press that the attack will stoke Le Pen's chances. "She's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview, noting that he was not specifically endorsing the far-right candidate. "Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election," he said. Le Pen, who wants France to exit the EU, says her first move if elected will be to regain control of the nation's borders, something she says is a critical component of sovereignty and a way to end what she calls a "sieve" for terrorists. France is part of a treaty for a borderless Europe, allowing travelers to freely come and go. Le Pen has hammered at the security issue, and on Friday she demanded the government immediately re-establish border controls. Bernard Cazeneuve, the Socialist prime minister, accused Le Pen of electoral opportunism in the face of a tragedy. He noted that Le Pen's National Front party voted against an anti-terrorism law in 2014 and, in 2015, against a law that beefed up resources for French intelligence services. Campaigning by the 11 presidential candidates got off to a slow start, bogged down by corruption charges around once-top candidate Fillon before belatedly switching focus to France's biggest fear: a new attack. The French president will be chosen in a runoff of the top two candidates on May 7. Sunday's vote is being held under a state of emergency, in place since terror attacks in 2015. Security is tight, with some 50,000 police and gendarmes joining 7,000 soldiers deployed around the nation for the vote. However, it was unclear whether Thursday's deadly assault would sway or dissuade the legions of undecided voters. "Nothing must hamper this democratic moment, essential for our country," Cazeneuve said after a high-level meeting Friday that reviewed the government's security plans. But Molins, the prosecutor for terrorism cases in France, underscored the challenge of defeating an enemy hiding within. "This last dramatic event shows, I believe, that we must remain humble" despite the extraordinary mobilization of anti-terrorism forces, he said. The attack appeared to fit a pattern of European extremists targeting security forces and symbols of state to discredit, take vengeance on or destabilize society. It recalled recent attacks on French soldiers providing security at prominent locations around Paris: at the Louvre museum in February and at Paris' Orly airport last month. Whether voters will cast a ballot for security, normalcy or not at all is up for grabs. But pollsters are doubtful the attack will sway the vote. "People unfortunately have grown accustomed to such violence," said Emmanuel Riviere of the Kantar Public consultancy firm. "What could have an impact is if the candidates try to use the attack" for political gain, he said. "They would pay a heavy price for that." The slain policeman was identified as Xavier Jugele by a French association of LGBT police officers. Its president, Mickael Bucheron, told AP he would have celebrated his 38th birthday at the beginning of May. Jugele was among the officers who responded to the gun-and-bomb attack on Paris' Bataclan concert hall on Nov. 13, 2015, among a wave of assaults that night. He returned to the concert venue for its reopening a year later with a concert by Sting. On Friday, police officers gathered at the spot where their colleague was killed to lay flowers and say farewell. "This is the moment of paying respect, solidarity and support," said Dennis Jacob of the Alternative Police Union. "To express our sadness and anger facing this new attack in which one of our own has died for France, serving the French population."
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

"Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

WASHINGTON: Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector. Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general. "Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday. "Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said. Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014. It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure. Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position. "For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said. "(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said. Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign. "As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post. "While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said. "The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said. Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General. Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old. He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management. He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
By Associated Press

MEXICO CITY: Mexico has surpassed 2,000 homicides in a month for the first time since the summer of 2011 and had more killings in the first quarter of 2017 than in the start of any year in at least two decades, according to data released Friday.

Unlike 2011, when bloody cartel clashes in Ciudad Juarez drove the national toll to new heights, the killings pushing the 2017 total have been spread across a number of states. Authorities attribute them to vicious turf battles resulting from breakdowns in the leadership of some cartels and the splintering of others into smaller gangs.

The southern state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located, continues to be the homicide leader, with 550 during the first three months of the year.

But Baja California Sur with 133 slayings during the first quarter had the largest year-on-year percentage increase, skyrocketing 682 percent from the 17 homicides it had during the same period in 2016. A territorial dispute between the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels is believed to be driving much of the violence in the southern part of the peninsula popular with foreign tourists.

Nationally, there were 2,020 homicides in March, up about 11 percent from February. For January through March, the national total was 5,775 killings, up 29 percent from the same three months last year.

Pioquinto Damian Huato, a business leader in the Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo, led an anti-crime crusade until an attempt was made on his life that resulted in the death of his daughter-in-law in 2014.

"Every now and then bagged bodies appear in Chilpancingo," he said. "Yesterday three appeared." The leader of the state's leftist Democratic Revolution Party, Demetrio Saldivar, also was killed Wednesday night in Chilpancingo.

"I live in my home with armored doors to be able to protect my family," Damian Huato said. "How could I go out when they could kill me in any moment?"

Mexico's surge in violence comes at a time when legislators are debating a national security law that would have implications for the military's continued role in domestic security. Rising violence could pose a problem for the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party of President Enrique Pena Nieto in next year's presidential election.

Other states seeing significantly more homicides this year include the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, which registered 372 through March, up 94 percent from the same period last year. A former Veracruz governor, Javier Duarte, was arrested last weekend in Guatemala after six months on the run from corruption charges.

Chihuahua state, home to Ciudad Juarez, is also seeing more violence this year. Its 384 homicides through March were 78 percent more than the same period last year.

MEXICO CITY: Mexico has surpassed 2,000 homicides in a month for the first time since the summer of 2011 and had more killings in the first quarter of 2017 than in the start of any year in at least two decades, according to data released Friday. Unlike 2011, when bloody cartel clashes in Ciudad Juarez drove the national toll to new heights, the killings pushing the 2017 total have been spread across a number of states. Authorities attribute them to vicious turf battles resulting from breakdowns in the leadership of some cartels and the splintering of others into smaller gangs. The southern state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located, continues to be the homicide leader, with 550 during the first three months of the year. But Baja California Sur with 133 slayings during the first quarter had the largest year-on-year percentage increase, skyrocketing 682 percent from the 17 homicides it had during the same period in 2016. A territorial dispute between the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels is believed to be driving much of the violence in the southern part of the peninsula popular with foreign tourists. Nationally, there were 2,020 homicides in March, up about 11 percent from February. For January through March, the national total was 5,775 killings, up 29 percent from the same three months last year. Pioquinto Damian Huato, a business leader in the Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo, led an anti-crime crusade until an attempt was made on his life that resulted in the death of his daughter-in-law in 2014. "Every now and then bagged bodies appear in Chilpancingo," he said. "Yesterday three appeared." The leader of the state's leftist Democratic Revolution Party, Demetrio Saldivar, also was killed Wednesday night in Chilpancingo. "I live in my home with armored doors to be able to protect my family," Damian Huato said. "How could I go out when they could kill me in any moment?" Mexico's surge in violence comes at a time when legislators are debating a national security law that would have implications for the military's continued role in domestic security. Rising violence could pose a problem for the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party of President Enrique Pena Nieto in next year's presidential election. Other states seeing significantly more homicides this year include the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, which registered 372 through March, up 94 percent from the same period last year. A former Veracruz governor, Javier Duarte, was arrested last weekend in Guatemala after six months on the run from corruption charges. Chihuahua state, home to Ciudad Juarez, is also seeing more violence this year. Its 384 homicides through March were 78 percent more than the same period last year.
By PTI

QUETTA: As many as 434 militants belonging to different banned outfits have surrendered in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

The militants, who handed over their arms to authorities here yesterday, belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province.

Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said on the occasion that those wanting to return to normal life were welcome to do so after surrendering.

"Anyone laying down their arms would be welcomed," he said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that for long foreign agencies had used innocent people in the province, misleading and instigating them.

Sher Mohammad, a key commander of the proscribed BLA, said they had been deceived by "anti-Pakistan" elements.

A senior provincial official said so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.

Pakistan says its borders with Afghanistan and Iran in Balochistan are being used to instigate and train people to carry out subversive activities in the country.

QUETTA: As many as 434 militants belonging to different banned outfits have surrendered in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province. The militants, who handed over their arms to authorities here yesterday, belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province. Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said on the occasion that those wanting to return to normal life were welcome to do so after surrendering. "Anyone laying down their arms would be welcomed," he said. Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that for long foreign agencies had used innocent people in the province, misleading and instigating them. Sher Mohammad, a key commander of the proscribed BLA, said they had been deceived by "anti-Pakistan" elements. A senior provincial official said so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered. Pakistan says its borders with Afghanistan and Iran in Balochistan are being used to instigate and train people to carry out subversive activities in the country.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Egyptian-born Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's notorious spy agency ISI, a US media report said.

"Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001," Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

"His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the weekly said.

This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor.

"Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

"There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added.

"This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him," he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

"If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said.

According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016.

But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.

"The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine.

The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room."

The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes.

One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said.

"Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg,'" the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.

"He may well have taken (another al-Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said

WASHINGTON: Egyptian-born Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's notorious spy agency ISI, a US media report said. "Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001," Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources. "His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the weekly said. This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor. "Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine. "There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added. "This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him," he said. Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011. "If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said. According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016. But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information. "The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine. The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room." The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes. One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said. "Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg,'" the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine. "He may well have taken (another al-Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said
By AFP

SYDNEY: US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, on a visit to Australia aimed at mending fences following a testy first call between the countries' leaders.

Pence sought to put to rest the surly telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in January, which rattled a long-standing alliance between the two powers.

Trump reportedly exploded and cut short the call when he was told about a deal to move some refugees from Pacific island camps to America, which he branded "dumb".

"The United States intends to honour the agreement," Pence said Saturday, but added that it "doesnt mean we admire the agreement".

The US commitment to take the refugees was "a reflection of the enormous importance of the historical alliance between the United States and Australia... whatever reservations the president may have about the details", he said.

Turnbull thanked Pence for the "very important" commitment.

The Trump administration has also been trying to clear the waters after sending out confusing messages over the location of the Vinson carrier group that was supposedly steaming toward North Korea last week.

Tensions between the US and the North have soared recently following a drumbeat of missile tests and fears that Pyongyang may be readying a sixth nuclear test.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," Pence told reporters in Sydney.

"(What) the regime in North Korea should make no mistake about, is that the United States has the resources, the personnel and the presence in this region of the world to see to our interests and to see to the security of those interests and our allies," he said.

The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to "sail north" from waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure" to deter the hermit regime.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," said President Donald Trump as other officials made it sound like the ships were steaming toward the region.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her way up".

But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent in the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and toward Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

'China can do more'

Pence and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday also praised China's role in the Korean crisis but renewed calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel.

Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and biggest trade partner, and has come under increasing pressure from the US to do more to rein in the North.

Turnbull voiced his own concerns earlier this month, saying China has an obligation to use its "enormous leverage" to bring the nuclear-armed state back from the brink, toughening Canberra's position on the escalating crisis.

"The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more," he added.

Washington and her allies were working together to encourage China to take those steps necessary to bring about a peaceable solution to achieve a nuclear free Korean peninsula."

China's "new engagement" was positive, Pence said.

"We continue to be hopeful and continue to have great confidence that we can finally after a generation achieve a peaceable solution."

Pence said Wednesday that the United States would counter any North Korean attack with an "overwhelming and effective" response.

His comments came after senior North Korean official warned the regime had no intention of scaling down its missile programme, pledging weekly tests and threatening "all-out war" if the US took any action against it.

Trump's deputy visited South Korea and Japan before Australia to reassure allies fretting over Pyongyang's quickening missile programme.

SYDNEY: US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, on a visit to Australia aimed at mending fences following a testy first call between the countries' leaders. Pence sought to put to rest the surly telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in January, which rattled a long-standing alliance between the two powers. Trump reportedly exploded and cut short the call when he was told about a deal to move some refugees from Pacific island camps to America, which he branded "dumb". "The United States intends to honour the agreement," Pence said Saturday, but added that it "doesnt mean we admire the agreement". The US commitment to take the refugees was "a reflection of the enormous importance of the historical alliance between the United States and Australia... whatever reservations the president may have about the details", he said. Turnbull thanked Pence for the "very important" commitment. The Trump administration has also been trying to clear the waters after sending out confusing messages over the location of the Vinson carrier group that was supposedly steaming toward North Korea last week. Tensions between the US and the North have soared recently following a drumbeat of missile tests and fears that Pyongyang may be readying a sixth nuclear test. "Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," Pence told reporters in Sydney. "(What) the regime in North Korea should make no mistake about, is that the United States has the resources, the personnel and the presence in this region of the world to see to our interests and to see to the security of those interests and our allies," he said. The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to "sail north" from waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure" to deter the hermit regime. "We are sending an armada. Very powerful," said President Donald Trump as other officials made it sound like the ships were steaming toward the region. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her way up". But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent in the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and toward Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy. 'China can do more' Pence and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday also praised China's role in the Korean crisis but renewed calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel. Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and biggest trade partner, and has come under increasing pressure from the US to do more to rein in the North. Turnbull voiced his own concerns earlier this month, saying China has an obligation to use its "enormous leverage" to bring the nuclear-armed state back from the brink, toughening Canberra's position on the escalating crisis. "The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said. "We do believe China can do more," he added. Washington and her allies were working together to encourage China to take those steps necessary to bring about a peaceable solution to achieve a nuclear free Korean peninsula." China's "new engagement" was positive, Pence said. "We continue to be hopeful and continue to have great confidence that we can finally after a generation achieve a peaceable solution." Pence said Wednesday that the United States would counter any North Korean attack with an "overwhelming and effective" response. His comments came after senior North Korean official warned the regime had no intention of scaling down its missile programme, pledging weekly tests and threatening "all-out war" if the US took any action against it. Trump's deputy visited South Korea and Japan before Australia to reassure allies fretting over Pyongyang's quickening missile programme.
By PTI

CARACAS: The number of people killed in three weeks of street protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro soared to 20 today after one of the deadliest nights of unrest in Caracas.

Eleven people died -- some reportedly electrocuted while looting a bakery, and others shot -- and six people were wounded in riots in the capital's southwestern district El Valle, the public ministry said in a statement.

The neighborhood witnessed pillaging and violent clashes between police and protesters, according to residents, some of whom took images of an anti-riot vehicle charred by Molotov cocktails.

"It was like a war," resident Carlos Yanez told AFP.

"The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible," said the 33-year-old construction worker.

The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them, and says the security forces have been repressing protesters.

Videos taken by locals showed residents throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!"

At one point, street protesters throwing Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armored police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky.

Fifty-four children were evacuated from a hospital in the neighborhood.

There were conflicting explanations why.

The government said "armed gangs hired by the opposition" had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro's "dictatorship."

Riot police firing tear gas also fought running battles with protesters overnight in eastern Caracas. Besides the 11 people killed in El Valle, another man was shot dead in the Petare neighborhood in the east, said the local mayor.

"We demand that the culprits be investigated and punished," said Mayor Carlos Ocariz, a Maduro opponent. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

There was a heavy security presence today in the capital, as residents and workers cleaned up the destruction left by the clashes -- as well as by bouts of looting.

The two sides looked set to spend the day regrouping after massive protests Wednesday and Thursday erupted into unrest in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities.

Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday.

On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt.

Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods. Maduro says the protests seeking to oust him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks, but his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a "dictator" and "mythomaniac." Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

Hundreds of thousands took part in Wednesday's marches, in which a 17-year-old teenager and a 23-year-old woman died after being shot in the head by masked gunmen. Maduro's camp said a soldier was also killed.

The ruling Socialist party accused the opposition of sowing violence to chase headlines.

"These delinquents want to make people believe Venezuela is in chaos. The country is calm," said Freddy Bernal, a party leader.

Figures published by pollster Venebarometro show seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

CARACAS: The number of people killed in three weeks of street protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro soared to 20 today after one of the deadliest nights of unrest in Caracas. Eleven people died -- some reportedly electrocuted while looting a bakery, and others shot -- and six people were wounded in riots in the capital's southwestern district El Valle, the public ministry said in a statement. The neighborhood witnessed pillaging and violent clashes between police and protesters, according to residents, some of whom took images of an anti-riot vehicle charred by Molotov cocktails. "It was like a war," resident Carlos Yanez told AFP. "The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible," said the 33-year-old construction worker. The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them, and says the security forces have been repressing protesters. Videos taken by locals showed residents throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!" At one point, street protesters throwing Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armored police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky. Fifty-four children were evacuated from a hospital in the neighborhood. There were conflicting explanations why. The government said "armed gangs hired by the opposition" had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro's "dictatorship." Riot police firing tear gas also fought running battles with protesters overnight in eastern Caracas. Besides the 11 people killed in El Valle, another man was shot dead in the Petare neighborhood in the east, said the local mayor. "We demand that the culprits be investigated and punished," said Mayor Carlos Ocariz, a Maduro opponent. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation. There was a heavy security presence today in the capital, as residents and workers cleaned up the destruction left by the clashes -- as well as by bouts of looting. The two sides looked set to spend the day regrouping after massive protests Wednesday and Thursday erupted into unrest in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities. Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday. On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt. Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods. Maduro says the protests seeking to oust him are part of a US-backed coup plot. On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks, but his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections. Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a "dictator" and "mythomaniac." Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin. The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies. The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7. Hundreds of thousands took part in Wednesday's marches, in which a 17-year-old teenager and a 23-year-old woman died after being shot in the head by masked gunmen. Maduro's camp said a soldier was also killed. The ruling Socialist party accused the opposition of sowing violence to chase headlines. "These delinquents want to make people believe Venezuela is in chaos. The country is calm," said Freddy Bernal, a party leader. Figures published by pollster Venebarometro show seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.
Who will be the new District 11 senator? Votes are in.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Having wisdom teeth surgery can be a real pain, but if your healing regimen goes awry, you can find yourself in a world of hurt. An expert from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry explains this uncomfortable complication and how to avoid it.

What is dry socket?

When a tooth is extracted, a blood clot forms and fills the extraction site to help protect the area as it heals. However, once in a while, if you're not careful, that blood clot can be displaced, which leaves the bone and nerve high and dry.

"The blood clot is there to protect the wound," said Michael Ellis, DDM, clinical associate professor with the Texas A&M College of Dentistry. "If the clot is broken down prematurely, then the bone is exposed and the area becomes a 'dry socket.'"

The blood clot has its own "life cycle," which can last for about a day or two. It forms naturally, then the body breaks it down once the socket starts filling with soft tissue to help the healing process.

"We typically see dry socket after the removal of lower impacted third molars, or wisdom teeth," Ellis said. "The pain can last anywhere from a few days to a week."

Symptoms and treatment

There are not many symptoms of dry socket, but there is one that stands out above the rest, and that's pain.

"When someone has a dry socket, the first thing they'll notice is a moderate to severe amount of pain," Ellis said. "The exposed bone is sensitive, and that is the source of pain, which can be dull or throbbing and even radiate up to the patient's ear."

A dry socket can also have a foul odor, and this can lead to the patient experiencing a bad taste in the mouth.

While many people may think that their dry socket is infected or that having one increases the chances of infection, that may not be the case. "There's not a lot of swelling or fever with a dry socket," Ellis said. "An infection can happen, but it'd be unrelated to the dry socket."

The treatment for dry socket is pretty straightforward, and is almost the same as cleaning out any other painful wound. "You want to clean the wound, irrigate it with saline and then dress the wound with medicated gauze," Ellis said. "Treating the wound doesn't speed up the healing process: It just deals with the amount of discomfort that the patient is in-;whether you treat it or not, it will get better."

Risk factors and how to prevent a dry socket

After surgery, a surgeon will provide directions to help decrease the odds of developing dry socket. Some of the instructions include avoiding carbonated or warm beverages, keeping the mouth relaxed and avoid messing with the area. Also avoid using a straw, as the suction can dislodge the blood clot.

Clots break down naturally, but some people may have factors that cause them to break down prematurely, a condition called secondary fibrinolysis. This process can be induced by medication, stress or an underlying medical condition.

People who smoke can also see an increase risk of dry socket, especially if they smoke within three to five days after surgery. Women who take birth control also see a slight increase in risk for dry socket.

If you begin to notice an unpleasant discharge, severe pain or fever, call your surgeon right away. Also, if your swelling gets worse instead of better, or if your bleeding doesn't subside with pressure, contact your health care provider. Complications after surgery are rare, but they are real.
Nachiket Mor, Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) India, has denied that the Public Health Foundation of Indias (PHFI) FCRA license cancellation has anything to do with its links to the BMGF.In an interview to The Hindu newspaper , Nachiket Mor said there was no basis to say that PHFI was targeted for its proximity to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, or that the BMGF itself is under scrutiny.Thats not obvious to me, and I am not hearing anything different from the Health Ministry. In fact, I have pending requests [for various proposals] right now that have not been withdrawn. The government sets the priorities. We are external partners, he told the Hindu. There is no link to anything we are doing."The Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the license of Public Health Foundation of India earlier this week under the Foreign Contribution (regulation) Act, which means that the NGO will not be able to get any foreign funding. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is one of its biggest donors.Home Ministry sources told CNN-News18 that the FCRA licence was cancelled on the grounds of misuse of funds received from foreign donors. Sources said that the funds received for health research were being diverted.Commenting on the development, PHFI said, Certain observations have been made by the Ministry on utilisation of funds related to PHFIs projects on tobacco, HIV/AIDS and its financial reports. PHFI has submitted the requisite information and documents to the MHA on the observations raised in the notification and provided the needed clarifications.Mor also rubbished allegations that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had a role in influencing Indias health policy. I see no evidence. Our goal is to spend charitable resources on the ground, Mor said in the interview.On a question about whether the BMGF had influenced Indias immunization programme, Mor said, At BMGF, we believe that vaccines are a cost effective way to meet public health challenges. We support anyone who asks for evidence and data. The question to ask whoever is making these allegations is, why is there so much insecurity about your own competence? Ultimately, Indians are taking decisions in Indias best interests.
Islamabad: The German chief executive of Pakistan's cash-strapped national carrier PIA was on Saturday sacked amid corruption charges, media reports said.



According to a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) statement, Bernd Hildenbrand was ousted and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nayyar Hayat will take over as acting the CEO. "This has approval of the competent authority," read the notification by PIA's chief human resource officer.



Hildenbrand, who on April 6 had gone on a 15-day leave, was put on the exit control list and barred from travelling abroad following the initiation of a probe into corruption charges against him.



"My conscience is clear. I haven't done anything wrong. There's no question of any corruption on my part," he said. "Whatever I did was to the best of my ability and in the best interest of PIA. All major transactions were made with the approval of Board of Directors and according to the rules," 'The News International' reported.



The decision to put Hildenbrand on exit control list came after the National Assembly was told that PIA had suffered losses of about Rs 180 crores on a premium service on the domestic route and also in connection with the airlines acquiring a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at an exorbitant price than the prevailing market rate.



Apparently the airline acquired a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at USD 8,000 per hour, while another airline had acquired the same type of plane at USD 4,000 per hour. Hildenbrand was also barred from leaving the country in December 2016 after a controversy erupted when the national airline sold a flight-worthy aircraft (A-310) to a German museum at throwaway price.
"It was a no-brainer when I came to this country, but now I'm kind of regretting taking that scholarship," said Gunasekaran, 29, who is also vice president with a non-profit group called Immigration Voice that represents immigrants waiting for green cards.

Their hope is that merit-based H1-Bs might then lead to merit-based green cards.

The H1-B visa is tied to a specific employer, who must apply for the visa and sponsor the employee for a specific job laid out in the visa application. To switch employers, the visa holder must secure their paperwork from their current employer and find another employer willing to take over their visa.

When Gokul Gunasekaran was offered a full scholarship for a graduate programme in electrical engineering at Stanford University, he saw it as the chance of a lifetime.He had grown up in Chennai and had a solid job offer with a large oil company after getting his undergraduate degree. He came to America instead, got the Stanford degree and now works as an engineer at a data science start-up in Silicon Valley.But for the past five years, he has been waiting for a green card that would give him full legal rights as a permanent resident. In the meantime, he is in a holding pattern on an H1-B visa, which permits him to live and work in the United States but does not allow him easily to switch jobs or start his own company.Immigration Voice estimates there are some 1.5 million H1-B visa holders in the US waiting for green cards, many of whom are from India and have been waiting for more than a decade.Many of these immigrants welcomed President Donald Trump's executive order this week to the federal departments overseeing the programme to review it, a move that may lead to H1-B visas being awarded to the highest-paying, highest-skilled jobs rather than through a random lottery."I think less random is great," said Guru Hariharan, the CEO and founder of Boomerang Commerce, an e-commerce start-up. Hariharan, who was previously an executive at Amazon.com Inc and eBay Inc, spent 10 years waiting for his green card and started his own company as soon as he got it.Green cards can be a path to naturalisation and Hariharan expects to become a US citizen soon.H1-B visas are aimed at foreign nationals in occupations that generally require specialised knowledge, such as science, engineering or computer programming. The US government uses a lottery to award 65,000 such visas yearly and randomly distributes another 20,000 to graduate student workers.The H1-B and the green card system are technically separate, but many immigrants from India see them as intimately connected.The number of green cards that can go to people born in each country is capped at a few percent of the total, without regard to how large or small the country's population is. There is a big backlog of Indian-born people in the line, given the size of India's population  1.3 billion  and the number of its natives in the United States waiting for green cards.That leaves many of those immigrants stuck on H1-B visas while they wait, which they say makes them almost like "indentured servants," said Gaurav Mehta, an H1-B holder who works in the financial industry.Mehta has a US-born son, but he could be forced to take his family back to India at any time if he loses his job and cannot find another quickly. "He's never been to my country," Mehta said of his son. "But we'll have no choice if we have to go. Nobody likes to live in constant fear."Some H1-B holders suspect that employers purposely seek out Indian immigrants because they know they will end up waiting for green cards and will be afraid to leave their employers.But changing the green card system away from country caps to a merit-based system would require an act of Congress. Some executives also worry that allocating H1-Bs and green cards based on salary  while it would be done to counter the argument that immigrants undercut American workers  would hurt start-ups that cannot afford high wages.In the meantime, H1-B holders like Nitin Pachisia, founding partner of a venture capital firm called Unshackled Ventures, are taking more practical measures. His firm specialises in taking care of the legal paperwork so that H1-B holders can start their own companies, a process that is possible but tricky.Pachisia is hopeful that changes to the H1-B visa programme could revive interest in making the entire system, from H1-B visas to green cards and eventual citizenship, more merit-based and focussed on immigrants who are likely to start companies and create jobs."If the purpose of our high-skilled immigration programme is to bring in the most talented people, let's use that as a lens. From that perspective, it's a good thing we can focus on the most talented, and I'd say most entrepreneurial, people," he said.
Tamil Nadu farmers drink urine protesting over drought relief funds and waiver of farmers' loans at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. pic.twitter.com/LmxqzZktHi  ANI (@ANI_news) April 22, 2017

Rival factions of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu are moving closer to a patch-up, with hectic parleys on between the O Panneerselvam and E Palaniswami camps. Left out in the cold are drought-hit farmers from Tamil Nadu who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for 38 days now.With no signs of their demands being met, the farmers on Saturday drank urine to protest the delay in announcement of loan-waiver and a relief package. With each passing day, the farmers are coming up with new and hard-hitting forms of protest, hoping for some attention from the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led government at the Centre.The farmers, who have been protesting since March 15, had earlier stripped outside Rashtrapati Bhavan after they were not allowed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They had also displayed the skulls of farmers who died due to severe drought in the state. They even staged a protest by holding dead rats in their mouths and later alleged that they were forced to eat rat meat due to poverty.A skit staged during the protest showed one of the farmers wearing a Modi mask and with a whip in hand.They are demanding loan waivers, revised drought relief packages and the constitution of a Cauvery management board for a solution to the alleged drying up of the Tamil Nadu leg of the river.Opposition parties, including the DMK, Congress, Left parties, the VCK and IUML have appealed to the farmers to suspend their protest and join the all-party strike called by them in Tamil Nadu.
"Those indulging in goondagardi and criminal activities will be dealt without mercy. They cannot escape. And even VIPs will not be spared," the 1980-batch IPS officer said without mincing words.

As DGP, Singh said his priority was the safety and security of women, who should feel safe even in the late hours.

Uttar Pradesh's latest police chief, Sulkhan Singh is a man on a mission. Talking to the media a day after being appointed UP Director-General of Police, Singh vowed to crush the 'goondagardi' in the state. He added that even the VIPs would not be spared.The state's senior-most IPS officer also asserted that he would ensure unbiased policing in the state. Singh took over from the outgoing UP DGP Javeed Ahmed, who has now been moved to the post of DG PAC.Singh added that there would be no compromise in ensuring security to the common man. "Uniform action will be taken against any wrong doer. There will be no bias, whosoever the culprit is or whatever political connection the person flaunts," he said, talking tough on the first day of assuming charge.He said maximum FIRs will be filed and police will get full freedom to work without fear or pressure from any quarter.Asked about his priorities, Singh said, "My effort will be ensuring unbiased policing and keeping the morale of the force high."When it was pointed out to him that he did not have a long tenure as his superannuation was due later this year, Singh, known for bringing several reforms in police, said, "I have to prove my worth during this period."To another question pertaining to allegations of rampant corruption in the police machinery, he said, "Fair inquiry will be done in all cases.""My top priority would be to make policing humane and courteous," the DGP said.Singh said policing should be impartial and the objective is to ensure relief to the common man. "Police should avoid high-handedness as every citizen belongs to the state. No one is an outsider," he said.In reply to a question, he said though he has come to know about IS sympathisers in the state through the media, he would look into this challenge also on a priority basis and asserted that the force was highly capable to deal with any situation.When asked about the sagging morale of the police force in view of over 100 cases of assault and killing of the men-in-khaki, Singh said that it was a contentious issue. "But, definitely if there is any demoralisation in the force, I would address it on top priority," he said.Singh, who enjoys an impeccable track record, was shunted to posts quite below the level of his seniority during the previous SP regime. During the BSP rule between 2007 and 2012, he had probed the police job scam during the SP government, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the CM (2003-2007).His report indicted several IPS officers. In 2012, when SP came to the power again, he was sent to PTC, Unnao as a principal, a post far below his rank.Another landmark in his career was prison reforms as IG jails.He has worked for human rights of prisoners and improving facilities for inmates.(With inputs from PTI)
Mumbai: Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, who has joined a social campaign to create awareness among the masses to save water on the eve of World Earth Day, says that from taking a shower to washing clothes, people can save water for the future.



The campaign titled Mission Blue is by National Geographic in association with NGO Water Aid Foundation.



Being the face of the initiative, Farhan told us here on Friday: "We aim to create general awareness and empower people about water conservation. Though it sounds like a mission, little actions in our daily life can save a substantial amount of water for the future."



"For instance, instead of washing your car four days a week, how about doing it twice (a week)? Instead of washing clothes every day, we can do it every alternate day. These are the small things, but end of the week you will realise how much water you have saved."



"They have a website called missionblue.in where we have shown how many litres of water that we use while taking shower, brushing teeth and other basic things in daily life and that how much we can contribute to conserve water. It is very simple yet useful."



The actor was present here for the launch of the campaign on Friday.



Speaking on the campaign, Swati Mohan, Business Head India, National Geographic and FOX Networks Group, said: "Today, the water crisis around the world calls for much attention. In India alone, 76 million people lack access to safe water - a problem that is only going to get worse if no immediate action is taken. We are hopeful that this initiative will help enlighten people on what can be achieved by collective action."



Apart from Farhan's association, the campaign has taken a creative way to reach out to a wider audience by showing short films.



Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Hansal Mehta, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Madhur Bhandarkar made short films on water conservation that will be shown on National Geographic channel.




Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

Trying to get to my car at the airport.. but so much love and affection. Walking into my house was such a feeling of joy.. happy to be home! #happygirlhere A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Apr 21, 2017 at 5:19pm PDT

Image: Yogen Shah

Packing up the house is such a conflicted emotion!so many things pop out that u didn't remember..Last official week in NYC until next time..  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 16, 2017

Priyanka Chopra, who is creating waves in the West with her American TV series Quantico, has now arrived in India for a short break.The actress just finished filming the second season of the TV series and will be heading back to New York in May for the promotion of her first Hollywood film Baywatch.One gets to see Priyanka Chopra's enormous fan following in a recent photograph shared on her Instagram account."Trying to get to my car at the airport.. but so much love and affection. Walking into my house was such a feeling of joy..happy to be home! #happygirlhere," she wrote.The actress was a little upset when she had to bid adieu to NYC. She even took to Twitter to share that she's dealing with "conflicted emotions".Packing up the house is such a conflicted emotion!so many things pop out that u didn't remember..Last official week in NYC until next time..","she wrote.The upcoming American action-comedy film features the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron alongside the actress.
New Delhi: BJP leader Avtar Singh Bhadana on Saturday moved a court, seeking prosecution of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly giving false information in court in a civil defamation case filed against the Aam Aadmi Party leader.



In his complaint filed before Additional District Judge Surinder S Rathi, the BJP leader claimed that there were "material contradictions" in the written submission and subsequent proposed amendment to that written submission.



"This means that one among them was false and Kejriwal gave false evidence in judicial proceedings before the court and misled it," he said.



The court has put up the matter for consideration on April 27.



The former Congress MP from Faridabad in Haryana had earlier filed a civil defamation case against Kejriwal before Delhi High Court alleging that the AAP leader had tarnished his image by branding him as "corrupt".



He had sought Rs one crore in damages from the Aam Aadmi Party leader.



In his petition, Bhadana contended that Kejriwal had publicly made the defamatory statement on January 31, 2014. Bhadana had contended in his plea that despite sending a legal notice to Kejriwal, the AAP leader has neither withdrawn his comments nor apologised for the same.
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashish Khetan on Thursday released the partys internal survey for the April 23 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, projecting that the party would win 218 out of 272 seats. The AAP says it hired an independent polling agency, which said that BJP would win 39 seats and Congress would win only eight. This is not the first time when AAP has released such a survey. A look the past internal surveys reveals that the party has consistently scored way below its claims, except 2015 Delhi Assembly polls when the result was better than expectations.40-50 seats28 seatsIn December 2013, the party contested its first election and was hoping to capitalise on anti-incumbency against then chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who had governed the city-state for 15 years. Days before polls, psephologist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav, who was then an AAP leader, released a video titled Why surveys are missing that AAP is winning Delhi elections.In the video, Yadav had claimed that AAP would get a clear majority. He went on to say that if there was an increase of 2% in AAPs vote share, the party would win 40-50 seats. While AAP won 28 seats, beyond general expectations, it fell short of the magic number of 35. The BJP was the single-largest party, though it, too, fell short of majority. Eventually, AAP formed the government as Congress, with 8 MLAs, didnt vote against it in the Assembly.5167The AAP, after it had quit the government in 49 days, faced another electoral test in the Capital and yet another internal survey was released. This time also, the partys survey was off the mark. It had predicted to win 51 out of 70 seats, but got 67, reducing the BJP to only three seats. The Congress failed to open its account.13AAP contested civic polls for the first time in the 2016 bypolls, when 13 out of Delhis 272 wards voted. The party had predicted a clean sweep in the polls. While it emerged as the single-largest party, it won only five seats. The Congress came second with four seats and BJP was in third place with three seats. The one remaining seat went to an independent.Clear majority (21+) / Vote share: 41.9%0 / Vote share: 6.3%The AAP had released an internal survey for the Goa Assembly polls, claiming a clean sweep. It also predicted a 41.9% vote share. The results were humiliating for the Arvind Kejriwal-led party since it failed to open its account. It was a hung assembly and the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats. AAPs vote share was 85% below its prediction at 6.3%. The BJP, which won just 13 seats, managed to form the government with support from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party.10720While AAP managed to emerge as the principle opposition party, it fell massively short of its own expectations. The party in its internal surveys had predicted that it would win 107 seats, but ended up getting just 20. The Congress, under Captain Amarinder Singh, won 77 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine came third with 15 seats.
I am supposed to get Rs 1,000 every month as widow pension. I have not received it for the past three months. As a contract worker in MCDs sanitation department, my salary is supposed to be Rs 9,000 a month, but I never receive the full amount. My son is also a contract worker. Even he doesnt get salary on time. How are we supposed to raise a family? she rues.

Parvesh Devi, 52-year-old contract worker, has been penniless for the most part of past few months. No, its not about demonetisation. She has neither been getting her monthly salary on time, nor the full amount; worse, the meagre sum she used to get as widow pension has also stopped coming.Parvesh Devi belongs to the Valmiki community, a sub-caste within Dalits. A large numbers of Valmikis engage in sanitation activities, including manual scavenging. How caste continues to decide peoples occupation and life choices in India can be understood from the fact that nearly all sanitation workers in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are from the Valmiki community. While the exact number of Valmikis employed with MCD as sanitation workers wasnt available readily, sources in the corporation said out of 55,226 permanent sanitation workers, over 50,000 are from the Valmiki community.No other community in Delhis 1.9 crore population has higher stakes in the MCD polls this Sunday than the 7.5 lakh Valmikis, who live on sidelines of society.ALSO READ | MCD Polls: AAP to Woo Safai Karamcharis With Health Insurance, Equipment, FD For Kids Sanitation workers have been at the receiving end of the blame game between Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and Bhartiya Janata Party-led MCD. Time and again, their salaries were blocked for months on end.The campaign for MCD polls saw both sides making overtures to the Valmikis, and it remains to be seen which side has managed to convince them.Over the past few years, Delhi has faced a severe sanitation crisis with sanitation workers going on multiple strikes. Since 2015, Delhiites had no other option but to get used to the sight of garbage on the streets. The sanitation crisis was followed by a political one, with both AAP and BJP passing the buck to each other. The blame game continues as AAP has accused the MCD of squandering the money that Delhi government gave it. The BJP, on the other hand, has said that the state government has not paid its dues to the civic body.Take O P Gehlots case, for instance. Gehlot, who turns 60 this year, has spent over 40 years as a sweeper with the MCD. It was only recently that he was made a permanent employee. His family thought things would improve, now that he was entitled to a salary of Rs 30,000 a month. But the contract has materialised, marginally only. The Delhi High Court has ordered the government to act on our demands, but the latter has done nothing so far. Despite protests, our salaries continue to get delayed. When will Delhi government wake up? Both BJP and AAP have decided to fight amongst themselves and let us rot. They will pay the price for this.Gehlot was quick to add that he was tired of the AAP-BJP fight and would vote for Congress instead. When Sheila Dikshit was chief minister and Congress was in MCD, none of these problems used to occur. Salaries came on time. Now, sometimes the salaries come three months late. How will we manage? he said.Valmikis are used to political parties trying to woo them. The Prime Ministers Swachh Bharat Abhiyan began from a Valmiki Basti in Central Delhi. The AAP, too, has announced a slew of promises for sanitary workers, including health insurance, a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 for their children, and world-class safety gear. The most crucial of all promises, perhaps, is that AAP, if voted to power in the MCD, would ensure that salaries reach the workers bank accounts by the 7th of every month. Another important takeaway is the regularisation of the nearly 40,000 substitute sanitary workers.While there is anger against Delhi government, some like Sarla Devi, a contract worker in Trilokpuris block 31, say they are willing to give Arvind Kejriwal a chance to run both the state government and MCD. When Kejriwal was fighting the election in 2015, we had all come out in droves to vote for him. For us, it meant a lot that someone was using the broom as his symbol. This time, we are disappointed. Yet, I am ready to vote for Kejriwal again, she said. Parvesh echoes her views.At this point, an argument breaks out in the basti. Why should we make that liar win? We should give one chance to Modi. Gehlot joins in the commotion. Kejriwal promises house tax waivers. We dont even have decent house. He is just going to bankrupt the MCD.The Valmikis, who keep the city streets clean around the clock, grapple with basic problems of sanitation and power. Parvesh Devi shows her recent electricity bill, We have had to pay an electricity bill of Rs 15,000. Sewer lines are not laid out properly. How can we construct toilets in our house? We go all over the city to clean peoples garbage, but who will clean our streets? After elections, nobody comes to us to even ask about our problems, but this time we have an opportunity. The entire country will be watching the MCD polls. This time, we will make our voices heard.
He said that the Modi government was imposing Hindi on citizens. "I urge PM Modi to give up on his efforts of sidelining the non-Hindi speakers," he said.

The former deputy CM also alleged that central government's actions were "dramatically opposite to our sentiments even to the extent of violation of the Indian constitution."

i: DMK Working President MK Stalin on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM has been "attempting to decimate the unity of the nation, ever since he assumed the highest office at the Centre".Stalin registered his protest against the proposal of the parliamentary committee to make it mandatory for MPs and central ministers who know Hindi to use it as their official language.President Pranab Mukherjee also assented the usage of Hindi in airport announcements, press news, and advertisements."Going a step further, the PM has now made Hindi a compulsory subject at CBSE-affiliated schools," Stalin said. From primary schools to Parliament, he said, "The BJP government is betraying the non-Hindi speaking residents, including te future genrations."Condemning what he refers to as "the imposition of Hindi", Stalin reminded the central government of the long history of the Dravidian Movement which fought against the imposition of Hindi language."We have martyrs who laid their life to protect the native languages," he said, urging the central government "not to seed the emergence of a third generation anti-Hindi imposition protest."
New Delhi: With the upcoming state assembly polls and next Lok Sabha elections on his mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the party chief ministers on Sunday and is likely to ask them to focus on the agenda of "good governance and development".



BJP president Amit Shah will also speak to the leaders, who will include 13 chief ministers, five deputy chief ministers and Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and M Venkaiah Naidu among other Union ministers.



Modi's pitch will include the need for them to focus on his development agenda with an emphasis on the poor sections of the society, party sources said. BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said this would be the second meeting of all party chief ministers with Modi since he came to power in 2014.



A similar exercise was held in last August. With the next set of assembly elections due later this year and Modi and Shah already toning up the organisational machinery for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, they are keen to ensure that their governance agenda continue to be part of the public discourse and not be overshadowed by other factors.



Only recently in his address to party leaders in the BJP national executive meet, Modi had spoken about the need for India to take a "long jump" to make rapid progress while Shah had asserted that the saffron party was yet to reach its peak.



All the BJP chief ministers along with their counterparts from other states will be in the national capital on Sunday to take part in the Niti Aayog meeting.
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Jeff Koinange Biography  All About His Age, Wife  Shaila Koinange & Family Jeff Koinange is a well-known Kenyan journalist. He currently hosts Jeff Koinange Live on KTN. Koinange has served as a journalist in the United States and has also worked for a few U.S. broadcasters. He was born in Kenya but attended college in the United States, which may explain his accent. There are several interesting ...

Caroline Mutoko Biography  Age, Daughter & House Caroline Mutoko is a Kenyan radio presenter, famously known for hosting a morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 FM. The station is based in Nairobi and ranks among the highly-rated radio stations in Kenya with online streaming services as well. Learn more about the Kenyan-born journalist. Caroline Mutokos Age and Bio Born on January 4, 1973, Caroline is ...

The Most Stunning News Presenter In Kenya Discloses Her Real Age  You Would Not Believe It In modern African societies, it is often regarded as impolite or outright lack of disrespect to ask a woman of her age. We also have seen celebrities lie about how old they are when asked their age. People, mostly women have refused to let people know their real age, despite being public figures. The few ...

Demystifying Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Biography, Husband & Education Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian novelist, non-fiction writer, short story writer and actress. As a seasoned Nigerian writer, she has been called the most prominent of a procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors that is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature. She has been making Nigeria proud in the global scene ...

Wole Soyinka  Biography, Wife, Children, Family, Quick Facts Professor Wole Soyinka, a great and brilliant Nigerian writer and political activist, who was the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The name, Wole Soyinka, is a household name both in Africa and beyond especially in the field of literature. With over 50 pieces of work, his writing includes poems, novels, memoirs ...

5 Most Vulgar Kenyan Radio Presenters It appears being vulgar is the real deal nowadays especially for the fact that the world is becoming more exposed and civilized. Sadly, but true, young people are constantly being exposed to images, discussions, and content that most people would deem detrimental to the African culture and moral statutes. This is because most of us ...

6 Sexiest News Anchors In Kenya Some news anchors have been stealing eyes every time they appear on-screen. Most of us hardly concentrate on the programme they present as our entire focus is usually on their striking physique and beautiful faces. It is common knowledge that Kenyan women are amazingly beautiful. From the celebrities to the everyday woman, they are all in ...

Interesting Oprah Winfrey Quotes To Keep You Motivated Oprah Winfrey is one of the worlds most powerful women in the media and business sectors. Her life is the typical success story that motivates and lifts ones morale. One amazing thing about this media mogul is her sincerity about past hurts, mistakes, healing, and success. The renowned talk show host and media personality is the first ...

Chinua Albert Achebe Biography- Family, Net Worth & Death Chinua Albert Achebe, of blessed memory, was a Nigerian prolific author best known for his inventive style of writing and simplicity of expressions. Famed as one of the finest writers Nigeria has ever produced, Achebe lived and died an international hero and a literary giant, who left behind unforgettable legacies and footprints in the sands of ...

Steve Harvey  His Wife, Kids & Height Steve Harvey is an American comedian, actor, radio and TV show host, producer and an author of different relationship advice books. Steve Harveys Early Life Born in Welch, West Virginia, on January 17, 1957, as Broderick Stephen Harvey, Steve was the last of five children. His family relocated to Cleveland when he was young and there, he attended Glenville High School from ...

Intriguing Things You Should Know About Danny Kokers Rise to Fame and Who His Wife Is Danny Koker is popular as the star of the History Channel reality TV series, Counting Cars. Prior to him appearing on the show, the TV personality was a musician who had embarked on a number of national tours with his rock group, Counts 77. He and his group have released quite a number of songs ...

Fun Facts You Didnt Know About Andy Cohens Rise to Prominence and His Partner Andy Cohen is one of Americas top media personalities who gained prominence after helping to bring the Bravo network back to life. He also hosted a couple of shows on the network, including the popular nightly series Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. After rising to the position of head of production and development at ...

Tracing Isha Sesays Career Until CNN, Her Worth And Why She Divorce Her Husband As far as journalists of African origin go, Isha Sesay is one of the most famous on the continent  and by extension, the world. The Sierra Leonean and British journalist has had a successful career since she joined the industry in 1998. In that time, she has worked for a host of major media ...

Open Secrets of How Joanna Gaines Balances Her Career With Being a Wife and Mother Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia Homes, a business she runs with one goal: converting houses to homes. She doubles as the lead designer of the company which she co-owns with her husband, Chip Gaines. Lady Gaines gained massive popularity when she became a co-star with her husband on the HGTVs show, Fixer Upper. ...

Juicy Details of Ayesha Currys Love Story With Stephen, Her Family Members and Recent Pursuits When your husband is one of the greatest basketballers that the NBA has ever seen, then it bestows on you the status of a celebrity wife  and may not even demand that you do anything extra to maintain that status. However, Ayesha Curry, the wife of multiple NBA champion, Steph Curry, is not one ...

What Is Tarek el Moussas Ethnicity, Why Did He Divorce His Wife and Who Is He Dating? Tarek El Moussa has made himself one of the most recognizable men on reality television, especially to fans of HGTV. Thanks to his expertise in the world of real estate, Tarek has become a national star. But even to his hardcore followers, there are questions about Tarek El Moussa that remain unanswered, such as his ...

Fun Facts About Natalie Beckers Lonely Childhood and Eventual Career Success Natalie Becker is an actress of South African descent who became famous for her appearance in films like The World Unseen and The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. A multitalented individual, Natalie is also a television/radio presenter. She is also a co-founder of the Thought Leader Global Media which she runs together with ...

Top 3 Female CNN News Anchors You Didnt Know Were Africans CNN is one of the leading news agencies in the world. The satellite and cable news network was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and has been one of the best sources of news for a number of years. It also boasts of the best journalists and presenters all around in media broadcasting. The company is a ...

Channels That Aided Katie Pavlichs Growth as a Journalist and All About Her Marriage To Friedson If you have ever come across any Fast and Furious featuring Barack Obama, it is the handiwork of Katie Pavlich. The book which claims to have exposed Obamas bloodiest scandal and the shameless cover-up thereof, has been earning Pavlich much praise and fame ever since it was published in 2012. Nonetheless, Pavlich is more famed ...

Is Oprah Winfrey Married? Husband, Children, Biography, House, Facts Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire philanthropist, talk show icon, producer, actress, and writer. The media icon famously dubbed The Queen Of All Media owns and hosts the highest-rated television program in the media circle. Read more about the powerful television star below. Oprah Winfrey Biography Oprah was born as Orpah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954, to a ...

Who Is Arsenio Hall, What Happened To His Talk Show and Why Do Fans Think He Is Gay? He is one of the funniest beings to have graced the comedy constituent of the American entertainment industry. Arsenio Hall has a reputation for the rib-cracking disposition always portrayed in his comedy roles. He is not just a comedian; he is also an actor and a former talk show host for his popular show, The ...

What Is Woah Vicky Famous For and Who Are Her Family Members? Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Woah Vicky is one of those stars that have utilized the internet as a powerful tool to propel themselves to instant fame. The social media space, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., offers lots of people the right opportunities and potentials to become superstars overnight. Not everyone achieves ...

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 ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...

The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

Lisa Joyners Biography  Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...

Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

Jessica Goch  Bio: 5 Things You Didnt Know About Ninjas Wife Jessica Goch is the Schofield-born American Social Media Influencer who has worked as a model but is now better known as a host and interviewer of prominent Electronic sports celebrities at popular gaming events/tournaments. The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ...

CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography  Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ...

Neil deGrasse Tyson  Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...

Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...

Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ...

Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ...

How Did Chris Jansing Become a Senior Correspondent at MSNBC and Who Is Her Husband? An award-winning American television news reporter and journalist, Chris Jansing has succeeded in carving a spectacular niche for herself in the field of TV journalism. Outstanding for not just her excellence in journalism, Chris is also cherished for her incredibly gorgeous looks post 60! For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ...

Jaclyn Glenn Biography  Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ...

Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ...

Nayyera Haqs Bio  What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ...

Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri  an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...

Meet Phil Mudd of CNN  The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ...

Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife  Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ...

The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ...

Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids  Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ...

How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ...

WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio  Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ...

This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ...

Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a
The Superintendent of Police, Tirupathi Urban, Jayalakshmi, who was at questioned the MLA, "People have died and you are doing politics here. Do you have any humanity. Please take this outside. If you have problem give complaint, don't do politics here. Is this the way you talk to officer in uniform. You are intimidating. You are stopping me from doing my duty. Please leave this area."

#Andhra In a horrific road accident, speeding truck rammed into roadside huts killing 20 people at Yerpedu. Rescue ops on. @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/EEm7XsvpQd  SAKSHI KHANNA (@tweetsakshi) April 21, 2017

: In another incident of power trip by the political class, the YSR Congress MLA Narayana Swamy was caught on camera involved in a heated argument with the senior police officer in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.The altercation happened after police denied permission to Swamy and his workers to carry out a protest in the mortuary. On Friday, a gruesome accident occurred in the state, where a speeding lorry ran over several pedestrians near the Yerpedu police station. At least 14 people were killed and 20 others injured.Instead of bowing down to the demand of the leader, the police officer decided to give it back.Superintendent of Police, Tirupathi Urban, Jayalakshmi. (The MLA and his followers were forced to leave the place.Still unapologetic, Narayana Swamy told CNN News 18, "So many people died in accident, so I was there to extend my support. However, police misbehaved with me. SP supports TDP and that is why I was stopped."The Union government decision to end Red Beacon has been lauded by everyone. But the question is will it put an end to VVIP culture. Incidents like these show, what needs to change is the mindset and attitude.
China's Hangzhou International Airport plans to become the world's first "cashless" airport by applying cutting-edge digital technologies to its services and will use artificial intelligence to make security checks faster, the media reported on Saturday.According to a media report, the airport in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, will co-operate with internet firms, such as Alipay, to allow travellers to make cashless payments for services including accommodation, flights and car rentals, the Global Times reported.The airport will also work with service providers to combine cloud computing and big data so it can offer passengers door-to-door services including ticket bookings, transportation, smart parking, shopping and catering as well as hotel bookings.It will also introduce artificial intelligence and image recognition technologies into security checks so as to increase the safety and efficiency of the process as well as reduce passenger wait times, according to the report.A Hangzhou resident told the Global Times on Friday that she welcomes the airport experimenting with big data and cashless services.She said that with the spread of mobile payment, offering cashless services is unlikely to pose much of a challenge. She said that reducing wait times is likely to be the real test.Online payment already has a particularly high level of penetration in Hangzhou, which is home to tech giant Alibaba Group Holding, which pioneered China's most popular online payment tool, Alipay.Separately, Alibaba's financial affiliate Ant Financial announced plans to spend 3 billion yuan ($435 million) each year for the next two years to create a cashless society.
Cab aggregator Ola's board has approved raising up to USD 100 million from existing shareholders, primarily to fund its expansion plans.



The company, which is locked in an intense battle with American rival Uber, had recently raised funds to the tune of Rs 1,675 crore from its Japanese investor, SoftBank.



The approval was for issuance of convertible securities at a price of Rs 13,521 apiece through a rights issue.



ANI Technologies -- which operates Ola -- today said its board has approved raising "up to USD 100 million (about Rs 670 crore) by issue of 495,526 Series 'l1' preference shares of face value INR 10 each at a price per subscription share equivalent to INR 13,521".



As per the filing made to the Corporate Affairs Ministry under the Companies Act, the rights issue was scheduled for March 23, 2017.



However, it could not be immediately ascertained how much the company raised through the issue.



A query sent to Ola did not elicit any response.

The filing said the objective of the issue was "to meet the growth and expansion of business and to strengthen financial position of the company".



After selling its China business to rival Didi, Uber has made India one of its top priorities. It has made significant investments in its India operations, strengthening its platform and expanding its driver partner ecosystem.



Ola, which has a presence in 110 Indian cities compared to Uber's operations in 29 cities, has also been aggressively expanding its portfolio of services.



It is also placing big bets on new technologies like electric vehicles to stay ahead of competition.
"Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001," Newsweek said, claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

"Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

"If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said.

"The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine.

One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said.

Wanted terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's spy agency ISI, a US media report has said."His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the weekly said.This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Egyptian-born Al-Qaeda leader, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor, PTI said."There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added."This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him," he said.Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016. But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room."The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes."Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg,'" the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.(With PTI inputs)
"She's the strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview. "Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election."

US President Donald Trump waded into France's upcoming elections on Saturday, saying he believes an attack on police officers this week will help Marine Le Pen, the far-right presidential candidate.In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump said that while he is not explicitly endorsing Le Pen, the attack played to her strengths.US presidents typically avoid weighing in on specific candidates running in overseas election. But Trump suggested his opinion was no different from an average observer, saying, "Everybody is making predictions on who is going to win. I'm no different than you."Sunday's vote is the first round in the French elections, with the top two candidates advancing to a winner-takes-all runoff on May 7. The high-stakes contest is viewed as something of a vote on the future of the European Union, with Le Pen calling for a referendum on France's membership in the bloc.Le Pen has also echoed some of Trump's hard-line rhetoric on immigration, calling for hardening French borders to stanch what she describes as an out-of-control flow of immigrants.Former President Barack Obama has also gotten involved in France's election, offering centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron his best wishes in a phone call yesterday, though he, too, stopped short of a full endorsement.Macron's team released a video recording of the call, a highly unusual move as conversations among different countries' politicians are usually kept private.A victory for Macron would be a vote of confidence in France staying in the EU. Obama, when he was in office, encouraged Britain not to leave, though it ultimately voted to do so anyway.Trump backed Britain's decision to exit from the EU and has also predicted that other countries would make similar decisions. Yet during a White House news conference Thursday, the president said he believed in a strong Europe."A strong Europe is very, very important to me as president of the United States," he said.
Thitu: Philippine troops march as a Philippine Air Force C-130 transport plane carrying Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Ano and other officials, sits on the tarmac at the Philippine-claimed Thitu Island off the disputed Spratlys chain of islands in the South China Sea Friday, April 21, 2017 in western Philippines. Their visit Friday was aimed to assert the country's claim to the heartland of a disputed area where China is believed to have added missiles on man-made islands. The South China Sea issue is expected to be discussed in the 20th ASEAN Summit of Leaders next week. Seen in the background above the horizon, center, is the Chinese man-made island of Subi Reef. (Image: AP/PTI)
Several officials in the Lynchburg area attended a public hearing on the Virginia Department of Transportations six-year plan this week at the VDOT Lynchburg District office on Campbell Avenue and thanked officials for funding certain projects.

Others pleaded for projects to be funded.

The Lynchburg District  which covers the cities of Danville and Lynchburg, numerous towns and 10 counties  is slated to receive about $35.3 million in funding for more than seven projects.

The recommended funding scenario for Smart Scale projects was released in January, the first part of a five-month process of determining which projects will be funded. State road projects are evaluated using a numerical system called Smart Scale to ensure a fair distribution of money across the state.

Two of Central Virginias 10 approved projects were recommended for funding: intersection improvements on U.S. 29 and Virginia 151 in Amherst County and an Old Courthouse Road improvement project in Appomattox County.

Amherst County Administrator Dean Rodgers said he was thankful the U.S. 29 project was slated for funding because its a major corridor for Charlottesville and Washington, D.C., travelers. According to the county, between 2010 and 2012 there were 11 crashes and five fatalities at that intersection.

The Amherst County project to improve the Virginia 151 and U.S. 29 intersection was recommended to receive $195,489. The Amherst project includes removing the current static flashers on U.S. 29 and replacing them with dynamic flashers. The flashers would be activated when vehicles are detected entering the Virginia 151 intersection and within the median crossover.

Appomattox Mayor Paul Harvey thanked the board for recommending funding of the $11.5 million Old Courthouse Road project.

I never thought this would come at such quick a consideration  it will open a great gateway from the [Appomattox Court House National Historical Park], [Museum of the Confederacy] and town, Harvey said.

Appomattox Town Council member Steven Conner said everyone wanted the U.S. 460 bypass for nearly 30 years, but the Old Courthouse Road project would make entering the town safer.

The Appomattox project would take the existing Old Courthouse Road and right of way and transform it into a boulevard setting with landscaped shoulders and grass medians and a pathway connecting the town of Appomattox to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

The Lynchburg District still has about $13 million unallocated in its six-year plan, according to Shannon Valentine, Lynchburg representative on the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Del. Matt Fariss, R-Rustburg, spoke at the public hearing, asking for support for the Lynbrook Road project in Campbell County. Fariss said he was speaking as a private citizen because he owns land along Lynbrook and has started selling it to developers.

The sooner we deal with this project, the better, he said.

The desired project on Lynbrook Road in Campbell County between U.S. 29 and Lawyers Road would include a new bridge over Flat Creek, near Lynbrook Roads intersection with Lawyers and Waterlick roads.

Megan Lucas, with the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, also asked the Lynbrook Road project be reconsidered because it has the potential to increase safety and economic opportunity.

Lynbrook often is used as a connector road between U.S. 29 and U.S. 460, Campbell County Economic Development Director Mike Davidson said.

He added the more traffic that is allowed on the two-lane road, the more businesses that will exist. It will ease access to two economic development corridors, he said.

Its a priority transport corridor for about 30 years  it remains a vital corridor, Campbell County Spring Hill District Supervisor Jim Borland said.

Lucas also asked the board to reconsider the proposed project at the intersection of U.S. 221 and U.S. 501 because taxpayer money already has been invested, but it still needs construction funding.

We believe economic opportunity abounds up [U.S.] 221, and $18 million has already been spent. Business opportunities are being lost because of this not being fully funded, she said.

Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster said sheappreciated last years funding for the Odd Fellows Road project and for Greenview Drive improvements but pleaded for funding for the citys priority project on U.S. 221.

The project meant to ease congestion at the intersection of U.S. 221 and the Lynchburg Expressway did score higher than last year but was not recommended for funding. Foster reiterated $18 million had been spent on obtaining rights of way and project design.

To continue preliminary engineering to make this project even more competitive, your financial support of [U.S.]221 one-way pairs is critical for a significant infrastructure project, she said.

Two Bedford County projects, which fall in the Salem District, were recommended for funding: a $3.5 million roundabout at Patriot Place and a $321,404 right-turn lane on northbound Thomas Jefferson and Waterlick roads.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board will develop its recommendations based on comments from public hearings to be released in May.

The board will vote on the funding scenario in June.
Chaotic end to Galicias tenure

President of the Truckers and Traders Association Horace Amede told Newsday, the late arrival created chaos when truckers were told they could not take their trucks back to Trinidad.

We were scheduled to leave Port-of-Spain at 2 pm on Thursday afternoon. After a few delays and rescheduling of times, they told us the vessel would leave last night (Thursday) at 9 oclock from Trinidad, but this never happened, as we didnt leave until after 5 oclock this morning (yesterday), said Amede, who was on board the vessel for the sailing. Amede said crew members advised that the Galicia was heading straight to Spain from Tobago while others said the vessel was due to go back to Port-of-Spain first. The crew dont want to take any of the truckers, they said they bought their own diesel (in Trinidad to fuel the boat and was heading off to Spain from Scarborough).

The truckers decided that we are not going to allow that because we need these trucks from Trinidad to get back home. If they are not allowed to go on that vessel, there wont even be a sailing of the fast ferries because we would take a stand to shut down Tobago. They (Port Authority) promised us that the final sailing would be at 11 pm (Friday) to bring up whatever cargo and trucks and then they (Superfast Galicia) would leave from here to Spain, said Amede.

He noted the truckers had valid tickets for the Superfast Galicias sailing.

By 2 pm, the local crew working on the Superfast Galicia were told to get off the boat. When the truckers saw this and heard the boat was leaving, presumably to head off to Spain, several of them climbed the ramp to prevent it from leaving without them. One trucker drove his truck onto the ramp in support.

Amede also commented on the announcement by Port Authority chairman Allison Lewis, on Wednesday that two vessels, one of them a barge, have been selected as shortterm replacements for the Superfast Galicia. We made it plain to them that this would be a total disrespect to Tobago and Tobagonians, we are not putting any cargo on any barge.

The Atlantic Provider can take only about 20 trucks and we have a position where we use about 70 to 100 trucks on a daily basis....since November last year, they were aware of what was going on with the vessel and had an opportunity to provide a vessel.

The Atlantic Provider is on a onemonth rental contract with an option for an additional two to three months if needed while the contract for the barge would be in the vicinity of a month, with an option for another month, Lewis said. She said the Atlantic Provider will cost Government in the region of US$14,500 per day to lease while the Transporter barge will cost between US$8,000 and $10,000 per day. Both vessels are scheduled to sail tomorrow.
UWI surprised to hear of Bermudez appointment

Garcia was speaking at the post-Cabinet news conference.

In a release UWI indicated that Chancellors are appointed in accordance with the Universitys Statute 4 which clearly states, The Chancellor shall be appointed by the University Council. UWI confirmed that over the past few months, it has been working through a specially-appointed Search Committee, to identify an appropriate successor to Sir George Alleyne, who is carded to demit office in the latter half of 2017.

The university said the matter of the appointment of the Universitys new Chancellor is an item on the agenda for the upcoming Annual Business Meeting of University Council, set to take place on April 27, 2017, in Barbados.

In a response, the Ministry of Education in a release indicated that Garcia directed by Cabinet to report to the general public on the facts as they stood, pertaining to the recommendation of the Search Committee on the appointment of the New Chancellor of The University of the West Indies.

The Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago was kept informed on the deliberations of the Search Committee especially since Mr. Robert Bermudez was a nominee of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Cabinet waited until in its opinion, it was safe and prudent to advise our population on this development, the Ministry said.
Enterprise wants peace

While some residents supported a peace initiative hosted by the Islamic Front and started on Thursday, others criticised the move saying it was not genuine. The initiative saw participants including members of an alleged gang, distributing flowers and water to passers-by and motorists in Enterprise.

Dont bother with them, they saw death coming. Is only now because police and soldiers are around are we are feeling a little safer.

But we know the aftershocks.

It will come and when it does, it will be rapid. People are not living in peace here, said Glenda Morris, 66, of Gittens Lane.

At present, residents said, there is a temporary respite from the murder and mayhem due to an increase in police and soldiers in the community. Speaking to media personnel on a tour with police yesterday, residents noted they were uncertain as to how long the peace will last.

Residents complained that gang members place restrictions as to where they can pass and not pass.

The constant sound of gunshots, followed by screeching vehicles have taken a toll on the health of residents especially pensioners. Many complained of sleepless nights.

I am not afraid to speak out. If they want to kill me, then so being.

I done live my life already. I have no fear...

kill me. I ready to go because we are living in mess. You cannot walk the road, it is as though you done dead already (sic). I am not going any more funerals again, who dead, dead. I fed up of funerals, Morris said.

Many youths from Enterprise did not want to go on the record with their names published out of fear of offending members of the two gangs operating in the community. Those will to go on the record, were pensioners.

Mavis Forbes, 85, of Manwell Street, praised the police and soldiers for visiting the area adding she wishes they visit, every day and night.

She recalled hearing a recent shooting death near her home adding she was unable to eat for a while. The elderly woman said she thought she was going to die that morning.

Asked if she has any advice for the young men in the area, Forbes responded: Not me papa, I fraid them.

I dont meddle with them. Mother of five Michaelina Lewis, 40, of Dass Trace, said she has no ill-feelings towards gunmen who shot and killed her son Michael, 21, on January 21.

With the joint army and police patrol as well as the peace initiative, Lewis said she is optimistic of a better future.

If God can forgive, who are we? I dont have any ill-feeling towards them because of my relationship with God. I never wanted revenge.

My son was in the wrong place at the wrong time and his death rocked the community, Lewis added.

Among the police and soldiers on the tour yesterday were ASPs Michael Pierre and Richard Smith, Insp Chunilal Bedassie and Lt Col Collin Millington.
MAGAAn Egyptian American charity worker who was imprisoned in Cairo for three years and became the global face of Egypts brutal crackdown on civil society returned home to the United States late Thursday after the Trump administration quietly negotiated her release.President Trump and his aides worked for several weeks with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to secure the freedom of Aya Hijazi, 30, a U.S. citizen, as well as her husband, Mohamed Hassanein, who is Egyptian, and four other humanitarian workers. Trump dispatched a U.S. government aircraft to Cairo to bring Hijazi and her family to Washington.Hijazi, who grew up in Falls Church, Va., and graduated from George Mason University, was working in Cairo with the Belady Foundation, which she and her husband established as a haven and rehabilitation center for street children in Cairo.The couple and their co-workers had been incarcerated since May 1, 2014, on child abuse and trafficking charges that were widely dismissed by human rights workers and U.S. officials as false. Virtually no evidence was ever presented against them, and for nearly three years they were held as hearings were inexplicably postponed and trial dates canceled. Human rights groups alleged that they were abused in detention.The Obama administration unsuccessfully pressed Sissis government for their release.
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An amazing find by Harvard researchers has brought the number of known parchment copies of the Declaration of Independence to two: One in DC's National Archives, and one in a tiny records office in the place the US declared independence from. Researchers Emily Sneff and Danielle Allen believe the copy they uncovered in the archives of the town of Chichester, England, once belonged to Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, known as the "radical Duke" for his support of the American colonists, the Boston Globe reports. They made the find after spotting a catalog entry online while doing research for the Declaration Resources Project, which is collecting data on different versions, the New York Times reports.

Allen and Sneff believe the parchment was commissioned in the 1780s by James Wilson, a Pennsylvania lawyer known as a strong nationalist. Allen tells the Harvard Gazette that the copy is unlike any others they have foundand most other documents of the erabecause it scrambles the order of the signatories instead of grouping them by state. "This is really a symbolic way of saying we are all one people, or 'one community,' to quote James Wilson," she says. Allen, a professor of government, says the document addresses a "key riddle" of the American system: whether the country was founded by its people, or by a collection of states. The researchers are now looking into how the copy ended up in England. (Read more Declaration of Independence stories.)
Michigan authorities say a doctor may have endangered patients and the public by performing liposuctions in a pole barn, the AP reports. Health officials said they learned from Allegan County sheriff's investigators that the doctor was performing the procedures in the building in the town of Glenn. Allegan County Health Officer Angelique Joynes warned people Friday to seek immediate medical care if they had surgery at the site and show any signs of infection such as fever, redness, and swelling.

The health department says the building doesn't have a certificate of occupancy and isn't approved "for any business activities." The Sheriff's Department expressed concern that the doctor may not have followed appropriate biohazard standards. A complaint has been filed with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. (Read more liposuction stories.)
The Taliban has dealt Afghanistan's army what appears to be a very heavy blow inside one of its own bases. Officials say more than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed or injured when Taliban militants attacked a base outside the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif on Friday, the BBC reports. Some military sources put the death toll as high as 134. Military officials say 10 attackers, including two suicide bombers, entered the base driving army vehicles and wearing military uniforms before attacking soldiers inside a mosque during Friday prayers. Officials say the ensuing firefight lasted for hours, with troops struggling to distinguish soldiers on their side from attackers.

The base is home to the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army, which is tasked with providing security across a large area of northern Afghanistan, the AP reports. "The attack on the 209 Corps today shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban," Gen. John Nicholson, commander of the NATO-led force in the country, said in a statement, per the Washington Post. "They killed soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility." The Taliban said four of the attackers were soldiers who knew the base well and had changed sides. The group denied attacking the mosque, saying soldiers were targeted in their barracks. (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
Tad Cummins turned up in a remote northern California community with a tale of misfortune to tell, according to Griffin Barry, the man whose tip led police to the fugitive Tennessee teacher. Barry tells CNN that when Cummins, 50, and 15-year-old student Elizabeth Thomas arrived in Cecilville last week, he said he was 44 and she was his 22-year-old wife. Barry says Cummins claimed to be from Colorado and said he was down to his last $10 and on his way to a commune after losing everything in a house fire. Barry says he gave them $40 cash and $15 in gasand after they returned, saying the commune didn't work out, he gave Cummins work moving rocks and a small cabin to stay in.

Barry says he became suspicious after noticing that Cummins tried to keep Thomas away from other people, and that their vehicle had no license plates. He says he called police Wednesday evening after somebody he talked to in a bar looked up the fugitive's photo online. Cummins, who is accused of plotting to kidnap the girl for sexual purposes, was arrested early Thursday. Thomas is now "comfortable and resting" with family back in Tennessee, lawyer Jason Whatley tells the Columbia Daily Herald. She is being evaluated by mental-health experts specializing in trauma, Whatley says, adding that he was "taken aback" when he first met her, because she is a "small child" who could easily pass for 12. (Read more Tad Cummins stories.)
The thing about vacations is they always have to endeven for former presidents. The New York Times reports that after spending weeks in French Polynesia with the likes of Tom Hanks and Oprah, Barack Obama is reentering public life, starting with an event Monday at the University of Chicago. In his first post-presidency public event, Obama will be onstage with six young people for a "conversation about community organizing and civic engagement," a spokesperson tells the Chicago Tribune. According to Politico, a program for the event states it's part of Obama's "post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders." Obama will then head to Boston to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award May 7. He then plans to give a series of public and private speeches in the US and Europe.

While Obama is still trying to figure out exactly what his post-presidency will look like, there is one thing it likely won't include: direct confrontation with President Trump. Aides tell the Times Obama believes "there is only one president at a time" and that engaging directly with Trump would only give him and his supporters an enemy to rally around. Instead, aides say Obama plans to focus on civil rights, the environment, diplomacy, and civic engagement. That's not necessarily what the former president's supporters were hoping for. "We've got to hear from him," says an activist who raised more than $1 million for Obama's campaigns. "Everything that Trump is doing really requires a response." (Read more Barack Obama stories.)
A Navy SEAL has been arrested after authorities say they found 78 images of apparent child pornography on his phone, including videos of the SEAL molesting a young girl while she slept, the Virginian-Pilot reports. According to the AP, Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Seerden was arrested April 3 in San Diego, where he is stationed, following a three-month investigation. The felony charges against the 31-year-old member of SEAL Team One weren't unsealed until this week. The investigation into Seerden started in January after a woman accused him of raping her while they were drinking on a Navy base in Virginia, the Los Angeles Times reports. The woman says she remembers telling Seerden to stop and informed a gate sentry about the alleged rape afterward.

Seerden has been charged with four felonies related to child pornography and child sex assault. He's facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. The images on Seerden's phone were discovered during the investigation into the alleged rape. Authorities say they include dozens of images of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts, including one involving a dog. There are also four videos showing a man, allegedly Seerden, masturbating next to a sleeping child, who appears to be 5 or 6 years old, and touching her in a sexual way. Photos on the phone show Seerden reading a book to the girl and other children. An investigation into the alleged rape of the woman in January is ongoing, and no charges have been filed in that case. (Read more Navy SEALs stories.)
President Trump on Saturday awarded a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant recently wounded in Afghanistan, the first of many Trump likely will award during his service as commander in chief of the US military, the AP reports. "When I heard about this ... I wanted to do it myself," Trump said during a brief ceremony at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The medal went to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded March 17 in Afghanistan during what is now America's longest war. It was Trump's first visit as president to the military hospital. His wife, first lady Melania Trump, joined him.

Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was brought into a hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy. Trump kissed Barrientos' wife before pinning the medal on the sergeant's left shirt collar. The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action. Besides Barrientos, Trump was expected to meet privately with about a dozen service members who are receiving care at the medical center. Before leaving the White House, the president tweeted that he looked forward to "seeing our bravest and greatest Americans." Trump's decision to allow news media coverage of the medal ceremony was in sharp contrast to former President Obama, who awarded Purple Heart medals during his regular visits to Walter Reed but always did so behind closed doors. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
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New Delhi:

Karnataka Okuta has finally withdrawn his protest against veteran actor Sathyaraj who plays the role of Kattappa in both the instalments of 'Baahubali'.

The 62-year-old actor was facing a massive protest since past two days over a controversial comment on Kannadigas he made nine years back.

Considering the years old issue several Kannadian organisation has called for a boycott to the release of 'Baahubali 2' in the state.

They even threatened to call for a strike on April 28, which happens to be the release date of the movie, as a sign of protest against Sathyaraj.

However, the organisation withdrew their protest after Sathyaraj apologised for his words.

Earlier, director SS Rajmouli has also put a video requesting not to destroy the market of the movie in Karnataka.

Also Read: Watch | Saahore Baahubali song Promo from Baahubali 2 : The Conclusion

Responding to director Rajmouli and several press and media houses Vatal Nagraj, head of Karnataka Okuta said on Saturday "In all it protest media have backed us. In the recent protest, even national channels backed us. This has happened 9 years back when Sathyaraj spoke against Kannadigas. Not this has come light, we have condemned this and protested all lover the states."

"When there so many actors were sitting in the protest, only Sathyaraj comments was derogatory against Kannadigas,we are not against The movie director or producer, our demand is Sathyaraj should apologise for his derogatory comments against us", Nagraj further added.

Clearing the ban against 28th April release in the state he further stated, "We we discussing whether Sathyaraj has regretted or apologised for his statement... We have given up the protest"

"We are warning, Sathyaraj to be careful about what kind of word he shouldn't speak against Kanndiga," Nagraj added.

While Kattappa Sathyaraj has been going under such a negative phase ahead of 'Baahubali 2' release, actor Kamal Hasaan on Saturday took to twitter to praise the 'Baahubali' fame.

"Congrats Mr. Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environement. Quoting VirumaaNdi aaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaasaa. Bravo", Hasaan tweeted.

Congrats Mr. Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environement. Quoting VirumaaNdi aaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaasaa. Bravo  Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 22, 2017





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New Delhi:

After the 2nd installment of SS Rajamouli's 'Baahubali' faced a massive protest against its release in Karnataka, actor Sathyaraj, the king of that particular controversy comes up to explain his comment on Kannadigas made nine years back.

Pro-Kannada group has called for a boycott of the film in the state on Thursday accusing Sathyaraj of insulting Kannadinas describing them as 'dog' in a comment he made nine years ago on Cauvery River issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

So Sathyaraj aka Kattappa expressed regrets over his words and apologised to ensure a smooth release of 'Baahubali: the conclusion' in Karnatka.

Apologising for his words the 'Baahubali' fame said , "Nine years ago, Tamilians were attacked in Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute.There were protests demanding that the screening of Tamil films be stopped in that state. To condemn such calls, the Tamil film fraternity had organised a meeting, and many had expressed their anger. I was one among them... I understand that some of the words that I had uttered then have hurt the sentiments of the Kannadigas... In the past nine years, 30 films of mine, including Bahubali: The Beginning, were released in the state. There were no problems. I was even approached to act in Kannada films, but I couldn't take them up because of other commitments.Since the protesters, who have watched my nine-year-old speech on YouTube, feel that my words hurt their sentiments, I express my heartfelt regret".

"I'm a very small worker in a very big film called Bahubali. I do not want the work and money of thousands of people go waste because of my words. Moreover, I have a responsibility to protect the interests of the distributors and exhibitors who have bought the rights of the film in Karnataka... My humble request to the people of Karnataka is to accept my apology and allow the release of the film in their state", the actor further added.

However, along with his regrets over his words his stand point for Tamilians was clear too.

Supporting his Tamil friends for one more time the actor said, "I want to make it clear that be it the problems of the Tamil Eelam, the Cauvery issue, the farmers' struggle or any other protest by the Tamil people, I will continue to lend my voice. If producers feel that this stance of mine might lead to problems for their films in the future, I request them not to cast this small, ordinary actor in their films and suffer losses because I consider it a matter of pride to live and die as a Tamilian more than as an actor".

Though the 62-year-old actor took that instant step to secure the market of the movie some other reasons behind banning the movie are also flying on the air.

According to a latest source this sudden uprising controversy regarding Sathyaraj's nine year old comment is nothing but a excuse to stop the release of the movie in Karnatka.

"Baahubali: The Beginning released in 2015 and there was no problem then. Why is the issue being brought up now? In fact, the film did really well in Karnataka and had a successful run for weeks. Given its success, some of the theatres could not accommodate many Kannada language films that released around that time. May be they are expecting similar situation this time also, and thats why they are trying to stop the film from encroaching the market of their local films", the souce said.

Even a local popular distributors's wish to distribute the film in the state was rejected by the makers and this may be a big fat reason to create such a scene ahead of 'Baahubali 2' release.

Now all we can say is the Kannada outfits who are going to clear their stand on Saturday regarding the release of the movie will play the crucial role to decide the fate of 'Baahubali 2' in the state.

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New Delhi:

After securing an easy win in Madras High Court parentage case actor Dhanush and his family are now sounding a bit relaxed.

Dhanush who was claimed to be the runaway son of a elderly couple named Kathiresan and Meenakshi won the case after Justice P N Prakash of the court's Madurai bench rejected the submission of the couple.

Kasthuri Raja, father of this 33 year-old Bollywood fame who is now taking the breath of relief was seen interacting a leading daily on Friday.

"From the beginning we were not disturbed by the case as we knew it was completely baseless. We maintained a dignified silence as we knew that the law would take its course. The world knows the truth and now the judgment is an evidence of the same. Also, we had all the records, including the gazette notification, of his name change from Vengadesha Prabhu to Dhanush. There is a limit to wish for somebody else's property. Their claim was beyond limits", Kasthuri Raja was quoted while interacting to the reporters of a leading daily.

Praising and describing Dhanush as the pillar of their strength Kasthuri further said, "It was sad to see Dhanush standing in the court. I was upset that he had to undergo such tribulations for no fault of his. Whenever I told him about that, he used to pacify me, 'Forgive them, (the couple), appa'. Even now he says the same, 'forgive them'. Our kids are our pillars of strength and Dhanush is one"

On the work front, the 'Ranjhana' actor is now gearing up for his upcoming release 'Velaiilla Pattadhari 2'.

Also starring Kajol the movie is expecting to be released on June 2017.

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New Delhi:

Two militants, who opened fire on an army patrol, were killed by the security forces in an encounter on Saturday in the Budgam district of central Kashmir.

Two militants have been killed in the gunfight with the security forces, a police official said.

A patrolling party of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles came under fire from the militants at village Hayatpora, 18 kms from here, at around 6 PM, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides, a police official said.

The official said reinforcements were rushed to the village and an operation was launched to flush out the militants, during which two of them were killed.

ALSO READ | Stone-pelting: BJP-PDP hold closed-door meeting on Kashmir situation ahead of Amit Shah's visit to Jammu

One of the militants has been identified as Younis Maqbool Ganai, a resident of Patrigam area of Chadoora, while the identity of the other is being ascertained, the official said.

An AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site, the official added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Anne Folkers  and many other Fremont Health employees  were seeing purple on Wednesday.

That was the day staffers throughout the organization wore their Proud to Wear Purple for Patients shirts.

Each year, the Fremont Health Foundation has a campaign that reaches out to employees, seeking donations for programs, services and work the foundation does to support patients. That support can include many things  ranging from help for new moms to special items for families of hospice patients.

This year, more than 300 employees gave financial gifts to the foundation, raising almost $42,000.

When employees made a donation to the campaign, they received a purple T-shirt with the message, Proud to Wear Purple for Patients.

Employees were asked to wear those shirts on Wednesday, said Folkers, director of development-Fremont Health Foundation.

We wanted everyone who made a gift to wear their T-shirt and show that they are proud of Fremont Health and, most importantly, that their gift makes a difference in the life of another, Folkers said.

Funds go for programs and services which the foundation supports annually.

These are things that help make sure all patients who come through our doors have access to the care, resources and education they need for health and healing  and that spreads across our entire health system, Folkers said.

Examples include: a medication assistance program; diabetes education to help newly diagnosed patients; and mom and baby home care. The latter helps moms who need a little support beyond their hospital stay in caring for their new baby.

In this program, a nurse, certified in pediatric home health care, could visit the mother and baby and provide some additional education and support. The nurse can encourage the mom to connect with other needed community resources.

The foundation also helps provide some resources for hospice patients and families.

Last year, the foundation helped purchase grief support books for young adolescents, providing information on how to deal with a family member who is having end-of-life care.

It also helps support a program through hospice that grants a wish to patients that can provide them and their families some additional comfort. This could include a special meal or helping to bring in a loved one from out-of-town. It could be a recordable book, in which a loved ones voice could be recorded.

There are a myriad of ways that the foundation impacts peoples lives, she said.

This can include facility enhancements, technology improvements and programs.

Wednesdays event was a celebration.

We have the event to celebrate the campaign and the compassion and generosity of our employees, she said. It was really neat. We saw those shirts within our hospital and also in our clinics.

For me, it was really wonderful to see this, because it reminded me of the great people we have here at Fremont Health and how they care so much about this organization and about people. It was the first time weve done something like this along with our campaign and the support was just tremendous.
Kharagpur:

A fourth-year student of IIT, Kharagpur committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his room, the latest in a string of similar deaths at premier institutes that have been blamed on high stress and mounting depression.

Nidhin.N, a student of aerospace engineering, did not come out of his room in the morning Friday and his friends informed the matter to the authorities.

Fourth year student of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kharagpur found hanging in his hostel room Saturday. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/g97wESrpYF a ANI (@ANI_news) April 22, 2017

As police were intimated, they broke open the door and found him hanging. A suicide note was recovered. The student was 21 and hailed from Kerala.

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Agra:

Over reports alleging that a foreign visitor was not allowed to wear saffron scarves, the Bajrang Dal and other Hindu outfits on Saturday staged a protest outside the Taj Mahal

They demanded action against the personnel who had allegedly asked models visiting the monument to leave their saffron scarves at the gate four days ago.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) chief in Agra Bhuvan Vikram told PTI that members of various outfits gathered outside the Taj Mahal's eastern gate on Saturday afternoon and raised slogans. "I met them and accepted their memorandum demanding action against some staffers. We will look into their demands and take appropriate action, if required, after inquiry."

The alleged incident has sparked a row with the Centre ordering a probe. Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has asserted that there are no restrictions with regard to clothing for visiting the world famous 17th century monument. The right wing Hindu outfits on Friday announced "maha gherao" of the Taj Mahal.

Also Read: New DGP of Uttar Pradesh Sulkhan Singh vows to crush hooliganism

Shiv Sena and Hindu Jagran Manch also took part in the protest.

The models who visited the Taj are representing their country in the 11-day Supermodel International Contest which started on April 12. The annual Urs of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, begins on Sunday and will continue till Tuesday.

A thousand-metre-long ceremonial 'chadar' would be offered by Khuddaam-e-Roza committee. Tourism outfits are worried that the controversy may affect the flow of visitors.

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New Delhi:

A unified AIADMk may once again be reality soon. According to reports, two warring factions of Tamil Nadu's ruling party have reached a deal to reinstate rebel leader O Panneerselvam as the chief minister while current CM E K Palaniswami will take charge as the organisations general secretary in place of the jailed V K Sasikala.

The merger deal has been sealed and formal talks will begin now between the senior leaders of both factions to finalise and announce the decision. Palaniswami will step down for Panneerselvam, and become the party chief. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, whose properties were raided by Income Tax officials, may be dropped from the cabinet. Former minister and MLA Senthil Balaji may be inducted along with one or two more faces from southern Tamil Nadu, a senior AIADMK leader told The Indian Express.



According to the newspaper's report, what forced the ruling faction to give up the post of chief minister was the vulnerable state of the government.

A revolt by just six of the 122 MLAs currently with the ruling faction will bring down the government, sources told the media house.

Also read:



EC extends freeze on name of AIADMK and its election symbol

AIADMK turmoil: Palaniswami faction forms panel to hold merger talks with Panneerselvam camp

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Rameswaram:

To condemn the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, activists of Tamizhar Desiya Amaippu on Saturday staged a demonstration here.



Addressing the protesters, the outfit leader Pazha Nedumaran alleged that nearly 700 fishermen from the state had already been killed by the Lankan Navy and no compensation has been given by the island nation government to the families of the victims.



He urged the Centre to take immediate steps to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen.

ALSO READ: Pakistan apprehends 42 Indian fishermen with 7 boats off Gujarat coast

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Muzaffarpur:

A clash has been reported at Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur, Bihar on Friday wherein more than 12 people were reportedly injured and about 10 vehicles including three ambulances set ablaze.



Urmila Devi, 45, a resident of Sheohar was advised on Thursday night by the doctors to have blood tests on her admission as she was anaemic. But relatives of the patient pressurised the doctor on duty to first prescribe medicines to her, to which doctor refused. Thereafter, the relatives took her to another hospital, police said.

However, some of her relatives went back to the hospital to show their anger towards them. This resulted into a heated argument and the junior doctors then beat up a local ambulance driver who was supporting patients relatives.

According to police, the driver then called several villagers who beat up junior doctors and torched vehicles. Now, video footage is being examined by the police to identify goons. So far, no arrest has been made in this case, Patna SSP Vivek Kumar said.

ALSO READ: Clash between students and security forces takes place in areas of Kashmir valley

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Washington:

India-US ties have matured and become stronger over the last few decades, defying government changes in the two countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday.

Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by Indias Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government was looking forward to working with the Trump administration to strengthen bilateral ties.

Stressing that the India-US relationship has bipartisan support in the two countries, he said, In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship.

Jaitley yesterday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, in what was the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump administration.

Also Read: India looking forward to work with Trump administration: Jaitley

The India-US relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India, he said.

I met the (US) Commerce Secretary yesterday. I will meet the (US) Treasury Secretary tomorrow. This would be the first contact at that level between the new Trump administration and government of India, he said.

During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary yesterday, Jaitley strongly raised Indias concerns over the Trump administrations move to tighten the H-1B visa regime, highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in boosting the American economy.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its abuse and ensure that the visas are given to the most-skilled or highest paid petitioners, a decision that would impact Indias USD 150 billion IT industry.

Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision.

Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived here On April 20, to attend the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.

There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years (at the IMF/World Bank meetings). This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned, he said.

Speaking about Indias growth story, he said, In the last three years even in the midst of a slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to eight per cent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seems to be fairly well under control.

The significant part of our economy today is that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned, he said.

India has become one of the most open economies of the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest investments that any country has been attracting in the world.

And it is a combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going, he said.

He said the environment for doing business has been considerably eased.

India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform for cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite some time, he said.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif in Afghanistan, which killed at least 50 Afghan soldiers.



Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the familes who lost loved ones, PM Modi said on Saturday.



More than 50 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a Taliban attack on Friday on their base near the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, a US military spokesman told AFP.



The attack lasted several hours but was over by early evening, according to the spokesman, who wished to remain anonymous.



US General John Nicholson, commander of NATOs Resolute Support operation, said in a separate statement that the attack targeted soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility of the 209th Corps of the Afghan army.



The general, who did not give a toll, praised the Afghan commandos who brought todays atrocity to an end.



Afghan defence ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri said gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms had launched the attack on the army compound on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of Balkh province.



In total, there were 10 attackers involved in the attack on the Afghan army corps. Seven of them were killed, two blew themselves up, and one was detained by Afghan forces, Waziri told AFP.



The Afghan general earlier gave a toll of eight soldiers killed and 11 wounded but said this would change.



Several military helicopters were hovering over the site and ambulances were evacuating the bodies of the victims, an AFP correspondent said.



In a statement the Taliban claimed responsibility for the operation.



The last major attack against a military site dates back to early March, a coordinated hours-long assault on the countrys main military hospital in Kabul.



Officials said around 50 people were killed in that attack, though credible sources said it was more than double that.



That operation was claimed by the Islamic State group.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Jammu:

The PDP on Friday upped the ante against BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav for his remark that "everything is fair in love and war", saying the comment points towards "legitimising a crime".

Madhav had complimented an army officer responsible for tying a man to a jeep's bonnet in Kashmir, saying "everything is fair in love and war" and the "harsh" decision saved lives of civilians and soldiers.

"The remark of Madhav look to be a move aimed at legitimising a heinous crime and it is internationally considered as violation of covenants of human rights," PDP Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari said.

Bukari took strong exception to the "everything is fair in love and war" remark and said, "We fail to understand against whom he has declared war."

"Is it a war declared against Kashmiris who despite all odds cast their votes reaffirming their belief in democracy. Or it is a war declared to satiate the electoral interests ofa particular political party in the country," he said.

The BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir had said the current Kashmir situation is "certainly troubling" but expressed confidence that the PDP-BJP government will handle it.

Asked about the controversial video showing a civilian tied to an army jeep, Madhav had said nobody wants this but justified the act saying if one person's human rights are violated in order to protect the human rights of many more, he will leave that judgement to the officer concerned.

"I will compliment him for the decision that he took. He saved the lives of the people in police station, officials and all, and also his own boys. He also did not allow any civilian casualty," he had said.

Had the army not done so, then the mob there would have lynched over 50 civilians and almost equal number of security personnel there, Madhav had claimed.

The other option before the army was to fire indiscriminately because the officer had about 10 soldiers with him, and this would have caused civilian casualties, he had said.

Bukhari said that Madhav seems to be justifying what is unjustifiable under law. He further said that legally speaking human shields is concerned to be illegal both in domestic troubles and international turmoil.

He also took a dig at the statement of BJP Minister Chander Prakash Ganga, who recently said "traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets". Bukhari said, "Even the army commanders do not give such statements. He has exposed his venomous and biased approach against Kashmiris."

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New Delhi:

Seems like former Delhi chief minister and senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit has taken the task of showing the mirror to Congress in her hands. After her remark on Rahul Gandhi's maturity, it's Congress's Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken who is on her radar next.

Ahead of civic body elections in Delhi, Dikshit said MCD polls would be a litmus test for Ajay Maken and hit out at Arvinder Singh Lovely, who quit the party to join the BJP, terming him an "opportunist".



She said that if Congress manages to win a "good number" of seats in the municipal corporation elections, thenMaken will prove his detractors in Delhi Congress wrong.

"Let us wait for the election results when we will be really able to judge whether our impression is correct or incorrect. If Congress wins a good number of seats then what we are thinking would be proved wrong," she said when asked about questions on Maken's style of functioning.

MCD polls: AAP ends three-month-long campaign with stinging attack on BJP, Congress

Dikshit's name was not included in the list of party'stop campaigners although Maken had claimed that he had a written to her for participating in the campaigning for party candidates.

Maken has faced criticism from some senior leaders ofDelhi Congress over ticket distribution for the elections. A former member of the Dikshit regime AK Walia had threatened to quit the party in protest against Maken.

Dikshit hit out at Lovely saying he lacked commitment to the Congress ideology and joined the BJP for "personal gains".

"Lovely had been a minister in the Congress government and a DPCC president. As an opportunist, he has gone away from here. Congress gave him everything he deserved. He did not seem to have neither patience nor commitment to the ideology of the Congress and he went away for personal gains," Dikshit told NDTV.

Read | MCD elections 2017: Delhi's 1.3cr people set to vote in triangular contest; litmus test for Kejriwal's AAP, Amit Shah's BJP, Congress

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Lucknow:

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday met with Governor Ram Naik to discuss the first session of the state legislature.

As per the tradition, the Governor addresses the years first joint sitting of the state legislative assembly and state legislative council.

Naik also held discussions on the Goods and Services Tax law, which will be implemented from July 1, a statement issued by Raj Bhavan said.

The Governor also invited the chief minister to attend the Maharashtra Day programme, which will be held in Raj Bhavan on May 1. The Maharashtra Day programme will be held for two days.

Also read: UP CM Adityanath directs officials to set up yoga wellness centres in 40 districts

Also read: UP: Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Akhilesh's dream project, under Yogi Adityanath govt's scanner; being scrutinised for 'scam'



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A Midland University student has once again been honored by being named the Nebraska State Student Nurse of the Year.

After being nominated by members of the Midland Student Nurses Association, senior Maddison Bittner was the recipient of the award during the Feb. 18 Nebraska State Student Nurses Association Convention held at Lincolns Bryan School of Nursing.

After making her application to the Nurses Association in January, Bittner said during a Thursday interview with the Tribune that she learned she would be in contention for the award in February.

Bittner, daughter of Susan and Mike Bittner, said the convention serves as a great networking opportunity for people in the nursing field. There are several awards given based off of completed service projects and having the most students from a nursing chapter in convention attendance, but the most prestigious award given is the Student Nurse of the Year.

Attending the convention with fellow Midland nursing student Kelsey McGinn, Bittner spent her afternoon interacting with her peers and visiting numerous professional vendors. Most importantly, though, she had to focus on an upcoming interview with a panel of judges who would ultimately decide who the winner of the Student Nurse of the Year was.

Competing for the award against five other students from nursing institutions around Nebraska, Bittner was able to stand out to the judges.

There were six judges, and I was pretty nervous  its a little nerve-wracking with six people there, Bittner said. But at one point they asked what level I was in the program, and I said I was a senior, and they said Oh, we can tell because of the experiences and answers you are giving us. So at that point I started feeling confident.

Around 5 p.m. that afternoon, it was announced that Bittner was the winner of the award. While she gained confidence from her interactions with the panel of judges, she was still a little shocked when they read off her name as being the recipient of the Nebraska State Nursing Student of the Year.

At first I was kind of like, did they really say my name? Is this real, Bittner said. And then I was just floored.

Bittner, who will graduate in May as a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science and Nursing (RN/BSN), said that she knew from a pretty early age that she wanted a career in the medical field. She noted that shes had several family members who have been in the hospital with various ailments, and she always noted the positive impact nurses can have on patients.

We have seen the good nurses, and the not so good nurses, and I guess Ive just always wanted to be the nurse that brightens the family up when they walk in, the one where people are really glad that you are there, and they know that their loved one will have a good day because you are there, Bittner said.

While her path to becoming a nurse has been gratifying, it certainly hasnt been easy. After graduating from Fremont High School in 2011, Bittner started her college career at Omahas College of Saint Mary. For the next two years she studied at the institution prior to transferring to Midland following her sophomore year.

But upon transferring, she learned some of her credits didnt carry over.

So I started up as a sophomore again at Midland, Bittner said. So I was a sophomore like a hundred times, it felt like.

But she hung in there, studied hard, and now she is inching closer to achieving the career shes always wanted. Her advice to other students pursuing a nursing degree? Work hard, but always slot in a little bit of time for yourself.

You have to stay organized and work hard, thats really the best thing you can do, Bittner said. But when you need some time for yourself you have to take it. Because you will lose your mind if you dont.
New Delhi:

In the wake of drug price regulator NPPA's move to cap the prices, healthcare major Abbott has decided to withdraw two types of stents from the Indian market.

The company has applied to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) seeking to withdraw two kinds of stents.

These are Alpine drug eluting stent and Absorb dissolving stent.

An Abbott spokesperson said that following the NPPA's price ceiling decision, it "examined and re-examined" whether there is a sustainable way to make available two of the latest stent technologies in India.

Read more: Azythromycin not related to abnormal heart rhythm

The company took into consideration Alpine drug eluting and the Absorb dissolving stents' higher manufacturing costs and other associated costs.

"We have determined it is not sustainable, and we have applied to the NPPA to withdraw these two stents", the spokesperson told PTI in an e-mailed statement.

The company said that presently, only a very small percentage of patients in India receive Alpine and Absorbstents.

"While we are aligned with the government's intent forbroad access to care, we're disappointed that the NPPA concluded there is no differentiation in coronary stent technology", the company noted.

According to Abbott, it would continue to make available all other XIENCE coronary stent products within the ceiling price set by the NPPA.

Read more: This man beats cancer, heart failure to compete in Ironman Triathlons

"Alpine and Absorb will continue to remain available while the government reviews our application. There is no shortage of Abbott stents", it added.
New Delhi:

As scientists and others gear up for the March for Science on Saturday. Google's doodle for Earth Day sends an important message about climate change.This time Google doodle is illustrating to tell the story of a sleeping fox.

In a series of illustrations, the Google doodle tells the story of fox who was sleeping woke up abruptly after nightmare about the consequences of climate change have wrought on the earth.

In the nighmare fox saw that icebergs melted and dead plants all around. This disturbed, the fox enlists two friends to be more thoughtful about conservationthe trio eat vegetables, grow plants, ride bikes and use solar energy.

The fox wakes with a startle, and urgently starts making small lifestyle changes to care for the Earth. Along the way, the fox enlists friends  including Momo the cat, and Google Weathers favorite frog  to join its quest to protect and nurture the environment.

To combat things like coral bleaching and pollution, the three eco-rangers are inspired to take action such as eating less meat, carpooling, and unplugging unused electronic devices. Thats some heroic work for tiny animals!

With Google offering conservation tips for Earth Day, it reminds us as well as tell us to use everything up to a limit. It reminds us to switch off th lights, plant more and more trees insted of cutting it.

As Google says, lets all take a moment a to savor and cherish this boundless, stunning Earth that we inhabit.

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Washington:

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Saturday said the Group of 20 major economies have reached a "broad consensus" that a continued rise in protectionism would be damaging to the global economy.



"The general mood of the discussion was a broad agreement in the direction that free trade is better for global growth," Schaeuble said following a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington.



"Protectionism would be damaging to the global economy and the concerned economies as well," Schaeuble, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the G20, told reporters, adding: "There was a broad consensus."

ALSO READ: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to attend WB, IMF, G20 meets in US



The ministers also agreed that growth must be made "more inclusive" in order to stem the rise of protectionism, he said. "We need to tackle this, otherwise we will see more protectionism," Schaeuble said, adding that officials had agreed on the "need to do more" to share the proceeds of growth more equitably.



Schaeuble deflected repeated questions about the stance of the United States, saying Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had told his counterparts the incoming administration has not made any decisions on specific trade policies.



Rising protectionist sentiment in major economies, including President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries that have surpluses with the United States, created a tense atmosphere at the normally placid gathering of finance ministers.



The G20 officials were meeting ahead of the semi-annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund, which has flagged protectionism and possible trade wars as a threat the global economic recovery, which is finally gaining momentum.



German central bank chief Jens Weidmann said the G20 is focusing more on inclusive growth because "rising inequality puts strain on potential growth" and as a result "people become more disenchanted with globalisation."

ALSO READ: G20 representatives struggle to find consensus on trade, climate

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Washington:

The US-India ties have significantly improved over the last few decades, becoming more stronger and matured that defied changes in the governments in both the countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday.



Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by Indias Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government is looking forward to working with the Trump Administration to strengthen the various dimensions of the bilateral ties.



Stressing that India-US relationship has bipartisan support in both the countries, he said, In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship.



Jaitley on Thursday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump Administration.

Read | US Congress would continue to push for stronger Indo-US ties: Republican lawmaker



The US-India relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India, he said.



There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years. This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned, he said.



I met the (US) Commerce Secretary yesterday. I will meet the (US) Treasury Secretary tomorrow. This would be the first contact at that level between the new Administration and the Government of India, he said.



During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary on Thursday, Jaitley strongly raised Indias concerns over the Trump administrations move to tighten the H-1B visa regime, highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in boosting the American economy.

Read | Ajit Doval meets Donald Trump's NSA-designate, discusses Indo-US strategic ties



President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its abuse and ensure that the visas are given to the most-skilled or highest paid petitioners, a decision that would impact Indias USD 150 billion IT industry.



Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision.



Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived here On April 20, to attend the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.



In addition to his meetings and presentations at the annual Spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.



Speaking about Indias growth story, he said, In the last three years even in the midst of slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to eight per cent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seems to be fairly well under control.



The significant part of our economy today is, that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned, he said.



India has become one of the most open economies of the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest investments that any country has been attracting in the world.



And it is combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going, he said.



He said the environment for doing business has considerably smoothened.India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform of cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite sometime, he said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

Trump administration has asked Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by the previous Obama regime, to step down by in order to put its own leadership in place.

"Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration", the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on Friday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps", the statement continued.

Murthy, 39, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian-American to hold this position said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

Read more: US seeks help for dismantling financial networks of terrorist groups

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve", he said.

Murthy has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General.

"Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps", the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign.

Read more: US supercarrier Carl Vinson to arrive in Sea of Japan: Mike Pence

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come", he wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served", he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives", he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

Read more: India looking forward to work with Trump administration: Jaitley

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Quetta:

As many as 434 militants belonging to different banned outfits have surrendered in Balochistan province of Pakistan.



The militants, who handed over their arms to authorities here on Friday, belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province.



Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said on the occasion that those wanting to return to normal life were welcome to do so after surrendering.

ALSO READ: Pak army chief signs death warrants of 30 'hardcore militants'



"Anyone laying down their arms would be welcomed," he said. Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that for long foreign agencies had used innocent people in the province, misleading and instigating them.



Sher Mohammad, a key commander of the prescribed BLA, said they had been deceived by "anti-Pakistan" elements. A senior provincial official said so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.



Pakistan says its borders with Afghanistan and Iran in Balochistan are being used to instigate and train people to carry out subversive activities in the country.

ALSO READ: J&K police begins operation to identify moles within, suspected of leaking vital info to terror outfits

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Islamabad:

The German chief executive of Pakistans cash-strapped national carrier PIA was on Saturday sacked amid corruption charges, media reports said.

According to a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) statement, Bernd Hildenbrand was ousted and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nayyar Hayat will take over as acting the CEO.

This has approval of the competent authority, read the notification by PIAs chief human resource officer.

Hildenbrand, who on April 6 had gone on a 15-day leave, was put on the exit control list and barred from travelling abroad following the initiation of a probe into corruption charges against him.

My conscience is clear. I havent done anything wrong. Theres no question of any corruption on my part, he said.

Whatever I did was to the best of my ability and in the best interest of PIA. All major transactions were made with the approval of Board of Directors and according to the rules, The News International reported.

The decision to put Hildenbrand on exit control list came after the National Assembly was told that PIA had suffered losses of about Rs 180 crores on a premium service on the domestic route and also in connection with the airlines acquiring a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at an exorbitant price than the prevailing market rate.

Apparently, the airline acquired a plane from Sri Lankan Airlines at USD 8,000 per hour, while another airline had acquired the same type of plane at USD 4,000 per hour.

Hildenbrand was also barred from leaving the country in December 2016 after a controversy erupted when the national airline sold a flight-worthy aircraft (A-310) to a German museum at throwaway price.

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Beirut:

Chinese jihadis of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria are organized, battled-hardened and have been instrumental in ground offensives against President Bashar Assads forces in the countrys northern regions.

Thousands of Chinese jihadis have come to Syria since the countrys civil war began in March 2011 to fight against government forces and their allies. Some have joined the al-Qaidas branch in the country previously known as Nusra Front.

Others paid allegiance to the Islamic State group and a smaller number joined factions such as the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham.

But the majority of Chinese jihadis are with the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, whose vast majority are Chinese Muslims, particularly those from the Turkic-speaking Uighur majority native to Xinjiang in China. Their growing role in Syria has resulted in increased cooperation between Syrian and Chinese intelligence agencies who fear those same jihadis could one day return home and cause trouble there.

The Turkistan Islamic Party is the other name for the East Turkistan Islamic Movement that considers Chinas Xinjiang to be East Turkistan.

Also read: Assad blames ex Al-Qaeda affiliate for bombing buses carrying evacuees

Like most jihadi groups in Syria, their aim is to remove Assads secular government from power and replace it with strict Islamic rule. Their participation in the war, which has left nearly 400,000 people dead, comes at a time when the Chinese government is one of Assads strongest international backers.

Along with Russia, China has used its veto power at the UN Security Council on several occasions to prevent the imposition of international sanctions against its Arab ally.

Beijing has blamed violence back at home and against Chinese targets around the world on Islamic militants with foreign connections seeking an independent state in Xinjiang.

The government says some of them are fleeing the country to join the Jihad, although critics say the Uighurs are discriminated against and economically marginalized in their homeland and are merely seeking to escape repressive rule by the majority Han Chinese.

Also read: Islamic State claims responsibility for fatal shooting in Paris: Amaq

Abu Dardaa al-Shami, a member of the now-defunct extremist Jund al-Aqsa group, said the TIP has the best Inghemasiyoun, Arabic for those who immerse themselves. The Inghemasiyoun have been used by extremist groups such as IS and al-Qaidas affiliate now known as Fatah al-Sham Front.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
San Francisco:

A long term power cut took place to downtown business and homes in San Francisco on Friday due to equipment failure at autility station and a subsequent fire pulled the plug on.

An outage that began late on Friday morning and continued into the afternoon cut power to about 88,000 customers in the busy heart of the city, according to PacificGas and Electric spokesman Paul Doherty.

"We deeply apologize for the inconvenience this has caused around the city," Doherty told AFP.

"We know it was an equipment failure. It is premature tospeculate on a specific cause," he said, while discussing the cause of the fire.

Traffic lights were out of service and shops plunged into darkness. But many people seemed to take the outage in stride, leaving offices or apartments to socialise on streets where traffic was more subdued than on typical work days.

Some cafes or shops continued to serve customers, with people using cash or mobile payment services such as Squarethat let credit or debit cards be processed through smartphones or tablets.

Over 400 militants belonging to different outfits surrender in Balochistan Also Read:

Public transit operator BART temporarily closed its underground metro station in the city center.

Fire fighters said on Twitter that they received more than 100 calls, 20 of them related to people trapped in elevators. By shortly after 4 pm (local time), electricity had beenrestored to all but approximately 3,000 customers, PG & Espokes woman Andrea Menniti said in a message on Twitter. The bulk of the outage lasted about seven hours.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

The Trump administration on Saturday dismissed Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General. Trump will bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Also read: Donald Trump describes North Korea as 'menace'

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve, he said.

(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the official statement said.

Also read: Paris terrorist attack: Donald Trump condemns says 'there is a need to stay strong and vigilant'

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come, Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served, he said.

The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives, he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthys parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Today

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart to heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Rachel Grothe poetry reading, 2 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, Fremont. This author and poet, who has family roots in Fremont, has won awards for her poetry and prose. This event is free and open to the public with refreshments to follow.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous open meeting, 7:30 p.m., United Faith Church, 218 W. Gardiner St., Valley.

Narcotics Anonymous Lie Is Dead Group, 8 p.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity Group, 10:30 a.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Ballroom dancing with music by Greg Spevak, 3-6 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club. Everyone is welcome.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Singspiration, 6 p.m., Liberty Baptist Church, 11th and Main streets, Fremont. This service will consist of congregation singing. The singing will include hymns and choruses. There also will be special music. Everyone is invited. There will be a time of food and fellowship after the service.

Narcotics Anonymous Point of Freedom Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Adult Game Night, 7-8:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Librarys large meeting room, Fremont. This is a chance to meet new people, learn new games and socialize. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous basic text study, 6:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

American Legion Post 20, 7 p.m., Eagles Club, 649 N. Main St., Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 7-9 p.m., Sanctuary Church, 1640 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Childcare is available.

Celebrate Recovery, 7 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Fibromyalgia Support Group, 7 p.m., Health Park Plaza Conference Room 5, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.
Riyadh:

Two Saudis were among a mainly Qatari hunting party freed after a 16-month hostage ordeal in Iraq, Saudi media reported on Saturday.

The 26 hunters, initially believed to all be Qataris, were flown to Doha yesterday after being handed over to Iraqi authorities.

Jeddah-based newspaper Okaz named the two Saudis as Salem bin Abdulhadi al-Merri and Mohammed Abdullah al-Merri and said they were expected to be flown home to the kingdom today.

The official Saudi Press Agency agency also began referring to the hunting party as Qatari and Saudi today but did not give further details.

A foreign ministry spokesman was not immediately reachable for comment.

The hunting party, who are believed to have included one or more prominent members of the Qatari royal family, were kidnapped in southern Iraq in December 2015.

There was never any formal claim of responsibility but the abduction was widely linked to Shiite militias with ties to Tehran.

A source in Baghdad said the release of the hostages was part of a wider deal that also saw the evacuation of thousands of Shiite civilians from two government-held towns in northern Syria that had been besieged by rebels for more than two years.

Qatar has close ties with the rebels and jointly sponsored the evacuation deal with Iran.

The agreement also saw hundreds of civilians and fighters leave rebel-held areas near Damascus under siege by pro-government forces.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

In a bid to target and dismantle financial networks of terrorist organisations, the US has sought the help of the international community in particular multilateral financial institutions.

"Targeting and dismantling the financial networks of terrorist organisations is a top US priority, and improving anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CFT) systems is critical to this goal", US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, said in his address to the IMF.

The United States, he said, welcomes the IMF's important work providing technical assistance to member countries to strengthen their regulatory and supervisory frameworks with respect to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.

"It is also imperative that the IMF be a leader in fighting corruption", he said as the worlds' finance ministers and governors of central banks gathered in the US Capital to attend the Spring Meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

Read more: Paris terrorist attack: Donald Trump condemns says 'there is a need to stay strong and vigilant'

Noting that the global economy continues to exhibit large and persistent external imbalances, which contributes to the sentiment that the existing international monetary and trading system does not benefit all, Mnuchin said in this environment, the US calls upon the IMF to more robustly fulfill its surveillance mandate in pursuit of strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive global growth.

"This should include strong analysis of member exchange rates and external imbalances in both the External Sector Report and in Article IV surveillance. The IMF should also identify specific policy adjustments at the country level to achieve substantially improved balance in the overall system", he said.

The US looks to the IMF to highlight where surplus countries can more forcefully contribute to support symmetric adjustment in pursuit of a fairer global system.

"Countries with large external surpluses and sound public finances have a particular responsibility for contributing to a more robust global economy by deploying fiscal policy aggressively to boost growth and help facilitate global rebalancing", Mnuchin said.

Read more: Major terror attack averted after 10 suspected ISIS activists held in multi-state operation

"In our view, excessively large trade surpluses, like excessively large trade deficits, are not conducive to supporting a free and fair trading system", he said.

"Fair and transparent currency practices are also a critical part of ensuring that the benefits of trade are shared equitably. Countries should abide by their exchange rate commitments, including commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation, to not use monetary policies to target exchanges rates for competitive purposes and to consult closely on exchange rates", Mnuchin said. The US economy, he said, continues to expand at a steady pace and forecasts suggest stronger growth this year and next.

Nevertheless, the US economy continues to face challenges, with growth last year languishing below pre-crisis levels amid weak business investment, Mnuchin said, adding that the economy has gone through periods of disappointing performance before, however, and a continuation of this weak growth is not pre-ordained.

"In response, the administration is undertaking an ambitious policy agenda that includes tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure investment to sustainably raise US economic output and employment", he said.

"In tandem with our domestic reforms we will continue to promote an expansion of trade with those partners committed to market-based competition, while more rigorously defending ourselves against unfair trade practices", the Finance Secretary said.

Read more: Donald Trump describes North Korea as 'menace'

Outside the US, while the IMF and private analysts expect global growth to expand this year and next, there are questions about how sustainable and broad-based this growth will be, he added. Medium-term growth prospects remain muted due in part to the decline in total factor productivity, continued weak domestic demand, and banking-sector problems in some countries, he said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Sydney:

The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said in Australia Saturday amid high tensions with North Korea.

The Trump administration has been trying to clear the waters after sending out confusing messages concerning the whereabouts of the Vinson carrier group that supposedly was steaming toward North Korea last week.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," Pence told reporters in Sydney.

"(What) the regime in North Korea should make no mistake about, is that the United States has the resources, the personnel and the presence in this region of the world to see to our interests and to see to the security of those interests and our allies," Pence said.

Tensions between the US and North Korea have soared in recent weeks following a drumbeat of missile tests and fears that Pyongyang may be readying a sixth nuclear test.

Read Also: Donald Trump feels attack in Paris will 'probably help' Le Pen in France

The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to"sail north" from waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure ships were"to deter the regime.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," said PresidentDonald Trump as other officials made it sound ships were steaming toward the region.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her wayup".

But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were, in fact, sentin the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and towardAustralia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

Pence warned Wednesday that the United States would counter any North Korean attack with an "overwhelming and effective" response.

His comments came a senior North Korean official warned the regime had no intention of scaling down its missile programme, pledging weekly tests and threatening "all-out war" if the US took any action against it.

Trump's deputy visited South Korea and Japan beforeAustralia to reassure allies fretting over Pyongyang'squickening missile programme.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
I dont really care whats in President Donald Trumps tax returns.

Sure, I think Trump shows real contempt for citizens and good government by refusing to do what all recent presidents have done without a fuss. And yes, his refusal is another neon sign advertising a menu of character and ethical deficits. But we already know Trump is rich, so who cares if he is richer or poorer than we think? We already know the tax tricks real estate developers and the 1 percent use, so who cares about the details?

Trumps tax returns are a third-tier flap at a moment fraught with urgent, first-tier issues.

Yet it was Trumps tax returns that brought protestors out all across the country the other day. Activism like that is a great thing. But that energy would be better used if put toward a greater cause  and there are many.

It is Trumps refusal to release his tax forms that Democrats hold up as the prime reason they cannot and will not participate in negotiations about tax reform. They argue that it would be wrong to proceed without knowing how legislation might further enrich Trump, his family and empire.

Well I have news: There are many worse problems on the docket than Donald Trump getting richer in sleazy ways. That would be a high moral crime indeed but its trivial compared to missile strikes, games of nuclear chicken and sabotaging health insurance systems.

Americans know this and polling makes clear that they care more about those matters than Trumps taxes, Ivankas brand and Jareds real estate holdings. And those Trump voters who have become wobbly in their support certainly dont care about that stuff  they never have. Trumps opponents would do better to focus on meatier matters.

Trump now has a record, albeit short, as president of the United States. He has taken important actions and made decisions that could have real consequences. But the citizen opposition, professional party opposition and the press, I fear, are trying to steer too much of our diminishing national attention span on third-tier issues like Trumps tax returns.

Exhibit A: The missile strikes on a Syrian airfield after Syria allegedly used chemical weapons on civilians. The strikes took place on April 6, just a couple weeks ago, and they are basically out of the news now. But many crucial unanswered questions remain.

Did the strikes significantly diminish Syrias capacity to use chemical weapons or commit other war crimes? (The answer seems to be no.) Trump said he was moved by videos of stricken children: Do we know how many Syrian children have died from conventional arms recently? Or how many Syrian children died in refugee camps? Or why Trumps policy is to avenge some childrens killings but not others?

We know that Russia says it is outraged by the strikes. Is it really? We know that in March there were 1,755 alleged civilian deaths from coalition airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, many times more than any prior period in Operation Inherent Resolve, the name of our Islamic State-focused military interventions. Will we continue to allow so many civilian casualties?

Exhibit B: A few days after the U.S. missile attack on Syria, the Trump administration sent another message of military might to another dangerous nemesis, North Korea. Were sending an armada, Trump said to Fox News, meaning the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and escort vessels. Fears of war and nuclear weapons erupted in South Korea. Trump followed up with a bellicose 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.

Now we have learned the armada was actually sailing in the opposite direction, heading to military exercises with the Australian navy 3,500 miles away from Korea in the Indian Ocean.

Was this colossal and dangerous blunder of Trumps own making, or was it the Navys fault? What credibility can the president have when he acts and tweets in such a cavalier manner even when the core issue is nuclear war?

These are questions about high stakes actions taken by President Trump, not about his past, his fortune or his business dealings. They are more important.

There is a vast and dire credibility drought in American politics.

The press, the Democrats and anti-Trump activists squander what little authority they have left when there is too much focus on the lesser issues of the day, even if theyre ones that can generate better theater and tweets.

All the world is not a stage.
Sunny Flowers

2- 24x24 Oil on Canvas





I was inspired from trips to Italy, France, and even Waxahachie, Texas. Seeing fields, and fields of the bright sunny flowers will stop me in my tracks. I am fortunate to paint on location creating small color notes and studies for larger paintings like this.

This is available for purchase. Email me for more information.





Thank you for viewing my art.

Sheri@sheriart.net

http://www.sheriart.net

http://www.sheriart.blogspot.com

Sheri Jones
Rotana has chosen Erbil as the destination for its first-ever Arjaan hotel brand in the Kurdistan region, Iraq, introducing modern and stylish hotel apartments to the city. Following the companys ongoing success in Iraq, Erbil Arjaan by Rotana will be their third hotel in the country, joining the companys five-star Erbil Rotana and Karbala Rayhaan by Rotana.

With construction on the project kicking off in 2014, final preparations are well underway toward the grand opening of Erbil Arjaan by Rotana in Q2 2017. Erbil Arjaan by Rotana welcomes Booking.com guests since April 4, 2017. Click here to book



Malia Group is the major shareholder of the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana, which is among the investments developed by the Group within the Hospitality sector. On behalf of Malia Group, we are very proud to be part of this project, said Jacques Jean Sarraf, Chairman of Malia Group. We believe that this is the right time to invest in the region, especially in regards to the durable security situation. We look forward to many more projects in the future, he added. Other investments include the Erbil Rotana Hotel, Magma Square Sulaimani, and Natour Development (Enfeh, Lebanon), amongst others. These exceptional projects are developed by Kurdistan-based construction and project management company, Malia C.T.I, a subsidiary of Malia Group.

Erbil Arjaan by Rotana is a first class property offering 168 stunningly furnished hotel apartments two outstanding food and beverage venues and 24-hour in-room dining service. This is in addition to seven fully-equipped meeting rooms with the latest audio-visual equipment, 25 fully furnished serviced offices and a state-of-the-art Bodylines Fitness and Wellness Club.

Erbil Arjaan by Rotana is ideally located on 100 Street at the Baharka Bridge intersection of the city. Erbil is in the midst of an economic boom with modern construction and infrastructure development taking place alongside improvements to health care, education, and employment.


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Though opioid deaths are surging, most of the addiction services provided by Veterans Affairs Connecticut are more than an hours drive from Danbury.

That distance can make it difficult for some veterans to access the potentially life-saving programs at a time when overdose deaths continue to increase throughout the state. Connecticut drug deaths reached 917 last year  about 2.5 times more than in 2012, according to the state medical examiners office.

Drug addicts and alcoholics, they want to get high so theres only a small window when they think about getting well, said Erin Damato, a licensed social worker who runs the Vet House in Danbury. If you dont get them right at that point, you lose them.

The Vet House is run by the Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism (MCCA), a Danbury-based substance abuse treatment organization. The Vet House includes two properties on New Street that provide transitional and permanent housing. The four transitional beds, including a part-time case manager, are paid for by the VA.

But the closest large VA medical centers to offer addiction services are in West Haven and Newington. Both of those centers offer intensive day programs, outpatient care and access to medication-assisted treatments, like Suboxone, a prescription medication that can curb cravings and reduce the side effects of withdrawal.

West Haven also houses a psychiatric emergency room where substance abuse treatment is available, as well as a walk-in clinic. In Danbury, the VA operates an outpatient primary care clinic, but the facility doesnt offer any addiction services.

Access to local addiction services is crucial in treating addiction and, ultimately, in saving lives, Damato said. The Danbury VA clinic should have these services, she said, including access to Suboxone and group therapy several times a week. Some veterans dont have the wherewithal to travel for treatment.

The vets that come in my door, they come in with nothing but the clothes on their backs, so to get there is nearly impossible for a lot of them, Damato said.

The VA has tried to help more veterans get treatment by increasing access to Suboxone. Medications, like Suboxone and methadone, in conjunction with counseling, have been called the most effective way to decrease drug use and overdoses.

For opioid use disorder, the backbone of treatment is medication treatment, said Dr. William Becker, an assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at Yale University, who also works at the VA. It is the most effective treatment.

Dr. Marc Rosen, director of addiction recovery services at the VA, said the number of Suboxone prescriptions has quadrupled in recent years from 50 to 200.

This has been accomplished by licensing more staff to prescribe the drug at the medical center in West Haven and Newington, as well a provider at the Stamford outpatient primary care clinic. In May, the VA is holding a training in Suboxone, with the hope to license more of its primary care doctors.

VA officials are also working to expand its telehealth program to include prescribing Suboxone at the primary care clinics.

Given the burden of this problem among veterans, I expect that were going to see a push to continue to expand meaningful access to treatment, Becker said.

Thomas Burke, a U.S. Marines veteran, was able to get addiction treatment at West Haven, but he also said the distance and access to transportation can both be big hurdles to care.

Theres no way anyone who is trying to reintegrate into society will make the appointments necessary while maintaining their employability, said Burke, who is the president of the Yale Student Veterans Council.

Burke returned home to Bethel in 2010, after two years in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said the VA should improve transportation to West Haven and do better outreach so veterans know the facilities and programs exist.

Treatment wasnt available in Danbury, and if it was, it was intermittent, he said. West Haven is phenomenal.
NORWALK  With a major decision looming, preservationists are stepping up their efforts to get the Federal Railroad Administration to rethink its proposed high-speed rail route through Connecticut.

The FRAs NEC Future would cut 29 miles of new rail lines, between New Rochelle, N.Y., and Greens Farms, under preliminary plans released late last year.

There is significant concern that the Federal Railroad Administration intends to push through public opposition to the New Rochelle, N.Y. to Greens Farms bypass through Fairfield County, said Gregory Stroud, director of special projects for The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. Until we hear otherwise, the Connecticut Trust intends to exert maximum pressure possible so that this poorly-considered project will be dropped from the plan.

Stroud said The Connecticut Trust expects the FRA to release its Record of Decision regarding NEC Future around June 1. The decision will identify a Selected Alternative and outline short- and long-term improvements to the Northeast Corridor, the rail line between Washington, D.C., and Boston.

The FRA recognizes that many of its stakeholders are eager for the release of the NEC Future Record of Decision (ROD), said FRA spokesman Marc Willis. The NEC Future project team is hard at work completing its analysis with a continued goal to release the ROD in 2017.

Clear statement

The Selected Alternative will serve as a framework to help prioritize future investment in the Northeast Corridor. The issuance of the Record of Decision will complete the Tier 1 environmental review process as required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Connecticut Trust has pushed for a clear statement on elimination of rail bypasses.

As this process nears completion, it is critical that the public and municipal officials realize that any language in the Record of Decision which references proposed bypasses in New London and Fairfield counties, as well as in Rhode Island, leaves the door open for these projects in the next stages of planning, said Daniel Mackay, executive director of The Connecticut Trust.

It is imperative, he continued, that FRA and Connecticut Department of Transportation officials permanently bar the door against these destructive bypass proposals.

Major impacts

In December, the FRA released its Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which included its preferred design alternative. The design showed 79 miles of new track alignment in Connecticut, including between New Rochelle and Greens Farms.

The segment runs parallel to I-95 typically on embankment or aerial structure through Greenwich, Stamford, and Norwalk; terminating in Westport west of Greens Farms Rail Station. Most of the potential acquisitions would occur in Fairfield County and would include primarily developed land covers, many adjacent to highway transportation corridors, read the impact statement.

In March, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gave the FRA his conditioned support for the forthcoming Record of Decision. He asked the federal agency to focus on a Good State of Repair to ensure the continuation of existing rail services and handle projected ridership over the next 10 to 15 years. He asked the FRA to eliminate representative alternative alignments.

Portions of the corridor which require evaluation of alternative investments and alignments to address capacity, speed, or which have other vulnerabilities should be identified without proposing specific options, Malloy wrote.

rkoch@hearstmediact.com
Jet Airways, Indias premier international airline, will launch two new flights directly connecting Chennai with Paris and Bengaluru with Amsterdam. The new routes will enable guests to travel to destinations in Europe and North America with its codeshare partners Delta and Air France-KLM.

Starting Oct. 29, Jet Airways will depart from Bengaluru at 2:25 (LT) and arrive at Amsterdam at 8:35 (LT). On the return leg, Jet Airways will depart from Amsterdam at 10:50 (LT) and arrive at Bengaluru at 12:40 (LT). These flights will be operated in conjunction with Delta, with each airline placing their respective codes on the service.

On the same day, Jet Airways will depart from Chennai at 1:45 (LT) and will arrive into Paris at 8:10 (LT). Departing from Paris at 10:10 (LT), Jet Airways will return to Chennai at 12:15 (LT). Both Delta and Air France will be codeshare partners on these flights.

Jet Airways will operate daily service between Bengaluru-Amsterdam, while the flight between Chennai-Paris will be operated five days a week. The new flights will complement the airlines existing direct operations from Delhi & Mumbai to Amsterdam and onward to Toronto as well as direct flights from Mumbai to Paris.

Flights will be available for sale starting today, 20 April 2017.

Jet Airways will deploy the Airbus A330 aircraft which features spacious cabin, greater leg-room, lie-flat beds in Premiere and all the comforts associated with long haul international travel.
Saturns moon Enceladus has a subsurface ocean covered by a layer of ice. Some liquid escapes into space through cracks in the ice, which is the source of one of Saturns rings. In October 2015, the Cassini spacecraft flew directly through the plume of escaping material and sampled its chemical composition. They found that the plume contains molecular hydrogen, H2, a sign that the water in Enceladus ocean is reacting with rocks through hydrothermal processes. This drives the ocean out of chemical equilibrium, in a similar way to water around Earths hydrothermal vents, potentially providing a source of chemical energy.

Saturns moon Enceladus has an ice-covered ocean; a plume of material erupts from cracks in the ice. The plume contains chemical signatures of water-rock interaction between the ocean and a rocky core. We used the Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer onboard the Cassini spacecraft to detect molecular hydrogen in the plume. By using the instruments open-source mode, background processes of hydrogen production in the instrument were minimized and quantified, enabling the identification of a statistically significant signal of hydrogen native to Enceladus. We find that the most plausible source of this hydrogen is ongoing hydrothermal reactions of rock containing reduced minerals and organic materials. The relatively high hydrogen abundance in the plume signals thermodynamic disequilibrium that favors the formation of methane from CO2 in Enceladus ocean.

Planetary bodies with global oceans are prime targets in the search for life beyond Earth owing to the essential role of liquid water in biochemical reactions that sustain living organisms. In addition to water, life requires energy and a source of essential chemical elements (C, H, N, O, P, and S). Although there is compelling evidence for liquid water and many of the essential elements on several ice-covered planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, direct observation of energy sources capable of fueling life has, to this point, remained elusive. A report on recent flybys of the ice-covered saturnian moon Enceladus by the Cassini spacecraft reveal the presence of molecular hydrogen (H2) in jets of vapor and particles ejected from a liquid water ocean through cracks in the ice shell. The abundance of H2 along with previously observed carbonate species suggests a state of chemical disequilibria in the Enceladus ocean that represents a chemical energy source capable of supporting life.

The Enceladus Life Finder mission was proposed in 2015 for Discovery Mission 13 funding. If selected, a launch readiness date of December 31, 2021 may be possible.

The ELF mission would search for biosignature and biomolecules in the geysers of Enceladus. The south polar jets loft water, salts and organic molecules dozens of miles over the moons surface from an underground regional ocean. The theory is that the water is warmed by thermal vents similar to features found deep in Earths oceans. ELFs instruments would measure amino acids  the building blocks of proteins  analyze fatty acids, and determine whether methane (CH4) found in the plumes could have been produced by living organisms.

The current mission concept would have the ELF orbiter fly 8 to 10 times over a period of 3 years through plumes of water launched above the south pole of Enceladus. The geysers could provide easy access for sampling the moons subsurface ocean, and if there is microbial life in it, ice particles from the sea could contain the evidence astrobiologists need to identify them.

Objectives

The goals of the mission are derived directly from the most recent decadal survey: first, to determine primordial sources of organics and the sites of organic synthesis today; and second, to determine if there are current habitats in Enceladus where the conditions for life could exist today, and if life exists there now. To achieve these goals, the ELF mission has three objectives:

1. To measure abundances of a carefully selected set of neutral species, some of which were detected by Cassini, to ascertain whether the organics and volatiles coming from Enceladus have been thermally altered over time.

2. To determine the details of the interior marine environment  pH, oxidation state, available chemical energy, and temperature  that permit characterization of the life-carrying capacity of the interior.

3. To look for indications that organics are the result of biological processes through three independent types of chemical measurements that are widely recognized as diagnostic of life.
[April 21, 2017] Promoting Canadian Creative Industries South of the Border

Minister Joly travels to Los Angeles to promote Canadian creative industries and strengthen economic ties between Canada and the United States LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada and the United States enjoy one of the closest relationships between any two countries in the world. This enduring partnership is built on our history, our culture, our values and our economy. Together, we benefit from robust trade and investment ties and integrated economies that support millions of jobs in both countries. Nearly 1.2 million jobs in California alone depend on CanadaU.S. trade and investment, and the total value of goods traded between Canada and the State of California is US$44 billion. The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, wraps up the Los Angeles portion of a working trip in California today. Over the past three days, Minister Joly has held meetings with various Canadian and U.S. creative entrepreneurs and U.S. government officials. During these meetings, she highlighted the significance of the CanadaU.S. relationship and underscored the economic benefits that both countries gain through collaboration in the creative industry. During her visit, the Minister met with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Californa State Senator Ben Allen. They talked about the future of the creative economy in California and the importance of continuing diplomatic exchanges, strengthening cultural and economic relationships, and developing even greater cooperation between the two countries' creative industries in order to innovate and be successful on the international stage. She reiterated how the Government of Canada is helping Canada's creative industries reach new audiences by re-establishing its presence internationally, putting in place the expertise required to promote Canada's creative industries, and enhancing funding for international events so that Canadian creators and cultural entrepreneurs can take advantage of export opportunities.



Minister Joly took part in round tables with the music industry, the Motion Picture Association of America and executives from the six major studios. She gained valuable perspectives on the local industries and exchanged views on how Canada can provide an effective and efficient platform to accelerate growth and innovation for the film and television industry, in partnership with the private sector. Minister Joly will continue her working trip in San Francisco, where she will focus on identifying opportunities and challenges for creative technology companies; providing perspectives on how Canadian companies can leverage local content on global platforms; and discussing how Canadian companies can develop commercially viable and globally competitive content and services.

Quote "Canada and the United States enjoy the longest, most peaceful and mutually beneficial relationship of any two countries on the planet. Maintaining strong economic ties is vital to our mutual success. The Government of Canada recognizes that our creative industries are a key sector of our economy and that innovation is the key to economic growth. We understand the importance of giving Canadian creators and artists every chance to seize the opportunities provided by international markets and audiences. I am proud to showcase Canada's creative industries to the U.S and the world. Opening new markets for creative industries will contribute to inclusive growth, create jobs and strengthen the middle classand help those working hard to join it. Our goal is to help Canadian creative entrepreneurs increase their competitive position on the international stage to conquer new markets, and contribute directly to Canada's overall economic and social prosperity." The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage SOURCE Canadian Heritage

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[April 21, 2017] Underground Elephant Continues Fostering Deep Relationship with San Diego Humane Society

Underground Elephant, a digital marketing company located in downtown San Diego, has continued its efforts to support San Diego Humane Society by opening the doors of its award-winning office space and volunteering at the upcoming Walk for Animals. On Wednesday, April 19, San Diego Humane Society joined Underground Elephant at its headquarters located in the heart of East Village, offering a space optimized for open and collaborative culture. Underground Elephant has been a leading supporter of San Diego Humane Society since its founding in 2008. In 2013, Underground Elephant donated $25,000 to the nonprofit, which helped fund the creation of new homes for the more than 7,500 stray and surrendered animals that San Diego Humane Society cares for each year. A portion of the donation was also used to provide medical care for the animals. This year, the team will be partnering with San Diego Humane Society for the 8th time on their annual Walk for Animals. "San Diego Humane Society does wonderful things for animals, and in doing so they have made San Diego a better city," said Jason Kulpa, CEO of Underground Elephant. "San Diego has consistently been recognized as one of the best cities for dog-lovers and one of the top 10 dog-friendliest cities in America, a lot of which can be attributed to the efforts of San Diego Humane Society. We are proud to be affiliated with an organization that believes so strongly in their cause." Supporting charitable organizations is inherent to the Underground Elephant culture and the company is proud to be affiliated with one of such importance in San Diego. Jason Kulpa, CEO and Founder of Underground Elephant, previously served as a board member of San Diego Human Society.



"Getting involved with charitable organizations is at the core of who we are at UE," said Amy Zebrowski, Head of HR at Underground Elephant. "We love animals, which is why we also instituted Dog Fridays where employees can bring their pets into the office. Additionally, we recognize the importance and value of San Diego Humane Society's commitment to keeping San Diego at zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals." "We've been extremely fortunate to have the support of Underground Elephant for many years," said Jennifer Grantham, Sr. Director of Philanthropy for San Diego Humane Society. "In addition to contributing funding to support the animals in our community, Underground Elephant has provided a tremendous amount of marketing support to our organization throughout our partnership. Its assistance has proven invaluable in helping us maintain awareness in the community and we are incredibly grateful for their time, financial support and talents. Community support and volunteerism is a critical component to our success and ability to accomplish our mission of ensuring and improving animal welfare in San Diego."

The Walk for Animals is Saturday, May 6 at NTC Park in Liberty Station. By getting involved, starting a team and fundraising, San Diegans can make a direct impact on ensuring that every animal in San Diego is safe. To register for the event and for more information, please visit sdwalkforanimals.org. About Underground Elephant Headquartered in downtown San Diego, Underground Elephant is an award-winning marketing technology company that develops programmatic advertising platforms in order to bring transparency and efficiency to the buying and selling of structured lead generation media. The company's robust portfolio of enterprise-grade tech solutions enhances the connection between enterprises and their prospective clients by delivering highly efficient pathways to organic sales conversations. Learn more at http://undergroundelephant.com/. About San Diego Humane Society Serving San Diego County since 1880, San Diego Humane Society's scope of social responsibility goes beyond adopting animals. San Diego Humane Society offers San Diegans a wide range of programs and services that strengthen the human-animal bond, prevent cruelty/neglect, provide medical care, educate the community on the humane treatment of animals and provide safety net services for all pet families needing assistance with keeping their pets. As one of San Diego's oldest nonprofit organizations, San Diego Humane Society has campuses located in Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego, as well as adoption centers inside Petco stores throughout San Diego County. San Diego Humane Society is supported solely through contributions, grants, bequests, investments, proceeds from the Muttique retail store and small fees for services. For more information or to view our current animals available for adoption; please visit www.sdhumane.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170421005889/en/

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[April 21, 2017] EmojiOne Reinvents Itself, Releases All-New Emoji Designs

LAS VEGAS, April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EmojiOne Inc. is proud to introduce 2,384 all-new emoji icons in their version 3.0 artwork release. The entire EmojiOne.com website received a complete overhaul as well, including a brand-new option to purchase a premium license instantly. Every single emoji in the collection was upgraded, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The EmojiOne design team has spent the last several months redesigning, refining and, in some cases, completely re-creating the emojis from the ground up. The entire new collection is presented now as version 3.0. All icons are produced in house and can be enjoyed by both developers and consumers. A brand-new website was released in parallel with the new emoji set. The new website also brought along a new freemium licensing structure. The new emojis remain free for most digital uses, with similar requirements for attribution that were in place previously. For a premium fee, individuals and companies can purchase a license for most commercial uses in just a few clicks. Pricing starts at $99 for premium access.



EmojiOne's founder, Rick Moby, said, "These are the slickest designs we've ever released! This was our steepest mountain and by far the most challenging climb. So many delicate decisions were made while in the design room for both compatibility and originality. Consumers deserve to enjoy these emojis on their devices one way or another. I'm a believer that we'll find additional opportunities to accomplish that. I hope the world loves the passion and care we put into them! EmojiOne.com is a full-service emoji provider to both online and offline companies worldwide. Founded in September 2014 out of necessity, EmojiOne was the first complete open-source emoji set available for developers. EmojiOne v2 is already in wide use and can be seen in many digital products like Adobe Photoshop, Verizon Messages, Slack and many others. Retail outlets such as Target, Walmart and Kohls, also carry official EmojiOne merchandise. With the newest v3 release, EmojiOne is seeking new strategic licensing partners and digital integrations. For inquiries, please contact EmojiOne at [email protected].

Related Links EmojiOne 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/emojione-reinvents-itself-releases-all-new-emoji-designs-300443761.html SOURCE EmojiOne Inc

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INVESTOR ALERT: Khang & Khang LLP Announces an Investigation of China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited and Encourages Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm

Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that it is investigating claims against China Unicom (News - Alert) (Hong Kong) Limited ("China Unicom" or the "Company") (NYSE: CHU) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.

If you purchased shares of China Unicom and want more information, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA (News - Alert) 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected].

The investiation focuses on whether China Unicom and certain of its officers and/or directors violated federal securities laws. On April 18, 2017, news reports emerged that the Company's former chairman, Chang Xiaobing, admitted at trial in China that he accepted bribes worth more than 3.76 million yuan during his 14-year tenure at China Unicom.







If you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected].

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170421005919/en/
Statistics show that a new record has been set for inbound visits to the UK in the first two months of the year with 5.2 million visits, up 6% on the same period last year. Overseas visitors spent a record 2.7 billion in January and February, up 11% on the previous year.

Tourism Minister Tracey Crouch said, This record-breaking start to the year once more underlines the strength of our tourism industry.

Our fantastic welcome and world-class attractions are continuing to attract huge numbers of visitors from across the globe, which is great news for the whole country.

VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates said, These figures show that 2017 is off to a cracking start for inbound tourism, one of our most valuable export industries.

Britain is offering great value for overseas visitors and we can see the success of our promotions in international markets. We must continue to build on our message of welcome and value in our high spending markets such as China, the US and the valuable European market.

Growth at the start of the year was led from our long-haul markets including North America with 400,000 visits, up 2% compared to the same period last year as well as from other parts of the world up 15% to 790,000 visits.

There were 3.6 million visits from the EU in January and February, up 5% on the previous year.

Strong growth was also seen in holiday visits in January and February, up 15% on the same period in 2016 with 1.6 million visits.

VisitBritains forecast predicts that growth is set to continue in 2017 with 38.8 million visits and with spending reaching 23.9 billion.

Latest flight booking data shows that flight bookings to the UK for April to September 2017 are up 21% compared to the same period last year. 2016 was a record-breaker for inbound tourism to the UK with 37.3 million visits, up 3.4% on 2015, with visitors spending 22.2 billion, matching 2015s record spend.
[April 22, 2017] Washington Hospital Healthcare System Celebrates Earth Day 2017 With Free Community Celebration This Saturday

Washington Hospital Healthcare System: This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170422005001/en/ Mateo is looking forward to Let's Go Green Together 2017 on April 22, 2017, at Washington Hospital Healthcare System in Fremont, California. This fun and educational event reflects the Hospital's commitment to environmental stewardship in health care, and is part of Earth Day 2017 celebrations around the world. (Photo: Business Wire) What

Earth Day 2017 will be celebrated in 192 countries around this world on Saturday, April 22. As part of Earth Day's commitment to increase environmental and climate literacy, Washington Hospital Healthcare System in Fremont, Calif., is presenting a Let's Go Green Together 2017 event. "The entire staff at our hospital is committed to planet friendly healthcare," said Nancy Farber, chief executive officer at the award-winning, 341-bed, acute-care hospital. "Together with the City of Fremont, we're committed to the healthiest possible community - one that makes a difference in helping to clean up our world."



Activities will include: syringes and needles drop-off; confidential document shredding; medication disposal; mercury thermometer exchange and more. For the kids? Face painting, a bike rodeo, bike tune-ups, eco-tainment, Earth Day art, and lots of free games and activities. See a full list at whhs.com/green. It'll be a fun and educational event that reflects the hospital's commitment to environmental stewardship in health care. "We recognize the critical link between the health of each individual and the health of the environment," said Farber, "and we look forward to celebrating this connection with the community."

When

Saturday, April 22, 2017

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Where

Washington West Parking Lot and Auditorium

2500 Mowry Ave.

Fremont, Calif. 94538 About Washington Township Healthcare District Washington Township Health Care District is governed by an elected board and includes Washington Hospital Healthcare System. Unlike a municipal or county hospital, Washington Hospital's operating expenses, research, community programs, and employee salaries are funded by revenues generated through providing patient and other health care services. Opened in 1958, Washington Hospital Healthcare System has grown to include a 341-bed, acute-care hospital; the Taylor McAdam Bell Neuroscience Institute; The Gamma Knife Center; Washington Radiation Oncology Center; Washington Outpatient Surgery Center; Washington Outpatient Rehabilitation Center; Washington Institute for Joint Restoration and Research; Washington Township Medical Foundation; and Washington West, a complex which houses Washington Women's Center, Outpatient Imaging Center, Sandy Amos RN Infusion Center, Washington Urgent Care and additional outpatient hospital services and administrative facilities. Discover more at whhs.com, and through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170422005001/en/

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[April 22, 2017] Philips showcases newest MR-based innovations and the value of collaboration at ISMRM 2017

AMSTERDAM, April 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA) today announced that it will feature the company's latest Magnetic Resonance (MR) solutions and neurology-focused clinical applications at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's (ISMRM) 25th annual meeting and exhibition in Hawaii. As a part of its newest suite of magnetic resonance (MR)-based software applications dedicated to neurology, Philips will be showcasing MultiBand SENSE, which was developed in collaboration with several partners, including the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. At ISMRM, Philips will demonstrate innovations designed to extend MR's valuable role across the health continuum, touching more lives with the technology that sheds light on intricate anatomical structures and helps clinicians to make confident diagnostic decisions. Through continued collaboration with its customers, Philips is designing imaging and visualization technologies to support patient-personalized, efficient care, with the aim to make MR solutions more accessible [1] and definitive [2]. Among Philips' newest neurology software applications is MultiBand SENSE, a clinical application that allows simultaneous acquisition of multiple slices in the brain in fMRI and diffusion imaging. This capability enables accelerated neuro-functional and diffusion scans at high speed and high resolution with virtually no impact on SNR [3], providing radiologists with the option to increase coverage or resolution without increasing scan time. MultiBand SENSE leverages Philips' unique dStream digital platform on the Ingenia 3T family of MRI systems. Philips' MultiBand SENSE, developed in collaboration with the University of Vermont among other partners, has played a vital role in the university's participation in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study [4], the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Co-led by Professor of Psychiatry Hugh Garavan, PhD, and Assistant Professor of sychiatry Alexandra Potter, PhD, the UVM site is one of 21 sites participating in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study, which aims to track the biological and behavioral development of approximately 11,500 children through adolescence into young adulthood.



Richard Watts, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology and an MRI physicist at the University of Vermont, worked with Philips in development of MultiBand SENSE and has used the application in the protocols of their research to increase speed. "Specific advanced neuroimaging protocols had to be met for a site to be eligible for this large-scale study, and Philips worked with us to make that possible," said Watts. "With Philips' MultiBand SENSE, we are imaging six times faster, with the possibility to go up to eight, while still maintaining quality imaging results, which is key to meeting the high specifications of the study." "By empowering clinicians with leading-edge technologies like MultiBand SENSE for image acquisition and visualization, Philips is helping to deliver personalized, more confident answers to the most complex diagnostic questions," said Eric Jean, Senior Vice President and General Manager BIU Magnetic Resonance, Philips. "Without a close relationship with our customers, our innovations could not be as tightly aligned with real-world clinical and research needs  they continue to help bring our innovations to life by providing us with their valuable insight and playing an active role in development."

As part of its ongoing commitment to innovation, Philips continues to collaborate with customers and research partners to advance the capabilities of MR imaging. At ISMRM, Philips will also be highlighting two additional MR-based clinical applications that are in development: Compressed SENSE [5]  Designed to tackle the challenges associated with bringing speed in MRI while maintaining consistent image quality.

[5] Designed to tackle the challenges associated with bringing speed in MRI while maintaining consistent image quality. APT [5]  APT (Amide Proton Transfer) addresses the need for definitive diagnosis in neuro oncology. Philips will be showcasing its MR solutions at booth #629 at the ISMRM Annual Meeting, Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. The company will host a lunch symposium at ISMRM on Wednesday, April 26, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Attendees will hear from industry leaders who will share their knowledge about innovation in MR technology. Follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates from the 2017 International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and visit www.philips.com/ISMRM for details on Philips' presence at the event. [1] Accessible is defined as features that are expected to contribute to speed, consistency, user or patient friendliness.

[2] Definitive is defined as features that are expected to deliver alternative contrasts, functional or quantitative images.

[3] Up to an MB SENSE factor of 3.

[4] Philips is not a sponsor of the study.

[5] Compressed SENSE and APT are work in progress, not for sale in the USA. For further information, please contact:

Alicia Cafardi

Philips Group Communications

Tel: + 1 412-523-9616

E-mail: [email protected] Silvie Casanova

Philips North America

Tel: +1-978-657-7467

E-mail: [email protected] About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com

ewscenter. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/philips-showcases-newest-mr-based-innovations-and-the-value-of-collaboration-at-ismrm-2017-300443841.html SOURCE Royal Philips

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Germany Urges Nigeria to Step up Vocational Training

The German Government has charged Nigeria to strengthen her efforts at pulling out of recession with vocational skills development, especially among youths.The Head, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce, Nigeria, Dr. Marc Lucassen, urged the Federal Government to learn from her German counterpart who, despite not having crude oil and agricultural resources, boosted her Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and reduced unemployment through Dual Vocational Training (DVT).He spoke during at the graduation of the first batch of apprentices in Office Administration Profession in Ogun State of the on-going German Dual Vocational Training Partnership with Nigeria (G-DVTPW-N).Lucassen said for Nigeria to exit recession it must integrate DVT and collaborate with the private sector, stressing that DVT is better driven with Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.The G-DVTPW-N Programme Coordinator, Kehinde Stephen Awoyele, explained that G-DVTPW-N was an initiative of the Federal Republic of Germany geared towards raising the employability bar of youths and reducing poverty in the country.He said the programme was being financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and conducted by sequagGmbH. Its steered by the CCI Giessen-Friedberg as the German project partner.
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, was on Friday elected the new Chairman and President of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA).Alhaji Bashir Jamoh, the Executive Director, Finance of NIMASA and Chairman AAMA Conference Local Organising Committee, said this at a news conference in Abuja, drawing the curtain on the third conference of the association.According to Jamoh, Peterside was unanimously elected by all member nations of the association.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Peterside succeeds Mr Sobantu Tilayi, who is presently the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the South African Maritime Administration. The election would serve as a platform for African countries, Asia and European nations to support Nigeria in getting elected into Category `C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council.He said that the 4th session of the conference would hold in Egypt in 2018, while Namibia and Seychelles got provisional hosting right for 2019.The executive director noted that South Africa retained the secretariat of the association.Jamoh, however, said that countries not in attendance at the conference might have encountered visa problem.He noted that all African countries were automatic members of the association.
British Airways has commenced flight to and from the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport in Abuja after completion of repair works and su...

British Airways has commenced flight to and from the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport in Abuja after completion of repair works and subsequent re-opening of the airport.The airline had joined other international airlines, including Lufthansa and South African Airways, in rejecting the Kaduna airport, which served as replacement hub during the period which Abuja airport was closed.I want to tell you that we have taken a decision not to operate to Kaduna because of logistics. We will resume operations immediately the facility is fixed, Kola Olayinka, regional commercial manager, had said.In a statement released on Friday, the airline commended the federal government on the timely completion of the repairs on the runway in Abuja.British Airways will like to applaud the minister of state, aviation, Hadi Sirika and his team for the brilliant job done on the Abuja runway, the statement read.Aviation services actually resumed a day earlier at the Abuja airport rather than on the April 19 date scheduled for the completion of repairs on the runway and British Airways is very pleased that the international airport is reopening. Daily service to and from London will resume.Already, two British Airways flights have used the Abuja airport.British Airways BA83 scheduled to depart Terminal 5 at Heathrow, London on Wednesday evening arrived at Abuja at 4:48am on Thursday, April 20 as the first BA flight following the re-opening. British Airways BA82 scheduled to depart Abuja airport to London, left by 7:05am also on the same day, the statement read.At this period, British Airways have reaffirmed their commitments as a trusted airline and aviation partner that will continue to be associated with constructive alliances for the positive growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has been dragged to court by a constitutional lawyer, and former President of the Nigeria Bar Associatio...

The Federal Government of Nigeria has been dragged to court by a constitutional lawyer, and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba for alleged negligence of the Igbo-occupied South-Eastern part of the country.Agbakoba is also demanding N1trillion in the fundamental human rights suit filed before a Federal High Court for himself and on behalf of the South East Zone over alleged acts of discrimination and underdevelopment of the region.In the suit brought in pursuant to section 42 of the 1999 constitution, the lawyer is further asking the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government and its agents, servants or privies, or otherwise howsoever from further acts of discrimination against the applicant or any member of the Group/Class represented in the civil action.Besides, the applicants are also claiming a whopping sum of N1trillion from the Federal Government as general damages to be shared among the five states of the South-East geo-political zone.The suit is praying the court to declare that the structural composition of the states in Nigeria, in this distribution: North-West, Seven States; North-Central, Six States; North-East, Six States; South-West, Six States; South-South, Six States; and South-East, Five States; creates a structural imbalance against the applicant and the Group/Class he represents to their political and economic disadvantage in federal legislative representation, ministerial/political and judicial appointments, and revenue allocation contrary to Section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which requires reflection of federal character in conduct of public affairs, and accordingly a violation of Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which prohibits discrimination against the applicant and the Group/Class represented based on Ethnic Grouping and place of origin.In an originating summons supported by an affidavit of 99 paragraphs and a statement of claim, the applicants rooted their action on the ground of alleged total neglect of the applicants geo-political zone by the Federal Government in terms of infrastructure and general federal presence making the region feel not part of the Federal Government (1st Respondent).It is equally demanding the creation of two more states in the South-East geopolitical zone to balance with the seven states in the North-West.The suit is also asking the Federal High Court for an order directing the Federal Government to forthwith, prepare and send to the National Assembly for enactment, a bill to establish the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) and for ancillary matters, which body shall be charged with the execution of the said master plan and the general development of the South-East geo-political zone.Other grounds upon which the action was filed is the alleged abandonment of the Niger Bridge to collapse and failure to build the Second Niger Bridge making the applicants feel isolated from other parts of 1st Respondent and causing them apprehension about disaster on crossing the existing bridge.They cited the abandonment of federal roads, which are death traps and robbery baits and occasioning and constraining on the applicants grueling road journeys within the geo-political zone as another reason for the suit.It is their contention that the failure to develop strategic new roads especially the Anam-Nzam federal road linking the South-East with the North-Central at Idah in Kogi State to give the applicants easy access to the northern part of Nigeria is discriminatory.The grounds of the suit also include failure to exploit the Oil/Gas Reserves in Anambra Basin and stalling the applicants legitimate expectation from employment and derivation funds for development of the Applicants South-East Zone.The applicants further cited the abandonment of the Enugu Colliery and depriving them legitimate expectation from employment and derivation funds for the development of the South-East zone as grounds of their action.In addition, they also pointed out the failure to develop trade-friendly ports and customs policies and establish ease-of-business platforms to assist the applicants trading brothers and sisters to do better and operate on a higher and modern scale in trading, which makes the applicants to spend money to support relatives.The suit further raised concern over the failure to have an operational international cargo airport at Owerri to aid trading, which causes the applicants to spend huge sums of money to support trading relatives to haul airborne goods by road from Lagos, with the attendant risks.The failure to dredge the Lower Niger and establish a Port at Onitsha to aid trading which causes the applicants to spend huge sums of money to support trading relatives to haul seaborne goods by road from Port Harcourt or Lagos, with the attendant risks, has also prompted the action of the applicants.Low revenue allocation status on the South-East Zone as a result of failure to exploit Oil/Gas and Coal and as a result of the said structural imbalance is adduced as a ground for the suit.Among other declarations sought, they want the court, to declare that the worsening menace of erosion in the South-East zone generally and in particular in Agulu, Nanka and Obosi in Anambra State, under the watch and neglect of the 1st Respondent, who responds to similar or less-threatening ecological problems in other Zones with dispatch and commitment, is discriminatory and a violation of the fundamental right of the applicant and the Group/Class represented guaranteed under Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.It is also their prayer that the court should make an order directing the 1st Respondent to take immediate steps to check the excessively aggressive and nefarious, yet ineffective policing of the South-East Geopolitical Zone and putting an end to the extortion going on at the ubiquitous police check-points on the highways in the South-East Geopolitical Zone.
In his continued tour around Nigeria, Big Brother Naija 2017 winner, Efe has stormed the federal capital territory, Abuja in style. His fan...

In his continued tour around Nigeria, Big Brother Naija 2017 winner, Efe has stormed the federal capital territory, Abuja in style. His fans were all out to welcome him, in his convoy which had different exotic cars in it.





Efe on his tour has stopped by at Nigeria's ex-Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro's house to pay a courtesy visit to the ever-smiling ex-IGP.





Here's what he wrote on his official Instagram handle;





"Courtesy visit to the Chairman Police Service Commission...Sir. Mike Okiro IGP (Rtd)"

See more pictures below:












President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside on his election as the new Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrators (AAMA).The presidents congratulatory message was issued in a statement by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Saturday in Abuja.Buhari said: Petersides unanimous election is not only a personal honour and affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA, but also places Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) toward safer global maritime activities.He acknowledged NIMASAs encouraging performance under Peterside, especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter-agency cooperation.According to the president, Petersides new position provides him with an even bigger platform to forge ahead in doing the nation proud by meeting the objectives of AAMA.While wishing the new Chairman of AAMA successful one-year tenure, he expressed confidence that within this period, the Federal Governments renewed focus on growing the Nigerian economy through increased maritime resources would be further enhanced.Dakuku Peterside emerged chairman of AAMA at the end of the 3rd Annual Conference of the continental organisation in Abuja on Friday.Peterside took over the chairmanship position from Sobantu Tilayi, the acting Chief Executive Officer of South African Maritime and Safety Agency (SAMSA), who has been the acting Chair of the association since 2013.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 95 count charge against the former governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Ba...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 95 count charge against the former governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu. The case was filed on Thursday at the Niger state High court by a team from the legal department of the commission ifrom Abuja. The former governor had been detained for more than two weeks at the cells of the commission in Abuja since he was invited from his Abuja residence.EFCC operatives arrived Minna at about 2 pm on Thursday in two buses one conveying the operatives while the other ferried heavily armed police men.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has appealed to the police to clamp down on the murderous herdsmen and kidnappers disturbing the peac...

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has appealed to the police to clamp down on the murderous herdsmen and kidnappers disturbing the peace of the country with the same intensity it crushed the Boko Haram insurgents.Ajimobi made the appeal through his Deputy, Chief Alake Adeyemo, while receiving the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Southwest, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo in Ibadan, the state capital.Ajimobi restated the need for the police to continue to collaborate with other security and intelligence agencies across the country to overcome the menace of kidnappers and herdsmen ravaging the country.He emphasised the need for unity and peaceful coexistence among citizens, saying it was only in an atmosphere of peace that businesses could thrive and investors can be attracted at this period that the countrys economy was tottering.Ajimobi, however, expressed appreciation to the officers and men of the police at the state command for their unrelenting efforts at fostering a secured state, which, he said, was the foundation of economic viability.Our first priority on assumption of office in 2011 was to foster peaceful atmosphere in the state. We are happy today that Oyo State is one of the most secured in the country.We want to appeal to the police authority to replicate the collaborative efforts employed in overcoming the Boko Haram menace in battling herdsmen crisis as well as the recent spate of kidnapping in the country.The economy of this country can only improve in an atmosphere that is peaceful for businesses and living. We cannot do businesses in an insecure environment. Similarly, we will be scaring investors away when the environment is not peaceful.The DIG earlier in his remarks commended the governor for sustaining the peaceful environment he enthroned on assumption of office in 2011.He said he was touring the Southwest to assess the level of security and to interact with the stakeholders on the state of affairs.The police boss added that the meetings were also aimed at discussing mutual efforts required to bolster security situation within the zone.Oyo is one of the states the Inspector-General of Police (Ibrahim Idris) loves because of its peculiar peaceful atmosphere.He directed all DIGs to visit all their zones within two weeks to have on-the-spot assessment of security situations in each state.I have met with security stakeholders in the state like the Police Community Relation Committee (PCRC), Eminent Peoples Forum, and traditional institution, among others to discuss how to maintain the current peaceful atmosphere in Oyo State.On our part, we will continue to discharge our responsibilities with strict adherence to the sanctity of human rights. We have warned our men that any police officer found to have used his weapons to kill or maim innocent citizens would be tried within 48 hours of such incident.He added that adequate policing was a joint responsibility of the security agencies and the entire citizenry, appealing to members of the society to contribute their quota towards the attainment of peaceful coexistence of all.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose on Thursday made good his promise to make N10m available for Beer, Foods and Drinks Sellers Assoc...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose on Thursday made good his promise to make N10m available for Beer, Foods and Drinks Sellers Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter.Fayose had on 31st January, 2017 during the Association's Exco Inauguration in Ado-Ekiti promised to improve members' business with #10m revolving loan that will benefit members across the 16LGAs.While presenting cheques to the over 500 beneficiaries who came from across the 16 Local Government Areas at the Government House in Ado on Thursday, Governor Fayose said the gesture was in fulfilment of his promise to them during their inauguration.The governor explained that the initiative was also in line with the stomach infrastructure programme aimed at supporting their business. Mr Fayose urged beneficiaries to refund the loan as and when due so others can benefit.He urged those without voters card to take advantage of the registration which will commence on 27th of April, 2017 by INEC.
The Deputy Governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 Governorship election in Niger state, Alhaji Liman Ka...

The Deputy Governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 Governorship election in Niger state, Alhaji Liman Kantigi has denied ownership of the N2 billion in a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account linked to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).According to Kantigi, he is not aware of the said account traced to a company account titled Liman and companies in UBA stating that he is neither a Director nor a Stakeholder in the company.For God sake, the media ought to have confirm from the banks if truly my names are there as their customer? I am not a Director of such companies nor Share holder. In a statement made available to The Nation in Minna, Kantigi also denied allegations that he has been evading the EFCC regarding the linked account adding that some group of people have decided to use the media to smear his character as a businessman and politician.I acknowledge the fact that the EFCC has the constitutional right to investigate anybody they suspect, it is, however not true that I have been evading the commission. My lawyers are in touch with the EFCC and the commission is aware of this, so it is not true that I am evading the commission.I want to categorically state that the claim that another N2 billion in a UBA account reportedly linked to me is untrue and figment of some peoples imagination who want to use the media to drag my name to the mud.I was Chairman of my Local Government with outstanding performances and a Honourable Commissioner for seven months. How could I have siphoned such amount and pushed to companies as an individual from the government agency as claimed by the medias?,  he asked.Kantigi urged the media to confirm from the banks and fault him if he was lying adding that the media reports was being orchestrated by people who would want to spoil his name and associate his name with anything bad by all means.Kantigi appealed to his supporters to disregard all the news trending about him in the media stressing that they are false and unfounded and urge the media to cross their facts very well before rushing to the public.
Foremost Nigerian music producer, Ayodele Basel popularly known as Del B, was reportedly rushed hospital, after he began complaining of a...

Foremost Nigerian music producer, Ayodele Basel popularly known as Del B, was reportedly rushed hospital, after he began complaining of a severe stomach ache, while on the set of a video shoot in Ikeja. It was gathered that he was in company of his brother: Michael, his manager: Ugo and one T-boy, who immediately took him to the car, turned on the air conditioner and left him to rest.





However, it was alleged that he began losing strength and was then admitted in First City hospital, Lekki where tests were ran on him, late in the night on Thursday, April 20, 2017.

According to Vanguard Showtime report, the result of an initial test ran on him

revealed that he has ulcer. Although there were indications that he is stabilized, and had returned home on Friday, but none of his crew could comment on the incident.





A quick check on his Instagram handle reveals that Del B, who is currently working on the release of his EP which will drop sometime this year, just dropped a post on his page. In his post, he was thanking God for life.




The Adamawa State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has confirmed the arrest and successful prosecution of a n...

The Adamawa State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has confirmed the arrest and successful prosecution of a notorious cocaine dealer, Ahmed Buba, popularly known as  Ajebo.Mr. Buba was nabbed with 13.9 grams of cracked cocaine.Yakubu Kibo, the state commander of the agency, confirmed the development to journalists in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.Mr. Kibo described the arrest as first of its kind in the history of cocaine seizures in the state, saying the drug kingpin, after his arrest, was charged to the Federal High Court, Yola, on April 12, 2017.He was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment without the option of fine, the NDLEA official said.He said the agency conducted intensive laboratory test and that the substance found with Mr. Buba, was confirmed to be cocaine mixed with Soda Bicarbonate.Mr. Kibo said the drug dealer was arrested in Yola town, in front of Modibbo Adama University of Technology Distance Learning Centre with the illicit drug concealed in a car brain box.He said his agency trailed the kingpin for six months following intelligence report on his activities.He said after thorough investigation and search of his home at Wuro-Chekke ward in Yola South Local Government area , the kingpin admitted to have been in the illicit business for the past two years.He described Mr. Buba, 37, as the main source of cocaine supply to many higher institutions of learning in the state.The commander said the kingpin had wasted the lives of many innocent youth in the state who he said became addicted to cocaine.Ahmed Buba has confirmed to the command that the source of his cocaine is from Abuja, Mr. Kibo said.He said drugs cartels were now using vehicles spare parts popularly known as  Belgium to avoid being detected at security check points.He warned that the command would not relent in its efforts of ridding the state of hard drugs.
Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, says the next level in her work and that of her ministry is on how to sustain growth and ensure the man...

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, says the next level in her work and that of her ministry is on how to sustain growth and ensure the man on the street is affected positively.Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington, the minister said she met rating agencies, who also confirm a general consensus of a statable outlook for Nigeria.The rating agencies outlook on Nigeria is stable, there is a generally, I think the essence is to get their views. There is general consensus that Nigerian economy will grow in 2017, Adeosun said.The point is that what do to sustain that growth is to ensure that it translates to good life for our people (the masses), how do we translate money spent on infrastructure into jobs. That is the next level.Adeosun said her work at the IMF meetings in 2016 were on setting a foundation for growth, but now the focus is on making jobs available for the man on the street.Last year was really around preparation; you know how to get our road going, the rail, the power and now it is about how does that translate to the man on the street getting a job.And when we leave here now we are going to look on how to implement what we discussed agriculture inclusive.Today we are going to discuss power because power on its own can transform the man on the street or having an improvement in his standard of living. Power alone can transform our GDP growth and improve the economy.
FAIR LAWN -- The bomb squad was called into the borough Saturday morning to look into a dozen "suspicious packages" found in a residential area, which turned out to be a false alarm, police officials said.

The packages were found by a resident walking on Banta Place around 7:40 a.m. and reported to police, Fair Lawn Lt. Eric Leitman said.

"There was a concern with some of the items in the package," Leitman said.

In a press release, police said the plastic shopping bags looked as if they were "strategically placed" around and in the intersection of Banta Place and 27th Street. Each appeared to have an M-80 inside a glass jar.

The Bergen County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad was called in and police closed parts of Rosalie Street and nearby cross streets. Residents were told to stay in their homes as they investigated.

The area was reopened by 11 a.m. after discovering the bags contained black candles, according to the release.

"We don't know the purpose of the packages or why they were placed there," Leitman said.

No threats were called into police.

Anyone with information about this incident can call Fair Lawn Police Detective Karen Censullo at 201-794-5412.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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BERGENFIELD -- Two brothers allegedly attacked a Bergenfield police officer who was investigating a double-parked vehicle in the borough Saturday, an incident that led police to criticize the state's bail reform law after authorities say one of the assailants was released the same day.

Several men took off as Officer Adam Fingeroth stopped to check the vehicle on Howard Drive around 12:30 a.m., according to police. The driver, Junior Jimenez-Mariano, 21, got out and attacked the officer, knocking both men to the ground.

Fingeroth struggled with the driver while Daniel Jimenez-Villanueva, 20, joined the attack, authorities said.

"Officer Fingeroth was now engaged with both males on the ground," Capt. Mustafa Rabboh said in a news release.

Police from Teaneck, Englewood and Tenafly rushed to assist borough officers. One of the brothers was handcuffed while the other changed his clothes and was spotted among the crowd, according to authorities.

The brothers, both of Bergenfield, were charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest, Rabboh said. Police also charged Junior Jimenez-Mariano with obstructing a government function and added charges of hindering apprehension for Daniel Jimenez-Villanueva.

Meanwhile, the officer suffered bruising to his face and body, police said. He was discharged from Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck after receiving treatment.

Daniel Jimenez-Villanueva was freed from custody, according to authorities.

"The new bail reform system enabled Daniel Jimenez-Villanueva to be released to go home while my officer went to the hospital," said Rabboh, calling it "troubling and deeply disturbing."

"The system is flawed when an officer lands in the hospital and the [accused] is released the same day," Rabboh said. "This is an issue that does not sit well with any law enforcement member."

New Jersey's bail reform system was implemented this year to move away from cash bail in an effort to limit defendants from being stuck behind bars simply because they couldn't afford bail. The system uses an assessment to evaluate if a person poses a risk to public safety or likelihood of fleeing.

It was not immediately clear if the brothers had retained an attorney. Junior Jimenez-Mariano remained in custody at the Bergen County jail Saturday, according to sheriff's records.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
MOUNT HOLLY -- A Willingboro man pleaded guilty Friday in the 2014 shooting death of a Williamstown man and faces 25 years in prison, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

Abdullah H. Sheriff (Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)

Abdullah H. Sheriff, 22, admitted that he shot and killed Abenego Wesseh, 21, on March 25, 2014, in Willingboro's Fairmount Park.

Sheriff and Wesseh were apparently friends, according to social media posts. A motive for the shooting was never announced.

Sheriff, who was a senior at Willingboro High School, was arrested at school two days after the killing and has remained jailed ever since.

Wesseh was found along a path in the park a day after his death. An autopsy determined that he died of a gunshot wound to the head.

While Wesseh's address was listed in Williamstown, he spent time at a relative's home in Willingboro and had previously attended both Williamstown and Willingboro high schools.

Under a plea agreement, Sheriff pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in exchange for the 25-year term. He must serve 85 percent of that term before he is eligible for parole, according to the BCPO.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
Convenience store robbery

Police are seeking a man who allegedly robbed the Grove Convenience Store on Wednesday and threatened to stab an employee. (Courtesy of Montclair Police)

MONTCLAIR -- Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly swiped cash from a register at the Grove Convenience Store and threatened to stab an employee.

Montclair Police said the man entered the store on Wednesday around 12:30 p.m., leaned over the counter and brandished what looked like a knife. Police said he took an unknown amount of money and threatened to stab a store employee if he intervened.

The man was described as black, cross-eyed, with a thin build and about six-feet, five-inches tall. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and light jeans and has short hair with a goatee, police said.

Authorities said the man fled the store in a blue, older-model car, heading east on Oxford Street.

No injuries were reported. This incident remains under investigation.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
NEWARK -- Hoping to alleviate community concerns over the school district's universal enrollment system, Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf is pushing new measures to improve the process -- and get more feedback along the way.

The district is launching a long-awaited "transparency committee" that will give input on the schools' enrollment process. Next month, parents will also be able to use an online portal to handle any school changes after the school enrollment window closes or sign up after enrollment deadlines.

The changes comes after Cerf announced this year that K-8 students who live in the neighborhood will be given 100 percent priority in a school over those who do not reside in the neighborhood.

The universal enrollment system started under the district's former schools chief as a way to centralize how students to apply for and rank their schools of choice, whether traditional or charter. Fourteen of the district's 19 charter schools participate in the system.



"When this thing was first rolled out it had some implementation hiccups," Cerf told NJ Advance Media.

"Families all over the country have to figure out which school is the best fit for their child and should not be limited to only their school in their geographic area. At the same time many parents would like their child to go to school in their neighborhoods."

Parents and board members have complained universal enrollment has shuffled students across schools and emptied some campuses while overflowing others.

School parent Brian Stepmey-Taylor said the community will be able to see if changes to the process address their concerns by next school year.

The 2017-18 school enrollment window closed at the end of February and for the first time since 2013, ensured 100 percent of seats at K-8 schools go to neighborhood children or their siblings. Before that, a percentage of seats were open to a random lottery for students across the district.

"If it works, you'll be able to tell by the end of September," Stepmey-Taylor said.

The transparency committee -- which members of the School Advisory Board have asked for months about its debut -- will include parents, community partners, board members and district administrators.

Parents interested in serving on the committee have until May 5 to apply online at www.nps.k12.nj.us/transparency-committee.

The family enrollment portal will launch May 8 and give parents the option of making enrollment changes on a computer or at any nearby school instead of coming to the Family Support Center.

"When they miss the traditional application window, our families have shared with us that they would still like to be able to enroll in school directly from their home or in locations that are close to their home," Gabrielle Ramos-Solomon, the district's executive director of enrollment said.

Universal enrollment, though, has in some ways, become a symbol for former Superintendent Cami Anderson's turbulent tenure and the controversial school overhaul initiative called "One Newark," critics say.

But Cerf said many major cities use universal enrollment systems as a way to ensure equity and guarantee charter school accept their fair share of students with special needs.

"We deeply believe that this is about equitable access and eliminating political favoritism," he said.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
Amonteleone.jpg

Anthony Monteleone, 45, appears in court in Jersey City yesterday, April 20, 2017, on charges he urinated on a corrections officer while incarcerated at the Hudson County jail in Kearny.

JERSEY CITY -- A 45-year-old Jersey City man has been charged with assaulting a Hudson County corrections officer by urinating on him while incarcerated in the Hudson County jail in Kearny.

Anthony Monteleone, formerly of St. Lucy's Shelter on Grove Street in Jersey City, allegedly urinated on the officer's forehead, eyes and nose while the officer was in uniform and performing his duties on April 16. He is charged with aggravated assault on the corrections officer and throwing bodily fluids at the officer, the criminal complaint says.

Monteleone was handcuffed when he made his first appearance on the charges April 19 in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from the Jail.

At the hearing, the state moved to detain Monteleone during his prosecution and a detention hearing is set for Tuesday before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale.

Monteleone is being held at the jail on a sex charge indictment, the prosecutor said at the hearing. In 2015 he was charged with exposing himself to children in a Hoboken park, but it could not be determined if that was the charge he is being held on.
PGreenwood.jpg

Paola A. Greenwood, 38, appears in court in Jersey City yesterday, April 20, 2017, on charges she left her 5-year-old home unsupervised while she drank at a bar.

JERSEY CITY -- A 38-year-old Jersey City woman has been charged with getting seriously drunk in a Heights bar while her 5-year-old was home alone on Wednesday.

Paola A. Greenwood, is charged with leaving the child alone for "a long period of time" while she was at a bar at Hutton Street and Sanford Place drinking "to the point of intoxication requiring hospitalization," the criminal complaint says.

Greenwood is charged with child abuse and with failing to keep control and custody of the child "such that the child was put at risk due to insufficient supervision," the complaint says.

Greenwood made her first appearance on the charges in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City yesterday via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

At the hearing, she was ordered released with conditions of supervision pending her prosecution. The judge noted that the state division of Child Protection and Permanency was notified.
TRENTON - Hundreds of activists and scientists gathered in Trenton Saturday to take part in a nationwide "March for Science" and speak out against President Donald Trump's policies, which one speaker said were "tearing down," the very foundations of science.

The march was held in solidarity with others happening across the country and in cities around the world including Tokyo, Sydney and London in honor of Earth Day Saturday.

Participants at the two-hour long event started at the Trenton War Memorial and walked through downtown streets before ending at the New Jersey State House Annex, where speakers addressed the crowd.

Though Earth Day has long been a non-partisan day of action and celebration, Trump's administration and policies brought political fervor to the crowd Saturday.

"You're on the right side," one speaker told the crowd of nearly 1,000 people gathered outside the statehouse, before condemning "those who resist science and seek to tear down environmental protection."

One particular concern to many at Trenton's event was the president's stance on climate change, which he has called a "hoax," in the past. In response to this, one speaker asked marchers to call for an official climate change plan.

Others took a more visual route to get their point across, with several marchers carrying signs that said "There is no planet b," and wearing shirts with the words, "Science is not a liberal conspiracy."

A few marchers carried small, fake, neon trees in an apparent reference to the popular children's book about environmentalism, "The Lorax."

One man's sign simply read, "I mean, seriously?!"

"We're facing challenging times from the administration," Azra Baig, an organizer at the event said following the march. "Science is important and we need to speak up."

Trump addressed his climate policies in a statement Saturday, saying that his administration seeks to protect the environment as long as that doesn't negatively affect jobs, The Guardian reported.

"Rigorous science is critical to my administration's efforts to achieve the twin goals of economic growth and environmental protection," Trump said, according to The Guardian. "My administration is committed to advancing scientific research that leads to a better understanding of our environment and of environmental risks."

The political tone of Trenton's march was echoed around the country, with activists making similar speeches and chants at marches in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

But for the younger crowd, including a young girl named Helena, the march was just a chance to celebrate science.

Carrying a sign that read, "Forget princess, I want to be a scientist," with chemistry beakers drawn in the place of the I's, Helena excitedly discussed her love of everything science.

"I want to find a cure for cancer, if it's not found already by the time I become a scientist," Helena said. She also talked about a long desire to work with animals - pandas are her favorite, but that's subject to change, she noted - and to work at the Smithsonian when she grows up.

The march and speeches ended, fittingly, with organizers pointing activists and scientists to the New Jersey State Museum next door, which includes a planetarium.

A final speaker implored marchers to spend the rest of their Saturday soaking up knowledge and immersing themselves in science.

"Be open about what you learn and what you think is important," he reminded the crowd before they dispersed.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman
Myles Washington, who served jail time in Louisiana and California, speaks at Mass Story Lab. To Washington's right is Sheila Phipps, the mother of imprisoned No Limit Rapper Mac Phipps; Gerald Davis, who completed a re-entry program at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola; and Freedom Richardson, whose father remains incarcerated on a 60-year sentence. (Emily Lane, The Times-Picayune)
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Deja Lindsey, 20, a junior at Georgetown University, talks on her cell phone in front of Healy Hall on campus, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Washington. After renaming the Mulledy and McSherry buildings at Georgetown University temporarily to Freedom Hall and Remembrance Hall, Georgetown University will give preference in admissions to the descendants of slaves owned by the Maryland Jesuits as part of its effort to atone for profiting from the sale of enslaved people. On April 18, Georgetown gave permanent names to those buildings. Isaac Hawkins Hall honors one of the slaves sold. Anne Marie Becraft Hall honors a 19th century black nun and educator. (AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin)
The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
A Missouri Valley woman was arrested Thursday for allegedly neglecting and endangering two children after the children tested positive for methamphetamine, police said.

Cassie Brown, 26, is currently being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail.

According to the police report, the Department of Human Services learned Brown and another suspect, Amanda Detrick, would use meth and be violent around the children. Detrick, who is the mother of the children, has a warrant for her arrest.

On Jan. 20, DHS interviewed one of the children, who said Detrick would lock he and his brother in their room at night to stop them from getting to the refrigerator using locks on the outside of their door.

The child said Brown and Detrick would fight, which caused bruises to his mothers eye, and that he didnt feel safe with Brown in the house after he saw her choke his mom and hold a pocket knife to her face.

A DHS worker met the two women on Jan. 24 at their apartment, and learned they were being evicted. They told DHS they had been evicted five times in the previous five months.

While the DHS worker was there, Brown was very agitated and began using racial slurs toward the DHS worker.

Brown denied hurting Detrick or the children but DHS saw the bruising around Detricks eyes. Detrick told DHS she fell out of bed and was also hit by a pop bottle that was thrown at her, but wasnt intended to hit her.

Detrick said Brown never hit the children or her. When asked to take a drug test, they both denied using illegal substances, police said.

On Jan. 25, Brown and Detrick did not complete their drug screens. While DHS spoke with Detrick over the phone about finding a place for the children, Brown could be heard in the background yelling racial slurs.

I cant make her stop, Detrick said to DHS, and also said Brown would often use slurs around the children, who are biracial.

On Feb. 15, both children tested positive for meth. In April, warrants were placed for their arrests for lack of cooperation with DHS.

Browns bail was set on Friday at $20,000.
MASON CITY | Two Mason City women were honored this week for their efforts to stay sober and keep their families intact.

Karalee Simon and Brittany Hanson are the most recent graduates of the Cerro Gordo County Family Preservation Court, which began in July 2014.

Many graduates of the program choose to keep their identities private, but Simon and Hanson chose to go public.

Family Preservation Court "has been a blessing for me," said Hanson, who brought her 3-year-old son to the ceremony at the courthouse on Wednesday.

"It just helped me grow as a person," she said. "They have held me accountable. That was an issue for me before."

Katy Thoreson, Family Preservation Court coordinator for Cerro Gordo County, said participants enter the program because they have alcohol or substance abuse issues, and have either had their children taken out of their home or are in danger of having them removed.

The goal is to keep the family together or get the children back home.

"Children belong with their parents whenever that can be safely accomplished," Thoreson said.

It usually take participants 12 to 18 months to complete the four-phase program. For the first two phases, they attend once a week. During the final two phases, they attend every other week.

At the beginning of each session, participants meet with each other in a support group setting. Then they meet with representatives from a number of different agencies.

'They have an entire team behind their back," Thoreson said.

Team members make sure participants are getting treatment and attending parenting classes, she said.

Participation in Family Preservation Court is voluntary.

"They can quit any time they want, but they (the graduates) didn't," Thoreson said.

This shows their dedication to succeeding, she added.

"They (Hanson and Simon) have put in a lot of hard work," Thoreson said.

Family Preservation Court is one of the specialty courts in the Iowa Judicial System. Those courts are in danger of reduction or elimination on the state level, according to District Court Judge Colleen Weiland.

Simon has three daughters ages 17, 14 and 10. The oldest was not able to attend the graduation ceremony, but the younger children were there.

She thanked the Family Preservation Court Team for "not giving up on me."

A big part of the program is the participants' relationships with each other, according to Simon.

"We have bonded very, very well," she said. "We tell each other everything we go through and try to be there for each other."

Hanson had a message for those considering participating in Family Preservation Court.

"It will change your life for the better," she said.
A St. Louis man was arrested at a Council Bluffs casino Wednesday night after he allegedly tried to rob someone and then injured a police officer, authorities said.

Donavan Ayers, 22, is charged with first-degree theft, assault on a police officer, eluding, disorderly conduct and interfering with official acts.

According to police, Ayers tried to grab a mans wallet out of his back pocket at the Horseshoe Casino. Ayers yelled at the alleged victim, then ran away, investigators said.

Police searched for Ayers, found him and tried to place him in handcuffs, but Ayers pulled away, tearing the handcuffs out of the officers hand and ran, according to police.

The officer tried to tackle Ayers but the man kept running, police said. Officers located him hiding in a marshy area near the Bass Pro Shops store and he was taken into custody.

The officer and Ayers suffered minor injuries during the arrest, police said. He is currently being held on $10,000 bond.
The Iowa Legislature was expected to adjourn Friday night, as lawmakers finalized a budget in a session that included sweeping changes to a number of laws.

The Republican-controlled House and Senate made its mark on the state, passing laws that expanded gun rights, reduced collective bargaining power, defunded Planned Parenthood, changed voting requirements and availability and legalized firework sales.

In addition, lawmakers finalized a budget amid revenue shortfalls.

Reflecting on what lawmakers had done over roughly four months, freshman Sen. Dan Dawson, who represents Council Bluffs and Carter Lake, said, Its the most impactful and consequential session the state of Iowa has had in the last five decades.

Republican Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, who represents eastern Council Bluffs, said, its been a very, very busy session.

Weve taken up a lot of topics that are important to Iowans, she said.

Dawson, a Republican, was the Senate lead on the wide-ranging gun bill, which included divisive stand-your-ground language.

The gun legislation will allow people to use deadly force anywhere if they feel a risk to their life or safety. It would also allow a person to use deadly force even if alternative action were available and an individual could be wrong in his or her estimation of danger.

Gun rights was a key campaign issue for Dawson, an agent with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and member of the Army Reserve.

The most significant portion was stand your ground  there are a lot of people with strong opinions on that out there, he said.

Asked if the provision could lead to more shootings, Dawson pointed to a 2009 law that changed the requirement for sheriffs offices issuing weapons permits from a may issue to shall issue, meaning less restrictions for those seeking the permits. The state saw an increase in permits from around 50,000 in 2009 to 270,000 today.

Weve quadrupled permits, but our violent crime statistics havent changed, Dawson said. I understand the concern people have about that. (The statistics) show me that Iowans will do the right thing.

Dawson noted one thing the provision doesnt alter  Any use of force has to be justified, and the level of force has to be reasonable. That hasnt changed.

After the bill passed, Rep. Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley, the bills floor manager in the House, said Hundreds of thousands of Iowans feel safer carrying guns. It is the ultimate equalizer.

In addition to stand your ground, the bill gives gun owners with carry permits the right to carry concealed firearms on state capitol grounds and also allows residents to sue a local government for enacting a gun-free zone if an individual feels adversely affected. Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh has expressed concern about how that will affect gun bans at City Hall, which does not have a security system in place.

Most elements of the bill would take effect July 1, but a provision to allow minors under 14 to use handguns with parental or guardian supervision would take effect immediately.

One of the final bills to pass the Legislature came on Thursday, as lawmakers approved a bill that would give up millions in federal Medicaid money to remove funding for Planned Parenthood. The $1.7 billion health and human services budget bill would create a state-run family planning program that excludes organizations that provide abortions.

Iowa would give up federal Medicaid money and instead spend about $3.1 million in state dollars.

Democrats criticized the decision amid budget constraints. Several areas of state government are receiving less money in the roughly $7.2 billion budget that goes into effect in July.

Dovetailing with the Planned Parenthood bill, Hanusa lauded a law that placed a ban on abortion after 20 weeks.

Last week the Legislature passed a bill that legalizes consumer-grade fireworks, including bottle rockets, firecrackers and roman candles. The explosives could be sold from June 1 through July 8 and from Dec. 10 through Jan. 3 in permanent structures or tents, though the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency said that the majority of licenses issued will be for temporary retailers.

Rep. Charlie McConkey, a Democrat who represents Carter Lake and the western half of Council Bluffs, called the Legislatures work a terrible session for Iowans. The second-term representative decried three controversial bills  a law that reduced public employees collective bargaining rights, a law that changed workers compensation parameters and a voter ID law.

One of the really bad ones is the vote suppression bill, McConkey said.

The law requires voters to show identification at the polls and reduces the early voting period from 40 days to 29 days.

Several states have introduced similar voter ID requirements in recent years. While some states have pushed a photo requirement, Iowas law would allow a person to show identification that doesnt include one.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate was a staunch supporter of the bill, which originated from his office. In a statement, Pate said the law ensures every eligible Iowan will be able to cast their ballot and will not be turned away.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and other groups dispute that. ACLU spokesman Daniel Zeno said Iowas current elections system works because of its combination of options like early voting and straight party voting. Early voting days would be reduced in the bill, and straight party voting would be eliminated.

McConkey said, We had one of the best voting integrity ratings in the country. We gutted that.

Weve made it harder for the elderly, harder for minorities to vote. Cutting the days off for early voting. Making it harder to get a ballot, the representative continued. Theres no purpose in that bill at all other than to suppress votes. Im thinking thatll go to court.

Early in the session, Republican lawmakers passed a bill that eliminated most collective bargaining rights for public workers in the state.

Union representatives say the legislation effectively guts public sector labor unions in the state. The bill would make drastic changes to how public sector employees can negotiate working conditions. Discussions over health insurance, evaluation procedures and extra pay would be prohibited.

These are changes to make it even more even-handed, Republican Rep. Greg Forristall of Macedonia said about the bill, comparing it to the 1974 collective bargaining law on the books. I think it will be a lot fairer of a situation between public employees and the people that pay them, which is taxpayers.

Summing up his thoughts on the session, McConkey said, The corporations got everything they wanted. The working class didnt get anything.

Dawson pointed out a few bills that werent as high-profile, including a sentencing reform bill that included an effort to remove the distinction between powder and crack cocaine in an attempt to reduce the racial disparity in incarceration rates related to possession of cocaine. Minorities have been adversely affected by previous laws.

Dawson also mentioned work on domestic violence, including a law that includes mandatory minimum sentencing for repeat offenders.

The two houses didnt end up agreeing on a water quality bill, but Hanusa said steps were taken on the issue. Both the House and Senate passed versions of a water quality bill that would be finalized by the Legislature in 2018 and go into effect in 2019.

Theres been a lot of progress on water quality, Hanusa said.

Legislators hoped the General Assembly would adjourn Friday night, but noted work could spill into today.

 Nonpareil reporter Jon Leu and Barbara Rodriguez and Linley Sanders of the Associated Press contributed to this story.
MITCHELL | If outgoing Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signs a bill legalizing the sale of fireworks in the state, things are going to get very busy at Flashing Thunder Fireworks Spectacular.

The Mitchell-based fireworks retailer and event producer already sells consumer-grade fireworks in other states, but has never been allowed to sell to Iowans.

At least, not unless Iowans bought their products in a state where the devices are legal.

"Obviously, it's more business for us," said co-owner Katie Mostek, of the possible law change. "We are a distributor of consumer fireworks, so we would gain some business by distributing to people that are selling it in the state of Iowa and we would also set up retail locations to sell it ourselves."

The Iowa House and Senate both passed legislation legalizing the sale of consumer-grade fireworks. That would include bottle rockets, firecrackers and roman candles.

Current Iowa law only allows the use of snakes, sparklers and caps.

The bill waiting for Branstad's signature would make purchases legal across the state, but allow each of Iowa's 99 counties to decide if fireworks are legal to use in their jurisdictions.

The bills met opposition from legislators concerned about public safety, as well as the impact on veterans and others suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Mason City Fire Marshal Jamey Medlin says the fire department is not taking a position on the issue, but urges people to follow the rules and stay safe should Branstad sign the bill.

We just want everyone to do everything safely so no one gets injured and no fires are started, he said.

Branstad has indicated he is willing to sign the bill, but hadn't as of Friday.

If he does, the devices could be sold from June 1 to July 8 and Dec. 10 to Jan. 3 from buildings or temporary structures.

In states where fireworks are legal, such as South Dakota and Nebraska, retailers commonly sell the devices from roadside stands or tents.

Several stands pop up each summer near Sioux City in the border communities of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and North Sioux City, South Dakota.

Mostek, in Mitchell, says it only makes sense that the Iowa reap the benefits of fireworks sales to its residents.

"There's people buying it already anyway," she said. "They're just going out of state to buy it."

If the bill is signed, Mostek will need to add more employees to sell Flashing Thunder's line of Pyro's Pride fireworks.

It already has eight full-time employees at its headquarters in Mitchell.

Approximately 100 more are hired during the summer to produce the 200 fireworks that Flashing Thunder puts on in Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska.

It also produces the fireworks shows at the Iowa State Fair.

Mostek said the company would likely add retail locations if it was allowed to sell in Iowa.
Will Rogers brought humor to the country while providing social commentary during difficult times.

Dave Breaker of North Platte on Friday shared stories about Rogers with a full house at the North Platte Public Library.

I cant possibly cover all the things he did in his lifetime, Breaker said. All he did in his life was like three lifetimes.

It was said about Rogers that he gave us a smile when we really didnt want to smile, Breaker said.

Rogers was born on Nov. 4, 1879, and died in a plane crash at age 55. In 1935, he planned a vacation with aviator Wiley Post, flying to Alaska with some stops along the way.

He was born in Indian Territory in Oklahoma, Breaker said. He was named after William Penn Adair, who was a full-blooded Cherokee leader and Confederate colonel.

Breaker said Rogers was placed in the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing three lassos at once.

He roped a horse around the neck, he roped the rider and actually he roped around the legs of the horse, Breaker said.

Rogers performed on many stages in numerous venues including Texas Jacks Wild West Show, in which he played The Cherokee Kid and did roping tricks.

He also traveled to Australia and New Zealand with the Wirth Brothers Circus.

Rogers acted in 71 movies, Breaker said. Fifty were silent movies and 21 were talkies. 

Rogers was known for his humorous quotes.

He was called the Patron Saint of Aviation, Breaker said. In the early days of aviation they didnt have a provision for passengers. But there was a provision that if you would take and pay first class mail fare you could be put on an airplane.

He said Rogers paid $814 to be mailed from Lakehurst, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C.

He was the first comedian to have his stuff in the Congressional Record, Breaker said. One of the congressmen said he objected to having a professional joke maker in the Congressional Record. He said, Theres no place for it. 

Rogers replied that he was was an amateur, not a professional.

Rogers said, Them guys are the professionals,  Breaker said.  When I make a joke it doesnt hurt anybody, when they make a joke, its a law and when its a law its a joke. 
North Platte residents will celebrate Earth Day on Saturday with live yoga demonstrations, two food trucks, six live bands and more than 20 other vendors.

Earth Day Fest will kick off at 11 a.m. in the back yard of Regency Retirement Residence, 700 W. Philip Ave. The free event goes until 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

Since there was no event for Earth Day we decided to make a fest, said Jina Maleksarkissians, executive director of the residence. She is hosting the event with Yoko Lawing, a financial adviser with Edward Jones.

Maleksarkissians said many of the vendors offer foods that are organic or made without genetically modified organisms.

Participants are also encouraged to bring recyclable items from their homes.

Some vendors include Happy Heart Specialty Foods and sellers of essential oils and oil therapies. North Platte High Schools Environmental Club will also give presentations.

Vendors, presenters and likely many attendees are just cautious about what we are eating and more environmentally conscious as well, Maleksarkissians said.

Lawing and Maleksarkissians said the event is a fresh idea in North Platte and will provide an opportunity to become more environmentally conscious and friendly, as well as spend time with family.
The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces around 50 times, from late Friday night to early Saturday morning.

April 22, 2017, 09:46 Azerbaijan fired over 520 shots at night

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 22, ARTSAKHPRESS: During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired more than 520 shots toward the position-holders of the Republic of Artsakh Defense Army, and with different-caliber shooting weapons, the defense army informed.

In particular, the adversary fired 5 grenades from an anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

Vanguard units of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army reiterated to suppress adversary's actions and continued to carry out their military task.
MASON CITY | Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City will host suicide prevention training next week.

CAST Community Awareness Skills Training, which will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, is for individuals who want to explore myths regarding suicide and learn how to talk about the subject.

This session is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

A Soul Shop for Leaders session is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday for pastors, staff members, lay pastoral workers and faith-based clinicians.

The cost is $30, which includes lunch. For those registering as a group from a church, the cost for the first person is $30, while the free for each additional person is $15.

To register for the all-day training, visit dmpcc.org/soulshop.

Each session will be facilitated by author and creator of Soul Shop, Fe Anam Avis.

For more information, contact Beverly Butler at 641-420-4413 or bbutler@susumc.org. Additional information about Soul Shop also can be found at www.soulshopmovement.org.
A North Platte man is one of 20 indicted by the federal grand jury for the District of Nebraska, acting U.S. Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced Friday.

Nelson Alfonso Chavez Marroquin, 48, of North Platte has been charged with illegal re-entry after deportation on or about March 22, according to a press release from the U.S. Justice Department.

If Marroquin is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to two years in prison, a year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment, the statement said.

According to the statement, the following indictments were also issued:

 Darrell Lee Blackfish, 36, unknown address, is charged with aggravated sexual contact during the summer of 2015 and abusive sexual contact with children beginning at an unknown date in 2014 and continuing into 2016.

 Chadwick Lynn Board, 31, of Norfolk is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of such crime. The charges involve suspected activity that began around April 2014 and continued through March 2017. Additionally, he was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and firearms, and user in possession of ammunition and firearms, both occurring this March.

 Juan Diaz Lopez, 26, address unknown, is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation following an aggravated felony conviction in late March.

 Christopher Frommie, 37, of Mead is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine relating to suspected activity that began in June 2016 and continued until March. He was also charged with knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and knowingly possessing a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 16.

 Reyes Gonzalez-Villanueva, 29, of Lincoln, is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation on or about April 11.

 Luis Guevara-Ceballos, 27, is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about Jan. 17.

 Marcos Hernandez-Cruz, age and address unknown, is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation on or about Aug. 1, 2016.

 Jallana Lemuz, 31, address unknown, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of a mixture containing cocaine base on or about Feb. 14.

 Jerry Lopez, 31, address unknown, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on or about March 17.

 German Nava-Cleto, 32, of Omaha is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about March 23.

 Valeria Navarro-Martinez, 21; Jose Lopez-Salazar, 19; and Jose Manuel Zavala-Barron, 27, addresses unknown, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning around April 1 and continuing until around April 5. They were also charged with possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine.

 Joy Ramos, 40; Juan Diaz-Lopez, 26; and Oscar Macias, 23, all of Omaha, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning on or about December 2016 and continuing to about Jan. 19. Diaz-Lopez was also charged with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about Jan. 19. Ramos was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine on or about Jan. 19.

 Jose Real-Lepe, 34, of Sioux City, Iowa, is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about March 14.

 Ramiro Rios-Bernadac, 35, of Scottsbluff is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about Feb. 1.

 Jose Arturo Rios-Navarrete, 26, of Sidney is charged with illegal re-entry after deportation on or about March 23.
Terry Branstad has served as Iowas governor for more than two decades, and his split tenure goes back to the early 1980s.

And yet the most lasting pieces of his legacy may well have been delivered in these past four months.

Branstad has been Iowas governor for roughly 23 years. Thats a long time to serve as a states chief executive  as a matter of fact, its the longest such tenure in U.S. history.

It would be impossible to serve in such a role for so long and not make a significant impact on the state and its trajectory, and it is safe to say Branstad has made an impact on Iowa. He governed the state through the farm crisis of the 1980s and throughout both stints  from 1983 to 1999 and from 2011 until the present  he has overseen programs and policies that have attempted to foster business growth in the state.

But years from now, when the complete story of Gov. Terry Branstad is told, it is likely a significant portion of that picture will be painted by the events of the past four months and the myriad new laws he signed onto the books.

Soon Branstad will be confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China, so the 2017 legislative session in all likelihood was his last as governor.

The 2016 elections gave Republicans complete lawmaking control in Iowa  majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate to go with a GOP governor  for the first time in 20 years. The opportunity was not wasted; Republican legislators approved a stack of bills with significant conservative reforms.

Branstad approved each one of them.

Because of the dramatic changes they made, those bills signed into law by Branstad during this legislative session are likely to play a large role in how history judges Branstad. The success and perception of those new laws could have an outsized impact, relative to his other 22 years in office, on Branstad's legacy, for better or worse.

When you look at it, this has been a very productive session, and a lot has been accomplished, Branstad said Thursday as the session neared its conclusion. When I look back at this session I think its going to go down as one of the most significant and productive sessions that Ive had the honor of presiding over as governor.

Among the significant changes made to Iowa law this session:

 Public employees  including teachers and state and local government workers  no longer can collectively bargain for many benefits such as health insurance, vacation and other benefits and workplace policies.

 Workers are limited in the damages they can seek in some workers compensation and medical malpractice lawsuits.

 When they feel threatened, Iowans can use lethal force to protect themselves anywhere  not just in their home or care  and no longer have a duty to retreat before using lethal force.

 Pregnant women may not have an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. When getting an abortion, they must first have an ultrasound and wait three days.

 Drivers can be pulled over and ticketed for texting while driving.

 Those are big changes to state law, and the effects will be felt for years to come. And all those changes literally have Gov. Branstads signature on them.

Within the past few years, Branstad used his executive authority to close two state-run mental health institutions and shift management of the states $5 billion low-income health care program to three private companies. Those decisions also will loom large when Branstads legacy is debated.

But no time period, especially one so short, will have more to say about that legacy than the past four months and the 2017 legislative session.
ArcelorMittal Global Research and Development in East Chicago helped develop a new steel safety barrier for highway medians that can soften the impact for a mid-sized car, a pickup truck or a 79,000-pound tractor-trailer.

The steelmaker, one of the largest employers in Northwest Indiana, teamed up with Gregory Industries to design a new highway safety barrier for North America that would be made with ArcelorMittal steel.

The barrier would redirect vehicles, instead of just absorbing the force of an impact. ArcelorMittal says it is a more cost-effective alternative to concrete highway barriers, and is a way of reducing one of the leading causes of death: motor vehicle accidents.

In the early 2000s, ArcelorMittal worked with European safety barrier manufacturers to design higher performance safety barriers as a result of new regulations that promoted safety performance instead of specifying set barrier configurations, said Rich Clausius, projects manager, Global R&D, East Chicago. This work proved to be quite successful and led to safer roads and increased steel sales in Europe. In 2008, I was asked to determine if the same approach could be done in the US.

ArcelorMittal is trying to boost steel sales in the United States, where its business has been declining and it has cut back on production capacity over the last few years.

Its a winwin, Clausius said. There are many benefits. This barrier results in lower deceleration rates on impact versus concrete, resulting in less damage to the vehicle and injuries to the occupants. It also has a lower installed cost than a comparable concrete center median barrier.

ArcelorMittals highway barrier design incorporates advanced high-strength steel thats traditionally been mainly used by the auto industry.

As far as we can tell, this is the first time its been used in a US safety barrier application," Clausius said.

ArcelorMittal USA reached out to the four largest steel safety barrier manufacturers in the United States before bringing its idea before the U.S. Transportation Research Board's Roadside Safety Design Committee and researchers, highway officials government contractors, safety hardware manufacturers and crash test experts.

Of the four, Gregory Industries proved to be the most interested in our capabilities and in developing a new proprietary barrier for the U.S. market. They were already an ArcelorMittal customer, so that helped too, Clausius said.

Testing was successful and ArcelorMittal USA expects to begin marketing and making the barrier as soon as it receives U.S. Federal Highway Administration approval this year. Its also seeking patents to protect its intellectual property.
INDIANAPOLIS  The Times won 12 awards in the annual Best of Indiana Journalism contest sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists Indy Pro chapter.

The awards were given Friday at a dinner in Indianapolis. The contest is the SPJ chapters biggest fundraiser for scholarships for student journalists.
Northwest Indiana home sales rebounded in March after a February drop, posting an increase of more than 15 percent over the same month a year ago.

A total of 885 existing homes were sold in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Starke and Pulaski counties, according to information from the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.

That represented a 15.4 percent increase over last March's 767 sales. The median selling price was stable, increasing 0.6 percent to $142,400.

Sales nationally also rose in March. A total of 5.71 million sales represented a 5.9 percent increase over March 2016, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Northeast and Midwest led the way.

"The early returns so far this spring buying season look very promising, as a rising number of households dipped their toes into the market and were successfully able to clsoe on a home last month," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement accompanying the association's announcement of sales results.

Yun said the inventory of homes for sale remains tight, but rose enough in March to boost sales.

"Sales will go up as long as inventory does," Yun said, though he also described the supply "lackluster."

That has helped lead to rising prices, which will continue "until we see significant and sustained multi-month increases in housing starts," Yun predicted.

The average mortgage rate continues to creep up, as well. According to Freddie Mac, the average for a 30-year, conventional fixed-rate mortgage was 4.2 percent in March, up slightly from February. The average for all of 2016 was 3.65 percent.

Locally, the first quarter saw a 4.4 percent rise in sales as compared to the first quarter of 2016, according to GNIAR. For the year through March, 2,042 sales have closed. The first quarter's median sale price is barely changed, up 0.1 percent to $140,000.

Lake County's March included 528 sales, up 15 percent from a year ago, with a median price increase of 2.8 percent to $146,000. Porter County saw a 13.2 percent sales increase to 171 and a 12.9 percent price increase to $192,000. LaPorte County had slower growth, 5.1 percent to 103 homes, and a 12.3 percent median price drop to $103,000.
BOSTON  People looking for the perfect family pet tend to choose a dog based on appearance or breed  but that's barking up the wrong tree.

"If you think they're cute, you bring them home," said Jodi Andersen, a dog trainer and author.

That's why Andersen, along with MaryAnn Zeman and Sharon Mosse, founded the new online business How I Met My Dog. It works like Match or eHarmony, fitting humans with dogs based on what really matters: personality, lifestyle and behavior.

Several other online services match people with pets, but the founders of How I Met My Dog say they take things to a new level with a more detailed, science-based questionnaire that narrows the number of dogs that meet a human adopter's lifestyle and expectations.

The service is needed because about 4 million dogs per year are handed over to shelters and rescues, they said. Too many end up back in shelters, and too many are being euthanized because they can't find good homes.

"The system we're using now is broken and has to be fixed," Andersen said.

Placing a pet in the wrong home is one of the biggest concerns at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which finds homes for thousands of dogs and other animals every year, spokesman Rob Halpin said.

Persuading adopters not to fall in love with the first dog they see is a major issue.

"Sometimes our emotions take leave of our senses," said Halpin, who was not familiar with How I Met My Dog.

The MSPCA has "adoption counselors" who try to ensure people are matched with the right dogs, but Halpin embraced the idea of services that smooth that process.

"We welcome the notion of technology helping people do some of the hard work it takes to pick the right pet," he said.

How I Met My Dog, which also helps people who want to find a new home for a dog they just can't live with anymore, so far has partnered with 24 Boston-area shelters and rescues.

The plan is to role it out nationally by the end of the year.

A person looking to adopt fills out what the founders call a "PET profile" for personality, expectations and training style. Are you a couch potato or an active athlete? Do you want a dog that gets along with children? Are you a disciplinarian when training a dog or more laid back?

The dog profiles are completed either by the shelter staff or the current owner.

The algorithm matches the humans with dogs that complement their lifestyle.

"For example, if you have kids, you will never see a dog from us that doesn't get along with kids," Zeman said.

Once the website matches someone with a dog, it's up to the adopter to meet that dog in person. The shelter or owner ultimately determines whether there's a match.

Pawfect Life Rescue, of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, was one of the first rescue organizations to sign on with How I Met My Dog.

"They have been pretty spot on so far with having the right people come and look at the right dog," Pawfect Life founder and president Julie Uthoff said.

The Fredette family, of Waltham, Massachusetts, adopted their dog, Roscoe, from Pawfect Life after being matched through How I Met My Dog. Kate Fredette, her husband and two children had been thinking of getting a new dog for about a year, but they just didn't know how to ensure they would get a good fit.

"It was confusing," Fredette said.

They obviously wanted a dog that gets along with children. They wanted a dog they could take on family trips. They wanted a social dog they could take to the park.

They couldn't be happier with Roscoe, a 4-month-old mixed breed.

"Mornings are so much better around here," Fredette said.
VALPARAISO  With a twirl of her skirt, a hand held high and an infectious smile, Brittany Bruck floated across the dance rehearsal hall on the arm of her partner, Shawn Sprouse.

Part of the 40-member VU Ballroom competitive dance team, the duo worked not only on its dance steps, but on the dramatics that would likely attract the attention of judges.

"You kind of want to get yourself seen. There are sometimes 30 couples on the floor, dancing for 90 seconds and vying for the judges' attention," said Bruck, a captain on the team and one of its most unlikely members.

A senior psychology major from South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bruck said she's more comfortable in sweatpants than long gowns or sassy skirts and heels. A three-sport athlete in high school, Bruck said someone told her about the VU Ballroom team when she arrived on campus.

"I wanted to try something new. I came to social lessons at first and now I'm the only fourth-year dancer on the team," Bruck said.

The team attracts VU students from across majors. Members study everything from social work to engineering. They all joined the team for their own reasons, but many said they stayed because they find ballroom dancing  from the cha cha to the mambo and the Viennese waltz  to not only relieve stress after a day of studying, but a chance to meet new friends, build confidence and learn a skill they'll be able to use throughout their lives.

VU Ballroom goes back to the late '90s. Originally it was called Ballroom, then was called Dance. In 2008-09, it was switched to VU Ballroom, said Michelle Andersen, a sophomore social work major from Tinley Park and the group's public relations representative.

Andersen said the team organizes each August and callouts begin in September. Members practice three nights a week in the basement of the Harre Union. They compete six times a year, traveling to Purdue, Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin Madison and other schools to take on collegiate teams on the dance floor.

The VU team came in sixth nationally in the 2015-16 school year.

Each week the team hosts social dances, open to the community free of charge, where it helps spread its love of ballroom dancing. The socials, which end May 3 for this school year, are held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Harre Union. The team will culminate its year with a community showcase performance May 6.

Members compete in both American and international styles of ballroom dancing. Competition is broken into several levels from the beginner to the experienced.

"I wanted to find something that kept me active," said junior engineering student Sydney Senger, of Fort Wayne. "I joined and lost 10 pounds. It is great stress reliever, a great creative outlet, and it is nice to have a life skill."

Bradley Thompson, a junior electrical engineering student from Morristown, Indiana, said a friend introduced him to the team. A veteran of community theater, he was drawn to the activity.

"When I told my parents, they asked me, 'Is that a thing?'" he joked, adding he reassured them it was legitimate.

"I love the aspect of the elegance of it," said Alec Cole, a sophomore computer major from Greenfield, Indiana, who attended socials last year and joined the team this year.

"I just became fascinated. I use to do marching band. This allows me to use my rhythmic skills and allows me to compete," Cole said.

Lauren King, a freshman social work major from Frankfort, Indiana, said her parents performed in pro/am competition for 16 years and, as a child, spent time with them in the studio.

"This fulfilled a dream. I always wanted to dance," said King, who's also a faithful watcher of "Dancing with the Stars."

"It is cool to compare and contrast what they do and what we do," King said.
MERRILLVILLE  Innovation involves solving unstructured problems, creating new options and not being afraid to fail on the way to success.

Ivy Tech Community College President Sue Ellspermann shared that message with the nearly 200 people attending Thursdays first all-members meeting of the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana at NiSource headquarters that kicked off the groups 13th year.

The focus group-style meeting with table exercises allowed guests to suggest ways the Society of Innovators could shape itself to increase member participation, benefit Northwest Indiana and sustain itself as a part of Ivy Tech Community College.

The Gerald I. Lamkin Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center for Excellence is housed at Ivy Techs Gary campus, and the Society of Innovators is the largest project of the Center. The society currently has 1,685 members, said Don Babcock, NIPSCO economic development director and event co-chairman.

Ellspermann, who holds a Ph.D. in industrial engineering, said her doctoral research was in unstructured problem solving.

Innovation is solving those unstructured problems. Its like a kaleidoscope, she said, describing how rotating a barrel of a kaleidoscope creates new patterns with the bits of colored glass.

Some individuals are good at tweaking the ideas or solutions developed by others, Ellspermann said during her keynote address. Some see the brand new way of solving the problem.

She recommended that the phrase How might we ? be adopted as an anthem for the future of innovation throughout the state.

There are many ways to solve a problem, Ellspermann said. How do we create an environment that uses How might we ?' We need to improve and grow opportunities to attract the kind of talent we need.

In talking about how Ivy Tech Community College will continue to nurture innovation, Ellspermann said, One of my goals is to create the most agile community college in the nation.

During her tenure as Indianas lieutenant governor, she said she witnessed how various areas of the state were doing things differently, including co-working space for 30 small businesses in Fishers.

We want to create that space at Ivy Tech where talented people and ideas collide, she said.

To nurture and grow innovation through the state, we need to celebrate failure, Ellspermann said. You cant have innovation without failure  Not everything turns into a great idea.

At Ivy Techs 32 campuses in 14 areas of Indiana, she said, we are going to stretch a lot. We have to give ourselves permission to stretch and to fail.
VALPARAISO Is this generation the most overrated generation in history, the Rev. Eugene Cho asked an audience of students, faculty, and community members at Valparaiso University as part of their Pathways to Purpose series.

Cho, lead pastor of Quest Church, an urban, multicultural and multi-generational church in Seattle, wrote a book titled "Overrated" on the difference between embracing ideas for change and actually acting for change.

I often hear that this is the generation that will accomplish something extraordinary, and that makes for good motivational talks, but we may be more in love with the idea of changing the world than actually changing the world, he said.

Infusing his sermon-like talk with concepts from Christianity, humor and personal anecdotes, Cho said Wednesday he sought to encourage his audience to act, not just talk.

Cho discussed his travels to Burma and described seeing graphic photographs of landmine victims displayed in an elementary school as a way to teach children to avoid the weapons.

While there, he said, he asked the leader of a small village about the challenges his people faced, and was told about the low annual salaries of teachers  $40 per year.

In the year 2017, we need to understand some of the great disparity that exists in the world, Cho said.

The experience was the impetus for Chos foundation of One Days Wages, a grassroots movement of people, stories and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty by inviting people to donate, as the name suggests, one days wages to sustainable relief efforts.

In our culture, its good to have a dose of perspective. If youve eaten at least one or two meals today, you have a roof over your head, and you have clothes on, then you are among the most privileged in the world, Cho said.

Im not diminishing the needs we have, or the needs our neighbors have, but its about not just loving the idea of justice, but living justly. We need to translate our ideas into how we live our lives, he said

Cho also relayed stories of witnessing the injustice and brutality of the sex trade in Thailand, the inhumanity of homelessness in San Francisco and the danger of reducing people to projects, as well as the beauty of humanity.

Youve got to care. Youve got to give a damn. We have to fight against the culture of desensitization. Theres a danger in not going deep, but existing just on the surface, he said.
VALPARAISO  Teens here who have gotten into a little trouble will have an alternative to suspension.

The Valparaiso School Board approved using the Teen Court concept, which uses the power of positive peer pressure to help students get on the right road.

The school system will work with the Porter County Juvenile Service Center, which offers its own Teen Court program.

School Board attorney Dave Hollenbeck said he has had discussions with juvenile court officials, attended a session and was "impressed" with the program.

Students who have committed an offense must first admit to it, which is usually a minor in-school or out-of-school infraction. A jury of their peers then "sentences" the student to anything from community service to writing a letter of apology.

An adult attorney or law student serves as the judge while students serve as the prosecuting and defense attorneys, bailiffs and jurors. Students who have gone through Teen Court as a defendant must also serve on a future jury. The offender's parents must also commit to involvement in the process.

Joe Frankus, student advocate in the district's Culture and Student Services Department, said they are "ready to go" with the program and will likely have an initial court date May 10.

Board member Jim Jorgensen said he has no problems with using the program in offenses without a victim, such as truancy. However, he said he wanted a "blanket exclusion" for students involved in bullying offenses.

In addition, member Jennifer Bognar said she would like to see offenses related to gang activity excluded.

Hollenbeck said what offenses are brought to the Teen Court will be addressed during the referral process.
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PORTAGE  A Portage man is dead following an officer-involved shooting early Saturday morning.

Roger Dunn said the sound of five or six gunshots jolted him awake early in the morning, so he peered outside to get a view of the dead-end street he calls home.

Dunn said he saw a blue Jeep in his neighbors driveway, the drivers side door ajar and a person lying on the ground, their face near the drivers side tire.

The Jeeps rear bumper was damaged and a Portage city police squad car  on the street perpendicular to the Jeep  also appeared to be damaged. Dunn said he saw a police officer on scene with his gun raised at a man.

That man was identified by police Saturday night as William D. Spates, 39, of Portage.

I didnt recognize the car," Dunn said. "The only people who come down this road are the people who live here."

In the early afternoon hours, Dunn and his wife watched as the blue Jeep Liberty  sealed off with orange crime-scene evidence stickers  was towed away with visible bullet holes in the front windshield, he said.

Saturday's Portage city police-involved shooting in the 5300 block of Royal Avenue is being investigated by the Porter County Sheriff's Department  with assistance from Indiana State Police.

The incident occurred in a quiet side-street subdivision with several homes in the vicinity. An active crime scene Saturday had more than 20 evidence markers scattered near the Jeep and the body, and Dunn said he observed two Taser probes on the ground.

Portage Police Chief Troy Williams confirmed in a news release that a police-involved shooting occurred at approximately 1:47 a.m. in the area. A Portage officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle prior to the shooting and actions by the suspect during the encounter led to the officer-involved shooting, Williams said in the release.

Few details were released by law enforcement in the hours after the shooting. It's not yet known if the suspect involved in the traffic stop was armed with a weapon, or why police initiated the traffic stop.

Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said he was called to the scene at 6:45 a.m. Saturday. Spates was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Harris said Saturday afternoon he had not yet determined an exact time of death.

Even after the coroner arrived, it was several hours before the body was removed from the scene, Dunn said. An autopsy and toxicology was slated to be performed early next week, Harris said.

Roger Dunns wife, Tricia Dunn, said she and her husband stayed up watching the investigation unfold from the couple's front porch. She said she noticed Porter County investigators appeared to require law enforcement officials to fill out a sign-in sheet whenever entering or exiting the crime scene, cordoned off with yellow police tape.

Tricia Dunn said an ambulance arrived on scene about five to 10 minutes after the shooting and medical personnel pulled out a stretcher for transport, she said. Shortly after that, the gurney was placed back into the ambulance, without a body, and police instead waited for the coroner to arrive, Dunn said.

Porter County sheriffs detectives, the Crime Scene Unit, as well as state police, continued investigating the matter into Saturday afternoon.

Williams stated Saturday night the officer involved in the shooting would be named Monday. He also said the officer was taken to Portage Hospital where he was checked out and released.

Valeria Thomas stood on her front porch Saturday afternoon talking with a close neighbor about what they had heard overnight. Thomas said she awoke to the sound of multiple gunshots.

"It sounded like a 'Pop, pop pop!'" she said.

During the overnight hours, at least a dozen police cars with flashing red and blue lights could be seen lined up and down Royal Avenue.

Thomas said she moved to the subdivision in March 2016.

"It's been quiet up until now," Thomas said.
INDIANAPOLIS  The Gary Community School Corp. is set to be taken over by a state-appointed emergency manager with sweeping powers to reduce costs and restructure the district's academic offerings.

Indiana lawmakers gave final approval Friday to a revised version of Senate Enrolled Act 567, sending the first-of-its-kind measure to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature or veto.

The legislation was modified to give the cash-strapped school corporation an opportunity to seek additional state grants to cover its multi-million dollar operating deficit and request that at least a portion of its $100 million debt burden be forgiven.

But the measure still directs the Indiana Distressed Unit Appeals Board (DUAB) to appoint an emergency manager to supplant the elected school board and exclusively exercise all financial and academic authority over Gary schools, with a goal of balancing the budget and reducing debt.

A chief financial officer and a chief academic officer selected by the emergency manager, along with the district's superintendent, would help decide what cuts to make.

In addition, a four-person fiscal management board, consisting of one member each appointed by the school board, mayor, state superintendent of public instruction and state board of education, also could weigh in on the manager's decisions in a strictly advisory capacity.

Only DUAB would have the authority to override any decision made by the emergency manager.

State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, who initially proposed a locally-directed financial takeover of Gary schools, said he accepted the final product crafted by the General Assembly, in part because it requires Gary or Lake County residents be considered for the emergency manager and district leadership posts.

"I'm hoping that whomever comes in as the emergency manager will be collaborative. I'm hoping that the community will be open and willing to work with this individual to make sure that we create the best educational foundation for the children of Gary," Melton said.

He's also asked state budget leaders to open Indiana cash-stuffed wallet to immediately remedy the environmental and safety hazards present throughout the district's older school buildings.

"The 5,000 or more children within the (district) will either succeed or fail based on the funding decisions we make today," Melton said.

If signed into law, this will be Indiana's first use of the extraordinary remedy of relying on an emergency manager to take over and try to fix a struggling local governmental entity.
LAPORTE  Cheating, lying, stealing and living in one abandoned building after another is just a sampling of what life was like for recovering heroin addict Herb Stepherson.

He was also robbed at gunpoint twice, behind bars on numerous occasions and was friends with 40 users who didn't survive, he said.

By the way, he also fathered a son addicted to heroin at birth.

The 31-year-old longtime Valparaiso resident is helping others kick their addictions and providing hope by telling his story to audiences throughout Northwest Indiana.

He's also the author of a new book detailing the horrors of what his life became after tasting alcohol for the first time at age 15 then later practically every drug available.

"If the drug don't kill you, the lifestyle will," Stepherson said during a one-hour presentation Thursday night attended by about 50 people at LaPorte High School.

Afterward, he signed copies of his book "Junkbox Diaries: A Day in the Life of a Heroin Addict."

Stepherson said using alcohol and later heroin for him was like a romance, making him feel like he at last fit in and found his place in the world. Then the next day he couldn't wait to do it all over again.

Then he couldn't stop.

In 2004 came the first of his eight felony and more than 20 misdemeanor convictions.

At times, he was living out of a car with his girlfriend, who gave birth to a drug-addicted boy, and was hustling for money just to purchase his next fix.

Once, he found himself drinking water from a toilet in a holding cell at the Gary Police Department.

A drug-addicted friend waiting for drugs had his head blown off by gunfire from Chicago gang members. He also knew a woman beaten to death over drugs.

Yet he still couldn't quit.

Stepherson said it wasn't until he was making plans to kill himself and staring at a possible 38-year prison sentence in 2015 that help from heaven entered the picture to begin the process of staying clean.

Suddenly, he was out of jail and into a halfway house for rehabilitation where he connected with counselors and recovering addicts. Since getting out in January, he has stayed in touch for help in staying on the straight and narrow.

He also began going to church and reading the Bible, and he hasn't stopped.

Stepherson is now a drug treatment specialist himself with Intervention Services Inc., the largest independent treatment provider in North America.

His now 5-year-old son is on the path to a normal life.

"I'm pretty sure that was a God thing, and since then I have not looked back," Stepherson said.

Stepherson said a major obstacle in the fight against the heroin epidemic is a serious lack of qualified treatment centers. With waiting lists so long users, after finally stepping up, slip back into their darkness.

Another hurdle in the road to recovery is getting over the stigma heroin users face in a society that views them as worthless or a "piece of garbage."

Speaking fulfills part of his mission of reaching out and being an example of what's possible so users come out of the shadows and get help.

"There's just so many people that need saving," he said.
VALPARAISO  Ben Lamb said he was about as down as he could be a few months ago.

Pastor of GracePoint Church, Lamb said church members had been giving with open hearts and wallets for months to help finance a new church facility.

"We had kids bringing in bags of coins from their piggy bank. People were giving up vacations they were planning," said Jeff Smith, worship director.

Then push came to shove. They met with the lender, who told church officers they needed to come up with $300,000 to guarantee a loan.

"I was overwhelmed. We worked so hard, but, I thought, it was over," Lamb recalled, saying he was about to tell church members their plans for their own home were finished.

Then, he said, God intervened.

One Sunday soon after, a man who had been attending the church for four Sundays committed $150,000 to help guarantee the loan.

"After the second service, here comes this lady. She's said, 'I've got this coin'," recalled Lamb, adding both benefactors wanted to remain anonymous.

Initially, the woman wanted to loan the coin to the church to help guarantee the loan. Minutes into the conversation, said Lamb, she changed her mind. She would donate the 1866 Double Eagle $20 gold piece to the church.

"It said on it 'In God we Trust'," Lamb said.

The coin, it turns out, could be valued at $300,000 or more and is scheduled to go on auction Thursday in Schaumburg, Illinois, through Heritage Auctions.

"If somebody doesn't believe, this has to change their mind. He put us in that corner that we got to have faith and trust," said Lamb.

The coin has also turned the little church that had moved from one makeshift home to another since its founding eight years ago into a national celebrity.

Lamb said the two congregants made their donations in February. The goal was to keep it a secret for a couple of months. Then the coin hit the cover of Heritage Auctions' magazine.

The Associated Press noticed. Then came the local, regional and national media. He's received interview requests from as far as Los Angeles; Dallas; Virgina Beach, Virginia; and Bozeman, Montana.

Lamb had to tell the congregation early before they heard the good news through the media.

The little church that could

Lamb said the church was formed in 2009. It is non-denominational and caters to those he calls the "unchurched."

Twenty-four people attended the first service held at the Legacy Banquet Center.

The church "took off," said Lamb, describing it as being "big on production and creative environment."

The trailer that stored the church's equipment between Sunday services grew from eight feet to 16, then to 21 feet. Now a 53-foot semi trailer is used.

The church moved services from the banquet center to Washington Township Elementary School in 2012 and has maxed out its capacity. Today there are about 750 members.

"We weren't going to be able to meet there much longer," said Lamb, adding officials began scouring Porter County and Valparaiso for a new home before they found the former furniture store on U.S. 30 on Valparaiso's west side.

They purchased the building and began a fundraising campaign in 2015.

The plan is to construct the church in phases, including a 526-seat auditorium and a "Jesus version of Disneyland for the kids," he said.

Now, said Smith and Lamb, the plans can move forward.

"We had to keep trusting in God," said Smith. "It is a confirmation that what God starts, he finishes."
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration intensified its threats to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to comply with federal immigration authorities, warning nine jurisdictions Friday that they may lose coveted law enforcement grant money unless they document cooperation.

Warning letters went to officials in California and major cities including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans, all places the Justice Department's inspector general has identified as limiting the information local law enforcement can provide to federal immigration authorities about those in their custody.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has warned that the administration will punish communities that refuse to cooperate with efforts to find and deport immigrants in the country illegally. But some of the localities continued to resist federal pressure, despite risking the loss of funds that police agencies use to pay for everything from body cameras to bulletproof vests.

"We're not going to cave to these threats," Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic said, promising a legal fight if the money is pulled.

Playing off Sessions' recent comments that sanctuary cities undermine the fight against gangs, the Justice Department said the communities under financial threat are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime."

After a raid led to the arrests of 11 MS-13 gang members in California's Bay Area "city officials seemed more concerned with reassuring illegal immigrants that the raid was unrelated to immigration than with warning other MS-13 members that they were next," the department said in a statement.

The federal law in question says state and local governments may not prohibit police or sheriffs from sharing information about a person's immigration status with federal authorities. Friday's letters warn officials they must provide proof from an attorney that they are following the law.

The money could be withheld in the future, or terminated, if local officials fail to show proof, wrote Alan R. Hanson, acting head of the Office of Justice Programs. The grant program is the leading source of federal justice funding to states and local communities.

Kevin de Leon, leader of California's state Senate, rejected the administration's demand, saying its policies are based on "principles of white supremacy" and not American values.

"Their constant and systematic targeting of diverse cities and states goes beyond constitutional norms and will be challenged at every level," he said.

The jurisdictions also include Clark County, Nevada; Cook County, Illinois; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

They were singled out in a May 2016 report by the Justice Department's inspector general that found local policies or rules could interfere with providing information to immigration agents. Following the report, the Obama administration warned cities that they could miss out on grant money if they did not comply with the law, but it never actually withheld funds.

The report pointed to a Milwaukee County rule that immigration detention requests be honored only if the person has been convicted of one felony or two misdemeanors, has been charged with domestic violence or drunken driving, is a gang member, or is on a terrorist watch list, among other constraints.

It also took issue with a New Orleans Police Department policy that it said might hinder communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That city received nearly $266,000 in grant money through the program in fiscal year 2016, used to pay for testing DNA kits, police body cameras, attorneys for domestic violence victims and other expenses.

Zach Butterworth, Mayor Mitch Landrieu's executive counsel and director of federal relations, said the city drafted its policies in consultation with federal immigration and Homeland Security officials. It was reviewing the Justice Department's letter.

"We don't think there's a problem," he said.

Butterworth said the New Orleans Police Department has seen a 28 percent drop in calls for service from people with limited English since November.

"People are scared, and because of that, they're less willing to report crime," Butterworth added.

New Orleans police have no means or authority to enforce immigration laws or hold someone suspected of violating them, he said.

Other places also insisted they were in compliance. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, the elected head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said the city and county were wrongly labeled sanctuary cities.

Police operate the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, where Lombardo said four jail guards are assigned to notify ICE when dangerous criminals are identified during booking. The federal agency then has 48 hours to take the detainees into custody.

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele said that city is hardly succumbing to violence.

"Milwaukee County has its challenges but they are not caused by illegal immigration," he said in a statement. "My far greater concern is the proactive dissemination of misinformation, fear, and intolerance."

___

Associated Press writers Michael Kunzelman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Ivan Moreno in Milwaukee; Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California; and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
More than 30 undocumented immigrants who have been working at a Long Island City bakery, one for as long as 16 years, were fired Friday after a crackdown by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. NY1's Clodagh McGowan filed the following report.

After working for Tom Cat Bakery in Long Island City for 12 years, Hector Solis needs to find a new job.

"We work so hard. Me and my co-workers, we work so hard," said Solis.

Solis and 30 co-workers got letters from the bakery warning they needed to prove they were legally allowed to work in the U.S. An audit by the Department of Homeland Security had flagged paperwork the workers submitted when they were hired.

They had until Friday to provide the proper documents. When they could not, they were fired.

"It made me feel so angry and so sad at the same time," said Solis.

It is unclear whether the workplace audit was the result of President Donald Trumps crackdown on undocumented immigrants or a random administrative action by Homeland Security. But the founder of the advocacy group Brandworkers says such enforcement is rare.

"This is the first work place audit of this kind in 11 years in the city of New York," said Daniel Gross, the founder of Brandworkers.

Tom Cats CEO sent workers a letter saying, "We know that all of you are understandably shocked and frustratedSome of those affected have been dedicated employees of Tom Cat for many years."



He added, "While Tom Cat regrets losing valued members of our workforce, we must of course ensure that Tom Cat is in compliance with all applicable employment laws."

The workers, represented by Bakers Union Local 53, are getting a severance package that includes a week's pay for each year on the job. Workers who can submit proper documents within six months can return to work with seniority.

For Solis, it's little comfort.

"It made me feel like they slapped my face," said Solis.

The fight is far from over for the former Tom Cat Bakery workers. A Brandworkers representative confirms they will take part in a larger strike and rally planned for May 1 to mark International Workers Day. Their hope is to send a clear message to the Trump administration that immigrant workers are a valuable part of our society.
CLEAR LAKE | After only six weeks, a new home-based business is quickly becoming a sweet success for one Clear Lake family.

Known as the "Mixis," John and Whitney Mixdorf are the husband and wife team behind South Shore Donut Co., which offers a twist on the traditional cake and glazed treats available on a limited basis.

While recovering from hip surgery in January, Whitney noticed friends were traveling to Des Moines for gourmet donuts. "I thought, 'Why not Clear Lake? Why not me?'" she said. "I told John, and he rolled his eyes, because I was still on crutches."

Whitney, who says she's stubborn, was still on crutches when the pair was first making donuts. They started with orders for four to six dozen, which grew to 25 dozen in one day alone last week.

With more than 20 cupcake makers in the area, Whitney said they settled on donuts, as they felt that market was saturated.

While plain donuts might be readily available at grocery stores and gas stations, Whitney says "you can't get one there with a cookie on top." And all of their donuts are slightly less of a guilty pleasure, as they're baked, not fried.

South Shore Donut Co.'s cake donuts are made from scratch, with flavors like If You Like Pina Coladas, Sweet Caroline, Cereal-sly Delish, Candy Shop and Unicorny. The Mixdorfs start with chocolate or vanilla batters, which they top with icings, glazings and toppings, like edible glitter, cotton candy, candy bars, baked goods, cereal or fruit.

Brown Eyed girl  chocolate donut with caramel buttercream, brownie chunks and salted caramel drizzle  and Coco-Loco  chocolate donut with caramel buttercream, toasted coconut and chocolate drizzle  are customer favorites.

"Our main donuts are cake," John said. "We started with big and now do mini  people don't feel as bad eating one or two mini donuts."

South Shore Donut Co.'s raised, glazed donuts, which are described as "50 percent homemade, 100 percent delicious," start with a pre-made mix before being freshly baked and triple-dipped in glazes like banana, PB&J and wedding cake.

Wonuts, a "palm-sized piece of heaven" donut baked in a waffle iron, and the Mrs. Mix's Sixer, a baker's choice of four cake donuts and two raised, glazed donuts, are also on the menu. Flavors for the Sixer rotate weekly.

Eventually, Whitney hopes to grow the business to include a food truck or trailer. With three kids  Kinsey, 9 and twins Caroline and Cora, 19 months  the family doesn't want to be tied to a store.

Between the kids, John's full-time job with Lake Auto Service, Whitney's part-time work at the Clear Lake VFW and a wedding event rental, the pair has been "running around like crazy" the past few weeks.

"I wish we could do our donuts every day," Whitney said. "When I get to deliver, I feel like a rock star because everyone is so happy to see me. I'm the donut gal."

Whitney handles the majority of the business, doing everything besides the frosting. John frosts, boxes and delivers, and takes care of the kids during late nights and early mornings, when Whitney is covered in powdered sugar, chocolate and "all the good stuff," he said.

As for John, Whitney says he's attached to a new power "tool."

"He loves his new mixer," she said. "Don't get between a man and his mixer."
SHANGHAI (AP)  Since her father was elected president of the United States, global sales of Ivanka Trump merchandise have surged and the company has applied for at least nine new trademarks in the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Canada and the U.S. The commercial engine of the first daughters brand is stronger than ever even as she builds a new political career from her West Wing office.

Sales hit record levels in 2017, despite boycotts and several stores limiting her merchandise. U.S. imports, almost all from China, shot up an estimated 166 percent last year.

The brand, which Ivanka Trump no longer manages but still owns, says distribution is growing. It has launched new active wear and affordable jewelry lines, and is working to expand its global intellectual property footprint. In addition to applying for the new trademarks, Ivanka Trump Marks LLC has won provisional approval from the Chinese government for at least five since the inauguration.

The commercial currents of President Donald Trumps White House are unprecedented in modern American politics, ethics lawyers say. They have created an unfamiliar landscape riven with ethical pitfalls, and forced consumers and retailers to wrestle with the unlikely passions now inspired by Ivanka Trumps mid-market collection of ruffled blouses, shirts and wedges.

Using the prestige of government service to build a brand is not illegal. But criminal conflict-of-interest law prohibits federal officials, like Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, from participating in government matters that could impact their own financial interest or that of their spouses. Some argue that the more her business broadens its scope, the more it threatens to encroach on the ability of two trusted advisers to deliver credible counsel to the president on core issues like trade, intellectual property and the value of Chinese currency.

Put the business on hold and stop trying to get trademarks while youre in government, advised Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush.

In fact, on April 6, Ivanka Trumps company won provisional approval from the Chinese government for three new trademarks, giving it monopoly rights to sell Ivanka brand jewelry, bags and spa services in the worlds second-largest economy. That night, the first daughter and her husband sat next to the president of China and his wife for dinner at Mar-a-Lago.

The scenario underscores how difficult it is for the presidents daughter to separate business from politics in her new position at the White House.

In a statement earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Ivanka Trump brand said that all 2017 Chinese trademarks were defensive, filed to prevent counterfeiters or squatters from using her name.

To address ethical concerns, Ivanka Trump has shifted the brands assets to a family-run trust valued at more than $50 million and pledged to recuse herself from issues that present conflicts. She is also no longer running her design business and has given day-to-day responsibility to Abigail Klem, president of the brand. Meanwhile, her husband has taken steps to distance himself from his sprawling New York real estate business, divesting some of his business interests, including his stake in a major Fifth Avenue skyscraper.

Ivanka will not weigh in on business strategy, marketing issues or the commercial terms of agreements, her attorney, Jamie Gorelick, said in a statement. She has retained authority to direct the trustees to terminate agreements that she determines create a conflict of interest or the appearance of one.

China, however, remains a nagging concern.

Ivanka has so many China ties and conflicts, yet she and Jared appear deeply involved in China contacts and policy. I would never have allowed it, said Norman Eisen, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President Barack Obama. For their own sake, and the countrys, Ivanka and Jared should consider stepping away from China matters.

Instead, the first daughter and her husband have emerged as prominent interlocutors with China, where they have both had significant business ties. Last year, Kushner pursued hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate investments from Anbang Insurance Group, a financial conglomerate with close ties to the Chinese state. After media reports about the deal, talks were called off.

Publicly, Ivanka Trump has taken a gracious, charming approach toward Beijing. During the Mar-a-Lago meetings, her daughter, 5-year-old Arabella, stood in a gilded room and sang a traditional Chinese song in Mandarin for Chinas president, Xi Jinping.

The week of the summit, 3.4 tons of Ivanka Trump handbags, wallets and blouses arrived in the U.S. from Hong Kong and Shanghai. U.S. imports of her merchandise grew an estimated 40 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to Panjiva Inc., which maintains and analyzes global shipping records.

Gorelick, Ivanka Trumps attorney, said Trump and her husband would steer clear of specific areas that could affect her business or be seen as conflicts of interest, but are under no legal obligation to step back from huge swaths of policy, like trade with China.

Under the rules, Trump would recuse herself from conversations about duties on clothing imported from China, Gorelick said, but not broad foreign policy.

In between, you have to assess it case by case, she said.

Trademarks can be signs of corporate ambition, though many countries  such as China, where trademark squatting is rampant  also allow for defensive filings to prevent copycats from using a brand.

Trademarks pose ethical, and possibly legal, implications for government employees because they are granted by foreign states and confer the monopoly right to sell branded products in a particular country  an entitlement that can be enormously valuable. Intellectual property lawyers say trademarks are also a crucial prerequisite for cutting licensing deals, which form the basis of both Ivanka Trumps and Donald Trumps global business strategies.

Globally, Ivanka Trump Marks LLC has more than 180 pending and registered trademarks in countries including Canada, India, Japan, Israel, Mexico, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as the U.S. and Europe, public records show. In December, the company applied for five trademarks, covering handbags and wallets in Puerto Rico, and lingerie and other clothes in the U.S. After the inauguration, the company filed four more applications, for branded clothing and shoes in the Philippines, and perfume and other items in Canada.

Ivanka Trump did not sign off on the new trademark applications, her brand said in a statement, adding that they are not necessarily an indication that the brand is planning to launch a category or a store in a specific territory.

Whatever the future plans, right now sales are growing  helped, some argue, by the glow of Ivanka Trumps political rise.

You cant separate Ivanka from her role in life and from her business, said Allen Adamson, founder of BrandSimpleConsulting. Her celebrity status is now not only being fueled by her wealth and her family connection, but by her huge role in the White House. All that buzz is hardwired to her products.

That, he added, is a competitive advantage other brands just cant match  though it does come with risk.

Things could easily cut the other way for the first daughter.

Ashley King, 28, of Calabasas, California, bought Ivanka Trump black flats and a cardigan several years ago. But King, who voted for Hillary Clinton, said she believes Trumps role in the White House represents a conflict of interest.

This is bothering me more and more, she said.

As for the Ivanka Trump items in her closet, she said, I will be donating them.

RETAILERS WHO SELL OR NO LONGER SELL IVANKA TRUMP

Retailers are doing a delicate dance when it comes to handling the Ivanka Trump brand. Heres a list of some of the retailers who offer the brand and those who have scaled back or dropped the label.

AMAZON: Carries a diverse assortment of products.

BUY BUY BABY: The baby accessories chain owned by Bed, Bath & Beyond says that it will carry Ivanka Trump baby products in some stores where justified by demand. The products, including diaper bags, have disappeared from its online site.

BELK INC.: Carries Ivanka Trump products in its stores, but no longer online.

BURLINGTON: Quietly removed Ivanka Trump products on its website in February, but still carries them in its stores.

DILLARDS: Carries clothes and accessories.

LORD & TAYLOR: Carries clothes, shoes and other accessories.

MACYS INC.: Both Macys and Bloomingdales carry clothes, shoes and other accessories.

NEIMAN MARCUS: No longer carries Ivanka Trump high-end jewelry collection because the brand has phased out the line in favor of a more affordable collection.

NORDSTROM INC.: Will no longer carry the brands clothing and accessories after the spring selling period because it says sales had declined.

PERFUMANIA: Carries Ivanka Trump fragrances.

SAKS OFF FIFTH: Quietly eliminated its products online, but still carries items in stores.

TJX COS.: Continues to offer Ivanka Trump merchandise at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores, but has said its mixing up the brand with other labels on the racks.

ZAPPOS.COM: Carries handbags, shoes and other accessories.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  The Iowa Legislature on Saturday adjourned a legislative session marked by a remarkable conservative shift that included passage of measures limiting public union power, expanding gun rights and enacting new abortion restrictions.

Republicans, who hold majorities in both chambers, finalized votes on the roughly $7.2 billion state budget following a series of private meetings that began nearly 24 hours earlier. The budget will require GOP Gov. Terry Branstad's approval before taking effect July 1.

Adjournment was delayed in part by disagreement over legislation to expand the state's medical marijuana oil program. The measure was ultimately approved, though a last-minute effort to fund water quality initiatives failed.

The 2017 session marked the first time in 19 years that Republicans controlled both legislative chambers and the governor's office, and they used their power to approve a series of bills that Democrats had blocked in the past.

Republicans were effusive in describing a session they said would long be remembered.

"We have accomplished more significant legislation in this session than any session that I have been involved with," said House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, who was elected in 2002.

Branstad, who has been Iowa's governor for a total of 23 years, offered similar sentiment.

"When you look at the sheer volume and diversity of policy issues that have been addressed this year, it's got to go down as one of the most productive," he said.

Democrats and others agreed the session stood out, but for all the wrong reasons.

"This has been the most damaging legislative session in a generation," said Rep. Chris Hall, D-Sioux City. "It has set working families and the state's economy backward."

Labor unions said the elimination in February of most collective bargaining rights for such public employees as teachers, nurses and correctional officers will lead many to find other work or leave Iowa, especially rural parts of the state.

Gun safety advocates said a law allowing people to shoot others from anywhere if they felt under threat would lead to more violence, and they said the legalization of concealed handguns in the Capitol building could be dangerous during a heated debate.

Abortion rights supporters argued that women's health could be put at risk by passage of a bill that would outlaw most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and create a 72-hour waiting period for a woman seeking an abortion, which is among the longest in the country.

GOP lawmakers also removed state funding for Planned Parenthood by creating a state-run family planning program that excludes organizations that perform abortions.

Erin Davison-Rippey, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said, "It's been incredibly disappointing to see lawmakers focus on issues that don't matter."

Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel, said Republicans are just getting started.

"Until we end abortion in Iowa, I think we're always going to continue to push forward," he said.

Democrats said the defunding effort was doubly irresponsible given major budget constraints. Iowa will be on the hook to spend about $3.1 million in state funds by passing up federal Medicaid money.

They said the same argument goes for the GOP lawmakers' decision to spend about $700,000 to implement a requirement that voters show approved ID at the polls beginning in 2019. The state has no evidence of widespread fraudulent voting. Critics say such laws are really meant to suppress voting among groups that tend to vote Democrat, including college students and minorities. Republicans dispute that.

Other new measures reduce workers' ability to be compensated for on-the-job injuries and ban counties and cities from raising the minimum hourly wage above the $7.25 state and federal levels. The law reversed local minimum wage increases.

Lawmakers turned to the budget in the final days of the session, though fiscal woes plagued them for months. A panel in December lowered the state's revenue projections by more than $110 million, leading lawmakers to reduce spending midyear for state agencies and higher education that totaled about $88 million. Another revenue decline in March led the Legislature to tap more than $130 million from a rainy day fund, which Republicans say will be repaid within two years.

GOP lawmakers say they made cuts that balance the budget yet increase funding for priorities like K-12 education, though educators say adding $40 million to the roughly $3 billion spent on schools will still lead to layoffs and larger classroom sizes.

Democrats argue the state could face more budget constraints if Republicans don't reduce the use of tax credits for corporations. Republicans have also indicated an interest in tax cuts.

Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans want to reform how some tax credits are distributed, but he also defended policies that his party believes will spur economic activity.

"We're trying to set ourselves up for the future," he said. "If you can pass budgets each year that begin to work down the path of smaller, smarter government, I think you're setting yourself up for that."
DES MOINES (AP)  A divided Iowa Supreme Court on Friday upheld a warrant to search a suspected drug dealers residence, even though a deputy and a judge didnt properly fill out the authorizing paperwork.

The 4-3 ruling underlined divisions among the justices on whether officers and judges must be held to exacting standards or if seemingly minor oversights can be excused.

At issue was a warrant application that Scott County Deputy Dan Furlong prepared in 2015 to search a Davenport home where Maurice Angel lived.

Furlong, who had tracked Angels movements for weeks, didnt sign the application spelling out why he believed there was probable cause. But he swore to the information under oath before Judge Henry Latham, who signed the warrant. The judge failed to circle words in two spots indicating he found probable cause, as required.

Days later, officers searching the property found cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, along with two young children. Prosecutors filed drug charges against Angel and a woman who lived there, who was also charged with child endangerment.

District Judge Marlita Greve later granted their motion to throw out the evidence found during the search, saying the warrant didnt comply with the law because it lacked a signature. She said Lathams failure to circle the two words supported her decision.

Writing for the majority Friday, Justice Edward Mansfield said that Furlongs oversight was inadvertent and that the application was legal because the law doesnt require the applicants written oath or affirmation. He said he was in no doubt that Latham found probable cause to issue the warrant.

Dissenting Justice Brent Appel said he believed the warrant was invalid because the law requires the applicants written signature and the issuing judge must make clear the finding of probable cause.

Praising Greves ruling, Appel said the process of obtaining a search warrant to authorize police to raid a home is not a bureaucratic bother in which a lackadaisical, close-enough attitude toward legal requirements is good enough. He said judicial review of the warrant process must be highly detailed and demanding, given the constitutional rights at stake.

This court, however, falls well short of the mark by endorsing a sloppy, poorly executed search warrant process, he wrote.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
YORK, Neb.  She sat down in court Friday, took a trembling breath and gave an unimaginable accounting of loss to the man responsible for it.

Almost 30 years ago, Sharon Hankes 12-year-old sister, Sacha, was shot to death in her familys farm home near Henderson. The revolver was wielded by her 14-year-old brother, Sydney.

The killing destroyed her family. Her siblings lives remain in shambles. Her parents, in hiding.

How do you even wrap your head around the betrayal and the hurt of someone that you loved for years slaughtering your sister, Hanke said through tears. It makes you question your very existence and the trust of everyone around you.

Sydney Thieszen sat across the courtroom, his eyes cast toward shackles around his wrists. Later, he stood and tried to explain the burden he has carried for 30 years in a prison cell.

Theres not a day that goes by in my life that I dont feel sorrow and remorse for what I did, taking the life of a precious little girl, he said.

The two took turns speaking Friday in a York courtroom as Thieszen, now 44, asked for a reduction in his life prison sentence. He won the chance because of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said juveniles who kill cannot receive mandatory life terms.

York County District Judge James Stecker agreed to reduce Thieszens sentence to 70 years to life. It gives Thieszen hope for parole after about nine years, a possibility that did not exist under his former sentence.

But the court flatly rejected Thieszens request for 40 years to something less than life.

The crime was violent, brutal and utterly senseless, the judge said.

The judge also expressed skepticism regarding Thieszens explanation of the killing: that he acted in a fit of panic after his sister threatened to call the police to thwart Thieszen from running away. Evidence showed that Thieszen admitted to investigators he had been thinking of killing his family and he had purchased a box of .22-caliber ammunition in the weeks before the shooting.

After the hearing, Thieszens lawyer, Jeff Pickens of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, said his client will appeal the decision as a de facto life sentence.

Corey OBrien with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office acknowledged that the defendant suffered horrific abuse during his first years of life, before he was taken in as a foster child and eventually adopted by the Thieszen family.

Abuse, however, does not excuse murder, OBrien said.

There are thousands of kids who come from situations much worse than what Sydney came from and they choose not to murder, he said.

OBrien asked the judge to give Thieszen not less than 80 years in prison. Afterward, he said the judges decision of 70 years to life was just.

The judge also left intact the original sentence of six to 20 years for a weapons conviction. Under the states good-time law, which cuts prison terms roughly in half, Thieszen would be eligible for parole after serving a little more than 38 years.

But if he does receive parole, he would remain under state supervision for the rest of his life.

In December, the Nebraska Supreme Court determined that Thieszen was entitled to a new sentence, citing the Supreme Court ruling that struck down laws requiring mandatory life terms for juveniles convicted of murder.

Nebraska had such a law on the books when Thieszen and 26 other juvenile killers were convicted. That law has since been replaced with one that requires judges to consider prison terms ranging from 40 years to life for juveniles convicted of first-degree murder.

In the case known as Miller v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that advances in brain research have shown that mental capacity does not fully develop until a persons mid-20s. As a result, children have an underdeveloped sense of responsibility, leading to recklessness, impulsivity and heedless risk-taking.

The court also said that with treatment and education, juvenile offenders have a better chance at successful rehabilitation. For those reasons, laws that prevent judges from considering such factors when sentencing juveniles violate the Eighth Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

With the resolution of Thieszens case, all but three of the juvenile killers in Nebraska who were given mandatory life terms have received new sentences, although most of those will not get out until they are retirement age. Several have obtained their releases or been paroled.

The Supreme Court has more recently said juveniles also cannot be given life terms unless the sentencing judge made a finding that the defendant is irreparably corrupt.

Pickens said the evidence clearly shows Thieszen is far from irreparably corrupt.

Thieszen has amassed more than 200 misconduct reports during his incarceration, but none has involved a violent act. Most are for using drugs or violating rules that wouldnt result in tickets on the outside.

He is considered a low risk to reoffend by the psychologists who have interviewed him. He scored a 35 on the prisons custody rating; it takes a 30 to qualify for work release, Pickens said. Prison evaluators have said he doesnt need substance-abuse treatment or anger-management training.

He has a network of close friends who will help him on the outside, Pickens said. He would not try to return to York County where, judging by the letters sent to the judge, he is still regarded as a threat.

Regardless of what happens here today, the rest of my life will be spent expressing my remorse for what I did through the constant efforts to add to the lives of those around me, he told the judge.

But his sister said she never heard him express remorse before Friday. Although the family cut off contact with him after his arrest and conviction, in the years since he has never sent a letter asking for forgiveness.

His words mean less than nothing to her now, she said.

During her statement, Hanke wanted Thieszen to know something he probably never considered: She was the one who had to clean up the blood in the bathroom where their sister died after having been shot three times.

Do you know what that does to a person? she asked. That is something Ill never recover from.
NORFOLK, Neb.  Theres a big change coming for deer hunters in the Missouri River corridor for the 2017 big game hunting season.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has taken away 2,900 bonus Antlerless Only Whitetail tags and 500 permits for two antlerless only whitetails.

The objective is to decrease the antlerless harvest to increase herds as they rebound from a devastating outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in 2012.

Commissioners approved the strategy during a Friday meeting in Norfolk at which they adopted staff recommendations for this years big game hunting seasons.

We are cautiously removing some permits, said Alicia Hardin, wildlife division administrator. We dont want things to get out of control but we also want to be responsive and limit some antlerless whitetail permits.

The Missouri Management Unit includes the Missouri, Elkhorn, Wahoo, Blue Northwest and Blue Southeast firearm units along the entire eastern tier of Nebraska.

Recovery from population declines that occurred in 2012 has been slower than expected in the units that border the Missouri River, Hardin said.

The whitetail buck and whitetail antlerless harvest decreased and was less than expected last year in the region. Some areas of the unit experienced severe disease from EHD.

Commissioner Rick Brandt of Roca supported the plan, saying he heard from a Saunders County landowner who said EHD wiped out many of the deer in his area and hunting wasnt needed as a management tool.

The commissions goal is to provide quality hunting and viewing opportunities within the limits of the deer resource while maintaining deer numbers at a level most landowners will accept in terms of damage.

Nebraskas reputation as a deer-hunting destination is strong, Hardin said.

The states deer permit sales of 135,052 were the most ever last year. Non-resident permit sales also ranked No. 1 at 17,131.

And a record 9,257 mule deer bucks were harvested. The whitetail buck harvest of 27,241 was down more than 1,200 animals and ranked 11th overall.

It was a good deer year in Nebraska, Hardin said

Hardin said more than 2.1 million deer have been taken in Nebraska during the last 69 years  half of them since 2000.

Among other big game changes to commission orders:

 Twenty-six either-sex and 54 doe/fawn antelope permits were added in units in the southern Panhandle.

 Three cow elk permits were added in the Ash Creek Unit.

 Permits in southwest units were changed to increase mule deer doe harvest.

 Changes to permits in the Platte Mule Deer Conservation Area now allocate no more than 15 percent of permits to nonresidents.

 The River Antlerless Unit was expanded on the Elkhorn River and the South Fork of the Elkhorn River.

The 2017 big game season dates:

 Deer: archery, Sept. 1-Dec. 31; firearm, Nov. 11-19; muzzleloader, Dec. 1-31; antlerless late season, Jan. 1-15, 2018

 Antelope: archery, Aug. 20-Dec. 31; muzzleloader, Sept. 16-Oct. 1; firearm, Oct. 14-29; doe/fawn late season, Nov. 1, 2017-Jan. 31, 2018

 Elk: archery bull, Sept. 15-Oct. 29; firearm bull, Sept. 30-Oct. 29; private land cow, Aug. 15-Oct. 29 and Dec. 1-31; public land cow, Sept. 30-Oct. 29 and Dec. 1-31

Commissioners also:

 Granted a permanent easement from the City of Louisville to place a sewer line at Platte River State Park.

 Set fees for a new family aquatic center at Ponca State Park. The rates: annual family pass, $180; annual adult, $95; annual child, $75; daily adult, $7; daily child, $5; age 2 and under, free.

 Set fees for a new rental meeting room at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: Monday to Thursday, $150 for full day, $75 for four hours; Friday to Sunday and holidays, $200 for full day, $100 for four hours; weddings, $300; propane grill, $25. Rental hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with three four-hour rental blocks per day.

 Acquired 80 acres of land in Sheridan County as an addition to Metcalf Wildlife Management Area.

The next commission meeting will be June 22 in Scottsbluff.
Explained: What the SC said and how is Talaq-e-Hasan different from triple talaq

After birth of a girl child, UP man threatens wife with triple talaq

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, April 22: According to reports, a Muslim man from Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, wants to divorce his wife because she gave birth to a girl child recently. The man threatened his wife with triple talaq (the Muslim divorce practice--where a man can divorce his wife by uttering the word talaq three times) after their child was born, reported ANI.

The woman approached the police and lodged a complaint against her husband. In her complaint, she also stated that her husband wanted to marry another woman.

The case has come to light at a time when India is debating over the issues of banning triple talaq and polygamy practiced by the Muslim community. While a large number of Muslim women want a ban on triple talaq and polygamy to end injustices meted out to them, the clerics don't want any interference in their personal laws by the Centre.

Last year, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government opposed in the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims and favoured a relook on these practices on grounds of gender equality and secularism.

Recently, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his views against the practice of triple talaq too. Adityanath said that those silent on the issue were as "guilty" as the ones practising it.

In recent times, several bizarre cases of triple talaq have come to light. Many men divorced their wives over phone and several of them just sent postcards to their wives with triple talaq written on it. Recently, a woman from UP was attacked with acid by her in-laws after her husband gave her triple talaq over phone.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 8:44 [IST]
PM Modi to visit Himachal Pradesh on Oct 5; to launch various projects and inaugurate AIIMS Bilaspur

Himachal was valued less on strength, more on Parliament seats before: PM Modi

After UP, Himachal Pradesh bans the use of red, amber and blue beacons

India

oi-PTI

Shimla, Apr 21: The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday issued an official notification, prohibiting the use of red, amber and blue light on all vehicles barring those belonging to a few high dignitaries, a step aimed to end the VIP culture in the state.

"In pursuance of the powers conferred under clause (iii) of proviso of sub-rule (l) of Rule 108 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, the Governor is pleased to withdraw the use of Red, Amber and Blue light on the top of their official vehicle, except Chief Justice and Judges of Himachal high court," a notification issued by Raj Bhawan said.

The orders were implemented immediately in the secretariat and scores of government vehicles leaving the secretariats in the evening were without red or blue beacons.

Governor Acharya Dev Vrat, Transport minister G S Bali, former chief minister P K Dhumal and some other leaders have already removed the red and blue lights from their vehicles.

Seeking to end VIP culture, the Union Cabinet had on April 19 decided that beacon light will be removed from all vehicles, including that of the prime minister, from May 1.

PTI
AIADMK merger: Now it is OPS as TN CM and EPS as party boss

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

D-In politics one can never say what the final outcome would be. While on Friday there was news that O Panneerselvam would head the AIADMK while E Palanisamy would continue as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, today the picture appears to be different. It is now said that O Paneerselvam would be the next CM while EPS would take the place of general secretary of the party which was held by Sasikala Natarajan currently doing time at the Bengaluru central jail after being convicted in the disproportionate assets case.

Both the factions of the AIADMK are readying for a formal round of talks after they had come to certain conclusions before the final merger takes place. The change in stance by the EPS camp was owing to the vulnerability of the government. It requires just 6 MLAs to revolt in the 122 member government for it to topple.

OPS who is emerging as a strong contender is capable of staging that revolt as he continues to blow the anti-Sasikala bugle.

Here is the possible scenario:

Palanisami will step down as CM and hand over the post to OPS. Health minister, Vijaybhaskar will be dropped following the IT raids at his place that were conducted recently. Senthil Balaji will be inducted into the ministry along with two others.

Balaji is likely to get the health portfolio which is now held by Vijaybhaskar. It may be recalled that Balaji who was part of Jayalalithaa's cabinet was dropped after he announced himself as the successor.

A merger announcement is likely by Monday. With the formal round of talks to take place over the next two days, several Sasikala loyalists have started distancing themselves from her.

OneIndia News
Baahubali 2 row: Kamal Haasan congratulates Sathyaraj for apologising

India

oi-Anusha

A day after actor Sathyaraj apologised for his statements against Karnataka and Kannadigas, Kamal Haasan congratulated him. In a tweet posted on Saturday morning, Kamal Haasan congratulated the actor for 'maintaining rationality in a troubled environment'. He even quoted a dialogue from his movie and said that the one who apologises is a better human being.

Congrats Mr. Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environement. Quoting VirumaaNdi   . Bravo  Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 22, 2017

Meanwhile, reports of Kannada films being brough down in Tamil Nadu emerged. A day after actor Sathyaraj apologised and asked for Baahubali 2's smooth release, screenings of three Kannada films were stopped in multiple theatres in Tamil Nadu. Movies like Shuddhi, Chakravarthy and Srinivasa Kalyana were pulled down without 'valid' reason said audiences whose tickets were cancelled. Sa Ra Govind of the Karnataka film chamber, however, claimed that the pulling down of movies did not have anything to do with the Baahubali controversy. He claimed that the south india film chamber assured that there was no ban on Kannada movies.

After reports of Kannada movies being stalled in Tamil Nadu emerged, pro-Kannada organisations had threatened to stop the screening of all Tamil films in Karnataka. It may be recalled that Kannada organisations had called for a ban on the release of Baahubali 2.

Cine-goers who had booked tickets for Kannada films reportedly received messages hours before the show that the screening was pulled down and their tickets cancelled. The message, audiences claims, mentioned no reason whatsoever for the last minute cancellation of tickets.

OneIndia News
Karnataka will watch Baahubali 2: Pro-Kannada activists withdraw protest

India

oi-Anusha

Pro-Kannada organisations have decided to withdraw their protests against Baahubali 2. The groups have also called off the bandh that they had called for on April 28, the day the movie is scheduled to release. A day after actor Sathyaraj apologised to Kannadigas for his 'abusive' statements over the Cauvery made 9 years ago, Kannada organisations decided to withdraw their protests.

"We have nothing against the film. Our protest was demanding that Sathyaraj apologise. Now that he has apologised, we withdraw our protests as we had said earlier. We have no opposition to the movie's release," said Vatal Nagaraj who led the group of Kannada organisations. He reiterated that their protest was not against the movie but against the actor and his apology has been accepted.

The Kannada activists, however, warned Sathyaraj not to use derogatory words against Kannadigas henceforth. "We are warning Sathyaraj to be careful about the words he chooses to use. Let him support Tamil Nadu but let him not speak against Kannadigas. If he uses derogatory terms against Kannadigas, all his future movies will be banned in Karnataka," Vatal Nagaraj added.

The Kannada activists had called for a Bengaluru bandh and statewide ban on the release of Baahubali 2. They had taken offence to the statements made 9 years ago by actor Sathyaraj during Cauvery water protests between both states. The film's director Rajamouli had also made a video appeal to the organisations to not stall the movie.

OneIndia News
CMs of all NE states to protest if citizenship bill is brought again: Khandu

Our envoys visit to Arunachal shows support to Indias sovereignty: US

Times are different compared to 1962 says Arunachal CM

Congress dubs Arunachal CM's statement on Tibet as 'immature'

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Itanagar, April 22: The Congress Arunachal Pradesh unit on Saturday described as 'immature and uncalled for' Chief Minister Pema Khandu's statement that the Indian state shares a border with Tibet and not China.

"The Chief Minister of a sensitive state like Arunachal Pradesh should not make any statement before going through the political status and history of Tibet, as recognised by the Indian government," state Congress president Takam Sanjoy said.

Sanjoy, a former Lok Sabha member, said Tibet as of today has the status of the 'Tibetan Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China'.

On April 14, India said there is no change in the Indian position that Tibet is a part of China and that it will continue to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue.

Khandu had allegedly said that Beijing has no right to threaten New Delhi on the Dalai Lama's movement within the country as India shares a boundary with Tibet and not China.

He said the McMahon Line in reality demarcates the territory between India and Tibet.

The McMahon Line, an imaginary border now known as the Line of Actual Control, is just 25 km from Tawang.

On Beijing's move to rename six places in Arunachal Pradesh, Sanjoy said: "The indigenous and ethnic people of Arunachal Pradesh have since the British Raj got integrated into the Indian mainstream. Some of the tribal leaders even participated in the Indian freedom struggle. Therefore, disputing Arunachal's status by China is absolutely absurd and beyond ethnic evidence."

"Arunachal Pradesh is without doubt an integral part of the Indian Union," he said.

On the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit to Arunachal this month, Sanjoy said it is a non-issue and the Chinese government's opposition to the visit was impulsive.

IANS
Delhi MCD Election 2017: 56,000 personnel to provide security cover

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 22: Over 56,000 police and paramilitary personnel will be deployed to ensure that the upcoming city civic polls are conducted without any glitches.

Dependra Pathak, chief spokesperson, Delhi Police and special commissioner of police (Operations) said a total of 774 premises and 4,748 booths in the city are sensitive and hypersensitive.

There are adequate and full security arrangements in all facets, including anti-terror measures by Delhi Police, he said.

There are 13,022 booths in total and various Delhi Police units, paramilitary, CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel will be deployed to ensure that no untoward incidents take place, said the officer.

"As many as 56,256 personnel will be deployed for the elections. There will be 40 companies of paramilitary and CAPF personnel and 20,000 Home Guards will be deployed. Apart from this, various Delhi Police units will be looking after their areas," said the officer.

The officer said the sensitive and hypersensitive booths have been identified on parameters including number of cases registered in the area, demographic composition, experience during previous elections.

Following consultation with government and election authorities and the above parameters, these areas have been earmarked.

"There are 573 sensitive and 197 hypersensitive premises respectively that have been identified. Out of the 13,022 booths, 3,284 have been declared sensitive and 1,464 hypersensitive. There will be deployment of more forces at these places," added Pathak.

According to the officials, south district tops the list with maximum (585) sensitive booths. Shahdara district has 114 sensitive booths, the lowest among all districts. The southeast district has 382 hypersensitive booths, the highest among all districts while the northwest district has the lowest (15) hypersensitive booths.

Some of the prominent hypersensitive areas of the city are Tughalakabad, Jamia Nagar, Sangam Vihar in southeast Delhi; Seemapuri in Shahdara, Seelampur in northeast Delhi; Adarsh Nagar, Bharat Nagar in northwest Delhi; Karol Bagh, Patel, Chandni Mahal in central Delhi; and Najafgarh, Mundka, Sultanpuri, Nangloi in outer Delhi, the officials added. The civic polls are slated for April 23.

PTI
Doval doctrine for J&K back: Army won't go soft on stone pelters

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

There is no way that the army and the para-military forces will tolerate stone pelters in Jammu and Kashmir. "Do not expect us to tell them to put up these people who want to disrupt law and order," this is the message that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi would convey to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed.

This effectively means that the Ajit Doval doctrine would continue to be in force in the Valley. India's National Security Advisor, Doval had said, "Do not overreact, it will pass off as they cannot sustain." He was of the view that the policy of appeasement will not work.

He had conveyed during a series of meetings with the PM that there is no point in taking a soft stance in the Valley against those who are anti-nationals and disrupting peace at the behest of Pakistan.

No softening of stance:

The government would convey to the J&K CM that the Army would not tolerate stone pelters. The BJP is ready to speak about the minor issues that have cropped up in the coalition government at J&K, but asking the Army or para-military forces to go soft on stone pelters is out of the question, the BJP says.

The government feels that any move to soften their stance would only have a counter-productive effect. We have tried talking to the separatists, but they remain adamant. They continue to tow Pakistan's line and fuel tension and violence in the Valley, the government also says.

The Centre, however says that the J&K government is free to hold talks with the separatists. The centre would also back the J&K government. However, if violence continues, then one cannot expect the Army also to soften its stance, the centre says.

The Doval doctrine:

The Doval doctrine in a nutshell reads,"Do not overreact, it will pass off as they cannot sustain." Back in 2010, when incidents of stone pelting had gone beyond control, Doval had said that the biggest problem was the policy of appeasement that was being followed since 1947.

He felt that the focus should have been to vacate the Pakistan forces out instead of going to the United Nations. By accepting Article 370 in the state, it only made the people of Jammu and Kashmir look different and this led to separatism. He also felt that such policies only gave Pakistan the upper hand in setting the agenda. Pakistan decided when to engage India in war or peace, he also had said.

Doval had said in 2010 and says it even in 2016 that the protests are not due to an uprising by civil society. Instead, it is a manufactured and orchestrated move by Pakistan to keep the Valley on the boil. He even spoke about the clarion calls for protests and stone pelting that would be issued from the mosques. He even justified the use of force while ascertaining that in most cases the protestors had a murderous approach.

Doval, however, emphasised that use of force against innocents was wrong.

The NSA had also emphasised on the need to give Pakistan a decisive blow. "Pakistan must realise and understand that it cannot take on India. Pakistan has this belief that it can take on India and only through a decisive blow will they understand that they thinking is wrong," Doval said.

OneIndia News
EC bribery case: TTV Dinakaran appears for questioning

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

T T V Dinakaran appeared before the Delhi police for questioning on Saturday in connection with the Election Commission bribery case. Dinakaran who is Sasikala Natarajan's nephew arrived at Delhi shortly before presenting himself before the police for questioning.

'Two leaves' symbol alleged bribe case: TTV Dinakaran reaches Delhi to appear before Police in connection with the case pic.twitter.com/YTqDTYihBI  ANI (@ANI_news) April 22, 2017

He is accused of allegedly trying to bribe EC officials for the two leaves symbol of the AIADMK which was frozen following a contesting claim by the O Panneerselvam camp. Dinakaran is alleged to have been contacted by one Sukesh Chandrashekar who had assured that he could bribe EC officials Rs 50 crore and get the symbol for him. Sukesh was arrested by the Delhi police last week.

Dinakaran arrived at the Chennai airport earlier on Saturday and boarded a flight to Delhi. He appeared before the officials of the inter-state crime cell on Saturday afternoon. The police had issued a look-out-circular against him and even told him to join the investigation.

OneIndia News
For spying on ex-wife's phone, man told to pay Rs 50,000

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

He spied on his ex-wive's phone and for this he was fined Rs 50,000. The cyber adjudicator at West Bengal ordered the man to pay the fine for snooping into his estranged wife's mobile calls and messages.

The state IT secretary, in his ex-officio position as the cyber adjudicator in West Bengal, has ordered the man to pay a compensation for illegally spying on his estranged wife's mobile phone. The man was found guilty under sections 43(a), (b), 66(C) and 72 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (as amended till date) for breaching online privacy. Under provisions of the Act, an adjudicator can order a maximum compensation of Rs 5 crore.

The woman, in her complaint had claimed that her estranged husband had filed a matrimonial suit before the Howrah civil court seeking divorce in June 2014.

They had got married in May 2013, but the relationship turned sour within a few months over the man's alleged suspicions on his wife. She stated in her complaint that she had shared her Facebook account and email account passwords with her husband when their relation was good and claimed that on one occasion the husband had taken her mobile phone and installed a malware, without her knowledge, through which he could access all calls and messages from and to her phone.

The adjudicator, in his order, noted that the man had himself admitted to have installed a software on the phone belonging to the complainant and accessed details of incoming and outgoing calls and messages from her mobile phone without her knowledge.

OneIndia News
Another piece of reasonable, science-based legislation. Another dire fate in the Iowa House.

This time, it is common-sense medical marijuana policy that looks doomed due to the House GOP's affinity for the 1950s.

An expansion of Iowa's draconian medical marijuana policy is speeding through the Senate, reports The Gazette of Cedar Rapids. It easily cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee on a voice vote, only hours after a subcommittee unanimously supported it.

Then, reporters asked House Republicans about their peers' efforts in the upper chamber. Those House Republicans responded by turning on the fire hose and flooded the place with cold water. It's just too much right now, they said. It's just another step toward a world of jobless stoners dancing to Phish's droning guitar solos instead of going to work, they worried.

The Senate draft is not a wholesale legalization effort. It's not even your standard buy-a-joint with a doctor's note-type system that's so popular in more than half the country. No, the Senate draft still bans the smoking of pot, with or without medical consent.

The Compassionate Use of Cannabis Act does, however, drastically expand the list of ailments for which cannabinoid pharmaceuticals can be prescribed, including post-traumatic stress and cancer. As such, it has the backing of numerous advocacy organizations supporting veterans, cancer survivors and those with afflictions included within the draft.

The bill would, finally, also permit production of marijuana-based medicines in Iowa. At least four growing and manufacturing operations would be licensed within Iowa by Dec. 1, the bill says. A dozen dispensaries also would be approved.

Boil it down: It would comfort the sick. It would create jobs.

The very concerns about creating a society where "anyone can get it" doesn't make much sense, because the legislation explicitly bans pot smoking. Such a standard is farcical if considered from a broad view of medicinal drug policy. Opiates are quite literally destroying entire communities in some parts of the country. It's a scourge rooted in easy access to powerful, highly addictive pain killers.

Marijuana is not without risks and pitfalls, research says. But it might as well be cotton candy next to oxycodone, a legal, poorly regulated opiate that renewed the nation's taste for being comfortably numb.

Only misinformed stereotypes and a nonsensical commitment to terrible policy  rejected by conservatives and liberals alike  fuel revolts like this against reasonable marijuana policy. The war on drugs was a massive, costly failure that achieved little but heavily armed police forces and prisons stuffed to the brim with nonviolent offenders.

But the GOP-run Iowa Senate isn't looking to follow Colorado's legalization effort. It isn't even moving to make smokable weed available to someone wracked with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

It does expand the type of cannabinoids that would be available. It does expand the drug's permissible use to a host of other diseases that, according to research, benefit from the plant's effects. It does permit the production of said drugs within Iowa, a potentially significant boost to the state's pharmaceutical sector.

The House is under significant pressure to do something, mind you. Iowa's basically useless marijuana trial period will expire in July, if nothing is done. Look for the House to basically extend the existing program with almost no time before adjournment.

And thousands of Iowans would again be denied access to a drug that could improve their very lives.

This editorial appeared in the April 14 edition of the Quad-City Times, another Lee Enterprises publication.
I fear tampering with EVMs in MCD polls too: Kejriwal

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 22: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday he fears "5 to 10 per cent" EVM tampering in Delhi's civic polls and urged people to vote heavily for the AAP to defeat this.

In an interview, the Aam Aadmi Party leader also accused the Modi government of trying to cripple state governments not with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Saying he was "100 per cent" sure EVM tampering prevented an AAP victory in Punjab, Kejriwal told IANS in an interview that this would be tried on Sunday too in Delhi's municipal elections.

He said there were three reasons he feared Electronic Voting Machine tampering on Sunday.

"One, pre-2006 EVMs without security features are being used in Delhi; two, these EVMs have no VVPATs; three, the EVMs are coming from Rajasthan (where he said EVMs were tampered with).

"The only way to fail EVM tampering is to vote for the AAP tomorrow in huge numbers People must defeat the EVM tampering."

Kejriwal denied he was complaining about EVMs because the AAP lost the assembly elections in Punjab and Goa.

"We did not make these allegations earlier when the BJP won in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. In the last four months, evidence is emerging of tampering  from Pune, Bhind, Dholpur, Punjab, UP."

He said the Election Commission's refusal to hold an independent investigation into any allegation had only increased the suspicion about EVMs.

Kejriwal said the AAP would certainly respond if and when the poll panel invited it to check the EVMs.

"They have not invited anyone Only stories are planted in the media. They first agreed to let us check the EVMs before the Delhi polls. Then they said they could be checked after the polls. Why not earlier?"

Accusing the Modi government of doing "everything to stop us from working", the AAP leader said his party wasn't the sole victim of such vindictive politics.

"In the whole country, BJP seems to have just one aim: if people don't vote for them, they won't let the governments function Be it Arunachal, Manipur, Goa They break governments they lure MLAs.

"The tragedy is people who do now what Bhajan Lal once did are being painted as 'master strategists' while the parties which lose MLAs are blamed for the situation.

"Only we keep fighting and getting things done. Others are bending on their knees."

Kejriwal said the BJP-controlled municipal corporations had turned Delhi into a garbage dump in the last decade. "Now they want to cover up their 10 years of failure and corruption in the name of Modi."

If the AAP won the municipal polls, "we will start cleaning up Delhi on a war footing and we will make the city sparkle in just one year", he said.

"House tax will go. And in less than three years, Delhi will be free of dengue and chikungunya."

The municipal corporations, he said, had "more power, more responsibility, more departments and were more independent" than the Delhi government he heads.

Kejriwal denied he had stopped criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi post Punjab and Goa.

And he insisted the only reason the AAP lost the assembly by-poll from Rajouri Garden here this month was because voters were upset that the AAP MLA resigned to contest in Punjab.

Kejriwal said the allegation that "I keep fighting" was without basis.

"I want to tell the people that Kejriwal fights for your rights. If I hadn't fought, power tariff would not have fallen; free water could not have been given; Mohalla Clinics would not have come up, minimum wages of workers and Guest Teachers' salary would not have gone up

"I want to ask the people of Delhi Should I fight for your rights or not? Let the people answer."

IANS
Gujarat Traders Federation writes to PM Modi over GST rules

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 22: The Gujarat Traders Federation on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for easing the rules and structure of the upcoming pan India tax regime of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The federation reached out to Prime Minister Modi through a letter which pointed out various hindrances towards ease of doing business that will occur once the GST is implemented.

"As we learn about the GST rules adopted by GST council, which are being published now and in public domain, from the very structure it seems that it defeats and violates the very concept of Ease of Doing Business," the letter read.

"We on behalf of honest small traders, small medium enterprises (SME) of India request you to kindly intervene into the matter and use your kind office to make the provisions and rules vide GST more simple and implementable."

IANS


Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Haryana CM Khattar to discuss Sutlej Canal issue with Modi today

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

New Delhi, April 22: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital around 6 pm on Saturday to discuss the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue.

According to government sources, the SYL issue is said to be given top priority for discussion. The chief minister will also attend the NITI Aayog summit on April 23. It is learned that Khattar had sought Modi's appointment to discuss Haryana's stand on river water sharing dispute with neighboring state Punjab.

On the other hand, Punjab government had demanded that a tribunal to be set up for re-assessment of water in the Ravi-Beas. It has stated that the state had no water to spare.

In the meanwhile, Haryana had urged the Centre to build the remaining portion of the SYL canal in Punjab territory as soon as possible to carry out its share of river waters.

It is to mention that the decision to meet Modi comes after the both Haryana and Punjab reiterated their stated positions in the separate meeting with Centre on SYL Canal issue on April 20 in New Delhi.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 14:58 [IST]
India wants Kashmir, but not Kashmiris?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Srinagar, April 22: Remember how strongly we condemned the hate crimes against Indian immigrants in the United States in recent times? Our blood boiled at the sight of the images of body of Hyderabad techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed by a xenophobic American in Kansas.

We all reacted instantly and channelised our anger in demanding immediate action against the culprit by the Donald Trump administration. We were right in our demands. After all how could we tolerate our Indians being attacked, abused and killed? However, similar reactions don't come forth when a fellow Indian is bullied, tortured, maimed to silence and at times killed in our country.

Have we started distinguishing crime as 'good' and 'bad' ones? Otherwise, why the lynching and death of Pehlu Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer, on a national highway in Rajasthan, by a group of gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) failed to outrage us? Why the six main accused named by Khan in his statement to the police before his death are still scot-free? Currently, we are only confronted with questions. We have no answers to these unbearable, but ignored truths.

Coming to the vexed issue of Kashmir, currently, we are seeing a slow and sure division among Indians over it. Because of Kashmir, we saw several wars in the sub-continent since 1947 and India's continuous fight against Pakistan-sponsored terrorist activists.

Clearly, India can fight against Pakistan--the enemy neighbour. But how could India fight against India? How could Indians be pitted against Indians over Kashmir? And, how could we ask Kashmiris to leave any part of India?

Aren't a Kashmiri as much as an Indian, as say a Bengali, a Tamilian, a Bihari and a Maharashtrian, to name a few? When we claim Kashmir to be an integral part of India, how could its natives be aliens to Indians?

The hoardings in Meerut asking Kashmiris to leave Uttar Pradesh are something beyond comprehension. "Bhartiya sena par pathar maarne wale Kashmiryon ka bahishkar. Kashmiriyo Uttar Pradesh chodo warna... (Boycott those Kashmiris who pelt stones at Indian Army. Kashmiris leave UP or....)", stated the Meerut hoardings.

The warning against Kashmiris in these hoardings is loud and clear. In a few words, all Kashmiris are labelled as stone pelters, the enemies of the Indian Army, who need to be boycotted. The xenophobic and bigoted assertion of a group of 'mainland' Indians over another group of 'marginalised' Indians is the testimony of divisive politics of our times.

Still, those who have put the hoardings in the city are yet to be detained, even after Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena, a little known Hindu group, has taken responsibility of committing the 'crime'.

Recently, several Kashmiri students were brutally beaten up right in front of the Mewar University in Rajasthan by a group of local people. The Kashmiri students were once again called as "stone-pelters", the enemy of the country and its army.

The attempt of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to quell fear among the Kashmiris staying in various parts of the country by asking state governments to ensure their safety was definitely a move in the right direction, but was not enough, because times are difficult and words fail to convey the message.

Unless and until, the Centre does not send out a strong note by taking action against those who are responsible for spreading fear and division in the name of nationalism and religion, these kinds of incidents are likely to spread faster than a 'wild fire' across the country.

OneIndia News
Indian Mujahideen re-born: Massive manhunt on for 25 members

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Where are the 25 persons recruited by Yasin Bhatkal, months prior to his arrest in 2014. Yasin Bhatkal who had planned on fleeing to Pakistan via Nepal was arrested and during his questioning, he said that the Indian Mujahideen is not dead.

He wanted the show to go on and in order to ensure this, he set up a network before he decided to leave India. In the year 2013, he was in touch with several youth as he felt that the outfit needed more persons. Moreover he felt that once he was in Pakistan, these 25 members could carry forward the work he had done ie carrying out terrorist attacks.

The police have now learnt that he had held regular meetings with 25 persons who were appointed from Bhatkal, Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These men are still out in the open. They may be looking to come together and bring the IM back to life.

Yasin Bhatkal confessed that he had set up a network of 25 persons to run the IM. He said that they had met frequently prior to his arrest. I explained to them that the show must go on. He also said that he was traveling to Pakistan and would continue to guide them from there.

The Intelligence Bureau and the police are trying to track down these persons. It is not possible that they must be holed up together the police and IB say. They may have spanned out to different parts of the country and planning a grand get together when they feel the heat on them has lowered, officials also say.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 15:16 [IST]
Indian Navy in elite club: Brahmos land attack supersonic missile test-fired successfully

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

India on Friday successfully test-fired the Brahmos land attack supersonic cruise missile in the Bay of Bengal. India now joined an elite club of navies to have capability to strike on land targets from sea. Navies of the US, Russia, Britain and China have similar strike capabilities.

The long-range missile was fired from guided missile frigate Teg on a target on land and it yielded desired results. "This successful maiden firing of BrahMos Land Attack Supersonic Cruise Missile has significantly enhances the prowess of Indian Navy and has placed India into the club of select few nations," Navy spokesperson Captain DK Sharma said.

The BrahMos Missile has been jointly developed by India and Russia, and its anti-ship variant has already been inducted into Indian Navy. Majority of the frontline ships of Indian Navy, like the Kolkata, Ranvir and Teg classes of ships, are capable of firing the land attack supersonic missile.

Land attack variant of BrahMos missile provides Indian naval ships the capability to precisely neutralise selected targets deep inland and far away from coast, from stand-off ranges at sea.

Indian Navy is upgrading its weapons system and platforms as part of a major modernisation programme.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 7:21 [IST]
Is super-star Rajinikanth the next President of India?

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Is Rajinikanth the next President of India? Several circles in both Delhi and Tamil Nadu is abuzz with the news that the the super-star also known as Rajini will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice for the post of president. The Modi sarkar likes to throw in surprises and like the way A B Vajpayee made A P J Abdul Kalam President, this time too India will be in for a surprise.

The names of senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi have been ruled out for now after the Supreme Court ordered a trial against them in the Babri Masjid demolition case. For sometime, a few months ago, the name of Amitabh Bachchan too had done the rounds, but after the Panama papers case, it was said that his name was dropped.

So what makes Rajini a suitable candidate for the President of India? The Modi government is unlikely to give Pranab Mukherjee another term in July. The BJP has inched close towards the numbers to elect a President, but would still need the support of AIADMK or BJD.

A consensus candidate:

Rajini will be a consensus candidate. He has been described as humble, non-controversial and a widely acceptable and popular star. He has stayed away from politics, except the one time back in the early 2000s when he indicated that he would take a shot at politics.

If Rajini is the BJP's choice, then none of the parties would object to the same. Rajini is a sellable name and opposing him would mean losing the vote base of his huge fan base. Even the AIADMK whose support the BJP needs to elect a President of its choice would back his candidature as they would not like to antagonise his fans in Tamil Nadu.

From military might to soft power:

In the appointment of Kalam, the BJP had showcased its prowesses in the fields of science, nuclear and defence technology. Kalam was the missile man of India and in his candidature there was a loud and powerful message to the world, which direction India was going in.

In the case of Rajini who is the recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan, India would showcase its softer side and also the importance it has to the field of art and culture. Although Rajini is anything but soft on screen, in the outside world, he is a picture of poise. His candidature will display to the world India's softer side.

Tamil Nadu in mind of course:

The BJP is an aspirant in Tamil Nadu. It has not managed to break the ice with the voters of Tamil Nadu as yet. The BJP is hoping to make inroads in South India and is confident that it can put up a good show in TN in the years to come.

Rajini's candidature is likely to give the BJP a major boost in TN. While one cannot say what the general voter may think, his candidature would help the BJP with his fan base. The BJP often dubbed as a Hindi party in TN and this has not done any good for the party.

Many in Tamil Nadu have in secret quarters expressed gratitude to the BJP as they feel it was thanks to the party that the likes of Sasikala Natarajan and T T V Dinakaran were kept away from the government. In appointing Rajini, the people of TN are likely to feel that the BJP does give importance to the state and means business down South as well.

OneIndia News
Mortal remains of Wing Commander Siddharth, who lost his life in Budgam crash brought to residence

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria says shooting down IAF chopper in Kashmir was a 'big mistake on our

J&K: Two terrorists gunned down in Budgam

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Two terrorists were gunned down on Saturday during an encounter with the security forces Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district.

The gunbattle is still underway in Hayatpura region.

On March 28, one terrorist and three civilians were killed in an encounter that took place at Budgam. As the encounter began, scores of locals came out on the streets and began pelting stones at the security forces.

the March encounter had come just two days after two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter at Pulwama.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 19:07 [IST]
Karnataka: Missing Bajrang Dal activist found dead on Mangaluru beach

India

oi-Anusha

A 35-year-old member of the Bajrang Dal was found dead on a Mangaluru beach. Jagadish Suvarna was last seen on Thursday evening. Suvarna, the sanchalak of the Bajrang Dal's Bangarare division had been missing since two days. Passersby who noticed his body on the Bengre beach informed the local police who rushed to the spot.

While the local police have registered a case his associates have taken to social media to not just inform others of his death but also express suspicion over it. The social media post that is being shared widely shows pictures of injuries and blood marks on Suvarna's body. The post also says that his friends suspect it to be a case of murder. The police, however, have refused to comment till further investigations.

Suvarna's death has garnered attention in the backdrop of many pro-right activists losing their lives in Karnataka in the recent past. The news of his death comes a day after the NIA filed a charge sheet against 5 people in RSS activist Rudresh murder case.

OneIndia News
Kerala: Son attempts to rape mother for the second time, arrested

India

oi-Anusha

The Vithura police arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly raping his mother. In her complaint, the 46-year-old survivor said that her son had raped her earlier. She raised an alarm when he attempted to assault for the second time. The 25-year-old who works as a woodcutter was arrested from his workplace in Kerala on Friday.

Police officials said that the woman decided to file a complaint when Prashanth tried to assault her for the second time on Wednesday. She alleged that he had raped her on March 24 when her husband was away and she was alone at home. Shell-shocked, the woman reportedly concealed the incident out of fear and shame. When Prashanth made an attempt for the second time, the woman decided not to keep quiet and raised an alarm. Following her mother's encouragement, the woman filed a police complaint.

Prashanth, it is learnt, is also married and is the father of a 3-year-old child. his wife had deserted him because of his alcohol abuse. Police claim that Prashanth was intoxicated both the times he assaulted his mother.

OneIndia News
NEW ORLEANS, April 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until June 20, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Ocwen Financial Corporation (NYSE:OCN), if they purchased the Companys securities between May 11, 2015 and April 19, 2017, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.



What You May Do

If you purchased securities of Ocwen and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by June 20, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

Ocwen and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) Ocwen engaged in various forms of misconduct at virtually every stage of the mortgage servicing process; (ii) the foregoing actions would result in heightened regulatory scrutiny and potential criminal sanctions for the Company; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, Ocwens financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth!

Madras HC permits RSS to conduct rallies at 44 places in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu: Heavy rains in several parts of Tamil Nadu in next 2 days

Modi govt betraying non-Hindi speaking citizens: Stalin

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of imposing Hindi on citizens, DMK Working President MK Stalin on Saturday said Centre is betraying the non-Hindi speaking residents.

In a video post on Twitter, Stalin slammed the government for making Hindi a compulsory subject in CBSE schools across the country.

He urged Modi to give up these efforts of side-lining non-Hindi speaking citizens.

Referring to the history of the Dravidian Movement, Stalin warned the Union Government against sowing seeds of a third-generation anti-Hindi imposition protests.

He also criticised the proposal of the parliamentary committee to make it mandatory for MPs and central ministers who know Hindi to use it as their official language.

The DMK leader expressed his disappointment over central government schemes named only in Hindi or Sanskrit.

Even in March, Stalin had threatened the centre of a new anti-Hindi movement. Deeming the move an attempt by the centre to push Hindi in Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin claimed that the centre was pushing Hindi through the backdoor in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu had witnessed massive protests against "Hindi imposition," during 1960 which strengthened the Dravidian movement.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 22:59 [IST]
Mufti Qureshi: The man inspiring IS terrorists in India

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Mufti Abdus Sami Qasim Qureshi is a fiery orator. Sami, 47 was arrested and chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency in February 2016. Although under arrest, his name has cropped up several times following the arrests carried by various agencies in connection with Islamic State related cases.

On Tuesday there were a series of raids that were carried out by the police officials of various states following which four operatives inspired by the IS were arrested. It was found that they were inspired by the speeches made by Qureshi.

A native of Rampur, Mufti Abdus Sami Qasim Qureshi was a fiery operative. He was residing at the Seelampur area of North East Delhi and is alleged to have set up an IS school of thought to inspire and motivate youth wanting to join the outfit. Qureshi had travelled across the country delivering fiery speeches. He had delivered speeches in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the NIA files in possession of OneIndia state.

'Qureshi inspired us'

After being tracked for a year by the Intelligence Bureau, four persons were arrested on Tuesday from different parts of the country. All of them told their interrogators that they were inspired by the speeches delivered by Qureshi.

Qureshi had delivered his last speech in January 2016 and a month later he was arrested. In his speeches, he had openly supported the ideology of the Islamic State and spoke about the need to have a Caliphate.

The police are now trying to find out if the four arrested persons were in touch with Qureshi. The IB and the NIA had given out a list of persons in touch with Qureshi or inspired by him to the police of several states. The Tuesday arrests were based on the same list.

OneIndia News
Nationalism is a piece of nonsense: Nayantara Sehgal

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Dehradun, April 22: One of India's foremost writers and the most prominent face of the 2015 award wapsi campaign -- authors returning their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the alleged intolerance in the country -- Nayantara Sehgal, has said that the issue of nationalism is insignificant and a piece of nonsense.

"Nationalism is a piece of nonsense. There is no need for a country that has been free for 70 years to suddenly shout about nationalism. Those who are raising this slogan today -- the ruling party -- were nowhere to be seen when India was fighting for freedom. They were fast asleep on their beds. So what are they shouting about now," Sehgal asked the audience on the concluding day of the WIC India Dehradun Communnity Literature Festival.

The comments from the much acclaimed author came at a session titled "Nationalism in Digital India". The panel, apart from Sehgal, also included writers Kiran Nagarkar, Nandita Haksar and Harsh Mader. The discussion was moderated by journalist Rana Ayyub.

Sehgal alleged a "deal" to make people fall in line. She said that the ruling establishment wants everybody to agree with their ideology -- of Hindutva and of Hindutva of their definition -- and that all those who are in disagreement with this propagation is at the receiving end.

"We have a fascist regime in power. Muslims and minorities are being targeted," she added.

Sehgal also went on to inform the audience about the instances that had compelled her to return her Sahitya Akademi award.

The murder of three rational thinkers and writers, Sehgal said, shocked her but she was deeply pained by the silence of the Sahitya Akademi on the issue and she therefore returned her award in protest.

IANS


Five years of demonetisation: Notes in circulation on rise; so are digital payments

PM Modi should admit that demonetistion a failure: Owaisi on cash seizure in UP

Now, schools to impart lessons on demonetisation, GST

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, April 22: If reports are to be believed, school children in the country are all set to learn about demonetisation and goods and services tax as a part of their school curriculum.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training has started the review of school textbooks to update content as per the instruction given by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The NCERT assists and advises the government on school education. The officials of NCERT say that the review of textbooks was meant to incorporate the developments in the past 10 years -- such as the goods and services tax and demonetisation.

Thus the new textbooks for children are likely to have several chapters on important policies and achievements of the PM Modi government. Last year in December, PM Modi announced the scrapping of high denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

The move was taken to fight against black money and corruption. During the initial days of demonetisation or note ban, the entire country faced severe cash crash for more than a month. After scrapping the old notes, the government introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes.

Touted as the biggest taxation reform since India's independence, the GST will subsume central excise, service tax, Value Added Tax and other local levies to create an uniform market.

The GST is expected to boost India's gross domestic product growth by about 2 per cent and check tax evasion.

In India, changes in the content of school textbooks have always raised controversies. The recent changes made in the textbooks taught in the schools of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana-all ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party-have been widely opposed by opposition parties. The Opposition alleges that the ruling BJP is trying to saffronise education.

OneIndia News
Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth!

Plea seeking full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu rejected by MHC

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

The Madras High court on Saturday dismissed a petition seeking directions to appoint a full-time Governor for Tamil Nadu. The court held that the constitution allows for the appointment of the same person as governor of two states. The court also said that it cannot interfere in the matter.

"Our interference is not warranted in view of the constitutional provision of Article 153," the bench said.

Madras high court bench comprising chief justice Indira Banerjee and justice M Sundar rejected the writ petition filed by social activist V Anbazhagan. The petition sought directions from the honourable court to the President and Union home ministry to appoint a full-time Governor to the state. The petition sought the implementation of the Sarkaria Commission.

"Article 153 of the Constitution of India provides that there shall be a governor for each state. The proviso makes it clear that nothing in that article shall prevent the appointment of the same person as governor for two or more states," the bench had observed during the last hearing. The petition had claimed that since the governor held additional charge of Tamil Nadu there was no effective administration of the executive.

The current in-charge governor, Vidyasagar Rao who is the Governor of Maharashtra hold additional charge of Tamil Nadu. The Governor's inaction and delayed response to the political crisis in Tamil Nadu had led to massive criticism.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 18:06 [IST]
UK PM Liz Truss resigns after 45 days in office, successor to be elected next week

Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock

PM Modi condemns terror attack on Afghan military base

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack on a military base in Afghanistan. Modi took to his Twitter handle and said, "Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our Prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones."

Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the familes who lost loved ones.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2017

On Friday, over 50 Afghan soldiers were killed when the Taliban terrorists attacked the base near Mazar-i-sharif in northern Afghanistan.

According to reports, a group of Taliban suicide attackers wearing army uniforms had managed to cross the first security gate on Friday afternoon. Reaching the second gate one of the attackers blew himself up and others moved inside the base.

The attackers reached Mazar-i-sharif mosque where the Afghan National Army were praying and opened fire.

According to an eyewitness, he said that around four to five people were waiting inside the army vehicle and suddenly opened fire when the soldiers came out of the mosque.

He also added that one among the attackers went on firing rampage in a dining facility.

According to American Security official, more than 50 soldiers were killed by the attackers.

On the other hand, the United States military in Afghanistan condemned the attack.

US commander John Nicholson had said that the attack on military base shows the barbaric nature of Taliban. He added that they (Taliban) attacked soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in the dining facility.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 12:55 [IST]
Sonia Gandhi is back in the driver's seat: Can opposition unite for Prez polls?

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is back in the driving seat and this time steering a combined opposition to put up a candidate for the Presidential elections to be held in July. The Presidential elections would be a real test for the opposition which feels the only way to beat the BJP is to stay united and fight together.

Scores of leaders have been meeting with Sonia and discussing the Presidential polls. Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury among others have called on Sonia to discuss the strategy for the July elections.

A real big test:

The opposition after successive defeats in the recent assembly elections had decided to form a grand alliance to take on the BJP in the 2019 elections. The opposition parties led by the Congress feels that the only way to beat the BJP in 2019 is by fighting the elections together.

For the opposition to put up a united fight it would first need to agree on a common agenda. While the larger agenda would be to beat the BJP, there are a host of other factors and issues that the opposition would need to factor in before taking on the BJP.

The first real test would be the elections to the post of President. While for now, the opposition looks united, it is yet to be seen whether it can put up a common candidate.

There is no indication who the opposition would choose. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently said that if the BJP does not choose L K Advani, then they would be ready to back him. However, Advani's name may not be considered now following the Supreme Court's verdict which had ordered him to face trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The BJP following its impressive wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand inched closer towards the numbers it needed to elect a president of its choice. It would however still need the support of either the AIADMK or BJD to elect its candidate.

What the BJP needs:

The BJP and its allies have a vote value of 5.32 lakh in the electoral college. This is short by 17,500 of the half way mark. If the BJP gets the support of the BJD and the AIADMK, then the vote value would go up to 6,28,195. The vote value of 5,49,442 is enough to elect the President in the electoral college. The electoral college comprises 4,896 legislators. This includes the 776 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and 4,120 MLAs. The nominated members and the MLCs are not eligible to vote.

The vote value of each LS and RS member is 708. The vote value of the MLA depends on the population of the state. The vote value of an MLA is equivalent to the population of the state divided by the number of elected legislators divided, yet again, by 1,000. In UP the vote value of an MLA is the highest. It is at 209. The lowest vote value is from Sikkim at 7.

Currently, the BJP and its allies have a vote value of 5,31,954. The BJP would need 17,488 and it would depend on the BJD and AIADMK for the same. The vote value of 134 AIADMK MLAs is 23,584. The vote value of 50 AIADMK MPs is 35,400. The BJD MLAs have a vote value of 17,433 while its 28 MLAs have a vote value of 19,824.

OneIndia News
H-1B visa regulations: Jaitley raises India's concerns in US

International

pti-PTI

Washington, April 22: India-US ties have "matured" and become "stronger" over the last few decades, defying government changes in the two countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday.

Jaitley, speaking at a reception hosted by India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna, said the Indian government was looking forward to working with the Trump administration to strengthen bilateral ties.

Stressing that the India-US relationship has bipartisan support in the two countries, he said, "In one sense it is a bipartisan relationship. I am sure it would be a great privilege for us to continue with the new administration to strengthen the various dimensions of this relationship."

Jaitley on Friday met US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, in what was the first cabinet-level interaction between the two countries under the Trump administration.

"The India-US relationship over the last few decades has significantly improved. It is far stronger, far matured. It defied the changes in the government whether in the US or in India," he said.

"I met the (US) Commerce Secretary yesterday. I will meet the (US) Treasury Secretary tomorrow. This would be the first contact at that level between the new Trump administration and government of India," he said.

During the meeting with US Commerce Secretary yesterday, Jaitley strongly raised India's concerns over the Trump administration's move to tighten the H-1B visa regime, highlighting the key role played by Indian professionals in boosting the American economy.

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its "abuse" and ensure that the visas are given to the "most-skilled or highest paid" petitioners, a decision that would impact India's USD 150 billion IT industry.

Jaitley outlined the significant contributions the skilled Indian professionals have made to the US economy and expressed the hope that the US administration will take this aspect into consideration while taking any decision. Jaitley, leading an Indian delegation, arrived in Washington.

On April 20, to attend the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Jaitley is also scheduled to attend meetings of other multilateral forums including that of the G-20 finance ministers.

"There is a little more optimism this year than I have seen in the last three years (at the IMF/World Bank meetings). This seems to be the good news, as far as these meetings are concerned," he said.

Speaking about India's growth story, he said, "In the last three years even in the midst of a slowdown across the world, India has been able to grow in the range of seven to eight per cent. That is the rate of growth that we have fairly maintained. Our all other economic parameters seems to be fairly well under control."

"The significant part of our economy today is that there is perhaps for the first time, a huge amount of popular support as far as economic reforms are concerned," he said.

"India has become one of the most open economies of the world. Most of our sectors are open for international investment. And we have been attracting one of the largest investments that any country has been attracting in the world.

"And it is a combination of this investment which is coming into India, coupled with higher public spending, even as the private sector spending was a little low, that has kept the Indian growth process going," he said.

He said the environment for doing business has been considerably eased.

"India has learned from its past experiences. And this itself has helped in cleaning up the entire process. We have now undertaken a very ambitious reform for cleaning up the system of political funding in India, something which had been eluding Indian democracy for quite some time," he said.

PTI
No more India, China Dangal? Aamir Khan attempts to cross border with 'good' films

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Beijing, April 22: At a time when the 'fragile peace' between India and China got a major jolt over the issue of visit of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh recently, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is trying his best to cross border with 'good' films.

Yes, the Mr Perfectionist of Bollywood visited China recently to promote his mega-hit film, Dangal. "A good character and a good story can help you cross borders," Khan said, while speaking on international co-productions at the 7th Beijing International Film Festival recently.

Khan did not discuss 'politics' or 'border issue', but the popularity of the star and his movies in China is a clear indication that 'films' are a great way of building bridges between the two neighbouring countries.

Khan has just concluded his five-day and three-city tour in China to promote Dangal. The film is releasing across China as Shuaijiao Baba or Let's Wrestle, Father, on May 6.

The film narrates the lives of former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, played by Khan, and his two wrestler daughters, Geeta and Babita. The film was also screened at the BIFF and was well-appreciated by all.

Khan's old films like 3 Idiots and PK are very popular among the Chinese audience. He was greeted by a large number of his fans in China during his short and hectic tour of the country.

Meanwhile, Khan has recently opened an account on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, probably to woo more Chinese fans. He already has 220,000 fans and his first welcome comment on it was liked some 30,000 times.

Some of the messages Khan got on the social networking site are:

"Dear Aamir, welcome to China. Love you and your work so much. Hope you have fun on Weibo," wrote his fan, AkarLai.

Another fan, Nemo said, "So many years have passed, and finally have the opportunity...thank very much for your movie '3 Idiots' giving me a very profound education."

One fan, Jinranfengyu, wished him in Hindi. "Suprabhaat (good morning) uncle Aamir, I am overjoyed to know that you will come to China. Your movies and talk show series open a window for us to understand India culture and people living there. I am quite moved by the characters in your movies for their wisdom, courage and love."

Dangal in English means 'wrestling'. While India and China 'wrestle over' border areas, the movie, Dangal, tries to bring the two countries closer.

OneIndia News
Pak's spy agency ISI protecting al-Zawahiri in Karachi: Report

International

pti-PTI

Washington, April 22: Egyptian-born al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence, a US media report said.

"Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001," Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

"His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the weekly said.

This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor.

"Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

"There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added.

"This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans can't come and get him," he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a 'very hard' place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

"If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said.

According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016. But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.

"The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine.

The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room."

The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes. One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are 'no longer welcome' in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesn't want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said.

Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg, the Afghan Taliban's code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.

"He may well have taken (another al-Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said.

PTI
Pakistan justifies Hafiz Saeed's detention

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Justifying the house arrest of Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan government told the Lahore High Court that there was no violation of law. The government said that the Saeed run institutions, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa were engaged in activities which can be prejudicial to peace and security.

In a written reply submitted to the court on Thursday, the federal interior ministry defended the detention of Saeed made on January 30. The ministry said that the JuD and FIF had been kept under observation on the basis of a report sent by the ministry of foreign affairs. "In light of that report, the federal government had reasons to believe that JuD and FIF were engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security and in violation of Pakistan's obligation to the United Nations Security Council resolution," the government said.

The government on January 30 had put Saeed and the four leaders of the JuD and FIF under house arrest in Lahore under the country's anti-terrorism act. Saeed along with Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid filed the petition in the Lahore High Court through senior advocate A K Dogar.

Saeed alleges in their petition that the government detained them without any legal justification. Saeed was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, but he was freed by a court in 2009. Saeed has a bounty of USD 10 million on his head for his role in terror activities.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, April 22, 2017, 7:12 [IST]
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Judith Clark, the getaway driver in a 1981 Brink's armored truck robbery who had her life sentence commuted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was denied parole Friday.

The state parole board denied Clark's request. She may appeal the decision. Otherwise, she'll be eligible for parole again in April 2019.

Clark, 67, was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree robbery in 1983. The charges stemmed from her role as a getaway driver in the Brink's robbery in Rockland County. The men who carried out the heist killed a Brink's guard and two police officers.

She was sentenced to at least 75 years in prison.

Cuomo commuted Clark's life sentence after he met with her and determined that she made "exceptional strides in self-development" while in prison. The commutation didn't allow for her release from prison, but reduced her sentence to 35 years to life and made her eligible for parole.

Clark appeared before the parole board, but couldn't convince them that she should be released from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.

Steve Zeidman, Clark's attorney, criticized the board's decision.

"Ms. Clark is one of the longest serving and oldest women in New York prison. She long ago accepted responsibility and expressed genuine contrition for the deaths of Peter Paige, Edward O'Grady and Waverly Brown," he said. "Hers is a testament to the human capacity for change as well as to the potential for the Department of Corrections to fulfill its ultimate goal  a properly functioning parole board would have recognized that."

Clark's release was supported by several New York City-area elected officials, many of whom signed a letter to the parole board. Other supporters included Elaine Lord, the former superintendent at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.

But law enforcement officials and the victims' families opposed Clark's release. A group of state senators, including state Sen. Pam Helming, launched a petition drive to collect signatures calling on the parole board to keep Clark in prison.

Nearly 10,000 people signed the petition. The senators delivered the signatures to the state Board of Parole in March.

"The response from constituents on this issue was loud and clear," Helming, R-Canandaigua, said after delivering the petitions.

Clark's supporters, though, believe she has rehabilitated herself.

Her daughter, Harriet Clark, acknowledged her mother's crimes and the need for punishment. But she believes the sentence she's served to date  nearly 35 years  is severe.

Harriet Clark also noted that while her mother was a getaway driver, she didn't kill anyone.

"The parole board sent a discouraging message today to people on the inside and their families on the outside so I want to send a different message and say how proud I am of the men and women I know inside who work so hard to transform their lives and who, like my mother, deserve to come home to their families," she said.
Oneindia 29 Dec 2021

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Global Electric Brake Booster Market by Manufacturers, Types and Applications, Forecast to 2022

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Global Electric Brake Booster Market 2017 report spread across 124 pages gives Market Segment Analysis by Key Manufacturers, Countries, Types and Applications. Electric Brake Booster differs from hydraulic Brake Booster.Complete report is available atScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Global Electric Brake Booster 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: Bosch, Continnetal, HITACHIMarket 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: One-Box, Two-BoxMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into: SportyCar, AutomobilesRequest for discount atThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Electric Brake Booster market.Chapter 1 to describe Electric Brake Booster Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2 to analyze the top manufacturers of Electric Brake Booster, with sales, revenue, and price of Electric Brake Booster, 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 Brake Booster, 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;Order copy of report atChapter 12 Electric Brake Booster market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15 to describe Electric Brake Booster 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
Notes from The Oregonian/OregonLive's books desk.

Historical Novel Society: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks and acclaimed author and editor David Ebershoff will be the guests of honor at the Historical Novel Society Conference 2017, running June 22-24 at The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, 921 S.W. Sixth Ave. Registration opens Monday, April 24, for the conference, which includes a standalone Readers Festival for the first time. The festival, which runs from 12:15 to 5:15 p.m. Saturday, June 24, includes sessions on topics such as writing about race and writing about art, a book signing, and coffee and tea with Brooks and Ebershoff. Preregistration is recommended. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 cash at the door if space is available.

Anthology on aging: Red Notebook Press of Portland has issued its first title, an anthology called "Aging: An Apprenticeship" ($22) for which editor Nan Narboe selected 56 essays by writers such as Jane Hamilton, Hilary Mantel, Judy Blume, Gloria Steinem, Ursula Le Guin, William Zinnser, Penelope Lively and William Maxwell. Organized by decade, from "Nearing 50" to "The 90s and Beyond," the essays address the fact that, Narboe writes, "aging brings constraints ... what we want to know is how to live well within those constraints." Local contributors Susan Troccolo and Paul Casey will read from their pieces, both health-focused, at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 S.W. Capitol Highway.

A superhero with autism: Vancouver author Brian Tashima is releasing the third book in his Joel Suzuki series (formerly the Spectraland Saga), a young-adult science fiction-fantasy series starring a teen whose autism is his superpower. In the new book, "Legend of the Loudstone" (Prism Valley Press, 346 pages, $11.99), Joel and his friends travel to the Mono Realm, where diversity isn't welcome. "I actually had the idea for this story a while ago. But elements of it do seem a bit more timely now," Tashima said in a news release. He will hold a book signing and reading and launch party at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Kazoodles Toy Store, 13503 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., Suite B3, Vancouver.

Hells Canyon massacre: Northwest poet Peter Ludwin, whose 2016 collection "Gone to Gold Mountain" centered on a brutal 1887 attack on more than 30 Chinese men mining for gold along the Snake River, will read from the book at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, at the West Linn Public Library, 1595 Burns St. Ludwin told The Oregonian/OregonLive last year that he hopes readers will take away several things from "Gone to Gold Mountain": knowledge of the attack, heightened awareness of racism and prejudice, and simple enjoyment of the poetry.

Caldecott winner: Dan Santat won the 2015 Caldecott Medal, the highest honor in children's book artistry, for his book "The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend." Now he's created the art for a new picture book, Rob Sanders' "Rodzilla" (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 48 pages, $17.99), about a young monster who gets loose in a city. Meet Santat at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Green Bean Books, 1600 N.E. Alberta St., as part of a Children's Book Week celebration.

Congratulations: David Furnal of Beaverton was among a dozen illustrators honored at the 33rd Annual L. Ron Hubbard Achievement Awards April 2 as winners of the Illustrators of the Future Contest. The contest winners were recognized for their excellence in science fiction and fantasy.
A Canby man died Friday after being rear-ended while riding a motorcycle in Washington, troopers said.

Larry R. Delker was headed north on Interstate 5 in Ridgefield at the time of the crash, the Washington State Patrol said in a news release. He was slowing for traffic in the interstate's right lane when Richard E. Heitzenrader of Ridgefield failed to slow and hit him from behind, troopers said.

Troopers said charges are pending and that inattention caused the crash, which happened shortly after 11 a.m.

Delker, 67, was wearing a U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet, according to troopers. A state patrol spokesman told The Columbian that Delker died at a hospital hours after the crash.

Heitzenrader, 69, wasn't injured. Troopers said he was towing a boat behind an SUV.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
clevelandj.jpg

Cleveland High School in Southeast Portland will have its third principal in four years this fall.

(Benjamin Brink/ The Oregonian)

Correction Appended: This story has been updated to correct a misstatement by a Portland Public Schools spokesman that O'Neill lives in the North Clackamas School District and has a young daughter who goes to school in that district. O'Neill, according to Portland Public Schools, lives in the West Linn-Wilsonville district.



Cleveland High School's principal is leaving the troubled Portland school district for North Clackamas, where she will be principal of Clackamas High.

Tammy O'Neill, a 19-year veteran of Portland Public Schools, is going from a district in the midst of a scandal-spurred transition to a one with a top-notch reputation.

North Clackamas' superintendent, Matt Utterback, was named National Superintendent of the Year in March, and Clackamas High has one of the highest graduation rate for low income students  82 percent  among all large high schools in the Portland metro area.

Meanwhile, Portland Public Schools faces uncertainty. A lead in drinking water crisis last year ousted longtime superintendent Carole Smith and spotlighted a culture auditors had for years decried as lacking accountability. Many critical top jobs are empty and will need to be filled by the new superintendent and, while the school board picked a finalist to lead the district in early March, a contract has yet to be inked.

O'Neill has worked in Oregon's largest school district since 1998, starting out as a teacher at Wilson High. O'Neill has been at Southeast Portland's Cleveland High School, known for its International Baccalaureate program, since 2015. Before that, she was the principal of Ainsworth Elementary, in the West Hills for a year. Before becoming a principal, O'Neill was a vice principal at Madison High School in Northeast Portland.

O'Neill declined to comment for this article through a district spokesman.

Her resignation means Cleveland High will have its third principal in four years this fall. That's a lot of turnover for a school that, just prior to O'Neill's arrival, was led by Paul Cook for 13 years, and had Bruce Plato as its principal for six years before that.

 Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com




pps board.JPG

A recent school board meeting at Portland Public Schools headquarters in Northeast Portland. Three of the seven board members will change with May's election.

(Beth Nakamura/Staff)

The current Portland school board is known to disagree, with members having fundamentally different views about what a school board member's role is. Pam Knowles, the longest-serving board member said she chose not to run again because of this division. This May, voters will set the tone of the board governing Oregon's largest school district by picking three new members to the seven-member board. The Oregonian/OregonLive sent a questionnaire to each candidate who will be on May's ballot. Here are some of their answers  more to come in the following days. (See what we've run so far here)





How you will handle disagreements with fellow board members?

Candidates for Zone 5, replacing Pam Knowles

Virginia La Forte: I've interacted with every board member as a student advocate. I've been vocal with my criticism of safety issues, misappropriation of earmarked funds and the complaint process. I was invited to take leadership roles to help address all three. My strength lies in my ability to problem solve even when tensions are high. I've talked to current board members at length, asking if I can help make the board more effective. I'm pleased to have the endorsements of all board members who are not up for reelection  those I would serve with. We know we can be an effective team.

Scott Bailey: I think it's important for board members to model civil discourse in publicthe same behavior we expect from students and staff. When disagreeing with another board member I will try to clarify their position to make sure I understand it, identify the values and objectives that motivate their view, and honor where they are coming from. I will try to communicate the same about my own views. Sometimes by taking a step back, it's possible to find some kind of synthesis that works for all parties, sometimes not. Once a decision is made, it's important to accept it and move forward.

Candidate Traci Flitcraft did not respond to two emails from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Candidates for Zone 6, replacing Tom Koehler

Joseph L. Simonis: By actively listening to them, trusting their intentions, presenting my

Joseph L. Simonis

opinions and beliefs in an open and honest way, and holding everyone accountable to the guiding principle of providing equitable access to a quality education for all students within the district.

David Morrison: I am not entirely sure how I will handle disagreements as they haven't arrived yet. There is no one size fits all answer to this question. It depends on who the board members are? What their agendas are. I guess the only answer is; I will handle disagreements as only I can.

Julia Brim-Edwards: I expect to have positive working relationships with board members, focused on common ground. I will not assume bad intentions; we will sometimes have different positions on policy issues as we have different expertise and life experiences, but disagreements will not be personal.

When I was elected to the school board in 2001, it was viewed as a dysfunctional board split by personal and policy disagreements. In 2003, I helped lead the effort to recruit and mentor four new board members. By 2005, the board was united behind a common vision, led effectively, and focused its budget on student needs.

Ed Bos: With open dialogue and respect. Disagreements about serious matters are not unforeseeable, and I will always keep in mind that while I may disagree with a fellow board member's opinion, I don't have to disrespect them for their difference of ideas.

Zach Babb: Here again is why it's so important to establish a common strategic vision. Disagreements about how to achieve PPS goals will always arise, but if we are committed to a common underlying goal, an appropriate way forward will shake itself out of discussion.

Candidate Trisha Parks has stopped campaigning and did not fill out the questionnaire.

Candidates for Zone 4, replacing board member Steve Buel

Jamila Singleton Munson

Jamila Singleton Munson: Throughout my 16 years in education, I've worked with people from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. This can be especially challenging when trying to turn around historically poor performing schools in the South Bronx and inner city Los Angeles. Success required being open to different perspective and finding ways to create common ground for collaboration. The focus on outcomes and ensuring respect for all in the process is the approach I would bring. We will only be effective if we work together. That construction culture is what is needed to handle disagreements and forge consensus on a path forward.

Rita Moore: As an adult...I know how to disagree without being disagreeable. I think it is important to remember that everyone on the board is a volunteer and I believe we all come to this position with only the best of intentions. Our job is to ensure that we have a great school district that nurtures and supports our students while giving them the best education possible. I believe that honest communication is essential to all productive working relationships. As a mediator, I know that acknowledging conflict and working through it together through respectful dialogue is the best way to arrive at positive, durable resolutions to problems.

 Define how you would view your role as a board member:

Candidates for Zone 5, replacing Pam Knowles

Virginia La Forte: Every board member needs to focus on effectively addressing the critical needs associated with equity and funding because, if we don't, progress will stagnate. Every day we lose is a day that a student doesn't reach their full potential.

A strong board member will always keep in mind that he or she is a member of a team and be respectful of the views of those who serve with you. While we may not always agree with each other, it's paramount that we work together effectively. I will always communicate and defend my views while listening to and considering the perspective of others.

Scott Bailey: My role is to make PPS a great school district. My first job is to establish a good

Scott Bailey

working relationship with the rest of the board, and then with the superintendent. I will work with board members on a plan for staying connected with the community (students, parents, business groups, community groups, etc.)we know there are segments of the community that feel ignored by PPS. My role is to listen carefully to all elements of the community, reflect back and engage people in constructive problem-solving. Even with my long experience, I will be doing a lot of homework because this is an incredibly complex job.

Candidate Traci Flitcraft did not respond to two emails from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Candidates for Zone 6, replacing Tom Koehler

Joseph L. Simonis: To advocate for all constituents, most especially our students.

To center the needs of students from marginalized groups, especially students of color, native students, disabled students, immigrant students, and transgender students.

To listen to my community and to engage all constituents to ensure that their educational needs are met through PPS.

To work on behalf of the district for increased municipal, county, state, and federal support.

David Morrison

David Morrison: I view my role as sharply critical of "21st Century Education." I believe we have strayed from what is really important in education  a well-rounded curriculum that prioritizes the arts and humanities as much as science, technology, engineering and math subjects.

My agenda will be prioritized when the board reviews the science of microwaves on physical and mental health.

There are many parents who share my view that "21st Century Education" is going in the wrong direction as they see their kids addicted to screens.

The inner child has been lost somewhere between government programs, standardized testing, narrow curriculum and corporate profits.

Julia Brim-Edwards:





Given my background and expertise, I see my most important role as a board leader who can:

 hold the superintendent accountable for improving student achievement, systems development, and having an effective principal in every school;

 improve the effective use of financial resources to support students and schools through policy development, budget oversight, enhanced operations auditing, and transparency;

 make the board more accountable, effective, and cohesive to rebuild community trust;

 mobilize parents and the community in support of Portland students; and

 celebrate the success of our students and schools.

Ed Bos: I view my role as a board member as a commitment to: listen to the concerns of stakeholders like the PPS administration, faculty, staff, parents, students, and community partners; to be a responsible steward of resources and opportunities that the superintendent and their staff leverage to outcomes; and to represent the community as a while making the best strategic and forward-looking decisions possible.

Zach Babb: My role is two-fold. First to establish and drive towards a common vision of excellence for Portland Public Schools, and second to represent the interests of Zone 6 constituents through the budgetary and legislative processes of the school board.

Candidate Trisha Parks has stopped campaigning and did not fill out the questionnaire.

Candidates for Zone 4, replacing board member Steve Buel

Jamila Singleton Munson: I am deeply committed to building collaboration on the board. There are too many big challenges from building safety to social equity to community engagement that cannot be tackled if the board is working at cross purposes. Instead, I will work with my fellow members of the board to build agreement on how we can take on these challenges. I want to be an advocate to review trust and be a solutions-oriented leader that will work through the dysfunction. I would also see my role as elevating the voices of the many diverse perspectives that rely on a public education in our Portland community.

Rita Moore: As noted on the PPS website, board members must run from the zone in which they reside, but are elected by voters city-wide and represent the entire school district. Unanimity of opinion is not required, but consensus should be the goal.

My role as a board member would be to help create processes and develop relationships with my colleagues that adhere to these principles and enable the board to fulfill its important responsibilities as outlined below. I also believe that if a board is functioning well, individual board members will support collective decisions. The new superintendent will need a board that is supportive and establishes clear, consistent expectations.

 Define how you view the role of the school board as a whole:

Candidates for Zone 5, replacing Pam Knowles

Virginia La Forte: The role of a school board is to "provide a public link to public schools." The board must work with the superintendent to develop and implement an educational vision with strong student outcome and high expectations at the core. They must create and support clear policy to support that educational vision. When policy is clear, the board and superintendent can quickly identify when it's not being followed and take corrective action. The board must establish review processes for PPS policy to create at path to identify what's working and what needs improvement.

Scott Bailey: School boards have four major responsibilities. One is to provide direction for the district in line with community values and vision. Second is to hire, support and evaluate the superintendent. Third is to develop and approve a budget. Fourth is to listen to and communicate with the public.

All are front and center right now. We need to lead an educational vision process. We need to work with a new superintendent to develop a strategic plan and to improve management. We're facing serious budget cuts over the next four years. We need to work to re-establish trust with the public.

Candidate Traci Flitcraft did not respond to two emails from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Candidates for Zone 6, replacing Tom Koehler

Joseph L. Simonis: To guide the district in overarching policy and in on-the-ground action.

To set the tone and lead by example. To work on behalf of the district for increased municipal, county, state, and federal support.

David Morrison: School boards should work with communities and create policy to improve classroom experience eventually leading to positive student outcome. School boards have the power to develop and adopt policies concerning the curriculum and the budget. The school board should be accessible to the public, willing to listen to students and the community and be willing to reach beyond their personal beliefs to insure policies and procedures that ultimately benefit students. My experience with PPS, with a few exceptions has been disappointing. School boards also need to negotiate with teachers unions.

Julia Brim-Edwards

Julia Brim-Edwards: The board's role is to hire/oversee/evaluate the superintendent and provide him/her with guidance and support; co-develop, align, and approve a budget that is student-focused and builds credibility with the community; and develop policies for effective and successful operations of the school district and to improve student achievement. Board members also serve as community liaisons to bring information and concerns into the school district and to share information about our schools' needs, challenges, and successes with the broader community. Most important, since the board is an elected body, it must be accountable to the students, families, taxpayers, and Portland citizens.

Ed Bos: I believe the while school board shares the above responsibilities, as well as give

Ed Bos

guidance and support to the superintendent, and earnestly works to consider all factors and sides relevant to decisions that must be made.

Zach Babb: The role of the school board is to set the vision and direction for the school district in accordance with local, state, and federal law and regulation; to ensure that the educators and administration have the resources to execute that vision; and to ensure that that vision aligns with the priorities of the voters of Portland.

Candidate Trisha Parks has stopped campaigning and did not fill out the questionnaire.

Candidates for Zone 4, replacing board member Steve Buel

Jamila Singleton Munson: The board is responsible for setting the direction of the district and then ensuring transparency and accountability for achieving that goal. The board should bring clarity to the expectations put on the administration and staff, as well as ensure they have the ability to achieve the standards that have been set. We must build trust between the administration and the board, so that there is confidence that issues will be fairly considered and addressed in a timely manner. But we must also build trust with the public so they have confidence in the work of the district.

Rita Moore: In my view, previous Boards have largely failed in their responsibility to supervise the Superintendent and exercise appropriate oversight of district operations. This is precisely where PPS's performance has been weakest. The superintendent's job is to manage the district; the board's job is to establish actionable accountability measures by which to evaluate performance. In addition, it is the responsibility of the board to ensure that the district's budget is aligned with the strategic vision and priorities established. In order to perform this task, best serve students, and fulfill our fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers, I believe that board budget discussions should be substantially more transparent.

 Should school board members go through the superintendent to talk to staff, principals, etc.? Why or why not?

Candidates for Zone 5, replacing Pam Knowles

Virginia La Forte: The role of the superintendent is to manage district personnel. If a board member feels the need to connect with staff in the central office or at an individual school and it's related to policy, it's important to include the superintendent in that conversation. Circumvention around policy creates a culture of distrust between the superintendent and the board. When there is a lack of trust, it is well documented that work to provide solutions grinds to a halt. A strong, collaborative board and superintendent with excellent leadership skills is key.

Scott Bailey: The board should develop clear communication protocols with the superintendent. The protocols should allow for ongoing informal conversationsthe occasional cup of coffeebetween board members and staff, principals and teachers"temperature-taking". All requests for information and analysis should go through the superintendent, to ensure that staff stay focused on our priorities. When an issue flares up, board members need to coordinate their actions with the superintendent. We need to let staff do their job, while at the same time playing an accountability role to ensure the integrity of an intervention.

Candidate Traci Flitcraft did not respond to two emails from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Candidates for Zone 6, replacing Tom Koehler

Joseph L. Simonis: I think that depends on the context. I respect the benefits of institutional hierarchy and chains of communication, especially within organizations the size of PPS. However, I also believe in having open and productive dialogue that cuts across rigid structures. If we rely too heavily on hierarchy it can limit productivity and necessary conversations, as well as overly concentrate power within individuals. Conversely, circumventing existing chains of communication can undercut authority where it needs to exist. Thus, I believe in a nuanced approach to communication that respects existing structures but also the need to communicate across them.

David Morrison: School boards, superintendents and principals should have open and transparent communication. The lead scandal is one example of a hidden agenda.

Julia Brim-Edwards: It depends. Teachers, principals, school secretaries, and school staff are closest to what is actually happening in schools and the needs and challenges facing our students. As a board member, I found that school staff provided authentic feedback and input versus the sometimes sanitized communications given to board members by central administrators. School board members should not be directing or managing the work of school staff. In terms of Central Office staff: most engagement should go through the superintendent; however, board members through their committee work will regularly work directly with staff on policy and the budget.

Ed Bos: I think the school board should certainly work with the superintendent to talk to faculty and staff within the district whenever reasonable. There may be circumstances where it's prudent to make an inquiry, or get first-hand information, but such direct communication should be the exception, not the rule. The superintendent needs to have confidence that their staff work for them, and that there is as little opportunity for conflicts of interest or miscommunication as possible.

Zach Babb

Zach Babb: School board members are popularly elected officials. Limiting their ability to communicate with members of the community they have been elected in doesn't make any sense, and is probably unconstitutional.

Candidate Trisha Parks has stopped campaigning and did not fill out the questionnaire.

Candidates for Zone 4, replacing board member Steve Buel

Jamila Singleton Munson: It is the duty of every board member to gather information from parents, students, and employees of the district to ensure that a proper level of awareness of operations and the educational program. It is not sufficient to simply read and review board reports from the superintendent, school visits, and participation in community-based events and town halls are necessary. However, I generally do not believe that board members should unilaterally intervene. This creates confusion about who is responsible for what and who provides oversight of our staff. The board should set high expectations and establish and manage systems of accountability.

Rita Moore: Board members should be focused on big picture, systemic issues. It is the

Rita Moore

responsibility of the superintendent to manage the district according to the priorities established by the board.

Board members need to be sufficiently engaged with stakeholders (staff, principals, teachers, parents, students, community members) to understand how policies are playing out in schools, but under normal circumstances should not interfere with day-to-day operations. Generally speaking, the primary contact for board members would be the Superintendent. Finding a balance can sometimes be tricky to navigate, but Board members need to be aware of the dangers of both micro-management and isolation.

 Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com
Superstore - Season 2

The NBC comedy "Superstore" features (from left) Ben Feldman as Jonah, Colton Dunn as Garrett, Nico Santos as Mateo and America Ferrera as Amy. Santos, who attended Centennial High School, will be performing at this year's Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland.

(Trae Patton/NBC)

By Suzi Steffen | For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Nico Santos plays Mateo on NBC's hit comedy "Superstore." He works with America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty") and former "Kids in the Hall" star Mark McKinney, and they've just finished shooting the third season.

But he was once an undergraduate majoring in acting at Southern Oregon University, and his acting teacher there changed his life.

The teacher told him he'd never make it. "Something he said that still stings to this day," Santos said, "is, 'You may love the art, but the art does not love you.' "

Oops. The art loves him plenty. Santos, 38, now a professional standup comedian in addition to his TV role, will return to his Portland-area roots for the Bridgetown Comedy Festival May 4-7.

He almost spent his life after that acting class working for the costume department at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. A chance comment sent him in the direction he's now claimed with firm - and, character Mateo might add, sassy - elan.

First, Santos' backstory: He was born in Manila, in the Philippines. At age 16, he moved to Gresham with his family and attended Centennial High School. "I thought my high school would either be like 'Beverly Hills 90210' or 'Stand and Deliver,' " he said.

Instead, "it was just a run-of-the-mill high school," he said. In addition, the demographics were very different from what he expected. Santos and his older brother were the only two Filipinos in a predominantly white school, along with a few Vietnamese and African American students. "I was a stranger in a strange land," he said.

Something else added to his feeling of being different: He was gay, but he wasn't out. Then he stumbled across the drama department and the choir. "I found this band of freaks," he said, "and it was amazing."

That "band of freaks" went to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Summer Seminar for high school students who love theater after his junior year. "I loved it!" he said. "It was my first experience reading or seeing Shakespeare and I was like, 'This is really awesome!' "

He loved it so much that he decided to apply to Southern Oregon University, and only Southern Oregon. But the acting teacher was so discouraging that Santos switched to costume design. Then he came out to his family, and they cut him off financially. He dropped out of school.

Luckily, Oregon Shakespeare Festival was looking for people to do wardrobe work, including dressing actors and helping them with quick changes backstage. Aside from enjoying the paycheck and the company's prestige, he started to figure out his future.

Santos learned more, he said, working as a dresser at the festival than he had in class. "I learned about acting and preparation and the kind of dedication and work that goes into theater."

He worked in the costume department for a few years. Then in 2001, he was working with festival regular Kevin Kenerly during "Life is a Dream," and Kenerly said, "You're funny! You should be doing stand-up."

Santos, never one to ignore fate (or an Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor) whispering in his ear, quit his job and moved to California with $200 - and a notebook full of jokes. He had no intention of being an actor, but he dreamed of getting a late-night set with Conan O'Brien or Jimmy Kimmel. Then he found an agent and started going out for parts.

The Mateo part on "Superstore" was supposed to be quite different. "It was written as a straight Latino guy, a thug," Santos said, and laughed. "Then they saw me for the role, and now we're here!"

Here is a show where Santos, a gay Filipino man, gets to play Mateo, a gay Filipino man. Filipinos are the second-largest Asian American group in the U.S., according to the 2010 Census, "but we haven't broken through like other cultures," Santos said. "But things are changing."

Mateo "is a sassy, femme-y, shady queen, and he's also so much more than that," Santos said. And Mateo has changed Santos' life in unexpected ways. For instance, he said, "People stop me at Target, and they're like, 'Are you here for research?' No, girl! I'm here for dish soap and paper towels."

He rarely gets to Portland now, but he's looking forward to Bridgetown, where he'll perform at least five times. "Oregon is home to me," he said.

"I miss the air, I miss the greenery," he said, and then paused. "I miss the no sales tax."

***

Nico Santos at Bridgetown Comedy Festival

When: May 4-7

Where: Various venues

Tickets: Festival passes start at $99, individual tickets for selected shows may be available; bridgetowncomedy.com

An earlier version of this post misstated which high school Nico Santos attended.
1backpack.JPG

(Fotolia)

Senate Bill 216, which requires the Oregon Department of Education to distribute information on backpack safety to school districts, is all about good intentions. Anyone who has seen students staggering under the weight of mammoth backpacks, often hanging off one shoulder, can understand the concern that kids are courting pain or injury with the loads they are carrying.

But good intentions alone don't make for good legislation. And while this bill won't overly burden the education department, it rightly raises the question of whether this is the kind of effort the Legislature should be taking on in the first place when so many basic educational needs are going unaddressed.

The bill, forwarded as a senate education committee bill on behalf of the Oregon Chiropractic Association, requires the education department to prepare information about the dangers of heavy backpacks and provide recommendations on how to avoid injury. The bill also directs the department to give suggestions on how districts can best share this information with administrators, teachers, students and parents. The purpose, according to the proponents, is to help spread the word so that students can avoid back pain or other problems that can result from carrying heavy backpacks or by wearing them on one shoulder.

Oregonian editorials

Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom.

Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches, John Maher and Len Reed.

To respond to this editorial:

Post your comment below, submit

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If you have questions about the opinion section, contact Laura Gunderson, editorial and commentary editor, at 503-221-8378 or lgunderson@oregonian.com.

To its credit, the chiropractic association has tried to make that fairly easy and inexpensive for the state. It has provided a one-page information sheet - available in four languages - listing tips for backpack safety that the education department can dispatch to school districts throughout the state. In reality, it's not likely to be that big of a deal to distribute.

That said, having legislators pass a law requiring the education department to disseminate information that many would consider common sense seems excessively overprotective. Could schools soon be ordered to give parents information that having their kids brush and floss their teeth is good for them?

Too late. That's already part of HB 2972, passed by legislators in 2015.

This bill is a reflection of how we expect our schools to take charge of matters that go beyond a traditional educational mission. These come on top of requirements for schools to conduct vision and hearing screenings and to identify and train personnel capable of administering student medications. While the state's commitment to education should be broader than just strict academics, lawmakers must also choose wisely which responsibilities schools should shoulder and whether the state adequately funds it.

And it's worth asking whether legislators should simply greenlight information from various advocacy groups to be distributed through the school district system that may not be entirely reliable. The one-page sheet from the Oregon Chiropractic Association claims that 7,000 emergency room visits a year are due to backpack-related injuries, citing data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. But that's neither current nor informative about such injuries. The CPSC's estimate - extrapolated from data collected from a sample of hospitals - is that about 5,400 people ages 18 and under go to the emergency room for backpack-related injuries. The data itself is even more interesting. While many of those hospital visits involve strain from backpacks, a similar number in both 2015 and 2016 come from tripping over backpacks. Other injuries stem from issues including kids hitting each other with them.

This isn't to discourage anyone from advising parents to monitor their children's backpack weight. And the Oregon Chiropractic Association is free to do so on its own with the information it has already prepared. The only problem? The group has not gotten around to posting it, an association representative acknowledged. That, apparently, is what people think the department of education is for.
Big Look land use task force charges back into the fray

Richard Whitman, the new director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, in a file photo.

(Brent Wojahn/File)

Entek International, a manufacturing firm and longtime employer in Lebanon, uses the nasty chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) in its processes. It does so carefully, however, having worked consistently over the years to reclaim and contain the chemical in all its forms and falling well below use limits established by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

But that makes little difference when Oregon regulators, bent on curbing toxic air emissions statewide, estimated the air near Entek's facility likely contains high ambient concentrations of TCE and should be gauged definitively. Exposure to the chemical has been linked to heart abnormalities in newborns and cancer. Breathing air tainted with TCE could be a serious public health threat - a matter separate from a factory's compliance with state environmental regulations. So the state's environment agency decided, correctly, to set up monitoring stations along Hansard Avenue in Lebanon to collect air samples, shifting its work from computer modeling to real measurement.

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Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, John Maher, Helen Jung, Mark Katches and Len Reed.

To respond to this editorial:

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Entek agreed. But things quickly went off the rails as state officials, supported by an epidemiologist and toxicologist from the Oregon Health Authority, told Entek a news release would explain the air-testing project to Entek employees and the surrounding community. Rationally, Entek leaders wanted to know how, in the event of high TCE levels downwind, it might possibly be held to a higher emissions standard in the absence of a higher emissions standard. And they wanted to know how it was fair play to withstand what would surely be panic from its employees and neighbors, especially in the event emission levels turned out to be safe. Entek took its concerns to Linn County Court and obtained an astonishing thing: a judge's gag order against the DEQ blocking it from discussing its Entek probe, a matter of public concern by a public agency, with the public. On Friday, Rob Davis of The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that Entek enjoyed support in its action from the industry group Associated Oregon Industries.

Several things are wrong here.

The state's stepped-up effort to control toxic emissions arrives under the banner of a program called Cleaner Air Oregon and championed by Gov. Kate Brown following the air toxics scare posed in Portland last year by glass-making facilities. If overdue, Cleaner Air Oregon is spot-on in its purposes: to make Oregon's air safer to breathe. And nobody wishes otherwise, least of all those industries whose fortunes are tied to the goodwill of their workforce and neighbors.

But Oregon faces a 10-month gap, minimally, before it will have new regulations in place that set limits to the use of some of more than 200 potentially problematic chemicals, any number of them possibly sullying the air people breathe. As a result, the DEQ, under the new directorship of Richard Whitman, must move purposely forward without scaring Oregon's valuable businesses into retreat - or straight into the courtroom.

Meanwhile, the environment and health agencies involved should tread carefully in their zeal to conduct extensive public outreach as steps are taken that might or might not unmask an "imminent" health threat. In the event of such a threat declaration, Oregon statutes give the agencies the authority to take actions to limit chemical releases - even in the absence of regulatory limits - and that's the right time for extensive public outreach.

But treading carefully does not mean hiding from the public data collection that's underway. Instead, it means that an agency's actions should be accurately explained to anyone asking but not be monumentalized to such an extent it produces the Entek outome. Documents obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board show that no fewer than 15 specialists from both the environment and health agencies were present, with seven others on the phone, at a March 29 meeting in Salem to review the Entek situation. Separately, a seven-page "Communications Plan" on the Entek situation states the "core message" of state agencies to be this: "Health experts don't know if levels of emissions from Entek are putting people at risk, but recent computer models show it is possible. Regulators are testing the air near Entek to find out. State agencies will take action to reduce any risk to Entek workers and neighbors." This is hardly scare material. But with a small army behind it, and everyone aping the same talking point, it becomes scary.

The 10 months leading up to the adoption in early 2018 of new regulations will be critical to the success of Cleaner Air Oregon. It seems clear from the Entek jam, however, that Oregon officials seek to reestablish trust with the public following acrimony in the Portland glass-maker case. And that's wise. But as Oregon rises from an historically passive approach to environmental regulation, which put it in the bottom half of all states in regulating air toxics, officials must avoid overcorrection and industries collaborate.

Everybody wants clean air. The public can be trusted to handle the truth as Oregon takes one understated step at a time to achieve it. So, too, can the Enteks of the world.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
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"Big" Mike Young, center, places trays on the line to be packaged with the help of other Meals on Wheels cooks Rolonda Mack, Emily Thoree, and Samuel Jackson, Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. The nonprofit reported a surge in donations and volunteer sign-ups in the wake of Trump's proposed budget.

(Josh Galemore/Savannah Morning News via AP)

By Elizabeth Hovde

There's at least one thing that a Trump presidency might do better than previous administrations: Inspire people to give of their own time and money to causes they find worthy.

Already, people are learning how generous they can be - and not just with other people's money.

From Planned Parenthood to Meals on Wheels, nonprofits report being swamped with cash after Trump's election. As Mark Wier, the chief development officer for the American Civil Liberties Union, told The Washington Post, "The response is inspiring. We're seeing people do bake sales for us; we're getting envelopes with cash -- we've never seen that before. We're getting people reaching out saying, 'I want to volunteer. What can I do?'"

The article said the ACLU received $7.2 million in the five days after Nov. 8. In the five days after the 2012 presidential election, the ACLU received $27,806.

The ACLU isn't alone. The list of nonprofits benefiting as a result of Trump's election and his recently proposed budget is long.

The Anti-Defamation League received 20 times the call volume about volunteering and a 50-fold increase in online donations, Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL chief executive and national director, says in the Post piece. The best part? Close to 90 percent of that, he said, came from first-time donors.

Planned Parenthood's president, Cecile Richards, said the outpouring of support has been "unprecedented." A quarter of those who pledged to her organization recently became monthly supporters, too.

How effective is Trump as a fundraiser? The White House recently threatened to cut a small portion of funding that fuels Meals and Wheels, questioning whether the program was serving people in true need and spending taxpayer money efficiently. Days later, daily donations soared and volunteer sign-ups increased 500 percent, Jenny Bertolette, a spokeswoman for Meals on Wheels America, told media outlets. Excellent.

All these Trump protest donations aren't the only headlines to cheer on the philanthropic front. Ongoing, faithful donations to religious entities -- the largest recipient of private, individual donations -- should always be celebrated by every Tom, Dick and Nonbeliever. Much religious giving ultimately goes to the poor, medical care, education, disaster support and overseas' needs, according to The Philanthropy Roundtable.

"A respect for donor intent is essential for philanthropic integrity," notes The Roundtable in its guiding principles. I agree. Actual passion and interest-based donation and involvement, rather than compulsory giving, can bring about the lasting changes everyone would like to see.

Giving is something most Americans can do in some way -- with our time or money. And it can help the government better stay on budget. I can deliver a meal, plant a tree or help people in my sphere of influence with childcare; I know nothing about protecting the U.S. from long-range missiles.

There are a ton of worthy causes, of course. And cutting federal funds to them doesn't mean they are unworthy. It says there is a limited amount of tax money to spend.

For example, I dig Oregon Public Broadcasting. I listen to it every day. OPB receives about 9 percent of its annual operating budget from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which President Trump recently proposed eliminating. CPB's elimination would also affect some radio programs OPB airs -- and that I love. That's a hardship for public-broadcasting lovers like me to overcome, for sure.

Unlike some conservatives, I don't think public radio is propaganda. I think it is most often reporting and storytelling done well. BUT. It is valid to be asking if taxpayers should be financing this worthy effort.

Public radio lovers, we got this. After all, public broadcasting, we're reminded, is made possible because of "people like you."

Whether Republican, Democrat or somewhere in between decked out in purple, I think most of us agree our national and local governments have a priority-setting and spending problem, whether it involves a misguided wall or a resurrected state bill pushing postage-paid envelopes for ballots because millennials don't do stamps.

I trust that groups of passionate donors will continue to fund public radio, just as donors will continue giving money to groups that value abortion. If something is popular and valued, it will survive a federal government cut. And an end to some forced group-gifting isn't all bad for the nation.

Elizabeth Hovde's column appears on the fourth Sunday of the month.
1fox.JPG

A worker cleans a sign outside the Fox television studios, where a poster of Bill O'Reilly has been removed, in New York, Thursday morning, April 20, 2017.

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

By Margaret Sullivan

Gretchen Carlson filed suit against Roger Ailes last summer - and started an avalanche.

Less than 10 months later, two of the most powerful men in media, Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly, have been knocked off lofty perches at Fox News.

And the world is suddenly a different place for women who've experienced sexual harassment in their workplaces.

"The lesson, and it's a wonderful one, is to be brave," business journalist and educator Micheline Maynard told me.

"As women, we are taught not to speak out, not to ruffle feathers, to just be good and work harder," she said. "I wish we weren't as hesitant, and now maybe we won't be."

Carlson, whose nondisclosure agreement prevented her from commenting for this column, said in an interview last summer that her decision to go up against Roger Ailes was frightening, and that she had no idea how it would turn out.

"I thought I would be fighting this all by myself," she told me.

Her claim was that Ailes had repeatedly propositioned her. ("You'd be good and better, and I'd be good and better," were his immortal words.) And when she turned him down, she said, he retaliated by demoting and disparaging her. Ailes vehemently denied the charges, but Carlson, who reportedly had tape-recorded evidence on her side, eventually got a $20 million settlement and a public apology.

As it turned out, she was far from alone.

A critical mass of Fox women - so many that they could not be ignored - soon joined her. Articles in New York magazine, The Washington Post, and the New York Times told their riveting, often disgusting, stories.

And within Fox, the network's superstar, Megyn Kelly, was joining the battle, though she did so quietly.

"Gretchen started the public avalanche, and Megyn continued it internally," Maynard said.

Last weekend, the New York Times reported that Kelly's January departure from Fox was prompted, in part, by O'Reilly's repeated on-air jabs at her on this very subject. At that point, I knew it was all over except for the shouting - and the size of the golden parachute. (O'Reilly has denied that he sexually harassed anyone.)

After all, it was Kelly's statements to internal investigators last year that Ailes had harassed her, too, that may have been the final straw in unseating him from the top Fox News job.

"We found out, in all of this, that if you speak up, there will be action, and that there's strength in numbers," longtime media executive Vivian Schiller said Wednesday. "And companies are feeling pressure from their own employees."

That's especially true, of course, when one of those employees is a major star. As Schiller said about Kelly, "She felt, ultimately, that this culture is not something I want to be a part of."

Of course, plenty of women have complained in the past, in companies and organizations, to no avail. Some have been retaliated against. Others ignored, mocked or silenced.

This chain of events helps change that, especially because of the financial toll - an advertiser revolt - resulting from the bad behavior and a culture that supported it.

The culture at Fox, and in the wider world, will never be the same, Schiller told me.

"Companies are feeling pressure from their own employees, and they are realizing that they have to listen," Schiller said.

The fight is far from over, said Nancy Erika Smith, attorney for Carlson and other Fox women.

Next step, she said: Women should demand that Congress pass the Fairness in Arbitration Act to stop silencing victims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

"Only in the light of day will women be able to stand together and force sexual predators out of all workplaces," Smith said.

As Carlson told Variety recently: "It's so unbelievable that in 2017, almost every single woman has a story about sexual harassment."

But now, at least, they may find it easier to tell their stories. Easier to be brave.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post
1trump.JPG

President Donald Trump speaks at the Treasury Department in Washington, Friday, April 21, 2017.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

By George F. Will

WASHINGTON -- In his first annual message to Congress, John Quincy Adams, among the most experienced and intellectually formidable presidents, warned leaders against giving the impression that "we are palsied by the will of our constituents." In this regard, if in no other, the 45th president resembles the sixth.

Donald Trump's "Oh, never mind" presidency was produced by voters stung by the contempt they detected directed toward them by the upper crust. Their insurrection has been rewarded by Trump's swift shedding of campaign commitments, a repudiation so comprehensive and cavalier that he disdains disguising his disdain for his gulled supporters.

The notion that NATO is obsolete? That China is a currency manipulator? That he would eschew humanitarian interventions featuring high explosives? That the Export-Import Bank is mischievous? That Obamacare would be gone "on Day One"? That 11.5 million illegal immigrants would be gone in two years (almost 480,000 a month)? That the national debt would be gone in eight years (reducing about $2.4 trillion a year)? About these and other vows from the man whose supporters said "he tells it like it is," he now tells them: Never mind.

The president, whose almost Sicilian sense of clan imparts new meaning to the familiar phrase "family values," embraces daughter Ivanka's belief that America suffers from an insufficiency of entitlements, a defect she (and he, judging from his address to a joint session of Congress) would rectify with paid family leave. Her brother Eric has said (to Britain's Daily Telegraph) that he is "sure" that 59 cruise missiles flew because Ivanka said to her father about Syria using chemical weapons, "Listen, this is horrible stuff."

Although a senior Trump adviser, Stephen Miller, has stipulated that presidential powers to protect the nation "will not be questioned," still they persist, those impertinent questioners. They do because when candidate Trump's open-mic -night-at-the-improv rhetoric of quarter-baked promises and vows is carried over into the presidency and foreign policy, there are consequences, especially when his imprecision infects his subordinates.

One cannot erase with an "Oh, never mind" shrug Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's statement that the "message" foreign leaders should take from the Syrian attack is "if you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken." It is not true that the United States will respond, other than rhetorically, to all crossings of those four red lines. If, as Tillerson says, America is committed to "holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world," America is going to need a much bigger military than even the president's proposed $54 billion increase in defense spending would purchase.

If the attack on Syria was intended to buttress an international norm and enforce an international agreement concerning chemical weapons, it was not clarifying for press secretary Sean Spicer to say that you will see a presidential "response" if someone uses chemical weapons or "a barrel bomb." This is a nasty but conventional munition that turns scrap metal into shrapnel.

In foreign policy, the nature of an action is a function of what the actor says about it. So, the attack on Syria was either cathartic -- a one-off spasm of (understandable) indignation -- or it was a "message" of unclear content to unspecified addressees.

Perhaps the message was that America is not (in Richard Nixon's words explaining the 1970 invasion of Cambodia) "a pitiful, helpless giant," or that (in Ronald Reagan's 1984 words) "America is back, standing tall." Eliot Cohen, former counselor of the State Department (2007-2009) and currently a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, says that the strike "was the right thing to do" and "a firm response to a loathsome crime." But he also says:

"Having tipped off the Russians, and targeting things rather than people, it did not do much damage to anything the Bashar Assad regime cares about. ... An effective, destructive attack -- that is, one that would worry the Assad regime -- would have killed skilled personnel, military and political leaders, and elite fighters. ... Blowing up some installations is not, in fact, 'proportionate' to the massacre of children."

Messages are important, whether delivered by words or missiles or words about missiles. Trump's retreat from positions that enchanted his supporters is a matter mostly between him and them. How he addresses the world, however, will reveal whether he has gone from candidate to commander in chief without becoming presidential.

George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com.

(c) 2017, Washington Post Writers Group
By Steven Pearlstein

It is more than five months since the election, three months since the inauguration - enough time to be able to make an informed prognosis about economic and domestic policy under President Donald Trump and the Republican Congress.

What we know, first and foremost, is that it hardly matters what Trump says because what he says is as likely as not to have no relationship to the truth, no relationship to what he said last year during the campaign or even what he said last week. What he says bears no relationship to any consistent political or policy ideology or world-view. What he says is also likely to bear no relationship to what his top advisers or appointees have said or believe, making them unreliable interlocutors even if they agreed among themselves, which they don't. This lack of clear policy is compounded by the fact that the president, despite his boasts to the contrary, knows very little about the topics at hand and isn't particularly interested in learning. In other words, he's still making it up as he goes along.

What all this means, in effect, is that in terms of formulating and passing legislation, or even a budget, Trump and his White House are mostly irrelevant, except to the extent that he establishes a credible threat to veto legislation he decides not to like. At this point, all of the president's major legislative priorities - health reform, tax reform and a big infrastructure bill - look to be in jeopardy. Whatever Congress accomplishes, if anything, will reflect its own political dynamic, without much input or influence from the president.

This fecklessness in the White House, stands in contrast to the radical Tea Party agenda being aggressively pursued by members of Trump's domestic Cabinet.

His budget director sent to Congress a spending blueprint that, while likely to be ignored in parts, sets a course for radically shrinking the size and influence of the federal government as employer, regulator, provider of public goods and guarantor of the economic safety net.

The secretary of education has begun to make good on her lifelong goal of privatizing public education at all levels while diminishing the federal role.

The attorney general has declared that he will preside over a wholesale retreat from civil rights, focusing the department's resources on a renewed war on drugs that aims to lock 'em up in privately run prisons and throw away the key.

Unable to repeal Obamacare outright, the secretary of health and human services has indicated he will use his administrative powers and discretion to roll back the law's consumer protections and low-income subsidies until the insurance exchanges collapse and nothing much is left to repeal.

At the Department of Homeland Security, the roundup and deportation of millions of illegal immigrants has only just begun.

And unable or uninterested in negotiating new trade treaties, the new commerce secretary has begun to use his powers under old treaties to reduce the flow of cheap imports.

Environmental protection, consumer protection, investor protection, privacy protection - the unmistakable message from the new administration to business is that anything goes.

Only the federal courts stand in the way of this crusade to demolish the "administrative state," as Trump adviser Stephen Bannon describes the federal government, and with Senate filibusters of judges no longer a factor, there will be a big push to deal with that obstacle as well.

As a practical political matter, the in-your-face nature of these executive actions has now made it virtually impossible for Trump to reach bipartisan compromise with Democratic leaders in Congress - that was always a long shot - or even with moderate members of the Democratic caucuses. Democrats have largely convinced themselves that the midterm elections are shaping up as a disaster for Republicans (this week's special election in Georgia only strengthens that view) and that Trump will be easily defeated in 2020, if he even makes it until then. So the Democratic strategy is now to stand back, stick together and do nothing to get in the way of Trump and the Republicans demonstrating to the country that they are unready and unwilling to govern. And any Democrat who deviates from that course is certain to be subjected to the rage of a riled-up Democratic base.

In other words, what we have to look forward to is another four years of legislative dysfunction, administrative over-reach, high-stakes legal challenges and further political polarization.

One of the people who foresaw much of this was my friend Pietro Nivola, who died earlier this month, well before his time. For more than two decades, Pietro had brought his meticulous scholarship and critical thinking to the Brookings Institution, along with a stylish elegance not often found at Washington think tanks. Pietro was as appalled as anyone by Trump and the current state of American politics and governance, but he was hardly surprised by it. He saw it as the logical, if lamentable, outgrowth of trends that had been developing for decades.

Beginning in 2006, Pietro and David Brady, a senior fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, published "Red and Blue Nation?" a two-volume exploration of the widening divisions in American society. Pietro had a keen eye for talent and a low tolerance for facile-sounding hokum, and these volumes drew on the work of some of the country's most insightful scholars and political commentators.

Rereading them a decade later, what is striking is how prescient they were. They reflect, in particular, Pietro's two great strengths as an analyst. One was to find the subtle ways in which the structure and design of public institutions shapes political, social and economic outcomes. The other was his insistence for seeing the present in historical context, all the better to understand that however disappointing things might be at the moment, we'd been through even worse in the past.

In my last conversation with Pietro, I mentioned the sense of futility I'd recently felt writing columns like this one. In the current environment, I asked, what's the point of a journalist - or for that matter, a Brookings scholar - spending time and energy developing a well-reasoned argument on some public policy issue, when whatever little policy that was still being made would surely be driven by ideology and partisanship.

But Pietro would not entertain such doubts. He was a patient man who instinctively took the long view, never one to give in to fads or momentary passion. To the end, he never lost his faith that the truth would win out, that the political center would hold and that American democracy would eventually regain its footing.

The question for us is whether there is any longer a role in Washington for such old-fashioned optimism, wisdom and intellectual integrity. We find ourselves in an era when news is faked, minds made up and expert opinions bought and paid for. Who is right, what are the best ideas, how can we do what's best for the entire country - such questions have become largely irrelevant to a governing process that is gradually making itself irrelevant. All that really matters is who wins.

Pietro was exquisitely aware of the irony of that reality. He understood that in political systems where all that matters is who wins, the reality is that nobody wins. And that pretty much sums up where we are nearly 100 days into the so-called Trump administration.

Pearlstein is a Post business and economics writer. He is also a professor of public affairs at George Mason University.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post
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The North Korean flag flies above the North Korean Embassy in Beijing, Thursday, April 20, 2017. The U.S. is piling the pressure on Beijing to use its clout with North Korea to rein in its nuclear and missile programs.

(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

By Charles Krauthammer

WASHINGTON -- The crisis with North Korea may appear trumped up. It's not.

Given that Pyongyang has had nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles for more than a decade, why the panic now? Because North Korea is headed for a nuclear breakout. The regime has openly declared that it is racing to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the United States -- and thus destroy an American city at a Kim Jong Un push of a button.

The North Koreans are not bluffing. They've made significant progress with solid-fuel rockets, which are more quickly deployable and thus more easily hidden and less subject to detection and pre-emption.

At the same time, Pyongyang has been steadily adding to its supply of nuclear weapons. Today it has an estimated 10 to 16. By 2020, it could very well have a hundred. (For context: the British are thought to have about 200.)

Hence the crisis. We simply cannot concede to Kim Jong Un the capacity to annihilate American cities.

Some will argue for deterrence. If it held off the Russians and the Chinese for all these years, why not the North Koreans? First, because deterrence, even with a rational adversary like the old Soviet Union, is never a sure thing. We came pretty close to nuclear war in October 1962.

And second, because North Korea's regime is bizarre in the extreme, a hermit kingdom run by a weird, utterly ruthless and highly erratic god-king. You can't count on Caligula. The regime is savage and cult-like; its people, robotic. Karen Elliott House once noted that while Saddam Hussein's Iraq was a prison, North Korea was an ant colony.

Ant colonies do not have good checks and balances.

If not deterrence, then prevention. But how? The best hope is for China to exercise its influence and induce North Korea to give up its programs.

For years, the Chinese made gestures, but never did anything remotely decisive. They have their reasons. It's not just that they fear a massive influx of refugees if the Kim regime disintegrates. It's also that Pyongyang is a perpetual thorn in the side of the Americans, whereas regime collapse brings South Korea (and thus America) right up to the Yalu River.

So why would the Chinese do our bidding now?

For a variety of reasons.

-- They don't mind tension but they don't want war. And the risk of war is rising. They know that the ICBM threat is totally unacceptable to the Americans. And that the current administration appears particularly committed to enforcing this undeclared red line.

-- Chinese interests are being significantly damaged by the erection of regional missile defenses to counteract North Korea's nukes. South Korea is racing to install a THAAD anti-missile system. Japan may follow. THAAD's mission is to track and shoot down incoming rockets from North Korea but, like any missile shield, it necessarily reduces the power and penetration of the Chinese nuclear arsenal.

-- For China to do nothing risks the return of the American tactical nukes in South Korea, withdrawn in 1991.

-- If the crisis deepens, the possibility arises of South Korea and, most importantly, Japan going nuclear themselves. The latter is the ultimate Chinese nightmare.

These are major cards America can play. Our objective should be clear. At a minimum, a testing freeze. At the maximum, regime change.

Because Beijing has such a strong interest in the current regime, we could sweeten the latter offer by abjuring Korean reunification. This would not be Germany, where the communist state was absorbed into the West. We would accept an independent, but Finlandized, North.

During the Cold War, Finland was, by agreement, independent but always pro-Russian in foreign policy. Here we would guarantee that a new North Korea would be independent but always oriented toward China. For example, the new regime would forswear ever joining any hostile alliance.

There are deals to be made. They may have to be underpinned by demonstrations of American resolve. A pre-emptive attack on North Korea's nuclear facilities and missile sites would be too dangerous, as it would almost surely precipitate an invasion of South Korea with untold millions of casualties. We might, however, try to shoot down a North Korean missile in mid-flight to demonstrate both our capacity to defend ourselves and the futility of a North Korean missile force that can be neutralized technologically.

The Korea crisis is real and growing. But we are not helpless. We have choices. We have assets. It's time to deploy them.

Charles Krauthammer's email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group
UPDATE Monday, April 24 at noon: The Senate did not vote Monday morning on Senate Bill 737. A new date for a vote hasn't been set yet.

Amaia Rennie told a state senator that she was 35 years old, healthy and less than five months into her pregnancy when her water broke and she headed to the hospital.

But things went from bad to worse when medical staff made a series of errors, she said.

She ended up with a life-threatening infection that put her in a coma and sent her into surgery to repair her heart, she said. She lost both of her legs below the knee and nine fingertips. She could no longer have children, she said.

Rennie won a confidential settlement three years ago that allowed her to cover the $120,000 cost of a surrogate birth so she could become a parent and pay for the state-of-the-art prosthetic legs that help her keep up with her now 3-year-old.

The Portland-area woman spoke at the town hall meeting to let Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson know that she supports a bill that would lift the state's $500,000 cap for pain and suffering damages awarded by juries in personal injury cases. If the cap had applied to her, Rennie said her prospects would have been even more grim.

Without those funds, I couldnt make my life as whole as it could be for me, she told Monnes Anderson.

The bill is expected to go up for a vote on the Senate floor Monday. But it's unclear if it will pass -- it appears to be in a near deadlock, within one or two votes of passage.

A coalition of more than two dozen victim rights and other groups called Restore Justice for Survivors has identified Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, and another senator, Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Northwest Portland/Beaverton, as holdouts. Monnes Anderson is a retired nurse, and Steiner Hayward is a doctor.

The coalition has launched TV ads urging the two senators to support Senate Bill 737. Neither Monnes Anderson or Steiner Hayward returned calls from The Oregonian/OregonLive seeking comment.

Opponents of the bill include insurance companies and doctors who say allowing enormous payouts for non-economic damages leads to out-of-control insurance costs and higher rates for everyone.

At the April 15 town hall with Monnes Anderson, Rennie said no amount of money can undo catastrophic injuries like hers, but the money can help people move on with life.

I think I would be in a totally different predicament if there was a cap, Rennie said. I would be very angry. Ive forgiven those people. They are people. They made a mistake. But they owned it. They said, We screwed up and she needs to live a normal life. And here, were going to help you. And I feel like they did that. I feel at peace with that.

*****

Back-and-forth history

In 1987, the Oregon Legislature created a ceiling of $500,000 for noneconomic damages in an effort to limit mammoth jury verdicts.

Proponents pointed out that it never capped the amount that injury victims could seek for their economic damages -- hard costs such as medical bills, lost earning capacity and psychological counseling. Critics of the cap say it is sometimes difficult to predict all economic costs that will pop up latter in life.

The cap stood until 1999, when the Oregon Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional in personal injury cases, but left it in place in wrongful death cases. Oregon voters twice shot down attempts to reinstate some form of the cap for injured people in 2000 and 2004.

But in May 2016, the state Supreme Court effectively reinstated the cap in the case of Tyson Horton vs. Oregon Health & Science University. Horton was eight months old when doctors botched a liver surgery, nearly killing him and causing lingering lifelong health problems.

The high-court ruling means that today, with an exception for plaintiffs who sue governmental agencies, injured people in Oregon can't collect more than $500,000 in noneconomic damages. Critics of the cap say a one sized fits all approach doesnt take into account the circumstances of an individual case or allow jurors to decide what's fair compensation.

Its an incredible insult to jurors, who spend days or weeks listening to testimony, only to be told that the verdict they arrived at has been overturned because one or two members of the Legislature has claimed the right to have the last word, said Portland attorney Greg Kafoury.

Examples of drastically reduced jury verdicts have already arisen in the year since the state Supreme Court reinstated the cap.

In January, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Michael Greenlick slashed a jury's noneconomic damages award from $10.5 million down to $500,000 for Scott Busch, but left intact Busch's $3 million economic damages award  leaving him with a total award of about $3.5 million. Busch's leg was severed after a garbage truck made an illegal turn into him, as he legally walked across a downtown Portland crosswalk on his way to work.

Plaintiffs attorneys say juries typically go above $500,000 in noneconomic damages in a very small number of cases, when people have suffered horrific pscyhological trauma or physical injuries such as extensive brain damage, disfigurement or paralysis.

The Supreme Court ruling has left in limbo some people who won big verdicts around the same time it ruled, or whose cases are now on appeal.

Among those who could see their verdicts drastically reduced is Zeferino Vasquez, who was 21 when he was crushed by a hay-baling machine and his midsection was squeezed into a 1  inch-wide space, his lawyers say. That left him paralyzed from the waist down.

A jury awarded him what amounted to $1.3 million for his medical expenses and other tangible costs, and $4.9 million in noneconomic damages for the decades left in his life that he will spend in a wheelchair.

In similar circumstances is a woman in her 80s who was raped in her hospital room at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center by nursing assistant Adeladilew Mekonen. He was convicted earlier this year of the crime. The woman has filed suit, seeking $2 million in noneconomic damages from Providence under the claim that the hospital allowed Mekonen to keep working even though the hospital allegedly had information that he'd preyed on other patients before her.

Those who argue against a cap say women and sexual-assault victims are often hurt the most by it. Thats because sexual-assault victims often have relatively small claims of economic damages, but much larger claims for noneconomic damages because the psychological trauma can haunt them for a lifetime.

Backing Senate Bill 737 as part of the coalition is the the ACLU of Oregon, Crime Victims United, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, the Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon, Disability Rights Oregon and the plaintiffs attorneys group known as the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association.

*****

Strong opposition

Although the bill is being lobbied for -- hard -- by the coalition, it also has met powerful opposition from the organizations that often end up as defendants in lawsuits: hospitals, insurance companies and businesses both large and small.

Opponents of the bill say doing away with the cap means insurance companies will have to pay out more to injured people, and that only jacks up the costs of insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical care for everyone.

They also point to some states in the West that cap noneconomic damages awards at $250,000 to $500,000, they say. That has helped curb steep increases in liability insurance rates for doctors, they say.

James Dorigan -- a senior vice president at The Doctors Group, which insures more than 2,600 healthcare providers in Oregon -- points to a 2016 survey by the Medical Liability Monitor. It found general surgeons in San Francisco paid about $20,000 in liability insurance for the year in a state with a $250,000 cap. That compared to $60,000 for their counterparts in Seattle, which has no limit. Portland fell somewhere in between, at $35,000.

Backers of Senate Bill 737 question the conclusions made from that data -- saying the best way to reduce liability rates is to reduce medical mistakes.

Dorigan hopes that if the cap stays intact in Oregon, liability rates will hold steady or even fall.

When doctors liability rates soar, doctors are more likely to leave the state or abandon specialties including obstetrics and pediatric brain surgery, according to cap advocates.

In lobbying lawmakers to vote against the bill, the Oregon Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians has told senators that expensive lawsuits only drive up the costs of emergency-room visit for patients. According to one national study, 53 percent of ER doctors said they order the number of tests that they do out fear of getting sued.

-- Aimee Green
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The fourth novel by former Midlander Susan Kietzman will be released Tuesday.

Every Other Wednesday, published by Kensington Publishing Corp., tells the story of the three women, Joan, Ellie and Alice, who for years enjoyed a casual friendship while volunteering at their childrens Connecticut high school. Now, with those children grown and gone to college, a local tragedy brings the three into contact again. But what begins as a catch-up lunch soon moves beyond small talk to the struggles of this next stage of life.

The book follows the women over the course of an eventful year, in which Joan, Ellie and Alice meet every other Wednesday to talk, plan and find the courage to redefine themselves.

Although Kietzman said she doesnt meet regularly with anyone for lunch, she does seek the company of women.

And when we are together, we talk  often honestly  about whats happening in our lives, Kietzman wrote in an email to the Daily News. I also read, watch television and movies, listen to the news and observe those around me living their lives. Novels are the product of experience, observation, and imagination.

Kietzman and her family lived in Midland from 2001 to 2007, which is where she wrote her first book, The Good Life. The book describes the fictional life led by a couple and their two children in a Michigan town where the husband was CEO of the local chemical company, and explores how the womans definition of success affects her family. Kietzmans second book, A Changing Marriage, analyzes what can happen when a husband and wife no longer compromise and communicate.

Her third book, The Summer Cottage, takes place during two summers, set 30 years apart, and explores the family dynamics that play out between siblings and their mothers high expectations.

Its also about a shoreline house, which is as much a character in the novel as the family members that return to it every summer.

Kietzman said she already has started on her next book.

Im working on a novel that explores the relationship between a 42-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man that starts in a car. It will be released at the end of May 2018.

It is her publisher that determines the release date of her novels. A summer drop date is golden.

An early summer release date is a coveted spot because everyone is looking for a book to read on her/his summer vacation, she wrote. I, too, spend time away from my desk in the summer; its when I read the most.

Kietzman, who lives in Mystic, Conn., has been writing fiction for more than 25 years. She will be in Midland from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, at Barnes & Noble where she will sign copies of her books.
The recent Associated Press story regarding government reviews of chlorpyrifos contained a number of misleading and inaccurate statements, The Dow Chemical Co. said in a statement Friday.

On Thursday, the Associated Press published a story with the headline "Pesticide maker Dow tries to kill risk study." The story said Dow was "pushing a Trump administration that's open to scrapping regulations to ignore the findings of federal scientists who point to a family of widely used pesticides as harmful to about 1,800 critically threatened or endangered species."

The Associated Press said it had obtained letters dated April 13 sent to the heads of three of Trump's Cabinet agencies from lawyers representing Dow and two other manufacturers of organophosphates.

"The companies asked them 'to set aside' the results of government studies the companies contend are fundamentally flawed," according to the story. Read the full story at http://bit.ly/2p11ZX3

Included in Dow's statement on Friday in response to the story are links to the April 13 letters: http://bit.ly/2q0lMoG

Dow also stated that "Chlorpyrifos is, in fact, one of the most widely used and thoroughly studied pest control products in the world, supported by more than 4,000 studies examining chlorpyrifos in terms of health, safety and the environment," and that it is approved for use in the U.S. and nearly 100 countries.

Dow contends that the Environmental Protection Agency did not follow its own procedures in evaluating the pesticides under the Endangered Species Act. See the full statement at http://bit.ly/2pn1h9I
CLINTON  The effort to raise enough money to buy a vacant downtown Clinton building and turn it into a youth center is ahead of schedule as community support blossoms for the project.

Having a place where teens can socialize, get help with homework and talk to a mentor about life issues has been on Michelle Witzke's mind for several years.

The combination of an empty building on the north side of the downtown square and positive feedback from community leaders and other parents proved a catalyst late last year for the project.

"The doors just started opening where they weren't opening before," said Witzke.

One of the first donations to come through the door was $25,000 in March from the Warner Foundation. The donation came with a challenge: the $25,000 would double if a similar amount were raised in the community.

More money followed as local businesses, individuals and churches stepped up with more than $165,000 pledged or submitted as of April 10.

In a statement from Witzke this week, John Warner IV said The Vault youth center "represents a much-needed opportunity for our county and the young people who live here. Supporting our youth is an investment in everyone's future."

Clinton's three banks, the State Bank of Lincoln, First National Bank and Trust and DeWitt Savings Bank, also have provided financial support for the project.

A series of 12 fundraisers are planned this year to help organizers secure the estimated $300,000 needed to purchase and renovate the structure.

The new community center will target the 3,500 youths in DeWitt County and nearby Heyworth and Maroa-Forsyth areas, but organizers expect students from as far away as LeRoy and Mount Pulaski to visit the program in the 11,000 square foot, two-story building that has housed Ben Franklin and Woolworth's stores in the past.

In a marketing plan for the project, advocates cited data from the 2016 Illinois Youth Survey that shows DeWitt County youths are ahead of state averages in several areas of concern. Fifty-one percent of 10th-graders reported being bullied in DeWitt County compared to the 2014 state average of 35 percent, said the report that also noted increased reports of dating violence and depression among local youths.

According to Witzke, 80 percent of 347 Clinton high school students surveyed in 2014 said they would attend a teen center.

A mix of volunteer and paid staff is expected to be used to operate the center that will be open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Sixteen years ago we moved here from the East Coast. I was a reluctant trailing spouse. As the plane approached Bloomington, I looked out at the prairie; the terrain looked so different from what I was used to. On that plane I met my first friend here. She was a State Farm employee and we were sisters."

Not long after that I lost my wallet and someone returned it to our house with all contents untouched and a note saying I was probably looking for this. I was stunned and grateful and thought, we arent in Kansas any longer! This is Oz! Having left a good practice in Connecticut I was grief stricken and lost. ISUs Student Counseling Center, ISUs School of Social Work and colleagues welcomed me. I established a psychotherapy practice in downtown Bloomington which I have enjoyed.

Since our move here in 2001 our goal has been to eventually return East. However, our move back is bittersweet. Bloomington has been our home for many years now. I will miss the ease of getting from one place to another in 15 minutes, and often seeing people I know and chatting. I will miss the kindness and gentleness of people here. I will miss the beauty of the prairie, and our many wonderful friends. Midwesterners are nice. I knew that as I married one. Having been embraced by Bloomington-Normal for 16 years I want to thank the community for taking such good care of us.

Johanna Rayman, Bloomington
People were polite as they entered U.S. Rep. Darin LaHoods town hall meeting this week, perhaps surprised to find the tall rookie congressman greeting each of them at the door of the Tazewell County event. Many told him they appreciated the chance to listen and be heard.

But it didnt take long for the crowd of 750 to become boisterous, almost unruly at times, particularly when talk turned, as if often did, to issues surrounding health care and President Trumps taxes.

And when it was all over, there was a hint of hesitation in LaHoods voice when I asked whether hell do it again. In all likelihood, he answered.

Not so for U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, whose 13th Congressional District shares McLean County with LaHoods. Davis has never had a public town hall meeting in the four years hes been in Congress and doesnt plan to start now.

I have never done large settings where you have opportunities for screaming and yelling at each other, Davis says. We have found in my entire career in Washington that one-on-ones, small groups, sitting there talking to individuals about policies, where you can agree, where you can disagree, actually leads to ideas and solutions.

But heres his problem: Davis is surrounded by town halls. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin had one in Bloomington a month ago; there was LaHoods event Wednesday in Washington; U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth will have one here Sunday afternoon.

And Davis is being hounded by some constituents who want an event where they can be sure he hears and appreciates how alarmed they are about matters important to them  not so much as individuals but as a collectively significant part of his constituency. Most of them voted against Donald Trump.

The anti-Trump crowd clearly out-numbered Trump supporters at LaHoods meeting, even though Trump got nearly 61 percent of the vote in LaHoods largely rural district.

I think they felt like they had been left out of the process, LaHood said after nearly two hours of fielding questions from three dozen people whose names were randomly selected, that there wasnt a forum or a venue for them to vent.

Like Davis, LaHood is a Republican. A difference is LaHood serves a safe district, widely out-polling even Trump in his district last fall. So what if video of him giving himself a lot of wiggle room in response to demands from angry constituents shows up in an opponents campaign commercial next year? LaHoods town hall carried little risk and, as it turns out, an upside. Some there to express outrage left with more respect for their congressman.

Democrats, meanwhile, think Davis is vulnerable in next years election. He was easily re-elected last year, but his opponent wasnt one of the Democrats stronger candidates. Meanwhile, Trump gathered less than half the vote in Davis district.

By saying no to any town hall, I think Davis discounts the opportunity to demonstrate hes not hiding from voters who might harbor sharp differences with him. Hell argue Ive been sucked into what he calls a staged political calculation by his opponents who want you to believe hes not accessible.

Theres no question theres been an erosion in the value of town hall meetings as a place for civil discussion. Even so, they remain a chance for ordinary citizens  not just special interests and lobbyists  to see and hear their elected representatives first-hand in an extended session, to take a full measure of their knowledge and understanding.

After his town hall, LaHood couldnt immediately identify any issue where the nights discussion had shifted his thinking. But he clearly had a better grasp of just how strongly at least some of the 710,000 people he represents feel about matters that impact their lives and their childrens future.

Whats wrong with that?
Here's a list of 10 movies that I think stand out at this year's Tribeca Film Festival:

Shadowman

In the 80s, artist Richard Hambleton was one of the famed NYC street artists alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Hambelton's creepy shadow figures popped up all over Manhattan. I remember how disarming and fabulous it was to see them at the time. Before that he was responsible for murder/crime/body stencils on the street. But at the height of his fame he dropped out. But he still continued to paint. Hambleton's bad drug habit and thorny behavior burned many bridges, and despite having major art shows around the world, he occasionally was homeless, living on the streets of New York. Oren Jacoby's riveting documentary helps recreate the scary but creatively exciting East Village art scene of the 80s and captures a disarming portrait of this complex, difficult, often self-destructive, yet amazing, artist.

My Friend Dahmer

Ross Lynch gives a haunted, sad, scary, and unforgettable performance as young (future serial killer) Jeffrey Dahmer in this electrifying film by Marc Meyers based on the graphic novel by Derf Backderf. Set during his last days of high school, Jeffrey was the strange kid in school. With longish hair hanging over his forehead, oversized glasses and stooped shoulders, he loped through school a perpetual loner. At home, his mother (Anne Heche) was clearly exhibiting wild swings of mental instability and driving his father (Dallas Roberts) to leave. In a desperate act to seek attention at school Jeffrey fakes a loony epileptic seizure in the hallway and becomes the hero for a budding artist, Derf (Alex Wolff), who, along with a few friends, eggs Dahmer on to spazz out in other public places. But in private, Jeffrey was exhibiting more disturbing behavior. This doesn't play out like a horror movie, but there is a sense of creeping dread that sets in knowing how this story will end and feeling so helpless to intervene. Truly one of the best films I've seen in some time.



The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson

Another intensely moving documentary by David France (How To Survive A Plague) about the mysterious death of legendary transgender "street queen" Marsha P. Johnson ('The P is for Pay It No Mind'). Johnson was right up front during the riots around the Stonewall bar that kick-started the Gay Rights movement. She also, with fellow rabble-rouser Sylvia Rivera, founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) which provided aid to transgender homeless teens. The documentary focuses on Victoria Cruz (from the Anti-Violence Project) working tirelessly to find justice for Johnson (whose body was found floating near the Hudson piers in 1992).

A Thousand Junkies

A bleakly hilarious day in the life of three strung out white dudes--Tommy (Tommy Swerdlow- who also directed this film), Blake (Blake Heron) and TJ (TJ Bowen)--hunting down a fix in Los Angeles. Throughout this fateful day as they shuttle around, frantically entering one dangerous situation after another, they heavily debate life in general and bitch and moan. It's hard not to sympathize with these idiots while you're laughing your head off.

Tom of Finland

Finnish director Dome Karukoski's terrific bio-pic on the life of famed erotic artist Tom Of Finland. Touko Laaksonen (Pekka Strang) moved in with his sister Kaija (Jessica Grabowsky) after serving in World War II. Still haunted by traumatic events he experienced, Touko's escape was to draw a series of pornographic drawings based on his creation of the ideal leatherman, almost cartoonishly muscled men with oversized dicks, reveling in sex. He even mixed in fetishistic imagery based on cops beating up gays cruising at night in the park that he witnessed. In those years that "homosexuals" were made to feel shame and lived in terror of arrest, Touko's drawings (under the pseudonym "Tom") treated men having sex with each other as positive and liberating. It's a fascinating and fitting tribute to a true subversive gay hero.

The Family I Had

Devastating documentary that echoes We Need To Talk About Kevin, about a 13 year old, Paris, who stabbed his 4 year old sister Ella to death in Abilene, Texas in 2007. Chastity, his hard scrabble mother, has to deal with the horror of losing a child and dealing with a sociopathic son in prison and her attempt to forge a normal life for herself. Directors Carlye Rubins and Katie Green then drop in a wild card half way through when we are introduced to Chastity's estranged mother and these bombshell revelations and skeletons in the closet cast long shadows. Whatever you do, don't miss this.

Clive Davis: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

Cinematic valentine to the ultimate music man Clive Davis, who began his career in law and by a quirk of fate, thankfully for us, became the head of music at Columbia Records. Seeing the power of rock music at the Monterey Music Festival, Davis signed Big Brother & The Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin) and never looked back, shepherding the careers of everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Santana, Barry Manilow, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Also revitalizing the careers of Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Expertly directed by Chris Perkel, there is much about his close personal relationship with Whitney Houston and the devastation he felt when she died. It's surprising how much of this man's legendary career they actually do get to in this enthralling documentary.

Hounds Of Love

From the first frames of the film, shot from a car window slowly going by a playground where young girls innocently play volleyball in slow motion, a sense of deep unease sets in. And rightly so. Director Ben Young's grim tale of twisted love is about John and Evelyn White (Stephen Curry and Emma Booth) who troll the streets of Perth, Australia in 1987 looking for teenage girls to abduct and bring back to their suburban house of horrors. Vicki (Ashleigh Cummings) is still reeling from her parents splitting up and disobeys her mother, climbing out of the bedroom window to party with friends only to be ambushed by the predatory Whites. The camerawork is really exceptional and what it judiciously doesn't show is bone-chilling. Killer couples aren't as common--there is always some inequality in the pathology. Just the way Evelyn obsessively cuts and arranges the toast on a plate for her husband every morning speaks volumes. Emma Booth gives a surprisingly raw, amazing, performance as the conflicted wife in this disquieting film.

Psychopaths

Director Mickey Keating has made a series of fascinating chillers--from Darling to Carnage Park--but nothing as ambitious and fabulously deranged as this dream-like shocker. On the eve of messianic mass murderer Henry Starkweather's (Larry Fessenden) execution he prophesies a night of "chaos" where his "children" will wreak terror. Sure enough, we helplessly watch random scenes of loony killers causing carnage- from mask wearing assassins, to stranglers, to schizophrenic escaped female mental patients, all cutting a bloody path across the land. With a hallucinatory visual and aural sense, and interspersed with nice nods to movies like Taxi Driver and Audition, the film creates a nightmarish landscape of madness and murder.

Manifesto

Let's face it: Cate Blanchett is amazing, and a real chameleon on film and stage. Lest we forget her witty portrait of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Here she gets to inhabit 13 different people reciting art manifestos in Julian Rosefeldt's feature film based on his multi-screen art installation that appeared at the Park Avenue Armory in NY in 2016. Prepare to have your mind blown.

All images courtesy Tribeca Film Festival/image.net


Patna: Police in Patna on Friday, following a series of raids, arrested eight men and recovered many stolen cell phones and foreign-made liquors along with many other illegal items.

Talking to the media, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said that the arrested men were the members of a gang run by one Hrithik Kumar, a resident of Kadam Kuan.

All other arrested men are from various areas of the state capital, he said.

Besides nine stolen cell phones, police also recovered six bottles of foreign-made liquor, 500 grams of marijuana, and over Rs. 1500 in cash.

This gang had been very active in Patna and neighboring areas and had been wanted in many crimes, police said.
Patna: Angry at the Law Commission's recommendations to bar lawyers from organizing agitations and requiring them to compensate their clients in the event they went on a strike, advocates across the state abstained to return to work after noon and burnt copies of the recommendations to make their point.

Wearing the iconic white pants, black jackets and the white neck wear, advocates of Patna High Court gathered outside the court gate and burnt copies of the Law Commission's Amendment Bill, 2017 that proposes sweeping reform in the judiciary.

However, the recommendations have received widespread negative reactions by the legal community that apparently wants to preserve its right to launch and participate in stirs without having to be penalized for it.

"The new proposals are draconian and against the basic tenets of a democracy that provides for rights to protest and organize agitations. This bill should be withdrawn immediately otherwise the country will be standing in the face of a major crisis after the lawyers across the nation go on an indefinite strike," said a Patna High Court advocate.

The call for a nationwide protest was made by the Bar Council of India.
Patna: In a sweeping raid across the state capital, authorities in Patna on Friday recovered fake and expired medicines of major name brand companies to the tune of several crore rupees. Police also arrested three men in the case though more arrests were expected to be made before the end of the day, officials said.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided a house in Langartoli under Kadam Kuan police station and arrested a man red-handed while trying to put fake wrappers on expired medicine boxes and bottles. He was identified as one Ravi Shankar Kumar. Fake and expired medicines with an estimated street value of over Rs. 5 lakh were seized during the raid, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said.

Based on Ravi's statements, police then raided a house in CIT Colony under Patrakar Nagar police station and arrested a man who was identified as Ramesh Pathak. Like the earlier raid, authorities recovered several boxes of fake and expired medicines with new wrappers, police said.

Meanwhile, another raid was carried out in Alamganj where one person was arrested and several cartons of fake and expired drugs were seized.

This led to many more raids in Govind Mitra Road, Alamganj, and Bahadurpur where police seized fake medicines with a street value of several lakh rupees.

Ravi and Amit told the police that the kingpin of fake medicine was Ramesh Pathak who bought expired medicines in large quantities from drug stores in Patna at dirt cheap prices. Pathak would then put new but fake wrappers on these expired medicines and resell it to drug stores in Patna and around at a hefty profit.

Many drug store owners and government officials are said to be involved in this racket, the two arrested men said.
Researchers have built a primitive microprocessor out of a two-dimensional material similar to graphene, the flexible conductive wonder material that some believe will revolutionize the design and manufacture of batteries, sensors and chips.

With only 115 transistors, their processor isnt going to top any benchmark rankings, but its a first step towards the development of microprocessors based on 2D semiconductors, the researchers at Vienna University of Technology said in a paper published in the journal Nature this month.

Two-dimensional materials have the benefit of flexibility, meaning that they can be incorporated more easily into wearable devices or connected sensors, and potentially making them less breakable: Picture a smartphone that bends rather than breaks if you drop it.

Todays semiconductors and screens are already pretty thin, but they still rely on the three-dimensional physical properties of the materials theyre made from in order to function. Bend a silicon wafer and it will crack. But 2D materials like graphene or the transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) used by the Vienna researchers, are truly two-dimensional, made with crystals just one layer of atoms or molecules thick, allowing them to flex.

TMDs are compounds composed of a transition metal such as molybdenum or tungsten and a chalcogen (typically sulfur, selenium or tellurium, although oxygen is also a chalcogen). Like graphene, they form into layers, but unlike graphene which conducts electricity like a metal, they are semiconductors, which is great news for flexible chip designers.

Stefan Wachter, Dmitry Polyushkin and Thomas Mueller of the Institute of Photonics, working with Ole Bethge of the Institute of Solid State Electronics in Vienna, decided to use molybdenum disulfide to build their microprocessor.

They deposited two molecule-thick layers of it on a silicon substrate, etched with their circuit design and separated by a layer of aluminium oxide.

The substrate fulfills no other function than acting as a carrier medium and could thus be replaced by glass or any other material, including flexible substrates, they wrote.

Recent Intel microprocessors act on data in 64-bit words, can understand hundreds or even thousands of different instructions, depending on how you count them, and contain hundreds of millions of transistors.

In contrast, the microprocessor built by the researchers is only capable of acting on data one bit at a time, using a set of just four instructions (NOP, LDA, AND and OR), and the circuit features used to build it are of the order of 2 micrometers across, 100 times larger than those found in the latest Intel and ARM processors.

With more work, though, the microprocessors complexity could be increased and its size reduced, the researchers said. They deliberately chose an overly large feature size for their manufacturing process to reduce the effects of holes, cracks and contamination in the molybdenum disulfide film and to make it easier to inspect the results with an optical microscope.

We do not see any roadblocks that could prevent the scaling of our 1-bit design to multi-bit data, they said, and only the challenge of lowering contact resistance stands in the way of sub-micrometer manufacturing.

Thats not to say it will be easy: Although the manufacturing yield for subunits was high, with around 80 percent of the arithmetic-logic units fully functional, their non-fault tolerant design meant only a few percent of finished devices worked properly.

Commercial microprocessor manufacturers deal with yield problems by making their chip designs modular, and testing them at a variety of speeds. Chips that work at higher speed fetch higher prices, while faulty subcomponents can be permanently disabled and the resulting chips, otherwise fully functional, sold as lower-spec models.

Its taken 46 years for Intel to get from the 4004, a four-bit central processor with 46 instructions, to the latest incarnation of the x86 architecture, Kaby Lake: With all that the industry has learned about micromanufacturing since then, progress with flexible semiconductors may be a little faster.
The successes of the Uber commercial transport services, in Ghana has angered some taxi drivers who think that Uber was taking away their business.



The taxi drivers, especially from the Committed Drivers Association have initiated a series of media campaigns to tout their plight for governments attention.



They were on Kasapa FM on Thursday and on Accra Radio on Friday. Mr Francis Appiah, their spokesperson thinks that the drop in patronage of taxi cabs, identified with yellow paint on their fenders was due to the emergence of the services of Uber.



Uber, a technology company that connects passengers and drivers, began operations in Ghana last year.



Mr Appiah told Accra Radio that insurance premiums paid by Uber service providers were much lower than that of taxi drivers because of the use of private cars for Uber services.



This, he said, allowed Uber to charge relatively lower fares, thereby having an edge over conventional taxis.



He further stated that the use of private cars for commercial purposes by Uber was a clear violation of Ghanas road safety regulations, however, authorities have turned a blind eye to the practice.



He said: The Uber service is killing the work of taxi drivers in Ghana. Because they know as foreigners they would not be able to engage in this kind of work in Ghana, some Ghanaians fronted for them to enable them gain access to the local market.



They dont pay income tax, they dont pay for embossments, but we the taxi drivers do pay. Taxi drivers also possess AMA embossment licences and stickers, but they [Uber taxis] dont have them. Again, because they mostly use private cars to do their business, the insurance they pay is much lower than what the commercial drivers pay.



"Even the use of private cars is against the road traffic regulations, but everybody is watching as they violate the law. Today as we speak, when you go to Tanzania, Uber has killed taxi drivers businesses and even in the United States where they come from, they are gradually killing the taxi business.



China saw the dangers they posed to their local drivers and so they prevented them from entering their market. And so why should we allow them to also kill our businesses here in Ghana?

Source: graphic.com.gh









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Featured Video
Issues of the child marriage and teenage pregnancy have become foremost in the fight for equality for women in society.



According to UNICEFs State of the Worlds CHILDREN 2016 Report, 21% of Ghanaian girls are married before they are 18, with the rates being as high as 39% in the past.



Speaking at the 23rdF Zonta International District 18 conference, First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo said although government has done a considerable amount of work in the area, there is much left to be desired.



There has been a growing concern about child marriage in Ghana mainly from civil society organizations, the government and other donors.



Although recent data shows that the practice is reducing, one in five young women get married before the age of 18.



Speaking at Zonta International District 18 conference under the theme Empowering women through education on safe motherhood and advocating against teenage pregnancy and early child marriage of girls, First Lady Rebecca Addo urged all women to join the fight against child marriage and teenage pregnancy. When women come together, we are a formidable force to reckon with.



"This formidable force made up of our collective energy, wisdom, political consciousness, passion and Doggart persistence is needed even more in the coming years, she said.



She referred to the 2030 target for the attainment of the SDGs as an international acknowledgement of the power of women across the world.



Speaking on the goals of the new NPP government in gender issues, the first lady assured the public that although the government has made strides in womens issues, there is still much more to achieve.



We have a good number of women in our current government as Members of Parliament, Ministers and in other key positions, but we all know we can do better.



She said, Our president Nana Akufo-Addo has made gender equality a priority by assuring the nation that the affirmative action bill will be passed soon."



Speaking to JOY BUSINESS, Zonta Conference Coordinator Oppeibia Omaboe said the conference is a great avenue for stakeholders to discuss ways in which the practice and occurrence of teenage pregnancy and child marriage can be reduced and eventually eradicated.



This is a forum for all women to come together and address the issues. We must be doers and not just speakers of the words we preach



The conference brings together over 200 and like-minded organizations from across the continent to push the fight against discriminatory practices against women.

Source: myjoyonline









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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Peacefmonline.com can confirm that Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, has been asked to pay a sum of GHC 12.7 million to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).



He is to make the payment by Monday, 8th May 2017.



Two days ago, Mr. Ibrahim Mahama was picked up by the EOCO to answer questions over some dud cheques he issued to the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the Tema Port to clear some heavy duty equipment he had imported.



It was also alleged that he was also questioned on some fraudulent deals he may have made as claimed by the Member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Agyepong.



Following the interrogation, he was ordered by the EOCO to submit his passport to the State investigative body on Wednesday, April 19.



NDC Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, George Nartey later told Class FM in an interview that Ibrahim's passport has not been seized.



He was categorical that Ibrahim still has his passport in his (Ibrahim's) possession because he is not a "flight risk".



In latest developments, Mr. Mahama is to pay up the 12.7 million cedis and the amount represents duty for goods he cleared at the Tema Port with dud cheques in 2015 plus interest.



The interest on the amount was worked by the Ghana Revenue Authority.



The order was communicated to Mr. Mahama on Friday morning, April 21, 2017 at the EOCO head office.







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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The fashion industrys bloody competitive, especially when every bartender in Sydney reckons theyve got some groundbreaking T-shirt design in the works. (Theres nothing game-changing about a scoop neck, mate.)

Landing a major stockist, however, is a big-ass win and a sure-fire way to be recognised as a brand. This is the reality for Sydney-based Lisa Hyde, who you might remember as the runner-up on Blake Garveys season of The Bachelor alongside Sam Frost. Starting next Monday, April 24, her brainchild and sunglasses brand Shevoke will be stocked at one of Australias leading retailers, General Pants Co. NBD.

A post shared by Lisa Hyde (@lisahyde_) on Oct 11, 2016 at 2:30am PDT

Since leaving Bachie mansion in 2014, Lisa has garnered over 139,000 followers on her personal Instagram and over 58,000 on Shevokes Instagram account, which has tremendously helped in landing the retailers attention. Also, the cross-promotions with mates and fellow Insta-famous peeps like Aisha Jade, Tegan Martin and Lisa Clark definitely dont hurt, as well as a cult influencer following across the board.

?? A post shared by Aisha Jade (@aisha_jade) on Mar 14, 2017 at 10:33pm PDT

Having appeared on The Bachelor really did help create the awareness to the brand. Ive been able to share Shevoke on my social media accounts and get it out not only in Australia, however internationally, she told PEDESTRIAN.TV. I am off to Miami Swim Week in July where ill be showcasing the newest range to some of the United States biggest online stores.

Crazily enough, it was only three years ago you could find Lisa selling the stock every weekend at Southport markets in Brisbane, her hometown, and even she admits its all moving faster than maybe she was prepared for.

Already we have outgrown our current warehouse  there are boxes and sunglasses everywhere. Im currently hiring and looking for a bigger warehouse.

The 30-year-old was actually so busy and overwhelmed with customer demand that she almost cooked the General Pants Co opportunity entirely.

One of the GP buyers contacted me through email and I was so overwhelmed with orders at the time that I missed the email, she told us. Luckily a friend introduced me to Jaynee (GP Buyer) at a festival and we were able to chat about the potential collaboration and yes, I felt like an absolutely idiot for missing her email.

Lesson learned here? Theres a silver lining when a douche-lord breaks up with you on national television, and, of course, that hauling ass pays the heck off.

Shevoke will hit GP stores (Bondi, Melbourne Central, Mid City Store, Miranda, Pacific Fair and Miranda) on Monday April 24, as well as online.



Photos: Channel Ten.
Update: Why Pennsylvania?

President Donald Trump announced he will be holding a rally in Harrisburg next Saturday night, according to his campaign website.

The event will take place at 7:30 on April 29 at the Pa. Farm Show Complex and Expo Center along North Cameron Street.

The doors of the New Holland Arena will open at 4:30 p.m., according to the website.
Gifford Pinchot State Park.jpg

Gifford Pinchot State Park

By Tim Herd

Environmental health and sustainability is a growing priority for communities everywhere.

A recent poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association found that most Americans want their governments to prioritize sustainable environmental practices in such things as water quality monitoring, green space assessment, urban planning, eco-friendly buildings and lawn upkeep.

The overwhelming majority (83 percent) of Americans polled agree that local governments must prioritize environmental initiatives. This is particularly true of Millennials who say it's either "extremely important" or "very important." Both families with children (89 percent) and non-parents (79 percent) feel strongly about local government prioritizing funding for environmental initiatives.

While many environmental stewardship choices continue to be made on the consumer level, governments have an essential, leading role in prioritizing sustainable practices. And funding those priorities is the difference-maker in improving our environmental health and sustainability."

Park and recreation agencies are leaders in promoting the protection of our environment, embracing practices that include conservation of public land, protection of wildlife habitats, and the use of green infrastructure.

Yet the lack of adequate funding resources substantially hinders the progress of most agencies.

At the state level, the Pennsylvania General Assembly will soon have an opportunity to both prioritize and fund a Growing Greener 3 program by investing more than $300 million annually for conservation, recreation and preservation projects.

The need is clear

More than 19,000 miles of Pennsylvania streams and rivers are not safe for drinking or recreational use and cannot support aquatic life.

The majority of the state's 6,000 local parks and more than 11,000 miles of trails need significant upgrades to remain safe, clean and ready-to-use.

Abandoned mines scar 189,000 acres in 43 of our 67 counties, causing 5,500 miles of dead streams.

Some 1500 family farms remain on a waiting list to be protected and preserved.

The rationale is inclusive

Preserving and protecting the environment is not for tree-huggers only, but for everyone who values personal health and a prosperous society.

Protecting our land, wildlife and heritage of abundant and clean natural resources strengthens the entire economy and supports thousands of jobs.

The recreation industry alone accounts for $6.4 billion of tourism spending in the state. For every dollar invested in our state parks, $12 is generated in economic benefits for the surrounding communities.

Access to well-maintained parks, trails and open space is good for our physical and mental health and is proven to reduce healthcare costs by encouraging exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices.

The support is extensive

A 2014 Penn State University poll found that 97 percent of Pennsylvanians think that state funds dedicated to preserving open space and farmland, providing parks and trails, and protecting rivers and streams should continue to be used for these purposes. Furthermore, 82 percent of survey respondents support increasing state funds for these purposes even if that would cost the average household $10 more annually.

Today's convergence of indisputable reason and popular acclaim make this Earth Day and every day the right time to renew our resolve and prioritize our future for environmental health and sustainability.

Urge your Pennsylvania legislators to support Growing Greener. For more information, or to get involved, visit GrowingGreener3.org.

Tim Herd is the CEO of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, a statewide association providing professional leadership, development, advocacy and resources for those working and volunteering in the parks and recreation field.
Sen. Scott Wagner announces Pa. governor candidacy

Republican state Sen. Scott Wagner announces his candidacy for GOP nomination in the Pennsylvania governor race, Wednesday, January 11, 2017. Wagner made his first of six appearances around the state at his trash hauling company, Penn Waste's truck terminal in East Manchester Township, York County. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

By Joshua Henne

By kicking-off his gubernatorial campaign in January - 22 months before Election Day - state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York, fully expected to make a big name for himself in 2017.

But no one could've predicted it would be for his bizarre ramblings on climate change. He not only garnered statewide headlines, he also went viral nationwide.

By now, you've probably heard about Wagner's curious remarks: "I haven't been in a science class in a long time, but the Earth moves closer to the sun every year. You know, the rotation of the Earth. We're moving closer to the sun...We have more people...You know, humans have warm bodies. So is heat coming off?" And that's the short version.

PennWaste - the trash company Wagner's built on taxpayer-funded municipal contracts - traditionally posts a heartwarming late April message on its website.

In the past, they've written "Although we only celebrate Earth Day once a year, it is important to remember that you can do your part each and every day."

However, I'm not sure Wagner wants a microscope on how he conducts himself when it comes to the environment throughout the year.

In July 2014, PennLive Reported That Wagner "Makes A Decent Portion Of His Living Out Of Municipal Contracts." [PennLive, 7/22/2014]

Recently, PennWaste's spokeswoman, Amanda Davidson, who also draws a campaign paycheck, claimed Wagner is "a staunch advocate for protecting our environment."

The facts don't bear this out.

Over the past several years, Wagner's businesses received well over 30 Department of Environmental Protection violations.

In 2014, even the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee hammered PennWaste's "environmental violations from the state" and highlighted a history of their leaking trucks.

Wagner brushed off these red marks as akin to minor traffic citations.

Moreover, as is often the case when anyone dares criticize his business practices, Wagner deflected: "Any attacks on me personally or my company are an insult to all of the hardworking employees that are a part of our team, our county-owned disposal facilities, the customers and the communities we serve."

Following Wagner's electoral victory and velvet coup of the very establishment he railed against, we won't be seeing Harrisburg Republicans bring this up again.

Especially now that Wagner controls levers of power with all the money he's poured into right-wing coffers throughout Pennsylvania from both his personal piggy bank and PAC.

With the Trump administration committed to rolling back protections at the national level, we need leaders in the states standing-up for our environment.

There's no way Wagner fits that bill - evidenced by his votes for a state budget that reduced funding for both the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Last month, Wagner suggested to an assemblage of natural gas advocates, that he's not an "environmental activist."

This isn't a newsflash. His gubernatorial website doesn't have a single mention about his vision for the environment.

This isn't shocking since Wagner voted against nearly every such initiative that came his way in the legislature. He's garnered an anemic 20 percent rating from Pennsylvania's leading environmental group.

Even sadder, that's an improvement from a few months earlier when Wagner was one of only two senators meriting a zero rating.

In attempting to clean-up the climate change gaffe, Wagner's chief-of-staff-turned-campaign-manager said "He's not running to be the top scientist in the state."

Clearly.

However, Wagner also said "the real question isn't is the climate changing, but what role should the government play in trying to alter it."

Well, we've already seen how Wagner prioritizes the environment. He voted for a state budget opening-up parks and forests for drilling. Wagner also voted for a bill requiring legislative approval for certain plans from the DEP - which creates bulwarks to implementing emission-cutting plans.

Additionally, he voted to reduce the "buffer zone" for streams - allowing developers to build much closer to water sources than they had in the past, menacing water quality and threatening to contaminate the supply for communities throughout the Keystone State.

Joshua Henne is an advisor to Pennsylvania Spotlight, a left-leaning 501(c)(4) advocacy group.
mike-stack-responds.jpg

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack said it was a mutual decision reached with Gov. Tom Wolf to cut his and his wife Tonya's police protection and limit maintenance and groundskeeping staffing at the state-owned residence they occupy at Fort Indiantown Gap.

(File photo/SEAN SIMMERS)

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack said it was a mutual decision reached with Gov. Tom Wolf to end to police protection for Stack and his wife, Tonya, along with other staffing changes at the state-owned residence where they live in the wake of complaints about their mistreatment of staff.

Stack's statement said, "I recognize, as does my wife, that certain behavior while dealing with the staff of the Lieutenant Governor's residence and the Pennsylvania State Police Executive Detail who protects us, is unacceptable and were symptoms of a larger problem.

"Today, in meeting with Governor Wolf, I apologized directly to him for any embarrassment this situation has caused, discussed with him some of the reasons for what has occurred, and reiterated our commitment to addressing the causes forcefully and fully. For all of these reasons, during today's meeting, I concurred with the Governor's decision to remove the executive detail that protected us and the remaining staff member at the residence."

Wolf met with Stack on Friday to hand-deliver a letter indicating that along with the cutting the police protective detail, the maintenance and groundskeeping staff would only report to the lieutenant governor's residence at Fort Indiantown Gap at prearranged time and with supervision.

In the letter, Wolf stated, "I do not delight in this decision but I believe it is a necessary step to protect commonwealth employees."

After the media began reporting in two weeks ago about the state inspector general's office being asked to investigate complaints from staff about the Stacks using abusive language and asking members of the state police security detail to take extraordinary measures to beat traffic in non-emergency situations, Stack held a news conference to apologize.

Stack admitted he said "things in anger or stress or frustration" that he shouldn't have. He vowed that he and his wife would do better.

Earlier this week, Wolf told reporters he met with Stack on multiple occasions regarding complaints about Stack's treatment of state employees. During the most recent meeting in mid-March, Wolf said he told him "you need to stop."

Staffing at the so-called "State House," where Pennsylvania's lieutenant governors have resided since 1971, had been downsized from a five-person crew six months ago to now one full-time maintenance person, according to Troy Thompson, a spokesman for the state Department of General Services, which is charged with maintaining the facility.

Despite Stack's statements, longtime Capitol observer Terry Madonna said stopping police protection for the lieutenant governor and family is unprecedented.

"We are in uncharted territory," said Madonna, a Franklin & Marshall College political science professor.

Given all that has transpired between Wolf and Stack, Madonna said Wolf appears to be making it clear he is shopping for a new lieutenant governor to join him on the ticket in next year's gubernatorial election.

Until the recent turn of events, he said Wolf and Stack's relationship was what he called "benign neglect."

READ MORE: Why does Pennsylvania have a lieutenant governor?

"This is a formal break with Stack," he said. He also questions whether it will cause Stack to decide not to run for re-election although Stack indicated at his news conference last week he was planning to seek a second term.

Madonna ponders what led to Friday's decision by Wolf to cut staffing for Stack and his wife Tonya and whether it was the $4,211 in hotel bills and incidental expenses that Stack billed to the state for stays in Philadelphia while the couple still owned a home there, according to a story in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday.

The story based on records the newspapers obtained through a Right to Know request indicates that Stack later reimbursed the state for more than $1,800 after being requested to do so.

Stack's Chief of Staff Matt Franchak told the newspapers that the Stacks had moved their furniture to the Fort Indiantown Gap residence after he had taken office as lieutenant governor and were in the process of selling their Northeast Philadelphia home during the time frame the hotel bills were incurred.

"The tipping point could have been the hotel bills," Madonna said. "It's hard for me to believe Wolf wasn't aware of it but I can't be sure he was. That's the only big thing in the news. But it could be something else we don't know about. I'm not saying there is, but I've been through enough of these political relationships that there could be something else we're not aware of and may not be aware of for some time."

Whether the forthcoming report from state Inspector General Bruce Beemer's investigation into the complaints of abusive treatment of staff by Stack and his wife sheds any light on the governor's decision to cut their staff remains unknown. It also is unclear whether that report will be released.

READ MORE: Pa.'s lieutenant governor: the perks, the duties and the people

A statement that accompanied the letter that Wolf hand-delivered to Stack about the staffing reductions being afford to the changes indicates that the governor isn't commenting on the inspector general's work or any forthcoming report.

The inspector general's office issued a statement on Friday indicating that the office doesn't publicly comment about ongoing investigations but it did detail the process about what would need to happen for a report to be made public.

It says: "In any particular investigation if a final report is submitted to the governor, an executive branch agency and/or the Office of General Counsel, the report will be reviewed and a decision will be made whether or not the report should be released to the public in whole or in part. This decision is one to be made by the Office of General Counsel and the governor or other appropriate parties."

The inspector general's statement also indicates that anyone who could have their reputation affected by the public release of a report is given notice and an opportunity to respond.
Pastors and church leaders gather for a final prayer following a prayer walk for the victims of Tuesday's triple-homicide near downtown Fresno, Calif., Thursday, April 20, 2017. Members of the Pastor Clusters of the Fresno/Clovis area traced the route of the alleged killer, holding prayers at the location of each victim. (Craig Kohlruss/The Fresno Bee via AP)
Election explainer: How Michigan's university boards are determined

Michigan's process for determining the members of university governing boards is unique. The state is just one of four that uses a statewide vote.
CNOOC's fuel exports nearly double in Q1

BEIJING

Petroleumworld 04 21 2017 China National Offshore Oil Company exported 548,000 tonnes of refined fuel under the so-called "processing" scheme in the first quarter of this year, nearly doubling the level from a year earlier, according to a company statement on Thursday. * CNOOC exported fuel to the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong. * Stepped up diesel exports to Australia.



Reporting by Chen Aizhu from Reuters.

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Court orders Shell-Exxon NAM gas joint venture criminal probe over Dutch gas quakes



AMSTERDAM

Petroleumworld 04 21 2017

A Dutch court ordered prosecutors to open an investigation on Thursday into whether a Shell-Exxon joint venture bears any criminal responsibility for earthquakes triggered by production at the country's largest gas field.

No physical injuries have been caused by numerous small quakes, which have damaged thousands of buildings and structures across the north-eastern province of Groningen, and prosecutors had previously declined to act, arguing it was a civil matter.

However, the Leeuwaarden-Arnhem Appeals Court directed them to open an investigation, saying they had not looked carefully enough at whether a crime could be proved.

The government was formally censured by the country's Safety Board after a magnitude 3.6 quake hit the town of Huizinge in 2012. This was larger than had been deemed possible by NAM, the Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil joint venture that oversees production at Groningen.

"The court observes that there is evidence that the NAM is culpable of...damaging buildings with threat to human life," the court said in Thursday's ruling.

NAM, which has accepted civil responsibility for damage caused by the quakes and is paying damages of more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), said in a statement it was surprised by the decision over Groningen, which was discovered in 1959 and is one of the world's largest gas fields.

"In earlier rulings, prosecutors and the court have continually found that there was no reason for prosecution," it said, adding that investigations do not automatically lead to charges being brought.

NAM spokesman Hein Dek declined any further comment.

Earlier this week, the Dutch government said it will again cut output at the field to lessen the risk posed by quakes, the fourth such move since the Safety Board's pivotal February 2015 report said authorities had ignored potential risks at Groningen for decades and were putting lives in danger.

Output at Groningen has been steeply reduced from 53.9 billion cubic meters in 2013 to a maximum of 24 billion cubic meters on an annual basis at present; in October that will be further cut to 21.6 bcm. ($1 = 0.9296 euros)






OPEC confidence by hedge funds starts to fray: Kemp

LONDON

Petroleumworld 04 21 2017

OPEC and some of the most important hedge funds active in commodities reached an understanding on oil market rebalancing during informal briefings held in the second half of 2016.

OPEC committed to implement credible production cuts and reduce global crude stocks while hedge funds responded by establishing bullish long positions in both flat prices and calendar spreads.

OPEC effectively underwrote the fund managers' bullish positions by providing the oil market with detail about output levels and public messaging about high levels of compliance.

In return, the funds delivered an early payoff for OPEC through higher oil prices and a shift from contango to backwardation that should have helped drain excess crude stocks.

The understanding was initially successful between December 2016 and February 2017, with reports of strong compliance from OPEC, spot prices rising $10 per barrel and calendar spreads moving from contango to flat or, albeit briefly, backwardation.

But the understanding started to unravel with the calendar spreads collapsing after Feb. 21 and flat prices dropping from March 8 ( tmsnrt.rs/2oNQJPq ).

The sharp reversal in both spreads and flat prices inflicted substantial losses on many bullish hedge funds in February and March.

The correction came amid growing doubts about whether OPEC was really cutting oil supplies to the market by as much as anticipated.

Global stocks of crude and refined products showed little sign of drawing down during the first three months of 2017.

Bullish fund managers have pushed the time horizon for expected stock draw downs back to the second half of the year.

OPEC has come under pressure to reconfirm the faith of hedge fund bulls with an early commitment to extend current output cuts beyond June.

Saudi and other senior OPEC ministers have been edging towards an extension commitment in recent days.

But there are lingering doubts about whether OPEC can deliver real market tightening during the second half of 2017.

Calendar spreads have been falling along the curve with weakness extending from the prompt June-July (M7-N7) spread all the way through to December-January (Z7-F8) ( tmsnrt.rs/2oSOBEf ).

U.S. crude imports from OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Venezuela have remained steady or increased since the start of the year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

And reported global crude and products inventories have remained stubbornly high, according to data compiled by the International Energy Agency.

It is possible that global crude stocks could be falling already as previously invisible stocks are repositioned and become more visible to the market.

There is some evidence that unreported crude stocks held by producer countries, in floating storage, and in tank farms in the Caribbean and South Africa are being drawn towards the major refining centres.

As crude is drawn towards the United States, Rotterdam and Singapore, it is captured in published statistics.

But reported stocks need to start falling soon if hedge fund managers' confidence in rebalancing is to be maintained.

OPEC messaging about high levels of compliance has lost much of its effectiveness and is no longer enough to justify a bullish position in crude.

Reported stock changes now matter more for oil prices and calendar spreads than compliance assessments by OPEC's secondary sources.

OPEC's credibility is on the line: stocks need to show a significant draw during the second and third quarters or many hedge funds are likely to give up on the bullish narrative prevailing since late 2016.

See also:

"Oil market rebalancing: the long and winding road", Reuters, April 19: tmsnrt.rs/2pFYRTe






Pemex have plans to partner in its hydrogen units at Madero, Cadereyta refineries

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Petroleumworld 04 21 2017

Mexico's state-owned oil and gas company Pemex plans to form alliances for hydrogen plants at its Madero and Cadereyta refineries that could be ready by the end of the year, Pemex chief executive Jose Antonio Gonzalez said.

Earlier this month, Gonzalez said Pemex was eyeing hydrogen plant tie-ups for certain refineries, without naming which ones.

In February, Pemex said it will partner with France's Air Liquide SA to operate an existing hydrogen plant and build a second one at its Tula refinery.

"We're going to do the same with two more, definitely Madero and Cadereyta," Gonzalez said in an interview in Washington late on Wednesday, just ahead of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings in Washington.




This piece, titled, The New Plague, depicts life in Philadelphia in the age of COVID. Artist and educator Raphael Tiberino began painting at the age of four and has been in the spotlight as a professional creative for over 25 years.
On April 23, 1793, 224 years ago, a group of 10 families left Conewago, Pennsylvania, in Adams County, for a three-month journey in tented wagons to the lake country of New York. They arrived on July 4, and after scouting the land available around Owasco Lake, settled on both sides of the lake. These were the pioneers of Owasco and Fleming.

This migration sealed the fate of this Dutch settlement just three miles from Gettysburg. So many people left that the little community became extinct. An earlier migration in 1783 went to Daniel Boones settlement in Kentucky. These first pioneers were named Banta, Bergon, Bise, Blonk, Bruner, Brower, Covert, Lagrange, Stryker, Sebern, De Mott, Montfort, Smock, Van Arsdale, Commingore, Cosine, Vaunuys, Carmine, Vanderveer, Voorhees, Aten and Demaree. The 10 Owasco migration families consisting of 82 people and children were three Brinkerhoff brothers, Dates, two Bodine brothers, two Van Tines, Johnson, Parsell and Loyster.

All that was left in Conewago was the old Dutch Reformed Church and the family cemetery next to it on the "Low Dutch Road." Before their departure, the colony had long contended with George La Shalls, a German who owned the tavern near their meeting house on the old Hunterstown and Hanover Road. The church leaders did not see him as a fit member of the community, and recurrent admonition did no good. According to the Rev. J. K. Demarest, a Presbyterian minister, Lashall had threatened to bring the church to dust. The people could not tolerate his cruelty to his slaves and the endless problem of drunkenness in the community. La Shalls bought the empty church building in 1817 and used the red weathered boards to build a fence around his tavern and property. He gloated over his mean-spirited threat to bring them down. He used the stone foundation of the church for his smoke house. This is all recorded in Demarest's serial "History of the Conewago Settlement," published in The Gettysburg Star Sentinel in January of 1884.

It was Arthur Weaner, many years later, who diligently collected the scattered stones and put them in a 3-foot wall around the cemetery. Milo and I were there in 2006 looking for the grave of my ancestor John Bodine. His wife, Lementie Cosine Bodine, is buried in Selover Cemetery next to her oldest son, Abraham Bodine, in the town of Niles. I am descended from Cornelius Bodine, his younger brother, who came to Owasco with him by wagon train in 1793. He was named after his grandfather. We never found John Bodine's grave 11 years ago.

Lynne and I visited Gettysburg earlier this month and paid a visit to the Adams County Library, where a helpful aide gave us copies of the maps and the Low Dutch Cemetery listing. I yearned to go back to that little cemetery surrounded by stone walls with the welcoming white gate. I needed to find another grave, one I did not know about until just last year. While I was walking the cemetery, reviewing the familiar Owasco names on the gravestones  Brokaw, Brinkerhoff, Van Arsdale, Ammerman, etc.  Lynne found the solitary grave I was looking for in the back corner by a broken section of the old stone wall.

The picture shown here is the grave of the Rev. Cornelius Cosine, the first minister of the Dutch Reformed Church of Conewago. He was from New Jersey, and a Revolutionary War soldier. Again, Arthur Weaner saw to it that Rev. Cosine had a gravestone. Arthur Weaner also built the stone walls around the cemetery.

I have to admit, I cried standing at my fourth great-grandfather's grave. I could not help but think of those 10 pioneer families who left their ancestors' graves and productive farms along the Low Dutch Road to come here to the wilderness of Owasco to begin all over again. It was hard physical work, clearing the land, building cabins for shelter and forming a house of worship.

And to think I would be involved in sharing the history of those Dutch and French Huguenot families who built the Dutch Reformed Church of Owasco, unaware of the rich heritage our family shared with that little extinct church and settlement.

My passion for their history must have been firmly planted here in my heart for all of these 40-plus years of doing historical research, and especially sharing that history and writing about them! Sadly, my mother and grandparents never knew what I had found. In conclusion, I would say: It is never too late to find your roots.
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When potential breakout prospect Victor Fernandez and first baseman Albert Baur went to the DL within a day of each other, the West Virginia Power were limping through their first home stand. Fernandez, who is riding the pine thanks to a hamstring injury, led the team with a .375/.444/.375 slash line and had swiped two bases in three games. Baur also contributed to the team, collecting a pair of RBI and a solid .267 batting average in his four games. Without their offense, the Power looked to be in deep trouble.

However, their untimely departures have opened up a second chance for several players from last years Power squad: Ty Moore and Carlos Munoz. Logan Ratledge, this years leadoff man, rounds out the returning players from the 2016 roster.

These three veteran players have found varying success so far with the Power, but their presence has gotten the team back on track.

Logan Ratledge

As the only returning West Virginia Power player on the opening day roster, Ratledge represents the player who will do everything to help the team. In 15 games with the team in 2017, Ratledge has appeared at second base, shortstop, third base, left field, center field, right field, designated hitter, and pitcher. (The pitching stint did not go well.)

This versatility is Ratledges greatest asset, but his bat is holding him in Low-A ball. He has struggled against right-handed pitchers with his 2016 OPS being more than .200 lower against them as opposed to left-handed hurlers. He also pulls the ball almost exclusively, which can hurt him as he rises through the ranks and faces pitchers with better control who can pound the outside corner.

Ratledge has been quickly improving as a leadoff hitter, though. His plate patience seems to have made strides overnight. He worked 10 walks in his first 11 games; he didnt reach 10 walks until his 57th game in 2016. On average he sees just over three pitches per at-bat, and he rarely falls behind in the count, something manager Wyatt Toregas has noticed.

Rat is giving us professional at-bats at the top of the lineup right now, Toregas said. Hes not scared of anybody, and hes been barreling up some balls.

Three of the balls hes barreled up have cleared the fence, and four more have resulted in doubles. Two of those doubles went up the right field line, indicating that the right-handed hitting Ratledge may be on his way to a more balanced approach at the plate.

Carlos Munoz

Carlos Munoz, though not on the opening day roster, could be seen on the bench while technically being in extended spring training. Munoz split time at first base and DH with Daniel Arribas in 2016, but Arribas, the more mobile and consistent of the two, got the call to Bradenton.

Toregas explained that the extended spring training for Munoz was a result of the Powers plan to carry 13 pitchers and 12 position players to start the season. Considering that the team played three consecutive extra inning games, the choice to keep an extra reliever helped West Virginia through the early troubles.

Munozs greatest attribute is his plate discipline; in his first four seasons of professional ball, he walked more often than he struck out. However, in 2015 and 2016, that trend has been reversing. Last year, he struck out 54 times with West Virginia while walking 51 times.

He struggled to start off with West Virginia, going 3-for-21 in his first five games, but he is showing signs of heating up. He blasted his first homer of the year, a grand slam, on April 16th, and followed with a three-run four-bagger just two days later. His slash line has risen to .267/.353/.467. (Take note, Munoz was incredibly streaky in 2016 so next week he could be running cold again.)

The thing to be concerned about is Munozs defense at first. His reaction time is fairly slow, and as a result, liners up the right field line easily slip past him. Regular Power second baseman Trae Arbet isnt the best fielder either, compounding Munozs negative impact on the infield.

Ty Moore

Whereas Munoz has been surprisingly weak, Ty Moore has been electric. He joined the team on April 11 and brought an immediate energy to the clubhouse. Toregas noticed Moores influence from the moment he arrived in Charleston.

Our morale might be a little low. We need some guys to come in and pick it up and show us how to fight, he said. Ty, he was here to play.

Moore has made his impact felt in the ten games he has played so far. He reached base four times on April 11 and fell a triple short of the cycle on the 14th. He has been fairly successful with runners in scoring position, a weak spot for West Virginia. Hes 7-for-12 in that situation with eight RBI. As of April 21, his slash line stands at .435/.480/.630, and hes collected six doubles and one home run.

The biggest difference this year according to Moore isnt his results on the field; its his confidence.

Last year, I felt like I wasnt seen as a guy that could lead the team, said Moore. I know I am a leader, but last year, I didnt believe in myself.

When Moore joined the Power last week, though, Toregas explicitly asked him to put the team on his back. Moore explained, He told me to be a leader and said, I know you can lead this team.

Moore worked this offseason to take advantage of a chance like this. He plays the corner outfield spots, where a quick first step can mean the difference between an out and an extra-base hit so he spent the offseason working on his footwork. He also understood the physical demands of full-season ball, having played with West Virginia in 2016, so he worked to build endurance.

Im not a guy thats going to be throwing around a ton of weight in the weight room, Moore admitted. I did things that were specific to me. I ran a lot.

Now that hes back playing ball regularly, the fruits of his labor are starting to show. The consistent contact that made Moore a 12th round draft pick in 2015 has been joined by surprising power and clutch hitting. If Moore manages to continue his hot streak, hell likely be the leader in the Power clubhouse for the duration of the year, which is what Toregas wants to see.

Hopefully some of these young guys who are kind of timid right now can see what these older guys are doing and try to mimic and copy them a little bit, Toregas said. Right now, [the younger players] are trying to figure out whether they belong. I know they belong, I think deep down they know they belong, the Pirates know they belong or they wouldnt have put them here so its a matter of committing and believing.

If nothing else, the younger players can see the power of that belief in Moore, who decided to believe in himself despite the early trip to extended spring training.

Instead of losing confidence, I took it as a building block and something to light a fire under me, he said.

To keep West Virginias winning ways, he, along with Logan Ratledge and Carlos Munoz, will need to fan the flames in their teammates.
Bangkok Street Food Remains thanks to Tourism Authority of Thailand

Remember we wrote an article about Bangkok to Ban Street Food Stalls by end of 2017? Well, it wont be happening anymore thanks to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The tourism board released a press statement yesterday assuring everyone (tourists and locals) that Bangkok will remain as the top destination for street food.

The following is their official statement from their website http://www.tatnews.org posted yesterday.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to assure all international tourists and travellers that Bangkok remains a top destination for street food. This is in light of recent articles in the Thai and international press, stating that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is to ban food stalls from Bangkoks main streets.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to assure all international tourists and travellers that Bangkok remains a top destination for street food. This is in light of recent articles in the Thai and international press, stating that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is to ban food stalls from Bangkoks main streets.

Popular tourist streets; such as, Chinatowns Yaowarat and Khao San Roads, will not be affected. But these areas will receive special attention to ensure international hygienic standards are met by the vendors.

To this end and pending government approval, the BMA intends to implement the following measures:

To introduce universal hygienic standard practices for food preparation and service, and strictly enforce these measures.

To ensure personnel attend BMA training programmes on food safety and pass tests before they are licenced.

BMA will enforce measures regarding waste management and the cleaning of bowls and utensils used by customers.

What a swift move from TAT and saving the street food vendors and tourism industry. So all the street food stalls in popular tourist areas like Chinatowns Yaowarat and Khao San Roads will not be affected.

Bangkok will still remain the same and one of the top destinations for food, shopping, lifestyle and leisure. You read all our stories about Bangkok here.

Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts
Officer Brentley Vinson shown in a police video at the scene of last year's fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. (Photo: CMPD)

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has determined that an officer followed proper procedures when he fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott last fall and will not be disciplined.

Officer Brentley Vinson was justified in killing Scott during a confrontation outside an apartment complex Sept. 20, says a letter the department sent to Scotts widow.

Following Scotts death, riots and street demonstrations roiled Charlotte, prompted dozens of arrests and pushed Gov. Pat McCrory to declare a state of emergency, the Charlotte Observer reports.
A South Carolina college student was arrested Wednesday night after Spartanburg police say he vandalized the memorial for fallen Officer Jason Harris.

The arresting officer stated that the student Charles Coulson was grossly intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.

Coulson, 21, was charged with littering and public disorderly conduct.

The memorial for Officer Harris, who died earlier this month from injuries he suffered in an on-duty motorcycle accident, remains in front of city hall, WNCN TV reports.

Spartanburg Police Department released a statement regarding the incident saying, It is certainly heartbreaking for our department. The young man made a bad decision as a result of being under the influence. The Spartanburg Police Department cannot say enough about the outpouring of support from our community. We continue to ask for prayers for the Harris family and our police department.
A Seattle police officer remains in the hospital after Thursdays downtown shooting.

Officer Hudson Kang, 30, is in Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. The hospital said his condition was improving Friday afternoon.

A female officer who was saved from serious wounds by her Kevlar vest was identified as Elizabeth Kennedy, 42, a source told the Seattle Times.

The two officers were among four injured Thursday while responding to an armed robbery. The other officers, both males, have not been identified. One of those officers suffered a minor bullet wound to the hand and the other was hit over the head with a bottle, police said.

Two suspects were arrested and a third  a 19-year-old man  was killed, police said.
A federal air marshal on a flight earlier this month from England to New York left her loaded service weapon in the aircrafts bathroom where a passenger found it, four marshals familiar with the incident told the New York Times.

The passenger gave the weapon to a member of the flight crew, who returned it to the air marshal. But the marshal, who is based in the New York region, failed to report the incident to her superiors, as required by agency policy, until several days later. The incident happened on April 6, aboard a Delta flight from Manchester to Kennedy International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration, the parent agency of the air marshal service, said that it was aware of the episode but that it would not comment publicly on internal matters, adding that it was reviewing the circumstances of this incident.
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Republicans in Texas keep trying to find new ways to rig the electoral system, but the courts are on to them. The latest attempt is a version of vote packing called Optimal Hispanic Republican Voting Strength. Texas Republicans redrew some districts to include a majority of Latinos with low voter turnout histories and merged with a minority of high-voting Republican voters to skew electoral outcomes.

Texas western district court saw the scheme for what it is  another unconstitutional attempt to discriminate against Latinos by diluting the strength of their votes. In its ruling, the majority said:

The Court finds that map drawers improperly used race with an intent to dilute Latino voting strength by wasting Latino votes in HD103 and HD104, and creating a more Anglo HD105 to protect the Anglo Republican incumbent in the general election, Garcia and Rodriguez wrote.

Judge Jerry Smith, who was on loan from the 5th Circuit, resurrected current governor and former state Attorney-General Greg Abbotts perennial argument  namely that this was nothing more than an attempt to redraw the map for purely partisan advantage.

Naturally, the current Attorney-General disagreed with the majority and latched on to Judge Smiths dissenting opinion as a basis to appeal.

One would think Republicans would get the message after six rulings against schemes to either disenfranchise minorities with an unconstitutional Voter ID law or minimize the weight of their votes by redrawing the electoral map. All were ruled discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional.

Yet, Texas Republicans intend to continue a battle that has already gone on for years  despite multiple rulings that exposed the racist character of their policies on voting rights. After all, with fellow vote suppressor Jeff Sessions running the DOJ, Paxton wont have to worry about the Feds stepping in to defend voting rights. And with a Justice Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, perhaps Paxton is hoping this time, the Supreme Court will see things his way.

One would think Republicans would grasp, as noted by Progress Texas in a press release obtained by PoliticusUSA the states diversity is a strength and today the courts have ruled that Republican will no longer attempt to turn it into a weakness.

But that would mean Republicans would have to compete in free and fair elections, where all votes have equal weight  regardless of the voters race.
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After the Justice Department had claimed that the New York City Police Department is soft on crime NYPD Commissioner, Jim ONeill accused the Trump administration of willfully disregarding facts.

On Friday, the Justice Department cited some false crime statistics to label New York City as soft on crime, The number of murders in Chicago has skyrocketed, rising more than 50 percent from the 2015 levels. New York City continues to see gang murder after gang murder, the predictable consequence of the citys soft on crime stance. And just several weeks ago in Californias Bay Area, after a raid captured 11 MS-13 members on charges including murder, extortion and drug trafficking, city officials seemed more concerned with reassuring illegal immigrants that the raid was unrelated to immigration than with warning other MS-13 members that they were next.

In a statement, ONeill said that the Trump administration is willfully disregarding the facts:

Statement from NYPD Police Commissioner O'Neill following DOJ comments. pic.twitter.com/PB0ZntzFNX  New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) April 21, 2017

The NYPD isnt going to stand by and allow the Trump administration to lie about them. It is unprecedented that a police department would accuse a presidential administration of lying, but we are clearly in some unique territory when it comes to the Trump administration.

Trump and his DOJ have a clear goal of a mass deportation of immigrants. Sanctuary cities are standing in their way. The White House needs a justification for punishing sanctuary cities, and since the facts arent on their side, they invented some crime statistics.

If Jeff Sessions comes after sanctuary cities, he will be hauled into court before the ink is dry on his orders. The stage is being set for a major legal confrontation. The New York Police Department defended their honor, but there is a major larger battle looming in this country over sanctuary cities.
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A little over a year ago some high-level person in ISIS penned a treatise explaining precisely what Western nations (America) should do to aid in the terror groups recruitment efforts. As sure as the Sun rises in the East, Donald Trump took the terror organizations pleas for help to heart and has religiously followed every instruction to the letter. Now it turns out that Trumps rejection of science, particularly climate science, is yet another means of strengthening recruitment efforts of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram.

It is no massive revelation to anyone with a brain, but a new report commissioned by the German government said radical terror groups are profiting from the effects climate change Trump says is a hoax. The report reiterates what the Pentagon and Department of Defense began saying 10 years ago;

Climate change-fueled natural disasters and resource shortages will strengthen recruiting efforts of terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. As the climate is changing, so too are the conditions within which non-state armed groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS operate. Climate change contributes to creating a fragile environment in which these groups can thrive.

That was the conclusion of the smart people at the German think tank, Adelphi, a conclusion laid out nicely in its executive summary (full report here: pdf).

The Adelphi report revealed that large-scale environmental and climatic change contributes to creating an environment in which non-state armed groups can thrive and opens spaces that facilitate the pursuit of their strategies.

For example, ISIS closed a dam to make it easier to attack their enemies or blew up dams to force residents to flee their homes leaving flooded areas more susceptible to territorial control. What is more troubling is that as climate-fueled food and water resource scarcity increases, terror groups will gain power by controlling what few resources remain.

As the report noted, in agreement with the Pentagon and Defense Department analysis, diminishing natural resources are creating a desperate environment that terror groups depend on for recruiting new members.

For example, Lake Chad in Africa provides economic livelihood for about 80 percent of the regions population, but as the lake shrinks due to climate change, the population becomes more susceptible to recruitment efforts by Boko Haram.

The report noted that:

Livelihood insecurity and lacking economic opportunities seem to provide a fertile ground for NSAGs [non-state armed groups]. While a direct causal link between unemployment and participation in violence is disputed among scholars, there is research showing that precarious situations with little socio-economic prospect, including situations of unsteady or underpaid employment, can drive people to join armed groups (

One conclusion that mirrors the Defense Departments claims is that the effects of climate change exacerbate conflicts over diminishing natural resources and food security. As the report concluded, that environment of fragility promises to deliver immediate results when a government appears slow to react and respond to natural disasters. A terror group simply has to capitalize on perceived state weaknesses or corruption, and then promise to fill the void, real or perceived, by a government.

As mentioned above, this German report is not any kind of breaking news, except to the science deniers administration; the connection between a warming climate and the creation of environments that fuel terrorism is well documented. In fact, in 2012 scholars from the Center for Climate and Security argued that the human-caused climate change is responsible for the drought in Syria and contributed to the unrest that sparked the civil war.

For several years, the Defense Department formally classified climate change as a threat multiplier that the generals at the Pentagon said posed an immediate threat to Americas national security.

The United States military noted that climate change will only exacerbate conflicts by creating resource scarcity. Trump claims he listens to the military and trusts its judgment on keeping America safe from terror groups, but he refuses to accept, and summarily dismisses, the overwhelming scientific consensus on all things related to anthropogenic climate change.

The man Trump appointed to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Mike Pompeo, refused to answer questions or talk about the link between climate change and national security during his Senate confirmation hearing. He said that despite warnings from the DoD and Pentagon, his role as head of the national security agency will be so different and unique from that.

The man in charge of the military, Secretary of Defense James Mattis disagreed with Trump on the threat, or reality, of climate change. In a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee after his confirmation hearing, Mr. Mattis said that climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today. Mattis also told the committee that it is crucial for military operations to take climate change into account in their planning; exactly what a real president, Barack Obama directed. But Trump isnt buying any of it and took immediate action to aid the terrorists in ISIS and Boko Haram.

Instead of listening to his choice to head up the Defense Department, Trump issued an executive order rolling back President Obamas climate policies. Trump also quickly overturned President Obamas executive order directing federal agencies to take climate change into account when crafting national security plans and military operations; exactly what the current Secretary of Defense told the Republican-controlled Senate Armed Services Committee.

One can only imagine that the extremists in charge of ISIS are wildly celebrating all things Trump. Thus far he has acquiesced to all their requests to aid their recruitment efforts worldwide, and none will have longer-lasting effects than rejecting any and all attempts to combat climate change.
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President Trump did respond to a question about avoiding a government shutdown earlier Friday.

I think were in good shape, Trump said, per a White House pool report sent to PoliticusUSA. Trump said, We have a good chance of getting (health care) soon. Id like to say next week, but I believe we will get it and whether its next week or shortly thereafter.

As far as keeping the government open, I think we want to keep the government open, Trump said Friday. So, yeah, I think well get both.

Why does Trump think were in good shape? And that he will get his healthcare bill and keep the government open? Sean Spicer cant tell you why, exactly. Just that they are sure.

In an off-camera press gaggle with Press Secretary Sean Spicer Friday in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Major Garrett asked what was the source of Trump/Spciers confidence that there will not be a government shutdown.

Heres the transcript from the White House press secretary as sent to PoliticusUSA:

Q Whats the source of your confidence that there will not be a shutdown?

MR. SPICER: Strong.

Q No, the source.

MR. SPICER: The source?

Q From what does it  why are you so confident? What is it that youre seeing or hearing in the back-and-forth that gives you confidence? Because yesterday, there seemed to be a chill brought into negotiations introduced by the OMB Director and the request for specific allocations either for the border wall or some limitation on sanctuary cities. And that seemed to create a hostile response from some of the people who are not just in the Democratic Party, but are the key negotiators with House and Senate Republicans.

MR. SPICER: So you heard Director Mulvaney yesterday saying a shutdown is never desired and neither is it a strategy, and I think we echo that. We feel confident. Weve been working with House and Senate leadership, and our goal is to continue to do whats necessary to fund the government.

Major Garrett with the hard truths:

Q Right, but is it your goal in that process to obtain the Presidents spending cut priorities and spending allocation priorities, or avoid a shutdown? Right now you cant do both.

MR. SPICER: Well, I dont necessarily  I think weve made it very clear that we want border wall funding, we want greater latitude to deny federal grants to sanctuary cities. We want hiring of immigration agents, and we want $30 billion to infuse the military budget. Those are our priorities.

That being said, I dont think its synonymous with  well continue to negotiate and work with the leadership. But no one wants a shutdown, we want to keep it going. And I get the question, but I think weve talked about what our priorities are. Were working with members on both sides of the aisle in both chambers to find a way forward. But I think we feel confident that that will happen, that we will avoid a shutdown.

Here Garrett asks if Trump will let his agenda take a back seat in order to save the country:

Q And if push comes to shove and your priorities have to take a backseat, they will?

MR. SPICER: Were working with House and Senate. Our goal now is  weve laid out our priorities and were committed to not having a shutdown. So I dont know how easier to put it.

Every hour or so, the take on any given story of the day will change based on who you ask in the Trump administration.

A recent example went something like this: They did warn North Korea, they didnt warn North Korea how dare you accuse them of doing so, isnt Donald Trump the best ever for being so tough with North Korea!?, OMG the ships are going the wrong way, well we never said we were warning North Korea, thats just more fake news.

Phew.

So now they are confident they will avoid a government shutdown, but they dont seem willing to give up their agenda to get it and while they say they were talking to House and Senate leaders, its also been reported that the Senate budget committee is not working on Trumps healthcare plan.

So thats not good shape. Thats the opposite of good shape.

The ships are heading in the wrong direction!
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Conservatives have long derided the idea of Earth as a her, or as more popularly known, Gaia, or Mother Earth. According to the so-called Religious Right, reverence for the planet that sustains all life, including our own, is a form of paganism.

Pink Swastika author Scott Lively even traces reverence for the planet to the Nazis he is so obsessed with, claiming Equally revealing are the Nazi pagan earth worshiping rituals directly parallel to the Gaia followers of today.

Bryan Fischer mocked the environmental movement as somehow opposed to God, in a secular ten commandments asserting that Gaia is to be worshiped, and any blasphemy against her, by plundering her for such things as the fuel on which the world runs, will be met with the severest punishment and condemnation.

Well, if the world runs on fuel, nobody will need it if we can breathe the air it pollutes. The effects of that pollution on global warming might be beyond Fischers ability to comprehend, but there is no denying its effects on asthma sufferers, including the 10 million Americans with asthma who live in areas with high levels of pollution.

Of course, there are those who see Gaia as a goddess, others to whom it is a more nebulous spiritual concept, and there are Pagans (like me) who accept that the world is full of the divine, that our gods, if not the earth itself, are of this earth and not somehow removed from it.

There is no need to be religious, however, to revere the Earth. Without our fragile environment, all life perishes, including people like Donald Trump and his cabal of rich-white-men out to rape the planet for what they can get in the here and now.

Im with her became a rallying cry for Hillary Clinton supporters, but few would argue that support for the Earth supersedes any other her. Yet we are destroying her at an unprecedented pace, and not only her air and her trees and her soil and water but the oceans whose bounty supports millions.

Yet according to ABC News, 28 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean each year. And the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program (SMCWPPP) tells us that The latest figures estimate there is up to 236K TONS of plastic in the ocean.

It is impossible to wrap your mind around such numbers, but a picture, they say, is worth a thousand words.

It is time for all Americans to look and weep and try to explain to their children why they werent with her when it mattered.

Photo: Twitter
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Donald Trump may think climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, but thousands of people all over the world know better  and theyre taking to the streets on Saturday to participate in the March for Science.

As The Washington Post noted, the event is unfolding all over the globe, with activists on six different continents participating and scientists on the seventh continent  Antarctica  cheering on the global event.

According to The Independent, over 500 cities will see science marches.

In the United States, the largest pro-science demonstration will unfold right in Trumps backyard, in Washington D.C., where tens of thousands of protesters and scientists are expected to show up in support fighting man-made climate change.

The oceans are rising, and so are we, read one of the activists signs, according to The Washington Post.

Heres a shot of the gathering in Washington, D.C. via MSNBC:

Shot of the March for Science gathering in D.C. #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/nsAcYtgvfn  Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) April 22, 2017

Portland, Maine:

Raleigh, North Carolina:

Hamburg, Germany:

Sydney, Australia (left image):

Scientists to protest Trump policies at March for Science rally on Earth Day https://t.co/KQfTYquvPr pic.twitter.com/xL4rAwqRMS  Yahoo News (@YahooNews) April 22, 2017

The bad news for America  and the world  is that Donald Trump continues to run the most anti-science administration is history by proposing massive cuts to the EPA, allowing coal companies to dump their sludge in American waterways, dismantling the Clean Power Plan, and approving pipelines, among other things.

But, clearly, the people of the world are awake to the realities of climate change, and they will not rest until their leaders stand up and do something about it.

Follow PoliticusUSAs Facebook page to see a March for Science live stream.
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Ever wonder what bizarre alchemy is holding together the defense of Donald Trump and his GOP allies against charges of collusion with Russia? GOP strategist Rick Wilson offered an answer in an epic 13-tweet takedown, and its not pretty.

The formula he reveals includes early-onset dementia, lies, and worse: pitted against the findings of the US intelligence community (IC) is a bullshit tornado of Spells of Forgetting and rejected X-Files scripts.

As former Clinton-era White House staffer Claude Taylor observed, this is State of the Art Twitter. Read on, and enjoy the epic takedown:

There are still a few Republicans on the committee who believe Yates can be a foil for the dumb unmasking/leakers strategy. This is dumb, because it was led by Devin Patsy Nunes on direct orders from WH/Bannon. This basal, twitch-reflex But Obummer defense of Trumps Russia ties is understandable but also literally betting the GOPs future on Trump and his team telling House GOP Intel Committee members the truth.

Given Trump is a serial fabulist surrounded by the same does this strike any Republican in the House as a good bet? That the denials dont come with caveats, exceptions, codicils, memory lapses, early-onset dementia, attorney-client privilege, Spells of Forgetting, lies, obfuscations, lacuane [sic], evasions, rejected X-files spec scripts, and his usual tenuous ability to tell the truth about simple facts like the day of the week and his own name. So keeping up the bullshit tornado as per the last hearings is a weak hand.

Its also been VERY clear the House Intel staff has had enough. The GOP members know now that the Trump/Russia intel didnt come DOWN from the Obama WH but UP from organic collection. The hissy-fit, stompy-foot conservative writers trying to turn this into the Evil Kenyan Muslim Sleeper Agents Dirty Tricks are free to continue. Soldier on, clickservative warriors. Soldier on.

And the concluding three tweets:

12/ Two final points. A. Never forget; you WANTED this war with the IC. You trusted Trump and the Russian IC over our own. Your call.  Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) April 21, 2017

13/ B. Trump: pair of twos. IC: Royal flush. So endeth.  Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) April 21, 2017

They sure did. We warned them. Many times. Did they listen? Epic tweetstorm, btw. https://t.co/sKiXzXLaqP  John Schindler (@20committee) April 21, 2017

As a postscript, Texas faithless elector Christopher Suprun, who made news by not casting his vote for Trump, asked Wilson, Do you really think Trumps hand is a pair of twos? Is it even that good?

Wilsons response: If that.

Former NSA analyst John Schindler, who has told the GOP that a war with the intel community can only end in tears, added his thoughts, concluding with the observation that,

Conservatives now rebranding routine FVEY/NATO intel sharing as collusion with foreign spies to save TrumPutin.'

Yes. Theyre that desperate. Investigating Trumps spy scandal is the real spy scandal according to Trumpists.

Trumps Republican defenders are going to feel pretty foolish when it comes time for POTUS to lay his cards on the table and he cant even show a pair of 2s. In the vernacular, it aint gonna be pretty.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
Perfection  every movement of the scalpel, every diagnosis has to be right. Jaime Martinez wants to be perfect. And why should that be surprising?

A brain surgeon strives for nothing less. Martinez learned that in medical school. Your hands could maim or kill with a slip of the forceps; your mistake could snuff out memories, another kind of death.

So if he became a neurosurgeon  no, an elite neurosurgeon, one who could defuse tiny aneurysms and pluck out tumors  he would need the best training possible. Training away from the Dominican Republic, his home.

Which is why he stands here now in Charleston, in front of the Medical University of South Carolina, clutching a coffee from Halo. He has the distracted look of someone coming down from an adrenaline rush. His mind is still alight from the operation he saw earlier that day.

He begins to talk about the past and the paths that led him to this moment, paths taken by so many other foreign doctors: Brain drain from their countries. Brain gain for ours.

A deadly shortage

The world is desperately short of health care workers; more than 4.3 million doctors and nurses are needed simply to meet basic needs, the World Health Organization says. And surgeons are particularly scarce.

The U.S. surgical gap The United States also has a widening surgeon gap.

Largely because of this gap, an estimated 5 billion people across the globe lack access to safe and affordable surgery. The result is catastrophic: 17 million people die every year from conditions that could be treated with surgery.

Putting that in context, 17 million deaths is 5 million more than the combined deaths from malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and diabetes.

Ethiopia has about 150 surgeons for its 92 million people. (South Carolina has more than 1,000 surgeons for its almost 5 million people.) Burundi has 13 surgeons for its 10 million people. In Sierra Leone, 1.5 million people need some form of immediate surgery, a recent study found. But the country had just 10 surgeons, and that was before the Ebola epidemic.

Despite this widespread skills deficit, the Gates Foundation, WHO and other big funders in global health circles have only begun to think hard about this issue. A charity executive once called the worldwide surgical deficit the biggest global health problem no one has ever heard of.

No choice

Residency is where the alchemy takes place, where freshly minted doctors become surgeons, and Martinez, 29, is in the thick of it: one sleepless night after another, week after week, 197 procedures last year, probably even more this year. And because it's neurosurgery, you find yourself telling one patient after another that theres only so much a surgeon can do in their cases. There are limits, even if youre perfect.

He sits for a moment in the courtyard, a welcome break after an unusually short shift. He wears a dark jacket over his blue scrubs. He has a thick dark beard. Round brown glasses frame warm brown eyes that dart back and forth as if hes working on something, which he is: his patients, his next shift later that evening; text messages from his wife, studying now in the library to be a dermatologist; the operation hed done earlier that day.

That one was special. A patient arrived after suffering for years with an uncontrollable cough. Medicine hadnt helped. Tests showed nothing amiss in the lungs or upper respiratory tract. No one could figure out the cause. Except for his mentor here, Sunil Patel. Patel discovered an artery was pressing on a nerve and the brainstem. To fix the problem, Patel opened the patients skull, peeled apart the brain and inserted a tiny piece of Teflon between the artery and nerve. As far as Martinez knew, no other doctor in the world does this type of operation.

"Awesome," Martinez says, thumbing through photos on his phone that he saved from the microscope's camera.

This is one of the reasons why hes here  to learn the worlds most advanced neurosurgical procedures, expand his own idea of what he is capable of, do things he could never do in the Dominican Republic.

Widening the rift

Brain drain has occasionally triggered criticism. As far back as 1967, Walter Mondale, then an American senator from Minnesota, said it was inexcusable that the United States should need doctors from countries where thousands die daily of disease to relieve our shortage of medical manpower. A Congressional report in 1974 said brain drain would widen the rifts between wealthy and low-income countries.

But hospitals in wealthy countries needed health care workers, and foreign physicians and medical students answered their calls. Between 1993 and 2002, 604 out of 871 new doctors in Ghana left for the United States and other countries. Top "sending" countries to the United States include India, Philippines, Mexico, Pakistan and Dominican Republic. A study in 2015 found that 11,787 doctors in the United States came from sub-Saharan African countries such as Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. Thats more doctors than you'd find in 34 African countries combined. Vikram Patel, an Indian psychiatrist, calls this "the Great Brain Robbery."

The result: One in four physicians in the United States received their medical degrees overseas. (In South Carolina, the ratio is lower  one in 10.)

"No American policy body  certainly not the U.S. Congress  has ever advocated that we 'offshore' one-quarter of our medical training or design a system in which our medical schools are only capable of training three-quarters of the physicians we need," Fitzhugh Mullan, a George Washington University health policy expert, told Congress in 2009. "Yet that is what we have done."

The United States would have even more immigrant doctors if it relaxed visa and licensing requirements, as some American health care industry officials advocate. Now, foreign doctors interested in practicing in the United States must do a medical residency at an American hospital  even if they've already done one in their countries. In 2014, the United States issued work visas to more than 15,000 foreign health care workers. Nearly half were physicians and surgeons.

This flow of doctors to the United States brings undeniable benefits, particularly the nation's poor. Once in the United States, foreign doctors are twice as likely to practice in public hospitals and in areas of high poverty, experts say. A study in February found that patients of immigrant doctors are less likely to die than if treated by U.S. medical school graduates.

But brain drain also is a silent educational aid program from the poor to the rich. Many African governments subsidize the educations of their health care workers, so when new doctors and nurses leave the governments' investments exit with them. The United States saved $846 million in training costs because of immigration from just nine African countries, one study in 2011 found. The United Kingdom was an even bigger beneficiary, saving $2.6 billion.

The Trump administration's short-lived travel ban earlier this year offered a rare glimpse into the impact of foreign health care workers. Residents from the banned countries were turned away from airports or detained at airports. Hospital officials feared worsening manpower gaps. The ban affected more than 1,000 non-U.S. citizens who applied for residency slots.

"How does America manage not to have uninsured people dying in streets? Well, the way we do it is with immigrant doctors, said Amy Hagopian, a global health professor at the University of Washington who has done extensive research into brain drain in Africa.

Foreign medical residents are a key part of this system.

"They are how we take care of poor people," Hagopian said. "They show up in emergency rooms and get assigned to (medical) residents."

The quest to help

Martinez is here, but that doesn't mean he doesnt love his country.

He grew up in the city of Santo Domingo. His father is a dermatologist and his mother an accountant. It was his mother who expected perfection: a clean room, no cutting corners on homework. He attended a Jesuit school, which reinforced this strict discipline. It also required him to do social work, and he found himself in pediatric hospitals, wrapping gauze and talking to patients, children who walked on their hands because of deformities, children with cancer.

Some were so cheerful, he recalls. I wanted to help.

He attended medical school in the Dominican Republic, where he quickly distinguished himself. Especially in anatomy class. His stern, Cuban-trained teacher gave tests so difficult he added two two-point bonus questions. Martinez earned a better-than-perfect score of 104. His instructor was so impressed that he made Martinez a teaching assistant  even though Martinez was still a student.

I think youre good at what youre passionate about, and I loved anatomy. I can remember all the structures, but sometimes I forget peoples names. And when I learned neuroanatomy, I knew that was it.

The brain in all its complexity and majesty. He would become a neurosurgeon.

And, when I was done with my training, I wanted to be perfect."

But the Dominican Republics health care system could be enormously frustrating. In some hospitals, especially the public ones, he'd walk into rooms filled with hospital beds, rooms overflowing with patients and families, hospitals with poor infection control procedures and short of supplies.

One time he noticed something wasn't right with a patient. Hydrocephalus? A vasospasm? He wasn't sure. She needed a CT scan. But the family couldn't afford one. So he paid for it himself.

What could I do? Let the patient die?

Another time he saw a patient die from a gastrointestinal bleeding issue. She died as two departments in the hospital fought over what to do.

I tried to figure out the best way to help my country. If I wanted to be good at this, I had to go, no question about it.

And his departure, he hoped, would be one way to honor his country. By leaving, he could become a brain surgeon who operates on delicate blood vessels and nerves, something just a few neurosurgeons in Latin America can do. He graduated first in his class and set his sights on the United States.

Bad forecast

America's physician shortage was caused, in part, by imperfect research.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the medical establishment warned about a coming doctor glut.

Trade groups said medical schools were turning out too many physicians. A steady stream of immigrant doctors also was flooding the ranks. A doctor surplus would be a waste of training dollars, health care officials said at the time. A doctor glut also could reduce wages  too much supply for the demand.

Congress responded in 1997 with a financial tourniquet, cutting Medicare subsidies to hospitals that taught medical residents.

This effectively capped the number of new residents that teaching hospitals trained each year. And this cap has all but remained in place for 20 years, despite a growing population.

But predictions of a surplus turned out to be wrong.

Forecasters failed to take into account major socio-economic shifts. North America's population not only was growing, it was aging, creating more demand for medical care.

At the same time, other forces were reducing supply: Doctors were retiring sooner, some fed up with long hours and increasing paperwork.

Millennials also were less likely to put in the kinds of workaholic hours old-school surgeons had often done; more doctors had working spouses, making longer days less tenable for those who wanted to spend time with their children.

And in 2003, new work rules limited medical residents' workweeks. In the past, it wasn't unusual for residents to pull multi-day shifts and wrack up 100-hour workweeks. The new rules limited residents to 80-hour weeks, a major reduction in relatively cheap labor.

The result: The nation will have a deficit of between 25,000 and 60,000 physicians by 2025, in just eight years, adding even more pressure for hospitals to seek doctors from abroad.

The future

Martinez knows it takes years to train a neurosurgeon: After medical school, a neurosurgeon might spend seven years in residency and one or two years of fellowship training before becoming a fully-certified surgeon.

"You make a lot of sacrifices," he says as the sun goes behind MUSC's library, and the air and his coffee cools.

It takes time to build surgeons, and the same is true in solving the surgical deficit. It's a process that won't generate results for years.

The good news in the United States is that medical schools in the past decade have increased enrollment by 27 percent. The bad news is that Medicare hasn't touched its cap on residency slots.

Meanwhile, international efforts to stop brain drain have generally been anemic. In 2010, the World Health Organization adopted a code to reduce migration of doctors from poor to wealthy countries. But the code is voluntary. Critics have said a key tool is missing: a mechanism in which wealthy countries would compensate source countries.

When Martinez finishes his training, he'll probably stay in the United States.

Here, he can practice medicine to his full potential.

"The nurses here are awesome  very knowledgeable and diligent. They get people into the CT machine (for tests) like magic. Everyone knows what to do: the nurses, the technicians. If a patient needs an intubation, you can call a rapid response team, and they're there within two minutes. Amazing."

His beeper goes off six times in 30 minutes. His eyes dart again toward the building where his wife is studying dermatology. He has more cases to do later in the evening.

When fully trained, he says he will return occasionally to the Dominican Republic.

"I'm sure I can help improve their systems and training."

He's not sure exactly what he'll do. He just knows he wants to help, knows that health systems aren't perfect, at home and in the U.S., but that shouldn't stop him seeking perfection for himself and his patients, wherever they are.
My friend wanted a pickup. He travels during the week for his white-collar job, and on weekends helps out with house projects in the neighborhood.

A married father of three, he'd take out the seats to load up the minivan with tools, materials and sawhorses. Yet he couldn't convince the more pragmatic part of the family that a pickup truck made the most sense, as a married father of three.

He ended up getting a Honda Pilot.

He still wants a truck.

Most guys do. So do most kids.

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The return of the midsize pickup segment, led by the 2015 return of the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado, followed by the Pilot-based Honda Ridgeline, are making a lot of consumers consider swapping that crossover for a pickup.

With modern pickups offering all the creature comforts and technological sophistication of their car-based counterparts, the line of family utility has become blurred. A week with the 2017 Chevy Colorado shows as many arguments could be made for it as against it.

IT'S PRACTICAL

For a family of five, like my friend's, you'd need a second vehicle with a third row. There's no wedging three kids in the rear seats like on family road trips of years gone by. Even with my family of three, I'd want a second vehicle. On a typical errand-driven weekend, we had to move the sport bags and the groceries from the bed to the rear seat to run another errand. That inconvenience is easily resolved with a locking bed cover, but the crossover is more practical for most family weekends. For people without kids, those flip-up rear seats do just fine to securely store everything.

Yet pickups are social creatures, good for tailgating, monkeying around in the bed, and helping people out. There's nothing better for the weekend handyman, lifetime family man than a midsize pickup.

PICKUP HAS MORE, AHEM, PICK UP

Pickups are more fun to drive. Not in the sense of hitting the corner with a hot hatch, but more in the sense of hunting for the next snow bank. There's a can-do attitude in a pickup that makes crossovers seem delicate by comparison. Taking that $45,000 Pilot or Ford Explorer off-road down a well-trodden and rutted path can be done, but not nearly with the same conquering verve. A crossover can take a path. A pickup can take the woods.

How often would you be doing such things? More often than if you were in a crossover.

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Pickups are more fun to push around town, too. Aside from dedicated performance crossovers, a subsegment that has proliferated in the last few years, a pickup has more pick up.

The new V-6 engine paired to the eight-speed in the Colorado is plenty peppy, and the responsiveness fits with the feel of a truck. It makes a bit more horsepower (308 over 305), but also has cylinder deactivation to shut down unnecessary cylinders at cruising speed and reserve fuel. We averaged just under 20 mpg at just under 39 mph, comparable to the fuel economy of many midsize crossovers.

CONVENIENCE, SIMPLIFIED

PIckups have convenient and functional technology without the sophisticated  often times confusing  packaging that comes in most crossovers. Certainly, a shopper can trim up and get all the beeps, dings and shakes, but there's some comfort in low-level models like the WT trim on the Colorado, a vehicle that costs less than the average new car.

A midsize also can fit into most garages and parallel parking spots.

There's a small touch screen, but the climate and radio functions still use buttons and dials. The radio could use a dial tuner instead of a tedious arrow button, but the inconvenience is overcome by setting presets. The only steering wheel control was for cruise control.

The vehicle information display is accessed from the indicator stalk, so aside from the weak touch screen, most everything can be controlled with calloused or gloved hands. The Colorado gives you what you need, plus some convenient standard equipment like Wi-Fi access, Apple Car Play, Android Auto and a rear seat reminder of the precious living cargo in the rear seats. Offered on more than 20 models, GM's rear seat reminder monitors rear door usage within 10 minutes of starting the car or any time the engine is in motion and, once shut off, alerts the driver with a message in the information display and a series of quick dings, not unlike cars that ding when the headlights are left on. It's a proactive step forward in helping harried drivers remember pets and babies in back.

It's another blurring of the line between crossover and midsize pickup, which, from the right side of the argument, can double as a family vehicle.
What happens between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Rochester's 17 schools is really important to a student's education  but it's not the whole story.

A group of more than 30 Rochester organizations is stepping up to make sure students do well in school, and they say success isn't possible without a supportive community. The Cradle to Career summit brought those groups together Friday morning in hopes of coordinating a variety of efforts already underway in the community.

And their focus, because it's tied to so many other educational and life outcomes, is literacy.

"We believe it takes a village to raise a child," said Elaine Case, a Rotary club member who was part of the team that planned the event. "Our schools do some amazing work, but today our students face a multitude of barriers well beyond the boundaries of school."

People were greeted by a "data walk" as they made their way to Rochester Community and Technical College's Hill Theatre on Friday morning. The walk, filled with statistics such as 31 percent of 2015-16 kindergartners were ready for kindergarten, caught the attention of many.

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Case and others want to raise that bar, making sure more students are kindergarten ready, that they're reading at grade level throughout school and that they're graduating on time with post-secondary options.

That's where the community comes in.

Often, there are too many scattered but well-intentioned programs and not enough of a system in place to coordinate them to figure out what's really working.

"We are spraying resources all over the place, and we are praying good things happen," said Jeff Edmondson, founder and director of StriveTogether, a nonprofit network of community partnerships.

The goal of designing a "cradle-to-career" plan would be one "where everyone has a role," over the long term, and would require the community to define the outcome expected. Then, the community will track and review data to see what efforts actually are working.

Then, Edmondson said, communities shouldn't try a bunch of new things, rather they should take an honest look at what's already in place in the community, assess what's working well and expand those efforts.

"It takes courage to admit what's not working," he said. "It can't be about the money; it first has to be about the results.

The Cradle to Career effort got its start in 2006 in Cincinnati, where the community realized it needed to look beyond the schools and into the community to support education. In Rochester, the push for a greater community role in education started in 2015 with the city's three Rotary clubs. The group stumbled upon the Cradle to Career Network, a network of more than 70 cities with the goal of improving student educational outcomes.

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But this isn't another model they're selling and reproducing in each city, Edmondson said. Because communities can vary so much from one another, it's up to Rochester to figure out what already is working here and replicate that.

Other communities, including local ones such as Austin and Red Wing, already have adopted cradle-to-career plans.

In Red Wing, the wake-up call was when nearly 40 percent of students didn't graduate high school. Community leaders pulled together beginning in 2012, and already, the kids of color ready for kindergarten went from 48 to 87 percent.

Another example Edmondson pointed to was in San Antonio, Texas, where an alarming drop in attendance worried administrators. Budget cuts had pushed the bus routes out to a radius at least one mile from the school; they found the majority of kids not making it to school were living right around the school and had lost busing. The school adjusted the routes, and the students quickly were back in school.

He said it's sometimes simple fixes that can have a major impact on students rather than big new initiatives imposed on teachers.

Other school districts, such as Cincinnati, realized they had to start with kindergarten readiness because of the data that shows the strong effect it has on students throughout their time in school. The district passed a $48 million referendum in November and channeled $15 million of that to high quality early education programs in the community, regardless of whether those students eventually would funnel into the public schools.

For Rochester, the next step will be to determine what the goals will be and to create a governance structure. Organizations in attendance included the United Way, Families First of Minnesota and the Rochester Public Library.

But event organizers said it's something that needs to be addressed soon because of a looming workforce gap of as many as 24,000 people.

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"It's going to take the entire community to address these issues before we can make an impact," Case said.
Carol Allis was in her 30s when she received the letters.

Carol Allis had always known that her grandfather, Roy W. Allis of Oronoco, had an extraordinary life. When he died at 92, nearly 50 years ago, he was eulogized as a renaissance man, a scholar-philosopher, and an outdoorsman who could opine on subjects as wide ranging as making maple syrup and canoeing down the Zumbro River.

"Many 15-minute visits lasted two hours while he settled the problems of the world with some particularly appropriate classical quotation," a Rochester Post Bulletin obituary read. "He was, in the very literal meaning of the word, a gentleman."

Allis was also a prodigious letter writer. During periods of his life, Allis would write once a day, if not more. His lifetime's worth of correspondence would end up filling boxes and boxes. The letters, stretching from the 1890s into the 1960s, not only tell one man's soulful musings about life in southeastern Minnesota from the late 19th century onward, but a granular social history of the area as well.

But one batch of letters in particular, delivered separately by Carol Allis' aunt, would tell a family secret.

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The trove of letters would fall into the hands of Roy Allis' granddaughter. Now 71, Carol Allis always considered her grandfather a fascinating figure, and once in the 1970s, she began doing taped interviews with her dad and his siblings about him. That's when she would hear the first hints of an early "romance" in grandpa Roy's life. But it wasn't until she received the letters that the relationship  and its sad, tragic ending  would become more fully revealed.

Family members call them "the Anna letters."

'This set a shadow'

For four years, from around the time they graduated from Rochester High School in 1894, Roy Allis and Anna Barnard wrote to each other nearly every day until her tragic, unexpected death in 1898.

"I know enough from what my relatives told that this set a shadow that followed him for the rest of his life," said Carol Allis, who was raised in Rochester but now lives in Minnetonka.

During that correspondence, Roy and Anna shared nearly everything they were thinking and experiencing at the time: The books they read, the plays they saw, the people they talked to, the things they saw. But what sets the letters apart is the tone. Tender and affectionate, high-minded and literary, they are lovers' letters first and foremost.

"And I remember one morning down in the old laboratory when the professor shut the blinds, and you were standing near me, and I reached out and touched your braided hair," Roy wrote on Nov. 9, 1894, months after their high school graduation. "Things do look bright for us. Anna; you must be careful  you will, won't you, for my sake? I'm going to return that last kiss, and the one before  first on the forehead and then on the lips. Did you feel them?"

But both were also filled with a desire and ambition to make something of their lives. This may have been particularly true for Anna. The women's suffrage movement, seeking the right to vote, was in full swing. Women were seeking to exercise freedoms denied previous generations to make decisions about their bodies, careers and lives.

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"They married less than any other generation of women in American history until recently," said Peter Frederick, Carol Allis' husband and a retired history professor from Berkeley, Calif.

The social climate explains partly why the letters exist at all. Both Roy and Anna were separated as they went about pursuing their educational and career paths. Given the abundance of letters, it suggests the couple had limited opportunities for contact, except for the summer months when they were home from school. Their letter writing commenced soon after they graduated from Rochester High School. Roy lived in Oronoco and Anna in Eyota.

Independent woman

There might have been practical considerations that may have delayed marriage, if marriage was what they contemplated, Carol Allis said. Anna became a teacher at Chatfield schools after graduating from the teachers' college at Winona State Normal School, the forerunner of Winona State University. If she had gotten married, she would have had to give up her career. That's what the social conventions demanded of women at the time.

"She was independent," Carol Allis said. "And the fact that she graduated from high school and went to college was not that normal for women back in those days."

While Anna was getting straight A's, Roy floundered in college life. Roy went to Hamline College and the University of Minnesota. He studied engineering at first, which may have been a mistake for this romantic and lyrically minded man. What he loved and enjoyed doing was going to the theater. His letters teem with references to Sara Bernhardt, one of the leading actresses of the day, and other famous actors and actresses he saw at the State and Orpheum theaters in the Twin Cities.

Not that he wasn't seen as a man of promise. Roy was contemporaries of Will and Charles Mayo, the brothers who founded Mayo Clinic. Both brothers had cabins built around Lake Shady in Oronoco on land sold to them by the Allis family. Roy knew the Mayo brothers and helped build their cabins.

After he left college to work at a grain mill  this may have been around the time Anna had died  Roy was offered a job at Mayo Clinic if he went back to college and got his medical degree.

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"I know from the letters that he struggled in school," Carol Allis said. "It wasn't that he wasn't smart. He was just kind of an out-of-the-box thinker."

'Sweetheart' and 'Dear'

There is only one extant picture that shows Roy and Anna together. It's their 1894 Rochester graduation picture. Roy has a wild mane and full lips and exudes a roughness around the edges. Working in the field or at the mill, Roy reportedly killed rats with his bare hands. Anna, on the other hand, wears spectacles and has a demur and almost schoolmarmish mien.

They called each other "sweetheart" and "dear." There is a suggestion from the letters that the relationship wasn't entirely platonic, but they are no more than hints.

"I know that right after they graduated, they apparently go off alone together on a point somewhere around Lake Shady, because he talks about the point and the birch trees and the hammock and the book they were reading at the time," Carol Allis said.

A subtext to some of the letters is Anna's fragility and health. Life back then, the letters make clear, was fragile. Anna lost her parents early in life and a beloved brother was killed in a hunting accident. She may have suffered from bronchitis.

But sometime around Thanksgiving in 1898, Anna fell ill. She traveled to an uncle's house in Rochester to rest. Aware of the seriousness of her condition, she wrote a letter of resignation to the Chatfield school. A couple of days later, she died. The cause of death, according Dr. William Mayo, who came to the house to treat her, was a heart condition.

The obituary reported that the uncle had heard "pitiful groaning" from Anna's room before she died, but by the time he entered it, "the angel of death preceded him."

More to the story

How did Roy get the news? How did he react? We don't know yet, because Carol hasn't yet read all of the letters, which number more than 2,000. But she does plan to write a book about her grandfather and the Anna letters.

Roy eventually married and left behind an extensive correspondence with his wife as well.

But the oral history that has been passed down to Carol's generation makes clear that Roy never forgot about Anna. Every year on the anniversary of Anna's death, Roy would go out to the point on Lake Shady, where the two shared books, a hammock and each other's company to honor and mourn her.

"That drove my grandmother nuts," Carol recalled. "She just hated that."

What did he think during those lonely vigils, dreaming of Anna? It's not hard to imagine. Roy speaks to us from beyond the grave through his letters.

"After the rain the other afternoon when I was coming home with the men, we were out on the hills to the east of town and the sun shone down through a break in the clouds on the blue hills to the west, all covered with mist," Roy wrote her. "I wish you could have seen it. I don't know but some way everything I see that seems beautiful to me, I connect with you now."
MANKATO  John D. Lukacs recently was reading a war diary for research when he noticed the name Linus Schramski popping up in entries written by a fellow POW.

The documentary filmmaker was on his computer doing research on Schramski when he found the Free Press article about a scrapbook kept by the family of the World War II soldier as a way to better understand his experiences as a prisoner and a survivor of the Bataan Death March in 1942.

Lukacs decided to reach out to Schramski's widow and two daughters, who live in Mankato.

His widow three years ago told the Free Press that when the subject of prison camps came up in conversations, Schramski kept his comments brief. Vivian (Schramski) Borak said that when the second lieutenant returned home, he seldom spoke about what it had been like to be captured by the Japanese.

"If he was asked about something (relating to his war experiences), all he would say was, 'Yes, that happened.'"

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Borak was again interviewed a few days after Lukacs contacted family members and shortly after the 75th anniversary of the start of the Bataan Death March.

"Actually, the ninth of April is always observed by my family," she said.

Borak appreciated Lukacs' efforts, and she's grateful to have some blanks filled in Schramski's story.

"I am happy my daughters have a way to get the facts  the diary, letters, the books, the newspaper articles."

Mary Brose remembers her father as a gentle and humble man. She said he was being protective when he refrained from giving details about being a POW.

"He would always sideline us."

Schramski would tell his girls how he'd place a banana in a coffee can that had a hole cut into it, then wait for a monkey to get its arm stuck when making a grab for the fruit. He left out one detail  the monkey became a meal for hungry prisoners.

A scrapbook project years ago had sparked a renewed interest in her father's story for Terry Kruse, who also began delving into the history of POW camps in the Philippines.

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"I wanted to find out what really happened," she said.

Kruse's history book collection includes several about the war in the Philippines, including two with references to Schramski. Another includes a black-and-white photo of him in a hospital bed.

Wounds he suffered when hit by shrapnel and health problems that resulted from imprisonment contributed to Schramski's death at age 47. Brose was 16 and Kruse was 11 when their father died in November 1963.

Linus Schramski was a graduate of Loyola High School who enlisted in the military in 1938. His parents, Leo and Florence Schramski, were living on Rock Street when they were informed their son was a prisoner of the Japanese.

His mother used a large cloth-covered book to store the 1943 news clipping about her son's capture, the short and heavily censored notes he sent during the 3 1/2 years he was in prison camps, and all the correspondence and military memorabilia about him.

"My grandmother Florence was so anxious to get any word  like any mother would," Brose said.

She began reorganizing her late grandmother's scrapbook several years ago.

"Things had gotten pretty raggedy," she said. The 18-inch by 24-inch scrapbook now has a revamped cover page and title "A Survivor's Story." Brose also took measures to prevent further deterioration of its fragile contents, regluing the photographs on acid-free paper, putting the letters in chronological order and labeling the book's pages.

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Nothing particularly earth-shattering had been written about Schramski in the diary found by Lukacs. His documentary's primary focus is a captured unit commander, Lt. Col. Ed Dyess.

"Still, I thought his kin might be interested in what Linus was doing 75 years ago right about now."

April 9 was the 75th anniversary of the start of the Bataan March in which POWs were forced to walk for days through jungle terrain in the Phillippines. A thousand U.S. soldiers died trying to get there.

"While Schramski's unit is mentioned quite a bit throughout my film, he isn't directly," Lukacs said.

"But there are a considerable amount of Minnesota connections to the Death March and Dyess stories. One of the 11 escapees who participated in the breakout with Dyess was from Ironton."

"I had a ton of material that I couldn't fit into the book and film, so I'm trying to use it now."

Lukacs has been publishing daily updates on his book's Facebook page regarding Dyess, his men and the other "Defenders of Bataan."
When the Trump campaign (allegedly) conspired with Putin to engineer the unlikely defeat of Hillary Clinton, did Putin get anything in return? Apparently not. The story line refuses to cohere. In the world according to the Democrats, however, if the facts dont fit you must not acquit. You must recommit.

Two months ago the sober Hudson Institute Distinguished Fellow and foreign policy historian Walter Russell Mead impolitely noted that Trump isnt sounding like a Russian mole. Trump had remarked effusively to Reuters on the importance of expanding the American nuclear arsenal. Mead commented: What the press has largely ignored about Trumps latest pronouncement is an obvious truth that undermines its own narrative: someone who was safely in Vladimir Putins pocket wouldnt run around saying things like this.

Mead must have wanted to provoke the Democrats idiotic media adjunct. He enlarged to telling effect on this point. Like the little boy who declined to praise the magnificence of the emperors invisible finery, Mead blurted out:

If Trump were the Manchurian candidate that people keep wanting to believe that he is, here are some of the things hed be doing:  Limiting fracking as much as he possibly could

 Blocking oil and gas pipelines

 Opening negotiations for major nuclear arms reductions

 Cutting U.S. military spending

 Trying to tamp down tensions with Russias ally Iran That Trump is planning to do precisely the opposite of these things may or may not be good policy for the United States, but anybody who thinks this is a Russia appeasement policy has been drinking way too much joy juice.

Mead wasnt done yet. He contrasted Trumps announced policies with Obamas actual policies:

Obama actually did all of these things, and none of the liberal media now up in arms about Trump ever called Obama a Russian puppet; instead, they preferred to see a brave, farsighted and courageous statesman. Trump does none of these things and has embarked on a course that will inexorably weaken Russias position in the world, and the media, suddenly flushing eight years of Russia dovishness down the memory hole, now sounds the warning that Trumps Russia policy is treasonously soft. This foolishness is best understood as an unreasoning panic attack. The liberal media hate Trump more than they have hated any American politician in a generation, and they do not understand his supporters or the sources of his appeal. They are frantically picking up every available stick to beat him, in the hopes that something, somehow, will Miloize him.

Only last week we had Secretary Tillersons press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov (text here). Fulfilling Obamas mocking gibe to Mitt Romney, the 1980s seemed to have gotten their foreign policy back.

Yesterday Politico reported the Trump administration has announced that it would not grant a waiver from Russian sanctions to Exxon Mobil or any other energy companies. Ben Lefebvre explains: The Treasury Department announcement follows reports that Exxon had been seeking such a waiver to drill in the Black Sea.

The concise statement by Treasury Secretary Mnuchin is calculated to rub it in: In consultation with President Donald J. Trump, the Treasury Department will not be issuing waivers to U.S. companies, including Exxon, authorizing drilling prohibited by current Russian sanctions.

Has anyone among the Democrats idiotic media adjunct paused to note that the Russians arent getting their (alleged) moneys worth?

NOTE: I was reminded of Meads point summary of Obamas policies by John OSullivans recent article in National Review as well as OSullivans NRO post on Trumps State of the Union speech.
A dentist, Dr Shola Adeoye, has said that persistent bad breath was sign of poor oral hygiene.

Ms. Adeoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan.

Halitosis commonly known as bad breath, affects a lot of people at one point in their lives. It is an embarrassing odor that emerges from the mouth and is easily detected by others.

Although, there are many causes of halitosis, in most cases people suffer from bad breath due to poor oral hygiene. This result in bacterial activity in the mouth that release substances such as volatile sulphur compounds, she said.

The dentist said that quite surprisingly, some people with bad breath might not even know they have a problem until they were told.

Bad breath is a common problem that can cause significant psychological distress.

One way to check if you have halitosis is to lick your wrist, leave it dry and smell it, if the smell is bad you know that you have bad breath, she said.

According to her, other potential causes of bad breath include smoking, dry mouth, systemic illnesses including throat and gastrointestinal disorders.

She advised that a person suffering from halitosis should have their teeth checked and cleaned professionally on a regular basis.

The tongue is a primary source of bad breath; when food particles arent completely removed from the mouth, they collect bacteria on the tongue and around the gums.

Regular professional cleanings can help to reduce bad breath; the dentist removes bacteria deposits on the teeth above and below the gum line.

However, if after a routine examination and cleaning you still experience bad breath, the cause may be a medical disorder, she said.

(NAN)

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Veteran Nollywood actor, Olumide Bakare, has passed on after a failed battle with a heart and lung disease.

His personal assistant, who said he died in the early hours of Saturday on his way to the hospital, announced his death.

Mr. Bakare has been sick for over a year and reports say aside from suffering low blood flow into the heart, there were also indications of a lung-related disease.

He suffered cardiac arrest earlier in the year and was rushed to the emergency unit of University College Hospital where he was placed in intensive care.

Mufu Onifade, former president of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), has confirmed his death in a statement.

He had a successful surgery and after the surgery, he talked to people and told them he was fine. But two hours later, he passed on. It is very painful because I had actually been wishing him a quick recovery, he said.

Olumide Bakare is someone who was a hundred percent committed to the theatre profession. He started on stage and then from there, went on TV, did radio and then film which was where he settled.

Of course he became much more popular for his stint of TV in Oluwa Langbe Lodge. That was what brought him to limelight. You cant fault him as a professional. He is someone who was very discipline. I see him as the last of the second generation of actors in Nigeria.

When the news of his ill health broke in 2014, the actor denied being ill. Incidentally, the actor was also booked for a movie shoot in the U.S., putting to rest insinuations he went for medical checkup.

In several interviews he granted at the time, the veteran actor said he did not require help from the public to foot his medical bills.

In fact, the actor denied then that he had anything serious other than the normal age-related ailments that required constant medical check-up.

However in February, the thespian confirmed his illness and begged not to be allowed to die just yet.

His worsening medical situation also prompted him to call on public-spirited Nigerians to come to his aid, on his sick bed, at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.

The actor was reported to have spent over N1 Million so far, and still required about N30, 000 daily for treatment, including dialysis.

He had four children namely; Olabode, who is a pastor in the United States; Oluwamayowa, a businessman in Lagos; Oluwatofunmi who is a graduate of Ekiti state University and Halimat.

Mr. Bakare, 65, is famous for his role as Chief Koko in the rested TV series, Koko Close.

A crossover actor, he also starred alongside Genevieve Nnaji and Hollywoods Isaiah Washington in Tony Abulus 2013 film, Doctor Bello.

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday said it would sanction banks denying Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, access to foreign exchange (Forex) from the newly instituted SMEs Forex Window.

The apex banks Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, who disclosed this Friday, said appropriate sanctions are spelt out by the CBN Act, and the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA).

The new window, which opened about two weeks ago, is designed to help SMEs import eligible finished and semi-finished items not exceeding $20,000 for an enterprise per quarter.

The CBN spokesperson said staff and even chief executives of banks could be punished where necessary, adding that the apex bank had already received series of complaints from bank customers, especially those that operate in the SMEs segment of the market that banks were frustrating their efforts at getting forex.

He noted that some entrepreneurs still complained that banks were frustrating their efforts at obtaining forex for their eligible imports after the stipulated 48 hours, adding that the regulator has reviewed the complaints and discovered they were not evidence-based.

The CBN, therefore, appealed to bank customers and the SMEs to provide concrete evidence against these banks so it could hold them responsible by way of sanctions, Mr. Okorafor said.

Get a photocopy of your Form Q, Form X, Form A or Form M. Give us the name of the bank, branch and send to us and we will deal with them as example to others, he said.

The only way the we can make things better for Nigerians is for them to call the CBN whenever they are in trouble or whenever, or are getting frustrated by banks.

We have a number you can call or you send an email to our Consumer Protection Department, he said.

The apex bank spokesperson also urged Nigerians frustrated by banks to call and lay complaints, adding that the CBN would ensure that they get redress.

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When police officers on Thursday raided the Abuja residence of the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe), they broke several doors and drawers as they fished for incriminating evidence.

Findings by PREMIUM TIMES showed that Mr. Goje was in his office at the National Assembly working on the 2017 budget proposal when he was called that a police team had stormed his house.

When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited the residence located on Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro, on Friday, he was told that the senator was in a meeting with a group of politicians from his home state, Gombe.

One of his aides, who witnessed the police raid, informed the reporter that the high number of gun wielding officers arrived the House some minutes after 4 p.m. and said they had a warrant to search the house.

He said the officers did not bother to ask if the senator was in the house, show anyone the search warrant or say what evidence they were looking for.

They just scattered everything, the aide recalled.

They began by going through his side (his part of the building), including his private office. They broke down every door that was locked.

Another group went to his wifes area because the family are not in town and they also broke some of the doors and drawers and carried many stuffs from there, he said.

The aide, who declined to be named because he did not have Mr. Gojes permission to speak to the press, recalled that the police team did not leave the house until after almost four hours. He confirmed that several documents including those relating to Mr. Gojes work at the Senate were taken away.

They did not call the senator or ask us of his whereabouts. As we speak, I can confidently tell you no word has come from the police or anyone regarding what happened in this house yesterday, he said.

We are all shocked over this development, coming at a time a committee is in place from the Executive trying to resolve the differences that exist between the two arms of government, another aide standing close by interjected.

Senator Goje is a senior member of the Senate and this action by the police may affect the relationship between the two arms, he said.

The Federal Executive Council recently constituted a committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to discuss with the National Assembly leadership so as to resolve the frosty relationship between both arms of government.

Asked if it was true that a large sum of money was found in the house, the aides, who witnessed the search, confirmed that the police officers took away with them N18 million, $19,000 and 4,000 Saudi Riyal in cash.

The total value of the money recovered is about N24 million based on the Central Banks official rate.

Look Goje has been a member House of Assembly, a successful Lagos-based businessman, a former minister, two-term governor and now a senator, so what are we talking about? an aide said justifying the huge cash found in the house.

Speaking further, he said, Look around you, this house has been filled with people from all over the country all day and this is normal here. The Federal Government did not appoint anyone from APC in Gombe State, so it is people like Senator Goje who continue to keep the party going.

If you dont keep money, how will you continue to maintain all the political structures?

He is also a successful businessman with many companies into logistics, oil and gas and the like, which always require that you either have money with you to keep running the business or money will come from the businesses.

In any case, do we honestly expect someone of his calibre not to have that kind of money? It means he did not manage himself well, after all these blessings from God, he said.

As stated by the aide, PREMIUM TIMES observed that Mr. Gojes house was a beehive of activities as people from all walks of life were visiting mostly to sympathise with him over the raid.

Most of the visitors were top ranking government officials and politicians.

Some of the visitors seen on Friday include the deputy chief whip of the Senate, Alimikhena Francis, and a senator from Bauchi State, Suleiman Nazifi.

Mr. Goje has refused to speak to the press since the raid.

THE RAID

PREMIUM TIMES broke the news of the raid on the lawmakers house on Thursday.

At least 12 vehicles, including about eight police vans were stationed outside the building during the raid. At least 25 mobile police officers were also sighted outside the building while about half a dozen plain clothed detectives were seen standing outside, with even more likely to be inside.

A security source said the operatives were from the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector General of Police, and were on a mission to recover funds believed to be hidden in the building.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed from top police officers on Friday that the directive for the raid was from the police headquarters.

A police source said the team that carried out the raid commenced investigation shortly thereafter, adding that a preliminary report might be ready by Monday.

The investigation is currently being done and I understand a preliminary report might be ready as early as Monday, April 24.

When contacted Friday night, police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, declined to speak in details about the raid, saying further investigation had commenced.

Investigation is currently ongoing, Mr. Moshood, a chief superintendent of police, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone. After the raid, the police still needed to do further investigation.

Upon completion, the findings of the police will be made public, the spokesperson said.

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Air Peace has condemned the attacks on its staff by some passengers in Abuja, Lagos, Calabar and other parts of the country.

The airline in a statement issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Chris Iwarah, on Friday, warned that it would no longer condone members of the public endangering the lives of its workers.

It regretted that security agents had failed to halt the trend of members of the public invading airport facilities to attack airline workers.

On Thursday, the winglet of one of our aircraft, which was being towed within the very limited space at the ramp of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to position for departure, had a partial contact with the stabiliser of another of our aircraft.

 We subsequently declared the two aircraft unserviceable in line with our high safety standards.

We were, therefore, compelled to adjust our schedules to close the gaps created by the two aircraft, which were scheduled to do 14 sectors.

While we were trying to salvage the situation, some unruly passengers took the law into their own hands, preventing passengers from boarding and making it impossible for our aircraft to fly, it said.

According to the statement, in Abuja, a former top government official, whose flight returned to Abuja when it could not land in Enugu due to the closure of the airport at 7pm, refused to disembark and incited others to join him in doing so.

The airline said the aircraft was eventually detained overnight in Abuja.

It said, The action of the former federal lawmaker and other unruly passengers in our different stations worsened the already difficult schedule we were making effort to save.

Some flights we were prepared to operate despite the challenge we were facing, were eventually cancelled.

While we were making effort to resolve the challenge with the decision to commence our operations very early on Friday, a truck operated by Skyway Aviation Handling Company rammed into another of our aircraft at the Benin Airport and the aircraft was again declared unserviceable.

The airline said that the aircraft involved in the Benin incident was scheduled to do seven sectors, including the Abuja-Benin service.

It said: Given the development, we had no choice than to cancel our Abuja-Benin service and asked those who were willing to reschedule for Saturday to do so, while others should be immediately refunded.

Some passengers, who were to fly with us from Abuja to Benin, however, went violent. They attacked our staff in Abuja and almost killed our duty manager.

It took the intervention of Air Force personnel, who were reportedly called in by the airport authorities, to rescue our duty manager from the mob.

But that did not prevent the passengers from destroying our facilities. The menacing passengers also prevented others from boarding their own flights, thereby complicating the situation.

In Lagos, some other passengers attacked and almost killed our station manager. Also in Calabar, unruly passengers had an unchallenged day, preventing our aircraft from flying.

The airline said it was surprising all the attacks could take place at the nations airports, a high security environment, without any challenge from security agents.

The situation has, therefore, left us with no choice than to resort to our right of self-defence to prevent our staff from being killed.

We can no longer tolerate unruly passengers maiming our staff simply because we have chosen to provide service in a very challenging environment.

 Security agencies must, therefore, rise to the occasion before our staff, who are also peoples children and parents, are killed.

This is the least the government can do to prevent unpatriotic citizens from bringing the few surviving airlines in the country down, it said.

(NAN)

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Thursdays raid on the residence of the chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, may affect the passage of the 2017 budget estimates, PREMIUM TIMES has been told.

A special team of officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Thursday carried out a raid on the Asokoro residence of Mr. Goje, a former governor of Gombe State.

An aide to the senator on Friday told PREMIUM TIMES that apart from the cash and other documents, the police also carted away 18 files containing details of the budget estimates.

The aide said Mr. Goje had been working for almost 24 hours everyday including weekends and public holidays because his committee is under pressure to lay its report for deliberation by the whole Senate and subsequent passage of the budget.

In order to get full attention, he and many other members of the committee dont just work in the office but even in their private offices to get the job done as quickly as possible

But since this raid yesterday, he was not able to do anything, and you can say the work regarding the budget as far as the Senate is concerned has stopped, he said.

The 2017 budget has been making gradual process in the National Assembly since President Muhammadu Buhari first proposed it in a speech before the joint-session of the legislature on December 14, 2016.

The proposed budget, estimated at N7.29 trillion, was initially slated to be passed before the end of March, 2017.

But lawmakers said they were sill working out the details after encountering some complexities in the figures of some ministries, department and agencies.

They later gave a May 5 deadline for the passage, but Mr. Goje hinted in late March that this might not be feasible.

The Senate appropriation chairman suggested that an extension might be required if the budget was not passed on the new deadline, adding that MDAs will get legal backing to continue spending after the 2016 budget expires on May 5.

It remained unclear if Mr. Goje would formally request that extension in the wake of his ordeal with the police.

Apart from the files and other documents, the police also allegedly carted away N18 million, $19,000 and 4,000 Saudi Riyal in cash from the residence of the former Gombe state governor.

The senators aide also told PREMIUM TIMES that the police were yet to communicate to Mr. Goje what the raid was about as at Friday evening.

When contacted Friday night, police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, declined to speak in detail about the raid, saying further investigation had commenced.

Investigation is currently ongoing, Mr. Moshood, a chief superintendent of police, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone.

After the raid, the police still needed to do further investigation.

Upon completion, the findings of the police will be made public, the spokesperson said.

Mr. Moshoods position corroborated what a police source had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES.

The source, who pleaded strict anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the police, said the team that carried out the raid commenced investigation shortly thereafter, adding that a preliminary report might be ready by Monday.

The investigation is currently being done and I understand a preliminary report may be ready as early as Monday, April 24.

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday released details of how the committee raised by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, will operate in carrying out its mandate.

Mr. Osinbajo said through a statement by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, that the committee would invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases.

He also said the panel would obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases.

All proceedings will however be in closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings, the vice president said.

Mr. Osinbajo said the panel will conduct its work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour and submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline given to it.

Read Mr. Osinbajos full statement below.

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE WORK OF THE PRESIDENTIAL INVESTIGATIVE PANEL

The Presidential Committee ordered earlier this week by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe certain allegations against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke has commenced its work in earnest.

President Buhari on Wednesday established the three-man panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with Attorney-General & Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Rtd Major General Babagana Munguno as members, to investigate allegations of legal and due process violations made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

In the discharge of its work, the panel is expected to invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases. It will also obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases. All its proceedings will however be in closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings.

The panel which is expected to submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline, will conduct its work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour.

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President

Office of the Vice President

April 22, 2017

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A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and National Assembly leadership to rescue the party from collapse.

Other party leaders Frank appealed to in a statement on Friday in Abuja, included former Governor Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He pleaded with the leaders and other stakeholders to urgently salvage the party.

Frank was reacting to the postponement of the party`s National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings by its National Working Council (NWC).

The partys NWC through a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday announced the postponement of the meetings citing unexpected developments as reason.

It said that new dates for the meetings would be announced in due course.

Mr. Frank, however, blamed the postponement of the meetings on the lack of trust by party leaders in John Odigie-Oyegun, the partys National Chairman and his leadership style.

He said the party under its current leadership, was not bringing anything to the table to support President Buharis administration contrary to expectations.

He said that what the party needed at the moment is a national leadership that could consult widely before taking decision.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the family of Onuora Nzekwu, the pioneer General Manager of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and author of Eze goes to School.

The Presidents condolence message is posted on his twitter handle, @MBuhari, in Abuja on Saturday.

President Buhari said the deceaseds literary works had contributed immensely in uplifting the quality of education across the country.

He particularly noted that the publication `Eze goes to School had been an important part of the lives of countless school children across Nigeria and beyond.

The President wrote: I commiserate with the family of Chief Onuora Nzekwu, pioneer GM of NAN and author of Eze Goes To School and many other books.

Since its publication, Eze goes to School has been an important part of the lives of countless school children across Nigeria and beyond.

May the soul of Chief Nzekwu rest in perfect peace and may almighty God grant his family the fortitude to bear his demise.

Mr. Nzekwu, who served as General Manager of NAN from 1979 to 1985 died by 4.30p.m on Friday in his home in Onitsha, Anambra, where he had been living since he retired.

Besides, Eze goes to School, the late literary icon also wrote Troubled Dust, a novel that recounted the experiences of the civil war.

(NAN)

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The Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) has cautioned the Nigeria Police Force as the organisation prepares to hire more than 30,000 personnel this year.

The Executive Director of the group, Ishaq Akintola, a professor, lauded the Force for the decision to mass recruit, but warned that candidates with questionable antecedents must be blocked from the process.

Former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero once admitted that there are armed robbers in the police, Mr. Akintola said. Therefore police authorities must not allow the euphoria of mass recruitment to becloud their alertness. Imbeciles, area boys, hoodlums, sworn alcoholics, armed robbers, etc, must be weeded out via rigorous screenings.

Read full statement below.

The Federal Government (FG) is set to recruit 30,000 more policemen before the end of this year 2017. This was disclosed by the Deputy Inspector General DIG in charge of north-west zone, Maigari Dikko in Birnin Kebbi yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Abubakar Bagudu.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) lauds FGs decision. It is bold, visionary and pragmatic. It is calculated to ensure security for all. This is one step towards moving the panacea to Nigerias security challenges along global best practices.

By this action, the Buhari administration has proved that it is not battling corruption alone, it is equally tackling the problem of general insecurity in the country.

This decision will boost efforts aimed at curtailing crimes in Nigeria. It is also commendable particularly against the backdrop of 10,000 cops recruited earlier in January this year. If it is allowed to become a fait accompli, it will bring the total number of policemen recruited this year alone to 40,000. It is another feather in the Federal Governments cap.

We are excited by this development. It is one of the best things that have happened in Nigeria since the Annual Police Report of 2008 which put the total figure of Nigerian policemen at 310,177. There has been no mass recruitment since then in spite of the astronomical rise in the countrys civilian population. The December 2016 population estimate released by the National Population Commission in conjunction with the National Bureau of Statistics is 193 million.

Considering the United Nations recommendation of at least one policeman for every 448 civilians, it becomes clear that we do not have enough policemen for our teeming population. This explains why many criminals get away with their nefarious activities at will and many crimes remain unsolved. The acute shortage has also informed the wanton killings across the country.

We recall the frustrations of former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi (rtd) when he lamented in December 2011 that it was impossible for the security agencies to police the entire country. It was a euphemism for acute shortage of manpower among the security agencies and we were shocked that nothing was done to address the shortage until the Buhari administration came on board. FGs decision to embark on another mass recruitment this year, therefore, is not only timely but also belongs to the class of Solomonic wisdom.

Although cities are said to be conquered by numbers, the efficacy of modern technology must not be ignored. Criminals are also getting more sophisticated. This is why FG must pay urgent attention to the need for technological gadgets. In other climes, every policeman is equipped with a walkie-talkie and a pistol. Communication equipment makes it possible for the police to work as a team.

MURIC charges FG to go the whole hug by adopting a policy of one-cop-one-walkie and one-cop-one-gun. Not only that, our police deserves better pay, improved health delivery system, good accommodation and credible life insurance policy. We are ashamed to see policemen in uniform pushing their faulty ram-shackle police vehicles. We are embarrassed each time our policemen pack themselves like sardine inside their vehicles. In Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia, it is one car to two policemen. Why should our own policemen be different?

Nonetheless, FG must not concentrate on the police alone for improvements. Other arms of the security agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS) whose numerical strength stands at 33,000 officers and men as at 2008 need governments intervention.

Permit us to throw in a word of caution before we round up. Former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero once admitted that there are armed robbers in the police. Therefore Police authorities must not allow the euphoria of mass recruitment to becloud their alertness. Imbeciles, area boys, hoodlums, sworn alcoholics, armed robbers, etc, must be weeded out via rigorous screenings.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

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It was a dramatic scene at a South African airport on Thursday when the countrys police swooped on a Nigerian pastor, Timothy Omotoso, accused of sexually molesting girls in his congregation.

Mr. Omotoso, who is based in Durban, South Africa, was arraigned in court on Friday and was denied bail. He is likely to spend 12 nights behind bars, according to South African media.

The 58-year old pastor was arrested inside the toilet at the Port Elizabeth Airport shortly after he disembarked from his flight, says a report published by a South African newspaper, The Herald.

Mr. Omotoso had arrived Port Elizabeth airport around 3 pm from Durban where his church, Jesus Dominion International, is headquartered.

Within minutes of the first passengers disembarking, police rushed on to the tarmac. But Omotoso was seen walking into the toilets minutes earlier, accompanied by a woman, the paper reported.

The paper said that about eight heavily-armed policemen were in the airport searching for the pastor.

It said that the policemen went into the toilet, dragged out the unidentified woman before arresting Mr. Omotoso.

A short video posted on The Herald website shows a handcuffed Mr. Omotoso being dragged away by the policemen, amidst cheers from onlookers.

Mr. Omotosos lawyer, Terry Price, who was present at the airport, had reportedly protested, You cant arrest him here without a warrant!

Mr. Price accused the South African police of maltreating Mr. Omotoso.

They (the police) are worse than Mugabes thugs in Zimbabwe, the lawyer was quoted as saying.

Since when do you arrest an unarmed pastor with eight armed men? He is not a danger.

Robert Netshiunda, a spokesperson of the Tactical Response Team, TRT, the special police unit that arrested Mr. Omotoso later said of the pastors arrest: We cant say he wanted to run. We can say he sought refuge in the toilets.

The police alleged that Mr. Omotoso over the years trafficked about 30 young women from various branches of his church to a house in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal where he allegedly exploited them sexually.

Meanwhile, the South Africas branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on the countrys authorities to follow due process in the handling of the case.

CAN, according to a report aired by Channels Television, expressed fears that Mr. Omotosos arrest might trigger more anti-Nigerian sentiment in South Africa.

Mr. Omotoso, who is the founder of a 24-hour satellite TV station, Ancient of Days Broadcasting Network (ADBN), which is aired across the Caribbean, Africa, Mexico, Middle East, Europe and the United States, is married and has three children.

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The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, said the lessons he learnt from the Bangladesh National Defence while on course had been very useful in the counter insurgency operations in the North-East.

Mr. Buratai, a lieutenant general, made this known in Lagos, on Saturday when he received the Bangladesh Army Chief of Staff, Abu Shafiul Huq.

According to him, the lessons are partly responsible for the success being recorded in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists.

The Bangladesh experience in counter insurgency is something that I brought to bear in the efforts to rid Nigeria of Boko Haram since my appointment as the Chief of army staff, he said.

According to him, he attended the Bangladesh National Defence course in 2008.

He urged military around the world to take the issue of insurgency and terrorism seriously because they were difficult battle to overcome.

Counter insurgency should be of utmost importance to armies across the world. Armies in particular bear the brunt as they confront terrorists in very difficult terrain and indeed, sometimes within the population.

It is a very, very difficult experience and it will continue to be difficult but it  insurgency can be countered through the use of intelligence.

Counter insurgency is at best an intelligence operation, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Huq, a general, commended the Nigerian army for the success recorded in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

He said both his country and Nigeria had a lot of experience and knowledge to share in counter insurgency operations.

Mr. Huq said his visit was to explore ways both countries could further strengthen their relationship.

The Bangladesh army chief is to visit the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, a general, in Abuja and some military formation while on a five-day visit to Nigeria.

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Five people have been arrested by Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for various alleged registration infractions in the ongoing 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to be conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB).

The suspected fraudsters were arrested in Oyo, Ogun and Borno States by officers and men of the NSCDC and brought to Abuja where they are being interrogated. In the presence of the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Abdullahi Gana Mohamadu, the suspects reportedly confessed to numerous registration irregularities.

Some of the suspects are Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres owners licensed by JAMB to conduct registration exercise for candidates planning to take the forthcoming examination, a statement by JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said.

Mr. Benjamin added, More worrisome is the massive investment by E- Kindle CBT centres to penetrate the airtel system we are using to perpetrate all forms of wholesome practices. They register candidates without proper biometric which means such candidates will have problems with their details during examination if not corrected immediately.

From investigation at the headquarters of the NSCDC, it was clear that they had powerful men backing them to thwart the efforts of JAMB. If not, how will you justify them spending over N20 million to construct a radio platform just to hack into the Boards registration exercise if not to destroy the entire system and put JAMB in bad light?

Some of the location from which these criminal elements were operating include Oyo state, Ogun state and Kwara.

JAMB had given access code only to accredited CBT centres to partake in the registration exercise but these operators in turn used the privilege information at their disposal in connivance with Honey comb centre and Bright international for pecuniary motive and create confusion for the examination body as procedures,guidelines and standards were compromised.

In Maiduguri, the Board discovered that their router meant for Abia was being used in Maiduguri to register candidates

Unknown to them, the access codes are personalised coupled with features to detect abuses aimed at circumventing the registration process. They fradulently tried to manipulate the system to give a semblance of the Board platform to deceive candidates as if a valid registration have been carried out.

These registration thieves deployed fake biometric capturing mechanisms and super-imposed registration slip just to satisfy the curiosity of innocent candidates that their registration was successful and on the day of examination such candidates data would either be edited,or not found on the JAMB data base, such candidates would not be verified during the examination proper.

This investigation has clearly shown that the Board under Prof. Is-haq Oloyede may be in for a bigger fight given his stand on anti-corruption.

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Hundreds of women on Saturday protested in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government of Kogi, over the reported attempt to kill Sen. Dino Melaye, on April 15.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 gunmen stormed the senators house at Aiyetoro-Gbede, in the early hours of the said date, and opened fire from various directions.

NAN reports that the entire house was riddled with bullets, while two vehicles parked in the estate were damaged by the hoodlums.

Melaye, who was at home for the Easter holidays, however escaped unhurt.

The women, who were armed with placards and leaves, marched through the street leading to the senators home, before assembling at a nearby spot where their leaders delivered speeches.

The protesters, from the seven local government areas that make up Mr. Melayes Kogi West Senatorial District, carried placards some of which read Touch Dino and face our wrath, Dont kill Dino Melaye and Dont kill the light, let it shine.

Ikusemoro Jalo, one of the speakers, said the solidarity protest was to affirm their support for the senator and condemn the recent attempt on his life.

We are mothers; we dont want him to be murdered. He is representing us the way we want. We are proud of him because he has made us proud, Jalo said.

She advised the senator not to be cowed by the recent attempt on his life, urging him to continue to fight for the rights of women, workers, pensioners, the oppressed and the repressed.

Another speaker, Titi Kayode, said assassination had never been part of politics in Okunland, and described those behind the said attempt on the senators life as enemies of peace and progress.

She called for a quick release of the report of the ongoing investigation into the incident, so that its perpetrators could be brought to justice.

Responding, Mr. Melaye expressed gratitude to the women for their support and prayers, saying he narrowly escaped death on the day of the incident.

He cautioned politicians against politics of hatred and bitterness that was gradually gaining ground in Kogi especially in the past two years.

While noting that political rivalry was normal, he said it should not be allowed to degenerate to assassination and violent attacks.

The senator promised to sustain his fight against injustice and delays in the payment of salaries, and declared that attacks and intimidation would not deter him.

 God will not forgive me if I keep quiet while my people suffer, the senator said.

(NAN)

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A journalist arrested by the Kaduna State command of the Nigeria Police for an alleged offence not related to his reportorial duties has been granted bail by a magistrate court.

Midat Joseph, the Kaduna State correspondent of Leadership Newspapers, who is also the Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna Council, was released on Friday evening, colleagues said.

Mr. Joseph and one Eusebius Yayock were arrested over alleged incriminating contributions on a WhatsApp group chat.

Although Mr. Joseph could not be reached on telephone, Sunday Isuwa, his colleague at Leadership newspapers confirmed his release.

Mr. Joseph was actually arrested over a comment on a Southern Kaduna Victims Support WhatsApp Group, Mr. Isuwa said.

Somebody posted on the group calling for protest for the world to know about the killings in Southern Kaduna. He concurred that such protest should be organized.

He said at the Magistrates court, Mr. Joseph was charged for incitement.

Mr. Joseph and the other accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Yusuf of Chief Magistrate Court 1 on Ibrahim Taiwo Road granted Mr. Joseph and the other accused person bail in the sum of N50,000 each and a surety in like sum.

He adjourned the case to May 31, 2017 for continuation of hearing on the matter.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr. Joseph was arrested early Wednesday from his home in Kaduna and was first detained at the Metro Police Station before he was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department on Thursday.

There were claims that the journalist and some others were allegedly discussing issues relating to the funding of arms import for the defence of the people of Southern Kaduna when their communication was intercepted.

But Mr. Isuwa, a colleague of Mr. Joseph, said the claims were false.

The police reportedly considered their action inciting.

Efforts on Wednesday by members of the state council of the NUJ to secure Mr. Josephs bail were unsuccessful.

The journalists arrest occurred about two months after another journalist was arrested for work-related matters.

Luka Binniyat, a Vanguard newspaper Kaduna correspondent, was arraigned before a magistrate court in Kaduna on allegation of falsifying a news report about the Southern Kaduna crisis.

He was accused of falsely claiming that five students of a college of education were killed by Fulani herdsmen.

The report was published on January 24.

Mr. Binniyat was invited for questioning by the State Security Service, SSS, Kaduna Command, But after his interrogation, he was handed over to the police who later charged him to court.

The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Yusuf, granted him bail on a N200,000 bond, and a surety in like sum.

He said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and possess landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, covered with a Certificate of Occupancy.

Mr. Binniyats employers appear to have asked him to proceed on compulsory leave, with a new reporter deployed to relief him.

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Tributes have continued to pour in for the late Dipo Famakinwa, Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN).

Mr. Famakinwa died on Friday morning.

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, described the death of the late DAWN official as a loss too much to bear.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the governor, Yomi Layinka, Mr. Ajimobi said he received the news of the untimely passage of the DAWN Commissions boss with rude shock.

The Oyo helmsman described the deceased as a fine gentleman committed to the integration of the Southwest and adoption of a regional common agenda, adding that his death had left a gaping hole that would be difficult to fill.

The enigma called Death has again cut short the life of one of our shining stars. Im still in shock, because when we attended the last meeting together, I never had an inkling that I was seeing him for the last time, the governor said.

This is an energetic young man that was always prepared to sacrifice his time, expertise and resources to ensure the integration of the Southwest. He was a rallying point for all the stakeholders in the Southwest development agenda.

We share a common vision for the region and that explains why it was easy for me to work closely with him on the DAWN blueprint.

The governor noted that Mr. Famakinwa left when his wealth of experience was still much treasured, adding that the late DAWN DG lived an eventful life.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family, the DAWN Commission family, his friends and loved ones. This is a loss too much to bear. Its tragic, Mr. Ajimobi added.

My prayer is that his very gentle soul should continue to rest in peace. He will be sorely missed.

On his part, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, described Mr. Famakinwas death as shocking, sudden and sad.

A statement signed by Adejuwon Soyinka, Mr. Amosuns Senior Special Assistant (Media), said the governor, while reacting to news of the death Friday, said, it is a great loss to the Southwest geo-political zone and indeed the entire nation.

He added that, the death of Famakinwa is a blow to the regional integration efforts of the States of Western Nigeria where he had effectively created a template for regional competitiveness and optimization.

The Ogun State governor commiserated with the wife and children left behind by the late DG of DAWN Commission and prayed that the Almighty God grants them the fortitude to bear the loss, the statement added.

Similarly, politicians, academics and other prominent Nigerians from the South West region have lamented the death of Mr. Famakinwa.

Reacting on a virtual platform known as Penpushing platform, they expressed grief over the demise of the DAWN chief.

Members of the platform including Olusegun Osoba, former Ogun State governor; Kayode Olofinmoyin, a former military administrator; Gbenga Daniel, immediate past governor of Ogun state; Oye Ibidapo-Obe, a former vice-chancellor of UNILAG; Folake Marcus-Bello; Femi Shodunke and Idowu Sobowale expressed their sadness over Mr. Famakinwas death, adding that the demise of the DAWN boss was a major setback for the organisation.

In his own reaction, Mr. Ibidapo-Obe, wrote, So sad!!! I just (sent) a message to DAWN commending (it) for such a wonderful work they are rendering.

Similarly, another participant on the platform, Yusuph Olaniyonu, a journalist and media adviser to President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in his own remark said,Very sad that we lost Dipo Famakinwa. A major setback for the Development Agenda.

Also reacting, Dideolu Falobi, another member of the group wrote, SadVery sad. A passionate Yorubaman, a genuine Omoluabi,a personal friend is gone.

A former governorship candidate under the banner of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Ogun State, Rotimi Paseda, in his own condolence message wrote, May his soul rest with the Lord.

Mr. Famakinwa, until his death Friday, headed DAWN, an organisation responsible for designing and implementing the blueprint for better integration and governance of the six south-western states.

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Udaipur Federation of Rajasthan Trade and Industry (Forti) organized a conference rather workshop for the promotion of Women at Entrepreneurs in Oriental Palace Subhash Nagar.Pravin Suthar, President of FORTI Division, said in the welcome note that this is the first step for the development of women entrepreneurship of the FORTIUdaipur divisionAs the chief guest, Joint Commissioner of Udaipur Smart City Limited Kirti Rathore expressed his views on the role of women in the development of the country and the importance of their participation in entrepreneurship.A special guest, Dr. Shraddha Ghatani, said that while development of women entrepreneurship is need of hour., Manju Mali, Co-Manager, District Industry Center, informed about the process and benefits of various schemes implemented by the government for women entrepreneurshipMarketing Expert Ashutosh Vyas taught the the fundamental rules of marketingconcept like Life Time Client Value and Barding Advertising. During the workshop, explain the marketing and human behavior through games and activities.Dr. Sheetal Kaushik, the obstetrician of Fortis Hospital, conveyed the related aspect of femininity. He told how women entrepreneurs can take care of their health in the business.Reena Rathore of Mewar Hitech shared the experience and said that the ability to manage managerial properties and work in the ladies is multiplied better.NICC Director Sweety Chhabra, told how the body is brought to balance in the soul and mind, and starting the day with Gayatri Mantra brings positiveness. FORTI Secretary Sharad Acharya and Social Director Vishal Dadhich welcomed and performed the guests
ATLANTIC CITY  Gov. Chris Christie is no doubt the face of the state takeover of the city, swooping in for victory laps and swiping at local opponents.

But the true architect of Christies Atlantic City may be Jon Hanson, the seldom seen adviser quietly working behind the scenes.

Very few times do you see my name appear, said Hanson, 80. Thats by design. Im shy.

But Hanson did speak to The Press of Atlantic City on Thursday when, like Christie, he was in town for the Gateway Projects groundbreaking ceremony.

Christie tapped Hanson, chairman of The Hampshire Companies real-estate investment firm, to help fix Atlantic City in 2010. Since then, many of his recommendations have come to fruition, from the state-run Tourism District to the casino PILOT law.

He also suggested the creation of Atlantic City Development Corp., a nonprofit developer using public funds to build the $220 million Gateway Project, which includes a Stockton University campus and South Jersey Gas headquarters.

Hanson, who now chairs AC Devco, said a striking early observation of the city was the casino industrys total dominance of the economy.

How do we develop non-gaming industry? How do you develop more people coming here into the city, what we refer to as foot traffic? Those are two things we looked at, he said. I think this (Gateway) project is how you do both of those.

But not all of Hansons ideas have been a hit.

His commissions first report recommended a Tourism District, which gave the state complete control over government functions in certain areas of the city.

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority oversees the area, pays for Class II police officers on the Boardwalk and funds non-gaming attractions from beach concerts to casino amenities. But five casinos have closed since 2011, when the Tourism District was created.

Candidly, I dont know the answer to your question, he said when asked to assess the Tourism District.

He advised Christie to appoint an emergency manager with extraordinary supervisory powers to cut costs in the citys bloated budget. But former Emergency Manager Kevin Lavin proved to be powerless, producing just two reports similar to those from Hansons commission.

Christie would eventually get his takeover a year later through legislation that gave the state power to sell assets, fire workers and break union contracts. The first budget since the takeover had a 5 percent property tax decrease.

Even that, the bottom line is we recommended an emergency manager and today you have a monitor, Hanson said, referring to state overseer Jeffrey Chiesa. So in essence, it took two steps to get to what we originally recommended.

Hours after the groundbreaking, unions and activists hosted a news conference to criticize the takeover, which some say benefits the politically connected.

Chiesa, a close Christie ally, can bill the state $400 per hour for his services. AC Devco gave developer Joseph Jingoli a no-bid contract for the Gateway Project. And Hansons report suggested a lease of the citys water authority to a private company. Both New Jersey American Water and SUEZ Water have politically connected lobbyists.

But Hanson dismissed the politically connected criticism: Im close to Chris Christie and I make $0 an hour and Im very proud of what weve been able to accomplish. He added AC Devco board members are not compensated.

Hanson said he periodically speaks to Chiesa, who now serves as Christies point man in the city.

But were still involved, Hanson added. Theres some economic activity right now that were quietly exploring that would be beneficial to Atlantic City.

He noted the interview was taking place on the other side of Albany Avenue and the Boardwalk, land owned by AC Devco that is not part of the Gateway project.

We anticipate something good happening here that hopefully is the outgrowth of the completion of those projects, he said.
The NAACP's Atlantic City branch will salute eight South Jersey residents Saturday for their contributions to the community.

Honorees will be celebrated during the NAACP Freedom Fund Breakfast at 9 a.m. in the main ballroom on the first floor of the Golden Nugget Atlantic City.

The guest speaker is Rev. Willie D. Francois, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Pleasantville. The keynote speaker is former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Phil D. Murphy, who is a Democrat running for governor.

Those honored come from all walks of life, from a funeral home founder to a high school administrator.

"They are exceptionally distinguished in their service, accomplishments and credibility. We are overjoyed that they accepted to be honored," said Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, president of the Atlantic City branch of the NAACP.

 State Sen. Ronald L. Rice represents Newark, Essex County, but the Democrat will honored for being involved with South Jersey and for being the senior black lawmaker in the state Legislature, Shabazz said.

 Patricia W. Collins, special assistant to the chief of staff and board liaison at Stockton University in Galloway Townnship, will be celebrated for community service. Collins has served four terms  eight years  as president of the Council of Black Faculty and Staff for Stockton University. One initiative of the organization is to provide scholarship money for Stockton students. "I stand on the shoulders of some great people, including my mother," said Collins, who is a first-generation college graduate. "My grandmother said, 'Remember who you are and remember where you came from.'"

Two people will be celebrated for their education contributions.

 As recently as nine years ago, Anan Davis was a classroom aide at the elementary Uptown School Complex in Atlantic City. She is now an assistant principal at Atlantic City High School and studying for her doctorate in psychology with an emphasis in cognition and instruction. "I was definitely very surprised. I'm humbled by being honored and by being thought of," Davis said.

 Stockton University Professor Shawn R. Donaldson is being honored for completing the Atlantic City African-American Experience Oral History Project last year. It can be accessed at the Atlantic City Free Public Library. "They wanted to counteract HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire.' To tell the stories, we did 100 interviews," said Donaldson, who said it took three years to record, transcribe and digitize the project.

 For business, Carolyn Greenidge, a founder of Greenidge Funeral Home, will be recognized. Greenidge will be honored for training several other black morticians, who received hands-on, practical experience. "They came to Greenidge and asked for a position to learn how to be a funeral director. We trained four people, who are all in the business," said Greenidge, who has been in business for 55 years in Atlantic City.

 There will be two youth academic achievement honorees, Jordan Langford and Delano Hendrix, both 18 and of Atlantic City, and seniors at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in Mays Landing. "They are extraordinary youth, who have won quite a few awards. They are very good students, very respectable and are college bound. They set a good example for the youth coming up under them," said Jackie Sharpe, the NAACP Youth Council Adviser.

 Dr. Anjeanette Brown, of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, will be honored for her contributions to health. Brown, an oncologist, specializes in women's health where breast cancer rates are rising among black women. Sharing her time and knowledge is how she she gives back to the community. "I make myself available if someone wants to shadow to see what a doctor's practice is like." Brown said. "I'm a frequent guest speaker about breast cancer. I speak at different church and group events, including Gilda's Club."

 Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, will be honored for government service. A lifetime member of the NAACP, Brown has been outspoken about civil rights and the rights of the people of Atlantic City during the state takeover, even bucking his own party, Shabazz said.
NORTHFIELD  Dick Mathers, of Ocean City, credits Charles Richard Ingram III with inspiring the changes that will allow him to get medical services at the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic in Northfield rather than having to drive to Vineland or Wilmington.

Just this week, I got the call that I could come to Northfield, said Mathers, 85, a Korean War veteran who attended a memorial service dedicating a bench to Ingrams memory Saturday at the Northfield Baptist Church next to the clinic.

This man gave me a miracle, he said, tears in his eyes after speaking to Ingrams widow, Billie.

Bench honors deceased EHT veteran NORTHFIELD  On March 21, 2016, Billie Ingram learned that days can end very differently tha

Ingram, 51, of Egg Harbor Township, a Navy veteran, died in March 2016 by self-immolation outside the Route 9 clinic. It was not open at the time.

His public death brought attention to complaints veterans have had for years about their inability to get timely and adequate medical and mental health care.

Changes have been made, speakers said Saturday. The bench will serve to remind veterans people care.

This is a reminder that there are many who will listen and do what they can to help, said veterans advocate Marco Polo Smigliani, of Egg Harbor Township.

He said they still hope to make medical care more seamless for veterans.

James Torok, acting director of the South Jersey Community Based Outpatient Clinics, said he understands the symbolism of the bench.

Where weve come, where still to go, for veterans care in S.J., by Rep. Frank LoBiondo The community will come together this month to honor the service and ultimate sacrifice of C

This is a mandate to make sure we are better at what we do, he said, voice breaking.

Dr. Michael Adelman, network director for the VA, said reducing suicide is a priority, noting 20 veterans die of suicide each day, and of those, 14 never sought VA services.

To reach all 20 requires the entire community, he said. All of us need to be aware of the signs that they may be at risk and help get them care.

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, said he at first wondered if Adelman would be just another in a long line of officials saying things would get better but getting no results.

You kept your word, he said, citing Sens. Corey Booker and Bob Menendez, both D-N.J. for their support.

Billie Ingram said her husband went by the name Rich and often introduced himself as Rich, but not wealthy. She said he was not a man who looked for attention for himself but instead focused on others.

He would give attention to those he believed had gone above and beyond, she said. She said thanked all those who responded to help her husband, her family and all veterans.

Initiatives to serve South Jersey veterans taking hold NORTHFIELD  A memorial to Charles Ingram remains outside the VA Outpatient Clinic nearly a 

She also read a poem written by her sister, Charlene Borgersen, of Deptford, that thanks veterans and encourages them to seek help if they are struggling.

Have courage to ask for help, others will take your hand. You are not alone or forgotten. Together, United We Stand, the poem says.

Cynthia Murray, nurse manager at the Northfield clinic, said she was Ingrams nurse and misses his smile and laughter. She credited his wife with helping the community heal.

Her bravery is beyond any I have experienced, she said.

The bench is located in a grassy area where the Veterans Clinic parking lot meets the Northfield Baptist Church property. Church members led by the Rev. Jeremy Rice sang.
ATLANTIC CITY  Gov. Chris Christie said he hopes Glenn Straub sells the former Revel casino because Straub hasnt been able to deliver on reopening the property.

Christie made the remarks Thursday during his monthly Ask the Governor radio show on New Jersey 101.5. He criticized Straub for not wanting to go through the casino license application process.

Straub argues he shouldnt have to apply for a license because hes leasing the casino to a third party. The Casino Control Commission ruled he does need a license, but Straub has sued to appeal the decision.

Uh-uh. Not the way it works, Christie said. You want to profit from a casino in Atlantic City? We have to see your financials, and you have to be licensed. So I dont think its going to open as a casino unless this guy goes through the appropriate licensure process.

Atlantic City former Revel may open June 15, owner Glenn Straub says ATLANTIC CITY  Glenn Straub said Tuesday he plans on reopening a portion of the former Reve

Christie never referred to Straub by name, only calling him this guy.

Straub called Christie a lame-duck governor who is discouraging businesses from investing in New Jersey.

Why do you think Atlantic City is taking as long as its taking? he said, referring to the resorts recovery.

Straub claimed state agencies overseeing casinos didnt follow state statute when they denied his petition to waive a casino license requirement for his company.

Christie said Straub could still reopen the property, now known as TEN, without a casino, but the governor seemed to have his doubts. Straub recently said TEN could open June 15, but he has missed two self-imposed deadlines to reopen.

Im hoping quite frankly that he sells it because in the end he just hasnt been able to deliver, Christie said.
The World's Leading Business Referral Organization - Which Generated Over $11 Billion USD For Its Member Organizations in 2016 - Aims to Support Business Growth Amongst Local Kuwaiti Entrepreneurs

KUWAIT CITY, April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, BNI  the world's leading networking and business referral organization  is participating in the 1st Edition of the Entrepreneurship & Franchise Expo Middle East (EFE), an event organized by Franchise Arabia.

With more than 215,000 members in over 70 countries worldwide, BNI is currently exploring opportunities to introduce its franchise in Kuwait, as well as other countries across the Middle East. While at the Expo, BNI plans to host a series of significant meetings this week with local business leaders who are interested in exploring the Master Franchise opportunity available through BNI Global in Kuwait. In addition, BNI's Director of Global Franchise Development, Marcel Portmann, will present at the Expo on key considerations for business leaders when buying a franchise.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in most economies, but particularly across the Middle East and North African region. According to a recent study published by BLOOVO Middle East, 90 percent of the total registered companies in MENA are SMEs. And in the GCC, SMEs alone employ approximately 17 million people.[1]

"In recent years, Kuwait has seen an exponential rise in entrepreneurship and small business growth," stated Graham Weihmiller, Chairman & CEO of BNI Global. "As a result, there's a tremendous opportunity for BNI here in Kuwait; BNI will provide a truly unmatched global business network for local businesses owners and entrepreneurs who are seeking ways to bolster their growth. Each week, our members gather in 7,800+ chapters across the world to pass business to one another, helping to grow local businesses and economies, and create jobs."

Commenting on the franchisee opportunities available in Kuwait, Portmann stated, "We couldn't be more excited to expand our global footprint by bringing BNI to Kuwait. BNI is an organization for people who love business, and has the right processes, people and culture to be an enduring franchise. Around the world, our Master Franchisees are highly capable and passionate business leaders who thoughtfully and energetically build the BNI brand. They enjoy helping people connect and doing work that makes a positive impact in their communities. I'm thrilled to be here at the Expo this week, and look forward to meeting local Kuwaiti business leaders who want to make a difference, and drive BNI's growth in Kuwait."

Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, USA, BNI serves a greater good by helping businesses around the world to create a culture of collaboration. Givers Gain is the underlying philosophy of BNI, meaning that by giving business to others, you will receive business in return.

About BNI

Founded in 1985, BNI is the recognized leader in business networking worldwide. With over 7,800 chapters meeting every week in 73 countries, we have grown to over 215,000 member-businesses. Our members meet each week to share qualified business referrals with their colleagues and to grow personally and professionally with like-minded business professionals. In 2016 alone, BNI member referrals generated over $11 billion USD of business for member-businesses.

BNI Contact Details

For more information about BNI's franchise development opportunities or our franchisee qualification process, visit www.bnifranchise.com or reach out to Marcel Portmann, BNI's Director of Global Franchise Development at franchise@bni.com. For media inquiries including interview requests, please reach out Virginia Pond, BNI's Executive Communications Manager at virginia@bni.com.

[1] http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/smes-continue-drive-regional-growth-report/

DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for informational purposes only. BNI will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with any applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction.

Related Links

http://bni.com



SOURCE BNI
DECATUR The fire that destroyed a home at 897 W. Leafland Ave. on Tuesday was caused by an electrical problem, Fire Chief Jeff Abbott said Friday.

Abbott said inspectors were classifying the fire as accidental, with the electrical problems located in the basement.

More than 30 firefighters and every available piece of city department equipment were sent Tuesday afternoon to the house on the southeast corner of North Van Dyke Street and West Leafland Avenue.

Residents told the Herald & Review at the time that several family pets did not make it out of the fire. One resident, a 23-year-old man, was taken to a hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
Siniora Food Industries Company held its general assembly on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in Amman, Jordan. The general assembly, which was chaired by Siniora Chairman Tarek Aggad, ratified dividend distribution of 28.22% of the company's paid-up capital; 6% as cash dividends amounting to JOD1,080,000, and 22.22% as four million bonus shares, thus increasing Siniora's paid-up capital to JOD22 million.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492392/Siniora_Food_Industries_Logo.jpg )



Aggad stated that 2016 was full achievements for Siniora despite the constant regional challenges. Most notable was Siniora's acquisition of Diamond Meat Processing Company in the United Arab Emirates in a deal worth USD17 million, with Siniora's share amounting to USD12 million, or 70%. This acquisition comes in line with Siniora's expansion and development strategy to target new markets, and is expected to increase Siniora's share in regional markets and, more specifically, in the Gulf. Siniora also launched a new line of frozen meat products at its factory in Jordan, which includes a line-up of more than 35 products, while new frozen products were also launched in Jordanian and Saudi markets.

Siniora CEO Majdi Al Sharif stated that Siniora achieved JOD47.85 million in revenues in 2016, a growth of 14.3% compared to 2015. Export sales represented 31% of Sinioras net sales outside the Jordanian and Palestinian markets. However, Siniora's net profit dropped in 2016 compared to 2015, and amounted to JOD2.361 million in 2016 due to one-time extraordinary additional expenses for new investments and products that affected the results by approximately JOD2 million. Naturally, Siniora looks forward to achieving good returns from these investments in the following years. Shareholders' equity grew by 5% in 2016 compared to 2015 and amounted JOD30.16 million in 2016 against JOD28.72 million in 2015.

Siniora Food Industries is a market leader in the manufacture and sale of branded Siniora Al-Quds and Unium processed meat. The company was founded in Jerusalem, Palestine, in 1920, and established its factory in Jordan in 1992. Siniora acquired Diamond Meat Processing Company in Dubai in 2016. Siniora Food Industries produces cold cuts and canned luncheon meat from three state-of-the-art processing plants built using the latest technologies, one located in East Jerusalem, Palestine, the second located in King Abdullah II Industrial Estate in Jordan and the third in United Arab Emirates. In 2015, Siniora Jordan established a factory for its new line of frozen meats. Siniora Food Industries has been awarded the Food Safety System Certificate (FSSC 22000) and ISO 9001 certifications for quality and food control safety, in addition to the Palestinian Standard Certificate in Palestine and Halal Certificate issued by Jordanian Standards. Siniora factories in Jordan and Palestine have been maintaining the international certifications for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems OHSAS 18001:2007 and Environmental Management Systems ISO14001:2004 since 2014. The company markets its products through mass merchandisers, grocery stores, high-frequency stores and department stores in Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as in ten other countries in the Middle East. Siniora also has distribution centers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and a dedicated export department covering the Gulf and the Levant. Siniora is a public shareholding company listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE: SNRA).

SOURCE Siniora Food Industries
The project, planned and developed by Patrick A. Weller, president of Sol Power Energy, LLC (SOL POWER) and designed, built, and financed by Spectrum Energy Development, Inc. is expected to reduce the electric energy purchased by Denny's W. Sacramento from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) by over 65%.

The solar carport system and PPA will provide Denny's W. Sacramento with solar energy savings estimated at one million dollars over the term of the PPA. The environmental benefits result in the reduction of roughly 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, equivalent to planting over 90,000 trees.



About Denny's:

Denny's W. Sacramento owner Bobby Chao relocated the Denny's in 2012 to its current location in West Sacramento and built a LEED-Certified Restaurant. In 2016 he partnered with Patrick A. Weller, president of SOL POWER to realize the goal of providing solar photovoltaic power as a primary means of energy for small businesses. SolarDennys.com

Says Chao: "This project is a win-win for the planet and our children."



About SOL POWER:

SOL POWER offers a professional service for small and medium-sized owners that desire to mitigate the technical, financial, operational, and security risks typically associated with the implementation of conservation and solar energy programs.

As SOL POWER president Patrick A. Weller explains: "Our precedent standard of care and process are based upon the historic monetization of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds as investment capital for California local governments."

"Over the past 25 years," Weller continues, "I have saved consumers hundreds of millions of dollars through the reduction of utility cost, internal operational expense, and the avoidance of environmental penalties. However, obtaining a Solar Power Purchase Agreement for a small business owner that literally had nowhere to turn to reduce his utility expense was very special." www.solpower.energy



About Spectrum Energy Development, Inc:

Spectrum Energy Development Inc., (SEDI), is a leading PV System Integrator and Engineering, Procurement, & Contracting (EPC) Company. The internationally award-winning SEDI team is made up of the most experienced and respected PV system experts in the country.

Contact:

Patrick A. Weller

Sol Power Energy, LLC

(866) 608-9072

[email protected]

www.solpower.energy

SOURCE Sol Power Energy, LLC
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Friday Night Sound Waves concert series will help the Ford Lauderdale Air Show fly into Fort Lauderdale Beach this year! On Friday, May 5, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday Night Sound Waves will host the official Air Show kickoff party with a performance by local rising country music stars, the Shane Duncan Band.

The Shane Duncan Band is a high-energy country quintet hailing from South Florida, that writes, records and performs all their music. From supporting huge country acts such as Luke Bryan to performing at preliminary events for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, the Shane Duncan Band delivers non-stop energy throughout their entire set leaving crowds wanting more.

In addition to the Shane Duncan Band performance, a proclamation will be presented by County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, in recognition of May 6, 2017, Hurricane Battalion Day in Broward County. More than 860 Hurricane Battalion Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment will be welcomed home on Friday, May 5, 2017 after being deployed to the Horn of Africa, and based out of Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, for Operation Freedom's Sentinel in April 2016.

"We are extremely proud of these brave men and women, who provided more than 7,000 hours of continuous security without incident or serious injury," Glassman said. "We encourage everyone to join us on Friday, May 5 to recognize these defenders of our freedom and welcome them home from a successful mission."

Throughout the evening, Ford Lauderdale Air Show sponsor, Yuengling will be on site, and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau will air a portion of the concert live on HelloSunny TV and on Apple TV 4th generation TV. Southwest Airlines, the official airline sponsor of Friday Night Sound Waves, will activate its Southwest Lounge offering concertgoers comfortable seating, beach umbrellas and mats, and signature Southwest snacks. Radio personalities from media partners, 104.3 The Shark and 102.7 The Beach FM, along with Fort Lauderdale Mayor, Jack Seiler and other City officials, will act as the proclamation and military tribute MC's.

"This is our second year partnering with Friday Night Sound Waves to extend the exciting Air Show weekend on Fort Lauderdale Beach," said Phil Mauro, from the Ford Lauderdale Air Show. "With the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds leading the pack, as well as dozens of talented performers, this is sure to be an unforgettable weekend."

The Fort Lauderdale Beach Business Improvement District (BID), comprised of many of the businesses located along A1A, is the series' major funding partner. New and returning sponsors include the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Visit Florida, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, It's Better On the Beach Restaurant Group, Modelo Especial, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Bahia Mar Resort Fort Lauderdale Beach, Bahia Mar Marina, and Modera Port Royale.

Friday Night Sound Waves is a free 36-week live music series that runs March through November. Each week, locals and visitors are encouraged to slide off their shoes and slip into the weekend to enjoy local and regional musical talent perform Friday night from 6 p.m. to 9

p.m. at The Fort Lauderdale Beach Hub on the corner of Las Olas Boulevard and A1A. To view the complete performance line up, offers from series sponsors, and special tribute and awareness nights, visit www.FridayNightSoundWaves.com. For sponsorship opportunities and additional information, please email [email protected]

About the Beach BID:

The Fort Lauderdale Beach Business Improvement District's (BID) primary focus is to market Fort Lauderdale Beach as a premier destination to locals and visitors from around the globe. Through private investment by businesses and residents between its governing boundaries along A1A from Harbor Drive to Sunrise Boulevard, they aim to enhance one's experience. To learn more about the different places to "Dine, Discover, Stay and Play" on the beach, visit the BID sponsored website www.MyFortLauderdaleBeach.com, or connect via social media on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Pinterest.

Contact: Conceptual Communications, (954) 732-0754, [email protected]

SOURCE Friday Night Sound Waves

Related Links

http://www.FridayNightSoundWaves.com


HANOVER, Mass., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Town of Hanover has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its drone program, the first municipality in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to have licensed pilots and a FAA approved Air Wing for municipal operation of its unmanned aircraft.

Working in consultation with the Association of Professional Drone Pilots, the town has licensed and trained pilots to operate its unmanned aircraft, including representatives of the Police and Fire departments, as well as Hanover Community Television. Through an extensive training and application process, the town has received a Certificate of Authorization to legally operate its drone in town.

"This is an important achievement. Hanover is a leader in the use of unmanned aircraft. They understand that the use of drones can help fight fires, find missing children, and even provide information through Hanover's extensive community outreach channels," said Scott Pitta, President of the Association of Professional Drone Pilots.

Fire Chief Jeffrey Blanchard, recently licensed as one of Hanover's drone pilots, concurred. "The public safety value of a well-defined drone program is immeasurable. We can safely scout out forest fires and inspect tall buildings without putting our firefighters in harm's way. We are proud to be a leader in this important area," he noted.

Six Hanover employees have taken the initial training required for licensure, and more are expected to be trained. The Town is developing a protocol for deployment. Since existing staff operate the drones, there are no additional costs to the town.

"Hanover is a leader in many areas  from transparency to financial organization and stability, to its commitment to education. The approval of our drone program is just another way we're bringing efficiency, technology, and collaboration to our citizens," explained Town Manager Troy Clarkson.

Hanover Community TV is working on a short documentary on the drone program that will be released soon.

Media Contact:

Scott Pitta

[email protected]

1-866-359-8287

Related Links

Association of Professional Drone Pilots

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Association of Professional Drone Pilots, Inc.
Washington, April 18 : US President Donald Trump called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him hours after his narrow victory in a referendum that will grant him sweeping new powers, the White House announced.

During Sunday's vote, about 51.35 per cent backed the constitutional changes, compared to 48.65 per cent for the "no" side.

The constitutional reforms are set to grant more powers to Erdogan, effecting a changeover from parliamentary to the presidential form of government in Turkey. The amendments to the constitution are likely to allow him to hold office for two more terms until 2029.

According to a White House statement, Trump spoke on Monday with Erdogan, discussing the developments in Syria, and Washington's response to the chemical attack. They "agreed on the importance of holding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accountable", the Guardian reported.

Asked during the White House daily briefing to respond to Erdogan's accumulation of power after the referendum, Press Secretary Sean Spicer echoed the State Department statement and said he would withhold reaction until a final report is published.

"Before we start getting into their governing system, let this commission get through its work," Spicer said.

Trump also spoke to Erdogan in February, reports the Guardian.

On the call, Trump reaffirmed Turkey as a strong NATO ally and a partner in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.

The leaders again discussed the campaign against the group on Monday and agreed on "the need to cooperate against all groups that use terrorism to achieve their ends", the White House added.
Tokyo, April 18 : US Vice President Mike Pence on Friday reached Japan on a two-day visit and is slated to discuss North Korea and economic ties between the two countries.

In a meeting upon the Vice President's arrival, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he supported Washington's stance taken to keep all options open for countering threats posed by North Korea, Efe news reported.

"It is important to seek diplomatic and peaceful efforts to address the issue, but at the same time dialogue for the sake of dialogue has no value," Abe told Pence.

Pence said Washington will assess Japan's complicated situation against Pyongyang's continued missile launches.

US President Donald Trump "is determined to work closely with Japan, with South Korea, and with all our allies in the region, and with China, to achieve a peaceable solution and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," said Pence.

"We seek peace always as a country, as does Japan. But as you know peace comes through strength," said Pence, and highlighted the strong security ties the countries share.

Pence arrived in Tokyo's Atsugi air and naval base from the Osan air base in Seoul where he had spent the first three days of his 10-day Asia tour.

Ahead of his arrival, Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga said earlier on Tuesday that Tokyo hopes meetings with Pence will serve to deepen bilateral economic and security ties and will help in coordinating policies to address the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile development programme.

On Wednesday, Pence will visit the Japan Self-Defence Forces base in Yokosuka, where Japan and the US conducted joint military drills and where the American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is stationed.

Pence will also attend a business forum in Tokyo and later travel to Indonesia and Australia to continue the rest of his tour.
Kabul, April 18 : Afghan First Lady Rula Ghani on Tuesday called for protecting girls from child marriage, noting that forced marriage affects physical health of young girls and robs them of their childhood.

"Child marriage is a depressing phenomenon for the young generation of Afghanistan and it is a national responsibility to stop the menace," Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying.

"I urge all Afghan families to avoid child marriage and forced marriage. Your girls face a huge risk when they get married at young age. Early marriage robs them of their childhood and future opportunities," Rula Ghani said at an event to mark the launch of "National Action Plan to Eliminate Early and Child Marriage".

She noted that getting married at an appropriate age reduces girls' risk for physical, sexual, psychological as well as economic abuse.

The plan of action outlines initiatives designed to prevent and end early and child marriage and strives to improve the implementation of laws and services which aim to support people at risk of early and child marriage.

Girls aged 15 to 19 who experience pregnancy and childbirth are twice as likely to die of related complications as women aged 20 to 24 years, according to Unicef.
An Auburn woman who authorities said went on a summer crime spree that escalated to armed robbery is now expected to spend time in state prison.
Washington, April 19 : US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said that Iran is complying with a 2015 nuclear deal.

In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan, Tillerson certified that Iran was compliant through April 18 with its commitments under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

It was the first certification of Iran's compliance issued by President Donald Trump administration. Like his predecessor John Kerry, Tillerson is required to send the certification every 90 days.

However, calling Iran "a leading state sponsor of terror", Tillerson informed Congress that the Trump administration had directed a full review of the 2015 nuclear deal to evaluate whether continued sanctions relief was in the US national security interests, NBC News reported.

Trump during his campaign repeatedly criticised the Iran nuclear deal, calling it "the worst deal ever negotiated".

Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US -- reached an agreement on the country's nuclear issue in July 2015 that put Iran on the path of sanctions relief but with more strict limits on nuclear programme.

The deal set limits on Iran's nuclear activities as it would take Tehran at least one year to produce enough fissile material for producing a nuclear weapon, and allowed regular inspections of the facilities inside Iran.

After the International Atomic Energy Agency verified in January of 2016 that Iran was in compliance with terms to scale back its nuclear programme, some international sanctions were lifted.

The sanctions drastically reduced crude oil exports from Iran. Since the sanctions have been lifted, oil exports from Iran to India have surged.

Iran was exempted from an OPEC deal to reduce output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting January 1, a victory for Tehran which argued it needs to regain the market share it lost during long years of sanctions.
New Delhi, April 19 : The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the revival of conspiracy charges against senior BJP and VHP leaders in the demolition of the Babri mosque, and demanded speedy trial in the case.

"The law of the land has prevailed. We hope that there will be speedy trial and all the guilty will be punished and face the consequences," Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha told IANS.

"It is a known fact that the Babri demolition as a spontaneous reaction has been proven wrong and it was indeed a political conspiracy," he said.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday revived the conspiracy charge in the Babri Masjid demolition case against senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, among others after the CBI petitioned it for restoring criminal conspiracy charges.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Manish Tiwari said that the decision has put Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "morality quotient" on test.

Asked if those holding constitutional posts including Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh should resign following the decision, he said the Congress would leave it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wisdom.

"Our Prime Minister doesn't get tired of speaking of morality and moral high ground. This decision would test his moral standards. We leave it to his wisdom how he reacts to this and whether a chargesheeted minister should remain in his cabinet or not," Tiwari said.

Reacting to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's jibe that if filing of chargesheet or FIR should become a standard for resignation, half of Congress' Chief Ministers would have to go, Tiwari said: "Jaitley ji has forgotten that Congress ministers have resigned even at mere allegations on moral grounds, let alone filing of FIR or chargesheet."

He also questioned the morality behind appointing Kalyan Singh, who was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, as a Governor.

"There is not an iota of morality in this government," he added.

Tiwari said it was not right to compare the Babri Masjid demolition and the ensuing anti-Muslim riots to anti-Sikh riots of 1984 which happened when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister, and allegedly did nothing to prevent the riots.

"You cannot compare it with 1984 incident. The Congress has repeatedly expressed regret over what happened in 1984. Did the BJP ever apologise even once for the pogroms that happened under its watch?" he said.
Washington, April 21 : Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed President Donald Trump's administration for what she said were moves against LGBT rights, the media reported.

"Each time this administration elevates an outspoken opponent of LGBT equality, sometimes in particularly cruel ways like replacing the first openly gay Secretary of the Army with someone who called being transgender a 'disease', I picture all of the joyful, beaming couples that I've met across our country who are so excited to get married, start a family, and begin their lives together," Clinton said on Thursday night during a fundraiser for an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community centre in New York.

The former presidential hopeful was referring to Trump's pick of Mark Green for the post, NBC News reported.

Author and columnist Arianna Huffington introduced Clinton, presenting her with the centre's "Trailblazer" award at the event.

Clinton called the administration's action insufficient following reports of the arrests and torture of suspected gay men in Chechnya.

"It's not just here in our country that we're seeing clouds gathering on the horizon," Clinton said.

"The US government, yes, this government, must demand an end to the persecution of gay men in Russia," NBC News quoted Clinton as saying.

Three others were honoured on Thursday night for their contributions to LGBT equality: fashion designer Marc Jacobs, ADP Chief Financial Officer Jan Siegmund, and New York City Commission on Human Rights Chair Carmelyn P. Malalis.

Clinton also addressed transgender youth, blasting the Trump administration for withdrawing a school guidance aimed at protecting trans kids.

"My heart broke for all the parents who are advocating so fiercely for their child's right to live, learn and go to school just like anybody else," she added.
Sydney, April 21 : US Vice President Mike Pence was due to arrive in Australia on Friday evening for the last leg of his Asia-Pacific tour, with regional security, the fight against terror, and trade set to dominate talks.

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the Syrian conflict will also figure in talks during Pence's two-day visit, Efe news reported.

Pence is the most senior US official to visit Australia since US President Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

Speaking to Channel 7 shortly before Pence's arrival, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said they would discuss a range of issues, but top of the agenda will be regional security.

"North Korea is going to be right at the top of the agenda. Also, of course, the global battle against terrorism," he said.

The Australian leader also thanked the new US administration's promptness in sending Pence to Australia, interpreting it as a sign of close Washington-Canberra ties.

"We're really appreciative that so early in this new Trump administration, the Vice President has come out to the region and visited Australia", Turnbull said.

The visit could help make a fresh start after a much-publicised strained telephone conversation between the two leaders shortly after Trump assumed office.

The US media had reported that US President Donald Trump abruptly cut short the call due to differences over a refugee resettlement agreement that Australia had signed with the Barack Obama-led US administration, dubbed a "dumb deal" by the new US President.

Besides meeting Turnbull and Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Pence will also meet Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, opposition leader Bill Shorten, and members of the armed forces.

On Monday, he will fly to Hawaii to conclude his ten-day official tour of the Asia-Pacific.
Caracas, April 22 : Venezuela's attorney-general confirmed on Friday that 12 people have died during opposition protests.

Eleven people had died during violence and looting on Thursday night and Friday morning in the capital of Caracas, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, another death was then registered on Friday in the town of Petare of the state of Miranda, east of the capital, bringing the number of deaths to 12 since Thursday. A total of 15 have died since April 19.

During clashes in Caracas, six other people were injured, bringing the total number of wounded to 68.

According to the authorities, eight of the victims were electrocuted to death when they came into contact with a high-voltage cable during the looting of a bakery.

Another was reported to be a shopkeeper who was shot dead while trying to defend his store, according to preliminary reports.

The attorney-general has ordered a team of five prosecutors to investigate the 12 deaths.

Venezuela has been convulsed by protests between supporters of President Nicolas Maduro and opponents who blame him for the country's ongoing political and economic crisis.

Speaking Friday to the press, Venezuela's vice-president, Tareck El Aissami, said that the right-wing opposition was continuing to try and overthrow the government by stoking the violence.

"The right is full of hate. They are organising a new spiral of terrorism plotting with criminal delinquents, and they are using criminal gangs to attack our humble people," he said.
Damascus, April 22 : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed that the alleged chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun town was fabricated, and a bunch of lies.

There was no toxic attack in Khan Sheikhoun town, Xinhua news agency quoted Assad as saying.

Charging that the US and the Western powers have prevented an investigation team from coming into Syria to look into the allegation, "because the team will find that all the narrative about what happened in Khan Sheikhoun was mere lies."

Two weeks ago, the US launched 59 missiles on a Syrian air base in Homs province in central Syria, in retaliation to an alleged chemical attack launched by the Syrian air force on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, during which over 70 people were said to had been killed.

The Syrian government completely rejected the accusations, saying it is not in possession of chemical weapons and that there was no need to resort to such option as the Syrian army was advancing and using such tactic will do a big harm.

Asked about the Syrian air defenses, prior to the American strike against the Shayrat air base in Homs two weeks ago, Assad said the rebels' main target was the Syrian air defenses, noting that the country lost 50 per cent of the air defense capacity during the war.

He noted, however, that negotiations are ongoing with Russia to buy new air defense systems.

"This is the case always, before and through the war, of course we have become in need for more weapons after the war, and this is part of the daily relations between the Syrian and Russian defense ministries," the president said.
Cairo, April 22 : Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will start an official visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, in an effort to break the ice after months of tensions.

During the upcoming visit, Sisi will meet King Salman, and the two leaders will tackle their different points and how to enhance their ties.

They will also discuss regional and international issues of common concern, especially combating terrorism, Xinhua news agency reported.

President al-Sisi met the Saudi king on March 30 on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Jordan, in which Salman invited Sisi to visit Saudi Arabia.

The invitation came days after Saudi state oil company Aramco resumed delivering Egypt petroleum products suspended last October, when Egypt voted for a Russian-drafted UN Security Council resolution on Syria that Saudi Arabia strongly opposed.

Then in January an Egyptian court ruling blocked the handover of two Red Sea islands, signed during a visit by Salman to Cairo last April, to Saudi.

Saudi Arabia supported Egypt with billions of dollars in aid after the ouster of the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Islamabad, April 22 : At least 434 militants have layed down arms in Quetta, the capital city of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Friday.

The Geo TV said that a ceremony was held in Balochistan assembly to mark the inclusion of the militants in the national mainstream.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, senior army officers, provincial ministers and other government officials attended the ceremony, Xinhua news agency reported.

The militants belonged to different groups including Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Army, and different districts of the province.

Addressing the ceremony, Zehri said that the provincial government will provide all possible support to those laying down arms.

"It is our national and moral obligation," he said.

He said that extremist elements used innocent people of the province to kill other innocent people.

Balochistan government spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar said that so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.
Havana, April 22 : Cuba and Morocco has signed an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties after a gap of 37 years, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, the two governments agreed to reestablish ties as well as political, economic and cultural cooperation," said the agreement, signed on Friday by the two countries' envoys to the UN in New York.

Relations will be restored with ambassadors being exchanged, Xinhua news agency reported.

Morocco's King Mohamed VI has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana, one of the few Latin American capitals where Rabat was not represented to date.

Morocco cut ties with Havana in 1980 after Cuba recognised Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco claims the territory as its own.

King Mohamed VI travelled to Cuba earlier in April for a private family visit, but it was widely believed that he maintained diplomatic contacts with the Cuban government during his stay there.
Sydney, April 22 : US Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan by the end of April, a media report said.

"Our expectation is that they will be in position in the Sea of Japan in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told at a joint presser with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Xinhua news agency reported.

The aircraft carrier will arrive in waters near the Korean peninsula early next week.

The carrier and its strike group is to sail to areas near North Korea after completing its training mission with the Australian Navy, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is currently stationed at the US military base in Yokosuka, Japan, but is undergoing maintenance and would not be able to be deployed immediately in the event of an emergency.

Maintenance work on the carrier is one of the reasons why the US military is keen to "leave no gap" in Northeast Asia, the report stated.

The US is also strengthening its reinforcements ahead of April 25, when North Korea is expected to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army.

Experts have stated there is a possibility North Korea could conduct a sixth nuclear test, the Japanese media reported.

North Korea has said it is not afraid of the Carl Vinson, following reports the aircraft carrier and its strike group had not been deployed to the Korean peninsula as announced.

"The closer it approaches, the greater the impact of the effect of annihilating punishment," the Pyongyang statement read. "We will not allow survival for those who threaten our existence."

The US Navy said on Friday a Carl Vinson fighter pilot was safely ejected during training in the Celebes Sea. The pilot suffered no injuries and was rescued by helicopter, according to CNN.
DECATUR  The Supreme Court chambers are smaller than Taylor Daniels pictured, while the Lincoln Memorial is far larger.

I didn't realize Abraham Lincoln was so big, the Eisenhower High School senior quipped.

Daniels and 13 classmates in the advanced placement government class at Eisenhower visited Washington, D.C., over spring break this year through Close Up Washington D.C., a national program designed to give students and their teachers an inside look at democracy.

Custom-designed experiences are available for students in high school and middle school, and some include visits to New York and Williamsburg. More than 800,000 students have participated since the program began in 1971.

Students visit the iconic landmarks in Washington, but they're not just tourists, said Megan Flanigan, social science and curriculum coordinator for Decatur schools. She was also a participant when she was in high school.

Students room with students from other states and territories by design. The idea is to meet and learn about others, as well as learn about government in action.

Activities included visiting legislative staff, hot topics debates, a banquet and dance, and an evening out that includes a play. The students saw A Raisin in the Sun, which Daniels said helped her white classmates better understand her as an African-American, and helped her understand herself, too.

The Supreme Court made the biggest impression on Hayleigh Lutz. The room was smaller than she expected, with far less seating. Seeing the room where so many significant decisions have been made was awe-inspiring, she said

Kara Berk met and made friends with students from Puerto Rico. I loved going to the monuments and stuff, but what will stick with me is meeting people from all over, she said. Learning about their political views and what they have to say, I think it made my mind expand more.

One thing that struck the Decatur students was the differences in daily life between them and students from, for example, Alaska and Montana. Some of those students came from schools where the whole student body isn't as large as Eisenhower's senior class.

When (retired teacher) Mike Rusk was here at Eisenhower, it was an annual trip they took as part of the government class, said Sam Mills, who is the government teacher now. That stopped after he retired. I thought it was a good time to start it up again. Mills and Flanigan wanted to restart the tradition of showing students government at work.

The students had to raise $1,782 each to cover the airfare, hotel, 24-hour security and food, Mills said. Thanks to a grant from the Decatur Public Schools Foundation, they got a head start of $6,000, which worked out to about $500 each.

Foundation Executive Director Zach Shields said a fund was still on deposit with the foundation from Rusk's time at Eisenhower, and he hopes to encourage donations to that fund to make the trip an annual event again. All funds designated for the Close Up Washington trip will remain dedicated to that trip. Call Shields at (217) 362-3042 or email zshields@dps61.org.

I don't know if this (trip) would have happened without (the foundation), Mills said.

Drew Laney was excited to see the office belonging to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whom he admires greatly, though Sanders wasn't there as Congress was in recess. He's probably one of the most inspiring people I have in my life right now, he said. It was exciting to see Washington, too. It was a physical representation of all these things we've learned in AP government.

In one workshop, students worked on ways to make college more affordable, said Alexis Early, and they decided to create a petition to give to Congress. Doing that, and dropping it off in Sen. Dick Durbin's office, made her feel as if she really had a voice in the government, for the first time.

The things that will probably stick with me is all the different cultures and languages in people that we saw, said Gideon Outzen. Everywhere you walked, you would see people from everywhere speaking different languages and seeing how many people come from how many different places to see and experience (Washington).
New Delhi : (Title: The Accusation: Forbidden Stories From Inside North Korea; Author: Bandi (pseudonym); Publisher: Hachette India in arrangement with Profile Books; Pages: 247; Price: Rs 599)

The period is between 1989 and 1997. Bandi -- the pseudonym of our North Korean author who is working in the nation's official writers' association -- contributes to the government's official periodicals. Behind the scenes, however, he secretly pens volumes of poems and stories criticising the state.

The 743-page manuscript is then smuggled out of North Korea in a Hollywood-like sequence and the seven stories that make up this volume are selected from the smuggled work to make what is the first-ever critical work of fiction by a North Korean resident.

The author of "The Accusation," known only as Bandi (Korean for firefly), bluntly states that he is "fated to shine only in a world of darkness". And it stands true to a large extent as neither we nor the North Korean authorities know the wherefores and whereabouts of this courageous genius.

According to the publisher, all we know about Bandi -- the man who risked his life to enlighten the world of the slavery and tyranny in North Korea -- is that "he belonged to the Korean Writer's Alliance, a government-controlled organ dedicated to producing censored literature for state-run periodicals of the North".

"The Accusation" is a deeply moving and eye-opening work of fiction that paints a powerful portrait of life under the North Korean regime. Set during the period of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's leadership, the seven stories that make up this pathbreaking book give voice to people living under this most bizarre and horrifying of dictatorships.

In these moving stories -- based entirely on experiences and thoughts of the people as told to the author but weaved in a fictional narrative -- we learn some of the bitter realities of living under the dictatorial regime in North Korea. The seven stories that find place in the book aptly convey the hardships and constant trauma that peopleface in a countrty cut off from the rest of the world.

Written with deep emotion and elegance, the offering is at the same time a hopeful testament to the humanity and rich internal life that persists even in such inhumane conditions.

More than anything else, this book reminds its many readers of the conflicts that people -- not very different from the rest of us -- are undergoing in North Korea and how easily the world has forgotten about their individual rights. The book stands as a classic case study on the impact of fear of being constantly watched and suspected.

Consider the simple nuances of family life, for instance. No matter how small a "crime" -- anything that is against the regime -- is committed by any member of any given family, there is no hope for any family member to rise above this status of being "criminals" ever in their lives. Even the generations to come after them suffer the brunt of being constantly watched, suspected and penalised for reasons best known to the all-powerful leader.

The characters of these haunting stories belong to a wide variety of backgrounds -- from a young mother living among the elite in Pyongyang whose son misbehaves during a political rally, to a former Communist war hero who is deeply disillusioned with the intrusion of the Party into everything he holds dear, to a husband and father who is denied a travel permit and sneaks on to a train in order to visit his critically-ill mother.

Along with fear, trauma and all things dark, "The Accusation" also stands as a melting pot of hope and passion. Bandi's stories are an amalgamation of his hope for a brighter tomorrow and passion for writing. In many ways, the author perhaps finds solace in writing as the manuscript was never originally intended for publishing. It was a secret material created and possessed by Bandi.

The compelling elements of this offering -- its totalitarian structure juxtaposed with the political scenario, the many underlying symbolisms, thoughtful yet submissive characters, strong family relationships and the stronger control of the state and disturbing endings that haunt the readers forevermore -- make this book worthy of the legitimate recognition that "The Accusation" has gained.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
New Delhi : In the midst of heightened posturing by North Korea over a potential thermonuclear war Saturday April 22 is the 113th birth anniversary of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a father of the first atomic bomb in 1945.

While an actual thermonuclear war may not come to be, Oppenheimer's remarkable clarity over the bomb's creation and justifiability of its use followed by philosophical ambiguity can all be traced to his passionate lifelong fascination for the Bhagwat Gita.

On his birth anniversary, perhaps the most quoted expression of his would be what he took from Krishna as telling Arjuna in the Gita: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

According to many scholars, Oppenheimer had internalised the core message of the Gita, a thumbed copy of which he famously kept handy by his work desk. He was known to gift its English translation to his friends and others. Oppenheimer learned Sanskrit in 1933 and first read the Gita in the original language.

James A. Hijiya, Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, in his remarkable work 'The Gita of J. Robert Oppenheimer' likens him to the great warrior of the Mahabharata, Arjuna. "For an uncertain soldier like Oppenheimer, nervously fashioning his own atomic 'arrow', Arjuna sets a good example. Arjuna is fighting to install his eldest brother, Yudhishthira, as ruler of the kingdom and emperor of the known world, and to thwart the pretensions of their cousin Duryodhana. Yudhishthira is a better man and ruler than Duryodhana, who is motivated by ferocious envy and has resorted to fraud and attempted murder of his cousins to gain the throne," Hijita writes.

"Krishna's message to Arjuna is clear: you must fight. To Oppenheimer the message would have seemed equally clear. If it was proper for Arjuna to kill his own friends and relatives in a squabble over the inheritance of a kingdom, then how could it be wrong for Oppenheimer to build a weapon to kill Germans and Japanese whose governments were trying to conquer the world," he asks.

Oppenheimer's engagement with the Gita was active during the conception and execution of the Manhattan Project from 1941 onward that created the world's first atomic bomb tested on July 16, 1945 at Trinity near Alamogordo in New Mexico. According to Hijiya, in April, 1945 during a memorial service for President Franklin Roosevelt, Oppenheimer quoted this from the book: "Man is a creature whose substance is faith. What his faith is, he is."

The Sanskrit verse in question that captured Oppenheimer's imagination in the aftermath of the successful test was "Kalo'smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho", which has been variously translated. While "Kal" has generally been interpreted as Time and therefore Time being the great destroyer of worlds, there is a fairly widespread interpretation in the Western scholarship about Kal being Death by its very implication. Hence the most popular transliteration as used by Oppenheimer, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Among the Indian scholars the more acceptable translation has been, "I am terrible time, the destroyer of all beings in all worlds."

Oppenheimer credited two other books, apart from the Gita, as having influenced him. They were Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Eliot's "Waste Land". However, by some consensus the Gita appeared to have impacted him at both rational/practical level as well as at much deeper philosophical level.

It has been argued by scholars such as Hijiya that Oppenheimer's approach to the atomic bomb was that of doing his duty as part of his dharma as prescribed in the Gita. Professor Hijiya describes it thus: "Just as Arjuna and Yudhishthira honored their elders by submitting to their decisions, even when those decisions were wrong, so did Oppenheimer yield to those he recognised as his political and military superiors. He was a scientist, so it was his duty to make judgments on scientific matters, like how to build the bomb. But when it came to politics and war, he refused to oppose decisions made by people seemingly more qualified than himself. He would not venture outside his dharma."

Oppenheimer's dispassionate, almost coldly detached acquiescence to the broader politics of the atomic bomb has been interpreted as a direct result of the way he digested the Gita. He saw it purely in terms of his duty as a scientist and perhaps nothing more.

Much has been written about whether Oppenheimer came to regret having pioneered the atomic bomb. There appears to be considerable agreement that he did not feel remorse in any manifest sort of way. Even during the first successful test in 1945 he was said to have thought of this line from the Gita: "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst into the sky that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One." This was notwithstanding his full understanding of the potential for death and destruction that the enormous power could and would unleash.

It was clear to those involved in the Manhattan project, particularly someone at its helm like Oppenheimer, that the eventual purpose of the bomb was to be deployed as a weapon very soon. It was in that context that the physicist's dependence on the Gita as his guide ought to be viewed.

(Mayank Chhaya is a Chicago based journalist. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on mcsix@outlook.com)
Pyongyang, April 22 : North Korea said it is ready to respond to aggression from the US, amid the deployment of an American nuclear aircraft carrier in waters close to the Korean peninsula.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extremely dangerous phase due to the mad-cap nuclear war provocations of the US," the Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement reported by state-run news agency KCNA.

"The authorities of the Trump Administration are spouting a load of rubbish calling for browbeating North Korea," the statement said, adding that the US said it would deploy "a nuclear aircraft carrier and its strike groups in the waters off the Korean Peninsula."

Pyongyang said it will not be frightened by these threats and that its army is closely watching US maneuvers and waiting for an order to counter any threat immediately.

The statement added that North Korea is a peace-loving country but also a nuclear power that is unafraid of war and would not hesitate to exercise all options for a counter-attack.

Tension has been escalating on the Korean peninsula since the beginning of April after Washington hinted at a pre-emptive strike against Pyongyang, which was followed by a new missile test by North Korea on April 16, Efe news reported.

Two weeks ago, the US announced it had ordered the deployment of nuclear aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson on the Korean peninsula, a move that was interpreted as a warning against Pyongyang's arms development program.

However the carrier was at the time participating in joint exercises with Australia in the Indian Ocean.

It is now heading to the region and will carry out maneuvers in the waters of the Sea of Japan near the Korean peninsula.

Japan also sent two destroyers to participate in the maneuvers from April 25 to 28, while Seoul is also considering participating in these combined naval drills.
New Delhi : When Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in New Delhi on April 30, he will find in his host, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, something of a kindred spirit. Both aspire for absolute power.

The April 16 referendum has removed constraints Erdogan was uncomfortable with. He will now be an executive President, a position from where he can manipulate whatever checks and balances may still be theoretically in place.

What Erdogan has achieved is unparalleled in Turkish history. He is well on the way to completely overhauling what the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, had diligently put together.

When Mahatma Gandhi held Maulana Mohammad Ali's hand in support of the Caliphate (Khilafat Movement) in Istanbul, the founder of modern Turkey was embarked on exactly the opposite: He was abolishing the Caliphate. It was an anachronism.

St. Sophia, the great Byzantine church in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), had been transformed into a mosque by the Ottoman Sultan. Ataturk reversed the decision. Christendom's most magnificent church would, were it to be retained as a mosque, hurt Europe in perpetuity. It is today a great Byzantine museum.

Ataturk saw modern Turkey's future in Europe. The Fez cap was banned. Turki script gave way to Roman letters. No head scarf for women except as a statement of fashion. Raki, distilled from aniseed (same as Ouzo in Greece, Pastisse in France and Arrack in Lebanon) became the unofficial national drink. It was Ataturk's favourite.

Ataturk's inspirational steps towards Europeanism notwithstanding, Ottoman Turkey's civic and social backwardness remained an obstacle in the way of its union with Europe. Diligently the nation set about improving its infrastructure, environment, laws to make it clubbable with Europe.

What Turkish leaders had not taken into account was European prejudice about the "Turk" from medieval times. Its desire to join the European Union was dodged and spurned. President Valery Giscard d'Estaing of France was the most blunt: "European civilisation is Christian civilisation." This became something of a muted European chorus.

On the Aegean Sea or Cyprus, Europe would singly or unitedly thwart any movement in Ankara's preferred direction. Even the most Kemalist of all Prime Ministers, Bulent Ecevit, was exasperated. Ecevit, Modi may like to know, was almost a self-taught Indologist. His translation of Tagore's "Geetanjali" is something of a Turkish masterpiece.

The modernism that Ataturk imposed on Turkey was not as shallow as the one in North Tehran under the Shah and Kabul during King Amanullah. But it had not radiated out of Istanbul and Ankara. Had Europe been sensitive enough, the modernism from the top would have taken root across all of Anatolia -- such was the momentum Ataturk had imparted to the "Turkey-in-Europe" project.

It was Western insensitivity to Muslim societies in general, the rampaging Islamophobia, which began to shake the secular citadels even in Muslim societies. Turkey under leaders like Ecevit, Suleyman Demirel, Turgut Ozal, and most certainly army generals like Kenen Everen, jealously guarded its secular constitution despite being a Muslim country, indeed, a deeply Muslim country until the West crossed some Red lines.

The televised occupation of Iraq, the two Intefadas, the manner in which post-9/11 anti-terror wars were fought from Afghanistan to each and every Muslim country began to affect public opinion even in a country which retained warm relations with Israel.

An anti-Western groundswell became unstoppable in Turkey when brutalities against Muslims in the Bosnian war, the four-year siege of Sarajevo were brought into every Turkish home live, mornings and evenings. The West forgot that Bosnia was once an Ottoman province. Sarajevo came from the word "Sarai", a resting place.

Little wonder the Refah Party under Necmettin Erbakan came to power. Erbakan was a diehard though closet Muslim Brotherhood member. The army dismissed the government -- Turkey's constitution would not tolerate even a trace of religiosity in public life.

Erbakan's principal disciples, Tayyip Erdogan and Abdullah Gul, reinvented the Refah as the Justice and Development (AK) party, taking great care to abide by the constitution.

Anti-Westernism was cleverly promoted without invoking Islam. For instance, when Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sought permission to ferry US troops to Iraq through Turkish territory, Prime Minister Erdogan tossed the issue to Parliament, which blocked permission. Israeli high-handedness against a Turkish humanitarian ship carrying succour for Palestinians led to a rupture with Tel Aviv -- an outcome hugely popular with the electorate.

When Greece, the mother of Western civilisation, was on its knees, in every sense of the term, every Turkish indicator placed the country favourably with every member of the European Union.

By the time of his third election victory Erdogan had performed the impossible: His popularity exceeded even Ataturk's at his height.

The Arab Spring provided the West with a carrot to dangle before him: He could become the democratic model for the Arab world. Some Turks began to nurse fanciful dreams. If there could be a commonwealth group of nations freed from Britain, why can't there be an Ottoman grouping? This raised Arab hackles.

During a meal at one of the world's fanciest restaurants on the Bosporus, the late Mehmet Birand, one of Turkey's most distinguished journalists, summed up the situation succinctly: "We were a docile ally of the West, swallowing our Turkish pride." Under Erdogan, "we are a proud dissident nation in the Western alliance".

The war in Syria brought out into the open the closet Muslim Brotherhood in Erdogan. He pleaded with Bashar al Assad to accommodate the Syrian Brothers into the Baath-dominated power structure. Assad's difficulties whetted appetites in Riyadh, Doha, Jerusalem, Ankara, Washington, Paris and London. This is the bubbling, overflowing cauldron -- the Syrian Civil war.

The attempted coup last summer by a section of the army and allegedly backed by the hugely influential, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen brought out the fighter in Erdogan. He was going to obviate all threats to his rule by ensuring an all-powerful Presidential system for himself. There is symbolism in the fact that this most powerful of leaders, not concealing his Brotherhood affiliations, has chosen Modi as an early interlocutor.

(A senior commentator on political and diplomatic affairs, Saeed Naqvi can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com. The views expressed are personal.)
New York, April 22 : Researchers in the US have created a digital map to track the changing racial diversity of every neighbourhood in the country.

The map shows which neighbourhoods have become less homogenous over the last two decades and which have not.

Tomasz Stepinski from University of Cincinnati applied NASA mapmaking techniques to 20 years of data collected by the US Census Bureau to build one of the most detailed racial-diversity maps ever created.

The zoomable map, a paper about which was published in the journal PLOS One, shows at a glance how the racial composition of neighbourhoods changed between 1990 and 2010.

"People don't realise that the United States is a diverse country but at the same time is still very segregated," Stepinski, who created the map in collaboration with his postdoctoral researcher Anna Dmowska, said.

The researchers think that the map will have broad appeal to journalists, policymakers and researchers.

"The maps can tell us much more about racial composition and can be used by everyone," Dmowska, who now works at the Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland, said.

"They don't require expert knowledge to understand the results, so I think maps can be used by a broader community," Dmowska said.

Updating the maps in future census years will be relatively simple, she said.

"Our grids are ready to use for multiyear comparison," Dmowska added.

The maps allow users to create their own smaller study area and then glean data from it.

In some cities, they tell the story of recent immigration in America. For example, the maps demonstrate the influx of Asian immigrants in San Francisco over the last 20 years.

Many of these newcomers are Southeast Asians who were drawn to the area by the Silicon Valley boom, Stepinski said.

And in Cincinnati, too, the census maps track the changing racial composition of the city.

Neighbourhoods that were predominantly White or Black in 1990 are far more diverse now.

But they also show the way that racial segregation has defined some cities.

For example, in the Detroit neighbourhoods popularised by the movie "8 Mile," the map from 1990 clearly shows the segregation of Black and White communities on either side of 8 Mile Road.
Jammu/Srinagar, April 22 : As the war of attrition between allies BJP and PDP over the handling of the situation in Kashmir heats up, is the troubled state heading for another spell of Governor's rule?

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is expected to discuss the current crisis when she meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23 -- against the backdrop of the April 19 meeting of the BJP core group that reviewed the law and order situation in Kashmir Valley and is believed to have discussed the option of Central rule.

Later, the Prime Minister chaired another meeting that was attended, among others, by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the army chief, General Bipin Rawat.

Quite understandably, the whispers of Governor's rule have upset the PDP.

"This is not good. We were elected on a joint plank and it would have preferable for the BJP to talk to us directly instead of through the media. Hopefully, the air will clear after the meeting between the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister," a senior PDP leader told IANS on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

While Mehbooba will be in New Delhi for a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the states where the BJP is in power or in a coalition, she is learnt to have sought a one-on-one with Modi to discuss the Kashmir imbroglio.

The current round of tensions between the allies was sparked when an independent MLA from Zanskar constituency, Baqir Rizvi, hitherto a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporter, crossed over to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee in the legislative council elections.

This was termed "backstabbing" by PDP leaders, who, as a mark of protest, did not attend Thursday's swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected council members in the winter capital Jammu. Mehbooba too conveyed her displeasure to the BJP high command over the "cross-voting" of the independent MLA.

The PDP leadership believes Rizvi was successfully "turned" by the BJP.

This followed a statement by senior BJP leader and Industries Minister Chandra Prakash Ganga, who said in Jammu that stone pelters were anti-nationals against whom bullets should be used.

PDP Vice President Sartaj Madni termed this "intimidating and insidious". He said the minister had contravened the decision of the state cabinet that had expressed anguish over the recent loss of precious human lives in the valley.

The BJP-PDP gulf widened further on Thursday after BJP General Secretary and pointsman on Jammu and Kashmir affairs, Ram Madhav, justified the army's action of tying a youth to the front of a jeep to avoid stone-pelting attacks in Budgam district.

Madhav said the action had saved many lives as the soldiers were outnumbered by protesters. The other option would have been use of bullets, which was avoided by the officer commanding the army detachment.

Madhav was even quoted as saying: "It's all fair in love and war."

These developments have come even as students' unrest over security personnel entering a college in Pulwama last week appeared to gather strength. Videos posted on social networking sites showed security personnel beating up students inside the college premises.

Spontaneous protests broke out in universities, colleges and schools of the Valley over the Pulwama incident. For the last four days, teaching in these institutions has remained suspended, in addition to suspension of mobile Internet services in the valley.

With these developments, Mehbooba finds herself between the proverbial rock and a hard place where her responsibilities as the Chief Minister and those as a pro-Kashmiri mainstream leader ironically appear at loggerheads with each other.

The BJP, with its right-wing ideology, is finding itself in a situation where it believes softening of attitude towards stone-pelters and separatists in the Valley would seriously dent its "strong nationalist image" in the Jammu region and in the rest of the country.

Entrenched in their stated positions, can the BJP and the PDP continue ruling the state in alliance?

Even going by the compulsions of politics, the continuance of the present coalition in Jammu and Kashmir looks highly improbable, if not outright impossible.

(Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@ians.in)
New Delhi, April 22 : It is not easy for now to forge a united opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but a challenge to him will emerge in 2019, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says.

The Congress leader also said in an interview that the country's oldest political party cannot do without the Gandhis and that Vice President Rahul Gandhi "is coming up well".

Speaking on a variety of subjects, Dikshit, who ruled Delhi for 15 long years until 2013, also said she would never, ever join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Asked about talks among opposition parties to take on the BJP, Dikshit said there was a lot of talk on an "anti-communal agenda".

"I do hope it (opposition unity) works out. But it has to be worked out very carefully. People have to learn to accept each other," Dikshit told IANS, and added: "They at the moment are individualistic.

"In the interest of the country, this will be good. Nothing has come out substantially so far," she added.

Dikshit asserted that the Congress needed the Gandhi family's "unchallenged leadership" -- a reference to party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi.

"The Gandhi family has served the country and the Congress for decades. The Congress ruled India for 70 years ... because of the guidance of the Nehru-Gandhi family."

Several Congress leaders have quit the party in recent months, in Delhi and elsewhere. Most have blamed Rahul Gandhi for providing "poor leadership".

Asked if she could ever join the BJP, Dikshit shot back: "No question, not even in my next birth... Ideologically, we are very different."

Answering a query, Dikshit said promoting local leadership was important for the Congress.

"Indiraji (Indira Gandhi) and Rajivji (Rajiv Gandhi) used to bring up local leaders... Little changes here and there in attitude may help us," she said, in an oblique reference to problems within the Congress.

Dikshit, who was initially named the Chief Ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, said state unit chief Raj Babbar and General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad must own up for the Congress rout in the state.

The Congress won only seven of the 105 seats it contested in the 403-member assembly.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was not to blame for the debacle, Dikshit said the responsibility of Uttar Pradesh was given to others. "They should take it, the PCC president was there, there was General Secretary, there were others also."

She admitted that the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance "didn't work. That's a separate matter. In democratic politics, there is always a risk. It can work sometime, sometimes it doesn't work".

But she called for a proper introspection and the party should analyse the reasons for the defeat.

Dikshit insisted that the Congress will find a leader when the time comes to take on Modi.

Asked if she saw anyone in the Congress as a challenge to Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, she said: "The Congress itself is a challenge. Don't underestimate it."

Asked about an individual in the Congress who could challenge Modi, she replied: "Within the Congress... within the Congress, (there is) no challenge."

Asked if there was a leader of Modi's stature in the Congress, Dikshit said: "(Former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh did a very wonderful job. What is happening today, it was started and conceptualised by Manmohan Singh. When the time comes, we'll find a leader."

She said Rahul Gandhi was "coming up well. And he is taking on challenges... I am sure he will succeed at the end of it all".

Dikshit said the upcoming organisational polls in the Congress would bring "new blood and churn the whole system".

(Sidhartha Dutta can be contacted at sidhartha.d@ians.in)
New Delhi, April 22 : Fresh after narrowly winning a referendum that gives him more powers in his current post, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to launch a new foreign policy initiative starting with a visit to India at the end of this month.

Erdogan, accompanied by the Turkish economy and trade ministers, will visit New Delhi on April 30 where he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"Erdogan will participate in Turkey-India Business Forum and will hold political talks with Indian leaders, particularly President Pranab Mukherjee," the report said.

"The agenda during the meeting is expected to be dominated by an improvement of bilateral economic and trade ties."

Erdogan last visited India in 2008 when he was his country's Prime Minister.

His talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be crucial in view of the crisis in Syria that includes the refugee problem and support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Following India, Erdogan will visit Sochi on May 3 where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Erdogan, who will discuss developments in Syria with Putin, will deliver the message that 'the conflict in Syria can be resolved if Russia adopts a constructive position and a political transition process can begin'," the report said.

Erdogan is likely to hold his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in the second half of May at the latter's invitation over telephone.

"The issues to be discussed at the White House include the extradition of Fethullah GAlen and restrictions on his followers in the US, developments in Syria, Turkey's sensitivities over the prospective role for the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in the upcoming Raqqa operation, as well as the countries' bilateral economic relationship," the Hurriyet Daily News report said.

Erdogan has blamed Turkish preacher and political activist Gulen, a former ally and now a US resident, for the botched coup attempt in July last year.

The Turkish President will also visit China where he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15 along with Putin and other regional leaders.

On May 25, he will attend a NATO summit in Brussels which "will also provide a good opportunity for Erdogan to hold bilateral meetings with some key European leaders", the report said.
Shillong, April 22 : Predicting Meghalaya's Congress-led government's downfall, BJP poll strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma has shown confidence that his party will win the people's mandate in the state in 2018.

Sarma, who is considered the chief architect of BJP's success in Assam and Manipur, was optimistic that Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will lose in the next assembly elections.

"My own assessment is that the people of Meghalaya will vote for (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and for development. We will have our own government," he told journalists on Friday.

"Our idea is to ensure that he and his brother (Sports and Youth Affairs minister Zenith M. Sangma lose in the elections. Do not be surprised if Sangma loses," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

Indicating that the BJP is gearing up to contest in all the 60 assembly seats, Sarma said: "We recognise that Meghalaya has a very unpopular government. Meghalaya has not seen the kind of development which the people of the state deserve."

"Therefore, in order to make Meghalaya a front-ranking state there should be a government which would be ready to implement Modi's vision both in letter and spirit."

"So in order to translate Modi's vision in Meghalaya, we need a vehicle which will be our own state government which will implement the Prime Minister's programmes of development for Meghalaya," Sarma noted.

Moreover, he informed that the party workers were working hard and the party organisation in the state was ready to take up challenges.

Election to the 60-member state assembly was scheduled to be held in February-March 2018.

Sarma said the BJP would also soon come out with a chargesheet against Sangma's government and "vision document" for Meghalaya.

"The chargesheet will reflect a complete mismanagement of governance and corruptions and underdevelopment and also many personal complicity of the Congress leadership in Meghalaya," the BJP leader said.

While ruling out Sangma's entry into the BJP-fold, Sarma said: "He (Sangma) will not be admitted into the BJP (although he had not applied to join)."

"Till he loses his own seat in the next election, none of us will meet him," he added.

Asked if the BJP would ask Sangma to merge with the saffron party in case of a hung assembly in Meghalaya, Sarma said, "If at all that situation arises, we have our friends in Meghalaya who are known for anti-Congress principles for decades."

"Why do we have to go with Sangma? Our idea is to ensure the way Sangma's wife lost in the Tura Lok Sabha by-election, his brother and Sangma should also lose the elections."

"We will work 24-hours to ensure Sangma does not get elected as MLA at all and you should forget of him even forming the next government," Sarma added.

When asked how the BJP could form government of its own in Meghalaya when the party did not even have a member in the assembly, Sarma said, "In Manipur too, we did not have any MLA; and from zero, today we are leading the government."

Sarma said: "I think zero is a lucky figure for the party wherever we had zero we have formed the government. Because we were zero, that is why we didn't have anti-incumbency and that is why people didn't have any grievances with the BJP. This gives us more confidence that yes we will come to power in Meghalaya."
Washington, April 22 : A young man accused of making a series of threatening phone calls to Jewish community centres across the US earlier this year was charged in two federal complaints, officials said.

Eighteen-year-old Michael Ron David Kadar, who holds dual Israeli and US citizenship, was arrested in Israel last month but police were still trying to determine his motive at the time, CNN reported.

"This kind of behaviour is not a prank, and it isn't harmless. It's a federal crime," said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey in a statement on Friday.

"It scares innocent people, disrupts entire communities and expends limited law enforcement resources."

The threats rattled Jewish community centres, schools and other institutions across the USs and abroad, but Kadar is specifically being charged for threats made in Florida and Georgia.

"These threats of violence instilled terror in Jewish and other communities across this country, and our investigation into these acts as possible hate crimes continues," CNN quoted Attorney General Jeff Sessions as saying.

It was not immediately clear when Kadar will make his first US court appearance or where that will take place, as he is not yet in the country.

The Anti-Defamation League welcomed the filing of criminal charges against Kadar.

"These threats were hate crimes that sparked widespread fear in these intentionally-targeted Jewish community institutions -- causing evacuations, significant service disruptions, program cancellations, and deep community anxiety," the Jewish civil rights organisation said in a statement.
FORSYTH  Urvashi Doshi and her family eventually gave in to the siren call of Forsyth.

Doshi and husband Nirav are immigrants from India, both engineers at Decatur's Caterpillar Inc. plant and both had lived in Decatur for about 11 years. They had long had their eye on Forsyth, however, and moved there last year after finding a house that just clicked with us, said Doshi, 38.

Forsyth, a village of about 3,700, is close to where they work, has pretty neighborhoods with walking and bike trails and, for the couple's children Tanish, 10, and 4-year-old Aadish, the family particularly liked the solid reputation of the Maroa-Forsyth School District.

And then there are quite a few other Indian families already in Forsyth, said Urvashi Doshi. We are a family that is very socially connected to our community, and we had lots of friends already in Forsyth, too. It was another factor compared to moving to a place like Mount Zion.

Forsyth's Indian residents have increased steadily over the past 30 years, and Mayor Marilyn Johnson, who has lived in the village for 50 years, has been happy to watch the numbers of her overseas constituents rise.

Having them here is an asset to our community and an asset to our school district, said the mayor, who believes society at large and kids in school are enriched by having contact with people from different cultural backgrounds. Johnson, who loves to go walking, says she is always bumping into Indian families out on the walking trails and makes a point of introducing herself.

She said the Indian families enjoy the small-town lifestyle and are delighted with the trails, village park, library and other amenities Forsyth has invested in to improve quality of life.

What we've done here has paid off for us, she said. Forsyth is a wonderful place.

And while Indian families immerse themselves in American down home culture  the mayor said the annual village Easter Egg hunt is very popular  they don't have to go far to encounter outposts of their ethnic heritage. Authentic cuisine is available right next to U.S. 51 at Forsyth's Maharani Indian Kitchen, for example.

Adjoining the Phillips 66 gas station, customers just passing through the station's convenience store area will be struck by the vast array of Indian grocery items butting up against familiar Midwest delicacies such as packets of Ding Dongs. Soon, however, the shelves give on to packets of Indian cooking essentials such as ginger, black cumin seeds and turmeric powder.

Beyond them lies the entrance to the Maharani establishment, full of mouth-watering aromas and signature dishes such as Murgh Makhani (butter chicken), which reflect the gastronomic talents of restaurant owner Rita Singh, who hails from northern India.

Asked to cook down the essence of the appeal of Forsyth living, Singh cuts straight to the basic food groups of life: The Indians feel safe here, they can buy a nice house here, they like the schools, she said.

Education is the guiding star of Indian life.

More than half of Indian immigrants in the United States obtain lawful permanent residence (also known as receiving a green card) through the employment-based preference, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

Compared to the overall foreign- and native-born populations, Indian immigrants are significantly higher educated, more likely to be employed, and have a higher household income, the think tank has reported.

Among other MPI findings: Indian immigrants tend to have much higher educational attainment compared to both the foreign- and native-born populations. In 2013, 76 percent of Indian immigrants (ages 25 and over) had a bachelors degree or higher, compared to 28 percent of all immigrants over 25 and 30 percent of native-born adults. Notably, among college-educated Indian immigrants, more than half had a graduate or professional degree.

Singh casually mentions that she holds a doctorate in physics and, before she got into the restaurant and gas station business (she and husband, Harjinder, own multiple stations) she worked in the field of semiconductors and specialized in improving stored memory capacity.

She said her education had given her a good job in India, too, but hard work in America offers bigger rewards.

Education wasn't always the immigrants' guiding star, however. According to MPI, Indian immigrants began arriving in the New World as early as 1820 and were largely uneducated farmers. Immigration was restricted by laws passed in the early 20th century but picked up again in the 1960s when more legal changes removed quotas linked to certain countries.

Later additions of more visa categories for skilled workers dramatically boosted an influx of highly skilled and educated Indians with strong English skills. Indian immigration jumped 10-fold between 1980 and 2013, the immigrant population here shooting from 206,000 to 2.04 million. And Indian migrants today receive the most H-1B skilled worker visas: of 316,000 such visas issued in fiscal year 2014, 70 percent went to Indian applicants.

India is also the second highest source (after China) of foreign students studying in American colleges and some 103,000 such students were registered in the 2013-14 academic year, according to MPI.

The big centers of Indian population stateside remain cities such as Chicago, but immigrants like gastroenterologist Dr. Sudhakar K. Sheth, say relatively quiet towns like Forsyth have their alluring charms.

First of all, it's a nice place, a quiet safe town, not much crime, said Sheth, 67, who came to America 40 years ago. He settled in Chicago but moved to Forsyth 15 years ago, after he set up practice with Decatur Memorial Hospital.

There is already an Indian community here you can socialize with, the mall is nearby along with restaurants, and the house prices are very reasonable compared to cities like Chicago or Cleveland, he said.

The doctor also likes the nearby highways which he says can put him in Chicago rapidly if he drives like he means it. Sheth and his wife, Meena, have an adult son and daughter living in Chicago, plus family and friends, and make the trek north about 10 times a year.

We can get there in 2 hours, he said.

But he has no plans to live in the Windy City again. My wife loves it in Forsyth because it gives her time to read, said Sheth, talking of the relaxed village atmosphere compared to Chicago's hectic social whirl. There is social activity here, but you don't have to do too much socializing, and the people here, the local people, are very, very nice.

The doctor is the current president of the Macon County Indian Association, a cultural group that arranges Indian cultural events.

About 75 families belong to the association, and one of the older established Forsyth families is the Patels: pediatric doctor Samir Patel, his wife Meghana and their children Raj, 21, and 16-year-old Ria, who has her heart set on becoming a dentist.

They built their new Forsyth home in 2000, and Meghana has been a leading light in the Indian Association.

It's all very laid back, very laid back, she said. But we try to have at least four functions a year. These mirror major festivals back home, such as Diwali, the festival of light, celebrated with elaborate rituals, decorations and food.

The Hindu religion of India man gods and manifestations of gods, and it's hard to pin down a common theme for celebrating their faith. There is no Hindu temple in Forsyth, for example, although most Indian homes have an area set aside for religious devotion.

Patel said ex-patriot Indians are as diverse as the country they came from: India has 29 states, more than 20 languages and 200 plus dialects, she said. So with every state you go to in India, they have a different way of speaking, a different way of presenting food, a different way of wearing clothing.

What unites them all in America, however, is they see this as a land of opportunity.

Drawing a sharp contrast with the land of his ancestors, Dr. Samir Patel said high school students in India take a crucial test that decides their whole future.

Let's say you have to score 85 percent or higher to get into the field of medicine, said Patel, who came to America when he was 8. If I took the standardized test, and I got an 82 or an 83, no matter how much I want to go to school to study medicine, and however much I may love it, I can't go. That's it. The schools won't let you in.

Meanwhile, in America, he's watched his children grow up in Maroa-Forsyth classrooms and knows for them, the opportunity to excel in college and career is real.

As long as you can do the required courses, you can major in whatever you want, he said with a broad smile. The opportunities here are endless, and that is the great thing about America.
Doha/Baghdad, April 22 : Twenty-six hostages, including members of Qatar's ruling family, were freed after being held for 16 months by unidentified gunmen in Iraq, the media reported.

According to a report in Al Jazeera, the men were freed on Friday and handed over to Iraq's Interior Ministry, but no further details were available on the release of the hostages.

Saudi Arabia welcomed the move and thanked the Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, for its efforts to ensure the release of Qataris, said the report.

Two Saudis were also part of the group, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

About 100 armed men seized the group of Qatari hunters, which included royal family members and also other nationals, from a desert camp for falcon hunters in southern Iraq in December 2015.

A Qatari royal and a Pakistani man were later freed.

Media reports connected the fate of the hostages to a complex deal, brokered in part by the Qatari government, to evacuate four besieged towns in Syria.

The deal -- a population swap between rebel and regime areas in Syria -- resumed following a car bomb that killed 126 evacuees from the northern Shia towns of al-Fu'ah and Kafraya last week.

A Qatari source told CNN that Qatar had helped sponsor the Syria deal, but denied that it had anything to do with the hostages in Iraq.

"In regards to the four towns agreement in Syria, Qatar has sponsored negotiations since the beginning of 2015," the source said.

"It's completely humanitarian and has nothing to do with Qatari hostages in Iraq."

Iraqi officials said they had "received" the group of Qatari "hunters". Iraq's Interior Ministry said their passports were checked, photographs and fingerprints taken before they were handed over to Qatari officials.
Washington, April 22 : The eggs rolled. The kids squealed in delight. The First Lady read "Party Animals". And the media grudgingly gave passing grade to Donald Trump for pulling off his first White House Easter Egg Roll.

The event "unfolded without incident after scheduling and organisational challenges had threatened to scuttle it", conceded the "failing" New York Times.

It was only half the size of Obamas' bash, but "despite concerns, all seemed to go off without a hitch", dittoed the Washington Post.

Having passed the "eggs-acting" test -- ostensibly without any Russian help -- the President returned to his favourite pastime: signing executive orders, sabre-rattling and media-bashing.

He sent an "armada" to warn a belligerent North Korea even as the said aircraft carrier was headed in the opposite direction, and accused Iran of "not living up to the spirit" of their nuclear deal, but was in no hurry tear it up as he had vowed.

Trump also issued an order to "Buy American and Hire American" to curb misuse of the coveted H-1B visa programme cornered by Desi techies. But to the relief of the IT industry any reforms would come another day -- "as soon as practicable".

"No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot..., media will kill!" the President tweeted as he entered the last leg of the proverbial sprint.

"The Fake Media (not Real Media) has gotten even worse since the election," he complained in another tweet. "Every story is badly slanted. We have to hold them to the truth!"

Meanwhile, the "dishonest media" of the left liberal ilk continued its favourite sport -- baiting Trump and hunting Russian bears.

A Russian government think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin had developed a plan to swing the 2016 election to Trump, suggested a Reuters report citing as always unnamed sources.

Their "strategy" was to create a buzz for the then underdog Trump through state-backed media outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik news agency -- little known in the US -- to influence American voters!

The Post citing its own anonymous sources reported that the FBI had obtained a secret court order last summer to spy on Carter Page, a Trump associate.

The investigative agency used an infamous "dossier" -- dismissed as "garbage" -- prepared by a former British agent for a Trump opponent to win court approval for the tap, reported CNN citing more unidentified sources.

FBI had also uncovered intelligence suggesting Russian operatives tried to use Trump advisers, including Page, to infiltrate the Trump campaign, claimed the channel dubbed "Clinton News Network" by Trump.

And it turns out even the "Calexit" campaign seeking California's secession from the US that gained some momentum after Hillary Clinton's stunning defeat, had a Russia connection.

Suddenly calling off the "Yes California Independence Campaign," its leader Louis Marinelli announced that he intends to "make Russia my new home".

He had moved to Russia because of a dispute with the US government over his wife's immigration status amid an "anti-Russian hysteria", Marinelli wrote in a farewell note.

The Times, often the butt of Trump's twitter tirade, also needled the Donald with two pictures comparing the crowd at a White House event honouring SuperBowl Champion New England Patriots with the one under Obama's watch.

Trump hit back with a swift counter-punch tweeting: "Failing @nytimes, which has been calling me wrong for two years, just got caught in a big lie concerning New England Patriots visit to W.H."

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a local pot group wearing red and green hats celebrated Happy 4/20 or April 20th, the high holy day of marijuana smokers, by giving out 1,000 free joints to lawmakers, their staffers and journalists.

Pot is legal in eight states and the American capital. But one can't smoke it in public in Washington. The show of "mass civil disobedience" in the capital was to demand access to pot across all 50 states.

A teetotaller commander-in-chief and his chief law officer Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who once said "good people don't smoke marijuana", however, are ready to snuff out their "pipedream".

But with all the shenanigans going on the American capital, who needs pot!

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
Chennai, April 22 : Actor Jayam Ravi, who plays a tribal character in upcoming Tamil forest-based romantic thriller "Vanamagan", has no dialogues in the film.

Actor Thambi Ramaiah, who plays a pivotal role in "Vanamagan", on Saturday lauded Ravi's conviction to accept such a role.

"Ravi's character is such that he has no dialogues in the film. It's not easy to play a role where you need to express everything through your body. Hats off to Ravi to accept this kind of role," Ramaiah told reporters on the sidelines of the "Vanamagan" audio launch.

Directed by Vijay, the film marks the debut of "Shivaay" fame Sayyeshaa.

Talking about Sayyeshaa, with whom Ramaiah shares most screen space in the film, he said: "Unlike most debutante heroines I have worked with, Sayyeshaa learnt the meaning of each dialogue and learnt her dialogues. Her commitment amazed me."

The film has music by Harris Jayaraj, and is gearing up for a May release.
Karachi, April 22 : The acting Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been sacked amid corruption charges, the media reported.

According to a PIA statement on Friday, Bernd Hildenbrand was ousted, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nayyar Hayat appointed as the new acting CEO of the national flag-carrier.

The German national, who on April 6 had gone on a 15-day leave, was barred from leaving Pakistan as his name is included in the Exit Control List, The News International reported.

Pakistan's investigation agency has launched a probe against Hildenbrand for leasing aircraft at inflated rates to a Sri Lankan airlines and for selling a PIA Airbus A310 aircraft to a German museum in violation of rules and regulations.

Hildenbrand has denied the charges.

"My conscience is clear. I haven't done anything wrong. There's no question of any corruption on my part. Whatever I did was to the best of my ability and in the best interest of PIA. All major transactions were made with the approval of Board of Directors and according to the rules," he said.

The PIA has lost millions of dollars due to the deal.

Hildenbrand, Procurement and Logistics Department Director Imran Akhtar Khan and Technical Consultant Helmut Bachhofner were earlier in April found guilty of causing a loss of over Rs 500 million to the PIA.
Itanagar, April 22 : The Congress Arunachal Pradesh unit on Saturday described as "immature and uncalled for" Chief Minister Pema Khandu's statement that the Indian state shares a border with Tibet and not China.

"The Chief Minister of a sensitive state like Arunachal Pradesh should not make any statement before going through the political status and history of Tibet, as recognised by the Indian government," state Congress President Takam Sanjoy said.

Sanjoy, a former Lok Sabha member, said Tibet as of today has the status of the 'Tibetan Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China'.

On April 14, New Delhi said there is no change in the Indian position that Tibet is a part of China and that it will continue to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue.

Khandu had allegedly said that Beijing has no right to threaten New Delhi on the Dalai Lama's movement within the country as India shares a boundary with Tibet and not China.

He said the McMahon Line in reality demarcates the territory between India and Tibet.

The McMahon Line, an imaginary border now known as the Line of Actual Control, is just 25 km from Tawang.

On Beijing's move to rename six places in Arunachal Pradesh, Sanjoy said: "The indigenous and ethnic people of Arunachal Pradesh have since the British Raj got integrated into the Indian mainstream.

"Some of the tribal leaders even participated in the Indian freedom struggle. Therefore, disputing Arunachal's status by China is absolutely absurd and beyond ethnic evidence," the Congress leader said.

"Arunachal Pradesh is without doubt an integral part of the Indian Union," he said.

On the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit to Arunachal this month, Sanjoy said it is a non-issue and the Chinese government's opposition to the visit was impulsive.
New Delhi, April 22 : The current government is not letting the "alternate media" -- organisations run by 'liberal' media persons -- grow, as they are critical of the establishment and stand by the marginalised, eminent journalists said here on Friday.

Speaking at the Jamia Milia Islamia's event 'Ainaa 2017', themed "The Other Side", veteran journalists spoke about the differences between working for "corporate" media houses and the free media spaces.

Senior journalist and political editor of The Caravan magazine, Hartosh Singh Bal, said: "The alternate media is getting into a resource crunch. This government is not going to allow its sustainability. Neither are the entrepreneurs looking into this sector."

"One cannot be a journalist and work in the corporate or mainstream media, which is a disheartening situation. We all have grown very scared of the word 'liberal'."

Seema Mustafa, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Citizen, an online news portal, also spoke on the same lines and said journalists of the present times will have to face many challenges.

"Real journalism involves standing up for the marginalised, the victims, and at the same time standing by the Constitution of India. And one has to oppose everything that can come in the way to report them, including the government," Mustafa said.

Addressing scores of journalism students of Jamia Milia, Mustafa asked them to choose between "mainstream media which has power and money, or real journalism - which is facing tough times".

Madhu Trehan, co-founder of digital media portal Newslaundry, also said the present government had been successful in managing the media.

"This government is far more clever in cutting the press, even if you are mildly critical. It is frightening," she said.

The event was part of the annual media festival by the Department of Convergent Journalism in Jamia Milia.

The students also showcased their work on topics they said "the mainstream media generally chooses to ignore".

Documentaries, projects and photographs produced by the students were also shown at the festival.
Mumbai, April 22 : Expressing concern over a suspected Islamic State sympathiser's arrest in Mumbra town in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena on Saturday said the Muslim-dominated town should be cleansed of "Islamic terror" elements to save the country.

The party said the town was on the route to becoming an "IS terror factory".

Mumbra, around 30 km to the north of Mumbai, is a town with around a one million population, with Muslims in majority.

An ancient port town famed for shipbuilding since 600 AD, it is named after Mumbra Devi, whose temple is located on the peak of a local hill.

In an editorial in the party mouthpieces 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana', the Sena said that even last year, some IS activists were nabbed from Mumbra and Vaijapur in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, including 'commander' Mudbir Sheikh, who was recruiting youths for the global terror group.

Now, the party said, a terror suspect Shamshad Ahmed Shaikh alias Nazim had been arrested from Mumbra on April 20. Nazim is one of the four suspected IS sympathisers arrested in a joint raid coordinated by police of six states, including the Anti-Terrorism Squads of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Sena recalled that a consignment of deadly RDX explosive used in the March 1993 Mumbai terror attacks was offloaded in a small creek near Mumbra town in 1993.

Some suspected activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and al-Qaeda were nabbed from Mumbra, four youths from neighbouring Kalyan town attempted to join the IS war, while one Mumbra boy Noor Mohammed Tambe alias Tabrez ran away from home to join the terror group, it said.

"This does not imply that all Muslim brethren in Mumbra are indulging in anti-national activities. But the fact remains that Mumbra is tainted as a mini-Pakistan. Worse, now it appears to be on the path to becoming an IS terror factory," the edit said.

While the latest ATS action has foiled terror designs, it remains to be seen when terror dens in Mumbra will be razed and "extremist snakes crushed forever".

The edit said there is an urgent need to launch 'Operation Mumbra' to cleanse the town of terrorist elements.
New Delhi, April 22 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said he was confident that "good people" who left the AAP will return to its fold.

"I always regret when people leave," the Aam Aadmi Party leader told IANS.

"I have always said that I am always hopeful that good people who left us due to differences ... will return to our fold in the future."

Kejriwal declined to take any names, however, in the interview.

Among those who left AAP are Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan whose Swaraj India is also fighting Sunday's municipal polls. A handful who quit AAP joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
New Delhi, April 22 : The Gujarat Traders Federation on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for easing the rules and structure of the upcoming pan India tax regime of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The federation reached out to Prime Minister Modi through a letter which pointed out various hindrances towards ease of doing business that will occur once the GST is implemented.

"As we learn about the GST rules adopted by GST council, which are being published now and in public domain, from the very structure it seems that it defeats and violates the very concept of Ease of Doing Business," the letter read.

"We on behalf of honest small traders, small medium enterprises (SME) of India request you to kindly intervene into the matter and use your kind office to make the provisions and rules vide GST more simple and implementable."
Mumbai, April 22 : Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan on Saturday visited the Western Naval Command here as part of his ongoing tour of India.

He interacted with its commander, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra and others and was given a conducted tour of the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Kochi.

Appreciating the strides being made by India in her indigenisation efforts, Sajjan highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada, the need for further cooperation, enhancing maritime and naval links and the visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Winnipeg here next month.

The discussions also explored continuing the current levels of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation against the backdrop of the current regional and global security environment which offer opportunities to the two countries to collaborate.

Sajjan's visit is a follow-up of the joint statement of April 2015 during the visit to Canada by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two countries are poised to enhance defence cooperation in the the fields of counter-terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace-keeping and naval cooperation.

HMCS Winnipeg is expected to visit India mid-May to carry out professional interaction and passage exercise with Indian Navy ships.

Sajjan, 46, was born in Bombeli village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district and had migrated to Canada in 1976 with his family. He is the first Sikh to serve as the Defence Minister of any other nation.
During a meeting with representatives of farming enterprises, Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan boasted that in ten years Armenias agricultural sector would be so advanced that foreigners would visit the country to learn how to farm effectively and efficiently.

Karapetyan told the farmers that the agricultural ministry has devised a plan to resolve all the problems facing the sector.

All our programs are directed to develop cooperatives, the investment of modern technologies, resolving the farm equipment problem, and to develop farm enterprises, Karapetyan said, adding that the government must take steps to make farming profitable.
Dehradun, April 22 : One of India's foremost writers and the most prominent face of the 2015 award wapsi campaign -- authors returning their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the alleged intolerance in the country -- Nayantara Sehgal, has said that the issue of nationalism is insignificant and a piece of nonsense.

"Nationalism is a piece of nonsense. There is no need for a country that has been free for 70 years to suddenly shout about nationalism. Those who are raising this slogan today -- the ruling party -- were nowhere to be seen when India was fighting for freedom. They were fast asleep on their beds. So what are they shouting about now," Sehgal asked the audience on the concluding day of the WIC India Dehradun Communnity Literature Festival.

The comments from the much acclaimed author came at a session titled "Nationalism in Digital India". The panel, apart from Sehgal, also included writers Kiran Nagarkar, Nandita Haksar and Harsh Mader. The discussion was moderated by journalist Rana Ayyub.

Sehgal alleged a "deal" to make people fall in line. She said that the ruling establishment wants everybody to agree with their ideology -- of Hindutva and of Hindutva of their definition -- and that all those who are in disagreement with this propagation is at the receiving end.

"We have a fascist regime in power. Muslims and minorities are being targeted," she added.

Sehgal also went on to inform the audience about the instances that had compelled her to return her Sahitya Akademi award.

The murder of three rational thinkers and writers, Sehgal said, shocked her but she was deeply pained by the silence of the Sahitya Akademi on the issue and she therefore returned her award in protest.
New Delhi, April 22 : A key member of an inter-state gun suppliers' gang has been arrested here along with a cache of firearms, which was to be delivered to a contact in the national capital, police said on Saturday.

Rajpal Singh, 35, was arrested on Wednesday evening after a brief scuffle with Delhi Police's special cell officers near a Delhi Transport Corporation depot in south Delhi's Nizamuddin area.

"We arrested Rajpal on a tip-off and recovered a bag from his possession carrying 30 semi-automatic pistols, one carbine and five live cartridges. The firearms were to be delivered to his contact in Delhi," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Yadav said.

Rajpal, a resident of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh, is the brother of Richhpal Singh, accused of manufacturing and supplying illegal arms since long.

"In the past six months, we have busted four different modules of Richhpal and arrested seven of his associates. We have recovered 106 semi-automatic pistols, one carbine, live cartridges and spare magazines from them," said the official.

According to him, Richhpal is the kingpin of this syndicate and a bulk supplier of illegal weapons in Delhi and adjoining states.

The official said that the arrest was part of a special drive against firearms suppliers, who sneak into Delhi for the illegal business from other parts of the country.

"It transpired that the illegal weapons were mainly pumped into Delhi from areas of Khargaon in Burhanpur of Madhya Pradesh and Munger in Bihar," he said.

The official claimed the special cell had arrested several members and kingpins and seized more than 400 sophisticated and semi-automatic weapons since January 2016.
Rome, April 22 : The presidential poll in France on Sunday will have a spill over effect on Italian politics as the country is also heading to general elections within months, said analysts.

Italian right-wing political groups could get a boost if France's euroskeptic National Front leader Marine Le Pen has a strong showing in the first round.

If moderate candidate Emmanuel Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boon for former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is seeking a political comeback, Xinhua news agency reported.

The vote in France is unlikely to be decisive and a second-round runoff is almost inevitable. Besides, the top four candidates -- conservative Francois Fillon, far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon, Le Pen and Macron -- are so close that it's almost impossible to predict the outcome, pollsters say.

Le Pen's success in the first round could help increase support in Italy for the anti-establishment, anti-euro Five-Star Movement led by comedian and activist Beppe Grillo, and especially for the Northern League, a separatist group that would like to revamp the ties between Italy and the European Union, an expert has said.

"If Le Pen and the National Front come in first on Sunday, it could energise the Northern League and encourage them to try to play a bigger role going forward," Alessandro Campi, a professor at the University of Perugia and the director of Italy's Institute of Politics, told Xinhua.

"On the other hand, if Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boost for Renzi."

Renzi, who is seeking a comeback in the upcoming elections, resigned in December after losing a referendum on proposed constitutional reforms.

According to Christian Blasberg, a contemporary history professor at Rome's LUISS University, a strong performance for Le Pen and her National Front could also send a strong signal in other ways.

"It is not really clear whether the anti-establishment wave that resulted in the Brexit vote (in Britain) and the victory of Donald Trump in the US is running out of speed or not," Blasberg told Xinhua.

"It seems like it may have paused in Europe now. But if Le Pen does well, it could show that this trend is still strong."

Gian Franco Gallo, a political analyst, said groups in Italy calling for the country to reject the euro could see their ranks grow if Le Pen and the National Front finish strong.

"It is likely that if the National Front does well, its high-profile criticisms of the euro currency will legitimise that view in the eyes of some," Gallo said.

Few analysts predict Le Pen will be elected President. Even if she makes it to the second round scheduled for May 7, the most likely scenario will be that backers of the defeated candidates will unite behind her rival.

That is what happened 15 years ago when Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, lost to Jacques Chirac by a big margin in the second round.
Dehradun, April 22 : The country's leading writers and intellectuals denounced nationalism and targeted the central government for propagating hate among the masses on the concluding day of a literature festival here on Saturday.

In what was an absolute one-sided discussion, authors Nayantara Sehgal, Nandita Haksar, Harsh Mander and Kiran Nagarkar -- all known to be from one school of thought -- publicly condemned nationalism at a session titled "Nationalism in Digital India" during the WIC India Dehradun Community Literature Festival.

The tone for the discussion was set by the moderator, journalist Rana Ayyub, who sort of shifted the discussion to the issue of nationalism under the NDA government, instead of a debate on nationalism in the digital age that the session otherwise promised.

Noted writer and intellectual Kiran Nagarkar was asked by the moderator to share his views on similarities between Donald Trump's America and Narendra Modi's India.

Reflecting his views on the "Muslim ban" in the United States, Nagarkar said that it was not right to single out one community, adding that Hindus are, in his own words, as much capable of terrorism as any other community in India.

He then said that he does not give a damn about nationalism and is yet a proud Indian.

"I am a proud Indian but I don't give a damn about nationalism. I don't want India to be a great country. I would rather want India to be a good country where all is loved, respected and where everybody's rights are protected," he remarked to a house-full audience, comprising mostly of students from the many reputed schools of this hill station.

Accusing the ruling establishment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of propagating hate among the masses, Nagarkar alleged that it hates questions.

"Hate is something that this regime thrives on. They breed contempt and hate," he maintained.

Harsh Mander, a former member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council and closely associated with the Congress party, said that there is a great churning about the idea of nationalism in contemporary times.

"Who does this country belong to? And on what conditions? What does it take to love the country," Mander asked the audience before stating that his idea of India is that this is the country that belongs to all and nobody has to prove his loyalty to belong.

"But it is a contested idea as some believe that India is a country of Hindu majority and you must be Hindus or subordinate to Hindus to belong here. This is not the country that our forefathers dreamt of. Also who gets to decide the idea of Hinduism? We live in an environment where to love your country, you have to hate," Mander, the author of several books on India, claimed.

This was soon followed by a relentless attack by acclaimed writer and a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Nayantara Sehgal.

She said the issue of nationalism is insignificant and a piece of nonsense.

"Nationalism is a piece of nonsense. There is no need for a country that has been free for 70 years to suddenly shout about nationalism. Those who are raising this slogan today -- the ruling party -- were nowhere to be seen when India was fighting for freedom. They were fast asleep on their beds. So what are they shouting about now," Sehgal asked the audience.

The much acclaimed author of "Rich Like Us" further alleged a "deal" to make people fall in line. She said that the ruling establishment wants everybody to agree with their ideology -- of Hindutva and of Hindutva of their definition -- and that all those who are in disagreement with this propagation are at the receiving end under the NDA regime.

"We have a fascist regime in power. Muslims and minorities are being targeted," she contended.

Sehgal also went on to inform the audience about the murders of rational thinkers and writers that had compelled her to return her Sahitya Akademi award in 2015.

The discussion, however, was primarily dominated by one school of thought -- the Liberal Left -- and lacked the "all-inclusive" and "diverse-viewpoints" that literature festivals claim to achieve and promote.

(Saket Suman is in Dehradun at the invitation of World Integrity Centre. He can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
Kabul, April 22 : At least 135 Afghan military personnel were killed and over 60 wounded in a deadly attack by the Taliban on an army corps base in Mazar-e-Sharif city in Balkh province. The toll is expected to rise, an official said on Saturday.

The attack was condemned by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NATO and Afghan CEO Abdullah Abdullah among others.

Taliban militants dressed as army men stormed the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city, during Friday prayers. Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces, Tolo news reported.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement said the attack was a retribution for the killings of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan, according to reports.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," said Indian Prime Minister Modi.

In a separate statement, India's External Affairs Ministry said the terror attack is "a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders".

It said that India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be.

A local official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.

Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said Taliban militants wearing Army uniforms stormed the compound during Friday prayers.

The militants entered the base in a military vehicle and began shooting at the soldiers as they prayed at a mosque in the base.

A spokesman said that 10 militants were killed by the forces.

Afghanistan CEO Abdullah Abdullah has condemned the "cowardly" attack".

"What Taliban did in Mazar today (Friday) was against all values," he said.

Former President Hamid Karzai tweeted: "I condemn in strongest terms the terrorist attack on our military base in Mazar-e-Sharif that killed and wounded many of our brave soldiers."

The NATO Resolute Support Mission also condemned the attack, calling it reprehensible.

General John Nicholson, Commander of NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the attack "shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban".

"All of us condemn such murderous and reprehensible actions."

The statement also reaffirmed the NATO's support to the Afghan forces.

"The Afghan National Defence and Security forces and the people of Afghanistan have my personal assurance that we will continue to stand with them. We support our valuable friends and partners in the fight against terrorism," it said.

The attack came just two days after Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi visited the base during a trip to Balkh.

It is the second major attack on an Afghan military installation in 2017.

The Taliban in March attacked Sardar Mohammad Daoud military hospital here killing at least 50 persons.

The attack is the deadliest in Afghanistan since July 2016, when two Islamic State suicide bombers killed 80 Hazara protesters.
New Delhi, April 22 : Even as the world celebrated the 48th Earth Day on Saturday, over a hundred farmers from drought-hit Tamil Nadu were seen protesting in the national capital along with the skulls of their kin, who chose to kill themselves as deficit rains for the fourth year in a row spelt doom for them.

While many would dismiss it as "just a political issue", environment and climate experts call it a grim reminder of what went wrong in the past and a sign of caution for what the future has in store for us.

Since the Earth Day in 2016 -- the day over 120 countries signed the landmark Paris Agreement -- to this April 22, much has changed.

Since 2016, which turned out to be the warmest year ever, recording a rise of over 1.6 degrees Celsius temperature, a polar ice chunk about the size of India is on verge of vanishing, about 26 million lives had been pushed into poverty due to Climate Change and UNESCO declared 31 natural and cultural world heritage sites as vulnerable to global warming.

Prior to 2016, the preceding 2015 and 2014 were the warmest years and in the same order.

According to National Geographic, the Syrian civil war was ignited by a "historic drought" that pushed farmers to cities, implying that it's the climate change which ignited one of the worst conflicts of our times, forcing hundreds of thousands out of Syria.

To make the situation worse, a day after the Paris Agreement was ratified at the Marrakech Climate Conference in Morocco, on November 9, 2016, a vocal opponent of climate change Donald Trump was declared elected as the United States President.

This year, the Earth Day -- themed "Environmental and Climate Literacy" -- marks the first anniversary of Paris Climate Agreement that bounds over 200 parties, including the US, to work for bringing down the global temperature by 1.5 degrees.

"As an Indian, I feel that unfortunately we are losing our emotional connect with the environment. We have so many festivals related to environment and agriculture, it's so deep rooted... yet, whatever environmental education we are getting is being treated like just another subject," said Harjeet Singh, global lead on climate change at Action Aid.

"I feel that somewhere our development models are killing nature," said Singh, who is among many who foresee a grim situation in the near future -- especially when hundreds of farmers demonstrate in New Delhi, as climate change forced them to wear skulls of the dead farmers.

"Those farmers are the victims of climate change. Since 2000, 16 out of 17 years have been warmer than those in the per-industrial era. Erratic rains, depleting underground water, vanishing natural streams... All because we have become so greedy," Singh added.

According to Rajendra Singh, known as India's Water Man, about 73 per cent of the ground water aquifers are in "overdraft", which means we have extracted more water than the recharge.

A recent WaterAid report said that 75,777,997 people, or about six per cent of India's population, do not have access to clean water.

According to Dr S.K. Sarkar, Director of Water Division at The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri), by 2050, India will become water-scarce country.

As for this year's theme, climate literacy, many experts believe that it is already too late to realise that "climate change is a reality"; the world should instead be preparing to work on climate change adaptations.

"Climate education has increased but there is more emphasis on the adverse effects of climate change, while the need of the hour is to know how to deal with the climate change and how to adapt to it and lessen its effects," said Professor C.R. Babu, whose brainchild Delhi's Yamuna Bio-diversity Park is helping in revival of the wildlife around the national capital.

According to Suruchi Bhadwal, Associate Director, Earth Science and Climate Change Division, Teri, "the global action, negotiations and talks on climate change should have started at least a decade back and the awareness part even before that".

Is that a grim caution or the last chance for self-assessment and improving the policies remains a question.

Meanwhile, the Earth Day Network (EDN), a global environmental movement, brings a ray of hope.

"EDN has set a target to bring environmental literacy among 10 million youths and one million women in India in the next one decade," Karuna Singh, Director -- Earth Day Network (EDN), India, told IANS.

(Kushagra Dixit can be reached at kushagra.d@ians.in)
Bhopal, April 22 : A BJP MP's purported comments that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got "married but didn't set up his household" was released on Saturday and has gone viral over social media.

The comments by Jyoti Dhurve, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker from Madhya Pradesh's Betul (ST) constituency, is said to have come while discussing construction of a building for a proposed Kendriya Vidyalaya in Betul district. She could not be contacted to confirm or deny it.

As per the audio clip, a local journalist who identified himself as Yogesh Soni called up Dhurve to discuss the matter and plead that the school commence this session.

The MP, expressing annoyance, said: "The Prime Minister says to connect with the people, public money will be spent, not from the Prime Minister's fund. He (Modi) got married but didn't set up his household."

The comment has created a stir. While Dhurve could not be reached for reactions, BJP chief spokesman Deepak Vijayvargiya told IANS that all she said on this clip that she had never spoken anything like this and only talked about development.
New Delhi, April 22 : The Delhi BJP unit on Saturday filed a police complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his Facebook post, which urged the voters not to vote for them (BJP) if they want to get rid of dengue and chikungunya-like diseases.

In the complaint, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also alleged that Kejriwal had violated Model Code of Conduct by posting "offending election material" on Facebook and also "campaigned beyond the prescribed time through his social media handles".

A team of lawyers led by some BJP leaders filed the complaint at the North Avenue Police Station on the direction of Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari.

The BJP also requested the Delhi Police to block Kejriwal's Facebook account.

The Delhi Chief Minister was also accused of impinging on the right of voters by threatening them via the video in which he said if the people of Delhi voted for the BJP, their children would fall prey to diseases like dengue and chikungunya.

Member of the BJP's legal team Neeraj, who submitted the complaint on behalf of the party, said he was "feeling apprehended" after watching the video.

"Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi and if he threatens the voters with dire consequences (dengue and chikungunya) for voting for the BJP, it clearly creates an apprehension in the mind of the voter," Neeraj said.

On Thursday, Kejriwal had said the people of Delhi would risk their children's lives if they voted for the BJP in the civic polls, during a Facebook Live event.

"If you vote for the BJP and if your child falls prey to chikungunya or dengue, you are responsible for it. I can offer free treatment to your child in (the Delhi government) hospitals, but why should children suffer at all?"
Belagavi (Karnataka), April 22 : A six-year-old girl slipped into an open borewell in a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district on Saturday, said a police official.

"The girl, Kaveri slipped into the open borewell and is stuck at about 30 feet depth," Belagavi Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters.

The incident at Jhunjarawadi village in Athani taluk of the district occurred late in the evening when Kaveri was playing with her friends near the dry borewell.

"Oxygen is being supplied to keep the girl alive, as she was heard crying and efforts are being made to rescue her by all means," said Gowda, who was at the spot.

The district authority has summoned a team of National Disaster Response Force from Pune to rescue the hapless victim.

"We are waiting for the NDRF team to reach here by midnight and launch rescue operation as it has the expertise," added Gowda.
Dubai, April 23 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) welcomed the release of the abducted Qatari and Saudi citizens after 16 months captivity in Iraq, media reports said.

The UAE on Saturday conveyed "greetings to the leadership and people of the brotherly State of Qatar" in a statement released by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Xinhua news agency reported.

According state-run WAM news agency, altogether 26 hostages, among them members of Qatar's ruling royal family Al-Thani, were released on Friday after being held as hostages for 16 months in Iraq.

Gargash described the abduction of Qatari and Saudi citizens as an uncalled-for act, adding that the ordeal they went through was a reflection of the looming tension in the region.

He also expressed appreciation to the role of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and the Iraqi government in securing the release of the abducted citizens.

"The terrorism in the region feeds on chaos and instability," he said, calling for rallying international efforts "to stand against terrorism and to eliminate its roots".
The newly built Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church opened its doors today to hundreds of the faithful at a consecration ceremony in Gumburdo, a village in Georgias Akhalkalaki region.

This is the 50th church built and reopened in Samtskhe-Javakheti since 2001, said Fr. Babgen Salbiyan, Vicar General of the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tzalka Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia.

Church construction was financed by local residents, Khacho and Sayad Saharyan.

Gumburdo, located nine kilometers from the town of Akhalkalak, is one of the largest villages in the Akhalkalaki region. The road is currently paved with sand and soon to be asphalted.

Holy Ascension, another church in Gumburdo, was built and consecrated in 946 by Bishop Hovhannes. Georgians claim it to be theirs. The matter has caused disputes between local Armenians and Georgians.

Georgias Cultural Heritage Protection Agency is in the process of restoring the cross-dome style church. Hamlet Movsisyan, head of the Akhalkalaki Regional Council, says that they aim to develop tourism here.

Residents are proud to mention that although there are people who leave Gumburdo to work abroad, the number isnt high. There are around 2,800 inhabitants in the village and more than 330 children attend the school.

During church services, village boys amused themselves by playing fishka (dibs).

After the liturgy, the sacrificial meal was shared with those in attendance.

Local dance groups and those from Armenia performed to the delight of the crowds.
Marcia Coulson with Lauren McIntosh

The 2017 Colorado Manufacturing Awards celebrates Innovation in Manufacturing. Awards recognized outstanding manufactures in 10 categories with over 30 nominees and well as the first-year award for 2017 Manufacturing Women of the Year. Women in Manufacturing presented the new award and the event was hosted by CompanyWeek and Manufacturers Edge, among other sponsors.

The Colorado Manufacturing Woman of the Year award is to recognize an individual woman who has distinguished herself in a manufacturing organization, her profession, and her community. The recipient of the Colorado Manufacturing Woman of the Year award epitomizes the values of growing manufacturing opportunities and represents the best of who we are as women and as leaders. Marcia Coulson, President of Eldon James, was honored as the recipient of the 2017 Manufacturing Woman of the Year amongst four well deserving finalists. The winners of this years awards were nominated by peers and selected by a three-judge panel.

About the Eldon James Corporation

Eldon James, celebrating 30 years of innovation, is a woman owned, Colorado based manufacturer with an international reach in the medical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, food, beverage, industrial and automotive industries. A leading U.S. manufacturer of plastic tubing and fittings, Eldon James has developed innovations that are all PVC free and BPA free.

Support. Promote. Inspire.

Women in Manufacturing is a more than 700-member-strong national association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. This group encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers.

CompanyWeek  April 17, 2017

https://companyweek.com/articles/colorado-manufacturing-awards-2017-innovation-in-the-spotlight
Our Grand Opening Sales Debut at The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages provides an unparalleled opportunity for homeownership in one of Puget Sounds most sought-after neighborhoods.

Valerie Burmester, a top-producing real estate broker for Realogics Sothebys International Realty (RSIR), announced today the official grand opening of The Juanita Farmhouse Cottagesa collection of eight individual, fee-simple homes ranging in size from 1,490 to 1,632 sq. ft. located at 9427 NE 128th St in Kirkland, WA. The homes are offered from $879,000 with special financing requiring just 10% down payment and rates starting at just 2.50% (2.625% APR) on approved credit. See broker for details, terms subject to conditions.

Our Grand Opening Sales Debut at The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages provides an unparalleled opportunity for homeownership in one of Puget Sounds most sought-after neighborhoods, said Burmester, the lead broker for Team Burmester of RSIR. For those that desire a brand new, single-family home with attainable financing options and the latest in high-tech features, weve got your address.

Burmester reports that four of the eight homes have been sold and all homes are released for sale, either as a presale for those plans not yet built or for immediate occupancy. The special financing offer will extend for all new home sales provided the offer to purchase occurs in the month of April 2017. The model home and sales center for The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages will be opening Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23 from, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

The cottage zoning is unique the City of Kirkland and in other neighborhoods on Bainbridge Island. Under the plan, larger lots are permitted to be short platted into smaller lots; and single family homes of around 1,500 sq. ft. are permitted (about half the size of a typical new construction home), providing an alternative to a condominium.

The cottage zoning offers the best of both worlds, adds Burmester. We provide the independence and pride of ownership of a single family home on a lot you own but also the lock and leave lifestyle that are so popular with condominiums, but without the high HOA dues or homogeneous floor plan limitations.

Unlike the commodity of a condominium, Burmester notes that each of the nine cottages were named after trees found on the one acre property and in fact, numerous elements of the former, century old farmhouse were incorporated into the final homes. While paying homage to a historic past, The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages are futureproof, including the latest in high-tech amenities such as standard electric vehicle charging stations in the garages. A centralized common area includes a guesthouse for nightly rentals and a great room for social gatherings, while a neighborhood pea patch and outdoor amenities foster a sense of community. The new development is within walking distance of the Juanita Village, home to a regional shopping center for residential services and lifestyle retail and restaurants, while the nearby Juanita Beach provides access to Lake Washington.

The City of Kirkland is one of the fastest-growing areas in the Puget Sound and home to substantial employers including a large Google campusas well as a new facility for Tableau, which is under construction at. Kirkland Urban; a new development in the heart of Kirkland which will feature 390,000-square feet of Class-A office space, 140,000-square feet of retail, 185 apartments, and 1,700 parking spaces. An abundance of jobs and an enviable, more village-like lifestyle has made the City of Kirkland and its many lakeside neighborhoods among the most popular and a preferred alternative to the high-rise living and greater density in the City of Bellevue. Kirkland was recognized as a Top Neighborhood to Live by Fundreds and Niche in 2017 and has experienced median home price increases of for the first quarter of 2017, year-over-year, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. With new construction properties boasting a median asking price of about $977,000, market experts believe The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages provides attainable price points and a lower threshold to own when compared with the surrounding area.

This opportunity arrives at a time when median home prices are rising quickly and renters and recently relocated executives are eager to find alternatives to the regions steep rents while benefiting from income tax deductions on the heels of Tax Day, said Dean Jones, President and CEO of RSIR

Jones believes that the area where The Juanita Farmhouse Cottages is located (comprising zip code 98034), as in much of Seattle and the Eastside, has seen many would-be homebuyers incubating in apartment communities and renting single family homes. He acknowledges that inbound residents not planning to stay for more than two or three years would be more likely to rent. Indeed, 42.7 percent of residents here are renting; and the population boom has witnessed more than 3,000 households move to this part of Kirkland, according to recent census data. Like the rest of the metropolitan region, that new growth in this area has been served almost exclusively by rental housing as developers reap the rewards of high rents and low cap rates. In a report published by RSIR for Tax Day, analysts confirmed that tenants of approximately 13,000 newly occupied apartment units in downtown Seattle built since 2010 missed an estimated $60 million in likely income tax deductions and perhaps as much as $600 million worth of capital appreciation during the most current tax year alone. See broker for details.

We are simply not building enough housing for purchase in the region and median home prices will continue to rise, adds Jones. We are going to feel this compounding effect on housing, especially in desirable neighborhoods that are closest to job centers. Until we benefit from the full expansion of Sound Transit 3, which is measured in decades of work and billions in costs, I view the development of infill condominiums and cottage-type housing as not just much needed diversity but vital to the prospect of attainable homeownership.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to register online for priority sales information at http://www.JuanitaFarmhouseCottages.com.

About Realogics Sothebys International Realty (http://www.RSIR.com) - Artfully uniting extraordinary homes with extraordinary lives, Realogics Sothebys International Realty is a leading global sales and marketing brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest. Recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal amongst the fastest-growing private companies in Washington State for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 the boutique real estate firm of 190+ brokers consistently rank among the top producing firms within the markets that it serves with branches in downtown Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland, Issaquah and now Madison Park.
The Athos Group is proud to announce that Tim Foley, former United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge and Director of Security for Spectra Energy, has joined the company as Director of Security Risk Management.

Tim has nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, special event and major security project management, executive/brand protection and corporate security services. His successes leading security programs within a Fortune 500 company for the past six years have been used as benchmarks for others in the corporate security arena.

At Spectra Energy, Tim developed and led programs for the protection of critical operations and personnel in one of North Americas premier pipeline and midstream companies. The companys operations in the United States and Canada included more than 22,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil pipelines, nearly 305 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage, as well as natural gas gathering and processing, and local distribution operations.

His 23-year Secret Service career included serving as the Agent in Charge of the agencys Office of the Chief Counsel, protecting the President and First Family in the U.S. and abroad, and participating in the planning and operation of numerous National Special Security Events such as Democratic and Republican National Conventions, three Presidential Inaugurations, and the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The Athos Group is proud to add a federal law enforcement veteran and security industry expert to its leadership roster as they continue to innovate new ways to serve their clients across the nation.

The Athos Group, formerly known as Innovative Surveillance Solutions, is an off-duty law enforcement and project security management company committed to protecting their clients people, assets, and customers. Comprised of former law enforcement executives, corporate security directors and successful business sector leaders, they employ only the most qualified staff and active law enforcement officers and consulting professionals in each region they serve. With the assistance of over 4,000 police officers, Athos provides effective and responsible support to more than 200 corporate and large retail clients throughout the U.S. To learn more, visit them online: http://www.athosgroup.com
Join The SPIRIT WALK - Raising Money For Local High Schools on May 20th, 2017!

According to Up2Us Sports, 27% of U.S. Public High Schools will eliminate their activity programs by the year 2020 because the schools, parents and students cannot generate enough financial support on their own to keep these programs viable. For some families these extra-curricular activity costs are already out of reach. Recognizing the vital role and impact school programs have on student lives, the SPIRIT Walk seeks to enhance the traditional funding mechanisms available to schools.

Parents, grandparents, alumni, students, booster clubs and other community groups from each of these school communities are encouraged to set aside their rivalries and join together on May 20th. Registration is $10 and there is a $50 fundraising minimum. Kids 12 & under are free. There are also great incentive prizes for individuals and corporate teams who exceed those minimums.

Pledges are 100% tax-deductible. 100% of the net proceeds of the SPIRIT Walk will be donated to the participating SPIRIT schools based on donors preference. To learn more about the SPIRIT Walk, to register or pledge please visit http://www.ahcuspiritfoundation.org or call 763.422.0290.

Anoka Hennepin Credit Union (AHCU) was founded by teachers and staff of the Anoka Hennepin School District in 1963. The Centennial, Forest Lake and St. Francis school districts are now also served by AHCU. Anoka Hennepin Credit Union now serves persons who live, work, worship or attend school in Anoka, north Hennepin, north Washington and south Chisago counties. The SPIRIT Foundation was incorporated in 2016 to address looming funding challenges for extra-curricular activities at our local SPIRIT high schools and other youth focused non-profit organizations. To learn more about AHCU please visit http://www.ahcu.coop.
A suspect has been arrested in the murder of Dimitry Yalpayev, a Russian soldier attached to the 102nd Russian army base in Gyumri, whose mutilated body was discovered on April 22 in Gyumri, Armenias second largest city.

The suspect, whose identity hasnt been published by law enforcement, is said to have a history of psychological problems when serving in Armenias military.

Armenias Investigative Committee says that the suspect, on several occasions, engaged in self-mutilation. He was later transferred to a defense ministry hospitals psychiatric ward.

A psychiatric evaluation found the suspect unfit for military service, and he was discharged.

Photo: Azatutyun Radio
Rock Island County Republican precinct committeemen elected Mike Steffen, of Moline, as the new party chairman for the county in a special election Thursday.

Mr. Steffen has served as acting Republican Party chairman since Bill Bloom resigned the post last month to take a contract position with Deere & Co. Mr. Steffen will serve out the last year of Mr. Bloom's four-year term.

Mr. Steffen is also a member of the Rock Island County Board, representing District 20. He is a retired teacher.

Mr. Steffen has held the post of Rock Island County Republican chairman before  in May 2013, he was elected to serve the last year of Susie Carpentier's four-year term after she resigned as Rock Island County Republican chairwoman.

The following year, Mr. Bloom narrowly defeated Mr. Steffen in a race for county chairman, with Mr. Steffen taking the post of first vice chairman. The two worked closely together the past three years guiding the party organization, both men said.

Mr. Bloom nominated Mr. Steffen for the chairman's post on Thursday at the party headquarters in Rock Island. No other candidates were nominated.

"Everything we do as a party this year must focus on two things: inviting new people into our GOP and raising money for our 2018 candidates," Mr. Steffen said in his acceptance speech.

"During the last three years, we have accomplished much  revised bylaws, established committees, communicated with the media, connected with diverse groups of people, participated with Young Republicans at Augustana, and elected a state senator (Neil Anderson, of Rock Island) and a state representative (Tony McCombie, of Savanna) working for the people of Illinois."

The party should work on filling vacant precinct committeemen slots and recruiting candidates for county offices, county board and the 72nd District state representative race, he said.

"You can also help us recruit quality candidates," he told the precinct committeemen present. "We need more Andersons and McCombies."

Also elected on Thursday were Drue Mielke, of Coal Valley, as first vice chairman, and Russell Christ, of Rock Island, as second vice chairman. Both ran unopposed.
GENESEO -- Clergy are set to join with area residents at Geneseos annual Mayors Prayer Breakfast.

The event, from 6:45 to 8 a.m. May 4 at the Geneseo Moose Lodge, 1025 S. State St., is sponsored by the Geneseo Ministerial Association and is open to all area residents. Doors will open at 6:40 a.m.

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Botsford, senior chaplain for the Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, is the keynote speaker.

The Rev. Mark Graham, pastor at Grace Church and treasurer of the Ministerial Association, said, Last year, every available seat was taken. We are encouraging groups to reserve tables of eight, but individual reservations also are welcome.

Even with our diverse faith backgrounds, the breakfast is an opportunity to celebrate what we have in common, which is our faith in God and our hope to bring unity to leadership in Geneseo, he said.

Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased from Grace United Methodist by calling 309-944-4208.

The idea for the Mayors Prayer Breakfast originated with the Rev. Chris Ritter, directing pastor at First United Methodist Church, Geneseo.

Four years ago on the National Day of Prayer, he and two others gathered outside Geneseo City Hall to pray for their community, state and nation.

I decided then that Geneseo could do a better job of commemorating this important event, Rev. Ritter said. Since our U.S. presidents convene a Presidential Prayer Breakfast with the help of religious leaders throughout the country, I saw no reason why the Geneseo Ministerial Association could not help our mayor to hold an event on the community level."

The Rev. Stephen Palm, pastor at Geneseo Evangelical Free Church and president of the Ministerial Association, said, Many Christians are unaware of the fact that we live in a country where the law requires the president of the United States to set aside a day for prayer.

It is our privilege to do our part to support this national observance of Gods blessing, and to pour out our hearts to Him, he said.

Mayor Kathy Carroll-Duda will give the welcome with representatives of area churches leading brief prayers.

I think the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast is a wonderful idea that will hopefully become a long lasting tradition," she said. "Religion and prayer has been an important foundation in our community since its formation back in 1836. To bring to light the celebration of the National Day of Prayer shows that it is still important to our community today, 180 years later.

We are at a crucial time in our nation and throughout the world. Our leaders need continued prayers at every level. I believe that, through our prayers, we can bring peace to our community, our nation and the world.

"When I look back on my life, some of the greatest work I've ever done was done through prayer," Mayor Carroll-Duda said.
TOKYO (AP)  A Japanese government panel on Friday endorsed Emperor Akihito's apparent desire to abdicate as an exception, but avoided a key question of succession amid a declining royal population.

The six-member advisory panel in its final report proposed allowing Akihito to abdicate under legislation that would be specially drafted only for him, to prevent future emperors from easily following suit.

The report detailed procedures such as the title, status and roles for an abdicated emperor and his heir, but avoided divisive issues such as whether women should be included in the current male-only succession amid concerns about the shrinking royal population, including successors to the throne.

Last August, the 83-year-old Akihito expressed his apparent wish to abdicate, citing his age and health. The elder of the two sons, Crown Prince Naruhito, is first in line to the Chrysanthemum throne.

The government will now write legislation for a parliamentary approval.

Akihito would be the first emperor to abdicate in 200 years. Media reports say officials are considering his abdication at the end of next year, when Akihito turns 85 and marks 30 years on the throne.

Akihito's possible abdication highlights the larger issue of aging royals and a shortage of successors in Japan's 2,000-year-old monarchy  concerns also reflected in wider Japan's aging and declining population.

Akihito has another son, who is six years younger than the crown prince, but only one of his four grandchildren is male.

Under the current Imperial House law, only male descendants can inherit the title, and female members are stripped of their royal status when they marry a commoner.

Ultra-conservative lawmakers of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling party, which dominates the Japanese parliament, oppose changing the practice as the model of the patriarchal Japanese society. However, liberal-leaning academics and lawmakers favor a broader change to the succession rules to modernize social values and make the monarchy sustainable.
In 1948, there were large numbers in attendance at church on Easter Sunday. There were also many Easter-related activities in that pre-television era during Easter weekend.

At an Easter dawn service at Wharton Field House, Moline, People of many faiths began crowding into the field house long before the services were scheduled to begin at six oclock, wrote The Rock Island Argus.

Rev. Emil R. Boline read the Easter story. The sermon on The Risen Lord was delivered by Bishop John A. Gregg, described as a world famous black spiritual leader. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof of Christianity," said Bishop Gregg, according to The Argus. Jesus comes to us when we need him most. His name brings peace, comfort and solace. Therefore, peace be unto you this morning, no matter your troubles, Jesus will help you, said Bishop Gregg.

Bishop Gregg was leader of the African Methodist Church in North Central United States and envoy of President Franklin Roosevelt. Bishop Gregg and Chaplain John A. DeVeaux traveled the world on behalf of President Roosevelt as part of an effort to obtain rights denied to black Americans that were being asked to fight a war to defend a country that espoused them.

A 400-voice choir, the Moline Inter-School Treble Choir, directed by Frederick Swanson, sang at the service. A trumpet sextet, directed by E.E. Youngdahl, played sacred music. The Augustana college choir sang the Hallelujah Chorus from Handels Messiah at the end of the service.

Tens of thousands of persons in Rock Island went to services at the churches of their choice, said The Argus. Churches reporting included: Central Presbyterian, 700; Greater Wayman African Methodist, 200; Emmanuel Lutheran, 1,004; and First Methodist, 1,222. Four Catholic churches: St. Josephs, St. Marys, St. Pauls and Sacred Heart, were filled at all Masses.

On the Saturday before Easter Sunday, 1,750 children invaded Prospect Park in Moline for an Easter egg hunt. The event was sponsored by the Moline Optimist Club and the Moline Playground and Recreation Dept..

East Moline held its annual Easter Egg Hunt at Butterworth Park. Prizes included passes for the Majestic and Strand theaters.

The first Easter egg rolling contests were initiated on the White House lawn during the presidency of President Rutherford B. Hayes. His term was from 1877-81. Mrs. Hayes began the custom of inviting children to the White House on Easter for the event.

On Saturday night, 2,000 adults attended the Masonic Temple in Davenport to listen to Wayne King and his 18-piece orchestra. Wayne King, known as The Waltz King, grew up in the Iowa Soldiers Orphans home. King sang as well as played the saxophone. One of the favorite songs he sang was, I Wonder Whose Kissing Her Now. The musical group received an ovation when they played Josephine written by the clarinetist Burke Bivens.

Cornelia Otis Skinner was booked at the Orpheum Theater in Davenport. She was starring in an Oscar Wilde comedy, Lady Windermeres Fan.
Seventy-one years ago, Great Britain and the United States signed the 1946 UKUSA Agreement  an unprecedented intelligence alliance that quickly incorporated Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Thus the Five Eyes intelligence community was born. The partnership  based on mutual trust and the realization that intelligence sharing could provide huge national advantages  came of age in the Cold War as an alliance spanning the globe to meet the political and military threat posed by the Soviet Union. It found renewed purpose after 9/11, combating transnational terrorist networks and supporting the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Throughout its history, the Five Eyes alliance allowed its members to pool their complementary capabilities for mutual benefit.

But the alliance may now be facing its greatest challenge  precisely because it no longer faces a single predominant threat. The intelligence communities of all five nations must now contend with self-radicalized terrorists at home, master an entire new domain of cyber threats, and remain ahead of Russia and China. And the Five Eyes must do all this while recruiting and retaining the best staff, allaying concerns over civil liberties, and managing the wavering political will for international cooperation. Can the Five Eyes partnership survive in this environment while minimizing painful trade-offs and capability cutbacks?

What's Old Is New Again

The Five Eyes alliance faces a range of challenges that is unprecedented in breadth.

First, the partnership must meet the latest manifestation of its traditional targets, specifically Russia and China. Russian intervention in Syria, its expanded military presence in the Mediterranean and its revived Active Measures cyber and disinformation campaigns have led to an explosion in demands on the intelligence community. These activities, coupled with Russia's use of cyber capabilities to achieve its political goals, have renewed fears in Five Eyes capitals and among NATO partners about Russian intentions.

Meanwhile, China's provocative military build-up, its assertive behavior in the South and East China Seas, and its cultivation of political influence among states in the region is a major resourcing issue for the Five Eyes. A recent study by the RAND Corporation, titled War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable, concluded that improvements in Chinese military capabilities mean that a war would not necessarily go the way U.S. war planners plan it. Whereas a clear U.S. victory once seemed probable, it is increasingly likely that a conflict could involve inconclusive fighting with steep losses on both sides.

To meet the Russian and Chinese challenges, it is important that the Five Eyes community understands not only the intent and constraints of these powers, but also their innovative use of new capabilities, including the use of so-called hybrid military threats for coercion.

Second, the partnership faces an evolving terrorist threat. Through al-Qaeda and then the self-styled Islamic State, terrorism has become more diffuse, harder to monitor, and resident in the domestic societies of the Five Eyes and their partners. One study suggested that ISIS publishes 38 unique pieces of content per day  a huge output and one that the Five Eyes have been collectively unable to tackle. The pressure to disrupt would-be attackers has never been greater. Even as the Five Eyes improved its ability to disrupt mass-casualty attacks launched from abroad, a new threat emerged: ISIS and other groups turned to social media to inspire citizens in the West. This change suggests the need for a different intelligence model, and it will be a challenge for the Five Eyes to balance privacy, ethics, and intelligence operations as they seek to disrupt domestic plots.

The third category of challenges concerns information technology  threats in the cyber domain and the challenges of big data. While the United States appears to have convinced the Chinese that large-scale cyber espionage has consequences, the Russians have doubled down on their cyber and digital propaganda activities against the United States, events which are under active investigation by U.S. law enforcement agencies. The complexities of this new domain of threats underscore the need for a whole new generation of intelligence experts who today exist in insufficient numbers across the Five Eyes community.

Similarly, Five Eyes intelligence agencies must grapple with the problem of managing and best exploiting the potential of big data ( PDF ). While big data holds enormous potential for intelligence operations, it creates new challenges in operational speed, collection, and processing. Data stewardship is at the heart of this discussion. Intelligence agencies that handle big data are a prominent issue for those concerned about privacy and individual rights. As the Five Eyes nations work to harness big data, their ability to do so could increasingly be constrained by data protection concerns as well as privacy and intellectual property regulations.

Minimizing Tradeoffs

As governments scramble to manage these diverse new challenges, the Five Eyes partnership may inadvertently suffer if it is assumed to be working on autopilot. For example, dealing with ISIS-linked domestic radicalization would likely require integration among foreign intelligence services and law enforcement and domestic security agencies. But the sharing practices and regulations required to integrate may inadvertently erect new privacy and data security obstacles, even among Five Eyes partners.

Managing these challenges will require difficult trade-offs. As allied intelligence agencies learn to cope with shrinking budgets, will they invest in more analysts of Chinese ballistic missiles, or of hacktivist cyber operations? Will they rely more on drones for aerial surveillance, on criminal informants, or on multilingual human spies on the cocktail circuit? Even more fundamentally, as the political climate in many Western states becomes feverishly suspicious of government, intelligence partnerships could become political liabilities.

Since the 1940s, the Five Eyes community has proved itself an invaluable asset to each of its members, particularly during foreign crises. If the Five Eyes are to navigate today's eye-watering range of requirements and remain ahead of their threats, the governments of each nation would be wise to remember one of the community's oldest sayings: Intelligence is a team sport.

Cameron Colquhoun is a Fulbright Cyber Scholar at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a former intelligence officer at the British intelligence and security agency GCHQ. Bradley Knopp is a senior international and defense policy analyst at RAND and a former intelligence officer at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. Arzan Tarapore is an adjunct researcher at RAND and a former political-military analyst with the Australian Defence Department.

This commentary originally appeared on RealClearWorld on April 20, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
The stronger than expected showing by Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgias special election on April 18, followed by Ron Estes closer than expected victory in Kansas on April 11 is a clear warning sign for Republicans. (Full disclosure: Estes is a friend but was a strong candidate.) The question is: How should Republicans respond?

The choice is clear. Produce results or go home. Practically, there were and are very good reasons why health care was the first item on the results agenda. That is still the case. The reform, or else argument wasnt a scare tactic designed to bully members. Instead, it was and is a reality-check informed by history and data. Here are three reasons why.

1. Historical trends are not on our side. In mid-term elections since 1862 the presidents party has lost seats 92 percent of the time (in 36 of 39 elections). Democrats need to gain 25 seats in the House to gain a majority in 2018. Based on historical trends, Democrats have a 54 percent chance of picking up those seats (21 of the 39 mid-terms since 1862 saw swings of more than 25 seats against the presidents party).

This trend may not hold, of course. Todays House is less volatile (fewer seats are up for grabs due to redistricting). But this trend has persisted with few interruptions because it reflects human nature. People tend to grasp for change and new political beginnings only to be frustrated by a system of government that resists change.

One could also this dynamic buyers remorse; waning infatuation; novelty entropy; the fading of the new car smell, and so on. In any event, voters tend to take out their unhappiness and dashed expectations on the presidents party. Republicans should assume theyre vulnerable to this regret and retaliation effect in 2018.

2. Trump and Republicans now own health care, no matter what. When Barack Obama was president he spent much of his eight years in office blaming George W. Bush for all of his troubles. Mainstream voters, not just conservatives, found this excuse grating, and they punished Obamas party as a result. Republicans are delusional if they think this strategy will be any more effective for President Trump than it was for Obama.

Not surprisingly, the Kaiser Family Foundation came out with a poll recently that found that 61 percent of voters will blame President Trump and Republicans for any future problems with health care, while only 31 percent will blame Obama and Democrats.

3. For far too many voters, single-payer isnt such a bad idea after all. An Economist/YouGov poll recently asked used voters if they favored the Democrats preferred euphemism for Soviet-style single payer health care (a.k.a. Medicare for all) the results were not encouraging. The poll found that nearly a majority (48 percent) of Republicans supported the idea.

The exit polls from the 2016 election werent reassuring either. As Ive written elsewhere, even though 47 percent of voters thought Obamacare went too far, 48 percent though it was either just about right (18 percent) or didnt go far enough (30 percent).

What do these three trends and data points mean for Republicans? The costs of inaction could be very high, even catastrophic  losing power and ushering in the single-payer system the Left has long dreamed of. A bad bill that was only marginally better than the status quo would be a far better outcome than doing nothing. There is no scenario in which voters will blame the party out of power for the incompetence of the party currently in power.

There is plenty of blame to go around for the initial failure of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). All sides can fairly blame leadership for spending years pursuing the short-term political benefits of attacking Obamacare ahead of the far more difficult work of building consensus around an alternative.

Before Obamacare passed, I started trying to sell thoughtful alternatives written by my former boss, U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, and others. Too many on our side were content with adding bills like ours to our menu of options. Thats a polite way of refusing to do the hard work of consensus building around an alternative that could get a majority in the House and 60 votes in the Senate.

Still, if anyone in the leadership class deserves a break its House Speaker Paul Ryan. When we were crafting an Obamacare alternative in 2009 our go-to ally in the House was Ryan. He hasnt given up the fight to define what were for and has taken a lot of unfair criticism without retaliating. No one, including Speaker Ryan, is preventing other House members from gathering 218 votes for a better bill. And I suspect no one would be happier if someone dreamed up a better Better Way than Ryan himself.

Meanwhile, conservatives can fairly blame moderates for not meaning it when they voted for full repeal in 2015. At the same time, moderates, leadership, and true conservatives can fairly blame the ridiculous defund strategy of 2013, which apparently believed Barack Obama could be persuaded to give up his signature achievement if we would only commit mass ritual suicide on the altar of bad strategy.

Fortunately, most of the Freedom Caucus now wants a solution. Even if theyre Johnny-come-latelies to the replace debate, they deserve credit for working in good faith to fix health care (after working in bad faith to derail the AHCA).

The truth of the moment is that no side is blameless. All sides need to just let it go.

The practical reality is that Congress must move quickly if its going to tackle health care in 2017. Because there can only be one locomotive on the legislative track for budget reconciliation  the parliamentary process Republicans hope to use to pass a health-care bill  the deadline for action is roughly Memorial Day. Doing health care first will make the rest of the agenda easier. Moreover, it will show voters that Republicans are more concerned with results than factional purity pageants.

Democrats were willing to sacrifice their party to pass Obamacare. Are Republicans willing to make the same sacrifice for their principles?

History  and the recent races in Georgia and Kansas  suggests that Republicans may die politically no matter what they do. So lets die from our wounds after we seize the hill  not before.

John Hart is the former Communications Director for U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, the founder of Mars Hill Strategies and an adviser to the One Nation Health coalition.
On Sunday, voters in France  soon to be the second-most populous member-state of the European Union  will decide the two finalists, out of a field of 11, who will battle for the French presidency next month.
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'Indian doctors have also been wary of patients learning about drugs and brand names.'

'Probably harking back to the Brahmanical tradition of preserving information and knowledge from getting polluted by the lower classes,' says Ambi Parameswaran.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

It is now 20 years since the US Food and Drug Administration allowed direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medication.

This sector, known as DTC, has been the fastest growing sector in mass media advertising over the last decade and has been a heaven-sent blessing to beleaguered ad agency networks.

Blockbuster drugs like Viagra and Cialis have all had huge media budgets, asking patients to 'ask your physician' about the brand.

While DTC advertising is big business in the US, it is yet to gain favour in most other parts of the world.

Ethical marketing or what is known as doctor promotion has been the staple of prescription medication marketing )called Rx) the world over.

There is an inherent play of information asymmetry, a topic which won the Nobel Prize in economics for Joseph Stiglitz et al in 2001.

In short, the doctor possesses a lot more information than the patient. And plays on this information asymmetry.

Indian doctors have also been wary of patients learning about drugs and brand names. Probably harking back to the Brahmanical tradition of preserving information and knowledge from getting polluted by the lower classes.

There was a time when companies used to be wary of any form of media advertising for brands [that could be promoted in the media], lest doctors completely switch off prescribing the brand.

In the US the medical profession has accepted media advertising as part of the overall promotional mix of even prescription brands.

In fact, though Tylenol (Johnson & Johnson) was promoted in the media to consumers, doctors continued to prescribe it.

Not so in India in the past.

But that is changing rapidly. One, patients are today able to do a lot of research on the Internet before and after exiting the doctors' chambers. So the huge information asymmetry that existed till the 2000s is disappearing.

Secondly, doctors have woken up to the fact that it is not just information that they are privy to, they also dispense advice and trust.

Thirdly, the role of the chemist, too, is changing.

As a result of these changes in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, we are seeing the emergence of three types of communication platforms.

There is the classical Rx promotion.

Many prescription medicines can't be promoted in the mass media; they rely entirely on Rx or doctor promotion. So, thousands of medical representatives are deployed to repeat rote messages to doctors in the nanoseconds they get in the doctors' chambers.

Unlike in other parts of the world, India is almost completely bereft of doctor-specific media such as journals and medical practice magazines (is there an opportunity waiting to happen there, I wonder).

The second type is the classical over-the-counter brands.

These brands don't depend on doctors for their sales and focus all their efforts on consumers. It is, however, to be noted that doctors too may prescribe these brands, a phenomenon common in smaller towns where doctors routinely suggest brands like Horlicks and Strepsils.

The third emerging type is the OTx.

Here the brand is promoted to doctors just like Rx brands, but may be with a little less gusto. But there is a steady stream of advertising aimed at consumers.

In the 1990s this would have been suicidal. Doctors would have protested and stopped prescribing the brand immediately fearing an erosion of their 'information asymmetry.'

The medical representative might have been banned entry even. But not any more. Multiple brands are doing this double dipping.

In a general interest magazine I noticed a double-page spread that explained a lot of details about constipation, including the right posture to get the best 'bowel movement.' There was no mention of a brand, though the company name was visible loud and clear.

Interestingly, just a few pages later, in the same magazine was a half-page ad for the laxative brand from the said company. I thought that was an interesting move.

Indian pharmaceutical players need to experiment with such techniques to improve their own marketing efficiencies.

The number of doctors in this country is set to cross 950,000 and if we add other health workers, the number will be much bigger.

Putting in place a bigger and bigger medical representative field force, making them repeatedly call on doctors every week will hit a point of diminishing returns soon. There has to be other ways to be experimented with.

Targeting doctors with digital media is one emerging trend. Using a judicious mix of media advertising, OTx strategy may all need to be reviewed and tested.

Unfortunately, the global experience may not be applicable in India since we do have our own issues of the same molecule being marketed, often by a hundred companies.

So what is a brand in that setting? And how to do smart marketing of a brand in what is essentially a 'branded generics market'?

Some signs are already visible. The power of digital, mobile can be harnessed by companies to target messages at doctors.

The growing knowledge power of consumers offers its own opportunities to use a mix of media and digital assets.

Medical representatives need to be empowered to do more than just rote detailing.

The true winner in this market will be the companies which are willing to experiment with new marketing tools.

Or, as they say, that is what the doctor ordered.

Ambi Parameswaran is a brand strategist and founder, Brand-Building.com. He can be reached at ambimgp@brand-building.com

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All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Amma) leader T T V Dinakaran was on Saturday questioned by the police here over an alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the two leaves party symbol and the related money trail.

It is learnt that an assistant commissioner of police ranked investigating officer quizzed Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK chief Sasikala.

Dinakaran is being asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh (Chandrasekar) and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. After this, there is high possibility of cross-questioning of the two, a senior police official said.

Dinakarans lawyers were not allowed to accompany him during the questioning by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which began at around 3 pm at its Chanakyapuri Inter State Cell office amid tight security.

His call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes are also being examined, police said.

He had come under scanner after the arrest of alleged middleman Sukesh. Since then, Dinakaran has maintained he does not know Sukesh and has never met him.

There was heavy security outside the office and mediapersons werent allowed to enter the premises. Even local residents were asked to show identity cards before entering the area that houses the office.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been served summons by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

Dinakaran, who was appointed as deputy general secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.

A powerful section of the ruling AIADMK (Amma) recently revolted against Sasikala-Dhinakaran leadership. The development came after Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded ouster of Sasikala and Dinakaran as a condition for the merger.

Dinakaran later announced he would stay away from party affairs and that he could be removed only by Sasikala.

Sasikala is at present serving a four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.

IMAGE: AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran arrives at IGI Airport to appear before Delhi police for questioning in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo
Egyptian-born Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the worlds most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistans notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence, a United States media report said.

Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001, Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea, the weekly said.

This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Ladens mentor and successor.

Like everything about his location, theres no positive proof, Bruce Riedel, a 30-year Central Intelligence Agency veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan), where bin Laden was killed, that point in that direction, he added.

This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him, he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a very hard place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult, Riedel said.

According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016.

But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.

The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe, the unnamed man told the magazine.

The man added that four of al-Zawahiris security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later.

He said al-Zawahiri had left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room.

The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes.

One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al-Zawahiri and Al-Qaeda are no longer welcome in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as a threat to world peace, it said.

Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was moved to Karachi under direction of the black leg, the Afghan Talibans code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.

He may well have taken (another al-Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said.
More than 140 Afghan soldiers have been killed after some Taliban suicide attackers disguised as army personnel targeted a national army base in northern Afghanistan, local media reports said.

The Express Tribune quoting other media said many others have been wounded and that the toll is likely to be higher.

The final death toll, however, is yet to be confirmed.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers.

The group of suicide attackers manning at least two Afghan national army vehicles managed to pass the first security gate, according to Zulmay Wesa, commander of 209th corps in Balkh province.

When they were stopped at the second gate, one of the attackers blew himself up, and the rest entered the base, Wesa said. They went straight to the mosque where ANA soldiers were praying, and opened fire.

"After prayer, we went outside and saw an army vehicle with three to five people in. They came out and opened fire with Kalashnikovs," said a bodyguard at the base, asking not to be named.

Elsewhere on the base, at least one attacker went on a shooting rampage in a dining facility, according to an American security official.

The United States military in Afghanistan, in a statement, condemned the attack.

The attack on the 209th Corps today shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban. They killed soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility, US commander John Nicholson said in the statement.

The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday said that the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

India also strongly condemned the terror attack, saying it is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle safe havens sustaining terrorism from outside that countrys borders.

The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement, said India remained steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism.

The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders, the MEA said, in an apparent reference to the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

It said the government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment.

India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they maybe, the statement said.

With inputs from PTI.

IMAGE: Afghan national Army troops near the site of attack on army headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif . Photograph: Anil Usyan/ Reuters
Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Obama regime as the surgeon general, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as surgeon general after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on Friday.

Murthy has been relieved of his duties as surgeon general and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US surgeon general in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Murthy, the 19th surgeon general and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve, he said.

(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy surgeon general, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the official statement said.

Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as acting surgeon general, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your surgeon general. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come, Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served, he said.

The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives, he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The surgeon general is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever surgeon general.

Murthys parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Modi believes that in the spirit of 'cooperative federalism,' the venue for such meetings should take place around the proverbial 'round table.'

Sanjeeb Mukherjee and Archis Mohan report.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium is increasingly replacing Vigyan Bhavan as the address for meetings attended by chief ministers of states.

On Sunday, the auditorium will be the venue for the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting. In a first, the auditorium was the venue for the Inter-State Council meeting last July.

The NITI Aayog Governing Council, which comprises all chief ministers and some senior Cabinet ministers, is expected to deliberate on the vision of a 'new India' for the next three years and also on a wider 15-year timeframe.

The chief ministers of all 29 states and two Union Territories that have legislative assemblies -- Delhi and Puducherry -- have been invited.

However, some sources said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan have not confirmed attending Sunday's meeting though there has not been any official response on the same.

In the earlier Planning Commission, most such meetings between the prime minister and chief ministers and also of the Inter-State Council took place at Vigyan Bhavan, the pre-eminent convention centre in New Delhi for central government events.

The first and second Governing Council meetings of the newly formed NITI Aayog were held at 7, Race Course Road, the prime minister's official residence.

Sources say the PM believes that in the spirit of 'cooperative federalism,' the venue for such meetings between him and the chief ministers should take place around the proverbial 'round table' with the symbolism that everybody who sits there has equal status.

In contrast, the main conference hall at Vigyan Bhavan had the PM and senior Cabinet ministers seated on the dais while the chief ministers and officials comprised the audience.

Modi had attended several of these conferences at Vigyan Bhavan as Gujarat chief minister from 2001 to 2014.

Officials said Modi preferred the Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium because the venue enabled a free exchange of ideas among participants.

The venue is deep inside the President's Estate and does not disrupt traffic.

In another unintended outcome, media crews have to wait at some distance from the venue. At Vigyan Bhavan, media crews wait metres from the spot where invitees get off their vehicles.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium was constructed at the initiative of A P J Abdul Kalam when he was President and completed in 2007.

It recently hosted the NITI Aayog's Digidhan award ceremony.

The auditorium is also the venue for the annual 'At Home' events hosted by the President, which were earlier hosted in the open but ran the risk of being disrupted by rain.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with (from left to right) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting, July 15, 2015. Photograph: PTI
It starts out ominously, like all these stories do: Breaking news of shots fired, victims on the ground, emergency officials hustling to the area. They arrive on the scene and determine it's a "murder-suicide," and statistics  grim statistics  tell you what that means in the more than 90 percent of the cases: A man has killed a woman, likely someone he knew, likely an intimate partner.

If you don't think domestic violence affects us all, listen to those who are devastated after the recent deadly shooting at an elementary school in San Bernardino, California. Start with the Martinez family. Their 8-year-old son, Jonathan, was essentially collateral damage when Cedric Anderson, the estranged husband of Martinez's teacher, Karen Smith, shot and killed him. Anderson also killed Smith and wounded a 9-year-old student before fatally shooting himself.

Domestic violence incidents like these often make headlines, but there are so many other less publicized incidents out there, including cases that go unreported in our own neighborhoods. In our area, we have several organizations  including the Grace Smith House, Family Services' Domestic Violence Services and House of Faith/House of Hope  that are doing what they can to help victims, but resources are always thin. And the legal system has failed too many times to adequately protect those in danger.

But domestic violence is a crime  not an internal family matter  and it's a crime that tends to escalate. That means society as a whole has a stake in all of this. Early prevention and education about domestic violence are imperative strategies to dealing with this menace, but so is creating an environment that encourages those being abused to speak out and get help. Silence is too often a precursor to deadly attacks related to domestic violence. And, as we have witnessed too many times, communities suffer in all sorts of ways when this crime goes unchecked and is allowed to fester.

 The Poughkeepsie Journal

As smokers turned to electronic cigarettes to reduce the health risks of smoking, big tobacco companies started buying e-cigarette makers and producing and selling their own. Now those companies are lobbying Congress to prevent the Food and Drug Administration from regulating electronic cigarettes and cigars, as it does conventional cigarettes. If they succeed, they will be able to sell and market addictive nicotine products to young people with few restrictions.

While promoters of e-cigarettes and e-cigars, which provide nicotine in vapor form, say they can help people quit conventional tobacco products containing harmful tar, there is not a lot of evidence for that claim. In addition, the devices are dangerous to young people because the nicotine they provide "can cause addiction and can harm the developing adolescent brain," according to a 2016 report by the surgeon general, Vivek Murthy. Health experts also say that the vapor those devices produce can contain carcinogens and metal particles.

After years of deliberation, the FDA said last May that it would begin regulating the manufacturing, sale, packaging and advertising of e-cigarettes, and all tobacco products, under a 2009 federal law that authorized it to do so. Specifically, the agency said it would begin reviewing the health risks of e-cigarettes introduced since early 2007, and potentially ban specific flavors and products that it deemed harmful. The tobacco lobby wants Republicans to amend a vital appropriations bill to exempt products that were introduced before May 2016 from FDA review.

The push to undermine the FDA's authority began even before the agency had finished its rule. One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, introduced a bill in 2015 that was identical to a draft circulated by the Altria Group, the country's biggest tobacco company and a marketer of vaping products. In addition to its legislative effort, the industry has also filed several lawsuits in federal courts challenging the rule.

 The New York Times

What is a college without a cafeteria? SUNY Orange is about to find out.

What is life like without a job? About a dozen cafeteria employees are about to find out that as well.

And while students will be able to find something to eat, it will be harder for the dozen people laid off to find work in an economy with a low unemployment rate that disguises the reality that many hold several jobs which provide no benefits or pensions at a time when more of those with limited skills are being cast adrift.

There is a lot of talk about bringing back manufacturing jobs, but those promises neglect to acknowledge that the nation still produces an impressive amount of goods. Because of automation and efficiency it is doing it with fewer workers.

Right now, nobody seems to be talking about the plight of a growing number of workers, the 89,000 laid off from retail jobs just since last October, a figure comparable to all who are employed not just in the mines but in the mining industry. Several industries and several companies, including Arby's, employ more.

These massive shifts in employment all come to one degree or another from e-commerce. Even the cafeteria workers at SUNY Orange are feeling the indirect effects because profits from the bookstore that once supplemented food services expenses have been eroded by online textbook purchases.

And e-commerce continues to grow, increasing by an average of $30 billion a year from 2010 to 2014 and having that growth itself increase to $40 billion a year over the past three years.

That online competition is the same force eroding the viability of retail stores including many whose names were so long associated with shopping that it's hard to imagine that one day soon they will no longer be around.

 Times Herald-Record, Middletown
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An RFA Khmer Service reporter who Cambodian authorities say improperly entered a prison with opposition politicians visiting jailed party members received a court summons on Saturday for questioning.

Khmer service Deputy Director Vuthy Huot, also known as Chun Chanboth, was ordered to appear at Phnom Penh Municipality Court on May 2 for questioning. The summons, obtained by RFA, says he "made a false statement to disguise his identity to access the prison" during an April 19 visit to Prey Sar Prison.

Vuthy Huot has rejected the accusation, saying he signed in under his own name and was well known by Prey Sar prison guards,

The summons was issued by Phnom Penh Deputy Prosecutor Seang Sok and dated April 21, according to a copy of the document seen by RFA.

On April 19, Vuthy Huot said he had gone at first to the prison on his own to visit Kim Sok, a jailed political and social commentator. His visit coincided with that of a delegation of Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) officials to meet with 16 jailed party officials and activists.

But I was not allowed to see (Kim Sok) as I was told I would need a court order unless I was a member of his immediate family, he told RFA after the visit.

I then left the prisons security checkpoint. But by a coincidence the [CNRP] officials arrived, and I asked them if I could enter along with them, said Vuthy Huot.

He said he had not attempted to disguise himself on entry.

The prison guards knew me well, and addressed me directly as Chun Chanboth, he said, adding, I even registered in my real name.

Following the visit the Cambodian Interior Ministry banned future visits to political opposition officials and activists, and ministry spokesperson Khieu Sopheak said the CNRP had cheated prison authorities by including the reporter in their party after he had earlier been turned away.

But CNRP vice-president Mu Sochua said the reporter had entered on his own.

We have no idea why he was allowed in, she said on April 19.

The Phnom Penh Post reported on Friday that Cambodia's Prison Department had produced a report saying Vuthy Huot had violated the Criminal Code by using a identity different than his public identity and had broken privacy provisions under the Press Code.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Russian troop movements near the North Korean border are part of planned exercises and are not linked to escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, a military spokesman in the Russian Far East said on April 21.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had declined to comment earlier in the day on videos aired by local media and YouTube showing numerous tanks and missiles being carried on a freight train in the Primorye region, which borders North Korea.

Local media quoted residents as saying they feared a possible nuclear exchange between the United States and North Korea could have spillover effects on their region.

But Aleksandr Gordeyev, the official spokesman for Russia's Eastern Military District, told Russian media the military activity was nothing out of the ordinary but was part of planned exercises.

"These are totally scheduled military training events, which have no relation to political matters," Gordeyev told Interfax, adding that the drills occur every year.

Gordeyev said the final round of combat drills began on April 3 and will be over on April 29 and that the troops and equipment will soon return to their home bases.

Based on reporting by dpa, TASS, and Interfax
U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan has confirmed that communication channels between the United States and Russia remain open despite the war in Ukraine, the BBC reports.

Sullivan, speaking in New York on November 7, said it was "in the interests" of Washington to maintain contact with the Kremlin.



Sullivan's comments came after a report in The Wall Street Journal on November 6 that he had held undisclosed talks with top Russian officials in the hope of reducing the risk the Russian invasion of Ukraine spills over or escalates into a nuclear conflict.

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.

A previous media report, in The Washington Post, said Washington was privately encouraging Ukraine to signal an openness to negotiate with Russia, as the State Department said Moscow was escalating the war and did not seriously wish to engage in peace talks.



The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said the request by U.S. officials was not aimed at pushing Ukraine to the negotiating table, but a calculated attempt to ensure Kyiv maintains the support of other countries.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, told RFE/RL it was absurd to suggest that Western countries that are supplying Ukraine with weapons would push Kyiv to negotiate on Moscow's terms.

"Ukraine receives from its partners, first of all from the United States, quite effective weapons," he said. "We are pushing the Russian Army out of territory. And against this background, forcing us to the negotiation process, and in fact to recognize the ultimatum of the Russian Federation, is nonsense! And no one will do that."

He said suggestions the West was pushing Ukraine to negotiate were part of Russia's "information program," though he did not directly rebut a report in The Washington Post.

Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on November 7 that he was open to talks with Russia, but only "genuine" negotiations that would restore Ukraine's borders, grant it compensation for Russian attacks, and punish those responsible for war crimes.



Zelenskiy signed a decree on October 4 formally declaring the prospect of any Ukrainian talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin "impossible" but leaving the door open to talks with Russia.



Sullivan told a public event in New York that the Biden administration had "an obligation to pursue accountability" and pledged to work with international partners to "hold the perpetrators of grave and grotesque war crimes in Ukraine responsible for what they have done."



Sullivan did not elaborate on the communication channels that Washington and Moscow maintained, but insisted that U.S. officials were "clear-eyed about who we are dealing with," the BBC reported.



Sullivan travelled to Kyiv on November 4 and pledged Washington's "unwavering and unflinching" support for Ukraine.



His unannounced visit coincided with an announcement the same day by the U.S. Defense Department of another shipment of weapons to Ukraine worth $400 million.



"I was just in Kyiv on Friday and I had the opportunity to meet with President [Volodymyr] Zelenskiy and my counterpart Andriy Yermak, with the military leadership and also to get a briefing on just what level of death and devastation has been erupted by Putin's war on that country," Sullivan was quoted by the BBC as saying on November 7.



White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the U.S. media reports.



"I've seen those reportings. So, you know -- and, look, people claim a lot of things about conversations that we -- that the United States has or doesn't have," Jean-Pierre told a news briefing on November 7. "I don't have any specific conversations to read out to you."



The secretary of Ukraine's Security Council, Oleksiy Danilov, said on November 8 that the "main condition" for the resumption of negotiations with Russia would be the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity.



Danilov said on Twitter that Ukraine also needed the "guarantee" of modern air defenses, aircraft, tanks, and long-range missiles.



According to the report in The Wall Street Journal, Sullivan held confidential conversations in recent months with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev that were not disclosed publicly.



Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on November 7 that while Russia remained "open" to talks, it was unable to negotiate with Kyiv due to its refusal to hold talks with Russia.

With reporting by Reuters
MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan -- The Afghan government has announced a day of mourning in the wake of an April 21 attack by the Taliban on a military compound in Balkh Province that officials say left more than 130 army personnel dead.



President Ashraf Ghani's office said in a statement that flags across the country would be flown at half-staff on April 23 following the deadly assault in Mazar-e Sharif that officials say was carried out by militants dressed in Afghan Army uniforms.



Ghani's acting spokesman, Shah Hussain Murtazawi, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan in a telephone interview from Kabul that Ghani announced the national mourning "in order to pay tribute to the martyrs of Friday's attack."



Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri said on April 22 that two of the 10 attackers carried out suicide bombings during the assault, while the other eight were shot dead during the ensuing gunbattle.



The ministry said that more than 100 military personnel were killed or injured in the attack.



But officials in Kabul told Radio Free Afghanistan that more than 130 had been killed, and a high-ranking military official in Mazar-e Sharif put the figure at 138. Officials said the death toll could rise.



The Defense Ministry said it is investigating the exact number of those killed and injured in the attack. It said it would announce the final numbers to the nation but did not indicate when such an announcement might come.



Waziri, the ministry spokesman, said that the victims were almost all members of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army (ANA).



The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that more than 500 Afghan soldiers had been killed or wounded. The Taliban statement also said four of the attackers were soldiers who had been stationed at the outpost.



The attack targeted a mosque where soldiers were at Friday Prayers, as well as a dining hall.



Ismael, an Afghan Army soldier who witnessed the assault, told Radio Free Afghanistan that he was baffled at how the assailants managed to penetrate the military compound, and that the attack "will make people have second thoughts about joining the ANA."



"If [the militants] could enter the army base today, they probably could do something bigger at another time," he said, adding that he was "in a state of confusion and shock."



German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered condolences to Afghanistan, saying she was horrified by "the Taliban's deceitful, brutal barracks attack on your soldiers."



"My sympathy to the many injured and the relatives of the many victims," she wrote in a telegram to Ghani.



A German Army contingent is stationed at the base, which serves as the Afghan Army command center in the north of the country.



In an April 21 statement following the attack, U.S. General John Nicholson, commander of NATO's Resolute Support operation, praised "the Afghan commandos who brought today's atrocity to an end."

With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa
Amid accusations  and denials -- of Russian meddling in Frances presidential election, one thing appears likely: At least one and possibly two pro-Kremlin candidates will head into a runoff vote.



Though Moscow has constantly denied accusations of interfering in the campaign, a wave of fake news reports and computer hacking attacks on independent Emmanuel Macron, the only major candidate to distance himself from Russia, have brought about a sense of deja vu with last years U.S. elections.



French voters head to the ballot boxes on April 23 in the first round of voting with four candidates -- three of whom are pro-Russia -- within a range of 4 percentage points in opinion polls.



Macron, a centrist, and nationalist firebrand Marine Le Pen are in the top two spots, but both have lost ground in recent weeks, allowing conservative Republican Francois Fillon and Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who also both advocate closer ties with Russia, to make the race too close to call.

With countries across Europe holding elections this year, concerns of possible meddling by Russia have grown amid claims that Moscow systematically undermined the U.S. presidential election in November, leading to the surprise victory of Donald Trump, the Kremlins supposed preferred candidate.



"Were on the brink of potentially having two European countries where Russia is the balance disruptor of their leadership," U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (Republican-North Carolina) said at a news conference on March 29. "A very overt effort, as well as covert in Germany and France, [has] already been tried in Montenegro and the Netherlands."



According to an April 19 poll by Cevipof for the newspaper Le Monde, Macron has 23 percent support, followed by Le Pen at 22 percent, Fillon at 19.5 percent, and Melenchon at 19 percent. Adding to the tight race is the fact that an estimated one-quarter of the electorate is undecided.



If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff on May 7.

France would no doubt be seen as an important target in any outside efforts to influence the direction of European politics. Its a pillar of the European Union and a key member of the NATO security alliance, both of which President Vladimir Putin perceives as impediments to Russias influence.



Far-right leader Le Pen, the daughter of National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, is seen by many as the Kremlins first choice in the race.



The 48-year-old has campaigned on an anti-immigration, antiglobalization platform that jibes well with Putins drive to weaken the EU and NATO.



Le Pens campaign, which has stressed the need for closer ties to Moscow, has been financed in part by Russian sources and she visited with Putin in the Russian capital on March 24 during the height of the campaign.



"[Russia] has provided direct open support for Marine Le Pen in France in the hope that that support would boost her standing in France. It supported forces in Greece and Italy," said David Kramer, senior director for human rights and democracy at the McCain Institute in Washington.



"So Russian interference in other countries politics and elections is not a new phenomenon and it has moved beyond just Russias immediate borders."

A former prime minister who struck up a friendship with Putin while he was in power, Fillon also wants to put curbs on immigration and has called for an alliance with Russia to battle "Islamic totalitarianism." He also has said he believes the West provoked Russia by expanding NATO so close to its borders and that it is futile for the West to try to convince Russia to leave Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014.



Once the front-runner, the 63-year-olds campaign has been hurt by reports that he received 50,000 euros ($53,600) for setting up a meeting between a Lebanese billionaire, a French oil executive, and Putin in 2015.



Fillons aides have acknowledged the payment but have denied any wrongdoing.

Melenchon, a veteran Socialist who has used fiery rhetoric to make a late surge in opinion polls, has advocated a $106 billion tax-and-spend economic program, while also stumping for France to pull out of NATO and renegotiate Frances EU membership terms.



He has also supported Russias military operations in Syria and Ukraine.



The French government has said it is taking the threat of Russian meddling in the vote seriously, with Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warning Moscow in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche that "this kind of interference in French political life is unacceptable."

For its part, Moscow has consistently denied any interference. It characterized accusations that it was behind a flurry of cyberattacks in February on the campaign website and e-mail servers of the 39-year-old Macron as "absurd."



Russia also denies it interfered in the U.S. presidential campaign in order to help Trump defeat his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. But a U.S. intelligence report concluded the Kremlin had, indeed, attempted to influence the outcome of the November 8 vote, and the U.S. Congress is currently conducting its own investigations.

While saying after meeting Le Pen that he wished the candidate luck, Putin was quick to add, We by no means want to influence the current events, but we reserve the right to communicate with all representatives of all political forces of the country, as do our partners in Europe and the United States, for example.



Mark Galeotti, senior researcher at the Institute for International Relations in Prague, said that while Le Pen may be the closest candidate to wear the pro-Russia tag, none of the candidates should be seen as a Kremlin proxy.



And while Russia would naturally seek to influence the campaign, including through slanted media coverage by French-language Russian news outlets in France such as Sputnik and Russia Today, he doesnt think the meddling has been "especially extensive."



"There's also a serious question as to the effect of Russian disinformation. Does it really change many people's minds, or is it essentially recycled by people already disillusioned with mainstream politics?" he said.
Final votes are being cast as French voters have been going to the polls under heavy security in the first round of a crucial presidential election that could have far-reaching implications for the geopolitical status quo, including the future of the European Union and the West's relations with Russia.

Over 60,000 polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time on April 23. A total of 69.4 per cent of registered voters in mainland France had cast their ballots in the presidential election by 5 p.m., the Interior Ministry said. It is only slightly down from the 70.6 per cent turnout at the same time during the last presidential election in 2012.

The election -- one of the most unpredictable French presidential polls in decades -- comes just days after the killing of a Paris police officer that was claimed by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, thrusting the issues of terrorism and security to the fore in the final stretch of the 11-candidate race.

France is deploying some 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers on election day to protect voters across the country, where a state of emergency remains in place in the wake of a series of attacks that have killed more than 230 people since 2015.

Opinion polls show centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right firebrand Marine Le Pen as the first-round front-runners, though conservative candidate Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon of the far-left are also seen as having a chance of reaching the two-candidate May 7 runoff.

RFE/RL correspondent Gregory Zhygalov in Paris said the vote has generated a lot of interest among French citizens.

"When we were speaking to people here in France, in Paris, a lot of people [were] discussing this election just in the street, in a pub, in a restaurant, in ordinary conversations."

Topless Demonstrators

In what has been a highly charged election, around six topless demonstrators from the Femen group of feminist activists were detained in the morning on April 23 outside a polling station in Paris where Le Pen was heading to vote.

They jumped out of an SUV limo wearing masks of Marine Le Pen and U.S. President Donald Trump but were quickly forced into police vans by security forces. Le Pen voted at the station shortly after.

Macron voted in the coastal town of Le Touquet in northern France alongside his wife Brigitte.

WATCH: Front-Runners Vote In French Presidential Election

Undecided voters are estimated to constitute nearly a quarter of the electorate, and political observers say the April 20 shooting death of the police officer on the Champs-Elysees could give an advantage to candidates seen as tough on security and terrorism.

Following the attack, Le Pen moved to portray herself as the lone candidate capable of protecting the country against Islamist extremists. The 48-year-old National Front leader drew criticism from critics who accused her of exploiting the attack for political gain.

A victory for Le Pen and her fierce anti-immigration and anti-EU stances would mark the continuation of a surge in isolationist sentiment across the Western world that helped propel U.S. President Donald Trump into office and the Brexit referendum vote approving Britains departure from the EU.

France is a key member of NATO and has been a key pillar of EU unity in the bloc's response -- including sanctions -- to Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Russia Denies Interference Claims

Like Trump, Le Pen has spoken admiringly of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past and has backed lifting sanctions against Moscow over its interference in Ukraine. Following a visit with the Russian leader in Moscow last month, she criticized what she called the EUs "hawkish vision."

Most opinion polls put Le Pen in second place behind Macron in the first round, though she is seen as unlikely to secure a victory over the pro-EU former economy minister in a runoff.

Macron has taken the hardest line on Russia among the four front-runners, backing EU sanctions against Russia and accusing the Kremlin of being involved in cyberattacks targeting his campaign. Russia has repeatedly denied reports that it is trying to influence the French election.

Fillon, a conservative former prime minister who has called for improving ties with Russia, saw his campaign jolted by allegations of corruption and nepotism. But polls indicate that both he and Melenchon, who advocates tearing up trade deals and leaving NATO, were gaining ground in the race.

The campaign officially came to an end on April 22, the same day that first-round voting began in French overseas territories and among French expatriates in the United States and Canada. The results of the mainland voting are expected on April 23 at around 8 p.m. local time.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
Two Georgian citizens have been arrested in Burma on suspicion of trying to smuggle $90,000 in stolen cash out of the country.

An April 22 statement on the Facebook page of the police department in Yangon, the largest city in Burma (also known as Myanmar), said the two men were detained at the Yangon airport with the cash "in their underwear."

Authorities suspect the money was stolen from a currency exchange office on April 21.

The statement identified the suspects as Janjgava Revas, 64, and Narmania Makhaz, 51, adding that they were in the country on tourist visas.

The men reportedly convinced the clerk at the exchange office to hand over the money before they handed in the money they claimed they wanted to exchange.

Based on reporting by AFP
Pakistani opposition leaders on April 21 called for protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as an investigation into his family's finances continues.

Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled on April 20 that there was insufficient evidence to order Sharif's removal from office but ordered further investigations into corruption allegations that emerged following leaks in the Panama Papers that showed Sharif's family holds London real estate in offshore accounts.

While Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League celebrated the court decision as a victory, legal experts say the extended investigation undermines his authority as he heads into an election next year.

Opposition leader Imran Khan said the split 3-2 ruling by the court left no moral authority for Sharif to stand on.

Opposition lawmakers chanted slogans demanding Sharif's resignation and tore up the assembly's agenda for the day on April 20.

The court gave a joint investigating team staffed by six different government intelligence and financial regulatory agencies two months to complete its investigation of the Sharif family's offshore holdings, after which a special bench will decide what action to take.

The prime minister and his children deny any wrongdoing.

Based on reporting by Radio Mashaal and Reuters


Authorities in Russia say security personnel have killed two alleged "terrorists" in a shoot-out in the southern Stavropol region.



The National Antiterrorism Committee on April 22 said the two men were shot dead during the night of April 21-22 after they opened fire when police attempted to stop their car.



No police were reported injured in the incident.



Authorities did not identify the suspects, but the committee's press office told the state TASS news agency that they were members of a "sleeper cell" associated with the Islamic State (IS) extremist organization.



Police reportedly confiscated an automatic weapon, ammunitions, and bomb components from the suspects' car.



The National Antiterrorism Committee statement also said authorities suspect one of the slain men was the "leader" of the cell who had been trained at an IS camp outside of Russia and sent into the country to commit terrorist attacks, including "murders of religious figures and other civilians."

Based on reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax
GYUMRI, Armenia -- A Russian soldier was stabbed to death in the northern city of Gyumri, where Moscow maintains a garrison and which was the site of a grisly mass slaying by a Russian serviceman in 2015 that triggered widespread outrage in the ex-Soviet republic.



Law enforcement officials said the body of the soldier, identified by prosecutors as 21-year-old Dmitry Yalpayev, was discovered with stab wounds to the neck on April 22 near a shop in Gyumri, Armenia's second-largest city.



Russia's state-owned TASS news agency cited the Russian Defense Ministry's Southern Military District as confirming that a contract soldier serving at the 102nd Military Base, where some 3,000 Russian servicemen are stationed, was stabbed to death at around 4 p.m. local time.



The Armenian Prosecutor-General's Office said a 20-year-old man had been detained as a suspect in the slaying and that a murder investigation was under way.



Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

Armenia's federal Investigative Committee said in a statement later on April 22, however, that "a preliminary investigation has established that the suspect has certain problems with mental health."



The statement said the suspect was discharged from the military last month due to "certain mental disorders" and that he had undergone psychiatric evaluation during his service due to several incidents of self-mutilation.



"Necessary investigative actions are being conducted with his participation," the Investigative Committee said.



Russias Southern Military District said in its statement that it was working together with local law enforcement agencies in the investigation.



It added that preliminary indications suggest the killing stemmed from an argument involving the two men.



Gyumri was the site of the horrific slaying of a family of seven, including a 6-month-old boy, by a Russian soldier in January 2015.



The case led to mass protests in Gyumri and Yerevan against Russia's military presence in the country and to calls for the trial to be heard by Armenian judges instead of Russian military judges.



The Russian judges sentenced Valery Permyakov to 10 years in a maximum-security prison in that criminal case. He was then transferred into the custody of Armenia, where he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

With reporting by Interfax and TASS
Just over two years ago, on April 9, 2015, Ukraine's parliament adopted a historic law on opening up the country's Soviet-era secret-police archives. In the new law's first full year in effect, requests for information and access boomed by 138 percent.



"It is very important for us that everyone has the chance to look at the complex history of the 20th century through the prism of their own family," says Andriy Kohut, director of the historical archives of Ukraine's SBU security service. "It is one thing when they speak of enormous historical events without any connection to real people. It is something else entirely when you see how these historical events are connected to you."



The new rules of archive access could hardly be simpler, Kohut said.



"The law contains the formula 'everything open to everyone,'" he explained in an online interview with RFE/RL's Russian Service. "It doesn't matter if you are a citizen of Ukraine or not, if you are a relative or have some other relationship to those mentioned in the documents. Everyone has an equal right to access."



Under the law, the archive is not even allowed to charge for providing copies of its documents. Eventually, the entire archive will be transferred from the SBU to the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.



There are no exemptions for privacy or other such considerations. The law prioritizes "the right of society to know what happened under the totalitarian regime," Kohut says. Access to documents also cannot be restricted based on Soviet secrecy classifications.



The new system has been welcomed by researchers.



"It is simply a pleasure to work in the Ukrainian archives," says Czech historian Stepan Cernousek. "While in Russia everything is 'top secret,' in Ukraine, everything is freely available."



Cernousek is researching the fate of a Czechoslovak citizen named Albert Bloch, who escaped from a Nazi concentration camp only to be arrested by Stalin's secret police and sent to the gulag.

"There are thousands of cases like his," Cernousek says.

Kohut warns, however, that the Ukrainian archives are not complete.



"Documents weren't always saved in their entirety through World War II [when Ukraine was occupied by Nazi Germany]," Kohut says. "Moreover, after the democratic opposition captured the Stasi archives [in East Germany], the KGB in 1990 ordered a purging of some records."



Although it is not known exactly what was destroyed at that time, Kohut says the deeper back the records go, the more intact they seem to be.

"The cases of the Great Terror period [of the mid-1930s] seem to be fairly well preserved," he says.



The new openness law also covers all denunciations written by ordinary citizens and preserved in the KGB's files. It particularly states that privacy laws do not apply to anyone who participated in political repressions in any way.



"This is not very pleasant news for those who wrote denunciations," Kohut says. "But if we don't open these closets with skeletons in them, if we do not speak about the complex history of Ukraine in the 20th century, then it will speak for us. As our current situation shows, it won't just speak for us, it will manipulate us."



He warns that such documents, however, can be the most problematic, as denunciations as a rule contain a mixture of truth, half-truths, and lies.



The archives also contain a wealth of records relating to the Holodomor, the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine that killed millions. These documents, Kohut said, can be upsetting to read.



"There are many cases related to charges of cannibalism," he says. "Of course, these documents are shocking.



"These are the archives of the communist special services," he adds. "Very often, what they did does not make very pleasant reading."



In addition to responding to research requests from citizens, Kohut's archive also responds to inquiries from state agencies pertaining to a 2014 lustration law that bars former KGB employees from working in state institutions. The archive carries out background checks and reports on perspective employees.



"We've even had cases when individuals wrote to us to ask us if we have any information on whether they were a KGB employee because they want to apply for some state position," he notes.



Kohut's archive has no contact with similar archives in Russia, which remain strictly closed.



"The development of our region  Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states  shows that we are moving in the direction of acknowledging the communist regime for what it really was  a criminal regime," Kohut says. "It acted in a criminal manner and it was fundamentally criminal. I hope Russia will come to this awareness as well."

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report
KYIV -- A Kyiv court has released on bail an influential former lawmaker suspected of embezzlement.



The April 22 ruling follows the detention two days earlier of Mykola Martynenko, an ally of former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, after the National Anticorruption Bureau announced it was preparing to file charges against him.



Investigators had sought a court order to place Martynenko, a former chairman of the Ukrainian parliament's fuel and energy committee, in pretrial custody.



But the district court judge hearing the matter ruled in favor of Martynenko's release on bail.



The court said senior officials and several members of parliament had pledged to ensure that Martynenko would comply with his obligations as a suspect in the case.



The court also ordered Martynenko to remain in Kyiv.



Martynenko is the second prominent political figure to have been detained in less than three months in Ukraine, whose government has faced pressure from its own citizens, Western governments, and the International Monetary Fund to crack down on corruption.

With reporting by AP
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.
Another fund that will invest in young Wisconsin companies is about to start operating.

Rock River Capital Partners Fund I has been established by the Badger Fund of Funds, Rock River Capital Partners and local investors.

Two Wisconsin natives and UW graduates, Andrew Walker and Christopher Eckstrom, have moved back to Wisconsin from Chicago to start the fund. Walker recently was CEO of a data analytics startup in Chicago that was acquired; Eckstrom had worked for an international investment bank.

Their venture fund will receive $6 million from the Badger Fund and hopes to raise a total of $25 million, said Ken Johnson, a partner in the Badger Fund.

The idea will be to invest in young companies that are beyond the starting gate and are ready to expand, Johnson said, providing "$1 million and $2 million checks for companies that have been around for one-and-a-half to two years."

Johnson said he would like to see the money go to companies all around Wisconsin. "My preference would be ... somewhere other than Madison. Our proposal to the state was geographical diversity," he said.

This will be the third portfolio fund for the Badger Fund of Funds, which was established in 2015 with $30 million from the state of Wisconsin and other investors. The others, so far, are the Idea Fund of La Crosse and the Winnebago Seed Fund in the Fox Valley. Those two are each trying to raise $10 million to provide smaller allocations to younger startups.
The Narragansett Pier Middle School sixth, seventh and eighth-grade band poses outside of the school with a plaque commemorating their recent award-winning performance at the Rhode Island Music Education Associations Junior High School Band Festival.
Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Eating ice cream makes me feel like the Goodyear blimp has touched down in my gut, but Id be willing to up my consumption of milkshakes if it would boost a state dairy industry hammered by the global oversupply of milk.

In a similar vein, dairys shaky prospects are causing the states ruling Republicans to submit to a fair amount of ideological discomfort.

Domestic milk production is outstripping domestic demand, meaning export markets are increasingly important to U.S. dairy producers, according to UW-Madison professor of agricultural and applied economics Brian Gould.

So now that Canada has effectively cut purchases of ultra-filtered Wisconsin milk, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection wants the federal government to create demand for dairy by buying stored cheese and butter for its nutritional aid programs, such as food banks and the school lunch program. Republican Gov. Scott Walker has also appealed to President Donald Trump for help.

Those are curious moves for a government controlled by free-market Republicans, and ironic for a DATCP that has revived enforcement of a state law restricting the sale of Irish- and Ohio-made butter in the state. Canadas actions shouldnt be allowed to hurt Wisconsins dairy farmers, apparently, but Wisconsins should be allowed to hurt out-of-state buttermakers.

Also this month, a group of state Assembly Republicans including Speaker Robin Vos and budget committee co-chairman John Nygren sent a letter to UW System President Ray Cross urging the System to research more uses for milk.

Looking to the eggheads for advice on climate change or water levels in the Central Sands region hasnt been a priority for Republicans, although it appears the System is expected to play a key role in the dairy economy. How $350 million in Republican cuts to the Systems budget and weakening tenure aids in that mission, Im not sure.

UW-Madison Center for Dairy Research director John Lucey didnt want to comment on System-Legislature politics, but luckily he said 95 percent of of CDRs funding comes from farmers and program revenue, and that we can always do more.

This campus is unmatched in terms of knowledge and technology related to all things dairy, he said.

The biggest irony is todays Wisconsin GOP claims to be the party of workforce development and personal responsibility  not of dependence on government.

If there is too much milk, shouldnt the party be urging some state dairy farmers to sell their herds for slaughter and go back to tech college to become computer programmers or welders or some other kind of worker Wisconsin employers are always claiming they cant find enough of?

If not, perhaps Walkers plan to drug-test welfare recipients should apply as well to dairy farmers whose products are purchased by feds  which is also a form of government assistance.

Dangle a bit of Wisconsin ice cream and cheese in front of Republican lawmakers, and their conservative beliefs get dumped like the 43 million excess gallons of American milk the feds say were dumped in the first eight months of 2016.
Title: Assistant vice president for community impact at Virginia Community Capital Inc., a community development financial institution in Richmond.

Born: October 1978, Morgantown, W.Va.

Education: Bachelors degree in political science and womens studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008; masters degree in public administration, 2010

Career: Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, fund development officer, 2008-2011; Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Performance Management Group, consultant, 2011-2014; CarLotz, director of talent management, 2014-2016; Virginia Community Capital, 2016-present

In which part of the metro area do you live: Southside Richmond

Best business decision: Taking the position at Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The role was totally outside of where I thought I was going in my career. Coming from a background in womens studies and political science, I thought I was headed into womens advocacy or nonprofits. Little did I know my willingness to jump into an opportunity I knew nothing about (community development and affordable housing) was the first step on a meaningful and fulfilling career path.

Worst business decision: Early in my career, a colleague and mentor trusted me to review and send a report to a client. I was more focused on meeting the deadline than the quality of the report. I sent over a version riddled with typos and mistakes. Not only did I embarrass myself and my colleague, I lost her trust, and she was hesitant to partner with me on other projects. It was heartbreaking because I loved working and learning from her.

Mistake you learned the most from: I move at a fast pace. I have a high energy level and take fast actions to complete goals. Because I am moving quickly and tend to focus on the result, I sometimes miss important details or leave people behind. I have learned to slow down and focus on the intermediate steps.

First job after college: I spent a lot of time in the restaurant industry in between my college experiences. I started my undergrad in 1996 at WVU but did not finish until 2008 after a long break from school and transferring to VCU. My first job after I graduated was the position at RRHA.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently: Not much. I have made some missteps here and there, but I think even the mistakes add tremendous value to my journey.

Book/movie that inspired you the most: I have read The Alchemist several times at different points in my life. Each time it was a good reminder to focus on the present and look for ways to take action.
COLONIAL BEACH  Adam and Ashley Mayo were spending a relaxing week at the Monroe Bay Campground near Colonial Beach when things changed in the blink of an eye Friday evening.

At about 7 p.m., rain started to fall. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a fierce storm swept through the Westmoreland County campground.

Heavy rain and hail poured down and howling wind tore up trees and toppled campers. Debris, trash cans and tables whizzed through the air, Ashley Mayo, 33, said Saturday.

The couple fled their mobile home, which was close to the Monroe Creek shoreline, and ran to a friends nearby camper, where he held the glass sliding door closed. The Mayos held on for dear life.

That damned camper was lifting off the blocks, Ashley Mayo said. It was so loud you, couldnt hear anything.

The Charlottesville-area couple said the storm lasted only about five to 10 minutes, but seemed like forever.

Worst thing Ive ever been through, I can tell you that, said Adam Mayo, 36, who described the storm as unbelievable.

The Mayos avoided major damage to their camper, vehicles and their boat, which was so full of water and hail that it nearly sank. Adam Mayo said a tree fell on his fathers truck nearby and probably totaled it.

There was other damage throughout the campground. Several mobile homes either toppled over or were hit by falling trees. Buzzing chainsaws echoed throughout the campground Saturday as crews were busy clearing up the mess caused by dozens of felled trees.

The Mayos consider themselves lucky to have escaped the storm mostly unscathed, as do many others who experienced the storm, which appears to have been isolated mostly to the campground area and Colonial Beach.

A Colonial Beach firefighter suffered leg injuries when saturated ground gave way and sent a fire truck tipping onto its side, but otherwise there were no reports of serious injuries.

Dominion Virginia Power spokesman Mike Duffy said the storm knocked out power to more than 3,000 customers in and around Colonial Beach. As of early Saturday evening, about 2,000 customers still had no power. Duffy said most Dominion customers were expected to have power back sometime Saturday, but he added that it will probably take days before all electricity is restored.

Most of the south side of the Potomac River town, from Boundary Avenue to whats known as the Point, was shut down Saturday, with Virginia State Police cruisers blocking off numerous streets and crews clearing downed trees and fixing power lines.

There were unconfirmed reports that the storm toppled some 50 utility poles in the area.

A curfew was set up in to keep people from walking or driving in the most heavily damaged area after 10 p.m. Saturday.

Its still dangerous, Colonial Beach Police Chief Danny Plott said during a media briefing Saturday afternoon. He explained that more trees could fall and that there could still be exposed power lines.

Colonial Beach Fire Department Chief David Robey said early estimates show the storm caused more than $1 million in damage to numerous houses. One house was destroyed, six severely damaged and 25 others were impacted by the storm.

The American Red Cross helped find shelter for one family and provided dinner for other residents Saturday.

Plott and Robey said the storm also damaged nearby marinas. They said the roof collapsed at the Boathouse Marina, but there were no injuries.

While there has been conjecture that a tornado struck, Robey said National Weather Service officials told him the storm had straight-line winds reaching about 70 mph.

Plott and Robey praised the response by the numerous agencies involved and said they felt lucky there were no serious injuries or deaths. They also noted there is a lot of cleaning up to do.
PARIS

France will head to the polls tomorrow to vote in the first of two rounds of its presidential election. Barring the unlikely event of any candidate winning more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff on May 7 will determine the winner. One of the most remarkable aspects of this race is the stunning implosion of the French Socialist Party.

You might be tempted to ask: Does this mean French socialism is in its final throes? Well, not exactly.

Based on current polls, Socialist Party candidate Benoit Hamon is struggling to crack the single digits, currently sitting at around 8 percent, according to Opinionways PresiTrack poll. All this really means is that current Socialist President Francois Hollande destroyed the brand.

Hollandes favorability rating is about 19 percent, according to a YouGov poll taken at the end of February. A pragmatist, Hollande might have scored better had he not been surrounded by actual Socialists for the past five years.

French citizens, however, seem tempted by the idea of electing another pragmatist from the Hollande camp, but one who isnt obligated to surround himself with Socialists.

According to an Opinionway survey earlier this month, 50 percent of Hollandes voters now support independent presidential front-runner Emmanuel Macron, a former Hollande minister who was with the Socialist Party for three years. But Macron is a former investment banker whose program includes an entire section dedicated to making the lives of entrepreneurs easier. Rather than ideology, hes focused on renewal and the desire to bring outsiders into public life.

So this means that socialism is dead in France, right? Not so fast. French leftists have gravitated to Jean-Luc Melenchon, an independent candidate who wants a fiscal revolution that involves taxing at 100 percent any earnings over the maximum revenue of 400,000 euros annually. Hes also expressed interest in involving Frances overseas territories in ALBA (formally the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America), founded by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who ran a country that represents the epitome of socialist end times. A recent Opinionway poll showed Melenchon sitting at 18 percent, behind Macron and the National Fronts Marine Le Pen, tied at 22 percent, and center-right candidate Francois Fillon at 21 percent.

Socialism as a French brand is tanking in name only. Almost all of the presidential candidates have integrated socialist policies into their platform. The least socialist option in this race is Fillon, who has a double disadvantage: Hes the establishment candidate at a time when global electoral momentum is trending against the establishment, and hes facing accusations of the kind of nepotism widely practiced among the French establishment.

Violent is a term Ive often heard used by Fillons critics to describe the conservative aspects of his program. National Front Vice President Florian Philippot, who walks and talks like a socialist all over French media on behalf of Le Pen, called Fillons attempt at a non-socialist program one of unprecedented violence.

Reducing the number of civil servants? Violent. Wanting to give people the option of private health insurance instead of paying a fortune for a crumbling system with poor reimbursements? Violent. Cutting government spending through austerity? Well, if youre going to do that, then you might as well just go around punching voters in the face.

One way socialism has been able to justify its continued presence in this race is by using former French President and General Charles de Gaulle, who consistently ranks as the countrys favorite historical figure, as its shield. To those running for high office in France, de Gaulle has become what Ronald Reagan is to American candidates: an anachronistic specter evoked in a lazy attempt to justify questionable policies to the unconvinced. You dont like my position? Youre an idiot! Its Gaullist!

Ive only heard Gaullism used to defend socialist policies, however  which is funny, because de Gaulle was hardly a socialist. In fact, the Socialist Standard (the monthly magazine of the Socialist Party of Great Britain) wrote of de Gaulle in its July 1958 issue: Socialists are opposed to what de Gaulle stands for on principle, because he stands for French capitalism, and Socialists do not support any capitalist faction anywhere or at any time.

Much has also been made in this race of the role of supranational European Union governance, a socialist straitjacket imposed on the French economy. Nearly all of the candidates agree that its a problem, whether they want to leave the EU or just reform it. Whats rarely mentioned is that even if European governance disappeared tomorrow, France would still be stuck contending with its own socialist economic infrastructure.

Sundays first round of voting will largely determine the extent to which the French electorate can see through the persistent socialist lie that has long worked against their interests.
Over the course of more than four decades, Chesterfield County-based East West Communities has built a reputation for developing planned communities that offer resort-style amenities. It developed Greater Richmonds first planned community, Brandermill, in the 1970s, and since then it has developed planned communities and resorts throughout the southeastern United States, as well as Colorado.

So its not surprising that when it began work on The Island, the last section of homes in New Kent Countys Patriots Landing development, the company emphasized the recreational potential of the two lakes that shape the section.

In fact, it offered free kayaks to the communitys first buyers.

Gregory Sieminski and Tabitha Slachiak were among those early buyers, and while they declined the kayak offer and accepted a $750 gift card instead, they used the gift card to purchase a paddleboat, which they use on the lakes.

The neighborhood is a great place to live, Sieminski said. With the water and the woods, you have a true getaway feel, and yet you are only a couple minutes from Interstate 64.

Sieminski and Slachiak moved into their 3,400-square-foot, Craftsman-style home in June 2016, months after construction on The Island began. Main Street Homes built the house, and its one of two builders working in the section. The other is LifeStyle Home Builders. Both companies are based in Midlothian.

So far, LifeStyle Home Builders has completed or begun work on seven houses, and its about to start working on three more, said Chuck Carlisle, the companys sales manager.

Main Street Homes has completed work on five houses in the section, with an additional eight houses under construction.

Sales have been outstanding so far, said Michelle Happney, a new home consultant at Main Street Homes and the companys site agent for The Island. We expect and hope it will continue to grow.

When built out, the 36-acre section will have 38 homes, each set on a 1/3-acre lot. (Main Street Homes will build 19 homes, as will LifeStyle Home Builders.) More than half of the lots have water views.

Many of the houses will be built in the Craftsman style, although other traditional styles will be offered, too, with some floor plans that include first-floor master suites.

The Craftsman style, which dates back to the turn of the 20th century, often features deep porches and gabled roofs with overhanging eaves, and it draws on a variety of building materials, such as cedar shingles, stone and brick.

The minimum size for the houses in the Island section is 2,600 square feet, but most are 2,800 to 5,000 square feet. Prices for most of the houses range from the mid $300,000s to the mid $500,000s.

In addition to the lakes and the sections walking trails, Island homeowners also have access to the community-wide amenities in Patriots Landing, which include a clubhouse, a zero-entry pool, a fitness center, a bocce court, a putting green and two large parks.

The Islands proximity to downtown Richmond and Richmond International Airport attracts buyers, said Franny Powell, senior vice president with East West Communities. But the sections restful, resort-like qualities might be its greatest appeal.

Its so quiet and serene, Powell said. Its a real gem.

_______________
The Richmond area will experience a few waves of soaking rain on Saturday, Sunday and Monday along with unseasonably cool temperatures.

SATURDAY

On-and-off showers will be possible at any point in the day, but rain will be slightly more prevalent during the evening hours. An all-day outdoor plan is likely to have rain at some point. Watching radar trends may allow you to time out an hour or two outside in between showers.

Rain duration: Rain may be falling for 25 percent to 50 percent of the daylight hours. Otherwise, expect it to be cloudy and damp.

Rain amounts: Richmond-area totals could range from 0.25 inch to 1 inch.

Severe chance: Theres a minimal chance for a strong storm near the North Carolina line during the afternoon. Rumbles of thunder cant be ruled out in Richmond, but there shouldnt be anything severe in the metro.

Comfort: Temperatures will turn cooler as the day goes on. Expect 60s in the morning, then 50s for the afternoon and evening. That will be about a 30-degree drop from Friday afternoon.

SUNDAY

Rain becomes more widespread and heavier as a low tracks across the Carolinas. Sunday will be much closer to a washout than Saturday, but there could still be cloudy and dry intervals. Were unlikely to see any sun.

Rain duration: Rain could fall for most of the day, but it will vary in intensity.

Rain amounts: The heaviest rain of the weekend should occur on Sunday, with totals ranging from 1 to 2.5 inches.

Severe chance: None.

Comfort: It will feel unseasonably chilly. Temperatures will hover in the 50s all day with a northeast breeze.

MONDAY

A slow-moving low off to our south will continue to provide occasional rain for Richmond, but the exact timing is not clear.

Severe chance: None.

Comfort: Chilly and cloudy conditions will continue to start the work week. Temperatures are likely to be in the 50s for most of the day, possibly peaking in the lower 60s if there is a break of sun.

WHEN WILL IT BE WARM AND DRY AGAIN?

Late next week  the last weekend of April  is likely to be unseasonably warm. Temperatures could push into the upper 80s or 90 between April 28 and April 30. High pressure should keep rain and thunder chances minimal, if not zero.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
This State Journal report ran on April 19, 1867:

A law enacted by the Legislature requires hawkers and peddlers, and also insurance agents, to procure a state license before they can prosecute their business.

The law is very stringent and provides for the prosecution, both civilly and criminally, of all persons evading the payment of the license fee.

A license fee of $10 is required from peddlers traveling on foot, $30 if they travel with one horse, $40 if with two horses, and $50 if they travel with more than two horses.

Application must be made to the secretary of state, and the money must be sent to the state treasurer. Insurance agents are also required to take out a license, the fee for which is $1.15.
Life has gone full circle for Roanoke entrepreneur Bonz Hart.

Back before he began making software for the oil and gas industry in 1993, before he grew Meridium into a 430-person international company and before he sold that business to GE Digital for $495 million in 2016, it was just him working through late nights in the office above his Bedford garage.

Now, after stepping down as Meridium CEO in January, hes right back there. And he says not much has changed.

After all these years, Hart said, Im still using it as a home office. Im just not connected to as many things as I used to be.

Hart was the keynote speaker at the annual Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council TechNite awards banquet on Friday evening. He told the crowd about his decision to leave Meridium just four months after the sale, saying it wasnt what he had planned.

But Hart said he realized shortly after the sale that Meridium had an opportunity to grow into a billion-dollar business through its connections with GE, and he simply wasnt the leader to get it there.

If I really cared about the team, I needed to replace myself, Hart said. Not what I wanted to do.  But if youre committed to the purpose, committed to the opportunity, those decisions get a lot easier  even if they become personal.

In an interview before taking the stage, Hart said the transition to retirement is going well, though he has to retrain his mind to slow down after two decades atop a growing tech firm.

Hart didnt rule out the possibility of getting back in the ring with a new startup, but he said for now hes promised himself he would take a couple of years off. He said hes been staying busy with charities hes trying to get organized. Hes also learning a little about startup investing, though thats still a work in progress.

Speaking to the crowd on Friday, he talked about the difficulties of starting a business and called on the audience to encourage the next generation of Southwest Virginia entrepreneurs.

Fridays 18th annual TechNite ceremony honored a hodgepodge of up-and-comers, from an African refugee with a thriving business, to a lifelong computer geek with a propensity for STEM education.

It was Qualtrax that took home the RBTCs Rising Star award.

The compliance software business has been around for more than two decades, but until last year it was a division of Christiansburgs CCS Inc. (now FoxGuard Solutions). As a standalone company, Qualtrax has moved into a swanky new office in downtown Blacksburg and is getting ready to expand from 26 employees to about 36.

The company also took on its first outside investment earlier this year with a $3 million funding round led by Jon Hagmaiers Common Wealth Growth Group.

Hagmaier himself is a previous recipient of the RBTCs Rising Star award, winning the trophy as the CEO of Roanoke-based Interactive Achievement in 2010.

Other 2017 TechNite Award Recipients:

Thomas Tweeks Weeks is a former Rackspace engineer who now works at the Virginia Tech Cyber Range, launches rockets in his spare time and volunteers as coding teacher for local children. He received the RBTCs first ever Regional Go To Geek Award.

Baraka Kasongo won the Entrepreneur Award for his work at Volatia Language Network Inc., the translator services business he began after moving from Africa to Roanoke as part of the U.S. refugee program in 2001. Volatia now provides translators to organizations like hospitals and courthouses around the clock. The company uses thousands of interpreters who speak more than 280 languages.

Greg Feldmann received the Regional Leadership Award after working last year to pull together the regions business superstars in hopes of drumming up more local startup funding. Feldmann was one of the first venture capitalists in Southwest Virginia, managing two funds organized by Sen. Mark Warner in the 1990s. More recently, Feldmann has said he wants to see the most recent class of successful entrepreneurs reinvest in the next generation of startups.

Virginia Tech scientist Josep Bassaganya-Riera received the Innovator Award for his work as CEO of BioTherapeutics, the company behind a new brand of health waters that hope to improve gut health, fight inflammation and regulate glucose.

Sam English received the Ruby Award after serving as the chair of the RBTC board. Hes also the founder and CEO of Attention Point, which offers online tools to conduct Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder assessments.

STEM Educator Awards went to Nick Cornwell, of the Montgomery County Public Schools and Hannah Weiss, education manager at the Science Museum of Western Virginia.
BEDFORD  Valley Processing, a company that produces custom-mixed, rubber-based compounds , has closed its Bedford plant, according to town manager Charles Kolakowski.

The company was bought out by Hexpol Compounding, a Swedish company that produces similar products and owns 41 production units in 10 countries, according to its website.

According to a Hexpol Compounding news release dated April 3, CEO and owner Ted Ballou and his family sold Valley Processing, which made $34 million in 2016, for $46 million, plus additional costs for transferring products.

Valley Processings manufacturing facility in Virginia is not included in the transaction, the release states.

Hexpol Compoundings acquisition of the business was finalized April 10, according to an investor news release.

The acquisition is a very good complement to our HEXPOL Compounding business, Hexpol Compounding NAFTA President and CEO Tracy Garrison said in the release. Valley Processing broadens our presence and strengthens our portfolio; particularly in the western and southeastern regions of the United States while also strengthening our market position in several key areas.

The buyout will affect all 40 employees who lost thier jobs Thursday, Kolakowski said.

This is a big corporation that periodically buys out competitors, Kolakowski said. It was time, and now [Hexpol] can consolidate production in other places. But unfortunately, closings do occur due to that.

He said the town and county of Bedford will work to redeveloped the site.

The town is losing a significant utility and electric customer, Kolakowski said.

That certainly wont help, but more importantly, 40 people are put out of work, he said.

We are working to get a list of affected employees together so they are aware of whatever assistance they can get from state and federal agencies, he said.

We are hoping a number of them can be hired by other businesses in or around town that are always looking for good employees.

He said it is always a concern when a large business closes, but its part of what happens with the economy.

Businesses come and go, he said. Most companies that were around 100 years ago arent here anymore. Theres always turnover; they change and come and go.

Bedford Town Council member Bruce Johannessen said the closure is unfortunate.

Its regrettable anytime we lose a manufacturing company in the area, he said.

The town has been working recently on a plan to attract new businesses to town.

This certainly reinforces our constant effort  one of the top priorities of the town has been trying to attract locally owned and operated companies that can offer more stability and permanence to the town, he said.

The company is the successor to Rubatex Inc., a manufactuer that for years served as the areas largest employer prior to shuttering its doors in 2010.

Valley Processings closing brings down a final curtain on a bygone era in Bedford that began with Rubatex, where thousands and generations of people once earned their livings working in the manufacturing plant.

Valley Processing and Hexpol Compounding officials could not be reached for comment.
A law that opponents say allows Dominion Virginia Power to keep hundreds of millions in excess profit is being tested before the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Lawyers made oral arguments Friday on the 2015 law, which put a temporary freeze on the base electricity rates of Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Power Company.

In one corner: A group of utility customers who challenged the law and argue that the General Assembly violated the state Constitution in passing it. If the law is struck down, they say, every customer will receive a refund. In the other corner: The State Corporation Commission, the entity that regulates the energy monopolies and ruled that the law is constitutional, and Appalachian Power.

Joining the SCC, however, was an odd bedfellow: Democratic Attorney General Mark Herrings office. Although Herring opposed the law and his office calls it bad policy, he believes its constitutional. Solicitor General Stuart Raphael from Herrings office argued for the laws constitutionality before the seven justices on Friday.

But because the attorney general also has a duty to represent consumers, former state Attorney General Andrew Miller called out Herring at a news conference after the arguments.

Miller said Herring had decided to go over to the other side in this case and told reporters to look at what he called large campaign donations to Herring from Dominion.

When you have that kind of money being contributed to a candidate, theres some reasonable expectation of some type of return, said Miller, who served as a Democrat in the 1970s and was joined Friday by former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican. And I frankly think what you see today is an example of that type of return.

Miller and Cuccinelli said Herring could have used outside counsel to defend the laws constitutionality while still acting as a representative of the consumer. Miller endorsed Republican Mark Obenshain for attorney general in 2013. Obenshain lost to Herring, a Democrat.

Dominion has given Herring $114,500 since his time as a state senator, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. That includes a $10,000 campaign donation last month. Herring, who is seeking re-election, will face Republican lawyer John Adams in the November general election. Adams is a partner in McGuireWoods, which represents Dominion.

Herring did not respond Friday to a request for an interview, but spokesman Michael Kelly said Herring has strongly opposed this law on policy grounds and still does.

If these gentlemen agree so strongly with Attorney General Herring that this is bad policy, we would have welcomed their support when we tried to make that case to the General Assembly, he wrote in an email.

Dominion is not an appellee in the case, but company spokesman David Botkins monitored the proceedings in the courtroom and the company filed a brief in support of the law.

The law in question was the most controversial of the 2015 legislative session after it was introduced by Sen. Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, one of three Republicans now seeking the partys nomination for governor. The law temporarily put a moratorium on the SCCs ability to conduct biennial reviews of base electricity rates  about 60 percent of a residential customer bill.

Dominion is a public service corporation and because it has no competition it is regulated by the SCC, whose three commissioners are appointed by the General Assembly. The company is allowed to earn a certain amount of profit, but anything over the established amount must be returned to customers. Wagners bill froze Dominions rates in place until 2022 and stopped the SCCs ability to review Dominions base rates.

Dominions rationale in requesting the bill was financial uncertainty over the Obama administrations then-pending Clean Power Plan, which would have cut carbon emissions from power plants.

Gov. Terry McAuliffes administration at first expressed concerns over the bill, but after meeting with Dominion CEO Tom Farrell and changes to the bill to promote solar energy, McAuliffe signed it. The Clean Power Plan was delayed in the courts and now with President Donald Trump in office the plan is dead. So the rationale for the bill  which even in 2015 was questioned by critics  is no longer an issue.

Several legislators this year asked McAuliffe to take action to undo the law. Although he said he agreed with them, he took no action.

Edward Petrini led the arguments for the consumers  the Old Dominion Committee for Fair Utility Rates.

As things stand, Dominion is expected to take in $300 million annually that should be returned to customers, Karen Torrent of Falls Church, one of the consumers, argued in court Friday. Dominion disputes that figure.

The SCC has ruled that the 2015 law is constitutional. Torrent told the Supreme Court the constitution, however, protects consumers and asked justices to do what the SCC and attorney general have refused to do.
RICHMOND  The (Newport News) Daily Press took its battle with the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court over access to a statewide court records database to the justices of the state Supreme Court on Friday.

The newspaper is seeking the data under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to determine whether race plays a part in plea bargains in the states circuit courts. The position of the OES is that each of the states clerks  not the OES  is the custodian of the records.

The OES, which is the court administrator for the state, has turned over to the Daily Press the data from 50 clerks who agreed to release it, but withheld data from the 68 clerks who did not agree, even though the information is public (two of the 120 circuit courts, Fairfax County and Alexandria, do not use the case management system).

The Daily Press challenged the OES decision in Newport News Circuit Court asking that the FOIA be enforced. The court, however, refused to order OES to disclose the records over the objections of the clerks, so the Daily Press appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court.

Its, to me, bizarre that this information is out there and available to the public, even to ISIS, Daily Press attorney Hunter Sims told the justices Friday. Yet, he said, For some reason they dont want us to get it, and it seems like to me thats not just right.

Justice Arthur Kelsey asked, Well, why dont you sue the clerks? Sims said because the OES has the information, it is public and subject to FOIA release unless the law specifically exempts it.

According to a filing with the court, the OES said the nonconsenting clerks gave various reasons including disseminating bulk data could facilitate identity theft or violate privacy; that such requests must be made directly to clerks; and that expunged criminal records might be inadvertently disclosed.

Stuart Raphael, Virginias solicitor general, argued Friday that the law is clear that the clerks  not the OES  are the custodians of the records, which are not created or altered by OES.

OES is simply a trustee, he said. Raphael said that when information from one government entity is posted by another, the entity that originated it remains the custodian and decides whether it can be released.

Two justices expressed concern that by OES releasing the data that was sought by the newspaper, the door would open to releasing other, non-public data as well.

Sims disagreed. Nobodys trying to get judges emails, the system has not crashed after the 50 clerks made the information available, Sims said. He said the newspaper is only seeking records that are already public.

A friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Daily Press was filed by the Virginia Press Association; BH Media Group, which owns The Roanoke Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and other Virginia newspapers; other newspaper companies; The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; and The Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

That brief argues that the material sent to the OES by the clerks is assembled into a distinct, new record that is a comprehensive, statewide database, that is unlike any record maintained by any clerk and that is not subject to any exclusion under the FOIA.
American Pickers is returning to Virginia in May, and Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and their team plan to film episodes of the hit show throughout the area.

American Pickers is the popular documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique picking. The show follows two of the most skilled pickers in the business as they hunt for Americas most valuable antiques.

As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to rescue and recycle forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters who have remarkable and exceptional items. The team is always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them. The pair hopes to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about Americas past along the way.

American Pickers is looking for leads for the episodes planned for Virginia next month, and would love to explore your hidden treasure. The earlier they hear from potential show participants, the better.

If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com. Or you can call 1-855-OLD-RUST (653-7878).

American Pickers is produced by Cineflix Productions. New episodes air on Mondays at 9 p.m. Eastern on the History Channel.

 Submitted by Jessica Epstein
By David Horn

Horn currently lives in Moneta and is a longtime resident of Virginia.

Its great that The Roanoke Times has spent a lot of editorial space discussing the serious issues affecting southwest Virginia. As someone who grew up in an area with many similar traits, I appreciate the challenge involved in building a new economy where the old one has faded. Youve covered a lot of ground that doesnt need repeating, but, frankly, you missed one aspect thats both compelling and largely intractable: culture.

For these areas to grow new businesses in the emerging economy, they must attract outside investment and, more to the point, the people who can build new businesses and create local jobs. Terry Kilgore was right to note that much of the area has all the fiber needed to support high-tech businesses, but they seem disinterested. That may be true, because the people who run them, and the people they will send to start those new enterprises, dont feel welcome. The management team from Deshutes Brewery chose Roanoke because it is a good fit for their people. Can these less urban counties do the same?

To their advantage, the rural southwest has a plethora of natural beauty, but the people they want to entice dont come to hunt. They come to hike and mountain bike, canoe and kayak. They are also looking for a social scene not centered solely on church activities and NASCAR. They are a different breed from the locals entirely. That doesnt make them inhospitable, per se, but these young, mostly urban and educated imports need to feel at home. Thats a much larger barrier. If they dont feel welcome and fully appreciated, they, and the businesses they represent, will simply locate elsewhere.

These arent insurmountable challenges, but they are real challenges nonetheless. Its up to the locals to be welcoming. Yes, the newly arrived will probably bring new and different social customs and behaviors, but they will expect  even demand  the right to be treated warmly and without scorn. Thats hard to do, when the personal beliefs in the community will almost certainly clash with theirs. More to the point, the new arrivals will change their host communities in ways that may be less than valued by many who currently live there. Thats an unavoidable byproduct of change.

I dont claim to have any answers here, just questions that need to be answered. The communities that can find a way to open their doors to change have the best chance to succeed. Those that cant probably dont. The choices are theirs to make, and I wish them well. Opportunities only become success stories when they are pursued. They might start there.
In 1983, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April was proclaimed as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The goal was to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families. This year the theme is Building Community, Building Hope.

As graduate students in the Masters of Social Work program, we have worked with several families who are building that hope and well-being by taking in members of their extended family after abuse or neglect may have occurred. We have also seen that these kinship care families cannot do it alone. We challenge your community to support kinship caregivers who take in extended members of their family. Often grandparents are raising grandchildren on fixed budgets with little to no support financially or physically. However, their foster care counterparts receive Medicaid, case management and financial assistance to care for the children.

This year, Virginia made an attempt to offer a small amount of financial support to a small group of kinship care families. Senate Bill 876 was left in appropriations. We need to require support for families. We need to put families first and support them in staying together. Recent research shows that the effects of removal is far less when the children are placed with someone they know. Many families are willing to take in the children and keep them safe, but do not have the resources on their own. Will you help put families first?

Contact your representative and demand their support for kinship care families in Virginia. Representative contact information can be found at http://virginiageneralassembly.gov.

DANIELLE BELL

PEARISBURG

ELISABETH GOCHENOUR

RADFORD

MIA HANCOCK

ROANOKE

LEANNA STONE

BLACKSBURG

RENEE VON GUGGENBERG

CHRISTIANSBURG
The old-school adventure epic is something of an endangered species. We no longer see explorers on the big screen, venturing into uncharted terrain where foreign dangers lurk, even though those stories are cinematic.

The Lost City of Z, which dramatizes Percy Fawcetts adventures in South America, is a thrilling reminder of the genres potential. The real-life British soldier made multiple trips to the Amazon during the early 20th century in search of an ancient civilization.

The movie, based on a book by David Grann, plays fast and loose with the facts with careful attention paid to modern-day sensibilities.

Fawcetts (Charlie Hunnam) first trip is a mission hes loathe to accept on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society to help define the border between Brazil and Bolivia. Often overlooked because, he was unfortunate in his choice of ancestors, Fawcett agrees to go after hes promised glory and advancement should he succeed.

Once he realizes how dangerous the mission is, however, he begins to second-guess that choice. Along with his aide-de-camp, Henry Costin (a wonderful Robert Pattinson, unrecognizable under a bushy beard), a native guide (Pedro Coello) and a few other helpers, Fawcett learns just how risky a river cruise down the Amazon can be.

The Lost City of Z was directed by James Gray, who capably transitions from smaller, more self-contained stories  Two Lovers, We Own the Night  to this sprawling saga. The movie is long, but never slow, even as it leaves ample time to survey the breathtaking vistas captured by cinematographer Darius Khondji.
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BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine mustn't lead to a worldwide renaissance for coal  comments that come as Germany itself brings coal ... Read More BERLIN (AP) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine mustn't lead to a "worldwide renaissance" for coal -- comments that come as Germany itself brings coal-fired ... Read More BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Russias war in Ukraine mustnt lead to a worldwide renaissance for coal  comments that come as Germany itself brings coal-fired power ... Read More This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine mustn't lead to a worldwide renaissance ... Read More
Business News Here S What S Behind The Us Canada Dairy Spat That Has Chuck Schumer Agreeing With Trump | RobinsPost News & Noticias

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Midterm Elections 2022 is underway; get live updates and the latest coverage heading into election day, November 8th, as voters determine who will win the House, Senate, and Governor races in each ... Read More Voters electing a new governor of Pennsylvania are choosing between Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican Doug Mastriano. At stake in Tuesday's election are the future of abortion rights and management ... Read More Former President Donald Trump traveled to Westmoreland County on Saturday to speak in support of Republican candidates whom he's endorsed for key mid-term election races in Pennsylvania. Read More Former President Trump is heading back to the Keystone State for the third time this year just days ahead of the November midterms. Trumps Save America PAC said he will be heading to Latrobe, ... Read More Florida statewide candidate criss-cross state to sell voters on their candidacy. A Trump rally in Miami is being held to boost Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign. Read More US midterm election will be held on Nov. 8, but early voting is already underway and candidates are making their closing arguments. Follow CNN for the latest election news and updates. 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 Were gathering news, updates, analysis, and results from high-stakes races across Massachusetts and the United States. Follow along. Read More Candidates from both parties have fought to win over voters by focusing on issues they believe matter most to the electorate. Read More The Nov. 8 general election is one week away. Follow our live coverage to get the latest news on the 2022 midterm elections. Read More From Senate to school board, politicians are down to precious hours in their efforts to persuade voters. Follow The Arizona Republic's coverage here. Read More
Potus News Us To Honor Australia Refugee Deal Trump Called Dumb | RobinsPost News & Noticias

SYDNEY - President Donald Trump labeled a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a ... in Australia have both said Trump would honor the deal. In several media appearances ... Read More SYDNEY- US President Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration will honor a refugee resettlement deal with Australia, a source close to the Australian government said on Sunday. Read More A newly obtained Secret Service message from that day shows how angry President Trump was about the outcome. Quote Just FYI, POTUS is pissed  Breaking news  Supreme Court denied his lawsuit. Read More Australian officials were closely following news reports and monitoring statements by senior members of Trump ... closer to the US through the Aukus nuclear-powered submarine deal, arguing ... Read More "They actually taunted him, if you really look at it, our country and our so-called leadership ... The rhetoric was so dumb." Trump did not provide any examples of how the US or President Joe ... Read More A committee investigating the 2021 attack on the US Capitol has voted to subpoena Donald Trump to give evidence. The panel voted unanimously to compel the former president to appear. "We must seek ... Read More So what are those asylum protections, and how does the U.S. refugee resettlement program work  and how do faith-based organizations play a role? Let us explain. The United Nations, in its 1951 ... Read More The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) on Friday announced that it will honor former President Donald Trump with its Theodor ... pulling the U.S. out of the Iran deal, halting U.S. funding ... Read More Australia Concerned About Delays on UK Trade Deal, PM Says SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday said he was concerned about any potential delays to the free ... Read More
Potus News U S Scientists Rally In Washington To Protest Trump Policies On Earth Day | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Thirty-six of the 50 states are electing governors in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. Though the races typically get less attention than the battle for control of Congress, they carry high stakes ... Read More Stephen Maturen/ Donald Trump Stephen Maturen/ Trump tells Iowa rally he will 'very, very, very probably' run for president in 2024 . Former President D ... Read More Multiple people close to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) are reportedly angry at former President Donald Trump for throwing a rally in Florida two days before the election. Trump announced a Nov. 6 ... Read More
White House Vice President Mike Pence Meets With Indonesian Business Leaders And Departs For Australia | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Former Vice President Mike Pence is set to participate in a CNN town hall just eight days after the midterm elections on Wednesday, November 16. Read More
Science News Science Hasn T Been This Controversial Since 1676 | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The marketing of embargoed science news releases -- especially about sticky and controversial topics -- too often do a disservice to science community. Read More Thanks to science ... t know how they navigate toward the Sargasso, or why they do the stomach-digesting thing, or even exactly how they mate. An adult European eel has never even been seen ... Read More This brought on accusations of sexism in science, which Bell Burnell has been trying to fight ever since. Most recently ... to science and astronomy hasnt gone unrecognised; she has been ... Read More But our editorial integrity ensures our experts opinions arent ... been tightening their standards even more, to the point where mortgage credit availability is at its lowest level since ... Read More Weekly price has made a significantly lower low since the spring ... are better than they have been for much of the five-year period, and it's growth isn't slowing, so I don't see a lot of ... Read More Longstanding theories of how plants rely on calcium waves to respond systemically to wounding and other stresses have been given fresh ... in plants appears in Science Advances. Read More The S&P 500 Index notched its sixth-straight day in the red on Wednesday. Thats the second six-plus day losing streak this year and the second such stretch in just over two weeks. Before this ... Read More In a new blog post, the Never Been Kissed star explained that since splitting from her ex ... get into a relationship but it simply hasnt been my priority, the talk show host ... Read More Casey Woods hasn't walked since injuring himself on Bachelor in ... If it wasn't so painful it would've been the funniest thing you've seen in a Zach Galifianakis movie or something." ... Read More The daughter of one of Jeffrey Dahmers victims has said she hasnt been able to sleep since the Netflix series was released. Tatiana Banks, whose father was Errol Lindsey, a 19-year-old ... Read More The 14-year-old has not been seen since Friday morning, police said in a news release. Mickens was last seen when she was dropped off at her school, but she never returned to her Corbett Street ... Read More of 15 is the cheapest it's been since 2012. Given the selling pressure on the stock, you may think the company has underperformed. That couldn't be further from the truth. In the first half of ... Read More
Technology News Science Is Universal Silicon Valley Joins The March For Science | RobinsPost News & Noticias

ft. of data center space in Silicon Valley as of Spring 2022 Ranked by sq. ft. of data center space in Bay Area as of Spring 2021 Ranked by sum of equity invested Showcase your company news with ... Read More Instead, we took the Faucian bargain of technology-enabled yearlong lockdowns because it was doable. Silicon Valleys tools became shackles. Read More Tesla followed them to the Lone Star State in 2021. It triggered fears in Silicon Valley that its multidecade dominance of the technology sector was fading. No question, Silicon Valley has assets ... Read More Join us on November ... todays titans of the tech world. They have achieved their successes in part by leveraging their geographic location in the heart of Silicon Valley. Read More Tech companies based in Santa Clara County earn billions in revenue but only donate a tiny portion to local nonprofits as social inequality in one of the ... Read More Local artists and performers have long complained that the tech industry does little to support them. Now, for the first time, Silicon Valleys plutocrats are underwriting a new cultural ... Read More Zachary Bogue co-founded the Silicon Valley venture capital ... and studied environmental science and public policy at Harvard. And DCVC has been investing in climate tech since 2012, long before ... Read More CNBC's Jim Cramer joins ... Silicon Valley's labor market, BofA downgrading Meta, and the resilience of tech companies with consideration to P/E ratios and free cash flow. Got a confidential news ... Read More News Direct-- Silicon Valley Leadership Group Leading a coalition ... the coalition emphasized that: The [CHIPS and Science] Act presents a unique moment to seize upon Californias innovation ... Read More is to make a push into technology investing via a new vehicle that will be shepherded by two Silicon Valley veterans. Play Time is the name given to a new partnership between the players Messi ... Read More The car was discovered Thursday morning by landscapers in the affluent town of Atherton in Silicon Valley, police said in a news release. Cadaver dogs alerted to possible human remains ... Read More in meetings with top executives at four major tech firms in California's Silicon Valley, the ministry said on Saturday. Wang Mei-hua has been in the United States all week to respond to what her ... Read More
The New York State Canal System is slated to open Friday, May 19, according to the New York State Canal Corporation.

This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Erie Canal at Rome in 1817. The portion through Cayuga and western Onondaga counties was completed and opened two years later.

The canal will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Wednesday, Oct. 11.

The waterway occupies the Seneca River in this area. Although built for commercial traffic, it is primarily used by small craft.

Since 2013, recreational boating has increased from 64,784 to 79,204 passages through the locks, said William Sweitzer, a spokesman for the Canal Corporation. However, commercial traffic has declined  from 32,504 in 2013 to 15,279 last year.

The commercial counts include cargo shipments, tour boats and contractors. While it appears there was a considerable decline in commercial lockings, these numbers were affected by a major dredging project on the Champlain Canal that concluded at the end of 2015, Sweitzer said.

There were 4,998 individual recreational motor vessels issued lock passes last year. Paddle craft  kayaks, canoes, standup paddle boards  are not issued permits, as they are allow to lock through for free, Sweitzer said.

There has also been a surge in non-dredging commercial activity, Sweitzer said. Some of the 2016 traffic highlights include:

 Recreational locking and bridge lifts up over 5 percent.

 Non-motorized locking  kayak, SUP, etc.  up 52 percent.

 Approximately 40,000 recreational motor vessels use the system.

 Most are small, trailerable boats that dont lock through but rather enter a navigation pool via one of 80 free public boat launches.

 Combined tour and hire boat lockings up 5.7 percent.

 Hire boats lockings  self-skippered rentals  up 16 percent.

 Overnight tour boat lockings up 16 percent.

 Cargo tonnage up 2,737 percent over last year, or 664 percent over this centurys average.

 Over $100 million worth of originating cargo shipped out and expected to approach $1 billion in 2017.
Travel News 3 Judges To Hear Appeal Of Hawaii Ruling Blocking Travel Ban | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The Trump administration is appealing a Hawaii judges order that blocks the newest version of the travel ban. Attorneys for ... the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court has ... Read More The Justice Department said it will quickly appeal. The judges ruling applies ... is the third time Hawaii has gone to court to stop President Trump from issuing a travel ban that discriminates ... Read More The DeAngelo case is one of several in the past two weeks in which judges have granted prosecutors' request in cases dismissed under the Obrero ruling ... given travel distances on Hawaii island. Read More Les 3 Vallees Travel will become a comprehensive holiday booking portal as follows: A one-stop-shop to simplify the customer journey. At launch, accommodation can be booked, as well as ski ... Read More JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  After a 90-minute closed door meeting, Jacksonville City Council will appeal a federal judge's ruling that orders the counsel to throw out its district voting map. Read More A state judge has blocked rules related to the management ... Benson's office said the department will appeal the ruling from Swartzle. His order comes after several election challengers, two ... Read More A federal appeals judge put on hold a lower-court ruling that struck down many of New Yorks gun bans in public places as constitutional. US Circuit Court Judge Eunice Lee granted New York ... Read More The Ohio Attorney Generals Office announced Wednesday that the state of Ohio filed a notice of appeal ... Judge Christian Jenkins granted the permanent injunction on Oct. 7, blocking a ban ... Read More The North Dakota Supreme Court has extended to Oct. 31 the deadline for a lower court judge to reconsider his decision to prevent the states abortion ban from ... name in news delivered first ... Read More (Bloomberg) -- A federal appeals judge put on hold a lower-court ruling that struck down many of New Yorks gun bans in public places as constitutional. US Circuit Court Judge Eunice Lee granted New ... Read More
Travel News Nicaragua Honduras And Panama Travel To Central America | RobinsPost News & Noticias

When it comes to visiting Central America, oftentimes you'll hear Costa Rica mentioned as the best travel destination. E ... Read More Hurricane Julia hit Nicaraguas central Caribbean coast and dumped torrential rains across Central America before reemerging over the Pacific as a tropical storm. It was forecast to travel ... Read More Hurricane Julia hit Nicaragua ... Nicaragua's central Caribbean coast and dumped torrential rains across Central America before reemerging over the Pacific as a tropical storm. It was forecast to ... Read More MEXICO CITY -- Hurricane Julia hit Nicaragua's ... torrential rains across Central America before reemerging over the Pacific as a tropical storm. It was forecast to travel parallel to the coasts ... Read More
Travel News Women In Travel Returns To Arabian Travel Market 2017 | RobinsPost News & Noticias

is returning to Arabian Travel Market holding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates April 23-27, 2017, for a second year. The Women in Travel Meetup will kick off with a Leaders Interview discussing ... Read More Find out the many reasons women should plan a trip to Saudi Arabia as the country opens its doors to tourists. Read More Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, the leading travel and tourism showcase in the Middle East which is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 14 May 2023, will feature a sustainability ... Read More It is expected to remain weak this year and return to growth from 2023 ... Therefore, the travel market looks very strong and the predictions override all the negative news flow about a recession. Read More Lastly, Arikoglu touted the Women Who Travel podcast, a cornerstone of the ... that are just really opening up to tourism, like Saudi Arabia and the Arctic. Other callouts, that cruise passengers ... Read More The key regions analysed in this study include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & African countries. The leading players of the Travel Bags Market and their ... 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 DUBAI, 24th October, 2022 (WAM) -- dnata Travel Group brands have won seven accolades at the Middle East edition of the World Travel Awards for 2022.Representing the Travel division of dnata, a ... Read More Nov 04, 2022 (The Expresswire) -- "Travel Bags Market" Research Report gives detailed facts with consideration to market size, cost revenue, trends, ... Read More Canadian travel management company Maritime Travel has rejoined GlobalStar Travel Management as a partner in its network, the travel management organization announced. Halifax-based Maritime was a ... Read More All the segments & categories of the Travel Switches market have been evaluated based on present and future trends. The data for the Market size and forecast will be provided from 2017-2030 ... Read More ATM introduces a Best Stand Build Incorporating Sustainability Initiatives for the 2023 annual exhibitor awards to recognise exhibitors that have made exceptional efforts to reduce their ... Read More
Us News Trump Travel Ban Back In Court As Iran Groups Open New Front | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Iran on Friday marked the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran as its theocracy faces nationwide protests after the September death of a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by the country's ... Read More NPR's Scott Simon speaks to an Iranian protester now out of the country about events on the ground, the progression of the protests and the outlook for the movement. Read More
Us News Shooting Kills Florida Truck Driver On I 88 Near Oak Brook | RobinsPost News & Noticias

A Florida high school quarterback was killed in a crash early Sunday while helping a driver stuck on the side of the road. Nick Miner, 18, was in a pickup truck ... Like us on Facebook to ... Read More The grieving mother of a tow truck driver who was struck and killed over the weekend while helping a motorist on the Florida's Turnpike ... lanes of the Turnpike near Sunrise Boulevard in Plantation. Read More The incident happened at 9:22 p.m. Sunday on SR-39 in Hillsborough County, north of Plant City and about 25 miles northeast of Tampa, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Read More A high school quarterback was killed Sunday in Florida when a driver crashed into his truck while he was trying to help a vehicle back onto the road, authorities said. Read More Troopers said the driver of a sedan, a 31-year-old man from Largo, was traveling west on I-4 approaching the U.S. 301 exit in the outside lane. Meanwhile, a tractor-trailer was al ... Read More Florida, have been charged with attempted murder, Leeper said. The shooting happened around 6 p.m. Saturday on U.S. Route 1, north of Jacksonville, after aggressive moves between the drivers that ... Read More which is in the Florida's northeasternmost corner. Sometimes we see people acting stupid and doing dumb things out on the highway, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said during a news ... Read More Two men have been charged with attempted murder in Florida after two children were injured in a road rage shooting, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said during a news ... on US 1 from the ... Read More The shooting happened outside the LIT Cigar & Martini Lounge in Tampa, Florida, just before 3 a.m ... Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com ... Read More A firearms instructor was accidentally shot and killed Wednesday while conducting a course at a Miami-Dade gun range, according to reports.Miami-based news outlet WPLG reported the shooting took ... Read More A motorist was killed ... a dump truck on a Gloucester County roadway, police said. Thurman H. Smith Jr., 37, of Chesilhurst, was driving a car west on Route 322/Glassboro Road near Fries Mill ... Read More
Us News Brush Fires Force 7 000 Mandatory Evacuations In Collier County Florida | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Fire at a recycling center in Collier County. (CREDIT: GREATER NAPLES FIRE RESCUE DISTRICT) Greater Naples Fire says several appliances are on fire at Garden Street Iron and Metal. According to ... Read More A car went up in flames on I-75 in Collier County ... a vehicle fire. The car was in the southbound lane at exit 108 on I-75. It is unclear at this time how the fire began. WINK News will provide ... Read More -The suspect accused in a 2017 murder of an Uber driver is now a free man. A jury acquitted the man on Thursday. Governor Henry McMaster and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette stumped in Greenwood Friday ... Read More Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie says people should check their evacuation zones and stay put if they arent in one unless they dont trust their homes to ... Read More SAN ANTONIO  A large brush fire seen ... said no evacuations are underway. A total of 60 personnel and 20 units were on the scene included the City of San Antonio, Bexar County and Wilson ... Read More THIS IS BREAKING NEWS WERE FOLLOWING SOME BREAKING NEWS OUT OF BULLITT COUNTY WHERE MULTIPLE FIRE CREWS ARE ON THE SCENE OF A PRETTY LARGE BRUSH FIRE ... ABLE TO GIVE US MUCH MORE INFORMATION. Read More Jones County fire units responded to a brush fire Saturday.(Jones County Fire Council) Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. Read More Prairie fires pushed by winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern Nebraska ... to pick up and push the fires north, the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office reported. Read More BOULDER COUNTY, Colo ... Heil Valley Ranch was on the west side of the evacuation zone. Because of the hot, dry, weather and because the fire was burning near houses, fire crews asked for ... Read More Prairie fires pushed by tinder-dry conditions and winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern ... the Lancaster County, Nebraska, Sheriffs Office reported. The nearly 300 residents ... Read More POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  The multiple brush ... Fire Department, says three fires were ignited and the weather helped it spread. It makes a huge impact on fire behavior, it took us ... Read More
Us News Wildfires Rage Across Florida Destroying Homes And Displacing Thousands | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Two children were shot after the men driving the cars they were in fired guns at each other during a road rage incident on a Florida highway ... Leeper said at a news conference Monday. Read More US energy department research links megablazes in the west to hail, deluges and risk of flash floods in central states Images showing thick clouds of wildfire smoke drifting thousands of miles ... Read More LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Prairie fires pushed by tinder-dry conditions and winds topping 60 mph (96 kph) led to evacuations in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and destroyed homes and injured two ... Read More which is in the Florida's northeasternmost corner. Sometimes we see people acting stupid and doing dumb things out on the highway, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said during a news ... Read More A wildfire burned out of control near the Washington-Oregon border Monday as thousands of people fled ... By Sunday night, residents of more than 2,900 homes had been issued a Level 3 Go ... Read More Electric cars are all the rage these days. But what happens if they burst into raging flames? It is happening all too often in Southwest Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian. Channel 9 is digging into ... Read More (AP)  An environmental group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against U.S. Forest Service officials that alleges they polluted waterways during their campaigns against wildfires by inadvertently ... Read More Whats the state of home sales in Florida ... Total housing sale transactions increased from July to August 2022 across the South Florida region. Miami-Dade reported 2,505 sales, up from ... Read More Prairie fires pushed by winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and destroyed homes and injured ... Rain moving across the region Monday with a cold front ... Read More
Us News Brush Fires Force 7 000 Mandatory Evacuations In Collier County Florida | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Palm Beach is included in a mandatory evacuation order issued by County ahead of the expected Thursday arrival of Tropical Storm Nicole, but the town said it will not f ... Read More Fire at a recycling center in Collier County. (CREDIT: GREATER NAPLES FIRE RESCUE DISTRICT) Greater Naples Fire says several appliances are on fire at Garden Street Iron and Metal. According to ... Read More A car went up in flames on I-75 in Collier County ... a vehicle fire. The car was in the southbound lane at exit 108 on I-75. It is unclear at this time how the fire began. WINK News will provide ... Read More -The suspect accused in a 2017 murder of an Uber driver is now a free man. A jury acquitted the man on Thursday. Governor Henry McMaster and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette stumped in Greenwood Friday ... Read More Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie says people should check their evacuation zones and stay put if they arent in one unless they dont trust their homes to ... Read More SAN ANTONIO  A large brush fire seen ... said no evacuations are underway. A total of 60 personnel and 20 units were on the scene included the City of San Antonio, Bexar County and Wilson ... Read More Prairie fires pushed by winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern Nebraska ... to pick up and push the fires north, the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office reported. Read More Jones County fire units responded to a brush fire Saturday.(Jones County Fire Council) Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. Read More BOULDER COUNTY, Colo ... Heil Valley Ranch was on the west side of the evacuation zone. Because of the hot, dry, weather and because the fire was burning near houses, fire crews asked for ... Read More Prairie fires pushed by tinder-dry conditions and winds topping 60 mph led to evacuations in eastern ... the Lancaster County, Nebraska, Sheriffs Office reported. The nearly 300 residents ... Read More POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  The multiple brush ... Fire Department, says three fires were ignited and the weather helped it spread. It makes a huge impact on fire behavior, it took us ... Read More
Us News Florida Worker Bitten By Poisonous Snake Opens Up About Ordeal | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Florida, to Newark, New Jersey, officials said. The non-venomous snake was removed from the plane by airport staff after the flight landed in Newark. United confirmed to CBS News that after "being ... Read More Highly venomous eastern coral snakes just got a lot more intimidating, after a Florida biology student found ... could potentially deliver a life-threatening bite like snakes, we always recommend ... Read More Passengers in business class started shrieking and pulling their feet up, one traveler told News 12 The Bronx. Garden snake ... airport workers to help extract the non-venomous reptile. Read More Workers at Newark Liberty International Airport were called in to catch a garter snake on board a United Airlines flight that arrived from Tampa on Monday afternoon, according to airport officials. Read More Glancing at the street, waiting for someone to roll up and offer him work, he said he was anxious because Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has declared that undocumented immigrants are unwelcome in Florida. Read More In the weeks leading up to ... The snake bit him just above his leather shoe and below his pant leg; honestly, we were impressed by its precision. Family crowded around, asking us what happened ... Read More In the weeks leading up to ... The snake bit him just above his leather shoe and below his pant leg; honestly, we were impressed by its precision. Family crowded around, asking us what happened but ... Read More
World News Mob Attack Over Blasphemy Claim In Pakistan S Chitral | RobinsPost News & Noticias

After a woman was allegedly arrested for involvement in the desecration of the Holy Quran, an angry mob stormed the police station in Karachi in order to attack ... Read More Activists and members of minority communities say Pakistan's culture of impunity, along with state inaction, is fueling the rise of hate crimes and blasphemy accusations.On October 1, 2022, a ... Read More He also could not substantiate his claims that those who attacked him belonged to the party he mentioned, nor could he show any marks of violence, injuries sustained from the alleged mob attack. Read More as officials in Pakistan summoned the U.S. ambassador over the weekend to explain why Mr. Biden considers their country one of the most dangerous in the world. Mr. Biden, speaking at a ... Read More A former high court chief justice of Pakistan's Balochistan ... vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup Super 12: When And Where To Watch Live Telecast, Live Streaming Imran Khan Claims Army Officer Part ... Read More How do we handle that relative to whats going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan ... claims Khan suspects govt top brass behind ... Read More Political confrontation and polarisation have weakened Pakistans democratic institutions and with increased turmoil, it is unlikely that the army will step back and not interfere in politics ... Read More How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to whats going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without ... Read More KARACHI, Pakistan ... the safety of Pakistan's nuclear programme. In a speech on Thursday, Biden said Pakistan is "maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world" as it has "nuclear ... Read More US President Joe Biden has said Pakistan is 'one of the most dangerous nations in the world' as it has ... expressed concern over the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Read More 15 (UPI) --Pakistan has summoned the United ... that paints a grim picture concerning the world's fight to curb climbing temperatures. World News // 5 hours ago 35 adult migrants denied entry ... Read More
World News Delicate Bargain Frees 26 Hostages Including Qatar Royals | RobinsPost News & Noticias

A source tells The Sun that This couldnt have come at a more delicate time for ... "The worst element for the royals is that millions of people around the world will view this series and ... Read More The Royals scored 11 runs in one inning yesterday ... And the coaching staff, including third-year manager Mike Matheny? I havent arrived at a decision on any of our coaches, Picollo ... Read More The Latest A fire has broken out at a 35-story high-rise building in Dubai near the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building. The head of Amnesty International says that the proceedings of ... Read More With just under four weeks to go until the 2022 Men's FIFA World Cup ... CBS News has not independently verified these accounts. According to the organization, Qatar's security forces have ... Read More The guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have released three people in the last few hours, including the governor of the indigenous reservation of San Andres de Pisimba ... Read More The FBI has been back at FIFA this week, working with soccers governing body to protect the World Cup in Qatar from potential crime including ... powerful name in news delivered first thing ... Read More HONG KONG  A pair of giant pandas arrived in Qatar on Wednesday as a gift ahead of the World Cup ... of major projects for the event, including the main stadium. Giant pandas, a vulnerable ... Read More La Celeste always seem to find a way, including during the recent World Cup qualifiers when ... of 55 that he will select his final 26-man roster for Qatar by Monday, Nov. 14 and making any ... Read More The Netherlands enter the FIFA 2022 World Cup as an international enigma ... from which he will select his final 26-man roster for Qatar by Monday, November 14. Here's the 39-player list he ... Read More As Kate Middleton takes on her new title of Princess of Wales, her royal responsibilities are bound to increase. Luckily the 40-year-old has accrued a close group of girl friends to support the ... Read More Qatars emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says his country has faced an unprecedented campaign of criticism in the lead-up to this years football World Cup. World footballs ... Read More Middle school teacher Michelle Reynolds was first reported missing Sep. 22. Read More
World News Hundreds More Join Mosul Exodus As Iraqi Forces Retake Another Western District | RobinsPost News & Noticias

in the western Anbar province. More than 25,000 forces, including the Iraqi army, the peshmerga, Sunni tribal fighters and Shia militias are taking part in the Mosul offensive, which began on ... Read More More than 100 U.S. special operations forces are embedded with Iraqi units in the offensive, and hundreds ... miles from Mosuls outskirts, the Iraqi special forces faced another favored weapon ... Read More In another development, joint Iraqi army and police forces ... Mosul, which is located in Nineveh province, is the largest city controlled by the Sunni extremist group, with a population of more ... Read More With attacking forces ... More than 5,000 U.S. soldiers are also deployed in support missions, as are troops from France, Britain, Canada and other Western nations. The Iraqi army is attacking ... Read More Kurdish forces arrested more than 200 people ... a domestic political backlash. Iraq should repatriate 500 families in total from Al-Hol this year, state news agency INA reported earlier this ... Read More Ancient rock carvings that are believed to be more than 2,700 years old have been unearthed by a team of archaeologists in Iraq's northern city of Mosul ... told NBC News on Thursday. Read More Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr's movement on Saturday announced its refusal to join a new government being ... camps boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr supporters were killed ... Read More Irans Ever More ... in western Iraq with ballistic missiles in the 1990s and early 2000s, it never used such missiles in its attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan during that same period. In another ... Read More New Zealand's third Omicron wave may result in hundreds ... figure more than six times last year's road toll  and modellers tracking daily case numbers say it now appears likely another ... Read More BAGHDAD: Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadrs movement on Saturday announced its refusal to join a new government ... boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr supporters were killed ... Read More
World News Turkey S Justice Minister Says Contesting Referendum Moot | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his ruling AK Party (AKP) lawmakers during a meeting at the Parliament in Ankara, Turkey October 5, 2022. Presidential Press Office/Handout via RE ... Read More Turkey -- Turkey's interior minister says 14 dead, 28 injured in coal mine blast. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events ... Read More The controversial bill, proposed by the ruling Justice ... Turkeys general elections in 2023. The new law means those found guilty of intentionally publishing disinformation or fake news ... 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 ... journalists in the world in a way ... Read More Turkeys state-run news agency however, quoted Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez as saying on Wednesday that it was too early to assess the proposal. Technically it is possible ... Read More Greece's Citizen Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos said on ... to Europe in exchange for billions of euros in aid. Turkey says it has strengthened measures to prevent people smuggling. Read More Greek migration minister ... and sea. Turkeys coast guard frequently shares videos of such pushbacks. Greece accuses Turkey, which hosts the largest number of refugees in the world, of ... Read More Turkish Foreign Minister ... despite U.S. objections. "We see that a country has threatened Saudi Arabia, especially recently. This bullying is not correct," Cavusoglu said at a news conference ... Read More The Turkish flag was hanging on their house of mourning. Our pain is huge. What can I say? My daughter ... according to the justice minister. But Ayvazs mother Habibe wasnt appeased. Read More Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said he will meet Sweden's new prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, to discuss Stockholm's bid to join NATO as well as the extradition of people Ankara considers ... Read More Turkish officials Sunday shot back at Greek allegations that Turkey forced 92 naked migrants into Greece, calling it "fake news ... Minister Ismail Catakli tweeted that the photo showed Greece's ... Read More
World News Hundreds More Join Mosul Exodus As Iraqi Forces Retake Two More Western Districts | RobinsPost News & Noticias

More than 100 U.S. special operations forces are embedded with Iraqi units in the offensive, and hundreds more are ... which has occupied Mosul for more than two years, has prepared extensive ... Read More Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces ... Iraq's second-largest city. Mosul, which is located in Nineveh province, is the largest city controlled by the Sunni extremist group, with a population of ... Read More Kurdish forces arrested more than 200 people ... a domestic political backlash. Iraq should repatriate 500 families in total from Al-Hol this year, state news agency INA reported earlier this ... Read More Ancient rock carvings that are believed to be more than 2,700 years old have been unearthed by a team of archaeologists in Iraq's northern city of Mosul ... told NBC News on Thursday. Read More Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr's movement on Saturday announced its refusal to join a new ... Tensions between the two rival Shiite camps boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr ... Read More Archaeologists in northern Iraq have uncovered some extraordinary Assyrian rock carvings dating back around 2,700 years. The discovery was made in Nineveh, east of Mosul, by a joint US-Iraqi ... Read More "This work is coming to an end," he told a news conference at the end of a summit in Kazakhstan. "I think that in about two weeks ... It said Russian forces had launched more artillery and air ... Read More Iraq was the birthplace of some of the worlds earliest cities ... their operations. Iraqi forces supported by an international coalition recaptured Mosul and other parts of the country ... Read More The announcement comes more than a year since Iraq ... the next two weeks will include discussions of "loss and damage" for vulnerable countries affected by climate change. World News // 10 ... Read More Supporters of Iraqi leader Moqtada al-Sadr ... Tensions between the two rival Shia camps boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 al-Sadr supporters were killed in clashes with Iran-backed ... Read More
World News Story State Department Eyes Special Envoy Over Crimea Conflict | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The role of the SBU or any state body of Ukraine in ... water supply in the first four days. Crimea was virtually unfarmable at the start of this conflict. It is still suffering from shortages ... Read More Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained five Russians and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia over the explosion that damaged the Crimea Bridge ... told Sky News: The Russians ... Read More State Department Spokesperson Ned Price briefed reporters and responded to questions on a range of issues. Javascript must be enabled in order to access C-SPAN videos. State Department ... Read More a case the Justice Department described as the first of its kind. The company also agreed to penalties totaling roughly $778 million. Prosecutors accused Lafarge of turning a blind eye to the ... Read More And lastly, the State Department names a special ... worlds need for safe drinking water, sanitation, and wise management of watersheds in the face of a changing climate. Other objectives: improve ... Read More "The political stalemate persists and there is no clear end in sight for the prolonged stalemate over the executive ... of the institutions," the special envoy lamented. The UNSMIL chief also ... Read More Send any friend a story As a subscriber ... the G.U.R. spokesman. The Crimea explosion, just after 6 a.m. on Saturday, was both a strategic and symbolic attack. The bridge is the sole link ... Read More U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday the U.S. is concerned that this false allegation could be used as a pretext for further Russian escalation. And weve made that ... Read More SYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday appointed former Victoria state premier Steve Bracks as its special representative ... look to break a stalemate over how to develop the gas fields. Read More WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The Biden administration will not take its eye off the threat posed ... OPEC+ decision to cut oil production, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday. Read More FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Department of State has awarded more than $20,000 ... a digital writer on the politics team for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Jessica.Chasmar@fox.com. Read More our choice in one state legislature after another. Clearly the wrong direction as Kansas voters rescued the notion that a woman and her doctor should get to make reproductive decisions.Likewise ... Read More
World News Story Pence United States Will Honor Refugee Deal With Australia | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The Australian government has repatriated four Australian women and their 13 children from a Syrian refugee camp, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said on Saturday in a resumption of a controversial ... Read More Former Vice President Mike Pence described the basis for the election challenges brought by former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of Joe Biden being projected as the winner of the 2020 ... Read More
The minibus driver, not included in the reported number of deceased, was killed, while the truck driver survived.The cause of the collision is not yet known. The vehicle was ferrying children from school when it collided. Once the flames had been extinguished paramedics found approximately 20 children lying trapped inside the vehicle. Unfortunately nothing could be done for the children and they were declared dead on the scene ER24s spokesman Russel Meiring said in a statement. Scenes of horror and anguish played out at a school in the village of Sokhulumi on Friday as parents learned of the death of children. South Africa has a dire road safety record. Road deaths rose to 235 during this years Easter weekend.
By SA Commercial Prop News

New Stores set to open at Morningside Shopping Centre during the busy winter shopping season.



Keeping its shoppers right on trend, Sandtons Morningside Shopping Centre has several new stores set to open in July.

Morningside Shopping Centre manager, Nelia Teixeira-Scott says: Each addition to the centre is hand-picked to meet the needs of our exceptional shoppers. Each store heightens our overall retail mix, enhancing the complete Morningside Shopping Centre experience.



French luxury shirt brand Cafe Coton has stores worldwide and it will offer its superb quality 100% cotton mens shirts imported from Paris at Morningside Shopping Centre. From its origins as a family textile business over a century ago, Cafe Coton is adding its unique French touch to African fashion. Besides its exclusive shirt collection, its garments include imported 100% silk ties, scarves and knitwear.



Bringing colour to life, Bensimon and NAP Living combined their chic collections into a single stylish store at Morningside Shopping Centre. With its roots in France, Bensimons lifestyle range intertwines colour and elegance with the joy of living. The beautiful, functional, honest decor, clothing and accessories from NAP Living celebrate neutral colours and irresistible texture in hand-picked treasures. Together, this match-made-in-heaven will open its elegant doors next month.



Introducing a brand-new clothing concept in South Africa, The Scottish Group will launch CLOTH&LABELs palette of only white, denim and black clothing from the most stylish brands around the globe at Morningside Shopping Centre. Its styled to serve those who invest in their wardrobe. CLOTH&LABEL offers luxurious service that complements its gorgeous garments for men and women from lavish cashmere to Savile Row suits, fine cotton shirts, exquisite dresses for day and night and, of course, exclusive denim.



Heres the scoop: iYo will swirl its way into Morningside Shopping Centre, with its fabulous fro-yo flavours. Besides its deliciously healthier choice of frozen yoghurt, it also serves up ice-cream, soft-serve, smoothies, milkshakes, flurries and frappes with flair.



Morningside Shopping Centre will lay on the latest in fun. Toys R Us will open its doors to play, imagination, learning and enjoyment, adding an exciting new dimension to the centre for the whole family.



FNB has also confirmed they will open at Morningside Shopping Centre, bringing a new level of everyday banking convenience to shoppers.



The new retailers opening at Morningside Shopping Centre are all tailored to provide the very latest in retail and the highest level or service, concludes Teixeira-Scott.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel has been summoned by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance to appear before it on May 25 on the demonetisation issue.

According to one of the panel members, he will be asked how money has so far come back into the system after demonetisation.





The Governor would also be asked when the banks' operations would become normal and also how digital economy is being implemented in the country.



The committee is headed by former Union Minister and Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily, who had in January called Finance Ministry officials besides top RBI officials to discuss demonetisation.
Far from abolishing film censorship, the Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting is actually considering a more stringent monitoring agency to channelise and restrain the free flow of content on the home-viewing medium.

While the CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani refrained from discussing the I&B's plans to monitor content on television, he lashed out hard at what he considers the free flow of muck into homes.



"Television soaps, reality shows and crime shows are crossing all limits. Shows like Crime Petrol and Savdhan India show the most gruesome and heinous crimes in graphic detail.



"Real-life people are named in the fictional recreation of crime stories.Women are raped in incestuous attacks, housewives and minor girls are shown to be violated. If the same content was shown in any film we at the CBFC would have to clamp down heavily on the content," he said.





Nihalani feels restrictions must be imposed on the inflow of software on television before it's too late.



"Why are filmmakers required to get a new censor certification for their films to be shown on television when all the rest of content made specially for television gets to go on air unchecked? This free flow of content in television must stop. It's affecting the natural psychological development of young minds. Parents are worried," he said.


The Congress on Friday alleged massive corruption in functioning of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, launched by the NDA government for procurement of both products and services.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the allegations of corruption were raised by none other than some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.



"One union minister and several BJP MPs have written a letter to Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman complaining of corruption in the operation of GeM. These include union minister Fagan Singh Kulaste and some BJP MPs," said Surjewala.





"In their letters, the BJP MPs have complained of irregularities in the functioning of GeM, causing a huge loss to the exchequer. The corruption could run into hundreds of crores," he added.



Surjewala also said that the MPs had complained that the rates of a few commodities sold on the portal were more than the contract rates.



"If there is no transparency in the sale of commodities through GeM, then why was the portal launched by the government," he asked.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly condemned a terrorist attack on an army base in Afghanistan that killed at least 135 soldiers.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," said Modi.

At least 135 Afghan soldiers were killed and 60 injured in the deadly attack by Taliban militants on an Afghan army base in Balkh province, an official said on Saturday.

Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces during Friday's attack on the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.

In a separate statement, the External Affairs Ministry said: "India condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable terrorist attack in Mazar-e-Sharif on April 21 resulting in loss of lives, including the brave personnel of the Afghan National Defence Forces."

It extended the government and the people of India's deepest condolences to the government and people of Afghanistan.

"The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders," the ministry statement said.

"India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be," it added.
Delhi Police on Saturday questioned sidelined AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials in a case related to the party's poll symbol.

Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed party chief V.K. Sasikala, appeared before the investigators after arriving in the national capital from Chennai in the afternoon.

Delhi Police had on April 20 issued summons directing him to appear before its Delhi Interstate Crime Branch on Saturday.

"Dinakaran is being questioned at the Crime Branch," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Madhur Verma told .

The Delhi Police has booked Dinakaran for allegedly attempting to bribe Election Commission officials through a middleman, Sukesh Chandrasekar, to get a favourable verdict in the party's two leaves symbol case.

Police said that the duo struck a Rs 50-crore deal to try and bribe officials from the Election Commission.

The poll body has frozen the AIADMK's two leaves symbol with the two factions -- one belonging to now-sidelined party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and the other led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own

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A BJP MP's purported comments that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got "married but didn't set up his household" was released on Saturday and has gone viral over social media.

The comments by Jyoti Dhurve, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker from Madhya Pradesh's Betul (ST) constituency, is said to have come while discussing construction of a building for a proposed Kendriya Vidyalaya in Betul district. She could not be contacted to confirm or deny it.

As per the audio clip, a local journalist who identified himself as Yogesh Soni called up Dhurve to discuss the matter and plead that the school commence this session.

The MP, expressing annoyance, said: "The Prime Minister says to connect with the people, public money will be spent, not from the Prime Minister's fund. He (Modi) got married but didn't set up his household."

The comment has created a stir. While Dhurve could not be reached for reactions, BJP chief spokesman Deepak Vijayvargiya told IANS that all she said on this clip that she had never spoken anything like this and only talked about development.
A day after she was expelled, former Congress leader Barkha Shukla Singh is all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday.

Singh, a former Chief of the Delhi Commission for Women will meet BJP's national Vice President and Delhi in-charge Shyam Jaju on Saturday afternoon, an office bearer of Delhi BJP said.



Singh was expelled from the Congress on Friday for undertaking anti-party activities.





On Thursday she resigned from all party posts raising questions over the leadership of Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken.



While resigning as chief of DPCC's women wing, Barkha Singh had said: "Rahul Gandhi is unfit to lead the party."
The Congress Arunachal Pradesh unit on Saturday described as "immature and uncalled for" Chief Minister Pema Khandu's statement that the Indian state shares a border with Tibet and not China.

"The Chief Minister of a sensitive state like Arunachal Pradesh should not make any statement before going through the political status and history of Tibet, as recognised by the Indian government," state Congress President Takam Sanjoy said.



Sanjoy, a former Lok Sabha member, said Tibet as of today has the status of the 'Tibetan Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China'.



On April 14, New Delhi said there is no change in the Indian position that Tibet is a part of China and that it will continue to seek a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary issue.



Khandu had allegedly said that Beijing has no right to threaten New Delhi on the Dalai Lama's movement within the country as India shares a boundary with Tibet and not China.





He said the McMahon Line in reality demarcates the territory between India and Tibet.



The McMahon Line, an imaginary border now known as the Line of Actual Control, is just 25 km from Tawang.



On Beijing's move to rename six places in Arunachal Pradesh, Sanjoy said: "The indigenous and ethnic people of Arunachal Pradesh have since the British Raj got integrated into the Indian mainstream.


At least 135 Afghan soldiers were killed and 60 injured in a deadly attack by Taliban militants on an Afghan army base in Balkh province, an official said on Saturday.

Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces during Friday's attack on the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city, Tolo News quoted an official as saying on condition of anonymity as the government has not released the official figure.



The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.



The official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.



Defence Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said Taliban militants wearing army uniforms stormed the compound during Friday prayers.



The militants entered the base in a military vehicle and began shooting at the soldiers as they prayed at a mosque in the base. The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles.



A spokesman said that 10 militants were killed by the forces.



Afghanistan CEO Abdullah Abdullah has condemned the "cowardly" attack".



"What Taliban did in Mazar today (Friday) was against all values," he said.



Former President Hamid Karzai tweeted: "I condemn in strongest terms the terrorist attack on our military base in Mazar-e-Sharif that killed and wounded many of our brave soldiers."



The NATO Resolute Support Mission also condemned the attack, calling it reprehensible.



General John Nicholson, Commander of NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the attack "shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban".



"All of us condemn such murderous and reprehensible actions."



The statement also reaffirmed the NATO's support to the Afghan forces.



"The Afghan National Defence and Security forces and the people of Afghanistan have my personal assurance that we will continue to stand with them. We support our valuable friends and partners in the fight against terrorism," it said.





The attack came just two days after Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi visited the base during a trip to Balkh.



It is the second major attack on an Afghan military installation in 2017.



The Taliban in March attacked Sardar Mohammad Daoud military hospital here killing at least 50 persons.


Jerry Moran wins another term in Washington over Democrat Mark Holland

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran sailed past Democrat Mark Holland, cementing his status as one of the most broadly popular politicians in Kansas.
Acclaimed musicians Peter Skandera and Dave Maybee from Acoustic Spirit, New Zealand are in Samoa.

They are here to run a series of village-based workshops to help with the development of music in the village of Poutasi and wider Falealili District.

This was announced by the Poutasi Development Trust and Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa yesterday.

We are extremely excited about this initiative because it means offering proper musical opportunities to men, women and children that may have never have been given the chance before, says Peter.

As we have seen on previous trips, the people of Samoa are blessed with natural musical talent and we would love to see that talent prosper.

The duo are on island for a two week trip, to further develop the musical arm of the Puotasi Arts Centre, that aims to preserve and share the traditional and modern forms of Samoan art with people from near and far.

I think what the village of Poutasi is trying to achieve, through their Arts Centre, Ukulele school and now music workshops is something we are honoured to be a part of, says Dave.

It is great because on one hand the Arts Centre is a place where Samoan village talent can be polished and showcased whilst on the other hand it is a place that that enables the people of this community to earn an additional living and support their families doing things that they love. Nothing would give us more pleasure than to see this project continue and prosper into something much bigger than what you see today.

Peter Skandera and Dave Maybee are acclaimed guitarists, musicians, composers and educators.

They are music graduates who have spent the last three decades in both tertiary and secondary NZ music institutions, teaching a wide variety of contemporary music, with special focus on composing, arranging and performance of music.

Both have had extensive experience in recording and live sound reinforcement, having jointly written over thirty educational standards in this area for N.Z.Q.A, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority).

They released their debut NZ Music Awards nominated album Acoustic Spirit in 1994 and are currently in production with two follow-up albums - Latenco with its Latin & rumba-flamenca blended grooves, plus blue grit & rhyme a bluesy-country-folksy roots music collection.

Both albums are composed of mainly original compositions, and feature acoustic guitar landscapes with wide ranging influences from the classical, blues, country, and Spanish traditions.

Catch Acoustic Spirit LIVE at Sinalei this Saturday 4-10pm and enjoy FREE Entry, BBQ buffet & Cocktail Bar on the Maninoa Beach  plus a crackling bonfire under the stars! Happy hour drink specials from 4-6pm.

Contact Sinalei for more information and fantastic sleep over options for what promises to be an awesome night. Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa at 25191 or [email protected]
Being a woman is hard; becoming a mother is harder.

That is the opinion of Tafu Siani, when Village Voice caught up with her while she was cutting the grass in front of her house yesterday.

Aged 33, from the village of Nuu, Tafu Siani spoke about her role as a mother.

I have three children and one of my main responsibilities every day is taking them to school.

We have a small family, just me, my husband and our children.

Mrs. Siani said that before she had a family of her own, she used to work at Frankies Supermarket.

I used to work but when I settled down with my husband and had our first child, I decided to stay home and look after my baby boy.

My husband works and hes the only source of income for this family.

Its enough money to live by every day but I still want a job of my own because I dont want to sit around and not doing anything to help in the development of my family.

I mean we all know that life goes on, and family obligations, childrens schools and other contributions are on our shoulders every single day so we cant just have one person work for the family.

Im a mother and I care not only for my children but also about how hard it is for my husband to work for this family alone, which is why Im still looking for a job.

You know, if you wish so much for a better life for your family, I think whatever work you get or given, either its a mans job or anything, just do it.

Mrs. Siani said that everything is running smoothly in her family but the only thing she needs is a job. Shes currently looking for one and so far, she hasnt received any calls yet.

Samoa, if you want to help out Mrs.Siani with her situation or offer her a job, please contact her through number 7227879.
Meet Sikoti Elui of Siusega and Nuu

The 46-year-old father of two lives to tell the story of how tough life is.

But he is more concerned about the moral decay in Samoa  especially the problems between parents and children.

When a parent misses the opportunity to teach vital lessons to their children when theyre still young, theres a chance they might not have a successful future, he said.

I believe in parents passing down these lessons so the children can succeed. Lead them and teach them about how hard life is and they will know what to do.

Sikoti said too many families dont communicate and parents are failing their children.

We need to look at the problems of today and accept that somewhere somehow we have failed, he said.

If we want our children to succeed in the future, we need to instill in them the values today. It starts in our homes.

Sikoti caught up with the Village Voice while making his way to fetch some poumuli to fix their home.

Todays my day off from work so I had to get some pomuli to extend our house.

As you can see this is the way we live. Aside from my work, I do the house chores. We are just trying to get by on a day to day basis.

I admit that my family doesnt have much but we still do our best and work hard for what we want and need.

We have access to food and water. When we are really in need of financial assistance then we call some of our family overseas if they can help.

Right now we are just trying to fix up our house that we are living in because there is a lot that is broken.
A former employee of Samoa Prisons and Correction Services has expressed disgust at the way her services were terminated when she reached the retirement age of 55.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said after 11 years of service, she was sad to have been told in a letter she was being terminated  when in fact she has reached the retirement age.

The letter sighted by the Sunday Samoan stated the woman has been terminated because she had reached the retiring age and she hadnt applied to extend her services.

I got my termination letter on Thursday, the 23rd of March so after my shift on Friday, my service to S.P.C.S. came to an end and I came home on Saturday."

But before all that, I called the secretary if I can get an interview with the Commissioner to discuss this."

I know its in the letter but it doesnt make sense."

So I went there and asked him about why I was terminated because if someone is terminated, it just means that they are fired because they have done something thats extremely wrong."

But he said that the letter means my service has come to an end because I have reached the retiring age. This is how they explained the termination letter."

I dont know about other people but to me, once you receive a termination letter, your services have been terminated and thats not a good sign because you have done something wrong."

I know theres something fishy going on here. I even asked him if I could go work on my extension application rightaway just so I can still keep my job but they said my time was up and theres no more chance."

The sad thing is, they did not tell me anything. They did not explain anything to me."

I just want to know if I have done something wrong for them to terminate my services like this. They at least owe me an explanation but not excusing it on my retirement."

But instead they did my termination letter based on my age."

I even asked the officer who wrote my termination letter but she didnt even stand up for me."

I still havent received my welfare fund but the welfare fund should have come together with the termination letter. Also theres another employee there that is still working there but he has never re-applied."

This is corruption.

When the Sunday Samoan contacted the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour for a comment, an official said there is no policy, which requires a workers services to be terminated upon reaching the retirement age.

The Assistant Commissioner of Samoa Prisons and Correction Services, Ulugia Sauafea Aumua said the use of the word terminated was unfortunate.

Its unfortunate that the terminology termination is incorrect and that is our fault because its more of a retirement letter, he said.

It shouldve been a retirement letter. That wouldve been better but its our fault and we take that back. We didnt terminate her because of the retiring age."

For the former employees case, this is the second time for her to extend her services but the basic issue here is that she did not meet the requirements."

It wouldve been good if she re-applied when it was like one month away from her birthday but she didnt do it."

To be frank, thats the case. She wasnt aware of the retiring age but she has been working here for a long time."

Its not our responsibility to monitor your retirement age. Every staff members know that the retirement age is 55 years and thats our policy."

Speaking generally about this process, so theres an officer here thats also due with his services in three months but hes met the requirements."

Thats exactly the same process we have followed on this former employees case. For one reason, she has breached the due time for applications and secondly, is a question whether the ministry recommends her to continue or not. So those two factors came into play."

You need to have 2 records certificates and a report from the Output Manager whether he or she should be recommended or not, so we give in our recommendations to the Commissioner and the final decision is made by the Commissioner."

So it doesnt work automatically, its based on how you do your work and the skills that you have."

We had our meeting early this year together with Human Resource where they talked to us about work-related matters to the staff and how they can be improved, even entitlements, sick leaves and retirement age. So for her to say that she didnt know, thats not a valid excuse to use.

When Ulugia was asked about her welfare funds, he said: I still need to follow up on that but I know she is entitled to one, because her services has come to an end.
Its official. Businesswoman Lynn Netzler is a legitimate holder of the Mataia chiefly title at Vaitele.

Yesterday, Mataias family and the village of Vaitele marked the occasion with a grand ceremony.

Mataia Lynn is heir of the (Sa) Mataia family of the Uilaefa clan.

The initial bestowal ceremony was held close to ten years ago but the familys decision was challenged in Court. The title later became the subject of a Land and Titles Court hearing between Vaimoso and Vaitele. The Court ruled in favour of Vaitele.

Flanked by families, friends and hundreds of people in attendance, Mataia Lynn, said the journey has been challenging but she can only look to the future with optimism.

The 70-year-old mother received the blessings from her family and the Village Council as she embarks on another leg of her journey.

I feel very honoured, very privileged, Mataia told the Sunday Samoan.

I know its not easy, there are challenges along the way but through God everything is possible.

So all the glory to God for his continued blessings upon each and everyone of us.

Mataia does not want to dwell in the past.

Whats important to me today is that I am very happy to see that all of my families are here to celebrate this special day with me, she said.

She expects the road ahead will not be without tests and challenges.

Yes, there are challenges along the way but with God nothing is impossible, she said.

Living together in peace and harmony is the foundation of any Samoan family. That is my calling for my family, to be a servant and to be honest and to become good leader in family, church and the whole country.

Mataia, who is a prominent businesswoman, is a mother of six children with her husband, the late Toa Netzler.

The ceremony started with a church service, followed by the blessing of the title by the chiefs of the village. Traditional formalities followed.
President Donald Trump plans to revive the Export-Import Bank of the United States , which provides loans to foreign entities to enable them to buy American goods. Some conservatives have argued it hurts American jobs and interferes in the free market. Many large companies, like Pfizer, cheered the move.

Question: Do you think reviving the Export-Import Bank of the United States is a good thing?

Phil Blair

Phil Blair, Manpower

Not participating this week.

Kelly Cunningham

Kelly Cunningham, National University System

NO: While claiming to help small business, 97 percent of the banks loan guarantees go to just 10 corporations, led by Boeing and General Electric. Forcing working Americans to subsidize the trade of wealthy companies that can easily afford their own is not sound economic policy. It is the backwards form of corporate welfare subsidizing rich companies. Government guaranteeing of the loans results in money poorly invested, serving special interests, and businesses being an extension of politics.

David Ely

David Ely, San Diego State University

YES: In an ideal world, firms would compete for customers in global markets without the involvement of government agencies. However, many national governments have created entities like the U.S. Export-Import Bank to facilitate the financing of exports to foreign buyers on attractive terms. Without the support of the Export-Import Bank, U.S. firms pursuing customers in global markets would find themselves at a competitive disadvantage to their foreign competitors.

Gina Champion-Cain

Gina Champion-Cain, American National Investments

NO: The Export-Import bank is a political tool as evidenced by both presidents Trump and Obama having railed against it on the campaign trail only to support it once elected. Conceptually, the bank was to aid U.S. small-business export markets. In practice the program almost exclusively provides below market financing for the largest corporations in the country. Three months into the new administration we can now rest assured that policy is firmly in the hands of lobbyists.

Alan Gin

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

YES: Conservatives argue that the Export-Import Bank interferes with the market mechanism, which is the case. However, in doing so, it helps promote the purchase of goods manufactured in the United States and, in turn, employment in those industries. It is particularly important in helping people and companies in foreign countries buy big-ticket items such as airplanes, farm equipment, and industrial equipment. There are probably some abuses in the program, but they should be corrected as opposed to eliminating the program completely.

James Hamilton

James Hamilton, UC San Diego

NO: The Export-Import Bank helps foreigners buy goods from certain U.S. firms. The bank may subsidize sales of Boeing jets to Emirates Airlines in hopes of boosting U.S. exports of planes. But when a foreign resident purchases a ticket from Delta Airlines, that also counts as a U.S. export. If the bank helps Emirates take market share from Delta, its not clear that its increasing exports overall. These decisions too easily become another way politicians can reward their supporters.

Gary London

Gary London, London Moeder Advisors

Not participating this week

Norm Miller

Norm Miller, University of San Diego

NO: Such a government bank does nothing for smaller manufacturers and the larger U.S. companies have other private sector alternatives to help finance purchases, including seller financing off their own balance sheets. Id prefer the government stay out of ventures the private market can handle solo, and not compete with private banks or the capital markets. This is one agency we do not need to re-start.

Jamie Moraga

Jamie Moraga, IntelliSolutions

YES: It may help increase U.S. manufacturing jobs and allow the U.S. to compete more globally with other countries. The Export-Import Bank is designed to help provide loan guarantees to foreign buyers that they cant get from conventional lenders. Without it, business is likely to go to foreign suppliers. The Bank helps large corporations like Boeing, General Electric, and Caterpillar, and their extensive supply chains that include small businesses, remain competitive in the global marketplace. Approximately 85 countries have similar Export-Import Banks; without one, it could put the U.S. at a global competitive disadvantage.

Austin Neudecker

Austin Neudecker, Rev

Not participating this week.

Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates

YES: The Export-Import Bank provides for American companies to compete in foreign markets or where countries require government guarantees that the bank's loans provide. President Trump must staff this with experienced banking executives with strong opposition to cronyism, the primary objection to this organization. The bank can and should be an important element in boosting the economy and specifically manufacturing employment.

Lynn Reaser

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

NO: It is a form of corporate subsidy and gives preferential treatment to companies, ranging from aircraft manufacturers to farmers, who benefit. A company with only domestic customers receives no benefit. It is a form of credit allocation, where political factors can dominate. Its only defense is that it counters subsidies offered by other countries to boost their exporting firms. A better solution would be to work towards such practices by all.

Chris Van Gorder

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

YES: If President Trump truly intends to reform the Export-Import Bank and eliminate cronyism, I believe reviving the bank could be a good thing. Historically, these loans have mostly favored a few large corporations, such as Boeing and GE, rather than benefiting smaller businesses, hence the criticism that it interferes with free markets. I don't agree with the argument that it hurts American jobs, given the purpose of the bank is to finance foreign purchases of American goods.

Have an idea for an EconoMeter question? Email roger.showley@sduniontribune.com

On Twitter: @rogershowley
Water fixtures at two San Marcos schools had unsafe lead levels, according to tests intended to check whether California children are being exposed to the toxic metal at school.

School district officials said this week the fixtures have already been removed. The investigation began early this year, after the State Water Resources Control Board ordered water districts to conduct free lead tests for school districts that request them.

As of April 14, 737 schools throughout the state have asked for lead testing, according to board documents. In San Diego, 305 schools are checking for lead, a poisonous element that can cause brain damage and learning problems. In a handful of cases the tests have revealed lead hazards in school water systems.

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In January, samples from a water fountain at San Marcos Middle School showed lead levels of 29 parts per billion  nearly twice the legal limit. The school immediately removed that fountain, and continued to analyze its other schools, the district reported.

Because it is critical to San Marcos Unified to ensure that the water used by our students, staff, and community is safe, the district elected to have all sites tested, the district said in a statement.

Subsequent tests in March showed that a drinking fountain at Twin Oaks High School also had lead levels of 15 parts per billion  the threshold at which the water is deemed unsafe. Another fixture in a wood shop classroom at that campus also showed lead levels of 31 parts per billion.

Both of these results were due to bad fixtures, not a contaminated water supply, and they have been removed, the district stated.

Other San Marcos campuses that were tested showed lead levels below 5 parts per billion.

Dozens of other North County schools  including those in Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas, Cardiff and Escondido, as well as High Tech charter campuses  have requested testing, but none have reported lead levels exceeding the 15 parts per billion limit.

The federal Safe Drinking Water Act prohibited the use of lead in pipe and plumbing materials after 1986, so schools built after that are less likely to have elevated lead in their water.

When High Tech officials tested new buildings for their North County elementary, middle and high schools, they found no detectable lead.

Given the age of these facilities, the oldest being built in 2009, this result was expected, Paul Dooley, director of facilities for the campuses, wrote in an e-mail. Nonetheless, we are pleased to know for sure.

In Escondido, where a number of schools were built around the 1950s, negative results werent certain. The district, which falls within four water districts, started with its oldest campuses, including Central Elementary, built in 1938. They were relieved to find no cases of elevated lead at those sites, and will continue to test the rest of their schools in coming months, said Michael Taylor, assistant superintendent of business services.

We wanted to make sure we got our oldest schools taken care of first, he said.

Last month, San Diego Unified School District also announced that drinking fountains at a campus that houses Co-Operative Charter School 2 and Emerson-Bandini School had excessive lead levels, with one fountain showing lead contamination at more than twice the legal limit.

Students at the site complained that they became nauseous and vomited after drinking water at the school, according to an e-mail about the tests. And a teachers therapy dog also refused to drink from one fountain, which later tested positive for contaminants.

The city is testing water systems at all San Diego Unified properties to identify whether any other campuses have unsafe water sources.

And in January, school officials found elevated lead, copper and bacteria at La Mirada Elementary School in San Ysidro, including one sample that showed lead at 267 parts per billion  nearly 18 times the legal limit for drinking water. Students at that campus and two other schools in the district are drinking bottled water while officials attempt to solve the problem.

Concern about lead in water supplies erupted in recent years after the city of Flint, Michigan, suffered widespread lead contamination from corroding pipes in the citys water system. The city declared a state of emergency in 2015, after child lead poisoning cases in the area doubled.

Lead is a naturally occurring element that was previously used in building materials including paint and piping. Myriad state and federal regulations restrict its use, but lead remaining in plumbing and structures still poses hazards.

Severe lead poisoning can lead to coma, convulsions and death, according to the World Health Organization. Lower levels cause pernicious symptoms, gradually impairing childrens brain development and leading to reduced IQ, attention problems and antisocial behavior. Those symptoms are not reversible, the organization warned. Lead can also cause physical damage including anemia, high blood pressure, kidney problems and immune and reproductive disorders.

There is no known safe blood lead concentration, the organization stated, noting that blood lead levels once considered safe can still lead to behavioral and learning problems.

Leticia Ayala, Healthy Kids Campaign director for the Environmental Health Coalition, based in National City, said she was pleased that local schools are checking lead levels, but said they should continue efforts to reduce lead in their water facilities, even when tests show they are below legal limits.

Its good to test, because then you know what the levels are, and the goal should be for all school districts to get down to zero, Ayala said.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
Vista school Superintendent Devin Vodicka remembers when he was a boy and his mother  a teacher, techie and quintessential early adopter  got ahold of an Osborne computer, a portable device built like a suitcase with a screen the size of a Pop-Tart.

She was convinced the unwieldy but tote-able machine would transform computing, Vodicka recalls. The luggage-shaped laptop never got off the ground, but decades later her son would equip nearly all classrooms in his school district with mobile devices like Chromebooks and iPods so students could take them home and connect to learning materials online.

That commitment to innovation earned the 43-year-old Vodicka recognition in educational circles, as well as awards and big cash grants for his schools. Now its transporting him to a new job with the Silicon Valley firm AltSchool, with the goal of transforming public education on a global scale.

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Those whove worked closely with Vodicka say hes well-equipped for the challenge because his expertise lies not only classroom technology, but his knack for emboldening people to use it in inventive ways.

One of the things Ive learned was never to get enamored with a tool, but focus more on the potential  what are you trying to do with that tool? Vodicka said in an interview last week.

At Vista Unified the goal was to create personalized learning programs, where students study at their own pace, tackling real-world problems while mastering academic standards. Last year, the districts Vista High School won a $10 million grant to create the high school of the future through the XQ: The Super School project funded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs.

At Altschool, Vodicka will be chief impact officer, helping develop a technology platform to place similar systems at the fingertips of students and teachers.

Devin brings that deep understanding of that educational experience were trying to create, said Bharat Mediratta, a co-founder of AltSchool and a former Google engineer who led the infrastructure team for the Google home page. Our vision for the school experience is to be very learner-centric.

A student viewing the dashboard online would see a playlist of individualized assignments that Mediratta likens to a digital version of paper planners used to track classwork. Teachers would manage the playlist, and log students progress through portraits, that chart academic status, as well as character traits such as curiosity, resilience and collaboration, he said.

If traditional education is a train ride, in which students depart at the same time and arrive at the same place, personalized learning is like driving a car  each person can take a different route to academic success, Vodicka said. The new platform, he said, would be a GPS device for that journey.

Its a technical challenge to design systems to manage that data, but its also a social and intellectual exercise. Before you develop school software, Mediratta said, you have to know what the classroom of the future looks like and how it works. Thats where Vodicka comes in.

We need to start building relationships to charter schools, public schools, to truly understand what the schools need, Mediratta said. He can educate us, as well as build a bridge for us to these school districts.

Vodicka grew up in the rural Northern California community of Grass Valley, to European-born parents who worked in technology and teaching. His Czech father was a nuclear physicist who immigrated to Holland and then the United States, while his Dutch-born mother was the computer teacher at his high school.

I grew up in a family where there were lots of discussions about learning, he said. We had an Apple (computer) in my house that the Smithsonian asked for.

As a son of immigrants, he was puzzled by his differences from classmates; he wore Czech clothes that his grandparents sent as gifts, ate kolachke pastries at lunch and celebrated his name-day, a European tradition associated with saints days. Rather than feeling out of place, however, he felt the school was missing the mark.

I always thought it was strange that I wasnt asked about my background and my culture, and neither were other kids in school, he said. It was that one-sized approach to education.

The experience left him determined to build classrooms responsive to different cultures, learning styles and interests. Vodicka studied history at UC Santa Cruz, and earned his masters and doctorate in education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.

He began his education career as an aide at a high school science lab in San Jose, hooking into the early version of the web.

We were pulling wire, connecting big, bulky computers to the Internet, he said.

He worked as an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, and then a principal and administrator in Carlsbad, before becoming superintendent at Vista Unified five years ago. Since then, hes strived to reinvent the district.

Under his tenure, Vista Unified spent $6.2 million on 15,000 Chromebook laptops and 2,000 iPads, and also has improved network infrastructure to accommodate wireless connections from every student simultaneously.

It also launched a Personalized Learning Academy at Vista High School  first as a pilot program for 165 students, and for all incoming students starting next fall. Students use digital resources, and tackle projects to address real-life problems such as hunger, health, education, clean water or climate. Other schools in the district have adopted similar approaches.

Vista PTA president Kim Hilder, whose son attends the Vista Innovation and Design Academy, a magnet middle school, said the programs push students out of their comfort zones, academically and socially.

My son loves it, she said. Hes really had a chance to grow and work outside his box.

Vodicka, a self-professed data junkie, said the numbers back up this approach. The percentage of Vista students who completed college entrance requirements upon graduation rose from 30 percent in 2013 to over 43 percent last year. Reading scores and graduation rates rose over the past two years, while suspension and expulsion rates dropped by half between 2013 and 2015. In the 2009-10 school year nearly 300 more students transferred out of the district than into it. This school year those numbers were reversed.

AltSchools mission is to translate personalized learning on a larger scale, promoting high-quality education for all students. And by all, they mean around the globe.

Its a tremendously ambitious goa, that requires a transformation of school culture, said Karen Cator, president and CEO of Digital Promise, the nonprofit that equipped Vista schools with iPads.

Devin clearly understands that it is definitely not sufficient to put technology into schools, Cator said. We absolutely must ensure that it augments the performance of the teacher and administrators.

Alan Daly, chair of education studies at the University of California at San Diego, has worked with Vodicka to analyze how workplace relationships affect innovation. Vodicka, he said, helped people feel comfortable taking those leaps.

What Devin has been able to do is empowering people from a lot of different seats to come together, to bring their ideas to the table, he said.

Vodicka will start his new position in May, commuting between Silicon Valley and his family. In a bittersweet tribute to his work here, his 15-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son want to remain in Vista schools. Despite the relocation, hes excited about the work ahead.

If there were a platform like the one AltSchool is developing, that could combine the real time data with the learning model were developing in Vista, that could be a game-changer, he said.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
A Navy SEAL stationed in San Diego filmed himself molesting a sleeping girl, raped a woman in Virginia and kept a stash of child porn on his cellphone that included footage involving an infant having sex with a dog, according to allegations unsealed in federal court in Virginia Beach.

Arrested in San Diego by federal marshals more than two weeks ago, SEAL Team One Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Kyle Seerden, 31, faces felony child pornography and child sex assault charges in Virginia following a probe by Naval Criminal Investigative Services Norfolk field office.

Seerdens alleged sex crimes against children were uncovered by agents investigating the purported rape of an an unconscious Virginia woman there.

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Identified as Jane Doe in court documents, the woman accused Seerden of raping her on Jan. 27 after she blacked out after drinking with Seerden in his hotel room aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek  Fort Story, where he was on a temporary assignment.

After she awoke at 4 a.m., Seerden allegedly told her that they had engaged in intercourse. When he dropped her off at the bases Gate 5, she told a guard. Authorities monitoring her communications with Seerden reported that he disclosed he was aware that the woman was not sober the previous night when he had intercourse with her, according to the criminal complaint filed in his case.

Agents seized Seerdens iPhone 7 the same day. Combing the telephones electronic files in an initial search, an analyst uncovered images of prepubescent children that were naked an engaged in sexual acts, another image that seemed linked to bestiality and other questionable material.

Armed with a federal search warrant, on March 31 a digital forensic examiner found approximately 78 images that also appeared to be child pornography, including the bondage of children, federal files state.

In addition, videos and a photograph on the phone created on or about Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 allegedly showed a man masturbating next to an unidentified sleeping girl who appeared to be about 5 or 6 years of age. In the footage, a man in a blue shirt uses the childs hand and lips for sexual acts, but his face is never shown, according to the criminal complaint.

Other photos on Seerdens phone do show him wearing a blue shirt. He also was allegedly photographed reading the female victim a bedtime story. The girl is believed to be a relative. On his Facebook page, Seerden allegedly posted that he enjoyed an awesome weekend with family members when the images were made.

Its unclear where the alleged assault took place. Court documents indicate that the family did not live in Virginia. The Navy lists his home of record in Missouri. He enlisted in 2005.

Court records show that federal magistrate William V. Gallo in San Diego held a detention hearing for Seerden on April 13, the same day an extradition warrant was issued. More detailed documents remain sealed by court order.

Seerdens criminal defense attorney, Gerard Jeffrey Wasson, has not returned a call placed Friday morning seeking comment from him. If convicted, the mandatory minimum sentence for the charges is 15 years in prison.

Petty Officer First Class Seerden is an active-duty service member assigned to a Naval Special Warfare unit. NSW is cooperating with the investigative authorities, said Lt. Zachary Keating, spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group One.

When asked if Navy commanders were administratively moving to strip Seerden of his coveted trident insignia and the honor of being called a SEAL, Keating declined comment.

Along with scrapping a SEALs security clearance, thats a step special warfare commanders often take because it is not considered a form of punishment under military law.

In disclosure forms Seerden filed in federal court, the SEAL claimed to be divorced and without children. He said he earns $6,000 per month in the Navy, has $10,000 in the bank, owns both a car and a motorcycle, and took a $20,000 stake in a silver investment.

On March 24, a military judge found Chief Special Warfare Operator Stephen Varanko III guilty of sexual harassment and battery stemming from an adulterous relationship. He was a SEAL assigned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek  Fort Story.

Navy SEAL Petty Officer Second Class Theo Andrew Krah was arrested on June 15 after being accused of beating and stabbing to death a man following an altercation on the Santa Monica Pier. Krah was stationed in San Diego.

cprine@sduniontribune.com
Gene Panes computer abruptly stopped working, save for a jarring message that appeared on his screen.

It was a warning that said I had downloaded a virus and had to pay $199 to get rid of it, Pane, a retired business executive who lives in Carlsbad, said of the recent incident. I needed the files on my computer, so I paid. The money wont break me, but still ...

Pane had accidentally downloaded ransomware, a rapidly growing form of extortion in which hackers slyly load malicious software onto peoples computers  via emails, decoy ads, bogus news stories and code embedded in all manner of websites.

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Its entirely possible that well have far in excess of $1 billion in losses worldwide related to ransomware, said Special Agent Chris Christopherson, who investigates cyber crimes out of the FBIs field office in San Diego.

He was referring to the projected tally for 2016, which will take awhile to finalize. The figure for this year could turn out to be twice as much.

Slideshow: Five things to know about ransomware 

At least 190 types of ransomware currently exist, experts said. Once a malicious link is clicked, the virus encrypts the files on a persons computer and freezes the home screen.

Victims then receive a message saying they have to pay a fee to regain control of their hijacked computers. In most cases, the ransom must be paid in bitcoins, a comparatively new international form of digital currency thats hard for banks and law enforcement to trace.

The FBI said every hour, about 4,000 computers around the world become infected with ransomware.

Thats just an estimate. For a variety of reasons, the exact depth and breadth of the problem arent known.

Cyber experts said many ransomware victims never report such extortion because they feel ashamed for getting duped, are worried that people will know they visited a pornography website or some other questionable page, or just want to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

Other people dont know where to report an attack or doubt whether law-enforcement authorities would investigate this type of ransom demand, which experts said generally doesnt exceed $700 per incident.

And many businesses  particularly in the health-care industry  are loathe to acknowledge that they were attacked for fear of undermining the publics confidence in their ability to protect data.

The challenge that we must overcome is the shame of being a victim, said Todd OBoyle, chief technology officer for Percipient Networks, a security firm based in Wakefield, Mass. Until people are OK saying that theyve been victimized, there will be no way to measure the size of the problem. Its OK to talk. This is like being robbed. Youre a victim.

Related content: How to fend off ransomware attacks 

Hardly anyone is being spared the grief these days.

Ransomware is one of the few cyber-criminal business models where the same attack could harm a Fortune 500 company, a local restaurant and your grandmother, the company Palo Alto Networks of Santa Clara said in a report.

OBoyle has seen the attacks evolve. In the bad old days, the same person who attacked you would write the software and send you the malicious email. Now, there are professional software developers who build the solicits that trick you, he said.

They sell the software to hackers, who also buy email lists and operate the servers needed to handle the traffic, he added. They can buy the software and lists on the underground  the (alternate online network known as the) dark web. These franchisees hire young, energetic, persistent sales and support people to do the rest of the work.

Theres particular concern about a recent innovation in ransomware, said Reg Harnish, chief executive of GreyCastle Security, a firm based in Troy, N.Y.

There are new variants that offer to decrypt infected victims computers as long as they are willing to infect someone else on their list of contacts, Harnish said. That can create a moral dilemma for the affected consumers and businesses.

In some cases, the malicious software  called malware  launches a countdown clock on the computer screen, giving victims a specific length of time to pay up. If they dont comply, the hackers sometimes delete files on the hijacked computer.

Of course, in all instances of ransomware, theres no guarantee that a hacker will free up the affected computer once a payment is made.

The anger and anxiety caused by ransomware were clearly evident in the more than 50 responses The San Diego Union-Tribune received when it asked readers whether they had been hit by this crime.

Rick Schloss, a publicist in San Diego, said he received an email that appeared to be from FedEx. He was expecting a package, so he clicked on the message, inadvertently launching ransomware.

Im panicking, wondering whats going on, he said. They wanted $300 in bitcoins. I didnt know how to transfer money that way, and didnt know anyone who does.

Schloss computer was crucial to running his business, so he ignored the hackers and bought a new machine for $1,500. Fortunately, he was able to upload his lost files from another device.

On a pissed number-scale of 1 to 10, it was an 11!, Schloss said.

Lou Cumming, a retiree in La Jolla, also got scammed. The hackers were so polite, he initially didnt know he was being attacked.

The problem began in March 2015 when he downloaded an email attachment.

The next thing I know, my computer screen turned all blue with loud bells going off, lights blinking and in the screen center there appeared a box saying it was Microsoft (and the company was) aware of my problem and gave me a phone number to call ASAP to get it fixed, Cumming said.

All during this process, (the guy who took his call) was very polite and courteous, like there was nothing wrong, he recounted. Claiming to be from Microsoft at the very inception of this problem really put my mind at ease.

Following the mans instructions, Cumming paid $308 to an unknown party. In actuality, Microsoft doesnt place such messages on peoples screens or demand such payments.

Then Cumming experienced a similar attack last month. About three days later, he received a call asking for another payment.

This time, he sought help from a friend who subsequently discovered and removed the malware that had been placed on his computer.

Ransomware is an exponentially larger problem for the city of San Diego, which faces a daily onslaught of ransomware attacks against its 14,000 desktop and laptop computers.

It has become the malware of choice, said Gary Hayslip, the citys chief information security officer. Some days I truly wish for just basic good-old email spam, the type that annoys you but doesnt try to destroy your organizations assets or interrupt business operations.

With that said, here at the city, we have a strict policy that we dont pay ransom.

The FBI also advises people not to pay ransom.

Obviously, we dont want to see criminals make money from their criminal activity, Special Agent Christopherson said. It funds further illicit activity, and it kind of emboldens them.

However, we do understand that businesses or even individuals might have a lot of money invested in files (on their computers).  There are going to be business decisions that arise where people pay the ransom.

Even some law-enforcement agencies have decided to pay the hackers. Last year, for example, the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office in Maine and four towns in that area together paid $300 to end a ransomware attack.

Experts warn that if people use their credit card to make a ransom payment, they wont be able to get relief later by calling their credit card company to request a cancellation or refund.

Overall, cyber analysts said hackers, which include so-called cyber gangs and criminal syndicates, currently have the upper hand.

Tracking the attacker or crime group back to their offices  because yes, ransomware is a business  can be difficult if not impossible, said James Carder, vice president of LogRhythm Labs, a security company in Boulder, Colorado. You combine that with the sheer number of attackers or crime groups  and you almost dont know where to start. If youre a law-enforcement agency, that makes it extremely difficult to do your job.

REFLECTIONS OF AN FBI CYBER CRIME EXPERT

The San Diego Union-Tribune recently interviewed Special Agent Chris Christopherson, who investigates cyber crimes out of the FBI field office in San Diego. Here are some of his comments about ransomware; the remarks were edited for space and continuity.

What happens in a ransomware attack?

Its dark and seedy. Its a form of malware that infects your computer. The hacker or someone trying to extort money from you takes control of your computer. With that control, they go out and download the ransomware. The ransomware has specialized instructions for decrypting the files on your computer and displaying some sort of ransom message. Even if you have (those) encrypted files decrypted, you still have the initial infection.

How big is the problem?

Every hour of every day, we believe that 4,000 computers (worldwide) are being infected with ransomware. All the data files are being encrypted. And at the end of the day, theyre trying to extort a ransom. The more computers they infect, the more likely someone is to pay the ransom. Ive got a list, which Im sure is not exhaustive, of almost 200 forms of ransomware.

Who are these hackers?

What we see a lot of the time in cyber crime  and ransomware is not different  (are) people who are very talented, who have a gift for math programming, science, things of that nature, but dont have an outlet for employment. You see economies, like in eastern Europe or even potentially Russia, where there are not a lot of jobs in that area, but there are a lot of people who are educated. It becomes a problem where they turn to the black market, to the dark side, in order to get some sort of employment or money.  What they resort to is making money for criminal groups or writing software and selling it to criminal groups.

Can you understand why some people agree to pay a ransom to hackers?

There are often really good business reasons to pay the ransom. Our only fear is that the more money the criminals make by writing and distributing ransomware, the more they will do it. So our concern is two-fold: It is for the victims, of course. But (also) for stopping the criminal activity in the future. Were kind of caught in a hard place where we dont want people to pay the ransom, but we have seen certain instances where it makes sense.

Cybersecurity Playlist  On Now Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slams Equifax On Now LA 90: Yahoo data breach worse than originally reported On Now Lifelock offers to protect you from the Equifax breach  by selling you services provided by Equifax 1:02 On Now California beer maker thrives in Germany On Now Cyberattacks on Hollywood On Now Hackers gain access to OneLogin On Now What is WannaCry? On Now Senate overturns privacy rules for Internet providers On Now Online pirates claim to hold Disney's latest 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie hostage, demand ransom On Now Yahoo warns users of malicious activity

Twitter: @grobbins

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
San Diego Unified School District is planning to eliminate about 200 more jobs in its effort to close a $124 million budget gap.

The new cutbacks include employees in 65 out of 372 bus driving jobs, 40 library technician positions, 16 mental health clinician jobs and other non-teaching employees. In all, the district plans to cut jobs equivalent to 175 full-time positions.

District public information officer Andrew Sharp on Friday said the recent batch of layoffs may result in the reinstatement of other jobs the school board earlier had voted to eliminate.

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Sharp could not give details about what positions may be reinstated. District trustees are scheduled to vote on the latest round to cutbacks at their Tuesday night meeting.

The district is struggling with a projected $124 million shortfall to its $1.4 billion budget, and have issued in the neighborhood of 1,500 layoff notices to full and part-time employees.

Those jobs were for certificated workers, which include teachers, counselors and other employees who are required to have a credential. By state law, certificated workers must be notified by March 15 if they may be laid off.

The latest round of cutbacks affect classified workers, whose jobs do not require credentials. The law requires they receive at least a 60-day notice of possible job loses, and the district is issuing notices as it prepares to finalize its budget before July 1.

In another move that could affect the number of employees facing job loses, Friday was the deadline for many teachers to consider whether to take an early retirement. Depending on the salaries and number of teachers retiring, the move will allow the district to retain an as-yet unknown number of employees who faced layoffs.

The district usually receives about 150 retirement notices from teachers each year, but by Friday afternoon it had received 477, Sharp said.

The incentive for early retirement was a full years salary to be paid over five years. Sharp said a consultant who had studied the labor pool had projected that 465 people would take the incentive. Even more were expected to request the early retirement by the end of the work day Friday. A smaller group of employees has until May 5 to request early retirement, meaning the number of retirees likely will be even higher.

Kelly Casaday, a library technician at Marshall Middle School in Scripps Ranch for the past three years, said she was notified of a possible layoff on Thursday.

I was laid off three years in a row, and brought back with reduced hours, said Casaday, who has been with the district 11 years.

Whether shell be brought back this time is hard to say. Superintendent Cindy Marten said the district must stick to budget cuts this year because it already is facing a projected deficit next year.

Casaday questioned how the district plans to operate school libraries after cutting all library technicians at middle and high schools.

The technicians are responsible for working in the library before and after school, assisting teachers with research and managing the assets of the facility,

Technicians also are responsible for implementing whats known as the Williams settlement, a state mandate about instructional material that must be assigned to students. Casaday said librarian technicians are trained to keep track of textbooks students check out, and state officials sometimes do spot checks to make sure schools are in compliance.

Sharp said details about how the libraries will operate without technicians still are being worked out, but the plan is for vice principals to assist in libraries.

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San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten says a budget shortfall will require cutting the equivalent of 977 full-time positions.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
As many as 15,000 scientists and their supporters, increasingly disillusioned with President Donald Trumps posture on climate-change policy and proposed cuts to federal research agencies, gathered on Saturday in downtown San Diego as part of international day to champion science in government decision making.

The March for Science, held on Earth Day, included rallies in more than 600 cities on six continents, from Honolulu to Houston to Hong Kong to Mexico City. At its nucleus in Washington, D.C., tens of thousands of people converged on the Washington Monument and then marched down Constitution Avenue to the foot of Capitol Hill. In San Diego, police put the crowd at roughly 15,000 people.

At the rallies, scientists and others voiced concerns about the administrations dismissal of established climate science, as well as its proposal to cut federal agencies that conduct or fund scientific research. That includes the budgets of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Health, which the president has called for slashing by 31 percent and 18 percent, respectively. Trump and his deputies have also taken steps to roll back Obama-era policies aimed reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants and cars.

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Ralph Keeling, a climatologist with UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told the crowd of demonstrators in downtown San Diego that the question of whether humans are causing climate change is a fake debate.

In 40 years of skepticism, there has not been a theory put forth that has traction, that has a school of thought associated with it, said Keeling, who is carrying on his fathers groundbreaking research tying the rise of carbon-dioxide levels to global warming. You have skeptics that individually have reasons for doubting, but they have not engaged in producing an alternate hypothesis. What that tells you is that the debate has been over for decades.

Something like 97 percent of the papers on climate endorsed the view that this is a serious problem, and even that undersells it, at least in my opinion, he added, drawing cheers from the crowd.

1 / 16 Thousands of people fill the Civic Center Plaza as they gather for the March for Science in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 16 Roman Feiman carries five-year-old Julius, no last name given, who is the son of a colleague of Feimans at UCSD, as they and thousands of people participating in the March for Science make their way down Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 16 People participating in the March for Science make their way down Broadway as they head toward North Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 16 Climate scientist Ralph Keeling, a professor at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, speaks to the crowd during the March for Science rally at the Civic Center Plaza. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 16 Ten-year-old Giovani Pecorella, sitting, his sister Eva Pecorella, 7, standing at right, and his mother Karly Pecorella, third from right, listen to people speaking at the Civic Center Plaza. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 16 People hold signs as they listen to other people speaking while at the Civic Center Plaza. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 16 People gathered for the March for Science listen to someone speaking at the Civic Center Plaza. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 16 Twelve-year-old Cesar Sauceda, a seventh grader at San Marcos Middle School who says he wants to be a scientist, speaks to the crowd. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 16 Thousands of people fill the Civic Center Plaza as they gather for the March for Science. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 16 Thousands of people fill the Civic Center Plaza as they gather for the March for Science in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 16 People at the front of the March for Science make their way down Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 16 People participating in the March for Science make their way down Broadway as they head toward North Harbor Drive. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 16 People participating in the March for Science walk past a docked cruise ship on North Harbor Drive. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 16 Raelynn Quiambao, front center, and Maya Ayalo, right, carry signs as they and other people participating in the March for Science walk down North Harbor Drive. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 16 Mercedes Alcoser pushes a stroller with a Trump pinata wearing a diaper as she and others participating in the March for Science arrive at the County Administration Building. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 16 Debbie Boyd of Poway wears a costume with her signs saying Fairies believe in science. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

As evidence for human-caused climate change continues to mount, from record high global temperatures to melting ice caps, some in the opposition have shifted from outright denial of global warming to varying levels of skepticism. Critics have questioned, for example, whether scientists have exaggerated projections of damage to come and the extent to which humans are contributing.

Trump and his appointed team have embraced subtle differences in their statements around the issue, from Trumps pre-candidate statement that climate change is a hoax, to EPA chief Scott Pruitts statements last month that theres tremendous disagreement about the extent to which human activity is causing the planet to heat up, to Secretary of State Rex Tillersons statements that impacts from warming will likely be tempered by humans ability to adapt.

In the run up to Saturdays events, organizers repeated the assertion that the marches would be political but not partisan, an attempt to diffuse concerns that the marches could further polarize the electorate on issues around climate change and research funding.

People in San Diego marched from Civic Center to Waterfront Park holding a wide variety of signs. While some people carried placards that directly disparaged Trump, much of the signage featured less divisive slogans, such as In God We Trust; All Others Bring Data or Evidence is Not Ideology. Other messages skirted the political line a bit closer, including Science is Not a Liberal Agenda and Lets Make America Smart Again.

Pamela Reynolds, a chemist who teaches high school science at The Bishops School in La Jolla, said she has long felt the federal government hasnt been doing enough to support scientific research. Although, she added, the current administration has increased her frustration.

I think its pathetic that as a country, even under any administration, that we dont support science to a greater degree with the amount of money that we put into defense, she said. We as a country are not showing good stewardship, nor are we being good mentors to the rest of the world.

Some scientists voiced concern in the run up to the science march that such an overtly political event could damage the credibility of the field.

I worry the march would drive the wedge deeper, said Robert S. Young, a coastal geologist at Western Carolina University who wrote in a New York Times Op-Ed article in January expressing misgivings about the march.

The marchs national website offered this in response to concerns about political blow-back: In the face of an alarming trend toward discrediting scientific consensus and restricting scientific discovery, we might ask instead: can we afford not to speak out in its defense? There is no Planet B.

We are at a critical juncture. Science is under attack, said Cara Santa Maria, a science communicator who was one of several emcees of the rally in D.C. The very idea of evidence and logic and reason is being threatened by individuals and interests with the power to do real harm.

Were gathered here today to fight for science, she went on as the crowd cheered. Were gathered to fight for education. To fight for knowledge. And to fight for Planet Earth.

While traveling by motorcade to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Saturday, Trump passed dozens of demonstrators from the march holding signs, including one that said, Stop denying the earth is dying, according to a pool report. Later, the White House released a statement from Trump for Earth Day that did not mention the March for Science by name, but appeared directed at its participants.

Calling science critical to economic growth and environmental protection, he said, My administration is committed to advancing scientific research that leads to a better understanding of our environment and of environmental risks.

As we do so, we should remember that rigorous science depends not on ideology, but on a spirit of honest inquiry and robust debate, he added.

While the March for Science evolved from social media into a street campaign, scientists seem to be wading into activism all over the country in an almost unprecedented fashion.

Most notably, a political action committee called 314 Action, named for the first three digits of Pi, launched a campaign earlier this year to help scientists run for office against incumbent lawmakers the group labels as anti-science. In the last few months, news of scientists considering a run for Congress or other political offices has become more prevalent.

Union-Tribune wire services contributed to this report.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a Friday appearance at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego that sanctuary cities and counties that dont cooperate with federal officials by handing over unauthorized immigrants who have committed crimes put criminals back on your streets.

In his remarks, Sessions repeatedly drew a connection between the damage done by violent street gangs and what he called lax immigration policies that allow some gang members to remain in the country even when they could be deported.

He made an explicit reference to Escondido, saying the city is in the midst of an increase in street gang violence.

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As you know too well here, Escondidos gang violence has jumped recently between two rival gangs warring for turf  more shootings, more guns, more neighborhoods terrorized, Sessions said.

That remark apparently referenced the March 7 killing of Cathleen Kennedy, 55, who was shot on the way home from a church Bible study. Escondido police later arrested Dionicio Crespin Torrez Jr., 24, and a 16-year-old juvenile in connection with the slaying.

After Torrez was arraigned, the prosecutor said Kennedy was shot by bullets that were intended for a rival gang member, and that Escondido had seen a rise in gang violence.

Torrez and the youth are documented gang members. Police Chief Craig Carter has said both are Escondido residents and U.S. citizens.

Sessions said sanctuary policies by state and local officials help gangs retain and replenish their ranks. Sanctuary jurisdictions put known gang members back on the streets of Escondido to rejoin the West Side gang, he said.

Escondido has not designated itself a sanctuary city.

His remarks came at an appearance with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Both men, along with Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, were touring the San Diego border with Mexico and made brief remarks on a strip of no mans land  the area between the primary and secondary border fences  about five miles west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Sanctuary jurisdictions are cities and counties that have explicit policies that say they do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Its a controversial topic: Critics like Sessions say it allows lawbreakers who would otherwise be deported to remain in the country illegally, while advocates say local law enforcement should not be charged with enforcing immigration laws, normally the purview of the federal government.

1 / 16 With razor wire across the top of the secondary border fence behind him, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions stands as he, Homeland Security John Kelly, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, hold a news conference in San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 16 Border Patrol agents on horseback stand still next to the secondary border fence. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 16 U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin touches the secondary fence at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 16 A warning sign posted on the secondary border fence at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 16 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, second from left, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, right, talk to a Border Patrol agent while next to the secondary border fence. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 16 A procession of government vehicles drive along side of the secondary border fence as they bring United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly for a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 16 United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks as he and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, right, hold a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 16 A Border Patrol agent stands next to the secondary border fence at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 16 Border Patrol agents on horseback arrive at the secondary border fence before a news conference by United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security John Kelly. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 16 Two Border Patrol agents on horseback ride next to the primary border fence. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 16 Border Patrol agents on horseback ride next to the primary border fence near the Brown Field Border Patrol Station in San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 16 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly speaks as he, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions, right, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, hold a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 16 Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly speaks as he and United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions, right, hold a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 16 United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks as he, Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, right, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, hold a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 16 United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a news conference at the U.S./Mexican border. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 16 People in support of United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions hold signs near the Brown Field Border Patrol Station. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Sessions also referred to letters the Justice Department sent to nine jurisdictions on Friday, including Californias Board of State and Community Corrections, asking for proof they are cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Each receives millions of dollars in federal grant money and have until June 30 to prove why they are not violating federal law by not cooperating.

The letter drew a sharp rebuke from state Senate leader Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, who said in a statement that Sessions and President Donald Trump are basing their law enforcement policies on principles of white supremacy  not American values.

De Leon grew up in San Diegos Barrio Logan, the son of a single mother from Mexico.

Asked about de Leons comment, Sessions fired back, I totally reject that. I think that is a deplorable statement.

Enforcing the laws already on the books is not racist, he added.

The remarks by Sessions and Kelly were the latest from the Trump administration as it pushes a crackdown on illegal immigration. Kelly pointed to statistics showing that apprehensions of unauthorized immigrants have plummeted across the Southwest border this year as proof that the stepped-up enforcement is working.

Kelly said more is coming, including construction of Trumps border wall.

We will continue to expand our approach to deterring illegal migration, he said. That includes constructing a physical barrier, supporting it with technology, and patrolling it with a dedicated and professional workforce.

Kelly also said local law enforcement should cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts to deport criminal unauthorized immigrants. He said the easiest and safest way to do that is to take the individuals from jails and prisons and deport them.

Most police officers on the street want to cooperate with ICE, Kelly said, but politicians and police chiefs dont allow them.

He issued a barely veiled warning that if ICE cant deport people from jails and prison, it will then conduct enforcement operations in courthouses and neighborhoods.

Reports of such stepped-up enforcement in some cities and courthouses have angered some state officials. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye wrote a letter to Sessions and Kelly in March, saying she had received reports that ICE agents were stalking courthouses and arresting unauthorized immigrants who posed no public safety threat.

Courthouses should not be used as bait in the necessary enforcement of our countrys immigration laws, she wrote.

San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott have joined other California prosecutors in supporting the chief justices position.

Sessions and Kelly spent their day in the San Diego sector meeting with Homeland Security officials and touring the Otay Mesa Detention Facility, an ICE immigration jail. Those visits were not open to the news media.

Their visit was also marked by a protest of about 80 people who gathered near the San Ysidro border crossing.

In speeches to the crowd gathered across the street from Las Americas Premium Outlets, leaders from faith groups, immigrant rights advocacy groups and labor unions rejected the administrations policies of a border wall and ramped up immigration enforcement.

Staff writer Kate Morrissey contributed to this report.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
San Diegos congressional representatives had a sweeping, sometimes boisterous discussion Friday on issues ranging from the proposed expanded border wall and the federal budget to health care and President Donald Trumps taxes.

Some partisan divisions surfaced during the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerces annual congressional luncheon at the Manchester Hyatt downtown.

But all five members of the delegation stressed that they consistently pull together on local matters for the benefit of San Diego County, despite their differences on national and international issues. During the question-and-answer session led by veteran political reporter Carla Marinucci, who heads up Politicos California operation, the members often displayed collegiality even amid sharp disagreements.

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Changing Obamacare

Any health care bill needs to have several provisions to earn his support, Rep. Darrel Issa, R-Vista, said. First, it must keep a phase out to make sure that people who are on Medicaid do not suddenly see their personal expenses skyrocket as they make more money and no longer qualify for government benefits. Rather they need to see their personal healthcare expenses rise in-step with their paycheck increase, he said.

Workers also need to be able to keep their health plans when they change jobs or retire, and to allow states and employers to consider more flexible plans, he added.

Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, said Issas demands are reasonable but Congress seems set on quickly forcing a new plan through the House without getting input from across the spectrum.

It has to be bipartisan to pass, Peters said. Thats the striking thing about this, how consistent they are about not talking across the aisle.

Border wall

The expanded border wall between the U.S. and Mexico Mexico is not necessary, and will be a budget deal-breaker, said Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego.

I never voted for a wall, and I am not going to vote for a wall. I think it is a spite wall, he said.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, said he supports either a fence or a wall  hes not too concerned about what its called  and he wants the president to use the various obstacles between San Diego County and Baja California as a model for other parts of the country.

His support elicited scattered boos from the crowd of about 500 people.

Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, along with Peters and Vargas considered the wall a waste of money that should be spent on other things.

Issa would not say whether he supports Trumps plan to build an expanded border wall, stressing that theres been a fence along portions of the San Diego border for a long time and that it works well. He noted that border crossings allowed a high level of commerce between San Diego and the Tijuana region.

He further said he supported border security measures backed by border law enforcement agencies.

Davis said she was concerned about the Trump administrations plans to hire 15,000 more immigration, customs and border agents. Hiring surges of that size, she said, often loosen standards in a way that is not appropriate in order to fill all the positions.

North Korea

Issa said the the Trump administration is taking the right approach to pressure China to reign in North Koreas threat to global security, noting that China was responsible for propping up the nation militarily during the Korean War in the 1950s.

The reality is, China needs to do something about a rogue nation that has been enabled by their efforts, Issa said

Peters said China needs to not only get North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, but also make sure that it doesnt use conventional weapons against nearby major cities, including Seoul and Tokyo.

Vargas objected to what he considered to be provocations by the Trump administration that didnt do anything but inflame the situation.

Shutting down the government

The members seemed optimistic that Congress and the president will be able to pass a funding bill and avoid a federal government shutdown, but they cautioned that there will be consequences if lawmakers do not enact a regular budget.

One of the things that businesses need is predictability., Davis said. We are signaling a very unpredictable rule.

Issa said he believes that theyll pass a continuing resolution to keep the government operating.

But government departments and contractors, while preferring a continuing resolution over a complete shutdown, say that only maintains current funding levels is inefficient, and it makes it difficult to adjust spending to new needs, or to start new programs.

Trumps tax returns

All but Hunter said they thought it would be best for Trump to release his tax returns as past presidents have done.

I dont care, Hunter said.

The three Democrats said that Trump should make those documents public.

Absolutely Davis said.

Issa said it would be a good idea for the president to release his taxes, but he would also defend Trumps right to privacy (by law tax returns are private documents) if he chose not to.
Two men are believed to be behind at least two holdups, and an attempted robbery, at convenience stores across the county in the past month, authorities said Friday.

Investigators were working to determine if other cases in the county were linked to the same two men.

The latest crime occurred about 9 p.m. Thursday when two men tried to rob the Apollo Market on Reo Drive in San Diegos Paradise Hills neighborhood. One of the men pointed a black and silver handgun at two employees and asked them to open the cash register.

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Fearing for his life, one of the workers ran to the back of the store, police said. The second refused to comply, despite the mens repeated demands for money.

At one point, the gunman tried to open the cash register but was unsuccessful. He and his companion left empty handed, police said.

A day earlier in Spring Valley, a gunman walked into a 7-Eleven on Jamacha Boulevard near Grand Avenue and chambered a round as he approached an employee about 3 a.m., sheriffs officials said.

The robber repeatedly demanded money, asking it be put in a plastic bag, as he pistol-whipped the worker in the face a total of four times, officials said. The thief also fired a round at the ceiling at one point.

On April 6, a man holding a black and silver handgun demanded money from an employee at the Market at the Ranch store on Scripps Trail in Scripps Ranch about 9:25 p.m. The worker had trouble opening the cash register, and the robber fired a round into a cigarette display case on the wall behind the counter, then struck the clerk in the eye with the pistol.

The employee eventually dropped cash into a black plastic bag the robber brought with him, police said.

The thief then asked the worker to open the safe. When the clerk said he didnt have the key, the gunman fired another round, hit the clerk in the eye again, and kicked him.

He left, without contents from the safe, and possibly got into a small, silver SUV.

Anyone with information on the cases were asked to call San Diego police robbery unit at (619) 531-2299 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Lightly edited comments from our online coverage.

Regarding The San Diego State Aztecs mascot debate is over  for now (April 19): OK, I cant sit on the sidelines here. The Aztecs ceased to be nearly 500 years ago. Mexico City is now the capital that was once Tenochtitlan. Todays Mexicans are a blend of natives and conquerors  hence the Spanish language. It is a new culture with aspects of European and Native American tradition. There isnt a living, breathing Aztec to take offense today. An Aztec is no different than a Samurai, a Trojan or a Spartan. Also, SDSU has made it a very sharp point to ensure it represents the Aztec culture respectfully. I am proud to be an Aztec and I have never witnessed any actions or behaviors that could be deemed offensive toward a now extinct people. In my opinion, one would have to strive to take offense with the mascot. It is not insensitive. If so, to whom?

Ted McGovern

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Joined April 22, 2016

What a bunch of crock. Keep Monty as is, dont pander to a bunch of weirdos posting out of their mothers basements. What a joke. I guess they forgot its 2017, not 1520.

ConservativeMexican

Joined April 25, 2016

Regarding Feds release new details and admit error in deported dreamer story (April 18): Either youre born in this country or not. The next challenge is birthright citizenship. Neil Gorsuch is on board with illegal + illegal = illegal, not legal. Anthony Kennedy is hedging, so well wait for Ruth Bader Ginsburg to move on.

dentim2

Joined Jan. 20, 2017

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.

So youre good with deporting people who were brought here as children despite the fact that life here is all they know? Are you by chance a Native American and plan to deport all of us when you end birthright citizenship?

john.poe95



Joined April 19, 2016

Regarding SeaWorld polar bear dies unexpectedly (April 18): SeaWorld is a for-profit amusement park. It has a board of directors whose primary focus is the companys stock, not whats best for the animals it imprisons. It should not be allowed to hold animals captive at its animal prison. I will give it credit for the animal rescues it does, but thats unfortunately a very minute part of its business model.

mattparker619



Joined Feb. 26, 2017

PETA reveals its lack of scientific knowledge through anthropomorphism. The bear died of a broken heart.

Ray H. Ramage



Joined May 5, 2106

Regarding Petco not liable in fatal rat bite fever case, jury says (April 20): First, most rats are purchased as food for snakes and other reptiles. Second, the lawyer said the suit was to make people aware rats were tested randomly. Noooooo, the suit was for money. If they only wanted the public to be aware of random testing the suit would have been for Petco to state that. But good try.

excelmed55



Joined July 11, 2016

Regarding Proposed homeless center aims to clear downtown San Diegos streets (April 18): Why downtown, some of the most expensive real estate in California? Could not more people be benefited to bring this a few miles east where they can build more and have more services and some green grass and trees? Not to mention this building and its hallways would be a nightmare for those who are weaker and less stable. They will be extorted from and have stolen what little they have. Not to mention the environment that this building will foster. Going to be a tower of drugs and alcohol and mayhem. Not all, but so many of these people on the streets want to be there. At some point the police will need to uphold the laws.

Papaya123



Joined July 2, 2016

Its not a problem that can be fixed with money. A lot of the bums dont want to be in a shelter due to the rules. No drugs, no alcohol, no smoking, no panhandling, no stealing. So go ahead, liberals, cry us a river.

Patriot_SD



Joined May 1, 2016

Regarding Homeless up 5 percent in the county, skyrockets downtown (April 20): The more we try to help, the more they populate. It is time to take emotion out of policy and evict them. We need to stop feeding them, make them move along so they cannot rest and push them toward our borders until they leave.

sjaxon



Joined April 17, 2016

I am not going to condemn those who advocate harsh treatment for the homeless here. I am going to ask a few questions though. Have you ever been down and had someone help you up? Have you ever made a mistake with serious consequences and wished you could make it better? Did you need either forgiveness and/or help to correct that mistake? If you are successful, congratulations! Did you get there by yourself with no help from others? Have you ever wondered why some of the richest and most successful people in the world are spending the last half of their lives lifting others up? Is it possible, just possible, that they know something you dont?

brucehiggins1253



Joined April 21, 2017

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
St. Marys-In-the-Valley Episcopal Church welcomes the community at its annual festive Bluegrass Gospel Mass at the 9:30 a.m. service on Sunday, April 23. Ramonas Shirthouse Band will accompany the service with live music performed by Rich Craig on banjo, Peter Lauterbach on mandolin/bass, Rob Lewallen on guitar/bass, and Conley Robinson on guitar.

There is no charge and everyone is invited. St. Marys-In-the-Valley is at 1010 12th Street off San Vicente Road. For more information, call the church office at 760-789-0890 Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or visit stmarysramona@hotmail.com.
Investigative reporter Kimberly Dverok and U.S. Marine Corps Col. William J. OBrien Jr. (retired) will be the speakers at the Intermountain Republican Women Federated meeting in San Vicente Resort on Monday, April 24.

The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. Check-in and social time will start at 10:30. The resort is at 24157 San Vicente Road.

Dverok is an award-winning national security and border security investigative reporter for television, radio, and print media. She has covered news for Channel 6 TV and One America News Network. She covers breaking news, writes the articles, provides talking points on radio, and presents a live television report.

OBrien is a 37-year veteran of the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve. He was mobilized for the 1990 Gulf War and the 2004 Global War on Terror. His overseas assignments included Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Diego Garcia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Germany.

Upon retirement in 2008 he co-founded the Institute for Combat Wounded Policy, where he advocates for changes to Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs policies and procedures and regularly briefs members of Congress on policy matters. He also testified before the Veterans Disability Committee.

He practiced commercial litigation for more than 30 years and taught undergraduate and graduate level classes in law, national security, and history for the University of Phoenix and Thomas Jefferson College of Law. He holds a certificate in international studies from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, a doctorate in law from Thomas Jefferson College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts from Cal-State Northridge.

Reservations were requested by April 19. Ramonans with last names ending in A through L may call Pam Sturgeon at 760-703-9963 for a reservation. Those whose names end in M through Z may call Millie Klein at 760-788-5801, and Julian and Santa Ysabel residents may call Mary Lou Jones at 760-765-1725.

The Intermountain group welcomes members, spouses and guests from Ramona, Julian, Santa Ysabel and surrounding areas. For more information, contact Sandy Hurlburt at 760-789-0220 or sandylandrid@hughes.net.
Two centuries ago, Spain controlled California, and its influence is best seen today in the historic missions that stretch like a necklace up the states coast.

But the Spanish footprint locally goes deeper. At Naval Base Point Loma on Sunday, history buffs, U.S. Navy officials and Spanish dignitaries commemorated the 212th anniversary of The Battle of San Diego Bay  an obscure clash between an upstart American merchant ship and tiny fort of the declining Spanish empire.

It wasnt much of a battle. Nobody died.

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I would call it a peaceful battle, said Javier Vallaure, Consul General for Spain in Los Angeles. Isnt that wonderful?

But it was the only ship-to-shore fight between America and Spain on the Pacific Coast. The site has been designated as a California Registered Historic Landmark.

The Battle of San Diego Bay these days is less about cannon fire and more a reminder of Spanish landmarks around the waterfront. Theres Spanish Landing, which linked ships to whats now Rosecrans Street, among the oldest economic routes in the state. It was first used by the Spanish in 1769.

The peninsula in San Diego Bay known as Ballast Point comes from Fort Guijarros, a small Spanish garrison on Point Loma that guarded the bay. Guijarros translates to ballast, said Iris Engstrand, a history professor at the University of San Diego.

And theres Smugglers Cove. It was the smuggling of sea otter pelts that sparked the Battle of San Diego Bay in 1803.

A couple years earlier, word spread in the fledgling United States of abundant sea otters on the Pacific Coast. The prized fur was commanding sky-high prices, luring American merchant ships to the West Coast.

One of those ships was the Lelia Byrd, which came seeking to buy otter pelts. But the Spanish commander of San Diego, Don Manuel Rodriguez, had forbid such trade.

The Leila Byrd was trying to escape under the cover of darkness with some highly coveted otter pelts, and the Spanish embargo on foreign trade didnt seem to agree with that, said Capt. Howard Warner III, commanding officer of Naval Base Point Loma. So they exchanged a few cannon shots between the six pounders on shore (at Fort Guijarros) and the three pounders on the Lelia Byrd.

San Diego wasnt an economic powerhouse at the time. It was just a stop on the way up the coast for otter pelts, or on the way down for the Spanish to resupply ships headed to Mexico or South America, said Matthew Schiff, marketing director at the San Diego History Center.

Perhaps thats why a handful of cannon shots were enough. Soon a hat was waved and both sides ceased firing. The Lelia Byrd went on, sailing to the Hawaiian Islands and eventually China.

It didnt take long for over-hunting to derail the sea otter fur trade, and a few years later the Mexican independence movement began, ending Spanish control over California in 1821.

The Battle of San Diego Bay, however, is a reminder of Spains early exploration of the Pacific, which was referred to as Lagos Espanola, or Spanish Lake, said Angeles Leira of the House of Spain, a cultural history organization.

Fortunately there were no injuries, no casualties and no significant damage in the battle, said Warner, the Point Loma base commander. And here we are today, very close allies with the country of Spain.
Hyderabad, April 21 (IANS) With the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) creating shortage of farm labourers, Telangana on Friday urged the Centre to link the scheme to agriculture.



A resolution to this effect was passed at the plenary of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) at Kompally on the outskirts of Hyderabad.



Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao moved the resolution during his inaugural address and it was passed unanimously.



He said he would raise the demand during a meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Sunday.



Rao said the MGNREGA was creating shortage of farm workers during the crop season, causing problems for farmers.



He said while the central scheme proved beneficial and many works were undertaken, it also led to problems for farmers as they were not getting workers to work in fields during the crop season.



If the MGNREGA was linked to agriculture, the labourers under the scheme can be used for farming.



A Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)-KMPG report in 2015 said that schemes like MGNREGA have affected farm labour adversely in the country and can have a negative impact on productivity and prices.



According to the report, rural wages grew on average by 17 per cent since 2006-07 and outstripped urban wages while productivity has not increased.



It found that between 2004-05 and 2011-12, farm labour declined by around 30.57 million while the total size of the workforce kept rising.



The share of agri workforce during the same period declined from 56.7 per cent to 48.8 per cent.
Researchers are setting out on a noteworthy joint effort to portray Colombia's plant and creature life, from thickly rich cloud woods to little-seen exhibition hall accumulations. This can be the beginning of the new era for nature in Colombia.

As written in Phys.org, Prof Federica Di Palma, the head of International Research Organizations and the director of Science of the Earlham Institute is a part of the formation of BRIDGE Colombia. BRIDGE Colombia is a multidisciplinary network for understanding, promoting and preserving the biodiversity or nature in Colombia with the help of responsible innovation. Responsible innovation is the process which includes promotional activities with creativity and opportunities in the field of science and can be undertaken in public interest.

The partners in this major collaboration had a meeting in a workshop on 13 to 15 March located in Bogota for the agreement of new techniques and ways for protecting and valorising the nature in Columbia. BioPortfolio reported that nature in Colombia is a "mega-diverse", home to about 10% of the planet's aggregate biodiversity and very nearly one in 20 of all plant species around the world.

Over half is secured by woods, while wetlands and unlimited tropical meadow add to the blend. Record quantities of uncommon species flourish including around 100 jeopardized warm-blooded creatures, 34 types of an imperiled hummingbird, and 2,500 plant species at risk of annihilation.

In the beginning of the research, a year ago, the research team had only 4 members from the Earlham Institute and now Prof Di Palma has gained support from 23 UK and Colombian organizations for creating a lasting legacy which can benefit the wildlife as well as people of Colombia. "As well as being a source of wonder, the abundance of life or nature in Colombia is essential to help end hunger and malnutrition and to achieve economic growth and peace," Prof Di Palma stated. The research is expected to exhibit the financial estimation of common assets and to build up the bio-economy.
Finland's first satellite was finally launched after years of delays. The Aalto-2 successfully made its journey into space last Tuesday.

Finland wanted deep space exploration, as the country had its first satellite in orbit last Tuesday, YLE reported. The Aalto-2 had been successfully launched in space with only a size of a one-liter milk carton. The Finland' first satellite Aalto-2 nano was released into space along with other 37 similar devices and tons of gears through the Cygnus spacecraft.

The launching event was held at the US state of Florida. According to Phys.org, the satellite was designed and created by students in Otaniemi and was launched using the Atlas V booster rocket heading for the International Space Station.

The Cygnus will consume three days before it totally reached the ISS at the perfect time. The Aalto-2 nanosatellite was sent to take part in the International QB50 Mission which will produce the first ever comprehensive model of the thermosphere. The thermosphere is the layer located between the Earth's atmosphere and space, and with the help of the Aalto-2, its features will be revealed and studied.

Aside from the Aalto-2 nanosatellite, there are more nanosatellites launched to participate in the mission from different parts of the world. However, it's the Finland's first satellite Aalto-2, which will take part of the larger project like in Belgium.

Professor Jaan Praks commented that they have been preparing for the launch of the Aalto-2 satellite for a long time. So, people are looking forward and celebrating for the launching of the Finland's first satellite because it is considered as a historic event in Otaniemi.

Meanwhile, after it reached the space station, the ISS will release the Aalto-2 nanosatellite into space one month of the arrival of the cargo. As its orbit is the one close to the equator, the Finland's first satellite will be occasionally in contact with the station in Otaniemi.

This Finland's first satellite built in Otaniemi, the Aalto-2 nanosatellite is the first successful Finnish-built satellite despite that there has been space technology in Finland for several decades. Praks complimented, "Thanks to the cost-efficiency of small satellites, the industry is on the rise both in Finland and abroad."
The testimony of NAU shooter Steven Jones ended on Friday with a rebuttal of the prosecution's cross-examination by the defense and questions from the jury.

The defense attempted to dull the prosecution's intense questioning on Thursday by pointing out the short amount of time Jones had to make a decision that resulted in the death of Colin Brough and injured Nick Piring, Nick Prato and Kyle Zientek.

During his testimony Jones said he felt like he had less than five seconds to get out of his car and he was too panicked to drive away.

The statement was in response to Deputy County Attorney Ammon Barker questioning the defendant about having time to lock the door, drive away or call 911.

Jones attorney Joshua Davidson sought to convince the jury that Jones was too fearful and panicky to properly drive away in his car by pointing to an interview that the defendant gave to police on the night of the shooting.

Do you remember telling the police why you decided not to drive away? Davidson asked.

Jones responded by reading the interview transcript.

I had less than five seconds to make a decision, Jones read. I am in the car I am sitting there and I am panicked. I dont know how I am going to start the car and my legs are shaking. I dont know how I am going to (expletive) with the clutch. They are gonna be on me in seconds.

The defense also sought to defuse inconsistencies and errors in Jones initial interview with police.

On Thursday, Barker said that Jones was wrong about the number of feet he walked to approach Brough.

Jones stated he walked 10 to 15 feet when in fact he walked 90 feet. Jones admitted that he walked 90 feet in his testimony.

Barker also stated that Jones was wrong about the size of the victims. Jones said they were bigger than him, but Jones is actually taller.

Davidson countered Barkers questioning by portraying Jones as a person who conducted a long eight-hour interview with police when he had not eaten or slept.

When was the last time you had eaten when this interview took place? Davidson asked.

I hadnt eaten since 6 p.m., Jones said.

Had you slept? Davidson asked.

No, Jones said.

What time was it when you finally got a chance to sleep? Davidson asked.

Jones said 7:23 a.m.

Davidson also pointed out that when officers asked Jones if they could continue the interview, Jones said, I dont know if I am up to it. I am really tired and I may get some things wrong.

EXPERIENCED SHOOTER

During jury questioning one of the jurors asked Jones who taught him how to handle a gun and taught him gun safety?

Coconino County Superior Court allows jurors to ask questions during the trial. The questions are written down on a piece of paper and read by the judge if appropriate.

Jones described first learning how to shoot at 9 years old at the University of Arizonas 4-H club and then being taught by his father, Warren Jones, who is certified to train police officers and civilians about proper gun use.

Both the defense and prosecution agreed that Jones had experience with firearms; however the prosecution tried to convince the jury that Jones knew he was going to shoot his gun the minute he put a chamber in the barrel.

Surely you were taught not to bring a loaded gun unless you were ready to use it? Barker asked.

Davidson responded to Barkers line of questioning by asking Jones if there was a difference between being ready to use a weapons and using it.

If a gun is holstered, does that mean you are going to use it? Davidson asked.

No, Jones said.

When you have a gun at the low and ready position or the guns flashlight turned on does that mean you are ready to fire the gun? Davidson asked.

No, Jones said.

Does a weapon being pointed at someone mean you are going to shoot? Davidson asked.

No, Jones said.

Another juror asked Jones why he didnt try to shoot at the victims legs.

Jones said he was aiming for center mass, as he had been trained.

Barker asked Jones if he knew that shooting someone center mass or in the torso region where organs are could kill someone.

Jones responded by saying that gunshot wounds to the chest are not always fatal.

PARADOXICAL EFFECTS

The defense brought their first expert witness, University of Arizona Pharmacology Professor Edward French, to the stand to talk about the effects that alcohol, Xanax and marijuana can have on the body.

Brough had a BAC of 0.285 percent, 4.3 nanograms of Xanax in his blood and 1.9 nanograms of THC. The legal BAC limit for driving is 0.08 percent.

Judge Dan Slayton did not allow the defense or prosecution to talk about the effects those substances could have had on Brough, so both sides spoke in hypotheticals.

The defense keyed on paradoxical effects, meaning that a substance that is supposed to do one thing has the opposite effect.

Davidson entertained the possibility that Xanax, which is intended to calm someone down, could potentially make someone irritable or aggressive.

French said that paradoxical effects are more likely to occur in a drug like Xanax where the effects are fast acting. However, he also stated that studies point to paradoxical effects as rare and occur at a low rate of one to 13 percent.

The prosecution attempted to lower that percentage.

County Deputy Attorney Bryan Shea asked if paradoxical effects mostly occurred in people with psychological disorders.

Would you agree that most paradoxical effects have been reported by psychotic patients? Shea asked.

French responded no, but admitted that patients with a psychological disorder are more likely to experience paradoxical effects.

Neither Brough nor the victims have been diagnosed with a psychological disorder.

FOUR SHOTS IN THE AIR

Defense witness and friend of Brough, Amanda Conrad, testified on Friday that she saw Jones fire his gun in the air four times.

Conrad also testified about the temperament of Brough, who she said she had known for a year before he was killed.

"He was a very kind person," Conrad said. "I am pretty confident he never got into fights."

The defense tried to counter this comment by asking if the fact he had a gun in his room would change her opinion of him.

Barker objected to this line of questioning and Judge Slayton sustained the objection.

Jones' lawyer Burges McCowan then asked Conrad if Brough being intoxicated would change her opinion on his temperament.

Conrad said no.

The defense rested its case on Friday and closing arguments are set to begin on Tuesday.
Microsoft Corporation recently announced that it will be hosting a software and hardware event this May 2, 2017. The company will hold the event in New York City. Microsoft is expected to unveil Windows 10 Cloud operating system and the rumored Surface CloudBook at the event.

According to The Verge report, Microsoft Corporation might be planning to launch a low-end device that can compete with Google's Chromebooks. The device is said to run with Windows 10 S or Windows 10 Cloud OS.

The upcoming event will focus on education. It is an area where Google's Chromebooks are thriving in. One of Microsoft's main goals is to create a device that will run the Windows 10 Cloud operating system and provide more than 10 hours of battery life or even an all-day battery life that would be very useful for students.

As per Engadget, the Microsoft Windows 10 Cloud performance target specification is a Quad-core processor. It can also be a Celeron or even better. The device should also have a minimum of 4GB of RAM. It must have a 32GB of storage capacity or a 64GB for a 64-bit device. The battery should be larger than 40 WHr. The device should also have eMMC or SSD for storage, and it should also be compatible with a Pen and Touch.

Who will manufacture the upcoming Microsoft devices still remains a mystery at the moment. The upcoming Windows 10 Cloud operating system will restrict applications to the Windows Store. The OS will also forbid the use of non-Store applications like the commonly used browser, Google Chrome.

Microsoft Corporation admits that the Windows 10 Cloud-based laptops would not quite measure up to the competition with ChromeBooks. The Redmond company needs to offer a lot more than just a Window version of the ChromeBook if it hopes to make a mark in education.
It seems after the massive Samsung Galaxy Note 7 debacle that took place last year, the South Korean tech giant is all geared up again to revive the Galaxy Note series with the launch of the much rumored Galaxy Note 8. It was expected that Samsung would discontinue its Galaxy Note series. But latest reports suggest that the next-gen phablet might launch this year. Rumors surrounding Samsung Galaxy Note 8's specs, release date and price have already flooded the internet.

According to PC Tablet, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 8 might feature a 6.5-inch display with QHD resolution and SuperAMOLED panel, Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 835 processor with either 6GB or 8GB RAM, a dual-camera setup, a fingerprint sensor on the back, S-Pen and run Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Notably, the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S8 features a 12-megapixel single lens camera setup.

According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the smartphone maker has saved the dual-camera setup for the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 that might come with a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and 13-megapixel telephoto lens on board, Slash Gear reported. Among other specs, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is rumored to get an infinity display with thin bezels and a virtual home button, same as the Galaxy S8. It is very likely that the Note 8 will ditch the headphone jack and will instead feature USB-C.

Furthermore, the Galaxy Note 8 is rumored to include Samsung's latest biometrics options such as iris scanning and facial recognition in addition to PIN, pattern and password options. The Note 8 is also expected to feature Samsung's own artificial intelligence system, Bixby.

As far as Samsung Galaxy Note 8's release date is concerned, the handset is likely to get unveiled in the second half of 2017.

The South Korean tech giant has not yet officially announced anything about its Galaxy Note 8's specs, release date or price. It is advised that readers should take the rumors with a hefty pinch of salt.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Rebekah Davis, managing editor of Francis Marion Universitys student-run newspaper, The Patriot, was named one of South Carolinas top collegiate journalists of the year on Friday.

Davis received the award at the annual South Carolina College Press Associations award ceremony, held this year at the Performing Arts Cents in downtown Florence.

I am so honored to receive this SCPA award, Davis said. The past year has been a tough one of learning how to dig and how to handle sensitive cases. I've had a great time learning this profession and I look forward to hopefully getting my first Pulitzer in 10 years.

Davis interned at the Morning News in Florence during the spring 2017 semester, covering a variety of news topics including education, breaking news, feature stories and photography for daily news production.

She plans to attend graduate school after graduating from the Francis Marion University Mass Communication department in May.

The Francis Marion newspaper also brought in several distinguished awards this year, including general excellence in its division.

Other awards for The Patriot in the small university division included first-place news story, first-place feature story and third-place feature story.

In the open division The Patriot received second place in editorial writing, second place in photography and second place for editorial cartoon.

Kay Packett, advising professor for The Patriot, said she couldnt be more proud of the journalism excellence at Francis Marions newspaper.

We had a terrific team of exceptional reporters and writers who are passionate about the profession and who fully supported each other, she said. They had exactly the right mix of strengths, all pulled together by a gifted editor-in-chief. They deserve this recognition and I could not be more proud of their success.
What can you say to defend yourself after you are accused of roughing up a protester at a Donald Trump campaign rally? Well, you can try blaming Donald Trump.

That's the road taken by Alvin Bamberger, a 75-year-old veteran from Ohio who can be seen in videos of a Trump rally in Louisville, Ky., early last year gruffly pushing 21-year-old protester Kashiya Nwanguma through the crowd and toward the exits.

You may recall seeing the video of Nwanguma, a young black woman, being pushed and jostled through the mostly white and male crowd of Trump supporters while Trump shouts "Get 'em out of here!" from the podium. She wasn't the only protester but the scene of the black woman surrounded by angry white men was too dramatic for TV to resist repeated replays.

Now a federal judge has told Nwanguma and two other protesters that they can proceed with a lawsuit that accuses Trump, his campaign and three supporters, including Bamberger, of inciting violence.

Trump's lawyers tried to have the suit dismissed, arguing that when he shouted "Get 'em out of here," he was not calling on his supporters to use force. Leave it to super- spinmaster Trump to come up with that stretch.

U.S. District Judge David J. Hale in Louisville wasn't buying it. He ruled Friday that there were sufficient facts to show it is "plausible" that the protesters' injuries were a "direct and proximate result" of Trump's words.

"It was an order, an instruction, a command," said the judge, who also noted that the Supreme Court has ruled out constitutional protections for speech that incites violence.

Then Trump's case was further undermined by Bamberger in a cross-claim against Trump, of all people. Bamberger claimed that Trump had indeed incited him and others as he "repeatedly urged people attending Trump rallies to remove individuals who were voicing opposition to Trump's candidacy," Bamberger's attorneys wrote.

"Indeed, at one or more campaign rallies," Bamberger's filing said, Trump "promised to pay the legal fees of those who  following Trump's urging  removed the protesters."

"Bamberger would not have acted as he did without Trump and/or the Trump campaign's specific urging and inspiration," his filing said.

"I was caught up in the frenzy," he wrote in an apology letter to the Korean War veterans' association whose uniform he was wearing at the rally. "I physically pushed a young woman down the aisle toward the exit, an action I sincerely regret."

Thank you, Mr. Bamberger. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to a certain amount of satisfaction that the pompous Trump is being called to account at least a little for his reckless and dangerous dives into hate-pandering demagoguery on the campaign trail.

Even as you watch Nwanguma and other protesters getting ejected from the Louisville rally you can hear Trump complaining about busloads Syrian refugees being let into our country "without paperwork" or "any other way to tell who they are." In fact, refugees typically undergo more than a year and a half of vetting. Yet Trump fed this and other lies without regard to the hate that he was fueling.

With that in mind it is hardly surprising that one of the other two Trump supporters named as a defendant in the lawsuit is activist Matthew Heimbach, whom the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as "the face of a new generation of white nationalists."

Still, Bamberger's counter-claim sounds a bit like the proverbial guy who killed his parents, then asks for sympathy because he's an orphan. Getting "caught up in the frenzy" of an agitated crowd isn't an excuse. It's a recipe for mob action.

What happened, I cannot help but ask, to the time-honored conservative virtue of personal responsibility? Suing Trump or any other speaker for inciting you to abandon good judgment reminds me of the lawsuits filed against fast-food companies for making us fat. I'm upset with them, too, but I can't honestly blame them for all the cheeseburgers I've eaten.

So it is with the rallies of Donald Trump or any other charismatic speaker whose hate-baiting gets out of hand. We don't have to take the bait.
San Francisco police said the citys mass blackout on Friday was not linked to power outages in other parts of the country.

Recent smaller outages in New York City and Los Angeles had nothing to do with the nearly 90,000 city homes and businesses that lost electricity about 9 a.m. Friday, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening.

Saturday

Town halls: 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, D-Dublin, will host a town hall at 4 p.m. at the Dublin High School student union, 8151 Village Parkway, Dublin. State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assemblymen David Chiu and Phil Ting, all San Francisco Democrats, are hosting a town hall, Californias Role in the Resistance, at 2 p.m. at the Mission High School Auditorium, 3750 18th St., San Francisco. www.eventbrite.com/e/town-hall-with-san-franciscos-state-legislators-tickets-32926946383.

Science marches: Rallies will observe 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.-noon begins at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave. For information: http://bit.ly/2n7oonY.

Sunday

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, at 1 p.m. at Newark Memorial High School, 39375 Cedar Blvd., 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.

Wednesday

Environment discussion: Marin County Supervisor Kate Sears will discuss the recent findings of the BayWave Project, a study on sea levels and rising tides from Sausalito to Novato. Sears will discuss Marins vulnerability and list next steps for how to deal with issues associated with rising sea levels. The event is free and wheelchair-accessible. It begins at 7 p.m. at Drivers Market, 200 Caledonia St., Sausalito. RSVP: www.driversmarket.com.

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.

Thursday

Comedy night: Hosted by the International Institute of the Bay Area, a Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights will feature Bay Area comedians Irene Tu, Johan Miranda and Zahra Noorbaksh. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at BATS Improv Theatre in Building B at Fort Mason, San Francisco. For tickets: www.iibayarea.org/comedy-night-event.

Next Saturday

Climate change marches: Marches throughout the country to demand action on climate change. In Oakland, a march will begin at 11 a.m. at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, between 12th Street and First Avenue. In Kentfield, a march will start at 11 a.m. at the College of Marin, 1001 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. In San Rafael, a march will begin 11 a.m. outside San Rafael City Hall, 1400 Fifth Ave. In San Jose, a march starts at 10 a.m. outside City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St. For information on all marches: https://peoplesclimate.org.
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Berkeley can require retailers to warn their cell phone customers about the possible radiation effects of carrying switched-on phones close to their bodies, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

The cell phone industry sued to block enforcement of the ordinance, calling it an inflammatory message that violated retailers freedom of speech. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, in a 2-1 ruling, said the warning was factually accurate, based on findings by the Federal Communications Commission about safe radiation levels, and was in the public interest.

Both the FCC and the city were entitled to conclude that this compelled disclosure is reasonably related to protection of the health and safety of consumers, Judge William Fletcher said in the majority opinion.

In dissent, Judge Michelle Friedland said the warning sends the misleading message that carrying a cell phone in ones pocket is unsafe.

The ordinance, which took effect in January 2016, requires dealers to notify their customers that the federal government sets radiation standards for cell phones, and that exposure may exceed the federal guidelines if users carry their phone in a pants or shirt pocket or tucked into a bra while connected to a wireless network.

Related Video: Cellphone safety tips to limit radiation exposure

Retailers must display the warning on a poster or handout flyer, attributed to the city of Berkeley. The warning may include additional information from the retailer.

The same appeals court blocked enforcement in 2013 of a San Francisco ordinance that would have required cell phone retailers to tell customers that the phones could expose them to dangerous, possibly cancer-causing radiation. That ruling relied on U.S. Supreme Court decisions allowing government warnings on commercial products only if the messages are provably factual.

Berkeleys more modest warning meets that test, the court said Friday.

The FCC has established radiation limits and concluded, based on its research, that keeping phones a certain distance from the body protects users from exceeding those limits, said Fletcher, joined in the majority by Judge Morgen Christen.

The commission set its standards with a large margin of safety, and has not classified cell phones as dangerous, Fletcher said. But he said Berkeleys ordinance accurately reflects the commissions better-safe-than-sorry policy, and merely requires retailers to give customers the same information that the federal agency requires them to include in cell phone manuals.

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.

But Friedland said Berkeley was effectively requiring retailers to tell their customers that cell phones are dangerous.

CTIA  The Wireless Association, the industry group that challenged the ordinance, said Friday that the courts acknowledgment that cell phones are not dangerous demonstrates why the Berkeley ordinance violates the First Amendment. The group could ask the full appeals court for a rehearing or seek review in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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Sen. Dianne Feinstein called on Silicon Valley leaders Friday to lean on Central Valley congressional representatives to get funding for the electrification of Caltrain released.

Californias senior senator  who said shes been pressuring Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao as well as 14 Republicans in Congress who signed a letter to Chao opposing the funding  asked 400 members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group meeting in Sunnyvale to do the same.

Caltrain officials had spent years planning the $2 billion project and lining up funding, including a federal grant agreement for $647 million. The grant was scheduled to be awarded in February but has been on indefinite hold since Chao received the letter from the Central Valley Republicans.

On Friday, inside an oversize tent on the Juniper Networks campus, Feinstein asked Silicon Valley leaders to write to Chao and the representatives and urge them to set aside politics and release the federal funds so the Caltrain electrification project can proceed.

Help us change their minds, she said. This has nothing to do with the Central Valley.

Caltrain, which carries about 60,000 riders a day between the South Bay and San Francisco, wants to convert its trains from diesel-fueled locomotives pulling bulky railcars to sleek electric-powered trains capable of higher speeds. Modernizing the 153-year-old commuter railroad, they say, would allow them to run trains more frequently and increase the overcrowded systems capacity

Transportation was one of the marquee issues at the luncheon event. Feinstein also voiced support for a second Transbay Tube and the extension of BART from the Berryessa neighborhood of San Jose, which its supposed to reach by the end of the year, to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara.

Feinstein bemoaned her 1979 decision not to support a Southern Crossing bridge across the bay and said the region shouldnt make the same mistake with a second transbay rail tube.

I do believe we need another crossing, she said.

Unlike recent town hall meetings, at which frustrated constituents have protested Feinstein and accused her of not being aggressive enough in her opposition to the Trump administration, the luncheon was choreographed and polite.

No protesters gathered outside the event, and nobody shouted insults or questions from the audience. While attendees dined on salmon and chicken, Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and Feinstein sat in white chairs on a stage and chatted, mostly congenially.

Just one issue provoked a modicum of disagreement: H-1B visas, which allow employers to hire foreign immigrants into certain jobs for up to six years. Silicon Valley companies count on the visas to fill high-tech jobs and have been irritated with the Trump administrations seeming desire to reduce the number of H-1Bs.

But when Guardino asked about the visas, Feinstein said she was bothered when companies fire older American workers and replace them H-1B visa holders.

We do have a problem here, she said. We do need to see our people have work.

Feinstein seemed particularly distressed over the plight of Americans older than 50.

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.

Im all for the young worker from another country, she said. What I dont want is an American to lose the job because they (the H-1B visa holder) take the job.

Guardino said the group would fight any egregious if uncommon abuses, but stressed that Silicon Valley needs high-skilled immigrant workers.

Feinstein said she supported the H-1B program with restraints.

After the event, Feinstein said she was hopeful Central Valley congressional Republicans will be content with having flexed their political muscles and acknowledge that the Caltrain project is crucial to the states economy.

As for whether shell seek another six years in office, Feinstein, 83, would only say: My future will take care of itself.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Next years election is already shaping up for District Eight Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, who will have to compete against well-known progressive Rafael Mandelman.

The challenger, a City College of San Francisco trustee who is also a former building inspection commissioner and past president of the Noe Valley and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic clubs, pulled his initial papers Wednesday for the June 2018 race. Mandelman entered the race just hours before Sheehy held a fundraiser attended by several City Hall allies, including Mayor Ed Lee and Board of Supervisors President London Breed.

Mandelman said hes gearing up for a spirited race in a demanding district, where he hopes to build more affordable housing and provide better services for the mentally ill.

I think District Eight needs a supervisor who is going to roll up his sleeves and do the work, said the candidate, who leans left of the typical District Eight voter but has strong name recognition.

Hes viewed in some circles as the antimayor candidate, a perfect foil for Sheehy, who Lee appointed in January to fill the seat vacated after former Supervisor Scott Wiener was elected to the state Senate. Mandelman lost to Wiener in the 2010 race for supervisor.

Political consultant David Latterman, who ran campaigns for Wiener and fellow moderate Bevan Dufty, predicted a cutthroat race, but noted that Mandelman might have to soften his positions.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

He is firmly entrenched in the hard left of this city, and District Eight voters have consistently rejected that stance, Latterman said.

But Jim Stearns, a political strategist who works with progressive candidates, noted that Mandelman has taken centrist stances on the City College board and that the issues he cares about have broad appeal.

His specialty is building housing, which is an urgent need in this city, Stearns said.

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Sheehy, perceived as the more moderate candidate, is an openly HIV-positive dad who came to San Francisco in 1989, working as a bike messenger before making a name in the citys Democratic establishment.

He was quick to downplay his early campaign fundraiser, saying that hes focused on being a supervisor right now.

Im dealing with homelessness, which I see as a public health crisis in this city  thats where my head is, he said.

Both candidates will run in June 2018 because of a city rule that all political appointments be contested at the next scheduled election. The District Eight seat will go up again in November of next year, which could make for a long campaign season.

 Rachel Swan

Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider, @rachelswan
Sunday is the day for one of the Bay Areas grand rites of spring: The annual boat parade along the San Francisco waterfront, the centerpiece of opening day of the yacht season. This one is special. Sundays parade marks the 100th anniversary of this local tradition.

Hundreds of decorated boats, from big sailing yachts to somewhat less-than-grand small boats, are expected. It starts at noon off Crissy Field at the Presidio and ends up off the end of Pier 39.

The parade is easy to see from the Marina Green or any place on the northern waterfront, and if the weather is fair, it is a good excuse for a bayside picnic.

Though San Francisco developed into a great city because of a commercial port, boating for pleasure has been around for a very long time. The first yacht club on the bay was organized in 1867, when San Francisco was still a rough-and-tough boomtown. Now 104 clubs, big and small, belong to the regions Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association, the opening day sponsor.

Before 1917, opening day was a more casual affair, centered around the ceremonial opening of a drawbridge between Tiburon and Belvedere that enclosed the placid, nearly landlocked Belvedere Lagoon. Many boats spent the winter there. But on an April Sunday in the late 1890s, the bridge was opened, the boats sailed out and the racing and cruising season began.

A hundred years ago, the small boat sailors got together for what was billed as a big pageant for opening day, and, except for World War II , the parade has been sailed every year since.

This years parade will be led by the St. Francis, San Franciscos brand new fireboat. Hundreds of boats will follow in its wake, and every one of them comes with a story.

This is a story about a vessel that will be in the parades classic yachts section, which is leading the rest like grand ladies. Miss 102 is a sleek power yacht that has a salty story.

Miss 102 was built 61 years ago by the Stephens Brothers, a company famous in the world of wooden boats. Wooden boats, like single-malt Scotch whisky, are an acquired taste. They are expensive to build, expensive to maintain.

Owning one is like having a love affair: They need constant attention.

Miss 102 has gotten that attention and shows it. The vessel is 60 feet long, diesel powered. The hull is white, the trim is all polished wood, and the boat is sleek as a cat. It is owned by Rusty Areias, a political consultant and former longtime member of the Assembly.

Areias fell in love with the boat when he first saw it in 2010. Miss 102 was past her prime and had been neglected.

It was a big mess, he said, but it had good bones.

The good bones are what makes Miss 102 a classic. It was built in 1956 at the Stephens yard in Stockton on the San Joaquin River, almost 80 miles from the Golden Gate.

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The two Stephens brothers started building boats in their backyard in 1902 and went on over the years to develop a premier reputation for quality. The company built workboats and tugs, sailboats and speedboats, even patrol craft for the military. But the top of the line was luxurious yachts like the famous 85-foot motor yacht Westlake, owned by Henry Doelger and named for the neighborhood he built in Daly City.

Stephens boats were custom made. They are the Bentley or Rolls-Royce of boats, Areias said. But they had a couple of fatal flaws: They were made of wood in an age when fiberglass was easier and cheaper to use, and they were so large and luxurious that the yard could build only one or two a year, a business plan that was unsustainable. The Stephens yard built their last wooden boat in 1974 and folded in 1987.

Miss 102s name comes with a sea story. Paul Kalmanovitz, a self-made millionaire, bought the old Maier Brewing Co. in Los Angeles, along with its best-selling brand, Brew 102. Brew 102 was not famous for quality, but it had one great advantage: It was cheap. So when Kalmanovitz took over the company, he bought a yacht to entertain bigwigs and called it Miss 102, an expensive yacht for a low-priced beer.

Kalmanovitz later acquired several other brands  Falstaff, Olympia, Lucky Lager, Pabst Blue Ribbon among them  and moved to Tiburon. Miss 102 came with him. He died in 1987.

Miss 102 has outlived him. But if there are guests aboard Miss 102 for any yachting expedition, Areias offers a toast with a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in honor of the brewery king. Its a tradition.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
For years, Silicon Valley venture capitalists have said that onerous regulations are holding back companies from going public. If the recent market is any indication, those complaints are alternative facts  if not fake news.

In the wake of multibillion-dollar accounting scandals that took down Enron and WorldCom, Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002, which forced companies to tighten up their accounting and required executives to take responsibility for the accuracy of their financial statements.

Yes, that means spending less on Foosball tables and more on green eyeshades. But has that really prevented Silicon Valley from taking companies public?

Tim Draper, the tech investor who backed the likes of Hotmail and Skype, once told me he no longer even wants his startups to file for IPOs. That makes sense, since he made a tidy bundle selling those companies to Microsoft and eBay, respectively, instead of to the public markets.

And thats the crux of the issue: Its not over-regulation thats been holding companies back. Its overvaluation.

Until recently, selling companies has often been more lucrative and less arduous than prepping them to go public. Think of Google buying Nest for $3.2 billion, or Facebook shelling out $19 billion for WhatsApp. Venture investors made out handsomely in those deals, without the uncertainty of guessing what finicky shareholders might pay.

As it turns out, they had good reason to worry. Last week, Cloudera set an estimated IPO price of $12 to $14 per share; in 2014, it valued itself at more than $30 per share. Squares $2.9 billion IPO valuation was far below its highest private valuation; only recently has its market capitalization climbed above that $6 billion mark. Snap, the parent of Snapchat, has struggled to stay above $20 per share, down 23 percent from its IPO price.

What you see are these artificially inflated unicorns having to take huge haircuts with an IPO, said Laura Huang, an assistant professor of management at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School.

This year, about 45 companies have gone public or were acquired at prices significantly below their private valuations, according to research firm CB Insights. Nine of those companies were unicorns  startups valued at $1 billion or more on paper. Zirra, an Israeli data firm, estimates that the 20 most valuable unicorns, including Uber, Airbnb, Stripe and WeWork, are overvalued by an average of nearly 27 percent.

Its typically the employees who get hurt in those circumstances, since investors protect themselves with terms that compensate them with more shares if a company fails to live up to its IPO price. (Founders and employees typically hold common stock and lack such protections.) Even though Square went public at a lower valuation, its investors managed to make money in the deal, thanks to such protections.

Regulation is often the favorite bogeyman for business. If only the feds would allow the free market to do its thing, the economy would thrive, goes the argument. But regulation doesnt seem to have much to do with whether companies go public.

This year there have been 36 IPOs, a 177 percent jump from the same point last year, according to Renaissance Capital. Last year was slow for IPOs, especially in Bay Area tech. But not much has changed on the regulatory front. So what gives?

Companies with high private valuations were waiting for revenues to catch up to allow them to avoid taking a cut in price, said Matthew Kennedy, an analyst with Renaissance Capital.

In fact, IPO regulations were eased five years ago, when President Barack Obama signed the Jobs Act, designed to help companies raise capital and go public more easily.

The law made it easier for companies to go public, said Michael Zuppone, who chairs the securities and capital markets practice for the Paul Hastings law firm in New York.

But instead of encouraging startups to go public sooner, it had the opposite effect. Companies used to have to start filing financial disclosures when they reached 500 investors, whether or not they were publicly traded. That prompted many companies to go public, reasoning that they might as well raise money in an IPO if they had the same disclosure burdens anyway. By raising the limit to 2,000 investors, Congress removed that incentive.

The Jobs Act also allows companies to stay private for longer by letting them raise money from a larger range of private investors, like corporations, private equity, mutual funds, endowments and pension funds, Zuppone said.

So the law meant to get companies to file IPOs actually allowed them to avoid going public, while getting happy and fat on private cash and concentrating returns among private investors.

Hence the proliferation of unicorns. Huang said companies started seeking that label, along with the sky-high valuation it implied, to market themselves and attract the best talent.

Your success is dependent on your intake of resources, said Scott Sonenshein, a professor of management at Rice University. When you are surrounded by all of these signals that measure success, you start to play these games.

You are not a real business unless you have a big office, said Sonenshein, author of Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less. That building isnt good enough because (you) look at the guy down the street and his building is bigger. It never ends until no one is at the door with a lot of cash.

And thats the problem. Staying private works until it doesnt. Some highly valued companies, once touted as IPO candidates, have seen their billion-dollar valuations vaporize. Remember One Kings Lane, which raised more than $225 million to build a home-goods empire? Investors like Kleiner Perkins would probably rather forget that it was sold to Bed Bath & Beyond for a pittance. An earlier, smaller IPO might have done better.

Its easy for Silicon Valley to blame government bureaucrats instead of its own hubris. But the reality is that an IPO is just another business deal, with someone buying and someone selling. The price is what determines whether a Wall Street debut is a day of celebration ... or of reckoning.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
The states two largest public pension systems each said Friday they are voting against nine of Wells Fargos 15 directors, all of whom are standing for re-election at the companys annual meeting in Florida Tuesday.

We believe these directors failed in their oversight responsibilities during the retail banking controversy at the company. Additionally, some of these nominees have tenures of 12 years or more, which we believe could compromise director independence, the California Public Employees Retirement System said.

On Sept. 8, in a settlement with regulators, Wells disclosed that about 5,300 employees had been fired since 2011 for opening deposit and credit card accounts that customers probably did not know about or want, allegedly to meet aggressive sales goals.

CalPERS and the California State Teachers Retirement System are voting against John Baker II, John Chen, Lloyd Dean, Donald James, Cynthia Milligan, Federico Pena, Stephen Sanger, Susan G. Swenson and Enrique Hernandez, Jr.

These board members bear responsibility for the failure of oversight of sales practices at Wells Fargo, which (a board report issued last week) indicated had been growing since 2007 and which peaked in 2013, the teachers system said in a statement.

They are voting for the board members who have served three years or less: Elizabeth Duke, Karen Peetz, James Quigley, Ronald Sargent, Suzanne Vautrinot and Tim Sloan. In October, Sloan was named CEO and joined the board as its only non-independent director. At the same time, John Stumpf resigned as CEO and chairman and Sanger became chairman.

A CalPERS spokesman said it was focusing its no votes on directors who had served from 2013 or earlier, because that is the time frame the primary oversight failures had occurred.

On Wednesday, California Treasurer John Chiang, who is a board member of both retirement systems, issued a press release urging shareholders and to vote against all five directors on Wells Fargos corporate responsibility committee, which oversees the banks reputational risk and customer service and complaints. They are Baker, Dean, Hernandez, Milligan and Pena. He also recommended voting against the banks two longest-serving directors who are not on that committee, Sanger and Swenson.

CalPERS owns about 13.9 million Wells Fargo shares and the teachers system owns 11.6 million. Together they own about 0.5 percent of the companys shares.

CalPERS is also voting against the ratification of KPMG as the companys auditor. We have concerns over a potential lapse of internal controls during the extended period of abusive sales tactics at the company. Additionally, KPMG has a tenure of 86 years we believe the company should explore auditor rotation to ensure a fresh perspective, it said.

Two companies that advise large investors on how to vote in corporate elections have also recommended against some directors for failing to do more to stop the fraud. Institutional Shareholder Services is recommending against 12. Glass Lewis of San Francisco is recommending against four, plus two others because they serve on too many boards.

Last week, Berkshire Hathaway, Wells Fargos largest shareholder with a roughly 10 percent stake, said it and was voting its shares in favor of all 15 directors.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
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Dear Lime-A-Rita,

These are exciting times. Not only did you change your name from Bud Light Lime-A-Rita to Lime-A-Rita, but you also became the first Budweiser product of all time to be marketed exclusively to women. When I learned this, I (a woman) immediately rushed out and bought four flavors of you: Cherry-Ahh-Rita, Straw-Ber-Rita, Mango-Rita and ol faithful Lime-A-Rita.

Your rebrand earlier this year, Lime-A-Rita, felt to me like manna from heaven. Finally, I said to myself, Budweiser has made a product that speaks my language. Not beer (gross; too many calories; too much burping) but, instead, flavored malt liquor, murky with the greenish sheen of runoff sewage.

Im trying to pinpoint just what it was, in the five years when you were known not as Lime-A-Rita but as Bud Light Lime-A-Rita, that made me not want to drink you. Maybe it was your boring commercials, which featured men, to whom I obviously cannot relate.

Your new commercials, on the other hand, basically are my life. Kudos on the make it a margarita moment ad campaign, featuring vignettes of girlfriends hanging out in each others apartments, pouring cans of Lime-A-Rita into salt-rimmed margarita glasses as the 1999 R&B hit Where My Girls At by 702 warbles in the background.

These commercials are spot-on portraits of female life in the 21st century. Like the women in the commercials, we real women, too, sit around imitating the facial expressions that our boyfriends make during sex. I had to smile during the all-too-familiar moment when one woman talks about her date with a Brazilian (man), and her friend Tess, misunderstanding her, counters with a story about her date with a Brazilian (bikini wax). Hilarious. Classic mix-up!

This is 2017, and Budweiser commercials dont just depict men in bars anymore, relegating women to the demeaning role of bikini-clad object of sexual fantasy. Now, thank goodness, Budweiser commercials also depict women at home discussing how they groom themselves before having sex with men.

I hope, Lime-A-Rita, that in your post-gender America, people will stop complaining all the time that the beer industry is sexist and that Budweiser commercials in the past were offensive. Dont these people have a sense of humor? Like the commercial that called Bud Light the perfect beer for removing no from your vocabulary for the night  I knew your parent company didnt mean to be rapey.

And yeah, yikes, those Bud Light Party commercials with Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen last year didnt really go off as planned, huh? I thought for sure that women would respond to lines like Rogen saying weve got the biggest caucus in the country, and Schumer responding, but its not, like, too big. You can handle it. Cant chicks take a caucus joke?!

Anheuser-Busch/HANDOUT

And the equal-pay commercial that premiered during The Bachelorette  that American zenith of progressive gender roles  I dont know why everyone got so worked up about it. Sure, Budweiser had been in the limelight for the fact that only 1 out of 17 members of its executive team was a woman, and only two out of 14 board members were women. And, OK, I guess it had been embroiled in that super-public lawsuit with a female former executive alleging pay discrimination.

That was the past. You, Lime-A-Rita, are the future: a future in which all women can stop pretending that they like to drink beer, and can instead enjoy flavored malt beverages engineered with enough artificial sweetener to suit our uniquely feminine palates.

When I pop your cans, it feels like you know me:

The Cherry-Ahh-Rita, which tastes like the love child of a firecracker Popsicle and Pepto-Bismol. Or that fuchsia vixen, the Straw-Ber-Rita, a new high bar for liquored juices everywhere, so blindingly neon that I wondered if it had been irradiated.

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Generous female that I am, I shared your cans with some friends, of various genders.

It tastes like the floor of a college frat party, said one.

This tastes like a marker, added another.

One insisted, This is better than Slurricane. To which another responded, This is just as awful as Slurricane.

I dont know what planet theyre from. All I know is that you, Lime-A-Rita, make me feel like a woman.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine, beer and spirits writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
DENVER  If a ballclub must continue an unrivaled month of misery by losing a cornerstone player to a dirt-bike injury, it might as well end the day by dropping a ballgame thanks largely to an inside-the-park home run that was lost in the lights by a fielder who injured his knee on the play.

Just add Friday nights 6-5 loss to the pile. If youre a Giants fan, hope that Hunter Pence was correct when he said his left knee was just a little twisted.

Johnny Cuetos first loss since Aug. 30 was very twisted.

On a rainy, 42-degree night that served as a perfect backdrop of gloom after the Madison Bumgarner injury news, the Giants finally solved Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood and scored three runs in the second inning, only to see Cueto give up six in the fourth inning on two swings.

Trevor Story hit a grand slam and Charlie Blackmon the inside-the-park homer, a two-out line drive with a man aboard that Pence could not pick out of the lights from the moment it was hit. He hurt his knee as he hit the deck at the last second, the ball scooting to the far reaches of right-center field.

I feel bad not making that play because it was a makeable play, Pence said.

The Rockies became the first National League team since the 1950 Giants to hit a grand slam and an inside-the-parker in the same inning. Conor Jackson (grand slam) and Jacoby Ellsbury (inside-the-parker) did it for the Red Sox in 2011.

Storys high-arcing drive into the right-field seats also was the first grand slam Cueto has allowed after 110 solo homers, 39 with a man aboard and 14 three-run homers.

The Giants, down 6-3, mounted a rally that started with Brandon Belts no-doubt homer to center in the fifth.

Eduardo Nunez singled off Adam Ottavino to start the eighth and scored on Joe Paniks single after a better-make-it steal of second.

Chris Marrero walked, putting the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base. Manager Bruce Bochy asked pinch-hitter Gorkys Hernandez to sacrifice, hoping Denard Span could single home two runs or at worst deliver the tying run with a productive out.

But Hernandez failed to get the bunt down, not even squaring on a 2-1 pitch, and with two strikes hit the first of three consecutive flyballs that ended the Giants last good chance.

The Giants fell to 1-6 in one-run games, a good-news, bad-news deal because they are giving themselves a chance.

When you look at them, its always something where we didnt execute, Bochy said. Tonight we couldnt get a bunt down.

At a league-worst 6-11, the Giants must be running out of patience with role players who cannot perform their assigned tasks. Hernandez is hitting .065 and the Giants have an alternative at Triple-A in Drew Stubbs, who can play center and hit a three-run homer for Sacramento on Friday night.

Giants fans who are desperate for any hint of positivity should know the effort was there. The weight of all the bad news around them has not become debilitating.

The spirit and tempo were good despite what happened today, Bochy said. The big inning did us in.

Cueto had won each of his previous seven starts dating to September. He said he had no idea he had not allowed a grand slam. Nor did he seem to care.

Cueto also offered a recipe for his flailing team that sounds simple enough.

Just keep doing what were doing, he said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. Were playing very hard and were trying to win every game. Eventually well find a way to win a game.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman
FRESNO  The suspect in this weeks racially motivated shooting rampage in Fresno shouted Friday that natural disasters will increasingly hit the United States as he was ushered into a cramped courtroom for his first appearance before a judge.

Kori Ali Muhammad, 39, was supposed to be officially advised about the first-degree murder charge he is accused of in the shooting death of unarmed motel security guard Carl Williams.

Authorities have said he then killed three more people in the rampage, targeting white victims, before he was caught.

But the reading of the charge never took place because Muhammad had another outburst, yelling Let black people go and a phrase similar to in reparations that was not clearly enunciated.

His court-appointed lawyer, Eric Christensen, then told the judge: I believe this gentleman may not be mentally competent to proceed.

Muhammad yelled again, and the judge canceled the proceedings, setting bail at $2.6 million and ordering a mental evaluation for Muhammad.

Police have said Muhammad told them that learning he was wanted for the Williams killing prompted him to try to kill as many white people as possible before he was caught.

He shot three other white men at random Tuesday, police said, including a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. utility worker sitting in a truck  Zackary David Randalls, 34  and two men who had come out of a Catholic Charities building  Mark James Gassett, 37, and David Martin Jackson, 58.

Muhammad fired 17 rounds in less than two minutes before running out of ammunition, police said. Officers with help from acoustic sensors posted in the area arrested him less than five minutes after the rampage began.

Police said Muhammad had tossed aside his empty gun moments before an officer pulled up. He then surrendered.

Muhammad said Williams showed him disrespect while Muhammad was visiting a woman at the Motel 6 in Fresno last week, according to police.

After the Williams shooting, Muhammad ran behind the motel and climbed onto the roof of a nearby 7-Eleven, where he hid, police said. The morning of April 14, he watched officers investigate the crime scene, and by evening he was in a ravine, where he told police he conducted voodoo rituals for three days.

Prosecutors said they are waiting for investigators to finish compiling their case before filing charges related the other three victims.

Christensen after the court hearing declined comment about his client or the authorities case.

Scott Smith is an Associated Press writer.
Nanette Asimov

Reactionary agitators, and the violent reactions and counterreactions they provoke, have presented UC Berkeley with what seems like a difficult choice between inviting disorder and disinviting controversial speakers. The university can begin to navigate these straits by recognizing that it really has no choice but to welcome even the most unwelcome forms of protected free expression.

The latest challenge comes from Ann Coulter, who has described herself as a Christian first, and a mean-spirited, bigoted conservative second, which is at least half right. On Wednesday, three weeks after the Berkeley College Republicans announced that Coulter would speak on campus April 27, university officials said they couldnt accommodate Coulter until September, citing threats of violence and an inability to find a safe and suitable venue.
This time San Francisco wants to be second  second in the nation to have a publicly owned bank, that is. Theres only one right now: the Bank of North Dakota.

The reasons? The legalization of marijuana in California, the constant demand that the city divest from one bank or another for one political reason or another, and the fact that undocumented immigrants cant get bank accounts.

The time is now to begin addressing this, because people in San Francisco are at a point where they are no longer willing to accept the status quo and they are open to exploring other alternatives, said Supervisor Malia Cohen, who wants to create a task force to assess the feasibility of establishing a San Francisco-owned bank.

Supervisor Sandra Fewer agreed: Now is the time. Especially when we see the big banks are investing in bad actors that are not aligned with San Francisco values. This would give us control over our money.

And San Francisco has company. The Oakland City Councils Finance and Management Committee is set to look into setting up a bank where cannabis businesses could park their money.

The nations only public bank, the Bank of North Dakota, was created in 1919 in a populist wave when farmers there were unhappy with decisions being made by major banks. Its mission is to promote agriculture, commerce and industry in that state.

The idea of a bank owned by San Francisco has been bandied about for a few years. A 2011 report by the citys budget and legislative analyst listed the potential benefits of a city-owned bank: creation of a new revenue stream without raising taxes, decreased borrowing costs, and increased support for small businesses and community development programs.

Another potential benefit: It would give San Francisco more control over how its money is spent  an issue in a city that regularly tries to divest from banks, companies, states and countries viewed as unaligned with its progressive values.

In recent years, supervisors have called for divesting from banks that helped finance the Dakota Access Pipeline; Wells Fargo Bank, because it opened 2.1 million unauthorized accounts; and companies producing fossil fuels, firearms and ammunition.

Most banks are incorporated with the federal government as a standard corporation, or C corporation, meaning their primary fiduciary responsibility is to maximize shareholder value. If San Francisco were to open a public bank, it could incorporate as a benefit corporation, or B corporation, meaning it could prioritize other goals.

Cohen said she hoped a city-owned bank could help undocumented immigrants, who are largely left out of the banking system because of federal laws aimed at preventing money laundering. Those laws mean bank customers must produce a drivers license or other legal form of identification. As a result, unauthorized immigrants rely on check-cashing services, which charge high fees.

Joseph Lynyak III, an expert on regulatory reform who advises banks and financial institutions, said a public bank would run into the same problems of needing to check customer identification. Still, he said, he thought work-arounds could be found. Theoretically you could do it, he said.

Lynyak was less optimistic that a city-owned bank could open accounts for cannabis dispensaries, because marijuana is illegal under federal law. The federal government could charge the bank with aiding and abetting violation of federal drug laws and also engaging in money laundering, he said.

But Fiona Ma, a member of the California Board of Equalization, said she believed a public bank could do business with dispensaries in limited circumstances. She said dispensaries might be able to hold their money in a city-owned bank, take out cash only in San Francisco and use it to pay local taxes. Still, she acknowledged, there would be some risk.

The question always is, can the federal government come and take the money if its not used for taxes and its just sitting there in an account? Ma said.

Fow now, there are more questions than answers. Among the questions Cohen wants the task force to look into: how much initial capital the city would need to open the bank and where that money would come from, operating costs, scope of operations, how it would be insured, potential revenue streams and risks.

City Treasurer Jose Cisneros said he would consider the idea, but didnt exactly endorse the concept.

The treasurer takes his fiduciary responsibility seriously, his spokesman, Amanda Fried, said in a statement. The voters have elected him four times to keep the citys money safe. He is reviewing this resolution carefully, and looks forward to working with the Board of Supervisors to better understand their policy goals regarding the creation of a municipal bank.

Cohen said opening a bank would be tough, but thought it could be done.

I think its realistic. It will be incredibly difficult, though.

One things for sure: It wouldnt be called the Bank of San Francisco  theres already a private bank with that name.

Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen
Surveying the colorful, contemporary dining room at Rooh, I spotted Anjan Mitra seated a few seats away. He is the man who brought southern Indian cuisine to San Francisco when he opened Dosa.

I suspect Mitra was checking out the competition as many smart restaurateurs do. Seeing him brought into focus how the cuisine has evolved since he opened his first restaurant on Valencia Street more than a decade ago. Now Indian food has come off the steam table and into the mainstream of interpretive cooking, adding exciting options to San Francisco dining.

Rooh follows in the steps of the recently opened Babu Ji and August 1 Five in offering highly personal interpretations of the cuisine. This path was pioneered by Srijith Gopinathan at Campton Place, who earned two Michelin stars for his take on his native cuisine.

Roohs chef, Sujan Sarkar, is part of the Good Times Restaurant Group, which has restaurants and bars in England and India; this is the companys first U.S. restaurant. Sarkar has impressive credentials, and last year in India was named the Times Chef of the Year.

Diners choose either an a la carte option or a nine-course tasting menu ($80), with choices in most categories. Many of these selections come from the printed menu, but the portions are smaller and often more artfully presented and embellished.

The tasting menu is a good way to explore the chefs artistry as he weaves together traditional and modern techniques. A little more than a year ago, Sarkar, who was then chef of the Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mumbai, was interviewed in the Indian Express and named his go-to cookbook as Nathan Myhrvolds Modernist Cuisine.

Sarkars menu reflects many techniques detailed in the five-volume compendium published six years ago. He dehydrates butter into powder to garnish butter chicken, places edible bubbles filled with spiced passion fruit into pani puri shells, and punches up tuna tartare with tamarind gel and puffed black rice.

His take on fresh oysters ($15) illustrates this. The oysters are cooled by pink guava and chile granita and, for an acidic kick, topped with a puff of lemon foam and pickled turnip.

The menu offers many surprises. Sarkar kicked off one recent dinner with a complimentary bite before ordered items arrived: a traditional paper-thin pani puri shell that looks like a broken egg filled with potatoes, avocado and a passion fruit bubble that sits on top like an egg yolk. Diners eat it in one bite to release a gush of spicy liquid.

The most creative dishes are the 15 small plates, which includes asparagus pepper fry ($14) where the spears are grilled and arranged Lincoln Log-style, fencing in curried cauliflower mousse that has just the right spice to intensify the undercurrent of sweetness in the vegetable.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

Beetroot murabba ($12) looks like an impressionistic spring painting with tiny nasturtium leaves tucked into wedges of yellow and red pickled beets, thin slices of red-ringed radishes, hazelnuts and beehive-shaped dollops of creamy goat cheese, all woven together with cumin vinaigrette.

In the paneer chili ($12), the chef successfully creates a dynamic tension among crisp, creamy, cool and fiery. The mild white cheese is layered with a searing red chile mixture and wrapped in what looks like a crunchy pillow of shredded wheat, presented next to a green papaya and pomelo salad and ginger chutney.

A similar contrast is what makes the potato tikki ($12) so appealing. The thick slices of potatoes form a base for a mound of kale and spinach tempura, dressed with white drizzles of sweet and sour yogurt and pieces of freeze-dried raspberries.

Lamb ribs ($15) take on an elegant look that belies their gobble-down goodness with the meat cleared to reveal the tips of the bones. The meat is first braised in a milk and cardamom mixture and then flash-fried so the exterior is slightly crunchy; the browned, glistening flesh is then garnished with two dozen orange and green dots of apricot and chile marmalade. A quenelle of radish and yogurt chutney sits to the side acting as an intermezzo between bites.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

Even the more expected items are far above whats offered at most Indian restaurants. The assorted papad and crisps ($10) feature three chutneys: a sweet and slightly spicy green mango and tomatillo; a spicier peanut and chile; and a cooling avocado and yogurt. Flatbreads are also great; a sampler ($8) includes both plain and garlic naan, and flaky, tender mint and chile laccha paratha.

The menu features a dozen main courses, a quarter of them vegetarian. Tandoori mushrooms ($28) are arranged over polenta flecked with spices and truffles. Lamb chops ($34) are crusted in curry leaf and pistachio, and the boneless fillet of halibut ($29) coated in gunpowder spices is seared to crispness and then topped with lemon foam. The fish is presented on a bed of millet and lentils studded with tiny shrimp, their surprising sweetness bursting through the earthy blend.

Desserts likewise offer artistic interpretations of Indian flavors. Carrot Halwa cake ($10) features a square of cake, log of cardamom and pistachio, a thin milk crisp, raisin gel and a scattering of purple flower petals. My favorite was the most straightforward: banana tarte tatin ($10), where the round fruit-filled pastry was so heavily caramelized the fruit blended in like a sauce.

The cocktail presentations match the complexity of the food. The menu is designed as a wheel with two drinks listed in each of six categories: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent and bitter. The salty offerings include Beetroot Kanji ($13), the earthiness of the vegetable maximized by Tequila, while the sweetness is accentuated with Himalayan salt and spices. In the bitter section an Old Fashioned ($13) is made with Four Roses whiskey with a ghee and mustard wash and a touch of honey.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Some cocktails push the limits and may not be for everyone, but in most cases the combinations are well balanced.

The interior suits the modern concept, too, with its bright bursts of colors anchored with royal blue and gold. A long marble bar dominates the main dining room, separated from tables with a row of bar-height tables and chairs. Smaller dining areas on either side feel almost like private rooms. In all, the restaurant seats 92 with an additional 24 seats outside.

Its clear the concept has been thought through, and the owners have their sights set on other locations. They are now negotiating to open a place in New York, although Sarkar says they are still in the early stages. It will be quite a feat to be bicoastal as well as tri-continental, and to keep everything on track.

Yet we cant worry about tomorrow. Live for today, and go to Rooh to discover contemporary Indian cuisine at the hands of a master.

  

Rooh

Food:   

Service:   

Atmosphere:   

Noise: Three Bells

333 Brannan St. (near 2nd Street), San Francisco; (415) 525-4174 or www.roohsf.com. Open for lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Full bar. 4% S.F. surcharge. Reservations and credit cards accepted. Difficult street parking
Theres nothing scary about Bodega Bay, even if this quiet fishing village was the backdrop for Alfred Hitchcocks thriller The Birds. There will always be curious tourists who view the Sonoma Coast through the directors dark lens. But if you ask residents why the master of suspense chose their quaint, seaside town for his campy classic, each one will give you a different answer.

My recommendation is to forget about the wild sparrows, crows and gulls that terrorized Hitchcocks fictional characters, and seek out what Bodega Bay is really famous for  fishing and natural beauty. If you only have a day here, spend it eating (lots of local seafood!), exploring and thinking deep (unscary) thoughts as you gaze at the temperamental ocean or calmer harbor.

If you must, stop at the Tides Wharf, where a little piece of the original bar that appeared in the 1963 horror film is on display. The deck outside the snack bar is a good place to watch brave kitesurfers and pinpoint exactly where actress Tippi Hedren launched a skiff with the fateful pair of lovebirds on board. Then-owner Mitch Zankich insisted that he have a small speaking role in the film and that the Tides and Bodega Bay retain their real names.

The Sonoma Coast Visitors Center will steer you in the right direction for more movie locations, including the tiny inland hamlet of Bodega and Potter Schoolhouse, where one of the most disturbing scenes takes place. They will also help you choose among scores of casual dining spots and, most important this time of year, where to watch whales migrating from Baja and Mexico to Alaska (Bodega Head).

Morning

At Bodega Bay Surf Shack, owner Bob Miller and his cool, knowledgeable staff will outfit you with kayaks, surfboards (tall or short, hard or soft), stand-up paddleboards or bikes. A tandem kayak costs $65 for four hours; paddleboards $40 for five hours. Kayaks can be taken for tranquil trips around the harbor or down the verdant Sonoma Creek Estuary when the water level is just right. Beginning surfers are sent to Doran Beachs gentler waves, while those more experienced catch them at South Salmon Creek Beach. Check swell heights and wind speeds online or by calling the store.

Son Miles Miller says to this day its pretty incredible that Hitchcock filmed nearby, making The Birds Bodega Bays claim to fame. He says customers constantly press for details. Definitely there are a lot of people asking about the movie.

Midday

After fresh air and exercise, experience some of Sonoma Countys best clam chowder. Spud Point Crab Co.s is sold in one size, and owner Carol Anello says shes Italian and so is the soups seasoning. She keeps the menu short. Its very limited and very fresh, so its easy for people to make up their minds. Dungeness crab season lasts until June 30, so you dont want to miss their signature sandwich made with a quarter pound of local crab, almost too rich to be devoured at once. Crab cakes are offered only on weekends. The no-frills roadside spot with outside tables is operated by Anello and her husband, Tony; daughters Lisa and Gina; and son Mark (whom his mother and the Red Cross call a hero for having twice disentangled gray whales from nets). Its a gregarious gathering place, across from Spud Point Marina, for commercial fishermen whose livelihoods ebb and flow with the weather, prices and regulations.

Afternoon

Drive north on Highway 1 to Sonoma Coast State Parks South Salmon Creek Beach, a beautiful, wide-open stretch of sand that runs for 2 miles along aquamarine waters and big sky a lighter shade of blue. Swimming is not advised, but beach combing and picnicking are, as well as surfing and fishing at certain spots.

Its never too early to reserve one of Bodega Dunes sought-after campsites. Day-trippers enjoy walking through the dunes, birdwatching (species range from raptors swooping high overhead to the Western snowy plover and other shorebirds and waterfowl). When two deer suddenly appear to be running toward us, we scream and race to our car. Park rangers say the deer are tame yet unaggressive.

No more Hitchcock films for us.

Evening

If you can handle a big menu with lots of choices (including gluten-free and vegetarian), head over to Fishetarian Fish Market at Lucas Wharf for an early dinner of grilled rockfish tacos; beer-battered, panko-crusted cod and chips; and seared ahi steak sandwiches. Among oysters, raw and barbecued, are small, local Miyagi. Owners Shane and Dana Lucas call their sustainable seafood restaurant a bummer-free zone, and long lines on summery weekends inspire friendly suggestions and Where are you folks from? instead of impatience.

If you go

The Tides Wharf, 835 Hwy. 1; (707) 875-2777. www.innatthetides.com

Bodega Bay Surf Shack, 1400 Highway 1; (707) 875-3944. www.bodegabaysurf.com

Spud Point Crab Co., 1910 Westshore Road; (707) 875-9472. www.spudpointcrab.com

Sonoma Coast State Park South Salmon Creek Beach, 2485 Hwy. 1; (707) 875-3483. (800) 444-7275 for campground reservations. www.parks.ca.gov.com

Fishetarian Fish Market, Lucas Wharf, 599 Hwy. 1; (707) 875-9092. www.fishetarianfishmarket.com

Sonoma Coast Visitors Bureau, 900 Highway 1; (707) 875-3866. www.sonomacounty.com, www.bodegabay.com
You could be forgiven for assuming that when it comes to nightlife, Petaluma is a little sleepy. The Sonoma County city that straddles the Petaluma River has, after all, stood in as Charming Generic Small Town in movies ranging from American Graffiti (1973) to Pleasantville (1998) to Cheaper by the Dozen (2003). Its biggest community happening all year is the Butter and Egg Days Parade, this year scheduled for Saturday, April 29, which pays homage to Petalumas rich agricultural history. And plenty of people know Petaluma only as a place they pass through as they drive to the Wine Country and the Sonoma Coast.

But when it comes to live music, Petaluma punches way above its weight, offering a wide range of music choices by local and national acts, seven nights a week. And the Petaluma music scene is characterized by a level of community support that truly sets it apart.

In his role as executive director of the Petaluma Music Festival, Cliff Eveland both exemplifies and benefits from that supportive Petaluma spirit. We started the festival in 2008 as a fundraiser for music in Petaluma schools, explains Eveland, Petaluma High Schools instrumental director for more than 16 years. After a couple of years during which, Eveland concedes with a laugh, It was more of a fund-loser than a fundraiser, the one-day festival found its footing with Americana-leaning programming that mixes local and national acts. Tickets for the Petaluma Music Festival now sell out regularly, and in 2016 the event netted $60,000 that was distributed to area schools to support music programs.

Vivian Johnson / Special to the Chronicle

A big reason that the family-friendly festival succeeds, says Eveland, is volunteer support; last year, more than 300 volunteers contributed their time. People choose to live here because its a tight-knit community, Eveland says, and they demonstrate that by showing up to support one another, whether as volunteers at the music festival or at open mike night at a local coffeehouse or bar.

Petaluma does seem to boast an unusually high concentration of talented musicians from which to draw, both for the music festival and to fill its stages. Charles Cowles, owner of Tall Toad Music, which has operated in the heart of Petalumas historical downtown since 1988, points out that Petaluma is a place where musicians can have a reasonable standard of living. Theres a lot of demand for musicians from the wineries, and to play weddings and parties, in Wine Country, Cowles says, and commuting to San Francisco for a gig isnt unthinkable. Tall Toad employee Chris Miano, a jazz guitarist who plays around town, says, You cant throw a stick without hitting a good musician up here. A lot of them are midlifers whove made a career in music already, and theyve come up to Sonoma County to relax.

Tall Toad plays its part in creating that pool of local talent. Some of the funds raised by the Petaluma Music Festival are used by schools to purchase instruments there; on a recent visit, an order of 60 ukuleles was being prepared for an elementary school. The store also has a busy schedule of classes for up-and-coming musicians interested in guitar, bass, ukulele and more. Cowles says, Weve taught at least a thousand kids and adults over the years.

Petaluma has a few other quirks underpinning its vibrant music scene. Theres a strong jazz presence, which many attribute to the excellence of the jazz program at nearby Sonoma State. Cowles says, A lot of the faculty live in the area, so you can always hear outstanding jazz at places like the Big Easy, an intimate downtown jazz and dinner club.

Theres also the fact that Petaluma is well situated for touring bands who have booked performances in San Francisco or Oakland. The Mystic Theater, a 475-seat concert hall built as a vaudeville venue in 1911, regularly draws big-name acts like Robert Cray and Matisyahu, saving Sonoma County residents a trip to the city.

Henry Rennar moved to the area in 2016 to be the Mystics manager. He has worked in major metropolitan markets as a talent booker, and says there is something special about Petaluma. Theres a tight sense of community, Rennar says. Ive yet to encounter anyone with a bad attitude. He cites his ability to call Tom Gaffey, his counterpart at the Phoenix, the all-ages punk/metal/rap club around the corner, for advice or questions. I can ask Tom anything, and hell always give it to me straight, says Rennar. Its different than the more cutthroat markets. Rennar also credits DJs at local radio stations KRCB and KRSH for consistent support of Petaluma bands.

When asked the secret of Petalumas music-mindedness, Tall Toads Cowles, who took up jazz bass three years ago at age 70 and practices two or three hours every day, says, Maybe its because were all looking for happiness. And playing and listening to music is a direct way to get there.

Nancy Davis Kho is a freelance writer. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com

Catch live music in Petaluma

Mystic Theatre: Historic auditorium features national and local acts almost every night, ranging from Americana to blues to reggae and more. Its adjacent to McNears Saloon and Dining House, making it easy to grab dinner and a show. Get there early so you can peruse band posters and theater announcements that date back to the 1920s.

23 Petaluma Blvd N.; (707) 775-6048. www.mystictheatre.com

Big Easy: Tucked into an alley, the Big Easy exudes an underground jazz vibe, with bands playing six nights a week. Owner Roger Tschann spent years as a recording engineer, so the space is built for good acoustics, and the Speakeasy Bistro thats kitty-corner across the cobblestones offers a full dinner menu that can be delivered to the booths and tables at its sister establishment. Best of all? Its open late, perfect for musicians who want to wind down after a show and hear more good music.

128 American Alley; (707) 776-4631. www.bigeasypetaluma.com

Jamisons Roaring Donkey: Located amid the funky fashion and housewares boutiques of Kentucky Street, the Roaring Donkey promises Friendly folks, mean drinks. Along with a regular Wednesday night open mike drawing Petalumas talented musical residents, the roomy bar hosts an eclectic list of performers, like hard-rocking Flanelhed, Americana act the Flyover States and experimental instrumentalists Oddjob Ensemble.

146 Kentucky St.; (707) 772-5478.

Lagunitas Brewery: Not only is Lagunitas a generous longtime sponsor of the Petaluma Music Festival, but it also runs the popular Live at Lagunitas free music series in the amphitheater of its Petaluma tap room all summer. People line up for hours to get the tickets for their free shows, because they book some pretty big names, says festival director Cliff Eveland. Last years schedule included Deer Tick, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and local favorites the Brothers Comatose. Take in the performance while sampling freshly brewed Lagunitas brews and order from a bar menu thats a cut above.

1280 N. McDowell Blvd.; (707) 778-8776. https://lagunitas.com/music

The Phoenix: An all-ages club that offers youth programs, activities and services including a health clinic and art program. It offers indoor skate ramps instead of alcohol, and the grungy bathrooms arent for the easily cowed, but the Phoenix is widely respected for creating a space for teens and twentysomethings to be themselves and hear the music they love. Punk, metal and rap reign supreme on the show calendar.

201 Washington St.; (707) 762-3565. www.thephoenixtheater.com

Aqus Cafe: A cozy coffeehouse that describes itself as a community living room, Aqus Cafe offers music most nights of the week, from klezmer to folk to 70s rock to jazz to bluegrass. Open mikes and open jam sessions invite patrons up off the benches and chairs.

189 H St. (at Second Street); (707) 778-6060. https://aqus.com/pages/aquscafe

Petaluma Music Festival: One-day music festival at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds that raises money to keep music in schools. This years festival, scheduled for Aug. 5, will feature Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Moonalice and Oaklands T Sisters, among other acts. www.petalumamusicfestival.org

Tall Toad Music: Not a venue per se, but as the only musical instrument store in town, its ground zero for local musicians and those passing through to play at the Mystic or the Phoenix. Pro tip: Sound checks for bands playing the Mystic, just a few doors down the street, start at 5 p.m., so you may see acts killing time with the guitars, basses, ukuleles and electric guitars at Tall Toad while they wait to go on.

43 Petaluma Blvd. N.; (707) 765-6807. www.talltoadmusic.com

 Nancy Davis Kho
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Sen. Dianne Feinstein called on Silicon Valley leaders Friday to lean on Central Valley congressional representatives to get funding for the electrification of Caltrain released.

Californias senior senator  who said shes been pressuring Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao as well as 14 Republicans in Congress who signed a letter to Chao opposing the funding  asked 400 members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group meeting in Sunnyvale to do the same.

Caltrain officials had spent years planning the $2 billion project and lining up funding, including a federal grant agreement for $647 million. The grant was scheduled to be awarded in February but has been on indefinite hold since Chao received the letter from the Central Valley Republicans.

On Friday, inside an oversize tent on the Juniper Networks campus, Feinstein asked Silicon Valley leaders to write to Chao and the representatives and urge them to set aside politics and release the federal funds so the Caltrain electrification project can proceed.

Help us change their minds, she said. This has nothing to do with the Central Valley.

Caltrain, which carries about 60,000 riders a day between the South Bay and San Francisco, wants to convert its trains from diesel-fueled locomotives pulling bulky railcars to sleek electric-powered trains capable of higher speeds. Modernizing the 153-year-old commuter railroad, they say, would allow them to run trains more frequently and increase the overcrowded systems capacity

Transportation was one of the marquee issues at the luncheon event. Feinstein also voiced support for a second Transbay Tube and the extension of BART from the Berryessa neighborhood of San Jose, which its supposed to reach by the end of the year, to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara.

Feinstein bemoaned her 1979 decision not to support a Southern Crossing bridge across the bay and said the region shouldnt make the same mistake with a second transbay rail tube.

I do believe we need another crossing, she said.

Unlike recent town hall meetings, at which frustrated constituents have protested Feinstein and accused her of not being aggressive enough in her opposition to the Trump administration, the luncheon was choreographed and polite.

No protesters gathered outside the event, and nobody shouted insults or questions from the audience. While attendees dined on salmon and chicken, Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and Feinstein sat in white chairs on a stage and chatted, mostly congenially.

Just one issue provoked a modicum of disagreement: H-1B visas, which allow employers to hire foreign immigrants into certain jobs for up to six years. Silicon Valley companies count on the visas to fill high-tech jobs and have been irritated with the Trump administrations seeming desire to reduce the number of H-1Bs.

But when Guardino asked about the visas, Feinstein said she was bothered when companies fire older American workers and replace them H-1B visa holders.

We do have a problem here, she said. We do need to see our people have work.

Feinstein seemed particularly distressed over the plight of Americans older than 50.

Im all for the young worker from another country, she said. What I dont want is an American to lose the job because they (the H-1B visa holder) take the job.

Guardino said the group would fight any egregious if uncommon abuses, but stressed that Silicon Valley needs high-skilled immigrant workers.

Feinstein said she supported the H-1B program with restraints.

After the event, Feinstein said she was hopeful Central Valley congressional Republicans will be content with having flexed their political muscles and acknowledge that the Caltrain project is crucial to the states economy.

As for whether shell seek another six years in office, Feinstein, 83, would only say: My future will take care of itself.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Gary Thomas went to work one hot August day in 1970 as just another prosecutor in Marin County, and by the end of the day he was a hero  but one who never let that title define the rest of his life.

By the time the San Rafael man died this month of natural causes at 79, he was known to his family and friends as the Judge, who for decades dispensed tough but fair rulings from the Marin County Superior Court bench, as well as an avid fisherman with a photographic memory for everything from legal precedents to passages from science fiction novels.

My father liked to read, he liked to be outdoors, and he liked the law  especially family law, said Judge Thomas son Christopher Thomas. He was a family man.

But back on the morning of Aug. 7, 1970, he was a 32-year-old assistant district attorney who showed up at the Marin County Courthouse to handle the prosecution in a fairly routine trial of a prison inmate accused of knifing a prison guard. By late morning his life, and the lives of many others, had been changed forever by a spasm of violence that became one of the most notorious kidnapping-murders in California history.

The jury had just reconvened in Superior Court Judge Harold Haleys courtroom when Jonathan Jackson, brother of the imprisoned black power leader George Jackson, stood up and produced a cache of weapons for him, the defendant and two convicts who were there to testify. The intent was to take then-prosecutor Thomas, the judge and three jurors hostage and to bargain them for George Jacksons freedom  but the plot was thwarted by Gary Thomas.

The kidnappers had hustled their hostages into a van and were preparing to leave when one of them shot out a window. Another pulled the trigger on a shotgun taped to Haleys head, killing the judge instantly. Thats when the prosecutor grabbed a .357-caliber pistol from one of the convicts and began firing.

By the time he was done, he had fatally shot three of the four convicts and had taken a bullet to the spine. He was paralyzed from the waist down. But he and the three jurors survived.

He later testified at the 1972 trial of Angela Davis, who was acquitted of charges of buying guns used in the shootout and helping plan it.

Gary saved my life and the lives of the other jurors, juror Maria Graham, who was shot in the arm, told The Chronicle before she died in 2009. He was an incredibly brave man. I have no idea how he managed to do what he did in those few moments, but we are all eternally grateful.

For his heroism, Judge Thomas was named 1970 Peace Officer of the Year by the Marin County Peace Officers Association.

Judge Thomas seldom spoke of that day as he continued his career in law, going back to work in a wheelchair after only four weeks off and then being appointed in 1972 by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan as a Marin County Municipal Court judge at the age of 34. But along with his renowned sense of right and wrong, one quote his friends and family often point to may explain a bit of why he did what he did.

He always told people he was from Montana, where the men are men and damned proud of it, said his wife of 57 years, Maureen Thomas, whose uncle was Haley.

After the shooting he never complained about anything, she said. Most people could be depressed after something like that, but not him. He was amazing. He just carried on.

Judge Thomas was born in Great Falls, Mont. When he was 9, the family moved to San Francisco, but he returned most summers to Montana throughout his childhood to work on his uncles cattle ranch. He graduated from Riordan High School, earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco, and served in the Air Force Reserves from 1962 to 1968.

Judge Thomas was elected to the Marin County Superior Court in 1986 and served on the bench until retiring in 1999. His judicial decisions included rulings that kept porn king Jim Mitchell in jail while he awaited trial for killing his brother, and preserved land in Marin for environmental use.

Judge Thomas, who died April 3, is survived by his wife; sons, Christopher of Norway and Matthew Thomas of Dixon; sister, Elaine Jordan of San Ramon; and four grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was said April 12 at St. Raphael Church in San Rafael.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
Last year, Airbnb underwent a rough regulatory patch.

The short-term rental company became a Federal Trade Commission target over the summer after three senators asked for an investigation into how companies like Airbnb affect soaring housing costs. In October, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York signed a bill imposing steep fines on Airbnb hosts who break local housing rules.

The two actions appeared unrelated. But one group quietly took credit for both: the hotel industry.

In a presentation in November, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, a trade group that counts Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels as members, said the federal investigation and the New York bill were notable accomplishments.

Both were partly the result of a previously unreported plan that the hotel association started in early 2016 to thwart Airbnb. The plan was laid out in two separate documents that the organization presented to its board in November and January. In the documents, which the New York Times obtained, the group sketched out the progress it had made against Airbnb, and described how it plans to rein in the startup in the future.

The plan is a multipronged, national campaign approach at the local, state and federal level, according to the minutes of the associations November board meeting.

The documents provide an inside look at how seriously the U.S. hotel industry is taking Airbnb as a threat  and the extent to which it is prepared to take action against it.

In the past, hotel executives typically played down the privately held companys effect on the $1.1 trillion U.S. hotel industry. In December, a Marriott executive dismissed Airbnb as not really making headway in the corporate environment, which is really our bread-and-butter business.

Yet there is now little mistaking that Airbnb is encroaching on the traditional hotel business. The San Francisco company was founded in 2008 as a way for people to easily list and rent out their spare rooms or their homes online. Since then, about 150 million travelers have stayed in 3 million Airbnb listings in more than 191 countries, according to the company.

Airbnb has raised more than $3 billion and secured a $1 billion line of credit, according to research firm CB Insights. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has said the company could be ready to go public in a year. Investors have pegged Airbnbs value at about $30 billion; in contrast, Hiltons market capitalization is $19 billion and Marriotts is $35 billion.

All of that has hurt hotel operators. Airbnb has hotel pricing in many places during holidays, conventions and other big events when room rates should be at their highest and the industry generates a significant portion of its profits, said Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, which works with the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

The industrys plan against Airbnb shows the hotel cartel is intent on short-sheeting the middle class so they can keep price-gouging consumers, Nick Papas, a spokesman for Airbnb, wrote in an email. With more than 250 government partnerships over the last year, we have shown our seriousness of purpose when it comes to putting in place fair rules.

The national hotel association said its push against Airbnb is not about the companys financial effect on hotels.

Airbnb is operating a lodging industry, but it is not playing by the same rules, Troy Flanagan, the American Hotel and Lodging Associations vice president for state and local government affairs, said in an interview.

The main prongs of the associations plan to constrain Airbnb include lobbying politicians and state attorneys general to reduce the number of Airbnb hosts, funding studies to show that Airbnb is filled with people who are quietly running hotels out of residential buildings, and highlighting how hosts do not collect hotel taxes and are not subject to the same safety and security regulations that hotel operators must follow.

The group said it would focus its efforts in key markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Washington and Miami.

The efforts were spearheaded last year by Katherine Lugar, CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The trade group began to form alliances with politicians, affordable housing groups and neighborhood associations. The industry also forged relationships with hotel labor unions  which it typically faces off against on many issues  about dealing with Airbnb.

In total, the association has a $5.6 million annual budget for regulatory work.

The association also sought help from politicians in Washington. In its documents, the group said it had worked with Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Dianne Feinstein of California. The three Democrats sent a letter to the FTC in July raising concerns about the short-term rental industry, one of the hotel association documents said.

Feinsteins office referred requests for comment to Schatzs office. Schatzs office and Warrens office did not respond to requests for comment.

The association also met with legislators and attorneys general in dozens of other states to discuss how Airbnb hosts often do not comply with rules imposed on hotels, such as anti-discrimination legislation, local tax collection laws, and safety and fire inspection standards. In some markets, the group said, Airbnb is dodging payment of local lodging taxes. In other places, it encouraged officials not to collect taxes from Airbnb hosts so as not to legitimize short-term rentals.

The association claimed legal and regulatory victories last year in Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as in states like Virginia, Tennessee and Utah, where laws were being passed to restrict Airbnb activity. The organization also funded research conducted by a professor at Pennsylvania State University to show that many Airbnb hosts were breaking the law.

We are trying to showcase and bust the myth that Airbnb supports mom and pop and helps them make extra money, Flanagan, of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said. Home sharing is not what this is about.

This year, the association plans to fund more anti-Airbnb research and begin a testimonial campaign of people hurt by home sharing, to provide a counterweight to Airbnbs strategy of presenting a unified, working-class face. according to the groups documents.

Katie Benner is a New York Times writer.
The state has revoked the license of the contractor that built the balcony in Berkeley that collapsed in 2015, killing six college students, essentially putting the company out of business for at least five years.

Segue Construction of Pleasanton is losing its license in a settlement with the California Contractors State License Board, which accused the company of doing shoddy work on the apartment balcony at 2020 Kittredge St. when it built the structure between 2005 and 2007.
Whether humans, especially those living in America, will do anything to reduce global warming and salvage some of the world's ice  as well as keep the oceans cooler so they don't swell too darn much  remains to be seen. But, as of right now, the seas are forecast to rise as much as six feet by 2100, and we all need to think about what that means and begin planning.

Coastal cities are already drawing up plans to mitigate higher sea levels, but a new study shows that inland, landlocked cities and towns will have to deal with a flood of their own ... not water but people.
Image: Screen Grab from www.google.com

Mountain View, Apr 22 (IBNS): Web giant Google on Saturday celebrated Earth Day with a series of 12 doodles.

Earth Day is celebrated every year on Apr 22, ever since the birth of modern environmental movement in 1970.

The doodles depict the journey of a sleeping fox who has a nightmare about climate change, involving the melting of icebergs and death of aquatic animals.

The fox is shown befriending a cat and a frog, who then adopt a smarter way of living incorporating clean energy sources.

Google also listed five Earth Day tips for helping users create a better planet.


The Ardrey Auditorium stage was filled to capacity last Friday evening as the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestras players greeted conductor Elizabeth Schulze for her final performance with the orchestra. There was a notable air of anticipation and excitement in the house as she raised the baton for a rousing farewell performance rounding out nine years of dynamic and creative leadership and artistic direction of the 67-year old organization.

Maestra Schulze selected the repertoire for the evening so as to spotlight each section of the orchestra as well as individual first-chair players. The opening and closing pieces admirably achieved that goal with two works characterized by brilliance of instrumentation and exploitation of the assorted colors and musical images that are available to composers skilled in the art of orchestration. Between those two opening and closing anchor pieces, displaying many aspects in common, a superb performance of the popular Mendelssohn Violin Concerto featured spectacular playing and deeply satisfying interpretation by guest artist Elena Urioste.

Jennifer Higdons blue cathedral is scored for a large orchestra and is in the form of an expanding arch of instrumental color and sonic diversity. Developing gradually from an opening introspective mood (flute and clarinet over gently undulating chimes and bells), a brilliant central climax features dissonant and slashing string and brass figurations, and subsides to the peaceful and resolving character of the opening wind and percussion dialogue. A deeply personal statement reflecting loss of a loved one and the complex journey of life, this captivating piece is a fine introduction for those who may be unfamiliar with the musical output of this significant and very successful young American composer. This performance of blue cathedral was sponsored by the Womens Philharmonic Advocacy.

Ms. Uriostes brilliant reading of the Mendelssohn concerto, with its energetic and idiomatic passages for the soloist and soaring themes characteristic of that composer, was enhanced by the rich sonority and carrying power of the 1706 Alessandro Gagliano instrument, of which she is the beneficiary through a loan from the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Ottorino Respighis Pines of Rome needs no introduction for devotees of symphonic music, and always elicits enthusiastic response to its brilliant orchestral effects and perfect delineation of the scenes that are a part of the composers Roman Trilogy. As in the opening Higdon work, the orchestra is offered free rein in the emphasis of coloristic instrumentation and pictorial description by each division of the large symphonic forces. In addition to exceptional ensemble playing by each section of the orchestra, there were notable solo passages offered by various first-chair players  Cindy Goulds haunting offstage trumpet in the first movement, the lyrical clarinet of Jon Eder in the moody second movement, Jane Halls English horn, and Rita Bordens piano interjections. With underscoring from the powerful Ardrey pipe organ, the concluding procession of Roman soldiers on the Appian Way predictably brought down the house, making for a spectacular conclusion to a grand finale event honoring both conductor and orchestra.

Three much-deserved accolades were bestowed upon Elizabeth Schulze prior to the second half of the concert. First-chair cellist Andrew Hamby spoke on behalf of the orchestra, offering a heartfelt and sincere expression of gratitude for her nine years of inspirational work with the Symphony. A certificate of appreciation from the City of Flagstaff was presented by City Council member Eva Putzova, and a large framed portrait of the entire Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra was displayed by the orchestras managing director Richard Lane. Elizabeth Schulze departs with many memories of a long and fruitful tenure with the organization. We now look ahead to an upcoming 68th FSO season under the leadership of newly appointed Conductor and Artistic Director Charles Latshaw.
Kolkata, Apr 22 (IBNS): The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Saturday organised the fifth edition of its "Sit and Draw Competition 2017" for school children, on the occasion of Earth Day, at The Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM).

This years theme is Teach for the Green Planet as part of efforts to promote consciousness of the importance of a sustainable natural environment. Mr. Animesh Nandi (gold medallist from Academy of Fine Arts) was the judge of the competition.

Sutanu Ghosh, President, The Bengal Chamber, said, Corporate life demands that we always stay busy. In the midst of our luxuries and comforts, we forget the harm we do to nature. The world has been tremendously affected by global warming; this climate change is one of the effects. In order to make the children aware of this current situation, The Bengal Chamber has been taking the initiative for the last five years so that some measures can be taken to save this Earth.

Students of many schools across the city have taken part in the competition from the age group of five to ten years.

The competition has been conducted in two different groups. The topic for students of Group A (5-7 years) was Green Earth, Clean Earth; for Group B (8-10 years) it was Global Warming.

Around 150 students from La Martiniere, Bidya Bharati Mominpur, Heritage, Sri Sri Academy, Shri Shikshayatan School, The Future Foundation School, Mahadevi Birla World Academy, among others have taken part in the competition.

20-30 selected drawings by the participants will be given the certificate of the appreciation in the coming Tenth Edition of Annual Environment & Energy Conclave.
Kolkata, Apr 22 (IBNS) Tollywood superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee and actress Tisca Chopra launched authors Sanjay Chopra and Namita Roy Ghose's book aThe Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netajia at the Hyatt Regency here on Friday.

The event was hosted by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and Hyatt Regency.

The Book launch event was presented by Kolkata-based NGO Kutchina Foundation.

"It is a very interesting book which is based on thorough research. Unlike the popular historical narrative of the British, the book tells us much from the Indian standpoint about INA and also raises many questions," said Namit Bajoria, Founder Trustee of Kutchina Foundation, who welcomed the guests.

Popular Bollywood actress, Tisca Chopra, engaged in an engrossing tete-a-tete with the authors covering various aspects of the book and their effort to present an Indian point-of-view of a decisive event in our history which has mostly been told to us from a British perspective.

Special guests Anjan Dutta and Raima Sen read out excerpts from the book.

The book, published by Om Books International, is a saga of love and betrayal in the backdrop of a very momentous and decisive phase of Indian history when Netajis Indian National Army (INA) began to advance from the North East to free India from the British.

Considered a turning point in Indias freedom struggle, the book throws up many questions - What turned the tables? Was it the British and their manipulation? Was it that old Indian curse - betrayal? Someone from within Netaji's own ranks? Were there other forces, waiting in the shadows, closer to home, who stood to gain even more from the INA's defeat? Or was it that old culprit, love, that irrevocably changed the course of India's destiny?

Seventy years later, the British admit that the twin Battles of Kohima and Imphal with the INA were the greatest battle they had ever fought - even more so than the battles of Waterloo and Dunkirk.

The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji, a novel by Namita Roy Ghose and Sanjay Chopra, is a sweeping tale of passion set against the freedom struggle. Debraj, the rakish playboy and scion of a distinguished Calcutta family, and Nishonko, the fiery revolutionary sworn to the cause of the INA, must not only fight their common enemy, but also for the love of Aditi, the rebel with the healing touch. A haunting tale of love, friendship and betrayal of an entire nation, The Wrong Turn veers inexorably towards a poignant redemption.

Namita Roy Ghose is an acclaimed film director and advertising luminary and a script / screenplay writer.

This was a story waiting to be told. So much about Netaji was smoke and mirrors, partial views foisted on us by the British and other vested interests. Here was a man who was a personal hero, who was part of the lore of my childhood. And here was a chance to set the narrative straight - through the lens of a very human yet universal story of love, she says.

Sanjay Chopra is an airline pilot and author of two collections of short stories Said and Done and Tailspin stories. He believes that his office at forty thousand feet in the sky and his travels provide him with a view that fuels his vivid storytelling that cuts a wide arc through time and space .

His stories have won the Invisible Ink, the Millennium writers and Southport awards in the UK and USA. In the words of his readers, He is a storyteller like those of the old days, yet his stories are as modern as tomorrow.

He lives in Mumbai with his wife Tisca Chopra, an actress and he is currently working on a film script and a web series.

The Wrong Turn is a story that traverses the cities of Calcutta, Singapore, Rangoon and Kohima caught up in the blaze of the Second World War. It is about the clash of four desperate forces as they come together in Kohima to vie for the brightest jewel in the crown -- India. Victory will come to those who possess not just the coldest steel but even colder hearts, he says
New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS) : Pulling up the Centre for defying its order, the Supreme Court has asked the Government how can it made Aadhaar must for getting PAN card filing income tax returns, reports said.

How can you make Aadhaar card mandatory when we have passed an order to make it optional, a Bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the Centre on Friday.

The court was hearing a petition by CPI leader Binoy Viswam challenging constitutional validity of section 139AA of the Income Tax Act, introduced by the Finance Act 2017, that calls for mandatory quoting of Aadhaar or enrolment ID of Aadhaar application form for filing income tax returns.

In the defence of the Government, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi claimed it were the only option to curb people acquiring multiple PAN (permanent account number) cards using fake documents to divert black money to shell companies.

Rohatgi also said that people were also found to have procured SIM cards for mobile phones on fake identity cards.

The petitooner's counsel Arvind Datare told the bench, "As per this section, if one does not have Aadhaar card, he cannot have a PAN. This would create huge difficulties."

The court had on March 27 ruled that Aadhaar cards can't be made mandatory for extending benefits of social welfare schemes.

It had, however, said that the centre cannot be barred from seeking Aadhaar cards, which are issued by UIDAI, for filing of I-T returns and opening of bank accounts.

The Bench fixed a hearing in the matter on Tuesday to examine its constitutional validity.
Kolkata, Apr 22 (IBNS): A student of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur reportedly committed suicide in his hostel room inside the campus area in West Medinipur district of West Bengal on Friday, reports said.

According to reports, Nidhin N, who was a 4th year student of Aerospace Engineering and hailed from Kerala, was found hanging from ceiling fan inside his room at Nehru Hall of Residence in the afternoon.

His roommates claimed that the talented student was suffering from depression since last few weeks and committed suicide when he was alone in his hostel room.

Police later recovered his body and have sent it for post-mortem.

However, local police have begun probe into the matter, according to reports.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha, Image: Facebook)
New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS) : Barkha Shukla Singh, expelled from the Congress for making a scathing attack on party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, is reportedly set to join the BJP, media reports said on Saturday.

Singh, a senior leader of Delhi Congress, was expelled for six years on Friday a day after she said Rahul Gandhi is "not fit to run the party."

On Thursday, Singh had announced that she was stepping down as the chief of the womens wing of the Congress Delhi unit, though she did not quit the party.

The Congress said that the party's disciplinary committee has expelled Singh for six years for "undertaking anti-party activities just before the MCD elections."

In an open letter on Thursday, Singh had said, "Rahul Gandhi is unfit to lead the party...the one pertinent question we need to ask today is why Rahul Gandhi is hiding ? Why is he scared of meeting his own party members ?"

"Senior-most leaders of the party, I would not like to name anybody, are also of the view that Rahul Gandhi is mentally unfit to lead the party but choose not to say it because of reasons that are unknown to me," Singh had said.

"He (Rahul) is only interested in meeting sycophants and not leaders who reason, question and ask," she added.
PARIS  Early voting began overseas Saturday in Frances most nail-biting election in generations, and the 11 candidates seeking to become the countrys next president silenced their campaigns as required to give voters a period of reflection.

Opinion polls showed a tight race among the four top contenders vying to get into the May 7 presidential runoff that will decide who becomes Frances next head of state. But the polls also showed that decision was largely in the hands of the one-in-three French voters who are still undecided.

Voting began in Frances far-flung overseas territories, but balloting wont start until Sunday on the French mainland. Frances 10 percent unemployment, its lackluster economy and security issues top voters concerns.

Political campaigning was banned from midnight Friday until the polls close at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Polls suggested that far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, were in the lead.

However, conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid for no-show work as his aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Security was tight  the government has mobilized more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

Security is a prominent issue after a wave of extremist attacks on French soil, including a gunman who killed a Paris police officer Thursday night before being shot dead by security forces. The gunman carried a note praising the Islamic State group.

Voters made their choices in the Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as well as in French Guiana in South America, the Caribbeans Guadeloupe and elsewhere. Voters abroad could also cast ballots in French embassies Saturday.

The French presidential choice will resonate far beyond Frances borders. The election is widely being viewed as a ballot on the future of the 28-nation European Union. The far-right Le Pen and the far-left Melenchon could pull France out of the bloc and its shared euro currency  a so-called Frexit.

A French exit could ignite a death spiral for the EU, the euro and the whole idea of European unity that was borne out of the bloodshed of World War II. France is a founding member of the EU and its main driver, along with former rival Germany.

If Le Pen or Melenchon win a spot in the runoff, it will be seen as a victory for the populist wave reflected by the votes for Donald Trump and Brexit  the British departure from the EU.

Thomas Adamson is an Associated Press writer.
Police say every descanso is one too many (Matt Grubs)

"No one is above having their keys taken," Ralph Gonzales says into a microphone, his voice quickly vanishing into the spring wind. He's speaking to a crowd of city, county and state officials and advocates who wholeheartedly agree.

Gonzales knows about starting over. On Nov. 11, 2006, he lost five members of his family when drunken driver Dana Papst drove his truck the wrong way down I-25 into a minivan carrying his son, Paul, and his son's wife, Renee, and their four children. Only one child survived.

"They were taken in one minute," he says. "And you spend the rest of your life dealing with that one day at time."

"DWI is everywhere," says Darlene Peshlakai a moment later. She's standing next to the descanso at Cerrillos and Cristo's roads for her two daughters, Del Lynn and Deshauna, who were killed when drunken driver James Ruiz rammed his truck at full speed into the back of the family car on March 5, 2010.

The Peshlakai and Gonzales families have been as visible as they can force themselves to be when it comes to speaking out about drunken driving.

But the problem isn't going away. In fact, in Santa Fe, it's getting worse.

Darlene PeshlakaiMatt Grubs

Luke Griffin, a Santa Fe teenager, has been charged with aggravated DWI and homicide by vehicle in connection with a February crash on I-25 in Sandoval County that killed a Colorado woman and injured passengers in her vehicle.

Last week, police charged Dominic Friedlein with killing a passenger in his SUV when he crashed into another car. Officers believe the 24-year-old had been drinking before the crash.City police are making fewer arrests and DWI-related crashes are up. Within the past month, a handful of high-profile crashes have thrust the issue into the public consciousness once again.

Santa Fe police plan more saturation patrols and more DWI checkpoints, joining a stepped-up effort already underway by the county and state police.

Police say it's difficult to pin the rise in crashes on any one thing, though SFPD Deputy Chief Mario Salbidrez says a roughly 20 percent vacancy rate at the department has made enforcement difficult.

The city hopes to capitalize on the recent publicity to start a community conversation.

"This is a community problem," Salbidrez says, urging bartenders, servers and clerks to not sell booze to people who are already drunk. "If they don't have it, they can't be on the streets impaired."

"Talk to your friends, your neighbors, your family," says Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales.

In coming weeks, local advocates plan new training for servers to assert themselves more effectively when it comes to cutting off customers. Despite steep cuts to funding and the recent closure of Capital Cab, which participated in a subsidized ride program for people who'd been drinking, anti-DWI groups say they'll focus on trying to get the community to talk about it; to make it okay to tell someone they shouldn't drive.

Santa Fe Reporter
New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack which claimed at least 70 Afghan soldiers in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif city of Balkh province.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the familes who lost loved ones," the Prime Minister's tweet read.

The attack has been owned by Taliban, who used suicide bombers to carry out the carnage,

The incident, which started on Friday afternoon, continued for several hours before the militants were shot dead by army-men.

A military spokesperson was quoted as saying in the media that the militants entered the base wearing army uniform.

They initiated the carnage after driving through the military checkpoints.

The Mazar-e-Sharif base is home to 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan army, responsible for guarding the northern part of the country.
New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS) : In a huge arms haul ahead of the MCD polls the Delhi police have arrested a man along with 30 semi-automatic pistols and a stengun with five live cartridges, media reports said.

The man named Rajpal was arrested on Friday near Nizamuddin Bridge.

Within two days of the raids that the Delhi Police Special Cell has carried out in the state, fifty semi-automatic pistols have so far been recovered.

On Thursday, twenty high quality pistols were recovered from North Delhi.
Guwahati, Apr 22 (IBNS) : Three persons, including a junior engineer, were arrested by police in connection with multi-crore rupees Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA) scam in the Assamas hills district Karbi Anglong.

According to the reports, a case (34/2011) was registered under section of 409 IPC at Baithalangso police station for alleged siphoning of MGNREGA fund of Rs 59 crore in Ronkhang development block in the hills district.



The Hamren police on Friday night had arrested a junior engineer Latika Saikia Chetia from her house at Beltola Survey area in Guwahati.



Police also arrested a Village Development Council (VDC) member Rika Timungpi and Gram Sewak Mizi Engleng in connection with the multi-crore rupees scam.

The sleuths of Hamren police said that, several government officials under state rural development department had siphoned crores of rupees under the employment scheme in the development block by fake job cards, fake muster rolls, fake development schemes.



The case was registered after complaint submitted by a person name Ramsing Ronghang.



Local media reports that the arrested junior engineer had purchased huge quantity of lands, buildings like assets in Guwahati.

We have taken the matter very seriously and will probe about the assets purchased by the junior engineer, a top police official said.

Meanwhile, several organizations of Karbi Anglong demanded to initiate a high level probe into the MGNREGA scam in other development blocks in the hills district.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)

Image:google maps
'This is not an era of war, India advocates return of dialogue': S Jaishankar on Ukraine conflict in Moscow | Delhi primary schools to reopen on Nov 9 as air quality improves | Demonetisation 'epic failure' of Modi govt: Congress chief Kharge | Modi govt's reservation for poor constitutionally valid: Supreme Court | Modi govt's reservation for poor constitutionally valid: Supreme Court
Guwahati, Apr 22 (IBNS) : Assam forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma on Saturday directed the officials of state forest department to involve more plantation drives across the state.

The Assam minister said that the state forest department has palnned to plant over 2 crore saplings across the state this year.



Participating at a plantation programme held at Gormur in newly created Majuli district on the occasion of Earth Day, the Assam forest minister said that it is now needed for environmental awareness among all levels of the society.

We need to change our mindset to involve in conservation of our environment. To grow up our next generation as conservation leaders, Pramila Rani Brahma said.



The Assam forest minister directed all forest officials to plant more saplings in their concerning areas.

On the other hand, Pramila Rani Brahma, who also known as the Forest Queen of Assam for her conservative activities said that, the state forest department has taken adequate measures to conserve forest, wildlife in the state and has taken stern action against the violators.



Pramila Rani Brahma on Friday had given ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh by WTI and financial support from Prabhakar Barua Memorial Trust to the family of late Gautam Baruah, forest guard who died performing his duty in Kaziranga National Park.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Mumbai, Apr 22 (IBNS): Bollywood actress and activist, Dia Mirza has penned a poem to celebrate Earth Day.

Earth Day is celebrated every year on Apr 22, ever since the birth of modern environmental movement in 1970.

Through her poem, the actress has urged citizens to be a bit more sensitive towards this planet, in order to save it.

Here's Dia's poem:

Earth Day sounds a lot like Birthday

The man that thought of this name

Urged that Earth and Birth connote life

Nurturing and existence

A celebration of the only planet that provides.

His name was Dennis Hayes

He wanted all humans to embrace

The truth that we are all connected

That this place we call home

Must be protected.

He called upon each one of us to make this a matter

That united us.

A day marked to bring people together

No matter what caste, creed or colour.

The largest secular holiday in the world.

And why do we need this day, you may ask?

Because our home is threatened by devastating loss

A loss, of consciousness to such a degree

That climate is changing drastically.

Our earth is being ravaged to feed endless greed.

Humans need to recognise

The autonomy of sentient rivers, oceans, forests, wildlife

And how they harmonise our lives

And bring to us health that outweighs any currency

And so we must honour, Natures democracy.

Consumerism at any cost

Punctures the earth's atmosphere

And chars our lungs

With poisonous fumes emanating from waste

We must now act with mindful haste.

So, what can I do you ask?

Refuse, things that you know

Are toxic, non-biodegradable

All that plastic that we use and throw

Without caring where it will go.

Remember every item we buy

Will find itself a landfill, a toxic pile

That will pollute our land, our water

Or our air

Be conscientious, be fair, be the earth warrior who cares.

Reuse, recycle, up cycle, with pride

Simplify needs, declutter life

Question excess,

Make responsible living a creed

To this we must pay heed.

Demand clean energy

Ask companies to be responsible

For the resources they consume and abuse

Because sustaining this planet for all life

Should be our collective duty, our urgent goal.

Just as our birthday celebrates

The blessing of life

Let this Earth Day be a reminder

That the only way we will survive

Is if this planet thrives.


When A Clockwork Orange hit cinema screens in 1971, it sent shockwaves through the community.

While the cult following heaped praise and acclaim on director Stanley Kubrick and lead actor Malcolm McDowell, it also elevated a futuristic-looking record player into a rare collectors item.

Tony Magee at Duratone Hifi celebrating Record Store Day with a rare record player that featured in Clockwork Orange. Credit:Rohan Thomson

In celebration of Record Store Day, Phillip's Duratone Hi-Fi shop dusted off one of the few working Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference turntables in Australia for display on Saturday.

The store's music specialist, Tony Magee said the record player was almost as popular as the rare albums on offer among enthusiasts who swarmed the shop for the celebration of all things vinyl.
When Matt Taylor was denied a potentially life-saving lung transplant last year, he knew he had limited time left to make a difference.

The 27-year-old planned to travel the country with wife and fellow photographer Mallie, capturing free family portraits of Australians touched by organ donation.

Matt Taylor embraces wife Mallie the day before he died. Credit:Mel Hill

Their goal was to put a human face to the effect of Australia's relatively low donor registration numbers on those either waiting, or rejected, for an organ transplant.

Before they could launch their "Donate Life for Mattalie" plan, however, Matt's condition deteriorated.
Canberra skateboarders are calling for better maintenance of skate parks in the capital, saying many are in a state of "disrepair".

Skaters have said conditions at many skate parks in the territory have become dangerous due to to cracks and fractures in the concrete.

Brenden Wood says skaters are at risk of injury because the ACT government is not repairing sections of ACT skate parks. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Vice-president of the Canberra Skateboarding Association Brenden Wood said the long delay to simple repairs at skate parks had forced many skaters to make the repairs themselves.

"We're trying to do the right thing and report everything first, but when it takes too long, users are doing repair jobs themselves," he said.
It's been two months since bushfires tore through Carwoola taking 11 homes but thankfully no lives.

In places there is a cover of lush green grass, and the charcoal-coated eucalypts are starting to grow fresh leaves. From the Lindley's property on Widgiewa Road, the view is spectacular. Rolling hills and typical Australian bush giving way to blue skies, dotted with clouds.

Vanessa and Kevin Lindley are still waiting to finalise insurance claims two months after a bushfire gutted their home in Carwoola. Structural engineers have advised that what is left of their work shed has to be pulled down. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

This was what the family saw from their kitchen window, but the portable toilet now holds the best view on the block.

"We're still home," Mr Lindley said.
More than 1000 people converged on the lawns of Parliament House on Saturday calling for greater awareness and funding for science.

The Canberra March for Science was one of more than 600 similar protests being held around the world in 54 countries, with marches also happening in Sydney and Melbourne.

The demonstrations, which co-incided with World Earth Day, were held in response to funding cuts to the sector in the United States by President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the rally, ANU professor and climate change expert Will Steffen said support for science funding was now needed more than ever in the face of scepticism about global warming.
Police are investigating a crash in Manuka on Friday night that left a motorcyclist in hospital.

Officers were called to a crash between a motorcycle and car on Captain Cook Crescent in Griffith, outside the McDonalds drive-thru entrance, about 6.14pm on Friday.

Police at the scene of the two-vehicle crash in Manuka on Friday night. Credit:Georgina Connery

The 54-year-old motorcycle rider was taken by ambulance to Canberra Hospital.

An ACT Health spokeswoman said the man was in a stable condition at the hospital as of Saturday evening.
The ACT's work safety watchdog has slapped an improvement notice on the education directorate after a Tuggeranong student allegedly threatened a teacher and destroyed school property.

Teacher and staff safety had been compromised by a student focused risk management system, according to the WorkSafe ACT caution.

The Australian Education Union's Glenn Fowler said the profession had to adjust its mindset of believing a child's right to an education eclipsed staff safety. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

A Worksafe ACT spokeswoman said the improvement notice had been issued to ensure safe working environments at ACT public schools.

The watchdog had since extended the notice, which remains in place.
If Daniel Andrews wasn't worried about the Liberals' prospects at the next Victorian election, he probably should be.

This month's "two strikes and you're in" law-and-order pitch marked something of a turning point for Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, not because of its policy substance, but because it resonated with voters and presented the first major sign of an alternative government willing to come up with bold ideas early in the political cycle.

Matthew Guy: predictably wants to get tough on crime. Credit:Ken Irwin

Guy's plan to introduce tough new mandatory minimum sentences for violent criminals who reoffend on 11 serious crimes might indeed be as its critics describe: a simplistic solution to a complex problem.

But the trouble for Andrews is the Liberals are successfully tapping into legitimate fears about community safety on an issue the Premier has struggled to address. Against the backdrop of a rising tide of violent offences and youth justice riots, could it ultimately sway votes? You bet.
The devastation of losing everything in the Carwoola bushfires is still felt as strongly as when it first happened for those who lost homes in the disaster.

While the community has rallied around those affected by the 3500-hectare fire in February, the pain is still raw for those dealing with the loss.

It was incredibly fortunate there was no loss of life on February 17 when the fire tore through the region just near Queanbeyan - destroying 11 homes and damaging 12 more.

There were a further 45 outbuildings destroyed and another 40 damaged.
In my view it just gives apartment owners time to get organised and make it a significant election issue next time round. I feel sorry for those downsizers living on a fixed income. The Opposition and the Greens, if they had a spine, could combine to knock this on the head but that is not going to happen, so we will have to do something ourselves. Given the number of apartments in Gungahlin, by the time we are finished the government will be lucky to win one seat in that electorate. John Gudgeon, Gungahlin Big flushing hole

As I drive down Northbourne Avenue enjoying the marvellous new vista all the way from Dickson to Parliament House (now the rotten old trees have been chopped down), I can't help thinking that if the Northern Infrastructure Facility is so flush with funds the Prime Minister can consider tossing a billion dollars into a hole in the ground, it's a pity the facility can't be used to fund the tram. After all, who's going to want to live in the north once the reef's dead and climate change brings more and stronger cyclones? Far better to have some reverse pork barrelling to compensate Canberra for public servants being transported to the sticks. And if nothing else, we might see an end to the droning anti-tram letters of crusty curmudgeons. Dallas Stow, O'Connor

Profit over poor Cutting the income of Australia's poorest does not create jobs. If the federal government was serious about building the economy then it would be serious about building a strong middle class. The very marginal savings made by employers in paying a little less to their staff on a Sunday is in no way enough to promote hiring extra staff. Small businesses don't need extra staff, they need committed staff. The Turnbull government cares nothing for Australia's people, but entirely for its profit. Andrew McGregor, Isabella Plains

Tram talk goes on You would have thought that the hard core of anti-light-rail letters writers to The Canberra Times, would have fled Canberra, now that the light-rail construction is under way and electors of the ACT voted last October for this to happen. You can imagine them relocating to a regional centre such as suggested by Barnaby and Fiona of the National Party, where they would never be upset by the sight of a tram. Surprisingly, they are still here and still writing the same old anti-light-rail letters to The Canberra Times, still talking of a "stupid never-never proposal for a tram network" (CT Letters, April 22). Construction does seem to be well under way! Barnaby's favourite, Armidale, would be a good choice for them, as they will never see trams grace the streets of this town.

Regional centres of danger for their relocation would be the Gold Coast, which has recently opened Stage Two of its light-rail network, Newcastle which is about to start its light- rail network and Bendigo and Ballarat, which both have successful tourist tram services. No, I think Barnaby's Armidale would be the best for them and they can devote the rest of their lives to making sure that a tram never runs in Armidale and leave the rest of us in Canberra to enjoy a progressive and innovative transport system. John Davenport, Farrer Gillard's legacy There has been talk about ex-prime ministers' legacies.

Let's reflect on Julia Gillard's career since leaving office. No sniping. No interfering with the political process. Instead she has devoted herself to the welfare and education of children, both in Australia and other parts of the world. Now she is taking over as chief officer of Beyond Blue. Not many years ago, broadcaster Alan (comments for cash) Jones commented so inhumanely how her father (may he rest in peace) would negatively regard her political views.

As a woman, and more broadly a human being, I know that Ms Gillard's father would have been so so proud of her, in the way she has conducted herself as ex-prime minister. Not a "white ant" but as an ongoing contributor to Australian society. Somewhere along the line, she'll deserve to be awarded an OA whereas Tony Abbott will shortly be rewarded with the OOB (Order Of The Boot). Wendy Rattigan, Weston Stupid? Afraid so I beg to differ with David McCarthy ("We're not stupid", letters, April 16).
Geneva, Switzerland, Apr 22(Just Earth News): The heads of major global businesses are urging G20 governments to formally accept that companies should disclose climate-related financial risks.

The 27 business leaders were convened by the World Economic Forum and include the chief executive officers of global banks, consumer goods and utility companies.



They are asking G20 leaders to act on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), an industry-led body chaired by the UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change and former New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.



Together, the business leaders represent $4.9 trillion in assets under management and almost $700 billion in total revenue.



In an open message, they say that climate change is not only an environmental problem but also a business one. Improving disclosure of the material financial risks companies face from climate change is critical to the financial stability of markets and would enable greater investment in low-carbon and climate-friendly opportunities.



The message is timed as G20 finance ministers meet in Washington DC for the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.



The business leaders stress that G20 support would send a strong signal that government leaders desire more transparency from business on the short- and long-term impact of climate change on their operations. They added that they welcome the current TCFD recommendations and will actively support their successful implementation.



They believe that universal agreement on climate disclosure would help investors make more informed long-term decisions while highlighting the financial risks of the physical impacts of climate change and liability risks that may arise from inaction.



There are real financial risks associated with climate change and financial opportunities for companies in transitioning to a low-carbon economy, said Richard Samans, Head of the Centre for the Global Agenda, Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum Geneva. One of the biggest risks to market stability and performance is asymmetry of information. Increasing companies disclosure of their climate risks  and standardizing that disclosure  will go a long way to addressing this current market failure and will help governments deliver the Paris Agreement.



It would also create greater visibility on how companies are managing these risks and where they are able to take advantage of new opportunities. Greater visibility of climate risks would help an orderly transition to a low-carbon economy.



The group said that risk disclosure was not a climate change panacea but should be part of a suite of complementary approaches to recalibrate the financial system to support the transition to low-carbon economies, citing the need for effective carbon pricing and the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies.

Source: www.justearthnews.com
On Wednesday night, I put the kids to bed, poured myself a glass of wine and took The Red Pill.

That is to say, I watched the men's rights movie that has been chased out of cinemas in Australia. The title of the film  taken from The Matrix, in which Keanu Reeves is offered the choice of a red pill (which delivers lacerating truth and self knowledge) or a blue pill (blissful ignorance)  is portentous. Viewers are invited to infer that revelations  perhaps shocking ones  will almost certainly be forthcoming. Protests! Cancellation of screenings! This must be some heavy stuff. I paid my $6.95 to rent the title, and sat back, prepared for outrage.

Cassie Jaye's film The Red Pill is journalistically weak. Credit:YouTube

Now I'm a feminist. A feature shared  I discover, as the film opens  with director and narrator Cassie Jaye, a friendly Oklahoman who seems always to be having a good hair day. She explains that her feminism derives from having moved to Hollywood when she was 18 to pursue an acting career, and finding herself only ever cast as one of the scantily-clad teen cuties butchered in the early scenes of budget horror flicks. (This being a dot-the-Is, cross-the-Ts type documentary, we are shown some brief sequences of a younger Cassie being murdered by a giant lizard. Her story checks out.)

Cassie explains she soon opted out of acting, in favour of directing, and went on to be a documentary film-maker, on a range of irreproachable subjects including women's health (cue images of sad-looking women), teen celibacy (girls in confirmation dresses) and gay marriage (two neat T-shirted men holding hands in a field).
US Vice-President Mike Pence has reaffirmed that the Trump administration will honour the controversial refugee deal struck with Barack Obama, despite not liking it.

Made in the last days of the Obama administration, the United States agreed to resettle refugees from Manus Island and Nauru, as Australia seeks to close its off-shore detention facilities.

In a phone call to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shortly after his election, President Donald Trump referred to it as the "worst deal ever" in a conversation later described as "tense".

Speaking to media following his bilateral meeting with Mr Turnbull in Sydney on Saturday, Mr Pence said the deal would go ahead, despite doubts over what Mr Trump had publicly labelled a "dumb" agreement.
Exactly who in their right mind would want to become a member of The Real Housewives of Sydney television show?

Nicole O'Neil, Lisa Oldfield, Victoria Rees, Melissa Tkautz, Krissy Marsh, Matty Samaei and Athena X Levendi apparently were champing at the bit to get on the show, but what are we to make of these women now the first season is almost over?

Ruffling feathers: Real Housewives of Sydney. Credit:Arena/foxtel.com.au

The first couple of episodes looked promising, with the ladies engaging in the sort of inconsequential frippery  wine being thrown in faces, hideous garments being tossed overboard in fits of rage, shrill screeching matches  all the normal fodder of the Real Housewives franchise.

Indeed there is not that much difference between the shows featuring "wives" in Orange County, New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, D.C., Beverly Hills, Miami, Potomac, and Dallas with those wives in Melbourne, Auckland, Cheshire, Toronto, Bangkok and here in Sydney.
Most avid cyclists would recommend donning a bright accessory or two before hitting the road, but for 66-year-old New Yorker Tziporah Salamon, a reflector strip just wasn't going to cut it. "The thing I love about biking is that the whole city sees my outfit," says Tziporah, who has been showcasing vivid ensembles on her Bianchi Milano bicycle since the 1980s.

"The garbage collectors honk their horns, and I even met a dear friend when I was stopped at a light and she shouted, 'I want to be you when I grow up!' "

I want to be you when I grow up! Thats what someone shouted to social-media icon Tziporah Salamon on the streets of New York. Credit:The Art of Dressing by Tziporah Salamon

Tziporah may have always been a traffic stopper, but in more recent years she's become something of a street-style star, too, attracting more than 25,000 followers on Instagram.

She's modelled in a 2012 advertising campaign for Lanvin, starred in the 2014 documentary Advanced Style, and has recorded her unique approach to getting ready in a new book, The Art of Dressing: Ageless, Timeless, Original Style, in which she also interviews 10 other women over 50 whom she admires.
Interaction with Spaceship superannuation will be via a smartphone app. Stockspot's Fat Cat Funds Report suggests fees are the single most important factor for super performance, and funds charging more than 1.5 per cent a year have almost no chance of outperforming peers in the long run. 'Technology wrong' Brycki believes the emphasis on technology is wrong, given we are eight years into a tech boom that has already seen the value of large tech stocks rise by hundreds of per cent. "They're targeting inexperienced investors to punt a high percentage of their retirement savings on one sector [tech] which is 'hot' today but won't be when the cycle turns," Brycki says.

Many of Spaceship's prospective members also work in technology, increasing their exposure. Brycki points out members who consolidate their super into Spaceship face a further risk because they're switching into a product with no life and total and permanent disability insurance. He makes good points but I welcome the fact that Spaceship has opened up debate about the investment bias of superannuation funds. Spaceship co-founder Andrew Sellen told me last year: "Most Australian super funds have too much concentrated on Australian shares, particularly the big four banks and BHP." Sellen's statement seemed true at the time, and now research by Rainmaker Group confirms it.

Rainmaker ran a pilot study into portfolio holdings disclosure. Bank stocks account for an estimated 23 per cent of the Australian share portfolios of super funds. That translates to $45 billion, which means about 10 per cent of all bank stocks are owned by super funds. So even though the industry super funds love to criticise the big banks, they are also closely entwined. International shares The international share portfolios of most super funds are much more diversified. Technology is the leading holding, but it's just 6 per cent of the total asset class, which converts to $13 billion. Alex Dunnin, executive director at Rainmaker, says the emphasis on big banks is because the financial services sector dominates the Australian Securities Exchange, and funds don't want to deviate too much from the market average.

Rainmaker didn't look at the resources sector in this pilot study, but many super funds also invest in BHP and Rio Tinto for the same reason. About 18 months ago I was at an event where AustralianSuper chairwoman Heather Ridout spoke. On the topic of ethical investing, she said it would be impossible to screen out BHP Billiton from a balanced option because of its size. It begs the question, why not just be an index fund instead? It's cheaper. The other reason large super funds focus on the banks and miners is a practical one. The bigger the fund, the more they need to invest in big companies, because there's literally nowhere else for all that money to go without increasing the risk profile. Unless you shift away from Australian shares, that is. "Some of the super funds are so big, if they don't buy bank stocks, what else are they going to buy?" Dunnin says. "If you're big, then it restricts you  you can get involved in bigger investments but it also limits your options."

Size downside When it comes to superannuation we are often told that size is good. Rice Warner recently suggested super funds need a minimum $2 billion under management to benefit from economies of scale. But clearly there's a downside to size and as the industry consolidates it's only going to get worse. For his part, Dunnin says he doesn't believe in the $2 billion threshold. "There are big funds that perform below their weight and small funds that perform above their weight," he says. Of course, a product like Spaceship is not the only option for someone who feels their super fund has too much emphasis on Australian banks and miners. Note, this is information not advice. You don't have to go all the way to a self-managed super fund either, because most super funds now offer direct investment options to members, where you can choose to invest in specific assets.
With all this rain and flooding you might ask "Shouldn't we be building an ark?

The answer is  someone already has. Perhaps appropriately, in the wake of Cyclone Debbie, it's been done by a Queenslander. It isn't moored in readiness off the Whitsundays or perched on Mount Ararat, where Genesis says the original ark came to rest. Instead it is in the rolling hills of Williamstown, Kentucky. And it is of truly biblical proportions.

The ark built by Australian-born Ken Ham president and CEO of Answers in Genesis, the Creation Museum, and Ark Encounter, Williamstown, Kentucky.

Ken Ham, who was a teacher in Dalby, 200 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, would travel regularly to California in the 1980s to speak in churches and conferences on Christian apologetics (the reasoned defence of the Christian faith against objections).

Back home pupils would ask him "Sir, how can you be a Christian when the Bible's not true?" They said their textbooks taught them about the theory of evolution.
A Darwin couple spent 24 hours awaiting rescue in outback Western Australia after getting bogged in the Gibson Desert.

The man, 32, and woman, 27, were heading to Warburton in Western Australia when their 4WD got stuck about 300km north-west of the remote community about 11.30am on Friday.

The couple was heading to Warburton when their vehicle got bogged. Credit:Fairfax Media

They activated a personal locator beacon and a rescue bid stretched over two days ensued, led by Western Australia Police and assisted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

On Friday afternoon a search plane from Kalgoorlie - more than 900km away - spotted the pair who had made camp by their Toyota LandCruiser.
James Burns has been to every prenatal appointment with his fiancee Kelly Jenkins. She's three days past her due date and her little boy is kicking away inside her swollen belly as she sits next to James in a hospital consulting room.

The couple are surrounded by images of maternity scenes intimately more familiar to James than the ubiquitous stock images of white pregnant women and babies.

Like James, they are all Aboriginal. And most importantly, so is the woman sitting with them: their midwife, Vanessa Smith.

"I wanted the best for Kelly and the baby," James said. "We're just more comfortable having Vanessa and knowing she identifies with us and understands the culture".
A parliamentary committee has endorsed the Australian Cyber Security Centre's move from its shared premises with ASIO to a new site near Canberra Airport.

A report compiled at the end of an inquiry into the move said the Standing Committee on Public Works "did not identify any issues of concern with the proposal" and recommended the project be referred to the House of Representatives.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre is expected to be moved out of the ASIO headquarters. Credit:Graham Tidy

The Department of Defence last year proposed moving the centre, currently based in the three-year-old Ben Chifley Building with domestic spy agency ASIO, to an unoccupied building at the Brindabella Business Park near Canberra Airport.

The department's submission to the inquiry said the new premises would cater for a major expansion of the centre's workforce, from 260 to up to 700, flagged in a federal government strategy.
She was set on sending her children to expensive private schools. There was just one problem  she and her former husband could not afford the $50,000 in annual fees.

The parents, given the court-ordered pseudonyms Mr and Ms Stewart, could not agree on where their primary school-aged son and daughter should go to high school.

The court found the parents could not afford $50,000 in annual fees to send their children to private schools. Credit:Louie Douvis

Ms Stewart sought a court order that the children be enrolled in specific single-sex private schools, with the son attending the father and grandfather's alma mater.

As the Federal Circuit Court heard last year, if both children attended private schools the tuition fees alone would be $50,000 a year. Even without taking account of the extra costs of a private education and probable fee increases, it would cost up to $300,000 to put the children through school.
New York, Apr 22(Just Earth News): As the drought intensifies in south and north-eastern Somalia, the United Nations emergency food relief agency on Friday airlifted to Mogadishu enough high-energy biscuits to assist 31,000 people for three days.

The shipment, made on a Boeing 747 donated by the UPS Foundation from Dubai, also included medical assistance on behalf of the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

A rapid response is crucial to support drought-affected families across Somalia, said WFP Representative and Director of Gulf Office Abdallah Alwardat. This airlift is a great example of WFP and its partners coming together to reach those furthest behind with life-saving assistance.

The food is meant for the most vulnerable people  particularly children  who are displaced from their homes without access to food or cooking facilities, WFP said.

According to UN estimates, half of Somalias population, including 330,000 acutely malnourished children, is in need of urgent assistance.

The high-energy biscuits are rich in minerals and vitamins and do not require preparation, the UN agency said. WFP will provide other types of live-saving food assistance for the following days.

Photo: WFP Somalia

Source: www.justearthnews.com
It's the redemption story that everyone wanted to believe: a teenager forced into an arranged marriage to her first cousin, widowed at 29 with two young sons, having endured years in a violent marriage.

She emigrates from Egypt, gaining not one but two PhDs, rising to become chief executive of government funded health services that care for new migrants and earns a long list of community honours  including as a finalist for an honour from her adopted country on its national day.

But with an announcement this week that ICAC will hold public hearings into former Australian of the Year finalist Eman Sharobeem, following an investigation by Fairfax Media that revealed an asset freeze by the powerful NSW Crime Commission, the charade has come crashing down  allegations of misuse of credit cards, false invoices, spending on personal items, using public money to renovate a property she owned.

On top of the alleged fraud ICAC is investigating is the outright deceit, also revealed by Fairfax Media, that Sharobeem paraded fake academic and professional qualifications.
Nut farmer Robyn Scrivener has seen people throw shoes, even logs, to remove walnuts and chestnuts from her family's trees at Mt Irvine in the Blue Mountains.

If they aren't careful to "lock down picket fencing," visitors will attempt to dislodge nuts with them, too, she said.

People collect fresh chestnuts at Nutwood Farm in Mt Irvine in the Blue Mountains. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Nut farms in the area had experienced "quite serious accidents with people falling out of trees", said Ms Scrivener, whose family owns the Kookootonga Chestnut and Walnut Farm which allows the public to pick their own nuts.

While most visitors are well behaved, some go to extremes. Kookootonga warns visitors not to "climb or throw objects at the trees as the risk of falls and injuries is too high and the nearest hospital is 45 minutes drive away".
The text message raised suspicions when she saw it pop up on her husband's phone: "When you look into my eyes, I know that you're really thinking about me."

But the man explained to his wife it was not from another woman but from SMS4dads, a smartphone program for first-time fathers. The message was written from the perspective of the couple's new baby, to encourage father-child bonding.

Developed by the University of Newcastle with beyondblue and the Movember Foundation, the world-first service sends men regular messages with advice and information  synchronised to their baby's development  and a mood tracker to help them care for themselves while caring for their family.

"It's like a mate looking after you," said the SMS4dads project leader, Associate Professor Richard Fletcher.
For more than 40 years, police investigating the brutal murders of two women in Sydney's eastern suburbs believed it was likely the work of one killer.

Now the investigation into the killings of Lynette White and Maria Smith have been split up, after a detailed review revealed there was actually no definitive link between the crimes.

Archived photos from the wedding of Maria Smith. The 20-year-old was raped, bound and strangled to death in her Randwick apartment in April, 1974. Credit:NSW Police

Unsolved Homicide detectives believe the women were most likely killed by two different people, both of whom are still at large.

Twenty-six-year-old Mrs White was at home with her 11-week-old baby in her Coogee apartment on June 8, 1973 when she answered a knock at the door.
Thousands of Australians have marched in support of science and evidence-based policy as demonstrations kick off around the world on Earth Day.

People of all ages carried homemade banners, including "we need thinkers, not deniers" and "science, not silence".

Hundreds of thousands are expected to demonstrate in the global March for Science, which will be centred on Washington DC in response to US President Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts to science.
An autistic teenager who was bashed on a bus a week ago has been given VIP treatment by his favourite AFL team, the Western Bulldogs.

Jayden D'Abaco, 17, was treated to a pre-game behind-the-scenes look at the Doggies at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Jayden D'Abaco at the Western Bulldogs game on Saturday. Credit:7 News Melbourne

He also joined players on the ground before the Bulldogs' win against the Brisbane Lions in captain Bob Murphy's 300th game.

It was a welcome distraction for the teen who was assaulted by five youths while travelling on a bus at Tarneit in Melbourne's west on April 15.
A boozed up P-plater was restrained by a group of residents in Berwick overnight, when he attempted to flee the site of a car crash after losing control of his vehicle and running into a power pole, cutting off an entire street's electricity.

Police believe the man, 20, was driving along Centre Road when he mounted the footpath and ploughed into multiple billboards before he crashed into a power pole, about midnight, early Sunday morning.

A 37-year-old man remains in a critical condition after the stabbing. Credit:Georgia Matts

A number of resident performed a citizen's arrests, restraining the man as he attempted to flee the scene after the crash, according to police.

The Glen Waverly man, who was in the car alone, returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.157 - more than three times the legal driving limit.
A six-year-old boy who was injured in the Rye carnival on Monday has died.

The Dromana boy, Eugene, fell from a ride that was operating after the carnival had closed to the public about 5.15pm. He was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital where he died on Friday night.

Eugene fell from the Cha Cha ride at Rye Carnival. Credit:wittingslowamusements.com.au

In a statement, his parents Tammy and Stacey Mahauariki said their hearts were broken.

"Last night we said a sad farewell to our beautiful son Eugene Mahauariki," they said.
Kuala Lumpur: In a sparse office on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, dozens of millennials are busy crunching numbers, barely looking up from their computers as they sip coffee.

Sunlight filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto a concrete floor. Desks are scattered about. Some construction tools are lying in a corner.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been Malaysia's prime minster since 2009. Credit:AP

This is the home of Invoke, a policy research shop with about 80 employees set up last October by Rafizi Ramli, vice president of the opposition People's Justice Party, or PKR. He calls the data operation his "secret weapon" to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak in an election expected this year.

So far, Najib has proven resilient despite facing corruption allegations that sparked the interest of the U.S. Department of Justice last year - all of which he denies. Divisions among his opponents, combined with racially tinged populist messages to his majority Malay Muslim base, have analysts predicting that his ruling Barisan Nasional coalition will extend its seven-decade grip on power in Malaysia.
Nour al-Hoda al-Gammal: "We wanted to move beyond the idea of traditional sheikhs or that we are unapproachable scholars; rather we are at your service, to teach you." Credit:Abdel Rahman Mohamed They are expected to undergo four years of religious instruction in an institute recognised by either the ministry or al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning. Egypt embarked on a similar project in 2015 in collaboration with the National Council of Women, a state body set up during Hosni Mubarak's rule, but this quickly faltered as its responsibilities were so ill-defined. People look at damage inside St George's church after a suicide bombing in the Nile Delta town of Tanta in April. Credit:AP But some critics are troubled that the state is encroaching on already dwindling personal freedoms under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Sisi, who was defence minister under Islamist president Mohamed Morsi until he overthrew him in a 2013 coup, has been keen to portray himself as a moderate who can promote reform in Islam. An ambulance outside Saint Mark's Cathedral following a suicide bombing that killed several people, just after Coptic Pope Tawadros II finished services in the city of Alexandria. Credit:AP It was a point he returned to after the Palm Sunday terrorist attacks on Coptic churches, which killed 44 worshippers and injured dozens. Imposing a national three-month state of emergency after the bombings, Sisi also ordered the formation of a supreme council to combat terrorism and extremism. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi addressing the UN General Assembly in September. Credit:AP

He has routinely cast the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group in league with Islamic State  a claim the Brotherhood denies  and has been locked in an ideological battle with al-Azhar, which includes a university, a mosque and a network of schools, over his vague promises to modernise the faith. Egypt's armed forces have been battling the Islamic State-affiliated Wilayat Sinai (Sinai Province) as the insurgent group has stepped up its attacks on Coptic Christians. Female preacher Mona Salah wears a sash showing she has been approved by Egypt's Ministry for Religious Endowments. Credit:Mona Salah Al-Azhar's Grand Mufti, Ahmed al-Tayeb, has come under pressure since the most recent attacks for comments he made in 2015 refusing to denounce IS militants as infidels. Islam is an integral part of public life in Egypt; three out of four Muslim Egyptians believe religion is central to their lives. The revolution in 2011 laid bare the fault lines of religious expression, between Egyptians who view faith as a matter of personal belief and those who see religious values as inextricably linked to political ones.

Egyptians voted for Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's nominee for the presidency, in 2012. His slim victory suggested that for some it was not so much a vote for a religious candidate as against his rival, Ahmed Shafiq, who was strongly identified with the ousted Mubarak regime. However, Morsi's disastrous year in power saw the Brotherhood clash with the military and alienated many Egyptians, leading to his overthrow in July 2013. The state, even under monarchic rule before 1952, has had to strike a delicate balance in trying to authorise a version of Islam that appeals to a wide spectrum of the population. Egypt's constitution maintains Islam is the religion of the state and that sharia is the main source of legislation. The decision to appoint female preachers explicitly to tackle extremism is an endorsement by the state of female leadership and fits with Sisi's vision of a "centrist Islam". However, Mahmood says it is also part of a larger pattern of the state asserting control over citizens' lives. "In the early 1990s  the state started requiring that all women who were preachers in mosques be licensed through the government-run centres for dawa [preaching] and those who did not have this licence were then forcibly removed," she explained to Fairfax Media.

"What makes this moment under Sisi slightly different is that it is even more oppressive than the Mubarak regime ... its censorship and regulation of the religious field [is] more intense." Sisi's crackdown on dissidents has widened to include those religious figures who don't toe the state's line. For Gammal, away from the politicisation of female preaching, she points to a spiritual essence in her pedagogy. "Renewing religious speech means that everyone has to preach goodness and elevate their ethics  it is not just a domain reserved for the [Ministry of Religious] Endowments or al-Azhar." Mona Salah, 59, sees dawa as a religious duty and a moral imperative. She memorised the Koran at 19, taught Islamic jurisprudence in Saudi Arabia for years and graduated from a preaching preparation institute in Dokki, an upmarket suburb of Cairo, in 2002.

"Sudden death of loved ones and moral corruption all around us drove me to tread down this path", she told Fairfax Media. "We want to raise a generation with solid moral values  the most important thing in our religious practice are ethics, if we focus on that then the whole umma [global Muslim community] will be fixed." Salah noted that the current political moment is sensitive for preachers striking a balance between their Koranic interpretations and the state's shifting line on what is considered "moderate". "In a lot of mosques, preachers are regularly prevented from giving their sermons based on their religious interpretations if they have become stringent or rebuking in their tone," Salah said. "We are walking next to the wall, as they say." The "centrist" version of Islam that Egypt's institutions are promoting is based on the idea of remaining loyal to its leadership and not encouraging dissent as it faces extremist threats in the region.

An avowed Salafi, Salah campaigned for controversial preacher Hazem Abu Ismail when he unsuccessfully ran for presidential elections in 2012. He, like Morsi, is now behind bars. Salafis, who are extremely conservative in their religious practice, were a critical bloc in Sisi's bid for the presidency in 2014 but have also had a contentious relationship with the authorities since 2011, where they were hesitant to participate in democratic elections. They eventually mobilised their base to enter parliament in 2011, were supportive of Morsi but then turned on him to support Sisi, who has shunned them in recent years. Their ideas have been deemed too extreme for the state's liking. Inas who has been preaching for over two years, enjoys the connections forged with women who attend her religious classes in a small institute in Alexandria. "When I ask a sheikh [male religious elder] for an example about something specific to my womanhood, he will never feel what I am going through because he hasn't experienced it. When a woman asks me I reply through an embodied response as a woman armed with my religious knowledge," she told Fairfax Media.

Mahmood, the University of California professor, says this is an important development in engendered by Muslim women changing perceptions of a conservative patriarchal society. "Issues women were reluctant to ask of male preachers are openly discussed and debated among women in the setting of mosques. This has changed the interpretive discourse on orthodox Islam as well as involved women in the study of religious sources far more intimately than was the case before," she said. Sattar views the ministry's announcement as a positive step in encouraging more women to be religiously active, but would like preaching to be even more present in the public life of Egyptians. "Through your works and actions as a Muslim woman, your behaviour with others, even the intonations in your voice, these are what show me your true Islam  it's never through your veil." The preachers Fairfax Media spoke to emphasised the need for a virtuous life as a priority that goes hand in hand with being a dutiful citizen, and lament what they see as moral decay.

This is a view that authorities under Sisi have also been trying to push forward  with mixed results. In recent years, a pro-regime Islamic preacher with a television program was imprisoned for a year, a poet and loyal supporter of Sisi has been charged with contempt of Islam and four Coptic Christian teenagers were sentenced to five years' jail for making a video mocking Islamic State and later sought asylum in Switzerland. In her newly-opened centre, the soft-spoken Gammal sitting at her desk shrugs off the idea that radicalisation can be tackled through sermons alone. "It shouldn't just be the institutions that should change the religious discourse, it is for every citizen to partake in this endeavour." With a dedicated young team updating her sermons online, she nonetheless sees her calling to preach as a personal duty.
New York, Apr 22(Just Earth News): The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa was relieved to learn that Cameroon President Paul Biya instructed that full internet services be restored in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon.

I welcome this measure, which is in line with those recently announced by the Government to address the demands of English-Speaking teachers and lawyers, said Francois Lounceny Fall, who also heads the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), in a press statement.

He noted that the decision, which took effect from 20 April, will go a long way to help reduce tension and to create conditions conducive for the resolution of the crisis in the two regions.

Fall said that he counts on the Government of Cameroon to continue to promote appeasement and dialogue, and to take all other appropriate measures aimed at a speedy and lasting resolution of the crisis in order to strengthen unity, stability and prosperity in Cameroon.

The Special Representative concluded by taking the opportunity to express the wish that the Cameroonian people will maintain their spirit of patriotism and show restraint during this trying period, including by avoiding the use of the Internet to incite hatred or violence.

Photo: World Bank/Flore de Preneuf

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Beijing: North Korea's foreign ministry has lashed out at Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and warned Australia was "coming within the range of the nuclear strike".

The threats were reported by the North Korean state news agency KCNA as being made on Friday, in response to a radio interview given by Ms Bishop.

According to a translation of the KCNA report, which was dated Friday, the same day US Vice-President Mike Pence arrived in Australia, Ms Bishop had said in the radio interview that North Korea seriously threatens regional peace and she supports the US policy that "all options are on the table".

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of North Korea - officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) - was quoted as saying: "The present government of Australia is blindly and zealously toeing the US line. It is hard to expect good words from the foreign minister of such government."
Washington: The US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee has invited FBI, NSA and Obama administration officials to testify as it restarts its investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

After stalling over the committee chairman's ties to President Donald Trump's White House and disagreements over who should testify, the bipartisan committee said on Friday it had sent a letter inviting James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Admiral Mike Rogers, director of the National Security Agency, to appear behind closed doors on May 2.

A second letter invited three officials who left the government as president Barack Obama's administration ended - former CIA director John Brennan, former director of national intelligence James Clapper and former deputy attorney-general Sally Yates - to appear at a public hearing to be scheduled after May 2. The Trump administration had sought to block Yates from testifying.

The planned hearings are the first the committee has announced since its chairman, Republican Representative Devin Nunes, recused himself from the Russia investigation on April 6 after receiving information at the White House about surveillance that swept up some information about members of Trump's transition team.
Bangkok: Several times customs officials noticed a man carrying a strange-looking case across the border from north-eastern Thailand to Laos, a known smuggling route.

When they confronted 25-year-old Nithinon Srithaniyanan and asked him to open the case they found six tubes of human semen in a nitrogen tank.

The discovery has refocused attention on a growing commercial surrogacy business in the Lao capital Vientiane, where there are no laws or regulations dealing with the practice that is outlawed in many countries.

Mr Nithinon, a Thai, told authorities he collected the sperm from four fertility clinics in Bangkok, revealing that surrogacy procedures are still being carried out in the city despite a ban imposed by Thailand's military government in the wake of the Baby Gammy scandal in 2014.
F12.net Announces New Director of Client Relations

EDMONTON, ALBERTA  (Marketwired)  04/21/17  F12.net, Inc. (F12) is proud to announce the appointment of Devon Gillard to Director of Client Relations. Devon joined F12 in 2009 when Twin Solutions merged with F12 (then SSI Solutions). Devon was a co-owner of Twin Solutions and continued with F12 as an IT Consultant and Shareholder. In 2012 Devon became the General Manager of the Calgary branch, which tripled in size over the next 5-years. This growth included the acquisition of Calgary-based XCEL Professional Services Ltd., which Devon initiated and lead. With more than 20 years of IT and business experience, Devon has a passion for supporting entrepreneurs in achieving their goals.

The best part of my job, said Devon, is talking with business leaders about their vision for their organizations; from them, I have learned more than from any business strategy book. It is my mission to deepen these relationships throughout F12 by improving our strategic engagement and reinforcing our personal commitment to their success.

As Director of Client Relations, Devon will ensure F12 provides exceptional value to organizations seeking a long-term, strategic IT partner essential to their growth. Devon will lead F12s national team of regional managers and IT consultants in safeguarding F12s brand and relevance. Devon will play a critical strategic role in the senior leadership team as F12 continues to enhance its products, culture, and brand. F12 currently supports over 600 client locations throughout Canada, with a team of nearly 100 Networkers.

In todays complex and risky IT environments, businesses require a high level of IT knowledge and business acumen in order to make decisions that will propel their businesses forward. Devons business leadership and technical experience make him invaluable to the F12 team and our clients. Alex Webb, CEO

About F12.net, Inc.

F12.net is an expert in delivering Hardware as a Service (HaaS), Managed Services, and Canadian Private Cloud solutions. The companys premier product, Service Plus, is an all-inclusive hardware and software licensing program, offering peace of mind for any business. All equipment, licensing, and technical support is included for one monthly payment. With guaranteed equipment replacement, Service Plus allows businesses to continue to function regardless of technical glitches. Additional information can be found at .

Contacts:

F12.net, Inc.

Leanne Yeatman

Director of Administration

780-444-8661 ext. 3104
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Never miss Somerset's latest and breaking news again by signing up to our Daily Newsletter

The Naked Bike Ride is an annual global event, with over 50 countries taking part worldwide.

It has been described by the event organisers on their official website as both a "peaceful, imaginative and fun protest against oil dependency and car culture" and a "celebration of the power and individuality of the human body."

It has become much more than just a protest, and is now an event where musicians, artists, and cyclists all come together to celebrate.

The first Naked Bike Ride took place in 2005, and though it has run into a few problems in the past regarding public nudity, it has become increasingly more popular in recent years.

The most popular rides in the UK are held in London and Brighton, which see more than 1,000 cyclists taking part in each ride. To compare, the most popular ride in the US is held in Portland, Oregon, which saw around 8,000 cyclists take part last year.

When and where?

Rides in the UK in 2017 are taking place between May 27 and July 15. There are rides taking place in Southampton on June 2, Bristol on the June 4, Exeter on June 24, and Portsmouth on July 9.

It's totally up to you to decide how you ride  you can ride in the nude, in fancy dress, covered in body paint; whatever you are comfortable doing! Just remember to take a rain poncho, even though the rides take place in the summer. This is the UK, after all.

If you're interested in taking part or want some more information about the event, visit their official website.
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Easter may now be all but a distance memory and while youve been working off the chocolate eggs and lazy four day weekend, the courts of Somerset have been in full swing.

Among those facing justice this week are a man who ran over a man and left him in the street with a broken ankle, a carer who pilfered almost 50,000 from a dementia patient, a man who stabbed his victim repeatedly in the face and a vigilante parking monitor.

Heres your guide to the biggest cases in the courts this week.

A Yeovil man who started self-policing the street where he lived, putting traffic cones on the roofs of cars he thought were badly parked, caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to the vehicles.

Mark Harwood-Scorer suffered from a debilitating health condition, so placed the cones on the edge of the roof then pushed them towards the middle of the vehicles causing scratch marks to the bodywork.

Harwood-Scorer, 59, of Queensway Place, appeared before magistrates at Yeovil this week to face the consequences of his actions.

A carer who convinced an elderly woman that she was her granddaughter in order to help herself to almost 50,000 of her money was found guilty of three charges of theft and fraud on Wednesday, after a six day trial at Taunton Crown Court.

Kisella Hillman committed the offences over the course of about three months while she was being paid to look after the victim, who lived near Frome, and used the money to pay for time in a recording studio and to help support an orphanage in Kenya.

The 27-year-old defendant, of Little Keyford Lane, Frome, had denied any wrong-doing, claiming the money had been given to her as a gift.

Also on Wednesday, a teenage-boy from Taunton was branded one of the most dangerous people one Judge had ever had appear before him.

The 16-year-old boy  who cannot be named for legal reasons  had been found guilty of a single charge of sexual touching following a trial.

But the jury at Taunton Crown Court cleared him of 12 charges of sexual offences and rape - a decision branded "bizarre" by the judge.

Sentencing the boy to a two-year rehabilitation order, Judge David Ticehurst said: "I think that you are potentially one of the most dangerous men who has ever appeared before me.

"Your perverted interest in young girls is a matter of grave concern."

He said the verdict reached by the jury in the trial had been "bizarre" and told him: "You are extremely fortunate you were not convicted of any of the other charges against you. You were looking at a lengthy prison sentence  and some of the girls who gave evidence against you during the trial would no doubt believe it is exactly what you deserve.

A man who ran over another man's leg, leaving him in agony on the ground with a bone sticking out of his ankle, was warned to expect a jail sentence when he appeared before Taunton Crown Court this week.

Adam Watson, 27, of St Matthew's Green, Bridgwater, admitted a charge of grievous bodily harm and causing serious injury by dangerous driving after being involved in an incident which eye-witnesses said was like the Jeremy Kyle Show taking place in the middle of the street.'



A man who was released from prison on license after strangling his girlfriend and burning down her home to try and hide his crime was jailed for six years this week after stabbing a man and woman in a booze and cocaine-fuelled attack in Bridgwater.

Matthew Bayle, 32, of George Street, had moved to Bridgwater when he was released from prison by the parole board who no longer deemed him to be a threat to members of the public.

A second man has been sentenced over the crash which caused the death of Lewis Rogers and left another man paralysed from the neck down.

33-year-old Christopher Hampton from Riverstone, West Huntspill was spared jail for the part he played in the collision.

The driver of the car, Lee Stoodley was sentenced to 11-years in prison at the end of March when he was convicted of causing the death of Lewis Rogers, by driving without due care and attention while having consumed alcohol over that of the legal driving limit.

The court heard that Hampton had picked up his car from outside a pub, intending to drive to Bridgwater that night to carry on drinking and partying.

The court heard that a group of four men  Dan Reed, Lewis Rogers, Lee Stoodley and Christopher Hampton, had been out on their work's Christmas party on the night of the accident.

Hampton had picked up his car from a pub after drinking heavily with his friends, intending to drive to Bridgwater to carry on drinking.

But part way through the journey, he said he felt too drunk to drive, pulling over and swapping seats with Stoodley, who took over the driving.

Shortly afterwards, the car was involved in a catastrophic accident at the Dunball roundabout on December 20, 2015.

A man who stole his former partner's keys and then thumped her in the face, fracturing her nose and eye socket when she tried to get them back has been branded a "bully" by a judge and jailed for 10 months.

Joshua Dalgarno, 23, of Middle Leigh, Street, had been in a relationship with the woman for six months and stayed at her home in Yeovil overnight before leaving the following morning, on October 29, 2016.
Never miss Somerset's latest and breaking news again by signing up to our Daily Newsletter

Allegations about spending cast a shadow over the 2015 general election that campaign offices will be keen to avoid this time around.

Rules published by the Electoral Commission identify clear instruction on how much can be spent - and for what - so as not to disadvantage the less financially endowed parties.

Here, Somerset Live examines those rules that seek to avoid a repeat of any previous spending irregularities.

What types of spending are there?

Simply, there are two. One relates to party campaigning, which is designed to widely promote the given party and its policies on a national level, while the other is for candidate spending. The former relates to national expenditure, for example newspaper or television adverts, while the latter governs money spent on promoting individual candidates through targeted campaign techniques such as leafleting.

What sort of spending does not count towards the totals?

Volunteers are a cherished resource during campaigning. Their help on the doorstep - through delivering leaflets, co-ordinating activists, or helping with the general running of the campaign - can prove invaluable. Generally speaking, their involvement will not need to be factored in to campaign spending. They may, however, incur some costs through reimbursed expenditure on travel, food and accommodation. For example, allegations highlighted by Channel 4 News and the Daily Mirror relate to busloads of Conservative activists sent to key seats, whose expenses were reported as part of national campaign spend rather than falling within the lower constituency limits.

Can parties accept heavily-discounted items and commercial services?

Yes, and it is not uncommon for a goods or service provider to offer a discount if he or she supports the campaigning party. If the party receives a discount of 10% or less, or if the difference in value between what it would normally cost and the price paid by the party is less than 200, the party only needs to record what it paid. For everything else, the full commercial value must be recorded.

Is there any margin for error?

The Electoral Commission rules describe the "honest assessment principle", which relies on those declaring expenditure to do so in good faith, and based on the facts. Some interpretation of the rules is necessary, for example when deciding how much of a service is used for both local candidate and national campaigning, with the sums split accordingly. Those in any doubt are encouraged to discuss it with the Commission - or risk committing a criminal offence by making a false or knowingly reckless declaration.

So, how much can parties and candidates spend?

The details for the next general election have not been confirmed. However, in 2015, the limit for a short campaign - defined as between March 30 and election day on May 7 - was 8,700 per candidate. It was an additional 30,700 for a "long" campaign, from December 19 to March 29. The amount a political party could spend was either 990,000 for the whole of Great Britain, or 30,000 for every Parliamentary seat it contested - whichever value was greater. It meant the largest political parties, contesting every seat, could spent nearly 20 million.
Paris, Apr 22 (IBNS): The attacker who shot one policeman dead and injured two others in a gun attack on Thursday in Paris's Champs-Elysees area has been named by Paris prosecutors, reports said.

Identified as Karim Cheurfi, the attacker was already a convicted criminal.

According to records, he had already been to jail four times for theft, attempted murder and violence.

The attacker used a Kalashnikov assault rifle to kill the police officer, a French official told journalist in Paris.

The victim, Xavier Jugele, 37, was an active campaigner for gay rights, media reports said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State, who claimed the attack, has identified the attacker as Abu-Yusuf al-Baljiki, raising suspicion over the presence of an accomplice.

Though a note sympathizing with Islamic State was found near Cheurfi's body, the prosecutors said that he wasn't radicalised.

Cheurfi, who last exited prison in Oct 2015, was described as psychologically fragile by his lawyers.

As the attack received widespread criticism from all corners with the presidential candidates calling for an early end to campaign, several people have accused the candidates of using the situation to gain political favour.

The French presidential election is scheduled for Sunday.
Delays to the construction of the Hinkley Point nuclear power station could be on the cards, if a dispute over bonus payments flares up into industrial action, unions have warned.



Trade unions Unite and the GMB will be holding a consultative ballot of the 700-strong workforce preparing the groundworks at the site near Bridgwater, and the news comes days after crew members had to be rescued from a Hinkley Point ship as it began to sink in the Bristol Channel.



The pay dispute centres on the failure to pay bonus rates in line with the spirit of the HPC Civil Construction agreement, and the unions argue that the rate offered is insufficient to attract the quality of workers needed to ensure that that the civil works phase of the 18 billion project is completed on time.

Unite regional officer Rob Miguel said: "The Hinkley Point nuclear power station is key to the future energy needs of the UK. The project has already suffered delays and to achieve the 2025 start date for electricity generation a skilled construction workforce is required.



"If the consultative ballot eventually leads to full-scale industrial action ballot, we could be looking at delays to the construction at Hinkley Point, which will be very expensive for the employers as hired-in plant and machinery will be lying idle.



"The scheme has already been plagued by delays over its financing and can't afford any further interruptions.



"We would urge the employers to get back around the table with senior union officials to achieve a fair settlement, so building can continue to the highest standard, safely and on schedule."

Unite regional officer Tim Morris said : "This poor offer is unacceptable under all of the circumstances and our members came to Hinkley Point under the belief that they would receive excellent pay and bonuses.



"The employers think they can do this 'on the cheap' by offering a derisory bonus rate, but the workers consider it to be completely inadequate to attract and hold onto the skilled workforce necessary."



GMB regional officer Adie Baker said: " GMB members are not prepared to accept this derisory offer on bonus payments that also threatens health and safety standards on site."
2022 Indiana election results: See the latest updates from St. Joseph County

Vote totals are preliminary until all are counted and certified by the St. Joseph County Election Board.
Image: Screen Grab from YouTube

Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): An attack at an army base in Afghanistan's Balkh province accounted for at least 70 soldiers as militants targeted those leaving Friday prayers at the base's mosque, media reports said.

The attack which started in the afternoon in the town of Mazar-e-Sharif, continued for several hours before the army managed to kill at least 10 militants.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility behind the attack, stating that they had used suicide bombers to carry out the task.

A military spokesperson was quoted as saying in the media that the militants entered the base wearing army uniform.

They initiated the carnage after driving through the military checkpoints.

The Mazar-e-Sharif base is home to 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan army, responsible for guarding the northern part of the country.




Washington, Apr 22 (IBNS): The White House administration has dismissed an Indian-American who was appointed as the Surgeon General.

Vivek Murthy was appointed to the post during the Obama regime.

"Today, Dr. Murthy, the leader of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump Administration," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement as available with the media.

He has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams.

Vivek Murthy tweeted : "Thank you America for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been humbled and honored to serve as your #SurgeonGeneral."

He was confirmed as the US Surgeon General in December 2014.

Image: Vivek Murthy Twitter page
SpaceX's and Boeing's commercial spacecraft, slated to begin bringing crew to the International Space Station as early as next year, will be able to serve as temporary shelter or lifeboats if there were to be dangerous situations on the station.

New commercial crew spacecraft for the International Space Station will be able to do more than just carry astronauts to the orbiting lab: They will also serve as temporary shelters, or even fly crew home, if there is an emergency in space, according to NASA.

Currently, in dangerous situations, such as when a piece of orbital debris threatens the space station, crewmembers take shelter in the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. And if a medical emergency were to arise that could not be handled in orbit, the crew would head back to Earth in the Soyuz craft.

The SpaceX Dragon and the Boeing CST-100 commercial crew spacecraft are both set to start crewed flights as early as next year, and NASA is working to ensure that these new spacecraft will serve most of the Russian spacecraft's protective functions, agency officials said in a statement. [ISS Tour: Russian Segment & Soyuz Spacecraft (Video)]

"The scenarios that would call for the spacecraft to operate as space-borne lifeboats have not occurred on the International Space Station before, but mission planners have long made sure they are prepared," NASA officials added.

"An electrical issue or ammonia leak on the space station could call for astronauts to shelter inside a Commercial Crew Program spacecraft long enough to correct the problem."

Today, the space station typically has six people on board, made up of two separate Soyuz crews, although the number sometimes reaches nine. Each person has an assigned emergency seat that he or she would use if the need were to arise. Therefore, the number of emergency seats limits how many people can be on the spacecraft at one time.

The Russian Soyuz can seat up to three people at a time. Depending on the crew configuration, the Dragon and CST-100 vehicles will each seat up to seven crewmembers.

However, the new spacecraft must meet a strict list of NASA requirements to serve as a lifeboat. Specifically, NASA said the spacecraft must be able to turn on quickly, even after sitting dormant at a docking station for weeks or months.

"Some systems will take longer to bring online, but the idea is to have spacecraft that astronauts can get into quickly for survival and then use to pull away from the station and come home if that is needed," Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said in the statement. "Defining exactly what that means, and what the companies can do to make it real, was the hard part. That's why we took a teamwork approach from the start and why we've treated this as a partnership."

Both Boeing and SpaceX are performing Earth-based tests of their spacecraft before doing in-orbit evaluations with a crew on board. After that, they will test their spacecraft's capabilities during a short mission.

"Their performances in space  without an actual emergency  are to be considered carefully before NASA certifies the companies to fly operational missions, which could see a spacecraft docked to the station for months at a time," agency officials added.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Jesse Allen and Joshua Stevens, NASA Earth Observatory

This Earth Day, as people around the world take time to celebrate our planet, don't forget to pause and celebrate the grandeur and beauty of the U.S. national parks.

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), National Geographic has released several pictures of national parks taken from space. Read more about them in this article from National Geographic Travel (opens in new tab).

Shown here is a view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, well-known for its plant and animal life (including black bears), according to the National Park Service's (NPS) website. Visitors can also enjoy mountain views, a historic mill and wildflowers ranging from hepaticas in late winter to asters in late fall.

The park is on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, and in the satellite image you can clearly see the mountainous terrain and the streams coming down from the mountain.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii is an excellent example of the power of volcanoes, which can erupt unpredictably  even as humans do their best to monitor these fiery beasts.

The park is located on the lower right side of the island in this image, in the area that appears brown, rather than green, because of the recent lava flows. The park is home to Kilauea, one of the volcanoes that created the island of Hawaii. It's one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

Death Valley National Park

Jeff Williams, NASA

Death Valley in California is host to some of the United States' highest temperatures every summer, but despite this harsh, drought-filled environment, there still is a diversity of life within the borders, according to the NPS website. The nearby mountains have winter snow at the top, and when it does rain, there are fields of wildflowers in the valley.

This image shows the Badwater area of Death Valley National Park, where springs are contaminated with salt to create "bad water" in the basin. This zone is also the lowest part of North America, with an elevation of 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level.

Biscayne National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

While Biscayne National Park is extraordinarily close to the metropolis of Miami, it's also host to a diverse environment: coral reefs, islands and beautiful aquamarine waters, according to the NPS website. For history buffs, the park contains "evidence of 10,000 years of human history, from pirates and shipwrecks to pineapple farmers and presidents."

The image shows the varying depths of Biscayne Bay. The park includes portions of the bay, as well as the long, thin green strip of land on the left side of the image, and the park islands of Sands Key, Elliott Key, Totten Key and Old Rhodes Key.

Grand Teton National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

The NPS website says that Grand Teton National Park has one of the most memorable landscapes in the world, with just about any terrain you prefer  lakes, mountains, rivers and even big skies. You can also learn more about human history in the area, including homesteads, cattle ranches and trails likely used during fur trading with local Native Americans.

The satellite image shows the Wyoming mountain range, running vertically and capped in snow. The large lake to the right of the range is Jackson Lake, with Leigh Lake and the almost diamond-shaped Jenny Lake just below it. Grant Teton peak lies a little southwest of Jenny Lake.

Acadia National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

Featuring a mix of water, forest and wildlife, Acadia National Park in Maine was the first Eastern national park established. The park sits on Mount Desert Island, which is the double-lobed island just to the right and slightly above center in this image. The NPS says the park includes the tallest mountain that sits directly on the Atlantic coast (Cadillac Mountain), as well as historic carriage roads and a variety of wildlife.

Katmai National Park & Preserve

Jeff Williams, NASA

Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska is another highly volcanic area, but, surprisingly, a lot of animals thrive in the region. One of the goals of protecting this area is to preserve a habitat for migrating salmon as well as one of their predators  brown bears, according to the NPS website.

While the area is a harsh place to live, the blue and white hues captured in this image make the region appear very tranquil. Snow covers the peaks, with clouds creeping in on the left side, making it hard to tell sky from mountain.

Kenai Fjords National Park

NASA

Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska is full of glaciers and home to animals that thrive in cold environments. Today, the delicate ecosystem is threatened by climate change, according to the NPS website.

The image from space shows a terrain marked by a palette of bold colors. A channel of ice and snow flow into the rich blue water, surrounded by steep slopes painted in browns, grays and greens.

Grand Canyon National Park

Maps4Media / Getty Images

The Grand Canyon in Arizona is one of the most famous natural formations in the U.S. The park features excellent hiking and stargazing, and even offers the chance to go rafting down in the bottom of the canyon. Its size is breathtaking, at up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide and a mile (1.6 km) deep, according to the NPS website.

The image from space shows snow near the rim of the canyon, complementing the forbidding, jagged edges of the canyon and the vein of the Colorado River.

Yellowstone National Park

DigitalGlobe / Getty Images

The world's first national park (and one of the most famous), Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming receives visitors eager to see the Old Faithful geyser erupt, as well as a multitude of other geysers, mudpots and hot springs, according to the NPS website.

This image taken from space of the Grand Prismatic Spring (the largest pool, near the center of the image) and the Excelsior Geyser Crater (the deep blue smudge to the upper right of the Grand Prismatic), as well as the lesser-known (but perhaps less crowded) Opal Pool (upper left) and the Turquoise Pool (upper right).

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship S.S. John Glenn arrives near the International Space Station on April 22, 2017 to deliver tons of supplies for the orbiting lab's crew. The robotic spacecraft is named in honor of the famed Mercury astronaut John Glenn, who died in December.

John Glenn has arrived on the space station.

The S.S. John Glenn, Orbital ATK's seventh Cygnus cargo ship to deliver supplies and science for the crew on board the International Space Station, completed a four-day rendezvous to the orbiting laboratory on Saturday morning (April 21). The robotic freighter was named in honor of the late Mercury astronaut and U.S. Senator.

Expedition 51 flight engineer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (ESA), working with commander Peggy Whitson of NASA, captured the John Glenn using the space station's Canadarm2 robotic arm at 6:05 a.m. EDT (1005 GMT). [The Cygnus S.S. John Glenn Launch in Pictures]

"We are very proud to welcome on board the S.S. John Glenn," Pesquet said.

With the Cygnus in grasp, flight controllers at NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston will take over from Pesquet and Whitson and to guide the spacecraft to a berthing on the Earth-facing port of the space stations Unity module, where it will remain attached for the next 85 days.

Launched atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Tuesday (April 18), the S.S. John Glenn could have arrived at the space station earlier, but held off its approach (referred to by NASA as "station-keeping") to allow Russias Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft to dock with crewmembers Jack Fischer of NASA and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian federal space corporation Roscosmos on Thursday.

With the arrival of the Cygnus came the delivery of more than 7,600 lbs. (3,500 kilograms) of cargo, including the research materials to support dozens of new and ongoing science investigations. The delivery will enable studies on cancer-fighting drugs and crystal growth.

Also aboard the S.S. John Glenn is equipment to be installed outside the space station during a spacewalk scheduled for May 12, 38 CubeSats (many built by university students from around the world) to be deployed from the stations Japanese airlock (or from the Cygnus itself) and a new advanced plant growth habitat.

"A big difference in this system, compared to [the plant growth chamber] Veggie, is that it requires minimal crew involvement to install the science, add water and perform other maintenance activities," said Bryan Onate, the habitat's project manager, in a NASA interview. "We are learning how plants grow in space and what levels of commodities, such as light and water, are required so we can maximize our growth with the least resources.

Once emptied of its deliveries, the space station's crew will refill the S.S. John Glenn with spent equipment and other refuse to be destroyed during the spacecraft's destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere in July. Prior to that plunge  but after the Cygnus departs from the space station  the cargo freighter will support the third in a series of experiments into how fire burns in microgravity.

The spacecrafts namesake, John Glenn, died on Dec. 8, 2016, at the age of 95 and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on April 6. A Marine Corps Colonel and four-term U.S. Senator from Ohio, Glenn was the last of NASA's Mercury astronauts to die. In addition to being the first American to orbit Earth, Glenn became the oldest astronaut to fly in space at age 77 on space shuttle Discovery in 1998 (a record he still holds).

Robert Pearlman is a contributing writer and the editor of collectSPACE.com, a Space.com partner site and the leading space history news publication. Follow collectSPACE on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Marchers gather in Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles for the March for Science on April 22, 2017.

This story was updated at 2:29 p.m. ET on April 22. Keep up to date with our live updates from the 2017 March for Science.

Science is highly collaborative, and on April 22, scientists and science supporters alike will come together for a massive collaboration in the name of science, gathering in hundreds of cities worldwide to take part in the March for Science.

The march grew from a Reddit thread in January, in which people expressed growing concerns about the future of scientific research and science policies under the current White House administration, particularly in the areas of environmental protection and climate change mitigation. Plans began to emerge, first for a march in Washington, D.C., and later for a string of satellite marches  now numbering 517  extending across the U.S. and around the world.

The Facebook page for the March for Science has more than 500,000 likes. Thousands of people are expected to attend in many of the participating cities, marching to show their solidarity and respect for science, according to the event's organizers. [In Photos: The Best Signs from the 2017 March for Science]

Live Science will be reporting from marches in several cities  including Washington, D.C., New York, Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco  and will be reporting on events throughout the day.

In Washington, the day begins with teach-ins scheduled to start at 9 a.m. local time on the grounds around the Washington Monument. The march begins at 2 p.m. on Constitution Avenue NW at 15th Street, proceeding east to 3rd Street NW, and then turning south on 3rd Street NW to end at Union Square, according to the March for Science website.

"Any kind of opportunity where we can participate with other members of the general public and the science community coming together and showing support, it's exciting," Jennifer Vaughn, chief operating officer of the Planetary Society, told Live Science.

"It's a good time to stand up and celebrate and activate the public to get more involved and develop a deeper appreciation for science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Vaughan added.

As individuals, marchers will likely represent a range of interests and priorities, but a Marcher Pledge on the March for Science website encourages participants to embrace several unifying goals, including a commitment to fight discrimination and inequality within the scientific community, and to make research, resources and professional opportunities more accessible to people from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

"We march for countless individual reasons, but gather together as the March for Science to envision and sustain an unbroken chain of inquiry, knowledge and public benefit for all," the pledge stated.

Follow Live Science on Twitter and Facebook to receive the latest updates and photos from the march!

Original article on Live Science.
Copenhagen (Denmark), April 21, 2017 (SPS) - The President of the Euro-Med Rights network of Human Rights (EuroMed Rights), Mr. Michel Tubiana called on, in a letter addressed Thursday to the Member States of the United Nations Security Council, to renew the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and to extend this mission to include a mandate to monitor human rights in Western Sahara.

The president of EuroMed Rights, a network of over 80 human rights defence organizations located on both sides of the Mediterranean urged, in his letter the members of the Security Council, who will vote on the extension of the MINURSOs mandate at the end of April, to renew the MINURSO's mandate and ensure that it is fully operational, so that it may carry out its mission unimpeded and to extend the MINURSO's mission to assessing the human rights situation, or establish permanent international mechanisms for vigilance and monitoring observance of human rights in Western Sahara. (SPS)

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BRIDGEPORT Neelton Sean Gooden was winding up his workday the same way he had since the grand opening of 4 Corner Billiards downtown six months ago.

He was chatting with his co-owner outside the building on the Bank Street side of McLevy Green about 12:30 a.m. Thursday as they were getting ready to drive home.

Thats when eight to 10 gunshots from across the green abruptly announced the arrival of the citys soon-to-be seventh homicide of the year  Max Antoine, 33, of Stamford.

I ducked down, Gooden recalled Thursday afternoon, back at work at the billiards hall. He was across the street coming from the other side of State Street. I heard the shots fired. I saw him running  then drop to his knees.

Gooden said he ran over to where Antoine sprawled in the middle of McLevy, gasping for breath, and called 911. It was already too late; shortly after police arrived, Antoine was pronounced dead at the scene.

More News Homicide casts pall over Bridgeports downtown revival

It appears that somebody either followed him or was waiting for him and ended up shooting him, said police Chief Armando A.J. Perez. They shot him twice.

Police said Antoine had just left a party, although they did not specify the address.

By late morning, the neighborhood around McLevy  a short walk from the Margaret E. Morton Government Center and several restaurants and other small businesses along State Street was a maze of yellow police tape.

A half-dozen men in hard hats and safety vests renovating a nearby building gawked as crime scene investigators worked in a drizzling rain, the body still visible during the morning rush hour.

Two electricians walking around the crime tape on the way to their job darkly joked that it reminded them of military tours in Afghanistan.

I grew up here. (Violence is) the reason I moved out of the city, said one, a 32-year-old Ansonia resident who declined to give his name.

Eventually, staff from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner removed Antoines sheet-draped body, wheeling it off on a gurney and into a van.

Little information about Antoine was released by officials Thursday. A Facebook profile for Max Antoine was flooded with condolences and a link to a GoFundMe page established to support his memorial service.

In Stamford, numerous friends and family gathered at his West Side home, but declined to comment.

Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said that department was assisting Bridgeport with the investigation. Bridgeport investigators were escorted to Antoines home in the mid-afternoon.

We are working together and they have some personnel down here and we are assisting on that. I dont want to comment too much further on their ongoing investigation, Conklin said.

Detectives have been interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence recovered from the area, said Bridgeport Capt. Brian Fitzgerald, who oversees the homicide bureau.

Gooden said he was shocked that violence commonly seen in other parts of Bridgeport had extended downtown, which is seeing a boost of new construction, residents and businesses.

Downtown Bridgeport? Thats the whole reason I opened my business down here because it was supposed to be safe, Gooden said.

Investigators said they have some leads but are looking for more help solving the crime. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 203-576-TIPS (8477).

Staff Writer John Nickerson contributed to this report
M aryam, a young queer Londoner, doesnt identify with traditional gender norms.

Some days she wears a hijab, other days she wraps a scarf up like a turban. Between drinks in Soho with her girlfriend and queer friends, she is heavily involved with her local mosque and her family are hoping to settle her into an arranged marriage. And she occasionally does sex work.

Her identity as a queer, Muslim sex worker - as you can probably imagine - is not always met with understanding. Yet here she is, existing and navigating a white, heteronormative world that claims she cant exist.

When we first meet up to start recording the podcast together, we jump right into talking about her journey in identifying as both a gender fluid, queer woman and Muslim.

There are times I can be dressed as a man, there are times I can be androgynous, and right now Im just sloppy, she laughs.

Ive always been drawn to women, but when I was in high school I completely repressed it.

The realisation that jolted her awake was learning that, while the world may be heteronormative, there are other people out there who dont fit that mould and there are a million possible ways to identify.

While Maryam navigates her queer identity, her family are lining up potential suitors for a Muslim husband.

I stumbled upon a form which is basically a profile to organise an arranged marriage.

I was reading it and it just said my name, age, my brothers occupations, my parents occupations, and my academic status.

In my head, I was like thats so funny because if somebody asked me who I was, student would not be the first thing that comes to mind. But that was all they could write about me.

Best podcasts for your commute - in pictures 1 /20 Best podcasts for your commute - in pictures What will you listen to on your walk to work Friday? Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Tiny Desk Concerts This series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music brings some of the biggest names to perform in a tiny office, at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. Listening (or watching, if you prefer the video version) feels intimate and personal, almost as if youre there yourself, spending a chilled-out afternoon with Tegan and Sarah or Adele. iTunes The Bright Sessions This award-winning podcast is a sci-fi audio drama about people in therapy who have supernatural abilities. The art form of radio drama can often be pushed aside for the ever-popular narrative shows, but this cast of talented voice actors and captivating story threads will keep you hooked. iTunes Modern Love Based on the popular New York Times series of reader-submitted essays about love, this podcasts goes deep into the readings by adding commentary from notable personalities, updates by the essayists themselves. Hosts Meghna Chakrabarti and Modern Love editor Daniel Jones give listeners an introspective view into one of the worlds most joyful yet complex and confusing phenomenon -- being in love. iTunes Reply All For a show about the internet, this podcasts teaches listeners so much more. Its about stolen cell phones, rainbow dogs, time travel and everything in between. Hosts PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman have an unbeatable dynamic, explaining quirky internet stories in ways that feel more like a conversation over coffee than a lesson in tech. iTunes Kitchen Sisters Presents From Peabody award winning Kitchen Sisters Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva comes a powerhouse production that brings audio to life, integrating in lost recordings, hidden worlds and stories of real people. The episodes are a treat for the ear, telling deeply layered stories interlaced with pleasing music and tasteful field noise. iTunes Worst Idea of All Time Two guys who pick a terrible film and watch it every week for a year. What could go wrong? Guy Montgomery and Tim Batt, two New Zealand comedians, started the show by watching Grown Ups 2 once a week, every week for a year. Then they watched Sex and The City 2 52 times. Now they are watching We Are Your Friends. A funny show or the public deterioration of two grown men? Well let you decide. iTunes Love + Radio Nick van der Kolks Love and Radio doesnt try to teach, preach or instill. It just tells stories in the most primal form, introducing real characters and scenarios that feel just that -- real. Nothing is as it seems, and the complicated plots of the show keeps you on your toes in a peaceful way, not a true crime way. Truly a delight. iTunes My Dad Wrote a Porno When your 60-year-old father has written erotic books, what choice do you have but to read them aloud for thousands of listeners? Tune in to hear Jamie Morton and friends James Cooper and BBC Radio 1s Alice Levine read a new chapter every Monday. No guarantees that you wont laugh out loud in public. iTunes The High Low A follow up to the freshly retired PanDolly Podcast, Pandora Sykes and Dolly Aldertons High Low mixes the trivial and the political into a tight, quick 45 minutes - literally, the two talk so fast. The female duo echoes the American trend (Think: Two Dope Queens, Call Your Girlfriend), but acknowledges their posh privilege in a refreshingly transparent manner. A chat show thats mindful, not mindless? The perfect background for your commute. The High Low Desert Island Discs Its the classic game played on long car rides since the beginning of time -- what would you take with you on a desert island? This BBC4 programme was created by Roy Plomley in 1942, and is now hosted by Kirsty Young, who asks guests to choose the eight records they would take with them to a desert island. You can listen to every castaway from 1942 to the present, from David Beckham to Liberaci. iTunes Adam Buxton Podcast Get an inside look at the actor/director/comedians life with this podcast, which is really more like a casual chat. There are silly rambles and even some singing, but youd be surprised at much youll learn about Buxtons life and the lives of his boisterous guests. iTunes The Moth Stories told on the Moth Radio Hour are true, remembered live (without notes) and expose the rawest bits of the human condition. Moth storytellers in a roomful of strangers, telling stories that are heartwarming, terrifying and exhilarating. These stories are personal -- anyone with a tale can volunteer. For the stories behind the stories, this podcast re-airs all episodes of the show, plus additional pieces from their archives. iTunes My Favorite Murder True crime podcasts are all the rage (Serial, S-Town, and the like), but MFM is a different kind of thrill. Each episode is hosted by die-hard crime story fans Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, who tell each other their favorite tales of murder. Friends and fans call in to report hometown crime stories too so, as the website says: Check your anxiety at the door. iTunes Kermode and Mayos Film Review The historic duo have been presenting radio programmes together for ages, but this podcast is one to note. Its a simple format: one hour of Mayo discussing the weeks top films, a conversation or two with an actor or director, and then one hour of Kemode ranting about the weeks film releases. Kemode is totally unleashed, launching unplanned assaults in the Kermodean rants he is so famously known for. The BBC Radio 5 programme is the channels flagship movie podcast. iTunes

The next time Maryam and I meet, were having a cup of tea in her family home and upstairs in her bedroom, she shows me how she earns money doing sex work online.

On her laptop, she opens up a site that she uses regularly to message clients. Today, one man is thanking her for a worn skirt she posted to him. She replies, asking what hed like next.

Another message comes in from a different client - this time more demanding but his request isnt unusual, she tells me.

A man has asked her to wear a pair of tights to the mosque and post them - dirty - to him for a fee. Many clients, she finds, are fascinated by her faith and Pakistani British heritage.

They might think they have the power because theyre playing out this colonial fantasy in which theres this brown woman living in poverty who needs a saviour. No, no - I know exactly what theyre playing at, she says.

The stereotype of sex workers as white, heterosexual women is clearly not only unrealistic, but also unhelpful. Dr Nicola Smith, author of Queer Sex Work and lecturer at the University of Birmingham explains: Why would it not be true that there would be many LGBTQ sex workers? We know that in the rest of social life, the presumption of heterosexuality is very problematic.

What the stereotypes are most successful in doing is depicting the industry as a place of simple dichotomies, so that the complexities and diversities can be neatly erased.

When I meet Maryam for our last podcast interview, its almost been a year since we first sat down to record. Its incredible how much has changed in the past few months, including coming out to her family, and I cant help but be moved by her strength and bravery.

To follow Maryams journey, subscribe on iTunes, audioBoom or RSS. You can also follow on Twitter @queerpodcasts.

Queer Muslim Sex Worker, the podcast documentary, is out May 3, 2017 and is free to download.
A man is fighting for life following a suspected knife fight in an industrial estate in south-east London.

Emergency services rushed to Erith following reports of a fight involving a man seen with a knife around 8am on Saturday.

Detectives discovered the victim, in his 20s, suffering head injuries in Bilton Road, at the junction with Manor Road.

He was rushed to a south London hospital where he remains with life-threatening injuries, Scotland Yard said.

A man, in his 30s, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

Attack: The victim suffered head injuries / Facebook/ coolairvw.co.uk

He is currently being held at a south London police station.

A Met Police spokesman said: Enquires are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the incident.

Businesses close to the scene were forced to close on Saturday while police investigated.

Cool Air VW wrote on Facebook: Due to an incident in Bilton Road this morning, the police have closed the access to our shop, so unfortunately we will be closed today.

We are still here to answer your calls but please do not try and visit the shop today (Saturday 22nd April) as you will not be allowed access to us. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact police on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A manhunt has been launched after a woman was sexually assaulted on the Tube and another was followed through an east London station.

Police say a 21-year-old woman was harassed by a stranger on two occasions in March.

She was followed from a Victoria line train and later saw the same man waiting for her at the Walthamstow Central escalators.

Police have now linked the incident with a sexual assault at Marble Arch station on February 23.

Tube: A woman was followed at Walthamstow Central / British Transport Police

On that occasion, a woman in her 40s, who suffers from arthritis, was approached by a Good Samaritan who offered to help her to the platform.

But, as they made their way through the station, he started to make sexual comments and touched her inappropriately. The attack happened at around 3.25pm.

Police appeal: Officers want to speak to this man after the Marble Arch incident / British Transport Police

British Transport Police have released CCTV of a man they want to trace over both incidents.

Investigating officer, Det Con Andrew Parkinson, said: I would like to speak to the man shown in the CCTV images as he may have information which could help with the investigation into these two incidents, which we now believe are linked.

Appeal; Police want people with information to come forward / British Transport Police

The harassment against the woman at Walthamstow Central has left the victim feeling very intimidated and unsafe. Officers are supporting her as the investigation continues.

It is vital that we trace the man responsible so that we can establish the full circumstances of the harassment incidents.

Similarly we are still appealing for information regarding the sexual assault at Marble Arch.

If you have any information, call police on 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting reference number 175 21/04/17.
A woman scarred in a horrific attack at an east London nightclub has spoken of the indescribable pain when acid was sprayed into a crowd of revellers.

Sophie Hall, 21, was celebrating a friends birthday on Bank Holiday Monday at the Mangle club in Hackney when acid was thrown into the crowd.

The terrifying attack left two people blind.

Police are continuing to hunt Arthur Collins, an ex-boyfriend of former Towie star Ferne McCann, in connection with the acid attack.

Ms Hall has said her face is now ruined and urged the perpetrator to hand himself in. She claims to have been told by officers that Mr Collins may have fled to Spain.

Couple: Arthur Collins, pictured with Ferne McCann, is being hunted by police / Instagram

She told the Sun: My face is ruined. You cannot run forever. What sort of person throws acid in a packed nightclub?

I recognised some of the Towie crowd and I definitely saw Collins. I recognised him from Fernes Instagram and Twitter.

He was with a group of guys and seemed to be having a good time. I turned and there was a plume of white smoke coming towards me.

It smelt like petrol and it hit me and was the most awful burning and stinging sensation.

A 22-year-old woman was left blind in one eye in the horrific attack in Sidworth Street, while detectives revealed last night a second victim has also been blinded.

In total, 20 people suffered burns during the assault at about1.10am on Monday, April 17.

A woman, 33, has been arrested on suspicion of firearms offences after officers carried out a raid at an address in Hertfordshire in connection with the investigation.

Ms Hall suffered burns to her face, shoulder and back.

She added: There was panic and shouting and I just started crying because my face felt as if it was on fire.

My friends grabbed me and took me to the toilets and security gave us bottles of water to pour on our faces.

Then I looked in the mirror and saw how disfigured my face was. The acid had run down my cheeks and burnt into my skin. I was hysterical.

Ill have scars and my left eye is slightly blurred but at least I can still see.

The pain is indescribable - it feels like your skin is eating itself. The police told us later it was drain fluid.

Officers believe a dispute erupted between two groups of people developed before the substance, which is yet to be identified, was sprayed.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of GBH on Friday and a 24-year-old man was later arrested also on suspicion of GBH.

Anyone with information that may assist police should call detectives from Hackney CID via 101 or via Twitter @MetCC. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
T his is the heartbreaking moment a friend of a man stabbed to death yards from his home broke down as he paid tribute to "the nicest guy".

Aspiring business studies student Syed Jamanoor Islam died in his mothers arms after he was set upon by a group of men in east London.

Crowds gathered to protest against knife crime in the capital and pay tribute to the 20-year-old who was killed in Mile End last Tuesday.

Speaking at the rally on Thursday, Imtiyaz Ahmed, 20, burst into tears as he described his good friend.

Syed Islam's friend broke down as he paid tribute to the 20-year-old who was stabbed to death in Mile End

He said: Every single one of us here will agree he was one of the nicest guys. Not a single person has ever spoken bad about him.

If you knew him for five minutes it was as if you knew him for your whole life. His character was just so beautiful.

He would be able to make everyone laugh, whatever the situation. If you were down you would give him a call and you would be just talking to him for minutes and hours  thats just how he was.

Dozens gathered to pay their respects and called for justice for Mr Islams family and for community members to stand up against violent crime.

Syed Jamanoor Islam, 20, was stabbed to death in the street after a row

Another friend, known as Jahid, added on the video filmed by Sylhet2London: Well be the first to say were more than happy to work with whoever we need to work with to make a change.

We need to educate our youth, we need to educate everyone about the dangers of a knife.

We need to change our ways and educate ourselves because killing each other aint going to do nothing for you  theres always someone whos going to be hurt.

It wasnt only Jamanoor that was hurt that day, it hurt all of us. Its the wider community.

Crowds gathered to rally against knife crime and pay their respects to Syed Islam / Tower Hamlets Citizens

Tower Hamlets Borough Commander Sue Williams called for families to not be scared to check the bags of young family members for knives.

She said: I was asked by the family about some of the challenges in dealing with knife crime, and really the number one challenge is the abundance of knives and how easy it is to get hold of them.

Its not about lock knifes, its about knives in your kitchen drawers. And this is about education from parents and families and friends to make sure that young people dont take a knife when they leave the house.

Dont be afraid to check someones bag and see what theyre carrying. I check my young daughters.

Devastation: Syed Abdul Makit

Speaking on Sunday, Syed Abdul Mukit, Mr Islam's father, told of how the community needs to stand up against violence if these crimes are to stop.

A man and two teenage boys have been charged with Mr Islam's murder.

All three, Nayeem Chowdhury, 18, of Burdett Road, Poplar, a 17-year-old boy from Bow and another boy, 15, from Seven Kings, were charged on Monday.

Mr Islam died hours after the fatal stabbing of Abdullahi Tarabi, 19.

Rene Richardson, 24, was knifed to death last Monday in a shocking 24-hours of violence in the capital.
P olice have released CCTV images of two teenagers they are hunting in connection with the stabbing of two 15-year-old boys following a mass brawl outside Victoria station.

Two teenagers were rushed to hospital with stab wounds after the knife attack at about 4.15pm in Gillingham Row on Tuesday, March 7.

It is believed the boys were stabbed following a fight involving seven to 10 people, a Met spokesman said.

Officers from the Met and London Ambulance Service attended and found the youngsters, one of whom was suffering stab wounds to his leg and the other victim stab injuries to his arm.

Police would like to speak to two men in connection with the stabbing / Met Police

Both have since been discharged from hospital.

Photos taken at the scene showed a swarm of emergency services in the area and bloodied clothing strewn across the floor.

A Met spokesman said: Police were called at around 16:15hrs on Tuesday, 7 March, to Gilligham Row, SW1V following reports of a stabbing.

At this early stage, it appears that there was an altercation involving around seven to ten young people in the area of Wilton Road.

Police today released images of two men wanted for questioning.

The first is described as a black male, believed to be in his late teens, wearing a black Nike gilet and a grey hoodie.

The second is an Asian male, aged in his late teens, wearing a black padded jacket.

A 43-year-old man, who asked not to be named, told the Standard afterwards: "I came out of the station and things were calm inside but there were some youths being held by Met police outside and an increasing number of police cars were arriving.

Police at that other scene had cordoned off an alley and seemed to be searching for evidence or someone.

Anyone with information should call Westminster CID on 0207 321 8260.
A round 100 firefighters tackles a massive blaze at a warehouse in east London that can be seen from across the river.

Plumes of thick smoke rose into the air above Dagenham on Saturday afternoon as the warehouse caught light just before 6pm.

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said the building contained around 100 tonnes of mixed waste.

Half of the building, in Chequers Lane near Barking Reach Power Station, was alight by 7pm.

It took until just after 9pm for the blaze to be brought under control.

Blaze: 100 firefighters were tackling the flames / Zubair Shah

Dark clouds of black fumes could be seen for miles around after the fire broke out.

Station manager Gary Woulds who is at the scene said: "Crews worked extremely hard to get the fire under control.

"It affected a single storey warehouse containing approximately 100 tonnes of mixed waste and machinery.

"Firefighters will now remain at the scene for some time damping down."

100 firefighters tackled the blaze / London Fire Brigade

Ten fire engines and 70 firefighters were initially dispatched to tackle the blaze.

Another five fire engines joined later.

Fire crews at the scene (London Fire Brigade) / London Fire Birgade

Smoke could be seen billowing from the other side of the Thames.

On social media, Londoners reports seeing the blaze from as far away as Welling and Thamesmead in south east London.

It was the second large warehouse fire to breakout in London in the space of the afternoon, after a unit in Whetstone, Barnet, went up in flames just after 4.45pm.

Fire: Crews worked at the scene for over four hours / London Fire Brigade

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: "Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters and officers were called to a large warehouse and waste fire on Chequers Lane in Dagenham this evening.

"The warehouse measures around 80 metres by 35 metres and smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles around during the early stages of the fire.

"The Brigade was called at 5.57pm and the fire was under control by 9.12pm.

"Firefighters remain on the scene damping down remaining pockets of fire.

"Crews from Barking, Dagenham, East Ham, Ilford, Hornchurch, Romford, Stratford, Poplar and other surrounding fire stations are at the scene.

"The cause of the fire is under investigation."
A huge fire at a warehouse sent thick black smoke billowing across north London on Saturday afternoon.

The building, near Whetstone and Totteridge in Barnet went up in flames just after 4.45pm.

Four fire engines raced to the scene and battled the blaze, on a site in Allum Way.

Footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising up into the sky.

A spokeswoman for the London Fire Brigade said a disused, detached, industrial unit had caught fire.

Rhiannon Holdham captured a vast amount of smoke emanating near Totteridge Place.

She tweeted: Fire in #whetstone hope everybody is ok here...

Robert Rams wrote: Massive fire in Whetstone close to Waitrose.

East Finchley councillor Arjun Mittra took several photos of the blaze.

He wrote: Seems like a rather severe fire in Whetstone. Hope everyone ok.

Thank God for emergency services, all of whom are here.

Barnet Police said they had joined fire fighters at the scene of a large fire at a warehouse in Totteridge.
M ore than 100 people have been killed after Taliban gunmen disguised in army uniforms attacked a military base in Afghanistan, officials have said.

Latest figures say about 130 people were killed and wounded in the attack on the base in Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday, most of them government soldiers.

The attack was launched near a mosque as soldiers were leaving Friday prayers, army spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi said.

Six attackers in two military vehicles told guards at the gates that they were carrying wounded soldiers and urgently needed to enter.

The Western-backed Afghan government is locked in a prolonged war with Taliban insurgents and other militant groups.

After killing at least eight soldiers and wounding 11 others with rocket-propelled grenades and guns, one attacker was killed and the other five arrested, Jamshidi said.

Another Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly, said more than 20 soldiers had been killed and 50 wounded.

A number of German and other foreign soldiers are based in Mazar-i-Sharif, including about 70 who advise the corps headquarters as part of a NATO-led multinational mission to advise and train the Afghan security forces.

"To our knowledge, no Germans were affected. Nor were any other soldiers in the multinational force harmed," said a spokesman for the German Operations Command. The statement was echoed by American officials.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attackers had set off an explosion, allowing suicide bombers with small arms to breach the base's defences.

"Our fighters have inflicted heavy casualties on the Afghan army stationed there," he said.

The base is the headquarters for the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps, responsible for much of northern Afghanistan, including Kunduz province where there has been heavy fighting.

The NATO command in Kabul called the attack "murderous and reprehensible".
D onald Trump will prioritise the European Union ahead of Britain over free-trade deals with the US, officials have said.

The president told German chancellor Angela Merkel last month that an EU-US trade deal would be simpler that he thought, The Times reported.

According to the newspaper, the conversation led to a realisation that a trade deal with the bloc would be more beneficial to America than one with Britain.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade deal between the EU and US, which was shelved after Mr Trump's election victory, may now be revived or a new deal proposed, experts believe.

"There goes that relationship" - Donald Trump responds to BBC question

Last year, American exports to the bloc were worth $270 billion dollars compared to $55b worth of goods exported to the UK.

'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands 1 /17 'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk along the White House Colonnade PA British Prime Minister Theresa May laughs during a news conference with President Donald Trump AP Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office PA President Donald Trump reaches out to shake hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May with US President Donald Trump during their joint press conference PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump by a bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the Oval Office PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer posted this photo on Twitter. PA

Imports to the EU made $147b compared to just $54b imported into Britain.
A man has been arrested at a packed train station in Paris after allegedly threatening police with a knife.

Panic was caused at the Gare du Nord station as the incident unfolded on Saturday.

An SNCF spokesman said the man had approached gendarmes patrolling the train station.

He was told to lie down and followed the orders before he was arrested.

The scene led panic among passengers who tried to flee the scene, a witness claimed.

One wrote on Twitter: "Some sort of incident at Paris Gard du Nord and people ran in panic and had to hide in men's toilets."

Footage that appeared to be taken at the scene showed armed police swarming around the man as he lay on the ground.

Astonished passengers were ordered away by a policewoman carrying a gun.

Further images published online showed baggage scattered across the floor of the station after terrified passengers fled.

Trains were also delayed out of the station.

It occurred a day before France holds the first round of its presidential election.

The country is on alert following the killing of a policeman by an Isis extremist on Thursday.
R ussias government has won a Supreme Court bid to outlaw Jehovahs Witnesses and have the movement declared an extremist organisation.

Government lawyers argued that the Christian-based faith group had distributed pamphlets which incited hatred against other groups during a six-day legal battle, the BBC reported.

It was also argued that the countrys 175,000 Jehovahs Witnesses activities "violated Russia's law on combating extremism".

Their headquarters , near St Petersburg, has already been added to a list of extremist groups by the justice ministry.

The organisation will launch an appeal against Thursday's ruling.

Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a spokesman for Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia said: We are greatly disappointed by this development and deeply concerned about how this will affect our religious activity.

We will appeal this decision.
In central Nebraska, the annual migration of Sandhill cranes spawned an international tourism industry.

Out here, we have more Canada geese than cranes. Nobody goes gaga over a goose. But we do have a resident that rivals the lanky crane in size and elegance. In fact, the lanky great blue heron is sometimes mistaken for a crane, stork or its cousin, the egret.

Anybody who spends much time around remote waters in the central and western parts of the state has probably seen herons. According to the Nebraska Bird Library website, theyre most often spotted in shallow water, wading in search of fish and frogs, which they spear with their pointed bill.

Adult herons, says the Bird Library, are mostly medium gray, with narrow plumes over back and breast; crown and face white, with broad black band extending into long, narrow plumes from nape; stripe down foreneck expands into black and white breast; black belly; rufous thighs; bill large, yellowish, daggerlike; long, grayish legs. Juvenile lacks plumes, mostly grayish with rufous feather fringes; cap blackish; throat white; upper mandible black.

Thats another way of saying theyre tall, mostly bluish gray and have long bills, legs, wings and necks. Another distinguishing characteristic of adult birds is an elegant, dark plume that rises from the birds head during flight or while theyre agitated.

Cranes fly with their necks outstretched, while herons have crooked necks, says the Nebraska Game and Parks website. Herons usually fish individually in streams or lake edges; cranes prefer to feed in family units in fields. Herons can land in trees; cranes cannot. Cranes nest in wetlands and do not tolerate other cranes nearby. Herons nest in trees in colonies, called rookeries.

Theyre common in the spring and fall but only hang around Nebraska in winter if they can find open water to feed in. Unlike the haunting trill of the high-flying crane, the herons call is a harsh croak, uttered most often when theyre annoyed at an intruder.

Adds the Bird Library: Great Blue Herons catch much of their prey by spearing fish with their long sharp bill and sometimes a heron has been known to choke to death trying to eat a fish that was too big.

Unlike the cranes, herons are widely dispersed over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean. Theyre one of Americas largest birds, standing up to five feet tall, weighing five to eight pounds and spanning more than six feet with their outspread wings.

Herons in our part of the world are migratory and winter in the coastal areas of the southern United States, Central America or northern South America. Individuals can remain through cold northern winters if they can find fish-bearing waters that remain unfrozen, such as flowing streams or rivers. The rest of the year theyre usually hanging around ponds and marshes or along rivers. In addition to fish, theyll eat crustaceans, insects, rodents, and other small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and even other birds.

Theyre a picture of patience when theyre not disturbed, stalking in shallow water and probing for a possible meal, firing their bills with lightning speed when a victim appears.

For the next few weeks theyll be spending time in the treetops, raising their chicks. Rookeries can be found every few miles along the Nebraska Platte Valley, usually in tall groves of old cottonwoods. Nesting sites are isolated and often a mile or more from the North Platte, to avoid predators such as hawks, owls or raccoons. The birds assemble nests from sticks in the tops of the trees, in clusters to provide more watchful eyes during the nesting period.

If tourists leave them in peace, thats probably just how they like it.

Now's the time to look for the bird birds nesting in tall cottonwoods
The Nebraska Legislatures appropriations committee finished its budget Friday. Starting Monday, Appropriations Committee Chair John Stinner, of Gering, will brief senators before the budget heads to the floor for debate on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the State Forecast Board meets to give the final assessment of the states financial affairs. If the numbers dont line up, Stinner said, theyll have to make adjustments on the fly.

Contained in the budget, however, is a proposal to sweep $100,000 from the Nebraska Brand Committee. Its been a point of contention among cattle producers and industry advocates across the state in recent weeks.

The Brand Committee was created by the Legislature in 1941 to inspect cattle and investigate missing or stolen cattle. Unlike other agencies in the Nebraska government, which receive appropriations from the general fund, the Brand Committee is a self-supporting cash fund agency. Its operating funds come solely from fees collected for brand recordings, brand inspections and registered feedlots and dairies.

Its because of that funding mechanism that many are crying foul at the Appropriations Committees sweep of the brand committees coffers.

We feel thats not the legislatures money to grab, Melody Benjamin, vice president of member services for Nebraska Cattlemen, said Wednesday. During the fall and spring, thats when cattle move, so they collect the fees and those fees are used to pay their ongoing expenses during the summer when its lean and there arent as many cattle moving.

While its legal that they take it, its not ethical that they take it, she said. If they continue with that plan, its going to put the committee in a real bind to meet the services that they need to provide.

Jerry Weekes, owner of Platte Valley Livestock Auction in Gering, was also concerned about the decision to sweep the money from the committee.

That is not taxpayer money, Weekes said. Its for cattlemen and by cattlemen. (The Brand Committee) has no levy, its a self-supporting entity of the Nebraska government, and if only the other parts of the government worked like that.

They need that money, and raising the price of brand inspection is just going to raise the price of beef for the consumer.

Stinner said that the appropriations committee is staring down Nebraskas nearly $900 million shortfall, and in order to balance the state budget, the committee had tough decisions to make.

The appropriations committee took a look at a lot of different cash funds in light of how stable they were, if they had a source of income that could maintain or at least grow that balance, and we took a look at what was excess and what was not, Stinner said.

Stinner said that based on the analysis, the appropriations committee had initially planned to sweep $500,000 from the brand committee, which was reduced to $100,000 after receiving feedback from the Brand Committee. It wasnt the only cash fund agency that the appropriations committee has looked at, and Stinner said theres a good possibility of the sweep being amended when the bill goes to the floor.

Nobody likes the situation the state is in, and nobody could have anticipated the severity of this, Brand Committee Executive Director Bill Bunce said.

We think the world of Sen. Stinner, and respect the jobs that all those folks have to do, he said. Our disagreement with that transfer of funds is not based with any disrespect, and we recognize the problems they have to deal with.

The committee gets $1 per head of cattle inspected. During 2016s calendar year, Bunce said that revenue was $1.3 million collected at auction markets alone and $1.6 million was collected from local inspections, such as ranch transfers. The rest came from inspections at packing plants and registered feedlots.

The cash fund might look like a surplus on first examination of the committees ledger, but Bunce said its only seasonal. The average monthly payroll for the last eight months has been $230,000. The six-year average of the cash funds balance for August, traditionally the leanest month for revenue, was $700,000. Bunce said had the initial $500,000 sweep passed, theyd be uncomfortably not close to making payroll that month.

In recharge years, when markets perform poorly and producers hold onto their cattle rather than take a loss at auction, the flow of inspection fees the committee collects can slow to a trickle.

Bunce said producers and banks are also heavily reliant on Brand Committee inspectors.

When a producer takes out an operating loan from a lending institution, the bank will place a lien on that producers brand. When the producer takes his cattle to market, the brands are inspected and a check is cut to the bank and the producer to satisfy the conditions of the loan. Bunce said inspections create a paper trail and a point of verified ownership which helps prevent fraud. When fraud does occur, it helps law enforcement when it comes time to prosecute those crimes.

Brand Committee Chairman Jerry Kuenning expressed frustration with the proposed sweep, saying that the Brand Committee needs to fill vacant brand inspector positions, along with its plans to implement a new bookkeeping software to correct deficiencies identified in last years audit.

He said the costs are going to be difficult to manage if the state dips into their budget.

We put a budget together, and had the hearing process, and they didnt show up, but now they have the right to come in and take the $100,000 away from us?, Keunning said. We need people  weve got eight vacancies that we need to fill, plus an additional 12 that weve put in the budget, plus the technology program that we need to kick off July 1, and that has costs associated with it as it starts up.

How are we supposed to manage our own financial house like were supposed to do, and they just come in and raid it?
WASHINGTON  Organizers of the March for Science events scheduled around the country Saturday said they are compelled to march  something scientists dont normally do  to defend their work against critics and their programs against budget-cutters.

A lot of scientists feel like their funding is threatened and their voice is being extinguished by policy makers who are not paying attention to science, said Sedona Maniak, a wildlife biologist and organizer for the march in Phoenix.

The march was inspired by the post-inaugural Womens March against President Donald Trump and scheduled to coincide with Earth Day  facts not lost on critics who are calling the events little more than politics disguised as science.

The first-of-their-kind marches are scheduled for more than 500 locations around the globe, including events in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Lake Havasu City, which are expected to draw thousands of people across the state.

Flagstaff's march down Aspen Avenue will begin at 2 p.m. from Thorpe Park, arriving at City Hall around 3 for speeches by scientists and others.

Maniak said the Phoenix event is expected to draw more than 5,000 people, which organizers are calling the biggest coordinated effort they have seen involving science of all disciplines. Maniak said politicians who deny climate change and have been hostile to the EPA have motivated those in the science community who traditionally do not speak out to march.

It has come to a point where even scientists who do not generally become active in the public eye feel that they need to get the message out, she said.

But opponents say that scientists engaging in activism is a slippery slope.

Very few of them (scientists) have thought critically about the natures of science and politics and how those things differ, said Marlo Lewis, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

All too often they have no clue that when they behave like partisan hacks in the name of science, they politicize science and undermine public trust in science, Lewis said.

Despite organizers claims that they are not targeting Trump, critics note that many of the issues driving the march  cuts to Environmental Protection Agency funding, the roll-back of environmental regulations and reductions to research programs  are all administration proposals.

Lewis said the march will make ordinary people skeptical about those who participate in the protest, and can corrupt scientific judgement.

But Kathleen Rogers said the science community needs to take action as politicians attack their livelihood and question their integrity.

I look at it like this, nobody likes to be called a liar, said Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network, which is a co-organizer of the march on the National Mall in Washington. Trump and the cronies out there are undermining facts, theyre undermining science.

Ironically the march for science is about supporting and defending truth and integrity more than anything, Rogers said. The scientists Ive talked to are deeply wounded that their integrity is being called into question, especially because they know there is an agenda behind it that is so untrue.

That agenda, she said, includes climate deniers who aim to discredit the 97 percent of the science world that agrees climate change is caused by human activity.

Kevin Dahl, Arizona senior program manager with the National Parks Conservation Association, said he plans to march in Tucson to raise awareness for the value of science.

I think we have come to a unique point in American history where there is widespread misunderstanding about what science is, Dahl said. He blamed for-profit industries for pushing many of the challenges to scientific research.

People who dont like the results of scientific work are going to great lengths to discredit science for their own profit needs, said Dahl, who is marching to help people understand the importance of not ignoring science.

Dahl, a veteran of the first Earth Day in 1970, brushed off suggestions that this weekends are political.

I remember celebrating the first Earth Day in 1970. It was a very political event, we were in the midst of trying to get clean-air, clean-water legislation passed, said Dahl, who expects this years march to be a big one.

This year, we are concerned about this attack and disbelief in science, he said.
SCOTTSBLUFF - The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering its mandatory boating safety course in Scottsbluff beginning in April.

Nebraska law requires any motorboat operator, including drivers of personal watercraft such as Jet Skis, born after Dec. 31, 1985, to complete one of the two types of boating safety courses and be in possession of a course certificate. Operators must be 14 years old to drive motorboats and personal watercraft in Nebraska.

Home-study format, in which participants study materials online before attending a three-hour review and test-out session will be offered in Scottsbluff April 22.

Scott Eveland, boating safety officer for the Commission, said the course covers a wide range of topics including equipment requirements, safe boat operation and accident prevention  valuable information for both new and experienced boaters. Boat owners who complete the class may qualify for insurance discounts. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children and boaters of all ages are welcome.

Students must be at least 14, or turning 14 this calendar year to be certified. There is a $10 fee for most courses. Preregistration is required and the courses must have a certain number of students to avoid cancellation.

Participants may register for the classes by contacting Eveland at scott.eveland@nebraska.gov or 308-289-0017.

Courses are available at other locations across the region. For the most updated listing and for classes at other locations in Nebraska, visit the Boating Education calendar at www.BoatSafeNebraska.org. The site also has other information about boating safety.
Hopefully, the Russians love their children too, Sting sang in his 1985 song Russians.

The song came out during the Cold War. I was in college and like must Americans wondered about the answer to Stings question. If they did, then the hope was their leaders would never push the button sending nuclear warheads across the sea to destroy America.

If such an attack ever would have been launched, American leaders would have hit the button, launching a retaliatory nuclear attack. As a result, the children and adults of both countries would likely be killed.

Back then, we didnt know if today would be the day. We hoped and prayed that day would never come. Most of us believed we were safe.

We loved our children and though we didnt know much about the Russians, we believed they also loved their kids.

Today, the Cold War is a part of our history, the nuclear threat from Russia is gone, but the world is far from a safe place.

A nuclear attack is still possible, though not from the Russians. Today, the threat comes, primarily, from the North Koreans.

Our U.S. intelligence is, according to a story in the Thursday, April 21, USA Today sketchy in regard to the North Koreans nuclear arsenal, but the potential for them to do major damage is real.

In their most recent saber-rattling, they threatened to turn the U.S. mainland into ashes, according to Reuters. They will do so with a super mighty preemptive strike against the United States and South Korea.

The reality of a missile reaching our main land is small, however, they could hit our close friends in South Korea.

President Trumps administration has rattled our sabers, saying nothing is off the table including military action.

As inviting as military action sounds, it comes with huge risks. The biggest is a military strike from us will surly result in a retaliation strike by North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un. His most likely target sets 35 miles from the Demilitarization Zone (DMZ) and is home for about 25 million innocent men, women and children. The likely target would be Seoul, South Korea.

As we consider action, we can not hope that Kim Jong Un loves the children of South Korea. As our longtime close friends, the children of South Korea are our children.

Though bombing North Koreas nuclear facilities sounds good and could slow down or eliminate the threat, there are other options.

There is the possibility of getting more help from China, North Koreas puppet master. Trump said it was a topic of discussion during his recent visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping was North Korea.

Another option could be a cyberattack. Though it might not be as flashy, it could be safer and more effective.

When asked if such an attack was the reason a North Korean missile blew up right after being launched Sunday, the Trump administration would not comment.

We should be able to launch numbers of cyber attacks that would cripple North Korea. We should be able, maybe we are, to do this without anyone even knowing we are the attackers.

Looking forward, the future of relationship with North Korea is uncertain. It will most likely not improve and probably get worse.

Our hope and prayer is that the North Koreans love their children, too.
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By Press Trust of India: Dhaka, Apr 22 (PTI) Police today seized 17 containers of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to make bombs, along with ammunition and jihadist books from a suspected militant hideout in southwestern Bangladesh.

A house on the outskirts of Jhenidah was sealed off yesterday on intelligence inputs that it was being used by militants as a hideout.

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Police today recovered at least 17 large plastic containers of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to make bombs, and bullets from the suspected neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh hideout.

A 7.65 foreign made pistol, seven bullets, 15 to 16 jihadist books were also recovered from the house, Deputy Inspector General of Khulna range Didar Ahmed told the Daily Star.

The recovery was made after members of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit resumed their operation for the second day at the house this morning.

A team of 30 counter-terrorism officials led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Hasan conducted the operation code-named Southpaw in the presence of Ahmed.

Police had yesterday said the suspected militants fled the spot before the drive began.

Owner of the house Abdullah, a suspected militant, converted to Muslim from Hinduism in 2012, according to police.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sanwar old BD News that the Neo-JMB was using the house as a bomb-making facility.

Last month, CTTC officials busted five hideouts of Neo JMB -- two in Chittagong, one in Sylhet and two in Moulvibazar. Nineteen people, including five children and five women, were killed in those raids.

According to police, 16 of them were killed in suicide blasts.

Neo JMB, which is believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State, has also been blamed for the Gulshan cafe attack last year in which twenty-two people, including 17 foreigners and two police officials, were killed. PTI ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
Location, location, location.

The real estate mantra especially rings true in the shipping industry, with logistics companies aiming to base operations in places where the greatest percentage of customers can be reached in the least amount of time.

Those constraints have helped the St. Louis area attract corporate interest as a place to locate shipping and warehousing operations.

The latest example is Quiet Logistics, a Massachusetts-based e-commerce distributor for fashion apparel, which announced plans Thursday to open a fulfillment center in Hazelwood.

St. Louis certainly has strategic appeal on the ground transportation side, said Quiets president, Brian Lemerise, explaining that the area is one of the only places where ground delivery to New York is possible within two days and Los Angeles within three.

Thats obviously very important for an e-commerce retail brand, said Lemerise. Just by going to Kansas City, you lose New York-by-two-day ground.

Overall we looked at Wisconsin, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas, all with the same filters for business, and St. Louis came out on top, Lemerise said.

At capacity, the facility will provide jobs for an estimated 250 full-time employees. Besides warehouse workers, the location at 422 Hazelwood Logistics Center Drive will also employ people in IT, human resources and sales.

It is the companys first facility outside of Massachusetts, where it has two other locations. For Hazelwood, Quiets arrival will mark the latest in a surge of logistics businesses establishing a local presence.

Weve had quite a few in the last half-year, said the citys economic developer, David Cox, estimating that about a half-dozen distribution centers for various products have either set up during that interval or announced plans to do so.

Cox said that the city offered a tax abatement and a loan to the company. He said he hoped to see the distribution industrys interest in the region continue  something Lemerise suspects will be the case.

We doubt very much well be the last ones to open up shop there, he said.
After facing financial challenges in 2016, SSM Health has initiated financial improvement plans to cut $200 million in costs this year.

The Creve Coeur-based health system disclosed the need to cut costs in an April 2017 bond document.

Officials declined to elaborate on the details of the financial improvement plan but said there were no plans to lay off any of the systems 33,000 workers in four states.

SSM plans to use the proceeds of a $500 million bond sale to retire $200 million of current debt and keep $300 million as unrestricted reserves, according to a ratings report from Standard and Poors.

The ratings agency assigned an A+ rating to the 2017 bonds but issued a negative outlook because of a weaker operating margin in 2016.

Standard and Poors analysis shows that SSM had an operating loss of $49.2 million in 2016 even as net patient revenue increased 11 percent to $4.2 billion.

The rating agency says this means operating pressure is coming largely from challenges in the expense base and that this is not a revenue generation issue.

Many issues have put pressure on the operating margin, including rising specialty drug prices and temporary dips in key services, most notably transplant, Standard and Poors reports.

SSM officials said Standard and Poors calculates financial results based on its own criteria and analysis. SSM said it did not have a loss but $10 million in income.

The plan to improve the financial outlook comes as CEO Bill Thompson prepares to retire. Laura Kaiser, who most recently served as chief operating officer of Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, will replace Thompson on May 1.
When Disneys The Lion King opened on Broadway, it took everybodys breath away.

With animal puppets in all styles and sizes, costumes that turn performers into lush exotic plants and stunning effects that, for example, seem to build a huge lion mask out of nothing but light, it set new standards in theatrical beauty and imagination.

Twenty years later, its just as breathtaking as ever  a stunning, wildly imaginative production for audiences old and young.

Now onstage at the Fox, The Lion King boasts an incredible opening scene, a parade of puppet animals down the aisles and onto the stage.

Giraffes, elephants, cheetahs and more make their stately entrance close enough for us to see the human performers who manipulate, or wear, the fantastic creations. The songs  Circle of Life with Nants Ingonyama  sets the mood for the whole show: extravagant Broadway glamour infused with lush pan-African beauty.

The story  based on an animated Disney movie musical, very loosely rooted in Hamlet  follows Simba as he grows from a rambunctious little cub into a noble lion, worthy successor to his father, Mufasa, as the king of the Pride Lands.

In the Broadway version, you could probably follow the plot even if you spoke no English and had never seen the movie. The Lion King works its lucid magic through visual imagery, dance and music, woven together on a grand scale by the visionary Julie Taymor.

Taymor is the director, the costumer, and, with Michael Curry, co-designer of the glorious masks and puppets. Even so, this is no one-woman show. Choreographer Garth Fagan blends animal motion with African dance idiom; the sinuous hunting dance of the lionesses is just one small example of his gift for synthesis.

Scenic designer Richard Hudson and lighting designer Donald Holder contribute more dramatic effects.

A host of songwriters  Elton John and Tim Rice for famous tunes such as Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Lebo M for such Africanesque songs as One by One (the spectacular Act Two opening, featuring a parade of dancers with bird puppets), and others, including Taymor  make sure that we almost always are caught in a web of pleasurable music. And where, theres music, theres dance.

The Lion King, touring for years, is packed with talent, starting with charming Dashaun Young as the grown Simba and powerful Nia Holloway as the grown Nala. Several young actors take turns playing the cubs Simba and Nala at different performances; I saw Devin Graves and Grier Burke, both adorable.

Gerald Ramsey makes a regal Mufasa, well-matched by Mark Campbell as his scheming, seductive brother, Scar. Drew Hirshfield, Nick Cordileone and Ben Lipitz add lots of broad comedy as the major-domo Zazu (a hornbill), Timon, a meerkat and Pumbaa, a warthog.

Theyre all masters of their complex puppets, too. On Friday night, understudy Mukelisiwe Goba gave a potent performance as Rafiki, the mandrill shaman of the Pride Lands. (Rafiki is usually performed by Buyi Zama, who has played the role around the world.)
MACOUPIN COUNTY  A Macoupin County man was killed and another man critically injured after a head-on car crash here Friday afternoon.

The crash happened shortly before 3 p.m. near Farmersville Road and Kimes Road in unincorporated Macoupin County.

Randy Upp, 68, of Girard was westbound on Farmersville Road when an eastbound van traveled off-road, tried to correct back onto the road and crossed over into the oncoming lane, according to Illinois State Police. The van hit Upp's 2007 Chevrolet Impala head on.

Upp was airlifted to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The driver of the van, Tressa Perkins, 19, of Auburn, Ill., was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police say they expect to file charges against her but did not release more details.

The crash shut down the roadway for about three hours.

Girard is in north Macoupin County. Auburn is south of Springfield, Ill.
ST. CHARLES  A second north St. Louis County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for taking $4,777 in bank bags from a Walmart here in 2015.

Michael A. Daniels, 29, of the 10000 block of Jepson Drive in Bellefontaine Neighbors, was sentenced Monday by St. Charles County Circuit Judge Jon Cunningham after pleading guilty to felony robbery.

His accomplice, Maliq Ale Shabazz, 24, of the 1900 block of Bermuda Drive in Normandy, had been sentenced in February by Cunningham after pleading guilty to the same charge.

The bank bags were stolen shortly before 1 a.m. Sept. 13, 2015 from a shopping cart in the store at 2897 Veterans Memorial Parkway.

According to court records, Shabazz grabbed the bank bags out of the cart, where they had been placed by an employee transferring the money from cash registers as part of her duties.

Shabazz and Daniels told the victim that Shabazz had a gun as the two ran to an exit, authorities said. They got into two different vehicles on the parking lot. They were arrested five days later.
ST. LOUIS  A few weeks after the fall of Saigon in April 1975, the Henry B. Wilson, a guided-missile destroyer, was on a long, winding route home. The Vietnam War was over and the crew of some 300 sailors had beer and a port on their minds.

Then the radio crackled.

Khmer Rouge fighters pirated an American container ship called the Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia. Lives were at stake. So was the poor reputation of President Gerald Ford.

The Wilson, about 1,000 miles away, needed to report at once to the scene.

Information was very sketchy at best, said Tim Grantz, 63, of Ballwin, who worked in the office of the Wilson.

Their celebratory plans were put on hold for what became billed as the last skirmish of the Vietnam War.

We prided ourselves on being the ship they could always rely on to be there, Grantz said.

He and about 20 others who served on the Wilson and a few of their spouses came to St. Louis this week for a reunion. In their 60s and early 70s, they are part of a new wave.

While victorious World War II vets were treated to a heros welcome and are dying off as remnants of the Greatest Generation, many Vietnam vets were hissed at when they came home or ignored. To some, their unpopular war symbolized defeat and divisiveness.

But the weighty response to the Mayaguez takeover offered a rare moment of national unity. Despite damning details that came out later, the Navy, Air Force and Marines unleashed a massive show of force on and near the Cambodian island of Koh Tang. There were reports of 15,000-pound bombs being dropped.

The civilian crew was rescued.

Tom Brokaw, reporting in May 1975, described Fords response as what seemed like one of the most popular decisions this president has made.

Newsweek ran a big splash across its cover titled: The Rescue.

Its underlying theme was in fact geopolitical, a calculated demonstration of U.S. power and purpose to a world that had begun to doubt both in the wake of the recent debacles in Indochina, the magazine reported in its introduction. And despite some sobering morning-after questions, the over-all success of the operation left the Ford Administration almost giddy with euphoria.

Mike Walton, 63, who came to the reunion from Louisville, Ky., said the incident was typical of many war zones.

Nobody who is there knows what was going on, he said. You find out what you did later.

Those discoveries trickled out over the years.

Koh Tang was heavily attacked even though the Cambodians released the 39 civilian seamen and their captain from a different area before the raid. The enemy defense of the island was much fiercer than expected.

Forty-one service members were killed, including some training for the mission, and many more were injured, not including Cambodians.

It turned out to be a fiasco, said Dan Wiesel, 65, visiting from Moore, Okla.

Left behind

The Wilson came to the aid of one of three large helicopters full of Marines that were shot down at Koh Tang. In it, 11 occupants were killed and an additional 13 were just off the beach, trying to avoid being shot, said Clark Wiger, a hospital corpsman who helped scoop some of them out of the sea.

Theyd been in the water a couple hours, said Wiger, 63. All the Marines had burns from the helicopter catching fire. The pilot had a big wound on his back. Everybody was in shock.

Wiger went on to be a paramedic in Decorah, Iowa. He raised two daughters. Out at breakfast with them one morning in 2003, he was alarmed to read for the first time that three Marines had been left behind at Koh Tang.

We didnt know people were left behind, he said. It was covered up by the government.

Details have been rolling out bit by bit. Newsweek ran a story in January titled: The truth about the lost Marines of the Vietnam Wars last battle. Reporter Matthew M. Burke tracked down a Khmer Rouge garrison commander who may have killed one of the three missing Marines. Burke also reported that U.S. forces made radio contact with the Marines after they were stranded.

Not only did they leave them behind to be tortured and killed, but they also slandered them in their reports, saying that they were mediocre Marines, that they were frightened when they were last seen and that they had disobeyed orders, Burke said in an email from Asia. Then they covered up their heroic actions. In my opinion, the team deserves the Medal of Honor. They covered the retreat, and once they realized they were left behind, fought to the last man.

Ralph Wetterhahn, author of the book The Last Battle, said the incident was a metaphor for the Vietnam War.

Dragged into conflict by circumstance, our president [Ford] was required to make hasty decisions based on flawed intelligence, he said.

For his moment, Ford relished the support.

The incident was hailed as a victory, but casualty figures were fudged, the missing Marines were never acknowledged, and the lessons learned were not learned, Wetterhahn said. These days, the same issues apply. Our president calls the shots down to unit level, because he can. Give a president scanty information riddled with inaccurate intelligence and you get the Iraq invasion. Do the same today and you get debacles in Syria as we have recently witnessed. Get it right and you kill Osama Bin Laden.

We were all part of it

Though the Wilson is best known for its action in Cambodian waters, the ship was in service for decades. Many of its sea miles were monotonous.

There are various reunions. The bunch this week served on the Wilson between 1971 and 1975. They came from coast to coast, from cities and small towns.

One said he joined the Navy to spite the Army. Another, Mike Moore, of Hazelwood, wanted to learn how to work on diesels.

But it never happened, said Moore, 69, a technician on the ship who became a cable expert at St. Louis University Hospital.

We are like 911 for the president, Terry Schmidt, 66, of Apple River, Ill., said of the role of destroyers.

The Wilson was 437 feet long by 47 feet wide. With two 35,000-horsepower steam engines, it could hit about 35 knots. The ship fired all kinds of weaponry, including large artillery rounds at night.

It looked like a volcano going off, Schmidt said. Not that Ive seen many volcanoes, but it sure was a big bang.

Long after serving on the ship, Bill Ogden, 63, a trucker from Nickerson, Kan., joined the Naval Reserves. He was called up for service right after the Sept. 11 attacks. He deployed to Bahrain to do harbor patrol from a boat.

I thought, I am 48 years old, youve got to be crazy,  he recalled.

Hes not aware of reunions from that stint.

The Wilson group reflected on how the Navy has changed since their service in Vietnam. Indeed, after four decades, these guys still know how to rib each other.

It was well known that you never went in another divisions berthing or work spaces without an invitation. Otherwise the snipes, as engineers were called below deck, would wipe heavy-duty grease on your bare bottom.

I never got greased because I held everybodys shot records, said Wiger, the hospital corpsman.

After talking about the Mayaguez incident, Wiger summed it all up this way: It was history, and we were all part of it.

For that, Wiger, who enlisted in the Navy at 17, was teased for being a walking, historic artifact.

Vintage, Wiger countered, in reach of a beer.

There was still time left in the weekend to get greased.
By India Today Web Desk: Abhay Deol shocked everyone when he took on the who's who of Bollywood and slammed them for promoting racism through their fairness cream endorsements. From Shah Rukh Khan to Deepika Padukone, Vidya Balan to Shahid Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra to Sonam Kapoor, Abhay spared no one. The actor finally opened up in an interview about the posts that made everyone sit up and take notice.

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Talking to Outlook, Abhay said, "This may be my first such post on Facebook, but I have tweeted about the issue in the past. I have been making an effort in my own space... Honestly, I was just expressing my views - I did it for awareness, though with a bit of fun... The FB post was a little provocative, to make people think."

He added, "My appeal is to those in high positions, who have power and lead very comfortable lives. It is not to a struggling actor who is new on the scene, and for whom endorsement of a product (s)he doesn't perhaps believe in fetches money. There should be a tacit code or understanding among privileged people not to endorse things that give others an inferiority complex."

Abhay's posts targetted some of the most powerful names in Bollywood, but he did get some support for his cause. The Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara actor said, "I received a lot of support from people and media. From corporates and filmmakers, no. Why would they? I am calling them out for their practices. No one wants to rock one's own boat. I got one call from an actress saying I am doing the right thing, that's it."

ALSO READ: Abhay Deol makes the who's who of Bollywood accountable for their role in promoting racism

ALSO READ: Abhay Deol's Twitter war with Sonam is the best thing you will see today

ALSO WATCH: Abhay Deol protests against T-Series, gets Bollywood's support

--- ENDS ---
By Mail Today: ASHES TO ASHES

Picture courtesy: Mail Today

The Ashen Kulfi (Rs 495 plus taxes) at Masala Library is essentially a traditional Indian milk-based kulfi, coloured and flavoured using banana leaf ash. The first bite itself takes us on a nostalgic trip down memory lane, as chef Saurabh Udinia gets the typical kulfi flavour and texture just right, with the hint of saltiness thanks to the ash which lends it a little bit of a zing, though there's no banana flavour. We also discover some candied nuts and brandy schnapps, as we make our way through the scoop, which is served with a sprinkling of banana ash. They also serve a Patisa Ice Cream with Bhapa Doi (steamed yogurt with milk crystals on top), and chef Saurabh says that he has also tried out a mushroom ice cream, which came out pretty well.

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- Karishma Kuenzang

STICK TO IT

Picture courtesy: Mail Today

Popsicles are always a refreshing way to cool down in the summer, especially if they come in a concoction of just the perfect summery flavours. And if you're crazy about nutella, then you have to try the nutella fudgsicle at The Dirty Apron in Safdarjung Enclave. We start with their Lemonade Pomegranate and Kiwi popsicle, which is as refreshing as the glass of cold water you gulp in after walking into the house on a hot Delhi afternoon. Its Guava Chilli and Raw Mango popsicle is perfect for every Dilliwallah who loves his/her masala and chaat. But it's the Nutella Fudgsicle we can't get enough of. Ever. Cold and molten at the same time, the fudgsicle melts in your mouth. They are priced at Rs 95 plus taxes for one.

- Karishma Kuenzang

TASTE OF SUMMER

Picture courtesy: Mail Today

Apart from the bestselling Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream and Lemon & Lime Ice Cream, Movenpick has come with a special summer dish that combines its coconut and chocolate ice cream with a topping of freshly sliced mangoes. Twenty-five-year-old chef Jatin Kaushik's innovation is named Mango Paradise and even if you don't like coconut in an ice cream, this one won't disappoint you. The Macadamia Dulce De Leche with a touch of Bourbon vanilla is also worth a try. Prices start from Rs 210 plus taxes.

-Adila Matra

JAPANESE DELIGHTS

Picture courtesy: Mail Today

The Sakura ice cream, which is a part of the Sakura Festival at The Taj Mahal hotel, is a revelation. Made out of Sakura flowers (which give it the colour) and Sakura leaves (which essentially contribute to the flavour), the ice cream - priced at Rs 950 plus taxes - is served in white chocolate soil, Sakura macaron, meringue and rock chocolates, all made with ingredients sourced from Japan. It is not too milky or sweet and is perfect after a summer lunch. The alternative for lactose intolerant customers is the Tonyu ice cream, made out of soy milk and honey. The dish is served with green tea flavoured mochigome (glutinous rice) and green apple-flavoured kanten (agar).

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- Adila Matra

STRAWBERRY SWING

Picture courtesy: Mail Today

In the middle of all the ice cream rests the Strawberry Sorbet (`455 plus taxes) from Fio Cookhouse. It's a vision in blood red set against the backdrop of a white chocolate-based cake. The cold delight is created after the mixture of strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice have been churned 4-5 times after every four hours and kept inside the freezer. The sorbet is a nice (and low-fat) alternative to the ice cream being a non-dairy dessert.

-Srijani Ganguly

--- ENDS ---
Get ready for solar eclipse mania. Destinations in the path of the Aug. 21 eclipse, which will be visible in the U.S. along a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina, are going wild with plans for festivals, concerts and viewing parties. The path goes through parts of the St. Louis region. For more information on local plans, go to stltoday.com and search for total solar eclipse.

Hotels in Casper, Wyo., are charging five times their usual rates. Rooms at Idahos Sun Valley Resort have been booked for years.

An eclipse tour in Tennessees Great Smoky Mountains National Park sold out in 10 minutes. The Smokies are among 20 National Park sites that will experience the total solar eclipse, from sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina to Wyomings Grand Tetons. We are expecting record visitation, said NPS spokesman Jeffrey Olson.

Hopkinsville, Ky., population 32,000, and Carbondale, Ill., population 23,000, expect 50,000 visitors each. The destinations, 140 miles apart, will experience about 2 minutes and 40 seconds of total darkness, among eclipse sites with the longest duration. Events in the region include an Eclipse Con festival, concerts and tailgate parties.

South Carolinas Clemson University also expects 50,000 people at a campus event that will feature astronomers and other experts. Twenty thousand people will gather in the Ochocho National Forest for Oregon Eclipse 2017, with music, yoga, theater, art installations and more. Wind River Reservation in Wyoming hosts bring back the sun ceremonies.

A Pink Floyd Tribute band plans a Dark Side of the Moon concert in Jefferson City. The South Carolina Philharmonic in Columbia offers Star Wars Musiclipse. Sylva, N.C., has a Moonlight Madness run.

Eclipse Chasers

Sharon Hahs and her husband, Billy, have chased 14 eclipses around the world from Mongolia to South Africa. Theyll see this one from a family farm in Missouri, not far from their St. Louis home.

There is nothing else in our universe that looks like a total solar eclipse, said Hahs. The air gets cool. You have 360-degree dusk. Nature sounds really happen: the cock crows, birds get quiet. We even had a horse cross our viewing area to return to the stable.

Michael Allen of Southampton, England, is a keen amateur astronomer who considers the eclipse a once in a lifetime opportunity. He cant travel alone because he has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, so his brother Nick is accompanying him on a three-day tour to Nashville with eclipse-viewing at the Kentucky border.

Jack Bohannon of Anchorage, Alaska, plans to see the eclipse in Nebraska as the culmination of a summer-long RV trip with family. We were originally going to book an RV park in the eclipse path in Wyoming, but everywhere was full, he said.

Hotels

In small or remote destinations, hotels and campsites in the path of totality are completely sold out. But bigger cities still have openings. As of March 25, Nashville hotels were only 54 percent booked.

Dont assume lodging is sold out because a travel booking site says so. Call hotels directly to ask.

Many hotels are offering eclipse packages. Nashvilles Loews Vanderbilt package includes eclipse viewing glasses, commemorative T-shirt, Uber gift card and bar credit. Hotel Jackson in Jackson Hole, Wyo., has an eclipse concierge to help guests plan their $699-a-night stay.

Consumers in Oregon have complained about hotels canceling reservations they made long ago, claiming rebranding or new ownership, then charging much higher rates for rebooking.

Location and weather

As the moon moves in front of the sun, daylight will yield to darkness from Oregon to South Carolina along a path 60 to 70 miles wide. The path of totality will also cut across broad swaths of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, along with corners of Kansas, Georgia and North Carolina, and a tiny chip of Iowa. Totality will first hit Oregon around 10:15 a.m. Pacific time. South Carolina will experience the final moments of total darkness at 2:49 p.m. Eastern time. It will hit parts of the St. Louis region a little after 1 p.m.

Some spectators are heading to mountains and forests to experience the eclipse in a natural setting.

Think of an eclipse as an incredible short night, with a rapid sunset and then sunrise, said Sara Morris, an ornithologist and biology professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. Birds go back to roost. Animals that are active during the day will stop foraging and put themselves in a place of safety.

Destinations that offer easy highway access have an advantage in bad weather: You can drive elsewhere to seek clear skies. Clouds are the enemy of eclipse chasers, said Hahs. If one can move, one should.

The driest section of the eclipse path is from eastern Oregon to western Nebraska but even the driest places on Earth experience clouds, fog and rain, said Brady Phillips at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is developing an online weather map for the eclipse.

Safety

When the sun is completely blocked by the moon, its rays cant hurt your eyes. But the period before and after totality is dangerous  even when it seems dark  because viewing even a sliver of the sun as it slips in and out of view can damage retinas. Sunglasses are useless. Viewing through telescopes or cameras without proper filters is also unsafe before and after totality.
Pro-Kannada leader Praveen Shetty also said that he will not allow any Tamil films to release in Karnataka.

By India Today Web Desk: With less than a week to go for the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, the war has spilled off screen. After agitated pro-Kannada leaders threatened to stall the release of the film in Karnataka and even called for a Karnataka bandh, actor Sathyaraj issued a public apology. For the uninitiated, Sathyaraj, who plays Katappa, in the epic film, had made an 'objectionable' speech in 2008 regarding the Cauvery row, which Kannadigas found derogatory.

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Days before Baahubali 2's release, pro-Kannada leaders demanded an apology from the actor. On Friday afternoon, Sathyaraj issued an apology and said that he is not against Kannadigas or Karnataka and being "a small worker in Baahubali," his comment should not affect the film.

However, Pro-Kannada leader Praveen Shetty has slammed the actor and said that he will not any Tamil movies to release in Karnataka.

Earlier, Baahubali 2 director SS Rajamouli had exclusively told India Today that the film and its team are in no way connected to the Cauvery issue. "Sathyaraj made the comment nine years ago, and stalling the film is not right. After my appeal, many Kannadigas are showing their support. They are angered but people want to see the film. We are a democracy. If maximum number of people want the film to be released, then it should," he added.

Will Baahubali 2 be released in Karnataka? We will have to wait and watch.

ALSO READ: Before Baahubali 2 release, Sathyaraj apologises for anti-Kannada comments

EXCLUSIVE Rajamouli on Baahubali 2 row: Kannadigas are supporting us, hope democracy prevails

ALSO WATCH: SS Rajamouli, Rana Daggubati react to Baahubali 2 Karnataka issue

--- ENDS ---
Paul Workman took on the role of William Shakespeare at the Birthday Celebrations in 2017. Photo: Mark Williamson.

We've be posting updates throughout the day as Stratford-upon-Avon celebrates its most famous son, William Shakespeare...

1.10PM: We're signing off now - don't forget to pick up a copy of next Thursday's Herald for many more pictures and reports from today.

12.05PM: Acrobatic theatre company, Mimbre, are performing the first of two performances of their show. Get yourself down to Bancroft Gardens NOW! If you miss it they'll be back on the open-air stage at 2.30pm.

11.50AM: Harvard House on High Street is now open to the public, take the rare chance to have a look around Stratfords oldest town house and discover its connections with the famous American university. Entry is FREE!

11.45AM: Get yourself up to Shakespeare's Birthplace on Henley Street where the larger-than-life American circus owner and showman Barnum, who has an audacious plan to ship Shakespeares Birthplace to his museum of curiosities in New York, is about to introduce his performers.

10.45AM: Pictures from this morning's parade:

10.30AM: The Reverend Patrick Taylor is out in town today. Tomorrow his Holy Trinity Church will host the annual Shakespeare Service at 11.15am. He says: "Whilst there isnt a special anniversary to celebrate this year, the service will nevertheless be very relevant to current affairs."

10.05AM: Bennet Carr, head master at KES, whose students are in the parade, told us earlier: "It is with great pride that the school can look back on a tradition which remains the focal point for the towns Shakespeare Celebrations."

10AM: Get your flags ready, the parade is now underway!

9.55AM: The West Midlands Fire Service Band are entertaining the assembling crowds at the top of Bridge Street, ahead of the traditional procession which gets underway in a few moments.

9.50AM: Mayor Juliet Short says: We cant live up to last years celebrations, they were a one-off and it has never been the town councils intention to do that, but there's loads of fantastic activities going on and were planning something very different for 2018.

9.45AM: Get your hands on one of the sonnet scrolls that are being handed out - some of them contain great prizes!!

9.40AM: Joe Baconnet, director of Stratforward, is enjoying his first Shakespeare Celebrations, and has just told us: "I'm very much looking forward to it. I just want to see and understand how it works and what impact it has on the town, and to really understand the potential. From a commercial perspective, its an opportunity for Stratford to put itself in the spotlight.

9.30AM: There will also be live music, poetry reading aboard the chain ferry across the Avon all day by RSC actors.

9.50AM: Mayor Juliet Short says: We cant live up to last years celebrations, they were a one-off and it has never been the town councils intention to do that, but there's loads of fantastic activities going on and were planning something very different for 2018.

9.20AM: At 12noon Herald editor, Amanda Chalmers, will speak exclusively to this year's Pragnell Prize winner, actor Sir Antony Sher.. Full interview in Thursday's Herald.

9.15AM: Don't miss the free, family-friendly programme will run from 12noon to 4pm in Henley Street, outside Shakespeares Birthplace, with plenty of opportunities to join in and take part in circus skills workshops.

9.10AM: Town clerk, Sarah Summers, who heads up the team that organises the celebrations, tell us: Weve been planning in earnest for the Birthday Celebrations since January, and for next years well be starting literally the day after this years ends because were changing the format for 2018."

9.05AM: One for the stattos amongst us - this year is the 453rd year side our Will was born and 401 years since he died.

9AM: Welcome to the live coverage of this year's Shakespeare Celebrations.

The celebrations officially get underway from 9.30am.

They are led by Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council but also supported by organisations including Holy Trinity Church, KES, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Shakespeares Schoolroom and Guildhall, the Shakespeare Birthday Company, Stratforward BID and Stratford-upon-Avon Town Trust.

Pick up this week's Herald for our four-page guide to what's on in Stratford throughout the day. You can buy a copy in Sainsburys, WHSmith, M&S, Jack's Corner on Waterside, and all newsagents across the town.
Sir Antony Sher receives the Pragnell Award from Professor Michael Dobson. Photo: Mark Williamson

STRATFORD-based actor Sir Antony Sher has become the latest name joining the list of luminaries to receive the prestigious Pragnell Prize.

Sher, who gave the main speech at this afternoon's annual Shakespeare Birthday Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, spoke exclusively to the Herald about his life and career, as well as his reaction to the latest honour.

The two-time Laurence Olivier Award winner and four-time nominee has strong and affectionate ties to Stratford having joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982 and toured in many roles, as well as appearing on film and TV. He is also a prolific writer and painter.

But it's with a tinge of sadness as he spoke of his realisation today that King Lear would be the last of his Shakespeare roles, intending instead to dedicate more time to his other passions for writing and painting.

"Shakespeare wrote three great parts for older actors  Lear, Prospero and Falstaff and Ive done them so Im not quite sure whats left.

"It makes me feel sad that Lear was my last Shakespeare role. But how lucky was I to play so many of the great roles. Im very very lucky. It had to come to an end I suppose," he said.

"There are parts that I wish Id played but its too late now. If I was a young man again I would love to play Hamlet. Im certainly not going to play the first 70-year-old Hamlet. But, with a glint in his eye, he added: "Then again, if Glenda Jackson can play King Lear then who knows. Maybe anything's possible."

And he revives the iconic role this time next year when he takes Lear to New York.

He said: "The first part I played at the RSC was the fool in King Lear in 1982 with Michael Gambon playing Lear so its come full circle with me now me having played Lear and theres something very satisfying about that. I'm really looking forward to New York but it's going to be quite strange doing it again after a year."

With the Royal Shakespeare Company, Sir Antony Shers macabre, spider-like depiction of Richard III won him a Laurence Olivier Award. Since then he has played the lead in such productions as Tamburlaine, Cyrano de Bergerac, Stanley and Macbeth. He received his second Laurence Olivier Award for his performance of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.

But if Sher had heeded some early advice it could have been all so very different. In one of his first auditions he was soundly rejected at RADA. (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.)

He recalls: "RADA had different letters that they would send out and mine was clearly the worst you could receive because it basically said: Not only have you failed the audition, not only do we not want you to try again but we urge you to consider a different career. Clearly this was the letter they sent to people who they really felt were making a big mistake and they had to try and 'save.' It was very shocking at the time."

In both our interview and in his speech at the luncheon Sher paid a touching tribute to his partner of 30 years, RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran.

"My greatest inspiration is my partner Greg Doran because Im so lucky that hes both my partner but hes also a great Shakespearean.

"I always felt disadvantaged with Shakespeare because I come from South Africa and was brought up with hardly any Shakespeare at all, so coming to the RSC and meeting those great people who knew about Shakespeare  Ive now been at the RSC for about 35 years  and then ending up being married to a great Shakespearean, has been a fantastic thing for me," he said.

2017 Shakespeare Birthday Luncheon.

The Pragnell Award is given by Stratfords luxury jeweller to those who have made an outstanding and often life-long contribution to the works of Shakespeare.

Of the honour, he said: "Im absolutely thrilled to be the next Pragnell Prize recipient. I looked it up this morning and was amazed to find that it started in 1990 when Peggy Ashcroft was the first person to get it. The list is extraordinary  Peter Brook, Trevor Nunn, Ian McKellen, Harriet Walter, Kenneth Branagh, I mean Im really thrilled to be joining that list."

Read the interview in full in Thursday's Herald - where he talks about the recent death of his sister; throwing plates in anger at home; what advice he would give his younger self; why he never reads reviews; and how he believes being in three minority groups  Jewish, gay and a white south African  have been positive influences in his life.

For luncheon coverage and photos visit here
Little Chunk leads Sand Blast over the fifth flight in the Wildmoor Spa Novices' Hurdle at Stratford last Saturday. Photo: David Pratt (dwprattracingphotography.co.uk)

As the 2017 season gathers pace, Stratford hosts the first of its Sunday meetings this weekend against the backdrop of a continuing surge in racecourse attendances across the country, writes David Hucker.

Figures released this week by The Racecourse Association show that the sport enjoyed a bumper Easter weekend, with near record attendances at racecourses across the four day period from 14th-17th April.

Total attendance was 93,235 across the 20 meetings over the four days, including Stratford on Easter Saturday, an increase of 99 per cent on the 2016 figure of 46,934 and the highest since Good Friday racing was introduced in 2014.

It was just short of the 93,395 record for the period in 2011 (19 meetings) when Easter fell exceptionally late and over the final day of the jumps season at Sandown Park.

Highlight of this Sundays seven-race card, which gets underway at 2,00pm, is the 12,000 totepoolliveinfo.com Visit For Racing Results 'Confined' Handicap Chase in which Storming Strumpet makes a quick reappearance after finishing third at Cheltenham on Thursday.

Being 10lbs out of the handicap at Cheltenham, she ran off a rating of 122 compared to 112 on Sunday. Just touched off on her previous run at Leicester, she should open her account here if recovering from her recent exertions.

Blandfords Gunner is slowly dropping down the weights and would be in with a good chance should Storming Strumpet not run up to her best.

Eight line up for the opening toteplacepot Six Places In Six Races Handicap Chase over three and a half miles with the weights headed by Mister Dick, who is making his first appearance since finishing runner-up at Ludlow in November.

He looks to have a stiff task here and preference is for Taunton winner Jack Snipe, trained by Jeremy Scott, who will need to overcome a 12lb rise in the weights, but will have his burden reduced by the claim of Robert Hawker.

Honkytonktennessee showed much improved form on his debut for Dan Skelton and will be fancied to follow up his Huntingdon chase win in the totepool Racecourse Debit Card Betting Available Handicap Hurdle.

He receives weight from Shoofly Milly, who made all the running to win at Exeter, but springtime could be bringing out the best in her and she has every chance of scoring again and completing a double for the Scott stable.

Skelton should get a winner at his local track with the consistent Thisonetime, who won a bumper at Warwick in January 2016 when trained by John Quinn, and will be looking for his first win over hurdles at the fifth attempt in the totequadpot Insure Your Placepot Last Four Novices' Hurdle.

The danger looks to be dual winner Gray Day who, although beaten a long way at Sedgefield on his last run, should appreciate the better ground on Sunday.

Elysian Prince is seeking back-to-back course wins in the @totepoolracing For Live Racing News Novices' Handicap Hurdle and, although he won well in the end last Saturday, he looked at one stage as if he wasnt going to put his best foot forward when his jockey asked him to go and win the race.

The handicapper hasnt been too harsh on Elysian Prince, however, only putting him up 3lbs for that success and he may have most to fear from Worcester scorer The Way You Dance, whose trainer Neil Mulholland has sent out nine winners in the past fortnight.

Deise Vu is another winner from last Saturday looking for a follow-up win in the Collect totepool Winnings At Betfred Shops Novices' Handicap Chase, although he could find top-weight Baraza a tough nut to crack.

The totepool Betting On All UK Racing 'Grassroots' Hunter' Chase brings the curtain down on the afternoon and, in an open-looking contest, Bound For Glory and Presentandcorrect could fight out the finish.
Over 400 militants who belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups, alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province, surrendered to authorities yesterday.

By AP: As many as 434 militants belonging to different banned outfits have surrendered in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

The militants, who handed over their arms to authorities here yesterday, belong to the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups alleged to have carried out attacks on security installations and personnel in the troubled province.

Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz said on the occasion that those wanting to return to normal life were welcome to do so after surrendering.

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"Anyone laying down their arms would be welcomed," he said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that for long foreign agencies had used innocent people in the province, misleading and instigating them.

Sher Mohammad, a key commander of the proscribed BLA, said they had been deceived by "anti-Pakistan" elements.

A senior provincial official said so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.

Pakistan says its borders with Afghanistan and Iran in Balochistan are being used to instigate and train people to carry out subversive activities in the country.

Also Read

Pakistan army brutality in Balochistan: 1 dead, several women taken hostage

Balochistan: Pakistan forces abduct 9 women, 8 children from Sui area

--- ENDS ---
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb, on Saturday, congratulated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief on the Prime Ministers victory in the Panama case.

The PM and his family have been vindicated of all allegations by the Supreme Courts decision, Aurangzeb said.

Read more: We will throw Nawaz out just as we sent Musharraf packing: PPP Co Chairman

The minister said that the government is still engaged in eradicating the corruption started by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The PM is giving Pakistan China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Aurangzeb said while addressing members of the press in Islamabad.

Also read: PTI to hold rally in Islamabad next week to demand PM's resignation: Imran Khan

The PM is pulling the country out of darkness. He is returning Pakistan its peace.
State Minister for Water and Power Abdi Sheir Ali on Saturday demanded that the cases of former President Asif Ali Zardari should be sent to military courts, saying that Zardaris name featured in all the reports of JITs formed to interrogate Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch.

Talking to media in Faisalabad, Ali dubbed the former president as dacoit, saying that Zardari became Mr100 percent during last PPP government from the earlier nickname of Mr 10 percent.

Read more: We will throw Nawaz out just as we sent Musharraf packing: PPP Co Chairman

He added that the names of Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur appeared in every crime Uzair confessed to commit before the JIT.

He demanded that Zardair should be tried in military court on the charges featured in the JIT reports.

Also read: Zardari condemns SC decision, demands resignation from PM

The minister said that whenever corruption cases were constituted against Dr Asim and Ayan Ali, PPP feel the pain. He added that the PPP came into power thanks to the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto and dipped into corruption from head to toes.
Following the demand of resignation of the prime minister made by the opposition political parties in wake of the Supreme Courts Panamagate judgment, the Supreme Court and Lahore High Court (LHC) bars have joined in the demand and called for Nawaz Sharif to step down on Saturday.

Giving seven days ultimatum, the vice president of LHC bar has demanded the premier to step down as two judges have noted the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was no more honest and trustworthy while others were not convinced with the evidences presented in his defence.

The vice president LHC also threatened government to start a movement against the prime minister if he did not step down within seven days. The premier has been morally defeated in Panamagate case judgment and hence he should quit his office, he said while talking to media.

He also apprised the media that contacts with other bar associations were being established and consensus being formed on the demand.

He also urged lawyers of Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar, and other associations to come forward and uphold democracy.

An all Pakistan convention of lawyers will be held after seven days if our demand not met, he said while threatening the government to start lawyers movement.

Talking to ARY News, President Supreme Court Bar Rasheed A. Razvi backed the demand and said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has no moral ground to continue his office after the court verdict.
By Press Trust of India: Dhaka, Apr 22 (PTI) Bangladesh is hopeful of forging regional cooperation through BIMSTEC after the failure of SAARC, a top aide of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today.

"In this context coming together in BIMSTEC is truly important. We already saw earlier SAARC with all our high hopes has not done much, and for the moment it is doubtful whether or not the next summit meeting will happen," International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi said at the opening of the BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks (BNPTT) meeting here at the Bay of Bengal groupings headquarters.

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He said Bangladesh hopes to make up through sub-regional cooperation including BIMSTEC after the failure of SAARC, bdnews24.com reported.

"We have seen NAFTA may or may not survive. We see European Union under challenge. In Bangladesh we see much of the future in the sub-region. It is the sub-region we are focused on. We have BBIN, BCIM and BIMSTEC... this is where we see our future," Rizvi said, giving examples of the state of the regional groupings in the world.

The seven countries grouping BIMSTEC connecting South Asia with the Southeast Asia received much attention after the last years SAARC summit in Islamabad was postponed following tensions between India and Pakistan over terror attacks, the report said.

Some think tanks consider BIMSTEC as an alternative to SAARC as Pakistan is not part of this grouping, it said.

Indias Research and Information System for Developing Countries, Bangladeshs Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bhutans Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies, Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Nepals Centre for Economic Development and Administration, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka and Thailands Indian Studies Centre of Chulalongkorn University are the members of the BNPTT which was formed at the second summit in November 2008.

The grouping is promoting 14 priority sectors of development and common concerns including trade and investment, transport and communication, tourism and people- to-people contact.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted BIMSTEC leaders in Goa last year during the BRICS summit. Hasina had attended the meeting.

BIMSTEC Secretary General Sumith Nakandala said their intention was to help the BIMSTEC think tank network "effectively carry out duties for policy advocacy in all 14 priority areas".

Rizvi thanked the secretary general for "truly revitalising BIMSTEC and giving it extraordinary sense of direction and energy", the report said.

He also urged the think tanks to come up with big ideas that "excite leaders to action and give them vision".

Foreign ministrys director general for SAARC and BIMSTEC Tareq Ahmed said Bangladesh is the founding member of BIMSTEC and it very much committed to its agenda. PTI CPS ASK CPS

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BOI Chief gets tough By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

Senior staff at the Board of Investment (BOI) has been given strict directions by its Chairman Upul Jayasuriya to refrain from communicating negative vibes to foreign investors without informing him.

I instructed them that saying no to foreign projects should be vetted by me before going to the respective investors, he told the Business Times noting that this came to such a state owing to certain blunders by some staff at BOI.

He said this discussion with some senior staff of BOI happened early this month.

What brought about this discussion was when a Malaysian eco friendly tourism project, Natures Glory slated to create 2,000 jobs was rejected for bureaucratic reasons. These issues could have been sorted, but at times we are used to following the book, he said but refused to give more details.

He also mentioned that a US$ 30 million cotton wool plant wasnt given the green light for a reason that couldve been sorted out. These events had prompted the BOI chief to get tough with the staff. He said that now both these projects are ongoing after he had personally got involved and sorted out the red tape along with the BOI officials.

He also said that in the event theres a negative response to a certain project, all investors are requested to get in touch with his office.

The countrys investment promotions agency is batting low foreign direct investment and is now in a quagmire with countervening taxes imposed by countries like the US on exports from BOI firms. The agency is already under pressure to attract FDI.

Officials said that because of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement that Sri Lanka is party to which limits them from taxing firms, the FDI attracting agency is at a catch 22. As Sri Lanka has signed this WTO trade pact, when the BOI grants tax concessions to firms that want to set up here, at the point of import of their goods theyll be taxed. So this doesnt make economic sense for them. This applies only to new firms but we are not on a good footing right now, one official explained.
CILT Sri Lanka elects new council thro secret ballot View(s):

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Sri Lanka held its 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Colombo recently, marking also the first time members were elected by a secret ballot.

Capt. Lasitha Cumaratunga was re-elected as the Chairman for a second term while the three Vice Chairpersons elected were Dr. T. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, Ms. Gayani de Alwis, and Dr. Ms. Namalie Sirisoma. Channaka de Alwis and Upali Gunawardena were elected as the Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

A CILT media release said that a key feature of the newly elected council is the presence of six females in the CILT Council which was a repeat of 2015.

CILT is actively promoting gender diversity in the industry through its womens forum, Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT).

CILT Chairman Cumaratunga in his address spoke about various activities that CILT conducted in the past year, the most notable being the highly successful international conference which was well attended by the logistics fraternity of the country. He commended the work of WiLAT and Young Professionals Forum (YPF) for continuously making an impact in their respective spheres.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) is a leading global professional body associated with the logistics and transport industry. CILT Sri Lanka began functioning as a territory of CILT from 2013.
CIMAs new competition to find Sri Lankas best young business brains View(s):

The CIMAs new Corporate Business Leaders Challenge will see teams of managers from companies in Sri Lanka battle it out in a new competition designed to test their business acumen. The first teams are due to compete in October this year, the organisation said in a media statement this week.

Companies will nominate teams of four managers with an accounting, finance and business related job scope. The managers will be sent a business case study. They will then present their responses on the case study in front of a team of judges before sitting for the case study exam in November. The judges will mark each team against competitors from South East Asia, Sri Lanka, Gulf Cooperation Council states and India. As the case study is part of the CIMA Professional Qualification which leads to the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation, entrants are encouraged to continue with the course and become a CGMA.

CGMA is the most widely held management accounting designation in the world.

It distinguishes more than 150,000 accounting and finance professionals who have advanced proficiency in finance, operations, strategy and management.

Following the launch of the CGMA designation in 2012, both CIMA and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) have come together to form the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Operational since 1 January this year, the Association represents 650,000 members and students in public and management accounting.

Commenting on the launch of this competition, Venkkat Ramanan, the Associations Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific, said: The Corporate Business Leaders Challenge is a completely new type of competition, combining teamwork, vocational study, and a live-judged presentation. The aim is to help identify all-round business leaders who have the intelligence, communication skills and ability to withstand pressure needed to drive companies forward. We are looking forward to the first round of entrants.
The CBI on Friday raided the residences of several serving and former officers of the Central Bank of India and officials of the Sinhagad Technical Education Society (STES) at multiple locations in connection with a Rs 58 crore scam, an official said. Raids were carried out in locations in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The CBI on Friday raided the residences of several serving and former officers of the Central Bank of India and officials of the Sinhagad Technical Education Society (STES) at multiple locations in connection with a Rs 58 crore scam, an official said here.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths carried out raids on residential and official premises of the bank officers and STES officials in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik and the searches were going on when the reports last came in.

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According to the CBI, a case has been registered against A.G. Sawant, former Assistant General Manager (AGM), Central Bank of India's Mid-Corporate Branch, Pune (now retired), Vidyadhar Pednekar, a former Senior Manager in the same branch, STES President and Managing Trustee M.N. Navale, certain trust officials and unknown persons, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

'CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY'

The CBI said that during 2011-2012, the bank officers, Sawant and Pednekar, entered into "a criminal conspiracy" with Navale and others to avail various financial facilities to the tune of Rs 81.30 crore, including a fresh loan of Rs 60 crore and transferring the STES's existing loans from the Punjab & Sindh Bank and the Canara Bank.

Navale submitted a project report giving false information that the loan amount would be utilised for various construction works and supplying materials to various STES campuses, including the underconstruction dental college and hospital in Narhe, Pune.

Sawant allegedly recommended the loan proposal, which was cleared by the Central Bank of India board, amounting to Rs 75.01 crore, comprising Rs 60 crore as a new loan plus Rs 13.01 crore takeover loan from the Canara Bank and another Rs 2-crore takeover loan from the Punjab & Sind Bank.

The CBI said that Sawant made the disbursement of the loans to STES without following the procedures and ascertaining its final use, since it later turned out that the borrower diverted it for some other purposes.

The STES also furnished bogus documents to the Central Bank Of India, including a certificate by an architect falsely showing expenses of Rs 21.20 crore towards construction of the Narhe medical campus, though no such thing was built there.

The CBI said the bank officers blatantly favoured the STES by misrepresenting the facts, did not ensure that adequate securities were in place to guard the loan, with Navale turning a wilful defaulter.

As part of the criminal conspiracy, the CBI said Navale failed to repay the loan to the bank, thus becoming a non-performing asset, causing an estimated loss of Rs 58.04 crore, plus interest.

ALSO READ | Narada Sting: Congress slams CBI after FIR against 13 Trinamool leaders

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ALSO WATCH | Vijay Mallya will be brought back to India, government working towards it: MoS Finance Santosh Gangwar

--- ENDS ---
Colombo forum to address easing trade for Sri Lankan business View(s):

A forum has been organised by the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation in Colombo on April 26. where participants will discuss how to make cross-border trade more efficient for Sri Lankan business.

The forum will feature speeches and discussions from the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and an international array of trade facilitation experts and business leaders. The forum is taking place within the context of the entry into force of the World Trade Organisations Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), a landmark global deal aimed at easing trade by removing red tape at borders, according to a media release by the ICCSL.

According to an analysis by the World Economic Forum, the TFA could increase cross-border sales for SMEs by up to 80 per cent. Other studies estimate that full implementation of the TFA could allow trade costs to fall by 13-15 per cent in developing and emerging countries.

For Sri Lanka, full and early implementation of the TFA could have a greater impact for domestic business than tariff reforms, chiefly by providing new standards for the transparency of laws and procedures; increased fairness in border agency decisions; streamlined customs clearance procedures; and less administrative constraints on goods for import, export and transit, the ICCSL said.

The TFA is a great opportunity for Sri Lankan business, strengthening Sri Lankas current trade facilitation efforts, creating jobs and making it quicker and less costly to import and export, ICCSL Chairman Keerthi Gunawardane said. The agreement would also allow Sri Lankan companies to better tap into global supply chains.
Independent public trust to manage state pension funds By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Amidst growing protests from trade unionists and opposition politicians, the government is gradually going ahead with employees retirement benefit reforms.

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Employees Trust Fund (ETF) and the government pension scheme will undergo drastic changes under this initiative phase by phase.

These reforms are aimed at improving the efficiency of management in the EPF, ETF and deliver pension for life for public and private sector employees, official sources disclosed.

The state will introduce necessary regulations to set up a public trust to independently manage the ETF and EPF by amalgamating them to create a new national pension fund with a value of Rs.1.88 trillion, a senior Treasury official said adding that this was announced in the 2017 budget as well.

However any changes to these funds should be made in consultations compromise and consensus with private sector employees, Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union told the Business Times.

He noted that the government is planning to bring regulations one by one gradually to gain their objective but trade unions will keep an eye on each and every new development in matters relating EPF and ETF.

Labour Minister John Seneviratne has told the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meeting recently that the regulation to amalgamate the EPF and ETF has not been devised as yet, Mr. Marcus disclosed.

He noted that trade unions are in one voice against any attempt to introduce contributory pension scheme for the private sector creating a new national pension fund.

Mr. Marcus emphasised that trade unions will agitate for a referendum if the government plans to go ahead with this proposal.

The Finance Ministry will initiate a process to streamline all databases maintained by the EPF, ETF and the Labour Department, together, with the proposed Central Pension Fund as a major step towards retirement benefit reforms.

This was like preparing the ground work gradually for the amalgamation of the two funds, he pointed out adding that this was brought to the notice of the Labour Minister at the NLAC meeting recently.

A new legislation on the regulation of superannuation funds other than the EPF and ETF is to be introduced providing provisions to set up a regulatory body towards this end. In a most recent development, retired employees who are engaged in some other employment with EPF benefits have been facing difficulties in withdrawing their EPF money as the Labour Department is allegedly delaying the clearance of their applications citing data base issues, several employees complained.

The Inter Company Employees Union alleged that the EPF is facing cash flow issues as a result of the recent bond scam and other unprofitable investments in private firms and acquiring ownership of commercial banks.

It has invested members money in companies like PC House, The Finance Company, SriLankan Airlines and Hyatt Regency in Colombo, the union said expressing fear on the safety of employees lifetime savings.

JVP leader Anura Kumra Dissanayake has noted that the bond issue alone has caused a loss of Rs. 14.9 billion.

According to the EPF Annual Report for 2012, the reserves have been depleted by Rs. 29 billion. Recent statistics have not been published so far and only the 2012 /2013 annual reports were presented to Parliament up to now.

According to Treasury statistics, there were 156 Approved Provident Funds and Contributory Pension Schemes (APPF) with 168,900 members in 2014.

The total assets and investments of these APPFs were Rs.151 billion and Rs. 117 billion, respectively, at the end of 2014.

The existing regulation and supervision of APPFs by the Commissioner General of Labour is weak, and therefore, the savings of members in such funds could be at risk, a Treasury official said adding that a new regulatory and supervisory system with prudential and governance standards is essential to ensure the safety of member funds.

Meanwhile the government has already taken measures to manage pension liabilities by implementing a new contributory pension scheme replacing the current defined benefit scheme for any new recruits to the public service, Labour and Trade union Relations State Minister Ravindra Samaraweera revealed.

This was clearly indicated in appointment letters of new recruits to the public sector stating that the employee should abide by the decisions taken by the state on pension scheme with effect from 2016, the Public Sector Pension Protection Centre has said noting that they are contemplating an agitation by public sector employees to protect their pension rights.

The number of public sector employees is in the region of 1.4 million with almost one public official for every 15 citizens in the country.

Even with such a massive public sector cadre there are shortages of staff in schools hospitals and several other state institutions and the Treasury has undertaken a public sector cadre review to tackle this situation, the official said.
Several European brands at Fine Furniture View(s):

Fine Furniture, the brainchild of Martin Klement, a former structural engineer and his partner Niluka Klement, in a brief period of three and a half years have successfully established a new benchmark for luxury living in Sri Lanka and raised the bar vis a vis customer expectations and service .

At Fine Furniture we promote the concept of investing in long-lasting, quality products with outstanding design, function and performance for a new way of living, said Mr. Klement, in a media release. The store is located at 593/1/1 Nawala Road, Rajagiriya

The store recently embarked on an extensive refurbishment and once completed will occupy three floors, spread across 15000 square feet. According to Mr, Klement the renovations which are currently ongoing have entailed a considerable investment which he says further underlies his commitment to Sri Lanka and his desire to bring the very best of European lifestyle products to the country.

The renovated and expanded Fine Furniture store which will be ready by June this year will have increased space for showcasing their ever increasing product range, whilst providing greater convenience to shoppers, and promises an unforgettable one stop experience.

Having set up Fine Furniture in August 2013, today, Fine Furniture occupies a niche in the local market, providing speciality solutions with cutting edge European designs for interior spaces.

When we started Fine Furniture a few years ago, it was answering an obvious need for great kitchens, luxury interior products and furniture that represent the lifestyle of the upwardly mobile, modern Sri Lankan.

Furthermore with the real estate boom which has resulted in several international developers such as Clearpoint Residencies, Destiny, and Shangrila etc, flocking to Sri Lanka, not forgetting local entrepreneurs like Blue Mountain the need for furniture and fittings of an international standard has increased exponentially; hence our decision to expand and upgrade, he said.

The store has partnerships with some of the most luxurious European home brands such as Koinor, Pacific Green, Flexa, Loddenkemper, Alpa Salotti, Hacker Kitchens, Bosch, Miele, Brandt, Bovictus Metaltex, Eurographic and Masterlight.

A new addition to Fine Furnitures portfolio will be a wide selection of the most appealing childrens furniture through Flexa, the Danish manufacturer of childrens furniture.
Sri Lankan hydraulic expertise improves Algerias harbour facilities By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankan hydraulic expertise has helped to optimise Algerias harbour facilities for the sixth time in succession, officials said.

Lanka Hydraulic Institute Ltd (LHI), a leading Sri Lankan engineering consultancy firm has extended its expertise by conducting hydraulic modelling for six harbour projects during the past few years, they revealed.

This leading Sri Lankan engineering consultancy firm in the Asian region in the fields of coastal, water resources and urban water engineering successfully completed the Hydraulic Modelling of Fishing Port in Sidi Ladjel, Algeria recently.

LHI has carried out hydraulic modelling used to analyse the hydraulic behaviour in this port successfully, they pointed out.

This was the sixth consecutive project LHI received from Algeria.

Previously, consultancy services for ports El Kala, Messida and Ain Adjroud together with coastal protection in Mostaganem have been carried out by the firm with successful results, LHIs Director/CEO H.N.R. Perera told the Business Times.

LHIs long standing partner, Hydro Marine Ingenierie (HMI) of Algeria had entrusted the firm for a comprehensive numerical and physical modelling campaign for a fishery harbour project in Sidi Ladjel (Algeria), he added

LHI has been in the frontier of consultancy services in the engineering sector providing solutions for complex coastal and environmental issues/ projects worldwide, he revealed in an interview with Business Times recently.

The LHI owns a large 25m x 35 m free spanning basin in the banks of Bolgoda.

One of the largest test basins in South Asia, it is equipped with computer controlled wave makers to replicate in-situ ocean waves and tides or recreate river currents of standard and extreme flood events.

This enables the design of structures such as breakwaters, jetties, coast protection structures, weirs and dams to be accurately and practically checked.

These studies were conducted at its state of the art laboratory located in Katubedda, he said adding that high-end studies and collection of field data in the water sector were carried out on design of Hydraulic structures.

The designs were carried out using sophisticated globally accepted mathematical models, and stand-alone or supportive scaled physical model studies conducted in the basin. The basin utilises computer controlled waves, he explained.

All projects were handled in-house using Sri Lankan expertise. Over 25 major projects including the coast protection of Cannes in France, design of harbours in Oman, Flood protection schemes in Maldives, and Fishery Harbours in India have been handled by LHI in 2013.

During the fiscal year 2015/16, LHI successfully completed several foreign projects including: resort development in North Male Atoll (Maldives), shore protection in East of Mostaganem Port (Algeria), Physical Model Studies of Six Fishery Harbours (Oman), Numerical Modelling for Artificial Resort Island Project (Maldives), and Hydraulic Model Studies for a Pleasure Port Development in Tlemcen (Algeria).

Prioritising its commitment to local projects, LHI currently proceeds with more than 10 consultancy projects including the proposed Fishery Harbour at Wellamankara, Salinity Barrier across Kalu Ganga, Flood Study in Deduru Oya, Conceptual Design of Sewerage Sea Outfall in DMMC area, etc.

LHI also provides its services on field and modelling investigations for the Colombo Port City Development Project, he disclosed.

LHI Chairman Ranjit Galappatti noted that model testing is used extensively in hybrid and composite modelling, in which physical models work interactively or combined with numerical models and informatics systems.

This provides customers with ground-breaking solutions. Accurate and up-to-date equipment are available in-house, and our equipment is tested by experts regularly, he added.

This is a particular advantage to our customers since the equipment is tested, they are available to clients at short notice, he said.

LHIs comprehensive model testing facilities serve customers and projects within port, coastal, hydraulic and offshore engineering.

Model testing has been conducted for the past two decades for different clients from all over the world, he pointed out adding that physical modelling covers a wide range of testing for most of the coastal engineering applications.

It includes Breakwater Stability Testing, Harbour Disturbance Modelling and Ship Movement Modelling, etc.

Senior Engineering Manager (and also Project Manager of Sidi Ladjel project), Dr Sanjeewa Wickramaratne told the Business Times that since its inception in 1984, LHI has conducted over 350 projects in Sri Lanka and overseas.

All its processes are streamlined, quality assured, and in accordance with ISO 9001:2008. LHIs services are relied upon by a number of international clients in Algeria, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Eritrea, France, India, Iran, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal, South Korea, and UAE, he said.

The 2D and 3D testing have been carried out for all harbours in Sri Lanka where artificial armour (concrete Blocks in place of rock) has been used. In addition, LHI has undertaken detailed field investigations and measurements in coastal and riverine systems, he disclosed.

Enhancing its footprint in the African continent, LHI at present, is actively involved in a major collaboration on field investigations and mathematical model studies in Rwanda  Africa, he said.
Urgent action needed to overcome impending Lankan economic disaster By Lloyd F. Yapa View(s): View(s):

The Sri Lankan economy is facing a grave economic crisis: Government revenue has plunged from 16.8 per cent of GDP in 2000 to 13 per cent of GDP in 2015. The overall budget deficit which was  9.5 per cent of GDP in 2000 is -7.4 of GDP in 2015.

The Government therefore has to borrow and its debt grew to 76 per cent of GDP in 2015; the outstanding external debt out of this amounted to 54.4 per cent of GDP (about US$ 45 billion) in 2015. Unfortunately repayments of these debts gobbled up about 28 per cent of export earnings of $10.5 billion in 2015. What remained would not have been sufficient to pay for imports which stood at $18.9 billion in 2015, if not for about $10 billion earnings from worker remittances and tourism. The problem is export earnings are not only insufficient but are also declining while imports increase by leaps and bounds; this has been the picture since 1977. Due mainly to this continued state of crisis incomes have not increased fast enough; therefore those earning less than $2.5 per day were estimated to be 32.1 per cent of the population, including about 700,000 destitute people as of 2012/13, (World Bank 2015); these numbers normally would go up when the prices of essentials increase.

Failure to solve the problem

The previous government despite 10 years of rule failed to solve the problem. This is exactly why the people voted in a new government in 2015/16. But the new government too has failed to make any improvement; in fact the signs are that the crisis has worsened particularly because very little progress has been made both in the revenue and expenditure fronts obviously due to an absence of political will/guts to do the right things like widening the personal/direct income tax base or slashing the massive losses of the state owned enterprises (SOEs). Worse still there doesnt seem to be any understanding as to how export earnings could be increased (and imports could be decreased). The thinking appears to be that it could be done by market expansion through trade agreements; this is a sort of cart before the horse approach, as the actual problem is the insufficiency of capacity to increase production of goods and services for export and not inadequacy of markets. Though several local economists have pointed this out, the advice has fallen on deaf ears.

The authorities instead have consulted the Harvard University theorists! It is to be noted that this production has to come mainly from manufacturing industries to absorb the excess employment in agriculture (about 28 per cent of total employment) both to improve its productivity and to prevent the occupation of forest reserves and steep slopes by jobless and landless farmers.

Insufficient investment

Goods and services cannot be produced without investment. Sri Lanka was able to invest only about 30 per cent of GDP in 2015 .What we need an investment of more than 35 per cent of GDP to achieve a growth rate of about 8 per cent per annum. As there is a scarcity of capital and the necessary technologies locally and since locals do not have global market access for products, this investment gap has to be filled by foreign direct investors (FDIs).

However, they have been bypassing this country apparently because the risk of investing here is high (according to indices published by the OECD and others) while their prospect of earning a comfortable return is low especially as there is inconsistency of policies.

In addition approvals of projects take months and years (compared to half an hour in Dubai), as regulations are so complicated that 70 per cent of the time spent by exporters is devoted to importing and exporting processes, which in addition breed corruption. While labour laws are complex, the technical and soft skills required are scarce, the capacity and quality of infrastructure especially of power and water supplies are quite low, law and order conditions are getting worse, widespread public demonstrations which may be a form of social unrest due to the burdens created by the economic crisis are increasing though some of it may be politically motivated), there are even productivity sapping epidemics which could be due to the continued use of polythene bags and the failure of local bodies to clean up the garbage and the road side drains. In other words the internal enabling environment for investment here is absolutely negative.

There are no signs that this has been understood as indicated by the foreign promotion trips supposedly for attracting investment. In addition land consolidation has never been undertaken to increase investment in agriculture, improve its productivity and alleviate poverty among rural population of about 17 million.

Low competitiveness

There is a further complication. Just by producing goods and services for export, Sri Lanka cannot increase exports. It has to be globally competitive, which means that the unit costs/prices have to be low (productivity has to be high) and the quality and value addition of these have to meet if possible the highest standards set by customers to earn higher export earnings.

Even such basics do not seem to be understood, as heavy tariff protection of domestic enterprises continues as in the past making them concentrate on the domestic market. If import tariffs are reduced, competition among enterprises will increase, generating paranoia to expand investment and innovate to improve global competitiveness; this will also benefit domestic consumers as prices would come down with the reduction of taxes on imports.

The tragedy is that Sri Lanka has never made an attempt to be competitive in large scale production (to improve productivity) for export to world markets by reducing tariffs (as logically required by all small nations with small domestic markets), except for a brief period after 1977. The question is why has this happened?

Ineffective politicians/leaders

Most of the politicians who have emerged after 1956 appear to have been driven by short term political gain; they would not hesitate even to arouse communal conflicts to gain this end (thereby increasing the risk of investment), indicating a complete absence of a passion for serving the people; instead there is an inclination to enjoy life at the expense of the taxpayer and even to loot the Treasury. They have failed to make the people aware of the ways of improving their wellbeing, for instance by expansion of investment, especially FDI, on manufacturing for export. The current economic crisis is thus the result of all these adverse trends.

Avoiding social and

economic failure

A complete failure of the Sri Lankan economy to deliver, e.g. essentials at reduced prices and well-paying jobs as well as to alleviate poverty, could thus be imminent, resulting even in starvation and much social unrest (the IMF could prevent it temporarily). So there is an immediate need for the government to act fast on the following much delayed priority areas to improve the wellbeing of the people (on the basis of the Sustainable Development Goals and Targets, including poverty alleviation approved by the UN in 2015):

1) The government has to work with the opposition to solve the crisis; in fact it is in the interest of the opposition parties too to cooperate with the government to face the crisis off with the following common programme as problems would worsen when and if they come to power if not resolved right now. In this context the treatment meted out to the 50 MPs in the so called Joint Opposition by reducing their time of discussion of issues, giving rise to juvenile delinquent type of behaviour even by seniors, is unwise; the excuse is the existence of obstructing Standing Orders. Parliamentarians however have all the power to enact new laws or regulations for greater cooperation by both sides of parliament.

2) The high risk in the enabling environment for investors particularly

FDIs for production of export products has to be drastically reduced by (a) enacting a strong new constitution mainly for introducing good governance including the separation of powers among the executive, the judiciary and the legislature, devolving power to the provinces and ensuring equal rights for all particularly to root out any fear of another outbreak of communal violence, electing representatives to constituencies instead of districts to reduce high election campaign expenditure which breeds bribery and corruption and to create a new generation of educated and effective leaders/politicians as well as by (b) removing the laws and regulations that hamper the efficient operation of businesses such as labour laws ( c) passing a law to create a one-stop-shop for approval of projects, and (d) improving the law and order situation significantly.

3) Widening the tax net to collect more revenue from personal income,

while plugging the leaks in revenue collection due to corruption as well as converting the loss making SOEs to public private partnerships (PPPs) to reduce the budget deficit drastically, a step by step reduction of import tariffs, setting up a powerful office responsible only to parliament along with stringent laws to root out corruption speedily and creating a consistent policy environment to invigorate the private sector, the engine of growth.

4) Signing agreements with countries such as China and India to develop the Hambantota Port, the Trinco Oil Tank Farm and industrial areas respectively on a PPP basis especially to reduce the external debt/produce export products.

5) Introducing a new system of education/vocational training to upgrade the technical and soft skills including communication in English (while importing the skills temporarily) and development of infrastructure particularly power generation, stopping non-essential construction projects, temporarily, and developing renewable energy sources to reduce imports, but prioritising the cleaning up of the natural environment to prevent epidemics.

6) The consolidation of the fragmented subsistence farm- holdings by giving ownership of the land to the farmers, while undertaking a programme to de-silt all reservoirs and repair bunds and canals, to enhance rural incomes.

7) NGOs concerned with saving the economy from collapse have to carry out a public awareness campaign to create pressure to speed up development and specifically to build a national consensus regarding the need for additional export oriented investment by the private sector especially FDI by showing the close connection between investment and poverty alleviation/ reduction of income inequality.

A failed economy/ state status could be avoided only by introducing/implementing these priority programmes within the next two or three years along with the opposition parties as well as the stakeholders concerned and putting these in charge of people (such as Karu Jayasuriya and Gotabaya Rajapaksa) who can get things done speedily.

(The writer is an economist and comments on the articles should be sent to loyani@sltnet.lk)
Avurudu avalanche reveals Lankas political graveyard View(s):

A NATION AT WAR OVER RUBBISH

After Mount Garbage blew its top on Good Friday, blame game for a nations shame continues to pile up with no solution in sight

Surrounded by an army contingent and a police task force to boot, Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wicremesinghe visits the scene of national carnage wearing a medical face mask to ward off the stench of piled up garbage and rotting corpses still to be exhumed from the trash crash of Mount Garbage which blew its top and slipped its disk on Aluth Avurudhu day under the sheer weight of a nations negligence.

The Prime Ministers face mask to muffle the raging stink  the scandalous stench the residents of Meethotamulla bore with unbearable suffering and admirable fortitude and the nation apathetically tolerated without a blush for the last seven years  says it all: The dismal failure of political leaders of successive governments to look callously askance at a human tragedy that was crying out loud to be averted and waiting for that inauspicious hour to crash land on the capitals door step with more than enough rumbling and warning to stir even those most drowsy from their long power intoxicated stupor.

If the 152 metre high World Trade Centre tower in the heart of the city centre, touted as evidence of the emerging economic miracle of Lanka, was the nations pride, then the 100 metre high mountainous tower of Colombos filth, just three miles away, was the iconic symbol of a nations shame.

No human foresight could have predicted the terrible Tsunami that hit the nations shores on that fateful day after Christmas in the year 2004. But the Meethotamulla Mount Garbage catastrophe that befell the land on Avurudhu Good Friday was manmade. It was a tragedy waiting to happen. And it occurred on a day when one small section of the nation was mourning the death of their Lord Jesus Christ whilst another major group was lighting crackers to herald the Sinhala new year with the entry of the solar king Sun into the constellation of Aries.

Whilst the crackers boomed in celebration and churches were hushed in prayer, Lankas mountainous muck came tumbling down upon the unfortunate residents of Meethotamulla to entomb their loved ones in the very debris of society rubbish they had been protesting against for so many years.

When Jesus Christ exclaimed whilst being crucified on the cross that Good Friday 2017 years ago, Father forgive them, for they do not understand, perhaps the victims, less religious, whist being buried in the rubble were sighing,  Accursed are those who did not heed our warning call.

To the Prime Ministers credit, he cut short his visit in Vietnam to return home to visit the scene of tragedy, not like the guilty returning to the scene of crime but as a statesman, and sympathise with the families of the dead. With his stink guard to stifle the stench, he drew in the scene and made no comment but retained a solemn silence as befitted the grim occasion. This he knew was no time to make cheap comments, nor the occasion to pass the stink bag to his opponents and make hay out of a peoples tragedy. This was a national calamity and what the people wanted was a solution, not a blame game of pass the parcel.

But not so for other politicians, who like vultures hovering upon carrion, soon flocked to descend upon the carcasses of the Meethotamulla dead and make a political meal out of it for their survival. If Pontius Pilate had washed his hands to symbolise his justification for having acquiesced in the rabbles demand to crucify Christ, politicians of every rank and political file in Lanka rushed to not only wash their hands at the nearby public lavatory but also to flush the dirt water onto their opponents face.

The Sirisena government ministers were quick off the mark to lay the blame on the past Rajapaksa regime. And neither were they wide off the mark. In the effort to keep posh Colombo clean and sprightly, the Rajapaksa regime did not sweep the citizenry rubbish under the carpet but, in their own chinthana manner of being transparent, made a mountain out of it.

How it all began was when the Colombo Municipality operation of dumping garbage on a private land in Bloemendal Road, Colombo 13, was called to a halt by a Supreme Court order. According to Colombos Mayor Muzammil, statement on 10th April 2013, Since the CMC was left without a place to build on its waste management strategy after that, the Supreme Court called on the UDA to provide the CMC with a land to carry out the citys waste management efforts. In accordance with a Court order based on that, the UDA gave the Meethotamulla yard to the CMC. The UDA has done its part to solve a problem that was indeed a problem of the CMC. They are not to be held responsible for those problems that have bubbled up from the Meethotamulla garbage dump, whose waste management is our responsibility.

As the SUNDAY PUNCH commented last year on 18th September, The Colombo Mayor, for some reason best known to himself, was keenly bent on absolving the UDA from responsibility for the problems that bubbled up from the Meethotamulla garbage site. Instead he embraced to his bosom 800 tons of filth and took the sole responsibility for wastage management. But what is the wastage management he did? Instead of dumping it in Bloemendal, he went and landed it in Meethotamulla? Was this the ambit of his expertise on successfully managing solid waste that moved him to take the kudos in having passed the stink bomb from Bloemen to Meethot? 

But whilst this former First Citizen if Colombo is presently basking in Malaysian climes as Lankas Excellency the High Commissioner to that country  as a reward no doubt, given by this government, for his excellent diplomatic skills in absolving the Rajapaksa controlled UDA of its responsibilities  never mind Meethotamulla residents plight  just two and a half months ago  the Rajapaksa train of response was to quick start its coal powered engines and toot its hoary horn with the same funny but familiar sound that it had the solution but that the public  yes, you and I  prevented its implementation by voting the Rajapaksas out of office two years ago.

If the Sirisena ministers played the blame game by accusing the Rajapaksa regime of original sin, the Rajapaksa Adam blamed the Lankan people for having succumbed to temptation and, beguiled by Ranils and Chandrikas wiles, eating of Maithripalas forbidden Yahapalana fruit.

And what was this grand design that had we, the people, steadfast stood and voted for a third and everlasting term of office to this political family dynasty with pretentions to divine rule?

To move the Meethotamulla rubbish to Puttalam. And send it train bound on the midnight express to a town that does not even have a railway station. This Monday, Mahinda Rajapaksa announced: We had plans ready to solve the garbage issue in Colombo, but unfortunately the UPFA government was toppled and the new government didnt implement what was planned by the previous government,

My government had decided to take the Meethotamulla waste to Puttalam to fill deep pits there. But, my government had been defeated before that project was carried out,

So its our fault. And he is probably right. Not in defeating his regime but in the blind faith we repose in politicians to solve the nations woes.

The degree to which Lankas political leadership has fallen from its once lofty heights of responsibility; and how the nations masters have miserably failed to meet the aspirations of the Lankan people, were starkly laid bare in the political grave yard that emerged in the aftermath of manmade tragedy that gate crashed the nations most auspicious Avurudhu feast.

Meethotamulla has been a problem which has confounded Lankas leaders and it has exposed their lack of genius  sorry, their bird brain ability  to solve a simple problem like how to get rid of the nations capital filth.

Today while a section of this country is still celebrating the avurudhu with Pancha Kalyana beauty contests and Avurudhu Kumaraya bicycle races and another handful are mourning the Meethotamulla dead, there is strife on the streets as the Government struggles to find a solution to the garbage problem. And this rubbish has rubbed on Buddhist monks and the Catholic clergy as well. Where will it stop, for a nation that still does not have the ingenuity to dispose of the waste they so lustily consume sans a burp?

Like Mahinda Rajapaksas proposal to shift the rubbish from Meethotamulla to a limestone quarry in Puttalam, freighted by a special dirt train, which would have taken, according to the deputy speaker Sumathipala who told the Malwatte Mahanayake Thera on Thursday, Nearly 8,000 tons of waste were collected from the Colombo urban areas. One goods wagon in a train could accommodate only 40 tons and one could imagine what a lot of wagons would be needed to transport such a load of garbage daily, the present governments solution last year was to remove it to Ja-ela. With the Arch Bishop of Colombo stepping in to the rubbish quagmire and showing his cross of protest against the move, the zany proposal was abandoned.

Now the only solution the Government has produced so far is to remove the rubbish from town to town, in the proverbial manner people seek relief changing the pillow to rid the headache. Despite a magisterial order obtained by the Colombo Municipal Council on Tuesday to dispose Colombos garbage in Karadiyana, Piliyandala, the garbage trucks were turned away by the residents. The same happened when an attempt was made to dump it in Kotikawatte on Tuesday.

Wattala residents followed suit that same day when a group of officials attempted to visit a site thereat as a possible dump. On Wednesday the protest continued when the authorities armed with the court order dumped the garbage. That same day protests began in Dompe over the suggestion that this town just twenty two miles away from Malwana, famed for its Rambutans, was an idyllic spot to dump the bristled skin and the seedy nut the city spits out each day.

On Thursday, protests were held in Pamunugama, in Wattala. On Thursday, protests were held in Kirindiwela against bringing garbage to Dompe. And, if there were not enough tears wept over the Meethotamulla tragedy, the police used teargas to quell the protest and disperse the crowd. They were only asking not to dump the waste on their doorstep. And to the Governments credit, no military might was used  as had been employed by the previous regime to squash Rathupaswala citizens demand for nothing more than a cup of chemical free clean water.

Instead On Thursday night the President signed an extraordinary gazette which declared waste disposal as an essential service. It reads as follows:

All services, work or labour of any description whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with any undertaking performed or maintained by any local authority or for and on behalf of any such local authority, for the clearance, collection, transportation, temporary storage, processing, separation, treatment, disposal and sale of street refuse house refuse or other similar matters

Only one small problem. Whilst this kind of executive order may have been appropriate to deal with the publicly educated and publicly paid for GMOA doctors going on strike after strike over SAITM and holding the self same poor who have financed their education and still pays theirs salaries to ransom, no dustman is threatening to shirk his duty. The problem is that whilst the workforce is ready and willin like Charles Dickenss Barkis, Miss Peggotty, alas, hasnt the apple pastries of land to cater to his betrothal hopes.

The question thus arises: Though armed with gazetted power is the Government willing to run the gauntlet of public opinion? If there is defiance on the streets by the people against Government efforts to dump rubbish on their doorstep, will the government use armed force to persuade them to accept, with officialdoms best wishes, the Governments Avurudhu hamper of Colombos muck?

Its ironic, isnt it, that Lanka is a nation at war, with people justifiably taking to the streets not in protest over an issue concerning the nations sovereignty, not in protest over the Indo-Sino domination of the land, not in protest  and the list is endless- even of the cost of living but over the nations rubbish.

If not handled carefully, tenderly, delicately, sensitively, this could well be the rise of Lankas own Avurudhu spring. A time when the people rise from the garbage of forlorn hopes and broken promises to make a bold statement that enough is enough. It should give all politicians, of all hues, nourishing food for thought. One not to be consumed as another liberal serving of unadulterated rubbish destined to remain indigested. And, most certainly, not one to be disposed of with a queasy cursory puff of political flatulence which stinks to high heavens.

Scant solace: A lakh to bury the dead already buried in apathys garbage `

The Government has announced it will pay Rs 100,000 to the families of the Meethotamulla dead, Thirty two dead so far. That makes the total bill Rs. 3. 2 million. The government has okayed other Rs 2.5 million as the maximum compensation payable to the owners of houses damages. Perhaps to some, there is money in muck.But for those who suffered the full horror of Good Fridays Avurudhu tragedy, no filthy lucre to bury their dead can recompense the loss of their loved ones buried under the debris of successive government apathy. Especially when the government gives a thumping Rs. 40 million odd bonus in the form of a duty free vehicle permit to be sold overnight, in addition to their salaries and their new incentive bonus of Rs 100,000 a month, to each and every MP as reward for being the peoples representative.
Garbage sausages and dirty tricks of the Meethotamulla tragedy View(s):

The Meethotamulla Avurudu tragedy where a fire at the mountainous garbage dump snuffed out more than 30 lives and left several missing has laid bare some incredible stories.

ne such instance was how a food importer had dumped a large stock of outdated sausages there. A group picked up the stocks, washed them, re-packed them and sold them to smaller grocery outlets. There is little doubt they ended up on the plates of unsuspecting consumers.

This is just one of the stories related to Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka by his senior officials who were deployed to visit the scene of the tragedy and report their findings.

Another was how a local council which was not authorised to dump garbage at Meethotamulla, did so. This council is in the north of Colombo. Tractor loads were brought in during midnight. A man who operated a fleet of tractors had been paid Rs 9,000 per load. Of this amount, only a paltry Rs 1,000 had been paid to those at the garbage dump for dumping some 300 tons of cargo daily. The moral of the story was clear  there is a lot of money even in garbage.

What did the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry do with regard to garbage disposal? An official said it had called for Request For Proposals (RFP) several months ago and received 123 bids by those wanting to establish waste disposal projects. In view of strong canvassing, the Ministry had placed a US$ 50,000 deposit and a number of local bidders backed out thereafter, the official said.

Then came an incredible revelation: Among those who had made bids were those officials holding high positions at offices of very senior politicians in the Government. They were promoting overseas clients and the exercise could not proceed when their identities were found out, an official said. Thus, he said, the garbage which usually is allowed up to heights of 30 metres had gone up to 42.5 metres at Pottuvil Kumbura, the state land where the garbage mountain lies at Meetotamulla.

A lesser known fact was that the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) had set apart Rs. 600 million to evacuate families living around the garbage dump area. Two weeks before the devastating tragedy, the CMC had pasted notices on 25 houses and offered them a measly Rs 15,000 to leave their homes because they were in danger. Only 14 families accepted the offer. Some of the notices posted on the houses still remain.

Lankas PR operator Zuberi now with Trump

In the news again is Imad Zuberi, the Pakistani national who was one of those hired by the then Monitoring MP for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, to carry out public relations work in the US to promote Sri Lanka.

Mr Gunawardena had ensured that he be paid millions of dollars for the exercise which produced little or no results. Mr. Zuberi is in the news once again. This is what the New York Times had to say in a story about those who funded Donald Trumps election campaign last year:

A $900,000 donation came in December from Avenue Ventures, a California-based boutique money management firm founded by the entrepreneur Imad Zuberi. Mr. Zuberi was a top fund-raiser for President Barack Obama and for Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Zuberi was also paid millions of dollars to work in Washington on behalf of the scandal-plagued government of Sri Lanka and its central bank, work he did not initially disclose to the Justice Department as required by federal law, according to a report in Foreign Policy magazine.

Mr. Zuberi is now making inroads in Mr. Trumps circle. After making the donation, he earned a coveted spot at the Chairmans Global Dinner, a pre-inauguration, black-tie gathering intended to introduce the incoming president to the foreign diplomatic corps. A photo from the event shows Mr. Zuberi in conversation with Mr. Trump and other guests.

Mr. Zuberi did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Higher post for Shavendra

Major General Shavendra de Silva, Adjutant General in the Army, has also been named as Colonel Commandant of the Gajaba Infantry Regiment. He succeeds Major General Udaya Perera who retired this week.

Ministerial committee to decide on LNG plants, refineries and cement plants

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) has appointed an eight-member ministerial subcommittee to draft an overall policy on constructing, locating and operating Liquid Natural Gas plants, refineries and cement plants.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who chairs the CCEM has named Special Assignment Minister Sarath Amunugama as the Chairman. Other members are Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, Petroleum Resources Minister Chandima Weerakkody, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

It was noted at a recent meeting of the CCEM that Sri Lanka had made commitments to three countries namely India, Japan and China regarding the construction of LNG Power plants.

With regard to the location of an LNG terminal, the minutes of the CCEM meeting in question point out that a decision was to be taken. It was noted that a Joint Cabinet Memorandum on this matter will be submitted by the Ministers of Power and Renewable Energy, Petroleum Resources Development and Ports and Shipping.

This is the first time the CCEM has begun appointing Cabinet subcommittees to go into key issues. They were earlier the sole responsibility of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Meethotamulla: Early debate not possible

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told the Joint Opposition Parliamentary Group leader Dinesh Gunawardena that an early debate in Parliament over the Meethotamulla garbage tragedy would not be possible.

He said in a letter to Mr Gunawardena, in response to his request to summon Parliament, that he would not be available in Sri Lanka together with some ministers. Premier Wickremesinghe said a date would have to be fixed for later next month and added that relief measures had already been taken to help those affected.

New law on voluntary disclosures

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to request the Legal Draftsman to formulate legislation for a law on Voluntary Disclosures.This disclosure is provision of information by a companys management beyond accepted accounting principles and rules of the Securities Exchange. Such information is believed to be useful for users of the companys annual reports.

Green light for smart LED street lights

Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha has won the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to replace conventional street lights with smart controlled LED streets lights. However, ministers raised a number of questions on the matter which will cost the Government millions of rupees. Now a committee of official has been asked to go into the different aspects. They include:

The quantum of anticipated electricity savings on account of the implementation of the proposed project.

The manner in which the benefit of the electricity savings could be shared between the proposed investor and the Government of Sri Lanka.

The method of repayment to be adopted in respect of the investment made by the proposed investor on this project.

The officials committee will be led by the Secretary to the Treasury (or a Deputy) and include the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy (or an Additional Secretary) and the Secretary to the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government (or an Additional Secretary).
May does a Mahinda but without astrology View(s):

So it is Mays day. Prime Minister Theresa May who pledged that she will run her course as Prime Minister and dismissed the idea of an early election did a rather sudden u-turn. Those who remember the Margaret Thatcher era would recall her October 1980 conference speech when she told those waiting with bated breath for a Thatcher u-turn You turn if you want to. The Ladys not for turning. She was punning on the title of the Christopher Fry play The Ladys Not for Burning.

Politics in Britain as well as in Sri Lanka, until quite recently called the Miracle of Asia by tourist blurb writers with little imagination and no respect for facts, have come a long way since Thatchers words rocked the conference hall with laughter and applause that October day.

When Mahinda Rajapaksa called a presidential election two years ahead of time it was said that two persons influenced the decision. One was his favourite astrologer and the other brother Basil who made a quick exit from the country after the Mahinda lost the election pleading mea culpa or words to that effect.

Basil Rajapaksas call for an early election appears to have been influenced by his reading of the political developments of the time whereas the astrologer seemed to have gazed at the wrong stars.

Theresa Mays announcement last week of an election three years before the scheduled date had nothing to do with stellar movements but the political constellation at home, and possibly in the European continent, the orbit from which she is trying to detach Britain.

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011 passed during the time of a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition led by Prime Minister David Cameron, states that from the 2015 parliamentary elections would be held every five years. However an early election could be triggered only if the government is defeated in a no confidence vote or if 2/3rds of MPs vote for an early election.

Theresa May who became Prime Minister following David Camerons resignation after losing last years referendum on whether to stay or leave the European Union, was determined to stay the whole term during which her government would negotiate the best terms on which to quit the EU.

Her problem however was that a small group of Tory backbenchers who are opposed to the UK pulling out of the EU could prove troublesome during the negotiations and be damaging and even dangerous when she had only a slender majority in parliament.

There was the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) calling for another referendum on Scotlands future, sniping at the Torys from the flanks in Westminster. Just last month the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of a second independence referendum that would have only added to Mays woes as she struggled to convince Europe over the terms of UKs exit from the Union.

And there was the Labour Party, the main enemy, facing the May government in the Commons but in a state of disarray with a lackluster leader still mouthing socialist shibboleths and trying to win the voters with more promises that would be hard to keep.

Theresa May saw the looming political landscape and decided the time was nigh to call an election before things began to fall apart. The latest polls showed that the Conservatives were 15-20 points ahead of Labour and who could blame her if she struck first like any political party would, making use of the prevailing political circumstances to its advantage.

Most probably she would win with her call for a stronger and united nation. But would she get the kind of majority that would strengthen her hand at home and give her greater leverage in the negotiations with the EU. While that is what she is counting on, the fact is that people here are getting more and more disgusted with politics and politicians just as voters in Sri Lanka are tired of the mounds of broken promises by politicians which are climbing as high as the mountains of garbage accumulated in Meethotamulla.

If Mays broken promise on regular elections might be excused as political expediency, there is a trail of other promises in the manifesto that seem to be falling by the wayside and leaving a trail of discarded pledges as the Tory Party does what is has always done  the shift of power to the wealthy and the already powerful.

While there are several manifesto pledges that now seem to have been binned, the most recent and perhaps the most serious as far as Chancellor Phillip Hammonds political future is concerned is the dropping of a key budget proposal concerning national insurance contributions.

One is reminded of several proposals by UNP Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake in the 2016 and 2017 budgets that ran into trouble after President Sirisena and the SLFP had second thoughts about their impact on the country.

To speak of the Conservative Party of the UK and the UNP of Sri Lanka in the same breath is not unusual. They are comrades-in-arms (well not exactly comrades) in the International Democrat Union (IDU), that grouping of centre-right parties inclined to favour the rich and the powerful who are their biggest donors.

So dumping manifesto or election pledges may seem natural to the UNP whic promised the country a whole raft of political goodies at the presidential and parliamentary polls in 2015 only to betray the people before long.

The country was assured of good governance. Even if the UNP did not coin the word yahapalanaya it certainly joined in celebrating the new form of government that was going to clean the country of corruption, nepotism, cronyism and a multitude of other sins practised by the ruling family and its associates before the yahapanites occupied the seats of power.

Why, this government was going to be cleaner than white sweeping away the abuse and misuse of power, refrain from wasting public funds, keeping the cabinet to manageable numbers and a host of other pledges that would indeed have made Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia.

The wonder is that a desperate people, longing for change after years of abuse by the ruling clan swallowed the promises that were never intended to be fulfilled and voted for politicians who were no strangers to breaking promises.

Hardly had the new president assumed office when UNP leader Wickremesinghes nominee as Governor of the Central Bank was embroiled in a bond scandal which still reverberates as the report of a commission of inquiry looking into the circumstances which led to what is purported to be an unprecedented scam is anxiously awaited.

Those who were scandalized  or so it was said  by nepotism seemed unmoved when the UNP finance minister planted his brother-in-law in high office in the Insurance Corporation until one day the corporation had two CEOs.

Those who complained about the countrys fiscal deficit and promised to tighten the purse strings  at the expense of a struggling citizenry  had no qualms at all about liberally spending public money on luxury cars for MPs and some public servants and upping their allowances while burdening the people with increased VAT.

VAT, if one might say so, a tragedy the last two years has been despite a somewhat freer democratic atmosphere for dissent and criticism. After the administration of the national carrier under the previous government ran into stormy weather this government appointed a committee headed by Attorney J.C.Weliamuna to inquire into SriLankan Airlines. The Weliamuna committees report pinpointed maladministration, abuse of privileges, misuse of funds, and several other acts where even diplomatic vehicles were misused and unpaid for cargo space utilised to dispatch packages to the presidential secretariat.

But the current chairman of SriLankan Airlines, appointed by the UNP palanites, and some other members of the board decided to ignore allegations of sexual misconduct and other abuses made in the Weliamuna report. The promises made to bring to justice the killers of Lasantha Wickrematunge and Wasim Thajudeen and those responsible for the abduction and assault of several journalists is dragging on with political lip service paid occasionally to the victims apparently to show some concern to a public angry over the attempts to stall the investigations.

The public was told that billions of dollars of public assets were robbed and efforts were under way to bring them back to the country. Instead what we are witnessing is the FCID being told not to stick its nose into procurements made after 2015.

Why? Is it because more dirty linen will be uncovered and the yahapalanayas Mr. Cleans will themselves have to be sent to the cleaners?

If Theresa May broke a promise about not calling early elections, it is no great shakes. At least there are sufficient checks and balances in the British system to keep its politicians along the straight and narrow though there are instances of a few overstepping the declared limits.

But eventually they have to pay the price unlike in Sri Lanka where the public pays the price for electing representatives who hardly have a formal education and others who have taken refuge in politics fled at the first sign of a public exam.

Politics means different things to different people. To most who take to politics in Sri Lanka it is a well-paid job that rakes in more than the entitlements. Why strain yourself trying to pass exams when MPs get duty free vehicle permits which can be sold and ever-increasing perks for making promises at the behest of party leaders which one knows will be broken.

It is our politicians that make Sri Lanka the Miracle of Asia.
President upbeat despite setbacks and continuing UNP-SLFP disputes View(s):

Preparations finalised for May Day show of force; Sirisena says he gave approval for JO rally at Galle Face

EUs GSP Plus concessions may not come this year; failure to meet deadlines and pressure from Tamil Diaspora

SLFP ministers oppose PMs proposed law to set up wide-powered energy supply committee

By Our Political Editor

President Maithripala Sirisena was upbeat last Tuesday night, despite the tragedy at the Meethotamulla garbage dump a few days earlier. Speaking to Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Ministers and Chief Ministers of provinces, he made two significant points in a speech on plans for the partys May Day rally.

One: He declared that it was he who was responsible for ensuring that Galle Face Green was given to the Joint Opposition for its May Day. I directed that their (JO) request for the venue be allowed, he said. Those remarks ran counter to claims in the state run-media that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had directed the Police to allow the venue for use by the JO and assure security. Wickremesinghe was also reported as directing that relevant ministries should extend their support and the Police to ensure former President Mahinda Rajapaksas protection.

Two: Sirisena asked the SLFPs May Day organisers not to prominently display the symbol of the party, the hand, in all places. He said the May Day was an international event for workers and the display of the party symbol all over really did not matter.

The pro-Rajapaksa SLFP will also not display the hand symbol. Basil Rajapaksa, one of the key organisers told the Sunday Times the predominant partner in their rally would be the Sri Lanka Podujana Pakshaya (SLPP). We will display our party flag, like all others. Besides the SLPP, the new brand name for the SLFPers backing Mahinda Rajapaksa, a number of other political parties are taking part. They include the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by JO leader Dinesh Gunawardena and the Lanka Sama Samaja Praty (LSSP), the oldest registered political party in Sri Lanka.

Sirisenas remarks came after a senior Traffic Police officer made a PowerPoint presentation. He said the Police have earmarked three lanes for those who will march in the SLFP procession and have allocated the remaining one for movement of traffic. There will be three different points at which the marchers will converge and move together towards the Municipal playground at Getambe, Kandy.

SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake claimed that 2,000 buses have been booked to bring in crowds from different parts of the country. If he is correct, on the basis of fifty passengers in a bus, the turnout would work out to 100,000 from the outstations alone. Dissanayake said payments had already been made for these buses. The discussion also turned to SLFP organisers in areas where those named were said to be inactive. There was a lengthy discussion on the Puttalam District after both Ministers from the North Western province, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Dayasiri Jayasekera raised issue. It was decided to have two organisers for the District with one being a Muslim.

Among the SLFP Ministers taking part in the meeting were Nimal Siripala de Silva, Sarath Amunugama, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Samarasinghe, S.B. Dissanayake, Susil Premajayantha, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Chandima Weerakkody and State Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle. The Chief Ministers included Isuru Devapriya (Western Province), Dharmasiri Dissanayake (Wayamba) and Sarath Ekanayake (Central Province).

The morning after he had spoken to the SLFP ministers, President Sirisena met publishers, editors and heads of news divisions of both state and private media at the Presidential Secretariat. Dressed in a pink sherwani, he was equally buoyant and declared that the economy was on a sound footing. He said foreign reserves had risen to US$ 5 billion and the economy was looking up. He charged that economists and analysts opposed to the Government were spreading stories that the economy was in a bad shape. To the contrary it was doing well, he said. Yet, there appeared some confusion over the figure of US$ 5 billion. Was it a higher amount which Sirisena meant to say? Did his economic advisors brief him incorrectly on the position?

According to the latest Monetary Policy Review released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on March 23, gross official reserves were estimated at US$ 5.6 billion at end of February 2017. This, compared to US$ 6 billion at the end of 2016, shows a decline in the official reserves. These are the latest available figures. The CB said earlier that gross official reserves as at end December 2016 amounted to US$ 6 billion and was equivalent to 3.7 months of imports. Hence, given the fact that reserves have dropped in February 2017 against end 2016, its corresponding equivalent in months of imports, logically speaking, would have come down. This is going by the Central Banks own statistics.

Sirisena touched on a few more issues including the Hambantota Port deal and the Colombo Port City. He declared that in the next two weeks we will give a new look to Government activities. There may be changes of positions in state institutions. When he opened the floor for questions, they flowed.

One of the journalists asked: You mentioned about changes in the positions in Government institutions. What about the changes in the Cabinet?

Replied President Sirisena: You can see it happening before the Vesak Poya.

Question: You mean the Cabinet will change before the Vesak Poya?

President Sirisena: You wait and see the changes.

This, no doubt, was the focal point of attention among a number of ministers in the Government on Thursday. More so, after President Sirisena had confided to persons close to him, including at least two of his trusted ministers, that he wanted to carry out the ministerial re-shuffle this Sunday (today). He said he expected such a re-shuffled cabinet to sit at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday (April 25). Now, one more time, that is not to be.

He later told the same sources that the re-shuffle would be effected only after May Day, still within the broad deadline he set for himself to do so before Vesak Poya Day. Sirisena has ignited speculation of a possible re-shuffle since January this year. It was pushed for February and later March, the last deadline on the grounds that a proposed visit by International Monetary Fund (IMF) head Christine Lagarde to Colombo would have to be over. However, she cancelled the visit. The latest postponement, a source close to the Presidency said, was reportedly at the request of the United National Party (UNP) leadership. Whilst one source said there was still resistance among them over the proposed changes, other said they had wanted it carried out after May Day.

Significant enough, President Sirisena has summoned an urgent meeting of the SLFP Central Committee for Sunday (tonight). He is to consult this policy making body of his party on the latest political developments and some issues which are being described as critical.

Amidst these issues, Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will leave for India on Tuesday on a working visit, level three in protocol for visits by leaders from one country to another. (The first is the state visit followed by official visit.) Accompanying him are Ministers Malik Samarawickrema and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. Premier Wickremesinghe was on a similar working visit to Japan where during the first two days he met the industrial nations leaders and was on holiday for two days thereafter. He then travelled to Vietnam returning a day early on account of the Meethotamulla tragedy.

In India, Wickremesinghe will have a luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. They are expected to discuss the contours of the Memorandum of Understanding the two countries will sign for development of the Trincomalee Port and a series of other joint ventures. He is also billed to meet other Union Ministers before travelling to Udaipur in Rajasthan. There, he will attend the wedding of the son of Binod Chaudhary, who races his lineage to of the Royal Nepali family at the Udai Vilas Oberoi in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Chaudhary is a businessman. No Foreign Ministry official is accompanying the premier on this trip. He will, however, be assisted by Sri Lankas High Commissioner in New Delhi, Chitranganee Wagiswara. Premier Wickremesinghe is due to return to Colombo on April 29. He will chair the UNPs May Day rally at Campbell Park.

Amidst the debate on the state of the economy, whether it is on an upward trend or sliding downwards, comes some bad news for the Government. There are strong indications that the European Union may not restore the GSP Plus tariff preferences to Sri Lanka in the current year. The restoration of the GSP Plus is now before the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for review. The move will mean the Government would have to re-apply. The reason, diplomatic sources said, is the failure to keep to the EUs deadline of May 14 to fulfil a set of conditions. This includes the repealing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the introduction of a Counter Terrorism Act in keeping with international standards and amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code.

On Thursday, the European Parliament Group (EUG) gave notice of a resolution that is to be included in the plenary agenda. If it is backed by 373 members, the motion is carried, and the GSP Plus concessions would be rejected. Here are highlights of the resolution:

Whereas since January 2015 the Government of Sri Lanka has taken some positive steps towards improving human rights. This includes the Governments decision to co-sponsor Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 30/1 in October 2015;

Whereas on 11th January 2017 the Commission adopted a delegated act to add Sri Lanka to Annex III of Regulation (EU) No: 978/2012;

Whereas the Governments reform efforts, including those that directly relate to the GSP Plus criteria, have not yet delivered in their purpose to comply with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the Convention against Torture, and the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination;

Whereas the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka A/HRC/34/20 of 10 February 2017 concluded that the measures taken by Sri Lanka since October 2015 have been inadequate to ensure real progress, and the fulfilment of the commitments has been worryingly slow;

Whereas the ILO Committee of Experts has identified a number of shortcomings with ILO Convention 87 and 98, including the insufficiencies of the Industrial Disputes Amendment Act 56 of 1999, which is the only existing legislation that relates to ILO Convention 87;

Whereas the process of repealing and replacing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has not yet been accomplished, whereas a new Act replaces the PTA it must not include a broad definition of terrorism related offences, and limit the risk of forced confession through torture;

Whereas the existing breaches of Human Rights in Sri Lanka raise concerns about the appropriateness of granting GSP + status while there is inadequate real progress according to international bodies;

Whereas the Sri Lanka Government is suspected of not adequately tackling the culture of impunity by rewarding military officials accused of human rights violations with Government positions;

Whereas a delegated act shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by either the European Parliament or the Council within two months of notification of the act; whereas it was agreed to extend that period by two months on 23rd January 2017;

Objects to the Commissioners delegated resolution (2016) 8996;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and to notify that the delegated regulation cannot enter into force;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and to the governments and Parliaments of the Member States.

The issue of repealing the PTA, a condition of the EU, cannot be carried out within the EUs May 14 deadline. As revealed last week, an amended final draft of the proposed Counter Terrorism Act has now been circulated among ministers. It will have to go to the Legal Draftsman again thereafter for incorporation of amendments suggested by the Parliamentary Oversight Committee and by a Committee headed by Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake.

Already some provisions in the final draft have generated strong controversy. One is a provision relating to the word unity, which was in the original draft. The final draft says in view of the vagueness caused by using the word unity in this section the word unity has been omitted in the opening paragraph and sub paragraphs. The text as presently contained includes offences which affect the territorial integrity, sovereignty of Sri Lanka, or the national security or defence of Sri Lanka, or the security of the people of Sri Lanka.

Other substantive amendments made to the previous version submitted to the Cabinet, Premier Wickremesinghe has noted, are:

Offences  In view of the vagueness of the previous definition of terrorism, the definition has been amended, and is now a suitably modified definition of terrorism contained in the Draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Offence of Espionage  This offence has been omitted in view of Sri Lanka presently not having a National Intelligence Act.

Curfew  This section has been amended so as to vest the President with the power to impose curfew (as opposed to vesting such power in the Minister).

Armed Forces to perform Police functions  This provision has been omitted in view of the fact that the President already enjoys similar powers in terms of the Public Security Ordinance.

One of the elements in the preamble to the final draft of the Counter Terrorism Act says it is also for the protection of other countries and areas from the scourge of terrorism. The inclusion, a security source said, would give the new law teeth to deal with Sri Lankans who are involved in terrorist activity in other countries or assisting those fighting in other countries through different means from Sri Lanka. The proposed Act empowers Any police officer or any member of the armed forces or a coast guard officer, to arrest any person who commits, or whom he has reasonable ground to believe has committed in his presence an offence in terms of this Act.

It is not practically feasible for the Legal Draftsmans Department to incorporate new provisions to the final draft of the Counter Terrorism Act and have it ready before May 14, the EU deadline. Thus, a fresh application would mean that the Government would have to go through the process anew.

Other than the Governments inability to meet the May 14 deadline set by the EU, the Sunday Times learnt that there has also been intense lobbying against Sri Lanka by Tamil diaspora groups and international organisations supporting them. They had intensified their campaign particularly after the Government won a two-year reprieve to further implement the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. It was co-sponsored by Colombo.

Another condition by the EU was amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure. This is to make provision enshrining the right of a suspect to see a lawyer immediately after arrest. However, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe took up the position then that a lawyer could see the suspect only after his or her statement has been recorded. The amendments were gazetted as a draft Bill. However, it has still not been debated in Parliament.

The imbroglio over the GSP Plus issue comes when ministers of the SLFP, for the second time, are opposed to new laws Premier Wickremesinghe wants to introduce in his capacity as Minister of National Policy and Economic Affairs. At the last meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers (on April 4), Anura Priyadarshana Yapa raised issue. Titled the Energy Supply (Temporary Provisions) Bill, the proposed law seeks to vest in the National Policy and Economic Affairs Minister wide powers in respect of generation, transmission and distribution of an adequate supply of electrical energy, petroleum and other alternative energy requirements to meet the national demand for the next decade on emergency basis. The provision of this proposed law is to be valid for two years.

Minister Yapa said there was no doubt an energy crisis was threatening the country. It was his view that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has not been alive to the seriousness of the issue and has been unable to take appropriate action. A power crisis next year caused by an energy demand may even lead to power cuts. However, the draft legislation presented by Premier Wickremesinghe had some features that disturbed some ministers.

There were two ministers, both SLFP, who were now in charge of the subjects of power and energy. The Minister of Power and Energy is responsible for distribution and supply of electrical energy. Petroleum and other alternative energy requirements come within the purview of the Minister of Petroleum Resources Development.

Yapa said that the draft law sought to not only ignore the role of the two ministers but had also left them out of a proposed Energy Supply Committee. Thus, he pointed out, that this eleven-member official Committee would make decisions and the two ministers in question would be required to carry them out. The eleven Committee members are the Secretary to the Ministry of National Policy and Economic Affairs, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance (or his nominee), the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy (or his nominee), the Secretary to the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, the Secretary to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development, the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board, the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, an Energy Regulator (to be appointed under the new law), the Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Institution of Engineers and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority.

SLFP ministers are to raise issue over the new law with President Sirisena. If this becomes law, the two Cabinet Ministers dealing with petroleum and power will have no role to play, said one minister. Another pointed out that this was similar to the Development (Special Provisions) Bill which was withdrawn amidst strong protests by them and the opposition. This proposed law sought to vest the powers of a number of ministries in the Ministry of National Policy and Economic Affairs but was later abandoned.

The proposed law delegates five different functions for the proposed Energy Supply Committee. They are:

Take all steps to deal with issues of generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy, petroleum and other energy requirements including sourcing goods and services.

Deal in any manner with all forms of renewable energy resources.

Purchase or otherwise deal with ancillary equipment such as electricity meters and prepare schemes for the purchase of such equipment by the private sector.

Ensure the cost effectiveness of all aspects of the operations of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Conserve energy and promote other energy resources.

To achieve the above purposes, the Committees objectives have been defined as:

To ensure generation, transmission and distribution of adequate supply of electrical energy, petroleum and other alternative energy requirement to meet the national demand for the next decade;

To regulate the provision of electrical energy, the petroleum supply and the utilisation of other energy resources.

Now that President Sirisena has chosen to effect the ministerial re-shuffle after May Day, the suspense over who is getting what will continue. That is amidst worries over the economy and despite several positive statements by Government leaders that the GSP Plus is round the corner. In that backdrop, the tensions between the UNP and the SLFP is bound to exacerbate over the new Energy Supply Committee legislation with loud cries that two of the latters ministries are being emasculated. That is the political outlook ahead of May Day.
Priorities in tackling garbage and counter-terror View(s):

The law and the Constitution are of relevance not only in regard to sensational struggles between the citizen and the State when the security of the country is said to be at stake. Instead, when we refer to the breakdown of the Rule of Law, this is also reflected in the most mundane failures of ordinary civic life.

Deliberate subversion of the law

And the point here is that, in Sri Lanka, the failure does not occur as a result of incapacity or lack of knowledge. Rather, it is through the deliberate subversion of the law, knowingly colluded both by those who rule and those who are in the opposition.

As those in Meethotamulla mourn their dead amid the ignoble spectacle of garbage trucks being turned away from suburban locations by infuriated residents fiercely chanting that they do not want Colombos dirt, the extent of this crisis becomes very clear.

For years, efforts at various levels with some initiated in courts of law themselves have been frustrated through this diabolically clever subversion of the law. Several judicial orders delivered in regard to evolving efficient and cost effective ways of waste disposal have been disregarded by local and municipal authorities with ease.

Focus was on beneficial foreign assistance

In one such instance seven years or so ago, the Municipal Councils of major cities in the country were called to account before the Court of Appeal in regard to the environmentally healthy disposal of waste and garbage. At that time, such a catastrophe as that which occurred at Meethotamulla would have been the farthest from anyones mind. Yet even at that point, the dangers emanating from a corrupt process of waste disposal was a matter of public concern.

As I recall at the time, the focus was on foreign collaborations rather than using local resources or enterprising solutions offered by Sri Lankans themselves. The unwritten rationale in preferring that approach was very clear. Massive financial resources were involved in such collaborations in regard to which a hefty percentage disappeared into the pockets of local politicians and corrupt public officials.

Certainly putting the blame on this Government alone for this fiasco is not equitable. That said, those who came to power two years ago on a platform of change from the past cannot merely bleat that the problem has been thrust upon them by the inept performance of their predecessors.

Refraining from cut and paste solutions

This is true of other instances where equally strong public unease has been evidenced. In several previous columns, the problems still inherent in Sri Lankas draft Counter-Terrorism Act (CTA) in the context of the forthcoming consideration of the EU GSP Plus trade facility in the European Parliament were discussed. Here too, as in the case of a proposed new tax regime which is apparently a cut and paste proposal put forward by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) borrowed from another country at the other end of the world, there is palpable agitation.

In both instances, the emphasis ought to be not on tabling troubling versions of these laws due to IMF or EU imposed deadlines. Where the CTA is concerned in particular, the Government should immediately present the official version of the draft to the public and open up a discussion process in regard to its contents.

The continuingly intrusive nature of the powers that the CTA proposes to give police officers in relation to broadly defined terrorism related offences and the ambiguous refusal to give a suspect prompt access to legal counsel were examined before in these column spaces.

Issuance of Detention Orders (DOs)

But quite apart from the above, it is extremely problematic that the draft gives the power to issue preventive detention orders (earlier in the hands of the Secretary, Defence) to a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).

This power comes into play is on an application made by an officer in charge (OIC) of a police station. Both criteria are immediately susceptible to abuse. The conditions on which such a DO can be issued are vague. The DIG need only be satisfied that reasonable grounds exist for belief that an offence has been committed in terms of the law. On that basis, the suspect can be detained to be questioned or to be available for further investigations. Detention periods can be up to four months without the suspect being charged.

This clause flies in the face of all the lessons that we have learnt through the abusive use of this power in the past. Under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), such preventive detention provisions were applicable for longer periods of time and gave rise to the most egregious abuse of detainees.

Failures of magistrates not addressed

Even under the PTA, a suspect can complain to a magistrate of ill treatment at the hands of either the police or any other person while in custody. But this right was rarely availed of since suspects are constantly under a real threat of retribution at the hands of those who supervise their incarceration.

In many instances, magistrates also do not take strict action against accused state officers in order to protect those implicated. There is no reason to think that this pattern of ineffective judicial supervision will change now.

This is aggravated by reason of the fact that though on several instances, the Supreme Court itself has reprimanded magistrates for failure to exercise judicial discretion properly, no further action has been taken. Legal precedents are to the effect that these failures of judicial discretion are not amenable to the fundamental rights jurisdiction of the Supreme Court since Article 126 limits jurisdiction to executive and administrative action.

The absence of stern consequences in this regard is unfortunate. As a result, collusion on the part of some judicial officers in the endemic culture of torture that exists in this country has not been effectively deterred at any point.

Solutions tailored to this country

In deciding policies ranging from garbage to tax or to counter-terrorism, the issues are distinctly identifiable. Solutions must be tailored to this country rather than borrowed from elsewhere.

If the Government does not realize this fact even now, the days of its existence are surely numbered. Perhaps the sight of increasingly angry voters out on the streets protesting against the infliction of garbage into their living environments due to the actions of corrupt politicians and equally corrupt municipal officials may finally wake the leaders of this unity alliance to a sense of their own impending destiny.
Delhi is heading for the elections to the three municipal corporations on April 23, the results of which will be declared on April 26.

By Chirag Gothi, Himanshu Mishra: The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested a man along with thirty semi-automatic pistols and a carbine(stengun) with five live cartridges.

The man named Rajpal was arrested on Friday near Nizamuddin Bridge.

Within two days of the raids that the Delhi Police Special Cell has carried out in the state, fifty semi-automatic pistols have been recovered until now.

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On Thursday, twenty high quality pistols were recovered from North Delhi.

The Delhi Police special cell along with the Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorism squad (ATS) also arrested three ISIS (Islamic State) suspects on charges of terror conspiracy and busted an inter-state terror module, recently.

MCD POLLS

This comes ahead of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls.

Delhi is heading for the elections to the three municipal corporations this Sunday (on April 23), the results of which will be declared on April 26.

Being in charge of providing basic services to the public, such as well-built roads, basic sanitation, etc., elections to the municipal bodies stand equally important as the general elections.

Also Read :

3 ISIS suspects arrested: All you need to know about how police of 6 states busted terror module

Tamil Nadu: Dinakaran issued summons by Delhi Police for bribing to obtain AIADMK's two-leaves symbol

Also Watch :

Delhi Police crime branch team heads to Chennai to probe Dinakaran

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Sri Lankas massive foreign debt generates a debt trap View(s):

Sri Lankas foreign debt has reached proportions when its servicing is a serious problem. It has to borrow to service the massive foreign debt of around US$47 billion that has accumulated mostly over the last decade. Undoubtedly the country is in a foreign debt trap as the government must borrow to meet annual debt repayments and interest obligations.

Debt servicing

The debt servicing cost (interest payments and debt repayment) that was US$1.8 billion in 2015 increased to US$2.4 billion last year. What is particularly worrisome is that although debt repayments are modest this year, they are expected to be heavy in the foreseeable future. They are estimated to rise to a mammoth US$4 billion in 2018-19. An underlying reason for the difficulty in servicing the debt is due to the large borrowed funds being utilised in high cost unproductive infrastructure projects that have not increased tradable goods.

Growth of foreign debt

Foreign debt increased significantly between 2000-2009. It doubled from US$9 billion in 2000 to US$ 18.6 billion in 2009. In the next five years it more than doubled and at the end of 2014 foreign debt had risen to US$ 42.9 billion or 53.6 percent of GDP.

The foreign debt continued to grow in the last two years under the new government. At the end of 2015 the foreign debt reached US$ 44.8 billion or 54.4 percent of GDP and by July 2016, it reached 47.4 billion. It dipped slightly to US$46.6 billion at the end of January 2017. The current foreign debt is estimated at about 55 percent of GDP.

Although debt repayments was one reason for increasing foreign borrowing in the last two years, the economic policies pursued by the unity government too contributed to the need to borrow. Monetary and fiscal policies aggravated the problem by increasing the trade deficit.

Benefits of foreign borrowing

Foreign borrowing is not intrinsically disadvantageous. In fact it is a useful means of supplementing inadequate domestic savings for investment and for undertaking large infrastructure projects that could enhance economic development over time. Foreign loans can assist in resolving constraints in foreign resources for development and also assist in overcoming temporary balance of payments difficulties. Foreign borrowing can enhance economic growth by spurring an economy to higher levels of economic growth than its current resources permit.

However the extent of borrowing, interest costs and terms of borrowing of foreign funds, and most important, the use of funds have significant implications for containing foreign debt to manageable proportions and ensuring debt servicing.

Foreign borrowing could have either beneficial or adverse impacts on long-term economic stability and development. Therefore management of foreign debt servicing costs is vital for economic stability and long term economic development, especially for a trade dependent export-import economy to avoid a debt trap. Economic mismanagement of the past political leadership and the current unity government are responsible for the impasse that the country is currently in.

Use of foreign funds

The crux of the foreign debt issue lies in the manner in which foreign funds are utilised, the costs of the borrowing and the repayment periods. These must ensure the capacity to repay the debt without adverse consequences of the debt servicing costs on the economy. The large increase in the countrys foreign debt in recent years has become a serious problem owing to their use on large infrastructure development projects not yielding returns to repay the debt obligation. Monetary and fiscal policies have aggravated the problem by increasing the trade.

Deficit foreign debt sustainability

Is Sri Lankas foreign debt sustainable? The World Bank and IMF defines foreign debt sustainability as a situation when a country can meet its current and future external debt service obligations in full, without recourse to debt rescheduling or the accumulation of arrears and without compromising growth. On this definition Sri Lankas foreign debt is not sustainable. It is in foreign debt trap.

In conclusion

Sri Lankas foreign debt of US$47 billion that is about 55 percent of GDP has reached a point when its servicing requires further foreign borrowing to service the foreign debt. Undoubtedly the country is in a foreign debt trap as the government must borrow to meet annual debt repayments and interest obligations.

An underlying reason for the difficulty in servicing the debt is due to the large borrowed funds being utilised in high cost unproductive infrastructure projects that have not increased tradable goods. The debt servicing cost (interest payments and debt repayment) that was US$1.8 billion in 2015 increased to US$2.4 billion in 2016. Of serious concern is that although debt repayments are modest this year, they are expected to be weighty in the foreseeable future. Debt repayments are expected to increase to a mammoth US$4 billion in 2018-19.

There is no doubt that the country is in a foreign debt trap. Comparisons with other country debt to GDP ratios are irrelevant as many of them do not have serious balance of payments difficulties. The fact is that we have mismanaged our foreign borrowing by using the large amount of borrowed funds in unproductive infrastructure projects and living beyond our means.

It is vital that this years reduced repayment be used to strengthen the balance of payments to enhance the capacity to meet the large repayment obligations in 2018-2019. Appropriate monetary and fiscal policies and economic reforms are vital to ensure debt sustainability and avoid an impending crisis in the external finances. The reform and privatisation of loss making state owned enterprises are an important means of reducing the debt burden. Bold decisions that are politically unpalatable must be taken to resolve the debt crisis.

Estimates of foreign debt servicing obligations vary. The countrys indebtedness could be even higher than those mentioned above. One reason for this is that these are based on loan and interest payments for government project loan repayments and international sovereign bond repayments only. The burden of debt could be higher when other debt is included.
Floating Space Performance Intensive View(s):

Just when you thought your holiday was over you have the chance to enjoy one last burst of creativity and fun this week with the Floating Space Performance Intensive! Come join performers from the theatre company on April 24  28 at the Red Dot Gallery in Colombo, and delve into a world of storytelling, imagining characters, physical theatre, exploring masks and building scenes through acting games and improvisation.

Did you know that getting up in front of lots of people, and trying out something new can teach you a lot about yourself and how you relate to other people? Have you felt too scared or too nervous to even try facing a crowd? Our workshops are made for learning and experimenting, as well as exploring a range of performance skills.

The workshops will focus on teaching drama exercises. And they will also give you a fun and safe environment for a young person to be expressive. We will also explore how new social situations make us feel, and work out and talk about our intimidating experiences in a secure environment. We will learn about expressing ourselves sensitively and being able to listen to others.

These sessions will help build confidence, while exploring a set of tools for use in theatre, and in social interactions outside the theatre.

What are you waiting for? Have your mum or dad call us and book you in!
Coming out of the shadows; art redefined Although a bit baffled the audience was certainly captivated by the multimedia performance, Deconstruct the Embody, says Annemari de Silva View(s): View(s):

On April 1, the crowd at the Lionel Wendt gallery kept buzzing, What do you think it meant? They had been captivated by Mesh Academy of Dances Deconstruct the Embody but were struggling to make head or tail of it. Different ideas floated amongst people: some believed the dance had a storyline about escape, others connected emotionally with the frustrated, screaming bodies, others yet remained gobsmacked and chuckled to themselves about the shock of the performance.

Deconstruct the Embody was a multimedia performance combining the choregraphy of Umeshi Rajeendra with photography by Malaka Premasiri. As an abstract, experimental piece, it was a much-needed addition to Sri Lankas artistic landscape. It thoroughly disrupted the audiences expectation of neat storylines or clear messages and demanded instead that you connect with the tensions of lighting and movement. The audience entered the space of the Lionel Wendt gallery in a traditional sense and observed the photos strung up just like any art exhibition. They were told the dance may start at any point and to merely follow the light.

The performance itself was in several parts with each parts choreography quite distinct from the other. One central motif ran through the whole show, namely a restrictive membrane of elastic fabric in which dancers were cocooned, sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs or groups, but always moving and miming screaming from within. Dancers trapped in the membrane used variations of staccato, fluid and rigid movements, inciting thorough discomfort in the observer.

The light led the audience from one part of the gallery to another, forcing them to snap out of each act physically and emotionally and reconnect with a new choreography in a new place. The music chosen worked magnificently with the movements, except perhaps the final piece whose lyrics disrupted the steady abstraction that had held together the rest of the performance. Although the dancers themselves performed quite well, it was impossible to ignore the distinction of the principal dancer compared to the rest  but that is merely a credit to the principal, not a distraction from the performance as a whole.

Rajeendra and Premasiris creative process had involved some mere suggestions  an interest in the use of fabric, conscious gender ambiguity  and through some iterative feedback loops with each other, their final product became a consistent whole. Premasiris photography manages to capture both movement and stillness in its shots of dancers trapped in membranes. He plays with light and shadow, at times hiding the bodies trapped inside, foregrounding instead the amorphous whole, and at times highlighting segments of the bodies within. Rajeendras choreography produces this same dynamism in real time bodies are in conversation with each other and aspects of the individual oscillate in tension and resonance with the whole.

One particularly striking dance involved three figures (outside of the membrane) whose movements began individually but then progressed to form one whole creature that moved as a unit. The three then detached yet again but continued to move slightly out of sync with each other, as though individual tides on an oceanic whole.

The audience was quite evidently captivated but the chatter of meaning and interpretation signals the need for more performances like Deconstruct the Embody that challenge our outdated expectations of messages, storylines and clear meaning. It is exciting to note that the Mesh Academy is training selected dancers to eventually form a company and is continuing to invite new students. I certainly look forward to upcoming productions and similar additions to the contemporary dance scene in Sri Lanka.

Deconstruct the Embody held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery on March 31 to April 2, was produced by Mesh Academy of Dance in collaboration with Malaka MP photography.
Prasanna Vithanage honoured in Assam Bishwaratana Dr Bupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award View(s): View(s):

Acclaimed Sri Lankan Filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage was conferred prestigious Bishwaratana Dr Bupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award on April 10 at Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati Assam.

The award instituted in the name of Assams cultural icon Dr Bupen Hazarika was given by Assam Sahitya Sabha in association with the Numaligarh Refinery Limited.

My Personal Belief of Diversity being a significant factor that strengthens a nation is reflected both in my personal life and my artistic endeavours. To hold an award in honour of a human being whose entire life was spent standing up for his beliefs and creating works of art backing up those same beliefs is not just an encouragement, but demands much greater responsibility  said Vithanage in his acceptance speech.

Presented biannually, the award was first offered to Bangladeshi scholar and dance exponent Lubna Marium and the second award was conferred on eminent Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Prasanna was the third to receive the award which carries a trophy, a citation, cash prize and other traditional gift items.

In his acceptance speech, Prasanna pointed out that there is still a sizable propotion of serious film-goers in Sri Lanka who supports alternate film making. However he agreed that Bollywood movies enjoy important market shares in Sri Lanka.

He also paid tributes to Indian film makers namely Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Guru Dutt, Adoor Gopalakri- shnan, Jahnu Barua etc along with Bhupen Hazarika. According to Prasanna, the simplicity conveyed with creative ardours by the filmmakers inspired him to try his hands with the art of filmmaking. In his speech the internationally awarded filmmaker specially mentioned Jahnus award winning Assamese movie Halodhiya Choraye Baodhan Khay (The Catastrophe) that influenced his creative journey to a great extent.

During his stay in Assam, Prasanna attended an interactive session titled Guest of the Month at Guwahati Press Club with the local scribes. He had bared his heart to the participants expressing his concern to the crisis of small time filmmakers based in different parts of the globe and also conveyed optimism over digital screening of quality films for the benefit of film appreciators. Prasanna stated that the present scenario of the Sri Lankan film industry is bleak, but the new technology could be used for its sustained growth. He argued that the screening of regional movies (inclusive of Sinhalese films) with multiple sub-titles through various alternate media outlets would help the industry to survive for a better future.

Talking about the strong presence of female characters in his movies, the energetic director revealed that it is because of his mothers influence over him. Prasanna termed his mother as a strong individual and admitted that her influence remained a real strength to him in all times of crisis. Tohim a mother is always an unparalleled symbol of love, affection, care and simplicity.

Prasanna also made an interesting revelation that unlike Indians, who are diverged but united in oneness, the Lankans are yet to nurture the spirit of nationalism. He admitted that the Lankan society remained ethnically divided even after the end of Tamil uprising turned into terrorism in northern part of the country.
Raising voices for a cause By Joshua Surendraraj View(s): View(s):

Music has that ability to deliver a strong message, it also has the power to bring people together. Music for Unity, is Awakening Lankas latest venture and is aimed at raising funds for the people of Poonakary. The concert will be held on April 29 at the CR&FC grounds, Colombo 7, starting at 5pm. Poonakary is a small village, located in the Kilinochchi District in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It comprises of a population of 20,000 people. Appe Lanka which was initiated by Awakening Lanka and endorsed by the Ministry of Reconciliation and Reconstruction, is a project aimed at helping such communities achieve sustainable development.

All the musicians will be performing free of charge, to help raise funds, Shaan Corea, the founder of Appe Lanka tells us. She adds, later this year an art exhibition and a photographic exhibition will also be held to raise funds for Poonakary.

Awakening Lanka was founded with the goal of empowering Sri Lankans. Their mission starts with Poonakary and aims to enable these comunities to realize their full potential by giving them the knowledge and skill set they need to become self-reliant and self-fulfilled while contributing to their families, society, and country.

Appe Lanka is already underway in Poonakary and has completed the pilot project of providing solar home systems to 28 homes in the village, with another 1,000 homes identified in the next phase for nearby villages.

Aside from this, a team of 20 counsellors, who have undergone a six-month training programme, began counselling in five Poonakary schools, last September (2016). The counsellors have been trained to deal with specific psycho-social issues  these issues relate to reconciliation and healing, including aspects such as dealing with the loss of friends, parents and family members; sexual abuse, truancy and school attendance; fears of failure and retribution; confidence and self-worth; peer pressure, bullying and substance abuse.They are looking to expand their curriculum.

This year, we donated 75 bicycles to the villagers and 23 computers to all the schools of Poonakary. We also conducted a peace and reconciliation fun fair, in January, where people performed a series of cultural events, Shaan says.

Furthermore, Appe Lanka aims to provide professional training and employment opportunities in this area. They also hope to introduce English language lessons to school children, young adults and the workforce using DVDs that have been tailormade for those in the Norther and East.

They hope that the sustainable employment provided for the people of Poonakary will improve their lives by enabling them access to better opportunities.

Music for Unity will feature artists such as Magic Box Mixup, En Route, Circus Cult, Kingdom Life, The Bakery, Slips Neptune, D&D, Encore, Kryptonite and guest stars, Diarra, Melissa and Rapti.

Tickets for the event are priced at Rs.1000 and are available at CR & FC, Kess, ANIM8, Hermitage Gallery (Gower Street) and Cult Studio (Bernard Business Park- Kohuwela). The evening promises fun filled activities for children as well. Kids under 12 walk in free. Ladies will receive gift packs.

For more details, contact Jenny  0777736476, 0772872056. Online payments can be made at books.lk
2008 Haiti sex charge: Lankan contingent commander sacked, Major and four soldiers discharged View(s):

The Contingent Commander of Sri Lanka Armys peace keeping force in Haiti was sacked for bringing disrepute to the organisation whilst a Major and four soldiers were discharged for having consensual sexual relationships with females.

The incident, a senior Army official who spoke on grounds of anonymity said, took place in 2008 and involved the sixth Sri Lankan Peace Keeping Battalion stationed in Haiti. The official was reacting to reports in the US media last week that Sri Lanka peacekeeping troops were involved in child abuses and related activity. He said the first step by the Commander of the Army Lt Gen Crisanthe de Silva, upon receiving complaints of misconduct, was to immediately transfer the entire battalion from Haiti. This was standard procedure when allegations were levelled against a group of soldiers, he said adding that US media claims of 114 Army personnel were implicated in sexual offences were totally wrong.

The official said thereafter, Lt Gen Silva appointed an Army Court of Inquiry to probe the allegations. The Court, he said, recorded evidence both in Haiti and in Sri Lanka. The Court found one Major and four soldiers had consensual sexual relationships with adult Haitian females. They were discharged for bringing disrepute to the Army.

The Contingent Commander, the official said, was retired for command failure. In addition, eight officers and nine soldiers were disciplinarily dealt with for various minor offences such as failure to exercise control over subordinates, failure to detect an offence and giving false evidence under oath.

The Major involved in the incident, the Court of Inquiry found, had a sexual relationship with a 31-year-old Haitian woman resulting in the birth of an illegitimate child. It was found, however, that the said relationship was a voluntary sexual encounter between two consenting adults and not a rape or any other form of sexual offence as recognised under the laws of Sri Lanka, the official said. Thereupon, Army Commander Lt. Gen. De Silva ordered that the Major be discharged for conducting himself in a manner prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the Army.

The official said although the Army treated the matter as closed, the United Nations had re-opened the case in 2012 and demanded child support. Under the law of Sri Lanka, however, a paternity claim is purely a civil wrong which has to be initiated by the female concerned on behalf of the child in the District Court, the official explained.

He added that at the end, however, in order to preserve the international goodwill, an ex gratia payment of US$ 50,000 was made to the Haitian female concerned. This was considering the well-being of the child since Sri Lanka is a signatory to various International Conventions related to the welfare of children.

We categorically deny child abuse incidents attributed to the Sri Lanka Army peacekeepers who served in Haiti, the official said. He revealed that in 2013, too, a high powered Court of Inquiry was appointed on a complaint of non-physical sexual encounter by a Sri Lankan peacekeeper with a Haitian prostitute. A Court of Inquiry was sent to Haiti.
Villagers yesterday held a silent protest in Karadiyana, Piliyandala over the governments decision to dump garbage there. Police had obtained a court order on Friday preventing protests in the area for two weeks.
Delay in appointing Jaffna University vice chancellor View(s):

Political interference has allegedly delayed the appointment of a new vice chancellor to the Jaffna University and the current vice chancellor has been given an extension to continue until one of three nominees is appointed.

Professor Vasanthy Arasaratnam, the current vice chancellor of the Jaffna University who was due to retire last month, has been informed this week of the extension of her service.

Following the election for vice chancellors on 26 February, the University Council submitted three names to the University Grants Commission for the post. Prof. S.Srisatkunarajah, Prof. R.Vigneswaran and Prof. T. Velnampy were nominated considering the number of votes each of them secured at the secret poll.

The Sunday Times learns that active political parties in the north are campaigning to secure the appointment of their preferred nominee and it led to the extension of the term of the current vice chancellor.

Earlier another controversy erupted at the university council meeting when an application submitted by Prof. Sam Thiyagalingam from Boston, Massachusetts, USA was rejected on the basis that his application reached the registrars office after the due date.

The university council reaffirmed the decision regarding Prof. Sam Thiyagalingams ineligibility after the registrar sought the opinion of the UGC which said that the university was not bound to accept applications received after the closing date.
Farmers urge COPE to probe Fund View(s):

The All-Island Federation of Farmers (AIFF) National Organiser Namal Karunaratne has called upon the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to investigate the misappropriation of the Crop & Loan Protection Fund meant to pay farmers for crop damage.

He said the Plantation Tax Fund created in 2013, under the National Insurance Trust Fund, had been misappropriated.

Mr Karunaratne added that the Fund which had not been used for years, had Rs 60 million, but only Rs 15 million remained now.

He said the Fund was created consequent to a series of farmer protests requesting a fund to insure crops.

He also said that, the COPE should look into allegations that, farmers who should be paid Rs 10,000 a month if their crops are damaged, are recently, receiving Rs 1,350 less, on the grounds that they were being re-insured.

He said they have requested the COPE to investigate the matter and will get the issue raised in Parliament.
Forgotten people of past tragedies still await help View(s):

Salawa explosion: Angry residents blast compensation schemes

By Sandun Jayawardana

Although the explosion of the ammunition store at the Salawa army base on June 5 last year only claimed one life, the incident damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 houses. The Government set aside more than Rs 1.2 billion for compensation.

While rebuilding continues, compensation has caused anger, with some victims having rejected estimates of property damage done by Valuation Department officials.

Sriyakanthi Godagama lived in a house near the army camp. She told the Sunday Times that authorities had compensated many but the varying amounts has caused friction.

Some people have fallen out with others over the fact that they had received more money. Some residents have even formed separate victim associations.

Mrs. Godagama said compensation her family received was inadequate. The family had not been able to so far move back in to their home.

Compensation for damaged or destroyed vehicles is a another troubling issue.

Ms Godagama said her vehicle, which was fairly new, suffered considerable damage. Hers was among 49 vehicles that were damaged. We keep going to the Assistant Government Agents Office. But, they tell us that no money has been allocated for damaged vehicles.

She said this was unfair as insurance companies were only paying out a small portion and they had to bear most of the cost.

S.S. Miyanwala, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management said Rs.1,258.7 million had already been awarded as compensation for the Salawa disaster. Some 200 houses had suffered severe damage, he added. Owners of businesses have also been compensated.

Some have rejected their compensation packages. They are not satisfied with the amounts they were awarded. Their appeals are currently being heard, the secretary said.

Mr Miyanwala said the Ministry of Disaster Management did not handle the matter and the Finance Ministry had not made a separate allocation. He said since the vehicles were insured, it is likely that there are some complications.

Koslanda disaster: All but 30 victim families resettled

It is now two-and-a-half years since a landslide in Koslanda, Meeriyabedda left 39 people dead on October 29, 2014. The disaster left hundreds displaced  their houses and property buried. Many were later housed at the disused Mahakanda Tea Factory, which was converted into a welfare camp.

The families languished at the camp for well over a year. After several false starts, authorities finally made progress in building permanent houses. A batch of 75 houses were handed over to the families late last year.

Haldummulla Divisional Secretary Shiromi Jeewamala said the last of the displaced from the landslide were settled in the new houses on October 22, last year, almost two years to the day after the landslide swallowed large swathes of Meeriyabedda.

While all those who lost houses due to the landslide have been resettled, the Divisional Secretary said there was still an issue surrounding about 30 families who live in two sets of line rooms near the site of the landslide. The area has been designated as a danger zone, meaning that these line rooms were vulnerable.

Authorities have advised them to move out and the Government has offered temporary shelters. However, residents have refused, demanding permanent houses, Mrs. Jeewamala explained.

Accordingly, the Divisional Secretariat has written to the Government requesting permanent houses for the displaced through the Indian housing project, implemented through the Ministry of Estates and Infrastructure Development. The residents have also agreed to move into these permanent houses once they are built. We are hopeful that those houses would be built by the Government soon, she stressed.

Still not out of the floody hell

By Kasun Warakapitiya

They were promised relocation, new houses and compensation after the heavy flooding in the Kelanimulla area last year, but their conditions have not changed much.

Some of them have found their own accommodation and left while others live with friends or relatives expecting to find their homes.

Two of the families still live in tents which may not last for many months.

H.A. Susil Priyanka, one of the residents who spent a year in the tent told the Sunday Times only a few tents were near the garbage dump while the rest were situated at a temple in Kelanimulla. He said that the Government gave each resident a tent and a promise of a secure house.

I have lived here for a year now. Yet, I received no house. During that time, one by one displaced people lost their hopes and went to rent houses.

He said that both he and his wife had to brave mosquitoes. Water seeps into the tent on rainy days and rats crawl in, too.

He claimed that he lost his furniture and what he currently had, had been donated by private organisations.

The Government did not spend a penny on me and my wife who lost everything, our dreams of living a happy life was shattered. During the day, it is hot and at night, extremely cold. We are fed up of staying in this place, but we only have this tent, he said.

K. Gunathilakan who lives in Kelanimulla said that the Government last year promised many solutions for the flood victims but there has been no support.

He said that many officials visited them from time to time and told him he would be provided with Rs 15,000 to repair the damage to his house, which had been over eight feet under water.

Mr Gunathilakan who earlier worked as an employee a the National Hospital said that he lost his furniture, television and household items but the Government had not paid compensation.

Disaster Management officials and representatives of the Valuation Department came to collect information, but we are yet to receive any Government support, he said.

Another resident of the same area, Sunimal Shantha, said that some of the wooden houses were swept away by the flood waters last year. He said that the Government didnt provide compensation for the houses which were damaged.

Rs. 15,000 compensation had been proposed. It has to be given but my house underwent more damage including severe damage to the roof, he said.

Ariyaratne Gunathilaka, said that she and her mother left their house leaving behind valuable furniture during May 15.

When the water receded my house had pockets of water remaining in the living room. My couch was destroyed. All the chairs had been floating in the house and were damaged, she said.

She claimed that the government officials told her that they will provide her a mattress, mosquito net and other household items as well as furniture.

Ms Gunathilaka said that in the first six months she waited for the government to pay compensation for the damage to the house and furniture, yet received nothing.

I have no electronic household items due to the flood and have no means of providing treats like iced drinks, she said.

She also said that her mother who waited for compensation passed away a few months back. I am also 67 years old and can not go to local government authorities to demand our compensation money, she said.

She also explained that the government did not advise her to leave or provide her a house in a safer area. So she requested government assistance to repair her house.

K.G. Kalyani, who also lives in a house close to the Kelaniya river, said she received only a mattress and a mosquito net and that was all.

My house has lost half of the roofing sheets while the walls have cracked due to the floods, she said. He TV was destroyed in the flood.

My son and two brothers had to buy one because we could no longer wait for the Government. The Government has forgotten us already, she said.

Aranayake landslide victims: Buried in unfulfilled promises

By Pradeep Kumara Dharmarathna in Aranayake

Hundreds of residents displaced due to the landslide at Samsara Kanda in Aranayake were compelled to spend their National New Year in welfare camps this year. There were no Avurudu sweetmeats for them. The residents spent the day in tents. Living in the shadow of the deadly mountain, they wonder when they would ever be able to move into a permanent home.

Over 4,000 people were displaced by the Aranayake landslide on May 17, 2016. Thirty-one died, while six others are still listed as missing. The landslide destroyed 72 houses. A further 288 houses suffered partial damage.

By late May, 4,291 people from 1,426 families had been displaced. They were relocated to 23 welfare camps.

The National Building Research Organisation recommended the relocation of 571 families living in the danger zone prone to landslides.

Today, almost a year after the disaster, 469 families continue to remain in either temporary tents or semi-permanent houses, according to Aranayake Divisional Secretary Z.A.M. Faizal. Only 62 houses have so far been built for the displaced. Most of the houses have been built by private foundations. The Sri Lanka Red Cross is to build a further 100 houses for the victims in four stages, while the Chinese Government is to also to build a further 100 houses, the Divisional Secretary explained.

Mr. Faizal said the Government has also allocated Rs.1.2 million each for 100 families as compensation.

The displaced however, complain that though they have lived at the welfare camps for 11 months now, authorities have been lethargic. Construction of most houses was yet to begin while compensation was also slow in coming, they charge.

There have been further complaints regarding the alleged uneven distribution of monthly rations for the displaced.

Meanwhile, survivors continue to suffer from deep psychological scars as they grapple with the reality of living without their loved ones.

At the camp set up on the playground of the Hathgampala Vidyalaya, K.G. Piyasena, 62, told us that he was the only one in his family to survive the landslide. His son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons, aged 15 and seven, all died that day.

Mr. Piyasena, originally from the village of Siripura in Elangapitiya, said he had only survived because he was at a nearby shop that evening. I heard a sound like the crash of a helicopter. When I rushed back, the entire area was covered with rubble and earth. I lost all my children, he said, voice choking with emotion. My two grandsons would wait for me in the evenings for me to bring them sweets. I have no one to buy sweets for now. I feel so alone now. I cant imagine why this happened to people like us.

H.P. Chandrika Priyadarshani, 33, remains distraught at having to live without her two children. It had been raining heavily for several days before the tragedy. The embankment near their house collapsed due to the rain and she said they had temporarily shifted to her aunts house further down the mountain.

My brother called on the morning of the 17th and said he was coming from Kandy. I tried to tell him not to come because of the heavy rain but I had no money for the call. So, my husband and I decided to go to the shop to buy a phone card. My son tried to accompany us but I didnt want to take him out in the rain. I was rather stern with him and told him to stay put. He then asked me to bring him a small torch. Hearing this, my little daughter also asked me to bring her Vesak cards.

Mrs. Priyadarshani had left her husband at the shop and was hurrying back to the house when she heard a loud sound that frightened her and made her run back to the shop.

When I looked back in the direction of the house, I saw the electricity poles were collapsing and the mountain coming down. It was over in an instant. I tried to run back to my aunts house, but a woman near me stopped me and said there was nothing I could do by going there. They were all gone.
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Apr 22 (PTI) DMK working president M K Stalin today dubbed the K Palaniswami government as Prime Minister Narendra Modis "proxy regime", and alleged that it was not fighting to secure the Tamil Nadus rights.

Several chief ministers fight for their respective the rights of their states and it has been the case in the past as well, he said adding it was, however, not the case with Tamil Nadu.

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"This regime, proxy regime, pardon me, Modis proxy regime, is not bothered about anything," he said at a public meeting to explain the reasons for calling a state-wide bandh on April 25 in support of the drought hit farmers.

He took a swipe at the Palaniswami regime for "not taking action" in stalling NEET, the Hydrocarbon project and getting constituted the Cauvery Management Board.

Stalin alleged that the ryots and the public were affected due to the inter-state river water disputes and action was not taken by the state government to address it.

Also, the state did not act to get relief from the Centre for the present drought, the last years cyclone and the floods of 2015.

While the state government had demanded a total relief of Rs 88,050 crore which comprises Rs 39,565 crore for the drought, Rs 22,579 crore for cyclone and Rs 25,912 crore for floods he said the Centre had sanctioned only a total of Rs 2,014 crore, he claimed.

Taking potshots at Palaniswami for removing red beacons from vehicles after "Modi had ordered it", he asked why the incumbent regime did not show such resoluteness in getting the Rs 88,050 crore relief from the BJP-regime.

Hitting out at the state government on farmers protests, he said tomorrow, when Palaniswami reaches Delhi, the farmers should ask him if he could arrange a meeting with the prime minister and then call off their stir to take part in the April 25 bandh, he said.

Stalin had earlier in the day appealed to the farmers to defer their agitation and take part in the bandh.

He said the Prime Minister did not have the heart to even meet the Tamil Nadu ryots protesting in Delhi for the last 40 days, leave alone fulfilling their demands.

"Both the present Chief Minister Palaniswami and the then chief minister Panneerselvams regimes pledged the entire Tamil Nadu with the BJP government at the Centre, with Modi," he said, adding they will never allow "communal forces," to gain foothold in the state, "come what may".

The proposed bandh and bringing together opposition parties was not for stitching a political alliance but it was only for the welfare of farmers and people, he claimed.

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In a separate statement, he strongly opposed a proposal to request dignitaries, including the President and union ministers, to deliver their speeches only in Hindi.

He said the Modi regime should not turn "India into a Hindi nation," and sow the seeds for another anti-Hindi agitation.

Large scale anti-Hindi agitations were witnessed in 1960s in Tamil Nadu which led to the ascendance of Dravidian parties easing out Congress from power.

He alleged that ever since the BJP-led regime assumed power in the Centre it was imposing Hindi and Sanskrit in as many forms as possible.

The DMK has also announced that it would hold its district secretaries meet on April 28. PTI VGN RC DIP

--- ENDS ---
Indo-Lanka refinery agreement fuels CPC strike threat View(s):

Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers will next week launch a strike over a proposed agreement to be signed with India regarding investment in an oil refinery.

The move comes after President Maithripala Sirisena turned down a request by the Petroleum Joint Union Alliance for a meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting was sought through Minister of Petroleum Resources Chandima Weerakkody.

Convener of the Union, Rajakaruna told the Sunday Times they will initially withdraw from distributing fuel to sheds and, if they do not get a response, they will withdraw from services at the refinery. It will have an impact on the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the aviation industry, he added.

We are calling to stop the signing of the agreement, as it will have an impact on the industry, as well as the country, he said.

Sri Lanka and India are expected to sign an agreement to jointly invest and develop the Trincomalee Port and establish a petroleum refinery and other industries there.

The Unions, however, claim the agreement would benefit the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) and cause further financial losses to the CPC, which is already in colossal debt. Mr. Rajakaruna said the agreement would allow the LIOC to expand in the country.

The CPC is already Rs 52 billion in debt and, if this agreement is signed, we will never be able to recover, Mr Rajakaruna warned.

He stressed that, the storage tanks in Kolonnawa had capacity for only 400,000 metric tonnes of fuel. By contrast, the 99 tanks in Trincomalee can hold up to 1 million metric tonnes of oil. However, the LIOC uses only a fraction of the tanks, with the vast majority in disuse, he pointed out. We suffer an annual loss of Rs 900 million due to this reason alone, Mr Rajakaruna added.
Lanka tells India to abide by Law of the Sea View(s):

By Sandran Rubatheesan

Sri Lanka is to ask India to adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which ensures innocent passage for fishermen to cross over to international waters through another states territorial sea.

The request comes in the wake of a fresh dispute over the arrest of Sri Lankan fishermen by Indian Coast Guards (ICG) on allegations they were poaching in Indias territorial waters. Fisheries Ministry Secretary W.M.M.R. Adikari told the Sunday Times that information obtained by the ministry indicated that the Sri Lankan fishermen were using the innocent passage and therefore the arrests were not valid.

UNCLOS Article 17 which defines the right of innocent passage says ships of all states whether coastal or land-locked enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea of a state as long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state.

The criminal jurisdiction of the coastal state should not be exercised on board a foreign ship passing through the territorial sea to arrest any person or to conduct any investigation in connection with any crime committed on board the ship during its passage, save only if the consequences of the crime extend to the coastal state, Article 27 says.

Sri Lanka has refuted claims by the Indian Coast Guard that the Lankan fishermen were arrested while poaching in Indian waters and sought the release of the fishermen. The incident took place earlier this month, two days before the official level meeting held between the two countries delegations in Colombo. It was taken up at the high-level meeting where the Indian delegation agreed to seek the immediate release of the vessel and the fishermen.

However, the response of the Indian Coast Guard was vague, the Ministry Secretary said.On Tuesday, another seven Sri Lankan fishermen were detained in mid-sea by Indian coast guards while they were travelling through the same path and they were released after inspection.

The Ministry is to consult the Attorney Generals Department to verify the legality of Indias action before sending a formal response.

A 48-foot Sri Lankan multi-day fishing boat named Kaveesha Putha 3 had set off from the Dickowitha harbour in Wattala with the seven fishermen on board. After a month of fishing in international waters, it was arrested by Indian coast guards when it was returning from the Arabian Sea on April 4.

The fishermen were taken to the Thoothukudi harbour and later handed over to Tharuvaikulam Marine Police for further legal action. They are yet to return to Sri Lanka though they were officially released. The rough sea conditions have delayed their departure.

According to the official responses exchanged between the two countries, Thoothukudis Deputy Superintendent of Police claimed that the detained fishing boat master had reportedly told them that he had intentionally crossed the International Maritime Boarder Line (IMBL) for fishing without any valid permits or licence.

Sri Lankas Fisheries Ministry is looking into this claim by India.The Lankan fishermen who spent nearly a month in international waters for fishing said they were disappointed that their two metric tones fish worth about Rs 4.4 million in Sri Lankan rupees had been auctioned in Tamil Nadhu for just 200,000 Indian rupees.

Meanwhile, Fisheries Director General M.C.L. Fernando questioned why the Indian Coast Guard had started arresting Lankan fishermen suddenly when the Sri Lankans had been using the marine lanes for years. At present, there are 141 Indian mechanised trawlers in Sri Lankas custody while 18 Lankan multi-day fishing boats are in Indias custody.
RTI: President gives people access to Cabinet decisions View(s):

In a note presented by President Maithripala Sirisena and approved by the Cabinet recently, the President has informed all Ministers that all Cabinet decisions and Memoranda not falling within excepted categories under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No 12 of 2016, have to be made available to a citizen upon request.

In terms of this note, the Cabinet has also been formally apprised of the appointment of an Information Officer (IO) and a Designated Officer (DO) for the Cabinet in terms of the RTI Act. The President has stated that previously, all Cabinet decisions were considered as confidential documents, conveyed only to the Secretary to the relevant Ministry, the parties who are directly involved in the implementation. These decisions were also informed to a limited number of others, including the Attorney General when required in regard to legal matters.

However, with changes brought about by the passing of the RTI Act, President Sirisena has noted that when requests are received from a citizen in accordance with RTI Regulations and Rules, necessary action needs to be taken by the Secretary to the Cabinet. He has also pointed out that in conformity with proactive disclosure obligations under the RTI regime, Cabinet decisions and other facts required to be published therein are carried on the website of the Cabinet Office.

Sri Lankas RTI Act, along with Regulations and Rules on Fee and Appeals of the independent RTI Commission, was operationalised on February 3 this year. According to Section 23(1)(a) of the RTI Act, every Public Authority must appoint within three months of the date of operationalising the Act, one or more IOs as well as a DO to hear the first appeal. Where an IO and a DO are in place, it is mandatory that a citizen seeking information should approach those officers first and then only appeal to the RTI Commission and thereafter, to the courts.

In terms of a government policy decision, in instances where a Public Authority has appointed an IO but has failed to appoint a DO, the relevant administrative superior will become the DO. The Act, meanwhile, provides that if an IO is not appointed, then the Head or the CEO of the Public Authority is deemed to be the IO. In this case, appeal from a decision of the IO will lie directly to the Commission.

Following inquiries made to the Mass Media and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry which is the implementing nodal agency, the Sunday Times learns that a considerable number of Public Authorities and other private entities falling within the Act have complied with the mandatory requirement to appoint IOs and DOs. However, Public Authorities still failing to comply include the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Higher Education Ministry, all courts, tribunals and institutions created for the administration of justice and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Other independent constitutional Commissions and Commissions created under written law have also complied with the requirements of the RTI Act.
Salvation Army Chief visits Meethotamulla survivors View(s):

The Salvation Armys global head, General Andre Cox, on Friday met with survivors of the Meethotamulla rubbish dump collapse and gave encouragement to them and relief workers  including police, military and medical personnel. General Cox and a team of Salvation Army officers visited both the disaster site and a local school that has been turned into a temporary shelter for more than 200 people whose homes have been destroyed.

The Salvation Army, alongside Government agencies and other relief organisations, continues to provide for the immediate needs of those who have lost their homes in the dump disaster, some of whom tragically also lost loved ones. Salvation Army workers have provided meals for more than 500 people and today distributed more than 700 pairs of slippers to people who have lost everything.

In an on-site media interview, General Cox sought to comfort all who have been impacted by the disaster and assured them of the Salvation Armys ongoing support. He also encouraged Government and humanitarian relief agencies to work together to solve the problems created by the dumps collapse. He emphasised the imperative need of providing a timely resolution to peoples long-term security needs.

General Cox, with Commissioner Silvia Cox, is in Colombo meeting with Government ministers, heads of churches, leaders of other humanitarian organisations, and members of the Salvation Armys newly established National Advisory Board.
She wanted the truth and she needed closure Wife of missing cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda, Sandya Ekneligoda, who was recently in the USA to receive an award for exceptional courage and perseverance spoke at many forums in Washington DC, Tampa Florida and Los Angeles, California. Rajika Jayatilake reports View(s): View(s):

Her story was as compelling as the legendary thorn birds song, and as painful. All who heard it, listened in horror and disbelief.

Sandya Ekneligoda, one of the 13 awardees of the recently concluded US State Department-sponsored International Women of Courage Award 2017 in Washington DC, told her story over and over, during the two-week programme arranged by the State Department in Washington DC, Tampa, Florida and Los Angeles, California. Among the 13 women selected for exceptional courage and perseverance against all odds, Sandya Ekneligoda was chosen from Sri Lanka, for her relentless search for truth and justice in the face of tremendous personal danger.

Prageeth Ekneligoda, Sandyas husband, disappeared on January 24, 2010, two days before the 2010 Presidential Election. He was a political cartoonist attached to Lankaenews, who spared no effort in portraying through his cartoons, the abuse of power and corruption in government. He had just written a booklet called Family Tree, which mysteriously disappeared along with him. He openly campaigned for Sarath Fonseka, the only Presidential candidate challenging the then incumbent President. All these facts together obviously did not endear him to those in authority. But even Prageeth appeared not to have anticipated the worst, considering he had been abducted and released within a day in August 2009 by people who arrived in a white van, with a warning to guard his tongue.

On the day he disappeared, he left his office around eight at night with a friend he had known in earlier times. That was the last any one ever saw him. Sandya tried in vain to contact her husband through the night, but he never answered the phone. When she went to the police the next morning, they were not willing to record her statement. She made an official complaint of her husbands disappearance with the greatest difficulty.

This was the turning point in Sandyas life  from being a regular wife and mother, circumstances transformed her into a human rights activist. She wanted her husband back. She wanted the truth. She needed closure. And the government was not about to give what she wanted. But she was also not about to take No for an answer.

This persistence for truth and justice thrust Sandya into the limelight, and she was one of the chosen few to receive the coveted International Women of Courage Award from First Lady Melania Trump a few weeks ago. Before presenting the awards, Mrs. Trump addressed the audience with carefully chosen words, apt for the individual situations of the awardees. She said, Together with the international community, the United States must send a clear message that we are watching.

Sandya told her story at all the meetings she attended in the US from March 25 to April 8. She met senior officials of the State Department, and spoke with intellectual audiences at George Washington University and at the Meridian International Center in Washington DC, also at Stetson University and the South Florida University in Florida. She spoke with people who gathered to listen to her at the Pinellas Education Foundation in Florida and at the Los Angeles City Hall. She was educated, by detectives at the St Petersburg Police Department Investigative Services Bureau, on crucial technological advances, such as DNA, in resolving cold cases of missing persons and bringing closure to families. She also learnt how the Forensics Anthropology Department of the University of South Florida helps law enforcement identify missing people by examining skeletal remains.

She met with human rights watchdogs like Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch, and was interviewed by print and electronic media. Everywhere she went, there were outpourings of empathy and generous offers of help. What can we do to help you? was uttered by one and all. The Chief of Police of St Petersburg Police Department, Anthony Holloway offered to send a letter of assistance from the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association, to Sri Lankas Criminal Investigation Department (CID) currently handling the Ekneligoda case.

As Sandya claims, the CID is impeded in moving forward with investigations, from individuals within the government. Those interrogated by the CID appear to not remember what happened.

Bill Maxwell, a veteran columnist of Tampa Bay Times who interviewed Sandya, said, The uniform automatically makes the wearer a hero even when he may commit atrocities. When you add the pomp and circumstance of parades, medals, statues and commendations, those in uniform become untouchable, sometimes god-like.

Sandya Ekneligoda says, Pursuing the truth is not a crime, protecting the perpetrators is. Sri Lanka Ambassador in the US, Prasad Kariyawasam said that over the past two years or more, the Embassy receives at least ten letters a week from the American public expressing horror at the Ekneligoda disappearance.

The irony of Sandyas situation is that in her quest for truth and justice, she has been compelled to fight the countrys judicial system as well. She has been to every level of the judiciary  Magistrates Court, High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court. During the past seven years, I have attended over 100 court sittings, about half of them in 2016, she said.

The government appears to function on the premise that ignoring a situation will make it go away. So it is ignoring the hunger strikes by mothers and wives in the north, demanding to know what happened to their disappeared loved ones. Sandya, empathizing with these women struggling to come to grips with her same situation, has become their voice. Circumstances have led me to become the voice for the voiceless, she said. When American people asked her, So what do these women want? her answer was simple. They just want the truth. They want to know what happened to their sons or their husbands.

Sandya says, that in creating the Office of Missing Persons, a vital component in the countrys agenda of transitional justice, the government is evading minority communities and their need for resolution and closure. Where should these people turn to for redress?
Meet up with Cinnamon Colomboscope organisers View(s):

Cinnamon Colomboscope, the multidisciplinary contemporary arts festival invites artists, designers, architects, inventors, innovators, performers, musicians, film-makers, theorists and environmentalists who are interested in participating in this years festival to join the organisers for a meet-up and an exchange of creative knowledge.

This year Cinnamon Colomboscope will foreground the environment and its intersection with arts, culture and innovation under the theme Re/Evolution. The casual meet-up will have a few presentations/talks from creatives and environmentalists to aid the exploration into the theme.

We believe multi-disciplinary artists bring unique perspectives to express complex issues in imaginative and inspiring ways. Arts and culture as a platform in Sri Lanka, is one that has the power to creatively contribute and find innovative solutions for these defining issues of our time. Join us on Wednesday, April 26 from 6  8 p.m. at the Goethe-Institut, 39 Gregorys Road, Colombo 7, a press release from the organisers said.

For more information, please contact Shanika, shanika@cinnamoncolomboscope.com or menika@cinnamoncolomboscope.com
Serendipity: A photographic journey through Sri Lanka View(s):

A photography exhibition organised by the Permanent Mission of Sri was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York last week.

The exhibition, titled Serendipity: a Photographic Journey through Sri Lanka, coincided with the Sinhala and Hindu New Year in Sri Lanka, and featured photographs depicting Sri Lankas unparalleled natural beauty, its multi-ethnic, multi-religious identity, the rich cultural heritage and its ways of life.

The photographs were on display at the Delegates Entrance of the United Nations General Assembly Hall.

A large number of Permanent Representatives, senior diplomats, senior UN officials and delegates attended the opening of the exhibition.

Delivering welcome remarks at the opening, Sri Lankas Permanent Representative Rohan Perera expounded on the etymological background of Serendipity, a word derived from Serendib, the name which the ancient Arab traders used to call Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Perera said that, true to the very meaning of its name, Sri Lanka, lying in the middle of the Indian Ocean on the ancient sea routes connecting the orient and the occident, with its exotic beauty and charm, was indeed an unexpected happy occurrence for many travelers and writers, both ancient and modern.

Quoting the American author Mark Twain and renowned Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Ambassador Perera remarked that in Sri Lanka, one could always make pleasant discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things one was not in quest of.

Acting UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Maher Nasser, who spoke at the opening ceremony, stated that appreciating ones rich cultural heritage and natural beauty inevitably made one concentrate on Sustainable Development Goals and protecting the planet. Liaison Officer of UNESCO New York Office Ricardo De-Guimaraes spoke on the UNESCO world heritage sites in Sri Lanka.

The exhibition featured photographs by Madhuka Wickramarachchi and Niluka Kadurugamuwa, two serving diplomats at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and Tharanatha Palliyaguruge, a lawyer and a professional wildlife photographer from Sri Lanka.
Astronomy and culture will soon converge with the arrival of Mexicos most festive holiday. Two weeks from yesterday marks the annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo, one of two days that commemorate Mexicos independence. The countrys official Independence Day is September 16. However, May 5 is remembered as the day in 1862 when mostly untrained and under-equipped Mexican forces defeated the larger and professionally-trained invading army of the French, who were led by Napoleon III. Taking place in a small town about 100 miles east of Mexico City, La Batalla de Puebla (the Battle of Puebla) demonstrated the courage and unity of the Mexican troops, and was a turning point in Mexicos war with France that culminated in Mexicos ultimate victory in 1867.

Today, the spirit of the Mexican people is celebrated on Cinco de Mayo, featuring festivals, parades and other events focusing on the distinctive Mexican culture. A major part of many of these gatherings is the performance of the Mexican Hat Dance (El Jarabe Tapatio), a courting dance that is performed around a sombrero.

Coincidentally, as if displayed specifically for Cinco de Mayo, the Sombrero Galaxy highlights the current night sky. Located about 65 million light years away in the constellation Virgo, it is not visible to the unaided eye but reveals its distinct form through a telescope.

French astronomer and surveyor Pierre Mechanic discovered the Sombrero Galaxy in May of 1781, the same year that William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. Also known as M104 (the 104th object listed in the Messier Catalogue of celestial objects), the Sombrero Galaxy is, like our Milky Way, a spiral galaxy. It has a bright, bulging core and spiral arms. From Earth, the Sombrero is seen nearly edge-on, tilted only about six degrees north of its equatorial plane.

The Sombrero contains about 2,000 globular star clusters, 10 times as many as the Milky Way. These clusters contain from 10,000 to 1 million very old stars  likely more than 10 billion years old  that are gravitationally bound to each other.

The Sombrero Galaxy is not only a compelling target for telescope viewing, but also historically important to the advance of modern astronomy. In 1912, V.M. Slipher of Lowell Observatory discovered that it displayed a large red shift (also known as recessional velocity, or movement away from an observer) of nearly 700 miles per second (1,100 kilometers per second, or about 3,300 times the speed of sound!) At the time, this and similar celestial bodies were known as spiral nebulae and believed to be members of our galaxy.

However, Slippers discovery of the Sombreros large recessional velocity meant that it must be outside of the Milky Way Galaxy and, furthermore, that the universe was much larger than previously thought. The spiral nebulae are known today to be galaxies, and Sliphers discovery was the first evidence of the expanding nature of the universe, perhaps the most important discovery ever made at Lowell Observatory. Two years after his groundbreaking discovery, Slipher continued his studies of the Sombrero and became the first scientist to observe the rotation rate of a galaxy besides our own.

This important scientific heritage, along with the Sombreros resemblance to a Mexican sombrero, makes this striking celestial body a timely hallmark of the spring sky.
Immigration Voice estimates there are some 1.5 million H1-B visa holders in the US waiting for green cards, many of whom are from India. Many of these immigrants welcomed President Donald Trump's executive order this week to the federal departments overseeing the program to review it.

By Reuters: When Gokul Gunasekaran was offered a full scholarship for a graduate program in electrical engineering at Stanford University, he saw it as the chance of a lifetime.

He had grown up in Chennai, India, and had a solid job offer with a large oil company after getting his undergraduate degree. He came to America instead, got the Stanford degree and now works as engineer at a data science start-up in Silicon Valley.

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But for the past five years, he has been waiting for a green card that would give him full legal rights as a permanent resident. In the meantime, he is in a holding pattern on an H1-B visa, which permits him to live and work in the United States but does not allow him easily to switch jobs or start his own company.

"It was a no-brainer when I came to this country, but now I'm kind of regretting taking that scholarship," said Gunasekaran, 29, who is also vice president with a non-profit group called Immigration Voice that represents immigrants waiting for green cards.

1.5 MILLION H1-B VISA HOLDERS WAITING FOR GREEN CARDS

Immigration Voice estimates there are some 1.5 million H1-B visa holders in the country waiting for green cards, many of whom are from India and have been waiting for more than a decade.

Many of these immigrants welcomed President Donald Trump's executive order this week to the federal departments overseeing the program to review it, a move that may lead to H1-B visas being awarded to the highest-paying, highest-skilled jobs rather than through a random lottery.

Their hope is that merit-based H1-Bs might then lead to merit-based green cards.

"I think less random is great," said Guru Hariharan, the CEO and founder of Boomerang Commerce, an e-commerce startup. Hariharan, who was previously an executive at Amazon.com Inc and eBay Inc, spent 10 years waiting for his green card and started his own company as soon as he got it.

Green cards can be a path to naturalization and Hariharan expects to become a US citizen soon.

H1-B visas are aimed at foreign nationals in occupations that generally require specialized knowledge, such as science, engineering or computer programming. The US government uses a lottery to award 65,000 such visas yearly and randomly distributes another 20,000 to graduate student workers.

'INDENTURED SERVANTS'

The H1-B and the green card system are technically separate, but many immigrants from India see them as intimately connected.

The number of green cards that can go to people born in each country is capped at a few percent of the total, without regard to how large or small the country's population is. There is a big backlog of Indian-born people in the line, given the size of India's population - 1.3 billion - and the number of its natives in the United States waiting for green cards.

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That leaves many of those immigrants stuck on H1-B visas while they wait, which they say makes them almost like "indentured servants," said Gaurav Mehta, an H1-B holder who works in the financial industry.

Mehta has a US-born son, but he could be forced to take his family back to India at any time if he loses his job and cannot find another quickly. "He's never been to my country," Mehta said of his son. "But we'll have no choice if we have to go. Nobody likes to live in constant fear."

The H1-B visa is tied to a specific employer, who must apply for the visa and sponsor the employee for a specific job laid out in the visa application. To switch employers, the visa holder must secure their paperwork from their current employer and find another employer willing to take over their visa.

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Some H1-B holders suspect that employers purposely seek out Indian immigrants because they know they will end up waiting for green cards and will be afraid to leave their employers.

But changing the green card system away from country caps to a merit-based system would require an act of Congress. Some executives also worry that allocating H1-Bs and green cards based on salary - while it would be done to counter the argument that immigrants undercut American workers - would hurt startups that cannot afford high wages.

In the meantime, H1-B holders like Nitin Pachisia, founding partner of a venture capital firm called Unshackled Ventures, are taking more practical measures. His firm specializes in taking care of the legal paperwork so that H1-B holders can start their own companies, a process that is possible but tricky.

Pachisia is hopeful that changes to the H1-B visa program could revive interest in making the entire system, from H1-B visas to green cards and eventual citizenship, more merit-based and focused on immigrants who are likely to start companies and create jobs.

"If the purpose of our high-skilled immigration program is to bring in the most talented people, let's use that as a lens. From that perspective, it's a good thing we can focus on the most talented, and I'd say most entrepreneurial, people," he said.

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ALSO READ | H1-B visa: Donald Trump signs 'buy American, hire American' order, may impact Indian workers

ALSO READ | President Donald Trump to seek changes in H-1B visa programme to encourage hiring Americans

WATCH VIDEO | Visa woes for techies: Donald Trump orders review of H-1B programme

--- ENDS ---
A Bay of Plenty teenager has won global praise online after a video of her buying groceries for a complete stranger went viral.

The gesture was carried out by 13-year-old Te Riina Takamore at the Gate Pa New World in Tauranga.

Te Riinas mother Vicki Takamore filmed the act of kindness before posting it on her Facebook page, and has been overwhelmed by the response.

The teens good deed was inspired by a gesture of another stranger who gifted an iPhone 6 to Te Riina after initially agreeing to sell it to her.

Speaking to Maori Televisions online news team, Vicki explained it began when she decided to buy the phone for Te Riinas birthday.

After paying for the phone, the sellers wife gave the money back and insisted she took it as a gift for her daughter.

Te Riina was surprised, happy and amazed that something like that was happening to us, said Vicki.

Such was the impact on her daughter, she decided to pay it forward while shopping at New World.

The recipient, a young father, told Maori Television: I was quite shocked, it doesnt happen very often that someone offers to pay for your groceries and it couldnt have happened at a better time."

He added he intends to pay the act forward himself.

The way it made me feel and the way it could make others feel, it was overwhelming and I want to carry on the love, he said.

Vicki admits it has been crazy since the video went live, with likes, shares and comments of support pouring in from across the globe.

Gate Pa New World owner, Tony Ford, said the store was "given a buzz" when they spotted what Te Riina had done.

- newsie.co.nz
On April 20, Baid, the main accused and mastermind of Rs 836 crore loan fraud scam, was arrested for his role in aiding laundering of tainted money.

By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: The investigations of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that Roop Chand Baid, promoter and director of Siddhi Vinayak Logistics Ltd (SVLL), leading fleet operator in Surat had made his truck drivers, cleaners and relatives the bogus directors of all those shell companies. These fraudulent companies were used for money laundering activities.

On April 20, Baid, the main accused and mastermind of Rs 836 crore loan fraud scam, was arrested for his role in aiding laundering of tainted money. The loan amount was taken from Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) for the purpose of helping the truck drivers, in the name of "Chalak se Malak" scheme. The special PMLA Court has sent Baid in ED custody till April 27.

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After promoting the scheme, SVLL induced BoM to sanction and disburse the loan amount of Rs 651.17 crore for its 2804 vehicles and its employees/drivers, on the basis of false assurances and tempered vehicle registration documents. Another term loans of Rs 160 crore were sanctioned from BoM to SVLL themselves, and finally, a CC limit of Rs 35 crore got sanctioned to SVLL from BoM's branches in Pune and Surat.

Sources told Indiatoday.in that two more banks, i.e. Canara Bank and Bank of India has lodged a criminal complaint against before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against SVLL for a loan amount of about Rs 600 crore, taking the grand total of loan fraud scam to about Rs 1500 crore. However, the ED would remain focused only on BoM case i.e. Rs 836 crore, till the time CBI files its first prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against SVLL.

In the preliminary investigations under PMLA, the ED found that SVLL had created various dubious companies or fake automobile vendors to deal with the banks in getting the loan amount.

As per the modus operandi, the loan amount were disbursed in the accounts of fake vendors and later got it diverted to SVLL itself. To make it happen, SVLL provided the list of vendors to the BoM to whom the loan amount was to be disbursed on account of purchase of the vehicles.

"The accused (Baid) instead of purchasing the vehicles from the said loan amount, instructed all the concerned vendors to transfer the said funds in the accounts of SVLL, which later, got utilised by SVLL for their wrong gain," the remand application said.

In every meeting, Baid represented to the BoM authorities that the company had utilised the loan amount for the intended purpose. "This was to conceal the proceeds of crime generated by the criminal conspiracy by SVLL and other", the official said. According to remand application filed by ED, the entire amount of Rs 836.29 crore appear to be proceeds of crime, as defined under section 2 (1) of the PMLA.

The money trail found by the agency showed that loan amount of Rs 57.6 crore went into the accounts of the vendors (which are also under investigations and suspicious) and later the said amount was brought back into the accounts of SVLL.

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Further, it was revealed that under the directions of Baid the amount of Rs 130.6 crore was disbursed by BoM officials to Addplus Distributors, one of the shell company. Addplus posed as vendor and represented by Baid before the BoM as authorised dealer of Ashok Leyland, but later, it was found that Addplus was not the authorised dealer.

Similarly, in another case, on the directions of Baid, letters were issued by SVLL to BoM authorities. Around 150 number of receipts of Trishul Motors (one of the vendor) were submitted for purchase of the vehicles indicating the name of the driver on it. Those receipts were found to be forged and fabricated by Trishul Motors, in fact, the company claimed that these receipts were not issued by them.

As per the remand application, Baid was summoned on April 20 at Mumbai ED office, where he admitted on record that under his directions, funds amounting to Rs 57.6 crore were brought back into the accounts of SVLL and the funds were not used for the intended purpose.

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After cracking all the layers created by SVLL to loot the banks, the agency would bring all the bank officials (who have been suspended by BoM) under its radar. The chargesheet would also decide the fate of these bank officials who played the major role in clearing "Chalak se Malak" scheme and disbursing the loan amount to SVLL. "We are not ruling out the probe against bank officials, in future," an ED official said.

In 2015, Indiatoday.in was first to expose the fleet operator having political links, with series of exclusive stories on internal communications and forensic reports against disbursement of loans to SVLL, which later led RBI to examine the case, suspension of at least 3-4 bank officials of BoM and finally, the CBI registering a criminal complaint and conducting searches. On that basis, the ED filed its ECIR in the second week of November 2016 and began its investigation.

--- ENDS ---
Narcotics, noise and nakedness. Thats how frontman Booga Beazley sums up legendary Kiwi band Head Like A Hole when their debut album 13 was released back in 1992.

Wed only recorded our cassette S***tnoise and, you know, basically started HLAH without even the thought of recording music or playing to heaps of people, it was just an experiment to see if we could actually play music.

A quarter of a century, five albums, a break up and make up, a line-up change and thousands of kilometres of touring later, HLAH are still in the business of getting down and getting crowds rocking all over New Zealand.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary since 13s release, the boys are embarking on a 12-date tour where theyll play the album in its entirety, starting at Totara Street in Mount Maunganui on May 4.

The last time HLAH performed at Totara Street was on New Years Eve, a great night but also a busy one for the band. Not only did they perform one hell of gig, prior to hitting the stage they spent the evening working backstage carrying out tasks like manning the door and cleaning up empties.

Working at their own gigs and taking a more hands-on approach with tours  Booga is organising the whole schbang this time around  is something HLAH have recently decided to start doing, he says.

We just wanted to try and keep it more band-orientated, and that just means more work for us. But I think fans get a bit of a buzz when they come along and they see you on the door, theyre like what the hell?

Some people have this weird notion that, you know, Im going to pull up on a big motorcycle and Ive just been at my mansion counting money, Booga says laughing, but in actual fact Im in a rental van and Ive just had a stinky pie from somewhere and Im off to work the door.

As part of their celebrations, HLAH re-released 13 in March and Booga says after all these years its great the album is finally getting a bit of recognition, with it charting at #3 on the New Zealand Charts and #24 on the International chart earlier in April.

When Booga look back on those days, he recalls being full of energy and enthusiasm.

But when I listen to 13 I do realise I couldnt sing that well and I needed a bit more time to hone my expertise before we went into the studio. But back then we were young, we just wanted to get it done and I suppose it is the energy of the album that comes through more than anything.

As the lyricist, he admits a lot of his lyrics on 13 was nonsense, word plays, and none of it hardly relates to each other.

Apart from songs like Penut its definitely got a direction and a subject matter which probably isnt to everyones taste, but the songs have definitely moved on since then.

When asked what his most vivid memory of the recording sessions for 13 was, he lets out a snigger as he remembers when they were mixing the drums with Bailter Space drummer Brent Mclachlan.

According to Booga, original HLAH drummer Mark Hamill kept saying the drums sounded like cardboard boxes, my drums sound like s***.

And were like Mark, dude, its the fact that your drum kit is a piece of s***, thats why they sound like s***, you cant polish a turd. He kept on grumbling and the next thing you know, he spat this huge loogie on the back of Brents head, and hes bald, hes got this shinny big head.

Brent was like did you just spit on me? and Mark was like no, I didnt and we were like bro, you just spat on the back of his head. It wasnt by accident, he hocked a loogie.

Thats a very vivd memory for me, moreso than the recording.

These days when HLAH enters the studio to record an album, its a far cry from the 13 days. And hopefully the band members have stopped hocking loogies on the back of peoples heads.

They know exactly what they want out of recording studio, and whoevers on the desk they have got a certain expectation of them, explains Booga.

Basically with Head Like A Hole we always say that were going to go in and do one guitar to the left, one guitar to the right, everything else down the middle and were not going to add any frills on top.

It never works that way, its not the 70s anymore, youve got so many tracks to play with and you end up basically over cooking everything.

Once the 13 tour wraps up, HLAH plan to focus on writing material for a new album, which will be the seventh.

Recently, the band recorded a couple of tracks at Aucklands Depot of Sound with studio manager and head engineer Dave Rhodes, who Booga says did a great job, which theyll release following the tour, hopefully alongside a video if the grant-gods allow.

But I think when we go into the studio next, were just looking for a studio thats going to have the right space to capture the drums, we want something thats got a great room its got to have a good, live, fat drum sound.

Then were just going to look at doing everything from home after that. We often capture stuff at home much better than the time constraints and pressure put on us in the studio.

This upcoming show in the Mount promises to be a doozy, with Booga saying the bands in fine form and amping to go there.

It will be the first time ever HLAH have performed 13 in its entirety, and with the album reflecting a very specific era for Head Like A Hole, the band are looking forward to a bit of the old time travel

Therell also be several songs from the ablum which Booga cant wait to crank out on stage again.

Ive always loved Fish Across Face and Nevermind Today which we still perform, I love playing Ritual Groove Meister, and were playing Penut again, we havent play that for many, many years, and thats epic.

The Weekend Sun has one double pass to give away to one lucky readers who can tell us the name of Head Like A Holes debut album which theyll be playing in full on May 4?

Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competition section. All entries must be received by Wednesday, April 26.

Head Like A Hole performs 13 at Totara Street in Mount Maunganui on Thursday, May 7, from 8pm. R18 gig. Tickets cost $40 and available online via Eventfida.



Head Like A Hole in their younger, less clothed days.
The Whakatane District Council has announced it will be taking over the Whakatane Holiday Park on May 5.

Negotiations for the holiday park have been ongoing since late 2016, and chief executive Marty Grenfell says bringing the strategic community and tourist asset into public ownership has come just the right time.

The holiday park is currently being used to provide temporary accommodation for people who have been displaced due to the recent floods, but this is not a long term plan for the parks use.

Current owner Noel Galloway says while he had visions of the park being used for residential and retirement purposes, he appreciates the difficulties associated with that.

I am therefore pleased that the Council and I have been able to reach an agreement on this and I look forward to spending more time fishing.

The council agreed the holiday park is a hugely strategic community and tourist asset that will play a significant role in supporting the Eastern Bay of Plentys burgeoning tourism industry.

Marty says the parks location and facilities, combined with future tourism trends for the Eastern Bay, makes it a business that has great potential to deliver future benefits to the entire community.

The Whakatane District Council sees tourism as an important vehicle for community transformation and sees this purchase as a perfect complement to the recent Ngati Awa purchase of White Island Tours.

The council paid $1 million in a negotiated settlement, which includes the operating lease, and fully intends to retain the existing use of the site into the foreseeable future. The decision to purchase was unanimous.
Its why Lions are Lions. To serve. Its why Neil Clarke is a Lion.

Been a Lion since 1955, the Mount Maunganui man says proudly. I was one of 22 foundation members of the countrys very first Lions Club in Auckland.

Now 89, turning 90 later this year, Neil Clarke, Papal Knight, OBE, QSO and JP, is this countrys longest serving Lion.

For 100 years internationally, Lions have been saving sight, feeding struggling families, providing life-saving vaccines to children and rebuilding communities devastated by disaster. Humanitarian support in many, many forms.

And for 62 of those 100 years, Neil Clarke has been serving the server.

Wonderful environment to do community service and enjoy fellowship, he says, while soaking up the sun and listening to National radio in his Bayswater Retirement Village villa. Enormous satisfaction.

Neil could qualify as poster boy for the upcoming MD202 Lions Convention  the multi-districts 57th annual general here in Tauranga. The numbers are impressive.

The convention takes in seven Lions Districts here in New Zealand, and Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa  a catchment of 366 clubs and nearly 10,000 members.

But there will be 300 or 400 delegates at the Bethlehem College Performing Arts Centre in Tauranga on April 28-30, says conference chairman Alan Schofield.

On Friday night therell be the flag ceremony  flags representing some the 200 countries in which Lions operate will be brought into the auditorium by Leos, the young Lions. And on Saturday the Lions will get down to business  business like a remit out of Waihi to raise a lot of money for the battle against diabetes.

Thats a lot of money for a lot of people. Globally the Lions have set a goal of touching and improving the lives of 200 million people each year by 2121  tripling the organisations humanitarian impact.

But theyre also touching lives at home, like little Kylie Strongman. The toddler was someone quite special during Neils continuing long service with Lions.

She needed a kidney transplant, which had to be done in Australia. We held a phone-a-thon and raised $100,000 for the operation. Very satisfying. There was also a flow-on effect, which raised another $100,000. That money went to Starship Childrens Hospital.

That was 20 years ago during Neils 50-year service with the Paeroa Lions.

There were no Lions in Paeroa when we arrived. I was the foundation president and we ended up with the largest membership per capita of any Lions Club in New Zealand. Sixty members in a little place like Paeroa.

Neil is now a member of the Mount Maunganui Lions  and, as the countrys longest serving Lion hes not as active as he used to be. But I still pay my levies and they are very kind to me.

And this was a man who didnt know what Lions were about when he was pulled into the club in 1955. I knew they were a service club, but I didnt know much more.

Those were the days a Lions Club had just one of everything  one butcher, one baker, one candlestick maker. It was made for diversity, different people bringing different skillsets.

In Neil Clarke the club had an ambitious and very capable 25-year-old management diploma course graduate from State Advances. The rest is Lions history.

And on Sunday, April 28, the 300 or 400 delegates at the MD202 convention in Tauranga will remember past Lions and hold a re-dedication  a personal recommitment to all the good humanitarian Lions work still to be done.
There were plenty of gumboots on display at the Patetonga Hall in the Hauraki Plains on Friday morning.

A number of flood-affected farmers met up with support agencies plus Hauraki District councillors and staff to discuss a way forward following the heavy rains caused by Cyclone Cook last week.

Heavy rain on already saturated ground saw the Waihou and Piako Rivers reach record height levels in the Eastern Waikato last week and overtop stopbanks in some areas, causing ponding that is expected to take a few more days to drain.

The meeting was organised by the Rural Support Trust and attended by a large number of agencies including Dairy NZ, Federated Farmers, and Fonterra.

[The meeting] was about getting people together and giving them the opportunity to speak to professionals who could answer some of their questions and offer support, says Rural Support Trust Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel chairman Neil Bateup.

Hauraki District Deputy Mayor Toby Adams attended the meeting and says it was great to see everyone coming together to support their neighbours and talk to agencies that can help.

Were here to advocate on your behalf. We understand there will be an ongoing recovery period for many, and we urge anyone with any concerns to ask for help.

For rural support call 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254) or for welfare concerns contact Hauraki District Council on 0800 734 834.

For stopbank or other flood-scheme related matters call the Waikato Regional Council on 0800 800 401
The Ngati Awa Volunteer Army  NAVA  completed its final organised day of the Edgecumbe clean-up with thank you speeches and lunch hosted at the Ruaihona Marae on Friday.

Te Runanga o Ngati Awa created the Ngati Awa Volunteer Army in collaboration with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Whakatane District Council, working from their operations centre at the marae.

Volunteer coordinators Wini Hahipene-Geddes and Pim De Monchy from Bay of Plenty Regional Council say they have been overwhelmed by the support from the community.

In the yellow zone, 137 homes were completed, says Wini. Seven are still required to go back and check on. Weve also got homes that havent been gone through which is why were going to continue for a little while longer, making sure every whanau has the opportunity to have help from NAVA.

In the white zone 196 were completed, bringing it all to a total of 333. There were 1445 volunteers registered online, and 2500 plus meals have gone out from here to the volunteers. Thats now 6250 voluntary hours have gone in.

The coordinators acknowledge the help provided by Envirowaste during the clean-up effort, and Pim says if anyone thinks New Zealand doesnt have working communities, this is the evidence that we do,

When it matters we definitely come out as a community. I just take my hat off to all of you. The thank yous have been said by everyone else, but New Zealand, Bay of Plenty region, Ngati Awa, Edgecumbe  well done. Thank you to all of you.

When we started this we tried to learn a few things from the Rena when 8000 people volunteered and picked up the oil off the beach. Hopefully the success of this effort was in part attributable to some of the learnings from that.

He says theres a few people they need to thank in the background too, like the IT guys who put together the database to register and communicate with all the volunteers, and without their support this could have been quite chaotic.



The map of Edgecumbe showing the white, yellow and red zones.



Houses in the red zone. Photo: Elaine Fisher.

On Friday Whakatane District Council Mayor Tony Bonne thanked NAVA for their efforts and presented petrol vouchers to be used for volunteers and a koha to the marae.

Tony also wants to acknowledges the people who were at the epicentre of the Civil Defence emergency response.

When you have a major operation like this it comes under the Civil Defence Act. Id go into the council building top floor and their eyes were hanging out, mine were hanging out and we all just got on and did the work.

Pim says there were a few principles they tried to apply to the volunteer army. The first being it had to be safe for them, safe for the residents, safe for everybody. The second was it had to be effective, as there was no point getting people to commit time if they couldnt do something productive.

The third  it had to be rewarding for the volunteers so that your expectations as well as the expectations of the residents were met, he says.

And finally we had to use a lot of manakitanga, which is a Maori value about reverence, respect and dignity of people who are in grief and suffering quite a lot with what theyve lost. Hopefully what youve seen and experienced and contributed to Edgecumbe has had those four principles.

Pim has received emails and messages from many volunteers, whove said they taken away more than theyve given, and have found the experience an awesome thing to be a part of.

Give yourself a pat on the back and your neighbour a hug.

There are no organised clean-ups planned over the weekend, with one event on Monday, April 24 from 10am  2pm at the Edgecumbe Hall, followed by a final event from 1-5pm on Anzac Day.



Whakatane Mayor Tony Bonne.
The illustrations narrate the story of a fox dreaming about polluted oceans and the adverse impact of climate change. Upon waking, he and his friends find ways to protect and nurture the environment.

By India Today Web Desk: To celebrate Earth Day, Google doodle team has created a slideshow of animated images from a children's book.

The illustrations narrate the story of a fox dreaming about polluted oceans and the adverse impact of climate change. Upon waking, he and his friends find ways to protect and nurture the environment.

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Meanwhile, scientists in the United States are planning a protest march called'March for Science'which is seen as "a global effort to push back against a political climate that has become increasingly hostile toward sound, evidence-based science and its value to society."

In India, March for Science will be organised in Coimbatore and Hyderabad.

WHAT IS EARTH DAY

Around 47 years ago, industrial development had led to the increased use of insecticide and rising levels of smog leading to a decline in biodiversity.

So on 22 April 1970, people took to the streets to protest against the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development, which is now marked as the Earth Day.

On this day, over 1 billion people across 192 countries take part in this global event- sign petitions, plant trees and clean up their cities, town and roads.

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Raipur, Apr 22 (PTI) Union minister Suresh Prabhu today said the expansion of rail services would play a key role in country?s growth.

He also asserted that the Centre and the states need to work together for this purpose.

Prabhu was speaking at a function at Chhattisgarh?s Raipur railway station where he inaugurated various passenger facilities for stations falling under the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone.

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"Prime Minister wants development of the country. For the purpose, we have decided to develop rail. Development of rail would lead to the development of the country.

"With the expansion of rail (services), India can move ahead," Prabhu said.

"Unless the Centre and the states will not work hand-in-hand, it will not be possible," he pointed out.

The union minister further underlined the need for the development of Chhattisgarh to make PM?s Make in India campaign a success.

"Presently rail projects worth around Rs 24,000 crore are underway in Chhattisgarh and in future many other major projects will be launched in the state which is rich in mineral resources.

"If we want to make the Prime Ministers initiative of Make in India a success, we need steel, iron ore, coal and other resources and these are in abundance in the state," he said.

"We have to develop Chhattisgarh for making Make in India a success. Transportation of minerals will benefit both the state and railways. Besides, it will also create job opportunities for the youth," he said.

"An amount of Rs 3,676 crore will be invested in the financial year 2017-18 for rail projects in Chhattisgarh. Seven railway stations in the state will be revamped in such a way that they will have better facilities than airports," said the railway minister.

These stations will be revamped into iconic structures and will have better passenger amenities, he added.

He said the railway will have an agreement with the state government to provide e-marketing facility to the tribal population engaged in making artifacts.

The e-marketing facility will be provided through the IRCTC website so that the artisans can earn good return for their art, he added.

Similarly, Prabhu said,Railwayswill provide opportunity to self-help groups (SHGs) for providing local cuisines in trains through e-catering service.

As part of the Railways green initiative to create green cover along the track, as many as 5 crore trees (saplings) will be planted in Chhattisgarh, Prabhu said.

The Railway and the state government will also work to convert waste into energy.

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Besides, the initiative has also been undertaken to revive water bodies that exist in the premises of railway lands, he added.

On the occasion,the union minister along with Chief Minister Raman Singh inaugurated two escalators towards Gudhiyari end of the Raipur station and two lifts for Platform 2/3 and 5/6.

They also inaugurated narrow gauge maintenance facilities at Kendri, three lift facilities on the platforms of Durg railway station, high-speed wi-fi facility in Durg railway station and Bilaspur railway station and the newly built foot-over-bridge at Dongargarh railway station through video conferencing.

Besides, they also laid foundation stone for the third line between Rajnandgaon-Nagpur section on Howrah-Mumbai Rail route in Nagpur Division under South East Central Railway (SECR).

The Railway minister also flagged-off Durg-Nizamuddin Humsafar Express (bi-weekly).

Chairman of Railway Board AK Mittal and other senior officials, MPs and MLAs were present for the function. PTI TKP RMT

--- ENDS ---
According to reports, a nomad family was attacked by gau rakshaks in Jammu and Kashmir. A nine-year-old girl was among those attacked.

By India Today Web Desk: A nine-year-old girl was among five people attacked by self-proclaimed 'gau rakshaks' in Jammu and Kashmir, news channel NDTV reported.

The incident reportedly took place on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, around 250 kilometers south of Srinagar.

Reports about the total number of people injured in the attack remained unclear, with NDTV saying that all five, including the the girl, were wounded.

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Mufti Islah, a journalist based out of Srinagar, tweeted that four people, including the girl, were injured and that five 'gau rakshaks' were behind the attack.

NDTV and Islah both said that those attacked belong to the same nomad family and that the attackers took away the family's entire flock of goats, sheep and cows.

"We have registered an FIR. I have asked DIG of Udhampur range to visit the area. Strict action will be taken against these goons," Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Recounting the incident, one of the victims of the attack told NDTV, "They beat us ruthlessly. Somehow we managed to flee from there. One of our children, a 10-year-old, is still missing. We don't know whether he is alive or dead. They even beat our elders very badly. They wanted to kill us and throw our bodies into the river."

The Jammu and Kashmir incident comes against the backdrop of heightened cow vigilantism in the country. Just this month, the Alwar attack, in which one diary farm owner was killed by cow vigilantes, sparked nationwide furore.

Leading government officials and political figures, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, have come out strongly against such attacks, with police officials in the country also vowing to take strong action against such attackers.

ALSO READ | Sulkhan Singh takes charge as new UP DGP, promises zero tolerance against cow vigilantism, 'gundagardi'

ALSO READ | Cow vigilante attacks are anything but spontaneous, reveals India Today sting

ALSO WATCH | Alwar gau rakshak attack: Despite legal papers, cow transporters were arrested by police

--- ENDS ---
In praise of the leader

It's not just BJP ministers who are singing the praises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A recent meeting of NDA allies hosted by the PM and BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi saw two allies at their effusive best. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Modi would be remembered, after his retirement, not as an Indian PM but as a global leader. Only to add quickly that leaders like Modi never retired. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said the country was lucky to have a PM who could be addressed as Narendrabhai. With this, Thackeray sought to make up for his past criticism of demonetisation, appealing to the PM to inform his allies about government schemes well in advance.

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Battle of Ashoks?

With defence secretary G. Mohan Kumar retiring on May 31, speculation is rife on his replacement. (Unwritten) tradition dictates current secretary (defence production), Ashok Kumar Gupta, a 1981 batch Tamil Nadu cadre officer, succeed him. But bureaucrats believe another Ashok, finance secretary Lavasa, a 1980 batch Haryana cadre officer, is in the running.

Gin-ocide

8 LAKH LITRES- Seized alcohol the Bihar government is set to destroy

EQUAL TO - Water in the lake at Patna zoo

Bachelor in Chief

Lalu Prasad Yadav is all set to get elder son and Bihar health minister Tej Pratap married next year. Lalu and wife Rabri Devi have confirmed receiving hundreds of proposals, but are yet to zero in on a suitable match. The family, it is believed, is looking for someone with Rabri Devi's temperament, more specifically her ability to keep the family together. Looks like it'll be tough to match up to ma-in-law.

Steering Clear

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was all set to address a rally and roadshow in Puri on April 18 when just two days before the event the state party unit announced that her visit was for personal reasons. Why? Mamata was apparently spooked by the enthusiastic response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the BJP's April 15-16 national convention in Bhubaneswar. With the CBI investigating the Narada and the Saradha scams, Didi might want to avoid an open confrontation with PM Modi just yet.

Tech Twins

N. Chandrababu Naidu - 'AP CM Connect' mobile app

GOAL - Citizen-driven participatory governance in real time. Where people can reach him directly on everyday issues-pensions, ration, water and such

LAUNCHED - April 14, 2017

K. Chandrasekhara Rao - Geospatial mapping of all government assets like roads, hospitals and schools in every gram panchayat

GOAL - A comprehensive database to drive state policies

LAUNCH- Pilot project covering select villages scheduled by July 2017

--- ENDS ---
A student boycott of the National Student Survey (NSS) is thought to have invalidated the results of the survey for at least 9 UK universities.

The National Union of Students claims to have seen correspondence revealing that completion rates were as low as 27.5% at Russell Group universities such as Bristol. For results to be valid, at least 50% of final year undergraduates at the university must complete the survey.

Finalists across Britain have been boycotting the survey in a bid for the government to make changes to the controversial Higher Education and Research Bill. In particular, students are concerned about the link between the NSS and the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) proposed in the bill leading to a rise in tuition fees.

The bill proposes to rank universities in order of teaching quality using data from the NSS. The best universities would then be allowed to charge higher fees in correspondence with their ranking, meaning access to top universities would become even more restricted.

Sorana Vieru, Vice President of Higher Education at the National Union of Students (NUS), said: "The fact that thousands of students across the country have decided to boycott the National Student Survey shows how strongly they feel about the Government using their feedback to raise tuition fees.

"Jo Johnson [Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation] has said countless times he wants to create a system that listens to students and works in their interests. Well, students have spoken loud and clear, and it is now time for the Minister to act, and halt these damaging reforms."

Amatey Doku, CUSU president said: "The government has re-assured Universities that even if NSS does not meet the criteria to be included this year, they will still be eligible for TEF, as the TEF takes account of metrics for the previous three years. Its become clear that without knowing how much the provider submission is worth in comparison to the NSS and other metrics, the boycott doesnt work. The only way we can really fight for students is if we work with the new key player within the Higher Education Sector, the Office for Students, where currently we have no student representation."

Reforms of the bill were defeated by 27 votes to 221 in the House of Lords in January, with MPs expressing concerns that the move would unacceptably commercialise higher education. The NUS maintain that peers have already debated a staggering 600 amendments to the bill, making significant changes to government plans.

In accordance with the NUS campaign to boycott the NSS, CUSU encouraged Cambridge students not to fill in the survey. Facebook posts and an email from CUSU Sabbs advised students to boycott the NSS, citing the potential increase in tuition fees and the opposition faced by the bill in the House of Lords. The University Council and General Board opted into the second stage of the TEF  known as TEF2  in December 2016, despite an open letter condemning the move being signed by 443 members of the university.

The Higher Education and Research bill returns to the Commons for debate next week. The government must act quickly to pass the bill before the imminent general election, and may have to make further concessions to do so given the opposition to the bill in the House of Commons.
With the growth of cellphones, tablets, and the Internet of Things (IoT), IPv4 addresses are scarce. This scarcity doesn't come as a big surprise, of course. According to a gist published on GitHub by Next Generation MITnet, the future shortage was foreseen in 1990. It was at that point that internet researchers began planning a replacement for the current addressing standard called IPv6. Specifications for the new protocol were officially defined and copyrighted in 1998.

The current system only allows for 4 billion IP addresses, and with almost everything we touch Nowadays being connected to the internet, we are surpassing that limit. The shortage is not only caused by IPv4's limited number of addresses, but also by hoarding.

According to Network World, some institutions, including MIT, have held on to blocks of IP addresses for their own use. Some of these IPs are only just now becoming available in "secondary markets." However, MIT has found itself with a surplus of 14 million IPs that it has not used and has decided to sell about 8 million directly, according to the gist.

While companies, institutions, and internet providers are rapidly adopting the new standard, many companies are in need of IPv4 addresses while they upgrade to IPv6. In fact, the whole reason that MIT has decided to sell off its surplus is to help fund its upgrade to IPv6. MIT Provost Martin Schmidt and Vice President/Treasurer Israel Ruiz did not announce a price for address blocks, but Network World reports that Amazon has bought up an undisclosed number of the addresses MIT has made available.

The number of addresses available under IPv6 will be 340 x 10^36, so address shortages should not be a problem for the foreseeable future. However, MIT is not taking any chances. Schmidt and Ruiz already claim to be holding 20 x 10^30 IPs for the school. It seems that even with 340 undecillion addresses, the Institute is still going to plan on another shortage of internet real estate.

Image credit NBC News
The Samsung Galaxy S8 aims to redefine the traditional smartphone design and format, and all elements it carries help achieve that goal: it's Infinity Display, a gorgeous screen that's nearly bezel-less; a lustrous glass back panel that delivers a visual oomph with its ever-changing ombre; and well, the lack of any carrier logos.

No More Carrier Logos On The Back Of Samsung Galaxy S8

Yes, regardless of which carrier you''ll get the Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus from, they won't come with the respective logos on the front  there's just no space  or even on the back.

U.S. Android smartphone owners, especially those under mobile contracts, usually have phones with carrier logos printed on the body. T-Mobile and Sprint have largely gravitated away from this of late, but Verizon and AT&T have so far been relentless with their own stamps.

But with the Galaxy S8, there's nada. No Verizon or AT&T logo to be seen. Just the gorgeous back, and along it the Samsung logo, the Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus imprint, and some subtle certification stamps down the nether area.

Apple, for the record, has always been staunchly against imprinting third-party brands on its iPhone devices. Perhaps Samsung took note and decided to follow suit, thinking that carrier logos shouldn't tamper with the gorgeous design of its newest flagships.

Carrier Splash Screens Are Still A Thing, Though

It's different on the software side, however. Samsung hasn't escaped carrier branding when booting up the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Power them on and you'll meet the respective splash screens of carriers, alongside carrier-related bloatware preinstalled. But at least these splash screens are only nuisances for a short time.

So there you go. No matter which carrier you buy the Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus from, you'll still get an untampered design, just like everybody else who'll purchase it will.

Samsung Galaxy S8 And S8 Plus

The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are Samsung's latest flagship pair, announced late March and hitting shelves April 21. It's Samsung's latest comeback effort after the Note 7, which will go down in history as the most fiery phone Samsung had to offer  in the most literal sense of the word.

The Galaxy S8 comes with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED curved Infinity Display with a resolution of 2,960 x 1,440 at 570 ppi. Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery.

On the back of the device is a 12-megapixel dual pixel camera with optical image stabilization. It can record 4K video at 30 fps, 1080p video at 60 fps, and slow motion 720p video at 240 fps. On the front is an 8-megapixel camera for selfies.

For a full specs list of the two handsets, check out our previous article covering the unveiling.

What do you think about the lack of carrier logos on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Thousands of mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria were released in an area of the Florida Keys in an attempt to control the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, carriers of the Zika virus, Chikungunya, and the Dengue fever.

Approximately 20,000 male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were released on Stock Island April 18 for a field trial that will go on for at least 12 weeks. The modified mosquitoes don't bite and have been manually infected with the bacteria.

Experimental Mosquito Males Released To Fight Zika

Wolbachia is present in the cells of numerous insects. However, it doesn't naturally occur in mosquitoes, so the bacteria were manually injected in a lab as part of the current trial.

When the infected male mosquitoes mate with the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the eggs don't hatch, which makes it impossible for the insects to reproduce. The trial intends to naturally stop the spread of the virus by attacking the fundamental process through which these mosquitoes reproduce.

The Zika virus can affect pregnant women as well as those who plan on getting pregnant. In case of infestation, there can be grave consequences for the children born to mothers who were carriers of the virus during the pregnancy.

Approximately one in 10 mothers in the United States who gave birth while infected with the Zika virus in 2016 had children who suffered from birth defects, according to data provided by the CDC.

"Testing for Zika remains complex because there is a narrow timeframe for obtaining a positive laboratory result, and many infected people do not have symptoms that might motivate testing," also noted the CDC page.

According to Andrea Leal, executive director for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, the success of this trial could mean that a new tool effective in fighting the virus is available. Should the trial be successful, the representatives of this initiative would encourage local administrations countrywide to try out this solution as well.

The mosquitoes will be released two times every week in 20 areas within the trial surface.

The male insects don't bite. However, immediately after the beginning of this trial, the presence of an increased number of mosquitoes will be noticeable.

Zika Prevention And Pregnancy Outcomes

There have been 5,238 documented cases of the Zika virus in the continental part of the United States and Hawaii, and less than 300 cases have been locally transmitted. Out of the total number of cases, 4,939 occurred in travelers who returned home from areas affected by this virus.

The infection can cause microcephaly as well as other kinds of serious brain damage in babies. The pattern of birth defects associated with the disease includes vision problems, brain abnormalities, problems moving limbs, and hearing loss.

Additionally, kids who seem to be normal at birth can also suffer from underlying brain defects related to the virus.

"CDC recommends that pregnant women avoid travel to areas with risk of Zika and unprotected sex with a partner who has traveled to an area with Zika to prevent Zika-related birth defects in their babies," noted Peggy Honein, Ph.D., the Zika Response's Pregnancy and Birth Defects Task Force co-lead.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Good news! Soon, Gmail users can get their hands on the newest Windows 10 Mail & Calendar apps, according to Microsoft.

Windows 10 Mail & Calendar

Over the years, Microsoft has worked relentlessly to come with up architectural improvements to enhance and speed up Windows 10 Mail & Calendar apps' performance.

Earlier this year, the company excitedly announced several new features, which included:

 Color categories for calendar events: a top-requested feature that lets users color-code their schedule

 Interesting calendars: lets users follow updates about certain events

 Location suggestions from Bing to add popular addresses faster

 Skype option for online meetings

 A scheduling assistant Office 365 accounts

 Simplified summary cards in inbox and calendar: for quicker access to travel reservations and package delivery detail

Focused Inbox

But one of the main highlights of this latest update is Focused Inbox for Gmail users.

Using machine intelligence, Focused Inbox decides which messages should be top priority and files them under a "Focused" folder in the inbox. On the other hand, emails that are unimportant for the app are automatically filtered and moved to an "Other" tab.

This way, Gmail users can save time, effort, and energy sifting through tons of emails that flood their inbox every day.

Along with other exciting functionalities, this feature has been enjoyed by Outlook.com accounts and Office 365 email addresses for a few weeks already. But per Microsoft, Windows Insiders will be the first on the list to get a notification as soon as these updates are ready.

Special Mention Feature

Focused Inbox, which is a new and improved version of Clutter, will make collaborating and communicating with a lot of people through emails a tad easier.

Just like in major social networking platforms, users can simply type the @ symbol anywhere in the email body to call the attention of a specific person they want to address in that part of the message. The person's name is instantly highlighted in blue and is added to the To ... line, so they also receive a copy of the email.

On Outlook, users get a preview of messages where they've been mentioned.

Privacy Issue

So far, all this sounds good, except for one part, which has got the privacy alarms blaring:

"To power these new features, we'll ask your permission to sync a copy of your email, calendar and contacts to the Microsoft Cloud. This will allow new features to light up, and changes to update back and forth with Gmail  such as creation, edit or deletion of emails, calendar events and contacts. But your experience in Gmail.com or apps from Google will not change in any way."

Last year, it will be recalled that Microsoft was under fire after Amul Kalia of Electronic Frontier Foundation had accused the company of compromising its users' privacy.

Windows 10 allegedly transmitted location, text input, voice input, touch input, websites viewing history, and other telemetry data to Microsoft.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
City-wide power outages can cause major damage not only to physical structures but to the city's finances as well, since many businesses are forced to stay closed. That is why the people in San Francisco were alarmed when not only the city, but also New York and Los Angeles simultaneously experienced a blackout on the morning of April 21.

Like the sudden blackout that affected the San Francisco Bay Area in 2015, however, Friday's power outage was caused by an incident in one of the city's substations.

Sudden Power Outage

It was around 9:30 a.m. on April 21 when 14 San Francisco neighborhoods suddenly lost power and according to reports, almost 90,000 customers of Pacific Gas & Electric were affected. The power outage knocked out traffic signals, stalled cable cars, and forced businesses to close down for the day.

Many workers who were outside their buildings during that time could not get back in using their keycards and emergency workers were dispatched to about 20 elevator rescues.

"When I got here we had to shut down all the servers, all the work stations were off-line... I'm sure we've lost millions of dollars already. There's no business down here right now," Bard Wood, a financial district information technology worker said.

Twenty one schools were also affected but remained open and three affected hospitals had to rely on their back-up generators, but had to reroute patients to other hospitals.

The Sub-Station Fire Incident

Some people thought that the blackout could have been an act of terrorism or a cyber-attack since New York and Los Angeles also experience power interruptions on the same day. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, however, clarified that there is no evidence that it was a cyber-attack.

Investigators say that the power outage was caused by a fire in one of the PG&E substations.

"We had equipment failure, the catastrophic failure of a circuit breaker... Something went wrong with the breaker to cause it to explode," PG&E spokesperson Barry Anderson revealed.

According to reports, a circuit breaker failed and ignited the insulation leading to the Larkin substation fire that took three hours to subdue.

San Francisco Back In Action

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and the emergency operations center were quick to respond and deliver services to affected people in the city.

By 5:00 p.m., PG&E confirmed that the company had restored power for all affected customers and the San Francisco government reported that there were no major injuries caused by the blackout.

Happy to report no major injuries due to #poweroutage and @PGE4Me says all power restored by 5pm. pic.twitter.com/GcrIQkpet5  Mayor Ed Lee (@mayoredlee) April 21, 2017

The San Francisco Police Department also repeated that the simultaneous blackouts were only a coincidence.

#SFPD understands concerns reg. coincidence of outages in other cities. PG&E identified that the #sfpoweroutage is due to equipment failure.  San Francisco Police (@SFPD) April 21, 2017

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Apr 22 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said the government was striving hard to offer affordable and quality healthcare services to all.

"Healthcare is a comprehensive field that requires support from all stakeholders for optimum delivery. Government is striving to ensure that all have access to affordable and quality healthcare services," Nadda said at a national seminar of medical and dental students here today.

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The minister said concerted attempts at controlling the communicable diseases through various national healthcare programmes and interventions have brought down the mortality and morbidity arising from such illness.

Lamenting the shortage of doctors, Nadda said his ministry was tackling the issue by rapidly raising the capacity for training undergraduates and postgraduates in the existing medical colleges and also by establishing new medical colleges.

"Existing premier medical colleges are also being upgraded with top class infrastructure and facilities to achieve this," Nadda said, adding in the past three years, 86 medical and 12 dental colleges were set up. PTI AP Indian Oil launches new cryocan

Nashik: The nations largest oil marketing company, Indian Oil, today launched a 0.5-litre cryocan to help dairy farmers in remote areas to store the semen of bulls.

Manufactured by Indian Oils Business Group-Cryogenics in Nashik, the pronduct was launched by chairman B Ashok in Nashik. The company already makes other models of cryocan, which is used for cryo-preservation of bull semen for artificial insemination, tailor-made primarily for the use in hilly and remote areas.

Cryocans are portable devices that can store semen at ultra low temperature of -196 degrees as it uses liquid nitrogen to maintain the low temperature. PTI BEN NP

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The world's largest forest must be protected through a coordinated, efficient, and active process, President Nicolas Maduro stressed. | Read More
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Apr 22 (PTI) Concerned over the delay in diposal of maintenance cases, the Madras High Court has directed all lower courts in Tamil Nadu to submit a report on or before the 15th of every month on the number of such petitions filed.

The court also directed the Registrar (Judicial) of the high court to regularly monitor all these reports and issue appropriate directions for their speedy disposal.

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Justice P Devadass gave the direction while setting aside a lower court order dismissing a petition filed by a woman seeking maintenance from her husband for her family.

The matter was remitted back to the trial court.

The judge in his order last week said, "Unlike other litigations, delay in disposal of maintenance petitions affects the women and children very much."

Referring to the delay caused by the lower court in Gudiyattam, Vellore district, he said, "The litigation was pending from March 19, 2014 and the civil revision petition was filed in 2017 by the wife after the disposal of the case by Subordinate Judge, Gudiyatham on September 21, 2016.

"Thus, it took more than two and half years for the sub-Judge to dispose of this simple maintenance petition and dismissed the same on a misunderstanding of the law."

Stating that judges of family courts try these simple maintenance petitions like a murder case in sessions courts, the judge further said, "Keeping this in mind, the law makers have fixed a prescribed period within which these maintenance petitions have to be disposed of."

The judge noted that generally as per various sections of Hindu Marriage Act, it is within 60 days from the date of service of notice on the wife on a petition filed by the husband, can the maintenance petition be disposed of.

He then directed the judges of family courts, chief metropolitan magistrates, judicial magistrates, subordinate judges, fast track Mahila, sessions, district courts through their respective principal district judges and chief judicial magistrates to submit monthly statements, showing the details related to maintenance petitions filed in their courts.

The judge directed the Principal District Judges and Chief Judicial Magistrates to review the disposal of such petitions every month and issue directions for the early disposal and submit their report with remarks to the Registrar (Judicial), High Court, on or before of 15th day of every month. PTI CORROH APR RT

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Social media has turned into a happy hunting ground for sex traffickers as they can fly under the radar of authorities and prey on unsuspecting minors as well as job-seeking women under the garb of virtual anonymity.

By Shashank Shekhar: Dozens of young people from Jharkhand and pockets of West Bengal were thrilled when they received lucrative job offers for a south Delhi hotel through WhatsApp.

However, a police investigation revealed that the mass message was sent by traffickers to snare unsuspecting victims and push them into prostitution and forced labour.

A 17-year-old girl from Nagaland was rescued from a neighbouring state's airport as she was about to board a flight to the Capital on a ticket sent to her by a Delhi-based man who befriended her on Facebook. Cops say he planned to dump her in flesh trade.

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Social media has turned into a happy hunting ground for sex traffickers as they can fly under the radar of authorities and prey on unsuspecting minors as well as job-seeking women under the garb of virtual anonymity.

20,000 WOMEN, CHILDREN VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING

According to government data, almost 20,000 women and children were victims of trafficking in India in 2016, a rise of nearly 25 per cent from the previous year, with the highest number of cases recorded in West Bengal.

Experts say the syndicates are exploiting the deepening internet and smartphone penetration in rural and remote India. Use of technology has turned traffickers into "ghost criminals" as previously the trade required physical interaction but now they are luring people on the pretext of jobs, money and marriage on mobiles.

Delhi, which is India's biggest transit point for human trafficking, gets thousands of minors and economically deprived people from north-eastern states, Jharkhand, Bengal and Orissa. Most of those trapped are pushed into prostitution, while others are forced to work in factories, shops or as domestic help. A large number of children are sent abroad, especially to Gulf countries.

Experts working in the field of rescuing minors say that a large number of north-eastern girls are tricked into illegal sexual activities at spas, dance bars, while many pulled from Jharkhand and West Bengal are made to work as domestic helps.

INDIA HAS LARGEST POPULATION OF MODERN SLAVES

According to a global survey report, India has the largest population of modern slaves in the world, with more than 18 million people trapped as bonded labourers, forced beggars, sex workers and child soldiers.

The Global Slavery Index by human rights organisation Walk Free Foundation said the number was 1.4 per cent of India's population.

"With the increase in mobile connectivity, cases of human trafficking have shot up drastically in the hills. Earlier, these traffickers used to visit the villages and meet parents to convince them to take their kids to metro cities. But now with Facebook and WhatsApp, we don't know who we are chasing," said Nirnay John Chettri, president of the NGO, Mankind in Action for Rural Growth (MARG).

Experts say rapid urbanisation, gender imbalance resulting from sex-selective abortion practices and migration of large numbers of men into urban centres creates a market for commercial sex.

Chettri says that a whopping 80-90 per cent of girls from the hills are pushed into prostitution as they are "fair" and "high in demand". Many north-eastern girls are also trafficked to foreign countries.

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MARG along with some Darjeeling schoolchildren busted an international sex racket from Delhi which was being operated through Facebook.

The operation to nab the traffickers began after MARG received a lead from the NGO Maiti Nepal about a 15-year-old girl, who went missing from a remote village in Sidhupalchowk district of the Himalayan nation. "But later we found that the 'victim' became a trafficker as she was trafficking girls through Facebook," Chettri said.

The girls from Darjeeling also won National Bravery Awards earlier this year. As part of the plan, a fake account was created, and victims befriended the missing girl, who turned out to be a conduit in the trafficking ring. Girls pretended to be Nepalese girls, seeking employment, and asked to meet the ring members at a hotel, somewhere on the Indo-Nepal border. Traffickers offered them ACE Social media has turned into a happy hunting ground for sex traffickers as they can fly under the radar jobs with a salary of `15,000. They would have to work as bar dancers and entertain guests in Delhi. Investigations revealed that a vast number of girls were trafficked from the hills of Darjeeling, Sikkim and Nepal. Even Delhi Police in last three months have rescued 11 girls from north-eastern states, all of them aged below 18. The girls were lured by traffickers on Facebook.

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'ECONOMICALLY BACKWARD AREAS TARGETED'

According to Crime Branch of Delhi police all the traffickers involved are using fake identities as pose themselves to be entrepreneur or global recruiter but in guise are indulge in illegal trade.

Cyber crime expert Kislay Choudhary explains that new technology is economical and more convenient for traffickers. "They buy mobile data and email id for specific region. They specially target areas which are economically backward and lure them on the pretext of job and money. Traffickers are randomly sending messages through WhatsApp using software which enables to send bulk message on encrypted chat service. If anyone replies, they trap them," Choudhary said.

Even the NGO claims that organised traffickers have become high-tech and their entire communication system has moved to WhatsApp.

"Right from home-based brothels to placement agencies, all are using WhatsApp to communicate with their agents and clients. They are avoiding phone-based calls, fearing they would get tracked," said Rakesh Sengar of Satyarthi's NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).

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Sengar highlighted that traffickers are also misusing digital initiative of Prime Minister by making all the payments and transaction through the digital mode.

"Role of placement agencies and spa services should be examined as many of them are indulging in wrong practices in the garb of professional work. We have found many cases where they were pushed for commercial sex," Sengar said.

WEST BENGAL HAS MAXIMUM HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES

West Bengal topped the list of states with the maximum number of human trafficking cases in 2016 followed by Rajasthan as the two accounted for around 61 per cent of such cases in the country.

Of the 8,132 such cases registered across the country last year, 3,576 were from West Bengal and 1,422 from Rajasthan, government officials said. Rajasthan was followed by Gujarat where 548 such cases were reported last year. Maharashtra reported 517 cases.

Among the Union Territories, Delhi recorded the maximum number of human trafficking cases in 2016. Of the 75 cases registered among the UTs, 66 were registered in Delhi.

Among the northeastern states, the highest-91 cases-were reported in Assam. The state, however, recorded huge improvement since 2014. It had reported 380 cases of human trafficking in 2014 and 1,480 such cases in 2015.

ALSO READ | Good samaritan's call saves 20-year-old woman from clutches of sex traffickers

ALSO READ | DCW rescues minor girl forced to work without pay, Chairperson Swati Maliwal calls Delhi 'hub for human trafficking'

ALSO WATCH | BJP removes Juhi Chowdhury from party post after trafficking taint

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The body of 22-year-old Nidhin N, an aerospace engineering student from Kerala at IIT-Kharagpur, was found hanging inside his hostel room.

By Indrajit Kundu: The body of an engineering student at IIT-Kharagpur was found hanging from inside his hostel room at the campus on Friday.

22-year-old Nidhin N, an aerospace engineering student from Kerala, was in his fourth year at the institute.

According to police, Nidhin used to set an alarm to get up early in the morning and study. Friday morning was no different, apart from the fact that the alarm woke up others in the hostel except Nidhin.

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ALARM WOKE UP OTHERS

This made the hostel authorities suspicious, and some of them broke open one of the window panes to find his body hanging from the ceiling of his ground floor room at the Nehru Hall. The police was soon informed and later broke open the door to seize the body.

IIT-Kharagpur has informed the family of the student and police have sent the body for post-mortem. The matter is being investigated.

This is the second such incident at IIT-Kharagpur in two months. Last month, the body of a student from the electrical engineering department was found dead on the railway track close to the campus.

Also read | Delhi man commits suicide, made video claiming he was subjected to casteist remarks

Also read | Bengal shocker: Selfie leads to death of 3 students in Howrah

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Barely a month ago the powerful Louisiana Sheriffs' Association was lining up behind a bill to ban toy guns from public schools.

Now the legislation is dead, a victim of Republican infighting and the politically potent National Rifle Association.

"It just did not sit well," said Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton and sponsor of the measure.

The prefiled proposal, House Bill 43, was aimed at helping law enforcement combat what officials call a growing problem  students bringing toy guns to public schools that look identical to the real thing.

Banning the guns, Horton said, would help prevent police from having to make a split-second call, and injure or kill a student wielding a lookalike pistol.

The prohibition included toy guns, water guns, air guns and others "substantially similar" in color and appearance to a genuine firearm.

First-time violators faced fines of up to $250 and six months in jail, though Horton said she planned to change the penalties amid complaints about elementary students being jailed.

Horton took up the cause at the request of Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington, a self-described "gun guy" who called the fake guns "so real it is scary."

However, the Louisiana Legislature is considered one of the most gun-friendly bodies in the nation.

La. Supreme Court upholds gun restrictions The Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a state law that forbids felons from possessin

Any legislation that even hints at gun control, toys or otherwise, can spark arguments.

And Horton, who described herself as a Second Amendment enthusiast who has a gun permit, said all along she planned to check with NRA officials before finalizing plans.

The group's response? Not good.

"I worked with them for about a week and a half," she said.

The lawmaker, herself a member of the NRA, said officials of the organization thought her bill was an "overreach."

Horton said NRA officials would not even agree to remain neutral in the debate.

Asked if the group's stance played a key role in her decision to dump the bill Horton said, "I am not going to go against something I am a part of."

NRA officials in the Washington, D. C. area did not respond to requests for comment.

Sheriff's Association Executive Director Michael Ranatza did not return calls over two days.

A spokesman for Whittington said Friday the sheriff hoped that an ordinance in Bossier Parish, where he is sheriff, would serve as a statewide model to curb imitation guns.

Horton said she was taken aback by the hostile reaction to the bill from unnamed fellow Republicans, whether they had read the bill or not. "Just started to attack," she said of the GOP reaction.

The overall party response, she said, "seemed to be just totally out of control."

"This is imitation guns we are talking about," Horton said.

Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, praised the bill last month.

Carter said that, while the legislation needed some penalty and other tweaks, it could help prevent a tragedy. "There wasn't support like she thought for that kind of bill," he said Friday.

The measure was likely headed to the rural-dominated House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee, where it would have faced an uphill battle.

Horton's short-lived proposal sparked widespread attention for the low-profile lawmaker, including a YouTube presentation on the merits of her plan.

Most measures that die in the Legislature simply languish in committees, or get quietly shelved with little debate.

Horton took the unusual step of making it disappear forever.

Those who try to read House Bill 43 see this message on the state House website: "Withdrawn from the files of the House prior to introduction."
Perhaps, after finding about the pilfering of benefits funds for employees, and using state workers to improve wardens' estates, people might have thought that we have seen the last of self-dealing at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Not so, according to the state Inspector General's Office.

Turns out the leadership culture of "what's in it for me" came to include charging outsiders for state-provided services.

Two longtime employees of the prison at Angola resigned for billing private prisons for the use of the range and their instruction in firearms.

Richard Barton, a major, and Joe Turner, a master sergeant, were in charge of operating the rifle range where correctional employees from around the state came for firearms training.

This latest OIG investigation found that Barton had been collecting fees privately for some of the sessions, even though he was on the clock and using state resources while conducting the training.

Sources familiar with the probes findings said that Barton sent dozens of invoices to Richwood Correctional Center, a private prison operated by LaSalle Corrections, for training LaSalles employees. Barton typically charged $75 per person; the invoices over a period of several years amounted to a little over $6,000, sources said.

The problem was that the invoices stipulated that payment should be made to Barton rather than to the Louisiana State Penitentiary or to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

Naturally. The investigators believe that Barton shared some of his side earnings with Turner. Both men worked at Angola for decades, and the Richwood warden -- who declined to comment to The Advocate -- was also a longtime state corrections officer.

It gives new meaning to the phrase "running government like a business."

The alleged corruption at Angolas rifle range comes in the wake of similar scandals involving a charity set up to provide the prisons employees with better recreation and another meant to benefit the prisons volunteer fire department.

While what we know suggests this affair is small potatoes compared to some of the other problems uncovered at Angola, it speaks to an institution that is rife with problems. With long tenure, and apparently lax oversight starting at the top with former Warden Burl Cain and current Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc, Angola became less a state facility than a family business.

That Angola is full of thieves has long been assumed. What's sad is that quite a few of them aren't inmates.
It is ironic, and a touch pathetic, that those waging a hysterical campaign against the Safe Schools anti-bullying program on the grounds of a false claim it is ideological are doing so from a rampantly ideological perspective.

Safe Schools, designed during the Gillard government and then introduced without apparent concern by the Abbott government, simply gives schools resources to help students, parents, carers and teachers understand the discrimination and bullying experienced by non-heterosexual young people.

Illustration: Matt Davidson

It has provoked an outcry by conservative ideologues who ignore evidence and claim the program is some form of radical social engineering because, in part, it recognises the reality that sexuality occurs along a normal spectrum, and is not strictly binary.

That is hardly radical; what's strange is that it has taken this long to develop this important adjunct to the curriculum. The Safe Schools website shows the program to be sensible, sober and decent. The central element is eight lessons for year 7 and year 8 students. It merely encourages them to imagine what it can be like to be attacked for being other than heterosexual. Safe Schools is about combating injustice by raising awareness.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has won praise from the Trump administration for raising rhetorical pressure on China to rein in North Korea following talks with visiting Vice President Mike Pence.

Security and North Korea especially dominated talks between the Vice President and the Prime Minister, subjects that provided plenty of common ground to reaffirm a bi-lateral relationship that had showed strain soon after President Trump's election.

"The eyes of the world are on Beijing," Mr Turnbull said at a press conference following high-level bilateral talks at Admiralty House in Sydney on Saturday. "We seek leadership from China to join the leadership shown by the United States and Japan and Australia.

"We call on China to make that stronger commitment to ensure North Korea stops this reckless and dangerous conduct."
The FBI gathered intelligence last summer that suggests Russian operatives tried to use Trump advisers, including Carter Page, to infiltrate the Trump campaign, according to US officials.

The new information adds to the emerging picture of how the Russians tried to influence the 2016 election, not only through email hacks and propaganda but also by trying to infiltrate the Trump orbit. The intelligence led to an investigation into the coordination of Trump's campaign associates and the Russians.

These officials made clear they don't know whether Page was aware the Russians may have been using him. Because of the way Russian spy services operate, Page could have unknowingly talked with Russian agents.

Page disputes the idea he has ever collected intelligence for the Russians, saying he helped the US intelligence community. "My assumption throughout the last 26 years I've been going there has always been that any Russian person might share information with the Russian government ... as I have similarly done with the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies in the past."

But the intelligence suggests Russia tried to infiltrate the inner-workings of the Trump campaign by using backdoor channels to communicate with people in the Trump orbit, US officials say.

Page is one of several Trump advisers US and European intelligence found to be in contact with Russian officials and other Russians known to Western intelligence during the campaign, according to multiple US officials.

The scope and frequency of those contacts raised the interest of US intelligence agencies.

The FBI and CIA declined to comment on Page's statement.

In 2013, Page had meetings with a Russian man who turned out to be a spy, according to federal prosecutors. Page denied knowing that the man, Victor Podobnyy, was secretly a Russian operative living in New York.

As CNN first reported, Carter Page's speech critical of US policy against Russia in July 2016 at a prominent Moscow university drew the attention of the FBI and raised concerns he had been compromised by Russian intelligence, according to US officials. They also feared that Russian operatives maintained contact with him both in the United States and Russia, US officials say.

His conversations with suspected Russian operatives are being examined as part of a large intelligence-gathering operation by the FBI and other US agencies that was set up to probe Russia's interference in the election. The officials would not say what the conversations were about.

How Page's name became associated with the campaign is a reflection of how minimal the Trump operation was last year, as establishment national security figures avoided an association with the insurgent operation.

As Trump prepared to meet with The Washington Post editorial page in March 2016, the campaign was under pressure to name national security advisers. Staffers produced a list of names for Trump to refer to, according to a US official close to the campaign. Trump mentioned Page, in part because he had a Ph.D. listed next to his name, the official said.

Trump had never met Page. Sam Clovis, co-chairman of the campaign, helped gather the names that the candidate used.

Campaign officials say there's no indication Page ever attended any national security meetings at Trump Tower. They insisted he played a junior role and was not an influential figure.

But in a letter Page wrote to the House Intelligence committee offering to testify, Page describes more interactions with the campaign.

"For your information, 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."

The FBI had Page on their radar for at least four years, according to court documents and US officials.

The bureau also knew about Page from its 2013 investigation into a Russian spy ring in New York. One of the spies was taped saying he tried to recruit Page, and Page admitted meeting him. But Page says he didn't share anything sensitive and didn't know he was talking to a spy.

He also traveled to Russia frequently and interacted with officials that the FBI was concerned were acting on behalf of the government.

His trip to Russia in July 2016 revived the FBI's interest, when he delivered a lecture at a graduation ceremony for the New Economic School. The university opened after the fall of the Soviet Union and is ranked as one of the best universities for economics in Russia. Former President Barack Obama gave a speech there during his first official trip to Russia in 2009.

But Page's lecture sounded different than what would be expected from most Americans. He parroted Kremlin talking points by chastising the West for prolonging "Cold War tendencies."

"Ironically, Washington and other Western capitals have impeded potential progress through their often hypocritical focus on democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change," he said, adding that US foreign policy toward Russia was "condescending" and "hostile."

Page stressed to the audience that he was there as a private citizen and not a Trump surrogate. But a spokesman for the school told CNN that Page's ties to Trump helped secure the invitation.

"The organizing committee for the commencement last year thought that he was a colorful and interesting character," said Denis Klimentov, a spokesman for the New Economic School. "It was partially supported by the fact that The Washington Post, the newspaper, back in the spring of 2016, cited Carter as one of Mr. Trump's foreign policy advisors."

Page maintains that he only met with "scholars and professors" during his July trip. Klimentov said that the New Economic School didn't arrange any meetings on Page's behalf.

"Physically and technically, frankly speaking, I don't think he had any time for that, he was with the school pretty much during most of the day, both days, and the remaining half of the day that he was in Moscow," Klimentov said.

But a former Obama administration official briefed on Russia's meddling in the election says Russians who work at prominent think tanks, universities and businesses often play an informal intelligence role.

"There are very few agencies of any kind that don't have some sort of intelligence or counterintelligence role," the official told CNN. "If you run an organization in Russia government, you will now have a role in that. It's the explicit mission of Russian government agencies."

Shortly after Page returned to the US, he and other Trump advisers headed to Cleveland for the Republican National Convention. On the sidelines of a convention-related event, Page and other Trump advisers, including JD Gordon and Jeff Sessions, met with Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.

Two months after Page's trip, the FBI sought and received a warrant from the secret court that oversees the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor Page's communications.

When he returned to Moscow in December 2016, after Trump won the election, Russian state-run media widely covered and promoted his trip, including RT and Sputnik, which have been identified by the US intelligence community as tools for the Kremlin's propaganda.

RT published stories on all three days of Page's trip. Sputnik published an 800-word roundup of the presentation and press conference he gave at the state-run news agency's headquarters. The RT affiliate Ruptly quickly published the full video of his second presentation and press conference.

That speech was given under the auspices of the Russian government: The event was held at the headquarters of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, a state-run media company created in 2013 by an official decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Not only did Russian state-run media cover the trip, but a prominent government-run think tank involved in election-meddling efforts put out a press release heralding Page's visit.

The leader of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studie, Leonid Reshetnikov, painted Page as an influential adviser to Trump and said his visit could help improve US-Russian relations.

"It's quite possible that Trump's advisor is a pragmatist and a realist," Reshetnikov said, according to a translation of his comments in Russian. "This is probably not an ordinary visit. He has probably received some instructions from the President-elect. I don't think that meetings at the highest level will take place, but (the possibility) cannot be excluded."

Reuters reported this week that the group was involved in Russia's efforts to interfere in the US election. The organization sent recommendations to top Kremlin leaders with plans of how to use its propaganda machine to help Trump and undermine Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The FBI and other US agencies have been combing through information obtained through that FISA as part of its ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign's links to Russia.

Intelligence analysts and FBI investigators who analyzed various strands of intelligence from human sources to electronic and financial records have found signs of possible collusion between the campaign and Russian officials. But there is not enough evidence to show that crimes were committed, US officials say.

Part of the problem for investigators has been that they lost their opportunity to conduct the investigation in secret after several leaks last year revealed FBI was looking at people close to the Trump campaign. After those reports, people that the US was monitoring changed their behavior, which made it more difficult for US officials to monitor them.
An India-born doctor, wife arrested and charged with helping another doctor to perform female genital mutilations on minor girls.

FBI agents leave the office of Dr Fakhruddin Attar at the Burhani Clinic in Livonia, Michigan on Friday.

By Press Trust of India: An India-born doctor and his wife have been arrested and charged with helping another Indian- origin doctor perform genital mutilations, a procedure that is criminalised in the United States, on minor girls.

Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, both from Michigan state, were charged with conspiring to perform female genital mutilations (FGM) on minor girls out of Fakhruddin Attars medical clinic in Livonia.

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The Attars were arrested yesterday.

The charges come a week after Indian-origin doctor Jumana Nagarwala, 44, of Michigan, was charged with performing FGM on minor girls.

Nagarwala, Fakhruddin and Farida are believed to be the first people charged under federal US law, which criminalises FGM.

According to an online physician directory, Fakhruddin graduated from the Baroda Medical College in Gujarat, India in 1988.

The charges say that Nagarwala used to perform the medical procedure on minor girls at Burhani Medical Clinic (BMC) in Michigan that was owned and operated by Fakhruddin.

Fakhruddin's wife was employed at BMC as an officer manager.

WHAT HAPPENED

The compliant against the Attars said that the couple arranged and assisted in the female genital mutilation of minor females performed by Nagarwala. While they allowed their clinic to be used by Nagarwala to perform the procedures, Farida assisted Nagarwala during the female genital mutilation procedures.

Fakhruddin told federal agents this month that he has known Nagarwala and she occasionally saw patients at his clinic even though she was not employed there. He said Nagarwala only saw the patients at BMC when the clinic was closed and that Farida used to be present in the examining room while Nagarwala treated the minor girls.

The investigation revealed that several minor girls informed forensic personnel that Nagarwala had performed procedures on their genitals and one minor girl said Farida had been present when Nagarwala did the FGM procedures.

According to the complaint, some of the minor victims travelled interstate to have the procedure performed. The complaint alleges that the FGM procedure was performed on girls who were approximately six to eight years old.GIRLS UNDER-18 AT RISK OF GENITAL MUTILATIONThe number of girls under 18 at risk for FGM in the US has quadrupled since 1997. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk of FGM in the US. FGM has been a crime under federal law since 1996 and is punishable by up to five years in prison, however FGM is not a crime in 26 US states, including Michigan.

The complaint filed against Nagarwala last week had said federal agents reviewed her telephone records and further investigation revealed that parents of two minor girls had travelled to Michigan.

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The girls were later interviewed by a forensic expert and one of the girls said she was told she was coming to Detroit for a "special" girls trip, but after arriving at the hotel, she learned that she and the other girl had to go to the doctor because "our tummies hurt." The girls had been taken to Nagarwala, who performed the procedure on the girls.

The World Health Organisation said female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated. WHO said FGM, which is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15, is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

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To the world, he's the "Sexiest Man Alive", but to his wife Elsa Pataky, Chris Hemsworth can be a little bit annoying at times.

"Nobody is perfect, but you have to accept people the way they are," she told The Goss at her ambassador role unveiling for Botanicals Fresh Care at Sydney's Centennial Homestead this week.

"There's lots of things that I love about him and there are some things that I don't," she laughed.



"It's the same with him [about me]. We have our things that bother each other, but most of the things we love about each other, so that is why we are together."

The Madrid-born actor, 40, said life is "busy" but blissful with the Melbourne-born, Thor star, 33, their daughter, India, 4, and twin boys, Tristan and Sasha, 3, roaming around barefoot and riding their horses on their $7 million Byron Bay farm.
Notorious Sydney underworld figure Arthur "Neddy" Smith, who is serving two life sentences for murder, attempted to escape hospital after a guard fell asleep and the other was using a laptop, News Corp reported.

The Department of Corrective Services is investigating the incident, including why Smith, a maximum security inmate at Sydney's Long Bay jail, was not handcuffed to his hospital bed.

According to the report, the convicted murderer was being treated in Prince of Wales Hospital at Randwick when he attempted to flee in his hospital gown while being guarded by two officers.



Nurses allegedly foiled the escape when they noticed the 72-year-old inmate outside his hospital room, trying to remove his intravenous drip, the newspaper reported.

The guards were alerted and immediately apprehended Smith, it was claimed.
It sounds like a simple task: build a trail next to a road by the beach, for walkers and cyclists.

And yet for almost 20 years, completing this trail alongside some of Melbourne's most exclusive real estate, stretching in an arc from Brighton to Mordialloc, has proved too hard.

Boyd Fraser, and Jan Garrard in background, support the latest plan for Beach Road. Credit:Penny Stephens

The latest instalment in the saga comes over Kingston Council's $3 million plan to complete "the missing link" in Beach Road's Bay Trail, a three-kilometre gap from Mentone to Mordialloc Creek.

The council wants to build the new link by slightly narrowing Beach Road for cars, to preserve more roadside trees and vegetation. The plan will keep two lanes of traffic in either direction. A total of 43 parking spaces will also go.
Michael Boss, a Christian man from the City of Casey in Melbourne's expansive south-east, had what he thought was a good idea. He would ask all 105 local Christian churches  Casey is Melbourne's new bible belt  to pledge "friendship" with Muslims to help stop "the growing problem of Islamophobia".

A three-paragraph statement went out to all the churches. All of them  the Catholics, Baptists and Anglicans as well as the many Pentecostal and Evangelical churches booming in Melbourne's most populous local government area where a third of all residents are born overseas. They were asked to sign the statement and send it back.

Michael Boss (L) and Reverend Mat Harry (R) Credit:Pat Scala

Only one of the 105 replied.

That was the Hampton Park Uniting Church, a place that gives away lunch once a week to the needy including many of Islamic faith. Reverend Mat Harry says: "It was a no-brainer. It took us two minutes in church council to decide it was a good idea. You have to stand up for what you believe in and racism is not acceptable."
Doctor Sherry Mayo doesn't love speaking in front of people. The CSIRO research scientist, who specialises in X-ray science, is far more comfortable holed up in the lab.

But she gritted her teeth in the name of her profession on Saturday to address thousands of fellow scientists and their supporters as part of Melbourne's first March for Science.

Rally organisers estimate more than 3000 people rallied for more evidence and reason in Australia's political process and stable public funding for the sciences.

Some of Australia's brightest minds lined up to speak to the crowd who gathered outside the State Library before marching to the steps of Parliament House.
Police are hunting for a gunman who is on the loose after a shooting at a house in Melbourne's north on Saturday night.

Police said a 39-year-old man was shot by an unknown person at a house in Ninda Court in Westmeadows at about 6pm.

The male officer has been stood aside. Credit:Rohan Thompson

The gunman fled the scene after the shooting.
Jerusalem: An Israeli-American teenager accused of making dozens of bomb threats to Jewish community centres was identified for the first time on Friday in separate criminal complaints filed in US federal courts in Florida and Georgia that linked him to hundreds of hoax calls in 2015 and 2017.

Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, who has dual citizenship and lives in Israel, made at least 245 threatening telephone calls between January 4 and March 7, many targeting Jewish community centres in the United States, according to the Florida complaint.

Kadar also appears linked to more than 240 hoax threats called into schools in the United States and Canada between August and December 2015, forcing thousands of students to be evacuated, according to the Georgia complaint.

Authorities have said the calls also went to institutions in Australia and New Zealand.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) India and Indonesia have agreed to explore cooperation in areas like oil, coal, electricity and energy efficiency, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.

"Two sides have agreed to explore cooperation in number of areas such as upgrading of refineries in Indonesia, relocation of gas-based plants from India to Indonesia, sharing of experience in use of LEDs and renewable energy in India, sharing the expertise of Indonesia in gasification of fuel oil, exploration of oil, gas and coal fields," Goyal said.

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Goyal and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Minister Ignasius Jonan met on April 20 during the first India Indonesia Energy Forum held in Jakarta.

According to a statement, Goyal requested Jonan to consider joining International Solar Alliance as Indonesia is a solar-rich country. He also requested Jonan to revisit changes in policy in coal sector and work visa.

Jonan said Indonesia is an important destination for investing, especially in energy and infrastructure sector.

He added that a team of 19 officials from oil and gas, coal and power sectors will be visiting India to look into several issues discussed during the Energy Forum, including relocation of gas-based plants and large scale use of LEDs.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia) on cooperation in the field of oil and gas was signed on the occasion.

The MoU seeks to establish an institutional framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of oil and gas.

India is the third largest importer of coal from Indonesia. Indias imports of coal from Indonesia amounted to USD 3.5 billion in 2016.

Several Indian companies have invested in coal mines in Indonesia. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 15.90 billion in 2015-16 with Indonesia?s export to India amounting to USD 13.06 billion and India?s exports to the country at USD 2.84 billion. PTI KKS ABM

--- ENDS ---
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
There is no one more zealous than a convert.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo previously welcomed WikiLeaks disclosures about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee when these proved helpful to the Republican nominee. Now he has experienced a road-to-Damascus moment.

WikiLeaks, Pompeo said at a think tank event last week, walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service. Pompeo also regards Julian Assange, the publisher of WikiLeaks and the lonely maintainer of its hyper-active Twitter account, as a fraud.

In a rather folksy fly-over metaphor, the former Kansas representative likened the albinoid antipodean anarchist to the Wizard of Oz, perhaps forgetting that the man behind the curtain turned out to be an all-right guy in the end rather than a helpmeet of European dictatorship and a purveyor of conspiracy theories about the Rothschilds.

Pompeo isnt the only one whos changed his mind about the man holed up for five long years at the Ecuador embassy in London. The U.S. Justice Department, headed by Jeff Sessionsa man who conveniently forgot while testifying before Congress that he twice met with the Russian ambassador to the United Statesnow considers arresting Assange a priority.

Weve already begun to step up our efforts and whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail, Sessions told a press scrum in El Paso on Thursday.

But what case can be made? Should Assange be indicted for espionage or perhaps just the theft of government documents, related possibly to the files stolen by former U.S. Army intelligence officer Chelsea Manning, possibly with Assanges personal connivance?

The problem with the first charge is that, as law professor Stephen Vladick puts it, echoing the sentiments of a long-retired CIA general-counselor, The single biggest problem with the Espionage Act is that its limits have never truly been tested, and so it is exceedingly difficult to say with any certainty what it does and doesnt proscribe. And even if Assange were personally involved in the confiscation of U.S. state secrets, there comes the added legal complication of seeking his extradition from sovereign Ecuadorean soil, which two other Western governments have been unable to do.

Furthermore, the net result of a highly publicized legal campaign against Assange would be to anoint him a free speech martyr all over again, and just as the civilized world was beginning to see him for what he is: a reliable clearinghouse and megaphone for Vladimir Putins intelligence operations against the United States.

This is slightly different from the precedent Pompeo last week invoked in justifying his turn against Assange, a rosetta stone case of the Cold War.

Philip Agee was not only an American citizen but a CIA officer who in 1973 walked into the KGBs rezidentura in Mexico City armed with reams of information about CIA operations, as Oleg Kalugin, then the head of the KGBs First Chief Directorates counterintelligence division put it.

The dipso, womanizing Agee was initially turned away by the Russians who understandably thought he was a dangle designed to spread disinformation. So he went to see the Cubans, who accepted him as a true defector from Langley, and, owing to the subsidiary nature of Fidel Castros Direccion General de Inteligencia, or DGI, to its superpower patron, shared everything they received with Moscow Center. Agee thus became a Soviet agent, codenamed PONT. His first big leak was the exposure by name of 250 CIA operatives in the West, mainly in the United Kingdom, including the station officers in London.

True, there are unmissable parallels with Assange. As this was the Nixon-and-Vietnam era, as opposed to the Bush-and-Iraq era, Agee was greeted as a celebrity figure in the salons and op-ed pages of liberal Europe, feted by British MPs and an ingenuous media establishment led by the Guardian newspaper (which until recently also indulged Assange in much the same uncritical manner, that is, before he turned viciously on the Guardian).

The worst thing that happened to Agee, however, was not his arrest and extradition back to the United States but merely his expulsion from Britain, along with Mark Hosenball, the American journalist who helped ventilate his secrets about the Agency. Agee whiled away the rest of his days in Havana; at one point he even traveled back to the United States on his own passport and made it through customs, years after the damage he wrought had been done.

But his First Amendment martyrdom was viewed ecstatically in Moscow because it only aided in the KGBs ongoing active measures against the main adversary. According to Christopher Andrew, the UKs foremost historian of Britains domestic intelligence service, and Vasily Mitrokhin, the former KGB archivist who smuggled out his own services secrets at the end of the Cold War, Campaigns of support for PONT were initiated in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Finland, Norway, Mexico and Venezuela It doubtless did not occur to the vast majority of Agees supporters to suspect the involvement of the KGB and DGI. (Here one cant help adding that even if it did occur to them, theyd have still rationalized it away in the service of anti-imperialism.)

Much like Assange, Agee set up a cottage industry of publishing damaging secrets about U.S. espionage efforts around the world. The Covert Action Information Bulletin went into print in in 1978 and was founded, as Agee himself put it, as a worldwide campaign to destabilize the CIA through exposure of its operations and personnel.

In fact, as Andrew and Mitrokhin write in The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB, the Bulletins true founder was the KGB; the publication even had its own codename, RUPOR, although Andrew and Mitrokhin have exonerated other contributing editors as not having had any knowledge that, quite apart from working for a brave and independent truth-teller, they were working for one of Yuri Andropovs turncoat spooks. Agee also sprinkled chickenfeed, or might you might call fake news, in with his gold dust:

The Centre assembled a task force of personnel from Service A and Directorate K, headed by V.N. Kosterin, assistant to the chief of Service A, to keep the Covert Action Intelligence Bulletin supplied with material designed to compromise the CIA  Kosterins task force, however, became increasingly concerned about the difficulty of finding enough secret material for the Bulletin, and recommended that it look harder for open-source material, ranging from readers letters to crises around the world which could be blamed on the CIAamong them the Jonestown massacre in Guyana, when 900 members of the American religious cult the Peoples Temple had been persuaded to commit mass suicide or had been murdered.

From readers letters and Jonestown to Twitter and PizzaGate

WikiLeaks, too, disseminates disinformation by misconstruing or distorting the contents of its genuine cache of purloined documents. It has alleged, for instance, that Clinton was suffering from decision fatigue, conflating a click-bait article sent to her in 2011 by State Department counselor-in-chief Cheryl Mills with an actual psychological malady the fever swamps of the Internet accused her of succumbing to in 2016. It has also fanned the flames of a popular and debunked conspiracy theory that Clinton was wearing an earpiece for one of the presidential debates, citing an email in which longtime aide Huma Abedin asks Clinton if she had hers to handin 2009, when Clinton was then newly installed Secretary of State and therefore in the frequent position of having to have foreign counterparts remarks translated into English.

Whether or not Assange is just a relay mechanism or a witting agent of Moscow is something for Pompeo and Sessions to prove with evidence, and that might not be available until Putins own Mitrokhin emerges to provide it, assuming he or she ever does.

What is substantively easier to prove is that there was no more loyal or dutiful overseas servant to Trump than Assange, who spent the bulk of the pre-election period apologizing for a right-wing isolationist he was not entitled to vote for, while excoriating that candidates rival, whom the Australian saw as the true American threat to his freedom, such as it is now defined.

Is this a sincere administration-wide mea culpa about the intentions and accomplishments of the Kremlin or just the latest attempt to downplay the ongoing FBI investigation into whether or not members of Trumps campaign colluded with Putins operatives, an investigation which no amount of Tomahawk missiles fired at Russias client-regime in Syria can scuttle?

The Nixon-tatted, race-baiting Trump surrogate Roger Stone has now called for Pompeos resignation as Agency director in light of the latters about-face on a trusted ally, which suggests that not everyone in the Trump firmament is behind this latest putsch against people who know too much.

Stone divulged months ago that he had personally communicated with WikiLeaks in the lead-up to the Republican and Democratic conventions last summer, giving him advance notice of John Podestas forthcoming embarrassment.

In the post-inaugural period, Assange has published an enormous tranche of CIA documents, evidently the haul of an internal Agency leaker, which may appear at first blush to do harm to a sitting U.S. president until one considers that the timing of these disclosures, too, coincided with Trumps agenda: chiefly, his lunatic sallies against his own intelligence community, falsely accusing U.S. spies of wiretapping him when he was a private citizen and ignominiously comparing them to Hitlers Gestapo. Assange aimed to prove this was true by giving the trolls and bots under a foreign states control ample new resources with which to argue that the sinister American deep state was out to sink the new commander-in-chief before he could clean house.

Assange has also feebly sought to corroborate Trumps other ideologized fabrications, tweeting from the WikiLeaks account (which he himself mans) that there is indeed a rampant and underreported problem of criminal migrants in Sweden.

Here I can only assume that being confined Nosferatu-like to a suite of rooms for half a decade has cost an activist committed to total transparency any sense of irony.

He is, after all, currently hiding in a Latin American mission to evade sexual assault charges in Stockholm, making him perhaps the most famous misbehaving migrant to ever reach Swedish shores.

And now hes something even lowlier than that: having been instrumentalized by Putin, perhaps thinking he would earn the long-term gratitude from the Trumpkins, Assange discovers both the Kremlin and Mar-a-Lago consider him as expendable as a passed-around hankie, an idiot who has outlived his usefulness.

As his favorite American politician would say: Sad!
On March 29, 2017, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, admitted defeat. We tried a new policy, he said. It didnt work, which Im very unhappy about. During the previous two years, six newborns in New York City had suffered severe infections with herpes simplex virus (HSV)a situation de Blasio had been hoping to avoid.

Adults infected with HSV typically develop ulcers in their mouth or blisters in their anal and genital areas. For newborns, however, its a different story. In babies, HSV can enter the bloodstream and infect the liver (causing hepatitis) or the lungs (causing pneumonia) or the brain (causing encephalitis). Unlike first-time infections in adults or older children, newborn HSV infections can cause permanent brain damage or death. Typically, newborns come in contact with HSV when they pass through the birth canal of a mother who is infected. However, none of the six infants who were infected with HSV in New York City got it from their mothers. So where did they get it?

In the Bibles Genesis 17:10-11, God made a deal with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people: Every manchild among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of a covenant between me and you. Of all the mitzvahs (or good deeds) mentioned in the Torah, circumcisiona sacred covenant between God and every Jewish maleis second only to Be fruitful and multiply. Unfortunately, this practice, which is at least 4,000 years old, has a darker side.

On Sept. 12, 2012, Sharon Otterman, a reporter for The New York Times, watched Romi Cohen perform a circumcision. The mohel lifted the infants clothing to expose his tiny penis, she wrote. With a rapid flick of a sharp, two-sided scalpel, the mohel sliced off the foreskin and held it between his fingers. Then he took a sip of red wine from a cup and bent his head. He placed his lips below the cut, around the base of the babys penis, for a split second, creating suction, then let the wine spill from his mouth out over the wound. In other words, Cohen used his mouth to remove blood from the circumcision site.

The ritual, which is called metzitzah b  peh (sucking with the mouth), dates back to the Babylonian Talmud written in the fifth century A.D. Because there is no safe way to clean an open wound with your mouth, most rabbinical authorities have suggested using a sterile pipette for this suctioning, or sterile gauze.

Unfortunately, ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in New York City and Lakewood, New Jersey, have continued to perform the metzitzah ritual, which is what had caused those recent HSV infections in New York City. It wasnt the first time that this problem had come to public attention.

Between 2004 and 2012, 13 babies in New York City contracted HSV during the metzitzah ritual; two of the 13 died and two suffered permanent brain damage. During that period, health officials estimated that the ritual was performed on about 3,600 babies in their city every year. In response, the mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, took action. Bloomberg required mohels who performed metzitzah to provide a health department pamphlet to parents describing the risks of HSV as well as to obtain written consent acknowledging those risks. Mohels who refused to comply would be sent a warning letter and fined as much as $2,000.

Bloombergs plan had the support of most of the mainstream Jewish community. Rabbi Gerald Skolnik, president of the Rabbinical Assembly, said the procedure was inconsistent with the Jewish traditions pre-eminent concern with human life and health. Rabbi Moshe Tendler, a professor of Talmudic law and bioethics at Yeshiva University, took Rabbi Skolniks assessment one step further, calling the metzitzah ritual primitive nonsense. The ritual has nothing to do with religion, he said. Even in Israel, the practice of metzitzah has been abandoned; in 2002, the Chief Rabbinate declared that blood from a circumcision should be removed with a sterile pipette.

During the democratic primary for mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio said that in order to retain the trust of that community, he planned to overturn Bloombergs law. When de Blasio became mayor, he entered into a handshake agreement with ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders that any mohel who had transmitted HSV to a newborn during the metzitzah ritual could never perform another circumcision again. Unfortunately, de Blasios honor system wasnt working. When six more HSV cases from the previous two years popped up, he revised his ruling. The two mohels who were found to have transmitted HSV to infants were prohibited from performing more circumcisions. If these mohels ignored the warning, they could be fined up to $2,000.

Although the New York City Health Department has now begun to identify mohels who are shedding HSV from their mouths, their names are confidential. So it falls to the parents to determine whether their newborns might be at risk. Ask the mohel if they are infected with herpes, advised de Blasio, and if they are, you should find a different mohel.

The time has come for New York City officials to abandon their ineffective, slap-on-the-wrist punishment for mohels who put babies at unnecessary risk of a potentially lethal infection. The only reasonable way to protect newborns is to ban the metzitzah ritual, criminally charging both the mohels who perform the procedure and the parents who allow it with child neglect. For several reasons, this is the only course of action that makes sense. First, about 70 percent of all adults have been infected HSV. Second, most adults will shed HSV from their mouths unknowingly. In other words, its hard to predict which babies are at risk. Third, rinsing the mouth out with wineas Romi Cohen had donedoes not effectively kill HSV. Fourth, De Blasios edict that mohels who infect a child with HSV should no longer be allowed to perform the metzitzah ritual is at best shortsighted. In essence, de Blasio is saying that mohels are allowed to permanently harm or kill one child without consequence.

Yet despite the furor surrounding the recent spate of newborn HSV infections in New York, Mayor de Blasio has said, We have to be mindful of religious freedom.

While it is reasonable to allow adults to martyr themselves to their religion, it is not reasonable to allow them to martyr their children. The job of government officials is to protect these children from such obvious abuses. When Bill de Blasio said during his primary that he needed to maintain the trust of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, it would have been more accurate if he had said the voting community, because children dont vote. If they did, I suspect they wouldnt sign up for a ritual that could cause them to suffer permanent brain damage or end their life before it had begun.

Paul A. Offit is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, the co-director of CHILD USA, and the author of Bad Faith: When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine (Basic Books, 2015).
As Bill OReilly is forced to drop the mike at Fox News, will powerful men stop harassing women and will other men see that its wrong to protect them?

Sorry to rain on the moment but its foolish to believe anything has changed, anymore than Bill Clinton being impeached slowed Bill Cosby or gave OReilly or his boss, Roger Ailes pause. Powerful men do what powerful men can get away with until they cant.

Morality played no part. Despite the young Murdochs desire to drag the network into the 21st century, Foxs decision was primarily financial. Paying out $15 million to make women go away was cost effective as long as OReilly was bringing in $200 million a year. When admen, concerned that female consumers might not believe they were in such good hands with Allstate, started pulling ads, suits got worried. By the time OReilly signed off to go on a vacation to Italy on April 11 (and what was Cardinal Dolan thinking organizing an audience with Pope Francis), two-thirds of his ads were gone and the air was clotted with pitches for My Pillow.com and promotions for other shows. The star had no luster left.

But enough about OReilly. What about the actual most powerful person in the world, President Donald Trump, with more accusers than the Fox anchor? Trump so identifies with OReilly that he was that rare person anxious to step up and defend him. From the Oval Office, he called OReilly a good person who did nothing wrong. His only criticism of the man was that he shouldnt have settled.

Like The Donald. Despite tapes boasting about the kind of behavior that got Ailes and OReilly ousted and a phalanx of accusers coming forward saying they were molested, Trump won. I called attorney Gloria Allred to see whats happened since the election. She represents four of about a dozen of the accusers, all of whom joined her for the Womens March in Washington in January, including Summer Zeros who has sued Trump for defamation for calling her and the rest of his accusers liars. He could settle Allred says. All he is being asked to do is to take back labeling the women liars.

We know, he takes nothing back, not the birther crusade, not saying the former president is a sick, bad guy for wiretapping him, not that an armada is steaming towards North Korea when it was going in the opposite direction. To that, Allred says see you in court very soon, New York Supreme Court on May 17 to be exact. For now, the president says he doesnt have to respond because, well, hes president. My answer to that is simple, Allred said in a phone interview. Jones v. Clinton. The Supreme Court ruled that no man is above the law. The president only has immunity for official acts and, of course, hes being sued over personal ones.

Allred points out the irony in that the president said he would be the one suing all the women after the election. Allred predicts there will be no dismissal and she will be deposing the president in much the way Clinton was deposed in 1998. That ended in ended in impeachment.

It would be easy for Trump to make at least this one accuser go away but powerful men dont say theyre sorry. In fighting back, most women are on their own. One woman is just your over-sensitive flower wilting at what our president calls locker room talk. Most women slough it off, hoping for a new boss, or that her tormenter gets bored, knowing theyre unlikely to prevail. Even your sisters dont want you to rock the boat unless you can capsize it. There may be no Allred, or her daughter Lisa Bloom who represented many of OReillys accusers, waiting to take up your cause, which then brings forward other victims providing comfort in numbers. Even when accusers get the media to pay attention and lawyers to work pro bono, the institution protects it own. As in Casablanca where the police captain was on the take, according to Gabriel Shermans reporting in New York Magazine, Fox executive Bill Shine helped Ailes handle women who accused him of sexual harassment. Former Fox host Andrea Tantaros named Shine as a defendant in her lawsuit against Fox News and Roger Ailes saying that when she went to Shine to get help, Shine "told her that Ailes was a very powerful man and that she needed to let this one go. Fox News contributor Julie Roginsky also named Shine in a lawsuit against Ailes, in which she said Shine was complicit in Ailes harassment and of punishing her for raising the issue. Shine has denied claims made in these lawsuits. After Roger Ailes departed, Shine was also promoted to co-president of the network. It's no wonder that O'Reilly kept up his ways.

There will be no new day. OReilly walks away with $25 million thanks to a contract negotiated when his bosses knew everything.

Even a dozen women coming forward doesnt mean that women will prevail over one powerful man. The opposite, perhaps. Look at whos president.

CORRECTION: The piece was corrected to note that Shine has denied all claims made in lawsuits, and that he is co-president, not co-CEO.
A year later, it still hurts to think of Prince, alone in an elevator, dying.

He did so much for so many and meant so much to so many, but at the end, he needed helpyet he was alone. Those closest to him knew he was so out of control that he needed professional help. The day before his death an aide called a famous drug counselor and told him to come nowa day later would be too long. They were right. Prince died before the drug counselor arrived.

Weve seen rockstar drug abuse. It seems like a natural extension of rockstar excess. But Princes situation had nothing to do with that. He died after overdosing on fentanyl, a powerful prescription opioid. Its a drug meant to block pain.

Prince was using a powerful, legal, prescription drug to address chronic hip pain, something your grandmother might be doing right now. Prince filled his life with activities unique to the superrich and megafamous, but his death was tragically commonhe was just one of the thousands who die each year because of prescription pain killers.

We have a massive national problemaccording to the American Society of Addictive Medicine, between 1999 and 2008, prescription opioid overdoses were responsible for more American deaths than heroin and cocaine combined. In 2015 the leading cause of accidental death in America was a drug overdose and almost half of those deathsabout 20,000 deathswere caused by pain relievers you can get with a prescription.

We are in the midst of a national addiction to lethal legal drugs. And what is the White House doing? Theyre attacking marijuana. Which cannot kill anyone.

The Obama administration had begun cranking down the War on Drugs by allowing states to decriminalize marijuana, commuting federal drug sentences, and visiting a prison to humanize drug inmates. But of course, President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are cranking the War on Drugs back up.

This White House wants the police to be more aggressive and use stop-and-frisk, they want prosecutors to stringently enforce marijuana laws, they want judges to expand the use of mandatory minimum sentences, and they want to build more private prisons.

The Obama administrations drug czar, Michael Botticelli, once said, We cant incarcerate addiction out of people. But one of Sessionss top lieutenants, Steven Cook, has said, The federal criminal justice system simply is not broken. In fact, its working exactly as designed.

Sessions himself says Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs is bad. It will derail your life.

Sessionss antiquated notion of drugs as purely bad and the sure path to life derailment is post-truth fearmongering straight out of Reefer Madness. It doesnt take into account the core of the modern problemopioids.

How is it morally wrong for us to take legal, prescription opioids for pain? Sessions also doesnt take into account that millions of productive Americans use illegal drugs recreationally and carefully, enjoying a joint at the end of day instead of a glass of wine.

The majority of illegal drug users are not drug abusers and the substances are not derailing their livestheyre enriching them. Sessions also doesnt take into account that the War on Drugs has failedAmerica incarcerates more people than any nation on the planet by far while illegal drugs remain widely available, inexpensive and potent.

The War on Drugs has succeeded only in making the Mexican cartels richer than they would have been.

But maybe the War on Drugs has worked as its supposed to. Perhaps the War on Drugs is an opiate itself, meant make white people feel like theyre getting negroes under control. It declares a frightening enemythe drug-addled darkie whos liable to do anythingand a savior/hero whos here to helpthe tough white president whos sending in the troops.

The War on Drugs has given presidents, judges, and police the chance to look tough and rack up high numbers while doing nothing to actually address the drug problem.

Late in Obamas term, he earmarked more than $1 billion to combat prescription opioid abuse, but it seems like Trump and Sessions are unaware that the problem exists at all.

While theyre attacking marijuana, theyre doing nothing to address the opiate problem. This is part of the inherent madness of Trumpian thinking: instead of grappling with real problems, deal with misinformed perception.

The opioid epidemic is a huge problem in many of the counties that went for Trump. This is a life-threatening issue for many of his voters and their families. But instead of addressing the prescription drug problem, hes focused conveying the perception that hes a tough Boss Hogg type whos getting unruly weed-smoking negroes in line.

The perception may make his voters feel strong, it may make Trump look tough, it may contribute to making white people feel alpha, but it doesnt actually help anyone.

But thats the way Trump does things. The dearth of jobs is about the rise of robotization. Talking about the fiction that he can bring back coal or attacking NAFTA may make some people feel better but it doesnt address the real reasons why millions are slowly being put out of work by self-driving cars, box-carting robots, and delivery drones.

Talking about a wall and a deportation force makes Trump seem like hes tough, but immigration is at a net negative and real solutions will require business owners like Trump to on shore operations no matter what it does to the bottom line.

Trump is all about dealing with false perceptions while ignoring real problems. Hes good at making his supporters feel better without actually delivering anything. If Trump himself were a drug hed be a pill that does nothing to deal with the actual problem but is effective in blocking pain. (That pill would only work in white people who watch Fox News, but thats another story.)

If you took that Trump pill, youd feel better for a little while. Youd see America returning to the 1950s right in front of your eyes, but in reality, nothing is happening. Sounds like he wouldnt be an opioid at allhed be an hallucinogen.
The Ivanka Trump of pre-Civil War America, Harriet Lane dazzled Americans using the technology of her times: mastering the daguerreotype and the telegram rather than the Internet and Instagram. As the glittering, petticoated star of a beleaguered White House, she charmed princes and populists, the press and the public. Yet, ultimately, all her girl power couldnt save her uncle James Buchanans pitiful presidency.

Lanes style was just risque enough to enhance her legend without destroying her reputation. Beyond the glitz, this first woman to be called first lady in print contributed helpful politicking, wise advice, and a popularity boost to the Buchanan presidency. But, like Ms. Trump, Miss Lane was not married to the man she called Nunc and others called Mr. President.

Fellow mourners anguished solitude reinforced the natural solicitude James Buchanan had for his niece Harriet, born on May 9, 1830. By the time she turned eleven she had lost both her parents. While mourning his sister, Buchanan remained haunted by the great loss of his life, when the great love of his life, Anne C. Coleman, died. This tragedy in 1819, shortly after Buchanan abruptly ended their engagement, triggered speculation that she killed herself. The pain he lived with constantly, occasionally burst through the portly Buchanans genial veneer. Although he loved his adopted daughter, he could be curt and controlling, monitoring her mail and shaming her for serving a bad meal. Insisting she follow his advice before getting engaged, and warning only to marry someone who can afford you a decent and immediate support, the brokenhearted Buchanan explained: In my experience I have witnessed the long years of patient misery and dependence which fine women have endured from rushing precipitately into matrimonial connections without sufficient reflection.
The news last May was unambiguous: in Colorado, which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, pot-related arrests were down 8 percent for white adolescents aged 10 to 17 between that year and 2014, and up 58 percent for black and Latino youth the same age, according to the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The growing theme of legalization is and was clear: leniency and riches for Steve, continued prison for LaQuan.

The report set of a mini wave of stories and posts, but little else.

Legalization remains a popular idea61 percent of Americans support it according to a recent CBS News poll, and 88 percent support legalizing medical marijuana use. Seven states plus the District of Columbia allow the possession of marijuana for recreational use. A total of 29 allow medical dispensation. And the industry is on track to rake in $20 billion in sales by 2021.

But with the ongoing criminalization of people of color, including children and teenagers, for whom possession remains illegal in states like Colorado, plus the general black-brown lockout from dispensary business, its not clear that legalize it will help much of anyone other than rich white entrepreneurs and affluent tokers. Colorados racial disparity in arrests is echoed in Washington State and elsewhere, where the pre- and post-legalization rates of arrests of white and black defendants havent changed much at all.

Most states bar anyone with the felony drug conviction from getting the licenses needed to sell cannabis legally, meaning the brothers on the corner who perfected pot entrepreneurship get to stay on the corner and watch slick players flush with Silicon Valley cash sweep into their state and take over the dispensary business, while trying not to get arrested. And as the industry grows, it develops its own imperatives to crack down on the illegal dealers, to keep them from undercutting their prices. And thus, the high-end dispensaries become allied with the police in cracking down on the very people legalization was supposed to save.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has an attorney general, Jefferson Sessions, whose obsession with punishing people for marijuana sale and use is second only to his fixation on rinsing the country clean of dusky immigrants. Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey recently said of Sessions: I think if you go back and you look at any number of the statements that hes made, the positions that hes taken, he spends a tremendous amount of time focused on marijuana, where as a matter of law enforcement, where I see the issues right now, where I see the problems, are with fentanyl and heroin. And thats not likely to change. Sessions, after all, thinks theres little difference between weed and heroin.

In Colorado, like most states, drug arrests are driven by people calling 911, which is still more common when the person suspected is black or Hispanic, and neighborhood patrols remain more frequent in heavily minority neighborhoods. Convenient at a time with the attorney general is also aggressively rolling back police reform.

Our present Fox News age, where the depiction of black and brown people as a mass of gangsters and would-be felons is par for the course, and grotesque racism and physical threats against the first black president gets you a visit to the Oval Office, it is, I suppose, an awkward time to bring up rolling back the war on drugs. The collective sympathy the country has learned toward the rural cast of Hillbilly Elegy has yet to be learned regarding the kid from Compton or Detroit who sells weed to be able to afford a decent pair of sneakers to go to school in.

Democrats, meanwhile, have been the picture of caution when it comes to marijuana legalization, which isnt helpful, given that study after study shows that their bases children are far more likely to be targeted by the criminal justice system for marijuana possession than white Americans children, despite the two having equal rates of drug use.

Drug related arrests account for a quarter of those imprisoned in the U.S. each year, and marijuana possession charges make up roughly half of drug arrests. And that has far reaching implications for everything from the ability to get employment after release to, in some states, the right to vote.

I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and have watched from a distance as it has transformed from a cool, quiet Western city to a boomtown on the back of legal weed. And the faces of those who are profiting, and driving up rents and real estate prices in the process, dont look like those in the mostly black suburb I grew up in, or like those in Five Points, the onetime downtown ghetto thats now a chichi destination for fancy hipster living.

We have a drug problem in the United States, and it isnt people who smoke weed. Its the fact that weed is about to become just another source of obscene corporate profits and racial disparity in a country that already has too much of both.
Vivek Murthy was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services said.

By Press Trust of India: Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by the previous Obama regime, has been asked to step down by the Trump administration to put its own leadership in place.

"Today, Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on April 21.

Thank you America for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been humbled and honored to serve as your #SurgeonGeneral. https://t.co/i15l9efWUb- Vivek Murthy (@vivek_murthy) April 22, 2017

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"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement continued.

ALL YOU WANT TO KNOW Murthy, 39, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this position said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position. "For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said. Murthy has been replaced by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent- Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General. "(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said. Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be removed by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was fired after he refused to resign. "As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," he wrote on his Facebook post. "While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said. "The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in townhalls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives", he said. Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes in December 2014, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four-year term. At 37, he was the youngest-ever Surgeon General. Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old. He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management. He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Also read | Waiting for green cards, Indian visa-holders see hope in Trump review

Also read | Save Kulbhushan Jadhav, Indian-Americans in US petition President Trump

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Nand Kishore Maharia's son, Siddharth Maharia, who was arrested in July 2 last year following the accident that also injured five other people, has filed a complaint against six police officers in the Jaipur Metropolitan Court.

By Rohit Parihar: New development has emerged in the infamous case involving a Rajasthan MLA's son killing three people in an auto-rickshaw while driving his BMW.

Nand Kishore Maharia's son, Siddharth Maharia, who was arrested in July 2 last year following the accident that also injured five other people, has filed a complaint against six police officers in the Jaipur Metropolitan Court.

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As per the police, Siddharth was drunk when he was driving the car and hit the auto-rickshaw, but the latter claims that he was not behind the wheel when the accident took place and that it was his driver. He also said that it was the auto-rickshaw driver's fault as he did not have a valid driving license and was driving negligently.

The driver had initially admitted that he was driving, but later on retracted his statement. CCTV footage also showed that Siddharth had been drinking heavily in hotels and bars hours before the accident.

Now, Siddharth's lawyer Goverdhan Singh has revealed to India Today that he has lodged a complaint before the Jaipur Court against the police for wrongful confinement along with his friend, criminal conspiracy and beating the two causing grievous injuries.

The Jaipur Metropolitan Court has taken cognizance of the charges against Jaipur Commissioner of Police Sanjay Agarwal, Adl CP Prafull Kumar, DCP (South) Manish Agarwal, and three other officers.

The judge has also asked Siddharth to produce witnesses after which the officers will be summoned through bailable warrants.

Also Read:

Jaipur: MLA's son arrested after his speeding BMW kills 3 people

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The operation was conducted after the security forces received a tip off regarding the militant activity.

By Ashraf Wani: Security forces today killed two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants in Hayatpora village of Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

The militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces that carried out an operation to weed out hidden terrorists from the location.

The operation was conducted after the security forces received a tip off regarding the militant activity.

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The forces have also launched a search operation in the area near Chadoora.

More details awaited

Also read:

Encounter in J-K's Bandipora: 3 Army soldiers die, 1 militant killed

Kashmir: Terrorist killed in encounter between security forces and militants

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New Masters of Photography Macallan released

The Macallan has unveiled the sixth release of its Masters of Photography series, a collaboration with Steven Klein. The move is a change in direction for the series, with the brand working with Klein, an artist known for the visual ambiguity of his work.

Since 2008, The Macallan has partnered with some of the most well known photographers in the industry like Annie Lebowitz, Elliott Erwitt and Mario Testino to marry whisky making with their interpretations of the world of The Macallan. This year, The Macallan Masters of Photography series partnered with Steven Klein to explore an ingredient the brand claims is fundamental in the making of The Macallan: time. The unspoken fourth ingredient in The Macallan as each bottle of whisky captures a moment in time; to be enjoyed in the future - but always rooted to a time in the past.

To portray this piece, The Macallan master whisky maker, Bob Dalgarno, has created a whisky which the brand suggests reveals a very specific character and flavour, itself capturing a moment in time, mirroring Bob Dalgarnos own interpretation of Steven Kleins work.

Inspired by the past, and uncharacteristic for The Macallan, peated notes are claimed to represent the smokiness of the industrial setting of Kleins film. Some of the rare Macallan whiskies of that era were indeed peated in profile. The whisky also represents The Macallans first ever use of casks previously used for Rioja wine, which it claims provides flavors of berries and spices, along with an unusual pinkish red color, reflective of the artists imagery.

Steven Klein comments: This project has given me the chance to create a film and a special edition bottle and box. This was a true merging of artist and commerce, where I had great support from the team at Macallan in this endeavour.

Klein continues: My intention was to examine a world standing still through a moving camera. Typically with consumption of alcohol, there is always an abundance of movement. I thought what if it had all stopped for a moment and I could take a closer look at it. The idea is the perception of time. I used one of my favorite designers, Thom Brown, for the characters because I believe his clothes are bridged between the past and future in a great way.

Klein captures a moment in time through his lens to create a short film and ten individual images of a tableau. The edition is paired with a whisky limited to only 1,000 bottles worldwide.

Ken Grier, creative director, The Macallan, says: Our commitment to the extraordinary is reflected in a restless spirit of dynamism, creativity and mastery to create the ultimate spirit. We bring together things which can appear ordinary and transform them into something incredible. We create, define and disrupt moments in time.

The Masters of Photography: Steven Klein edition is presented in a black case containing the limited edition whisky and one of ten different Steven Klein exclusive signed prints. A horses head bottle stopper, along with a range of custom barware tools to create serves and flavour experiences are also included, inspired by the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca in Spain and ultimately, Kleins own style.

This limited edition liquid will retail at $2,995.

22 April 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
There might be no more dangerous place for a university official this year than a Texas Capitol committee room.

On several occasions in recent months, a chancellor, university president or regent has sat down at a hearing and been chewed out by lawmakers who were frustrated about rising tuition rates, expensive land purchases or new programs being pursued against the wishes of elected officials.

But left out of those complaints about schools run amok has been a key detail about how that happened in the first place: Just a few years earlier, the Legislature willingly gave Texas universities more freedom.

In 2003, lawmakers opted to give schools full control of their tuition  a move that has been frequently discussed and often lamented in recent years. Ten years later, they made a less prominent but still important decision to defang the state agency that had overseen the universities.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board had the power to block schools from taking on expensive new construction projects, or force them to get rid of degree programs that the board found wasteful. The Legislature erased those powers in 2013, essentially shifting the board's role from a regulatory agency to a collaborator and data collector.

The idea was that university leaders  and their governing boards of regents  were in the best position to know what's best for their students and institutions.

Now, lawmakers are having second thoughts. A series of bills are making their way through the Legislature that would restore some of the coordinating board's power  or create new powers the board never previously held.

"There have been some situations arise that made us question" those past decisions, said Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, during a recent hearing on one such bill. "We are trying to strike a balance. How do we have some measures in place, some oversight, making sure we are not misusing state money?"

One example of lawmakers remorse surfaced in a January hearing of the Senate Finance Committee. In the middle of hours of testimony about university budgets, senators were diverted by a shared frustration. For decades, they said, theyd been urging universities to make it easier for students to transfer from community colleges to four-year schools. But every semester, lawmakers still heard from angry parents and students who found out that some of the courses they had completed wouldnt be accepted at their new schools.

"I'm growing impatient," said the committee's chairwoman, Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound. "There has to be a better way."

Jaws dropped in the room when employees of the coordinating board pointed out one of the things that was holding them back: The Legislature in 2013 prohibited the board from setting statewide transfer policies on its own.

That rule was included in a broader overhaul of the coordinating board through a process known as Sunset, during which the effectiveness and usefulness of a state agency is reviewed. Most agencies go through Sunset every 12 years, and the boards time came in 2013 when frustration with the board was high.

The year prior, the University of North Texas went to the board for approval of a $128 million overhaul of its student union building. The school had come up with money for the project, obtaining approval through a student election to raise fees. But the board initially rejected the plan due to worries that there wasnt enough student buy-in.

In a Sunset Advisory Commission report, the commissions staff warned of an atmosphere of tension and distrust between the board and the states universities. In the end, the Legislature opted to eliminate the boards ability to approve capital projects at universities and eliminate low-performing degree programs.

But in the past year or two, the universities actions  and the turf-battle tensions that followed  have left some lawmakers wishing that the schools had more checks on their ambitions:

The University of Texas System spent more than $200 million on land in Houston with vague plans to operate some kind of research and collaboration campus there  a move that sparked outrage from Houston-area lawmakers and supporters of the nearby University of Houston.

Texas A&M University announced plans to develop a branch campus in McAllen not far from the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.

Texas Tech University declared that it wanted to open a veterinary school in Amarillo  an idea that A&M strongly opposes.

And the University of North Texas announced a partnership to open a medical school with Texas Christian University, even though state leaders say Texas might already have too many of those schools. (The University of Houston and Sam Houston State are also eying a medical school and school of osteopathic medicine, respectively.)

The universities supporters say they are filling specific needs for their schools or the communities they are expanding into, while also aiming to grow their own stature. That, the schools say, seemed to be what state leaders wanted when the Legislature called for an increase in the number of Tier One research universities in Texas.

The Tier One public higher education institutions are such economic drivers and they are educating tens of thousands of students annually, said Daniel Becka, who oversees UT Advocates, an alumni group that supports UT-Austin in the Legislature.

But Raymund Paredes, the coordinating boards commissioner, has been sounding the alarm that the schools might be stretching themselves too thin. The Legislature has proven unwilling or unable to fund those aspirations in recent years. Continuing to pursue expansion, he said, would put Texas universities at risk of pursuing mediocrity, he said.

It is pretty clear that the state has a limited capacity to support expansion in higher education, he said.

Both Democrats and Republicans have filed bills to restore, to one degree or another, the coordinating board's authority. The most controversial is Senate Bill 19 by Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee. It would require schools to meet a series of metrics set by the board before they could raise tuition. The Senate approved that bill earlier this month.

Other bills are still in the early stages of the legislative process but have faced little overt opposition thus far. Those include proposals to give the board a bigger role in the student transfer process, require board approval before universities make major land purchases and require board approval before schools develop new programs outside the range of their main campuses. Universities have stayed silent on those proposals.

Paredes said the coordinating board is open to taking on those responsibilities. He said it has learned from its earlier struggles how to conduct negotiated rule making, in which more input from universities and other stakeholders is taken into consideration.

We need some oversight, he said, and I think the coordinating board was intended to fill that role.
Gathering to participate in a Muster ceremony is a longstanding tradition that bonds Aggies throughout the world, keynote speaker Susan Rudd Bailey told more than 700 people gathered at the Memorial Student Center on Friday for the Brazos County A&M Club's ceremony.

The first female former Texas A&M student to become a regent for the A&M University System encouraged the record crowd to reflect on the Aggies partaking in the same act of fellowship and memoriam all over the world, on deployments in dangerous countries, in cafes in Europe and Asia.

"Some of these Musters are happening in ballrooms, in churches, in living rooms, school cafeterias, civic centers, parks," she said. "... Muster is about coming home... It's about those of us who are left behind adjusting to change, life without the comrades who have gone."

There are about 250 A&M clubs around the world, and this week, more than 300 recorded Muster gatherings took place.

"Even if it's just two Aggies getting together for a beer --- that's a Muster," said Sue Owen, organizer with the Brazos County A&M Club.

Owen marvelled at those who volunteered to participate in the roll call for the deceased who did not have friends or family members present. Since World War II, Aggies have been congregating to call out the names of deceased classmates, and Owen said Friday she was touched to watch strangers choose to represent an unknown fellow Aggie.

"We call a large number of names for Aggies in Brazos County who may not have had anyone at the event," Owen said. "This is essentially the Aggie spirit; that even if you didn't know a person personally, they're like a family member. There is an Aggie here who will answer for them when their name is called."

Roy Youngman, class of '79, attends Muster with his wife, children and grandchildren each year.

"It's always happy when Aggies get together under any circumstances," he said. "Aggies feed off of each other. This isn't somber like a funeral, because you're with tons of people in this room who can empathize with you and make you feel good."

This year was the first time Youngman has held a candle for someone special to him. One of his best friends, his freshman roommate Mike Ottensman, died in January after battling cancer.

"It's a can't-miss Muster for me," Youngman said with tears in his eyes. "He never married and had no children. There's no question in my mind that A&M was his top love -- he loved it more than anything."

The Youngmans connected with Brendan Hayman, class of 2003, who came to Muster alone and sat at the Youngmans' table. Hayman has made it a point to attend each year for 17 years in order to exhibit the Aggie spirit.

"We're supposed to come to this," he said. "That's what Aggies do. Muster and Silver Taps are the most important traditions that I think set Texas A&M apart from every other university."

When asked if he had bonded through conversation with Hayman, Youngman responded that conversation wasn't necessary.

"We don't have to bond," he said. "We're already bonded. The moment we got our rings, we were bonded."

This Muster was also special for the DuVal family, descendents of P.H. DuVal, who penned the famous The Last Corps Trip poem. The DuVals attended services at the MSC, and answered the roll call for their father.

Muster is each year on April 21.
Local defense attorneys have weighed in after members of the Texas House passed a bill Thursday that would raise the age of criminal responsibility in Texas from 17 to 18 years old.

Brazos County District Attorney Jarvis Parsons declined to offer a comment, since the legislation is still pending.

"Why is the criminal justice system the only arm of government that recognizes someone as an adult at age 17?" asked Mark Maltsberger, a Bryan-based criminal defense attorney.

House Bill 122, sponsored by State Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, would roll back a 99-year-old law that holds 17-year-olds criminally responsible. The bill heads to a Texas Senate committee next.

"Sure, most kids know right from wrong," Patrick Gendron, a local attorney who says he has represented more juveniles than any other attorney in the state, wrote in an email, "But anyone who has raised teenagers, especially boys, knows that adolescents do some pretty dumb things and that there is no rhyme nor reason behind their actions except they are just not firing on all cylinders."

Currently, six states treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice sentence.

"Texas is in the vast minority in this," said Maltsberger.

"If a young person is not mature enough to buy cigarettes or alcohol, have a concealed handgun license, rent a car, join the army, or enter a binding contract, then how could we think they have the same mental culpability to commit crimes like an average adult?" Gendron wrote.

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, told The Texas Tribune that raising the age of criminal responsibility would cost Texas millions and be an unfunded mandate for the state's counties.

"Any time you're dealing with a criminal justice bill like that, you're concerned about it being an unfunded mandate," said Maltsberger, who added the money that could be saved by raising the age should be taken into account.

Maltsberger said that juveniles have more capacity for rehabilitation than older offenders, and there still would be opportunities for juveniles to be certified to be tried as adults, giving counties the opportunity to walk a "fine political line" between juvenile rights and "the call of the community for accountability."

"It's one thing to say you're tough on crime," said Maltsberger, and it's another to be in the minority of states that holds 17-year-olds to the same standards as older defendants.

Maltsberger said it would be "right" to have a system where juveniles are treated on an individual, case-by-case basis, but that would result in even more unfunded mandates, and wouldn't be politically feasible.

"Legislators like to get re-elected. All they're going to do is cut taxes," he said.
PAUL SCHNEIDEREIT: Treatment centre for PTSD in first responders, military opens in Nova Scotia

Imagine its your job, every day, to be ready to rush to scenes where men, women or even children had been killed or badly injured, often in horrific circumstances. Really, consider what that might be like. If youre like most of us, the thought ...
By Press Trust of India: London, Apr 22 (PTI) Jo Wood, the former wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, has lashed out at EasyJet after being kicked off an overbooked flight from Spain to London.

Jo and her partner Paul Scarborough were booked to fly from Murcia in Spain to Gatwick in London earlier this week with the low-cost airline, when they discovered that EasyJet only had one seat for them both, reported Daily Mirror.

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"I arrived at Murcia Airport, checked in, had no luggage, went through security and had my boarding pass. Just before we were about to go onto the plane, they pulled us aside. because I was with my fella, and said one of you can get on and one of you has to stay," Jo says.

"I said hold on a minute this is ridiculous, I bought my ticket three weeks ago, why should we stay? Weve bought our tickets. And they said they had overbooked.

"I reckon its because we had no luggage, we were easy to take off. I was furious because I had to get back for work the next day. They didnt stand there and ask who would come off the flight! Nobody said that - they just took us aside."

Jo, 62, and her 53-year-old partner ended up paying to fly home on a later flight on Ryanair instead.

An EasyJet spokesman said, "We were sorry to hear of Miss Woods experience and would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.

"While there was one seat available, we understand that she wanted to fly with her travel companion. We have been in contact with Miss Wood directly to apologise." PTI JCH JCH

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The minor girl was playing near the dry borewell, which was left open, when she fell into it.

By Rohini Swamy: A 6-year-old girl fell into a 400 feet borewell in Athani, Belgavi district of Karnataka. while she was playing. The minor girl was playing near the dry borewell, which was left open, when she fell into it.

She is presently trapped at around 57 feet.

Rescue operations are underway and emergency services have been rushed to the spot.

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ALSO READ | 2-year-old girl rescued from borewell, declared brought dead at hospital

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WILTON  Executive Director of CT Against Gun Violence Ron Pinciaro will speak about current legislation to enhance gun safety in Connecticut and nationally on Monday, April 24, at Comstock Community Center.

Pinciaro will explain how individual citizens can get involved and support common-sense gun legislation. All Wilton residents interested in reducing gun violence are encouraged to attend this meeting.
Asparagus  a culinary sign of spring  is fantastic in this dish, but poses a challenge for wine pairing. The incredible vegetal flavors, a fresh treat on their own, can cause most wine to taste like licking a piece of tin or eating a spoonful of baking soda. Stay clear of tannic reds and oaky whites (oak imparts tannin, after all) and opt for lighter, zippier wines. Pick out other elements in this dish to pair with  savory pork, bright ginger and onion, spicy chile sauce  and youll be fine.

Make this:

Asparagus and Pork Stir-Fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 bunch asparagus (cut in 1-1/2 inch pieces)

1 red bell pepper, cut in thin strips;

1 pound boneless pork cutlets, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips

2 tablespoons soy sauce;

Season with chili sauce, to taste

Cooked rice, for serving

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, minced garlic, fresh ginger and sliced green onions; stir-fry until fragrant. Add asparagus; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add red bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.

Add pork cutlet strips and soy sauce to wok; stir-fry until meat is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Lower heat; return vegetables to wok. Season with chili sauce. Serve with rice.

Makes 2 servings.

Recipe from: Bill Daley

Drink this (pairings by sommelier Nate Redner of Oyster Bah, as told to Michael Austin):

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy: Soave is composed mainly of garganega, often blended with verdicchio and chardonnay. This Soave Classico, like many, is viscous and weighty, with plenty of acidity. The nutty character of the wine will match nicely with the dishs aromatic garlic and ginger. There is also enough freshness to cut through the fat, but not too much to make the asparagus taste bitter.

2012 Domaine Ostertag Barriques Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France: Andre Ostertag makes wines of top-tier quality that express both ripe fruit character and a sense of place. This wine displays intense spice components of star anise, cinnamon and clove, which mimics Chinese five spice and intensifies the Asian influence of the dish. The slightest bit of residual sugar in the wine will help quell any lingering burn from the chile sauce.

2014 Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand: Thanks to warm and dry growing conditions, this wine has rich dark fruit character reminiscent of plums and blackberries. Along with those flavors, the wines warm spices will complement the ginger, garlic and soy combination, while softening the soys salinity. The wines very fine tannins will also help keep the fat in the dish in check.
CHICAGO  Consumers are demanding more antibiotic-free meat. At McDonalds, so is a group of nuns.

The worlds largest burger chain and its fast-food brethren have made commitments to remove antibiotics from chicken, but plans to curb the use of antibiotics in beef and pork have been far less common. Its a far more complex and expensive proposition, and fast-food chains are largely taking a wait-and-see approach before changing the way their burgers and bacon are made.

KFC, a holdout in the wave of major fast-food restaurants vowing to curb the routine use of antibiotics in chicken, jumped on board earlier this month in response to pressure from animal and environmental groups. A number of major restaurant chains and producers have made promises, of varying degrees, to only use antibiotics on chicken when theyre sick, a step back from widespread usage of the drugs.

But promises to curb the use of antibiotics in cows and pigs have been far less common. A renewed push by a group of socially conscious nuns asking McDonalds to announce a plan for antibiotic-free pork and beef highlights the hurdles that the industry will have to jump over to meet consumers growing appetite for clean meat.

In a regulatory filing last week, McDonalds, headquartered in suburban Chicago, revealed that the Benedictine Sisters of Boerne, Texas, intend to submit a proposal at the companys annual meeting in May, asking it to set goals and timelines to phase out the routine use of antibiotics in pork and beef. The sisters have pushed McDonalds for similar promises in recent years. Antibiotics are often given to healthy animals in industrial or so-called factory farms to prevent disease in close quarters.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem across the world. More than 70 percent of antibiotics important to human medicine in the U.S. are sold for livestock use, according to the Food and Drug Administration. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have said the overuse of antibiotics has led to a global health crisis because the more people are exposed to them, the less effective they are. Every year in the U.S., at least 2 million people become infected and 23,000 people die after becoming infected with drug-resistant bacteria, according to the CDC.

McDonalds recommends shareholders vote against the proposal. The worlds largest burger chain said its too early to set timelines for committing to a rollout of antibiotic-free pork and beef because it doesnt purchase the entire cow or pig as it does with chicken, which the company says limits its ability to directly influence change.

Second, McDonalds said complex sourcing makes it more difficult to trace the animals exposure. Animals may move from farm to farm during their lives, McDonalds said, and there is currently a lack of traceability in some cases between those farms in the U.S. and other countries from which McDonalds sources beef and pork.

The supply chain for beef and pork gets complicated quickly. McDonalds buys beef from thousands of ranches, each with an average of just 50 cows. That contrasts with just two main U.S. suppliers for chicken. McDonalds said that with chicken, it has a clear line of sight from farm to table.

McDonalds said it could also see meat shortages if it moves too quickly to antibiotic-free pork and beef. While chicken are slaughtered in just weeks, cattle can be 2 years old when they go to market, leaving far more time in which an animal can get sick. That raises the likelihood that a farmer would need to use antibiotics, even if they werent using them routinely in the animals feed as is commonplace in many industrial farms.

We need to ensure that any change is purposeful, acceptable to customer preferences, and is designed for a continuous supply of products for McDonalds restaurants, the company said in its response to the shareholder proposal. The company continues to work with farmers, producers and other purchasers of food animals to influence meaningful change across the agricultural sector.

McDonalds is the biggest purchaser of beef in the United States and a major buyer of pork, used in menu items like breakfast sausage and the McRib, so the move to lessen the use of antibiotics in the meat it buys could have ripple effects across the industry. When McDonalds announced last year it would move to all cage-free eggs within 10 years, more than 100 companies followed suit.

A McDonalds spokeswoman declined to comment further. McDonalds, which will release its first-quarter earnings next week, is in its pre-earnings quiet period, which means the company is limited in what it can say to analysts, investors and the media.

The process of stripping out antibiotics from the supply chain is a slow one, to be sure: McDonalds began focusing on antibiotic use in food animals in 2003. In 2015, it released a Global Vision for Antibiotics. That year, it first made a commitment to clean up its poultry supply. Last year, it stopped using antibiotics important to human medicine in chicken served at U.S. restaurants, nine months ahead of its original 2017 deadline.

Some fast-food rivals have moved far faster to strip out antibiotics, but many more have only recently made commitments, like Starbucks and Burger King. Still, those promises are only for chicken.

Theres been a lot of progress in the poultry industry in a relatively short amount of time, said Jonathan Kaplan, director of the Natural Resources Defense Councils Food and Agriculture Program. In the pork and beef sectors  the atmosphere is still not super enthusiastic.
The Grand Island Literacy Councils needs have been growing, but some high school seniors have helped to temporarily alleviate a shortage of tutors.

Grand Island Central Catholic seniors have been tutoring Literacy Council students every Friday for their world religions class for the past two months.

Dee Hanssen, GICC campus ministry coordinator and religion teacher, said Tracy Noble from the Literacy Council approached her about the idea of having the students tutor.

Hanssen said the principal, Kristen Klein, gave her the go-ahead and thought it was a great idea.

The kids love it, Hanssen said.

The seniors help the Literacy Council students learn English and work on grammar and vocabulary. Workbooks and curriculum are provided. The students have formed relationships by helping those eager to learn English. Many of the Literacy Council students came from different countries and are wanting to make better lives for themselves in Grand Island.

These are people who were very instrumental in their own countries, Hanssen said. Theyre eager to learn.

Noble said the Literacy Council is in dire need of tutors. She said they are about 200 tutors short.

Matthew Novinski, a GICC senior, has been tutoring Mohammadali Husab Alla for about five months. He began tutoring through the Literacy Council before his class started tutoring, so he has really gotten to build a relationship with Husab Alla, whose first language is Arabic. On Friday morning, Novinski and Husab Alla worked on social vocabulary, such as phrases people might say when introducing themselves.

Novinski started tutoring because he heard the Literacy Council needed tutors. He said he thought it would be a good opportunity for service hours.

I never knew Id gain some great friends like Mohammadali or Mugahid, he said. I really enjoy coming here and seeing them on weekends or on Fridays.

Husab Allas cousin, Mugahid Belil, also is a native Arabic speaker. Both men are originally from Sudan.

I like the kids helping me with my English, Belil said. If I dont know something, theyll let me know.

Belil said his English has improved since coming to the Literacy Council two years ago. He said his favorite thing about having the high school seniors tutor him is that theyre kind, helpful and they smile a lot.

Chelsea Puncochar has tutored Meizhen Ye, who is originally from China.

Ye said she enjoys learning English from the students and she has been improving. She said her 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter also help her with English at home.

Every day, I come home and they say, Mom, homework, Ye said. She takes her workbook home and regularly works on the curriculum so she can improve her language.

Puncochar said she likes helping people, so this is a good opportunity to do that.

Its good to see their faces light up when they understand what youre saying, she said.

To learn more about the Literacy Council of Grand Island or to volunteer to tutor, call (308) 385-5515 or email info@giliteracy.org. The Literacy Council is located at 312 N. Elm St., Suite 101.
Members of the Grand Island Public School board heard a presentation on random drug testing at their spring retreat Friday evening.

The presentation was given by Matthew Franz, director of Sport Safe Testing Service, Inc. of Ohio. The company works with school districts in 12 states, including Nebraska, on setting up a system of random drug testing in schools.

The board wanted to get a better understanding of how to implement a random drug testing program for students participating in extracurricular activities. GIPS is the only school system in the community that doesnt have a random drug testing program. While school board members recognize drug use occurs among students, they still have many questions that need to be answered before implementing a random drug test.

Many of those questions were brought up, such as costs, effectiveness, community involvement and creating a follow-through program to put more of an emphasis on helping students who fail their drug test instead of punishing them.

In his presentation, Franz told the board that his company is in the demand reduction business.

He said it was not about declaring war on drugs but an economic issue revolving around supply and demand.

Nationwide, he said, more government resources are spent on supply reduction rather than using those resources to curb demand and even less on prevention.

We spend more money on the aftermath of drug addiction than we do on prevention, Franz said. If we spend just a little bit more money on prevention, we would save a ton.

He said implementing random drug tests to students is a preventive action, especially if it can catch a youth in the early stages of drug use, such experimenting with drugs or using it recreationally. The program could help prevent later stages of drug addiction and dependency.

The need for random drug testing as a tool for early intervention and deterrence rises as studies from the University of Michigan have shown that over the last 20 years, young peoples attitudes that drugs are dangerous have declined. Contributing to that perception among young people are things like social media, the internet and societal movements to make drugs more sociably acceptable. One such movement is the push to legalize marijuana for both medicinal and recreational uses.

We also have a different family dynamic now, whether it is single family homes or two parents that work, he said. There is a lot of idle time.

Those factors, along with mass media marketing, contribute to the precipitation of minimizing drug risk, resulting in more drug use by youth.

We have to find a way to backfill that precipitation risk, Franz said.

He said drug testing isnt the magic solution to preventing drug abuse among young people. He said it is just one of a number of tools that can be employed to catch the problem before it becomes not only harmful to the child but to society.

Franz said while random drug testing doesnt get everyone who abuses drugs, it has an impact because it makes students think about the consequences.

Franz said schools such as Northwest High School and Central City test about 20 students twice a month.

Our motive here is to give kids a reason to say no, he said. If we can get to the student soon enough, we have a much better chance of impacting downstream use.

Dr. Robin Dexter, Grand Island Public Schools associate superintendent, briefed board members on the activities of the Healthy Choices Committee, which has been discussing the need for random drug testing of students in extracurricular activities.

The committee discussed the needs and concerns they had not only about implementing a random drug testing program but how to make it effective, such as how to strengthen district policy to support reporting, like the use of screening tools; dealing with the perception that they are only out to catch kids; and what to do if students know who is doing drugs.

After Franzs presentation, board members brought up their concerns. One of those concerns was cost. Franz said the cost of a single drug test was about $30, which could ultimately cost the district around $26,000 or more. While expressing budget concerns about the cost of the program, some of the board members asked what programs would be sacrificed because of the additional cost.

Another concern expressed by board members was how to make the program effective, and the emphasis to make sure there are resources available to help students if they tested positive. Some board members said the community must be involved, especially when it comes to intervention programs needed to counsel the offending students.

Also, the board said that the Grand Island Public Schools are unique in that as many as 15 different languages are spoken, and language and cultural barriers could lead to difficulties communicating to parents about their children and the testing program.

While the board agreed to continue the discussion about implementing a random drug test, along with exploring other alternatives, Superintendent Dr. Tawana Grover said the presentation was valuable in moving the discussion forward.

The board retreat continues today with board members discussing the districts strategic planning and its visioning process.
It was the kind of crying nobody should see, especially in a public place. I was on the late afternoon train out of London to Cambridge, heartbroken because my first real relationship was ending. (I cant do this anymore, the medical student told me as we walked to Kings Cross. When you lived here it was one thing, but this is impossible.)

Taking a seat in the last row of the almost-empty last carriage, I shoved myself as close as possible to the window. I could feel that my face was raw and red from acidic tears and now looking at myself in the trains window, I could see that my eyes were crimson-rimmed with eyelids as white, puffy and thin as the skin on a mushroom.

What I couldnt understand was that it was simply an ordinary Sunday for everybody else in all the towns and villages we were passing. People would be reading the last of the newspapers, doing laundry or washing up after a big meal, but for me the world changed.

I kept my head turned to the window so that nobody could witness my shame and panic, but when the conductor came by to take my ticket and saw my expression, he sat down.

I was 22; he was probably 65, or 50, or maybe just 45. All I knew was that he was clearly a man whose days of crying in public, or even sitting next to girls who cried in public, seemed long past. Efficient, professional, courteous, at first glance you wouldnt have thought he was the type whod check on an unhappy, bedraggled girl.

But thats precisely what he did. In a way that was not typical for many of the English people who Id met, he took the seat next to mine and asked, in a straightforward manner as if merely seeking information: Dear miss, are you quite all right? I swear it was the word dear that got me. I looked up and because of his kindness  although the tears came to my eyes again  for the first time in hours I stopped crying.

Once I started talking, I kept talking. I explained how the most important relationship in my life was unraveling. I told him about how Id bought a one-way plane ticket to England the year before, expecting never to return to the states because Id found a boy out of a fairy tale. I told him that Id learned to stop believing in love after my mother died years ago but that I had believed in it again, and now it was being taken away.

Finally, when I stopped to blow my nose in a tattered piece of tissue, he spoke. Youve got your life in front of you and plenty of time to make it a good one, he said in businesslike manner. Better to learn what cant be fixed than hold onto useless bits and bobs. Then he rose, accepted my ticket and resumed doing his official job.

In the 38 years since that Sunday afternoon, I have indeed made a good life, although it hasnt always been an easy one. I found true and lasting love, discovered the work I was meant to do and created a community of friends more comforting and wise than I could have imagined when I was a girl.

But theres one thing I wish I could have done, and thats to thank the conductor on that train. His patient, sincere and yet disinterested concern for another human being who was clearly in pain made an irrevocable imprint on my life and changed it for the better.

I felt alone and hopeless before our brief conversation. Afterward, I felt as if the future might not be as miserable as I thought. It didnt take nearly as much as I thought it would to give me hope.

I still owe that man a debt of gratitude. I bet you owe someone that kind of debt too. If it cant be repaid personally, it must be dispersed outward. Every gesture toward someone in pain, lost or who needs help, is a way to pass those thanks along.
Kejriwal's remarks come in the wake of Baijal ordering recovery of Rs 97 crore from the AAP which was "splurged" on ads and cancellation of office allotment to the party.

By Press Trust of India: Lt Governor Anil Baijal "fires one bullet at me" every day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

This is Kejriwal's first direct attack at Baijal since he was appointed the Lt Governor of Delhi on December 31, 2016.

Noting that his government tries to coordinate on various issues related to the development of the national capital, both with the Lt Governor as well as the Centre, Kejriwal said that "the firing" has intensified just before the MCD polls.

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"We have maintained a good relationship with him (Baijal). The new LG worked for first three months (in coordination with us).

"We did not utter a word against him before the MCD election, despite that he fires one bullet at me every day and on this, we are not speaking against him. Tell me what is our fault?" Kejriwal told PTI in an interview on Friday.

His remarks come in the wake of Baijal ordering recovery of Rs 97 crore from the AAP which was "splurged" on ads and cancellation of office allotment to the party which the Delhi chief minister termed "politically motivated".

Kejriwal and former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had also been at loggerheads over the administrative control of Delhi.

"We are trying to cooperate with everybody (the Centre and the LG) so that there is development of Delhi, but the Lt Governor fires one bullet at me (every day)," Kejriwal said.

He also termed the report of Shunglu Committee as "politically motivated". The committee had pointed out "gross abuse of power" by the AAP government earlier this month.

Kejriwal also attacked the BJP claiming that is an "undemocratic and unconstitutional" party whose only intention to "topple opposition parties government, buy MLAs, break their parties, use the Lt Governor against them".

ALSO READ | MCD election: Yogendra Yadav calls Arvind Kejriwal betrayer of Delhi, seeks resignation after civic polls

ALSO READ | Waste of time: Delhi High Court rejects plea challenging use of public money to pay Ram Jethmalani

ALSO WATCH | Kejriwal blames LG's office for leaking files related to Rs 97 crore advertisement issue

--- ENDS ---
An editorial in The Guardian by Matthew dAncona, Can Trump defuse North Korea by acting like Ike?, evoked memories of long ago.

When President-elect Eisenhower was visiting U.S. troops on the Korean front in December 1952, I pondered what all of this might mean to a newspaper boy. After all, my customers were depending upon me to carry the news of the Korean conflict to their homes every night. Television was virtually unknown in those days and the Grand Island Daily Independent was an indispensable medium of communication in those days.

As the editorial put it, After decades of dithering over the regime, its time for Eisenhower-style deterrence to will the peace. Little did it occur to the Americans serving on the Korean front in the early 1950s that the two countries would be on the verge of war nearly 70 years later.

If anything, Mr. Trumps dispatch of an armada to the western Pacific, coupled with U.S. military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan this month, is likely to convey the presidents modus operandi to the North Korean dictator. Perhaps he will understand that he is being offered a choice between diplomacy and its opposite.
What to do in Pennsylvania if you made an error on your mail-in ballot
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza came to SIUE Wednesday to highlight the need for the state to adopt a balanced budget.

It was the Chicago Democrats first visit to SIUE since her win last December in a special election.

Mendoza addressed a small group that included SIUE Chancellor Randall Pembrook and David Kniepkamp, who is president of Smart Controls LLC as well as the director of the Southwestern Illinois Trade and Investment Council.

Also on hand were veteran plumber James Dawley and his wife Dawn, owners of Axis Plumbing.

Before the meeting, Mendoza spoke briefly with Silvia Torres Bowman who told her that the region now has only seven Small Business Development Centers, down from 13. Bowman is director of the International Trade Center.

The reason, Bowman said, was the lack of a state budget. This is a story that I hear all across the state, Mendoza said. And I think its important to note that were not the federal government  we cant print money. We need a budget.

The state is heading toward its third year without a balanced budget proposal, she said.

The result is that the Comptrollers Office now has $13.3 billion in bill backlogs, she said.

At one point, Pembrook noted that university representatives were scheduled to meet in Springfield on April 26 and 27 to tell the governor and lawmakers that what they have been doing has not been working.

I just keep coming back to If those messages dont work, I dont know how we break through,' Pembrook said. Because its the future of the state were talking about. Its the safety and health of the individuals in the state. What other cards do we have that we can play?

Mendoza urged Pembrook and other chancellors and presidents to take a less guarded approach to the stalemate. All of the universities in the state were recently put on yet another watch list, she said. This is an untenable situation, she said. At what point are the university chancellors or presidents going to stand up and say Enough is enough! I think this is not acceptable!

Illinois has not had a balanced budget since 2014 due to an impasse between Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate.

Mendoza accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of failing to introduce a balanced budget proposal while saying publicly that he had.

Theres been nothing even remotely close by any stretch of the imagination, Mendoza said.

Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat, and Christine Radogno, a Republican leader, have been trying to strike a grand bargain that involves compromises by both sides, she said.

Rauner blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan and the Democrats for tanking the deal.

Thats complete hogwash, she said. At the same time that university budgets are being decimated, when your budgets are being cut by 58 percent . . . we should be investing in kids, we should be investing in these institutions.

Rauner spokesperson Catherine Kelly referred questions to Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis.

The Governor understands and is gravely concerned about the severe financial challenges facing our students, colleges and universities due to the General Assemblys failure to pass a balanced budget, Purvis said in an email response. This crisis is why he is working every day to find consensus on a budget that is truly balanced, and ensure the states higher education system thrives in the long-term. Instead of pointing fingers, we would encourage Comptroller Mendoza to urge her former colleagues in the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget with changes to fix our broken system.
The SIUE campus fire station has officially made its debut to the city of Edwardsville.

The station, located on Northwest University Drive, held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday morning as local citizens, SIUE representatives, public safety and city officials gathered to celebrate.

Edwardsville Fire Chief Rick Welle kicked off the ceremony, giving thanks to all city staff, contractors, SIUE staff and public officials who were involved.

There were a few times I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking, 'Oh my goodness, what did we miss?' Fortunately, just as we do in fire service, when something like this needs to be accomplished, it works through teamwork, Welle said. Today is a culmination of all of their work and I want to thank each and every one of them.

City Administrator Tim Harr, City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler, Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton, city aldermen Janet Stack, Barb Stamer, Tom Butts, Craig Louer, SIUE Vice Chancellor Rich Walker, and several others attended the event.

The campus station has been in service since November of last year; however, the Edwardsville Fire Department was holding off on the ribbon-cutting until all of the finishing touches were complete.

Chair of the Public Safety Committee Janet Stack was one the individuals recognized by Welle during the ceremony. After approving several change orders for the $3.8 million facility during the finishing touches of construction, Stack said the work was very much worth it.

Local governments job is to protect and serve. I think the city of Edwardsville and SIUE has demonstrated that they are willing to do that by providing this facility. Weve had many calls already coming out of this firehouse, showing the great need that we have for it, Stack said. (Taxpayers), this is for you. Its a combination of the city, the university and the community.

Next up was Vice Chancellor of SIUE Rich Walker, who said the station has already gotten significant use so far on campus.

We are thrilled to be the home of station 3, its been a long time in the making and we hope that you are all thrilled with your new home. Im proud to tell you a story of what happened a couple of weeks ago. One of our students unfortunately suffered a seizure in our student center. But EMS was right there, they stabilized the student, for precautions they transported him up to a hospital, Walker said. Edwardsville and SIUE continue to be a bright spot and the envy from all around Illinois and you are now a part of our education mission, which is to shape the students for a changing world.

The 8,300-square-foot station serves both the SIUE campus and the warehouse district in Edwardsville, including the Gateway Commerce and Lakeview Corporate Centers. It houses two firefighters/paramedics, one to two ambulances, a truck and other equipment that is needed.

There is also a safe haven feature on the west side of the station, consisting of a small lobby that is open 24 hours a day with an emergency phone and paramedics readily available.

The project was constructed by L. Wolf Construction Inc.

Patton, who was also honored by Welle, said recently the city approved a four-year contract with firefighters, which will also benefit both the city and the campuss safety going forward.

We are pleased to say we just approved a four-year contract with our firefighters. Weve got that, weve got this facility to provide a great response time to the university and to the warehouse district, and the downtown facility will allow the expansion of our departments over the years has been tremendous, so having a facility to house them and to allow them to do their job effectively is fantastic. Another thing that well do is well continue the businesses growth downtown by selling the existing facility and hopefully creating more business opportunity, Patton said.

Although the process for the facility was a bit longer than initially expected, Patton said any contractor would have experienced the same thing, given the complexity of the facilitys location.

This is a very detailed building. Wolf Construction said it was even harder for them, who were very experienced. But theres a lot of features to it being on the campus. We had it meet a lot of their architectural standards. We wanted this to be a building that would serve this area from 80-90 years, so its a long-term fix and its hard to imagine what the campus will look like 70 years from now, but I know this facility will still be functioning and functioning long because of the design and the effort going into the construction, he said.

With the new SIUE station serving both the university and the warehouse district, Patton said the facility has already proven to be beneficial now and in the future.

"I said when this first started what I did not want to do as mayor was to have to meet the parent of a student out here on campus that suffered a tragedy because we were not able to get to that student in a timely manner. And so just knowing that's been opened since November, functioning in that way to take care of the faculty and students, and we've received hundreds of calls each week from the warehouse area. So we're going down there to take care of employees, workers as well as the roads that we are responsible for," he said.

The ceremony concluded with Harr and Welle unveiling a plaque that will be placed within the station, honoring all city staff, public officials, and contractors who were involved in the project.

For more information about the SIUE campus fire station, visit the city's website at www.cityofedwardsville.com
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Linkedin Barbara Marquand (Associated Press)  Sat, April 22, 2017 07:06 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea46abb 2 Health selfie,life-insurance,health Free

A selfie reveals more than whether it's a good hair day. Facial lines and contours, droops and dark spots could indicate how well you're aging, and, when paired with other data, could someday help determine whether you qualify for life insurance.

"Your face is something you wear all your life, and it tells a very unique story about you," says Karl Ricanek Jr., co-founder and chief data scientist at Lapetus Solutions Inc. in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Several life insurance companies are testing Lapetus technology that uses facial analytics and other data to estimate life expectancy, he says. (Lapetus would not disclose the names of companies testing its product.) Insurers use life expectancy estimates to make policy approval and pricing decisions. Lapetus says its product, Chronos, would enable a customer to buy life insurance online in as little as 10 minutes without taking a life insurance medical exam .

Life insurers already gather other data with your permission to get insight beyond the information you supply on the application. For example, they often pull motor vehicle records, prescription drug histories and reports from an insurance industry database of certain information disclosed on past individual life and health insurance applications.

Many life insurance companies are exploring how to use additional data, statistical models, artificial intelligence and other techniques to help make quick decisions to ease the policy buying process and boost sales. Consumers don't like the wait on the typical application process, which can take weeks and often requires a medical exam.

Time and testing will tell which new approaches prove effective, says Robert Kerzner, president and CEO of LIMRA, a life insurance trade group. "This one may or may not meet the vetting process to make carriers comfortable," he says.

It's important for the consumer to feel comfortable, too. It's one thing to post a selfie on Instagram, another to send it to an insurer for analysis. And it's crucial for consumers that any technology an insurer uses works. Their claims may not be fully paid if insurers make inaccurate predictions and go belly up.

IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE

If Chronos is adopted by an insurer - which would need to get regulatory approval from states to use it in the underwriting process - here's generally how it would work.

You'd upload a selfie to the insurer online and answer health and other questions. The facial analytics technology would scan hundreds of points on your face and extract certain information, including your body mass index, physiological age (in layman's terms, how old you look) and whether you're aging faster or slower than your actual age.

Ricanek says the program can detect makeup, but not plastic surgery. It verifies identity by comparing the photo to the one on your driver's license.

Read also: Salt makes you hungry, not thirsty: Study

The insurer would combine the results with your application answers and, if it chooses, any other information it typically pulls. If approved for coverage, you could buy a policy immediately online.

Several of the largest life insurers contacted for this story declined to comment on the Lapetus product or the potential use of facial analytics in the underwriting process.

Ricanek worked on facial recognition technology for the FBI's Biometric Center of Excellence and is a computer science professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He started Lapetus with S. Jay Olshansky, a public health professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Lapetus launched Chronos, its first product, in November 2015.

SHORTENING THE WAIT

Insurers are in a tough spot because consumers are used to buying products instantly. But it can take a month or longer to approve coverage if the insurer requires a medical exam.

Exams cost insurers money, says Samantha Chow, a life insurance and annuities senior analyst for Aite Group, a research and advisory firm in Boston.

And fewer people are buying. In 2016, an estimated 9.4 million individual policies were sold, down from 17.7 million individual policies in 1984, according to LIMRA.

Consumers don't like waiting. Only 42 percent of consumers said it was OK to wait a month for policy approval, and less than 18 percent said waiting for two months was acceptable, according to a 2015 study by LIMRA and Life Happens, another trade group.

Chow tested the Lapetus platform as part of research of automated underwriting for Aite. She says the ease of the process could appeal to consumers who want a quick way to buy coverage.

PHOTO OPS

Ricanek says his company's market research found that consumers are willing to share photos with insurers if they get something back, such as the opportunity to buy coverage quickly.

Amy Bach, executive director of consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, says such technology could be good for consumers if it makes the application process easier.

But she says she is concerned that insurers may rely too heavily on new technology and find later that their risk projections were off.

Meanwhile, Lapetus is exploring how facial analytics may identify early signs of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or dementia. And it's developing a feature that it says will be able to tell whether someone ever smoked. Among the clues are early signs of crow's feet around the eyes and under-eye bagging.

"Smoking is going to be written on your face," Ricanek says. "Even if you stopped smoking, once it's written, it's there."
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Linkedin Colleen Barry (Associated Press) Milan  Sat, April 22, 2017 08:31 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea4a47b 2 Health Italy,brain,brain-tumor,cellphone,technology,#brain,#tumor,health Free

A longtime Telecom Italia employee has been awarded monthly social security payments after a court found that his brain tumor was caused by improper use of a company-issued cellphone.

Lawyer Stefano Bertone said Thursday that it was the first trial court verdict of which he was aware in the world "to recognize a link between cellphone use and the development of brain tumor."

Bertone said one factor that appeared to have contributed to the verdict was the refusal by the court's expert to accept into evidence studies that were funded by the telecom industry.

Read also: A 'sci-fi' cancer therapy fights brain tumors, study finds

The legal reasoning behind the ruling, which was issued by a court in the northern city of Ivrea last month but only made public on Thursday, is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The employee, Roberto Romeo, used the company cellphone for three hours a day for 15 years without taking any precautions, resulting in the non-cancerous tumor and the subsequent loss of hearing in one ear.

"The norms say intense use is one hour a day," Romeo told Sky TG24. "I went well beyond the limits."

Romeo sued the state social security agency, not Telecom Italia, where he still works. He said he is not against cellphone use, but that consumers should adopt safety measures. His lawyer said those could include reducing cel phone use and using specialized anti-radiation ear buds.

Read also: Bio Farma to sell more affordable breast cancer drugs

Under the ruling, Romeo will receive between 6,000 and 7,000 euros ($6,000-$7,500) a year, Bertone said.

The Codacons consumer protection agency says it is considering a class-action based on the Romeo decision to have cellphones carry health warnings in Italy, and also to have the health risks associated with cellphone use recognized generally by Italy's social security agency.

Bertone said that a 2012 decision by Italy's highest court awarding social security payments to a sales manager who was on a cellphone five or six hours a day helped paved the way for the ruling in his client's case. In the earlier case, the trial court denied the claim, but Italy's highest court accepted a link between excessive cell phone use and the manager's tumor.
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Linkedin Chris Stokel-Walker (Bloomberg)  Sat, April 22, 2017 09:02 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea4c24e 2 Science & Tech computer,health,technology,work,workers,office,stress,#workplace,workplace,#technology,#computer Free

It was the third hour of doing nothing that broke James Scott.

The 25-year-old researcher was sitting at his desk at an insurance firm in northern England when the internet went down. And with it went access to all of his files, which were sitting on a company server.

Being without the internet is manageable, just about, he said. Id just work on projects that didnt require online research. But being unable to access any files for half a day meant I was totally unproductive.

Read also: If your computer mouse gives you shoulder pain, try these tricks

Scott ended up reading a vaguely work-related book while checking every 10 minutes to see if the company was back online. The three wasted hours? Infuriating, he said.

Slow, outdated computers and intermittent internet connections demoralize workers, a survey of 6,000 European workers said. Half of U.K. employees said creaking computers were restrictive and limiting, and 38 percent said modern technology would make them more motivated, according to the survey, commissioned by electronics company Sharp.

Scotts PC runs the relatively up-to-date Windows 8 operating system, but his computer sometimes struggles to handle large spreadsheets and multiple documents open simultaneously, slowing him down.

Others are in a worse spot. One in every eight business laptops and desktops worldwide still run Windows XP, which was introduced in 2001 and abandoned by Microsoft in 2014, according to data collected by Spiceworks, an IT network monitoring firm.

Half of all businesses have at least one PC running the 16-year-old operating system. And in the U.K., thousands of computers used by hospitals are still using XP, according to tech website Motherboard.

Employers dont realize they are spending thousands of pounds on salaries butby refusing to update office ITare wasting money, said Mohammad Ali Khan, managing director of Pacific Infotech, a London-based IT consultancy. The stuff employees can probably do in half an hour, theyre sitting for an hour or more because their equipment is too slow.

Read also: Slumping PC market shows a glimmer of hope in 1st quarter

Charlotte Robson, 27, works in Londons finance sector. Her workplace computer runs through a remote desktop, connecting to an off-site serverostensibly to allow employees to work remotely. However, the it also means that things load slower than they should, even if youre in the office.

The app takes a long time to load up and occasionally it just kicks you out, she said. My main gripe is that for no discernible reason it takes ages for me to switch between programs.

She spends about 15 minutes a day just waiting for her computer to unclog itself. The average British employee wastes 40 minutes a day because of slow technology, the Sharp survey said.

Some businesses cant help using old hardware or operating systems, because they use specialized software that also hasnt been brought up-to-date.

Not only would they have to spend on the hardware, but theyd have to fork out for the upgrade to the software, Khan said.

Read also: How the six-hour workday actually saves money

Office workers can take solace in the fact that bad IT annoys computer professionals as much as it does rank-and-file office workers.

Saurav Dutt, 35, was a member of a London-based IT firm that provides services to law firms. He was making a presentation to potential customers at an exhibition in Manchester. His speaking slot came right after a Google marketing executivea prime opportunity, he thought.

But the system ground to a halfdue, Dutt said, to the outdated computers his company was using for its live demonstration.

It wasnt just embarrassing, but it also led to a loss of credibility, Dutt said. When youre a business consultancy selling IT services, you expect to have state-of-the-art equipment.
But forest officials confess they cannot explain why big cats in particular should be vulnerable to trains. Shouldn't they find out?

The railways is proving to be a formidable enemy of big cats in Madhya Pradesh. Two tigers and two leopards have been run over by trains in just the past three months, most recently on April 15. Strangely, three of the four big cats were killed more or less on the same spot-the mid-ghat section on the Bhopal-Hoshangabad line.

Why the alarming rise in frequency of such accidents? The mid-ghat section lies within the Ratapani Tiger Reserve, where the tiger population has increased from between 18 and 21, as estimated in the 2011 tiger census, to around 35 now, say forest officials. A popular theory is that the cats are being hit by trains as they cross the tracks to get to nearby watering holes. A train passes through the section almost every 10 minutes. "Train drivers have been asked to slow down and honk several times as they cross," says R.P. Singh, additional principal chief conservator of forests.

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H.S. Pabla, a former chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh, suggests tigers and panthers traverse tight spaces more than herbivores, but acknowledges that he is merely speculating. Others argue that the waste by the tracks attracts dogs, cows, pigs and other domesticated animals, which the big cats see as easy prey, putting themselves in harm's way.

But forest officials confess they cannot explain why big cats in particular should be vulnerable to these trains. Shouldn't they find out?

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Providence, Rhode Island, United States  Sat, April 22, 2017 16:03 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea5ba51 2 People robert-de-niro,brown-university Free

Robert De Niro is among six people scheduled to receive honorary degrees at Brown University's commencement exercises

The Ivy League school announced Friday the Oscar-winning actor is being celebrated "for the intensity he brings to each performance." De Niro will receive a doctor of fine arts degree during the school's May 28 ceremonies.

De Niro has been nominated seven times for an Academy Award, and won twice in 1975 for "The Godfather: Part II" and in 1981 for "Raging Bull."

Read also: Trump, Francis, LeBron among Time's 100 most influential

Others to receive honorary degrees are rapper and actor Daveed Diggs; teacher Donald Hood; businesswoman Indra Nooyi; business executive Richard Parsons; and poet Rosmarie Waldrop.

Brown does not have the traditional keynote speaker at commencement exercises, instead reserving that honor for members of the graduating class.
A gigantic Chinese-flagged hopper dredger was caught by the Indonesian Navy for allegedly scavenging valuable items from a shipwreck on Thursday.

Yet after arresting the dredgers crew, the Navy only sent one personnel to guard the vessel. In less than six hours after the arrest, the vessel had fled the crime scene around Anambas Islands, Riau Islands province.

MV Chuan Hong 68 is a 8,352 gross ton vessel, measuring 122 meters in length and 32 m in width. The ship was allegedly caught carrying out the illegal activity at around 6:30 p.m. In response, four navy personnel were deployed to the ship and arrested 20 crew members, consisting of 16 Chinese citizens, three Indians and one Malaysian.

Our resources are limited and the ship is huge. We secured the crew members first, Navy deputy chief of staff Vice Adm. Achmad Taufieqoerroch-man said during a press conference at the residence of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti on Friday.

He added that after the arrests he had ordered a warship to go to the site to secure the dredger. While waiting for the military vessel to arrive, Achmad said a 12-meter-long boat owned by a local fisherman, with one Navy personnel on board, had been used to guard the dredger.

The personnel was initially on board [the ship] but it was deemed dangerous as he was alone. So he waited on the fishermans boat anchored nearby.

When our warship eventually got to the location, the [Chinese-flagged] vessel was no longer there, he said, adding that the vessel had fled north to the South China Sea.

Achmad added that there may have been crew members hiding in the vessel.

Susi said she believed the dredger had intended on taking the cargo of Swedish supertanker Seven Skies shipwreck, as it was identified at the exact location of the shipwreck. Seven Skies sank around the waters between Jemaja and Repong islands in Anambas in 1969, at a depth of 64 m.

She added that the location of the shipwreck was reportedly a popular diving site, with diving operators from Singapore and Malaysia often taking tourists to the site.

The situation at the moment is that the position and control of the ship is unknown. What we have done is secure the crew. Warships and aircraft have been deployed to track it. We believe the ship has already entered international waters, Minister Susi told journalists on Friday.

With ships like these, usually their transponders are shut down. Their flag is not from their country of origin, thats usually the case, said Susi.

Achmad said 15 of the arrested crew members were being detained on Jemaja Island, while five were on Tarempa Island. We will take them to Tarempa because in Jemaja we only have a small post, he said.

Achmad added that the operation began after the Navy received information from local fishermen about a suspicious ship in the area. After the Navy personnel boarded the ship, they received information from the crew that the skipper was on the ground.

The location of the ship, Achmad said, was right on the Indonesian territorial sea border and that within 30 minutes the ship could reach international waters.

Achmad confirmed that, at the moment, authorities were only able to communicate with a Malaysian among the crew, while language barriers had prevented them from communicating with others.

The Malaysian said the ship was of Chinese origin. But we do not have documents to prove it. We did not even find Chinese flag on board. We only found a Malaysian flag, which was not flown,

Susi said her ministry would contact Interpol to seek help in locating the dredger. She added that the ministry had notified the Foreign Ministry about the capture of foreigners inside Indonesian territory. (mrc)
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Linkedin Elaine Ganley and Lori Hinnant (Associated Press) Paris  Sat, April 22, 2017 08:06 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea47f10 2 World France,attack,Islamic-State,IS,counterterrorism,terrorism,Paris,#Paris,presidential-election Free

The gunman who shot and killed a police officer on the famed Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote spent 14 years in prison, including for attacking other officers, Frances's anti-terrorism prosecutor said Friday  a lengthy criminal history that gave a jolt to an already nail-biting election and fueled growing security concerns.

Yet, despite an arrest as recently as February, the 39-year-old assailant, Karim Cheurfi, had shown no signs of radicalization, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said, and was released for lack of evidence of a threat.

That all changed Thursday when Cheurfi, a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the crowded boutique-lined boulevard synonymous with French glamour, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police.

Security forces found a note praising the Islamic State group at the scene of the attack, which apparently fell from the gunman's pocket. That, along with an unusually quick claim of responsibility by the Islamic State group were the only signs that he had entered the world of Islamic extremists, Molins said. Scraps of paper scrawled with the addresses of police stations and a satchel of weapons, munitions and the Muslim holy book were discovered in his car.

Thursday's shootings followed the arrest this week of two men in Marseille on suspicion of plotting an attack around Sunday's hotly contested first-round presidential vote, fueling France's worst fear: a terrorist attack as crowds gather at polling stations across the nation.

Polls suggest a tight race among the four top contenders, with far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen  who rails at France's Socialist government for being lax on crime  and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, in the lead.

However, conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid as his parliamentary aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist, Jean-Luc Melenchon.

The attack in Paris appeared a perfect fit for Le Pen and her barbed criticism of authorities she accuses of being naive on terrorism. The outcome of the election was being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates like Le Pen.

US President Donald Trump waded into the fray Friday, asserting in an interview with The Associated Press that the attack will stoke Le Pen's chances.

"She's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said in the Oval Office interview, noting that he was not specifically endorsing the far-right candidate.

"Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election," he said.

Le Pen, who wants France to exit the EU, says her first move if elected will be to regain control of the nation's borders, something she says is a critical component of sovereignty and a way to end what she calls a "sieve" for terrorists.

France is part of a treaty for a borderless Europe, allowing travelers to freely come and go.

Le Pen has hammered at the security issue, and on Friday she demanded the government immediately re-establish border controls. Bernard Cazeneuve, the Socialist prime minister, accused Le Pen of electoral opportunism in the face of a tragedy. He noted that Le Pen's National Front party voted against an anti-terrorism law in 2014 and, in 2015, against a law that beefed up resources for French intelligence services.

Campaigning by the 11 presidential candidates got off to a slow start, bogged down by corruption charges around once-top candidate Fillon before belatedly switching focus to France's biggest fear: a new attack.

The French president will be chosen in a runoff of the top two candidates on May 7.

Sunday's vote is being held under a state of emergency, in place since terror attacks in 2015. Security is tight, with some 50,000 police and gendarmes joining 7,000 soldiers deployed around the nation for the vote. However, it was unclear whether Thursday's deadly assault would sway or dissuade the legions of undecided voters.

"Nothing must hamper this democratic moment, essential for our country," Cazeneuve said after a high-level meeting Friday that reviewed the government's security plans.

But Molins, the prosecutor for terrorism cases in France, underscored the challenge of defeating an enemy hiding within.

"This last dramatic event shows, I believe, that we must remain humble" despite the extraordinary mobilization of anti-terrorism forces, he said.

The attack appeared to fit a pattern of European extremists targeting security forces and symbols of state to discredit, take vengeance on or destabilize society. It recalled recent attacks on French soldiers providing security at prominent locations around Paris: at the Louvre museum in February and at Paris' Orly airport last month.

Whether voters will cast a ballot for security, normalcy or not at all is up for grabs. But pollsters are doubtful the attack will sway the vote.

"People unfortunately have grown accustomed to such violence," said Emmanuel Riviere of the Kantar Public consultancy firm.

"What could have an impact is if the candidates try to use the attack" for political gain, he said. "They would pay a heavy price for that."

The slain policeman was identified as Xavier Jugele by a French association of LGBT police officers. Its president, Mickael Bucheron, told AP he would have celebrated his 38th birthday at the beginning of May.

Jugele was among the officers who responded to the gun-and-bomb attack on Paris' Bataclan concert hall on Nov. 13, 2015, among a wave of assaults that night. He returned to the concert venue for its reopening a year later with a concert by Sting.

On Friday, police officers gathered at the spot where their colleague was killed to lay flowers and say farewell.

"This is the moment of paying respect, solidarity and support," said Dennis Jacob of the Alternative Police Union. "To express our sadness and anger facing this new attack in which one of our own has died for France, serving the French population."

___

Associated Press writers John Leicester, Angela Charlton, Sylvie Corbet and Raphael Satter in Paris and Julie Pace in Washington contributed to this report. (**)
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Linkedin Ati Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

Were back in the month of Kartini, when the nation celebrates the heroine for womens rights on April 21. But many overlook what men can do and what it takes to get males to contribute to a more prosperous society.

Actually you hunks can really help boost the economy; if you handle the kids and more house chores, millions more women could join the workforce and earn income, inside or outside the home.

From year to year, the statistics keep fretting surveyors: Women in Indonesias workforce have remained stuck at about 50 percent in the last 25 years despite better access to education. The last United Nations Development Program survey said Indonesian male participation in the labor force was almost 84 percent compared to 50.9 percent for women.

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Linkedin Wahyoe Boediwardhana (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya, East Java  Sat, April 22, 2017 15:31 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea5ac57 1 National Dahlan-Iskan,graft,graft-trial,graft-suspect,#DahlanIskan,corruption,corruption-case Free

Former state-owned enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan faces lawsuits in two cases after he was declared guilty in a separate graft case and sentenced to two years in prison during his trial at the Surabaya Corruption Court on Friday.

In the first of two ongoing cases, Dahlan was alleged to have been involved in graft related to the construction of electrical relay stations in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, when he was president director of state-owned electricity company PLN.

In the second case, Dahlan was implicated in alleged corruption centered on the procurement of 16 electric cars for the 2013 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bali.

(Read also: Dahlan gets 2 years for graft, files appeal)

In Fridays hearing, the courts judge panel ruled Dahlan guilty for corruption related to the selling of assets belonging to PT Panca Wira Usaha (PWU), an enterprise owned by the East Java administration.

In addition to a two-year prison sentence, Dahlan was also ordered to pay Rp 100 million (US$ 7,525.03) in fines or face an additional two months in prison.

Dahlan said he would file an appeal against the courts ruling. After having discussions with my lawyers, we have decided we will appeal the [guilty] verdict, he said after the hearing.

Prosecutors previously asked the judge panel to sentence Dahlan to six years in prison and order him to pay Rp 8.3 billion in fines or face an additional three and a half months in prison. (mrc/ebf)
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang, Central Java  Sat, April 22, 2017 12:32 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea54e19 1 National prisoners,inmate-release,inmate-release-procedures,Bulu-female-penitentiary,Semarang,Central-Java Free

Prisoners serving sentences at the Bulu women's penitentiary in Semarang, Central Java, have called on the government to revise its regulation on procedures for release.

Conveying their demand during Kartini Day on Friday, the prisoners said the tough requirements imposed by Government Regulation (PP) No. 99/2012 on the rules and procedures for the fulfilment of prisoners rights had hampered their wish to get immediate releases. Hence, they hoped the government could remove PP 99.

Wearing low-cut kebaya blouses (a traditional Javanese attire), several inmates attending the Kartini Day celebration wrote messages that read Hapus PP 99 (Revoke PP 99) right on their chests.

Most of the inmates wore kebaya, songket (a traditional woven textile), or sarong during the celebration. Also, their hair was elaborately styled and their faces were painted.

We want the removal of PP 99. To get a prison release, we must be able to show evidence of being justice collaborators. This is very hard for us. At least this regulation must be revised, a female inmate told The Jakarta Post.

Semarang deputy mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu held a dialogue with the prisoners during her visit to the penitentiary on Friday, but she apparently did not comment about the demands. They can produce bags, pillow cases and batik shirts. Its amazing, she said.

We [the Central Java administration] will help them. We will market their handicraft products, but they have to consistently produce their products. (ebf)

Staying productive: Hundreds of prisoners at the Bulu women's penitentiary in Semarang, Central Java, are prepared to meet orders or handicrafts. In the prison, 216 inmates have been trained to sew, including by Anne Avantie, a popular kebaya designer from Semarang. (JP/Suherdjoko)
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Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistyono (The Jakarta Post) Washington  Sat, April 22 2017

The World Bank has included Indonesia on the list of six countries to be involved in the multibillion US-dollar climate change battle, expecting to reduce worldwide emissions regardless of United States President Donald Trumps harsh rhetoric against the matter.

At a press conference before the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim stressed that climate change mitigation and adaptation projects would continue to be a priority.

He said Indonesia, China, India, the Philippines, Pakistan and Vietnam would work on the world carbon emission reduction programs through multiple efforts involving the private sector.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 15:54 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea5b9f0 1 National Interpol,fugitive,Interpol-fugitive,bali,NgurahRaiAirport,Ngurah-Rai-International-Airport,immigration,ImmigrationOffice,Immigration-Office Free

Chinese citizen Cheng Liang, 34, an Interpol-listed fugitive arrested in Bali on Thursday, will be deported soon, an immigration official has said.

Ngurah Rai International Airport immigration chief Ari Budijanto said his office was coordinating with security authorities in China to discuss the deportation plan.

He will be deported soon and handed over to Chinese police authorities, he said as quoted by kompas.com on Friday. The details for the handover process were still being discussed, he added.

Immigration authorities in Denpasar arrested Cheng at around 2:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. His arrival in Bali was reportedly anticipated by authorities.

Cheng, who is on Interpols red list because of alleged fraud, reportedly faces a life sentence in his country.

Cheng is currently being detained at the Bali Polices detention facility. He was transferred there after attempting suicide in his cell at the Immigration Offices detention facility. He tried to kill himself by puncturing his veins with a plastic object, officials said.

After the suicide attempt, Cheng was found lying on the floor in his cell during a cell check. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Budijanto said Cheng was probably suffering from feelings of depression. (mrc/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 21:01 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea61f49 1 National Italy,Italian-girl,Facebook,Batang,Batang-Central-Java,Central-Java Free

The rise of social media in the past decade has allowed people to form relationships via social networking services such as Facebook regardless of their background.

Ilaria, for instance, a young Italian woman who was previously living in Italy, was determined to meet Dzulfikar, a young man living in Batang regency, Central Java, who she met on the internet.

The two began communicating via Facebook before reportedly falling in love and agreeing to marry.

On April 18, Ilaria arrived in Batang and directly headed to Tragung village, Kandeman district, Batang regency. She said her purpose of coming to Indonesia was to meet Dzulfikar. The two had agreed to marry, tribunnews.com reported.

Ilaria said she conveyed her plan to marry Dzulfikar to her parents in Italy and that they gave her consent to do so.

For two years, I saved money I got from working in a restaurant in Italy just to come to Indonesia, said Ilaria. Her arrival in Batang quickly drew public attention, including from police authorities who immediately dispatched personnel to check on the presence of the foreigner in the Batang village.

Dzulfikars neighbors reportedly notified the police of Ilarias presence.

Accompanied by three personnel, Batang Police deputy chief First Insp. Agus Windarto traveled to Tragung village to assess the situation. We questioned her to determine what her purpose was of coming to Indonesia, said Agus. (mrc/ebf)

Dzulfikar (right, in red), a young man from Tragung village, Kendeman district, Batang, Central Java, talks about his plan to marry Ilaria, an Italian woman he met on Facebook. (Tribunnews.com/File)
Entry of the Swaraj India in the Delhi civic polls has made the MCD election 2017 a four-cornered political battle. The BJP is looking for a third consecutive term. The Congress is eyeing for a comeback. The AAP's credibility among Delhi voters is at stake while with Swaraj India Yogendra Yadav is hoping to do what Arvind Kejriwal did in Delhi Assembly poll in 2015.

By India Today Web Desk: Votes will be cast tomorrow for the three municipal corporations of Delhi. The elections are taking place close on the heels of the Rajouri Assembly by-poll, in which the Aam Aadmi Party had to bite dust as its candidate forfeited security deposit.

The BJP has been ruling the civic bodies of Delhi for past ten years and is looking for the third consecutive term. The Congress, on the other hand, is upbeat after it came second with improved vote share in the Rajouri by-poll.

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The Aam Aadmi Party looks at a cross-road in the MCD election 2017. The Delhi civic elections are being seen as a popularity test for the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

There is another factor this MCD election - the Swaraj Abhiyan. Psephologist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav's the Swaraj Abhiyan has been working almost silently for the Delhi civic polls. The Swaraj Abhiyan's political wing the Swaraj India is in the fray for the Delhi civic election.

The Swaraj India is hoping to do in MCD election 2017 what AAP did in Delhi Assembly election in 2015.

MCD ELECTION 2017: 10 THINGS TO KNOW The Delhi civic elections will take place in 272 wards spread across three municipal corporations. The three civic bodies going to polls are the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). The NDMC and SDMC have 104 seats each in their House while EDMC has a strength of 64. The counting of votes for all the municipal corporations of the Delhi will take place on April 26. Both, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Swaraj India are in the contention for MCD election for the first time. Taking escalating cost of contesting polls, the Election Commission increased the expenditure limit in the MCD Election 2017 for a candidate from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5.75 lakh. There are 1,32,10,206 eligible voters for the municipal corporation elections. They will be electing 272 councillors of Delhi. Of the total voters over 73 lakh are male and nearly 59 lakh are female voters. There are 793 voters of the other category. The MCDs have seats over 40 per cent seats reserved for women candidates. The North MCD has 42 seats reserved for women candidates while the South MCD has 45 seats earmarked for women in their House. The East MCD has 27 seats reserved for women candidates. This the first MCD election that the Delhi voters will be able to use the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option.

ALSO READ |

Delhi MCD election: Vote for BJP, get dengue, chikungunya, warns Arvind Kejriwal

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Dangal: Kejriwal says vote for BJP in MCD polls, get dengue, chikungunya

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Linkedin Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

As one of Jakartas main tourist attractions, the West Jakarta area affectionately known as Kota Tua, or Old Town, is in the middle of an extensive revamp that involves preserving its heritage buildings. The move is part of a wider effort to attract more local and foreign tourists to the historical neighborhood.

The city administration along with private parties and state-owned enterprises (BUMN) that are also owners of heritage buildings, have agreed to renovate several heritage properties located in the area.

The initial phase had the consortium repairing facilities such as pavements, parking spaces and food centers. It also involved the normalization of a 600-meter section of the Krukut River, clearing it from trash and silt.

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Indonesian heroine Raden Ajeng Kartini, popularly known as Kartini, has become an icon of the womens emancipation movement in the country. A Javanese woman, whose progressive ideas were beyond her time, Kartini, who lived more than a century ago, has inspired generations of women to reach beyond the demands of society.

Even though the story of Kartini, whose birthday is celebrated on Kartini Day every April 21, is still very much disputed and scrutinized, it has nonetheless given countless Indonesian women the courage to fight for what they believe in. Like the band of female farmers from Kendeng mountain in Central Java who, 138 years after Kartini was born, are standing up against the construction of a cement plant in their area.

Dubbed the Kartini of Kendeng, the women farmers left their families to fight a three-yearlong battle to achieve a greater purpose: to save their villages and livelihoods from environmental damage feared to be caused by the cement factorys operation. Hailing from several areas surrounding Kendeng including Rembang, Pati, Blora and Grobogan, the farmers protest has garnered nationwide attention.

Kartini called for women to not just stay at home. Women should be equal with men. Therefore, we fight for Kendeng [] so that the mountain range can be maintained as the nations paddy granary, Sukinah, a 41-year-old farmer from Rembang said on Friday.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old Giyem, a farmer from Pati, said that even though they faced many obstacles in their struggle to preserve the environment and their livelihoods, they would continue to fight in the spirit of Kartini.

Sukinah and Giyem, along with other farmers under Mount Kendeng Community Network (JMPPK) have voiced their rejection to the construction of state-owned cement producer PT Semen Indonesias factory in Rembang, on the grounds that it would damage the environment and dry up local springs, devastating their livelihoods.

They are two of the first nine Kendeng heroines who staged a protest with their feet buried in cement blocks in front of the Presidential Palace in the Jakarta last year, which has since become an iconic image of farmers resistance in the country.

However, their protest was not free from accusations and assumptions that claimed the women were exploited by parties and non-governmental organizations driven by foreign interests aimed at meddling in the countrys internal affairs.

Last month, the capital once again saw 50 men and women farmers from areas around Mount Kendeng stage an eightday protest, with their feet locked in concrete blocks, against the issuance of new environmental permit by Central Governor Ganjar Pranowo for the construction of the cement factory.

The protest has, so far, succeeded in moving President Joko Jokowi Widodo to suspend the cement factorys operation until the environmental assessment (KLHS) for Mount Kendeng is completed.

Their spirit remained strong even after a farmer from Pati named Patmi passed away due to cardiac arrest after spending numerous days in protest, leading the farmers to temporarily suspend their demonstration and return to their hometowns. Patmis death, however, strengthened civil society support for the Kendeng farmers leading to more protests around the country from people who wished to express their solidarity.

The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) regards Kartini of Kendeng to be a symbol of womens strength in the stand against injustice, inequality and the exploitation of natural resources.

These womens struggle is very similar to Kartinis struggle, however, it is sad to see from 1900 until present women are still underestimated in this patriarchal society and cannot feel safe, Komnas Perempuan commissioner Adriana Veny Aryani told The Jakarta Post.

I cannot understand why people create false accusations about these womens struggle. They go with their husbands permission and their husbands take turns tending to the plantations and fields. It shows that the process of gender equality begins at home, she added.

The independent state women rights body will soon submit a report with 19 recommendations to push Jokowis administration to prioritize the protection of farmers livelihood and to preserve the environment of Mount Kendeng area.

The report, which will also detail the history of the farmers struggles, is planned to be submitted before the government issues the second phase of KLHS report in July.
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Linkedin Kristen Gelineau and Ken Thomas (Associated Press) Sydney  Sat, April 22, 2017 08:45 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea4b2c0 2 World US-Vice-President-Mike-Pence,Mike-Pence,#MikePence,US,Australia Free

Vice President Mike Pence sought to reassure Australia on Saturday that the US remains committed to the countries' longtime alliance, as he tried to patch up relations that were left frayed when President Donald Trump got into a spat with Australia's leader over a refugee resettlement deal.

Pence met with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other Australian leaders in Sydney as part of his 10-day, four-country trip to Asia. His agenda includes reassuring Turnbull about the state of the unusually strained US-Australia alliance and laying out the new administration's priorities for the Pacific Rim.

"I bring greetings this morning from the President of the United States," Pence told Turnbull and other Australian officials ahead of their meeting. "I spoke to him first thing and he wanted me to pass along his very best regards to you. And the president wanted me to  early in this administration  to reaffirm the strong and historical alliance between the United States and Australia."

Pence's visit Down Under is widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia in the wake of a highly-publicized argument between Turnbull and Trump. After taking office, Trump was infuriated upon learning that the previous Obama administration had agreed to a refugee resettlement deal with Australia. Under the agreement, the US would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump's anger over the deal led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb."

The fallout has strained the typically cozy alliance between the U.S. and Australia. A majority of Australians view Trump unfavorably, and some critics of the president have urged Australia to distance itself from the US in favor of stronger ties with China. Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the US is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.

The affection Australia and the US usually share for each other is rooted in decades of cooperation on defense, intelligence and trade. Australia has fought alongside the US in every major conflict since World War I, and is one of the largest contributors to the US-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria. The country is also part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing program with the US, along with Canada, Britain and New Zealand.

Earlier Saturday, Pence met with Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, who said the relationship between the countries is as strong as it was since "the first time we saw each other on the battlefield in 1919." Cosgrove said the alliance that began during World War I started an "unbreakable relationship."

"We've been with you every step of the way," Cosgrove told Pence.

Pence is also scheduled to meet with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and the leader of the opposition party, Bill Shorten. On Sunday, he will tour Sydney's iconic Opera House and visit a local zoo. (**)
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Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak, West Kalimantan  Sat, April 22, 2017 12:11 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea538b2 1 National Earth-Day,#EarthDay,mangrove,mangrove-planting,West-Kalimantan,WWF,WWF-Indonesia Free

Earth Day, which was celebrated globally on April 22, has become a crucial way for World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia to alert various parties about the erosion currently threatening beaches in West Kalimantan.

Data released by WWF Indonesias West Kalimantan program shows 193 kilometers of coastal areas in the northern part of the province have suffered damage from erosion and high tides since 2012.

Mangrove restoration efforts need to be taken to tackle the situation. Apart from protecting the coastal areas, restoring mangroves will make positive impacts on society, ecologically, socially and economically, WWF Indonesia-Kalimantan's program manager, Albert Tjiu, said in Pontianak on Friday.

Since 2009, WWF Indonesia has worked with its nine partner groups to periodically restore northern coastal areas, 55.25 hectares of land, with mangrove trees. With wider mangrove coverage, various plants and animals can be found in the areas.

The mangrove areas have begun to become a prime tourism destination that supports the economy of people in their surrounding areas. This is like what has been conducted by Mempawah Mangrove Conservation in Mempawah regency and the conservation group, Surya Perdana Mandiri, in Singkawang City, said Albert.

This year, he said, mangrove planting conducted by various stakeholders was focused on green-shield areas, such as Gosong Beach in Bengkayang regency and Setapuk Besar and Kuala districts in Singkawang City.

The Environmental Care Community (Kopling) Gosong Beach is holding a three-day camp-out and mangrove planting program from April 21 to 23. About 500 participants of the program will plant about 2,000 of the 10,000 mangrove seedlings planned for planting in 2017. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 17:17 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea5d1b6 1 National Mimika,Timika,FreeportIndonesia,Freeport-Indonesia,shooting,shootings,ShootingIncidents Free

Two employees of US-based gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia, who were victims of a rubber bullet shooting allegedly committed by Timika police personnel on Thursday, are receiving intensive medical treatment at Mimika Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Timika, Papua.

According to RSUD Mimika spokesperson Lucky Mahakena, the two Freeport employees are Andrian W. Santoso and Muhammad Faidsal.

Faidsal was reportedly shot on the left side of his buttocks while Andrian suffered wounds to his left leg, directly under his knee.

Two other people who were rushed here have returned home, Lucky said as quoted by Antara on Saturday, referring to Zainal Arifin, who was shot in his right thigh, and Pukuh Prihantono, who was shot in his left knee. Another Freeport employee wounded in the sole of his foot returned home immediately after receiving treatment by medical personnel at the hospital.

The five Freeport employees suffered the wounds during a clash between police personnel and mining company workers who staged a protest in front of Timika District Court on Thursday. The police shot rubber bullets in their attempt to disperse the crowd.

Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Victor Dean Mackbon suffered injuries, including a punctured vein, to his left heel because of shrapnel from rubber bullets. He is currently receiving intensive treatment in a VIP room at RSUD Mimika.

Lucky said a team of doctors at RSUD Mimika had removed the shrapnel from Victor's wounds. After surgery, he [Victor] may need two or three weeks for recovery, he added. (mrc/ebf)
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Linkedin Putera Satria Sambijantoro (The Jakarta Post) Peshawar, Pakistan  Sat, April 22 2017

Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, is mostly known for its cameo in Sylvester Stallones blockbuster Rambo III.

In Sylvester Stallones action blockbuster Rambo III, the omnipotent hero visits the city of Peshawar as he seeks to gather support for his one-man blitzkrieg in Afghanistan to save his old friend.

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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

On the heels of what observers have viewed as a sectarian-fuelled Jakarta gubernatorial election, Indonesia is gearing up to face United Nations member states in defense of its human rights record at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on May 3.

Freedom of opinion, including religious expression, is one of the three major concerns in relation to Indonesias promotion and protection of human rights. Two issues being highlighted are the implementation of the death penalty and Papua, the easternmost province where activists have noted concerns about human rights violations.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly are set to attend the quadrennial hearing at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, with Wednesdays gubernatorial election still fresh in peoples memories.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Seoul  Sat, April 22 2017

Indonesia participated in this years Seoul Coffee Expo (SCE) 2017, which took place from April 6 to 9 at the Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul, the Trade Ministry said in a press release.

The SCE 2017 marked Indonesias third year of participation. Indonesia was named the special guest country this year and given a 90-square-meter pavilion filled with coffee products from nine renowned companies and exporters, including PT Erefindo Jaya Indonesia, Ventura Coffee and PT Aneka Coffee Industry.

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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

The government is set to revitalize the badly-damaged Tesso Nilo National Park in Riau by evicting oil palm farmers who have been operating illegally in the park and have been blamed for destroying over half the parks habitat.

The farmers are not native people and have often engaged in disputes with traditional owners of the land located near the park.

Chalid Muhammad, a senior adviser for Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, said the government would evict around 3,500 families residing inside the park.

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Linkedin Jonathan Lemire (Associated Press) Washington  Sat, April 22, 2017 08:30 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea4967e 2 World DonaldTrump,Donald-Trump,France,attack,election,Islamic-State,IS,Paris Free

President Donald Trump is taking the unusual step of weighing in publicly ahead of a foreign presidential election, predicting that the latest attack in Paris will have a "big effect" on voters there.

"Another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election!" he tweeted.

On Thursday, an attacker in Paris used an automatic weapon to shoot officers in the center of the Champs-Elysees. One officer was killed, as was the gunman, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Trump, in a break with his predecessors, has not been shy in casting terror attacks in political terms. In November 2015, he took to Twitter to blame France's strict control laws for an Islamic State terror attack at multiple sites in Paris and its suburbs that left 137 people dead.

And last year, he tweeted that he would "appreciate the congrats" for being right about the dangers of "radical Islamic terrorism" in the aftermath of the Florida nightclub shooting that left 49 dead. The shooter was a US citizen of Afghan descent.

The outcome of France's presidential election is being closely watched for signs that Europe is moving toward nationalist candidates who advocate the European Union's dissolution. The top two candidates from Sunday's vote in Paris will progress to a winner-takes-all May 7 runoff.

Trump was a supporter of the British decision to exit the European Union and has stated his preference for one-on-one trade and defense agreements with US allies.

His tweet Friday came as he tried to bolster US support for hard-line proposals on immigration and foreign policy. Trump's administration is demanding that Congress fund a bigger US border wall with Mexico and is suggesting that his administration could scrap the US nuclear deal with Iran.

This week, Trump met with Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni. At a joint news conference on Thursday, he said Iran is failing to fulfill the "spirit" of its nuclear deal with world powers and that the 2015 agreement shouldn't have been signed.

He pointedly stopped sort of telegraphing whether or not the US would remain in the agreement.

"They are not living up to the spirit of the agreement, I can tell you that," Trump said of the Iranians on Thursday, though he did not mention any specific violations. The administration has certified to Congress that Iran was complying  at least technically  with the terms of the deal, clearing the way for Iran to continue enjoying sanctions relief in the near term.

Trump has taken an aggressive tone on foreign policy of late, launching missiles into Syria in the wake of a chemical attack and while warning North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. He also said the US is committed to a strong Europe, but he didn't say directly whether he prefers that the European Union stay intact.

Trump's wrangling on international issues comes amid debate in the US over his priorities at home ahead of the possibility of a looming government shutdown. He was poised Friday to sign an executive order and memorandum at the Treasury Department on financial regulations. And White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said money for Trump's border wall must be part of the legislation passed to fund the federal government, along with money to hire more immigration agents.

Trump is approaching his 100th day in office, a benchmark often cited to measure a new administration's achievements. On Friday, he declared the benchmark as a "ridiculous standard."

He tweeted, "No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill!"

His statement ran counter to his statement earlier this week that "no administration has accomplished more in the first 90 days."

Since taking office, Trump has managed to get a Supreme Court justice confirmed and is pursuing tougher regulations on immigration. But his health care bill didn't come up for a vote in the House, his travel ban was twice blocked in the courts and his West Wing has been plagued by infighting and the resignation of his first national security adviser amid an ongoing investigation into contacts between Trump aides and Russian officials.

___

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During the operation, officers also detonated five powerful bombs, which emitted a loud bang and shook the ground.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: A huge cache of explosives and bomb-making materials were recovered from a militant hideout in Jhinaidah district of Bangladesh by law-enforcement officers while conducting a drive during Saturday afternoon.

DIG (police) of Khulna Range Didar Ahmmad, while addressing a press briefing after the operation, said, "Around 20 chemical containers, six bombs, three suicidal vests, nine suicidal belts, one hundred packets of iron balls, a huge quantity of explosives, a bomb-making electric circuit, a huge quantity of grenade-making material, Jihadist books, one pistol, one machete, one motorcycle including different materials were recovered from the den."

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Ahmmad also said that a huge quantity of bombs could be made from the explosives and circuits recovered from the den. "It is the bomb-making factory of neo-JMB. The owner of the house Abdullah is fugitive before operation starts. He and his wife Fatema alias Rubian are the members of Neo-JMB."

During the operation, officers also detonated five powerful bombs, which emitted a loud bang and shook the ground.

The law-enforcement officers surrounded the resident of a converted Muslim man, Abdullah, at Porahati village of sadar upazila of the district at 5 pm Friday. A 30-member counter terrorism unit from Dhaka reached at Porahati village of Jhinaidah to join the operation. The house was located half-kilometer from Jhinaidah-Magura highway, 7 kilometers away from the town.

Police Super of Jhinaidah, Mizanur Rahman, said the owner of the house Abdullah had been converted to Islam from Hindu five years ago.

Recently, seven drives were conducted at Chittagong, Sleet, Moulvibazar, Comilla and Mymensingh districts of Bangladesh.

Later, police chief IGP Shahidul Haque said, "More militant dens might have existed in the country."

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Lynda Ibrahim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

What a week its been for Jakartans. If youre one of those who are now worried whether the city would commit to make progress for someone like you, youre not alone. Most minorities or advanced-thinking Jakarta residents carry that doubt now, secretly or openly.

Race and religion cards have been dealt by both sides along the campaign trail. Its well-recorded how now governor-elect Anies Baswedan and running mate Sandiaga Uno didnt restrain the conservative hardliners from riding on their wagon. On some occasions they seemed too happy to be sharing the ride.

Unfortunately the ticket of Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat wasnt exactly squeaky clean on the issue either; some of my Christian or Chinese friends told me stories of serious peer pressure from ID collectors when Ahok was still trying to run independently and before voting on the election days, plus the depiction of Muslim-looking rioters circa 1998 in a campaign video released a couple of weeks ago.

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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 09:15 2027 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea4d197 2 Business Mike-Pence,US-Vice-President-Mike-Pence,JusufKalla,jusuf-kalla,kalla,US,#MikePence Free

The United States has called on the Indonesian government to remove business barriers it claims are impeding its companies from fully penetrating the domestic market.

During a business meeting and agreement signing ceremony on Friday, US Vice President Mike Pence said that although the US was enthusiastic about investing in Southeast Asias largest economy, many obstacles remained that held US companies back from truly pouring their money into the country.

US companies face many barriers and difficulties in the Indonesian market, including intellectual property, the lack of transparency, requirements in manufacturing to include local content to be able to sell products in the Indonesian market, he said matter-of-factly.

While the US acknowledges President Joko Jokowi Widodos efforts to reform the business and investment environment in Indonesia, it insists that there must be more to be done.

The truth is a stronger American economy is a stronger economy for Indonesia and all trading partners. The US is a driver for global growth, under President Donald Trump, we will be driving global growth like never before, he said.

Businesses are no stranger to the issues highlighted by Pence due to Indonesian government enforcement of increased use of local content in the oil and gas sector and telecommunications industry.

The US previously filed a complaint at the World Trade organization (WTO), challenging Indonesias policies on the imports of horticulture and animals. The WTO sided with the US and fellow petitioner New Zealand.

Since taking office in late 2014, Jokowi has made deregulation part of his administrations focus. It has issued more than a dozen economic policy packages to improve the business climate and investment.

The packages helped Indonesia climb 15 places to 91st place in the World Banks Doing Business 2017 report from 106th place a year prior.

However, despite the improvement, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Thomas Lembong agreed that Indonesia still had much to do to raise its competitiveness in the global market and to attract investments from across the globe, not just from US companies.

He said overregulation was bad even for local industries as they needed to import materials to enable them to produce goods that comply with international standards.

The BKPM will continue working to improve the economy and to cut red tape and is certain there will be more initiatives to simplify regulations and reduce trade barriers in the next few weeks.

While the US has traditionally invested in the mining and upstream oil and gas sectors, Thomas said the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Indonesia had indicated that it would increase investments in the manufacturing, technology and digital sectors.

Particular attention in the digital sector must be paid toward global data centers that use cloud computing, due to vague existing regulations, Thomas added.

On Friday, the US and Indonesia signed US$10 billion worth of agreements in trade and investment in the energy and defense sector.

The agreements included a $6 billion deal between US-based ExxonMobil and state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the latter for 20 years, starting in 2025.

State-owned electricity firm PLN and US-based Pacific Infra Capital LLC signed a $2 billion deal as well to implement an advanced metering infrastructure system in Indonesia.

The US and Indonesia also saw technology and manufacturing firm Honeywell and state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) secure a contract, in which the former will supply 34 TPE331 turboprop engines to DI over the next four years.

The value of Fridays agreements was lower compared to those made during former US president Barack Obamas visit in 2011.

Back then, Indonesias biggest low-cost carrier PT Lion Mentari Airlines (Lion Air) made a $21.7 billion deal with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing for the purchase of 230 aircraft. This was Boeings largest commercial order at the time.

According to data from the BKPM, the US invested $1.16 billion in 540 projects in Indonesia last year, an increase from $893.16 million and 261 projects in 2015.

In terms of trade, the Indonesia-US trade value stood at $23.4 billion in 2016, staying flat compared to 2015.

Pences visit to Indonesia is highly significant as it was conducted not long after the Trump administration was established earlier this year and Indonesia was one of the first countries on Pences Asia-Pacific tour.

Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) deputy chairperson Shinta Widjaja Kamdani said the US was no longer interested in multilateral agreements and any trade deals must be done bilaterally.

We already have a strategic partnership and now we have to develop that to specifically understand what both countries want from each other. We have to do it soon because [other countries] will also be competing [for investment], she said.

Indonesia is now awaiting a follow-up to the US generalized system of preference, which is expected to decrease duties for Indonesian manufactured goods exported to the US.

While Pence made only a brief mention of miner PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan confirmed on Thursday that the issue was briefly discussed between Pence and Jokowi.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 12:09 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea52f67 1 News China,tourists,tourism,bali,#Bali,destination,TripAdvisor Free

Chinese internet users appear to be most interested in holidaying in Bali, according to travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor.

The number of Chinese citizens searching for information on Bali on the website reportedly increased by 73 percent last year, followed by the Dutch (up 57 percent) and Indians (up 37 percent), TripAdvisor destination marketing sales head Sarah Matthews said in Bali on Friday.

Globally, the number of reviews and opinions on the website has reached 500 million, with an average of 290 pieces of content published per minute. Reviews on Bali, especially related to attractions and restaurants, are said to have increased by 38 percent last year, while the number of reviews on accommodation rose by 25 percent.

Read also: Bali named world's best destination by TripAdvisor



"These data show foreign tourists' interest related to Bali tourism, especially from China," said Bali Tourism Agency head Anak Agung Gede Yuniartha, as quoted by news agency Antara.

Yuniartha added that China was among the top three countries in terms of the number of foreign visitors to Bali throughout last year.

According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 990,000 Chinese citizens visited the island in 2016. (kes)
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Linkedin Nikki Ekstein (Bloomberg)  Sat, April 22, 2017 09:34 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea5005a 2 Destinations beach,#beach,destination,#destination,travel,#travel Free

A certain type of New Yorker has complaints about the beaches in Tulum, Mexico, Saint Barth's, or Mykonos in Greece. Why escape New York, they ask,just to be surrounded by New Yorkers?

Do not hang out with these people.

But do heed their warning: If you want to go to a beach to get away from other humans, you'll have to try a lot harder than visiting those popular, luxurious, seaside spots. At the the six under-the-radar destinations listed below, you wont know a soul anywhere in a hundred-mile radiusand the locals will make you feel like one of their own. Not just that: These untrammeled landscapes are postcard-perfect, free of photo-bombing tourists and full of secret coves just waiting for you to discover them. As icing on the cake, theyre all within close proximity to places you already know and love.

Times ticking though. These spots wont stay secret much longer.

Youve Done Mykonos  Now Try Zakynthos

A post shared by Jennifer Mati-Voukalis (@jennadrianna) on Apr 19, 2017 at 3:11pm PDT

Tired of looking at Mykonoss beautiful windmills? Never. But maybe youre ready to swap out the thumping social scene for something more laid-back. Head to the Ionian island of Zakynthos, a little-explored paradise where secret, pearlescent coves are hidden from plain sight by towering limestone bluffs.

The western and northern sides of the island are the quietest and most beautifuland the latter is where youll find the stone-walled Porto Zante Villas and Spa, which Greece expert Mina Agnos, president of Travelive, says offers an unsurpassed experience. Each villa has panoramic views, a private, heated swimming pool, and access to a private section of beach, she said. Other island draws: the neon-blue Shipwreck Beach (named for a destroyed vessel that still sits on the sand), endangered Caretta Caretta (loggerhead) sea turtles, and plenty of yacht charters for a day of Ionian beach-hopping.

Read also: Bali, Lombok beaches most popular among travelers

Youve Done Saint Barth  Now Try Sint Eustatius

A post shared by Anika (@hagilicious) on May 14, 2016 at 10:28am PDT

Not every place that Christopher Columbus discovered was put on the global map. Case in point: Sint Eustatius, one of the most under-the-radar islands in the resort-rich Caribbean, which the famed explorer first documented in 1493. Little has been said about it since then. Its sole city, Oranjestad, is known as the smallest capital in the world, and the entire island has a population of just 3,183.

But Statia, as its known, is just a short puddle-hopper flight from Sint Maarten, and scuba diving expert Robert Becker, of ProTravel, considers it one of his all-time favorite places. Theres no mega-tourism, and most people dont even know its there, he said. Its got great hiking and lots of gorgeous tropical foliage, plus very welcoming people who have a genuine desire to know that youre enjoying your stay. Bunk up at the Dutch colonial-style Old Gin House, where Becker says youll feel like youre staying with family friends, and pack goggles: The island is ringed by a national marine park, with impeccably-protected coral reefs and tropical fish stocks.

Youve Done Punta del Este, Uruguay  Now Try Mancora, Peru

A post shared by Sierra Engel (@sierraengel) on Apr 20, 2017 at 11:16am PDT

This beach is popular with locals, but few Western visitors have discovered it, said Ashish Sanghrajka, Latin America enthusiast and president of Big Five Tours. Thats because most travelers to Peru head inland to the Sacred Valley, rather than up the coast. Thats a big mistake.

Not only does Sanghrajka say that the beach town of Mancoraclose to the border of Ecuador and a four-hour flight from Limahas some of the best banana board surfing in Latin America. Its also home to a stunning nine-room resort, Kichic. Nearby, at Tucume, you can still accomplish some of that requisite Peruvian ruin-spotting; the adobe complex is nearly a thousand years old. And soon enough, the countrys luxury resort standard setter, Inkaterra, will open a beach retreat in the vicinityin a fishing town that inspired Ernest Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea.

Read also: Riding the waves at Wediombo Beach, Yogyakarta

Youve Done the Maldives  Now Try India's Andamans

A post shared by Rammohan Paranjape (@whoisram) on Apr 19, 2017 at 9:36pm PDT

Youll see nobody else on the beaches of Indias Andaman Islands, said Black Tomatoco-founder Tom Marchant, except for the occasional elephant. That should be selling point enough. (Who doesnt love elephants?) But the Andamans have even more going for them: Some of the worlds best scuba diving, easy access via suddenly trendy Calcutta, and its first-ever five-star stay, Jalakara. Now is the time to see these pristine islands before more people get wind of them, Marchant told Bloomberg. Theyre a haven of natural beauty, a contrast to the bustling mainland and a relaxed alternative to the Maldives and Mauritius.

Youve Done Ibiza  Now Try Coastal Portugal

A post shared by Kulshini (@freshini_) on Nov 22, 2016 at 11:42pm PST

Portugals tourism mojo has skyrocketed in the last year, luring many to its romantic cities and dreamy wine valleys, but its rugged beaches have yet to experience the boom. According to Virginia Irurita, who specializes in custom trips to the Iberian peninsula, there are no unexplored beaches left in Spain, but several spots along the Portuguese coast are still wild, beautiful, and empty. Take Odeceixe (pronounced udd-sesh): Its set at the juncture of the Atlantic Ocean and the tightly-coiled Ceixe River, which separates the Algarve from Alentejo.

There, youll find pristine beaches between the rivers curled banks as welol as on the quartz-lined ocean coastso many of them that you can kayak from one to the next, looking for resident otters or places to avoid human contact. The crowds are thin, in part because there are no luxury hotels. One exception: Herdade do Touril, an affordable boutique bolthole with direct beach access. It's far more stylish and hospitable than its 100 euro per-night price point would let on.

Youve Done Zanzibar  Now Try Likoma Island, Malawi

A post shared by Bryan Sarg (@fightgravitybymoto) on Mar 14, 2017 at 2:47pm PDT

Alex Malcolm, founder and managing director of Jacada Travel, says off-the-beaten-path Likoma Island on Lake Malawi should be considered a world's-best beach, both for its current-free, crystal-clear waters and its vibrant cultural draws: The island is dotted with fishing villages along its shorelines.

Stay at Kaya Mawa Resort, he told us, where each room was individually designed in partnership with a local workshop set up to empower single mothers, and the whole staff comes from neighboring villages, for a mix of social consciousness, authenticity, and intimacy. How to get there? Fly to Johannesburg first, then onto Lilongwe, Malawi, where a light aircraft can take you to Likoma Island. Its a hikebut worth the commitment.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 11:07 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea52301 1 News Viking,amusement-park,#amusementpark,Disneyland,Norway,tourism,destination Free

Norway has announced plans for its biggest theme park, Thors Rike, or in English, Thors Kingdom.

Based on Norse mythology and Viking history, the park will include a shimmering lake and forestland inhabited by trolls, dwarves, elves, a Norse underworld, a fleet of longships and Viking feasts, as reported by AFP.

The new park, located in Haugesund, Norways Homeland of Viking Kings, is looking to be the Viking capital of the world.

Current plans include a castle visible from the entrance, similar to those found in Disneyland parks around the world, but unlike those found at Disney, this castle wont be home to a princess.

Read also: Norway tops World Happiness Report, US falls

The lonely, worn castle marks the entrance to Thors Rike. From this vantage point the fort looks abandoned, destroyed and a little scary. But the dream of adventure on the other side is tantalizing, says the park description.

Current blueprints of the park split the land up into six sections, including a Grotto, Harbor Village and Valhalla, where guests can feast in the hall of Norse god Odin. The park will also contain rollercoasters and other thrill rides that tie into the theme.

Initially, the opening was set for 2018, but as developers are still searching for investors, 2019 or 2020 look more likely. (sul/kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22, 2017 14:26 2026 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea59974 1 News Yogyakarta,village-economy,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,local-economy Free

At this years celebration of Kartini Day on April 21, the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry also celebrated its anniversary at the Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta.

One of the main events on the agenda was a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity involving the development of a Village Economy Hall (Balai Ekonomi Desa or Balkondes).

The Balkondes is an economic system implemented in the province to develop the economic potential of the region. A Balkondes also encourages local people to get involved in tourism.

Read also: Workshops to boost skills of tourism industry stakeholders

According to Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry's deputy of the department of energy, logistics, regions and tourism, the Balkondes helps to integrate the regions economic potential with the ministrys tourism system, as well as to develop its human resources.

There will be 20 [Balkondes] around Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, said Abdullah.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya expressed his gratitude to the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, saying that Balkondes can help support the homestay program in tourist villages. Homestays are one of our top three priorities, besides Go Digital and Air Connectivity, for this years tourism industry program, said Arief. (kes)
(lead article, Socialist Workers Party statement)

Socialist Workers Party: US hands off Korea!

All US troops, warships, fighter bombers out now!

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kurtis A. Hatcher

I call on fellow working people to join the Socialist Workers Party in speaking out against Washingtons threats against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Hands off Korea! U.S. troops, warplanes and gunboats out of Koreas waters!

Washingtons deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier-led armada, as President Donald Trump called it, is a threat to both the Korean people and the Peoples Republic of China.

This fleet includes a combined crew of some 7,500 troops, more than 60 warplanes, a cruiser armed with Tomahawk missiles, and two destroyers equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. At the same time, one of the largest U.S.-South Korean joint war maneuvers ever held is underway. And to send a message, Washington included the notorious imperialist hit squad SEAL Team Six  which assassinated Osama bin Laden  in exercises that include simulations of decapitation of the North Korean leadership.

Washington claims it has the right to target North Korea because the government there carried out a handful of missile tests and has been developing nuclear weapons. The White House says they have the right to take preemptive military action against Pyongyang. Like the recent U.S. Tomahawk attack on Syria, the White Houses provocative threats against the Korean people and Koreas sovereignty are bipartisan, backed by Democratic and Republican politicians alike.

The devastating use of the 21,000 pound mother of all bombs - a weapon designed for terror and intimidation  dropped in Afghanistan April 15, adds teeth to U.S. threats of military action against North Korea.

It is U.S. imperialism that has amassed a massive and deadly military force in Asia. Washington has the most deadly nuclear arsenal in the world. Sixty percent of the U.S. Navys 69 submarines are now based in the Pacific, many equipped with nuclear missiles. More than 28,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, and some 50,000 more in Japan are ready to back them up.

The Pentagon, despite objections from Pyongyang, Beijing and tens of thousands in South Korea, has begun installing Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile batteries and espionage station in South Korea, a threat to workers and farmers throughout Asia.

The U.S. ruling capitalist class has a long record of brutal assaults on the people of Korea. As part of seizing the fruits of their victory in the second imperialist world war, Washington forcibly intervened against popular mobilizations of the Korean people seeking an end to colonial rule, divided the Korean Peninsula and installed a brutal dictatorship in the south.

More than 4 million people were killed, including at least 2 million civilians, as a result of the 1950-53 Korean War, carried out by Washington, its imperialist allies and its client regime in South Korea  under the banner of the United Nations.

Washington dropped more than 635,000 tons of bombs, 32,557 tons of napalm and leveled the vast majority of homes, hospitals, schools and factories across northern Korea, and in large parts of the South as well. Ultimately, they were fought to a standstill, unable to defeat North Korea.

Today the U.S. government has imposed draconian sanctions on the North, seeking to sabotage its economic development and make working people there pay for refusing to do Washingtons bidding. They are pressing the Chinese government to tighten the screws on North Korea even more.

The Socialist Workers Party has a proud history fighting against Washingtons intervention in Korea. We campaigned against the U.S. rulers forced division of Korea in 1945 when U.S. troops landed and, together with the regime Washington put in place, killed, beat, tortured or jailed those who stood up to the U.S. occupation.

We opposed the U.S.-led Korean War, where Washington sought to reimpose capitalist rule on the entire peninsula. And we continue to back the demand of the Korean people for reunification. Korea is one!

Working people in the U.S. are battered by the deepening capitalist economic crisis today and by the attempts of the bosses and their government to make us pay to boost their declining profit rates. More workers in the U.S. are dying on the job as the bosses enforce speedup and attack our unions. Millions are unable to find work. Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and other social rights workers have won in struggle face the ax. And our political rights are under attack.

The same wealthy families who are responsible for Washingtons war moves against working people around the world are assaulting our rights and living conditions here at home. And for the same reason.

We say: End Washingtons economic and financial sanctions against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea! U.S. troops, ships, planes and THAAD out of Korea! For a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons!





Related articles:

US armada heads to Korea, Washington threatens to act

US THAAD anti-missile battery out of Korea!

SWP in 1950: Stop US Korea War! US troops out now!







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(front page)

US armada heads to Korea, Washington

threatens to act

As a U.S. Navy armada steamed to the Korean Peninsula, Washington continues to threaten to take unilateral military action against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea if they conduct a sixth nuclear weapons test.

The armada is led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, carrying over 60 warplanes and some 7,500 troops, along with destroyers, cruisers and submarines. Upon entering the East China Sea the strike force will be joined by several Japanese destroyers.

Washington has 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea, where they have been engaged in a seven-week-long series of military exercises, including special forces units practicing the decapitation of the North Korean leadership.

Speaking at the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone  the border created when the U.S.-led Korean War ended in a deadlock in 1953, and now divides North and South Korea  Vice President Michael Pence declared April 17, All options are on the table. At the same time, the administration of Donald Trump, with bipartisan support, has stepped up efforts to convince Beijing to keep out of Washingtons way.

Seeking to lower tensions in the area, China has put some pressure on North Korea, reducing imports of its coal. But both Chinese exports and imports with North Korea continue to grow, rising 37 percent in the first quarter of 2017. Above all, Beijing seeks to prevent the overthrow of the government in North Korea, bringing U.S. troops to its border on the Yalu River.

North Korea shows no signs of backing off from defending its national sovereignty, attempting to test-fire a medium range missile that same day.

Beijing expressed its opposition to heightened military tensions in the region blaming Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang.

Reinforcing the threat of Washingtons armada is the U.S. rulers use of deadly missiles elsewhere in the world. U.S. war boats fired 59 missiles at a Syrian government air base April 6. And a U.S. warplane dropped the Pentagons 21,000 pound mother of all bombs  its largest bomb short of nuclear weapons  in Afghanistan April 13. Pointing to Pyongyang, the Wall Street Journal editorialized, Lets hope the right people noticed this blast.

Announcing the sending of the armada April 11, Trump said North Korea was a problem that will be taken care of. He added, We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. The Pentagon deploys an estimated 1,000 nuclear warheads on submarines patrolling the worlds waterways.

At the same time that the U.S. rulers are threatening to attack the North, Washington is installing a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea, in the face of ongoing protests there (see photo box). This defense system helps to fortify the U.S. military foothold on the peninsula and intensifies its pressure on the DPRK and China.

For years Democratic and Republican administrations alike have demonized North Korea, imposed sanctions and threatened military action against the 25 million people there.

Socialist Workers Party protests

The Socialist Workers Party spoke out against Washingtons threats. An April 15 statement demanding U.S. get out of the region by Osborne Hart, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor in New York, is being widely circulated across the country and beyond. (See adjacent statement.)

We pledge our unconditional solidarity with the struggle to reunify Korea, which Washington partitioned in 1945, waged a murderous war against from 1950 to 1953, and with which the US government has refused to sign a peace treaty to this day, Steve Clark wrote on behalf of the SWP National Committee to Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers Party of Korea, on the occasion of the countrys April 15 holiday.

As Socialist Workers Party members campaign on workers doorsteps; as we join protests demanding Amnesty Now! Stop the Deportations! in defense of foreign born workers; as we walk the picket lines with striking silver miners in Idaho and other workers  we explain that assaults on the rights and living and job conditions of working people at home are inflicted by the same wealthy families responsible for Washingtons war moves against our sisters and brothers the world over.
(front page)

Build May Day protests: Stop deportations!

Amnesty now!

I urge working people to join me and turn out in force May 1. March, rally, take off work, protest Washingtons moves against undocumented workers, Mary Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Seattle mayor, said April 19.

And join in demanding amnesty for all immigrant workers here, Martin said. Thats the road to unify the working class, to make us stronger to combat the growing attacks by the bosses and their government on workers and farmers today.

In Seattle representatives from the M.L. King County Labor Council and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW have joined in planning and building the May Day march.

An increase in the arrests of undocumented workers in the first three months of this year, along with threats by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to aggressively prosecute immigrants, are fueling May Day protests all across the country, already expected to be the biggest in years.

SEIU 32BJ, which organizes thousands of building porters, maintenance workers and cleaning staff in the Northeast, is promoting May Day actions across the region. Their slogan is Here to Stay.

Attacks on workers have been going hand in hand with attacks on immigrants and immigrant workers, 32BJ President Hector Figueroa told the Militant April 18. Immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect.

Teamsters Joint Council 16, which includes 27 union locals in the New York area, has featured on its web page the call to turn out at New Yorks Foley Square at 5 p.m. May 1.

The New York Immigration Coalition, the immigrant-based community group Make the Road, and numerous area unions have been building the protest.

In Wisconsin, Voces de la Frontera is organizing a march from Madison to Milwaukee to join the May 1 Day Without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees action there.

According to figures obtained by the Washington Post, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 21,362 immigrants from January through mid-March, reversing a two-year decline. Over 5,000 of the arrests  almost one-quarter  involved grabbing immigrants whose only offense is not having a valid visa.

The U.S. rulers have no intention of deporting most undocumented workers. Their policy, carried out by Democratic and Republican administrations alike, is to ensure a large layer of superexploited workers the bosses can use to try and push down the value of workers labor power, seeking to maximize their profits and to compete more successfully against their capitalist rivals.

Before 1996 workers deported as voluntary departures did not face criminal charges if they returned to U.S. soil.

Bill Clinton signed into law the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. This laid the basis for a shift to forced removals, which steeply increases the penalties for illegal re-entry into the United States. Four years later, during his last year in office, Clinton deported 1.8 million immigrants, more than any president in U.S. history.

Under the administrations of George W. Bush and Obama the shift to forced removals took off.

In 2006 a bill was submitted to Congress making it a felony for an undocumented worker just to be in the U.S. This was met by an outpouring of millions on May Day that defeated the bill.

In 2011, under Obama, for the first time the majority of deportations were labeled forced removals. By 2015 it was more than 70 percent.

Even more telling is the number of felony prosecutions on charges of illegal re-entry  on average more than 35,000 every year of the Obama administration.

By the time Obama left office more than 50 percent of all federal criminal convictions involved immigration-related offenses. As a result, one in four people in federal prison today is a previously deported undocumented worker.

Attorney General Sessions told Customs and Border Protection agents in Nogales, Arizona, April 11 the U.S. government will step up felony prosecutions for re-entry and, wherever possible, tack on charges of identity theft on any undocumented workers they pick up. This would add at least two years to their sentence.

One of the key slogans on May Day will be We are workers, not criminals, Mary Martin said. Deportations arent popular among working people. These are our co-workers, neighbors and co-combatants, when we stand up against the attacks of the employers and their government, cops, courts and prisons. All out May 1!





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(front page)

Join SWP to campaign against US war moves

At the end of the second week of the SWP spring campaign to introduce the party, theand books from Pathfinder Press to working people, SWP members report they find real interest in discussing the partys opposition to Washingtons war moves from Korea and Afghanistan to Syria and Iraq. Workers are keen to discuss and debate what is behind Washingtons wars and what workers should think about them.

The goal of the effort is to expand the reach of the partys publications and to increase the number of workers involved in its activities.

The drive runs concurrently with the Militant Fighting Fund, to raise $112,000 to cover the Militants operating expenses, reporters trips to flashpoints in the class struggle and to help subsidize subscriptions to prisoners. The fund drive chart is on page 3.

We urged workers and young people we met to join us in calling for U.S. hands off Korea and for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops and planes from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, Margaret Trowe, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Albany, New York, said when she and other SWP members campaigned across the city April 15-16. Some people disagreed, others liked what we had to say. But everyone thought this was important for working people to discuss. We explained how Washingtons wars are an extension of the capitalist rulers offensive against our class here at home.

From Chicago Dan Fein writes that SWP campaigners Ilona Gersh and Leroy Watson debated the war question on workers doorsteps in the ex-coalfield town of Morganfield, Kentucky. I think Obama should have taken out Assad years ago when chemical weapons were first used in Syria, Wesley DeTalente, a retired pipefitter, told them after looking at the SWP statement, Get US out of Syria, Iraq! on the front page of the Militant.

After more discussion, including about how U.S. bombings make it harder for Syrian toilers to organize to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship, not easier, he subscribed to the Militant, saying, Im going to enjoy this paper.

Rachele Fruit from Atlanta writes that SWP member John Benson met Henry Fair, a 54-year-old ironworker, when he knocked on his door in East Point. Fair said he liked what Benson said about workers ability to organize society for human needs if we take political power, and that we need to build a working-class leadership capable of leading the transformation.

We say the U.S. should get out of Syria, Iraq and everywhere else Washington has its troops, Benson said, handing Fair a copy of the SWP statement protesting Washingtons bombing in Syria. Do they care about the kids they kill when they do that? Fair said. Its just like when they got bin Laden, they killed family members.

Four members of the Oakland branch of the party went knocking on doors in San Leandro, California, after work, Eric Simpson writes. They used the SWP statement, Stop the Raids and Deportations! Amnesty for all immigrants in the US! to open discussion on the need to fight to unify the working class and strengthen our unions, and about the upcoming national May Day protests against deportations.

Gerardo Sanchez offered a package of the three books on special with a three-month Militant subscription  Are They Rich Because Theyre Smart? and The Clintons Anti-Working-Class Record both by Jack Barnes, national secretary of the SWP, and Is Socialist Revolution in the US Possible? by party leader Mary-Alice Waters  for only $20.

Two of the workers Sanchez spoke with decided to go for it. An autoworker did the same and purchased a copy of Cuba and Angola: The War for Freedom, Simpson said. The book is about how Cuba sent 400,000 volunteers to help the Angolan people fight off an invasion by apartheid South Africa in the 1970s and 80s.

Four workers got a total of four subscriptions and 11 books  in both English and in Spanish  on one block in less than one hour, he said. And theres a lesson: Make sure to carry more than one set of books!

Edwin Fruit reports that party members from Seattle traveled to Idaho to join with United Steelworkers on strike at the Lucky Friday silver mine at a union support rally in Coeur dAlene April 12. They also campaigned for solidarity with the strike and introduced the party to workers in three small towns near the mine. A total of 14 miners and their supporters signed up for subscriptions to the paper. Another three picked up copies of the special campaign books.

David Rosenfeld, SWP candidate for mayor of Minneapolis, met Kao Xiong while campaigning door to door in East St. Paul, Rose Engstrom reports.

Youre running for mayor. So I am curious, what are some changes you want to make? Xiong asked him.

Workers cant accomplish anything by electing someone to office, Rosenfeld replied. But we can work to build a powerful movement to unite working people to fight for jobs, amnesty for undocumented workers, universal government-funded health care, and other things workers need.

We have to counterpose class solidarity and internationalism to the dog-eat-dog values of capitalism, he said. Only then can we begin to discover our worth and the capacity of our class to take power and reorganize society.

I can relate to that! Xiong said. It is dog-eat-dog now. I never heard someone put it that way. This is great. She bought a subscription and The Clintons Anti-Working-Class Record and kicked in $15 to the Militant Fighting Fund.

Donations from workers at their doorsteps are a key source for expanding the base of the Militant Fighting Fund. Please send your money in early! To join in the campaigning and fund efforts, contact the nearest branch of the SWP or Communist League.





Related articles:

UK: Communist League speaks to African church

Spring Campaign to expand the reach of Militant, books. week 2 (chart)

Militant Fighting Fund. week 2 (chart)







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Stalin said that right from the day of assuming power, the BJP-led central government has been making efforts to destroy and decimate the unity of the nation.

By India Today Web Desk: DMK working president and treasurer, MK Stalin today slammed the central government for imposing Hindi on non-Hindi residents of the country. In a two-minute video, the leader asked the government to give up its efforts to sideline non-Hindi speaking people.

Stalin said that right from the day of assuming power, the BJP-led central government has been making efforts to destroy and decimate the unity of the nation.

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He even slammed the recent parliamentary committee proposal to make it mandatory for MPS and Central ministers who know Hindi to use it as their official language, both in speeches and writings.

Stalin also criticised the BJP government for obtaining permission from the President to use Hindi in airport announcements, press news and advertisements and also making it a compulsory subject in CBSE schools across the country.

The DMK leader expressed his displeasure over central government schemes named only in Hindi or Sanskrit.

He said that by enforcing Hindi on citizens from primary school students to Parliament, the BJP government is betraying all non-Hindi speaking people of the nation. He also condemned the reforms by saying that they were against the spirit of the constitution of India that was framed under the leadership of Dr BR Ambedkar.

Stalin further mentioned the schedule 8 of the Constitution of India according to which all languages including Tamil should be announced as official languages. He further said that despite the constitutional rights, the central government's actions are diametrically opposite to the people's sentiments.

"I urge PM Modi government to give up these efforts of sidelining non-Hindi speaking citizens," said Stalin.

He added that Dravidian movement has a longstanding history of spearheading the anti-Hindi movement. Stalin ended the video by emphasising his request to government of not sowing seeds of a third generation anti-Hindi imposition protests through its brute force and other tactics.

Also read:

If you study in a CBSE school then studying Hindi may soon be compulsory

Why President, ministers may have to deliver speeches only in Hindi

--- ENDS ---
(front page)

US rulers press military escalation in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen

Following its deadly April 6 Tomahawk missile attack against the Bashar al-Assad dictatorships Al Shayrat air force base in Syria, Washington has continued its diplomatic and media campaign targeting the regimes disregard for human life and brutalities against working people there. The U.S. rulers goal is to give cover to Washingtons escalation of its military forces in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen, seeking to defend their economic and political interests in the region.

At an April 12 joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Donald Trump called Assad a butcher, saying he bombed Syria because he was so moved by the vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons, including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies. He was referring to Assads April 4 nerve gas attack in opposition-held Idlib province. Trumps war moves have won bipartisan support from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Trump conveniently ignores the 4,000 civilians killed and the many thousands injured in Iraq over the past months by U.S.-led airstrikes, part of Washingtons joint campaign with the Iraqi army to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State.

In 2014, Islamic State captured large areas of Iraq and Syria in a power vacuum created by repeated bloody U.S. military interventions in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East over the past 30 years. The reactionary outfit was formed by an alliance of former officers in the deposed Saddam Husseins Iraqi army and a wing of al-Qaeda.

Washingtons armed interventions in Iraq date back to 1991, and there is no end in sight.

Syrian toilers in the city of Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of Islamic State, face similar death from the skies as the U.S.-led coalition, in alliance with the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), prepares for a military drive to oust IS from the city.

Washingtons bombs, special forces and drones are responsible for many more civilian deaths in Afghanistan and Yemen, where they are part of ongoing bloody wars.

In response to Washingtons assault on the Syrian government air base, Moscow, a firm supporter of Damascus, has now sent more warships to its naval base in Tartus, Syria. They join six Russian warships and four support vessels already stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, where the U.S. warships that launched the Tomahawk missile attack are stationed.

The Syria civil war

In 2011 mass popular mobilizations broke out in Syria, calling for political rights and the downfall of the Assad regime. The government responded with brutal repression, killing, arresting and disappearing tens of thousands of protesters.

Their assault led to civil war, with opposition forces pushing the unpopular regime back, despite the fact they were shackled with internal divisions and lacked heavy weapons.

The tide in the war changed in September 2015, when Moscow intervened in force, bringing in a hunk of their air power, and Tehran stepped up use of its troops and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militias on the ground to aid Assads faltering forces.

Since then Assad and his allies have used murderous bombing campaigns combined with siege and starvation tactics against opposition forces, including civilian populations. Assad has regained lost territory  most importantly Syrias largest city Aleppo, captured last December.

Damascus and Moscow are implementing a cynically named reconciliation program in which rebel-held towns are bombed and besieged for months, and then offered a choice of surrendering or watching the civilian population starve. The reconciliation agreements include transporting opposition populations to rebel-controlled Idlib, where they face intensifying attacks by the regime. Khan Sheikhoun, hit by the Assad regimes nerve gas, is in Idlib.

The open battlefield in the future will be Idlib and the Syrian state will not forgo any patch of Syria in fighting terrorism, said Ali Haidar, Syrias Minister of National Reconciliation Affairs, using their code word for all opponents of the regime.

Washington, Ankara frictions

One of Washingtons problems in advancing its imperialist interests in Syria is sharp disagreement with the Turkish regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which puts its own interests in maintaining the national oppression of its 15 million Kurdish residents first. The 30 million Kurds are divided between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the largest national minority worldwide without their own state.

The YPG has proven the most reliable and effective fighting force against Islamic State in Syria, and Washington has made the Kurdish group the central ground force in the effort to take Raqqa. Erdogan bitterly opposes the decision, fearing the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria that will inspire national resistance to his rule in Turkey. Ankara invaded and occupies part of northwestern Syria, seeking to prevent the YPG from extending the Kurdish enclave it administers the full length of the Syrian-Turkey border.

Having power to deal with the Kurdish question was one factor behind Erdogans decision to hold a constitutional referendum April 16 seeking to transform the Turkish government into a strong executive state, concentrating power in his hands. He has already formed a more centralized regime, declaring a state of emergency after a failed coup last July, and has arrested and fired well over 100,000 people. The regime claims Erdogan won a narrow and disputed 51 percent victory, adding new instability in the region.

Ankaras direction is important for Washington. Turkeys Incirlik Air Base has been key for Washingtons military operations in Syria and Iraq.

Erdogan admits he lost the vote in Turkeys largest cities  Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir  as well as across the Kurdish region. The Republican Peoples Party, and the Kurd-supported Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) are challenging the referendum results. International election monitors claimed the legal framework remained inadequate for the holding of a genuinely democratic referendum.





Related articles:

Washingtons Mother of All Bombs  tool of terror







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(feature article)

SWP in 1950: Stop US Korea War!

US troops out now!

Militant

BY JAMES P. CANNON



THE MILITANT, July 31, 1950

Gentlemen:

I disagree with your actions in Korea, and in my capacity as a private citizen I petition you to change your policy fundamentally, as follows:

Withdraw the American troops and let the Korean people alone.

I am setting forth the reasons for this demand in detail in the following paragraphs. But before opening the argument, I beg your permission, gentlemen, to tell you what I think of you. You are a pack of scoundrels. You are traitors to the human race. I hate your rudeness and your brutality. You make me ashamed of my country, which I have always loved, and ashamed of my race, which I used to think was as good as any.

The American intervention in Korea is a brutal imperialist invasion, no different from the French war on Indo-China or the Dutch assault on Indonesia. American boys are being sent 10,000 miles away to kill and be killed, not in order to liberate the Korean people, but to conquer and subjugate them. It is outrageous. It is monstrous.

The whole of the Korean people  save for the few bought-and-paid-for agents of the Rhee puppet regime  are fighting the imperialist invaders. That is why the press dispatches from Korea complain more and more about infiltration tactics, increasing activities of guerrillas, the fluid fighting front, the sullenness and unreliability of the natives.

The Korean people have a mortal hatred of the Wall Street liberator. They despise unto death the bestial, corrupt, U.S.-sponsored Syngman Rhee dictatorship that made South Korea a prison camp of misery, torture and exploitation.

The high morale and fearlessness of the North Koreans and the hostility of the South Koreans toward their U.S. liberators alike testify to the unity of the entire Korean people in this unflinching opposition to imperialistic domination.

The explosion in Korea on June 25, as events have proved, expressed the profound desire of the Koreans themselves to unify their country, to rid themselves of foreign domination and to win their complete national independence. It is true that the Kremlin seeks to take advantage of this struggle for its own reactionary ends and would sell it tomorrow if it could get another deal with Washington. But the struggle itself has the overwhelming and wholehearted support of the Korean people. It is part of the mighty uprising of the hundreds of millions of colonial people throughout Asia against western imperialism. This is the real truth, the real issue. The colonial slaves dont want to be slaves any longer.

This is more than a fight for unification and national liberation. It is a civil war. On the one side are the Korean workers, peasants and student youth. On the other are the Korean landlords, usurers, capitalists and their police and political agents. The impoverished and exploited working masses have risen up to drive out the native parasites as well as their foreign protectors.

Whatever the wishes of the Kremlin, a class war has been unfolding in Korea. The North Korean regime, desiring to mobilize popular support, has decreed land reforms and taken nationalization measures in the territories it has won. The establishment of peoples committees has been reported. These reforms, these promises of a better economic and social order have attracted the peasants and workers. This prospect of a new life is what has imbued a starving subject people with the will to fight to the death. This is the secret weapon that has wrested two-thirds of South Korea from U.S. imperialism and its native agents and withstood the troops and bombing fleets of mighty Wall Street.

American imperialism was quite willing to turn northern Korea over to Stalin in return for control over South Korea, which it ruled through the bloody dictatorship of Syngman Rhee. Now Washington is seeking, against the resistance of the Korean people, to reimpose its imperialist puppet rule, to enforce the division of Korea and to maintain it as a colony and military base for future war on the Soviet Union.

There is not an iota of concern for the wishes and rights of the Korean people in this brutal invasion. The attempt to prop up the Syngman Rhee regime by armed force is part of Wall Streets planned program to dominate and exploit the whole world. Your undeclared war on Korea, Mr. President, is a war of enslavement. That is how the Korean people themselves view it  and no one knows the facts better than they do. Theyve suffered imperialist domination and degradation for half a century and they can recognize its face even when masked with a UN flag. 

THE MILITANT, December 4, 1950

Once more, as at the start of your Korean intervention, I take this means to tell you what I believe is the heartfelt sentiment of the overwhelming majority of humanity, including the American people, today:

Stop your criminal aggression against the Asian people.

Your reckless military adventure in Korea has brought this country into a clash with the 500 millions of China and threatens an entirely new war that will engulf millions more of our youth and drain our last resources.

You have permitted MacArthur, with his mad ambition to be the conqueror of all Asia, to deliberately provoke a situation that could mean war on a titanic scale. Now he has turned for a solution to the United Nations and chancelleries of the world.

But that is precisely where this grave crisis of humankind has been forged  in the UN and the chancelleries. Can we then entrust the further fate of the world to pin-striped diplomats?

Your proposed solution, Mr. President, is a threat to repeat the atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by using the atom bomb in Korea.

Take heed, Mr. President, before it is too late! Hear the voice of the people of America and the whole world. They are thundering: Stop the war NOW! Recall your madly ambitious MacArthur! Withdraw the troops from Korea! Let the peoples of Asia alone to settle their own fate!

Who wants this war?

Not the Koreans, whose cities, towns and villages have been reduced by your bombs to charred rubble, and who mourn hundreds of thousands of the slain.

Not the Chinese people, whose dead in the struggle against imperialism and Chiang Kai-sheks despotism number tens of millions. Not the peoples of Europe, whose fears are reflected today in the warnings to you by their governments. 

THE MILITANT, May 7, 1951

My purpose in addressing you for the third time since the Korean war began is to present three concrete proposals on foreign policy as an alternative to the policies of the Truman administration on the one hand and MacArthur-Taft on the other.

Your differences are merely tactical. My differences with both sides in your so-called Great Debate are fundamental. You are preoccupied with the problem of how to conduct a war the American people do not want and never approved. I propose to end the war at once and let the American people themselves decide the life and death questions of foreign policy.

I submit the following three proposals: (1) Withdraw all American troops from Korea. (2) Recognize the Peking government. (3) Let the people vote by referendum on the issue of war and peace.

I have opposed your Korean war from the start. Twice before in open letters I urged you to heed the peoples will to stop the war and bring the American soldiers home. American troops have no business in Korea. They are being slaughtered by the tens of thousands for no good purpose. Every day they remain swells the casualties list and inflicts more grief upon parents, wives and children. Every day they remain intensifies the hatred of the Asian people for all things American. Again I urge you: Withdraw the U.S. troops from Korea.
US THAAD anti-missile battery out of Korea!

Inset, Militant/Seth Galinsky

NEW YORK  We need your help to stop THAAD, Sounghye Kim, inset right, with translator Juyeon Rhee, told a meeting of 75 people at New York University April 13. Thats why Ive come to the United States, because thats where its from. Kim was referring to Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, a high-powered radar and anti-missile battery that the U.S. military is currently installing in South Korea.

Kim, a Buddhist minister and co-chair of the Seongju Struggle Committee to Stop THAAD, was on a nine-city U.S. speaking tour. She showed videos of demonstrations of residents of Seongju and others protesting construction of the military installation. Above, 5,000 protested in Seongju March 18.

The Pentagon claims the anti-missile battery is needed to protect South Korea from attack from the North. North Korea says  correctly  that history shows the real war threat comes from Washington. Beijing sees THAAD as a spy station that violates Chinas sovereignty.

Betsy Yoon, from Nodutdol, one of the sponsors of the meeting, pointed to Washingtons role in forcibly dividing Korea after World War II and waging war from 1950 to 1953. The United States dropped more bombs on Korea than it dropped in the Pacific Theatre during all of World War II, she said.

Washington has refused to sign a peace treaty with North Korea. The wars effects are still felt today in the North and South. Most favor reunification.

 SETH GALINSKY
In this weeks instalment, iZombie offers dumpster diving, unsolicited yoga advice and dance battles alongside the usual brains, puns, and impending apocalyptic doom.

This episode finally shows Major training, as he makes slow progress as a zombie mercenary, going from White Teams most useless member to a soldier on par with all the other mercenaries who have years of experience. Over that period, he strikes up an unexpected friendship with another guy, who also sticks out like a sore thumb. We also learn how the brain yogurt supplied by the paramilitary organisation works.

The brain of the week is that of a yoga guru, with Liv finally achieving an inner peace that she has needed for a while. On the other hand, Clive isnt ready to deal with the special type of people that can be found in yoga studios.

Meanwhile, Ravis ex-boss Katty Kupps, played by newcomer Christina Cox, is getting closer and closer to the heart of the zombie mystery, or, in her eyes, the people with brains in their stomachs that keep popping up in her investigation. This is probably the fastest a person has come to unravelling the secret of zombie existence (besides Ravi himself), which is bad news for any new addition to the show.

One of this seasons strongest points has been allowing David Anders to sing more often, a trend that will hopefully continue throughout the rest of the episodes. In the scene dubbed Cheers Debeers, the best pun of this episode, Blaine and Peytons relationship continues to develop as she agrees to help him with his fathers will.

The love triangle between Ravi, Peyton and an amnesiac Blaine deepens, as Ravi finally confronts her with his own thoughts and baggage from the finale of the previous season. Peyton, however, takes no prisoners, as she refuses to accept his apology, which is a thinly veiled attempt to get her to do the same. In one of the most powerful moments for her character, she asks him if he apologised because he meant it, or if he only said it to make her apologise as well.

The triangle continues to fester unpleasantly, as Blaine turns down the opportunity to help out with developing the anti-zombie cure, and particularly the amnesia side-effect. He is rightfully scared, as he doesnt want to go back to good old evil Blaine, but Ravi wont have any of that. His completely justified negative feelings towards Blaine finally bubble up on the surface, adding a new layer to the normally easy-going character of the series regular.

However, the show writers make a terrible mistake by dismissing his feelings as him being jealous of Peyton and Blaines relationship. Its becoming a disappointing trend in iZombie that although the show has a terrific plot and surprising plot twists, the romantic subplots are more than lacking. It would do the show well to ditch them, as its strengths lie elsewhere.

Interesting as it was, this weeks episode raises a couple of common sense questions. For example, why doesnt the idea of people eating brains make people think of zombies? In the world of the show, the concept of zombies does exist, but no one seems to bring it up.

In addition, why would everyone think it is a good idea to try to return the memories of an amnesiac Blaine? That would mean bringing back a sociopath who isnt above torture and murder in order to further his own business plan. Surely, despite all the dangers that the cures pose, one wouldnt want to try to do that, especially when the amnesiac version is so sweetly clueless.

New episodes of iZombie arrive on Netflix every Wednesday.
By Press Trust of India: Colombo, Apr 21 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a well-equipped hospital in the central hill area of Dickoya in Sri Lanka, built with the Indian assistance on May 12, dominated by plantation workers of Indian-origin.

The opening ceremony of the new Dickoya base hospital will be held during Prime Minister Modis visit to Sri Lanka to take part in the celebrations marking the UN Vesak Day. State Minister of Education V Radhakrishnan said.

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The hospital complex at Dickoya, in the central Nuwara Eliya district has been built with assistance from India.

The establishment of a new hospital in the Central Province in Sri Lanka will augment the facilities in the existing hospital and provide health services to a large number of people of Indian-origin living in this area.

The Dickoya area is dominated by the Tamil plantation workers of Indian-origin.

Modi will attend a special gathering of the plantation community at the Norwood Ground, after the opening of the Dikoya base hospital, Radhakrishnan said.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will also attend the ceremony.

Modi will make his second visit to Sri Lanka next month to take part in the celebrations marking the UN Vesak Day, the most important in the Buddhist calendar, to be held here from May 12 to 14. PTI CORR AJR AKJ AJR

--- ENDS ---
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has told the Supreme Court it's exploring diplomatic channels to bring back the Kohinoor diamond from the UK. The Centre had in April 2016 said it was a gift given to the British by Ranjit Singh's successor Prince Dalip Singh as "compensation" after the 1849 Sikh wars and couldn't be brought back.

By Harish V Nair: The Narendra Modi government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it is exploring diplomatic channels to bring back the 200 million dollars' (Rs 1,293 crore) worth Kohinoor diamond back from the United Kingdom. But this significantly marked a major U turn on the part of the government regarding its stand on getting the treasured gem back.

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The diamond is set in a crown which is on display in the Tower of London. In 2013, during a trip to India, UK Prime Minister David Cameron had ruled out sending the diamond back to India, declaring that he does not believe in "returnism."

On April 19, 2016, the last date of hearing of the PIL seeking a direction to the Centre to bring back Kohinoor, the Centre had said it was a gift given to the British by Ranjit Singh's successor Prince Dalip Singh as some "compensation" after the 1849 Sikh wars and cannot be brought back.

Till then, the stand of successive central governments was that the gem was "stolen or forcibly taken away" from India and will take steps to bring it back. Centre's affidavit said Kohinoor is India's property but international conventions as well as the laws restrain it from making a rightful claim for its return from Britain.

'NOT MANY LEGAL OPTIONS'

The government however said it is devising ways and means to see if the diamond could be brought back based on any agreement with the UK.

Stating there was no concrete evidence to show that the diamond was validly gifted to Queen Victoria, an affidavit filed by the Centre also said the government was mindful of the Indian public sentiment attached with the gem.

However, the government said it did not have many legal options and would have to resort to diplomatic relations to seek its retrieval from UK.

The Supreme Court disposed off the PIL saying the court cannot do much in this issue and the government was anyways taking diplomatic measures to get it back.

"See diplomatic measures cannot be under any supervision and can a court in India pass any order asking any country to return something? And all the more at a time when the government in its counter affidavit says they are taking steps to bring it back?" a bench led by Chief Justice J S Khehar bench asked lawyers for the petitioners in two PILs.

"The Centre's affidavit clearly says though it is not possible to make them return the diamond we will continue to explore it. Yes they say it is not possible but through diplomatic channels it may be possible. What kind of petitions you are filing?" CJI Khehar asked.

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ALSO READ | Kohinoor gifted, can't bring it back: Modi government

ALSO READ | Kohinoor to Hope: 5 of the most expensive diamonds in the world will blind you with their beauty

ALSO WATCH | Modi's Mission Kohinoor: Fresh bid to get diamond back

--- ENDS ---
The incident came to light after Navtej's mother Surjit Sarna filed a complaint with the Delhi Police.

By Arvind Ojha: In a shocking incident Indian Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Sarna's mother was brutally assaulted by her maternal grandson over a property dispute.

The incident came to light after Navtej's mother Surjit Sarna (86) filed a complaint with the CR Park police station of Delhi.

According to the complaint, Surjit's maternal grandson, Karan Dev Chopra, assaulted her causing grievous injuries to her forehead, eyes and knees.

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Police said that the accused was pressurising the senior citizen to transfer the property to his name. Surjit is currently undergoing treatment at the Max Saket Hospital.

Surjit Sarna was brutally assaulted by her maternal grandson.

Following the incident, the police have booked Karan under Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 508 ( act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of the Divine displeasure) of the Indian Penal Code.

Karan has been arrested by the Delhi Police.

Also read:

India's top US diplomat Navtej Sarna meets President Trump

Sarna praises Indian-Americans, visits Mahindra USA unit

--- ENDS ---
John Thune wins fourth term as U.S. Senator from South Dakota

Republican U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota won reelection to a fourth term Tuesday and will return to a Senate where he is seen as a potential future majority leader.
After PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family had long-standing relations with the Inter Services Intelligence, Director General of Inter Services Public Relations Asif defended the "integrity" of Pakistan's armed forces.

By Kaswar Klasra: After Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan on Friday said Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family had long-standing relations with the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asif Ghafoor said the "integrity" of the armed forces was "beyond reproach."

Aitzaz was commenting on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) whose formation was ordered by Pakistan's Supreme Court in the Panama case verdict on Thursday.

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"Comments by few regarding head of premier int(elligence) agency are baseless, misleading and unwarranted. Integrity of armed forces is beyond reproach," Ghafoor tweeted.

Earlier this week, Nawaz Sharif got a temporary breather from his nation's top court, which said there was "insufficient evidence" to remove him from office, but ordered setting up of a JIT to investigate the graft allegations against his family.

The high-profile graft case is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in 1990s - when he twice served as the Prime Minister - to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama papers showed last year that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's children.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, sons - Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, retired Capt Muhammad Safdar (Sharif's son-in-law) and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar were among the respondents in the case.

(Inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ | Panamagate: Nawaz Sharif's fate hangs in balance ahead of Pakistan Supreme Court verdict

ALSO READ | America can play 'very critical role' in resolving Kashmir issue with India, says Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif

ALSO WATCH | Panama Papers case: Pakistan Supreme Court orders Nawaz Sharif to appear before probe team

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New York, Apr 22 (PTI) Scientists in the US have created the most detailed digital map to track the changing racial diversity of every neighbourhood in the country.

Researchers from University of Cincinnati (UC) in the US applied NASA map making techniques to 20 years of data collected by the US Census Bureau to build one of the most detailed racial-diversity maps ever created.

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They take advantage of NASA land-cover grids made up of 30-square-metre blocks. Using this grid system, they can more precisely group people where they actually live by recognising lakes, parks, factories and otherwise uninhabitable areas.

Researchers combined land-cover mapping techniques with cumbersome volumes of federal data collected every 10 years in the census.

The zoomable map shows at a glance how the racial composition of neighbourhoods changed between 1990 and 2010, researchers said.

"People do not realise that the US is a diverse country but at the same time is still very segregated," said Tomasz Stepinski, professor at UC.

"The maps can tell us much more about racial composition and can be used by everyone. They do not require expert knowledge to understand the result, so I think maps can be used by a broader community," said Anna Dmowska of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland.

"The maps allow users to create their own smaller study area and then glean data from it. In some cities, they tell the story of recent immigration in America," Stepinski said.

"For example, the maps demonstrate the influx of Asian immigrants in San Francisco over the last 20 years. Many of these newcomers are Southeast Asians who were drawn to the area by the Silicon Valley boom," he said.

"If you put the population geography together with an understanding of the social meaning of that road, you can tell a pretty powerful story about what segregation means," said Jeffrey Timberlake, an associate professor at UC.

The study was published in the journal PLOS One. PTI APA SAR SAR

--- ENDS ---
By Zane Silk

silkzane@grinnell.edu

For a number of Residence Lifes student staff, the offices process of selection for next years student positions in late February was a reason to voice growing concerns with the departments actions and policies. While there has been dissatisfaction on a number of issues, it was frustration with the hiring process that served as a breaking point, and a group of students wrote a petition expressing their grievances. Only roughly one-third of student staff signed it, and the decision was made not to submit it. Nonetheless, the petitions major points were expressed to Residence Life, and only one change in policy has been made.

Many students who work for Residence Life were disgruntled about the fact that all of last years Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs), who oversee student staff, had left and were replaced by new RLCs last August. This raised concerns that the new hires lacked institutional memory and would impose policies that did not abide by the Grinnell communitys core values. According to some student staff, this fear has been warranted by actions over the course of the year, exemplified by how the hiring process was run for next years student positions.

These are people who come in and then within, like six months, theyre already interviewing [students] for positions in an office that they wont even be in the next year, said Ric Tennenbaum 18, who works for Residence Life as a Community Advisor Mentor (CAM) and helped write the petition. I found out that the group process portion of the interviews for new hires was created without even a basis of knowledge of what had happened in previous years  I feel like if there had any level of student staff input it would have been so much better.

Joe Rolon, Director of Residence Life, disagreed with Tennenbaums assertion that the RLCs have not been at Grinnell long enough to run staff selection, and also disputed the notion that the process was a major departure from previous years.

The RLCs who planned the selection process had all the notes and the reviews from how its been done in the past, so there werent any major changes, Rolon said. The student staff have never been involved in the creation of the questions.  This was the first year, I think, where students were questioning that.  I think what will help change things for next year will be actively having a committee of students working with professional staff to create that whole thing.

Tennenbaum pointed to one question asked of all students in the interviewing process as particularly problematic: What would you do if you disagreed with a Residence Life or Grinnell policy, or state policy, in your position?

According to Tennenbaum, RLCs had admitted that they wanted students to commit to following policies strictly.

We felt that was a really unfair and baiting question  If you tried to find any grey area, it was marked against you, Tennenbaum said, speaking from personal experience  they were told that their response to that question was one of the main reasons they were not offered a position for next year.

I shared that  if someone comes to me and I feel like theyre distressed and they might want to disclose something that would trigger some of my reporting duties  then I would let them know what Im required to report and to whom, and then offer all the different resources that have different reporting structures, Tennenbaum said while talking about what was important to them as a CA. [It came to be] that I work around policies, and that led to me not being hired back.

With concerns rising following the selection process, there were conversations about what action should be taken, led by some of the CAMs, who occupy the most senior student position in Residence Life. In mid-March these students decided to write a petition expressing their dissatisfaction and demanding change. The petition addressed a number of issues, including complaints that students who were open about mental illness were discriminated against in the hiring process and taking issue with the overrepresentation of white and domestic people on student staff. Additionally, the petition raised issue with what is perceived as disregard for transparency and student input, and claimed that the requirement for walkthroughs is ableist because of inaccessibility.

After it was distributed among the roughly 60 students who work for Residence Life, the petition only garnered about 20 signatures. Tennenbaum pointed to the absence of one big grievance easy to rally around for the lack of signatures, as well as a fear of putting things on a bad note among students returning to staff. Ultimately, the decision was made not to submit the petition, but those who had led the effort did make the department aware of their major concerns more informally.

In regards to the issue of mental health, Rolon stated that Residence Life has actively worked to support students with mental health issues and has never penalized them, but he did admit that there was a problem when it came to diversity.

We do need to be more diverse, he said. We did make efforts to sort of increase our presence of students of color  and actually our new group for next year are much more diverse.

While the petition lists a variety of concerns, Tennenbaum believes that underlying them all is a feeling that student input has not been valued. They took issue with this process of empty gestures where they say that theyre listening, and yes, they will listen to us. That doesnt mean that our words will carry any weight whatsoever.

Rolon said that he does solicit and value student input, and he thinks that any feelings to the contrary would be assuaged if the department simply did a better job of following up with students to explain how input does often affect decision-making. However, Rolon also believes that some students do not understand that just because their input is valued does not mean they will get exactly what they want.

Some students have told me, listening means I tell you what I need and you automatically make that change, and that is not what listening is. Listening is taking in peoples input, processing it and then seeing if the change needs to happen, Rolon said.

Tennenbaum appreciates that Rolon has been willing to listen to student concerns, and is supportive of the decision to involve students in shaping the student staff selection going forward. However, there remain disagreements about the facts of the matter on different issues raised by the petition, and it seems as if many of the changes the students seek are not coming anytime soon. Tennenbaum summed up the situation succinctly: it feels like were stuck.
By Saiham Sharif

sharifsa@grinnell.edu

The Emergency Fund, headed by Student Affairs with the guidance of the Office of Financial Aid, will provide students with last resort financial assistance. One of the main goals of the fund is to help in preventing students from unexpectedly leaving the College for financial reasons. The fund has been built to ensure that it is not abused, requiring students to submit an application.

The fund can be used to assist students with food payment, transportation, overdue utility bills approaching service interruption, safety needs, essential academic expenses and more. The fund will not, however, provide money towards tuition, health insurance, study abroad fees or non-essential personal bills. The fund will provide $1,000 at the most per year, though the Grinnell website states that an average amount is between $300 and $500. If possible, the funds will be paid directly to the third party vendor, rather than to the student in need.

According to SGA Vice President of Student Affairs Bailey Dann 17, the fund will be especially useful for students who need but cannot afford medication. SHACS has a small fund designed to help students pay for medication, but these funds are limited and funded by donors, rather than the College.

Tim Burnette 19 brought the necessity of this fund to the attention of the administration with a letter he wrote last year during a time of extreme weakness and vulnerability. His concerns first arose during a Policy Changes Town Hall, when he heard President Raynard Kington respond to rumors that the recent development of an emphasis on student health was a measure to attract more rich students. Kington said that all families care about health, not primarily rich families. In an article he wrote for The Gum in September 2016, Burnette argued that Kingtons words carried the insinuation that all families hold equal ability to care about health and appeared to come from a privileged position, despite Kington representing Grinnell, an institution of social justice.

However, Burnettes motivation to write the letter arose when he heard that a close friend of his could not attain medication. While the student had purchased the schools insurance plan, the insurance plan did not cover their necessary medication.

I resolved myself to convey my anger through a letter, Burnette said. I had decided that the Grinnell bubble divorced us from the realities of poverty, and that the administration needed to hear about the impacts of off-handed comments and the insurance situation.

Dann offered support and accompanied Burnette to his meetings with Kington and Angela Voos, Chief of Staff. Together, Bailey and Burnette discussed and provided solutions to some problems on campus, and Voos suggested creating an emergency fund.

Emergency funds are becoming more available among institutions of higher education. Bailey mentioned that they were required to submit a report and gather statistics on the need for an emergency fund, to see if Grinnell would be a good fit to follow this trend.

While I may have started the momentum for the creation of the Emergency Fund, Voos was key in this process  she deserves much thanks as her work within the institution kept the momentum going, Burnette said. Without her work, this fund would not have been possible.

The process for the creation of the fund started in the fall of last year, and was completed in April. A memo about the fund was sent to all Grinnell students on April 11.
Yesenia Ayala 18 has been awarded The Harry S. Truman Scholarship, which is among the most prestigious and rigorous scholarships in the nation. This year, 62 students were chosen to receive $30,000 for their graduate education.

According to Ayala, receiving this scholarship is an honor, partially due to the rigor involved with the application process. The application has multiple stages. First, administration has to nominate a student. Just being a nominee was an honor, Ayala wrote in an email to The S&B.

After being nominated as one of four students from Grinnell, Ayala worked to complete a 14-question application and a policy proposal. Additionally, Ayala needed three letters of recommendation attesting to her academics, public service and leadership.

Throughout the application process, Ayala worked closely with Dr. Steven Gump, Assistant Dean and Director of Global Fellowships and Awards in the CLS.

Dr. Gump provided individual and group advising to our Truman nominees, helping them to sharpen their essays, draft and develop their policy proposals, Mark Peltz, Dean of the CLS, said.

The CLS played a large role in helping Ayala work to achieve this prestigious scholarship. Gump and other mentors guided and advised Ayala. They also worked on logistical components of the application process, such as [organizing] the selection and nomination processes and committees, work[ing] closely with our faculty, and ultimately [submitting] nominations, Peltz wrote in an email to The S&B.

Ayala is not the only Grinnell student to receive the Truman Scholarship. As of 2005, Grinnell has had five students named as recipients of this award and 17 others recognized as Truman Finalists.

After her time at Grinnell, Ayala plans to continue her education and work to obtain a Masters degree in public policy and public affairs. She is still unsure of where she wants to attend, but she knows this is the path she will follow.

Ayala wants to be involved in the education sector. She wants to be employed by an organization that values progress and seeks positive impact in our nation.

I am passionate and determined to see change in our society, and I know that we will progress as a nation. I also believe that change begins at a local level, Ayala wrote.

Ayala is confident that the Truman scholarship will help her to achieve her goals.

[The Truman Scholarship] opened a door to something I did not even consider two years ago: post graduate education as well as a network of incredible Truman scholars and alumni across our nation, Ayala wrote.

After receiving this scholarship, Ayala has a few more requirements she must complete. She will be attending the Truman Scholars Leadership, a leadership development program May 23-28 in Missouri. During this time, Ayala will have the opportunity to connect with alumni, create community service projects, attend a graduate school fair and work to create policy projects.

Ayala is not a stranger to community service. Throughout her time at Grinnell as a Posse Scholar, she was involved in the service learning work-study and was the SGA Services coordinator. She has also worked with Al Exito, ASPIRA New York, Breakthrough New York, and is currently abroad in Chile continuing her public service work with Belen Educa. All of these experiences address education inequity.

And Ayala doesnt plan on slowing down anytime soon.

When I began the process, Truman was a dream. Now, its a reality and symbolizes that a first generation student of color can break the barriers and reach their full potential even in predominantly white institutions, Ayala wrote.

Yesenia earned every bit of this honor. Her passion, commitment, work ethic, and drive is inspiring, Peltz said. The entire Grinnell community should celebrate with her.
The BJP is at its political zenith, winning so handsomely in so many states that it is emboldened to go after more seats, certain that the landslide of 2014 can be consolidated further.

Odisha BJP leaders begged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to run from Puri, home of the Jagannath temple, in 2019. It would be a propitious next step, they said, invoking his political beginnings in Gujarat, home of Dwarka and the Somnath temple, and Varanasi, his current constituency, home of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Modi had swept into Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha, to a rapturous reception to attend the BJP national executive meeting held on April 15-16.

Good tidings preceded his arrival. In the recently concluded local body elections, the BJP came from nowhere to finish a competitive second to the Biju Janata Dal, a local powerhouse, which until the 2009 general elections had been a stalwart ally of the saffron party. In the 2014 general elections, the BJD had won 20 out of 21 seats. "Amit Shah," says a local BJP leader, "wants a saffron government in Odisha at any cost." Easier said, given that incumbent CM Naveen Patnaik has been around since 2000, and is the longest serving CM in the history of the state.

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Certainly, the grand meeting helped generate more than a little excitement. For Modi, the meeting was the conclusion to a procession filled with dance, music and wild enthusiasm that so moved him that he often left his car to walk among the supporters.

But despite the air of celebration, for party president Shah and Modi, there was serious business at hand. The BJP is at its political zenith, winning so handsomely in so many states that it is emboldened to go after more seats, certain that the landslide of 2014 can be consolidated further. Odisha was a symbolic choice to host a meeting.

BJP leaders derided the Congress and other Opposition parties for holding up in the Rajya Sabha a proposal to grant the newly created OBC commission constitutional status. OBC votes, as shown in 2014 and again in the BJP's huge victory in Uttar Pradesh, have become crucial to the party's calculations. Shah has announced an ambitious 95-day tour of local BJP booths across the country. He proclaimed in Odisha that the BJP's "golden era" would begin only when they had chief ministers in every state and ruled from panchayat to Parliament. "We need," Modi said, "a committed worker like our national president in each booth."

Odisha was, as Modi and Shah envisaged it, another very public opportunity to send out a familiar BJP message: There Is No Alternative.

--- ENDS ---
Actor Arjun Kapoor starrer Half Girlfriend is set to release in over 2,500 screens in India next month.

Also featuring Shraddha Kapoor, Half Girlfriend produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, Mohit Suri and Chetan Bhagat, is set to release on May 19. The film is distributed by Balaji and NZ Studios.

"We feel the film will definitely appeal to the younger generation and we are happy to bring this film to audiences in over 2500 screens," Shreyans Hirawat, Managing Director of NH Studioz, says in a statement here.

Helmed by Mohit Suri, the coming-of-age romantic film is based on a novel of the same name written by Chetan Bhagat.
A three-day international meet of undergraduate medical students began at centrally administered JIPMER here today, in which more than 1,000 students from India and abroad are taking part.

Inaugurating the meet,held under the banner CONNAISSANCE 2017', President of Management Committee of JIPMER Dr M K Bhan said it would help students strengthen their academic and research aptitude. Experience and education would also be essential tools to hone their skill and capabilities, he said.

He also released a souvenir of the conference.

Director of JIPMER Dr S C Parija, who felicitated the students for holding the meet, claimed this was the first such conference held in the country.

He said JIPMER had introduced innovative curriculum in medical education this year and added that the purpose for adopting innovation and breaking new grounds was to strengthen the academic and research capabilities of students.

This meet would help intensify the efforts, he said.
According to a leading US news magazine, Al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri is hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's ISI. The report also says that Osama bin-Laden's son too may be in Pakistan under ISI's protection.

By India Today Web Desk: Ayman al-Zawahiri, the current head of Al-Qaeda and the man who mentored Osama bin Laden, is hiding in Pakistan, under the protection of the country's premier spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, American magazine Newsweek reported this week.

Quoting several "authoritative sources" the weekly news magazine said that al-Zawahiri has been in Pakistan ever since the United States attacked Afghanistan in 2001, in response to the horrific 9/11 attacks.

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Aywan al-Zawahiri took over as the head of the Al-Queda after Osama bin Laden was killed in a US Navy SEALs operation. bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad, a military garrison town where he fled to from Afghanistan.

According to Newsweek's sources, al-Zawahiri has been hiding in Karachi, a port town. "Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," a CIA veteran of 30 years, Bruce Riedel, told the news weekly.

"There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad that point in that direction...This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans can't come and get him," he is quoted as saying.

'KARACHI VERY HARD TO TARGET'

Riedel goes on to tell the magazine that the United States, which Newsweek says is looking to eliminate al-Zawahiri, would "very hard" to launch a commando like the one that killed bin Laden in Abbottabad.

"If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him... But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Ridel adds.

al-Zawahiri reportedly arrived in Karachi after an unsuccessful attempt by previous Barack Obama-led US regime to eliminate him in 2016.

Back then he reportedly in Pakistan's Shawal Valley, where he survived a drone strike that killed four of his bodyguards, an anonymous militant leader from the region told Newsweek.

He was then "moved to Karachi under direction of 'the black leg,'" the militant leader said, using the Afghan Taliban's code word of Pakistan's ISI.

An unnamed former Pakistani official with close links to Islamabad confirmed to Newsweek that al-Zawahiri was in "in a large Pakistani city" and that Karachi "makes sense" as a sanctuary.

The anonymous official also said that he was "100 per cent" sure that bin Laden's 26-year-old son, Hamza, seen as a rising power in Al-Qaeda, is also in Pakistan under ISI protection.

Responding to the Newsweek report, a spokesman for the Pakistani embassy in Washington, DC, called the allegations "part of a vicious media campaign" and said that "the achievements of Pakistan against Al-Qaeda are unparalleled and proven."

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ALSO READ | Osama's head had to be put together for identification: Ex-Navy SEAL team shooter

ALSO READ | US imposes terrorism-related sanctions against Osama bin Laden's son

ALSO WATCH | Pakistan talks tough, but is it enough to convince India?

--- ENDS ---
The final meeting of the Search and Selection Committee set up for identifying candidates for the University Grants Commission chairmans post will be held on 27 April.

The committee, headed by Prof H R Nagendra, doctorate from IISc Bengaluru in mechanical engineering and Yoga guru of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will finalise three or four names in order of preference and send them to Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar for approval.

According to sources, the top contenders for the post are former V-C of Benares Hindu University Lalji Singh, NAAC director Prof D P Singh, AICTE chairman Prof Anil D Sahasrabudhe and the former Vice-Chairman of UGC Prof H Devaraj.

BHU holds a special significance for the Sangh Parivar as Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghachalak of RSS, was a teacher in the university. The current VC of BHU, G C Tripathi, appointed by the Modi government, is also known to be close to the RSS. A Vice-Chancellors meet presided over by Javadekar was held in BHU in 2016. And PM Modi chose to contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi.

The Ministry is understood to be concerned about UGC being headless as the tenure of both the chairman and vice-chairman is over. The acting chairman of UGC is Prof M Jagdesh Kumar who is also a UGC member and JNU Vice Chancellor. Another Search and Selection Committee has been constituted for recommending names for the UGC vice-chairman.
India's concerns over H1B visa related developments have been conveyed at the "highest quarters" in the US, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Saturday.

The IT ecosystem is based upon "reciprocity" approach, and India neither creates boundaries nor appreciates boundaries, the minister said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Washington had met the Commerce Secretary of the US and conveyed the concerns.

"We are proud of the contribution of Indian IT companies in America and around the world. They have paid $22 billion as tax revenue in the last five years, they have created 400,000 jobs there, they have given value and competitive edge to nearly two-thirds of the fortune 500 companies," Prasad said.

He said the IT ecosystem is based up on reciprocity.

"Indian human resource contributes to USA's economy and many US companies also benefit here in Bengaluru and other parts of India who have Indian minds in creating their research products more competitively."

Prasad was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the interactive meeting with IT /ESDM industry organised by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

To a question about protectionist noises being heard from Europe and other parts of the world and government's approach towards this, he said, "We are reaching out. But what I'm very confident about is the talent of Indian IT minds  that they will always keep the flag flying."

Earlier, addressing the meeting, Prasad said that today IT ecosystem is under some stress and pressure because of what is happening in the US.

Stating that the IT sector needs to acknowledge its own real strengths, he said the Indian IT industry has created a new form of confidence in India's human resources.

He said, "The DNA of technology does not count in its boundaries, and as far as we in India are concerned, we neither create boundaries, nor we appreciate boundaries."

"Indian IT companies don't steal jobs, they create jobs, wherever they go whether it is America or any part of the world."

Noting that the Indian digital economy that includes communication, IT/ITES, e-commerce, digital payments is going to be $1 trillion, the minister said he is seeing India at the cusp of a big digital revolution.

"We missed the industrial revolution, we missed the entrepreneur revolution and we don't want to miss the digital revolution. We want to become leader in that, that is our fundamental philosophy," he said.

Highlighting that in the last two years, 72 mobile manufacturing factories had started production in India, Prasad said 42 are mobiles and 30 are components like battery and others.

He also said that the US-based iPhone maker Apple is again going to meet him in couple of days.

"They are very keen."

To a question by reporters on meeting with Apple executives, he said they are going to meet him. What was important is that India is a huge market and Make in India was basically for making in India for Indian market and also exporting it outside, he said.

"A lot of big mobile phone manufacturing companies have come, if Apple comes fine, they are welcome," he added.
India and Indonesia have agreed to explore cooperation in areas like oil, coal, electricity and energy efficiency, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.

"Two sides have agreed to explore cooperation in number of areas such as upgrading of refineries in Indonesia, relocation of gas-based plants from India to Indonesia, sharing of experience in use of LEDs and renewable energy in India, sharing the expertise of Indonesia in gasification of fuel oil, exploration of oil, gas and coal fields," Goyal said.

Goyal and Indonesian Energy and Mineral Minister Ignasius Jonan met on April 20 during the first 'India Indonesia Energy Forum' held in Jakarta.

According to a statement, Goyal requested Jonan to consider joining International Solar Alliance as Indonesia is a solar-rich country. He also requested Jonan to revisit changes in policy in coal sector and work visa.

Jonan said Indonesia is an important destination for investing, especially in energy and infrastructure sector.

He added that a team of 19 officials from oil and gas, coal and power sectors will be visiting India to look into several issues discussed during the Energy Forum, including relocation of gas-based plants and large scale use of LEDs.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia) on cooperation in the field of oil and gas was signed on the occasion.

The MoU seeks to establish an institutional framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of oil and gas.

India is the third largest importer of coal from Indonesia. India's imports of coal from Indonesia amounted to $3.5 billion in 2016.

Several Indian companies have invested in coal mines in Indonesia. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $15.90 billion in 2015-16 with Indonesia s export to India amounting to $13.06 billion and India s exports to the country at $2.84 billion.
The IMF on Saturday said the impact of demonetisation has abated but insisted on quickly replacing the defunct currency in order to restore missing transactions and also to support the peoples' capacity to spend.

"We are seeing signs that the impact of demonetisation has abated. Some estimates point to about 75 per cent of the cash has been replaced in the economy. And recent indicators such as industrial production and PMI have also recovered nicely," Kenneth Kang, deputy director, Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, told reporters.

Kang said the financial body in general support the Indian government's efforts to combat the illicit financial flows, and to produce the share of the informal economy.

"That being said, since cash is such an important element in the Indian economy, it is very important to as quickly as possible replace this currency in order to restore missing transactions, but also to support to the household's capacity to spend," Kang said in response to a question.

Demonetisation, he said, came as a surprise.

"In our forecast we did reflect the temporary dislocation associated with the scheme. We had lowered our forecast by almost a full percentage point compared to the October we owe for growth this year. And about a half a per cent for growth next year," he said.

Changyong Rhee, Director, IMF Asia and Pacific department, noted that demonetisation had some negative impact on growth, but it is expected to gradually dissipate in 2017.

"Thus our growth is projected to rebound to 7.2 per cent in 2017, and 7.7 per cent in 2018, in fiscal-year basis. India remains as the fastest growing large emerging economies in Asia and in the world, he said.
Two days after being summoned by Delhi Police, AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran on Saturday appeared before the Delhi Police Crime Branch for questioning in connection with the two leaves party symbol row.

Dinakaran arrived at around 3 pm at the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office here for questioning in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe an EC official for retaining the two leaves party symbol.

On 20 April, the Delhi Police had summoned him at his residence in Chennai in connection with the case of an alleged attempt to bribe Election Commission officials to get the two leaves symbol for his party.
Gearing up to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his scheduled rally in Shimla on April 27, state Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday held a special meeting for the preparations.

Modi will first inaugurate the regional connectivity scheme Udan at Jubbarhatti airport in Shimla and later address a party rally at the historic Ridge here.

Chairing the meeting, BJP chief spokesperson Rajeev Bindal said the rally of Narendra Modi will be historic. It is from this rally that we will blow the bugle for forthcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh."

Bindal said it would be a massive rally as there is much enthusiasm in BJP rank and file and the people ahead of PMs visit to Shimla.

He said the BJP will launch a massive cleanliness drive in coming three days in every ward of Shimla city in the run up to the rally.

The party workers will work as messenger of cleanliness and will also go door to door to invite the residents to attend the rally.

This will be the first rally of PM in Shimla and second in the state after he assumed office. He had addressed his first rally in Mandi in October last.

The BJP leaders and workers are particularly elated over his visit, as it would boost the party cadres ahead of assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.
The Gujarat Traders Federation on April 22 asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for easing the rules and structure of the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The federation reached out to Prime Minister Modi through a letter which pointed out various hindrances towards ease of doing business that will occur once the GST is implemented.

In the letter, they said what they learnt from the structure of the GST rules adopted by GST Council which are being published now and in public domain, "it seems that it defeats and violates the very concept of Ease of Doing Business".

"We on behalf of honest small traders, small medium enterprises (SME) of India request you to kindly intervene into the matter and use your kind office to make the provisions and rules vide GST more simple and implementable."

According to the traders' body, GST should enable "ease of doing business", "smooth movement of material across India" and "one India, one market, one tax".

"Instead of promised removal of check posts at state borders, the government is starting mobile check post at every corner in the city, state and country.

"This is directly giving powers to inspectors and harassment and increasing tax terrorism," they wrote.

The federation mentioned the common practice of loaning goods for a short period of time which are replaced shortly will no longer be hassle-free under the GST.

"Although it is not sale, it is supply. Creating e-way bills for such transactions will result in cross verification issues," the letter added.

"Many shops have their warehouses situated away from their selling premises. Movement of goods from warehouse to shop will also require e-waybill. It will be absurd to do so."
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday he fears "5 to 10 per cent" EVM tampering in Delhi's civic polls and urged people to vote heavily for the AAP to defeat this.

In an interview, the Aam Aadmi Party leader also accused the Modi government of trying to cripple state governments not with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Saying he was "100 per cent" sure EVM tampering prevented an AAP victory in Punjab, Kejriwal told IANS in an interview that this would be tried on Sunday too in Delhi's municipal elections.

He said there were three reasons he feared Electronic Voting Machine tampering on Sunday.

"One, pre-2006 EVMs without security features are being used in Delhi; two, these EVMs have no VVPATs; three, the EVMs are coming from Rajasthan (where he said EVMs were tampered with).

"The only way to fail EVM tampering is to vote for the AAP tomorrow in huge numbers People must defeat the EVM tampering."

Kejriwal denied he was complaining about EVMs because the AAP lost the assembly elections in Punjab and Goa.
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez played the damsel in distress in the 2016 superhero film A Flying Jatt. If I could be a superhero, I would love to be Captain Planet. He is one superhero I have grown up watching and always loved the fact that with everything he did, he was making the environment safer, greener and a cleaner space, Fernandez told IANS.

RAW Pressery, a cold pressed juice brand, announced her as an investor aka Green Warrior. In a world flooded with highly processed and unhealthy junk, RAW Pressery is the light at the end of the tunnel. Its where healthy meets tasty and also gets you sexy. What the brand does will help us feel healthier, happier and closer to nature while sipping on juice thats all fruit, she said. Asked who has an hourglass figure in Bollywood, the Sri Lankan beauty said, I think Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif have the best bodies in the industry today. As for films, she is tied up with Judwaa 2 and Drive.
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput says that being an outsider, he does not have a problem with nepotism in Bollywood. I think nepotism can co-exist with the idea of encouraging new talent from outside of the film industry. Me, being an outsider, got the opportunity and luxury of choices to choose the film that I wanted to do. So I have no complaints. But having said that, if new talents wont get a chance, and only the practice of nepotism continues, then the industry will collapse in some time, he told media at the trailer launch of his forthcoming film Raabta. He started his acting career with television, and gained popularity with the show Pavitra Rishta and later made his Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che in 2013. His next Raabta opposite actress Kriti Sanon will release on 9 June.
An Enforcement Directorate officer who was investigating the bank loan fraud case against Surat-based fleet operator Siddhi Vinayak Logistics Ltd was assaulted by five persons.

By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: Pune police has arrested five persons in case of assaulting an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer while investigating the bank loan fraud case against Surat-based fleet operator Siddhi Vinayak Logistics Ltd (SVLL).

Out of these five accused, four of them have been remanded to police custody till May 13. These arrests were made under section 143, 147, 149, 342, 353, 332, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. But later, all accused were released on bail.

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A senior police officer of Talegaon Dabhade police station confirmed, "The accused were not the employees of SVLL. They were localities and tenants in SVLL's premise, who were having liquor at that time. They got angry with this officer when he questioned them regarding a address, repeatedly."

WHAT HAPPENED

The incident took place on April 11 in Pune, when one ED officer from Mumbai zonal office visited SVLL's premises at Somatne Phata in Talegaon for verifying certain properties related to SVLL, which is an accused in Rs 846.29 crore bank loan fraud case.

In his complaint to Pune police, the officer alleged that at least 6-7 persons assaulted him using wooden sticks. The same day, Talegaon Dabhade police lodged a criminal case against seven people under sections 342 and 353 of IPC.

Senior ED official in Mumbai confirmed the incident, "Our officer was assaulted by SVLL's employees at a time when the investigation is at crucial juncture. Fortunately, he was not injured seriously, but he has a major pain near his eardrums," the official said.

On April 20, the agency summoned SVLL's promoter and director Rup Chand Baid and arrested him under PMLA. Baid has been remanded to ED custody till April 27th, by special PMLA court.

--- ENDS ---
This columnist's teenage daughter explained the latest politically correct views on "gender identity" to her mother and me.

I learned that many young people in Asia are adopting the position promoted by two terrifying extremist groups in the West, a scary US tribe called "Californians" and the UK's even more frightening "Guardian Readers".

These groups say you must legally recognise people as whatever they claim to be  or risk being sued for discrimination.

I'm pretty chill on all this. If a man feels he is a woman or a dodgy real estate salesman thinks he is President of the United States, let them.

Furthermore, I like the idea that everyone should be legally forced to recognise, for example, that this writer is a handsome, intelligent, good man trapped in the body of a lazy, evil dwarf.

But my chill attitude was challenged when a US reporter friend told me about Pablo Gomez Jr, a man recently charged with the murder of a young woman. After his arrest, Gomez announced that he was a girl "inside" and thus needed to be sent to a women's prison. In most countries, police would have slapped him around and told him not to be silly. But this happened in California so law enforcement officers are now legally required to hold doors open for him, comment on his hair and the like.

Obama spread the California policy across the country. In most states now, police must ask arrested people "How do you identify" and accept the answer given.

"A person with a full beard and complete male 'plumbing' who claims to identify as female will be put in the female cell block," Deputy Sheriff Paul Harding confirmed. "Complaints from female prisoners about the person who looks exactly like a man sleeping and showering with them in their cell block are not valid."

A UK reporter told me that British murderer Peter Laing also told cops that he felt like a girl inside. They duly sent him to a women's prison under his chosen name (Ms Paris Green) where he kept having sex with the other inmates. They told him to behave and transferred him to a second women's jail  where the same thing happened. "He's just trying to manipulate the system," complained a family member of his victim. Police have now risked the wrath of Guardian Readers by putting him in a male jail.

A police friend tells me cops in Asia assign arrestees to male or female prisons after a simple visual check of their "undercarriage". In Thailand, this means that many "ladyboys" end up in male prisons and some are delighted, according to a 2013 study by Phuketwan, a Thai news service: "Ladyboys commit crimes, most often petty theft, just so they can return to the jail."

I told my kids that laws which force police officers and teachers to let male tricksters into females' safe spaces were a bad thing, but the most important thing was to be kind to everyone, including people of non-standard gender.

I also told them that I myself started life as a man trapped in a woman's body. And then, after nine months, I was born.

(IANS)
Actor Zac Efron, who turns 30 in October, says he is looking to find the right girl to settle down with after seeing some of his friends in "great relationships".

Efron, who split from model Sami Miro last year, is now looking forward to get married soon, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"I didn't think much about settling down until recently. Now that I'm getting closer to my 30s, I'm around some great relationships and I've seen expert couples at work," Efron told Cosmopolitan magazine.

"I'm realising that you have to find your own happiness before you can make somebody else happy," he added.
Actor Zachary Quinto has been left devastated by the death of his "true prince", his beloved pet dog Noah.

The 39-year-old Star Trek actor paid a heartbreaking tribute to Noah, in which he told how the pooch made him a better person and thanked his canine companion for always being by his side.

He wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself and Noah: "Anyone who has ever truly known me in the last 14 years has known this true prince. Noah has been by my side through up and down. Thick and thin. Feast and famine. In loving him I learned to love myself more fully. He taught me compassion and patience and generosity and oh how he made me laugh.

"He made friends wherever he went. His spirit was pure.

His love was legend. I am a better person for having had him in my life. But tonight we had to let him go. Surrounded by love he went to sleep and may he forever rest in peace (sic).
Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters here on Saturday.

Sajjan interacted with Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, a Defence spokesperson said.

"The minister highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada and the need to further enhance cooperation between both nations. The discussions looked at continuing the current level of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation," he said.

The current Regional and Global Security environment and the opportunities it afforded both India and Canada to work together formed part of the talks, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Enhancement of maritime and naval cooperation and visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg were also discussed.

HMCS Winnipeg will visit India in mid May 2017 and will carry out professional interaction and Passage Exercise with Indian ships, the spokesperson said.

"The minister also visited the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi. He was taken on a conducted tour of the ship and expressed his deep appreciation of the strides being made by India in their indigenisation efforts," he said.

"India and Canada are poised to enhance defence cooperation in fields of counter terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace keeping and Naval cooperation," the spokesperson said.
The Central government will develop 1268 organic clusters along the river Ganga to promote organic farming and rid the river's banks of pollution.

The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Agriculture Ministry to promote organic clusters on the banks of the Ganga in five Ganga basin States.

Nearly 136 gram panchayats would be covered under the programme in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, said a senior officer of the Water Resources Ministry.

The Government has received proposals for 309 organic clusters in Bihar and 959 clusters in Uttar Pradesh. The Ministry of Water Resources will constitute a project appraisal committee to scrutinise the proposals received from various state governments under the guidelines of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) Scheme.

The components of the scheme include mobilisation of farmers, PGS certification and quality control. It would also include adoption of organic village for manure management and biological nitrogen harvesting through cluster approach.

The clusters would also look into integrated manure management, custom hiring centre (CHC) charges, packing, labeling and branding of organic products. The expected expenditure would only be ascertained after finalising number of clusters, the Ministry said.
Leading oncologists from over 100 cancer hospitals have urged the prime minister to include bidi in the list of demerit goods under the GST regime, saying this low-cost tobacco product is the single largest cause of smoking-related deaths in the country.

The demand from leading oncologists and 108 cancer hospitals under the aegis of the state-funded National Cancer Grid (NCG), comes ahead of the GST Council meeting on Monday in the national capital that is likely to fix GST rates, including those on demerit goods.

The meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is also expected to finalise the fitment of various goods and services into five slabs under the GST regime.

The call follows media reports that the government may exclude bidi from the list of demerit goods and additional cess to protect the interest of tobacco farmers.

Oncologists from 108 cancer centres, led by Tata Memorial Centre, pleaded with Modi in a letter to end the serious anomaly of low tax on bidis in the Goods and Services Tax as bidi smoking alone kills as many as 6 lakh or 60 per cent of all cancer-related deaths annually.

The NCG is a network of 108 cancer hospitals, research institutes, patient groups, professional societies and charities and works towards uniform quality of cancer care across the country.

It is estimated that around 6 lakh cancer patients are treated annually at the NCG centres, which amounts to 60 per cent of the total cancer patients in the country.

Calling for putting all tobacco products, including bidis in the demerit goods list under GST and fixing a uniform tax on all tobacco items, R A Badwe, director at Tata Memorial Centre said: "The present tobacco taxation is much lower than the WHO recommended level. GST is a golden opportunity to correct this historical aberration in tobacco taxation.

"In the interest of citizens, especially future generations, we urge you to put all tobacco products, including bidis, in the category of demerit goods in the proposed GST structure and rates."

Pramesh C S, cancer surgeon at the Tata Memorial hospital, which is the largest cancer facility in the country, and coordinator of the NCG said, "tobacco kills every third user prematurely and unfortunately every third adult uses some form of tobacco".

He said: "About 10 lakh die of tobacco-related diseases each year in the country and nearly 40 per cent of all cancer cases the country are attributable to tobacco usage. High taxation will certainly curb this epidemic."

The letter pointed out that according to the Union health ministry, total economic cost attributable to tobacco use in 2011 was a staggering Rs 1.05 lakh crore or 1.16 per cent of the then GDP. It was 12 per cent more than the combined healthcare budgets of the Centre and states.

The total excise duty collected from tobacco was however only 17 per cent of this cost, Badwe said.

A uniform taxation on all tobacco products can be a first effective step to discourage its consumption, the letter said.

It concluded by saying that cancer cannot be defeated unless tobacco use is curtailed and termed tobacco-related deaths as man-made disasters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack on a military base in northern Afghanistan.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i- sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," he said in a tweet.

Over 50 Afghan soldiers were killed when the Taliban attacked the base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

Th attack targeted soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility.

The Taliban had claimed responsibility for the operation.
Prime Minster Narendra Modi on Earth Day on Saturday urged people across the country and in the world at large to live in harmony with nature and keep the planet clean and green.

Also urging the people to give thanks to mother earth, Modi said, "Earth Day is a day of gratitude to mother earth".

"It is our duty to live in harmony with the plants, animals and birds we share the earth with. We owe this to our future generations," Modi said in his meaasge to the world on this Earth Day.

The prime minister expressed the hope that this year's theme of 'Environmental and Climate Literacy' helps in creating awareness among all people on protecting the rich biodiversity in the country.

Every year, April 22 is observed as the anniversary of the modern environmental movement that started in 1970.
India on Saturday strongly condemned the terror attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, saying it is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle safe havens sustaining terrorism from outside that country's borders.

The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement, said India remained steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism.

More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on the army base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday.

"The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders," the MEA said, in an apparent reference to the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

It said the government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment.

"India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they maybe," the statement said.
It may not have been as devastating as previous outrages in Paris; it was nonetheless an ugly prologue to the swelling act of the presidential theme. Two days before the process began, the ISIS has claimed responsibility for Fridays attack on the police at the iconic Champs Elysees though it might be premature to speculate quite yet whether the militants were intent on influencing the presidential election.

Suffice it to register that an Islamist effort to influence the political process in the West cannot be readily ruled out. Fears that the incident could have an impact on the elections ~ as promptly predicted by Donald Trump ~ are not wholly unfounded. Not least because the outrage on the eve of the elections may yet sway the voters to the right, going by the reaction of Marine Le Pen and the conservative candidate, Francois Fillon. Both have immediately declared a war against Islamists.

In a quirky irony of French politics, both have conveyed the impression that they seek to gain from yet another terrorist attack in the French capital, one that has left a police officer dead in the heart of the city. Small wonder that the French Prime Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has appealed to candidates, most particularly of the far Right, not to exploit the outrage as an electoral opportunity.

He has even accused Le Pen of seeking to divide France. In an apparent attempt to gain political mileage from the mayhem, she has made an eleventh-hour robust presentation, blaming the so-called leaders for failing to protect citizens ~ Islamisation is a monstrous totalitarian ideology that has declared war on our nation, on reason, on civilization. Palpably, the incident in the vicinity of Champs Elysees has caused a flutter in the political roost.

Any terrorist attack linked to Islamic militants will almost certainly rally voters behind Le Pen and her extreme rightwing Front National. A Le Pen victory will very probably convey an uncompromising message to Frances large Muslim minority about their place in the country, raising tensions, increasing the possibility of further attacks, and thus accelerating a cycle of violence. Whether or not a right-wing dispensation will be in a position to contain Islamist outrages is a different proposition altogether.

The Caliphate, under siege in Mosul (Iraq) and Aleppo in Syria has in the recent past emitted a signal to widen existing the social, racial and religious divisions in France and Europe in the larger perspective. ISIS tends to target countries where different cultures and faiths co-exist; the concept of pluralism is anathema to its sinister philosophy. Champs Elysees has been a symbolic target, not dissimilar to the recent attack on Parliament in London.
Both Gandhi and Irani got into a twitter spat after Gandhi slammed PM Modi for asking top bureaucrats to stop using social media for self promotion.

By India Today Web Desk: Rahul Gandhi's comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's advice to bureaucrats on use of social media has drawn a sharp rebuke from Smriti Irani.

Both Gandhi and Irani got into a twitter spat after Gandhi slammed PM Modi for asking top bureaucrats to stop using social media for self promotion.

The Congress vice president taking a swipe at Modi, said that he was not in a position to lead by example on his counsel against self-promotion.

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"Leading by example is clearly overrated," Gandhi said on Twitter, after Modi told bureaucrats yesterday not to use social media for self-promotion or spend too much time online.

Leading by example is clearly overrated https://t.co/EZa4cjp04n- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) 22 April 2017

Smriti Irani fired a retaliatory salvo at the Congress vice president with a tweet, "Look who is talking about being overrated". The tweet was accompanied by a smiley.

Irani has had frequent run-ins with Gandhi ever since she unsuccessfully contested from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2014 against the Congress leader.

The prime minister actively uses the social media to connect with the public and is the most followed leader on Twitter and Instagram in the country.

Modi has 29.3 million followers on Twitter and has emerged as the most followed world leader on photo-sharing app Instagram with a whopping 6.9 million followers, surpassing US President Donald Trump.

With inputs from PTI

Also read:

'Why is Rahul Gandhi hiding?' Congress expels Barkha Shukla Singh for anti-party activities

Rahul Gandhi gives three-K agenda to party leaders for upcoming Assembly elections in six states

Is young Congress brigade fleeing party due to nepotism, corruption and doublespeak?

ALSO WATCH | Rahul Gandhi tweets on senseless death at hands of cow vigilantes in Alwar

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The theory that well-begun is half-done, unfortunately, is unlikely to come into play in respect of the governments excessively-hyped ban on red beacons on VIP-carrying vehicles. The claim is that a bid is underway to dismantle a sickening, discriminatory culture, when in reality only a symbol is being addressed. Ushering in a cultural revolution will require more than the gimmickry in which successive governments have indulged, and the Prime Ministers tweet that every Indian is special, every Indian is a VIP points to a supercilious over-simplification of a malaise that will not be remedied by tokenism.

Cars carrying the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice may not flash red beacons from next month, but the security-detail accompanying VIPs will ensure that no other traffic is simultaneously permitted to ply the same roads. Doing away with the lal batti culture does not ensure equality, ask those who seek to meet the chief minister of Delhi who was among the first to discard the beacon.

Under the guise of security an impregnable wall has been built around political figures, senior officials, etc., ~ will the armed forces follow suit and do away with flags/stars on staff cars? The minister for transport, who would like to portray himself as a prime mover in the new drive, has also spoken of junking the bungalows of Lutyens luxury enclave in the Capital: the truth is that many of those structures are on the verge of collapse ~ and some of the new apartment complexes raised to accommodate MPs are nothing short of luxurious.

There would be countless other manifestations of the VIP culture, and even Mr Narendra Modi would find it hard to attain what his publicitymachine has just churned out ~ remember Arun Shouries observation about this government being capable of merely managing headlines. Still, it would be cynically unfair not to give the government a chance: if only there was a non-electoral way to make it pay for failure to live up to its promises.

Only a few weeks back the government had a heaven-sent opportunity to cut inflated VIP egos down to size, but it declined to punish a misbehaving MP and, instead, it sold up the river the unostentatious civil aviation minister who ruled that in matters of flight safety no allowances should be made for passenger-status. That the minister found little support, either in government or Parliament tells its own tragic tale.

The scrapping of the red beacons is, at best, a welcome first step but what follows is more important ~ will MPs no longer claim privileges, will officials stand in queues to buy cinema tickets? When again will the son of a Prime Minister join the crush of students seeking college admissions?
Who will be the next occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan? The incumbent Pranab Mukherjee will retire on July 25 after a successful fiveyear inning. While there was a possibility for a second term for Mukherjee before the UP polls, after the unprecedented results of the recent five state Assembly polls the BJP is moving towards installing its candidates as president and vice president. They both could be from the RSS stable. Having a president of its choice in Rashtrapati Bhavan will be helpful to the party in complicated political situations  like imposing Central rule in a state. A strong vice president would help in the Rajya Sabha where the BJP is in a minority.

What does the electoral arithmetic say? The president is elected by members of an electoral college that comprises elected members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and elected members of all legislative assemblies. The total value of votes of the MPs is 5,49,408 while the total value of votes of all 4,120 MLAs across India is 5,49,474. Going by the present count, the BJP alone has 4,33,182 votes and along with its NDA allies the number goes up to 5,24,088. This is still 25,354 votes short of the half way mark of the total 10,98,882 votes. Even if the arithmetic is short of the 50.1 per cent mark, the formidable political stature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the recent election has reinforced will afford him all the leeway he needs to get the support of smaller parties for candidates of his choice. The BJP hopes to bridge this gap by mobilising support from non UPA, non-BJP parties like the AIADMK, BJD, TRS, INLD and even JD (U). But the support can only come if the choice of candidate is acceptable to these parties.

Though the BJP leaders claim that no discussions have taken place so far about the probables, there has been speculation in political and party circles. There are candidates for every possible scenario be it a scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, a Brahmin, the Other Backward Classes or a woman but certainly not a Muslim as the BJP may not choose one. It could be some one from the Northeast or from the south, as the party wants to expand in both regions. While the names of octogenarian BJP leaders L.K.Advani and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi were doing the rounds earlier, their chances have dimmed after the revival of the Babri Masjid demolition case by the Supreme Court last week. While Prime Minister Modi has reasons not to support Advani as the latter had opposed him from becoming the prime ministerial candidate in 2013, Dr Joshi continues to have good relations with the RSS. He has also tried to bridge the gap with Modi in the past three year. While some in the BJP claim that no governors are under consideration, the octogenarian Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naiks name is doing the rounds. He had been the Petroleum minister in the Vajpayee government and is also close to Modi and the RSS. His age is his minus point but rules are always waived when required. The name of the Jharkhand Governor Draupathi Murmu (58) is also being floated as she is a tribal woman and so far no tribal has occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan. The other tribal leader whose name has surfaced is the former Deputy Speaker Karia Munda from Jharkhand.

There has been speculation about elevating Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan (73) as Vice president or President. Mahajan has served as Speaker for the past three years and had a long stint as an M.P from Madhya Pradesh and had been a minister of state in the Vajpayee government.

Among the ministers, the name of Sushma Swaraj (65) is under speculation for both posts. She is a Brahmin and has acquitted herself well as a minister in the NDA governments. She was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha earlier. After her recent kidney transplant, it is felt that she might be given a less strenuous role, as her present position needs constant overseas travel. Yet another whose name is in circulation is urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu (67). He had been the party chief earlier, served the party well and had been a minister in the Vajpayee government. Since the BJP needs a strong chairman for the Rajya Sabha, his name is doing the rounds for both posts.

Union Minister for social development and entrepreneurship Thavar Chand Gehlot (68) is a Dalit face and is liked by Modi. The other Dalit face being talked about is former Minister Jatiya, from Madhya Pradesh who was the labour minister in Vajpayee government.

The wounded opposition is getting ready to field its own candidates for both posts, as it does not want to let the presidency go unopposed. Congress President Sonia Gandhi is leading the opposition in finding a common candidate and has been talking to the Left, JD (U) and other parties. But it will only be a futile exercise as the BJP has the magic numbers in its pocket. The ideal position would be to find a consensus candidate for both posts. Modi should reach out to the opposition to find a good candidate. Going by the way Modi operates; it could be a dark horse and a person loyal to him. After all he had produced such people from the RSS stable earlier.
Civil Services Day provides an occasion for serious soul-searching as to what ails this age-old institution of governance and what should be done to restore it to its pristine glory. But at the outset a recap of history beginning with the first prime minister of the country is necessary to garner a holistic view of the indispensable administrative machinery.

Jawaharlal Nehru devoted one full chapter in his Autobiography to describe the abominable role played by civil servants. However, he could not bring about any major reforms in the bureaucracy during his 17 year-long prime ministerial tenure. His obsession with the socialistic pattern of society, drawing inspiration from the Soviet model created a regulatory regime which conferred unfettered powers on the bureaucracy with the inevitable fall-out of a patron state. And when asked in 1964 what he considered his greatest failure as Indias prime minister, Nehru replied, I could not change the administration, it is still a colonial administration.

Indira Gandhis committed bureaucracy ushered in, in the words of BBCs Mark Tully, an era of Neta babu Raj which kept India in slow motion. The politician-bureaucrat nexus destroyed the neutrality of the civil service when it was sought to be controlled through a carrot and stick policy. No wonder, it bred corruption and fathered all sorts of scams in the political economy, not to speak of creating a distance between the ruler and the ruled.

Rajiv Gandhi was not unaware of the goings-on in the administration when he rued we have government servants who do not serve but oppress the poor and the helpless, who do not uphold the law but connive with those who cheat the state and whole legions whose only concern is their private welfare at the cost of the society. His theory of PM to DM was an attempt towards decentralisation. But the agenda remained unaddressed since he died young.

The focus shifted from a tight regulatory regime to untangling bureaucratic control during the five-year-stint of P V Narasimha Rao. The Economic Reforms launched in July 1991 were not only a path-breaking move to open the economy before the world but also to cut the bureaucracy down to size.

Manmohan Singh, himself an astute administrator with a wealth of experience in several areas was aware of the poor performance at all levels of the government and the urgent need to reform the civil services. We must introspect and recognise that there is great public dissatisfaction with the functioning of the government at all levels. The civil service must endeavour to address this challenge as a collective entity. Administrative reforms at every level he declared to be his priority. Though UPA-I introduced some path-breaking legislation in the social sector like RTI, RTE etc, UPA-II was a disaster with various scams involving ministers and bureaucrats.The colonial legacy with automatic pay increases and promotion to the highest levels based on rank secured at entry level has not been done away with. Cadreism in government, as pernicious as casteism in society, is still the order of the day. Recommendations of the earlier Pay Commission  which include pruning the 5-6 layers in administration to not more than two, a 30 per cent reduction in government, just three national holidays and any 10 or 12 the staff may choose from during the year  still remain unimplemented.

When Narendra Modi assumed power in May 2014, his real challenge was to re-energise the bureaucracy which was resistant to all change. His 19-point code of conduct for bureaucrats was interpreted as the end of achche din of doing no work. A lingering suspicion surfaced that the country has now a prime minister who is determined to end the status-quo mentality of the Nehruvian establishment he had inherited. Advocating the need for transformation in the NITI Transforming India Lecture series on 26 August last year he said transformation of governance cannot happen without a transformation in mindset and a transformation in mindset cannot happen without transformative ideas.

In bureaucracy, the nagging perception is that the honest one is largely inefficient, the efficient not the most honest but the honest and efficient bureaucrat is at a high premium. Initially, the prime minister decided to give all a chance assuming that the bureaucracy would work with the government of the day. But the assumption appears to have proved costly to Modi.

Excepting a few infrastructure sectors such as power, roads and highways, the push for skill development or manufacturing through Make in India is suffering. Now the prime minister is reluctant to give a long rope to the officers. Instead, he wants to make them accountable. He asked the Union agriculture secretary to redo the presentation before the committee of secretaries and fired two senior IPS officers and one IAS officer on grounds of poor performance. Besides, he wants government schemes implemented on schedule.

True, the prime minister has given the bureaucracy many a pep-talk. But it is still mired in the inertia and sluggishness of the past 70 years and is finding it difficult to cope with him. The massive problems encountered in the roll-out of the demonetisation scheme is a pointer to the fact that the prime minister and the administrative machinery are not running at the same pace.

Experience of the last few months unequivocally suggests strategies to upgrade the management skills of the government. Given Indias complexities and the pace at which the prime minister wants to bring about a change, a judicious mix of the best minds in government and the private sector may be necessary to professionally manage specific schemes. We have to think about India beyond those who have a batch, a service and a year to refer to. The chosen one should not be treated as an intruder or an outsider. The American bureaucracy welcomes the new entrant and goes about its business in the most normal way. It is high time that the prime minister should end the obduracy of the Indian bureaucracy which has the reputation of resisting outsiders and killing their creativity.

The prime minister must unfold the plan of a new administrative machinery which will be a proper blend of bureaucrats and management specialists from outside government who are not weighed down by bureaucratic baggage. This will shake up the system and trigger a paradigm change in the way the government works. Yes, this will be the next big surgical strike in national interest.

The writer is a former Joint Secretary to the Government of West Bengal.
Pro-Kannada outfits today called off their protest against the release of Baahubali 2 after actor Sathyaraj expressed regret over his controversial remarks made during the Cauvery row nine years ago.

"We accept the regret expressed by Sathyaraj and have decided to drop our protests. We have also withdrawn the call for Bengaluru bandh on April 28," Vatal Nagaraj, who was spearheading "Kannada Okoota", an umbrella organisation of Kannada bodies, told reporters here.

The announcement comes a day after Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattappa in the movie, apologised.

The decision by the outfits paves the way for the release of the second part of the epic fantasy, which the outfits had threatened to stall if their demand of an "unconditional apology" from Sathyaraj was not met.

The controversy began after a video, in which Sathyaraj made the alleged anti-Kannada comments in the context of the Cauvery river water row, surfaced a fortnight ago and went viral.

Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are locked in a bitter row over the sharing of Cauvery waters.

Nagaraj said the Kannada outfits had no grouse against director S S Rajamouli or the film, but were "outraged over cheap comments" made against Kannadigas and the state by Sathyaraj.

He said since Sathyaraj had expressed regret, they did not want to press the issue or stretch the protest any further.

Nagaraj, however, warned that if Sathyaraj tried to provoke Kannadigas again, his movies will not be allowed to release in Karnataka.

Nagaraj said there were reports that Kannada films were not being allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu.

"If these reports are true, we will stop the screening of Tamil films and Tamil TV channels," he said.

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President and Kannada activist Sa Ra Govindu said he had verified with the South Indian film chamber about reports that Kannada films were not being allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu and he was told that they were not correct.

Rajamouli had also made a video appeal, saying the film should not be dragged into the matter as the comments were made nine years ago.
Veteran cinema star Kamal Haasan today praised his former colleague Sathyaraj for apologising over the remarks made during the Cauvery crisis, calling him a "great human being".

"Congrats Mr Sathyaraj for maintaining rationality in a troubled environment," he tweeted.

The actor-director quoted from his directorial venture Virumaandi to describe Sathyaraj as a "great human being".

In the movie, the protagonist's wife tells him that a man who seeks forgiveness is a "great human being".

Sathyaraj, who plays the role of Kattappa in SS Rajamouli's Baahubali had yesterday expressed regret over his comments made during the Cauvery dispute while appealing for the smooth release of the second part of the film in Karnataka next week.

His statement came following the demand of an apology from the actor by pro-Kannada outfits, who had threatened to stall the release of the film in the state.

They had taken strong objection to some of his remarks made in the light of the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Sathyaraj had said he had made the remarks nine years ago during a protest organised by the Tamil cinema industry against the 'attack' on Tamils in Karnataka over the Cauvery dispute.

Meanwhile, state BJP leader H Raja lashed out at Sathyaraj and Kamal Haasan, saying they were "bothered only about money."

"Whether it is Kamal or Sathyaraj they are bothered only about money. Their love for Tamil and their Tamil sentiment is only skin deep," he tweeted.

He described Sathyaraj's act as a "self-respectless act done for money."
At least 50 Afghan troops were killed on Friday and around 70 others were injured when a group of Taliban insurgents launched an attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, a military official said.

Ten Taliban militants were also killed, an Afghan Army Commander told EFE on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
An American Airlines flight attendant has been suspended for hitting a female passenger with a baby stroller onboard a domestic flight, the media reported on Saturday.

The woman had just boarded a flight on Friday afternoon from San Francisco to Dallas when the incident occurred, the New York Daily News reported.

A video posted by a Facebook user showed the aftermath.

"AA (American Airlines) flight attendant violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby on my flight, hitting her and just missing the baby," the user captioned the video.

Although, the footage does not catch the moment when the flight attendant allegedly struck the woman, but the atmosphere in the cabin gets tense as a man steps in to defend her.

"Hey bud, you do that to me and I'll knock you flat," the man says to the attendant as the distraught woman stands to the side clutching her baby.

"You stay out of this," the attendant responds, adding "Hit me, c'mon, bring it on!C'mon, you don't know what the story is.".

The woman was eventually escorted off the flight, but the attendant was allowed back on, reports the New York Daily News.

The Facebook video quickly spread across social media, and had been shared more than 3,500 times as of early Saturday.

American Airlines condemned the attendant's behaviour and said it had launched a probe into the incident.

"What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers," the airline said in a statement.

"We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident."

The airline said the woman and her baby boarded another flight.

The attendant was removed from duty pending an investigation, it added.

The incident follows another high-profile clash on a United Airlines plane two weeks ago, when a passenger was violently removed from an overbooked flight.
China's Hangzhou International Airport plans to become the world's first "cashless" airport by applying cutting-edge digital technologies to its services and will use artificial intelligence to make security checks faster, the media reported on Saturday.

According to a media report, the airport in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, will co-operate with internet firms, such as Alipay, to allow travellers to make cashless payments for services including accommodation, flights and car rentals, the Global Times reported.

The airport will also work with service providers to combine cloud computing and big data so it can offer passengers door-to-door services including ticket bookings, transportation, smart parking, shopping and catering as well as hotel bookings.

It will also introduce artificial intelligence and image recognition technologies into security checks so as to increase the safety and efficiency of the process as well as reduce passenger wait times, according to the report.

A Hangzhou resident told the Global Times on Friday that she welcomes the airport experimenting with big data and cashless services.

She said that with the spread of mobile payment, offering cashless services is unlikely to pose much of a challenge. She said that reducing wait times is likely to be the real test.

Online payment already has a particularly high level of penetration in Hangzhou, which is home to tech giant Alibaba Group Holding, which pioneered China's most popular online payment tool, Alipay.

Separately, Alibaba's financial affiliate Ant Financial announced plans to spend 3 billion yuan ($435 million) each year for the next two years to create a cashless society.
Cuba and Morocco has signed an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties after a gap of 37 years, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, the two governments agreed to reestablish ties as well as political, economic and cultural cooperation," said the agreement, signed on Friday by the two countries' envoys to the UN in New York.

Relations will be restored with ambassadors being exchanged, Xinhua news agency reported.

Morocco's King Mohamed VI has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana, one of the few Latin American capitals where Rabat was not represented to date.

Morocco cut ties with Havana in 1980 after Cuba recognised Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco claims the territory as its own.

King Mohamed VI travelled to Cuba earlier in April for a private family visit, but it was widely believed that he maintained diplomatic contacts with the Cuban government during his stay there.
Egyptian-born Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the worlds most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistans notorious spy agency ISI, a US media report said.

Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001, Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea, the weekly said.

This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaeda chief, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor.

Like everything about his location, theres no positive proof, Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan), where bin Laden was slain, that point in that direction, he added.

This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him, he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a very hard place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011. If he was in someplace along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him.

But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult, Riedel said. But the al-Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.

The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe, the unnamed man told the magazine.

The man added that four of al-Zawahiris security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later. He said al-Zawahiri had left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room.One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al- Zawahiri and AlQaeda are no longer welcome in areas controlled by his group because its engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesnt want to be seen as a threat to world peace, it said.
The Special Operation Group of the Rajasthan Police has arrested MC Gupta, the Deputy Registrar of Rajasthan University, in connection with a paper leak scam. Earlier in April, the SOG arrested eight people, including a Rajasthan University HoD (Head of Department), the principal of a government college, two lecturers and several others.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: The Rajasthan Police's Special Operation Group (SOG) has arrested MC Gupta, Deputy Registrar of Rajasthan University, in connection with a paper leak scam it unearthed earlier this month.

A total of 18 arrests have been made.

Earlier in April, the SOG arrested eight people, including a Rajasthan University HoD (Head of Department), the principal of a government college, two lecturers and several others.

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The accused were allegedly involved in the leaking of several papers including Bikaner Univeristy's M.Com (Final) paper held on April 5, 2017, and Rajasthan University's first question paper of BA (Part 3) Geography held on April 10, 2017, among others.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan SOG unearths paper leak scam, arrests eight

ALSO READ | Physics question paper leak: 6 arrested in Manipur

ALSO WATCH | By book or by crook: India Today investigation exposes exam cheats of UP

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Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said the country would welcome any effort by the Donald Trump administration to encourage New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve their differences.

Dar, who is in Washington to attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference, assured the international community that "Pakistan's nuclear assets are as safe as those of the US".

Dar said that over half of the world's population lived in the region, which is directly affected by relations between India and Pakistan, particularly the Kashmir dispute, reported Dawn online.

"So, any effort to help improve this situation is welcome," said the minister.

Dar said a former US President Bill Clinton had also offered to help resolve India-Pakistan dispute and Islamabad had welcomed that offer too.

The minister also defended Pakistan's decision to deny consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav: "It is a law, and commonly known, where there is a charge of treason or spying, consular access is not allowed."

Dar, however, said that legal consul was made available to Jadhav and there were "further steps" that a sentenced person can also take.

Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in Pakistan.

Dar said Pakistan also welcomed a recent statement by US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley, who had said that instead of waiting for a calamity to happen, the Trump administration would engage the two South Asia countries to defuse tensions between them.

The minister acknowledged that US-Pakistan relations had reached a stalemate but said that "we need to break this stalemate" as this relationship was important for both.

"We need to work together to resolve these differences. If there's any misunderstandings, those should be removed."

Responding to a question, Dar rejected former Afghan intelligence chief's Rahmatullah Nabil claim that Pakistan's nuclear assets were not safe and could end up in the hands of militants.

"Pakistan's command and control system as well as its nuclear security regime remain robust and are on a par with international standards. There has never been a single nuclear security incident in the country," the minister said.

Dar said that the former Afghan intelligence chief's claims were "grossly misleading and  mala fide  the world should ignore such claims".
US Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan by the end of April, a media report said.

"Our expectation is that they will be in position in the Sea of Japan in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told at a joint presser with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Xinhua news agency reported.

The aircraft carrier will arrive in waters near the Korean peninsula early next week.

The carrier and its strike group is to sail to areas near North Korea after completing its training mission with the Australian Navy, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is currently stationed at the US military base in Yokosuka, Japan, but is undergoing maintenance and would not be able to be deployed immediately in the event of an emergency.

Maintenance work on the carrier is one of the reasons why the US military is keen to "leave no gap" in Northeast Asia, the report stated.

The US is also strengthening its reinforcements ahead of April 25, when North Korea is expected to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army.

Experts have stated there is a possibility North Korea could conduct a sixth nuclear test, the Japanese media reported.

North Korea has said it is not afraid of the Carl Vinson, following reports the aircraft carrier and its strike group had not been deployed to the Korean peninsula as announced.

"The closer it approaches, the greater the impact of the effect of annihilating punishment," the Pyongyang statement read. "We will not allow survival for those who threaten our existence."

The US Navy said on Friday a Carl Vinson fighter pilot was safely ejected during training in the Celebes Sea. The pilot suffered no injuries and was rescued by helicopter, according to CNN.
By Press Trust of India: Yadav to Kejriwal

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav said the MCD polls will be a referendum on the Delhi government and if the AAP fails to win even 50 per cent of the seats, then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should resign.

In a letter to the Delhi Chief Minister, a day before the polls, Yadav held Kejriwal responsible for letting the "incompetent and corrupt" BJP regime in the MCD become viable in these civic elections.

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"You are personally responsible for letting this disaster befall upon the people of Delhi, for you have broken their trust. This loss of faith is not merely in one leader or party but is a loss of faith in the self-belief of the people of Delhi.

"After you betrayed them, the people of Delhi feel incapable of distinguishing between good and bad. And many people, with a feeling of dejection, are now returning to the same old parties they had earlier rejected.

"I am compelled to say that while being drowned in your egotism,narcissism, and greed for power, you have committed these crimes," Yadav, a "former companion" of Kejriwal, sacked for questioning his style of functioning, said in a letter.

Elections will be held for the 272 seats in South, North and East MCDs.

"You have time and again claimed that the people of Delhi are with you. You have turned tomorrows MCD election into a referendum of your personal popularity. Your party is asking for votes solely in your name. Your hoardings dont even contain your partys name," Yadav said.

"If you lose this referendum merely 2 years after winning 67 out of 70 seats in Delhi, morality demands that you abstain from making excuses like EVMs, resign from the post of the Chief Minister, and that your government must go back to the people for a vote of confidence, this in keeping with the principles of recall," Yadav said.

Attacking Kejriwal over his poll promise of abolishing house tax, Yadav said it indicates that the AAP will face a drubbing in the polls.

"The manner in which you have offered inducements, fear and threats to voters during the ongoing campaign proves that you can clearly see the writing on the wall," he said. PTI PR IKA

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Two cases were registered against BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma and a dozen others in connection with violence between two communities on Thursday during a rally to mark Ambedkar Jayanti at Sadak Dudhali village.

By India Today Web Desk: Two FIRs have been registered against BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma and several others in connection with two cases of violence in Saharanpur's Janakpuri.

According to police, about 300 unidentified people were involved in the clashes. The efforts are on to identify the rioters, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Love Kumar said, "A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against over 300 people in connection with stone pelting by members of two communities on Thursday during a rally to mark Ambedkar Jayanti at Sadak Dudhali village."

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LIST OF CHARGES

They were booked under IPC Section 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and Section 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) among others.

The second FIR was lodged in connection with the protest outside the SSP's house in which a CCTV camera was damaged and his "nameplate removed", Kumar said.

He added that charges in the second FIR were similar to those in the first.

The SSP said, "According to both the FIRs, local MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma was present at both the spots."

However, no arrest has been made in the cases yet. The situation in the area is under control and heavy police force deployment has been made in the sensitive areas to prevent occurrence of any untoward incident.

PROTEST OVER AMBEDKAR RALLY

Members of a community had allegedly objected to the rally that was taken out on Thursday to mark BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary in Sadak Dudhali village and started pelting people in the rally with stones in protest.

MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma and SSP Kumar were among the several people who suffered injuries in the stone pelting. Some other cops were also injured.

After this, more police force reached the spot and pacified both the groups.

BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal, along with his supporters, reached outside the SSP's official residence demanding that the rally be allowed to take place. Lakhanpal also demanded suspension of the SSP.

The protesters damaged a CCTV camera outside the SSP's residence. Police force was deployed at SSP's residence to bring the situation under control.

The SSP said that permission for the rally was not given by the administration.

(WITH INPUTS FROM PTI)

Also read | BJP leader Raja Balmiki shot dead by bike-borne assailants in Muzaffarnagar

Also read | UP election: 2 booked for using Sangeet Som's Dadri, Muzaffarnagar speech videos for campaign

Also read | Bihar: Violent clashes between doctors and attendants after patient dies in Muzaffarpur

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MAY ALSO WATCH THIS VIDEO

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Patnaik's close aides say that to understand him, one has to understand his empathy

By Pratul Sharma/Photos Sanjay Ahlawat
When the Indian Government demonetised currencies of denominations Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 last year, not everyone was aware of the vision Prime Minister Narendra Modi had for the country. Now it is clear and evident that the government intends to revolutionise the payments system, a critical requirement for India to maintain its healthy GDP growth rate while weeding out accumulation of wealth disproportionate to known sources of income or black money. The latest initiativeBHIM-Aadhaar Pay appis being hailed by every section of society and the international community, as no other developing country is ushering in digital payments as rapidly and efficiently as India.



The Digital payment system was long overdue in India, as circulation of black money was a big impediment for the economy. Prior to demonetisation, India was overwhelmingly a cash heavy economy, with 90 per cent of all commercial and personal transactions taking place in cash. With demonetisation wiping out 86 per cent of Indias cash overnight, people are gradually switching over to digital payments systems, such as, mobile wallets, online payments and by using Points of Sales (PoS) etc.



However, people from the backward and rural areas, and those below the poverty line (BPL) found it difficult to adopt digital payment methods, primarily because of the lack of knowledge, absence of support infrastructure and lack of access to the internet through a smartphone or a computer. As their plight became an issue for the political parties, the government was quick to simplify the process by leveraging necessary technology.



For the past few months, the government has been laying the foundation for digital payments infrastructure on a war-footing. One of the biggest interventions is the Aadhaar Pay, which does not require the payee to use a device for any monetary transaction through their bank accounts. All that the payee must do is quote the Aadhaar number and scan his or her thumb impression with the merchant to complete the transaction.



This initiative was a follow-up to incentivisation schemes on digital payments for merchants, imposing a ban on cash transactions above Rs 3 lakhs, launching the Unified Payment Interface (UPI); and Bharat Net, a high-speed digital highway to connect all 250,000 Gram Panchayats of the country through the Internet.



The government also proposed tax sops in the form of customs/excise duty exemptions on miniaturised PoS card readers, fingerprint readers/scanners, and iris scanners. Tax exemption for specific components of such devices has also proposed to encourage domestic manufacturing of these devices.



The launch of the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app also came at the right time and the government made a smart move by linking it to Aadhaar to reduce the complexities of payments. According to government estimates, approximately 1.13 billion citizens (against population of 1.25 billion) are on Aadhaar. It means that the biometric data of 1.13 billion citizens is available for developing payments infrastructure. Not many countries have been able to achieve this scale, especially among the developing nations.



By strongly leveraging this Aadhaar identity system, the BHIM-Aadhaar Pay app enables consumers to pay through their biometric data, linked to their Aadhaar. It means that Aadhaar Pay mechanism will take place without the need for a debit card/credit card/mobile wallet. The biometric-based payment system facilitates real-time money transfers between bank accounts of consumers and merchants without a phone, at no additional cost.



Benefits of a biometric payments system



There are multiple benefits to all stakeholders concerned, including consumers, from Aadhaar Pay. It is imperative for a customer to link the bank account to his/her Aadhaar number. While conducting a transaction with any merchant or any shop, the consumer must select the banks name and enter the Aadhaar number while his/her fingerprint will serve as the password to authenticate the transaction. The system offers immense relief to people, who are not familiar with using smartphones, mobile devices, debit or credit cards. It also eliminates the need for remembering debit / credit card PINs, MPINs and passwords.



In fact, the charges for conducting Aadhaar pay transactions are nil for consumers whereas it will involve a one-time investment for merchants. Hence, the government is offering them incentives to adopt Aadhaar Pay system in a big way.



Adoption of biometrically-linked payment system is a critical step towards ushering in a digital transformation of India. Digitisation of payments infrastructure is essential to elevate India to be a digitally empowered society through good governance by synchronising public accountability, e-governance programmes and services enabled by IT.



Ashu Kajekar is an internet visionary, founder and CEO of 7EDGE



Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publication.


Triggered by a fire at a utility sub station, San Francisco experienced a massive outage knocking out traffic signals, paralyzing businesses and halting the city's famed cable cars.

Office workers unable to access elevators or use their keycards spilled out onto the sidewalks (Pic: AP)

By Reuters: A massive power outage threw San Francisco into chaos for most of the work day on Friday, knocking out traffic signals, paralyzing businesses and halting the city's famed cable cars.

The power outage, which was triggered by a fire in a PG&E Corp. utility substation, disrupted San Francisco's normally bustling financial district, home to banks and technology companies.

The blackout started just after 9 a.m. (noon ET/1600 GMT) and at one point affected nearly 90,000 customers, according to PG&E. The cause of the fire was a circuit breaker failure at the substation, PG&E spokesman Paul Doherty said.

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POWER OUTAGE AFFECTS WORK

Office workers unable to access elevators or use their keycards spilled out onto the sidewalks, some wandering the streets in search of an open cafe or sunny spot to enjoy a rare warm San Francisco day.

Others simply went home, with long lines forming for ferries. For many, there was little to do but wait.

"When I got here we had to shut down all the servers, all the work stations were off-line," said Bard Wood, an information technology worker in the financial district. "I'm sure we've lost millions of dollars already. There's no business down here right now."

Some cable car operators snoozed after their cars stalled on the street rails.

Traffic was snarled and emergency workers responded to 20 elevator rescues, according to the city's fire department, but there were no reported deaths or major injuries. But many businesses, from coffee shops to major banks, took a hit.

Wells Fargo & Co closed 13 bank branches and four office buildings, while the New York Stock Exchange said its ARCA options trading floor in San Francisco was briefly unavailable. Employees in Goldman Sachs' financial district office were sent home.

King Lip, chief investment officer at Baker Avenue Asset Management, said his firm was in the middle of a trade when "all our systems went down." He said employees in another state had to complete the transaction.

Two office buildings and a local branch of First Republic Bank were shut down, a sign on the branch's doorway apologizing for the unexpected closure.

Fourteen neighborhoods were affected, including the main shopping district near Union Square, where stores turned signs to "closed" and major retailers such as Macy's and Louis Vuitton shut their doors.

In a city proud of its technological prowess, the outage forced residents back to the dark ages. At the salad bar MIXT, cashiers took credit card payments using old-fashioned paper imprints.

"Old school," commented patron Ben Fackler. "I haven't seen that in forever."

DARKENED BY ONE SUBSTATION

For more than two hours, trains barreled through the Montgomery Street station - one of the busiest stops that services the downtown and financial district - as the outage prevented them from stopping until backup generators came on line, Bay Area Rapid Transit spokesman Jim Allison said.

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Power was finally restored to all customers by 6 pm local time, PG&E said.

"Workers have entered the substation. They're assessing the damage and starting to make repairs," Doherty said.

San Francisco International Airport remained operational, and a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said there was no evidence of terrorism. The spokesperson requested anonymity, citing department policy.

"This had nothing to do with cyber," said Joe Weiss, an expert on control system cyber security who has testified to Congress about structural weaknesses in grid components.

"The real question is how could one substation take out, effectively, San Francisco?"

An FBI spokesman said the agency monitored the incident but is not investigating.

Twenty-one San Francisco schools lost power, but remained open nonetheless, according to a Department of Emergency spokesman. At least three hospitals had to rely on backup generators, canceling elective surgeries and redirecting emergency patients to other facilities.

Joanna Gadd, 55, was in the admitting room of the city's Saint Francis Memorial Hospital waiting for her daughter to undergo surgery when the lights went out.

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The diagnostic surgery was canceled. She had forfeited a trip to the United Kingdom, including airfare, to accommodate the operation.

"It is frustrating," Gadd said. "It's quite nerve-racking going into surgery. She had been fasting, and fasting for someone with diabetes is definitely no picnic."

--- ENDS ---
A recent scientific finding from India have triggered global protests against the golden rice - touted to be the most humanitarian step genetic science has taken so far. Indian farmers have also joined a global outcry against the introduction of genetically modified golden rice in the rice pan of Asia, subsequent to the research finding.

A recent study by Indian Council of Agricultural Science discovered abnormalities in golden rice traits, and lower productivity in its traits, both qualitatively (lower Vitamin-A content) and quantitively (yield wise).

Two ICAR research bodies, one the Indian Agricultural Research Institutes department of genetics and the other, National Plant Genomics Centre, were commissioned the research to develop a hybrid before the rice trait could be introduced in India - by cross breeding it with a local rice variety Swarna.

"Our researchers had introgressed the provitamin A trait from Golden Rice 2 into a popular Indian rice variety, Swarna. The resulting plants were dwarf with pale green leaves and drastically reduced panicle size, grain number and yield as compared to the recurrent parent, Swarna," said K.V.Prabhu, head, dept of genetics, IARI, Pusa, who headed the research.

The researchers identified several reasons for these detrimental effects: The new gene constructs interfered with the plants own gene for producing growth hormones.

"The additional gene constructs were not, as intended, active solely in the kernels, but also in the leaves. This led to a substantial reduction in the content of chlorophyll, which is essential for vital functions in the plants," Prabhu said on the reasoning for the failure of the newly developed genetic strain for rice.

The ICAR research paper, titled Molecular and functional characterization of GR2-21 event based backcross derived lines of golden rice in the genetic background of a mega rice variety SWARNA, was concluded just last month and published in major scientific journals globally.

So far, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia have adopted the commercial cultivation of the GM rice variety, touted to be Vitamin-A enriched. This year, Philippines is looking at a bumper rice output (about 25 million tonnes), but its exports could also face sanctions from many countries after the study findings have come to fore, fears traders.

The three farm rights based organisations from India - Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific, Asian Peasants Coalition and GRAIN- joined others in Quezon city Philippines for a global showdown against the most recent scientific invention in food grains.

The group joined other farmers organisations from the rice growing nations of Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Golden rice was introduced in many of these nations by the International Rice Research Institute, citing the need for the newly developed food grain for overcoming child blindness in this region, owing to Vitamin A deficiency.

The golden rice was researched in Spain and then jointly developed in the US by IRRI along with support of bio-tech majors including Monasanto, Syngenta and Bayer among others. In 2015, it received humanitarian patent of the year award in US after IRRI filed the patent for golden rice.

"It is highly likely that this inherent defect associated with the modification of the rice plant has disrupted the native structure of the rice plant making it perform less. This new information about the unintended effects of genetic modification was not detected in previous investigations.said Cristino Paneria, National Coordinator of farm scientists group MASIPAG, who attended the pan Asian rice growers convention in Philippines on April 20.
With no end in sight for the deadlock over ban on film Baahubali 2 by pro-Kannada activists, theatres in Chennai have reportedly cancelled the screening of three Kannada moviesShuddhi, Srinivasa Kalyana and Chakravarthy.

In retaliation, the Karnataka Film Chamber called for a ban on all Tamil movies across the state.

In Chennai, though the viewership for Kannada films is limited, the ban has come as a jolt for the film industry. Theatre owners association is yet to confirm this development. Again, sources say, this is an attack to torpedo the growing career of actor Sathyaraj. Sathyaraj, who was slowly garnering popularity, had signed a few Tamil and Kannada filmsalso said to be a reason for targeting him.

On Friday, Sathyaraj on Friday expressed "wholehearted regret" over his Cauvery-dispute remarks and appealed for the smooth release of the film Baahubali: The Conclusion, directed by S.S. Rajamouli. Sathyaraj, who plays Kattappa in Baahubali, had allegedly made derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu at the height of the Cauvery dispute. The remarks, which were recently publicised through social media, had angered pro-Kannada outfits.
Five nomads, including a nine-year-old girl, were injured after they were attacked by alleged gou rakshaks in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Representative image | AP

The nomads were traveling with herds of sheep, cows, goats and a few dogs when they were intercepted and beaten up by a mob of more than 300 people at Talwara.

They said the attackers assaulted them and also planned to push them into the river nearby.

"They beat us and thrashed my old uncle," said a woman nomad. "They robbed us and even attempted to molest us."

The woman said her son,10, was missing after the attack.

Another woman said the attackers took all their herds and belongings.

Reasi SP Tahir Bhat told THE WEEK that the attackers had been identified and would be arrested soon.

"We are trying to get the goods and livestock snatched from the nomads; it will be returned to them soon," Bhat said. "They (attackers) are a bunch of goons and an FIR has been registered against them."

Sources told THE WEEK that arrest of the cow vigilantes had been delayed for fear of law and order problem and communal tensions.

Javid Rabhi, an influential leader of nomads, told a news channel that migration of nomads happens during April when bakerwal families from Jammu start to move towards Kashmir for grazing the livestock. "We have requested the government to put security in the plains of Jammu where such attacks have taken place,'' he said.

The attack has enraged people across Kashmir. Two years back, Zahid Ahmed, a young Kashmiri trucker was killed after gau rakshaks torched the truck he was travelling at Udhampure on Srinagar -Jammu highway on suspicion that he was ferrying beaf.

Zahid died a few weeks later at AIIMS in Delhi. The incident had come as a major setback to the PDP-BJP government especially Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayyed.

Senior NC leader Mian Altaf, who is also a leader of the Gujjars of the state, has condemned the attack on the nomads.

He called the attack a highly deplorable act and demanded action against the culprits. "They should be immediately arrested and punished under the law," Altaf said.
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath dismissed reports of him joining the BJP. Said Kamal Nath to THE WEEK, "It is all rubbish and nonsense. The BJP is using me to entice others to join their party. I am a Congressman forever."

There were reports in some sections of the media that Kamal Nath will join the BJP and be inducted as a cabinet minister. The BJP has been apparently sending feelers to senior Congress leaders who are unhappy about being sidelined in the party. A former Union minister in the UPA government, Kamal Nath is the lone Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh. He represents the Chhindwara constituency in the state. Last month, S.M. Krishna, former chief minister of Karnataka, quit the Congress and joined the BJP.
Union minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday adopted Kalena Agrahara lake in Bengaluru for its restoration. The minister, who also represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, visited the spot to hold a meeting of stakeholders and share her vision for the lake restoration, which she hopes to complete by March 31, 2018.

When you talk of Karnataka or Bengaluru, the first thing that comes to mind is the sorry state of lakes. So, I decided to do it. I sent a team of young volunteers from Delhi, to visit many lakes. We chose this lake for restoration as the residents and MLA here are pro-active, said the minister, adding that she also plans to adopt a village in Kolar and has engaged in many projects in Mangaluru and Udupi.

The Kalena Agrahara lake on Bannerghatta road, spread across 7.5 acres was selected after surveying the lakes in the city.

I wish I could have started work prior to the onset of monsoon. But we are going to work in a time-bound way. Even if I give my MPLAD fund based on the Detail Project Report submitted by the technical team, it will take a minimum of 60 days to complete formalities. And the work can commence only after the monsoon, said Sitharaman.

Sharing the plan of action BBMP commissioner Manjunath Prasad said, The lake water needs to be completely siphoned out. The process involves desilting to remove sludge, construction of bund and a one-km-long walkway, development of a tree park and installing a digital display system to record the water quality. The water sample will be monitored regularly.

Sitharaman, who held preparatory meeting with BBMP commissioner, additional secretary of Urban Development department, secretary of environment and forests and CEO of the Karnataka Lake Development Authority, facilitated by Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), said the National Green Tribunal order on Bellandur lake had made even the Centre sit up and take notice of the problem.

In fact NGT had summoned officials over the Bellandur issue. A broad picture of lake restoration and urban living is emerging. Yesterday, we had a two-hour meeting and we decided we will not settle for a quick-fix solution. During the restoration, we want to codify to make it a standard operating procedure for maintenance and sustenance of lake with people participation and use of technology for constant monitoring. This can be replicated for other lakes too, said Sitharaman.

Allaying fears of displacement or scrutiny among the locals (including encroachers), Sitharaman assured them that her role was restricted to seeking cooperation from all residents to restore the lake.

The present contours of the lake have defined encroachment too. But we will focus only on the area physically unoccupied. As the lake also comes under the purview of Wetlands Act, I insist that no new industries would come up in the vicinity of the lake, while the existing ones will strictly adhere to the norms and release only treated water into the lake. This holds good even for the residential complexes, who will have to set up a sewage treatment plant if they haven't already done it, added the minister.

Said Revathi Ashok of BPAC, This initiative came from the minister as she was keen to do a lake restoration project. We did some footwork and zeroed in on this lake. Her intention is to create a good model. We are working with other MLAs and MPS. We gave them a list of lakes based on the budget, the area of their preference and with lesser encroachment problem as we want results in six months to one year. It is important to create success stories that can be replicated. At least 60 lakes under due for revival and the government too has set aside funds now, DPRs are ready, many MPs and MLAs are interested in adopting lakes and so are the corporates. Unless we build long-term sustainability, we will lose the momentum.

MLA Krishnappa said, We have started restoration of lakes in the city. But the NGT order has caused some inconvenience to people as they have built houses in revenue land. These old localities were part of panchayats and are now part of the city corporation. If the civic body can rehabilitate them, encroachment can be cleared.
As many as 140 Afghan soldiers were killed on Friday by Taliban attackers apparently disguised in military uniforms in what would be the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base, officials said.

The Defense Ministry said the toll was "over 100" Afghan soldiers killed and wounded.

One official in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the attack occurred, said on Saturday at least 140 soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the government has yet to release exact casualty figures.

The attack starkly highlighted the struggle by the Afghan government and its international backers to defeat a potent Taliban insurgency that has gripped Afghanistan for more than a decade.

A U.S. official in Washington on Friday had put the toll at more than 50 killed and wounded.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, made their way onto the base and opened fire on mostly unarmed soldiers eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.

The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, and several detonated suicide vests packed with explosive, they said.

Witnesses described a scene of confusion as soldiers were uncertain who the attackers were.

"It was a chaotic scene and I didn't know what to do," said one army officer wounded in the attack. "There was gunfire and explosions everywhere."

The base is the headquarters for the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps, responsible for much of northern Afghanistan, including Kunduz province where there has been heavy fighting.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

Four of the attackers were Taliban sympathisers who had infiltrated the army and served for some time, Mujahid said.

That claim has not been confirmed by the Afghan army.

The NATO-led military coalition deploys advisers to the base where the attack occurred to train and assist the Afghan forces but coalition officials said no international troops were involved in the attack.

"The attack on the 209th Corps today shows the barbaric nature of the Taliban," the commander of coalition forces, U.S. General John Nicholson, said in a statement on Friday.
The eggs rolled. The kids squealed in delight. The First Lady read "Party Animals". And the media grudgingly gave passing grade to Donald Trump for pulling off his first White House Easter Egg Roll.

The event "unfolded without incident after scheduling and organisational challenges had threatened to scuttle it", conceded the "failing" New York Times.

It was only half the size of Obamas' bash, but "despite concerns, all seemed to go off without a hitch", dittoed the Washington Post.

Having passed the "eggs-acting" testostensibly without any Russian helpthe President returned to his favourite pastime: signing executive orders, sabre-rattling and media-bashing.

He sent an "armada" to warn a belligerent North Korea even as the said aircraft carrier was headed in the opposite direction, and accused Iran of "not living up to the spirit" of their nuclear deal, but was in no hurry tear it up as he had vowed.

Trump also issued an order to "Buy American and Hire American" to curb misuse of the coveted H-1B visa programme cornered by Desi techies. But to the relief of the IT industry any reforms would come another day"as soon as practicable".

"No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot..., media will kill!" the President tweeted as he entered the last leg of the proverbial sprint.

"The Fake Media (not Real Media) has gotten even worse since the election," he complained in another tweet. "Every story is badly slanted. We have to hold them to the truth!"

Meanwhile, the "dishonest media" of the left liberal ilk continued its favourite sportbaiting Trump and hunting Russian bears.

A Russian government think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin had developed a plan to swing the 2016 election to Trump, suggested a Reuters report citing as always unnamed sources.

Their "strategy" was to create a buzz for the then underdog Trump through state-backed media outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik news agencylittle known in the USto influence American voters!

The Post citing its own anonymous sources reported that the FBI had obtained a secret court order last summer to spy on Carter Page, a Trump associate.

The investigative agency used an infamous "dossier"dismissed as "garbage"prepared by a former British agent for a Trump opponent to win court approval for the tap, reported CNN citing more unidentified sources.

FBI had also uncovered intelligence suggesting Russian operatives tried to use Trump advisers, including Page, to infiltrate the Trump campaign, claimed the channel dubbed "Clinton News Network" by Trump.

And it turns out even the "Calexit" campaign seeking California's secession from the US that gained some momentum after Hillary Clinton's stunning defeat, had a Russia connection.

Suddenly calling off the "Yes California Independence Campaign," its leader Louis Marinelli announced that he intends to "make Russia my new home".

He had moved to Russia because of a dispute with the US government over his wife's immigration status amid an "anti-Russian hysteria", Marinelli wrote in a farewell note.

The Times, often the butt of Trump's twitter tirade, also needled the Donald with two pictures comparing the crowd at a White House event honouring SuperBowl Champion New England Patriots with the one under Obama's watch.

Trump hit back with a swift counter-punch tweeting: "Failing @nytimes, which has been calling me wrong for two years, just got caught in a big lie concerning New England Patriots visit to W.H."

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a local pot group wearing red and green hats celebrated Happy 4/20 or April 20th, the high holy day of marijuana smokers, by giving out 1,000 free joints to lawmakers, their staffers and journalists.

Pot is legal in eight states and the American capital. But one can't smoke it in public in Washington. The show of "mass civil disobedience" in the capital was to demand access to pot across all 50 states.

A teetotaller commander-in-chief and his chief law officer Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who once said "good people don't smoke marijuana", however, are ready to snuff out their "pipedream".

But with all the shenanigans going on the American capital, who needs pot!

(From IANS)
None of us who had watched the pulling down of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 never had any doubts about the complicity of L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi or Uma Bharti in the crime. From atop the Manas Bhavan overlooking the mosque and the disputed plot, we had seen them exhorting and encouraging the kar sevaks.

Now, a quarter century after the crime, the Supreme Court has said that they, too, should face trial. But would it serve any purpose?

I remember the day as yesterday. As I wrote in THE WEEK then, The view from the terrace of Manas Bhavan on the cool Sunday morning was clear. The mist over the Sarayu had melted away. The 464-year-old shrine stood there in all its decrepit magnificence.

The Supreme Court had then ordered that there be no construction [of a temple] on the disputed plot. The courts observer Tej Shankar was told to check whether any construction material was being piled on the disputed plot. Every day, the observer faxed his report to the court: no, no construction material. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders were also telling us: there will be only a symbolic kar seva.

Thus the debate was whether there would be any attempt at construction, in defiance of the court, on the disputed plot. No one was looking at whether anyone was planning a destruction. We had spotted a few men with crowbars the previous day, but tunnel-visioned as we were towards construction, we missed the plot, literally.

On that Sunday morning, the crowds had assembled fairly early to watch a religious kar seva. By 10am, Sadhvi Ritambara, VHP general secretary Ashok Singhal and Bajrang Dal boss Vinay Katyar arrived. Then came the Faizabad district magistrate and police superintendent, who left the scene as quickly as they had come. By 11, Advani and Joshi arrived in a motorcade, followed by a frenzied mob. As we saw later, it was this mob that attacked the mosque from the left, seconds after the storming party (whose rehearsal we had seen) captured the left dome, we wrote then in THE WEEK.

The demolition took nearly four hours. All along we could hear Ritambara and Uma Bharti exhorting the mob on loudspeakers, aur ek dhakka do, Babri Masjid thod do (one more push, break the Babri Masjid). Advani and Joshi stood there, watching as the mosque was being pulled down neither appealing to the mobs to leave the mosque nor telling the other leaders to stop egging them.

Only when a message came that Central forces were on their way (they were not) did Advani pick up the mike and exhort the mob: Come down from the domes. Otherwise there would be firing at the men on the top of the domes.

Years later, in his bid for prime ministership, Advani had no qualms about stating exactly the opposite, that he had wept while the mosque was being pulled down.

The demolition act was over in a matter of hours, but the fallout has lingered for a quarter century with cases meandering meaninglessly through the labyrinth of judicial and bureaucratic procedures.

Two first information reports were lodged. One was case number 197 of 1992 against lakhs of kar sevaks alleging the offences of dacoity, robbery, causing of hurt, injuring/defiling places of worship and promoting enmity. The second, case number 198 of 1992, was against Advani, Singhal (now dead), Katyar, Uma Bharti, Ritambara, Joshi, Giriraj Kishore (now dead) and Vishnu Hari Dalmia for offences under sections 153-A, 153-B and 505 of the Indian Penal Code. To confound the confusion, another 46 FIRs were lodged.

A special court in Lalitpur was to try the cases. Later, it was decided that most cases would be tried In a sessions court in Lucknow, while case 198 pertaining to the VIPs would be heard in a Rae Bareilly court.

In October 1993, the CBI filed a chargesheet against 48 persons including Advani, Joshi, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, UPs BJP chief minister Kalyan Singh, Mahant Avaidyanath and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. Four are now dead. Later in the month, the UP government amended the notification and allowed all 49 cases to be tried by the special court in Lucknow. Three years later, in September 1997, the CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet against eight persons. The special court judge soon passed an order that there was a prima facie case of conspiracy against all the accused.

In 1998, A.B. Vajpayee became prime minister, and Advani deputy prime minister. In 2001, eight years after the state government amended the notification, the Allahabad High Court decided that the amended notification was invalid, since the High Court had not been consulted, and so the special court in Lucknow had no jurisdiction to proceed on case 198.

Fists of fury: Kar sevaks attacking the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 | AFP

It took another four months (June 2001) for the CBI to request the UP chief secretary to rectify the defect in the 1993 notification. And 15 months later, on September 2002, the state government rejected the request. This rejection was not challenged by the CBI. Instead, it filed a supplementary chargesheet against the eight accused in a Rae Bareilly court.

ON MAY 4, 2001, the court had dropped proceedings against 21 persons including Advani, Katyar, Uma Bharti, Ritambara, Joshi and Kalyan Singh, taking the view that there were two sets of accused, the kar sevaks who actually demolished the mosque, and others who instigated them. The reason: The court thought that it was faced with two alternatives, and chose the lesser alternative of dropping the proceedings against these 21 persons so that the proceedings against the kar sevaks could carry on.

This order was challenged in the High Court. On May 22, 2010, the High Court upheld the special court judgment. It agreed with the special court that criminal conspiracy was never made out against the eight accused. It was against this order of May 2010 that the CBI approached the Supreme Court.

Now, another seven years later, a division bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Rohinton Nariman has spoken, in effect asking Advani, Joshi, Bharti and others to face prosecution.

The rationale of the court is impeccable. The CBI had filed a joint chargesheet because all the offences were committed in the course of the same transaction. The evidence for all these offences is almost the same and these offences, therefore, cannot be separated from each other, irrespective of the fact that 49 different FIRs were lodged.

The court has blamed the CBI for the delay. ...[T]he High Court expected that the defect noticed in the notification would be cured soon after the delivery of the judgment... This, however, did not happen... Instead, the course taken by the CBI has caused great confusion. The filing of the supplementary chargesheet against eight accused persons which is going on separately at Rae Bareilly and the dropping altogether of charges against the 13 accused persons, after the judgment dated 12th February, 2001 has completely derailed the joint trial envisaged and has resulted in a fractured prosecution going on in two places simultaneously based on a joint charge sheet filed by the CBI itself.

So the court has now found a remedy. ... [T]he best course in the present case would be to transfer the proceedings going on at Rae Bareilly to the court of sessions at Lucknow so that a joint trial of all the offences mentioned in the joint charge sheet filed by the CBI against the persons named could proceed.

In other words, 25 years after the crime was committed, it is back to square one. And now how much longer? The court has directed that the proceedings be fast-tracked. Additional charges will be framed within four weeks. The proceedings will be on a day-to-day basis. The trial judge wont be transferred till he completes the work. The case shall not be adjourned on any ground except when the court finds it impossible to carry on on that particular date (then the next earliest date). The CBI shall ensure that on every date fixed for evidence, some prosecution witnesses will be present. The sessions court will complete the trial and deliver the judgment within... two years from the date of receipt of this judgment.

So in two years, there will be a decision by the trial court. There will be appeal over that to the High Court and maybe further to the Supreme Court. How long will all these take is anyones guess.

And how many of the accused will be alive to see the so-called ends of justice being met?
Sonam Kapoor's column is going viral, but not for the reason she expected.

By India Today Web Desk: Sonam Kapoor, always known to speak her mind, poured her heart out in a recent column for Hindustan Times. Sonam expressed her anguish at being trolled for questioning the status quo and sometimes, the government. The Neerja actor's column soon went viral, but for the wrong reason.

One part of it read, "I'm a proud Indian. I love my country but for some of you - and you're the bigots, not me - I become 'anti-national' only because I ask questions or choose to be critical. Listen to the national anthem one more time. Recall the line you heard as kids, 'Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Issai...'" Soon, Twitteratti began doing what they do best - trolling Sonam for misquoting the national anthem.

Anil Kapoor after listening #SonamKapoor's version of National Anthem: pic.twitter.com/dg1wcRdbQu- IMRAN KHAN (@imranmkkhan) April 21, 2017

Kids Love Alia BhattMen Love Rahul GandhiLegends Love Sonam Kapoor advertisement Finally a competition for Alia & Rahul???#SonamKapoor#NationalAnthem- Chaitanya Kohli (@Chaitanya183ABD) April 21, 2017

@Atheist_Krishna National Anthem pata nahi aur chale National Award lene ?????? #sonamkapoor- Raabert (@Sarbat_e_Jannat) April 22, 2017

However, Sonam retaliated by tweeting, "Thank you so much twitter for the amazing response to my article and also to the #trolls who proved my point by the way they responded."

Thank you so much twitter for the amazing response to my article and also to the #trolls who proved my point by the way they responded ???????- Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) April 21, 2017

She also retweeted a Twitter user's tweet which said that the longer version of Jana Gana Mana actually had the line, "Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain, Parasik Musolman Christaani."

@India_Policy @sonamakapoor Actually, the second stanza of jana gana mana has the words "Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain, Parasik Musolman Christaani". #NationalAnthem pic.twitter.com/QvZXdbFPI3- Kriti Trehan-Lahiri (@krititrehan) April 21, 2017

ALSO READ: Abhay Deol vs Sonam Kapoor on Twitter is the best thing ever

WATCH: Neerja helped me conquer my own fears, says Sonam Kapoor

--- ENDS ---
The leader of a bipartisan good-government group, Zach Wamp, headed to the White House last week to ask whether President Donald Trumps drain the swamp slogan would ever be more than a throwaway campaign slogan. One of the presidents closest aides, Steve Bannon, assured him its a priority.

Bannon said he agrees with the concept that Washington is rigged, said Wamp, a former Republican congressman. He said he just needs to figure out what to do about it.

Yet within 48 hours of the visit, the White House announced the end of an Obama administration practice aimed at greater transparency in government: It would no longer release the names of visitors to the executive mansion.

It was another step away from the goal of drainage, curbing the outsized influence of Washington powerbrokers. Then, a filing this week showed that the president raised a record $107 million for his inauguration, much of it from companies and people who do business with the government.

Trump also has brought scores of special-interest players into government. And he has yet to push any proposals to tighten campaign finance or lobbying disclosure rules.

Trumps boldest anti-swamp move  a January executive order limiting the lobbying of outgoing officials  has already been undermined by a waiver he granted to at least one departing employee. The administration says it will never share information about when or why it makes those decisions, another change from the Obama era.

What they do on drain the swamp is very much to-be-determined, Wamp said. I think  at least I hope  my stop there last week was a reminder that these things matter.

Bannon did not respond to requests for comment, and the White House says it considers Trumps early bureaucracy-slimming moves to be part of its drain-the-swamp work. At a rally last month in Louisville, Kentucky, Trump re-upped his vow: We are going to drain the swamp of government corruption in Washington, D.C., and we are going to keep our promises, all of the promises that we made.

Indeed, drain the swamp is scrawled on one of chief strategist Bannons white boards documenting those campaign pledges. Rep. Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican who wrote a book about the corrupting influence that fundraising has on Congress (titled, conveniently, Drain the Swamp), said Trump has surrounded himself with people who want to find solutions. He is optimistic that the president will make good on his word but argues that a mile-long White House to-do list means itll take time.

Democrats are skeptical Trump will ever deliver.

Theres a huge gap between what hes said going back to his campaign days, and what hes done, said Rep. John Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat who has introduced several bills aimed at reducing money in politics. I dont at this point have any confidence that anything he said about accountability and transparency was anything more than a head fake.

Tackling corruption in Washington  a goal tied to increasing transparency and decreasing the influence of lobbyists and major donors  interests people of all political persuasions. A January NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 66 percent of Americans agree that reducing the influence of lobbyists and big money in politics is an absolute priority for this year.

Wamp works with a Washington-based nonprofit called Issue One, which has collected 180 past and current public officials from both major parties in what it calls the reformers caucus and is pitching Capitol Hill on ways to change the way politicians raise money.

Issue One, like other good-government advocates, has been sharply critical of Trumps secrecy decisions. Yet Issue One also sees the unconventional president as a natural potential partner, particularly on campaign finance changes such as incentivizing small donors and making the Federal Election Commission enforce rules already on the books.

Trump raised a stunning $282 million from donors giving $200 or less to his 2016 campaign and a joint account with the Republican Party. Even a tweet urging lawmakers to take up the subjects of money in politics and lobbying would help, Wamp said. His bully pulpit is like no other.

A CBS News poll just before Trumps inauguration found that just under half of Americans think he will be able to get big money out of politics in the next four years. In a twist, Democrats and Independents more so than Republicans had faith in Trump on that issue, according to the poll.

Meredith McGehee, a senior adviser at Issue One who has worked for decades on campaign finance proposals, said money in politics has always been a third rail topic because lawmakers want to preserve their seats by preserving the status quo on fundraising. That means not only spending countless hours dialing for dollars for their own campaign accounts but also for leadership accounts that get parceled out to help the rest of the party.

Its an insider system, and Trump did not run on being an insider, McGehee said. Buck also makes that case in his book.

As Wamp said he put it to Bannon: Trump would not be president if the stench from the swamp hadnt gotten so bad in the first place.

(AP)
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

A.P. writes: I am a 67-year-old pensioner. Recently I required dental work and was informed by the dental practice there would be no charge. Weeks later though, I received a letter from the Dental Exemption Checking Service of the NHS Business Services Authority, informing me I had received free treatment to which I was not entitled.

I was told to pay charges of 233 plus a penalty of 100. I replied that if a mistake had been made, albeit not by me, then I would pay the charges, but it is demanding the penalty as well.

Costs: Dentists have guidelines, but they are not enforced

Tony Hetherington replies: You have been caught in a trap under NHS rules that assume anyone who does not pay the right fee must be on the fiddle. Those rules are not enforced against dentists who make mistakes, only against patients.

The NHS issues dentists with guidelines entitled: Help your patients get the facts, not a fine. They list half a dozen things that dentists should do, including reading the rules on who is entitled to free treatment.

They say: Ask to see evidence of patients entitlement and check it thoroughly. Dont make assumptions. Remember that not all benefits entitle patients to free treatment. Dont forget that if a patient makes an incorrect claim, intentionally or otherwise, they could have to pay a penalty charge of up to 100.

Being a pensioner is not enough to exempt anyone from charges, though your dentist may have thought this and it was what you believed after you were assured there would be no fees. So, I asked the NHS what enquiries it made before hitting you with the fine. How did it make sure your dentist had followed its guidelines?

I was told: We dont comment on individual cases. This is nonsense. You had signed a legally binding release, authorising officials to discuss your complaint with me.

The NHS then fell back on putting the blame on you. I was told: It is important for patients to understand that although they may not have deliberately acted wrongfully when they made a claim for a free course of treatment, they do have a duty of care when claiming help with charges.

But doesnt the dentist also have a duty of care? I asked. Did the NHS ever question your dentist? If not, then what is the point in issuing guidelines that are simply not enforced?

Charming: The NHS issues dentists with guidelines entitled, Help your patients get the facts, not a fine'

Unbelievably, the response was: It is very unfortunate if the practice did misadvise Mr P, so if he can get the practice to send a letter to us confirming that it misadvised him, then of course we will review his case and the application of the penalty.

This is like the police being given the details of a robber and then telling the victim it is up to them to get the robber to sign a confession. The NHS has gone for the easy target, without even bothering to call your dentist.

In its evidence checking guide, the NHS tells dentists: Your role is crucial. But the truth is the opposite. Officials finally admitted to me: We dont undertake any checks with dental practices. Its guidelines are simply not enforced, with one NHS staffer confessing: Were unable to police whether practices followed these procedures.

The bottom line is that the NHS says it has no power to ask your dentist anything, while it expects you to get your dentist to admit in writing that he ignored all the guidelines, gave you false advice and landed you with a fine.

If any helpful MP would like to question Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about this, I will be glad to provide full details.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Brenda from Bristol made headlines this week after expressing exasperation at the thought of a General Election. Many agreed.

The broad outcome is a foregone conclusion and the excitement will lie in seeing how devastating it is for Labour and how it shifts the balance of power in Theresa Mays Government.

But those who like more immediate drama (not to mention horror) in their elections need look no further than France.

Results: The results of the French election could have profound implications for Britons

Sunday's first round in the French Presidential vote will almost certainly see the far-Rights Marine Le Pen voted through to the final stand-off.

There is a possibility that the second place will go to far-Left Jean-Luc Melenchon, leaving France with a choice of extremes both of whom are notorious eurosceptics and have threatened to pull France out of the euro and, if necessary, the EU altogether.

We should be very afraid.

The immediate effect of such a result will be a sharp drop in the value of the euro which, while good news for holidaymakers, would really be a sign that the EU has entered a fresh crisis.

Some will cheer the prospect of the EU collapsing, but to do so would be madness.

A chaotic EU risks a return to economic slump. That would be bad news for Britain  we need a strong European economy as a trading partner for our own economy.

A weak euro might boost the pound in the short term, helping holidaymakers, but a recession for our biggest trading partner would damage the UK economy and almost certainly weaken the pound against other currencies in the longer run.

Some will argue a weaker pound will be good for exporters  but they are unlikely to be cheering in 2019 if the EU is so paralysed by Frexit that it is unable to do a deal with us of any kind.

Predictions: Sunday's first round in the French Presidential vote will almost certainly see the far-Rights Marine Le Pen voted through to the final stand-off

One year on from the collapse of BHS and the damage is still yet to be fully accounted for.

As we report today, about 100 BHS stores are about to be handed back to their landlords, just as demand for department store space in the UK is at its lowest ebb, with Marks & Spencer and Debenhams both announcing store closures in the last week.

We are in the midst of a quite fundamental change in the shape of our town centres as department stores cease to dominate, becoming instead empty shells. It may take years for those new uses to be found (or for sites to be redeveloped).

Too many major retailers failed to prepare for the transformation. Like the ruins of past civilisations, they should be a reminder that the only rule is that change is inevitable and complacency is the greatest sin. Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Short story: Neil Veitchs SVM fund typically has five to ten short positions, against 40 to 50 long holdings

As manager of a UK investment fund, Neil Veitch sees his mission in simple terms  to beat the performance of the FTSE All-Share Index on a consistent basis.

So far, so good. Since taking over at the helm of SVM UK Opportunities in early 2006, he has outperformed over the past one, three, five and ten years.

But Veitch has yet to receive the plaudits his sterling work arguably deserves  few actively managed UK funds outperform so consistently for so long.

Despite its record, the fund is shunned by most investment advisers and investors. With assets of 149million, it remains a fund minnow.

Veitch hides his frustrations well, preferring to be phlegmatic. He acknowledges that a small investment group such as SVM Asset Management faces challenges to get its name before those recommending or looking to buy a UK equity fund.

He says: It has become more difficult since the financial crisis. More investors now opt for low-cost index-tracking funds. There is also a tendency among advisers to stick with big fund management groups.

'Last but not least, investor appetite has concentrated on income and some of the super-tanker UK equity income funds. Weve lost out as a result. We dont have an offering in that space.

Veitch is determined to soldier on in the hope that recognition will come eventually. Like many UK active fund managers, he views himself primarily as a stock picker.

To outperform, he believes the best approach is to build a portfolio that is widely different from the FTSE All-Share, while ensuring no stock position or sector exposure gets so big that it raises the funds risk profile to a dangerous level.

Having said that, the funds top ten holdings account for more than 50 per cent of assets.

Mix: The fund's portfolio consists of well-known companies and lesser known ones

It results in a portfolio of well-known companies  such as BP, GlaxoSmithKline and Lloyds Banking Group  and lesser known ones such as engineer Bodycote and packaging firm RPC Group (the biggest holding). The bias towards cyclical firms reflects Veitchs belief that the UK economy is in growth mode.

Unlike most rivals, he has the flexibility to short-sell shares  that is make money when a companys share price slides.

It is a subject he is a little touchy about, refusing to give examples where shorting has proved beneficial. He says revealing such information would deny him access to company management.

But the fact that the fund tends to perform relatively better when markets are falling than rising suggests that shorting has been successful  the exception being 2008.

The fund typically has five to ten short positions, against 40 to 50 long holdings.

'Super-tankers': Investor appetite has concentrated on income and some of the super-tanker UK equity income funds

Like all of SVMs investment team, Veitch is based in Edinburgh, a city that he says enables investment managers to get away from some of the noise that affects those who work in the more febrile surroundings of London. I can sit back here and take a more dispassionate view of companies, he adds.

As well as UK Opportunities, Veitch runs SVM World Equity and supports Hugh Cuthbert with the All-Europe fund.

Set up in 1990 by Colin McLean and wife Margaret Lawson, SVM has 650 million of assets under management. The business is majority owned by McLean and Lawson, who co-manage UK Growth, SVMs flagship fund
Sulkhan Singh today took over as the new Director General of Uttar Pradesh. Addressing the press, he said UP police would be impartial and would not tolerate vigilantism in the name of cow protection.

By India Today Web Desk: Sulkhan Singh, today took charge as the new Director Venereal of Police in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing the media after taking over from Javeed Ahmad, Singh vowed to crack down on "gundagardi" and said that his force will work with total impartiality.

"Anybody indulging in criminal activities will not be spared, whether from ruling party or not, we have strict orders from UP CM (Yogi Adityanath)", the new Uttar Pradesh DGP.

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Singh, who previously was the DG (Training), also promised a corruption-free police force and addresses the hot-button topics of vigilantism in the name of cow protection and Uttar Pradesh recently instituted anti-Romeo squads.

There have been several incidents of alleged cow smugglers being assaulted in the country. Recently, a dairy farm owner was killed by self-proclaimed gau rakshaks in Rajasthan. Sulkan Singh today said that action will be taken against such vigilantes in Uttar Pradesh.

On anti-Romeo squads, which have come under criticism for harassing couples and for alleged moral policing, Singh said that the personnel on the squads will only act against people indulging in "objectionable behaviour."

WHAT NEW UP DGP SAID IN PRESS MEET Anybody indulging in criminal activities will not be spared, whether from ruling party or not, we have strict orders from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Any 'gundagardi' will be acted upon, Uttar Pradesh police will work with total impartiality. Uttar Pradesh police has zero tolerance towards corruption. The personnel on duty for anti-Romeo squads will act and take action only on people with objectionable behaviour. Personnel will be in plain clothes, but this does not mean that they will start needlessly questioning people. This will be reiterated in standing orders issued to the personnel. Action will be taken on anyone indulging in vigilantism in the name of Gau Raksha or anything else, no one has the right to intervene. Will not disclose complainant's name in such a case (of alleged vigilantism), but won't allow anyone to indulge in forceful behaviour.

(With ANI inputs)

ALSO READ | 3 ISIS suspects arrested: All you need to know about how police of 6 states busted terror module

ALSO WATCH | Yogi's anti-Romeo cops end up with the wrong Juliet

--- ENDS ---
Nuclear engineers from the European Union should be allowed to come to work in the UK after Brexit, Energy Secretary Greg Clark said last week.

But he is not prepared to offer a similar welcome to power station construction workers.

Clark outlined his support for highly qualified people coming from the EU to work on power stations such as Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is under construction, while appearing in front of the Business Select Committee at the Commons last week.

Staying put: Nuclear engineers from the European Union should be allowed to come to work in the UK after Brexit, Energy Secretary Greg Clark said last week

He told chairman Iain Wright: Hinkley Point is an international collaboration that will include highly qualified engineers from lots of different countries and it is very important that they should be able to bring their expertise to bear. It is obviously in everyones interests.

Hinkley Point is the 18billion nuclear power station being built by EDF of France. The project is being heavily subsidised by the British taxpayer after the Government agreed to allow EDF to charge a fixed price for electricity which is about double the current wholesale price.

However, when Wright, a Labour MP, asked whether he thought the same leeway should be granted to construction workers who come to the UK to build power stations, Clark was less forthcoming.

At this point, that is getting too detailed, too specific, he said.

Senior figures in the industry have previously highlighted Britains lack of nuclear engineering skills.

The then boss of nuclear power firm Westinghouse, Danny Roderick, warned of a shortage of British nuclear engineers three years ago.

He described it as a real problem which will lead us to having to go outside the country to get engineering support.

Clark also told the Committee that the Governments response to high energy prices would be muscular and that the regulatory environment was not adequate.

The Government had been understood to be preparing to announce the imposition of energy price caps after Prime Minister Theresa May severely criticised the energy industry. However, the General Election is likely to delay action.
Royal Bank of Scotland is set to reveal a boost for Chancellor Philip Hammond by reporting a small quarterly profit this week.

All of the major banks will deliver first-quarter figures, with RBS heading for a 50million profit, compared with a loss of 968million for the same period last year.

Hammond hinted last week he would look at selling more of the Governments 73 per cent stake in the bank, even if it meant a big loss.

Boost: Royal Bank of Scotland is set to reveal a boost for Chancellor Philip Hammond by reporting a small quarterly profit this week

We must live in the real world and make decisions on the future of our holding in RBS in the best interest of taxpayers, he said.

Previously, he had insisted the Government would wait for the bank to resolve its issues with US sub-prime debt before selling more of its holding.

It is on the hook for big fines from the US Department of Justice, but the negotiations over a possible fine have been delayed by the election of Donald Trump as President.

Meanwhile, the Treasury said on Friday that it had recouped all of the Governments investment in Lloyds, with the remaining 1.5 per cent to be sold set to yield a small profit.

Lloyds boss Antonio Horta-Osorio is set to defend the banks push into consumer credit this week, amid fears that banks are splurging on unsecured lending.

Lloyds sources said they believed much of the rise in consumer credit over the past year came from student loans rather than from credit cards, personal loans and other forms of riskier lending.
Protection insurance is designed to provide a financial lifeline for families if disaster happens.

But, there can be unexpected extra benefits from taking cover, whether or not you claim. We take a look at what they can be.

Stay protected: Protection insurance is designed to provide a financial lifeline for families if disaster happens

There are about 19 million families in Britain, many of whom would struggle to get by if the main breadwinner died or became too ill to work.

Despite this, every year just one million people buy life insurance. A further 500,000 take out critical illness cover while 100,000 workers purchase income replacement insurance that would help keep the wolf from the door if long-term sickness struck.

One reason for low take-up of cover is that for most customers, premiums come out of their bank account year after year without a claim being made. It seems like money down the drain.

I RECEIVED 86,000 WITHOUT EVEN PAYING A PREMIUM Signed off: Former head chef Wayne Jeens was unable to work for three years A civil servant aged 45 nearly fell off his chair when he discovered a critical illness insurance policy he thought he had only discussed with his mortgage adviser paid out in full  even though he had not paid a single premium to the provider. The keen cyclist remortgaged his West Country family home through broker London & Country last year. At the same time he talked to the adviser about taking out a life and critical insurance plan to cover the loan. But a few days later, while on a cycle ride he suffered serious chest pains and was forced to pull over. An ambulance was called and he ended up in hospital diagnosed with a heart attack brought on by a blocked artery. When back at home recovering from surgery, he contacted his mortgage broker to cancel the insurance application. He says: It was going to cost 100 a month and I thought there was no point having the plan. To his amazement, the policy from Royal London was already in place and his heart attack, one of the conditions covered by the policy, triggered an immediate payout of the sum assured  86,000. He says: I nearly fell off my chair. He was unaware that the insurer, on receipt of the policy application, had automatically provided free life and critical illness cover to carry him through the mortgage application period. The money has allowed him to take his time to decide what to do with his career. He is now back cycling to help regain his fitness. He says: The money has allowed me to pay off the mortgage and to make changes in my life. I am so grateful. David Hollingworth, of London & Country, says: Insurers are aware that people dont necessarily want to pay for a policy until their mortgage is organised. Royal London is ahead of the game on this but some others do offer free cover for accidental death during the mortgage arrangement period.

THE EXTRA PERKS PROTECTION CAN BRING

The peace of mind provided by protection insurance is not always enough to keep customers satisfied. This has prompted insurers to add perks and benefits to policies that customers can tap into even if they never make a claim.

Those policyholders who do claim do not just get vital cash but also extra help such as access to counselling, specialist therapies, second medical opinions and, in the case of income protection, back-to-work support.

Several providers also offer free cover for children or discounts on other services, often linked to encouraging healthy lifestyles.

VitalityLife (formerly PruHealth) is probably the most active in the lifestyle area and has developed a menu of benefits aimed at getting  and keeping  people fit.

About 120,000 policyholders have taken advantage of half-price health checks and made ten million discounted gym visits in the past four years.

Those willing to take a health check every two years  at a cost of 10 a time  can also get discounts on the companys life insurance.

Emma Thomson, head of customer care at protection broker LifeSearch, says: There are other benefits such as access to legal services and even free coffee.

'A further aspect people may not appreciate is that while being underwritten for cover may seem like a chore, if the insurer asks for a medical you could consider it as a free health check where any issues might be detected soonest.

One challenge is getting the message across about the extras  a situation a handful of insurers is trying to improve by reminding policyholders through annual statements.

Insurers such as Zurich and Old Mutual Wealth believe that giving customers such a prompt is vital.

Paul Roberts, head of protection at wealth manager Old Mutual Wealth, says: We write to clients every year to remind them what they can claim on and the benefits they could make use of. We confirm the current premium and the sum insured and what would be involved if they increased their cover.

He adds: Additional benefits are often forgotten about but they add significant value to a policy. Parents who have one of our Protect critical illness policies, for example, can claim up to 25,000 per child or double if both parents have cover. Last year we paid five child claims, four for cancer and one for kidney failure.

Stay healthy: VitalityLife (formerly PruHealth) is probably the most active in the lifestyle area and has developed a menu of benefits aimed at getting  and keeping  people fit

PERKS WITHOUT CLAIMING

DISCOUNT DEALS: Some insurers give policyholders money off other products. LV= policyholders can get 10 per cent off the cost of the companys motor and home cover and 5 per cent off pet and travel plans, while More Than gives 15 per cent off home cover.

As well as 20 per cent off insurance policies such as home and other protection cover, Aviva gives members discounts on a range of services, including 25 per cent off gym membership and half-price MoTs for cars. VitalityLife provides discounts on gym and WeightWatchers membership and on Eurostar travel.

COUNSELLING AND ADVICE: Access to telephone or online services for free guidance on matters such as health and relationships to legal and work worries is available from many providers including LV=, Zurich, Aviva, Aegon, Royal London and Beagle Street. This includes second medical opinions.

Aviva and AIG Life provide access to the Best Doctors service, even if policyholders have not made a claim. The independent, international service taps in to thousands of doctors worldwide who can review a diagnosis or treatment plan. Old Mutual offers similar help through its There For You service.

WILL-WRITING: Insurers Beagle Street and British Friendly are among those that give new policyholders the chance to have a basic will drawn up free of charge.

CARERS: Provider British Friendly will pay 125 a week if a policyholders partner or child needs full-time care of 35 hours a week for a least four weeks (paid for up to a maximum of 26 weeks). This might be paid if a partner or child suffers a serious illness such as cancer or an injury such as a broken leg.

CHILDREN: Many critical illness plans automatically include free cover for dependent children. Legal & General, for example, pays up to half the value of a policys cover (to a maximum 25,000) if a child is diagnosed with a serious illness.

Aviva offers new parents free life cover worth 15,000 for 12 months if they have a young child (up to the age of four). They do not need to have an Aviva policy to apply.

Health check gave me an early warning on Type 2 diabetes Diagnosis: Chris Schutrups, with partner Nicola, took out life cover Just applying for protection cover can provide unexpected benefits. In the case of Chris Schutrups, it potentially saved him from serious health complications as a result of being diagnosed with diabetes. Chris applied for life and critical illness cover from VitalityLife about two years ago. As part of the process, the 27-year-old took a health test at a local pharmacy which included a blood test that revealed he had higher than normal blood sugar levels. Chris, who runs his own mortgage broking business, says: It turned out that I had Type 2 diabetes which was a real shock. The early warning meant he was able to take action by cutting out sweet things and taking more exercise. His 500,000 of cover costs 79 a month and includes cover for son William, four. Chris also earn points for going to the gym and completing thousands of steps each day recorded on his mobile. He cashes them in for free cinema tickets and discounts at health spas. Chris, from Southampton, says: As a mortgage broker I know how important protection cover is. I had a couple recently take out a mortgage where the woman was just 29 and the husband 35. They turned down life cover on their loan but just eight weeks into the mortgage the husband passed away suddenly, leaving his wife to meet the 1,400 a month repayments on her own. It really brought home the importance of this type of cover.

PERKS AFTER THE EVENT

ILLNESS AND BEREAVEMENT HELP: Recognising that the death or serious illness of a breadwinner takes an emotional toll on families, many providers give free access to services offering practical and emotional support for those left behind.

One such service is RedArc, where a dedicated nurse offers advice on coping. Providers include Royal London, Canada Life and Scottish Widows.

A similar service, offered by AIG, is Winstons Wish, a charity supporting families through bereavement, with a particular focus on helping children.

REHABILITATION: Since insurers prefer a policyholder to return to earning, if possible, many offer back-to-work support services.For example, LV= will arrange for physiotherapy, careers guidance or even support for someone who chooses to go self-employed.

Where someone claims who has a mental health issue and wants to return to work, the insurer would stop paying if they go back to work and are earning, but would continue to cover counselling sessions for a period.

Financial cushion: The main incentive for buying protection cover is to provide a financial cushion if sickness or illness strikes

INCREASING CONFIDENCE INSURERS WILL PAY

The main incentive for buying protection cover is to provide a financial cushion if sickness or illness strikes. But policyholders need to be confident that an insurer will pay out.

Although there are always cases where people will have claims rejected, the industry has improved its payout record in recent years.

VitalityLife, for example, has just published statistics showing it pays 99 per cent of life claims, 93 per cent for critical illness and 94 per cent for income protection.

Despite such reassuring figures, just one in ten people are likely to buy cover that would pay an income if they could not work, according to new analysis by insurer Cirencester Friendly.

Its research found that nearly half of families would rely on the State for financial help if they could not work, which could mean a family on average earnings seeing their income plummet by 75 per cent  or 300 a week.

Rebecca Young, head of marketing at Cirencester, says: The States average support is just over 70 a week, a fraction of the average take-home pay, which stands at about 430 a week.

Few of those surveyed realised that many income protection policies will pay out potentially until retirement if the policyholder is unable to return to work.

Wayne Jeens, 46, from Exeter in Devon, is relieved he reconsidered the temptation to cancel his income replacement policy.

The former pub head chef, who is married to Sharon, was the main breadwinner when he collapsed at work in 2013 and was unable to work for three years. Diagnosed with anxiety and depression, he was signed off work by doctors.

Wayne says: The income from our policy meant we could keep our home. It was a great relief as I considered stopping the cover a couple of years previously.

The policy paid an income of about 75 per cent of his previous wages in the first year, 65 per cent in the second and 50 per cent in the third. Wayne continues to pay the 36 a month premium.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW EACH WEEK: THE THIS IS MONEY PODCAST
Nationwide has said it is prepared to step into communities deprived of branch banking services if a pilot scheme proves successful.

The building societys decision to back the high street comes as the major banks  led by HSBC, Lloyds and state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland  continue to shut branch outlets in droves.

The closures, the banks claim, are in response to changing consumer usage and in particular the move to digital banking. More than 1,000 branches have died a death in the past year.

Pilot scheme: Nationwide is opening a branch in Glastonbury

Nationwide, the countys largest building society, will start its pilot on Tuesday when it opens a new branch in Glastonbury, Somerset. In recent years, the town, famous for its music festival and quirky shops, has been stripped of all its banks with Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest exiting stage left.

Only cash machines and the Post Office provide locals and visitors with access to cash and limited banking services.

HSBC closed in November 2015, with Barclays and finally Lloyds following shortly afterwards. The closures prompted demonstrations and local MP James Heappey raising the issue in the House of Commons.

Besides Nationwide, only Metro Bank has been investing in new branches, although its 48-outlet network is primarily located in the South East.

Closed: HSBC has axed its bank branch in Glastonbury in 2015

Nationwides move backs a longstanding campaign by The Mail on Sunday to keep banks on the high street. Instead of deserting towns en masse, this newspaper has long argued for shared or community bank services  where all the banks get together to provide a service under one roof.

To coincide with the opening of the Glastonbury branch, Nationwide has commissioned research that indicates widespread support for the high street, with the most sought-after services being a post office, followed by a bank or building society and a pharmacy.

Tony Prestedge, an executive director of Nationwide, says the success or otherwise of the Glastonbury opening will determine whether it moves into other towns that have been left bankless by the exodus of the big four banks. He adds: We want to serve as many people as possible  present and future  and the right level of commitment from communities up and down the country will ensure our branches remain relevant and sustainable.

If successful, Glastonbury will open the way for us to consider more branches, particularly in areas deprived of vital financial services.

More than 1,800 accounts have already been taken out by locals ahead of the branchs doors opening  Nationwide said it wanted at least 300 people to support its move before sanctioning the go-ahead.

The societys move into Glastonbury has been welcomed by most locals, though some argue Nationwides services are incomplete. For instance, it does not provide business banking, which means local traders will still have to bank cash at the local post office.

Gone: Barclays also shut down its branch in Glastonbury, shortly after HSBC

Heappey, defending a 7,500 majority as Conservative MP for Wells, says the opening is massively important for Glastonbury. He also hopes it might change the mindset among the big banks and cause them to rein back on branch closures.

He adds: The key is for people to move their custom to those banks and building societies supporting the high street. If they dont, the likes of Nationwide will not be minded to invest in new branches and keep high streets alive.

The Labour Party has already vowed to bring in legislation preventing banks from closing branches  a commitment that is likely to form part of its Election manifesto.

Earlier this month, John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, said bank closures had become an epidemic, blighting our town centres, hurting particularly elderly and more vulnerable customers, and local small businesses.

He said it was high time the banks realised they are a utility providing an essential public service.
A review of business rates that would better tax the digital economy has been sidelined by the Government after Prime Minister Theresa May called for a General Election.

Sajid Javid, the Minister responsible for rates, admitted to MPs that a plan to spread the burden to online firms is not the highest priority and is something a future Government may want to look at.

The comments infuriated smaller business owners, including Theo Paphitis, formerly of BBC2s Dragons Den, who believe traditional high street retailers are losing out to online companies who do not face comparable business rates bills.

Admissions: Sajid Javid, the Minister responsible for rates, said the issue would be 'something a future Government may want to look at

Javid, who last month was engulfed in a furore over rates rises, made the statement to a panel of MPs just days ago, dashing hopes of an urgent review.

Business rates are based on property prices and raise about 25billion annually. Many argue the system is damaging the economic viability of Britains town centre businesses, while online firms, often based in low-rent warehouses, pay far less.

Javid would only concede to MPs that the Treasury is expected to consult on the matter before 2022.

Paphitis, who owns stationery supplier Ryman, hardware shop chain Robert Dyas and lingerie group Boux Avenue, said: Javid is so out of touch its unbelievable.

'Its an unjust tax that is not working and some hard work needs to be done to find a solution as soon as possible. To say this is not a priority proves how far off the pace he is and demonstrates a lack of understanding.

Javid told MPs: There was a review of rates in 2015 so some of these issues were looked at then. All these issues about online versus offline, and also in town versus out of town, came up.

There was a general agreement from most of the business groups  the Institute of Directors, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Business and others  that while they could think of many things they didnt like about the current system, it was quite hard for them to come up with an alternative they might actually prefer.

Future outlook: Javid would only concede to MPs that the Treasury is expected to consult on the matter before 2022'

Paphitis, who favours a sales-based tax, said: This seems to fly in the face of Mays speeches and everything else the Tory Government is saying about fairness.

'Looking at this, it seems like anything that requires hard work or is difficult just gets kicked into the long grass. If he is struggling to come up with a solution, [Javid] should come and speak to me.

The Communities and Local Government committee told Javid it expected to launch its own review into the system, regardless of Javids responses and the Treasurys time frame.

The revelations will heighten concerns that the forthcoming Election will undermine promises made to calm the rates revolt that preceded the Budget.

It also emerged this weekend that money offered to support firms worst hit by this months rates changes has been thrown into doubt by the Election. About 300million was promised, but it was unclear last night if that would be made available before June.
Backing his allegations with documentary proof, Modi disclosed how Lalu and his family, through another shell company AB Exports Pvt Ltd acquired this benami property in the national capital.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has made yet another allegation on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family for acquiring benami property. Modi has alleged that Bihar deputy CM and Lalu's youngest son Tejaswi Yadav owns benami property property worth Rs 115 crore in Delhi.

Backing his allegations with documentary proof, Modi disclosed how Lalu and his family, through another shell company AB Exports Pvt Ltd acquired this benami property in the national capital.

Documentary proof provided by BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

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The BJP leader said that similar to Delight Marketing Pvt Ltd and AK Infosystems, AB Exports Ltd, which was promoted by Mumbai based businessman Ashok Kumar Banthiya, too transferred the shareholding in this company to Lalu and his family members in 2011.

HERE'S HOW TEJASWI BECAME THE OWNER OF RS 115 CRORE PROPERTY IN DELHI AB export Pvt Ltd, which was promoted by businessman Ashok Banthiya, was provided interest-free loan of Rs 1 crore each from five Mumbai based diamond traders in 2007-08. The name of the diamond traders are Alka Diamonds Industries, Real Gold Trading Co. Pvt Ltd, Hema Trading Co. Pvt Ltd, Lexus Infotech Ltd and Yash V Jewels Ltd, which together provided a loan of Rs 5 crore to AB Exports. In 2007-08 itself, AB Exports used the amount to purchase 800 square feet land worth Rs 5 crore in Delhi's posh New Friends Colony (address of the land is D-1088). The total value of the land today is Rs 55 crore. There is a four storey building on the land now, which is worth Rs 60 crore and belongs to Lalu and his family. Interestingly, like Delight Marketing and AK Infosystems, the shareholding of this company changed hands from 2011 onwards and presently, Banthiya does not have stake in the company. Instead, Lalu and his family members completely control the company. Presently, Tejaswi Yadav holds 98 per cent share in the company and Lalu's daughter Chanda Yadav holds 2 per cent. Lalu's daughters Chanda and Ragini are the only two directors in the company.

Leveling charges on Lalu and his family, Modi raised questions as to why the five diamond companies provided interest free loans to AB Export and why, after few years, the company transferred the complete shareholding to Lalu and his family?

Notably, Delight Marketing, a company previously owned by Lalu's trusted aide and RJD MP Prem Gupta, is also registered in the same address D-1088, New Friends Colony. Modi has demanded a probe into the matter and also on Lalu and his family. He questioned why several companies purchased properties worth over crore in Patna and Delhi and slowly handed over the control to Lalu and family?

Modi maintained that in the three expose he has made, it has been proved that Lalu and his family is the owner of benami property to the tune of Rs 1,100 crore.

ALSO READ | Sushil Modi accuses Lalu Prasad Yadav of acquiring benami property worth Rs 950 crore

ALSO READ | BJP's Sushil Modi exposes Lalu Prasad's modus operandi in acquiring Rs 1000 crore benami properties

--- ENDS ---
MBABANE  Why should the court entertain you when you fail to comply with its orders?



This question was asked by Industrial Court Judge Nkosinathi Nkonyane yesterday during the matter in which government has appealed the decision of the court, ordering the State to reinstate school heads of department on the Grade E issue.



The order being appealed also interdicts government from continuing to be in breach and declaring Circular No.1 2016 illegal and unlawful and having no force.



However, ever since the court made its ruling on February 24, 2017, the HODs are yet to be paid on the new scale.

When the matter resumed yesterday, the judge wanted to find out why government should be entertained on their application for stay of execution and appeal when it was in contempt of the February 24 order.



The appeal was filed after March 21, the date on which teachers salaries were paid for the second time after the order had been issued.

Judge Nkonyane said government should have filed its appeal much earlier, and in the meantime the HODs should have been paid as per the judgment. If you are in contempt, why should the court grant you an audience; a court whose judgments you dont adhere to. Why didnt you appeal earlier?

What did you do after the judgment was delivered? asked the court.

Crown Counsel Nhlanhla Dlamini from the Attorney Generals chamber, said government was not in wilful contempt of court and that there were a number of avenues to go through before the payments could be effected.
SIKHUPHE  A community trust, university and compensation for what they claim to have lost when the KM III International Airport was constructed are among the things that would make the Malindza people happy before the Airport City project starts.



A community trust is a binding precedent which ensures that a development project also develops the residents of the area.

It is implemented through an establishment of an entity which will generate and secure funds in trust of the community people.

Yesterday, personnel from the Swaziland Civic Aviation Authority (SWACAA) and consultants convened a meeting with the people of Malindza Inkhundla.



According to SWACAA Consultant, Bongani Mamba, the aim of the meeting was to introduce Airport City project to the people. The project is aimed at setting up supporting structures near the KM III International Airport to introduce an industrial sphere that would have economic value.



Mamba said they were currently carrying out the infrastructure design, which was a plan for the residential areas, industry sites and recreational map out.



They are currently at the development, which required consultation with residents and those people to be affected by the initiative.

After showing the people which area would be developed and explaining the processes of the development plan, the community was given a chance to speak.



Lawyer, Bongani Bhanyaza Mdluli said they were aware that what he wanted to submit would probably be dismissed as an issue that did not form part of the agenda.
MBABANE  She is not a lucky person, but His Majesty King Mswati III birthday celebration has made a meaningful contribution to Zethu Nxumalos life.



Nxumalo who is currently constructing her home won herself 40 bags of cement courtesy of Buil It.

I am very excited with the prize I have won as it will make a huge difference towards the construction of my home, Nxumalo said with a smile.

She said that she was not expecting anything as she was not a lucky person when it came to competitions, something that has made her give up entering or joining them.



Nxumalo who is a customer said after she was encouraged by the Build It staff, she took her chances and God answered her prayers.

Assistant Manager Mduduzi Dlamini said as part of wishing His Majesty King Mswati III a happy 49th birthday they joined the Swazi Nation by giving away a pallet of cement to one lucky customer.



Dlamini said the competition was running from April 1 to 21 and the draw was conducted yesterday.

The nation will join the King in celebrating his 49th birthday on Monday at Siteki.




As the agitation by Tamil Nadu at Jantar Mantar entered the 40th day today, they drank urine to protest against the delay in drought relief funds and waiver of loans.

By India Today Web Desk: Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for drought-relief funds and waiver of loans drank their own urine today, with the government doing little to heed their demands.

Farmers from the southern state, who have been agitating at Jantar Mantar for 40 days, had warned earlier today that they would drink urine. They are deeply distressed by the fact that despite agitating for almost 6 weeks, their genuine demands have not been addressed.

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From holding skull protest, walking naked, eating off the roads, holding mock funerals, wearing sarees, breaking bangles and cutting off mangalsutras, Tamil Nadu farmers have resorted to all forms of protests to draw the Centre's attention towards their plight.

ANI Photo.

Several farmers from the state have committed suicide in the wake of the drought crisis.

FARMER SPEAK

Recently, farmer leader Ayyakkannu was quoted as saying, "These demonstrations symbolise the plight of our women. Every farmer who commits suicide leaves behind a widow and the central government should take note of this and do the needful."

Political parties led by the DMK have declared a statewide bandh in Tamil Nadu on April 25 to highlight this issue and demanded that the Centre intervene in this matter on priority. CPI leader D Raja has blamed the Centre for not releasing adequate funds to redress the farmers' grievances.

Musicians have also expressed their solidarity with farmers by singing folk numbers at the Jantar Mantar.

PRASHANT BHUSHAN BACKS FARMERS' STIR

Meanwhile, Swaraj Abhiyan President Prashant Bhushan has also batted for drought relief aid to farmers of Tamil Nadu.

He recently said that he had petitioned the Supreme Court, seeking making Tamil Nadu a party to the plea asking for drought relief for peasants of 10 states.

"We have filed a petition seeking the Supreme Court to include Tamil Nadu as a party to the ongoing drought relief PIL that would extend to Tamil Nadu all reliefs granted to 10 other drought-hit states during 2015-16," Bhushan said.

The case will come up for hearing on April 26, he added.

Also read | Delhi: Tamil Nadu farmers wear sarees, break bangles on 34th day of protest

Also read | To get an audience from Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu farmers dress as women

Also read | After nude protest, Tamil Nadu farmers eat rice off road

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

--- ENDS ---
Says he only has two weapons to fight kidnappers. His calabash and a gun. Next to him are wads of cash.

BIG BEND  He has never met the business mogul, Almor Oliveira but he is seriously concerned by what has happened such that he has prepared an iron, and is armed with his talking calabash and a gun.



The iron he said he would use to iron the kidnappers.

As if pleading for the said kidnappers to attack him, renowned traditional healer, Elliot Fakudze said he was prepared for them with his only two weapons.



That is the gun, which is licensed and his calabash, which he displayed. By his side, were 200 notes were neatly stacked in Swazi and South African currencies.

Fakudze gained popularity in 2013 after claiming that he had a talking calabash which he consulted after the death of his son, Mukelo

The 76-year-old businessman, who will be missing for five days following his kidnapping on Sunday morning, is of Portuguese origin.

He was abducted from one of his business premises after he had gone to check on some construction work.



Police stated that blood stains and marks were signs that he struggled and fought with his kidnappers, when the incident occurred.

This is what gets Fakudze hot under the collar.

He was troubled by what he had read in local media following the disappearance of Oliveira, something he described as terrible.

Why would anyone want someones blood if they want money? If you want money, why not try other means other than spilling a persons blood. This troubles me.


LOZITHA  Fried eggs mixed with tomatoes, onions and cheese is a recipe given by Makoti Hlatshwako for the King after he presented him with a tray of eggs as a birthday gift.



His Majesty King Mswati IIIs cook got a special egg recipe from Makoti Hlatshwako who gave a tray of eggs as a birthday gift.

Interestingly, the King acknowledged that the recipe was indeed special even though it was not clear if his cooks would stick to it.

Hlatshwako must have arrived early to register his gift at the Lozitha Royal Palace yesterday, as he came in quite early to hand his gift to His Majesty the King.



He said he deemed the two and a half dozens of eggs fit for His Majesty because he needed to eat them to be strong as they are a source of protein.



Your Majesty I am giving you these eggs on one condition that your cooks will take the recipe that I am about to give out here, he said before listing the ingredients and how they should be prepared.



This was very amusing to the masses who had gathered to witness the event where hundreds of people took turns to present their gifts to the King.



People from all walks of life gathered at the Palace from as early as 8am, to deliver the gifts that they had for the King who will be celebrating his 49th birthday on Monday.



The throngs of people had their gifts checked at a security point before they registered them and waited to hand them over to the King, which commenced at about 6pm.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai today met farmers from his state who've been protesting in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Palaniswami urged them to end their protest, and said a memorandum of their demands will be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.

By India Today Web Desk: For the first time, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami today met farmers from his state who've been protesting at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

He asked them to end their protest - which has now gone on for several weeks - and said a memorandum of their demands would be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.

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With Palaniswami was Thambidurai, his AIADMK colleague and the Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha.

Ayyakanu, one of the farmers, said Palaniswami had promised to ensure their meeting with PM Narendra Modi, and that their protest would continue till then, ANI reported.

Palaniswami arrived in the capital last evening, and will take part in a NITI Aayog meeting today along with chief ministers of other states.

Tamil Nadu farmers on Saturday drank urine in another desperate bid to draw the Centre's attention towards their plight.

The farmers have been demanding a Rs-40,000 crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and setting up of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

Over the last 39 days, they have shaved their heads and half their moustaches and kept mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.

(With inputs from agencies)

ALSO READ | After skull protest and naked marches, Tamil Nadu farmers now drink urine as agitation enters 40th day

ALSO READ | Delhi: Tamil Nadu farmers wear sarees, break bangles on 34th day of protest

ALSO WATCH | Delhi: On 34th day of Tamil Nadu farmers' protest, still no invite from PM Modi's office

--- ENDS ---
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Assemblyman David Weprin, Co-President of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, issued the following statement in response to comments made by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer:

I was angered to hear White House Press Secretary Sean Spicers comments, on the first night of Passover no less, earlier this week.

By claiming that Hitler did not even sink to using chemical weapons and referring to concentration camps as Holocaust centers, Spicer minimizes the plight of Jews during the holocaust and simply ignores the suffering of Jewish people during World War II, who were subjected to a genocide with the use of chemical gas at concentration camps.

Furthermore, the Press Secretarys language suggests that, despite living in the country for centuries, German Jews were not equal citizens of Germany, but rather an outside group with little to do with German history or culture.

The anti-Semitic logic behind these statements are extremely dangerous and troubling to Jews across the country; as such, I call on President Trump to remove Sean Spicer from his position as press secretary.

Those who are callous with history, or choose to ignore its truths, like Spicer, should have no role as a spokesperson for the President of the United States.

David Weprin

District 24 Assemblyman

Hollis
Venezuela braced for new marches Saturday against President Nicolas Maduro, after the death toll climbed to 20 in three weeks of violence at protests demanding the leftist leader\s ouster.

The opposition called for protesters to march in silence to the Catholic Church\s episcopal seats nationwide in a show of condemnation of Maduro\s government.

It will be a test of the authorities\ tolerance for peaceful protests, after days of running battles pitting riot police and pro-government vigilantes against protesters hurling stones and Molotov cocktails.

The last protests, on Thursday, descended into a night of riots and looting that left 12 people dead in Caracas.

After Saturday\s show of silent defiance, the center-right opposition plans to return to a more confrontational strategy on Monday, when it is calling for Venezuelans to block roads in a bid to grind the country to a halt.

The two sides blame each other for the unrest.

The government accuses the opposition of hiring armed agitators to sow violence, while the opposition says it is the government using hired thugs and ordering the police and army to repress peaceful protests.

Vice President Tareck El Aissami accused the opposition of sponsoring a "spiral of terrorism" to trigger a coup.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles fired back that the government\s "savage repression" was causing the violence.

Protesters blame Maduro  heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999  for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

Pressure on the socialist president has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela\s crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry. But tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

The opposition is demanding elections to exit the crisis.

Residents described terrifying scenes Thursday night and early Friday in the Caracas neighborhoods hit by riots and looting.

"It was like a war," said Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle.

"The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings."

Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials.

Eight were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot.

Videos shot by El Valle residents showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!"

As residents and workers cleaned up the destruction Friday, groups of people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage.

A man was also shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

In recent days, unrest has erupted in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities.

SOURCE: AFP
American Airlines has suspended an employee while it investigates a confrontation between a male flight attendant and a passenger that began when a womans baby stroller was removed from a jetliner during boarding at San Francisco International Airport.

A video of the incident was posted Friday on Facebook by passenger Surain Adyanthaya. It shows a passenger crying at the front of the plane as she holds her baby. Adyanthaya said in a caption posted with the video that a flight attendant violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby on my flight, hitting her and just missing the baby.

The removal of the stroller is not seen in the video.

You cant use violence with baby. Just give me back my stroller, please, the crying woman says as she holds her infant.

A fellow male passenger gets up and demands the name of the flight attendant who removed the stroller. I want to know the guys name, hes heard saying as the woman continues to cry.

The flight attendant, who initially is not seen in the video, then appears and the male passenger is heard confronting him.

Hey, bud. You do that to me and Ill knock you flat, the passenger says. The attendant immediately steps toward the aisle while the woman with the baby moves away.

You stay out of this! the attendant responds, pointing at the male passenger just before the two men confront each other in the aisle.

Hit me! Hit me! the flight attendant says.

You get the hell off this plane, the passenger replies.

Come on, bring it on! the attendant responds.

As the attendant is ushered off the plane, he says to the passenger, You dont know what the story is.

I dont care what the story is. You almost hurt a baby, the passenger responds. A female flight attendant then tells the male passenger it was an accident.

It was not an accident, the male passenger responds.

Each customer is allowed one small, collapsible and light stroller  up to 20 pounds  that can be checked at the gate, according to the policy listed on the airlines website. Strollers that are larger have to be checked at the ticket counter.

Fridays confrontation comes just weeks after a highly publicized and controversial incident in which a man was dragged out of his seat and off a United Airlines flight in Chicago. The airline took days to apologize for the incident.

American Airlines, however, almost immediately responded. By Friday night, the airline released a statement in which it said that it was investigating the matter.

What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers, the statement said. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident. We are making sure all of her familys needs are being met while she is in our care. After electing to take another flight, we are taking special care of her and her family and upgrading them to first class for the remainder of their international trip.

The actions of our team member captured here do not appear to reflect patience or empathy, two values necessary for customer care, the statement added. In short, we are disappointed by these actions. The American team member has been removed from duty while we immediately investigate this incident.

Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American Airlines crew members, said there were two stories related to the incident.

One, we dont know all of the facts related to a passenger who became distraught while boarding a plane and, therefore, neither the company nor the public should rush to judgment, he said in an emailed statement. Second, it appears another passenger may have threatened a flight attendant with violence, which is a violation of federal law and no small matter. Air rage has become a serious issue on our flights.

Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz
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Judith Clark, who as a young woman was part of a violent left-wing movement and participated in a fatal botched robbery of a Brink's armored car in 1981 in Rockland County was denied parole Friday despite the support of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who ordered her sentence commuted late last year.

Clark has served 35 years of a minimum 75-year sentence for her role in the notorious crime, which left a guard and two police officers dead and was one of the final acts of rage of a waning movement. She will not be eligible for parole again until April 2019.

The decision not to release Clark, 67, from prison was something of a blow for Cuomo, who took the politically risky decision to commute her sentence, making her eligible for parole, saying that she had made "exceptional strides in self-development."

Speaking at the funeral of the former Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin in March, he went further.

"It was a hard political decision," Cuomo said. "I could hear Jimmy's voice saying, "She made a mistake  we all do. She learned, she paid the price, she spent her life in a cage, and she is now different. Jesus would pardon her. Who the hell made you better than Jesus?"

On Friday evening, aides to Cuomo said that while he was impressed with her rehabilitation, he could have chosen to commute her sentence in such a way that she would immediately have been released. Instead, he chose to simply make her eligible for parole.

"Judith Clark deserved the opportunity to make her case for parole based on her extensive prison programming, her perfect disciplinary record while incarcerated, and impressive self-development over the past 35 years," said Dani Lever, a spokeswoman for the governor. "The commutation afforded her that opportunity and we respect the parole board's decision."

The three members of the board voted unanimously against parole; only one of them was a Cuomo appointee.

In announcing the decision, the board said its members "respect and understand the governor's lawful decision to exercise his unique discretion in your case."

It stressed, however, that it was an independent body and that its decision was based on "substantial additional information that was created and submitted pursuant to our unique process."

While parole board hearings are not public and transcripts are not yet available, a summary explaining their decision was released late Friday.

It focused on the unique nature of her case and the message her release would send to law enforcement. "We do find that your release at this time is incompatible with the welfare of society as expressed by relevant officials and thousands of its members," the board wrote. "You are still a symbol of a terroristic crime."

Clark's case became something of a Rorschach test for how people view punishment for a crime, and it sparked a debate about rehabilitation.

Law enforcement groups have steadfastly opposed Clark's release, and last month, Republican state senators gave the parole board a petition, which they said contained 10,000 signatures, urging that she be kept in prison.

Some relatives of those killed also opposed her parole, expressing deep disappointment with Cuomo's decision.

A groundswell of support for Clark began even before her sentence was commuted.

Last year, 13 former presidents of the New York City Bar Association signed a letter seeking clemency; so have prison officials who have worked with Clark during her incarceration, most of which she has spent at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in Westchester County.

Her radicalization had started young. She was just 14 when she began to delve deeply into politics, gravitating to the Weather Underground and an even more radical offshoot, the May 19th Communist Organization. The group attached itself to a revolutionary black organization, and together they hoped to plant the seeds for a guerrilla uprising. But the revolution would need to be financed.

So the group hatched a plan to steal $1.6 million from a Brink's armored car.

Clark, in an interview with Tom Robbins in The New York Times Magazine in 2012, described what happened. She said that as a new mother, she was nervous about the plot, but she agreed to be the getaway driver, fully aware of what she was doing. As she sat in a car in a parking lot of a mall in Nanuet, her associates approached the Brink's van. Gunfire erupted. One guard was killed; another was left in a pool of blood.

Clark's daughter, Harriet, said she understood the seriousness of the crime but believed the board decision was an injustice. "My mother did not kill anyone, and it's hard for me to understand who is served by making her die in prison ... " she said.
It's bad enough that seemingly no level of gun violence, even the massacre of children in an elementary school, is enough to pull Congress out of the back pocket of the firearms industry. Now some Republicans want to effectively wipe out state laws on concealed handguns altogether.

On its face, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, sponsored by Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., would let people who are allowed to carry a concealed firearm in one state carry it in any other state. A closer look shows this bill would gut the ability of states like New York to stem the proliferation of concealed guns.

The act would allow anyone to carry a gun concealed in any state if they "carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by, or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in, his or her state of residence." It would also end gun-free school zones.

What that means is that some people wouldn't need a permit at all, if they live in one of the 12 states that allow concealed carry without a permit.

More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse

For those who don't, getting a concealed carry permit wouldn't be difficult. All one would have to do is obtain a non-resident permit from one of the states that issue them with minimal fuss, such as Arizona, Texas, Utah and Florida: Just pass a standard background check, supply fingerprints, take a firearms safety course and pay a modest fee  as low as $60 in Arizona.

This would effectively reduce handgun control in America to the least common denominator, negating the more stringent rules in states like New York.

Disheartening as this end-run around state gun control is, it is all the more frustrating that some New York representatives, including John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, support this Wild West idea. They put their judgment  or perhaps their desire to stay in the NRA's good graces  above that of the state Legislature. Where does that leave standard conservative rhetoric about states' rights?

This bill, with President Donald Trump's support, comes from the same Congress that's weighing the euphemistically named Hearing Protection Act, which would loosen restrictions on silencers.

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What's behind all this? Did the trade group for gangs and assassins hire a lobbyist? Is Congress really full of Second Amendment purists who believe there's a constitutional right to pack heat?

Or maybe it's a way to help an industry with deep pockets in campaign season, which has seen a decline in sales and stock prices since the NRA-fueled paranoia over President Barack Obama and candidate Hillary Clinton fizzled with the election of Mr. Trump. FBI background checks, an indicator of gun sales, plummeted after the election.

This is not what Americans have been clamoring for, nor have most NRA members. Poll after poll shows most people favor sensible gun control  at the very least, universal background checks and restrictions on high-capacity firearms.

Instead, we get this gift to the firearms lobby, whose idea of gun control is to make sure the credit card is valid.
It happens every session. There is always at least one bill that gets introduced and appears harmless on its face yet winds up taking way too long  often to the point of filibuster  to debate and advance. This years version  LB68 -- would override individual city and local ordinances, making firearm regulations consistent statewide.

Seems pretty innocuous. Lincoln Senator Mike Hilgers said the bill would authorize the state to regulate the registration, possession, transportation, transfer and storage of firearms and ammunition. Cities and villages would retain the authority to enforce prohibitions on firearm discharge. That will ensure public safety while also protecting the rights of lawful gun owners.

Sounds OK so far? I mean, who isnt in favor of law and order? Public safety is just the icing on that cake. Protecting the rights of lawful gun owners  ah yes, that old Second Amendment argument could mean only one thing. There IS a national agenda here and its being pushed by the National Rifle Association.

Hilgers said the measure would give the Legislature exclusive authority over regulation of firearms, effectively wiping out local restrictions adopted by Nebraska municipalities. Sounds like giving up local control. And, just because the Legislature could do it, is that necessarily a good thing?

Nothing against Senator Hilgers who calls this "a common-sense bill" that would replace a patchwork of local gun laws that make it difficult for Nebraskans and other travelers to know what laws might apply to them as they enter different cities in the state. Stop. Is that really a problem?

Answer Mr., Mrs. Gun Owner or me, have you found yourself concerned or confused while traveling across the state with your gun? Is that even a thing?

Yes, I have owned, hunted with and fired a gun in my life. I married a woman who was vice president of her college gun club and has the eighth bar on her marksman award. She has brothers and other relatives who still hunt. Never once have we been sitting at the holiday feast table and lamenting the fact that we just dont know where we can go with our guns.

So the NRA is behind it. But whos against it and why? Start with a few senators who thought the bill should have been referred to the Judiciary Committee, which deals with such topics as guns and laws. Nope, it went to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Hilgers is a member of that committee which is highly populated with members of the Gang of 29. Surely you remember the Gang of 29.

Oh, and then theres the Omaha and Lincoln Police Departments  the states two largest  yes, theyre against it. In fact, the Omaha folks made enough noise that they got the OPD exempt from the bill. As amended before first-round advancement, the bill would maintain the citys prohibition against possession of handguns in public places and a requirement that firearms in vehicles must be unloaded and locked up.

One could expect that Lincoln officials would likely entertain a similar exemption to keep people from bringing weapons into the Pinnacle Bank Arena during a sporting event or performance.

Senator Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said hes listening to police officers who say that existing local laws are valuable tools. His colleague, Lincoln Senator Patty Pansing Brooks, said, This is not the Wild West."

Still, Hilgers says he has anecdotal evidence that says citizens face an impermissible choice between having a firearm that is guaranteed to them under state and federal law and breaking local ordinances. He asks, do they break the law and exercise their right to a firearm or do they put themselves in danger and go unarmed?

Given that a similar measure was blocked by the 2016 Legislature, Id rather see hard statistics on the problem, if it is indeed a problem.

I support the right of law-abiding citizens to own guns. We know that criminals will have guns, no matter the laws. I also support the right of local government to regulate those weapons in a way that best fits their community.

With the days dwindling down for lawmakers, I do NOT support the six hours of debate and cloture motion it took to advance the unnecessary measure from first round. There are more important issues to be dealt with. In case you have forgotten, budget and taxes and corrections all need legislative attention this year.

Spend your efforts where they are needed.
Tamil Nadu has decided to denotify National, State and District highways into municipality and corporation-maintained roads. While the government has cited cost-cutting as the reason for its decision, sources claim this is a move to save as many as 1,500 government-run liquor shops located on highways.

By Pramod Madhav: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to denotify NHAI (National Highways Authority of India), State and District highways into municipality and corporation-maintained roads to save time and expenses.

The state government has ordered all municipal and Corporation Commissioners to pass immediate resolutions and take control of National, State and District highways.

The explanation given is that the state government finds it difficult to co-ordinate with the Centre to initiate underground water and sewage works, especially during natural disasters.

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While the government has cited cost-cutting as the reason for its decision, sources claim this is a move to save as many as 1,500 government-run liquor shops located on highways.

District Administration Commissioner K Prakash instructed the authorities concerned to pass the necessary resolutions before April 25.

ALSO READ | Highway liquor ban: Banquet halls, marriage gardens to challenge Supreme Court order

ALSO READ | Liquor ban: Thousands lose jobs as highway vends close in Punjab, Haryana

ALSO WATCH | Highways turn dryways after liquor ban: Rs 65,000 crore at stake, 1 million jobs may be on the line

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Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-5) visited his Titusville office Friday to meet with seven of his constituents who are members of Oil Region Rising, a part of Indivisible We Rise, a grassroots organization whose members held a protest march on Tuesday, in front of Thompsons office, voicing their disappointment in his lack of availability to constituents. Those meeting with Thompson (center) include (clockwise from right of Thompson), Peter Winkler, Thompsons district manager; Bob Bickart, Barrie Brancato, Jan Hines, John Bartlett, Jaimi Hajzus, Mike Wilcox, and Ralph Montgomery.
What you need to know about Powerball's $1.6 billion lottery jackpot
Tamil Nadu Co-operatives Minister Sellur Raju had a creative idea of setting afloat sheets of thermocol taped together on the Vaigai dam to prevent the water from evaporating.

By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu is under severe drought that requires immediate attention and scared of being accused of failing to take any measure, the government is out of slumber.

Tamil Nadu Co-operatives Minister Sellur Raju had a creative idea of setting afloat sheets of thermocol taped together on the Vaigai dam to prevent the water from evaporating.

Sheets of thermocol worth Rs 10 lakh was used to cover an area of 10 square kilometers.

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The plan was to hire many coracles, take the sheets on it, stick them together with tapes and let it float atop the river. And the plan was approved by the ministers and two district collectors.

As expected by the people, the whole lot of thermocols, drifted away within minutes to the shore just making the ministers and authorities embarrassed. Sellur Raju said that all he was trying to do was save water.

Upon a bit of digging, it was discovered that authorities have tried to copy a method where 4 inch plastic balls called 'shade balls' were used to avoid water from evaporating in California's Sylmar Lake reservoir.

96 million plastic balls of accurate shapes were made to flow which could avoid accumulating on the shore.

As thermocol plan has failed, Sellur Raju has decided to float rubber balls and people are waiting eagerly to see how that would turn out.

Also Read

After skull protest and naked marches, Tamil Nadu farmers now drink urine as agitation enters 40th day

--- ENDS ---
Council approves rules to limit self-storage growth Future self-storage facilities in the city of Thousand Oaks will be excluded from prime commercial areas, according to a new ordinance adopted by the City Council this month. In a...

Dealership does Distinguished thing SPECIAL TRIPChildren from Boys & Girls clubs in Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark, and Oxnard and Port Hueneme attended Misty Copelands Oct. 18 appearance in the Distinguished Speaker Series at...

Stagecoach Inn honors veterans The Stagecoach Inn Museum is honoring those who served with a Veterans Day exhibit featuring museum volunteers who have served in the military as well as family members who have...
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Apr 21 (PTI) Telangana Health Minister C Laxma Reddy today ordered an inquiry into the incident wherein two women died after they underwent caesarean operation at a government maternity hospital here.

The women died of low blood pressure after the operation, said an official release here.

The Minister while expressing condolences over the incident said the government will look into the issue of negligence on the part of the hospital staff if any.

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As per the initial reports from doctors working in the Sultan Bazar maternity hospital, as many as 19 caesareans were performed yesterday out of which two women died and another woman developed complications.

She was sent to Osmania Hospital for better medical care, the release added. PTI GDK RMT

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Music fans were happily placated last week with the release of Kendrick Lamars fourth record DAMN., with many proclaiming it to be the album of the year already. However, after a few days of fan speculation as to whether Kendrick had more tunes up his sleeve, hes sent the internet into a spin after letting slip theres more music on the horizon.

Following the release of Kendricks DAMN. last week, the Internet was ablaze with rumours that Lamar was set to release a follow-up album, supposedly titled NATION. See, fans theorised to an almost obsessive level after cryptic Tweets were sent out by producers on the record, which seemed to indicate the version of the record that we got to see wasnt the finished version, and that there was more coming.

References to Lamars lyrics, and references to him as a Christ-like figure were plentiful, but following DAMN.s Good Friday release date, the supposed second-coming of Kendrick on Easter Sunday never occurred, leaving fans despondent, and leading one Redditor to actually eat a vinyl record. Yes, really.

However, as NME reports, during a recent record store appearance in his hometown of Compton, California, Lamar let slip that there could be some new music coming. During a livestream that was broadcast onto Facebook, you can hear Kendrick utter the words I got some more music, but what sort of music hes got wasnt immediately clarified.

Of course, fans are still as voracious as ever for new music from Lamar, and now with a confirmation of sorts that theres new music coming, excitement levels are bound to reach fever pitch. Of course Kendrick didnt say when his new music is coming, but lets hope hes not pulling our legs, were sort of doubting that Reddit users will be able to handle another undelivered record.
A woman from Uttar Pradesh lodged a complaint with the police saying that her husband threatened her with triple talaq after she gave birth to a girl child.

By India Today Web Desk: A woman in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal lodged a complaint against her husband who allegedly threatened her with triple talaq, after she gave birth to a girl child.

The woman told the police that her husband was planning to marry another woman.

"I got married four years ago and after eight months of my marriage I came back home. They used to beat and harass me for dowry every day. They even tried killing me many a times. The situation became worst when, I gave birth to a girl baby. They didn't want to accept me nor the child and currently now my husband wants to get married again. I want our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minisiter Yogi Adityanath to abolish triple talaq soon," said victim.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently spoke about triple talaq dubbing it as a "bad social practice", saying, such practices can be ended by social awakening. He also stressed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not want a conflict in the society for this.

Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) issued an appeal to all maulanas and imams of mosques to read out the code of conduct during Friday 'namaz' and emphasise on its implementation.

The Board has made it clear that it will not tolerate any interference in the Shariat laws, and claimed that majority of the Muslims in the country do not want any change in their personal law.

Earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called for an end to the practice of triple talaq and invoked the disrobing of Draupadi in the Mahabharata to emphasise his point.

(With inputs from ANI)

Also Read

Triple talaq not the only issue affecting Muslims: JIH

Hyderabad: Another triple talaq case, woman divorced via Whatsapp

Want to embrace Hinduism if given a chance, says Muslim woman attacked with acid after husband deserts her

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"Some concerned people in the West Plaza neighborhood have reported residential break-ins as well. Police say there has been an uptick in burglaries in the past two weeks in the area. The home burglaries involve the suspect knocking on the front door and then kicking in the back door. There has also been a second-floor apartment broken into."

Alarming trend of West Plaza neighborhood break-ins disturbs neighbors and business owners KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Multiple break-ins in the West-Plaza neighborhood over the past few days have residents and businesses worried about the alarming trend. Those who live in the area, and people who own businesses that have been targeted this week are now urging others to call police if they see something suspicious.

Here's another word of a nice Kansas City neighborhood under siege by crooks who might not be interested in youth mentoring championed by local advocates against crime as part of the Citizen Task Force against violence suggestions.Checkit:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A woman is accused of scorching her sister's car after trying to set the house on fire. KCPD's Bomb and Arson Squad responded to the 7100 block of Woodland Avenue Wednesday evening. "I didn't think she would take it this far not at all and she didn't need to," Kiara Gooden told 41 Action News in an interview Friday.
Word to George Bernard-Shaw who once wrote, "All professions are conspiracies against the laity."

"Nick Haines, Jay Senter, Barbara Shelly, Brian Abel and Dave Helling discuss the surprising retirement of Shawnee Mission School District Superintendent Jim Hinson, the Supreme Court battle over separation of church and state in MO, the KCMO crime report, the upcoming KS legislative session, Claire McCaskill's townhall tour, Kobach's voter fraud conviction and Carl Gerlach filing for reelection."

Here's a peek at locals talking news reported by other people with an air of authority that may or may not be justified.Description . . .Take a look:You decide . . .
Mike Burke

$35 MILLION IN CASH

5th District Council Lady Alissia Canady

Missouri Democratic Party Coalition

Kansas Congressman Kevin Yoder

Kansas City Royals Woman Puncher

and the fight for dominance of the local discourse is back in full swing.Accordingly . . .Tonight we offer a quick listing of the Kansas City denizens who did the very best in wielding their influence and showing strength this week. Checkit:Like it or not, perennial power player Mike Burke is now Kansas City's biggest and best developer as he moves toward collectingfrom City Hall, donated property and the hopes of all downtown dwellers who are gambling onShe shared testimony about being. . . And while she didn't really get into specifics about any witness report filed with police . . . The story captivated local audiences also dealing with higher crime.Under the radar of local media, Kansas City area Missouri State Democratic Senators John Rizzo, Kiki Curls & Jason Holsman were instrumental inwhich threatened to overload seniors across the state with more debt and bills.As of late,but also learned that he'll be facing the hapless Jay Sidie in a reelection contest that's not as close as Sunflower State Democratic Loyalists might hope to convince the public.This Royals fanboy leaned intowho seemed to be looking the other way at the time. Reportedly, she spit on him and now the dudebe a champion of equal rights . . . But more likely seems like just other jock-sniffing jerk behaving badly at the ballpark.As always, this list has been compiled according toand it's a weekly comprehensive guide to local powerful people.
KCPS investigating reported sexual assault at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Public Schools is investigating a reported sexual assault at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. KCPS said in a statement that on April 17 someone reported a student at the academy was sexually assaulted. KCPS told 41 Action News the possible suspect is a student.

Another step backward for a school district that has been enjoying mostly unquestioning hype over the past year and despite much notable academic improvement. Take a look:
$35 MILLION IN CASH

IN SUPPORT OF THE KANSAS CITY CONVENTION HOTEL ORDINANCE, MAYOR SLY JAMES SAID KANSAS CITY HOSTS 25 MILLION TOURISTS ANNUALLY!!!

THAT'S MORE TOURISTS THAN PARIS, FRANCE CLAIMS!!!

Now . . . There are much lower estimates around the web but according to the French Official website of the Convention and Visitors Bureau . . . Hotels in Greater Paris only recorded 22.2 million arrivals in 2015.

SHOULD WE BELIEVE KANSAS CITY IS A MORE POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION THAN THE CITY OF LIGHTS?!?!

Kansas City mainstream media is too afraid, lazy or comprised to hold Mayor Sly James accountable for the words he uses to promote a tax subsidy downtown convention hotel giveaway worth more thanand donated property.Therefore, once again our, we must make a comparison that sheds light on the boastful claims of Mayor Sly.To wit . . .Let's take hold of the raw data and crunch those numbers . . .Visit KC still boasts that. . . The Mayor simply added another million to help out his old pal Mike Burke.Those are the last confirmed totals and they acknowledge trouble with terrorism that still only sparked a moderate decline in visitors.And so . . .And if not, if those numbers are suspect . . . What does it say about so many other claims touted by Mayor Sly James and his supporters???You decide . . .
- Combined television broadcast news coverage on the day of the press statement totaled less than 4 minutes from all major local news outlets.





- Nearly 1/3rd of the members of the task force members completely dropped out of the meetings at the halfway point.





- Only a handful of members from the task force bothered to attend the final recommendation press conference.

Will these plans work despite the fact that this process didn't inspire much follow-through or commitment from participants of the task force???

More than a year of work and public meetings might have been wasted given the lackluster response to recommendations from Kansas City Citizens Task Force on violence.A few highlights . . .Again, here's a look at the final document that took more than a year to produce . . .Over that time Kansas City endured a homicide increase of nearly 30%.Now, take a look at the presser according to City Hall . . .What our blog community has noted in a search of social media reactions, news leader coverage and a few private statements from neighborhood leaders is that this plan has been largely dismissed by the public.The question . . .You decide . . .
Turkeys research in Cyprus sovereign waters, using the Barbaros vessel, was the cause of a freeze in Cyprus talks

Turkey will be conducting new military exercises with the use of weapons off the coast of Kyrenia, SigmaLive learnt on Friday from a new navigational telex (NAVTEX) issued on Thursday evening.

According the NAVTEX, Turkey plans to conduct exercises in the waters of the occupied areas of Cyprus, a day before the Turkish vessel Barbaros is set to start its seismological research for natural gas off Famagusta Bay.

The Barbaros, according to SigmaLives information, disembarked from Turkey on Friday morning for Famagusta Bay.

SigmaLive learnt that authorities are monitoring the ships movements.

Turkeys research in Cyprus sovereign waters, using the Barbaros vessel, was the cause of a freeze in Cyprus talks between President Nicos Anastasiades and then Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in 2014.

NICOSIA WONT PLAY TURKEYS GAME

Government spokesperson Nikos Christodoulides has said that Nicosia does not intend to play Turkeys game in communicative questioning of Cyprus sovereign rights.

Christodoulides has also called on all to be careful, adding that Turkey is attempting to create grey zones in the Eastern Mediterranean, and to harm sectors of the Cypriot economy.

He noted that the government will follow the issue closely and dependent on the developments will react accordingly.

Cyprus energy plans, he reiterated, will continue as planned.

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
He said that the meeting was held in a good climate, but that is not enough, since the goal is to achieve results

There are still many differences President Nicos Anastasiades said after returning from a round of Cyprus talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Thursday night, Radio Proto reported.

He said that the meeting was held in a good climate, but that is not enough, since the goal is to achieve results.

The President added that he and Akinci were informed by Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis and Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami on the work done until today and the work to continue on Friday.

Asked if the issue of Turkeys increasing threats were discussed, the President said: Of course, adding that it does not contribute to a creating the climate we would like.

We cannot be talking about confidence building measures on the one hand and on the other have all these threats on the part of Turkey, he said.

However, the President did not comment on the reaction of the Turkish Cypriot leader, when Turkeys threats were raised at the negotiating table.

Take note of the concerns

President Anastasiades expressed the hope that at some point everyone will understand that it is necessary to truly take note of the concerns, which are expressed by the Greek Cypriot community.

On his part, the Turkish Cypriot leader said that yesterdays meeting focused on two issues: the decisive participation in the decision making bodies of federal governance and the issue of equal handling of Turkish and Greek citizens.

Akinci said that both issues can be solved in reasonable contexts, adding that there is no issue of 80 million Turkish citizens entering into the EU through the back door.

The Turkish Cypriot leader added that the reasonable opinions of the Turkish Cypriot side were better understood by the EU and the UN than by the Greek Cypriot side.

Regarding the issue of Turkish Cypriot participation in the decision making centres of a federal government, Akinci said that his community is being faced with a resistance that they are finding difficult to understand.

On the navigational telex issued for Cyprus waters by Turkey, Akinci said that Anastasiades wanted to discuss the issue, adding that his opinion is that the reason for the NAVTEXs issuance must be investigated.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The Greek Meteorological Services (EMY) issued a severe weather warning for Saturday. The bulletin says northern parts of Greece will be hit with heavy showers, accompanied in some areas with hail. The regions expected to mainly be affected are: the Peloponnese, Crete, the Cycladic and Dodecanese islands and possibly eastern mainland Greece.

The forecast says the barometric low will descend on Greece from the north-eastern Balkans on Friday resulting in high strong winds and topical rains, mainly in Epirus, western Macedonia and the Aegean islands. Temperatures are predicted to fall by 3 to 4 points. The weather phenomena will be more pronounced on Saturday, while Sunday will see a gradual easing of the front.

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
Dinakaran has left for Delhi to appear before the police in connection with the alleged bribe case over AIADMK's 'two leaves' party symbol.

By India Today Web Desk: AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran has reached Delhi to appear before the police in connection with the alleged bribe case over the party's 'two leaves' party symbol.

Dinakaran said that he would speak to the media after returning from Delhi.

The Election Commission has given the Panneerselvam and Sasikala camps time till June 16 to submit documents as evidence to claim the 'two leaves' symbol.

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Delhi police has prepared a questionnaire for Dinakaran. He will be confronted with alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar

Dinakaran will be questioned about links with Sukesh. Police will collect Dinarakan and Sukesh's voice samples to ascertain the truth.

OPS, SASIKALA CAMPS FIGHT OVER AIADMK SYMBOL

The tug-of-war between Panneerselvam and Sasikala groups to assert their claim to the AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol has been going on for some time.

Both factions have filed petitions with the poll panel alleging that the rival camp was indulging in corruption.

The 'two leaves' symbol is important to both factions of the AIADMK as that symbol truly represents former party chief J Jayalalithaa and the true AIADMK.

Also read | For AIADMK's Dinakaran, is it the end of road or just another master plan?

Also read | Delhi Police summons AIADMK's Dinakaran in bribery case. Will he be arrested?

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

--- ENDS ---
Cypriot workers in the UK, Sigma learnt, are being eyed by the EU as a negotiation factor

A special clause could be included for Cypriots studying or working in the UK following new arrangements with the EU in light of the countrys exit from the union, Sigma TV has learnt on Thursday.

Sigma learnt from trustworthy diplomatic sources that although no official mention has been made about the islands residents as of yet, the outlook for Cyprus is positive ahead of the proposal Prime Minister Theresa May will make on Friday.

Specifically, the islands membership to the Commonwealth could benefit citizens of Cyprus planning to study or already working in the UK.

UNIVERSITIES WILL DECIDED ON STUDENTS

For students, Sigma learnt, it is up to universities to decide the fees that Cypriots will pay, as universities are privately owned organisations. The decision will be made based on the amount of enrolment losses that could arise due to competition with universities in the United States.

According to Sigmas information, the UK is planning to play the card of the Commonwealth, as it relates to the fees Cypriot students will pay following a Brexit. Student loans that Cypriots benefit from now as EU citizens will also see no change after the UK exits the union.

CYPRIOTS WORKERS IMPORTANT UK

Cypriot workers in the UK, Sigma learnt, are being eyed by the EU as a negotiation factor regarding the Brexit, due to the fact that the majority of Cypriots working in the UK are in high-ranking professions, including the fields of medicine, law, and science, which makes them an important part of Britains economy and society.

STATUS OF BASES WILL REMAIN THE SAME

The status of employees and residents working and living on the Sovereign British Bases in Cyprus, in both Akrotiri and Dhekelia, will also remain unchanged following a Brexit, Sigma also learnt.

TOURISM AND UPCOMING DIVORCE

In regards to tourism, according to Sigmas information, the law that will be applied to all other EU member states will also be applied to Cyprus, unless there are bilateral arrangements, which will be agreed after the UK-EU divorce.

During negotiations between the EU and the UK, Cypriot officials are set to be included in teams working on the divorce in certain circumstances, Sigmas sources said.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The Embassy of Philippines in association with Hilal Conferences Exhibitions (HCE), will host a conference on the Philippine Economic Outlook and Consumer Behaviour on April 25 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre.



Karen Remo, the editor-in-chief of The Filipino Times and managing director of New Perspective Media, will be speaking at the conference.



More and more investors are looking to pump in money into the Philippines, thanks to its stable economic growth buoyed by strong domestic demand and a nation-wide sentiment that real and fast reforms are happening now, observed Remo.



The Philippines has the fastest growing economy in South East Asia, explained Remo.



According to the World Economic Outlook, IMFs flagship publication released this month, the Philippines will grow 6.8 per cent this year. This is nearly twice the 3.5 per cent global GDP growth rate and three times the growth of advanced economies. The countrys growth is also higher than those of major emerging markets such as China (6.6 per cent), Vietnam (6.5 per cent), Indonesia (5.1 per cent) and Malaysia (4.5 per cent), she added.



In light of these economic achievements, the Filipino government has continued to pursue its commitment to increase investment aimed at boosting business from Filipino and foreign investors.



Recently during his visit to the Gulf region, President Rodrigo Duterte had witnessed the signing of $925 million worth of investments from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. This is expected to create approximately 62,000 jobs.



Philippine Ambassador Alfonso Aver said: Bahrain and the Philippines have deep rooted historic bilateral ties. Our goal is to promote the exciting investment returns available in the Philippine real estate market to investors in the Middle East during Gulf Property Show."



"There are close to a million Bahrain and Saudi Arabia-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who plan to buy properties in their homeland. The demand by Philippine nationals in the GCC is being supplemented by increasing investment from GCC nationals and expatriates from other countries living in the GCC," stated Aver.



Remo pointed out that Philippines has become an attractive investment destination for foreign investors.



"Along with this unprecedented economic growth is the continuous flourishing of the commercial and residential real estate market, giving high capital appreciation rate and rental yields," she stated.



New Perspective Media has handled various projects to promote leading Philippine property developers in the Middle East, including Ayala Land, Megaworld Corporation, Ortigas & Co., Greenfield Development Corporation, SMDC and DMCI Homes.



Remo, a recipient of Asian Women Leadership Awards and FWNs 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the World, will discuss Philippine Economic Growth and Forecast, Filipino Consumer Behaviour, Investment Opportunities, Real Estate and Property Industry in the Philippines, and the Law and Policy on Property Ownership in the Philippines.



"We see the conference as a major first step to provide an understanding and insight into the economy and consumer behaviour and trends. These are vital tools for anyone looking into the Philippine market," remarked Jubran Abdulrahman, the managing director of HCE.



"This is the first conference of its nature to take place in Bahrain promoting the Philippines and we are excited to have engaged the support of the Embassy of the Philippines in delivering this conference," he stated.



The Philippine Economic Outlook and Consumer Behaviour Conference will take place on April 25 from 2pm at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre and will run alongside three major shows  Gulf Property Show, Gulf Interiors Exhibitions and Gulf Construction Expo. Attendance is free but requires prior booking. Interested attendees can pre-book with [email protected]TradeArabia News Service


Manara Developments, a leading real estate development company, is set to launch two unique housing projects - Hasabi and Wadi Al Riffa - at the Gulf Property Show 2017 which opens this week in Manama, Bahrain.



The event, being organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), will kick off on April 25 and run till April 27 under the patronage of Bahrain's Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

As a strategic sponsor, Manara will be playing a key role at the Gulf Property Show, a boutique showcase for the real estate and property development sectors in the Northern Gulf.

Hasabi and Wadi Al Riffa are two unique housing projects designed specifically to meet the demands of modern Bahraini families, and built as per the highest quality and environmental standards, it stated.

Unveiling its Gulf Property Show plans, managing director Dr Hasan Al Bastaki said the company intends to launch its affordable housing projects - Wadi Al Riffa, a key development featuring 130 attached villas with a land area of 180 sq m and built-up area totalling 235 sq m, and Hasabi - for sale at the upcoming industry event.

Dr Al Bastaki said the civil work will soon start on the Wadi Al Riffa project and is likely to be completed in two years.

The units have been designed to fulfil the requirements of modern Bahraini families who are entitled to benefit from the social housing programme Mazaya offered by the Ministry of Housing in collaboration with Eskan Bank, he stated.

On its Hasabi project, Dr Al Bastaki said it was currently undergoing earthworks, and the company is expected to commence the civil works upon receiving the necessary governmental permits.

Manara, he stated, is keen on designing the Hasabi project in line with modern trends for residential building and construction.

The multi-purpose project boasts three- and four-bedroom residential units with sea views and each with a private jetty, in addition to commercial developments for sea-view restaurants and coffee shops to serve the needs of residents, in addition to beach facilities and residential buildings three and four floors high.

Dr Al Bastaki said these projects are in line with the companys recent focus on providing affordable housing tto meet demand.-TradeArabia News Service
Ajman's Department of Land and Real Estate Regulatory will be highlighting the potential investment and growth opportunities in the UAE emirate, mainly in the real estate segment, at a key industry event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.



The Riyadh Real Estate & Urban Development Exhibition 2017 (Restatex Riyadh 2017) will kick off on April 23 and run until April 26 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.



The Department of Land and Real Estate Regulatory said it will put spotlight on Ajman's growing reputation as an ideal real estate investment destination.



Ajman's real estate market stands at the threshold of a new phase of development, which is right in the midst of the emirate's surge in tourism, construction and infrastructure projects - all forming a friendly environment for foreign direct investments (FDI), it stated.



It is without a doubt that these new projects will help boost Ajman's position as a favourable investment haven for the region.



"We have placed top priority on efforts to improve and further advance the real estate segment of Ajman, which is part of the move towards sustainable development and economic diversification - keeping in line with the objectives of Ajman Vision 2021," remarked Yafea Al Faraj, the director general, Department of Land and Real Estate Regulatory.



"Our presence at Restatex Riyadh 2017 represents our commitment to reach out to real estate investors and developers from Saudi Arabia; urging them to consider potential opportunities in Ajman's real estate market," he added.



Al Faraj pointed out that Restatex Riyadh 2017 would allow the department to attract more Saudi investors to Ajman.



"In fact, our records show that 1,109 registered land and properties in the emirate are owned by Saudi nationals -representing a key value of Dh800 million ($218 million)," he stated.



For the four-day Saudi show, the department will be setting up a pavilion showcasing the latest and most significant developments and trends in Ajman.



The pavilion will also help Saudi investors be more familiar with investment processes, incentives and facilities that will be made available for them when they invest in the emirate, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Jordan-based Siniora Food Industries Company, a market leader in the manufacture and sale of processed meat, is set to distribute 28.2 per cent of the company's paid-up capital, six per cent as cash dividends amounting to JD1.08 million ($1.51 million) and 22.2 per cent as four million bonus shares to its shareholders, said a senior official.



With this, its paid-up capital has risen to JD22 million ($31 million), said Siniora CEO Majdi Al Sharif.



He was speaking at the company's recent general assembly held under the chairmanship of Tarek Aggad, which ratified the dividend distribution.



Aggad pointed out that 2016 was full achievements for Siniora despite the constant regional challenges.



Most notable was Siniora's acquisition of Diamond Meat Processing Company in the UAE in a deal worth $17 million, with Siniora's share amounting to $12 million, or 70 per cent.



This acquisition comes in line with Siniora's expansion and development strategy to target new markets, and is expected to increase its share in regional markets and, more specifically, in the Gulf, said the company in a statement.



Siniora also launched a new line of frozen meat products at its factory in Jordan, which includes a line-up of more than 35 products, while new frozen products were also launched in Jordanian and Saudi markets, it added.



Al Sharif said Siniora achieved JD47.85 million in revenues in 2016, up 14.3 per cent compared to 2015.



Export sales represented 31 per cent of Sinioras net sales outside the Jordanian and Palestinian markets. However, Siniora's net profit dropped last year compared to 2015, and amounted to JD2.361 million in 2016 due to one-time extraordinary additional expenses for new investments and products that affected the results by JD2 million.



A market leader in the manufacture and sale of branded Siniora Al Quds and Unium processed meat, Siniora, was founded in Jerusalem, Palestine, in 1920. The company later established its factory in Jordan in 1992.



Since Siniora Jordan established a factory for its new line of frozen meats in 2015, it has been awarded the Food Safety System Certificate (FSSC 22000) and ISO 9001 certifications for quality and food control safety, in addition to the Palestinian Standard Certificate in Palestine and Halal Certificate issued by Jordanian Standards.



Siniora factories in Jordan and Palestine have been maintaining the international certifications for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems OHSAS 18001:2007 and Environmental Management Systems ISO14001:2004 since 2014.



The company markets its products through mass merchandisers, grocery stores, high-frequency stores and department stores in Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as in ten other countries in the Middle East.



Siniora also has distribution units in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and a dedicated export department covering the Gulf and the Levant.-TradeArabia News Service
A day after a lethal Taliban assault on an army base in northern Afghanistan, an official said on Saturday that at least 140 soldiers had been killed, making it the single deadliest known attack on an Afghan military base in the course of the long war.



The soldiers, most of them unarmed, were shot while eating lunch or emerging from a Friday Prayer service at the headquarters of the Afghan Armys 209th Corps in Balkh by assailants in military uniforms who entered after another attacker had detonated explosives at a check post. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, reported The New York Times.



Today, there was even a shortage of coffins, said a senior official, Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province, where the attack occurred.



Citing information from army officials, Khairandish said 60 soldiers had also been wounded in the attack.



According to him, Taliban fighters dressed in military uniforms raided an army base in northern Afghanistan, raking it with gunfire in an hours-long attack that killed or injured more than 100 soldiers, said a report citing senior officials.



The attack started as soldiers were observing Friday prayers at Camp Shaheen near Mazar-e Sharif, the country's third-largest city, reported CNN citing senior Afghan military officials.

The Taliban released the names and a picture of 10 men who they said had taken part in the assault. All were dressed in Afghan military uniforms, down to helmets and kneepads, said the NY Times report.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the assailants had been led inside the base by four soldiers who had long been working for the militants.



Dawlat Waziri, an Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman, declined to give a more precise accounting of dead and injured but said one would be released later.



The uniformed attackers entered the base in vehicles and opened fire, Afghan army spokesman Abdul Qahar Araam said. The gunfire was followed by an explosion at one of the base's gates, it stated.



The attack lasted six hours. By the end, at least five attackers were killed, and one was arrested, Araam said.



Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has declared Sunday a national day of mourning in remembrance of the Afghan forces killed on the base. The national flag will be flown at half-staff in Afghanistan and its missions.



The base is the headquarters of the 209th Shaheen Corps in Balkh province.
During the incident, which took place in Rajahmundry of east Godavari district, Ramalakshmi, who left the hospital after she was turned away, started having labour pains in the auto-rickshaw she was in.

By Ashish Pandey: In a shocking incident, the apathy of staff at a government hospital in Andhra Pradesh was exposed, when a pregnant woman ended up delivering her baby in an auto-rickshaw after doctors told her it was not time yet for her to deliver.

During the incident, which took place in Rajahmundry of east Godavari district, Ramalakshmi, who left the hospital after she was turned away, started having labour pains in the auto-rickshaw she was in.

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Hearing her cries of pain, the staff of the hospital later came out and helped her deliver her baby in the auto-rickshaw.

Following the incident, the family members of Ramalakshmi became angry and agitated in front of the hospital.

The hospital superintendent denied that Ramalakshmi was sent away, and instead alleged that it was the family members themselves who decided to take her out from the hospital.

Meanwhile, an investigation into the matter has been ordered by the hospital administration to verify the facts.

--- ENDS ---
What are you doing this World Earth Day? Coimbatore and Hyderabad are joining the March for Science from India.

By India Today Web Desk: In the spirit of World Earth Day, which happens to be today on April 22, Coimbatore is joining in with over 500 cities across the world in the first ever March for Science.

The March for Science, which is being dubbed as one of the largest protest by science advocates, will have scientists taking to the streets for "a global effort to push back against a political climate that has become increasingly hostile toward sound, evidence-based science and its value to society."

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In simpler words, the protest is against US President Donald Trump's belief that climate change isn't a real thing.

WHERE IS THE MARCH FOR SCIENCE HAPPENING?

The flagship event kick started in Washington DC earlier this morning.

As many as 605 satellite marches is set to roll out across the world with scientists, science advocates, educators, concerned citizens, etc., marching together in support of science's role in society and policy.

In India, Hyderabad is also expected to join Coimbatore in the March for Science.

Bhutan and Nepal have also signed up for the event.

The march has spread to African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, Europe, UK, Australia, South Korea and Japan among others.

MARCH FOR SCIENCE IN INDIA

In Coimbatore, the School of Science is organising the satellite march around the city's race course area from 4 to 6 pm today.

"We are expecting over 200 people to march with us... We here at Coimbatore are marching to bring a new era in science education in the city," Arjhun Swaminathan of the organisation told IANS.

Swaminathan said the event will motivate more people to stand up for what they believe in and act as a wake up call to those who have lost hope of changing the world.

"During the march however, we will try to spread the message that Science has never been a cause of destruction," he said.

MARCH AGAINST TRUMP

Donald Trump, in an infamous statement earlier, had called climate change a "hoax", annoying several people across the world.

Trump has also signed an executive order rolling back rules set by former US President Barrack Obama aimed at curbing global warming by moving away from fossil fuels.

"There is enough evidence for global warming yet the government is going against what is supposed to be done. It is time for masses to go out and tell the whole world that we believe in science," said Swaminathan.

The global event of March for Science follows the Women's March on January 21, in which more than one million people marched across the world to show support for women's rights and express their discontent over the election of Trump.

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WHAT IS EARTH DAY?

On April 22, 1970, a group of people took to the streets to protest against the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development. As the protest grew stronger, the day became an important one, going on to be marked as the Earth Day.

Since then, the World Earth Day sees over one billion people across 192 countries take part in various global events pertaining to environmental health: signing petitions, planting trees, cleaning up their cities, taking out marches, etc.

(With inputs from IANS)

Read more at FYI:

An entire river in Canada vanished in four days due to climate change

2017 to be the hottest year: Sea-ice shrinks, WMO says world entered 'uncharted territory'

World may lose two-third of its wildlife by 2020, says WWF

Watch more:

--- ENDS ---
Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

Mayor Asha Jaswal has sought time from Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi to meet her, along with MC councillors, in connection with dog-bite cases in Chandigarh.

The Mayor, while talking to Chandigarh Tribune, said she had a plan in her mind that presently the MC staff lift stray dog, then sterilise the canine at the centre and later drop the dog at the same place. But the practice can be changed for dogs who bite people frequently. In such cases, these dogs can be kept at animal dispensary or SPCA centre in Sector 38 for treatment and should not be sent back to the city.

She said the number of such dogs would also not be huge. With the help of funds from the Centre, the MC could even construct a centre especially for such dogs.

She said with the help of the minister, they could even engage trainers who could train stray dogs. The MC would then put efforts and spread awareness among residents to adopt these trained dogs.

When people can purchase dogs by spending huge amount, then these trained stray dogs can also be adopted by them. The MC, UT Administration and the Centre can at least make an effort towards adoption drive, Asha Jaswal said.

I have these proposals in my mind. The team of councillors, including representatives of the BJP, SAD, and the Congress and nominated, can meet Maneka Gandhi and can discuss these suggestions. I am hopeful that they will get time in May, Jaswal said.
Washington, April 22

Vivek Murthy, the first Indian- American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Also read: Trump's admn asks Indian-American federal prosecutor Preet Bharara to quit

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as Surgeon General.

"Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian-American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position.

The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India.

He was born in Huddersfield, England, and the family relocated to Miami, Florida, when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. PTI
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

Decks have been cleared for the issuance of appointment letters to 9,455 junior basic training (JBT) teachers, who were selected during Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government.

A meeting of officers of the Education Department will be held in Chandigarh on April 24 to complete formalities for joining of selected JBT teachers at the earliest, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said here today.

The Punjab and Haryana and Haryana High Court has vacated its stay on the appointment of JBT teachers selected during the Hooda regime, Sharma said, adding that their appointment would go a long in ending the shortage of teachers at the primary school level.

In September 2015, the High Court had handed over the matter to Central Scientific Forensic Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, after hearing a bunch of petitions seeking directions for quashing the selection of these teachers on account of certain discrepancies.

The selection list was declared by the Haryana School Teachers Selection Board in August 2014 during the Congress regime. But the board was disbanded by the BJP government after coming to power on October 26, 2014, and the entire record pertaining to the selection was handed over to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission.

Later, the CSFL did not find discrepancies in the selection process. In fact, the High Court had asked the state in August last year to complete the verification process within 10 weeks for paving way for their appointment.

Meanwhile, the selected teachers also called on Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured them that appointment letters would be issued to the selected JBT teachers within 24 hours of receipt of orders of the High Court.

State president of Patra Adhyapak Sangh Rajender Sharma thanked the state government for the strong case presented by it in their favour and assured that the selected teachers would perform their duties with dedication.
Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, April 22

Yoga guru Ramdev has stated that the Lok Sabha should enact a strict law to completely ban cow slaughter in the country.

He said he was hopeful that a Bill to this effect would be presented in the near future under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ramdev, who was here today to meet BJP MP from Alwar and Mastnath Matth Mahant Chand Nath, was interacting with media persons.

In response to a query, he remarked that all slaughterhouses being run across the country were immoral and giving licence or permission to these to operate was sinful.

On being questioned about the instances of intimidating and violent approach of gau rakshaks, he said they were not goons, but just got aggressive at times over the rowdy conduct of cattle smugglers.

He said all political parties should come together to resolve the Kashmir issue and due regard should be accorded to the Army and other security forces.

Sources maintained that Ramdev met local Congress leader and former Home Minister Subhash Batra, who had sued him for making inflammatory remarks.

The meeting of Ramdev with Nath and Batra held behind closed doors assumes significance as a local court had recently summoned the yoga guru on a plea filed by Batra.

On being questioned in this regard, Batra admitted having met Ramdev, but maintained that it was a chance meeting. I had gone to condole the death of Naths mother and Ramdev was there, he said.
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

A convict has landed himself in contempt loop by filing a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against an IAS officer in a parole matter.

Justice Rajan Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that prima facie, the petitioner had himself committed contempt of court by not surrendering after expiry of the parole period.

The petitioner, Rahul, had initially filed a criminal writ petition for setting aside the impugned order dated June 28, 2016, passed by Commissioner, Gurgaon Division, whereby his plea for parole was rejected.

The state claimed that the convict was undergoing life imprisonment in a murder case and was a habitual offender who had even jumped parole earlier.

Taking up his plea, the Bench, on November 10, 2016, directed the competent authority or respondents to reconsider his case within six weeks.

He then filed the contempt petition alleging violation of the November 2016 order on reconsidering his case for release on parole.

Appearing before Justice Guptas Bench, the state took the stand that the matter was reconsidered and the petitioner was granted parole for six weeks for harvesting the crop.

He was to report to the jail authorities on April 12. But, he failed to report. Justice Gupta observed: On a query being put to counsel for the petitioner, no reason is forthcoming of petitioner not reporting on the expiry of the parole period.

Justice Gupta added that the petitioner could not be allowed to initiate the contempt jurisdiction of the High Court and take undue benefit of its order.

Prima facie, the court found that petitioner himself committed contempt of court by not surrendering after expiry of the parole period.

Purely in the interest of justice, one opportunity is granted to the petitioner to purge the contempt. In the event of his failure to do so, this court will proceed further under the Act.

If this court comes to the conclusion that the petitioner has, in fact, committed contempt, he shall be punished in accordance with the law, Justice Gupta concluded.
Kurukshetra, April 21

Kurukshetra University has rusticated four students of the Institute of Law on charges of ragging. The accused, however, claim they have been framed.

The university will now write to the district police for registering a case against them, said sources.

On April 10, a law student in the fourth semester had lodged a complaint, accusing the four sixth-semester students of ragging.

Prof Tejinder Sharma, the universitys spokesperson, said two of the accused, who were boarders, had been evicted from the hostel. All four had been prohibited from entering the campus.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Initially, the anti-ragging cell of the university that probed the case had termed it a mere brawl among students. However, on the directions of the University Grants Commisiion (UGC), the university proctor re-investigated the matter, questioning several students, and found claims of ragging against the four students convincing.

The accused students claimed they had been falsely implicated after one of them had got into a quarrel with a student (not the complainant) and that they had been denied a full hearing by the university authorities.

Under the laws in India, ragging is defined as any disorderly conduct by either acts or words, any rowdy or undisciplined activity which causes psychological harm and raises fear in the minds of junior and forcing students to perform an act which has the effect of causing shame or embarrassment.  TNS
Our Correspondent

KANGRA, APRIL 22

Youths held a rally against the harassment to the security forces in the Kashmir valley and burnt the Pakistani flag and effigy and raised slogans against it.

Protesters carrying the Tricolour and the effigy of Pakistan, led by Virender Choudhary, former vice-president of the Himachal Pradesh Youth wing of the BJP, gathered at the MCM DAV College chowk in the town and started raising slogans against Pakistan. They took out a rally through the College Road and main market of the town and reached Nehru Chowk where they set ablaze the Pakistani flag and raised pro-security force slogans and against the terrorist outfits and Pakistan.

The protesters warned the misguided youths that if their attitude continued to be like this, there would be adverse consequences for which the fundamentalist leaders in Kashmir and the misguided youths be responsible.
Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 22

The one-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Shimla on April 27 could not have come at a more opportune time for the BJP, which is making all-out efforts to derive the maximum political mileage from the visit ahead of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls slated the next month.

Since the first election of the corporation in 1986, the BJP never controlled the prestigious Municipal Corporation in the capital town and party leaders are determined to capture the SMC this time.

BJP leaders are planning a roadshow of the Prime Minister from the AG office Chowk to The Ridge, the venue of the party rally to woo the voters and achieve the mission of making the SMC also Congress-free.

The party is mobilising the maximum people from Shimla and Kinnaur and Rampur Assembly segments of the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and Bilaspur for the rally to put up a grand show to send a clear signal that the party would not only win the SMC polls, but also make a comeback in Assembly polls. The BJP has also appointed in-charges of all mandals of Shimla, Kinnaur and Bilaspur.

The BJP will also carry out a four-day Swachhta Abhiyan and mass contact programme from April 23 to 26 in which all leaders and workers will clean their areas, besides inviting the residents for the historic Parivartan rally, said BJP spokesperson and in-charge, Shimla district, Mahindra Dharmani.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister will arrive here on April 25 while other top leaders, including former Chief Minister Perm Kumar Dhumal and state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti, will also be here for making preparations for the rally.

Considered as trendsetter for the polls to be held later this year, the SMC elections are crucial for both Congress and BJP. The Congress, which lost control over the civic body after 26 years in 2012, is keen to stage a comeback and the BJP is going all out to win the polls and have its Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

In 2012, the elections were held directly for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor and both posts were won by CPM. The BJP and Congress bagged 12 and 10 seats in the 25-member House.

In 2007 polls, the Congress had 15 members, BJP eight and the CPI-M two while in first elections in 1986, BJP had won eight seats against six by Congress in 21 member house but Congress managed to install its mayor who won by toss as both BJP and Congress voted 10 votes each. However, the BJP bagged the post of Deputy Mayor.

In 1992, it was completely washout by the Congress which also swept the Assembly polls in 1993 but in 1997, the Congress lost the Assembly polls even after winning 23 out 25 seats in the SMC poll the same year.

Elections Parties

1986  Congress (6), BJP (8)

1997  Congress (23), BJP (2)

2002  Congress (16), BJP (7)

2007 -- Congress (15), BJP (8)

2012  Congress (10), BJP (12)

Govt, not Ridge, will sink with rally: Dhumal

Hamirpur: Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the Congress government in the state would sink, not The Ridge, after the proposed BJP rally which would be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 27. He was reacting to the apprehensions of the Mayor of Shimla and Congress leaders that The Ridge was unsafe to conduct the rally and could sink following a huge rush. He said the first communist-led Municipal Corporation in Shimla, then the Congress-led government in the state would topple after the rally. He said the state was reeling under the mafia raj and corruption. Dhumal said the PM was coming to Shimla on April 27 to launch the subsidised airfare scheme. He said the country was experiencing a new era of development. He said many development projects were delayed by the state government despite repeated reminders by the Centre. He said the BJP had demanded the state government to identify land for Central University, IIM, medical colleges and AIIMS so that these could be started. TNS

Party leaders plan a roadshow for PM
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 22

Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in a brief gunfight in central Kashmirs Budgam district this evening. This is the first gunfight since the byelection to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 9.

The gunfight broke out in the Chadoora area of Budgam, where three civilians were killed during an encounter on March 28 after protesters tried to march towards the gunfight site to help the militant holed up. The militant was later killed in the gunfight.

The latest gunfight broke out at Hayatpora in Chadoora, 18 km from Srinagar, when security personnel were moving in the area and were fired upon by militants.

The fire was retaliated and two militants were killed in a brief gunfight, Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid said. He said one of slain militants was identified as Ali, a resident of Pakistan and a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, who was involved in a number of highway attacks and bank robberies in south Kashmir. The other militant was identified as Younis, a local, who had taken up arms last month, the DGP said. The police said arms and ammunition were recovered from the gunfight site.
Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22

Amid deepening of fissures between the PDP and BJP on vital issues, the BJP high command has summoned Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to Delhi to discuss the prevailing situation in J&K so as to devise a comprehensive strategy.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is going to attend the NITI Aayogs governing council meeting on Sunday, is also likely to meet Union ministers, including the Central leadership of the BJP, to brief them about the functioning of the coalition.

Calling the Deputy Chief Minister to Delhi is significant in the sense that the partys national general secretary Ram Madhav, who is instrumental in crafting an alliance with the PDP, had visited Jammu on Saturday to get feedback on the coalitions functioning.

Highly placed sources said Nirmal Singh had been asked to reach Delhi by Sunday evening for discussions. The state executive committee meeting of the party is going on at Doda. The Deputy Chief Minister would skip the last session of the meeting so as to reach Delhi by Sunday evening, a source said, adding that discussions were going on in Delhi over the functioning of the coalition government in J&K.

A group within the BJP is opposing the continuation of the alliance with the PDP, which according to this faction, is propagating policy of appeasement and soft separatism, the source said, adding that since the formation of the regime the group was criticising the functioning of the government.

It is really difficult for us to defend our alliance with the PDP in Jammu and other parts of the country after some videos have gone viral in which soldiers were humiliated and heckled by stone-throwers of Kashmir, a senior BJP leader said, adding, Serious discussions are going on among the leadership about the impact of the alliance on the core constituency of the party.

Nearly two years after the parties entered into an alliance, the BJP and PDP have indulged in war of words, publicly, especially during the last one week after some videos have gone viral in social media and the PDP having lost the prestigious safe seat in the Legislative Council election due to betrayal of the coalition partner.
Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will chair a meeting of the Unified Command in Srinagar on April 25 to decide on the course to be adopted during the summer this year, highly placed sources said.

The Unified Command is the apex decision-making body on security affairs. It also has the representatives from the Army, paramilitary forces, police and intelligence agencies.

Sources said the Chief Minister, who is also the chairperson of the Unified Command, was currently in Delhi and would return to Srinagar on April 24. They said she would hold the meeting the next day to assess the situation at the micro and macro level, including threats from across the border and the volatile situation in the Valley, particularly after the byelection to the Srinagar parliamentary constituency on April 9.

Eight persons were killed when security forces fired at protesters and around 200 others, including security personnel, were injured in clashes on the polling day.

The assault on CRPF men by youth in Budgam district, Army using a civilian as a human shield and the use of force by police against students of Government Degree College, Pulwama, has further vitiated the atmosphere in the Valley.

The Chief Minister is clear that a balanced strategy should be made to deal with the sensitive situation in which civilians do not fall prey to any kind of violence, a top government source said.

He said the Chief Minister would demand complete synergy and coordination among the security forces.

If the security forces are able to keep things quiet through a people-friendly approach, that can create the ground for taking steps to address other issues hurting the youth in Kashmir. That is what the Chief Minister is thinking, the source said.

Meanwhile, the security agencies have started preparing their reports to work out a synergised strategy to keep things smooth during the summer.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 22

An Internet gag, ordered at the beginning of this week, has now entered its sixth day in the Kashmir valley as the authorities remain tight-lipped about restoring the communication services in the region.

The high-speed 3G and 4G Internet services have remained affected by the gag, which was ordered in the region in the aftermath of protests by students.

It is for the first time that the government has selectively blocked the high-speed 3G and 4G services, which have become the driving force behind live streaming and uploading of videos from protest sites in the region.

A series of videos were uploaded during the protests this month as Kashmir continued to remain in the grip of demonstrations. Many videos that were shared on social media sites and through mobile messenger applications had become instantly viral and generated angry reactions on online forums.

Several media reports in recent days have also indicated that the state government might order a long-term blockade of social media sites and mobile phone messengers, which are commonly used in the region.

IGP, Kashmir Zone, SJM Gilani termed it as a media speculation. Gilani said no decision had been taken to block Facebook and WhatAapp. Many Valley residents, however, said they were unable to access WhatsApp on Saturday on the low-speed 2G Internet networks, which had been allowed to operate during the ongoing gag.

The latest round of restrictions on the Internet services began earlier this week when students held protests across all colleges and universities of the Valley. Acting swiftly, the authorities announced closure of higher secondary schools, colleges and universities, and ordered shutdown of 3G and 4G Internet.

Colleges remain closed in Valley

The colleges across the Valley remained closed on Saturday as a precautionary measure to prevent any protests. However, officials said the colleges would open on Monday. Colleges witnessed massive protests on April 17 after students hit the streets and clashed with security forces. They were demanding action against security personnel who entered Government Degree College, Pulwama, and allegedly thrashed students, including girls, on April 15. TNS
Sanjam Preet Singh

Somehow, bibliophiles find their ilk. This is best exemplified in the advent of book clubs  be it in autocratic societies or perceived-to-be-liberal societies, like ours.

In some nations, book clubs attain a form of protest; for instance, the one started by Azar Nafisi in Iran against the backdrop of morality squads. She picked up seven of her best students, all women, and invited them to her house to discuss The Great Gatsby and other classics.

For her and her students, the idea of discussing books together was to escape from the grim reality, paving the path to the republic of imagination. Back home, in City Beautiful, there are a few republics of imagination. One among them is the Panjab Universitys book club The Shire  that was started in November 2015.

These days, PU is witnessing protests against fee hike. In this scenario, how can the book club stand in solidarity with protesting students?

Book worth

Himanshu Goel, the founder of Shire, refrains from saying anything on the protest. But he agrees, Reading books is definitely a strong form of protest, especially in cases where censorship is involved. And if the university decides to ban a book, you will find us to be the first ones to read it.

As PU students, members of the book club can write on fee hike or discuss the recent article in a newspaper that talked about neo-liberal roots of the PU crisis or discuss a book that documents student protests, says Amandeep, a research scholar in the PUs English Department.

The purpose should be to contribute in whatever they can, says Jatinder Singh, a professor of political science at Patialas Punjabi University.

Be it book clubs or study circles or discussion forums, these are the platforms for knowledge generation. So, whatever happens on the campus, book clubs or study circles must respond to it  though their contribution will be a small one, he adds. So, the next time, members of The Shire meet, they have some food for thought.

Learning curve

Wordsworth...the all-woman book club, was founded in February 2008 by Simran Grewal. It started with 12 members. Now, the strength is 22.

For Simran, reading has been a passion since childhood. I wanted to initiate a social group for like-minded people. Book clubs have become a space for people to get back to the habit of reading and to discover the delights of the written word. The aim is to explore the literary world together, she says.

The discussions range from the plot to the theme of the book to the moral dilemmas of its characters to the spaces the stories take up in our real lives. Sometimes, the real and the fictitious merge to challenge our beliefs and opinions, Simran says.

Line wise

Just Books...Simran Grewal, along with Simrit Khurana, started this book club in September 2009. Again, this is an all-woman club with 23 members. Members of the two clubs meet every month. These days, they are reading The Lady and the Monk by Pico Iyer and Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.Besides discussing books, members of the two clubs collect money, biannually. The proceeds go towards NGOs working for the education of needy students, sponsor prizes for youth literary festivals and run a free Lending Library.

Simran says the perception that reading is a dying interest is a floating myth. A book will always find its reader and book clubs are here to stay. Book clubs need to be nurtured and encouraged in society, among all-age groups. Reading for pleasure is essential, as it helps in giving a depth to our perspective and expands our understanding of life, she adds.

All abuzz

Readers Buzz... Sharmita Bhinder started this book club about a year ago, feeling that reading was no longer a part of our lives, especially women engrossed in household chores. I wanted to have a club where we read, talk, discuss, share and bond. I found book club to be the answer. We all pick a book read or suggested by a member. So, we have a variety to choose from thrillers to suspense feature in our sessions, Sharmita says.

This book club started with 11 members. And now, it boasts of 40 members. Sharmita, along with Bharti Kapoor, organises the session. Eat Pray Love, Fault In Our Stars and Tuesdays with Morrie are some of the books discussed.

So, are you ready to join these avid readers?
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

The Ministry of Defence has okayed a Rs 70-crore project to procure specialised boots, avalanche rescue bags complete with breathing apparatus and specialised summer suits that will lighten the clothing of the troops on the icy Himalayan heights.

The troops will be given a wearable backpack called the avalanche buoyancy system. These will inflate on impact with snow and prevent injuries, keep the soldier afloat in the snow and even have a breathing apparatus to allow survival.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Troops will also get specialised soft shoes with a wider footprint. These will be worn over the regular shoes for greater foothold in loose snow. The third on the list are fully covered tracksuits, called summer suits. These will be used in super high-altitude areas where temperatures drop to minus 20C or so. These will allow troops greater mobility, especially on patrols and rescue missions. The multi-pronged effort has come after the MoD ordered the Chandigarh-based Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) to study increased avalanches and new vulnerable spots.

The Army estimates that avalanches have increased by 20-25 per cent as rising winter temperatures prevent ice from freezing hard.

A rise in minimum and maximum temperatures has led to at least three immediate effects: the quantum of snowfall has doubled; winters set in late with maximum snowfall in April; and the rise in minimum temperature does not allow snow to freeze into hard ice. Thus, snow remains moist, resulting in slippery slopes that are avalanche-prone.

The average minimum temperature on Siachen glacier rose from minus 40C in 2012 to minus 30C in 2016. Last year, 10 soldiers died in an avalanche at Siachen and this year almost the same number in Kashmir.

On acquisition list

Avalanche buoyancy system

Wearable backpacks that inflate on impact with snow and prevent injuries

Specialised soft-shoes

Worn over regular shoes for greater foothold in loose snow

Summer suits

Fully covered tracksuits for super high-altitude areas (minus 20C) so as to allow greater mobility to troops
New Delhi, April 22

Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar drank urine on Saturday in another desperate bid to draw the central government's attention towards their plight.

Over the last 39 days, they have shaved half of their moustache and head, kept mice and snakes in their mouth, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and carried skulls of other farmers, who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.

The farmers, whose protest entered the 40th day on Saturday, drank urine even as police tried to stop them.

They have been demanding a loan waiver, a revised drought relief package and better support prices for their produce.

P Ayyakkannu, who is leading the protest, said: "The Union government is not giving us water. So we are consuming urine".

The protesters said on Saturday they would drink urine if the Centre failed to offer a solution to their problems within a day.

On April 10, they had stripped in front of the prime minister's office here to press for their demands.  PTI
Mumbai, April 22

Canadian Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters here today.

Sajjan interacted with Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, a Defence spokesperson said.

The minister highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada and the need to further enhance cooperation between both nations. The discussions looked at continuing the current level of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation, he said.

The current regional and global security environment and the opportunities it afforded both India and Canada to work together formed part of the talks, the spokesperson said.

The enhancement of maritime and naval cooperation and the visit of Her Majestys Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg were also discussed.

HMCS Winnipeg will visit India in mid-May and will carry out professional interaction and Passage Exercise with Indian ships, the spokesperson said.

The minister also visited the Navys indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi. He was taken on a conducted tour of the ship. He appreciated strides being made by India in their indigenisation efforts, he said.

India and Canada are poised to enhance defence cooperation in fields of counter terrorism, cold climate warfare, peace keeping and naval cooperation, the spokesperson said.  PTI
Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22

With the talk of a point of no-return between alliance partners PDP and BJP gaining ground, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is in Delhi for a crucial conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that could decide the future of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.

She is also scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

As Kashmir suffers from convulsions of violence, anger and frustration, Mehboobas visit has assumed huge importance with the alliance partners speaking in contradictory terms in dealing with the worsening situation.

At stake is not only her governments credibility, but also that of her Peoples Democratic Party  with its image of being a champion of the healing touch approach taking a beating ever since she took over as Chief Minister a little over a year ago.

The party feedback is that the excessive militaristic approach has resulted in PDP being nicknamed the peeling party. Her appeals for restraint and the tying of a Kashmiri youth to an Army jeep as a human shield have made her look politically and administratively weak. The remarks by a section of BJP leaders have only made matters worse for her.

Mehbooba expects the PM to intervene and put a stop to the anti-Kashmiri utterances, sources said, for Kashmir is not witnessing any war and the common Kashmiris are not combatants.

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav justifying the Army action as all is fair in love and war has made rivals like Farooq Abdullah demand her immediate removal and imposition of Governors rule.

Sources said she wants clarity from the Centre on how it wants to save Kashmir. The straight talk could determine how the Modi government wants to change the narrative at play in the Valley.
Washington, April 22

Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, appointed by former President Barack Obama, has stepped down after he was asked to resign by the Trump administration as part of a move to appoint new leaders in key posts.

He was replaced temporarily by Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as Surgeon General. Murthy will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service. He was confirmed as Surgeon General in December of 2014.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

He said in a Facebook post: Two years and four months ago, I was honoured to be sworn in as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States. For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story.  IANS
Ravi S. Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

In a major step towards getting the blacklisted Sikh youth back into the mainstream of society, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday suggested doing away with the system of making such lists on religious lines..

Capt Amarinder met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence on Saturday.

Accepting that the current system was damaging to the psyche of Sikh youth, many of whom are on such backlists for the past several years, the Home Minister agreed to relook the same, while also agreeing to consider the Chief Ministers request to allow at least the descendants of the blacklisted Sikhs to visit India.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Capt Amarinder Singh also sought financial help from the Centre to modernise the state police.

The half-an-hour meeting took place at the Home Minister's residence.

Capt Amarinder also raised a number of issues, including inland security of the state, with the Union minister. The Punjab CM also demanded five additional BSF companies for better management of the India-Pakistan border.

Amarinder said BSF should be deployed along the Punjab borders on the pattern of J&K. Presently, the deployment is only along 32-km stretch.

He also batted for setting up second line of defence to patrol the international border on the pattern in Jammu and Kashmir.

Amarinder demanded additional CRPF/CISF companies to man high-profile prisons. He also sought "Category A" status for police modernisation.

During the meeting, the issue of inland security was substantively discussed. Referring to the attacks on Dinapur police station in 2015 and Pathankot airbase in 2016, the Punjab CM said the security apparatus has to be modernised.

Amarinder called for expeditious release of funds to the state to meet the recurring cost of 2 IRB Battalion for which the Union Home Ministry had sanctioned more than Rs 51 crore.

He suggested that the Central agencies be directed to expedite investigations into sacrilege of religious books and killings of RSS and BJP functionaries in the state.

During the discussions with the Union minister, Amarinder referred to intelligence reports of attempts to foment communal disharmony Punjab and to target RSS and BJP functionaries.
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 22

The fate of around 300 students and 50 teaching and non-teaching employees is hanging in balance following the Cabinets decision to rollback the legislature under which Khalsa University came into being on the campus of 124-year-old heritage Khalsa College campus.

The Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) has constituted a team of legal experts to challenge the governments decision. The KCGC has tried to approach Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, but there was no response.

The government had announced to safeguard the students future by shifting them to Guru Nanak Dev University or other private universities, but it is not aware of the fact that most students have enrolled in courses not offered by any other university in the state.

M.Sc (medical lab technology) students Pardeep Singh and Mandeep Kaur, who were preparing for second semester, said: We will be affected the most in this political war. We have not been able to concentrate on our studies ever since the news came up. Another student Jaswant Singh is concerned about the fate of degrees obtained through Khalsa University. If the KCGC loses the legal battle, our degrees might get nullified. My father, a retired Army man, had paid my fee in installments. He is depressed, he said.

Dr RK Dhawan, Director, Research, Khalsa University, said 134 students were doing Ph.D in 18 disciplines. Their six months initial study has been completed and research synopsis is underway. They will be left in the lurch in case of any adverse decision, he said.

KCGC president and university Chancellor Satyjit Singh Majithia said: The facts about the university have been misinterpreted. Khalsa College Charitable Society is not anyones private property. It is run as per its constitution framed in 1892 when the college came into being. The elections to the society are held every five years. It has a 101-member council, of which 28 members constitute the management committee. There is no way a few members of any family can take over the society or usurp even an inch of its land.

KCGCs honorary secretary and vice chancellor Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said: I fail to understand on what grounds the government was assuring that students would be adjusted in other institutions whereas the courses we offered are seldom pursued anywhere in Punjab.
Stuti Khanna

So much of our daily communication with others and ourselves involves shaping, telling and listening stories. And it is not just the act of conscious story-telling, as a bedtime story would be, but the process of narrativisation that accompanies, sometimes subconsciously, a large part of human communication. When we ask our child to tell us what she did in school that day, we are asking her to tell us a story. Not a piece of fiction, of course  though it may well be that, for all we know  but an account, a narrative, wherein she selects the moments that stand out in her mind from her day in school, and strings them together to form some kind of a tale with a coherent shape and internal logic of its own.

In this multitude of stories that we wade through every day, whether or not we are 'readers' in the strict sense of the term, what is it that stays with us, that inhabits and impacts and even alters, possibly, our consciousness over a long period of time? It could be a passing reference, a minor part of the 'main' story, or a visual image, perhaps, that gets lodged in one's mind and refuses to leave it.

In one of the rare Partition 'stories' that I heard from my grandmother as a child, what continues to haunt me to this day is not so much the fact and scale of the dislocation that affected my people and so many others, the loss of home and property, of members of the extended family. It is an image. Sometime in 1947, somewhere in Lahore, my grandmother, with her infant daughter and some relatives, huddled in a basement room in the middle of the night, while gangs of men from the 'other' community were on a rampage through the locality, breaking into homes, killing and looting whomever and whatever they could. To keep the baby from whimpering and giving away their hideout, my grandmother stuffed her mouth with pieces of cloth until the danger had passed. The sense of unspeakable dread that this comparatively mild image conjures up in me exceeds by far the horror evoked by the reports of corpse-filled trains or the brutal violence people inflicted upon each other at the time.

In Urvashi Butalia's monumental account of Partition, The Other Side of Silence, one of the testimonies is by a young man who witnesses his sister getting beheaded by their father. It was one of the thousands of honour killings that took place at the time in Hindu and Sikh families, where people killed their own wives and daughters to prevent them from 'falling into the hands' of Muslim men. He recalls:"My sister came and sat in front of my father, and I stood there, right next to him, clutching onto his kurta as children do, I was clinging to him.... but when my father swung the kirpan, perhaps some doubt or fear came into his mind, or perhaps the kirpan got stuck in her dupatta... no one can say.. It was such a frightening fearful scene. Then my sister, with her own hand she removed her plait and pulled it forward... and my father with his own hands moved her dupatta aside and then he swung the kirpan and her head and neck rolled off and fell... there... far away."

In Khol do, one of Saadat Hasan Manto's most terrifying stories about the Partition, a young girl, abducted and used as a sex slave, successively, by groups of both Muslim and Hindu men, is 'rescued' and brought back home, only for her relieved father to discover to his horror that in her battered, semi-conscious state, her response to any male presence, his own included, is to untie the drawstring of her salwar and part her legs.

Why do these images continue to resonate in our minds long after we come across them? I have deliberately chosen instances from both fact and fiction  the first is a personal memory, the second a published testimony, and the third a short story  in order to highlight the fact that the emotional impact of these 'stories' originates not (only) in their status as historical truth, but in the power of the word image per se. The sheer wrongness of a baby being refused its basic right to cry, and the terror of a mother forced to do so, become a more powerful comment on the horrific violence of the Partition than any account of mass carnage can be. The small, dreadful detail remembered by the brother in his nightmarish account, the symbolic, hopeless gesture of resistance offered by his sister's braid and dupatta, sends a shiver down our spines in a way that reports of mass murders or suicides cannot. It forces us to ask the question  what kind of a ghastly, surreal world has the Partition created, in which a baby cannot be allowed to wail when she wants to, a young woman mutely aids in her own ruthless destruction, and another has been so brutalised by the savagery of Hindu men as much as Muslim so as to render the entire basis on which the Partition of the country was being enacted a monstrous farce.

While word images become the inevitable tool that crystallises the meaning and power of the story, what also makes these images memorable  spine-chillingly so  is the fact that these refer to an individual, single case. They bring home the horror of the Partition to us in a way statistics or news reports cannot. The story of six million suffering people does not move us in the way the story of one suffering person does, and it is by means of the story of one that we able to glimpse, briefly, into the terrible abyss that it emerges from. For, as the wise poet has said, "human kind cannot bear very much reality".
By K. Natwar Singh

THE Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will be in New Delhi soon. What he has recently done in his country is unlikely to make any difference to the nature of his welcome. He is assured of a resounding one.

In the recent referendum, the President to his discomfort (not acknowledged by him), Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir did not vote for him. The ultimate outcome of the referendum was not overwhelming but decidedly underwhelming  51.5% in favour, 48.5% against. From a genuine democrat, the Turkish President now, for all practical purposes, heads a state which has jettisoned democracy, secularism and human rights. The referendum ensures his being in office till 2029.

The unsuccessful coup last summer was botched up by the coup-wallas. President Erdogan got his opportunity. He squashed it mercilessly. Within a week, the President became an unsettling and feared leader in his part of the world. The leaders of the coup are now the Presidents guests in Turkish prisons where there treatment is severe. Dozens of mediapersons are locked up.

The founder and father of modern Turkey was the great Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He abolished the Fez cap, reformed the alphabet and ran a popular secular democracy in which the fundamentalist has no place. Above all, he put an end to the Caliphate. Jawaharlal Nehru in his Glimpses of World History has given Kemal Pasha (Ataturk) twenty pages.

President Erdogans problems are not over. His entry into the European Union is now a receding objective. The Kurds are restless. His NATO partners are livid and fearful. While his relations with Syria have worsened, though relations with Russia have temporarily improved. Turkey remains a divided country.

**********

THE other day, I had an extraordinary experience. I, along with four nine-week-old Pekinese pups, got stuck in the lift in our home. I suffer with acute claustrophobia. The puppies dont. So long as one keeps away from the laser censors, the lift works. The puppies have no idea what laser censors are. So, all four parked themselves between ends of the laser censors. The lift stopped. I pressed every button, but to no avail. Fortunately, the lift is made of glass, otherwise, I would have been more than alarmed. We rang up the lift people but it took time to get hold of them. In the meantime, the oxygen was depleting. Just then the lift people came in. So, dont come in the way of laser censors and dont take 9-week-old puppies in the lift. For me it was not an agreeable event. The puppies loved it without realising the havoc they had caused for over half an hour. Lesson: do not take puppies in a lift.

**********

IN the next weeks, France and the United Kingdom will go to the polls France in May and the UK in June. And finally, Germany in September. These three are the most important and influential nations in Europe. At the moment, the UK is both in and out of the European Union. We shall see in June: the UK will be out. David Cameron by his folly has all but broken up the UK, thus making it a B class nation. It has lost influence both in Europe and the world. Cameron made the same mistake that the great de Gaulle made nearly 50 years ago. He lost a referendum which was totally unnecessary.

The results will have an impact on India in more ways, then. Mrs Merkel is the longest serving head of government in the European Union. Mrs May is very likely to win and thus will no longer be an inexperienced Prime Minister. As in France, no candidate has emerged as a definite winner. Mademoiselle Marine Le Pen is a far-right candidate politician who, if she occupied the Elysee, will be the first woman to do so. Exciting times ahead.

Socrates (469-399 BC) was, along with Plato (429-347 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC), a giant among the shapers of the whole intellectual tradition of the West. For corrupting the young he was sentenced to death and to take poison, which he did, spurning offers to help him to escape into exile.

I am reading Platos, The Last Days of Socrates, after half a century. The closing paragraph of The Apology of Socrates reads: Now it is time we were going. I to die and you to live; but which of us has the happier prospect is unknown to anyone but god.
Nirmal Sandhu in Chandigarh

Was it yesterday? How do we reconcile our present with what happened 25 years ago: a religious structure was pulled down in collusion with those who were bound by law to protect it? And it was in the name of Ram, in the land that means where no conflict takes place: Ayodhya. The Supreme Court recently restored criminal conspiracy charge against BJP leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi and Union minister Uma Bharti in the case and clubbed the trial pending against VIPs and karsevaks. The Tribune takes a wider look at the case that has a direct impact on the countrys secular character

In her book $uperHubs management consultant Sandra Navidi describes how the elite decision-makers  multinational CEOs, fund managers and policymakers  form networks to use financial systems to their advantage. The way BJP veterans LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyana Singh and others have been allowed to escape trial in the case of conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid at Ayodhya for 25 years suggests a similar networking at the political level. Barring the conviction of a Chautala here or a Lalu Prasad there, the political class has largely emerged unscathed despite the country witnessing mass murders, communal riots and corruption at various levels. This cannot be possible without some sort of collusion and understanding. The collective targeting of Arvind Kejriwal by traditional politicians and partisan media points to a nexus at work. Attacking the networking of politics and business, Kejriwal comes up as an outsider, a possible disrupter of this comfortable political arrangement.

Then how come LK Advani and others are on trial now? Perhaps they had outlived their political utility. Already they had been consigned to political irrelevance. Perhaps the powers-that-be did not anticipate a routine CBI petition producing such an electrifying outcome, until it was too late to undo the damage. Those pretending to be shocked at the 25-year delay in the trial need to be reminded of the miscarriage of justice in the mass killings of Sikhs in 1984 and of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002. Leaders of both the Congress and the BJP had blood on their hand. Yet the law has failed to reach them. Academic researchers need to find out whether and how politicians at the helm of successive governments at the Central and state levels joined hands to subvert the justice system.

Explaining the delay in the Babri conspiracy case, the Supreme Court Bench of Justices P.C. Ghose and R.F. Nariman has said: The accused persons have not been brought to book largely because of the conduct of the CBI in not pursuing the prosecution of the aforesaid alleged offenders in a joint trial, and because technical defects which were easily curable  were not cured by the state government.

So the court blames the CBI and the UP government. Careful planning was apparently at work to bail out the political leaders. The mosque demolition and its conspiracy constituted one criminal offence and yet two separate FIRs were registered - one against nameless karsevaks who brought down the masjid and the other against political leaders who instigated the karsevaks. Some 1,50,000 of them were allowed to gather there on that day by the BJP government headed by Kalyan Singh which had given a commitment to the Supreme Court to protect the disputed structure. A lot of time was wasted in getting the cases clubbed. The Supreme Court has also faulted the Allahabad High Court for dropping the conspiracy charge.

Advani has denied any role in the mosque destruction. He has described the Babri demolition as the saddest day of my life. However, the MS Liberhan commission that probed the 1992 events has described Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani as pseudo-moderates and indicted both. Formed on December 16, 1992, the commission took 48 extensions and 17 years to prepare its report which was tabled in Parliament in November 2009. It held culpable 68 persons, including Vajpayee, Advani, MM Joshi and Kalyan Singh. It accused the RSS of being the chief architect of the demolition.

The delay raises uncomfortable questions and strengthens the collusion charge. Why did the Congress government not act on the Liberhan commissions findings or push the CBI to expedite the prosecution? Why did the subsequent UP governments led by Mulayam Singh, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav not rectify the lacuna in the case or act to the satisfaction of the courts?

A whole new generation has grown post-Babri demolition on December 6, 1992. So has communal politics. If today India is a fertile ground for fomenting communal trouble in the name of the cow, love jihad or Bharat Mata, Advani and Cos contribution cannot be underestimated. He undertook the historic Rath Yatra from the Somnath temple in Gujarat on September 25, 1990, to Ayodhya, which sparked 166 riots countrywide. Post-Babri demolition, riots killed 2,000 people. The serial blasts in Bombay claimed 250 lives; 59 karsevaks died in the Godhra train carnage and some 1,000 deaths happened in the Gujarat massacre. Since the play of politics of polarization continues, it is apparent no lessons have been drawn from the communal riots and killings in the past.

What is the case?

There are two cases. One at Lucknow (involving LK Advani and others). The second is at Rae Bareilly (against karsevaks)

Ordering the clubbing of cases, the SC said...

Let justice be done though the heavens fall. In the present case, crimes which shake the secular fabric of the Constitution of India have allegedly been committed almost 25 years ago. The accused have not been brought to book largely because the CBI in not pursuing the prosecution and because of technical defects which were easily curable. The examination of witnesses has been followed in the breach. A number of adjournments were taken. Another disturbing feature is the frequent transfer of the Special Judge at Rae Bareilly, due to which the matter was not taken up.

The SC further observed: The Sessions Court will take up all the matters on a day-to-day basis...There shall be no transfer of the Judge until the entire trial concludes and judgment delivered within two years.

Status of the two cases

Rae Bareilly (against Advani & others): 57 witnesses examined while 105 await turn in court.

Lucknow: 195 witnesses examined, 800 yet to testify.

Trial against 13. Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh has constitutional protection, while 7 others are dead

The 13...

LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Satish Pradhan, CR Bansal, Sadhvi Ritambhara, RV Vedanti, Jagdish Muni Maharaj, BL Sharma, Dharam Das, Satish Nagar.

The immunity so far

Trial won't take place against Kalyan Singh (Governor of Rajasthan), who was the CM when the demolition took place

The dead

Bal Thackeray

Acharya Giriraj Kishore

Moreshwar Save

Mahant Avaidhynath

Paramhans Ram Chandra Das

Ashok Singhal

Nritya Gopal Das

Through history and beliefs

Year 1300?

Some claim the Babri Masjid was built then and Babur renovated it 200 years later

1528-29

Most assert it was built 200 years later on a hillock which some say was called Ram Kot

The Masjid was known for its amazing acoustics system and remained cool due to arches, vaults and domes.

It is not mentioned in both the Baburnama and Tulsi Das Ramcharitmanas written two decades after its plausible date of construction

Claims of a temple having been at the site began springing up 200 years later

1855

Coinciding with the Britishs divide-and-rule policy, tensions prevailed for 30 years

1885

Mahant of Ram Chabootra, a makeshift arrangement where prayers were made, files a civil suit

Both suit and appeal dismissed and judge ordered status quo as it was too late to make amends

1934

British reconstruct a dome damaged in rioting

1946

A British judge ruled that the mosque belonged to the Sunnis and even the Shias had no claim over it

Night of Dec 23, 1949

At the end of a nine-day jagrata, some people placed the idols of Ram and Sita inside the mosque

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Home Minister Sardar Patel ordered the removal of the idols, but local officials declined fearing a law and order problem

Before the orders could be enforced, civil suits were filed by all sides

1984

Vishwa Hindu Parishad initiates a rath yatra to liberate all mosques built after razing temples but with a special focus on Babri Masjid. The yatra fails to gather momentum

1986

Another suit filed for the right to pray before the idols

1986-89

Rajiv Gandhi government orders opening of locks and subsequently gives the green light for a foundation-laying ceremony

1989-92

Communal tensions peak as LK Advani embarks on a rath yatra that leaves violence and bloodshed in its wake

1992

Despite then UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singhs (now Governor of Rajajsthan) assurance to the Supreme Court that volunteers will only gather around the Masjid, it is demolished in the presence of visibly exulting BJP leaders

LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and many others

Liberhans Commission appointed to probe sequence of events blames 68 leaders

2003

Archaeological Survey of India confirms there were earlier structures beneath the Masjid including a temple but also indicates that there was other human activity too indicating that there could be Buddhist or Jain structures

2010

Allahabad High Court orders a three-way division of land between two Hindu sects and the Sunni Waqf Board

2011

CBI approaches SC against Allahabad HC order

2013

CBI urges early hearing

2017 March

SC hearings accelerated

April 19, 2017

Supreme Court restores criminal conspiracy (in demolition of Babri Masjid) against BJP leaders Advani, Uma Bharti and MM Joshi
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 22

The two-day executive meeting of the Uttarakhand BJP began here today with Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat exhorting party workers to spread the schemes and programmes of the BJP Government across the state.

The Chief Minister said the party had to live up to the expectation of the masses. We have come to power with a huge mandate, the expectations of the people are high and we have to deliver at every step, he said.

Rawat also underlined the need to develop a mechanism of coordination and cooperation between the party and the government.

State BJP president Ajay Bhatt said the party was in the process of rejuvenating its cadre at all levels.

Several Central leaders of the party failed to turn up for the meeting today as most of them were busy in the MCD polls in Delhi. Earlier, the party leaders paid homage to people who had died in a bus accident in Chaupal in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh.
Dehradun, April 22

One of Indias foremost writers and the most prominent face of the 2015 award wapsi campaign  authors returning their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the alleged intolerance in the country  Nayantara Sehgal, has said the issue of nationalism was insignificant and a piece of nonsense.

Nationalism is a piece of nonsense. There is no need for a country that has been free for 70 years to suddenly shout about nationalism. Those who are raising this slogan today  the ruling party  were nowhere to be seen when India was fighting for freedom. They were fast asleep on their beds. So what are they shouting about now, Sehgal asked the audience on the concluding day of the WIC India Dehradun Communnity Literature Festival.

The comments from the much acclaimed author came at a session titled Nationalism in Digital India. The panel, apart from Sehgal, also included writers Kiran Nagarkar, Nandita Haksar and Harsh Mader. The discussion was moderated by journalist Rana Ayyub.

Sehgal alleged a deal to make people fall in line. She said the ruling establishment wanted everybody to agree with their ideology  of Hindutva and of Hindutva of their definition  and that all those who are in disagreement with this propagation was at the receiving end.IANS
Washington, April 22

The US has sought the help of the international community, in particular multilateral financial institutions, in targeting and dismantling financial networks of terrorist organisations.

Targeting and dismantling the financial networks of terrorist organisations is a top US priority, and improving anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) systems is critical to this goal, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in his address to the IMF.

The United States, he said, welcomes the IMFs important work providing technical assistance to member countries to strengthen their regulatory and supervisory frameworks with respect to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.

It is also imperative that the IMF be a leader in fighting corruption, he said as the worlds finance ministers and governors of central banks gathered in the US capital to attend the Spring Meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

Noting that the global economy continued to exhibit large and persistent external imbalances, which contributed to the sentiment that the existing international monetary and trading system did not benefit all, Mnuchin said in this environment, the US called upon the IMF to more robustly fulfill its surveillance mandate in pursuit of strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive global growth.

This should include strong analysis of member exchange rates and external imbalances in both the External Sector Report and in Article IV surveillance. The IMF should also identify specific policy adjustments at the country level to achieve substantially improved balance in the overall system, he said.

The US looks to the IMF to highlight where surplus countries can more forcefully contribute to support symmetric adjustment in pursuit of a fairer global system.

Countries with large external surpluses and sound public finances have a particular responsibility for contributing to a more robust global economy by deploying fiscal policy aggressively to boost growth and help facilitate global rebalancing, Mnuchin said.

In our view, excessively large trade surpluses, like excessively large trade deficits, are not conducive to supporting a free and fair trading system, he said.

Fair and transparent currency practices are also a critical part of ensuring that the benefits of trade are shared equitably. Countries should abide by their exchange rate commitments, including commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation, to not use monetary policies to target exchange rates for competitive purposes and to consult closely on exchange rates, Mnuchin said.

The US economy, he said, continued to expand at a steady pace and forecasts suggested stronger growth this year and next.

Nevertheless, the US economy continued to face challenges, with growth last year languishing below pre-crisis levels amid weak business investment, Mnuchin said, adding that the economy had gone through periods of disappointing performance before, however, and a continuation of this weak growth is not pre-ordained.

In response, the administration is undertaking an ambitious policy agenda that includes tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure investment to sustainably raise US economic output and employment, he said.

In tandem with our domestic reforms we will continue to promote an expansion of trade with those partners committed to market-based competition, while more rigorously defending ourselves against unfair trade practices, the Finance Secretary said.

Outside the US, while the IMF and private analysts expect global growth to expand this year and next, there are questions about how sustainable and broad-based this growth will be, he added. Medium-term growth prospects remain muted due in part to the decline in total factor productivity, continued weak domestic demand, and banking-sector problems in some countries, he said. PTI
Havana, April 22

Cuba and Morocco has signed an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties after a gap of 37 years, the Cuban Foreign Ministry Bruno Rodriguez said in a statement.

"Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, the two governments agreed to reestablish ties as well as political, economic and cultural cooperation," said the agreement, signed on Friday by the two countries' envoys to the UN in New York.

Relations will be restored with ambassadors being exchanged, Xinhua news agency reported.

Morocco's King Mohamed VI has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana, one of the few Latin American capitals where Rabat was not represented to date.

Morocco cut ties with Havana in 1980 after Cuba recognised Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco claims the territory as its own.

King Mohamed VI travelled to Cuba earlier in April for a private family visit, but it was widely believed that he maintained diplomatic contacts with the Cuban government during his stay there.

IANS
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Last week, McCain visited the new headquarters of the MEK in Albania and met the president of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi.

This prompted the Iranian Regime to threaten the US and attempt to smear the Resistance forces with long-debunked rumours of terrorist acts, which were actually committed by the Regime.

Shahriar Kia, a political analyst and member of the Iranian opposition, wrote an op-ed on the subject for American Thinker.

Kia wrote: As baseless and inexcusable as Tehrans aggressive rhetoric is, there is good reason for the regime to be concerned about the current trajectory of U.S. policy. McCains visit followed several moves by both the White House and Congress to institute a more assertive U.S. policy vis-a-vis Iran.

In just the past four months, the US has extended the Iran Sanctions Act for another 10 years, officially placed Iran on notice over its ballistic missile tests, expanded sanctions against the country and is currently debating whether to label the Irans terror squad, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as a foreign terrorist organization.

There are also bills in both the House and Senate which aim to extend sanctions against the IRGC, while Secretary of Defence James Mattis has reiterated the USs commitment to their middle-eastern allies who are threatened by Irans terrorist activity and expansionist policies, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson again stated that the US is worried about Irans attempts to cheat the nuclear deal.

Kia wrote: The Trump administration acting against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka the nuclear pact) would be positively disastrous for the Iranian regime. The loss of modest but hard-earned economic gains would reinvigorate the dissident sentiments of the Iranian people and create a serious opening for the Iranian opposition to drive out the theocracy.

He continued: The U.S. is trekking the right path by reviewing the JCPOA, moving to blacklist the IRGC, and making Tehran comprehend its ongoing support of terrorism and repression of its own people will not be tolerated.

MEK supporters were relocated to Albania last year because they were not safe from the Iranian Regime in Iraq.

Dozens were killed in brutal attacks on their camp and vital supplies like food and medicine were blockaded by the Regimes militia, while the West was slow to protect them; although the Obama administration did help the MEK supporters to escape.
Washington, April 22

Egyptian-born Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the worlds most wanted terrorists, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistans notorious spy agency ISI, a US media report said.

Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted Al-Qaida from Afghanistan in late 2001, Newsweek said in a major investigative story claiming that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea, the weekly said.

This is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of the Al-Qaida chief, who is Osama bin Ladens mentor and successor.

Like everything about his location, theres no positive proof, Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran, told the magazine.

There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan), where bin Laden was slain, that point in that direction, he added.

This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans cant come and get him, he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a very hard place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011.  PTI
Colombo, April 21

Sri Lanka has declared garbage collection an "essential service" and said anyone violating the order can be arrested without a warrant, amid protests over the catastrophic collapse of a garbage mound that killed 33 people and buried dozens of homes.

The order covers garbage disposal, garbage separation, transportation and storage. Any person contravening the order and disturbing any of the above activities will be liable for arrest without a warrant and can be punished under the law, officials said.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday issued the order declaring garbage disposal by any authority of the Public Administration as an "essential service".

The gazette was issued after a portion of the 91-metre dump collapsed following a fire incident as the residents celebrated the traditional Sri Lankan New Year, burying dozens of residential buildings and killing 33 people in Meetotamulla area in Kolonnawa.

The order has come amid protests by the public who had been asking the government for months to relocate the mound.

Protests were held yesterday at two alternate garbage dumping sites. The police fired tear gas and water cannon at Dompe, north of here one of the sites.

Meanwhile, a Japanese government team of experts arrived yesterday to investigate the site condition at Meethotamulla in order to prevent further disasters. The mission will seek future cooperation in the field of solid waste management. PTI
Islamabad: A man in Gujranwala (Punjab) has been surviving on leaves and wood for 25 years, a habit he developed because of extreme poverty. Mehmood Butt, 50, began living on leaves because he had no work. He never fell ill all these years and when he could afford meals, he was keen on maintaining his unique eating habit. Banyan, Tali and Suck Chain trees woods are Butts favourite. IANS

Syrian babies being named after Putin

Moscow: Syrian families are naming their children Putin as a mark of gratitude for the Russian President's support for his Syrian counterpart in the six-year war. Syrian Ambassador Riyad Haddad said Bashar al-Assad had also made Russian the second language in Syria and has donated land near Damascus for a Russian school. ANI

China plans worlds first cashless airport

Beijing: Chinas Hangzhou International Airport plans to become the world's first cashless airport by applying cutting-edge digital technologies to its services and will use artificial intelligence to make security checks faster. It will also work to combine cloud computing and big data so it can offer passengers door-to-door services. IANS
Panama City, April 22

A Panamanian court has granted bail to the two founders of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the Panama Papers scandal, in a case allegedly tied to a sprawling corruption scandal in Brazil.

Following their February arrest on charges of money laundering, Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca each paid $500,000 on Friday and will be set free later in the day, the attorney for the two lawyers, Guillermina McDonald, told Reuters.

McDonald said the court had ruled they two were not a flight risk since they had been cooperating with the investigation.

Another lawyer from the firm, Edison Teano, was still being held, she said.

Mossack Fonseca emerged from obscurity in April 2016 with the Panama Papers, millions of documents stolen from the firm and leaked to the media that illustrated how the wealthy use offshore corporations to avoid taxes. Panama has not charged them in any matter related to the papers.

In the separate Brazil case, Mossack and Fonseca turned themselves in to authorities in February after Panamanian prosecutors said they had been linked to a sweeping three-year-old corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash.  Reuters
Moscow, April 22

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced regret in a phone call with his US counterpart at Washingtons opposition to a Moscow-backed plan to investigate an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

In the call with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, which took place at US initiative, Lavrov raised the probe proposal made by Russia and Iran at the global chemical arms watchdog, the OPCW, said the Russian foreign ministry.

Western nations have accused the Syrian regime of carrying out the suspected April 4 air strike. But Moscow and Tehran, allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, have sought to clear Damascus of blame.

During the call yesterday, Lavrov notably expressed regrets about the opposition of the United States at the (OPCW) to an initiative... to send inspectors to Syria to verify reports of the use of sarin gas in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun which left 87 dead, including many children.

Lavrov and Tillerson agreed to examine again a possibility of opening an objective probe into this incident under the auspices of the OPCW, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said a ministry statement.

They also agreed to launch as soon as possible a working group tasked with seeking solutions to tackle points of friction in bilateral relations, which are at their chilliest since the end of the Cold War.

The US State Department later released a brief statement saying Tillerson and Lavrov spoke to follow up bilateral issues and topics including the OPCW investigation into Syrias use of chemical weapons on April 4. Tillerson reiterated his support for the OPCWs existing investigative mechanism, the statement said, without elaborating.

Ties between Moscow and Washington have been strained by the Ukraine crisis and the Syrian conflict, the Moscow statement said.

The OPCW on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected the Russian-Iranian move to launch a new investigation into the suspected chemical attack in Syria, delegates said, backing a probe already under way.

The draft decision put forward by Moscow and Tehranand obtained by AFPhad called for a new OPCW probe to establish whether chemical weapons were used in Khan Sheikhun and how they were delivered to the site of the reported incident.

But it ignored that the body, based in The Hague, is already investigating the attack on the rebel-held town in Idlib province.

The draft had also called for investigators to visit the Shayrat airbasebombed by the United States after the attackto verify allegations concerning the storage of chemical weapons there.  AFP
New York, April 22

The son of a Russian lawmaker was sentenced on Friday by a US federal court to 27 years in prison after being convicted of a cyber assault on thousands of US businesses, marking the longest ever hacking-related sentence in the United States.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Roman Seleznev, 32, was found guilty last year by a jury in Seattle of perpetrating a scheme that prosecutors said involved hacking into point-of-sale computers to steal credit card numbers and caused $169 million in losses to US firms.

The Russian government has maintained that his arrest in 2014 in the Maldives was illegal. It issued a statement on Friday criticizing the sentence and said it believed Seleznevs lawyer planned to appeal.

We continue to believe that the arrest of the Russian citizen Roman Seleznev, who de facto was kidnapped on the territory of a third country, is unlawful, the Russian Embassy in Washington said in a post on its Facebook page.

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a member of the Russian parliament.

The sentence, imposed by Judge Richard A. Jones of the Western District of Washington, followed a decade-long investigation by the US Secret Service.

In a handwritten statement provided by his lawyer, Seleznev said he believed the harsh sentence was a way for the United States government to send a message to Russias president, Vladimir Putin.

This message the United States sent today is not the right way to show Vladimir Putin, Russia or any other government in this world how justice works in a democracy, Seleznev wrote in the statement.

Prosecutors said that from October 2009 to October 2013 Seleznev stole credit card numbers from more than 500 US businesses, transferred the data to servers in Virginia, Russia and the Ukraine and eventually sold the information on criminal carding websites.

Seleznev faces separate charges pending in federal courts in Nevada and Georgia.

A federal grand jury in Connecticut returned an eight-count indictment charging a Russian national who was arrested earlier this month with operating the Kelihos botnet, a global network of tens of thousands of infected computers, the US Justice Department said on Friday.  Reuters
Mazar-I-Sharif/Kabul, April 22

At least 140 Afghan soldiers were killed by Taliban attackers apparently disguised in military uniforms, officials said on Saturday, in what would be the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base. One official in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the attack occurred, said on Saturday at least 140 soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the government has yet to release exact casualty figures. The defence ministry said more than 100 soldiers were killed or wounded.

The attack starkly highlighted the struggle by the Afghan government and its international backers to defeat a Taliban insurgency that has gripped Afghanistan for more than a decade.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited the base on Saturday, and in a statement online, condemned the attack as cowardly and the work of infidels.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, made their way into the base and opened fire on mostly unarmed soldiers eating and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.

They used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, and several detonated suicide vests packed with explosive, officials said. Witnesses described a scene of confusion as soldiers were uncertain who the attackers were.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Saturday the attack on the base was retribution for recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan.

Mujahid said the attack on the base killed as many as 500 soldiers, including senior commanders. Four of the attackers were Taliban sympathisers who had infiltrated the army and served for some time, Mujahid said. That has not been confirmed by the Afghan army.  Reuters
Sydney, April 22

US Vice-President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honour a controversial refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as dumb.

Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honouring it doesnt mean that we admire the agreement.

We will honour this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance, Pence said at Turnbulls harbourside official residence in Sydney.

Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The White House has already said it would apply extreme vetting to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centres seeking resettlement in the United States.

The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on Papua New Guineas Manus Island where violence between residents and inmates has flared.

Australias relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement, which Trump labelled a dumb deal.

Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after Trump took office made headlines around the world.

Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that had already taken him to South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula.

Pence said an aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson, heading for waters off the Korean peninsula would be in the Sea of Japan within days.

He said Washington believed that a nuclear-free Korean peninsula could be achieved peacefully because of the Trump administrations new engagement with China. Reuters
On Friday, April 21, the American branch of the NCRI held a press conference in Washington, DC, to reveal the news.

This conference took place just days after the US State Department released its quarterly report to Congress, which stated that the Iranian Regime was complying with the nuclear deal.

The NCRI revealed new information on the nerve centre, the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (ODIR/SPND), which is in charge of directing the operation and designing the bomb.

The SPND is led by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi (aka Dr Hassan Mohseni), a high-ranking member of the Iranian terror squad, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Heshmat Alavi, a human rights activist specialising on Iran, wrote an op-ed for Forbes, in which he stated that it is now obvious that the Regime is not abiding by the nuclear deal.

He wrote: It is now crystal clear that Iran has actually further expanded its activities and this new information clarifies all of SPNDs subdivisions, now located inside the highly controversial Parchin site in Tehran Lavizan district, are continuing their work without the JCPOA causing any halts or even speed bumps in this regard.

This information was obtained by the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), a branch of the NCRI who are covertly operating inside the Regime.

They previously uncovered Irans secret nuclear weapons programme in 2002 and exposed the SPND in 2011.

In 2011, the Resistance also revealed a new site for the Iranian nuclear programme, which was unknown by the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) inspectors. This led to the SPND being blacklisted by the US back in 2014.

The IAEA inspectors have never been allowed access to that site.

Alavi wrote: Based on Irans nuclear program history, this regime has a long record of razing sites and cloaking its efforts from the outside world. Even Irans declared sites were acknowledged by Tehran only after the NCRI exposed them and eventually the IAEA gained access to.

He advised that the international community should not ignore these blatant efforts by the Iranian Regime to hide its illicit nuclear programme again.

Instead, all sites should be visited by the IAEA as a matter of urgency.

He continued: Secretary [of State, Rex] Tillerson correctly highlighted how the JCPOA fails to meet the objective of establishing a non-nuclear Iran and merely delays Tehrans efforts of obtaining a nuclear weapon.

He continued: The weaponization aspect of Irans nuclear program has not been the focus of drive to contain the mullahs devious intentions. This must change. These latest revelations make it necessary for Congress to impose widespread sanctions and designate the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organisation. This will send the ultimate message to Tehran, especially at a time when the regime is engulfed in a presidential election crisis.
More than two years after the state of Oklahoma last carried out an execution, a commission spearheaded by former Gov. Brad Henry is set to announce its findings and recommendations in a nearly 300-page report about the states use of the death penalty.

Executions in Oklahoma have been on hold since Oct. 1, 2015, the day after Richard Glossip received his third stay of execution because the Oklahoma Department of Corrections did not have the right drugs as specified in the DOCs lethal injection protocol.

A multicounty grand jury issued a highly critical report nearly a year ago related to multiple agencies handling of Glossips case and the January 2015 execution of Charles Warner, and it doesnt appear as though anyone involved is any closer to being able to resume the use of capital punishment.

Were working on it. We are not in a position right now to get specifics on what theyre doing, DOC Director of Communications Mark Myers said Friday afternoon.

When asked about the Oklahoma Death Penalty Review Commissions work, Myers said it was his understanding that the inquiry would look into more issues than the work of the grand jury last May.

The Oklahoma Death Penalty Review Commission, of which Henry is co-chairman, will announce its findings to the public Tuesday afternoon at the state Capitol. The commission said it had 10 full-day meetings, held numerous conference calls, commissioned independent studies and conducted interviews with people from all sides of the issue, including with family members of people who were wrongfully convicted.

The 11-member group said it studied the process from initial arrest and interrogation through the executions themselves, and said it includes opponents and supporters of the death penalty because their commitment to justice and fairness trumps their political and ideological differences.

In response to the stay and the grand jury report, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections is revising its execution protocol. While this is an important step forward, many steps in Oklahomas capital punishment process had been subjected to little examination, the commission wrote on its website. Commissioners came together to conduct an independent review of all phases of the death penalty in Oklahoma and, in issuing its report, aims to provide Oklahomans with the information and resources necessary to make informed judgments about the states death penalty system.

Then-Attorney General Scott Pruitt asked for an indefinite stay in early October 2015 after learning Warner was put to death with potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride in a violation of protocol. The DOC also received potassium acetate for Glossips scheduled execution, which prompted officials to notify Gov. Mary Fallins office about the mistake.

A federal lawsuit by Oklahoma inmates relating to constitutionality concerns about the choice of lethal injection drugs  in which Glossip is the lead plaintiff  remains administratively closed as the DOC continues to review and overhaul its execution-related policies.

Until the DOC releases its finalized lethal injection protocol, the Oklahoma Attorney General is unable to inform the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, which granted Pruitts request for the stay, that the more than 10 inmates who have exhausted their appeals can receive an execution date. The attorney general is supposed to set an execution schedule at least five months after the release of the protocol, records show.

An Oct. 16, 2015, administrative order in the federal case states Glossip and the other inmates can move to reopen it after four requirements are met: when all investigations known by the Attorney General into the DOCs execution procedures are complete; when the results of those investigations are public; when they have received notice the DOC amended its protocol; and when the DOC gives word it can comply.

The grand jurys report stated Fallins then-general counsel, Steve Mullins, initially recommended the DOC proceed with the execution despite the mix-up and told an assistant attorney general to Google it when she asked whether potassium acetate and potassium chloride were interchangeable.

Mullins resigned in February 2016, which followed the October 2015 retirement of Oklahoma State Penitentiary Warden Anita Trammell and the resignation of DOC Director Robert Patton about two months later. Trammell was present for Warners execution, Glossips scheduled execution and the 2014 execution of Clayton Lockett that went awry.

Arkansas conducted its first lethal injection in 12 years on Thursday, which resulted in the death of Ledell Lee four minutes before his death warrant expired. The state wanted to put eight people to death in 10 days, citing its worry that its supply of midazolam  which became controversial due to Locketts execution, among others  would expire.

The Associated Press reported Lees execution lasted 12 minutes and was carried out without any apparent glitches.
Americans of all political stripes should be concerned by Russian interference in U.S. elections, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said Friday.

If youre a Republican and you voted for (Donald) Trump, McFaul said during his Tulsa Town Hall appearance at the Performing Arts Center, dont assume the Russians are going to be on your side four years from now.

McFauls comments about Russian involvement in last years presidential election drew the loudest response from the audience.

Weve got to be more concerned about that, he said. This is not a partisan statement. This is a national security failure. ... I want us to be engaged as a country in this because right now were sleepwalking. We have not done one thing to make our elections safer from these kinds of attacks  and, by the way, the Russian capacity to be more involved is way greater than what they did in 2016.

Earlier, while speaking to a group of students, McFaul said those forces are directed toward influencing this years French elections for the benefit of Marine Le Pens right-wing National Front Party.

Facebook just took down 30,000 accounts tied to the Russian government that were trying to influence the French elections, McFaul told the students.

McFaul is not an entirely objective observer. As he pointed out, he spent five years in the Obama administration and did not support Trump for the presidency. He drafted the statement about irregularities in the 2012 Russian elections that caused Russian President Vladimir Putin to blame then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton  and McFaul  for the demonstrations that followed.

Many, including McFaul, believe that is one reason Putin decided to go to extraordinary lengths to influence the 2016 election involving Trump and Clinton.

McFaul said he cannot explain the strange obsession he said Putin and Trump have with each other, but believes it mostly comes down to Trump sharing, at least on a superficial level, similar views as Putin, and Putin wanting to encourage the isolationist foreign policy positions Trump took while campaigning.

Trumps outlook on foreign policy is apparently different from any president since at least the 1930s, McFaul said, in that the president has demonstrated little interest in encouraging democracy or asserting American diplomatic influence in international bodies such as the United Nations.

But, McFaul said, President Trump does seem to be moderating the pronouncements of Candidate Trump. At the same time, McFaul said, Trump seems to be learning and is hiring good people.

McFaul was particularly complimentary of Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.

But he said he is concerned that Trump has no strong convictions concerning foreign policy and seems to be easily influenced by others.

Thats the wild card variant, McFaul said. First, because relationships matter, and they seem to matter more for Trump than for other presidents. And two, because he doesnt have deep convictions, its easy for him to change.

What I worry the most about is a meeting with Putin where (Trump) agrees to lift sanctions without Putin changing his policy. That would be horrible.
President Obama spent a significant amount of time and effort appeasing Iran and working towards the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal, which was eventually signed in 2015.

He said that the Iran nuclear deal was the best way to move forward with the country, but earlier this week Secretary of State Rex Tillerson highlighted many areas of great concern. He pointed out that Irans ongoing provocations and its export of terror and violence () [is] destabilizing more than one country at a time in the region.

Tillerson said that Irans unlawful quest for missile technology and its nuclear ambitions (that have only been put on hold as a result of the nuclear deal, rather than eliminated) is proof that the country poses a great threat to not just the United States and the Middle East, but also the world.

He added that although Iran has been complying with the terms of the nuclear deal, it was time for all of Irans actions to be addressed.

Tillerson also criticised President Obama for delaying decisions and actions in Iran with the purpose of leaving the difficult part for the next President. Obama ignored many of the very serious and threatening issues and instead concentrated on the nuclear deal which ignored everything but the nuclear aspect. While the nuclear negotiations were ongoing, many called on him to address at least the human rights issues; but he didnt. Tillerson said: The Trump administration has no intention of passing the buck to a future administration on Iran.

Although we do not know how the Trump administration will actually act, the Iranian threat has been acknowledged by numerous officials.

A few days ago, President Trump once again criticised the nuclear deal and said that Iran is not living up to the spirit of the agreement. He added: And were analyzing it very, very carefully and well have something to say about it in the not-too-distant future.

Defense Secretary James Mattis applauded Saudi efforts in trying to stabilise the Middle East and said that Iran is central to the numerous crises in the region.

Everywhere you look, if theres trouble in the region, you find Iran  The nations in the region and others elsewhere are trying to checkmate Iran and the amount of disruption, the amount of instability they can cause.
Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby appeared in Tulsa County District Court on Friday for discussion over what testimony jurors will hear in her upcoming trial, but she will be back in court April 28 to finalize the questionnaires that will be given to prospective jurors.

Shelby, 43, spent about two hours in District Judge Doug Drummonds courtroom listening to arguments over instructions the jury will receive before deliberations and what witnesses for both sides will be able to say in her May 8 manslaughter trial.

Drummond decided defense expert Dr. Kris Mohandie can testify about what PCP does but cannot say Crutcher used it before Sept. 16.

Shelby was charged Sept. 22 with first-degree manslaughter in the Sept. 16 death of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher under two theories: that the shooting occurred in the heat of passion, and that Crutcher died during Shelbys attempt to stop him from committing a crime. He was shot once next to his vehicle, which had been blocking the flow of traffic, in the 2300 block of East 36th Street North after Shelby said he attempted to reach into his drivers side window and was non-compliant with commands.

We believe the states going to repeatedly say he was unarmed, defense attorney Shannon McMurray told Drummond. She said Theyre going to want the jury to (consider) hindsight 20-20 (against her) despite Shelby not knowing Crutcher didnt have a gun at the time she shot him. Police did not recover a gun from Crutcher or his vehicle.

Shelby has said she believed Crutcher was under the influence of PCP during their interaction.

An Oklahoma State Medical Examiners Office report stated Crutcher had PCP in his system when he died but did not list it as being a contributing factor to his death.

McMurray also told the court that the Tulsa County District Attorneys Offices decision to charge Shelby using an affidavit prepared by one of its own investigators rather than local police was an anomaly. She said discourse between District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler and Homicide Sgt. Dave Walker led her to conclude the decision to charge Shelby six days after the incident was made to avoid civil unrest rather than wait for Walker to complete his investigation.

But Kunzweiler responded that all he received from Tulsa Police by Sept. 22 was information about Crutchers history with the criminal justice system, which he maintained has no relevance because Shelby didnt know who Crutcher was when she shot him. He cautioned that questioning Walker in front of the jury about the process could elicit responses that would tell jurors information Drummond previously ruled was inadmissible, which included claims Crutcher habitually used PCP.

Before adjourning for the day, Drummond said he plans to preside over Shelbys trial in his courtroom but will set aside rows for Crutchers and Shelbys families, as well as the media. He said hes hopeful prospective jurors with extensive pretrial knowledge of the case can be questioned the afternoon of May 8, with testimony commencing by the afternoon of May 10 following voir dire of the full jury pool.

If that happens, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray told Drummond the state, which anticipates calling a maximum of 20 witnesses, can finish its case by May 15 at the latest.

Neither prosecutors nor Shelbys attorneys commented after the hearing. Through their attorney, members of Crutchers family who have attended all of Shelbys court appearances also declined a request to comment.
Jurors deliberated four hours Friday before convicting Shaynna Lauren Sims on all five counts she faced in connection with removing body parts from and cutting the face and hair of a deceased woman during a funeral home viewing.

The body of Tabatha Lynch, who died at age 38 of natural causes, was in a casket at Moores Eastlawn Funeral Home on April 30, 2015, when the mutilation took place.

The jury recommended Sims serve seven years in prison for first-degree burglary, five years for unlawfully removing a body part from someone who is deceased, two years for knowingly concealing stolen property, one year for unauthorized dissection, and one year for disrupting or interrupting a funeral.

Jurors also levied fines totaling $6,500.

Sims is set to be sentenced by Tulsa County District Judge Kelly Greenough at 9 a.m. June 1 after a pre-sentencing investigation is conducted.

Assistant District Attorney Tanya Wilson told reporters after the verdict that prosecutors would ask the judge to set the sentences back-to-back rather than concurrently.

During closing arguments, two prosecutors told jurors the defense was slut-shaming the deceased because Lynch was having an affair with Sims estranged husband. Sims attorney denied that and characterized his client as not in the right state of mind because she was humiliated, broken-hearted, embarrassed and angered by the adultery.

We understand a person being jealous; we understand a person being angry, Wilson told reporters in a courthouse hallway. And she probably had every right to be.

But as I said in closing arguments, she took it a step too far.

Sims attorney, Donn Baker, didnt speak with reporters before exiting the courthouse.

The jury began deliberating about 11:45 a.m. after hearing closing arguments.

Assistant District Attorney Reagan Reininger said Sims needlessly terrified a grieving family. Reininger reminded jurors that they heard Sims phone call from jail to her mother, with her words demonstrating she only wanted to help herself. She said nothing about not being in her right mind, Reininger said.

Shes not crazy. Shes not mentally ill, Reininger said.

Reininger portrayed Sims as being a scorned wife who was so eaten up she had to get back at Lynch one last time. Her behavior wasnt excusable just because her husband was cheating on her with Lynch, Reininger said.

She went in there and she wreaked havoc, Reininger said of Sims crashing the viewing of the body.

Baker said he wasnt slut-shaming Lynch and wasnt in court to disrespect the dead. He said the state went too far in charges against his client.

Baker particularly emphasized the burglary count because  as the most serious of the charges  it carried a sentence of up to 20 years with a requirement to serve 85 percent of the sentence before parole eligibility.

Baker said the reason were here is because of that charge, which Sims absolutely did not commit. He accused the state of stacking charges because they wanted to obtain a more severe punishment than the misdemeanors allowed for.

The burglary charge against Sims is based on allegations that she gave Lynchs boyfriend and children a false name and wrongly said she worked for the funeral home when she went to Lynchs apartment, reportedly to steal jewelry after taking her shoes from the funeral home.

Baker told jurors that Sims had consent from Lynchs son to enter the apartment.

He also argued that the evidence shows Sims wasnt in her right state of mind, that she had been driven over the edge by a cheating husband.

During the states second closing argument, Wilson said Sims actions were her one last attempt to humiliate Tabatha.

Its not overcharging; its not stacking charges, Wilson said. Its presenting to you everything this woman did.
Its only taken them 16 years, but National Geographic has moved into scripted drama, with the launch of Genius, a miniseries on the life of Albert Einstein.

This 10 part series sees Geoffrey Rush as the elderly famed physicist, with Johnny Flynn as young Albert.

Taking place over two timelines in Europe and America, it is in part directed by Ron Howard, who co-produces with Brian Grazer and Gigi Pritzker.

The storylines intercut between elder and younger Einsteins. In Germany 1922 the elder is battling rising anti-Semitic politics and the Nazi movement. Albert is unconventional, wanting the affections of his pretty assistant at the same time as advocating non-monogamy with wife Elsa (Emily Watson). But the dangerous political forces pose a far more immediate threat, prompting Elsa to suggest they leave Berlin urgently.

In 1894 young Albert, frustrated by teaching methods he sees as beneath his skill level, is viewed as a rebel. But when his father (Robert Lindsay) tells him the family is moving to Italy without him, he feels abandoned, eventually moving to university in Switzerland where he meets fellow physics student Mileva (Samantha Colley). The matching of minds leads to a whirlwind romance

But elderly Einstein, accepting Berlin has grown too violent, looks to the US with Elsa. Standing in his way is sour US consulate official Raymond Geist (Vincent Kartheiser) acting on behalf of J. Edgar Hoover.

The storylines swing like a pendulum between old / young Einstein presumably to insert Geoffrey Rush, and a recognisable Einstein, into the first episode. This is somewhat disconcerting but the fact both Rush and Johnny Flynn are so adept helps the transition (Im unclear how both storylines will meet in the middle, so to speak).

Watching Geoffrey Rush as a philandering Einstein (including a sex scene right at the top of the series) was unexpected, but points for commitment.

Filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, the miniseries also benefits from some romantic European locations, all enhanced by a score from Hans Zimmer.

National Geographic have since indicated Genius will return as an anthology with another star subject.

While Genius doesnt strike me as required viewing, its a good start as scripted content and a promise of more to come.

Genius airs 8:30pm Monday on National Geographic.
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| By Alex Likowski

The Saturday, April 22, 2017, edition of The Baltimore Sun included an op-ed co-authored by UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, and UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski III, PhD, supporting the role of science and the scientific method in our society. The letter's publication coincided with the March for Science in Washington, D.C., and similar marches around the world.

The Baltimore Sun, April 22, 2017

In Defense of Science

Jay A. Perman, Freeman Hrabowski III

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to march in Washington, D.C., today to celebrate and defend science  at a time when many believe that science does, in fact, need defending.

President Trump's budget proposal cuts 31 percent from the Environmental Protection Agency, slashes the Department of Energy's basic science research program and zeroes out a program that supports early-stage research into technologies that can reduce our national dependence on fossil fuels. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which spends $32 billion a year on biomedical research  most of which is undertaken in labs at universities and medical schools across the nation  would see a 20 percent cut, bringing the agency's budget to its lowest level in 15 years. Beyond science, the president's proposed budget also eliminates the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, with students and faculty gathered to travel to Washington, D.C. for the March for Science.

The attack on science comes not only in the form of draconian budget cuts, but also in ways that politicize science and intimidate some who undertake it. The administration has issued gag orders on science agencies, preventing researchers there from speaking transparently with the public and even colleagues about their work. Previously, the presidential transition team sent letters to agency heads ordering that they identify scientists working on climate research.

As the presidents of two of Maryland's vital public research universities, we stand with those who will march this weekend to defend science and the scientific method. It is the scientific method that teaches us how to ask questions, form hypotheses, and then  critically  test those hypotheses with rigorous and replicable experiments. It is this method that helps us distinguish between fact and fiction, and to make progress in fields from medicine to energy production, which impact our everyday lives.

One of us is a physician, and one a mathematician. And so we know that it is because of science that diseases that were once widespread and incurable are now  within our own lifetime  eradicated or treatable. It is because of science that we have smartphones in our pockets that connect us with each other and with a world of information instantaneously. It is because of science that we can deploy technology to protect our country against terrorism.

And this is the science that the administration's budget proposes to cut, attempting to persuade the American people that the basic research undertaken in labs across this country doesn't affect them. But it does, and powerfully. Every modern medical advancement that has saved a patient's life had its origins in the research lab. Every leap forward in making our computers faster and smaller, capable of calculations that send astronauts to space and help us better understand Earth, is achieved by researchers who appreciate the power of science.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, himself a physician, defended the administration's $7 billion cut to NIH's biomedical research budget by suggesting that these cuts would be carved out of the overhead costs that universities like ours incur in doing research. However, as any businessperson knows, this overhead is a reflection of real, essential costs, like keeping computers secure and safely disposing of chemicals used in labs. It's exactly what enables researchers to keep doing the work that saves lives, protects our country, and energizes our economy. We believe that it is precisely these kinds of efforts that many Americans want their tax dollars to support.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore and UMBC are educating the next generation of scientists, engineers, policy experts, and health care practitioners. These are the people who will one day solve the greatest challenges of clean energy and global sustainability, human health and well-being, national security, and economic opportunity. We take this responsibility to educate tomorrow's problem-solvers seriously, and we support them in their fight to preserve smart and humane science policy and investment.

Many of our students, faculty, and staff are traveling to the nation's capital on Saturday. In fact, UMBC's Meyerhoff Scholars, one of the country's largest bodies of STEM scholars and professionals of color, are an official partner in the march. We stand with them because their work matters. Science matters. Truth matters.

The gutting of research funding in the proposed federal budget does not reflect American priorities of protecting our people, advancing our national interests, and improving global cooperation. The America we know is an America strengthened by our science and our scientists. And as some seek to weaken this nation's science agenda, we remain confident that science will prevail. It always does.

Jay A. Perman and Freeman Hrabowski III

The writers are presidents of the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, respectively.
High school students are encouraged to visit the free event that will be sponsored by EducationQuest Foundation on Sunday at the Marina Center, 385 E. 4th St., South Sioux City. The Tri-State Area College Fair will run from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

The event aims to help high school juniors to narrow down their college choices before taking the ACT (American College Testing) this spring. The ACT assessment measures a high school students' general educational development and their capability to complete college-level work. This can help students prepare before applying for financial aid and college admission early in the fall.

Another goal from EducationQuest Foundation is to help senior students finalize their college decisions. They are also looking to help sophomores start with their college search process. Preparing for higher education with the help of professionals can greatly help increase graduation rates and provide students with growth and career options.

Students are encouraged to register before attending the event. Interested attendees may register for a barcode at NebraskaCollegeFairs.org. On the online registration students can print the barcode or download it to their smartphones so that they can take it to the fair where college reps can scan it for the event.

For more information on the list of participating colleges and questions about the college fair, students may visit EducationQuest.org. EducationQuest Foundation is a non-profit organization that has a mission to help improve ac cess to higher education in Nebraska. Their main headquarters is in Lincoln and they also have locations in Kearney and Omaha, Nebraska.

KTIV reported that EducationQuest Foundation provides free college planning services, college access grants, need-based scholarships and outreach services for community agencies. They foundation has been providing free college planning services since 1986. All services are free and mostly by appointment to provide families with one-on-one assistance.

For questions and more information, students may call 800.303.3745.
Finals week is one of the most stressful phases in a student life. It is a time when everybody practically freaks out and cramming while reviewing It is only imperative to keep calm during this time as now there are certain strategies that can make learning more effective. Technology comes in handy for the preparation, Here are some useful apps that can help students ace their final exams.

Cite this for me

This is a free app that will allow students search for books, journals, websites and many other resources on the app. And according to USA Today College, this is helpful in making a student's bibliography perfect as there are 7000 styles to choose from when it comes to bibliography.

Quizlet

This app allows its users to do the classic flash card method of studying, only that it is done digitally. A set of flash cards will have to be made first and then the user can start studying by flipping each flash card.

StudyBlue

According to College Xpress, this app is similar to that of Quizlet where the students can create review sheets, quizzes and flashcards. The nice thing about this app is that it counts the score and give the grade at the end of the session.

iFormula

This app is perfect for those who need to practice their math skills.

iTunes U

iTunes U is for those who need to catch up on a few lectures before the finals. The app offers more than a million free books, lectures, videos and other resources that are helpful in acing the exam. It contains materials coming from many colleges like Stanford, Oxford, Yale and many others.

My Study Life

This is the app needed by those who need to keep their lives organized before the finals because it helps in organizing workload and it can also be used to keep track of the dates of the finals and when students need to study for them.
The University of Illinois' School of Art + Design grad students show off their master pieces. Their designs are on display through Saturday as part of the university's annual exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum. With a little bit of everything up-to-date, the exhibit includes sustainable art from a variety of artists.

The young artists showed a variety in inspirations. Rachel Flood Heaton grew up in Champaign-Urbana and earned her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois. After a decade she returned to the university to study industrial design. Heaton said her designs are art that "will endure" and can have a significant impact on improving everyday experiences.

Another artist, Qing He said graphic design is a way to find answers and communicate with the outside world, Fox 2 Now reported. Qing He is originally from China and said she found that graphic design shaped who she was. She added that it also allows divers approaches for visual communication to help a person discover different visual languages.

The News-Gazette reported that Qing He's design is a mobile app that teaches young girls positive attitudes about body images. Using a prototype, she tested the app on girls ages 5-8 years old and was able to get a positive design from observing them playing with the app.

Karen J. Spiering, from rural Wyoming, has lived all over the country to find inspiration in nature. She also shared her creative design where she used materials from locations where she was working.

She began to use found materials from different locations. She used local pigments to mix her paint and then eventually used seeds and soils. All her materials are influenced by walks on the south edge of Champaign and north Savoy. Spiering said some of her materials were influenced by a local river, the upper reaches of Embarras River, a cultural landmark cemetery and prairies.

Other exhibiting artists and designers were Caitlin Skelcey, Aileen Bai, Austin Chen, Ben Cook, Courtney Cross, Evin Dubois, Jon Gott, Brett Hanover, Brit Krohmer, Sue Kay Lee, and Si-ze Ma.
On Thursday, Lewis University has inaugurated its 10th president. Dr. David J. Livingston was presented with the De La Salle Medallion during the ceremony by Brother Gustavo Ramirez Barba, FSC, and General Councilor for Association and Mission for the Brothers of the Christian Schools headquartered in Rome, Italy.

The Medallion was blessed by Pope Francis. Nearly 50 presidents and delegates from other colleges and universities attended the event. The Lewis University board of trustees, De La Salle Christian Brothers, current students, faculty, staff, alumni, benefactors, Livingston family members and friends were also present.

The Daily Herald reported that Livingston said Lewis University is well positioned to deliver a meaningful and pragmatic education. In his inaugural address he mentioned that it is not enough to educate students to learn a profession, they should also prepare these students for the professions that in the future that one cannot imagine today.

Livingston shared four concepts to describe how contemporary education may help people navigate to change the world. It included conversation, master learner, experiential learning and freedom.

Livingston has brought more than 15 years of academic and leadership experience to the university when he first assumed the role of president on July 1, 2016. He was also president at Lourdes University.

He also served Mercyhurst University for 16 years in various diverse capacities, which included president of the Faculty Senate and vice president for Advancement. Prior to Mercyhurst, Livingston also taught religious studies at the Loyola Academy High School in Wilme tte, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, University of St. Francis in Joliet, Joliet Catholic Academy and Loyola University of Chicago.

He is a native of Dundee and he received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Augustana College. He got his master's degree in theology from Loyola University and finished his doctoral degree in theology from Vanderbilt University.
Mankind has been offering 24 hours out of 365 days for the planet. Earth Day is a global event held annually on April 22. This year is no different.

As part of this year's celebration, scientists from all over the world have organized a rally called "March for Science". Apparently, the movement was set to blast President Donald Trump for canceling various climate change research in America. If his plan pushes through, the planet is in great danger.

Typically, scientists stay out of the political scene. However, since the election of Trump in the White House, the experts feared that the new administration will make decisions that would "imperil" science. Unfortunately, they were correct.

In fact, per Time, one of the reasons for the march is to raise concerns about the future of Environmental Protection. Climate scientists joining the march will demonstrate against the 31 percent budget cut to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The reduction affects many climate programs such as former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan.

Reportedly, the 31 percent proposed budget cut jeopardizes research about climate change. Trump, obviously, has been skeptical about the issue of global warming. On the other hand, his 18 percent markdown in funding for the National Institute of Health (NIH) is also a top concern for many scientists.

For her part, Carol Greider said in earlier media interviews that a nearly 20 percent cut to the NIH budget will mean no new grants for young researchers. Greider is a professor of molecular biology at Johns Hopkins University and a Nobel awardee. Obviously, without the support from Trump, the planet might lose the next generation of scientists.

Moreover, the President wants more explorations in space rather than near-earth studies. On Saturday, thousands of environment advocates joined the "March for Science" in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, hundreds more participated at satellite events in New York, Chicago, Birmingham, Alabama, and more. The Washington event started with a rally at around nine o'clock in the morning while over 500 similar events took place around the world.

Well, according to The Sun, Earth day began after a catastrophic oil spill occurred 50 years ago. Proposed by peace activist John McConnell at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco in1969, he knew that humans have a notable obligation to protect the Earth for future generations. The first event took place in 1970 joined by 2,000 colleges and 10,000 schools across America. It is now adopted in 192 countries.
Foreign tourists visit Cai Rang floating market in the Mekong Delta province of Can Tho. Photo VNA

The announcement was made on Wednesday (April 19) by the Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) and Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).

The US-based Travel Startups Incubator screened applications based on their potential for investment and the quality of their business plans.

MBI experts performed additional due diligence, considering sustainability and other socio-economic criteria.

Finally, selections were verified in partnership with the Danang City Incubator (DNES).

More than 250 travel tech and traditional tourism startups submitted applications to the MIST programme.

Qualifying startups will advance to a MIST Startup Accelerator bootcamp from May 5-7, 2017 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, along with six innovative tourism startups from Cambodia and Myanmar.

MIST promotes sustainable tourism, giving innovative startups the potential to transform travel in one of the most dynamic regions on earth, said Jens Threanhart, executive director of MTCO.

Dominic Mellor, head of MBI, said, Were proud of this batch of startups. They are fueling the right kind of tourism growth that positively impacts the tourism experience and local communities.

Approximately half of all Startup Accelerator finalists, selected by mentors, will advance from the bootcamp to an investor showcase at the Mekong Tourism Forum in Luang Prabang on June 6.

Startups will present their business plans to media, investors and an expert judging panel. Four of them will be chosen to receive innovation grants of US$7,000-10,000 each.
The seminar was held by the Singapore Business Federation in tandem with the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investments Vietnam Investment Promotion Centre, Deep C/Dinh Vu Industrial Zone, which is based in Vietnams northern port city Haiphong, consultancy firm Deloitte, and Vietcombank, a leading bank in Vietnam.

The seminar featured a presentation by Tran Thi Hue, a representative from the Vietnam Investment Promotion Centre (IPC), providing an insight into Vietnams economic situation and the potentials and business opportunities the country has to offer to investors.

Vietnams membership in a variety of international organisations, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ASEAN, and the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), has made and will make trade between Vietnam and its key consumer markets more efficient.

The trade and business links between Singapore and Vietnam have grown significantly over the years, with Singapore becoming Vietnams second largest investor after Korea as of the end of 2016, Hue said.

Active economic integration together with strategic location, improved infrastructure, and business environment reforms have enabled Vietnam to establish itself as a topmost destination for foreign direct investment.

As the Vietnamese governments investment promotion centre, IPC has committed to provide strong support to Singaporean investors during their survey process as well as in doing business in Vietnam.

Frank Wouters, general director of Dinh Vu Industrial Zone JSC, the central focus of the seminar, highlighted the efforts of the Vietnamese government and Haiphong city authorities to improve the existing and developing new key transportation infrastructure units, including a deep seaport, an international airport, and a road network heading north to China, south to other coastal provinces, and to Hanoi.

The combination of the deep seaport-expressway-airport-industrial zone cluster helps unlock the potential of a market brimming with opportunities and a skilled labour pool of 20 million northern Vietnamese people.

Haiphongs excellent connection to key transport infrastructure affirms its premium location for investment. Looking at its geographical situation, the city is located at the very heart of the northern transportation hub: it lies adjacent to the deepest port in north Vietnam, which is accessible by fully-loaded 100,000DWT vessels, and is conveniently close to Cat Bi International Airport that offers both international and domestic connections. In addition, the city is only an hour drive by truck from Hanoi.

Located at the centre of these key infrastructure units, the Deep C cluster provides huge benefits to investors, leveraging its golden location, state-of-the art power and water utilities, and a wide range of associated services.

Participants at the seminar also gained a deeper insight into the practical banking and financing considerations for foreign businesses in Vietnam from the detailed presentations by Vietcombank and Deloitte.

The seminar has provided Singaporean businesses with a deeper understanding of the strengths and potentials of Vietnam in general and Haiphong city in particular, laying the groundwork for this prominent destination to come up more often in Singaporean investment strategies in the future.
Architectural marvel: An aerial view of Ha Noi Opera House in 1986. - VNA/VNS Photo Vu Hanh

The iconic Ha Noi Opera House will open up to become the centrepiece of a special cultural space that incorporates the August Revolution Square, the Co Tan Park and the Museum of National History.

The grandiose plan that would aesthetically and functionally transform downtown Ha Noi and enhance its status as a major tourism destination was announced at recent press briefing by Culture Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien.

Thien said his ministry would invite foreign consultants to landscape the area around the Opera House.

The Opera House itself would be renovated, surrounding fences removed and the cafe beside it turned into an open park that connects with the August Revolution Square in front of it.

The new site would be one that presents both featuring traditional and contemporary shows of fine arts and performing arts, he said.

The plan has been supported by the citys leaders.

We will finish choosing consultants and preparing a draft plan by the end of this year, said Nguyen Thai Binh, a ministry official.

The State budget would be used for a part of the project expenditure, with the rest contributed by individuals and organisations, he added.

Architects pitch in

Renowned architect Ho Thieu Tri, who directed renovation of the Opera House in 1995, welcomed the idea of a new cultural space.

It (Opera House) is a special historical building with a special cultural meaning. This project will enhance the special image of the capital city in the world, Tri told Viet Nam News."

The plan of rearranging spaces around the Opera House and connecting with nearby museums has been considered since 1992, said Dao Ngoc Nghiem, vice chairman of Ha Noi Urban Planning and Development Association.

The plan also mentioned connecting streets of Trang Tien-Trang Thi and nearby architectures and turning them into a cultural space for Ha Noi.

Another architect, Tran Huy Anh, said that associating the Opera House with neighbouring buildings and parks was the original plan of the French when they built it more than a hundred years ago.

Anh recalled a similar project proposed by Prof Ton Dai and his students, which won high appreciation.

Anh stressed that the Opera House was among five historical buildings in the area, including the Revolutionary Museum in Tong Dan Street (the first building in Ha Noi with pre-colonial architectural features), the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Guest House of the Ministry of Defence, and the Museum of Geology on Pham Ngu Lao Street.

These buildings have been divided into small spaces for cafes, restaurants and car parking, Anh said, adding a general plan for architectures in the area is needed to bring into full play the real values of these buildings.

Architect Nghiem noted that future tasks are not limited to opening up spaces. They also involve relocating some offices in the area to the outskirts.

In the past decades, there have been many workshops and contests on the cultural space surrounding the Opera House, Nghiem said, but it was seen as a headache for the city authorities to move some agencies, including the General Department of Geology, to the outskirts.

Architect Hoang Thuc Hao noted that there were two parks on either side of the Opera House that should be linked when creating an open space for public.

To make this happen, it will be necessary to rearrange traffic routes and create pedestrian zones, Hao said.

Nghiem suggested that authorities poll city residents, experts and other sectors to prepare a master plan for the project.

We should open design contests for special spaces like Co Tan Park that will include sculptures, grass, flowers and benches, he said.

Cultural haven: The Opera House at night.

Besides, if we call for contributions (from all sectors), we should ensure the contributors profit, he said, adding, We should plan areas for them to open services like cafes, restaurants and parking lots.

East-west axis

Architect Tri suggested that with the Opera House being the centre point of the open space, the axis should run east-west from the House towards the Hong River. To the west of the Opera House is Trang Tien Street, which runs into the green space of Hoan Kiem Lake. Commercial activities on Trang Tien should be continued, he said.

On the north-south axis, we should maintain the green public spaces on Phan Chu Trinh, Le Thanh Tong and Ly Thai To streets, he said.

"The Opera House should also connect with plans to develop both banks of the Hong River with green spaces, forming a united complex," Tri added.

Opera House Director Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet said the idea of the cultural space had just been proposed by the Culture Ministry. The Opera House has not been assigned any concrete duties.

She noted that the Ha Noi Opera House carried great historical and architectural value for the nation. Along with the August Revolution Square (formerly called Theatre Square), it was the scene of great events associated with the August Revolution and the early years of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

On August 17, 1945, at the Theatre Square, a meeting was held to introduce the Viet Minh (Viet Nam Independence League) Front.

On August 29, 1945 the North Vietnamese Army was introduced at the Theatre Square.

In early October 1945, a meeting was held in the Theatre Square in support for resistance against the return of French troops in South Viet Nam.

On May 3, 1945, the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam held its first meeting at the Opera House.

Since then, the Opera House was the venue for National Assembly meetings until the Ba Dinh Meeting Hall was constructed in 1963.

After nearly a hundred years of use, the Opera House underwent a major renovation led by famed architect Ho Thieu Tri between 1995 and 1997.

It has since been assessed as one of the most beautiful buildings in Southeast Asia. It is now the most opulent building in Ha Noi, and houses major events, including meetings and high-class performances by domestic and international artists.
Spaniard Marquez, a Honda rider, completed the fastest lap over the 5.5km, 20-turn Circuit of the Americas at Austin, Texas, in 2mins 4.061secs with French Yamaha racer Johann Zarco second, .286 of a second back.

"Today went well enough and in the second session I started to feel more comfortable on the bike," Marquez said. "But there are some areas of the setup where we need to keep working hard, especially to improve the feeling with the front.

"The positive is that over the course of the day, we were able to complete a lot of work and try all the tires, even the soft one, to see how the bike reacts. In the afternoon we also took a step forward with the electronics, finding a good enough base, although we also want to sort out some more details there to improve the bike's behavior on the bumps."

Marquez, the reigning world champion, has won all four prior Moto GP events contested at the circuit from the pole.

Yamaha rider Vinales, who won the first two races at Qatar and Argentina, completed the fastest lap in the first run at 2:04.923 but was third on the day with a top time still .390 off his countryman's pace.

"It's my first time here with the Yamaha M1 and I felt great," said Vinales, who collected his first tour win in Texas at a 2014 Moto2 race.

"Of course we still have to work hard, especially in preparation for the last laps of the race, but I'm happy and confident. I'm sure that we can do a really good weekend."

Vinales was fourth at Texas last year riding for Suzuki.

Fourth on the day was Italy's Valentino Rossi, Vinales' Yamaha teamate, on 2:04.806.

Vinales leads the standings with 50 points to 36 for Rossi, who started third last year but crashed on the second lap.

"COTA is always a difficult track for us, but it's also very interesting," Rossi said.
N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (Photo: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon in January, also met with the US national security advisor, General H.R. McMaster.

The UN chief had an "interesting and constructive discussion on cooperation between the United States and the United Nations," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Guterres and Trump "agreed to meet again in the near future," he added.

UN Security Council ambassadors will hold a luncheon meeting with Trump on Monday and meet with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Those meetings are likely to focus on North Korea, Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and US cuts to UN funding that have raised concerns about the US administration's support for the world body.

The United States is the biggest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 per cent of the US$5.4 billion core budget and 28.5 per cent of the US$7.9 billion peacekeeping budget.

But the Trump administration has cut US$32.5 million from the UN Population Fund, which provides family planning in 150 countries, and is seeking to draw down and close peacekeeping missions.

Dujarric declined to give details about discussions about US funding, but stressed the importance of the first high-level exchange with the US administration. "It's an important relationship and we are very pleased that the meeting happened," the UN spokesman said.

Guterres met with Trump for 15-20 minutes at the Oval Office after holding a longer discussion with McMaster.

During his election campaign, Trump dismissed the United Nations as "just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time."

It remains unclear whether Trump will attend the General Assembly high-level debate in September, which would see him deliver his first address at the United Nations.

The United States holds the presidency of the 15-member Security Council for the month of April, providing the new administration with an opportunity to showcase its foreign policy priorities.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeted Friday that she was looking forward to "taking the members of the Security Council to the White House Monday to have first hand dialogue with the president."
US President Donald Trump (Photo: Reuters)

The information was announced by US Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 20.



Trumps administration will work with ASEAN on security issues, trade, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, Pence said.
Demonstrators clash with the riot police during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas on Apr 20, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Federico Parra)

Riot police and pro-government vigilantes fought running battles with protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro on the capital's east, west and south sides, witnesses said.

"It was like a war," said 33-year-old construction worker Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle. "The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible," he told AFP.

Eleven people were killed in the neighbourhood, according to officials. Eight of them were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot.

The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them. Videos shot by El Valle residents showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!"

At one point, street protesters hurling Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armoured police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky.

Fifty-four people, including newborn babies, were evacuated from a maternity hospital in the neighbourhood. There were conflicting explanations about the reason.

The government said "armed gangs hired by the opposition" had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro's "dictatorship."

The hospital's director, Rosalinda Prieto, told AFP the evacuation was prompted by the stench of burning trash that had been set on fire by protesters.

Unrest and looting also erupted in several other neighbourhoods. A man was shot dead in protests in the eastern neighbourhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

MORE PROTESTS PLANNED

There was a heavy security presence Friday in the capital, as residents and workers cleaned up the destruction left by the clashes and looting.

Groups of hungry people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage in El Valle.

The two sides looked set to spend the day regrouping after massive protests Wednesday and Thursday erupted into unrest in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities.

Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday.

On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt.

MADURO A 'MYTHOMANIAC': CAPRILES

Protesters blame Maduro - heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 - for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks. But his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections. Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a "dictator" and "mythomaniac."

'THE COUNTRY IS CALM'

Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on Mar 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on Apr 7.

The ruling Socialist party accused the opposition of sowing violence to chase headlines. "These delinquents want to make people believe Venezuela is in chaos. The country is calm," said Freddy Bernal, a party leader.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.
Venezuela's security forces are finding that low salaries, fear of violent clashes, and opposition to President Nicolas Maduro are hurting their recruiting and retention efforts, sources in or close to the armed forces and police told Reuters.

Maduro, a leftist who is facing the fiercest protests against him in three years, has promised to boost the armed forces, police, and civilian defense groups to guard against what he says is an attempt to overthrow "21st century Socialism."

To help meet the needs, Venezuela's National Guard, a branch of the armed forces and the main group in charge of maintaining public order during demonstrations, has reduced training time, increased service time, and waived certain hiring requirements, the sources said.

Police, meanwhile, are struggling with resignations and lack of equipment, they added.

The difficulties highlight a risk for Maduro amid a surge of street demonstrations in recent weeks and a devastating economic crisis that has wiped out salaries and left many Venezuelans struggling to eat properly - including low-level soldiers and their relatives.

To be sure, there is no outward sign of dissent in the armed forces, which frequently pledge their loyalty to Maduro.

Maduro's predecessor, the late leader Hugo Chavez, an army lieutenant colonel, turned the military into a bastion of "Chavismo" after a short-lived coup against him in 2002. The military brass stands to lose should the opposition, which accuses top officers of trafficking drugs and engaging in corrupt business deals with the government, come to power.

Authorities deny systemic wrongdoing and say they are cracking down on a few bad eggs.

But behind the impassive faces of ordinary National Guards troops blocking protesters who chant "No to dictatorship!" during rowdy marches, similar anger sometime lurks.

"As soon as I finish my 15 years of service next year, I'm out," said a National Guard serviceman, asking to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to media, complaining of a lack of professionalism and salaries that amount to a few dozen dollars a month on the black market.

Given a lack of public information about the armed forces, which number about 140,000, it is not possible to get a sense of the extent of the discontent or statistics for resignations or hires.

The Information and Defense Ministries did not respond to requests for comment, although in the past authorities have described criticism of the armed forces as smear attempts.

'Quantity Not Quality'

Amid Venezuela's deepening crisis, green uniformed-National Guard troops have also been sent to control food lines at supermarkets, man checkpoints, and guard against theft in hospitals and isolated oil fields.

Maduro said in January he wanted to train 10,000 more police officers and 10,000 more members of the National Guard by July, citing the need to combat crime in violent Venezuela.

On Monday he also said he wanted to boost the militia - similar to civilian reserves - to 500,000 this year and arm them all with rifles to held fend off what he says is a U.S.-backed opposition attempt to foment a coup.

"A rifle for each militia man, a rifle for each militia woman!" said Maduro, sporting a green military hat as he addressed the armed forces.

"The big aim... is to organize and form one million militia men and woman, trained and armed to defend the peace, sovereignty and independence of our fatherland," he said, pointing to a deepening militarization in a country of around 30 million inhabitants.

Washington has expressed concern over the situation in Venezuela. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States is worried Maduro is silencing the opposition.

Training times for National Guard service members dropped from around a year and a half to just six months two years ago after the last wave of major protests, according to three National Guard members, military analyst Rocio San Miguel, and a former general who has turned against the government.

The National Guard has also responded to lack of applicants by extending enrollment periods and ignoring certain hiring stipulations, for example that new recruits cannot have tattoos.

"The aim is quantity, not quality," Cliver Alcala, the former "Chavista" general who is now an outspoken critic of Maduro. "And shorter training is proportional to the number of resignations. Problems are deepening."

A decade ago, many poor, rural young men saw joining the National Guard or becoming a police officer as a good career path that led to solid salaries and benefits.

Now, some sell clothes, shoes, or import goods from neighboring Colombia to help make ends meet, one high-ranking National Guard officer said.

The country's various police forces are also struggling with resignations, according to five internal sources, as officers are exposed to Venezuela's violent streets and often lack adequate protective gear.

Of a police force that numbered around 5,000 officers until a few years ago in the northwestern state of Falcon, for instance, around 2,000 have resigned, most of them last year, a source in the police told Reuters. Some of the officers have to buy their own bullets as these are no longer supplied, the source added.

The Falcon state government did not respond to a request for comment.
The founder of Microsoft, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, has given a passionate defense of foreign aid while voicing fears the political climate in the U.S. and in Britain could result in cuts to aid budgets. In a speech this week in London, he warned that withdrawing aid would "create a leadership vacuum that others will fill."

Gates, who gives $5 billion a year to development aid through the foundation he set up with his wife, Melinda, is one of the world's most generous philanthropists. In a speech at London's Royal United Services Institute this week, he voiced fears that the political tide is turning against foreign aid.

"It concerns me that some world leaders are misinterpreting recent events as reasons to turn inward instead of seeing them for what they are: problems that although they are difficult and will take time, can be solved  if we invest in the long-term solutions that are necessary," Gates said.

Watch: Billionaire Philanthropist Bill Gates Warns Against Cuts to Aid Budgets

The United States remains by far the world's biggest donor, funding long-term programs and emergency relief across the globe. But President Donald Trump is proposing significant cuts to the $43-billion foreign aid budget as part of efforts to reduce government debt.

Gates argues that many critics of foreign aid don't realize the major progress that has been achieved.

"If you could only pick one number to highlight the effectiveness of the development agenda since 1990, I would pick the number 122 million. That's the number of children's lives that have been saved," he said.

He disputed the notion that funding foreign aid is a bottomless pit.

"As you bring down that childhood death rate, families choose to have less children, he said. The population goes down very substantially. Which brings within reach all of the things society is trying to do: better health, better education, economic opportunity."

Gates' speech in London comes as Britain gears up for a snap election in June. The UK is one of the few developed countries to meet the U.N. aid budget target of 0.7 percent of GDP. Current Prime Minister Theresa May has committed to keeping that pledge but many in her party want aid money diverted to the military.

Gates said he wanted to make the case for the facts.

"When aid is mismanaged it is a double crime, stealing both from the taxpayer and from the poor. he said. But let's be clear. The bulk of this aid is getting to its recipients and having an incredible effect. There will always be a need to adjust, we're working in very tough countries, so you'll never get 100 percent perfect effectiveness. But you can learn. And every year, the aid is better spent."

Aid agencies say the debate could not come at a worse time, with about 65 million refugees around the world, worsening conflicts in the Middle East and famine striking East Africa.
The co-founder of Microsoft, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, has given a passionate defense of foreign aid and voiced fears that the political climate in the US and Britain could see aid budgets cut. In a speech in London this week, he warned that withdrawing aid would create a 'leadership vacuum that others will fill.' Henry Ridgwell reports.
The desperate effort this week to find two hikers who disappeared at the bottom of the Grand Canyon represented the National Park Services most extensive use yet of drones in a search-and-rescue mission.



The Grand Canyon is the only national park with its own fleet of unmanned aircraft for locating people who have gotten lost, stranded, injured or killed. Under a program that began last fall, it has five drones and four certified operators.



While the aerial search for the two hikers came up empty, it threw a spotlight on technology that can enter crevices and other rugged spots unreachable by foot while sparing searchers the dangers of going up in a helicopter.

Beautiful and dangerous



With its steep cliffs, nearly 2,000 square miles and mesmerizing views, the Grand Canyon can be as dangerous as it is captivating.

Rangers were confronted with 1,200 medical emergencies, 293 search-and-rescue missions and 17 deaths in 2016, a year in which the park had nearly 6 million visitors. Last summer, a 35-year-old Yelp executive tripped while hiking, fell backward and was found dead 400 feet below.



Our historic model was to take the helicopter to look and see, said Grand Canyon chief ranger Matt Vandzura. But now, drones can offer that same close look but without putting any people at risk. It has dramatically increased our ability to keep our people safe.



The drones are about 18 inches across and 10 inches high, with a battery life of about 20 minutes. Drone operators watch the video in real time and then analyze it again at the end of the day.

Missing hikers



The aircraft were used Monday through Wednesday in the search for LouAnn Merrell, 62, and her step grandson, Jackson Standefer, 14. The park also sent out three ground search teams of about 20 people in all, an inflatable motorboat and a helicopter.



Merrell and Standefer vanished last weekend after losing their footing while crossing a creek near the North Rim. They were on a hike with Merrells husband, Merrell Boot Co. co-founder Randy Merrell, and the boys mother.



The park soon scaled back the operation and stopped using the drones but continued the search. In a statement, the hikers families backed the decision and said they were still praying for a miracle.





Drones used before



In November, after a visitor drove off a cliff and died, drones were sent in to examine the trees and brush and make sure it was safe for a helicopter to fly in and lift the car out.



The next month, rangers used a drone to locate a woman who had jumped to her death. Then they rappelled down to retrieve the body.



The dangers of flying choppers in the canyon were illustrated in 2003, when a Park Service helicopter experienced a mechanical failure and crash-landed on the North Rim. Those aboard suffered only minor injuries; the helicopter was totaled.



Other national parks use drones, but for wildlife research. The use of private drones is prohibited in national parks.



James Doyle, a spokesman for the park services Intermountain region, said other national parks would probably seek their own drone fleets, too. He said the Grand Canyons extreme topography, it is a mile deep, makes it a perfect candidate.



Its a wonderful tool for the unfortunate situation we just found ourselves in at Grand Canyon, Doyle said.
Greece far exceeded its international lenders' budget demands last year, official data showed on Friday, posting its first overall budget surplus in 21 years even when debt repayments are included.

The primary surplus  the leftover before debt repayments that is the focus of International Monetary Fund-European Union creditors  was more than eight times what they had targeted.

Data released by Greek statistics service ELSTAT  to be confirmed on Monday by the EU  showed the primary budget surplus at 3.9 percent of gross domestic product last year versus a downwardly revised 2.3 percent deficit in 2015.

This was calculated under European System of Accounts guidelines, which differ from the methodology used by Greece's in bailout deliberations.

Under EU-IMF standards, the surplus was even larger.

Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said the primary budget surplus under bailout terms reached 4.19 percent of gross domestic product last year versus the 0.5 percent of GDP target.

"It is more than eight times above target," Tzanakopoulos said in a statement. "Therefore, the targets set under the bailout program for 2017 and 2018 will certainly be attained."

Debt-strapped Greece and its creditors have been at odds for months over the country's fiscal performance, delaying the conclusion of a key bailout review which could unlock needed bailout funds.

The IMF, which has reservations on whether Greece can meet high primary surplus targets, has yet to decide if it will fund Greece's current bailout, which expires in 2018.

The 2016 outperformance could lead the fund to revise some of its projections. The IMF's participation is seen as a condition for Germany to unlock new funds to Greece.

Athens hopes to discuss the fund's participation and its projections at the sidelines of the IMF's spring meetings in Washington. EU and IMF mission chiefs are expected to return to Athens on Tuesday to discuss the bailout review.

After meeting Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos in Washington, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said: "We had constructive discussions in preparation for the return of the mission to discuss the two legs of the Greece program: policies and debt relief."

ELSTAT said the overall surplus including debt repayments reached 0.7 percent of GDP compared with a 5.9 percent deficit in 2015.

Analysts attributed the outperformance to the implementation of bailout measures and increased efforts to improve the state's revenue collection capacity.

"It's an impressive outperformance versus the bailout program target for the primary surplus," said Athens-based Eurobank's chief economist Platon Monokroussos.

"The data suggests that the 2017 fiscal target under the bailout program is fully attainable under the current baseline macroeconomic scenario," he said.

Athens faces a primary surplus target of 1.75 percent of GDP this year.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed Friday to continue their tough approach to illegal immigration, warning of the dangers of cross-border gangs and sanctuary cities.

Speaking in San Diego on the second day of a trip through the U.S. Southwest, where border concerns are most prominent, Kelly told reporters, "We will continue to expand our approach to deterring illegal migration. That includes constructing a physical barrier, supporting it with technology, and patrolling it with dedicated and professional men and women of DHS. It also includes our approach of prosecuting anyone who pays traffickers to smuggle people into our country. That includes especially those who smuggle children."

Kelly, Sessions and Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, spent Friday meeting with officials and observing immigration detention operations on the San Diego-Tijuana border.

Sanctuary cities

Sessions used the encounter with reporters to criticize sanctuary cities, which he said sabotage the effort to rid the country of illegal immigrants who commit crimes, sometimes as part of cross-border gangs.

"Sanctuary jurisdictions put criminals back on the streets," he said. "They help these gangs to refill their ranks, and put innocent life, including the lives of countless law-abiding immigrants, in danger by refusing to share vital information with federal law enforcement."

Sessions said he urged jurisdictions that allow sanctuary cities to exist "to reconsider." He said, "Our federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors stand ready to work with you because every neighborhood, every street corner, deserves to be free from gang violence."

Prodded by a reporter, Sessions also defended his statement of apparent indignation from earlier this week that a judge "sitting on an island in the Pacific," a reference to the U.S. state of Hawaii, could hold up President Donald Trump's new travel ban.

Sessions answered Friday's query by noting that the judge in Hawaii was just one of hundreds of U.S. federal judges. He vowed that the ruling would be reversed.

Hawaiians offended

Hawaiian politicians have objected to Sessions' characterization of Hawaii, saying the tone was insulting.

Protesters gathered at the news conference as well, to declare their objections to the federal government's stance on immigration, including the building of a wall along the border with Mexico. The organizing group, the Southern Border Communities Coalition, has complained that officials have "declared war on our communities."

The statement echoed those of some community leaders in El Paso, Texas, a day earlier, who objected to Sessions' use of terminology such as "ground zero" and "beachhead" to describe their community on the border. During his Thursday visit, Sessions was describing El Paso as important territory in the struggle against cross-border drug cartels and violence.

"That language and that attitude and that rhetoric is un-American," said El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, according to the El Paso Times.
Lawmakers from coal-mining states are pushing to extend health benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners and widows whose medical coverage is set to expire at the end of April.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and other coal-state Democrats threatened to shut down the government over the issue in December, but they retreated after winning a four-month extension that preserves benefits through April 30.

As lawmakers return to the Capitol following a two-week recess, Manchin says the time for extensions is over.

We will use every vehicle we can, every pathway we can, to make sure we do not leave here ... until we have our miners protected, he said in a speech on the Senate floor before the break.

Weve been very patient, Manchin said. I am not going to have another notice sent out to our retired miners, to their widows, saying weve given you 90 days or 120 days extension. Thats not going to happen this time.

Deadline is Friday

But as a Friday deadline looms to keep the government open, lawmakers have not reached agreement on extending the benefits. A plan pushed by GOP leaders in the House would extend health benefits for 20 months, through the end of 2018.

Manchin said Senate Democrats are against that idea because its only a partial fix. At least a dozen Senate Republicans are willing to join Democrats in support of a more complete plan that addresses health benefits and a related issue over failing pension plans for nearly 100,000 unionized miners, Manchin said.

This shouldnt be a Republican or Democrat issue, he said in an interview. This is an issue of fairness.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said McConnell supports legislation to protect and permanently extend the health benefits, but had no word on the progress of talks related to the spending bill.

A spokesman for House Speaker Paul Ryan also offered no update.

Pieces and parts

President Donald Trump, who has vowed to revive the struggling coal industry, has given verbal support for the miners benefits, Manchin said, but needs to do more.

I need him now to either tweet or call Senator McConnell and tell him its time to act, Manchin said. Mr. President, if you are listening, please tweet out: Mitch, help us. We need you.

Trump and Republicans have decried what they describe as a war on coal waged by the Obama administration, and have taken a series of actions since Trump took office to boost coal production and reduce regulations, including a rule to protect streams from coal-mining debris.

Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, told reporters that the White House is happy to talk ... about pieces and parts of the miners programs as part of negotiations on a bill to keep the government open.

I dont think were very interested in the pension component of that but more interested in talking about the health care component of that, Mulvaney said.

Pension problem is bigger

Phil Smith, a spokesman for the United Mine Workers of America, said he is hopeful a compromise can be reached on health benefits, but he complained that Republicans appear unwilling to address the far more costly pension issue. Congress scrapped a $3 billion, 10-year measure to stabilize failing pension funds last year.

The pension part is not going to go away. It only gets worse by the day, he said.

Account balances have dwindled amid the coals industry steep decline, including continued layoffs and a rash of bankruptcy filings that have spread to the industrys largest companies. Without congressional intervention, some pension funds could run out of cash by next year, the union says.

For the moment, Congress appears focused on health benefits.

In West Virginia, about 8,500 retired miners and their families face loss of benefits if Congress does not act. Some mining families have been unable to make doctors appointments after May 1 because of uncertainty over whether medical bills will be paid, Smith said.

Other states affected include Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and Alabama.
As U.S.-Afghan forces pound Islamic State hideouts in their Nangarhar Province stronghold, civilians fleeing the fight say theyve been left to deal with their plight alone.

The exact number forced out of their homes by the war against the so-called Islamic State Khorasan Branch (IS-KB) in Afghanistan is unknown, but officials in Nangarhar, where the war is concentrated, say thousands of households are displaced.



Most operations against IS-KB have been conducted in the rugged terrain of Achin District, where U.S. air force dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used  known as the mother of all bombs, or MOAB  a week ago to destroy the militants tunnels.



We left our fields and our homes in Achin after the planes dropped leaflets [to vacate the area], a mother of four told VOA Afghan TV, adding that IS-KB fighters also were terrorizing residents.



Some displaced families have set up makeshift camps, while others have sought refuge in dilapidated buildings in and around Jalalabad city.



One young man, whose marriage was arranged at his home village in Achin District months ago, had to wed his bride in an empty room at a shelter house in Jalalabad.



It was a wedding of sorrows, said the groom, Rozijan We were supposed to have a big wedding attended by all family members and loved ones in our own village.



Displaced children are having trouble getting an education.



Amiristan was in eighth grade in Achin when his parents decided to flee to Jalalabad.



When we got here, I wanted to register at a school, but they would not accept me, the 14-year-old complained. They were saying, `Where are your papers? We cannot accept you with no proof. I had no papers because we had to leave everything and just save ourselves many of my friends quit coming to school because of the same reason.



Bombs delivered, aid promises



At least 58,656 individuals fled their homes due to the conflict across Afghanistan from Jan. 1 to April 6, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, adding to the 1 million who already have been displaced by conflict.



Aid agencies have appealed for $550 million to help the most vulnerable Afghans in 2017, including those affected by armed conflicts. As of April 19, donors had provided less than 20 percent of the target.



To solve these problems, the National Security Council has promised us a budget. We will help them in various forms, give them some cash, needed material and build homes for them and provide education services, said Ataullah Khogyanai, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar.



President Ashraf Ghani has vowed to eliminate IS-KB this year. U.S. and Afghan forces have killed up to 2,900 IS-KB fighters over the past 16 months, according to Afghan Defense Ministry figures.



Officials estimate the current IS-KB force at 1,000-1,500 men. The governments strategy is to eliminate all of them.



While the war strategy is clear, neither the government nor its international allies have made public any contingency plans in response to the humanitarian consequences.



Bombs are quick, and there are a lot, but aid never arrives to us, said Gul Pacha, one of the displaced.
Scientists on Saturday took the unprecedented step of staging marches in more than 600 cities worldwide in the face of what they see as a growing political assault on evidence-based knowledge. Thousands of scientists and their supporters attended March for Science events in such cities as Cape Town, London, Madrid and Seoul, as well as in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Nigeria. In Berlin, organizers said about 10,000 people marched toward the Brandenberg Gate holding up placards that read "Facts not feelings" and "We love experts  those with evidence." Marchers in Geneva carried signs that said "Science  A Candle in the Dark" and "Science is the Answer." In London, demonstrators marched from the Science Museum to Parliament Square in Westminster holding placards supporting science. Watch: Scientists March in DC Embed share Scientists March in DC Embed share The code has been copied to your clipboard. width px height px Share on Facebook

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1080p | 40.7MB New role for scientists The March for Science thrusted scientists, who generally avoid advocacy and whose work is based on impartial experimentation, into a more visible spotlight. For nuclear physics graduate student Chelsea Bartram, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway's "alternative facts" were the last straw. President Donald Trump had disputed photographic evidence of the size of his inauguration crowd. Reporters challenged him, prompting Conway to respond that the administration had given "alternative facts." "Many scientists I know, myself included, spend so many hours in the lab sacrificing enormous amounts of their life for this abstract idea" that understanding reality can benefit human civilization, said Bartram, who is pursuing a doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "And then to have someone say, 'Well, that's not important anymore,' it's so devastating," Bartram added. So Bartram planned to support science's role in government decisions on health, safety, the economy and more by joining demonstrators at the flagship March for Science event in Washington.

Karen Tanyer, an English teacher, and her son, Michael, 10, traveled to Washington from Efro, New Jersey, to participate in the march because "science affects everything."

"When we look at art today, it is all influenced by science and the properties of science that we've exploited to express the human spirit," Karen Tanyer told VOA.

The Washington event featured speakers and several large teach-in tents on the National Mall where scientists, educators and leaders from a variety of disciplines discussed their work, effective science communication strategies and training in public advocacy. Organizers said the event was nonpartisan and was not aimed against the Trump administration or any politician or party.

Proposed cuts to programs

Nevertheless, the March for Science was effectively a protest against steep cuts Trump has proposed for federal science and research budgets and his administration's skepticism about climate change.

The international event coincided with Earth Day, which Trump recognized by issuing a statement saying his administration was committed to supporting science and protecting the environment.

"Rigorous science is critical to my administration's efforts to achieve the twin goals of economic growth and environmental protection," the statement said.

Organizers of the March for Science said it was the first step in a global movement to acknowledge and defend the vital role science plays in everyday life.

"Science extends our lives, protects our planet, puts food on our table [and] contributes to the economy," said Caroline Weinberg, national co-chair of the March for Science.

"Policymakers threaten our present and future by ignoring scientific evidence when crafting policy, threatening scientific advancement through budget cuts and limiting the public's knowledge by silencing scientists," Weinberg said.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a first-generation Iraqi immigrant, is the pediatrician who alerted officials in Flint, Michigan, that the city's water had been contaminated with lead. She was a March for Science honorary national co-chair.

"We march for science so that scientists have the freedom, like I did, to speak out, free from politicization and to continue to make the world a better place," Hanna-Attisha said.

Tipping point

Organizers had not released crowd size estimates by Saturday afternoon. But the dispute over crowd sizes was just one small example of what scientists see as a larger pattern.

During the U.S. presidential campaign, Trump dismissed the scientific consensus about the dangers of human-induced climate change. His appointee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, also does not accept climate science. He has repeatedly clashed with the agency he now heads.

But scientists say their frustration has been building for decades.

"We might have reached a tipping point now, but acting as though this is a new thing is giving too much credit to the current administration," national co-chair Weinberg said.

And it goes far beyond climate change, Weinberg added. "It's about not paying attention to the best research on things like food stamps. It's about cutting things like Head Start and after-school programs," to name a few, she said. "And that all affects health, because that's a time to set kids on the right path."

Critics said a public protest risked further politicizing science, turning scientists into just another interest group.

Bartram summed up a widespread response: On hot-button issues such as climate change, opponents have already done it. "I don't think anything we do is going to further politicize it," Weinberg said.

Disconnect

But if the goal is to get policymakers to listen, "a march isn't going to change anything," said Rob Young, head of coastal research at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Young said much of the problem stems from the growing disconnect between scientists and voters, especially the rural and working-class people who voted for Trump.

Scientists need to get out of the lab more, he said, and explain how their work affects people's health and livelihoods.

That's what march organizers said they hoped for, too.

Geochemist Eric Davidson, president of the 60,000-member American Geophysical Union, one of the march co-sponsors, said a major post-march goal is more public engagement.

"I think the day is gone when scientists can stay in their ivory towers and assume that everyone is going to recognize their value," Davidson added.
A Taliban suicide raid on a major military base in northern Afghanistan is reported to have left at least 140 people dead, mostly soldiers, in the deadliest attack on Afghan forces since 2001.

Witnesses said a group of 10 heavily armed suicide bombers aboard two army vehicles and disguised as government soldiers stormed the Afghan National Armys 209th Shaheen Corps Headquarters Friday in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of the northern Balkh province.

Local television stations quoted an unnamed security official and regional politicians Saturday as saying that at least 140 soldiers were killed in Friday afternoons attack and at least 100 soldiers were also wounded.



Survivors being treated at a city hospital told local TOLOnews TV they believed without inside help it would not have been possible for the attackers to make their way to the center of the heavily fortified military base where the mosque is located.

We are soldiers from the corps but we cannot enter the base easily, but it is unfortunate that suicide bombers managed to enter the base easily. My foot was wounded in this incident, a wounded solider identified as Lotfullah told the private television station.

According to local officials, one group of Taliban assailants sprayed Afghan soldiers with bullets as they were leaving a mosque following afternoon prayers, while another group stormed a dining facility at the military compound before Afghan commandos surrounded and engaged them in fierce gun-battles.

Taliban takes credit

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, swiftly took credit for the attack. He released fresh details to reporters on Saturday along with a picture of the purported bombers. Mujahid claimed the siege lasted for ten hours and up to 500 enemy soldiers were killed and wounded, including key officers.

The spokesman said the deadly raid was a retaliation for the recent killings of Taliban shadow governors for the neighboring Kunduz and Baghlan provinces along with a number of colleagues by U.S. backed Afghan forces.

He warned that Fridays attack on the army headquarters in Balkh is a message for all the enemy soldiers, police, intelligence operatives and relevant (Afghan) institutions that this years (Taliban) operations will be more brutal and painful for them.

Separately, the U.S. military confirmed Saturday the killing of top Taliban commander in an airstrike this week. An official statement identified the slain man as Qari Tayyib, once known as the Talibans shadow governor of the northern Takhar province. It said the strike at Qari's compound in the nearby Kunduz province also eliminated eight Taliban fighters.

Tayyib had been a target-of-interest since 2001 and was directly responsible for the deaths of U.S. service members in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. military.

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command spokesman Colonel John Thomas described the incident as a "significant attack from enemy forces" and said "we are helping the Afghan forces in any way that we can.

The Afghan military base that came under attack on Friday houses tens of thousands of soldiers who are regularly engaged in anti-Taliban operations in troubled northern regions of the country.

Military advisers and trainers from NATO's U.S.-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan are also stationed at the base. But there were no reports of foreign troop casualties.

A presidential spokesman confirmed to VOA President Ashraf Ghani left Kabul for Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday to discuss and review the post-violence situation with provincial authorities. Ghani visited wounded soldiers shortly after arriving in the city.

Fridays attack followed U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMasters first visit to Kabul earlier this week where he vowed to strengthen the call for defeating Taliban insurgents on the battleground who refuse to join an Afghan government-led peace process.

The attack on a highly secured Afghan military facility has refueled criticism of the governments security measures and its policy in tackling the resurgent Taliban.

Bombing in November

Afghan security forces have suffered massive casualties since U.S.-led foreign combat troops left Afghanistan in 2014. In the first eight months of 2016, insurgent attacks killed close to 7,000 Afghan security forces, according to figures local officials shared with the U.S. military.

A truck bombing this past November in the provincial capital targeted the German consulate, killing six Afghans and injuring more than 100 others.

Friday's insurgent assault was the deadliest since April 2016, when Taliban suicide bombers stormed an office of the Afghan intelligence agency in Kabul, killing at least 60 people.

The latest violence came a month after suicide bombers assaulted the country's largest military hospital in the Afghan capital, killing about 40 people and wounding dozens more. Doctors and soldiers were among the victims.

That attack was claimed by loyalists of the Islamic State in Afghanistan.

Ekram Shinwari in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.
The gigantic black and white portraits of children started appearing on walls around a suburban neighborhood of Havana two years ago, the work of Cuban artist Maisel Lopez.

The sober, finely painted portraits contrast with Cuba's dilapidated buildings and pot-holed streets, colorful vintage cars and peeling pink, apricot and turquoise paint on eclectic architecture.

With nearly 30 murals completed, Lopez said he is only getting started on his "Colossi" series, a striking endeavor in the Communist-run country where street art is rare.

"I want to keep expanding further afield," said Lopez, 31, who started painting the walls of homes and shops in his home district of Playa and is now completing his first mural in neighboring Marianao.

A chubby girl with wispy blond hair wistfully rests her chin on her hands, while a black boy with angular features peers at passersby with a slight air of defiance.

The murals are unusual in a country where public spaces are tightly controlled and posters and murals mainly have political themes or depict figures like Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Only one other artist in Havana, Yulier Rodriguez, has an equally recognizable assortment of street art. His figures are alien, the murals colorful. Lopez's subjects are realistic and monochrome.

Lopez said in an interview last week that political art led him to paint murals. He helped with several celebrating the Bolivarian revolution during a cultural mission in 2009 to Cuba's socialist ally Venezuela.

"A mural is constantly in interaction with the public," said Lopez, whose work is inspired by Cuban independence hero Jose Marti, who said "children are the hope of the world."

"That's why I paint the children big, to mark their importance," he said.

Unlike many street artists, including Rodriguez, Lopez seeks permits to paint on walls. While initially hard to get, he gained trust as he developed the series, he said.

Each colossus is several meters tall and takes Lopez four days to a week to paint. Each depicts a child living in the vicinity. He does not charge to paint them.

Instead, he earns a living teaching art classes and selling canvas portraits that can fetch up to $1,500.

Locals have declared themselves fans and guardians of his work, looking after it as people stop to take photographs.

"It's really striking and gives life to the street," said Vivian Herrera, 47, who runs a bakery next to one of the murals.

"It's like the girl is really there, with her big, open eyes."
They call themselves "water protectors" and describe the Dakota Access pipeline ferrying crude oil across America as "the black snake."

In "Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock," the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and those who flocked to windswept tribal lands in North Dakota last year to protest the pipeline, get to tell their story on their own terms.

They also hope to build on the impetus of the months-long standoff, despite the $3.8 billion project by Energy Transfer Partners LP eventually going ahead.

"The ambition of the film is really to get people to understand the issue and feel it in a way that's emotional," said director Josh Fox, an environmental activist and filmmaker.



The film, comprised of three parts by different directors, premieres on Saturday - Earth Day - at the Tribeca film festival. It also will be streamed online at awakethefilm.org on a pay-what-you-can basis with all proceeds going to the cause.

"It's really about pushing the movement forward. We also want to say, you guys did something unbelievable, and this is one way of giving a debt of gratitude," Fox said.

The 1,172-mile (1,885-km) Dakota Access line running from North Dakota to Illinois drew international attention in 2016 after the Standing Rock Native American tribe sued to block completion of the final link, saying it would desecrate a sacred burial ground.

Environmentalists also argued that potential leaks along its length would risk poisoning the water supply for some 17 million Americans.

In February, U.S. President Donald Trump gave the go-ahead to complete the project. The protest camps were demolished and oil is expected to start flowing in mid-May.

The film contrasts the water cannon, rubber bullets, helicopters and riot gear used by law enforcement officials against the protesters with idyllic scenes of sparkling water, sunsets, starry skies and communal camp life. More than 700 people were arrested during the protests.

"The film initiates as a dream, as if the last 500 years of civilization didn't happen," said Fox.

"It was an amazing place, and it ran on very different principles than our society - those of sharing mutual respect and non violence," said Fox, who spent several weeks there at the suggestion of "Divergent" actress Shailene Woodley.

Although the protesters ultimately lost the battle over the pipeline, their spirits remain high.

"Our camp is gone, but our spirit is not broken," says Sioux member Floris Bull White. "Will you wake up and join us?"
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" does exists.
Even after disembarking from North Korea's Air Koryo plane at Pyongyang airport, it's difficult to miss the airline's brand. The Air Koryo conglomerate makes cigarettes and fizzy drinks, besides owning a taxi fleet and petrol stations - and all have the same flying crane logo as the carrier.

The military-controlled airline expanded into consumer products in earnest in recent months, visitors to the isolated country say. It was not clear if the diversification into the domestic market was related to the loss of many international routes when the United Nations slapped economic sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Washington is now considering tougher measures, including a global ban on Air Koryo itself, to punish North Korea for continuing weapons tests, U.S. officials have said.

But any U.S. action on Air Koryo would not be binding on other nations and would have little effect unless joined by China and Russia - both of which have sought to introduce exceptions to United Nations sanctions on North Korea in the past.

"China may indeed agree to this kind of ban on Air Koryo since it seems like China and the U.S. have reached an agreement that North Korea needs to be dealt with in some way. But the question is whether Russia will agree to sanctions against Air Koryo," said Sun Xingjie, an associate professor at China's Jilin University.

North Korean officials are rarely accessible to reporters, and it was not possible to get comment from Air Koryo or from the Pyongyang government.

Air Koryo now flies only to Beijing and three other cities in China, and to Vladivostok in Russia. Flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kuwait were dropped last year but just last month, Air Koryo added a route from Pyongyang to the Chinese city of Dandong, the main transit point for trade between the two countries.

Air Koryo has 15 active planes on its fleet, either Russian or Ukrainian-made, and uses refuelling, maintenance and repair facilities in China and Russia, according to aviation databases and U.N. documents.

The airline has a number of domestic flights connecting the capital Pyongyang to Orang, Sondok and Samjiyon towns, according to a schedule available last year.

Businesses in secretive North Korea do not publicly share information about revenues or costs, so it was not possible to determine what effect any existing sanctions have had or may have in future.

But visitors to North Korea say the Air Koryo conglomerate, owned by the country's air force, is clearly expanding.

Cabs, Gas Stations

In 2015, the conglomerate launched its own brand of sky-blue taxis which now parade the streets of Pyongyang alongside cabs from at least eight other state-owned companies.

Air Koryo colas and cigarettes are available in shops across Pyongyang.

Air Koryo started branching into soft drinks late last year, said Simon Cockerell of Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which organizes travel to North Korea.

It got into retail sales of petrol in January. "They have at least one petrol station in Pyongyang, perhaps two," Cockerell said. "I wouldn't be surprised to see more Air Koryo products make it to market before too long."

A United Nations panel which investigates North Korean sanctions infringements said in a report in February there was an "absence of boundaries" between Air Koryo and the air force.

"The airline's assets are actively utilised for military purposes," the report said.

"Outwardly, this seems like a commercial airline, but in effect, this is run by the government," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University in South Korea.

The United Nations has not sanctioned Air Koryo, although it has accused it of being involved in the smuggling of banned goods. Civilian aircraft are exempt from the U.N. ban on jet fuel exports to North Korea when refuelling overseas. Member states are required to inspect any cargo originating from North Korea, including on Air Koryo flights.

In December, the United States designated Air Koryo, 16 of its aircraft and 10 of its offices as "sanctioned entities," meaning that U.S. citizens are generally prevented from engaging in transactions with them. It was not clear if the ban extended to Americans flying on the airline for tourism.

Officials at Pyongyang's airport said they were unconcerned about any attempts by the global community to strengthen sanctions that could target Air Koryo directly.

"We are not afraid, we have our own counter actions prepared," said a customs official, without elaborating, standing at the Air Koryo check-in counter.

Kim, the South Korean professor, said any sanctions on Air Koryo would have mostly a symbolic effect.

"It will not cause huge damage to the North Korean economy," he said in the Korean language. "Air Koryo is not a 'dollar box'[which makes a lot of foreign money]."
A Panamanian court has granted bail to the two founders of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the Panama Papers scandal, in a case allegedly tied to a sprawling corruption scandal in Brazil.

Following their February arrest on charges of money laundering, Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca each paid $500,000 Friday and will be set free soon, the attorney for the two lawyers, Guillermina McDonald, told Reuters.

McDonald said the court ruled the two were not a flight risk because they had been cooperating with the investigation.

Another lawyer from the firm, Edison Teano, was still being held, she said.

Mossack Fonseca emerged from obscurity in April 2016 with the Panama Papers, millions of documents stolen from the firm and leaked to the media that illustrated how the wealthy use offshore corporations to avoid taxes. Panama has not charged them in any matter related to the papers.

In the separate Brazil case, Mossack and Fonseca turned themselves in to authorities in February after Panamanian prosecutors said they had been linked to a sweeping 3-year-old corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash.


U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says the U.S. is quietly confident that China will do more to influence North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons program.

Pence spoke Saturday in Sydney at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Both the U.S. and Australia have pressured China to take more responsibility in influencing North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

Pence said Pyongyang's ballistic missile program represents a threat to the stability and security of this region and potentially a threat to the continental United States...

Vinson to arrive soon

The U.S. vice president, who is the first senior official of the Trump administration to visit Australia, said continuing on the path the world has been on with North Korea over the last 25 years is just unacceptable.

Pence said an aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson, heading for waters off the Korean peninsula would be in the Sea of Japan within days.

Turnbull said China could use its economic leverage to force North Korea into compliance.

US will honor resettlement deal

Pence also confirmed the U.S. would honor a controversial refugee program with Australia that would resettle 1,250 asylum seekers in the U.S. President Trump has described the Obama administration refugee deal as dumb.

Earlier, the two leaders appeared at pains to present a united front following the tension between the longtime allies sparked by a spat over the refugee resettlement deal struck by the Obama administration.

Pences visit Down Under, part of his 10-day, four-country trip to the Pacific Rim, is widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia. Indeed, the vice president seemed determined to reassure Australia of its importance to the U.S., noting as he stood next to Turnbull on the shores of Sydney Harbor: Its always heartening to stand beside a friend, and I do so today.

Both leaders also repeatedly cited the nations long history of military cooperation. Australia has fought alongside the U.S. in every major conflict since World War I, and is one of the largest contributors to the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq and Syria.

I trust that my visit here today on my very first trip to the Asia Pacific as vice president of the United States and the presidents plans to travel to this region this fall are a strong sign of our enduring commitment to the historic alliance between the people of the United States of America and the people of Australia, Pence said.

The U.S. vice president is on the final leg of a 10-day, four country trip to Asia that has already taken him to South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Philippine forces killed a suspected Muslim militant in new fighting Saturday in a central resort province where troops foiled possible kidnapping and bombing plots by extremists earlier this month, officials said.

Army troops and police killed Joselito Melloria in a gunbattle with about seven militants near Clarin town in Bohol province. Melloria's companions fled and were being pursued by troops, police said.

Melloria, a convert to Islam and a Bohol resident, guided Abu Sayyaf militants from their jungle encampments in the country's south to his Bohol village in Inabanga town to carry out possible ransom kidnappings and bombings. Troops, however, detected the militants and killed four of them in April 11 fighting that also left three soldiers, a policeman and two villagers dead.

Melloria fled with at least seven other militants. They were hunted in a massive search by police and the military. President Rodrigo Duterte offered a 1 million peso ($20,000) reward for information that would lead to the capture of each of the fleeing militants.

A military profile of Melloria, who uses the militant nom de guerre Abu Alih, said he converted to Islam when he married a Muslim woman in southern Zamboanga del Sur province in 2005.

After a yearlong trip to Saudi Arabia, he returned to the Philippines in 2015 and joined Maute, a small nascent group based in the south that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. He later assimilated with another IS-linked group, Ansar Khilafa Philippines, and Abu Sayyaf, the military report said.

Philippine security officials said that had the Bohol plots been successful, Melloria would have been designated to lead Ansar Khilafa Philippines, whose leader was killed in a clash with police in the south in January.

The fighting and foiled terror plots in Bohol have alarmed many and prompted Western countries to caution their citizens from traveling to the central region, because the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim militant groups have had no known presence in the popular tourist destination.

Clarin police chief Fernando Peroramas said many villagers in his laid-back town have become jittery since the violence involving the Abu Sayyaf erupted because of the militants' brutal record.

The United States and the Philippines have blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization because of bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.
The identity of the man is unknown. The circumstances of his passing are unclear. All that appears certain is that the man suffered a hideous, violent death.

The photos of the man were taken on or about April 12, a little more than a week after men wearing uniforms of the South Sudanese army entered Parjok, a small town near South Sudan's border with Uganda, and killed up to 16 people, many of them execution-style.

The photographer, who did not want to be identified, snapped pictures in the aftermath. Some show the remains of charred, burned-out huts. Another shows local residents, possibly homeless, sitting in the street with a few belongings, including a muddy bicycle.

The most disturbing photos show the remains of the unidentified man, left for dead outside a hut. Most of his skin and muscles have been burned away, leaving an almost bare skeleton on the dusty ground. In the back of his skull, smack in the center, there is a sizable hole. It looks bullet-sized.

Observatory group

The photo was sent to VOA's South Sudan in Focus by the South Sudan Human Rights Observatory Group.

The volunteer group, formed by South Sudanese lawyers, journalists and academics a month ago, collects information and images that document abuses against civilians, who have suffered the brunt of the violence and atrocities committed during South Sudan's three-year-plus conflict.

One of the founders, Remember Miamingi, said the group had been "overwhelmed" by the volume of photos and witness testimony people sent from Parjok and the town of Wau, also the scene of recent fighting.

People used satellite phones and mobile phones to record "evidence of things as they were unfolding. We were shocked," Miamingi told VOA.

He said the group's work could be used to help investigative bodies, such as the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and the African Union Peace and Security Council.

It's important that the collected information is properly analyzed, "so that people who have shared this information with us can see that we are letting the world know what their personal experiences are," Miamingi said.

Individual experiences can get lost in the tales of misery that come out of South Sudan, where fighting has left huge parts of the country mired in chronic violence and spreading hunger that has reached famine levels in parts of Unity State, in the north of the country.



Neither side accepts blame

In phone interviews with VOA's Daybreak Africa, representatives of both sides  the government of President Salva Kiir and the opposition led by former Vice President Riek Machar  refused to take blame for the crisis.

"We are not violent. It is the government that is violent," said Lieutenant Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel of the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO). "We are on a strict order from Riek Machar not to engage the government in any attacks, so we have been on self-defense every single moment."

Some observers characterize the conflict as ethnic in nature, with Kiir's Dinka tribe trying to seize property and power from Machar's Nuer tribe and other non-Dinka groups. Gabriel said there is a "genocide" going on in the areas of the country inhabited by the Nuer ethnic group.

Ateny Wek Ateny, a spokesman for the Kiir government, denied there was an ethnic aspect to the fighting. He said South Sudanese of various ethnicities are "happily living side by side."

"The government of South Sudan is only defending itself while it is attacked by the bandits who are armed and trying to cause havoc in the country," Ateny said. "Why would the government of South Sudan fight its own people?"

But Human Rights Watch and the U.N. Human Rights Council have released reports putting blame for the violence on the government. The U.N. report said the army and National Security Service have attacked the Nuer and other non-Dinka ethnic groups who they believe are helping the rebels.

Aid blocked

The government also uses food as a weapon, according to the U.N. The Human Rights Council said that since December 2016, the National Security Service has prevented eight aid organizations from delivering assistance to rebel-controlled areas.

The army apparently was behind the killings in Parjok on April 3. Residents said soldiers entered the town and demanded to know the whereabouts of rebel fighters, according to a report from the U.N. refugee agency.

An army deputy spokesman, Brigadier General Santo Domic, told South Sudan in Focus that troops killed people whom he described as "bandits," who he said were looting buildings and killing civilians.

A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency, citing witnesses, said the town had come under an indiscriminate attack by the South Sudanese armed forces.

Some witnesses saw people shot at close range, one of them being the man left for dead on a Parjok street.

Most of Parjok's residents fled in the wake of the attack, making it hard to determine why the man was targeted for such a grisly death, his remains being left to rot in the hot sun.
The son of a Russian lawmaker was sentenced Friday by a U.S. federal court to 27 years in prison after being convicted of a cyber assault on thousands of U.S. businesses, marking the longest hacking-related sentence in the United States.

Roman Seleznev, 32, was found guilty last year by a jury in Seattle of perpetrating a scheme that prosecutors said involved hacking into point-of-sale computers to steal credit card numbers and caused $169 million in losses to U.S. firms.

The Russian government has maintained that his arrest in 2014 in the Maldives was illegal. It issued a statement Friday criticizing the sentence and said it believed Seleznev's lawyer planned to appeal.

"We continue to believe that the arrest of the Russian citizen Roman Seleznev, who de facto was kidnapped on the territory of a third country, is unlawful," the Russian Embassy in Washington said in a post on its Facebook page.

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a member of the Russian parliament.

The sentence, imposed by Judge Richard A. Jones of the Western District of Washington, followed a decade-long investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.

In a handwritten statement provided by his lawyer, Seleznev said he believed the harsh sentence was a way for the United States government to send a message to Russia's president, Vladimir Putin.

"This message the United States sent today is not the right way to show Vladimir Putin, Russia or any other government in this world how justice works in a democracy," Seleznev wrote in the statement.

Prosecutors said that from October 2009 to October 2013, Seleznev stole credit card numbers from more than 500 U.S. businesses, transferred the data to servers in Virginia, Russia and the Ukraine and eventually sold the information on criminal "carding" websites.

Seleznev faces separate charges pending in federal courts in Nevada and Georgia.

A federal grand jury in Connecticut returned an eight-count indictment charging a Russian national who was arrested earlier this month with operating the Kelihos botnet, a global network of tens of thousands of infected computers, the U.S. Justice Department said Friday.
Protest marches on consecutive days in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, brought tens of thousands of people into the streets this week, some to call for the governments resignation and others to show their support. The flare-up of political strife is in part related to the frustrations of all the Balkan states at the long timeframe for their possible membership in the European Union. And Macedonia has the additional problem that Greece insists it change its name, which is the same as a Greek province.



Anti-government protesters were out on Sunday, bringing together members of several of Macedonias ethnic groups in a call for the prime minister to resign. The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud, repressing journalists, and other abuses, including covering up a murder.

The next day, Prime Minister Nicola Gruevski spoke at a similar-sized pro-government rally. Supporters said last years election results should be respected and the prime minister should continue his nine-year rule.

But some experts say although Gruevski was elected and re-elected, he has become increasingly autocratic, partly enabled by the European Unions imposition of an extremely slow process for Macedonia and other Balkan countries to join.

The government has become very comfortable in its position because it hasnt been subject to the reforms that would have to have taken place had it moved closer to NATO or the EU, said James Ker-Lindsay, at the London School of Economics. And is actually starting to move against the idea of EU membership, and I think that this is what makes it so very risky.

Speaking via Skype, the former EU special representative for Macedonia, Erwan Fouere, is even more critical of the government. The current regime has lost whatever credibility it had and any legitimacy to remain in government. And I think the only way that a peaceful process can be restored is by the government resigning and making way for a transition process, he said.

Some of the opposition protesters have set up a tent city to demand just that. But their prospects for success are not clear. Ker-Lindsay said they are not likely to get as much attention as their counterparts in Ukraine did last year. The country just doesnt sit on that fault line between East and West in the way that Ukraine has," he stated.

Still, Ker-Lindsay ssid the EUs policy has created an opening for Russia to try to re-establish some influence in a region it controlled until 1989. But Erwan Fouere is not too concerned. There is no strategic interest for Russia in this, apart from annoying the West and suggesting that the West are not fulfilling their commitments toward the Balkans as they should, Fouere said.

The commitment is to bring the Balkan countries into the European Union. The delay is related to the need for reforms and concerns about immigration into current EU countries.

Ker-Lindsay ssid the EU has to balance its concerns with a strong message that the Balkan states will become members, though likely not in the next several years.
South Korea was on heightened alert on Friday ahead of another important anniversary in North Korea, with a large concentration of military hardware amassed on both sides of the border amid concerns about a new nuclear test by Pyongyang.

North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday, as it concludes winter military drills at the same time as U.S. and South Korean exercises running until the end of April, South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duk-haeng said.

"It is a situation where a lot of exercise equipment is amassed in North Korea and also a lot of strategic assets are situated on the Korean peninsula because of the South Korea-U.S. military drills," Lee told a briefing.

"We are closely watching the situation," he said, adding that South Korea would not let its guard down.

North Korea said on Friday the state of affairs on the Korean peninsula was "extremely perilous" because of "madcap American nuclear war maneuvers aimed at trampling on our sovereignty and right to survival."

Tensions have risen sharply in recent months after North Korea conducted two nuclear weapons tests last year and carried out a steady stream of ballistic missile tests. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile.

South Korean acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn told top officials on Thursday that given the April 25 anniversary, there were concerns that North Korea "can make another provocation again at any time."

New satellite imagery analyzed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity under way at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site, but said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" ahead of another test or was carrying out normal operations.

"Regardless, satellite imagery continues to indicate that the Punggye-ri nuclear test site appears able to conduct a sixth nuclear test at any time once the order is received from Pyongyang," 38 North said in an analysis on Friday.

U.S. officials said there was a higher-than-usual level of activity by Chinese bombers, signalling a possible heightened state of readiness by reclusive North Korea's sole major ally, although the officials played down concern and left open a range of possible reasons. Beijing denied its aircraft were on an increased level of alert.

The Russian military on Friday denied media reports that it was building up its forces near the border with North Korea, the Interfax news agency reported, citing an army spokesman.

Moscow said military movements seen by residents there were part of pre-planned exercises.

U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test in violation of United Nations sanctions, something the United States, China and others have warned against.

On Thursday, Trump praised Chinese efforts to rein in "the menace of North Korea," after North Korean state media warned the United States of a "super-mighty preemptive strike."

"Unusual Moves"

North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that its military was ready to respond to American aggression.

"Now that we possess mighty nuclear power to protect ourselves from U.S. nuclear threat, we will respond without the slightest hesitation to full-out war with full-out war and to nuclear war with our style of nuclear strike, and we will emerge victor in the final battle with the United States."

Trump told a news conference on Thursday, "Some very unusual moves have been made over the last two or three hours. He said he was confident Chinese President Xi Jinping would "try very hard" to pressure North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.

Trump gave no indication of what the moves might be. None of the U.S. officials who told Reuters about the heightened level of activity by Chinese bombers suggested alarm or signaled that they knew the precise reason for such activity.

In a tweet on Friday, Trump said: "China is very much the economic lifeline to North Korea so, while nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will."

Top U.S., South Korean and Japanese envoys are due to meet on Tuesday, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said, to "to maximize pressure on the North, and to ensure China's constructive role."

China's Defense Ministry said its forces on the border with North Korea were maintaining a state of normal combat preparedness and training.

Asked about Trump's comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Xi and Trump had had a full discussion about North Korea when they met this month.

"I can only say that via deep communications between China and the U.S. at various levels including at the highest levels, the U.S. now has an even fuller and more correct understanding of China's policy and position and has a more rounded understanding of China's efforts," Lu said. "We feel very gratified about this."

An official Chinese newspaper said there was optimism about persuading North Korea to end its pursuit of a nuclear program without the use of force, "now that even the once tough-talking Donald Trump is onboard for a peaceful solution."

"Beijing has demonstrated due enthusiasm for Washington's newfound interest in a diplomatic solution and willingness to work more closely with it," the state-run China Daily said in an editorial.

North Korea has said it will conduct nuclear and missile tests when it sees fit.

North Korea test-fired what the United States believed was a mid-range missile on Sunday. It blew up almost immediately.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a full review of the powers given to government regulators to oversee the banking and finance industries following the financial meltdown of 2008.

Trump went to the Treasury Department on Friday to sign three executive orders that start the process of fulfilling his campaign pledges to undo regulations that he says unduly strain the U.S. economy.

"My entire administration [is] working around the clock to help struggling Americans achieve their financial dreams ... and have real confidence in the future," Trump said as he signed the orders. "Together we will restore prosperity to this nation."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin explained that two of the orders could eventually lead to a significant revision of controversial provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law.

"Our goal is to make this a smarter, more effective process that reduces the kind of systemic risk that harmed so many Americans during the financial crisis of 2008," Mnuchin said.

Dodd-Frank reform

One order temporarily freezes a portion of Dodd-Frank known as the Orderly Liquidation Authority, which gives the federal government broad discretion in making loans to failing financial institutions. The Trump administration argues that the OLA encourages excessive risk-taking by banks because taxpayers are potentially liable for bad loans.

Trump on Friday called the Dodd-Frank regulations "unfair" and "damaging," saying they had "failed to hold Wall Street firms accountable."

Critics say the review is aimed at revoking Obama-era reforms that have brought stability and transparency to the sometimes murky world of high finance, and helped to prevent another crisis.

Edwin Truman, who served as a senior Treasury official in the Clinton and Obama administrations, says Dodd-Frank encourages banks to raise more capital and be more open about their activities.

"That doesnt mean that a complicated piece of legislation like Dodd-Frank couldnt be improved and tweaked," Truman told VOA. "Its like Obamacare. It could be improved while maintaining its basic principles. So theres scope for reform but not really repeal or replacement."

Boston University law professor Tamar Frankel, an expert in financial system regulation, said Dodd-Frank has not achieved the purpose for which it was designed, which is to create consumer confidence in the banking industry. But she worries that a rollback of Obama-era regulations could bring about a return to dangerous lending practices.

"Loans of the kind banks made before 2008 are the poison of any financial system," Frankel said.

Tax laws

Trumps latest orders also authorize a review of tax laws, which the president argues impose an undue burden on taxpayers.

"This is such a privilege for me to sign," he said during the ceremony. "This is really the beginning of a whole new way of life that this country hasnt seen in really many, many years."

Secretary Mnuchin told reporters Friday he was looking forward to taking a hard look at the tax code.

"We are going to go through and look at every significant financial regulation thats been done in the past year and a half," Mnuchin explained. "Were going to determine if theyre needed in the tax code, or if theyre unnecessary."

In making his case, Mnuchin pointed to statistics showing individuals and businesses cumulatively spend a total of 6.1 billion hours complying with the tax code each year, at a cost to the U.S. economy of $234.4 billion. He said the basic Form 1040 used to file taxes had grown from 34 lines and two pages of instructions to 79 lines and 211 pages of instructions.

Mnuchin has 180 days to report back to the president with recommended reforms.

Trump also hinted Friday that hes almost ready to make another big announcement on taxes, saying he was ready to unveil a "massive tax cut" next week, shortly before he reaches the symbolic 100-day mark of his presidency.

"The process has begun long ago, " he said, "but it really formally begins on Wednesday."

In a separate interview with The Associated Press, Trump said the plan would provide tax cuts for both individuals and businesses. He would not provide details of the plan, saying only that the tax cuts will be "bigger I believe than any tax cut ever."
Young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and now here illegally can "rest easy,'' President Donald Trump said Friday, telling the "dreamers'' they will not be targets for deportation under his immigration policies.



Trump, in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, said his administration is "not after the dreamers, we are after the criminals.''



The president, who took a hard line on immigration as a candidate, vowed anew to fulfill his promise to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But he stopped short of demanding that funding for the project be included in a spending bill Congress must pass by the end of next week in order to keep the government running.



"I want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall,'' Trump said in the Oval Office interview. Asked whether he would sign legislation that does not include money for the project, he said, "I just don't know yet.'' Throughout the campaign, he had firmly and repeatedly guaranteed that Mexico, not U.S. taxpayers, would pay for the wall.





Eager to start making progress on other campaign promises, Trump said he would unveil a tax overhaul package next week  "Wednesday or shortly thereafter''  that would include a "massive'' tax cut for both individuals and corporations. He would not provide details of rate proposals or how he planned to pay for the package but asserted the cuts for Americans will be "bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever.''



Congressional Republicans seemed caught off guard by Trump's announcement and did not appear to have been briefed on the details of the White House's forthcoming plan.



Trump spoke with the AP ahead of his 100th day in office.



He panned that marker as "artificial.'' Still, the White House is eager to tout progress on the litany of agenda items he promised to fulfill in his first 100 days, despite setbacks including court bans on his proposed immigration limits and a high-profile failure in repealing and replacing the current health care law.



The president said Friday he spent his first 100 days laying the "foundation'' for progress later in his administration, including by building relationships with foreign leaders. He cited German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a leader he was surprised to have developed strong chemistry with, given that he has been critical of her handling of immigration policies.





As a candidate, Trump strongly criticized President Barack Obama for "illegal executive amnesties,'' including actions to spare from deportation young people who were brought to the country as children and now are here illegally. But after the election, Trump started speaking more favorably about these immigrants, popularly dubbed "dreamers.''



On Friday, he said that when it comes to them, "This is a case of heart.''



This week, attorneys for Juan Manuel Montes said the 23-year-old was recently deported to Mexico despite having qualified for deferred deportation. Trump said Montes' case is "a little different than the dreamer case,'' though he did not specify why.





The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was launched in 2012 as a stopgap to protect some young immigrants from deportation while the administration continued to push for a broader immigration overhaul in Congress.



Obama's administrative program offered a reprieve from deportation to those immigrants in the country illegally who could prove they arrived before they were 16, had been in the United States for several years and had not committed a crime since being here. It mimicked versions of the so-called DREAM Act, which would have provided legal status for young immigrants but was never passed by Congress.



DACA also provides work permits for the immigrants and is renewable every two years. As of December, about 770,000 young immigrants had been approved for the program.



On foreign policy, Trump said it was "possible'' the U.S. will withdraw from the nuclear accord with Iran forged by Obama and five other world leaders. He said he believes Iran's destabilizing actions "all over the Middle East and beyond'' are violating the spirit of the accord, though the State Department this week certified that Tehran is complying with the tenets of the deal aimed at curbing its nuclear program.





The president also appeared to side with his advisers' increasingly harder line on Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Assange's arrest was a priority for the Justice Department as it steps up efforts to prosecute people who leak classified information to the media.



The president said that he was not involved in the decision-making process regarding charging Assange but that the move would be "OK with me.''



During the campaign, Trump and his allies publicly delighted in WikiLeaks' release of stolen emails from a top adviser to Democrat Hillary Clinton.
U.S. officials who have been toughening their stance toward Iran in recent weeks have said almost nothing about its presidential election, now less than one month away.

And, some Iran observers say the silence regarding the May 19 vote could be a reflection of broad skepticism about its significance.

Wednesday during a State Department briefing, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made no mention of the Iranian presidential election as he gave his most detailed outline yet of the Trump administrations toughening Iran policy. But he did accuse Tehran of being the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism and carrying out provocative actions that threaten the United States, such as ballistic missile testing.

On Capitol Hill

On Capitol Hill, U.S. lawmakers also have said little about the impending Iranian vote. There has been no action in the Senate or House since legislation was introduced by bipartisan groups of lawmakers on March 23. The legislation would impose new U.S. sanctions on Iran in retaliation for its January ballistic missile test.

A sponsor of the Senate bill, Republican Bob Corker, said at a hearing this month that the Iran sanctions legislation has been delayed by concerns about elections that are coming up, an apparent reference to the May 19 vote.

U.S. news site The Weekly Standard also quoted Democratic Senator Chris Coons as saying, Some members have concerns about Irans domestic politics, and I think we have to be mindful of the potential impact of the proposed U.S. sanctions.

Learning process

It may be too soon to expect the 3-month-old Trump administration to express any view on Irans electoral process, said Alex Vatanka, an Iran observer at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

The administration really has not had the time to get down to the key aspects of Iranian domestic politics, and whether the U.S. needs to or can in any way take sides in support of one Iranian faction against another, Vatanka told VOA Persian in an interview.

In a Thursday report, Iranian state television said the countrys 12-member Guardian Council has vetted and approved six candidates to compete in the May 19 presidential vote, most notably the relatively moderate incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, and prominent conservative Ebrahim Raisi, appointed last year as custodian of one of Irans holiest shrines by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Washington-based Iran analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says Irans system of vetting candidates for a presidential post that is subordinate to Irans supreme leader has long been understood by U.S. executive and legislative branches of government.

They know Irans president is not the ultimate commander in chief nor the ultimate person who has the say over foreign policy, that person is the supreme leader and his affiliated institutions like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Taleblu said.

Presidential influence

But Washington still has a basis for being interested in who wins the presidential race, Taleblu said.

Iranian presidents can say or do things to impact the tone of Irans foreign policy, he added.

Vatanka said that tone would be evident if Rouhani wins re-election.

In that case, he said, there is a strong likelihood that Rouhani can continue to push for Iran to enter mainstream international politics.

A win by a conservative candidate such as Raisi could push Iran in a different direction, Vatanka said.

Hard-line challengers to Rouhani openly have said that the 2015 nuclear agreement (between Rouhanis government and six world powers) has not delivered what Rouhani promised (in economic benefits), and have suggested it might not be a bad idea to revisit this deal or to even walk away from it, he said.

Taleblu says there is an even greater reason for the U.S. to care about Raisis presidential candidacy.

Should he win, Raisi has a clear path to being the likely candidate for Irans next supreme leader, he said. But should Raisi lose, that would erode the little political clout that he has, in terms of public support, and likely negatively impact his chances to become the supreme leader.

Vatanka says Raisi, a former little-known Iranian judiciary official, is unlikely to win the presidency without election-rigging help from his conservative allies. The last Iranian presidential vote to be overshadowed by allegations of massive fraud  conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejads 2009 re-election  triggered months of nationwide streets protests.

The Obama administration, which at the time was very new, didnt know what to do about the unrest that engulfed Iran in 2009, Vatanka said. The Trump administration can start thinking about what would be their response to more political turmoil  would they seek to engage directly with Irans so-called moderates, or would they think it is not worth the time? That is the big test.
The U.S. Surgeon General under the Obama administration has resigned and been replaced, at least, temporarily, by his deputy.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that Vivek Murthy was asked to resign after "assisting in a smooth transition" from the Obama administration to that of President Donald Trump.

Murthy's replacement is his deputy, Sylvia Trent-Adams, who becomes one of the first nurses to serve in the position. Her photo replaced Murthy's on the Surgeon General's web page and Twitter account on Friday.

Richard Carmona, a nurse and a physician who served under President George W. Bush, referred to himself as the first nurse to serve as surgeon general.

The U.S. Surgeon General has little power, but often uses his or her position to draw attention to public health concerns.

Murthy's confirmation in the Senate was opposed by the National Rifle Association because he has spoken out about gun violence in the past, calling it a public health issue.

Health and Human Services employees privately expressed surprise at the swift change of personnel, although it is not unusual for presidential appointees to be replaced in the early days of a new administration.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney, in an effort to improve relations after a highly publicized argument between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Australian leader.

The visit to Australia is the first by a senior Trump administration official as the United States looks to strengthen ties with Asian allies.

Pence sought to reassure Australia Saturday that the United States remains committed to the countries longtime alliance, following a tense first telephone call between Trump and Turnbull.

I bring greetings this morning from the president of the United States, Pence told Turnbull and other Australian officials ahead of their meeting. I spoke to him first thing, and he wanted me to pass along his very best regards to you. And the president wanted me to, early in this administration, to reaffirm the strong and historical alliance between the United States and Australia.

During Trumps initial phone call with Turnbull, Trump criticized an Obama administration refugee resettlement deal with Australia that would bring refugees from Australia to the United States. He reportedly cut short the phone call and later tweeted that the deal was dumb.

During his visit to Australia, Pence is also scheduled to meet with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and the leader of the opposition party, Bill Shorten.

Pence is on a 10-day, four-country trip to Asia that has taken him to South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.
When Gokul Gunasekaran was offered a full scholarship for a graduate program in electrical engineering at Stanford University, he saw it as the chance of a lifetime.

He had grown up in Chennai, India, and had a solid job offer with a large oil company after getting his undergraduate degree.

He came to America instead, got the Stanford degree and now works as engineer at a data science startup in Silicon Valley.

But for the past five years, he has been waiting for a green card that would give him full legal rights as a permanent resident. In the meantime, he is in a holding pattern on an H1-B visa, which permits him to live and work in the United States but does not allow him easily to switch jobs or start his own company.

"It was a no-brainer when I came to this country, but now I'm kind of regretting taking that scholarship," said Gunasekaran, 29, who is also vice president with a nonprofit group called Immigration Voice that represents immigrants waiting for green cards.

Many from India

Immigration Voice estimates there are 1.5 million H1-B visa holders in the country waiting for green cards, many of whom are from India and have been waiting for more than a decade.

Many of these immigrants welcomed President Donald Trump's executive order this week to the federal departments overseeing the program to review it, a move that may lead to H1-B visas being awarded to the highest-paying, highest-skilled jobs rather than through a random lottery.

Their hope is that merit-based H1-Bs might then lead to merit-based green cards.

"I think less random is great," said Guru Hariharan, the CEO and founder of Boomerang Commerce, an e-commerce startup.

Hariharan, who was previously an executive at Amazon.com and eBay, spent 10 years waiting for his green card and started his own company as soon as he got it.

Green cards can be a path to naturalization, and Hariharan expects to become a U.S. citizen soon.

H1-B visas are aimed at foreign nationals in occupations that generally require specialized knowledge, such as science, engineering or computer programming. The U.S. government uses a lottery to award 65,000 such visas yearly and randomly distributes another 20,000 to graduate student workers.

The H1-B and the green-card system are technically separate, but many immigrants from India see them as intimately connected.

Cap on green cards

The number of green cards that can go to people born in each country is capped at a few percent of the total, without regard to how large or small the country's population is. There is a big backlog of Indian-born people in the line, given the size of India's population  1.3 billion  and the number of its natives in the United States waiting for green cards.

That leaves many of those immigrants stuck on H1-B visas while they wait, which they say makes them almost like "indentured servants," said Gaurav Mehta, an H1-B holder who works in the financial industry.

Mehta has a U.S.-born son, but he could be forced to take his family back to India at any time if he loses his job and cannot find another quickly.

"He's never been to my country," Mehta said of his son. "But we'll have no choice if we have to go. Nobody likes to live in constant fear."

The H1-B visa is tied to a specific employer, who must apply for the visa and sponsor the employee for a specific job laid out in the visa application. To switch employers, the visa holder must secure paperwork from his current employer and find another employer willing to take over the visa.

Some H1-B holders suspect that employers purposely seek out Indian immigrants because they know they will end up waiting for green cards and will be afraid to leave their employers.

But changing the green-card system away from country caps to a merit-based system would require an act of Congress. Some executives also worry that allocating H1-Bs and green cards based on salary  while it would be done to counter the argument that immigrants undercut American workers  would hurt startups that cannot afford high wages.

Practical steps

In the meantime, H1-B holders like Nitin Pachisia, founding partner of a venture capital firm called Unshackled Ventures, are taking more practical measures. His firm specializes in taking care of the legal paperwork so that H1-B holders can start their own companies, a process that is possible but tricky.

Pachisia is hopeful that changes to the H1-B visa program could revive interest in making the entire system, from H1-B visas to green cards and eventual citizenship, more merit-based and focused on immigrants who are likely to start companies and create jobs.

"If the purpose of our high-skilled immigration program is to bring in the most talented people, let's use that as a lens. From that perspective, it's a good thing we can focus on the most talented, and I'd say most entrepreneurial, people," he said.
In 16 U.S. cities, citizen scientists, including schoolchildren, spent a few days this month documenting plant and animal species and helping scientists understand their regions' diversity and the challenges many species face.

The City Nature Challenge, held April 14-18, is a competition that was started last year by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences. This year, it involved institutions across the United States. The challenge is to see which city can document the most species; results are to be announced Saturday, which is Earth Day.

"Last year, it was San Francisco against Los Angeles," said Lila Higgins, manager of citizen science at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. "This year, it's L.A. versus San Francisco and New York and Chicago and Seattle and many, many other cities."

The young citizen scientists took photos and recorded observations on their cellphones, uploading the data through a phone app called iNaturalist.

Frank Az, 9, of Esperanza Elementary School in Los Angeles said he loves observing nature, "finding different species of birds and insects." He was outside the museum with binoculars and a cellphone camera, along with other students.

His friend, Andrea Garcia, was excited as she described finding "two mourning doves in their nest" as well as "ants, bees and a house finch."

The children worked with some adult scientists who monitor species in this region, including Greg Pauly, a specialist on amphibians and reptiles at the Natural History Museum. Pauly said that Los Angeles is one of the world's 35 top biodiversity hot spots, but that the sprawling urban complex also faces "a large threat to that biodiversity."

The children documented their sightings of insects, flowers and birds alongside their teachers. It is something they do regularly at school. Principal Brad Rumble of Esperanza Elementary said the migration of one bird species had captured the children's interest.

"Every year, we do a contest to predict when will the yellow-rumped warbler first arrive on campus," he said. The students vote, and those who correctly guess the date when the tiny visitor appears get a trip to the Natural History Museum.

"That little bird," said Rumble, "brings up so many wonderings about geography and range and weather, and why does it like this tree? These questions form in students' minds, and they're off and running."

The children are learning many lessons, said museum President Lori Bettison-Varga.

"We are part of this environment, and they are part of this environment  the plants, the animals, the critters that live here," she said, "so it's really helping us to understand how to increase the health of our environment."

And this annual competition, she said, gets people of all ages involved in science.
At the beginning of 2017, we were informed that jihadists were preparing actions which were intended to force France and Germany to postpone their elections. It was not easy to discern:

 whether the aim was to postpone the French Presidential election (April-May), or the French parliamentary elections (June), or both;

 whether France was a target in itself, or if the actions in France were a preparation for future actions against Germany.

Among the candidates for the Presidential election, only Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen have criticised the support offered by France to the Muslim Brotherhood. Fillon has even made it one of the recurring themes of his campaign.



Speech at Chassieu (Lyon), 22 November 2016.

We alerted our readers that the Press campaigns and the legal affairs launched against Donald Trump in the United States, and against Francois Fillon in France, were commanded by the same groups. We wrote that according to Messrs. Trump & Fillon,   it will not be possible to restore peace and prosperity without first putting an end to the instrumentalisation of Islamic terrorism, without freeing the Muslim world from the ascendancy of the jihadists, and without attacking the true source of terrorism: the Muslim Brotherhood.  [1]

At that time, the French, believing wrongly that the Muslim Brotherhood was just a movement within the Muslim religion, did not react. Later, I published a book , Right Before our Eyes. From 9/11 to Donald Trump, whose second part describes in detail, and for the first time, how this secret organisation, created and controlled by MI6, is run by the British secret services. It is this Brotherhood which, since the Second World War, has been attempting to transform Sunni Islam into a political instrument. All the leaders of jihadist groups without exception came from the Brotherhood - from Oussama Ben Laden to Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi.

On 26 February, without explanation, Francois Fillon published a communique which was widely criticised:

 We find ourselves in an unprecedented situation: less than two months from the Presidential election, we are in a state of quasi civil war which is disturbing the normal course of the campaign () I say again that we are in a state of emergency, and yet the government does nothing () Today, in my role as ex-Prime Minister, as an elected member of the Nation, I solemnly accuse the Prime Minister and the government of failing to guarantee the conditions for a serene exercise of democracy. They have a very heavy respnsibility in allowing a state of almost civil war to develop, and which can only profit the extremes () Whoever the candidates are, they must have the right to express themselves, and the government must take the necessary measures so that the rioters and the enemies of democracy cease disrupting the Presidential campaign  [2].

On 17 April, the Police Nationale informed the four main candidates that there were threats to their security, and reinforced their protection.

On 18 April, M. (29 years old) and Clement B. (23 years old) were arrested while they were preparing an attack during a meeting in support of Francois Fillon.

On 20 April, a policeman was killed and two others seriously wounded during an attack on the Champs-Elysees.

Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen cancelled the journeys they had planned for the 21 April. Following the movement, and althought here was no real threat to him at all, Emmanuel Macron did the same.

The responsibility of the next President of the French Republic

The security of the French people will be a central issue for the next five-year Presidential term. This question is all the more complex in that the recent terrorist attacks perpetrated on French soil have implicated three of Frances NATO allies  the US deep state, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.

I have widely covered the question of the attacks in Paris (13 November 2015) and Brussels (22 March 2016). [3]. In my latest book, I indicate that while the responsibility for these attacks was claimed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Press, they were carried out by  independent commandos, with the exception of a common operator, Mohammed Abrini of MI6  (p. 231) [4].

For years, the successive governments of Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppe, and also the government of Francois Hollande and Laurent Fabius, have hidden their criminal activities from the French people, and the consequences for which they are responsible - terrorism intra muros.

It is absurd to believe that al-Qaida and Daesh could be in possession of so much money and weaponry without the support of major states. It is absurd to believe that France could have participated in the remodelling operations in the  Greater Middle East  without suffering the counter-attacks. It is absurd to believe that it will be easy to fight international terrorism when it is commanded by our own NATO allies.
Elisabeth Moss as Offred.

In our current political climate, many people have looked forward to this months premiere of The Handmaids Tale, which stars Elisabeth Moss as a forced reproductive concubine living in a misogynistic dystopia, on Hulu. Naturally, that topic was bound to come up at the shows panel at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday evening, but the conversation soon took an abrupt turn when a discussion about feminism was tossed around instead. Per the AV Club, when asked if she considered the story, like that of Peggy Olson in Mad Men, to be feminist in nature, Moss was dismissive of such a reading. I mean, theyre both human beings. Theyre the same height, she said. Honestly, for me its not a feminist story  its a human story, because womens rights are human rights. I never intended to play Peggy as a feminist; I never intended to play Offred as a feminist. Theyre women and they are humans. Offreds a wife, a mother, a best friend. She has a job, and she is a person who is not supposed to be a hero. She falls into it and she kind of does what she has to do to survive to find her daughter. Its about love, honestly, so much of this story. For me, I never approach anything with any sort of political agenda. I approach it from a very human place, I hope.

Margaret Atwood, who wrote the original Handmaids Tale novel in 1985, disagrees with Mosss perspective. They needed an only, an also, and a human rights definition of the F word, IMHO, she tweeted to a Twitter user who asked for her thoughts. However, the shows creator, Bruce Miller, similarly sees the narrative through a nonfeminist lens like Moss. I dont feel like its a male or female story, he told the New York Times in a profile. Its a survival story. The show (and its subsequent think pieces) premieres on April 26.


Fire Island Welcome to Fire Island Season 1 Episode 1 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next   Previous Episode Next Episode  Photo: VH1

The world might be falling apart, but at least weve finally got a reality show about a group of gay lunatics living in a rental house on Fire Island.

Fire Island opens at a New York City dance studio because of course it does. We meet Khasan, a dancer who is beginning to transition into the field of choreography. (But then again: Arent we all?) Hes very sexy and seems like a lovely guy. He tells us about his long-distance relationship with a guy named Jason who lives in L.A. and the struggles surrounding it. He refers to it as a situation-ship and I cant decide whether or not that sounds more like an NBC single-camera pilot that wont get picked up or a CBS multi-cam that runs for eight seasons. I am currently leaning toward the latter.

Khasan introduces us to his very attractive, Venezuelan best friend. They seem to have zero boundaries, like they sleep in the same bed and snuggle and show a great deal of affection but dont have sex. Which basically sounds like being married. Khasan describes Jorge as hands down, the craziest person Ive ever met and then tells a long story about how they met that includes five Escalades, staying up until 9 a.m., and Jennifer Lopez.

Next we meet Brandon, who calls himself the crazy little one. (The word crazy is used A LOT on this show.) He is a cute 21-year-old student who tells us that taking photographs of naked men is his passion, so he thinks Fire Island will be a good fit for him and I have to agree.

Speaking of Instagram, were introduced to Cheyenne. He is one of those hot guys with a ton of followers that is always showing up on your Instagram explore feature because you liked a profile called DilfsNextdoor once when you were stoned. He tells us that he was a mess in his 20s and his 30s are all about getting it together  and honestly, what better place to get ones life together than an island that doubles as a 24-hour circuit party? He describes himself as a brand and rarely blinks.

Next up is Justin, an illustrator and the token bear of the group. He expresses his insecurities about not having a perfect body like the majority of people on Fire Island and its all very relatable. Justin calls Cheyenne from the train station where theyre heading to the island together. Cheyenne lies to him that hes on his way, but is really just standing in some store in his underwear.

Finally, the group all converge at Penn Station and head to Fire Island. Getting there is literally a nightmare: You take a train to Sayville, then a shuttle to a boat, then you get on a boat, and then finally you get there. The only thing worse is when you have to do that entire thing again in reverse, but this time youve been drinking rose by a pool before noon every day for the past week.

They get to the house, which is noticeably MUCH nicer than the house from Logos Finding Prince Charming. They pick rooms and get settled in as they wait for the final houseguest to arrive.

In comes Patrick  and heres where this recap gets a little surreal. Full disclosure: Patrick happens to be my ex-boyfriend. Not only that, but we had a really messy breakup that I made the VERY adult decision to share in blog, Twitter, vlog, Facebook, and any-other-medium-I-could-get-my-hands-on form. It was a really ugly point in my life, but over the years Patrick and I have become friends again and forgiven each other for what was a garbage time.

Patrick explains that hes been living on Fire Island for the summer and loves it. He says he went through a really bad breakup that resulted in a lot of walls (see above). We also meet his other worldly cute dog, Bodhi, a dog we got together. Oh yes, honey, this shit goes deep!

Patrick is definitely the more extroverted of all the housemates. He owns queerness in a way that is going to be good for people to see. This type A and type B dynamic between Patrick and the rest of the house seems like itll be the main story of the show and Ive got to say, after years of watching Real Housewives together, I am proud to see he learned from the greats.

Most of the guys go to tea, which is basically just what they call happy hour on Fire Island. You dance, drink, and spill the tea with your friends as Khasan says. Justin stays behind to cook and asks that they be back by eight, or as someone jokes, gay seven. Insert eye roll here.

Patrick decides to stay behind to help Justin. (A good reality star always stays behind to help, since you get one-on-one dialogue with another central character  good job, Patrick.) Not much really happens, but we learn that Patrick has a crush named Brandon, which is annoying because now I have to keep up with two people named Brandon while taking notes. By the end of the episode, well see that Patrick and Brandon arent meant to be, but well get there soon enough.

For now, Justin is VERY annoyed at how late everyone is to dinner. He refuses to let anyone eat until the whole house is there at the table. I get wanting to have dinner as a group, but also, like  quit whining and give me some chicken, bitch.

Meanwhile, Cheyenne and Brandon (a.k.a. the crazy little one, not Patricks crush) take their sweet-ass time getting back and have a heart-to-heart on the beach. Brandon speaks about the difficulty of being only 21 years old with the seriousness of someone discussing their Crohns disease, and 29-year-old Cheyenne gives him wise, sage advice about aging as if hes Angela Lansbury.

The next day is the Pines Party, a big beach circuit party that looks like my living hell. The theme is Xanadu and you can literally smell the cocaine through the TV. We dont spend much time following the group at the party, and then its the next morning. We watch as they struggle to make on-camera conversation while clinically hungover. Jorge is excitedly planning an afternoon BBQ and forces everyone to help him. Cheyenne just wants to sleep and for the first time in the episode, Cheyenne and I are on the exact same page.

They have the party and Patricks crush Brandon is there catering. He claims to have come directly from the Pines Party and hes the first caterer Ive ever seen work shirtless and the first human Ive ever seen with angel wings tattooed on his back. He brings some friends and theyre too rowdy for Jorge, who wants to keep this a family BBQ. His best girlfriend is in town from NYC and Im still not convinced she wasnt actually Catherine Keener. Some of Patricks friends get naked and Jorge flips out and threatens to kick people out. Jorge makes a casually misogynistic comment about how no one should be naked because theres a girl there. And not just any girl, I wanted him to shout, but Academy Awardnominated actress Catherine Keener!

At the end of the party, we learn that Patricks crush, Brandon, is going to Texas to see another guy the following day. He has a weird, cold conversation with Patrick and I guess theyre over. OR ARE THEY?!

The drama from the party results in a house meeting where the group hashes out their expectations of each other and the house. Patrick points out that Fire Island is all about being free and silly and wild, which is true, but I can see both sides of the argument. Ultimately, everyone works everything out and they toast to #communication. No, really.

And thats it for the first episode. Not the greatest start, but I expect the drama to really start to heat up in episode two. With that to look forward to and the voyeuristic experience of watching an ex argue with other hot people on television  well, I cant claim that Im not counting the days until I get to see more Fire Island.
Margot Robbie. Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

If cinema is one of our great time capsules, the aliens who find our records in the future might assume that the only woman of consequence in our entire human history was Margot Robbie. Or maybe they wont know we were a thing called humans at all, instead assuming that we were a Cylon race and Margot Robbie was our most desirable and proliferate female model (which is like half-true). According to Variety, Margot Robbie will play Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots. Like so many of Robbies movies, this one is based on a true story, and follows Mary Stuarts attempt to unhorse her cousin, Elizabeth I, from the throne so that she could ascend to power. That didnt really work out for Mary (Saoirse Ronan), and she was eventually executed after spending years in prison for her crimes. Thats right. Its Ronan vs. Robbie in an opulent cinematic showdown of fair-skinned titans. Since history is already written, we know Elizabeth I will come out on top in this story, but the woman with the most magnificent outerwear will surely triumph in the hearts and minds of viewers.
Mission Control Colonel, reporting for duty. Photo: YouTube/KFC

About a year ago, someone rather brilliant in the Kentucky Fried Chicken marketing division (or the KFCMD, if you will) came up with a great idea to refresh the age-old persona of everyones favorite extra-crispy spokesperson, Colonel Sanders: Instead of having one actor portray the Southern gentleman, a cavalcade of stars would take on the iconic role in turn. Since then, everyone from Darrell Hammond to Vincent Kartheiser has donned the white suit, and today the bolo tie was passed along to none other than Rob Lowe. In an announcement issued via social media, the fast-food giant unveiled Lowes Mission Commander Colonel Sanders a version of the colonel who wants to launch a chicken sandwich into space, or whatever. (But, importantly, does not have a very convincing Southern accent. Ahem.)

And in a rather charming, Rob Loweish fashion, Lowe released his own statement about donning the Sanders get-up, saying his grandfather, who was once president of the Restaurant Association in Ohio, had taken Lowe to meet the Colonel himself when Lowe was a boy. He took the role, he says, as a nice homage to both Colonel Sanders and to my grandfather. Which is rather sweet, until you consider the Inception-like notion of becoming Colonel Sanders in homage to  Colonel Sanders. Then the whole thing just becomes a chicken eating its own crispy, delicious tail.
McLennan County residents can vote starting Monday on a proposal to raise more than $34.4 million for a complete overhaul of the fairgrounds that would turn its $47 million yearly economic impact to an estimated $60 million impact, according to area leaders.

County commissioners approved a request to put a proposition on the May 6 election for a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax and a 5 percent tax on short-term car rentals that would pay for improvements to the 60-acre Extraco Events Center. Revenue collected from the venue tax would initially only go toward the site off Bosque Boulevard to improve property owned by McLennan County, the city of Waco and the Waco Independent School District. Additional revenue would be restricted to use for sporting-related purposes.

Early voting runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through April 28, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 29, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 1 and May 2.

Registered voters can cast their ballot at any of the five early voting locations:

McLennan County Records Building, 214 N. Fourth St., suite 300, in Waco

Robinson Community Center, 106 W. Lyndale Drive

Waco Multi-Purpose Community Center, 1020 Elm Ave.

First Assembly of God Church, 6701 Bosque Blvd., in Waco

Hewitt Public Safety Facility, 100 Patriot Court.

There are also multiple city and school district races on the ballot for voters who live in those areas.

The Extraco Events Center opened its doors in 1953 after a $2.1 million bond election paid for the Heart of Texas Coliseum, said Wes Allison, Extraco Events Center president and CEO. The last major renovation was completed in 2002, after the county issued $20 million in certificates of obligations, Allison said.

The location stays booked, averaging about 125 events a year, ranging from simple meetings to the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo, he said. Horse shows alone take up 48 of the 52 weeks in a year.

The only weekend we will not rent the facility is the weekend between Christmas and New Years, Allison said. That weekend it falls, we typically take off.

Throughout the year, anywhere from 400,000 to 450,000 people head to the site for various events, he said.

While the fairgrounds already perform well, the potential for more opportunities, events and economic impact is worth pursing, Allison said.

The proposal for the overhaul includes removing the creative arts building and the general exhibit building and replacing them with an 80,000-square-foot multipurpose building connecting to the existing coliseum. The state-of-the-art exhibit building would have 55,000 to 65,000 square feet of rental floor, or exhibit space, plus ancillary space for meeting rooms, pre-function activities, restrooms and concessions.

The proposal includes adding about 300 livestock stalls to the campus, bringing the total to more than 1,000 for the equestrian and livestock facility. The plan also includes replacing Waco ISDs Paul Tyson Field and the Lake Air Little League facilities in new locations within the 60-acre area.

Texas High School Finals (Rodeo) had been at Taylor County Expo for more than 20 years, Allison said. We made a concerted effort to go get them this year, and because Taylor County promised them there would be a $60 million bond election passed, they stayed in Taylor County.

That 60 million bond election passed. That competitive advantage continues to move forward every year. Being competitive in the horse show world, it never stops.

The Extraco Events Center competes with facilities in Abilene, Katy, Amarillo, Tyler and San Angelo for equine-related events, he said. A facility like the one in Fort Worth, which features 2,500 horse stalls and four arenas, competes with the big dogs like ones in Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Memphis, Tennessee, he said.

McLennan County allocates $100,000 a year for capital improvements for the Extraco Events Center, which typically goes toward roof repairs or air conditioning work, County Judge Scott Felton said. The money gives the events center a hand in gaining the competitive advantage in attracting new events, Felton said. He served on the Heart of Texas Fair Board before becoming county judge.

Felton said its easy to be a good landlord when a recent Baylor University study showed that the fairgrounds have a $47 million economic impact on the county, and the improvements from the election could increase that to $60 million.

We think thats rent enough, benefit enough, back to the community, Felton said.

Allison said the nonprofit also tries to give back to the county in other ways. On average, the events center distributes more than $250,000 in student scholarships every year, he said.

Leaders from the city, county and school district first started discussing in 2010 how they could rearrange the 60 acres to create a more logical layout for the fairgrounds and for Waco Highs properties in the section.

Waco Mayor Kyle Deaver said the collaboration between the entities has produced a much better product than if they had tried to make the improvements on their own.

I think for the city, the swap makes sense. We end up with a new Little League complex that will have all new construction and be modern and hopefully we end up with walking trails and a park through the complex that helps the quality of life for all our citizens over there, Deaver said. I think this is an example of collaboration like we havent seen in my memory. Its exciting.

The 60 is now a patchwork of ownership, and school officials cant get to the Paul Tyson without crossing county property, Waco ISD Superintendent Bonny Cain said. Cain said she doesnt know who divided up that property to begin with, but they werent thinking clearly.

On the weekends when we dont use our facilities, theres a lot of things the city can do to bring in tournaments, Cain said. Were all trying to bring in people, who buy clothes. They buy food. They spend the night here. They buy gas. They shop. They just inject a lot of money into the community. Anything thats good for the city of Waco is good for Waco ISD, and anything good for Waco ISD is good for the city and same for the county.
A judge on Friday effectively postponed the start of any Twin Peaks biker trials in McLennan County until after the federal trial of Bandidos national leaders in San Antonio or until federal prosecutors agree to share evidence with McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna.

Judge Matt Johnson of Wacos 54th State District Court granted a motion to delay the June 5 trial of Kyle Smith, 50, an air-conditioning technician from Kilgore and member of the Cossacks motorcycle group.

Johnsons ruling comes in the wake of Reyna filing a letter he got last month from U.S. Attorney Richard Durbin, of San Antonio, telling him that federal authorities prosecuting the Bandidos have information that relates to Twin Peaks cases but wont share it with Reynas office until the federal trial is over.

That trial is set for August, but Durbins letter said it could be postponed until later this year or early next year.

Judge Ralph Strother of Wacos 19th State District Court is also hearing Twin Peaks cases. While no attorneys for bikers have filed motions to postpone trials in his court, Strother said the situation with the federal evidence effectively has done that.

I dont think we can move forward in any of our cases until some kind of resolution or understanding is reached regarding the situation with the federal indictment in San Antonio, Strother said. It has effectively put a barrier between our ability to proceed with our cases. I dont think the presence of a pending motion (for continuance) is what is causing the problem. It is the presence of the federal indictment out of San Antonio that is the issue.

Sherman attorney John Hunter Smith, who represents Kyle Smith, told Johnson he doesnt want to go to trial if federal authorities have evidence that is favorable to Kyle Smiths case. He also said he has not been given evidence from DNA testing done on his client.

Prosecutor Michael Jarrett said the DAs office is waiting for the return of DNA evidence from a state lab, where it is being analyzed and tested.

Reyna told the court that he could not in good faith oppose Smiths motion for continuance because of what Durbin said in his letter. Reyna said he has contacted the offices of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and State Sen. Brian Birdwell to see if they can serve as intermediaries between his office and Durbins in an effort to free up the federal evidence sooner.

Reyna said he would update the court if the lawmakers have success with federal officials.

Jury panel canceled

Johnson also canceled a jury panel Friday that was scheduled to report May 5 to fill out questionnaires for Smiths trial.

Despite Fridays ruling, Dallas attorney Clint Broden said he intends to keep the trial dates set for his clients in place. Broden, who represents two clients indicted in the shootout, has fought for almost two years to move forward with the trials.

The United States Constitution guarantees every American a speedy trial, and that constitutional guarantee also operates in McLennan County, Texas, Broden said Friday. The state is playing games with a tragic incident in which nine people lost their lives and in which more than one hundred people were unjustly arrested.

Matthew Clendennens trial is set for Oct. 9, and Burton George Bergmans is set for Nov. 7. Clendennen and Bergman are clients of Broden.

In filings last month, Reyna notified the court of his communication with Durbin. He said that although federal authorities made no specific evidence disclosures, it is his duty under the Michael Morton Act and other statutes to make defense attorneys in the Twin Peaks cases aware that the information exists.

Although the federal investigation was underway when that incident occurred, neither the fact of the investigation nor any information pertaining to the investigation were shared with this office, Reynas filing states. The federal indictment was obtained under seal, and it was not until it was unsealed and reported by the media that the McLennan County Criminal District Attorneys Office became aware of the existence of the federal investigation.

While Durbins office and Reynas office have not coordinated their efforts in the separate investigations, Durbin said his office has evidence that relates to the Twin Peaks incident.

Because of our limited knowledge of your cases, we cannot express an opinion on whether our information would be admissible in your prosecutions, nor whether it is clearly incriminating to some of your defendants, or exculpatory of others, Durbin wrote. It is possible that there may be some of both given the number of defendants charged in your cases.

The federal indictments resulted in the arrests of three top Bandidos leaders and include allegations from incidents before and after May 17, 2015. The charges do not specifically mention the Twin Peaks incident, which is thought to be the result of escalating tensions between the Bandidos and Cossacks.

As I explained, we and federal investigators have invested considerable time to obtain evidence through complex and expensive techniques to reach the highest levels of the Bandidos organization, Durbin wrote. Because of the significance of this prosecution, I have no choice except to maintain control over litigation relating to that information and evidence until we have completed our prosecution.
Robin was born on December 12, 1953 in Waco to Robert Sherman and Nancylu Crosthwait Bennett. He attended Waco schools, graduated from Baylor University and The University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He completed his surgical residency at University of Florida Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. He was a gifted surgeon at Shands and loved his time in the ER until his own health forced him to retire from surgery. Robin returned to Waco in 1998 and served as a passionate patient care advocate to friends and family who called upon him. He was an avid fly fisherman and other hobbies included wood working, cooking, and spending time with friends.Robin was preceded in death by his father Robert Sherman Bennett.
Debbie Boyd

April 28, 1956 - April 19, 2017

Debbie Boyd passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, surrounded by family. She was born April 28, 1956 in Clovis, NM to Author and Jane Clarke. She grew up in Austin, TX and graduated from Anderson High School.

Debbie entered the insurance business in 1984. She worked for the Guardian Life Insurance Company from 1988 to 2002 as a Benefit Advisor. She provided service to employees, employers, and brokers throughout the state of Texas and was known for her warmth, sense of humor, and her caring nature. She moved to Waco in 2002 and continued her career with Blue Cross and others. Debbie helped organize the first local Austin chapter of the National Association of Health underwriters and held numerous positions in Austin and Waco.

Debbie married Jack Boyd in 1993 and they moved to Waco in 2002. She remodeled a house, and they shared love, gentleness, and a kindred spirit for animals, books, and classic movies. If Jack received a phone call that began with, "I need some help with something", he knew another puppy or kitty was about to be at the house. Their careers in insurance took them to Spain, Hawaii, and other states. They made a lifetime of memories at "The Cabin" in Colorado and spending time with her father, Pete "that's not what I meant to do" Clarke. Her adventures with her beloved puppies and kitties are legend amongst her family and friends. Since moving to Waco, she cherished her time spent with her grandchildren, Ashton and McKenna Selman. Jack always teased her that, after listening to their conversations, he was not sure about the age of their grandmother.

Debbie was preceded in death by her father, Arthur Clarke; her grandmother, Frances Harrington "Mimi; and nephew, Brendan Twomey.

Debbie is survived by her husband Jack, of almost 24 years; her son, Wayman Jones; her sister, Kim Saxon; and step-daughter, Amanda Selman. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ashton and McKenna Selman; as well as nephews, Rian Twomey, Gaven Saxon; and grandnephew and grandniece, Braxton and Avalynn Twomey.

If you wish to honor her memory, consider a gift to Fuzzy Friends Rescue, 6321 Airport Rd., Waco, TX 76708.
Recycle. Dont litter. Plant a tree. There are lots of easyand noncontroversialsuggestions for ways to help the environment. But as environmentalists gear up for Earth Day today, theyre pushing a litany of lifestyle changes: Dont eat meat, stop using plastic and dont fly.

Ironically, however, a number of environmentalist policies and lifestyle proposals arent actually good for the environment. Consider some of the claims about what we eat.

Environmentalists often decry the use of antibiotics in livestock, citing fears of superbugs resistant to antibiotics that will spell doom for the human race. Antibiotic use on farms is overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and veterinarians. Scientific research suggests misuse of human antibiotics to be driving antibiotic resistance. Nevertheless, environmentalists want further restrictions on farms. Just this month, pressure from environmental groups led KFC to announce that it would only buy chickens from farmers with restricted antibiotic use, starting next year.

Theres a cost to all this advocacy. Without preventive medical care, more animals will get sick. Some of these animals will die. As such, farmers will have to breed more animals to meet consumer demand. With more animals in the flocks and herds, more greenhouse gases are produced. Given years of environmental advocacy to reduce greenhouse gases, this is a bit odd.

Greenhouse-gas reduction, in fact, is their reason to encourage people to eat less meat. For years activists and celebrities have campaigned for people to go meatless one day a week to help the environment. Meatless Mondays were born in this effort.

Environmentalists make several claims that rely on the notion that vegetables are better for the environment than meat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture produces 9 percent of the nations total greenhouse gas emissions. Plant agriculture, through soil management, represents over half of that total with the remainder coming from animal agriculture. By having to pick up the nutritional slack created by removing animal agriculture, its possible that wed see an increase in the total greenhouse-gas emissions from agriculture.

Or consider organic food, which is the cream of the crop  so to speak  for environmental groups. Weve been led to believe organic food is better for people and the planet. But science doesnt support this soundbite.

Time after time scientists have found zero evidence of higher nutritional content in organic food. And organic crops, which eschew genetic modification technology, require more farmland to meet the same consumer demands from lower yields. With full organic production, the farm footprint could increase by as much as 25 percent to meet todays level of food output. In the United States, that would mean an increase of about 109,000,000 acres  or an area greater than the entire state of California.

Moreover, the use of pesticides would increase. Though its commonly believed that organic means little or no use of pesticides, it only means a ban on synthetic pesticides. And while this might seem like a win, dont confuse organic with harmless. Organic pesticide can cause massive environmental disasters, like rotenone which attacks mitochondria and has a secondary application as a piscicide. Also, since they are less effective than synthetic pesticide, then more organic pesticide must be applied to fields. Just because theyre natural, doesnt mean they arent toxic.

Environmentalists want you to believe that their solutions are forward-thinking, positive and, most of all, simple. But at the end of the day even a cursory look at the data shows that their solutions would make our problems worse.
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Protesters outside the News Corporation headquarters, in New York. Credit:AP Smith says it is hard for her to imagine a major culture shift at Fox; many key executives she described as "enablers" of Ailes and others remain in top executive positions. A former staffer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, agreed: "Ailes and O'Reilly might be gone, but the rest of the power structure is unchanged." Fox executives are eager to counter the notion that nothing will change. Fox has brought on a new human resources director and all employees have now undergone "sensitivity training," company officials said. And the New York-based news operation has assigned a human resources employee to work out of its large Washington bureau. Gretchen Carlson, shown on Friday in New York, filed the complaint that led to the downfall of longtime Fox News chief Roger Ailes. Credit:AP Such moves could address workplace and financial concerns: Companies that spend large sums settling sexual harassment can draw the ire of shareholders. Ailes, who has denied wrongdoing, got a $40 million payout when he resigned, while O'Reilly walked away with $US25 million. Carlson settled her lawsuit for $20 million, and according to a New York Times investigation, O'Reilly and 21st Century Fox have paid $US13 million to settle complaints lodged by five women dating to 2002.

What became clear over the past 10 months is that the best way to attack a news company is by making news. Smith said she wrangled with attorneys for Ailes, who wanted to deal with Carlson's sexual-harassment allegations through a secret, non-public arbitration process. When her client refused and went public with her complaint that Ailes thwarted her career because she would not have sex with him, "that opened the floodgates" for other accusers, Smith said. Within days, more than two dozen women came forward with similar harassment claims. Smith says her firm alone was eventually contacted by nearly 30 women. A news conference by psychologist and radio personality Wendy Walsh, right, prompted other women to contact attorney Lisa Bloom, left, with complaints about OReillys behavior. Credit:AP "By bringing Fox into the light of day, we've been able to show how secrecy hurts all of us," Smith said. The scandal took a toll inside the news organisation. Ailes with Rupert Murdoch on 1996, when it was announced he would run the media mogul's new news channel. Credit:AP

"There were a lot of mid-level staffers, especially women and minorities, who were - are - seriously considering leaving Fox," a Fox News staffer said on Thursday as the newsroom was still absorbing O'Reilly's departure. In her pursuit of O'Reilly, Bloom took a similar tack to the one used by Smith in her case against Ailes, pushing the story into the public realm as much as possible. Bloom - the daughter of famed publicity-savvy attorney Gloria Allred - gained enormous leverage when the Times published its blockbuster April 1 story about the O'Reilly settlements. But she feared that interest would fade. Tucker Carlson will begin airing an hour earlier to fill the time slot vacated by Bill O'Reilly. Credit:AP She needed to keep the buzz going. So she persuaded Wendy Walsh, a Los Angeles radio personality who had been a guest on O'Reilly's show, to hold a news conference on April 3. There were two goals, Bloom said: keep the story alive, but also draw out more accusers. A mediagenic psychologist with her own radio show, Walsh had no intention of suing, but did offer a compelling tale. She'd made occasional appearances on Fox, but said O'Reilly dangled the idea of making her a regular contributor, which would have substantially raised her national profile. After a dinner in Los Angeles, she said, O'Reilly tried to lure her to his hotel room. She rebuffed him, she said, and not long thereafter, her opportunity to become a regular contributor evaporated. (An O'Reilly representative would later call Walsh's story false.)

Contoversial Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News, has been dumped. Credit:AP After Walsh's news conference, Bloom started hearing from other women - just as she had expected. At this point, something unusual happened. The usually aggressive Fox public relations squad fell atypically mute on the O'Reilly matter, issuing no statements in his defense. It was clear: O'Reilly was on his own. He brought on his own spin team, including an old Clinton White House hand, Mark Fabiani. But, in Bloom's estimation, he had made a big mistake. On the day the Times story hit, Bloom says, O'Reilly had handed her "a beautiful, gift-wrapped present" in his public statement rebuffing the allegations. The statement said: "Just like other prominent and controversial people, I'm vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity." But his statement rested part of his defense on a claim that no one had ever complained about him to the human resources department or called in to an "anonymous hotline."

It was an "aha" moment for Bloom. After consulting a company handbook she had acquired during a previous case, she determined that Walsh was eligible to call the hotline, even though she wasn't a full-time employee. Bloom was so excited about the idea that the catchy disco-era song "HotLine" kept running through her head: "Hotline, hotline, callin' on the hotline." Bloom's staff videotaped Walsh's call to the hotline, and sent the lengthy recording - which included spates of time when she was left on hold - to Walsh's tech-savvy nephew. He edited it into a shorter version to share with the media, including the moment when the hotline operator asks Walsh to spell O'Reilly's name. On April 5, Bloom posted the tape to her Facebook page. So now an official complaint was on the record, in just the form O'Reilly had deemed legitimate. On April 9, Fox's parent company announced it was bringing in Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison - the same firm that looked into allegations against Ailes - to examine claims about O'Reilly. By April 11, as more and more sponsors pulled their ads from The O'Reilly Factor, the combative commentator announced his departure for what he called a long-planned vacation in Italy. According to Bloom, the attorneys brought in by Fox's parent company seemed to be in a hurry to close the books.

"They were very eager for everything to happen ASAP," she said. "They were the ones pressing us to go, go, go. By the end, I thought they were looking for a reason to fire him." Still, she felt she needed more. Enter Burgess, the reluctant witness. Bloom could tell she would require delicate handling. Walsh was used to being in the public eye. Burgess wasn't. In mid-April, Bloom flew to North Carolina for dinner with the former Fox News clerical worker who said she had been subjected to O'Reilly's coarse comments. She left the meal thinking Burgess was on board. But the next morning, Bloom says, Burgess called to say she'd changed her mind. At that point the lawyer brought up her Rosa Parks example. She put the question to Burgess like this: "You mean to tell me that because of Twitter trolls you're not going to stand up for what's right? Is that what you're telling me?" Burgess came around. For the time, she would remain anonymous-and, like Walsh, she had no intention of suing for damages. But, knowing that the attorneys conducting an internal inquiry would be alerted, she agreed to call the hotline to outline her complaint, which dates back to her short tenure at Fox in 2008. And, just as crucially, she OK'd allowing Bloom to put out the news.

On April 18, Bloom sent out a headline-grabbing tweet: "I represent a new woman who just phoned in a complaint of sexual and racial harassment against Bill O'Reilly to the Fox News hotline." Bloom booked a flight to New York in hopes of getting big play on the cable news shows. She got it, and O'Reilly's camp seemed to notice. That same day, the anchor's attorney, Marc Kasowitz, issued a statement about the still-cloaked Burgess allegation: "It is outrageous that an allegation from an anonymous person about something that purportedly happened almost a decade ago is being treated as fact, especially where there is obviously an orchestrated campaign by activists and lawyers to destroy Mr. O'Reilly and enrich themselves through publicity-driven donations." Kasowitz said his client was being "subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America." Without revealing specifics, Kasowitz said his firm had "uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by far-left organisations bent on destroying O'Reilly for political and financial reasons." When Ailes came under scrutiny, several of the network's stars publicly came to his defense. It was a testament to his power but also to a reservoir of good will he'd accumulated among some of Fox's stars. O'Reilly, whose television persona was often caustic and snide, mounted as vigorous a defense as possible from his Italian vacation, deploying a professional spin doctor to attack Walsh's claims. But, within Fox, he was much less popular than Ailes and the network's big names mostly kept silent.

By Wednesday, 21st Century Fox was ready to make its move. O'Reilly was out. "This was a major step, I feel, in the right direction," a current staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity said. "There is still a lot of systemic work that the network needs to do to ameliorate the situation." Within hours, women were appearing on CNN to share their own stories about him. Former Fox personality Margaret Hoover said that while O'Reilly "never sexually harassed her" she still had "some experiences where I'm uncomfortable enough for me to know never to put myself in a position where I was alone with Bill." Later, Kirsten Powers, a USA Today columnist and former Fox commentator who is now a CNN analyst, talked on air about the time O'Reilly thanked her on air for her "blonde-ness." Feeling disrespected, Powers went directly to the top, complaining to Roger Ailes. "What am I going to do? I don't like him but he makes so much money," Ailes told Powers, according to her account of the conversation. "You know Bill, he likes to put up dirty pictures and ask pretty girls to talk about them."
Eight days into Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer's maternity leave, vexed Victorian Liberals have moved to replace her.

Fairfax Media has confirmed Tony Abbott's former chief-of-staff turned political commentator Peta Credlin has been encouraged to run against Ms O'Dwyer in the blue ribbon seat of Higgins, as a rebuke to the minister for the government's soon-to-be enacted changes to superannuation.

It is understood that a number of branches within Ms O'Dwyer's electorate, which takes in Toorak, one of Australia's wealthiest suburbs, have chosen to meet when federal parliament is sitting, ensuring Ms O'Dwyer cannot attend.

"It's not factional at all," said one senior Victorian Liberal.
A number of community leaders in Port Hedland fear a new push by BHP Billiton to increase the port's export tonnage will create dust levels so bad the Pilbara town could be ruined.

BHP has made an application to the Department of Environment Regulation (DER) to expand the Pilbara town's export capacity from 270 to 290 megatonnes per annum.

LiDAR image captured above Port Hedland.

The application was put on hold in February to allow WA's environmental watchdog to review the regulation of dust pollution in Port Hedland - and while that's underway BHP has now submitted a new application to increase throughput to 275 mtpa as part of the process.

Local Dust control advocate Dr Con Berbatis is accusing BHP of gaming the system and ignoring community concerns.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Apr. 21, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 21, 2017 | 06:18 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Here are highlights from Thursday evening's McCracken County School Board meeting:



Lone Oak Middle is the latest school to be awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant from the Kentucky Department of Education for the establishment of free before- and after-school enrichment programs for students. LOMS joins Heath Elementary, Heath Middle, Reidland Intermediate, Reidland Middle and McCracken County High School in offering the program.



The $675,000 grant will be dispersed as $150,000 per year for three years, and $125,000 and $100,000 in years four and five. Schools getting the grants must work with a community partner, so Lone Oak Middle will work with the McCracken County Cooperative Extension and 4- H Office to ensure the school's new program is a success.



The Baptist Health Foundation has awarded McCracken County Schools $10,000 for the purchase of five new automated electronic defibrillators (AED's) and replacement parts for the district's existing 19 AED's.



For some time now, MCPS has been in need of five additional AED's for after-school locations, since access is limited to the AED's inside main school buildings when they are locked. MCPS currently has 19 AED's throughout the district, 15 of which will need new shock pads or batteries within the next year. Baptist Health's gift will allow the district to ensure this potentially life-saving technology is available to students and community members at all times in all school buildings, and ensure that technology stays up-to- date.



The high school was recently awarded $50,000 from the Kentucky Department of Education to fund the completion of a new career pathway in energy technology engineering. This will include the addition of a new Project Lead the Way Engineering class, "Environmental Sustainability," as well as enhancements to the PLTW Engineering Design and Development senior capstone course and a partnership with the UK College of Engineering to mentor students as they work on energy-related senior projects. The new class will be available to students beginning with the 2018-19 school year.


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CHARLESTON -- An Eastern Illinois University student was shot early Saturday and later died of his injuries, according to Charleston police, and the shooter remains at-large.

After responding to a report of gunshots about 2:28 a.m. Saturday, Charleston Police Department personnel found Byron Edingburg, 23, and another gunshot victim in the yard of the residence at 1061 Seventh St.

Edingburg, who had both a Chicago address and one in Charleston, was airlifted to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, where he died of his injuries, according to authorities. The other victim survived his injuries and was released from the hospital, Charleston police reported.

Charleston Lt. John Bennett said the incident was not a "random act of violence" but was the result of a fight, based on the initial investigation.

A suspect, who has not been named, was still at-large as of Sunday evening.

The Eastern Illinois University community is deeply saddened to learn of this mornings tragic incident that resulted in the loss of life of one of our students, a Saturday statement from EIU President David Glassman read. Our thoughts and prayers remain with his family and friends.

Another report of shots being fired took place a later, at 3:07 a.m. Saturday, however there were no reported victims at the address of that incident. No further information was given on this incident or its relation, if any, to the first shooting.

According to the police, investigations of the incidents are underway and additional information will be released when possible. Police urge those with information related to these events to contact Charleston police at 217-345-8402 or the Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-866-345-8488 or text and leads to 274637.
CHARLESTON -- Patricia Carpenter is determined to live the rest of her life the way she always has  on her terms.

Usually active and energetic, her life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in August 2016. Its a vicious disease. It tears your life apart, she said. While Carpenter underwent colon resection surgery and started chemotherapy, she opted for hospice care when the cancer treatments began to severely hamper her quality of life.

She is grateful to caregivers from Lincolnland Hospice of Sarah Bush Lincoln who are helping her make the most of each day, according to a Sarah Bush press release.

The biggest surprise was the lunch they planned for my 80th birthday, Carpenter said. As soon as the nurse learned my birthday was coming up, she just picked up the phone and started making arrangements."

The Charleston woman and her husband, Stan, were treated to a birthday lunch with family and friends at Red Lobster in Champaign. The special day was made possible with the help of Lincolnland Hospices Grant-A-Wish program. The program offers end-of-life requests up to $500 to all its patients.

The funny thing is on the day we decided to stop treatment I told the doctor one of my bucket list wishes was going to Red Lobster and eating all the lobster I could eat, Carpenter said.

While she wasnt able to eat much that day, she appreciated the opportunity to spend time with her children, including a son and daughter who traveled from out of state, and her closest friends. Unfortunately, I became ill and had to miss some of the party, but I just cant get over that they wanted to do that for me, she said. I think I said some bad words about cancer that night.

Carpenter was also touched to receive a bouquet of birthday flowers from Sarah Bush Lincoln Oncologist Abdur Shakir, MD, and the Regional Cancer Center staff. They were just gorgeous, she said. The best people in the world are right out there at that cancer center. They are wonderful people.

While Carpenter has good days and bad days, she isnt ready to give up. Theres so much out there I havent learned, she said. Her spunky attitude keeps her husband of 30 years on his toes, though he is also battling prostate cancer. The couple is grateful for the support from Lincolnland Hospice.

I never realized the kindness and compassion hospice has until this happened, her husband said. It makes a such big difference just to know that someone cares -- and they care.

Lincolnland Hospice cares for people in 20 counties in East Central and Southern Illinois, regardless of their ability to pay, and provides comprehensive bereavement services. For more information about Lincolnland Hospice, call 1-800-454-4055.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In The New Urban Crisis Richard Florida, an American University professor and current director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, compellingly and convincingly defines the problems facing todays cities and their suburban counterparts.

During the old urban crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, the suburban exodus left city centres hollowed out, poor and crime-ridden. Now, according to Florida, we face the new crisis in which the technology, knowledge and creative workers are returning and clustering in central and transit-friendly areas of cities.

While they stimulate unprecedented innovation and economic growth, they also drive up rent and property prices, and monopolize services and economic opportunities.

David Paul Morris / Bloomberg files Cutline here (this is San Francisco BTW).

Interestingly, Florida contends that the medias preoccupation with gentrification takes away focus from the larger issues of growing inequality and concentrated chronic poverty.

His in-depth research looks foremost at income, as well as other disparities, in a range of superstar as well as mid-sized American cities/metro areas, and includes some international cities such as London and, within the Canadian context, Toronto and Vancouver.

Floridas statistics can be overwhelming at times, but they build up to the sobering conclusion that mixed, inclusive, middle-class neighbourhoods are disappearing. He shows how, over the last 20 years, the gap between the well-paid, technology-based and the low-paid, service-industry workers is widening into a troubling urban geography of small areas of affluence and larger areas of poverty.

Suburbs, which after the Second World War drove growth and upward middle-class mobility, are now also stagnating and their crime rates are rising.

While Floridas narrative is always invested and personal, it particularly hits home as he recounts growing up in North Arlington, a suburb of Newark, N.J., and his parents aspirations in moving his family there.

His awareness of urbanity in popular culture and his references to art and politics also make Florida accessible and allow him to engage a larger audience, as when he muses on the new reality and perception of the suburbs, noting how [t]he TV series Breaking Bad made suburban meth dens as iconic as the urban street corners where drug dealers plied their trade in The Wire.

Floridas most valuable contribution, however, is the list of innovative strategies and policies he proposes to combat the growing racial, social and economic segregation and inequality in our cities. Because, he argues, economic inequality is not only the result of big structural changes in the economy, such as globalization and automation, but also of policy choices  reduction in taxes and welfare benefits, anti-union measures  that have undone the old social compact and eroded the wages of American workers. These choices can be reversed if we choose to do so.

For Florida, the solutions to urban problems lie in more and better-informed urbanism. For example, to make use of clustering he suggests reworking zoning and building codes, and switching from property to land value tax. Another proven way to increase access and density is strategic investment in infrastructure and public transportation.

He radically suggests turning low-wage service jobs into middle-class work by raising minimum wage, encouraging unions and involving more government regulation. He claims this is exactly what happened with manufacturing jobs in the United States after the Second World War. Obviously this kind of investment in people and places will be costly, but Florida explains that a more equal, unsegregated and productive workforce make senses not only morally but economically in the long run.

Floridas book offers a groundbreaking vision for inclusive and prosperous cities and is a call to city dwellers and urban politicians alike to become better-informed and propose and follow through on hard but rewarding choices.

Barbara Romanik resides in Winnipeg and is a fiction writer and an academic interested in urban writing and theory.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a lifetime of walking alongside indigenous people and advocating for their treaty rights, 87-year-old Henry Neufeld of Winnipeg plans to take the journey a few steps farther.

Im trying to make the public aware of the deficiencies (in keeping) the promises that were made, says the retired Mennonite church worker, who became fluent in Ojibway after working for two decades in northern Manitoba communities.

Steve Heinrichs, Henry Neufeld and Erin Froese are three of many people who will walk 600 kilometers in support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (Jen Doerksen / Winnipeg Free Press)

The volunteer hospital chaplain and woodworker is the oldest participant among dozens walking 600 kilometres for the Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights, which is lobbying the federal government to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Sponsored jointly by Mennonite Church Canada and Christian Peacemaker Teams, the trek begins Sunday from Kitchener, Ont., with eight Winnipeggers among the 30 core walkers.

Their route takes a meandering path along city streets, country roads and secondary highways to arrive in Ottawa on May 14.

Its not just about the destination. Its about the journey and the intention with which we walk, says co-organizer Steve Heinrichs of Mennonite Church Canada, who will be joined by his 11-year-old daughter Abby, who is indigenous.

Both a political act and spiritual pilgrimage, Heinrichs says the impetus for the trip grew out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which calls on churches and religious groups to engage in action and public dialogue to support the declaration in Article 48.

After walking up to 35 kilometres each day, participants plan to hold daily conversation circles and informal meetings with the wide variety of churches and community groups hosting them.

They will also talk about their pilgrimage with the dozens of people expected to join them for a day or two, says Kathy Moorhead Thiessen, a Winnipeg-based member of Christian Peacemaker Teams.

One of the reasons we felt it was important to do it is we have heard from our (indigenous) partners Teach your people so we dont have to do it,  says Thiessen, who has been walking 12 kilometres daily to prepare for the trip.

After years of opposition, the Canadian government adopted the UN declaration in 2016 and promised to fully implement it, but has yet to do so. Last year, NDP MP Romeo Saganash introduced a private members bill that would ensure the laws of Canada are in harmony with the declaration.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also calls for the implementation of the declaration, which ensures the basic human rights indigenous people need to be healthy, says University of Winnipeg instructor and activist Leah Gazan, who is joining the pilgrimage for several days.

For myself as an indigenous person (the walk) isnt an educational effort, but part of fighting for my rights as an indigenous person, says the member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation in southwestern Saskatchewan.

Organizers consulted with indigenous advisers, including Gazan, in planning the trip, says Heinrichs, adding the pilgrimage is more about settlers decolonizing themselves than telling indigenous people what to do.

The (focus) is not about how we engage indigenous people, he says.

JEN DOERKSEN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Steve Heinrichs, Henry Neufeld and Erin Froese see the walk as a way to rebuild relationships.

Its about how we reconstruct our relationships so we can come to a better place together.

But first, they walk. Like any pilgrimage, the physical effort of putting one foot ahead of the other for hours on end can clear the mind and provide space for reflection and understanding, says Thiessen.

Christians have done it, indigenous people have done it, other faiths have done it, she says of the long history of pilgrimages.

This journey of thousands of steps will continue as participants act on what they hear along the way, says Erin Froese, who planned the pilgrimage for a course at Canadian Mennonite University.

I think the big point of the pilgrimage is not just the walking part or the destination, but the return, says the third-year environmental studies student.

For Neufeld, who spent 20 years working as a teacher and minister in Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi and Moose Lake, joining the walk is a way to honour his indigenous friends. Hes taking a little extra baggage with him, including his hand-carved walking stick, a hand drum and a treaty medal he mounted on wood for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Im taking one (a medal) on our walk to remind me we are all treaty people, says Neufeld.

brenda@suderman.com

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A report released by the Canadian Agricultural Policy Institute (CAPI) and the Public Policy Forum (PPF) last week acknowledges what people in agriculture have known all along.

Agriculture will be a significant player in Canadas economic future. Its a bright green light at a time when Canadas traditional resource sectors are floundering.

It thrives on innovation, produces things we continue to need and employs 2.2 million people  or one in eight Canadians.

Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press Files Dominic Barton, chairman of the Advisory Council on Economic Growth, says Canada has the potential to rise from its current status as fifth largest agricultural exporter to second by increasing its share of global exports to eight per cent from the current 5.7 per cent.

If these two policy think-tanks  along with the federal governments Advisory Council on Economic Growth  get their way, agriculture will be front and centre in this countrys economic growth strategies.

They are calling on the federal government to create an Agri-Food Growth Council that reports to the centre of government rather than any particular department.

In February 2017, the Advisory Council on Economic Growth released a series of recommendations emphasizing the potential for Canada to become the trusted global leader in safe, nutritious and sustainable food for the 21st century.

Council chairman Dominic Barton earlier this year said Canada has the potential to rise from its current status as fifth largest agricultural exporter to second by increasing its share of global exports to eight per cent from the current 5.7 per cent.

CAPI and the PPF consulted with industry stakeholders across the country in the wake of that report.

There is now increasing awareness outside of our food system of the tremendous opportunities presented by a burgeoning global population, a growing global middle class, and changing consumer trends such as increased demand for higher-value food, like proteins and functional foods that have health benefits beyond simple nutrition, they say in the report, Canada as an Agri-Food Powerhouse: Strengthening our Competitiveness and Leveraging our Potential.

Notable about these recommendations, however, is that they go much further than previous calls to simply produce and export more.

It says Canada needs to build its strategy around trust  a much more holistic concept than productivity: Being the trusted global food leader  must be the lens through which we assess all relevant policies and strategies.

The report says trust is vitally important, because without it, policies and rules that hurt competitiveness come in to play.

The reality that most Canadians are now generations removed from primary agriculture has contributed to a lack of trust, which is at the core of many of the polarizing debates over our food systems in recent times.

Educating consumers and improving their food literacy  from fork back to farm, including trust in science  is an important part of risk-mitigation, this report says.

Equally critical is a commitment to environmentally sustainable growth.

Sustainability not only delivers on expectations that enhance public trust, but its also a driver for reducing costs, adding new value, enhancing productivity, ensuring profitability and creating production-related resilience.

And if agriculture is to continue to attract investors, draw in new talent and build public trust, it must deliver co-benefits to society, they say.

While farmers and industry may celebrate agriculture finally getting the recognition it deserves, being in the limelight creates more scrutiny, more questions and more accountability.

Increasing food literacy among non-farming Canadians potentially casts an unfavourable light on some farm practices.

Policy  even policy that supports innovation and growth  comes with strings attached.

Securing public trust involves much more than industry campaigns saying trust me.

As the saying goes, none of this is rocket science. Its actually more complicated. But if they pull it off, everyone wins.

Laura Rance is editorial director for Farm Business Communications. She can be reached at laura@fbcpublishing.com or 204-792-4382
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/04/2017 (2027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When the new Winnipeg airport terminal was completed in 2011, it was forecast passenger traffic would hit four million by the end of 2019.

Well, that milestone was hit three years early and the overall economic impact the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport has on the city continues to be strong, growing at a rate faster than the GDP growth of the city.

On Friday, the 2016 Economic Impact Study on the airport was released by Vancouver-based Intervistas, which estimates the airports annual direct, indirect and induced economic impact was a whopping $3.37 billion.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Airport Authority CEO Barry Rempel.

Weve been pretty pleased watching the progress. We knew there was going to be some improvement in the numbers, said Barry Rempel, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, the organization that owns and runs the airport.

Just the passenger-traffic growth alone means there is a change, he said. We had some pretty impressive traffic growth the last little while.

The strong numbers  the four-million passenger count in 2016 represented a year-over-year increase of close to six per cent  are continuing this year.

Rempel said the first-quarter results, which will be released next week, are on track for a similar pace of growth, giving the Winnipeg airport the third-strongest passenger growth rate in the country.

March, for some reason, was just unbelievable, Rempel said.

Adding together the direct, indirect and induced impacts where Intervistas used a multiplier, the economic impact of the airport includes a total of 17,130 jobs, total wages of all employees of $830 million, an estimated $1.54 billion in total GDP and $3.37 billion in total economic output.

The airport is an incredible driver of the economy, said Dayna Spiring, CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg.

It is great to have a group like the Winnipeg Airports Authority, who are able to aggregate so much activity. It really opens a lot of doors for us.

Theres no data to compare the economic impact the Winnipeg airport has on the city relative to the economic impact other airports have on other cities, but the thinking is it might be larger.

One of the issues for us in Winnipeg is that the city is such a distribution gateway, Rempel said.

It is the busiest airport in the country for scheduled freighter flights, with an average of 300 cargo landings each month.

As much as the Intervistas report took into account, it did not include the impact of the Royal Canadian Air Force operation, whose 17 Wing division represents about 3,500 additional jobs in the airport region.

While the largest increase in traffic over the past four years has been to and from the countrys largest airport in Toronto  there was an additional 4,278 seats per week on Winnipeg-Toronto schedules between 2012 and 2016  northern routes and carriers are a big part of the airports activity.

For instance, there are now three weekly 767 cargo flights from Winnipeg to Iqaluit.

As well, scheduled passenger/cargo flights to Northern Manitoba communities make up a great deal of the activity at the airport.

Many of those flights are offered by Calm Air International, Perimeter Aviation and Keewatin Air, airlines owned by Winnipeg-based Exchange Income Corp.

In total, Exchange Income Corp.s operations at the airport represent about 1,000 jobs.

Mike Pyle, CEO of the company, said: We feel Barry (Rempel) and his team are even more customer-focused than ever. Our business is different than Air Canada and we feel they really try to understand our needs.

The $600-million airport terminal building opened in the fall of 2011 and some ancillary commercial developments continued to occur, including the opening of a couple of hotels.

Going forward, Rempel said he is hoping his board will approve some not insignificant new capital spending at his board meeting next week.

Pyles company is likely to be responsible for the next big new industrial development on the airport campus, with its previously announced intention to build a heavy maintenance shop to support Canadas new fleet of 16 Airbus C-295 search-and-rescue aircraft.

Further details on that development may be forthcoming at EICs own annual meeting next month.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Duplicate bridge results announced

CHARLESTON -- The results of the duplicate bridge game played on April 17 are:

1 Dan Drake - Shirley Wilson

2 Grant Sterling - David Stevens

The next game will be held on Monday at the First Christian Church in Charleston at 6:45 p.m.

Child seat safety check event to be held

MARTINSVILLE -- District 12 Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians get clicking for kids at a free child seat check event from 1-3 p.m. Monday at the Clark County Health Department, for all parents, grandparents, and caregivers.

Illinois State Police Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be on hand to inspect and assist in the proper installation of child safety seats from infant to booster and beyond. "One child passenger fatality is one too many," said Illinois State Police District 12 Commander, Capt. Cory Ristvedt.

"Caregivers are encouraged to take the opportunity to stop by, and have child passenger safety questions answered by one of our certified technicians," he added.

For more information, contact Trooper Tammy Welborn at Tammy_Welborn@isp.state.il.us.

Mattoon Class of 1949 to have lunch

MATTOON -- The Mattoon Class of 1949 is scheduled to have lunch at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Pagliacci's in Mattoon. For more information, call 217-235-5542.

Art Talk Tuesday scheduled at Flourishes

SHELBYVILLE -- Local artists of all skill levels are welcome to join the free sessions at Art Talk Tuesday at Flourishes Gallery and Studios, located at 140 1/2 East Main.

There is no cost or registration needed.

Sessions begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays. This week's topic will be drawing shapes and spaces; bring colored ballpoint pens or markers. Miscellaneous objects are optional.

For more information, call 217-827-5690.

Okaw-Valley blood drive scheduled

BETHANY -- An American Red Cross blood drive will be held Tuesday in the Okaw Valley High School gym in Bethany.

Any healthy individual, age 16 through 75, who meets weight requirements can donate blood. Donors should eat a moderate meal before donating and must bring identification showing a picture and a signature. All blood types are needed, especially Types 0- and 0+.

This blood drive will start at 9 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. The blood drive is sponsored by the Okaw Valley High School Student Council. By donating at this blood drive, you are helping one or more graduating seniors earn a scholarship. For more information regarding the blood drive or to make an appointment contact the Okaw Valley High School at 217-665-3631.

Fracking discussion to be held in Charleston

CHARLESTON -- "The New Fracking: Extreme Extraction Dangers and the Imperative for a Transition to Sustainable Energy Systems," a discussion led by Vito Mastrangelo, JD, will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Charleston Carnegie Public Library, 712 Sixth St., sponsored by the Coles County Green Party.

The presentation describes high-volume horizontal fracking and discusses the historical, legal, and political background of oil and gas extraction. Discussion will follow.

Mastrangelo is a licensed Illinois attorney living in Jefferson County. He retired from public service in 2011 after 25 years working for the Illinois Appellate Court, Fifth District, first as a clerk to Justice Kasserman, then for the court as a Research Attorney, and for the last four years as the Director of Research. He also taught an evening business law class for many years at Rend Lake College.

Since retiring from public service, he has volunteered for several nonprofit organizations, including Jefferson County Senior Services, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, and SAFE (Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment), and he currently serves on SAFE's Steering Committee. He has also served as secretary (2013-15) and chairman (2015-17) of the Illinois Green Party. Vito is a graduate of SIU-C (1977, 1980).
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/04/2017 (2027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coun. Ross Eadie says the nomination of businessman David Asper as chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board is a violation of the citys bylaw and a breach of the intent of city council when it created the board in 2012.

Eadie said the November 2012 administrative report that supports the police board bylaw states the citys appointments to the board will consist of two members of council  one of whom will be chairman  and three citizens.

Eadie said Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman wants to appoint four citizens and Asper isnt a member of council.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Coun. Ross Eadie

It seems quite clear to me the intention of the administrative report was to appoint two members of council to the police board and that if the mayor was not taking the chair, then one of the councillors would, Eadie said. For the life of me, I dont understand how this mayor can just go and change a council decision without council reviewing and changing the bylaw.

Bowman announced this week he was recommending Asper be the next chairman, replacing Coun. Jeff Browaty, who was forced to resign in February under pressure from the boards indigenous council.

Bowman also appointed another citizen to the board, businessman Brian Scharfstein, to replace Derek Johannson, who resigned in March citing a heavy workload.

Council will vote on the appointments at its meeting Wednesday.

The mayors office said Bowman has interpreted the bylaw differently than Eadie, explaining it believes the police board chairman can be either a member of council or a citizen appointee, a position supported by the city solicitor and the city clerk.

Provincial legislation states citizens must make up the majority of Winnipegs seven-member police board.

The province appoints two citizens and council appoints the remaining five members.

Council has always appointed two councillors to the police board and three citizens, with a councillor as chairman. However, the wording of the bylaw is confusing and has led to the dispute between Eadie and Bowman.

The council bylaw states the board will consist of three citizens, the mayor  or his designate, who will be appointed chairman  and a councillor.

Eadie said while the bylaw might be vague on the issue, the administrative report is not and council approved the administrative report.

You just cant look at one piece of the bylaw or the report in isolation  you have to look at everything as a package, what was councils intent and councils intent was to have three citizens and two members of council, one who would be the chairman, Eadie said.

Eadie, who is a member of the police board, said he has no concerns with Scharfsteins appointment but said he will not participate in a vote on Aspers appointment.

I will not vote on anything that proposes to break a bylaw because I want to keep my integrity, Eadie said.

Eadie said while it might be a good idea to have a citizen as chairman of the police board, it is a move that should be reviewed, debated and voted on by council.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 21/04/2017 (2027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A provincial inquest is recommending there be more staff to watch inmates at Stony Mountain Institutions kitchen after an inmate stabbed another to death in the kitchen.

Provincial court Judge Mary Kate Harvie wrote in her 18-page report into the stabbing death of Cosmo Damiano Valente that the prison needed to develop a written policy and a standing order for the minimum number of staff members, known as stewards, in the kitchen to monitor the inmates working.

Although it is unknown whether an increase in number of staff would have prevented this incident, it stands to reason that the presence of the stewards has, generally speaking, a deterrent effect on the behaviour of the inmates, Harvie wrote.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files Cosmo Valente was stabbed to death in Stony Mountain Penitentiary Institution in 2012.

I appreciate that the optimal number of stewards is directly related to the number of inmates present in the kitchen. Having said that, it seems appropriate for (the prison) to formalize and create a written policy respecting the number of stewards in the kitchen area, including a provision which states that no steward should be alone while supervising the kitchen area.

The judge said this is especially needed when the prison admitted it had only stewards supervising in the kitchen with no security staff posted there.

The judge called Valentes death at 69 a tragic event.

He died as a result of the criminal act of another inmate. I find that his death was as a result of homicide.

A prison spokesman could not be reached for comment.

The inquest, which was held during three days in February, heard that Valente was working with 18 other inmates in the kitchen while two of the six available stewards were there on June 12, 2012, at about 8:45 a.m.

Valente was removing clean dishes from the dishwasher while Byron Jacob, then 24, was putting dirty dishes into the machine when suddenly an argument broke out.

Jacob grabbed a knife that had been signed out by another inmate in the food-preparation area and stabbed Valente in the abdomen.

Valente was rushed to the Health Sciences Centre where he underwent surgery, but when his condition continued to worsen, he was operated on again nine days later.

Valentes condition continued to deteriorate and he was pronounced dead on June 25 at 3:25 p.m.

A later autopsy found doctors had missed that the knife had penetrated his pancreas.

Jacob, who is a long-time associate of the Native Syndicate street gang, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced in June 2015 to 10 1/2 years in prison.

I am truly sorry to the family of their lost loved one. I regret it every heartbeat of my life, Jacob told the court during sentencing.

Valente, who was halfway through a six-year prison sentence, was convicted of two counts of counselling to commit murder in 2009.

Court was told that Valente had approached a man in Thunder Bay and told him he wanted to kill his wife and he would pay $5,000 to burn the home he and his wife owned.

The man, who pretended to be interested, took down Valentes number and later called the police.

Later, after the man helped Valente meet with an undercover police officer, Valente asked the officer to kill his wifes lawyer.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police are thanking the public and the media for assisting in the arrest of a high-risk sex offender.

The Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit issued a news release earlier reporting that Christopher Edwin Murdock was unlawfully at large after failing to comply with his long-term supervision order. Murdock, 49, was designated a long-term offender in 2002 after being convicted of numerous sexual assaults as well as weapons and violent offences, the release said.

Police issued a news release Friday saying a tip from the public helped them locate Murdock. He was arrested without incident Wednesday night by members of the unit made up of Winnipeg police and RCMP officers.
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This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

John Jacob Harpers voice is quiet, almost inaudible, but the emotion in his words carries to the victims family and friends seated in the courtroom. They are waiting for justice in a case that has shone a spotlight on the deadly consequences of substance abuse in a northern Manitoba community.

I lost my friend, Harper, 29, tells the judge who is about to send him to prison for manslaughter.

I didnt mean to do that I didnt know that will happen to him.

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES St. Theresa Point First Nation is one of many northern communities battling an onslaught of addictions-related issues.

Harper was sentenced earlier this week to five years in prison for drunkenly beating one of his best friends, a 26-year-old man who had been drunkenly attacking his own wife before Harper intervened.

Everyone involved, including a co-accused who is still awaiting trial, had been at a party in St. Theresa Point in April 2016, drinking a dangerous type of homemade alcohol that has long been blamed for spikes in violent crime in remote First Nations communities designated as dry.

Harpers friend died the next day after being flown 600 kilometres south to Winnipeg for emergency medical treatment that was ultimately unsuccessful. Before he died of a brain injury, likely caused by Harper kicking him in the head as he lay defenceless on the floor, he told Harper he forgave him.

I deserved it, he said.

The homicide is one of a rising number of violent-crime tragedies that has been blamed on the scourge of what is commonly called super-juice.

Its particularly tragic, and its typical. The difference is that someone died. But every court sitting we see a number of court cases very much like this where people are on super-juice and they have violent disputes and things get out of hand, said Harpers defence lawyer, Chris Sigurdson, who has been working in northern Manitoba communities for nearly 20 years.

Youre looking at places that dont have proper running water, theres very high unemployment, its isolated  all of those factors are going to play into addictions and substance abuse, he said.

Consumption of the potent homebrew has been particularly damaging in Manitobas remote First Nations that have banned the sale of alcohol.

Community leaders and First Nations advocates have been raising the alarm about super-juice since the homemade alcohol started gaining popularity in Manitoba nearly 10 years ago. The majority of RCMP calls in Manitobas north arise from alcohol abuse, and police say theyve seen a rise in violent crime since super-juice came on the scene. Now, as prescription drug abuse becomes more common, the concoction is likely to be mixed with illegally obtained pills  and small, remote northern communities are suffering the consequences.

Curtis McDougall, justice director with St. Theresa Point First Nation, said the community of nearly 4,000 on the shore of Island Lake is seeing a spike in crime that can usually be traced back to substance abuse.

The majority of murders that happen in our community, its with super-juice all the time. And that really causes a problem. Sometimes they dont even know what happened. Its really potent, that super-juice, he said. Its not a regular alcohol like beer or liquor. It has more potency.

Super-juice is a fermented mix of water, sugar and super yeast, commonly sold in wine making kits. Its usually mixed in pails, forming a foul-smelling greyish-white liquid that sometimes contains floating pieces of fruit. It only takes a day or so to ferment, making it a quick option for people looking to sell the stuff in two-litre bottles or imbibe in their own homes  although they often do so too early, leading to painful stomach issues and increased intoxication as the yeast continues to ferment from inside.

St. Theresa Point is consulting with Public Safety Canada to develop a safety plan for the community, something McDougall hopes will address gaps in treatment and after-care and lead to better prevention on addictions, in addition to a wide range of issues the community is tackling.

Instead of waiting, we have to go out there and try to bring it to reality, he said.

While band councils across Manitobas north have tried to ban super yeast in their dry communities, its easy to bring in and RCMP cant seize it because its a legal product, said Manitoba RCMP Staff-Sgt. Noel Allard, who oversees the north district which stretches from Grand Rapids to Churchill, with Flin Flon on the east and Shamattawa on the west.

The majority of calls  about 70 per cent  to northern RCMP detachments are alcohol-related, and super-juice is a contributor to that, particularly in the northeast region of the province, he said. People blackout on the quick-fermenting homebrew and often cant remember what they did, he said.

Usually thats what the offender says to us when we interview them  they blacked out. Either theyre super drunk or high on drugs. Its always the same answers, over and over.

Homebrew has always been an issue, but alcoholic concoctions made with regular bread makers yeast werent as powerful, Allard said. Police have a difficult task when it comes to combatting super-juice because its made with a legal product, and they recognize fining someone for drinking in a dry community often takes money away from families who are struggling to make ends meet in places that lack basic infrastructure, including proper housing and plumbing.

Its a serious thing for northern communities, super-juice. But nobody can control it, Allard said. The family loses out, sometimes by death theres a lot of bad endings to something that they planned as a good evening (activity).

A steady stream of alcohol-fuelled assaults  a lot more body parts missing from victims, serious violent crimes, Allard said  has broken up families and resulted in more children being placed in foster care.

More recreation, education and employment would go a long way toward helping people who turn to substance abuse and super-juice, Allard said.

Everybodys tried, the local chief and council have tried. I think the only way we could actually abate it is more education, more things for the family environment. Most of these communities dont have nothing to do except watch TV. Theres no evening activities, theres no family activities really in most communities.

Many First Nations communities have long battled addictions in the fight to improve their quality of life, and thats no easy task in a place like St. Theresa Point, where only about 10 per cent of the population has employment.

Many live in overcrowded homes and depend on social assistance cheques that arent adjusted for the high cost of food and supplies in remote areas. Theyre still dealing with the effects of inter-generational trauma dating back to colonialism and residential schools, and substance abuse has arisen out of a feeling of hopelessness, Chief David McDougall said.

This is one of the symptoms of an oppressed group of people, he said.

The key is that were given a chance to also generate resources so that we can help people help themselves. We can help ourselves out of this if we can find ways to do it, if were given a chance.

Faced with the high cost of sending people down south for addictions treatment, justice director Curtis McDougall said hes working toward the goal of building a treatment centre in St. Theresa Point to serve the four Island Lake First Nations.

Lets have a treatment centre here. Were not the only ones that have a problem, but in the Island Lake region, theres over 10,000 people. I dont want to speak on their behalf what kind of problems they have, (but) I know theyll utilize it too instead of shipping somebody off to Winnipeg, he said.

We deal with drugs and alcohol and thats where the stem of it all is. If we eliminate that, we would have less crimes and less delinquencies, and I do believe thats where it all begins.

The community has eight safety officers  formerly known as band constables  who are called upon to respond immediately at the first sign of intoxication, before a drunken encounter escalates to violence, and theyre often able to nip conflicts in the bud, Curtis McDougall said.

But he said the community needs more funding  not only for treatment programs, but for youth centres and recreation.

It doesnt satisfy the whole community, Curtis McDougall said. The programs are there just to look good, but its not enough. I would like developing programs, youth centres.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
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This article was published 21/04/2017 (2027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowmans plan to create a lobbyist registry appears to be a positive step to shake off city hall scandals and allegations of the past few years, but the proposal is meeting some resistance from diverse elements across the community.

Representatives from business groups and the non-profit sector have criticized Bowman for not consulting the public on whats been described as an unworkable model. Former city councillor George Fraser, meanwhile, said he doesnt think a registry is very useful and establishing and regulating one will only distract the new integrity commissioner from more serious work.

Sounds good, but it doesnt work, Fraser said of the plan Bowman unexpectedly brought to city hall without notice. Bad actors avoid the registry and the only thing that catches them is the focus on integrity and the good people doing the right thing.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Mayor Brian Bowman claims a lobbyist registry will curb 'old-school politics' at Winnipeg City Hall.

Bowman surprised everyone when, late in the afternoon before Good Friday, he announced he would bring a plan for a lobbyist registry to his executive policy committee (EPC) the following Wednesday and then to council the week after.

Members of the EPC unanimously approved the proposal at their April 19 meeting, without comment or debate, and its expected to go to the April 26 council meeting.

Fraser sat on council from 1989 to 1995 and spent the past 20-odd years representing non-profit and business groups.

He told the EPC that lobbyist registries are a waste of time, resources and money, saying even good ones are effective only if lobbyists and politicians comply with the law  but no one can tell when theyre not.

Several non-profit groups, including the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, the West Central Womens Resource Centre, the North End Renewal Corporation, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, contacted all members of council in hopes of convincing the EPC to delay the proposal.

That would allow public consultation, they suggested, on the definition of a lobbyist and the objectives of the registry.

Molly McCracken, director of the Manitoba office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, said non-profit groups are dismayed the proposal is moving ahead so quickly without giving them an opportunity to respond.

Were not opposed to the concept of the registry but as this would change protocol at city hall; its concerning that a consultation did not take place in the development of the registry, McCracken said.

Non-profits are concerned the new registry would add red tape or impose a chill on non-profits, McCracken said. We work very hard with very little resources. We have an important role to play at city hall and we need to participate in way that is easy to do.

McCracken said non-profits act in the public interest and she resented being lumped in with professional lobbyists and business groups who act only to benefit their own members.

Bowman said the registry is needed to rid city hall of old-school politics and will help move us forward by ensuring the public gets to see who is trying to influence government decision-making and why.

Bowman said his proposed lobbyist registry is based on recommendations from a 2015 city auditors report, but critics note the city auditors office concluded a lobbyist registry as proposed now by Bowman has little value.

The mayors plan requires any individual representing a financial or business interest, or any non-profit group with paid staff, to register meetings with an elected official or civic staff where they tried to influence city policy or a council or committee vote.

Meetings must be registered with the city clerks office within 10 days.

Registration is only voluntary, however, as the city doesnt have the authority to compel anyone to register such meetings or the power to investigate alleged violations or impose any penalty or force compliance.

Bowman said its expected new integrity commissioner lawyer Sherri Walsh eventually will recommend a series of legislative amendments for the province to make to give real force to the lobbyist registry.

But the citys auditors report from 2015 concluded a voluntary registry would not be of much value and recommended the legislative authority be put in place before creating the registry.

If youre going to have a registry, do it right or dont do it at all, said Chris Lorenc, president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.

He said Bowman should have followed the recommendation of the city auditor.

Dont try to fool the public into thinking youre fixing a problem that, first, you havent identified, and second, you havent consulted with the broad community about impact, values and merits, just so you can say you have a lobbyist registry. Thats just being silly.

Fraser said hes concerned Walsh will become so preoccupied monitoring and fixing Bowmans registry she wont have time to properly investigate complaints of unethical behaviour by members of council.

Lorenc, who butted heads with Bowman in December over road construction spending in the budget, said he finds it ironic Bowman claims the registry is needed to fight old-school politics, adding it appears Bowman is executing his own old-school politics in the way he brought the proposal to city hall.

Lorenc, a city councillor from 1983 to 1992, said Bowman rushed the proposal through with no public consultation and no time for public debate, without fully understanding how its going to impact various groups and city hall operations.

To me, thats old-school politics, Lorenc said.

The voluntary nature of the registry will only mislead the public into thinking its achieving something, Lorenc said.

What have you really achieved or accomplished, if individuals can decide which meetings they need to register, if any at all, he said.

That makes it a toothless tiger and really a bit of a sham game.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 21/04/2017 (2027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Booze at the zoo is a distinct possibility in the near future.

The Assiniboine Park Zoo has applied for a liquor licence to give guests the right to drink anywhere on the zoo grounds, even if it means wandering down a path where animals might catch a whiff of liquor.

The more likely scenario is after-hour corporate functions, weddings and other social events for which the zoo has become a popular choice.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Assiniboine Park Zoo has applied for a liquor licence to give guests the right to drink anywhere on zoo grounds.

Rather than apply for a liquor permit each time theres a request, applying for a general liquor licence is a matter of convenience that would allow the zoo to expand that part of its business with less paperwork to worry about, officials said.

Currently, you can purchase liquor at the restaurant but this (application) is for the entire property. Were doing a lot more after-hour functions and we want to be able to offer that flexibility, Assiniboine Park Conservancy spokeswoman Laura Curtis said Friday.

Right now, we have to get a permit every time we do one of these special events and this would mean we wont have to file for permits all the time.

The provinces liquor and gaming authority has posted notices about the application and is inviting public feedback until May 4. No one was available Friday to say how long it might take for the paperwork to go through and the licence to be granted.

As for where someone could go with a beverage in hand, thats up to them if the licence is granted, Curtis said.

Technically, someone could purchase a beer from the Tundra Grill and walk around if they want to, she said.

The liquor application notice specifies the Assiniboine Park Zoo also stipulates the licence could cover service from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday and 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Remembrance Day.

Those are the maximum hours  a procedural policy the provincial agency follows any time a business applies for a general liquor licence. No one expects liquor to be served as early as 9 a.m. at the zoo.

Champagne breakfasts arent being ruled out, but the zoo is focused primarily on evening events. You could have a function going until midnight or 1 a.m., Curtis said Friday.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Heres how the French presidential election is going to work. Sundays vote will pick the leading two candidates, who will then have another two weeks to campaign for the runoff vote. But the leading four candidates are now bunched together so closely in the polls any two of them could make it through to the second round. Including a couple of quite worrisome people.

The permutations and combinations are mind-bendingly complex.

One reporter interpreted the pollsters latest attempt to predict the second-round outcome as follows: Macron would win the run-off against any opponent, while Le Pen would lose. Melenchon would defeat everyone except Macron, and Fillon would lose to all except Le Pen.

BOB EDME / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Christophe Sanz, a supporter of French centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, glues a campaign poster next to one of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

The point, however, is that nobody knows which two will actually be in the second round. The four main candidates are all predicted to win between 19 per cent and 22 per cent of the votes Sunday, a spread that is no greater than the polls margin of error. And as of last weekend, one-third of the voters were still undecided.

So there are six possible outcomes to Sundays vote  and one of them, just as plausible as the others, would see the fascist and the crypto-communist fighting it out for the presidency in the second round.

Two of the candidates, Emmanuel Macron and Francois Fillon, are worthy centrist figures in the traditional mould of French presidents. Macron, a former investment banker, has a younger, more modern vibe, something like a French Justin Trudeau, but neither man poses any serious threat to the status quo. Whereas the other two

Marine Le Pen inherited the National Front from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded it in 1972 as an anti-immigrant, ultra-nationalist, neo-fascist movement. He gloried in outraging mainstream opinion, even indulging in Holocaust denial, but 15 years ago he made it into the presidential run-off.

Thats as far as he got. Every other partys voters united in support of the rival candidate, Jacques Chirac (some holding their noses  one slogan was vote for the crook, not the fascist), and the senior Le Pen was resoundingly defeated, getting only 18 per cent of the runoff vote. This taught his daughter anti-Semitism doesnt win votes any more. But anti-Muslim rhetoric still does, and extreme nationalism still works, too.

My first measure as president will be to reinstate Frances borders, she said this week. Out-Trumping U.S. President Donald Trump, she promised to stop all immigration to France right away, and to allow only 10,000 a year to come in when the total ban is relaxed. She also promises to pull France out of the euro common currency and to hold a Brexit-style referendum on leaving the European Union altogether.

If France followed Britain out of the EU, the organization would probably not survive. With the EUs second- and third-largest economies gone, Germany would utterly dominate the remaining 25 smaller economies, which would prove an unsustainable relationship in the end. And without the discipline of EU membership, its likely former Eastern European members would drift into internal repression and external conflicts.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the other rogue candidate, also dislikes the European Union. He says he would rather change the EU radically than leave it, but in practice he is just as nationalist as Le Pen, and a good deal more radical socially. As a student, he was a Trotskyist activist.

Today, Melenchon is just hard left, but very hard.

He wants to quit the NATO alliance, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, all of which are instruments of a failing global capitalism. He wants to limit pay for CEOs to 20 times the salary of their worst-paid employee and impose an absolute income ceiling of 400,000 euros (about $580,000), above which the tax rate rises to 100 per cent.

Hes as enthusiastic about Russian President Vladimir Putin as Trump was until a few months ago. Hes also a fan of the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela (whom Trump does not openly admire, but whose political style he closely emulates).

Melenchon is sharp and innovative: on some days he appears in half-a-dozen cities at once, speaking as a live-action hologram.

Hes funny, too. Once again, they are announcing that my election win will set off a nuclear winter, a plague of frogs, Red Army tanks and a landing of Venezuelans, he wrote in a recent blog post. Thats not true, of course, but it certainly would make Europe a very different place.

So how likely is this apocalyptic Le Pen-Melenchon runoff in May? Maybe one chance in six, because the voters can choose only one candidate, not which two they want to see in the run-off. And who would win a Le Pen-Melenchon contest? Probably Melenchon, because he could persuade more people to hold their noses and vote for an ex-Trotskyist than Le Pen could convince to vote for the unshriven daughter of a fascist.

The Trotskyists, you see, never invaded France.

Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.
Opinion

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This article was published 22/04/2017 (2026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wealth and power have allowed men to get away with sexual harassment and abuse for ages, thats not new.

From Bill Cosby to Bill Clinton, from Dominique Strauss-Kahn to Donald Trump, high-profile men have been accused of preying on women in very ugly ways. And many of them duck allegations and legal consequences for years or even decades  right up until the gratifying day their victims finally take them down.

Which brings us to the well-deserved downfall of Bill OReilly, the combative Fox News host who joined his heinous pal, former Fox chairman Roger Ailes, in the unemployment line this week.

RICHARD DREW / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Bill O'Reilly was fired from Fox News amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment which resulted in a loss of advertising for the network.

These two men are accused of using their positions to sexually harass and abuse the women in their workplace over and over again.

For years, women who worked with OReilly  the co-author of a book on old school values  said the talking head verbally abused them, called them up at home and described lurid (and ridiculous) sex acts he wanted to perform on them. He allegedly told his associate producer he was masturbating while talking with her and offered others promotions in exchange for sex with him.

This is a guy who was recorded telling that associate producer he wanted to fondle her with a falafel, though he actually meant a loofah. Yet somehow that wasnt embarrassing enough to get him off the air.

Nor were the court records that had his teenage daughter describing the way he was choking her mom as he dragged her down some stairs by the neck. Nah, keep that guy on the air and let him promote his books on family values.

Lets put aside the ethics and morality of those accusations to just look at the corporate cost of such accusations  the lawsuits filed, the hours in negotiations with lawyers, the $15 million in settlements. And still nope. Those things werent enough to make Fox News say adios to a guy who gets millions of viewers by spending all his time ripping into others from the comfort of a TV studio.

No, the Fox overlords didnt consider ditching OReilly until the New York Times published a stunning story earlier this month about sexual harassment settlements with five women who worked at Fox over a 15-year period. Thats when advertisers began to flee OReillys program and when the cable news channel finally began to take the allegations against their top-rated host seriously.

It was all about the Benjamins, baby. Not the behaviour women said he was guilty of.

But it is a reminder of the awesome power of consumers with the companies who want to sell us stuff. The allegations against OReilly prompted a stampede of nearly two dozen big advertisers to run away from Fox.

Hooray, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Smart move, Constant Contact. And yes, it was extra sharp for the mens shirt company called Untuckit to high-tail it away from a man who allegedly called women at night and described himself untucking something.

I know, its all pretty disgusting.

But there is a funny part to this.

After Fox announced it was ousting him Thursday, OReilly  who famously calls anyone opposing his conservative ideas snowflakes  continued to whine about his fate and deny the avalanche of allegations against him.

It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims, he said in a statement after Fox announced his axing. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today.

He said his accusers  all of them successful, professional women  targeted him because hes famous. Thats a familiar defence from men like him, who are accustomed to saying and doing anything they want to the women around them.

The current U.S. president once bragged on an Access Hollywood tape about kissing and groping women whenever he wanted to.

And when youre a star, they let you do it, Donald Trump explained to Billy Bush in 2005. You can do anything.

Whatever you want, Bush agreed.

Grab them by the pussy, Trump said. You can do anything.

Most men, of course, would never talk this way. They treat their female colleagues with respect. But it is how some men in positions of power think. And in the 21st-century American workplace, those men must be rooted out and fired.

The women who alleged they were being harassed by Bill OReilly should have been taken seriously right away. They should not have had to wait until advertisers spoke up.

But the money folks are listening. Remember that. Its a start, and that power is in our hands.

Petula Dvorak is a columnist for the Washington Post.
Baraboo High School students got in the Earth Day spirit Friday.

Groups of about 15 students traveled to Devils Lake State Park and the Maxwell-Potter Conservancy in Baraboo on Friday morning to help local conservationists with a long list of outdoor projects. At the Conservancy, that meant pulling out invasive plant species like garlic mustard and honeysuckle alongside Todd Persche and city of Baraboo forestry specialist Matt Hess.

Every plant you pull out is 100 less two years from now, Persche told students after teaching them how to identify garlic mustard from the landscape.

Persche is executive director of the Baraboo Range Preservation Association and often works on ecological restoration projects with local youth  like the high schools effort to restore the woods surrounding the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County to its pre-1840s condition.

Many invasive plant species prevalent throughout the Baraboo area reproduce quickly, creating dense shade that drowns out the regeneration of undergrowth in native forests. Buckthorn, another invasive plant species, also drops chemicals from its leaves that can change the pH levels of soil.

Persche told students a large portion of ecological restoration work in the area is dedicated to removing harmful invasive species.

During the three-hour work period, Persche led students on a tour of the Conservancy, pointing out native song birds and a host of other invasive plant species. At one point, he pulled a honeysuckle shrub out by its roots and hung it from an adjacent tree.

This is a message to all other honeysuckle, he warned. Do not germinate and grow here.

Baraboo School District activities director Jim Langkamp said the work day was part of its Green and Healthy Schools program, an initiative launched this year.

The program is a partnership between the state Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education. Its goal is to prepare students to understand, analyze and address environmental and sustainability challenges now and in the future by providing resources, recognition and certification.

More control over the programs initiatives at the high school will be transferred to students as it gains traction in the school district. Langkamp said the Earth Day activities may have provided some indication as to who those student leaders will be.

Students will get more heavily involved in terms of helping to drive some changes in the school, he said.
The world faces the prospect of more tension with China over trade, security and human rights after Xi Jinping awarded himself another five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party and called for self-reliance in technology, a stronger military and protection of core interests abroad. At a party congress, Xi gave no sign of plans to change the "zero-COVID strategy that has frustrated Chinas public and disrupted business and trade. He called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that strain relations with Washington and Asian neighbors. Xi is tightening control at home and trying to use Chinas economic heft to increase its influence abroad.
If youve ever watched him, you know that nobody deserved it more. Nobody deserved to be publicly humiliated more than that smug, smirking, snarling TV host, Bill OReilly.

Ten months ago, nobody would have believed there could be a Fox News without Roger Ailes. One month ago, nobody believed there could be a Fox News without OReilly.

Yet today both are gone, and the worlds a better place. They are both vestiges of an age long gone: where men ruled the world, where men could treat women like dirt, even sexually harass women, and get away with it. Its immoral, sometimes even criminal  but tolerated no more.

There are those who congratulate Fox News and the Murdoch family for their courage in doing the right thing and standing up for high moral standards. Nonsense. Fox News didnt dump Ailes and OReilly because they wanted to. They dumped them both because they had to.

Fox, in fact, was fine with sexual harassment in the workplace, as long as nobody knew anything about it. Roger Ailes would still be on the job, were it not for Gretchen Carlson. Management at Fox knew that Ailes had a problem with his treatment of women, but did nothing about it until Gretchen Carlson and other women had the courage to come forward with their sexual harassment lawsuits.

And OReilly would still be hosting The Factor, were it not for an April 1 investigative report in The New York Times, revealing that 21st Century Fox had paid a total of $13 million to settle lawsuits by five women whod accused him of sexual harassment or verbal abuse  two of the lawsuits were filed after theyd fired Ailes. Was that news to Fox? Of course not.

In late March, before the NYT expose, knowing full well that OReilly was a serial sexual abuser, Fox had signed him to a new four-year contract, reported by CNN at $25 million a year. They continued to stand by him even after the NYTs report  until advertisers started to jump off the OReilly show like rats off a sinking ship. Only after some 80 advertisers issued public statements confirming theyd removed ads from OReilly did Fox act  not to save its reputation, but to save its bottom line.

Of course, Fox News was not the only friendly force to stand by the shady Mr. OReilly. So did his longtime pal, the president of the United States. I think hes a person I know well  he is a good person, Donald Trump told the Times after its bombshell article on OReilly. Trump continued: I think he shouldnt have settled; personally, I think he shouldnt have settled. Because you should have taken it all the way. I dont think Bill did anything wrong.

In the world of sexual abusers, it takes one to know one. The man from the Access Hollywood tapes recognizes a soul brother in the Fox News host. Trump believes OReilly should not have settled, any more than he settled with the 11 women who came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment  from groping on planes to forceful advances in Trump Tower  in October 2016.

Like Trump, OReilly continues to deny the charges against him (even though they cost Fox $13 million). In a statement the day he was fired, he called them unfounded claims. But nobody should have been surprised by this latest OReilly news. His troubles with women go back to October 2004 when producer Andrea Mackris sued him for repeated instances of sexual harassment, including phone calls in which he explicitly discussed vibrators, threesomes, masturbation, the loss of his virginity and sexual fantasies.

Then, also, OReilly denied it all  until Mackris released recordings of his phone calls. In one call, he famously recounted, in gross detail, taking a shower with her and rubbing her all over with a falafel. After 16 days of legal proceedings, Mackris and Falafel Bill reached a settlement for which he reportedly paid her millions of dollars.

So now Ailes and OReilly are gone. Thats the good news. The bad news is that neither of them went to jail  and that both of them walk away richer than ever. Ailes was paid $40 million to leave Fox; according to CNN, OReilly got less than Ailes, but still tens of millions.

In the wake of their departure, theres only one question to ask executives of Fox News and those advertisers who pulled their ads from the OReilly Show. Not: Whyd you do it? But: What took you so long?
What started out as a hobby  growing cacao  has turned into a way of life for Ben VanEgtern and his business partner Adam Potter. They run Puna Chocolate Company, featuring products made from cacao they grow in Hawaii.

We made chocolate for ourselves, friends and family, VanEgtern said.

Named for the region where they grow cacao trees on Hawaiis Big Island, Puna Chocolate Company planted its first cacao orchard in 2013 and now offers its chocolate online and sells their products at farmers markets in Illinois, and at chocolate shows and festivals in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver and Burlington, Wisconsin.

VanEgtern grew up on a dairy farm and was active in the FFA before he graduated from Waupun High School in 2001.

After high school VanEgtern served in the U.S. Navy for four years, stationed in San Diego, with stopovers in Hawaii. After the navy, he got a job with JT Packard, which occasionally sent him back to Hawaii.

I kept falling in love with it more and more, VanEgtern said.

Eventually VanEgtern found property on the Big Island. He said Hawaii features a diverse range of climate groups and zones, and the Big Island has tropical, arid, temperate and polar climates.

It is the most northern place where you can grow cacao before you get out of the tropical zone, VanEgtern said.

Puna Chocolate Company focuses its mission on producing chocolate and leading tropical conservation. VanEgtern said the original intention when purchasing the land was to keep it as virgin rainforest.

He said cacao pods must be harvested when they are ripe.

Once you pick it, that is how it stays, VanEgtern said.

The pods are carefully opened and the beans removed. The beans are fermented, dried and roasted. Then the beans are ground with cane sugar and flavors before being tempered and poured into bars.

The better the fermentation, the better the chocolate, VanEgtern said.

VanEgtern said they brainstorm different flavor profiles to try seasonally, with a spring seasonal bar that uses maple syrup from Wisconsin. Other bars use macadamia nuts, cashews and coconuts grown in Hawaii.

Last year was our first year doing retail, VanEgtern said.

He opted to further his education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He began studying environmental engineering, but switched to tropical plants and soil sciences. Puna Chocolate Company also offers services to help others plant cacao orchards.

A lot of people who own property dont know what to do with it, VanEgtern said.

VanEgtern visited his alma mater, Waupun High School, during National Agriculture Week, and spoke to students about his life since graduation, from his military service, an internship in Uganda working with graduate students on pest management for the coffee plant, earning his degree in agriculture and his business.

Puna Chocolate Company now owns more than 60 acres and works to propagate the best cacao trees. They do their processing in Hawaii and in Chicago. The work employs three people full time -- with help from family.

VanEgtern said their chocolate can get to market as fast as two weeks after harvesting.
MADISONNew for the spring 2017 turkey season, hunters now have the option of donating their harvested turkey to needy families through the new Turkey Donation Program.

Donated turkeys will be processed free of charge and meat will be provided to local food pantries. For the spring 2017 turkey hunt, three pilot counties, Dodge, Fond du Lac and Jefferson, were chosen. This program will be expanded for the fall turkey hunt later this year.

Participating locations include:

Dodge County: Pernat-Haase Meats, N4202 Hwy M, Juneau, 920-386-3340;

Fond Du Lac County: Loehrs Meat Service, 523 E Main St, Campbellsport, 920-533-4513; and

Jefferson County: Pernats Premium Meats, 312 Milwaukee St, Johnson Creek, 920-699-6990.

Hunters can follow four simple steps to donate a harvested turkey to a family in needturkeys must be taken to a participating location by May 31, 2017:

Prior to donation, field dress the turkey, complete registration, and validate the carcass tag.

Contact a participating processor before drop-off to verify the processor has space to accept a turkey.

Donate the entire turkey to receive processing for free (the feet, beard and feathers may be removed prior to donating). A bag of ice placed in the cavity will help preserve the carcass in warm weather.

Complete the log sheet and indicate desire to donate the turkeythe donated turkey will be processed and the ground turkey will be distributed to charitable organizations to help feed families in need.

Those interested in supporting the Deer and Turkey Donation Programs can voluntarily donate $1 or more to the Deer and Turkey Donation Programs to help cover meat-processing fees. To donate, visit any license sales location or donate online through a Go Wild account at GoWild.Wi.Gov.

For more information regarding the turkey donation program, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords turkey donation.
Columbia County farmer Mary Benisch has won the opportunity to direct a $2,500 donation from the Americas Farmers Grow Communities program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, to the Columbus Agricultural Education Program.

The Columbus Agricultural Education Program will use the funds to purchase classroom equipment, materials and supplies for instruction in greenhouse management, landscaping, natural resources and animal science.

The Columbus Agricultural Education Program is lucky to have local farmers like Mary Benisch who continue to believe it is important to educate our students about the agricultural industry, said ag teacher Glenda Crook.

The Grow Communities programs purpose is to make a positive impact in farm communities by partnering with farmers to support the causes that are important to them in their communities. Each year, farmers enter for a chance to win a $2,500 donation that they direct to a local nonprofit.

Since the program began in 2010, farmers have directed more than $26 million in donations across a broad cross-section of organizations that reflect the makeup and character of rural America, including food banks, emergency response organizations, schools, youth agriculture programs and many others.

Farmers have directed funds to more than 8,000 community organizations across rural America since Grow Communities began, said Al Mitchell, Monsanto Fund president. Farmers are truly committed to this program because they see the difference the donation makes in their community.

For more information or to see a complete list of the 2017 Americas Farmers Grow Communities recipients, visit www.GrowCommunities.com.
The number of late absentee ballots that werent counted in last falls presidential election more than doubled from 2012 after lawmakers moved up their return deadline by three days, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The increase  from 498 in the 2012 presidential election to 1,208 last fall  isnt surprising given the change in law, and the number of ballots that werent counted is still extremely small given the more than 813,000 absentee ballots and nearly 3 million total ballots cast, WEC spokesman Reid Magney said.

The State Journal reported on the little-known change in law in October. As recently as the August primary the law allowed absentee ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the next Friday.

Starting with the November election mail-in ballots have to be received by a municipal clerks office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, which means they would have to be postmarked a few days earlier to arrive in time. The Wisconsin Elections Commission advised absentee voters to mail in their ballots a week before Election Day last fall.

The new law was enacted in March, but it wasnt set to take effect until September. County clerks had requested the change, said Chad Zuleger, a spokesman for Rep. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, chairwoman of the Assembly Committee on Elections and Campaigns.

He added the increase from 2012 could have resulted from the election being so contentious, leading some people to wait longer to make their final decision.

Other changes in election law, such as a voter ID requirement and extended early voting hours due to a federal court ruling, received more attention in the run-up to the presidential election.

Andrea Kaminski, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, agreed the number is small and noted the League isnt calling for any changes other than to ensure voters are aware of the deadline in future elections.

Its a bigger deal for those 1,208 voters who tried to vote but didnt have their ballots counted, Kaminski said. Most of them probably do not know their ballot was not counted.
The multi-county Innovation Challenges consortium is planning a pair of events for would-be entrepreneurs in Columbia, Marquette and Sauk counties.

Both the events are for people who are thinking of starting a business, or who have recently started a business and are still feeling their way through the process.

I think we need to encourage our entrepreneurs and inventors, said Nancy Elsing, executive director of the Columbia County Economic Development Corp. Thats where the new jobs are coming from.

A steering committee for Innovation Challenges met Friday to continue preparations for:

A spring event, set for May 17, with guest speakers and an opportunity for networking.

A Business Boot Camp Oct. 19 and 20, featuring an evening of networking and sharing business model ideas, followed by a full day of seminars on various aspects of operating a small business.

For both events, there are details that remain to be worked out.

But Steve Sobiek, the city of Portages business development and planning director, said late Friday afternoon that hed lined up the guest speakers for the May 17 event.

According to Sobiek, Jeff Liegel and Chad Stevenson  brothers who own multiple franchises of Culvers restaurants, including the Portage Culvers  have confirmed their availability to speak at the event, which is tentatively planned to be held at the Portage VFW, 215 W. Collins St.

Sobiek said that Liegel and Stevenson were the people who immediately came to his mind when he thought of successful, community-minded entrepreneurs.

People know the Culvers story, he said.

Elsing said she hopes that up to 50 people attend the May 17 event. The starting time and other logistics remain to be worked out

Generally, she said, she hopes to have an idea by May 15 as to how many people expect to attend. But Sobiek added that people can just show up, too.

Since the spring event is taking place in Columbia County, plans call for the Business Boot Camp to be held in Sauk County.

Ed White, executive director of the Sauk County Development Corp., said the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County has many rooms suitable for the approximately 40 people who are expected to be at the event.

The first evening event, called Business Model Canvas  Exploring Your Ideas, will include a guided discussion among participants of the various aspects of a viable business idea, such as a revenue-generation product or service, available customers, capital for start-up and operating costs and other resources.

Michelle Somes-Booher, director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she thinks its important that participants plan to attend both the evening discussion, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and the seminars the next day, from 8:30 to 4 p.m.

And, as with the May 17 event, the target audience is people who are, or want to be, new to the owning and operation of a business.

If youve been in business for 20 years, this event isnt for you, she said.But if youre talking about getting into business, or youve been in business for just a short while, this event is for you.

Save the Date information about the Business Boot Camp will be available soon at various municipal offices and business-oriented organizations in Sauk, Columbia and Marquette counties.

And, work is being done to line up speakers  preferably people from this area  to talk about how to establish the legal entity for a business, sound accounting practices, financing and establishing a brand and online presence.

The formation of Innovation Challenges last July was spurred partly by a report that Sobiek had encountered, which said that Wisconsin ranked last among the 50 states in entrepreneurial start-up businesses.

The consortium includes multiple partners, such as the University of Wisconsin-Extension and Madison College.

Elsing said its in the areas economic interest to encourage people to start and keep businesses in Marquette, Sauk and Columbia counties.

In cities like Madison, they may have a bigger customer base, she said. But we feel that we have a loyal customer base. Many people want to shop locally.
A new president needs to staff his administration with people who will be loyal to him. Donald Trumps problem is that he does not have enough loyalists to staff the White House, much less the entire executive branch.

Previous presidents have come to Washington after enough time in politics to develop concentric circles of loyalists who can take jobs at all levels of government. Just look at the people who stood ready to help the Bush family or the Clintons over the years.

Trump, who never held public office before winning the presidency, didnt have that. In addition, he campaigned with an abrasive style that alienated a significant portion of the Republican Partys political talent. Beyond that, Trumps way of running his business, even though it made him a billionaire, was small in scale  in his Trump Tower office, he relied heavily on a tight circle of people who were either related to him or had been with him for a very long time.

Now, Trumps style has led to an acute staffing problem across the administration and also to high-profile infighting in the White House. The former means that Trump cannot assert full control over a massive federal bureaucracy that already is inclined to resist him. The latter has led to an almost comical situation in which the president has piled portfolio upon portfolio on trusted son-in-law Jared Kushner  now commonly referred to as one of the most powerful men in Washington  who had no preparation for the responsibility.

On the question of the federal bureaucracy, many Trump supporters are dismayed by the slowness with which he is hiring for the various government departments and agencies. According to a database compiled by the Partnership for Public Service and the Washington Post, out of 553 important positions that require Senate confirmation  and that is by no means all the political appointments Trump has to make  only 22 Trump nominees have been confirmed, while another 53 have either been formally nominated or are awaiting formal announcement of their nominations. That leaves 478 jobs with no nominee at all.

Even though that slow start across the bureaucracy is probably more consequential, the White House palace intrigue has received the lions share of press attention. Lately, the spotlight has focused on friction between Kushner and top adviser Steve Bannon. And that, too, is partly a function of the lack-of-loyalists problem.

The president himself suggested that in a recent interview with the New York Posts Michael Goodwin. When Goodwin asked whether Trump still had confidence in 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 didnt know Steve.

It doesnt take a mind reader to interpret that as a vote of no confidence. Members of the Bannon coterie in the White House were said to be shocked.

Veterans of earlier White Houses faulted Bannon for not trying to build relationships with people who could be his allies in the West Wing. When trouble came, who would go to bat for him? But a bigger problem was revealed by Trumps observation that Bannon had only joined Trump late in the campaign.

In the China of Chairman Mao, veterans of the Long March held a special place; they had been with the Great Helmsman for the entire journey. The situation is much the same in any American political operation, where candidates value people who have been with them all the way. In TrumpWorld, thats nobody  outside the presidents family and a few assistants from Trumps company.

Trump named Bannon chief executive of the campaign on Aug. 17, 2016. Even though Bannons Breitbart News had supported Trump for longer, the president is right  that is pretty late in a campaign that began in earnest more than a year and a half earlier. Bannon wasnt there for the Long March.

Of course, other top White House aides, like chief of staff Reince Priebus and spokesman Sean Spicer, also were latecomers and never fully part of the campaign. Not surprisingly, there have been trust issues; no Long March loyalty for them, either.

Thus Trumps focus on the family. After dispatching sons Don and Eric to run the business, Trump formally brought daughter Ivanka and Kushner into the White House power structure. (The president sought and received a Justice Department opinion arguing that the White House is exempt from the federal anti-nepotism law.)

And Trump began to pile jobs on Kushner. The Middle East peace portfolio. Point of contact for foreign leaders. Tackling the opioid crisis. Heading the Office of American Innovation. No human being can do all that stuff, says a Republican White House veteran.

When Bill Clintons White House went off the rails in the spring of 1993, Clinton tried to recover, barely more than 100 days in office, by hiring the veteran Republican political operator David Gergen. The addition helped smooth things a bit, in part because it showed Clinton was willing to reach outside his circle to help run the government.

Donald Trump will probably have to reach outside his circle as well and entrust with power a new set of Republicans who werent on the Long March and who arent related to him by blood or marriage. Its coming, sooner or later.
Local students were given a chance to learn about how government works from one of the Senates own.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson met with students from Sauk Prairie High School April 20 and allowed them to ask questions at the River Arts Center.

Johnsons visit coincides with Sauk Prairie High Schools legislative semester program, which offers students in their junior year of high school the opportunity to learn in-depth about the legislative process. This is the third year the high school has utilized the innovative, weeks-long program that takes students through parliamentary procedure, learning about the platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties, declaring party affiliation, and researching and writing bills.

The legislative semester was the brainchild of a Chicago-area teacher; now the program is used in classrooms all over the country.

The idea is to get students more involved in whats happening with the government and make it more relevant for them, said Adam Brager, who teaches American government and U.S. history at Sauk Prairie High School.

Its content based and also simulation-based, said Ryan Mussack, who teaches American Government and world history at the high school. The students get to figure out where they stand in the political system.

The students first start out with party declaration day, where they choose their political affiliation; either Democrat or Republican, and then where they fall on that spectrum by hearing about key issues.

Its a lot of self-reflection for the students, said Mussack.

Then they have an issue declaration day. There are about 200 students and no one can have the same issue. Some of the kids are lined up outside my door by 5 a.m. to get the issue they want, said Mussack. You see they have a passion for it; its an issue they are going to be dealing with for a while.

They dont have to come in early, mind you, they choose to, Brager said.

Just imagine students showing up at 5:30 a.m. for class. Its a dream for a teacher, Mussack said.

From there, the students research their topic and learn as much as they possibly can to create a bill for a problem they want to solve. The idea, then is to get other students to drop their topic and join them, like the making of a bill sponsorship.

It shows them that you could have this really good idea but  its part of democracy, if you dont have the majority your bill will die, Brager said.

The students learn a variety of skills during the process, such as persuasive writing and speaking, research, teamwork and collaboration as well as civic responsibility.

We take them through the whole bill-writing process, Mussack said. They have to decide what agency will be responsible for enforcing and where the money is going to come from.

The students write short position papers and try to get people to vote for their bill. They have an election day and get students to vote on various positions, such as leads of both parties and speaker of the house. They also have student-run debates on the topics, while the teachers wander throughout the classes to make sure everything is going smoothly.

As part of the legislative semester, Johnson came to speak to the students April 20 and hold and question and answer session. On May 3 the students will hold committee meetings where they present their bills and vote if they should move to full session or not.

On May 25 and 26, they hold a full session where all the American Government students  about 90will meet in the River Arts Center and debate their legislation for a final vote.

During Johnsons visit, the students asked a variety of questions ranging from his stance on global warming and LGBT rights, to increasing salaries for public service employees and talking about the national debt, stem cell research and the regulation of medicine costs.

He also gave a little advice to the students: If you want to achieve anything in life dont start a conversation with an argument, Johnson said.
GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom.
Fasten your seat belt: Someone in Springfield came up with a good, common sense idea.

The office of state Treasurer Michael Frerichs pitched a program, with legislative approval, that allows Illinois to join Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Alliance, 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, according to a recent story by reporter Paul Swiech.

Previously, every person with a disability was limited to $2,000 in assets to qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) payments. Now, under ABLE, a person with a qualifying disability can contribute as much as $14,000 a year  and $100,000 overall  before Social Security benefits are suspended. An account can be opened with as little as $25.

Why does this matter? As Frerichs explained it, some families were so concerned about making sure their loved one received SSD payments that they would be written out of wills and otherwise kept from having money, for fear the $2,000 level would be breached.

In addition, Frerichs said many people who are disabled still can work, and many families want to help their disabled loved ones with monetary gifts.

Setting aside money for the future, as the rest of us do, allows families to better plan for their child's future and to prepare for emergencies or unexpected expenses, such as equipment that insurance may not cover.

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.

With Illinois' budgetary problems, it did not have money for its own program, so Frerichs' office found out how Illinois could join the national alliance. With strength in numbers, the national group is able to provide the lowest cost to account owners. On average, the fee is about 34 cents for every $100 invested.

The program is similar to college savings efforts run by the state, letting families set aside money for future qualified expenses, invest these funds in professionally designed savings accounts, and avoid some tax penalties on the fund.

Over the years, a number of groups have realized that combined buying power can save a lot of money. School districts pool resources for office supplies. Police departments can participate in a fleet-buying program for squad cars. In the private sector, technology allows workers in one state to work on financial paperwork from many states.

Illinois made a good move in joining the national ABLE Alliance. Rather than fighting over turf, Illinois could benefit from its leaders following Frerichs' lead.

-- The Bloomington Pantagraph
Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services. It serves corporate, middle market, and commercial real estate developers and investors. The Consumer Bank segment provides consumer banking products and services related to residential first mortgages, home equity lines and loans, consumer credit cards, and other consumer loans, as well as deposits. The Wealth Management segment offers credit related products, and retirement and savings solutions; and trust and investment management, asset management, and estate planning services to individuals, businesses, governmental institutions, and non-profit entities. The company also provides investment and insurance products; low-income housing tax credit corporate fund syndication services; and other specialty financing services. As of March 01, 2022, it operated through a network of 1,300 banking offices and 2,000 automated teller machines across the South, Midwest, and Texas. Regions Financial Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 17111 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Acme Aerospace Inc., Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Armtec Countermeasures Co., Armtec Countermeasures TNO Co., Armtec Defense Products Co., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Services China Ltd., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Aurora LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Chelton Avionics Holdings Inc., Chelton Avionics Inc., Chelton Limited, Cobham Aero Connectivity, Cobham CTS Limited, Cobham Defence Communications Limited, Cobham Defense Products Inc., DART Aerospace, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, European Antennas Limited, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, Hytek Finishes Co., ILC Holdings Inc., IRVIN AEROSPACE LIMITED, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Korry Electronics Co., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Corporation, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Germany GmbH, Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Mexico Holding LLC, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., Mason Electric Co., Mastsystem Int'l Oy, McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S. de R.L. de C.V., NAT Seattle Inc., NMC Group Inc., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, Nordisk Aviation Products LLC, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas LLC, Norwich Aero Products Inc., Palomar Products Inc., Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Aerospace Co., TA Mfg Limited, TDG Bavaria GmbH, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Telair International, Telair International GmbH, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm Technologies India Private Limited, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Defence UK Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, Young & Franklin Inc., and exas Rotronics Inc..

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Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. It produces conventional, premium, and reformulated gasolines; gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB); diesel fuels, and low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels; CARB diesel; other distillates; jet fuels; blendstocks; and asphalts, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products, as well as sells lube oils and natural gas liquids. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day; and 12 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. It sells its refined products through wholesale rack and bulk markets; and through approximately 7,000 outlets under the Valero, Beacon, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Texaco brands. The company also produces and sells ethanol, dry distiller grains, syrup, and inedible corn oil primarily to animal feed customers. In addition, it owns and operates crude oil and refined petroleum products pipelines, terminals, tanks, marine docks, truck rack bays, and other logistics assets; and owns and operates a plant that processes animal fats, used cooking oils, and inedible distillers corn oils into renewable diesel. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors, which control, transmit, and contain fluid; control solutions for extreme corrosion resistance, temperatures, pressures, and precise flow; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors who serve the replacement markets in manufacturing, packaging, processing, transportation, construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, agricultural, and military machinery and equipment industries. The Aerospace Systems segment offers products for use in commercial and military airframe and engine programs, such as control actuation systems and components, engine build-up ducting, engine exhaust nozzles and assemblies, engine systems and components, fluid conveyance systems and components, fuel systems and components, fuel tank inerting systems, hydraulic systems and components, lubrication components, pilot controls, pneumatic control components, thermal management products, and wheels and brakes, as well as fluid metering, delivery, and atomization devices. This segment markets its products directly to OEMs and end users. The company markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
The following companies are subsidiares of Laboratory Co. of America: 1957285 Ontario Inc. dba Quality Underwriting Services, 2089729 Ontario Inc., 2248848 Ontario Inc., 3065619 Nova Scotia Company, 3257959 Nova Scotia Company, 8165335 Canada Inc., 8348596 Canada Inc., 896988 Ontario Limited, 9279-3280 Quebec Inc., Accupath Diagnostic Laboratories Inc., Assets of Pathology Inc, Beacon LBS IPA Inc., Beacon Laboratory Benefit Solutions Inc., CannAmm GP Inc., CannAmm Limited Partnership, Center for Disease Detection International, Center for Disease Detection LLC, Centrex Clinical Laboratories Inc., Chiltern, Clearstone Central Laboratories (U.S.) Inc., Clearstone Holdings (International) Ltd., Clinical Outreach Laboratory Services, Clipper Holdings Inc., Colorado Coagulation Consultants Inc., Colorado Laboratory Services LLC, Correlagen Diagnostics Inc., Covance Inc., Curalab Inc., Cytometry Associates Inc., Czura Thornton (Hong Kong) Limited, DCL Acquisition Inc., DCL Medical Laboratories LLC, DCL Sub LLC, DIANON Systems Inc., DL Holdings Limited Partnership, Decision Diagnostics L.L.C. (aka DaVinici/Medicorp LLC), Diagnostic Services Inc., DynaLifeDX, Dynacare - Gamma Laboratory Partnership, Dynacare Company, Dynacare G.P. Inc., Dynacare Holdco LLC, Dynacare Laboratories Inc., Dynacare Laboratories Limited Partnership, Dynacare Northwest Inc., Dynacare Realty Inc., DynalifeDX Infrastructure Inc., Envigo's nonclinical contract research services business, Esoterix Genetic Counseling LLC, Esoterix Genetic Laboratories LLC, Esoterix Inc., Execmed Health Services Inc., FirstSource Laboratory Solutions Inc., GDML Medical Laboratories Inc, Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratories GP Inc., Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratory Limited Partnership, HHLA Lab-In-An-Envelope LLC, Health Testing Centers Inc., Health Trans Services Inc., Home Healthcare Laboratory of America LLC, IDX Pathology Inc., Impact Genetics Corporation, Impact Genetics Inc., Kaleida LabCorp LLC, Lab Delivery Service of New York City Inc., LabCorp BVBA, LabCorp Belgium Holdings Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Canada) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (China) Inc., LabCorp Colorado Inc., LabCorp Development Company, LabCorp Employer Services Inc., LabCorp Health System Diagnostics LLC, LabCorp Indiana Inc., LabCorp Japan G.K., LabCorp Limited, LabCorp Michigan Inc., LabCorp Nebraska Inc., LabCorp Neon Ltd., LabCorp Neon Switzerland S.a.r.l., LabCorp Specialty Testing Billing Service Inc., LabCorp Specialty Testing Group Inc., LabCorp Staffing Solutions Inc., LabCorp Tennessee LLC, LabCorp UK Holdings Ltd., LabWest Inc., Laboratoire Bio-Medic Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America, Lifecodes Corporation, LipoScience Inc., Litholink Corporation, MEDTOX Scientific Inc., MNG Laboratories, MedAxio Insurance Medical Services GP Inc., MedAxio Insurance Medical Services LP, Medical Neurogenitics LLC, Medtox Diagnostics Inc., Medtox Laboratories Inc., Monogram Biosciences Inc., Monogram Biosciences UK Limited, Myriad Autoimmunes Vectra Testing Business, NWT Inc., National Genetics Institute, New Brighton Business Center LLC, New Imaging Diagnostics LLC, New Molecular Diagnostics Ventures LLC, Orchid Cellmark ULC, Ovia Health, PA Labs Inc., Paclab LLC, Path Lab Incorporated, Pathology Associates Medical Lab LLC, Pee Dee Pathology Associates Inc., Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc., Persys Technology Inc., Pixel by LabCorp, Princeton Diagnostic Laboratories of America Inc., Protedyne Corporation, SW/DL LLC, Saint Josephs-PAML LLC, Sequenom Biosciences (India) Pvt. Ltd., Sequenom Inc, Sequenom Inc., Tandem Labs Inc., Toxikon Corporation, Tri-Cities Laboratory LLC, Viro-Med Laboratories Inc., Visiun, and Yakima Medical Arts Inc..

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Equifax Inc. provides information solutions and human resources business process automation outsourcing services for businesses, governments, and consumers. The company operates through three segments: Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International. The Workforce Solutions segment offers employment, income, criminal history, and social security number verification services, as well as payroll-based transaction, employment tax management, and identity theft protection products. The USIS segment provides consumer and commercial information services, such as credit information and credit scoring, credit modeling and portfolio analytics, locate, fraud detection and prevention, identity verification, and other consulting; mortgage services; financial marketing services; identity management services; credit monitoring products; and online information, decisioning technology solutions, as well as portfolio management, mortgage reporting, and consumer credit information services. The International segment offers information service products, which include consumer and commercial services, such as credit and financial information, and credit scoring and modeling; and credit and other marketing products and services, as well as offers information, technology, and other services to support debt collections and recovery management. The company serves customers in financial services, mortgage, employers, consumer, commercial, telecommunication, retail, automotive, utility, brokerage, healthcare, and insurance industries, as well as state, federal, and local governments. It operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.




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North Wales Police Boss Makes History in Fight Against Modern Slavery

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 22nd, 2017

The UKs first support officer dedicated to helping victims of modern slavery is to be appointed in north Wales.

Tackling the insidious issue has been made a priority by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones and will be central to his new blueprint for policing the region.

The post of Victim Support Officer is being funded by Mr Jones and the successful candidate will be based at the North Wales Victim Help Centre in St Asaph which is a one-stop-shop for victims of all crimes.

The regional programme will bring together the support services of North Wales Police, the Witness Care Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the former Victim Support organisation.

Each victim receives a response specifically tailored to their situation and the centre also employs specialists in mental health and hate crime.

Mr Jones it was vital to increase the public awareness of the crime.

Modern slavery and human trafficking are appalling and callous crimes which reach right into our society here in North Wales which is why I have made it one of my priorities in my Police and Crime Plan which sets the strategy for policing the area, said Mr Jones

It is vital to increase public awareness of one of the most insidious crimes faced by society and we are working hard with our partners to expose and tackle this crime, protect its victims and bring offenders to justice.

To do this we need the communities of North Wales to support us, to look out for evidence of it and to contact the police if you have concerns.

Last year North Wales Police mounted two major investigations into modern slavery and safeguarded 17 people  but gathering evidence from frightened victims is difficult.

According to Detective Inspector Gary Kelly, the North Wales Polices specialist on the scourge of modern slavery, the force had safeguarded 60 persons from Modern Day Slavery and trafficking in the last 12 months.

He said: It is a challenge. The victims can be affected by language barriers and by self-blame and are often people being held under duress or coerced. Its difficult to gain their trust because they often come from countries where police forces are corrupt or dont operate at the level that the police do in the UK.

The seriousness of the problem has been recognised in North Wales and in great part that is because of Arfon Jones and we are looking to appoint a victim support officer which would be unique and has never been done before.

Dealing with modern slavery is a challenge but we are lucky to have a Police and Crime Commissioner and Police Executive who are passionate about it because this crime doesnt always get that level of support and scrutiny elsewhere.

We do have significant challenges ahead of us but we are heading in the right direction. Much of the problem is linked to the victim care issue because if you lose the victim then it significantly affects the investigation.

He said that modern slavery and human trafficking in North Wales can be linked to Ireland but with North Wales as a thoroughfare, through the port of Holyhead, to the North West of England and a complicating factor was that many victims were being brought in and out of the area on a daily basis.

North Wales Police currently have seven investigations under way.

North Wales Police has further information on its modern slavery website. If you suspect slavery is happening near you please report it to police on 101, anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 012 1700 or BAWSO on 08007318147.

The victim help service is available from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm on Saturdays. It can be contacted by Freephone on 0300 3030159, by email at: northwales.helpcentre@victimsupport.org.uk, or via the websites here and here.
The World Socialist Web Site condemns the reported plans of the US Justice Department to charge WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with espionage and issue an arrest warrant against him.

On Thursday, CNN reported, citing unnamed US officials, that the Trump Justice Department has prepared charges against Assange based on supposed proof that WikiLeaks actively assisted former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in releasing classified documents exposing the agencys vast and illegal spying operations.

At a press conference on Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions indirectly gave credence to the report, saying, Weve already begun stepping up our efforts [against leakers] and whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.

There is enormous urgency to the development of the broadest possible campaign in defense of Assange. There is a real possibility that the issuing of an arrest warrant will be the prelude to the storming of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where Assange has been forced to take refuge for the past five years, or a CIA-directed operation to kidnap or assassinate him.

The sole crime of Assange has been to publish information about the criminal activities of the US government in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, as well as antidemocratic actions by the American political establishment within the United States itselfin other words, to carry out the mission of serious and principled journalism.

For this, the United States and allied governments around the world, with the full backing of the corporate-controlled media, have hounded and threatened him, forcing him to hole up in the Ecuadorian embassy under threat of immediate arrest if he steps foot outside the building. US politicians and intelligence figures have called for his assassination. The Obama administration and the British government sought to use bogus sex allegations filed in Sweden to dislodge Assange so that he could be extradited to the US to face life in prison or execution.

In February of 2016, a United Nations human rights panel ruled that Assanges persecution amounts to arbitrary detention and is a violation of international law. The US, Britain and Sweden have simply ignored the ruling.

During and after the 2016 US election campaign, Assange was branded a Russian agent as part of the campaign, spearheaded by the Democratic Party in alliance with the CIA, to whip up an anti-Russian war fever and attack Trump from the right as being too soft on Russian President Putin and the Kremlin. The Obama administration, the Clinton campaign and the intelligence agencies claimed, without any substantiation, that Moscow had hacked Clinton campaign emails and turned them over to WikiLeaks.

Both WikiLeaks and the Kremlin denied that the Russian government was the source of the emails, whose devastating contentshowing the systematic efforts of the Democratic Party establishment to sabotage the primary campaign of Bernie Sanders as well as Clintons groveling and lavishly paid speeches to Wall Street bankswas ignored by the media, which overwhelmingly backed the Clinton campaign.

Now, under Trump, the vendetta against Assange is being intensified and openly transformed into a direct attack on the First Amendments guarantee of freedom of speech and the press. Last week, CIA Director Mike Pompeo gave an extraordinary speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington in which he labeled WikiLeaks a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia.

Pompeo, who last November argued that Snowden should be put to death, declared that Assange has no First Amendment freedoms. He said news organizations that reveal government secrets and crimes are enemies of the United States, and individuals who leak secret information about US crimes are guilty of treason.

This is a formula for the suppression of all news outlets, journalists and organizations that refuse to join the corporate media in serving as sounding boards for government propaganda and lies. In his speech, Pompeo went out of his way to praise legitimate news organizations such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, which do the bidding of the CIA, calling them truth-tellers extraordinaire.

Pompeo in effect declared opposition to the ruling classs program of war and austerity and the control of the financial oligarchy over the entire political system to be treasonous and illegal. It is the CIA that will determine what speech is legal and what speech is criminal.

The CIA directors remarks and the preparations to seek the arrest of Assange are bound up with the frenzied push by the Trump administration, with the full support of the Democratic Party and the media, to escalate the current wars and launch new ones, whether against North Korea, Iran or even Russia or China.

These moves also follow WikiLeaks release last month of a massive trove of CIA documents on the agencys programs of surveillance, hacking and cyberwarfare directed against the people of the United States and the world. The documents reveal, among other things, the CIAs programs to seize control of Apple iPhones, Android operating system devices and devices running Microsoft Windows and turn them into devices for monitoring the words and actions of their users. WikiLeaks has promised to release another and even more massive dump of CIA documents in the near future.

Pompeo heads an agency that has no peer when it comes to criminality, illegality and murder. It has overseen assassinations and coups, trained and armed fascist death squads, propped up and installed dictators, and run a program of torture of detainees in secret black sites around the world. The number of people killed by the CIA and its allies over the course of the agencys 69-year history is in the tens of millions. It has long been known as Murder Inc. for good reason.

The claim of the government and the corporate press that Assange must be silenced to protect the American people from terrorists is a contemptible lie. It is well known that the CIA has armed and funded a host of Al Qaeda-linked Islamist terror organizations in the pursuit of its neocolonial intrigues and wars for regime-change from Afghanistan to Libya and Syria and beyond.

Pompeos hysterical tirade has made clear that the attack on Assange and other whistleblowers such as Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning is an attack on the democratic rights of the entire population. It is the domestic component of the ever more reckless foreign policy of militarism and war. Pompeo and the politicians of both big-business parties are well aware that there is deep popular opposition to war as well as widespread support, particularly among young people, for Assange and others who dare to expose US secrets.

The aim is to make an example of Assange so as to intimidate political opposition and set a precedent for ever more open dictatorial forms of rule.
Indian supporters of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) will hold a public meeting entitled World War and the Russian Revolution in Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka, on May 1. The event is part of the ICFIs commemoration of the centenary of the October 1917 Revolution and its ongoing online lecture series.

As the World Socialist Web Site warned following Washingtons cruise missile attack on Syria and its Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bombing in Afghanistan, the US has opened up a new chapter in its war for global hegemony that began more than a quarter century ago with the invasion of Iraq. These military attacks and ongoing threats against North Korea are only the prelude to broader wars with the potential for a direct clash with nuclear-armed Russia and China.

The Modi government has transformed India into a frontline state in the US military-strategic build-up against China and is strengthening military ties with the US. Last August, New Delhi signed an agreement giving the US military access to Indian bases. The country has become a major service and repair hub for the US Seventh Fleet, which is central to US war preparations against China.

These moves threaten to draw all of South Asia into a military conflagration between the US and China, with deadly consequences for the working class and oppressed masses in the region and internationally.

The Bangalore meeting will discuss the deepening crisis of US and world capitalism, as well as the drive toward a third world war and dictatorial forms of rule. Speakers will explain that the only way to prevent such a disaster is the mobilisation of Indian workers as a part of an international anti-war movement of the working class to put an end to the outmoded capitalist system, the source of imperialist war.

Herein lies the contemporary relevance of the Russian Revolution in October 1917, the first shot of the world revolution, which arose out of the immense devastation of World War I. Workers today need to draw the political lessons of the struggle by Lenin, Trotsky and Bolsheviks, who led the Russian working class to seize power.

We call upon workers, students, youth and intellectuals to attend the Bangalore meeting, which will discuss the revolutionary tasks now facing the working class and oppressed masses.

Date and Time: Monday, May 1, 10:00 am

Venue: 2nd Floor, Jai Bheem Bhavan,

New Mission Road, 16, 1st Cross Road

(Intersection of Lalbagh Main Road and 1st Cross Road)

Near Poornima Theatre, Bangalore 560027

Walking distance from Town Hall and Market Bus Stop, via Bishop Cotton Womens Christian College (see map)
UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon made a filthy attack on Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn Thursday, accusing him of being feeble and gutless on defence and asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin would welcome a Labour victory.

On the first official day of campaigning for the June 8 general election, Fallon made clear that Conservative Prime Minister Theresa Mays decision to precipitate a snap poll is not only aimed at strengthening her governments hand in Brexit negotiations with the European Union (EU). It is an attempt to shape post-Brexit politics based on an agenda of trade and military war.

Fallon was speaking in Estonia, during a ceremony to mark the deployment of 800 British troops in a NATO combined force. This is part of a build-up of NATO forces all along Russias borders that will see British Typhoon fighter jets sent to Romania and the dispatch of a destroyer to the Black Sea in the summer.

More than 1,200 troops from 12 countries are presently taking part in two weeks of NATO drills in Latvia. Earlier this month, 1,350 NATO soldiers arrived in northeast Poland. In addition, eight US Air Force F-35As have arrived at RAF Lakenheath, England for a month of practicing combat maneuvers with the UK.

Speaking to British journalists, Fallon said, Russia will be watching Labours feebleness that Jeremy Corbyn has not supported this deployment. He has questioned it. Corbyn, he added, has voted against a stronger defence, including the renewal of Trident last July. Russia will be watching that... Putin would certainly welcome feebler British defence.

Fallon then turned his attack on Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon, who he said was ready to work with Labour to frustrate a Conservative government and dismantle our deterrent and would weaken our defences.

The US and other NATO allies had expressed concern about the impact a Corbyn premiership would have on defence, Fallon said, adding, NATO is a nuclear alliance and Labours failure to wholeheartedly back the deterrence is obviously a continuing concern for the US and our other allies.

Fallons essentially anti-communist diatribe is in line with a campaign of warmongering that began the moment May made her announcement. That day, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was asked in the Commons by former foreign minister Alistair Burt if the UK was bound by the 2013 decision against UK air strikes in Syria. Burt referenced UK support for US President Donald Trumps targeting of the Shayrat airbase with Tomahawk cruise missiles on April 7.

Johnson replied, We were not asked for specific support, but it is my belief, though I stress no such decision has yet been taken... that were such a request to be made in future, were it be a reasonable request in pursuit of similar objectives, then I think it would be very difficult for the United Kingdom to say no.

Trump had sent an emphatic message that the era when [Syrian President] Assads barbarism was met with passivity and inaction has finally come to an end.

Linking US aggression against Syria with the targeting of North Korea, Johnson concluded that, faced with hereditary dictators that have challenged the essential rules that underpin our world peace... The United States has responded with strength and resolve and in accordance with its traditional role--as the guarantor of the rules-based system. And in both cases the US has acted with the full support of the British Government.

Johnson was himself at the very centre of all the events that led up to Mays announcement. On April 9, he announced that he was abandoning a planned trip to Moscow, after being asked to do so by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Instead, he was to lead efforts at the April 10 meeting of the G7 in Italy to secure a clear and coordinated message to the Russians over Syria.

He failed in this task, as Germany, France and other EU powers refused to agree to a further round of sanctions against Moscow to reinforce demands that Putin pull his troops out of Syria and end support for President Bashar al-Assad.

This was not only an embarrassment for the UK, but a snub for the US. In its aftermath, May, who bases her entire perspective on securing an alliance with Trump, will have been told in no uncertain terms that a UK that cannot swing the EU states behind NATOs offensive against Russia is of little use to Washington.

This was confirmed by the arrival the next day, as MPs were voting to agree to suspend parliament by May 3, of a bi-partisan delegation to Britain led by Republican US House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Ryans meeting with Chancellor Phillip Hammond and his speech delivered to the pro-Conservative Policy Exchange think-tank was the most high-profile engagement in a week-long effort to secure the support of NATO powers for Washingtons anti-Russian offensive, that includes visits to Norway, Poland and Estonia.

The British media focused on the declaration of support for May calling a snap election in Ryans speech and the renewed promise of a future bilateral trade deal with the UK. But even here, Ryan stressed the need for May to strike a lasting agreement for a strong UK-EU relationship.

Ryans support for continued UK access to the EUs Single Market is in fact bound up with demands that Europes markets are also opened up to the US--epitomised by his commitment to work closely with our EU friends on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations, stalled as a result of European opposition.

However, the bulk of his remarks were on NATO and war.

Ryan thanked the British government for backing our recent action in Syria, stressing that this is not just about Assad.

Iran and Russia are complicit in these crimes against humanity, he said. Russia is determined to exploit weakness and opportunity wherever it may surface. As they seek to expand their sphere of influence in the Middle East, they continue to challenge the sovereignty of our allies in Eastern and Central Europe.

Insisting that We cannot allow a provocateur in Moscow to threaten our allies or interests, Ryan explained, And by we, I do not just mean the US and Britain. To truly combat Russian aggression, we need a strong NATO alliance...

On Thursday, Johnson was closeted in discussion with Ryan for half an hour, reportedly discussing military action in Syria and the threat of war with North Korea.

These events make clear the full import of Mays declaration that a substantially increased Tory parliamentary majority was vital to secure the strong and stable leadership in the national interest, overwhelmingly at Labours expense, to get the job done.

The attack on Corbyn as a Russian stooge takes the campaign waged by senior military figures immediately following his election as Labour leader in 2015 to a far higher level. Then one senior serving general warned in the September 20 Sunday Times of a mutiny in the event of him becoming prime minister.

This threat was never directed primarily at Corbyn, who has time and again retreated on his nominally anti-war and anti-nuclear stance. It expressed concern within the state apparatus at the growth of working class discontent and resistance that found distorted expression in Corbyns landslide victory.

One-and-a-half years later, amid an escalating crisis of British imperialism and the relentless drive by Washington for war, May is seeking a majority large enough to impose yet deeper austerity and to drag Britain into a new round of criminal military interventions. To this end, May declares her opponents to be a coalition of chaos, while the Tory media bays in fascistic terms for her to crush the saboteurs and kill off Labour.
Armed police wearing bullet-proof vests dominated a so-called Town Hall Thursday evening called by Flint Mayor Karen Weaver to air the feedback, questions and concerns of residents after her announcement of a proposal for the 30-year future of the citys water system. Many residents questioned the selection of venue, the House of Prayer Missionary Church, rather than a public space, given that this was supposed to be a forum for residents to air their grievances.

The event opened with a provocation by Flint Chief of Police Tim Johnson, who told the audience of over 100 that no disruptions or profanity would be tolerated and that since it was a house of God, that all males had to remove their hats. I just want to make sure this meeting goes off the way its supposed to and that everybodys respecting everyone, Johnson declared. Please dont be in here trying to disrupt this meeting, because if you do, Im going to escort you out and Im only going to take you to the back door and then youre going to jail. Im not going to play with nobody tonight.

During the course of the meeting, several residents expressed the view that the meeting should not have been held in a church, evoking applause. One person, who was recording the proceedings on his cell phone, shouted, I cant wear a hat, but you can wear a pistol? He was quickly escorted out of the meeting and arrested.

The arrest of a protester at the Flint Town Hall

Under federal and Michigan law, the maximum time an individual can be held by police before being charged with a crime is 72 hours. The above video illustrates how law enforcement personnel abuse this limit.

Others, including Tony Palladeno, Jr., a Flint resident and a well-known outspoken opponent of the water conspiracy, were also arrested.

A woman recording the arrest of Palladeno was herself arrested, apparently for recording the actions of police.

A video from a local NBC news station showed an argument in the church vestibule between police and Tony Palladeno. A representative of the church pointed to Palladeno and directed the police to get him out of here, adding, This is my church.

The arrest of Tony Palladeno

A resident who did not attend because she had misgivings about the meeting being held in a church said she was up all night watching the videos of the arrests. She said, Im so glad that I didnt go, because I know would have been arrested. What they did to Leah [Tony Palladenos wife], I wouldnt have stood still for that.

The decision to hold the Town Hall in a church was clearly aimed at discouraging public opposition. At a Town Hall held on January 11 angry residents opposed attempts by public officials to use the news of the improved lead in water sampling data to claim the Flint water crisis was over.

The moderator of that event was Michigan Governor Rick Snyders right-hand man, Richard Baird, who has in the wake of the Detroit bankruptcy played a behind-the-scenes role in the Snyder administration as a transformation manager. His recent role in Flint, where he poses as a native son, has been to handle the political fallout from the exposure of the conspiracy behind the water crisis.

During the period after the switch to Flint River water, when residents were complaining of the foul-smelling, discolored tap water, Baird led the Snyder administrations team effort to speak with one voice that the water complied with federal safe drinking water regulations. He now has a vested interest in silencing the most determined oppositional voices in Flint.

It was Baird who sent the official February 7 letter to the city of Flint that the 65 percent subsidy to help residents pay their water bills was ending. Weaver made a public show of opposition to this move, under conditions where residents could still not drink the water, making a visit to Lansing, the state capital, to argue with the governor.

Baird was standing alongside Weaver last Tuesday when she announced that the city would not proceed with its original plan to connect to the KWA pipeline. They attempted to present this decision as the outcome of six months of hard work by officials from all levels to come up with a solution to the Flint water crisis. Jeff Wright, CEO of the KWA, who was chiefly behind the ill-conceived scheme that led to cutting off Flint from its long-term water supply, gloated that this was a win-win-win solution.

A woman recording an arrest is arrested herself

Wright is seen by many residents as bearing responsibility for the poisoning of the city. As previously reported by the World Socialist Web Site, attempts by to laud Wright for his supposed generosity evoked angry outbursts from residents.

In an attempt to placate the outrage of Flint residents, an anger shared by working people around the world, millions of dollars, both federal and state, have belatedly been allocated to address the infrastructure issues in the city. That money, which is controlled by the same administration that is responsible for the disaster, is being used to provide the flexibility to satisfy the financial interests, namely bondholders.

Weavers proposal represents a backhanded exposure of the lies that have been foisted on the public for years. In advancing the proposal to reconnect to the Detroit water system the city rejected the solution that had been advanced for the last several years and confirmed by Weaver herself last Juneconnecting to the KWA and using the decrepit Flint Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

Up until Tuesday, the publicly presented picture of the Flint WTP was that after upgrades, it would be a state-of-the-art facility and provide the city with safe drinking water. JoLisa McDay, the director of the plant, gushed at the January 11 Town Hall that the facility and its employees were going through a transformation, because the city of Flint deserved it.

In an interview just after the Tuesday press conference, Robert Kaplan, acting EPA Region 5 director, presented a different picture. Flint WTP, he conceded, was like a broken-down used car and the closer you looked at it the worse it looks.

No reasonable plant operator would have given the go-ahead to use the Flint plant to treat water, he said.
In a joint interview with Attorney General Jeff Sessions broadcast by MSNBC on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly defended the deportation of Juan Manuel Montes, a 23-year-old Mexican native who was expelled from the US in February despite being actively enrolled in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which is supposed to protect undocumented immigrants who were brought to the US as children from being deported.

Montes case, the first reported deportation of a so-called DREAMer, the nickname for DACA enrollees, came to the attention of the public on Tuesday when lawyers for Montes filed suit in federal court in Southern California to demand that the Trump administration release documents relating to his case.

Montes, who has lived in the US since he was nine, was arrested, interrogated and walked across the border from Calexico to Mexicali on February 17 despite being covered by the DACA program through 2018. Under the program, enrollees are required to reapply every two years.

Montes lawyers explain in court filings that their client was mugged and beaten in Mexicali and, desperate to return to his home and family, tried to scale a border wall two days later, only to be caught by US border police and deported once again to Mexico.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees Customs and Border Protection and its tens of thousands of border police, has refused all requests from Montes defense team for documents on the case. In response to the lawsuit, it claims that Montes was not deported on February 17, but voluntarily crossed into Mexico without obtaining prior permission from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that approves DACA applications.

That, according to DHS, along with four prior convictions for petty offensesone for shoplifting and three for driving without a licenseinvalidated his DACA status. However, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had ruled that these offenses were not sufficiently serious to vacate Montes DACA status, extending it through 2018.

In the interview on Friday, Kelly, a retired Marine general, repeated the official DHS linea combination of half-truths and outright liesconcerning Montes deportation. He said Montes had been an active DACA enrollee but had ceased to be one when he supposedly chose to cross into Mexico. In addition, Kelly maintained, Montes own behaviormeaning his prior convictionshad deprived him of DACA protection.

Kellys statements made it clear that the Trump administration, despite previous pledges by Trump himself not to target DACA enrolleesclose to 800,000 peoplefor deportation, has no intention of keeping the promise that was made to those who applied for the program under Obama that they would be able to live and work in the US without fear of being deported.

These young men and women reported themselves to immigration authorities and submitted to background checks. Now, their identities and addresses known to the authorities, they are prime targets for deportation.

Kelly was interviewed while sitting alongside Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a long-time anti-immigrant zealot. In an appearance Wednesday on Fox News, in response to the filing of the suit on behalf of Montes, Sessions made it clear that the Trump administration plans to deport millions of undocumented workers, including DACA enrollees.

Everybody in the country illegally is subject to being deported, he declared. So people come here and they stay here a few years and somehow they think they are not subject to being deported. Well, they are.

Kelly and Sessions are touring cities on the Southwestern border to demonstrate their determination to secure the border and encourage Customs and Border Protection agents to escalate their already brutal campaign against so-called illegal aliens.

In separate speeches earlier this week, both Kelly and Sessions attacked lax border enforcement under previous administrations and blamed it for the alleged spread of M-13, a Central America-based gang. Sessions said so-called sanctuary citiesthose that refuse to allow their police to effectively function as border police and arbitrarily harass and detain immigrantswere responsible for the spread of M-13 and other criminal gangs.

The pair was greeted by protesters in El Paso, where Sessions characterization of the city as a beachhead and ground zero outraged immigrants and immigration advocates. Sessions had previously made similar remarks in Nogales, Arizona, where he called the Southwestern border a war zone in which hardworking ranchers vie with lawless gangs and drug cartel mules. Standing under the desert sun, Sessions brayed, This is the Trump era.

In another interview this week, Sessions denounced Hawaii-based federal judge Derrick Watson for holding up Trumps travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries. I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the President of the United States from what appears to be clearly his statutory and constitutional power, he said on the right-wing Mark Levin talk radio program. Sessions also inveighed against the very liberal Ninth District federal appeals court.

As Sessions concluded the tour on Friday, he reaffirmed that the Trump administration intends to deprive sanctuary cities and states of federal funding. He mentioned the state of California in addition to the municipalities of New York, Seattle, Chicago and El Paso.
Events of recent weeks constitute a warning that the reckless actions of the major imperialist powers, led by the United States, are taking humanity to the brink of nuclear conflict. The Trump administration in the UScomposed of billionaires, fascistic demagogues and military generalshas made clear that its program of America first means war everywhere.

On April 7, the US bombed a Syrian army airbase, in a flagrant act of war against Russias closest ally in the Middle East, based on lies about a chemical weapons attack. A week later, the US military signaled its preparedness to use every weapon in its arsenal by dropping the largest bomb since World War Two on Afghan villagers. In the Asia-Pacific region, the Trump administration is threatening pre-emptive strikes and an all-out war against North Korea, as part of its broader strategy of pressuring China to accept American global hegemony and subordinating it to the dictates of the Wall Street banks.

Tensions are steadily rising between the US and nuclear-armed Russia and China, while other imperialist powers such as Germany and Japan are undertaking feverish efforts to build up their own military machines.

The Australian ruling elite has supported all of Washingtons military provocations. The Coalition government, with the full backing of the Labor Party, has lined up the entire population behind the plans for war in Asia without any discussion or debate. US bases in Australia, such as Pine Gap and airfields in the north of the country, are crucial elements in the ongoing preparations for a potential attack on North Korea.

The SEP/IYSSE meetings will outline the revolutionary socialist and internationalist perspective required to prevent the descent of the global capitalist system into a catastrophic third world war. Speakers will place the current crisis in its historical context, and draw out the critical strategic lessons that must be learnt by workers and young people from the seminal historical experience of the 1917 Russian Revolutionthe first and only time, so far, that the working class has overthrown capitalism and taken political power in the fight for peace, social equality and world socialism.

Details:

Sydney:

Sunday, May 7, 3.00 p.m.

Duchess Room, Coronation Club

86 Burwood Road

Burwood

$7/$5 concession

Melbourne:

Sunday, May 14, 2.30 p.m.

Arts House Meat Market

5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne

$7/$5 concession

Brisbane:

Sunday May 14, 3.00 p.m.

Woolloongabba Senior Citizens Centre

22 Qualtrough Street

Woolloongabba

$5/$3 concession
According to interviews broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio earlier this month, alarm bells are going off around the state, over the surge of older persons entering homeless shelters both in the urban and rural areas.

Sue Koesterman, pastor and executive director of Churches United for the Homeless shelter in Moorhead, Minnesota told MPRs Dan Gunderson, I think we are beginning to see the wave. It offends me as a pastor that someone who is at end of life should have to receive hospice care (for example) in a dorm of a homeless shelter. To me, thats just offensive to my sense of human dignity.

Persons over the age of 55 are the smallest grouping of homeless in the state. However, across Minnesota, older people are the fastest growing demographic without a permanent address, according to the Wilder Foundation which has been performing a point-in-time one day counting of homeless people every 3 years since 1991.

According to the Wilder Foundations 2015 report, the number of Minnesotas homeless persons 55 to 80 years old has increased by 45 percent since the last survey done in 2012. The latest single day survey counted 9,312 adults, youth, and children without a permanent address, including 843 over the age of 55, comprising 9 percent of the homeless population in Minnesota.

Koesterman told MPR that, absent a political commitment to reverse the trend, matters are going to get much worse. Minnesotas Republican controlled legislature, in its most recent session, did not even give a hearing to a proposal to allow financing for affordable senior housing. The Trump administration has unmistakably signaled its intention to abolish grants for the funding of lower cost housing for senior citizens.

A housing case worker of Detroit Lakes in western Minnesota, James McKinstra, told MPR that he is seeing a steady increase in homeless seniors across several rural counties. McKinstra reported about a third of his clients have been homeless before, but that two-thirds have never seen the problem.

If theyve never experienced homelessness and theyre in their 60s or 70s, its just a huge shock to their system and they dont know how to respond.

The statistics for elder homelessness are likely an underestimation, according to McKinstra. Elders sleep unaccounted for as guests on friends couches, or run up bills in motels, or live in abandoned trailer homes.

Betty Hanson, 73, could not afford rent in the Detroit Lakes apartment market at $800 to $1000 with her small Social Security check. For some years, she lived with her children or rented only a room in homes, essentially living out of her suitcase until finally she ran out of resources and had no place to go. McKinstra found her a one bedroom apartment in Detroit Lakes with a sliding scale rent.

Maxfield Research performed a study for a housing consortium and projected that by 2020 there will be another 23,000 affordable housing units needed for Minnesota seniors. For low-income elderly, affordable housing might be no more than $400, according to Barbara Day of Washington County Community Development Agency. Rents are two to three times that in Minnesota.

Investment developers in the hunt for profits are disinterested in building affordable housing for low-income seniors.

Wendy Boppert, program manager for the downtown St. Paul Dorothy Day shelter, reported to the Pioneer Press that one night in the 2015-2016 winter they housed eight women over the age of 75, all of them homeless for the first time.

David Evansen, a 68-year-old Vietnam War veteran, reported that he lives off of a wheeled walker that he can sit on. He has leg numbness, a spinal injury, an ankle needing surgery, and a very large hernia, all of which require medical attention and several medications that he must take daily. He is VA eligible for an electric scooter, but he told Twin Cities News that he cannot receive it without a permanent address.

Evansen retired from the US Postal Service in 2000, and owned a condo for his later years. Then he divorced after retirement, lost all of his assets, and found himself homeless. For a while he moved around between shelters, then he moved in with his daughter until conflicts with her boyfriend compelled him to move out.

Patricia McArdle, Catholic Charities director for elder services pointed out, With our currently limited social safety net, anybody could become homeless.

McArdle added, Youd be amazed how many people we see here who would never have dreamed that this could happen to them because theyve always been able to take care of themselves. We have people in here who have masters degrees, were nurses, worked for the state, and they were able to stay on their feet. And then suddenly, they could not.

The Dorothy Day Center of St. Paul director Gerry Lauer reported that some of his clients have not seen a primary care physician in years, have not had new glasses for a decade, and cannot read forms or signs because of changed vision.

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) confirms that health problems are dramatically worsened by deep poverty and homelessness. Such experiences rapidly age the person, such that a 50-year-old will appear to be closer to age 70.

Homeless persons have great difficulty in obtaining proper medications, and often have no secure storage for prescriptions, such as insulin for diabetes needing refrigeration. Taking medications correctly is all the more difficult when a person is occupied with finding a meal and a safe and warm place to sleep, to wash, and to use a toilet. Dental care is often absent entirely.

Of course, homeless persons suffer depression, and not infrequently dementia. As McArdle told the Pioneer Press, Complications get worse. They begin to snowball. If you didnt have a mental health condition before you were homeless, you will afterwards.

From 2009 to 2015, Minnesota homelessness rose 6 percent. Another one day count revealed 10,214 persons without a permanent address, including 3,500 children. On the same count, about 1,000 youth 18-21 years old were on their own, and 146 teens age 17 and under were destitute. In the same time period, people using Minnesota homeless shelters rose 27 percent. Youth 21 and under comprised 46 percent of the homeless. Two parent families without shelter increased 22 percent, and children in emergency shelters rose 44 percent.

Adults over age 55 comprise over 8 percent of the homeless, and increased 48 percent between 2009 and 2015. The so-called baby boomers born between 1955 and 1965 were uniquely positioned to take the severe hit of the 2008 Great Recession, often being at an age just before eligibility for Medicare and Social Security.

The NCH reported in 2009 that there were nine senior citizens awaiting affordable housing for every one unit available, and that the wait time then was from 3-5 years.

Any subsequent economic recovery from the recession was completely meaningless for persons in deep poverty, defined as persons at or below one half of the federally defined poverty level. The NCH reports that the likelihood that a very poor elderly person can regain income by returning to employment or by way of marriage becomes ever more unlikely.

The NCH also notes that the elderly homeless have a great deal more trouble getting around, are more distrustful of shelters and clinics, often have difficulty climbing stairs to upper floor shelters, as well as standing in long lines for beds and showers.

Elderly homeless are far more prone to crime victimization, and are often ignored by the police when they are in trouble. In 2006, 27 percent of homeless crime victims were 50-59 years old.

Many more homeless people die before the age of 62. A 2007 study of seven cities in North America and Europe found homeless people three to four times more likely to die prematurely than the general population. Average life expectancy without permanent housing was found in the cities studied to be 42 to 52 years, caused principally by worsened and unattended medical conditions.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the number of elderly persons who are homeless in the US will have doubled by 2050. At least 44,172 elderly Americans were homeless in 2010, that number is expected to increase by at least 33 percent to 58,772 by 2020, and is projected to double by 2050 to 95,000.
The confrontation on the Korean Peninsula is continuing as the US threatens military action against North Korea unless it moves to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The American and international media is compounding tensions with speculation that Pyongyang could conduct a nuclear or missile test to mark its Military Foundation Day on Tuesday.

The nuclear aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, and its strike group of guided missile destroyers and cruisers are due to arrive in nearby waters on the same day. According to the Korea Herald, the aircraft carrier strike group will join the South Korean navy in a massive maritime drill.

The US and South Korean militaries have been engaged in huge joint war games that began in March and are due to continue until the end of April. The basis for these exercises shifted in 2015 from nominally defensive to pre-emptive under Oplan 5015, which reportedly includes sabotage inside North Korea and decapitation raids to kill North Korean leaders.

South Koreas Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duk-haeng indicated that US and South Korean forces were on heightened alert. We are closely watching the situation and will not be letting our guards down, he said.

Lee pointed to the very tense standoff on the Korean peninsula where a lot of exercise equipment is amassed in North Korea and also a lot of strategic assets are situated on the Korean peninsula because of the South Korea-US military drills.

The US is applying a great deal of pressure on Beijing to compel Pyongyang to bow to Washingtons demands. Trump told a press conference on Thursday he was confident that Chinese President Xi Jinping would try very hard to rein in North Korea and referred to some very unusual moves that Xi had made in the previous few hours. Trump provided no details.

A senior Trump administration official told CNN: Nobody thinks the Chinese are going to press North Korea militarily or bring the regime to its knees, but the strategy looks to China to find a political solution more than anything else. The White House is pushing Beijing to exploit Pyongyangs dependence on trade with China, including for food and oil, to bully it into submission.

At the same time, China is reportedly preparing for possible conflict. A US official told CNN the Chinese air force appeared to have put land-attack, cruise-missile-capable bombers on high alert on Wednesday. The official said the US has also seen an extraordinary number of Chinese military aircraft being brought up to full readiness through intensified maintenance. Unsubstantiated reports earlier this month indicated that the Chinese military had moved 150,000 troops to the border with North Korea.

In Russia, a Kremlin spokesman refused to comment on media reports based on observations by local residents that its military was moving hardware and troops toward Russias own border with North Korea.

The Trump administration is continuing to ramp up diplomatic pressure on North Korea, pushing through a resolution in the UN Security Council on Thursday condemning its latest failed missile test last weekend. The US conceded to Russian demands to include a cosmetic reference to the need for dialogue with North Korea. At the same time, the resolution threatened further significant measuresa threat of more crippling sanctions.

US Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Australia last night on the final leg of his Asian trip that also included South Korea and Japan. He has used the trip for discussions with Washingtons chief allies in Asia and to issue menacing warnings to North Korea that all options are on the tablethat is, including pre-emptive military attacks.

After meeting with Pence on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged his governments support for the US administrations threats against North Korea. He declared that dialogue for the sake of dialogue is valueless, adding, It is necessary for us to exercise pressure on North Korea so that it comes forward and engages in this serious dialogue.

The Asahi Shimbun reported Japanese preparations for the mass evacuation of Japanese nationals from South Korea in the event of conflict. According to government officials, Tokyo was considering bringing citizens home on US as well as Japanese military aircraft and vessels.

Top officials on North Korea from the US, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday. According to South Koreas foreign ministry, the meeting will discuss plans to rein in North Koreas additional high-strength provocations, to maximize pressure on the North, and to ensure Chinas constructive role in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue.

This weekend, a highly secretive meeting of the heads of the intelligence agencies from the Five Eyes network, comprising the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, is due to take place in New Zealand. While no details have been released, the gathering is taking place under conditions of heightened geo-political tensions and will undoubtedly discuss North Korea.

In parallel with the Trump administrations threats against North Korea, the US and international media continue an endless stream of propaganda denouncing Pyongyang as a rogue regime and openly debating the pros and cons of various forms of military action in a bid to condition public opinion.

A chilling article in the Washington Post entitled Twenty-five million reasons the US hasnt struck North Korea outlined the consequences for the 25 million residents of the South Korean capital of Seoul in the event of war with North Korea. Even if nuclear weapons were not used, North Korea has large numbers of long-range artillery pieces and rocket launchers that would have a devastating effect.

A 2012 Nautilus Institute study estimated that North Korean artillery would be able to fire about 4,000 rounds an hour into the Seoul area, killing over 2,800 people in the first volley and 64,000 on the first day, the majority in the first three hours. Some of the casualties would be American because the US military has personnel stationed on bases close to the Demilitarised Zone between the two Koreas.

The Washington Post suggested the massive death toll as a reason why the Trump administration would not launch a military attack on North Korea. However, there is no reason to believe that the White House would pull back from war. Trump officials have repeatedly declared that all options are on the table and the US would solve North Korea alone if China failed to do so.

The result would be a devastating conflict that would not be confined to the Korean peninsula and could draw in other nuclear-armed powers such as China and Russia.
Friday saw fresh clashes across the occupied West Bank between Israeli security forces and Palestinians demonstrating in solidarity with the Freedom and Dignity hunger strike by Palestinian political prisoners. Daily protests began Monday, when tens of thousands staged angry demonstrations to mark Palestinian Prisoners Day and support the mass hunger strike.

Led by Marwan Barghouti, a leader of Fatah, the dominant faction in the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), the open-ended hunger strike is one of the largest in recent years. It involves some 1,500 prisoners in at least six jails from various Palestinian parties and factions.

It could precipitate a major political crisis for Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who faces a potential corruption charge, a coalition beset with factional infighting and signs of rising social discontent among Israeli workers.

The hunger strikers are seeking to highlight the appalling conditions of their detention in Israeli jails, which reflect the broader daily suppression of the Palestinian people. They are demanding an end to solitary confinement and the stringent restrictions on family visits that include a ban on bringing in books, clothing, food and other items, and taking photographs with relatives. They want Israeli authorities to resume bi-monthly family visits, install public telephones in every prison, provide air conditioners and restore kitchens.

Palestinian security prisoners are not even allowed to make phone calls to their families. Their families need Israeli permits to visit them, which are regularly refused on spurious security pretexts.

Many prisoners suffer from medical neglect. They have to pay for their own treatment and even then are not provided with adequate healthcare. Sick patients have even been denied water.

A crucial demand is for an end to administrative detentionprolonged imprisonment without charge, often indefinitely renewedillegal under international law. Detention orders also violate Israeli law, which upholds the right to be informed of the nature and cause of an accusation and a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in the state where the alleged crime was committed.

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli forces have detained more than 750,000 Palestinians since the start of the occupation after the 1967 June war. Almost every single family has had someone arrested and detained by the Israeli security forces.

There are currently 6,300 Palestinian political prisoners, around 500 of them in administrative detention on the orders of military courts, many for years on end, according to the Palestinian prisoners rights group, Addameer. More than 300 have been in jail since before the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993.

Among the prisoners are 13 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), including a woman, Sameera al-Halayqah, and Fatah leader Barghouthi, who is serving five life sentences for offences arising out of the Palestinian uprising that started in September 2000.

Since October 2015, when a wave of political unrest erupted across the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Israel following attempts by right-wing Israeli Jews to hold prayers in the al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City, Israeli security forces have detained 10,000 Palestinians, most of whom were from occupied East Jerusalem. About one third of the current Palestinian detainees are children and teenagers, of whom 300 are minors.

Writing in an op-ed piece in the New York Times last Sunday, Barghouti said, Palestinian prisoners and detainees have suffered from torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and medical negligence... about 200 Palestinian prisoners have died since 1967 because of such actions.

Barghouti accused Israel of conducting mass arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners, adding that a hunger strike was the most peaceful form of resistance available.

Last week, Amnesty International called Israels treatment of Palestinian prisoners unlawful and cruel. Its latest report on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories for 2016-17 said, Torture and other ill-treatment of detainees remained rife and was committed with impunity.

Regional director Magdalena Mughrabi said, Israels ruthless policy of holding Palestinian prisoners arrested in the occupied Palestinian territories in prisons inside Israel is a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Israel has responded with characteristic brutality. Security Minister Gilad Erdan has refused to negotiate over the strike, calling the prisoners terrorists and murderers, and suspended family visits.

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) said Barghouti would be prosecuted in a discipline court as punishment for his New York Times op-ed. The IPS has transferred Barghouti and several others to another prison, placing them in solitary confinement, confiscating their personal belongings and clothes, and banning them from watching TV, because, it said, calling for a hunger strike was against prison rules.

The IPS has set up a military field hospital in the Ktziot prison especially for hunger strikers and banned the future transfer of hunger strikers with deteriorated health conditions to any civilian hospital.

This follows the refusal of Israeli doctors to implement a law, passed in the wake of a prisoners hunger strike in 2015, permitting the force-feeding of prisoners if their life is in danger, which is in breach of Israels Patient Rights Act. The Israel Medical Association has called the law equivalent to torture and every physician has the right to refuse to force-feed a hunger striker against his or her will.

Rami Hamdallah, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA), issued a cynical statement of support for the hunger strikers. The PA has played no small part in Israels suppression of the Palestinians, arresting around 400 Palestinians at Israels request during 2016 alone. It routinely passes on information to Tel Aviv used for the detention, interrogation and torture of Palestinians.

Conditions for the Palestinians under Israeli occupation are dire. Official figures, a pale reflection of reality, show that unemployment was 18 percent in the West Bank and 42 percent in Gaza, while youth unemployment in Gaza was a massive 58 percent. Such are the poverty levels in Gaza that 80 percent of its residents receive some form of aid.

In the West Bank, the Israeli authorities severely restrict freedom of movement, particularly around the Israeli settlements and the so-called Security Wall. The Palestinians are subject to collective punishment for any retaliation against the almost daily attacks that settlers carry out with impunity. At the same time, the Palestinians face the threat of losing further land should Israel annex Area C, 60 percent of the West Bank and currently under Israeli military control, as ultra-right-wing forces are demanding.

In Gaza, the Palestinians have electricity for only six hours a day, thanks to Israels 10 year-long blockade and Gazas struggle with the PA over who is to pay the tax on diesel fuel from Israel to the power station upon which the electricity supply depends. With the PA desperately short of donor funds that have all but dried up, it has refused to continue paying the tax, cut pay for PA employees in Gaza by 30 percent and threatened to stop all monetary transfers to Gaza unless Hamas, the political faction that controls the enclave, submits to the PAs authority.
The first round of the elections in France is being held against the backdrop of an attempt by the state and the media to use the violent incident on the Champs Elysees, involving a gunman who is alleged to have been acting on behalf of ISIS, to create an atmosphere of political hysteria.

With over 50,000 soldiers and policemen set to deploy to polling stations tomorrow, the elections are to be held at gunpoint.

As facts emerge about the background of the alleged gunman, it is virtually impossible not to conclude that this shooting was a provocation involving elements of the security forces, over half of whom plan to vote for Marine Le Pens neo-fascist National Front (FN).

Karim Cheurfi, a French citizen and career criminal, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2003 for shooting and nearly killing two policemen, but later released on appeal, was last arrested in February after demanding weapons and stating he wanted to kill policemen. He was released supposedly because the level of danger he posed was not at the priority level. Though he was an Islamic State (IS) sympathizer who was being followed by French domestic intelligence at least since March, his case was treated as a common law, not terrorist, case.

Despite Frances strict gun control laws, Cheurfi was somehow able to amass an arsenal, including an automatic rifle, a shotgun and several knives, which he had with him during the attack.

The day before the shooting, right-wing media such as Le Figaro demanded that Islamic terrorism be at the center of the end of the election campaign." The newspaper wrote: "It is a critical issue, but one that has been too little dealt with. The shooting was the signal for a coordinated political offensive. As security forces put much of downtown Paris on lockdown, the right-wing candidates speaking in Thursday nights presidential debate demanded stepped-up law-and-order policies and even a shutting down of the election campaign.

Conservative candidate Francois Fillon demanded the eradication of Islamist totalitarianism and called for the suspension of the campaign. Le Pen denounced the incredible laxity of the courts and demanded the expulsion of all foreigners with intelligence files. Fillon, Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, the candidate of the On the March movement, backed by Frances Socialist Party (PS) government, all canceled their campaign events yesterday.

In a remarkable incident at the debate that points to the political atmosphere emerging in France, police confronted New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA) candidate Philippe Poutou, who had appealed for police to be unarmed. They called him a faggot and said they would keep their weapons.

This attempt to shut down the campaign and fill the airwaves with anti-Muslim propaganda is driven by a deep political crisis. The PS faces a historic collapse, after having been discredited by its austerity measures and its state of emergency, which suspends basic democratic rights. It is terrified of rising antiwar sentiment in the aftermath of the unprovoked US strikes against Syria on April 7, which benefited Jean-Luc Melenchon of the Unsubmissive France movement. Macron, Le Pen, Fillon and Melenchon are now in a virtual tie, and over one-third of voters are still undecided.

The ruling elite is well aware of explosive class tensions in France and across Europe. Two-thirds of the French people say class struggle is a daily reality of life. At the same time, voters say their main concerns are not terrorism, but social issues such as jobs, wages and social conditions.

The programs of the main candidateswhich include calls for mass job cuts, tens of billions of euros in austerity measures, military spending increases and a return of the draftmake clear that the ruling class totally opposes these demands. There are also fears that financial markets could react to a surprise election result with a crash, wiping out trillions of dollars in paper wealth.

With the election outcome still in the balance, the French financial aristocracy aims to fill the airwaves with law-and-order, anti-Muslim propaganda in the final hours of the campaign.

It relies critically on the cowardice of what passes for the left in France, which has accepted official claims that the Champs-Elysees attack is merely the outcome of a series of police errors, though each error is so grotesque as to defy belief. Melenchon himself reacted by declaring on Twitter his personal solidarity with Le Pen, Fillon and Macron.

A precursor of todays situation in France is Italys Years of Lead in the 1970s and 1980s, when the state responded to popular radicalization and massive class struggles by letting far-right terrorists tied to Italian intelligence mount attacks they blamed on left-wing groups. These attacks included the murder of three Carabinieri police in the Peteano car bombing of 1972 and the 1980 bombing of the Central Station in Bologna.

Several far-right terrorists involved in this strategy of tension were caught. Judge Felice Casson explained to the BBC that they aimed to create tension in the country to promote conservative, reactionary social and political tendencies. One convicted terrorist, Vincenzo Vinciguerra, told the Observer: You had to attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people unknown people far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple. They were supposed to force these people, the Italian public, to turn to the State to ask for greater security.

As it seeks to slash workers living standards and rearm itself for war, the financial aristocracy is well aware that it faces deep popular opposition. It will stop at nothing in an attempt to preserve its rule.
World Socialist Web Site Arts Editor David Walsh spoke at San Diego State University on April 18, giving a meeting entitled, Should art be judged on the basis of race and gender? Walsh spoke to an audience of some 70 students and workers and presented a Marxist analysis of recent controversies in arts and culture. The lecture was followed by a lively question-and-answer period.

The WSWS will post a version of the talk in the next few days.

The presentation centered on the role of identity politics and the social layers obsessed with race and gender in contemporary American life, and the cultural implications of those issues. The speaker referred to the new constituency for imperialist war, often in the name of human rights or womens rights. He discussed several recent episodesthe attack on Free State of Jones and the protests against Dana Schutz painting of Emmett Till, Open Casket that indicated the degree to which certain upper middle class layers are saturated with a pernicious racialist outlook. The opponents of Schutzs work demanded that it be removed from the Whitney Museum in New York and destroyed.

Walsh argued that there was a material basis for the pursuit of racial and gender politics. He took note of various statistics revealing the sharp polarization within the African American population, and among women. These newly affluent elements want more, he said.

The WSWS arts editor then posed several questions, Is it possible  for one gender or ethnicity or nationality to successfully create artistic works about another? Is such a thing even permissible?  And what are the implications if these efforts are not possible or permissible?

After rejecting the notion that there were entirely distinct black and white cultures in America, Walsh proceeded to discuss the history of ethnic or racial particularism, the notion that there are absolute differences between peoples, and that they are incomprehensible to one another. He briefly noted the positions of various figures of the Enlightenment on the equality of peoples and the unity of human nature. By contrast, he pointed to counter-Enlightenment thinkers who emphasized irrationalism, ethnicity, national prejudice and tradition. In this context, he concluded this portion of the talk with a reference to the micro-politics and difference advanced by postmodernism.

Walsh then connected the influence of identity politics and postmodernism to the relative barrenness of artistic production over the past 40 years. It is not accidental, he noted, there has not been a single artwork one can point to that sums up in images the period in which we live.

During the question-and-answer segment of the meeting, one faculty member argued that Walshs reference to the Nazi-like character of the protests against Dana Schutzs painting of Emmett Till was illegitimate.

Walsh replied that from an ideological point of view, racialism or ethnic chauvinism in any form was reactionary and had a deadly logic, and the socialist movement had always opposed it. He also raised the question of Zionism and how the Israeli ruling elite leveraged itself on past crimes to justify its oppression of the Palestinians.

One student asked Walsh if it were possible to understand black antagonism within capitalism and implied that the unique character of the black experience had to be recognized as the basis of any present-day discussion. The speaker replied that slavery arose out of economic processes, not the racist pathology of white people. Racism did not arise from psychology or culture, but from the need to justify and defend certain economic relations. For American capitalism, he explained, racism became a key element in dividing the working class.

He asked the student, How can you confront racism, how do you confront these issues? In our view, you cannot confront them on a single-issue basis, but by getting to the root of the problem, capitalism, by unifying the working class against the system that is the source of all these poisons.

Another audience member asked Walsh to elaborate on the anti-war movement of the last decade and how it had became pro-war and also the relationship between this phenomenon and the WSWS analysis of the pseudo-left. Walsh said there had been a big class shift in layers of the erstwhile protest movement. The generation of 1968, what happened to that generation? Much of it has become wealthy, it turned to the right, becoming obsessed with itself. Walsh noted that the leadership of the mass protests in 2003 began to fold up the anti-war movement when the Democrats were elected in the 2006 mid-term elections and refused to act against George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The process completed itself under Barack Obama.

One audience member asked how the media kept people divided. Walsh began by saying the media uses identity politics, individualism and a thousand different means to distract and divert the population. They encourage selfishness and backwardness, he said, along with the worship of Wall Street, the worship of the military and religious backwardness. The population of the US has been bombarded in recent decades with every variety of ideological filthiness, Walsh suggested.

He asserted, People are not at each others throats, Americans are more tolerant than ever and there is a deeply democratic sense among young people. This is not the central issue for most young people, but the media and the New York Times would have us believe that everyone is obsessed with race and gender.

Another questioner asked about the Obama administration, and his differences with Trump. Walsh responded, Obama was always a fraud, he is a representative of the ruling class. Obama and Trump speak for different sections, or wings, of the ruling class, they have different lifestyles, different approaches, but the basic policies are the same. In any case, the Democrats and Republicans have a division of labor. He observed that the disappointment and disillusionment of the Obama years had led to Trump.

Echoing the question about the uniqueness of the black experience, one young audience member suggested that there was also a single female experience as well. Walsh suggested that while women had, of course, common characteristics, as did men, in any discussion of politics and society, the social factors were decisive. The questioner, he argued, might have physiological characteristics in common with a Margaret Thatcher or a Condoleezza Rice, but if one of the latter were ordering police to beat her up at the barricades, the social differences would predominate.

Several audience members asked if Walsh had hope for the future and what the way forward was. He mentioned that he had great confidence in the future and in the younger generation in particular, saying, Masses of people are in debt, working bad jobs, over-educated and under-unemployed people, this is a recipe for revolution.

He concluded by saying, Now our argument is that they need to have a much clearer sense of how society has reached this point and a far greater understanding of history and culture. We put ourselves forward, we are building an international socialist party, but you have to decide if we are right or wrong.

Many stayed after the lecture to thank Walsh for his comments and several bought copies of his book The Sky between the Leaves, as well as other literature. There was much discussion after the formal end of the meeting.
Workers and youth from Jaffna, in war-ravaged northern Sri Lanka, have endorsed the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals campaign to free the framed-up Maruti Suzuki workers in India.

Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) members and supporters are holding a protest picket and public meeting in Jaffna next week to demand release of the autoworkers. A campaign team recently discussed the issue with workers from the municipal council, Jaffna University and other workplaces.

The Maruti Suzuki workers were prosecuted on frame-up charges because they dared to fight against the brutal working conditions at the Japanese-owned companys Manesar plant in Haryana. Thirteen workers have been sentenced to life imprisonment and 18 others to three to five years jail. The Indian police, judiciary and political establishment, including the previous Congress-led government and the current Bharatiya Janatha Party-led administration, collaborated in the witch-hunt.

Eight years after the end of the communal war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Jaffna continues to be occupied by tens of thousands of Sri Lankan military personnel. Tamil people regularly hold protests to demand the military withdraw from the province, return land seized from its previous owners, release political prisoners and provide information about the people who disappeared during the war.

SEP and IYSSE members spoke with Jaffna municipal council workers about the political importance of the international campaign to release the Maruti-Suzuki workers.

We too have the responsibility to defend the Maruti Suzuki workers, one worker said. We are forced to work for nine hours but are only paid for eight hours and there are many temporary workers who should be given permanent jobs. Despite the fact that there are vacancies, the northern provincial council does not fill these positions and provide permanent jobs.

Another worker said: Developing such a fight is good and will help to defend democratic rights. We will participate in the picketing. We hadnt heard about this issue before and only learnt about it through you people.

Council worker M. Pathmanathan added: Punishing these workers by these methods is unjust and therefore I support the campaign to free them.

A group of council drivers also commented. We are shocked about the verdict, one said. Its horrible that 13 workers have been imprisoned for life on false charges and it is unacceptable. There may be a situation in the future where a similar thing could happen to us.

A. Washington, a welder and Jaffna Municipal Council Workers Union leader, condemned the witch hunt against the Maruti-Suzuki workers and explained that Jaffna council workers still had a nine-hour working day.

Our workers were also fighting for permanent jobs. There are discriminations. Im a welder but am not paid a proper salary, he said. Weve fought over several problems here but theres been no solution. The local governments are controlled by the Tamil National Alliance [a coalition of Tamil bourgeois parties] but they dont care about workers problems.

Kesavan, a university worker, denounced the prison terms imposed on the Indian autoworkers. I demand the immediate and unconditional release of Maruti Suzuki workers, who have been illegally imprisoned by an Indian court, he said. These judgments can be used against workers in Sri Lanka and other countries too. I oppose this anti-democratic act. Jailing people who are fighting for their rights is tantamount to turning workers into slaves.

Navaratnam, another university worker, asked why the Indian communist parties were not fighting these attacks. Campaigners explained the degeneration of these Stalinist organisations, their collaboration with capitalist parties, including the Congress, and their transformation into parties of the bourgeois establishment.

We have to work for nine hours a day, even during holidays, Navaratnam said. They dont allow us to question this injustice. Ive been working here for 25 years. They held an examination for my promotion but there were many hard questions and I was unable to pass. Its not only the Indian workers but Sri Lankan workers who are facing similar problems. I demand the release of those Maruti Suzuki workers.

P. Suba, an aesthetics graduate, has been involved in an ongoing protest for jobs in Jaffna. We must condemn the attack on the Maruti Suzuki workers and Ill sign the petition today, she said.

I had to finish my education in 2011. Due to the war and floods we were displaced to several places and so I had to continue my studies for another year. Ive been unemployed for more than five years. I had to spend more money for hostel [accommodation] and other needs during the university studies and so Im unable to take care of my parents.

During the war, we were moved out of the conflict zones by ships. We were moved from one place to another and on board ships for many days and faced a high risk of attack, she said.

The SEP and IYSSE urge workers, youth and students to participate in the protest picket and public meeting in Jaffna on April 27.

Picketing: Outside the Jaffna bus stand at 3.30 p.m.4.30 p.m.

Meeting venue and time: Veerasingham Hall, 5.00 p.m.7.00 p.m.
Speaking on a visit to Israel on Friday, US Defense Secretary James Mad Dog Mattis charged that the Syrian government has violated an agreement brokered by Moscow in 2013 by holding onto chemical weapons.

The bottom line is there can be no doubt in the international communitys mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all, Mattis said during a press conference, standing alongside his Israeli counterpart, the extreme right-wing Zionist Avigdor Lieberman.

Mattis refused to provide any estimate of what quantity of chemical weapons he believes are in Syrian hands, claiming that it would compromise intelligence sources. He charged, however, that Damascus was in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and warned that it would be ill-advised to use any again." He added, "Weve made that very clear with our first strike.

The US defense secretarys accusations come just two weeks after American warships rained 59 cruise missiles on the Syrias Shayrat air base, killing 15 people, the majority of them civilians.

The April 7 strike was launched in supposed retaliation for a chemical weapons incident in the village of Khan Sheikhun in Syrias Idlib province, which reportedly killed scores of people. Within hours of the first reports of the incidentrelayed to the West by Western-funded media activists linked to the Syrian Al Qaeda affiliate that controls the areaWashington and its allies pinned the blame on the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Since then, the US and its allies have provided no substantive evidence that the Syrian government launched the attack, which served no rational motive, given the militarily inconsequential nature of the target and the inevitability that it would serve as a pretext for Western retaliation.

Since then, the US has systematically blocked demands by Syria and its two principal allies, Russia and Iran, for an objective investigation of the alleged chemical attack by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday condemned the US and its allies for blocking a resolution on the OPCW executive council to send a fact-finding mission to establish whether chemical weapons were used in Khan Sheikhoun and how they were delivered to the site of the reported incident.

Syrias President Assad also denounced the US and its allies for blocking any impartial investigation of the Idlib chemical incident.

We formally sent a letter to the United Nations, we asked them in that letter to send a delegation in order to investigate what happened in Khan Shaykhun, the Syrian president told the Russian news agency Sputnik. However, until this moment they didn't send any group since the West and the United States blocked any delegation from coming because if they come, they will find out that their narrative about what happened in Khan Shaykhun was a false flag and a lie."

It is apparent that the US and the other Western powers backing regime-change in Syria fear what such a mission would uncover. One US authority on missile attacks, the MIT physicist and national security consultant Theodore Postol, has issued a report that establishes, based on evidence provided by Washington, that the chemical weapon was not delivered by a missile fired from the air, but rather set off by an improvised explosive device on the ground, meaning it was almost certainly the work of those who control the area, the rebel forces tied to Al Qaeda.

Like the allegations over this staged chemical weapons attack, Mattis charge that Syria has kept its chemical weapons is totally unsubstantiated and designed to provide the pretext for further US military aggression.

The chemical disarmament of Syria was carried out under a deal brokered by Moscow in 2013 when the Obama administration backed down from a threat to launch airstrikes against Syria over another alleged chemical weapons incident in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta. That incident was also exposed as a deliberate provocation staged by Turkish intelligence in league with Islamist rebels for the express purpose of provoking a US attack. The US participated directly in the destruction of Syrias chemical stockpiles, and the OCPW certified that all of the countrys chemical weapons had been destroyed in January 2016.

Mattis allegations against Syria came just a day after President Donald Trump charged Iran with failing to live up to the spirit of the agreement negotiated between Tehran and the major powers over Irans nuclear power. On Tuesday, the US State Department certified that Iran was in full compliance with the agreement, but indicated that the administration was conducting a full review of its sanctions regime to determine whether its waiver of sanctions under the terms of the deal remained vital to the national security interests of the United States. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson followed up on Wednesday with a bellicose denunciation of Iran and the clear indication that Washington was prepared to abrogate the deal and escalate military confrontation.

Mattis Middle East tour has essentially consisted of consultation with an axis of regional enemies of Iran, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday praised what he termed a great change in the direction of American strategy, which he said had been made clear by Mattis clear and forthright words... and very forthright deeds against the use of chemical weapons by Irans proxy, Syria.

He said Israel welcomed the strategic change of American leadership and American policy. The Netanyahu government viewed the Obama administration as insufficiently supportive, even as Obama raised annual military aid from Washington to some $3.8 billion.

The main bone of contention was the Iran nuclear deal, which the Israeli government, the regions sole nuclear power, bitterly opposed. Now, with the Trump administrations escalating campaign of worldwide militarism and its bellicose denunciations of Tehran, the Israeli government is clearly hoping that it can scuttle the nuclear agreement and ratchet up military provocations against Iran, seen by both Tel Aviv and Washington as the principal rival for regional hegemony.

In the same statement charging Syria with keeping chemical weapons, Mattis also said that the Syrian army had dispersed their aircraft in recent days. US intelligence officials have reported that Damascus has redeployed its warplanes to Russias Hmeimim airbase near Latakia on the Syrian coast in order to intermingle them with Russian planes. Another US strike against them would inevitably mean hitting Russian personnel, raising the threat of a military confrontation between the worlds two major nuclear powers.
A hysterical smear campaign against Turkey is underway in German political circles following the Turkish referendum last Sunday which, based on a small majority, grants President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broad dictatorial powers.

The fact that Turks living in Germany voted by 63 percent for Erdogans authoritarian plans, while he gained only a wafer-thin majority of just over 51 percent in Turkey, is being exploited to justify this witch-hunt. What is barely mentioned is that only 46 percent of eligible Turks in Germany voted, while turnout in Turkey was above 85 percent.

The extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has used the referendum vote to launch a Turks out campaign, while Christian Democratic Union (CDU) right-winger Thomas Strobl is demanding an end to Germanys dual nationality policy, thereby making xenophobia a prominent issue for this autumns federal election. At the same time, some of the most extreme witch-hunting of Turks originates from the Left Party and the ostensibly left-liberal political milieu.

A typical example is the commentary on Wednesday evenings Tagesthemen news broadcast by Sonia Seymour Mikich. She began her contribution with an attack on all those who, given the above-average support for Erdogan, call for better integration of German-Turks and renewed efforts to win the hearts and minds of Turks living here.

Mikichs dismissive comment in this regard is hard to beat for arrogance: A little pampering because integration had worked out badly. This is something she decisively rejects. It was not true that the Germans had driven the German-Turks into Erdogans arms, she said. The real reason was a lack of respect by German-Turks for the German constitution, which provided everyone with air to breathe, protected minorities and established law.

Such xenophobic nostrums have hardly been heard in the state-owned media following the controversy a few years ago centred on right-wing demands for recognition of a leading German culture (Deutsche Leitkultur), recalling the old imperialist slogan The German spirit will heal the world.

Mikich then stepped up her demagogy: I was shocked when, after the coup, Turks living here lionised their president, accompanied by loud cries for the [introduction of] death penalty. Then insistently: On the soil of a democracy, peoplesome with a German passportcalled for the death penalty.

It must be remembered that the mass Turkish demonstration in Cologne in late July last year, to which Mikich refers, took place just two weeks after the failed coup attempt in Turkey. President Erdogan only very narrowly escaped an assassination squad. The coup was organized from the NATO air base at Incirlik, and there are many indications that US and German military were at least informed about it, if not actively involved.

Mikich acts as if the call for the death penalty had been the main demand of the rally, and then finished her comment by saying: Those who support this, may have to give up their German passport! She added, I do not want to argue about this again. This is a red line! On this point, I am an integration refusnik.

The sordid, vulgar way in which the slogan of the far rightForeigners out!is now put forward does not differ from the AfD and is repugnant. It makes clear how far the official political spectrum has moved to the right.

Sonia Mikich is not just anyone. The chief editor of broadcaster WDR has worked there for over 30 years, and has been a correspondent in Moscow, Paris and New York. She leads investigative programmes like the political magazine Monitor and moderates the Sunday Press Club on broadcaster ARD. In her student days in the 1970s, Mikich was a member of the International Marxist Group (GIM), the German section of the Pabloite United Secretariat.

Her right-wing, xenophobic commentary is an expression of a turn to the right by many of these former lefts, which can currently be observed in all countries. In the name of the defence of democracy and human rights, the situation in Turkey and the development of Erdogans authoritarian regime is being used to advance the interests of Germany, or rather to better represent the new great power interests of German imperialism.

To avoid any misunderstanding: The Erdogan regime is a reactionary bourgeois government and the constitutional reform is a step towards dictatorship. A few days ago, the WSWS published a statement of the Turkish organization Toplumsal Esitlik (TE, Socialist Equality Group), which is in political sympathy with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), advocating a no vote in the referendum.

But the fight against the Erdogan government is not the task of the German government and its lackeys in the media, but rather the Turkish and international working class.

The claim that Germany, or rather, the German government, acts in Turkeyor in any other countryfor democracy and human rights is pure propaganda, and is false through and through.

One need only look at Greece to see the reactionary role Germany plays via the institutions of the European Union. The economic and social system in this neighbouring country of Turkey has been ruined by the dictates of German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble. Thousands of working families have been forced into destitution and despair.

Although the death penalty has not been introduced in Greece, the number of suicides by the elderly and infirm who can no longer be supported by their families exceeds the number of state executions in any other country many times over.

But that is of no interest to Sonia Mikich and many other ex-lefts. Mikichs flirtation with the socialist movement in the 1970s was never serious, and primarily served her own personal career advancement. Many from this pseudo-left milieu have become rich and powerful, and are now important propagandists of resurgent German power politics.

Sahra Wagenknecht and the Left Party are also moving ever further to the right. When Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte stirred up anti-Turkish and anti-Muslim sentiments in the recent election campaign, to outdo the extreme right-winger Geert Wilders, the parliamentary leader of the Left Party applauded. She praised Ruttes decision to refuse entry to Turkish government members, and accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel of failing to show as much backbone.

The rightward shift of these ex-lefts is a response to the global crisis of capitalism and the intensification of the class struggle. In face of mounting social conflicts, growing resistance against exploitation, militarism and preparations for war, they see their privileged position in society under threat. They respond by calling for a strong state and developing sympathy for right-wing slogans.

Mikichs provocative commentary is aimed above all at the working class. Many German-Turks are from working class families who came to Germany in the 1960s and 70s as so-called guest workers. They have been involved in many labour disputes and form an important part of the working class.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Gov. Rick Scott is delaying his planned trade mission to Argentina due to wildfires that are burning in several parts of the state.

Scott was scheduled to leave late Saturday for a five-day trip to Buenos Aires. A final decision has not yet been made on whether to cancel the trip completely.

The governor has been monitoring the wildfires and visited one site in southwest Florida.

The Argentina trip is supposed to be Scott's 13th trip abroad since he became governor in January 2011.

Scott has defended the trips as a way to open doors for Florida-based companies seeking business abroad.

He has taken previous economic development trips to the South American countries of Brazil, Colombia and Chile, as well as Japan, Israel, England, France, Spain, Canada and Panama.
Giant global coal miner Peabody Energy just emerged from bankruptcy. It was one of many coal industry names that faltered over the last few years, including Arch Coal and Alpha Natural Resources. However, Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) was never close to that unfortunate tipping point. In fact, while other miners were bleeding red ink, Alliance managed to remain profitable throughout the downturn. Sure, Alliance is a coal miner...but there's more than meets the eye, here.
Hannah Meister is a sophomore at Davis High School and is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republics Unleashed program for teen journalists. 
Wapato High School senior Albert Squeochs holds his roses and smiles after being crowned Mr. Teen Wapato at the Mr. Teen Wapato 2017 pageant on February 16, 2017, at Wapato High School. (Photo by Sharon Hill)
Two indictments were filed Friday in the United States against the 18-year-old Israeli from Ashkelon who was arrested in Israel a month ago and accused of threatening Jewish institutions across the US and the world.

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The indictments were filed in Orlando, Florida and Athens, Georgia.

Recordings of threats made

X

The accused in court (Photo: Dana Koppel)

In the indictment filed in Orlando Federal Court, the young man has been accused of making 245 threatening phone calls, the majority to Jewish community centers and schools in Florida. The threats were made primarily from January to March and included dozens of messages graphically describing the deaths of children.

According to the indictment, the suspect used an online call service to disguise his voice to that of a woman in order to help conceal his identity.

In an attempt to further conceal his identity, the suspect paid for the calls using Bitcoin, which provides relative anonymity.

Antenna used to help make the threatening calls from the suspect's home in Ashkelon

Map detailing locations of bomb threats (Photo: CNN)

In what would appear to amount to particularly damning evidence, the defendant recorded all the conversations himself and kept them in files arranged in his home, along with news stories describing police responses to the threats.

The suspect has been charged with 28 counts of making threatening calls and transmitting false information to the police.

In a separate indictment filed in Georgia, the young man is charged with three other counts of making threatening calls, transmitting false information, and internet harassment.

The indictment links the young man to several cases in which the authorities were called upon to respond to emergencies that turned out to be fabricated.

Kids being evacuated during bomb threat (Photo: CBS)

One of them describes a case in January, in which the Georgia University police received a phone call about a home invasion of the house that turned out to be false.

The defendant, whose name is being withheld in Israel pending a formal indictment, has dual American-Israeli citizenship.

According to records from Florida Federal Court, he has no lawyer representing him in the US.

In an interview with Channel 2 News, the defendant's mother said that her son was home-schooled after he was unable to function in school due to a brain tumor.

Suspect's attorney presenting court information on his brain tumor (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"He's autistic," she said. "He can't control it. He can't think straight."

The young man's attorney in Israel offered a similar assessment, telling reporters that despite having a high IQ, the young man had the emotional intelligence of a five-year-old.

The US Justice Department has not said whether it will seek his extradition.

Reuters contributed to this report.

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
UNIFIL is deflecting responsibility and denying prior knowledge of the presence of armed Hezbollah militants along the border with Israel Thursday.

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Hours after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri visited the border with Israel and declared his opposition to a provocative Hezbollah press tour, UNIFIL claims that the Lebanese government is responsible for the presence of armed terrorists in the area.

UNIFIL during Hezbollah's press tour (Photo: AP)

UNIFIL issued a statement, saying, "Shortly before the journalists' delegation arrived in the area, the Lebanese army warned UNIFIL that there would be a press tour along the Blue Line, but did not specify any further details.

"Regarding reports of the presence of armed men on this tour, this is a violation of Resolution 1701. As decided, Lebanese authorities are responsible for examining the presence of unauthorized elements in the area between the Blue Line and the Litani River."

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri meets with UNIFIL official

UNIFIL's statement comes a day after Prime Minister Hariri arrived near the south Lebanon border for a tour of his own, in an attempt to convey the message that the state is the landlord, not Hezbollah.

"I started the visit to the headquarters of the UNIFIL force in order to convey the gratitude of the Lebanese people to all the countries that take part in it," said Hariri. "I emphasize that Lebanon is committed to Resolution 1701. As a state, our duty is to protect sovereignty and borders and to maintain security and stability of our citizens in this area.

Hariri arrives in south Lebanon

"The state and the army belong to all Lebanese. The only agenda is to provide security and stability for all Lebanese. There is no rule in Lebanon over any other regime. These things should be clear to everyone," Hariri said.

In response to a question from a journalist about about Hezbollah's media tour, Hariri responded, "What happened yesterday in a certain place is something the government has no interest in and we oppose it. We came here today to say that we are committed to Resolution 1701."

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
E-commerce has become a dirty word in many circles, with people blaming online shopping for killing everything from the mom-and-pop corner store to their favorite mall chain.

So far this year, Radio Shack, Vanity, Family Christian Stores and Rue 21 have all either closed stores in Lincoln or announced plans to do so. And other chains, including Sears, J.C. Penney, Gordmans and Payless ShoeSource, have announced store closings elsewhere in Nebraska.

Though those companies have various issues fueling their decline, one common thread is changing shopping habits and the increased competition from online shopping.

Amazon, the e-commerce behemoth, recently agreed to start collecting sales taxes on purchases made by Nebraska residents, but in the years before when it didn't, the Nebraska Retail Federation estimated that state lost more than 2,000 retail jobs as a direct result of those Amazon sales.

But there is another side to that e-commerce coin. Companies involved in the industry are growing like crazy. Amazon announced earlier this year that it plans to hire 100,000 people over the next 18 months.

Spreetail is seeing a similar pattern, although on a much smaller scale.

The Lincoln-based e-commerce company, which already was growing at a pretty healthy clip, is seeing its growth accelerate.

Spreetail had been expecting to hit about $200 million in revenue this year but now predicts it will pass that number by at least 10 percent, which will be a more than 50 percent increase over 2015.

"We're ahead of where we thought we'd be," said Brett Thome, a Nebraska Wesleyan University graduate who is the company's CEO.

Thome said Spreetail not only is benefiting from the growth of online sales, but it also is catching the eye of more and more brands that want to work with it.

Because of that, the company is accelerating its hiring plans.

Thome said Spreetail plans to hire 400 people over the next three years. About 75 of those hires are likely to be this year, 125-150 in 2018 and 150-200 in 2019, he said.

And most of those are high-paying jobs in business development, software development and sales, Thome said.

Spreetail just moved into a new 16,000-square-foot office space at Nebraska Innovation Campus last year, and Thome said the company already has started looking for an additional 20,000 square feet of space to accommodate its expected expansion.

Many people still know Spreetail as VM Innovations, which is the former name of the company and still the name of its e-commerce website. It actually gets most of its business through other e-commerce sites, including eBay, Amazon, Wal-Mart and Jet.com.

One of the biggest complaints from advocates of brick-and-mortar stores is that most online retailers don't collect sales taxes from their customers unless they have a physical presence in the state. That's how Spreetail operates, but since it's based in Lincoln, it collects sales tax on all Nebraska-based purchases.

With 180 employees now, most of whom work in Lincoln, Spreetail already is making a sizable economic impact on its hometown, but if its plans come to fruition  and there's no reason, based on the company's history, to think it won't  that impact could be magnified exponentially.

The company's goal is to get to $1 billion in revenue and about 800 employees by 2020. One of the perks that most employees get is a slice of equity in the company.

Since, unlike most young tech companies, Spreetail has avoided taking on outside investors, it has a lot more equity to offer. So if it hits its business goals, Thome and other company executives believe that within a decade as many as 200 employees could have equity shares in the company worth at least $1 million.

"That's going to have a huge impact on Lincoln," Thome said.
American Airlines has suspended an employee after a video showed an altercation on one of its planes involving crew, several passengers and a crying woman carrying a young child.

An American Airlines employee violently took a stroller from the woman, hitting her with it and just missing her child, Facebook user Surain Adyanthaya said in a post accompanying the video he put on the site on Friday.
In an interview with Fox News, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed peace prospects with the Palestinians, saying, "I think the first test of peace is to say to them, 'Hey, you want peace? Prove it. Confront terrorism, stop rewarding terrorism, stop paying terrorists."

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The interview with Netanyahu was conducted by host Sean Hannity, who accompanied US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on his visit to Israel.

"There is no one who wants peace more than Israel" (Photo: Fox News)

Netanyahu made his comments a week before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to travel to Washington to meet President Trump.

In Netanyahu's comments on the so-called Palestinian test of peace, the prime minister demanded that the PA "come clean" and stop paying terrorists.

Netanyahu interview

X

"I'm not talking about Hamas. I'm talking about the mainline Palestinian Authority headed by the president, who is going to see President Trump in Washington. They give hundreds of millions of dollars annually to terrorists and their families who murdered Israelis and Americans," said Netanyahu.

The prime minister elaborated, saying that the PA's payments are made on the basis of killing, saying, "The more you kill, the more you get."

On the prospect of negotiating directly with the Palestinians, Netanyahu said Palestinians need to change and the world needs to pressure them to do so. He further said that Palestinians need to change their "doctrine of death."

"The first to welcome the change would be me. I know the price of war. There is no one who wants peace more than Israel. We teach our children peace."

Fox News contributed to this report.

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
BEIRUT -- Lebanon's army said it arrested ten suspected members of militant groups on Saturday after they came over the northeastern border from Syria, and a security source said a local Islamic State leader was killed in the same raid.

No army personnel were reported injured or killed in the raid on Arsal, a town which militants briefly overran in 2014. The army says it stages regular operations against Islamic State and former al Qaeda-linked militants in the mountainous region.

"An army unit carried out a swift raid at dawn today in Arsal, resulting in the arrest of 10 dangerous terrorists who had previously infiltrated it," the military statement said.
Two of Israel's most renowned authors and an Argentine first-time novelist are among six finalists for the Man Booker International Prize for fiction.

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David Grossman's "A Horse Walks Into a Bar," Amos Oz's "Judas" and Samanta Schweblin's "Fever Dream" are on a six-book shortlist announced Thursday for the GBP 50,000 ($64,000) prize.

Amos Oz (Photo: Merav Yudilovich)

Edinburgh International Book Festival director Nick Barley, who chaired the judging panel, said Grossman's portrait of a failing standup comic and Oz's story of history and betrayal were masterworks by mature writers with big international reputations.

Schweblin is comparatively unknown. Barley said her beautiful and nightmarish debut novel "Fever Dream" is "a rush" of a novel that can be read in 90 minutes, but leaves the reader shaken.

The other contenders are French writer Mathias Enard's insomniac odyssey "Compass," Norwegian author Roy Jacobsen's island family epic "The Unseen" and Danish novelist Dorthe Nors' tale of driving lessons and self-doubt "Mirror, Shoulder, Signal."

The winner will be announced in London on June 14.

David Grossman (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

The award is the international counterpart to Britain's prestigious Booker Prize and is open to books published in any language that have been translated into English. The prize money is shared evenly between the author and their translator.

The judges read 125 eligible books, and Barley said the six finalists were those with "the greatest generosity of spirit and the best empathy toward their charactersbooks which help (us) to understand that human beings are imperfect, fallible, fascinating creatures."

The prize was previously a career honor, but changed last year to recognize a single book in a bid to increase the profile of international fiction in English-speaking countries, where translated literature forms only a small part of publishers' output.

Last year's Man Booker International winner, "The Vegetarian" by South Korea's Han Kang, has sold 160,000 copies in its British edition alone.

"I think international fiction is on a roll," Barley said. "At a time of bombastic politics and the building of walls, we need to be able to get inside the minds of people who have other perspectives, who think in other languages.

"I'd like to send Donald Trump this shortlist for his birthday."
MOSCOW -- Russian authorities said on Saturday security forces had killed two armed militants who had been trained by Islamic State and were planning a series of "terrorist crimes", Russian news agencies reported.

The National Anti-Terror Committee said the two men had been killed in the Stavropol region of Southern Russia after a shoot out with security forces who had tried to stop their car.

"The bandits have been preliminarily identified: one was the leader of a cell, trained in Islamic State camps and returned to Russia to carry out terrorist acts. The other was an active cell member," Interfax news agency quoted the committee as saying.
BEIRUTLebanon's army says it has killed a Syrian Islamic militant fighter during a raid in the country's east.

The army says in a statement Saturday the militant was killed during a raid to arrest infiltrators from neighboring Syria. The army says the killed militant, Hassan al-Malees, was wanted for his role in attacking Lebanese army posts in cross border operations, including the kidnapping of Lebanese soldiers in 2014 in the town of Arsal. Nine remain in captivity.
Violent incidents erupted between settlers and Palestinians on Saturday afternoon, as settlers who arrived to the outskirts of the Palestinian village of Urif caused heavy damage to one of the houses and property.

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The area between Urif and Yitzhar is well known for the violent incidents between settlers and Palestinians. A few hours later, another incident was reported in which settlers and Palestinians hurled stones at each other in Huwara village in the Nablus area. IDF forces and the Border Police dispersed those involved. The Palestinians reported that two residents of the village were injured by stones thrown at their houses.

(Photo: Zachariah Sadah - Rabbis for Human Rights

The Palestinians in Urif began to throw stones at the settlers who entered the village. Following the incident, an IDF unit arrived at the scene and used riot control measures towards the Palestinians, wounding at least one.

(Photo: Zachariah Sadah - Rabbis for Human Rights)

Later on, the settlers returned to Yitzhar and uprooted trees from Palestinian orchards, and set fire to open areas. According to the IDF, the IDF and the Border Police dispersed those involved and during the operation, the Palestinians threw firecrackers at the soldiers, which again used riot control measures. The police apprehended a suspect.

(Photo: Zachariah Sadah - Rabbis for Human Rights)

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
31-year-old British-born, Jewish immigrant to Israel, James Hirshfield, enjoyed a prosperous career as a model. He did a photo shoot for Hugo Boss, strutted down some of the most notable fashion runways around the world, and his pictures appeared in magazines and on billboards. A few months ago, Hirshfield decided to bid goodbye to the life of glamour, immigrated to Israel and this week, enlisted into the IDF. Concomitantly, he enrolled in a Hebrew course, at the end of which he hopes to join one of the special IDF units.

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"To all of my friends, family and soon to be new friends and mefakdim/dot (commanders). The last two days have been truly unreal. A whole new experience that words are hard to describe," wrote Hirshfield in his Facebook post.

Now and then (Photo: Carlos Velez)

"Starting in Michve Alon, everyone is truly amazing, all of us being in the same place, away from our family and friends, you are all courageous guys and girls. To all the mefakdim/dot (commanders), even though have to hide your smiles, you're all brilliant, thoughtful and welcomed us with opens arms," he added. "I'm excited for a new, full week with you all and want to wish you all Shabbat shalom. Enjoy, relax, and next week will be fantastic too."

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth , Hirshfield described the reasons that led him to join the army: "It was fun to travel the world and represent a company like Hugo Boss, but then I decided to halt my career and go to Israel and join the army. Everyone is asking whether I would like to model in Israel as well, and I tell them that it is much more important for me to enlist. "

James' grandfather is a Holocaust survivor who escaped at the age of nine from Poland. James' interest in Israel began with Operation Protective Edge. "I was working as a model in the US at the time, and there were constant reports against Israel. So I asked myself, how can I walk on red carpets while my people are at war? I felt that I had to immigrate and enlist. "

His family found it difficult to understand the decision to leave everything and immigrate to Israel. "They told me I was on a good track and it was a shame to destroy it." According to him, the moment he landed in Israel he felt at home. "Everyone opened their arms and hugged me, they always make me feel like I belong. This is a dream come true. I would like to start a family here and be the best soldier I can be."

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
Opposition elements in Syria reported that the Assad army apparently attacked with artillery and used chlorine gas on the outskirts of the cities of Zamalka and Arbin on the outskirts of Damascus. According to reports, several fighters in the rebel ranks suffocated.
The Regional Planning Commission is taking on a sensitive issue as it considers agriculture district zoning.

The proposal is to use a siting matrix that takes into account farmers work to protect the environment and their livestock as well as neighbors concerns about water quality and odor issues.

Our states agricultural producers are very cognizant of the impact of their operations on the environment. In most cases, they live where they are raising their livestock, so they benefit from soil, water and air quality protection as much as their neighbors do.

And its important to our states economy that they be able to make a profit in operating their businesses.

Under the siting matrix proposal being considered by the planning commission, livestock operations would be permitted as long as they meet Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requirements, meet setback and operation requirements and ensure proper management of their operations.

The biggest issue so far as the commission has heard comments on the proposal has been with odor concerns raised by people living less than a mile from existing livestock feedlots.

Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity has proposed that operations with 1,001 to 3,000 head of cattle have a 3/8-mile setback instead of the current 1/2-mile setback requirement. Operations with 3,001 to 5,000 head would have to have a 1/2-mile setback on an open lot. For dairy and hog confinement facilities, the setback would remain at a mile, regardless of the number of cattle or hogs.

This is actually more strict than the Nebraska zoning matrix the state developed last year. But it is a reduction in the setback requirement for smaller operations.

Commission member Greg Robb said he believes the proposal is fair to everybody involved, holding livestock producers accountable but also recognizing the importance of their businesses success as it takes into consideration neighboring landowners concerns.

The commission needs to take it slow as it considers all the impacts of a switch to a siting matrix.

The commission heard comments at its meeting last week and chairman Pat ONeill encouraged the public to submit written comments, which he said will be reviewed before any decision is made. People impacted by this process should take the time now to speak up.

The Regional Planning Commission, which is responsible for planning-related services for the city of Grand Island, Hall County and the villages of Alda, Cairo, Doniphan, and Wood River, meets at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month in the Grand Island City Council chambers. Comments can be submitted to Nabitys office at City Hall. Nabity can be reached by phone at (308) 385-5240.
This website is intended for U.S. visitors only.
YORK  Art, art and more art  and all of it down on the farm.

Thats the plan at 10 a.m. next Saturday when Art on the Farm begins at Wessels Living History Farm located just south of the I-80 interchange at York. The artsy day ends at 4 that afternoon.

Wessels director Hillary Mundt promises there will be art on display and for sale, inside and out at the lively 1920s Nebraska farm.

Among the many highlights will be Dragonfly Studios with art for sale, demonstrations and even barn wood painting projects.

Visitors are welcome to participate in numerous hands-on demonstrations, said Mundt.

Some are messy and some not so messy  wear you paint clothes, she advised.

The farms mini barn animals are back and The Kitchen will make sure lunch concessions are available.

Family games are scheduled on the lawn, said Mundt, and artists of all kinds and abilities are welcome to show off their work.

Photography, painting, performing arts, sculpting, pottery, writing  if you create it, wed like to see it, she said. Were collecting art to put on display now through Friday, April 28th.

To learn how to participate in the show call 402 710-0682.

Between 10 a.m. and noon visitors will be able to view the surface of the sun through solar-viewing telescopes brought from Aurora by Dan Glomski of the Edgerton Explorit Center. The telescopes allow people to safely view the sun in two different ways.

While youre here, purchase your eclipse safety glasses, and learn about the total solar eclipse of 2017, Mundt suggested.

Wessels is preparing for perhaps thousands of visitors to view the full solar eclipse late this summer. The unique alignment of the sun and moon will make York one of the very best places on earth from which to view the eclipse.

Do you have leftover paints, brushes or other art supplies to donate to our fun day next Saturday? With more supplies, we can have more art fun, said Mundt. What we dont use during this event will be very helpful with activities we do with our youth classes throughout the summer.

Those with such items to donate are also invited to call the number above.

There will be age group coloring contests for the kids with prizes to win, including perhaps a free family membership.

Also, were searching for a talented artist to create a cartoon-like map of the farm, she added. Join us during Art on the Farm to enter this contest.

Saturday is sponsored by Rex Rasmussen and Auto Supply/NAPA of York.

Up next is the Wessels Swap Meet & Quilt Show on May 6-7 for which vendor space remains available.

Have a special quilt to show? We welcome all kinds, new and old, Mundt said.

Open 9am- 4:30 pm both days, this early spring weekend is certain to have something for everyone, including performances by Bucks Hollow Llamas and Alpacas led by the Camelidkids 4-H Club. Plan on blacksmithing demos both days, too. Rosalies homemade cinnamon rolls will be available Saturday morning, but fair warning: Once theyre gone thats it. Kaput.

Support the York Volunteer Fire Departments pancake feed Sunday morning, catch a ride on an antique fire engine and stay for Janie Yorks presentation, Quilting Your Legacy in the Wessels Church Sunday at 2.

Contact Mundt for information about swap meet space or to display one or more quilts.

JWs Catering will provide concessions at the Swap Meet and Quilt Show.
The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline:

Q: My question and I know a lot of peoples question is also: How much is the new city administrator getting paid? And how does that pay compare with the salary paid to the former city administrator? Im confused as to why this hasnt been disclosed yet, seeing how there was this major promise of transparency with the change in city leadership. Is there an actual contract?

A: Jean Thiele, the city clerk for York, said a letter of engagement outlines the new city administrators pay.

The pay scale for city administrators is $106,077 (annual salary) to $142,083 with seven steps, she explained. The current city administrator is at Step 4, or $122,896. The prior city administrator was also at Step 4 when she resigned.

Q: Theres all this talk coming from the mayor about combining services like the sheriffs department and the police department. Then last week, there was the question in the Wonderline about why not discuss just combining all the county and city services, like clerks, treasurers, attorneys, etc. I thought that was really bizarre. So that got me to thinking. If there are all these crazy ideas out there about combining services (which probably cant even be done legally anyway), why not look at combining all the fire departments in the county into one big department?

A: There hasnt been any indication that any conversations about that theory have taken place or will take place.

Q: How old is our current jail?

A: The York County Jail was constructed when the county built the courthouse  it, along with the courthouse, was completed in 1980.

Q: I recently noticed that on 19th Street, by the stop light on Lincoln Avenue, there are street signs that say that both lanes are turn lanes onto Lincoln Avenue. Is this new or have I just totally missed this all these years?

A: We arent necessarily positive but we think those signs have been there since the traffic light was installed a number of years ago.

Q: In a story in the Advantage on April 18, there were references to the York County Sheriffs Department. What is it a department of? I dont think department is the correct word.

A: The word department, in this sense, is in reference to the fact it is a department within the jurisdiction of the county.

Q: Howdy! About six miles northeast of your office (if I understand my map correctly,) there is a little road which connects Road 16 and Road O. My guesstimation suggests its only about 1/3 mile long. Yet, in the middle of a lot of farmland, there are several residences; as if I just found one of the worlds smallest subdivisions.

The way I discovered this road is because, when you enter Houston, NE into the search function of Mapquest, you get a pin at the intersection of Road 16 and Road O, and apart from a building and a few round grain storage structures at the intersection, that road is the only thing which suggests habitation or community for quite a distance in any direction.

It is named Houston Road. (https://www.mapquest.com/search/results?slug=%2Fus%2Fne%2Fhouston&query=Houston,%20NE&page=0)

Im kinda hoping you already knew all of that. Im also hoping you might be able to explain.

Did yall have a community there, 100-200 years ago? When the land was platted, did that area get named Houston because someone by that name owned it, long ago? Is there a Houston family that has gathered together on, and given its name to, that road?

The possibilities are endless.

So, who looks for Houston NE in the first place? Its silly, and far from an obsession, I assure you. But, for the past few years, Ive amused myself with the prospect of visiting every place in the country named Houston. Hoping to add another half dozen or so to my list, this summer, I thought Id start out heading due north.

There are multiple towns, counties, and townships so named, for multiple reasons. A minimum of two -- Houston, Texas and Houston, Miss. -- were named after Sam. Others, not so much. Houston Street in New York City, for example, is pronounced HOW-ston because William didnt even spell his last name like the street.

Nebraska is not alone. Mapquest, Google, etc. al., also adorn a few other places with Houston labels bearing even less explanation than a nearby road name. Ive noticed its difficult to visit a place that exists in name only, but your road may have a saving grace. Since we prefer to travel on back roads, York looks like an interesting waypoint on the way from Houston, Texas to East China, Mich. It doesnt hurt that Waco is nearby, either.

So, whats the deal with Houston, NE?

A: We found a passage in a York County history book about Houston (a now abandoned town) written by Marion MaCoy and published in 1988.

This is what I remember of Houston since 1920. The general store was run by Mrs. Reamer along with the post office and Carson Reamer was the depot agent. William Florer had a blacksmith shop near his home in Houston. Horner Koons operated the elevator. The grain was hauled in by horse and wagon.

The stockyard was a busy place through the 1920s.

People would drive the cattle and hogs into the stockyards to be shipped out. If the farmer didnt have his livestock loaded when the train arrived, they would wait until they were in and loaded so they would be on the Omaha Market the next day.

The school, District 42, was located there. There were as many as 30 pupils in attendance. There was one teacher for grades one through eight. Some of the older boys only attended in the winter. Some of the outside activities connected with the school were box socials, plays with local talent, and May 1 was a special day when all the students went in a group and walked through the neighborhood delivering May baskets. Some of the young people who had finished the eighth grade also joined them. Some of the teachers I remember were: Alice McCormick, Ruth Cook Reed, LaVerne McCoy, Irene Samson, Edna Stuhr, Bessie Beattie, Pauline McCarty and Lucille Francies.

In 1935, Lou Jurs built a blacksmith shop and was a well-known blacksmith for years.

We also found the following additional information about this abandoned town: The Northwestern Railroad track ran through the town of Houston with the Koons Elevator sitting to the west side of the tracks. The 15,000-bushel elevator operated from 1919 when it was built by Melvin and Homer Koons, until the mid-1940s when the tracks were removed and the elevator was abandoned. There were also stock yards located to the south of the elevator and the depot located south of that. Those were dismantled in 1942 and 1943. After the railroad abandoned the rail line through Houston, the 80 acres around and including Houston were owned by Bill and Tom Floors except for town lots owned by private individuals. Eugene Samson moved his family to the farmstead owned by his father, Frank X Samson, west of the Floors property in 1942. Later, in 1976, Eugene bought the Floors land at Houston and the site of the Koons elevator to add to the 160 acres inherited from his father. This story, on ghosttowns.com, is said to have been contributed by David L. Samson in March, 2011.

Q: We have old horse-related magazines and car-related magazines. Does anyone want them? Wed like to know who we could give them to.

A: If anyone would like these magazines, they can call the Wonderline and leave a message and we will pass the information along.
Caracas: The death toll in three weeks of violence at anti-government protests in Venezuela jumped to 20 people Friday after a night of clashes and pillaging left 12 people dead in Caracas.

Riot police and pro-government vigilantes fought running battles with protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro on the capital`s east, west and south sides, witnesses said.

"It was like a war," said 33-year-old construction worker Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle.

"The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible," he told AFP.

Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials.

Eight of them were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot.

At nightfall on Friday, more protests and pockets of unrest were reported in eastern Caracas, and in Macuto in the neighboring state of Vargas. There was a heavy security presence in the city.

Police fired teargas to disperse crowds in the Caracas district of Palo Verde, where burning barricades of trash were set up. Armed men on motorbikes also sparked panic, witnesses told AFP.The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them.

Videos shot by El Valle residents on Thursday night showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!"

At one point, street protesters hurling Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armored police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky.

Fifty-four people, including newborn babies, were evacuated from a maternity hospital in the neighborhood.

There were conflicting explanations about the reason.

The government said "armed gangs hired by the opposition" had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro`s "dictatorship."

The hospital`s director, Rosalinda Prieto, told AFP the evacuation was prompted by the stench of burning trash set on fire by protesters.

A man was shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday.

On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church`s episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt.Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.

On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks. But his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a "dictator" and "mythomaniac."

Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela`s crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles two weeks ago.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.
Washington: Vivek Murthy, the first Indian- American appointed by the Obama regime as the Surgeon General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Murthy, 39, has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

"Murthy, the leader of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration," the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement yesterday.

"Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps," the statement said.

Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Murthy was relieved from duty, the New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.

Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General and the first Indian American to hold this post said in a Facebook Post that it was an honour and privilege to work for this prestigious position.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve," he said.

"(Health and Human Services) Secretary (Tom) Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation. Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps," the official statement said.

Interestingly, Murthy is the second Indian-American to be fired by the Trump administration from a senior position. The first one was the US Attorney from New York Preet Bharara who was sacked after he refused to resign.

"As my colleague Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams takes over as Acting Surgeon General, know that our nation is in capable and compassionate hands. Thank you, America, for the privilege of a lifetime. I have been truly humbled and honoured to serve as your Surgeon General. I look forward to working alongside you in new ways in the years to come," Murthy wrote on his Facebook Post.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," he said.

"The role of the Surgeon General is traditionally to share wisdom with others, but it was I who learned so much by listening to your stories in town halls and living rooms. In a remote fishing village in Alaska, a church in Alabama, an American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, a school in Virginia, and in so many other places, I watched the grit and grace with which our fellow Americans live their lives," he said.

Murthy was confirmed by the Senate by 51 to 43 votes, despite stiff resistance by the pro-gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The Surgeon General is appointed for a four year term. At 37, he was the youngest ever Surgeon General.

Murthy's parents are originally from Karnataka, India. He was born in Huddersfield, England and the family relocated to Miami, Florida when he was three years old.

He received an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA in Health Care Management from the Yale School of Management.

He is currently a practicing physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, as well as the Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Washington: The US Department of Justice threatened on Friday to cut off funding to California as well as eight cities and counties across the United States, escalating a Trump administration crackdown on so-called "sanctuary cities" that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

President Donald Trump has vowed to cut off federal funds to dozens of state and local governments that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration agents, arguing that they are putting public safety at risk when they do not hand over illegal immigrants suspected of crime for possible deportation.

"Sanctuary cities" in general offer safe harbor to illegal immigrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Many of these localities say they do not have the funding or space to hold illegal immigrants until federal agents can apprehend them.

Those threatened include: the state of California; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Clark County, Nevada; New Orleans; Miami Dade County, Florida, and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Cook County, Illinois also received a warning, even though it did not get money from the Justice Department last year.

The jurisdictions until June 30 to provide evidence to the federal government that they are not violating any laws.

At stake is roughly $29 million in federal law-enforcement aid under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local governments pay for everything from forensics labs to drug courts.

The grants in question are among the largest handed out under the program, collectively amounting to 11 percent of the $256 million distributed under the program in the last fiscal year.

In a statement, the Justice Department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities that are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime," even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicago`s recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration.

That drew a defiant response from several cities.

"New York is the safest big city in the country, with crime at record lows in large part because we have policies in place to encourage cooperation between NYPD and immigrant communities," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

A spokeswoman for the California Board of State and Community Corrections said some of the funding in question has been distributed to local communities after emergencies in the past, including San Bernardino after a mass shooting there in 2015.

Officials in Philadelphia, Milwaukee County and Cook County said they believed they were complying with immigration laws.

"Milwaukee County has its challenges but they are not caused by illegal immigration. My far greater concern is the proactive dissemination of misinformation, fear, and intolerance," said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele.

The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union, told Trump in a meeting last month that they were concerned the cuts could threaten public safety.
Sydney: Vice President Mike Pence sought to reassure Australia today that the US remains committed to the countries' longtime alliance, as he tried to patch up relations that were left frayed when President Donald Trump got into a spat with Australia's leader over a refugee resettlement deal.

Pence met with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other Australian leaders in Sydney as part of his 10-day, four-country trip to Asia. His agenda includes reassuring Turnbull about the state of the unusually strained US- Australia alliance and laying out the new administration's priorities for the Pacific Rim.

"I bring greetings this morning from the President of the United States," Pence told Turnbull and other Australian officials ahead of their meeting. "I spoke to him first thing and he wanted me to pass along his very best regards to you. And the president wanted me to -- early in this administration -- to reaffirm the strong and historical alliance between the United States and Australia."

Pence's visit Down Under is widely viewed as an effort to smooth over relations with Australia in the wake of a highly- publicised argument between Turnbull and Trump.

After taking office, Trump was infuriated upon learning that the previous Obama administration had agreed to a refugee resettlement deal with Australia.

Under the agreement, the US would take up to 1,250 refugees that Australia houses in detention camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Trump's anger over the deal led to a tense phone call with Turnbull in January and an angry tweet in which the president dubbed the deal "dumb."

The fallout has strained the typically cosy alliance between the US and Australia. A majority of Australians view Trump unfavourably, and some critics of the president have urged Australia to distance itself from the US in favour of stronger ties with China.

Turnbull has resisted pressure to choose between the two countries, both of which are considered vital allies; the US is Australia's most important security partner, while China is its most important trading partner.
Sydney: The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan in days, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday in Australia, amid high tensions with North Korea.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told reporters in Sydney.

The Trump administration has been trying to clear the waters after sending out confusing messages concerning the whereabouts of the Vinson carrier group that supposedly was steaming toward North Korea last week.
Shanghai: General Motors Co. Says it plans to launch 10 electric and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles in China by 2020 amid government pressure on the industry to promote alternatives to gasoline.

The president of GM's China unit, Matt Tsien, said during the Shanghai auto show that the company will start production of a pure-electric model in China within two years.

That follows this week's debut of a hybrid version of the Chevrolet Volt to be manufactured and sold in China, the world's biggest auto market.

Beijing has the most aggressive electric car goals and is pressing global automakers to help develop the industry.
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor's upcoming film 'Half Girlfriend' will be witnessing a huge release in India. It is being said that the Mohit Suri directorial will be releasing in over 2,500 screens in India. No, we are not kidding.

"We feel the film will definitely appeal to the younger generation and we are happy to bring this film to audiences in over 2500 screens," Shreyans Hirawat, Managing Director of NH Studioz, says in a statement.

The movie is based on writer Chetan Bhagat's namesake novel. In 2014, the 31-year-old star was seen in '2 States' an adaptation of Bhagat's book '2 States: The Story of My Marriage'. It features Shraddha Kapoor as the female lead.

'Half Girlfriend' is slated to release on May 19 this year.

(With PTI inputs)
Traveling to Cuba is still relatively new for Americans and presents some unique issues. Here are some tips to know going in:

* U.S. citizens need a stated reason for travel to Cuba and a visa. Tourism is still forbidden under the U.S. embargo, but there are 12 exceptions regulated under the U.S. Treasury Department -- we used journalism as our exception. You don't need preapproval, but expect to declare a reason at the airport check-in. More information: treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/cuba.aspx

* Cuba has two types of currency, one for Cubans and another called the CUC for travelers. For international exchange purposes, 1 CUC is equivalent to $1. But Cuba has a 10 percent penalty when exchanging dollars to CUCs. To avoid it, convert dollars to Euros while you're still in the U.S.

* Speaking of money, you'll need cash. Don't expect to be able to stop at an ATM or use credit cards. Pay for your hotel ahead if you can.

* Also, keep some change on hand for bathroom attendants. Most public places, including hotels, have them. And you won't get toilet paper without it.

* Watch your bill when eating out, especially at more touristy spots in Old Havana. It is common for the math not to add up. Tip (or not) accordingly.

* Be sure to check out paladars, or privately owned restaurants, rather than government-run. We found a couple of really great ones: La Guarida, said to be one of the best restaurants in Cuba; and Casa Miglis, a place with live music and a Swedish-Cuban take on food. Both are in central Havana. Be sure to call for a reservation if you go to La Guarida.

* Also, if you want to see how Cubans live, consider checking for less traditional options for accommodations, like Airbnb, where locals are offering up a room in their house. Ours came with a large breakfast every day, had a separate bathroom and cost just $35 a night for two people to stay.

* Don't expect Wi-Fi or cellphone service. It's hard to come by in Havana. Find an ETECSA (look for a line), where you can buy a 1-hour Wi-Fi card for 3 CUCs. With it, you can go to certain hotels or parks in Havana to connect. Hotel Florida in Old Havana was one of the more central.

* Before you go, download an offline Havana street map.

* Check out the hop-on-hop-off bus tour as a way to get the lay of the land and to get around town all day for just 10 CUCs. Save your feet. You can ride up the Malecon to the Hotel Nacional de Cuba then back to the Museo del Ron (rum museum) or Plaza de Armas.

* Bring a beach towel and sunscreen if you're thinking of hitting the beach. From Havana, it's just a 30-minute, 5 CUC round-trip bus ride to Santa Maria, one of the Playas del este. When you get there, you can rent a lounge chair and drink rum from a freshly cracked coconut.

* Be aware, performers in Old Havana and along the Malecon will approach you to either play music or otherwise entertain. They'll expect a tip if you interact. Or feel free to say "no gracias."

* Don't be afraid to strike up conversations with the locals, but do expect attention on the street from Cubans, especially if you're a woman. Just keep walking.

-- Lori Pilger
New Delhi: The much-awaited release of Indian megastar Rajinikanth's upcoming film '2.0' has been postponed. The decision has been made in order to achieve world class VFX standards for the movie. The announcement was made on Friday by Raju Mahalingam, COO, Lyca Productions.

"Our most ambitious project, Shankar's 2.0,shifts to 25Jan2018.It moves from earlier Diwali release to achieve world class standards in VFX," he tweeted. The flick will now be hitting the silver screen on January 5 next year.

'2.0' is a sequel to 2010 Tamil blockbuster 'Enthiran'. The film is reportedly being made on a whopping budget of Rs 450 crore. It will witness a simultaneous release in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

The film also features Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey and Adil Hussain in key roles. Earlier, it was scheduled to release on Diwali this year.

Now, it is being said that Aamir Khan's 'Secret Superstar' with be clashing with Ajay Devgn's 'Golmaal Again' on Diwali 2017.

Excited much?
New Delhi: Sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Amma) deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday appeared before the Delhi Police on his reported attempt to bribe Election Commission officials for retrieving the 'two leaves' symbol for his faction.

Dhinakaran arrived at the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri after 3 pm.

There was heavy security outside the office and mediapersons weren't allowed to enter the premises.

The Delhi Police served the summons on Dhinakaran at his Besant Nagar residence late on Wednesday night and asked him to appear in person on Saturday in Delhi.

On Tuesday, the Delhi Police had issued a lookout notice against the leader in the wake of inputs that Dhinakaran was an NRI and could try to flee the country.

The Crime Branch had on April 16 arrested an alleged middleman, Sukesh Chandrashekhar, in New Delhi in connection with the case.

He claimed that he had told Dhinakaran that he will get a favourable verdict from the Election Commission of India in the party symbol case, he said.

Notably, the poll body has frozen the AIADMK's two leaves symbol with two factions -- one led by party general secretary VK Sasikala and the other by former chief minister O Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own.

It has been learnt that he had allegedly struck a deal for Rs 50 crore for helping the AIADMK faction keep the 'two leaves' symbol.

Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, is facing a revolt by an influential section of the party led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and a host of ministers, who had on Tuesday declared the ouster of the once powerful aunt-nephew duo, and extended a hand of friendship to the Panneerselvam camp.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) is in possession of documents which claim that the beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya laundered money from banks in India to 'British companies' situated in the UK.

As per a report published in the Times of India, ED has shared the documents with the UK government.

Additionally, CBI has already shared information about Mallya being wanted in India with regard to cases of cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The Times of India report further states that Mallya laundered most of the money before he fled to London on March 2 last year.

The report states that substantial portion of the money was shifted to to shell companies and bank accounts in the UK, Cayman Islands, Mauritius and some other countries.

The 61-year-old liquor baron, wanted in India for defaulting on bank loans, was arrested after he appeared at a central London police station on Monday morning.

Mallya was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond of 650,000 pounds and giving an assurance to the court that he will abide by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel document.

The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will now argue the case on behalf of the Indian authorities.

Last month, setting in motion the process of extradition of Mallya, the British government had certified India's request and sent it to a district judge for further action.

The extradition process from the UK involves a number of steps including a decision by the judge whether to issue a warrant of arrest.

In case of a warrant, the person is arrested and brought before the court for preliminary hearing followed by an extradition hearing before a final decision is taken by the secretary of state.

The wanted person has a right to appeal in the higher courts against any decision all the way up to Britain's Supreme Court.

Under the 2003 Act, the British secretary of state may only consider four issues when deciding whether to order a person's extradition.

They are whether the person is at risk of the death penalty; whether special arrangements are in place; whether the person concerned has previously been extradited from another country to the UK and the consent of that country to his onward extradition is required;?and whether the person has previously been transferred to the UK by the International Criminal Court.
New Delhi: A day after being expelled for 'anti-party activities` by Congress, Barkha Shukla Singh on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.

The former Delhi Commission for Women chief met BJP`s national vice president and Delhi in-charge Shyam Jaju at 1 pm.

She said her decision was not aimed at gaining any position in the party.

"I have joined the BJP neither to fight elections nor am I aiming for any position, but to work hard for assignments I will be given," Singh told reporters.

She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies and the changes he has made over the past three years.

"I wrote to Modi three years ago urging him to take up the triple talaq issue for the protection of women. The way he has responded to it has satisfied me," she said.

She was expelled from the Congress on Friday for six years for undertaking anti-party activities.

On Thursday, she had resigned from all party posts raising questions over the leadership of vice president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken.

While resigning as chief of DPCC`s women wing, Barkha Singh had said: "Rahul Gandhi is unfit to lead the party." She had, however, vowed not to quit the Congress.

Yesterday also, she hit out at Rahul, saying the decision of expelling her "proved" his "mental bankruptcy" and added that she would take legal recourse against it.

"The Congress is not the Gandhi family's property," Singh said, claiming she had no plans to join the BJP or any other party at this point.

She earlier accused Gandhi of not meeting party leaders and said he was "reluctant" to address "issues" within the organisation. She also levelled allegations of "misbehaviour" against Maken.

Singh, who had complained against "neglect" of women workers in ticket distribution for the April 23 civic polls, alleged that the party workers were "snubbed" and their grievances were not addressed.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Saturday apprehended a man with 30 semi-automatic pistols, a carbine (Sten gun) and five live cartridges.

The man was caught near Nizamuddin Bridge.

The accused has been identified as Rajpal, who came to Delhi to hand over the weapons to two people, who were supposed to sell it further.

The police are suspecting if these weapons were meant to disturb peace during Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, slated for April 23, reported news agency ANI.
New Delhi: It is not easy for now to forge a united opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but a challenge to him will emerge in 2019, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says.

The Congress leader also said in an interview that the country`s oldest political party cannot do without the Gandhis and that Vice President Rahul Gandhi "is coming up well".

Speaking on a variety of subjects, Dikshit, who ruled Delhi for 15 long years until 2013, also said she would never, ever join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Asked about talks among opposition parties to take on the BJP, Dikshit said there was a lot of talk on an "anti-communal agenda".

"I do hope it (opposition unity) works out. But it has to be worked out very carefully. People have to learn to accept each other," Dikshit told IANS, and added: "They at the moment are individualistic.

"In the interest of the country, this will be good. Nothing has come out substantially so far," she added.

Dikshit asserted that the Congress needed the Gandhi family`s "unchallenged leadership" -- a reference to party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi.

"The Gandhi family has served the country and the Congress for decades. The Congress ruled India for 70 years ... because of the guidance of the Nehru-Gandhi family."

Several Congress leaders have quit the party in recent months, in Delhi and elsewhere. Most have blamed Rahul Gandhi for providing "poor leadership".

Asked if she could ever join the BJP, Dikshit shot back: "No question, not even in my next birth... Ideologically, we are very different."

Answering a query, Dikshit said promoting local leadership was important for the Congress.

"Indiraji (Indira Gandhi) and Rajivji (Rajiv Gandhi) used to bring up local leaders... Little changes here and there in attitude may help us," she said, in an oblique reference to problems within the Congress.

Dikshit, who was initially named the Chief Ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, said state unit chief Raj Babbar and General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad must own up for the Congress rout in the state.

The Congress won only seven of the 105 seats it contested in the 403-member assembly.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was not to blame for the debacle, Dikshit said the responsibility of Uttar Pradesh was given to others. "They should take it, the PCC president was there, there was General Secretary, there were others also."

She admitted that the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance "didn`t work. That`s a separate matter. In democratic politics, there is always a risk. It can work sometime, sometimes it doesn`t work".

But she called for a proper introspection and the party should analyse the reasons for the defeat.

Dikshit insisted that the Congress will find a leader when the time comes to take on Modi.

Asked if she saw anyone in the Congress as a challenge to Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, she said: "The Congress itself is a challenge. Don`t underestimate it."

Asked about an individual in the Congress who could challenge Modi, she replied: "Within the Congress... within the Congress, (there is) no challenge."

Asked if there was a leader of Modi`s stature in the Congress, Dikshit said: "(Former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh did a very wonderful job. What is happening today, it was started and conceptualised by Manmohan Singh. When the time comes, we`ll find a leader."

She said Rahul Gandhi was "coming up well. And he is taking on challenges... I am sure he will succeed at the end of it all".

Dikshit said the upcoming organisational polls in the Congress would bring "new blood and churn the whole system".
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday chair the third meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council which will deliberate on the 15-year Vision Document to accelerate the country's economic development.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya will make a presentation on roadmap for rapid transformation of India by outlining key aspects of the document, comprising a 7-year strategy paper and a 3-year action plan, an official statement said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will talk about the strategy for doubling farmers' income.

The Council, which includes all Chief Ministers, NITI Aayog's members and special invitees, will also discuss the progress made towards the implementation towards Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1.

"During the meeting, action taken on decisions of the earlier two meetings of the Governing Council held on February 8, 2015 and July 15, 2015 respectively will be discussed in detail," the statement said.

This time, the day long meeting of the Council will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

At the Council's first meeting on February 8, 2015, the prime minister had laid down the key mandates of NITI Aayog such as fostering cooperative federalism by addressing national issues through mutual cooperation and monitoring of important schemes and programs.

It was also decided that the Aayog will act as the "think tank" of the government and work as a bridge between the centre and the states. Later, sub-groups of chief ministers and two task forces, one on elimination of Poverty in India and other on Agriculture Development were set up.

The second meeting of council on July 15, 2015 reviewed the progress made by the three sub-groups of chief ministers and the two task forces.

The policy-making body has been mandated to come up with a 15-year vision document for a period up to 2030, which will be co-terminus with sustainable development goals.

The NITI Aayog has also been working on a 7-year strategy for 2017-18 to 2023-24 to convert the vision document into implementable policy and action as part of the National Development Agenda.

It has also prepared a draft of the 3-year action plan for 2017-18 to 2019-20, which will be aligned with the 14th Finance Commission award period.

With PTI Inputs
Westphalia: Thousands of leftist demonstrators tried to disrupt a party congress by Germany's right-wing populist AfD Saturday marked by festering internal rivalries five months before a general election.

Around 50,000 demonstrators were expected to mobilise during the two-day gathering of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party in the western city of Cologne, with 4,000 police officers dispatched to keep the peace.

But as the 600 delegates began filing into the congress venue, a hotel in the city centre, singing and chanting demonstrators attempted to block them from passing through security barricades, leading to scuffles with authorities.

One police officer escorting party members into the suffered an injury to his face, leading to the arrest of a male protester.

The AfD, now represented in 11 of Germany`s 16 states, aims to sign off on a programme for its campaign that it hopes will pave the way for the party to enter the national parliament for the first time in its four-year history.

After weeks of bitter infighting, co-leader Frauke Petry made the shock announcement Wednesday that she would not seek to lead the AfD`s campaign. The news left the party reeling and set the stage for a showdown between populist and more radical, hard-right forces.

"(Petry) has been unable to stop the AfD, which began as a party of euro critics, from becoming more and more a catch-all for racists, right-wing nationalists and the far right," Cologne`s daily Stadt-Anzeiger said.

"The fight within the AfD rages on."

Founded in 2013 on a eurosceptic platform, the AfD seized on Chancellor Angela Merkel`s decision to let in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015, transforming the German political landscape.

But its fortunes have declined as the number of new arrivals has dwindled, and all of Germany`s mainstream parties have ruled out working with it should it clear the five-percent hurdle to representation in the September 24 election.

Opinion polls show the AfD at between seven and 11 percent, a steep drop from the 15 percent support it drew only late last year.

Merkel is seeking a fourth term after nearly 12 years in power and her conservative Christian Democrats are currently leading the polls.

The telegenic Petry, a 41-year-old trained chemist who is pregnant with her fifth child, has aligned herself with kindred spirits across Europe, including far-right firebrand Marine Le Pen, one of the frontrunners for the first round of French elections Sunday.

But given the long shadow still cast by Germany`s Nazi past, Petry has argued the AfD must make itself more palatable with a more moderate-sounding "middle-class" platform she will put to a vote at the congress.

The stated goal is to become Germany`s ruling party by 2021.

Denouncing "provocations" by party officials, Petry has called for the ouster of an AfD state leader, Bjoern Hoecke, who in January sparked outrage by slamming Berlin`s vast Holocaust memorial as a "monument of shame".

Although Hoecke has been barred from attending the congress, some delegates have said they will put forward a motion to keep him in the party.

Petry`s chief rival, 76-year-old Alexander Gauland, a hardline defector from Merkel`s CDU, has said he would back the initiative.

Analysts say the vast majority of the AfD`s core supporters are far to the right of the political spectrum.

However they say there is little appetite among most German voters for radical change, particularly after the victories of Donald Trump in the United States and the Brexit camp in Britain.

"In terms of its voters, Petry`s attempt to make the AfD a middle-class mainstream party is a very unrealistic strategy," Robert Vehrkamp of the Bertelsmann Foundation think tank told Spiegel Online.

The news website said the party`s inner turmoil also diminished the threat it posed to the establishment in Europe`s top economy.

"While in the rest of Europe, opponents of immigration and the EU are on the march, the AfD is busy tearing itself apart," it said.

"That is good news for the traditional parties and the defenders of liberal values in Germany -- at least in its current state, no one needs to fear the AfD."
The warm air surrounded our bodies like a blanket as we stepped off the plane and onto the tarmac in Havana. Palm trees decorated the outside of the otherwise nondescript Jose Marti International Airport terminal two.

Customs agents took our pictures and ushered us through a metal detector without asking any questions.

After a 55-year ban on travel from the U.S. to Cuba, the nationals we met were happy to see travelers from the U.S., and applauded our country's lift on the embargo.

Southwest Airlines began offering flights to Cuba in November, and out of curiosity, I checked the prices. When I saw I could book a flight from Kansas City, Missouri, to Havana from March 26-31 for just $358, I decided to go and invited Journal Star reporter Lori Pilger to join me.

We couldn't say "no" to seeing a country so few Americans have seen.

We landed in Havana about 15 hours after we left Lincoln. A few Cuban nationals picked flat-screen TVs off the baggage carousel as we waited for our checked-in luggage after landing.

The building was sticky and crowded. Our anxiety kicked in when we noticed the carousel was spitting out bags at a rate of about one a minute.

A friend of mine got here a couple weeks ago and said it took her four hours to get her luggage, we overheard another traveler say.

It was our first experience with Cuban time, something wed have to remind ourselves of throughout the trip, especially in restaurants.

We dont wear watches, a local would tell us a day later.

We collected our items in about 40 minutes and walked outside to find our taxi. Our driver, Juan, was welcoming and soft spoken with a hint of road rage.

He waited as we exchanged our Euros for CUCs -- the Cuban currency for travelers -- and carried our suitcases to his yellow cab as we gawked at the 1950s American cars. He played Cuban music, tapped his horn when someone crossed the road in front of him and occasionally muttered under his breath in Spanish.

A giant billboard with Fidel Castros face greeted us as we left the airport.

In our 30-minute drive to central Havana, we saw crowds of people walking along the roadway, waiting for buses or hailing cabs. They wore brightly colored shirts and dresses, hats and sandals. The colors of the buildings, some in ruins, were the same bright colors.

We passed the Plaza de la Revolucion -- the 31st largest plaza in the world. The square is home to the Jose Marti Memorial, the National Library and other government ministries.

Giant steel memorials of Che Guevara with the quote Until the Everlasting Victory, Always, and Camilo Cienfuegos with the quote Youre doing fine, Fidel are affixed to the sides of the government buildings.

Our new home, Colonial B&B, was 15 minutes from the plaza, in the heart of Centro Habana at Lealtad and Virtudes streets. Unlike the more-touristy area of Old Havana, we got a closer look at the daily lives of Cubans -- including the 9 p.m. runs to the store on the corner that sold fresh bread.

We booked our accommodations through Airbnb. It cost us each $133 for six days, including a large breakfast of fresh fruit, warm bread, eggs, juice and coffee every morning.

***

On our second day in Cuba, we met with a young woman who works in hospitality and gives tours.

As we left our casa at 10 a.m., she whispered to us, Im not licensed to give tours. If the police ask, we are friends. We met in Mexico and you are visiting me.

She tapped on her bag, telling us she was a dual-citizen and had her Mexican passport ready. We didnt run into any problems and our under-the-table tour guide quickly became our new friend.

Her five-hour tour led us through the streets of central Havana and Old Havana.

For 20 cents each we boarded a ferry at the Plaza de San Francisco and hopped over to El Cristo de La Habana, where the statue of Christ watches over the city. Cuban artist Jilma Madera made the sculpture from more than 60 individual blocks of marble when she got the commission in the 1950s. It's a quiet area brushed in thick greenery that we would have likely not seen without our guide.

Our guide told us about the countrys history, and how Havana was built from East to West. She pointed out several buildings that are under renovation. We passed by the corner of two main roads facing the ocean as construction workers operated cranes to erect a new beach-front hotel. A couple blocks away, another new hotel splashed in pink paint stuck out among the decades-old buildings around it.

We realized it was a city of change, and in a few years it would be completely different. Our guide agreed.

"Everyone is coming now because they want to see Cuba how it is now because who knows what will happen next," she said. "... It's like Cuba was dead and now it's coming back to life."

She said the government recently closed some factories that were on the water, and pollution in the ocean has improved -- but the pollution in the air still burned our lungs.

The 1950s cars, theyre not good for the pollution, she said, pointing to the roadway.

The country is struggling between wanting to renovate buildings and clean its air, but at the same time, its their crumbling architecture and old cars that bring in tourists.

Our guide was in her early 20s and seemed to have pride in her country.

Everybody has the same opportunity -- it doesnt matter your race, if you have money, your religion, she said. Theres no social class segregation. Everyone goes to school, everything is public. Thats why the people are so united.

The only problem, she said, is money. She talked about Fidel Castro, who gained control in 1950s, and how she thinks he helped improve the country by giving the people control of their own farms and homes.

She said Castro successfully reduced illiteracy and improved public health care.

But he also ended economic and political freedoms, causing thousands to flee the country seeking political asylum.

Our guide went to college for communications and took a government job making about 20 CUCs a month -- equal to $20. She makes more than twice that amount working privately. We gave her 40 CUCs for showing us around.

We toured the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes -- the national art museum featuring artists from Cuba or those who died in Cuba.

Most of the art featured was made between the 1950s and 1980s. The darkness of the work contrasted from what our guide said the previous day. Artists used their material to covertly share their feelings on the government, their country and their sexuality.

When we asked our guide if she felt comfortable speaking against the government, she mulled over the question, then said she once saw a man yelling at a political statue, and people ignored him.

Were not sure if she understood our question.

***

Cuba traveling tips Traveling to Cuba is still relatively new for Americans and presents some unique issues. Her

If you need a break from the pollution, five CUCs and a 30-minute bus ride from Parque Central will get you to a spot that makes you wonder if youre in the same country.

On our fourth day in Cuba, we went to Santa Maria del Mar, or Santa Maria Beach, just East of the city. We got off the bus at Hotel Atlantico, a quieter beach that will get you a tiki umbrella and two lounge chairs for 4 CUCs.

We sat under the sun for several hours reading, sleeping and sipping on rum-filled, freshly cracked open coconuts that cost 3 CUCs, or 2 without the rum.

Back in town we walked around Old Havana and decided to eat at a well-known tourist favorite -- Sloppy Joes.

After being closed for nearly 50 years, the bar reopened in 2013. It was once a staple for U.S. tourists and celebrities before the traveling ban.

We suggest going for a drink or two for the experience. The pina colada and Cuba Libre were just fine. We had pulled pork tacos and a club sandwich with fries -- which neither of us finished.

But there are other places you can get an amazing bite to eat -- with a view.

We ate our last meal at La Guarida, a privately owned restaurant. It's in central Havana in a mansion that's being renovated. If you feel like you're in the wrong spot -- you're in the right place. A marble staircase will lead you away from the street, through multiple floors of construction, and to the restaurant and cigar bar. You'll feel like you're entering an exclusive club.

You'll need to make a reservation, which can be done online before your trip.
Hyderabad: Taking exception to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's statement that BJP-led government had given Muslims "sanctity", MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said that rights were given by the Constitution, and not by the government.

"He said `Muslims don't vote for us, but we gave them sanctity'. Where did this 'we' come from? Governments come and go. Today it is their government and some other government will come (in future).

"But Ravi Shankar Prasad is law minister. I would like to tell him, don't use 'we'. It is the Constitution that gave us rights. You have not given us rights," Owaisi said.

It was the responsibility of the government to enforce these rights, the MIM chief said, speaking to reporters.

"This is democracy in India and not Saddam Hussein's democracy....Constitution is supreme and he needs to understand that," the Hyderabad MP said.

Prasad had said yesterday that Muslims do not vote for the BJP, but the government has given them "proper sanctity".

"We have got 13 chief ministers of our own. We are ruling the country. Have we victimised any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? Have we dismissed them? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?" Prasad had said.

Owaisi also alleged that the PDP-BJP government had failed to bring normalcy to Kashmir, and wondered how can the "hearts and minds" of Kashmiris be won if alleged incidents like security forces tying a local man to the front of a jeep and taking him around occurred.

"Despite 94 per cent people not voting, he comes out and gives his vote to a political party and you tie him up on a vehicle....What is the message you are sending? Stone-pelters have to be condemned... (but) how can you win hearts and minds?" Owaisi said.

The main theme of the all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Home Minister Rajnath Singh was winning hearts and minds, he said.

"I leave it to the wisdom of the people who are ruling Kashmir; if they feel this is appropriate, good luck to them," Owaisi said.
Somnath: BJP president Amit Shah today told the party workers to aim at not just retaining power but "stunning" the Congress by securing a three-fourths majority in the Gujarat Assembly polls, due later this year.

Addressing the party workers on the second and last day of the BJP state executive meet here, he urged them to "root out" the Congress even at the booth-level.

"Since 2014 (when the NDA formed the government at the Centre), support for BJP has only grown across the country. Even the description of a massive victory has changed. Now, a huge victory is not just a two-thirds majority but a three- fourths majority," a release quoted Shah as saying.

"Our aim is not to form the government alone, but stun the opposition with the numbers. Not to defeat the opposition, but root them out," the BJP chief said.

He asked the party workers to take the welfare programmes of the Centre and the state government to the poor people, farmers and women.

"Shah told the party workers that the BJP had won 120 seats when Narendra Modi was the chief minister (of Gujarat). Now that he is the prime minister, the party should get more than 150 seats," BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said while briefing the media after the meeting.

The BJP has set a target of winning at least 150 of the 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat as it considers the election a prestige battle ahead of the 2019 general elections.

"I am confident that the party will win over 150 seats. It is time to root out the Congress even at the booth-level everywhere," Pandya said quoting the BJP chief.

Shah also asked the party workers to spread the message among the people that the BJP was no longer an urban-centric party but it worked for every Indian, including the poor.

He said the party was passing through a "golden phase" with 1,385 MLAs across the country and governments in 17 states with its allies, the release added.

Shah also said India had regained its confidence ever since the Modi government came to power.

"Under the UPA regime, India was ranked low in the global rankings and the economy was stagnant. Every minister considered himself the prime minister, while the prime minister himself kept a low profile. The youth felt hopeless, women unsafe. Things have changed since 2014," the release quoted Shah as saying.

Pandya said resolutions thanking the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state for the works they had carried out were adopted on the last day of the meet.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani listed out the achievements of his government, while Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel told the party workers about the Goods and Services Tax (GST), said Pandya.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly condemned a terrorist attack on an army base in Afghanistan that killed at least 135 soldiers.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," said Modi.

At least 135 Afghan soldiers were killed and 60 injured in the deadly attack by Taliban militants on an Afghan army base in Balkh province, an official said on Saturday.

Ten Taliban militants were killed by the forces during Friday`s attack on the 209 Shaheen Corps Headquarters, one of the largest military bases in Mazar-e-Sharif city.

The Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The official said the toll is expected to rise further as some of the injured are in critical condition.

In a separate statement, the External Affairs Ministry said: "India condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable terrorist attack in Mazar-e-Sharif on April 21 resulting in loss of lives, including the brave personnel of the Afghan National Defence Forces."

It extended the government and the people of India`s deepest condolences to the government and people of Afghanistan.

"The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders," the ministry statement said.

"India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be," it added.
New Delhi: Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader B S Hooda was today arrayed as a witness by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in support of his complaint filed against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case.

The list filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen also included the names of three other public servants in Haryana government -- Sandeep Singh Dhillon, an IAS officer then associated with Haryana Urban Development Authority, Vineet Garg, IAS and Shakuntala Jakhu, then Financial Commissioner at Town and Country Planning, Haryana government.

During the hearing, Swamy also filed a copy of CBI case documents in Panchkula plot allotment matter and claimed that even the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case in the same matter and reportedly questioned Hooda, Robert Vadra and Motilal Vora on alleged money laundering with regard to Associate Journals Ltd (AJL).

The submission was, however, opposed by the counsel appearing for the Gandhis and others who claimed that CBI and ED matters were not related to the present complaint of Swamy.

The court then told Swamy that if he was submitting that the ongoing probe by the agencies were connected with his complaint, then the present proceedings before it had to be stayed.

However, Swamy said that he needed time to verify whether the CBI and ED cases in the Panchkula matter were connected to the present matter.

The court has now posted the matter for further hearing on May 15 with a direction to Swamy to file a written submission about the relation of the CBI and ED matters with the current complaint.

Swamy, in his private criminal complaint, has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which Associate Journals Limited (AJL) owed to the Congress.

The Gandhis had on March 25 opposed as "vague and devoid of material particulars" Swamy's plea seeking summoning of witnesses whose names he had filed earlier.

The Gandhis, who are accused in the case along with some other Congress leaders, contended that Swamy's plea was "in the nature of a fishing and roving enquiry which is not permissible in law".

The submissions were made in the reply filed to Swamy's list of witnesses and other evidence given to the court.

Swamy had on February 10 filed the list of witnesses before the court which had on December 26 last year given him the last opportunity to submit the list.

The list includes the names of eleven persons including All India Congress Committee's General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, several officials of AJL and government officials.

In a relief to Sonia and Rahul, the court had earlier rejected "as fishing enquiry" a plea of Swamy seeking a direction to theCongress party and AJL to produce certain records relating to the case.

The Gandhis and other accused -- Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda -- have denied the allegations levelled against them.

The court had summoned the accused persons, besides YI on June 26, 2014.

On December 19, 2015, it had granted bail to Sonia, Rahul, Vora, Fernandes and Dubey, who had appeared before it pursuant to summons. Pitroda was granted bail on February 20, 2016 when he had appeared in the court.

Sonia, Rahul, Vora (AICC treasurer), Fernandes (AICC general secretary), Dubey and Pitroda were summoned for alleged offences under section 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) read with section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
Washington: A report has claimed that Egyptian-born al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor, is most likely hiding in Karachi under the protection of Pakistan's notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI).

In a major investigative story, Newsweek said: Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) has been protecting al-Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since US forces evicted al Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001.

The weekly has claimed that its information is based on several authoritative sources.

"His most likely location today, they say: Karachi, the teeming port city of 26 million people on the Arabian Sea," the report added.

Notably, this is for the first time in several years a news report has surfaced about the hiding location of one of the world's most wanted terrorists.

"Like everything about his location, there's no positive proof," Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four US presidents, told the magazine.

"There are pretty good indications, including some of the material found in Abbottabad (Pakistan)," where bin Laden was slain, "that point in that direction," he added.

"This would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans can`t come and get him," he said.

Riedel told the weekly that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the US to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 02, 2011.

"If he was in some place along the border with Afghanistan, I think the temptation would be enormous to go after him. But in Karachi, that would be stunning and very difficult," Riedel said.

According to the weekly, the US had an unsuccessful drone strike against Al-Zawahiri in January 2016.

But the al Qaeda chief survived, the weekly said, noting that its information was based on a source from Pakistan who requested anonymity for sharing the information.

"The drone hit next to the room where al-Zawahiri was staying. The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the unnamed man told the magazine.

The man added that "four of al-Zawahiri's security guards were killed on the spot and one was injured but died later." He said al-Zawahiri had "left the targeted room to sleep just 10 minutes ahead of the missile that hit that room."

The magazine said al-Zawahiri, now 66, has survived several drone strikes.

One of the Taliban's former ministers adds that al-Zawahiri and al Qaeda are "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because it`s engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government and doesn`t want to be seen as "a threat to world peace," it said.

"Closed out of the tribal areas, al-Zawahiri was 'moved to Karachi under the direction of the black leg," the Afghan Taliban`s code name for the ISI, according to the group leader who spoke with the magazine.

"He may well have taken (another al Qaeda leader) Saif al-Adel, indicted in the US in connection with the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, with him, the report said.

In September last year, al-Zawahiri had threatened the US that the September 11, 2001, attacks will be repeated "thousands of times", in a video marking the 15th anniversary of the deadly assault.

Addressing the United States in a video message posted on YouTube, al-Zawahiri blamed 9/11 on "your crimes against us". He said that if these continue, 9/11 "will be repeated thousands of times".

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack on a military base in northern Afghanistan.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i- sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," he said in a tweet.

Taliban militants wearing Afghan Army uniforms killed at least 50 soldiers in a gun and suicide attack at a base in northern Afghanistan on Friday, the US military said, as the extremists ramp up their campaign against beleaguered government forces.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up and seven were killed in the assault near Mazar-i-Sharif city, which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers at a mosque and dining facility, the Afghan Defence Ministry said.

One of the assailants was detained.

A US military spokesman said "more than 50" Afghan soldiers were killed in the attack claimed by the Taliban, while Afghan officials put the death toll at eight with 11 wounded.

General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, praised Afghan commandos for bringing the "atrocity to an end".

The latest deadly attack against an Afghan military site underscores rising insecurity in the war-torn country as it braces for an intense fighting season in the spring.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Fresh after narrowly winning a referendum that gives him more powers in his current post, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to launch a new foreign policy initiative starting with a visit to India at the end of this month.

Erdogan, accompanied by the Turkish economy and trade ministers, will visit New Delhi on April 30 where he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"Erdogan will participate in Turkey-India Business Forum and will hold political talks with Indian leaders, particularly President Pranab Mukherjee," the report said.

"The agenda during the meeting is expected to be dominated by an improvement of bilateral economic and trade ties."

Erdogan last visited India in 2008 when he was his country`s Prime Minister.

His talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be crucial in view of the crisis in Syria that includes the refugee problem and support for India`s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Following India, Erdogan will visit Sochi on May 3 where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Erdogan, who will discuss developments in Syria with Putin, will deliver the message that `the conflict in Syria can be resolved if Russia adopts a constructive position and a political transition process can begin`," the report said.

Erdogan is likely to hold his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in the second half of May at the latter`s invitation over telephone.

"The issues to be discussed at the White House include the extradition of Fethullah Gulen and restrictions on his followers in the US, developments in Syria, Turkey`s sensitivities over the prospective role for the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People`s Protection Units (YPG), in the upcoming Raqqa operation, as well as the countries` bilateral economic relationship," the Hurriyet Daily News report said.

Erdogan has blamed Turkish preacher and political activist Gulen, a former ally and now a US resident, for the botched coup attempt in July last year.

The Turkish President will also visit China where he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15 along with Putin and other regional leaders.

On May 25, he will attend a NATO summit in Brussels which "will also provide a good opportunity for Erdogan to hold bilateral meetings with some key European leaders", the report said.
Washington: The Group of 20 major economies have reached a "broad consensus" that a continued rise in protectionism would be damaging to the global economy, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Friday.

"The general mood of the discussion was a broad agreement in the direction that free trade is better for global growth," Schaeuble said following a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington.

"Protectionism would be damaging to the global economy and the concerned economies as well," Schaeuble, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the G20, told reporters, adding: "There was a broad consensus."

The ministers also agreed that growth must be made "more inclusive" in order to stem the rise of protectionism, he said.

"We need to tackle this, otherwise we will see more protectionism," Schaeuble said, adding that officials had agreed on the "need to do more" to share the proceeds of growth more equitably.

Schaeuble deflected repeated questions about the stance of the United States, saying Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had told his counterparts the incoming administration has not made any decisions on specific trade policies.

Rising protectionist sentiment in major economies, including President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries that have surpluses with the United States, created a tense atmosphere at the normally placid gathering of finance ministers.

The G20 officials were meeting ahead of the semi-annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund, which has flagged protectionism and possible trade wars as a threat the global economic recovery, which is finally gaining momentum.

German central bank chief Jens Weidmann said the G20 is focusing more on inclusive growth because "rising inequality puts strain on potential growth" and as a result "people become more disenchanted with globalisation."
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday arrested four members of a self-styled 'gau rakshak' (cow vigilante) group in Reasi district after they attacked and injured a nomadic family of five.

Earlier reports said that five persons, including a nine-year-old girl, were injured in the Thursday night attack in Talwara area while moving with their livestock. However, later, reports suggested that the vigilantes had beaten two adults and no child was injured in the attack.

When the family took refuge in the premises of a police station, gau rakshaks reached there too and entered into a scuffle with cops. They accused the family of cow smuggling.

"A FIR has been lodged. We have arrested persons involved in the attack on the nomad family moving with their livestock -- cattle, sheep, and goats on April 20 night," a senior police officer told news agency IANS.

The police officer said the livestock has already been restored to the goatherds who are their rightful owner.

(With Agency inputs)
Srinagar: Two militants, who opened fire on an army patrol, were killed by the security forces in an encounter today in the Budgam district of central Kashmir.

"Two militants have been killed in the gunfight with the security forces," a police official said.

A patrolling party of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles came under fire from the militants at village Hayatpora, 18 kms from here, at around 6 PM, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides, a police official said.

The official said reinforcements were rushed to the village and an operation was launched to flush out the militants, during which two of them were killed.

One of the militants has been identified as Younis Maqbool Ganai, a resident of Patrigam area of Chadoora, while the identity of the other is being ascertained, the official said.

An AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site, the official added.
A man who told police hed be going to a prison for a long time before handing officers more than an ounce of meth was sent to prison for 12 to 24 years Monday.

Lincoln police officers were sent to the Oasis Motel, 5250 Cornhusker Highway, last September about a man possibly selling drugs out of his room, according to a court document.

While knocking on the rooms door, James Champion, 41, was seen walking around the corner, but turned the other way when he noticed the cops. Officers approached Champion and asked if he had anything illegal on him.

Champion said, I am going to prison for a very long time, then handed them three bags of meth totaling 44 grams, the document says.

During a search of his person, officers found .7 additional grams of meth.

After Champion was arrested, motel staff found a black handgun and unused syringes in his room, the document says.

Champion pleaded guilty to possession of meth, delivering a controlled substance and possession of a weapon by a prohibited felon and was sentenced in Judge Lori Marets courtroom.
Thiruvananthapuram: The already strained relations between the two Communist parties in Kerala has taken a turn for the worse with a senior CPI leader hitting out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

CPI Idukki district secretary K K Sivaraman has said the Chief Minister`s attitude of `I am the state` does not augur well for the coalition.

Over the past few months, the CPI-M and CPI, the number one and two in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) have been sparring against each other over various issues, causing impediments in the smooth functioning of the state government.

Things reached a crescendo ever since Thursday when a group of revenue officials and a strong posse of police pulled down a `cross` of a new generation Church - Spirit in Jesus- near the hill station of Munnar, after it was found that the cross was put up on usurped land by the church authorities.

Communist Party of India leader E Chandrasekheran holds the revenue portfolio.

Vijayan at a public meeting on Thursday condemned the act of the officials of pulling down the cross, leaving the CPI angry.

At a meeting of these officials on Friday evening, Vijayan came down heavily on the district administration and asked them to do a clean job.

Reacting to the turn of events, CPI Idukki district secretary K K Sivaraman on Friday told the media that they are baffled at the manner in which the Chief Minister has reacted.

"We are at a loss and do not know why he spoke like this. He should realise that it`s a coalition government that is in office in Kerala now and his attitude of `I am the state` does not augur well," said Sivaraman.

The new development came at a time when the state secretaries of the two warring Communist parties was to meet. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, has been indefinitely postponed.

In Saturday`s party organ of the CPI, the need for holding a discussion with Vijayan also has been made.

In a related development, the office bearers of the Spirit in Jesus church on Saturday told reporters in Thrissur that the place where the cross stood is not theirs.

"For the past 60 years this place located on a hill top near Munnar has been in the possession of a person named Maria Susai, who is a member of the church and the `cross` has been there for ages. Two years back he came up with a request that since the cross has become old and worn out, he wished to put up a new one. We supported the move. We wish to announce that our church or our leader Tom Zachariah does not own any illegal land," said officials of the church.

"Maria Susai got this property from his ancestors who owned it, and in this area none have got title deeds. His application for title deed has been with the state government since 1994 and no action has been taken. We also wish to state that this place has been frequented by many devotees from various churches as `biblically` it`s quite well known in our faith that God`s position has always been on a hill top," added the representatives of Spirit in Jesus.

Meanwhile, after the cross was pulled down on Thursday a wooden cross was spotted since Friday at the same place. From Saturday onwards a team of police officials has been posted on duty at the hill top.
Mumbai: Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United will hold a rally in Mumbai on Saturday to mark its foray into Maharashtra politics, where Chief Minister and party chief Nitish Kumar will be a key speaker.

Prominent JD-U leaders from Bihar and other states will be present at rally venue Goregaon in northwest Mumbai to mark the formal launch of the party in Maharashtra, JD-U Maharashtra unit Convenor and MLA Kapil Patil said on Friday.



Last month, Patil's Lok Bharti Party merged with the JD-U, paving the way for the latter to set up base in Maharashtra after Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Kerala.



Post-merger, Patil and other key JD-U leaders undertook a tour of Maharashtra from April 10, conducted meetings with social workers, independent or party-affiliated political leaders, and labour and union leaders.



"Several prominent persons and organisations have decided to back Nitish Kumar's leadership, including some prominent banking unions, affiliates and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Mazdoor Union, the BEST Kamgar Union, the Mumbai Autorickshaw and Taximen's Union," Patil told IANS.



He said the JD-U's expansion is against the backdrop to project the 66-year old Bihar Chief Minister as prime ministerial candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.



Besides Bihar, JD-U claims strong grass-roots and organisational presence in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Kerala.



Other prominent parties that have since set up base in Maharashtra include the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party of Uttar Pradesh and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen.
New Delhi: Vatal Nagaraj, from the organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, on Saturday called off the protest against the release of upcoming Indian film 'Baahubali 2' in Karnataka. At the same time, he also said that usage of derogatory terms against Kannadigas must not be done.

"Ensure you don't use derogatory terms against Kannadigas. If you do, your future movies will be banned in Karnataka," he warned actor Sathyaraj.

A protest by Pro Kannada group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike was held on Thursday in the city against Sathyaraj for his comments made years ago on Kannadigas and Cauvery River.

The protesters marched to the Karnataka Film Chamber Of Commerce and gave a written request to the Film Chamber President asking him to call a meeting of all stakeholders and instructing them not to release 'Baahubali: The Conclusion' on April 28.

This made Sathyaraj step forward and issue a public apology.

While expressing his views via a WhatsApp video, the star, who expressed his anuish over the Cauvery water issue nine years back, said on Friday that he does not want anyone from his upcoming movie 'Baahubali 2' to bear the losses.

He noted,"Nevertheless, in the coming days be it Tamil people, Cauvery issue, farmers issue or any other issue, I would continue to voice my support against these issues."

"And if anyone thinks that my statement caused any harm to the producers and directors, then I would request them not to cast this small, meager actor in their films. I don't want anyone to suffer any kind of loss because I would prefer to live and die as a Tamilian rather an actor," the 62-year-old stated.

Requesting the people of Karnataka to ensure the release of 'Baahubali 2,' the actor added, "I am not against Kannada people, one of the prime example is that in these nine years, many of my films including 'Baahuballi' was also released in Karantaka without any problems."

'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' is directed by SS Rajamouli and is the continuation of 'Baahubali: The Beginning.'

The movie, which also stars Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati and Tamannaah, is scheduled to hit the theatres on April 28.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: Coming together in a bid to push back against a political climate that has become increasingly hostile toward sound, evidence-based science and its value to society, scientists and science supporters of the world will be joining a global effort in a protest march against US President Donald Trump on Earth Day.

People in over 500 cities across the world, including Coimbatore in India will "stand up for science" in the world's first ever March for Science on Saturday.

On Earth Day (Saturday), scientists and researchers will take to the streets of Washington and other cities across the world, in what is being dubbed as the largest ever protest by science advocates against the US President.

The flagship event will kick off in Washington DC at 9:00 am while as many as 605 satellite marches will roll out across the world with people  scientists, science advocates, educators and concerned citizens  marching together in support of science's role in society and policy.

Two such marches in India are officially listed with the March for Science website, one at Coimbatore and the other at Hyderabad. Bhutan and Nepal have also signed up for the event.

The march has spread to African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, Europe, UK, Australia, South Korea and Japan among others.

In Coimbatore, the organisation for science education, School of Science, is organising the satellite march around the city's race course.

"Being the only event (we have no updates on the march in Hyderabad as of now) in India, we technically stand with March for Science," Arjhun Swaminathan of the organisation told IANS.

"We are expecting over 200 people to march with us on the 22nd. We here at Coimbatore are marching to bring a new era in science education in the city," said Swaminathan.

He believes the event will motivate more people to stand up for what they believe in and act as a wake up call to those who have lost hope of changing the world.

"During the march however, we will try to spread the message that Science has never been a cause of destruction," he said.

According to some of the international organisers, Earth Day Network, American Geophysical Union, National Science Teachers Association and Carnegie Science, "defending science, innovation and discovery is an absolute must in every community throughout the world."

The global event follows the Women's March on January 21 where more than one million people marched across the world to show support for women's rights and express their discontent over the election of Trump who has called climate change a "hoax."

Trump recently signed an executive order rolling back Obama-era rules aimed at curbing global warming by moving away from fossil fuels.

"There is enough evidence for global warming yet the government is going against what is supposed to be done. It is time for masses to go out and tell the whole world that we believe in science," added Swaminathan.

Check out some tweets regarding the march from different cities of the world below:

(With IANS inputs)
Thousands of people rallied in support for science in Europe and Australasia on Saturday ahead of a march in Washington, triggered by rising concern over populism and so-called alternative facts.

The March for Science demonstrations have been organised in response to what is seen as mounting political pressure on facts-based evidence.

The casualties of this assault, say organisers, include efforts to fight climate change, the teaching of evolution and sexual health and budgets for vital research.

Vocal protesters in Sydney wearing white lab coats called on politicians to support the scientific community, carrying banners reading "without science, it`s just fiction" and "we need thinkers not deniers".Demonstrators also turned out in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities as well as Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.

"In this day and age, there`s so much fake news and alternate facts going around that it`s important to remember that science is what has built the society we know today," Parissa Zand, who was at the Sydney march with her molecular biologist mother, told AFP.

High-school science teacher Byrne La Ginestra said science had been getting a "bum rap", adding that "we need to... teach people that science isn`t a political agenda, it`s just facts".

Canberra last year reversed a decision to cut hundreds of jobs from the national science body CSIRO after a public outcry.

Protestors in major university cities in Europe posted pictures on Twitter of marches in Bonn, Helsinki, Munich and Stockholm. In Paris, a banner in French read: "We are the resistance against the orange menace in Washington! Defend science!" The London rally was attended by actor Peter Capaldi, who plays TV`s time-travelling hero of science, Dr Who.

Other rallies were scheduled in Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria and South Korea -- part of a campaign expected to unfold in more than 600 cities worldwide.

But the biggest turnout by far was expected in Washington, where the protest was due to start at 1200 GMT.

The US organisers have said the event is non-partisan but admit Donald Trump has "catalysed" the movement.

Trump has vowed to slash budgets for research at top US agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which could lose one-third of its staff if Congress approves the proposal.

He also named as head of the EPA Oklahoma lawyer Scott Pruitt, who claimed last month that carbon dioxide is not the main driver of global warming, a position starkly at odds with the global scientific consensus.

"In the response to this absurdity lies cause for hope," Paul Hanle, chief executive officer of Climate Central, an independent organisation of scientists and journalists, wrote in an op-ed this week.

"Seeing the assault on fact-based thinking, scientists are energised."

At a time when the Earth has marked three consecutive years of record-breaking heat, and ice is melting at an unprecedented rate at the poles, risking massive sea level rise in the decades ahead, some marchers say it is more important than ever for scientists to communicate and work toward solutions to curb fossil fuel emissions.

"I will be marching in London on Saturday not so much to fly the flag for science -- though I believe it is something worth celebrating -- but because I think that in these fractious political times, when we are facing challenges that are truly global, it has never been more important for scientists to go public," said Stephen Curry, a professor of structural biology at Imperial College London.

Professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, David Reay, said scientists "are not famous for their camaraderie. We are trained to question, criticise and, where needed, contest each other`s work.

"That we are now marching together is testament to just how threatened our disparate community feels."
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, for the first time, will meet farmers from the state protesting at Jantar Mantar tomorrow, according to official sources.

It is learnt the chief minister will advise the farmers to call off their protest when he meets them at 7.30 am.

Palaniswami, who arrived in the capital this evening, will also take part in a NITI Aayog meeting along with chief ministers of other states.

It is expected that Palaniswami will be meeting the farmers just before heading to Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Grabbing eyeballs with their novel way of protest, Tamil Nadu farmers today drank urine in another desperate bid to draw the Centre's attention towards their plight.

The farmers have been demanding a Rs-40,000 crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and setting up of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

Over the last 39 days, they have shaved their heads and half their moustaches and kept mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.
Sambhal: A woman has lodged a complaint against her husband who allegedly threatened her with triple talaq, after she gave birth to a girl child.

In her complaint, the woman claimed that her husband has threatened her to give triple talaq soon.

She added that he was also about to marry another woman.

"I got married four years ago and after eight months of my marriage, I came back home. They used to beat and harass me for dowry every day. They even tried killing me many times. The situation became worst when I gave birth to a girl baby. They wanted to accept neither me nor my child. Now, my husband wants to get married again. I want our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to abolish triple talaq soon," said victim.

Notably, PM Narendra Modi's pitch against 'triple talaq' has added fuel to the contentious debate on the Muslim divorce practice, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday saying those silent on the issue were as "guilty" as the ones practising it.

Drawing an analogy between the silence of politicians on triple talaq and that of the nobles during the disrobing of 'Draupadi' in the Mahabharata, the UP CM said in Lucknow, "Those in the political class that are keeping mum need to be put in the dock along with the perpetrators of the crime and their accomplices."

Modi has dubbed triple talaq as a "bad social practice", saying that such practices can be ended by social awakening.

He has also stressed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not want a conflict in the society for this.

Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has issued appeals to all maulanas and imams of mosques to read out the code of conduct during Friday `namaz` and emphasise on its implementation.

The Board has made it clear that it will not tolerate any interference in the Shariat laws, and claimed that majority of the Muslims in the country do not want any change in their personal law.

(With Agency inputs)
Lucknow: The new police chief of Uttar Pradesh, Sulkhan Singh, on Saturday vowed to crush "goondagardi" in the state and warned that even VIPs would not be spared.

Singh said his priority would be ensuring unbiased policing.

"Those indulging in goondagardi and criminal activities will be dealt without mercy. They cannot escape. And even VIPs will not be spared," the 1980-batch IPS officer said without mincing words.

He was talking to media persons after taking over as the UP Director General of Police from outgoing Javeed Ahmed, who was shunted to a less important post of DG PAC, in the first major reshuffle in the top police hierarchy by the Yogi Adityanath government last night.

Singh, the senior most IPS officer in the state, said there will be no compromise in ensuring security to the common man.

"Uniform action will be taken against any wrong doer. There will be no bias, whosoever the culprit is or whatever political connection the person flaunts, he said, talking tough on the first day of assuming charge.

He said maximum FIRs will be filed and police will get full freedom to work without fear or pressure from any quarter.

Asked about his priorities, Singh said, "My effort will be ensuring unbiased policing and keeping the morale of the force high."

When it was pointed out to him that he did not have a long tenure as his superannuation was due later this year, Singh, known for bringing several reforms in police, said, "I have to prove my worth during this period.

To another question pertaining to allegations of rampant corruption in the police machinery, he said, "Fair inquiry will be done in all cases."

"My top priority would be to make policing humane and courteous," the DGP said.

Singh said policing should be impartial and the objective is to ensure relief to the common man.

"Police should avoid high-handedness as every citizen belongs to the state. No one is an outsider," he said.

As DGP, Singh said his priority was the safety and security of women, who should feel safe even in the late hours.

In reply to a question, he said though he has come to know about IS sympathisers in the state through the media, he would look into this challenge also on a priority basis and asserted that the force was highly capable to deal with any situation.

When asked about the sagging morale of the police force in view of over 100 cases of assault and killing of the men- in-khaki, Singh said that it was a contentious issue. "But, definitely if there is any demoralisation in the force, I would address it on top priority," he said.

Singh, who enjoys an impeccable track record, was shunted to posts quite below the level of his seniority during the previous SP regime. During the BSP rule between 2007 and 2012, he had probed the police job scam during the SP government, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the CM (2003-2007).

His report indicted several IPS officers. In 2012, when SP came to the power again, he was sent to PTC, Unnao as a principal, a post far below his rank.

Another landmark in his career was prison reforms as IG jails.He has worked for human rights of prisoners and improving facilities for inmates.
Lucknow: The security of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been heightened in the wake of an intelligence report that terrorists could carry out an attack in the state.

According to an intelligence report shared by Madhya Pradesh, terrorists could be donning saffron robes, or posing as saints or tantricks, to evade UP Police's scrutiny.

Twenty-five terrorists, all aged around 18 years, could be infiltrated into India via Nepal, added the report. Security has been beefed up on the Indo-Nepal border.

The alert came as the Yogi Adityanath government shunted out Uttar Pradesh Police chief Javeed Ahmed and replaced him by 1980-batch IPS officer Sulkhan Singh.

Meanwhile, Sulkhan Singh said that the UP police was on alert in the wake of the report.

On March 08, an alleged terrorist, suspected to have been influenced by the Islamic State (ISIS), was killed in Lucknow after a 12-hour police operation in the wake of the Ujjain-Bhopal train blast.

The encounter came as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh police teams carried out arrests of several "seld-radicalised" persons suspected to be linked to the train blast in Shajapur in MP on March 07 in which 10 persons were injured.

Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh police teams carried out arrests of several "seld-radicalised" persons suspected to be linked to the train blast in Shajapur in MP on March 07 in which 10 persons were injured.
An Omaha man was arrested Saturday morning on suspicion of robbing a south Lincoln bank for the second time this year.

Jason McCain, 37, wore a black mask and demanded cash from employees at U.S. Bank, 5501 S. 56th St., said Lincoln Police Capt. Don Scheinost.

Police arrived at the bank at 9:25 a.m., after McCain left on a bike with a bag of cash, according to a court document.

Lincoln officers had a description of a white SUV used during a Feb. 24 robbery at the same bank, and at about 10:20 a.m., a Nebraska State Patrol trooper spotted the vehicle driving on Interstate 80. McCain was stopped and arrested on suspicion of robbery near exit 426, the document says.

During the earlier robbery, a man matching McCain's description went into the bank at 9:31 a.m. with a dark-colored, fur-lined parka covering his face. Residents in a nearby neighborhood who have surveillance cameras captured the suspect getting in the SUV and leaving.

The same employee he robbed in February is the clerk who was on duty Saturday morning, the document says.

No one was injured in either robbery.

McCain acted as if he had a weapon but never showed it to employees, Scheinost said.

Officers searched McCain's SUV and found a bag full of cash, a dark-colored parka and a bike in his backseat, the document says.
Birbhum (West Bengal): With two more persons succumbing to their injuries since the late hours on Friday, the toll in the crude bomb explosion in West Bengal`s Birbhum district has risen to nine, police said on Saturday.

"Nine people have died so far in the crude bomb explosion following clashes between two groups in Birbhum district`s Labpur since yesterday (Friday). A few more are critically injured," Birbhum Superintendent of Police N. Sudheer Kumar told IANS.

"After seven people dying till Friday evening, two more have succumbed to their injuries in the hospital," he said.

Six people have been arrested so far while police have registered suo motu cases against several members of the two groups for the violent clashes on Friday.

According to police, the clashes between the two groups were an offshoot of a war for supremacy in the area.

"We have started two separate cases since yesterday (Friday), one for the clashes and the other one for making crude bombs. We have arrested six miscreants so far in the first case," Kumar said.

Police claimed some of those involved in making crude bombs died in the accidental explosion.

"The people who died in the explosion were involved in making crude bombs. Bomb-making materials like stone chips and explosives have been recovered from some of the deceased`s house," Kumar said.

The situation became tense in the area since Friday morning as a clash broke out regarding control of sand mining in the region. Bombs were hurled at several places in the village, including school premises, causing panic among students and villagers.

"No incidents of violence in the area were, however, reported on Saturday. Adequate number of police personnel have been deployed to monitor the situation," the officer added.
New Delhi: Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri is hiding in Pakistan, possibly in Karachi, with help from the ISI spy agency, a media report said on Saturday.

Osama bin Laden's son Hamza bin Laden is also hiding in the country, TOI quoted a Newsweek report as saying, citing a former top Pakistani official.

ISI has been protecting al-Zawahiri since US troops busted Al-Qaida safe-havens in Afghanistan in 2001, multiple sources reportedly told the Newsweek.

And Washington may be aware of his hideouts because the Barack Obama administration went after him last year with a drone and almost got him, the report claimed.

"The drone hit next to the room where Dr. Zawahiri was staying," a "senior" militant from the region told Newsweek.

"The shared wall collapsed, and debris from the explosion showered on him and broke his glasses, but luckily he was safe," the militant added.

Al-Zawahiri survived "several" drone attacks in the past, an Afghan Taliban leader told Newsweek.

He said Al-Zawahiri was "no longer welcome" in areas controlled by his group because it's engaged in peace negotiations with the Afghan government.

The ISI moved him to Karachi because the city has widespread sympathies for militant Islam, densely populated and a large Pakistani military presence.

Al-Qaida remains a deadly force with the ability to strike the US again hence Washington is not letting its guard down.
Pyongyang: North Korea said it is ready to respond to aggression from the US, amid the deployment of an American nuclear aircraft carrier in waters close to the Korean peninsula.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extremely dangerous phase due to the mad-cap nuclear war provocations of the US," the Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement reported by state-run news agency KCNA.

"The authorities of the Trump Administration are spouting a load of rubbish calling for browbeating North Korea," the statement said, adding that the US said it would deploy "a nuclear aircraft carrier and its strike groups in the waters off the Korean Peninsula."

Pyongyang said it will not be frightened by these threats and that its army is closely watching US maneuvers and waiting for an order to counter any threat immediately.

The statement added that North Korea is a peace-loving country but also a nuclear power that is unafraid of war and would not hesitate to exercise all options for a counter-attack.

Tension has been escalating on the Korean peninsula since the beginning of April after Washington hinted at a pre-emptive strike against Pyongyang, which was followed by a new missile test by North Korea on April 16, Efe news reported.

Two weeks ago, the US announced it had ordered the deployment of nuclear aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson on the Korean peninsula, a move that was interpreted as a warning against Pyongyang`s arms development program.

However the carrier was at the time participating in joint exercises with Australia in the Indian Ocean.

It is now heading to the region and will carry out maneuvers in the waters of the Sea of Japan near the Korean peninsula.

Japan also sent two destroyers to participate in the maneuvers from April 25 to 28, while Seoul is also considering participating in these combined naval drills.
District of Columbia: US forces operating in Syria have killed a senior member of the Islamic State group blamed for an attack on a nightclub that left 39 dead, officials said Friday.

"We will reach you anywhere," Brett McGurk, the US diplomat who coordinates the coalition fighting the jihadist group in Iraq and Syria, said in a tweet confirming the death.



Officials identified the slain militant as Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, and described him as a close associate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State`s self-declared "caliphate."



They said he helped coordinate the movement and funding of foreign fighter cells, and was behind the January 1 gun attack on revellers at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul.



He is said to have been killed on April 6 in Mayadin, a town on the Euphrates river near Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, in an area that is regularly targeted by coalition air strikes.
Tallinn: US House Speaker Paul Ryan says one of the reasons the US Congress has launched a thorough investigation into Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US election is to "prevent the same kind of thing happening" to its NATO and other allies.

Ryan spoke today at a news conference with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas during a visit by a bipartisan congressional delegation to the Baltic NATO member and staunch Washington ally.

The Republican speaker said though Russia's alleged meddling didn't affect the outcome of the election its actions "cannot be tolerated."

He stressed the US has a responsibility to share the results of the Russia investigation with countries like Estonia, which in recent years has faced Russia's aggressive disinformation campaigns along with Baltic neighbours Latvia and Lithuania.
YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Law enforcement agencies probed the 07.02.2017 criminal case on a battery incident and discovered that two citizens of Vanadzor city Razmik Hovhannisyan and Gor Chobanyan had kidnapped Edward Saribekyan, a citizen of the same city, and subjected him to violence. The perpetrators acted premeditated, upon an agreement with a group of people. The criminal case was probed by the special investigative service.

Hovhannisyan suspected Saribekyan to have stolen his gold chain from his home. Hovhannisyan, along with his relative Gor Chobanyan, requested Saribekyan to get into their car to have a chat about the issue, and took off to another location.

Upon arrival, Hovhannisyan and Chobanyan were joined by a group of others, and demanded Saribekyan to return the stolen necklace. Saribekyan claimed that he had nothing to do with stealing the necklace, however the perpetrators ignored him, and tied him up for around 2 hours.

During that time Hovhannisyan, Chobanyan and several others, battered Saribekyan, and later relocated him to another area in the city and threatened him with repeated violence.

Saribekyan was able to run away. However while escaping, he fell from an elevated position and suffered serious injuries.

Kidnapping charges have been pressed against Gor Chobanyan and Razmik Hovhannisyan.

Notice  Suspect is innocent until proven guilty by the Court of Law.
YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on April 22 with Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Frank Engel.

President Sargsyan praised Frank Engels activities regarding issues of concern of Armenia and the Armenian people.

The President also thanked the MEP for regular visits to Artsakh, and in terms of having an objective understanding over the NK conflict, for getting to know the situation on spot, and getting informed on the aspirations and sentiments of the Artsakhi people from direct interactions.

Emphasizing that the European Parliament is a big and important audience not only for EU member countries and EU partners, but also for the international community, Serzh Sargsyan in this context greatly highlighted the activity of the friendship group with Artsakh of the European Parliament, which is headed by Frank Engel, which, in his belief, gives additional opportunities for objectively presenting the fair struggle of the Artsakhi people in the European Parliament.

The President appreciated the balanced stance of the EU in the Nagorno Karabakh issue, as well as the EU commitment in creating favorable atmosphere for the comprehensive settlement of the conflict.

President Sargsyan and MEP Engel exchanged ideas over the NK conflicts peaceful settlement process and existing problems.

The sides also discussed the Armenia-EU relations and were pleased to mention the ongoing work for the development and enhancement of cooperation, which is proved by the recent initialing of the agreement text followed by completion of talks over the Armenia-EU comprehensive and expanded partnership deal.
YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The Republican Partys candidates for the upcoming Yerevan City Council election met with the residents of the capitals Arabkir district on April 22.

The incumbent Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan, who runs for another term in office, delivered a speech at the event, emphasizing their project includes all issues which were raised by Yerevan citizens during the past 4 years.

Four years ago we began our campaign from this neighborhood, we presented the Better Yerevan program with our team, today we can say we have a comparably better Yerevan, but this doesnt mean that there is nothing to be done in the city. There is a lot to do, and during these years our team has recorded all those issues by communicating with the residents, and today this experienced team presents the development program for the city. We have the answers for many issues and questions in this program, which the residents of Yerevan awaited for dozens of years, Margaryan said.

He emphasized the issue of administration of condominiums is a priority in the program.

Today, during a meeting in the neighborhood of apartment blocks we have a very important issue, which is also included in the program. Today this is a priority issue for our residents, and we have specific actions to take in terms of reforms and administration. We will be consistent in both legislative changes and the operations of condominiums.

Wherever the citizen is dissatisfied, wherever the administration is insufficient, we will make revisions. We must jointly give solutions to the problems. I reassure you, this program, which the RPA team is presenting, is our tomorrows Yerevan, the Mayor said.

The Yerevan City Council election will be held on May 14.
 Count Like an Egyptian: A Hands-on Introduction to Ancient Mathematics

David Reimer, "Count Like an Egyptian: A Hands-on Introduction to Ancient Mathematics"

English | 2014 | ISBN: 0691160120 | 256 pages | True PDF, EPUB (reup) | 12 + 27 MB

The mathematics of ancient Egypt was fundamentally different from our math today. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn't a primitive forerunner of modern mathematics. In fact, it can't be understood using our current computational methods. Count Like an Egyptian provides a fun, hands-on introduction to the intuitive and often-surprising art of ancient Egyptian math. David Reimer guides you step-by-step through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more. He even shows you how fractions and decimals may have been calculatedthey technically didn't exist in the land of the pharaohs. You'll be counting like an Egyptian in no time, and along the way you'll learn firsthand how mathematics is an expression of the culture that uses it, and why there's more to math than rote memorization and bewildering abstraction.Reimer takes you on a lively and entertaining tour of the ancient Egyptian world, providing rich historical details and amusing anecdotes as he presents a host of mathematical problems drawn from different eras of the Egyptian past. Each of these problems is like a tantalizing puzzle, often with a beautiful and elegant solution. As you solve them, you'll be immersed in many facets of Egyptian life, from hieroglyphs and pyramid building to agriculture, religion, and even bread baking and beer brewing.Fully illustrated in color throughout, Count Like an Egyptian also teaches you some Babylonian computationthe precursor to our modern systemand compares ancient Egyptian mathematics to today's math, letting you decide for yourself which is better.
A Nebraska family was recognized for their farming conservation efforts Friday.

Kurt and Wayne Kaup, who own and manage K&W Farms in Stuart, were awarded the 2017 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors Nebraska landowners for voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources.

The Kaups use nontill farming strategies and cover crops to improve the soil, reduce erosion and recycle nutrients. A spring-fed cold water trout stream starts on their property and their commitment to protecting the wildlife around it has led to a partnership with the Nebraska Game and Parks and the Nature Resources Conservation Service.

The Kaups, who raise hogs and crops, were honored Friday by Gov. Pete Ricketts, Sand County Foundation, the Nebraska Cattlemen, Cargill and the Nebraska Environmental Trust. They will receive $10,000 with the award.

Nebraskas Farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists of our great state," Gov. Ricketts said in a press release. "Long before modern conservationists organized, ag producers were caring for and tending the land, so they could pass it on to the next generation. The Kaup family are an excellent example of how conservation and agriculture continue to work hand-in-hand to grow Nebraska.
Czech Social Democratic Interior Minister: Czech Republic will not accept more than 12 refugees

22. 4. 2017

cas cteni 1 minuta





So, far the Czech Republic has accepted 12 refugees although the European Union requests that it should receive 1200 of them. But the Czech Republic will refuse to accept any more, said Milan Chovanec, Czech Social Democratic Interior Minister. In his view, it is more acceptable for the Czech Republic to pay a fine of several million euros for not accepting the EU refugee quota than accepting immigrants.



Here is a quote from an interview with Chovanec, which has been published by the Czech news server Novinky.cz:



There is a danger that the European Union will demand the acceptance of more refugees in the Czech Republic according to new refugee quotas which the Czech Republic disagrees with. What will the Czech Republic do against this?



Chovanec: "So far, we have accepted 12 people from around 1600 which we should be receiving. As we are gradually doing security checks on these people I think it is not possible to accept any one else than the original 12 people. Security checks are extremely complex and these people are not willing to stay in one place. The Czech Republic is not planning to accept more refugees. This may mean that in September 2017, the European Union will initiate sanction procedures against the Czech Republic and we may have to pay a fine of several million euros. It is up to the Czech government to decide whether it is worth while to pay this fine. In my view it is worth while to pay it. It is impossible to let people come to the Czech Republic without checks."



Why do the proposed refugees fail the Czech government's security checks?



"Our security checks are very thorough and they take several weeks, sometimes more than two months. And these people were not willing to stay in one place where they were being checked, i.e. in Greece or in Italy. This is why we abandoned carrying out the security checks on them."



Source in Czech HERE

0
Czech Deputy PM Babis wants to take Czechia out of the EU integration process

22. 4. 2017

cas cteni 1 minuta



Andrej Babis, Czech Finance Secretary, Deputy PM and a powerful oligarch wants to take the Czech Republic out of the EU integration process and intends to move the country to the periphery of the European Union. Babis does not want the Czech Republic to accept the euro and wants to abolish most of the EU subsidies, which, over the past ten years, have formed a third of all the government investment. Babis is particularly irritated by the EU programmes which finance re-qualification for employees and the unemployed. Many of the "soft" EU programmes are nonsensical, says Babis. "There is no need for schooling and re-qualification programmes since the Czech Republic has the lowest unemployment in Europe," says Babis. "It is a pity we have no say over how to use the EU subsidies. We need material investment. The Czech Republic suffers from a large investment deficit."



"I reject the immigration policy of the European Union. We want to have our own immigration policy, which must be quite different from the immigration policy of other countries. We ourselves must be able to say who will be able to work in this country or to whom we will give humanitarian aid. Each state has its own interest, we must fight for Czech national interests. We do not want the multicultural model."



Other Czech government politicians have warned that Babis must not jeopardise further European integration, but it is very likely that Babis and his "ANO" movement will win the general election which will take place in the Czech Republic in October 2017.



Source in Czech HERE

0
NYU grad student Dejian Zeng worked undercover at an iPhone factory in Shanghai, China for six weeks, and "grim" is a nice way to describe it.

Zeng was in charge of one screw per phone, fastening the speaker to the back of the iPhone case. He had to show up at the factory at 7:30 and work 12 hours per day, but was only paid for 10 1/2 hours per day since breaks are unpaid. And his work week consisted of 6 days per week, for which he only gets paid $450/month, including overtime.

The workers live in prison cells, er, I mean dorm rooms that are as bleak as hell. They have only one uniform to wear all week, as well as a pair of slippers. But they do not receive an iPhone as a perk  it's rare to see anyone with a personal iPhone at the iPhone factory. Most workers have a phone that is cheaper.

The thing that shocked Zeng the most was the managers' attitudes  "yelling at the workers is kind of routine in the factories." But the good thing is that the company has installed nets around the stairs to prevent people from committing suicide. Oh, and the windows have cages around them so no one can jump out and kill themselves.

There are more fascinating details in this video. Good undercover work, Zeng!
Changi Prison, Singapore

Mohd Jeefrey bin Ismail was hanged in the early hours of Friday morning, 21 April, at least according to the scheduled execution date given to his family by the Singapore Prison Service.





He was executed after the Public Prosecutor decided that Jeefrey had not substantively assisted the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.





In Singapore, the authorities do not make public announcements of hangings, the preferred state-sanctioned killing method for those condemned to death. Lawyers for the inmates and anti-death penalty activists often have to guess if the executions have in fact been carried out.





Executions are typically held just before dawn on Fridays.





Jeefrey, 52, was a drug addict and trafficker, or courier, who was arrested in 2012 and subsequently sentenced to death for trafficking in excess of the statutory limit for the drug diamorphine.





The only person who stood between him and the noose was the Public Prosecutor who, through powers vested in him by law, could have spared his life if he had issued a Certificate of Cooperation (COC) to Jeefrey.





The COC would then allow Jeefrey to apply to the courts to have his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment and caning. The courts hands would then have been freed to mete out the alternative sentence.





In effect, the Public Prosecutor now has power over the courts as well: if the Public Prosecutor does not issue a convict with the COC, the courts cannot commute his sentence.





Yet, in the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), the Prosecutors decision making, in whether a COC is issued or not, is shrouded in secrecy and not even the highest court in the land, the Court of Appeal, can question it, or conduct a judicial review of it unless it is proved to the court that the determination was done in bad faith or with malice.





But this is extremely hard for anyone to prove, given that the Prosecutor is also not bound to release or make known the reasons for his decision.





In short, the Prosecutor has iron-clad, virtually unfettered powers to decide whether a person gets to live or die.





Such dubious decision making can result in inexplicable outcomes, as in the 2013 case of Abdul Haleem Abdul Karim, 30, and his friend, Muhammad Ridzuan Md Ali, 28.





Both men were arrested in 2010, also for trafficking 72.5g of heroin.





In court, Abdul Haleem had asked to be given the same sentence as Muhammad Ridzuan, if the latter was sent to the gallows.





The Straits Times reported the exchange between Abdul Haleem and judge Tay Yong Kwang:





Choking with emotion, he [Abdul Haleem] told Justice Tay Yong Kwang: If you are sparing my life and not sparing his life, Id rather go down with him.





But the judge replied: The court does not have complete discretion to do whatever you want me do.





Abdul Haleem then pointed out that he and his friend faced the same charges.





The judge told him: You have certification from the Attorney-Generals Chambers, he does not.





Abdul Haleem was sentenced to life imprisonment and caning because in the eyes of the Public Prosecutor, he had fulfilled the criteria of having substantively assisted the CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.





Muhammad Ridzuan, on the other hand, was deemed not to have cooperated with the CNB to the same extent.





He was thus sentenced to death which left his family wondering what more he could have done to assist the CNB.





Ridzuan told the [Central Narcotics Bureau] who gave him the drugs, said his sister Noraisah. He gave them a description, with full name and identification. I feel that this information is quite strong, and I dont know why they said that they are still not happy with it.





No one knows why the Prosecutor decided to issue Abdul Haleem the COC, while denying the same to Muhammad Ridzuan because the Prosecutor is not required by law to release or explain his reasons, either to the convicts lawyers or even to his family.





Everything is decided behind a veil of silence and secrecy.





It is disturbing that a person can be condemned to his death just because he is deemed to not have substantively assisted the police in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.





Whether drug trafficking activities are disrupted or not depends on so many different factors, most of which would be beyond the control of the inmate.





For example, it would depend on whether the authorities actually act on information provided by the inmate.





It would also depend on whether the authorities take the appropriate action, or are competent in doing so.





And how would an inmate incarcerated on death row in Changi Prison in Singapore be able to disrupt drug activities outside Singapore? Would this not depend entirely on how the authorities act on the information provided by the inmate?





With the law prohibiting any judicial review or questioning of the Prosecutors decision, except when such decision is proved to have been made on bad faith or malice, there really is no way of knowing if the Prosecutor has done the right or necessary thing in acting on the information provided by the inmate.





Clearly, this practice of vesting the Prosecutor with so much power is highly flawed.





His decision and decision-making process are effectively unquestionable, giving him seemingly unfettered authority.





Such absurdity has resulted in decisions which allow one person to be spared death while another, charged for the same crime, is sent to the gallows.





The rule of law insists that decisions, especially those involving capital punishment which is irreversible, must be made according to the law, and must be opened to review or question.





In 2011, lawyer M Ravi filed a constitutional challenge on the case of Yong Vui Kong, which centred on whether the Cabinets decision in granting clemency is opened to judicial review.





The Court of Appeal, in its ruling, said the making of a clemency decision pursuant to Art 22P is now not a private act of grace from an individual happening to possess power  [but] a part of the [c]onstitutional scheme.





Article 22P refers to the presidents powers to grant clemencies.





The Court of Appeal said that if conclusive evidence is produced to the court to show that the Cabinet never met to consider the offenders case at all, or that the Cabinet did not consider the Art 22P(2) materials placed before it and merely tossed a coin to determine what advice to give to the President, the Cabinet would have acted in breach of Art 22P(2).





The Court added:





If the courts cannot intervene to correct a breach of Art 22P of this nature, the rule of law would be rendered nugatory.





Would it also not follow that if the courts are unable to intervene and question the Prosecutors decision on granting the COC, there is a risk that the Prosecutor could make an erroneous decision based on wrong facts or even on superficial whims which, under existing laws, could result in the death of an inmate?





Yet the law says such decisions shall be at the sole discretion of the Public Prosecutor and no action or proceeding shall lie against the Public Prosecutor in relation to any such determination unless it is proved to the court that the determination was done in bad faith or with malice.





The granting, or not, of a COC by the Prosecutor, to borrow the words of the Court of Appeal, is not a private act of grace from an individual happening to possess power.





It is in fact from constitutional powers vested in him which should make him accountable, and not protected behind a wall of opacity.





And if he is to be accountable, then surely his decisions must be opened to judicial review.





Why was Haleem Abdul spared death, while Muhammad Ridzuan was not?





Why was Mohd Jeefrey not similarly issued the COC, as Haleem Abdul was?





How is it that a person can be condemned to death just simply because he is deemed to not have substantively assisted the police?





How did we arrive at a law which says that not cooperating with the police is, effectively, a capital offence?

 | 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: publichouse.sg , April 21, 2017
Flamboyant Nigerian pastor, Bishop Tom Samson who is well known for his special display of his bod fashion statement and luxurious Hummer Limousine, has got everyone talking again.

The General Overseer of the Royal Christ Family Ministry, Ikeja, Lagos, has once again made a bold statement on his flamboyant lifestyle as he attended an event in the city on Saturday, April 22.

READ ALSO: Female Nigerian mother, presenter marries lesbian partner in US (photos)

Legit.ng gathered that the wealthy pastor was spotted with his expensive Hummer Limousine which is said to be worth at least N80 million at Lagos airport hotel in Ikeja for an event.

Bishop Tom Samson stepping out of his Limousine

The man of God in his usual ways never steps out alone but in the company of his armed body guards. Looking at the picture carefully, one could see that before the Bishop steps out of his car, a foot mat was placed in front of the car.

However, the Hummer Limousine was reported to have been bought by the pastor two years back but when the news hit the internet, Bishop Tom Samson denied ever using his money to buy the car but N80 million Hummer Limousine was a gift from one of his converts.

According to Elsie Halima Ijorogu-Reed, who share this story, the pastor also owns over 4 bullet proof vehicles amongst other ones. He moves around with escorts and sells handkerchiefs and anointing oil for you to protect yourself.

READ ALSO: God is 'EVIL' and needs a prophet to instruct Him  Zimbabwe pastor claims (photo, video)

See more pictures below:

Bishop Tom Samson

Bishop Tom Samson in his red decorated Hummer Limousine

The N80m Hummer Limousine

Watch related video of how Nollywood revealed he would soon become a pastor below:

Nawa o!

Source: Legit.ng
The Lincoln Airport Authority is a low-profile elected office, but its five members do some pretty important work.

They oversee a budget that is larger than that of many counties in the state. They have the ability to levy property taxes -- though the board has declined to for three decades. And they are landlords to 1,000 acres of commercial development.

The three men vying for two open seats in the May 2 general election each brings unique talents and experiences to the job.

One is a veteran of elected office, serving nearly 40 years in local government. Another has nearly the same number of years managing airports but is a political newbie. The third candidate doesn't have political or airport experience but would bring some young blood to the board.

Richard Nuernberger, a Republican, is seeking his second term on the board. His opponents are Robert Selig, an independent who was appointed in January to fill an open seat, and Zachary James, a Democrat who is making his first run at elected office.

Nuernberger, who was elected to the board in 2011 after serving 32 years as County Treasurer, said he knows air service is the No. 1 issue for most people, but he said that when he first joined the board he was amazed at how much of the work at the airport is dedicated to developing, leasing and managing buildings in the LNK Enterprise Park industrial area.

"I don't think a lot of people know about it," he said.

Nuernberger said one of the things he's most proud of is the board's work to attract new tenants and help current tenants expand.

He specifically mentioned Duncan Aviation, which between 2012 and 2015 built two 40,000-square-foot maintenance hangars and added 95,000 square feet of office and shop space. Other industrial park tenants who have expanded during Nuernberger's term include Hexagon Lincoln, Sadoff Iron & Metal and the Nebraska State Patrol.

During Nuernberger's term on the board, passenger numbers have increased four years in a row, hitting a nine-year high in 2016. That's due in large part to Delta Air Lines' flight to Atlanta, which started in September 2014.

The airport staff and board members are working on trying to get flights to Texas, likely an American Airlines flight to Dallas, which Nuernberger said "would be great."

Selig, who retired last year after a career managing airports in Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio, said he believes his experience is a valuable asset to the board when it comes to working with airlines to add service.

While acknowledging the elephant in the room -- that 70 percent of air passengers in the Lincoln market fly out of Omaha -- he said he sees that as an opportunity for the Lincoln Airport to attract more passengers.

He also touted his experience working in similar competitive situations.

"I'm not intimidated by Omaha at all, because I have dealt with Detroit and Minneapolis," Selig said.

Beyond commercial air service and the industrial park, responsibilities Selig said he believes airport staff does a good job of managing, he has ideas for how to utilize the airport more.

Selig said the length of Lincoln's runway makes it a prime candidate to become an air cargo hub, and if elected he plans to encourage the board to adopt an air cargo and logistics plan. He also threw out the idea of pursuing international flights, which may seem far-fetched, but it's something he successfully implemented at the airport in Lansing, Michigan.

Most of all, he said he wants to use his experience "to promote the continued growth and development of the communitys airport."

Zachary James, the third candidate in the race, said he would bring "out-of-the-box" thinking to the board.

Like the other candidates, he counts among his priorities improved air service and the continued success of the airport's industrial park. James said he wants to work to add an airline carrier to provide more convenient, frequent and affordable flights, as well as create more public-private partnerships to bring tenants to the LNK Enterprise Park.

He also said he wants to work to update the airport's strategic plan.

James said his decision to run for Airport Authority was not one made on a whim.

"I took a great deal of time exploring the needs of the Lincoln community before deciding to run for Lincoln Airport Authority," James said. "I talked with community members, business owners, city leaders and educators to determine how I could best serve my hometown.

"As a result of those conversations and my research, I was drawn to the role and responsibilities (of the board)."
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
Maggie Mae Squires has her childhood feet planted on each side of the political divide.

Squires learned how to shoot guns, hunt and fish from her stepfather, Doug Woodbeck, a former police officer and Army guy with politically conservative views.

Before Squires was allowed to drive the 1970 Toyota Land Cruiser she got for her 16th birthday, she had to change the tires, the oil and check the fluids.

And because of his influence, she has a black belt in taekwondo.

Her stepdad, she says, taught her a lot about responsibility, respect and self control.

Squires spent summers with her father, Robert Stroup, an artist, alternative school teacher and liberal Democrat. One summer she helped him tear down a structure on land he owned at the foot of Badlands National Park and build an adobe out of straw and clay, dug from the Badlands.

She spent some summers on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations where her dad taught in an alternative school and she went to pow wows, sweat lodges and sun dances.

She saw first hand the poverty, drug addiction and abuse of reservation life. It stuck with me forever.

Her dad also had a house in Deadwood, South Dakota, where she worked many summers at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in a quality leather shop that sold pricey $1,000 jackets to doctors, lawyers and members of the Hells Angels, the notorious motorcycle club.

She once sold a jacket to a Hells Angel, who gave her a memorable $500 tip.

Squires said she feels strongly about being fiscally conservative. But she believes we also need to help those in need.

Squires loves school and learning. She finished high school a year early, took classes her senior year at North Platte Mid-Plains Community College and finally ended up at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

I could have gone to college the rest of my life. I love to learn," Squires said. "I am a student of learning.

But in 2006, after seven years of college, her mother finally insisted she graduate. She got a degree where she had the most credits -- philosophy for a major and physics for a minor. She later earned a master's degree in management from Doane College while working full time.

Squires has been interested in politics since third grade, when she wrote a paper about what she wanted to be when she grew up -- the first woman president of the United States.

She remembers holiday family dinners with her dads side of the family, Irish Catholic and intense, where there was plenty of yelling around the table about politics and religion.

Squires worked for several years as an aide to former state Sen. Bill Avery, whom she met on a downtown sidewalk. He was having trouble with his cellphone and she stopped to help since she had the same kind of phone.

She also shared her thoughts on religion, politics and sports, right there on the sidewalk -- things you dont talk about, especially with strangers. Luckily he agreed with me.

Squires ended up working as an aide for him for several years until he was retired from the Legislature by term limits.

Squires, 35, an Integral Yoga instructor, and owner of Maggie Maes Namaste, teaches yoga at Madonna, Van Dorn Villa, St. Monicas, Tabitha and in private classes.

She is the most overtly liberal of the six council candidates; she supports legalizing cannabis and renewable energy. She says the Pinnacle Bank Arena should be covered in solar panels.

Everything is local, she says. Cannabis legalization started at the city level. Minimum wage changes started at the city level, she said.

"What I want for Lincoln is to move forward and progress. We have an opportunity to be a very progressive city, like Denver. I want to shift the conversation, moving it forward a little.
Sarah Padgett couldnt believe she had to march for science.

At least thats what the Southwest High School freshmans sign said. But on Saturday afternoon, Padgett and hundreds of other concerned civilians took part in Lincolns March for Science, a satellite rally for a global movement promoting the role of science in the worlds health, safety, economies and governments.

Padgett said she marched to show the current administration that people are upset over certain policies, such as gag orders on certain federal agencies and budget cuts. She also marched in support of scientists and their contributions.

My grandpa used to be a scientist, he was a paleontologist, she said, wearing his lab coat. Im marching for him.

Protesters met at the Nebraska Union before marching to the state Capitol, carrying signs promoting science with phrases like Science, not silence and Science is not an alternative fact.

Susan Soriente marched in part to honor her late father, chemical engineer Al Schmierer.

She said the current administrations stance on science and its funding is scary and she worries the current administrations decisions could affect the environment for years to come.

The environment is endangered, she said. We need to do more, but now were going backwards and not getting done what we need to to provide a good climate for the people coming after us.  Were 20 to 40 years behind doing the right thing for the environment.

Sue Dutton, who marched with a Trump pinata, said shes disappointed politics has interfered with science.

We need to defend the facts, not politics, she said. Im concerned President Trump does not believe in climate change.  Im concerned about mankind.

As marchers gathered on the Capitol steps, speakers addressed their concerns over science's reception in society.

Concetta DiRusso, a biochemistry professor at UNL, credited scientific innovations for advancements in medicine and life expectancy rates.

She said now is the time to focus on science, especially in renewable energies to combat climate change.

There is no planet B, she said.

James Van Etten, a plant pathology professor at UNL, said hes concerned about the anti-science culture thats developing in the country.

Scientific facts are not political statements but statements of truth," he said.

He said there are four examples that worry him most: the denial of climate change, the denial of evolution, people against genetically-modified organisms and people against vaccinations.

The last point is especially relevant to Van Etten, who was diagnosed with polio as a child.

Because of vaccines, this is a disease that parents no longer have to worry about, he said.

Van Etten said he worries about the current administrations stance on science, and pointed to proposed budget cuts that would take away funding for departments like the National Institute of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

If these budgets are approved by Congress, they will have a devastating effect on science and scientific research for years to come, he said.
WCC Offers Entrepreneurial Core Curriculum Classes

Press Release:



ROPER, NC The Washington County Center in Roper will hold classes in May that serve as the core curriculum for potential and existing small business owners. The classes are designed to help entrepreneurs understand the basics of starting, advertising, financing and keeping records for their existing and potential small businesses as well as business plan development.



Those students who complete all five of the core courses will receive a certificate that acknowledges their studies. Students can use the certificate to help prove to potential business lenders and investors that they have the skills to successfully operate a small business or they can use the certificate to bolster their resumes when applying for positions as small business employees.



Participants should register to attend one or more of these classes. How to Start a Business will take place on Monday, May 8. This workshop is designed to help budding entrepreneurs start their own businesses. The class will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of owning a business, factors to be considered in starting a business, obtaining permits and licenses, tax information, and how to know if you are ready to start a business.



On May 9, the How to Write a Business Plan workshop will help students create a plan for their small businesses. A business plan is the foundation for success when future business owners are deciding whether to start a new business or buy an existing business. Some of the topics to be discussed in the seminar are writing the executive summary of a plan, describing the business, developing a marketing plan and writing a financial plan.



Advertising and Marketing for Small Businesses is designed to teach participants low-cost advertising and marketing strategies and methods. Students will learn to create a marketing plan and score greater sales with current customers. This workshop will take place May 15.



Financing Your Small Business will provide information on grants and loans available to help. It will take place May 16 and provide information on where entrepreneurs can obtain good, solid and reliable financial advice.



Recordkeeping and Taxes for Your Small Business, on May 22, will discuss financial statements, working with bankers, filing federal and state reports and financial terms that may be confusing. Instructor Keith Kidwell is a tax professional with H&R Block in Washington.



For more information about other services offered by Beaufort County Community College's Small Business Center, including targeted seminars for business owners, visit BCCC's website at www.beaufortccc.edu or contact Lentz Stowe at 252-940-6306 or lentz.stowe@beaufortccc.edu


CHICAGO -- If Laura Kipnis thought she was under fire in 2015 after writing an essay for The Chronicle of Higher Education criticizing an emergent "sexual paranoia" on college campuses, then her new book will surely catapult her into public-enemy No. 1 status in the eyes of legions of angry feminists.

Kipnis' aforementioned essay earned her a 72-day Title IX investigation after two students at Northwestern University -- where Kipnis is tenured -- complained that her writing was, in itself, a violation of the federal act that states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

She was exonerated. "Unwanted Advances: Sexual Paranoia Comes to Campus" is her reaction and an inquiry into a culture of infantilizing women and making men the default perpetrators in she-said-he-said campus complaints of sexual impropriety.

Seemingly every page is a condemnation of a university culture where students are no longer treated as consenting adults and investigations into alleged abuses proceed like 17th-century witch trials, requiring a trigger warning for any sensitive souls who dare brave its contents.

For instance, Kipnis writes: "The idea of rape culture has become the campus equivalent of 9/11: in both cases, horrible real events take on mythic proportions, becoming resistant to precise analysis. On campus, the term rape culture, like the term terrorism, has become the rhetoric of emergency. Fear becomes the guideline, promulgating more fear. The problem is that fear rhetoric obfuscates more than it explicates; nevertheless, officialdom leaps to action."

This is just from the prologue, before she's really gotten going.

Kipnis attempts throughout the book to examine how out of control the sexual politics on campus have gotten -- such that some professors' professional reputations and lives are being ruined while others' are cowed and censored for fear of ever running afoul of paying customers (read: students).

She does this by describing her own investigation; the case of her colleague, philosophy professor Peter Ludlow, whose career was ruined by accusations of sexual assault and the ensuing Title IX investigation; and some of the countless stories shared with her from people who also got tangled up in baseless accusations of misconduct.

Her conclusion is that universities today are multibillion-dollar international businesses with brand promises to uphold and donors to placate. And in such a landscape, it is expeditious to plow money into handling accusations of sexual misconduct under the lax -- for the accused -- standards of the on-campus Title IX adjudication process. Potentially scandalous incidents are made to go away through a combination of dismissal of professors and cash payouts to students.

"The reality is that the more that colleges devote themselves to creating 'safe spaces,' that new campus watchword, the more dangerous campuses have become for professors, and the less education itself becomes anyone's priority."

As a result, sociology professors live in fear of discussing abortion, law professors are afraid to lecture on rape law, and on and on.

But this aspect of "Unwanted Advances" is just the tip of the iceberg. More chilling, Kipnis writes, is how campus administrators, and the special-interest groups they bow to, are rolling back hard-won feminist markers of dignity.

Women on campus are now, Kipnis says, by default, "virtuous maidens," ready-made victims in "a system devoted to persuading a generation of young women that they're helpless prey" and convincing everyone else that "accusers don't lie."

Throughout her book, Kipnis bends over backward to repeatedly and vehemently note that she is (a) a certified left-wing feminist and (b) absolute in her belief that women should be safe from harm on campus, at work and everywhere else.

But, she says, there needs to be a focus on self-understanding and personal responsibility that schools and society are reluctant to address: "What would happen if we stopped commiserating with one another about how horrible men are and teach students how to say, 'Get your (expletive) hand off my knee'? Yes, there's an excess of masculine power in the world, and women have to be educated to contest it in real time, instead of waiting around for men to reach some new stage of heightened consciousness -- just in case that day never comes."

For some women, this will be an article of faith. For others, well, consider this fair warning that you won't enjoy Kipnis' book.
At the end of the Egyptian-Sudanese political consultation committee meetings on Thursday in Khartoum, the foreign ministers of the two countries held a joint press conference renewing their efforts to foster the ties between their governments after the recent setbacks in their relations. Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said the government will not allow any Egyptian opposition group to carry out negative activities from Sudanese territory. Both sides have traded accusations of supporting opposition groups from each others country. He added that it is important to prevent opposition groups from our countries, especially armed groups, from carrying out negative activities against both countries.

The visiting Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry noted that the rise in regional and international terrorist activities has increased the importance of cooperation with our Sudanese brothers to face these challenges. He gave assurances that Cairo would work hand in hand with Khartoum to boost the bilateral relations. Egypt thinks that the media is contributing to hampering ties between the two states with its irresponsible handling of reports concerning the two countries.

Ties between the two countries have been marked with opposing views over the Halayeb Triangle and Khartoums support to the Ethiopias Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Cairo considers the dam as a threat to its livelihood because it will affect its Rive Nile supply which is its main source for water.

Sudan had threatened to take the matter of the Halayeb Triangle to the UN as a reactionary measure for Egypts alleged support to the Sudanese opposition. Halayeb is a sparsely populated 25,000-sq.-km border region occupied by Egypt in 1995 as relations between the two countries reached its lowest level. It seems as if the political consultations were fruitful as both sides agreed to submit the matter of their respective presidents. Sometimes, some issues require communication to resolve any problem or misunderstanding, because this relation should always be based on mutual respect and appreciation, Shoukry said.

Earlier this month, Sudan issued an order requiring male Egyptian citizens between 18 and 49 years of age to obtain an entry visa from Sudans embassies and consulates when visiting the country. Since 2004, Egyptians enjoyed visa-free travel to Sudan.
Ahmadinejads application to be a candidate is Irans May presidential election has been rejected by the Guardian Council, the body that vets applicants, according to the Interior Ministry. The decision does not seem to come as a surprise after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis urged him not to run for elections because it is not in his interest and that of the country.

Ahmadinejad served as Irans president from 2005 to 2013. He said there was no reason for his disqualification. Although not in the race, he told Al Jazeera that everyone, including Iran, must change their policies, especially in Syria before explaining that there should be a serious call for dialogue and peace based on the many common issues between us. Khamenei considers him as a person that would create bipolar opposites and divisions in the country as president which he believes is harmful for the country.

Ahmadinejad registered alongside his former vice president Hamid Baghaie saying that his presence and registration is only to support him. More than 1600 people registered as candidates for the May 19 election but the Guardian Council only approved six; amongst them current President Hassan Rouhani and rival Ebrahim Raisi.

Ali Akbar Javanfekr, a close ally of Ahmadinejad, downplayed Ahmadinejad and Baghaies exclusion because they only registered out of national, religious and revolutionary duty, in a post on the social media. Thank god, the Guardian Council removed the duty from their shoulders, he wrote.

Tehran-based political analyst Soroush Farhadi, said the former president was an unwanted guest in the election, but would try to be active during the campaign to create a quasi-opposition face for himself for the future.

Ahmadinejad told reporters after his registration that Khameneis statement was just advice and an advice was not a ban on his candidacy as claimed by some people.
A Dutch sailing boat offering abortions, often in defiance of some country's laws, arrived in international waters off Mexico on Friday, the organization crewing it said.

The "Women on Waves" vessel was expelled from near Guatemala in February without carrying out a single pregnancy termination.

It had taken up position off Guerrero state, on Mexico's Pacific coast.

The "Women on Waves" group said in an online statement that it was offering "free legal medical abortions till 9 weeks of pregnancy" to women who needed them. It said its ship "has all required permits" and would receive women until Sunday.

It noted that Mexico permitted abortions in cases of sexual violence. Abortion is limited in other cases to different degrees across the 31 Mexican states.

The Dutch group has previously sent its ship to waters off Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

In a media conference given in the Mexican coastal town of Ixtapa, "Women on Waves" president Rebecca Gomperts said access to safe abortions was a matter of "social justice" in Latin America, especially after the Zika crisis which increases the risk of birth deformities.

 2017 AFP
(HealthDay)For patients with type 2 diabetes who initiate metformin, early achievement of low hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is associated with a reduction in the subsequent risk of cardiovascular events or death, according to a study published online April 12 in Diabetes Care.

Elisabeth Svensson, Ph.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues conducted a population-based study involving 24,572 metformin initiators with HbA1c tests in Northern Denmark from 2000 to 2012 (median follow-up, 2.6 years). Patients were classified by HbA1c achieved at six months after metformin initiation and by the magnitude of change in HbA1c from the pretreatment base.

The researchers found that, compared with a target HbA1c of <6.5 percent, the risk of a combined outcome event (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or death) increased gradually with increasing levels of HbA1c achieved (adjusted hazard ratios, 1.18 for 6.5 to 6.99 percent; 1.23 for 7.0 to 7.49 percent; 1.34 for 7.5 to 7.99 percent, and 1.59 for 8 percent). Outcome was also predicted by a large absolute HbA1c reduction from baseline (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.80 for  = 4, compared with no change [ = 0]).

"A large initial HbA1c reduction and achievement of low HbA1c levels within six months after metformin initiation are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events and death in patients with type 2 diabetes," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to Novo Nordisk, which partially funded the study.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Federal regulators on Friday approved another alternative version of Remicade, an expensive injected drug widely used for rheumatoid arthritis and other immune system disorders.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Renflexis, developed by Samsung Bioepis Co. of South Korea. Its U.S. partner, Merck & Co. of Kenilworth, New Jersey, will market Renflexis.

Merck said Renflexis should be available in six months. The delay is required under U.S. regulations for a relatively new category called biosimilars. That's the industry term for generic but not quite identical versions of biotech drugs.

Without insurance, Remicade generally costs more than $30,000 annually for adults; dosage varies by weight. The first biosimilar for Remicade, Inflectra from New York-based Pfizer Inc., went on sale in November at a 15 percent discount. The companies refused to disclose the list price of Renflexis.

Many U.S. insurers are requiring patients to switch to lower-priced biosimilars, and the new competition will help insurers negotiate bigger discounts from manufacturers.

Remicade is health care giant Johnson & Johnson's top seller, with 2016 sales totaling $7 billion. It's approved to treat eight different immune disorders, including two in children. Renflexis is approved for seven of those: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and plaque psoriasis, plus Crohn's in children.

Remicade and Renflexis both carry serious risks. More-common side effects include respiratory infections, headache, rash and stomach pain. Because the drugs suppress the immune system, their use can also result in serious infections, including tuberculosis, and unusual cancer types.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Results of the SARAH trial presented today demonstrate that SIRT resulted in median overall survival (OS) of 8.0 months compared to 9.9 months with sorafenib (p=0.179), in patients with locally advanced and inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The trial, presented at The International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, further demonstrated that the cumulative incidence of radiologic progression in the liver as the first event was significantly lower in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.014), and the response rate was significantly higher in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (19.0% vs 11.6%, p=0.042). Both the side-effect profile and quality of life scores were significantly better over time in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.005).

Liver cancer, or HCC, is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.1,2 HCC represents more than 90% of primary liver cancers and is a major global health problem.3 The prognosis for patients with advanced liver cancer is poor,2 and the multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib, is the only approved first-line systemic treatment.3 If patients are not tolerant or have contraindications for sorafenib therapy, there is currently no standard of care and patients lack effective treatment options.3 SIRT with yttrium-90 (Y-90) resin microspheres has shown promising anti-tumour results with a safe profile; further trials are needed to establish this treatment as a viable option for patients.3

"Patients with advanced or inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma have a poor prognosis, often with underlying cirrhosis, and the treatment option currently available, sorafenib, has a high level of toxicity. As cohort studies have demonstrated the efficacy of SIRT with Y-90 resin microspheres, we set out to compare the efficacy of this treatment versus the current standard of care," said Prof Valerie Vilgrain, Hopital Beaujon Service de Radiologie, Paris, France, and lead author of the study. "While SIRT demonstrated significantly reduced side effects, better quality of life, higher response rates and more effectively controlled tumour progression in the liver, the overall survival of patients was not higher than in the sorafenib group. Nonetheless, this study provides evidence that SIRT may be a better-tolerated alternative for managing this complex and difficult-to-treat disease, deserving further evaluation."

The SARAH trial was a randomised, controlled, open-label, multicentre investigator initiated Phase 3 trial. Patients with locally advanced or inoperable HCC, who did not respond to other treatments or had two failed rounds of transarterial chemoembolisation, were randomised to SIRT with Y-90 resin microspheres, or oral sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. The primary endpoint of the study was OS and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), time to radiological progression at any site and in the liver as the first event, tumour response, quality of life, and safety and toxicity.

There were 459 patients from 25 French clinical centres included in the study, 237 of whom received SIRT. Median PFS was 4.1 months and 3.7 months in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively (p=0.765). Cumulative incidence of radiological progression at any site did not differ in either group (p=0.256). Overall, there were 1,297 and 2,837 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) including 230 and 411 grade ?3, in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively. The number of patients with at least one treatment-related adverse event was 173 (76.5%) and 203 (94.0%), (p<0.001), including 92 (40.7%) and 136 (63.0%) grade ?3 adverse events, (p<0.001), in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively. Quality of life, assessed using the Global Health Status scale of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, was significantly better in patients who received SIRT compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.005), an advantage that tended to increase with time (p=0.045).

"The SARAH trial is the first reported randomised controlled trial evaluating the survival benefit of SIRT in locally advanced HCC compared to sorafenib. SIRT was found to be safe, but regrettably the study failed meet the primary endpoint and SIRT did not show an overall survival superior to sorafenib. Further trials are needed to establish this treatment as a viable option for patients," said Prof Alejandro Forner, BCLC group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain and EASL Governing Board Member.

More information: Abstract: SARAH: a randomised controlled trial comparing efficacy and safety of selective internal radiation therapy (with yttrium-90 microspheres) and sorafenib in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (GS012), The International Liver Congress 2017. Abstract: SARAH: a randomised controlled trial comparing efficacy and safety of selective internal radiation therapy (with yttrium-90 microspheres) and sorafenib in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (GS012), The International Liver Congress 2017. References: 1 World Health Organization. Cancer. Available from: www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/. Last accessed: April 2017.

2 World Health Organization. GLOBOCAN 2012: Estimated cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide in 2012. Available from: globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_cancer.aspx. Last accessed: April 2017.

3 EASL-EORTC Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol. 2012;56:908-943.

4 Sirtex Medical Liminted. About SIR-Spheres microspheres. Available from: www.sirtex.com/us/patients/abo  pheres-microspheres/. Last accessed: April 2017.

Provided by European Association for the Study of the Liver
(HealthDay)The thought of having to pull out an inhaler in the middle of school might stop some kids with asthma from breathing better, a study of British schoolchildren suggests.

An online survey of almost 700 students with asthma showed that nearly 50 percent reported poor asthma control.

With asthma, the lungs and airways become inflamed when exposed to triggers that can include pollen, catching a cold or having a respiratory infection. Childhood asthma can interfere with play, sports, school and sleep. Unmanaged asthma can cause dangerous asthma attacks.

Inhalers that contain short- and long-acting medications can help keep those attacks from happening, the study authors noted.

But the survey found that more than 42 percent of schoolchildren with a short-acting beta agonist inhaler said they didn't feel comfortable using it at school. In addition, more than 29 percent said they did not use it when they had wheezing.

Just over half (56 percent) of those with regular inhaled corticosteroids did not take them as prescribed. And nearly 42 percent did not know what the inhaler was for, according to the researchers from Queen Mary University of London.

"This study is the first to measure asthma control in U.K. schools, and highlights an under-reporting of asthmatics in schools, as well as high rates of poor asthma control," corresponding study author Katherine Harris said in a university news release.

"These findings will inform the development of a school-based intervention, aimed at improving adherence to medication, knowledge and control," she added.

Jonathan Grigg, from the university's Blizard Institute, added: "The aim of inhaled therapy of asthma in children is to completely suppress symptoms, but we found that many children with regular asthma symptoms did not realize what good control should feel like."

The United Kingdom has among the highest rates of asthma symptoms in children worldwide. On average, there are three children with asthma in every U.K. classroom, and a child is admitted to a hospital every 20 minutes because of an asthma attack, the study authors said.

In the United States, 8.4 percent of children under 18 have asthmaa total of 6.2 million kids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The British study was published online recently in the Journal of Asthma.

More information: The American Lung Association has more on The American Lung Association has more on asthma in children

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Competitive overclocking is an international phenomenon which sees hardware enthusiasts fighting to get the most performance out of the latest processors and graphics cards.

Overclocking refers to the practice of increasing processor clock speed, which increases thermal output and power draw.

Professional overclockers therefore resort to extreme methods of cooling such as liquid nitrogen in order to reach record-breaking clock speeds.

Overclockers from around the world share their high scores on dedicated platforms like HWBOT, which provides the latest updates on global rankings and tournament results.

MyBroadband spoke to local overclocker Andrew DrWeez Roberts to find out about competitive overclocking in South Africa and get some expert advice.

Roberts is ranked as the best overclocker in South Africa on HWBOT and is in the Elite overclocking league.

What is your current worldwide ranking and greatest moment?

My rank has slipped to 42nd, mostly due to the release of next-generation hardware that we in South Africa have not had access to. My greatest moment would have to be when I broke the 3DMark 11 world record using a GeForce GTX 580 Lightning. I was still quite new to overclocking with liquid nitrogen and I was able to beat the likes of Kingpin. The score only stood for a few days.

What are important tips for overclocking hardware?

The biggest tip I can give for air and liquid cooling is to manage the heat. The better you can control your temperature, the more voltage you can apply. Even something as simple as high-quality thermal paste like Thermal Grizzly can make the difference between an average and above-average increase in performance. If you find yourself hitting limits, there are many ways to remove the limitations imposed on your hardware, but you should understand the risks of removing protection. Work in small steps and make sure you have adequate cooling.

What are the biggest challenges for local overclockers?

The biggest challenges we face in South Africa are the costs. In order to find the best hardware, you need to test a large quantity of processors, video cards, and memory. No two pieces of silicon are the same and small manufacturing defects can make the world of difference when operating at the extremes. With a Z170 chipset and high-frequency memory overclocking, it was discovered that we needed to even go as far as testing multiple motherboards to squeeze out the maximum frequencies. Our local second-hand market is small in comparison to Europe or the USA, and 95% of everything I test is purchased new and sold at a loss. There is also a serious shortage of liquid nitrogen suppliers in South Africa and only one supplier will allow liquid nitrogen to be collected in low-pressure containers. In South Africa, we pay triple what others pay around the world.

Do you have any tips for those interested in competitive overclocking?

Buy the best equipment, it will save you in the long run. Get active with the guys who are overclocking, there is a lot to learn and the best way to learn is with others. My last bit of advice would be to start with the old-generation stuff, LGA775 and up. The kit is cheap and its a lot of fun. Stick to dry ice for as long as possible and your goal should be to score in the top 20 of your chosen hardware class and cooling method. Make sure you get the right memory type for the system you are planning to overclock, as not all memory modules are equal.

Is it worth buying an unlocked Intel 7th-gen CPU if you are an everyday gamer?

I have just started my adventure with Kaby Lake and so far I am impressed. All four 7700Ks I have tested reached 5,300Mhz with my Cooler Master Nepton 280L, and this is the first time Intel have an unlocked chip in all three classes. This means there should be an unlocked chip available in everyones budget. The only thing to remember is that you need a Z-series motherboard to fully take control of overclocking the chip and memory. I have a Core i3-7350 on order and really hope the Core i3 delivers the same impressive boost I experienced with the i7. The move to Intels 7th-gen processors should be a no-brainer for any gamer on hardware older than a Z170 motherboard.

Which is your favourite brand of PC cooling hardware?

For extreme cooling, I am huge fan of the der8auer and Kingpin kit. For everyday cooling, its a tough race between Corsair and Cooler Master. If I had to make a choice, I would pick EKs custom water cooling products. I have to mention thermal paste when talking about cooling, because it really is an important part of cooling your system. Thermal Grizzly is the only thermal paste I use for both air and water cooling.

Roberts usually streams live on YouTube every Tuesday and Thursday after 19:00 and continues to compete in overclocking competitions.

Now read: Asus announces international overclocking competition
GERING  A 28-year-old Gering man has agreed to plead guilty or no contest to charges of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Celestino Aguayo had been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child and other counts. In a deal with prosecutors, the charges have been changed to third-degree sexual assault of a child and attempted sexual assault. He faces up the five years in prison when he's sentenced June 1.

Police say the girl told investigators last year that Aguayo had fondled her and sexually assaulted her on other occasions.

Police learned of the assault when the girl's family contacted authorities last May.
A federal judge has handed down the longest sentence ever imposed in the US for a cybercrime case to the son of a member of the Russian Parliament convicted of hacking into more than 500 US businesses and stealing millions of credit card numbers, which he then sold on special websites.

Roman Seleznev was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Friday and ordered to pay nearly $170m in restitution to the businesses and banks that were the victims of his scheme.

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a Russian Parliament member.

Prior to his sentencing, Roman Seleznev asked US district judge Richard Jones for leniency. He apologised to his victims and said he was remorseful for his crimes, and he urged the judge to consider his medical problems, the result of being wounded in a bombing in Morocco in 2011, in deciding his prison term.

I plead, pray and beg your honour for mercy, he said.

But Jones told Seleznev that the bombing was an invitation to right your wrongs and recognise you were given a second chance in life. But instead, Jones said Seleznev amassed a fortune at the expense of hundreds of small business.

You were driven by one goal: greed, Jones said.

After sentencing, Seleznevs lawyer Igor Litvak read a hand-written statement from his client that said the long sentence was a political prosecution at a time of strained US-Russian relations.

This decision made by the United States government clearly demonstrates to the entire world that Im a political prisoner, Seleznev wrote.

I was kidnapped by the US. Now they want to send a message to the world using me as a pawn. This message that the US is sending today is not the right way to show Vladimir Putin of Russia, or any government in this world how justice works in a democracy.

Seleznev said he is a citizen of the Russian Federation and he said he wanted to send a message to that government: Please help me. I beg you.

US lawyer Annette Hayes said Seleznevs statement was troubling. He told the judge that he accepted responsibility and then sent his lawyer out claiming the case was political, she said.

He was treated with due process all along the way just as any US citizen would have been, she said.

Unprecedented prosecution

Seleznev was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and captured in 2014. US Secret Service agents, with the help of local police, arrested Seleznev in the Maldives as he and his girlfriend arrived at an airport on their way back to Russia.

The agents flew him to Guam, where he made his first court appearance, and then to Seattle, where he was placed in federal custody.

Russian authorities have condemned the arrest of Seleznev as an illegal kidnapping.

The indictment grew to 40 counts in October 2014, and his trial was held last August. A jury found him guilty on 38 charges, including nine counts of hacking and 10 counts of wire fraud.

This is truly an unprecedented prosecution, Norman Barbosa, deputy US attorney, told the judge before sentencing.

For 15 years, Seleznev broke into the payment systems of hundreds of businesses. He had more than 2.9 million unique credit card numbers in his possession when he was arrested. His thefts resulted in about $170m in business losses.

That is a staggering amount, Barbosa said. It exceeds any loss amount this court has ever seen.

Seleznev was living like a mob boss and spent money on fast cars, expensive boats and luxury trips around the world, he said.

Prosecutors asked for a 30-year sentence to send a message to hackers around the world.

Never before has a criminal engaged in computer fraud of this magnitude been identified, captured and convicted by an American jury, prosecutors told the judge in a presentence memo.

Seleznevs life story

Litvak had urged the judge to consider Seleznevs life story in his decision.

Seleznevs parents divorced when he was two years old; his alcoholic mother died when he was 17; he suffered a severe head injury in a bombing in Morocco in 2011; and his wife divorced him while he was in a coma, Litvak told the judge.

Seleznev continues to suffer after-effects from the bombing, including seizures, Litvak said.

To prove his commitment to helping fight cybercrime, Seleznev recently arranged to give the US government four of his laptops and six flash drives, and he has met with officials to discuss hacker activities, Litvak said.

Prosecutors said his offer to help fight hackers came too late.

Botnet takedown

In another case involving an alleged Russian hacker, the US issued an indictment to Peter Levashov, who goes by several aliases. Levashov is accused of controlling one of the worlds top generators of spam and online extortion, officials said on Friday.

Levashov, 36, from Saint Petersburg, was arrested at Barcelonas El Prat Airport on April 7 by Spanish authorities acting on a US warrant. The US is now seeking his extradition.

A US federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment in the northeastern state of Connecticut on Thursday. The charges include fraud, identity theft and conspiracy.

Prosecutors accuse the purported hacker of controlling the Kelihos network of tens of thousands of infected computers, stealing personal data and renting the network out to others to send spam emails by the millions and extort ransoms.

The US Justice Department shut down the botnet on April 10.

Levashov has not been tied to alleged Russian interference in last years US presidential election.

But his operation allegedly depended on sending spam emails that allowed hackers to penetrate the computers of the Democratic Party to steal data.

Al Jazeera
Global South needs $2 trillion year to fight climate crisis

U.S. officials secretly ask major banks to continue doing business with some Russian firms

19fortyfive: Is America tired of the war in Ukraine?

EU replaces pipeline Russian gas with imported Russian LNG

Kommersant: China split the 'unity' of the West

Expert estimates level of Azerbaijan's information attack on Armenia in September, comparing it to 44-day war

UK wants to work more with the U.S. on gas supplies

Donald Trump votes in Florida midterm elections

EU admits: It is impossible to set a ceiling on gas prices that will not affect contracts or security of supply

Most valuable metal of year is named

Mehr: Nikolai Patrushev arrives in Tehran

Turkish TV company confesses that Ankara and Israel were arming Azerbaijan against Armenia

Who is Baku threatening? Armenia's former deputy defense minister decodes Aliyev's statements

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

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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
In a letter dated April 21, 2017 and addressed to the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), Wyoming Governor Matthew H. Mead has recognized the Armenian Genocide and praised the work of Armenian American grassroots, Asbarez reported.

The atrocities of both the Armenian and Jewish Holocausts were unimaginable, reads Governor Meads letter, but it is important for all to remember  history must not repeat itself. The letter also recalls a meeting with senior ANCA-WR staff earlier this year, when Executive Director Elen Asatryan and Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan visited Cheyenne, adding that The work of the Armenian National Committee is inspiring. Referencing the upcoming April 23 commemoration in Denver, Governor Mead concludes his letter with, My thoughts are with you as you gather for the Colorado State Capitol Armenian Genocide Commemoration.

We thank the Governor of the Great State of Wyoming for standing on the right side of history and adding his voice to the ongoing need to recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian. This recognition is a tribute to the memory of our ancestors and a celebration of the brave work of many Wyomingites who supported the national Near East Relief effort of building and operating 400 orphanages for over 132,000 Armenian children who survived the genocide. Last but not least, this recognition is a testament to the tireless work of our grassroots activists and dedicated staff, continued Hovsepian.

We extend our deep gratitude to Governor Mead, Senators Bouchard and Peterson, and the elected leaders for their leadership, taking the time to learn about Armenian American issues and supporting the Armenian community of Wyoming and the entire United States, as well as standing by the worlds first Christian nation as it continues to address the ongoing security and economic consequences of the Armenian Genocide, remarked Executive Director Elen Asatryan.
OMAHA  A judge overseeing the sentencing of a former Omaha doctor convicted of four murders has admonished the public and private attorneys representing him, suggesting their courtroom squabbles resemble a schoolyard.

"Gentlemen, we are not in third grade," Douglas County District Judge Gary Randall told the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy and legal group Team Motta on Thursday. "I told you you had to work together. ... You both have an ethical responsibility to discuss the matter."

Randall ordered the groups to collaborate as counsel on Anthony Garcia's impending sentencing.

Robert Motta of the Chicago-based legal team said it "has no intention" to withdraw as counsel, but the commission said it plans to file for the removal of the group in as early as a week.

Neither Team Motta nor the commission's attorneys have been able to communicate with Garcia to find out whether he wants the private attorney group to stay on the case or hand it off to the state agency. But Motta added that Garcia hasn't yet indicated he doesn't want them to represent him.

Jeff Pickens, chief counsel with the commission, said that if the Chicago team were a part of the case then the defense wouldn't be able to bring up whether Garcia received effective legal counsel in the trial.

"If ordered by the court, we will work with Team Motta," Pickens said. "There is a possibility that the commission will file a motion to proceed without Team Motta based upon ethical rules, but we're not in a position to do that at this point."

Garcia, a former doctor, was found guilty in October of murdering four people between 2008 and 2013 as apparent revenge for his 2001 firing from Creighton University's pathology department.
Comments from Jason Shanahan, Irving Middle School's current principal:

Pete White became the teacher of Irving's TLC (The Learning Center) program in the fall of 2016. This was a new class at the time and was created to offer students at Irving who were in need of additional academic and/or social support a resource toward academic success.

Pete works with students who are struggling with some area of academic progress. This may be organizational skills, study skills, work completion or even social skills. To meet students' needs, Pete collaborates with teachers in each area of curriculum offered at school. Additionally, he has been trained in the delivery of Boys Town Social Skills and concentrates on these components with students in his class.

Prior to teaching in TLC, Pete was an eighth grade Social Studies teacher at Irving. He is a Lincoln Southeast High School graduate and attended the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He will graduate from Doane's Education Leadership program in May.

Comments from Dr. Susette Taylor, retired Irving Middle School principal:

Pete has transformed our detention room into a very positive academic learning center. Hundreds of assignments have been completed this year and turned in. Students have much less time out of their regular classes. We also have improved grades and fewer failures in classes. The success of this program is in large part due to his efforts! Its an amazing transformation of student support.

Pete Whites personal information:

I am from Lincoln  I went to Southeast High School and graduated in 2008. I attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney and received my Bachelor's in Social Studies 7-12 Education.

I taught one year of 8th grade Social Studies. This is my second year as the Learning Center teacher for Irving Middle School. Very simply, I got into education because I love helping young people. I love seeing their growth and learning.
YEREVAN. - Incumbent Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan advises those interested in the sources of his wealth to study his declarations since the 2000s.

Talking to journalists in Arabkir administrativedistrict, Margaryan referred to the accusations of opposition Yerkir Tsirani (Country of Apricot) party mayoral candidate, MP Zaruhi Postanjyan on that 90 percent of his wealth are the embezzlements from the Yerevan budget.

Frankly speaking, I havent heard about and am not aware of what she said. If she is speaking about my fortune, I have mentioned about it in my declarations since the 2000s. Let them take and study them, the mayor said.

Touching on Yelk (Way Out) bloc member Edmon Marukyans mention that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), which promises better Yerevan,tried to make the transportation fee 200 AMD, that is twice more expensive, Margaryan said that he doesnt remember about this.

Asked where the Yerevan promised by him is, when the most important issue of transportation hasnt been solved, Margarya said: I dont agree with such an opinion. I am confident of our Yerevan residents. They have seen the work of our team for four years. Our opponents speak of one issue, whereas I can speak of various issues. They need to spend about five years to get to learn about our city household in order to know the issues in that sphere.

The mayor also spoke about destroyed historic buildings of Yerevan, again insisting that they have no historic and cultural value.

Responding to the question on the crumbling house of the first prime minister of Armenia Aram Manukyan, he said that this is not the issue of the municipality but that of the person, who privatized the house.
FAA to Hold Airspace Improvement Workshops in Las Vegas

Three workshops on proposed airspace improvements will be held this week.

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced it will hold three workshops this week on proposed airspace improvements in the Las Vegas area. As part of FAA's Las Vegas Metroplex project, the agency hopes to improve satellite navigation in order to move air traffic more efficiently through the area.

The project includes McCarran International Airport -- which was among the 10 busiest U.S. airports in 2015 according to passenger boardings -- and also North Las Vegas Airport, Henderson Executive Airport, and Nellis Air Force Base. This is one of 12 Metroplex projects nationwide.

The purpose of the workshops is to explain issues the FAA has identified with the current airspace system. The agency has not begun designing the modified routes yet.

The workshops will be held on April 25, 26, and 27.
On April 5, 2017, the Builders Club of Scott Middle School celebrated a milestone in the clubs history.

Special guests for the afternoon were Lt. Gov. Steve Wisthoff, Division 22, Nebraska/Iowa District; William Saxton, Nebraska/Iowa District Builders Club, K-Kids chairman; Randy Arnold, president, Cornhusker Kiwanis Club; Amber Cownie, Scott Middle School counselor, charter member of Builders Club; and Amy Hudson, Scott Middle School faculty representative.

Scott Middle School opened its doors for the first time for the 1996-1997 school year. Located in south Lincoln, it became one of two new middle schools to serve the Lincoln community that year.

With the opening of a new school comes the dedication and commitment to become a part of the community and provide opportunities for the student population to call that school home. That opportunity came when the first principal of Scott Middle School, Annie Scott, approached Jeanne Krenk, one of the new staff members. Both Annie and Jeanne belonged to different Kiwanis Clubs in Lincoln, but they knew that they wanted to have a Builders Club become part of the tradition of the new school.

The Cornhusker Kiwanis Club in south Lincoln agreed to sponsor the new Builders Club and nurture its growth. Under the leadership of Kiwanis Club President Joe W. Davis, the Cornhusker Kiwanians attended several meetings with the students and provided a beautiful membership banner that proudly hangs in the school to this day, announcing to all that Scott Middle School is the home of a K-Family Builders Club.

It wasnt until June 16, 1997, that the official charter was signed by Kiwanis International. The Scott Middle School Builders Club needed to comply with all the rules and regulations of Kiwanis International to be vested with the privileges of a fully chartered club. Builders Club has met consecutively every year for the last 20 years and is now known as the oldest established club at Scott Middle School.

Over the years, the club has been involved in numerous projects, but it has sponsored the All School Scott Cares Annual Fall Food Drive every year since the club began meeting. In 2001, the club was honored by Food Net, a local non-profit organization, for its dedication and commitment to feeding families in need within the Lincoln community. Through the sponsorship efforts of Builders Club and the generous support of the students and staff at Scott Middle School, over 45,000 pounds of food has been donated over the last 20 years within the Lincoln community. In 2017, students and staff collected 2,619 pounds of food donations, making it the largest Food Drive to date.

The Cornhusker Kiwanis Club has been instrumental in supporting this effort by helping the students sort and box the donations and helping them deliver the food items to the Peoples City Mission, Homeless Prevention Center, Matt Talbot Kitchen and Lincoln Food Bank.

The Scott Middle School Builders Club has been involved in many projects through the years. A few of them are: Candy For A Cause; Messages of the Heart; Boo-A-Grams," letters of support to Nebraska military members serving in the Middle East; supporting Blue Star Mothers with donations for care packages to military members; notes and table favors for Clark-Jeary Assisted Living Center; thank-you notes to the Scott staff and to Cornhusker Kiwanis Club members; participating in the Lincoln Public Schools Student Serve Day; Trick or Treat for UNICEF/Project Eliminate; collecting donations of toys, games and winter hats and mittens; cleaning up litter around the school; as well as preparing the Lincoln Childrens Zoo for the new season and helping at the annual Cornhusker Kiwanis Pancake Feed.

Scott Middle School Builders Club members look forward to their next 20 years of preparing student leaders for the world of tomorrow by dedicating themselves to the four core values of Builders Club: Character Building (the ability to do the right thing, even when it might be the unpopular choice), Leadership (the ability to listen, communicate, serve and guide others), Inclusiveness (accepting and welcoming differences in other people) and Caring (the act of being concerned about or interested in other people or situations).
Belly up to these bar stories, brought to you by Miller Brewing Co., that explore well-loved-but-lesser-known taps and taverns from all corners of the city and beyond.

When it comes to profiling the hidden gems of Milwaukees bar scene, the underground places quietly but essentially woven into the citys fabric, what could be more apt than a bar located literally underground. Thats the case for Monicas on Astor, the cozy little basement bar found at 1228 N. Astor St.

Well, found if youre looking.

"I didnt even have a sign for, I want to say, the first year I was in business," said Monica De Palma, the bars owner. "It had the old green awning that was from Christophers, and we kind of painted over the name. I would hear people outside on their phones saying, Yeah, its this bar; theres no sign. If nobody knew about it, theyd think they were cool for finding it. It really worked for me that first year. It was really fun."

The dark awning may have finally earned the Monicas name after that initial year, but theres still something tucked away about the little establishment, one of the few straight-up bars in an area not known for being a drinking destination and literally embedded into Milwaukee  as well as embedded into the city's history. Indeed, while it may sit in the shadow of The Astor Hotel and its looming legacy, the building Monicas calls home has a history that not only rivals its prestigious neighbor but actually surpasses it, going all the way to the 1850s.

Back then, as extensively chronicled in this Urban Milwaukee piece, the building served as a residence and rooming houses before finally becoming a bar and mens social club  called the Electronic Businessmans Club  in the 1970s. Over the next few decades, the building would play host to number of licensing battles, rotating names, changing uses and proposals  from another club to a small hotel to an art gallery  and unfortunate vacancies, the last of which coming after the closing of a pair of restaurants  Serafinoss and Christophers on Astor  opened in the spot during the 90s.

Its years of emptiness would come to an end, however, when Monica and the De Palma family  friends of the then-landlord and a name with its own place in Milwaukee bar history, as owners of the Y-Not II and the former Y-Not III-turned-Nicks House on the East Side  came into the long-vacant space in 2006. Unsurprisingly, there was some work for Monica  whod started carving her own place in the family business in 1996, bartending at the Y-Not II for the following decade  to be done.

"When I looked at it, she was basically a concrete floor and some bad wallpapered bathrooms, and that was it," De Palma recalled. "All the stuff that was from the restaurant was ripped out, and the kitchen  which was upstairs  was already sealed off."

After much effort, however, the historic building  or at least certainly the basement  was brought back to life in 2009, opening up a new chapter with Monicas name on  well, not the non-existent sign, but at least on the ownership documents.

"My dad is the Y-Not II, which is Tony spelled backwards, but Acinom doesnt really sound like a good bar name, so Monicas was born," De Palma laughed. "In hindsight, I would not have named it that. Its really weird to say, Im going to Monicas or Lets go to Monicas, when youre talking. I think I wouldve named it something else."

While De Palmas hit-or-miss on the name, however, the space itself still features many of the architectural quirks and charms picked up over its long history that she fell in love with on her first visit. For instance, the actual working fireplace tucked away inside. Or the cream brick walls and posts that reminded her of the cool bar from the Spike Lee movie "The 25th Hour."

But the most appealing part, from day one, was that it was off the beaten path  and then under it.

"Ive always liked basement bars," De Palma explained. "I think people are able to fully submerge themselves in the bar. Its not so much about being seen or sitting on the right corner; its people who actually want to go have a drink and talk to each other. Also you dont really have a sense of time. People just kind of relax."

"(Working in a basement) is actually great," said Stacy Habel, a bartender at Monica's for 10 years now. "I'm used to it; I actually used to work at Landmark for years before this. It adds to the coziness."

While you have to dive down a few steps to get inside, the word "dive" doesnt quite fit with Monicas. The space is dark  surprise: there are no windows in a basement bar  but not dreary; instead, its warm, filled with rich reds, browns and blacks, lumber and leather.

Its a basement bar that truly feels as though youre just in a friends basement, complete with a pool table, a few TVs and some board games for those looking for some competition-fueled camaraderie. And that camaraderie comes from all sorts, according to Habel, from service industry people making their way back to those who call the neighborhood home and those very far away from their's, staying at the nearby Astor or Knickerbocker.

Of course, for those who want a glimpse of the outside world, Monicas does have a small outdoor patio space out front, one that De Palma has plans to redo, renovate  and, of course, submerge it down to the rest of the bars level.

"The problem is seeing where the water can go, so my next step is to get the structural engineer and the concrete guys to see if the design is possible," De Palma said. "But thats my vision for it: make it feel more like a part of the bar."

Considering the buildings century-plus history, change is no surprise. But while the outside may get a facelift, De Palma aims to keep the bar that carries her name  on a sign now and everything!  with the same small, subdued but sincere spirit as the city its buried into.

"It keeps with what Milwaukee bars have always been: a neighborhood place. Its a community where people know each other. You walk in, and the bartender knows your name, where youre going to sit and what youre going to drink. And thats becoming harder and harder to find here."
Sherman Park residents expressed concerns at a recent listening session about a proposal to rebuild a gas station that was burned to the ground during sometimes-violent demonstrations in August, in the wake of the police killing of Sylville Smith only blocks away.

"That fire didnt just happen  you pissed people off so damn much," said Jackie Stanley, a licensed real estate agent who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years. "I dont want you back."

"I never shop there because they disrespect black women, and they disrespect black children," said Lavita Booker. "They love our money. They love the money that our young people spend  they dont care nothing about us."

The gas station, formerly located at 3114 N. Sherman Blvd., has been owned by Pakhar Singh since 2006. The business and its employees were involved in two separate incidents last summer before the fire. In June, one of the stations windows  and the window of a city bus  was damaged on a night police in riot gear clashed with youth who reportedly hurled bottles and rocks. The next month, Singhs son, Bhupinder Sidhu, pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge after discharging a shotgun in the stations parking lot, in an attempt to disperse a crowd.

According to Wisconsin State law, Singh has a "proprietary right  to return to the exact same spot that he was in," according to District 7 Ald. Khalif Rainey, who represents Sherman Park. Earlier this year, Singh submitted an application to the citys Historic Preservation Commission seeking permission to rebuild.

At the recent event, which about 50 people attended, residents were asked to weigh in on a new proposal. The plan would change the orientation of the stations building and move it about 60 feet north onto city-owned land, creating more room for the gas pumps. If that proposal were approved, the city would sell Singh the necessary parcels, part of a grassy area that has functioned much like a park.

Singhs attorney Vince Bobot called the response from residents "perplexing." He said people must want the business there "or he wouldve been gone a long time ago for lack of business.

"Hes trying to do what the city wants, what residents want and is trying to act responsibly," said Bobot.

Singh declined to comment, except to say that he hasnt had problems before.

Tom Stachowiak, an architect working with Singh, said the design is meant to improve traffic flow and allow more landscaping. "Were trying to improve the use of the site for the customers," he said.

However, many longtime residents raised issues with the stores hours, noise late at night, garbage that ends up in the street and a lack of security on the premises. They also expressed frustration at what they believed was Singhs unwillingness to work with neighbors to address these issues.

Maxine Jeter, who has lived about a block from the station for more than 50 years, said glass bottles can be found up and down the streets and that "at one time, every house on the corner had a broken window."

"All of that is not the responsibility of Mr. Singh," she said. "But, at that time, we were not seeing a lot of cooperation from Mr. Singh."

"Folks live in this community, folks have been in this community for years and this nonsense goes on, and on, and on," said Steve OConnell, a former director of the Sherman Park Community Association. OConnells comments focused on litter, a need for security and the sale of items used to smoke marijuana, issues that he said were raised during his tenure, about 10 years ago. He added, "Nothing has changed."

"This shouldve happened a long time ago," said Vaun Mayes, regarding the opportunity for community input.

He said it sends "mixed signals" to solicit feedback while not giving neighbors an actual say in the decision. Concerning the proposed expansion, Mayes said, "At this point, thats not a choice that I think a lot of us are ready to entertain because a lot of the root issues are not being addressed."

"I understand that he has the right to build his station back  but I cannot see why we should be giving up any portion of land to go toward the gas station," Jeter said. "Theres nothing that gas station can do to make it look beautiful  its a gas station."

Others expressed more positive feelings about the redevelopment.

"At the end of the day  were going to have to coexist," said Anita Robertson, whose family has been in the area for three generations. She asked what better option there was, and stressed the need for residents to work with Singh to improve the area together.

"Whatever business goes back at that location, theres got to be some cooperation with the neighborhood, with the residents that live around that site," said Sherman Park Neighborhood Association Board President Barry Givens.

Jennifer Potts, executive director of Center Street Marketplace, a nearby business improvement district, said many areas in Milwaukee "can look like a ghost town" and that "we really dont have any anchor businesses on Burleigh or on Center." She said a large grocery store or retail outlet could fill that gap, but acknowledged Singhs right to rebuild.

"Really, there needs to be a larger dialogue, and its not just about that one business," said Potts.

She added, "I dont have the answers but I certainly am willing to be part of the solution."
Supporters of science and research prepare to hand out leaflets as part of the March for Science protest in Sydney

Thousands of people joined a global March for Science on Saturday with Washington the epicenter of a movement to fight against what many see as an "assault on facts" by populist politicians.

US President Donald Trump himself passed dozens of protesters on his way to visit wounded soldiers at a military hospital.

"Stop denying the earth is dying," one sign visible from Trump's motorcade read.

Despite rain, protesters gathered around the Washington Monument for a festive day of music, speeches and teach-ins by scientists disturbed by the rise of so-called "alternative facts" around crucial issues like climate change following Trump's election.

"We have no Planet B," read one of the signs. Many demonstrators sported "Keep Our Science Great" caps as they arrived from around the country on Earth Day to highlight the importance of science to daily lives.

Protesters marched to the US Capitol to carry their pro-science message.

"Science is political but it is not partisan. Science serves all of us. Together we candare I say itsave the world! Let's march!" declared a television personality, Bill Nye the Science Guy, who currently heads the Planetary Society.

The movement was echoed in hundreds of events across the United States and around the world, from Sydney to Accra.

At a time when the Earth has marked three consecutive years of record-breaking heat, and ice is melting at an unprecedented rate at the poles, risking massive sea level rise in the decades ahead, some marchers said it was more important than ever for scientists to communicate and work toward solutions to curb fossil fuel emissions.

"Ditch the jargon," advised Tyler DeWitt, the star of a popular YouTube show on science. "Make it understandable. Make people care. Talk to them, not at them. We cannot complain about slashed funding if we can't tell taxpayers why science matters."

Spiking concerns

Organizers stressed the protest was non-partisan. But concerns about the challenges to the role of science in society have spiked under Trump's presidency.

He has proposed deep cuts in funding for scientific research, elevated opponents of climate pacts and environmental regulations to cabinet-level positions, and drawn support from conservative Christians who challenge the teaching of evolution in US schools.

"If this president has his way, science is in danger but I think there will be a lot of resistance from Congress," said Elisabeth Johnston, a retired biologist.

Trump issued a statement defending his administration's policies as aimed at protecting the environment "without harming America's working families."

"I am committed to keeping our air and water clean but always remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter!" the Republican president said in a tweet, without acknowledging the massive crowds of marchers.

Satellite events

In London, hundreds of people marched from the Science Museum to the Houses of Parliament, holding signs with messages like "Science is Sexy" and "Less Invasions, More Equations."

The London rally was attended by actor Peter Capaldi, who plays TV's time-travelling hero of science, Dr Who.

In Ghana, organizers used the day for a teach-in at a beachside hotel in Accra about environmental issues of local concern such as the impact of plastic waste on the environment.

"It's killing our fish, we have flooding in our communities, we have a rise of environmental diseases," said Cordie Aziz, an American activist involved in plastics recycling.

Vocal protesters in Sydney wearing white lab coats called on politicians to support the scientific community. "We need thinkers not deniers," read one banner.

'Fake news' fears

Demonstrators turned out across Australia, in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities, as well as Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.

"In this day and age, there's so much fake news and alternate facts going around that it's important to remember that science is what has built the society we know today," Parissa Zand, who was at the Sydney march with her molecular biologist mother, told AFP.

Protestors in major university cities in Europe posted pictures on Twitter of marches in Bonn, Helsinki, Munich and Stockholm.

In Paris, a banner in French read: "We are the resistance against the orange menace in Washington! Defend science!"

Other rallies were scheduled in Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria and South Korea.

Scientists 'energized'

"Seeing the assault on fact-based thinking, scientists are energized," Paul Hanle, chief executive officer of Climate Central, an independent organization of scientists and journalists, wrote in an op-ed this week.

Scientists "are not famous for their camaraderie," said professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, David Reay. "We are trained to question, criticize and, where needed, contest each other's work.

"That we are now marching together is testament to just how threatened our disparate community feels."

 2017 AFP
James Jones had the problem that every college student wants: too many paid gigs.

While studying engineering and economics at the University of Notre Dame, he DJed three to four parties each weekend and picked up opening slots for big-name acts like Big Sean. But he started stretching himself too thin, so he built a program that mixed music and took requests. He offered it to customers at a discounted price.

"I played it at a club that I was supposed to be DJing at and I walked around and asked people, 'Hey, what do you think of the DJ?' and they were like, 'He's good,'" Jones said. "I was like, OK, this works."

After moving to Minneapolis to work as a data analyst for Target, he DJed as a side job and met fellow table turner John Boss, who eventually joined his quest to make the program an app. In January, the duo started testing it out at events. Earlier this month, they made a limited version of the app, dubbed Spark DJ, available in Apple's App Store.

After gaining support from investors, Jones and Boss ditched their day jobs so they could drop the beat. With proper licensing, the two add songs to the app's library daily, scrutinizing each one to fit it into algorithms meant to simulate what a live DJ would do.

Once users download the app for free, they pay $5 to $10 each time they use it for a party. Event hosts can give the app guidelines by selecting artists, songs or genres they like, and the app curates a personalized mix. Users can also pick themes to fit specific atmospheres, such as barbecues or children's parties.

Like a live DJ, the app adjusts its mix based on the crowd's requests. Partygoers can download the app for free and "join" the host's party, which lets them request songs. In addition, attendees can "thumbs up" or down each other's requests, preventing the app from playing songs similar to unpopular ones.

Mark McGuire, a veteran entrepreneur who mentors the team among other startups, said the app provided a background mix fit for cocktails and chatting before an event for his startup accelerator, Gener8tor.

"It's really simple to set up, and the transitions between songs were super cool. It felt like there was a real DJ there," McGuire said.

The two also have a solid growth strategy, McGuire said. By inviting attendees to request songs, they ensure more downloads and potential customers.

"It has an inherent viral nature to it," McGuire said.

Dave Mao, managing partner of venture capital firm Come Up Capital, said the app made an impression at the 2016 Minnesota Cup, where it placed as a semifinalist.

"This was really, very different from the experience you'd get at home, or if you were throwing a house party or a party in your dorm room, because you would not get that quality of music experience," said Mao, who judged the competition.

Intrigued by the app and impressed with the duo's work ethic, Mao offered the team a space in Come Up Capital's office and became an investor.

Among other startup obstacles like marketing and finding capital, the app's biggest challenge will be living up to its goal of simulating a real DJ, Mao said.

"It's an aesthetic challenge. ... The DJ isn't sitting there just cutting from one track to another. That's what a bad DJ probably does. But a good one makes really smart choices about when they make the cut," he said. "To get to even 90 percent of the quality of a live DJ, that is the challenge."

While Mao considers streaming services like Pandora or Spotify as the app's main competitors, Jones and Boss say they are up against live DJs.

Through collected data and artificial intelligence, the app accounts for song aspects like tempo and key to create seamless transitions, Jones said.

"We look at songs in the way a DJ would ... instead of a sit-down session with Spotify or iTunes," Boss said. "What parts of the song make people excited? Is it the chorus, the intro, a minute of the song or seven minutes of the song? All those dynamics we constantly are looking at from a DJ angle."

The app's live music vibe keeps it from getting lost in a sea of similar music streaming services, Jones said.

"We're not meant to be listened to in your headphones. We're meant to be hooked up to speakers and get the party going," he said.

The app's ability to transition between songs and its low cost give it a competitive edge against live DJs, Jones and Boss said. Still, the avid DJs say their app isn't meant to completely replace the profession.

"For the people who are out there and really approaching DJing as an art form, being unique about their craft, Spark DJ isn't going to beat those guys," Jones said.

Instead, the duo aims to attract customers who can't afford to pay a live DJ.

"What we're trying to do is fill a void that actually exists. We're not undercutting or doing anything to DJs," Boss said.

Because the app is meant to accompany parties, Jones and Boss are targeting college students as a customer base.

"Not only is it easier for (students) to understand the app and the concept, college students also love good music," Boss said. "And the market size is huge."

2017 Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
MANILA  At 5:00 a.m. on Friday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel conducted a massive clearing operation along the service road of Roxas Boulevard and Baclaran Market in Paranaque City.

They removed all road obstructions such as garbage and illegally parked vehicles.

MMDA personnel also accosted jaywalkers. They also issued violation tickets to buses and jeepneys for loading and unloading passengers on prohibited areas.

After the operation, the formerly congested and unorganized wet market has vastly improved.

The four-lane service road has become wider. A pedestrian lane has also been opened in Baclaran.

We will really fix this. There will be no terminals, only loading and unloading areas. What we will do is a long term solution. We will not demolish the vendors, because they will just return. Wed rather fix this slowly, said MMDA general manager and OIC, Thomas Tim Orbos.

The MMDA said, vendors in Baclaran were with them during their operation.

The agencys partners in the clearing operation were the police and several barangay officials.

The MMDA also plans to set up an outpost in Baclaran for its personnel who will ensure maintenance of order and discipline in the area.

They are also studying whether to transfer the vendors to HK Sun Plaza in Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

The vendors however, oppose such a plan.

Most of the buyers are here. Like now, we are not able to sell. It affects our families and our children, said vendor, Jocelyn Pabillaran.

The MMDA meanwhile vows to consider all ways to ensure that the illegal vendors can sell again at the previous area they were occupying.  Joan Nano | UNTV News & Rescue

The post Clearing operations in Baclaran opens 4 lanes along Roxas Blvd appeared first on UNTV News.
Harry Wang of Linear Venture sits opposite Tencents Grace Yun Xia as they talk about how SEA can learn from Chinas successful startups. Read on to find out more.

China, while having an attractive 1.3B population and thriving startup ecosystem, is a challenging market to enter. Foreign companies setting up shop in China encounter difficulties due to language differences, the restrictions of Chinese internet, and fierce competition from local businesses and startups.

Because while it is difficult for foreign companies to enter China, the country has produced some of the biggest and most valued startups globally. The huge market, coupled by government regulations supporting startups and investors, has propelled Chinese startups into the global stage and has gained an increasing interest from global investors.

Join Harry Wang, Founding and Managing Partner of Linear Ventures<, as he moderates a fireside chat about the technologies and business models used in China at Echelon Thailand 2017. Get insight on how to employ these technologies in your business from the head of a VC specialising in early stage technology related to China.



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 Harry

Huai Wang (Harry) is founding and managing partner of Linear Venture L.P. (Linear), a fund management company with US$100M AUM, specialized in early stage technology investments related to China and the great Asia area. He has led investments into more than 40 technology companies, mainly in data and AI related topics. He also served as a CEO advisor to Baixing, Dianping & CSDN.

Story continues

In 2013, Harry published a book, entitled How Facebook was Engineered, which is popular in the internet startup community. Prior to co-founding Linear, Huai worked for Facebook in California as a full-stack Engineer in 2007-2009, and as an Engineering Manager in 2010-2011. He earned his Masters degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, and his Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Zhejiang Univerity. Harry is a Fellow of the third class of the China Fellowship Program and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.



Want to be part of the ecosystem?

Save 10% on Echelon Thailand passes just for being our favourite e27 reader! Register NOW.

The post Linear Venture founding partner to moderate a fireside chat in Echelon Thailand 2017, to discuss technologies and business models employed by successful Chinese startups appeared first on e27.
By Colin Packham and Roberta Rampton SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honour a controversial refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as "dumb". Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honouring it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement". "We will honour this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," Pence said at Turnbull's harbourside official residence in Sydney. Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and has sent troops to fight alongside the U.S. military in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centres seeking resettlement in the United States. The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on PNG's Manus Island where violence between residents and inmates flared last week. Asylum-seeker advocates welcomed the U.S. commitment, although they remained concerned that "extreme vetting" could see fewer than 1,250 resettled in the United States. "What still isn't clear is how many people will have this opportunity, and that clarity must be provided," said Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator at Amnesty International Australia. "The violence on Manus Island last weekend only further demonstrates that the Australian government needs to give a clear commitment that no refugee or person seeking asylum will be left behind in Papua New Guinea or Nauru," he said. ACRIMONIOUS CALL An inquiry by an upper house Senate committee in Australia said the government must be more transparent about the operations of the processing centres in PNG and Nauru, which are run by contractors. The report, released on Friday, also said the Australian government had a duty of care to the asylum seekers being held in the camps. Australia's relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement, which Trump labelled a "dumb" deal. Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after Trump took office made headlines around the world. Turnbull acknowledged Trump's reluctance, but said the U.S. commitment was a measure of Trump's new U.S. administration. "It speaks volumes for the commitment, the integrity of President Trump," he said. Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that included meetings with political and business leaders in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Colin Packham; Additional reporting by Peter Gosnell; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
The Nebraska Chapter of the United Nations Association will meet Monday, April 24, to assess the effects of the U.S. budget proposals on the United Nations and its programs. The meeting will be held at the Midwestern African Museum of Art, 1935 Q St. (park west of the building).

Board member and former President Bob Haller will lead a discussion of how the U.S. under-funding of its assessment and its State Department budget will affect international programs and U.S. world leadership. Haller was North Central representative on the UNA Steering Committee from 2014-16 and received its Well-Worn Advocacy award in 2013.

The program (noon to 1 p.m.) is free and open to the public. A lunch is available at 11:30 a.m. for $7; to reserve lunch, contact Anita Fussell at (402) 486-2330 or anitafussell214@gmail.com.
Buffeted by the currents of diplomacy, South Korea is sometimes described as a "shrimp between two whales", and US president Donald Trump has touched nerves with remarks that the peninsula "used to be part of China". The comments came after Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida. As the pair discussed ways to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions amid mounting tensions, Trump told the Wall Street Journal, Xi "went into the history of China and Korea. "And you know, you're talking about thousands of years... and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China," Trump went on. Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally and Washington wants it to do more about the North's nuclear and missile programmes, while the US has a security alliance with Seoul and stations more than 28,000 troops in South to defend it. The exact details of what Xi said and whether Trump accurately represented him are not known, but South Koreans are wary of Chinese expansionism, and politicians, historians and citizens have been outraged. The Korean peninsula has been heavily influenced by China politically and culturally for centuries. But while its ruling kingdoms sometimes paid tribute to their giant neighbour, South Korean historians stress they did not come under its territorial control, despite repeated invasions. Seoul's foreign ministry spokesman countered: "The fact that Korea was not part of China for thousands of years... is a clear historical fact acknowledged by the international community." - 'Dumbfounded' - Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang declined to confirm the details of Xi's wording, saying that: "The Korean people should not be worried about it." But Seoul's major JoongAng Ilbo daily said South Koreans had been "dumbfounded" by the Chinese leader. "If Trump really conveyed Xi's words correctly, it is nothing but a grave challenge to the identity of the Korean people," it said. South Korean historians and activists rallied outside the Chinese embassy on Friday to protest against Xi's "absurd remarks", Yonhap news agency reported. Seoul and Beijing are at loggerheads over the deployment of the US missile defence system THAAD to the South to guard against threats from the North, infuriating China, which sees it as weakening its own capabilities. Beijing has imposed a series of moves including a ban on group tours to the South and suspensions of South Korean businesses in China, which are seen by Seoul as economic retaliation. South Korea's top-selling Chosun newspaper turned on both leaders, castigating Xi for his "premodern expansionist view" and Trump for a lack of awareness of diplomatic sensitivities. "The fact that Trump publicly disclosed such a remark (by Xi) demonstrates that he is completely ignorant about the history of the Korean peninsula," it said in an editorial Friday. - Relations 'at their lowest' - The row came after South Koreans were dismayed by the revelation that the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and a supporting battle group were still thousands of kilometres (miles) from the peninsula, despite the White House saying it was dispatching them to the area as tensions mounted with the North. Trump had described the vessels as an "armada" and "very powerful" and the revelation drew jeers and disappointment. "What Mr Trump said was very important for the national security of South Korea," conservative South Korean presidential candidate Hong Joon-Pyo told the Wall Street Journal. "If that was a lie, then during Trump's term, South Korea will not trust whatever Trump says." The series of missteps demonstrate lack of communications within Trump's nascent administration, said Bong Young-Shik, analyst at the Yonsei Universitys Institute for North Korean Studies. "Trump is an outsider inexperienced with how Washington works... and the coordination among his White House, the State Department and the Pentagon seems to be poor for now," he told AFP. Relations between Seoul and Beijing are "at their lowest for years", said Bong, and Trump's description of Xi's remark was likely to worsen them further, "whether he intended to or not". Fears of potential Korean conflict have mounted in recent weeks with Pyongyang showing no sign of any willingness to abandon its nuclear and missile programmes, and the US saying that military action was an "option on the table". The North has vast amounts of artillery deployed within striking range of Seoul, putting the South Korean capital at risk of devastation in even a conventional conflict. The carrier controversy illustrated Trump's "unpredictable behaviour" that could lead to "disastrous events", the Kyunghyang daily said. "We are worried whether the Trump administration... can properly handle a crisis on the Korean peninsula," it added. "The South Korean government should brace itself against the 'Trump Risk'."
2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16

Posted on 22 April 2017 by John Hartz

A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. Articles of signifigance as determined by the editor are highlighted in the Editor's Picks' section.

Editor's Picks

For the first time on record, human-caused climate change has rerouted an entire river

A stream flows through the toe of Kaskawulsh Glacier in Kluane National Park in the Yukon. In 2016, this channel allowed the glaciers meltwater to drain in a different direction than normal, resulting in the Slims River water being rerouted to a different river system. (Dan Shugar)

A team of scientists on Monday documented what theyre describing as the first case of large-scale river reorganization as a result of human-caused climate change.

They found that in mid-2016, the retreat of a very large glacier in Canadas Yukon territory led to the rerouting of its vast stream of meltwater from one river system to another  cutting down flow to the Yukons largest lake, and channeling freshwater to the Pacific Ocean south of Alaska, rather than to the Bering Sea.

The researchers dubbed the reorganization an act of rapid river piracy, saying that such events had often occurred in the Earths geologic past, but never before, to their knowledge, as a sudden present-day event. They also called it geologically instantaneous.

For the first time on record, human-caused climate change has rerouted an entire river by Chris Mooney, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, Apr 17, 2017

Climate change taking big bite out of alpine glaciers

"It's almost time to say farewell to our glaciers," Austrian mountain farmer Siggi Ellmauer said, looking at the craggy summits across the Pyhrn valley. After a tour of the nature camp he's building for school kids, Ellmauer talks about how climate change is reshaping his world.

"As a child, I never would have thought they could vanish. Even 20 years ago there were still patches of ice up there on those north-facing slopes. I've watched, we've all watched the glaciers shrink here and across the country," he said.

"When will they all be completely gone?"

Climate change taking big bite out of alpine glaciers by Bob Berwyn, Deutsche Welle (DW), Apr 17, 2017

The Unfolding Tragedy of Climate Change in Bangladesh

In some places, the impact of climate change is obvious. In others, scientists predict that climate change will occur based on elaborate computer models. In Bangladesh, it is already happening at a scale that involves unprecedented human tragedy. I witnessed this in December 2016, when I visited Bangladesh to give some talks at the University of Chittagong.

December 9, 2016.How do they survive? I kept wondering as I walked the alleys of Old Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, a country with a population of 164 million on a landmass the size of New York State. People seem to be everywhere in Dhaka, in a churning frenzy of rickshaws, CNGs (Compressed Natural Gas vehicles), taxis, buses, horse-drawn carriages and people16 million and rapidly growing. The newest arrivals, mostly climate change refugees, end up in decrepit slums.

December 18, 2016. What will the sea do next, I thought when I visited the remote village of Premasia, Bangladesh, at the junction of the Sangu River and the Bay of Bengal, south of Chittagong. The schoolchildren greeted us with spontaneous joyfulness, full of hope, despite the visible aftermath of Cyclone Roanu, which struck in May 2016, washing away homes and permanently ruining croplands from salt deposits. Their three-story concrete school, raised on stilts, served as a cyclone shelter during the storm. Isolated palm trees, now surrounded by water and beach, are haunting reminders that here once stood someones home. Rising sea levels are turning land into sea bottom, driving some people farther inland. Others rebuild repeatedly, just as Sisyphus kept pushing the rock up the hill.

December 25, 2016. Bare rock in the high Himalayas? I gasped as my guide Phuri Kitar Sherpa pointed out Machapuchare, also known as Fish Tail, an immense obelisk of stone perched above Pokhara, Nepal, a jumping off spot for trekkers and alpinists. A third-generation Sherpa guide, Phuri told me he rarely used to see bare stone on this holy site, now off limits to climbing and never summited. Climate change is responsible for a long-term decline in snowpack in the Himalayas, which exacerbates flooding in rivers that flow into Bangladesh.

The Unfolding Tragedy of Climate Change in Bangladesh, Guest Blog by Robert Glennon, Scientific American, Apr 21, 2017

Sun Apr 16, 2017

Mon Apr 17, 2017

Tue Apr 18, 2017

Wed Apr 19, 2017

Thu Apr 20, 2017

Fri Apr 21, 2017

Sat Apr 22, 2017
The Italian Coast Guard has donated two rescue boats to its Libyan counterpart as part of an agreement to fight the trafficking of migrants across the Mediterranean. In total, Italy will give ten such boats to Libya. In the last few years, Italy has helped coordinate the rescue of thousands of migrants in the Mediterannean. As part of the bilateral accord, there is a plan in motion to train the Libyan Coast Guard to enable it to help in rescue operations. During a visit to the White House on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni made efforts to push the US to become more involved in bringing political stability to Libya. Italian media reports suggested President Donald Trump snubbed the gesture. However, reporters following the news conference said he hadnt been listening to the simultaneous translation at the time Gentiloni made the comment.
Tabitha congratulates Lani Glaser for the recent recognition she received at the annual Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association (NHPCA) Conference in Lincoln on March 14. Glaser, hospice bereavement coordinator at Tabitha, has received the 2017 Bereavement Coordinator Scholarship.

The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care scholarships are funded by the Galen Miller Memorial Education Fund, which was established by NHPCA in memory of Galen Miller, late executive vice president of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. The fund honors Dr. Millers passion for hospice and end-of-life care by providing scholarships to hospice and palliative care professionals in Nebraska.

Chris Wismer, administrator, Tabitha Hospice, confirms Glasers success.

Lani goes above and beyond when providing bereavement support and understands the importance of providing a compassionate and nurturing relationship during the families end-of-life journey," Wismer said. "We are grateful for her commitment to the Tabitha Hospice team.

Tabitha also congratulates Sharon Smith, Tabitha Hospice volunteer, who was recognized as an exemplary volunteer by the association. Each year, NHPCA recognizes volunteers who provided outstanding services during the previous year at a Nebraska hospice agency.

Sharons profound commitment has been an integral part of our volunteer program," said Susan Stearns, Tabitha Hospice volunteer coordinator. "Shes always willing to visit clients in Columbus and surrounding areas in our central region even when her schedule is already full. Its compassionate and cheerful interactions with people like her that help lighten the end-of-life journey for Elders.

Tabitha provides hospice care throughout 28 southeast Nebraska counties, wherever the client calls home. Tabitha also provides care at two innovative hospice residences in Lincoln dedicated to compassionate end-of-life care: the Journey House, on Tabithas main campus, and the Seagren House in south Lincoln.
ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian police have rescued two Turkish men kidnapped earlier this month in the country's southeast, a police official said on Saturday. The pair, who worked for a construction company, were abducted on April 11 in the town of Eket in Akwa Ibom state, in the country's Niger Delta energy hub. Kidnapping for ransom is common in some parts of Nigeria. "The two Turkish nationals were rescued by police on the 19th of April," said Okechukwu Chukwu, a deputy superintendent in Akwa Ibom state. "No casualty was recorded during their rescue but five suspects were arrested. No ransom was paid, and investigations are ongoing. The Turks have been reunited with their families." There was an increase in crime in the Niger Delta last year that coincided with a series of attacks on energy facilities. There have been no militant attacks on energy installations so far this year. (Reporting by Anamesere Igboeroteonwu; Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Hostages depart Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq April 21, 2017. IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTRY/Handout via REUTERS

Thomson Reuters

DOHA/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Twenty-six Qataris, including members of the Gulf state's ruling royal family and two Saudis, were freed on Friday after being kidnapped and held in Iraq for nearly a year and a half, Qatari officials said.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera television showed Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani greeting the men with hugs as they arrived in Doha on Friday on a private jet from Baghdad.

Their release was a boost for tiny Qatar which has used its influence to free foreign hostages in war zones but was alarmed when 26 of its own citizens were seized by unidentified gunmen in 2015 while hunting in southern Iraq.

Their abduction in territory dominated by militias aligned with neighboring Shi'ite power Iran led to long negotiations among Qatar, Iran and the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, according to an Arab diplomat in Doha.

A Qatari official said the hostages' release was linked to a major evacuation of Syrian civilians and fighters from four besieged towns completed on Friday.

The official said talks about the evacuations, involving Iranian officials and Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham, were held in Qatar when Irans foreign minister visited on March 8.

The complexity of the talks and the many players involved highlights Qatar's continued role as a mediator and a potential broker of deals in Syria's six-year conflict.

In Riyadh, the Saudi foreign ministry said the two Saudi hostages landed there on a private jet late on Friday.

"They are all in good health and they all left the Iraqi capital this afternoon," the ministry said, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.

The group was kidnapped Dec. 16, 2015 from a desert hunting camp in southern Iraq by dozens of armed men in pickup trucks.

A Qatari royal and a Pakistani man were freed last year.

No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the hunters, who were seized near a Saudi border area dominated by Shi'ite militias who have accused Doha of meddling in Iraq's affairs.

Story continues

Some Iraqis, especially in the Shi'ite-majority south, are critical of Qatars stance in the Syrian civil war and accuse it of complicity in the rise of Sunni Islamist militants.

Qatar, a member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, denies supporting extremist groups.

It had called on Iraq to take the lead in freeing the hostages, who had been granted permits by Baghdad to hunt in the area. Iraqs interior ministry said the hunters had failed to heed government instructions to stay within secured areas.

Hunters from rich Gulf states travel to Iraq's desert in the winter months to buy falcons and hunt the rare houbara bustard, a bird whose meat is highly prized.

(Additional reporting by Maher Chmaytelli in Baghdad, Sami Aboudi in Dubai, Omar Fahmy and Mostafa Hashem in Cairo; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

See Also:
By Lindsay Dunsmuir WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has strongly signalled it will continue to support Ukraine, Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk said on Friday, adding that the war-torn country had a "good, pragmatic" relationship with Washington. Ukraine has previously expressed some nervousness about the possibility the Trump administration might try to cut a deal with Russia over Crimea and the eastern part of Ukraine that has been seized by Russian-backed separatists. President Donald Trump promised a thaw in relations during his 2016 election campaign, but relations between Washington and Moscow currently remain tense due to the countries' military involvement in the Syrian crisis. "Support of Ukraine is not a snapshot, it's a movie," Danylyuk told Reuters on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. Asked about recent rhetoric from some senior U.S. officials that appeared to imply an easing of support for Ukraine, he said that actions spoke louder than words. "On that front we are getting strong signals from the U.S. that support will continue ... we have a good, pragmatic relationship," Danylyuk said. "There is obviously a U.S. interest for a stable Ukraine." He added that he had met U.S. Treasury officials as well as Trump administration economic advisers this week. REFORMS EXPECTED TO PASS The IMF stepped in with a $17.5 billion bailout programme for Ukraine as the nation neared bankruptcy following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the outbreak of the Russian-backed separatist insurgency in its industrial east. Ukraine expects three more tranches of loans this year but disbursement is dependent on meeting IMF conditions including structural reforms and tackling corruption. Since 2015, Kiev has received about $8 billion in IMF aid. The global lender has called for an overhaul of the pension system to cut Ukraine's large deficit and action to further liberalize its agricultural sector. There have been concerns about opposition from vested interests, particularly on land market reform. "There is a pushback, they've been successful for many years. What will change is this time they are going to lose," Danylyuk said. The minister said he wanted to have reform laws for both sectors finalised by mid-May and expected Ukraine's parliament to pass them by the end of June, at which point he also hoped for agreement from the IMF to release the next tranche of aid. He also said that Ukraine plans to issue new sovereign bonds in September or October and submit its appeal in June against a ruling by a British court last month that it failed to offer a court-ready defence for not paying back $3 billion it borrowed from Russia in 2013. Ukraine had argued that the debt was taken out under duress. (Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Paul Simao)
Fierce fighting took place on Friday in the old part of Western Mosul as Iraqi forces continue to battle ISIL fighters. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from buildings in the Old City, as two more districts were said to have been recaptured by government troops. Back in January Baghdad declared that ISIL was no longer in control of eastern Mosul and the fight would move to the more densely populated western side of the city. As many as half a million civilians are estimated to be trapped in neighbourhoods where fighting is taking place and the UN is warning the situation is dire. There is concern that if a siege develops, civilians will be cut off from water and food supplies, triggering a humanitarian catastrophe. Residents who have managed to escape from the Old City say there is almost nothing to eat but flour mixed with water and boiled wheat grain.
It was a priority one call.

A confrontation at the Albertsons near Candelaria and Eubank turned violent Monday when a store security guard asked a teenager, who was in the liquor section, for identification.

The teen pulled out a machete. Then he punched an Albertsons employee in the face, knocking his teeth loose, before fleeing.

Thats the call that officials say Albuquerque police officer Johnathan McDonnell was rushing to when he slammed into a car carrying 6-year-old Joel, 9-year-old Ariana and their mother Antoinette.

Felicia Romero, a spokeswoman for the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, which is the agency investigating the crash, confirmed Friday evening that Joel died after his family made the decision Thursday night to pull him off life support. She didnt release the names of those injured in the crash, but court records identify the boy as Joel Suina and his mother as Antoinette Suina.

Joels mother had been driving him and his sister to buy Legos and other toys with the kids Easter money when they were struck by McDonnells cruiser at Eubank and Indian School.

Antoinette appeared to have a green light and was turning left when McDonnell  who also appeared to have a green light and had his emergency lights on  hit her.

Police have said McDonnell was rushing to the call at the Albertsons, and on Friday they released more details of what happened at the grocery chains store.

An Albertsons employee called police and said a teenager had walked into the liquor section and then started swearing at a security guard who asked the teen for identification.

Surveillance footage shows the teen waving his arms around as another Albertsons employee goes to help the security officer.

The teen then pulls what appears to be a machete out of his backpack.

Looks like he has a tennis racket, hes ready to punch me in the face, the Albertsons employee tells a 911 dispatcher. Clearly underage. Oh no, he has a machete. He has a machete in his backpack.

The employees followed the teen outside. He left but then came running back and punched the employee in the face, knocking his teeth loose, according to video released by APD.

He ran away and officers had not yet found him Friday evening. Theyre looking for tips about who he is, and asked anyone with information to call 843-STOP.

Celina Espinoza, a spokeswoman for APD, said McDonnell remained sedated in the hospital with a broken femur Friday.
Federal officials on Friday filed charges against an 18-year-old Israeli-American for hundreds of hoax bomb threats this year that had put U.S. Jewish institutions on edge.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Orlando, Fla., said Michael Ron David Kadar was behind at least 245 threatening telephone calls involving bomb threats and active shooter threats between Jan. 4 and March 7.

In another complaint filed in federal court in Macon, Ga., Kadar was also charged with a series of calls to public schools and residences that either threatened attacks or made false reports about attacks to trick police into showing up, an illegal prank known as swatting. The calls began in 2015 and continued through this year.

He used Google Voice and other digital phone services as well as computerized voice manipulation to disguise his identity, according to the complaints.

The arrest was part of a joint operation between the FBI, Israel law enforcement, and police from Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Kadar, who is a dual citizen, was arrested March 23 in Israel, where he lived in the southern city of Ashkelon.

Todays charges into these violent threats to Jewish Community Centers and others represent this Departments commitment to fighting all forms of violent crime, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. These threats of violence instilled terror in Jewish and other communities across this country and our investigation into these acts as possible hate crimes continues.

Kadar isnt the first person charged with the Jewish center bomb threats.

On March 3, Juan Thompson was arrested in St. Louis for making threats to seven Jewish community centers and the Anti-Defamation Leagues New York headquarters. Police said Thompson, a former journalist with The Intercept, was a copycat who made the threats in an attempt to frame an ex-girlfriend.
WASHINGTON  A previously canceled House Intelligence Committee hearing to receive testimony from three former top Obama administration officials about Russias attempts to influence the 2016 election is back on for next month.

The panel said Friday it had invited Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general fired by President Donald Trump, former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan, to testify sometime after May 2 in an open hearing after their original testimony was abruptly canceled in March by Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

The announcement indicates that the panels Russia investigation, which was thrown into turmoil last month after Nunes stepped aside as head of the probe following allegations he may have improperly disclosed classified information, is getting back on track.

Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, took over as head of the investigation after Nunes decision.

A committee news release Thursday also said FBI Director James B. Comey and Adm. Mike Rogers, the head of the National Security Agency, would testify in a closed session on May 2.

Nunes decision to call off the original hearing with Yates, Brennan and Clapper came only days after the committees first public hearing in which Comey confirmed that the bureau was investigating Russias ties to Trumps associates.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called the cancellation of the hearing a dodge by Nunes to aid the White House. Schiff said Nunes connections to the White House raised insurmountable public doubts about whether the committee could credibly investigate the presidents campaign associates.

Yates, who was fired in January after she refused to defend the Trump administrations proposed travel ban, was expected to be questioned about her role in the firing of Trumps first national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

Yates alerted the White House in January that Flynn had misled the White House about whether he had discussed sanctions in a December phone call with the Russian ambassador to the United States. Flynn was not ousted from the White House until the discrepancies were made public.

Nunes came under fierce criticism from Democrats for making public information provided him to him last month by White House aides concerning classified intelligence reports that apparently referred to Trump associates  information Nunes did not provide to members of his committee.

He stepped aside as head of the Russia investigation after the leaders of the House Ethics Committee said it is investigating whether Nunes improperly disclosed classified information, apparently when he held a news conference last month to claim that Trump associates names had been revealed in intelligence reports.

Nunes has denied wrongdoing.
A: The Oglala Lakota Tribe has wrestled with this issue for years, but has struggled to obtain enough funding to properly address it.

Nebraska, however, is beginning to look at Whiteclay and the surrounding area as an opportunity to help.

The Legislature is expected to approve a task force this year to address public health issues in and around Whiteclay, and examine possible solutions, including the addition of treatment centers, workforce development agencies and educational opportunities there.

A private group called Whiteclay Redo is also attempting to raise money for economic development in the area.
WASHINGTON  The White House will release the broad principles and priorities of their plans to overhaul federal taxes on Wednesday, a White House official said Friday night, downplaying expectations that the Trump administration would reveal key details underpinning the plan.

President Donald Trump said earlier Wednesday that he would release new information about his plan to overhaul the tax code on Wednesday, a sign that he is trying to accelerate one of his most ambitious campaign promises even though key specifics.

Well be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform, Trump said Friday while visiting the Treasury Department. The process has begun long ago but it really formally begins on Wednesday.

Addressing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Trump said, So, go to it.

A White House official told The Washington Post on Friday night that while the president did plan to make an announcement on tax reform next week, it will be broad in nature.

[W] e will outline our broad principles and priorities, the official said. We are moving forward on comprehensive tax reform that cuts tax rates for individuals, simplifies our overly-complicated system and creates jobs by making American businesses competitive.

Trumps statement earlier on Friday had caught many congressional aides  and even some administration officials  offguard, as they thought they were working on a slower timetable.

With his unexpected comments, Trump jolted the process forward, as he tries to breathe new life into an effort that risked becoming bogged down like other campaign priorities.

But if he only issues the broad outline of a plan, he could further complicate lawmakers and many in the business community, who have been hoping the White House would weigh in on key questions, such as how they plan to tax imports or whether they will pursue the elimination of any tax deductions.

Trump plans a major cut in tax rates, focused on simplifying the tax code for individuals and families, lowering the corporate tax rate and a large tax cut for the middle class. He has also said he wants to create some sort of reciprocity tax that imposes a tariff-like tax on imports from countries that have tariffs against the United States.

Earlier Friday, Trump told the Associated Press in an interview that the tax cuts he would propose would be massive and perhaps the biggest of all time.

Mnuchin has worked on the tax plan for months, but details have remained fluid, with White House officials considering a range of options in how they restructure the tax code. White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn suggested on Thursday that many of the details were still in flux during comments he made to the Institute of International Finance.

Trump has said a big tax cut will boost economic growth, help companies invest, and lead to more job creation. But Democrats and some Republicans have said any cut in rates should be offset by the elimination of tax breaks to prevent the changes from widening the budget deficit.

Mnuchin said on Thursday that the tax cuts would essentially pay for themselves because there would be so much economic growth that it would bring in new revenue to the Treasury Department.

Both Trump and Mnuchin have promised that the overhaul of the tax code they are planning would be the biggest since the Reagan administration.

During the campaign, Trump proposed cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%, and he also wants to cut the rates individuals and families pay. He has said he wants a big tax cut for the middle class, though many politicians define middle class differently.

People cant do their returns, Trump said Friday. They have no idea what they are doing. They are too complicated.

Many congressional aides were caught by surprise from Trumps announcement, as White House officials have expressed that they were working hard on a plan but nowhere near ready to provide new information. Lawmakers have been anxiously waiting for more details of Trumps plan for weeks.

I appreciate the Presidents leadership and strong commitment to comprehensive tax reform, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said Friday. Ways and Means Republicans are ready to work with President Trump and his team on reforms that will grow our economy, create jobs, and increase paychecks.

The release on Wednesday will come during a critical period for Trump. House Republicans are also working on plans to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act next week, and Congress must vote by Friday to continue funding the government or there will be a partial shutdown.

One reason why overhauling the tax code is so difficult is because it is very difficult to do it without dramatically widening the deficit. Many lawmakers want to cut taxes, but cutting tax rates leads to a big drop in revenue, which makes the deficit unless there is a sharp contraction in spending. Trump has proposed to boost spending, at least in the short term, and many budget experts believe the tax plan he offered during the campaign would grow the federal debt.

President Barack Obama proposed lowering the the corporate tax rate several years ago but he also proposed raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans as a way to offset some of the lost revenue. This led to major blowback from many Republicans who saw it as a way of raising taxes. He also proposed limiting the deductions that the wealthiest Americans could claim, something that was also rejected.

Trump administration officials have said they will propose limiting some tax breaks, but this is not expected to be a big component of their plan. Instead, they are going to future economic growth to create new revenue, a controversial assumption that many GOP congressional aides on Capitol Hill have cautioned against.
President Donald Trump has proposed ending dozens of Environmental Protection Agency programs in his drive to slash its budget, but thats not stopping his administration from taking credit for those operations in the meantime.

In the latest example, the EPA Wednesday called the Diesel Emission Reduction Program one of the most cost-effective federal programs, noting $13 in health and economic benefits for every $1 in funding. Also winning recent public praise from the agency: the Energy Star program for appliances and funding to clean up abandoned gasoline storage tanks.

Each of those programs is on the list of more than 200 the White House targeted for elimination or steep budget cuts, as it seeks to reduce EPAs budget by 31 percent. The budget proposal was turned over to Congress, where appropriators say they will be writing their own version, not approving wholesale the one offered by the president.

Now the administration finds itself in the awkward position of moving forward with programs and grants that were already funded by the Obama administration, even lauding those programs as successes as its budget seeks to justify their elimination.

Many of the programs that are facing major budgetary changes have already been funded in the current budget  theres no immediate off switch, J.P. Freire, an EPA spokesman, said in an email. EPA supports the presidents budget, and we are taking this opportunity to evaluate many of these programs.

Its not just the EPA. Energy Secretary Rick Perry touted the success of his departments Advanced Research Projects Agency  Energy on March 8, tweeting, Innovators like the ones supported by our @ARPAE program are key to advancing Americas energy economy.

A week later Trumps budget proposed killing ARPA-E.

Energy Star, the program that identifies energy efficient products like dishwashers and refrigerators, should be transferred to a nongovernmental entity, according to a leaked EPA budget document.

But that didnt stop the agency from sending out a tranche of press releases earlier this month congratulating companies such as defense giant Raytheon for their work reducing energy use through partnerships with Energy Star.

Since 1992, Energy Star and its partners have saved American families and businesses $430 billion on their energy bills and 4.6 trillion kilowatt-hours of energy, while achieving broad emissions reductions  including 2.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the agency said in a release honoring its Partners of the Year. Energy Star is the simple choice for energy efficiency.

The EPA also recently touted its work cleaning up hundreds of abandoned underground petroleum storage tanks, efforts that have prevented contamination and paved the way for redevelopment. The budget would slash funding for that program and for grants used to clean up abandoned underground storage tanks.

The agency, in a memo from its acting chief financial officer David Bloom, said the grant program was an example of a mature program that was being eliminated, returning the responsibility for funding local environmental programs to state and local entities.

As for the diesel program, the memo said: With updated standards in 2008, cleaner diesel engines will increasingly replace older models.

These programs save money and protect communities from pollution, so of course the EPA should sing their praises, said Melinda Pierce, the Sierra Clubs legislative director. Every press release the EPA puts out supporting these programs is more evidence of how irrational and dangerous the administrations plans are, she said.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says its making progress in rebuilding trust with veterans, streamlining some services, cutting the backlog of claims and providing more choice to veterans seeking services at non-VA facilities.

And the system is still trying to curb veteran suicides and fill shortages of mental health professionals.

Thats the assessment from interim Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Scott Blackburn, who was in Albuquerque on Friday to tour the Raymond J. Murphy VA Medical Center and meet with veterans, hospital administrators and employees.

Blackburn, an Army veteran, noted that nationwide 20 veterans a day commit suicide. Of them, statistically speaking, 14 are completely outside the VA system; of the remaining six who are getting care within the VA system, only three are seen by a mental health provider.

A large part of the problem is that there is a nationwide shortage of mental health care professionals, particularly psychiatrists.

A veterans Choice program now allows veterans the option of seeking medical services outside of the VA, but which are paid for by the department. The program has been successful in getting veterans quicker access to some services; however, Blackburn noted, many vets still prefer to keep their doctors and stay within the VA system.

In 2015 the VA began asking if veterans trusted its system. That year, only 47 percent of respondents said yes. Today, were at 61 percent, which is better, and were proud of the progress, but on the flip side it means that 39 percent of vets still do not trust the VA, and that is not acceptable, Blackburn said.

The VA has also made progress in cutting the backlog of claims, he said, which at its peak a few years ago was more than 600,000. Today, it is less than 100,000. The average now is about 125 days to process a claim, and were looking to see what it would take to get it down to 30 days or less, he said.

VA streamlining of audiology and optometry services has drastically cut into a bottleneck that occurred by forcing veterans to first get a referral from their primary care physicians. By eliminating that requirement, veterans can access vision and hearing services faster, and it has reduced primary care appointments by tens of thousands each month, he said.

Sonja Brown, acting associate director of the VA medical center in Albuquerque, said New Mexico is experiencing a shortage of about 130 psychiatrists and about 100 primary care providers. That has impacted the Albuquerque VA medical center, making the Choice program attractive to many. Still, wait times for appointments show most veterans are able to see a doctor within 30 days.

Since Jan. 1, veterans have made 51,113 appointments. Of those, more than 91 percent were scheduled for 30 days or less, according to the medical center. That is comparable with other VA facilities throughout New Mexico and in Durango, Colo.
KABUL, Afghanistan  More than 100 Afghan soldiers, many having just finished prayers, were killed when militants disguised in army uniforms infiltrated a base in northern Afghanistan and opened fire, Afghan defense officials said Saturday.

The attack, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility, was one of the deadliest to strike Afghan forces in years and illustrated the continuing lethality of an insurgency now in its 16th year.

The Taliban said that 10 assailants carried out the Friday afternoon attack, which aimed to avenge the deaths of two of its top officials in northern Afghanistan at the hands of Afghan forces.

An Afghan provincial military official said the death toll could be as high as 140.

Some of the attackers posed as wounded soldiers and joined an army convoy as it drove to the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, said the official, who requested anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak to the media.

Other attackers also posed as soldiers and already had infiltrated the Afghan armys 209th Corps in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province and long known as one of the safest major cities in Afghanistan.

The assailants approached a mosque inside the compound as soldiers were leaving the weekly Friday prayer, as well as a nearby dining hall, the official said. The facilities both were filled with hundreds of soldiers, most unarmed.

The militants sprayed the base with gunfire before being shot and killed by Afghan commandos from the elite Crisis Response Unit.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited the base Saturday and condemned the attack, calling the assailants infidels.

The Afghan defense ministry said its forces were engaged in heavy fighting against militants in northern Afghanistan and had reeled off a string of recent victories. Afghan soldiers and police will extend these operations until the terrorists are finished, the ministry said in a statement.

The U.S.-led military coalition said Saturday it had carried out an airstrike April 19 in the northern province of Kunduz that killed a senior Taliban official and eight other Taliban fighters. The U.S. military has increased its campaign of airstrikes in northern and eastern Afghanistan in recent months targeting the Taliban and followers of Islamic State, the militant organization based in Iraq and Syria.

The attack on Afghan soldiers followed a raid last month on the countrys main military hospital in Kabul, the capital, that left 50 people dead. Islamic States regional affiliate claimed responsibility for that attack, but officials still are investigating the claim.



(Special correspondent Faizy reported from Kabul and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.)



2017 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

_____
There are many reasons as to why you might consider picking up the Samsung Galaxy S8. Although, Samsung will be hoping Bixby is one of them. However, if you pick up a Verizon Galaxy S8 in the immediate future, then it seems you will not be getting the full Bixby experience, and in particular, one of the key features underlying Bixby Vision. While Bixby is one feature in itself, it breaks down into many components with Bixby Vision being one such example. This is a feature which is closely tied to Amazon, among other companies, and uses these companies along with the Galaxy S8s camera to help provide the user with information on things. Be they places or products, with Amazon providing the data for the latter. So if you snap a picture of a product, Bixby Vision will use Amazon to identify that product.

However, it seems that the feature is not quite ready for Verizon Galaxy S8s with the information reportedly confirmed by Verizon to CNET. Likewise, it seems that Verizon is unable to provide any details on when the feature might go live. With Verizon reportedly stating that it is working with Amazon to get the feature up and running. In addition to Verizon also suggesting that in the meantime, Galaxy S8 owners make use of the same feature through the Amazon app. It is worth noting that this is only relevant to the Amazon aspect, and Bixby Vision will continue to work for other aspects on a Verizon Galaxy S8.

Of course, this is not the only teething problem that Bixby has encountered in the lead up to the launch of the Galaxy S8. Bixby Voice  which is another example of the Bixby repertoire  is also currently MIA. Samsung did previously confirm that Bixby Voice would not be ready in time for the Galaxy S8 launch, with the company expecting it to become available within the next few months and via an OTA update. Which means if you are opting for a Verizon Galaxy S8, then you should not be expecting either Bixby Voice or Amazons influence on Bixby Vision to be in effect. At least, not for the time being.
For a time, smartphone screen sizes seemed to be growing out of control. Phones went from having 4-inch touchscreens to having 6-inch or larger screens, seemingly not considering the comfort or actual usability of such a size phone. Samsung was likely the biggest player in this game, pushing the size of screens to help differentiate its phones from the pack, and increasing the screen size of their flagship phones every single year. This year Samsung has unveiled two new flagships, both of which come with larger screens than weve ever seen on any flagship from the company. The Galaxy S8s 5.8-inch display and the Galaxy S8+s 6.2-inch display sound absolutely massive when compared to even just last years more modest 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch screens for the Galaxy S7.

Whats important to note, however, is that unlike last years Galaxy S7 in particular, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ feature almost no bezels around the phone at all. In fact Samsung has not only opted for dual curved edges on both models to make the screens wrap from the left edge all the way to the right edge, but it also opted for an ultra tall aspect ratio. At 18.5:9, this aspect ratio is significantly taller than the standard 16:9 aspect ratio most phones use, and the removal of the physical home button beneath the screen has also allowed Samsung to stretch that screen nearly to the top and bottom edge of the device as well. What we end up with here are devices that are deceivingly small considering their screen size, but how do they stack up to the rest of the hot Android powered phones out there?

In this video we explore the size differences between the Galaxy S8+, the LG G6, the HTC U Ultra and the Google Pixel XL. The first three have all debuted this Spring, meaning theyre the absolute latest phones you can buy right now, however weve also included the incredibly popular Google Pixel XL for comparison as well. How much do bezels really matter for daily use, and how much of a difference can they really make? For reference the LG G6 utilizes a 5.7-inch screen with 18:9 (2:1) aspect ratio, while the HTC U Ultra has a 5.7-inch 16:9 screen with a secondary 2.05-inch ticker display above, and the Google Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch 16:9 display. See the results in the video below!
RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

RACINE  The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., is offering these free events:

Introduction to Facebook, 1-3 p.m. Monday, May 1. This class will help participants set up a Facebook account and review the basics of setting up a Facebook profile and privacy issues. Advance registration is required.

Racism and race relations film showing, 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 25. The film 13th will be shown. Following the film, a member of Coming Together Racine will facilitate a discussion. The vision of Coming Together Racine is to create a genuine inter-racial community where all people have an equal voice and access to resources and opportunities.

To register for an event, call 262-636-9217, or go to www.racinelibrary.info. A valid library card is required.

WATERFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY

WATERFORD  The Waterford Public Library, 101 N. River St., will offer these free programs:

Medicare Made Easy, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 25. Michael Clementi with David Insurance will help attendees understand Medicare options and learn the various health insurance options available, what to look for in a plan and what to avoid.

Active Rest for a Creative Brain, 6-7 p.m. Monday, April 24. George Barry, brain expert and retired educator, will discuss the concept of active rest and how innovation and creativity need it to flourish.

Week of the Young Child event, for ages 5 and younger, 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, April 26. Area child care centers will parade up to the library and congregate in the community room for stories and songs celebrating young children, libraries and reading.

To register for an event, call 262-534-3988 or go to www.waterford.lib.wi.us.
SUV

Given the fact that we're talking about an SUV , one that has maintained its generous ground clearance and fat-sidewall tires, one can't help but wonder why such a contraption was born. And we're glad to provide a few potential answers.Since the shop that handled this extreme build comes from Dubai, this should be enough of a reason for the creation of such a machine. After all, the Patrol gets more love in that part of the world than it does in its home country.Then there's the sleeper pun. Packing four turbos, this Patrol promises reasonable drivability - not waiting for that one giant turbo to spool means that this beast will play the role of the ultimate giggle machine.We can only imagine the face of a supercar driver when being left trailing in the wake of the high-riding Nissan. Sure, Patrols that mix reinvented engine compartment contents with the factory look aren't anything new in Dubai, but the muscle reaches such a level, even the most experienced supercar wielder will be puzzled.Perhaps the crew who put this offroader together just could stand the Bugattitension anymore - rumors about Molsheim bringing a high-riding model to the market have been floating around for quite a while, so why not make your own?Speaking of which, you should know this is the same shop behind the 1,900 hp Patrol that trampled a Porsche 918 Spyder for The Grand Tour.For now, the ridiculously muscular Patrol, which makes use of 63mm Precision turbochargers, is still in its tweaking phase, but we have a feeling it won't take that long until we get to show you the animal in sprinting action.
BURLINGTON  Shad Branen, owner of Burlingtons Plaza Theater and WIN Media, is injecting new commercial life into the former Schuette-Daniels site, 425 N. Pine St., after a 2014 fire damaged the high-end furniture store.

Branen has been hard at work to get the site reopened. "It's under construction," Branen said. "The building was completely gutted down to the shell."

Branen says the first phase of construction will focus on the first floor of the building where their first tenant, Mercantile Hall, which will open in spring. Merchantile Hall will offer a venue for weddings and other meetings.

The work continues as Branen customizes the site's space for the other tenants he hopes to house. The second floor will hold a bridal salon and video production multimedia development company.

And while he is still negotiating leases, there are plans in place for the lower level to become a co-working space and business incubator. The lower level will also provide seven private offices, amenities, a lounge, conference room and more.

The purchase

Branen bought the damaged structure in late 2014 from the Daniels family. His plan was to redevelop the property as premier retail and office space in a project called Keuper Mercantile, the buildings original name.

Part of the project has been demolition of the interior and gutting everything, including mechanical systems and stripping the building to its brick shell.

The main building has three floors with approximately 6,000 square feet on each level.

There are a lot of small businesses, and many are working from home, Branen said about the potential need for co-working space. His discussions with prospective retail and office tenants continue.

Financing

The Keuper Mercantile redevelopment will approach $1 million, Branen said. The package will include bank financing which he said is in place and facade grants from the City of Burlington. In August, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. awarded the city a $193,833 state grant to aid the development.

Burlingtons Stelling & Associates is doing the architectural work. Were trying to maintain the historical feeling of the building," Branen said. "They managed to salvage some of the tin ceiling but arent yet sure where that will be reused."

Keuper Mercantile may be developed in stages if necessary, Branen said.

He acknowledged Burlington already has a lot of available office space. But Branen said his may offer some advantages, with brand-new space in an older building and in a prominent location.
However, the actual name of this hue, which has the power to make us weak in the knees, is Oak Green Metallic. We are, of course, talking about a Paint To Sample hue. And given how rare this shade is, it's hard to hold something against an aficionado mistaking it for another shade of green.The German automaker is now delivering the final units of the 991.1 GT3 RS to their owners, so we'll have to say goodbye to real-world images such as these ones soon.You shouldn't fret, though and that's because there are no less than three special Neunelfers waiting to take over. We'll start with the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 and we'll mention that the rear-engined delight has already been spotted outside the gates of the Porsche factory - you shouldn't expect to see any manual model though, since the six-speed animals won't enter production until the fall.Then there's the 991.2 GT3 RS, which we've recently spied doing its thing on the Nurburgring. Since we mentioned the two GT3 flavors, we'll remind you that Richard Hammond has recently sold his 991.1 GT3 RS and we're expecting him to go for the stick shift GT3, not the Rennsport version, which is unfortunately expected to come in PDK-only form.Last, but no way in (Green) Hell least, Zuffenhausen is nearly ready to gift us with the new 911 GT2 . The rear-wheel-drive special is said to be able to lap the Nordschleife in 7:05 (the info comes from a report mentioning an internal estimate), while delivering one of the most intense driving experiences you can find in a showroom these days.
The FBI gathered intelligence in the summer of 2016 confirming Russian operatives tried to influence Trump's team  not just the election itself, according to a CNN report out today.

Carter Page's Russia links: One of the targets was Trump's former campaign foreign policy advisor, Carter Page, and although we already knew Page traveled to give a speech at a prominent Russian university in July 2016 (in which he lambasted U.S. policy on Russia) the report today reveals the FBI had concerns he was compromised by Russian spies while there. The bureau suspected the spies maintained contact with him after he left the country as well.

Insight: Despite the fact that Page denies any wrongdoing in Russia, a former Obama administration official who was briefed on Russia's influence in the election said Russians working at think tanks, universities, and businesses are often working intelligence roles as well, so Page could have had conversations he didn't know were vital to Russian intelligence operations.

More on what we already knew about Page:
United States will honour refugee deal with Australia

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honour a refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as "dumb".

Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honouring it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement".

"We will honour this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," Pence said at Turnbull's harbourside official residence in Sydney.

Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and has sent troops to fight alongside the U.S. military in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Nauru.

In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centres seeking resettlement in the United States.

The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on PNG's Manus Island where violence between residents and inmates has flared recently.

Asylum-seeker advocates welcomed the U.S. commitment, although they remained concerned that "extreme vetting" could see fewer than 1,250 resettled in the United States.

"What still isn't clear is how many people will have this opportunity, and that clarity must be provided," said Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator at Amnesty International Australia.

"The violence on Manus Island last weekend only further demonstrates that the Australian government needs to give a clear commitment that no refugee or person seeking asylum will be left behind in Papua New Guinea or Nauru," he said.

Australia's relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement, which Trump labelled a "dumb" deal.

Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after Trump took office made headlines around the world.

Turnbull acknowledged Trump's reluctance, but said the U.S. commitment was a measure of Trump's new U.S. administration.

"It speaks volumes for the commitment, the integrity of President Trump," he said.

Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that included meetings with political and business leaders in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula.
The importance of firearm security

Original incident report by Denise Hollinshed,

St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 19th, 2017

"ST. LOUIS  Police are investigating after a 6-year-old boy was found with a loaded handgun in his desk at an elementary school on Tuesday.

The gun, a .25-caliber pistol, was found by a school administrator at KIPP Victory Academy, a charter school at 955 Arcade Avenue, police said. The firearm was turned over to police.

The boy's parent or guardian was informed of the incident and a report was made to the Missouri State Children's Division, police said." .......

This should be a wake up call, in as much as, it is very likely that this child found and took the handgun from his home. When it comes to families with young children or even the possibility of visiting children (grand kids for example), there is little doubt that the only safe place for a firearm is on the person.... any others being properly secured and not just hidden. Children are both curious as well as smart when it comes to "exploring" about the home -- even some so-called safes can be less than secure.

Apart from the obvious safety concerns, it must also be remembered that cases such as this give the anti-gun fraternity the extra leverage they just love to run with at every opportunity. The law abiding gun owner must take total responsibility for safety and security at all times, and also wherever possible impress on kids and young people generally, the absolute importance of firearms safety.

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April 22, 2017, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Results of the SARAH trial presented today demonstrate that SIRT resulted in median overall survival (OS) of 8.0 months compared to 9.9 months with sorafenib (p=0.179), in patients with locally advanced and inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The trial, presented at The International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, further demonstrated that the cumulative incidence of radiologic progression in the liver as the first event was significantly lower in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.014), and the response rate was significantly higher in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (19.0% vs 11.6%, p=0.042). Both the side-effect profile and quality of life scores were significantly better over time in the SIRT group compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.005).

Liver cancer, or HCC, is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.1,2 HCC represents more than 90% of primary liver cancers and is a major global health problem.3 The prognosis for patients with advanced liver cancer is poor,2 and the multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib, is the only approved first-line systemic treatment.3 If patients are not tolerant or have contraindications for sorafenib therapy, there is currently no standard of care and patients lack effective treatment options.3 SIRT with yttrium-90 (Y-90) resin microspheres has shown promising anti-tumour results with a safe profile; further trials are needed to establish this treatment as a viable option for patients.3

"Patients with advanced or inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma have a poor prognosis, often with underlying cirrhosis, and the treatment option currently available, sorafenib, has a high level of toxicity. As cohort studies have demonstrated the efficacy of SIRT with Y-90 resin microspheres, we set out to compare the efficacy of this treatment versus the current standard of care," said Prof Valerie Vilgrain, Hopital Beaujon Service de Radiologie, Paris, France, and lead author of the study. "While SIRT demonstrated significantly reduced side effects, better quality of life, higher response rates and more effectively controlled tumour progression in the liver, the overall survival of patients was not higher than in the sorafenib group. Nonetheless, this study provides evidence that SIRT may be a better-tolerated alternative for managing this complex and difficult-to-treat disease, deserving further evaluation."

The SARAH trial was a randomised, controlled, open-label, multicentre investigator initiated Phase 3 trial. Patients with locally advanced or inoperable HCC, who did not respond to other treatments or had two failed rounds of transarterial chemoembolisation, were randomised to SIRT with Y-90 resin microspheres, or oral sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. The primary endpoint of the study was OS and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), time to radiological progression at any site and in the liver as the first event, tumour response, quality of life, and safety and toxicity.

There were 459 patients from 25 French clinical centres included in the study, 237 of whom received SIRT. Median PFS was 4.1 months and 3.7 months in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively (p=0.765). Cumulative incidence of radiological progression at any site did not differ in either group (p=0.256). Overall, there were 1,297 and 2,837 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) including 230 and 411 grade ?3, in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively. The number of patients with at least one treatment-related adverse event was 173 (76.5%) and 203 (94.0%), (p<0.001), including 92 (40.7%) and 136 (63.0%) grade ?3 adverse events, (p<0.001), in the SIRT and sorafenib groups, respectively. Quality of life, assessed using the Global Health Status scale of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, was significantly better in patients who received SIRT compared to the sorafenib group (p=0.005), an advantage that tended to increase with time (p=0.045).

"The SARAH trial is the first reported randomised controlled trial evaluating the survival benefit of SIRT in locally advanced HCC compared to sorafenib. SIRT was found to be safe, but regrettably the study failed meet the primary endpoint and SIRT did not show an overall survival superior to sorafenib. Further trials are needed to establish this treatment as a viable option for patients," said Prof Alejandro Forner, BCLC group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain and EASL Governing Board Member.

###

Yttrium-90 resin microspheres

Y-90 resin microspheres are miniscule radioactive 'beads' that are used in SIRT. They contain the radioactive component yttrium-90. These microspheres are injected in huge quantities into the liver tumours, where they become stuck in the small blood vessels that are in and around the tumours. The microspheres then emit high doses of radiation, which enable doctors to deliver up to 40 times more radiation to the liver tumours than would be possible using standard radiation therapy, all while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.4

About The International Liver Congress

This annual congress is the biggest event in the EASL calendar, attracting scientific and medical experts from around the world to learn about the latest in liver research. Attending specialists present, share, debate and conclude on the latest science and research in hepatology, working to enhance the treatment and management of liver disease in clinical practice. This year, the congress is expected to attract approximately 10,000 delegates from all corners of the globe. The International Liver Congress 2017 will take place from April 19 - 23, at the RAI Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Since its foundation in 1966, this not-for-profit organisation has grown to over 4,000 members from all over the world, including many of the leading hepatologists in Europe and beyond. EASL is the leading liver association in Europe, having evolved into a major European Association with international influence, with an impressive track record in promoting research in liver disease, supporting wider education and promoting changes in European liver policy.

Contact

For more information, please contact the ILC Press Office at:

Email: ILCpressoffice@ruderfinn.co.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)7841 009 252

Onsite location reference

Session title: General session III and award ceremony II

Time, date and location of session: 10:00 - 12:00, Saturday 22 April, Hall 5

Presenter: Valerie Vilgrain, France

Abstract: SARAH: a randomised controlled trial comparing efficacy and safety of selective internal radiation therapy (with yttrium-90 microspheres) and sorafenib in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (GS012), 10:00 - 10:15

Author disclosures

Speaker fees: Guerbet, SIRTEX, Supersonic, Toshiba. SIRTEX: Funding of SARAH trial. Guerbet: Study Investigator.

References

1 World Health Organization. Cancer. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/. Last accessed: April 2017.

2 World Health Organization. GLOBOCAN 2012: Estimated cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide in 2012. Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_cancer.aspx. Last accessed: April 2017.

3 EASL-EORTC Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol. 2012;56:908-943.

4 Sirtex Medical Liminted. About SIR-Spheres microspheres. Available from: http://www.sirtex.com/us/patients/about-sir-spheres-microspheres/. Last accessed: April 2017.
Recent months have brought striking new advances in the fight against heart disease. The Experimental Biology 2017 meeting (EB 2017) will showcase groundbreaking cardiovascular research in basic biology, engineering and patient therapeutics.

Use of "Neuroprosthetics" to Restore Heart Function in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury

Dysfunctions in basic, non-consciously controlled bodily processes such as blood vessel and heart function are the most common cause of death after a spinal cord injury. In a new study, researchers from the University of British Columbia and University of Louisville were able control the cardiovascular system in three people with spinal cord injuries by electrically stimulating the spinal cord using an implanted "neuroprosthetic" device. These spinal cord injured individuals showed significant improvements in blood vessel and heart function, cognitive function, blood pressure and flow of blood to the brain. The achievement raises hopes that neuroprosthetic implants for stimulating the spinal cord can improve patients' prospects after spinal cord injury. Aaron Phillips will present this research at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting at 12:30-2:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, in Skyline Ballroom (poster W193 1077.1) (abstract). Image available. Heart Valves Created Using 3-D Printing Help Surgeons Practice and Plan Before the Real Deal

Mitral valve regurgitation, in which blood leaks the wrong way through the mitral valve, is the most common type of heart valve disorder. Surgeons can repair the mitral valve to ensure it closes properly during each heartbeat. Surgeons prefer to repair rather than replace the valve, but repairs have a high learning curve due to the mitral valve's complex anatomy. To increase repair success rates, a team at Western University in London, Ontario, have created patient-specific mitral valve models using 3-D printing, which can be placed in a beating heart simulator. Using the realistic models to plan and practice could help surgeons personalize their surgical approach and improve patient outcomes. Olivia Ginty will present this research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting at 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, in Room 176AB (abstract). Images and videos available. A New Way to Attack Artery-Clogging Plaque

Plaque buildup in the heart's arteries is the most common form of heart disease and the leading cause of death in the U.S. Researchers at the University of Ottawa have discovered a way to inhibit key enzymes behind plaque accumulation, inflammation and rupture--the processes that lead to heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems. Suppressing these enzymes in mouse models markedly reduced plaque formation, inflammation and instability, suggesting a promising new way to slow plaque buildup and prevent dangerous ruptures. Denuja Karunakaran will present this research at the American Society for Investigative Pathology annual meeting at 8:50-9:10 a.m. Monday, April 24, in Room W181B (abstract). Image available. Coaxing Human Skin Fibroblast Cells to Replenish Blood Vessels in Damaged Heart Tissue after a Heart Attack

Recent years have brought exciting advances in stem cell therapies that help rebuild heart tissue damaged during a heart attack. In a study led by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, scientists have identified a crucial biochemical "switch" that directs stem-cell like progenitor cells derived from human skin fibroblasts to form either blood vessels or red blood cells. Experiments using mice show that implanting these progenitor cells induces the production of blood vessels and blood cells and markedly improves heart function after a heart attack. Lianghui Zhang will present this research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting at 3:30-5 p.m. Saturday, April 22, in Room 175C (abstract). Image available. Visualizing Immune System Dynamics for Insights on Heart Disease and Cancer

An innovative imaging system developed by researchers at Washington University allows scientists to track, in living animals, the interactions between blood vessels and key components of the immune system in astounding detail. The team has used their method to identify factors that regulate the lymphatic system and to investigate the role of immune cells in the buildup of plaque in the heart's arteries. They hope the method will yield new insights on diseases involving inflammation and help advance immunity-based cancer therapies. Bernd Zinselmeyer will present this research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, in Room 176AB (abstract). Videos available.

EB 2017 is the premier annual meeting of six scientific societies to be held April 22-26 at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago. Contact the media team for abstracts, images and interviews, or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

###

About Experimental Biology 2017

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting comprised of more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from six host societies and multiple guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the U.S. and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom.
The whole country is aware of Brexit, but there is precious little knowledge as to what it actually means for farm businesses.

However, with Article 50 officially triggered, 2020 looming and Teresa Mays recent call for an election adding another level of uncertainty, ensuring farm businesses are as resilient and Brexit-proof as possible has never been so important - and this years Cereals Event will show you how.

From concerns over trade deals to questions over available chemical treatments, theres no doubt that Brexit will have a huge impact.

While the future is uncertain, what is guaranteed is that there is a unique opportunity ahead. Knowing the best way to manage change  while being prepared for both the best and worst case scenarios - can be difficult.

'Brexit-proof'

Helping farmers get to the core of the issue, this years Cereals Event (14-15 June) is introducing a Brexit-proof your Business Knowledge Trail, flagging up the most relevant exhibitors and seminars to visit.

Were proud of the fact theres so much to do at Cereals, but visitors often say its hard to see everything they want to in just one day, says event organiser Jon Day.

This year weve introduced Knowledge Trails, to flag up exhibitors relating to a specific theme and show them on a map  allowing visitors to make the most of their Cereals experience.

As political leaders negotiate the next steps Lloyds Bank will feature on this years Knowledge Trail, offering advice to farmers on how to prepare for what is ahead.

Our number one tip is dont put your head in the sand; think now how Brexit might affect your business, explains the firms Ben Makowiecki.

Particularly look at aspects like commodity prices, subsidy payments, labour and finance costs.

Worst-case scenario

From a practical perspective, farmers need to budget for the worst-case scenario then consider what steps need to be taken to improve the situation, he adds.

We advise to really think about existing finances: What happens if the base rate increases? Its also worth considering what debt farmers may need to expand or change their business post-2020.

The Arable Conference  in association with De Lacy Executive - at this years event will play host to two Brexit themed debates. Starting proceedings on the Wednesday (14 June) is a panel session on Brexit, what does the future hold?

Speakers are set to include the Secretary of State and NFU president Meurig Raymond as well as representatives from the Agricultural Industries Confederation (David Caffall) and Agricultural Engineers Association.

Wednesday will also see a practical session at the Arable Conference, looking at how evidence-based production could play a critical role as UK farming builds for a more sustainable future.

Threats and opportunities

The discussions dont stop there - AHDB will be hosting a series of debates to explore the threats and opportunities facing the arable sector.

Among these will be a Are you ready for 2020? discussion (12:30, both days), headed up by AHDB lead analyst Jack Watts.

He will look at some key resilience-building steps that businesses can take ahead of the UK leaving the EU. The debate will feature alongside a Brexit bucket list exhibit to raise awareness of key questions to be considered by farming businesses ahead of Brexit.

EU market access, import competition in the domestic market, and post-Brexit farm support policy are all key themes for the UK arable industry, explains Mr Watts.

Given all the uncertainty, businesses may be tempted to take a wait and see approach. But there are proactive steps businesses can take to put them on the front foot and in a stronger position to cope with, and even capitalise on, change.

Other exhibitors featuring on the Knowledge Trail include:

 CLA - looking at the impacts of Brexit and putting support measures in place that landowners, farmers or those working in rural businesses need to manage and protect interests.

 Brown & Co  offering its Fit for the Future strategic property and business review service, helping farm businesses adapt to change.
Summary

Company Announcement Date: April 21, 2017 FDA Publish Date: February 08, 2018 Product Type: Drugs Reason for Announcement: Recall Reason Description Due to the Presence of Particulate Matter Company Name: Hospira, Inc. Brand Name: Brand Name(s) Hospira, Inc. Product Description: Product Description 25% Dextrose Injection, USP (Infant)

Company Announcement

Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer company, is voluntarily recalling one lot of 25% Dextrose Injection, USP, (Infant) pre-filled syringe to the hospital/user level due to the presence of particulate matter, identified as human hair, found within an internal sample syringe.

In the event that the particulate is administered to a patient, it could result in local swelling, irritation of blood vessels or tissue, blockage of blood vessels and/or systemic allergic response to the particulate. Administration of the particulate could also result in localized phlebitis, pulmonary emboli, pulmonary granulomas, immune system dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction, and pulmonary infarction. The risk is reduced by the possibility of detection, as the label contains a clear statement directing the physician to visually inspect the product for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. To date, Hospira has not received reports of any adverse events associated with this issue for this lot. Hospira places the utmost emphasis on patient safety and product quality at every step in the manufacturing and supply chain process.

25% Dextrose Injection, USP,(Infant) is indicated for use via slow IV injection to treat symptomatic episodes of hypoglycemia (fasting blood glucose < 40="" mg/100="" ml)="" in="" neonates="" or="" older="" infants="" to="" restore="" depressed="" blood="" glucose="" values="" and="" control="">

25% Dextrose Injection, USP,(Infant) 2.5 grams (250 mg/mL), 10 mL Single-dose prefilled syringe, NDC:0409-1775-10, Lot 58382EV, Expiry Date 1OCT 2017 is packaged in a carton containing 1 pre-filled syringe per carton, 5 x 10 syringes per case. The lot was distributed from February 2016 through October 2016 nationwide in the United States and Puerto Rico. Anyone with an existing inventory of the recalled lot should stop use and distribution and quarantine the product immediately. Inform health care professionals in your organization of this recall. If you have further distributed the recalled product, please notify any accounts or additional locations which may have received the recalled product from you. Further, please instruct entities that may have received the recalled product from you that if they redistributed the product, they should notify their accounts, locations or facilities of the recall to the hospital/user level. Hospira will be notifying its direct customers via a recall letter and is arranging for impacted product to be returned to Stericycle in the United States.

For additional assistance, call Stericycle at 1-888-570-1678 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

For clinical inquiries, please contact Hospira using the information provided below.

Hospira Contact Contact Information Areas of Support Hospira Complaint Management 1-800-438-1985 (24 hours a day, 7 days per week) To report adverse events or product complaints Pfizer Medical Information 1-800-615-0187 (8am-7pm ET, M-F) Medical inquiries

Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using this drug product.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

Complete and submit the report Online

Regular Mail or Fax: Download form or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
5 killed, 30 injured in Muktinath bus accident

At least five persons died and 30 others were injured when a bus carrying pilgrims turned turtle at Bahragaun Muktichhetra village council-4 on Saturday.




Haiti - Europe : 45.3M for the construction of section RN3 - Hinche / Saint-Raphael





Thursday at the National Palace, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant and European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica initialed an agreement worth 45.3 million Euros for the construction of the section of the road Nationale No 3 (RN3) connecting Hinche and Saint Raphael. The RN3 starts from Croix-des-Bouquets, then goes to Hinche, arriving at Cap-Haitien via Saint-Raphael.



The works, whose laying of the foundation stone will take place by next May, will last 2 years and will be executed jointly by the Haitian firm Vorbe et Fils and the French firm Razel BEC.



On the sidelines of this signing, the Head of Government welcomed the European Union's aid, in particular for the mobilization of additional funds of 35 million Euros following Hurricane Matthew, as well as the disbursement of 14.5 million Euros in the form of budgetary support for the consolidation of the Haitian State.



Neven Mimica said that the allocation of these funds was evidence of the confidence of the European Union in the Haitian Government and its determination to help it, in particular in institutional strengthening, economic and educational governance and improving transport .



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Beyond reconstruction

April 2017 marks the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Nepal, which took almost 8,860 lives, injured 22,000, damaged 602,257 houses, and rendered thousands of people homeless.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





NOTICE to the 13,000 police candidates

The General Directorate of the National Police of Haiti informs the general public and the candidates in particular that a new intellectual test will be organized for approximately 13,000 registered on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 8:00 am throughout the country. The list of candidates selected for the said tests, including the examination seats, will be posted from 24 April 2017 at all recruitment offices in the country.



Word of sympathy by Moise

"I am saddened by the attack that caused the death of a police officer and seriously wounded two others on Thursday on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris. I express my sympathy to the Government and to the French people and express my sincere condolences to them during these difficult times," declared Haiti President Jovenel Moise.



Reconstruction of the Legislative and Justice Building

Sen. Youri Latortue, President of the Senate, announced the resumption of reconstruction work of the Legislative and Justice Building in June or July. These two Palaces were destroyed during the 2010 earthquake.



PM remarks to the Senate

Thursday, during the session of presentation of the roadmaps of the Government in the Senate https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-20718-icihaiti-politics-government-faced-the-senate.html Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant told the Senators "Our duty is to respect the Constitution which provides for the formation of two armed forces [...] Several thousand kilometers of road will be built. We appeal to the patience of the people."



Moise visit the Caribbean Food Manufacturing

On Thursday, President Jovenel Moise visited the Caribbean Food Manufacturing company located in Santo 17. The Head of State took advantage of his visit to hold a meeting with the bosses of the company around the development of this sector and the promotion of domestic production in Haiti. Remember that "Caribbean Food Manufacturing" is a food production plant founded in 2011 by a group of young investors.



207th anniversary of the Independence of Venezuela

On the occasion of the celebration of the 207th anniversary of the Independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, this Wednesday, the Venezuelan Ambassador in Haiti, Luiz Ernesto Diaz Curbelo, accompanied by the Chancellor of Haiti Antonio Rodrigue, made a floral offering in front of Simon Bolivar's bust at the National Pantheon Museum (MUPANAH). Ambassador Curbelo highlighted the contribution of Haiti and other countries of South America to the liberation of Venezuela.



Moise holds talks with EU Commissioner

Thursday, on the sidelines of the signing of the agreement to relaunch the construction of the Hinche-Saint-Raphael road section https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20721-haiti-europe-453m-for-the-construction-of-section-rn3-hinche-saint-raphael.html President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Wilson Laleau, met with European Commissioner Neven Mimica. This meeting, whose content is unknown, was held in the presence of the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Port-au-Prince, Vincent Degert, the Foreign Ministers, Antonio Rodrigue and the National Authorizing Officer Charles Jean-Jacques.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Business The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (April 22)

People walk by a construction site of new apartment buildings in Yangon November 4, 2015 / Jorge Silva / Reuters

Investment Group Plans New Ventures

Myanmar Investments International (MIL) is planning two new ventures into tourism and pharmaceuticals, according to DealStreet Asia.

The company, which is listed on AIM, the London Stock Exchanges international market for smaller growing companies, has already invested in Apollo Towers and microfinance operator Myanmar Finance International (MFI).

The first of the latest new joint ventures is being set up with a well-established local tour operator and travel agency that will develop its business and invest in tourism related assets, MIL said in a statement. Tourist arrivals are expected to grow significantly in Burma in coming years, the company noted.

The second new joint venture in pharmaceuticals is being set up with two partners. One is a retail group that runs more than 50 pharmaceutical, health and beauty outlets in Asia. The other is an industry veteran with experience in large retail operations in Asia.

MIL is excited at the prospects for the pharmacy, healthcare and personal care retail sector given the expected rise in consumer spending power, the statement said.

MIL reported that its microfinance operations in Pegu and Rangoon had a borrower base of more than 42,000 and had given out loans of 7.8 billion kyats (US$5.7 million), as of February 2017. Apollo Towers has 1,800 towers in its portfolio and is planning another 2000.

UOB Facilitating Investments

Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) has facilitated more than US$830 million of investments into Burma since it opened operations in Rangoon in 2015, according to the Straits Times.

The capital flows have come mainly from multinational and regional firms based in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and the firms are mainly in the manufacturing, hospitality and commercial property sectors.

UOB has provided corporate loans and project and supply chain financing, according to the report.

Myanmars strong demand for critical infrastructure is attractive for long-term investors interested in the countrys economic progression. Over the last 24 months, we have helped hundreds of companies from across the region to make investments supporting Myanmars continued economic development, said Ian Wong of the bank.

Last year UOB conducted a survey of 2,500 enterprises from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Hong Kong. A total of 20 percent said they planned to expand into Burma within three to five years.

Local Investors Focus on Property

Domestic investors put 2.767 trillion kyats (US$2.0 billion) into the property sector over the past year, as of March, according to government figures.

The investments in property were the highest of any sector in the country, according to Property Report. Property investments accounted for almost 21 percent of all investments, it said.

Burma investors placed 13.1 trillion kyats into 1,241 enterprises across 11 sectors.

Manufacturing saw 2.4 trillion kyats in investments, followed by transport with 2.3 trillion kyats. Tourism and hotels saw 1.4 trillion kyats in investments.

Agriculture and livestock and fisheries only accounted for 0.38 percent and 0.53 percent of investments, respectively, according to the report.

Foreign direct investment over 2016-2017 was US$6.6 billion, down 30 percent from the previous year due mainly to a dearth of new oil and gas exploration projects. Foreign investment in Burmas transport and telecommunications sectors surged to $3.08 billion, a 60 percent increase.

Opportunities Seen in Health Market

Burma has strong potential for healthcare investors, according to a principal investment officer of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Hong Kong.

Jiadi Yu said that the IFC had kept a watchful eye on the health sector since the investment arm of the World Bank opened an office in Burma in 2015.

The representative met several top tier private healthcare providers on a recent visit to the country, according to a report in Health Investor Asia.

Healthcare development was strongly tied to improvements in electricity and general infrastructure, the bank representative said. Burma currently has no medical device manufacturers and few pharmaceuticals producers, she noted. Drugs are largely imported, mainly from India.

Public health facilities comprise 86 percent of total facilities in Burma but the private sector is expanding, the representative said. There are more than 200 private hospitals, most with fewer than 100 beds. Burmas rich often travel abroad to Thailand, Singapore and India for procedures such as check-ups and cancer treatment. They spend $250 million a year on medical tourism, according to the IFC official. To capture some of this market, local investors are planning a number of greenfield hospitals.

Burma also has a severe shortage of nurses, and is the only country in Southeast Asia with more doctor graduates than nursing graduates, Jiadi Yu said. Just 400 nursing graduates are produced each year. Private hospitals make up for a shortfall of nurses by training healthcare assistants for nurses, sending new staff to the Philippines for training, or hiring foreign nurses. To improve the situation, local hospitals said they intended to create private nursing programs, the IFC representative said.

There was also a shortage of doctors, she noted, and the low penetration of health insurance meant that Burma has one of the highest out-of-pocket health spends in the region: almost 70 percent in 2015.

The official said that Burmas health sector is full of possibilities as the government is easing restrictions on foreign and private investment and patient demand for better quality services is on the rise. National spending on healthcare will rise in line with the governments goal to achieve universal health care by 2030, she said.

Private investors will be a big part of the markets development and IFC plans to be at the table, the official added.
Dateline Dateline Irrawaddy: New Political Parties Are Not Enemies

The Irrawaddy speaks with activist Ko Ko Gyi and political commentator Yan Myo Thein about the possibility of an 88-Generation political party.

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Happy New Year and Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Since the 1990 multi-party general election, the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been the most popular party in our country. It also won in a landslide victory in the 2015 election, and was able to form the governmentthe Parliament is also dominated by NLD lawmakers. At this time, well discuss whether a political party that is as influential and as supported as the NLD is necessary for our country. U Ko Ko Gyi, one of the prominent leaders of the 88-Generation studentsa group who has just taken steps to set up a political partyand political commentator Dr. Yan Myo Thein will join me for the discussion. Im Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ko Ko Gyi, the NLD has been the most popular political party in our country for around 30 years, and you yourself have supported it. I have learned that you have started gathering support in order to form a [new] political party. Why it is necessary to do this, and what role will it play in serving the interests of the people and in state building?

Ko Ko Gyi: In our view, politics is about providing public service. We have constantly engaged in politics since the 1988 pro-democracy uprising for two reasons: firstly to fight against injustices, and secondly, to deliver good services to the people when we have the authority to do so. We were united, and cooperated to fight injustices and to scrap the old system. We ourselves have continuously supported the democratic forces [in our country] to achieve the success we have witnessed today. This is our political stance.

As to our view on democracy, democracy is about enabling people to make choices. Until the latest one, elections have been about people choosing who they like and who they dont like. Voting was more like a silent protest against those persons whom they didnt like. It is fair to say that people were very dutiful, so that the persons and the old system that they dont like has been brought down, and the persons whom they support have come to power. The next stage is about making choices. In this stage, people dont vote for a particular party just to show their dislike for another party. There will be several political parties, and people will choose their favorite one. We believe that there is a need to move toward this stage in our democratization process.

KZM: In our country, there were around 200 political parties before the military regime announced a general election in 1990. Over 90 political parties contested the 1990 election. And 93 political parties contested the 2015 election. In the USA, mainly it is the Democrats and the Republicans who are most influential. And in the United Kingdom, the Labor Party and the Conservative Party are most influential. There are also Asian countries that have a lot of political parties like ours. Do you think the fact that we have high number of political parties is beneficial for our country, considering the political landscape?

Yan Myo Thein: In my opinion, political parties are pillars of the system of democracy. Only when political parties are strong, will democracy become strong. It is natural that there are a lot of political parties in countries like ours that is undergoing a transition from dictatorship to democracy. For example, there are around 150 political parties in the Philippines. What is important is that people choose those who can really work for the citizens and the country and elect them to the Parliament. To me, the number of political parties is not a matter [of concern]. What is more important is that those parties are led by those who can really work for the country and citizens, and that the political roadmaps and policies of those parties are as good as they sound.

KZM: Ko Ko Gyi, students including you led the 1988 pro-democracy protests, and sacrificed life and blood. The NLD came to existence only after the military regime staged a coup. It was students who took the lead and took to the streets in the fight for democracy and justice. And they were imprisoned for years for this. If you are to form a political party with those student leaders who have led the democracy struggle since 1988, how will it be different from the ruling NLD party?

KKG: Generally speaking, we have not reached the goal of the democratic cause, which was one of the slogans in 1988 pro-democracy movement. We have to keep moving toward that goal. Taking a look at the registered political parties, they generally talk about ensuring multi-party democracy, market economy, and ethnic equality. But so far, we are still in the stage of showing support for one party in our protest against the old guard. If we are to go to the next stage, talking of those general policies is not just enough; we need to talk clearly and in detail about what we will do to achieve those things.

Again, an election is an important barometer in a democracy. But in countries that have undergone a transition from dictatorship to democracy, if the electoral system cant be implemented properly, it is hard to cure the countrys old wounds. We have to ensure those who represent respective regions and respective ethnic groups can join the electoral system, and it is critically important that political parties form alliances for this to happen. We feel the need to look beyond the ordinary conception of an election as a contest between political parties. Our first thought was about adopting a good policy to develop a political alliance to ensure those representing respective regions, ethnic groups and parties could join the elections. This is the fundamental idea for our new political party.

KZM: My next question is, why is it just now that you have thought about establishing a political party? The majority of the people had high hopes in the 88-Generation leaders like you and Ko Min Ko Naing when you were released from prison in 2012. People heartily welcomed you, wondering if the 88-Generation student leaders would form a party and engage in politics. But you didnt. Some 88-Generation student leaders joined the NLD and even contested the election, and became lawmakers. Why did you just now decide to establish a political party?

KKG: It is not that we were just urged and encouraged to form a political party only after we were released from prison. In fact, we were asked to do so some 30 years ago. But for various reasons, including our arrests and imprisonment, we couldnt. We were constantly concerned that people would get confused and the vote would be split if we set up a separate political party. So, we called for support for the NLD. Keeping in mind that our main cause was to scrap the old system in the first stage, we discharged our political duties as much as we could and supported [the NLDs] election campaign in 2015 and public campaigns for constitutional amendments, even though we were not a political party. We also engaged and held talks with ethnic political parties and ethnic armed groups as much as we were able to.

KZM: Ko Ko Gyi said that running a political party is about providing services for the public. So, Ko Yan Myo Thein, how do you assess the service delivered by NLD government?

YMT: The most noticeable thing is the NLDs policy regarding political alliances, which is very weak. It seems that the NLD is giving the cold shoulder to most ethnic parties which stood together with them during troubled times. As Ko Ko Gyi has said, people have voted [for the NLD] in the 2015 election for a change; they have pinned all their hopes [on the NLD]. People understand the situation well, but one year after NLD assumed office, I think most of the people think that the performance of the government over the past year has not satisfied their needs and hopes. Thats why the voter turnout significantly declined in the [April 1] by-election, especially in [the Bamar majority] divisions. In my view, it is critically important that a political party can systematically build itself on its policy. There will be new political parties, and no matter how many new parties emerge, the ruling party and parties that have representatives in the Parliament should welcome them warmly, as long as those new parties are committed to the democratic transition. They should welcome them heartily. They can view them as opponents, but it is important that they do not view them as enemies, and this will be closely related to the policies of alliance within the ruling party.

KZM: Ko Ko Gyi, your party may emerge soon, and become a major party because there is considerable support for 88-Generation student leaders. How would you like to define your partythe opposition party, or the third force, as it is called?

KKG: When it comes to politics, a general interpretation misses the point. For example, the public understanding of an opposition party is that it will oppose the government. In fact, we want to create an alternative choice. When we run a political party, we run it with our own beliefs and policies. So, we will support and cooperate with anyonegovernment or whateverif it has the same policy as us. A political party may not win the election and may not have a representative in the Parliament, but it can monitor [the situation] and make constructive criticism about the actions of the current government and the current Parliament. This is different from the public understanding of an opposition party. We want our new political party to be a party that creates a chance for people to choose. We will clearly tell the people what we will and what we wont do, and we would like to present an option for the people.

KZM: Anyway, the army still retains considerable influence over the politics in our country because of the Constitution. So, the civil-military relationship still plays an important role. Ko Ko Gyi, what is your general policy on handling this, if your party becomes a major player?

KKG: We can only tell the official policy of our party after we have decided and declared it. But my personal opinion is that we will be able to resolve the [issues of] civil-military relations only when we can address the root cause of the militarys involvement in politics. The military staged a coup in 1962 and got involved in politics on the pretext that the Union was on the verge of break-up because of armed conflicts and civil war. So, if we are to ensure that the military goes back to the barracks, and that the civil administration is real, I think the civil-military relationship is related to issues of ethnic armed conflicts, ethnic equality and a federal Union. I think there is a need to approach the civil-military relationship in parallel with Constitutional amendments and the establishment of a federal Union.

KZM: Ko Yan Myo Thein, there are over 90 political parties, but as Ko Ko Gyi has said, people have chosen the party they like the most and the party that they like the least. In 1990, there was a political party called the Democratic Party for a New Society, formed by students. So, how far do you think the political party of 88-Generation students like Ko Ko Gyi will be able to go?

YMT: In my view, the current political landscape of the country does demand a political party that consists of 88-Generation students, and political dissidents who fought against successive dictatorships, and [includes] other political activists. This is related to low voter turnout in the by-election. If such a political party does not emerge until 2020, the voter turnout may further decline in the 2020 election. So, as Ko Ko Gyi has said, we have to give the people the chance to be able to make choices. And I think the proposed party should be at least the second [choice]. I dont accept third forces or third parties. Because the proposed party is led by those who believe in democracy and who we support. So I think it should be the second party after NLD. It should pay serious heed to its relations with ethnic parties, and should have close ties with them. Again, speaking of the civil-military relationship, it is important that political parties be systematic and strong. Only when political parties are strongly institutionalized and can lead the people, would this help solve the problem of civil-military relations that our country is facing.

KZM: Burmas State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said in her address on the one-year anniversary of the government that her administration did its best and that she was willing to step down if there any person could outperform them. So, Ko Ko Gyi, have you learned anything from the NLD and its government? What do you think are the dos and donts for your party?

KKG: I would like to talk about what we would do. As we will provide services, it is important that we are capable of [doing this]. So, we need the right people in the right places. We need those who have expertise in their related fields. We need to look beyond a political party of comrades. We have to prepare to persuade experts and scholars to join us, as well as to create chances for those in younger generations.

Speaking of policies of alliance, in old democracies like the US and UK, people vote for a particular party not because they dont like the other party, but because they think they can rely on that party for that term. I expect to see this in our country, for example, if the NLD and Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) contest in an election, I want that people to choose the NLD not because they dont like the USDP, but because they think the NLD is better than the USDP. We have a long way to go in order to become a mature democracy, and the existing parties should reform themselves and try as much as they can to win public support. The quality of democracy will improve through such competition. So, I think the election management in the transition period should not be just about winning the election. Our would-be party should have a broader outlook, rather than only caring about an electoral victory.

KZM: So, people can expect a political party led by 88-Generation student leaders in the 2020 election?

KKG: We would like to invite the people to point out our shortcomings factually. Dont be considerate toward us: we would like to urge the people to point out our shortcomings in person, or by letter, or by e-mail, or on Facebook. However, what they point out should be reasonable and factual. We would like to invite everyone to [do this], and we expect that people will do so.

KZM: Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Yan Myo Thein, thanks a lot.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Thursdays shooting at the Champs Elysee, left one policeman dead, another gravely injured, a third lightly wounded along with a German tourist shot in the heel. It was carried out by Karim Cheurfi, a French national aged 39, born at Livry-Gargan in Seine-Saint-Denis. He had opened fire with a Kalashnikov machine gun and was killed by police at the scene.

The site of the attack was politically symbolic in French terms, near the Arch of Triumph and the presidential palace. It clearly was intended to help elect the far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen. The question is whether the French electorate, which is pretty canny, will fall for this transparent terror-trolling.

Cheurfi had a record as a petty criminal, having been jailed four times in the past 10 years for theft, assault and attempted murder. While in prison he showed no interest in Muslim radicalism, and only began talking like that from last December, when he said he was angered by deaths of Syrians. (France joined the US coalition bombing Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) in Raqqa, Syria, from late summer of 2015, on learning of Daesh plots to hit France, which it did several times thereafter).

There are some twists on this story that raise question marks. Daesh very quickly announced on Thursday that they were behind this shooting. They made a significant mistake, however, in announcing that the terrorists name was Abou Youssouf Al-Beljiki. I.e. their operative was supposed to be Belgian. But Cheurfi is an ordinary Frenchman.

Le Monde reports that a piece of paper fell out of Cheurfis pocket that had the word Daesh on it. If this is true, it is even more suspicious, because while authorities and the press in the Arab world and France call ISIL Daesh, the Arabic acronym, the group does not call itself that and resents the use of the acronym. They call themselves the Islamic State (which is a kind of terminological propaganda and terrorism, a way of trying to make journalists write that today the Islamic State took over x city.)

So ISIL did not know who Cheurfi was, and Cheurfi or his handler did not know to say Islamic State rather than Daesh.

Such incidents are murky, but I conclude that this attack was not a centrally directed Daesh operation. Cheurfi was until very recently just a petty criminal with no radical discourse, and he likely had never attended a meeting of the terrorist organization. He was happy to make his individual action look big and scary by attributing it to Daesh (without knowing enough to realize that this diction marked him as an outsider). Daesh itself was happy to claim responsibility unusually quickly.

Whatever is going on here, it seems obvious that the shooting was an attempt to intervene in the first round of the French presidential election.

In the first round, there are five major candidates. The two top vote-getters will then have a run-off.

The question if neo-Fascist Marine Le Pen will be one of the two. Whoever plotted out the Champs Elysees shooting was trying to throw the election to LePen. As a white supremacist, she has taken a hard line against Muslims and immigrants as well as against minorities like the Jews. The recruiter who ran Cheurfi knew that an act of terrorism near the election could well shore up her numbers and make her look more credible.

So you have the Republican Party candidate . Francois Fillon on the Gaullist, conventional right. Hes polling at 20 percent despite being implicated in a nepotism scandal.

Then you have left wing Socialist Emmanuel Macron, who is the front runner in the polls, just ahead of Le Pen.

And there is Jean-Luc Melenchon at 19%, who is to the left of Macron and outpolling

the regular Socialist Party candidate  Benoit Hamon, who is polling well below 10%.

The race is fluid and dynamic, so any of the candidates could pull ahead. Obviously, if Melenchon starts doing slightly better, LePen could slip to third place and be out of the race.

So I conclude Thursdays shooting was intended to put Le Pen over the top and make sure she got into the run-off.

The French public has seen a lot of this kind of thing and they are much more sophisticated than an American public would be over the difference between the vast majority of Muslims and the small fringe of radicals.

The Daesh radicals want Le Pen to win because they know she will be mean to the French Muslims (5% of the population). They are hoping the French Muslims will be driven into the arms of Daesh.

So the question is whether the French public will fall for the Trap of Daesh.

-

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CEC hails Madhes parties merger as positive move

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav on Friday hailed the merger of six of the seven parties under the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha as a positive development.
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TeleSur |  

The U.S. has not formally laid charges against Assange, but many within the new administration are signaling a hostile approach.

United States Attorney general Jeff Session said the country was stepping up its efforts against leaks and that the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was now a priority. While U.S. policy toward Assange still has many guessing, reports are now circulating that the U.S. has already drawn up charges against the whistleblower.

This is a matter thats gone beyond anything Im aware of, Session said in a press conference on Thursday. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number of leaks and some of them are quite serious.

So yes, it is a priority. Weve already begun to step up our efforts and whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail, the attorney general added.

According to CNN, the U.S. has prepared charges with the aim of arresting Assange and is trying to navigate the difficult legal territory around freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

Sources close to CNN said that under the Obama administration, former Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice deemed that bringing charges against the Australian national would be too difficult.

Assanges lawyer Barry Pollack told CNN that the Department of Justice had not indicated to him that there were charges against Assange and were despite repeated ongoing requests were unwilling to have any discussions at all.

Theres no reason why WikiLeaks should be treated differently from any other publisher, Pollack said.

Session comments add to increasingly hostile rhetoric against WikiLeaks from the Trump administration. CIA director Mike Pompeo recently referred to the organization and its staff as demons.

Its time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: A non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia, said Pompeo. Julian Assange has no First Amendment freedoms. Hes sitting in an Embassy in London. Hes not a US citizen.

Assange embarrassed Washington by leaking 500,000 secret military files related to U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as revealing information about U.S. spy programs. He was also seen, though many say unfairly, as a factor that led to Hillary Clintons defeat to Trump in last years presidential election.

Weeks out from his shocking election win, Trump waved around a sheet of paper at a rally, boasting this just came out, WikiLeaks!  I love WikiLeaks. In 2010, however, Trump called Assange out for treason.

I think its disgraceful, I think there should be like death penalty or something, Trump said.

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012 where he sought asylum in the fear that if he was extradited to Sweden over sexual assault charges  which he denies  he would then be extradited and charged in the U.S.

In February 2016, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that since being arrested in December 2010 as part the sexual assault charges in Sweden, Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the U.K., and has been subject to a deprivation of liberty.

If Assange was to be extradited to the U.S., his work with WikiLeaks could see prosecutors push for decades of jail time.

Via TeleSur



Related video added by Juan Cole:

Democracy Now! As US Preps Arrest Warrant for Assange, Greenwald Says Prosecuting WikiLeaks Threatens Press Freedom
Boston, MA Plaintiffs in a recent Plaintiffs in a recent Massachusetts employment law collective action have asked a federal judge in Massachusetts to approve a settlement worth $2.9 million that would settle claims of improper classification allegedly costing employees overtime pay.

Massachusetts labor law  together with the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal statute  holds that employees are paid overtime for any time worked beyond eight hours in any given day, or 40 hours in any given week. Salaried employees, or those in management having attained a certain level of income, are often exempt from overtime. However plaintiffs in the collective action accuse defendant A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts Inc. (Moore) of denying their employees overtime as earned by improperly classifying assistant regional managers as overtime exempt when in fact, the plaintiffs claim, they were lawfully entitled to overtime pay.Lead plaintiffs in the collective action are Jeremy Rossmeisl and Guy Lauture. In January of last year, attorneys for the plaintiffs made the first overtures to the defendant by advancing the claim. After those allegations had been communicated to Moore, both parties agreed to a round of pre-litigation discussions in order to best determine if settlement discussions warranted further dialogue.A year and a month later  in February of this year  the Massachusetts employment lawsuit was filed in US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. It wasnt long before a proposed settlement was reached with the art, craft and floral retail chain.The settlement, which followed a thorough investigation and mediation with a former federal magistrate judge, Hon. Diane Welsh, satisfies the criteria for approval of a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action settlement because it resolves a bona-fide dispute, was reached after in-depth investigation and review of significant documentary evidence and payroll data, was the result of arms-length settlement negotiations assisted by a private mediator and between experienced counsel and provides good value to the workers it will benefit, the filing reads.The settlement was the result of extensive pre-suit investigation, discovery and substantial arms-length negotiations, the plaintiffs continued. Recognizing the uncertain legal and factual issues involved, the parties reached the settlement pending before the court after private mediation before an experienced mediator.Eligible settlement class members are any current, and former assistant regional managers employed by the company between February 8 of 2011 and November 27, 2016 in Maine and New York  and between February 8, 2014 and November 27, 2016 in all other states. The plaintiffs sought overtime wages, attorneys fees and costs, interest and liquidated damages.The case is, Case No. 1:17-cv-10219, in the
by Barbara Lippert , Featured Columnist, April 21, 2017

What more is there to say about the now-dumped Bill OReilly?

That he recently shook hands with the Pope? That he substituted the word falafel for loofah while making harassing calls to one of his female producers?

That in the end, two of the few advertisers that stuck by his show were My Pillow and Turbo Scrub?

.

Obviously, the levels of irony and hypocrisy surrounding his story are so massive its hard to keep up. But lets try to break them down.

As recently as three days ago, the anchors attorney put out a statement claiming: OReilly has been subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America.

Attorney Marc E. Kasowitz added: This law firm has uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by far-left organizations bent on destroying OReilly for political and financial reasons. The evidence will be put forth shortly and is irrefutable.

advertisement advertisement

Heres what became irrefutable: The repercussions of having up to 100 advertisers pull their ads from The OReilly Factor became a higher price for Fox News to pay, in terms of reputation and employee morale, than anything OReilly could still produce in terms of revenue or ratings.

Even if the lions share of ad revenue was redistributed to other shows on the network, the recent New York Times revelation that he and 20th Century Fox had paid out up to $13 million in hush money to female claimants was just too offensive to hush up now  despite the fact that it had been papered over for more than a decade.

And there are probably other high heels to drop.

O'Reillys attorneys victim of McCarthyite tactics pitch was indeed rich, given that one of OReillys favorite punching bags of political correctness is playing the victim card. Hed call that a pinhead move for sure.

OReilly always maintained, as did the recently booted Roger Ailes, that he was the target of false claims and agreed to the settlements only to protect his family.

Contrast that with David Letterman, who was also known for his sometime dalliances with female staffers.

When an ex-boyfriend of a staffer he had had an affair with threatened to extort him for $2 million, he came clean right on his own show. And the direct-to-camera mea culpa was so shocking, direct and earnest the audience started howling, thinking it was a comedy bit.

Im terribly sorry, he said, adding that his wife has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that  you try to fix it 

Though OReilly left Fox News with a tidy $25 million, is already getting offers from other media, and will no doubt write more books, we have yet to hear a single Im sorry or I have learned something from him.

Its also pretty ironic that in the end, twas the advertisers that did him in.

Because on his show, he used every opportunity to threaten global brands with boycotts for commercials that he deemed offensive to his sensibilities  usually too sexual or violent. (You cant make this up.)

He and his staff also knew that dissecting interesting commercials made for great TV. Valerie Graves, former creative officer at Uniworld, says it must have been a slow news day when The Factor zeroed in on her Pepsi commercial starring the rapper Ludacris. It had come to OReillys attention via a Times ad column that had reported favorably on it.

Indeed, OReilly admitted there was nothing offensive about the ad, nor its specially adapted PG lyrics. Instead, he aimed his outrage machine at Pepsis affiliation with the rapper himself, as part of an attack on the dirty (read black) hip-hop culture in general.

When he hit pay dirt on what he thought was a hot-button issue  often involving race  he stayed on it like a dog with a bone. In the face of his nightly attacks and boycott threats aimed at Pepsi, according to Graves, the soda maker crumpled like an empty plastic bottle and pulled the ad.

In the end, what did OReilly actually say he was most outraged about? That Ludacris degrades women. Just drink that in for a moment.

I dont have to make any of this up, since I had my own surreal experience with OReilly.

Many years ago, I appeared on his show to talk about that infamous Carl Jr.'s commercial featuring a young Paris Hilton hosing down a Bentley while wearing a lingerie-like bathing suit  all the while making aggressive oral love to her mega-burger. (It took a multitalent to pull off that amount of multitasking.)

The spot, and use of Hilton, was at the behest of the CEO Andy Puzder, whom President Trump recently nominated as Secretary of Labor.

If memory serves, OReilly requested showing the spot several times, and in slow motion, in order to express his full on-air frothing and proper indignation. So, since everything on his show is a scorched-earth fight and zero-sum game, I found myself in the position of defending Paris Hilton and her soft-porn burger commercial, while Bill railed on about having daughters and how the use of such a fresh-faced ingenue was insulting.

Payback is poetic, which no one ever said, but in this case it is.

It was reported by New York magazines Gabriel Sherman that at first, 21st Century Fox owner Rupert Murdoch was intent on keeping OReilly on, for, among other reasons, to show The New York Times it could not dictate his behavior. His sons, Lachlan and James, overrode him, as they did on Roger Ailes.

Its clear that after Ailes dismissal, not much changed in the Fox culture.

And Ailes went on to do some consulting work for the Trump administration. The President, as we all know, defended OReilly and offered his opinion that he never should have settled.

The reality is the corporations that supported OReilly with their ad dollars also went along with the Fox all-spin zone all of these years, despite reports of harassment. But once Mercedes pulled out, the rest of the advertisers followed like dominoes.

The movement was not, as Bills lawyer stated, orchestrated by far-left organizations bent on destroying OReilly for political and financial reasons.

Of course, the advertisers were actually concerned that their customers, primarily women, were mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore. Still, that wasnt the reason that Fox rid itself of Bill.

Rather, the actual motive was that Ofcom, the British media regulator, is considering whether 21st Century Fox is a fit and proper owner of pay-TV broadcaster Sky. The decision was to be made in mid-May and was just pushed to June.

The criteria for fit and proper are broad: The regulator says it considers "any relevant misconduct" when administering its test.

Given its past scandals with hacking, Murdoch & Co. sacrificed the arrogant, bullying, harassment-prone, headline-making Factor guy in order to buy a bigger piece of Sky.

Surely, there is more than enough blame and hypocrisy to go around here.

But to put it simply, the fault, dear Rupert, is in your stars, and in selectively blind-eyed media lords like yourself.
CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
The following companies are subsidiares of Arrow Electronics: A.E. Petsche Belgium BVBA, A.E. Petsche Canada Inc., A.E. Petsche Company, A.E. Petsche Company Inc., A.E. Petsche Company S De RL, A.E. Petsche SAS, A.E. Petsche UK Limited, ACI Technology, AKS Group Nordic AB, ARROWECS Portugal Sociedade Unipessoal, ARROWECS Sociedade Unipessoal LDA, ARW Electronics Ltd., ARW Enterprise Computing Solutions S.A., ARW Portugal Unipessoal LDA, ASI Dedicated Services LLC, ASI Electrical Services LLC, ASI Managed Services LLC, ATM Electronic, ATM Electronic Corp., ATM Electronic Corporation (HK) Limited, ATM Electronics Hong Kong Limited, ATM Electronics Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, Addex Distribution AS, Adilam Pty. Ltd, Aiqi Xinxing (Beijing) Information Technology Co. Ltd., Altimate Belgium BVBA, Altimate Group, Altimate ND Belgium BVBA, Altimate Netherlands B.V., Annuity Systems Pty Ltd, Arrow (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Arrow Altech Distribution (Pty) Ltd., Arrow Altech Holdings (Pty) Ltd., Arrow Argentina S.A., Arrow Asia Distribution Limited, Arrow Asia Pac Ltd., Arrow Brasil S.A., Arrow Capital Solution BVBA, Arrow Capital Solutions Inc., Arrow Capital Solutions Nederlands BV, Arrow Capital Solutions SAS, Arrow Capital Solutions UK Ltd, Arrow Central Europe GmbH, Arrow Central Europe Holding Munich GmbH, Arrow Chip One Stop Holdings GK, Arrow Componentes ACCR S.R.L., Arrow Components (M) Sdn Bhd, Arrow Components (NZ), Arrow Components Mexico S.A. de C.V., Arrow Components Sweden AB, Arrow Denmark ApS, Arrow Denmark ApS, Arrow ECS (Ireland) Limited, Arrow ECS (NI) Limited, Arrow ECS AG, Arrow ECS ANZ Limited, Arrow ECS ANZ Pty Ltd, Arrow ECS Asia PTE. Ltd, Arrow ECS Australia, Arrow ECS B.V., Arrow ECS Baltic OU, Arrow ECS Brasil Distribuidora Ltda., Arrow ECS Canada Ltd., Arrow ECS Central GmbH, Arrow ECS Denmark A/S, Arrow ECS FZCO, Arrow ECS Finland OY, Arrow ECS GmbH, Arrow ECS Internet Security AG, Arrow ECS Internet Security S.L., Arrow ECS Kft., Arrow ECS Ltd., Arrow ECS New Zealand Limited, Arrow ECS Nordic A/S, Arrow ECS Norway AS, Arrow ECS Pty Ltd., Arrow ECS SA/NV, Arrow ECS SAS, Arrow ECS SPA, Arrow ECS Sarl, Arrow ECS Services Sp.z.o.o., Arrow ECS Singapore Pte. Limited, Arrow ECS Sp.z.o.o., Arrow ECS Support Center Ltd., Arrow ECS Support Center Morocco S.A.R.L.A.U, Arrow ECS Sweden AB, Arrow ECS a.s., Arrow ECS d.o.o., Arrow Eastern Europe GmbH, Arrow Electronice S.R.L., Arrow Electronics (CI) Ltd., Arrow Electronics (China) Trading Co. Ltd., Arrow Electronics (Jersey) Limited, Arrow Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Arrow Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Arrow Electronics (Sweden) KB, Arrow Electronics (Thailand) Limited, Arrow Electronics (U.K.) Inc., Arrow Electronics (UK) Ltd., Arrow Electronics ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd., Arrow Electronics Asia (S) Pte Ltd., Arrow Electronics Asia Limited, Arrow Electronics Australia Pty Ltd., Arrow Electronics B.V., Arrow Electronics Canada Ltd., Arrow Electronics China Ltd., Arrow Electronics Components (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Arrow Electronics Czech Republic s.r.o., Arrow Electronics D.O.O., Arrow Electronics Danish Holdings ApS, Arrow Electronics EMEA Group GmbH, Arrow Electronics EMEASA S.r.l., Arrow Electronics Estonia OU, Arrow Electronics FC B.V., Arrow Electronics Funding Corporation, Arrow Electronics GmbH & Co. KG, Arrow Electronics Hellas S.A., Arrow Electronics Holdings Vagyonkezelo Kft, Arrow Electronics Hungary Kereskedelmi Bt, Arrow Electronics India Ltd., Arrow Electronics India Private Limited, Arrow Electronics International Holdings LLC, Arrow Electronics International Inc., Arrow Electronics Italia S.r.l, Arrow Electronics Japan GK, Arrow Electronics Korea Limited, Arrow Electronics Labuan Pte Ltd., Arrow Electronics Ltd., Arrow Electronics Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Arrow Electronics Norwegian Holdings AS, Arrow Electronics Poland Sp.z.o.o., Arrow Electronics Russ OOO, Arrow Electronics Services S.r.l., Arrow Electronics Slovakia s.r.o., Arrow Electronics South Africa LLP, Arrow Electronics Taiwan Ltd., Arrow Electronics UK Holding Ltd., Arrow Electronics Ukraine LLC, Arrow Elektronik Ticaret A.S., Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions Inc., Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions India Private Limited, Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions Ltd., Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions S.A., Arrow Finland OY, Arrow France S.A., Arrow Global Asset Disposition Inc., Arrow Global Supply Chain Services Inc., Arrow Holdings (Delaware) LLC, Arrow Iberia Electronica Lda., Arrow Iberia Electronica S.L.U., Arrow International Holdings L.P., Arrow International Holdings Limited, Arrow Nordic Components AB, Arrow Norway A/S, Arrow S-Tech Norway AS, Arrow SEED (Hong Kong) Limited, Arrow Systems Integration Inc., Arrow UEC Japan KK, Arrow United Holdings LLC, Arrow United International Holdings LP, Arrow Value Recovery ApS (fka Greentech Denmark ApS), Arrow Value Recovery Belgium BVBA, Arrow Value Recovery Czech Republic sro, Arrow Value Recovery Denmark ApS, Arrow Value Recovery EMEA BV, Arrow Value Recovery Finland Oy (fka Greentech Finland OY), Arrow Value Recovery France SAS, Arrow Value Recovery Germany GmbH, Arrow Value Recovery Netherlands BV, Arrow Value Recovery Norway AS (fka Greentech AS), Arrow Value Recovery Sweden AB (fka Greentech Sweden AB), Arrow Value Recovery UK LTD, Arrow eCommerce B.V., Arrow/Artlink Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, Arrow/Components (Agent) Ltd., Arrow/Rapac Ltd., Artlink Technology Co. Ltd., Aspen Labs LLC, Aspencore China Investment LLC, Aspencore LLC, Aspencore Media GmbH, Aspencore/IDG China Investment LLC, Asplenium SA, Asset Recovery Corporation, B.V. Arrow Electronics DLC, Beijing AIQI Technology, Beijing Arrow SEED Technology Co. Ltd, Beijing Canon Advertising Co. Ltd., Broomco (4184) Limited, COMPUTERLINKS, COMPUTERLINKS (UK) Ltd., COMPUTERLINKS Belgium BVBA, COMPUTERLINKS Denmark A/S, COMPUTERLINKS Nederland B.V., COMPUTERLINKS S.A., CSS Computer Security Solutions Erwerbs GmbH, CSS Computer Security Solutions Holding GmbH, CSS Computer Security Solutions Ltd., CT3 Europe Limited, Centia Group Ltd, Centia Ltd., Channel Support Pty Ltd, ChiWan Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Chip One Stop, Chip One Stop (Hong Kong) Ltd., Chip One Stop (Shenzhen) Ltd., Chip One Stop Inc., Commtech Solutions (UK) Limited, Components Agent (Cayman) Limited, Components Agent Asia Holdings Ltd., Components Distribution Business - Achieva, Conrac Asia Display Products Pte. Ltd., Conrac MENA FZE, Converge, Converge (Shanghai) International Trading Co. Ltd., Converge Asia Pte Ltd., Converge Electronics Trading (India) Private Ltd., Converge France SAS, Converge Netherlands BV, Converge Scandinavia AB, Cross Telecom, Data Modul, Data Modul AG, Data Modul Electronics Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Data Modul FZE, Data Modul France S.a r.l, Data Modul Hong Kong Ltd., Data Modul Iberia S.L., Data Modul Inc., Data Modul Italia S.r.l., Data Modul Ltd., Data Modul Shanghai Ltd., Data Modul Suisse GmbH, Data Modul Weikersheim GmbH, Diasa Informatica, Dicopel Inc., Distribution Business - Seed International, Distribution Central (MY) Sdn. Bhd., Distribution Central HK Pty Limited, Distribution Central Limited (NZ), Distribution Central Pte Limited (SG), Distribution Central Pty Limited, E-InfoChips KK, EC America, EDN Asia Advertising Pte Ltd., ETEQ Components Pte Ltd., Electronics Products Technology Co. Ltd., Embedded Developer LLC, Erf 211 Hughes (Pty) Limited, Eshel Technology Group Inc., Eurocomponentes S.A., Excel Tech, Excel Tech Inc., Firewall Systems Pty Limited, Fusion Distribution FZCO, Gates - Arrow Distributing, Gates - FA Distributing, Global Link Technology, Greentech Holding AS, Gross Telecom, ICC Global Media GmbH, IP Vista A/S, IPVista A/S, ITM USA Enterprises Inc., Intechra Holdings, Intex-semi Ltd., KeyLink Systems Group, LED Franchise LLC, LED Source Holdco LLC, LED Source LLC, LOGIX S.A., License Central Pty Ltd, Lite-On Korea Ltd., Marubun Arrow (HK) Limited, Marubun Arrow (S) Pte Ltd., Marubun Arrow (Thailand) Co Limited, Marubun Arrow Asia Ltd., Marubun Arrow Europe Kft., Marubun Corporation, Marubun USA Corporation, Marubun-Arrow Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Marubun/Arrow (HK) Limited, Marubun/Arrow (M) Sdn. Bhd (Malaysia), Marubun/Arrow (Philippines) Inc., Marubun/Arrow (S) Pte Ltd., Marubun/Arrow (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marubun/Arrow (Shenzhen) Electronic Product Consulting Company Limited, Marubun/Arrow (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Marubun/Arrow Asia Ltd., Marubun/Arrow USA II LLC, Marubun/Arrow USA LLC, NIC Components Asia PTE Ltd., NIC Components Corp., NIC Components Europe Limited, NIC Eurotech Limited, NUH Electronics India Private Limted, Networld Systems Pty Ltd, Nextworth Solutions Inc., Nu Horizons Electronics, Nu Horizons Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Nu Horizons Electronics Asia PTE Ltd., Nu Horizons Electronics Hong Kong Ltd., Nu Horizons Electronics Malaysia SDN BHD, NuHo Singapore Holdings LLC, Observatory Crest, Openway Group SA, Openway SAS, PCG Parent Corp., PCG Trading LLC, PT Marubun Arrow Indonesia, Pansystem S.r.l., Pax8 Inc., Power and Signal Group GmbH, R.D. Trading Limited, RDC, RF Wireless & Power - Richardson Electronics, Rack Systems Pty Ltd, Red Education Pty Ltd, Redemtech, Renewal Systems Pty Ltd, Richardson RFPD (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Richardson RFPD (Thailand) Limited, Richardson RFPD Australia Pty. Ltd., Richardson RFPD Canada Inc., Richardson RFPD Electronics Trading (China) Co. Ltd., Richardson RFPD France SAS, Richardson RFPD Germany GmbH, Richardson RFPD Hong Kong, Richardson RFPD Inc., Richardson RFPD Israel Ltd., Richardson RFPD Italy Srl, Richardson RFPD Japan KK, Richardson RFPD Korea Ltd., Richardson RFPD Netherlands BV, Richardson RFPD Singapore, Richardson RFPD Spain SL, Richardson RFPD Sweden AB, Richardson RFPD Taiwan, Richardson RFPD UK Ltd., Richey Electronics, San Systems Pty Ltd, Schuylkill Metals of Plant City Inc., Seneca Data, Seneca Data Distributors Inc., Shared Technologies, Silicon Frameworks LLC, SiliconEgypt Technologies LLC, SiliconExpert Holdings LLC, SiliconExpert Technologies, SiliconExpert Technologies Inc., Sphinx CST Limited, Sphinx CST Networks Limited, Sphinx Group, Sphinx Group Limited, Sphinx Professional Services Limited, Spoerle Hungary Kereskedelmi Kft, Sun Chain Technology Corp., TLW Electronics Ltd., TechTurn, Titan Supply Chain Services Limited, Titan Supply Chain Services Pte Ltd., Trafomo AB, Trafomo ApS, Transim Technology, Transim Technology Corporation, U.S. Micro Operating Company LLC, UBM Tech Electronics Network, Ultra Source Electronics (SZ) Co LTD, Ultra Source Technology Corp., Ultra Source Trading Hong Kong Limited, United Technical Publishing Division - Hearst Business Media, Universe Electron Corporation, Verical, Verwaltungsgesellschaft Arrow Electronics GmbH, Wireless and Infrastructure Business Unit - Waching Company, Yongming Xincheng (Beijing) Technology Co., e-InfoChips, e-Infochips Private Limited, eInfochips, eMedia Asia Limited, immixGovernment Inc., immixGroup, immixGroup Inc., immixSolutions Inc., and immixTechnology.

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Debris dams Arun River; immediate risk ruled out

Debris from a dry landslide deposited by the Barun stream has dammed the Arun river at Syaksila Gola in Sankhuwasabha district, forming a lake about three kilometres long and triggering panic among locals.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. provides early education and child care, back-up care, educational advisory, and other workplace solutions services for employers and families. The company operates through three segments: Full Service Center-Based Child Care, Back-Up Care, and Educational Advisory and Other Services. The Full Service Center-Based Child Care segment offers traditional center-based child care and early education, preschool, and elementary education services. The Back-Up Care segment provides center-based back-up child care, in-home child and adult/elder dependent care, school-age camps, virtual tutoring, and self-sourced reimbursed care services through child care centers, school-age campuses, and in-home caregivers, as well as the back-up care network. The Educational Advisory and Other Services segment offers tuition assistance and student loan repayment program administration, workforce education, and related educational consulting services, as well as college admissions advisory services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 1,014 child care and early education centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and India. The company was formerly known as Bright Horizons Solutions Corp. and changed its name to Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. in July 2012. Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts.
The following companies are subsidiares of International Flavors & Fragrances: 1456111 Ontario Limited, A. Boake Roberts And Company (Holding) Limited, ASA Ventures Inc., Agtech Products Inc., Alpris Ltd., Amco SP Z.O.O, ApS Syntetic, Aroma S.A., Aromatics Holdings Limited, Aromco Ltd., Aromor, Arvin Company, Asian Investments Inc., Atelier du Parfumeur IFF Grasse SAS, BKF Vision Ltd, BSA India Food Ingr. P. Ltd., Belden Company, Branch office of DuPont Protein Technologies International Sales LLC, Bremil Industria e Comercio de Ingredientes Alimenticos Ltda. , Bremil S/A Industria De Produtos Alimenticos , Bush Boake Allen (New Zealand) Limited, Bush Boake Allen (Pension Trustees) Limited, Bush Boake Allen Australia Pty Ltd, Bush Boake Allen Benelux B.V., Bush Boake Allen Chile S.A., Bush Boake Allen Controladora S.A. de C.V., Bush Boake Allen Enterprises Limited, Bush Boake Allen Holdings (U.K.) Limited, Bush Boake Allen Inc., Bush Boake Allen Inc., Bush Boake Allen Limited, Bush Boake Allen Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, Bush Boake Allen do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, Chemical Process Materials and Equipment S.A., CitraSource Holdings L.L.C., Columbia PhytoTechnology LLC, Columbia Phytotechnology LLC, Cometra ApS, Crestmont Investment Co., Cultor Oy, DDP Specialty Products Germany GmbH & Co. KG, DDP Specialty Products Poland Sp. z.o.o., DSP Germany N&B Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Daivd Michael Netherlands B.V., Dandy Lions Limited, Danisco (China) Co. Ltd., Danisco (China) Holding Co. Ltd., Danisco (India) Private Limited, Danisco (Zhangjiagang) Textural Ingredients Co. Ltd., Danisco Argentina S.A., Danisco Australia Pty Limited, Danisco Austria GmbH, Danisco B.V., Danisco Biosciences (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Danisco Brasil Ltda., Danisco Canada Inc., Danisco Chile S.A., Danisco Colombia Ltda., Danisco Cultor (Switzerland) AG, Danisco Cultor Sweden AB, Danisco Cultor Trading Ltda., Danisco Czech Republic a.s., Danisco Deutschland GmbH, Danisco Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Danisco Egypt Trading LLC, Danisco Flexible Brasil Ltda, Danisco France SAS, Danisco Guatemala S.A., Danisco Holding USA Inc., Danisco Holdings (UK) Ltd., Danisco Holland B.V., Danisco Ingredients Belgium N.V., Danisco Italia S.p.A., Danisco Japan Limited, Danisco Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Danisco Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Danisco Mexico S.A. de C.V., Danisco New Zealand Limited, Danisco Nutrition & Bioscience Greece Ltd., Danisco Nutrition & Biosciences Korea Ltd., Danisco Nutrition & Biosciences Malaysia SDN. BHD., Danisco Nutrition & Biosciences Taiwan Limited, Danisco Nutrition and Biosciences India Private Ltd, Danisco Peru S.A.C., Danisco Poland Sp. z.o.o, Danisco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Danisco South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Danisco Sweeteners Oy, Danisco Switzerland AG, Danisco UK Ltd., Danisco US Inc., Danisco USA Inc., Danisco Ukraine LLC, Danisco Zaandam BV, David Michael & Company (Canada) 1986 Ltd., David Michael Europe S.A.S., Du Pont de Nemours Nigeria Limited, DuPont (Shanghai) Enterprise Co. Ltd., DuPont Acquisition LLC, DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, DuPont Denmark Holding ApS, DuPont Electronics Holding LLC, DuPont LA Holding 1 BV, DuPont Lanka (Private) Limited, DuPont Nutrition (Thailand) Ltd, DuPont Nutrition Biosciences ApS, DuPont Nutrition Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, DuPont Nutrition Food Ingredients (Beijing) Co. Ltd., DuPont Nutrition Ingredientes BRASIL LTDA, DuPont Nutrition International, DuPont Nutrition Ireland, DuPont Nutrition Italy SRL (f/k/a FMC Chemical Italy SrL), DuPont Nutrition Manufacturing UK Limited, DuPont Nutrition Mexicana S.A de C.V., DuPont Nutrition Mexico S.A de C.V., DuPont Nutrition Norge AS, DuPont Nutrition Philippines Inc., DuPont Nutrition USA Inc, DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences Iberica S.L., DuPont Protein Technologies International Sales LLC, DuPont S&C Holding LLC, DuPont Shineway Luohe Food Company Limited , DuPont Shineway Luohe Protein Company Limited , DuPont US Holding LLC, DuPont de Nemours Kenya Limited, ERELEM, ETOL SK s.r.o., ETOL-RUS Ltd., Eden Essentials Inc., Envoltec Industria de Embalagens Ltda. , Enzymotec Australia PTY LTD, Enzymotec Singapore Pte. Ltd., Enzymotec USA Inc., Etol Aroma Ve Baharat Gida Urunleri San.Ve Tic.a.s., Etol JVE d.o.o., Etol Proizvodnja Arom D.O.O, Etol Skopje DRUSTVO ZA TRGOVIJA ETOL UVOZ-IZVOZ DOOEL, FYMSA Real Estate LLC (23), FYMSA del Caribe S.R.L , Fangchen International Trading Ltd. (6), Finnfeeds Finland Oy, Finnfeeds Oy, Finnsugar Bioproducts Inc., Flavor Systems International Inc., Flavors and Essences UK Limited, FoodBlenders Limited, Foreign Trade Representative of Danisco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Fragrance Resources, Fragrance Resources (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fragrance Resources Asia Pacific Ltd., Frutarom (Asia Pacific) Limited, Frutarom (Marketing) S.R.L., Frutarom (UK) Holdings Limited, Frutarom (UK) Ltd., Frutarom - Etol (UK) Limited, Frutarom Belgium N.V., Frutarom Chile S.A., Frutarom Czech Republic S.r.o, Frutarom Do Brazil Industria E Comercio Ltda., Frutarom Etol RO SRL, Frutarom Etol Ukraine LLC., Frutarom F&F Trading (Shanghai) Co., Frutarom Finance EUR AG, Frutarom Flavors (Kushan) Co Ltd., Frutarom Flavors Mexico S.A. de C.V., Frutarom Flavours (India) Private Limited (14), Frutarom France S.A.R.L, Frutarom Germany GmbH, Frutarom Gida Urunleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Frutarom Global Ltd., Frutarom GmbH, Frutarom Industries Ld, Frutarom Industries Ltd., Frutarom Italy S.r.l, Frutarom Kenya Limited, Frutarom Ltd., Frutarom Netherlands B.V., Frutarom Nigeria Limited, Frutarom Nordic A/S Flachsmann Scandinavia A/S Aksel Holm-Essensfabrik A / S, Frutarom Norway A.S, Frutarom Peru S.A. (Montana Food activity), Frutarom Production GmbH, Frutarom Savory Solutions Austria GmbH, Frutarom Savory Solutions Germany GmbH, Frutarom Savory Solutions Switzerland AG, Frutarom Savory Solutions Ukraine, Frutarom Switzerland Finance CHF AG, Frutarom Switzerland Finance GBP AG, Frutarom Switzerland Finance MXN AG, Frutarom Switzerland Finance USD AG, Frutarom Switzerland Ltd., Frutarom Trade & Marketing (1990) Ltd., Frutarom UK Investments Limited, Frutarom USA Holding Inc., Frutarom USA Inc., Frutarom do Brasil GRU Industria e Comercio Ltda., Genencor (China) Bio-Products Co. Ltd., Genencor International B.V., Genencor International BVBA, Genencor International Holding BV, Genencor International Indiana Inc., Genencor International Oy, Genencor International Wisconsin Inc., Genencor Mauritius Ltd., Genentech Ventures Inc., Grow Company Inc., Hagelin Flv (UK) Ltd., Hexachem Sociedad Anonima, IB EMEA Holding 2 B.V., IFF (BVI) Limited, IFF (Korea) Inc., IFF Aroma Esans Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, IFF Augusta Holdings LLC, IFF Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, IFF Benicarlo S.L., IFF Bio-Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., IFF Capital Services, IFF Chemical Holdings Inc., IFF Delaware Holdings LLC, IFF Essencias e Fragrancias Ltda., IFF Flavors & Fragrances (Hangzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., IFF Fragrance GmbH, IFF Hungary Global Kft, IFF International Inc., IFF Latin American Holdings (Espana) S.L., IFF Mexico Manufactura S.A. de C.V., IFF Murcia Natural Ingredients S.L., IFF Sabores y Fragancias de Chile Ltda., IFF Turkey Aroma Ve Esans Urunleri Satis Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, IFF West Africa Limited, IFF Worldwide LLC, Ingrediants dooel Skopje, Institut Europeen de Biologie Cellulaire, International Aroma Group, International Flavors & Fragrances (Canada) Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Caribe) Inc., International Flavors & Fragrances (China) Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Greater Asia) Pte. Ltd, International Flavors & Fragrances (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Hong Kong) Limited, International Flavors & Fragrances (Japan) Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., International Flavors & Fragrances (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., International Flavors & Fragrances (Middle East) FZ-LLC, International Flavors & Fragrances (Myanmar) Limited, International Flavors & Fragrances (Nederland) Holding B.V., International Flavors & Fragrances (Philippines) Inc., International Flavors & Fragrances (Poland) Sp. z o.o., International Flavors & Fragrances (Vietnam) Limited Liability Company, International Flavors & Fragrances (ZhangJiagang) Co. Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances (Zimbabwe) (Private) Ltd., International Flavors & Fragrances Ardenne S.a r.l., International Flavors & Fragrances France Holding I SAS, International Flavors & Fragrances France Holding II SAS, International Flavors & Fragrances France Holding III SAS, International Flavors & Fragrances Holdings LLC, International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Chile) Limitada, International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Espana) S.A., International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Hungary) Kft, International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Nederland) B.V., International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Norden) AB, International Flavors & Fragrances I.F.F. (Rus), International Flavors & Fragrances IFF (Deutschland) GmbH, International Flavors & Fragrances IFF (France) SAS, International Flavors & Fragrances Irish Acquisition Company Limited, International Flavors and Fragrances Colombia S.A.S., International Flavors and Fragrances I.F.F. (Israel) Ltd., International Flavors and Fragrances IFF (South Africa), International Flavors and Fragrances Ingredients Ltd, International Flavors e Fragrances IFF (Italia) S.r.l., International Flavours & Fragrances (Australia) Pty Ltd, International Flavours & Fragrances (CIL) Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances (GB) Holdings Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances (Mauritius) Ltd, International Flavours & Fragrances (NZ) Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances (Pension Trustees) Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances (Thailand) Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances I.F.F. (Great Britain) Limited, International Flavours & Fragrances India Private Limited (13), International Frutarom Corporation, Inventive Food Technology (ZQ) Ltd., Inventive Technology Ltd., Irish Flavours and Fragrances Limited, K-Vision Consulting and Investments Ltd, Kelp Industries Pty. Ltd, Leagel GmbH (11), Leagel S.r.l. (19), Les Ingredients Alimentaires BSA Inc., Les Laboratories Bio ForeXtra Inc., Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, Lucas Meyer Cosmetics Australia Pty Ltd, Lucas Meyer Cosmetics Canada Inc., Lucas Meyer Cosmetics S.A.S., M.P. Equity Holdings Ltd, MISR Company for Aromatic products, Manseg S.A., Mark Services Holdings Inc., N&B Chemicals Germany GmbH, N&B EMEA Holding B.V., N&B Germany Verwaltungs-GmbH, N&B International Holding B.V., N&B NL BV - Saudi Branch, N&B Real Estate Verwaltungs-GmbH, N&B Services BV, N&B Switzerland  UAE Branch, N&H EMEA Holding 1 BV, N&H EMEA Holding 2 BV, N&H EMEA Holding B.V., N&H International Holding 1 B.V., N&H International Holding 3 BV, N&H Switzerland Holding Sarl, Nardi Armoas Ltda., Neptune Merger Sub I Inc., Neptune Merger Sub II LLC, New Asia Holdco B.V., Nutra-Lease Ltd. (16), Nutrition & Bioscience (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Nutrition & Bioscience (Switzerland) GmbH, Nutrition & Bioscience (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Nutrition & Bioscience Pakistan (Private) Ltd, Nutrition & Biosciences (Finland) Oy, Nutrition & Biosciences (France) SAS, Nutrition & Biosciences (Sweden) AB, Nutrition & Biosciences (UK) Ltd, Nutrition & Biosciences Argentina S.A.U., Nutrition & Biosciences Australia Pty Ltd., Nutrition & Biosciences Brasil Ingredientes Ltda., Nutrition & Biosciences Canada Company, Nutrition & Biosciences Chile SpA, Nutrition & Biosciences Colombia S.A.S, Nutrition & Biosciences Hong Kong Limited, Nutrition & Biosciences Hungary Limited Liability Company, Nutrition & Biosciences Inc., Nutrition & Biosciences Italy S.r.l., Nutrition & Biosciences Japan K.K., Nutrition & Biosciences Korea Ltd., Nutrition & Biosciences Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Nutrition & Biosciences Netherlands B.V., Nutrition & Biosciences New Zealand Limited, Nutrition & Biosciences Singapore Pte. Ltd., Nutrition & Biosciences USA 1 LLC, Nutrition & Biosciences USA 2 LLC, Nutrition & Biosciences USA 3 LLC, Nutrition & Biosciences Vietnam Company Limited, Nutrition Biosciences USA 4 Inc, Nutrition and Biosciences South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Nutrition and Biosciences Spain S.L., OOO WIBERG Rus, P.T. Essence Indonesia, PARMA FA, PIASA USA (24), PM Taiwan Inc., PT Blue Cube Indonesia, PTI Astana LLC, PTI CA LLC, PTI Center LLC, PTI Group of Companies LLC (GK PTI), PTI-BEL TUE, PTI-MOL LLC, PTI-NN LLC, PTI-Ukraine LLC, Platinum Absolut LLC, Pointer Specialty Chemicals LLC, Protein Technologies Do Brasil Ltda., Protein Technologies International Asia Pacific LLC, Protein Technologies International Development LLC, Protein Technologies International Europe LLC, Proveedores de Ingenieria Alimentaria S.A. de C.V. ("PIASA") (17), Prowin International Ltd., Pucheng Yongfang Fragrance Technology Co. Ltd. , Redbrook (UK) Limited, Redbrook Blentech Limited, Redbrook Ingredient Services Limited, Rene Laurent SAS, Representaciones FYMSA S.A. de C.V (FYMSA) (18), Rohm and Haas Wood Treatment LLC, SP EMEA Holding 8 BV, SP Holding IB Inc., SP Nutrition and Health (Singapore) Inc., Sabormax Industria de Alimentos e Representacao Ltda., Savoury Flavours (Holding) Limited, Savoury Flavours Ltd., Solae (UK) Limited, Solae Argentina S.A., Solae Australia Pty Limited, Solae Belgium N.V., Solae Company India Private Limited, Solae Denmark ApS, Solae Deutschland GmbH (f/k/a CSY Agri-Processing (Deutschland) GmbH), Solae Do Brasil Industria E Comercio De Alimentos Ltda., Solae Europe S.A., Solae Holdings LLC, Solae Investimentos LTDA, Solae LLC (SMLLC of Solae Holdings), Solae Overseas B.V., Solae Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Solae de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (formerly PTI Mexico), Solae do Brasil Holdings Ltda., Sonarome Private Limited (15), Southern Cross Botanicals Pty Ltd, Specialty Products Balkans d.o.o., Specialty Products FZE, Specialty Products N&H Inc, Specialty Products US LLC, Speximo AB, TNI Investments NV, Tastepoint Flavors (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Tastepoint Inc., Tastepoint OOO, Tastepoint Polska Sp.z o.o, Tastepoint SA (Pty) Ltd., Tastepoint Tovarna arom in etericnih olj d.o.o., Taura Natural Ingredients (Australia) Pty Limited, Taura Natural Ingredients (North America) Inc., Taura Natural Ingredients Holdings Pty Limited, Taura Natural Ingredients Ltd., Taura Natural Ingredients NV, Tekhnomol Soya Products LLC, The Additive Advantage LLC, The Additive Advantage LLC, The Foote & Jenks Corporation, The Mighty Company Limited (21), Thorungaverksmidjan HF (12), UFC America Inc., Unique Flavors Proprietary Limited, Unique Food Solutions Proprietary Limited, Unique Ingredients Limited, VAYA PHARMA HONKG LTD, VITIVA proizvodnja in storitve d.d., Vantodio Holdings Limited, Vaya Pharma Inc., Vaya Pharma Pte Ltd. (20), Venezuela Protein Technologies Internationla -PTI C.A., W.W. Holdings Inc., WIBERG Italia S.r.l., Wiberg Baharat San.Tic.A.S, Wiberg Canada Inc., Wiberg Corporation of California, Wiberg Corporation., Yderns 1 ApS, ZAO Danisco, extrakt chemie Dr. Bruno Stellmach GmbH, iDrug Delivery Inc.(Delaware) (22), nternational Flavors & Fragrances S.R.L., van Ameringen-Haebler Inc., and world wide WIBERG GmbH.

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Icao to check progress in enhancing aviation safety

An International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) team is slated to arrive in June to check the corrective measures taken by Nepal to address significant safety concerns (SSC) relating to operations and other aspects, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) said.
Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; prepaid programs and management services; commercial credit and debit payment products and solutions; and payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts. It also provides value-added products and services comprising cyber and intelligence solutions for parties to transact, as well as proprietary insights, drawing on principled use of consumer, and merchant data services. In addition, the company offers analytics, test and learn, consulting, managed services, loyalty, processing, and payment gateway solutions for e-commerce merchants. Further, it provides open banking and digital identity platforms services. The company offers payment solutions and services under the MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus. Mastercard Incorporated was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
The following companies are subsidiares of Nokia Oyj: AO Nokia Solutions and Networks, ATG Germany GmbH, Aircom International, Alcatel - Lucent, Alcatel Centroamerica S.A., Alcatel IP Networks Limited, Alcatel Lucent, Alcatel Lucent Middle East North Africa DMCC, Alcatel Lucent Teletas Telekomunikasyon A.S., Alcatel SEL Unterstutzungs GmbH, Alcatel Submarine Networks, Alcatel Submarine Networks Brazil Ltda., Alcatel Submarine Networks Denmark ApS, Alcatel Submarine Networks Hong Kong Limited, Alcatel Submarine Networks Marine, Alcatel Submarine Networks Norway AS, Alcatel Submarine Networks UK Ltd, Alcatel Submarine Networks USA Inc., Alcatel de Venezuela C.A., Alcatel-Lucent Angola Limitada, Alcatel-Lucent Benin SA, Alcatel-Lucent Centro Caribbean Holding Limited, Alcatel-Lucent East Africa Limited, Alcatel-Lucent India Limited, Alcatel-Lucent International, Alcatel-Lucent International Holdings Inc., Alcatel-Lucent Managed Solutions India Private Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Nigeria Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Pakistan Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Participations, Alcatel-Lucent Participations Chine, Alcatel-Lucent Portugal S.A., Alcatel-Lucent RT International B.V., Alcatel-Lucent Saudi Arabia Co. Ltd., Alcatel-Lucent Services International B.V., Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell Information Products Co. Ltd., Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (Cabo Verde) Lda, Alcatel-Lucent Trade International AG, Alcatel-Lucent UK Limited, Alcatel-Lucent Ukraine SC, Alcatel-Lucent Vietnam Limited, Amber Networks Inc., Antelec, Apertio Ltd., Avvenu, Bell Laboratories Inc., C-Dot Alcatel-Lucent Research Centre Private Limited, Camilec, Comptel, Comptel Communications EOOD, Comptel Communications Holdings Limited, Comptel Communications India Private Limited, Comptel Communications Limited, Comptel Communications Oy, Comptel Communications Sdn Bhd, Comptel Oy, Comptel Palvelut Philippines Inc., DeepField, Diamond Lane Communications, Digiskin UK, DiscoveryCom Inc., Dopplr, ETA Devices Inc., Eizel Technologies, Elenion Technologies, Elenion Technologies LLC, Enpocket, Epistrophe Limited, Europe*Star Limited, Evolium, F5 Networks Inc., Hunan Huanuo Technology Co. Ltd., IRIS Service Delivery UK Ltd, IRIS Telecommunication Austria GmbH, IRIS Telecommunication France, IRIS Telecommunication GmbH, IRIS Telecommunication Poland sp. z o.o., IRIS Telekomunikasyon Muhendislik Hizmetleri A.S., InTalk Corporation, Intellisync Corporation, Intellisync LLC, Ipsilon Networks Inc., LCC International's U.S., LLC "Nokia Solutions and Networks Ukraine", Loudeye Corp., Lucent Technologies GRL LLC, Lucent Technologies Investment Co. Ltd., Lucent Technologies Nanjing Telecommunications Co. Ltd., Lucent Technologies Networks (Thailand) Limited, Lucent Technologies Nicaragua S.A., Lucent Technologies Philippines Inc., Lucent Technologies Qingdao Telecommunications Enterprises Co. Ltd., Lucent Technologies Qingdao Telecommunications Systems Ltd., MRAC Inc., Matra Nortel Communications, Mesaplexx Limited, MetaCarta Inc., Metrowerks Corporation, Mformation Software Technologies India Pvt Ltd, Motally, NE-Products Oy, NGI Industrial (NGI), Nakina Systems, Nassau Metals Corporation, Navteq, Network Alchemy Inc., Nokatus Insurance Company Designated Activity Company (DAC), Nokia (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Nokia (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Nokia Apps Distribution LLC, Nokia Arabia Limited  100.0, Nokia Asset Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Nokia Bell NV, Nokia Canada Inc., Nokia Costa Rica S.A., Nokia Denmark A/S, Nokia Display Technics GmbH i.L., Nokia Dominican Republic S.A.S., Nokia Egypt S.A.E., Nokia El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Nokia Electronics Bochum GmbH i.L., Nokia Federal Solutions LLC, Nokia Hong Kong Limited, Nokia India Private Limited, Nokia Innovations Japan G.K., Nokia Innovations Oy, Nokia Innovations US LLC, Nokia Investment Management Corporation, Nokia Investments Oy, Nokia Ireland Limited, Nokia Jamaica Limited, Nokia Kunststofftechnik GmbH i.L., Nokia Networks (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Nokia Networks S.R.L., Nokia New Zealand Limited, Nokia Operations de Guatemala S.A., Nokia Operations de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Nokia Paraguay S.A., Nokia Puerto Rico Inc., Nokia Services Pty Limited, Nokia Services and Networks Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Nokia Shanghai Bell (Hong Kong) Limited, Nokia Shanghai Bell Co. Ltd., Nokia Shanghai Bell Lao Sole Co. Ltd., Nokia Shanghai Bell Philippines Inc., Nokia Shanghai Bell Software Co. Ltd., Nokia Siemens Networks Afghanistan LLC, Nokia Siemens Networks Algerie SARL, Nokia Slovakia A.S., Nokia Solutions Networks Iletisim A.S., Nokia Solutions and Networks (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks (Suzhou) Supply Chain Service Co. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks AB, Nokia Solutions and Networks Argentina S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Asset Management Oy, Nokia Solutions and Networks Australia Pty Ltd, Nokia Solutions and Networks B.V., Nokia Solutions and Networks Baku LLC, Nokia Solutions and Networks Bangladesh Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks Bolivia S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Branch Operations Oy, Nokia Solutions and Networks CCC, Nokia Solutions and Networks CJSC, Nokia Solutions and Networks Chile Ltda., Nokia Solutions and Networks Colombia Ltda., Nokia Solutions and Networks Czech Republic s.r.o., Nokia Solutions and Networks EOOD, Nokia Solutions and Networks Ecuador S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Ethernet Services Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG, Nokia Solutions and Networks Hellas Single Member S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Holding Osterreich GmbH, Nokia Solutions and Networks Honduras S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks India Private Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks International Holding GmbH, Nokia Solutions and Networks Investment (China) Co. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Israel Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Italia S.p.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Japan G.K., Nokia Solutions and Networks Kazakhstan LLP, Nokia Solutions and Networks Kft., Nokia Solutions and Networks Korea Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Kuwait Company W.L.L, Nokia Solutions and Networks LLC, Nokia Solutions and Networks Lanka (Private) Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks MEA FZ-LLC, Nokia Solutions and Networks Management GmbH, Nokia Solutions and Networks Morocco SARL, Nokia Solutions and Networks Myanmar Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks Nederland B.V., Nokia Solutions and Networks Nicaragua S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Nigeria Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Norge AS, Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Nokia Solutions and Networks OU, Nokia Solutions and Networks Pakistan (Private) Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks Peru S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks Philippines Inc., Nokia Solutions and Networks Portugal S.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks S.R.L., Nokia Solutions and Networks S.p.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks SIA, Nokia Solutions and Networks Schweiz AG, Nokia Solutions and Networks Serbia d.o.o. Beograd, Nokia Solutions and Networks Singapore Pte. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks South Africa Pty. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Sp. z.o.o, Nokia Solutions and Networks System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Taiwan Co. Ltd., Nokia Solutions and Networks Tanzania Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks Tashkent LLC, Nokia Solutions and Networks Technical Services Vietnam Company Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks TraffiCOM Kft., Nokia Solutions and Networks Tunisia SA, Nokia Solutions and Networks UK Limited, Nokia Solutions and Networks Venezuela C.A., Nokia Solutions and Networks d.o.o., Nokia Solutions and Networks d.o.o. Banja Luka, Nokia Solutions and Networks d.o.o. Sarajevo, Nokia Solutions and Networks do Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda., Nokia Solutions and Networks telekomunikacijske resitve d.o.o., Nokia Solutions and Networks Osterreich GmbH, Nokia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Nokia Spain S.A., Nokia Technologies (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Nokia Technologies (UK) Limited, Nokia Technologies Oy, Nokia Technology Center Philippines Inc., Nokia Technology GmbH, Nokia Teknologia Oy, Nokia Training Center Russian Federation, Nokia Transformation Engineering & Consulting Services Spain S.L.U., Nokia UK Limited, Nokia US Holdings Inc., Nokia Unterstutzungsgesellschaft GmbH, Nokia Uruguay S.A., Nokia West and Central Africa SA, Nokia of America Corporation, Novarra Inc., OOO Nokia Solutions and Networks, OOO RTK  Network Technologies, OZ Communications, OZ Communications HK Limited, P.T. Lucent Technologies Network Systems Indonesia, PT Nokia Solutions and Networks Indonesia, Pishahang Communications Networks Development Company (Private Joint Stock), Plazes, Plum, R.F.S. (UK) Limited, RFS Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, RFS Holding GmbH, RFS India Telecom Private Limited, RFS Italia SRL, RFS Radio Frequency Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., RFS Radio Frequency Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Radio Frequency Systems (Africa) Pty Ltd, Radio Frequency Systems (S) Pte Ltd, Radio Frequency Systems France, Radio Frequency Systems GmbH, Radio Frequency Systems Inc., Radio Frequency Systems Pty Limited, Radio Frequency Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Ramp Networks Inc., Redback Networks Inc., Rooftop Communications Corporation, SAC AE Design Group Inc., SAC Wireless, SAC Wireless LLC, SAC Wireless of CA Inc., SRA Computer C.V., STC, Sega.com Inc., Smarterphone, Societe de Telecommunication Camerounaise  Sotelcam, Space Time Insight, Symbian Limited, Symbian Ltd, Tahoe Networks, Taiwan International Standard Electronics Limited, Technophone Ltd, Telekol Group, Trolltech (Qt Development Frameworks), Twango, UAB Nokia Solutions and Networks, Unium, User Interface Design, Vertu Holdings Oy, Vienna Systems Corporation, Western Electric Company Incorporated, Western Electric International Incorporated, Withings, Zyzyx Inc., bit-side GmbH, cellity AG, earthmine, and gate5 AG.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Rite Aid: 1515 West State Street Boise Idaho LLC, 1740 Associates LLC, 4042 Warrensville Center RoadWarrensville Ohio Inc., 5277 Associates Inc., 5600 Superior Properties Inc., Advance Benefits LLC, Apex Drug Stores Inc., Ascend Health Technology LLC, Bartell Drugs, Broadview and WallingsBroadview Heights Ohio Inc., Design Rx Holdings LLC, Design Rx LLC, Design Rxclusives LLC, Drug Palace Inc., EDC Drug Stores Inc., Eckerd Corporation, Edgehill Drugs, Elixir Holdings LLC, Elixir Insurance Company, Elixir Pharmacy LLC, Elixir Puerto Rico Inc., Elixir Rx Options LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions of Nevada LLC, Elixir Savings LLC, Envision Pharmaceutical, First Florida Insurers of Tampa LLC, GDF Inc., Genovese Drug Stores Inc., Gettysburg and Hoover-Dayton Ohio LLC, Grand River & Fenkell LLC, Harco, Harco Inc., Health Dialog, Health Dialog Services Corporation, Hunter Lane LLC, ILG  90 B Avenue Lake Oswego LLC, JCG Holdings USA Inc., JCG PJC USA LLC, K&B Alabama Corporation, K&B Incorporated, K&B Industries, K&B Louisiana Corporation, K&B Mississippi Corporation, K&B Services Incorporated, K&B Tennessee Corporation, K&B Texas Corporation, LMW  90B Avenue Lake Oswego Inc., Lakehurst and Broadway Corporation, Laker Software LLC, Maxi Drug Inc., Maxi Drug North Inc., Maxi Drug South L.P., Maxi Green Inc., Munson & Andrews LLC, Name Rite LLC, P.J.C. Distribution Inc., P.J.C. Realty Co. Inc., PCS Health Systems, PDS-1 Michigan Inc., PJC Lease Holdings Inc., PJC Manchester Realty LLC, PJC Peterborough Realty LLC, PJC Realty MA Inc., PJC Revere Realty LLC, PJC Special Realty Holdings Inc., PJC of Massachusetts Inc., PJC of Rhode Island Inc., PJC of Vermont Inc., Perry Distributors Inc., Perry Drug Stores Inc., RCMH LLC, RDS Detroit Inc., READs Inc., RediClinic, RediClinic Associates Inc., RediClinic LLC, RediClinic US LLC, RediClinic of DC LLC, RediClinic of DE LLC, RediClinic of Dallas Forth-Worth LLC, RediClinic of MD LLC, RediClinic of PA LLC, RediClinic of VA LLC, Richfield Road  Flint Michigan LLC, Rite Aid Drug Palace Inc., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Corp., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Funding Inc., Rite Aid Lease Management Company, Rite Aid Online Store Inc., Rite Aid Payroll Management Inc., Rite Aid Realty Corp., Rite Aid Rome Distribution Center Inc., Rite Aid Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Rite Aid Transport Inc., Rite Aid of Connecticut Inc., Rite Aid of Delaware Inc., Rite Aid of Georgia Inc., Rite Aid of Indiana Inc., Rite Aid of Kentucky Inc., Rite Aid of Maine Inc., Rite Aid of Maryland Inc., Rite Aid of Michigan Inc., Rite Aid of New Hampshire Inc., Rite Aid of New Jersey Inc., Rite Aid of New York Inc., Rite Aid of North Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Ohio Inc., Rite Aid of Pennsylvania LLC, Rite Aid of South Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Tennessee Inc., Rite Aid of Vermont Inc., Rite Aid of Virginia Inc., Rite Aid of Washington D.C. Inc., Rite Aid of West Virginia Inc., Rite Investments Corp., Rite Investments Corp. LLC, Rx Choice Inc., Rx Initiatives LLC, Rx USA Inc., The Bartell Drug Company, The Jean Coutu Group PJC USA Inc., The Lane Drug Company, Thrift Drug Inc., Thrifty Corporation, Thrifty PayLess Inc., and Tonic Procurement Solutions LLC.

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The Sherwin-Williams Company develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells paints, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: The Americas Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. The Americas Group segment offers architectural paints and coatings, and protective and marine products, as well as OEM product finishes and related products for architectural and industrial paint contractors, and do-it-yourself homeowners. The Consumer Brands Group segment supplies a portfolio of branded and private-label architectural paints, stains, varnishes, industrial products, wood finishes products, wood preservatives, applicators, corrosion inhibitors, aerosols, caulks, and adhesives to retailers and distributors. The Performance Coatings Group segment develops and sells industrial coatings for wood finishing and general industrial applications, automotive refinish products, protective and marine coatings, coil coatings, packaging coatings, and performance-based resins and colorants. It serves retailers, dealers, jobbers, licensees, and other third-party distributors through its branches and direct sales staff, as well as through outside sales representatives. The company has operations primarily in the North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As of February 17, 2022, it operated approximately 5,000 company-operated stores and facilities. The Sherwin-Williams Company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Imperial Oil Limited engages in exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for, and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had 386 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, blending of refined products and the distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals, benzene, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, plasticizer intermediates, and polyethylene resin. Imperial Oil Limited has a strategic agreement with E3 Metals Corp. to advance a lithium-extraction pilot in Alberta. The company was incorporated in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Southwest Georgia Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Southwest Georgia Bank that provides banking and financial services to individuals, businesses, and governmental customers. The company operates through four segments: Retail and Commercial Banking Services, Insurance Services, Wealth Strategies Services, and Financial Management Services. It offers deposit products, including consumer and commercial checking accounts, money market accounts, NOW accounts, savings accounts, noninterest-bearing and interest-bearing demand deposits, and time deposits, as well as certificates of deposit and business accounts. The company also provides secured and unsecured loans; consumer installment loans, and construction and mortgage loans; and financial and agricultural loans, as well as lines of credit. In addition, it offers corporate, pension, and personal trust services, as well as acts as trustee, executor, and administrator for estates and as an administrator or trustee of various types of employee benefit plans for corporations and other organizations. Further, the company provides retail brokerage services, which include sale of retail investment products comprising stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and annuities; property and casualty, life, health, and disability insurance services; and investment securities management services. The company's primary market area comprises Colquitt, Baker, Lowndes, Tift, Worth, and the surrounding counties of southwest Georgia. It operates through five full service banking facilities and six automated teller machines, as well as a loan production office in Tifton, Georgia. The company was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Moultrie, Georgia.
KMC to inspect houses to enforce building code

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has started monitoring of buildings in 32 wards of the metropolis in a bid to effectively enforce the building code laid down by the government.
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets household, personal care, and specialty products. It operates through three segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International, and Specialty Products Division. The company offers cat litters, carpet deodorizers, laundry detergents, and baking soda, as well as other baking soda based products under the ARM & HAMMER brand; condoms, lubricants, and vibrators under the TROJAN brand; stain removers, cleaning solutions, laundry detergents, and bleach alternatives under the OXICLEAN brand; battery-operated and manual toothbrushes under the SPINBRUSH brand; home pregnancy and ovulation test kits under the FIRST RESPONSE brand; depilatories under the NAIR brand; oral analgesics under the ORAJEL brand; laundry detergents under the XTRA brand; gummy dietary supplements under the L'IL CRITTERS and VITAFUSION brands; dry shampoos under the BATISTE brand; water flossers and replacement showerheads under the WATERPIK brand; FLAWLESS products; cold shortening and relief products under the ZICAM brand; and oral care products under the THERABREATH brand. Its specialty products include animal productivity products, such as MEGALAC rumen bypass fat, a supplement that enables cows to maintain energy levels during the period of high milk production; BIO-CHLOR and FERMENTEN, which are used to reduce health issues associated with calving, as well as provides needed protein; and CELMANAX refined functional carbohydrate, a yeast-based prebiotic. The company offers sodium bicarbonate; and cleaning and deodorizing products. It sells its consumer products through supermarkets, mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, drugstores, convenience stores, home stores, dollar and other discount stores, pet and other specialty stores, and websites and other e-commerce channels; and specialty products to industrial customers and livestock producers through distributors. The company was founded in 1846 and is headquartered in Ewing, New Jersey.
The Blue Jays announced today that infielder Ty Kelly was designated for assignment. His roster spot will go to righty Mat Latos, whose pending call-up was reported recently.

The 28-year-old Kelly was only just acquired from the Mets through a waiver claim. He was optioned to Triple-A upon landing with the Toronto organization, and only got into two games of action before this latest roster move. Of course, he could still end up back at Buffalo if he clears waivers this time around  though Kelly would also have the opportunity to elect free agency instead.

Kelly has minimal experience in the majors, but has shown excellent contact ability and plate discipline in the upper minors. In six campaigns and over 1,500 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, Kelly has compiled a .381 OBP (though he has slugged just .383) by drawing 230 walks against 237 strikeouts. He also brings some versatility to the table, with experience at second, third, and the corner outfield.
It is easy to start off with high moral standards, strong convictions, and determination to beat down corruption. But it is difficult to live up to these good intentions unless the leaders are strong and determined enough to deal with all transgressors, and without exceptions. We cannot afford to forget that public order, personal security, economic and social progress, and prosperity are not the natural order of things, that they depend on ceaseless effort and attention from an honest and effective government that the people must elect.

Lee Kuan Yew



'Who told you that you are naked?' 'Have you eaten fruit from the tree I warned you about?' 'Yes' Adam admitted, 'but it was the woman you gave me who brought me some, and I ate it'. Then the Lord God asked the woman, 'How could you do such a thing?' 'The serpent tricked me', she replied'

The Living Bible



Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, has this to say about the Trojan Horse: The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the subterfuge that the Greeks used to enter the city of Troy and win the war. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse , and hid a select force of men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city of Troy, ending the war . Metaphorically a Trojan Horse has come to mean any trick or stratagem that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected bastion or place.

As a leader, if the criminals do not get to you directly, they will get to you through your spouse or your children or the members of your close or distance family or your church leader or your traditional leader or your political appointees or your friends or even your enemies. One basic trick the IMF plays on poor third world countries which have been destroyed through the greed, mismanagement and corruption of their gullible leaders is the offer of supposedly free dinner. The IMF will come to you and take you to a posh restaurant and ask you to eat anything of your choice, free of charge, assuring you that your grandchildren will come and pay (so called conditionalities). After you have eaten enough and your stomach is full, the IMF will give you quick acting purgative for you to purge your bowels so that you can sit down and eat some more. When eventually you are fully satisfied, the IMF will lead you to the entrance of the restaurant and at that point, the IMF will give you a bill to pay. The IMF will tell you the bill is for the dinner your grandfather took. That is a typical Trojan Horse subterfuge. As the very famous saying goes: there is no free dinner.

When Nana Akufo Addo, the president, inaugurated the Ghana @60 Committee, he promised the nation that virtually all the funds for the celebration would be coming from the private sector. When I heard him say that I told myself, hei, wait a minute, did I hear right. The private sector is not a Salvation Army involved in free humanitarian religious activities. The private sector is there to make maximum profit for its beneficial owners. So if a private businessman is going to contribute to a national assignment after he has paid all his legitimate taxes, then you can expect that the businessman will be placing a Trojan Horse at your doorstep at the least opportunity. That was why my heart missed a beat from shock when I read that a private sector financial institution was going to donate US$100nillion towards the NPP policy of one village one factory project. Then the shock I had turned into electrocution when I read it in the newspapers and also saw and heard President Akufo Addo waxing eloquence about the receipt of the best birthday gift of US$100 million as sponsorship for one of the pet projects of his NPP administration, the one village one factory project.

As I sat down pondering over the issue, my mind went back to what I had heard sometime back about a famous religious personality who was reported to have said one time that she was not worried about the source of donation to her charity organisation so long as it is put to a good use. If somebody can give you free US$100 million, then it means he must have over one billion United States dollars waiting on call somewhere. But that is not what worries me. That financial institution must have hatched a well-oiled strategic plan to get that money and multiples of it back as soon as possible. But that still is a small worry to me. The NPP was voted into power on the gospel of change. The NPP was voted into power to use an effective and efficient broom to sweep away the criminals who constituted the evil satanic NDC looting empire and to dispatch then to the hottest part of hell.

During the entire reign of the PNDC/NDC, the greedy bastards, the old evil dwarfs, the babies with sharp teeth, the liars, the leeches by whatever name the Godfather of the despicable organisation chose to call them, the constituent apparatchiks constituted themselves into a rainbow coalition of a Frankenstein monster, a Dracula blood sucking vampire bat that fed on the nation. The PNDC created a specialist thieving organisation called Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) which provided a looting machinery to sell cheaply all the state industries which constituted the jewels in the king's crown to members of the PNDC and their imbecile criminal local and foreign collaborators. When that was done, the NDC set up another stealing mechanism, soul sourcing, to reap off the nation through the awards of contracts to its members and cronies and family members and accomplices.

E-mail: [email protected]

By Kwame Gyasi






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The Vice President has disclosed that government will soon issue a 15-year bond to help it clear debts in the energy sector.

The country is yet to clear a significant amount of debts in the energy sector despite introduction of levies to clear the debt.

The Energy Sector Levy was introduced with the aim of clearing the debts of some state-owned enterprises in the energy sector, the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) being the two main state enterprises facing the debt challenges.

The Akufo-Addo government campaigned during the 2016 elections on the promise to scrap the levies hence the intensification of the call in the wake of fuel price increases.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia speaking to JOYBUSINESS at the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring meeting currently ongoing in Washington DC, said although the ESL is dealing with all the liabilities of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) government is planning to have one bond which will take care of all the liabilities.

"Government will service those bonds with the ESL revenue so it is a much neater situation and allows space for our energy companies like the VRAs to have a much stronger balance sheet," he added.

He believes this will enable those companies to further grow, be able to invest again as well as attract investment again.

The former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) said in the area of energy investment, he has also been speaking about reviewing the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact with the U.S government.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Wiafe | Joy Business |Washington DC
The nature and extent of the damage that has been done to our landscape and water-bodies is such that I sometimes wonder whether an evil spell has been cast on some of our people so as to make them utterly stupid.

Videos and still pictures of rivers and streams that have been destroyed by galamsey have flooded the media  even before the media coalition against galamsey was inaugurated  so that no-one can say that he/she does not know what is really going on. And yet there are articulate people in this country who resort to a weird interpretation of words to try and persuade the public that galamsey is not illegal. Or that even if galamsey is illegal, small-scale mining is not illegal.

Amazingly, this deliberate confusion is apparently fostered by no less an organisation than the Minerals Commission, which is the statutory body charged with regulating the mining industry in Ghana. A report in the Daily Guide of 21 April 2017 makes this very clear:

QUOTE: The Minister [of Lands and Mineral Resources, Mr Peter Amewu] was upset with some top officials of the [Minerals] Commission, especially those at the Mines Inspectorate Directorate, whom he [accused of being] directly responsible for the galamsey menace. He was particularly shocked when officials of the Commission  the Chief Inspector of Mines, Obiri-Yeboah Twumasi, being one of them  were unable to tell him which mining companies had licences to operate in some particular areas,

[This painted] a picture of such chief directors [as persons who operate] from their air-conditioned vehicles and offices without going to the field to know what's actually happening. In view of that, Mr. Amewu  promised to employ four mines inspectors in each mining district, nationwide, and give them motorbikes to help in the fight against illegal mining.

It [also] emerged during the tour that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is supposed to assess the environmental impact of mining activities nationwide, is not monitoring the activities of small-scale miners. Mr. Amewu, who appeared visibly downhearted [at] the extent of damage caused to the environment in the districts [he] visited [accompanied by representatives of the media] had sought to find out why the Minerals Commission had not been able to ensure that mining activities are undertaken in a manner that does not cause destruction to the environment. But officials of the Commission argued that the EPA had not been helping them over the years and that the Agency was only preoccupied with the big mining firms. UNQUOTE

In fact, the confusion at the Minerals Commission does not end at the fact that the Commissions officials do not know that there is nothing like licensed medium-scale mining in Ghana. The confusion also extends to so-called small-scale mining, for according to one of our best legal brains, Mr Ace Ankomah, no licence for any type of mining operation in Ghana can be considered legal until it [the licence]has been ratified by Parliament!

Mr Ankomah said that Mining rights and leases granted to small-scale mining firms have not been ratified by Parliament since the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution, which renders all [[such] mining operations in the country illegal. He, therefore, demanded that all licences or leases granted small-scale mining that had not been ratified by Parliament must stop immediately because they were all illegal.

Mr Ankomah made the disclosure when he led OccupyGhana to join a media coalition meeting in Accra [comprising major media organisations] to wage a crusade against the 'galamsey' menace.

[Mr Ankomah said] QUOTE: Article 268 (1) of the 1992 Constitution states that: Any transaction, contract or undertaking involving the grant of a right or concession by or on behalf of any person, including the Government of Ghana, to any other person or body of persons howsoever described, for the exploitation of any mineral, water or other natural resource of Ghana made or entered into after the coming into force of this Constitution shall be subject to ratification by Parliament.UNQUOTE

Buttressing his point, Mr Ankomah stated that NO small-scale mining licences had been taken to Parliament to be ratified, for which reason, he called for an immediate end to all such mining operations, subject to the ratification of mining licences. He said the fight against galamsey should not only be limited to persons engaged in 'pick axe' mining but should also include [all] persons mining without the proper licences.

Mr Ankomah declared QUOTE: Even if the Minerals Commission has issued a licence, [so long as] Parliament has not ratified [it], it should be considered [to be] galamsey. Our demand is that all [mining activities relating to licences] or leases that have not been to Parliament, must stop immediately because they are all illegal.

Mr Ankomah added that OccupyGhana was determined to take legal actions to have galamsey stopped.

This revelation by Mr Ace Ankomah is of the greatest importance, for it robs the double-talkers who shamelessly argue for the continuation of galamsey (because they claim it is not illegal) of any excuse to advocate the existence of the evil practice. Politicians, in particular, should be careful of what they say in support of galamsey. For in arguing (1) that galamsey provides a living for unemployed youngsters and (2) that some galamsey operations are legal because the operators have been given licences by the Minerals Commission, they are undermining the very Constitution of Ghana that enables politicians to rule the country  no less.

The pro-galamsey politicians cannot argue that because armed robbery  although illegal  can result in some unemployed people obtaining a livelihood, it is to be tolerated by society. Highwaymen and fraudsters also obtain money from their operations. But the state descends on them with an iron hand when they commit the crimes which they have adopted as a way of life.

Galamsey must be viewed in the same light. It is illegal. It is dangerous to those who operate it. And it is destroying our water-bodies, which means it is an act of genocide. For it is rendering the future populace of Ghana incapable of surviving in the land of their birth. Without water to drink.

No-one would have the right to do that, even if it was legal. Anyway, only fools would wish to continue a practice that is visibly murderous, simply because they thought it was technically legal. Unfortunately, we do have quite a few of such murderous fools. Our Government should not pay the slightest attention to them.

www.cameronduodu.com

By Cameron Duodu
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in the economic development of any country.

It is no surprise that developed countries enjoying a growing and booming economies attribute most of their achievements to a flourishing SME sector.

The potential of SMEs to promote domestic-driven growth of new and existing industries and to strengthen the resilience of the economy in a competitive and challenging environment is inarguable.

According to the Department of statistics of Malaysia, the economic growth in developed countries such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan and many others, was significantly generated by SME activities.

The potential of SMEs to promote domestic-led growth in new and existing industries and to strengthen the resilience of an economy in a competitive and challenging environment is not arguable.

This shows that small and medium enterprises have been the backbone of economic growth and driving industrial development. Due to their sheer numbers, size and nature of operations, the role of SMEs in promoting endogenous sources of growth and strengthening the infrastructure for accelerated economic expansion and development has been recognized.

SMEs In Ghana

The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) which is the regulatory body for SMEs in Ghana, defines SMEs in terms of both fixed asset and number of employees as an enterprise with turnover greater than US$200,000 and not more than US$5 million equivalent.

The SME market constitutes the vast majority of businesses in Ghana and over the years has evolved to become the key supplier and service provider to large corporations, inclusive of multinational and transnational corporations, says Dr. Tweneboah Senzu, Managing Director of Bastiat Ghana, a liberal economic think-tank.

He says principally, SMEs have contributed to expanding output, providing value-added activities in the manufacturing sector and creating employment opportunities, especially in the services sector.

Dr. Senzu, citing a recent study conducted by the think-tank said 92 per cent of companies registered in Ghana are micro, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

According to the study, 85 per cent of the SMEs offer employment in the manufacturing sector. Also, 75 per cent of them contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

Obstacles

Among the bigger obstacles to SMEs in Ghana is access to funding and ability to conduct market research to support their operations as a guide to work scientifically for the success of their ventures.

The market landscape is very dynamic, fast-paced and evolving functions of numerous challenges and opportunities which the support of only quality market research will make a venture have a bright future with investors confident to invest, he observes.

Due to the challenges which include inefficiency due to poor work place corporation, lack of quality management, poor human resource management and occupational safety and health, most SMEs do not perform to their capacities, with others folding up as a result of frustrations in dealing with the challenges they encounter.

ILO Score

It is in the light of this that the International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation (NORAD), has been implementing the Sustainable Competitive and Responsible Enterprise (SCORE) in Ghana for the past six years.

SCORE is an ILO training programme to improve productivity and work conditions in SMEs that have the potential for growth through better workplace cooperation.

It is a global programme, currently operating in 12 emerging economies in manufacturing and other economic sectors.

The SCORE curriculum comprises five modules: workplace cooperation, quality management, cleaner production, human resource management and occupational safety and health. Ghana is currently implementing the SCORE phase II after successfully implementing the first phase.

Mr. Kwamina Amoasi-Andoh, SCORE Country leader, says the objective of the programme in general is that SMEs are more sustainable through being cleaner, more productive and competitive and provide more sustainable and decent employment.

He adds that to achieve this, the project, which is in its second phase because of the success chalked in the first phase, is expected to help industry associations to market and coordinate enterprise upgrading services to their local members, among others.

Service providers can effectively deliver training and advisory services for workplace upgrading on a commercially sustainable basis.

Labour inspectorate services work with the mass media to disseminate progressive workplace practices. Each module is delivered in two-day classroom workshop which is followed by site visits.

According to Mr. Amoasi-Andoh, the programme has the capacity to train about 40 enterprises by the end of the year.

SCORE II Achievements

The SCORE Country leader says Ghana has done very well in the implementation of the SCORE II project, indicating that the programme has expanded to other regions with the training of 12 additional trainers, with eight being certified by the ILO.

We have trained 125 enterprises in the manufacturing sector, developed efficient trainers (18) with 72 per cent of enterprises undergoing modules two to five. We have had a positive change in attitude for workers and management and have mainstreamed gender in all aspects of the programme, he claims.

Sharing the results from data gathered from the enterprises that have undergone SCORE training, Mr. Amoasi-Andoh notes that there has been a high financial saving in six months from $3,000 to $41,000 with defects reduction of 11 to 38 per cent.

There has been efficiency in raw material usage through waste reduction of 15 to 45 per cent, increase in employment (25 per cent in 2013 and 18 per cent in 2015), he states.

He further adds that Ghana is already training and certifying trainers, using its own mater trainers who will be retrained.

Implementing SCORE III

Mr. Amoasi-Andoh says despite the great success of SCORE phase II, the programme still has some challenges it is working to overcome.

He notes that the country needs to look for ways to finance SCORE module I, which is free. According to him, government is also yet to fulfill its part of the agreement to fund the module I of the SCORE programme.

We have been to the ministry of finance and they advised that the then ministry of employment and labour relations should add the amount they were supposed to support SCORE with to their budget so that we can receive our money; but it was not added so we did not get our allocation as promised, he assets and adds, We are however, hopeful that with the new government our allocation will be in the next budget.

He says that notwithstanding the gains made, the country has the nod to continue the programme to its third phase which looks at the country working to achieve financial, technical institutional and market sustainability.

He said the first step in the implementation process is to increase the presence of SCORE to SMEs. Although the programme advertises and calls for application, the feedback it receives is lower than expected. The highest number of SMEs applying for a module is 11, the rest we have to identify them, go and make a presentation and convince them to sign up, he discloses.

Mr. Amoasi-Andoh states that the programme had developed an SME show on TV to educate more SMEs on its benefits. The SMEs need to apply to train and know that SCORE can help them, he urged.

The programme, he maintains, has already identified lead buyers, multi-nationals who buy products from SMEs in their value chain and advise them (SMEs) to go for the ILO SCORE training.

We will develop the strategy to work with lead buyers in SCORE II as part of the sustainability agenda; the project will develop the process and the workable approach to enable ILO and the partners to work with MNEs and large enterprises for their mutual benefits, he points out.

Thus, with the work ILO SCORE Project is implementing in the country, Mr. Amoasi-Andoh believes, the country can develop a sustainability strategy with the government and its social partners to ensure that the exit of ILO SCORE Office from the country will not kill the programme.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri


Bertha Frimpong

22.04.2017 LISTEN

The Nursing and Midwifery Training School at Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region was on Friday thrown into a state of mourning after it emerged that a first-year student had committed suicide.

The deceased, who was identified as Bertha Frimpong, 21 years old, reportedly drank a liquid substance believed to be poison, leading to her death.

Her body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, pending autopsy.

According to reports, Bertha consumed the suspected poison Thursday afternoon and suffered severe stomach pains afterwards.

School authorities told Luv FM that Bertha Frimpong, a nursing assistant clinical student, was rushed to the hospital Wednesday evening by two of her mates.

She is reported to have complained of stomach ache but the hospital authorities detected a substance in her mouth which they suspected to be DDT.

They tried to revive the unconscious lady but all attempts were unsuccessful and so she was referred to KATH where she died at 5:00 am Friday.

Some of her mates alleged that she performed poorly during a recent examination and could not withstand the stigma and that could have occasioned the suicide.

Other reports also indicated that a certain guy that she was dating unexpectedly dumped her without any proper explanation, so she ended her life because of broken heart.

According to the police, who are still investigating, Bertha Frimpong, had applied to do a general nursing programme, but the school gave her nursing assistant (clinical) instead.

They said this depressed her so much that it might have led to that decision.

A note she left behind read: Lord please forgive me, everyone; I didnt deserve to eat the fruit because of my ungratefulness, please forgive me, everyone.

The traumatised principal of the school declined to comment, but promised to do so when she got over the tragic incident.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Nana Ampim-Darko (left) of Nkonya & Togbega Tsedze Atakora of Alavanyo

As part of measures to ensure peace and stability at Nkonya and Alavanyo, the paramount chiefs of the two feuding communities have been suspended from the Volta Regional House of Chiefs indefinitely.

The sanction comes two days after a shooting incident at Nkonya, which left two men dead and two others injured.

Although the assailants are yet to be identified, sources close to the area allege that the shooters were from Alavanyo.

The suspension, which takes immediate effect, was confirmed to DAILY GUIDE by the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Soglo Alloh IV, who is also the paramount chief of the Likpe Traditional Area.

He also admitted that although the sanction seems harsh, it's necessary because earlier diplomatic measures hadn't yielded much.

To this end, a combination of the diplomacy and sanction is also a step towards ensuring peace at Nkonya and Alavanyo.

Nana Soglo Alloh added that the chiefs had been suspended because they had not been able to ensure the sustenance of peace and stability in their respective jurisdictions.

With this latest incident, it is clear that our brothers are not working hard enough to keep the peace and control their subjects. I believe they are in the position to control their people and that is what we expect from them, he underscored.

History

Nana Alloh explained that the two communities have been fighting for about 94 years over land and despite all the measures put in place by the House of Chiefs, government and other key stakeholders, there seems to be no end in sight as far as the conflict is concerned.

He recalled how 15 years ago the Regional House, under the leadership of Togbe Gabusu, set up a committee of eminent Voltaians with the immediate past Bishop of Ho, Lodonu, as the Chairman, to broker peace between the two.

He said a peace pipe was smoked with assurances from both sides.

However, that pact was broken after a short while. After that there have been several other mediations and peace accords, with the recent one being last year.

That has again been broken with the latest shooting incident which occurred at about 6:30 pm last Wednesday.

Nana Alloh, who was very disappointed, noted that the latest incident had not only plunged the area into negative publicity, but also brought the House of Chiefs into disrepute, despite several interventions.

Although the suspension isn't forever, Nana Alloh was optimistic that it would yield some dividends.

Updates On Shooting

The police are yet to make arrests in the latest incident.

The deceased have been identified as Yao Akombo, 40, and Prince Mawusi Donkor, 31.

The one on admission who had been visited by the Regional Minister, Archiebald Yaw Letsa, has also been identified as 21-year-old Richard Kalabi.

Although the Regional Police Commander, ACP Nana Asomah Hineh, has not linked the incident to the protracted Nkonya/Alavanyo land dispute, residents and police sources on the ground believe otherwise.

The regional minister has since called for calm and assured the country of peace and stability in the area.

A Peace Ambassador for Nkonya/Alavanyo, Clemence Gyato, agreed with Nana Alloh that the land should be taken over by the government.

From Fred Duodu, Ho ( [email protected] )


I recently had the opportunity to interview U.S. Sen. Richard Burr for my public affairs program "Front Row" on UNC-TV.In full disclosure, I have known Richard since 1992 when a mutual friend introduced us and asked me to help with paid media in the waning days of his campaign. The race was close, but incumbent Democratic Rep. Steve Neal prevailed. Undeterred, Burr got up off the mat and was elected to congress in the Gingrich wave of 1994. The rest, as they say, is history.As one who has observed and worked with many politicians over the last 35 years, Sen. Burr stands out for numerous reasons.Unlike many, Burr does not seek the limelight. In fact, he shuns it. He rarely if ever does the Sunday morning talk shows, and when he does he is precise and measured in his words.In his role as the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burr receives a daily intelligence briefing - similar to the one prepared for the president. And in this day and time there is very little good news in those reports. One can only surmise how sobering they are on a daily basis.During my interview with the senator, he imparted that on every continent in the world today there is a terrorist hot spot.He outlined the situation in North Korea, America's options, and the very real threat that the North Korean regime poses for our allies in the region and to the homeland.We discussed Russia and Syria at some length, and when I asked him if we we're in a new cold war with Russia he was unequivocal in saying, "Yes."And when I asked Burr if Vladimir Putin and Russia were 100 percent behind the dictator of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, he again gave an unqualified answer: "100 percent."We also discussed Russia's expanding footprint in the Middle East, the Syrian refugee problem, and our ability to properly "vet" or do background checks on those people who have no paper trail.Burr made clear that as Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, he was determined to leave no stone unturned in the investigation of Russia interference in our last election and any possible ties to the Trump campaign.Also during the interview, we discussed ISIS and al-Qaida, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the threats to the American homeland.On domestic policy, we discussed a wide range of issues - including health care, tax reform, and the Trump agenda.We concluded by talking about his decision not seek to seek a fourth term in the U.S. Senate. Burr is 28th in seniority in the Senate and now the second-longest serving senator in North Carolina's history.At the end of his term Burr will be 67, and he believes it's time for generational change. He also wants to spend more time with his family. He proudly told us he and wife Brooke now have grandchildren. Many politicians use the family as a crutch, but in Burr's case I believe it's genuine. And finally, although he didn't say it, I believe he's tired of the daily grind of Washington and all that entails.But for now, North Carolina is fortunate to have Richard Burr at the helm of our nation's Senate Intelligence Committee, quietly working to keep America safe.
Leave no one behind

It is now approaching two years since the day we lived through the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake. These two years have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for most of us, a time of fear, anxiety, anger and frustration, punctured by brief glimmers of hope.
Kwaku Kwarteng

22.04.2017 LISTEN

Deputy Finance Minister Kwaku Kwarteng, has dismissed allegations by the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in parliament that Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, cooked up a $2.25 billion bond for cronies.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the minority accused Mr Ofori-Atta of conflict of interest as far as the issuance of the government's recent 15-year-bond was concerned, demanding his immediate resignation.

According to the minority, the US-based firm, Franklyn Templeton Investment Limited, which bought 95 percent of the bond, had private dealings with the finance minister.

To that effect, he connived to give the US-based firm easy access to the bond in a deal they described as shady.

But reacting to the allegation on Starr Fm, Mr. Kwarteng berated the minority for misleading the public.

For him, there is no truth in the allegation and dared the minority to head to court if they believe the recent bond issuance was riddled with irregularities.

Mr Kwarteng added that of the bonds that had been issued by the Government of Ghana since 2015, Franklin Templeton participated and that They are not some new investors that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has interest in that we have gone to bring because there is a new administration.

He said the bond was issued by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and that the process leading to the issuance was the same traditionally, despite change of government.

He dared, If anybody says that the finance minister or some ministers have friends or have interest in any company and they think is conflict of interestI have heard that they say they'll seek parliamentary enquiry or they will go to CHRAJ or they will go to court. I support whatever anybody wants to do.

I think in the endthe truth will come out and going forward, we will be guided by the truth.
Chief Justice Theodora Georgina Wood

22.04.2017 LISTEN

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) is demanding the immediate payment of their salaries which have been outstanding since October 2016.

According to the Judicial Service staff, they would advise themselves if the government fails to pay their outstanding salaries by April 26, 2017.

Alex Nartey, President of JUSAG, in a statement issued in Accra yesterday, said it would be recounted that staff of the Judicial Service were assured of the implementation of the consolidated salaries, and that once the consolidated salaries are paid, the protracted payment of the benefits or allowances due staff would be a thing of the past.

Mr. Nartey, in a correspondence addressed to Alex B. Opoku-Acheampong, Judicial Secretary and copied to the Chief Justice Georgina Wood, among others, claimed the situation had negatively affected staff of the Association.

It would be recalled that JUSAG on June 1, 2016 cancelled its 10-day strike.

JUSAG, on May 20, 2016, declared an indefinite strike due to government's lackadaisical approach in addressing their concerns.

Members of the Association earlier walked out of a press conference to express their dissatisfaction with the handling of the impasse over their consolidated salaries by the previous Mahama administration.

[email protected]

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson


THE ATTORNEY General's (AG's) Department has called for the docket of the case involving 13 members of the Delta Force, a vigilante group.

Hearing of the case could therefore not come on as expected at a circuit court in Kumasi yesterday, presided over by Mrs. Mary Senkyire.

The court has therefore, adjourned hearing to May 18, this year, when it is expected that the AG would have finished studying the docket.

Thirteen members of the vigilante group, aligned with New Patriotic Party (NPP), allegedly assaulted George Adjei, the Ashanti Regional Security Liaison Officer, a few weeks ago.

They have been charged with assaulting a public officer and conspiracy to commit crime, among other charges.

Mathew Appiah, lawyer for the accused persons, told journalists yesterday that his clients are innocent of the charges preferred against them.

According to him, the police would not be able to confirm the charges that have been preferred against the 13 persons, stressing that they are innocent.

ACP Okyere Darko, the prosecutor, said the AG's Department by calling for the docket, has not taken over the case.

He explained that the police prosecute on behalf of the AG's Department and so the AG has the right to call for the docket and take over the case.

The 13 Delta Force members willingly surrendered themselves to the police after it had emerged that they had attacked the security capo.

They later escaped from court after they had been remanded for two weeks, only to surrender themselves to the police again some hours later.

They explained that a mob that stormed the court on the day got them scared, hence their decision to flee to save their lives.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) owes J. Stanley Owusu Group, which operates the Oti Landfill site, a whopping GH60 million.

Francis Marshall of J. Stanley Owusu Group, said that KMA's failure to pay the company for nine years had negatively affected its operations.

He said some of the creditors of the company such as GT Bank and GOIL have dragged the company to court over the debt, saying we are cash-strapped.

Mr. Marshall, who was almost in tears while speaking, appealed passionately to the new Chief Executive of KMA, Osei Assibey Antwi, to settle the debt.

According to him, his outfit was facing financial difficulties as a result of KMA's inability to make payment over the past nine years.

This came to light when Hon. Osei Assibey, who has hit the ground running, stormed Oti Landfill site to obtain first-hand information at the facility.

The Kumasi Mayor, who was accompanied by top officials such as Abraham Boadi aka 'Opooman, Presiding Member of KMA and Nana Yaw Owiredu, among others, said his unannounced visit was aimed at addressing the numerous challenges.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


The alleged invitation and 8-hour grilling of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, the Chief Executive Officer of the globally notorious Engineers and Planners (E&P) mining concern, ought to come as just a matter of course to those of us who studiously followed his bizarre career as a major contractor of his elder brothers thoroughgoing corrupt government. And on the latter count, of course, the obvious reference is to former President John Dramani Mahama. We know, for example, that the younger Mr. Mahama was neck-deep involved in the dredging of the Odaw River and a legion of other related ventures in the aftermath of the apocalyptic flash-flood fire that engulfed Accra-Central and took the lives of dozens of Ghanaians a couple, or so, years ago. And that deal, as widely reported by the media, could at best be described as shady and at the worst a veritable scam.

It was indubitably a classical conflict-of-interest case, although the extant regime touted the proprietor of E & P as a bend-over-backwards magnanimous benefactor who undertook the Odaw River dredging exercise voluntarily. The project was aimed at desilting the river as a means of drastically reducing the high incidence of perennial deadly flooding of the nations capital. As of this writing and a couple of years later, however, it is not clear that anything substantive was achieved. Indeed, about a year later, a Member of Parliament  I stand to be corrected, but I believe her name was Ms. Freda Prempeh  had a close call in the same area, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, where about 100 people reportedly lost their lives. The figure noted here could be much lower than the reality. But that is not our primary focus here; rather, it is about the alleged 8-hour intense questioning of the younger Mr. Mahama by agents of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

That, so far, no criminal charges have been publicly and officially brought against the E & Ps CEO, means that it is simply just what the news media claims it to be: a pure and simple invitation from EOCO to a person of interest. What this means is that until any formal charges have been preferred against the subject of this column, we cannot tendentiously comment one way or another about the meaning and/or implication of this event. We can only assume, perhaps with a modicum of justification, that there is absolutely no smoke without fire. In other words, one does not come up for such intense questioning if the EOCO operatives have no reason to either believe or suspect the commission of a wrongful act. There has, in fact, been mentioned the possibility of the brother of the former President having been invited by the EOCO officials/investigators to account for the bouncing of some checks that the E & P boss allegedly issued to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), as payment for the clearance of some heavy-duty equipment imported into the country via the Tema Harbor.

We dont know the full details or the veracity of such report or hearsay information to draw any profound or meaningful conclusions here either. All we can do is to simply cross our fingers and hope that justice will be done in the long run. We cannot facilely assume that Mr. Ibrahim Mahama is guilty of any criminal wrongdoing merely because he allegedly solicited and was awarded a host of contracts by a by a government that was run by his brother. Indeed, as somebody pointed out in the same news report on which this column is based, the Kufuor government did lucrative business with the highly connected TICO power-generating plant firm. Now, I dont know what kind of relationship existed between the Kufuor-led government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and this TICO firm, so-called. But what I can say with bold and fierce confidence is that former President John Agyekum-Kufuor and President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are not one and the same personality. So any cynical attempt to mischievously link these two very different personalities had better be evidentially or forensically foolproof. Guilt by association would simply not work in this instance, unless one mischievously decides to discount the real and very public relationship between these two men between the years 2008 and 2016. Maybe 2008 and 2012 is the more evidentially accurate.

Well, as of this press preparation, it had been reported that EOCO had asked Mr. Ibraham Mahama to pay the sum of GH 12.7 million, including interest, for issuing 44 (forty-four) dud checks for the payment of duties on some unspecified heavy-duty equipment that the E & P owner-CEO imported into the country in 2015, while his elder brother, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, was President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. What raises my hackles here, as it were, is the fact that Mr. Ibrahim Mahama was permitted to walk the corridors and hallways of the countrys business community, almost as if he was a diligent entrepreneur with integrity. I mean, we are talking about a felonious fraudster, a white-collar criminal of the highest order. And here again, as was the case with Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome, it was Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong who allegedly blew the lid off Mr. Mahamas mega-scam artistry.

The widely circulating idea that, somehow, EOCO may have been instigated by the rhetorically rambunctious Mr. Agyapong to invite the E & P proprietor for questioning is decidedly beside the point. Then again, as already adumbrated above, it ought to be significantly remembered that it was the firebrand New Patriotic Partys Member of Parliament for Assin-Central whose purposeful sleuthing led to the discovery of the earth-quaking Woyome Heist. And so, of course, it is not wholly accurate, as some of his most inveterate detractors and critics would have the rest of the world believe, that Mr. Agyapong lacks the requisite credibility to make any claims vis-a-vis criminal wrongdoing against any high-profile operative in either the business world or the latters heavy-lifting political counterpart. Lets not rush to judgment just yet, until all the facts are in, in spite of the fact of there already being more than enough evidence to fully indict, prosecute, convict and incarcerate the man.

It is also significant to underscore the fact that bluster and all, our security agencies and our government generally do not operate according to the whims and caprices of any individual Ghanaian citizen, no matter how powerful or influential that personality may be. Definitely not under the studious watch of President Akufo-Addo.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
22.04.2017 LISTEN

The Vice President of IMANI-Ghana says workers of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) who took 44 dishonoured cheques from businessman Ibrahim Mahama need to be prosecuted.

Kofi Bentil said the workers neglected their duty when they allowed former President John Mahamas brother to run a huge bill to the tune of GHC12.7 million.

Speaking to Samson Lardy Anyenini on Joy FM/MultiTVs news analysis programme Newsfile Saturday, the private legal practitioner said the GRA staff who took the 44 dishonoured cheques failed the state.

Honestly, I dont think Mr Mahama is the problem here. I think he took advantage of a situation, he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama

The Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners has been ordered by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to pay the sum of GHC12 million owed the state by May 8, 2017.

The amount represents duty for some heavy equipment he cleared at the Tema Port in 2015. Reports say he had issued 44 cheques to offset the debt but they were dishonoured.

Mr Mahama was picked up by EOCO and interrogated over the dishonoured cheques for eight hours. He was later directed to pay the money with an interest.

The GRA has since calculated the interest on the amount.

The development has angered some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who say the businessman is being politically hunted.

Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyepong was first to suggest the arrest of Mr Mahama over the issue and said he will be disappointed if he is not prosecuted.

Some NDC supporters massed up at EOCO premises to demand the release of Mr Mahama. They said the Organistion is being manipulated by government.

But Mr Bentil said the intervention of EOCO should not be misconstrued as being politically motivated because Mr Agyepong was first to raise the alarm.

We should look at the whole system that allowed it, he said, adding he does not believe it was Mr Agyepong who asked EOCO to act.

Mr Bentil explained the action by the former Presidents brother breaches the Bills of Exchange Act 1961 (Act 55) that says anyone who writes a cheque that is not honoured commits an offense.

If you write a cheque it is a liquidated sum that is a prima facie case against you," he added.

But former North Dayi MP, George Loh said the handling of the issue by EOCO smacks of political victimisation.

The way the matter has been handled is uncomfortable...he was interrogated for 8 hours, he said.

The former legislator said the issue is ideally a simple matter of business transaction that should not be seen as illegality.

Making an arrangement to pay your tax has never been a crime, he said, adding the government needs to find out for how long such an arrangement has gone on between the businessman and GRA.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected]
A financial analyst, Sydney Casely-Hayford has said that the transaction between the government and Franklin Templeton in the issuance of the $2 billion bond is perfectly transparent and smacks of no wrongdoing as being suggested by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, the government did nothing wrong in the transaction that has been heavily criticised by the opposition.

The Minority in Parliament have accused the government of setting the terms of the bond to favour some friends of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

It said, Trevor Trefgarne, a director at Franklin Templeton, the institution that purchased 95 percent of the bond is also a Director at Enterprise Group Limited, a private financial institution the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta co-founded.

But speaking on Citi FM's news analysis program, The Big Issue on Saturday, Casely-Hayford said there was no case of conflict of interest in the transaction as the NDC suggested.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

He said, the bond is issued by the Central Bank, it is not issued by Ken Ofori AttaThe bottom line is this, the transaction is perfectly transparent because it is done through the Central Bank, and anybody who wants to know, you can go to the Central Bank today and you can find the list of all the bonds they plan to issue.

He further questioned the Minority's moral right to criticize the government over the issuance of the bond .

He argued that the NDC, while in government, awarded sizeable and juicy contracts to Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Mahama.

The conflict of interest issue occurs all over and has occurred all over this landscape that we have today. The question we have to ask is, is the NDC qualified to come now and criticize what is going on, when previously, there have been instances in which they themselves have been involved and in which they have never discussed.

Take for instance, you are the President of this country and your brother happens to be one of the major players in construction in the country and he keeps winning major contracts, sizeable ones, juicy ones, is it a conflict of interest? he quizzed.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Dr. Mahammudu Bawumia, has expressed shock at what he calls the ignorance of the Minority in Parliament over their allegations on the recent $2.2bn bond issued by the government.

Dr. Bawumia

According to him, the Minority's position on the matter clearly shows that they are uninformed.

In an interview with the Citi News' Vivian Kai Lokko in Washington, Dr. Bawumia said the members of the Minority need education on the subject to fully understand the matter.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @jnyabor
Fire has gutted part of the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

The fire started on Saturday evening. Thick smoke was seen billowing from the hotel. Two fire tenders are currently

Citi News Philip Ashong reports that two fire tenders are currently at the scene with personnel of the Fire Service battling the inferno.

Some police personnel are also at the scene to maintain order.

The floor on top of the GN Bank, also at the premises is also on fire.

The cause of the fire is yet to be known.

Coconut Groove Regency Hotel is located behind the Ghana Immigration Service Headquarters in Accra.

More soon.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Itel mobile Ghana ahead of the Easter holidays sponsored the Luv Fm Blood donation exercise in Kumasi and made a remarkable donation to school kids at the Generation of Hope School at Appese off the Dodowa- Somanya road.

Itel Mobile is currently the leader in producing quality and affordable phones for all Ghanaians and Africa as a whole. It is also adjudged the 25th most admired brand in Africa. This year they topped phones with outstanding cameras with their latest S31 model.

In its quest to produce fashionable, sleek and high quality but affordable phones, they also seek to create huge social impacts among communities they operate in.

Early this April itel sponsored the Luv Fm blood donation program, which had so many people coming through to give out blood.

itel believes that the blood donated will give someone another chance to live. This life saving exercise was sponsored to contribute its quota to saving lives and making a change.

In the middle of April, itel with their brand ambassador, Priscilla Opoku Agyaeman popularly known as Ahuofe Patri put smiles on the faces of the school kids at the Generation of Hope School at Appese off the Dodowa- Somanya Road. Itel has passion when it comes to developing potentials and education.

They made donations of school bags, books and other stationery to the kids. Also Ahuofe Patri motivated and inspired them towards their future aspirations as she engaged and shared moments with the Children.

The Communications Manager of itel mobile Ghana, Mr. Tuekpe Michael said itel will continue to invest in social impact activities and charities to change lives of people and communities.

He noted that itel will not relent in producing more fashionable and quality mobile phones for the public while they keep renewing their commitment to giving back to society through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - The Central African Republic held unprecedented talks with armed groups this week seeking to speed up disarmament in a country struggling to turn the page on years of bloodshed, officials said Saturday.

For the first time since the disarmament process began, the government -- facing a resurgence of violence since last September -- sat down with representatives of 14 armed groups in Bangui on Thursday and Friday.

"General progress has been quite substantial," said Jean-Marc Tafani, head of the disarmament process for the UN peacekeeping mission in Central Africa, MINUSCA.

The national plan for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) "was drawn up with details of steps to implement the project," he added.

Responding to concerns that former fighters could escape unpunished under the process, Tafani said "people suspected of various crimes will be brought to justice," and "kept out of the DDR programme," although he noted that during this week's talks "certain groups said they were against this".

President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly stressed the importance of the DDR since he took power last year in a country scarred by conflict since the 2013 overthrow of former president Francois Bozize by a Muslim-dominated rebellion.

A counter-offensive by majority Christian militias left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

The nation breathed a sigh of relief in March 2016 when Touadera took office, with a mandate to lead the country through its transition to peace.

But Central Africa's war wounds have proved hard to heal, with swathes of the country still facing unrest.

Since November, violence has raged in the central Ouaka region, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured.

Due to the rise of violence, coupled with a shortfall in aid funding, the humanitarian situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse.

The UN says some 2.2 million people -- more than half the population -- remain in dire need of assistance.

While parts of the country remain wracked by violence, a military intervention in 2013 by France and MINUSCA restored relative calm to the capital Bangui.

But since France withdrew in October, and with the Central African army still under an international arms embargo, UN peacekeepers are now the sole functioning force on the ground.
The agric sector remains one of the pillars of Ghanas economy. More than 60% of the workforce is engage in agriculture. Government since 2007 had begun providing support in the form of subsidised tractor and fertilizer services to farmers. However, farming in Ghana still faces a mirage of challenges.

One of the challenges that need greater and immediate attention from stakeholders is irrigation. Farmers in northern Ghana are hard hit because the rains have delayed. The farmers are in a state of despair and are only hoping that God will give them rain.

Smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso uses drip irrigation which is finance by the Germany bank. Burkina Faso unlike Ghana has large portion of her land being desert. Yet, Burkinabes are able to feed themselves and export vegetables. Why is Ghana importing food when there are enough arable lands that support the cultivation of many crops?

Thankfully, the government led by H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Ado has promised to construct dams in the north. The truth is that northern region has a vast arable lands, but crop farming will remain at the subsistence level if farmers continue to rely on the weather for water.

Government Planting for Food and Jobs programme has received lots of commendation from farmers. The provision of improved seeds, supply of fertilizer and dedicated extension services will surely change the face of the agric sector.

Unfortunately, all these initiatives may not succeed if there is not enough water for farmers. This explains why stakeholders must put irrigation at the heart of all policy initiatives. The one village-one dam project should be examined properly before its implementation. Not every village will have suitable condition to support the construction of dams. But government has the option to go for underground water through mechanised boreholes.

Theres every indication that government intends to do something positive in the agric sector. If the agric sector receives the necessary support, then Ghanaians will see a meaningful change in their lives. Government must put irrigation within the overall policy framework for the mechanisation of agric in Ghana.

The challenge in Ghana is that, our policies mostly look at doing things the big way. This must change. Government should provide the enabling environment for the private sector to invest in agriculture. Farmers could be supported with mechanisms that assist them to collect water during the rainy season. This reserved water can support in the dry season farming.

Aliu Zuberu

[email protected]
Have you ever reported at any healthcare facility and a nurse at post asked you, why are you reporting at the health facility at this time? I have had this experience at two different health facilities recently.

Is it that they are ignorant of their role/responsibilities or is just shared wickedness or the usual show-off? My answer to nurses in relation to such provoking question has always been, why are you also at post at this time? Case close. Or?

Haven listened to a section of the public, this attitude by some of our nurses towards patients could be contributing to patients delay in seeking healthcare services. A section of the public are made to believe that one cannot access OPD/hospital services at certain times during the day.

I am very sure most of my readers will relate very well with this worrying attitude of some of our hardworking nurses.

As for the Ghanaian healthcare provider and patient relation, is another topic to be discussed yet another day.

If some of these nurses want us to believe that hospitals do not provide healthcare services beyond a certain period of time, it will be prudent they put notices at their gates, communicating such information before patients get in and get questioned as if it they [patients] invited sicknesses upon themselves. And Im not sure some of these nurses are suggesting that patients should begin to postpone their sicknesses.

Various Directors of healthcare services and healthcare facility managers/administrators should wake up and inject some of these nurses with good patient/client handling practices; and regularly remind them of their roles and responsibilities as nurses.

The healthcare providers warm reception contributes significantly to timely patient recovery.

Lets treat our patients with the maximum care they deserve, because the hospital is not a tourist site that will necessarily attract the patient to pay a visit to.

Sometimes all that a patient needs is genuine care and compassion from a care provider, and he or she will be fine.

Sickness befalls us all, and at no particular appointed time.

Author: Gbolu Samson

Founder: PHAN Ghana

[email protected]
Quite a number of Ghanaians expect the NPP government as a matter of urgency to fix the very problems created by the NDC between 2008 and 2017. 100 days in office has been awesome. The prudent fiscal measures put in place by the NPP administration led by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have won the hearts of many in Ghana and abroad.

I am in a great hurry. The times which we live, demand that we, all be in a hurry to deal with the problems we face said the President (Source: 2017, SONA). This is an extract from the Presidents speech delivered during his maiden State of Nation Address on February 21, 2017 in fulfillment of Article 67 of the 1992 constitution which makes it obligatory for the President to deliver to parliament a message on the state of the nation at the beginning of each session of parliament.

The 110 ministers appointed by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have received a lot of backlashes from the biggest opposition party NDC, policy think-thank IMANI Ghana and some governance experts in the country. The 110 ministers appointed to serve in the various ministries can be ascribed to the Presidents quest to deal with the enormous problems of our country within the shortest possible time/period.

In as much as I agree with the President concerning the good fiscal measures put in place within the 100 days in office to restore fiscal discipline and micro stability to aid business to grow so as to create employment for the teeming unemployed Ghanaians, I strongly disagree with the President with regards to delays in the nomination and appointment of Chief Executives for the 216 MMDAs. About 93.5% of the 216 assemblies dotted across the country are without Chief Executives. The role of the Chief Executives in the area of revenue mobilization, maintenance of internal security, facilitating development at the local level, among several others cannot be overemphasized; hence their absence to exercise oversight responsibility over the assembly retards progress.

On January 12, 2017, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo issued a directive to ask all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to vacate their post with immediate effect. The directive which was communicated in a letter stated that they should hand over their relevant duties to the Coordinating Directors. The directive from the President was in line with Article 243(3) (b) of the 1992 constitution. The Coordinating Directors at the various MMDAs are public servant who may not necessary support the Partys bid to deliver on all promises made to the good people of Ghana. Some of them were also appointed under the erstwhile NDC administration; hence their loyalty to the NPP is questionable.

115 days on and still counting, the president has not appointed persons to take charge of the MMDAs. Does it mean that, the MMDAs dont matter to the sitting president? You guess is as good as mine. The question many ask is, if the President is not ready to appoint able men and women to take charge of the assemblies, why was he in a hurry to revoke the appointment of the MMD Chief Executives? The framers of the local government act in their wisdom saw the need to make provision for the appointment of a Chief Executive to steer the affairs of governance at the local level of our governance system. It is in this regard that, the decentralization process of our governance system has seen some positive results.

Now, back to the heading I am in a great hurry. This is a statement caved out of the President's State of Nation Address presented before parliament in February. In the same SONA, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, hinted that the full complement of his government will be complete by close of March. This has not materialized. Is the president really in a great hurry to deal with the very problems which confront the country, Ghana with? Your guess is as good as mine.

Let me conclude with a humble and a harmless plea to the President of the land. Your Excellency, I will like you to reconsider your decision and announce the nominees for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive position as soon as possible.

Thank you.

http://www.modernghana.com/author/TeacherDanquah

[email protected]

(0243174600)
I am abashed as a concern Ghanaian looking at the series of perpetrators of crime which is damning and a serious threat to national security.

The invisible forces/ Delta force were biting with venom in opposition. They were highly revered for being a threat to the then government vigilante groups.

The Delta force and invisible force went on rampage immediately the NPP won power. They had gained notoriety as being pampered worms in opposition and grew to bite with venom as an uncontrollable pythons in power.

It is the first time under the legal regime that there is clair demonstration of lawlessness. Ghanaians had alot of faith in the legal regime to fight this growing impunity but on the contrary, these groups are pampered into outgrowing and outsmarting common law.

These forces are unlawfully witch hunting former appointees of thievery. It is indeed right to inform authorities of supposed thievery if there is cos assets of Ghana belongs to us all but the nature with which they operated is the concern of well meaning Ghanaians. Are there no laws of retrieving state of state properties in public hands by fair or foul means????

They have on countless of occasions subjected the government under public ridicule because some of these assets were legally acquired.

They have also been to other state agencies NHIS, metro mass conductors, tool booths and others to demand for control and ownership without recourse to simple structures and laid down rules.

These groups had the nerves by disrespecting the government by ousting his choice as a security coordinator in no other region but the world bank of garnering for votes for the NPP all because he is not one of their own.

The chairman of REGSEC was there and the whole security machinery in place but they couldnt gather any intelligence to avert the occurence of this shameful act. Are we in a banana republic as posited by Kweku Baako. These illegality soar at the top notch security post and nothing is done. Chairman Wontumi did indicated the group only visited George Adjei the security coordinator, what a shame.

The bigwigs within the current regime could shamelessly sit on national television and radio to defend the indefensible, it is worrying and Ghanaians regret not voting the PNC into power. Some, Kennedy Agyepong has said these vigilante groups must be integrated into national security what a shame. These people have been biting with venom and if their activites shoud be legalized wont they turn into cannibals. They must be disbanded and outlawed.

The worrying issue is how these bigwigs justify their activities. I have often maintained the NDC and the NPP are same wine in different bottles. How must Nana Akomea also justify this impunity with equalization???

Delta force thwarted and undermined the wheels of justice when court proceedings was in section in the full glare of the police that exhibit professionalism at duty point to take 1and 5 cedis shamefully by throwing their integrity to the dogs and nothing is done. A radio producer did indicated, he called Gabby Asare Okyere Darko former Director of Dankwah institute to speak about the issue and he said he cannot speak about them nor condemn them cos he risk coming to kumasi.

We are gradually losing out as a country lest we forget these groupings are a major ground for recruitment into terrorist activities. We must find a solution now or we risk this wreck in a hostile sail.

Kan Dapaa and Ambrose Dery my countryman must be up and doing to root out this menace.

Ghanaians are peace loving people and want to trade in a congenial environment which must not be undermined.

Lets all speak about societal ills. This illegality must be rooted out as soon as possible.

Martin Luther King jr injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service have been able to put under control the fire that engulfed the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

The hotel owned by businessman and the 2016 flagbearer of the Progressive People's Party, Papa Kwesi Nduom was gutted by fire on Saturday.

Reports indicate that the fire spread from TV station, ATV which is also close to the hotel.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer for the Ghana National Fire Service, Prince Billy Anaglatey told the media that no casualties were recorded.

He said 12 fire tenders were deployed to the place to contain the fire.

Rooms intact

Citi News' Jonas Nyabor reported that the hotel rooms were not affected adding that only the adjoining structures were razed.

Interior Minister arrives at hotel

The Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery who was also at the place told the media that the President has been briefed on the matter.

Mr. Dery said he expects a full scale investigation and a report to provide guidance on how to effectively tackle such fires in the future.



By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
Accra, April 21, GNA - Mr. Irbard Ibrahim, a renowned Islamic scholar has urged the management of MTN Ghana not to take a unilateral decision on the accrued interests of Muslim subscribers to its Mobile Money scheme.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said even though Islam forbade taking interest, the current condition of Muslims in Ghana allowed them to channel the lump sum into building schools, clinics and orphanages for the Muslim community in Ghana.

He has therefore urged the telecommunication company to have a broad-based consultation with the Office of the National Chief Imam, the leaders of the Ahmadiyya Community of Ghana, Ahlu Sunnah, Shia and Tijaniyya as well as Muslim civil society organisations to create an Islamic endowment fund from the accrued mobile money interests of Muslim users of the service.

He cautioned that the failure of major Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar among others to have alternative use for their accrued interests in Western banks, had led to the use of that money for non-Islamic transactions and an investment into the Western military industrial complex that had fueled conflicts in the Middle East and the larger Muslim world in some cases.

GNA

By Robert Tachie Menson, GNA
22.04.2017 LISTEN



Sunyani, April 22, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appealed to Ghanaians to cooperate and support his government in nation building.

He told New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and a section of the public in Sunyani that his government was poised to create jobs and reduce poverty, and Ghanaians ought to give him the needed support.

President Akufo-Addo was addressing party supporters in Sunyani as part of his two-day official visit to the Brong- Ahafo Region, where he launched the 'planting for food and jobs initiative' in Goaso in the Region.

President Akufo-Addo thanked the chiefs and people of Brong-Ahafo Region for their support,which enabled the NPP to regain political power in the 2016 general election.

He re-affirmed that his government would improve and modernise agriculture explaining the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' campaign would propel the country to export food to neighbouring countries.

President Akufo-Addo said his government would export food to countries such as Burkina Faso and Cote D'Ivoire, and urged Ghanaians to support the implementation of the campaign.

Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations observed that the previous government left behind about GHa122 billion debts.

He urged Ghanaians to be patient with the government as it worked hard to bring improvement into their living standards.

GNA

By Daniel A Ashietey/Christopher Tetteh/ Stephen Kanyiri Ofori, GNA
Every young person is made to understand that, education is key to success. In 1962, Ghana`s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah introduced free and compulsory primary education in the country, stressing the need for everyone to be educated.

Today, it has been a point of reference to many policy makers in the educational sector and enlightening people on the need to be educated.

This has resulted in the need to establish more educational institutions to cater for the ever increasing demand for education. Ghana, today can boast of numerous universities, polytechnics, colleges of education but majority of them cant be said to be providing quality education. School is established to give balanced approach to education. Unfortunately, our universities, polytechnics and colleges of education are not giving students the skills required to compete on a global scale.

Is it right to say that as the numerous tertiary institutions are being created, the quality of education is reducing? Many have said education is the bedrock of a nations development, but can that be said of Ghana?. With, a population of over 25million people and increasing demand for education, governments upon governments takes pride in establishing a number of tertiary institutions without adequately equipping them to meet an acceptable standard.

In advanced countries education has led to breakthrough in scientific research, agricultural research, policy making, medicine and technology. While we are making headways producing quality doctors and nurses, we cant say the same for other professions.

Lets take agriculture for example, one will wonder what impact education is having on the agricultural sector despite having specialized universities and colleges of agriculture in Ghana. Many people go to university to study agricultural related courses but cannot practice it as a profession.

Others too study engineering courses like electrical, civil, and mechanical and so on but their contribution has been minimal to the nations growth. All these are as result of the poor standard of our educational system in the country. The tertiary education system in Ghana has been ridiculed to the extent that, it is now a mere certificate awarding institution.

The shocking thing is that, thousands of people are being awarded certificates every year with just few privileged to be employed. Now being educated doesnt necessarily guarantee ones success in a country like Ghana, instead it only gives you a spot in the list of educated populace hoping to be successful. Perhaps, to address these, the conversion of the polytechnics into technical universities which is currently ongoing will be one of the surest ways to provide students with the requisite skills, if they are equipped with adequate logistics.

Government as a matter of urgency needs to revitalize the educational sector of the country. The institutions should be funded to international and acceptable standards to enable them to carry out research that will lead to breakthrough in various sectors in Ghana.

Also, the professional stratification needs to be revisited, in a situation whereby an animal nutritionist is working in an insurance company and a statistician is teaching mathematics in a primary school will only reduce our economic growth. If all these can be done only then, education can contribute to the nations growth as always perceived. God bless mother Ghana.

Writer: Mohammed Fugu, a journalist at Institute of Africa Media Monitoring Intelligence and Advocacy (IAMMIA).
Morcha cadres disrupt voters education programme in Rajbiraj

Cadres of Madhesi Morcha have disrupted an election education programme in Saptari headquarters Rajbiraj on Saturday.
Cal Fire - Tuolumne County Fire Department Logo View Photos

Update at 6:25 p.m.: Firefighters have contained a vegetation fire that broke out around 5:30 p.m. on the railroad tracks between Hospital Road and Highway 108 behind Clark Pest Control on Mono Way. Cal Fire reports the flames were contained to a 50 x 50 foot spot. Additionally, no buildings or homes in the area were threatened by the fire. Cal Fire reports that firefighters found some trash and debris on and around the tracks but have not yet determined what sparked the blaze.

Original post at 5:35 p.m.: Sonora, CA  Firefighters are battling a debris fire on the railroad tracks behind Clark Pest Control between Hospital Road and Highway 108.

Smoke can be seen in the skies over the highway. Cal Fire reports the fire is a quarter acre in size with a slow rate of spread . The flames are heading up a slope towards the Clark Pest Control building, but crews are on scene working to exstinguish the fire.
Sonora, CA  This years record snow fall has kept Caltrans and Yosemite National Park road crews busy working to open the Mountain Passes to travelers and are finding stumbling blocks along the way.

Caltrans oversees Highway 108 Sonora Pass and Highway 4 Ebbetts Pass. The latter is expected to be cleared to the east end of Lake Alpine by Monday, according to spokesperson Rick Estrada. He updates that along Sonora Pass crews have removed snow up to Clark Fork Road, which is five miles beyond Eagle Meadow Road where the roadway is currently closed. Estrada adds that it is still about nine miles to Kennedy Meadows Road, the destination crews hope to reach in time for the opening of Trout Season (Last Saturday in April). Crews of four to five members are using heavy equipment to clear the passes including two blowers, a dozer, a grader, a backhoe, and a loader. Estrada points to unknown obstacles that can slow down crews, They [road crews] hit 6,000 feet on state route 108 and they came across a culvert that had been plugged during the winter. It was diverting water into the roadway. They cleared out the culvert and then realized the road was pretty torn up and it needed to be fixed.

Yosemite National Park crews cover Highway 120 Tioga Pass. Park spokesperson Jamie Richards reports that standing snow in the Tuolumne Meadows area has exceeded 100 inches. She adds this is the highest snowpack year on record for the parks highest elevations. For that reason safety is a number one concern, Richards explains, We have very trained personnel out there scoping out avalanche dangersPark staff are already working on Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road. We dont have set dates yet of when either will open. Additionally, Richards adds that there is still no estimated opening date for a section of Big Oak Flat Road that has been shut down since late February due to winter storm damage, as earlier reported here. That stretch of road connects visitors entering the park via Highway 120 to the Yosemite Valley. However, the Big Oak Flat Entrance remains open and to entice visitors the entrance fee at the gate is being waived.

Both Caltrans and Yosemite acknowledge that it is critical to reopen the passes as soon as possible as the tourists bring a big economic boost to the surrounding communities.
- EFCC boss Ibrahim Magu provided details to justify the raid on apartment 7b at Osbourne Towers where the money was found

- Magu, Monguno and Malami had a short break during the interrogation to attend Friday prayers at Presidential Villa mosque

- Magu was interrogated for hours and only left the meeting at about 4pm in the afternoon of Friday, April 21

The committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe suspended secretary to state government Babachir David Lawal and National Intelligence Agency Director General Ayodele Oke has begun its investigations with interrogation of action EFCC boss Ibrahim Magu.

The Punch reports that Magu was quizzed on Friday, April 21 by the three-man committee which is chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and has as members attorney-general of the federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) and national security adviser Babagana Monguno.

READ ALSO: Okonjo-Iweala listed among 34 leaders changing Global Health Care

Magu was said to have been asked questions about N13bn cash discovered in Lagos that Oke had claimed belonged to the NIA.

Osinbajo and other members of the committee interrogated Magu and told him to continue investigation into who owned the N13bn recovered in Lagos

An unnamed top government source said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chief duly justified the raid on the Ikoyi apartment.

The source said: The meeting with Magu was part of the assignment of the committee. He was asked questions on the operation and as expected he justified it.

READ ALSO: Prophet Tim Omotosho arrested in South Africa for abusing 30 girls

The Punch reports further that the committee asked the anti-corruption agency to continue with its investigation into the recovered cash.

Legit.ng gathered that the committees interrogation of Magu explains the anti-corruption chiefs presence in the Presidential Villa for the Friday Muslim prayers.

The committee was said to have taken a break at about 1.30pm to allow the trio of AGF Malami, NSA Monguno and Magu to attend the Jumaat service inside a mosque located beside the Presidents office.

Magu has explained and justified EFCC's raid on the apartment in Osbourne Towers where the N13bn was recovered in Lagos

The sitting continued promptly after the prayer service and wrapped up at about 4pm with Magu leaving first and Monguno and Malami leaving the venue at about 4.20pm.

Magu refused to speak with reporters as he left.

Recall that Legit.ng had reported that the Presidential Investigative Committee on alleged infractions by two senior government officials began its work on Thursday, April 20.

The committee began with compilations of individuals and head of companies and organization it plans to invite for the ongoing investigation on the two officials.

Sources within the State House said the vice president and the members of the committee met on Thursday, April 20, to deliberate on their two-week mandate.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians making comparisons on who is a better president between Professor Osinbajo and President Buhari.

Source: Legit.ng
- Kantigi Lima, the former commissioner in Niger state, has rejected the N6bn allegedly traced to his companys accounts by EFCC

- The commission had earlier traced N4billion to two accounts in GTBank, both linked to Mr Liman

- Niger state governor revealed that N6 billion found in ex-commissioner accounts was stolen from state fund

Kantigi Lima, the former commissioner for local government in Niger state, has rejected the N6bn allegedly traced to his companys accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), The Punch reports.

Recall that Legit.ng earlier reported that the EFCC had last week traced N4bn to two fixed deposit accounts belonging to two companies, Katah Property & Investment Limited and Sadiq Air Travel Agency.

The commission, however, did not disclose the identity of the individual behind the companies, stating only that he was a deputy governorship candidate during the 2015 election.

READ ALSO: SGF suspension latest: South East and North East battle for Babachir's job

Former commissioner in Niger state, has rejected the N6bn allegedly traced to his companys accounts by EFCC

According to a fresh report by the News Agency of Nigeria, the EFCC traced another N2bn to the suspect. The money was stashed in a fixed deposit account in United Bank of Africa.

The agency said EFCC might declare Lima wanted.

Lima has however denied links to the N6bn traced to him. The former commissioner also threatened to commence legal action in what he termed misleading and malicious news report published recently in newspapers and social media alleging that the sum belonged to him.

The ex-commissioner in a statement signed by three Senior Advocates of Nigeria Chief Akin Olujimi; Chief Karina Tunyan, and Sam Ologunorisa, stated that it was sheer mischief for anybody to associate him with the ownership of the alleged money in the two companys accounts.

Therefore, if not for mischief purposes, how can anybody reasonably attach ownership of funds in the accounts of a company to a particular person?, the lawyers stated.

They warned that their client respected the right of the media to publish news reports but denied any rights they had to malign his name as they intend to take appropriate legal steps in due form of law to seek redress for their client as deemed necessary.

Legit.ng previously reported that the governor of Niger state, Abubakar Bello, announced that the N6 billion discovered in the accounts of ex-commissioner, Kantigi Liman was stolen from the state government account.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo committee interrogates Magu for hours over N13bn recovered in Lagos

The governor made this disclosure to pressmen on Friday afternoon after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the Jumaat prayer, at the Aso Rock Mosque.

In the video below by Legit.ng, a young Nigerian advocates for mass burial for all Nigerian leaders. Watch the video:

Source: Legit.ng
The Nigerian Army troops successfully repelled a Boko Haram attack on Madagali and Liman Kara towns in Adamawa and Borno states.

Major Akintoye Badare, Army Public Relations Officer of the 28 Task Force Brigade Mubi, confirmed the attacks.

The public relations officer speaking with Channels Tv on Friday, April 21, said the attack on the two towns lasted one and half hours.

READ ALSO: Okonjo-Iweala listed among 34 leaders changing Global Health Care

Legit.ng gathered that the troops were also able to arrest three suspected Chadian Boko Haram terrorists who were said to be among the group that attempted the attacks.

Major Badare said that there is no record of casualty so far, and that everything is calm.

In a previous report by Legit.ng, troops of 192 Battalion 26 Task Force on Tuesday, April 18, gunned down six Boko Haram terrorists.

The terrorists were killed in a clearance operation carried out by the troops attached to Operation Lafiya Dole in the terrorists hideouts at Dissa and Patawe general area of Borno state.

In the Legit.ng video below, the Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.

Source: Legit.ng
Nepal, India talk inundation issues

Senior Nepali and Indian officials have agreed to work on taming perennial inundation problem caused by rivers originated from Nepal and decided to build embankment at some places.
In this retro series, Legit.ng bring to you the story of Emmanuel Nwude who committed the largest fraud in the country by selling a non-existent airport to a Brazilian for $242 million between 1995 and 1998.

The rise of internet fraud commonly known as 419 is one phenomenon Nigeria has come to be associated it. Before internet fraud became a global issue, Nwude had committed one of the biggest scams in the world. Specifically, his fraud was the third largest banking scam in the world after the Nick Leeson's trading losses at Barings Bank, and the looting of the Iraqi Central Bank by Qusay Hussein.

How was Nwude able to carry out this jaw-dropping scam and convince Nelson Sakaguchi who was the director of the bank to part with so much money for the purchase of an airport?

Nwude was a former director of Union Bank of Nigeria and this position made him privy to some links, information and documents that other persons would not be aware of. He impersonated the then governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Paul Ogwuma, and connected with Sakaguchi informing him of a mouth-watering deal of Nigerias plan to build an airport in Abuja.

READ ALSO: First general manager of NAN Onuorah Nzekwu dies at 89

Emmanuel Nwude carried out one of the the biggest banking fraud in the world

Nwude, pretending to be the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, told Sakaguchi that he stood of chance of pocketing $10 million commission when the deal passed through. Sakaguchi paid $191 million in cash and the remainder in the form of outstanding interest.

Nwudes accomplices were Emmanuel Ofolue, Nzeribe Okoli, and Obum Osakwe, along with the husband and wife duo, Christian Ikechukwu Anajemba and Amaka Anajemba, with Christian later being assassinated.

The criminal gang was able to convince the director of the Brazilian bank to part with the money.

How did Sakaguchi find out he was a victim of one of the largest scam in the world?

In 1997, the Spanish Banco Santander wanted to take over the Banco Noroeste and a joint board meeting was held in December of that year. Officials of the Spanish bank noted that half of the Brazilian banks capital was at Cayman Islands unmonitored. This raised questions as this was two-fifths of Noroeste's total value.

Investigation began and was carried out in Brazil, Britain, Nigeria, Switzerland, and the United States. Although the sale of the Bank still went on as the owners of the bank paid $242 million bill, the nak still collapsed in 2001.

The birth of the EFCC

In 2002, the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo saw to the establishment of an anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Nwudes fraud case one of the first to be investigated and in 2004, all members of the gang were arraigned before an Abuja High Court on 86 counts of "fraudulently seeking advance fees" and 15 counts of bribery related to the case . Although they pleaded not guilty, they were warned not to attempt to bribe court officials as it was suspected that money was going round.

Nwude has become Nigeria's fraud kingpin after pulling off one of the biggest 'deals' in history

In 2005, Amaka confessed to helping Anajemba and was asked to repay $25.5 million and also sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Nwude attempted to bribe Nuhu Ribadu, the then chairman of the EFCC, with $75,000 cash but the latter refused and Nwude was charged with attempted bribery as well as attempt to kidnap a prosecuting witness.

Following Sakaguchi's witness, Nwude finally pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five concurrent sentences of five years and was also asked to pay $10 million fine to the federal government.

READ ALSO: 4 things to know about late veteran actor Olumide Bakare

He was released from prison in 2006 and filed a case to reclaim his assets insisting some of them were acquired before the criminal act. He has so far been able to reclaim $167 million.

Aftermath

A land dispute in the town of Ukpo in the Dunukofia area with Abagana community turned bloody when over 200 men invaded the community killing four policemen and the security guard at the construction site in 2016. The Anambra state government fingered Nwude as the ringleader and he was subsequently arrested and arraigned on 27 charges including murder and terrorism. He is being held at Awka prison as the court case is still on.

While Nwudes criminal exploit was not the first in the country, it signified the rise in international financial crime and popularise the advanced fee fraud syndrome with Nigeria's name associated with it.

Source: Legit.ng
Editor's note: The former minister of aviation Femi Fani Kayode has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari's condition is very bad and that the only time he is seen is in the mosque on Fridays.

Fani Kayode said we have a Vice President who has been held captive and is now a slave to some dark, sinister, evil and shameless cabal.

According to him Buhari has no respect for Christians and his government has palpable hatred for all believers.

The United States House of Representatives declared Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians to live in the world last year.

More Christians have been killed in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world in the last 67 years.

The President of the Christiam Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned against the continued killing of Christians in the country.

Well-armed and well-funded Fulani militias are killing Christians all over the nation and the Government has done nothing to stop it or to bring them to justice.

READ ALSO: Pro-Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu wants tyranny in President Buharis government stopped

808 Christians were killed in Southern Kaduna at Christmas. 1000 killed in Agatu, Benue state last year. 13 killed in Southern Kaduna on Easter. It goes on and on yet there have been no arrests.

Christian communities are being wasted and ravaged by Boko Haram. Christian youths of IPOB and MASSOB are being butchered on a daily basis whilst their leaders are being illegally detained.

Every single security and intelligence agency in the country except for the Navy is now headed by a northern Muslim.

The spokesman for the Fulani militias and herdsmen has just been appointed as Secretary to the Federal Character Commission.

Christian Pastors have been persecuted and subjected to humiliation and arrest in the last two years like never before.

More Churches have been bombed, burnt down, sacked and destroyed in the north in the last two years than at any other time in our history.

The International Terror Index has described Nigerias Boko Haram and Fulani Militias as the first and fourth deadliest terrorist organisations in the world respectively.

All this and yet our President has REFUSED to give the leadership of CAN audience since he came to office 2 years ago despite ALL attempts by that organisation to see him and table their concerns.

This is too much. The impunity and disdain is glaring. The disrespect and contempt is nauseating. It is simply disgusting and disgraceful.

Never mind the pretense and the denials. Never mind the few slavish Christian Uncle Toms and fifth columnists in the corridors of power who will say anything to keep their worthless jobs.

The truth is that Buhari has NO respect for Christians and his Government has palpable hatred for all believers. Not only does he hate Christians but he also hates Shiite Mulims too.

If this were not so why keep their leader in illegal detention for over a year after murdering over 1000 of them and burying them in mass graves?

This is the way of the Sunni fundamentalists, the Salafists and the Wahhabis and that is the course that our goverment has chosen to take.

As far as they are concerned all opposition must be subdued, killed, jailed or broken and they must hold on to power forever. That is their ethos and they will never stop.

The truth is that ANY so-called Christian that supports or serves this government should bow his or her head in shame.

This is all the more so when our Minister of Information can actually open his lying mouth and say that muslims have not killed Christians in Nigeria.

What a shameless man. He can say so only because he does not regard Christians as being human beings. He does not regard the loss of a precious Christian soul as being anything.

READ ALSO: First general manager of NAN Onuorah Nzekwu dies at 89

To him and to the Government that he so happily serves, Christians are nothing. If this were not the case how could he say such things and tell such monumental lies?

Our Lord and Saviour paid the supreme price on the Cross and rose again. He shed His precious blood for us. He conqured death and gave us life everlasting. He triumphed after much pain and suffering. He did not go through all that for us to live as slaves or second class citizens in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world.

We are the head and not the tail. We were born to be victorious, to have dominion and to rule. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We cannot be repressed or destroyed.

Nothing moves us and nothing shakes us. Nothing can separate us from the love of our Lord.

Not even persecution, marginalisation, humiliation, incarceration, torture or death. The Church of Christ was built on the Blood of Jesus and on the blood and bones of Christian martyrs through the ages.

For over 2000 years believers have been butchered yet the Church and the faith is still standing strong and going from strength to strength. The more you kill and persecute Christians the more the glorious gospel will spread.

We have a President who is so sick that the only time he is seen is in the mosque on fridays. What signal does that send? What has governance got to do with the mosque in a supposedly secular state?

We have a Vice President who has been held captive and who is now a slave to some dark, sinister, evil and shameless cabal.

We have a Government that hates our people and hates our faith. To them the only good Christian is a subservient Christian who is prepared to turn a blind eye to the murder, butchery and slaughter of his own.

To them the only good Christian is one that lives in fear and remains silent even as his brothers and sisters in the Lord are being murdered, persecuted, marginalised and humiliated.

I will never bow to those that hold that view. I will never shake or quiver before them because I serve a mighty God who is noble and strong, who is true to His own, who has filled me with His Spirit and who has called me to lead.

The Bible says he who is scared of losing His life will lose it and he who is prepared to give up his life will gain it.

I would rather die than be a slave to any person, any government, any tribe or any other faith.

I am what I am. I am a Christian soldier. I am the Odum Agu of the South. I am the Odogwu N Arah of Christiandom.

As long as my Lord and Saviour sits on the throne I fear nothing and I worry about nothing.

I believe that Nigeria belongs to Jesus and whether anyone likes it or not His counsel over this nation will stand, His will shall he done, His purpose shall be established and His name shall be glorified.

The counsel of the ungodly and the will of satan cannot stand in our nation. Nigeria cannot be islamised and she will NEVER be turned into a vassal state of Saudi Arabia.

We must either reconfirm the secularity of our nation-state and restructure her or we must break her. That is our duty and that is our calling.

We must either accept the principle that people of ALL faiths are equal, that they are free to worship their God in whichever way they deem fit and that religion has no place in matters of governance and the state or we must go our separate ways.

We must either accept the fact that our people will no longer be subjugated or bow before any form of religious or ethnic hegemony or we must redefine Nigeria.

To those that feel that they can stem the tide and oppose or stop it I say it is too late.

This message has sunk in and it is loud and clear. The horse has already left the stable. The cat is already out of the bag. The genie is already out of the bottle.

The days of subservience and fear are over. The incessant and endless bloodshed and the brutality and insensitivity of the ailing tyrant have woken us up.

They have stirred something deep and dangerous within our souls. We are defiant and we refuse to continue to wallow in self-pity and crawl on bended knee.

Dr. Martin Luther King said if you are not ready to die for something then you are not worthy of living for anything.

We are ready to lose our very lives for our faith and in defence of the gospel. That is what Christian soldiers and believers are meant to do. We are called to live in peace with our neighbours but we shall stand tall and strong as they spit on us, cheat us, humiliate us, rob us and strike us down.

We are mighty. We are strong. And as long as our people and our brothers and sisters in the Lord are treated with contempt, disdain and hatred by your people and your government, as long as we are killed in our homes, farms and Churches, as long as we are misrepresented, humliliated, wrongly accused and persecuted, we shall oppose and resist you in every lawful way with every fibre of our being.

The truth is that there cannot be peace in Nigeria without justice. There cannot be joy without equity. There cannot be blessings without Gods pleasure. There cannot be progress as long as those in power and their friends continue to target, persecute, marginalise and murder the children of the most High God.

The Holy Bible says once has it been written and twice has it been said that all power belongs to God and the heavens rule in the affiars of men. It says the nations are as a drop of water in the ocean before the Lord.

It says He holds the universe togeher by the power of His word. It says He forges the destiny of nations and jealously guards His counsel.

Any Head of State, President or leader whose sole objective is to destroy the Christian faith or the Church and to diminish the influence and power of Christianity in Nigeria shall meet a terrible and tragic end.

It has happened before and it will happen again. Our God does not sleep. The Bible says, He is a Man of War: who can stand against Him?

The blood of all those innocent Christians murdered by agents of the Nigerian state, the Fulani militias and herdsmen and other terrorists in the last two years whilst our Government turns a blind eye and does nothing is crying to God in Heaven for vengeance.

And until that vengeance comes the Buhari

Government and all those that support them shall know no peace. Like Sennacherub and the Assyrians the Lord shall divide their tongues and they shall turn their swords against one another until they are no more.

As for the believers and the Christian faithful, no matter what they throw our way, we stand and we fight. We move on fearlessly because our God is awesome and strong.

We stand firm and we do not flinch because our Lord is mighy in battle. We are Christian soldiers and warriors of the faith.

We are on the frontline of the battle and we are ready to die for our faith. We wear the armour of God and we carry the sword of truth.

We are the Sons of Gideon and the Armour-Bearers of Light.

Like David, we stand against Goliath, like Moses we stand against Pharaoh and like Jehu we stand against Jezebel.

READ ALSO: Buhari celebrates Dakuku Peterside as new chairman of African Maritime Administrators

The Seven Fold Spirit of the Living God is with us: we cannot be cowed and we shall not be defeated. Onward Christian soldier!

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Watch this Legit.ng's video of Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II blasting Nigerian leaders below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Bangladesh's chief of army staff, General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafi'ul Huq, is presently in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, to see Lieutenant-General Buratai

- He is accompanied by Nigerian defence adviser to New Delhi who also oversees Bangladesh

- Gen TY Buratai, who attended the Bangladesh National Defence College, also visited the country in May 2016

Nigeria's chief of Army staff Tukur Buratai has received a special visitor at the Army headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Army spokesman Brigadier-General Sani Usman Kukasheka confirmed the visit in a statement he released on Saturday, April 22.

READ ALSO: SGF suspension latest: South East and North East battle for Babachir's job

The statement read: "The Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff, General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafi'ul Huq, is visiting Nigeria. He is presently paying courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General TY Buratai, at the Flag Staff House, Lagos.

Bangladeshi chief of army staff speaking with media in Abuja

"The visitor is accompanied by the Bangladesh High Commissioner designate to Nigeria, some of his staff officers and Nigerian Defence Adviser to New Delhi, who also oversees Bangladesh.

"Present at the occasion are Principal Staff Officers and Corps Commanders.

"The Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff will also be in Abuja to meet with the President, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs.

"Recall that Lt Gen TY Buratai attended the Bangladesh National Defence College and also visited the country in May 2016."

General Buratai takes a walk with his Balangladeshi counterpart on Saturday, April 22

Meanwhile, Legit.ng gathered that Nigerian Army troops successfully repelled a Boko Haram attack on Madagali and Liman Kara towns in Adamawa and Borno states.

Major Akintoye Badare, Army Public Relations Officer of the 28 Task Force Brigade Mubi, confirmed the attacks.

The Bangladeshi army chief salutes after observing a guard of honour by men of the Nigerian Army during his visit to Abuja on Saturday

The public relations officer speaking with Channels Tv on Friday, April 21, said the attack on the two towns lasted one and half hours.

Watch this very touching Legit.ng TV video of child survivors of Boko Haram attacks telling tales of their horrible experiences in the hands of the insurgents

Source: Legit.ng
The Moon After Election Day

By Alex Dimitrov

Im looking at the moon tonight,

the closest its been to Earth since 1948

and feel relieved we can do little to ruin it.

That cant be true, you say, and for a moment

even the moons loneliness escapes isolation

and depends on something else. Its attached.

Like us and what we abandon. Us

and the evil we refuse. The same evil

we share history with, the thin membrane

between you or me and the worst of life.

Its already past midnight and another election

is over in the United States of America.

The oceans will not continue into infinity.

Nor will our money. Nor will this suffering.

We have voted and proven again

we do not know one another. I am trying

so hard to understand this country, I tell you

even as Im about to fail loving you (I know this)

in the way people need to be loved

which is without deception, which is almost

impossible. Dont you love it though, you say,

and I remember the first time I saw you in a room

without anyone else. Dont you love the moon?

And because its easy to say it, I do, I make sure

to tell you I do. Despite the news I knew years ago:

no one saves anyone. Were on the moon.

On the Fifth Day

By Jane Hirshfield

On the fifth day

the scientists who studied the rivers

were forbidden to speak

or to study the rivers. The scientists who studied the air

were told not to speak of the air,

and the ones who worked for the farmers

were silenced,

and the ones who worked for the bees. Someone, from deep in the Badlands,

began posting facts. The facts were told not to speak

and were taken away.

The facts, surprised to be taken, were silent. Now it was only the rivers

that spoke of the rivers,

and only the wind that spoke of its bees, while the unpausing factual buds of the fruit trees

continued to move toward their fruit. The silence spoke loudly of silence,

and the rivers kept speaking,

of rivers, of boulders and air. In gravity, earless and tongueless,

the untested rivers kept speaking. Bus drivers, shelf stockers,

code writers, machinists, accountants,

lab techs, cellists kept speaking. They spoke, the fifth day,

of silence.

If They Should Come for Us

By Fatimah Asghar

these are my people & I find

them on the street & shadow

through any wild all wild

my people my people

a dance of strangers in my blood

the old womans sari dissolving to wind

bindi a new moon on her forehead

I claim her my kin & sew

the star of her to my breast

the toddler dangling from stroller

hair a fountain of dandelion seed

at the bakery I claim them too

the sikh uncle at the airport

who apologizes for the pat

down the muslim man who abandons

his car at the traffic light drops

to his knees at the call of the azan

& the muslim man who sips

good whiskey at the start of maghrib

the lone khala at the park

pairing her kurta with crocs

my people my people I cant be lost

when I see you my compass

is brown & gold & blood

my compass a muslim teenager

snapback & high-tops gracing

the subway platform

mashallah I claim them all

my country is made

in my peoples image

if they come for you they

come for me too in the dead

of winter a flock of

aunties step out on the sand

their dupattas turn to ocean

a colony of uncles grind their palms

& a thousand jasmines bell the air

my people I follow you like constellations

we hear the glass smashing the street

& the nights opening their dark

our names this countrys wood

for the fire my people my people

the long years weve survived the long

years yet to come I see you map

my sky the light your lantern long

ahead & I follow I follow

Small Shoes

By Maggie Smith

If there are fewer stars now

than when I was a child, I cant say

which are missing,

who was the last to see them. Is it not a crime

unless we call it a crime? It is difficult to document

a disappearance,

a boat full of stars capsized.

Stars lying in the sand face-down,

wearing small shoes.

Add that to the report: some of the stars washed up

in small shoes.

Citizenship

By Javier Zamora
As many American parents know, hiring care for young children during the workday is punishingly expensive, costing the typical family about a third of its income.

Helping parents pay for that care would be expensive for society, too. Yet recent studies show that of any policy aimed to help struggling families, aid for high-quality care has the biggest economic payoff for parents and their children  and even their grandchildren. It has the biggest positive effect on womens employment and pay. Its especially helpful for low-income families, because it can propel generations of children toward increased earnings, better jobs, improved health, more education and decreased criminal activity as adults.

Affordable care for children under 5, long a goal of Democrats, is now being championed by Ivanka Trump.

The Department of Health and Human Services says child care should cost 7 percent of a familys income at most  but 42 percent of families that buy care for young children spend considerably more than that, according to census data analyzed by Beth Mattingly at the University of New Hampshire. A report by New America and Care.com put the average cost of child care in the United States at $16,514 a year.
Nepal requests US to add products to trade preference programme

The government has formally requested the US to add more products to the Nepal-specific trade preference programme which provides duty-free access to a range of Nepali goods, such as carpets, bags, headgear, shawls and scarves, to the American market.
DETROIT  The criminal case against Volkswagen for its decade-long scheme to cheat on diesel emissions tests ended Friday with a scolding, an apology and $4.3 billion in penalties.

The sentence, affirmed at a court hearing, had been recommended by federal prosecutors in January as part of a deal in which the German automaker agreed to plead guilty to three felony charges for illegally importing nearly 600,000 vehicles equipped with devices to circumvent emissions standards.

The conclusion of the criminal case, 19 months after the vast cheating operation was first revealed, was a milestone in Volkswagens recovery from a scandal that badly damaged its reputation and sales. This week it delivered an encouraging quarterly report, and the company has even been given permission to sell  with modifications  the diesel cars at the center of the case.

But the hearing in Federal District Court in Michigan was a reminder of the cloud under which Volkswagen remained.
A long-delayed pilot program under which 1,200 New York City police officers are to wear body cameras can begin next week as planned, after a federal judge in Manhattan on Friday denied a request by civil lawyers to halt the plan for review.

In an order, Judge Analisa Torres said an objection filed this week by lawyers who brought the suit that led to the programs creation was premature.

Lawyers from the Center for Constitutional Rights, which brought the initial lawsuit, filed a letter on Wednesday in Federal District Court arguing that the draft policy governing how the cameras would be used and how the resulting footage woud be retrieved and stored was seriously flawed. Their request came after the policy was approved by the independent monitor overseeing stop-and-frisk changes ordered by the court.

Judge Torres said on Friday that the approval of the monitor, Peter L. Zimroth, was not subject to court review because it was not a final recommendation.
The power went out on Friday in a busy place at an inconvenient time: a subway station in Midtown Manhattan in the thick of the morning rush.

Delays quickly cascaded outward from Manhattan, halting trains underground many miles from the site of the power failure and stretching normally routine commutes into hourslong slogs. At least a dozen subway lines, including many that do not pass through the affected station, were delayed.

It was another reminder of how the regions infrastructure problems can leave overburdened transit systems vulnerable. But it also raised a question: How could a seemingly routine episode at one Manhattan station snarl so much of New York Citys vast subway system?

The Power Goes Out

The power failure occurred at 7:30 a.m. at the Seventh Avenue station, at 53rd Street. Because it knocked out the stations signal system, most of the trains that stop there, on the B, D and E lines, had to be rerouted to other lines. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the power loss had resulted from a Con Ed equipment failure.
It was a routine operation at a routine apartment-building fire using a piece of equipment that was tailor made for this vertical city.

And yet somehow, a veteran New York City firefighter fell to his death.

The equipment is called a tower ladder. It is a familiar sight, a telescoping ladder mounted atop a fire truck with a walled platform or bucket that hoists firefighters up onto roofs and other high places so that they do not have to climb up and down.

On Thursday in Ridgewood, Queens, Firefighter William Tolley, 42, was lifted to the roof of a five-story building in a tower ladder to ventilate the roof and allow smoke and hot gases to escape. One moment, witnesses said, he was in the bucket, suspended near the roof parapet. The next moment, he was plummeting to the street.
Over the past year, as my friend Jim Rosenquist grew increasingly ill, I had the opportunity to sit with him in his loft in Lower Manhattan and discuss his life and concerns. About his place in art history as a pioneer of Pop Art painting, there was no discussion. What he did address was the future of art itself. He was worried about what would become of museums and art foundations  not because the public lacked interest in what they offered, but rather because the quality of those offerings, owing to federal legislation, was rapidly eroding.

When Jim died in March, I thought back to our conversations and began to look at the legislation he had mentioned, and that, in turn, led me to an unexpected place: Richard Nixons 1969 tax return.

That return had two problems. First, it deducted the value of a gift  the donation of Nixons vice-presidential papers to the National Archives  that was not actually made until 1970. Second, the value placed on that gift by Nixon was considered by many, most notably members of Congress, to be substantially inflated.

As to the first, Edward Morgan, the Nixon aide who signed the deed of gift on Nixons behalf, was indicted and sentenced to prison.
PANTIN, France  Anyone but Le Pen. That was the refrain at an open-air market on Wednesday in this banlieue, just northeast of Paris, when I asked people about Frances presidential election on Sunday.

Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the far-right National Front, has a good shot at winning first or second place in this first round of voting, which would qualify her for the May 7 runoff. But polls show a tight contest among her and three other candidates, so the people of France wait anxiously to find out who will make it to the final vote.

For many in Pantin, a traditional left-wing bastion that is home to many Muslim immigrants, what makes the suspense so excruciating is the tainted lineage of Ms. Le Pens party, which her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, helped found. He has called the holocaust a detail of World War II. Though Ms. Le Pen has worked hard to prettify the National Front as a populist, anti-European Union party, there is no avoiding the ugliness of what it stands for. And as her poll numbers have softened in recent days, she has hardened her anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Adding to voter anxiety is the terrorist threat. On Tuesday, French authorities said they had thwarted an attack by two men who were harboring weapons and explosives in Marseilles and wanted to disrupt the election. Then, as the 11 presidential candidates were being interviewed in their final appearances on French television on Thursday night, a gunman opened fire on police officers on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. He killed one officer and wounded two others and a tourist before he was shot dead. The Islamic State swiftly claimed responsibility.
Nepali murdered in Uganda

A Nepali national has been murdered on a sugarcane field in Uganda's town of Kamuli over workers dispute.
HONG KONG  Guo Wengui, a Chinese-born billionaire who lives in America, has recently publicized accusations of corruption against family members of top-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials. This week, Chinas government asked Interpol to issue a request for his arrest.

On Friday, Facebook suspended Mr. Guos account. After Mr. Guo complained publicly, Facebook said the suspension had been a mistake, and his account was restored.

The incident comes in the middle of a full-court press by the Chinese government to push back against the accusations from the eccentric billionaire. It highlights a persistent problem for Facebook, which must manage matters as varied as bad manners and high-stakes political battles on a website with nearly two billion users.

Facebook has been in a protracted and public courtship with China, which blocks the social network but has the worlds largest internet-using population. The New York Times reported last year that Facebook had developed a tool that would let third parties censor the social network as part of its attempt to gain entry into the market.
A Florida state senator who unleashed an expletive-laden rant over drinks with two other lawmakers this week, uttering a racial slur for black people and other vulgarities, resigned from his position on Friday.

State Senator Frank Artiles, a Republican from Miami-Dade County, apologized the day after the episode, saying on Tuesday that he let his temper get the best of me. But Mr. Artiles continued to face increasing pressure to resign. The states Democratic Party and members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus said that an apology was not enough.

On Friday, Mr. Artiles said he would step down immediately.

It is clear to me my recent actions and words that I spoke fell far short of what I expect for myself, and for this, I am very sorry, he wrote in his resignation letter. I am responsible, and I am accountable, and effective immediately, I am resigning from the Florida State Senate.

The profane tirade occurred on Monday night at the exclusive Governors Club in Tallahassee during a conversation at a table with several people, including two other state senators, Audrey Gibson and Perry Thurston, both Democrats who are black.
It is incredibly important that people within the progressive movement and Democratic Party realize that women are sick of this stuff, said Erin Matson, a Virginia-based abortion rights activist, and were not going to take it anymore. (She used a more pungent word than stuff.) What Bernie doesnt seem to realize, she added, is that the abortion rights movement has really bucked up and gotten some tough ovaries in the last couple of years.

Tom Perez, the partys newly elected chairman, had been campaigning with Mr. Ossoff in Georgia when Mr. Sanders was in Nebraska. But in interviews leading up to the event, Mr. Perez was unapologetic about supporting Mr. Mello, who has recently said that although he personally opposed abortion, he would uphold abortion rights as mayor.

Yet after the backlash, Mr. Perez retreated. He conducted some quiet diplomacy, telephoning Ms. Hogue and Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, according to Democrats briefed on the calls. Casting aside their efforts at unity, Mr. Perezs aides blamed Mr. Sanders for the event, putting out word that it had been the senators idea to include the rally on the tour and criticizing him for not vetting Mr. Mello.

By Friday afternoon, Mr. Perez had issued a far more strongly worded statement. I fundamentally disagree with Heath Mellos personal beliefs about womens reproductive health, Mr. Perez said. It is a promising step that Mello now shares the Democratic Partys position on womens fundamental rights. Every candidate who runs as a Democrat should do the same because every woman should be able to make her own health choices. Period.

In an interview on Friday, Mr. Perez further toughened his language, saying he respected those Democrats who have personal beliefs against abortion rights but warning them not to pursue such policies in office. If they try to legislate or govern that way, we will take them on, he said.

Not every liberal sees the issue as so clear-cut. Ms. Weingarten, who was a Clinton supporter, argued that the question of whether to focus on economic justice or social issues was not an either-or proposition. The red-and-blue-state tour that Mr. Sanders and the Democratic National Committee officials are on conveys to the public that the Democratic Party is first and foremost a party of economic opportunity, she said.
Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, an Obama administration holdover, was asked to resign by the Trump administration on Friday. He was replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general.

Admiral Trent-Adams will for now be in an acting role. As of Friday evening, she had already replaced Dr. Murthy on the surgeon generals Twitter account, and her portrait had replaced his on the agencys Facebook page. One of the first comments on that post asked, Where is Dr. Murthy?

Alleigh Marre, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement on Friday that he was asked to step down after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration. Ms. Marre said Dr. Murthy would continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service.
WASHINGTON  United States Special Operations forces carried out a ground raid in Syria this month that killed a militant who was known as a close associate of the Islamic States leader and who had helped plot a deadly attack on a nightclub in Istanbul on New Years Day, the military said on Friday.

American troops killed the insurgent, Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, on April 6 in an operation in Mayadin, Syria. He was targeted for his role in the Islamic States external terrorist-attack plotting, said Col. John Thomas, a spokesman for the militarys Central Command.

He facilitated the movement of ISIS foreign terror fighters and funds, Colonel Thomas said in a Friday briefing to reporters by telephone from the commands headquarters in Tampa, Fla., using the acronym for the Islamic State. Colonel Thomas said it took until now to confirm that Mr. Uzbeki was killed in the raid two weeks ago.

In describing Mr. Uzbeki as a close associate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the shadowy leader of the terrorist organization, Colonel Thomas said the militant was known to interact with him in various ways over time. Colonel Thomas declined to elaborate.
One way Madison Reed competes is by offering personalized hair color and primarily selling it directly to consumers, rather than through stores or salons. Ninety percent of people who use Madison Reed products buy them from the company, while 10 percent go through Sephora, QVC and Ulta Beauty stores.

It also puts a strong emphasis on technology. Ms. Errett hired a crew of rock star technologists, as she describes them, to help improve the experience of dying hair at home, including devising an algorithm whereby customers answer 12 questions about their hair to find the right color. And because she hoped to appeal to women who wanted a product with more natural ingredients, such as argan oil and ginseng root extract, and fewer harsh chemicals, Ms. Errett contracted out the manufacturing to a facility in Italy, where restrictions on chemicals in hair dye are more stringent than in the United States. She hired an in-house master colorist to develop the shades of color, each of which was tested on real hair before going into production. Being able to use a contract manufacturer also meant Madison Reed required less start-up capital.

Last fall, the technologists also built a tool through which customers submit selfies of their hair for color-matching. The customer sends a photo by text message or through Facebook Messenger; the algorithm analyzes the hair and selects the best Madison Reed color. A call center staffed by licensed colorists helps fine-tune the color-matching process and fields questions.

In December, Madison Reed opened a store in Manhattan where people can get color touch-ups. A 45-minute treatment costs $45. A box of Madison Reed hair color sells for $25 on the companys website. It also sells hair gloss, root touch-up powder, shampoo and conditioner.

Some salons are using the product  a development that took Ms. Errett by surprise. Alex Chases Salon, with branches in California at San Francisco and Menlo Park, is among them. I use it on heads of state, dignitaries, royalty, fashion icons, Mr. Chases said.
There are understandable reasons one might prefer the phrase Jewish person to Jew. For one thing, anti-Semites love to talk about Jews and the Jews. The noun has been a slur in English since the 17th century, and to the Jew-haters of the world, Jew-ness, with all the genetically heritable perfidy it entails, is an essential and ineradicable trait. Whether its the stain of having murdered Jesus or an inborn capacity for greed or deception, the vices perceived by the anti-Semite belong to the Jew, not someone who happens to be Jewish. Anti-Semites have made Jew a term of opprobrium, and the rest of us have acquiesced.

But theres another reason Jews prefer Jewish. Many of us dont think of Jew-ness as central to our identity. If what were talking about is an ethnic inheritance, but not one that defines us in an important way, we may rightly feel that Jewish makes a more modest, weaker claim than Jew  just as Im German sounds a bit milder than Im a German. The former is purely descriptive, the latter a bit proud.

Its precisely because Jew is a bit proud that I want Jews to use it more. Jews, like other minority or marginalized groups, are entitled to a noun to call our own. Such a word will have as many meanings as there are people who claim it, but no matter. When asked by somebody scrutinizing our last name or facial features, Whats your heritage? we should be able to answer, with whatever meaning we impart to it, Im a Jew.

For most of us, speaking such a sentence would feel odd, even scary. But it doesnt have to. It shouldnt.

As Cynthia M. Baker points out in Jew, her book about the word, Jews have not, in fact, owned the word Jew or controlled the discourse about it  or even much used the term  for most of the past 2,000 years. It was Christians who talked about Jews, while our preferred term for ourselves was Israelite or Hebrew. But those terms are now antiquated, and unlikely to be revived in that form: The founding of the State of Israel and the rebirth of the Hebrew language have given those words other connotations.

So its time for us to own Jew. We can do so by using the word more ourselves, and by giving everyone else permission to call Jews Jews. We can rescue, as Louis C. K. would say, the polite thing from the slur. Jews are what we are, after all, and the anti-Semites shouldnt be the only ones saying so.
(Not so) Open Spaces

In a few months time, Newars of Kathmandu valley will celebrate Gathe Muga, and in doing so will celebrate the openness of Kathmandu that now solely exists in photos and nostalgic memories of old and not-so-old-timers (such as yours truly).
All of this made a certain moral sense. But the civilizing process did not do away with cruelty and in some ways it could exacerbate it. With executions, the science was often inexact and the application difficult, and when it went wrong the electric chair or the gas chamber could easily become a distinctive kind of torture. During the last century lethal injection, now the execution method of choice, had a higher botch rate by far than every other means of killing the condemned. Meanwhile, the lowest rate of failure (albeit out of a small sample size) belonged to that old standby: the firing squad.

Few prisoners face execution, and anti-death penalty activists may yet reduce that number to zero. But botched injections are not the only ways in which we pile cruelties on the condemned. Our prison system, which officially only punishes by restraint, actually subjects millions of Americans to waves of informal physical abuse  mistreatment by guards, violence from inmates, the tortures of solitary confinement, the trauma of rape  on top of their formal yearslong sentences.

It is not clear that this method of dealing with crime succeeds at avoiding cruel and unusual punishment so much as it avoids making anyone outside the prison system see it. Nor is it clear that a different system, with a sometimes more old-fashioned set of penalties, would necessarily be more inhumane.

This is the (deliberately provocative) argument of Peter Salib, a judicial clerk on the Seventh Circuit, in his new paper, Why Prison?: An Economic Critique. Salibs claim is radical: We should not imprison people who commit crimes. Instead we should force criminals to work, under monitoring, in the highest-value available jobs in order to make financial restitution, while adding additional deterrence in the form of nonmonetary sanctions. Writes Salib, this paper does not endorse any particular nonmonetary sanction, but he notes that history presents a startling array of options, including: flogging, pillory, running the gauntlope, tarring and feathering, branding, and many more.
In just 10 years, the worlds five largest companies by market capitalization have all changed, save for one: Microsoft. Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Citigroup and Shell Oil are out and Apple, Alphabet (the parent company of Google), Amazon and Facebook have taken their place.

Theyre all tech companies, and each dominates its corner of the industry: Google has an 88 percent market share in search advertising, Facebook (and its subsidiaries Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger) owns 77 percent of mobile social traffic and Amazon has a 74 percent share in the e-book market. In classic economic terms, all three are monopolies.

We have been transported back to the early 20th century, when arguments about the curse of bigness were advanced by President Woodrow Wilsons counselor, Louis Brandeis, before Wilson appointed him to the Supreme Court. Brandeis wanted to eliminate monopolies, because (in the words of his biographer Melvin Urofsky) in a democratic society the existence of large centers of private power is dangerous to the continuing vitality of a free people. We need look no further than the conduct of the largest banks in the 2008 financial crisis or the role that Facebook and Google play in the fake news business to know that Brandeis was right.

While Brandeis generally opposed regulation  which, he worried, inevitably led to the corruption of the regulator  and instead advocated breaking up bigness, he made an exception for natural monopolies, like telephone, water and power companies and railroads, where it made sense to have one or a few companies in control of an industry.
WASHINGTON  Thousands of scientists and their supporters, feeling increasingly threatened by the policies of President Trump, gathered Saturday in Washington under rainy skies for what they called the March for Science, abandoning a tradition of keeping the sciences out of politics and calling on the public to stand up for scientific enterprise.

As the marchers trekked shoulder-to-shoulder toward the Capitol, the street echoed with their calls: Save the E.P.A. and Save the N.I.H. as well as their chants celebrating science, Who run the world? Nerds, and If you like beer, thank yeast and scientists! Some carried signs that showed rising oceans and polar bears in peril and faces of famous scientists like Mae Jemison, Rosalind Franklin and Marie Curie, and others touted a checklist of the diseases Americans no longer get thanks to vaccines.

Although drizzle may have washed away the words on some signs, they aimed to deliver the message that science needs the publics support.

Science is a very human thing, said Ashlea Morgan, a doctoral student in neurobiology at Columbia University. The march is allowing the public to know that this is what science is, and its letting our legislators know that science is vitally important.
WASHINGTON  Relationships have always been President Trumps currency and comfort, helping him talk his way into real estate deals over three decades in New York. Those who know him best say that his outer confidence has always belied an inner uncertainty, and that he needs to test ideas with a wide range of people.

As Mr. Trumps White House advisers jostle for position, the president has turned to another group of advisers  from family, real estate, media, finance and politics, and all outside the White House gates  many of whom he consults at least once a week.

The media mogul Rupert Murdoch is on the phone every week, encouraging Mr. Trump when hes low and arguing that he focus on the economy rather than detouring to other issues. The developer Richard LeFrak is a soothing voice who listens to Mr. Trumps complaints that cost estimates for the border wall with Mexico are too high. Sean Hannity tells the president that keeping promises on core Republican issues is crucial.

Mr. Trumps West Wing aides, like President Bill Clintons staff two decades before, say they sometimes cringe at the input from people they cant control, with consequences they cant predict. Knowing these advisers  who are mostly white, male and older  is a key to figuring out the words coming from Mr. Trumps mouth and his Twitter feed.

Here, based on interviews with more than a dozen friends, top aides and advisers inside and outside the White House, are 20 of Mr. Trumps outside touchstones.

The Mogul

Rupert Murdoch

Mr. Trumps relationships depend on two crucial measures: personal success and loyalty to him. Mr. Murdoch excels in both categories. His New York Post vaulted Mr. Trump from local housing developer to gossip-page royalty, and his Fox News Channel was pro-Trump in the 2016 general election.

The two share preferences for transactional tabloid journalism and never giving in to critics. (Mr. Trump said the fallen Fox star Bill OReilly should not have settled sexual harassment complaints.) The presidents relationship with Mr. Murdoch is deeper and more enduring than most in his life, and the two commiserate and plot strategy in their phone calls, according to people close to both.

Mr. Murdoch even called the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, to buck him up after Mr. Spicer was savaged for a remark about Adolf Hitler.

The Media

Sean Hannity

Presidents always deploy surrogates to appear on television to spout their talking points, but Mr. Trump has expanded on that by developing relationships with sympathetic media figures like Mr. Hannity who also serve as advisers. Mr. Hannity, the Fox News host, defends Mr. Trumps most controversial behavior in public, but privately, according to people close to Mr. Trump, he urges the president not to get distracted, and advises him to focus on keeping pledges like repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Chris Ruddy

The chief executive of Newsmax Media is a longtime Mar-a-Lago member and was a Trump cheerleader among conservative media well before the website Breitbart joined the parade. He employs writers and editors who tracked Mr. Trumps career when they were at The New York Post. He recently visited the Oval Office, and he and Mr. Trump kibitz in Florida and by phone.

The Lawyer

Sheri A. Dillon

Ms. Dillon seemed out of place when she spoke at a too-large lectern in the lobby of Trump Tower on Jan. 11, describing the steps Mr. Trump planned to take to separate himself from his business. But Ms. Dillon, a tax lawyer who worked out a highly criticized plan for Mr. Trump to retain ownership of his company but step back from running it, has repeatedly counseled the president about the business and made at least one White House visit. (Michael Cohen, a veteran Trump aide, has been serving as his personal lawyer.)

Campaign Advisers

Corey Lewandowski

Despite his youre fired slogan, the president dislikes dismissing people. Mr. Lewandowski, Mr. Trumps hot-tempered first campaign manager, was fired in June but never really went away. A New England-bred operative whose working-class roots and clenched-teeth loyalty earned him Mr. Trumps trust, he continued to be in frequent phone contact with Mr. Trump until the election and beyond. Friends of Mr. Lewandowski say that he can see the windows of the White House residence from his lobbying office on Pennsylvania Avenue, and that the view is even better during his visits to the West Wing, including when the New England Patriots were there this past week.

Newt Gingrich

The former House speaker talks more with Mr. Trumps top advisers than he does with the president, but his presence permeates the administration. Mr. Gingrichs former spokesman is at the State Department, and two former advisers work in the West Wing. Mr. Gingrich has relentlessly promoted Mr. Trumps policy adviser, Stephen Miller, as the West Wing conservative ballast as the chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, has been under fire.

Image President Trump in the Roosevelt Room this week. Outside the White House, Mr. Trump has kept a small group of informal advisers whom he speaks with at least one a week. Credit... Al Drago/The New York Times

Childhood Friend

Richard LeFrak

Their fathers were developers together in New York, and the two men have been friends for decades. Mr. LeFrak is a Mar-a-Lago member, and he agreed to be part of an infrastructure effort that Mr. Trump hopes to put forward. Mr. Trump has turned to him to vent frustrations about the slow pace of bureaucracy.

The Peers

Thomas Barrack Jr.

Mr. Trump divides the people around him into broad categories: family, paid staff and wealthy men like Mr. Barrack whom he considers peers. A sunny and loyal near-billionaire who has socialized with the president for years, Mr. Barrack is less a strategic adviser than a trusted moneyman, fixer and sounding board who has often punctuated emails to Mr. Trump with exhortations like YOU ROCK! He has urged Mr. Trump to avoid needless, distracting fights.

Under Mr. Barracks leadership, Mr. Trumps inaugural committee raised a record $106.7 million, much of it from big corporations, banks and Republican megadonors like the Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson. Mr. Barrack also helped usher Paul Manafort, the international political operative now under scrutiny for his ties to Russia, into the Trump fold last year. The velvet-voiced Mr. Barrack does not seek out attention for himself, one of the most important and elusive qualities by which the president judges people.

Stephen Schwarzman

The chairman and chief executive of the Blackstone Group, Mr. Schwarzman is the head of Mr. Trumps economic advisory council. He and the president dont speak daily, West Wing aides said, but do talk frequently. Mr. Schwarzman has counseled him on a number of topics, including advising him to leave in place President Barack Obamas executive order shielding young undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, from deportation.

Steve Roth

A good way to get on Mr. Trumps side is to do a deal with him, particularly if it means rescuing him from his own financial crisis. Thats what Mr. Roth, a real estate tycoon, did a decade ago when he bought out Mr. Trumps share in a West Side real estate deal that went sour. Mr. Roth, head of Vornado Realty Trust and a longtime Democratic donor, also helped Mr. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, when he injected $80 million into 666 Fifth Avenue, a Kushner family property in danger of defaulting on $1.1 billion in loans. Mr. Trump speaks with Mr. Roth frequently, and is leaning on him to help develop a trillion-dollar infrastructure package expected this year.

Phil Ruffin

Mr. Trump has 20-odd business partners, but none is closer to him than Mr. Ruffin, 82, a Texas billionaire who has lent his ear and private jet. The president was best man at the 2008 wedding of Mr. Ruffin to his third wife, a 26-year-old model and former Miss Ukraine. Mr. Ruffin has a knack for showing up when Mr. Trump needs him most and remains a die-hard defender. This stuff about him having financial investments all over Russia  thats just pure crap, Mr. Ruffin told Forbes. I went to Russia with him. We took my airplane. We were having lunch with one of the oligarchs there. No business was discussed.

Carl Icahn

Rounding out Mr. Trumps roster of wealthy octogenarians is this 81-year-old corporate raider and real estate mogul, who occupies perhaps the most respected perch in the presidents circle of businessmen buddies. The affection is longstanding: The Queens-bred Mr. Icahn has known Mr. Trump and his family for decades. Its also numerical: Mr. Icahn is worth an estimated $16 billion, a major plus in the eyes of a president who keeps score. Mr. Icahn serves as a free-roving economic counselor and the head of Mr. Trumps effort to reduce government regulations on business.

Man of Mystery

Roger J. Stone Jr.

Few alliances in politics are as complicated as the 40-year relationship between the Nixon-tattooed Mr. Stone and Mr. Trump. Mr. Stone wont say how frequently they speak these days, but he shares the presidents tear-down-the-system impulses and is ubiquitous on cable news, radio and the website InfoWars defending Mr. Trump.

The Clubgoers

Ike Perlmutter

Mr. Perlmutter, the chief executive of Marvel Comics, who is so reclusive that there are few public photographs of him, has been informally advising Mr. Trump on veterans issues. The two men are old friends, and Mr. Perlmutter has been a presence at Mar-a-Lago.

Robert Kraft

The owner of the New England Patriots is a Democrat, but his loyalty to Mr. Trump, Mr. Kraft once said, dates partly to the presidents thoughtfulness when Mr. Krafts wife died. Mr. Trump loved talking about the Patriots during the campaign, and Mr. Kraft has been a Mar-a-Lago presence since the transition.

The First Lady

Melania Trump

Mrs. Trump is uninterested in the limelight, but she has remained a powerful adviser by telephone from New York. Among her roles: giving Mr. Trump feedback on media coverage, counseling him on staff choices and urging him, repeatedly, to tone down his Twitter feed. Lately, he has listened closely, and has a more disciplined Twitter finger.

The Governor

Chris Christie

Mr. Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and palace gatekeeper, has shown a capacity to hobble his rivals, but few have been finished off. The most durable has been Mr. Christie, whose transition planning, several West Wing aides now concede, should not have been discarded. He has been a frequent Oval Office visitor and has worked with the White House on the opioid addiction crisis.

The Speaker

Paul D. Ryan

Mr. Trump and the clean-cut and wonky Wisconsinite arent exactly best friends forever. But their relationship is closer than in the bad old days of the 2016 campaign when Mr. Ryan delayed a hold-my-nose endorsement of Mr. Trump, whose morality he had long questioned. But as the presidents agenda passes through the razor-blade gantlet of the House, where Mr. Ryan faces the constant threat of opposition and overthrow, the two men have become foxhole buddies.

The Sons

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump

The two sons and the president insist they no longer discuss company business. But the family is close, and Mr. Trump still speaks to his sons frequently, inquiring about their lives and searching for gut-checks on his own.
WASHINGTON  After refusing to attend next weekends annual White House Correspondents Association dinner  a traditional night of comity between presidents and the news media  President Trump announced Saturday that he would hold a rally away from the capital while the dinner was underway.

In a Twitter message on Saturday morning, the president said he would be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania on April 29, the same night the press corps will be gathering for its annual black-tie event at the Washington Hilton.

Mr. Trumps decision is another thumb in the eye to the White House press corps after months of tension and acrimony between the president and the reporters who cover him. Mr. Trump has called several news organizations fake or the enemy of the people and has repeatedly said The New York Times is failing.

After the president announced in February that he would not attend the dinner, the White House indicated that none of his staff members would attend, in solidarity with their boss  a move that was widely interpreted as an order by Mr. Trump that they should not go.
CARACAS, Venezuela  The bikers thundered up in a phalanx of red jackets and dark clothes, some with faces covered, revving motorcycles before a thousand protesters in Caracas. They threw tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. Then, witnesses say, they pulled pistols and fired.

Someone fell. Carlos Moreno, 17, lay sprawled on the ground, a pool of blood around his head.

His brain matter was coming out, recalled Carlos Julio Rojas, a community leader who witnessed the fatal shooting in Venezuelas capital on Wednesday.

The uniformed men who shot Mr. Moreno were not government security forces, witnesses say. Rather, they were members of armed bands who have become key enforcers for President Nicolas Maduro as he attempts to crush a growing protest movement against his rule.

The groups, called collectives or colectivos in Spanish, originated as pro-government community organizations that have long been a part of the landscape of leftist Venezuelan politics. Civilians with police training, colectivo members are armed by the government, say experts who have studied them.
Prez returns from state visit to india

President Bidya Devi Bhandari returned home on Friday evening after completing her five-day state visit to India. President Bhandari had left for New Delhi on Monday at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.
BEIJING  Commentators around the world are warning of a potential crisis on the Korean Peninsula. But in China, where the state controls much of the news media, the headlines have been subdued.

Over the past two weeks, as North Korea has tested missiles and the United States has threatened to send warships to the region, there was just one fleeting front page reference to the tensions in Peoples Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party.

Experts say Beijings relative silence may be an attempt to placate both Kim Jong-un of North Korea and President Trump, as well as to prevent the Chinese public from panicking.

Here is a look at the themes dominating coverage of North Korea in the Chinese media, and what they reveal about Beijings attitude toward Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump.
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea appears to have resumed work at its nuclear test site after a perplexing series of volleyball matches were held there, according to analysts who studied satellite images of the site, renewing concerns that a major weapons test could be imminent.

Many observers had feared that North Korea would test a nuclear device at the site around April 15, the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the Norths founding president and the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong-un. But Mr. Kims government celebrated the day instead with a military parade in Pyongyang, the capital, during which a fleet of missiles were rolled out, including what analysts believed were never-before-seen long-range ballistic missiles.

North Korea carried out a missile test on Sunday, but it was considered an embarrassing failure, with the projectile exploding immediately after liftoff.

But North Korea is preparing to celebrate another major holiday this coming week: Tuesday will be the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Peoples Army, and the North often uses such occasions to show off its military advances.
KABUL, Afghanistan  They looked like Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades as part of the ruse.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints. They arrived inside northern Afghanistans largest military installation just as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unarmed soldiers were emerging from Friday Prayers and preparing for lunch.

For the next five hours, the militants went on a rampage, killing at least 140 soldiers and officers in what is emerging as the single deadliest known attack on an Afghan military base in the countrys 16-year war. Some assailants blew themselves up among the soldiers fleeing for their lives, according to survivors, witnesses and officials.

Today, there was even a shortage of coffins, said Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province, where the attack took place. Other officials feared that the death toll could exceed 200.
HANOI, Vietnam  Villagers near Vietnams capital on Saturday released 19 officials they had held hostage for about a week, ending a rare standoff that underscored tensions over land rights in this Communist country.

Thirty-eight police and security officials were captured last weekend in Dong Tam village, 25 miles south of the capital, Hanoi, in the dispute, activists said. The state news media said that 16 of the hostages were later released and that three had escaped.

The remaining 19 were released after a meeting between the villagers and Hanois top local official, Nguyen Duc Chung, the state-run newspaper Tuoi Tre said in an online report. Photos circulating on social media and the websites of state-run newspapers appeared to show hundreds of villagers at the scene.

State media reports said the disputed 145 acres were originally earmarked for a military airport that was never built. The land was transferred in 2015 to Viettel, a military-backed telecommunications company, for a defense-related project, the reports said.
For more than a century, Turkey has denied any role in organizing the killing of Armenians in what historians have long accepted as a genocide that started in 1915, as World War I spread across continents. The Turkish narrative of denial has hinged on the argument that the original documents from postwar military tribunals that convicted the genocides planners were nowhere to be found.

Now, Taner Akcam, a Turkish historian at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., who has studied the genocide for decades by piecing together documents from around the world to establish state complicity in the killings, says he has unearthed an original telegram from the trials, in an archive held by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Until recently, the smoking gun was missing, Mr. Akcam said. This is the smoking gun. He called his find an earthquake in our field, and said he hoped it would remove the last brick in the denialist wall.

The story begins in 1915 in an office in the Turkish city of Erzurum, when a high-level official of the Ottoman Empire punched out a telegram in secret code to a colleague in the field, asking for details about the deportations and killings of Armenians in eastern Anatolia, the easternmost part of contemporary Turkey.
PARIS  In Fiscal Kombat, an online video game introduced this month by the presidential campaign of Jean-Luc Melenchon, Frances far-left candidate, players shake down men in suits to put money into the public coffers, Robin Hood-style. Its one way Mr. Melenchon, 65, has been winning over young voters.

His campaign has been gaining steam not only because of his energized rallies  he sometimes beams in by hologram to address multiple cities at once  and his platform. He has also been far more web savvy than his rivals, running what may be Frances first viral campaign.

Its a wild-card factor all the more potent and vital since neither he nor the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, the front-runner by a narrow margin, represents a traditional political party or has its infrastructure.

When French voters go to the polls on Sunday for the first round of elections, they will do so after a campaign that has moved beyond rallies and other traditional events and migrated online for the first time. With some polls showing as many as 30 percent of the voters still undecided, every vote will count  and so will every like.
PARIS  For at least the last three French elections, voters in the town of Louviers, about 60 miles northwest of Paris, have cast ballots for the candidate who ultimately won the presidency. So who are they voting for on Sunday, in the countrys closest race in memory?

I havent decided. Its gnawing at me, said Charlene Hedoux, 30, a cleaning woman who was sitting at a bus stop this past week in central Louviers, which has a soaring Gothic church and bustling cafes. I have children. I didnt before. When one sees how these last few days have been going, its not very reassuring.

And that was before the terrorist attack on Thursday that left a police officer dead in central Paris and added yet another combustible element to an already volatile race.

The election on Sunday is one of the most consequential in recent times  not just for France, but for Europe  and one of the most unpredictable.
If Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Front, found herself hoping that Thursdays terrorist attack in Paris might bolster her prospects in Sundays vote for president, then a substantial body of research suggests that those hopes could come true.

Terrorist attacks can shift support to right-wing parties by one or two percentage points, studies have found.

This could make the difference in the first round of Frances presidential election, which polls suggest is nearly a tie among four candidates. The candidates who place first and second will face off in a second round of voting in May.

But some studies find that terrorism can create increased polarization, which could harm Ms. Le Pens ability to pick off left-wing voters in the second round.
Before Mrs. Waziri became ill, her family said, she was a pioneering womans rights activist and teacher, who was among the first women in Afghanistan to publicly remove her veil, shake a mans hand and run for Parliament, in the late 1960s.

Countries across Europe have been tightening immigration rules as anti-immigrant sentiments simmer on both sides of the Atlantic. A tough stance on refugees has become such a vote-getter in Denmark that the integration minister, Inger Stojberg, recently celebrated the governments 50th anti-immigration regulation with a cake.

Such hardening attitudes are not limited to Denmark. In Germany, which accepted more than one million refugees and migrants in 2015 and faces elections in September, three mass expulsions of Afghan men have occurred since last fall. Hungary, evoking echoes of World War II, recently unveiled plans to detain asylum seekers in small enclosed villages surrounded by razor wire.

Denmarks tightening rules do not concern only those from war-torn countries. Mary Stewart Burgher, a 60-year-old retired Houston native who worked for the World Health Organization in Copenhagen, became a cause celebre in Denmark this month after she was ordered to leave after living there for 32 years. After she made several heartfelt pleas on television in American-accented Danish, she was notified the day before her planned deportation that she could stay, at least while the authorities reviewed her case.

Fears are growing in Europe that incoming terrorists are masquerading as refugees and that welfare states are being overstretched. In Denmark, a culture war over Islam exploded after the publication of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper in 2005 spurred a violent reaction around the world.

Aarhus, where the Waziri family lives, has attracted unwanted attention for its gritty immigrant neighborhoods, but has also gained notice for a successful program to deradicalize jihadists in a country with the second-highest number of foreign fighters per capita.
Here, he points to another blogger who was asked to leave a flight for taking pictures of the seat back in front of him. His eviction was based on a very loose reading of a no-photographing-the-crew rule and a reportedly false accusation that he did not comply with a flight attendants order to put down his phone camera.

Mr. Leff also has a friend, he said, who ran into a flight attendant recently who threatened to summon law enforcement when the friend asked the flight attendant to be careful of the delicate items she had placed in the overhead bin.

Hogwash, said Ms. Poole, the flight attendant for American. She would never come close to removing a passenger without careful consultation with colleagues to make sure everyone reads the situation the same way. Besides, she said, nobody wants to come in on a day off to have the inevitable talk with managers about an incident, let alone become an unwitting YouTube star. We put up with a lot more than someone would put up with in any other job just to avoid those things, she said.

Mr. Leff was quick to note that he does not know precisely which borderline passenger behaviors should be declared removal-worthy. But I also think that airlines have allowed consideration of the question to take a back seat, he said, where they are too quick to tell people to call law enforcement and dont draw a line in the right place or invest enough in the customer-service element.

The union president, Ms. Nelson, agrees with that last point. One possible solution, she said, is to have more employees on the plane. If there are not enough eyes to see how a conflict began, it can be hard to adjudicate it. If were not right there, she said, its either too late, or has become a really big problem by the time we can get there.

The Mile-Making Machine

Things go awry. No airline is perfect, and no single flight is, either. Not everyone wants a free drink for the trouble, however, and airlines have typically had little else to offer angry people in the moment.

Enter Deltas hand-held mile-making machine, which it uses for service recovery. Did your tray table fall apart in your hands as you attempted to use it? That will be 5,000 SkyMiles into your account. A Delta spokesman could not provide a menu of points possibilities for people who qualify for said recovery but said that flight attendants have flexibility in distributing them.
Retrofitting guidelines to be unveiled

Two years after a devastating earthquake levelled hundreds of thousands of houses in the country, the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has prepared the Seismic Retrofitting Guidelines of Buildings to help builders retrofit existing buildings and make them earthquake resistant.
This brief essay covers only the recent period since Wikileaks published the Chelsea Manning material and most recently, got involved in US politics by publishing damaging material about Clinton but refusing to publish the material on Trump.

It's really less about Assange than about those who have loved and hated him and why. Here is what Trump said about Assange in 2013 on Fox and Friends: ""I think Snowden is a terrible threat, I think he's a terrible traitor, and you know what we used to do in the good old days when we were a strong country -- you know what we used to do to traitors, right?"

This implicit call for execution was his first public response to Wikileak's head Assange.

But then they joined forces as a result of both detesting Hillary Clinton. When Assange began releasing dirt on Clinton, he refused to release he material he had on Trump. He explained to Megyn in August of 2016:

""You're clearly not rooting for Hillary, but are you rooting for Trump?" Kelly asked. "No, I mean, if we have good information on Trump, we publish that," Assange said.

"You know, some people have asked us, 'When will you release information on Donald Trump?'" Assange said later. "And of course we're very interested in all countries, to reveal the truth about any candidate, so people can understand, but actually it's really hard for us to release anything worse than what comes out of Donald Trump's mouth every second day. I mean, it's part of his charismatic appeal that he speaks off the cuff, but, you know, that's difficult for Donald Trump to overcome, a lot of those things, even with a lot of great material coming out by WikiLeaks and other publications."

This self-contradictory answer (He has information but he will no publish it because it is not good and it's no worse than what Trump himself says "everyday.") ignores the journalistic obligation not only to be fair but to let the public decide whether the information is important or not. Information from an external source (where did Wikileaks get the information on Trump?) may confirm or refute what Trump himself is saying. Why not let the public know what Wikileaks has on both candidates and let the chips then fall as they may?

In recent weeks, Trump's call for executing Assange has turned into love. "I love Wikileaks," he says, a gratitude earned by the fact that Wikileaks' decision to publish dirt on Clinton but not Trump helped Trump to gain power.

And then others who had called Assange a traitor chimed in. Suddenly, he was the hero not only of Trump but Fox News and bombthrowers like Ann Coulter. The far right "loved" Julian Assange for torpedoing Clinton.

That in itself is a tale replete in contradictions and absurdities, such as the hero of the left becoming the hero of the right. But, like as crooked paths, it takes yet another twisted turn....and today, it is being reported that the Department of Justice, under Secy Sessions, is preparing to go after Assange again.

Sessions told a press conference in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday: "We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks. This is a matter that's gone beyond anything I'm aware of. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number of leaks and some of them are quite serious."

The Guardian summarizes what this means: "The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is now a "priority" for the US, the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has said.
Scooter rider killed in Chitwan van hit

A teenage girl died after a van hit a scooter she was riding on at Narayangadh in Chitwan district on Saturday.
James Q. Whitman's new book is called Hitler's American Model: The United States and the Making of Nazi Race Law. It is understated and overdocumented, difficult to argue with. No doubt some will try.

In cartoonish U.S. historical understanding, the United States is, was, and ever shall be a force for good, whereas Nazism arose in a distant, isolated land that lacked any connection to other societies. In a cartoonish reversal of that understanding that would make a good strawman for critics of this book, U.S. policies have been identical to Nazism which simply copied them. Obviously this is not the case.

In reality, as we have long known, the U.S. genocide of Native Americans was a source of inspiration in Nazi discussions of expanding to their east, even referring to Ukrainian Jews as "Indians." Camps for Native Americans helped inspire camps for Jews. Anti-Semites and eugenicists and racists in the U.S. helped inspire those in Germany, and vice versa. U.S. bankers invested in the Nazis. U.S. weapons dealers armed them. Nazis borrowed from U.S. propaganda techniques developed in World War I. Admirers in the U.S. of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy attempted at least one coup against President Franklin Roosevelt. The U.S. refused to admit significant numbers of Jewish refugees or to help evacuate them from Germany. The State Department turned down Anne Frank's visa. The coast guard chased a ship of Jews away, sending them back to their fate. Et cetera. We have known all of this.

We have known how the U.S. treated African Americans, Japanese Americans, and others at the time of World War II, how it experimented on Guatemalans even during the trials of Nazis for human experimentation, and continued to allow human experimentation in the U.S. for many years. And so forth. The good versus evil cartoon was never real.

What Whitman's book adds to the complex story is an understanding of U.S. influences on the drafting of Nazi race laws. No, there were no U.S. laws in the 1930s establishing mass murder by poison gas in concentration camps. But neither were the Nazis looking for such laws. Nazis lawyers were looking for models of functioning laws on race, laws that effectively defined race in some way despite the obvious scientific difficulties, laws that restricted immigration, citizenship rights, and inter-racial marriage. In the early 20th century the recognized world leader in such things was the United States.

Whitman quotes from the transcripts of Nazi meetings, internal documents, and published articles and books. There is no doubt of the role that U.S. (state, not just federal) legal models played in the development of the Nuremberg Laws. The 1930s was a time, we should recall, when Jews in Germany and primarily African Americans in the United States were lynched. It was also a time when U.S. immigration laws used national origin as a means of discrimination -- something Adolf Hitler praised in Mein Kampf. It was a time of de facto second-class citizenship in the United States for blacks, Chinese, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, Japanese, and others. Thirty U.S. states had systems of laws banning interracial marriage of various sorts -- something the Nazis could find nowhere else and studied in comprehensive detail, among other things for the examples of how the races were defined. The U.S. had also shown how to conquer territories of undesirables, such as in the Philippines or Puerto Rico, and incorporate them into an empire but not give first-class citizenship rights to the residents. Up until 1930 a U.S. woman could lose her citizenship if she married a non-citizen Asian man.

The most radical of the Nazis, not the moderates, in their deliberations were the advocates for the U.S. models. But even they believed some of the U.S. systems simply went too far. The "one-drop" rule for defining a colored person was considered too harsh, for example, as opposed to defining a Jew as someone with three or more Jewish grandparents (how those grandparents were defined as Jewish is another matter; it was the willingness to ignore logic and science in all such laws that was most of the attraction). The Nazis also defined as Jewish someone with only two Jewish grandparents who met other criteria. In this broadening the definition of a race to things like behavior and appearance, the U.S. laws were also a model.

One of many U.S. state laws that Nazis examined was this from Maryland:

"All marriages between a white person and a Negro, or between a white person and a person of Negro descent, to the third generation, inclusive, or between a white person and a member of the Malay race or between a Negro and a member of the Malay race, or between a person of Negro descent to the third generation, inclusive, and a member of the Malay race . . . [skipping over many variations] . . . are forever prohibited . . . punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary for not less than eighteen months nor more than ten years."

The Nazis of course examined and admired the Jim Crow laws of segregation as well but determined that such a regime would only work against an impoverished oppressed group. German Jews, they reasoned, were too rich and powerful to be segregated. Some of the Nazi lawyers in the 1930s, before Nazi policy had become mass murder, also found the extent of the U.S. segregation laws too extreme. But Nazis admired racist statements from contemporary U.S. pundits and authorities back at least to Thomas Jefferson. Some argued that because segregation was de facto established in the U.S. South despite a Constitution mandating equality, this proved that segregation was a powerful, natural, and inevitable force. In other words, U.S. practice allowed Nazis to more easily think of their own desired practices in the early years of their madness as normal.

In 1935, a week after Hitler had proclaimed the Nuremberg Laws, a group of Nazi lawyers sailed to New York to study U.S. law. There, they were protested by Jews but hosted by the New York City Bar Association.

U.S. laws on miscegenation lasted, of course, until the 1967 Loving v. Virginia ruling. Vicious and bigoted U.S. policies on immigration and refugees are alive and well today. Whitman examines the U.S. legal tradition, noting much that is to admire in it, but pointing to its political or democratic nature as something that the Nazis found preferable to the inflexibility of an independent judiciary. To this day, the U.S. elects prosecutors, imposes Nazi-like habitual offender (or three-strikes-you're-out) sentences, uses the death penalty, employs jailhouse snitches' testimony in exchange for release, locks up more people than anywhere else on earth, and does so in an extremely racist manner. To this day, racism is alive in U.S. politics. What right-wing dictators admire in Donald Trump's nation is not all new and not all different from what fascists admired 80 or 90 years ago.

It's worth repeating the obvious: the United States was not and is not Nazi Germany. And that is a very good thing. But what if a Wall Street coup had succeeded? What if the United States had been bombed flat and faced defeat from abroad while demonizing a domestic scapegoat? Who can really say it couldn't have or still couldn't happen here?

Whitman suggests that Germans do not write about foreign influence on Nazism so as not to appear to be shifting blame. For similar reasons many Germans refuse to oppose the slaughter of and mistreatment of Palestinians. We can fault such positions as going overboard. But why is it that U.S. writers rarely write about U.S. influence on Nazism? Why, for that matter, do we not learn about U.S. crimes in the way that Germans learn about German crimes? It seems to me that it is U.S. culture that has gone the furthest overboard into a sea of denial and self-idolatry.
How many books have been authored by Donald Trump? The answer: a steady stream totaling a whopping 17 -- more than enough to keep a full-time writer fully occupied without all of Mr. Trump's other activities. The word 'writer' of course is key, for Mr. Trump has not actually written any of them. He hires a ghost writer and simply pens his name to the finished product.



It's the same with all 'his' hotels around the world. He has simply sold his name to local owners.



This week he announced that an armada headed by the carrier USS Carl Vinson was headed towards North Korea to show he meant business. Problem: It was off the coast of Indonesia sailing in the opposite direction for joint exercises with the Australians.



'Lying is second nature to him', says Tony Schwartz, who wrote 'The Art of the Deal', the first and most famous of the Trump books. Concerned enough about a Trump presidency, no matter how remote the possibility as seemed at the time, he sat down with the New Yorker's Jane Mayer to discuss his fears (July 2015 issue). Schwartz's final takeaway is of a pathological liar and sociopath.






.I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one.

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John Locke, a philosopher who lived nearly 400 years ago, summed it up best: "To love one's neighbor as ourselves is such a truth for regulating human society that by that alone one might determine the cases of social morality."

One can understand the first part of this ideal, as one of the 10 Commandments is about loving one's neighbor as ourselves. The latter part of Locke's quote wraps it all up quite nicely as to determining our social morality. If we all truly treated our fellow man as we would like to be treated, WOW!!! No more exploitation of others for our own financial gain; no more torture or harsh treatment of a detainee.; No more lying to others to support our own agenda... and on and on.

Imperialism: "the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly: the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence." This defines the exact opposite of not only that commandment, but of what Locke suggests above.

Yet, throughout history, spanning perhaps ad infinitum of human life on this planet, man has constantly used imperialism to enrich himself. Every great empire has been defined by its use of imperialism. The great 20th century wars were fought by imperialist nations on both sides.

During WW2, Churchill and the Brits blasted Hitler and his mad Nazi regime for their concentration camps and ethnic cleansing of Jews and Slavs. .. And right they were. Yet, few recall that it was the Brits (and Churchill participated) who coined the phrase concentration camp during the Boer War in Africa... and placed the Boers in them. It was the Brits (again with Churchill front and center) who, after WW1, used their aircraft to gas the hell out of the Iraqis in order to keep control of that region. All the Nazis did was take these concepts to a much deeper and darker place.

In our nation, founded on life, liberty and the pursuit of...the "happiness to own slaves." Racism and jingoism has always used the tactic of scapegoating to divide us working stiffs. During and after the Civil War freed blacks were never accepted as truly free men and women. Poor and low income whites were propagandized to hate and fear freed blacks, mostly for economic reasons.

The New York City draft riots of 1863 ( captured somewhat in Scorsese's 2002 film "Gangs of New York") revealed how brutal white working stiffs could be towards blacks, who they feared (sometimes rightly so) would take away their low paying jobs.

In the South after the Civil War, the fear of freed blacks, coupled with generational tribal and religious dictums of 'separation of the races' saw more brutality and discrimination. The Brits had their own imperial arrogance throughout their empire. Films like Attenborough's "Ghandi" (1982) or Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father" (1993) reveal how the Brits viewed their colonial peons in India and Northern Ireland.

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What's All the Hullaballoo?



Vintage Standard Barbie

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"Presidents cannot accept gifts or business from foreigners. It's against the 'emoluments clause'," so said a knowledgeable MSNBC contributor Tuesday night, after President Trump warmly congratulated Turkey President Erdogan for winning a referendum that will give him almost unlimited power for the next seven years. He is being raked over the coals, not so much for applauding an authoritarian, but one in whose country he has business interests in the shape of twin towers. But what's all the hullaballoo? What about the Saudis and other unsavory rulers whom we may not 'congratulate' but whom we support to the tune of billions of dollars and lethal aid against their enemies -- who are not necessarily our enemies.

Let this not be read as a defense of Donald Trump: it is simply an enieme condemnation of the mainstream press for thinking it's doing its job by citing an obscure law.

A hundred days into the Trump Presidency, Americans should be clear about one thing: far from being an outlier and an exception, Donald Trump has simply taken what has passed for governance to a whole new level, doing what our rulers have always done under the table or cloaked in solemn robes, openly, affirmatively, gleefully, even, telling us it's good for us, even if it doesn't make America great again. It's the new normal, and we'll have to get used to it: the Trump family aligns foreign policy with its business, while the generals make war on anyone who disagrees. After all, wasn't it Henry Ford who said 'What's good for General Motors is good for America?"

P.S. As I wrote yesterday, under Henry Ford's rule, it is now perfectly okay for our Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, to lobby for relief from Russia sanctions so his 'former' company, Exxon Mobile, can participate in a lucrative deal to drill for Russian's Arctic Oil.

P.P.S. An if you're wondering how much further the new normal can go, seek no longer: Today, April 22, RT reported that Ivanka Trump -- aside from selling stuff in China -- is now considered the ideal woman. 'Medical' institutes are claiming they can turn Chinese beauties into Nordic beauties, maybe thanks to some ancient Chinese alchemy. And when the American President's daughter becomes the Middle Kingdom's Barbie Doll, it may be time for those of us crying in the wilderness over our country's crimes against humanity, to pick a sunny spot and retire with a couple of good books to await the inevitable.
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North Korea has reacted angrily to recent comments by Australian officials, accusing us of spouting a stream of rubbish and threatening a possible nuclear strike if our relationship with the U.S. continues.

The latest round of rhetoric comes after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop appeared on the ABCs AM program this week to warn that North Korea could pose a significant threat to Australia unless the international community steps in.

North Koreas Foreign Ministry directly addressed Bishops comments in a statement, saying:

[She had] better think twice about the consequences to be entailed by her reckless tongue-lashing before flattering the US. It is hard to expect good words from the foreign minister of such a government. But if she is the foreign minister of a country, she should speak with elementary common sense about the essence of the situation.

The statement also threatened retaliation against Australia in the form of a nuclear strike, saying:

The present Government of Australia is blindly and zealously toeing the US line. If Australia persists in following the US moves to isolate and stifle North Korea  this will be a suicidal act of coming within the range of the nuclear strike of the strategic force of North Korea.

The comments coincide with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pences high-profile visit to Australia, which has seen him meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to discuss the current North Korean situation.

Pence has said that all options are on the table with regards to the isolated nation, but has indicated that the U.S. continues to favour diplomacy over the use of military force at this stage.

Source: ABC News.

Photo: Washington Post Archive / Getty.
Super Dark Times (dir. Kevin Phillips)

Hounds of Love (dir. Ben Young)

A few hours earlier, he was holding a samurai sword over the body of his best friend while suburban sprinklers drenched the bloody spectacle in mechanical mist. Now Charlie Tahan (Wayward Pines) was a few feet away from me, decked in a sleek trenchcoat and a bookbag that seemed too cute. "Now I didn't write the film," he was saying to someone in mock defense, though his haircut still vividly brought to mind the crazy-eyed wariness of the murdering psychopath he plays in Kevin Phillips' directorial debut, Super Dark Times. Nearby, courting a collection of older journalists, the broad shoulders of Max Talisman (Orange is the New Black) can be spotted. It's his neck that Tahan's character turns into a small fountain of blood early in Super Dark Times. The drinks in their hands are well-attended and I wonder how old these supposed teen boys are.

The territory covered in Super Dark Times is the coming of age tale, from the debut late-night party to the first doobie smoked. Attacking the terrain from the lens of fragile teenage masculinity, Phillip's camera opens on Zach (Tahan) and Josh (Owen Campbell, The Americans) leering at the pretty girls in the school yearbook. We later meet some friends, the kind you know because your cousin knows them. Small dostoevskian retorts about death are made as are homosexual slurs. Something of a period piece, Phillips attends to some Donnie Darko-ish surreal noise involving a television set, but maybe its better no one is stuck to their iPhones. Fucking around, they find Zach's cool-and-in-the-Marines brother stash and steal his weed and borrow from his collection of sabers that every manly man must have somewhere. The saber isn't like, a real historical artifact, Zach informs us, but it it also isn't fake or anything. True enough: "We need to bury the body" is the first thing one of them opines after Talisman's body becomes a geology of blood, oozing little rivers.

Super Dark Times captures gestures of early teenage life that I've long forgot: the petty rivalries that express themselves in facial ticks, the deeply particular ways a middle schooler can be annoying. Certain cliches are echewed as well; there's a crush, obviously named Allison (Elizabeth Cappuccino, Jessica Jones) but it is absent the melodrama of too many teen movies. Desire expresses itself in American Beauty-esque sex dreams. But the movie's gruesome trauma traps these growing-up experiences without a single false note, even mom (Amy Hargreaves) manages to be winningly cool.

"We need to bury the body" is the first thing one of them suggests after Talisman's body becomes a geology of blood, oozing little rivers.

To what end are these children gathered to the slaughter? Post-Columbine, we like to think teenage psychopathy involves stories that can elucidate why such random things bad things happen. Bullies are a common target, ditto online neo-Nazi communities. Neither Phillips nor his scriptpenned by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, rising horror scribes offer anything so illustrative. Trauma builds upon trauma and one dead body becomes three like the spread of an unseen illness. Phillips sketches these emotionally claustrophobic conditions with gory aplomb. The movie's publicity is running a comp to similarly mysterious retro teen dramas like Donnie Darko but Phillips' hand for emotional realism had me thinking of "In the Woods," the three-part episode of Louie that is ostensibly a moral tale with a flimsy target (marijuana) but ends up connecting succinctly with the moral trauma of growing up.

Is it just me or are a lot of Tribeca offerings this season rich with bloodshed?

Earlier in the morning, I managed to catch another gory number: Ben Young's Hounds of Love which contained zero Kate Bush but ended on a Joy Division song. Weird. Bloody as all hell too, Young takes on the genre of kidnapping women and trapping them in a room that Brie Larson used to make into her an Oscar-winning performance in Room a few years back. His device is showing us yelling next to bloodstains. By the time we see a body, we are already mildly invested. They say this is based on some real stuff. More interesting than all that is Emma Booth's turn as the wife who assists her hubby (Stephen Curry) with finding, raping and killing teenage girls. Mother to children she is no longer allowed to see, she telegraphs unease with strange sympathy, we wonder if she's trying to deal with a life that fucked her something awful. She drops that she's been married to the movie's central pervert since the age of thirteen and has tried to leave before. If she's still around, we assume pickings can't be good. Curry, for his part, bears an intensely uncanny resemblance to Robert Carlyle's run as the frightening Begbie in Danny Boyle's Trainspotting.

Ashleigh Cummings plays Nikki, who is bound, tortured but manages not to get killed in Ben Young's 'Hounds of Love'

Hounds of Love betrays a litter of superficial similarities to Jennifer Kent's Aussie horror flick Babadook that's gained a small cult following over here: the horrors of Australian suburbs, unhelpful police office and the underlined subtext of motherhood not-quite hiding under the What's-it-about? column. Like Phillips, Young has a more than a few retro obsessions: this is the early '80s, people use rotary phones and the title is set over neons. Young also shares Kent's lighting good control of horror pacing: no matter how many scares you've watched, the last twenty minutes will set you on pins.

Later in the festival, there are not one but two documentaries on the bloodshed in Syria. One of them, that I caught in the previews, features extensive shots of ISIS executions. Among the festival's VR offerings is a selection of narrative accounts of sexual abuse. Tom Hanks, beloved figure of a million childhoods, plays a villain in the festival's centerpiece release. Oh, joy.

Andrew Karpan is Popdust's notorious critic of cinema. His opinions are crafted only after intense thought. Follow him on Twitter.

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The 5 greatest indie soundtracks of all time
By: LG Designs

Speaker, Trainer, Digital Advertising Consultant, Christina Aldan

Contact

Christina Aldan

***@lgdesigns.co Christina Aldan

End

-- Speaker, Trainer, Digital Advertising Consultant, Christina Aldan, announces her first time appearing at NDC Oslo to speak about User Experience at Every Level of Business.Christina Aldan is an international speaker on a wide variety of topics. Her focus on empathy and strengthening our display of emotional intelligence in the workplace and in life shares these concepts which are so consistently ignored, that they have almost become a secret ingredient to ensuring sustainable success.A longtime leader in the Las Vegas business community, Christina is particularly focused on giving back to female entrepreneurs and mentoring women and girls with a passion for business and technology. In addition to traveling around the world speaking at conferences and for corporate clients, Christina is the founder of Luckygirl Design, a boutique digital advertising company.Oslo Spektrum hosts the 10th consecutive NDC Oslo June 12 - 16 in Oslo, Norway. The five day event will feature speakers covering topics including: NET Framework, Agile, C++, Cloud, Database, Design, Devops, Embedded, Front-End, Framework, Fun, Functional Programming, Gadgets, Internet of Things, JavaScript, Microsoft, Misc. Languages, Mobile, People, Programming Languages, Security, Techniques, Testing, Tools, UX, Web, and more.On speaking at this year's NDC Oslo event, Christina said, "I love speaking at internationally because it always reminds me that empathy and emotional intelligence are universal languages that connect us all. The technology sector drives innovation, efficiency, and connectivity at such hyper-speeds that a reminder of the fundamentals of humanity often provokes thoughtful dialogue and serious change."Norwegian Developers Conferences first launched in 2008 and has expanded to include conferences around the globe with large five day conferences in Oslo, London, and Sydney and smaller pop-up conferences in cities around the world.To learn more about Christina Aldan and book her for speaking engagements and conferences, you can visit her company website at http://LGDesigns.co or inquire about booking her at http://IAmAGoodMix.com NDC Oslo will take place June 12 - 16, 2017 in at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway. For more information on the conference and to purchase tickets go to NDCOslo.com_____Christina Aldan is a TEDx speaker, trainer, and digital advertising consultant whose boutique agency, LG Designs, offers businesses brand consulting and creative content for everyday media. With over a decade of experience in the digital advertising realm, Christina is highly regarded for her approach to business, partnering with clients to find unique strategies that ensure their advertising goals are met. Christina builds connections through her keynote addresses, workshops, and technological education. She uses these tools to help individuals and businesses cultivate value in everyday media. She is also served as Chief Marketing Officer for PrayerSpark and currently serves as Marketing Coordinator for Starmark1. Christina uses her charisma and expertise to inspire others by mentoring women in business like herself. She also sits on state and local boards supporting women in tech, entrepreneurship, and children with learning disabilities.She is the recipient of the Las Vegas Women in Tech Community Service Award, the Distinguished Woman of the Year Award in STEM, the Stevie Award for the category of Women Helping Women. Learn more at: IAmAGoodMix.com
Provided courtesy of the Media Research Center

Is the concerted Democrat plan to obfusticate the purpose of government by the unprecedented delaying of President Trump's appointments, while galvanizing with the organized protesters' directive to obstruct the process of governing, at the federal level, working for the Democrat brand? Yes, Democrats will finally create a Socialist Progressive utopia if they remain banded together. No, the nation is in dire straits, on so many levels, and needs immediate repair. I'm busy with my important life, such as it is, and don't care. 68 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Liberals /Socialists don't know what to think about governing our Republic unless it is all spelled out for them in group talking points. A large component within these Leftist group talking points are the committed Democrat Media, and it is egregiously negative.The ultra biased Democrat Media is obsessed with President Trump's downfall, many are biased to the point of distraction in regards to their working for his Impeachment. The double standard for these unprincipled "journalists" within the Democrat Media is unparalleled. While Democrat Media did not lift a finger to investigate massive scandals like: the Benghazi Cover-up; the IRS Political Targeting Scandal; because it implicated their maessiah, Barack Hussein Obama, they do extemporaneously obsess over Mr. Trump's possible collusive relationship with Russia's Vlad Putin , regardless that they still do not have a shred of evidence of such.Alternatively, when the Democrat Media is handed admissions that the Obama Administration did request the electronic surveillance of the Trump Campaign and the Trump Transition team, the biased Democrat media disregards the facts since they do not conform to their core Democrat narrative. Then, what do they then do? The Democrat Media abruptly and unceremoniously, in great unison, ceases to promote a collusive relationship between Russia's Vlad Putin and President Trump; Impeachment is not uttered all week.Impeachment While Trump may be the ultimate endgame for partisan Liberals /Socialists and their 4th Estate, the Democrat Media; however, their ominous path to political purpose will be a difficult one. Until then, these Leftist Journalists will just go predominately negative on this new president, more than ever before on any president in modern times. The Media Research Center reports that 89 percent of all news stories from the Mainstream Media are negative on President Trump . When broken down by issues, the Democrat Media is 99% negative against Mr. Trump on the issue of "Wiretapping"; even though we are now discovering (for about 3 weeks now) that the Trump Campaign Team and Transition Team were electronically surveilled by the Obama Administration.For the Democrat Media, the "awesome veracity" of Obama's sycophant Susan Rice , from a historical perspective, supersedes the constitutional right to privacy for the man who would be president ... plus, his staff, his advisors, anyone, really, who might know a Russian ... somewhere, anywhere. To be fair, after two weeks of the former NSA Director Rice's patterned lying concerning her role in her calling for the Trump teams to be electronically surveilled, she did finally come clean that she ordered the survellance. "Remarkably", at that point, the Democrat Media somehow has lost interest in that whole Russian collusion thing for now, but not their unabiding precept in the negative reporting on the many other issues surrounding the Trump presidency in these perilous times For all core Democrats who live for style over substance, and will pine for any useful lie proffered by the Democrat politician or his 4th Estate media, Journalism is Dead!
The Greater Good

Kavre, Paanchkhaal, was our first destination. The people there expected us to only mend and reconstruct the housesbringing them back into their previous shapesthat were destroyed. But we had something else envisioned. We wanted to build an integrated model settlement; a settlement wherein every family in the community would come together to share a space where all the resources would be distributed equally to all the families.
By: Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC

godwin

Contact

Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC

***@godwinlaw.com Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC

End

-- The Texas trial and appellate law firm, Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC, is pleased to announce that six of its Dallas attorneys have been selected to the 2017 list ofBest Lawyers in Dallas. Named among this year's Dallas Best were firm Chairman and CEO, Donald E. Godwin, Senior Vice President, Jenny L. Martinez, Senior Vice President, Shawn M. McCaskill and Shareholders, Sidney H. Scheinberg, Todd Shadle and Elisaveta (Leiza) Dolghih.The 2017 selection marks the tenth time Mr.Godwin has earned selection to D Magazine's list of the city's best lawyers in recognition for his work in commercial litigation. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, and considered one of the most respected trial lawyers in the United States, his honors also include selection to The Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White, the Lawdragon Leading 500, theby Thomson Reuters, recognition by Chambers USA for his work in commercial litigation and many other notable accolades."Dallas is home to some of the finest attorneys I have worked with, and some of the best I have faced in litigation" says Mr. Godwin. "Having such a large number of our attorneys among this impressive group is an outstanding accomplishment."Threetime Best Lawyers honoree, Jenny L. Martinez, cochairs the Godwin Bowman & Martinez Commercial Litigation section, and focuses her practice on business, banking and financial litigation. She has also been recognized amongandby Thomson Reuters, and is a Founding Fellow of the Dallas Association of YoungLawyers.Shawn M. McCaskill is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law, and chairs the firm's Appellate section. Best Lawyers in Dallas recognition in 2017 is his second year earning this honor. He has also been recognized with selection toandby Thomson Reuters. In addition, Mr. McCaskill is a member of the City Council of the City of Southlake, and currently serves as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem.Firsttime Best in Dallas honoree, Sidney H. Scheinberg, chairs the Godwin Bowman & Martinez Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights section. Rated AV "Preeminent"by MartindaleHubbell, the 25year legal veteran has been selected among theby Houstonia Magazine, and boasts a 10.0 rating from AVVO, the highest attorney rating.Firsttime selection, Todd Shadle, is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law, and chairs the Firm's Labor and Employment section. He has been chosen to the list ofby Thomson Reuters, and is ranked AV "Preeminent"by MartindaleHubbell, the organization's highest ranking for legal ability and ethical standards.Elisaveta (Leiza) Dolghih has been chosen to the ranks of Best Lawyers in Dallas for the first time as well. Practicing in the area of business and employment disputes, with a focus on trade secret misappropriation and noncompete litigation, Ms. Dolghih is a prolific author and a highlysoughtafter speaker. Her blog, NorthTexasLegalNews.com, is among the most highly decorated online legal resources inTexas.'s 2017 listing of the top attorneys in Dallas was determined through a peerreview voting process and ballots submitted by thousands of area lawyers. Those casting ballots could only nominate others within their own practice area. The final list was compiled by an independent panel of distinguished attorneys that worked in conjunction with the magazine's editors. The complete list will be included in the May 2017 edition ofand is available online at www.dmagazine.com. ( http://www.dmagazine.com/ Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC is a trial and appellate law firm based in Dallas, Texas. The firm focuses on a wide array of legal matters including commercial litigation, appellate law, employment law, energy, zoning and condemnation, accountants and lawyers professional liability defense, family law, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, trust and estate litigation and more. The firm's attorneys represent Fortune 500 companies, middlemarket leaders and individuals in some of the nation's most public and highstakes trials, and have done so for more than 35 years. To learn more about Godwin Bowman & Martinez, visit http://www.godwinlaw.com. ( http://www.godwinlaw.com/
Company's Easy-To-Use, Affordable Control System Meets Specific Needs For House To Manage Multiple Mics During Legislature Sessions

By: FSR, Inc

End

-- The Maine House of Representatives, the lower house of the Maine Legislature, recently installed an FSR FLEX LT-150 control system to manage 158 microphones used during legislative sessions. FSR is a leading manufacturer of a wide variety of infrastructure products for the audio/video, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), education, hospitality, government, and religious markets.According to Tom Loveitt, Design, Sales and Support, Canfield Systems, Inc., who designed and installed the FSR system, the FLEX LT-150 is installed at the desk of the Assistant Clerk in the House of Representatives Chambers and is operated by the Journal Clerk during legislative sessions. The project involved replacing the existing, 18-year-old Danish Interpretive System (DIS) with a current model."The upgraded system, while largely superior to its predecessor, lacked certain features that were essential," explains Loveitt. "The DIS system offered no serial control option and the room is well wired with Cat. 6 twisted pair. With the great assistance of FSR's tech support, the unit was configured to mimic the functions of a proprietary control surface from the original DIS conferencing system."As Loveitt explains, the older, analog DIS conferencing system had an optional, external control panel with which the operators had become dependent. However, that panel did not exist in the new, digital system. While the associated GUI software is powerful, Loveitt and his team had to replicate some of the older unit's features on the FSR Flex panel."We chose the LT-150 because the DIS-CCU communicates by way of TCP-IP protocol only and the FLEX line offers just that in the LT-150," adds Loveitt. "Other third-party control systems could have been used, but at a far higher cost and the level of technical support and sincere care for customers found at FSR led to the choice of this product."The Flex-LT is a self-contained control system that offers users a vast number of features at an affordable price point. The Flex-LT mounts in a wall or sits on a desk and presents the user with an easy-to-use and understand 3.5-inch color LCD touch screen and an IP port. Through the touch screen the user can choose what source is being displayed and change the volume. The Flex-Able configuration utility features an easy-to-use method to get the most out of the system. The contractor is presented with an easy-to-follow drag 'n drop programming methodology;no need to learn other programming language."FSR's FLEX systems have been extremely well-received and used within a wide variety of markets, including education, corporate, government, hospitals and more," says Jan Sandri, FSR president. "We were especially pleased that Greg Calantropio, FSR Technical Sales and Support, was on board for this important project, keeping our customer happy with great support. Greg, our FLEX tech specialist, was able to tailor the LT-150's functionality and maximize FLEX's many features and options to the Maine House of Representatives specific needs."Loveitt considers the install at the Maine House of Representatives a success, explaining, "Any institution change is difficult. However, they are quite satisfied with the outcome and pleased with the effort shown by both Canfield Systems and FSR."FSR, established in 1981, manufactures a wide variety of signal management and infrastructure solutions for the AV/IT, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), corporate, education, hospitality, government, and religious markets, including floor, wall, table, and ceiling connectivity boxes and wireways, as well as a full line of interfaces, distribution amplifiers, matrix switchers, seamless scaling switchers and HDBaseT signal delivery solutions.FSR offers live 24/7 technical and sales support throughout the country from expertly trained technicians and sales representatives. The Company is also an HDBaseT Alliance Adopter Member. For more information:FSR Contact: Jan Sandri973-785-4347  sales@fsrinc.com Press Contact: Desert Moon Public Relations & Advertising  Harriet Diener845-512-8283  mailto:harriet@desertmoon.tv
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Aiming to improve video quality and optimise connectivity between video head-end and service providers, content firm AMC has tapped ATEME for transcoding solutions.

AMC Networks International CE has deployed the ATEME Kyrion encoder and decoder to set up a contribution link between Prague and Budapest. ATEME says that it will ensure close and local support of this infrastructure with its part.AMC Networks International CE is a renowned premium channel provider: our portfolio includes AMC, Sport1, Sport2, Minimax and other top-quality channels, said Imre Kiss, senior broadcast system engineer at AMC Networks CE. As part of our transition to the all-IP COTS-server-based headend, we looked for a software solution with high video qualitywith high video quality to support our premium content, as well as high density.
Barcelona-based production house Mediapro has announced the third distribution deal in a short time with Global Series Network.

Through the new agreement, Nit i dia, a Catalan series originally produced by the public broadcaster TV3 and Mediapro , will premiere in the US and the UK on the video-on-demand platform Walter Presents, owned by Global Series Network and Channel 4.Under the terms of the agreement, closed by Imagina International Sales, the series will first premiere in the US and will air in the UK in 2018.Nit i dia marks the third deal between Mediapro and Global Series Network. A year ago, the company acquired VOD rights for Vis a Vis , which became the first Spanish drama to air in the UK, and two months ago an agreement was reached for Pulsaciones The series, created by Lluis Arcazaro and Jordi Galceran, reached an average of 385,000 viewers and 13.2% share for the regional broadcaster TV3 during its first season. A second season of Nit i dia is now about to premiere.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linus Linkevicius said censorship is not an answer in the fight against Russian propaganda. His government recently launched a campaign on television urging citizens to report any suspicious online stories. He discussed his views of how to address the problem in an interview with Current Time TV during a visit to Prague.
A mob in northern Pakistan attacked a man accused of blasphemy during Friday Prayers and injured several police officers who stepped in to rescue him, police said.

It was the third blasphemy-related incident in Pakistan this month, after a student was beaten to death by a lynch mob and a faith healer was shot dead.

Security forces in the town of Chitral fired tear gas and live rounds on the mob after they attacked the local police headquarters and demanded that alleged blasphemer Rashid Ahmed be made available for mob "justice."

Witnesses say that Ahmed earlier had entered the local mosque asking to make an important announcement, then declared himself a messiah. Angry believers attacked Ahmed, who local police chief Akbar Ali Shah said appeared to be suffering from mental illness. He suffered a beating, but police said his injuries were not life-threatening.

Shah said he told the mob that "Ahmed will be examined medically and if he was found mentally fit then he will be tried under the blasphemy law, but the mob was not satisfied."

Shah said he had asked for army assistance to help control the mob.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan, and can carry the death penalty. Even unproven allegations can provoke mob lynchings and violence.

At least 65 people have been murdered by vigilantes over blasphemy allegations since 1990.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has urged that all those involved in the lynching be brought to justice.

With reporting by AP and dawn.com
The Ukrainian military says two of its soldiers have been killed in clashes with Russia-backed separatists in the countrys east.

Military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said on April 21 that the fighting had been concentrated around Avdiyivka, a government-held town near the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk.

Eight soldiers were also wounded in the previous 24 hours, Lysenko said.

Meanwhile, the separatists said two of their fighters have been killed over the past week.

A new cease-fire agreed by Kyiv and the separatists went into effect on April 1 and largely held through the Easter holidays.

Fighting between government forces and the Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 9,900 people since it broke out April 2014, shortly after Russia seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Kyiv and Western governments say Russia fomented separatism in eastern and southern Ukraine at the time and has sent large numbers of military personnel and weapons across the border to fight against Ukrainian forces.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, and TASS
A Russian man convicted of hacking into U.S. businesses to steal credit-card information has been sentenced by a Seattle court to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay $170 million in restitution.

U.S. District Judge Richard Jones on April 21 pronounced the sentence on Roman Seleznyov, saying the convicted man was "driven by one goal: greed."

Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznyov, a member of Russia's lower house of parliament and outspoken critic of U.S. policies.

Before the sentencing, Seleznyov issued a plea for leniency. "I plead, pray, and beg your honor for mercy," he told the judge.

Seleznyov was found guilty by a Seattle jury in August 2016 on 38 counts, including hacking and wire fraud. He faced up to 34 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors accused Seleznyov of making millions by hacking into businesses and restaurants and selling credit-card information and other data on underground Internet forums.

He was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents, with the help of local police, at a Maldives airport as he and a girlfriend were on their way back to Russia.

Seleznyov's lawyer, Igor Litvak, said his client had accepted responsibility. However, after sentencing, the lawyer called the term unreasonable and said Seleznyov was a victim of tense U.S.-Russia relations.

Seleznyov released a statement saying the decision demonstrates to the world "that I am a political prisoner."

Based on reporting by AP and TASS
There and back again

In 2004, my family and I went to Langtang with some family-friends. Although many details of that trip faded over the years, I revisited many times the awe that I felt when I woke up in Kyanjin Gompa,
U.S. media outlets are reporting that the Justice Department is preparing charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not answer questions about Assange directly at an April 21 news conference but said, We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks."

"Whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail," he added.

The Justice Department declined to comment on media reports about Assange, who has been holed up at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London since 2012.

Assange has been under the threat of extradition to Sweden, where he faces a rape allegation that he denies. He has expressed fears that if he is sent to Sweden, that country would extradite him to the United States.

The Washington Post, citing unnamed U.S. officials, said prosecutors have been drafting a memo on potential charges against Assange and members of WikiLeaks.

The charges potentially include conspiracy, theft of government property, and violations of the Espionage Act, the Post reported.

Last week, CIA Director Mike Pompeo described Wikileaks as a "hostile" intelligence service abetted by Russia, and Assange as a "fraud."

During the U.S. presidential campaign, candidate Donald Trump routinely praised WikiLeaks after it released hacked e-mails related to his rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

U.S. officials have said the e-mails were hacked with the aid of the Russian government in its bid to influence the U.S. election.

Critics say the release of the e-mails late in the race may have helped tip the election to Trump.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP
Regulations recently enacted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce methane emissions from oil and natural gas production will cost about a third less than what the agency estimates but may not lead to expected leak reductions, according to publicly available data analyzed by Stanford researchers.

The research published online April 18 in Environmental Research Letters evaluated the recently updated EPA 2012 New Source Performance Standards that lay out how methane leaks should be detected and mitigated by the oil and natural gas industry. The research shows that enforcing the standards will cost about 27 percent less than EPA estimates. However, the group also found that methane emissions reductions will likely fall short of the agency's 2025 mitigation targets by 20 to 50 percent, in part due to challenges with the technology used to detect leaks.

"We found out that even if you implement all these regulations as specified, what you achieve in terms of emissions reductions might be less than what the EPA estimates it's going to achieve in terms of targets," said lead author Arvind Ravikumar, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. "One of the reasons it happens is because of uncertainty in both technology used to detect leaks as well as our understanding of leakage."

In their paper, the group made recommendations for how to improve reduction of methane leaks. Despite the president's recent executive order to review the EPA's regulations, the findings may be helpful to state-level regulators and companies developing new technologies to detect leaks in oil and gas operations.

Methane leaks from natural gas operations contribute to rapid global warming while costing millions of dollars in economic loss. Methane is the primary component of natural gas, which is the top source of electricity production in the United States. Even small leaks can have large impacts on the planet: Methane emissions cause about 25 percent of humanmade global warming today. Methane leaks can also threaten human health and safety, as shown by the 2015 Aliso Canyon leak in Southern California and multiple recent explosions in New York City caused by leaks in aging natural gas pipes.

"It would be better for everyone if we don't waste gas," Ravikumar said. "About 1 to 2 percent of gas is completely leaked now and fixing it is a direct economic value to both the operators, because they can sell that gas, and to consumers, because ultimately, we pay for it and prices are very volatile."

Federal law requires operators to survey for leaks with a technology called optical gas imaging, or infrared cameras. But the technology's accuracy depends on variables like weather conditions and time of day, making the equipment "notoriously finicky in terms of its performance," said Ravikumar. The EPA estimates a 60 percent reduction in leaks from these periodic surveys, but researchers found the technology to range between 15 and 75 percent effective in actually reducing methane emissions.

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The group based their findings on calculations from a software tool they adapted to model costs and benefits of mitigating methane leaks based on publicly available surveys conducted in U.S. natural gas facilities over the last four years.

"We are using this tool to develop a quantitative and statistically supportable approach to evaluating a policy," said study co-author Adam Brandt, an assistant professor of energy resources engineering. "Not only that, because it's open source, anyone can see exactly how the calculations are done, run it themselves and see the effectiveness of a policy."

The EPA regulations the group analyzed impose uniform standards on how often operators must inspect their facilities for leakage, what technology they can use and how soon a problem should be addressed. But given the variability in natural gas facilities, Stanford researchers recommend addressing methane leaks from a regional and holistic perspective, such as coordinating with other greenhouse gas mitigation policies, rather than imposing uniform standards based on national averages.

"These are only recommendations," Ravikumar said. "The methane business itself is fairly new and there are still many unknowns when it comes to methane emissions -- given what we know, these ideas seem like the best way forward."

To address the issue of varied results from infrared cameras, Stanford researchers encourage regulators to instead adopt a more technology-agnostic approach. Since the group's software modeling tool was initially released in 2016, several organizations have begun developing alternate ways of detecting methane leaks that may prove more effective.

"Companies are developing detection technologies using our models," said Brandt, who is also a Center Fellow at Stanford's Precourt Institute for Energy and an affiliate at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "You can start to play with different variables and examine the costs and benefits associated with them."

The researchers also recommend addressing emissions regionally since each basin features unique properties. For example, a possible solution would be indirect mitigation, in which the EPA sets a methane reduction target and then lets operators decide the best approach for reaching it.

"This research is not only applicable to the federal EPA rules -- we are also talking with the California Air Resources Board," Ravikumar said. "There's a lot of interest around finding the best way to reduce emissions."
Despite spending at least one quarter to one third a day sleeping, good sleep can elude many people, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders remains primitive. Osaka University researchers have designed new technology that uses machine learning to model a personal sleep pattern based on the sounds made during sleep. Because the sounds can be recorded at home with no fancy devices, it is expected that doctors using this technology could diagnose patients under normal sleeping conditions, which is expected to lead to better treatment.

Patients with sleep disorders are often evaluated by polysomnography (PSG), which measures an assortment of the body's activity during sleep, including brain activity, eye movement, and heart rhythms. Osaka University Associate Professor Ken-ichi Fukui calls PSGs ineffective because they take the patient out of his natural sleeping environment.

"Our environment influences how we sleep. We should not expect the same patterns sleeping at a hospital or sleeping at home."

Fukui and other researchers at the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, collaborated with researchers at the Dental School. The sounds of sleeping dental students were recorded using smartphones placed bedside. Fukui then used a novel machine learning algorithm prepared by his group to analyze the sounds and compare them with PSG data taken from the same sleeping students.

"We modified self-organizing map (SOM) algorithms to visualize the dynamics of sleep," he said.

The SOMs extracted very obvious sleeping patterns, as subjects showed clear changes in their sounds with their sleep stage. Snoring was evident during deep sleep periods, whereas some of the sleepers tended to grind their teeth during light sleep periods.

"Visualization by SOM makes it very easy to detect abnormal patterns in sleeping," said Fukui.

Associating sleep sounds with sleep patterns provides a whole new prospect of sleep diagnostics.

"There are lots of devices that assess sleep," Fukui notes, "but none are scientifically proven, and they usually require you wear the device," which he adds discourages their use.

Fukui expects that apps for smartphones and tablets can be used to record sleep sounds and convert the information into recommended adjustments to the home, such as lighting or room temperature, for better sleep.

Acknowledgements:

This research is supported by the Center of Innovation Program from Japan Science and Technology Agency, JST. The sleep experiments with PSG were conducted by Prof. Takafumi Kato, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University.
A midday jolt of caffeine isn't as powerful as walking up and down some stairs, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

In a new study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, researchers in the UGA College of Education found that 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs at a regular pace was more likely to make participants feel energized than ingesting 50 milligrams of caffeine-about the equivalent to the amount in a can of soda.

"We found, in both the caffeine and the placebo conditions, that there was not much change in how they felt," said Patrick J. O'Connor, a professor in the department of kinesiology who co-authored the study with former graduate student Derek Randolph. "But with exercise they did feel more energetic and vigorous. It was a temporary feeling, felt immediately after the exercise, but with the 50 milligrams of caffeine, we didn't get as big an effect."

The study aimed to simulate the hurdles faced in a typical office setting, where workers spend hours sitting and staring at computer screens and don't have time for a longer bout of exercise during the day. For the study, participants on separate days either ingested capsules containing caffeine or a placebo, or spent 10 minutes walking up and down stairs-about 30 floors total-at a low-intensity pace.

O'Connor wanted to compare an exercise that could be achieved by people in an office setting, where they have access to stairs and a little time to be active, but not enough time to change into workout gear, shower and change back into work clothes.

"Office workers can go outside and walk, but weather can be less than ideal. It has never rained on me while walking the stairs," said O'Connor. "And a lot of people working in office buildings have access to stairs, so it's an option to keep some fitness while taking a short break from work."

Study participants were female college students who described themselves as chronically sleep deprived-getting less than 6 hours per night. To test the effects of caffeine versus the exercise, each group took some verbal and computer-based tests to gauge how they felt and how well they performed certain cognitive tasks. Neither caffeine nor exercise caused large improvements in attention or memory, but stair walking was associated with a small increase in motivation for work.

O'Connor added that there is still much research to be done on the specific benefits of exercising on the stairs, especially for just 10 minutes. But even a brief bout of stair walking can enhance feelings of energy without reducing cognitive function. "You may not have time to go for a swim, but you might have 10 minutes to walk up and down the stairs."
Entomologists will find it easier to identify parasitic wasps and their host aphids, thanks to the work of South Dakota State University entomologist Paul Johnson and forage breeder Arvid Boe. Both are professors in the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science.

Their investigation began when Boe showed Johnson a photo of a cup plant flower teaming with insects, including a large colony of bright red aphids. Boe grows cup plants at two locations near Brookings to evaluate the plant, which is a member of the sunflower family, as a potential feedstock for biofuel production. The project, which is done in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is funded by the Sun Grant Initiative.

"What these researchers are uncovering about the agronomics of cup plant, as well as the insects that affect them, will help us decide how they can be integrated into a bioenergy cropping system," said Vance Owens, director of the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center.

"People have not looked closely at these insects -- we brought everything together in understanding the biology of this one genus of parasitic wasps," Johnson said. He collaborated with research entomologist Robert Kula of the Systemic Entomology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

The work also involved entomologist Thelma Heidel-Baker, then at Purdue University, who supplied specimens from Indiana. The South Dakota researchers reared two species of parasitic wasps from the aphids, while Heidel-Baker reared five species.

"Now we know that all the wasps of the genus Acanthocaudus are specialists on different species of aphids on different host plants," Johnson said. The taxonomy of each wasp species now correlates with the host aphids and their plant hosts.

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A parasitic wasp identified from Uroleucon aphids in South Dakota cup plants, for instance, had characteristics similar to specimens of a known species, A. tissoti, found in British Columbia and Florida. Kula ascertained that the species from South Dakota was, indeed, A. tissoti.

Heidel-Baker reared a new related species of parasitic wasp, now called A. bicolor, on a different host Uroleucon aphid that feeds on asters. Their findings were published in the January 2017 issue of Zootaxa.

Parasitic wasps protect the plants against aphid infestations, Johnson explained as he described wasp-aphid interaction on cup plants.

What begins as a few dozen aphids per plant in mid-July can become as many as 800 aphids per leaf by the end of July or the first week of August. "The aphids feed on the juices, which can cause deformities and general weakness of the plant," Johnson said.

The parasitic wasps sting the aphids to inject their eggs into the aphids' bodies. As these eggs hatch, the larvae feed internally on the aphids, he explained. By the second week in August, nearly 98 percent of the aphids had been parasitized by wasps.

"When the larvae become adults, they chew a hole and pop out of the aphids," Johnson said. "It's like an alien movie."

The parasitic wasps are beneficial to the cup plant. "If you have wasps around, you don't need to spray the cup plant," Johnson said.
Every year, falls lead to hospitalization or death for hundreds of thousands of elderly Americans. Standard clinical techniques generally cannot diagnose balance impairments before they lead to falls. But researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University have found evidence that virtual reality (VR) could be a big help -- not only for detecting balance impairments early, but perhaps also for reversing those impairments and preventing falls.

In a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, a research team led by Jason R. Franz, PhD, assistant professor in the Joint UNC/NC State department of biomedical engineering, used a novel VR system to create the visual illusion of a loss of balance as study participants walked on a treadmill. By perturbing their sense of balance in this way and recording their movements, Franz's team was able to determine how the participants' muscles responded. In principle, a similar setup could be used in clinical settings to diagnose balance impairments, or even to train people to improve their balance while walking.

"We were able to identify the muscles that orchestrate balance corrections during walking," Franz said. "We also learned how individual muscles are highly coordinated in preserving walking balance. These things provide an important roadmap for detecting balance impairments and the risk of future falls."

Young and healthy adults rely predominantly on the mechanical "sensors" in their feet and legs to give them an accurate sense of body position. So, healthy people usually have no trouble walking in the dark or with their eyes closed. But this sense of proprioception declines in the elderly, as well as in people who have neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, leading to a much greater reliance on visual cues to maintain balance. In their study, Franz and colleagues chose to use a VR-based method to perturb the visual perception of balance. The subjects walked on a treadmill in front of a large, curved screen depicting a moving hallway.

"As each person walked, we added lateral oscillations to the video imagery, so that the visual environment made them feel as if they were swaying back and forth, or falling," Franz said. "The participants know they aren't really swaying, but their brains and muscles automatically try to correct their balance anyway."

In a setup like those seen in Hollywood motion-capture animation studios, Franz and his team used 14 cameras to record the positions of 30 reflecting markers on the legs, back, and pelvis of each subject. This allowed them to see, in detail, how the specific muscle groups that control postural sway and foot placement worked to correct a perceived loss of balance.

In response to the visual perturbations, the subjects took wider and shorter steps, as expected. And their head and trunk swayed further sideways with each step. The variability of these measures -- their tendency to change from one step to the next -- increased much more strikingly. Electrodes attached to the skin of the subjects also revealed coordinated electrical activity among the muscles that control postural sway and foot placement, including the gluteus medius, external oblique, and erector spinae.

"These findings give us important insights into the detailed mechanisms of walking balance control," Franz said.

The data also provide key reference measurements that could be used in future clinical procedures to detect balance impairments before they cause people to fall. Franz and his team have ongoing studies in elderly people and plans for studies in people with multiple sclerosis to help develop early-detection procedures. In their earlier work, they have shown that using this VR setting can identify age-related balance deficits that are not otherwise apparent during normal walking.

"We think there's a big opportunity to use visual perturbations in a VR setting to reveal balance impairments that would not be detected in conventional testing or normal walking," Franz said. "The key is to challenge balance during walking, to tease out those impairments that exist under the surface."

Franz and his colleagues also are examining the potential of their VR setup as a physical therapy tool to teach balance-impaired people how to improve their balance and avoid falls. "Early work in our lab suggests it's possible to use these visual perturbations to train a person's balance control system to respond better to imbalance that occurs in daily living," Franz said.
Women who are concerned about the health of their skin may want to think twice the next time they reach for a chardonnay or a Cosmo.

According to new research published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, increased consumption of alcohol, particularly white wine and liquor, is associated with a higher risk of rosacea in women.

"Drinking alcohol has a number of effects on your body that can impact your skin," says board-certified dermatologist and study author Abrar A. Qureshi, MD, MPH, FAAD, chair of the department of dermatology at Brown University in Providence, R.I. "While alcohol has been linked to a variety of skin disorders, including psoriasis and acne, our research suggests that it's also associated with the development of rosacea in women."

Rosacea, a skin disease that causes redness and flushing on the face and neck, affects approximately 16 million Americans. To examine this condition's connection to alcohol consumption, the study authors reviewed data collected from 82,737 women via the Nurses' Health Study II. Over the 14-year period from 1991 to 2005, there were 4,945 cases of rosacea in the study population.

The research, led by Wen-Qing Li, an assistant professor of dermatology at Brown University, found that women who drank alcohol had an elevated risk of developing rosacea, and that risk increased as their alcohol consumption increased. In examining the risk associated with specific types of alcohol, the researchers found that white wine and liquor were significantly associated with a higher rosacea risk.

Although more research is necessary to determine why alcohol consumption may increase the risk of rosacea, the authors believe that alcohol's weakening of the immune system and widening of the blood vessels could contribute to the redness and flushing that occur when one develops the condition. The authors say further research is also needed to shed more light on the connections between specific types of alcohol and rosacea.

While red wine has been identified as a rosacea trigger for those who already have the disease, this study suggests it is not significantly associated with developing rosacea in the first place. The authors note that white wine and liquor contain high concentrations of alcohol without the flavonoids and other anti-inflammatory substances found in red wine. Despite its anti-inflammatory properties, however, red wine also contains other substances, like histamine and resveratrol, that may contribute to flushing in patients who already have rosacea, the study says.

"Our research contributes to the sizable body of evidence that demonstrates alcohol's harmful effects on the body, including the skin," Dr. Qureshi says. "Science has identified many factors that may potentially cause rosacea, and our study indicates that alcohol may be one of them."

"Women who wish to maintain the health of their skin -- and their overall health -- should limit their alcohol consumption," Dr. Qureshi adds. "Those who believe they have rosacea should see a board-certified dermatologist for the proper diagnosis and treatment."
Looking to improve your overall life satisfaction? Try regularly hiking in a forest or otherwise engaging with the natural environment.

And then, for good measure, look for ways to build your trust in the scientists and policymakers involved in managing the forest where you like to hike.

New research at Oregon State University empirically demonstrates that a variety of mechanisms for engaging nature significantly contribute to a person's overall well-being.

Chief among those, the study found, was whether people believed their surrounding environments were being managed well -- for the earning of income and the underpinning of cultural practices as well as for the pursuit of recreation.

"Whether people feel like things are fair and they have a voice in process of making decisions and whether governance is transparent -- those are the foundations of why people even can interact with nature," said lead author Kelly Biedenweg of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Biedenweg, an assistant professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and collaborators from Colorado State University and the University of Georgia analyzed results from more than 4,400 respondents to an online survey conducted in the Puget Sound region of Washington state.

The researchers used 13 different metrics to illustrate the relationship between overall life satisfaction and engaging with the natural environment. Among those metrics were community activities, access to wild resources, stress eased by time outdoors, and trust in policymakers.

"Eleven of the 13 had a positive correlation to overall life satisfaction," said Biedenweg, a social scientist who studies both how humans benefit from the natural environment and the impact human actions have on it. "The links between ecological conditions, like drinking water and air quality, and objective well-being have been studied quite a bit, but the connection between various aspects of engaging the natural environment and overall subjective well-being have rarely been looked at."

"We wanted to identify the relative importance of diverse, nature-oriented experiences on a person's overall life satisfaction assessment and statistically prove the relationship between happiness/life satisfaction and engaging with nature in many different ways."

The researchers quantified the relationship between well-being and six common mechanisms by which nature has effects on well-being: social and cultural events; trust in governance; access to local wild resources; sense of place; outdoor recreation; and psychological benefits from time outdoors.

"Controlling for demographics, all were significantly related to life satisfaction," Biedenweg said. "The fact that trust in governance was a significant predictor of life satisfaction -- in fact, the most statistically significant predictor of the ones we looked at -- it was nice to see that come out of the research. The way we manage is the gateway to people being able to get livelihoods and satisfaction from nature."

Findings were recently published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. The National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency supported this research.
We all like to keep things clean, and disinfectants help that happen. Unfortunately, one of the most widely used antimicrobial products in use since 1964, triclosan, is also one of the top 10 environmental contaminants in rivers -- possibly disrupting the endocrine systems of wildlife and causing toxic effects to their reproduction and development. Now, a new study at the University of Nevada, Reno has found a potential way to reduce the presence of the antimicrobial that is also linked to problems with antibiotic resistance.

"The results are promising that we gained better understanding about how triclosan is degraded in the natural environment, and can potentially find a way of removing the contaminant from the environment and in the long term fighting the antibiotic resistance problem," Yu "Frank" Yang, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University, said.

Yang and his team's research on how to reduce the presence of triclosan in the environment was recognized among Emerging Investigator Series by the journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and published in the April edition as the inside front-cover story. The article describes how the triclosan, used for things like hand sanitizer, detergents, soaps and paints, can be degraded faster in the environment through a process with a combination of metal-reducing bacterium and natural organic matter.

While the nation is phasing out triclosan and finding replacements for the detergents, it's pervasive in the environment and is persistent under certain environmental conditions, Yang said. Because of its persistence and lack of efficient removal processes in most water treatment plants, triclosan has been widely detected in natural waters, soils, sediments and biosolids.

"Antibiotic resistance induced by antimicrobial or antibiotic agents is a global problem, if they are not degraded rapidly, then bacteria in the environment get exposure and develop resistant genes and then we can't fight it," Yang said. "If we can completely understand the degradation of antimicrobial agent, we can provide a treatment process in engineered and natural environments."

The team tested the matrix of a bacteria strain mixed with the organic material to find the condition that degraded triclosan the fastest. Yang's research found a mixture that reduced the half-life of triclosan to about 10 hours. The overall outcome is determined by the concentration of organic material, microbial activities and the chemistry of the water.

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"Further study and development are needed, and we would like to fully understand the degradation pathways of emerging organohalides and work out cost-effective removal strategies," Yang said. "Both are challenging tasks."

The journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts recognized Yang, who is also a member of the College of Science's Global Water Center, for his work and honored him with the distinction of "Emerging Investigator." His paper is part of their 2017 "Emerging Investigator Series" which highlights "the best and brightest early career scientists in the environmental chemical sciences."

The journal website explains the "Emerging Investigator" distinction "showcases the high quality research being carried out by researchers in the early stages of their independent careers. It highlights up-and-coming scientists who are internationally recognized for making outstanding contributions to their respective fields."

In early April, Yang and his group presented this project and other work in nine presentations at the American Chemical Society's 2017 spring meeting in San Francisco, California.

He was also selected in early April by the U.S. National Committee for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry as a 2017 Young Observer for the organizations General Assembly and Global Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this July.

He has been at the University of Nevada, Reno since September 2013 as an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He received his doctorate degree from Peking University, China. Since he joined the University, he has secured more than $1 million of federal research grants as principal investigator and Co-PI, and published 14 peer-reviewed manuscripts in top-tier journals in the area. His research is mainly focused on the molecular-level environmental chemistry for critical environmental issues, including carbon cycles and emerging pollutants.

The "Dual Role of Organic Matter in the Anaerobic Degradation of Triclosan" study was supported by the University of Nevada, Reno Startup Fund, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the China Scholarship Council for the support of Lin Wang, a member of the research team.
Time hangs heavy

Tuesday marks two years since the Nepal Earthquake 2015, but the scars and wounds left behind by the disaster, particularly at various heritage sites in the Valley, still remain massively uncured,
The tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta is an important pollinator of the wild tobacco species Nicotiana attenuata; yet hungry larvae hatch from the eggs these moths lay on the leaves. An interdisciplinary team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, has described a gene in Nicotiana attenuata which enables the plant to solve the dilemma that arises when a pollinator is also a dangerous herbivore. The gene NaTPS38 regulates the production of the volatile compound (E)--bergamotene. At night, the tobacco flowers produce this odor which is attractive to adult tobacco hawkmoths, while during the day, the tobacco leaves emit the compound to lure predatory bugs to feed on Manduca sexta larvae and eggs.

Flowering plants depend on pollen vectors in order to reproduce. Yet a plant has a problem if a pollinator, which is attracted by the odors of sweet flowers, lays its eggs on the plant after pollination is complete, and from these eggs hatch voracious caterpillars ready to attack the tasty leaves with their enormous appetite.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have discovered a gene in the wild tobacco species Nicotiana attenuata called NaTPS38, which regulates the production of an aromatic compound, the sesquiterpene (E)-alpha-bergamotene, in both flowers and leaves. "We observed that Nicotiana attenuata plants emit (E)-alpha-bergamotene in flowers at night to lure Manduca sexta moths as pollinators. The compound makes a moth keep its proboscis longer in a flower and pollination success is increased. The emission of the same compound in leaves attacked by Manduca sexta larvae during the day, however, attracts the predators of the larvae and acts as an indirect defense," first author Wenwu Zhou summarizes. In this way, the tissue-specific emission of one compound helps the wild tobacco plants to interact most advantageously with Manduca sexta.

The study involved researchers from four different groups. Originally, Wenwu Zhou and project leader Shuqing Xu from the Department of Molecular Ecology wanted to study the genetic basis of (E)-alpha-bergamotene emission after herbivory. They found that the terpene synthase NaTPS38 was activated when insects attacked tobacco plants. Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry were able to confirm that NaTPS38 is indeed involved in the production of (E)-alpha-bergamotene. When the researchers examined the expression of NaTPS38 in different parts of the tobacco plants, they found to their surprise that the gene was also highly expressed in the flowers. However, the ecological function of (E)-alpha-bergamotene emission in flowers was still unclear. The fact that floral (E)-alpha-bergamotene was mainly emitted at night led to the hypothesis that the compound interacts with nocturnal pollinators, especially Manduca sexta moths.

Further analyses in the Department of Neuroethology demonstrated that the purified (E)-alpha-bergamotene activated neural receptors at the tip of the proboscis of Manduca sexta moths. Tent experiments with tobacco plants and hawkmoths performed by researchers from the Department of Molecular Ecology revealed that pollination success was increased when the flowers emitted high amounts of (E)-alpha-bergamotene.

Although the gene NaTPS38 is very similar to a monoterpene synthase, it is nevertheless responsible for the production of the sesquiterpene (E)-alpha-bergamotene. Usually a gene from the sesquiterpene synthase family regulates the production of such a compound, but in this case, it appears that the gene NaTPS38 violated this general rule. Analyzing the function and evolutionary history of NaTPS38 revealed that this gene originated from a duplication of a monoterpene synthase which then evolved the ability to produce (E)-alpha-bergamotene, a sesquiterpene compound. This unique evolutionary process likely occurred before the divergence of different Solanaceae species, the plant family which includes tobacco.

The fact that a single gene in Nicotiana attenuata mediates both pollination and defense by producing tissue-specific (E)-alpha-bergamotene is an example of a phenomenon called ecological pleiotropy. "Accumulating evidence suggests that ecological pleiotropy may be quite common in plants. Our work demonstrates that interactions between different ecological factors, such as pollinators and herbivores, are important for plant evolution. However, we know little about the extent to which these interactions can affect the plant's adaptation to its environment," explains Shuqing Xu. The scientists are currently developing a new research program that aims to address this question systematically.
Patients are stuck for a blood draw almost every day they are admitted to a hospital. Lab tests are one of the most common orders placed by doctors, but research indicates that nearly one-third of these tests are not needed. Hospitals nationwide are seeking ways to use price transparency -- displaying the price of lab tests at the time when doctors are placing the order -- to nudge doctors to consider whether the benefits are worth the cost. But, results of a new study show that simply displaying the Medicare allowable fees did not have an overall impact on how clinicians ordered these tests. The results, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, are published today in JAMA Internal Medicine and presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine annual meeting in Washington, DC.

"Price transparency is increasingly being considered by hospitals and other health care organizations as a way to nudge doctors and patients toward higher-value care, but the best way to design these types of interventions has not been well-tested," said senior author Mitesh S. Patel, MD, MBA, MS, an assistant professor of Medicine and Health Care Management in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School, and director of the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit. "Our findings indicate that price transparency alone was not enough to change clinician behavior and that future price transparency interventions may need to be better targeted, framed, or combined with other approaches to be more successful."

In the new study -- the largest of its kind -- researchers randomly assigned 60 groups of inpatient laboratory tests to either display Medicare allowable fees in the patient's electronic health record (intervention arm), or not (control arm). The randomized clinical trial was conducted at three hospitals within the University of Pennsylvania Health System over a one-year period and compared changes in the number of tests ordered per patient per day, and associated fees, for more than 98,000 patients (totaling over 142,000 admissions).

Results of the study showed that in the year prior to the study, when cost information was not displayed, the average number of tests and associated fees ordered per patient per day was 2.31 tests totaling $27.77 in the control group, and 3.93 tests totaling $37.84 in the intervention group. After the intervention, when cost information was displayed for the intervention group, researchers noted the average number of tests and associated fees ordered per patient per day did not change significantly and was 2.34 tests totaling $27.59 in the control group, and 4.01 tests totaling $38.85 in the intervention group.

Though the study found no overall effect, the authors noted important findings in specific patient groups that have implications for how to improve price transparency in the future. For example, there was a slight decrease test ordering for patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit -- an environment in which doctors are making rapid decisions and may be more exposed to the price transparency intervention. The authors also found that the most expensive tests were ordered less and the cheaper tests were ordered more, suggesting that future interventions might be more successful if they are better designed to framed relative pricing.

"Electronic health records are constantly being changed, from how choices are offered to the way information is framed," said C. William Hanson, MD, chief medical information officer for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and a member of the steering committee for the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit. "By systematically testing these approaches through real-world experiments, health systems can leverage this new evidence to continue to improve the way care is delivered for our patients."

"Price transparency continues to be an important initiative, but the results of this clinical trial indicate that these approaches need to be better designed to effectively change behavior" said Patel, who is also a staff physician at the Crescenz VA Medical Center, and whose work is supported by the Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics.
Quantum mechanics is based on a set of mathematical rules, describing how the quantum world works. These rules predict, for example, how electrons orbit a nucleus in an atom, and how an atom can absorb photons, particles of light. The standard rules of quantum mechanics work extremely well, but, given that there are still open questions regarding the interpretation of quantum mechanics, scientists are not sure whether the current rules are the final story. This has motivated some scientists to develop alternative versions of the mathematical rules, which are able to properly explain the results of past experiments, but provide new insight into the underlying structure of quantum mechanics. Some of these alternative mathematical rules even predict new effects, which require new experimental tests.

Everyday experience of mathematical rules

In everyday life, if we walk all the way around a park we end up back at the same place regardless of whether we choose to walk clockwise or counter-clockwise. Physicists would say that these two actions commute. Not every action needs to commute, though. If, on our walk around the park, we walk clockwise, and first find money lying on the ground and then encounter an ice cream man, we will exit the park feeling refreshed. However, if we instead travel counter-clockwise, we will see the ice cream man before finding the money needed to buy the ice cream. In that case, we may exit park feeling disappointed. In order to determine which actions commute or do not commute physicists provide a mathematical description of the physical world.

In standard quantum mechanics, these mathematical rules use complex numbers. However, recently an alternative version of quantum mechanics was proposed which uses more complex, so-called "hyper-complex" numbers. These are a generalization of complex numbers. With the new rules, physicists can replicate most of the predictions of standard quantum mechanics. However, hyper-complex rules predict that some operations that commute in standard quantum mechanics do not actually commute in the real world.

Searching for hyper-complex numbers

A research team led by Philip Walther has now tested for deviations from standard quantum mechanics predicted by the alternative hyper-complex quantum theory. In their experiment the scientists replaced the park with an interferometer, a device which allows a single photon to travel two paths at the same time. They replaced the money and ice cream with a normal optical material and a specially designed metamaterial. The normal optical material slightly slowed down light as it passed through, whereas the metamaterial slightly sped the light up.

The rules of standard quantum mechanics dictate that light behaves the same no matter whether it first passes through a normal material and then through a metamaterial or vice versa. In other words, the action of the two materials on the light commutes. In hyper-complex quantum mechanics, however, that might not be the case. From the behavior of the measured photons the physicists verified that hyper-complex rules were not needed to describe the experiment. "We were able to place very precise bounds on the need for hyper-complex numbers to describe our experiment," says Lorenzo Procopio, a lead author of the study. However, the authors say that it is always very difficult to unambiguously rule something out. Lee Rozema, another author of the paper, says "we still are very interested in performing experiments under different conditions and with even higher precision, to gather more evidence supporting standard quantum mechanics." This work has placed tight limits on the need for a hyper-complex quantum theory, but there are many other alternatives which need to be tested, and the newly-developed tools provide the perfect avenue for this.
A group of plant biologists at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) of Nagoya University, have reported in the journal Genes and Development, on their discovery on how plant's maternal and paternal factors cooperate for the child to grow in the proper shape.

In a research led by Dr. Minako Ueda, a lecturer at ITbM, the group discovered that upon fertilization, the factor originating from the father's sperm cell activates a particular protein in the zygote (fertilized egg cell). In addition, this activated protein cooperates with the factor derived from the mother's egg cell for the zygote to develop in the correct manner. This research shows for the first time how father- and mother-derived factors cooperate in the child development of plants.

In a similar manner to animals, a zygote (child) is generated upon fertilization of the mother's egg cell by a father's sperm cell in plants. Subsequently, the generated zygote contains a mixture of genes and proteins derived from both parents' cells. The nutritive tissue surrounding the zygote is also formed from fertilization, and it is known that a parental conflict phenomenon exists in this tissue, where the paternal and maternal factors oppose each other.

In plants where multiple seeds are made from a single pistil (female reproductive organ = mother), all the seeds in the pistil are considered as children of the mother. On the other hand, pollen (male reproductive organ = father) that is generated from different male species can attach to a single pistil, and even though it is within the same pistil, only the seed that is generated from its own sperm cells is considered as the father's child. In other words, the mother can have children from different fathers within its pistil, and the father does not consider seeds resulting from other fathers as its own child. Due to this difference in perception between males and females, the mother tries to evenly distribute the nutrients to each child, whereas the father tries to concentrate the nutrients on its own child. This opposition between the maternal and paternal factors is called parental conflict.

"Although parental conflict in nutritive tissues has been known before, it has remained a mystery whether the parental factors counteract or cooperate with each other in the zygote," says Ueda. "Since starting this investigation in 2011, we were able to show that the plant's mother and father actually cooperate in their child's development." This research was carried out through the international collaboration of researchers at Nagoya University (Japan), Nara Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Japan), Ghent University (Belgium) and Freiburg University (Germany).

During the process of plant body formation, the zygote elongates in the vertical direction and divides to form the embryo. This asymmetric cell division leads to small and large cells on the top and bottom part of the embryo, respectively. The small top cell forms a round tissue and eventually grows into flowers and leaves of the plant, whereas the large bottom cell elongates to form roots. Therefore, elongation of the zygote and the direction of cell division determine the vertical axis of the plant body. Ueda's group found that in the zygote, the factors derived from the parents cooperate with each other to bring about asymmetric division of the zygote and appropriate development of the embryo.

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Previous studies from Ueda's group have shown that a protein derived from both the maternal and paternal cells, WRKY2, is responsible for making the shape of the zygote and embryo. WRKY stands for the amino acids (represented in a single letter code), which are present in the core of the protein (W = tryptophan, R = arginine, K = lysine and Y = tyrosine). In addition, they also found that a factor called SHORT SUSPENSOR (SSP), generated in the sperm cell, is important for cell division of the zygote and development of the embryo. In this study, Ueda and her colleagues investigated the relationship between WRKY2 and SSP in plant body development.

"We found a signaling pathway, where SSP phosphorylates the WRKY2 protein in the zygote, thus activating WRKY2," explains Ueda. "We also identified which sites on the protein were phosphorylated and found that the five serine residues inside the cluster contained in WRKY2 are important for the protein function."

Ueda's group performed experiments to show that phosphorylation activates WRKY2 by using mutants absent of SSP and replaced serine residues in WRKY2 with asparagine by base exchange, which mimics serine phosphorylation. The mutant with activated WRKY2 resulted in asymmetric division of the zygote.

Ueda's group also discovered HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS11 (HDG11) and HDG12, the factors derived from the egg cells, which are responsible for controlling the asymmetric division of the zygote and development of the embryo. The group previously reported that WRKY2 acts upon the WUSCHEL (WUS) HOMEOBOX8 (WOX8) gene to synthesize the WOX8 protein, which leads to asymmetric division of the zygote. In this research, they found that HDG11/12 also act upon the WOX8 gene. HDG11/12 are not expressed in the sperm cell, and the HDG11/12 derived from the egg cell lead to asymmetric division of the zygote. Therefore, HDG11/12 derived from the mother cooperate with WRKY2, which is activated by SSP derived from the father, to generate the WOX8 protein, the key factor for early stage plant development.

Through their studies, they observed that zygotes absent of SSP, WRKY2, and HDG11/12, do not develop properly and their cell division no longer becomes asymmetric. In addition, the embryo fails to develop in an appropriate manner and is unable to grow in the correct shape.

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"We were able to prove by our research that the cooperation between factors of from the father and the mother is essential for the development of zygotes and embryos in Arabidopsis plants," says Ueda.

The group also detected that the WOX8 protein was only synthesized in small amounts in zygotes absent of both SSP (related to the father) and HDG11/12 (related to the mother). Therefore, the group hypothesized that paternal factors are cooperating with each other to synthesize a sufficient amount of WOX8 to help shape the child's plant body. In a zygote absent of SSP or HDG11/12, the group artificially synthesized the WOX8 protein, which led to asymmetric division of the zygote. This provided evidence that the WOX8 protein is important for shaping the plant body.

This research shows for the first time, that the cooperation of paternal and maternal factors in the plant zygote helps to shape the child's plant body from the early stage of development. This is an opposite observation to the parental conflict theory proposed in the nutritive tissue surrounding the zygote.

Ueda's group has demonstrated a new parental relationship in the zygote, where the parental factors cooperate with each other. This discovery of the cooperation mechanism is expected to lead to further understanding on the strategy of how parental factors control child development in plants. In addition, the group was able to show that artificial synthesis of the WOX8 protein in the absence of parental factors (SSP and HDG11/12), also leads to embryo development. By applying this approach, it may become possible to generate hybrid plants between different plant species, where the parental factors do not necessarily match.

"Plants have evolved to develop a different growth mechanism to animals," says Ueda. "This observation of parental cooperation, where the paternal factor plays a role in early stage development may be the plants' unique adaptation strategy, which may also exist in other plant species."
After extensive research, scientists from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford have found experimental evidence that sheds new light on the melting of two-dimensional substances. Findings from the study could be used to support technological improvements to thin film materials such as graphene.

Researchers from the group of Professor Roel Dullens at Oxford's Department of Chemistry have experimentally elucidated how melting of a two-dimensional solid of hard spheres occurs. With this work they resolve one of the most fundamentally important but still outstanding issues in condensed matter science. In addition, these results provide the cornerstone for the further understanding and development of two-dimensional materials.

Melting, the phase transition in which a substance turns from a solid to a liquid, is widely understood in basic terms. But despite being encountered regularly in everyday life, (whether in the workplace, home or natural world), scientists have long been trying to understand the melting process on a fundamental level.

The melting of a solid into a liquid is one of the most commonly experienced scientific phenomena. However, understanding this transformation is especially mysterious for solids in two-dimensions. Here, the celebrated Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young (KTHNY) theory proposes that an intermediate, partially disordered state, called the 'hexatic', exists between the solid and liquid. Substantial effort has been made towards the understanding of these 'topological' transitions, for which Kosterlitz and Thouless were awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics [1,2]. Yet for the simplest interacting system of many particles, two-dimensional hard spheres, there has been an astonishing lack of consensus despite the first simulations being performed over 60 years ago.

Dr Alice Thorneywork and co-workers used optical microscopy to study monolayers of colloidal model hard spheres (see box 2) tilted by a small angle to introduce a gradient in the particle concentration [FIG 1]. For hard spheres, the behaviour is governed only by this concentration, which allowed them to identify and characterize the liquid, hexatic, and solid states and the nature of the transitions between them in a single experiment. The results show that the melting occurs via a continuous solid-hexatic transition followed by a first order hexatic-liquid transition.
Foods should be investigated as a potential source of spread of Clostridium difficile, according to research presented at the 27th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID).

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) causes gut infections and can be particularly dangerous for elderly patients. Because it is resistant to commonly used antibiotics it can emerge in patients who are already being treated in hospital for unrelated conditions.

The new research used DNA fingerprinting to examine which particular types of the bacteria were causing infections in patients and how widely they are distributed in Europe.

Some strains were found clustered within a particular country, suggesting they were possibly being passed around within hospitals -- a well-recognised route of transmission. However, because some other strains were found dispersed in several different countries, this adds weight to the idea that C. difficile could also be transmitted via our food.

The research was presented by Dr David Eyre, a clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He explained: "We know that C. difficile lives in the gut in a small proportion of healthy people, where it causes no symptoms. However, its resistance to antibiotics means it can grow uncontrollably in patients treated with the drugs, causing diarrhea that can be severe or even fatal. It is the most frequent cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitalised patients, and the increase in the use of antibiotics has allowed C. difficile to spread more effectively.

"Lots of effort has gone into controlling its spread including infection control interventions such as hand washing campaigns, and reducing the use of antibiotics that can lead to infection. Despite these measures, people are still getting C. difficile infections and the routes of transmission are not completely understood."

Other sources of transmission that have been suggested include asymptomatic patients, children -- who carry C. difficile more commonly than adults -- and farm and domestic animals.

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The new research included all the stool samples submitted on one day in summer and one day in winter in 2012/2013 from 482 European hospitals. Dr Eyre and his team selected the ten most common types of C. difficile found in the samples. In each case, they used DNA fingerprinting to examine how widespread the type was within countries and between countries.

Dr Eyre told the congress: "We know that C. difficile infection can spread within hospitals. If this was the only route of transmission, we would expect to see each type of the bacteria concentrated within one area. However, because we also saw some types that were spread around several countries, this suggests the bacteria are moving around by other means."

The research indicated that five of the types were clustered within countries while five others were not. One type, for example, was found in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Another type which was spread around Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and UK has previously been associated with pig farming.

Dr Eyre continued: "We don't know much about how C. difficile might be spread in the food chain, but this research suggests it may be very widespread. If that turns out to be the case, then we need to focus on some new preventative strategies such as vaccination in humans once this is possible, or we might need to look at our use of animal fertilisers on crops.

"This study doesn't give us any definitive answers, but it does suggest other factors are at play in the spread of C. difficile and more research is urgently needed to pin them down."

To investigate further, Dr Eyre hopes to repeat the study but, at the same time, obtain samples from food, the wider environment and hospitals, to better understand where the source of infection might be.
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Russias space humanoid is not a Terminator-like killing machine, insists deputy PM

It looked like a scene straight out from the film Terminator where a space robot was shown shooting guns from both of its hands and that too with accuracy!!!

Apparently, Russias space-bound humanoid robot FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) that is being developed for space exploration is being trained to shoot twin pistols, according to a video posted by the countrys deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry Rogozin on Twitter.

He wrote on Twitter: Robot platform F.E.D.O.R. showed shooting skills with two hands.

According to its creators, the activity will teach the FEDOR androids to shoot which in turn help improve their motor skills and decision-making abilities.

The video attracted concerns from artificial intelligence critics over the potential danger it poses for the world. Calming the fears around it and providing assurance, the Deputy PM said that We are not creating a Terminator, but artificial intelligence that will be of great practical significance in various fields.

He said it will have a huge applied value for different spheres of life.

He added: Combat robotics is a key to building intellectual machines.

This is applicable to areas including aviation and space.

The Russian government plans to get FEDOR working on the International Space Station (ISS) by 2021, and could be the only passenger on board Russias Federation spacecraft when it does so.

It is being developed by Android Technics and the Advanced Research Fund, and has been taught a wide range of advanced skills such as how to use keys and a variety of tools, screw in light bulbs, lift weights, drop for press ups and even drive a car.

Currently, Russian scientists are working on methods to enhance its mobility, and also design software that allows the robot to make more of its own decisions.

Originally, the robot was created for rescue work. However, as its abilities have expanded, military uses have also been suggested for the robots.

While the experts have already warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to the end of humanity, only time will tell whether it will be effective enough to replace how humans create and program technology, and understand the way humans do and comprehend.
American Homes 4 Rent is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the US rental industry. The company is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is fast becoming a nationally recognized brand. The company is known for high-quality rental homes, providing good value and tenant satisfaction while generating profits for investors. The primary investment objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns through dividends and capital appreciation.

The company plans to achieve its objective through the disciplined acquisition of new properties, by expanding its own construction and neighborhood building efforts, growing its geographically diverse portfolio, efficient property management, building a strong brand, and maintaining a sound capital structure.

The company was founded in 2011 by David Singelyn and his partner. Mr. Singelyn has served as a Trustee and CEO since 2012. The company began by acquiring homes in underserved areas and remodeling them to modern standards. The firm has since expanded its operations to construction and now builds planned communities tailored to different lifestyles as well. The company went public in 2013 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

American Homes 4 Rent is an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. The company operates through a network of offices and the website AH4R.com. The company owns more than 55,000 properties across 22 states featuring move-in-ready and pet-friendly homes for individuals and families of all sizes.

All previously used properties have been renovated to a high Certified Property standard that brings them to a like-new condition. Interested parties can view listings by area on the website and even use the site to fill out applications and sign leases. Properties are located in communities that fit a variety of lifestyle needs including fences, marble countertops, and even attached 2 and 3-car garages. The communities are located in hand-picked neighborhoods with features including access to commerce, schools, and amenities like lawn care, pools, trails, and fitness centers.

Tenants are afforded many benefits by renting through American Homes 4 Rent. The first and most obvious is the freedom and flexibility of a mortgage-free lifestyle. On top of that, tenants can pay rent or schedule maintenance on their homes through the website, and dedicated service representatives are available 24/7.
Tourist arrested with drone released on bail

A foreign national arrested from Manang district for illegally operating drone has been released on a bail of Rs 5,000.
Someone was out for a walk one day along a path in Vermont he came across a box along the side of the path - with nine abandoned puppies cuddled up inside, their umbilical cords still attached. The puppies had clearly been born just hours before, and the Good Samaritan knew they needed to get help immediately. He brought the puppies to a small local shelter, but it didn't have the resources to care for puppies that young, and so staffers contacted the Central Vermont Humane Society (CVHS) to see if it could help.

"Within a few hours of being discovered, they arrived at our shelter, and we had prepared a room in our shelter specifically to care for them," Erika Holm, director of operations at CVHS, told The Dodo. "We immediately started bottle- and syringe-feeding the wee pups, and figuring out a plan to make sure they were cared for around the clock."

Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life

Unfortunately, there's no way to tell what happened to the puppies' mom, and so far there's been no sign of her. CVHS has put out an alert to veterinarians across the state, and has asked that if anyone comes across a dog who could be the mom to immediately let them know. "No one saw these puppies being dumped, and nothing about their condition gives us any clues to what happened to the mom," Holm said. "We hope she is alive, and safe. We feel for her, and the pain she must have experienced when her puppies were taken from her."

The puppies seemed to be doing OK when they arrived at the shelter, but the staff is still wary of their condition and know that with puppies this young, things can take a turn at any moment. They have to be fed every four hours and are manually stimulated to pee and poop. Because the puppies require so much effort and care, staffers and volunteers alike have been working around the clock to make sure they are given the best possible chance at growing into healthy, happy dogs.

"We are optimistic, but still being realistic about their chances," Holm said. "There are a few small ones, who definitely get more individual attention to keep them on track, and a couple pretty chunky ones. We all know their condition can change at any moment, but each day they survive makes us a little more confident about our chances of success." The puppies are now 10 days old, and are still fighting to survive. Unfortunately, one of the puppies didn't make it and passed away on Friday morning. While everyone is mourning this loss, staffers and volunteers are staying positive and continuing to work to help the eight remaining little fighters.
Twenty dead as lorry runs into protest in southern India

At least 20 people have died after a lorry rammed into a group of farmers staging a protest in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
UK parliament motion seeks Saptari probe

A motion has been registered in the UK parliament, urging the Nepal government to amend the constitution to allow for fair representation of the marginalised people of Madhes, according to a record of proposals published by the UK House of Commons.
Anna Netrebko is coming to Canada at last.

The famed Russian soprano and her husband, tenor Yusif Eyvazov, are preparing for their Canadian debuts as part of Trio Magnifico, with baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, on Tuesday at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto.

Netrebko and Eyvazov then travel to Calgary for a concert April 30.

Usually we perform in the United States and we never get any further, but now we are and were happy! the soprano says, smiling.

Its a beautiful concert program, Eyvazov adds.

There will be lots of Russian music, Netrebko says of the Toronto show.

And while Russian may be their native language, it isnt always the easiest for music, according to Eyvazov.

We speak Russian all our life, but its not so easy to sing in. You have to use a completely different kind of singing technique.

Audiences coming to see Trio Magnifico might pick up on a special chemistry between Netrebko and Eyvazov, who married in December 2015. That chemistry can be clearly heard on Netrebkos wildly popular Verismo album, released last year through Deutsche Grammophon.

What we have are matching voices and repertoire we can sing together a lot, Netrebko says. Its good to have lots of engagements together and concerts we can be in.

The couple is also looking forward to performing with Hvorostovsky.

He had been scheduled to sing with Netrebko in the Metropolitan Opera production of Tchaikovskys Eugene Onegin, which Canadian fans can see in theatres on Saturday as part of the Live in HD program. But the baritone withdrew from all opera appearances for the foreseeable future, according to a release from his management last December.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015 and performing in staged productions became a challenge, though Hvorostovsky has assured his fans he will continue to give concerts and recitals as well as make recordings. Singing is my life and I want to continue bringing joy to people worldwide.

Netrebko says Hvorostovsky had a large hand in shaping the program Toronto audiences will hear on April 25.

Our choice came from Dmitris choices, mostly, because he proposed them, she says. He said he would like to sing the arias from the Russian operas and, around that, we started to create our program, too.

Netrebkos praise of her longtime colleague is effusive. Ive sung with him many times, of course; hes my big friend and amazing partner.

Its one of my dreams which has come true, to sing with Dima, Eyvazov adds, using the baritones nickname. Every tenor in the world wants to sing with him. Im very happy to do that and looking forward to sharing the stage with him. I think it will be a great experience . . . a beautiful experience.

Eyvazov has made a number of important role debuts the last few years, including in a Los Angeles Opera production of Leoncavallos Pagliacci, conducted by Placido Domingo. Hailing from Azerbaijan, the tenor recently performed in Puccinis Manon Lescaut and Verdis Don Carlos at the Bolshoi Theatre, but he notes that its important, when you come home from the concert hall or opera, to leave the work there.

Part of that work includes a source of tension for both critics and fans alike: the debate about traditional vs. modern productions.

Netrebko says there should be a balance between the two styles: a reverence for the old but an embrace of the new as well.

I think its good for theatre to do what the people want to see, especially now when its sometimes houses are half-empty and its very difficult to sell tickets. But, from the other side, I can understand directors who want to move forward and bring something original and modern, and I think both ways work, she says thoughtfully.

Its just very hard to find a really good director who will really, if its a modern director, respect the music, who will make a modern production really interesting and make sense, and look good. Lately its become  Ive said this already in many interviews  all grey, sad productions. Im kind of tired of it. I want pretty, beautiful things; not only sad and minimalistic, but something else.

As to the Metropolitan Operas Live in HD series, which broadcasts productions to cinemas around the world, Eyvazov says its beautiful to have this opportunity to expose a global audience to the art form. As an artist though, he notes that even the beautiful high-definition broadcasts cannot absolutely give you the same emotion, the same feeling you have in the theatre, so if you have a possibility to go to the theatre, you should go.

Canadian fans who havent already snagged tickets to the sold-out Trio Magnifico, or wont be venturing to New York for Eugene Onegins final performance, can see Netrebko live in HD as Tatiana, one of her signature roles, at select Cineplex theatres on Saturday at 12:55 p.m. (Encore broadcasts happen June 3, 5 and 7.) See cineplex.com for details.

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Toronto is now the great Canadian food city, Montreal chef and restaurateur David McMillan recently proclaimed in a guest column for Foodism magazine.

I feel we may have lost the title in Montreal, he said and suggested that is mostly due to the exodus of businesses to Toronto.

McMillan and his business partner Fred Morin are highly regarded in the food world and not just here in Canada. American chef Anthony Bourdain calls them the most talented chefs in Canada and Momofuku chef David Chang says that their flagship restaurant, Joe Beef, is his favourite restaurant in the world. So when McMillan made this claim, he set off waves in the restaurant industry in Montreal and Toronto.

In Toronto, chefs are grateful for the accolades but acknowledge that the larger population and deeper wallets allows for a wider diversity of restaurants. They also credit Montreal restaurants with helping Toronto achieve its high calibre of dining.

John Bil, the seafood master behind Honest Weight in the Junction, was with McMillan and Morin when they first opened Joe Beef in 2005. Although the Toronto dining scene was not as interesting at the time, he thinks that through the success of Joe Beef and other notable Montreal spots such as Martin Picards Au Pied de Cochon, Toronto chefs and restaurateurs began to see what was possible.

Montreal was the pioneer and set the template for Canada. Toronto has picked up the ball and run with it because its a bigger place, Bil says.

They opened Joe Beef in Montreals Little Burgundy neighbourhood, then a sketchy neighbourhood. Bil remembers finding crack vials and condoms in the alleys.

When Dave and Fred showed that they could (open a restaurant) for $60,000, Torontonians started to look to the cheaper areas. The thinking was that, if rent is the only thing holding us down, lets go a bit further to Dundas West or to Ossington. I think it was like a bit of a wake up call in Toronto.

In his column, McMillan cites a number of Toronto restaurants including Honest Weight and purveyors like Cheese Boutique as the reasons he applauds Torontos food scene.

During a recent trip to Montreal, Afrim Pristine of Cheese Boutique spent hours at Atwater Market, sampling the ample Quebec-produced pates, charcuterie and breads. I would put them up against anything produced in France, he says and adds that if theres anything Toronto can take away from Montreal is the intimacy and interactivity that chefs have with their diners.

Torontonians think bigger and execute bigger. Were business-oriented, Pristine says. As passionate as we are, were in it to make it a business. Its true in Montreal, but more evident in Toronto.

McMillan also called out El Rey, Bar Isabel and Bar Raval, which are co-owned by chef Grant Van Gameren. Van Gameren says hes flattered by the recognition but says the most important part of Torontos culinary scene is found outside of Torontos core, in the suburbs.

We have multiple Chinatowns so who really cares about fancy downtown restaurants, he says. I spend 90 per cent of my time eating Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese and Korean food. Its not just new age chef-type restaurants, we can branch out to Scarborough, Mississauga and Brampton where there are pretty amazing places to eat. The business opportunity is second to the ethnic diversity here.

Last year, Bil joined Morin to open Le Pavillon, a pop-up restaurant for Luminato, in the abandoned Hearn Generating Station. The reception was overwhelmingly positive, giving Torontonians a taste of Joe Beef food on home soil and prompting people to wonder if Morin and McMillan would consider opening a restaurant in Toronto.

Le Pavillon was the closest thing to opening a Joe Beef here. It was eye-opening for (Morin and McMillan). They saw the appetite, figuratively and literally, for restaurants in unique venues doing committed food. That definitely planted a seed, says Bil. I would love to have those guys in the city. But my head says I dont think so. Theyre family guys. They have kids and three restaurants. Well see, sometimes the heart wins out.

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WHAT THEY HAD: Vieux-Port, the Old Port of Marseille, has been known for centuries as one of the grand Mediterranean ports. Its the largest urban harbour in Europe.

Renowned landscape architect Michel Desvigne describes it as a legendary place embodying the essence of the city. Its even something like a heart.

But the Vieux-Port of Frances second largest city had become increasingly hostile to pedestrians  architectural and visual barriers blocked access to 80 per cent of the area. It had also been over-run with cars and yacht clubs, which discouraged tourists and residents from gathering there.

WHAT THEY WANTED: We needed to bring Marseille into the 21st century, says Marseilles Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin. This is where the heart of Marseilles beats. With an eye on celebrating the citys year as European Capital of Culture in 2013, Marseilles city council and the Marseille Provence Metropole government got down to business in 2009, inviting advice from residents and entries from architects about how to change things. They hired Desvigne, Tangram Architectes in Marseille and Foster + Partners architecture firm in Britain, to redevelop the area. They wanted a more people-friendly area that retained the feeling of the port, and built upon the natural harbour charm, as well as the character of the city.

WHAT THEY GOT: Grant Brooker, senior executive partner at Foster + Partners, says: Our work was to preserve and strengthen the existing character, rather than seeking to impose a new identity. The master plan involved reclaiming the quaysides as civic space and reconnecting the port with the city.

First, Brooker says, they needed to declutter the quays by moving boat houses and technical installations to new platforms and clubhouses over the water.

Vehicles were then moved away from three wharves, which are now paved in pale granite, evoking the original limestone cobblestones. Says Desvigne: Planting was kept to a minimum in favour of hard-wearing, roughly textured materials appropriate to the port setting.

According to Desvigne, pedestrians now use more than 60 per cent of the area. The traffic volumes have dropped sharply from 2,600 to about 1,000 vehicles per hour at peak times of day, he says of the redesign that emerged as a co-winner of the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2014.

At le quai de Belges (quay of the Belgians) on the eastern edge, a reflective stainless-steel canopy to protect an area for shops and events has been built. The ombriere measures 46-by-22 metres, is open on all sides and stands six metres tall.

Brooker says the blade of reflective stainless steel is literally a reflection of its surroundings. This lightweight steel structure is a minimal intervention, appearing as a simple silver reflective line on the horizon, but brings a new focus, provides basic shelter and creates a venue for performances. The structure has been used as a sunshade, an umbrella, a stage for street theatre, art installations and markets. It seems to have really captured peoples imagination.

The big challenge for architects had been making sure the canopy is slender but robust enough to withstand the mistral (strong northwesterly) winds. To ensure the canopy would be sufficiently rigid not to flex and dip under its own weight, its supported by a stiff central frame and has a gentle curve in profile, which tapers towards the edges to minimize its visual impact, Brooker says. The underside is made up of highly polished steel panels  a mirror for the sea and life of the port.

Initial renovations took about a year and were completed in March 2013. Total cost of the project amounted to 45 million ($64 million Canadian), with 36 million ($51 million) spent on this first phase. The next phase involves creating a chain of parks.

HOW IT CHANGED THINGS: Architect Matevz Celik, a member of the jury that awarded the Urban Public Space award, has high praise for the transformation of the port. Its a showcase of how, with very simple actions, you can create a great space. Its now a place of spontaneous and organized events in the city.

Gaudin says the city is very happy with the revitalization. Our city has regained its colours in terms of notoriety, reputation and tourism. Fifteen years ago, we only had a few thousand cruise-ship tourists  today, its a million.

Residents and tourists have equally glowing reports. Auriem, a server at La Samaritaine, a nearby cafe, says the renovations are beautiful. Its very clean and visitors are very happy with the new face of the harbour. It feels safer and more cosmopolitan. The atmosphere is also a lot quieter and easier.

Marseilles resident Stefane Mabrini says: Everybody walks along the harbour now. It feels like a big family. Its like a little town in the town.

Shawn Anderson, from Los Angeles, Calif., visited Marseilles last summer. The area was super consumer- and pedestrian-friendly. The space was wide open and not your normal tight and confined marina or dock. You could see the fresh catch of the day and then enjoy the fruits of the sea at a local restaurant.

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MONTREALRetired Canadian spaceman Bob Thirsk asks himself a couple of simple questions when sizing up people who tell him they want to become an astronaut.

The first is whether he could see himself getting along with the person for six months in orbit and the other is whether he could trust them with his life.

Would I enjoy spending a long period of time . . . with this person? If I can say yes, I will go on and consider that person as a potential candidate, Thirsk, who was selected as an astronaut in 1983, told The Canadian Press.

The fourth recruitment process is currently underway as Canada looks to double its astronaut corps this summer with the addition of two new members.

The field has been reduced from 3,772 to 32, including 11 women. A further cut will be announced by Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains in Toronto on Monday.

Those still remaining include engineers, Canadian Forces personnel, doctors, university professors and pilots.

Thirsk, who holds the Canadian record for most time spent in space with more than 200 days, says some stereotypical Canadian traits come in handy for potential astronauts: politeness, diplomacy and mediation.

You can be technically brilliant, but if you irritate your other five crewmates, the crew is not going to be as efficient and productive as a crew that might have less technical skills, but get along well together, he said.

Read more: Two more astronauts, an American and a Russian, join International Space Station team

The Canadian Space Agency has chronicled the current recruitment process online, but the specifics remain a tightly guarded, confidential process.

But that hiring process has continuously evolved over time, said Thirsk, who is now chancellor at the University of Calgary.

In the early 80s, Canada was seeking payload specialists to fulfil science and research roles on shuttle missions.

Thirsk, a medical doctor who was inspired by Apollo missions, jumped at the opportunity.

There were essays, physical examinations, detailed applications and psychological testing even before meeting with selection committee members. Then came additional technical briefings, public speaking tests and even more intense physical and psychological testing.

We even attended cocktail receptions  we were naive, we thought we were just there to meet people, but we were actually being watched to make sure we had the social graces that were required to be a representative of Canada, Thirsk said with a laugh.

More than three decades later, Canadian astronauts hold the same functions as their NASA or international counterparts, Thirsk said. That includes taking part in spacewalks, operating robotics and taking on leadership roles as Chris Hadfield did when he commanded the International Space Station in 2012 and 2013.

Dave Williams, who joined in 1992 and went to space in 1998 and 2007 before retiring the following year, said evidence suggests the current prospects have faced simulations of intense physical situations such as jumping into water from a helicopter, coping with flooded compartments and dealing with firefighting scenarios.

These are all things we did not do in 1992, we added them in 2009, Williams said, noting the simulations are more arduous this time around.

Every time we do this, we change it, we morph it, we try to make it a more rigorous process, added Williams, now CEO at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont.

Williams, who was involved in the 2009 hiring process, says exercises allow appraisers to see how candidates react in an operational environment  where time-critical decisions matter, not unlike during unforeseen circumstances in space.

Were trying to evaluate the comfort level that candidates have with being uncomfortable, Williams said. I mean being uncomfortable because youre at the edge of your performance capabilities and thats just part of the nature of what we do in the space program.

Not to say that only people like test pilots or surgeons make decent astronauts, Williams added, noting sometimes people who work in remote, isolated environments develop space-worthy skills.

Both Williams and Thirsk agree getting to the final group is a huge accomplishment in itself. Williams called it a humbling experience to be around talented individuals. Those selected with him included Hadfield and Julie Payette.

Thirsk said the rigorous process tightened bonds in his group, which included current Transport Minister Marc Garneau, former CSA boss Steve MacLean and Roberta Bondar.

We actually became friends, we were all kind of naive, we were all thrown into this together not really sure about what to expect as an outcome, all passionate about space flight, said Thirsk.

That actually bonded us together even though we were all competing for a small number of spots.

The new members will begin training in Texas in August, joining Canadas two active astronauts, Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques, who both joined in 2009.

Saint-Jacques has been assigned a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station that is scheduled to begin in November 2018.

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OTTAWAThe federal Liberals are aiming to halve the number of the hardest-to-help homeless and experts say its a move that may be key to ending homelessness in the country.

The upcoming national housing strategy looks to cut by 50 per cent the number of chronic homeless  many of whom wont go to shelters and may be harder to reach through traditional support systems  and episodic homeless, those who find themselves on the street repeatedly.

Government estimates peg the number of chronic and episodic homeless at 25,000, meaning the Liberals expect that 11 years from now, federal spending will have cut that number to 12,500.

The target suggests that the federal government is open to new ways of dealing with homelessness.

The Liberals second budget in March showed that they wanted to get money directly to cities and service providers without having to deal with provinces.

Read more: Five things to know about the Trudeau governments second budget

Some of those measures were clear, like giving the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., more money to dole out directly to local governments. Others were less obvious, like a promise to maintain $4 billion in funding agreements to housing providers without detailing how the money would be spent.

Its pretty clear that the government is investing money differently, said Tim Richter, president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

If theyre setting the kind of ambitious goals that theyre setting, they have to be more directed, more targeted, and theyre going to have to be creative and make their dollars really stretch.

As for the cut to chronic and episodic homelessness, Richter thought the estimated impact was pretty conservative: With the money that theyre investing, we could achieve a lot more.

The March budget set the financial backbone for the national housing strategy, which detailed $11.2 billion in spending on affordable housing over the coming decade.

With new initiatives announced this week to help deal with the cost of rental units, the strategy to be released this fall will say how the Liberals expect to spend tens of billions in new and existing programs between now and April 2028.

Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has said the goal of the strategy is to help a million people.

The key to meeting the governments homeless reduction targets will be in the final policy design and spending programs the provinces and federal government agree to, said Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

Internal government modelling estimates that over the next decade, 500,000 people could be lifted out of core housing need, meaning they spend more than one-third of their before-tax income on housing that may be substandard or doesnt meet their needs.

The expectation is that the biggest effect will be among renters, where federal dollars could cut in half the number of renters in core housing need.

A further 500,000 would be lifted out of homelessness, or prevented from becoming homeless over the course of the next 11 years based on the effects of existing government programs. The same represents an aggregate of those the strategy could help, which means there may be some double-counting as people move along a continuum of housing.

By putting out the numbers now, the Liberals hope to push the provinces to agree to new ways of funding homelessness initiatives.

The advantage of making these numbers public now is that we can better structure those conversations and ensure that, at a minimum, we achieve the objectives that we have already communicated, said Duclos spokeswoman Emilie Gauduchon-Campbell.

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MONTREALThe United States has quietly added two Canadians fighting in Syria to its most-wanted terror list, saying the individuals pose a serious risk of committing acts of terrorism that could threaten Americas security, citizens or economy.

Farah Mohamed Shirdon, an Albertan of Somali heritage, is alleged to be a recruiter and fundraiser for Daesh, also known ISIS and ISIL. Quebecker Tarek Sakr is identified as having conducted sniper training for the Al Qaeda-linked al-Nusrah Front.

The decision was made last week and published Wednesday in an official register of U.S. government regulations.

The two have been added to the U.S. State Departments list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists along with the likes of Hamza bin Laden, son of Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, members of a Daesh execution cell led by Jihadi John, the deceased British citizen Mohamed Emwazi, and Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French citizen who was arrested last year for his role in the November 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people.

Todays action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Sakr and Shirdon are actively engaged in terrorism, reads the April 13 State Department communique.

Specially Designated Terrorists are prohibited from accessing the U.S. financial system and bars U.S. citizens from assisting them or sending money.

It has been applied sparingly in the past to other Canadians, including Hassan El-Hajj Hassan, a Lebanese-Canadian dual citizen alleged to have participated a 2012 bus bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists; and Abousfian Abdelrazik, who was sanctioned in 2006 for his alleged ties to Al Qaeda.

The Toronto-born Shirdon, 24, was charged in absentia by the RCMP in September 2015 with six terrorism charges, including participating in a terrorist group, encouraging people to travel to Syria and send money to Daesh and making terrorist threats in an April 2014 propaganda video and in a September 2014 interview with Vice Media.

The Mounties said at the time that Shirdon left Canada on March 14, 2014 for Syria and that reports he had been killed in 2014 were not true. The Americans say he was in Raqqa, the terror groups Syrian base, in November 2015.

Our investigation showed that Shirdon served in a combat role and performed other functions for ISIS such as recruiting, fundraising, encouraging others to commit violence and spreading propaganda, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Marlin DeGrand said when announcing the charges against Shirdon.

The State Department said that Shirdon also goes by various iterations of the alias Abu Usama al Somali.

Canadian authorities have been less forthcoming about the alleged activities of Syrian-born Sakr, aged 30. The U.S. notice says that he has conducted sniper training in Syria and periodically travels to Turkey.

Sakr has been identified in court documents as one of a group of young Quebec men who travelled to Syria in 2012 to participate in the insurgency against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Members of that group are suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of two American citizens, Theo Padnos and Matthew Schrier.

A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, Scott Bardsley, said: For national security and privacy reasons, the government of Canada cannot provide information on Tarek Sakr.

There are no current criminal charges against Tarek Sakr. The Government of Canada cannot comment on who is or is not the subject of a criminal investigation as this falls under the independent realm of police agencies.

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Michael Yole is not scared to go to prison.

Im (93) years old, he says, sitting in small interview room inside the Barton jail  his home since his Jan. 25 arrest.

Put yourself in my shoes ... (during the war) I sat listening to bombs exploding underwater, hearing torpedoes, wondering if it was my time.

Yole lived a life filled with moments both remarkable  like his time in the Navy  and yet altogether ordinary. So it is unexpected that he has found himself an inmate at the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre after picking up a machete in the heat of a long-building family argument about money, and wielding it against his daughter-in-law.

If I wanted to kill that girl I would have done it long ago.

On Friday, Yole pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in the Jan. 25 attack and was sentenced to two years in prison, after credit for time served in pretrial custody, plus three years probation.

Ontario Court Justice George Gage called the incident a tragedy of huge proportions.

He noted that Yole is entitled to the benefit of the exemplary life he lived before the crime, but that cannot undo the inexplicable and horrific violence.

Court heard Yoles middle child, son Marlyn Yole, and his wife Amanda had purchased the familys Carlisle home on Progreston Road from his father in November 2015. The senior Yole was still living in the house, but amid a deteriorating relationship, he was looking to move into a Stoney Creek seniors home at the time of the attack.

On that day, Michael Yole was attempting to get his son to sign papers giving him money from the estate to cover medical and living expenses. Marlyn wouldnt sign and an argument with Amanda and her 20-year-old daughter escalated.

Enraged, Michael went outside and grabbed a machete. He swung it at this daughter-in-law, hitting her head and then neck, before being physically restrained by Marlyn, whose hand was also cut.

In their victim impact statements, Marlyn and his family talk about facing anxiety and stress since the attack, and feeling isolated from family and friends.

I was almost murdered in a hate crime, Amanda said, later calling the brutal attack planned.

I fear constantly that the deed will be completed as there is no stopping evil. At 93, what does he have to lose?

Marlyn describes the attack as an attempted beheading. His family is now divided, with siblings no longer talking to him.

The man has expressed many times in the years disdain and contempt for me.

In court, Yole said he was betrayed by his son.

I trusted him.

In court, Yoles lawyer, Asgar Manek, referenced elder abuse when discussing his clients living situation before the crime, a term the prosecution disputed.

Assistant Crown attorney Warren Milko called the situation nightmarish, arguing that, as an intelligent man, Yole was well aware of the consequences of his violent actions. He called the attack premeditated.

The family rift was clear: Marlyn and his family sat on one side of the courtroom, Yoles daughter on the other.

It is a tragedy that a family is torn asunder, Gage noted.

Days before the plea, Yole sits in his jail-issued orange jumpsuit inside the Barton jail. Over the course of more than three hours his life story spills out, from nearly five years old leaving his home in the village of Cabalovce in the former Czechoslovakia by wagon, train and ship, to growing up with two brothers all over Hamilton, to the Second World War and back to Hamilton again.

He found love as a teenager watching young Trudy speed skating at the old Barton Street Arena, eventually marrying her and raising three children. He studied at McMaster and Queens University and worked as an engineer at Stelco for 33 years.

The Progreston Road house  with its fruit trees and swimming pool built for Gertrude (Trudy)  was the Yole family home for about 45 years. It was after an ice storm on Christmas in 2013 that knocked out power and destroyed trees that Yole decided it was too much to maintain on his own. Its because of the trees and brush that he had the machete, he said.

The family agreed Marlyn would buy the house, buying out the other two childrens share in the property. Michael was to stay there, keeping his room. But the relationship eroded and Yole alleges he was being mistreated, including having personal belongings thrown out and being asked to move rooms.

Yole said he was not trying to kill anyone, but lost his temper amid mounting stress.

If I wanted to kill that girl, I would have done it long ago, he said, his voice rising.

Yet he did plead guilty to attempted murder.

According to the agreed statement of facts, Yole said: I wished I cut her head off while his son restrained him and the family waited for police that day.

Two charges of assaulting Marlyn Yole and Amandas 20-year-old daughter, Carly Nevard, were withdrawn.

Outside court, the family declined to comment further.

In jail, Yole sleeps in an eight-man dorm. He was reading a book about Nazis in South America after the Second World War that he found at the jail.

Hes having trouble with his hearing aid and his dentures  hes lost weight in part because he cant eat some of the food. Hes due to see his cardiologist and other specialists for a myriad of health problems.

Yole says hes aware of the social hierarchy inside the jail, but has been allowed to simply exist outside it.

Who do I have to converse with? he says. Im two to three times their age.

Yet he has made a few connections. He wants to give old skates to the children of one inmate. And hes holding onto a letter from another who thanked him for his advice: Dont go blaming the world; once and a while, look himself in the mirror.

But mostly Yole is left alone with his memories.

Like the first time he tasted a banana as a boy  a gift from fishermen who took a liking to his mom while the family waited for paperwork to board a ship bound for Canada.

Crying, he later sings the song that was playing (Now Is The Hour) as his train left, taking him to war, Trudy holding his hand as a long as she could keep up.

Ill never forget it. We were just kids, he says, head bowed. They were married at St. James Anglican Church on Ottawa Street after the war.

Yole was among the last convoy of ships returning to North America across the Atlantic after Germany surrendered. He recalled being told to come out on deck at midnight as all 60-or-so ships turned their lights on, lighting up the previously pitch-black waters.

It was just a spectacular thing, he said.

The last story Yole tells is Trudys death following a stroke nine years ago.

She collapsed getting up from the table. She regained consciousness in hospital, but soon slipped away. Yole cradled her head as it slumped forward and says he sat that way with her for her final hours.

For nearly nine hours, I was holding her like that and you know, I couldnt find a bloody word to say to her, he said, crying, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

His daughter would later explain to him he was in shock, but he beats himself up over not saying all the things he had to say to her.

For years on the anniversary of her death, he would put a memorial notice in The Spectator, quoting from the songs they would dance to  a hobby they loved to do together.

Of all the stories he told, this was the only one in which he expressed regret.

Yole wanted to die in his own home, but had already conceded that wasnt going to happen before the fight.

I love my son. Ive loved him always, he said of Marlyn, but added he believes his son crossed the Rubicon and there is no going back.

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Peel police discriminated against a South Asian-Canadian officer on the basis of his race when he was denied the opportunity for promotion into the senior ranks, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled.

Fridays decision also said that the Peel police force generally devalued police work in Peels huge South Asian community because it is associated with the South Asian population.

Staff Sgt. Baljiwan (BJ) Sandhu, a decorated officer with 28 years of service on the Peel police force, had sought a promotion to inspector in 2013.

The applicants race, ancestry, place of origin, and/or ethnic origin were factors in his failure to be recommended for promotion in February 2013, and as such I find that the applicant has been subject to discrimination because of race, in violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code, tribunal adjudicator Bruce Best said in the decision.

The tribunal decision refers to many of Sandhus commendations and awards for helping solve a wide variety of cases, from homicides to drug trafficking, along with a 2011 newspaper article calling him one of the three most influential South Asian Canadians working in law enforcement, a short list that also included current federal Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

But when Sandhu tried to break into the forces senior ranks, out of 33 applicants he was one of two who were denied the opportunity to compete for promotion. According to the tribunal decision, the other applicant who was denied, a sergeant, had minimal experience, unlike Sandhu.

The tribunals decision, based on evidence presented during hearings over the past two years, states that the two senior officers who denied Sandhu the promotion devalued the experience he had in diversity and in South Asian intelligence, and that the South Asian portfolios were generally devalued in the service because they were associated with the South Asian population. Such policing, the decision found, was not considered real police work by the force.

Hes over the moon, said Barry Swadron, one of Sandhus lawyers. Swadron said Sandhu will not be commenting directly.

Rather than reward him by promotion to the senior ranks, his supervisors decided that his contribution was not real policing a slap in the face of the mosaic which is Peel Region, Swadron said.

BJ Sandhu is one of the most selfless persons I have ever met, he added. In the face of discriminatory adversity, he persevered and became the backbone of diversity for the Peel Regional Police service.

Sandhu now has 35 days from the release of the decision to serve Peel police with his request for remedies.

During testimony in 2015, Sandhu described the treatment he said he was subjected to from the day he joined the force. In his first week, a group of young officers were told by a supervisor that communications for the force was currently done by Peel police officers, Sandhu testified. Then the supervisor said, Pretty soon you will see that women and Pakis will be managing those duties. As if he hadnt even seen me in that room.

Later the same week, when Sandhu walked into a gym, one of the officers yelled out, Hey, no one called a cab. The whole room, more than 100 officers sitting on bleachers, were sitting there laughing at me, Sandhu testified, adding that it was humiliating and embarrassing.

He described how senior officers and peers routinely called him Gunga Din, Gandhi and other terms meant to embarrass him, and supervisors, other than on one occasion, would blow off Sandhus requests to have the behaviour addressed. It continued, with racist cartoons of him and pictures being sent to him or pinned up on his supervisors office wall, Sandhu said. He filed a complaint with the rights tribunal in early 2014.

Lawyers representing Peel police at the human rights hearing tried unsuccessfully to prevent Sandhu from presenting evidence on his historic treatment, arguing it was not relevant to his failed promotion effort in 2013, which was the subject of the hearings. Best ruled it was relevant, agreeing with Sandhus lawyer, Kelley Bryan, who argued that the historic evidence helped establish an embedded discriminatory attitude that was allegedly prevalent throughout the force.

Sgt. Josh Colley, a Peel police spokesperson, said Chief Jennifer Evans will be providing a response.

In a statement, Peel Police board chair Amrik Singh Ahluwalia called the decision troubling. He said the board earlier this month hired an independent firm to conduct a sweeping equity audit to ensure the police force transforms its practices.

The Peel Police Board believes our police service must better reflect the entire community it serves, said Ahluwalia.

Ahluwalia said the audit ordered by the board is to ensure that Peel police becomes a place where young women and men of every background, colour and social status are treated fairly and have an equal opportunity to be hired and promoted, based on skill and performance.

On Friday, Swadron said the decision is of particular public interest because of Peels demographics. Its such a large force with such a large population of South Asians. I dont know of any similar parallel ruling in Canada.

Best decided against one part of Sandhus complaint, ruling that he was not the subject of reprisal for filing a grievance over his failed attempt at a promotion.

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On July 8, 2013, the GTA saw a torrential downpour in the late afternoon that led to flooding and stranded commuters.

At the same time, parents in Vaughan arrived at 343 Yellowood Circle to pick up their children from a home daycare.

In the back seat of an SUV parked outside the daycare, no one noticed little Eva Ravikovich in her car seat approaching her seventh hour alone.

Olena Panfilova, the owner of the daycare Eva attended in Vaughan, pleaded guilty on April 4 to criminal negligence causing the death of the 2-year-old. Sentencing is scheduled for May 19. The maximum sentence for that charge is life imprisonment, according to the Criminal Code.

I wake up with Eva and I go to bed with Eva. Every single minute I have her on my mind, Evas mother, Ekaterina Evtropova, previously told the Star. I dont want anything like this to happen to any other child  to any other parents as well.

The case spurred a Star investigation into lax child-care inspections and prompted changes to provincial daycare laws.

But the details surrounding what happened to Eva remained unknown for years, only coming to light recently in the agreed statement of facts, which was read before Judge David Stewart Rose in a Newmarket court.

I did not know that that little girl died in a car until I heard that agreed statement of facts, said lawyer Patrick Brown, who is representing Evas parents in a lawsuit against the province and the daycare operators. I cant say that for the family either. They may have let her (mother) know but I dont think she fully knew until this.

Eva began attending Panfilovas daycare when she was 11 months old. Her parents, Evtropova and Vycheslav Ravikovich, were referred to Panfilova by trusted friends, according to the agreed statement of facts.

The daycare was popular with Russian-speaking parents, as Panfilova spoke Russian, and offered lower rates than licensed daycares  if a parent paid for the entire year in advance, the cost was between $500 and $700 a month.

The daycare also offered pickup and drop-off services, which Evas parents took advantage of. On July 8, 2013, Panfilova picked Eva up and placed her in the car seat behind the drivers seat. Her three-row Dodge Durango was filled with a number of children.

When Panfilova arrived at her home and daycare facility on Yellowood Circle around 9:30 a.m., she removed all the children she could from the passenger side and closed the door, leaving only Eva, still buckled in her car seat, according to the statement of facts.

Panfilova had 35 children in her daycare that day, despite the five-child limit mandated by the province for an unlicensed daycare, at the time. Parents were led to believe Panfilova was taking care of 15 children at most, the statement of facts said.

Meanwhile, Eva, whom her parents previously described as a very mature and clever child, sat in the car, which rapidly grew hotter. The day, described as a hot humid day in the agreed statement of facts, saw highs of 30 C and lows of 18 C. But in a car parked for hours, Eva felt temperatures far beyond that.

It is likely that on July 8, 2013, Olenas Dodge Durango, while parked in the driveway of her daycare, heated up to at least 50 C inside by approximately 12:30 p.m., the statement of facts read.

All day Eva sat inside the car  wearing a purple dress, a diaper and blue and white sandals  restricted by her safety-approved, five-point seatbelt harness.

Parents began arriving to pick up their children between 4:30 and 5 p.m. All the while, Eva remained  forgotten  in her car seat.

Evas mother called Panfilova at 4:31 p.m. to ask that her daughter be dropped off at her grandmothers house. Panfilova agreed, but offered a later drop-off time, citing the afternoons heavy rainfall.

Still, Eva remained in the car.

It was not until some time between 5:06 and 5:21 p.m. that Panfilova realized she hadnt brought Eva inside. Eva was already dead.

Panfilova brought the little girl into the house, placed her on the couch and removed her shoes, before calling out to her adult daughter Karina Rabadanova for help.

A call was made to Evas mother, but there was no answer. Her father was called next, and in a 13-second conversation Panfilova told him his daughter was blue and not breathing.

Then they called 911.

What is your emergency? the operator asked.

Were taking care of a kid and  and I think shes dead, Rabadanova said, according to the statement of facts. We put her down for a nap. We went to wake her up and shes not breathing and shes like all  purple.

The paramedics arrived within minutes to find Evas diaper dry and her jaw unable to open with the onset of gross rigor mortis. They described her as obviously dead.

An autopsy performed by Dr. Michael Pollanen found that Evas bladder contained no urine and her stomach was essentially empty. Her dried lips and parchment-like yellow areas on her face hinted at the truth: exposure to heat.

On the night of the incident, Panfilova gave a recorded statement to the police, maintaining the story she told earlier that day: she put Eva down for a nap in the afternoon, went to check on her later, and found her not breathing.

Panfilova and her family also denied knowing anything when police could not find a digital video recorder they believed was connected to cameras showing the front entrance of the daycare and the driveway. The car seat Eva sat in on the day of her death was also missing.

Children dying from heatstroke in cars is not very common in Ontario, according to Dr. Dirk Huyer, chief coroner for Ontario. Since 2000, there have been only three recorded cases. In the U.S., 37 children die in hot cars each year on average, or about one every nine days, according to Janette Fennell, founder and president of KidsAndCars.org. Huyer and Fennell were not involved with Evas case.

Heatstroke can occur after anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes up to two or three hours, Sharon Ramagnano, manager of trauma services at Sunnybrook Hospital, who was not involved with Evas case, told the Star during an interview about heatstroke in general.

Eventually you lose consciousness and organs fail and the heart will stop, Ramagnano said.

Because childrens sweat glands are not fully developed, their temperatures rise three times faster than adults, the Canada Safety Council previously wrote in a news release about childrens vulnerability to heatstroke in cars.

Symptoms of heatstroke can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, fever and chills, according to Ramagnano.

Its very quick. It doesnt take very long if youre in direct sunlight and theres no open ventilation, she said. The heat inside a car even with a cracked window is way beyond what you feel outside. It can have detrimental effects within minutes.

The conditions of Panfilovas daycare were in question even before Evas death. She had received an explicit warning from the Ministry of Education that the facility was illegally crowded. Despite this, she never applied for or obtained the required licence to run a daycare with more than five children.

In November 2012, two Ministry of Education employees inspected the daycare and discovered seven children in the facility. The ministry sent Panfilova a letter, dated Nov. 26, 2012, telling her to reduce the number of children in her care. She did not.

When police were called to the daycare on July 8, 2013, there were more than a dozen dogs on the premises, along with the children, and there were bags of dirty diapers in the kitchen. The daycare was later shuttered by health authorities who found dangerous bacteria and filthy conditions in the home, the Star previously reported, after a freedom of information request was filed by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

The Ministry of Education revealed in August 2013 that it had failed to follow up on 25 of 448 complaints about unlicensed daycare crowding in the 18 months before Eva died, including four at 343 Yellowood Circle.

Last March, Panfilova, her husband, Ruslan Panfilov, and Rabadanova were sentenced to 30 days in jail for running an overcrowded, unlicensed daycare, a violation of the Day Nurseries Act.

In my defence I would like to say I was trying to help the parents. I was trying to help people who werent able to pay large amounts of money, the Star reported Panfilova said at the time, through an interpreter. It was my beloved work.

The law that was in place at the time of Evas death has since been replaced by the Child Care and Early Years Act. That law increases penalties for overcrowding in unlicensed daycares.

Now, Evas parents are pushing forward with a $3.5-million lawsuit against the province and the owners and operators of the unlicensed daycare.

During a news conference in 2013, Evas mother said she now has nothing to live for, except for pushing to make daycares safer.

I know that this is my job now, Evtropova said. I have no other choice.

With files from Alex Ballingall, Laurie Monsebraaten and Marco Chown Oved

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US senators call on PM Dahal

United States senators Christopher Coons and Jeff Mackerel held a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal at the latters residence in Baluwatar on Saturday.
With an increasingly strained U.S.-Canada relationship under U.S. President Donald Trumps administration, the head of the U.S. Mission in Ottawa says it is crucial to maintain the people-to-people contacts between the countries.

I personally believe it is completely vital for a bilateral relationship as broad, as deep, as vast and as important as ours is, to maintain people-to-people contacts. We are very closely linked. Our trade relationships are unparalleled, said U.S. charge daffaires Elizabeth Aubin in Toronto on Friday.

It is very important to communicate and it is very important to have conversations in the areas where we agree and in the areas where we dont agree. That is how we will understand each other and learn to find common grounds together. And we will look for a win-win to our difficulties.

The comments by Aubin, who assumed the job of charge daffaires following the departure of U.S. ambassador Bruce Heyman in January, came after Trump unleashed a tirade against the North American Free Trade Agreement and singled out Canada as a benefactor of the deal at Americans expense. A new ambassador has yet to be named.

We cant let Canada, or anybody else, take advantage and do what they did to our workers, to our farmers, said Trump on Thursday, following an earlier complaint this week about how Canadas trade practices were threatening the livelihoods of Wisconsin farmers.

In an exclusive interview with the Star, Aubin tried to downplay Trumps comments, saying the two countries have had conversations about trades since the 1860s and more than 95 per cent of the bilateral trade relationship is extremely smooth.

We only talk about the little things that pop up where we do not have an agreement. So I think the more we talk to each other and interact with each other, the better our relationship will be overall, said Aubin, who was management officer at the U.S. consulate in Toronto from 2001-04.

Both of our governments are very aware of our farming industry, our farmers and their particular needs. Both countries are trying to do the best for all types of business, whether it is agriculture or industries or high tech, the full range of our economy. Everyone is trying to do the best they can for their citizens.

During the 30-minute interview, Aubin also commented on a wide range of immigration-related issues, from the spike of irregular border crossings via the U.S., the Safe Third Country Agreement, the H-1B work visas, the Nexus card program and Bill C-23, the pre-clearance bill that would give U.S. border agents in Canada new powers.

On recent irregular border crossings: It is a two-way street. Those kinds of things tend to ebb and flow.

On the Safe Third Country Agreement, which bans refugees from seeking asylum across the border: It works very effectively. Both governments have indicated they want to continue with the agreement. If you look at the facts of people crossing the northern border irregularly, you will see that most of them are legal in the U.S. If you look at the facts of who is crossing and why they are crossing, its perhaps a different story than the assumption or the politicization of the concept.

On the H-1B work visa, which allows U.S. employers to bring in temporary foreign workers in specialty fields and is widely used in information technology: A lot of workers who come in on that visa may or may not be paid the same as an American worker. We have to make sure the visa category is being properly used. The impact on Canadians would be minimal.

On Canadians having problems crossing into the U.S. despite a Nexus card: Nexus facilitates (travel), but it doesnt provide a guarantee. People on either side of the border can be stopped and asked further questions. There have been no changes of enforcement of Nexus by either government.

On Bill C-23 that would expand U.S. border officials presence at four Canadian locations, including Torontos Billy Bishop Airport: We have had pre-clearance facilities in Canada since the 1950s. The Canadian government has requested the U.S. government to expand pre-clearance . . . Everyone who has passed through has met the U.S. requirement to enter the U.S so your flight can be treated as a domestic flight. So it makes it easier for you to get to your destination.

Aubin said she understands public apprehension is inevitable whenever there is a regime change.

However, we are going to continue to see the kind of flow we had previously. I dont expect to see a major change to any of that, she said. It is interesting to me the level of anxiety and how that has impacted the public space. The actual facts are that fewer Canadians are stopped at the border than ever before.

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NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has unveiled her prescription for winning next year's election  universal pharmacare.

Horwath unveiled the ambitious $475-million-a-year program to about 1,000 New Democrats at the partys annual convention on Saturday.

When we win in 2018, we are going to create Canadas first universal pharmacare plan right here in Ontario, she thundered to cheering delegates at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

It will mean lower costs, less worry, and better health for everyone. It will mean fewer emergencies, fewer people in ERs. It will mean we can save lives.

Emphasizing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Horwath said her plan is both doable and affordable.

Starting with the most commonly prescribed essential medicines, we will provide universal drug coverage for all Ontarians, she said, lamenting that one in four people in the province arent taking the medication they need because they can't afford it.

While Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins has been crusading for a national pharmacare program for years with his colleagues across the country, the federal and provincial Liberals have failed to deliver on it.

The NDP will disclose the details of the program Monday at Queen's Park, but, citing health-care experts, officials say the initial launch would cost $475 million a year.

Even though voters are not heading to the polls until June 7, 2018, Horwath stepped up her attacks against both Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne and Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown.

This Liberal premier doesnt get it, she said.

And frankly, neither do the Conservatives. The Conservatives have no real solutions to offer for the problems that working people face.

Mindful that Brown leads in public opinion polls  and that Wynne is in a distant third place  Horwath took aim at the rookie PC chief.

Their leader, Patrick Brown, has been a Conservative politician for 17 years, including nine years as an MP in Stephen Harpers government, she said to boos and shouts of shame from fired-up New Democrats.

Hell do what Conservatives always do. They help big companies. They help the privileged few at the very top and they cut and privatize the public services that all the rest of us are counting on.

Horwath  who has also pledged to raise the hourly minimum wage to $15 from the current $11.40 and make it easier for workers to unionize  took pains to underscore her partys policy chops with a glossy 40-page vision statement entitled It's About Change. It's About You.

It's a contrast to the 2014 election when the New Democrats remained vague, making very few campaign pledges in the belief  mistaken as it turned out  that they could win simply by bashing Wynnes Liberals.

Ironically, the Tories, who are not expected to release any significant policy before a platform convention in Toronto in November, have been employing a strategy similar to the New Democrats 2014 playbook.

I'll leave the speculation of why he's doing what he's doing to folks like you, Horwath told reporters when asked about Browns reticence to share any policy.

But what I do know is that the people of Ontario deserve so much better than that, she said.

The people of Ontario deserve to know what the leaders stand for, what the parties stand for, and, importantly, what they intend to do should they form government in 2018.

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Barack Obamas extended post-presidential vacation is about to end. After spending weeks in French Polynesia  including time on the yacht of movie mogul David Geffen along with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey  Obama will return to Chicago on Monday for his first public event as former U.S. president.

His self-imposed silence since inauguration day will end with a series of events over the next four weeks. A Monday town hall-style meeting with students at the University of Chicago will be followed by an awards ceremony in Boston; a series of public remarks, as well as private paid speeches in the United States and Europe, and an appearance at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

And yet, Obamas supporters, who have been waiting eagerly for the former president to respond to his successors accusations and policy reversals, are likely to be disappointed.

Read more:Ex POTUS, former FLOTUS (the Obamas) chill on yacht in Tahiti with elite besties

Even as he witnesses President Donald Trumps relentless and chaotic assault on his legacy, Obama remains stubbornly committed to the idea that there is only one president at a time. Those closest to him say the former president does not intend to confront Trump directly on immigration, health care, foreign policy or the environment during any of his events.

Why are we not hearing from him? Weve got to hear from him, said Sarah Kovner, a New York City Democratic activist who raised more than $1 million (U.S.) for Obamas campaigns. Democrats are desperate.

Everything that Trump is doing really requires a response, Kovner added.

Obama and a small cadre of former White House aides in his Washington office know that anything he says in public, no matter how veiled, will be interpreted as criticism of Trump.

Obamas aides say he will also not criticize Trump in his private paid speeches. The aides would not say how much Obama will be paid per speech, but former president Bill Clinton averaged more than $200,000 per speech between 2001 and 2015; former president George W. Bush is reportedly paid $100,000 to $175,000 for each appearance.

Aides have rejected the idea that Obama should actively wage a public feud against Trump, with whom he has not spoken since the inauguration. They believe that such a fight would give the current president the high-profile political foil he wants to further energize his conservative supporters.

Obama has also concluded that his voice is not essential in the daily back-and-forth. His aides note that a new level of civic activism among Democrats eager to challenge Trump has emerged without much encouragement from the former leader of the Democratic Party. And many of Trumps attacks on Obama-era policies  like the health care law  have so far failed or stalled.

Instead, Obama is preparing remarks that focus on broader themes he hopes will keep him above the cable-television combat and the Capitol Hill debates: civic engagement, the health of the planet, the need for diplomacy, civil rights and the development of a new generation of young American leaders.

Trump becomes a distraction from what he wants to do, said Kevin Lewis, a spokesperson for Obama.

Obama is not the first president to try to avoid the political fights that consumed his time in office. Bush resisted pressure from his aides and supporters to criticize his successor during the months after Obama took office.

People around him wanted him to do it, recalled James Glassman, founding director of the George W. Bush Institute. People would come to me and say, Cant you get the president to defend No Child Left Behind? His legacy was about to be wiped off the face of the earth. The answer was no. Thats not the way he saw his post-presidency.

Glassman said that Bushs keep-quiet approach toward Obama was shaped by what he saw as unfair criticism by former president Jimmy Carter of his father, the elder President George Bush.

I would try to get him to do things like talk about immigration policy and say the things he said as president, Glassman said of Bush. He would absolutely not do it.

But rarely has an outgoing president faced a successor like Trump.

In the weeks after winning the White House, Trump assembled a Cabinet intended to eradicate most of Obamas accomplishments. Once in office, Trump accused the former president of wiretapping him, without offering any evidence, and he said on Twitter that Obama was a Bad (or sick) guy! Trump also accused his predecessor of being behind national security leaks, and he all but blamed Obama for Syrias chemical weapons attacks.

The pressure on Obama to enter the fray has steadily increased as Trump moved to reverse Obama-era environmental protections, ban travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, abandon trade deals, eliminate progressive regulations and install a conservative Supreme Court justice.

Through it all, Obama has stayed mostly silent. (During a conference call with thousands of despairing supporters a week after the election, Obama said only: Dont mope. And dont get complacent.)

After the Obama family moved into a nine-bedroom mansion a few miles from the White House in January, they began a series of vacations, each captured in grainy snapshots posted online.

Obama quickly left Washington for Palm Springs, California, and then it was off to a private island in the British Virgin Islands with British billionaire Richard Branson, where he was photographed kitesurfing.

More recently, Obama and his wife, Michelle, spent nearly a month in French Polynesia. A snapshot of the former president taking a picture of Michelle on the deck of Geffens yacht, the Rising Sun, went viral on the Internet.

On Monday, the former president will return to his adopted hometown, Chicago, for a conversation with a half-dozen young people and a question-and-answer session with an audience of college students.

As he begins his paid speeches, Obama, who is represented by the Harry Walker Agency, is scheduled to engage in a private conversation with the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin for the employees of the A&E television network.

On May 7 in Boston, Obama will accept the Profile in Courage Award given annually by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. He will deliver a speech at the librarys black-tie dinner. His remarks  built around the theme of what courage means in todays world  will not name Trump.

Later in May, Obama will travel with his White House chef and friend, Sam Kass, to Italy for a speech at the Global Food Innovation Summit about the effect of climate change on food sources. On May 25, Obama is to deliver a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, joined by Merkel, a close ally during his time in office.

In both European cities, Obama will also deliver paid speeches.

Some longtime supporters still hope to see Obama eventually return to the impassioned oratory they remember from the 2008 and 2012 campaign trail.

Everyone is anxious, said John Morgan, a lawyer and one of Obamas longtime donors.

But Morgan said it made more sense for Obama to keep a low profile until next year, when Democratic candidates for the House and Senate will need help winning re-election.

You have got to pick your battles. Timing is everything, Morgan said. If you come out 100 days after the election throwing haymakers, I think your credibility wanes. Hes better to save himself for the fall of 2018 and speak from a higher perch.

Louis Frillman, a board member of Organizing for Action, the group that grew out of Obamas campaign, said Democrats needed to learn not to rely only on the former president. But he said it would be up to Obama to decide how much to engage.

Im not going to give him public advice, Frillman said. Hell know how to deal with things in due course.

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KABULAuthorities on Saturday raised the casualty toll to 100 in an attack on a military compound in northern Afghanistan a day earlier by gunmen and suicide bombers wearing army uniforms.

Gen. Daulat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghanistan Ministry of Defence, said the attack Friday on a compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army left dozens of soldiers and other personnel dead or wounded.

Reports conflicted on the death toll, but at least two sources within the army corps and a provincial security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media, confirmed that more than 130 people were killed and at least 80 others were wounded.

The defence ministry had said Friday night that eight soldiers were killed and 11 others were wounded in its initial reports.

Gen. Mohammad Radmanish, deputy spokesman for the Defence Ministry, said the militants entered the base in Balkh province using two military vehicles and attacked army personnel inside the compounds mosque.

Two suicide bombers detonated their vests full of explosive inside the mosque of the army corps while everyone was busy with Friday prayers, he said.

Waziri said there were 10 attackers, including the two who carried out the suicide attacks. Eight others were killed in a gun battle with soldiers.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the assault in an email sent to media.

President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday travelled to the base and strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace.

The attackers are infidels, Ghani was quoted as saying in the tweet.

Ghani announced that Sunday would be a day of national mourning, with memorial services across the countrys mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-mast, in a statement issued by the Presidential Palace.

Afzel Hadid, head of provincial council in Balkh told The Associated Press that more than 100 people, both army personnel and others present at the time inside the army crops, were killed in the attack.

The exact number is still not verified, but for sure we know more than 100 were killed in the attack, said Hadid.

One of the attack survivors, an Afghan army soldier, Mohammad Hussain who was wounded and transported to a hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif said Three people in an Afghan National Army vehicle started shooting at us when we finished Friday prayers, they are the enemies of the country.

I dont know maybe they had someone inside to help them to bring the vehicle inside. There are seven to eight checkpoints from the main gate and without inside help this vehicle cannot enter the compound and get to the mosque.

In the Talibans detailed statement on the attack posted on its official website, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that four of the 10 attackers were disguised as soldiers at the time of the attack.

The Taliban statement said the attack was retaliation for the killing of the Taliban governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, and threatened more violence against the army and police, saying this years operations will be painful.

Local TV footage showed hundreds of people gathered outside the army crops waiting to find out if their relatives had been killed or wounded.

In March, an attack on a military hospital in the capital Kabul killed 50 people. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by Daesh, also known as ISIS. According to officials, five attackers were involved, including one suicide bomber who detonated an explosives belt and four gunmen who stormed the building.

The 209th corps is located in the Dihdadi district of Balkh. It is one of seven corps of the countrys Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for providing security for Afghanistans northern and northeastern provinces.

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A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to attempting to export fentanyl products and other synthetic drugs from China into the United States.

A release from the U.S. Attorney in New York says Karl Morrison, 59, of Kitchener, Ont., faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to US$1 million for attempting to export furanyl fentanyl, along with pentylone  a designer drug that is comparable to ecstasy.

Fentanyl is an opioid-based pain killer roughly 100 times stronger than morphine, which can be fatal even in tiny doses.

His wife, Sorina Morrison, 60, pleaded guilty to failing to report the crime to law enforcement. She could face three years in prison and a maximum fine of US$250,000.

The U.S. Attorneys office says the couple crossed into the U.S. and collected four packages. The initial criminal complaint against the Morrisons filed to the court says they crossed stating that they intended to go shopping at an outlet mall.

Read more: 18 arrested in cross-border investigation involving fentanyl, guns: OPP

A release sent out Thursday after the couple pleaded guilty says they instead bought shipping supplies and repackaged the contents of the parcels into new envelopes that they paid to ship back to Canada, including one to their home address.

Sorina Morrison claimed she was sending cinnamon butter back home, but U.S. prosecutors say that the parcel was filled with more than 500 grams of powder that contained pentylone. The other packages contained about 6.5 grams of powder containing furanyl fentanyl.

The couple discarded the Chinese shipping labels of the original packages in various garbage cans around Niagara County to cover their tracks, the U.S. Attorneys release says. They also obtained the name and address of an unsuspecting citizen in Niagara Falls to use as the return address on the packages they shipped to Canada, to further disguise the origin of the illegal contents.

The office says all four of the packages were intercepted by law enforcement before they could be sent to the intended address, and the couple was arrested as they drove back across the Lewiston Bridge toward Canada.

Before pleading guilty to the lesser charges, the couple initially pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to import and export controlled substances, and attempting to export controlled substances.

The initial criminal complaint says Karl Morrison told border officials that his son, Albert, had recently learned of his UPS mailbox in the U.S. and asked if he could have packages from Japan and China shipped there, which he agreed to.

Read more: Spike in fentanyl-related deaths forces Ontario to overhaul investigation process

Karl Morrison said he picked up three packages for his son, which were from China, on Oct. 15, 2016, and said he knows his son is a drug abuser, the complaint says.

Albert had explained to Karl what he was having sent to the mailbox in Niagara Falls, the complaint states. Karl Morrison said he did not understand everything his son was telling him, but that Albert said the names of the things he was sending started with F and U.

The complaint says Karl Morrison also told authorities he and his wife mailed the packages to their son because they didnt want to carry them across the border, and he used random addresses on the packages being mailed to Canada because he didnt want them to be connected to his UPS mailbox.

The Morrisons are scheduled to be sentenced in a Buffalo, N.Y., court in July.

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PARISEarly voting began overseas Saturday in Frances most nail-biting election in generations, and the 11 candidates seeking to become the countrys next president silenced their campaigns as required to give voters a period of reflection.

Opinion polls showed a tight race among the four top contenders vying to get into the May presidential 7 runoff that will decide who becomes Frances next head of state. But the polls also showed that decision was largely in the hands of the one-in-three French voters who are still undecided.

Polls opened in Frances far-flung overseas territories but wont start until Sunday on the French mainland. Frances 10 per cent unemployment, its lacklustre economy and security issues top voters concerns.

Political campaigning was banned from midnight Friday until the polls close at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Polls suggested that far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist and former economy minister, were in the lead.

However, conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister whose campaign was initially derailed by corruption allegations that his wife was paid for no-show work as his aide, appeared to be closing the gap, as was far-leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Security was tight  the government has mobilized more than 50,000 police and gendarmes to protect 70,000 polling stations, with an additional 7,000 soldiers on patrol.

Security is a prominent issue after a wave of extremist attacks on French soil, including a gunman who killed a Paris police officer Thursday night before being shot dead by security forces. The gunman carried a note praising Daesh, also known as ISIS.

Read more: Paris gunman had spent 14 years in prison but showed no signs of radicalization

Voters made their choices in the Atlantic Ocean territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon as well as in French Guiana in South America, the Caribbeans Guadeloupe and elsewhere. Voters abroad could also cast ballots in French embassies Saturday.

The mad-dash campaigning of the last few weeks came to an abrupt halt after the Champs-Elysees gun attack by 39-year-old Karim Cheurfi. Three suspects close to the attacker remain in custody, Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre of the Paris prosecutors office said Saturday.

Le Pen and Fillon cancelled their last campaign events Friday over security concerns. Macron did too, but also accused his rivals of trying to capitalize on the attack with their anti-immigration, tough-on-security messages.

In a sign of how tense the country is, a man holding a knife caused widespread panic Saturday at Paris Gare du Nord train station. He was arrested and no one was hurt.

With some 24 hours left to pick their candidate in the first round of the French presidential election, voters in Paris say many issues will be difficult to solve regardless of who wins the tight race.

Well-wishers paid their respects Saturday at the site of the shooting, which was adorned with flowers, candles and messages of solidarity for the slain police officer, Xavier Jugele. Across from the Eiffel Tower, women from the group Angry Wives of Law Enforcement demonstrated against violence aimed at police.

Some believed French stoicism would prevent a lurch to the right in the presidential vote, even though the attack dominated French headlines.

These 48 hours are not going to change everything ... terrorism is now an everyday occurrence. Its permanent, 24 hours a day. So were not afraid. If were believers in freedom, we must live with it, said Marise Moron, a retired doctor.

Im not going to let myself be influenced by people who are trying to frighten us, Paris resident Anne-Marie Redouin said near the heavily-guarded Eiffel Tower.

Others, fearful that Le Pen has been strengthened by the instability, said they would shift their votes from fringe candidates to make sure to keep the far-right out of power.

With an attack such as this one, I think the National Front will get a good result. Therefore Ill change my intention and cast a useful vote  either Melenchon or Macron, said physics teacher Omar Ilys, 44.

Read more: Trump says Paris attack will help Le Pen in French election

The French presidential choice will resonate far beyond Frances borders, from Syrian battlefields to Hong Kong trading floors and the halls of the U.N. Security Council.

The election is also widely being viewed as a ballot on the future of the 28-nation European Union. The far-right Le Pen and the far-left Melenchon could pull France out of the bloc and its shared euro currency  a so-called Frexit.

A French exit could ignite a death spiral for the EU, the euro and the whole idea of European unity that was borne out of the bloodshed of World War II. France is a founding member of the EU and its main driver, along with former rival Germany.

Financial markets are already jittery over a possible Frexit, fearing capital flight, defaults or lawsuits on bonds and contracts. Le Pens team is downplaying possible apocalyptic scenarios and arguing that the euro  which is now used by 19 nations  is headed for a breakup eventually anyway.

If Le Pen or Melenchon win a spot in the runoff, it will be seen as a victory for the populist wave reflected by the votes for Donald Trump and Brexit  the British departure from the EU. Many French workers who have lost out by globalization are similarly fed up with establishment parties and attracted by promises of ditching the status quo.

Alternatively, if neither candidate makes it past Sundays first round into the runoff, thats a clear message that populist nationalism is receding.

Macron and Fillon are committed to European unity and would reform labour rules. Macron has framed himself as a bulwark against Trumps protectionism.

Le Pen and Melenchon blame free trade pacts for killing French jobs and want to renegotiate them.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.People like Ashley Morris just dont do this stuff.

American scientists research and write and teach. They vote, maybe sign a petition if theyre feeling especially indignant, but thats it for most of them: politics are for the political scientists, not people running actual laboratories. Morriss brand of march is a family hike on the trails of a Tennessee park.

On Saturday afternoon, though, she will be walking unfamiliar terrain: the streets of Washington, D.C. And the president of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, a professor who teaches genetics at Middle Tennessee State University, will be carrying the first demonstration sign of her life.

My own young children recognize the value and importance of science, Morris, 42, said Wednesday. I march to show the administration that they should, too.

The ascent of President Donald Trump has spawned an unusual wave of political activism.

The pink pussyhats of the massive womens marches in January are now giving way to white lab coats. Thousands of scientists, science educators and professionals in scientific fields, plus thousands of people who appreciate them, will participate Saturday  Earth Day  in more than 300 scheduled March for Science events around the world, including one in Toronto and the main event in Washington.

Jeffrey Anderson makes protest signs with his daughters Ashley, left, and Ellie, for the March for Science in Washington, at their home in East Millcreek, Utah, April 15, 2017. The rally is in support of scientific research, which many feel has increasingly come under attack during the Trump administration.





The scientist-activist is far from a new concept; American scientists have been prominently involved in policy battles of all kinds, like the movements against dangerous pesticides and nuclear proliferation. Yet never before Trump have they felt compelled to take to the streets en masse in defence of science itself.

Its up to all of us to reclaim the importance of science and evidence, said Kamyar Enshayan, 57, an agricultural engineer and director of the University of Northern Iowas Center for Energy and Environmental Education.

By the aggressive standards of recent Trump-inspired protest messages, the slogans of these marches will sound more like fortune cookies than calls to the barricades: Morris said her sign will read Everyone needs science, science needs everyone. But scientists very participation is an indication of dire concern  a departure from their long-held views about their appropriate role in American democracy.

Read the latest on Donald TrumpRead the latest on Donald Trump

Like Morris, many of the marchers say they were moved to action by Trumps policies and statements: his severe proposed cuts to scientific programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, his dismissal of science on climate change, his general disdain for scientists.

Others, like University of Florida pharmacy dean Julie Johnson, say their involvement is less about Trump himself than an attempt to convey broader apprehension about what appears to be a diminishing public and political respect for scientific expertise.

Johnson, 55, is a leading figure in the study of pharmacogenomics, or how genes affect the way people react to drugs. She describes herself as a very anti-political person. But she has grown distressed by what she described as what sometimes feels like a war on science among the public, from left-wingers raising unfounded concerns about the safety of vaccines to right-wingers rejecting the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate.

She has never demonstrated before. On Saturday, she is not only marching but giving a speech at the event in Gainesville, Fla.

I feel that scientists sort of have to stand up for a society that values truth, values facts, values data, she said.

Uncontroversial in theory. Yet not in an America led by a vengeful president with a legion of supporters already skeptical of expert intellectuals. In fighting loudly for the value of objective truth in informing policy, scientists may be putting at risk the perception that they are objective.

The marchers decision to turn their profession into a visible political interest group has alarmed some of their colleagues, who worry that they risk being seen as just another bunch of aggrieved liberals out to embarrass Trump or gobble up taxpayer money. In a New York Times op-ed, geologist Robert Young wrote that the marches will end up inadvertently weakening science, further increasing the wedge between scientists and a certain segment of the American electorate.

When Hiranya Roychowdhury, 60, a science professor at New Mexico State Universitys Dona Ana Community College, sent out an email broaching the subject of a march to a 100-person list of local colleagues, only four ended up telling him they would take part.

There definitely is an atmosphere of fear in some quarters, Roychowdhury said.

He believes increased visibility can only humanize scientists. His event in Las Cruces will feature an Ask a Scientist table to encourage people to talk to them.

Marco Cavaglia, 49, an astrophysicist and professor at the University of Mississippi, said he considers the local march he is organizing to be more an outreach event than a cry for help or a protest, showing the community that they are more than lab-dwelling monsters. But he also said he is attempting to make a statement against a trend of people debating even hard evidence that should not be debated.

What will be the reaction? I live in Mississippi. This is not the most liberal of societies, so there is certainly the risk that it will increase polarization, he said. But I think its good for scientists to take a stand, take a position. Well see.

Jerry Coyne will be staying home.

The well-known University of Chicago evolutionary biologist and writer said he is a progressive who demonstrated against racial segregation, the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa. But he said march organizers have harmed the cause by taking a left-wing identity politics position rather than sticking to indisputable scientific truths.

Like the womens march before, the science march has been besieged from all sides by criticism over identity and inclusion.

Several scientists have dropped out of the marchs diversity committee, alleging that organizers have dismissed the long-standing inequity problems they claimed to care about. Even the announcement of Science Guy Bill Nye as an honorary chair was criticized by a smattering of scientists on identity grounds, as he is a white male.

Dissidents like Coyne, conversely, have heaped scorn on the organizers for tweets like one in January, later deleted, that asserted colonization, racism, immigration, native rights, sexism, ableism, queer-, trans-, intersex-phobia, & econ justice are scientific issues.

Theyre shooting themselves in the foot by allowing people to say these scientists are just another bunch of left-wing ideologues, said Coyne, 67. Which bears on the objectivity of scientists and the high regard in which theyre held by Americans.

Even a science march free of identity politics would not be useful, Coyne said. If scientists want to persuade people, he said, they should write books, give talks and lobby politicians rather than parading down the streets.

Marchers, though, say Saturday is just a start of a new era of civic engagement.

Womens marchers were energized into phoning their congresspeople and holding rallies and speaking out at town halls. Now scientists appear poised to conduct a high-stakes experiment testing what happens when they themselves become active participants in public life.

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Why Vietnamese villagers are holding police hostage

Residents of a village outside Hanoi are holding policemen and officials hostage in a week-long stand-off over a land dispute.
Militants launched 41 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in ATO area in Donbas over the past day.

This is reported by the ATO press center.

In Mariupol direction, the illegal armed formations fired at Ukrainian positions in Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk), Hnutove (19km north-west of Mariupol), Vodiane (16km north-west of Donetsk), using grenade launchers and heavy machine gun fire. Militants fired at Novotroitske, using 120mm mortars.

The tensest situation was observed in Donetsk direction, where the enemy used tanks, 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to shell Ukrainian positions near Troyitske. Militants also fired at ATO troops near Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk), Butovka coal mine (11.4km north-west of Donetsk), using tanks, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Ukrainian soldiers outside Kamyanka (62km south of Donetsk) came under anti-tank grenade launcher and heavy machine gun fire.

In Luhansk direction, militants used 120 mm and 82mm mortars and grenade launchers to fire at Krymske. The grenade launchers of various systems and small arms were used to shell Ukrainian positions in the area of Stanytsa Luhanska and the settlement of Zhovte.

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The Chinese government expresses readiness to introduce a visa-free regime with Ukraine.

Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei said this at a press conference on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China.

"The Chinese side is ready at any time in accordance with the desire of the two sides, on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, to take new measures for the human exchange between our countries, including a visa-free regime," the diplomat said.

The ambassador also congratulated Ukraine on the decision of the European Union to liberalize the visa regime.

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Woman killed as truck hits bike in Saptari

A woman died after a truck hit a bike she was riding pillion at Kanchanrup Municipality-11 in Saptari district along the East-West Highway on Saturday.
President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree on Ukraine's accession to the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships.

The corresponding document is posted on the website of the Head of State.

"To join the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ship signed on October 5, 2001 in London in order to ensure conditions for reducing pollution of the marine environment," the document says.

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Selling sex to feed her son

When men proposed to me, I would ask them for some money for my son, she says. I didnt want to do it but I had no choice. I was desperate. The drought really affected me. I felt like giving my son away because I didnt have enough money to look after him.

Some of the men treated me badly, she says. They wanted unprotected sex. They would say theyd pay me tomorrow, but they never did. It was so scary because I thought I would get HIV.

Luckily for Shamim, there was a support group at her local school for adolescent girls. Run by the NGOs Plan Malawi and Ujamaa Pamodzi, with support from UNICEF, the project includes a reflect cycle where adolescent girls are encouraged to share the problems they face in a group, analyse the root causes and come up with solutions. Staff also provide one-to-one counselling with the girls in a more private setting.

I realized that I had other options. I wanted to change my life.  Shamim, 18 years old

The reflect cycles really helped me, Shamim says. It felt good talking to the other girls. I realized that I had other options. I wanted to change my life.

Following advice from her counsellor, Shamim took an HIV test at the local clinic. Despite her fears, she found she was still negative, increasing her determination to make a change.

I decided that I dont want to sell sex anymore, she says. I started working in the farms again cultivating maize. And I wash clothes for other women in the village. I feel better about myself. If I can get sponsored, I would like to go back to school.

Now she is getting her life back together, Shamim is focusing on her sons future. He is starting to talk and run, and he loves playing with balls, she says. When hes older I want him to go to school and get an education. I no longer think about giving him away.
Nicholas Danforth, Senior Policy Analyst on National Security at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Naz Durakoglu, Senior Fellow on Turkey, Russia, and Information Defense at the Atlantic Council, discuss with host Carol Castiel the domestic and international ramifications of the controversial Turkish referendum, which narrowly approved constitutional changes converting Turkeys political system from a parliamentary to a presidential one.
The government of Cameroon has restored the internet to the country's two English-speaking regions after a three-month blackout, but it is unclear whether the move will be enough to restart dialogue to end the unrest that began in November.

Abeng Sylvan moved his roadside cyber cafe to Yaounde from Bamenda when the internet was cut in the northwest. The connection was restored late Thursday.

"I was almost losing hope," Sylvan said. "Paying my rents and all the light bills was really difficult.  But when I heard it came, I was very happy."

But he may have to wait to move his business home.

Cameroon government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma Bakary says the internet is being reinstated gradually to the two English-speaking regions, the northwest and the southeast.

The internet was cut in January following violent unrest related to an ongoing strike. The government said the strikers were using social media to spread secessionist and anti-government messages.

The minister of post and telecommunication, Libom Lili Keng, says although service is back, controls will be intensified.

She says the government is equipped to control internet use, and Cameroon's security forces have platforms to track and control people  just as is done in all other countries. She added that Cameroonians should not abuse social media.

Restoring the internet is one of three conditions posed by the organizers of the six-month strike before they will resume dialogue with the government.

The other conditions are that all people arrested in relation to the strike be released unconditionally, and that the state withdraw the soldiers deployed to English-speaking zones since the start of the strike. The government has given no indication it will make concessions on either demand.

But Che David of cameroon.net, a security surveillance enterprise that had to relocate to Yaounde during the blackout, says restoring the internet is a start.

"To me, it is a bold step that the government has taken to solve the problem," he said. "You know, the people were cut off and they knew they were not part of la Republique Du Cameroun. But now that the internet has been given back to them, they feel involved. They feel being citizens in a country."

The unrest began in November when anglophone teachers and lawyers in the two affected areas went on strike, calling for reforms to address what they say is the marginalization of English in the bilingual country.

Last week, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative to Central Africa, Francois Lonseny Fall, visited Cameroon. He called for frank dialogue to address the long-standing tensions. The U.N. official also called on the government to reinstate the internet and release the detainees.
An Islamic State terrorist tied to the deadly New Year's Eve attack on an Istanbul nightclub was killed this month by U.S. ground forces in Syria, U.S. military officials said Friday.

U.S. Central Command confirmed the death of Abdurakhmon Uzbeki, who was the target of an operation near Mayadin, in eastern Syria, on April 6.

Officials described Uzbeki as a "close associate" of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who was deeply involved in planning terror attacks outside Iraq and Syria, including the attack on the Reina nightclub that left 39 people dead.

"We have clearly linked him with the Istanbul New Year's Eve bombing," Central Command spokesman Colonel John Thomas said Friday, adding that the United States had been tracking Uzbeki for some time.

Thomas said Uzbeki also had played a key role in facilitating the movement of IS funds and foreign fighters, and "was known to interact with [Baghdadi] in various ways over time."

U.S. officials declined to explain how they linked Uzbeki to the nightclub attack, but they said he was a native of Uzbekistan. The main suspect in the attack on the Reina nightclub, Abdulkadir Masharipov, also was from Uzbekistan.

Turkish officials described Masharipov, who they say confessed to the attack, as a "well-trained" terrorist who speaks four languages.

Turkish media cited intelligence sources as saying at the time that the two-week manhunt for Masharipov had uncovered as many as 20 IS networks in Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking Friday during U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' visit to Jerusalem, said that Israelis "sense a great change" has occurred in America.

Mattis' stop marked the first visit to Israel by a Cabinet member in the new Trump administration.

"I think this is a welcome change, a strategic change of American leadership and American policy," Netanyahu said.

Mattis met with Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin after speaking with Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Leiberman in Tel Aviv. Lieberman praised Mattis' "clear and strong approach" to North Korea, Syria and Iran.

Watch: Israeli Leaders to Mattis: A 'Welcome Change' of American Leadership

The U.S. defense secretary said Israel and the United States have a common enemy in militant Islamists, and he vowed to "do whatever it takes" to achieve peace. That includes defeating Islamic State and confronting Iran, which Mattis said continues to threaten Israel and its neighbors with ballistic missiles, through its maritime activities, and through its proxies and surrogates such as Hezbollah, a terrorist organization that's helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stay in power.

"I think it's important that we remind ourselves that if good people don't band together, then bad people can do a lot of damage in this world, and we're committed to stopping that and doing whatever it takes to pass on peace and freedom to the next generation," Mattis said.

Strike on Syria

Israeli leaders applauded the U.S. missile strike that targeted a Syrian airfield this month, in response to Assad's use of chemical weapons on civilians.

Syria has moved its assets since the U.S. strike destroyed about 20 military planes, Mattis confirmed in a news conference in Tel Aviv earlier Friday.

"No doubt they have dispersed their aircraft in recent days," he said.

Syria and Iraq will be a top priority in talks with leaders at Mattis' next stop, Qatar, which hosts U.S. military aircraft used in the counter-IS fight.
In some of the world's remotest corners, health workers armed with smartphones, digital maps and medication are making steady progress in eliminating trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, a leading expert said.

Better living conditions have wiped out trachoma in many countries but some 200 million people are still at risk of contracting the disease, according to the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI).

Trachoma is categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), one of a group of 18 debilitating and sometimes fatal illnesses that affect 1.5 billion people, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Efforts to treat trachoma include improving access to clean water and decreasing the number of infected people by treating them with antibiotics.

ITI Director Paul Emerson said antibiotics donation programs, increased government spending, a global mapping project identifying hotspots and the use of smartphones to collect data had been gamechangers in fighting trachoma.

"We know where the disease is, we know what to do about it and where do it," Emerson told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"That may sound simple but we can only reach our goal of eliminating trachoma through a combination of joined-up efforts."

Trachoma can be prevented in childhood by having facilities for children to wash their faces and if caught soon enough the disease is easily treatable with repeated doses of antibiotics.

Those suffering with an advance stage of the disease, in which the eyelashes turn inward and scrape the cornea, can be treated with simple surgery.

This week, governments and private donors pledged more than $800 million at a meeting in Geneva to accelerate the fight against NTDs.

The Geneva gathering came five years after a meeting in London brought a commitment by the public and private sectors to achieve WHO goals for the control and elimination of NTDs.

Fight Gathers Steam

In 2015, nearly one billion people received treatments donated by pharmaceutical companies for at least one NTD, a 36 percent increase since 2011, the WHO said this week.

The fight against trachoma has also gathered momentum as the number of people at risk dropped by 50 percent in the last six years, while those requiring treatment now stands at 182 million, down from 325 million, according to the ITI.

Emerson said thanks to the Global Trachoma Mapping Project (GTMP), an effort to document where the disease is endemic, health workers can now say for sure where treatment is needed.

Ethiopia is one of the countries that has made significant strides in fighting trachoma, said Emerson.

The government has included fighting trachoma as a target in its national health plan, provided significant domestic funding, participated in the mapping project and is training doctors to conduct surgeries to correct the effects of trachoma.

Health workers in Ethiopia use smart phones to collect data in the field that are then streamed to an analyst who can call the field team to correct errors in real time, he said.

But despite progress in fighting trachoma and other NTDs, experts agree that drug companies need to step up donations of medicines.

"The challenge now is in reaching the most neglected populations, communities in conflict and in closing the funding gaps," said Emerson.
The United States is reaffirming its engagement with Southeast Asian nations at a time when analysts say there are concerns that North Korea's threats are overshadowing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Since becoming president, Donald Trump has softened his once-stern tone on China, reaching out to Beijing to help pressure North Korea to end its provocative nuclear and missile programs. On Friday, he tweeted:

In comparison, his last tweet about the South China Sea was in December after a Chinese navy ship seized an American unmanned underwater vehicle.

Some analysts warned the U.S. not to create a perception of being so focused on the North Korea threat that it loses sight of other issues important to allies in Southeast Asia, in particular the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

"Clearly the administration must be very cautious," said Harry Kazianis, who directs defense studies at the Center for the National Interest.

"Help [from China] on North Korea could come at a very steep price, damaging critical partnership throughout Asia, if Vietnam and others feel abandoned for Chinese help on North Korea," he added.

Southeast Asian nations are seeking a long-term agreement to settle disputes in the South China Sea, as China moves to extend its regional influence. The North Korea issue, and the Trump administration's early decision to back out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership regional economic pact, could send mixed signals.

"The Trump administration must move very cautiously, balancing all strategic problems in the Asia-Pacific carefully," Kazianis said.

State Department officials say the U.S. is "in pursuit of expanding good trade" with the Southeast Asian bloc that's "free and fair."

ASEAN trade

ASEAN countries buy more than $100 billion of U.S. exports each year, and the volume of trade supports over half a million American jobs, according to Patrick Murphy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia.

However, "there are a number of countries in this region that enjoy a substantial trade surplus with the Untied States, and that's a disadvantage for us," Murphy said.

Reaching out

The White House has reached out to allies in the region, sending Vice President Mike Pence on a 10-day tour with stops in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia this week. Pence announced that Trump will attend the U.S.-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the East Asia summit in the Philippines in November, along with the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in Vietnam.

"It is a testament to the value that President Trump places on the U.S.-ASEAN strategic partnership and the Asia Pacific as a whole," Pence said Thursday in the Indonesian capital. "And it's a sign, I hope, to all of our firm and unwavering commitment to build on the strong foundation that we already share."



In two weeks, ASEAN foreign ministers will gather in Washington prior to the planned multilateral meetings in August, with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hosting the ministers on May 4 at the State Department.



Founded in 1967, ASEAN's ten member states cover the size of the continental United States, with a total population of 626 million and an economy valued at $2.4 trillion. Washington established its relations with this bloc in 1977 through the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue. The U.S. and ASEAN also share nearly one hundred sister city or sister state partnerships.


Diane Sawyer, right, interviews Caitlyn Jenner on ABC's 20/20. (ABC News/ABC News)

Todays word of the day is privilege  a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.

Heres how the writer Delia Melody used it in a sentence about Caitlyn Jenner after the former Olympian first came out as transgender: You have a lot to learn, and you will never learn it from a life of privilege. You benefit from your class, wealth, and whiteness. No one hates you for that, but it blinds you to the reality of the negative consequences the rest of us suffer just for being trans.

If Jenner wanted a surgical procedure, for instance, she could pay for it out of pocket; if her family threw her out, she wouldnt be left homeless. And so on. Jenners privilege is her safety net.

Friday night, ABC News anchor Diane Sawyers interview with Jenner only reinforced the notion that the Olympian-turned-Kardashian-reality-show-star lives a life in many ways hemmed off from reality  whether you consider her privilege a source of protection or a prison.

As a white man, Ive now come to understand that I have privileges of my own. Though the term has been in high currency since the 1980s, it has taken me a while to fully grasp its power. The first few times I was the recipient of the flip verbal warning, Check your privilege, I wasnt sure what it meant. Clever in spades, but how was I privileged?

I am slowly learning. An article on the Wire website captured it well: Privilege is . . . the idea that society grants unearned rewards to certain people based on their race, gender, sexuality, etc.  checking your privilege means acknowledging the role those rewards play in your life and the lives of less privileged people.

How exactly does it work? A white guy I know recently asked his Facebook friends whether it would be okay for him to jump the subway turnstile because the MetroCard machines werent working and his train was approaching. All of his friends, who were also white, suggested, Sure, just do it. I told him: Because youre white, its safer to jump. If you werent, Id say think again, because the consequences could be much grimmer. Thats white privilege, which is derived from institutional racism, e.g., the fact that people of color are much more commonly arrested  or worse  for minor legal violations.

Another example: Years ago, I was teamed with a female colleague to conduct joint interviews, and pretty much every time either of us asked a question, the subject would turn to me when answering. It was a near-perfect example of male privilege, and my colleague was infuriated. I protested that I wasnt doing anything wrong. Ive since learned that it didnt matter; gender privilege is embedded in our culture.

Nor has Jenner done anything wrong; in fact, she has done an enormous amount to raise transgender visibility in this country. After her first prime-time interview with Sawyer in 2015, nearly 17 million Americans could say they knew a transgender person. Visibility helps to bring about acceptance, Jennifer Finney Boylan, co-chair of GLAAD and a prominent trans writer, told me. According to surveys conducted by UCLAs Williams Institute, 1.4 million American adults now say that they are transgender, up from 700,000 just a few years ago. Thats due in large part to Jenner.

But Jenner has most definitely been a prisoner of her privilege. Early on, she protested that the hardest part of being a woman was figuring out what to wear. She also proved to be tone deaf, citing the paparazzi as a prime menace in her life as a trans woman, without mentioning the disproportionately high rates of trans bullying, murders and suicides. Ellen DeGeneres has called Jenner out repeatedly for her tepid support of same-sex marriage. Bravo TV quotes Jenner blaming the daytime TV queen in her new book, Secrets of My Life, for further alienat[ing] me from members of the LGBTQ community. Sorry, Ms. Jenner, but you need to check that privilege.

On Friday nights broadcast, Jenner agreed that she has made mistakes, conceding that at the beginning, I knew absolutely nothing. She has also directly acknowledged her privilege, once telling Time magazine that it has given us an opportunity to take our message to the masses out here, on a worldwide scale. Now Jenner is much more aware of the politics of hate directed at trans people. She distanced herself from Donald Trump after he withdrew federal protections for trans kids in school.

I myself have also had to learn how privilege operates  invisible as it so often is to the one benefiting from it. I know I need to challenge it both as an individual and systemically. Jenners story reminds me that people can be privileged in some ways but not others. Yes, her race and wealth confer great benefits; her gender identity, not so much.

As GLAADs Boylan told me: People need to understand the terrible threats and challenges our community suffers, and to join in the fight for change. Jenners contribution to this fight is sometimes muddled, but she is teaching us much  about courage, personal transformation and the deep challenges of privilege.

Agree or disagree with my perspective? Let me know in the comments section below.

You can reach the author on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow and on Twitter @stevenpetrow. Join him for a chat online at washingtonpost.com on Thursday, May 4, at 1 p.m.
A charter school that serves high school dropouts and other at-risk students is in jeopardy after the D.C. Public Charter School Board determined that it has failed to meet many of its academic goals.

The Latin American Youth Center Career Academy opened in 2012 to help students who had previously left school get their GED and go to college or get a job. The school also enrolled students who had a high school diploma to put them on a path to college or training for a medical or tech field job.

The charter board is required to evaluate a schools performance after five years. Board Executive Director Scott Pearson and his staff determined that more than two-thirds of the 770 students enrolled at the school since 2012 were not on a track to earn a GED or receive college or career training.

Of the 119 students who could have earned a GED, 20 percent earned one. Of the 42 students on a plan to start a medical assistant career, none earned certification, according to board staff.

Pearson recommended that the board revoke the schools charter and shut it down based on the schools performance over the previous four years, along with its poor data management, and most significantly, its failure to meet its goals and mission for the majority its students.

[New policy aims to help D.C. students enroll in charter schools near their homes]

The charter boards seven members will decide if it will shut the school down in early May. If it revokes the charter, the school would shut down in June.

Charter revocations are not a rarity in the District. Since 1996, about two dozen schools have had their charters revoked, forcing them to shut down. The charter board said more than half of the closures have happened since 2012, when Pearson joined the board and put a stronger focus on school quality.

The board evaluates schools based on a set of academic goals, such as test scores or graduation rates, that are laid out when a school opens. Some of the closed schools had mismanaged funds. Others fell short of academic goals. The board voted to shut down Potomac Prep in February 2016 because it did not meet performance targets.

[D.C. charter board votes to shut down Potomac Prep]

The schools staff said that the board is treating the school unfairly. They said that they work with a unique group of students, mostly from 16 to 24 years old, who have experienced trauma and have not performed well in other schools. Many deal with homelessness, said school Executive Director Nicole Hanrahan.

When the school opened in 2012, the educators expected most of their students would have the literacy skills necessary for a career pathway, but most of the students, even those with a high school diploma, are reading at a sixth grade level, according to Hanrahan.

I would say it has been the biggest barrier, Hanrahan said. The 500 kids that they say we dont do anything for, we are providing those kids with an opportunity to build literacy skills that will help them in their lives or get them closer to going to college.

[D.C. charter enrollment continues to soar as more families choose public schools]

The school and the board cannot agree on how well the school is serving its students.

The charter board said that the school met one of its seven academic goals. But the school said it met all seven.

They disagree because the charter board and the school are measuring the schools performance in different ways. For example, the school claims that it met its goal of providing students with a GED because more of its students earned a GED compared with other adult education charters. The charter board said it was not appropriate for the school to compare itself to other schools.

The only way to create thoughtful benchmarks is to compare us to other schools or use research and best practices to create benchmarks that are appropriate for this population, Hanrahan said. It just doesnt make any sense.

[Nonprofit wants 25 new or revamped D.C. city or charter schools in five years]

Before the school was told it could be shut down, it won a $500,000 grant to come up with academic goals that reflect the challenges of working with at-risk students. CityBridge Education, a spinoff of the philanthropic group CityBridge Foundation, awarded the grant as part of its Breakthrough Schools initiative.

CityBridge respects the decision of the PCSB as our citys charter authorizer. We ultimately want to ensure that all of D.C.s students  especially the most marginalized  can attend a high-quality school, said Mieka Wick, chief executive of CityBridge Education. With that goal in mind, we will continue to invest in schools that serve students like those at LAYC.
Pedestrians pass the plaque on L Street NW at 24th Street that memorializes the Rush-Bagot Agreement. The treaty was signed in 1817 at a house that once stood at this location. It demilitarized the Great Lakes between the United States and Canada. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

I live in the building at 24th and L streets NW that was formerly the Columbia Hospital for Women. Every day, I see passersby stop and wonder what a gravestone is doing on the lawn there. Of course, its not a gravestone but a memorial marking the Rush-Bagot Agreement, signed in 1817. What can you tell us about the plaque and the treaty?  Tom Donahue, Washington

On April 29, 1935, two U.S. generals testified before the House Military Committee about the countrys war plans.

The committee was meeting in executive session, so the comments were supposed to be classified. But the testimony was inadvertently published, which is how people learned that in the event of war in Europe, there were plans for the United States to seize British- and French-administered islands in the West Indies and to build secret air bases on the Great Lakes.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was livid. As a writer for the Evening Star put it: The worst of it was that the Canadian government requested an explanation almost at the very moment that Undersecretary of State [William] Phillips was unveiling a tablet here commemorating the signing, 118 years ago, of the Rush-Bagot agreement, whereby the United States and Canada agreed never to militarize their frontiers.

In fact, one of the very people who had attended the memorials dedication  Hume Wrong of the Canadian Legation  had also visited the State Department to request whatever documents have been given the press that formed the basis of press stories about the clandestine airfields.

Awkward, eh?

Then as now, the Rush-Bagot Agreement was held up as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, a reminder that countries ought to get along. After all, the United States and Canada had what was often referred to as the worlds longest undefended border.

During the War of 1812, both the British and the Americans had built warships on the Great Lakes, and many naval battles were fought there. After the war, the British realized it would be expensive to maintain a fleet so far from home. Besides, trade with its upstart former colony was increasing. We were friends now.

The British reacted favorably when John Quincy Adams, Americas representative in London, suggested disarmament. The British had already sent Charles Bagot to Washington as minister to the United States. Bagot took up residence in the Tench Ringgold House, a mansion at todays 24th and L streets NW. It was there that Bagot met with acting secretary of state Richard Rush. The pact  sort of the SALT II of its time  was signed on April 29, 1817, 200 years ago this week.

According to the State Departments Office of the Historian website: The agreement limited military navigation on the Great Lakes to one to two vessels per country on each lake. Each could be armed with no more than an 18-pound cannon.

Why did the Kiwanis care? Founded in Detroit in 1915, Kiwanis became an international organization a year later with the formation of clubs in Canada. The club stressed peace, and as early as 1925, it started erecting monuments to U.S.-Canadian amity. Most were along the border, and dozens still remain.

The memorial tablet in Washington was designed by sculptor Benjamin Johnson. It shows two figures holding wreaths that surround the seals of the two nations, a cornucopia and a sheaf of wheat. The text explains how Peace through limitation of naval armament was promoted between the Dominion of Canada and the United States of America. (Canada was still part of the United Kingdom.)

The Rush-Bagot Agreement is still in effect  youll find it on Page 62 of the 2016 edition of the State Departments Treaties in Force  but it has been liberalized over the past two centuries.

In 1941, for example, it was agreed the U.S. could build warships on the Great Lakes as long as they were removed promptly after completion and that the armaments were placed in such condition as to be incapable of immediate use while on the lakes.

The pact was temporarily set aside in 1959 for Operation Inland Seas, the celebration of the formal opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Some 28 U.S. Navy vessels, including destroyers and submarines, steamed through the Great Lakes, stopping at two dozen ports. Queen Elizabeth II attended the festivities, so the British couldnt have been too bothered.

Heres a final bit of trivia: One of the officers whose testimony in 1935 leaked out and embarrassed FDR was Brig Gen. Frank Maxwell Andrews. They keep Air Force One at the base named after him.

Twitter: @johnkelly

What dont you know about Washington? Send your questions to answerman@washpost.com.

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
A Washington state man flying a one-seat experimental plane from Virginia to Georgia crashed landed his aircraft on Saturday in a field near the Leesburg Executive Airport, according to law enforcement authorities.

Joseph R. Bryant, 53, of Goldendale, Wash., the pilot, was not injured in the incident. Hed taken off from the Leesburg airport in the morning, but an hour into the flight bad weather forced him to turn his Sonex aircraft back north toward Loudoun County. The he had engine trouble, which forced him to crash land in a field. in the 19000 block of Sycolin Road, near the airport, about 9:20 a.m.

Authorities with the Virginia State police, Loudoun County Sheriffs Department and Virginia Department of Transportation assisted on the scene.


A cluster of the historic homes line Perry Street in Mount Rainier, Md. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Mount Rainier residents receive frequent postcards with unsolicited offers to buy their turn-of-the century Victorians and 1920s bungalows. All around Shepherd Street, contractors strip houses that will be flipped by investors eager to turn a profit in one of Prince Georges County oldest municipalities.

The pace of change has quickened in this former streetcar suburb, where artists and immigrants have flocked for the past three decades.

Anxiety over the influx of more affluent residents is fueling an unusually sour political season  tinged by a nasty debate over the decision to allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections such as the mayoral and council contests that will be decided May 1.

Longtime Mayor Malinda Miles faces a challenger in the upcoming election. It would be her fourth term if she wins. (Courtesy of Malinda Miles)

Mayor Malinda Miles  a Web-savvy, 70-year-old who bought her house in Mount Rainier decades ago, when she and other black residents were treated as second-class citizens  is campaigning for a fourth term on a platform of staving off gentrification and preserving the social safety net. Those themes are echoed by Charnette Robinson and Tyrese Robinson, two African American women running for council seats.

Miles faces a strong challenge from council member Jesse Christopherson, 39, a white California native who used to work on Capitol Hill. He and council candidate Celina Benitez, a Salvadoran immigrant running against Charnette Robinson, pledge to draw new energy and investment to Mount Rainier while preserving its funky, artistic vibe. Tyrese Robinsons opponent is Luke Chesek, who is white and moved in two years ago.

City leaders say they expect more robust voter turnout than usual after a series of heated candidate forums, allegations of sign stealing and growing worry about whether Mount Rainier is changing beyond recognition.

The majority of the new homeowners are white, and thats a little concerning at times, said Brooke Kidd, a 20-year resident who is white and runs Joes Movement Emporium, an arts center that draws from across Mount Rainiers racial and class divides. We need to make sure they are not making decisions from bias and privilege.

Location, location, location





Mount Rainiers proximity to downtown Washington  four often-traffic-choked miles  makes it an attractive option for those seeking roomier, more affordable real estate.

Its a city that attracts artists such as dancer Emily Eakland, 34, and her partner, whose business, ReCreative Spaces, offers work and exhibit space for other local artists.

Its also a quiet place where neighbors take care of one another, said Diana Edwards, a Miles supporter who moved here in 1986.

It was the perfect spot for Felix Romero to buy a house, open his flower-and-party-planning business in 2002 and  thanks to the January council vote allowing noncitizens to register  prepare to cast a U.S. ballot for the first time. He has a Christopherson sign in his store window.

Eakland, who is not publicly backing a candidate, says that she wants leaders who are committed to existing businesses but also court development that fits the citys character.

What I would hate to see, she said, is people pushed out, and artists being displaced.

Christopherson said that he agrees, wholeheartedly. The stay-at-home father of two has lived in Mount Rainier since 2009 and served on the council since 2013. He makes a point of patronizing the mom-and-pop businesses along 34th Street, including a food co-op founded in 1969 by conscientious objectors to the Vietnam War.

We need to recognize the gems, foster networks of entrepreneurs and bring in new business that is complementary to the customer base already here, he said the other day while drinking a large organic coffee at the WaTerHole, one of the newer shops in town. We have a great culture, and we should continue to preserve that Mount Rainier experience.

City Council member Jesse Christopherson is running for mayor. (Courtesy of Jesse Christopherson)

Christopherson said that he respects Miless work to help poor and elderly residents avoid eviction, pay bills and feed and clothe themselves. But, in his opinion, the city has not made enough economic progress as housing prices have soared and has missed opportunities, especially downtown.

Miles said that market forces doomed a city-led revitalization project along Rhode Island Avenue. She argued that the city has seen gradual, sustainable improvements  including the creation of parks, green initiatives and the expansion of the police force.

Seniors like herself on fixed incomes, Miles said, could find themselves unable to pay their property taxes if home values rise too quickly  as they might if the mayor pushes development at a faster pace.

If I move out of Mount Rainier, I cant afford to move back here to live, she said. New isnt always better. All change isnt good.



The historic business district of Mount Rainier features boutiques and restaurants. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

The elephant in the room

In the early 1900s, Mount Rainier was a city of mostly white farmers known as a sundown town  where people of color, it was understood, should be gone by nightfall. Miles arrived in 1968, one of the first waves of black residents at a time when voter lists for municipal elections focused on homeownership and excluded many African Americans.

She said that she clearly remembers the resistance she encountered when she started to become involved in civic life in the 1970s.

Although Mount Rainier soon had an African American majority, the five-member council stayed all-white until the election of Otis Hayward in 1985. Miles won a council seat two years later.

Since then, large numbers of immigrants have settled in town, creating what longtime resident and sculptor Alan Binstock called a diverse Mayberry.

Nearly 40 percent of the approximately 8,500 residents are Latino, according to 2015 Census Bureau estimates. Meanwhile, the black population has fallen below 50 percent. Miles is the only African American on the council.

The racial dynamics of the election are more than just the elephant in the room, said Nicole Goines, Christophersons campaign manager. Its the entire room.



Barber William Moore cuts the hair of DJ Alexander, 4, at Hands On Barber Shop in Mount Rainier. Moore has owned the shop for 18 years and wonders how long he can keep it running as property taxes rise. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Benitez, a transplant from Los Angeles, decided to run after becoming involved in efforts to reach out to other Latino residents, who she said have been neglected by city government over the years.

A minority within a minority is how she described the immigrants who live mostly in World War II-era apartment buildings on the fringes of town but in some cases have bought homes closer in.

The City Council should represent the whole community, she said.

Benitez joined Christopherson, who speaks Spanish, and others to push for the law that allows noncitizens to vote in city elections. They are now campaigning to declare Mount Rainier a sanctuary city.

Such advocacy, she said, made her a target of racial antagonism from her campaign opponent, Charnette Robinson, a D.C. police commander and longtime Mount Rainier resident.

Charnette Robinson sent a letter to the council questioning the legality of noncitizen voting, which she called a ploy to ensure votes for particular candidates. The letter described the sanctuary debate as an attempt to protect the rights of illegal aliens in ways rarely done for poor and minority citizens.

The last page demanded proof that Benitez lives within city limits and was therefore eligible to run for council, even though the election board had already certified her residency.



Produce manager Latteta Theresa arranges fruit at The Glut in Mount Rainier. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

A diversity divide

Charnette Robinson vigorously denied that her inquiry had anything to do with her rivals ethnicity and said she has a right to ask whether a candidate lives in the city or to question the need for a sanctuary label.

We dont need an ordinance to stipulate what we already know to [be] true  Mount Rainier is a community that welcomes diversity, she wrote in an online forum. As representatives, we must be inclusive, and not create ordinances that are one-direction and divisive.

Miles abstained from the January vote that allowed noncitizen voting, which passed 3 to 0. Christopherson voted yes. Election officials said that 21 new voters have registered as a result of the legislation.

Initially, Miles said, it felt almost irreverent and too easy to extend voting rights to noncitizens after African Americans from her parents generation had to fight so hard to obtain those rights themselves.

But then someone asked her a question: They said, Do you want everyone to go through what you did to get this right?  the mayor recalled. So I asked myself, Do I want that for someone else? 

Still, she chose not to cast a vote on the issue, concerned about amending the city charter.

She said that her support for immigrants has not wavered. She signed an executive order to prohibit city police from helping to enforce federal immigration law after legislation to enact that policy failed to pass the council.



Children play with hula hoops during spring break camp aftercare at Joes Movement Emporium. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Municipal elections in Mount Rainier rarely draw more than 500 voters to the polls. But political observers in the city said that if the packed candidate forums are any indication, this years contest could change that.

The fact that we have hotly contested elections means people are paying attention, said Del. Jimmy Tarlau (D-Prince Georges), a Mount Rainier resident. We hope that no matter who wins, the city will move forward and keep the diverse, eclectic nature of the community intact.
HELENA  Despite a state law prohibiting most robocalls, automated phone calls that say they were funded by a Super PAC from Virginia were used to promote a congressional candidate in Montana this week.

Those who received the call heard a recording of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Sheriff David Clarke encouraging voters to support Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate for Montanas lone congressional seat. Gianforte did not know the calls existed before the Independent Record asked him about it Friday and has no relationship with Sheriff Clarke, campaign spokesperson Shane Scanlon said.

The call says it was paid for by the Great America PAC, which supported Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election.

"This is Sheriff David Clarke. President Donald Trump is delivering on his promises and draining the swamp in Washington. But the Democrats will do anything to stop him including defeating his ally, Greg Gianforte, the call says. Thats why we need you to join us and Donald Trump Jr. in our strong support for Greg Gianforte. The special election is just weeks away and we're on the ground right now -- please join us. Visit GregforMontana.com for more information. That's GregforMontana.com. Paid for by Great America PAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. www.GreatAmericaPAC.com.

The Great America PAC did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment Friday afternoon. The group published the same recording on YouTube Thursday.

Officials with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Office said they have received several complaints about the calls but lack the authority to enforce the state law that prohibits them.

Under Montana law, A person may not use an automated telephone system, device, or facsimile machine for the selection and dialing of telephone numbers and playing of recorded messages in most cases. An exception allows businesses to send messages to their customers, as long as they have a preexisting relationship.

While those found in violation of the law are subject to a fine of up to $2,500, information from the commissioner's office notes that enforcement is difficult.

In the past, local law enforcement has been reluctant to investigate or prosecute the complaints because of the difficulty in prosecuting this type of statute, the office said in a handout on automated calls.

After being asked whether Gianforte has asked for the calls to cease, Scanlon said The law needs to be followed here.
I think the more we know about the emotions of other animals, the more we will understand our own emotions, Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist, once told an interviewer. (Henry Moore Jr./CVM/BCU/Washington State University)

Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist who helped reveal the emotional lives of animals by tickling rats and listening to their ultrasonic laughter in experiments that upended his field and opened new possibilities for the treatment of depression and other forms of mental illness, died April 18 at his home in Bowling Green, Ohio. He was 73.

The cause was cancer, said his wife, Anesa Miller.

For much of his career, Dr. Panksepp was brushed aside by colleagues who accepted the prevailing notion that emotions were uniquely human experiences. Dr. Panksepp  along with many pet owners  suspected otherwise, and he sought to prove his intuition through the rigors of science.

People dont have a monopoly on emotion, he once said. Rather, despair, joy and love are ancient, elemental responses that have helped all sorts of creatures survive and thrive in the natural world.

He was long associated with Bowling Green State University where, in the late 1990s, he conducted the experiments with lab rats that would vault him to national renown. He recalled walking into the laboratory one day and remarking to an assistant, Lets go tickle some rats.

He credited a graduate student with repurposing a bat detector  a tool capable of recording high-pitched sounds  as the instrument they would use to listen into the rats laughterlike chirps. Lo and behold, he told the Toledo Blade in 1998, it sounded like a playground!

Laughter, Dr. Panksepp understood, was indicative of emotion in general and joy in particular. His discoveries were significant because they challenged the idea that emotions came from the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that performs complicated thought characteristic of human cognition.

His research supported, instead, the view that emotions originated in more primitive areas of the brain, such as the amygdala and the hypothalamus, according to Discover magazine. The research expanded possibilities for treating depression and other emotional afflictions through therapies such as deep-brain stimulation.

Jaak Panksepp has taken on many unusual roles in his storied career, but none so memorable as rat tickler, Discover wrote. . . . Panksepps interspecies game-playing garnered amused media coverage, but the news also stirred up old controversies about human and animal emotions.

It also brought the study of emotion into the realm of science, when it had previously been relegated to philosophy, said Casey Cromwell, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Bowling Green State University.

Through his research, Dr. Panksepp identified neural circuits for seven emotions common among mammals from humans to rats. The positive emotions included seeking, lust, care and play; the negative ones were rage, fear and panic. He captured the popular imagination in part through what he described as a cross-species friendship with the lab rats.

In his efforts to maintain scientific standards, he considered using machines to tickle the rats, but they were nothing like the human hand, he told Discover magazine.

Tickling has to be done in a joyful way. It has to have the characteristics of play, he said. The first animal worked and every animal worked. We got totally addicted to this. Give an animal a really good time, you know? They become so fond of you, its unbelievable.

Dr. Panksepps work was credited with expanding knowledge of autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. His textbook Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions (1998) is regarded as a classic in the field.

He was credited with demonstrating the importance of unstructured play, not only for animals but also for humans, at a time when many parents report having increasingly less time for such interaction with their children.

Jaak Panksepp was born in Tartu, Estonia, on June 5, 1943. His parents, who were prosperous farmers, fled the advancing Soviet army in 1944 and sailed with their family across the Baltic Sea to Northern Germany, where they lived as displaced persons.

When Jaak was 7, they immigrated to the United States, settling in Bethel, Del., where his father worked as a farmhand and where Jaak attended a one-room schoolhouse. When he was in his teens, the family moved to Lakewood Township, N.J.  home to a sizable Estonian community  where his father found work as a mason.

Dr. Panksepp supported himself through his university studies of psychology, psychobiology and neuroscience. He received a bachelors degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1965 and a masters degree in 1967 and a PhD in 1969, both from the University of Massachusetts. He traced his interest in the mind to his time as an undergraduate, when he worked nights as an orderly at a psychiatric hospital.

Dr. Panksepp joined Bowling Green State University in 1972, remaining there for decades. In recent years, he taught at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. Besides his noted guide to neuroscience, his books included The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions (2012), co-written with Lucy Biven.

His marriages to Sara Shilts and Janet Box ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Anesa Miller of Bowling Green; a son from his second marriage, Jules Panksepp of Portland, Ore.; two stepdaughters, Ruth Pogacar-Kouril of Cincinnati and Antonia Pogacar of Washington; and a granddaughter. A daughter from his first marriage, Tiina Panksepp, died in 1991.

I think the more we know about the emotions of other animals, the more we will understand our own emotions, Dr. Panksepp once told an interviewer. Further, he said, the more we know about our animal emotions, which support the rest of our mental apparatus, the more ideas we will have about how to be better people. As we follow the old philosophical advice to know thyself, the more options we will have for being good to others and the world.
WASHINGTON State

Russian sentenced in hacking and fraud case

The son of a member of the Russian parliament was sentenced Friday to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $170 million after being convicted in Seattle of hacking into U.S. businesses to steal credit card data.

Roman Seleznev asked U.S. District Judge Richard Jones for leniency before he was sentenced. But Jones said Seleznev was driven by one goal, greed.

Seleznev was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and was captured in 2014.

U.S. Secret Service agents, with the help of local police, arrested Seleznev in the Maldives as he and his girlfriend arrived at an airport on their way back to Russia. The agents flew Seleznev by private jet to Guam, where he made his first court appearance, and then to Seattle, where he was placed in federal custody.

The indictment grew to 40 counts in October 2014, and his trial was held last August. The jury found him guilty on 38 charges, including nine counts of hacking and 10 counts of wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors said his victims included more than 3,700 financial institutions, over 500 businesses around the world and millions of credit card holders.

Seleznev is the son of Duma member Valery Seleznev. Russian authorities have condemned the arrest of Roman Seleznev as an illegal kidnapping.

 Associated Press

FLORIDA

Ethics panel rejects complaint against AG

Floridas Ethics Commission is throwing out complaints filed against Attorney General Pam Bondi over her decision to ask Donald Trump for a contribution to help her reelection campaign.

The Florida Commission on Ethics voted Friday to reject several complaints filed against Bondi by a Massachusetts trial attorney. One of the complaints questioned Bondi receiving a contribution around the same time her office was being asked about a New York investigation of alleged fraud at Trump University.

Bondi asked for money from Trump in 2013 and got a $25,000 check for her political organization on Sept. 23 of that year. Emails from the same time period show that her office was being asked about the New York allegation.

Bondi has said repeatedly that she did nothing wrong.

 Associated Press

Blagojevich loses plea for shorter sentence: A federal appeals court on Friday rejected former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevichs bid to shorten his 14-year prison sentence in a public corruption case. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, based in Chicago, rejected arguments by Blagojevich, who has been in prison for more than five years, that a lesser punishment was justified because of his behavior in prison and because some of the counts on which he was originally convicted have been thrown out. Blagojevich, 60, was convicted in 2011 of abusing his powers as governor, including by trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama after he won the 2008 presidential election.

Bush to remain in hospital through weekend: A spokesman for former president George H.W. Bush said Friday that the 41st president will remain in a Houston hospital through the weekend while he recovers from a mild case of pneumonia. The 92-year-old was hospitalized April 14 for treatment of a persistent cough. Family spokesman Jim McGrath said Bushs vice president, Dan Quayle, talked with him by phone Friday.

 From news services
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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IF THE Trump administration can claim to have done anything in its early months, it is making shifts in executive policy on issues from health care to climate change to immigration. One that deserves more attention, considering the influence it will have on Americans lives, is a change in student loan policy at the Education Department, under the leadership of Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The department is in a crucial stage of a years-long effort to change the way millions of student borrowers interact with their lender, the federal government. Though the funding is public, the Education Department uses private companies as its loan servicers, asking a handful of firms to help collect payments, keep borrowers on track and inform them of opportunities to enroll in favorable repayment programs. These servicers used to play a larger role, benefiting from a sweetheart arrangement that allowed them to serve as middlemen in the subsidized-loan system. The Obama administration cleaned up the previous, irrational system, but kept the companies on as servicers to quiet complaints.

By many accounts, they have not done a great job, even in their diminished role. Borrowers assigned to the largest student loan servicers may encounter widespread problems, whether these borrowers are trying to get ahead or struggling to keep up with their student debt, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus student loan ombudsman wrote in October, citing complaints of poor communication, botched payment handling, inadequate enrollment in income-driven repayment plans and other basic shortcomings. The CFPB has even joined two state attorneys general in suing Navient, a massive player in the student loan servicing business.

Yet it is too easy simply to blame the companies. Without government oversight or market forces compelling them to provide good service, they have every incentive to skimp. The Obama administration decided the answer was to standardize major parts of the loan servicing process, creating a single online portal for borrowers and pressing companies to meet common standards.

But Ms. DeVos last week stepped into this effort, revoking several guidances that the Education Department issued late in President Barack Obamas second term. Among the accountability measures she cut, for example, was a declaration that servicers past performance must be a primary factor in awarding a massive government contract to build the new federal loans portal. This recision was widely taken as a favor to Navient, which seeks that contract.

It is still unclear whether Ms. DeVoss moves were the prelude to a bigger shift toward a more functional, yet-to-be-announced system or the ominous sign many critics took it to be. Students should be able to choose among loan servicers  rather than simply being forced to accept one  which would pressure companies to address borrowers needs. Real accountability measures should be key parts of the contracts the government signs with servicers. Borrowers should also be able to enroll easily in income-based repayment programs and sign up for automatic payroll deductions that remove uncertainty and worry about what they owe and when. We hope Ms. DeVos plans to push for more ambitious reform, not less.
ANY DOUBT that the West is experiencing a profound political crisis can be dispatched with a glance at the final polls for the first round of Frances presidential election Sunday. They show what looks like a four-way dead heat for the two places in a May 7 runoff. Two of the candidates, the far-rightist Marine Le Pen and the far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon, represent political extremes that reject virtually everything that France has stood for since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958. The mere possibility that they will be the countrys choice in the second round ought to be heart-stopping for anyone who hopes the Wests core liberal values will survive the wave of popular discontent that already has driven Britains vote to leave the European Union, as well as the election of Donald Trump.

For those disinclined to revolution, the best choice is Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former economy minister for the current Socialist government who founded a new, centrist party a year ago. Striking an upbeat tone that is starkly at odds with most of his competitors, Mr. Macron proposes sensible reforms of Frances stagnant, statist economy, which has produced double-digit unemployment since 2010. Hes an unapologetic defender of free trade, gay rights and Frances place in the European Union. In contrast, the next-most-centrist candidate, conservative Francois Fillon, has adopted harsh anti-Islam and anti-immigrant postures and, like Ms. Le Pen and Mr. Melenchon, is both anti-American and soft on Russias Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Fillon, in turn, looks palatable compared with Ms. Le Pen, whose National Front is Frances modern version of fascism. Though she has sought to project a more moderate image than her father, a Holocaust doubter and former presidential candidate, Ms. Le Pen tooted her own dog whistle recently by denying French responsibility for the deportation of Jews to death camps. She would pull the country out of the euro, and probably the European Union, declare a moratorium on immigration and wage cultural war against Islam. Unfortunately, the shooting of police officers on Pariss Champs-Elysee on Thursday, which the Islamic State claimed responsibility for, could drive some undecided voters her way.

Then there is Mr. Melenchon, a Trotskyite throwback who has surged in the polls in part because of futuristic tactics such as speeches-by-hologram. He would pull France out of NATO and ally it with Cuba and Venezuela; he says his is not a Western country. Given his economic proposals, including a 100 percent income-tax bracket and massive new government spending, he would be as likely to destroy the European Union as Ms. Le Pen.

If Mr. Macron somehow survives this ugly scrum (there are seven other minor candidates), he will be a favorite to win the presidency in a second round; E.U. and NATO leaders, as well as financial markets, will breathe a sigh of relief. A Macron government could, in concert with what is likely to be the centrist majority emerging from German elections this fall, reinforce the more mainstream foreign-policy course lately adopted by the Trump administration. For now, however, the catastrophic alternatives cannot be ruled out  and even if they do not come to pass, France will have offered another sobering view of the depths of the Wests discontents.
Harry Lewis, a former dean of Harvard College, is a computer science professor at Harvard University.

When should traditional liberal values be sacrificed to important but narrower ends? That is the question behind Harvard Universitys effort to subordinate freedom of association and freedom of speech to a locally fashionable form of nondiscrimination.

Last spring, the university decided to attack the off-campus, all-male Final Clubs by disqualifying their members from Rhodes Scholarships and other distinctions  unless the clubs admitted women. A few of these clubs are infamous for loud parties and drunken misbehavior. The new strategy against them had the merit of novelty, even in the absence of evidence that coed clubs would behave any better.

Faculty members reacted with alarm, recalling Sen. Joseph McCarthys persecution of Harvard professors in the 1950s simply for belonging to a hated organization. Students deserve a better lesson from Harvard than an attempt to solve social problems by blackballing members of unpopular groups.

The policy covers all single-gender social organizations consisting of Harvard students, so the same sanctions would be visited on womens clubs, including sororities. More women than men are affected, even though most of the womens clubs dont have real estate, much less raucous parties. Hundreds of women staged a surprise protest in response.

The current rationale for punishing single-gender groups is that they are discriminatory. Problems that the policy was initially supposed to address  sexual assault, elitism, drunken parties  have fallen away under scrutiny, leaving gender exclusivity as the clubs irreducible sin. As a university official stated, Our commitment to a non-discriminatory experience is unwavering.

That invites serious thought about discrimination.

Most of the newer clubs arose as the Harvard student body became more diverse. They come, go and change as students and social mores change. They receive no Harvard funds. One alumnus who had been an immigrant student on scholarship described his multiethnic, multinational fraternity as a comforting ragtag group of misfits. Students whose high school classmates joined fraternities and sororities at state universities resent the implication that doing so at Harvard makes them shamefully discriminatory.

I asked some female students what they thought. Well, I am in a sorority, one said. You can guess what I think. When I pressed her, she icily responded, Give me a break. Im a math major. I am the gender inclusivity in most of my classes. After being taught by men and surrounded by men all day, I dont need a lecture from Harvard about hanging out with women at night. There is, in fact, not a single tenured woman in the Harvard Mathematics Department.

In response to such resistance, Harvard last month delayed enforcing the policy against womens groups, but not mens. The unwavering institutional commitment to nondiscrimination will be implemented in a curiously and perhaps unlawfully discriminatory manner.

Dont students have the right to associate with whomever they want off campus? President Drew Gilpin Faust thought not, darkly comparing freedom-of-association arguments with the tactics Southern racists used to preserve segregated schools.

American society still accepts single-gender institutions such as Fausts alma mater Bryn Mawr College, long after turning against all-white organizations. Harvard is coed, but even at Harvard race and gender arent parallel categories. Men and women are roomed separately but ethnic groups are not intentionally segregated. Gender may be a social construct, but when it comes to the tensions of physical proximity, gender does have something to do with sex.

Using nondiscrimination as a cudgel against students private associations is odiously patronizing. No similar policy applies to Harvard faculty or staff. Even worse, Harvard will compel students seeking scholarships and leadership positions to affirm their compliance with the policy  to respond to a McCarthyesque Are you or have you ever been a member question, under the threat of punishment for perjury.

Harvard prohibits such questions in job interviews. It is an old authoritarian trick to compel speech and then punish lies, a trick Harvard has a history of resisting. For decades, Massachusetts teachers had to swear their loyalty to the Constitution  until MIT and Harvard professors refused in the 1960s and the law was overturned.

Could Harvard today require oaths about club memberships but resist if the government required students to swear that they are lawfully on U.S. soil?

In civil society, freedom of association is built into the Bill of Rights because the state does not always know what is best for individuals. It is an expression of American confidence that even when authorities disapprove, the energy of heterodox private associations improves society in the long run. And freedom of speech includes the freedom not to be compelled to speak.

Ironically, Harvard is now in the process of writing a reference to the Puritans out of its alma mater  to update the anthem for the 21st century  even as it reasserts their practice of harsh, intrusive judgments on private lives. A backlash is arising against this institutional overreach. Students, faculty and alumni are marshaling venerable liberal values  freedom of thought, of association and of speech  against a twisted new nondiscrimination orthodoxy.
MANY THINGS may have changed about the nations politics, but one remains constant: Radical pro-gun forces such as the National Rifle Association wield tremendous influence, and the result is the continual worsening of the nations firearm laws. The new poster child for irresponsibility is the Iowa legislature, which passed a comprehensive bill loosening a variety of restrictions. Instead of vetoing it, Gov. Terry Branstad (R) hopped on the bandwagon, signing the legislation into law this month. Iowans will be less safe for it. Now the question is whether other states can resist the pressure to exercise similarly poor judgment.

The list of bad ideas is long, but it starts with the laws provision permitting gun owners to bring concealed weapons into the State Capitol. Though permits will be checked at the door, those inside would surely be safer if there were no guns on the premises that could go off accidentally, fall into the wrong hands or be drawn in a fit of rage.

If state lawmakers want to uselessly endanger their lives, that is one thing. But the law also empowers people to sue local governments if they feel adversely affected by municipal or county gun restrictions, particularly legal no-gun zones. This has led a variety of critics to wonder if people will be able to sue into oblivion gun restrictions at local courthouses and city halls. The bills sponsors claim that it would be hard for people to win a lawsuit claiming that gun bans at courthouses are an undue restriction on firearm rights. Yet the fact that there is any ambiguity is a problem.

The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa has already had a taste of what may be in store: In 2014, a man disgruntled about a property-tax increase fired a small gun at a county assessor at a meeting in a local courthouse. The assessor lived, but local officials and judges may not be as lucky the next time.

Meanwhile, Iowa officially joined the growing list of stand your ground states, which allow people to shoot immediately if they feel threatened, rather than obliging them to retreat if they have a safe escape route. By allowing  and perhaps encouraging  violent situations to escalate in public, then-Attorney General Eric H. Holder declared in 2013, such laws undermine public safety. The result is almost certainly that more people die.

Iowa is not the only state in the process of regressing. Backers of the states new law say that it merely brings Iowas gun laws closer to its neighbors, as though that were a justification. Meanwhile, a raft of bad gun legislation is working its way through state legislatures elsewhere. Pennsylvania lawmakers, for example, are considering a bill that also would challenge the ability of local governments to secure their communities. Reasonable state leaders would look for ways to head off gun violence, not encourage it.
John F. Kerry was U.S. secretary of state from 2013 to 2017.

Despite all the reasons for concern and condemnation that I could dwell on, Im an optimist this Earth Day. Im an optimist because of the lesson I learned on the first Earth Day 47 years ago when I was one of 20 million Americans who took to the streets to demand that leaders protect our environment. Before that first Earth Day, there was no Environmental Protection Agency, no Clean Water Act, no Clean Air Act as we know it. Citizens created the demand signal  and politicians followed because they had no choice.

What a journey from 1970 to Earth Day 2016, when I joined leaders from more than 100 nations to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change. When it was my turn to take the pen, my 2-year-old granddaughter was on my lap. Earth Day was no longer just an American impulse  it was the entire world coming together to protect the future for Isabelle and children everywhere.

I know that on Earth Day 2017, that future feels a little less certain, and understandably so. But  for the same reason 1970s people-powered activism turned power structures upside down  something big has already begun around the world that can be slowed but not stopped.

The U.S. energy market is in the middle of a fundamental transformation  and thats true regardless of Washingtons policies. Last year was the third consecutive year in which renewable technologies  especially wind and solar  made up more than half of the new generating capacity added to the U.S. grid. And its clear that the energy transformation is truly global. Last year roughly twice as much was invested in renewables capacity worldwide than in fossil-fuel generation.

Leaders everywhere are seeing the opportunities ahead. The Indian government is advancing plans to install 100 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2020. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently announced a $361 billion investment in clean energy. No wonder U.S. oil and gas companies are imploring Washington to stay committed to the Paris Agreement  they recognize it is in the interests of their bottom line to have their government deeply engaged in the energy transformation. A president who spent a long career in business, surrounded by Cabinet secretaries who headed Fortune 500 companies, should be persuaded by these arguments.

Americas businesses and state and local governments know well what the future holds and are planning accordingly. Thats why I am confident the United States will not only meet but also exceed the bold emissions-reduction targets President Barack Obama set  even if the new administration takes the misguided step of revoking them.

More concerning to me are the potential reverberations our policy changes could have around the equator and from pole to pole.

The Paris Agreement wasnt written overnight; it was the product of decades of negotiations and debates over which countries needed to do what and when. We brought the global community together around a shared understanding that, ultimately, every one of our nations had to act. The final text is not legally binding. It is rooted instead in mutual accountability. The international community committed to work together for maximum impact. Each country would determine how ambitious its climate policies could be, given its unique circumstances, but all would strive to be as forward-leaning as possible. The countries that needed extra support  in the form of technical or financial assistance  to achieve their goals would get it. And critically, all would report regularly on their progress and hold one another accountable.

I would imagine that most countries thought that the United States would be leading the charge when it came to applying pressure and holding others accountable to their pledges  so did I. Nonetheless, the United States was just one of the 196 parties to adopt the agreement. We cant allow dysfunction in Washington to give other leaders in the world a free pass to back away from the bold sense of cooperation that permeated our long meetings in Paris. Mutual accountability has never been more important.

I spent Election Day 2016 headed to Antarctica, where I talked with researchers who didnt mince words. A scientist named Gavin Dunbar described what theyre seeing there as an unmistakable canary in the coal mine. He warned that some thresholds, if we cross them, cant be reversed. The Trump administration may decide to bet against scientists like Dunbar and his colleagues. But rest assured: Most Americans stand with the world in making a different bet  a bet on science, a bet on reality. We understand that we have to move forward, with or without Washington.

It is up to each of us to dial up the demand signal  to ensure that the climate solutions dont just happen  but that they happen in time to save our planet. Thats a bet Ill make every time  and thats why everything I know about the citizens of the United States and the world leads me to bet on optimism this Earth Day.
David S. Cohen served as deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency and undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence during the Obama administration.

In dealing with North Korea, the Trump administration should look to Iran. Specifically, it should take a page out of the Obama administrations Iran sanctions playbook and apply against North Korea the tool used successfully to bring Iran to the nuclear negotiating table  secondary sanctions on those who do business with the regime.

North Korea is not, by any stretch, sanctioned out. Despite a broad set of international and U.S. sanctions, North Korea has gotten off relatively easy, especially as compared with Iran. That is largely because the United States has historically been reluctant to impose secondary sanctions to isolate North Korea, particularly against China, the regimes principal legitimate trading partner. Certainly, the Trump administration should do its best to bring the Chinese government on board. But if China drags its feet, President Trump should proceed anyway.

Secondary sanctions are both simple and enormously powerful. They work by presenting a stark choice to a foreign bank: It can process transactions for a bank already facing sanctions (for example, one of the many North Korean banks that have been listed by the United States) or it can maintain its access to the U.S. financial system, but it cannot do both. That presents an easy choice, because access to the U.S. financial system, which also means access to the U.S. dollar, is a practical necessity for almost any bank anywhere in the world.

Adopting secondary sanctions against North Korea could cut the last tendrils of its access to the international financial system. As a recent assessment by a special U.N. committee reportedly concluded, North Korean banks and trading companies operate in China through China-based front companies. These front companies, in turn, have accounts at Chinese banks, from which they are able to do business globally, including in the United States.

If the United States were to adopt secondary sanctions against North Korea, that move would almost certainly force some Chinese banks to choose between facilitating the regimes international banking capacity and maintaining their own access. Some observers fear that this move would so irritate the Chinese government as to make secondary sanctions inadvisable.

History teaches that we should not worry too much about an adverse Chinese reaction.

When I was serving in the Treasury Department during the Obama administration, we employed secondary sanctions to significantly ramp up pressure on the Iranian government. Hundreds of foreign banks that had been transacting with sanctioned Iranian banks voluntarily severed those relationships, thereby isolating much of the Iranian banking system.

But two banks in particular continued to work with sanctioned Iranian banks. One was China-based Kunlun Bank, a midsize institution that, our financial intelligence told us, provided hundreds of millions of dollars worth of financial services to a half-dozen sanctioned Iranian banks. Despite repeated warnings to the Chinese government, Kunlun refused to stop such activity. So in August 2012, Treasury used the secondary sanctions tool and cut off Kunlun from the U.S. financial system.

What happened next is instructive. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a relatively tepid and formulaic protest  and, behind the scenes, the Chinese government directed Kunlun to stop. Despite what some had feared, employing secondary sanctions against Kunlun neither led China to stop cooperating on Iran nor soured our relations with Beijing in any other respect.

China reacted this way for several reasons  all of which have parallels to the current situation with North Korea.

First, we had made clear to Chinese authorities our intention to close loopholes in the sanctions against Iran. Likewise, for several years, the U.S. government has complained to Chinese authorities that North Korean front companies access to Chinese banks weakens financial sanctions against North Korea. So there would be no surprise if we took action to close that loophole.

Second, the Chinese understood that our financial pressure campaign against Iran was designed to spur negotiations over its nuclear program. By the same token, the Trump administrations maximum pressure policy toward North Korea also appears designed to produce a negotiation over the regimes ballistic missile and nuclear program. And, as with Iran, the Chinese have been pressing the United States to seek a negotiated resolution of concerns with North Koreas nuclear threat.

Finally, as with Iran, China is worried about the alternative  military action to destroy North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. Whatever sanctions pain China was willing to endure to avert a military strike by the United States (or Israel) against Iran, its deep-seated fear of a military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula means its pain tolerance for secondary sanctions against North Korea would be even higher.

The Trump administration should start by applying secondary sanctions against midsize Chinese banks that aid North Korean front companies, leaving the larger ones for later, if necessary. Imposing secondary sanctions would send a strong message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the financial noose is tightening in a way that could drive a wedge between Kim and the Pyongyang elite critical to his continued hold on power. And it would demonstrate, to North Korea and China alike, that the United States is serious about generating the leverage necessary for a successful negotiation.
In his first annual message to Congress, John Quincy Adams, among the most experienced and intellectually formidable presidents, warned leaders against giving the impression that we are palsied by the will of our constituents. In this regard, if in no other, the 45th president resembles the sixth.

Donald Trumps Oh, never mind presidency was produced by voters stung by the contempt they detected directed toward them by the upper crust. Their insurrection has been rewarded by Trumps swift shedding of campaign commitments, a repudiation so comprehensive and cavalier that he disdains disguising his disdain for his gulled supporters.

The notion that NATO is obsolete? That China is a currency manipulator? That he would eschew humanitarian interventions featuring high explosives? That the Export-Import Bank is mischievous? That Obamacare would be gone on Day One? That 11.5 million illegal immigrants would be gone in two years (almost 480,000 a month)? That the national debt would be gone in eight years (reducing about $2.4 trillion a year)? About these and other vows from the man whose supporters said he tells it like it is, he now tells them: Never mind.

The president, whose almost Sicilian sense of clan imparts new meaning to the familiar phrase family values, embraces daughter Ivankas belief that America suffers from an insufficiency of entitlements, a defect she (and he, judging from his address to a joint session of Congress) would rectify with paid family leave. Her brother Eric has said (to Britains Telegraph) that he is sure that 59 cruise missiles flew because Ivanka said to her father about Syria using chemical weapons, Listen, this is horrible stuff.

Although a senior Trump adviser, Stephen Miller, has stipulated that presidential powers to protect the nation will not be questioned, still they persist, those impertinent questioners. They do because when candidate Trumps open-mic-night-at-the-improv rhetoric of quarter-baked promises and vows is carried over into the presidency and foreign policy, there are consequences, especially when his imprecision infects his subordinates.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

One cannot erase with an Oh, never mind shrug Secretary of State Rex Tillersons statement that the message foreign leaders should take from the Syrian attack is if you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken. It is not true that the United States will respond, other than rhetorically, to all crossings of those four red lines. If, as Tillerson says, the United States is committed to holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world, the United States is going to need a much bigger military than even the presidents proposed $54 billion increase in defense spending would purchase.

If the attack on Syria was intended to buttress an international norm and enforce an international agreement concerning chemical weapons, it was not clarifying for press secretary Sean Spicer to say that you will see a presidential response if someone uses chemical weapons or a barrel bomb. This is a nasty but conventional munition that turns scrap metal into shrapnel.

In foreign policy, the nature of an action is a function of what the actor says about it. So, the attack on Syria was either cathartic  a one-off spasm of (understandable) indignation  or it was a message of unclear content to unspecified addressees.

Perhaps the message was that the United States is not (in Richard Nixons words explaining the 1970 invasion of Cambodia) a pitiful, helpless giant, or that (in Ronald Reagans 1984 words) America is back, standing tall. Eliot A. Cohen, former State Department counselor (2007-2009) and currently a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, says that the strike was the right thing to do and a firm response to a loathsome crime. But he also says:

Having tipped off the Russians, and targeting things rather than people, it did not do much damage to anything the Assad regime cares about. . . . An effective, destructive attack  that is, one that would worry the Assad regime  would have killed skilled personnel, military and political leaders, and elite fighters. . . . Blowing up some installations is not, in fact, proportionate to the massacre of children.

Messages are important, whether delivered by words or missiles or words about missiles. Trumps retreat from positions that enchanted his supporters is a matter mostly between him and them. How he addresses the world, however, will reveal whether he has gone from candidate to commander in chief without becoming presidential.

Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks to the media during a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on April 12. (Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press)

Mike Rogers, a Republican from Michigan, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2015, where he served as chairman of the Intelligence Committee from 2010 to 2015.

Syria, North Korea, Afghanistan, Russia: These are just some of the unresolved global crises that President Trump inherited. But the new administration is being forced to manage all these crises with one hand tied behind its back because it lacks a fully staffed State Department.

The president demonstrated that he intends to embark on an aggressive, forward-leaning, hard-power-based foreign policy with the strikes against Syria following the chemical weapons attack against civilians, the use of the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) in Afghanistan, the tough posture toward North Korea and the devolution of greater authority to the military in operational theaters.

At the same time, in line with much of his campaign rhetoric, Trump has proposed a series of significant cuts at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, while refraining from filling most of the appointed positions in Foggy Bottom.

The White House seems to think that military muscle and effective soft power are mutually exclusive  but in reality, the president can employ both at the same time. In fact, it is imperative that he does so for our countrys national security.

Does the State Department need reforming and streamlining? Yes.

Over the past few decades, the department has grown to include a number of offices and personnel that could be downsized and refocused. At times, Foggy Bottom has seemed entirely disconnected from the realities we face internationally  a rather surprising observation. The State Department was found wanting in Iraq and Afghanistan, unable to provide the personnel and expertise needed to support counterinsurgency campaigns in both countries. Yet, at the same time, the department had numerous duplicative outreach and grant programs in place around the world.

These programs do have a place in our foreign policy  but an honest accounting of the missions, mandates, personnel and resources would undoubtedly lead to rationalization, increased efficiency and cost savings.

Is starving the State Department of leadership the way to achieve this goal? No.

Right now, there are nearly 100 unfilled political appointees and ambassadorships at the department. These include the deputy secretary of state; deputy secretary of state for management and resources; undersecretary for management; undersecretary for arms control and international security; undersecretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights; undersecretary for economic growth, energy and the environment; and counselor of the department. Of the nine senior officials at the department who sit below the secretary, only two slots are filled.

Given the crisis with North Korea, having an undersecretary for arms control and international security would probably be helpful. How about the situation in Syria? An undersecretary of civilian security, democracy and human rights would likely be useful as well.

Aggressive diplomacy requires personnel who know the countries, the issues and how to navigate complex social, cultural and political webs. At the moment, were on a dangerous path to losing that capability through unfilled posts.

No less than Trumps defense secretary, Jim Mattis, said in 2013: If you dont fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition. A strong diplomatic effort must support a strong military effort. The two are not mutually exclusive, but are mutually beneficial to Americas interests.

The presidents use of the vice president and others to fill the void is unsustainable. Vice President Pence, while eminently capable, cannot be the presidents lead diplomat in South Korea.

State Department political appointees are more than just representatives of the administration. They are the gears that turn the policy machine, communicate its message and develop and implement policy. Without them, nothing gets done smoothly, if at all.

And if the president wants to reform Foggy Bottom, it is imperative that he appoint people to do the job. Preventing the State Department from functioning by leaving key leadership positions vacant is not reform; it simply prevents critical diplomatic operations from taking place.

An effort to appoint reformers must take into consideration the need to carry out the vital diplomatic mission of the department. The president would be well served by selecting experienced diplomats who share his vision of reform, and undoubtedly there are many available. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought with him a unique combination of business acumen and international experience. While not a traditional diplomat, he does seem to embody the goals of the president.

But Tillerson cannot do it alone. He must be surrounded by trusted deputies who can carry out the business of diplomacy along with the business of reform.
Foreign leaders and local interlocutors, a.k.a. pundits, might as well take a vacation for the next few minutes until President Trumps next foreign policy strategy surfaces from deep within his amygdala.

For to presume a strategy when Trump toys with potentially lethal nations  threatening to tear apart the nuclear agreement with Iran or putting North Korea on notice that doom may befall it any moment  is to imagine that a toddler has given grave consideration to the gravitational aspects of toppling his brothers Lego edifice.

Theories, nevertheless, abound as the world wonders, no doubt with fear and loathing, what the president of the United States is going to say or do next. It does seem at times that Trump wont be satisfied unless and until he has managed to prompt a nuclear confrontation with some nation  or two.

One theory goes that by talking tough, Trump is alerting the world that the United States is no longer the weak sister, if I may use an old expression, it had become under President Barack Obama. The world will tremble at the thought of engaging the United States except to please her, goes such thinking.

Let me clarify: Trump is rattling his borrowed saber because thats what he does. The bully in chief no longer has to file lawsuits to try to evict widows from their homes for monetary gain. Now he has a military  the worlds most powerful, to be precise  and can decide over chocolate cake to fire missiles at Syria.

Another extant theory concerns the contradictions within his administration. While U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley talks tough on Russia, Trump protects his benign bromance with President Vladimir Putin. This surely has nothing to do with a recent Reuters report that a Russian government think tank came up with a plan to influence the 2016 election.

One at least finds solace in Trumps recent conclusion that NATO does, in fact, matter. But what happened to the candidate who criticized opponent Hillary Clinton for being too hawkish, and who said we cant fight two wars at once? How about World War III?

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, meanwhile, pounds Iran with one fist, saying its not complying with the nuclear agreement fashioned by his predecessor, John F. Kerry. With the other, he pens a letter to House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) saying that Iran is in full compliance. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, rather than quaking, tweeted Friday: Well see if US prepared to live up to letter of #JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] let alone spirit. So far, it has defied both. Should I use my highlighter again?

This isnt to make light of the Iran agreement, about which Trump may be right. It was a lousy deal. But it apparently was the only one possible in July 2015 after months of negotiations among Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council  China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States  plus Germany and the European Union. What, pray tell, does Trump think will happen if the United States unilaterally shreds the deal?

So, at last count, Trump had North Korea threatening a super-mighty pre-emptive strike, Russia sending equipment to the North Korean border and China making military preparations just in case. Meanwhile, Iran, which exerts power in nearly every pit of Barbary, chuckles.

Good cop, bad cop may be useful in reducing a prisoner to confession, but the contradictory messages emanating from Washington serve mostly to confuse  and not in a good way. Trump, by conveying to allies and non-allies that hes likely to do anything at any moment, is telegraphing not strength but instability and impulsivity. The overarching sense is that no one is in charge, or at least no one not wearing a water-squirting boutonniere.

To countless Americans, it feels as though Trump is making the world a less safe place, explaining in part Gallups recent report that at nearly 100 days, Trump has the lowest approval rating of any president since the poll began in 1953. Rather than a master strategist, hes a human grab bag of tactics wandering erratically everywhere in search of someone or something to conquer. The notion that he has a plan that he is just not sharing would be edifying if evidence to the contrary werent so convincing.

For now, it seems equally likely that Trump discovered his foreign policy strategy in a Chinese fortune cookie left behind at Mar-a-Lago by a visitor. The amygdala would have signaled Trumps head to nod in agreement upon reading the message: Soon you will be emperor of the world.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
He proposed a religious test on immigration, promised to open up U.S. libel laws and revoked press credentials of critical reporters. He called for killing family members of terrorists, said he would do a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding terrorism suspects and suggested that a U.S.-born federal judge of Mexican heritage couldnt be neutral because of his ethnicity. He whipped up animosity against Muslims and immigrants from Mexico, branding the latter as rapists.

When protesters interrupted his rallies, he cheered violence against them. He told a political opponent that if he won, he would get a special prosecutor to look into your situation, adding youd be in jail. He threatened not to respect election results if he didnt win and, in Idi Amin fashion, made the claims of a strongman: I alone can fix it. He publicly expressed admiration for authoritarian Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Cherished notions of religious freedom, a free press, an independent judiciary and the rights of minorities took a beating from him. The prospect of mob violence in his defense and imprisoning of political opponents found favor.

With all that, Donald Trump became the nations 45th president in an election marred by stealth interference from a foreign adversary, Russia, and with the support of millions of voters who survey data show were influenced by the toxicity of racism.

How did a pluralistic nation that propounds democratic values and practices come to this?

This not being the authoritarian in the White House who dismisses basic constitutional principles as if they were annoying gnats, but this  an electorate that looks past the disrespect shown toward democratic ideals.

That haunting question has occupied the minds of Richard D. Kahlenberg and Clifford Janey, two education scholars and writers who began to take a hard look at this fundamental domestic challenge long before Novembers results came in.

Janey, former superintendent of schools in our nations capital, as well as Newark, N.J., and Rochester, N.Y., and now senior research scholar at the Boston University School of Education, traces the problem close to home: public schooling. So, too, does Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, author of six books and editor of 10 foundation volumes.

I sat down with both this week to discuss what they regard as an American democracy under severe strain. Kahlenberg observed that public education that ought to help prepare students for citizenship in a democracy is coming up short. He cited a recent survey in which two-thirds of Americans could not name all three branches of the federal government; only a third could identify Joe Biden, who at the time was the vice president, or name a single Supreme Court justice.

Janey observed that U.S. schoolchildren educated in what are essentially apartheid schools divided by class and race get a mixed message about equal political rights and American values.

Together, they spelled out the scope of the challenge in their joint Century Foundation report released in November, Putting Democracy Back into Public Education. The report was boiled down in an article in the Atlantic, Is Trumps Victory the Jump-Start Civics Education Needed? published at the same time.

Simply put, Janey and Kahlenberg argue that our schools are failing at what the nations founders saw as educations most basic purpose: preparing young people to be reflective citizens who would value liberty and democracy and resist the appeals of demagogues.

They said todays schools turn themselves inside out trying to prepare college-and-career ready students who can contend with economic globalization and economic competition and find a niche with private skills in the marketplace.

As for preparing them for American democracy? Raising civics literacy levels? Cultivating knowledge of democratic practices and beliefs with rigorous courses in history, literature and how democratic means have been used to improve the country? Not so much or maybe not at all, they suggest.

The authors point out that in 2013, the governing board of the National Assessment for Educational Progress dropped fourth- and 12th-grade civics and American history as a tested subject in order to save money.

Its okay to test kids crazy in math and reading. Civic education? Fuhgeddaboutit.

Watch as jaws drop at these findings from a 2011 World Values Survey, which Kahlenberg and Janey noted in the Atlantic: When asked whether democracy is a good or bad way to run a country, 17 percent said bad or very bad, up from 9 percent in the mid-1990s. Among those ages 16 to 24, about a quarter said democracy was bad or very bad, an increase of one-third from a decade and a half earlier.

Skills for the private workplace? Essential. So, too, the skills for workplace democracy.

But the declining civic portion of public education, maintain Kahlenberg and Janey, is a threat to our democratic values. It must be addressed, and now. Only a demagogue would argue with that.

Read more from Colbert Kings archive.
It seems like forever and a day since Congress could walk and chew gum at the same time.

Thats a lesson President Trump and his advisers are struggling to grasp, even those he plucked from Capitol Hill to occupy key posts.

In the week ahead, lawmakers already face an immediate Friday deadline of keeping federal agencies funded through the remainder of the year. Yet Trumps advisers continue to toss into the mix big items they would like to see accomplished, giving the appearance of a frenzied search for wins ahead of Saturdays symbolically important 100th day of the new presidency.

Some Trump advisers have pushed for a vote this week on health-care legislation, even though there are no signs that ongoing talks between moderate and conservative Republicans have produced a breakthrough.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Trump declared in an interview Friday with the Associated Press that on Wednesday he would unveil his administrations proposal for a massive overhaul of the tax code. It would result, he said, in the biggest tax cut ever, despite ongoing gridlock in Congress over competing tax proposals  in a process that started more than six years ago.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

[The White House reveals what next weeks big announcement on taxes will look like]

Any one of these items would be a big enough lift in an era when Congress regularly struggles with the most basic of tasks. Mix them all together over a couple days, and its the legislative equivalent of trying to pull the pin on three grenades at once. If youre not careful, all three might blow up in your face.

The model of strategic chaos  creating many different targets and never taking on much bloodshed  worked well in the campaign, particularly in a sprawling GOP primary when Trump faced 15 or more opponents.

But in governance, it doesnt work. Congress needs focus, not flurry.

The volatility has Democrats shaking their heads; they know full well thanks to experiences from when they last controlled Congress and the White House that trying to do too many things all at once is perilous.

Floating the possibility that the House could vote on this amended health-care bill next week is irresponsible when the government could shut down on April 29, Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), a member of House Democratic leadership, said in a statement. The focus must be on keeping the government funded  the most basic legislative responsibility we have.

Theres a good chance the week ahead becomes a lot of sound and fury but not much productivity. The talk of legislation to revise the 2010 Affordable Care Act could fade as negotiations continue well into the spring, and no one is sure what Trump might spell out on his tax proposals.

Also, given the time constraints, most insiders expect Congress to do what it does best in times of crisis: buy more time, specifically by approving a stopgap bill to keep the federal government funded at current levels for an additional week or two to hammer out full spending levels for the rest of 2017.

Such a low-octane finish to a week that begins with such promise would be the latest example of how difficult it is to try to pull off more than one big thing at a time.

In 2009, after they passed a massive stimulus bill, congressional Democrats began driving toward approving the ACA, but House Democrats also tried to pass a bill to rein in climate change, including a very complicated system for trading carbon credits.

The same panel tasked with crafting most of the health law, the Energy and Commerce Committee, pushed through the cap-and-trade legislation, passing it in June 2009. The full House passed the climate bill after a bitter fight between moderate and liberal Democrats, but the Senate never took up the legislation.

The Energy and Commerce Committee finally moved on to health care but did not finish until the last day of the summer session. The full House headed into the fateful August 2009 recess, when Democrats faced angry constituents, creating more delays for many more months in passing the ACA.

The Senate had its own version of juggling too many issues. In early 2013, Democrats pushed legislation almost simultaneously for strict background checks on gun purchases and an overhaul of immigration laws. Both proposals went through the Judiciary Committee, and both were politically sensitive for the half-dozen or so Democrats from conservative states.

Eventually, Democrats pulled the gun bill and focused on immigration. They passed it in June 2013, only to see it never considered in the House.

Some Democrats believe, in retrospect, that a narrower focus would have been the better path to follow.

Now, Republicans face battles on several fronts. The initial try at repealing the ACA blew up a month ago. Partly at the urging of Vice President Pence, the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the moderate Tuesday Group have resumed talks about salvaging that effort. House GOP leaders appear tepid about the effort  and less involved than during the first go-round.

Traveling in London last week, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters that they were negotiating sort of finishing touches on the legislation and that it was going to take us a little time to finish up.

Pence is a trusted former House member, but he was never known as a dealmaker.

In recent days, Mick Mulvaney, the former House member who is now Trumps budget director, has taken a high profile in government funding talks. Democrats are angry at his recent demands for funding to meet Trumps promise of building a wall along the Mexican border, and the spat has created enough tension that Democrats feel that they have leverage in the talks.

[White House could provoke a spending showdown over funding for border wall]

If past is prologue, House leaders face an uphill task getting a majority of votes from their side of the aisle for a government funding bill, and Senate Democrats have already guaranteed they will filibuster any spending bill with funding for the wall.

That sets up what many consider an inevitable scenario in which Ryan will have to make a push for the more conservative position just to show his right flank that hes fighting for them, leading to eventual failure and a bipartisan compromise putting off any threat of a government shutdown until the fall.

All of that is hard enough  with or without other demands to overhaul the health-care industry and the entire tax code.

Read more from Paul Kanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
House leaders told GOP lawmakers Saturday that they plan to devote their energy in the coming week to keeping the federal government open, conspicuously avoiding an immediate commitment to take up health care despite pledges to do so by conservatives and the White House.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), speaking on a conference call with GOP members Saturday afternoon, offered no specific plan on how or when lawmakers might see details of a new proposal to revise the Affordable Care Act, which White House officials suggested might receive a vote by Wednesday.

Ryan also made clear that his top priority was to pass a stopgap spending bill to keep government open past April 28, an objective that requires Democratic support. Wherever we land will be a product the president can and will support. Ryan said, according to a senior GOP aide on the call.

Less clear was whether even a narrow focus on spending would allow Republicans to avoid a showdown with President Trump, whose top aides have in recent days that any spending bill must include funding for a border wall. Such a demand would almost certainly prompt Democrats, whose support is needed to pass the budget bill in the Senate, to vote no.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said leaders in Congress could reach a spending agreement, but only if the White House stays out of the negotiations.

I want to come up with an agreement, Schumer said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters. Our Republican colleagues know that since they control, you know, the House, the Senate and the White House, that a shutdown would fall on their shoulders, and they dont want it.

On the flip side, there was no guarantee that Trump would sign a spending plan without funding for the wall, several aides said.

The Ryan call comes as GOP leaders find themselves trapped between proving that they can complete basic tasks of governing such as funding the government, while also meeting the demands of Trump, who is looking for a legislative win ahead of his 100th day in office next Saturday.

Trump and his top aides have been calling on Congress to take dramatic action in the coming week: vote on health care, take up tax reform and demand that Democrats agree to a stopgap spending measure that includes funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Ryans comments suggested that he and other House Republicans are pushing back on that pressure. He said, for instance, that the House will vote on a health-care bill when Republicans are sure they have the support to pass it, according to several GOP aides on the call  suggesting that he does not believe that to be the case currently, despite renewed negotiations between House conservatives, moderates and the White House.

[@PKCapitol: History tells us that Republicans are taking on too much this week  and it isnt likely to end well]

The direction of the border wall fight was less certain. Ryan and other Republican leaders have suggested that it is more important to protect a spending deal with Democrats, who have vowed to oppose spending on the wall. The speaker assured members on the call that the spending talks were still promising and ongoing, but close Trump aides continued to insist in public that the spending bill should include money for the wall.

I think it goes without saying that the president has been pretty straightforward about his desire and the need for a border wall, Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly said in an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper scheduled to run Sunday morning. So I would suspect, hell do the right thing for sure, but I would suspect he will be insistent on the funding.

The comment is likely to further threaten bipartisan budget talks, which were jostled after Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, was the first suggested that Trump would demand border wall funding in the upcoming spending bill.

This president should be allowed to have his highest priorities funded even though the Democrats rightly have a seat at the table because of the Senate rules, Mulvaney said Friday in an interview with Bloomberg Live. You cannot expect a president who just won election to give up very easily on his highest priority.

Mulvaney repeated his expectation that the spending talks will include border spending at several events throughout the week, causing a flurry of confusion among congressional aides who say the spending bill must remain free of major controversies if it is to pass.

Aides on the Hill and inside the White House, who spoke candidly on condition of anonymity, said they believe Trump sees a demand for wall money as the best way to prove that his most controversial proposals can be fulfilled.

The border wall confusion was one of many instances in recent weeks where aides, who spoke candidly on condition of anonymity, said they were receiving mixed messages from the White House. Public statements from the White House have often contradicted private discussions on the spending bill and other issues, the aides said, leaving some to question who in the administration represents Trumps final position.

Ryan attempted to calm the disorder Saturday by telling members that spending talks were still ongoing and promising. Ryan has vowed for weeks that there will be no government shutdown, and many Republicans and Democrats have said in recent days that negotiations are proceeding apace.

At the same time, Trump has publicly downplayed the significance of achieving a victory in the coming week. He dismissed the symbolism of the 100-day mark  despite his repeated promises on the campaign trail that he would meet many of his goals by that date.

Trump also began walking back the health-care promise after signs emerged that GOP leaders were not prepared to take it up because of the risk that it would anger Democrats.

Well see what happens, Trump said on Friday. No particular rush, but well see what happens.

Then, on Saturday, Trump added to the confusion with a promise to release details of a tax overhaul next week.

Big TAX REFORM AND TAX REDUCTION will be announced next Wednesday, he tweeted.

[Big announcement on tax reform unlikely to reveal details, White House official says]

The bipartisan budget talks were seen as a rare bright spot in an otherwise acrimonious relationship between Republicans and Democrats in Washington. One particular area of agreement was not to include border-protection funds in the stopgap budget, which, it was agreed, should be debated separately, after government is kept open.

The demand for border funding, as well as the push for a vote on health care, came as a surprise to Democrats, who have been working for more than a month with GOP leaders to craft a bipartisan spending bill that would keep the government open through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

Floating the possibility that the House could vote on this amended health care bill next week is irresponsible when the government could shut down on April 29, said Joseph D. Crowley (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Conference. The focus must be on keeping the government funded  the most basic legislative responsibility we have.

On his call, Ryan encouraged members to continue discussing ideas, but he did not open the conversation to questions, leaving members to wait until Wednesday morning before they can weigh in on spending or health care.

Some conservatives had hoped Ryan would use the call to reveal details of a revised health-care plan. Members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus spent the two-week Easter recess working with House GOP moderates, the White House and Ryans staff on changes to the health-care bill. Conservatives said Friday that the legislation was nearing completion, but no details have been released.

Damian Paletta contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost


A Muslim woman stands at a bus depot in Cheruvathur, Kerala. (Enrico Fabian/for The Washington Post)

The aspiring jihadists began leaving here quietly last May, slipping away in twos and threes to avoid suspicion.

By the time their relatives realized they were missing, five families  some with small children  had left their comfortable bungalows and jobs as doctors and businessmen to make the perilous journey to Islamic State-held territory in Afghanistan.

Authorities believe that 19 adults and three children settled in Nangahar province, on the mountainous border with Pakistan. Their departure has raised alarms about the Islamic States reach in India as well as growing extremism in Kerala, a southern state with deep ties through migrant workers to the Persian Gulf.

Two of the Keralites have been killed by drones in Nangahar, including one as recently as April 11, family members say. Then, on April 13, U.S. forces dropped a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb on a cave complex where militant commanders were believed to be hiding.

In the ensuing devastation, 13 Indian nationals were among the 94 who died, Afghan authorities say, but whether any of the Indian victims were from the Kerala cell has not been determined. Families have hope  a voice message one son sent to his father last week said they had all survived.

Nevertheless, most have accepted that they will never see their relatives again.

Let them die in a bombing! said Abdul Rahman Hamza, 66, the devastated father of a doctor and a school employee who took their pregnant wives and his 2-year-old grandson to the remote Afghan region. What they are doing is not Islamic. The real Islam doesnt promote terrorism.



Abdul Rahman Hamza, 66, watches his grandchildren play. He is the father of two men who left with their wives and children for Afghanistan in May 2016. (Enrico Fabian/for The Washington Post)

Kill them, Stab them

An estimated 100 Indians have left to fight for the Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, according to Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi  a fraction of the number of foreign fighters who have taken up the cause in the past two years.

The Islamic State is considered less of a threat to India than terrorist organizations based in neighboring Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group responsible for the siege of Mumbai in 2008, according to Sahni.

Still, there are worrying signs: At least 10 suspected Islamic State activists were detained in a six-state sweep Thursday. And after a suspected militant was killed in a shootout with police last month, a pro-Islamic State channel on the Telegram messaging service exhorted Muslims to carry out attacks in India, according to a report from the SITE Intelligence Group. Kill them, Stab them, hit them with a car, Use guns, Weapons anything you have. And make them weak, Shed their . . . blood like water, the message said.

The sun-dappled state of Kerala  a tourist haven of meandering backwaters and shimmering beaches  has long been one of Indias most diverse and educated states. But in recent decades, a more extreme form of Islam has taken root, authorities say, spurred by migrant workers returning from the Middle East.

An estimated 2.2 million Keralites work in Persian Gulf nations; they sent home $10 billion in remittance money in 2016, according to the Center for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram, Keralas capital.



People wait at a bus depot in Cheruvathur, Kerala. (Enrico Fabian/For The Washington Post)

The decades-old link has wrought changes large and small. Three international airports ferry workers to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere on a daily basis, while, back home, the workers build towering villas with their earnings and more and more Muslim women don full black coverings. In the district that includes Padanna, the oldest mosque  a humble structure in the local style  is being obscured by new domes and minarets.

In Padanna, Hamzas sons and others began attending Koran classes at a school organized by Abdul Rashid Abdullah, 30, an engineer who had left a private-sector job to teach. Abdullah had embraced a strict form of Islam called Salafism after the death of his first child, according to Alok Mittal, the inspector general of Indias National Investigation Agency.



Muslim students explore Bekal Fort, the largest fort in Kerala. (Enrico Fabian/for The Washington Post)

In the months before they disappeared, the brothers  studious Ijas Abdul Rahman, 34, a doctor, and his more outgoing younger brother, Shiyas Abdul Rahman, 26  grew more devout, relatives say. They stopped going to movies and deleted family photos from their cellphones because images of people were forbidden.

Yet there were happy times: Their wives were both pregnant, and they often spoke excitedly about the babies who would arrive a few months apart. Shiyass wife, Ajmala, who was pregnant for the first time, rejoiced and worried over every little change in her body, her sister-in-law said.

Shiyas and his family departed first, telling his parents they were moving to a nearby city to pursue religious studies. A few weeks later, Ijas and his family left, saying he had gotten a job in a hospital in the Lakshadweep Islands.

Authorities eventually pieced together that five families had left the district to join the Islamic State and were given weapons and religious training when they arrived in Afghanistan, Mittal said.

Its kind of blind belief, said K. Madhu, a civil police officer in the states special branch who knows the families well. All these people were very rich. They didnt need money. They were going to give up all material pleasures for a medieval lifestyle, to live like shepherds.

At one point, Hamza, who owns a hotel and restaurant in Mumbai, left an angry voice message for a nephew who had also vanished. Between obscenities, the older man told him not to bother coming home. The nephew responded with a photo of an AK-47.

We are not going to come back. We are devoted to [Islamic State leader] Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Well meet again in paradise, the nephew texted later.

Where are you?

Hafsath, the mother of two men who left with their wives and children to join the Islamic State. (Enrico Fabian/for The Washington Post)

Hamzas house  set amid palm trees, with soaring ceilings and marble floors  seems empty now that so many members of his family have gone. The room where one of the young couples lived has grown musty from disuse, stripped of personal belongings.

The room looks out over the brightly painted villa next door, once home to another young man who disappeared. He was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan in February. His 11-year-old sister still cries at the sound of his name.

Sitting in her quiet dining room, Hamzas wife, Hafsath, said mournfully that she believed her sons religious education had taken them to an extreme level.

Im scared. Im frightened. Im also worried about the small children, their lives, she said. I dont understand why they have chosen that place. I feel angry at times, but I still want them to come back.

About three months ago, the landline rang. It was her daughter-in-law Rufaila, Ijass wife. She was calling to ask after a sick relative and to tell them she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl they named Fatima.

Rufaila grew emotional, however, when she confessed to her mother-in-law that she was kept in the dark about their destination when they left Kerala. She believed the lie Ijas had told his parents: that he was taking a new job at a hospital in the Lakshadweep Islands.

Where are you? Hafsath asked desperately, wanting to help.

The line went dead.

Shahina K.K. in Kerala, Walid Sharif in Kabul and Julie Tate in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more

U.S. military drops 22,000-pound bomb on Islamic State forces in Afghanistan

Some in Afghanistan question U.S. choice to use 22,000-pound bomb against ISIS

As Trump vows to stop flow of jobs overseas, U.S. plans to make fighter jets in India

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), center, a member of Congresss bipartisan task force combating anti-Semitism, held a news conference March 3, 2017, at the Park East Synagogue in New York to address bomb threats against Jewish organizations and vandalism at Jewish cemeteries. (Bebeto Matthews/AP)

An 18-year-old with dual U.S. and Israeli citizenship was charged Friday with making threatening calls to Jewish community centers in Florida over three months, giving false information to police about harm to people in Georgia, and cyberstalking.

Michael Ron David Kadar, who lived in Ashkelon, Israel, at the time of the threats, took extraordinary steps to conceal his identity and location through technology, including voice alteration, use of proxy IP addresses, virtual currencies and caller ID spoofing, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth E. Blanco of the Justice Departments criminal division.

From Jan. 4 to March 7, Kadar allegedly made 245 threatening and graphic calls to numerous Jewish community centers, Jewish schools and Anti-Defamation League offices throughout Florida, indicating either that there were bombs in the buildings or that people were coming to commit mass shootings, according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

About noon on Jan. 5, for example, Kadar, whom the Israeli police identified as Jewish, allegedly called the Maimonides Hebrew Day School in Fort Myers, Fla., and said there was a C-4 bomb in the school and that shortly, shrapnel from the bomb would be directed into the heads of the Jewish children. He said during the call that the shrapnel would blow their heads off, according to the complaint.

No explosives were found, but many of the calls led to the temporary closure and evacuation or lockdown of the facilities that were targeted, and they forced law enforcement and other emergency personnel to respond and clear the areas.

[Wave of bomb threats made to Jewish schools and institutions]

This kind of behavior is not a prank, and it isnt harmless, said FBI Director James B. Comey. Its a federal crime. It scares innocent people, disrupts entire communities and expends limited law enforcement resources.

Federal prosecutors said that Kadar made the calls through online spoofing services, which allow a user to hide his true caller identification and disguise his voice. They say that he paid for the spoofing services with bitcoin, a type of digital virtual cash.

Kadar is accused of making 67 calls on Jan. 5 to facilities throughout the United States and abroad, using a spoofing service to disguise his voice to appear female. In one call to Orlando, he warned that there was going to be a bloodbath at a Jewish facility. In a call to a preschool in Tampa, he said two dozen children would be slaughtered, according to the complaint.

While Israeli authorities were conducting surveillance in Kadars neighborhood, they noticed a large parabolic antenna connected to his apartment unit. When they executed a search warrant, they found a flash drive with files about the spoofing company and the recorded calls. There was also a file titled Bomb threats to Jewish Institutions.

Kadar was also charged with making a phone call to a police department in Georgia and conveying false information about an alleged violent emergency at a private residence in Athens, Ga.

The charges brought today demonstrate our resolve to pursue and prosecute those who seek to sow terror and fear in our community, wherever they may hide, said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, whose jurisdiction is the Middle District of Florida. Justice Department officials said the investigation into threats of violence against Jewish institutions continues.

Read more:

Israeli man arrested in connection with threats against Jewish community centers in U.S. and other nations.

Former journalist arrested, charged with threats against Jewish facilities
Sharply critical comments on Canadas trading practices by US President Donald Trump this week prompted a conciliatory response from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberal government is doing all it can to deepen Canadas strategic partnership with the US. At the same time, harsher remarks by David MacNaughton, Ottawas ambassador in Washington, indicate the presence of tensions between the two countries on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Trump targeted Canada in a speech Tuesday in the border state of Wisconsin, where he signed a reactionary Buy American, Hire American executive order. Were going to stand up for our farmers, Trump said, because in Canada, some very unfair things have happened to our dairy farmers Its another typical one-sided deal against the United States. And its not going to be happening for long.

The immediate trigger for Trumps comments was complaints from American farmers about a new protectionist law adopted in Canada which provides incentives for businesses to purchase ultra-filtered milk, a concentrate used in yoghurt and cheese, from Canadian producers. American farmers organizations have also long demanded the abolition of Canadas supply management system, which restricts production levels by farmers and market access so as to guarantee prices.

But Trump linked the dairy issue to the broader question of renegotiating NAFTA, stating Thursday, NAFTA, whether its Mexico or Canada, its a disaster for our country. Insisting that problems existed in the Canadian timber and energy sectors as well, Trump went on to warn, We cant let Canada or anybody else take advantage and do what they do to our workers and to our farmers.

The comments came as he signed an executive order calling for an investigation into foreign steel imports into the United States. While this is primarily aimed at Chinese imports, Canadian businesses fear that they will also be impacted.

This appears to mark a hardening in Trumps stance, which had previously been to focus his fire on Mexico while describing the changes in trading relations being sought with Canada as mere tweaks.

Trudeau responded in a Bloomberg interview by stressing that his government was seeking to negotiate a new deal with Washington to secure the privileged access enjoyed by Canadian big business to the US market, which is the destination for some three quarters of the countrys exports. Were not going to overreact, Trudeau said when asked about Trumps demand for changes to NAFTA. Were going to have substantive conversations about how to improve the situation.

Trudeau added on Trump, As politicians were very much trained to say something and stick with it. Whereas he has shown if he says one thing and then actually hears good counter-arguments or good reasons why he should shift his position, he will take a different position if its a better one, if the arguments win him over.

This was an unmistakable allusion to Trumps embrace of a confrontational approach to Russia, especially in the wake of his missile strike on Syria, following a months-long virulently anti-Russia campaign waged by the Democrats, the military and intelligence establishment, and the corporate media in the US. The Trudeau government made no secret of the fact from the outset that they supported a maintenance of the hardline stance towards Moscow begun under the Obama administration.

The Canadian ruling elite has devoted substantial resources to ensuring the maintenance and deepening of Canadas economic and strategic partnership with its southern neighbour. Reflecting the bipartisan character of the full court press mounted by the government, Trudeau called upon former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who is a personal acquaintance of Trump, to act as an adviser on how to deal with the new administration. Last month, Mulroney even attended a government cabinet meeting.

Billions in corporate profits are at stake. Canadas auto and autoparts sector in particular relies on cross-border exchanges of parts and components in the production process, while 99 percent of Canadian oil exports flow south of the border.

Canadas corporate elite has broadly welcomed Trump, seeing his right-wing program of deregulation and tax cuts as offering a boost to profits. Service sector CEOs surveyed by financial website BNN in its C-Suite poll of Canadas top executives recently cited Trumps plans for corporate and personal tax cuts, elimination of business regulations and Trumps pro-business stance as the most important reasons for optimism.

With his criticism of supply management, Trump is kicking at an open door. Substantial sections of the Canadian ruling elite favour the abolition or at least the loosening of the supply management system. Calls have been made for Ottawa to use supply management as a bargaining chip in NAFTA negotiations.

The extensive economic reliance of Canadian imperialism on a close partnership with the United States has seen Canada participate in virtually every US-led war of aggression over the past quarter century, from the bombardment of Yugoslavia to the invasion of Afghanistan, the air war on Libya and the current Mideast war in Syria and Iraq. Canadian military forces are key allies in the US military build-up against Russia in Eastern Europe and the Baltic.

Nonetheless, Trumps latest comments have prompted renewed expressions of concern from Canadian officials. International trade lawyer Lawrence Herman warned that aggressive NAFTA negotiations were likely that would cover a wide range of economic areas. Businesses also feared that the "buy American" provisions could exclude Canadian firms from bidding for various projects in the US that have been open under NAFTA.

MacNaughton, in a letter to governors in New York and Wisconsin, replied to Trumps criticism of the Canadian dairy industry by stating, The facts do not bear this out. He added that Canada was not responsible for the problems in the US dairy sector.

While the Liberal government would prefer to reach a deal with Washington, it has already indicated its readiness to adopt its own protectionist measures in retaliation for policies imposed by the US. A government memorandum obtained by the National Post last month showed that the Liberals were considering banning US iron. Herman, in comments to the Post, stated that Canada should respond as aggressively as we possibly can.

In seeking to avert such an outcome, the Liberal federal government has received the support of provincial governments, including Albertas New Democratic Party (NDP) government led by Rachel Notley. While the federal NDP disingenuously posed as critics of Trudeaus refusal to challenge Trump on even some of his most controversial and reactionary policies, Notley became the first provincial leader to travel to Washington in late February. She received praise from the right-wing press for her role in developing business ties with the new administration as part of team Canada.

Notleys wish was granted March 24 when Trump approved the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which will enable Canadian companies to transport their tar sands oil to the Gulf of Mexico.

The trade unions, on both sides of the border, are collaborating closely with the US and Canadian governments to impose stepped-up exploitation on workers and encourage the nationalist divisions being fostered by protectionist trade measures. Leo Gerard, the head of the United Steelworkers, which has members in both the US and Canada, was one of Trumps invited guests at the event Thursday where Trump signed the order targeting foreign steel products. This is in keeping with the union bureaucracys enthusiasm for Trumps right-wing America first protectionism, which will see a further onslaught on workers wages and conditions in the name of making American businesses more competitive.

In Canada, the unions are collaborating closely with government efforts to bolster corporate profits. After ramming through wage-cutting contracts at the Detroit three automakers last year, Unifor officials including president Jerry Dias joined Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne at Ford facilities in Windsor last month to announce over $200 million in government subsidies to the giant automaker, which raked in some $10 billion in profits last year.

At the same time, Unifor and other unions have sought to whip up nationalist sentiment among the workers so as to keep them divided from their fellow workers in the US and Mexico. Dias has welcomed Trumps move to reopen NAFTA, claiming that it would offer the chance for Canadian interests to be strengthened and for jobs that have gone to Mexico to be brought back to Canada.
Arkansas carried out its first execution in nearly a dozen years late Thursday night. Ledell Lee, 51, was the first of eight prisoners Arkansas had planned to execute before the end of the month because the states supply of midazolam, one of the drugs used in its lethal injection protocol, was about to expire.

Lees execution prompted widespread revulsion, with Amnesty International writing in a statement: Today is a shameful day for Arkansas, which is callously rushing the judicial process by treating human beings as though they have a sell-by date.

Thursdays execution took place under conditions in which increasing numbers of Americans are opposed to the barbaric practice, in part due to executions gone awry and the exoneration of significant numbers of death row inmates.

Prison authorities had planned to conduct a double-execution Thursday night at the Cummins Unit at the state prison in Grady. But the state dropped plans to execute Stacey Johnson after the Arkansas Supreme Court said it would not reconsider his stay, which was issued to allow Johnson to seek more DNA tests in an effort to prove his innocence.

The first three executions planned were canceled because of court decisions, and legal rulings have put at least one other in doubt. The state plans to execute three more men next week. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge have vowed to fight any and all legal challenges by the remaining three condemned men.

The execution came after a flurry of legal challenges and rulings Thursday, which finally resulted in an 11:30 p.m. decision by the US Supreme Court allowing the lethal injection procedure to begin just 14 minutes before Lees death warrant expired at midnight. He was initially set to be executed at 7 p.m. local time.

Lee was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Debra Reese more than 20 years ago in a Little Rock, Arkansas suburb. He was put to death despite his claims of innocence, his intellectual disability, his woefully incompetent counsel, and his claim that Arkansas three-drug execution protocol could subject him to cruel and unusual punishment.

Associated Press reporter Sean Murphy, who was one of three media witnesses at the Cummins Unit, described the final scene in the execution chamber. Lee was strapped to a gurney by his head and arms as the media and about a dozen other witnesses watched from a viewing room.

Lee declined to make a final statement. The lethal injection began around 11:45 p.m., according to Murphys account. Lee appeared to lose consciousness very quickly, he said. His eyes drooped and then closed within a matter of minutes.

A consciousness check was performed at 11:49 p.m. by a member of the execution team, which involved flicking Lees eyelids, shaking his head and rubbing his sternum, at which point the inmate did not appear to be conscious, the AP reporter said. Another check was made at 11:55 p.m., which also included listening for a heartbeat. The coroner pronounced him dead at 11:56 p.m., just 4 minutes before his execution warrant expired.

Lees state killing was carried out with a three-drug protocol, beginning with the sedative midazolam, followed by the paralytic vecuronium bromide, and ending with potassium chloride to induce cardiac arrest.

A number of executions in recent years using midazolamin Alabama, Arizona, Ohio and Oklahomahave resulted in inmates suffering excruciating deaths, gasping for breath and writhing on the execution gurney, appearing not to have been adequately sedated by midazolam.

However, despite such gruesome spectacles involving this sedative, the US Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that such deaths involving midazolam did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, which is banned by the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution.

In Arkansas rush to execution before the end of April, the state has faced criticism from drug companies about the use of their products in executions. Two companies filed a brief last week asking a federal judge to block use of their drugs, including midazolam.

McKesson, the countrys largest drug distributor, sought to block Arkansas from using vecuronium bromide, accusing the state of obtaining it under false pretenses. After appeals by Attorney General Rutledge, the Arkansas Supreme Court sided with the state in these cases on Thursday.

Appeals filed by Lees attorneys, including Nina Morrison of the Innocence Project, were rejected by the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit after the same court briefly stayed the execution.

The attorneys filed a volley of appeals with the US Supreme Court seeking a stay of execution, saying that DNA testing now exists that could prove his innocence and arguing that his intellectual disability should prevent his execution. The US Supreme Court issued temporary stays of execution while it considered these legal arguments.

Lee has persistently called on state authorities to let him take a DNA test and compare the results to evidence collected at the murder scene. He has also presented evidence that his trial attorney provided ineffective counsel and that the judge was having an undisclosed affair with the assistant prosecutor. Lees counsel on appeal was reportedly so drunk in court that he slurred his words.

The high court rejected Lees attorneys claims that he should be spared because he suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome resulting from his mothers chronic drinking during pregnancy, and that he was of borderline intellectual ability and showed evidence of brain damage.

The high courts final 5-4 ruling against Lees Eighth Amendment claim that he might not be rendered sufficiently unconscious by midazolam permitted his execution to go forward. Justice Neil Gorsuch, the recent Trump appointee to the court, cast the deciding vote assuring Lees death. It was Gorsuchs first recorded vote cast as a justice of the court.

As these legal issues played out, Lee saw some four-and-a-half torturous hours pass between his originally scheduled 7 p.m. execution and the time he was marched into the execution chamber and strapped to the gurney.

An amici curiae brief filed with the Supreme Court by the Fair Punishment Project (FPP) of Harvard Law School on Lees behalf notes that his capital case is not dissimilar from those of the nearly 3,000 inmates languishing on death rows across the US:

There is, they write, not much daylight between the culpability of those with a serious mental illness such as paranoid schizophrenia, a person with traumatic brain injury or other intellectual impairment, a man suffering from the after-effects of a lifetime of abuse, and those with intellectual disabilities or who are seventeen. And yet there is good reason to conclude that the typical person sentenced to death or executed in America suffers from such crippling impairments.

Arkansas plans to send three men to their deaths next week, barring any last-minute reprieves:

Jack Jones, scheduled for execution on April 24, suffers from bipolar disorder and depression. His symptoms of mental illness date back to his childhood, when he experienced physical abuse by his father. Jones was convicted and sentenced to death in 1996 for the killing of Mary Phillips and the attempted murder of her daughter, Lucy Phillips.

Marcell Williams, also set to be executed April 24, was a victim of sexual abuse before the age of 10. According to the FPP, by the time he was 12, Marcels mother was routinely pimping him... in exchange for food stamps, for food, for a place to stay. She also routinely beat him savagely. He was sentenced to death in 1997 for the 1994 murder of Stacy Errickson, a 22-year-old woman. The jury never heard compelling mitigating evidence about his background of severe abuse.

Scheduled to be put to death April 27 is Kenneth Williams, who was convicted of murdering Cecil Boren in 1999. Williams suffers from intellectual disability and may have suffered brain damage. He also experienced trauma as he shuffled between six different foster homes as a child.
Asia

India: Delhi cab drivers strike

Over 150,000 cab drivers in Delhi, including Ola, Uber and Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association (DTTTA -Kalee-peeli) drivers as well as auto-rickshaw drivers struck for 24 hours on Tuesday over a range of issues. The walkout was originally called as part of a long-running dispute by Ola and Uber drivers over fares charged by app-based taxi services and the gradual tightening of incentive payments by the companies. Kalee-peeli cab drivers and auto-rickshaw drivers, who previously opposed the introduction of apps-based cabs, joined the strike with similar demands.

A DTTTA representative told the media, Drivers of Ola-Uber are suffering because they are working like bonded labourers and are earning a pittance. Like we have always been demanding, they also want meters installed in cabs and rates to be fixed by the government. Our issues have now become common and so we will fight together, he said.

Ola-Uber drivers want fares regulated by the government and increased from 6 to 20 rupees per kilometre and the 25 percent commission cab companies collect for every booking. Their action followed a two-week strike in February by Ola and Uber drivers which was called off by their union, the Sarvodaya Drivers Association of Delhi, after the government and apps-based operators falsely promised to resolve their grievances.

Punjab state government contract workers protest

Thousands of government contract workers in Bathinda, southern Punjab, demonstrated outside the deputy commissioners office on Monday to demand job permanency as promised in the last state election. They also want 26 days maternity leave for female contract workers, reinstatement of suspended water supply and sanitation department workers and withdrawal of false police charges against workers involved in the previous protest.

The workers called on the government to set aside the eligibility criteria, such as educational qualification and age limit requirements for permanency. These should not apply, they say, because they have been employed in their jobs for many years. They also complained that the previous state government promised to make all contract workers permanent. Instead it suspended around 27,000 water supply and sanitation department employees.

Himachal Pradesh private school workers demonstrate

Some 30 terminated workers from the Christian-run Auckland House School in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, held a 24-hour protest outside the school on Monday demanding their reinstatement. They were hired through a contract company but the school authorities fired them in December, claiming their contract had expired.

The workers, who were represented by the Confederation of Indian Trade Unions, claimed, however, that they were fired illegally because as they were direct employees of the school which provided them with living quarters on the premises.

Andhra Pradesh tour bus drivers and cleaners demand unpaid wages

Over 100 Kesineni Tours and Travels drivers and cleaners demonstrated in Kesineni Bhavan in Vijayawada city on Monday to demand 10 months unpaid salaries. Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas, who owns the inter-city bus transport company, closed the company without notice and sacked over 400 employees. Many had worked for the company for several decades.

Drivers and cleaners said that they had been forced to take high-interest loans of up to 30,000 rupees ($US464) because they had not been paid. Srinivas has refused to meet with the workers and has threatened them with police charges if they continue demanding their pay.

Ahmedabad starch factory workers demand wages

Around 35 employees from the Ahmedabad-based starch manufacturer Anil Limited demonstrated at the labour commissioners office in Ahmedabad on Monday demanding assistance to recover unpaid wages. The companys Bapunagar plant employs over 400 workers who have not been paid for four months and 200 office staff who have not received wages for six months.

Workers said although the plant is still operating, at least 100 workers have found alternative employment. The labour commissioner admitted that he already knew of the dispute and claimed to be doing everything legal to recover the wages.

Nepalese sugar farmers protest

Sugar plantation farmers in Rautahat province, Nepal, have taken control of the warehouse of the privately owned Garuda-based Shreeram Sugar Mill to demand payment for cane they sold to the company. They have blocked the transport of refined sugar from the warehouse until they are paid.

A Sugarcane Producers Association of Rautahat spokesman claimed the mill owes farmers 180 million rupees ($US1.7 million) for sugarcane purchased in 201516 and 50 million rupees for cane purchased since December.

Pakistan: Lahore public school teachers protest

Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) members demonstrated in Lahore on Tuesday in protest against the governments plan to hand over selected public schools to the Daanish Schools Authority and other issues. There have been three demonstrations held since January over this issue. A protest was called off on February 1 after negotiations and false promises from the government to resolve the teachers grievances.

Long-pending demands include stopping disciplinary action against negligent school heads, pay increases, the resolution of pending promotions and making temporary positions permanent and an end to the privatisation of public schools in Punjab province.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government teachers protest

Government school teachers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province are demonstrating over seven demands. These include a pay increase, time-scale promotions, teaching allowances and paid leave, and a job quota for deceased teachers children. They held protests between April 11 and April 15 in Nowshehra, Mardan, Charssadda and Swabi. The government has continued to ignore their demands.

The All Teachers Coordination Council, a combined body of all school (primary, middle and high) teachers, organised a protest in Peshawar on April 20. Their action has disrupted student enrolments which began on April 18.

Filipino banana packers strike

Hundreds of banana plantation workers at eight packing plants in the Compostela Valley in the Davao Region in Mindanao walked off the job on Tuesday demanding abolition of the piece-rate wage system. A Maparat-Monte Vista Workers Union representative told the media that the piece-rate system, also known as pakyawan, forced workers to labour for 12 hours a day for just 310 pesos ($US6.22). This is less than the official 330 pesos per day for agricultural workers in the region.

Over 130 striking workers at the Japanese-owned Sumifru banana packing plant returned to work after 13 hours on Tuesday when management agreed to scrap the piece-rate system and install an hourly payment scheme. The company has used the piece-rate system since 2015.

Taiwan textile workers protest

Terminated workers from the textile manufacturer Lilytex Group in Taipei demonstrated outside Taiwans ministry of labor on Tuesday. The accused the Lilytex of breaking a promise to pay workers severance pay above the legal minimum. The company abruptly shut operations in late March, leaving its 28 workers unemployed.

The textile workers claim they were given the statutory 60-days notice before the factorys closure and that their severance pay was less than previous terminated workers received. A union spokesman said some of the workers were just two months away from retirement and had lost approximately $300,000 ($US9,870) in retirement benefits.

Australia and the Pacific

Victorian plywood mill workers locked out

Some 160 full time workers and 47 casuals at the Carter Holt Harvey plywood mill at Myrtleford in Victorias northeast were locked out on April 19 in a dispute over a new work agreement. The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said that after 12 months of stalled negotiations workers voted to take protected industrial action in the form of rolling stoppages and an overtime ban over three days starting on Wednesday.

At 2 a.m. on Wednesday, however, security guards escorted workers out of the mill, locking them out and erecting temporary fencing. The company said the lockout was indefinite.

The workers, who are holding a picket in rolling shifts at the plants front gate, want a 3 percent pay rise annually over three years, one weeks annual leave allowable in the Christmas holiday period and better access to income protection insurance. A CFMEU spokesman said the company wanted one nationwide agreement for all its sites and has imposed a 2 percent pay increase at its Tumut and Morwell mills.

Queensland power station workers to vote on new agreement

Workers employed by NRG at the Gladstone Power Station in Queensland will vote at the end of April on the companys latest enterprise agreement. The ballot by members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Services Union follows six months of stalled negotiations and a protest in February.

NRG released its latest offer this week claiming it contains no changes to current wages, hours, leave, superannuation and other benefits to existing employees and that all award protections such as consultation and redundancy provisions are maintained. Workers claim, however, that the agreement offer is two-tiered and that if accepted would allow the company to employ new recruits on contract and under reduced wages and conditions.

The unions claim the latest proposal is an improvement on NRGs past proposals and the company says it is in line with the rest of the power industry. The unions did not indicate whether they would recommend the proposal to its members.

New Zealand Defence Force civilian workers strike

Around 600 members of the Public Service Association (PSA) employed at various locations of the New Zealand Defence Force began strike action this week to demand a pay increase. The workers, including logistics staff, catering, security guards and IT employees, walked out at Palmerston North on Thursday and Wellington on Friday. Two strikes are planned for next week at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland.

The workers have not had a wage rise for three years and claim they are paid $10,000 a year less than others doing the same jobs at similar organisations. According to the PSA, defence force senior management oppose pay increases in a new collective employment agreement.

Saipan casino construction workers protest

More than 50 contract construction workers at a casino resort on the Pacific island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas (a US territory) staged a street protest on April 14 over outstanding wages. They also protested over sub-standard living conditions. The Chinese workers said they had not been paid by casino contractor MCC International Saipan, a unit of state-owned Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd, since February.

According to Reuters, MCC and another contract company, Beilida Overseas (CNMI) Ltd, were charged by the US government on April 3 with illegally importing and employing Chinese workers, including one who died in March. A government official accused the workers of entering the country on tourist visas, callously declaring, No passports. No work. No money.
Fliers who behave badly and cause flight delays will face hefty fines when flying Air India.

After one too many incidents involving belligerent customers -- who also happened to be members of parliament -- Air India announced that unruly passengers who cause a flight delay of up to one hour will be slapped with a hefty $7,750 (5 lakh in rupees) fine.

That doubles to $15,500 (10 lakh rupees) for delays between one and two hours, and an eye-watering $23,260 (15 lakh rupees) for delays longer than two hours, reported The Times of India.

The decision to impose hefty fines follows a spate of incidents involving aggressive and combative passengers against airport staff, three of which involved high-ranking politicians.

Last month, a member of parliament was charged with assaulting a 60-year-old airline staffer with his slippers during an altercation that delayed an Air India flight. The politician was downgraded from business to economy class.

Similar incidents involving assaults on airline staff and combative politicians have also made headlines recently, causing flight delays for the airline and fellow passengers.

The airline is hoping the fines will serve as a deterrent and make passengers think twice before kicking up a disruptive fuss.

Meanwhile, following the incident involving Ravindra Gaikwad and his slippers, the MP was temporarily put on a no-fly list. Air India lifted the ban earlier this month.
An American Airlines employee has been suspended after he allegedly hit a mother with her babys stroller on Friday, according to reports.

The woman reportedly boarded a plane from San Francisco to Dallas when the male flight attendant violently took the stroller, hitting her and just missing her young child, according to a witness on the flight.

Read: Passenger Dragged Off United Plane Identified; CEO 'Emphatically' Stands Behind Employees

A video posted to Facebook by Surian Adyanthaya captured the aftermath of the incident.

The mother appears distraught as she cries near the front of the plane.

Another passenger then gets up to defend the mom.

Hey bud, you do that to me and Ill knock you flat, the man says to the flight attendant during the video.

You stay out of this, the flight attendant responds.

The passenger then steps forward to confront the attendant.

Hit me, cmon, bring it on! the attendant says on the video. Cmon, you dont know what the story is.

The Facebook video has already been viewed more than 1 million times since it was posted yesterday.

American Airlines condemned the flight attendants behavior and said it had launched an investigation into the incident.

Read: Businessman Claims United Staff Told Him He'd Be Hauled Off in Cuffs If He Didn't Give Up Seat

What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers, the airline said in a statement. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident.

The incident comes just three weeks after a Chicago man was beaten and dragged off an United Airlines flight by airport police when he refused to give up his seat to an airline employee who needed to catch a connecting flight.

Story continues

Watch: Couple Booted From Flight After Meltdown Causes Plane To Turn Around

Related Articles:
Scientists and their supporters across the globe are expected to march in the thousands Saturday amid growing anxiety over what many see as a mounting political assault on facts and evidence.

Anchored in Washington, with satellite marches planned in more than 600 cities worldwide, the first-ever March for Science was described by organizers as a rallying call for the importance of science in all aspects of daily life.

"The march has generated a great deal of conversation around whether or not scientists should involve themselves in politics," said a statement on the official website, MarchforScience.com.

"In the face of an alarming trend toward discrediting scientific consensus and restricting scientific discovery, we might ask instead: can we afford not to speak out in its defense?"

Organizers say the march is non-partisan and is not aimed against US President Donald Trump or any politician or party, though the Republican US leader's administration has certainly "catalyzed" the movement, according to honorary national co-chair Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular and cellular biologist.

She spoke of a growing "disconnect between what science is and its value to society."

"Fundamental basic science really underlies all of modern life these days. We have taken it so for granted," Villa-Komaroff told reporters this week.

Trump has vowed to slash budgets for research at top US agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, which could lose a third of its staff if Congress approves the proposal.

He also named as head of the EPA Oklahoma lawyer Scott Pruitt, who claimed last month that carbon dioxide is not the main driver of global warming, a position starkly at odds with the international scientific consensus on the matter.

"In the response to this absurdity lies cause for hope," Paul Hanle, chief executive officer of independent scientist and journalists group Climate Central wrote in an op-ed this week.

Story continues

"Seeing the assault on fact-based thinking, scientists are energized."

- Marches worldwide -

The US capital rally begins Saturday at 8:00 am (1200 GMT), and will be capped with a march from the National Mall to the Capitol at 2:00 pm.

Hundreds of satellite marches are planned across the United States and worldwide -- with more than 600 listed as of Friday -- including in Australia, Brazil, Canada, many nations in Europe, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria and South Korea.

At a time when the Earth has marked three consecutive years of record-breaking heat, and ice is melting at an unprecedented rate at the poles, risking massive sea level rise in the decades ahead, some marchers say it is more important than ever for scientists to communicate and work toward solutions to curb fossil fuel emissions.

"I will be marching in London on Saturday not so much to fly the flag for science -- though I believe it is something worth celebrating -- but because I think that in these fractious political times, when we are facing challenges that are truly global, it has never been more important for scientists to go public," said Stephen Curry, vice-chair of Science is Vital and Professor of structural biology at Imperial College, London.

Some scientists, however, expressed concern that the march might increase polarization.

"The right will say the demonstration is the tool of the political left," Robert Young, a geologist at Western Carolina University, told AFP.

"That is why a march is a problem, it's the wrong way to try to communicate."

Despite his concerns, Young said he planned to join the march.

David Reay, a professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, said scientists "are not famous for their camaraderie. We are trained to question, criticize and, where needed, contest each other's work."

"That we are now marching together is testament to just how threatened our disparate community feels," he added.
Today in 5 Lines

President Trump signed an executive order that will start the process of rolling back several Obama-era regulations intended to curtail corporate tax evasion. In an interview with the Associated Press, Trump said he plans to unveil a tax-reform package early next week that will give businesses and individuals a massive tax cut. Trump also said far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is the strongest on whats been going on in France, but stopped short of offering a full endorsement. The House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, invited several former Obama administration officials, including former acting Attorney General Sally Yates, to testify before the panel. The Department of Justice is reportedly preparing to bring charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Recommended: How Trump Fell Into His Own 100-Day Trap

Today on The Atlantic

Caught in His Own Trap: Donald Trump said hed fulfill a slew of campaign promises by his 100th day in office. But as that date approaches, the president has changed his tone, describing the 100-day marker as a ridiculous standard. (David A. Graham)

System Overload: By last September, there were more than 500,000 cases pending in immigration courts in the United States. That number will almost certainly grow as the Trump administration arrests undocumented immigrants who were not previously targeted. (Priscilla Alvarez)

Learning Politics: On Saturday, scientists around the world will march to highlight the importance of scientific research and its application to policy making. But this objective does not go far enough, writes Andrew Jewett. For the movement to succeed, he argues, protesters need to understand the power structures of politics.

Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Snapshot

Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian-American woman detained in Egypt for nearly three years on human trafficking charges, meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

Recommended: Texas Keeps Failing to Convince Federal Courts Its Voting Laws Aren't Racist

Story continues

What Were Reading

How Trump Blew Up the Conservative Media: A Trump presidency was supposed to bring about a revival of conservative media, but instead, writes Eliana Johnson, Trump has triggered a civil war in its top ranks. (Politico)

Trumps Trickiest Task: The presidents best hope to deter North Koreas junior god king from using nuclear weapons is to talk with Chinaand persuade them that curbing the dictator is in their own best interest. (The Economist)

The Power of Diplomacy?: The Trump administration negotiated the release of an Egyptian American charity worker who was imprisoned in Egypt for three years. While the administration says the deal was a result of discreet diplomacy, former Obama administration officials wonder if Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi may have received something in return. (Philip Rucker and Karen DeYoung, The Washington Post)

The Reality of Climate Change: Society frequently focuses on ways to address the future dangers of climate change. But those effects are already beginning to saturate the presentfrom wildfires to heightened flooding. (Jon Mooallem, The New York Times Magazine)

Following the Money: A USA Today investigation found that Donald Trumps companies own more than 400 properties across the United States. Profits from these holdings could personally enrich the president, which creates the potential for conflict. (Nick Penzenstadler, Steve Reilly, and John Kelly)

Recommended: Why Is Jeff Sessions Attacking the Police?

Visualized

Under Attack: These graphics show the evolution of chemical weaponsfrom World War I to Syrias six-year conflictand their effects on the human body. (Reuters)

Question of the Week

This week, we asked you to share your assessments of President Trumps first 100 days in office. Visit our Notes section for a complete list of responses. Heres a preview:

For Tom Lucas, Trumps presidency has gone much like his campaign:

There is no consistent focus, advisers are dropping in and out of favor, and Trump claims everything good that happens (good January job numbers) is a result of his greatness, while things that fail (AHCA) are somebody elses fault. Overall he is showing terrible leadership attributes.

Michael Porcaro, on the other hand, would give Trump an A for effort:

I feel he is doing his very best to carry out his agenda. Congress has to make adjustments to meet his demands. He won due to what he ran on. It's what the majority of working people want. He has more to do.

Finally, reader Howard Cohen put it this way: All hat and no cattle.

Stay tuned for next week's Question of the Week.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites)

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
After a few months of staying out of the spotlight, former President Barack Obama planned to make his first public appearance at the University of Chicago. The 44th president was set to appear Monday with community and youth leaders in his first public remarks since Jan. 20 for a conversation on community organizing and civic engagement.

The event was scheduled to be held at the Universitys Logan Center for the Arts and was not going to be political, according to reports. The appearance will focus on his commitment to young leaders, a center point of what the former president said hed like to focus on after leaving office. Obama planned to touch upon how he was inspired to get into politics as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, Politico reported Friday.

Read: Obama Foundation Releases Vision For The Future

This event is part of President Obamas post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world, the event program stated.

The former presidents namesake legacy, the Obama Foundation, released its vision in February, touching upon the importance of the next generation of leaders. Established in 2014, the Foundation planned to oversee the construction of the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago, which would include the presidential library.

The Obama Foundation is a working, living center for citizenship, the Foundation said in a statement released in February. Our goal is to develop the next generation of citizens, to shape what it means to be an engaged and active citizen in the 21st century.

Before leaving office, Obama explained his commitment to helping young people.

Ill go back to doing the kinds of work that I was doing before, just trying to find ways to help people. Help young people get educations and help people get jobs and try to bring businesses into neighborhoods that dont have enough businesses, he told middle schoolers in 2015. Thats the kind of work I really love to do.

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RTX2YEPQ

Photo: Reuters

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China's first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1, successfully completed docking with an orbiting space lab on Saturday, the Beijing Aerospace Control Center said.

The Tianzhou-1 was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province Thursday evening and began to approach the space lab, Tiangong-2, Saturday morning.

It made first contact with the space lab at 12:16 pm on Saturday (04:16 GMT) and docking was completed at 12:23 pm.

Cargo ships bring supplies and fuel into orbit, and the independent development of one is a "crucial step" toward China's goal of having its own crewed space station by 2022, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The Tianzhou-1 is a tube-like craft which measures 10.6 metres in length and can carry over six tonnes of cargo as well as satellites, Xinhua said.

It will also conduct experiments in space, including one on non-Newtonian gravitation, and will dock two more times with Tiangong-2 before falling back to Earth, Xinhua said.

Beijing sees its multi-billion-dollar space programme as a symbol of its rise and of the Communist Party's success in turning around the fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation.

In 2011, the US Congress ruled that Chinese astronauts would not be allowed on the International Space Station because of national security concerns.

Tiangong-2 went into space on September 15, 2016.
Cologne (Germany) (AFP) - Germany's anti-immigration AfD handed its own leader a humiliating setback Saturday five months before a general election, as thousands of demonstrators rallied against its party congress.

The four-year-old Alternative for Germany has harnessed public anger over Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to let in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015.

But its poll numbers have plunged in recent months as the influx waned, and amid a bitter power struggle between populists and more radical, hard-right forces.

That conflict spilled over at the weekend congress in the western city of Cologne, as delegates rejected a bid by co-leader Frauke Petry to adopt a more moderate-sounding "Realpolitik" programme intended to shut down the party's more extremist voices.

Top-selling daily Bild called delegates' decision to not even debate her motion a "crushing blow" for Petry, a 41-year-old former chemist who is pregnant with her fifth child.

Even as the gathering began, singing and chanting protesters attempted to stop delegates from entering the congress venue, a hotel in the city centre.

Some 4,000 police were dispatched to keep the peace, as two officers were injured in scuffles with violent demonstrators.

Thousands more held a peaceful rally for "diversity and tolerance" across town, while a bar across the street from the congress centre hung a large protest banner reading "No Koelsch for Nazis", referring to the local beer.

- 'Absurd immigration policies' -

In a fervent appeal opening the event, Petry said the AfD could still aim to become Germany's top party by the next general election in four years' time if it softened the harder edges of its message.

Members needed to decide "whether and how the AfD can become a realistic option to take power for voters by 2021 so we don't permanently leave the government to the established parties," she said.

Story continues

The AfD, represented in 11 of Germany's 16 state legislatures, aims to sign off on a programme that will pave the way for the party to enter the national parliament this year for the first time.

It includes calls to stop family unification of refugees already in Germany, strip immigrants convicted of "significant crimes" of their German passports, and declare Islam incompatible with German culture.

The biggest applause at the congress went to Petry's co-leader Joerg Meuthen, who railed against the "absurd immigration policies" backed by both Merkel and her chief challenger, Social Democrats leader Martin Schulz.

"We don't want to become a minority in our own country," he said, vowing the AfD would campaign with "furious resolve" against its "tired political opponents".

All of Germany's mainstream parties have ruled out working with the AfD if it clears the five-percent hurdle to representation in the September 24 election.

Opinion polls show the party at between seven and 11 percent, a steep drop from the 15-percent support it drew only late last year.

Merkel is seeking a fourth term after nearly 12 years in power and her conservative Christian Democrats are currently leading the polls.

- Le Pen, Trump and Brexit -

The telegenic Petry has aligned herself with kindred spirits across Europe, including far-right firebrand Marine Le Pen, one of the frontrunners for the first round of the French presidential election on Sunday.

But analysts say there is little appetite among most Germans for radical change, particularly after the victories of Donald Trump in the United States and the Brexit camp in Britain.

Petry had made the shock announcement Wednesday that she would not seek to lead the AfD's campaign this year. The news left the party reeling and set the stage for the showdown between its warring factions.

Her chief rival, 76-year-old Alexander Gauland, a hardline defector from Merkel's CDU, had urged delegates to defeat her Realpolitik motion, calling it "divisive".

Denouncing "provocations" by party officials, Petry had also called for the ouster of an AfD state leader, Bjoern Hoecke, who in January sparked outrage by slamming Berlin's vast Holocaust memorial as a "monument of shame".

She claimed victory however on that point, as delegates defeated a motion to vote on whether he should be kept in the party.
By Abdul Matin MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan soldier Zabihullah was chatting with an army comrade at their military base in northern Afghanistan when gunfire interrupted their quiet Friday afternoon. "I asked my friend what was happening, and he said, relax, it must be one of us." It wasn't. It was the Taliban. Dressed in army uniforms, at least 10 Taliban attackers had breached the military headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif, eventually killing more than 140 soldiers, according to the latest estimates by officials. "When they started hitting other soldiers, we understood that it was a terrorist attack," Zabihullah told Reuters from his hospital bed, wounded by an explosion. "The soldiers were dropping like sparrows hit by a shotgun." The attack, which is likely the deadliest yet on an Afghan military base, represents a major blow to the country's struggling security forces as they prepare for what is expected to be a year of bloody fighting against the Taliban, as well as other smaller militant groups like Islamic State. The base is the headquarters for the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps and also hosts foreign troops from the NATO-led mission to advise and train Afghan forces. No international troops were caught up in the attack, according to coalition officials. The incident raised immediate questions over how such a mass killing could occur in a heavily defended headquarters frequented by foreign soldiers. In the early afternoon on Friday, two army vehicles bearing men in Afghan army uniforms rolled up to the base's gate, claiming to have wounded soldiers in need of urgent medical care. Two guards at the first checkpoint waved them through, according to Ahmad Saboor, a soldier who was on guard duty further inside the base that day. At the second checkpoint, the guards told the men in the trucks they had to leave their weapons behind, as is standard procedure at the bases, Saboor said. After a brief argument, the attackers shot and killed the two guards and sped toward the third and final checkpoint, which they hit with a rocket-propelled grenade before racing into the base itself. "The first vehicle had a light machine gun mounted on it and started firing at dozens of soldiers and officers coming out of the mosque," Saboor recalled. "The second vehicle went towards the dining hall and started shooting." Wielding machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, the attackers sprayed heavy fire into groups of soldiers gathered to eat at a dining hall and leaving afternoon prayers at the mosque. Several other attackers detonated suicide vests packed with explosives. Photos circulating online showed the inside of the mosque pock-marked with bullet holes and strewn with shattered glass. "I had just finished my prayers and was outside the mosque when an army pickup sped towards us," said another wounded officer, who asked not to be named as his family had not been notified. "I stood still and did not know whether to run or stay, then a gunman from the back of the truck opened fire with a machine gun and hit the side of my abdomen and my left leg." Other unarmed soldiers were dropping dead and wounded around him. "One of the attackers blew himself up, and others went and took up positions in a small room next to the mosque," he said. The confusion in the base was compounded by the fact that the attackers wore army uniforms. "At first there was a call on the radio not to shoot because they thought it could have been a misunderstanding," said the guard Saboor, who reported that some base officials initially thought it might have been a disagreement between soldiers. Afghan commandos from elsewhere on the base arrived and engaged the attackers, eventually killing or capturing all of them, Zabihullah said. A Taliban spokesman said at least four of the attackers were longtime members of the army who worked with the insurgent group. Afghan officials are investigating that claim, but Zabihullah said he had no doubt that the gunmen had inside help. "Security is so tight that even soldiers without IDs are not allowed to get in," he said. (Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Will Waterman)
Ask a given person what they know about the history of the use of African-Americans as unwilling research subjects and they are likely to mention one infamous incident: Tuskegee. Such a failure seems almost beyond belief, or human compassion, TIME wrote when the study made headlines in 1972, as the world learned that for four decades the U.S. Public Health Service had been conducting an experiment in which proven remedies were kept from syphilis patients in Alabama, all of whom were black men. But theres a lot more to that history.

Tuskegee shouldnt be the first thing people think of, Harriet A. Washington, the author of Medical Apartheid, tells TIME. Its the example that the government has admitted to and acknowledged. Its so famous that people think it was the worst, but it was relatively mild compared to other stuff.

With the premiere on Saturday of the HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, based on Rebecca Skloots best-selling book of the same name, another piece of the puzzle may get a little closer to the first-to-mind fame of Tuskegee. Lacks was, as TIME explained in its initial review of Skloots book, a black woman treated unsuccessfully for cervical cancer in 1951, from whose tumor doctors kept a sample of tissue. Her cells provided a breakthrough would prove invaluable to medical research, but her family was kept in the dark even as they themselves became the subjects of scientific interest.

Washington, who has interviewed the Lacks family, says that one problem with the national narrative about Tuskegee is the risk that those unaware of the larger history that surrounds both that study and the story of Henrietta Lacks might think that African-Americans are overreacting to a single study if they express distrust of the medical establishment. Rather, as Skloot also notes in her book, distrust like that expressed by the Lacks family is related to whats summed up by the subtitle of Washingtons book as The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans From Colonial Times to the Present.

Were talking about something that began in the 17th century, Washington says.

Though the line between therapeutic medicine and research was blurrier at the time, she says its clear that doctors in the colonial American context would often try out new ideas on white patients when they hoped that the experiment would help the person in question; they would use African slaves and Native Americans as subjects when the point of the research was to benefit others. Perhaps the most infamous example of antebellum medical research being performed on slaves is that of J. Marion Sims, whose innovation of a revolutionary gynecological procedure was made possible by multiple practice runs on enslaved women. Washington also found that slaves bodies were used for experiments after they died, despite widespread belief that maintaining the bodys integrity after death was religiously necessary.

Historically, one of the larger connections is that, if youre talking about the appropriation of African-American bodies when enslavement was part of the law of the land, that represented an extension of slavery into eternity, she explains.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

When it comes to the 20th century, though slavery was no longer the law, Washington says that there was a widespread belief that people who did not pay for their medical care would owe their bodies to the medical community in return. As a result, patients from marginalized communities, like the poor and immigrants, did not receive the same ethical consideration that others did. Though that idea would have applied to poor patients of all races, segregation at the time meant that black patients were confined in many places to black wards, and they were disproportionately affected.

Washington says that one big misconception she often hears is that in 1951, when Lacks was treated, what happened to Lacks would have been just the common practice at the time. In reality, she has found that - while it is true that the laws and regulations that govern such experimentation have changed between then and now - basic ethical concepts such as informed consent were already very much in play. In fact, she says, especially in the wake of the world learning of Nazi medical experimentation, some organizations kept consent rules that were even more stringent than those in play today. These conventions tended to be rigorously adhered to when it came to white people, Washington notes.

And, though medical research can be complicated, she believes the basic idea - then and now - is simple: Subjects who have normal adult intelligence are capable of understanding whether their permission has been asked.

But, if those ethical standards have generally endured, other things have changed. Washington points to 1980 as a turning point, thanks to changes like the law that changed the medical-research economy and a Supreme Court decision that has been interpreted to mean that living things are subject to patents. The need for tissue on which to experiment continues, but now it can be a lot more financially valuable if things work out. Washington believes that economic pressures have led to an erosion in the application of informed consent in the years since.

Thats part of the reason why Washington is glad that Henrietta Lacks name is becoming more famous.

People tend to underestimate the extent and breadth of this, Washington says. Theres no sphere of American medicine that was not touched by the use in research of African-Americans.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Peter Capaldi's not just a fan of science fiction. This guy loves real deal science, too.

Dr. Who's beloved twelfth doctor made an appearance at the London March for Science on Saturday, much to the delight of science, and Time Lord fans alike.

SEE ALSO: The new 'Doctor Who' trailer promises an outrageously epic series

Devotees were especially glad to see Capaldi because he'll be leaving the show at the end of the year  but, hey, making your mark at the March for Science definitely counts as "out with a bang," right?

He even partnered up with the World Wildlife Federation.

Story continues

WWF joining forces with a time lord to stand up for science #MarchForScience #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/x0DcoBBQlm  WWF UK (@wwf_uk) April 22, 2017

Now, if we could only find out where he parked the TARDIS.

WATCH: Giant icebergs are a big tourist draw in Newfoundland, and a warning sign
When the votes are counted on Sunday, expect Marine Le Pen, lightning-rod candidate of the far-right Front National, to advance to the second round of Frances presidential election. After a first wave of anxious reaction from across France and around Europe, well hear and read assurances that she probably wont win the runoff. Comparisons will be made with her fathers surprise second-round appearance 15 years ago-with reminders that the elder Le Pen was then crushed in a head-to-head contest with Jacques Chirac. Other stories will be written to explain how, even if she wins, she cant keep campaign promises to pull France from the EU and Eurozone, because she wont have the parliamentary backing or public support to do it.

A warning: Le Pens odds of becoming Frances next president are higher than most think. Much will depend, of course, on which of the deeply flawed field of candidates emerges as her second-round opponent. The favorite, Emmanuel Macron, remains relatively untested. He created his En Marche party-yes, the man and his party share initials-just over a year ago. He has little party structure or popular base. Skeptics on the left point to his career in investment banking. Critics on the right cite his service in current President Francois Hollandes extremely unpopular Socialist Party government. And despite his solid showing in current polls, its not clear how many who prefer him will actually vote.

Francois Fillon, establishment candidate of the center-right, has the party infrastructure and broad political base that Macron lacks, but corruption charges have stained his credibility. Leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon has proven he can score debating points, grab public attention and fire up a crowd, but his ability to win 50% in a second round is far from assured. Socialist Party candidate Benoit Hamon has become an afterthought, more a drain on Melenchons potential than a true contender.

Le Pen has her detractors, but her base is the most likely to stand in line on election day. We also cannot be sure what the mood will be between the first and second rounds or which stories will define the campaigns final stretch. Given these unknowns-and the weaknesses of her rivals-dont believe anyone who tells you that Le Pen cant win.

What if she does? No, she cant hold a referendum on Frances EU or Euro membership, because Article 11 of Frances constitution only allows for referenda on questions that dont require constitutional change, and Article 88 enshrines Frances place in the European Union. Nor will her party win enough parliamentary seats in June elections to form a Front National government. Forced to choose a prime minister from another party, probably from the center right, Le Pen will have little leverage on domestic policy.

But... if she wins, financial markets may well freak out. If global reserve managers, who hold about 700 billion of French government debt, sell off on a large scale, a sharp spike in French government bond yields may create a crisis that reminds us that France, unlike Greece, is too big to bail. Its also possible that ratings agencies would interpret any attempt by Le Pen to keep her campaign promise to redenominate French debt as a default, quickly undermining confidence in Frances four global systemically important banks. That could trigger bank runs, a wave of capital flight and an uncoordinated exit from the Euro. Le Pen supporters will shrug off these warnings with reminders of predictions of violent market reaction to a win for Donald Trump. But France isnt the United States. Its not an investment safe haven. Its financial resilience is much more in doubt.

Le Pen probably wont be president. But Id put her chances at close to a coin flip, and the impact of a Le Pen presidency-on France, Europe and the world-are too easily dismissed.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
(HELENA, Mont.) - Donald Trump Jr. will be targeting more than just Montanas Republican voters on Friday and Saturday when he helps Greg Gianforte campaign for an open U.S. House seat.

A prairie dog hunt is also on the agenda for the four-city tour for President Donald Trumps son and Gianforte, a technology entrepreneur up against Democrat Rob Quist in the May 25 election for the seat vacated by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

As good Montanans, we want to show good hospitality to people, Gianforte said. What can be more fun than to spend an afternoon shooting the little rodents?

Trump is lending Gianforte some star power to fuel his campaign after Republican congressional candidates had close calls in special elections in Kansas and Georgia. The presidents son, an avid hunter and angler who last visited Montana in November, is looking to shore up support from the hunting-friendly state after his father won Montana by 20 percentage points over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Prairie dog hunting is a way for landowners to control the population of the rodents, classified as agricultural pests because of the damage they can do to crops. They are also a nongame species, meaning there are no hunting limits or hunting seasons. Killing them is a popular pastime among some hunters who looking to keep their shooting skills sharp during the offseason when they cant hunt wild animals like deer and elk.

However, prairie dogs are also listed as a species of concern by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks because their numbers have declined and because of threats like disease.

Their numbers havent declined to the point that protective measures must be taken so that theyre managed like other wildlife, though, agency spokesman Greg Lemon said.

They are a species of concern but also a species not in need of management, he said.

The Humane Society of the United States condemned Trumps hunting plans, saying prairie dogs are an important species for the Great Plains because more than 100 other animals depend on the prairie dog either as food or move into the burrows they dig, said Lindsey Sterling Krank, the organizations director for its Prairie Dog Coalition.

Story continues

Now is the time year when prairie dogs are still nursing their new offspring, meaning hunters who shoot lactating females are condemning the pups to starvation, Sterling Krank said.

I would love to take Donald Trump Jr. out with a spotting scope and shoot the prairie dog with our cameras, Sterling Krank said. Shooting a prairie dog colony is not a good conservation message.

Gianforte, whose campaign has focused on gun rights, dismissed the organizations concerns.

The Montana race is drawing increasing interest after the Georgia and Kansas elections, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has pledged to come to Montana next month to campaign for Quist, a popular musician who fronted the Mission Mountain Wood Band.

Gianforte, who is trying to rebound from last Novembers election loss to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, has already received a boost from outside spending from national Republican groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund.

Clearly theyve never shot a prairie dog, he said. They dont know how much fun it is.

Quist campaign spokeswoman Tina Olechowski declined to comment.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Ixtapa (Mexico) (AFP) - A Dutch sailing boat offering abortions, often in defiance of some country's laws, arrived in international waters off Mexico, the organization crewing it said.

The "Women on Waves" vessel was expelled from near Guatemala in February without carrying out a single pregnancy termination.

It had taken up position off Guerrero state, on Mexico's Pacific coast.

The "Women on Waves" group said in an online statement that it was offering "free legal medical abortions till 9 weeks of pregnancy" to women who needed them. It said its ship "has all required permits" and would receive women until Sunday.

It noted that Mexico permitted abortions in cases of sexual violence. Abortion is limited in other cases to different degrees across the 31 Mexican states.

The Dutch group has previously sent its ship to waters off Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

In a media conference given in the Mexican coastal town of Ixtapa, "Women on Waves" president Rebecca Gomperts said access to safe abortions was a matter of "social justice" in Latin America, especially after the Zika crisis which increases the risk of birth deformities.
By Emily Flitter NEW HOPE, Pa. (Reuters) - In his white dress shirt and black pin-striped pants, U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick stood out from the other birdwatchers gathered near a grove of bud-studded trees in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday morning. The National Audubon Society had invited the Republican congressman to the affluent town of New Hope on Earth Day for a glimpse at a few of the hundreds of millions of birds that travel to their breeding grounds during the spring migration. The society's aim was to explain to Fitzpatrick the effects that global warming was having on the bright little jewels of spring and the habitats they pass through on their way north. "So many members of Congress are not with it on climate change, what we thought is, let's take our local members of Congress birding and get them interested," said Jim Greenwood, a trustee on National Audubon's board, himself a former congressman. For Fitzpatrick, who was elected to represent Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District last November, it was a chance to do something visible on Earth Day, far away from the March for Science events planned in cities across the United States. His bird-watching appearance in the picturesque heart of his eastern Pennsylvania district was a way to counter the perception by some Americans that Republicans are indifferent or even hostile to protecting the environment. As President Donald Trump moves to undo regulations put in place by his predecessor Barack Obama to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slash the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, a small group of congressional Republicans have begun to express alarm over global warming. Seventeen of them have signed a House of Representatives resolution vowing to combat climate change, while more than a dozen have joined a voting bloc dedicated to supporting legislation friendly to the environment. Fitzpatrick, who was elected after his brother Mike decided against seeking reelection, has done both. But Earth Day still poses a political problem for Republicans. Members of the party, which controls both houses of Congress, have been branded as the bad guys, according to Alex Bozmoski, director of strategy at RepublicEn, a conservative green advocacy group in Washington. "Earth Day isn't our thing -- it's a good day for people watching and calibrating just how far the Environmental Left has departed from climate priorities," he said. "Good things are happening," he added, citing Earth Day Texas, a Dallas conference hosted by a prominent Republican donor, "but it's hard to escape two generations of political branding." After his brief birding experience behind the Bucks County Audubon Society's headquarters, Fitzpatrick drew applause when he told a crowd of 50 or so at a town hall-style appearance that he opposed cutting the EPA's budget. He listened as a volunteer for the non-partisan Citizens Climate Lobby explained a plan the group promotes for levying a carbon fee on fossil fuel producers and distributing the proceeds to consumers. In a Reuters interview, Fitzpatrick said he thought developing renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power was the best way to reduce greenhouse emissions. "We've got to get away from fossil fuels -- it's 2017," he said. (Editing by Frank McGurty)
What Were Following

The Attack in France: Yesterday, ISIS claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on police in Paris that killed one officer and wounded two others. The shooting happened just days before the first round of Frances presidential election, in which anger over and fear of terrorism have fueled the rise of far-right candidate Marine LePen. But its hard to say just how much influence this attack could have on the polls. Right now, the young outsider candidate Emmanuel Macron looks like the front-runner, and his success comes thanks to a strategy similar to Barack Obamas.

The Immigration Situation: The Justice Department sent letters of warning today to nine sanctuary citiesand issued a factually dubious statement on the crime rates of several of the cities in question, including New York City and Chicago. The DOJ is threatening to withhold federal funding from the cities if they dont give ICE officials the immigration statuses of people held by local law enforcement. But U.S. immigration courts already have more cases than they can handle, and President Trumps crackdown has only made the problem worse.

Recommended: Torching the Modern-Day Library of Alexandria

The March for Science: Scientists and their supporters from around the world will be demonstrating in Washington, D.C., and other cities tomorrow. As Ed Yong wrote last month, science is a pretty broad causeso what are these protesters marching for? In one sense, to march for science is to celebrate the fact that questions about the world have no final answersone of the principles underlying democracy. But the march itself may not be political enough to work.

Snapshot

Tulips grow in a field in Lisse, Netherlands, on April 19, 2017. See more of the weeks best photos here. (Peter Dejong / AP)

Evening Read

Keren Landman on why transgender people often struggle to find doctors:

The medical knowledge needed to provide transgender-affirming care is not particularly complexits about as difficult as managing menopause, says Madeline Deutsch, the clinical leader of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Center of Excellence for Transgender Health and and the author of the centers transgender-care guidelines. Yet physicians often perceive transgender care as hopelessly enigmatic. Although there are few published studies of provider perspectives on transgender care, physicians responding to a 2016 Canadian study were fretful, scared they would offend patients by using the wrong language, or fail to catch side effects of hormones: Theres this fear that run of the mill problems arent run of the mill, said one study participant. What if theres something related to something Im not aware of, in terms of their hormonal status, in terms of the medications theyre taking?  I have a lot of anxiety seeing these people, not because of who they are, but because I feel Im not well educated, Im not well prepared about what the potential concerns are.

Story continues

Keep reading here, as Landman explores the challengesand some solutionsof making primary care trans-friendly.

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What Do You Know?

1. When the first-ever banner ad appeared online in 1994, about ____________ percent of the people who saw it clicked on it.

Scroll down for the answer, or find it here.

2. Hawaii became a U.S. state in the year ____________.

Scroll down for the answer, or find it here.

3. In 2014 and 2015, the fourth-highest-paid performer in the U.S. music industry was ____________.

Scroll down for the answer, or find it here.

Poem of the Week

From our May 2000 issue, Waterborne by Linda Gregerson:

When Gordon was a boy

they used to load

the frozen river on a sledge here and



in August eat the heavenly rewardsweet

cream

of winters work. A piece of moonlight saved



against the day, he thought. And this is where

the Muir boy

drowned. And this is where I didnt.

Read more here.

Reader Response

As his presidency nears the 100-day mark, Trump is feeling the stress: He tweeted today that hed be criticized no matter how much I accomplish. When we asked readers of our Politics & Policy Daily newsletter to grade his progress, Christina pointed to the work of other federal employees:

The people who work in our government day in and day outour civil servantsdeserve recognition. At their best, these are people who put in the messy work of dealing with logistics and details; they know how our systems work and dont work, which is a lot more than can be said for the members of the Trump administration, who arrogantly assumed they could ride into town and make America great again without any real thought or preparation. Acting on whims may work when youre a billionaire who acquired your wealth through inheritance, luck, and the hard work of others, but I think most Americansour civil servants includedunderstand that real change comes through thoughtful and consistent effort.

Check out more reader assessments here, and sign up for the Politics and Policy Daily here.

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Time of Your Life

The Atlantic Daily is turning 2 years old tomorrow, which makes it a good time to kick off a new feature in the Daily: Well be celebrating readers birthdays with The Atlantics Life Timeline. First up, a happy birthday to our reader (and my grandfather) Jim, who is turning 96 today. Heres how his life lines up with history:

Check out Jims timeline, and generate your own, here. Do you or a loved one have a birthday coming up? If youd like us to feature your life timeline in an upcoming newsletter, send in a first name and date of birth to hello@theatlantic.com.

Nouns

High-tech juicers, talking bots, zombie websites, church police.

The Atlantic Daily is written by Rosa Inocencio Smith. To contact us, email hello@theatlantic.com.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
The North Miami police officer who shot an autistic mans behavioral therapist is facing criminal charges, including attempted manslaughter, authorities said.

Officer Jonathan Aledda shot therapist Charles Kinsey in the leg last July, after one of Kinseys patients, an autistic man, left a group home with a toy truck in hand. Kinsey was trying to coax the man back inside.

Initial 911 telephone contacts about a man, possibly suicidal, with a silver weapon in his hand, led to the arrival of members of the North Miami Police Department, according to a release from the Miami-Dade State Attorneys office.

When Aledda arrived, he was not in a position to correctly assess the situation or in a position to accurately fire, the statement continues. One of Aleddas shots hit Kinsey in the leg.

Aledda faces charges of attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence.

The police union representing Aledda didnt immediately comment to the Associated Press.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Washington (AFP) - A day before France votes for a new president, expatriates and residents in overseas territories in the Western Hemisphere cast their ballots Saturday, with some hoping to stop a global wave of right-wing nationalism from claiming their country.

Hundreds of thousands of French nationals are eligible to vote in the United States, Canada and Latin America in one of the most unpredictable elections in decades, seen as crucial for the future of a deeply divided country and the European Union.

Voting also began Saturday in many of France's overseas territories, such as the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.

In the rainy US capital Washington, voters cast their ballots in the election's first round at a polling station at the French embassy.

Adrien Gontier said he was fulfilling his duty as a citizen.

"In the United States, you can see what happens when people don't vote, or vote badly," he said. "We don't want there to be a Trump in France."

US President Donald Trump's election in November on the heels of Britain's decision to leave the European Union has prompted concern among critics that the French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen could be next to victory.

Another voter in Washington, Marianne Hart, said she believed the overseas voting would influence the elections.

"Everyone who lives abroad or has experienced it has a more open-minded view of the world," she said.

A total of 119,773 French voters are registered in the United States, including 11,242 in Washington. That is 30 percent more than for the first round of the last presidential elections in 2012, according to the embassy.

Security measures were strengthened at the 69 polling stations across the country, it said, following a jihadist's killing of a policeman in Paris this week that put the country on edge.

The French consulate in New York, on Fifth Avenue across from Central Park, was briefly evacuated late Saturday after a suspicious vehicle raised fears of a bomb threat.

Story continues

"After the Champs Elysees attack, the New York police department was told to be especially vigilant," Consul General Anne-Claire Legendre said.

- 'Against the extreme right' -

In France, nearly a quarter of voters are still undecided. Surveys showed that the French have been more concerned until now about jobs and the economy than terrorism.

But analysts warned that the policeman's killing could shift opinions, possibly handing an advantage to candidates seen as taking a hard line on security, such as Le Pen.

She and 39-year-old centrist former banker Emmanuel Macron are leading the polls. But the race has tightened in the final days and any one of four candidates could reach the runoff vote on May 7.

In the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, voters cast their ballots at a polling station in the French embassy, housed in the grandiose Ortiz Basualdo Palace.

Retired doctor Pierre Aguerre, 78, said he was taking part "against the extreme right."

"This is an important moment in the history of France," he said.

"A lot of people have come to vote," his wife, Noemie Nabel, 75, said. "I think the attacks have mobilized people."

Caroline Rostain, 41, said she was surprised by a campaign that included corruption allegations and fluctuating polls.

"I was disappointed by so much lack of transparency and ethics during the campaign," she said. "I think we're lagging behind our European neighbors."
Cayenne (AFP) - Activists in French Guiana have lifted strikes that have crippled the territory for almost a month after the government in Paris pledged an aid package worth billions of euros.

A general strike by 37 unions has paralysed the French territory in South America with locals pressing for a "Marshall Plan" along the lines of the huge US economic support given to help western Europe to recover after World War II.

An AFP journalist said the government and the "Collective to Get Guiana Moving" spearheading the protests signed a deal in Cayenne late on Friday, just two days before France's presidential election.

Under the accord, the French government pledged to provide 2.1 billion euros ($2.25 billion) in aid to the territory, but did not give a precise timetable for its implementation.

The amount would be in addition to just over one billion euros in emergency funding agreed in early April but which the movement considered insufficient.

France's overseas territories minister Ericka Bareigts hailed the deal as "a defining day for the future of Guiana."

Blockades in the capital Cayenne began to be lifted on Friday.

Europe's Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, where the launch of an Arianespace rocket had been postponed, were kept in place but were lifted late Saturday.

"Operations will begin again on Monday," the space station managers said in a statement adding that postponed launches "would be rescheduled."

The Kourou space centre has become a symbol of economic disparity in Guiana and a focus for anger, given many locals have no electricity or running water and around one in four is jobless.

The protests caused the flow of fresh produce to slow to a dribble in the territory bordering Suriname and northern Brazil on the northeast coast of South America, some 7,000 kilometres (4,400 miles) from Paris.

Guiana, home to some 250,000 people, has been administered as a French region since the end of the 18th century and was also used as a place to send convicts for forced labour between 1852 and 1946.
French economy minister Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Trogneux, arrive at the Elysee Palace in Paris, June 2015. (Photo: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)

As France prepares to hold the first round of voting in its presidential election Sunday, one prominent, far-right candidate is receiving attention for her populist, nationalist policies  and her political resemblance to President Trump in the U.S. But its another candidate whose profile seems, at least to Americans, quintessentially French.

Emmanuel Macron is a 39-year-old former investment banker and economy minister and a current favorite in the election, which, after Sundays voting, will almost certainly be decided in a May 7 runoff. Considered a centrist candidate, Macron is running under the banner of the En Marche! (Forward!) movement, which he founded in 2016 after leaving the Socialist Party.

His wife, Brigitte Trogneux, is a stylish woman, with blond hair and a warm smile. She also happens to be 24 years Macrons senior. They met when he was a high school student and she was his teacher.

Then known as Brigitte Auziere, she was married with three children and teaching French literature and drama when she encountered Macron, then just 15 years old. They bonded writing a play together, but when Macron told his parents of his interest, they sent him away to school in Paris. The two kept up a correspondence, and by the time Macron was 18, Trogneux had divorced her husband and moved to Paris to be with him. They were married in 2007.

Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story. That belongs to us. That is our secret, Trogneux said of the origin of their relationship.

Other than using a cheeky nickname for Macron, chouchou, or teachers pet, the French press seems to treat Macron and Trogneux as a couple more closely resembling John and Jacqueline Kennedy in Camelot than Vili Fualaau and Mary Kay Letourneau.

Our countries and our media have very different approaches to the issue of private lives of public figures, Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director of French newspaper Le Monde, told Yahoo News. The fact that Emmanuel Macrons wife is 24 years older than he is and that they fell in love when he was her student certainly did not go unnoticed in France during the campaign and has been widely discussed. The question has been put to him in many interviews. He has addressed it squarely, explaining basically that he was aware that it was uncommon, but that it had happened and worked fine.

Story continues

However their relationship began, should Macron win, they seem likely to be one of the more stable, traditional couples to inhabit the Elysee Palace. Current President Francois Hollande separated from his partner when his affair with a French actress was revealed; when former President Francois Mitterrand died, his mistress and their daughter attended the funeral.

The current U.S. presidents romantic past is both very public and decidedly unpuritanical  he met wives No. 2 and No. 3 while still married to No. 1 and No. 2 respectively.

I would argue that Macrons married life is much more conventional than Donald Trumps, Kauffmann pointed out.

Trump is also 24 years older than first lady Melania Trump, but its hard to imagine how the U.S. tabloids would treat the situation if the age dynamic were reversed for Trumps relationship.

In France, however, Macron and Trogneuxs relationship has seemingly been a subject of curiosity without controversy.

The one requirement is that a politicians love life should be sincere, especially if its part of his public persona, Pamela Druckerman, a Paris-based American writer, wrote of the French view of Macron and Trogneaux. The implication is that if his love story isnt real, his plans for the country lack substance, too.

Macrons own view of his relationship, which the French press and populace seem to agree with, is perhaps summarized in a tidbit from his wedding speech that became publicized over the course of the election. Thanking Trogneuxs children for accepting their relationship, Macron acknowledged the two are not at all a normal couple  though I dont like that adjective much  but were a couple that exists.

Read more from Yahoo News:

 Judge sitting on an island: Sessions dismisses Hawaii courts travel ban ruling

 Trump says Iran not living up to spirit of nuclear deal

 Government shutdown deadline looms as Republicans return to Washington

 Trump bemoans ridiculous standard of judging presidents by first 100 days

 Photos: A mother seeks cancer treatment for her son during Venezuelas health crisis
BERLIN (Reuters) - Two senior German conservative politicians have called for the European Union to end discussions with Turkey about EU membership after a vote that handed new powers to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Norbert Roettgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and head of the foreign affairs committee, said failing to issue consequences after the referendum vote would hurt Europe. "We would damage the credibility of Europe if we failed to respond to Turkey's decision against democracy, against the rule of law ... if we continue to hold fast to the fiction of accession for a country with such a government and such a constitution," Roettgen told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk in an interview to air on Sunday. He said pretending that Turkey could join the EU would also prevent Europe from forging a new, more realistic relationship with Turkey. Turks voted a week ago by a narrow margin to abolish the post of prime minister and concentrate power in the hands of the president, the biggest overhaul of Turkey's political system since the modern state was established nearly a century ago. The results have been challenged in court by Turkey's main opposition party, and independent election monitors from the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe have questioned the vote. Joachim Herrmann, the interior minister of Bavaria and a member of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, said EU accession talks for Turkey should be ended, not paused. "It's about time that the EU membership negotiations are ended," Herrmann told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. "We have to stop kidding ourselves: There are no common perspectives with the Turkey of Erdogan." Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki on Thursday remained committed to its goal of full membership in the EU. Ties with Brussels have been strained in recent months in the run-up to the April 16 referendum. Roettgen, Herrmann and other senior lawmakers, shocked by the strength of support among Turks in Germany for the measure, are also calling for tighter rules on dual citizenship. Germany is home to some 3 million people with Turkish roots and some politicians say the loyalty many showed to Erdogan, a leader viewed by many in the EU as increasingly authoritarian, reflects a rejection of democratic values. Roettgen said the result of the vote among Turks in Germany underscored the lack of complete integration of many second and third generation Turks into German society. He said the issue also involved language, education and a need to outline clear expectations of what was expected of German citizens. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Diane Craft)
By Leika Kihara and Francesco Canepa WASHINGTON (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund members on Saturday dropped a pledge to fight protectionism amid a split over trade policy and turned their attention to another looming threat to global economic integration: the first round of France's presidential election. Concerns that far-right leader Marine Le Pen and far-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon, both critics of the European Union, could top the field in Sunday's vote added to nervousness over U.S. trade policy at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings. "There was a clear recognition in the room that we have probably moved from high financial and economic risks to more geopolitical risks," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told a news conference. Lagarde, a former French finance minister who has warned that a Le Pen presidency could lead to political and economic upheaval, added that a policy shift from "growth momentum to more sharing and inclusive growth" was now needed. A communique from the IMF's steering committee on Saturday dropped an anti-protectionism pledge, adopting language from the Group of 20 nations that the Trump administration sought last month in Germany as it develops a strategy to slash U.S. trade deficits. Earlier in the week, the IMF had warned that protectionist policies that restrict trade could choke off improving global growth. Instead, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) statement pledged that members would "work together" to reduce global trade and current account imbalances "through appropriate policies." Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens, the IMFC chairman, said most countries have some trade restrictions and that protectionism was an "ambiguous" term. "Instead of dwelling on what that concept means, we managed to put it in a more positive, more constructive framework," Carstens told a news conference. Some officials chose to focus on the brightening global economy instead of the risks posed by the French election, new U.S. trade barriers and Britain's decision to leave the European Union, said James Boughton, a former IMF official. "There's an awful lot of forced optimism about what these people are saying," said Boughton, who is now with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a Canadian think-tank. "Until the train goes off the tracks, everything looks fine." U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for the IMF to step up its surveillance of members' foreign exchange rates. President Donald Trump "believes in reciprocal trade deals and reciprocal free trade," Mnuchin told Lagarde in an on-stage interview. "What that means is that if our markets are open there should be a reciprocal nature to other markets which should be open as well." CONTINGENCY PLANS The French election presents free trade advocates with a third potential blow in less than a year after Britain's EU referendum and Trump's election on a platform to restrict imports and protect U.S. jobs. Trump has voiced support for Le Pen, the National Front candidate who has promised a referendum on France's membership in the EU. Investors fear that a potential run-off between Le Pen and Melenchon, who has vowed to end the independence of the European Central Bank, would roil financial markets and drive out capital. ECB policymaker Ewald Nowotny said on Saturday that the central bank was ready to provide emergency cash to French banks if necessary. "If there should be problems for specific French banks liquidity-wise, then the ECB has the ... ELA, Emergency Liquidity Assistance, but we don't expect, of course, any special movements," Nowotny, who heads Austria's central bank, told reporters at the IMF. (Reporting by David Lawder, Leika Kihara and Francesco Canepa; Writing by David Lawder; Editing by Paul Simao)
Budapest (AFP) - Thousands of Hungarian protestors brandishing satirical placards staged a humourous but seriously intended demonstration Saturday, pouring scorn on the policies of hardline Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"Down with the press!" "Down with education! and "More demagoguery!" chanted the protestors, demanding that the government build a direct train link with Moscow and North Korea.

The rally, held days before the planned adoption of a new law clamping down on non-governmental organisations (NGOs), was dubbed "Hungary's funniest demonstration" by the country's media.

Organised by a parodic party calling itself the Two-tailed Dog Party (MKKP), the protest drew 2,000-3,000 people onto the streets in downtown Budapest, according to estimates.

MKKP leader Gergely Kovacs solemnly announced that "at least 30 million" people were in attendance.

Mocking Orban, accused of close links with Moscow, he congratulated the premier for having "refused the introduction of the euro," while lamenting that it was "not yet possible to pay with (Russian) rubles".

Orban, regularly lambasted over alleged xenophobic remarks and attacks on the media and civil society, has faced a vast protest movement since April provoked by the adoption of a law restricting foreign educational institutions.

Ratified by President Janos Ader -- whose moustache the protestors made fun of -- the law could lead to the closure of the Central European University (CEU), founded by billionaire and arch Orban foe George Soros.

The government wants to pass by the end of April a legislative bill strengthening control of NGOs with foreign funding, notably those supported by Soros.

On Wednesday a group of US senators including former presidential candidate John McCain sent a letter to Orban calling on him to drop the bill.

The European Parliament is due to discuss Hungary's political situation next week, a day ahead of a meeting Thursday between European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and Soros in Brussels.
The Israeli-American man arrested in March as the primary suspect in a series of bomb threats against Jewish community centers and other institutions throughout the U.S. has been charged in America, the Justice Department announced on Friday.

Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, faces charges in federal courts in Florida and Georgia. Kadar is accused of phoning in multiple bomb threats and active shooter threats to several Jewish community centers in Florida. No explosives were found, but many of the calls caused temporary closure, evacuation or lockdown of facilities and stoked fears across the U.S.

The string of threats, which numbered around 120 since Jan. 9, led to criticism of the White House for not denouncing them quickly enough. The White House eventually condemned the threats in February.

Todays charges into these violent threats to Jewish Community Centers and other represent this Departments commitment to fighting all forms of violent crime, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. These threats of violence instilled terror in Jewish and other communities across this country and our investigation into these acts as possible hate crimes continues.

Kadar was charged with making threatening calls to Jewish community centers, conveying false information to police in Georgia and cyberstalking. The investigation into the threats continues.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
The Justice Department sent warning letters to officials in eight jurisdictions on Friday, warning each to prove they are complying with federal immigration laws or risk losing of federal grant funding.

Officials in Chicago, New York, New Orleans, the California Department of Corrections, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, and Miami all received letters. Justice said each had been identified in a 2016 inspector general report as having laws that may violate federal law.

The letters were reportedly sent to remind officials that they agreed to prove they do not restrict their local officials from sending federal immigration officials any information about the immigration status of any individuals under their purview under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. The Justice Department wants documents proving each is following immigration law by June 30. The grant is leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, according to Justice Department officials, and can be used to help reduce gun violence or to fund body camera programs.

The letters follow a warning Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued at the White House in March when he threatened to claw back federal grant funding for so-called sanctuary cities, or areas where local officials limit their interactions with immigration enforcement. Officials in sanctuary cities often refuse to detain undocumented immigrants simply because they are in the country illegally.

The Trump administration as a whole has taken a hard-line stance on immigration, calling for the speedy removal of criminals while also broadening the levels of crime that could subject someone to deportation. Attorney General Sessions has taken particular aim at sanctuary policies, saying they are linked to spikes in crime and threaten public safety. In a statement on Friday, the Department of Justice said many of the jurisdictions they sent letters to are crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime.

Story continues

The number of murders in Chicago has skyrocketed, rising more than 50 percent from the 2015 levels, the statement continues. New York City continues to see gang murder after gang murder, the predictable consequence of the citys soft on crime stance.

New York City has, in fact, seen a historic reduction in crime, according to the NYPD.

Nisha Agarwal, commissioner in the New York Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs called the Justice Departments notion that New York is unsafe and that its safety has anything to do with immigration policy outright false during a conference call on Friday. Ultimately what theyre doing is conflating immigrants with criminality,she said.



Agarwal accused the administration of being engaged in a lot of saber rattling, but says the city is ready to respond to the letter and prepared to take unspecified legal action if it comes to that. According to the New York Times, the city received a $4.3 million federal grant in 2016.



Officials in Chicago have already said they would hold firm against Sessions threats. In a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times in March, a spokesman for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said, lets be clear that we cooperate with other government entities to the extent required and permitted by applicable law.

In an emailed statement to TIME, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the state has the right to determine how it will provide for the safety and general welfare of its residents and to safeguard their constitutional rights.

Fear mongering and falsehoods will not intimidate our state into compromising our values, he said. Federal threats to take away resources from law enforcement or our people in an attempt to bully states and localities into carrying out the new administrations unsound deportation plan are reckless and jeopardize public safety.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Kate Middleton, Prince William and Prince Harry continue their mental health campaign by sharing their personal struggles. In her recent speech, the Duchess of Cambridge shared her emotional battle as a mom.

On Thursday, Middleton spoke during a meeting at the Global Academy. Williams wife admitted that the feeling of isolation that most mothers feel is not foreign to her.

It is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated, but actually so many other mothers are going through exactly what you are going through, said Middleton, E! News reported. It is being brave enough, like you obviously were, to reach out to those around you.

READ: Prince William and Kate Middleton want children to grow up being able to talk about their feelings and emotions

The royals, who have been campaigning for mental health, urged the people to learn to speak their minds. In an interview with Calmzine, William admitted that as parents, he and Middleton agreed that they will allow their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, to grow up without suppressing their emotions. They want their kids to know that speaking about their feelings and emotions are okay.

Meanwhile, Harry also spoke about his struggles after his mom, Princess Dian, died. According to Meghan Markles boyfriend, who joined Bryony Gordons Mad World, he had been keeping his emotional and mental health struggles in the past 20 years. However, he just recently realized it.

We will all go through tough times in our lives, but men especially feel the need to pretend that everything is OK, and that admitting this to their friends will make them appear weak, Harry said on the Calmzine interview. I can assure you this is actually a sign of strength.

Middleton praised Harry for opening about his personal struggle and described her brother-in-law as brilliant. The royal mom added that their campaign targets everyone to get talking and have these types of conversation.

The Royals

Photo: Getty Images/Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool

Related Articles
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Latest on the confrontation on an American Airlines flight (all times local):

6 p.m.

A passenger on an American Airlines flight says a flight attendant who has since been grounded nearly hit a baby when he jerked a stroller away from a woman holding the child.

Olivia Morgan, an executive with an education-related nonprofit, tells the New York Times (http://nyti.ms/2pQ17V5 ) that she witnessed the episode take place before a Friday afternoon flight from San Francisco to Dallas.

Morgan says when she complained about the woman's treatment, the flight attendant pointed his finger in her face and yelled, "You stay out of it."

A video of the incident posted on Facebook shows the sobbing woman holding a small child and saying, "You can't use violence with a baby." A male passenger later got in a verbal confrontation with the flight attendant.

___

10:40 a.m.

American Airlines says it has grounded a flight attendant who got into a verbal confrontation with a passenger after the flight attendant took a baby stroller away from another passenger.

Spokeswoman Leslie Scott says the airline is looking into whether the male flight attendant violently took away the stroller from the female passenger just before she boarded a Friday flight from San Francisco to Dallas. He has been removed from duty in the meantime.

A video taken by a passenger and posted on Facebook shows the sobbing woman holding a small child and saying, "You can't use violence with baby."

Later, an unidentified male passenger confronts the flight attendant, telling him, "You do that to me and I'll knock you flat." The flight attendant responds with "Hit me. Bring it on."

The incident comes less than two weeks after video of a man being violently dragged off a United Express flight sparked widespread outrage.
Dear Readers,

Today, scientists and citizens are gathering in Washington, D.C., and hundreds of other cities worldwide in support of science. Maybe youll be there, too.

To chronicle the event, STAT has dispatched journalists around the country for on-the-ground coverage. You can follow our reporters on Twitter in Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and San Francisco, and keep on top of the news with our live blog of all the latest developments.

Weve been on this story since January. For some background, heres who we think might show up today (and why at least one postdoc says he wont), and a peek at some of the most imaginative signs out there. Heres my interview with march keynoter Bill Nye, who fretted that the womens march might get a bigger crowd. And this, from march co-chair Lydia Villa-Komaroff, about why this is a historic moment.

If youve been reading STAT, you know organizing a march is harder than just painting signs, putting on a lab coat, and joining the crowd. Scientists outpouring of interest  the marchs early Facebook group amassed 800,000 members in just the first two weeks  challenged its organizing committee, resulting in infighting and some embarrassing gaffes.

Will todays events electrify the scientific community and the larger world audience? If so, how?

We hope youll turn to STAT as we pursue the answers. Thank you for signing up for our newsletters and STAT Plus, our new subscription service that offers even more exclusive stories about pharma and biotech.

Enjoy the day.
Englishman Leigh Timmis set off on a wild adventure seven years ago.

And by wild we mean he was determined to ride his bike for two years around the world. That ambitious timeline quickly fell to the wayside as he realized how daunting the challenge would be to actually traverse the globe.

SEE ALSO: This tricycle for adults will have you looking like the coolest kid on campus

Timmis' journey came to an emotional end Saturday when he arrived home in Derby, England, hopped off his bike, and jumped into a sweet embrace with his mom, who he hadn't seen since 2014.

Leigh Timmis and his mom embrace after Timmis' adventure finally ends.

Image: Derby telegraph

The Derby Telegraph caught the stirring scene in a video that will immediately make you want to pick up the phone and thank your mom or that person in your life who's always believed you could do anything.

Timmis, 35, and his mom last saw each other in 2014 when she flew to Taiwan to visit him.

"I actually felt quite nervous before he arrived but it was so good to see him," Timmis' mom Kim Kimberley, told the Derby Telegraph. "He has had an amazing experience and no doubt it will take some adjustment for him to be back but I am so pleased he is here."

Timmis used his trip to raise about $128,000 for the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre, a charity that sends kids on trips. He logged 43,000 miles and visited six continents, all on the average daily budget of about $6, according to the BBC.

"The feeling of coming home has been incredible," Timmis told the Derby Telegraph, "and seeing my mum for the first time in ages was a special moment."

Now the whole world gets to celebrate their heartwarming hug.

WATCH: Woman makes an epic solo world tour on a motorbike
Amid much protests and speculations of whether President Donald Trump would be able to fulfill his presidential responsibilities, Trump had made his presidency even more controversial after he signed some contentious executive orders including the travel ban, which raised possibilities of his impeachment, reports said.

While all this while Trump has spent weeks claiming his administration has faired well in the first 100 days, it was Friday, he called the 100 days benchmark "ridiculous" and in a tweet attacked the media once again calling it biased and critical regardless his accomplishments.

Read: Are Trump's 1-Year Travel Expenses Exceeding Obama's 8-Year Expenses?

According to a Morning Consult poll, a quarter of Americans would give Trump an F for the job he has done during his first 100 days in office. A third of Republicans rated Trumps performance so far as excellent, while 39 percent gave him a B. Nearly half of Democrats, which is 48 percent, gave Trump a failing grade, with 19 percent giving him a D and 14 percent opting for a C. Independents were more closely split as roughly 4 in 10 gave Trump a B or a C, and 37 percent gave him a D or an F.

The owner of NBA's Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, made an interesting observation about Trump's presidency while speaking during an interview with CNN, Friday, when he was asked to give a grade for Trump's term through the first 100 days. Cuban rated Trump a C minus. Cuban, who supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race, said: "There are some things he's tried to do. I give him credit for Supreme Court. Delivering." Cuban also criticized Trump, saying that he brought no major policy changes and just signed many executive orders that he himself did not understand.

Cuban also referred Trump's time in office so far as "political chemotherapy". He said: "One of my friends who I always thought was very smart said, Mark, I voted for politicians my entire life. He's in his 50s. Do you know what the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over expecting (sic) the same results. So I voted for Donald Trump. Is he poisonous in a lot of respects? Yeah. He's our chemotherapy. We hope he's going to change the political system."

Story continues

This is not the first time the billionaire is targetting the president. Cuban and Trump have been involved in twitter brawls in the past with the former shaming publicly the then President-elect Trump throughout the 2016 campaign for not releasing his taxes.

In January, Cuban tweeted criticizing Trump's immigration ban on citizens from seven majority-Muslim nations. In February, too the two got involved in a tweet storm when Trump tweeted about Cuban being a disgruntled former supporter. Cuban too fired back almost immediately. First he retweeted Trump, simply saying, "Lol." Then, he tweeted of his correspondence with Trump during the campaign, when Trump had sent Cuban a letter questioning why Cuban no longer supported him. Cuban had responded with a note of his own, and he even hinted that he may run for president one day.

Related Articles
Good morning. These are todays top stories:

Aaron Hernandez dies after hanging himself in prison

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has died after hanging himself in his prison cell early this morning, officials at the Massachusetts prison said. The 27-year-old ex-NFL star was serving a life sentence for a murder conviction. He had been acquitted of a separate double murder late last week. Guards found him hanging from a bed sheet attached to a window, the states Department of Correction said in a statement.

3 dead after gunman targets victims based on race

A gunman killed three men in Fresno, Calif. yesterday, choosing his victims solely based on race, authorities said. Kori Ali Muhammad, the suspected shooter who was arrested after the shootings, is black and his victims were white. These individuals who were chosen today did not do anything to deserve what they got, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer told reporters, according to the Associated Press. These were unprovoked attacks by an individual that was intent on carrying out homicides today.

Georgia special election heads to runoff

Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel will face off in June in a runoff election for a House seat in a conservative district in Georgia after Ossoff fell slightly short of receiving enough votes to win the highly contested congressional race outright, according to the New York Times. The two are vying for an office vacated by Tom Price, who was appointed by President Donald Trump as the secretary of health and human services.

Also:

A three-day national manhunt for Cleveland murder suspect Steve Stephens ended yesterday, when the fugitive shot and killed himself.

United Airlines will not be firing anyone over the David Dao incident, its CEO said.

Richard Simmons is feeling better after being hospitalized for severe indigestion, his spokesman told ABC News.

Netflix users have spent 500 million hours watching Adam Sandler movies since late 2015.

Story continues

Furniture company Ikea is considering opening a standalone restaurant due to interest in its Swedish meatballs.

The Morning Brief is published Mondays through Fridays. Email Morning Brief writer Melissa Chan at melissa.chan@time.com.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the country's defence ministry said Saturday.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up and seven were killed in the assault near Mazar-i-Sharif city on Friday which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers at a mosque and dining facility.

"The majority of our soldiers were offering Friday prayers" at the time of the assault, the ministry said in a statement, adding that "over 100 Afghan army forces were martyred and wounded".

The government toll of the attack came as a military official who was at the base at the time of the assault told AFP that "150 soldiers were killed and dozens wounded".

"They were young recruits who had come for training," he said on condition of anonymity.

A US military spokesman said earlier that "more than 50" Afghan soldiers were killed in the attack claimed by the Taliban, while Afghan officials had initially put the death toll at eight with 11 wounded.

The latest deadly assault against an Afghan military site underscores rising insecurity in the war-torn country as it braces for an intense fighting season in the spring.

The facility in Balkh province is home to the Afghan army's 209th Corps.

The last major attack against a military site was in early March when gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the Sardar Daud Khan hospital -- the country's largest military hospital -- in Kabul, killing dozens.
More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the defence ministry said Saturday, the latest in a string of deadly assaults against Afghan military sites.

The ministry did not give a breakdown of the casualties, many of whom were young recruits in training, in the hours-long attack near Mazar-i-Sharif city on Friday.

The US military has said that "more than 50" Afghan soldiers were killed, while an Afghan army source who was on the base at the time put the death toll as high as 150, with dozens more wounded.

"They entered the compound using two army trucks with machine guns on top of them. They opened fire on everyone. And then they entered the mosque and dining room, killing everyone indiscriminately," Mohammad Hussain, an army officer wounded in the attack, said as he was treated in hospital.

"Their leader came in and shouted 'aim for their heads'. I jumped out of the window, my friends were killed," one 19-year-old soldier, Mohammad Qurban, told AFP from hospital where he was being treated for hand and stomach injuries.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani flew to Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday to pay a "courtesy visit" to wounded soldiers, as grieving families reached the base to collect flag-draped coffins bearing their loved ones.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up in the raid, which was claimed by the Taliban late Friday and which underscores rising insecurity as Afghanistan braces for an intense spring fighting season.

The defence ministry said Afghan forces had killed all the attackers, who witnesses said were dressed in Afghan army uniforms. At least one survivor who spoke to AFP speculated the militants must have had inside help.

The toll could change, the ministry said, adding it would provide more information once an investigation was completed.

Afghan officials have been known to minimise casualty figures in some major attacks on military sites, such as in early March when gunmen disguised as doctors stormed the country's largest military hospital in Kabul, killing dozens.

Story continues

Officials put the death toll in that attack at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 were killed in the brazen and savage assault.

- Military targets -

The attack on the Kabul hospital in March came a week after 16 people were killed in simultaneous Taliban suicide assaults on two security compounds in the capital.

Atiqullah Amarkhail, an Afghan military analyst and retired general, said Saturday that Afghan forces must develop a counter-strategy for such attacks.

"It is a total intelligence failure. It keeps happening again and again. It is a guerrilla war, the militants attack in small groups and cause big damage. We should learn and counter their tactics," he said.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

According to US watchdog SIGAR, casualties among Afghan security forces soared by 35 percent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed.

More than a third of Afghanistan is outside government control and many regions are fiercely contested by various insurgent groups, as Kabul's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed.

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with about another 5,000 from NATO allies assisting a much larger Afghan force in the war against the Taliban and other Islamist militants.

Earlier this month the US military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State group hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly a hundred militants, according to unverified figures from Afghan officials.

The attack triggered global shockwaves, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that is not considered as big a threat as the Taliban.
As March for Science events take place in hundreds of cities across the US, one perhaps more than any other plans to aim its message directly at President Trump  or, at least as close as the Secret Service will let them get.

The Palm Beach County March for Science received the necessary permissions to march to Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Florida home and winter White House. Although Trump is not there this weekend, he has spent many weekends in recent months at the club, including hosting dignitaries there for official events.

Marchers are gathering near the science museum in Palm Beach for a rally now, and will then walk the 2.5 miles to Mar-a-Lago with an escort by the Palm Beach police force. They will arrive to the club between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., organizer Mark Offerman said.

Offerman said at least 750 people were expected to turn out, and another 2,000 had expressed interest.

Secret Service restrictions wont let marchers congregate outside the private club, so they will do a figure-eight on the roundabout just outside its fences, and turn back toward where they started.

Since it is Earth Day it means something to us Particularly in south Florida, we need to keep it from sinking beneath the tides, Offerman said.
Paris (AFP) - Armed police arrested a man carrying a knife at Paris's Gare du Nord station Saturday, sparking panic at the international transport hub just days after the jihadist killing of a policeman.

Police sources said that "travellers" pointed out the individual wielding a knife to passing police on patrol, who immediately arrested him.

No one was injured in the incident at Paris's main international terminus and the man offered no resistance to his arrest.

However, there were scenes of panic on the massive concourse, underscoring the nervousness in France, which has suffered a string of deadly attacks in recent years.

Parts of the station were evacuated, with the French capital especially on edge on the eve of an election amid fears that jihadists could target the vote.

The man, a 20-year-old Malian with no police record, said he had been attacked by several people outside the station.

He took the knife left by one of the attackers before coming into the station, he said.

In the ensuing panic, a number of travellers abandoned their luggage in the middle of the station.

The station was briefly closed before reopening around 4:00 pm (1400 GMT). Boarding for Eurostar trains to London was also suspended for a short time, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

The incident came two days after the killing of a policeman on Paris' famed Champs Elysees avenue and one day before France goes to the polls in the first round of close-run presidential elections.

France remains under a state of emergency following a string of attacks that have claimed 239 lives since 2015.
By Roberta Rampton and Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula can still be achieved peacefully because of Washington's new engagement with China, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday, despite growing fears North Korea could soon conduct a new nuclear test. South Korea is on heightened alert ahead of another important anniversary in the reclusive North that could be the trigger for a new nuclear test or launch of ballistic missiles, with a large concentration of military hardware massed on both sides of the border. Tensions have risen sharply in recent months after Pyongyang conducted two nuclear weapons tests last year and carried out a steady stream of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations resolutions and sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile but his deputy said in Sydney on Saturday a peaceful outcome was still achievable because of warming ties between Beijing and Washington. "We truly believe that, as our allies in the region and China bring that pressure to bear, there is a chance that we can achieve a historic objective of a nuclear-free Korea peninsula by peaceful means," Pence said. "We are encouraged by the steps that China has taken so far," he said at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Earlier this week, Trump praised Chinese efforts to rein in "the menace of North Korea" after North Korean state media warned the United States of a "super-mighty preemptive strike". Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his resort in Florida earlier this month and, while taking a hard line with North Korea, has focused his efforts on trying to convince China to put more pressure on its ally and neighbor. However, Trump has also ordered what he has described as an "armada" to waters off the Korean peninsula as a warning to North Korea. There was some confusion about the whereabouts of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group earlier this week. PILOT EJECTS While it was thought the carrier group had been steaming toward the Korean peninsula, it had in fact been completing a training exercise with the Australian navy. Pence said the carrier group was now expected to be in waters off the Korean peninsula before the end of the month, "within days". On Friday, the U.S. Navy said a pilot from the USS Carl Vinson had ejected safely while conducting a routine flight south of the Philippines. It said the incident occurred as the F/A-18E was on a final approach to the carrier. The pilot was recovered by helicopter without injury. The statement did not say when the incident occurred. In the face of the U.S. moves, North Korea said on Friday the state of affairs on the Korean peninsula was "extremely perilous". The North will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday and has marked important events in the past by launching missiles or conducting nuclear tests. Tuesday's anniversary also comes as the North finishes winter military drills and as South Korea and the United States wrap up annual joint military exercises. South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duk-haeng said on Friday all those military exercises meant there was a lot of military equipment gathered in North Korea, as well as the South. Satellite imagery analyzed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity under way at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site, but the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations. U.S. officials have also said there was an increased level of activity by Chinese bombers, signaling a possible heightened state of readiness. Russian media has denied reports Moscow was building up its forces near the Korean border. China's Defence Ministry, however, said its forces were maintaining normal combat preparedness. North Korea remained defiant. "Now that we possess mighty nuclear power to protect ourselves from U.S. nuclear threat, we will respond without the slightest hesitation to full-out war with full-out war and to nuclear war with our style of nuclear strike, and we will emerge victor in the final battle with the United States," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park in SEOUL, Ben Blanchard on BEIJING, Phil Stewart in WASHINGTON, and Polina Devitt in MOSCOW; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
By Colin Packham and Roberta Rampton SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday the United States would honor a controversial refugee deal with Australia, under which the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers, a deal President Donald Trump had described as "dumb". Pence told a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the deal would be subject to vetting, and that honoring it "doesn't mean that we admire the agreement". "We will honor this agreement out of respect to this enormously important alliance," Pence said at Turnbull's harbor side official residence in Sydney. Australia is one of Washington's staunchest allies and has sent troops to fight alongside the U.S. military in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under the deal, agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year, the United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on South Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The White House has already said it would apply "extreme vetting" to those asylum seekers held in the Australian processing centers seeking resettlement in the United States. The deal has taken on added importance for Australia, which is under political and legal pressure to shut the camps, particularly one on PNG's Manus Island where violence between residents and inmates flared last week. Asylum-seeker advocates welcomed the U.S. commitment, although they remained concerned that "extreme vetting" could see fewer than 1,250 resettled in the United States. "What still isn't clear is how many people will have this opportunity, and that clarity must be provided," said Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator at Amnesty International Australia. "The violence on Manus Island last weekend only further demonstrates that the Australian government needs to give a clear commitment that no refugee or person seeking asylum will be left behind in Papua New Guinea or Nauru," he said. ACRIMONIOUS CALL An inquiry by an upper house Senate committee in Australia said the government must be more transparent about the operations of the processing centers in PNG and Nauru, which are run by contractors. The report, released on Friday, also said the Australian government had a duty of care to the asylum seekers being held in the camps. Australia's relationship with the new administration in Washington got off to a rocky start when Trump lambasted Turnbull over the resettlement arrangement, which Trump labeled a "dumb" deal. Details of an acrimonious phone call between the pair soon after Trump took office made headlines around the world. Turnbull acknowledged Trump's reluctance, but said the U.S. commitment was a measure of Trump's new U.S. administration. "It speaks volumes for the commitment, the integrity of President Trump," he said. Pence was speaking on the final leg of a 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region that included meetings with political and business leaders in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in the Trump administration as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid disputes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Colin Packham; Additional reporting by Peter Gosnell; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
By Philip Pullella ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis urged governments on Saturday to get migrants and refugees out of holding centers, saying many had become "concentration camps". During a visit to a Rome basilica, where he met migrants, Francis told of his visit to a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year. There he met a Muslim refugee from the Middle East who told him how "terrorists came to our country". Islamists had slit the throat of the man's Christian wife because she refused to throw her crucifix the ground. "I don't know if he managed to leave that concentration camp, because refugee camps, many of them, are of concentration (type) because of the great number of people left there inside them," the pope said. Francis praised countries helping refugees and thanked them for "bearing this extra burden, because it seems that international accords are more important than human rights". He did not elaborate but appeared to be referring to agreements that keep migrants from crossing borders. In February, the European Union pledged to finance migrant camps in Libya as part of a wider European Union drive to stem immigration from Africa. Humanitarian groups have criticized efforts to stop migrants in Libya, where - according to a U.N. report last December - they suffer arbitrary detention, forced labor, rape and torture. Last year the EU and Turkey reached a deal to send back irregular migrants from the Greek Aegean islands to Turkey in exchange for political and financial rewards for Ankara. The agreement was criticized by rights groups. The pope urged people in northern Italy, home to an anti-immigrant party, to take more migrants, hoping that the generosity of southern Italy could "infect the north a bit". Noting that Italy had one of the world's lowest birth rates, he said: "If we also close the door to migrants, this is called suicide." The basilica of St Bartholomew is a shine to Christians killed for their faith in the 20th and 21st century. It contains a prayer book used by Father Jacques Hamel, the 85-year-old French priest killed by Islamist militants who stormed into a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray last year, forced Hamel to his knees, and slit his throat while they chanted in Arabic. His sister Roselyne attended the service. (Editing by Andrew Roche)
Rome (AFP) - Pope Francis on Saturday described some of Europe's refugee centres as "concentration camps", as he paid tribute to an unknown Christian woman slain for her faith in front of her Muslim husband.

"These refugee camps -- so many are concentration camps, crowded with people... because international accords seem more important than human rights," Francis said in impromptu remarks at a ceremony in memory of modern-day Christian martyrs.

Departing from his prepared script and appearing unusually emotional as he spoke, the 80-year-old pontiff said he wanted the woman to be remembered along with all the other martyrs commemorated in Rome's Basilica of St Bartholomew.

He revealed that he had met the woman's husband and their three children during his visit to a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year.

"I do not know what happened to him, if he managed to get out of his concentration camp, and get to somewhere else" Francis said.

"He looked at me and said 'Father, I am a Muslim and my wife was a Christian. In our country we were terrorised ... they saw her crucifix and they asked her to throw it away.

"When she refused they cut her throat in front of my eyes. We loved each other so much."

- 'Suicide' -

Francis did not reveal the man's nationality but most of the migrants in Lesbos at the time of his visit were refugees from the conflict in Syria and he returned to Rome with three families who had fled the conflict there.

They have since begun new lives in Rome and the pope met Saturday with other refugees brought to Europe by legal routes under the auspices of the Sant'Egidio community.

He told them all that Europe needed to be infected by the generous spirit towards migrants that has been shown by the people of Lesbos and the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Sicily.

"We live in a civilisation that is not having children, but also closes its door to migrants: this is called suicide," he said.

Story continues

"Let us think about the cruelty afflicting so many people, about the exploitation of those arriving on boats.

"Italy and Greece are providing a welcome but then international agreements mean they cannot move on."

Francis also upbraided the growing number of Italian politicians claiming the country cannot cope with an influx which has seen over half a million migrants arrive on its territory in the last three years.

"If every municipality in Italy took in just two migrants there would be a place for everyone," he said.

- 'Universal brother' -

Saturday's service at the Basilica located on an island in the Tiber river that separates most of Rome from the Vatican, was also addressed movingly by Roselyne Hamel.

She is the sister of Jacques Hamel, the 85-year-old priest murdered by jihadists last year as he was celebrating mass in his church in Normandy in northern France.

"At his age, Jacques was frail but he was strong in his faith in Christ, strong in his love for the Gospel," Roselyne Hamel said.

Describing her sibling as "a universal brother," she said she was certain his love for humanity would even have extended to his killers.

Other speakers included Francisco Hernandez, a friend of William Quijano, an organiser of "Schools for Peace" in El Salvador and a victim of gang violence in 2009, and Karl Schneider, son of Paul Schneider, a protestant pastor who died in the Nazi death camp at Buchenwald.

The Basilica where Saturday's service took place is home to a large collection of relics of Christian martyrs across the ages, including recently added momentoes of Schneider, Quijano and Hamel.
Rome (AFP) - Pope Francis on Saturday described some of Europe's refugee centres as "concentration camps" as he paid tribute to an unknown Christian woman slain for her faith in front of her Muslim husband.

"These refugee camps -- so many are concentration camps, crowded with people... because international accords seem more important than human rights," Francis said in impromptu remarks at a ceremony in memory of modern day Christian martyrs.

Departing from his prepared script and appearing unusually emotional as he spoke, the 80-year-old pontiff said he wanted the woman to be remembered along with all the other martyrs commemorated in Rome's Basilica of St Bartholomew.

He revealed that he had met the woman's husband during his visit to a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year.

"I do not know what happened to him, if he managed to get out of his concentration camp, and get to somewhere else" Francis said, describing the man as a father-of-three but not revealing his nationality.

"He looked at me and said 'Father, I am a Muslim and my wife was a Christian. In our country we were terrorised ... they saw her crucifix and they asked her to throw it away.

"When she refused they cut her throat in front of my eyes. We loved each other so much."

Saturday's service at the Basilica located on an island in the Tiber river that separates most of Rome from the Vatican, was also addressed movingly by Roselyne Hamel.

She is the sister of Jacques Hamel, the 85-year-old priest murdered by jihadists last year as he was celebrating mass in his church in Normandy in northern France.

"At his age, Jacques was frail but he was strong in his faith in Christ, strong in love for the Gospel," Roselyne Hamel said.

Describing her sibling as "a universal brother," she said she was certain his love for humanity would even have extended to his killers.

Other speakers included Francisco Hernandez, a friend of William Quijano, an organiser of "Schools for Peace" in El Salvador and a victim of gang violence in 2009, and Karl Schneider, son of Paul Schneider, a protestant pastor who died in the Nazi death camp at Buchenwald.

The Basilica where Saturday's service took place is home to a large collection of relics of Christian martyrs across the ages, including recently added momentoes of Schneider, Quijano and Hamel.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers returning to Washington this coming week will find a familiar quagmire on health care legislation and a budget deadline dramatized by the prospect of a protracted battle between President Donald Trump and Democrats over his border wall.

Trump's GOP allies control Congress, but they've been unable to send him a single major bill as his presidency faces the symbolic 100-day mark on April 29  the very day when the government, in a worst-case scenario, could shut down.

Feeling pressure to deliver results, Trump wants to revive a troubled health care measure from House Republicans to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Trump also hopes to use a $1 trillion catchall spending bill to salvage victories on his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, a multibillion-dollar down payment on a Pentagon buildup, and perhaps a crackdown on cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement by federal authorities.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Congress faces a midnight Friday deadline to avert a government shutdown. But negotiations on the spending measure, a huge pile of leftover business from last year that includes the budgets of almost every federal agency, have hit a rough patch.

Rank-and-file Republicans received few answers on a Saturday conference call by top House GOP leaders, who offered little detail and said deals remained elusive on both health care and the catchall spending measure, with no votes scheduled yet.

It's looking like a one- or two-week temporary measure will be needed to prevent a shutdown and buy time for more talks. Negotiations have faltered because of disputes over the border wall and health law subsidies to help low-income people afford health insurance.

Trump's Capitol Hill allies had been tempering expectations that the president will win much in the budget talks. Democratic support will be needed to pass the spending measure and Republicans fear taking the blame if the government shuts down on their watch.

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"We have the leverage and they have the exposure," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California told fellow Democrats on a conference call Thursday, according to a senior Democratic aide. Pelosi wants the spending bill to give the cash-strapped government of Puerto Rico help with its Medicaid obligations, and Democrats are pressing for money for overseas famine relief, treatment for opioid abuse, and the extension of health benefits for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families.

An additional Democratic demand is for cost-sharing payments to insurance companies that help low-income people afford health policies under Obama's health law. The payments are a critical subsidy and the subject of a lawsuit by House Republicans. Trump has threatened to withhold the money to force Democrats to negotiate on health legislation.

Trump's presidential victory makes it "completely reasonable to ask and to insist that some of his priorities are funded," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said in an interview. "We are more than happy to talk to the Democrats about some of their priorities but we encourage them to recognize that they are a minority party."

Both the White House and Democrats have adopted hard-line positions on Trump's $1 billion request for a down payment on construction of the border wall, a central plank of last year's campaign. Talk of forcing Mexico to pay for it has largely been abandoned. But in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, Trump stopped short of demanding that money for the project be included in the must-pass spending bill.

Health care is on a separate track and facing trouble, too. The White House is pressing House Republicans to rally behind a revised bill so GOP leaders can schedule a vote this coming week that could let Trump fulfill a 100-days promise.

A quick vote, let alone approval, seems unlikely.

GOP leaders have shown no desire to revisit the issue until they're assured they have enough votes to succeed, a point House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., reiterated to lawmakers Saturday, according to participants in the call. An initial attempt in March ended in a legislative train wreck, stinging Trump and Ryan. The measure would have repealed much of Obama's 2010 overhaul and replaced it with fewer coverage requirements and less generous federal subsidies for many people.

As part of the White House drive to resuscitate the bill, members of Trump's team including Vice President Mike Pence and chief of staff Reince Priebus have made multiple calls to Republicans.

Two leaders of the House GOP's warring moderate and conservative factions devised a compromise during Congress' recess to let states get federal waivers to ignore some requirements of the health law. Those include one that now obligates insurers to cover specified services such as for mental health, and one that bars them from raising premiums on seriously ill patients.

But there are widespread doubts that the new attempt has achieved the support it needs.

Rep. Dan Donovan, R-N.Y., an opponent of the bill, said last week that "it doesn't cure the issues that I had concerns" about. The moderate said his objections included changes to Obama's law that would still leave people with excessive out-of-pocket costs.

The potential amendment was brokered by Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who heads the conservative House Freedom Caucus and Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., a leader of the moderate House Tuesday Group.

Ryan called off a March 24 House vote on the measure after realizing that objections by conservative and moderate Republicans would have assured its defeat. Democrats were uniformly against the legislation.
By Alexandria Sage and Noel Randewich

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A massive power outage threw San Francisco into chaos for most of the work day on Friday, knocking out traffic signals, paralyzing businesses and halting the city's famed cable cars.

The power outage, which was triggered by a fire in a PG&E Corp. utility substation, disrupted San Francisco's normally bustling financial district, home to banks and technology companies.

The blackout started just after 9 a.m. (noon ET/1600 GMT) and at one point affected nearly 90,000 customers, according to PG&E. The cause of the fire was a circuit breaker failure at the substation, PG&E spokesman Paul Doherty said.

Office workers unable to access elevators or use their keycards spilled out onto the sidewalks, some wandering the streets in search of an open cafe or sunny spot to enjoy a rare warm San Francisco day.

Others simply went home, with long lines forming for ferries. For many, there was little to do but wait.

"When I got here we had to shut down all the servers, all the work stations were off-line," said Bard Wood, an information technology worker in the financial district. "I'm sure we've lost millions of dollars already. There's no business down here right now."

Some cable car operators snoozed after their cars stalled on the street rails.

Traffic was snarled and emergency workers responded to 20 elevator rescues, according to the city's fire department, but there were no reported deaths or major injuries. But many businesses, from coffee shops to major banks, took a hit.

Wells Fargo & Co closed 13 bank branches and four office buildings, while the New York Stock Exchange said its ARCA options trading floor in San Francisco was briefly unavailable. Employees in Goldman Sachs' financial district office were sent home.

King Lip, chief investment officer at Baker Avenue Asset Management, said his firm was in the middle of a trade when "all our systems went down." He said employees in another state had to complete the transaction.

Story continues

Two office buildings and a local branch of First Republic Bank were shut down, a sign on the branch's doorway apologizing for the unexpected closure.

Fourteen neighborhoods were affected, including the main shopping district near Union Square, where stores turned signs to "closed" and major retailers such as Macy's and Louis Vuitton shut their doors.

In a city proud of its technological prowess, the outage forced residents back to the dark ages. At the salad bar MIXT, cashiers took credit card payments using old-fashioned paper imprints.

"Old school," commented patron Ben Fackler. "I haven't seen that in forever."

DARKENED BY ONE SUBSTATION

For more than two hours, trains barreled through the Montgomery Street station - one of the busiest stops that services the downtown and financial district - as the outage prevented them from stopping until backup generators came on line, Bay Area Rapid Transit spokesman Jim Allison said.

Power was finally restored to all customers by 6 pm local time, PG&E said.

"Workers have entered the substation. They're assessing the damage and starting to make repairs, Doherty said.

San Francisco International Airport remained operational, and a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said there was no evidence of terrorism. The spokesperson requested anonymity, citing department policy.

"This had nothing to do with cyber," said Joe Weiss, an expert on control system cyber security who has testified to Congress about structural weaknesses in grid components.

"The real question is how could one substation take out, effectively, San Francisco?"

An FBI spokesman said the agency monitored the incident but is not investigating.

Twenty-one San Francisco schools lost power, but remained open nonetheless, according to a Department of Emergency spokesman. At least three hospitals had to rely on backup generators, canceling elective surgeries and redirecting emergency patients to other facilities.

Joanna Gadd, 55, was in the admitting room of the citys Saint Francis Memorial Hospital waiting for her daughter to undergo surgery when the lights went out.

The diagnostic surgery was canceled. She had forfeited a trip to the United Kingdom, including airfare, to accommodate the operation.

"It is frustrating, Gadd said. "It's quite nerve-racking going into surgery. She had been fasting, and fasting for someone with diabetes is definitely no picnic."

(Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin, David Ingram, Joe Menn, Robin Respaut, Peter Henderson and Liana Baker in San Francisco, Rodrigo Campos in New York, Tom James in Seattle and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Writing by Dan Whitcomb and Heather Somerville; Editing by Mary Milliken)
(WASHINGTON) - President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed the significance of pushing Republican health care legislation through the House next week, a retreat from more bullish White House pronouncements a day earlier, which had gotten a skeptical reception at the Capitol.

In brief comments to reporters Friday, Trump said the attempt to rekindle the GOP drive to repeal President Barack Obamas health care law is coming along well. But he said there was no particular rush to do it next week, when Congress returns from its spring recess.

It doesnt matter if its next week. Next week doesnt matter, Trump said at the White House.

Those comments represent a ratcheting back from Thursday, when Trump said at a news conference that there was a good chance of passing health legislation soon, adding, Id like to say next week.

Amplifying those comments, a senior White House official was also expressing confidence Thursday that a breakthrough on the mired Republican health care bill could emerge in the House next week. That official was not authorized to discuss the internal process publicly and insisted on anonymity.

The White House is eager to pass the health bill quickly, partly because Trump will likely hit his 100th day in office - April 29 - without having signed a major piece of legislation.

But that goal is running straight into the time-consuming, push-and-pull reality of Congress, not to mention enduring divisions between the conservative and moderate wings of Trumps party.

Many GOP lawmakers and aides have expressed doubt that the House would vote next week on health legislation, just a month after an earlier version died for lack of support within the party. They cited the higher priority of passing a spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Also, theres uncertainty over a developing deal to revive the Republican health bill. In any case, it would take time to sell such an agreement to lawmakers.

Republicans are also expressing doubts that a health care compromise thats been discussed between party conservatives and moderates would win enough support to put the bill over the top. The party has long promised to repeal Obamas 2010 health care law, and the House bill would replace it with less generous subsidies and eased insurance requirements.

Story continues

An outline of a deal has been crafted by Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who heads the hard line House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., a leader of the centrist Tuesday Group. Vice President Mike Pence also played a role in shaping that plan, Republicans say.

The plan would deliver a win to moderates by amending the GOP health care bill to restore Obamas requirement that insurers cover specified services like maternity care. But in a bid for conservative support, states would be allowed to obtain federal waivers to abandon that obligation.

In addition, states could obtain waivers to an Obama prohibition against insurers charging sick customers higher premiums - a change critics argue would make insurance unaffordable for many. To get those waivers, states would need to have high-risk pools - government-backed insurance for the most seriously ill people, a mechanism that has often failed for lack of sufficient financing.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has told the United States it regrets Washington's opposition to letting its inspectors take part in an investigation into a chemical weapons attack in Syria earlier this month, the foreign ministry said on Friday. It said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the two sides agreed to consider one more time an "objective investigation into the incident" under the aegis of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The U.S. State Department said that during the call Tillerson reiterated to Lavrov his support for the OPCW's existing investigative mechanism. They also discussed a range of issues, including those covered during Tillerson's April 11-12 visit to Moscow, the department said in a statement. The United States accused the Syrian army of carrying out the April 4 attack in which scores of people died from poison gas, and it responded by launching cruise missiles against a Syrian air base. Russia has defended its ally Damascus and blamed the incident on rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The episode added to a long list of disputes between the two countries and has dashed Russian hopes that ties might improve with Donald Trump in the White House. Trump said last week that relations with Moscow "may be at an all-time low." Referring to another irritant in the relationship, the Russian ministry said Lavrov called on Tillerson to hand back "Russian diplomatic property in the USA unlawfully confiscated by the Barack Obama administration." Former President Obama expelled 35 suspected Russian spies in December and ordered the Russians to depart two countryside vacation retreats outside Washington and New York that he said were linked to espionage.. The ministry said the parties had agreed to launch a working group soon "to seek ways to get rid of irritants in bilateral relations." (writing by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Cynthia Osterman)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian state news organization Rossiya Segodnya said on Friday it objected to a Reuters article it said had falsely claimed that Kremlin-backed media had tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election. A Reuters spokesperson said the news agency stood by the story which reported exclusively on April 19 that a Russian government think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin had developed a plan to swing the election in favor of Donald Trump by getting several state-backed media outlets to produce positive reports on Trump. Three current and four former U.S. officials said Kremlin-backed TV channel RT and the Sputnik news agency were among state-backed news outlets which the Kremlin had instructed to weigh in on Trump's side and to try to undermine voters faith in the American electoral system. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya and RT criticized the Reuters story on social media on Friday. She linked to an article by the RIA news agency, which along with Sputnik, is owned by Rossiya Segodnya. RIA quoted Simonyan as saying: "Reuters writes that it knows of seven guys who swear that they have seen a secret Russian report with their own eyes. Or even two reports. Give Reuters an Oscar for best screen play, they've earned it." Simonyan did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for further comment sent via RT after business hours in Moscow. Separately, an RT spokesman in London said Reuters had erroneously stated that RT had not responded to a pre-publication request for comment. The Reuters spokesperson said the agency did send an email requesting comment. The RT spokesman said it was sent to the wrong email address. In addition, Simonyan said that Rossiya Segodnya would not now sign a contract with Reuters to buy video footage "because they lie." An agreement for Reuters to supply Rossiya Segodnya with video footage from May 1 had already been agreed, but would not now be signed, RIA reported. When asked to comment on the matter, the Reuters spokesperson said Reuters did not discuss clients or the terms of their contracts. Russia has repeatedly denied U.S. intelligence allegations that it tried to meddle in the U.S. election, saying it is the victim of an organized anti-Russian campaign designed to ensure that Trump will find it impossible to repair relations with Moscow, which are languishing at a post Cold War low. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
The oldest son of President Donald J. Trump rallied voters at three Montana stops, playing most of the greatest hits from his fathers campaign while making sure Republican voters knew how important it was to show up in Montanas special election.

This is going to be viewed as a referendum on Trump, Donald Trump Jr. told a crowd of about 450 people who gathered in Kalispell Friday afternoon. It was the first of three Friday rallies for U.S. House candidate Greg Gianforte, a Bozeman businessman who lost his bid for governor last fall.

Hamilton and Billings drew similar crowds. Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak Saturday night in Bozeman.

Lets show him and the rest of the world and certainly the rest of this country that this wasnt just a one-time thing in November and some kind of fluke," Trump Jr. said.

Gianforte is running to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who resigned Montanas only U.S. House seat in early March to become a Trump Cabinet member. His main opponent is Democrat Rob Quist, a Montana musician from Creston. Inverness rancher Mark Wicks is the Libertarian candidate.

Trump Jr. characterized Quist as a ready-made follower of House Democratic leaders, a sour association for Republicans at the rallies.

We need someone whos going to work with Donald Trump and for Montana and not fall in, like with Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. House minority leader, Trump Jr. said.

Trump Jr. told the Hamilton rally that his father is someone who has actually created jobs and knows how to talk to real Americans rather than talk at them.

"So many Americans are tired of it," he said to the crowd at the fairgrounds. "They have had enough of being lied to. They have had enough of false promises."

In his father's time in office, Trump Jr. said, the president has shown action, resolve and conviction in an effort to allow the country to assume its rightful place as the leader of the free world.

"When we're talking about the red line in Syria," Trump Jr. said, "Tomahawk missiles seem to be a lot more effective than crayons."

Gianforte received loud applause for highlighting what he said separates him from Quist.

The other guy is really just Nancy Pelosi in a cowboy hat, Gianforte said.

In Billings, where there were a few hundred people, Gianforte unpacked a late developing controversy about Trump Jr's visit: gophers.

Trump's oldest son and Gianforte are going prairie dog hunting this weekend. Animal rights activists pounced on the outing.

"I had to explain to this reporter that the Montana Department of Agriculture classifies them as agricultural pests and that the little ones just grow up into big ones. And all they do is go out to the pasture and dig holes. And then the little ponies get their feet stuck and break their legs. So were going to go protect the little ponies."

Gianforte also spoke of protecting gun rights and "keeping public lands in public hands," something Democrats accused him of wanting to undermine a year ago.

Montana's Republican Sen. Steve Daines also spoke, drawing applause for citing the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court as a major election promise the president made that has been fulfilled.

"One in five voters said the Supreme Court was important. They broke for Trump 57 to 40," Daines said.

The crowd didnt need to be sold on Trump or Gianforte.

"Greg Gianforte stands for the people who are hard working, whether they're business owners, ranchers, or ditch diggers," said Mike Okragly, a Billings cattleman. "He's for us."

Brenda Brockett said shes met Gianforte's opponent, Rob Quist, and described him as a nice man who was wrong for the job because of his financial troubles. Quist has been taken to court over unpaid debts and taxes. She said giving the Democrat a say in the federal budget wasn't sensible.

Brockett liked Gianforte's business chops.

"He came to this state as a young man with his family and started a successful business. He worked hard to do it," Brockett said. "He put himself in a position to be a successful businessman and that's what we need."

Election Day is Thursday, May 25. Absentee ballots can be picked up at elections offices April 25 the day early voting starts. The ballots will be mailed out May 1.

National Republican groups have supported Gianforte with donations and ads, while Democrat Rob Quist's campaign received a boost from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which Thursday pledged spending six figures on the race. The DCCC didn't provide an actual amount.

Former state Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, of Kalispell, was at the Flathead County rally Friday and said the event shows Montana is still riding a Republican wave after last falls election, when President Donald Trump won the state vote by more than 20 percent. In that election cycle, Republicans lost the governor's race, but won five other statewide contests, flipping four offices in the process.

This is a great turnout, and this definitely shows theres an energy for Gianforte in this election, Tutvedt said.

Shirley Herrin, the president of Lewis and Clark Republican Women in Helena, drove to the Flathead for the rally.

I support Trump because hes really putting our country back on track, she said after the event. "I've been praying because for years now weve been going down a road thats just not American.

Herrin said shes happy with what Trump has accomplished in his first few months as president. She expects by year's end to see the full replacement of the Affordable Care Act, former president Barack Obamas hallmark health care law. She also expects comprehensive tax system.

Those are two things Trump promised to do at the start of his presidency.

Hes absolutely keeping every promise he can, Herrin said.

In response to the rallies Friday, Quist released a statement saying his focus is on Montanans, not politics.

"I have visited over 45 counties talking to all Montanans  independents, Republicans and Democrats. And my message to voters crosses party lines. I will work with President Trump when it serves the interests of Montana and hold him accountable when he doesn't. I agree with him on the need for investing in our infrastructure and manufacturing and rebuilding the middle class."

Before performing Friday night at a Billings fundraiser, Quist told the crowd he planned to be back in Billings for a July show.

The winner of the May 25 special election will step into Montana's empty House seat immediately.

Protesters gathered outside every Trump Jr. stop. In Kalispell, they numbered 20 and held signs supporting Quist and calling on the president to release his tax returns.

In Hamilton, some 150 protesters turned out. Janice Lee of Corvallis said she decided to picket the Hamilton rally because she didnt believe the state should send another millionaire to Congress.

I dont really think were going to change anyones minds, but I think its important that theres more than one side to this, she said. They need to know that there are people who disagree.

In Billings, protesters called Gianforte a creationist denying the science of evolution. The candidate has donated to a Glendive dinosaur museum themed creationism.

Mario Shivers, of Kalispell, said he came out to show his support for Quist and disgust with Trump.

I dont like Trump, and havent been OK with one thing thats happened since Election Day, he said.

Supporters were a part of Big Sky Rising, a grassroots organization to raise support for equality, diversity, human rights, civil liberties and the environment. Other protesters made a point of clarifying they were not paid, a narrative frequently touted by Trump.
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's deputy economy minister said on Saturday the kingdom had reduced its deficit in the first quarter of 2017 by more than half in part because of prudent public spending. "The fact that the first quarter deficit was 26 billion riyals ($6.93 billion) when 54 billion riyals was projected at the beginning of the year. This is a very excellent step toward rationalized spending," Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, deputy minister of economy and planning told state-run Ekhbariya TV. Saudi's deficit shrank to 297 billion riyals ($79 billion) in 2016, down from a record 367 billion-riyal gap in 2015. In its 2017 budget plan, Riyadh said the deficit would shrink further this year to 198 billion riyals because of higher oil prices and non-oil revenues. ($1 = 3.7499 riyals) (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty and Katie Paul; Writing by Tom Finn; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Salman issued a royal decree on Saturday restoring financial allowances for civil servants and military personnel that had been cut under austerity measures. "The royal order returns all allowances, financial benefits, and bonuses to civil servants and military staff," said the decree, broadcast on state-run Ekhbariya TV. In September Saudi Arabia cut ministers' salaries by 20 percent and scaled back financial perks for public sector employees in one of the energy-rich kingdom's most drastic measures to save money at a time of low oil prices. The measures were the first pay cuts for government employees, who make up about two-thirds of working Saudis. The decree canceled those orders, saying they had come as a response to the sharp drop in the price of oil, the main source of state revenues. It said the measures had helped put the kingdom on a path to achieve the objectives set out in its economic reform program, Vision 2030, which include improving state revenues and curbing the budget deficit. Following the decree, economic officials highlighted figures pointing to economic recovery. The central bank governor said the kingdom's trade deficit was expected to drop in 2017, possibly moving into a surplus. The deputy economy minister said the kingdom had reduced its deficit in the first quarter of the year by more than half, in part because of prudent public spending. PERSONNEL CHANGES Other decrees issued at the same time appointed one of Salman's sons, Prince Khaled bin Salman, ambassador in Washington and another, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, state minister for energy affairs. Prince Khaled is an F-15 pilot who has trained in the United States and carried out air strikes against the Islamic State militant group in Syria. Prince Abdulaziz is a long-time energy policy official who was appointed deputy oil minister in 2015. Further decrees replaced the kingdom's information and civil service ministers and set up a committee to investigate allegations of abuse of the civil service office. A national security center was established under the royal court and Ibrahim al-Omar was named governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, an agency managing foreign investment in the kingdom known as SAGIA. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty, Sami Aboudi and Katie Paul; Writing by Tom Finn; Editing by Andrew Roche and Jonathan Oatis)
Science March demonstrators parade down a Manhattan street. (Photo: Ben Adler)

Carefully penned within barricades by the NYPD, thousands of demonstrators lined up, stretching a mile along Manhattans Upper West Side, for Saturday mornings New York City March for Science. The event, on Earth Day, was one of more than 600 simultaneous marches all over the world in conjunction with the flagship event in Washington, D.C., marshaling tens of thousands of activists.

The New York march opened with a rally, followed by a parade to Times Square. Protesters held aloft witty handwritten signs with phrases extolling sciences virtues and calling for politicians to stop denying scientific reality in the service of ideological or political expediency. Brought to you by science: Silicon, television, Propecia, Twitter. And lots more read one typical sign. Another: Science saves lives.

Some signs made oblique reference to President Trump and his unprecedented aversion to empirical reality, such as one that read, Science demands proof  not alternative facts. Others were more assertively political, including a placard that baldly threatened electoral consequences if Congress enacts the massive cuts to spending on scientific research proposed in Trumps budget: Cut science? Be cut in 2018, 2020.

That sign may have been a little off-message. Even though they were inspired to put together the first-ever March for Science by the new administrations hostility to unbiased fact-gathering and analysis, the national march organizers say that they want the event to be resolutely nonpartisan and apolitical. Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and the national marchs co-director of partnerships, says she got involved on the heels of reading articles about scientists frantically downloading and saving government datasets they were afraid would disappear [under Trump.] But, Johnson insisted, the march was to be strictly nonpartisan, with no politicians selected as speakers and no political organizations as co-sponsors.

Story continues

The national march was co-sponsored by an array of professional science organizations, such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and public health and environmental advocacy groups. The New York march was co-sponsored by similar groups, including the Nature Conservancy and the New York Academy of Sciences.

Two Science March demonstrators hold up their signs. (Photo: Ben Adler)

Slideshow: March for Science events around the globe >>>

But is being apolitical actually helpful to the pro-science cause? Hahrie Han, an expert in social movements who teaches political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told the Atlantic that it might be an impediment to achieving change. She says that rallies and marches are effective when they can strategically translate the resources they have into relationships and political influence with people who are decision-makers.

With the March for Science, given the initial resistance of the people in the movement to politicize it, and the newness of these groups in thinking about their work in political terms, itll be a challenge to develop those strategic capacities, Han said.

The day certainly had a few touches that are unusual for a political protest. The New York marchers were accompanied by a brass band that paid homage to the nerdy crowds presumed enthusiasm for science fiction, playing the theme songs from Star Wars and HBOs Game of Thrones. The only frequent chant was Science not silence.

Beyond scientists, several groups were better represented than is usual for a political demonstration: notably children and people with disabilities. The latter may have been motivated by the role scientific research and advanced medicine have played in their lives. Several speakers at the rally emphasized that they survived cancer only by the miracle of modern medicine. Others carried signs with wry comments such as Got plague? If not, thank a scientist.

Many parents said they had attended other recent protests, such as the Womens March, without their children, but this one struck them as more kid-friendly, easier to grasp than, say, the nuances of immigration policy or inflammatory things Trump has said about women. Science is something they can get behind, says Rebecca Cameron, a mother from Brooklyn who brought her two young children. Her 6-year-old son Colin was carrying a handwritten sign that declared, Fact is true. The PTA of Colins public elementary school in famously progressive Park Slope, Brooklyn, had organized a whole contingent of students and parents.

A younger protester at the Science March in New York. (Photo: Ben Adler)

Schoolteachers also seemed especially well represented among attendees. People thinking theres no way to know if somethings true is really dangerous, said Kira Kingren, a middle school media literacy teacher, also of Brooklyn.

Students and children were highlighted by the event organizers. Elijah Van Belle, an 18-year-old New York City high school senior, spoke at the rally. I believe climate change is the greatest threat to my generation, Van Belle said, in contrast to climate science denial that many protesters cited as among the most dangerous contemporary attacks on science. He added that the excitement of discovery fills me with goose bumps, but maybe thats just the weird weather weve been having.

Counter-protester Jim McDonald of Queens stood at Columbus Circle, near where the rally occurred and the march began, holding a sign promoting a different epistemology: Thank God for Donald Trump, it read.

Im here to show that most of the country supports Donald Trump, McDonald said. Im also angry that they say theyre here to promote science. They should be honest enough to say what theyre here for, he added, arguing that the science march was just another excuse to protest Trump. In fact, aside from a few mutterings as the march passed the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Central Park West, Trumps name hardly came up.

The real enemy of the day seemed to be alternative facts, a widely mocked term coined by top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, who was defending the White Houses false claim about the inauguration crowd size. The phrase evoked hearty boos from the crowd when mentioned by a speaker. (McDonald, fittingly enough, is a firm believer in at least one alternative fact: After all, his claim that most of the country supports Donald Trump flies in the face of both current opinion polling and Trumps popular vote totals in November.)

More signs at the Science March in New York. (Photo: Ben Adler)

While protesters readily conceded that Trump himself would not be likely to change his approach to anything in response to their march, they hope to galvanize a movement that pressures members of Congress and opens up a new realm of public awareness about the importance of scientific integrity to good policymaking.

Whether or not they will succeed is unclear. Trump has for years dismissed climate science, calling global warming a hoax. And he has previously dismissed April 22 as so-called Earth Day.

But on Saturday, at least, he took a different approach. Rigorous science is critical to my administrations efforts to achieve the twin goals of economic growth and environmental protection, he declared.

Trump followed the statement with a less nuanced tweet on the matter. [A]lways remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter! he wrote.

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By Leigh Thomas and Marine Pennetier PARIS (Reuters) - The killing of a policeman by a suspected Islamist militant pushed national security to the top of the French political agenda on Friday, two days before the presidential election. With the first round of voting in the two-stage election taking place on Sunday, far-right nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen promised tougher immigration and border controls to beat "Islamist terrorism" if elected. Centrist Emmanuel Macron, who narrowly leads a tight race ahead of Le Pen, said the solutions were not as simple as she suggested, and that there was "no such thing as zero risk". Anyone who said otherwise was irresponsible, said Macron, a former economy minister in the government that Le Pen has repeatedly criticised for its security record. There are four leading candidates in a race that is still too close to call. Sunday's voting will be followed by a runoff on May 7 between the top two candidates. The first poll conducted entirely after Thursday's attack suggested Le Pen had gained some ground on Macron. While he was still seen winning the first round with 24.5 percent, his score slipped half a percentage point while Le Pen's rose by one to 23 percent. Conservative Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, and the far left's Jean-Luc Melenchon were both down half a percentage point on 19 percent in the Odoxa poll for the newspaper Le Point. The attack on the Champs-Elysees boulevard in the very heart of the capital added a new source of unpredictability to an election that will decide the management of France's 2.2 trillion euro economy, which vies with Britain for the rank of fifth largest in the world. U.S. President Donald Trump told the Associated Press on Friday he thought the attack will "probably help" Le Pen because she is the candidate who is "strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France." Trump told the AP in an interview he was not explicitly endorsing Le Pen but that he believes the attack will affect how French people vote on Sunday. The outcome could also have a bearing on France's place in the world and in a European Union still reeling from Britain's decision to leave. While Macron is ardently pro-EU, Le Pen wants to quit its single currency and potentially hold a referendum on leaving the bloc. All the candidates are seeking to woo the huge number of undecideds - some 31 percent of those likely to vote, according to an Ipsos poll on Friday. Fillon also seized on the attack, which was claimed by the militant group Islamic State, saying the fight against "Islamist totalitarianism" should be the priority of the next president. "It's us or them," he said. TRUMP TWEET Financial markets, though, shrugged off the latest twist in the campaign, with French benchmark bond yields hitting a three-month low. The Champs-Elysees shooting is the latest in a series of attacks by Islamist militants on France since 2015, in which more than 200 people have been killed. A truck ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice last year, killing more than 80, while coordinated attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris claimed about 130 lives in November 2015. There have also been attacks on a satirical weekly and a kosher store. However, previous attacks that have taken place shortly before elections, including the November 2015 attacks in Paris ahead of regional polls, and a shooting in a Jewish school before the 2012 presidentials, did not appear to boost the scores of those espousing tougher national security. An assault on a soldier in February at Paris's Louvre museum by a man wielding a machete also had no obvious impact on this year's opinion polls, which have consistently said that voters see unemployment and the trustworthiness of politicians as bigger issues. SECURITY FORCES ON ALERT One policeman was shot dead and two others were wounded in Thursday night's attack. Investigators are trying to assess whether the gunman had accomplices, anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins told a news conference, adding that the shooter had never shown any signs of radicalisation despite a long police history. After an emergency meeting of security officials, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said security forces, including elite units, were on alert to back up the 50,000 police earmarked to ensure safety during the election. "The government is fully mobilised. Nothing must be allowed to impede the fundamental democratic process of our country," Cazeneuve told reporters. "It falls to us not to give in to fear and intimidation and manipulation, which would play into the hands of the enemy." Controls on immigration and national security are cornerstones of Le Pen's National Front agenda, and on Friday she said she would reinstate border checks and expel foreigners who are on intelligence services' watch lists. Macron was quick to respond. "I've heard Madame Le Pen saying again recently that, with her in charge, certain attacks would have been avoided," he told RTL Radio. "There's no such thing as zero risk. Anyone who pretends (otherwise) is both irresponsible and deceitful." TIGHT RACE In an Elabe poll conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, and published on Friday, both Fillon and Melenchon were seen narrowing Macron and Le Pen's lead. Should both Macron and Le Pen make it to the second round, he was likely to win the runoff by 65 percent to 35, according to the survey for BFM TV and L'Express magazine. Fillon, who has slowly clawed back some ground lost after a fake jobs scandal, saw his score in the first round rise half a percentage point to 20 percent. Melenchon, who would hike taxes on the rich and spend 100 billion euros ($107 billion) of borrowed money on vast housebuilding and renewable energy projects, gained 1.5 points to 19.5 percent as he built further on the momentum he has generated with strong performances in television debates. If Melenchon makes it to the runoff, he was projected by the survey to beat either Le Pen or Fillon by comfortable margins, although he was seen losing to Macron by 41 percent to 59. (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau, Ingrid Melander, Laurence Frost, Bate Felix, Jean-Baptiste Vey, John Irish; Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Cynthia Osterman)
Appalled by a Bloomberg Markets Magazine cover story that linked American steel company Nucor Corp. to pig iron suppliers in Brazil who used slave labor, an investment firm with a stake in Nucor called for corrective action. Their mechanism: a shareholder resolution. The proposal appeared on Nucors 2009 proxy statement prior to a yearly shareholder meeting  and 27 percent of the companys shareholders voted in favor it.

Nucor stalled at first, but within a year, the steelmaker told the stakeholding company, Domini Social Investments LLC (now Domini Impact Investments) that it had begun requiring its manufacturers to sign an agreement with a group of nongovernmental organizations, including a pledge to break ties altogether with the suppliers using forced labor.

The shareholder resolution wouldn't have been legally binding but its success in drawing attention helped achieve real change.

Its kind of a little bit of a shame factor, Adam Kanzer, then Domini's general counsel, now its managing director, said in a phone interview. The CEO doesnt want that.

The tool behind Dominis ability to pressure Nucor will soon be out of reach to all but a hardly-existent portion of investors if a new bill becomes law. The CHOICE Act, sponsored by Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, would replace Dodd-Frank  and sharply raise the ownership threshold for shareholders who can file proposals.

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Photo: Reuters

Under current Securities and Exchange Commission rules, investors must own 1 percent or $2,000 worth of a publicly-traded companys market capitalization for a continuous year. Hensarlings bill would get rid of the $2,000 standard altogether, mandating that shareholders own 1 percent of the company for three years, according to a committee memo describing the bill. It would also raise the vote percentage needed for investors to resubmit their proposals the following year, and prohibit the filing of proposals on behalf of other investors.

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That 1 percent may seem miniscule, but Nucors current market cap, for example, is around $19 billion. In order to file a proposal under Hensarlings CHOICE Act, an investor would have to hold $190 million in shares of the firm. The committee approved the bill in September and planned to hold a hearing on it Wednesday morning.

Executives Need To See A Financial Benefit To Change

Shareholder proposals have pushed companies to do far more than address human rights abuses within their supply chains. Their effective elimination would have far-reaching consequences for climate change, board diversity and pay equity, pension funds power over their investments and companies disclosures of lobbying and campaign finance activities.

Some firms  like the asset manager BlackRock, which issued guidance this year on its adherence to environmentally-conscious policies  have taken the lead on climate change issues on their own. But shareholders of other companies, especially those in the energy sector, have been increasingly nudging those firms in the direction of better sustainability, and have drawn substantial shareholder voting support.

In the spring of 2016, nine resolutions from shareholders of energy companies related to the Paris Climate Agreements goal (limiting a rise in global temperatures to 2 degree Celsius) garnered an average vote of nearly 38 percent, the for-profit research and consulting firm Governance and Accountability Institute found. Among the nine firms were Southern Co., ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron Corp., some of the top greenhouse gas polluters.

Last year saw 978 shareholder proposal submissions, Deloitte found; of those, 71 focused on environmental issues, up from 40 in both 2012 and 2013, according to Heidi Welsh, executive director of the nonprofit Sustainable Investments Institute. This year, 66 such proposals were filed. (Shareholder resolutions for the year are generally filed by March.)

With President Donald Trumps budget proposal draining nearly a third of the Environmental Protection Agencys budget, a primary force in the fight against climate change could soon be weakened. With the loss of shareholder proposals, another climate regulation tool would be all but eliminated.

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Photo: Reuters

To Tim Smith, the director of Environmental, Social and Governance Shareowner Engagement at the Boston-based Walden Asset Management, it would mean his firm would no longer be able to push forward a vote on whether corporate boards ought to publish sustainability reports, as it successfully did with the energy companies Emerson Electric and C. R. Bard Inc.

We believe  and its not just us, but investors we work with  that this is more important than ever before, Smith said. While many firms were on a roll with sustainability, some, like ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron Corp., were good on certain things, he said. But in terms of moving toward a less-than-two-degree world, they have been behind on that.

Shareholders also often use proposals to push for pay equity and increased representation of women and minorities on corporate boards. Shareholder resolutions have led some companies to no longer allow a single person to play the role of both chairman and CEO. And, as Natasha Lamb, managing director of Boston-based Arjuna Capital, told American Banker in March, it could be a tool in the fight for corporate wage equality.

We dont expect that businesses will change for the sake of doing the right thing  they need to see a financial benefit to change, she said. When we file shareholder proposals, thats the position were coming from.

Shareholder resolutions can also be a means of shedding light on corporations lobbying and campaign finance activities at a time when, a February study found, only 12 percent of publicly-traded firms in the Standard & Poors 500 Index disclosed their lobbying expenditures. The number of shareholder proposals on lobbying, the report noted, grew to 64 in 2016 from just five in 2010. Proposals related to elections remained relatively flat, but still made up a large portion of resolutions involving political activity, with between 40 and 63 filed per year between 2010 and 2016.

A group of shareholders of the health insurance giant Anthem Inc. might be especially angered at the impending loss of a major corporate transparency tool. Earlier this year, Anthem shareholders submitted a resolution asking the company to disclose its policy and procedures governing lobbying and payments by Anthem used for direct or indirect lobbying or grassroots lobbying communications. But the SEC effectively blocked the resolution, giving Anthem executives free rein to keep lobbying information out of their proxy statement.

Meanwhile, Anthem lawyers expressed hope that Trumps administration might settle an antitrust suit by the Justice Department blocking the health insurance giants $48 billion acquisition of Cigna  a merger that would create the nations largest health insurance conglomerate.

Last year, Anthem poured millions into campaign groups with ties to officials presiding over the agencies that would oversee and evaluate the merger, channeled $100,000 toward Trumps inaugural committee and saw one of its key lobbyists take a top legal post at the White House.

All Hell Has Frozen Over

Shareholder proposals are also useful to pension funds, which hold relatively large assets but still would fail to meet the 1 percent threshold.

Apparently all hell has frozen over, as the Republicans are now attacking investors, said Brandon Rees, deputy director of the Office of Investment for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the largest federation of unions in the U.S. He added that even though the AFL-CIOs fund holds about $7 billion in total assets, Hensarlings proposal would completely disenfranchise working peoples voices.

Public pension fund managers expressed similar frustration.

As a major long-term investor, the New York State Common Retirement Fund regularly files shareholder resolutions that call for action at the companies in its portfolio in order to protect the value of our investments, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapolis office said in a statement, calling the proposed rule change outrageous. The office of his New York City counterpart said in a similar statement that the adjustment would silence investors like our office  and hurt our Citys retired firefighters, police officers, and teachers.

So why would Hensarling want to essentially get rid of the shareholder proposal? A press representative from the Texas Republicans office referred IBT to the House Financial Services Committee. In a statement, a Republican committee staffer, through a spokesperson, attributed the proposed change to gadflies who hijack the process to push social and politically motivated agendas.

But it may help to look at a February letter from the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executives chaired until recently by the CEO of one of Hensarlings top campaign contributors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.s Jamie Dimon. Addressed to Trumps National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, it asks for several Dodd-Frank and SEC rule rollbacks, among them the $2,000 threshold for shareholder proposals.

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Photo: Reuters

In too many cases, activist investors with insignificant stakes in public companies make shareholder proposals that pursue social or political agendas unrelated to the interests of the shareholders as a whole, the missive states. It cited Business Roundtables far more detailed and restrictive proposed limits on the shareholder proposal process, as enumerated in a post that characterizes the current rule as outdated.

Nanette Heide, a partner at the law firm Duane Morris and a board member of the New York chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, a global organization for merger and acquisition professionals, thinks policymakers ought to find a happy medium.

We want to be an attractive public trading market for both U.S. investors and non-U.S. investors as well, she said, echoing the worry that some shareholders are pushing their own agenda for no one but themselves. Heide suggested post-recession laws mightve been too reactionary, and could be reined in.

While the three-year ownership period and 1 percent threshold struck her as far too rigorous, she pointed to data citing a relative dearth of calls for diversity and equal pay among the proposals. And although many described resolutions as a low-cost, efficient way to call attention to risks and other problems within a corporation, she cited concerns about the costs to the company itself.

The cost of bringing a proposal is greater than $2,000, Heide said. Maybe there's a more moderate place in between [$2,000 and 1 percent] so that people arent making a small investment in the company and using it to their benefit.

To Kanzer, who was behind the push to break Nucors ties to slave labor, an investors financial stake is a non-factor.

It may not matter that the person who raised the idea owned $2,000 worth of stock or half a billion worth of stock, he said, adding that owners of as much as 1 percent of a company can often simply pick up the phone and call its executives. Its the idea that matters.

Related Articles
Survivors of a deadly Taliban assault on an Afghan military base described leaping from windows to escape gunmen shooting soldiers as they prayed, as grieving families Saturday collected coffins draped in the Afghan flag.

Afghan officials have said more than 100 soldiers were killed or wounded in the assault on the base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif Friday, the latest and potentially deadliest in a string of attacks on military targets.

Survivors who spoke to AFP in hospital said the gunmen were disguised as soldiers, used suicide vests and heavy machine guns, and shot unarmed soldiers at close range in the base's mosque.

"We were having lunch when an army truck pulled over near us with four men who looked like our soldiers," 22-year-old Zabiullah, who was wounded in the shoot-out, told AFP.

"Two of them with suicide vests jumped out of the car, entered the dining room and started shooting. The other two started shooting with a heavy machine gun on top of the truck," he said.

Mohammad Qurban, a 19-year-old trainee officer who was wounded in his hand and waist, told AFP many victims were shot at close range.

- 'They killed my friends' -

"Their leader was telling them 'aim for their heads'. They killed a lot of my friends, I jumped out of a window to survive," he said.

An Afghan army source at the base told AFP the death toll could be as high as 150, and said most of the soldiers were young recruits there for training.

"They entered the compound using two army trucks with machine guns on top of them. They opened fire on everyone. And then they entered the mosque and dining room, killing everyone indiscriminately," Mohammad Hussain, an army officer wounded in the attack, said.

The attack underscores rising insecurity as Afghanistan braces for an intense spring fighting season.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

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The defence ministry said Saturday it has launched an investigation, and will provide more information when that is completed.

Families of the victims gathered outside the base Saturday as soldiers carried out coffins in pairs, and handed them over to waiting relatives.

Many vented their anger at security officials for failing to protect their loved ones.

"Three months ago I sent my son to join the army... today they are giving me his dead body," the tearful, angry father of one soldier killed inside the base told AFP, declining to be named.

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Whether it's clean water gushing from a faucet, a weather forecast or a new smartphone game, kids see the accomplishments of science all around them, and tomorrow's "March for Science" provides an opportunity for parents and other adults to talk to kids about the importance of science, experts say.

Parents can tell their kids that the march is being held to show that "science is for everyone  it's really that simple," said David Evans, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, which is one of the more than 300 organizations working in partnership to organize the event. The march will start from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Saturday (April 22), and satellite marches will be held in more than 500 other cities worldwide.

If a child asks why people are marching for science, an adult can explain that organizations that support science are concerned about the public's understanding of science, Evans told Live Science. "There are many important issues facing society right now where science comes to bear on people's decisions," he said. [Best Supporting Role: 8 Celebs Who Promote Science]

A key idea to explain to kids is that science unfolds in many steps, he said. Adults can explain to kids that this means starting with an observation about the world, then asking questions about that observation and testing one's understanding of it to see if it holds up, he said.

"Everyone needs to understand that science is a process so they can participate" in society's decisions, he said.

Emily Graslie, the "chief curiosity correspondent" for The Field Museum in Chicago, said even young children can learn that science is a way of learning about the world.

"The march is an opportunity for scientists and science enthusiasts to show up and our make presence known as citizen of our communities," said Graslie, who will be giving the keynote address at the march in Chicago on Saturday. Scientists have not always done a good job of communicating about their work, and the public may mistakenly think that scientists work in isolation, in labs, she said. The march will change that.

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The march will also show kids that scientists are a diverse group, Graslie said. "Kids might think of a scientist as a kooky guy with crazy hair, but science is a diverse field, a collaborative field, and there are people from all walks of life who contribute."

Some in the public might feel that they are distant from the world of science, but science just means expressing curiosity or an interest in a question, she said. For anyone who's just looking to develop a better understanding of science, participating in a march is a good first step, she said.

Mike Carapezza, a biomedical engineer who works as a research associate at Columbia University in New York City and as a partner with a children's science education program called Hypothekids, said adults can explain to kids that the march is happening because "people who understand the value of science are trying to make the statement that we can't ignore scientific facts." [25 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]

Taking kids to the march is a good idea because it would let kids see how many people think science is important, Carapezza said. Kids can benefit from "seeing how many people really trust and value science, and trust in the 'good faith' of science  that scientists are trying to find answers, not push an ideology," he said.

Adults can explain to kids that science is "a systematic way of understanding the world," he said. "It's a method of asking questions and answering them as well as you can," but still acknowledging that those answers may not be completely correct, he told Live Science.

"The uncertainty is built in," he said. And anyone who feels that they don't know a lot about science can rest assured that they will feel at home at the march. "Admitting that you don't know something -- that's actually exactly what scientists do," he said. Scientists look for questions that they don't have answers to, and try to learn.

With kids, "it's never too early to foster an interest in science," Graslie said. "In times like these, it's important to keep dialogues open and encourage that curiosity."

Originally published on Live Science.

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Missing teenager Elizabeth Thomas was finally located Thursday after a search that lasted more than a month. Thomas and the man who allegedly kidnapped her, Tad Cummins, were found in a remote part of northern California after a man became suspicious of their behavior and tipped off police.

The girl wasnt really looking at me or anything and he was always dominating the conversation, Griffin Barry, the man who called the authorities, told "Good Morning America" Friday. That kind of clues people in.

He noted that Cummins attempted to keep [Thomas] away from other people. The two identified themselves as John and Joanna when they met Barry at a gas station and told him they needed money and a place to stay. Barry put them up in a cabin before seeing photos released by Tennessee investigators that showed pictures of Thomas and Cummins.

I had a photo of him that was the amber alert, said Barry. I was like, thats definitely the guy, and then we saw the car and it matched up as well.

Authorities made their way to the area where they found Thomas and arrested Cummins. Thomas was apparently healthy and unharmed, according to Maury County, Tennessee district attorney Brent Cooper, who told reporters Thursday that their main concern was how she is emotionally and mentally.

Thomas, 15, was a student at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, where Cummins, 50, was a health science teacher. Thomas and Cummins were seen kissing inside his classroom by an unidentified student in January, sparking an investigation by school administrators and police. The teenager left her home March 13 to go to a nearby restaurant where authorities believe she was taken by Cummins. Thomas reportedly told one of her siblings on the morning of her disappearance that if she was not home by dinner, someone should call the police.

Tennessee investigators cautioned that, despite the inquiries into their relationship, the situation was not romantic.

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She is 15, a child. He is 50, a grown man. Shes a high school freshman. Hes a former teacher. This is, and was, not a romance, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director Mark Gwynn told reporters shortly after the two went missing. This was manipulation solely to benefit Tad Cummins. This is not a fairy tale. This is a case of kidnapping.

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Buffeted by the currents of diplomacy, South Korea is sometimes described as a "shrimp between two whales", and US president Donald Trump has touched nerves with remarks that the peninsula "used to be part of China".

The comments came after Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida.

As the pair discussed ways to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions amid mounting tensions, Trump told the Wall Street Journal, Xi "went into the history of China and Korea.

"And you know, you're talking about thousands of years... and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China," Trump went on.

Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally and Washington wants it to do more about the North's nuclear and missile programmes, while the US has a security alliance with Seoul and stations more than 28,000 troops in South to defend it.

The exact details of what Xi said and whether Trump accurately represented him are not known, but South Koreans are wary of Chinese expansionism, and politicians, historians and citizens have been outraged.

The Korean peninsula has been heavily influenced by China politically and culturally for centuries.

But while its ruling kingdoms sometimes paid tribute to their giant neighbour, South Korean historians stress they did not come under its territorial control, despite repeated invasions.

Seoul's foreign ministry spokesman countered: "The fact that Korea was not part of China for thousands of years... is a clear historical fact acknowledged by the international community."

- 'Dumbfounded' -

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang declined to confirm the details of Xi's wording, saying that: "The Korean people should not be worried about it."

But Seoul's major JoongAng Ilbo daily said South Koreans had been "dumbfounded" by the Chinese leader.

"If Trump really conveyed Xi's words correctly, it is nothing but a grave challenge to the identity of the Korean people," it said.

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South Korean historians and activists rallied outside the Chinese embassy on Friday to protest against Xi's "absurd remarks", Yonhap news agency reported.

Seoul and Beijing are at loggerheads over the deployment of the US missile defence system THAAD to the South to guard against threats from the North, infuriating China, which sees it as weakening its own capabilities.

Beijing has imposed a series of moves including a ban on group tours to the South and suspensions of South Korean businesses in China, which are seen by Seoul as economic retaliation.

South Korea's top-selling Chosun newspaper turned on both leaders, castigating Xi for his "premodern expansionist view" and Trump for a lack of awareness of diplomatic sensitivities.

"The fact that Trump publicly disclosed such a remark (by Xi) demonstrates that he is completely ignorant about the history of the Korean peninsula," it said in an editorial Friday.

- Relations 'at their lowest' -

The row came after South Koreans were dismayed by the revelation that the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and a supporting battle group were still thousands of kilometres (miles) from the peninsula, despite the White House saying it was dispatching them to the area as tensions mounted with the North.

Trump had described the vessels as an "armada" and "very powerful" and the revelation drew jeers and disappointment.

"What Mr Trump said was very important for the national security of South Korea," conservative South Korean presidential candidate Hong Joon-Pyo told the Wall Street Journal.

"If that was a lie, then during Trump's term, South Korea will not trust whatever Trump says."

The series of missteps demonstrate lack of communications within Trump's nascent administration, said Bong Young-Shik, analyst at the Yonsei Universitys Institute for North Korean Studies.

"Trump is an outsider inexperienced with how Washington works... and the coordination among his White House, the State Department and the Pentagon seems to be poor for now," he told AFP.

Relations between Seoul and Beijing are "at their lowest for years", said Bong, and Trump's description of Xi's remark was likely to worsen them further, "whether he intended to or not".

Fears of potential Korean conflict have mounted in recent weeks with Pyongyang showing no sign of any willingness to abandon its nuclear and missile programmes, and the US saying that military action was an "option on the table".

The North has vast amounts of artillery deployed within striking range of Seoul, putting the South Korean capital at risk of devastation in even a conventional conflict.

The carrier controversy illustrated Trump's "unpredictable behaviour" that could lead to "disastrous events", the Kyunghyang daily said.

"We are worried whether the Trump administration... can properly handle a crisis on the Korean peninsula," it added. "The South Korean government should brace itself against the 'Trump Risk'."
BERLIN (Reuters) - Thousands of people in Berlin turned out for the first March for Science being held in more than 600 cities worldwide on Saturday due to growing concern about U.S. President Donald Trump's climate change skepticism and cuts to research funding. Demonstrators carried signs reading "We love experts - those with evidence" and "Science not Silence" for the march from Humboldt University toward the Brandenburg Gate, led by mayor Michael Mueller and the leaders of the city's universities. "There are no alternatives to facts," read one large banner, referencing a term used by White House official Kellyanne Conway during a dispute with the media over the size of the crowd at Trump's inauguration. The marchers also stopped briefly at the Hungarian embassy to protest a new Hungarian law that has threatened to close a university funded by financier George Soros. Organizers said 11,000 people took part in the event, which they said aimed to highlight the importance of science and evidence-based knowledge in democracies. "We Berliners know from our own history what the repression of freedom means. That is why we have a particular responsibility to mobilize for free science and an open and tolerant society," Mueller told marchers. The march, timed to coincide with Earth Day, comes after moves by Trump to cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health. "Science is necessary. In my opinion empirical science is the key to progress by the culture and civilization we have developed," marcher Hagen Esterberg told Reuters TV. Maria Pohle said she joined the march to show support "for the science which is not only threatened in America, but also in Europe and everywhere in the world." (Reporting by Reuters TV and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Helen Popper)
President Donald Trumps youngest daughter Tiffany Trump seemingly stays out of public eye. However, recently she was spotted partying in New York City with actress Bella Thorne to celebrate the latters new show Famous In Love.

Tiffany was pictured in the Dream Downtown with 19-year-old Thorne and other friends, according to Page Six. Her friends reportedly were photographer taking a dip in a hot tub. However, Tiffany refrained from the activity, Page Six added.

Earlier this month, Tiffany made her first public appearance at the White House to attend an event in support of the Wounded Warrior Project in Washington, D.C. She "kept a low profile" at the event, sources told Cosmopolitan at the time. The event was also attended by Trump and the first lady Melania Trump along with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence.

Unlike her sister Ivanka Trump, Tiffany does not want join the White House, according to People magazine.

Tiffany looks up to Ivanka but she is not angling for any kind of White house role like Ivanka has, a source told People at the time, referring Ivankas latest role as adviser to the president.

Tiffany is younger and still figuring out what she wants to do  but when her dad calls upon her, she always tries to accommodate, the source told the magazine. Of course he hasnt called upon her that much, but shes happy to help when he does, like giving the RNC speech.

However, Tiffany spent more quality time with her father during his presidential campaign and she got to know him better, the source told the magazine.

The two also traveled together a lot on the campaign  that was a really meaningful time for Tiffany because they got some one-on-one time on the private plane, the source reportedly said. Its actually some of the only time shes ever been alone with him as an adult.

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The Trump Administration asked Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to resign, calling his departure a continuation of the transition between the two presidential administrations.

Murthy was replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams, a nurse who currently serves in an acting role. The official Twitter and Facebook accounts for the surgeon general have been changed to reflect the replacement.

Dr. Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps, a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services said, according to USA Today. The department said Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price thanks him for his dedicated service to the nation, USA Today reports.

Murthy was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014. Murthy confirmed his departure from the role in a Facebook post, in which he outlined his greatest lessons and accomplishments from his tenure and thanked his colleagues and family.

While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served, Murthy wrote.

Murthy was known for his strong stance on gun violence, calling it a public health threat. In fact, the National Rifle Association came out against Murthy and advised the Senate not to confirm him in 2014.

Murthy was the 19th surgeon general of the United States. A graduate from Harvard College and Yale University, Murthy co-founded Visions, an educational program for HIV/AIDS in the United States and India.

A representative from the Department of Health and Human Services has not responded to request for comment.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
The federal government is currently being funded by a continuing resolution that expires on April 28, 2017  which also happens to be the 99th day of Donald Trumps presidency.

If Congress fails to approve a new spending deal before then, Trumps 100th day as president will begin with a federal government shutdown.

The last government shutdown took place under President Obama and lasted for more than two weeks in 2013. Hundreds of thousands of federal government employees were furloughed. The Smithsonian museums and National Park Service sites were closed, including the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall in Philadelphia and the Washington monuments and memorials.

With current fights in Congress over spending on the military, the border wall and sanctuary cities, its certainly possible that no new continuing resolution will be passed in time.

That would make Trumps 100th day in office an unusual anniversary, but the truth is not all recent presidents have much to brag about when it comes to the impact of their first months in office.

Creating the concept

The idea of using a presidents first 100 days in office as a way to evaluate him began in 1933 with Franklin D. Roosevelt  although FDR actually had in mind measuring the New Deal achievements of the first 100 days of a special congressional session that year. In a July 24 Fireside Chat, FDR referred to the crowding events of the 100 days which had been devoted to the starting of the wheels of the New Deal. Journalists, historians and political scientists continued the practice of looking for accomplishments in the early months of a presidency.

During those 100 days, FDR got many major bills through Congress to battle the economic crisis of the Great Depression. These bills created the Public Works Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps to provide job opportunities, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to insure bank deposits and the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide rural electricity. This flurry of activity became the standard by which future presidents would be judged  often coming up short.

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In a 2001 study, political scientists John Frendreis, Raymond Tatalovich and Jon Schaff determined that the presidents who followed FDR have not come close to his success levels in seeing proposed bills pass into law so early in their administrations. The authors attributed that to changes in Congress that have slowed down the lawmaking process.

Lets consider how the presidents have done.

Truman to Clinton

Following FDRs death, Harry Trumans first 100 days were focused on the closing battles of World War II, with Germanys surrender occurring less than one month after Truman took office.

Dwight Eisenhowers first 100 days were similarly dominated by foreign policy, including the death of Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin and negotiations to end the Korean War.

John Kennedy entered office with an ambitious agenda, which included the creation of the Peace Corps, but his first 100 days are probably best remembered for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.

Lyndon Johnsons first 100 days were most consumed by coping with the aftermath of Kennedys assassination, but LBJ also used the period and Kennedys legacy to begin the groundwork to pass major civil rights and war on poverty legislation.

While Richard Nixon also promoted an ambitious domestic agenda in the White House, his first 100 days contained no major visible achievements at the time. Nixon told reporters: I dont count either the days or the hours, really. I never thought in those terms. I plan for a long term. Later, it was revealed that he had ordered a secret bombing of Cambodia during the period.

Gerald Fords first 100 days are best remembered for his swearing-in ceremony following Nixons resignation, when he announced that our long national nightmare is over. He then pardoned Nixon one month later for any crimes the former president had committed in office.

Jimmy Carter also had an inauspicious start. Possibly due to his inexperience in Washington, he asked Congress to pursue several different domestic policy goals, many of which never passed into law. Perhaps best remembered from Carters early months is his speech from the White House to declare that energy policy and efforts to end American dependence on oil were the moral equivalent of war.

Ronald Reagans administration drew the lesson from his immediate predecessor that it was best to focus on one or two domestic issues during the first 100 days. Reagan spent his first months as president promoting an agenda of tax and spending cuts, though those did not pass into law until August 1981, four months later. Reagans first 100 days as president were also notable for the assassination attempt made against him, which limited his political efforts for part of the time period.

George H.W. Bushs first 100 days as president were largely a continuation of the policies of the Reagan presidency. They were noted at the time for being relatively uneventful, with a congressional battle over a secretary of defense nominee and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska dominating the political news.

The biggest political news story during Bill Clintons first 100 days was probably the failure of his stimulus package of domestic spending increases to get past a Republican filibuster in the Senate, though the eventual budget that resulted helped steer the United States toward budget surpluses later in the decade. Clintons first month also included his signing of the Family and Medical Leave Act into law, the start of a debate about service of gays in the military and the creation of a task force on national health care reform, chaired by Hillary Clinton.

The 21st century

George W. Bush took office in January 2001 after a disputed electoral outcome in Florida led to a 5-4 Supreme Court decision that essentially made him president. In a politically divided country, Bushs strategy seemed to be to avoid controversy and build his political capital, with his major legislative proposals in the time period involving tax cuts and education reform.

Due to the economic crisis that began during Bushs final months as president, Barack Obamas first 100 days in office were dominated by the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a package of economic stimulus investments that by some measures was even larger than those passed in FDRs 100 days in 1933. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview in November 2008, Obama even said he was reading about FDRs 100 days as an example.

Which brings us back to Donald Trump.

Trumps main political success so far has been the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. His promised repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act failed to get support in Congress. His attempted travel entry bans of citizens of certain Islamic countries into the U.S. and attempted suspension of refugee entry have so far led to massive protests and have been blocked by federal judges.

The Trump administration has also taken military action in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan, approved the construction of oil pipelines through North Dakota and sent out a request for contract bids to build a border wall with Mexico. Its not clear yet which of these events will be well-remembered a year  or 10  from now.

One thing is sure. If the Liberty Bell or the Lincoln Memorial is closed to tourists on Trumps 100th day as president, its likely that government malfunction will be what is remembered about Trumps first few months in office.

Robert Speel, Associate Professor of Political Science, Erie campus, Pennsylvania State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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After becoming the first group to legally challenge President Donald Trump's proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration Thursday for repealing protections for wolves, bears and other predatory animals that live on Alaskas national preserves. By filing the lawsuit, the group challenged the constitutionality of the Congressional Review Act, which the Republican-controlled Congress used in February to dismantle a rule made by the administration of the former President Barack Obama.

The rule limited the hunting of animals such as wolves, bears and other wildlife in Alaskas national wildlife refuges.

Read: First Lawsuit Filed Against Trump's Mexico Border Wall

Trump is not new to litigations because when he was a businessman he has had as many as 3,500 legal actions in federal and state courts during the past three decades against him. And after he took office, he had been named in more than 50 lawsuits in just over two weeks, according to reports.

In January, the city of San Francisco, became the first city in the U.S. to file a lawsuit over Trump's executive order targeting sanctuary cities. They claimed that Trumps executive order restricting federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants is unconstitutional, according to CNN.

Following the travel ban executive order of Trump, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed multiple lawsuits around the country with different plaintiffs who were affected by the travel ban, reports said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced January it has filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's executive order on refugees. They claimed the travel ban is unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds because it creates "favored and disfavored groups based on their faith."

In January, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a lawsuit against Trump for violating the Constitution by illegally receiving payments from foreign governments. The foreign emoluments clause of the Constitution prohibits Trump from receiving any financial support from foreign governments, including foreign government-owned businesses, without the approval of Congress.

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On Friday, President Donald Trump continued his efforts to scale back the Dodd-Frank Act, a sweeping piece of legislation from 2010 put in place in the wake of the financial crisis in hopes of curbing bad behavior on Wall Street. As he signed two memoranda targeting Dodd-Frank, Trump contended that the regulations put forward in the bill have done really in many cases the opposite what theyre supposed to and encourage[d] risky behavior.

The executive orders direct Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to lead a review of two specific parts of Dodd-Frank that were implemented in order to prevent another financial crisis. One of the orders pertains to the Orderly Liquidation Authority (OLA), which empowers the government to take over financial firms during a crisis, as needed. (Banks are actually in favor of the OLA.) The other is related to the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a panel of regulators with the power to designate institutions as systemically important, or too big to failwhich makes such firms subject to more government oversight and which banks dont generally take well to.

Recommended: How Online Shopping Makes Suckers of Us All

Fridays orders come after another order, signed in February, outlining a set of vague regulatory core principles and also calling for a different review of the FSOC. (The results of that review are due in June.) These new ones simply ask Mnuchin to conduct detailed investigations of the aforementioned features of Dodd-Frank over the next 180 days. What will come of those reviews is unclear, but the memoranda have more than just a symbolic meaning. They put both the OLA and the FSOC on hold during the review process, unless the Treasury deems it necessary to revive them in an emergency situation.

Trump and Mnuchin have repeatedly vowed to roll back Dodd-Frank, both arguing that the regulation is too complicated and hampers banks borrowing and lending. Banks, for their part, have complained that the too-big-to-fail labels strict capital requirements affects their ability to do business. The insurance company MetLife, for instance, sued the U.S. government last year to remove the designation; the case is currently in appeal and awaiting a decision. But Ben Bernanke, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has called the OLA an essential tool in preventing a financial crisis, and backed the appeal of the MetLife ruling that allowed the insurance company to shed its too big to fail label.

Story continues

The Treasurys findings could set the stage for an overhaul of at least some of the rules set by Dodd-Frank. This week, perhaps in anticipation, Republican lawmakers gave some indication of how they might replace the legislation when they unveiled a replacement plan for Dodd-Frank that would loosen many of the 2010 laws provisions.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By David Ingram SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Homeland Security Department's inspector general said on Friday he was investigating possible abuse of authority in a case that triggered a lawsuit against the department by Twitter Inc . Inspector General John Roth described the probe in a letter to Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who had asked for an investigation due to concerns about free speech protections. In a lawsuit on April 6, Twitter disclosed that it received a summons in March from the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, an agency within Homeland Security, demanding records about an account on the social media platform identified by the handle @ALT_uscis. The account has featured posts critical of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, leading Twitter to complain in its lawsuit that the summons was an unlawful attempt to suppress dissent. The agency dropped its demand of Twitter the day after the suit was filed. Customs bureau spokesman Mike Friel said on Friday that the bureau requested the inspector general's review and will fully support it. The people behind the Twitter account have not disclosed their identities, but the use of "ALT" with a government agency acronym has led many to assume government employees were behind the tweets critical of Trump. The lawsuit said the account "claims to be" the work of at least one federal immigration employee. USCIS is the acronym of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, a component of Homeland Security. Roth's office is charged with investigating waste, fraud and abuse within Homeland Security. He wrote in his letter that he was looking at whether the summons to Twitter "was improper in any way, including whether CBP abused its authority." "DHS OIG is also reviewing potential broader misuse of summons authority at the department," he added. Wyden's office posted the letter online. A representative for Roth could not immediately be reached for comment. A Twitter spokeswoman declined to comment. (Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by Tom Brown and Diane Craft)
By Dan Levine and Mica Rosenberg SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority nations faces its second challenge at a U.S. appeals court next month, and this time more Republican states are backing the measure, while one Democratic state attorney general dropped out of the legal fight this week. Some legal experts say the states' realignment could signal that the changes made last month to Trump's original executive order have strengthened the government's case. Sixteen Democratic state attorneys general and the District of Colombia on Thursday filed a "friend of the court" brief backing Hawaii in its bid to block the March 6 executive order, which two federal judges put on hold before it could be implemented. Hawaii and other states argue the ban violates the U.S. Constitution because it discriminates against Muslims. But Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who opposed the original ban that Trump signed on Jan. 27, did not join Thursday's brief, which was filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Shapiro declined to comment. On the other side, Texas, which had been alone in its support for the original January order, has gained the support of 14 Republican states urging that the ban go forward in a legal brief filed on April 10. Those states back the government's argument that the president has wide authority to implement immigration policy and that the ban is needed to prevent terrorist attacks. Trump's original ban, which the president said was needed for national security to head off attacks by Islamist militants, applied to seven Muslim-majority nations and indefinitely banned the entry of all refugees from Syria. It was revised and narrowed after a flurry of legal challenges. "The second executive order was much more carefully written than the first. Maybe when various states analyzed it they weren't as interested as joining," said Stephen Yale-Loehr an immigration expert at Cornell University Law School. However, he said, "amicus briefs sometimes are filed for political reasons." Some judges pay close attention to amicus briefs, while others disregard them. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment. Trump's January order was hastily implemented just days after his inauguration, leading to chaos and protests at airports and more than two dozen lawsuits. A federal judge in Seattle halted the order and the 9th circuit upheld that ruling. The White House re-crafted the order to exclude legal permanent residents and removed Iraq from the list of targeted countries. Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are still included in the new order. The new ban also dropped language giving preference to refugees who are part of a persecuted religious minority in their country of citizenship. The changes were meant to chip away at the plaintiffs' "standing" to sue, which requires that anyone bringing a lawsuit show they have been directly harmed by the action they are contesting. But as soon as the second order was signed, states and civil rights groups went back to court, saying that it was still discriminatory. Federal district judges in Maryland and Hawaii put the second order on hold before it could take effect on March 16. The judge in Hawaii blocked the two central sections of the ban, on travel and refugees, while the Maryland judge only halted the travel portion. Most of the focus is now on the Hawaii case, which is being heard by the 9th Circuit on May 15. The 4th Circuit appeals court in Virginia is slated to hear arguments in the Maryland case on May 8. Not all states have staked out a side in the fight. Pennsylvania now is among 18 states, including Michigan, Ohio, and New Jersey that have not taken sides on the issue, opting not to file any legal briefs. (Reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler)
New York (AFP) - United Airlines said Friday it no longer plans to name chief executive Oscar Munoz chairman as it revised its compensation program following an uproar over its treatment of a passenger.

Munoz and the airline were slammed with heavy criticism after a passenger was violently dragged off a United flight earlier this month in an incident that sparked global outrage.

Under the previous plan, Munoz had been slated to assume the chairman's role in 2018. But the company amended its contract with Munoz to remove that provision.

"The Board believes that separating the roles of chief executive officer and chairman of the board is the most appropriate structure at this time," the company said in a securities filing.

That design "is a means to ensure that Mr. Munoz is able to more exclusively focus on his role as Chief Executive Officer," it added.

United described its shift on compensation to take into account customer satisfaction as part of "a response to recent events," according to the document.

Executive compensation will now depend on "progress in 2017 on significant improvement in the customer experience at United, and aligned changes to United's culture and processes," the filing said.

United has been under fire since video went viral showing security personnel dragging battered and bloodied passenger David Dao off a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, to make room for an airline employee.

Munoz apologized for the debacle and said the airline is reviewing its policies and will make further changes. The chief executive was initially lambasted for appearing to suggest Dao was partly at fault for the encounter.

The airline already has announced some policy changes, such as no longer having law enforcement remove customers from overbooked flights.

Munoz was paid $18.7 million in 2016, more than three times the $5.8 million in 2015, the filing showed.
Doha (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis met Qatar's emir on Saturday during a visit to the oil-rich Gulf state, home to the largest US air base in the Middle East.

The visit to Doha is part of a regional tour that has included stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. Mattis is scheduled to visit Djibouti on Sunday.

The Pentagon chief's meeting with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani aimed to "reinforce relationships" between the two countries, Mattis said.

"Relationships get better or weaker, and I'm committed to making it better from our side," Mattis told the Qatari leader.

Their talks were expected to focus on the fight against the Islamic State group, the conflict in Syria and the regional role of Iran, which Mattis has described as "destabilising".

Mattis was also due to hold talks with Defence Minister Khaled al-Attiya.

Washington's relations with Gulf Arab states became increasingly frayed during the presidency of Barack Obama, whom leaders saw as too reluctant to intervene in the civil war in Syria and overly friendly with regional rival Iran.

Mattis, who commanded troops during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, said in Israel on Friday that there was "no doubt" Syria has kept some chemical weapons and warned President Bashar al-Assad's regime not to use them.

Assad has said repeatedly that his forces turned over all chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action.

A small but strategic state in the Gulf, Qatar plays a key role in regional politics.

It is home to the Al-Udeid air base which houses around 10,000 US troops.

A longtime supporter of Syrian rebel groups, Qatar cosponsored a deal with regime ally Iran late last month that has seen the evacuation of thousands of Shiite civilians from two government-held towns in northern Syria under siege by the rebels.

A mainly Qatari hunting party, who had been kidnapped in southern Iraq in December 2015, were also freed.

Story continues

Their abduction was widely linked to Shiite militias with ties to Iran and sources in Baghdad said their release was part of the deal.

Hundreds of civilians and fighters were also evacuated from rebel-held areas near Damascus under siege by pro-government forces.

burs-lby-ny/kir
The US will honour a controversial agreement with Australia to take refugees from Pacific island detention centres, Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday -- a deal Donald Trump had previously branded "dumb".

Pence also sought to clear the waters about the location of US supercarrier Carl Vinson that was supposedly steaming towards North Korea, saying it would arrive in the Sea of Japan "in a matter of days".

The vice president was in Sydney for talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on a trip aimed at mending fences following a surly phone conversation between Trump and Turnbull in January, which rattled a long-standing alliance between the two powers.

Trump reportedly exploded and cut short the telephone call when he was told about a deal to move some refugees from Pacific island camps to America.

"The United States intends to honour the agreement, subject to the results of the vetting processes that now apply to all refugees considered for admission to the United States of America," Pence said.

The US commitment to take the refugees was "a reflection of the enormous importance of the historical alliance between the United States and Australia... whatever reservations the president may have about the details."

But he added that that this "doesn't mean we admire the agreement".

Turnbull thanked Pence for the "very important" commitment.

Pence also praised China's role in the escalating North Korean crisis but renewed calls for Beijing to use its "unique" position to bring Pyongyang to heel.

Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have soared recently following a series of missile launches amid fears that the North may be readying a sixth nuclear test.

"The steps we're seeing China take, in many ways unprecedented steps, bringing economic pressure to bear on North Korea are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more."

Story continues

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was expected to arrive in the Sea of Japan before the end of the month, Pence said.

The US Navy on April 8 said it was directing a naval strike group headed by the Vinson to "sail north" from waters off Singapore, as a "prudent measure" to deter the hermit regime.

Trump and other officials followed up with comments that made it sound like the ships were steaming towards the region.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," said President Donald Trump, while Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said the Vinson was "on her way up".

But the Navy admitted Tuesday the ships were in fact sent in the opposite direction -- away from Singapore and towards Australia to conduct drills with the Australian navy.

Pence said Wednesday that the United States would counter any North Korean attack with an "overwhelming and effective" response.

His comments came after a senior North Korean official warned the regime had no intention of scaling down its missile programme, pledging weekly tests and threatening "all-out war" if the US took any action against it.

Trump's deputy visited South Korea and Japan before arriving in Australia to reassure allies fretting over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.
Caracas (AFP) - Dressed in white, Venezuelan protesters marched in silence on Saturday to demand the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro, a show of defiance after three weeks of unrest that left 20 people dead.

After tense negotiations with security forces blocking their way, protesters in Caracas were allowed to march to their destination, the headquarters of the Catholic bishops' conference.

A brief scuffle took place on the capital's east side, where police fired tear gas to disperse a group of demonstrators trying to join the main march.

But there were no reports of violence on the scale seen at other protests, where there have been running battles pitting riot police and pro-government vigilantes against demonstrators hurling stones and Molotov cocktails.

The center-right opposition accuses the leftist government of repressing protests and sending armed thugs to attack them.

The "silent protest" was a test of the authorities' tolerance for peaceful demonstrations.

"I'm sure they'll meet us with the usual (tear) gas, which is how they preach peace," said 71-year-old protester Hector Urbina.

Protesters also marched to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats in several other cities across the country, tightly guarded by the police and national guard.

Many wore white T-shirts emblazoned with the word "peace." Others carried white flowers or Venezuelan flags, while one protester wielded a giant wooden cross.

The opposition is seen as close to the Church, which the government accuses of playing politics against it.

- 'Nothing to lose' -

The opposition blames Maduro for the unraveling of oil giant Venezuela's once-booming economy, which has left the country mired in shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Some protesters silently prayed, others carried Christian-themed banners or images.

"I'm not afraid," said protester Jessica Muchacho, 33.

"We've got nothing left to lose. The government's already taken everything, all possibility of living our lives with dignity."

Story continues

The opposition plans to return to a more confrontational strategy on Monday, when it is calling for Venezuelans to block roads in a bid to grind the country to a halt.

On Thursday, protests descended into a night of clashes, riots and looting that left 12 people dead in Caracas. More pockets of violence erupted Friday night.

Residents described terrifying scenes Thursday night and early Friday.

"It was like a war," said Carlos Yanez, a resident of the El Valle neighborhood in southwestern Caracas, where 11 people were killed.

The two sides blame each other for the unrest.

Vice President Tareck El Aissami accused the opposition of sponsoring a "spiral of terrorism" to trigger a coup.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles fired back that the government's "savage repression" was causing the violence.

- Fourth week on edge -

Maduro, the heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999, says the protests are part of a US-backed coup plot.

Pressure on the socialist president has been mounting since 2014, when prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports started to plunge.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry. But tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

The opposition is demanding elections to exit the crisis.

The secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro -- one of Maduro's harshest critics -- accused the government of cowardice.

"When the political leadership gives the order to open fire on its own people, that's a very strong signal of cowardice and weakness," he told AFP.
By Stephen Nellis SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When Gokul Gunasekaran was offered a full scholarship for a graduate program in electrical engineering at Stanford University, he saw it as the chance of a lifetime. He had grown up in Chennai, India, and had a solid job offer with a large oil company after getting his undergraduate degree. He came to America instead, got the Stanford degree and now works as an engineer at a data science startup in Silicon Valley. But for the past five years, he has been waiting for a green card that would give him full legal rights as a permanent resident. In the meantime, he is in a holding pattern on an H1-B visa, which permits him to live and work in the United States but does not allow him easily to switch jobs or start his own company. "It was a no-brainer when I came to this country, but now I'm kind of regretting taking that scholarship," said Gunasekaran, 29, who is also vice president with a non-profit group called Immigration Voice that represents immigrants waiting for green cards. Immigration Voice estimates there are some 1.5 million H1-B visa holders in the country waiting for green cards, many of whom are from India and have been waiting for more than a decade. Many of these immigrants welcomed President Donald Trump's executive order this week to the federal departments overseeing the program to review it, a move that may lead to H1-B visas being awarded to the highest-paying, highest-skilled jobs rather than through a random lottery. Their hope is that merit-based H1-Bs might then lead to merit-based green cards. "I think less random is great," said Guru Hariharan, the CEO and founder of Boomerang Commerce, an e-commerce startup. Hariharan, who was previously an executive at Amazon.com Inc and eBay Inc, spent 10 years waiting for his green card and started his own company as soon as he got it. Green cards can be a path to naturalization and Hariharan expects to become a U.S. citizen soon. H1-B visas are aimed at foreign nationals in occupations that generally require specialized knowledge, such as science, engineering or computer programming. The U.S. government uses a lottery to award 65,000 such visas yearly and randomly distributes another 20,000 to graduate student workers. 'INDENTURED SERVANTS' The H1-B and the green card system are technically separate, but many immigrants from India see them as intimately connected. The number of green cards that can go to people born in each country is capped at a few percent of the total, without regard to how large or small the country's population is. There is a big backlog of Indian-born people in the line, given the size of India's population - 1.3 billion - and the number of its natives in the United States waiting for green cards. That leaves many of those immigrants stuck on H1-B visas while they wait, which they say makes them almost like "indentured servants," said Gaurav Mehta, an H1-B holder who works in the financial industry. Mehta has a U.S.-born son, but he could be forced to take his family back to India at any time if he loses his job and cannot find another quickly. "He's never been to my country," Mehta said of his son. "But we'll have no choice if we have to go. Nobody likes to live in constant fear." The H1-B visa is tied to a specific employer, who must apply for the visa and sponsor the employee for a specific job laid out in the visa application. To switch employers, the visa holder must secure their paperwork from their current employer and find another employer willing to take over their visa. Some H1-B holders suspect that employers purposely seek out Indian immigrants because they know they will end up waiting for green cards and will be afraid to leave their employers. But changing the green card system away from country caps to a merit-based system would require an act of Congress. Some executives also worry that allocating H1-Bs and green cards based on salary - while it would be done to counter the argument that immigrants undercut American workers - would hurt startups that cannot afford high wages. In the meantime, H1-B holders like Nitin Pachisia, founding partner of a venture capital firm called Unshackled Ventures, are taking more practical measures. His firm specializes in taking care of the legal paperwork so that H1-B holders can start their own companies, a process that is possible but tricky. Pachisia is hopeful that changes to the H1-B visa program could revive interest in making the entire system, from H1-B visas to green cards and eventual citizenship, more merit-based and focused on immigrants who are likely to start companies and create jobs. "If the purpose of our high-skilled immigration program is to bring in the most talented people, let's use that as a lens. From that perspective, it's a good thing we can focus on the most talented, and I'd say most entrepreneurial, people," he said. (This version of the story has been refiled to add missing word "startup" in paragraph two) (Reporting by Stephen Nellis; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Frances Kerry)
The Food and Drug Administration warned that cough and pain medications containing codeine or tramadol should not be given to children after reports that the drugs caused life-threatening breathing problems.

The agency said that neither of the narcotics should be taken by children younger than 12, teens with a higher risk of breathing problems, or nursing mothers, who can pass unsafe levels of the drugs to their infants through breast milk.

Codeine is commonly used to reduce pain and suppress coughing. Its found in prescription pain drugs such as Tylenol with Codeine as well as prescription cough and cold drugs, including Fiorinal with Codeine, Prometh VC with Codeine, Triacin-C, and a long list of generics.

In addition, about half of states allow pharmacists to dispense cough and cold medications containing codeine without a prescription to adults.

Tramadol (ConZip, Ultracet, Ultram, and generic) is a prescription medication that is only approved for treating moderate-to-severe pain in adults, but according to the FDA, research shows that doctors sometimes prescribe it for pain in childrenafter surgery, for example.

We understand that there are limited options when it comes to treating pain or cough in children and that these changes may raise some questions for healthcare providers and parents, says Douglas Throckmorton, M.D., deputy center director for regulatory programs at the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

However, he says that the agencys decision was made based on the latest evidence and with this goal in mind: keeping our kids safe.

How a Cough Remedy Becomes Deadly

Codeine and tramadol belong to the same family of medications as the opioids used in prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin and Vicodin, as well as the illegal drug heroin. They are less potent than other forms of opioids, though, and generally considered safer.

The problem, according to Throckmorton, is that some people metabolize, or break down, these medicines much faster than usual, causing dangerously high levels of active drug in their bodies.

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That can cause serious side effects, including confusion, extreme sleepiness, and very slow or shallow breathing, or even cause breathing to stop altogether.

This is especially concerning in children under 12 years of age and adolescents who are obese or have conditions that may increase the risk of breathing problems, like obstructive sleep apnea or lung disease, Throckmorton says.

Its also worrisome for nursing infants whose mothers take codeine or tramadol, according to Throckmorton. If a breast-feeding mother is among those whose bodies quickly break down the drugs into their active forms, their breast milk could wind up containing dangerously high levels of opioids.

Strong, New Warnings

The FDA is requiring drugmakers to add new warnings to the official drug labels of prescription products containing codeine or tramadol. Those lengthy, technical documents usually dont make it to consumers, though, so heres a rundown of the advice:

Children younger than 12: Should not be given medications containing codeine or tramadol at all.

Adolescents 12 to 18: Should not be given the drugs after surgery to remove their adenoids or tonsils or if they have other risk factors that increase their risk of breathing problems, such as being overweight, having sleep apnea (blocked airflow during sleep), or having a weakened respiratory system.

Nursing mothers: Should not breast-feed while taking drugs containing either codeine or tramadol. In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast-feeding avoid opioid medications if possible.

According to the FDA, labels for over-the-counter cough and cold medications containing codeine arent changing for now because that requires a different (and more lengthy) process. However, Throckmorton says that the same cautions apply.

In states that allow sales of OTC products with codeine, they are typically kept behind the counter in the pharmacy, to be sold only under the supervision of a pharmacist. Still, the FDA advises parents to review the ingredients of any OTC cough or cold medicine to see whether it contains codeine. If youre not sure, ask your pharmacist.

Treating Coughs and Colds in Kids

All cough and cold medicines carry risks of side effects, regardless of whether they contain codeine.

Thats why, as part of the Choosing Wisely initiative (of which Consumer Reports is a partner), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises against using any cough and cold medications in children younger than 4.

Even in older children, symptoms such as nasal congestion and cough are generally mild, dont require medications, and usually last only a few days, says Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports chief medical adviser.

So whats a parent of a coughing, congested, and generally miserable kid to do? Lipman recommends the following tried-and-true home remedies, which are backed by some evidence that they help and are far safer than drug treatment.

Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids helps thin mucus to prevent thick secretions from getting lodged in the nose and chest.

Sip something warm. Chicken soup or a hot drink such as decaffeinated tea with honey (see below) can loosen congestion and soothe an irritated throat.

Try honey. A 2014 review by the Cochrane Collaboration that looked at three studies in children found that honey worked as well as or better than two drugs commonly used in OTC cough drugsdextromethorphan and diphenhydramine. For children 1 and older, the AAP advises starting with  to 1 teaspoon of honey as needed. Dont give honey to infants younger than 12 months of age because it could contain a bacterium that causes infant botulism.

Suck on a lozenge. For children 5 and older, sucking on a sugar-free throat lozenge can temporarily relieve an irritated throat and reduce the urge to cough. Don't give throat drops or lozenges to younger children because they can choke on them.

Rinse with saltwater. You can buy saline nasal sprays, but steer clear of over-the-counter products labeled hypertonic; some studies have found that those more concentrated solutions can irritate nasal passages. You can also make your own solution by combining  teaspoon of table salt per 1 cup of warm distilled or sterile water. For babies, put two to three drops in the nostril and use a bulb syringe to suction it out. Older children also can gargle diluted saltwater to ease sore throats.

Consult your pediatrician if your child has: symptoms lasting longer than a week or a fever that persists from more than two days (call the pediatrician right away if your infant younger than 2 months of age has a fever), severe ear pain, or a sore throat accompanied by fever and swollen areas in the neck.

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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Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2017 Consumer Reports, Inc.
By Julia Edwards Ainsley and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice threatened on Friday to cut some funding to California as well as eight cities and counties across the United States, escalating a Trump administration crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. President Donald Trump has vowed to strip federal funds from dozens of state and local governments that do not fully cooperate with U.S. immigration agents, arguing they endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation illegal immigrants who are arrested for crimes. "Sanctuary cities" in general offer safe harbor to illegal immigrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Many of these localities say they do not have the funding or space to hold immigrants until federal agents can take custody of them. Those threatened were: the state of California; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Clark County, Nevada; New Orleans; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Cook County, Illinois, also received a warning, even though it did not get money from the Justice Department last year. The jurisdictions have until June 30 to provide evidence to the federal government that they are not violating any laws. At stake is roughly $29 million in law enforcement aid under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local governments pay for everything from forensics labs to drug courts. The grants in question are among the largest handed out under the program, collectively amounting to 11 percent of the $256 million distributed in the last fiscal year. In a statement, the Justice Department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities that are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime," even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicago's recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration. Several state and local officials responded with defiance to the threat. "New York is the safest big city in the country, with crime at record lows in large part because we have policies in place to encourage cooperation between NYPD and immigrant communities," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. In California, the state Senate approved a bill earlier this month to curb cooperation between police agencies and federal agents seeking to deport illegal immigrants. The measure is now in the state Assembly. "It has become abundantly clear that Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions and the Trump administration are basing their law enforcement policies on principles of white supremacy - not American values," California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday. A spokeswoman for the California Board of State and Community Corrections said some of the federal funding in question went to local communities after emergencies, including San Bernardino after a mass shooting there in 2015. Officials in Philadelphia, Milwaukee County and Cook County said they believed they were complying with immigration laws. "Milwaukee County has its challenges but they are not caused by illegal immigration. My far greater concern is the proactive dissemination of misinformation, fear, and intolerance," said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union, told Trump in a meeting last month that they were concerned the cuts could threaten public safety. (Reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley and Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg and Joseph Ax in New York, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Tom James in Seattle, Chris Kenning in Chicago and Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler and Paul Tait)
New Yorker covers are created to strike up conversations and start discussions. The one created for the magazines April 3 issue, however, is doing more than thatits causing people to act.

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The cover, created by Malika Favre, shows four female doctors in blue scrubs standing over an operating table. To illustrate the image, Favre pulled from her own experience. "I was operated by a woman surgeon as a kid," Favre told CNN.

Although the cover wasn't meant to make any sort of public statement, the image took off on social media, inspiring female surgeons all over the world to recreate the pose using the hashtag #ILookLikeASurgeon.

Its reported that the first woman to recreate the image was an endocrine surgeon for the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Susan Pitt. She asked other female doctors to pose with her after seeing the cover at a conference.









One of the doctors who is participating in the pose is Vestalia Hills, AL, facial plastic surgeon Melanie Petro, MD. "Everyone told me that I don't look like a surgeon, so I love the hashtag #ILookLikeASurgeon," she says.

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Dr. Petro explained that, as a child, watching her father operate inspired her to become a surgeon. However, growing up in Mississippi, becoming a surgeon didn't always seem like an option. "As a female, especially in Mississippi, there is a stigma as to what a girl can do," she explained. "Being a physician was not uncommon, but women were typically not surgeons."





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It was overcoming this stigma that made the cover so relatable to Dr. Petro. "When I saw the cover I got goosebumps because I realized there were others who found their passion by following a dream. A dream that required very hard work with predominantly men. I just love the connection the cover has created for women surgeons all over the world."
Traditionally, scientists shirk political debate, preferring to stay out of the partisan fray. But in the months since the 2016 election, many in the scientific community have been vocal about their concerns that the Trump Administration is making decisions and budgetary recommendations that could imperil their work. For instance, a $5.8 billion proposed cut to the National Institutes of Health budget, which funds scientific research in the U.S.

Now, thousands of scientists and their supporters are expected to join the March for Science in Washington, D.C., and hundreds more are expected at satellite events around the country including New York City, Chicago, Birmingham, Alabama and more.

Scientists are often reticent to go public, Rush Holt, a former member of Congress and CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science said in a Wednesday press conference about the march. In this case, the level of anxiety about the state of science, its place in our society and in our government, and whether the conditions under which it can thrive are being adequately maintained and defended, has led people to go into the public square in what appear to be unusually large numbers and unusually great enthusiasm.

The main march in Washington will feature speakers including Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who blew the whistle on the water crisis in Flint, Mich., science educator Bill Nye, as well as hosts and performers like Questlove from the Roots. The event begins with a rally at 9 a.m. Eastern followed by the march. Organizers expect more than 500 other marches to take place around the world.



Many prominent science groups have endorsed the march, including AAAS, the American Chemical Society and the American Geophysical Union. The leading scientific journal Nature also recently published a supportive editorial, writing, We encourage readers to get involved, to show solidarity and to speak out about the importance of research and evidence.

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MORE: 3 Easy Ways to Make a Difference on Earth Day

Through March for Science organizers have framed the march as a celebration of science and a nonpartisan opportunity to defend the role science plays in the global community, the organizers acknowledge that the march is spurring debate over the role of politics in science. The march has generated a great deal of conversation around whether or not scientists should involve themselves in politics, the group writes. In the face of an alarming trend toward discrediting scientific consensus and restricting scientific discovery, we might ask instead: can we afford not to speak out in its defense?

The reasons for marching vary among scientists and other participants, from concerns about the future of the Environmental Protection Agency amid a 31% proposed budget cut, to potentially fewer funding opportunities from the National Institutes of Health, to the Trump Administrations position on climate change, and more.

President Trumps proposed 18% budget cut to the NIH is top of mind for many scientists participating in the march. Carol Greider, a professor of molecular biology at Johns Hopkins University and a Nobel Laureate in Medicine said during the AAAS press conference that a nearly 20% cut to the NIH budget will mean no new grants for young scientists: Without the support of the NIH, we will lose this next generation of scientists and the next wave of breakthroughs and therapies.

Bryan Jones, a retinal neuroscientist at the Moran Eye Center at University of Utah School of Medicine traveled to D.C. to march with fellow vision scientists on Saturday to speak out against the NIH budget proposal. If that cut goes into effect, it will devastating, says Jones. We are already seeing labs shutting down. Blindness research, Alzheimers research, Parkinsons research, cancer research, diabetes research-all of this is funded through the NIH.

Climate scientists will also be showing up to the march citing concerns about the proposed 31% budget cut to the EPA, including complete defunding of many climate programs, including former President Obamas Clean Power Plan, which would require states to implement plans to transition away from coal-fired power plants. Even without those cuts, which many policy experts expect Congress will not approve, climate scientists worry their work will fall on deaf ears or worse that the government will try to block them from discussing their findings.

Theres definitely reason to be quite alarmed that the direction government research will go away from documenting climate change, says Ken Kimmell, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a partner in the March for Science. If government scientists arent free to speak about their work we risk further exacerbating the declining public trust.

Rachael Bonoan, a biology Ph.D. candidate at Tufts University, says she hopes the march will make scientists more visible and relatable to the public. Science tends to be viewed as an exclusive club for the geeks, the nerds, the people who are smart enough, but that view just isnt the whole truth, she says. A child asking questions about the world is science, baking a cake is science. I see an opportunity to expand the publics perception. Bonoan will be giving a lecture on honey bees at a museum in Massachusetts during the march, but will be wearing a March for Science t-shirt in solidarity.

Some scientists will sit out the march, arguing it will be counter-productive. A march by scientists, while well intentioned, will serve only to trivialize and politicize the science we care so much about, turn scientists into another group caught up in the culture wars and further drive the wedge between scientists and a certain segment of the American electorate, wrote Robert S. Young, a professor of coastal geology at Western Carolina University in a January New York Times editorial.

Other scientists argue the state of affairs has given them no choice but to get involved. Jones, the vision scientist, acknowledges that becoming a political advocate is not easy for himself or his colleagues. Science is not partisan and most scientists I know are not interested in politics-they just want to do their jobs, he says. But we are realizing that we are in crisis mode and its time to speak up and come out of our labs and educate the public.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
President Donald Trump won the 2016 election partly because many Americans believed that a businessman not beholden to special interests could shake up politics, get things done and reform government so it finally works for them. Some of those supporters are starting to worry. The surprisingly close contest in the congressional special election in ruby-red Georgia this week telegraphed possible doubts about whether the President and congressional Republicans can bring change. Now new focus-group research reveals the potential for these Trump voters to become disillusioned with his performance before he hits even 100 days.

In late March, Womens Voices Women Vote Action Fund went to the battleground states of Virginia and Ohio to talk to 52 women who voted for and against Trump in the Presidential election. We talked with African American, white working-class, unmarried and older women, as well as Millennials, in six focus groups conducted by Democracy Corps. These are voters who have the power to determine the outcome of the 2018 midterms and beyond. As they reflected on what they learned about Trumps budget and the failure of Republicans health care reform, they revealed top-of-mind worries about Trumps ability to deliver on his campaign promises.

Until now, the Presidents voters have generally been unreceptive to criticisms of their man - particularly since they think that his opponents never accepted the election results and that Republican leaders never really supported him anyway. But the women we spoke with began articulating some deep worries in the face of now credible reports of the damage Trumps policies would inflict on seniors, working- and middle-class Americans, and parents trying to raise children across the country.

Some of Trumps characteristics - once considered strengths - seem to now produce different conclusions. The mostly working-class women in the Ohio and Virginia focus groups now wonder: Is it possible that Trump being raised with extreme wealth keeps him from seeing the struggles of everyday people? To propose massive increases in military spending and billions for the border wall (which they view as a vanity project) while cutting Meals on Wheels, after-school programs and cancer research signals Trump may never have walked a mile in their shoes.

By supporting a budget that benefits the rich and slashes services for working women and their families, and pushing a health-care bill that failed to deliver on Trumps promise to make coverage more affordable, Trump may finally have forced a common ground between a group of formerly ardent supporters and Clinton voters - all of whom were dismayed when they saw the harm his budget policies would cause average Americans like themselves. While not particularly concerned by his billionaire Cabinet, his priorities that put the wall and tax cuts for billionaires ahead of their families needs for affordable health care and help with older parents and their kids has elevated doubts with voters on both sides that Trump may be too rich and protected to see how much damage he could cause people like them.

Democrats hoping for a wave election in 2018 must reverse historically disappointing off-year turnout by these voters in 2010 and 2014. To succeed, the party will need to motivate these women to register and turn out by introducing economic and job policies specifically designed to appeal to them. Many expressed in the focus groups how theyre living on the edge and that financial insecurity is an ever-present factor in their homes. It became clear: Voters who were unenthusiastic about Clinton and supported Trump may pull back from Trump and congressional Republicans as they learn more about the negative impact the Presidents policies would have on their lives.

Asked at the end of the sessions to write postcards to the President, several women offered their continued support, but asked him to keep their concerns in mind. In one representative sample, a woman wrote: You have the potential to do good things - you have a great business sense but you need to find more compassion/empathy into what many Americans face. Focus on helping those in our country & not on what can cause more harm.

If Trumps supporters doubts continue to grow in this fundamental way, it could impact the entire GOP in the year ahead. It could also provide Democrats with an opportunity to make substantial gains in 2018. If Trumps priorities put them out of touch with the very real needs of these everyday voters, the writing will be on the wall for the GOP long before Trumps ever gets built.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Step into the Center for Digital Wellness and you'll likely hear people chatting and that's about it. Because that's what the Wi-Fi disabled room at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is for re-connecting and interacting with your fellow humans  no screens, gizmos, or gadgets in the way.

You might find the center's founder, Sylvia Frejd, a minister and counselor by training, in the conversation corner with the fireplace lit, or at the so-called "kitchen table," ready for a chat and face-to-face interaction. "Look up," she advises students  and faculty and staff  often walking with their heads down in their phones. "Experience the world around you."

It's no wonder she's known as the "digital wellness lady."

SEE ALSO: Apparently the average person takes 25,000 selfies in a lifetime. Seems about right.

Most recently, Frejd challenged students to take a 24-hour digital fast in conjunction with the National Day of Unplugging, which is no easy feat. "Some students look at us like 'I could never do that,'" she said.

Some of the feedback she got back about the day was positive: how enjoyable it was; how stress levels dropped; how it felt like a refreshing recharge. Others told her how challenging it was and how they couldn't do it. That's OK, she said in a phone call last week at least they are trying.

The conversation corner gets used at the Center for Digital Wellness.

Image: courtesy of sylvia frejd

She knows it's hard to go cold turkey from checking our phones constantly, so she offers some tips and advice to work up to a full day gadget-free. She suggests "mini habit changes," like keeping the phone in the backseat while driving; keeping the phone off the table during meals or committing to a digital-free meeting or conversation with a friend.

Too much of a good thing

Frejd said many students leave home for college lacking real-life conversation skills. That's compounded by the freedom of being on their own for the first time with what feels like unlimited access to mindless video game sessions, long Netflix binges and endless scrolling through Instagram. "A lot of students havent developed those muscles for face-to-face conversation," she said.

Story continues

To get those muscles working, she opened the wellness center at the Christian university in the fall of 2014, shortly after co-authoring the book, The Digital Invasion: How Technology Is Shaping You and Your Relationships. She says the center's name is purposely positive and not something like "the Center for Internet Addiction." "We love our technology," she acknowledges, but it can go too far. The center has plastered the campus with posters and chalk messages on the ground. Supporters have even set up pop-up tents around campus to encourage passersby to "look up" and staged a dining hall flash mob.

The "Look Up" flash mob encourages students to unplug.

Image: courtesy of sylvia frejd

She has students referred to her who are on academic probation because of a social media or video game addiction. She said many can't turn off streaming videos. She talks them through their addictions  which she says usually stem from anxiety. Research shows one of the biggest mental health issues at college campuses is anxiety, usually in the form of social anxiety.

Learning to unplug

Shaquille Cook, 23, graduated from Liberty University two years ago and still works at the school as an adviser  but in a recent phone call he was still as excited about the digital detox program as when he was a student-worker at the center. Before he graduated with a degree in psychology in 2015, he wrote a review on the center's Facebook page: "This center is focused on preparing people for a healthy digital life as well as being aware of others by not being distracted by being on cell phones all day. Love this place!!!!!!!"

And he still does. The center taught him how to live a more meaningful life. "The best benefit that I got from it was I was purposefully engaging with people." His trips on the bus usually were devoted to checking Facebook and the news on his phone and listening to music while plugged into his headphones. But because of the center, he realized, "Theres a whole bus full of people I could engage with." Most importantly, he's maintained this lifestyle.

Cook said he's "intentional and engaged with my surroundings" as much as possible, but he knows this is a struggle for a lot of people. Many have trouble making eye contact, having real conversations, and staying away from the allure of social media pings, notifications and online popularity. "Do not trade your Facebook friends for your real friends," he said. "Be engaged with real conversation."

The digital detox concept is nothing new with expensive gadget-free retreats and movements to unplug, but Frejd is trying to tap into the early stages of our phone dependency by working with new students. She hopes her ideas can permeate to even younger students whom she speaks with at middle school and high school presentations. With young people getting their first cellphones closer to 10 years old, according to recent findings, they are "even more immersed in that technology."

"My job is getting harder and harder," she said.

Personal connection

Her digital crusade all started after looking at her personal life with her kids constantly playing video games and retorting back that she was always on her laptop. So she started researching how to manage her digital life.

Frejd opened the Center for Digital Wellness after examining her own digital habits.

Image: courtesy of sylvia frejd

After she worked on the book about the impact of our devices on our relationships, she went all in on teaching students, adults, and parents on how to handle the digital overload keeping us from talking to each other or exploring nature. People tell Frejd, Wow we need this. So she continues teaching prevention, awareness, and education. "I keep talking about it," she said.

While Liberty University claims to be the only college campus with a dedicated center like this, colleges are well aware of the pitfalls of social media and smartphone addictions  and have been for years. Frejd said she's contacted by other schools often who want to implement this type of dedicated space for their internet-dependent students.

It's not all meaningful conversations and phone-free walks through the quad for Frejd. "People catch me" on the phone, she said, and they say her well-worn phrase back to her: "Digital wellness lady, look up!" She knows she'll continue to get busted for her own bad habits  they are very hard to break. Like she said, "We all need to work harder at it."

WATCH: When the internet goes out, there's nowhere to hide
Scott Van Zyl made his living taking wealthy clients on safaris for the sole purpose of bringing home trophies like leopards, zebras, wildebeests and even lions. Now, investigators in Zimbabwe believe that Van Zyl ended up on the wrong end of the predator-prey relationship, and DNA tests have confirmed that he was attacked, killed, and eaten by crocodiles while on a hunting trip.

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Van Zyl, who ran SS Pro Safaris, offered specials for hunters to spend a week or more on his hunting lands which border nature preserves, with the promise of killing up to seven different species for $9,000. He also offered other hunting expeditions with targets like elephants and giraffes, though specifics for those, including prices, arent listed on the companys site. Photos of clients holding the bodies of several rare species are posted on Van Zyls site, along with the motto Stop whining, go hunting.

The circumstances surrounding his death are spotty, but reports suggest that Van Zyl and a second hunter and a pack of dogs. The two men split up, choosing to travel on foot alone, but when the dogs returned to the base camp without Van Zyl, his companion knew something was wrong.

His footprints were tracked to a riverbank where searchers found his backpack as well as several large Nile crocodiles. Authorities killed the crocs after getting clearance to do so and subsequently discovered human remains inside the stomach of one of them. Tests of the remains matched Van Zyl. The incident is just one of a handful of fatal crocodile attacks tallied so far in 2017 alone.

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
PARIS  In a show of the gathering diversification of European TV drama production, sixteen series were pitched at Series Manias European Co-production Forum,  series which stretch across time and sentiment, from ancient Rome to 2025 Paris, from Antarctica to medieval Europe. But few of the series are rooted as firmly in todays zeitgeist as Wrong Mens whistle blowing thriller The Alert.

Representing the series, producer Benoit Roland and writers Johan Massez and Vincent Vanneste pitched the series to a crowded auditorium looking to secure international deals, broadcasters mainly but we have room for co-producers as well.

Wrong Men describe itself as a company specializing in arthouse features like 2015s Prejudice, shorts such as last years Partner, and political documentaries like Wrong Elements, an official selection for screening at Cannes in 2016. With The Alert, the company looks to take its first steps into the world of television. I live in my time and obviously TV series are big now. producer Benoit Roland said of the move.

In French-speaking Belgium they are putting money into developing series. Authors, writers and directors are starting to come up with loads of ideas so its a thrilling time to develop that in Belgium and Im happy to step up.

Locally the series will be broadcast by RTBF, the public broadcasting group in Belgium which operates five broadcast networks as well as offering VOD services and radio stations. The networks involvement with The Alert is significant according to Roland: They were attached from the very beginning, co-developed the series with us.

When asked about what will set this series apart, Roland pointed out that it is as much a family drama as it is a thriller. Our main protagonist is the guy next door with a family. He has to decide if he wants to put everything at risk by blowing the whistle.

While the content looks to cross genre boundaries, stylistically, the show knows its identity. Its gonna be a contemporary, fast-paced thriller with high production values, said Roland of the proposed aesthetic. To this end, the project has enlisted Belgian director Nabil Ben Yadir, best-known for projects like 2009s The Barons, and 2013s La Marche, twice-nominated by the Lumiere Awards. Roland added: His last film was a thriller that looked amazing; he will bring a great level of production value to the series.

Story continues

The story focuses on Eddy Charlier and his family. After the scientist discovers that the company which employs him, along with the majority of his town, has been knowingly distributing a vaccine which harms the immune system of many of the children who receive it, Eddy must decide if he is willing to put himself, his family, and indeed his entire community at risk by blowing the whistle. As things become more difficult he will be forced time and again to decide whether or not he should go on as those around him waver in their own convictions. Like so many of todays whistle blowers, Eddy is seen as a hero by some and vilified by others.

There are two kinds of whistle blowers, said Roland when asked about his main characters journey. There are the Edward Snowdens and the more local whistle blowers. As to whether or not Charlier might need to leave Belgium Roland continued, This is a local story that could happen anywhere in the world. He is not meant to fly to an airport in Russia to live the rest of his life.

The French-language series already has 35% of its 330,000 ($353,000) per episode budget confirmed; it will look to secure the rest before shooting its 10-hour Season 1 in spring 2018.
Without leaving school grounds Friday, the 370 students who attend Eileen Johnson Middle School in Lockwood learned how to filtrate water, site power lines, enable submarines to remain undetected underwater  and, most thrilling of all, use a 17th-century siege weapon called a trebuchet to hammer castle walls.

A number of area engineering firms and dozens of volunteers set up 15 stations inside and outside the school to, as Jen Thormahlen, an electrical engineer with HDR said, help kids understand things they see every day and ignore.

Thormahlen has a personal tie to the school  shes a product of the K-8 Lockwood school system.

On Friday she and her colleagues led students through an exercise to safely site power poles and electrical lines in a model neighborhood.

When I was an eighth-grader, I didnt know what an engineer was, she said. Our goal today is to relate engineering to their everyday lives.

School Principal Gordon Klasna said Engineering Day, now in its second year, is the brainchild of teachers including Eric Karls, who teaches eighth-grade science.

He really took this idea and ran with it, Klasna said. Some of these students might not like math and science much, but after seeing what they saw today, they might start working harder at it.

A castle beat down

Dressed in a hooded robe, Peter Freivalds, a former Lockwood school board trustee who belongs to the Society of Creative Anachronism, told students it took him 18 tries before he perfected the trebuchet he constructed and, with students help, demonstrated despite Fridays steady rainfall.

Freivalds explained the engineering behind the mechanical weapon, used four centuries ago to batter castles from a distance and avoid the boiling oil issued from castles to deter an attacking army from storming the castle.

A catapult, he said, uses tension to launch its payload, while a trebuchet uses a counterweight  in this case, four-pound half-gallons of water.

Students experimented to discover how much counterweight is required for Freivalds' trebuchet to launch a four-pound rock  sand wrapped in duct tape  to hit a target about 30 feet away.

Back indoors, Great West Engineerings Bailey Lehenbauer and Gina Barry staffed a workshop showing students the filtration process used to make Yellowstone River water potable.

Students carefully poured river water into a container lined with, in order, a layer of pebbles, then play sand, then fine sand, and finally a coffee filter.

If students poured the river water slowly enough, the end product was clearly purer than the input.

But not quite potable, Barry told students, since it hadnt been disinfected by UV rays, the method present in many modern-day water plants.

In another classroom, Alan Griffitts, director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division on Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, showed students how acoustical engineers help keep U.S. Navy submarines quiet and thus difficult for enemies to track.

We need more engineers, he said, to help sailors do their job safely and come home to their families.

At least one student said she appreciated all the efforts that went into Engineering Day.

This gives you the chance to see things you never thought to do, said Sya Brooks, an eighth-grader, adding its unlikely shell pursue an engineering career.

Ive got my mind set on being a lawyer, she said.
Phoenix Police Department(PHOENIX) -- Police in Phoenix are investigating a person of interest in connection with a series of shootings that occurred in 2016 that claimed 7 lives, a law enforcement source told ABC News.



In July, the Phoenix Police Department announced that it was searching for a gunman believed to be responding for a string of shootings, all of which occurred in the same neighborhood.



The same gunman is believed to be responsible for at least nine shooting incidents that killed seven people between March 2016 and June 2016.



The man being questioned by police is already in jail and has not yet been named a suspect, according police.



The first attack occurred on March 17, 2016, when a 16-year-old was shot while walking around 11:30 p.m. The teen survived the shooting.



The majority of the shootings followed a similar pattern.



In July, detectives released a composite sketch of the suspect with the help of a witness. The suspect had been described as a white male in his early 20s with a skinny or lanky build.



It is unclear if the victims were targeted or selected at random.



Authorities are still looking for tips from the public as they continue the investigation. The Phoenix Police Department had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's arrest.



Someone out there knows who did this. We need our community to call us or Silent Witness and help us solve these cases, bring justice to these families and victims and prevent more violence from occurring, said Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner in July.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
By the time 7:30 rolled around on a rainy, overcast evening in Billings, about 50 protesters had split up along either side of Mullowney Lane in front of the Red Lion Hotel and Convention Center for a protest timed with the arrival of Donald Trump Jr. in Billings to campaign for Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Greg Gianforte.

Occasionally delivering chants of "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Gianforte's got to go!" protesters waved signs expressing disapproval for President Donald Trump, support for Rob Quist and disapproval of Greg Gianforte.

Several protesters said they were from Billings. At least a handful came to the protest from a campaign fundraiser for Rob Quist that was held in downtown Billings earlier in the evening.

By 8:35 p.m. no protesters remained. Earlier, some had crossed over onto hotel property and were asked to return to the roadside, said Sgt. Shane Winden of the Billings Police Department. As of 8:30 p.m., Winden was not aware of any arrests.

For Billings resident Kirk Blee, the presence of the younger Trump, who helps manage the Trump Organization business with his brother Eric Trump, represented what he sees as abuse of the United States government by the Trump family in order to advance themselves financially.

"His daughter's making money off of this, he's making money off of this, his kids are making money off of this," Blee said. "He's just robbing the country blind. I don't really have much against Gianforte but he's aligning himself with a monster. It's disgusting. I can't believe this is happening in America."

Blee, a local property manager, said he views himself politically as an independent. Wearing a yellow rain jacket and holding a sign reading "Gianforte and Trump Make America Great Again=Billions In Tax Cuts For Them And Slogans And Ads for You," Blee said he had "not really" protested anything before.

"I just don't feel like I can't be out here," Blee said. "I don't like Trump at all. I've seen Gianforte's ads. He's just a rubber stamp for Trump. Gianforte...I don't share his beliefs but I thought he was a decent guy."

The president was also largely what brought out Molly Newrones, a lifelong Montanan who said the 2016 election caused her to disavow the Republican party.

"I considered myself a moderate Republican but I just feel like that went by the wayside this election," Newrones said. "I saw a man who inspired hate in a lot of people and behaves like a child and I just, I just don't think that should be anywhere in the White house and I don't think another millionaire needs to be in Congress."

Newrones held a sign saying "Tell Daddy Stop Wasting My Money With Trips To Mar-A-Lago."

"I think it's hard to call yourself a fiscal conservative if you think it's okay to spend taxpayer money to fly to Florida every single weekend," she said.

Amelia Marquez, vice president of the Montana State University Billings College Democrats, said she thought people were protesting because they care about the future.

"We feel as though people like Greg Gianforte and Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump are going to hurt future generations," she said. "I really hope that people stop and think for a second. Really look at the issues. Is this what I really align with? Is this what I've been taught to be for or against."
Taxing carbon emissions has long been supported by environmentalists and the political left. More recently, though, the idea has found support among some establishment Republicans  and perhaps even President Donald Trump.

But those who think well stop climate change by making energy more expensive are ignoring several problems.

Most importantly, there is no viable alternative to carbon-based fuels.

In economics, when studying the elasticity of demand, students often discuss what might happen if the price of a product like coffee shot up significantly. Most likely, consumers would seek out substitutes like tea.

Coffee, therefore, is elastic. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are one of the most inelastic products around. There just arent any viable and scalable alternatives.

If gasoline prices went up because of a carbon tax, some people would carpool or take public transportation. Others might buy smaller, less-safe cars. But most would just pay the higher price.

The price of everything, in fact, would rise.

Because we would still have to use fossil fuels for the vast majority of our manufacturing, transportation and power generation, companies would simply price the tax into every product and service they sell.

Though many power-generating plants are fueled by wind and solar power, the two sources cover only 7 percent of the nations power needs  and thats after hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies.

In Norway, where a carbon tax was passed in 1991, researchers concluded that the tax  described as among the highest in the world  had a modest effect on emissions while significantly increasing the price of certain fuel types.

Meanwhile, in 2014, Australia became the first country to repeal its carbon tax, even though it had been considered model legislation. Prime Minister Tony Abbott called the tax a useless destructive tax which damaged jobs, which hurt families cost of living and which didnt actually help the environment.

What happened in those countries is a good reminder that we live in a global economy in which American companies must compete with those around the globe. Thats why the corporate tax reforms being proposed by Trump and House Speak Paul Ryan are so important. A carbon tax raising the cost of production across the economy would have the opposite effect, making it harder for businesses to compete.

The good news is that the U.S. has been reducing energy-related carbon emissions in large part because fracking has made natural gas a cleaner and more affordable option than coal.

The country needs policies that help it become more competitive, not less so. Lowering the tax burden, not raising it with a carbon tax, is the best way to achieve that goal.
By Moses Kyeyune

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has invited the Indian government to extend support and training to small scale and medium enterprises in Uganda.

Kadaga made the call during a courtesy meeting with the new Indian High Commissioner to Uganda, Ravi Shankar in her Chambers at parliament yesterday.

The Speaker says that Indias economy has grown due to small scale businesses and Ugandas business community can draw lessons from this.

Kadaga has also asked Shankar to reach out to Indian investors to tap into business opportunities in Uganda so as to elevate the economy and to provide more employment opportunities for the formal sector.

Meanwhile, Shankar has promised to strengthen linkages between Uganda and his home country.
No

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ANGOLA  The former president and chief executive officer of Hughes Electronics Corp. encouraged Trine University students and those in attendance at the universitys final Distinguished Speaker Series of the school year to get to know themselves.

Trine University President Earl D. Brooks II, welcomed Jack Shaw, who serves on the universitys Board of Trustees, as an Impressive and accomplished individual and a great leader, role model and patriot for whom I have much admiration and respect.

He has spent countless hours on our campus with one thing in mind: How do we make the experience and education better for our students? Brooks told a nearly full Ryan Concert Hall on Wednesday.

Self-deprecatingly introducing himself as a small-town guy with bad grades, the Auburn native noted there is nothing in his career he wanted to do that he hasnt done, from managing small companies to leading one of the highest-valued technology companies on Wall Street, and participating in six startup companies either as an investor or principal.

Do not shy away from anything that you want to do, Shaw said. Try everything. Use your talents to address challenges and opportunities, but dont minimize your scope of view to just things that are comfortable. I was not very comfortable riding a Harley-Davidson to start with, and it took me a little while, but then it was cool.

A key to learning what you want to do, Shaw said, is to take time to assess your talents. As an example, he talked about his first job after graduating with an engineering degree from Purdue University.

Looking at my fellow employees, I said to myself, Jack, you may someday be a good engineer, but youre probably not going to be a great one,  he recalled.

Instead, he realized he had a knack for getting people to rally behind an idea and accomplish it.

Getting to know myself and understanding what I was good at, and what I was probably not so good at, was very important in my development, he said.

Later, he was given the opportunity at Hughes to be part of a team that worked in Australia to put one of the early communications satellites into orbit. That meant leaving for a year only six months into his marriage. It became his lifes work for the next 40 years.

We couldnt possibly have made that decision if we didnt know who we were, what was important to us and what we were good at, Shaw said. Make sure you know what you want to do and dedicate your life to doing it.

Another part of knowing yourself, Shaw said, is to determine personal business ethics. He gave the example of CEOs from businesses such as Enron and Qwest who ran afoul of the law.

No matter how high up you are and no matter how big a deal you think you are and no matter how much money you make or have made, youve still got to know right from wrong, he said. This is knowing yourself: What do you believe is right and what do you believe is wrong? Youve got to come up with boundaries.

Shaw closed by saying, It has been an adventure every day of my life. I have met wonderful people all over the world and I have friends all over the world. It could never have been imagined from a guy who graduated with Cs from Auburn Indiana High School and Cs from Purdue. It shows you that you can accomplish a lot by being yourself, knowing yourself and making sure you know right from wrong.

You folks in the audience are important to your country and your state, he continued. You will eventually be important to your companies that you choose or choose to start. You and others like you have tremendous opportunity. Never lose your fire and never lose your curiosity or your passion for the future.
aoberlin@kpcmedia.com

ANGOLA  The Angola High School concert band competed Friday night at an Indiana State School Music Association contest at Snider High School in Fort Wayne.

In preparation, band director Andrew Keiser scheduled a couple of weeks of intensive practice, including working with a nationally recognized professional this week via Skype.

Last Tuesday, Dan Tembras, director of instrumental studies at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, did a clinic for the band at AHS.

We are very fortunate to have such a great music educator in the area who is passionate about working with high school students, said Keiser.

Then, last Thursday, the band traveled to IPFW to play in WindFest, an annual concert band festival. The musicians received comments from three collegiate directors and did a half-hour clinic with Amy Knopps, associate director of bands at Eastern Michigan University.

This Tuesday, via Skype, the band rehearsed with Travis Cross, associate professor of music and department vice chair at UCLA, where he conducts the wind ensemble and symphonic band and directs the graduate wind conducting program. He also serves as associate dean for academic mentoring and opportunity in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

As wind ensemble conductor for five years at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, Cross led students in performances at the Virginia Music Educators Association conference, Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. He is credited with developing the Virginia Tech Band Directors Institute into a major summer conducting workshop.

Cross composed one of the pieces that we are playing for the ISSMA contest. Through this rehearsal, the band was able to learn more about his piece, Tribute, said Keiser. The piece is meant as a remembrance of the past, and to mean something different to each player. In the rehearsal, there was an emphasis on individual emotional interpretations.

In my opinion, rehearsing with a living composer is one of the most musically enriching things we can do as a band, said Keiser. The composer obviously knows the piece inside and out, and leads us to a deeper understanding of the repertoire.

The students are also exposed to how band music is created in the real world, said Keiser. So often, it is easy to see instrumental music as something that is disconnected from society  it is great that our students have the opportunity to see that music is being composed every day and that music can have real, uniquely personal connections.

The contest was at Snider High School in Fort Wayne starts at 8 p.m. Results are not yet available.
There were a lot of deer and a lot of deer hunters in northeast Indiana last season, as Noble and Steuben counties finished in the top five for 2016s harvest.

Local residents also ranked highly for taking down deer by a different method: crashing into them with their cars.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources released its 2016 white-tailed deer report this month. It shows that Hoosier hunters brought down 119,477 deer.

That was down about 4 percent from 2015, when hunters bagged 124,769 deer.

Noble County was No. 2 overall in the state, with 2,714 deer harvested. Steuben County finished at No. 5, with 2,454.

LaGrange and DeKalb county hunters killed, respectively, 1,970 and 1,960 deer.

Combined, hunters in the four-county were responsible for about 7.6 percent of the total deer harvested in 2016, despite only having about 2.5 percent of the states population.

Area drivers also were adept at smacking deer with their vehicles on roadways.

Steuben County reported 374 car/deer accidents, which was third highest in the state behind Kosciusko and Allen counties. Noble County was No. 5, with 320 accidents, and DeKalb County was No. 12, with 273 wrecks.

The total economic cost of car-versus-deer crashes in Indiana was estimated at $119 million, according to the DNR. Crashes spiked across the state between September and December.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources released statistics about the 2016 deer harvest earlier this month. Heres the details:

Indiana

Deer killed: 119,477

Car/deer accidents: 14,021

Noble County

Deer killed: 2,714

Car/deer crashes: 320

DeKalb County

Deer killed: 1,960

Car/deer crashes: 273

LaGrange County

Deer killed: 1,970

Car/deer crashes: 209

Steuben County

Deer killed: 2,454

Car/deer crashes: 374

Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Sometimes everything thats wrong with a movie can be summed up in one scene, even one frame. In The Promise, its a moment when two lovers are passionately kissing for the first time, the faces aglow from a nearby fire.

Only the fire isnt coming from a fireplace or scented candle. Its coming from a nearby shop that has been torched by an angry mob. Gee, how romantic.

That awkward mix of romance and violence hobbles The Promise, an otherwise well-intentioned attempt to dramatize the 1915 murder of over one million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Its a genocide that was almost forgotten by history  the Turkish government still refuses to acknowledge it ever happened, insisting the minority Armenian Christians in the country were merely resettled elsewhere.

So its a worthy goal to try to bring this story to a mass audience, and director and co-writer Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) would seem like the right person to dramatize it. But the screenplay by George and Robin Swicord takes a severe misstep in trying to braid a traditional love triangle into the middle of all this horror.

Oscar Isaac plays Michael Boghosian, a medical student who has come from his small Armenian village to Istanbul (then still called Constantinople) to teach. Hes mesmerized by the cosmopolitan city and makes new friends easily, including a teacher and artist named Anna (Charlotte Le Bon). But Michael has pledged to marry a woman back home, and Anna is with Chris Myers (Christian Bale), a hard-charging Associated Press journalist who sees the storm clouds of World War I approaching Europe.

In some ways, The Promise is better at showing the motives of nations than of its individual characters. The Ottoman Empire allies with the Germans at the outbreak of World War I, hoping to use the war to expand its empire. The Promise is chillingly effective at showing how quickly things became very dangerous for Armenians, with no good options to either resist or escape.

Whenever the love triangle asserts itself in The Promise, the film dissolves into a melodramatic mush that threatens to trivialize the real-life horrors it depicts. The best parts of the film involve the characters being separated, whether its Bales Chris trying to stay out of the clutches of the authorities as he documents the atrocities, or Isaacs Michael making a harrowing escape from a labor camp and making a long journey back to his hometown. Le Bons Anna never really emerges as a character beyond the prize that the two men are fighting for.

Bale is a little miscast as the crusading journalist (the character seems like he should be older and more world-weary), but Isaac disappears before our eyes into the role of Michael, totally inhabiting the role. Hes really the lead of the film. There are some quick but welcome cameos by James Cromwell, Tom Hollander and Jean Reno along the way.

The love triangle resolves itself in an unsatisfying way  but then, there was really no satisfying way to resolve it, since it was an unwelcome distraction in the first place. The Promise is a frustrating near miss, but it did send me to the internet to read more about the Armenian genocide, so in that sense it probably accomplished its goals.
Jean C. (Holmay) Schubert, 88, of Onalaska, passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord April 19, 2017, in her home surrounded by her loving family.

She was born to Joseph Holmay and Myrtle (Hoppe) Holmay of Winona, Minn. Jean went to school in Winona. She married Joseph H. Schubert Jan. 27, 1950, they shared a home for 66 years that Joe built on the shores of Lake Onalaska.

She worked at Sears for many years where she formed a close community of friends. Jean loved to shop as her grandchildren can attest to. Jeans greatest attribute was that of being a mother, not only to her two children, but to all who knew her. She took many under her wing; her grandchild; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and friends. Her generosity was endless, and she was always there for anyone in need. She had a kind and gentle spirit, but what many remember is her sense of humor and laughter.

Jean knew the true meaning of family, her love and dedication to her family were endless. Holiday traditions were very significant to Jean as evident by her meticulous planning and decorating for all seasons. Her great-grandchildren (and friends) have wonderful memories of Halloween trick-or-treating, Easter egg hunts, and Christmas cookie decorating. After meeting the school bus, Jean always had a full fridge of goodies and unlimited time to listen to her great-grandchildrens stories of their school day.

In the recent months since the passing of her husband, Joe; Jeans daughter; Paula cared for her. It was a great joy to watch the connection, friendship, and love that mother and daughter shared.

Jean is survived by her daughter, Paula (Clarence) Knutson of Onalaska; her son, Joe Schubert (Cathy Gordon) of Mindoro; her grandson, Chad (Laura) Knutson of Onalaska; her two great-grandchildren, Anna and Troy Knutson; her grand-dogs; plus other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24, 2017, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crosse. Pastor Richard Pamperin will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com
MADISON -- The number of late absentee ballots that werent counted in last falls presidential election more than doubled from 2012 after lawmakers moved up their return deadline by three days, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The increase  from 498 in the 2012 presidential election to 1,208 last fall  isnt surprising given the change in law, and the number of ballots that werent counted is still extremely small given the more than 813,000 absentee ballots and nearly 3 million total ballots cast, WEC spokesman Reid Magney said.

The State Journal reported on the little-known change in law in October. As recently as the August primary the law allowed absentee ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the next Friday.

Starting with the November election mail-in ballots have to be received by a municipal clerks office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, which means they would have to be postmarked a few days earlier to arrive in time. The Wisconsin Elections Commission advised absentee voters to mail in their ballots a week before Election Day last fall.

The new law was enacted in March, but it wasnt set to take effect until September. County clerks had requested the change, said Chad Zuleger, a spokesman for Rep. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, chairwoman of the Assembly Committee on Elections and Campaigns.

He added the increase from 2012 could have resulted from the election being so contentious, leading some people to wait longer to make their final decision.

Other changes in election law, such as a voter ID requirement and extended early voting hours due to a federal court ruling, received more attention in the run-up to the presidential election.
LANSING, Iowa -- Each year, the Sunday after Easter is celebrated as Holy Hilarity Sunday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.

The Rev. Laura Gentry, a teacher of laughter yoga, started this tradition several years ago. She describes it as a way to "laugh in death's face," as Jesus did as he resurrected from the grave.

Parishioners are encouraged to wear silly clothes, hats, glasses, costumes or whatever makes them happy at the 9 a.m. service. There also will be an open mic during which people are asked to share church-appropriate jokes. Silly attire is not required, but a sense of humor definitely helps.
With a full heart and sincere gratitude on behalf of the board, staff and clients of YWCA La Crosse, I would like to thank all those who attended the 2017 Circle of Friends luncheon and awards event April 19. Congratulations again to Rosalie "Roz" Schnick, whom YWCA La Crosse honored for her philanthropic spirit, as well as Madalene Buelow, for her tireless work on the YWCA La Crosse Board of Directors and various committees.
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (AP)  If a repeat of the Great Potato Famine was to strike or climate change so altered the Earth that water became scarce, potato seeds from the U.S. Genebank on the outskirts of Sturgeon Bay could provide the solution to a looming food crisis.

While that seems far-fetched or outlandish, its not. A potato fungus about 15 years ago threatened crops around the nation. Potato seeds from Sturgeon Bay were among the tools used to avert a potato crisis. The fungus, called late blight, was a variation of the disease that caused the Great Potato Famine leading to failed crops and starvation in Ireland and parts of Europe from 1845 to 1852. It also caused mass migration to the United States.

Geneplasm, or potato seeds, from the Sturgeon Bay facility were used to develop a potato immune to the new form of late blight, said John Bamberg, a plant geneticist with the USDA/Agriculture Research Service and project leader of the U.S. Genebank. The genebank is located at the Peninsular Agricultural Research Station along State 42.

For years we knew that there was a Mexican species that was resistant to late blight, and researchers had been working on it using seeds from our genebank, Bamberg said.

When it was discovered that the new form of late blight was resistant to sprays used to control the fungus, researchers went into action to develop a potato variant based on the Mexican plant that was immune.

A lot of people dont know about the important work being done right here in Sturgeon Bay, Bamberg said.

In the greenhouses at the U.S. Potato Genebank along State 42, lush green tendrils of potato plants reach toward the grow lights. The mature plants sprout pods the size of walnuts that yield valuable pin-head-size seeds.

These seeds hold the clues for scientists seeking answers to a wide range of topics, including higher yield, drought-resistant and pesticide-free potatoes. The worlds largest collection of potato seeds and cultivars are housed at the U.S. Potato Genebank, representing more than 5,000 potato varieties and species.

Potatoes can grow almost anywhere, need less water than most food sources and are packed with nutrients, antioxidants and minerals, Bamberg said. Researchers around the world are working to develop new potato strains to feed burgeoning populations in areas where the soil is poor and the climate is cold, hot or dry.

In a world where the climate is changing, potatoes are an adaptable crop, Bamberg said.

Potatoes are a super-food, Bamberg said. There are not many food sources as easy to cultivate, with the same tastiness and similar nutrient and mineral benefits as potatoes, he said.

Recently scientists at a facility in Peru that partners with the Sturgeon Bay site completed experiments where they successfully grew potatoes in a climate similar to Mars. In the popular 2015 movie The Martian, an astronaut stranded on Mars survives by growing potatoes.

Growing potatoes in an adverse climate like Mars demonstrates the potential for potato crops, Bamberg said.

Its similar to climate change where what you used to grow, you cant anymore, so maybe potatoes are the answer, he said. Potatoes are already an important food crop, and as the climate is changing, theres a need to meet the new challenges in growing the crop.

They also are the most widely grown and consumed vegetable in the nation with a value of $4.3 billion and exports totaling more than $1 billion. In the world, potatoes rank behind wheat, rice and corn in consumption.

China is quickly surpassing the United States in potato production and India is not far behind, Bamberg said.

Vast varieties of potatoes, many developed with geneplasm from Sturgeon Bay, are being cultivated across Asia, India and into Southeast Asia.

These countries have large populations, and they need to feed their people, he said.

The genebanks goal is to help researchers and breeders innovate improvements in the potato crops, said Tina Wagner, a lab technician who maintains the facilitys collection.

Through genetics, the opportunities to develop potato crops with certain traits is significant. The genebank specializes in providing to researchers the seeds or germplasm that have traits a scientist requires to develop certain characteristics in a potato, Wagner said.

We have a job to do, and one of those things is filling the orders, Wagner said.

While the majority of the research is U.S. based, Wagner has shipped geneplasm to far flung places such as the University of Inner Mongolia.

Theres a lot of research going on all over the world, she said.

The Sturgeon Bay genebank was founded in 1948 by Wisconsin potato growers who saw the value in a centralized location to store seeds and house research to develop better potato stock.

Every year Bamburg and other researchers scour the sites where wild potatoes grow in the Western Hemisphere. While the wild potato originated in the region along the intersection of Peru and Bolivia, new wild varieties continue to be found in the southwestern section of the United States.

Wild potatoes, many of which are inedible, carry a treasure-trove of genetic diversity for potentially useful traits to develop new varieties of potatoes, Bamberg said.

Its those genes from the wild potatoes. You never know what you could find, he said.

Potato gene research has found properties in wild potatoes that could affect cancer, diabetes and obesity. There also might be benefits in potatoes to minimize the effect of lead poisoning on children, he said.

The research being done using geneplasm from Sturgeon Bay isnt just about growing a better potato. Its also about helping the world, Bamberg said.

The worlds largest collection of potato seeds and cultivars are housed at the U.S. Potato Genebank, representing more than 5,000 potato varieties and species.
"The new building will be a benefit  a perk for them and something they deserve, the staff and the kids."

 Viola LaFontaine, superintendent of the Mott-Regent Public School, on the elementary school being built.

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"His personality is infused in the body of that library."

 Tasha Carvell, Bismarck, on her father, Kevins, large private library in Mott. The books all deal with North Dakota.

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"It's scary to know that we could have been home for it, or it could have been much worse."

 Candy Vetter, Bismarck, whose family was out of town when a car crashed into the front of their house.

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"When someone looks at this, I want them to have that full feeling that she's giving herself to God. It's like she totally wants forgiveness, wants to feel that love that God gives us."

 Rebecca Young, on what she wants her painting to express.

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"I think (SB)2251 is the carrot. Ingestion and A misdemeanor probation is the stick. These are imperfect solutions to a really complicated problem. But the conversation is being had, and it's moving forward."

 Sen. Kelly Armstrong, R-Dickinson, on a bill that deals with new mothers and those pregnant dealing with addiction issues.

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"We have almost a 10 percent Native American (student) population in North Dakota ... so, why not develop culturally relevant curriculum or awareness for all schools in North Dakota?"

 Lucy Fredericks, director of the Department of Public Instructions office of Indian and multicultural education, on efforts to integrate Native American culture and history into classroom instruction.

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"Anybody that's been in the military, it's changed them in some way forever. Some good and some bad. Probably everyone should have a little taste of the military."

 Edward Vanover, who served in the U.S. Navy in the late 1960s.

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"The end result will be that the state's universities will lose their national and international reputations and, more importantly, not only will the quality of students graduating decline but those students who want a top-of-the-line education will go elsewhere. The national economic future is brightening and it is probable that budget prospects will look much better in a year or two, but the deep budget cuts being proposed, if enacted, will make North Dakota's future much less bright."

 From a letter by nine North Dakota State University professors arguing against major higher education cuts.

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"It was like a quilt with a lot of pieces ... (we) tried to turn it into a blanket."

 Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, on Senate Bill 2344, which made changes in Measure 5, which involves the use of medical marijuana.
Facing acute risks to their businesses from Washington policymakers, health companies spent more than $2 million to buy access to the incoming Trump administration via candlelight dinners, black-tie balls and other inauguration events, new filings show.

Drugmaker Pfizer gave $1 million to help finance the inauguration, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. Amgen, another pharmaceutical company, donated $500,000. Health insurers Anthem, Centene and Aetna all gave six-figure contributions.

They joined a surge of corporate donors from multiple industries to break inauguration-finance records even as President-elect Donald Trump promised to drain the swamp of Washington influence-peddling.

But the stakes for the health industry were especially high as the new administration prepared to take power.

Two weeks before Pfizers donation, Trump told Time magazine: Im going to bring down drug prices. At the same time, one of his top goals was repealing Obamacare  the Affordable Care Act  and its billions in subsidies for insurance companies and hospitals.

Also writing checks for the inauguration were drugmaker Abbott Laboratories, drug wholesaler Caremark, insurer MetLife and Managed Care of North America, a dental benefits manager.

Trumps inaugural committee raised $107 million, more than twice as much as for any previous presidential investiture. President Barack Obamas 2009 inauguration held the previous record of $53 million.

Obama banned corporate donations that year and limited individual donations to $50,000 but accepted corporate grants for his 2013 inauguration.

No health company gave more to Trumps event than Pfizer, whose profits for Lyrica, Prevnar 13 and other high-priced medicines could come under pressure if the Medicare program for seniors is allowed to negotiate on cost, as Trump has suggested.

Lyrica alleviates nerve and muscle pain. Prevnar 13 is a vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia.

Along with several other pharma companies, Pfizer is the subject of a Justice Department investigation over donations to charities that help Medicare patients avoid copayments for expensive drugs.

Pfizer CEO Ian Read is also a vocal advocate of cutting corporate income taxes, which Trump has pledged to do. The Obama administration thwarted Pfizers $160 billion deal to move its legal residency to low-tax Ireland to merge with Botox maker Allergen.

Pfizers $1 million donation entitled it to four tickets to a leadership luncheon with select Cabinet appointees and House and Senate leadership, according to a solicitation brochure obtained and posted online by the Center for Public Integrity.

As it has been the case with previous presidential inaugurations, we made a financial contribution to the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee and a group of our senior leaders participated in various official events, said Pfizer spokesperson Sharon Castillo. She declined to identify the executives.

Amgens inauguration gift of $500,000 was the second-biggest from a health care donor. The company makes Enbrel for arthritis and Epogen for anemia, among other drugs.

Amgens contribution bought it two tickets to an intimate dinner with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence. Amgen CEO Robert Bradway was among seven pharma executives who met with Trump in the White House on Jan. 31, although that wasnt part of the inauguration package.

Amgen spokesperson Kelley Davenport declined to comment beyond describing the company as joining numerous other donors from a diverse group of industries and individuals supporting the event.

Pfizer also got entree to the Pence inaugural dinner. Both companies had access to balls, receptions, luncheons, concerts and other events available to lesser donors.

Neither Pfizer, Amgen nor other large health care donors to Trumps inauguration made contributions to Obamas 2013 inauguration, which did accept corporate money. Pfizer gave $250,000 to President George W. Bushs 2005 inauguration.

The biggest health care corporate donor to Obamas 2013 investiture was drugmaker Genentech, which gave $750,000, records show. The company did not contribute to Trumps inauguration. Prior to the 2016 election, we made a decision not to sponsor any inaugural activities for the foreseeable future, said Genentech spokesperson Susan Willson.

Contributors for this years event also included insurer Anthem, one of the largest participants in the Affordable Care Acts online marketplaces, and Centene, which also sells insurance plans through the online exchanges. Anthem gave $100,000 while Centene gave $250,000.

Both companies marketplace businesses depend on generous federal subsidies that would be jeopardized by an ACA repeal or other actions by the administration. Anthem has pressed the administration to preserve the subsidies and tighten rules for marketplace enrollment.

Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish was one of a group of insurance executives who met with Trump in February. Swedish met again with Trump in the White House last month, Modern Healthcare reported.

Centene, which manages state and federal Medicaid programs for low-income people in many states, also benefited from the ACAs Medicaid expansion. Analysts see the company as especially vulnerable to a potential repeal of Obamas health law.
A 34-year-old Tomah man was referred to the Monroe County District Attorney for multiple charges after allegedly throwing an ax that struck a vehicle.

According to the report, Renald S. Thompson Jr. and another man became involved in a dispute in the parking lot of Tractor Supply Co. at about 11 p.m. April 12. The man told police that Thompson told him to leave before he got agitated and then pulled what the man described as a small ax or hatchet from his vehicle. Thompson allegedly threw the ax while the man was sitting in his vehicle, damaging the rear driver door. The ax bounced off the vehicle and hit the ground. The man estimated the ax to be 12 to 18 inches long.

Thompson was referred to the district attorney for endangering safety, endangering safety with a weapon, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

In other Tomah Police Department news:

Tiffany R. Kessen 24, Sparta, was referred to the district attorney for second-offense drunk driving.

Police responded April 14 to a witness who said a silver Ford van was driving all over the road on Highway 16 while entering the city limits. Police found the van parked in front of the Kwik Trip store and approached Kessen, who was described in the report as uneasy on her feet and stumbling.

The report says Kessen denied consuming alcohol or illegal drugs. A preliminary breath test registered no alcohol in her blood, but she allegedly failed a field sobriety test. She was arrested and later consented to a blood draw.

Dawn M. Kokoros, 40, Tomah, was referred to the district attorney for theft for allegedly passing bad checks.

Police were called to Tomah Mini Mart April 12 after an employee reported that a check had been returned from an account that had been closed for four years. The address on the check matched Kokoros current residence, and she was identified on the stores surveillance camera.

Koskoros allegedly made fraudulent purchases of gasoline, cigarettes and beer totaling $54. She also allegedly used a check to obtain $20 in cash. Police contacted Koskoros April 13. She denied writing the checks but refused to speak further about the incident without consulting an attorney. She was referred for uttering a forged document, theft by fraud and bail jumping.

Nelson Anthony Littlejohn, 56, Oakdale, was referred to the district attorney for possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping after an April 13 traffic stop.

Police observed a Ford SUV running idle on McLean Avenue shortly after 2 a.m., and the registration came back expired and suspended. Police waited for the vehicle to move, and after the vehicle turned onto West Juneau Street, a traffic stop was initiated.

The police departments K-9 officer was summoned to help search the vehicle, and the K-9 detected a pill bottle with marijuana residue inside. The report says the search later found a meth pipe concealed in Littlejohns waistband.

William McKinley Nelson, 25, Tomah, and Brittni Novell Wiener, 21, Chippewa Falls, were referred to the district attorney on numerous drug and other charges after they were arrested during the overnight hours of April 11.

According to the report, an officer observed a vehicle turn onto to Juneau Street without its lights on. The vehicle quickened its pace after the officer activated his emergency lights. The vehicle turned into a gravel lot behind the Breakroom Bar, and at least two occupants, later identified as Nelson and Wiener, began to flee on foot.

Nelson reportedly eluded police by hiding under a car. The officer was able to detain Wiener, who allegedly resisted police as she was being handcuffed. She reportedly told police she didnt know the identity of the driver. When asked to identify herself, she reportedly replied, nobody and refused several times to give her name. She finally identified herself as Brittany M. OBrian.

Police received a tip that Nelson was staying at a Superior Avenue apartment. Officers were told by a woman that Nelson wasnt there, and police found a man sitting on a bed who identified himself as Joseph K. Holzberger. Police found drug paraphernalia inside the residence. Police later determined that Holzberger was actually Nelson, who fled the apartment on foot. He was apprehended a short time later in the alley behind the Bank Bar after police stunned him with a Taser.

Police observed an object in Nelsons hand that was discarded during the chase. It was later identified as a glass smoking pipe used for methamphetamine.

Nelson was referred for fleeing an officer, operating after suspension/drunk driving-related, possess of methamphetamine, possess of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and bail jumping. Wiener was referred for bail jumping, resisting an officer, obstructing an officer and identity theft to avoid criminal prosecution.

Ashla Rae Schultz, 25, Tomah, was referred to the district attorney for possession of marijuana. Schultz was detained by police April 11 on an active warrant, and marijuana was allegedly found in the front pocket of her sweatshirt.

Jamie Robert Holtet, 32, La Crosse, was referered to the district attorney on multiple charges stemming from an April 11 shoplifting complaint.

An employee of Ace Hardware told police that Holtet stole several items from the store and fled on foot. Police caught up with Holtet in the Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot, where he was secured in handcuffs without incident.

A search of the vehicle that Holtet, Ashley N. Tryggestad, 29, Westby, and Samuel Charles Ambrosini, 29, Genoa, used for transport to Ace Hardware allegedly contained a small plastic bag containing heroin, a syringe, a bent spoon with drug residue and cigarette rolling papers.

Holtet was referred for theft, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping. Tryggestad was arrested for outstanding Crawford County warrant, and Ambrosini was arrested for an an outstanding Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant.
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The former police Explorer who was sexually abused by an Irwindale police officer has settled her lawsuit against the city for $2.75 million. The Explorer program brings teen volunteers interested in a career in law enforcement to intern with a city's police department.

The woman, who remains anonymous, brought forward sexual abuse charges against former officer Daniel Camerano in 2014. She alleged Camerano abused her at the police station and during ride-alongs while she was a teen Explorer with the department. According to the Los Angeles Times, court records state the woman was 14 at the time of the alleged molestations that began in May 2009, and continued through December 2010.

The abuse of my client occurred because of a culture of acceptance of sexual abuse and harassment of girls and women that was allowed to persist in the Irwindale Police Department, lawyer Anthony DeMarco said Friday. She, like others, was forced to endure sexual abuse and harassment in silence or risk losing her dream of a career in law enforcement.

Former officer Camerano pleaded no contest in 2014. He also admitted to sexting a 17-year-old Explorer in November 2012.

Camerano was convicted of the charges in 2015, and was sentenced to 32 months in prison.


"Russia sends troops to North Korea border as tensions escalate...A report from primemedia.RU claims: Railway trains loaded with military equipment moving towards Primorsky region via Khabarovsk have been noticed by locals.

A military official added: The movement of military equipment by different means of transport to southern areas is being observed across Primorsky region over the past week.



The movement comes only a day after Russia and the US clashed at the UN over a UN security council statement, drafted by the US, which condemned North Koreas latest failed test."

From Yahoo UK News today:Not totally confirmed yet, but that's all we need- another superpower being sucked into the morass Trump has created by his grotesque mishandling of North Korea's government. North Korean leaders have been acting in the same belligerent manner for decades, and every previous President, even the village idiot George W. Bush, has managed to respond in an adult manner. No more, I guess.We do not have quite the same entangling web of treaty obligations that we saw in the runup to World War I, but I do not think I am being unfair to see a similar phenomenon, where a number of world powers are being dragged into what should be a regional matter of little concern outside the area. We can see, I think, North and South Korea as Bulgaria and Romania in 1914, countries of small consequence, but whose long standing alliances with the world's great powers are risking a cataclysmic collapse into violence.I would like to say a little more about this comparison. I have spent a lot of the last decade reading about the runup to World War I, going back to the unification of Germany in 1871. I now believe that the war was not, in the end, about the Balkans at all, but about the death throes of European colonialism. Until 1871, there were three "great powers" in Europe; England, France and Russia. England and France had far flung colonial empires, and Russia had everything east of the Urals, as a sort of internal colony. The unification of Germany began a game of musical chairs, in which four countries now competed for the colonies of three. This caused tensions to rise dramatically, with numerous colonial struggles, such as the Agadir crisis, the struggle for European colonies and trade centers in the Pacific, or the fighting between England and France over the Sudan, bringing the world closer and closer to the cliff edge. The Balkan crisis was really about colonialism too, with the "great powers" struggling over territories that were slipping away from the decaying Ottoman Empire. There were two Balkan wars in the period before World War I. We in the West tend to hear about nothing but Serbia and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, but things were far more treacherous in Romania and Bulgaria. Romania was primarily a Catholic, Western oriented country, and Bulgaria had a population of Slavs, primarily in the Orthodox church, who had natural associations with the Slavic, Orthodox country of Russia. When the Ottomans began to lose their control over the Balkans, the two countries turned to their natural allies, and a ready made conflict of big countries was provided.Here's a map of the Balkans from just before the Balkan wars; sorry that it's not in English, but I think it's easy enough to identify the countries involved:What I have said in the above paragraph is a great simplification of the complex conditions that led to World War I, but I think it does show how great powers were sucked into what should have been a local affair. We have, I think it is safe to say, a very similar alignment on the Korean peninsula today, with the Western powers being naturally aligned with the Capitalist South, while Russia and China have both historical and political connections with the North. So, when Austria attacked Serbia, which by all rights it should have conquered in weeks, and then utterly muffed their invasion, in the greatest military blunder of the twentieth century, the resulting quagmire drew countries one by one to the aid of their smaller allies, and, as they would say at Scotland Yard, Bob's your uncle.If Trump does decide to launch an attack against North Korea, as he is so obviously hungering to do, does anyone have the confidence that he could go for the quick kill? An attack there that stretched out to more than a few days could easily draw the great powers into the struggle, with the most catastrophic results. And Trump's obsession with appearance over substance would almost guarantee that whatever action the US took would collapse quickly into military catastrophe at least as great as that which overcame Bush's Iraq aggression, which incidentally was the greatest military blunder since the Austrian invasion of Serbia, with the possible exception of Hitler's fumbling the attack on Stalingrad.So, there you have it. If you wanted to write a novel about the start of World War III, there's a perfectly believable plot line for you. Will it happen? Probably not, because the worst rarely does happen, but it has happened twice in the last century or so, and that is without a patently mentally incompetent leader to lead the world into the abyss. We'll see how it all goes.
DEVILS LAKE, N.D.  A former Devils Lake care provider claims her firing from a youth care facility in Devils Lake was retaliation after she reported another caregivers alleged cruel conduct toward at-risk children.

Katherine Gray, who was fired last year as a direct care provider at Harmony House in Devils Lake, filed papers in federal court last month to have a Ramsey County District Court gag order issued in October reversed. The gag order prohibits her from contacting residents of the at-risk youth care facility and from discussing incidents that occurred at Harmony, which is operated jointly by Devils Lake Public Schools and Lake Region Special Education.

Gray argued in court documents the gag order violated her First Amendment rights, adding her firing was retaliation after she testified to the state Department of Human Services that children were being verbally and physically abused at Harmony.

Covered up and protected

The federal court documents detail Grays employment at Harmony and claims of abusive and threatening behavior by her co-worker, David Kosmatka. Gray, who began working at the facility in October 2014, alleged Kosmatka entered childrens private rooms at Harmony without knocking or announcing himself when the children were naked or getting dressed. Other claims include Kosmatka refusing food to children, verbally bullying them, calling the children names and threatening to kick the children out of the facility.

Throughout 2015 and 2016, Kosmatka continued to engage in cruel conduct toward  Harmony House youths, court documents state.

Kosmatka allegedly focused on one Native American child under the age of 14, according to court documents. Gray claimed Kosmatka would walk in on the child taking a bath, belittle the child with names such as fat and lazy, and yell at the child in a threatening manner. Gray alleged Kosmatka once grabbed the child by the stomach with both hands and squeezed the child.

Kosmatka acknowledged that he probably shouldnt have grabbed, but he had known (the child) awhile and could do what he wanted, court documents stated.

Gray said the child tried to escape the yelling by retreating to a private room, adding the child would have emotional breakdowns, and she would try to comfort him.

Gray said she asked Harmony House Director Barry Sundeen to address the matter several times, claiming Native American children at Harmony House did not receive the same benefits as other children there. She also requested bringing in Native American elders to offer spiritual and cultural support, but that didnt happen, according to court documents.

Gray filed complaints against Kosmatka and Sundeen with the state Human Services Department, claiming Sundeen made derogatory remarks about children at Harmony House and covered up and protected Kosmatka. The family of the child whom Kosmatka allegedly abused also filed a restraining order against him.

Shortly after Gray told Sundeen she had testified about her complaints, she was fired from Harmony House without reason, though Sundeen said her employment there was not working out, according to court documents.

Sundeen and Kosmatka still are employed with the Devils Lake Public School District, Superintendent Scott Privratsky confirmed with the Herald. He said the school could not comment on pending litigation.

Gag order

Another child reported similar incidents with Kosmatka to Gray after she was fired, according to court documents. The child indicated in emails he or she was being threatened and Harmony staff were creeping me out and were not acting normally.

Its like theyre trying to make us forget stuff, the child wrote. Help me please.

Gray remained in contact with the child and reported the incidents at the facility to police out of concern for the childrens safety, the report stated. She also reported the case to the Devils Lake School Board.

Criminal charges have not been filed against Kosmatka.

Court documents show Gray received a letter from the Devils Lake Public School District in August warning her to stop contacting children at Harmony House and to stop talking about the incidents or legal action would be taken. The school district said she violated the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act.

Gray denied doing anything wrong but complied with the letter, court documents said. An injunction that bans her from speaking to Harmony residents or about incidents that happened there was filed in Ramsey County District Court and approved by then-Judge Lee Christofferson, who retired last year.

As a result of the Ramsey County injunction, (Gray) has been unable to defend herself against false and misleading accusations made by Devils Lake (School) employees, court documents stated.

Devils Lake Public Schools, Lake Region Special Education, Sundeen, Devils Lake Public School Board members, Ramsey County District Court, County States Attorney Kari Agotness and North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem are named as defendants in the federal court filings. Catherine Miller, who at all times relevant to the action of Grays court filings was an employee of Devils Lake Public Schools, also is listed as a defendant.

Gray declined comment, citing the gag order. Messages left with Harmony House and the LRSE were not returned as of Friday.
4 A man from the Netherlands shows his tattoos on the back of his head on the first day of the Frankfurt Tattoo Convention in Frankfurt, Germany.


Facebook is developing a technology that it says will be able to transfer thoughts directly from the brain to a computer.

It announced the plans this week at a gathering of the social networks developers in San Jose, California.

Speech-to-text technology has made great progress in recent years. Now scientists are looking to expand on this to develop a system for thoughts-to-text.

Facebooks vice president of engineering Regina Dugan introduced the technology by asking the question, So what if you could type directly from your brain?

Dugan said the aim of the project is to turn peoples thoughts into text in order to communicate on a computer or personal device.

The companys goal is for users to be able to type at least 100 words per minute based on signals sent from their brains.

Facebook says the technology could be released within a few years.

Dugan said other researchers say that people who are not able to use their hands have had success using similar technology.

People involved in testing of the technology at Californias Stanford University had small electrodes put inside their brains. The electrodes were used to record signals from the part of the brain that controls muscle movements. These signals were then sent to a computer and translated into point-and-click commands.

Stanford researchers said experiments showed that people using the system were able to type up to eight words per minute.

Facebook has put dozens of people on a special team working on the technology. The company is also working with several U.S. universities to reach the goal of a thought-to-text rate of 100 words per minute. This is about five times faster than a person can type on a phone or other device.

Dugan said the Facebook system would not require implants inside the brain. Instead, users would wear something on their heads with sensors to pick up brain signals.

She added that the signals would only come from the area of the brain that translates thoughts into speech.

We are not talking about decoding your random thoughts. That might be more than any of us care to know.

Facebook also announced it was working on another technology that could allow people to recognize words through their skin. Researchers say this technology would use skin instead of the ear to take in sound and send information to the brain.

Imagine the power such a capability would give to the 780 million people around the world who cannot read or write, but who can surely think and feel.

Facebook is not the only company studying technology to directly transfer thoughts from the brain to a computer. American businessman Elon Musk is launching a company to explore possible applications for brain interface technology.

Musk is the chief of electric carmaker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX. He says his system would use implants to pick up brain signals that would go to computers and electronic devices.

Musk has spoken about his fears that robots using artificial intelligence (AI) could get too much power over people and possibly threaten humanity. He said one way to prevent this would be to add another AI element to the human brain.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on material from Facebook and Reuters. Ashley Thompson 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

type  v. to write on a computer keyboard or other electronic device

electrode  n. one of the two points through which electricity flows into or out of a battery or device

click  v. to press a button on a mouse or some other device

implant  n. something put in a specific place, like the body

sensor  n. device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc.

decode  v. find or understand a hidden meaning in something

random  adj. chosen by chance

application  n. computer program

interface  n. system used for operating a computer

artificial intelligence  n. the development of computers to perform intelligence-related tasks without human involvement


Susan Mackey-Kallis is a busy woman at Villanova University, outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mackey-Kallis is an Associate Professor in Villanovas Department of Communications.

Like most professors in the United States, she has many responsibilities.

Much of her job involves teaching classes on film, popular culture and the media. She also spends a lot of time doing research on those subjects.

But there is another part of her job that does not get as much public attention: her service work for the school.

Service work for a college or university can mean many things.

There is internal service work. This can include being as an advisor to individual students or larger groups, as well as serving on one or more committees. These committees can do everything from helping admit students to the school, to finding new faculty members and organizing events.

External service can include representing the school through national organizations.

Mackey-Kallis has done a lot of service work during her nearly 30 years of experience in higher education.

In fact, she received the Lawrence C. Gallen Faculty Service Award from Villanova in 2008. The award recognizes tenured faculty members who have 10 years or more of outstanding service experience.

For several years, Mackey-Kallis says she was doing at least 20 hours of service work in addition to her other duties. But she says that after a while, she started to realize her career was not moving forward at the same speed as other professors.

Ill never forget, she said. I was at a reception at the university and one of my male colleagues from the School of Business, who was a full professor, was talking with me and said, Susan, youre not a full professor yet?

Full professor is the highest position most professors can reach as a faculty member at a U.S. college or university. It comes with higher pay and greater recognition as an expert in ones area of study.

Not every professor can become a full professor. Most colleges and universities only fill a few of these positions each year. The schools make these decisions based on many things, Mackey-Kallis says, but a professors research and published works are probably the most important considerations.

Mackey-Kallis has published several books. But this still was not enough to gain the attention of the group that appoints full professors at Villanova.

So a few years ago she decided to reduce her amount of service work. She says doing so much service got in the way of her career.

And a new study suggests Mackey-Kallis is not alone in this problem. A report on the study was published this month in the academic journal Research in Higher Education.

Evidence of unbalanced workloads

The study looked at the average amount of service work professors did at more than 140 U.S. colleges and universities in 2014. It also examined work-related activities of almost 1,400 faculty members at several campuses in one large university system in Americas Midwest. The study took into consideration the race, sex, areas of study and the duties of the professors.

The nationwide information showed that on average, female professors do about half an hour more service work per week than male professors. At the large Midwestern university system, the female professors were doing about 1.5 more service activities each year.

Cassandra Guarino wrote the report on the study. She is a Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of California (UC) Riverside. She says the study did not examine why female professors did more service work. But she has some ideas.

Guarino says many female professors told her they were not surprised by the findings. In some cultures, women are asked to do more work than men while receiving less in return. The Pew Research Group reported that, in 2015, a woman in the U.S. would have to work 44 days more, on average, to earn the same amount as a man.

Guarino adds that many women feel it is harder for them to say no when given extra responsibilities.

But in higher education, the problem for women goes beyond just saying no, she says.

I dont think women have [realized] that they may be asked to do more, Guarino said. And I think they just think theyre doing what everyone else is doing, when actually they are doing more of this other stuff that is taking away time from their research.

Different parts to the problem

Cynthia Miller-Idriss is an Associated Professor of Education and Sociology at American University in Washington, DC. She also directs the universitys international training and education program, which is a form of internal service.

Miller-Idriss has been a professor since 2003. She says the difference in service work between the sexes is much greater than the averages the study found.

She admits that service work is very important to colleges and universities. Yet the problem is not just that women do more of it. Schools often do not place the same value on all this extra work as they do research and publishing.

Internal service doesnt bring the same kinds of advantages to the university in a visible way, Miller-Idriss said. [The university] cant [operate] without it. But it doesnt necessarily help with things like status or reputation, it doesnt bring in additional resources. It can be much more invisible because it doesnt draw external attention.

She notes that heavy service workloads put female professors at a disadvantage. They are less able to work on the things that will do more to drive upward movement in their careers.

Susan Mackey-Kallis at Villanova, Cassandra Guarino at UC Riverside and Miller-Idriss all hope the study will bring more attention to this issue. They want faculty and administrators to think more about how much service work women are doing in comparison to men. And hopefully, schools will clarify who they are asking to do this kind of work.

Also, Mackey-Kallis admits many more women are being appointed to important jobs in many occupations than in the past. But there needs to be a change in the culture.

Women [are still taught] to help, to be helpers, to [support] good organizations, good teamwork, she said. Men have been [taught] to, as you might say, keep their eyes on the prize.

Mackey-Kallis says there needs to be more attention on what a person can do, not what they should be doing based on their sex. And professors in higher positions need to show their female colleagues it is okay to think of themselves first sometimes.

I'm Alice Bryant.

And Im Pete Musto.

Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. What at are any differences between the responsibilities of male and female professors at universities in your country? How can schools do better to make sure all professors are given equal amounts of work? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

internal  adj. existing or occurring within an organization

faculty  n. the group of teachers in a school or college

external  adj. concerning relationships with

tenured  adj. having the right to keep a job, especially the job of being a professor at a college or university, for as long as you want to have it

outstanding  adj. extremely good or excellent

reception  n. a social gathering to celebrate something or to welcome someone

colleague(s)  n. a person who works with you

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

journal  n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people

campus(es)  n. the area and buildings around a university, college or school

advantage(s)  n. something, such as a good position or condition, that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others

visible  adj. known to or noticed by the public

status  n. the position or rank of someone or something when compared to others in a society, organization or group

reputation  n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something


New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to raise taxes on cigarettes to persuade people to stop smoking.

He would raise the current $10.50 minimum price for a pack of cigarettes to $13 in New York City.

De Blasio said the goal of making New York the most expensive city in America to buy cigarettes is to reduce tobacco use. If people have to pay more, he said, they might decide to stop smoking, or, even better, never start.

Anti-smoking proposal

The mayor is pushing a number of bills. In addition to raising taxes on cigarettes, his bills would limit the number of places selling tobacco products in New York.

Under one proposal, the city would bar drug stores, also known as pharmacies, from selling cigarettes.

Dr. Mary Bassett is New York Citys commissioner of health.

She said, As a former smoker, I know how hard it is to quit. These bills will make it less likely that New Yorkers will start smoking and easier for New Yorkers who smoke to quit.

New York is Americas largest city, with over 8.5 million residents. The citys Health Department says the percentage of New Yorkers who smoke has dropped from 21.5 percent in 2002 to 14.3 percent in 2005.

But that still leaves 900,000 smokers in the city. An estimated 15,000 of the citys smokers are under age 18.

The idea behind the mayor's proposal is that people will stop smoking if the cost is too high.

Opponents said many people will continue to smoke and that some will be pushed more into poverty or find places to get illegal cigarettes free of taxes.

Over time, it's proven again and again that these efforts are ultimately ineffective as people, minors included, turn more and more to the bootleggers, said Audrey Silk. She is founder of NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment.

But de Blasio said government has a moral responsibility to discourage people from smoking. He said that higher prices have been shown to stop people from smoking.

When it comes to New Yorkers health, big tobacco is pubic enemy #1, de Blasio said.

Smoking around the world

The World Health Organization says there is no doubt that smoking cigarettes is harmful.

Tobacco is the only legal drug that kills many of its users when used exactly as intended by manufacturers, the WHO said in a report. It says smoking is responsible for about 6 million deaths a year across the world.

Globally, the WHO says there are 1.1 billion tobacco smokers aged 15 or older. About 226 million smokers live in poverty, it said.

Smoking rates and taxes differ across the world.

The countries with the highest percentage of smokers are Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia and Slovenia, the Tobacco Atlas reports.

But the countries with most cigarettes smoked are China, Russia, the United States, Indonesia and Japan, the Tobacco Atlas said.

The Chinese smoke more cigarettes than all other low- and middle-income countries combined, the Tobacco Atlas says.

The atlas is put out by officials from the American Cancer Association and World Lung Foundation.

Numbeo.com is a website that tracks the cost of living around the world. The site reports that the most expensive countries to buy cigarettes are: Australia, $18.77 per pack; followed by New Zealand, $16.19; Bermuda, $12.24; Norway, $12.23; and Iceland, $11.81.

In 2016, voters in two American states -- California and Colorado -- voted on separate proposals to raises taxes on cigarettes. Voters in California approved a $2 tax increase per pack of cigarettes. But voters in Colorado rejected a $1.75 tax increase.

The New York City Council will now decide whether to approve or reject the anti-smoking measures offered by Mayor de Blasio.

Im Bruce Alpert.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. 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.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

cigarettes - n. a small roll of paper that is filled with cut tobacco and smoked

pack - n. small packages that often include 20 cigarettes

tobacco - n. a plant that produces leaves which are smoked in cigarettes

ultimately - adv. at the end of a process

bootlegger - n. someone who sells cigarettes or other products illegally, often without providing the requires taxes to government

intend - v. to want to do something


Bangkok, Thailand, is known for having some of the best street food in the world. But officials have announced plans to ban food vendors in an effort to clean up the city.

An assistant to Bangkoks governor told The Nation newspaper the move is meant to improve the appearance, walkability and safety of city streets.

The street vendors have seized the pavement space for too long and we already provide them space to sell food and other products legally in the market, the assistant said. So there will be no let-up in this operation - every street vendor will have to move out.

Bangkok was recently named the worlds finest street food location for the second year by Cable News Network (CNN).

Forbes magazine also rated Bangkok number one for its street food. The lifestyle website Thrillist placed it second, behind Singapore.

Even the Tourism Authority of Thailand put out a video in 2015 that advertised Bangkoks famous street food.

CNN said it is impossible to avoid street food in Bangkok. It noted that vendors across the city change locations throughout the day to serve as many people as possible.

Vendors can be found in all of Bangkoks busiest areas. They serve everyone from business people to tourists to local citizens. The chairs and tables are basic. Customers have to deal with Bangkoks extreme heat and polluted air while they eat. But the tasty food keeps people coming back again and again.

Nont Nontskiul is a financial worker in Bangkok. He lives in a part of the city where street vendors will be some of the first to be removed. He told the Associated Press that, "even people who eat at pricey restaurants every day can't avoid street food. It's faster, tastes better, and costs less than half the price."

Observers say local officials in Thailand have been strengthened by the military government that has ruled the country since a 2014 coup. It launched a campaign to clean up society. Efforts have included crackdowns on corrupt politicians, drugs and gambling.

Critics of the street food clean-up campaign say low-income people  including food vendors and their customers -- will be most affected by the ban. They have called on the government to do more to help the vendors keep their businesses going in a legal way.

Ubolwattana Mingkwan is a coffee vendor in Bangkok. She charges 85 cents for a cup of coffee. She says she cannot afford the cost of rent required to do business in a government-approved area.

"I've asked city officials for help and understanding," she told the Associated Press. "All they say now is 'no, no, no.' They've already received their orders."

An opinion article in the Bangkok Post said the ban will hurt working-class people.

The writer of the article wrote, While many seem worried that Bangkok charm will be wiped from the tourism map, Im more worried about the disappearance of affordable food choices for average men and women, especially low-income earners.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on material from the Associated Press, Reuters, The Nation and Bangkok Post newspapers. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

Where have you experienced the best street food in the world? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

vendor  n. person who sells something outside

walkability  adj. how easy something is for a person to walk through

pavement  n. the hard surface of a road

basic  adj. not including anything special or extra

crackdown  n. attempt to stop activities or punish people for doing something that is now allowed

gambling  n. to risk money while taking part in a game, race or competition

income  n. money a person earns from working

charm  n. a quality that makes something very likeable or attractive

affordable  adj. something with a price most people can pay
A clothesline will be on display next week outside the Parent-Child Center.

Filled with symbolism, the clothesline, will be part of a national awareness campaign in which the Parent-Child Center is participating.

The Parent-Child Center is located at 1001 N. Washington St. in Lexington.

The center has participated in the awareness project for sexual and domestic abuse for more than 10 years, said Janet Brown, client advocate/community educator for the Parent-Child Center.

In 2016, Parent-Child center assisted 169 children affected by child abuse, sexual assault and/or domestic violence. The pinwheels, staked into the front lawn of the Parent-Child Center, will represent these children.

According to information provided by the Parent-Child Center, The Clothesline Project originated with 31 shirts in Hyannis, Mass., in 1990 through the Cape Cod Womens Agenda. A small group of women, many of whom had experienced violence in their own lives, designed the visual monument to help transform the message of violence against women and children into a powerful educational and healing tool.

The women decided to use a clothesline after discussing how many women in close-knit neighborhoods have traditionally exchanged information over backyard fences, while hanging laundry out to dry.

"The Clothesline Project breaks the silence about violence against women and children by giving a voice to survivors and victims. Since 1990, hundreds of Clothesline Projects have emerged nationwide and abroad, resulting in tens of thousands of shirt designs," reads a portion of the history of the project from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Shirts that are hung on The Clothesline represent a wide spectrum of abuse. Although each shirt is unique, a common color coding is generally used to represent the different dimensions of violence against women and children.

White is for women and children who have died as a result of domestic violence.

Yellow or beige is for women and children who have been battered or assaulted.

Red, pink and orange is for women and children who have been raped or sexually assaulted.

Blue and green is for women and children who are survivors of incest.

Purple or lavender is for women and children attacked because of their sexual orientation.

Brown said the T-shirts on the clothesline will be on display during the week of April 24 - 28. T-shirts that will be featured are designed by victims of domestic and sexual assault, she said.

"Some of them put their hearts into designing these shirts," Brown said.

For more information call the Parent-Child Center at 308-324-2336. Two 24-hour crisis lines are staffed by volunteers, one in English and one in Spanish. The English Crisis Line is 308-324-3040 or 1-800-215-3040. The Spanish Crisis Line is 308-324-1942 or 1-866-351-9594.

According to The Clothesline Projects web site, a survivor is a woman who has survived intimate personal violence such as rape, battering, incest and child sexual abuse. A victim is a woman who has died at the hands of her abuser.

"It is the very process of designing a shirt that gives each woman a new voice with which to expose an often horrific and unspeakable experience that has dramatically altered the course of her life. Participating in this project provides a powerful step towards helping a survivor break through the shroud of silence that has surrounded her experience," reads a portion of the history of the program on its web site.

For more information visit http://www.clotheslineproject.org.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem described the U.S. border with Mexico as a war zone last year when she sent dozens of state National Guard troops there. Noem said theyd be on the front lines of stopping drug smugglers and human traffickers. But newly released records from the National Guard show that in their two-month deployment, the South Dakota troops didnt seize any drugs and sometimes went days without encountering any migrants at all. Noem justified the deployment and a widely criticized private donation to fund as a state emergency because of drugs making their way across the southern border to South Dakota. But the records cast doubt on whether the deployment was effective in addressing that.
LEXINGTON  Central Community College-Lexington will celebrate CCC's 50th anniversary with a Business After Hours event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday.

The public is invited to the event which will include refreshments, door prizes and a chance to see the center, located in the DawsonCountyOpportunityCenter at 1501 Plum Creek Parkway.

When the LexingtonCenter opened in 1977 it was located on the second floor of an old bank building in downtown Lexington and included only office space. A move two years later, into a former hospital, allowed the Center to expand to two offices and a small classroom. It gained a second small classroom when it moved into a former law office in the early 1980s.

In 1992, the City of Lexington offered CCC a city-owned building in downtown Lexington. The building was extensively remodeled by the college and when completed it provided space for a receptionist, two medium-sized classrooms, three offices and storage.

The LexingtonCenter moved to its current location within the OpportunityCenter in January 2011, where a reception area, four offices and 13 classrooms, combined with technology, allow it to offer a broad range of educational opportunities. These include avocational-recreational, nursing assistant, medication aide, CPR, EMT, adult education and English as a second language classes, GED classes and testing; certificate, diploma and degree programs; and business and professional training.

CentralCommunity College dates its beginning to Sept. 12, 1966, when Area Vocational School No. 1 opened in Hastings. Legislation in 1971 created the state's six community college areas, one of which was CCC and its 25-county service area in Central Nebraska. Today, CCC has campuses in Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings and centers in Holdrege, Kearney, Lexington and Ord.

Having CCC classes in Lexington provides an opportunity for adults and high school graduates to pursue higher education without commuting, said Amy Hill, regional director with CCC based in Lexington.

"Some adults are not able to commute away from Lexington," Hill said.

It is not uncommon for local high school graduates with a goal of attending a four-year university to take courses at CCC-Lexington, such as general education courses, closer to home and later transfer, she said.

Another area in high demand among youth served by CCC is dual credit courses, or courses that students take while in high school that receive college credit from CCC, Hill said.

At LexingtonHigh School, dual credits from CCC are offered for general biology, college algebra, introduction to music, nursing assistant and automotive courses.

Dual credit courses from CCC are offered in many high schools in the community college's territory in central Nebraska, which includes more than 70 high schools, Hill said.

Hill said many employers in the skilled and technical sciences, such as electricians, manufacturers and welding companies, have jobs that are open and waiting to be filled.

Students interested in skilled and technical career paths are encouraged to take general elective courses at CCC-Lexington and continue at the Hastings CCC campus, where many skilled programs are offered, she said.

Regardless of a person's educational goal or career aim, education is a lifelong process CCC is proud to be a part of, Hill said.

"All of us benefit from having a more educated and trained workforce in the community," she said.
House Republicans proposed more than six pages of amendments to the budget bill for the state Public Employees Retirement System on Friday, a few days before lawmakers hope to wrap up the 2017 legislative session.

The amendments, proposed during a conference committee between House and Senate lawmakers, would require the PERS Board to establish a self-insurance plan for hospital, medical and prescription drug benefits, an idea the Senate unanimously rejected this session. The plan would be effective in mid-2019.

The states current health plan has been described as a hybrid model rather than a traditional fully insured plan or self-funded one. Under a self-funded health plan, state insurance premiums would be pooled into a state-owned reserve fund to pay claims and administrative expenses, according to a previous news release from House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo.

Rep. Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, who presented the amendments Friday, cited rising health insurance costs.

Another reason that the House just really seriously wants the PERS Board to consider self-insurance is because I dont believe this trend is healthy for the state, he said.

The Senate has proposed studying the self-insurance idea, along with other PERS changes offered by the House this session. Some lawmakers have raised concerns about impairing the current PERS contract with Sanford Health Plan.

The amendments also create a committee that would examine any potential changes to health care coverage and related contracts for future funding cycles and prepare legislation to pursue any changes.

Sen. Larry Robinson, D-Valley City, said the study might reveal that we dont want to go down that road, noting that another part of the amendments call for going to a self-insurance plan in 2019.

The study should be objective, he said.

Lawmakers plan to review the amendments before meeting again Monday.
SUBLETT  A Utah man engaged in a road-rage dispute with an Oregon couple ran the couples SUV off the road, then tried unsuccessfully to get into the SUV where the injured couple was trapped after rolling several times, police said.

Marco Antonio Garcia-Garcia, 27, of Salt Lake City was arraigned April 21 in Cassia County Magistrate Court on two counts of aggravated battery.

Police say the incident happened about 7:30 a.m. April 20 on Interstate 84 north of the Utah border when Garcia-Garcia rammed the Oregon couples Toyota Highlander SUV with his Toyota Camry, causing the Highlander to roll three times.

Kenneth and Judith Wallace told police the Camry rammed them after driving dangerously for several miles, weaving across both lanes, following them right on their bumper and at one point stopping on the interstate and reversing toward them.

A witness told police that when he came upon the crash scene, Garcia-Garcia was outside of the SUV yelling at the Wallaces. Judith Wallace said Garcia-Garcia tried getting into their vehicle but it was locked and he was unable to get in.

The Wallaces were both taken to Cassia Regional Hospital to be treated for cuts, bruises and concussions, court documents said.

Garcia-Garcia, who was sitting in his car when police arrived, denied hitting the Highlander but said he was mad because vehicles were following him.

Garcia-Garcia is in custody at the Cassia County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, and a preliminary hearing is set for May 4.
Cassia County

Felony sentencings

David Martinez; felony driving under the influence, third or subsequent offense, guilty, $540.50 costs, five years drivers license suspended, 80 months probation, two years determinate time, five years indeterminate time, 32 days credited, penitentiary suspended; misdemeanor driving without privileges, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor alcoholic beverageconsume or possess open container by driver, dismissed by motion of prosecutor.

Ryan Blair Wilson; felony attempted strangulation, acquittal; misdemeanor domestic violence without traumatic injury against a household member, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony aggravated with a deadly weapon or instrument without the intent to kill, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

James Michael Conner III; felony flee or attempt to elude officer in a motor vehicle, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; felony grand theft, guilty, $495.50 costs, two years determinate time, five years indeterminate time, retained jurisdiction, penitentiary suspended; misdemeanor arrests and seizuresresisting or obstructing officers, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor unlawful entry, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Felony dismissals

Sabrina Jones; felony possession of controlled substance, dismissed on motion of prosecutor; misdemeanor drug paraphernaliause or possess with intent to use, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

James Michael Conner III; felony grand theft, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

David Ernie Hale; felony unlawful possession by convicted felon, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.

Driving under the influence sentencings

Yesenia A. Juarez; misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $300 fine, $202.50 costs, 90 days drivers license suspended, 12 months probation, 88 days suspended, one day credited, two days community service in lieu of jail.

Juan Pablo Barajas; misdemeanor driving under the influence (excessive) amended misdemeanor driving under the influence, guilty, $202.50 costs, 180 days drivers license suspended, 20 days credited.

Kelli J. Oneal; misdemeanor driving under the influence (excessive), guilty, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, 365 days drivers license suspended, 24 months probation, 228 days suspended, 17 days credited; misdemeanor driving without privileges, dismissed on motion of prosecutor.
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TWIN FALLS  A Hansen man was killed Friday night in a crash at Kimberly Road and Eastland Drive.

Travis W. Berkley, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash that happened about 10:45 p.m. and blocked the intersection for two hours, Idaho State Police said in a statement.

Berkley was eastbound on Kimberly Road when his motorcycle was struck by a U-Haul truck attempting to turn from westbound Kimberly Road south onto Eastland Drive, ISP said. Donald R. Moody, 53, of Helena, Mont., failed to yield at the intersection in the U-Haul, causing the crash.

Berkley was not wearing a helmet. Nobody else was injured, and ISP is investigating.
In January, the U.S. intelligence community accused the Kremlin of aiding Donald Trumps presidential campaign and refused to reveal the evidence that led to the claim  citing, understandably, the need to protect sources and methods.

In the coming months, the numerous investigations into the affair could shed more light  they might even produce smoking guns, resignations and indictments. But details are spilling out, and they are not bolstering the intelligence communitys conclusion. Indeed, the most recent revelation suggests they dont understand who has influence in Moscow.

On Wednesday evening, Reuters published an exclusive based on interviews with three current and four former U.S. officials. These unnamed sources described two confidential documents from a Moscow think tank, the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS), as providing the framework and rationale for what U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded was an intensive effort by Russia to interfere with the Nov. 8 election.

The first document, circulated in June, proposed a major propaganda campaign in the U.S. to promote a more Russia-friendly candidate than Barack Obama. The second one, from October, warned that Hillary Clinton was about to win the election and called for replacing pro-Trump propaganda with suggestions of voter fraud to undermine the U.S. electoral systems legitimacy.

Describing the documents as central to the Obama administrations conclusion in January, the officials seem to identify the RISS as the architect of what many consider one of the most successful influence campaigns in history. But that seriously overestimates the power wielded by a group that was out of favor following some serious missteps.

RISS is not your run-of-the-mill think tank. Until 2009, it was part of the SVR, Russias foreign intelligence service. Since that year, its been a nominally independent structure whose directors have been named by President Vladimir V. Putin himself. At the time of the U.S. election, RISS was run by Leonid Reshetnikov, a superannuated general who had served as head of the SVRs analytical center and Balkans specialist.

Reshetnikov is a Russian nationalist, close to the milieu that provided the volunteers who helped set off, and initially run, the pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine. Ultimately, he was blamed for failing to predict the Ukrainian revolution of 2014.

Though Reshetnikov kept his job, a number of other analysts were fired. One of them, Alexander Sytin, poured out his grievances in a 2015 article . Signals started coming in from the Kremlin that it wasnt prepared to get into a full-scale war with Ukraine, Sytin wrote. The culpability of the institutes experts in adopting or supporting decisions that led Russia into a serious economic and international crisis became obvious. The Kremlin installed a consummate political professional, Vladislav Surkov, as eastern Ukraines ultimate overseer.

Reshetnikovs track record alone makes it unlikely that the Kremlin would listen to RISS  or, at any rate, to RISS alone  in a matter as important as a campaign of interference in the U.S. election. And there was nothing confidential about Reshetnikovs recommendation to intensify its messaging about voter fraud that needed to be uncovered by U.S. intelligence. On November 8  less than a week after Putin removed him as head of RISS  he said something similar to the nationalist website Tsargrad TV:

Clinton has all the levers. The financial levers and those of the intelligence services. So we have to guess whether [Trump] will win as he should or there will be falsification. Most likely, there will be desperate falsification. They will drag the grandma in.

The general added that the U.S. electoral system had always been rigged to make sure Trumps dont get through. The lines were perfectly synchronized with Kremlin propaganda: On October 30, much of state TVs main news show, Vesti Nedeli, hosted by Dmitry Kiselyov, was devoted to the ease of falsifying U.S. election results.

Was the Kremlin directing the propaganda on Reshetnikovs advice  or was Reshetnikov following the Kremlin? I suspect its the latter, especially considering the RISSs chilly assessment of Trump after he was elected.

On November 21, the institutes Igor Pshenichnikov penned a column for the state-owned RIA Novosti agency predicting Trump would probably act like a normal Republican president, one that would presumably clash with Russia as others have:

Its impossible to rule out that, once he comes into his own at the White House, Trump will make two or three ritual bows to his backers from the American heartland and then take a more balanced stand from the point of view of the American establishment.

That wasnt a popular view at the time even in the U.S., and Russian state propaganda was jubilant about Trumps victory and full of praise for his warm approach to Putin. Why would the RISS design a plan to elect Trump only to warn against him afterwards?

If indeed U.S. intelligence is basing its understanding of Russias role in last years election on RISS documents, it should reconsider. Under Reshetnikov, the institute became allied with far right forces in Moscow who have little influence over Kremlin policy. Putin might agree with them on some points, and he might use them unofficially to advance certain political goals, but they are far from the only voice he hears. Indeed, after their miscalculations in Ukraine, Putin seemed to distance himself from them.

RISS is now run by a man cut from a different cloth  Mikhail Fradkov, the former prime minister and SVR chief who is more worldly and whose background is in foreign trade rather than the military. Putin has kept him in important jobs throughout his rule, and Fradkov may actually turn RISS into more of a Kremlin brain trust. But last years confidential documents from the institute can only be a footnote to the as yet untold story of what the Kremlin actually did and didnt do in the U.S.
Cheer

Sometimes it takes the worst to bring out our best.

Case in point was the bus crash this week that injured dozens of Carey Junior High School students on their way to a track meet.

Authorities have yet to determine why the bus crashed, but it suddenly left the roadway and rolled Tuesday west of Richfield on the way to Gooding.

Good Samaritans immediately stopped along the roadway to nurse the injured children. First-responders rushed to the scene. Helicopter crews flew the most seriously injured to area hospitals. Others were carried in ambulances.

The Blaine County School District was quick to alert parents and organized a meeting point where parents could learn more information. And while their first priority was rightly aiding the injured, authorities also cooperated with media as the situation developed to keep the public informed.

By Wednesday, all the children had been released from hospitals. Most were already back to school.

We shudder to think how bad things could have gone if so many people hadnt acted quickly and professionally. So, thank you, to all the people who helped respond to the crash.

Jeer

Jeers to the man who boosted a Fish and Game trailer from the departments headquarters in Boise two weeks ago  and is apparently still driving it around.

The trailer was last spotted at the Walmart in Jerome.

Authorities say the trailer was loaded with radio collars, dart guns, drive nets and other equipment used to trap and monitor big game. The gear is worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Some of the stolen items have been recovered, apparently dumped by the thief at several random locations between Boise, Mountain Home and Jerome, the department said in a statement. But the trailer, together with most of the other capture gear, remains missing.

Fish and Game asks anyone with information about the trailer to call its Nampa office at 208-465-8465, the CAP hotline at 800-632-5999 or Idaho State Police at 208-846-7550.

Cheer

Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya has been named to Times 2017 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, the first time the head of an Idaho company has made the list.

By now his story is familiar to anyone in Idaho: Born in a Turkish village, Ulukaya came to the United States 23 years ago on a student visa. He opened his first yogurt factory in New York in 2007 and the worlds largest yogurt factory in Twin Falls just five years later. Today, Chobani is one of the most successful companies in the world.

The Twin Falls factory is widely considered as the primary catalyst to transforming the Magic Valley economy, leading to more than a billion dollars in new economic development.

Now a billionaire, Ulukaya is known almost as much for his philanthropy and progressive leadership style as he is for his Greek yogurt.

It really recognizes him for the brave business sense he has, Mayor Shawn Barigar said. It recognizes him for his business, but also points to his personal philosophies and his support of immigrants and his personal commitment to some of the challenges of the refugee crisis internationally.

Were grateful to have Chobani in our community  and grateful the company has a leader like Ulukaya.
iStock/Thinkstock(NAPLES, Fla.) -- Three separate wildfires raged across parts of Florida on Saturday, burning up homes and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.



One blaze has burned 5,500 acres and destroyed nine homes in Collier County near Naples as of Saturday morning. Approximately 7,000 homes have been evacuated since Friday night, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office.



More than 500 public safety professionals are working to contain the fire, assist with evacuations and manage traffic in the area. Just 10 percent of the fire was contained as of 9 a.m. ET Saturday, the sheriffs office said.



Authorities are strongly urging those in the mandatory evacuation zone to leave as soon as possible. As many as 10 aircraft will fly over the blaze Saturday attempting to drop water on the flames, according to the sheriff's office.



The Caloosahatchee Forestry Center said Saturday there is a 5-mile temporary flight restriction in place around the fire in Collier County.

Intense pictures from Collier County brush fires. Plantation firefighters working as part of Broward County strike team. pic.twitter.com/alrvwH1ezF  Plantation Fire (@PlantationFire) April 22, 2017

In central Florida's Polk County, the entire Indian Lake Estates subdivision, which encompasses some 800 homes and 8,000 lots, is under a mandatory evacuation due to a large wildfire that authorities suspect may have been intentionally set.



"Several structures are on fire. Fire crews need residents to leave the area so firefighters can protect structures," the Polk County Fire Rescue said in a statement on its Facebook page Friday.



The American Red Cross opened a shelter Friday night at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales for those displaced by the fires in the Indian Lake Estates.



As of 4 p.m. Saturday, authorities had lifted the evacuation order.



"Residents can return home after 4 p.m.," the Polk County Fire Rescue said in a statement on its Facebook page. "There is still smoke and could be flareups, so firefighters and forestry will remain all night. Please drive carefully coming home."



Authorities believe the initial blaze started late afternoon on Friday and has since spread to multiple fires that are burning in the area of Ponce de Leon Road, Magnolia Drive, Red Range Road and Winter Haven Road. Fire officials said several structures have been destroyed but did not specify an exact number.



About 700 acres were ablaze and 60 percent of the fire was contained as of 2 p.m. ET Saturday, officials said.



The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, but authorities suspect it could be arson. The Florida Forestry Arson Alert Association is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.



Just last week, firefighters were deployed to the Indian Lake Estates area to extinguish several fires that came dangerously close to nearby homes. Those blazes were deemed "suspicious" by the Florida Forest Service.



"There's no evidence the fires are occurring naturally," Ricky Britt of forest service, said in an April 12 statement. "The cause of the fires needs to be investigated, so investigators will be looking into it."



Meanwhile, a 400-acre brush fire in Lee County has destroyed at least 13 structures in Lehigh Acres near Fort Myers. The fire was 95 percent contained as of 8 a.m. ET Saturday, according to the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center.



Multiple homes, structures and vehicles have been damaged or destroyed in the fire, officials said.



Investigators determined the cause was a discarded cigarette on 19th Street Southwest that grew into a fire that spread 2 miles.



"We were able to find the origin site and, in the middle, found a cigarette," Dale Reisen, an investigator with the Lee County Arson Task Force, said at a press conference Saturday afternoon.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Many see Japan as a technology leader in various industries and the country is continuing to develop innovative solutions in the digital space. However, if we look at adoption of technology on the consumer side, there is greater inconsistency than might be expected.

Euromonitor Internationals 2016 Digital Consumer Index unveiled a remarkable gap between Japans advanced digital environment and the slow uptake of digital commerce, particularly with mobile-based purchases that are increasing rapidly in other Asian countries. Whilst mobile digital purchases registered strong 17% value growth in Japan in 2016, other Asian countries registered even stronger growth, at a minimum of 30%. The leader of mobile digital purchases, China, saw an 81% value increase in 2016. This analysis aims to explore major impediments that are keeping Japan from what should perhaps be phenomenal growth in mobile digital purchases.

Chart 1 : Mobile Digital Purchases in Asia Pacific, Total Value Sales, 2013-2021

1. Demographic challenge: Low penetration of smartphones among seniors

Smartphones are the catalyst for digital disruption in countries. The leading digital commerce marketplaces have developed platforms optimised for mobile apps. However, in Japan, smartphones are not as ubiquitous as one would expect. In Japan, the population aged over 60 accounts for 34% of the total population, and is characterised by low smartphone penetration. Only 28% of respondents aged over 60+ owned personal smartphones, according to Euromonitor Internationals 2016 Global Consumer Trends Survey. This is extremely low compared to other Asian countries. Against the backdrop of low smartphone penetration among seniors, there also is a strong presence of feature phones that offer fewer functions in exchange for ease of use. As a result, a sizeable portion of the Japanese population is unable to take advantage of digital innovation.

Chart 2 : Population and Smartphone Ownership in Japan , 2016

2. Lifestyle challenge: High security concern amongst Japanese consumers

In addition to the relatively conservative nature of Japanese consumers, there also has been a lot of media coverage on cybersecurity from the early digital era, which has made consumers concerned. For example, Consumers Affairs Agencies regularly warns against cyber-crimes due to the growing prevalence of e-commerce. As a result, Japanese consumers are highly concerned about the potential risk in online activities. In fact, only 6% of Japanese online respondents answered that they were willing to share personal information online, which was the lowest in 20 responding countries, according to Euromonitor Internationals 2016 Global Consumer Trends Survey.

This hesitation toward sharing information online is especially true with mobile users. Many Japanese consumers utilise long commuting time on trains for mobile activities, but still feel uncomfortable entering their credit card information aboard a busy commuting train, afraid that other riders may see their personal information on the screen. Additionally, many are reluctant to let mobile devices store payment information, and would rather use alternative payment options, such as cash on delivery. In general, Japanese consumers are typically risk-adverse, and remain cautious about making payments on websites. Despite the rise of card payments worldwide, Japanese consumers bucked the trend, opting to more often pay for purchases with cash compared to other developed countries. Within Asia, while 85% of mobile remote orders were paid online in South Korea, only 51% were paid in Japan.

Chart 3 : Willingness to Share Personal Information in Asia Pacific, 2016

3. Competition: Maturity of existing shopping options versus mobile commerce

Another reason why mobile digital purchases have struggled to gain wider acceptance in Japan is due to the many other shopping options that Japanese consumers already have. One example of competition for mobile proximity payments is maturity of contactless payments using a physical card. This is because in Japan, consumers prefer to use a physical card to touch an NFC-enabled terminal rather than a device. Therefore, many mobile proximity payment brands such as Suica and Edy also offer consumers physical cards along with the digital payment option. Contactless smart cards, registered a 26% value CAGR during 2011-2016, and in 2016 Japanese consumers held an average of three contactless smart cards per person; far higher than in other Asian countries. Without a compelling reason to switch from contactless smart cards to mobile proximity payments, most consumers are satisfied with using card-based tap-and-go payments in an in-person environment.

Summary

The gap between the advancement of mobile-centric products and actual adoption of mobile commerce amongst consumers is something businesses in Japan need to address. Communication with the customer or data collection made via mobile devices can be valuable, but is currently ineffective due to this gap. Over the forecast period, mobile digital purchases in Japan will continue to face these demographic, lifestyle and competitive obstacles.

However, there are positive developments that can help drive mobile commerce. For example, 2019 will be the first year with production of feature phones planned to be discontinued. Following the increase of low-cost smartphone plans, a switch from feature phones to smartphones can be expected. Moreover, solutions are being introduced in response to the high security concerns among Japanese consumers. For example, the mobile-focused fashion marketplace called ZOZOTOWN, implemented a post-pay product in 2016. GMO post-pay allows ZOZOTOWN customers to make post-pay options by cash, at convenience stores, after safely receiving their products. This is important as in Japan, credit card payments are mostly paid in full each month. Therefore the introduction of post-pay service will lower the hurdle and expand mobile remote purchases for those consumers who can only spend a limited amount of money each month, such as students and housewives. The post-pay options will support expansion of remote purchases while also meeting the demand of the cash-driven society.

Recognising the gap between digital connectivity available and digital commerce uptake, digital innovators and promoters like Suica should make concerted efforts to address concerns among Japanese consumers while promoting mobile digital purchases like Mobile Suica. Although mobile digital purchases in Japan is expected to see a strong 11% value CAGR at constant 2016 prices over the next five years, growth could be even stronger with consumers greater acceptance. In fact, other Asian countries are expected to see more than 20% value CAGRs. If Japan wants to remain a digital leader, its wider society needs to be incentivised to adopt mobile technologies. At the moment, it isnt empowered  or interested enough.
A total of 2,711 indigent families received 20-kilo sacks of Taiwan rice for the first time during a distribution organized by the Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines Davao chapter on April 9. The distribution was held in two sessions at the Davao Chong Hua High School.

The event, which is the first relief activity for the Tzu Chi Davao chapter, was spearheaded by local volunteers Jun Herrera and So Peng Kee.

Despite the manpower shortage, local Tzu Chi volunteers efficiently used their time to carry out the program, starting from the home visits to the actual rice distribution.

Twelve Tzu Chi volunteers from Manila also pitched in help on the day of the distribution, while 83 local volunteers from the Davao area contributed their time and manpower to ensure the events success.

Tzu Chi volunteer Herrera said: This rice distribution here in Davao has gotten our fellow Davaoeno volunteers excited. Theyre very prepared for the event; even if they have businesses and families of their own to take care of, they set aside their time to join our activity on the whole day.

ADVERTISEMENT

During the relief program, Davao third district Councilor Dr. Bernard Al-ag addressed the crowd, inspiring them to share their blessings with their neighbors, and to spread the spirit of giving.

What we want from the people of Davao City is to be generous, and to share what they have. So, when you get home after the rice distribution, if you have any neighbors that did not receive any rice, share some of your rice with them. Afterwards, take a few moments to observe how you feel, youll notice a positive change within you if you share your blessings [with others], said Al-ag.

One of the residents touched by Councilor Al-ags words is Haniya Osani, who took the lead in providing for the four families that live under her roof. With close to a dozen mouths to feedconsisting of her children and grandchildrenfinding both rice and a viand is a daily challenge for Osani and her fisherman husband.

Upon coming home from the morning session of the rice distribution with her 20-kilo sack of Taiwan rice, the families she takes care of couldnt help but rejoice at the fact that at least for a little while, the burden of putting food on the table has been lessened.

(The rice you gave) is a very big help to our family; especially to my grandchildren and our neighbors. Even if there are a lot of us living under one roof, when someone needs rice (or food) I will readily share what I have with them. In my own way, I help others (by sharing) so that even they will be able to have a decent meal, she shared.

The sacks of rice are donations from the Taiwan government. In turn, the Taiwanese government has given the Tzu Chi Foundation the task of distributing the donated rice to its branches overseas, one of which is the Philippines.

The Davaoenos first encounter with Tzu Chi was in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo in 2012. Back then, Tzu Chi distributed relief goods to a total of 6,500 typhoon-affected families in Compostela Valley.

Tzu Chi also launched a project that rebuilt the Mangayon Elementary School, which was flattened by the typhoon. The new school was inaugurated in December 2014.

The local Chinese community in Davao was inspired by the compassion of the Tzu Chi volunteers that the former willingly underwent training seminars to become volunteers as well.

In November 2016, they held their first medical mission with Tzu Chi at the Davao Chong Hua High School, bringing free medical treatment to 6,440 indigent patients from around the city.

Our main purpose is to let the indigent members of the community know that there are others who still care for and are willing to help them, regardless of age or social standing, said Tzu Chi volunteer So.

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Morocco and Cuba have decided to resume their diplomatic relations severed in 1980. A memorandum of understanding was signed Friday in New York by the two countries ambassadors to the United Nations.

The resumption of Moroccan-Cuban relations, which opens new era for the two countries, comes after the private visit paid lately by King Mohammed VI to Cuba. It was the Moroccan monarchs first visit to the country since his enthronement in 1999 and the first ever made by a Moroccan king.

Since the 1960s, relations between the two countries soured as a result of Cubas backing to Algeria during the Morocco-Algeria military conflict of 1963. And in the 1970s, Havana declared its support to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity, the Polisario separatists.

Since then, Cuba has been providing the Polisario militias with military, vocational and educational training and was regarded as one of the separatists strategic bastions.

The decision of Rabat and Havana to resume diplomatic relations deals a hard blow to the Algerian-backed secessionist group thanks to the royal proactive diplomacy, which scored another positive point against Moroccos enemies in one of their high-profile strongholds.

Moroccan diplomacy, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, has proven its efficiency and capacity to adapt to the new world order and its new geopolitical challenges.

During his latest tour in Africa, the Moroccan Sovereign gained the support of many African English-speaking countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, South Sudanwhich were until lately among the staunch supporters of the Polisario.
Morocco and Cuba made Friday in New York a giant step towards fruitful cooperation after both countries UN permanent envoys to the UN signed an agreement to thaw ties and re-establish diplomatic relations, just a couple of weeks after King Mohammed VI paid a private visit to the Caribbean Island.

The agreement, initialed by Omar Hilale and Anayansi Rodriguez Camejo, puts an end to 37 long years of diplomatic ties cut over the Western Sahara, as Havana was backing Moroccos opponent in the dispute, the Algeria-backed Polisario separatist front.

The agreement will promote ties and cooperation between the two countries at the political, economic, and cultural levels and in many other areas, as well.

The agreement was signed in the aftermath of King Mohammed VIs private visit to the Island earlier this month.

During the visit, the first ever by a Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI reportedly discussed with leaders of the communist regime of Raul Castro the normalization of ties.

This decision is part of the implementation of royal instructions for a proactive diplomacy, open on new partnerships and new geographic spaces, the Moroccan foreign ministry said in a statement.

A Moroccan embassy will open in the Cuban capital shortly, reports say.

Cuba has long been a stronghold of the Polisario in Latin America. The Caribbean country has offered training to the separatist fronts executives, diplomats and military.

The Friday agreement deals a new blow to the Separatist entity, which is losing its staunch supporters around the world.
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Posted on: April 22, 2017







Sathya Sai  The Dimensionless Phenomenon

And the Unparalleled Dimensions of Sanathana Dharma Exemplified by Sai

by Mr. S Gurumurthy



Part 01

Part 02 | Part 03 | Part 04

A man of high integrity and competence, Mr. Swaminathan Gurumurthy is among India's most respected Chartered Accountants. He is also an acclaimed investigative journalist, social activist, writer and a powerful orator. He was rated as the 17th most powerful person in India by India Today magazine in 2005. However he has never occupied any position in the government or any other organisation, his extraordinary influence is purely because of his blemishless character, exceptional talent and courage. A strong proponent of traditional Indian economic wisdom, Mr. Gurumurthy is the co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an organisation for promoting awareness of ancient Indian philosophy and values. He has derived much inspiration and guidance from the Sage of Kanchi, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji. He is also a guest faculty in India's premier educational institutions like Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and the like. Presented below is the edited transcript of his talk delivered in the Sai Kulwant Hall on the occasion of Aradhana Day on April 24, 2014.

The Extraordinary Grace to be in His Presence

Shri Gurubhyo Namaha! I can't find adequate words to express my inner and deeper emotions when I stand before all of you. It's my great fortune for which I do not know where the grace came from. I certainly don't deserve to be here before all of you on this occasion to share my thoughts on the relevance of Swami's message in the present context.

To be invited to talk on such an occasion, it has to be Swami's grace. In my case Swami's grace came first and I began experiencing Him later. It is actually the other way round in the case of most of you, but that is how grace comes.

Shri Ramakrishna says that God seems irrational in bestowing grace on people. So I am one such person who received the grace of Swami first and if I have an occasion, I will share my first experience of Swami.

We just listened to Vedas and then music. You know the power of Veda. It is Nada Brahmam. Music and Veda are the most elevating communications which this ancient nation gave to the rest of the world.

Speech is a very poor substitute but by speaking, you can influence the mind of the person. However, you cannot influence the character and inner being except through a higher communication like Vedas and music which you just heard.

But it is also a practical world which we have to deal with and so we have to understand the world at large.

Mr. S Gurumurthy in the sanctum sanctorum of Prasanthi Nilayam on the morning of April 24, 2014

What is the mission of India? Why was Swami born in India? Why did an endless stream of great men through the ages for thousands of years take birth in this ancient land? What is the message she has to give? What is at the core of this great land?

It is in this perspective  in the past, in the present and what it is likely to be the future  that I had an occasion to have a glimpse of Swami and His thoughts, which I thought I would share with you. The occasion is very profound and sacred. The audience is erudite and committed and the speaker has to rise up to the occasion to match both and I think Swami will put me on the escalator to do both.

The First Encounter - Mesmerizing and Mind-Numbing



My first experience of Swami was through an externally induced accident of someone from America calling me repeatedly for months and telling me: The nation is in danger and you have to meet Swami.

I said, It is not that I or anybody can meet Swami. He must will that we must meet Him. That is what I have heard.

But this person would not leave me. He said, There are a series of accidents in the Indian Air Force. MIG fighters are crashing almost month after month. Nearly 14 fighters have crashed and many pilots have died in a period of 18 months. He said this had to be stopped and gave a very peculiar reason.

He said that a country hostile to India was doing black magic on the Indian Air Force which was causing accidents. He said that he had done tremendous amount of research in black magic and the only person who could stop this was Swami. He said You have to go and meet Him. You call yourself a nationalist but you are not doing this!

For 3-4 months every third or fourth day he would call from America. I asked my friend Mr. Venu Srinivasan because I thought he was the only person who could link me to Swami. I told him Venu, this is such a pressure on me and I don't know how to avoid him. And it is a fact that so many fighter aircrafts are crashing.

Mr. Venu Srinivasan said, I do not know whether Swami will see you but be prepared. For three days you must be available. Every morning we will go and sit. If what your friend says is true and legitimate and you are the instrument to communicate this, Swami will certainly call you.

I said, I am a mere human being. You must see that Swami calls me. So we came and sat for three days.

The first day, Swami just walked away. I was so disappointed and despondent. But next day when Swami came, I pulled up Venu and he stood up. He said, Swami, my friend has come to communicate something very critical for the country. Swami then fortunately asked us to go inside.

Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and Mr S Gurumurthy blessed with Divine Benediction in Chennai, Jan 2007

There were many people and I was observing everything. I did not know about Swami; I'd never experienced Him; I'd only heard about Him from outside. There were stories about His miracles and capacity to address endless streams of great men. This was all from a distance.

That day, Swami materialised many things for different people. A hefty man was there for whom He materialised a huge ring. For another thin man He materialised a small ring. So in my mind I was questioning How is it that the materialisation matches the person's size?



Swami suddenly called me near and materialised this ring for me. It fitted well.

He then looked at me and asked, Does it fit you? I knew He was reading me.

Then I said, Swami, I have to communicate something very critical. Then Venu and I went inside and I shared with Swami what that person from America (whom I don't know) had told. I don't even know how he got my number.

I told Swami, He is under tremendous pressure and he puts me under tremendous pressure. He says only Swami can save.

Swami went into contemplation for 2-3 minutes and then said, Now that he has communicated it to Me, ask your friend to forget about it.

After a few seconds He said, I will give Prasad. You give it to him. He materialised a large diamond ring. I did not know the person who would wear it because I had been only receiving his telephone calls. This was sometime in 2003.

When I went home, the person called me that night itself. I told him that Swami had sent Prasad for him and that Swami had accepted his prayer. Within 72 hours he landed in my house. He was a hefty six-footer. The ring fitted him. This is completely beyond comprehension for an ordinary mind.

Swami is a dimensionless phenomenon! You cannot view it with dimensions even if you are multi-dimensional; you cannot get at it. This was the first message I got.

Part 02 | Part 03 | Part 04

- Radio Sai Team




MOSS POINT, Miss. - Kevin Sylvester Williams, 50, a former Moss Point High School campus police officer was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison on Friday for sexual transgressions against a 16-year-old female student.

On Wednesday, Williams was found guilty of one count of sexual battery by a person in a position of trust or authority and one count of touching a child for lustful purposes.

Williams was indicted for sexually abusing a female student while he was the school resource officer at Moss Point High School. The incidents occurred both on and off school property.

On count one, Circuit Court Judge Kathy Jackson sentenced Williams to 30 years, 20 years to serve, day for day, followed by 10 years on Post Release Supervision. Count two yielded a 15-year sentence to serve, day for day. Both counts will run concurrent.

During the sentencing hearing, Williams wife and mother testified and asked the Court for leniency. However, the father of one of the victims also testified, telling the court that Williams was trusted by the community and the victims, and he didn't protect the victims. He instead altered their future forever.

"Mr. Williams abused his position as a police officer, school security officer, father, and step-father. He violated his oath as a security officer, as a law enforcement officer, and his role as a father. Twenty-years, day for day, shows no one is above the law. If you harm children, no matter who you are, you will be held accountable," said District Attorney Tony Lawrence.

Williams was assessed a total fine of $5000, court costs, $1000 mandatory assessment to the Mississippi Children's Trust Fund, and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.


@PatriciaMazzei

Former Miami state Rep. Erik Fresen will plead guilty next week to failing to file a tax return. That's a serious charge -- and not the only time Fresen faced financial trouble.

In 2014, after months of wrangling, Fresen agreed to pay a $1,500 fine after the Florida Ethics Commission found he had made mistakes in his filed financial reports.

And in 2011, when Fresen was vying to become Florida House speaker, his home was in foreclosure because he'd stopped paying his mortgage more than a year earlier.

Here's that story, by former Miami Herald political writer Marc Caputo, which is no longer available online:

TALLAHASSEE -- State Rep. Erik Fresen's Miami home is in foreclosure because he stopped making payments to his mortgage company more than a year ago.

That's about all that Fresen and the company, JPMorgan Chase, agree on in a lawsuit set for pre-trial motions before a Miami-Dade County judge on Tuesday.

The lender says Fresen -- who is vying to become Florida House speaker in 2014 -- owes nearly $615,000 in principal, interest and late fees. Fresen said he's the victim of the banking crisis meltdown and sloppy record keeping by the bank, which is trying to bill him for $10,321.41 in property taxes that he said he has paid.

The lawmaker said his lawyer advised him to stop paying the bank anything to "bring them to the table." Neither Fresen nor his attorney would provide documentation showing the legislator actually paid the property taxes in question on his home.

AMMUNITION

Fresen faces the threat of losing his home, a possible damaged credit rating -- and the potential that the messy foreclosure lawsuit could create ammunition for opponents of the up-and-coming Republican.

In his push to become House speaker, Fresen, 33, faces Republican Rep. Chris Dorworth of Orlando, who has financial problems of his own. Dorworth faces a $2.7 million judgment over a failed business deal and his home faces the threat of foreclosure.

A Chase spokeswoman, Nancy Norris, said she could not comment on specifics of any customer's mortgage, but she and others in the mortgage industry questioned Fresen's decision to withhold his monthly mortgage payments.

"Refusing to pay your mortgage isn't going to bring us to the table any faster, " Norris said. "We will eventually foreclose. It's bad for us, and it's bad for you."

Fresen, who says he earns about $150,000 as a land-use consultant and part-time lawmaker, said he's able to afford his home loan.

The three-bedroom home has an assessed value of $484,648, according to the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser's Office.

Fresen's home was a central part of his 2008 House campaign because it emphasized his roots in House District 111 in the heart of Miami. He grew up in the house, his parents sold it, and his mother bought it back in 2006. Ten days later, she deeded the house to him, and he assumed the payments and ownership of the house as he and his wife sold another property.

Though Fresen wasn't the original buyer of the house, Chase wasn't the original bank; Washington Mutual was.

LOST IN THE SHUFFLE

Fresen said that in the handoff between the two banks, his property-tax payment got lost in the shuffle, and he couldn't get anyone to fix the problem.

"It's the classic meltdown with what happened with the banking system, " Fresen said. "No. 1, I had a bank that screwed up and charged me for tax bills I paid. No. 2, the bank fizzled out while they held my paper, and they got taken over by Chase. But WAMU (Washington Mutual) is still kind of processing things, and the departments aren't talking to each other. No. 3, I'm now having this conversation with a reporter."

Fresen acknowledged he had a type of loan in which the borrower is normally responsible for paying his taxes directly to the county. He said the lender required him to pay the property taxes as a condition of purchase.

Bank spokeswoman Norris said the company doesn't offer the types of loans that Fresen described, and she disputed the notion that there was a problem resulting from Chase's acquisition of Washington Mutual.

'It's still the same people processing the loan, " Norris said.

Fresen's attorney, Mario Delgado, said his office assistant has spent "hours" on the phone with Chase loan officials and gotten nowhere.

The legislator's dispute with his lender also took place long before Chase acquired Washington Mutual. Court records show Fresen stopped making the monthly mortgage payment May 1, 2008, about a year after county records show the 2006 property taxes weren't paid.

Chase took over Washington Mutual in September 2009, the same month the bank moved to foreclose on Fresen.

BECOMING COMMON

Foreclosure experts say Fresen's situation is, at the least, unusual.

"It sounds kind of wacky, " said Avi Shenkar, president of Miami Beach-based GMA Modification, which represents borrowers who are trying to renegotiate their loans with banks.

"This situation sounds like something that should be easy to fix, " Shenkar said.

Shenkar said while the particulars of Fresen's case sound unique, the lawmaker's decision to stop paying his mortgage was becoming common.

Florida has the nation's third-highest foreclosure rate, according to RealtyTrac data, overwhelming the state's court system and lenders alike.

Though Fresen maintains he's not at fault, he did confess one property-tax error that a reporter discovered: He failed to apply for a homestead exemption to reduce his property taxes.

"Really?" Fresen said. "I guess I messed that up."

Herald/Times staff writer Steve Bousquet contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Steve Cannon, Associated Press


via @Jacquiecharles

The Trump administration is recommending sending tens of thousands of Haitians back to their homeland because it believes conditions have significantly improved in the disaster-prone, poverty-stricken nation.

But the move comes as more than 40,000 Haitians continue to call makeshift shelters and tents homes  seven years after Haitis devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake  and as severe hunger and housing crises plague the countrys southern region six months after a deadly Hurricane Matthew wiped out roads, home and farmland.

If they send everyone back to Haiti, they might as well be sending us to die, said Cadeus Chaleus, 70, who after 16 years of living as an undocumented immigrant in Miami has spent the past seven years living without fear of deportation. Despite what they say, things have not improved at home.

James McCament, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said Temporary Protected Status, the immigration relief that has allowed Haitians to live and work freely in the United States, should be terminated. The Obama administration granted the status following the earthquake, which left more than 300,000 dead, 1.5 million injured and an equal number homeless.

Conditions in Haiti no longer support its designation for TPS, McCament said in a memo to U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary John F. Kelly obtained by the Miami Herald.

McCaments recommendations came as a surprise to many, including Haitian and immigration advocates who have been pushing for the extension of TPS before July 22, when it is up for renewal.

Last month, 10 members of the South Florida congressional delegation wrote to Kelly urging for renewal, and Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski asked Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo to include language on TPS in a bill he refiled that would allow individuals brought illegally as children to remain in the country.

More here.

Photo credit: Rebecca Blackwell, Associated Press
via @LDixon_3

On Friday state Sen. Frank Artiles resigned from the Florida Legislature after a scandal over his use of a flurry of racial slurs and insults to refer to fellow lawmakers at a Tallahassee bar.

Down in South Florida, a police cruiser was parked across the street from his southwest Miami-Dade home, and when a reporter went to knock on Artiles door, an officer emerged from his car and said the former senator wasnt giving any interviews.

Why was there a cop outside the former senators home?

It turns out the police presence was the result of a watch order requested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after a previous protest at Artiles home, Miami-Dade police said.

Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said that anyone can request the order and it was an effort to keep the street clear and traffic moving.

"We knew that protesters had gone to his house and media trucks had blocked the roadway," Zabaleta said.

Once Artiles officially resigned from office the police presence was called away, Zabaleta said, although one cruiser, driven by officer Orlando Fleites, remained across the street from the house at about noon Friday.

Artiles never emerged from the house, but two trucks were parked outside including one sporting a state legislator tag.

--LANCE DIXON

Photo credit: Steve Cannon, Associated Press
BUTTE  A projected gold mine planned to open north of Whitehall in 2018 will not likely create new jobs, according to Golden Sunlight Mine general manager Dan Banghart.

Thats because the new mine will be entirely underground, which requires less manpower, Banghart said Wednesday.

Golden Sunlight's ongoing underground mine, called 2 BUG, snakes around the walls of the former open pit mine. That underground effort employs nearly 150 workers. About 45 of those are Golden Sunlight employees. A Canadian-based contractor, Redpath, supplies the additional workers.

The proposed 18,000-foot tunnel, waiting to be permitted by both state and federal agencies, is called the Apex. The announcement of the new mine comes at a time when the price of gold is seeing an upswing.

The life expectancy for the Apex is projected for three years, but Banghart said Golden Sunlight will continue to explore for more ore to mine in the area.

The new mine is expected to extract about 1.3 million tons of ore and .3 million tons of waste rock. Canadian-based Barrick Gold Corp. has been working since at least 2015 toward developing the project.

Just as Golden Sunlight was closing its open pit mining operation north of Whitehall in November 2015, Banghart announced that the company was trying to develop the new mine. It was originally planned to be an open pit operation called the Bonnie.

But Banghart said Golden Sunlight opted to turn the project into an underground mine because the permitting is considerably easier.

Were looking at new surface disturbance underground of 2 acres (with the underground mine) versus a couple hundred acres if its a surface mine. It makes (permitting) things simpler on that front, Banghart said.

The Department of Environmental Quality and the Bureau of Land Management are working together on the permitting process. (See information boxes.) The new mine will burrow under BLM land. DEQ permits hard-rock mining activities throughout the state.

DEQ spokesperson Kristi Ponozzo said that whether the mine is underground or above ground, the permitting process is the same for DEQ.

But BLM geologist Dave Williams agreed with Banghart, saying that since there is not likely to be new environmental impacts, the permitting process through the federal agency is likely to be simpler.

"What Golden Sunlight is proposing is inconsequential surface disturbance and theyll be using existing facilities; they'll use the existing mill and the existing tailings impoundment. So it doesnt involve any new surface disturbance," said Williams.

Despite the fact that the new mine isn't anticipating hiring more workers, Montana Mining Association Executive Director Tammy Johnson called the project a big benefit for Whitehall.

It may be more (jobs) depending on what they see when they get in, Johnson said Wednesday. It will certainly be a benefit to the county and community. Were excited about it.

Ed Caplis, director of the Department of Revenue Tax Policy and Research, said the new mine will likely improve Jefferson County's tax revenue.

"Once they start production ... they will pay gross on the receipts on that ore, so Jefferson County would receive property taxes from the ore," Caplis said Wednesday.

The proposed mine will be approximately half a mile north of the now defunct Mineral Hill pit.

Jefferson County Commissioner Leonard Wortman is excited to see a new mine being proposed in the Whitehall area. He pointed out that the Redpath contract workers help Whitehalls economic outlook by living and spending money in Jefferson County.

"I hope it (the mines permits) gets through real fast. It will be a benefit to all of us," said Wortman.
MOSS POINT, Miss. - A Moss Point man was sentenced to serve 12 years on Friday for the Transfer of a Controlled Substance and Trafficking of a Controlled Substance, which occurred in April of 2015.

"Drugs are pervasive in our society and anyone who sells or intends to sell drugs should serve time in jail. Hopefully this sentence will make others think twice before they decide to use or sell drugs," said Assistant District Attorney George Huffman.

Circuit Court Judge Kathy Jackson sentenced Summers to 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, 12 years to serve, day for day, followed by the remainder on Post Release Supervision.

"My office is dedicated to protecting our community and punishing drug dealers. I hope this twelve year, day for day, jail sentence, sends a message that selling drugs and feeding the addictions of so many people will not be tolerated," said District Attorney Tony Lawrence.

Summers was also ordered to pay court costs, a $3000 total fine, and $300 crime laboratory fee on each charge. His sentence will also run concurrent to the Federal sentence he is currently serving.
This week, the eldest son of President Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., will visit Montana to campaign on behalf of Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte at rallies in Kalispell, Hamilton, Billings and Bozeman. And is the case with almost every election in Montana, the issue of public lands once again looms large in this race.

It looms large because, unlike many who live in highly urbanized areas of the country, Montanans understand the issue of public lands on a very personal level.

Montana Republicans, unlike many of their coastal brethren, have a proud tradition of putting protecting our public lands above the ideological zealotry of some think-tankers in Washington, D.C. When it comes to public lands and the interests of outdoorsmen, there is no better ally than Donald Trump Jr. - and the Republican Party would do well to listen to the voices of advocates like Trump and less to the voices of D.C. insiders when it comes to defending our most precious and basic resource.

Like his father, Don Jr. isn't shy about saying what he believes - regardless of what establishment Republicans may think. When it comes to the issue of public lands, Don Jr. has been absolutely clear about where President Trump will be on these issues. In an interview given just after his father's election, when asked about public lands, Donald Jr. said, without reservation, "we have to keep public lands public."

Trump has said that his administration will be a friend to outdoorsmen all across our great country; "we are going to be about making sure that Americans can get out and enjoy hunting and streams. These are all our woods and waters. It belongs to all of us and we all have to be able to access it."

Public lands and outdoors issues are more than just theoretical for Donald Jr., for him they are incredibly personal.

Don Jr. is an avid hunter and fisherman, and he sits on the board of Boone and Crockett - America's first wildlife conservation organization - founded by former President Theodore Roosevelt. Don Jr.'s affinity for the outdoor lifestyle is something he learned from his maternal grandfather. During summer visits as a child with his grandfather in Czechoslovakia, Don Jr. learner to love the outdoors - something that he has carried with him throughout his life.

"I understand these issues," said Trump. "Its something Im passionate about. I will be the very loud voice about these issues in my fathers ear. No one gets it more than us."

Like Don Jr., I learned my respect and love for the outdoors from my grandfather. For 30 years, my grandfather - Wallace Barron - was a game warden in northern Maine. He fished, he trapped, he hunted and he respected the land - values he instilled in me from a very young age.

Some within the Republican Party would dismantle our federal public lands and park system. For those who don't have a connection to the majesty of America's public lands, it must seem easy to treat our lands like anything other asset - something that can be sold off to the highest bidder.

These people are wrong. Our public lands are more than just another asset of the federal government, they are America - and they should be protected and defended, not auctioned off.

Don Jr., like his father and like Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, understand this and are committed to carrying on the great tradition of Republicans like Teddy Roosevelt.

I was a proud supporter of Donald Trump's campaign for president and I am incredibly proud of the tireless work he has done on behalf of the American people since he was elected.

President Trump and Secretary Zinke should continue to listen to the voices of outdoorsmen like Don Jr. and resist the calls from the beltway elitists who frankly know and care very little about the world outside of their concrete jungles.
T.S. Elliot wrote: humankind cannot bear very much reality. Humans are at a critical inflection point of too much magical thinking and need a reality adjustment.

Various mind-made fictional narratives are winning out over objective reality. Religious fundamentalisms, economic doctrines and rigid political ideologies are increasingly, alarmingly at odds with an evolving evidence-based, data-loaded, communally scientifically verified worldview.

An American government that ignores science to pursue ideological agendas endangers the world (Scientists March on Washington). We dont have time to waste on prolonging our inevitable transition from fossil fuels to clean and sustainable energy.

Donald Trump promotes the tyranny of the ruling "oil-garchs" and climate-denying Congress mindlessly accelerating us toward catastrophic, unpredictable climate disruption. Fossil-fueled predatory capitalism denies science, maximizing profit-at-any-cost plunder and pillage for the rich few, and imperils the fragile life support systems of our teetering planet.

In a culture of fictional stories and dishonesty from our liar-in-chief, it is intellectually insulting and morally bankrupt to be peddled an alternative reality selectively devoid of science. Reality is not here to satisfy anyones preferences. Lets be honest with ourselves and each other and start facing up to a scientifically evidence-based reality: its what were going to end up with anyway.

Earth Day is a good time for remembering Terry Tempest Williams metaphoric words: The Eyes of the Future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.

Greg Jahn,

Billings
As a Sanders County voter, I apologize that legislators in Helena have to endure Sen. Jennifer Fielders tactics.

A recent newspaper discloses that she told the Fish and Game Committee she received no communication supporting Tourtlotte. But a witness before the committee presented an email supporting Tourtlotte which she sent seven days before Fielders comment.

Sanders County faces many misstatements, untruths and lies presented by Fielder.

A citizens organization - Truth Matters - on more than one occasion has run large newspaper ads proving the untruth of a Fielder statement.

Last summer at a meeting of another Sanders County organization, I asked Fielder why she didnt support an infrastructure item submitted to provide more than $100,000 for asbestos removal in a Sanders County school.

She replied she received no communication supporting it. I told her that was not true and I had seen the letter the school principal sent her.

She said she receives 4,000 communications a day and cant read them all.

Four thousand daily communications! She must be the most popular legislator in Helena. Nevertheless, she should read all communications from her constituents.

Lets all hope Fielders colleagues in the legislator are more honest than she.

Ernest Scherzer,

Trout Creek
The son of President Donald J. Trump rallied voters in Kalispell and Hamilton on Friday, playing most of the greatest hits from his fathers campaign while making sure Republican voters knew how important it was to show up in Montanas special election.

This is going to be viewed as a referendum on Trump, Donald Trump Jr. told a crowd of about 450 people who gathered at the Glacier International Airport in Kalispell Friday afternoon. It was the first of four Montana rallies over the next two days for U.S. House candidate Greg Gianforte, a Bozeman businessman who lost his bid for governor last fall.

Lets show him and the rest of the world and certainly the rest of this country that this wasnt just a one-time thing in November and some kind of fluke," Trump Jr. said.

Gianforte is running to replace another rally attendee  Ryan Zinke, who resigned Montanas sole seat in the U.S. House earlier this year after Trump appointed him Secretary of the Interior. Gianforte's main opponent is Rob Quist, a Democrat who for years played in the Mission Mountain Wood Band. Inverness rancher Mark Wicks is the Libertarian candidate.

Only about 20 protesters  many with Big Sky Rising, a grassroots organization to raise support for equality, diversity, human rights, civil liberties and the environment  showed up at the Kalispell rally, while some 150 turned out later Friday afternoon in Hamilton.

Janice Lee of Corvallis said she decided to picket the Hamilton rally because she didnt believe the state should send another millionaire to Congress.

I dont really think were going to change anyones minds, but I think its important that theres more than one side to this, she said. They need to know that there are people who disagree.

Dan Bailey of Victor said he and a few friends stopped into a brewery just before the Hamilton protest. Someone there asked them if they had come down from Missoula.

We live right here in the Bitterroot, said his fellow picketer, Annie Heuscher of Stevensville. We believe that Gianforte is a terrible match for Montana.  Hes a strong supporter of Donald Trump. He is attaching himself to someone who has done nothing.

In Kalispell, Trump Jr. went after Quist in his remarks, working to tie him to Democrats in Washingon who are seen as unpopular among many Montana Republicans, while in Hamilton, he emphasized his father's business experience.

We need someone whos going to work with Donald Trump and for Montana and not fall in, like with Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. House minority leader, Trump Jr. said in Kalispell.

Gianforte received loud applause from the Kalispell crowd when he likewise highlighted what he says are the differences between himself and Quist.

The other guy is really just Nancy Pelosi in a cowboy hat, Gianforte said.

Trump Jr. told the Hamilton rally that his father is someone who has actually created jobs and knows how to talk to real Americans rather than talk at them.

"So many Americans are tired of it," he said to the crowd at the fairgrounds. "They have had enough of being lied to. They have had enough of false promises."

In his father's time in office, Trump Jr. said, the president has shown action, resolve and conviction in an effort to allow the country to assume its rightful place as the leader of the free world.

"When we're talking about the red line in Syria," Trump Jr. said, "Tomahawk missiles seem to be a lot more effective than crayons."

Ravalli County Republican Central Committee Chair Terry Nelson said he thought it was a great honor that they chose Hamilton as one of the four cities for the tour.

I think its sort of a nice reward for how we helped out the Republican Party in the state over the years, Nelson said.

Nelson pointed to the leadership positions that Ravalli County state legislators hold, including majority leaders in both houses of the Legislature.

I believe they saw the importance of Ravalli County in the state of Montana, Nelson said. I think its a wonderful opportunity for the citizens to reap some of benefits of that by having an important person come here.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines also attended the rallies, and Trump Jr. gave him credit for the campaign swing through the state. He said the invitation to come to Montana from Daines, a man with whom he'd spent a week in elk camp last fall, was enough to get him on an airplane.

Election Day is May 25. Absentee ballots go out May 1, the same day early voting starts.

National Republican groups have supported Gianforte with donations and ads, while Democrat Rob Quist's campaign received a boost from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which Thursday pledged spending six figures on the race.

Former state Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, of Kalispell, was at the Kalispell rally Friday and said the event shows Montana is still riding a Republican wave after last falls election, when President Donald Trump won the state by more than 20 points. In that election Republicans also took over all but one of five statewide offices, four of which were previously held by Democrats.

Shirley Herrin, the president of Lewis and Clark Republican Women in Helena, drove to the Flathead for the rally.

I support Trump because hes really putting our country back on track, she said after the event. "I've been praying because for years now weve been going down a road thats just not American.

Herrin, like many at the rally, said shes happy with what Trump has accomplished in his first few months as president. She said by the end of the year she expects to see a full repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, former president Barack Obamas hallmark health care law. She also expects a complete overhaul of the country's tax system.

Those are two things Trump promised to do at the start of his presidency but has not accomplished, but Herrin is undeterred.

Hes absolutely keeping every promise he can, she said.

In response to the rallies Friday, Quist released a statement saying his focus is on Montanans, not politics.

"I have visited over 45 counties talking to all Montanans  independents, Republicans and Democrats. And my message to voters crosses party lines. I will work with President Trump when it serves the interests of Montana and hold him accountable when he doesn't. I agree with him on the need for investing in our infrastructure and manufacturing and rebuilding the middle class."

Dorinda Troutman of Hamilton said the rally and appearance of the presidents son in Ravalli County didnt make a difference in her mind. She was one who joined the picketers.

I just wanted to make sure our representatives know that Ravalli County isnt all Republicans or that all of the people are conservative, she said

Troutman doesnt consider herself a Democrat. She said shes voted for candidates of both parties over the years.

I try to vote for local people who would be good for Ravalli County, Troutman said. I want them to know that there are other people to represent than just the ultraconservative voters. I may be strongly against this administration, but no matter who wins this election, they need to remember that there are other people who need to be represented.

At this point, Troutman said she doesnt believe people considered moderates are being represented.

After the rally ended, Lorraine Morgan of Hamilton walked over to take a seat next to the window.

I thought it was terrific, Morgan said. There were some really good issues brought up. I pretty much already had my mind made up, but this was kind of like an amen.

In Billings, where there were a few hundred people. Gianforte unpacked a late developing controversy about Trump Jr's visit: gophers.

Trump's oldest son and Gianforte are going gopher hunting this weekend. Animal rights activists pounced on the killing outing.

"I had to explain to this reporter that the Montana Department of Agriculture classifies them as pests and the little ones grow up into big ones. And they dig holes that can break a pony's leg," he said. "So we're going to protect the little ponies."

Gianforte also spoke of protecting gun rights and "keeping public lands in public hands," something Democrats accused him of wanting to undermine a year ago.

Sen. Daines also spoke, drawing applause for citing the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court as a major election promise for the president.

"One in five voters said the Supreme Court was important. They broke for Trump 57 to 40," Daines said.

The crowd didnt need to be sold on Trump or Gianforte.

"Greg Gianforte stands for the people who are hard working, whether they're business owners, ranchers, or ditch diggers," said Mike Okragly, a Billings cattleman. "He's for us."

Brenda Brockett said shes met Gianforte's opponent, Rob Quist, and described him as a nice man who was wrong for the job because of his financial troubles. Quist has been taken to court over unpaid debts and taxes. She said giving the Democrat a say in the federal budget wasn't sensible.

Brockett liked Gianforte's business chops.

"He came to this state as a young man with his family and started a successful business. He worked hard to do it," Brockett said. "He put himself in a position to be a successful businessman and that's what we need."

Protesters in Billings called Gianforte a creationist denying the science of evolution. The candidate has donated to a Glendive creationism-themed dinosaur museum.

Mario Shivers, of Kalispell, said he came out to show his support for Quist and disgust with Trump.

I dont like Trump, and havent been OK with one thing thats happened since Election Day, he said.

Trump Jr. will stop in Bozeman on Saturday.
MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Moss Point mayoral candidate Timothy Dubose was arrested Thursday evening after a minor traffic offense escalated into disorderly conduct, according to Moss Point Police Chief Calvin Hutchins.

Dubose was pulled over on Main Street for driving with a tag light that had been blown. According to Hutchins, Dubose exited his vehicle without command from the officer and allegedly would not comply with the officer who commanded him to get back into his truck.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Dubose was detained and taken to the Jackson County Adult Detention Center. He was later released around 5:30 a.m. Friday morning, and will have his day in municipal court, per Hutchins.

The Mississippi Press spoke with Dubose, but he would not comment citing his case as ongoing. However, his wife, Pamela Pickett-Dubose released the following statement to The Mississippi Press:

"Tim was arrested last night by the same white, female police officer who arrested him when he called the police after DuB's was robbed in March 2016.

Thursday night when Tim left DuB's, he was stopped for a minor traffic violation - a nonworking tag light. Once he pulled over in front of the pawn shop at the corner of Jackson and Main Street he stopped, got out of his truck, realized it was the same officer from previous incidents, he asked that another officer be called to the scene. She told him to get back in his truck and told him to turn around at the same time and handcuffed him. After she had him handcuffed, she pulled out a clear cellophane baggie and asked him, "Oh, what is this?" He then begin yelling, "What is WHAT, don't you plant nothing on me!"

He then asked for a black officer to be called to the scene. He was clearly stating that he needed someone else on the scene. He asked her why he was arrested. She then told him it was because his tag light was out. He said, "All this for a tag light?" She begin shaking him while in handcuffs and threatening to taze him. He yelled. "Don't you shoot me, Help, Help!" "Why are you shaking me?" She was screaming codes over her microphone. Other officers begin to arrive. At this point there were four officers and Tim in handcuffs.

The sergeant on scene told Tim, "DuBose, you always causing trouble." He made reference to his job as a fireman... "How long were you a fireman, 20 years? You ought to know not to jump out of a car." Tim told him he was a fireman, not a policeman.

He also threatened to taze him for not complying with orders to put his feet in the police car. He couldn't put his feet in the police car from his position without assistance. As they were threatening, he was yelling for help and for them to not shoot him. Once he was placed in the car, they asked him if he had been drinking - he said, no. Tim was taken to the ADC and held for 8 hours. Money from DuB's had fallen on the ground - he wasn't allowed to pick it up. His truck was towed right in front of me, although, my son and I were there to drive it home.

When I arrived last night, I was told that Tim resisted arrest - how? He was in handcuffs BEFORE the others arrived! She said he was trying to fight her. How? She had him handcuffed. She shook him so it would look like he was fighting her. She said he also had an open container - a cup of liquor. He said he did not. He was not breathalyzed. NOTHING! Tim fought for justice, fairness, and diversity for everyone on his job with the city as a first responder for 20 years? The fight isn't over."
HELENA  Despite a state law prohibiting them, automated phone calls that say they were funded by a Super PAC from Virginia have been used to promote a congressional candidate in Montana this week.

Those who received the robocall heard a recording of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Sheriff David Clarke encouraging voters to support Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate for Montanas lone U.S. House seat. Gianforte did not know the calls existed before the Independent Record asked him about it Friday and has no relationship with Sheriff Clarke, campaign spokesperson Shane Scanlon said.

The call says it was paid for by the Great America PAC, which supported Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election.

"This is Sheriff David Clarke. President Donald Trump is delivering on his promises and draining the swamp in Washington. But the Democrats will do anything to stop him including defeating his ally, Greg Gianforte, the call says. Thats why we need you to join us and Donald Trump Jr. in our strong support for Greg Gianforte. The special election is just weeks away and we're on the ground right now -- please join us. Visit GregforMontana.com for more information. That's GregforMontana.com. Paid for by Great America PAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. www.GreatAmericaPAC.com.

The Great America PAC did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment Friday afternoon. The group published the same recording on YouTube Thursday.

Officials with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Office said they have received several complaints about the calls but lack the authority to enforce the state law that prohibits them.

Under Montana law, A person may not use an automated telephone system, device, or facsimile machine for the selection and dialing of telephone numbers and playing of recorded messages in most cases. An exception allows businesses to send messages to their customers, as long as they have a preexisting relationship.

While those found in violation of the law are subject to a fine of up to $2,500, information from the commissioner's office notes that enforcement is difficult.

In the past, local law enforcement has been reluctant to investigate or prosecute the complaints because of the difficulty in prosecuting this type of statute, the office said in a handout on automated calls.

After being asked whether Gianforte has asked for the calls to cease, Scanlon said The law needs to be followed here.
HELENA  The Montana House killed Rep. Kerry Whites proposal to eliminate property taxes and institute a 2 percent statewide sales tax, but he nonetheless urged his colleagues to start discussing the politically difficult subject.

We want to make a difference for Montana. I didnt come up here to further my political ambitions or my career. I mightve ended it on the floor today for all I know. Im trying to do good work for the citizens of Montana, the Bozeman Republican said, noting Montana would be the only state in the country to eliminate its property tax if his bill became law. Im seeing people forced out of their homes, our infrastructure impacted by tourists and were not collecting anything from them. Heres an out-of-the-box solution. Property tax is very subjective.

Of the Houses 100 members, only 16 Republicans and 2 Democrats voted for House Bill 620 on Friday. That same day the House Taxation Committee had advanced it to the floor on an 11-9 vote shortly after hearing the bill, which White had said took months for three staffers to draft. When he spoke to the House, the 414-page tax overhaul was propped on a stand in a three-ring binder. He admitted the bill might not be perfect, but urged his colleagues to continue the discussion of a sales tax as an alternative to existing taxes, noting that he has proposed an interim study on the same topic. House Resolution 43 that also advanced out of the Taxation Committee on Friday.

Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, also urged his colleagues to support the study, thanking White for his political courage. Hertz had a similar proposal to replace the income tax with a sales tax, but it died without ever being scheduled for a hearing.

We just voted on a gas tax. Thats a sales tax. We voted on an accommodations tax for the Historical Society. Those are sales taxes even if we dont like to admit it, he said. Property tax is the worst form of taxation on citizens ever created on the face of the Earth. You have to pay money to live in your home This is a long term change in policy we need to address.

Several people asked technical questions of the 414-page proposal, asking for more information about exemptions, a month-long tax holiday for major purchases and two new commissions that would oversee local and school infrastructure projects.

Others opposed the bill outright.

A statewide general sales tax is the most unfair tax for poor folks and working class folks. They will pay a higher proportion of their income on taxes than wealthy people will. I dont think thats fair. I dont think Montanans think thats fair, Rep. Kim Abbot, D-Helena, said.

Rep. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, called Whites proposal an exercise in futility that wasted taxpayer dollars on printing costs and staff time when it is well known Montana voters have rejected past sales tax proposals and the bill would ultimately be vetoed by Gov. Steve Bullock even if it did clear the Legislature. He later apologized for those remarks.

In 1971 and 1993, Montana voters overwhelmingly opposed ballot measures that sought to enact a sales tax.

White told the House Taxation Committee on Friday that voters have not considered a full solution. He think more people in the state might actually support a sales tax if legislators could show how other taxes would be reduced or eliminated.
HELENA  The way schools work to reduce truancy will remain the same after the Montana House killed a proposal that could have led some parents lose their drivers license or temporary cash assistance if their children missed too much school.

Senate Bill 361 would have allowed attendance officers to create a contract with parents and students to fix truancy problems as well as require parents to attend a parenting class, among other options. If a parent did not meet the terms of the contract, the officer could report the parent to local public assistance offices to cancel benefits such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. They might also have lost a drivers license.

The measure, introduced by Libby Republican Sen. Chas Vincent, had passed the Senate 32-18. Rep. Scott Staffanson, R-Sidney, carried it in the House, telling his colleagues that the bill would give districts more bargaining power to get kids to school. Rep. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, agreed.

With all due respect, concern is not enough for our schools. What our schools need is leverage. This bill gives schools leverage, she said.

Several members spoke against the bill, saying that while elements of the proposal were laudable, others would create unintended consequences for children and families that already are vulnerable.

This is exactly the wrong approach. There is not the approach schools all over this state have learned through trial and error, Rep. Laurie Bishop, D-Livingston, said. Punitive approaches are proven not to work.

Rep. George Kipp, D-Heart Butte, said removing benefits could hurt kids more than it helps them.

Denying food in order to go to school was a common practice on our reservation in the 19th century. All it did was create a lot of hunger, said Rep. George Kipp, a Heart Butte Democrat and member of the Blackfeet Nation. For several decades, like other tribes across the country, tribal members were denied food and other benefits if they broke rules set by federal agents or federal laws, such as speaking traditional languages or practicing their religion. To deny food, the basic needs in law, is strictly overreach and I urge you to consider that. If youre going to make one child go hungry in this state, its a crime on all of us, regardless of the circumstance.

Rep. Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, shared a personal story about dropping his daughter off at the bus stop every morning for school. One day, he was pulled over for a minor traffic issue and the officer asked him to step out of the car.

He cuffed me up. He threw me in the back of the cop car, he said, recalling that the officer told him there was a warrant for his arrest because of his daughters truancy. I did not know that my daughter was doing this.  This was a family issue and it should remain a family issue.

Rep. Bill Harris, R-Winnett, agreed that the bill was unnecessary.

This is the 40th law youve made today. Youre doing really good in big government, but youre not doing very good in common sense, he said.

The measure died in the House on a 61-39 vote.
The Iowa House on Thursday approved a measure that would partly alleviate a longstanding problem that meant Muscatine taxpayer money covered, in part, mental health and disability services in Scott County.

However, Muscatine County officials say the bill is a temporary fix.

The Iowa House approved the measure on a 97-1 vote Thursday afternoon. The Senate passed it earlier this week, 46-4, so the bill now goes to Gov. Terry Branstad.

The legislation would equalize how the counties within each of the state's 14 mental health regions raise money to pay for services.

Currently, some counties raise far more per person than others within their regions.

In the five-county Eastern Iowa region, which includes Muscatine County, the disparity has been a point of tension. Last February, the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors reduced its mental health levy to send a message to the Iowa Legislature.

"We have plenty of fund balance; the region has plenty of fund balance," said Board of Supervisors ChairJeff Sorensenin that meeting. "But I think the county government (needs to) put its foot down and tell the state, 'You created this mess, you have to fix it, and you can't keep kicking the can down the road.'"

Scott County, by state law, has been allowed to tax its residents at less than half per capita than other counties in its region. That disparity, which stemmed from previous changes to state law, has led some counties to threaten to have Scott County booted from the five-county cooperative.

The bill will allow Scott County to raise from its residents about $2 million more for mental health and disability services. The four other counties, including Muscatine, would raise that much less. Essentially, the legislation will mean each of the counties in the Eastern Iowa region, including Muscatine, can raise up to $30.78 per person. Under the current system, Scott County has been capped at about $19.20 per person, while some other counties were raising up to $47.28 per person.

The five counties formed a regional partnership as a result of the Legislature's passage of a law in 2012 to redesign how mental health and disability services are delivered in the state.

If passed, the new legislation will temporarily alleviate the problem, reducing Muscatine Countys mental health tax by about $700,000 next year. But the new levy wont cover the countys mental health needs.

That equalization part is a very good thing for the county, the difficulty is the new cap, said Muscatine County Supervisor Nathan Mather.  (But the cap) actually limits us to a dollar amount thats actually below what we need to spend.

Weve gotten rid of one problem, now the only other problem remaining is that theres just not enough money right now to take care of people the way we want to, he added.

The new limit, Mather said, will create a budget shortfall for the entire region, the results of which wont become apparent for a few years.

At the beginning of the next fiscal year, the region will have about $9 million in the bank so if theres a $3 million dollars shortfall each year, (the region) can absorb it for three years. At that point in time, however, we are really up against it.

Rep. Ken Rizer, R-Marion, who floor-managed the bill in the House, said Thursday it accomplished several goals, including eliminating a point of stress within regions, and requires that large excess balances some regions hold be spent.

"Thats taxpayer money, and it needs to be used for services," he said.

The bill will also convene a study committee in 2018 to really understand mental health issues statewide, and its supposed to present and make recommendations to the Legislature.

So hopefully, (the committee) will recognize the great funding lack that is there and recommend to the Legislature increasing our ability to fund mental health services, Mather said. If not, theres going to be some belt-tightening.

But in the short-run, Mather streesed, there will be no changes to mental health spending in Muscatine County.
MUSCATINE  For senior citizen who are looking to either downsize their home for something more manageable, it can be a struggle to find affor
People live and die by the water in southern Louisiana.

The Gulf of Mexico, the rivers, lakes, and massive marshes that look more like sea than land, are woven into their identity. They're always there.

The water brings food, livelihoods and culture. But it also takes. Rising seas have swallowed more than 1,800 miles of coastline in the last 78 years, according to the United States Geological Survey.

That puts residents here at the forefront of areas affected by climate changes. But among four people who spend most of the day outside, whose lives are dependent on the weather, who stare at the same horizon each day, there is little agreement on what climate change will bring, or even if it exists. Leo Dotson is among the skeptics. He's been shrimping in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, for 54 years and he'll admit the coastline has changed.

"It's moved," he says.

But that has nothing to do with man-made climate change, he adds.

Dotson gets red in the face, repeating that scientific studies showing climate change as affecting weather patterns or warming the Earth are simply wrong.

The 67-year-old owner of Dyson Seafood is out on the water every single day. He's seen nothing out there to indicate climate change is having a disastrous impact on the region. Seven days a week, the powerful weather in the region permitting, Dotson's boats go up and down the Gulf of Mexico coast, dragging large trawls along the seafloor to scoop up shellfish.

"I work outside in the weather on a boat, and it's all pretty much been the same for me," Dotson says, standing on Jetty Pier in Cameron, gesturing toward the ocean. "The climate is exactly the same as when I was a kid. Summers hot, winters cold."

Any changes to the coast are simply "the world changing back and forth," he says.

Greenery has given way to water and with a rising sea level and sinking land, what's left is more prone to flooding.

Cameron Parish and the surrounding Chenier Plain are considered an "extremely vulnerable" coastline by Tulane University researchers.

Scientists say climate change, with warming temperatures and rising seas, are what intensifies that vulnerability. They can point to a 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) increase in average temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, when humans started burning fossil fuels. They can point to last year being the hottest on record, to 16 of the top 17 hottest years occurring since 2000 to show the climate is changing.

But in this parish where fisherman and shrimpers thrive, some people feel differently.

Cameron is home to the highest percentage of people in a county who believe climate change doesn't affect plants or animals, according to a recent Yale University study. Of the 4,500-plus who live here, more than 36% share those views. The county also places in the top 10 when it comes to those who dismiss climate change overall.

Dotson doesn't believe climate change would negatively impact the fishing industry on the Louisiana coast. Not based on what he's seen.

"It doesn't concern me. What is science? Science is an educated guess," Dotson says defiantly. "What if they guess wrong? There's just as much chance as them to be wrong as there is for them to be right."

Could anything change Dotson's mind on climate change? Only a very specific scientist.

"If he was 500 years old, and he told me it's changed, I would probably believe him," Dotson says. "But in my lifetime, I didn't see any change."

'Living and dying' with the weather

Jeff Poe is reeling in speckled trout on his fishing boat with his 29-year-old son, Nick, who is helping run the family business, Big Lake Guide Services.

Poe has led fishing tours on Calcasieu Lake and the marshes surrounding the Gulf of Mexico since 1984.

The brackish mix of fresh and salt water in Calcasieu Lake, like much of the Southeast Louisiana coast, has created historically a rare paradise for oysters to thrive. But the oyster population has been declining since 2009, despite the state's various attempts at restoration. Poe, who "lives and dies with the weather" and who has seen the lake level rise where he takes his boat out each day, does not buy the argument that we're witnessing irreversible changes.

Yes, the oysters have been dying, but that may not be caused by the changes in the sea level or how much saltwater is in the lake.

Yes, climate change is happening, but it "can change and go the other way, too."

And if he's wrong, well what could humans do about it? He doubts whether limiting carbon dioxide emissions would actually lower the temperature enough to make a difference. And why should they try, based on a prediction alone?

"You know I like my AC, I like running around in a boat like this, my livelihood depends on having gasoline to use at a reasonable price," he says.

All things told, Poe is not alarmed.

Tulane Earth scientist Krista Jankowski could not disagree more. She refers to this area as "ground zero" when it comes to sea-level impact.

Jankowski recently published a study on the imminent threat facing the state's wetlands, which showed sea-level rise occurs here four times faster than the national average.

Even if she can't sway minds, Jankowski still hopes to get action.

"The reluctance of some people in coastal Louisiana to accept that there are big challenges ahead is, in my opinion, a reflection of a societal focus on the present and very short-term as opposed to thinking about even 20 to 50 years out," Jankowski says.

"Even if we can't agree on the source, can we at least agree that something has to be done based on the changes that we do see? And the problems that are coming up?"

For some, the future is now

The problems aren't just coming. Down the coast, they've already begun.

Two-hundred miles east of Cameron, in the Mississippi Delta, pilot Charlie Hammonds has been flying since the 1950s, when he was 15.

Today as he glides over the wetlands around Houma, he sees dead trees submerged in saltwater. His cockpit has given him a vantage point over the last 50 or 60 years to see a "cancer" spread across the land.

Scientists and locals all agree the fragile wetlands are an extremely complicated ecosystem. And they will admit there are many possible reasons for changes, in addition to the sea levels rising.

Tulane's Jankowski concedes the land itself is sinking because of the settling of materials brought by the Mississippi River over the last several thousand years.

But she says the "massive" amount of data obtained for the "unprecedented" Tulane study has left absolutely no doubt in her mind that sea-level rise is also playing a big part.

Fishing, shrimping, crabbing and oystering villages like Cocodrie, Chauvin, and Dulac now have to prepare for the worst. It is a scenario that Native American families on Isle de Jean Charles have already experienced.

Eight generations of Biloxi Chitimacha-Choctaws have called the area home since the 1830s. Their land shrank from 2,200 acres to around 350 acres. About 70% of the population has left.

Chris Brunet is one of about 70 people who chose to stay, for now. He's watched the island die before his eyes. Large trees in full bloom used to fill his yard. They slowly withered and rotted away, and are now gone.

"It didn't happen overnight," Brunet says. "It was like a slow process, but then. 'Wow.'"

The "paradise" where his grandparents caught wild fish 100 years ago is gone. He believes natural factors, human factors, and oil and gas industries nearby destroyed it.

"I believe that the Gulf of Mexico is such a powerful force that it wants to make its way north. And that man did play a part in bringing it to a more rapid process to what it is today," Brunet says.

Brunet, 51, says the focus now must shift toward moving so future generations can survive.

How to prepare is also on the mind of Jonathan Foret back in Houma, where he shows children around his South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center. As they discuss the possibility their homes, like those on Isle de Jean Charles, may also melt away into nothing but memories in a scrapbook, he thinks of a Bible story as a symbol.

"Just like Noah, we've been given some information about what is going to happen in the future, and we can prepare for that future, or we can decide to dismiss the facts," Foret says. "What we decide to do will directly impact the future of our families and our communities. Me, I'm going to build a boat. Facts don't change based on my ability to stomach them."

This story was edited and produced by Mallory Simon.
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 []
Washington

Education researchers and educators joined thousands of scientists and science-lovers here for the March on Science, a rally and march to the U. S. Capitol in support of research, science education , and evidence-based policies.

Earlier this week, the University of Delaware Center for Political Communication released a survey of more than 1,000 participants recruited from 81 different participating March for Science Facebook groups and pages. The study found more than 60 percent said they were more likely to contact public officials as a result of the conversations around the march, and more than half also said they would be more likely to follow science news.

More than 9 in 10 of the survey respondents said they planned to march to oppose political attacks on science, protest cuts in science funding, and support science-based public policies.

At a pre-march breakfast, Kenji Hakuta,a Stanford University education professor, said he was marching to support science education and to support threatened data and research, especially because the research around [education] is related to one of the most visible agendas of this administrationvouchers and choice and those sorts of things. ... Im marching to say there is importance and value in research in this topic.

Many professional science organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Educational Research Association, and the Association of Psychological Science, took part in the events. I caught up with several folks to ask why they were marching:

Johanna Olexy and her son, Jackson, left, were marching with the American Sociological Association. Im marching because my moms marching, Jackson said, and because I like science. Its my second-and-a-half favorite subject"after math, tied with reading.

I worry that this new administration pays no attention to science and takes actions that can harm the world because it ignores the science, said Nancy Goodban, a social psychologist who studies unintended effects of social policies on welfare. Our country is strong because people have been educated and we have scientific entrepreneurs and educators. I dont want to lose that.

Science is not a political philosophy, said Janice Kotch, a science education researcher. Its a branch of learning that depends on authentic data, that has its data verified, that relies on specific methodologies and our goal is to improve the lives of people on the planet through quality science education in my case, but for many scientists through advances in medicine, clean air, clean water.

Mike Steele, right, a math education professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said he was convinced to come to Washington because, Im concerned about the climate of anti-intellectualism thats creeping in and the attacks on intellectually based professions, like teaching. In Wisconsin weve seen systematic attacks on teachers, on the value of education and the value of science in the state. Im concerned about the broadening of that movement to the national push we are starting to see.

Erin Anderson, a sociologist at Washington College in Chestertown, Md., marched with her husband Jon Schultz, a middle school special education teacher, and their daughters Grace, 7, and Claire, 5. Schultz said he worries about the removal of science data from federal web sites, and Anderson voiced concern about the delegitimizing of science and STEM fields in the current administration. The politics is informing policy now instead of science.

The Rivers family, left, Wil, center left, an ecologist and microbiologist, Rebecca, right, and daughter Aryn, left, a high school freshman, drove down from Canton, N.Y., with friend Quinn Williams-Bergen, center right.

Im marching because science works. Science has a long history of solving problems, from understanding climate change to understanding that DDT is a problem to CFCs destroying the ozone, Wil Rivers said, And weve proven that we can solve problems that we create, but that requires funding.

Aryn Rivers added, Science and scientific research run pretty much everything that helps provide progress in our world. It affects the world that Im going to enter as an adult, and so I feel that as a kid, I have to stand up for the world.

Rutger Jackson, a biotech researcher in California, and Suzy Warren, who works in an environmental field, argued for better representation of science and scientists in the federal government. I think science is a nonpartisan issue and should be treated as such, said Warren, right.

Photo Source: Sarah D. Sparks for Education Week

Related:


Community leaders relished the opportunity this month to thrust a sledgehammer against a decaying building that stands in the location where a new $2.9 million affordable housing complex will be built in St. Helena.

Not all impulsive buys are bad, said Larry Turley, who donated the Pope Street property to Calistoga Affordable Housing (CAH) to oversee the project. He and his wife, Suzanne, had learned about the eviction of eight families from the building in November 2011 because of code violations that caused the building to be red-tagged. They decided a week later to purchase it in a forced sale by auction in December 2011.

An April 7 groundbreaking ceremony at the property at 1105 Pope St. was not only a small step in addressing the greater regions affordable housing needs; it also marked a project that will be overseen by groups in both Calistoga and St. Helena.

Im looking forward to having affordable housing under our belt in town, said Noah Housh, St. Helena planning director.

In July 2012 Turley sold the property to CAH for $1 with a sales covenant that the property be developed for affordable rental housing.

It takes the right thing at the right time, said Diane Dillon, Napa County supervisor. The county made it a priority to get affordable housing wherever we could.

The 13,000-square-foot Turley Flats Apartments will be funded through a variety of sources, including a construction loan from First Community Bank of Santa Rosa and residual loans from the City of St. Helena and Napa County housing funds. Local foundations such as the Gasser Foundation, Clif Bar Foundation, Napa Valley Community Foundation, and DeLong Sweet Family Foundation also contributed more than $200,000.

The small size of the development, at eight units, precluded developers from seeking certain federal and state funding sources or tax credits, sending CAH to seek funding from sources closer to home.

The City of St. Helena is putting $700,000 into the project, including $50,000 to cover any cost overruns.

Small infill projects like this are as difficult as large projects to get approved, maybe even more difficult, said Mayor Alan Galbraith, based on the complexities of the development.

Headed by Paul Coates (of Paul Coates Construction in Calistoga), the CAH Design and Build team started in July 2013 to design and construct an economically efficient and low construction cost building that would meet local standards and expectations, the group said in a statement.

The chosen design by Farell Faber and Associates of Santa Rosa, combined with their modular division HybridCore Homes, is a first for the St. Helena area, with a square-foot cost of $224 and individual apartment unit costs of $359,400.

More than one HybridCore home has been built in Calistoga. Developer Shaun Faber of New Vine Homes, who is also partner and co-founder of HybridCore, said the modular units are made of green and sustainable materials.

They are built off-site, which reduces construction time, minimizes the disruption to neighbors and greatly reduces the projects carbon footprint by reducing the number of truck deliveries.

Another advantage of the modular approach is that the factory units are purchased at a set amount and are not subject to the potential costs overruns of more traditional projects.

The anticipated completion date of the Turley Flats project is September 2017, and the projects general contractor is Helmer and Sons of Angwin.

The three-story, 12,794-square-foot building has a ground floor parking garage with storage, handicap lift access, and a small covered area for social events. The building is designed to be energy-efficient, with gas and Energy Star appliances including a front-loading washing machine and dryer in each unit.

The modular living units are being built at the Silver Crest Champion factory in Corona, California, and feature 6-inch exterior walls and heat pumps for HVAC in each unit.

Monthly rents, set at the HUD 75 percent of the area median income, are $1,391 for a two-bedroom and $1,607 for a three-bedroom, said Larry Kromann, president of Calistoga Affordable Housing.

Crown Realty of Napa is the property management company that will conduct the application process and use a lottery system with a three-tiered preference process, with the highest preference being given to the eight families who lived at 1103 and 1105 Pope St. on Nov. 20, 2011. Seven families were evicted for housing safety code violations and one family was allowed to remain.

The second preference will be given to the employees of the Turley vineyard in St. Helena, which was part of the agreement in the land sale from the Turley family to CAH. The third preference will be those living or working in St. Helena. All families applying must meet the HUD low-income criteria for Napa County.
Please consider this an open letter to Councilmembers Sedgely, Gentry and Mayor Techel. I voted for all of you in all of your runs for office. In doing so, I had hoped that my vote represented, at least in part, a concern to maintain the character of our beautiful town by supporting well designed, considerate (of neighbors) and compatible infill housing to help solve a problem we all know exists, lack of affordable housing.

Having grown up here in the 1950s and 60s, it is appalling to me to see the unintended consequence of Napa's Renaissance be the fact that many of our kids literally cannot afford to live here as well as all that this entails (declining school enrollment to name one). I am sympathetic to this need and support well thought out efforts to solve it. I, like many others who opposed the re-writing of the General Plan on a one case basis (Riverside Drive Apartment expansion), am all for infill development to include an affordable element, as long as it's done really well, conforms with the General Plan, and most importantly, fits in with the existing neighborhood from a density and design standpoint.

If the Planning Commission recommended against this and you voted for it, why even have the Planning Commission? It's not as if they represent one narrow point of view, they are made up of many who take these issues into consideration.

I for one am concerned that there is an 800-pound gorilla in the room in the form of an over-zealousness to take each and every infill development opportunity as a mandate to approve as much density as possible in the name of Affordable Housing. I understand it's politically expedient but I don't believe it's in the long-term interests of the soul of our town, as Lynn Wood pointed out in her recent letter to the editor (City loses its soul, April 20).

I agree with you all that we need to put an emphasis on solving the housing crisis, but please, not at the expense of our historic resources. My fear upon reading about this vote is that the snowball effect will continue on and incorporate the soon to be considered mixed use housing project the county wants to do on the HHS site on Old Sonoma Road and Pine Street to the north.

You are going to be asked to approve a project that by all indications is too dense for the neighborhood and will involve the removal of the three historically significant Spanish Revival buildings built in 1902 (and believed to have been designed by famed Napa architect Luther Turton over 100 years ago), not to mention the beautiful crescent fronting, which is historically significant in its own right (ingress and egress for horse and buggy for the infirmary that predated the buildings).

These buildings have been deemed eligible for National Historic Registry consideration. With the approach taken on Riverside Drive, I am concerned for those buildings and the adjoining neighborhoods if you insist on voting strictly on density.

Let's step back, take a deep breath, and make sure we do this well. I believe the majority of us want to see infill housing there and in other parts of Old Town, let's just do it right, please. That means low density, two-story max so as to be compatible with Old Town neighborhoods, and imaginative design.

My ongoing concerns about this are largely due to what I saw happen in the 1970s. Scott, you saw it too. Not sure about the others. Let's avoid this, do infill projects that satisfy the concerns of all, not just those who cry NIMBY every time a neighborhood tries to protect its interests while allowing thoughtful development.

Do the three-story-plus projects further out where they make more sense.

I appeal to all of you to take into account what good planning can do, like what Petaluma has done over the years. Their downtown is the envy of ours, I believe, because they had the foresight to see the value in their history while cleverly doing downtown density housing in more appropriate areas that did not detract.

I respect you all but am concerned about a take no prisoners" attitude here that will permanently and progressively ruin our downtown and Old Town neighborhood character for all of us and future generations.

Daniel E. Cutright

Napa
Years ago, when I was a trial court judge in Sacramento, the husband of one of my court staffers murdered their two children in front of her, beat her and then killed himself. All of us were unaware of her problems at home, as well as the fear and shame that drove her into silence.

Soon after this tragedy, I began a domestic violence courta specialized court that aids victims and holds offenders accountable by connecting the justice system with social service agencies. Its a model that works. But, like everything else in the justice system, it only works if it has the trust, confidence and cooperation of all of the participants.

It is my concern for the trust and confidence in our state court system that prompted me last month to ask Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly not to make immigration arrests at or near courthouses. Our state courts are on the front line of justice in the United States: We handle more than 90 percent of the nations case filings each year. I am asking that immigration agents treat courthouses as sensitive areasas they do schools, churches and hospitals.

In their response, Sessions and Kelly agreed with me that the enforcement of our countrys immigration laws is necessary, and that we should strive to ensure public safety and the efficient administration of justice. As a former prosecutor, a judge and the wife of a retired police officer, I also agree with them that law-enforcement officials strive to perform their duties with the highest degree of professionalism and public service.

We disagree, however, on where that enforcement should occur. My request is that they respect the safety needs of the state court system and those who access it. This goes to the core of our system of government, built on the principle of checks and balances. You dont have to read the Federalist Papers or be fortunate enough to get a ticket to the musical Hamilton to recognize the elegant weave of checks and balances set up by our Founders. Our three branches of government are co-equal; our local, state and federal governments have overlapping authority. Each branch and each entity should take care not to act in a way that undermines the trust and confidence of another branch or entity.

We encourage the vulnerable to come to our courthouses for help. But immigration arrests, or the fear of arrests at or near courthouses, disrupt court activities and the lives of those seeking justice. The well-publicized immigration arrests at courthouses in Los Angeles and elsewhere have disrupted court business and deterred litigants. One judge said there was near hysteria among civil litigants recently when they thought immigration agents were about to raid a courthouse.

An attorney in a small, rural county who assists self-represented litigants with landlord-tenant problems, domestic violence issues, probate and guardianships said litigants are too afraid to come to court. I worry that both documented and undocumented immigrants will no longer cooperate with state and local law-enforcement agencies; crimes or civil wrongs will go unreported and communities will live in fear.

Some of the comments Ive received after I sent my letter suggest that I am against enforcement of our immigration laws. I am not. I ask for sensible enforcement tactics that do not undermine due process, fairness and access to justice in our state court systems.
U.S. May Charge Julian Assange, WikiLeaks With Espionage, Theft of Gov. Documents

WikiLeaks, true to its name, has been the source of thousands, if not millions of leaked government and intelligence documents. The published documents include videos of airstrikes and diplomatic cables from the Iraq war, leading Democrats' emails during the 2016 presidential campaign, and, most recently, "a trove of C.I.A. documents last month that described sophisticated software and techniques to break into electronics."

The last leak might've been the criminal straw that broke the prosecutorial camel's back. Multiple news organizations are reporting that U.S. Department of Justice is considering an array of criminal charges against WikiLeaks' founder, Julian Assange. None have been filed as of yet, but it is interesting to look at what those charges might be, what prosecuting them might entail, and why the government has waited until now.

WikiCharges

As reported by the Washington Post, Justice Department prosecutors have been drafting a charging memo against multiple members of the WikiLeaks organization, including Assange, who has been residing in London's Ecuadorean Embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face rape allegations. While the memo has yet to be finalized (and even then would not represent formal charges) anonymous officials close to the case say the criminal charges could include conspiracy, theft of government property, or violating the Espionage Act.

Under the Obama administration, espionage prosecutions were aimed not at the publishers of leaked information but at the individual leakers themselves. And, according to the New York Times, Justice Department officials are "skeptical" they could gain convictions for espionage, hence the lesser charges of conspiracy and theft.

The News v. A Crime

Generally, publishers of documents, even classified ones, are immune from criminal prosecution under the First Amendment. That immunity can be forfeited, however, if the news agency actively engages in the theft, hack, or leak, rather than just publishing the leaked material. If WikiLeaks encouraged or directed sources to engage in illegal activity, that could open them up for criminal prosecution.

For example, Chelsea Manning, the Army soldier convicted in 2013 of revealing sensitive diplomatic cables, allegedly communicated with Assange about a technique to circumvent password verification so Manning could log on to a computer anonymously. Such collusion could be evidence that WikiLeaks took on more than just a journalistic role in the leak.

Michael Vatis, a former Justice Department official who oversaw cybercrime investigations told the Washington Post that Assange's "exact words would matter a lot" when considering criminal prosecution:

"I think their only realistic hope is some conspiracy charge based on WikiLeaks' involvement in the actual hacking, not just publishing the results of the hacking," Vatis said. "So if they were somehow planning with the hacker to do the hack or planning, in this case, with the contractor to steal the information so that WikiLeaks could publish it, then I think they'd have a much stronger chance of successfully prosecuting them."

Again, no charges have been filed yet, and even extraditing Assange from London to face any charges could be tricky.

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Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said the country would welcome any effort by the Donald Trump administration to encourage New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve their differences. Dar, who is in Washington to attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference, assured the international community that "Pakistan's nuclear assets are as safe as those of the US". Dar said that over half of the world's population lived in the region, which is directly affected by relations between India and Pakistan, particularly the Kashmir dispute, reported Dawn online. "So, any effort to help improve this situation is welcome," said the minister. Dar said a former US President Bill Clinton had also offered to help resolve India-Pakistan dispute and Islamabad had welcomed that offer too. The minister also defended Pakistan's decision to deny consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav: "It is a law, and commonly known, where there is a charge of treason or spying, consular access is not allowed." Dar, however, said that legal consul was made available to Jadhav and there were "further steps" that a sentenced person can also take. Jadhav has been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in Pakistan. Dar said Pakistan also welcomed a recent statement by US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley, who had said that instead of waiting for a calamity to happen, the Trump administration would engage the two South Asia countries to defuse tensions between them. The minister acknowledged that US-Pakistan relations had reached a stalemate but said that "we need to break this stalemate" as this relationship was important for both. "We need to work together to resolve these differences. If there's any misunderstandings, those should be removed." Responding to a question, Dar rejected former Afghan intelligence chief's Rahmatullah Nabil claim that Pakistan's nuclear assets were not safe and could end up in the hands of militants. "Pakistan's command and control system as well as its nuclear security regime remain robust and are on a par with international standards. There has never been a single nuclear security incident in the country," the minister said. Dar said that the former Afghan intelligence chief's claims were "grossly misleading and mala fide the world should ignore such claims". --IANS soni/ ( 385 Words) 2017-04-22-14:28:13 (IANS)
The recovery was made after a team of 30 members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit resumed their operation for the second day at a house in Porahati village, used by the suspected Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants, in the morning, The Daily Star reported.

Besides the containers, a 7.65 foreign made pistol, seven bullets and 15 to 16 jihadi books were also recovered from the militant hideout. Jhenaidah is some 178 km west of capital Dhaka.

"Around 10 a.m., police moved to the house. Some of the bombs have been already disposed...The 30-litre containers are marked hydrogen peroxide," a senior police official told bdnews24.

Based on a tip-off, the team on Friday conducted the raid at the house.

According to the police, the owner of the house was one 'Abdullah', who converted to Islam from Hinduism five years ago, and was a member of a militant group in the district.

Police on Friday claimed that the suspected militants had fled the spot before the CTTC began the operation.

Police said they also found some suicide vests in the house.

A senior police official told bdnews24 that the Neo-JMB - the revived edition of militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh - was using the house as a "bomb-making facility".

Last month, CTTC officials busted five hideouts of Neo-JMB -- two in Chittagong, one in Sylhet and two in Moulvibazar, reports The Daily Star.

Nineteen people, including five children and five women, were killed in those incidents.

According to police, 16 of them were killed in suicide blasts.

Security has been tightened in Bangladesh since Neo JMB militants attacked a cafe in Dhaka's upscale Gulshan area on July 1 last year, killing 22 people, mostly foreigners.

Law enforcers in Bangladesh have cracked down on the Neo-JMB since then.

--IANS ksk/rn

( 339 Words)

2017-04-22-15:10:09 (IANS)
Fresh after narrowly winning a referendum that gives him more powers in his current post, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to launch a new foreign policy initiative starting with a visit to India at the end of this month. Erdogan, accompanied by the Turkish economy and trade ministers, will visit New Delhi on April 30 where he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Hurriyet Daily News reported. "Erdogan will participate in Turkey-India Business Forum and will hold political talks with Indian leaders, particularly President Pranab Mukherjee," the report said. "The agenda during the meeting is expected to be dominated by an improvement of bilateral economic and trade ties." Erdogan last visited India in 2008 when he was his country's Prime Minister. His talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be crucial in view of the crisis in Syria that includes the refugee problem and support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Following India, Erdogan will visit Sochi on May 3 where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Erdogan, who will discuss developments in Syria with Putin, will deliver the message that 'the conflict in Syria can be resolved if Russia adopts a constructive position and a political transition process can begin'," the report said. Erdogan is likely to hold his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in the second half of May at the latter's invitation over telephone. "The issues to be discussed at the White House include the extradition of Fethullah Glen and restrictions on his followers in the US, developments in Syria, Turkey's sensitivities over the prospective role for the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in the upcoming Raqqa operation, as well as the countries' bilateral economic relationship," the Hurriyet Daily News report said. Erdogan has blamed Turkish preacher and political activist Gulen, a former ally and now a US resident, for the botched coup attempt in July last year. The Turkish President will also visit China where he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15 along with Putin and other regional leaders. On May 25, he will attend a NATO summit in Brussels which "will also provide a good opportunity for Erdogan to hold bilateral meetings with some key European leaders", the report said. --IANS ab/vm ( 413 Words) 2017-04-22-14:02:08 (IANS)
She made her debut in Bollywood in 1994 with "Aag" and later contributed to films like "Duplicate", "Hum Saath Saath Hain", "Sarfarosh" and "Kal Ho Naa Ho". Actress Sonali Bendre, who has been in the industry for over two decades, says filmmakers are now choosing stronger content over tried-and-tested formulae. Asked how the industry has changed over the years, Sonali told IANS in an e-mail: "Things are much more professional now and much more streamlined... There are better roles being written for women and people are now open to pushing strong content instead of only tried-and-tested formulas." The 42-year-old actress, who has also appeared in Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and Kannada films, says that the Indian film industry isn't age-centric any more as things are evolving. "Things are changing, slowly and steadily... It's a great time for Indian cinema," said Sonali, who is married to filmmaker Goldie Behl. Asked if earlier actresses were mostly taken in films to add to the glamour quotient in films, she said: "To a great extent yes -- at that time it was all about the star's popularity and fan following. Today it's about which actor or actress can pull off a particular role and get into a certain character." Sonali says the industry is re-visiting the golden era of cinema. "There used to be the black-and-white era, where strong roles were written for women and I think we are now revisiting that golden era of cinema," added the actress, who welcomed late pop legend Michael Jackson on his arrival in India in a traditional Maharashtrian nauvari sari in 1996. Sonali has started a book club on social media and she says she did so to encourage the habit of reading. Talking about her book club, she said: "I used to be a voracious reader and then I never found the time. In today's age, everything is digital. We are constantly on our phones or in front of the television; so we no longer take the time to just sit with ourselves... I started this club to encourage the habit of reading." The "Diljale" actress has also penned a parenting book titled "The Modern Gurukul: My Experiments with Parenting". Apart from her, several Bollywood personalities like Rishi Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna and Shilpa Shetty, among others, have tried their hands at writing. Does she see actors turning into authors as a trend? "I think a lot of people have interesting stories to tell; so it's really wonderful that everyone is penning their stories and experiences," Sonali said. Sonali was last seen on the silver screen in 2013 in a special appearance in "Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara!". She was later seen on the small screen in shows like "India's Got Talent", "India's Best Dramebaaz" and Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye". What's keeping her away from the big screen? "I was busy bringing up my son and looking after our home, and now that I have the time, I'm open to exploring roles if the content is great and the character is interesting. Hadn't really thought of it until now -- but am open to the idea of getting back on the big screen," she said. (Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in) --IANS dc/nv/vm ( 553 Words) 2017-04-22-10:50:09 (IANS)
"The victim was gang raped for many months. The sister and brother in-law of the victim have been arrested," said the police.

"Two accused, including an air force employee, are still at large," said police.

Police unearthed the case with the help of Child Line and registered the case of gang rape. (ANI)
''Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones,'' the Prime Minister said.Taliban forces killed 140 Afghan soldiers in an attack yesterday, which their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said was in retaliation of the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern part of the country.

The attack took place as soldiers were leaving a Mosque inside the Army base, after the Friday prayers.UNI NAZ AE RJ 1211

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-864023.Xml
Perturbed over the media reports that bidi may be exempted from the demerit good category and additional cess, oncologists from the country's 108 cancer centers today pleaded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop what they called the serious anomaly in the proposed GST structure. The oncologists, who have joined hands under the umbrella of The National Cancer Grid (NCG) , said bidi alone kills six lakh Indians every year. It was reported by the media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was likely to chair a meeting of government officials to review the fitment of items in tax slabs before these go to the all-powerful Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council for the final approval. The Parliament recently cleared the integrated, central and Union Territories GST Bills and compensation Bills, and the next step for the GST Council is to clear the fitment of various commodities and services into five slabs. In their letter to the Prime Minister, Dr RA Badwe, Directror, Tata Memorial Center pointed out to him that Tobacco taxation in India was much lower than the level recommended. ''GST is a golden opportunity to correct the historical aberrations in tobacco taxation in India. In the interest of citizens of India, especially future generations, we sincerely urge you to put all tobacco products, including bidis in the category of demerit goods in the proposed GST structure and rates," he saidDr R Venkatraman, Managing Trustee of Tata Trusts underlined that the human and financial losses due to tobacco were staggering. ''The battle against cancer cannot be won unless we curtail tobacco addiction in the society. For the benefit of future generation, we must stop this man-made disaster that is number one preventable cause of non-communicable diseases," he said.Pointing out that tobacco killed every third user prematurely and unfortunately every third Indian adult used some form of tobacco, he said ''Nearly 40 per cent of the cancers in India are attributable to Tobacco usage. High taxation will certainly curb this epidemic.Dr Harit Chatryvedi of Max hospital said, "Considering the political clout of the Bidi lobby, honorable Prime Minister is our only hope. He has already expressed his strong anti-tobacco sentiments in various platforms. I am sure he would take steps to save bidi workers and rollers from centuries of exploitation by the tobacco lobby."The NCG is a large network of 108 cancer centres, research institutes, patient groups, professional societies and charitable organisations from across India and works towards uniform quality of cancer care throughout the length and breadth of India. It is estimated that approximately 600,000 patients with cancer are treated annually in the NCG centres, which amounts to 60 per cent of all patients with cancer in India.UNI NAZ SV RJ 1235 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-864068.Xml
Top 3 Rights to Know If Stopped by ICE

ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is the federal agency tasked with enforcing US immigration laws. This means that individuals who are suspected of violating immigration laws may eventually get stopped by an ICE agent or officer.

ICE often conducts random roadside checkpoints and targeted raids to arrest and deport immigrants who do not have proper documentation. Frequently, ICE will obtain an arrest warrant, just like regular law enforcement, for a single individual or group of individuals. However, when any person is arrested, even by ICE, civil rights don't just vanish.

Below you'll find the three most important rights to keep in mind if you are stopped by an ICE agent or officer.

1. Right to Remain Silent

Although immigration enforcement actions are technically considered civil actions, a person can still assert their right to remain silent. However, if you plan to assert your right to remain silent, know that individuals are still generally required to identify themselves to law enforcement officers, and must verbally state their intention to remain silent.

As the famous Miranda warning advises, anything you say can be used against you. Unforunately, there are no Miranda warnings in immigration arrests, but that doesn't mean the right to remain silent doesn't exist. As such, the only person you should talk to is your own attorney.

2. Right to an Attorney

Like the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney must be verbalized. Once a person asserts their right to an attorney, questioning should stop. Unfortunately, unlike in the criminal justice system, the immigration system does not provide public defenders (unless they're provided by the state or private organizations, like in New York).

The ACLU advises that if a person does not have an attorney, they should request a list of free or low cost local attorneys. Additionally, an immigrant has the right to contact their country's consulate, or to have officers notify their consulate that they have been taken into ICE custody.

3. Right to Due Process

Every person charged with a violation of the law is entitled to due process before being punished or penalized. That means a person facing deportation has the right to an evidentiary hearing in court where they can present evidence. However, when a person is detained by ICE, frequently, agents, or officers, will attempt to get individuals to sign voluntary departure agreements, or stipulated removals. These agreements can prevent a person from challenging a deportation proceeding, and should be avoided until after consulting with an attorney as there could be permanent consequences.

Related Resources:
The Biju Janata Dal has nothing to fear about BJP's resurgence attempts to wrest power in the eastern state, senior BJD leader and Odisha Excise Minister Damodar Rout has said in Bhubaneswar, even as he criticised Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for making "huge expenditures for personal propaganda" in organising a mega BJP event in the state capital."Every penny has to be accounted for. Should I not raise issues of corruption? The kind of money spent for mega BJP show makes everyone of us raise eyebrows. Has he used oil refinery money only to ensure all kinds of propaganda for him more than his part? This was huge expenditure for personal propaganda," Mr Rout told UNI in an interview.On BJP's Mission Odisha vis-a-vis assembly elections in 2019, he said, "the BJD has nothing to fear" from the BJP as the saffron party is at best indulging in "day dreaming"."You cannot stop day dreamers. Our leader Naveen Patnaik remains the best leader in the state with acceptability among all sections of people. Rest all is gimmick, the gimmick at political level and also in the media," he said.Mr Rout maintained that the BJP is getting away with its "limited success" in the Zila Parishad polls -- which BJD hardly had made a prestige battle. "It was a limited battle. They won some but most of their gains are in Congress pockets. The Congress votes have shifted to them and they try to hype it out as if they made outsmarted BJD and our leader".Asked why he is saying BJP's game plan is "like day dreaming", the 75-year-old said, "In 1964 also Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru had harboured such ambitions and an All India Congress Committee (AICC) session was organised in Bhubaneswar. But it did not go far and then opposition non-Congress parties did well in Odisha"."Zila Parishad elections as well as Zila Parishad as institutions hardly have major role to play in development works. But the BJP is only making all the hype about these election victories," he said.More UNI DEVN AE RJ 1206 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0100-864004.Xml
A day after her expulsion from the Congress, former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women Barkha Shukla Singh is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party this afternoon, sources said. Ms Singh, who was expelled from the Congress for six years for ''anti-party'' activities, will meet BJP's national Vice-President and Delhi In-Charge Shyam Jaju this afternoon.She had yesterday termed her expulsion illegal. On Thursday, Ms Singh resigned from all party posts, raising questions over the leadership of Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken. UNI AR AE RJ 1222 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0100-864044.Xml
These comes after their 'nude' and 'saree' protests. However, the police reached on time and dissuaded the farmers to give up the idea of drinking urine.

The farmers have been protesting at Jantar Mantar here since more than a month demanding

a drought relief package of Rs 40,000-crore from the Centre, farm loan waiver and setting up of Cauvery Management Board.

The chief of the National South Indian Rivers Linking Farmers Association P Ayyakkannu, who is heading the protest has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ignoring their thirst despite knowing that they are in urgent need of water and because of that they are compelled to drink urine.

The Tamil Nadu farmers' issue was also raised several times in the recently concluded session of Parliament.UNI DS SHK 1510

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-864292.Xml
Old Students Association, Hindu College today launched a "Alumni portal" and "News letter" containing all the information about the institution, its ex-students and future plans of the college at a glittering get-together of teachers and ex-students here at 15th distinguished alumni awards function.Planning, Urban Development Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Rao Inderjit Singh was the chief guest for the function. On the occasion, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa, who is an alumni of Hindu college, recalled his memories as student of the institution.Ex-Hinduiites who have achieved excellence in their chosen fields were awarded on the occasion by the distinguished guests. On the occasion, Mr Inderjit Singh observed,'' Hindu college's Old Students' association is head and shoulders above other college's associations. On comparison even with schools, we find that Hindu college has an upper hand. The Hindu College association is going from strength to strength and though the alumni association is still in its formative years, it will cover in its ambit more ex-students with a period of time.''Mr Lalit Bhasin, President of OSA opined, "Hindu college has alumni who have achieved laurels in bureaucracy, sports, foreign affairs and politics. Though it was ex-principal Tara Chand Mathur who reinvented OSA , the awards were instituted in 2000 only.''Mr Bhasin was instrumental in organising the "Titan clash" amongst the leading colleges of DU in February , this year.Ms Anju Srivastava , current Principal of Hindu college said, ''We need the OSA all the more than before. OSA is needed to complete the infrastructure projects currently underway in the college. Also, it is because of the support of the OSA that Hindu college is first amongst the science colleges in DU to get A+ grading. OSA will certainly take its alma mater to higher pedestrial,'' she noted.Dr Kavita Sharma, former Principal of the college stated, "Hindu is a pioneering college and emulating it colleges like Miranda House too have started their own OSA. We hope that the college grows leaps and bounds through initiatives like OSA.''On the occasion, distinguished alumni of Hindu college from different walks of life were recognised by way of conferring special awards. Award for "excellence in foreign service" went to Mr Pankaj Saran, Mr K K Sharma was given "Excellence in Police Services" award, Mr Ragavendra Singh was bestowed with "excellence in civil service" award and Ms Veena Jain got the "Excellence in Media" award.Other awardees included Mr Sanjay Singh for "Excellence in Corporate sector", Mr Krishna Verma for "Excellence in National security", Mr Sunil Jain for "excellence in Journalism'' and "Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism" went to Mr Prem Prakash, who did his BA from Hindu college (1948-51) and covered the Indo-China war of 1962 and Indo-Pakistan war of 1965.The two achievers who stood out in the noon of felicitation were Dr Sita who was conferred the award for "excellence in Science and Technology" and Ms Jasleen Kaur decorated with "Young achievers' award in Music.''Dr Sita was awarded for here outstanding work as ISRO scientist and bringing laurels for the country and Ms Jasleen has been associated with top-notch Bollywood personalities producing super duper hits like Shivaay, Love u Zindagi and Phillauri.The participants dispersed with a promise of another round of meet of OSA next year.UNI SY RSA SHK 1904 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-864692.Xml
In his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here today, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar raised the burning issue of the SYL (Satluj Yamuna Link) canal and also the developments of the Hisar airport. "The main agenda for discussion was on SYL. We are waiting for the Supreme Court's direction on this and we want the Central government to help the state government in this matter. The Central Government has ordered the Punjab government to handover the land to the Haryana government to make the SYL there and to start the work soon. I believe that the Prime Minister will help us in this matter," Khattar told the media here after his meeting with the Prime Minister. The Haryana Chief Minister also raised the construction of the Hisar airport and demanded the speeding up of the work. "The second topic we discussed was on Hisar airport. There are some developments but we want things to speed up because there has to be an airport in Haryana as well that will be benefiting the people of Haryana like Delhi and Chandigarh," he added. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Ministers and top party leaders tomorrow as part of his government's focus on good governance and development. Party President Amit Shah will also speak to the leaders, who will include 13 Chief Ministers, five Deputy Chief Ministers and several Union Ministers. Party General Secretary Bhupender Yadav had said the Prime Minister will exhort them to focus on the development agenda with an emphasis on the poor sections of the society. (ANI)
A patrolling party of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles was attacked by the terrorists in the area which triggered a gunbattle between the terrorists and security forces.

Immediately the area was cordoned and an operation was launched to take out the terrorists.

Both the slain militants have been identified as Younis Ganai, a Chadoora resident and Abu Ismail, a Pakistani militant.

Two AK rifles and a pistol have been recovered from them.

So far no reports have emerged of casualties or injuries to security personnel or civilians in the operation. (ANI)
The United Nations Security Council has formally condemned North Korea's latest missile launch, demanding that it "immediately" ceases further actions that violate resolutions. "The members of the Security Council expressed their utmost concern over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's highly destabilising behaviour and flagrant and provocative defiance of the Security Council by conducting this ballistic missile launch in violation of its international obligations," a statement read. It called on the reclusive state to show "sincere commitment to denuclearisation and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond." North Korea has recently escalated its missile and nuclear weapons programs. On Sunday, it attempted to test fire another missile, but it was unsuccessful, according to South Korean and U.S. officials. The attempted launch occurred a day after the regime of Kim Jong Un showed off a bevy of new missiles and launchers at a large-scale military parade on the Day of the Sun, North Korea's most important holiday. The Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations said in a statement that the UN spokesman "must distinguish who is responsible for the current severe situation of the Korean peninsula being aggravated to the brink of war and should behave impartially and with caution." "The root cause of current aggravated situation of the Korean peninsula is none other than the Untied States (sic) which has been staging the ever largest provocative aggressive joint military exercises in South Korea aiming at pre-emptive strike, 'decapitation operation' and 'overthrow of the DPRK system' with all kinds of nuclear strategic weapons," the statement added. It said that it had requested Security Council discussions on U.S.-South Korean military exercises "several times." The United States and South Korea are currently conducting annual, bilateral training exercises, codenamed "Max Thunder." (ANI)
Mattis spoke alongside his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, as part of a tour of the Middle East, and addressed reports that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad still had a significant amount of chemical weapons, the Washington Post reports.

"There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all. There is no longer any doubt," Mattis told reporters.

Mattis did not provide evidence to back up his claim.

On April 7, the U.S. launched dozens of cruise missiles at Shayrat air base in Syria in response to a chemical weapon attack in Idlib province three days earlier that killed nearly 100 people, including 30 children.

U.S. officials said the Syrian aircraft that conducted the attack took off from Shayrat.

"The bottom line is, I can say authoritatively, they have retained some [chemical weapons]. It's a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and it's going to have to be taken up diplomatically," Mattis said. (ANI)
The clashes are being observed as two days of pro-democracy demonstrations spilling into unrest in working-class and poor neighbourhoods, The New York Times reports.

Venezuela's attorney general's office said 11 people had died of electrocution and gunshot wounds "in acts of violence" in El Valle.

The clashes are a challenge to Venezuela's opposition politicians, who have been trying to channel resentment over President Nicolas Maduro's growing power into a peaceful protest movement. (ANI)
France goes to the polls on Sunday with terrorist violence casting a shadow over its Presidential election, after the shooting of a policeman on the Champs lysees. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State, threw open radically opposing visions and discussions among the Presidential candidates. Frontrunner Emmanuel Macron accused his two closest rivals of using the killing of Xavier Jugele, the policeman who died, and the serious wounding of two other police officers to score political points ahead of Sunday's first-round vote, The Guardian reports. Macron said far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen with who he is neck-and-neck in polling for the first-round vote and rightwing candidate Franois Fillon were engaging in one-upmanship in their response to the attack. Independent Centrist Macron said it was vital for people to summon a "spirit of responsibility in what is an extreme period" and come up with a measured response to "a tragic event that has left our country in grief". "We must not give way to panic, nor in any way allow any attempt to manipulate these events," he said at a press conference. "The terrorists want to destabilise the country . at a time when the French are deciding on their future." He promised that if elected he would create a Presidential unit to "work around the clock" to tackle the ISIS. "A vigorous offensive will be taken to fight Islamic radicalisation, especially on the internet," he said. "This is a moral challenge, a challenge for civilisation." He accused Le Pen of lying when she claimed she could have prevented previous attacks, had she been in office. "She won't be able to protect our citizens," Macron said. Le Pen too had earlier taken a characteristically tough stance against Islamic extremism, branding it a "barbaric and monstrous totalitarian ideology" and insisting France immediately take back control of its borders from the European Union. She said France must engage in a "war against terrorism" and accused successive French governments of being too lax towards fundamentalists. She demanded the immediate expulsion of foreigners linked to Islamism and flagged as suspects considered a potential risk to national security. "The Islamist, Salafist ideology has no right to be in France and should be banned. Preachers of hate should be expelled and their mosques closed," she had said. Like Le Pen and Macron, Fillon, the rightwing candidate whose campaign has been hit by allegations he paid his wife, Penelope, public money for parliamentary assistance she did not provide, cancelled planned end-of-campaign meetings on Friday. He said France must show it was united, and not afraid. For years "I have been warning that we are confronting an Islamic totalitarianism, in other words, an ideology that is radical, organised and expansionist," he said. Cazeneuve criticised Le Pen and Fillon's reactions, claiming they were excessive and divisive. Polls have suggested Le Pen and Macron are the most likely candidates to go through to the second-round runoff, but Fillon and the hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon are only two or three points behind. Campaigning for the first round ends at midnight on Friday and polls suggest any two of four leading candidates could go through to the runoff on May 7. French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the government had reviewed its extensive election security measures and was fully mobilised in the wake of the attack. Cazeneuve said more than 50,000 police and gendarmes and 7,000 soldiers would be on duty for Sunday's first-round vote in the two-stage election, and nothing could be allowed to "hamper this democratic moment". (ANI)
Former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have been enjoying an extended post-presidency vacation around the world, but that's about to end. Barack Obama is slated to break his silence in Chicago on Monday, April 24. If you're hoping he will rip into Donald Trump, we've got sad news for you.

From CBS:

The former president's office released a statement on Friday outlining the 44th president's return to his hometown of Chicago, where he is scheduled to engage with leaders in a "conversation on community organizing and civic enagement." "This event is part of President Obama's post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world," the statement said. Community leaders as well as young adults from Chicago-area schools, according to the release, have been invited to attend the event.

He has no plans to criticize President Trump, reports the New York Times.

After spending weeks in French Polynesia  including time on the yacht of the movie mogul David Geffen along with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey  Mr. Obama will return to Chicago on Monday for his first public event as a former president. His self-imposed silence since Inauguration Day will end with a series of events over the next four weeks. A Monday event with students at the University of Chicago will be followed by an awards ceremony in Boston; a series of public remarks as well as private paid speeches in the United States and Europe; and an appearance at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel. And yet, Mr. Obama's supporters, who have been waiting eagerly for the former president to respond to his successor's accusations and policy reversals, are likely to be disappointed. Even as he witnesses President Trump's relentless and chaotic assault on his legacy, Mr. Obama remains stubbornly committed to the idea that there is only one president at a time. Those closest to him say the former president does not intend to confront Mr. Trump directly on immigration, health care, foreign policy or the environment during any of his events.

PHOTO: U.S. President Barack Obama (R) greets President-elect Donald Trump at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as president on the West front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
The US Department of Justice threatened to cut some funding to California as well as eight cities and counties across the United States, escalating a Trump administration crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.President Donald Trump has vowed to strip federal funds from dozens of state and local governments that do not fully cooperate with U.S. immigration agents, arguing they endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation illegal immigrants who are arrested for crimes."Sanctuary cities" in general offer safe harbor to illegal immigrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws.Many of these localities say they do not have the funding or space to hold immigrants until federal agents can take custody of them.Those threatened were: the state of California; New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Clark County, Nevada; New Orleans; Miami-Dade County, Florida; and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Cook County, Illinois, also received a warning, even though it did not get money from the Justice Department last year.The jurisdictions have until June 30 to provide evidence to the federal government that they are not violating any laws.At stake is roughly 29 million dollars in law enforcement aid under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local governments pay for everything from forensics labs to drug courts.The grants in question are among the largest handed out under the program, collectively amounting to 11 percent of the 256 million dollars distributed in the last fiscal year.In a statement, the Justice Department singled out Chicago and New York as two cities that are "crumbling under the weight of illegal immigration and violent crime," even though New York City is experiencing its lowest crime levels in decades and experts say Chicago's recent spike in violent crime has little to do with illegal immigration.Several state and local officials responded with defiance to the threat."New York is the safest big city in the country, with crime at record lows in large part because we have policies in place to encourage cooperation between NYPD and immigrant communities," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.In California, the state Senate approved a bill earlier this month to curb cooperation between police agencies and federal agents seeking to deport illegal immigrants. The measure is now in the state Assembly."It has become abundantly clear that Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions and the Trump administration are basing their law enforcement policies on principles of white supremacy - not American values," California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Len, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday.A spokeswoman for the California Board of State and Community Corrections said some of the federal funding in question went to local communities after emergencies, including San Bernardino after a mass shooting there in 2015.Officials in Philadelphia, Milwaukee County and Cook County said they believed they were complying with immigration laws."Milwaukee County has its challenges but they are not caused by illegal immigration. My far greater concern is the proactive dissemination of misinformation, fear, and intolerance," said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele.The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union, told Trump in a meeting last month that they were concerned the cuts could threaten public safety.REUTERS SV 0934 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0103-863947.Xml
The eggs rolled. The kids squealed in delight. The First Lady read "Party Animals". And the media grudgingly gave passing grade to Donald Trump for pulling off his first White House Easter Egg Roll. The event "unfolded without incident after scheduling and organisational challenges had threatened to scuttle it", conceded the "failing" New York Times. It was only half the size of Obamas' bash, but "despite concerns, all seemed to go off without a hitch", dittoed the Washington Post. Having passed the "eggs-acting" test -- ostensibly without any Russian help -- the President returned to his favourite pastime: signing executive orders, sabre-rattling and media-bashing. He sent an "armada" to warn a belligerent North Korea even as the said aircraft carrier was headed in the opposite direction, and accused Iran of "not living up to the spirit" of their nuclear deal, but was in no hurry tear it up as he had vowed. Trump also issued an order to "Buy American and Hire American" to curb misuse of the coveted H-1B visa programme cornered by Desi techies. But to the relief of the IT industry any reforms would come another day -- "as soon as practicable". "No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot..., media will kill!" the President tweeted as he entered the last leg of the proverbial sprint. "The Fake Media (not Real Media) has gotten even worse since the election," he complained in another tweet. "Every story is badly slanted. We have to hold them to the truth!" Meanwhile, the "dishonest media" of the left liberal ilk continued its favourite sport -- baiting Trump and hunting Russian bears. A Russian government think tank controlled by Vladimir Putin had developed a plan to swing the 2016 election to Trump, suggested a Reuters report citing as always unnamed sources. Their "strategy" was to create a buzz for the then underdog Trump through state-backed media outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik news agency -- little known in the US -- to influence American voters! The Post citing its own anonymous sources reported that the FBI had obtained a secret court order last summer to spy on Carter Page, a Trump associate. The investigative agency used an infamous "dossier" -- dismissed as "garbage" -- prepared by a former British agent for a Trump opponent to win court approval for the tap, reported CNN citing more unidentified sources. FBI had also uncovered intelligence suggesting Russian operatives tried to use Trump advisers, including Page, to infiltrate the Trump campaign, claimed the channel dubbed "Clinton News Network" by Trump. And it turns out even the "Calexit" campaign seeking California's secession from the US that gained some momentum after Hillary Clinton's stunning defeat, had a Russia connection. Suddenly calling off the "Yes California Independence Campaign," its leader Louis Marinelli announced that he intends to "make Russia my new home". He had moved to Russia because of a dispute with the US government over his wife's immigration status amid an "anti-Russian hysteria", Marinelli wrote in a farewell note. The Times, often the butt of Trump's twitter tirade, also needled the Donald with two pictures comparing the crowd at a White House event honouring SuperBowl Champion New England Patriots with the one under Obama's watch. Trump hit back with a swift counter-punch tweeting: "Failing @nytimes, which has been calling me wrong for two years, just got caught in a big lie concerning New England Patriots visit to W.H." Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a local pot group wearing red and green hats celebrated Happy 4/20 or April 20th, the high holy day of marijuana smokers, by giving out 1,000 free joints to lawmakers, their staffers and journalists. Pot is legal in eight states and the American capital. But one can't smoke it in public in Washington. The show of "mass civil disobedience" in the capital was to demand access to pot across all 50 states. A teetotaller commander-in-chief and his chief law officer Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who once said "good people don't smoke marijuana", however, are ready to snuff out their "pipedream". But with all the shenanigans going on the American capital, who needs pot! (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) --IANS ak/sac ( 715 Words) 2017-04-22-14:26:08 (IANS)
In a brief order on Friday, the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the judges voted to reject a request by Hawaii to skip the standard first step of review by a three-judge panel and move directly to an "en banc" (in bench) panel, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The order did not provide any details about the judges' vote or reasoning.

Normally an appeal is first heard by a three-judge panel.

That panel's decision can then be appealed before an 11-judge en banc panel or to the US Supreme Court.

The 9th Circuit will hear the Trump administration's appeal of a Hawaii federal judge's national injunction against the travel ban during a May 15 hearing in Seattle, reports The Los Angeles Times.

The US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is reviewing a more limited injunction against Trump's executive order, decided without being asked to go directly to en banc review.

The Virginia-based court has scheduled a hearing for May 8.

Trump issued his first travel ban executive order for seven Muslim majority countries (Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia) on January 27, just a week after he was sworn in.

On March 6, Trump issued the revised directive, revoking the old one and striking Iraq from the list of countries affected by the visa ban.

--IANS ksk

( 266 Words)

2017-04-22-14:28:08 (IANS)
"Outraged Muslims to lead march to @amazon's HQ after security guards demanded time & space to pray 5x a day while on the job," tweeted Fox News.

According to media reports, the Service Employees International Union and three Muslim guards who work for Security Industry Specialists, the security contractor Amazon uses to guard its facility, accuse SIS, and by implication Amazon, of refusing to allow the guards space to pray five times daily.

The rally, however, won't be the first time SEIU and former SIS guards who are Muslim have knocked at Amazon's door.

The South Seattle Emerald reported in February "hundreds of devout Muslims, clergy, labor unionists" and even some Amazon workers took part in a prayer rally to demonstrate against SIS policy regarding prayer rooms.

Earlier, Amazon had declared support in January for a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's order to put a temporary halt to immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. (ANI)
Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden's mentor and successor Ayman al-Zawahiri as well as the slain terrorist's eleventh son Hamza is being protected by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and their most likely location of hiding is in Karachi. According to a report by the New York based Newsweek, the Egyptian-born Zawahiri remains a key player in an attack threat to U.S. that retired Marine Corps General John Kelly, the U.S. homeland security secretary, says is "worse today than what we experienced 16 years ago on 9/11." The White House signaled a new, tougher approach to eliminating al-Zawahiri and his militant allies in early April with the appointment of Lisa Curtis, a well-known former CIA analyst, congressional staffer and foreign policy hawk in Washington, D.C's think-tank circuit, to head the South Asia desk for the National Security Council. The ISI has been protecting Zawahiri, a trained surgeon, since U.S. forces evicted Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan in late 2001, the Newsweek cited several authoritative sources as saying. According to Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran who was the top adviser on South Asia and the Middle East for the past four U.S. presidents Karachi would be a logical place to hide out, where he would feel pretty comfortable that the Americans can't come and get him. Riedel says that Karachi would be a "very hard" place for the U.S. to conduct the kind of commando raid that got bin Laden on May 2, 2011 as the city is heavily policed, is site of a major nuclear complex, also hosts Pakistani naval and air bases, where forces could quickly be scrambled to intercept American raiders. He adds that bin Laden remains a popular figure among Karachi's millions of poor, devout Muslims, who could well emerge from their homes and shops to pin down the Americans. According to the report, in the first week of January 2016, the Obama administration went after Zawahiri with a drone strike in Pakistan's remote Shawal Valley, which abuts the Afghan border in a Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) but he survived. According to the Newsweek, a former top Pakistani official who maintains close ties with the Islamabad government would confirm only that al-Zawahiri is "in a large Pakistani city." adding that he was "100 percent" sure that bin Laden's 26-year-old son, Hamza, a rising power in Al-Qaeda, is also in the country under ISI protection. (ANI)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 01:53:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time at the White House on Friday, said a UN spokesperson.

The UN chief had an "interesting and constructive conversation on cooperation between the United States and the United Nations," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing.

"The secretary-general and the president agreed to meet again in the near future," said Dujarric.

Guterres, who took up the reins of the United Nations in January, also met with U.S. National Security Advisor, General H.R. McMaster.

Guterres traveled to Washington on Thursday to attend the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

On Friday morning, after the meetings at the White House, Guterres participated in a panel discussion entitled "Financing for Peace: Innovations to Tackle Fragility."

He said the best and the most necessary investment is the investment in prevention and in addressing the problems of fragility before it turns into conflict.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 01:58:36|Editor: Xiang Bo

Queen Elizabeth II attends an event to watch the horse racing at Newbury race course in Newbury, Britain, on April 21, 2017. Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 91st birthday on Friday. (Xinhua)

LONDON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The 91st birthday of Britain's monarch Queen Elizabeth II was marked with a series of gun salutes across the country on Friday.

First World War artillery pieces manned by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, fired a 41-gun salute in London's Hyde Park at midday, which lies next door to the Queen's official residence at Buckingham Palace.

The 41 rounds fired in the Park are the standard 21-gun salute plus 20 rounds because it is a royal park.

A 62-gun salute was fired at the Tower of London at 1 p.m. by the Honourable Artillery Company, using modern artillery pieces.

The 62 rounds fired at the Tower are made up of 21 for a royal salute, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a royal palace and fortress, plus another 21 because it is located in the City of London.

A further two 21-gun salutes were also fired at Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle in Scotland.

The press office for the Queen also announced Friday that the upcoming state visit to the country by the Spanish King Felipe VI, scheduled for June 6-8, had been postponed by the two monarchs as Britain will be holding a general election on June 8.

The state visit will now take place from July 12 to 14.
African immigrants, whose boat sank off the Libyan coast, gather upon their rescue in Tripoli, capital of Libya, on April 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)

UNITED NATIONS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday that more than 150 children have died crossing the Central Mediterranean from North Africa to Italy this year.

According to UNICEF estimates, at least 849 people, including more than 150 children, died at sea while trying to reach European shores using the Central Mediterranean route since January.

"However, the agency stressed that this number is almost certainly higher since many children are unaccompanied and their deaths go unreported," Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing.

Since the start of the year, nearly 37,000 refugees and migrants, 13 percent of whom are children, have reached Italy by sea via the Central Mediterranean, an increase of 42 percent when compared to the same time period in 2016, said Dujarric, citing UNICEF statistics.

"This is further evidence that when safe and legal pathways to migration are cut off, desperate children and families will do whatever they can to flee conflict, poverty and depravation," UNICEF Regional Director and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe, Afshan Khan, was quoted as saying.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 03:54:25|Editor: An

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The Celestyal Olympia docks at Piraeus, Greece, on April 21, 2017. The first cruise ship carrying a group of Chinese tourists to the Aegean Sea islands set sail from Greece's Piraeus port Friday after a celebratory event. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

ATHENS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The first cruise ship carrying a group of Chinese tourists to the Aegean Sea islands set sail from Greece's Piraeus port Friday after a celebratory event.

It is the first time ever a group of more than 200 Chinese passengers boarded a Celestyal Cruises ship at Piraeus, Greece's largest port, for a four-day cruise in the Aegean Sea.

The ship will dock at Mykonos, Kusadasi, Samos island, Patmos, Herakleion port city on Crete island and Santorini before returning to Piraeus next week.

"I am very excited to hear that we become the first group to come to this port. I think I will enjoy this trip; And of course I think when I come back I will introduce it to my friends," Chinese tourist Xiao Yu who is about to board the ship told Xinhua.

Chinese shipping giant China COSCO Shipping, which took over the management of Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) last year, aims to bring more Chinese tourists to Piraeus and the Greek islands in coming years, PPA CEO Fu Chengqiu said while addressing the celebratory event.

"We want to become a bridge linking Chinese tourists to Greece, and welcome more and more Chinese visitors who will enjoy cruise vacations here in Greece with quality service," Fu said.

Fu said they would like to work together with the Greek government and partners to embrace more tourists from China and other countries worldwide in a bid to triple the overall one million tourists Piraeus port currently handles per year to 3 million in the long term.

As cruise vacations have become extremely popular in China in recent years. In order to facilitate the journey from China to Greece, a deal with China Eastern Airlines is due to be finalized shortly to start bringing Chinese tourists to Greece on chartered flights, Fu revealed.

The ambitious goal to attract more Chinese travelers to Piraeus is shared by the Greek side as well as major cruise industry players like Celestyal Cruises.

Celestyal uses Piraeus for home porting in cruise itineraries, and in the past five years more than 650,000 passengers have boarded its cruise ships at the Greek port. This year, the company expects at least 2,000 Chinese tourists on its Aegean Sea cruises.

"Our company's target is to carry on our ships at least 50,000 Chinese travelers by 2021," Celestyal Cruises President Kyriakos Anastassiadis told Xinhua.

"The Chinese market is the largest market for the cruise industry worldwide. It is rapidly developing and we believe that Greece has to offer a remarkable tourist product to Chinese nationals, and also an ideal service which meets their demands," added Anastassiadis.
Photo taken on April 21, 2017 shows the site of a traffic accident on the R25 between Verena and Bronkhorstpruit in the north of Gauteng, South Africa.(Xinhua/Kalden Ongmu)

JOHANNESBURG, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The South African Gauteng Education Department said Friday that at least 20 school pupils died in a traffic accident in the north of the province.

The department's spokesperson Steve Mabona said the minibus taxi carrying school children collided head-on with a truck on the R25 between Verena and Bronkhorstpruit.

The taxi then burst into flames and ended up lying on its side.

Photo taken on April 21, 2017 shows the site of a traffic accident on the R25 between Verena and Bronkhorstpruit in the north of Gauteng, South Africa. (Xinhua/Kalden Ongmu)

"There are about 30 people involved in this accident but we can confirm that about 20 of the learners passed away on the scene. Emergency services are there to assist those who might have survived," said Mabona.

Spokesman for the ER24 emergency medical service, Russel Meiring, said, "The fire services had already extinguished the burning vehicle, which was found lying on its side."

"Unfortunately, nothing could be done for the children and they were declared dead on the scene," Meiring said.

The cause of the collision is not yet known.
ABC News(PARIS) -- An American who was near the Champs Elysees when a gunman opened fire on police in Paris described the scene as "mayhem" and "mass panic."



It was a beautiful night in Paris when Kentucky resident John Finney, his wife Angela and their three sons were walking on the Avenue des Champs Elysees after dinner and a day of sightseeing in one of the City of Light's most iconic destinations.



"This is the most expensive, most beautiful street in the world," Finney said he told his family. "Weve got to see it at nighttime."



Then, Finney stopped to buy his wife a red rose from a street merchant near the Dior store -- a decision that could have saved the lives of him and his family.



"Thank goodness I did," Finney told ABC News. "Had I not stopped to get that rose for her, we would have been right on top of the shooter."



Finney then saw the gunman, dressed in all black, before he began to spray bullets at Parisian police.



"That's when panic set in," he said. "We were very terrified, obviously."



Angela Finney then yelled for everyone to run, Finney said. The couple's sons ran up the street, with their mother following behind them and Finney behind her, attempting to "block and shield them from any shots that were going."



Along with the Finney family, hundreds of other people were trying to escape the deadly scene.



"I mean, it was mass panic ... mayhem," Finney said. "People were falling down. People were stepping on people."



Finney said the family knew "right away" that they were in the middle of a "terrorist event" and described the shooter as having a "blank, dead look" on his face.



"He starts shooting. We're running. He continues to shoot, and we don't know where the bullets were at," Finney said, adding that the shots lasted for less than 40 seconds.



The father said the family was "absolutely" afraid for their lives.



"We were in the kill zone," he said. "We were definitely afraid."



As the family ran to safety, the manager of the watch store Swatch waved them into the building. After about 10 additional people ran in, the manger closed the metal gate. The group then waited in the basement of the store for two and a half hours.



The store employees "took care" of them, Finney said, providing them with food and coffee.



The family will not be shortening their trip, Finney said, adding that they will remain in Paris until Sunday, when they head for London.



Finney expressed a "love" for France and advised that other Americans not be deterred from coming there.



"To any other Americans who want to visit here, this is the country to come to," he said. "The French people are resilient. They're heroes. This is a beautiful country. They're beautiful people."

One policeman was killed and two others were injured in Thursday night's attack, which ISIS claimed responsibility for.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Former reality television star Donald J. Trump promised late on Friday to reveal plans for a "massive" tax cut for Americans next week. "Tax reform is way too complicated," he added. Seriously.

We are to expect a "big announcement on Wednesday," the President explained. As is Trump's style, he gave no details about the surprise new tax cut that would require, by definition, mind-bogglingly complex details. Oh well.

As Trump's bizarre presidency nears the 100 days in office milestone, he still has not released his own personal tax returns, or any details on his own vast family business of global holdings and shell companies. That lack of transparency means nobody knows if any of his tax plan is self-dealing. With Trump, it's best to assume that everything is self-dealing, unless proven otherwise.

From the New York Times:

Mr. Trump offered his tax tease in an interview and again during remarks at the Treasury Department on Friday afternoon as he raced to stack up legislative accomplishments before his 100th day in office at the end of next week. His announcement surprised Capitol Hill and left Mr. Trump's own Treasury officials speechless as he arrived at the Treasury offices to sign directives to roll back Obama-era tax rules and financial regulations. Earlier in the day, when reporters asked Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, how far away a tax overhaul proposal was, he said he could not give an answer. "Tax reform is way too complicated," he said. Mr. Trump told The Associated Press in the interview that his tax reductions would be "bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever." But he faces an enormous fight among clashing vested interests as Congress tries to rewrite the tax code. Starting that fight next week is further complicated by Mr. Trump's hopes to revive the Republican health care plan that collapsed last month. And it would mean trying a tax overhaul as his White House faces the prospect of a government shutdown if lawmakers cannot agree on a funding bill by April 28.

PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump looks on prior to signing financial services executive orders at the Treasury Department in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
A picture exhibition opens Friday in the National Library of Morocco in the capital Rabat to showcase cultures of China and Morocco. (Xinhua)

RABAT, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A picture exhibition opened Friday in the National Library of Morocco in the capital Rabat to showcase cultures of China and Morocco.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Andre Azoulay, adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Mohamed Laaraj, the Minister of Culture and Communication and Sun Shuzhong, Chinese ambassador to Morocco.

Held under the theme "Beautiful China, Beautiful Morocco" until April 28, the exhibition invites audience to taste various facets of the beauty of the two countries through hundreds of pictures depicting nature, monuments, people and traditions.

Speaking at the event, the Moroccan minister said that this exhibition is a part of the long-standing cultural exchange between the two countries, adding that this exchange has witnessed a significant increase in the last few years.

He stressed that the various bilateral agreements signed recently have created more opportunities for further promoting mutual understanding.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 07:45:37|Editor: Xiang Bo

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By Burak Akinci

ANKARA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- After the crucial referendum and the slim majority for presidential system, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing some important challenges ranging from foreign policy, the Kurdish issue to the struggling economy.

The president, now holding extensive powers, has to prove that he is capable of bringing stability to his country as he promised, according to local experts.

The Turks voted "yes" on April 16 to proposed changes, which is a transition from a parliamentary model of government to a presidential system, with a limited set of checks and balances among the governing authorities. The referendum paved the way for an Erdogan era that could last until 2029.

It was staunchly promoted by Erdogan but many in Turkey and Europe believe that the change in system grants the president too much power.

The opposition rejected the outcome of the vote accusing the high electoral board (YSK) of irregularities. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said Wednesday it was considering taking its appeal for the referendum to be annulled to Turkey's constitutional court or the European court of human rights after the YSK rejected all the challenges.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag rejected such a move saying that the European court "has no other option than to reject it." He also reiterated government criticism of a report by European election observers, who said the vote, carried out under emergency rule, took place in an "unlevel playing field."

"This criticism of European institutions is in fact a continuation of the anti-European rhetoric that we saw being used by the president and the government during the referendum campaign," said Sinan Ulgen, president of the Istanbul thinktank Edam.

According to this former Turkish diplomat, Erdogan will try to seek a new era in relation with the European Union who took a serious blow after the failed coup of last July and Erdogan's repeated announcements that he supported the reinstatement of the death penalty.

"I believe that Erdogan will be heading towards a new partnership with Europe by abandoning the political association in favor of economic and trade ties, making it a purely business type relationship," he said.

EU-Turkey accession negotiations actually stalled because of some opposition to a full membership of the Muslim and NATO ally, an argument that Erdogan extensively used during the campaign to rally the nationalistic vote, labeling the West in general, as enemies of Turkey.

"Relations with the EU are a traditional and strategic pillar of the Turkish foreign policy and the EU is our main trade partner. There are serious challenges ahead," added Sinan Ulgen.

One other challenge is the Kurdish issue. Experts are asking questions on Erdogan's next objectives and what specific issues will he choose to promote.

While serving as Prime Minister, in unprecedented fashion, Erdogan chose to promote the peace process with the Kurds. However, he abandoned the peace process when he perceived the regional strengthening of the Kurds threatening Turkey's domestic arena.

Since 2016, the cooperation between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement party (MHP) has not been as fruitful as expected, in the sense that it did not achieve broader support in the "yes" camp for the referendum.

With the referendum over, it appears that the importance of this alliance has diminished and therefore, its unraveling could play a part in a possible resumption of the peace process.

"Altogether 13 of our MP's including our chiefs are actually in prison for links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), how can we think that there are better times ahead," said Fatma Kurtulan, vice president of the main pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), hoping that "pression and intimidations" against Kurdish politicians cease immediately.

"Maybe we can discuss again ways to relaunch a peace process but this is all in the hands of a single man now," argued Kurtulan who clearly underlined her pessimism of any return to a peace process.

The process which was into effect for several years was brutally severed in 2015 after a series of attacks blamed by Turkish authorities to the PKK and affiliated organizations.

Moreover, dozens of mayors and politicians with the Kurdish population of the southeast provinces have been jailed in a vast crackdown following the coup of the same year.

"The Kurdish issue is always high on our agenda, the PKK has been rendered ineffective by security operations since last year. Now that the referendum process is over, the reconstruction of (Kurdish) towns will be speeded up," said an official from the AKP, preferring to remain anonymous.

Some of the main constitutional changes will go into effect in 2019, when the parliament will lose important powers and the office of prime minister will be scrapped. Under the new system, the president will be able to rule by decree, control the budget, appoint ministers and judges and rejoin his political party, the governing AKP.

In recent days, protests have erupted in big cities such as Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, the economic heartland of Turkey, amid allegations of widespread fraud.

According to experts, the AKP still enjoys a strong support base but opposition parties see an opportunity to chip away at Erdogan's legitimacy by inciting their supporters to take the streets to protest.

The narrow victory could possibly lead to snap elections, because Erdogan would not want to wait until 2019 to extend all of his political mandate, even though he and his Prime Minister Binali Yildirm have rule out such an event.

Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish research program at the Washington Institute told on his website that elections were now a sure thing in Turkey.

"His wings are clipped with such a thin majority, allegations of fraud, and vote fixing that I'm sure he will go towards early elections," Cagaptay said.

Another major challenge for Ankara lies in the Syrian crisis.

In Syria, Turkey is stuck between the U.S. and Russia. It failed to form a string alliance with the new U.S. administration and convince Donald Trump to support Turkey's interest in the region. Both Moscow and Washington are supporting PKK-affiliated Kurdish groups there in the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

Erdogan is scheduled to have a first tete-a-tete with the U.S. president from May 16 to 17 in Washington ahead of a NATO summit, and to convince Trump's administration for a strategy in Syria more in line with Ankara's interests.

Trump was the first main western country leader to congratulate Erdogan for his referendum victory, his eleventh straight one in the polls since 2002, first as prime minister and now as president.

"We have been deceived by the Obama administration in Syria, let's hope this doesn't repeat with the new administration," Erdogan told during a televised interview on Tuesday evening.

Ankara is also pressing for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living for more than 17 years in the U.S. who is accused by Turkey of engineering the failed coup.

On the economy front a great deal has put into hold these last month because of the political campaign and analysts think it's high time to return to business.

The rating agency Fitch said the victory for Erdogan could spur the government to move ahead with growth-boosting fiscal policies and undertake structural reforms.

Fitch noted that the AKP's economic reform program could not be fully implemented in recent years because of the fluid political backdrop and structural weaknesses.

Immediately after the victory, ministers called for determination to go ahead with much needed structural reforms.

"The economy will be the top agenda for Turkey's political scene. We will discuss fresh measures to maintain economic growth in 2017 and 2018," said Finance Minister Naci Agbal on Tuesday.

Figures after the referendum show nevertheless that Turkey's economic woes are there. The unemployment rate hit a seven-year high of 13 percent in the first quarter of 2017, while the budget deficit jumped to 5.3 billion U.S. dollars in March.

In order to consolidate his country's presence in its region and to secure new partnerships, the dominant Turkish president has planned trips in April and May to two important economic powers, India and China.

But the first thing awaiting Erdogan is to return at the helm of the AKP that he founded in 2002 and presided until his election as president 2014. He will organize a party conference where he will officially resume his role as chairman. A cabinet reshuffle is expected later.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 10:01:43|Editor: Mengjie

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MINSK, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Belarus intends to become one of the key hubs of the new Silk Road in the Eurasian region, President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday during his annual state of the nation address.

Belarus can not stay away from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and wants to make the maximum use of the incentives offered by China to promote the revival of the ancient Silk Road trade routes, the Belarusian leader said.

Lukashenko noted a distinctive feature of this initiative is that China is investing colossal funds in the development of the countries along the Belt and Road.

The Chinese people have "made the right decision" based on the current situation, the president said, adding that the initiative would pave the way to new markets and boost development in many countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 10:26:46|Editor: Lu Hui

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MUMBAI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The sky and ocean of Asia are big enough for the dragon and elephant (China and India) to dance together, which will bring a true Asian Age, a senior Chinese diplomat said.

Delivering a speech titled "'Belt and Road': Sharing Opportunities" Friday, Liu Jinsong, deputy chief of mission of the Chinese Embassy in India, said India is a country with distinctive character and China always respects India's independent diplomatic choices.

"China is willing to discuss all problems and possibilities with India on the basis of mutual benefits, " Liu told a seminar organized by India's Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Mumbai on the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Belt and Road Initiative will benefit South Asian countries, including India, in the long run," he said.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road were proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

Liu said the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were aimed at promoting economic cooperation and connectivity.

"The CPEC is open, transparent, market-driven and international, in compliance with economic logic and legal procedures," he noted.

In an opening speech at the seminar, a renowned Indian scholar urged India to participate in the Belt and Roat Initiative for the interest of India and its neighboring countries.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, chairman of ORF Mumbai, said the Belt and Road Initiative provided an opportunity for win-win cooperation between India and China, which is both trust-promoting and development-promoting.

"We are firmly of the view that India should participate in the Belt and Road Initiative for our own benefit and for the benefit of our neighbors," Kulkarni said.

"Isolation does not help India, " he added.

He also urged India to "welcome and support" the CPEC as "it has the potential to contribute hugely to Pakistan's development and prosperity."

The ORF, a leading non-profit and independent public policy think tank, conducts research and advocacy in a wide range of domestic and international issues.

India's former national security advisor and former foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon, Consul-General of China in Mumbai Zheng Xiyuan, scholars, business and media representatives from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myarmar and Sri Lanka attended the seminar.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 10:51:51|Editor: Xiang Bo

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HAVANA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Cuba and Morocco signed an agreement Friday to reestablish diplomatic ties after a gap of 37 years, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Guided by the mutual will to develop friendly relations, the two governments agreed to reestablish ties as well as political, economic and cultural cooperation," said the agreement, signed by the two countries' envoys to the United Nations in New York.

Relations will be restored with ambassadors being exchanged. Morocco's King Mohamed VI has already ordered the opening of an embassy in Havana, one of the few Latin American capitals where Rabat was not represented to date.

Morocco cut ties with Havana in 1980 after Cuba recognized Western Sahara as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco claims the territory as its own.

King Mohamed VI traveled to Cuba earlier this month for a private family visit, but it is widely believed that he maintained diplomatic contacts with the Cuban government during his stay there.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 11:06:52|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, could play a role in promoting the wider use of Special Drawing Rights (SDR), said Yi Gang, deputy governor of the PBOC, on Friday.

The use of SDR as a unit of account, financial instruments and official reserves has shown progress since the Chinese currency, the Renminbi, joined the SDR basket last year, said Yi at a forum during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings.

According to the deputy governor, China has started reporting foreign reserves and international balance of payment data in SDR; and the World Bank and Standard Chartered have successfully issued SDR bonds in China.

However, Yi pointed out that the infrastructure for the SDR market needs improvement because the market still lacks liquidity, and the costs for hedging and settlements remain high.

In order to promote SDR market liquidity, Yi suggested that market institutions could increase the use of SDR as an accounting unit, which could encourage their participation in the SDR market and inject more liquidity into the market.

Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor for Allianz, at the same forum also suggested that multilateral banks, sovereign wealth funds and multinational companies could be potential players in the SDR market.

In terms of official SDR reserves, Yi said that the IMF has played an important role in SDR allocation, while other central banks of countries that issue the reserve currency could also play a role in facilitating other SDR reserve holders to convert their SDR assets into other reserve currency assets. In this regard, China's central bank could also play a role, said Yi.

The SDR is an international reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries' official reserves. It can be exchanged among governments for freely usable currencies in times of need.

Last year, the IMF decided to include the RMB in the SDR basket as a fifth currency. It's the first time for the IMF to include a currency from an emerging market economy in its SDR basket.

It is an acknowledgement of the progress China has made to get integrated into a global financial system dominated for decades by advanced economies, marking a historic milestone for China, the IMF and the international monetary system.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 11:31:55|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the Sea of Japan by the end of this month.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Pakistani security officials inspect weapons at the ceremony in Quetta, southwest Pakistan, on April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Irfan)

ISLAMABAD, April 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 434 militants have laid down arms in Quetta, the capital city of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Friday, local media reported.

The Geo TV said that a ceremony was held in Balochistan assembly to mark the inclusion of the militants in the national mainstream.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, senior army officers, provincial ministers and other government officials attended the ceremony.

The militants belonged to different groups including Baloch Republican Army, Baloch Liberation Army, and different districts of the province.

Addressing the ceremony, Zehri said that the provincial government will provide all possible support to those laying down arms.

"It is our national and moral obligation," he said.

He said that extremist elements used innocent people of the province to kill other innocent people.

Balochistan government spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar said that so far over 1,500 militants have surrendered.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 12:37:04|Editor: ZD

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MANAGUA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of deportations of Nicaraguans from the United States has dropped significantly so far in 2017, compared to deportations registered last year, the Nicaraguan government announced Friday in a report.

The report said that 56 Nicaraguan citizens were deported from the United States on Wednesday for being in an illegal migratory situation.

The total number of Nicaraguans officially deported in 2017 so far amounts to 182, with a total of six flights. The first batch arrived on Jan. 11 with 10 Nicaraguans on board, shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump took office, according to the report.

However, it represents a significant drop from the levels of deportation under former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, which deported 771 Nicaraguans in 2015 and 543 in 2016.

From January to April in 2016, the Obama administration had deported 217 Nicaraguans, marking a 21 percent drop year-on-year.

Statistics from Managua show that U.S. deportation flights arrive every three weeks on average.

Since 2007, over 20,000 Nicaraguans have been deported from various countries, mostly from the United States, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 13:27:23|Editor: Lu Hui

Duan Cunrui (R) talks with a customer at his book store in Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 21, 2017. The 60-year-old Duan Cunrui runs a book store in Hohhot. Duan, a fan of traditional Chinese medicine document and classical fictions, considers reading as a necessity in his life. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
All over the world, people who believe in science, facts, and reality are marching for action on climate change, against a backdrop of overt (Trump) and insidious (Trudeau) climate-change denial, which puts the future of our species and its habitat in grave peril.



As I write this at 6AM on the west coast, they're already marching in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Europe. Soon, they will be in the streets in America.

It's a key moment. The urgent questions of our day  economic justice, gender inequality, racial injustice, discrimination on the basis of sexuality  are all in play. A planet that is flooding and boiling is a planet where authoritarian strongmen can push aside these questions, barking "lifeboat rules!" and insisting that in a crisis, obedience must be swift and total, and that the captain of the lifeboat gets to decide what is and isn't a pressing concern.

Get out there.

Here's a directory of 600 global marches. Here's an excellent 3-minute video on protecting your data-privacy at protests.



More than 600 marches, largely concentrated in the US, Europe, South America and Australia, began amid warnings from organisers that science is "under attack" from the Trump administration. Placards demanded "science not silence", declared "there is no plan b", and offered support from "florists for research-based legislation", showing the crowd was not restricted to those in scientific community. Chants asked what people wanted? "Science", the marches bellowed. When? "Following peer review." Wellington in New Zealand, was one of the first marches to start, with protesters gathering on the waterfront and waving signs calling for action. Similar crowds gathered in Auckland.







March for Science

Global 'March for Science' protests call for action on climate change

[Helen Davidson and Oliver Milman/The Guardian]
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 13:22:12|Editor: An

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his Tajik counterpart Sirojidin Aslov in Astana, Kazakhstan, on April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Sadat)

ASTANA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China wishes to promote bilateral cooperation in key areas such as connectivity and agriculture on the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Tajikistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

Wang made the remarks while meeting his Tajik counterpart, Sirodjidin Aslov, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

China and Tajikistan are good friends, good neighbors and good partners, and the leaders of the two countries have established deep mutual trust and friendship, said Wang.

The two countries are holding a series of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and China is ready to ride the momentum to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and in key areas such as connectivity and agriculture, the Chinese foreign minister said.

For his part, Aslov said the two countries have maintained brotherly friendship and the Tajikistan-China Strategic Partnership entails tangible results in many areas rather than being an empty concept.

Tajikistan was among the first countries to voice support for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and is also a reliable partner for China in its fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, Aslov said.

He added that the Tajik side is willing to increase connectivity with China and deepen pragmatic cooperation in transportation, agriculture and trade, and boost cultural exchanges.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 13:32:15|Editor: Xiang Bo

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NEW DELHI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned a deadly Taliban attack in Afghanistan.

The attack in Mazar-i-Sharif of Afghanistan killed dozens of Afghan soldiers at an army base.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," the Indian prime minister said.

Reports said Taliban attackers disguised as military personnel breached security at the military base in northern Afghanistan, killing dozens on Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 14:02:20|Editor: An

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldayev in Astana, Kazakhstan, on April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Sadat)

ASTANA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work together with Kyrgyzstan to achieve common prosperity by building the Silk Road Economic Belt, as agreed by the leaders of both sides, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

Wang made the remarks while meeting his Kyrgyz counterpart, Erlan Abdyldayev, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties 25 years ago, the two countries have witnessed the stable and healthy development of their bilateral relations, said Wang.

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev's successful visit to China earlier this year has further consolidated the friendship and trust between the leaders of the two countries, and during the visit they have also mapped out the future development of bilateral ties, said Wang.

Kyrgyzstan is an important partner in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and China is willing to work with the Kyrgyz side in this regard so as to bring about development for both countries, said Wang.

For his part, Abdyldayev said Kyrgyzstan cherishes its relations with China and the country firmly supports China's efforts to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The country is also willing to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Kyrgyzstan, he added.

The Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan was hit by a suicide attacker in August, with the lone assailant killed and five others injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 14:07:22|Editor: Song Lifang

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URUMQI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A snow leopard was rescued and released back into the wild by a herdsman and police in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region last week.

The herdsman, Aldalbek, told the police when he found a leopard crouching beside his sheepfold in Qinghe County on the morning of April 15.

Police confirmed it was an adult snow leopard with no obvious injuries. As it was too weak to move, the police transported the leopard to the county forest police station.

Li Jiang, head of the police station, said that it drank a little water and ate some meat and offal in the afternoon. The leopard regained its vitality the next day.

The police invited a veterinarian to check the health of the leopard on Monday. The vet said it was in good health and could be released, so on Tuesday it was set free.

Snow leopards are a Class A protected animal in China and are classified as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They live in the Himalayas of central and south Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters. They have been spotted in China's Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan and Xinjiang.

The animal has rarely been seen in the wild this century due to loss of habitat and poaching. According to official statistics released in 2015,there were an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild, in addition to around 650 in captivity worldwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 14:12:23|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rain will hit parts of southern China over the next few days, said the country's national observatory Saturday.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast medium to heavy rain in parts of Yunnan and Taiwan, with parts of Yunnan expecting rainstorms from Saturday to Sunday.

In most parts of the country, there will be no rain over the weekend, while the southern regions should brace for heavy rain again from Monday to Wednesday, said the NMC.

The center warned local authorities and residents to take precautions against flooding and geological disasters.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 14:12:24|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said here on Saturday that an aircraft carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson was steaming toward the Sea of Japan.

"Our expectation is that they will be in the Sea of Japan in position in a matter of days, before the end of this month," he told a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

USS Carl Vinson has continued to steam toward the Korean Peninsula, after confusion from the Trump administration earlier this week as to the location of the aircraft carrier.

Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. Navy confirmed reports of a pilot ejecting from his F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while making an attempt to land on the aircraft carrier, which was at that time located in the Celebes Sea, just south of the Philippines.

Pence met with Turnbull and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop early in the day for talks, in which he told Turnbull "the (U.S.) President wanted me to be here early in this administration to reaffirm the strong and historic alliance between the United States of America and Australia."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 14:52:31|Editor: Zhou Xin

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SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, as U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson steamed toward the Korean Peninsula.

"The (U.S.) president wanted me to be here early in this administration to reaffirm the strong and historic alliance between the United States of America and Australia," Pence told Turnbull.

Pence thanked Turnbull for his support on the highly contentious situation on the Korean Peninsula.

"While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China" to bring pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Pence said.

Meanwhile, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group has continued to steam toward the Korean Peninsula, after confusion from the Trump administration earlier this week as to the location of the aircraft carrier.

Earlier Saturday, the U.S. Navy confirmed reports of a pilot ejecting from his F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while making an attempt to land on the aircraft carrier, which was at that time located in the Celebes Sea, just south of the Philippines.

With the accident occurring some 3,800 km from Pyongyang, U.S. Navy officials said that Carl Vinson should be arriving in the Korean Peninsula some time next week.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 15:17:35|Editor: xuxin

An injured man receives treatment at a hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif, province of Balkh, Afghanistan, on April, 22. 2017. At least 135 Afghan military personnel were killed and over 60 others wounded in Taliban's attack on an army's corps base in northern province of Balkh on Friday, a provincial source told Xinhua on Saturday. (Xinhua/Yaqoob Azorda)

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 135 Afghan military personnel were killed and over 60 others wounded in Taliban's attack on an army's corps base in northern province of Balkh on Friday, a provincial source told Xinhua on Saturday.

The source told Xinhua anonymously that 10 attackers were involved in the deadly attack and the attackers stormed a dining hall and a nearby mosque where dozens of unarmed soldiers were holding Friday prayer in army's Corps 209 Shaheen.

"The attackers were disguised in army uniform. They arrived in two army jeeps and made their way after passing through the front gate," he said.

Seven attackers were shot dead by security forces following a four-hour exchange of fire, two terrorists detonated their explosive jackets while one was captured together with a suicide vest, said the source.

Further details of the incident are still forthcoming amid the absence of any official statement.

Afghan security forces' casualties have risen recently as they struggle against a surge in attacks across the country.

The Taliban insurgency has been on the rampage since the beginning of 2015, as the Afghan security forces assumed full responsibility of security from the United States and NATO troops.
by Zhang Jianhua

VIENTIANE, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Laos actively supports the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, Vice President of Laos-China Cooperation Committee Vichit Sindavong told Xinhua in a recent interview, adding that Lao leaders highly appreciate the initiative.

"I think the Belt and Road Initiative is innovative. The scope of cooperation along the Belt and Road is wide. Interconnectivity and building a close and inseparable link are the importance of the initiative. As the major goals of the initiative, the policy coordination, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds will all bring back good development benefits for countries along the Belt and Road," he said.

"Laos always supports China's development policy, especially the Belt and Road Initiative. The two countries have recently set up blueprint for cooperation under the initiative and have been working together to achieve the goal," said Vichit, adding that Laos attaches great importance to the country's participation at the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation slated for mid-May in China's Beijing.

"Laos will benefit from the cooperation with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. I think neighboring countries in the region will also support the initiative," he said.

The cooperation between Laos and China under the Belt and Road Initiative covers a wide range with the most prominent projects Laos-China railway and the launching of Laos' first satellite.

"These are the biggest results of bilateral cooperation. We are actively discussing cooperation in other fields, especially those under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is believed that the future cooperation projects will yield better results as cooperation area will be further expanded," he said.

Talking about China-Laos railway, Vichit said the project is of great significance to Laos. "This is the biggest cooperation project between Laos and China, which will help Laos realize the target of turning from land-locked to land-linked country," he said.

The China-Laos railway has a total length of 414.332 km with over 62.7 percent of bridges and tunnels, linking Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and capital Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed at 160 km per hour. Construction of the project is scheduled for five years with investment of some 40 billion Chinese yuan (5.8 billion U.S. dollars), 70 percent of which comes from Chinese investment and the rest 30 percent from Lao side.

China-Laos railway is the first overseas route connecting with the railway system in China, using Chinese technology, equipment and investment.

"The project plays a great role in promoting Laos' national economic development, facilitating transportation, promoting the exports of Lao products to other neighboring countries, pushing forward the development of tourism sector, creating favorable conditions for trade exchanges between Laos and Asian countries, including China. The railway will benefit not only Laos, but also China and other neighboring countries," he emphasized.

"The railway will not only connect China's border area and Lao capital Vientiane, but also link to other regional countries, thus playing a significant role in the development of Lao economy."

"There is a saying in Chinese that 'If you want to get rich, build a road first,' but for Laos, it would be 'If you want to get rich, build railway first.' Therefore, Laos will actively support the Belt and Road Initiative," he said, expressing his wish for the success of the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held from May 14 to 15 in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier this week. According to Wang, 28 heads of state and government leaders will attend the forum.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 16:37:46|Editor: xuxin

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RABAT, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Cuba decided to re-establish diplomatic relations, Morocco's foreign ministry announced in a statement late on Friday.

The ministry said the two countries signed a joint statement on the re-establishment of the relationships at the level of ambassadors at the United Nations.

The king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has ordered a quick opening of Morocco's embassy in Cuba's capital Havana, the statement said.

The decision is a part of the proactive diplomacy open to new partners and geographic spaces, the ministry pointed out.

Local media has reported last week that the king was on a private visit to Cuba with his family.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 16:48:52|Editor: xuxin

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ISLAMABAD, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a military base in northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, which reportedly killed over 100 people.

Reports suggested that Taliban have claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and the people of Afghanistan as well as to the bereaved families and pray for early recovery of the injured," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement said Pakistan reiterates strong condemnation of terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"We reaffirm our continued commitment to work closely with the Afghan government and the international community in the fight against the scourge of terrorism," the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 16:58:55|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- International mainstream media have hailed China's successful launch of its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1, which has docked with a space lab.

Reuters reported that China's first cargo spacecraft's launch and successful docking with the Tiangong-2 space lab marked a major step toward Beijing's goal of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022.

The Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace 2) space laboratory was home to two "taikonauts" for a month last October in China's longest ever manned space mission, the report said.

The Associated Press reported that the launch and docking marked further progress in China's ambitious space program.

The report said that since China conducted its first crewed space mission in 2003, it has staged a spacewalk and landed its Jade Rabbit rover on the moon. A mission to land another rover on Mars and bring back samples is set to launch in 2020, while China also plans to become the first country to soft-land a probe on the far side of the moon.

Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) said China's first cargo spaceship launch took the country one step closer to building its own space station.

The mission places pressure on the United States, which lacks a long-term plan for human space travel, Morris Jones, an Australian space expert, told DPA.

"It provides new opportunities for Europe," Jones said. "China has worked well on space projects with Europe in the past. ... This cooperation will probably increase in the future."

China plans to build a space station by 2022. If the International Space Station will come out of service in 2024, as planned, China might become the only country with an operating space station, said the DPA report.

In an interview with Russia's Sputnik news agency, experts specifically focused on the characteristics of China's Tianzhou-1, which they said are much more sophisticated than the U.S. cargo spaceships Cygnus and Dragon.

"Tianzhou-1's 6.5 tons of payload, in comparison with the American spacecraft's (2.5 tons), will allow China to more efficiently operate its space station," Alexander Zheleznyakov of the Russian Academy of Astronautics told Sputnik.

He said Tianzhou-1 is relatively small weight for its class, and "the total weight-to-cargo ratio is much higher than the U.S. counterparts."

Zheleznyakov described the launch of Tianzhou-1 as a big step for Chinese space endeavors and an outstanding event for the international space sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 17:08:59|Editor: Tian Shaohui

A supporter of French presidential election candidate Francois Fillon holds a placard during a meeting in Paris, France, on March 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Hubert Lechat)

by Eric J. Lyman

ROME, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Sunday's presidential poll in France will have a spillover effect on Italian politics as the country is also heading to general elections within months, said analysts.

Italian right-wing political groups could get a boost if France's euroskeptic National Front leader Marine Le Pen has a strong showing in the first round. If moderate candidate Emmanuel Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boon for former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is seeking a political comeback.

Sunday's vote in France is unlikely to be decisive and a second-round runoff is almost inevitable. Besides, the top four candidates -- conservative Francois Fillon, far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon as well as Le Pen and Macron -- are so close that it's almost impossible to predict the outcome, French pollsters say.

Le Pen's success in the first round could help increase support in Italy for the anti-establishment, anti-euro Five-Star Movement led by comedian and activist Beppe Grillo, and especially for the Northern League, a separatist group that would like to revamp the ties between Italy and the European Union, an expert has said.

"If Le Pen and the National Front come in first on Sunday, it could energize the Northern League and encourage them to try to play a bigger role going forward," Alessandro Campi, a professor at the University of Perugia and the director of Italy's Institute of Politics, told Xinhua.

"On the other hand, if Macron exceeds expectations, it could be a boost for Matteo Renzi."

Renzi resigned in December after losing a referendum on proposed constitutional reforms. He is seeking a comeback in the national elections either late this year or early next year.

According to Christian Blasberg, a contemporary history professor at Rome's LUISS University, a strong performance for Le Pen and her National Front could also send a strong signal in other ways.

"It is not really clear whether the anti-establishment wave that resulted in the Brexit vote (in Britain) and the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. last year is running out of speed or not," Blasberg told Xinhua. "It seems like it may have paused in Europe now. But if Le Pen does well, it could show that this trend is still strong."

Gian Franco Gallo, a political analyst, said groups in Italy calling for the country to reject the euro could see their ranks grow if Le Pen and the National Front finish strong.

"It is likely that if the National Front does well, its high-profile criticisms of the euro currency will legitimize that view in the eyes of some," Gallo told Xinhua.

Few analysts predict Le Pen will be elected president. Even if she makes it to the second round scheduled for May 7, the most likely scenario will be that backers of the defeated candidates will unite behind her rival.

That is what happened 15 years ago when Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, lost to Jacques Chirac by a big margin in the second round.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 17:24:00|Editor: xuxin

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) announced on Saturday that a criminal convicted intentional homicide had been executed after the SPC approved the death sentence.

According to a SPC statement, Chen Quansong killed two young women surnamed Wang and Xian on Jan. 3, 2014 in Shiqian County, southwest China's Guizhou Province after a disagreement. Chen then raped Wang's corpse and covered the two bodies with tree branches.

In the review of the death sentence handed down to Chen by the local court, the SPC formed a collegial panel to review files, interrogate Chen, meet Chen's lawyers and verify evidence, including DNA test results.

The SPC held that the death penalty was given on the basis of clear facts and solid evidence. Chen committed intentional homicide with serious consequence and vile social effect.

To punish serious crimes according to law and safeguard social justice and fairness, the SPC approved the death sentence, according to the SPC statement.

The Intermediate People's Court of Tongren City in Guizhou Province executed Chen on Saturday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 17:54:05|Editor: xuxin

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CHONGQING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has never grown a single coffee bean, but China's largest coffee trading center flourishes there.

Cumulative transaction volume of coffee products on a parallel e-platform launched in June last year has exceeded 5.2 billion yuan (750 million U.S. dollars). Coffee beans produced in southwest China's Yunnan Province, South and Southeast Asia are brought there to be shipped to Europe by freight train.

"Chongqing is a logistics distribution center that connects coffee producers in Asia with the market in Europe," said Feng Yue, founder of Chongqing coffee trading center.

Domestic coffee consumption has recently been growing by around 20 percent each year, according to Feng expects the market to top 600 billion yuan in the next ten years, from the current 100 billion yuan, so it is an attractive investment prospect.

The Belt and Road Initiative has facilitated the China-Europe train. It takes only 13 days for beans to arrive in Duisburg, Germany from Chongqing by rail, 30 days less than by sea, and at a fifth of the cost of air freight.

"Coffee tastes best within 14 days of roasting. A long time at sea increases the moisture content of the beans, which affects their taste and quality. The travel time by rail perfectly matches market requirements in Europe," Feng said.

"The altitude, humidity and temperature in Yunnan make it a very good area for coffee growing. The province produces 99 percent of China's coffee and more than 60 percent of that is sold overseas as low value-added raw beans," said Peng De, manager of the center.

"Due to poor planting techniques and lack of domestic specialist agencies for quality assessment, Yunnan's coffee beans are not as popular as they should be. The center in Chongqing will help to introduce better technology for planting and roasting, offer financial and professional support in production, transportation and training," Peng said.

"Yunnan coffee could easily fetch a good price," he added.

A standard testing system, led by the center, has been followed since this year's harvest. The center also releases reference prices, customer requirements and global market dynamics to planters in Yunnan for them to improve their products and services.

"We are actively helping China's coffee industry to move up the industry chain so that domestic coffee beans secure a larger share of the domestic market and sell at a good price in the global market," Peng said.
LAGOS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police have declared one Terwase Akwaza, a notorious gunman wanted in connection with the killing of 67 persons in central north Benue State.

National police spokesperson Jimoh Moshod told reporters on Friday in Abuja, the country's capital city that Akwaza, popularly known as "Ghana," is wanted in connection with the March 20, 2017 killing of 17 persons by gunmen in Zaki Biam area of the state.

Moshod paraded 19 suspects, including two women, allegedly involved in the crime.

The police spokesperson alleged that the suspect was the leader of a "vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate" responsible for the killing of 50 others in other locations in Benue.

Akwaza is also responsible for many kidnappings, armed robberies and cult violence that led to loss of lives and property in other parts of Benue, Moshood added.

Moshod said investigation revealed that Awaza was also responsible for the killing of Desen Igbana, Special Adviser on Security to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue.

Moshood said the suspects were currently in police custody and would soon be charged to court.

He also displayed a cache of arms and ammunition allegedly recovered from Akwaza's secret underground armory in a forest in Benue by a joint team of police, military and secret police personnel.

The recovered items include three AK-47 and FN rifles, one G3 rifle, 36 hand grenades, 141 AK-47 magazines, 536 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 29 rounds of 9mm ball ammunition,

The killing took place on Monday, March 20, when about 30 men armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the town around 3 p.m. local time.

They were said to have arrived in a pick-up van, Toyota Corolla and seven big motorcycles and fired continuously into the air to scare away people.
NEW DELHI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Pervez Khan came to Delhi from a small town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh after his parents died five years ago and since then he has been begging at the main railway station of the national capital.

"There was no one who was willing to give me even small-time job in my home town. I had to feed myself. I decided to go to Delhi. When I reached the New Delhi Railway Station, I was so hungry that I right away started begging and from that day, I am surviving on alms only," said the 15-year-old teenager.

Prevez is not alone. There are over 300,000 child beggars in India with a total population size of 1.2 billion, as the gap between rich and poor is wide, according to the Indian National Human Rights Commission.

"These children find their way to the streets owing to diverse reasons, but mainly because of poverty and an unstable home. However, what awaits them on the streets is a life of challenges. These children get no education or training to make a better living and therefore, end up adopting begging as a profession," said Swatang Singh, who works for the betterment of child beggars.

There are an estimated 60,000 beggars and a third of them are under 18 years of age, according to a recent survey conducted by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

About 57 percent of these child beggars are also street-vendors and rag-pickers, said the survey. Police believed that these children come into contact with organized racket whose tangles they find difficult to let go of.

The survey, however, suggested that the children were pushed into begging by their parents to make ends meet. Most participating children said they often went to sleep on empty stomachs and inevitably became addicted to substance abuse.

The report also mentioned that these children were involved in petty criminal activities like pick-pocketing. While begging was found to be more prevalent among boys, it was revealed that those girls who were made to beg were also sexually abused and pushed into prostitution.

Such figures are often released by social welfare agencies to draw the attention of the state and civil society towards addressing these issues. But it is an issue that needs constant monitoring and support by all agencies concerned.

The Delhi government has tried several steps to discourage child begging. Last year, the ruling anti-graft Aam Aadmi Party's government, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, launched an initiative to provide shelter to child beggars and rehabilitate them.

It was suggested to provide the children with education and technical training like mobile repair for boys and tailoring for girls to rehabilitate them in the long run. However, these plans most often take a long time to give sustained results.

"There is a desire among all agencies concerned towards welfare of child beggars but not enough to make an agreement among them on different issues. Who carries out what business when these children are to be rehabilitated and what role can non-governmental organizations play in this are the major bones of contention," said Nina Pathak, who works with a non-governmental organization that deals with child trafficking in Delhi.

In 2009, the then Delhi government had also launched a helpline number (1098) to rescue child beggars. It was followed by the installation of biometric machines at beggars' home in order to keep a database of the children and zero in on repeat offenders.

Later, the municipal corporation had also announced its plan to employ these beggars towards managing its toilet complexes in order to institutionally help them. But these schemes have only met limited success or been declared failed due to lack of coordination among different agencies.

The steps taken by the government are also often criticized for being limited in approach and myopic. For instance, among several other initiatives announced last year, the Delhi government announced its plan of making the city "beggar-free."

While this was itself a reflection of the failure of the earlier programs of similar nature, as per this initiative creation of more beggar homes was announced.

"The attitude towards these plans is the biggest problem of these initiatives. For this plan, the government sought to create beggar homes which are more like jails for the children who get used to living a free life on the streets," said Moushmi Datta, another social worker in Delhi.

"There is no one to give personal attention to the children, forcing them to run away from these shelters and get pushed into begging again. The government should rather give them skill training and a chance to lead a better future," she added.

The criminal treatment of child beggars at the hands of the authorities should be solved, some police officers suggested.

"States across the country need to urgently decriminalize begging. Hundreds of homeless persons, including children, are arrested every year, sent to rehabilitation homes or jails because they are poor and have nowhere to live," said a police officer, on condition of anonymity.

However, given the dark condition of rehab homes in the city and the horror stories of crime and abuse coming from them, the idea of rehabilitation itself needs an overhaul.

"Just imagine there still are around 800,000 children out of schools in Delhi. Why is this happening? The children are sent to rehab homes and made into bigger criminals. Therefore, one needs to really rethink the idea of rehabilitation," said R.P. Khan, a city-based lawyer.

"We need to adopt a practical approach towards solving these issues. Vocational training and gainful employment is the only way out of these problems," he added.

It is perhaps also the time that the modus operandi behind child begging is tracked and busted.

Experts believed that those running these rackets are often wanted criminals who are into child trafficking, pornography and prostitution. This vicious circle needs to be cracked with consistent measure from the authorities to gain any meaningful progress in arresting child begging.

While these measures are taken, the Indian government has also drafted a Bill called "The Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2015" seeking to make begging a social issue and not a crime.

The bill calls upon the state governments to establish rehab centers and provide vocational training to beggars. However, it is still a long time before the Bill will be introduced and put into action. Till then, it remains to be seen how state governments let go of the piecemeal approach towards dealing with the issue.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 18:39:12|Editor: An

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Chinese President Xi Jinping , who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), speaks at a meeting during an inspection of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

NANNING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday and stressed building a strong army.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), urged all military personnel to resolutely safeguard the authority of CPC Central Committee and unswervingly follow the Party's leadership.

He asked all military personnel to greet the 19th CPC National Congress scheduled for later this year with outstanding achievements and a brand new look.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 18:54:17|Editor: xuxin

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by Christine Lagat

NAIROBI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Massive investment in forest restoration programs are an imperative in order to boost green growth in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, experts have said.

The conservation experts who met at a forum in Nairobi on Friday were emphatic that halting forest degradation through a raft of strategic policy, legislative and funding incentives would promote sustainable development in Africa.

Godwin Kowero, the Executive Secretary of Nairobi-based Africa Forest Forum (AFF) said healthy forest ecosystems will underpin the continent's future prosperity, stability and peace.

"Africa is losing its forest cover faster than other parts of the world hence the need to prioritize investments in programs that can reverse this trend," Kowero said.

He noted that climate change, governance hiccups, population growth and urbanization were exerting pressure on Africa's forests.

African governments must overhaul outdates policies, enforce the laws and engage communities in a bid to restore degraded forests.

Kowero regretted that poor enforcement of laws and lack of trained personnel were undermining forest governance in many African countries.

"Illegal harvesting of forest products alongside encroachment has gone unabated due to lack of deterrent measures," Kowero said, adding that political goodwill is key to promote forests' conservation in Africa

African states have endorsed the UN Strategic Plan for Forests that calls for new approaches to promote conservation of this critical ecosystem.

Kowero revealed that African countries are expected to make a strong case for sustainable forests management during the UN Forestry Forum to be held in New York in May.

"African nations have agreed to speak with one voice during the New York forum in order to raise the visibility of forest conservation agenda," said Kowero.

He added that African governments have been encouraged to tap into global financing schemes that promote forest conservation as a means to enhance climate resilience.

African governments, businesses and local communities have rallied behind efforts geared towards restoring forest ecosystems thanks to increased awareness on their immense benefits.

Kowero noted that African leaders have been at the frontline to promote forest conservation in line with a continental pact on accelerating sustainable development and ecological renewal.

"There are robust political decisions being made to rejuvenate forest conservation in this continent," Kowero said.

African governments must strengthen capacity of local institutions and enact progressive legislation and policies to promote forests conservation.

Almami Dampha, the senior policy officer for forestry and land management at the African Union Commission said that prudent management of forest resources is key to sustain food, water and energy security in the world's second largest continent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 19:39:23|Editor: xuxin

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MOSUL, Iraq, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Saturday freed a new neighborhood after heavy clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants in the western side of Mosul, the Iraqi military said.

The elite forces, known as Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), dislodged the extremist IS militants from the neighborhood of al-Seha in northwest of Mosul's old city center and raised the Iraqi flags on some of its buildings after fierce clashes, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah, from the Joint Operations Command (JOC), said in a statement.

The recapture of al-Seha neighborhood would enable the troops to initiate another push in the adjacent neighborhoods of Zanjili, Warshan and Rifa'i in the northern part of Mosul's western side.

The latest push by the troops is part of slow push toward the western and northwestern edges of Mosul's densely populated old city center, where roughly 400,000 residents are believed to still be trapped under IS rule.

Meanwhile, the troops' advance has hardly moved for more than a month at the edges of the old city center as the federal police and interior ministry special forces, known as Rapid Response, have been fighting heavy back and forth clashes against IS militants in the narrow streets in the old neighborhoods around the historical al-Nuri Mosque in the middle of Mosul's city center.

The troops progress in the old city center is much slower than the early phases of the offensive by the stubborn resistance of IS militants, in addition to the orders to the troops that restricted the use of heavy bombings and increased sniper fire against the militants holed up in densely populated area to reduce civilians casualties.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced the start of an offensive on February 19 to drive extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of the Tigris River which bisects the city.

Late in January, Abadi declared the liberation of Mosul's eastern side, or the left bank of Tigris, after over 100 days of fighting IS militants.

However, the western part of Mosul, with its narrow streets and heavily populated neighborhoods, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraqi capital Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their posts and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
File photo shows a Chinese doctor hands over medicine to a local staff worker at a port in Monrovia, Liberia, on June 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Jinliang)

NAIROBI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China has helped African countries re-energize the war against malaria through biomedical research, training of health workers and provision of cheaper drugs, officials said on Friday during a China-Africa Symposium on eliminating the tropical disease.

The symposium was organized by Kenya's ministry of health in conjunction with China State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.

In his opening remarks at the symposium, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Health Cleopa Mailu hailed China's contribution toward the fight against malaria that is a leading cause of children and pregnant mothers in Africa.

"We applaud the Chinese scientists who discovered the ingredients for the Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs) which came at an opportune time when malaria treatment was proving to be a challenge globally," Mailu said.

He noted that China's sophisticated alternative medicine industry has inspired African countries to develop their own and enhance response to killer tropical diseases.

Fouad Mohadji, the former Vice President of Indian Ocean Island of Comoros, speaks at the China-Africa Symposium on eliminating malaria.(Xinhua/Jin Zheng)

The China-Africa Malaria symposium was attended by senior policy makers and health experts from the continent.

Also in attendance were Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa, Vice Director of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China Wang Guoqiang and Director of Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau of Guangdong Province of China, Xu Qingfeng.

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for health said that robust Sino-Africa collaboration is critical to boost malaria prevention and case management.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa said Beijing is committed to helping African countries combat a high burden of malaria that is a drawback to economic progress and social renewal in the continent.

African countries are keen on harnessing Traditional Chinese Medicine to combat malaria that is to blame for an estimated 1.5 percent loss to Gross National Product (GNP) in high endemic countries.

Fouad Mohadji, the former Vice President of Indian Ocean Island of Comoros said that African countries have tapped into China's advanced knowledge in alternative and complementary medicine to re-invigorate malaria control and treatment programs.

"This continent should adopt alternative therapies from China that are cheaper yet have proved to be effective in treating malaria," Mohadji said.

Comoros was declared malaria free several years ago thanks to robust cooperation with China in a host of interventions aimed at containing the tropical disease.

Other African countries that have recorded a dramatic slump in malaria cases due a strong partnership with China include Kenya, Malawi and Togo.

Mohadji said Sino-Africa cooperation in research and development of new drugs will fast-track progress towards elimination of malaria in the continent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 20:24:34|Editor: xuxin

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DUBAI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) welcomed on Saturday the release of the abducted Qatari and Saudi citizens after 16 months captivity in Iraq, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The UAE conveyed "greetings to the leadership and people of the brotherly State of Qatar" in a statement released by Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Altogether 26 hostages, among them members of Qatar's ruling royal family Al-Thani, were released on Friday after being held as hostages for 16 months in Iraq.

Gargash described the abduction of Qatari and Saudi citizens as an uncalled-for act, adding that the ordeal they went through was a reflection of the looming tension in the region.

He also expressed appreciation to the role of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and the Iraqi government in securing the release of the abducted citizens.

"The terrorism in the region feeds on chaos and instability," he said, calling for rallying international efforts "to stand against terrorism and to eliminate its roots."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 20:44:37|Editor: xuxin

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PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Eleven contenders are vying for the Elysee Palace this year. They will run in the election's first round on Sunday. The two candidates who collect the most votes will qualify for the run-off scheduled for May 7.

The following is a list of the main four contenders:

-- Emmanuel Macon, 39, On the Move (En Marche)

Macron was an advisor to current President Francois Hollande during his election campaign and later became his economy minister in 2014 to replace ousted economy minister Arnaud Montebourg.

He was one of main figures that forged the law on growth and activity and responsibility pact, flagship pieces of the Socialist government's roadmap to revive sluggish growth and lower unemployment in France.

Two years later, he quit his post to focus on his political career after creating his own political movement "En Marche" (On the Move), a movement he described "neither in the left nor in the right."

Launching his own bid, Macron, a former investment banker, has been portraying himself as a "candidate for jobs," and proposing "progressive" measures to "pull France into the 21st century."

He pledged to further reduce French high employment charges and increase workers' minimum wages by 500 euros (535.9 U.S. dollars) per year by cutting taxes on wages. He also wants to raise taxes on consumption and wealthy pensioners.

Furthermore, he promised to cut public expenditure by 60 billion euros in order to stick to France's commitments to bring down budget deficit to the eurozone threshold of 3 percent.

He would also reduce corporate tax to 25 percent from the current 33.3 percent and to slash public sector headcount by 120,000 over the next term.

In addition, he proposed a public investment scheme worth 50 billion euros aimed to improve training, financing energy transition and modernizing the country's administrative services.

Macron promised to boost the defense budget, hire 10,000 police officers and raise funding for schools.

For months, opinion pollsters showed Macon maintaining the lead in first round' voting and to beat Marine Le Pen, leader of far-right National Front party in May run-off.

-- Marine Le Pen, 48, National Front (Front National)

Heading the National Front party, the 48-year-old lawyer portrayed herself as "the candidate of people" and a credible voice to secure secularism and French identity by toughening citizenship requirements, shutting borders and forbidding foreigners from access to any social aid.

She said to put to voters via a referendum a proposal to reserve certain rights, including free education, now available to all residents, to French citizens only.

If elected, Le Pen pledged to impose an extra tax on companies who hire foreigners and make harder for illegal migrants to legalize their situation.

Le Pen targets a GDP growth at 2.5 percent per year by the end of 2022 and a budget deficit at 1.3 percent, down from an expected rate of 4.5 percent in 2018.

She promised to cut charges on small enterprises and on households, in addition to lower retirement age to 60 from 62.

The French lawyer was the youngest daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front (FN).

Marine Le Pen joined the National Front in 1986 at the age of 18. She joined its Political Bureau in 2000 and became the party's vice president in 2003.

In 2011, she succeeded his father to head the National Front party created in 1972.

Le Pen was the only FN candidate to pass the first round of 2007 legislative elections and garnered 42 percent of votes in the second round.

In 2012, Le Pen came third in presidency election first round with an unexpected high vote of 17.9 percent.

In 2014, the party reported big gains in the EU ballots after collecting 24.85 percent of the vote and snatched 24 seats in the European Parliament.

-- Francois Fillon, 63, The Republicans (Les Republicans)

Fillon, won the conservative primary runoff after beating former foreign minister Alain Juppe in November 2016 to represent the biggest opposition party in the 2017 French presidential race.

He had been the polls' favorite until a fraud affair emerged on January 25.

Fillon had been put under formal investigation on allegations he paid hefty salaries for his wife for job she may not did it. Despite the affair which had rocked his presidential bid, he clung on.

Advocating for pro-market reforms, Fillon presented "more radical project," based on a slash of 500,000 public sector jobs, lower corporate taxes.

He also wanted people to work more by increasing the working week to 39 hours from 35 currently to clinch public spending by 100 billion euros over five years.

Fillon wants to increase retirement age to 65 from 62 now and eyed a zero deficit by 2022.

As to security, he proposed to hire additional 10,000 police and gendarmes. He would also strip all French people who fight abroad for extremist groups of their French citizenship and ban them from returning to France.

He pledged to impose migration quotas to counter rampant migrant flows which may pose risk to domestic security and heavyweight economic burdens.

Studying law at university, he served as prime minister from 2007-2012, under the leadership of Nicolas Sarkozy. He also also managed several portfolios, including higher education, telecommunication, social affairs and ecology for the 1993-2005 period.

-- Jean-Luc Melenchon, 65, Left Party (Parti de Gauche)

The veteran contender was an outsider on a hard-left platform "Unbowed France" before an appearance on two televised debates that helped him to surge in polls and narrow gap with other candidates.

Melenchon pledged a 100 billion-euro-investment plan to stimulate the French economy and to be partly financed by government borrowing,

He also said to raise public spending and for 2017-2022 period, 173 billion will be devoted to wage rises and job creation in a bid to slash unemployment rate to 6 percent.

In addition, he wants to increase minimum wage, reduce working week to 32 hours.

Melenchon said, if elected, he will work to withdraw France from NATO and to renegotiate European treaties to push through pro-growth policies. If talks would fail, he would put France's exit from the European Union to a referendum vote.

Born in 1951, Melenchon has a degree in philosophy and was a teacher. He joined the Socialist Party in 1976.

From 2000 to 2002, he was education minister under the Socialist government of Lionel Jospin.

In 2008, he quit the Socialists and found his Party of the Left.

In 2012 presidential election, he ranked fourth with 11.1 percent of the vote. (1 euro = 1.07 U.S. dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 20:44:37|Editor: An

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ZHENGZHOU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese leading bus maker Zhengzhou Yutong Bus has seen its export volume for the first quarter rising by 56 percent annually, thanks to opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road initiative.

According to the company, it has recently received an order for 500 large buses from Myanmar. The company has delivered over 1,000 passenger buses to Myanmar since it entered the country in 2010.

Company officials said the Belt and Road initiative and the "Made in China 2025" plan are offering more chances for the company to expand global presence.

Yutong's products have been sold to more than 40 countries along the Belt and Road. Yutong has carried out production and technology cooperation with countries including Myanmar, Pakistan, Iran and Cuba, and auto parts from Yutong can be assembled in those countries.

In 2016, the company exported 110 buses to Bulgaria, the first time China's passenger buses entered the EU market in batches.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 20:49:36|Editor: Song Lifang

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Photo taken on April 20, 2017 shows the containers in a railway container center in Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. This container center serves as a railway logistic hub in southwest China. Till April 16, 2017, 559 cargo trains departed from the center and went to Europe. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin)

BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Railway authorities of China, Belarus, Germany, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland and Russia, have signed an agreement to deepen cooperation on China-Europe freight rail services, according to China Railway Corporation.

The agreement serves the Belt and Road Initiative, expands the market share of rail freight between Asia and Europe and drives economic development and trade cooperation for counties along the route.

The countries will jointly push for better railway infrastructure for a safe, smooth, fast, convenient and competitive rail route, according to the agreement.

Information technology will boost train speed and unified service. Information sharing platforms will be built to ensure transport safety.

The countries will expand the rail services to more areas with faster customs clearance. A joint work team and expert team will be formed to solve problems.

The China-Europe freight train service was launched in 2011 and grown rapidly with high efficiency. It has become an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

A total of 3,557 freight trains have run so far, with services reaching 27 Chinese cities and 28 cities in 11 countries in Europe.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 20:49:37|Editor: xuxin

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NEW DELHI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and more than four others injured in a crude bomb explosion in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Saturday, a police official said.

"The incident took place when the victims were making the bombs in a house at Tarka village in the state's Birbhum district in the afternoon. The death toll may go up as some of the injured are in critical conditions," the official said on condition of anonymity.

According to police, the bombs were being made for mafia gangs that were attacking each other at neighboring Darbarpur village.

"These groups have been hurling crude bombs at each other in a turf war over illegal sand mining. Most villagers fled the area because of the attacks. The victims were making bombs for one of the two groups locked in the so-called turf war," the police official said.

Local TV channels reported that the impact of the explosion was so severe that some of the victims were blown into parts which were thrown across the place.

A massive police force has rushed to the spot, the official said, adding that efforts are on to nab members of the two illegal mafia groups.

The explosion came a day after some seven people were killed in another crude bomb explosion in the district's Labhpur area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 21:14:42|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Vadim Filimonov, an Estonia PhD student at the Law School of Renmin University of China, is playing his own role in bring Russia and China closer together. Helping translate business letters and legal documents, he works part time at the Chinese agricultural company Dongzhankebo.

Filimonov is one of a number of students who has secured his job through the new talent program "Cirrus Project" initiated by the Zhonguangcun "Belt and Road" Industrial Promotion Association (ZBRA).

At a panel discussion at the weekend in Beijing, Filimonov said that for business ties between Chinese and Russian companies to succeed, both sides have to learn about each other's legal systems, something strained with difficulty.

In Russia, there are very detailed laws and regulations in agriculture, Filimonov said, especially when it comes to cutting-edge agricultural technologies which Chinese companies are now engaged in.

Recognizing Filimonov's work, Xiu Yanling, assistant general manager of Dongzhankebo, said at a panel discussion that thanks to such exchange students as Filimonov from countries along the Belt and Road, the company's cooperation with its Russian partners has been fairly smooth so far.

Dongzhankebo has planned to develop organic agriculture in the Russian Far East and has already leased an initial 667 square kilometer of farmland in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast of Russia, one of the countries along the Belt and Road.

Dongzhankebo and Filomonov is merely the beginning. In the future, plenty more students will benefit from the the "Cirrus Project" that is meant to establish a platform to provide talent for Chinese enterprises, products and services to go global under the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as to offer foreign students opportunities to train and work in Chinese companies.

The program was launched in late March by ZBRA, an association founded in 2016 by high-tech firms and research institutes in Beijing's hi-tech heartland Zhongguanchun Technology Park. There are more than 7,000 high-tech companies in the area dubbed as "China's Silicon Valley."

Recalling the scene at the Cirrus Project's inaugural job fair on March 23, Wang Ying, director of the Office of International Students at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), said after the panel disucssion that the event was held under a "warm atmosphere" and that the 29 participating companies received over 300 resumes.

Foreign students in BIT, one of first universities to take part in the Cirrus Project, are from 122 countries altogether, among which over 40 are along the Belt and Road. The university has seen an annual increase of 30 percent in the number of enrolled foreign students since 2014, one year after the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, said Wang after the panel discussion.

The Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trading routes, leading to mutually beneficial economic outcomes for every nation it reaches.

BIT's strategy, Wang said, is to train foreign students who end up playing a leadership role in executing cooperation projects in their home countries.

The Cirrus Project can help foreign students not only become familiar with policy and business environment in China, but also, more importantly, develop personal affection for the country, Wang added.

Zhang Xiaodong, president of ZBRA, has said the Cirrus Project is expected to attract more than 10,000 foreign students in the next five years. Such students are important bridges connecting China and other Belt and Road countries.
LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- National Grid confirmed Saturday that Britain had gone a full 24-hour cycle without using coal to produce any of the country's electricity.

It was described by the power supplier as the first time since the Industrial Revolution that this had been achieved.

In what was said by National Grid to be a watershed moment, all electricity produced until late Friday night was generated from a mix of sources, but mainly gas fired and nuclear powered generating stations. Wind, biomass, and imported energy were also used Friday.

The 24-hour cycle started Thursday when a coal fires power plant at West Burton went offline.

A National Grid spokeswoman told Xinhua: "The 24 hour cycle was confirmed at 22:50 hours on Friday, after which we started to use coal-fired generation again. We can't (tell) when this new record will be broken."

Earlier this week, a new record was set on Thursday, when Britain went for 19 hours without using any coal-fired generation of electricity.

Britain's first public coal fire power plant opened in London in 1882 and since then coal has played a daily part in generating the country's electricity.

Cordi O'Hara of the National Grid said: "To have the first working day without coal since the start of the industrial revolution is a watershed moment in how our energy system is changing.

"Britain benefits from highly diverse and flexible sources of electricity. Our energy mix continues to change and National Grid adapts system operation to embrace these changes."

O'Hara said that as Britain makes the transition to a low carbon system, coal will remain as an important source of energy.

The British government aims to phase out Britain's last coal-fired power stations by 2025 in its program to cut carbon emissions.

In 2015 almost a quarter of Britain's electricity was supplied from coal-fire plants, but in 2016 this had dropped to just under 10 percent as more of the older coal fired stations closed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 22:09:48|Editor: An

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RABAT, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China and Morocco agreed to boost their strategic partnership during the three-day visit by Chinese publicity chief Liu Qibao to Rabat.

Liu, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has been in the African country since April 20 with a Chinese delegation at the invitation of the Moroccan government. During the stay he met with Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani and the speaker of the House of Advisors Hakim Benchamach, among others.

The decision of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Moroccan King Mohammed VI to establish strategic partnership between the two countries last year has opened a new chapter in bilateral relations, he noted. A strategic partnership is a more elevated relationship between China and another country.

The CPC is ready to maintain friendly relations with Moroccan political parties and carry out discussions on national governance and party building, he said.

Liu also hoped to see the two nations increase people-to-people exchanges, and expand their cooperation in areas like culture, broadcasting, news, education and tourism.

The Moroccan side, for its part, said the king's visit to China last year has lead to a new stage in bilateral relations.

Moroccan officials said China's transformation under the CPC has been remarkable, and the strategic partnership can be enhanced through closer ties in politics, trade, and people-to-people ties.

During the visit, Liu also witnessed the signing of an agreement allowing the broadcast of a Chinese television series as well as movies on the leading Moroccan TV channel 2M, the launching of a Chinese series dubbed in Arabic, and the opening of a visual exhibition at the National Library showcasing both the cultures of China and Morocco.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 22:19:52|Editor: xuxin

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KHARTOUM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Sudan government has granted the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) a permit to access Sudan's armed conflict areas, according to a report of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Saturday.

"The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has been granted access to a few hard-to-reach areas such as Kurmuk (Blue Nile State), Golo (Central Darfur State) and Belle El Serief (South Darfur State), the latter had not been accessible for over five years," said the report.

According to OCHA, UNICEF has begun working with government authorities, state officials and partners to bring long overdue assistance, including child protection, education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation services to the vulnerable communities in the newly reached areas.

UN and international organizations have been complaining from restrictions preventing their access to the people affected by armed clashes at Sudan's conflict areas.

Sudan government attributes restriction of movement of UN and international organizations at tensed areas to security reasons.
200417MASIU COVERS THE ENTIRE SOUTH BOUGAINVILLE

By Aloysius Laukai



The member for South Bougainville, TIMOTHY MASIU becomes the first South Bougainville member to have visited all the districts including the remote mountain villages of South Bougainville in six months.

Since his election in the South Bougainville By election last year, MR. MASIU had development meeting in Torokina, BANA and Siwai and covered nearly all invitations in South Bougainville.

And with the setting up of his office in Buin he has created another eye opener that the next member has to match and move to another level.

In his final speeches to the communities he visited Member Timothy called for continuity for South Bougainville to progress.

Like in the bible, he gave parables of only a foolish farmer can uproot a good bearing fruit.



Ends






PYONGYANG, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Saturday that it is not interested in holding any dialogue with the United States as long as Washington refuses to abandon its hostile policy towards Pyongyang.

The present U.S. administration is blaming Pyongyang for 20-odd years of failed DPRK-U.S. talks to justify its economic sanctions and military standoff, Rodong Sinmum, the official daily of the ruling Korean Workers' Party, said in a commentary.

"It openly reveals its intention not to rule out the use of military force including unilateral preemptive attack, to say nothing of multilateral military and diplomatic pressure and high-intensity economic sanctions and redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea," the newspaper said.

The United States has claimed that "it does not harbor any illusion about dialogue with the DPRK," said the paper.

"Meanwhile, the U.S. is pressurizing countries around the DPRK to join it in putting diplomatic pressure and high-intensity economic sanctions on the DPRK. It even threatens that it would seek out an independent way of preventing the DPRK from bolstering nuclear deterrence," it added.

The United States has been calling for tighter economic sanctions against the DPRK and has threatened to take military action for its nuclear and missile tests, triggering high tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The two countries had held dialogue both bilaterally and within the framework of the Six-Party Talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula in the past, but failed to achieve any results.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-22 22:29:55|Editor: Song Lifang

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by Julius Gale

JUBA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan seeks to enhance win-win cooperation with China in order to strengthen reconstruction of the war-torn East African country, a senior official of the ruling party said.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) spokesman Bol Makueng told Xinhua in a recent interview that South Sudan would look into China to learn how the Asian nation has transformed itself into a world power.

"The Chinese technology for developing rural areas is relevant to develop our rural areas in terms of how we can increase food productivity, how we can construct roads and bridges to access to rural areas, and how we can make our people to be committed to do things for themselves and for the country," he said.

Makueng hailed China's role in supporting peace and development efforts in South Sudan, adding that the government would seek closer engagement with Beijing in the areas of rural development, technology, infrastructure development through a win-win approach.

"We have found out that Chinese people are willing to support South Sudan in their programs, especially the reconstruction of the country, provision of roads, schools, health sector, agriculture and even technology because they have all these skills which we could be taking on a win-win basis," he said.

"A win-lose or a lose-win cooperation will never be attainable," said the spokesman.

"We will always cooperate, not only with China, but with other countries such that nobody is exploited and nobody is disadvantaged in the cooperation," Makueng noted.

The official, who represented South Sudan during the Second Africa-China Political Parties Theoretical Seminar in October 2016, also appreciated the Chinese Communist Party for offering help to African political parties.

"The Chinese Communist Party has availed us opportunities for training, learning Chinese Literature and visits to China. From there, what we see is good, we can take it, and what we feel are not good for our context, we leave it," Makueng said.
MOSCOW, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a Commonwealth of Independent States draft agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy, the Russian government said Saturday.

The agreement establishes principles for member states to follow when it comes to the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, it said in a statement.

Medvedev called for the agreement to be signed at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government, according to an order of April 20, 2017 released along with the statement.

The CIS is a regional organization formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union. Nine out of the 15 former Soviet Republics are member states, and two are associate members (Ukraine and Turkmenistan).
OSLO, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The recent Norway governments have spent much less than the return on the oil fund, which resulted in the return of 2,000 billion kroner (231 billion U.S. dollars) that remained unused, newspaper Aftenposten reported Saturday.

The very basic idea in the use of oil fund -- to use the return on investment, but let the fund itself remain untouched -- has not been followed at all, Aftenposten wrote.

Relatively low usage and several years of very high returns have thus yielded a total unused return of almost 2,000 billion kroner.

Only from 2012 to 2016, the return on the oil fund was 9.3 percent, calculated as the annual average. During the same period, Norwegian government annual average use was only 2.8 percent.

The result is that more than two thirds of the actual annual return has remained unused in the fund over these five years, Aftenposten wrote.

The fund has grown very quickly and amounted to 7,510 billion kroner at the end of 2016. This is more than twice as much as at the beginning of 2012.

"The fact that we have used less than actual returns so far gives us more space to spend money in a deep downturn in the future. It does not give us reason to spend more than the average return in the future," said Fredrik Wulfsberg, associate professor at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences.

He added that the saved investment return will also provide a lasting return that should be used in future.

Until recently, the rule of action has been that the state should, in normal times, be able to use 4 percent of the oil fund in the state budget. It should correspond to expected real, long-term return.

"This would also lead to too high use of oil money in relation to the economy," Wulfsberg said.

Therefore, in order to ensure that the Norwegian economy does not "boil over," the use of oil fund has been much lower than 4 percent in the last ten years, with the exception during the 2009 financial crisis.

2016 was a historic year in oil money consumption, because the use of oil fund in the state budget was greater than the fresh oil money that came from the boreholes.

Still, the use of oil money in the state budget was much less than the return on the fund also in 2016, Aftenposten wrote. (1 U.S. dollar = 8.64 Norwegian kroner)
MANILA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed in a road accident involving a truck and three motorcycles in the southern Philippine province of Cotabato on Saturday, police said.

Cotabato Provincial Police Office said the incident occurred at about 5:00 a.m. local time on Saturday at Malasila village in Makilala town.

A 10-wheeler truck loaded with around 700 cases of bottled soft drinks was travelling on the national highway from Davao City to Midsayap town in Cotabato when the truck swerved to the opposite direction hitting three motorcycles.

Five motorcycle riders, three males and two females, died on the spot, police said. The truck driver, who sustained injuries, was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.

On Tuesday, an overloaded mini-bus plunged into a 100-foot ravine in Nueva Ecija in the northern Philippines, killing 35 people.

The recent bus mishap prompted a congressman to call for a congressional inquiry to prevent similar incidents from happening.

Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas said the government regulatory agency must once and for all act stronger against public vehicles that are not road-worthy.
PYONGYANG, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has called for stronger economic cooperation with Turkmenistan and Russia's Far East Region amid tightening economic sanctions by the United Nations after its nuclear and missile tests.

Turkmenistan and Russia, both oil producers, could see their supplies of crude oil affected by the sanctions.

A working delegation of the DPRK Foreign Ministry recently visited Turkmenistan, where the two sides talked on "matters of further developing the DPRK-Turkmenistan friendly and cooperative relations" and "exchanged views on the regional and international issues of mutual concern," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday.

DPRK officials also visited the Far East of Russia and met with officials from the Maritime Territorial and Khabarovsk Territorial Administration to discuss furthering regional cooperation, said the report.

The DPRK capital of Pyongyang and the Russian city of Vladivostok have regular flights. The two sides agreed on regulating labor exports last month.
LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Street markets have been a familiar scene in London for centuries, with the number now at a record high.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has now unveiled plans to ensure they remain as an important part of English culture for centuries to come. A new London Markets Board will be established.

Residents and visitors are spoiled for choice with over 250 street markets across London, Khan said he plans to recruit a team of industry experts and business leaders to help preserve and grow the capital's vibrant markets.

The new board, the first of its kind in the capital, will ensure markets continue to flourish, support growth in downtown high streets and town centers, and remain vibrant attractions for all Londoners and visitors.

A spokesman for Khan said Saturday: "In London there are over 250 street markets, which are an important part of English culture. The mayor wants to recognise their national value."

In 2010 there were 162 street markets in London and the number has continued to increase.

Old markets in London still thriving include Romford Market which was established in 1247 by Royal Charter as a sheep market. Cattle trading ended in the late 1950s but the market continues to act as a focal point of the town. More than 1.25 million U.S.dollars is being spent on a major market house at Romford.

In Southwark, Borough Market close to London Bridge, is described as London's oldest food market, dating back to the 10th century when it attracted food and livestock traders. Today, the market hosts over 100 food stalls.

Khan said: "I'm a proud Londoner and a proud Englishman who has grown up with traditional street markets. Markets are deeply woven into the tapestry of English culture and nowhere is that more true than in London. They are far more than a place to do your shopping - they are places where people meet and talk.

"I have pledged not just to preserve and protect London's markets but also to set up our very first London Market Board to help ensure that these spaces thrive for the benefit of local entrepreneurs, small businesses and everybody who visits them."

As well as setting up the London Markets Board, the mayor has tasked City Hall with examining the social and economic value of markets in London.

A major report, Understanding London's Markets, will later this year outline the value markets bring to London in relation to employment, skills and training, community cohesion, health and well-being and culture.

It will include the first ever map of all of London's markets, allowing people to search for local markets.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-23 00:20:23|Editor: Yamei

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Meng Jianzhu (R), head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney, Australia, April 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhu Hongye)

SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China and Australia have pledged here to further deepen bilateral relations between the two countries.

While meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday, Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that China and Australia have scored great achievements in developing bilateral ties, with leaders of the two countries exchanging successful visits and reaching important consensus on developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

As two major countries in the Asia-Pacific, China and Australia have common interests in many aspects and the prospects for future cooperation between the two countries are promising, Meng said.

Meng said as bilateral economic and trade ties are growing stronger and personnel exchanges between the two sides become more frequent, it is necessary for the two countries to establish a high-level security dialogue mechanism so as to lift the level of bilateral security cooperation.

Both sides should take the opportunity of launching the high-level security dialogue mechanism to respect each other's interests and address each other's concerns, deepen sincere dialogue, boost mutual understanding and mutual trust, broaden cooperation in the areas of fighting transnational crimes, anti-drug, anti-terrorism, combating cybercrime, and strengthen dialogue and communications in legal and judicial fields so as to safeguard the security of the two countries and serve the well-being of the two peoples.

For his part, Turnbull said that the two countries have witnessed the smooth development of bilateral ties.

Australia attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with China in security and law enforcement, the Australian prime minister said, hoping that the two sides will further deepen cooperation and safeguard security and interests of the two countries through the platform of the China-Australia high-level security dialogue.

Also on Friday, Meng attended the first China-Australia high-level security dialogue and delivered a speech.

After the security dialogue, China and Australia signed a joint declaration in which the two sides pledged to boost cooperation in the fields of judicial and legal affairs, cyber security, fighting terrorism and transnational crimes.

In the joint declaration, the two sides also agreed to hold the second China-Australia high-level security dialogue in the first half of 2018 in China.
by Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan biotechnology scientists on Saturday called on the government to enact policies that will advance the role of science in the country.

African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum Programs Officer Kennedy Oyugi told a media briefing in Nairobi that scientific research should be supported rather than be frustrated by policymakers.

Oyugi said polices that prioritize funding and support for science should be fast tracked.

"Available scientific solutions to the country's pressing needs such as the drought-tolerant and insect-resistant genetically modified maize should also be allowed to go through the National Performance Trials by national authorities," Oyugi told the March for Science, an event held to commemorate World Earth Day.

In Kenya, the march is organized by African Agricultural Technology Foundation, in partnership with Integrated Community Organization for Sustainable Empowerment and Education for Development, African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum, and Rural Outreach Program, in collaboration with Cornell Alliance for Science and other partners.

The event has evolved to become a march for not only scientists but for all people who share and appreciate the role of science in the society.

Oyugi said that science is a vital part of life because it unites people from all walks of life.

"Whether we differ in political ideology, scientific facts apply to us all," he added.

Oyugi noted that Kenya as an agricultural country needs to embrace science for realization of National Economic Blueprint Vision 2030.
People visit an exhibition featuring Chinese historical relics preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum, in Tampere, Finland, on April 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Xuan)

HELSINKI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition named "The Forbidden City -- Life in the Court of Chinese Emperors" is open to public on Friday in Tampere, southwestern Finland.

This is the first time that the Chinese historical relics preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum are exhibited in the Nordic region.

The Chinese red is the predominant color in the exhibition venues, which are decorated with Chinese elements such as lanterns, pattern dragons, wood carvings, and columns. The exquisite illustrations, photos and cultural relics bring a shocking visual experience to the audience.

The relics on show include Emperor Qianlong's throne and robe, Emperor Kangxi's helmet and cotton amour, as well as some other antiques and art crafts, such as incense burner tables, screens and Four Treasures of the Study.

Marjo-Riitta Saloniemi, exhibition manager of the Museum Center Vapriikki in Tampere, told Xinhua that it is the first time that the Chinese historical relics of the Beijing Palace Museum are exhibited in Finland, and also the first time in the Nordic region.

In addition to Finnish local residents, visitors from Sweden, Estonia and other neighboring countries are also expected to come to visit the exhibition.

Vice president of the Beijing Palace Museum Song Jirong said even though the exhibition is not as large as the previous ones held in major European countries, the over 100 pieces and sets of artworks are exquisite objects selected from the previous exhibitions, with some being displayed abroad for the first time.
200417MASIU DELIVERS AMBULANCE TO WISAI HEALTH CENTRE

By Aloysius Laukai

The member for South Bougainville, TIMOTHY MASIU presented a brand new AMBULANCE to the Wisai Health Centre on Monday this week after presenting two Police vehicles to the Southern Command of thye Bougainville Police Service in Buin.

In his address to the recipients, MR. MASIU said he felt with the people the hardships been faced by rural communities and the Ambulance will ease these sufferings by at least saving the lives of rural communities.

MR. MASIU said where ever he visited during his short term in parliament he has come to realise that the people have been living without a leader for a long time.

He called on the people to look after these vehicles to look after them in the long run.

He said that if he returns to power he will make sure those who missed out in the last eight months he has served the people of South Bougainville from Torokina to Wisai.



Ends






Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-23 01:40:35|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Marine Le Pen (Xinhua file photo)

PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- After a long and chaotic campaign, 47 million French voters will go to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a historic presidential election.

The election goes beyond national stakes and will have decisive impacts on the future of the European Union (EU) and the Old Continent.

Following a series of unexpected events on the global stage including "Brexit" and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, the world's attention is now focused on France, wondering how the EU's third largest economy will respond to the rise of populism, protection and sentiment against globalisation.

The atmosphere of uncertainly will linger until the last moment for Sunday's vote, while in 2012, the duel for the second round was known in advance as they were the clear favourites in polls.

Out of the 11 candidates running for presidency this year, four are currently neck-and-neck in polls, the centrist former Minister of economy Emmanuel Macron, the far-rightist Marine Le Pen, the right-wing conservative Francois Fillon and the far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Most polls indicates that Macron and Le Pen are the most likely to face off in the runoff on May 7, but no one can really predict as differences among voting intentions for the four remain narrow.

Whatever choice the French people make will undoubtedly go beyond their national borders, as it is the second of several elections in major European countries, followed by those in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Although the Dutch election in March gave a sign of relief to traditional political elites in Europe as the conservative party was able to trump populist candidate Geert Wilders, the situation in France is more complicated. Some political observers even consider the election as "a referendum on the EU."

Different positions on France's place in the EU have been highlighted thorough the election campaign.

Among the 11 candidates, eight have expressed a a Eurosceptic positioning, with Le Pen being the most prominent.

She has promised a "Frexit" if elected, pledging to "recover the monetary, economic, legislative and territorial sovereignty" of France, re-establish national borders, and leave the Schengen area of free circulation.

Meanwhile, Melenchon, who has seen a big surge in polls in the final sunup, also has very critical of the EU and calls for more reforms, including renegotiating European treaties.

"The EU, we change it or we leave it," he said.

Only Macron appears to be truly pro-EU and pleads for the revival of the Franco-German duo to "strengthen the monetary union," hence the favourite candidate for Berlin and Brussels.

He proposes to "launch democratic conventions throughout the EU by the end of 2017," with an objective to develop a "short road map" laying down the union's priorities for action and their implementation timetable for the next five years.

Right-wing candidate Francois Fillon pleads for a "Europe of Nations". He wants to "end the permanent enlargements of the European Union", "negotiate a European agenda for tax harmonization," and has made the reduction of the public deficit its battleground.

Fillon also highlights his experience as a former prime minister but his image remains tainted by a "fake jobs" scandal.

The French public long had a certain ambiguity when it comes to the EU, as surveys show that people are consistently in favour of the euro, but 54 percent of them also voted against a drafted European Constitution in 2005.

The morose economic context, an unemployment rate close to 10 percent, the still half-mast growth, and continuous security threats are all crystallising resentments towards the EU, often blamed as the culprit.

Therefore, handling the relationship with the EU will be a very difficult task for whoever gets into the Elysee Palace.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks at a press conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, Oct. 18, 2011. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members signed an agreement the same day on the establishment of a free trade zone in the CIS region. (Xinhua/Lu Jinbo)

MOSCOW, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a Commonwealth of Independent States draft agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy, the Russian government said Saturday.

The agreement establishes principles for member states to follow when it comes to the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, it said in a statement.

Medvedev called for the agreement to be signed at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government, according to an order of April 20, 2017 released along with the statement.

The CIS is a regional organization formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union. Nine out of the 15 former Soviet Republics are member states, and two are associate members (Ukraine and Turkmenistan).
UNICEF has begun working with government authorities, state officials and partners to bring long overdue assistance. (AFP photo)

KHARTOUM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Sudan government has granted the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) a permit to access Sudan's armed conflict areas, according to a report of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Saturday.

"The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has been granted access to a few hard-to-reach areas such as Kurmuk (Blue Nile State), Golo (Central Darfur State) and Belle El Serief (South Darfur State), the latter had not been accessible for over five years," said the report.

According to OCHA, UNICEF has begun working with government authorities, state officials and partners to bring long overdue assistance, including child protection, education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation services to the vulnerable communities in the newly reached areas.

UN and international organizations have been complaining from restrictions preventing their access to the people affected by armed clashes at Sudan's conflict areas.

Sudan government attributes restriction of movement of UN and international organizations at tensed areas to security reasons.
Chinese and Russian policemen attend a joint anti-terror drill in Manzhouli City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 20, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

MOSCOW, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Two armed perpetrators with ties to Islamic State who were planning terrorist attacks were killed in Russia's southern Stavropol Territory, the country's National Anti-terrorism Committee (NAC) said Saturday.

The two militants were killed in a shootout late Friday, after they opened fire in an attempt to escape a security check aimed at preventing activities of a so-called IS sleeper cell of bandits, when the police tried to stop their car on a rural road near a village in the Stavropol Region, according to a statement released by the NAC to Russian news agencies.

"The neutralized criminals were preliminarily identified: one of them was the head of the cell who had been trained in the IS camps and had arrived to Russia to carry out terror attacks, while the other was an active member of the cell," the statement read.

Information obtained by the Security agencies shows that these bandits intended to carry out a series of terrorist crimes, "including killing religious figures and other civilians," the statement said.

Apart from a machine gun, ammunition and components of an improvised explosive device were found at the scene of the armed clash, destructive weapons along with IS symbols were also found at the residence of one of the criminals, the statement added.

On Friday, two people were killed in a shooting attack on the Russian Federal Security Service's office in a Far Eastern city Khabarovsk, for which the IS claimed responsibility.
BANJUL, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Gambian government said on Saturday that it has cut excise duty on cement and flour imports.

"The duty on imported flour has been reduced from 47 percent to the normal rate of 20 percent, and the reference value shall be the transaction value," the government said in a statement.

"The additional measures of D1 (1 dalasi) per kilo of cement and 5 percent excise tax are now removed," the statement added.

The government also lifted a ban on the importation of onions and potatoes. The ban was imposed by former president Yahya Jammeh in a move said to aim at protecting local growers.
RABAT, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Morocco called on Saturday neighboring Algeria to assume its responsibility in controlling illegal migration, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The ministry said that it summoned the Algerian ambassador and expressed its concern after an attempt of 55 Syrian refugees to enter Morocco illegally.

"Algeria should shoulder its political and ethical responsibility towards this situation," the statement said, adding that "the humanitarian tragedy of those Syrian people should not be an element of blackmail or pressure on bilateral agenda."

On Friday, Morocco's interior ministry accused Algeria of forcing 55 Syrian nationals to enter Morocco's territories earlier this week.

"This is not the first time that the Algerian authorities have deported migrants to the Moroccan territory," the interior ministry said, adding that "similar attitudes have been recorded in the past."
by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is going to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to meet with King Salman in a public show of good relations between the two allies after months at odds.

"The visit will push the bilateral relations towards its right and normal track," said Gamal Bayoumi, Secretary General of Egypt's Arab Investors Union.

"The bilateral direct talks are a good opportunity for communication that would melt any misunderstanding," Bayoumi added.

The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and means of enhancing them, which come in the context of their keenness to support joint coordination, official news agency MENA reported on Friday.

"King Salman invited Sisi for an official visit to the kingdom, which was welcomed," said the Egyptian presidency in a statement early April.

President Sisi, in turn, invited Salman back, who then promised to visit Egypt in the very near future, the presidency added.

The two leaders met on March 30 on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Jordan and discussed improving relations, which was the first sign of breaking the ice after months of disagreements over some political issues.

The two countries have disagreed over Syria and Yemen, and the transfer of two Red Sea islands from Egypt to Saudi.

However, officials from both countries have repeatedly denied the existence of tensions or disagreements between the Arab region's most populous country and it's richest.

Saudi Arabia supported Egypt with billions of dollars in aid after the ouster in 2013 of Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist president from the Muslim Brotherhood, a common enemy for both of the countries.

"In Yemen, Riyadh wanted Cairo to play a central role in its war against Houthi group that controls the capital, but Cairo was reluctant to experience a previous Yemeni quagmire during late President Abdel Nasser," said Saeed el-Lawendi, international relations expert with Ahram center for political and strategic relations.

Egypt is already stuck in a fierce war against terrorism inside and could not spare more troops, el-Lawendi added.

Egypt voted for a Russian-backed UN resolution on Syria in October which was opposed by Saudi. Also, Egypt has been seeking warmer ties with Russia, Saudi's foe in the Syrian conflict.

Furthermore, in January, an Egyptian court rejected a government plan to transfer two Red Sea islands in Tiran Strait to Saudi Arabia.

On April 6, Saudi Arabia state oil company Aramco resumed delivering four oil shipments to Egypt after being halted in October without any official reasons.

"The theory of copy-paste views is no longer ruling the international relations. But allies could enhance their relations by reaching consensus on some disputed issues," the political expert el-Lawendi explained.

While Saudi Arabia adopted military intervention in Yemen and saw it the only way for ending the Syrian crisis, Egypt believed in political solutions in both countries.

Sisi's visit seeks to open a new chapter in relations that would be based on convergent views and not identical approaches, with maintaining each country's interests, el-Lawendi added.
LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A fur coat worn by a stewardess when the famous passenger liner Titanic sank in 1912 was auctioned in Britain Saturday for 181,000 pounds (232,000 U.S. dollars).

It went under the hammer for more than double the estimated price of 80,000 pounds, and was bought by a British collector.

Mabel Bennett, wearing a nightdress, grabbed the full length coat for protection from the harsh elements of the North Atlantic as a lifeboat arrived to rescue her.

She survived, and died in 1974 aged 96. Bennett had given the coat to a great niece in the 1960s. The coat has been on display until recently in the United States where it was shown in a recreation of a Titanic first-class stateroom.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge described the garment as one of the most visual items to go on sale in recent years.

The coat came with a letter of provenance, which reads: "This coat was worn by my Great Aunt Mabel who was a stewardess.

"On her rescue from the Titanic she was in her nightdress and this coat was the first garment she snatched for warmth. My aunt gave me the coat in the early 1960s," added the letter.

Bennett, who worked in the first class section of the Titanic, also wore the coat aboard the Red Star Line SS Lapland, which was used to transport the surviving Titanic crew back to Britain.

More than 1,500 passengers and crew died when the so-called unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in April 1912, on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-23 06:37:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MEXICO CITY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Mexican security forces shot dead two suspected drug cartel leaders early Saturday in different clashes in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, the state government announced.

Tamaulipas' security secretariat wrote on Twitter that a presumed leader of the Gulf Cartel, Julian Loisa Salinas, alias "El Comandante Toro," was killed in a shootout in the city of Reynosa.

Loisa Salinas had been one of the most sought after drug dealers in Mexico as the government have labelled the Gulf Cartel as one of the main actors of violence in Reynosa, a border city with the U.S.

According to the state government, accomplices of the drug lord set fire to tyres and vehicles to create a distraction allowing them to flee.

Later, federal forces shot dead Francisco "Pancho" Carreon during a firefight near Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas.

Carreon was a senior figure in the cartel of Los Zetas, a former ally and later bitter rival of the Gulf Cartel, who was also considered to be a key objective for authorities.

The Twitter account confirmed that their deaths were part of a campaign against organized crime.

Tamaulipas has been racked with regular violence between the Gulf and Zetas cartels, who broke their alliance in 2010 and now fight for control of the flow of drugs across the state to the U.S.
Minister talks trade with new Ambassadors

Minister Gopee- Scoon and her executive team apprised London of priority areas in bilateral trade, business and investment with the United Kingdom as well as opportunities within the Commonwealth.

London for his part reaffirmed his commitment to champion Trinidad and To- bago as a destination for investment and a partner in the trade in goods and services.

Davidson-Celestine was also sensitized on the importance which Trinidad and Tobago attributes to its trading relationship with Costa Rica and other Central American countries to which the Ambassador will be accredited.

Minister Gopee- Scoon indicated that, as Trinidad and Tobago seeks to increase its trading relationship with Central America, the Costa Rican Market, consisting of over four (4) million people, provides a host of opportunities for Trinidad and Tobagos exporters.

The CARICOM- Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement also provides for free trade or preferential access for a wide range of goods. Minister Gopee- Scoon underscored the importance of inter alia promoting Trinidad and Tobagos manufacturing, creative and maritime sectors in Costa Rica.

London is the former Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and also former political leader of the Tobago-arm of the ruling Peoples National Movement (PNM).

Davidson-Celestine was a former Tourism Secretary in the THA and also a member of the London-led THA executive.
Need to reform JSB

Anthony Kaybing

200417



There is an immediate need for reform in the Joint Supervisory Body which is responsible for implementing the autonomous arrangement on Bougainville

The JSB operates under the Bougainville Peace Agreement and is underpinned by the National and Bougainville Constitutions. It is an important mechanism through which the two Governments manage the complex arrangements related to autonomy. Under the Agreement, the role of the JSB is to act as; an oversight body in relation to Peace Agreement implementation, a consultative forum; and a dispute resolution mechanism.

Other than the signing of the Overarching Memorandum of Understanding on the Drawdown of Powers, and implementation work to establish the Bougainville Referendum Commission, no other work had progressed.

The ABG President Chief Dr John Momis in his discussions with the Prime Minister Peter ONeill last week also expressed concern at the level of inaction on the part of our officials.

The Prime Minister is committed 100% to the peace process, but like me agreed that we needed to review how the JSB operates and to provide stronger direction to officials, we agreed on the need for reform to ensure that the JSB returns to its original intended role, as spelt out in the National Constitution, the President said.

If we are to make real progress there is a need for reform, it is not enough to drift from one JSB to the next without achieving goals and delivering on expectations, if we are to deliver on the intent of the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the expectations of our people we must take action to enhance the systems, processes and mechanisms that can give life to autonomy arrangements, Momis said.

The Prime Minister and I both agreed that for this to occur there must be more direct consultation at all levels across government  between officials, between Ministers, within committees and directly between the Prime Minister and myself, If we are to do that and progress meaningful change this will provide future JSBs with real issues to consider and discuss, Momis added.

The JSB is supported by the Joint Technical Team (JTT) which is a team of officials from both Governments responsible for negotiating arrangements associated with Peace Agreement implementation.

As part of his discussions with the Prime Minister they have agreed for the JTT to engage in meaningful consultations and negotiations to progress a number of outstanding important issues that the JSB has to date been unable to resolve.

This will enable important work to continue during the caretaker period for the National Government election.



Ends////

Caption of Member Timothy Masiu, President Chief DR.JOHN MOMIS and member for Makis in the ABG John Viani






Atlantic, TTTI partner

This initiative  the Atlantic Good Governance and Accountability Programme  is a joint initiative between Atlantic and Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI).

Camille Salandy, Atlantics Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, explained that the participating NGOs are all partners with Atlantic on the companys various Sustainability initiatives that target youth development through sport or capacity building at the community and national level.

Atlantic wanted to increase the already significant impact that these NGOs are making on the children who participate in our sustainability programmes and there is an established link between good governance and good performance, Salandy said. Over an 8-month period, the Atlantic Good Governance and Accountability Programme will evaluate and upgrade the governance policies and processes of our NGO partners. They will be assisted through guided self-assessment exercises; special workshops on governance and accountability; and then through post-assessment interventions using the expertise of TTTI. Dion Abdool, Chair, Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI), said that the Institutes partnership with Atlantic was part of the organizations wider aim to build good governance policy and practice in the public and private sectors and also in civil society organizations.

Abdool said that TTTI recently hosted an initial workshop on Accountable Governance, Financial Management, Human Resource Management and Accountable Programmes for these NGO partners of Atlantic. The NGOs were exposed to the Accountability Tools  seventeen elements which comprise the Civil Society Accountability Toolkit, a framework developed by TTTI in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation.
Accused denied bail

Sheldon Mc Clarence appeared before Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert in the San Fernando Magistrates court yesterday afternoon, charged with shooting with intent, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm to endanger life and possession of ammunition to endanger life.

The magistrate told Mc Clarence that the charges were laid indictably and he was not called upon to plead. The charges arose from a report that on Wednesday, a party of police officers headed by Sgt Natasha Morrison, Cpl Roger Nanan, WPC Praveen Rajkumar, PCs Sandeep Maraj and Shakeel Charles of the San Fernando CID, investigated a shooting incident at George Street, La Romaine.

Court prosecutor Sgt Krishna Beedasie, told Magistrate Alert that Mc Clarence was out on bail when he was arrested. The magistrate refused bail but advised Mc Clarence of his right to apply for bail to a judge in chambers.
Legal letter over Galicia

The Galicia was expected to leave Trinidads waters yesterday at about 2 pm but this was pushed back to 8 pm. During the day, there were reports that attempts were made by Galicias crew to depart Tobago for Spain and Coast Guard officials had to intervene.

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan told Newsday this was not true.

Everything is working as planned. The ship is loading cargo to come Trinidad and they will offload and then return to Tobago and then leave. Chairman of the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT), Alison Lewis, also denied such reports.

She said the Galicia was expected to leave Tobago yesterday evening, headed to Spain, after offloading its final cargo in Trinidad.

Meanwhile John Powell, Managing Director of the Galicias local agent, Inter-Continental Shipping Limited (ICSL), received a legal letter from the law offices of Dr Claude Denbow SC. Acting on behalf of Sinanan and Government, the law firm said Denbow has advised that the charter hire agreement (CHA) is still in place. Powell was given until 9 am today to respond to the firms statement that the CHAs existence and continuing life has been acknowledged by the letter of 12th August 12, 2016 from ICSL. Declaring Powell was acutely aware of the Galicias vital role, the firm said Government was advised that no amount of damages can compensate for ICSLs breach of contract.

Powell was then called on to continue performing the CHA until October 31.

If ICSL fails to do so, Government will take such action as it may be advised in order to compel such performance. Denbows letter to Powell came two days after Sinanan alluded to a possible lawsuit by Government for breach of contract regarding the abrupt withdrawal of the Galicia from service on the sea bridge.

Newsday attempted to speak with Powell yesterday but calls to his phone went unanswered. Sinanan said Powells attorneys responded with some options around midday, to which our attorneys responded in turn. If (ICSL) can find a replacement for the Galicia without there being any disruption in service, that would be acceptable to us. However this would mean another vessel taking over from Sunday; the next scheduled cargo sailing, Sinanan stated.
Cops foil robbery of Chinese businessmen, four held

The four suspects ages 17, 19, 21 and 23 of North Eastern Settlement Sangre Grande are expected to be on Identification parades for offences in the Eastern Division.

According to reports, at around 10.45 pm on Wednesday, the businessmen ages 36 and 40 who are the owners of Jing Xing restaurant of Ojoe Road, Sangre Grande secured the business place and then proceeded to a nearby apartment where they reside.

It is alleged that the businessmen were followed to their apartment by the four suspects who proceeded to beat them and demanded cash and other valuables.

However, while the robbery was in progress, police were alerted to the incident and officers led by Senior Superintendent Garth Nelson along with constables Joseph, Blake, Smith and Emmanuel from the Task Force along with PC Sankar, Gadar, Singh and WPC Gonzales of the CID responded.

Officers allegedly caught the four suspects in the act and quickly detained the men. Of ficers recovered $500 in cash from the suspects who were then taken to the Sangre Grande police station.

Police sources said yesterday with the arrest of the four they may be able to solve several similar robberies in the Eastern Division.

In two unrelated incidents, also in the Eastern Division, a 35-year-old man identified as Nigel Chinee Phillip of KP Lands, Valencia was at his home at about 7.30 pm on Thursday when he was shot by an unknown assailant.

Phillip was rushed to the Sangre Grande hospital by a male relative and was warded in a stable condition.

Senior Sup Nelson along with Inspector Ken Lutchman, Sgt Ramkissoon, and officers of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit visited the scene and investigations are continuing.

Also, at about 2.30 am on Friday, a 36-yearold resident of Michael Street, Sangre Grande awoke to find a 60-yearold man of Toco Road, Mathura in his living room.

The man had in his possession a lap top and a power saw.

Police were called in and officers led by Corporal De La Rosa and including WPC Timothy, PC Cielto visited the scene and nabbed the suspect. He is expected to be placed on identification parades for other break-ins in th Eastern Division.
Four Venezuelans arrested, guns, drugs and ammo seized

Up to yesterday, the five suspects who range in age between 27 and 35 were still assisting Customs with their investigations.

On Thursday, the team led by head of CID Insp Don Gajadhar also discovered two Taurus pistols, six rounds of ammunition, 1.2 kilos of marijuana and 94 grammes of cocaine during their search, however, no one was arrested.

Kings Wharf, an area where persons not only go to pur chase fish but also access major transportation, has long been identified as a hub for illegal activities.

Swift trade is also conducted between locals and the Venezuelans as it is a legal landing area for the traders.

The joint exercise also included Sgt Morrison, PCs Gordon, Joseph, Crawford, Khan, Thorne and Harrypersad.
Man shot by cop in PoS identified

The man has been identified as 38-year-old Pascall Roberts, a former student of Fatima College.

According to police sources, Roberts endured a traumatic experience during his time as a police officer, and his mental condition deteriorated, until he ended up on the streets.

Newsday attempted to speak with relatives of the former policeman, but they refused to give any information.

I dont have to justify him to anyone. I knew who he was, so I dont have to say anything about him. Let people think what they want said a relative yesterday.

Police sources told Newsday yesterday that the former officer was involved in a situation in Piarco several years ago, where a grenade was thrown into a police vehicle.

After the incident, police said he became mentally unstable. He lost his job as an officer, fell on hard times, and resorted to petty theft to maintain himself. Newsday understands that he had several matters in court for petty theft.
HEAT FUH SO

In an advisory, the MSD said maximum temperatures during the day have equalled or exceeded 34 degrees Celsius on three of the last six days and there is a 60 percent probability for similar values over the next three to four days.

They warned that maximum temperatures are expected to be more intense in cities and urban areas. A meteorologist who spoke yesterday said at the beginning of April, temperatures have gotten as high as 34.9 but dropped back down quickly. He said the consistency of these high temperatures have been maintained. The atmosphere is very dry and we are not expecting any significant rainfall for the next five to six days, the meteorologist said.

In its advisory, the MSD warned that the high temperatures can be hazardous to health, especially for people who may be particularly vulnerable such as older people, persons with long-term or serious illnesses and young children. The hottest time of the day is between, 11 am to 3 pm, and the MSD said it is important for people to wear appropriate clothing, stay hydrated at all times and keep out of the sun, in order to avoid sunburn.

Do not leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle especially infants, young children or even animals, the MSD advised. The MSD said the hot temperatures and dry air, along with already present moderate to strong winds will also combine to create high fire potential in grassy areas. They advised people to avoid activities that promote open flames and sparks since these have the potential to quickly develop into bushfires.

Specialist in internal medicine Dr Reynold Benjamin told Newsday people should take the necessary precautions to prevent heatstrokes, dehydration and blackouts.

He said people who exercise should avoid doing so during the middle of the day. They should switch their routine to the evening time and keep themselves well hydrated and if they have to be in the sun they should wear hats and stay in the shade, he said.

For the elderly, who may be on certain medications, Dr Benjamin said they would be vulnerable so they should drink a lot of water.

Benjamin also advised people to avoid alcohol during this period.

Alcohol tends to dehydrate you so drinking should be avoided during this time, he said.

According to WebMDs website, prolonged or intense exposure to hot temperatures can cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat stroke. The website explained that as the body works to cool itself under extreme or prolonged heat, blood rushes to the surface of the skin.

As a result, less blood reaches the brain, muscles, and other organs and this can interfere with a persons physical strength and mental capacity, leading, in some cases, to serious danger.
TCL workers stage protest

Dozens of TCL workers staged a protest outside the companys Claxton Bay compound at 6 am yesterday. Workers waved placards as they demanded the shares as agreed to between the company and the workers union.

OWTU branch president for TCL workers Ahmad Mohammed said the OWTU was first informed of the companys inability to transfer the shares, during a meeting on April 6, but was only given written confirmation of this on Thursday afternoon.

With written confirmation, Mohammed said, the OWTU can now decide on how it will proceed in terms of a response to this and other issues, In a 2014 Memorandum of Agreement, between TCL and the OWTU, after a threemonth strike against the company, around $150 million in backpay was agreed to be distributed to workers - some in cash and some in shares __ to cover the collective periods 2009-2011 and 2012-2014. Mohammed said the $20 million in shares was one of the items which was supposed to be transferred to workers.

Mohammed said the OWTU believes the move was, calculated and a purposely done strategy of the company not to issue shares which is evident by the fact that Cemex was able to acquire just below 70% in our company. Mohammed said TCL would not have been able to transfer the shares had they done so before Mexican cement giant Cemex bought majority shares in the company in January.

With a share price of $5.07 and the purchase of shares with US dollars, Mohammed said, those of us who would have laboured, put our money to ensure that there was a company to transfer now, by way of sale, are now being treated, with scant courtesy by individuals who have chosen to profit. Up to press time, TCLs corporate communications department did not respond to Newsdays queries about the matter. The OWTU said TCL workers intend to continue protesting not only over the share transfer issue but the slow pace in which the company is treating with other outstanding matters including Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for casual workers and an end to TCL negotiating directly with workers and not the union.

The OWTU will be meeting with TCL on April 26 and 27 for discussions on how the two will settle outstanding issues. After about an hour of protests yesterday, the workers put away their placards and went to work
Ex-OAS workers collect backpay

Newsday spoke with an OAS Oilfield Workers Trade Union shop steward, who asked to remain anonymous, who said workers, many of whom have yet to find employment since losing their jobs, were called out to collect cheques after a year of negotiations between the OWTU and the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) following the latters firing of OAS, for abandoning construction of the now stalled Point Fortin highway.

NIDCO chairman Herbert George told Newsday that although workers were not contracted for labour by NIDCO, the company took upon itself the responsibility of offering some redress to workers.

When OAS left, they left quite a few creditors, some of whom have sought redress in the courts for equipment and so on, George said. But workers have no such way of getting similar redress. Herbert said the OWTU sought redress for 909 workers and NIDCO agreed to pay them 100 percent of their severance packages and 50 percent fringe benefits owed by OAS.

Workers were asked to present IOUs given to them by OAS detailing the money owed by the company and NIDCO checked it against copies of the IOUs which OAS luckily left behind.

Herbert said the payment represented only around 35 percent of the money owed to workers, however.

They are still owed backpay for salary increments not paid over five years, vacation, and salaries for two fortnights.

Asked whether workers could expect to be paid the remaining money, George said NIDCO has a duty to complete the construction of the highway using whatever money remained for the project since OAS departure. If the cost of the highways completion turns out to be less than the contracted amount, the difference would be used to offer further redress to workers.
Entertainment / Shows

by Simbarashe Sithole

The Khiama boys' band led by Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria duped revellers in Centenary Mashonaland Central after advertising a show that never was yesterday. Fans from places around Centenary stormed Changaz night club to grace the alleged Madzibaba's show.Many fans from Mount Darwin, Muzarabani, Guruve and Mukumbura were left a desperate lot after Madzibaba did not turn up and they had nowhere to go.Club Changaz manager Tambudzai Kajokoto had no soft words for Khiama boys as she labelled them crooks."These guys are crooks we paid them for posters today they confirmed in the morning that they were coming.Around 8pm l called them and they gave an excuse of a tyre puncture while lying that they were at Mazowe coming.We continued calling after seeing a huge crowd geared for the show only to be told that they were booked somewhere again.Surely where is the professionalism in these guys we suffered a huge loss because of their foolish actions next time our customers will lose confidence in us since on 5 May we are preparing for Macheso but with such conduct fans will hesitate to come," she fumed.Revellers who spoke to Bulawayo24.com expressed disgust over the unavailability of Madzibaba."I came all the way from Mount Darwin hoping to refresh my mind now he is not here but his posters are everywhere ,l have wasted my hard earned cash where do l sleep now," said Monica Zuze."This is not acceptable we drove all the way from Guruve only to be told that we are sorry Madzibaba failed to turn up wasting our fuel, what kind of business is that?," questioned the source.However, efforts to contact Madzibaba Nicholas Zakaria were futile as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Nick Herringer claps along with a metronome. He draws lines on a big screen, repeating patterns drawn by the computer. He identifies icons of cars when they flash before his eyes. This is the 22-year-olds speech and cognitive therapy, which he has been doing at least twice a week. Every wee
The Moroccan Interior Ministry Friday announced it dismantled in the Northern city of Tetuan a three-man cell connected to Daech that was preparing attacks against institutions and security authorities.

The operation was led by the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ), the judicial arm of the domestic intelligence service.

According to the early investigation findings, the leader of the cell, a graduate in sciences, well trained in the making of explosives fitted with remote detonator systems, was on the verge of acquiring substances used in the making of bombs, the ministry said.

The trio was preparing to attack Moroccan institutions as well as security authorities, the ministrys statement said, adding that the BCIJ squad seized in the operation some equipment as well as electronical items used in the production of remotely controlled explosives.

Bladed weapons, cells phones as well as a bottle containing a suspicious liquid were also seized during the raid.

This is the second operation by BCIJ forces so far this month. A week ago, security forces nabbed seven terrorists in the city of Fez and nearby town of Moulay Yacoub.

The cell members were trying to recruit volunteers for the terrorist Islamic State group, the interior ministry announced.

Moroccos counterterrorism strategy is based on vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies.

The BCIJ has dismantled multiple groups with ties to international networks that included ISIS and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
Several rights groups called on the US government to suspend military aid to the Sisis regime in Egypt after a video circulated online showed Egyptian soldiers executing as many as eight detainees in the northern Sinai Peninsula.

The perpetrators of the executions were said to be members of Egyptian military intelligence. They were shown in the video commanding executions before placing rifles next to bodies to depict the dead as militants killed in a raid, Human Rights Watch said.

It added that eight detainees were summarily executed although the video shows only two men being killed. The video was said to be filmed by a militia cooperating with the Egyptian army in its war on the IS group in Sinai.

Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director for Human Rights Watch, called the killings outrageous and said the incident shows Egypts counterterrorism campaign in Sinai is out of control.

Egypts allies cannot claim ignorance about these deadly abuses, Stork said.

In a statement, Human Rights Watch called on the countries that provide weapons, materiel, or training to the Egyptian military to suspend all such assistance as long as the Egyptian armed forces remain responsible for widespread and serious violation of human rights.

Human rights group Amnesty International said it had analyzed the footage that showed cold blooded killings. This should be urgently investigated by the Egyptian authorities, AI said.

Najia Bounaim, Amnesty Internationals campaigns director for North Africa, said there had also been a disturbing pattern of apparent extrajudicial executions in the area.

The footage, which emerged on Thursday, was apparently filmed with a mobile phone and has been broadcast on Mekameleen TV, a station that supports the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Morocco and Cuba have ushered a new era by restoring their diplomatic ties and turning the page of 37 years of severance on the backdrop of Havanas alignment on the Polisario separatist thesis.

The re-establishment of diplomatic ties was announced following a meeting between the heads of the permanent missions of the two countries at the UN headquarters in New York, Cubas Anayansi Rodriguez Camejo and Moroccos Omar Hilale.

The agreement to restore diplomatic relations comes days after a private visit by King Mohammed VI to Cuba where he held private talks with senior Cuban officials to pave the way for a normalization of relations between the two countries.

Both governments proceeded to re-establish these relations guided by the mutual will to develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in the political, economic, cultural and other fields, said the Cuban governments Prensa Latina news agency.

The normalization of ties with Cuba is once again mirroring the efficiency of Royal diplomacy. After regaining its legitimate place at the African Union with an outspoken support from a sweeping majority of member states, Morocco is emerging as a continental power to be reckoned with. Buoyed by a political, economic and social development model, the kingdom is set to boost its standing as a credible partner in a region beset by turmoil and authoritarianism.

Although Cuba has long been an ardent adversary of Moroccos territorial integrity through its generous military and diplomatic support to the Polisario militias, the re-establishment of diplomatic ties with Rabat will make Moroccos perspective heard and will deal a blow to the Polisario separatist rhetoric in Latin America.

Morocco and Cuba severed diplomatic relations in 1980 following Fidel Castros official recognition of the Algerian-sponsored separatist entity, SADR.
News / Local

by Simbarashe Sithole

There was mayhem at CBZ bank Mvurwi branch yesterday after the bank reportedly saved civil servants first neglecting farmers who are sleeping daily in queues due to scarcity of cash.Tobacco farmers allegedly caused havoc after civil servants came for their salaries chief among them nurses.The nurses were given first priority by the bank to get their salaries at the expense of the farmers.Most farmers are said to have spent days withdrawing US$150 per day, which is the maximum allowed daily."We ran riot after seeing that civil servants were getting their salaries yet we were being neglected but we spent the whole night in these meandering queues"How can someone come from home and get money in less than thirty minutes yet we are sleeping in queues," lamented a farmer who identified himself as Muza.Civil servants who spoke to Bulawayo24.com on the date in question said farmers should sympathize with them since it is their monthly salaries and would be in a hurry to get back to work."These farmers should bear with us we will be at work unlike them they have all the time to get their monies anytime but our monthly remuneration comes only once so these guys should just let us have what belongs to us," said the sourcesMvurwi police had to be called to ease the pandermonium after farmers burst into Chimurenga songs threatening to cause massive havoc.